Polyphenols from Foxtail Millet Improve Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease by Regulating Intestinal Microbiome in Mice

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common chronic hepatic manifestation of metabolic dysfunction for which effective interventions are lacking. The burden of NAFLD is increasing at an alarming rate. NAFLD is frequently associated with morbidities such as dyslipidemia, type 2 diabetes mellitus and obesity, etc. The current study explored the potential role of bound polyphenols from foxtail millet (BPIS) in treating mice with NAFLD induced by a high-fat diet (HFD). The results indicated the critical role of BPIS in treating NAFLD by effectively restoring the gut microbiota in C57BL/6 mice that received a high-fat diet (HFD) for 12 weeks. At the same time, 16S rRNA analysis demonstrated that BPIS remodeled the overall structure of the gut microbiota from fatty liver diseases towards that of normal counterparts, including ten phylum and twenty genus levels. Further study found that the expression of tight junction proteins was upregulated in the BPIS-treated group. This study provides new insights into the potential NAFLD protective effects induced by polyphenols of foxtail millet

The electrode strategy and its coordination mechanism in constructed wetland-microbial fuel cell (CW-MFC): a review

Abstract The electrode played an essential role in the operation of CW-MFC system due to its synergistic effect, and the development of electrode strategy has promoted the application of CW-MFC since 2012. In this paper, according to the material and the quantity, the electrode types in CW-MFC were distinctly divided into unified model, composited model, modified model, and multi-electrodes model combined with non-conductive or conductive particle. Different electrode strategies were provided to improve the performance of CW-MFC towards electricity generation, removal of pollutants, and control of greenhouse gas emission, and the coordination mechanism was further reviewed. Furthermore, the development process of the electrode strategy was summarized, and the low-cost, sustainable, and innovated electrode materials were emphatically recommended. For the scale-up application, multi-electrode model was systematically reviewed based on the optimizing of the material, shape, spacing distance, and connection type of electrode. This review may provide guidance to maximize the advantages of CW-MFC applications. Graphical Abstrac

Ferulic acid reduces GLP‐1 degradation to ameliorate diet‐induced obesity‐associated hepatic steatosis

Abstract GLP‐1 is a vital candidate for stimulating insulin secretion in a glucose‐dependent manner, reducing body weight and eliminating nonalcoholic fatty liver disease with few side effects. Therefore, elevating GLP‐1 secretion and antagonizing the enzymatic cleavage by DPP4 are the main direction of GLP‐1‐based drug development. The present study implies that ferulic acid (FA) treatment increased the serum GLP‐1 level in diet‐induced obesity mice. The binding of FA to GLP‐1 effectively prevented the enzymatic cleavage of GLP‐1 by DPP4, which led to the effective elimination of hepatic cellular lipids by GLP‐1 in vitro. Furthermore, studies of fluorescence titration and molecular simulation showed that the combination ratio of FA and GLP‐1 was 1:1, and FA could enhance the stability of GLP‐1 through van der Waals force and electrostatic force binding to GLP‐1. In turn, it increased the level of endogenous GLP‐1. More importantly, data from mass spectrometry analysis revealed that FA bound to GLN‐17, ALA‐18, or ALA‐19 sites of GLP‐1 differently. In addition, after binding to FA, the α‐helix in GLP‐1 did not change significantly, and the biological activity of GLP‐1 was unaffected. These results highlight that FA‐rich food, such as millet and oats, is an excellent source of dietary intervention for metabolic disorders

Water Stress Proteins from Nostoc commune Vauch. Exhibit Anti-Colon Cancer Activities in Vitro and in Vivo

Nostoc commune has been traditionally used in China as a health food and medicine. The water stress proteins (WSP) of Nostoc commune are the major component of the extracellular matrix. This study purified and identified the water stress proteins (WSP1) from Nostoc commune Vauch., which could inhibit the proliferation of human colon cancer cell lines. The IC₅₀ values of WSP1 against DLD1, HCT116, HT29, and SW480 cells were 0.19 ± 0.02, 0.21 ± 0.03, 0.39 ± 0.05, and 0.41 ± 0.01 μg/μL, respectively. Notably, it displayed very little effect on the normal human intestinal epithelial FHC cell line. The IC₅₀ value of WSP1 against FHC cells was 0.67 ± 0.05 μg/μL. Moreover, the growth of DLD1 xenografted tumors in nude mice were significantly suppressed in the WSP1 treated group. Mechanistically, the cell-cycle analysis revealed that WSP1 induced growth inhibition by G1/S arrest. Meanwhile, Western blotting and immunohistochemistry assays showed WSP1 could activate caspase-8, -9, and -3, along with subsequent PARP cleavage. Furthermore, the pan-caspase inhibitor, z-VAD-FMK, partly reversed the effect caused by WSP1, confirming that WSP1 induced cell apoptosis through caspase-dependent pathway. Collectively, WSP1 has targeted inhibition for colon cancer proliferation both in vitro and in vivo and it is valuable for future exploitation and utilization as an antitumor agent