Changes in fatty acid dietary profile affect the brain–gut axis functions of healthy young adult rats in a sex-dependent manner

This article belongs to the Special Issue Dietary Management of Gastrointestinal Diseases and Disorders.Dietary modifications, including those affecting dietary fat and its fatty acid (FA) composition, may be involved in the development of brain–gut axis disorders, with different manifestations in males and females. Our aim was to evaluate the impact of three purified diets with different FA composition on the brain–gut axis in rats of both sexes. Male and female Wistar rats fed a cereal-based standard diet from weaning were used. At young adult age (2–3 months old), animals were divided into three groups and treated each with a different refined diet for 6 weeks: a control group fed on AIN-93G diet containing 7% soy oil (SOY), and two groups fed on AIN-93G modified diets with 3.5% soy oil replaced by 3.5% coconut oil (COCO) or 3.5% evening primrose oil (EP). Different brain–gut axis parameters were evaluated during 4–6 weeks of dietary intervention. Compared with SOY diet (14% saturated FAs, and 58% polyunsaturated FAs), COCO diet (52.2% saturated FAs and 30% polyunsaturated FAs) produced no changes in brain functions and minor gastrointestinal modifications, whereas EP diet (11.1% saturated FAs and 70.56% polyunsaturated FAs) tended to decrease self-care behavior and colonic propulsion in males, and significantly increased exploratory behavior, accelerated gastrointestinal transit, and decreased cecum and fecal pellet density in females. Changes in FA composition, particularly an increase in ω-6 polyunsaturated FAs, seem to facilitate the development of brain–gut axis alterations in a sex-dependent manner, with a relatively higher risk in females.We thank Comunidad Autónoma de Madrid for the technician contract of Lorena Blanco (PEJ15/BIO/TL-0580) and the predoctoral contract of Yolanda López-Tofiño (PEJD-2017-PRE/BMD-3924), and URJC for the predoctoral contracts of Yolanda López-Tofiño and Carlos Gálvez-Robleño (both under PREDOC20-054 call). Damian Jacenik was a recipient of fellowship funded by Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, Poland.Peer reviewe

Involvement of central and peripheral cannabinoid receptors on antinociceptive effect of tetrahydrocannabinol in muscle pain

Cannabinoid (CB) receptors have emerged as an attractive therapeutic target for pain management in recent years and the interest in the use of cannabinoids is gradually increasing, particularly in patients where conventional treatments fail. Muscle pain is a major clinical problem and new pharmacological approaches are being studied. Recently, we have demonstrated that cannabinoid synthetic agonists are useful to reduce muscular pain in two animal models, where the local administration is effective. Now, we want to know if tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), a cannabinoid natural derivative with therapeutic use in humans, is also effective in reducing acute muscle pain. The antinociceptive effect of THC by systemic (i.p.) and local (i.m.) administration was tested in two animal models of acute muscle pain, rat masseter and gastrocnemius, induced by hypertonic saline (HS) injection. The drugs used were the non-selective agonist THC and two selective cannabinoid antagonists, AM251 (CB1) and AM630 (CB2). THC, i.p. and i.m. administered, reduced the nociceptive behaviours induced by HS in both muscular pain models. The antinociceptive effect induced by the systemic administration of THC was mediated by CB1 receptors in the masseter muscle whereas in gastrocnemius both CB1 and CB2 receptors participated. When THC was administered locally, only CB2 receptors were involved in the antinociceptive effect in both muscles. This study suggests that THC could be a future pharmacological option in the treatment of muscle pain. The local administration of THC could be an interesting option to treat this type of pain avoiding the central adverse effects.Peer Reviewe

Diseño de una instalación experimental de trigeneración con biomasa

La presente memoria desarrolla el diseño de una instalación experimental de trigeneración de pequeña potencia, consistente en la producción conjunta de electricidad, frío y calor aplicable a generación distribuida y usando como combustible biomasa procedente de cultivos energéticos. El potencial de mercado es amplio, más en la actual tesitura en la que la protección medioambiental, el desarrollo económico y el control del cambio climático se proclaman cada vez más urgentes. Aun así, el desarrollo y la implementación de la trigeneración con biomasa están todavía en su etapa inicial y, aunque viable energéticamente, la alta inversión inicial necesaria contrarresta los ahorros que se puedan obtener, debido a que las tecnologías no se encuentran consolidadas en el mercado. Además, las instalaciones de pequeña potencia tienen costes específicos mayores que las grandes centrales, por lo que requieren de un soporte económico que asegure la recuperación de la inversión en un tiempo considerable. La comercialización de sistemas de pequeña potencia se ve por tanto frenada por numerosas barreras técnicas y económicas y son necesarios esfuerzos en investigación y desarrollo para que estos sistemas sean demostrados e instalados ampliamente en un futuro cercano. El presente trabajo se enmarca en el proyecto singular estratégico denominado “Desarrollo, demostración y determinación de la viabilidad de producción de energía en España a partir de la biomasa de cultivos energéticos”, que forma parte del Plan Nacional de I+D+i (2004-2007) y en el que la Universidad de Zaragoza participa activamente. El trabajo desarrollado consiste en la revisión de las tecnologías principales aplicables a la trigeneración con biomasa así como en el estudio del estado del arte de los equipos a instalar, a partir de búsqueda de fabricantes y suministradores e información de instalaciones existentes. Una vez elegidos los equipos principales, se ha estudiado su interconexión, diseñado la instalación hidráulica y seleccionado los elementos auxiliares que permitan su adecuado funcionamiento como son bombas de circulación, vasos de expansión, válvulas etc. También se ha buscado la instrumentación apropiada para extraer toda la información necesaria sobre la operación, tanto de los equipos por separado como la del sistema global y poder determinar así la respuesta técnica de la instalación durante las sesiones de pruebas. Por último se ha llevado a cabo el proceso de distribución de los equipos y las instalaciones en el reducido espacio disponible, buscando el layout que mejor se adecuara a la operación y que al mismo tiempo permitiera el acceso para maniobras en las pruebas y mantenimiento

Maternal separation affects the electrophysiological properties of Aδ-fibres and nociceptive behaviours in male and female mice

Aim: Early life adverse effects have been associated with an increased risk of suffering pain syndromes in adulthood. Although animal models are of great importance to study modifications of pain sensitivity, up to date the results obtained are contradicting due to the varied methodologies used. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to characterise, as a whole, possible modifications in visceral and somatic nociceptive responses in male and female ICR mice, submitted to two different protocols of maternal separation (MS), and possible modifications in the electrophysiological properties of peripheral nociceptive Aδ-primary afferents. Main methods: Male and female mice were submitted to 3 or 4–8 hr of daily MS from postnatal day (PND) 2–17 and early weaned. On PND 67 von Frey, hot plate and writhing tests were performed. Afterwards electrophysiological recordings were carried out, using the in vitro skin-saphenous nerve preparation in males. Key findings: The short separation protocol of MS did not modify nociceptive sensitivity; but when mice were separated from their dams for the long separation, mechanical pain thresholds were modified in male and female mice and visceral nociception was increased in female mice. Electrophysiological recordings showed that cutaneous Aδ-fibres were sensitised and their mechanotransduction properties were altered in both MS protocols. Significance: Although MS increases the activity and the mechanosensitivity of cutaneous Aδ-afferent fibres at both short and long periods of separation, only the longer interval of time induces nociceptive sensitivity alterations during adulthood. These results highlight the possible influence of a stress free environment during childhood to reduce nociceptive alterations in adulthood.Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación, Grant/Award Number: SAF2012-40075-C02-0

Effects of INSTANT CASCARA beverage on brain-gastrointestinal functions

Trabajo presentado a la 2nd International Electronic Conference on Foods: "Future Foods and Food Technologies for a Sustainable World", celebrada on-line del 15 al 30 de octubre de 2021.Peer reviewe

Efectos de la exposición continuada a la bebida Instant Cáscara en la contractilidad del colon de rata: estudio in vitro

Póster presentado a la XXIX Reunión de la Asociación Española de Neurogastroenterología y Motilidad (ASENEM), celebrada en Zaragoza (España) del 19 al 20 de noviembre de 2021.Peer reviewe

Marine Mammal <i>Brucella</i> Reference Strains Are Attenuated in a BALB/c Mouse Model

<div><p>Brucellosis is a zoonosis of worldwide distribution with numerous animal host species. Since the novel isolation of <i>Brucella</i> spp. from marine mammals in 1994 the bacteria have been isolated from various marine mammal hosts. The marine mammal reference strains <i>Brucella pinnipedialis</i> 12890 (harbour seal, <i>Phoca vitulina</i>) and <i>Brucella ceti</i> 12891 (harbour porpoise, <i>Phocoena phocoena</i>) were included in genus <i>Brucella</i> in 2007, however, their pathogenicity in the mouse model is pending. Herein this is evaluated in BALB/c mice with <i>Brucella suis</i> 1330 as a control. Both marine mammal strains were attenuated, however, <i>B</i>. <i>ceti</i> was present at higher levels than <i>B</i>. <i>pinnipedialis</i> in blood, spleen and liver throughout the infection, in addition <i>B</i>. <i>suis</i> and <i>B</i>. <i>ceti</i> were isolated from brains and faeces at times with high levels of bacteraemia. In <i>B</i>. <i>suis</i>-infected mice serum cytokines peaked at day 7. In <i>B</i>. <i>pinnipedialis</i>-infected mice, levels were similar, but peaked predominantly at day 3 and an earlier peak in spleen weight likewise implied an earlier response. The inflammatory response induced pathology in the spleen and liver. In <i>B</i>. <i>ceti</i>-infected mice, most serum cytokine levels were comparable to those in uninfected mice, consistent with a limited inflammatory response, which also was indicated by restricted spleen and liver pathology. Specific immune responses against all three strains were detected <i>in vitro</i> after stimulation of splenocytes from infected mice with the homologous heat-killed brucellae. Antibody responses <i>in vivo</i> were also induced by the three brucellae. The immunological pattern of <i>B</i>. <i>ceti</i> in combination with persistence in organs and limited pathology has heretofore not been described for other brucellae. These two marine mammal wildtype strains show an attenuated pattern in BALB/c mice only previously described for <i>Brucella neotomea</i>.</p></div

Serum cytokines.

<p>Serum levels of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) (a), interleukin (IL)-1β (b), tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α (c), interferon (IFN)-γ (d), IL-2 (e), IL-12 (p40/p70) (f), IL-4 (g), IL-5 (h), IL-6 (i) and IL-10 (j) in BALB/c mice, after intraperitoneal (ip) inoculation of 10⁵ colony forming units (CFU) of <i>B</i>. <i>pinnipedialis</i> 12890, <i>B</i>. <i>ceti</i> 12891 or <i>B</i>. <i>suis</i> 1330. Uninfected mice received sterile phosphate buffered saline ip. Four or five mice were euthanized per lot at day 3, 7 and 14 post infection. Results are expressed as mean serum cytokine levels in pg/ml + one standard error of the mean. The marine mammal reference strains were compared to <i>B</i>. <i>suis</i> 1330 and *** = p < 0.001, ** = p < 0.01, * = p < 0.05.</p

Spleen bacterial counts and organ weights.

<p>Bacterial counts for B. <i>pinnipedialis</i> 12890 (open diamonds), <i>B</i>. <i>ceti</i> 12891 (crosses) and <i>B</i>. <i>suis</i> 1330 (black squares) in spleens (a) of BALB/c mice after intraperitoneal (ip) inoculation of 10⁵ colony forming units (CFU) of bacteria. Uninfected control mice received sterile phosphate buffered saline ip (black lines). Four or five mice were euthanized per lot at day 3, 7, 14, 21, 35, 56 and 84 post infection (day 56 and 84; only <i>B</i>. <i>ceti</i> 12891 and <i>B</i>. <i>suis</i> 1330). The number of viable bacteria was determined and the numbers of bacterial counts were logarithmic transformed. Spleen weights (b) were determined in parallel. Results are expressed as mean + one standard deviation. Whether CFU numbers differed significantly between mice infected with <i>B</i>. <i>suis</i> 1330, and <i>B</i>. <i>ceti</i> 12891 or <i>B</i>. <i>pinnipedialis</i> 12890, respectively, at the different times pi, are presented in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0150432#pone.0150432.t001" target="_blank">Table 1</a>. Whether spleen weights of the infected mice were significantly different from those of the uninfected control mice, at the different times pi, is presented in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0150432#pone.0150432.s005" target="_blank">S1 table</a>.</p