Oat fiber as a carrier for curcuminoids

The curcuminoid-carrying potential of oat fiber was examined as a potential route to overcome the low aqueous solubility of curcuminoids. Aqueous dispersions of oat fiber were mixed with curcuminoids solubilized in ethanol to obtain curcuminoids-oat fiber (1% w/w) dispersions in aqueous ethanol (2% v/v). Centrifugation of the curcuminoids-oat fiber dispersions resulted in a supernatant (95.3% w/w: 0.11% w/w protein, 0.17% w/w β-glucan) and precipitate (4.74% w/w: 0.18% w/w protein, 0.11% w/w β-glucan) with the curcuminoids being almost equally partitioned into both fractions. Curcuminoids solubility in the supernatant was markedly greater than that in aqueous ethanol and water. The curcuminoids were in the amorphous state in the precipitated fraction and were more stable to degradation than the curcuminoids in the supernatant. These studies show the potential of oat fiber as a carrier for curcuminoids into functional foods.Sara Sayanjali, Luz Sanguansri, Roman Buckow, Sally Gras and Mary Ann Augusti

Extrusion of a curcuminoid-enriched oat fiber-corn-based snack product

Extruded snack products were made from an oat fiber-corn flour matrix fortified with 1.5% (w/w) curcuminoids (750 mg curcuminoids/100 g) to improve the solubility and stability of curcuminoids. The effects of extruder feed moisture content (21%, 28%, and 35%) and screw speed (200 and 300 rpm) on the extrusion parameters and physical properties of final snacks were investigated. Curcuminoids lost during extrusion and curcuminoids loss during subsequent drying of extrudates were analyzed, to separate the losses occurring in each unit process. Drying post extrusion (at 50 °C for 4 hr) was essential to obtain a crunchy shelf stable product (5% moisture). Curcuminoids loss during extrusion was from 17% to 84%, with high loss for the extrusion with low feed moisture content (21%). A further curcuminoids loss of 4% to 44% occurred during drying, with much higher loss for the extrudate with high moisture content. Total curcuminoids retained after extrusion and drying was 12% to 41% (59% to 88% loss), equivalent to 180 to 616 mg curcuminoids retained per 100 g snack, levels within recommended daily dose. Curcuminoids retained after drying was stable during 80 days of storage at 25 °C. The results highlighted the importance of understanding the impact of each unit process separately (for example, extrusion and drying) on the stability of curcuminoids for the development of healthier extruded snacks. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Extruded snacks products were developed by fortifying the snacks with oat fiber and curcuminoids in order to address the need for a healthy ready to eat food products. Some extrusion characteristics were selected to produce snack products which have favorable properties in terms of consumer acceptance.Sara Sayanjali, Luz Sanguansri, Danyang Ying, Roman Buckow, Sally Gras and Mary Ann Augusti

The effect of extrusion on the functional properties of oat fibre

Extrusion is an effective method for the production of healthier snack foods, such as oat fibre products. The effect of this process on the physicochemical properties of oat fibre preparations containing high levels of β-glucan, however, has not been fully addressed. Oat fibre containing 28 g/100 g β-glucan was extruded using two levels of feed moisture (50 g/100 g or 60 g/100 g of feed materials) and two screw speeds (200 rpm or 300 rpm) at a constant barrel temperature profile (80 °C, 90 °C, 100 °C, 110 °C). A higher specific mechanical energy applied during extrusion correlated with an increase in specific surface area, greater sorption of water vapour and higher sorption energy for the monolayer of water associated with the surface of extruded products. The pasting properties of oat fibre were largely retained and the extent of molecular fragmentation was small, as the molecular weight of the soluble fraction, total soluble solids and water absorption index were not significantly altered. These data demonstrate that extrusion under these conditions can be applied to oat fibre preparations with high β-glucan content, resulting in oat products that retain their functional properties and potential health benefits.Sara Sayanjali, Danyang Ying, Luz Sanguansri, Roman Buckow, Mary Ann Augustin, Sally L. Gra

Genome-wide DNA methylation events in TMPRSS2-ERG fusion-negative prostate cancers implicate an EZH2-dependent mechanism with miR-26a hypermethylation

Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer among men worldwide. Alterations in the DNA methylation pattern can be one of the leading causes for prostate cancer formation. This study is the first high-throughput sequencing study investigating genome-wide DNA methylation patterns in a large cohort of 51 tumor and 53 benign prostate samples using methylated DNA immunoprecipitation sequencing. Comparative analyses identified more than 147,000 cancer-associated epigenetic alterations. In addition, global methylation patterns show significant differences based on the TMPRSS2-ERG rearrangement status. We propose the hypermethylation of miR-26a as an alternative pathway of ERG rearrangement-independent EZH2 activation. The observed increase in differential methylation events in fusion-negative tumors can explain the tumorigenic process in the absence of genomic rearrangements. SIGNIFICANCE: In contrast to TMPRSS2-ERG -rearranged tumors, the pathomechanism for gene fusion-negative tumors is completely unclear. Using a sequencing-based approach, our work uncovers significant global epigenetic alterations in TMPRSS2-ERG gene fusion-negative tumors and provides a mechanistic explanation for the tumor formation process

Genome-wide DNA Methylation Events in TMPRSS2–ERG

Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer among men worldwide. Alterations in the DNA methylation pattern can be one of the leading causes for prostate cancer formation. This study is the first high-throughput sequencing study investigating genome-wide DNA methylation patterns in a large cohort of 51 tumor and 53 benign prostate samples using methylated DNA immunoprecipitation sequencing. Comparative analyses identified more than 147,000 cancer-associated epigenetic alterations. In addition, global methylation patterns show significant differences based on the TMPRSS2-ERG rearrangement status. We propose the hypermethylation of miR-26a as an alternative pathway of ERG rearrangement-independent EZH2 activation. The observed increase in differential methylation events in fusion-negative tumors can explain the tumorigenic process in the absence of genomic rearrangements. SIGNIFICANCE: In contrast to TMPRSS2-ERG -rearranged tumors, the pathomechanism for gene fusion-negative tumors is completely unclear. Using a sequencing-based approach, our work uncovers significant global epigenetic alterations in TMPRSS2-ERG gene fusion-negative tumors and provides a mechanistic explanation for the tumor formation process