Eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acid-enriched high fat diet delays the development of fatty liver in mice

BACKGROUND: Low hepatic content of n-3 PUFA has been associated with NAFLD in humans. Whether this is associated with reduced dietary intake or increased turnover of these FA is not clear. We have here investigated the effects of dietary fat quality on hepatic lipid storage and transcriptomics over time. AIM: To investigate the effects of quality of fat in a high fat diet (HFD) over time on hepatic lipid storage and liver transcriptomics. METHODS AND RESULTS: Male C57BL/6J mice were fed control, HFD-eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)/ docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) or HFD-corn oil diet for 8 or 12 weeks. Body weight, body composition, plasma and hepatic triglyceride contents were measured. Hepatic transcriptomes were analysed by microarray followed by gene-set enrichment analyses. At 8 weeks, the HFD-corn oil mice had higher body weight and adipose depot mass than the HFD-EPA/DHA but there were no differences at 12 weeks. Hepatic triglyceride content was lower in HFD-EPA/DHA fed compared with the HFD-corn oil fed mice at both time-points. Enrichment analyses of the hepatic transcriptomes showed that lipid/fatty acid biosynthesis; transport and homeostasis were lower in the HFD-EPA/DHA fed compared with the HFD-corn oil fed mice. Genes encoding proteins associated to cytoplasmic lipid droplets were expressed at higher levels in livers from the HFD-corn oil compared to HFD-EPA/DHA mice. CONCLUSIONS: Dietary EPA and DHA counteracted development of HFD-induced fatty liver. The liver transcriptome data implicate that the quality of dietary fat could modulate Ppar-related gene expression that in turn affects hepatic lipid storage and maintenance of metabolic health

Nutritional and antinutritional composition of fava bean (Vicia faba L., var. minor) cultivars

A dietary shift from resource-demanding animal protein to sustainable food sources, such as protein-rich beans, lowers the climate footprint of food production. In this study, we examined the nutrients and antinutrients in 15 fava bean varieties cultivated in Sweden to select varieties with high nutritional value. On a dry weight basis, the fava beans were analyzed for their content of protein (range 26–33%), amino acids (leucine range: 50.8–72.1 mg/g protein, lysine range: 44.8–74.8 mg/g protein), dietary fiber (soluble fraction range: 0.55–1.06%, insoluble fraction range: 10.7–16.0%), and iron (1.8–21.3 mg/100 g) and zinc contents (0.9–5.2 mg/100 g), as well as for the following antinutrients: lectin (0.8–3.2 HU/mg); trypsin inhibitor (1.2–23.1 TIU/mg) and saponin (18–109 \ub5g/g); phytate (112–1,281 mg/100 g); total phenolic content (1.4–5 mg GAE/g); and vicine(403 \ub5g/g − 7,014 \ub5g/g), convicine (35.5 \ub5g/g − 3,121 \ub5g/g) and the oligosaccharides raffinose (1.1–3.9 g/kg), stachyose (4.4–13.7 g/kg) and verbascose (8–15 g/kg). The results indicate substantial differences between cultivars in relation to their contents of nutrients and antinutrients. Only one of the cultivars studied (Sunrise) have adequate estimated bioavailability of iron, which is of major concern for a diet in which legumes and grains serve as important sources of iron. The nutritional gain from consuming fava beans is significantly affected by the cultivar chosen as the food source

Hunden i statens tjänst

I statens tjänst används idag hundar inom polisen, försvaret, Tullverket och kriminalvården. Med hjälp av statliga medel utbildas även ledarhundar. Vi har valt att rikta in oss på polisens, försvarets och Tullverkets hundar. Då vi inte vet så mycket om dessa hundar och inte heller har så mycket information om deras hälsa vill vi med detta arbete bilda oss en uppfattning om ämnet. Om vi ska kunna förstå om hundarnas liv som tjänstehundar är bra för dem eller inte måste vi ha kunskap om deras grundläggande behov. Det bör vi få genom att skapa oss en bild av deras evolutionära utveckling och naturliga beteenden. Vi vill ta reda på vilka raser som används, hur hundarna väljs ut till tjänstehundar och vilka egenskaper hundarna måste ha. Har de raser som används rätt förutsättningar när det gäller lynne och rasegenskaper? Vidare vill vi veta mer om tjänstehundarnas utbildning och arbetsuppgifter för att kunna diskutera vilka effekter det kan ha för deras välbefinnande. Blir hundarna genom sin utbildning tillräckligt förberedda för kommande arbetsuppgifter? Vi vet att sällskapshundar omfattas av många lagtexter men väldigt lite om hur tjänstehundarna är skyddade av svenska lagar och förordningar. Det är inte heller känt för oss hur de svenska tjänstehundarnas livssituation ser ut utanför tjänst.All our domesticated dogs origin from the Gray wolf (Savolainen et al., 2002). Humans and wolves started to hunt together because the wolves could help humans by tracking the prey and the humans could provide the wolves with food and protection (Clutton-Brock, 1995). By the biological and cultural process the wolf developed into a domesticated dog and about 4000 – 3000 years ago different breeds began to develop (Harcourt, 1974 in Clutton-Brock, 1995 & Clutton-Brock, 1995). Trough artificial breeding we today got several breeds with different characteristics (Clutton-Brock, 1995). Today the Swedish government uses dogs in policework, customs, militarywork and correctional systems. They are used partly to defend their handler, partly to prevent criminals from running away, but in front of all to use their extra-ordinary sense of smell to track different kinds of substances and persons. The dogs have to pass several tests to assure their ability to manage the work (SOU 2005:75). Once the dogs have passed their tests they are put in training within their different work areas and get to pass through plenty of tests before they are put in service (SOU 2005:75). The police, customs and military are using several different breeds, depending on what they are suitable for, but the most common breed is the German shepherd (SOU 2005:75). Dogs at the governments’ service are occasionally excluded from the Swedish animal protection laws (DFS 2004:5; DFS 2004:18). This partly implies that there are no inspections to control how the dogs are cared for and partly that there are no laws that control how the military dogs are kept (SOU 2005:75). We have gathered information in this subject to be able to discuss and reflect on how these working dogs are used and what things that could affect them. Are the dogs suitable for the work in the police, customs and military according to an evolutionary view and are their everyday life and work accommodated to their natural needs and behaviours

Identification of gliadin-binding peptides by phage display

BACKGROUND: Coeliac disease (CD) is a common and complex disorder of the small intestine caused by intolerance to wheat gluten and related edible cereals like barley and rye. Peptides originating from incomplete gliadin digestion activate the lamina propria infiltrating T cells to release proinflammatory cytokines, which in turn cause profound tissue remodelling of the small intestinal wall. There is no cure for CD except refraining from consuming gluten-containing products.RESULTS: Phage from a random oligomer display library were enriched by repeated pannings against immobilised gliadin proteins. Phage from the final panning round were plated, individual plaques picked, incubated with host bacteria, amplified to a population size of 1011 to 1012 and purified. DNA was isolated from 1000 purified phage populations and the region covering the 36 bp oligonucleotide insert from which the displayed peptides were translated, was sequenced. Altogether more than 150 different peptide-encoding sequences were identified, many of which were repeatedly isolated under various experimental conditions. Amplified phage populations, each expressing a single peptide, were tested first in pools and then one by one for their ability to inhibit binding of human anti-gliadin antibodies in ELISA assays. These experiments showed that several of the different peptide-expressing phage tested inhibited the interaction between gliadin and anti-gliadin antibodies. Finally, four different peptide-encoding sequences were selected for further analysis, and the corresponding 12-mer peptides were synthesised in vitro. By ELISA assays it was demonstrated that several of the peptides inhibited the interaction between gliadin molecules and serum anti-gliadin antibodies. Moreover, ELISA competition experiments as well as dot-blot and western blot revealed that the different peptides interacted with different molecular sites of gliadin.CONCLUSIONS: We believe that several of the isolated and characterised gliadin-binding peptides described here could provide valuable tools for researchers in the field of CD by facilitating studies on localisation and uptake of various gliadin peptides in the small intestine. In future work, the potential of these peptides to detoxify gluten will be investigated

Serum fatty acid profile does not reflect seafood intake in adolescents with atopic eczema.

AIM: Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFAs) are immunomodulatory, but their role in allergy development is controversial. We investigated whether proportions of LCPUFAs in serum phospholipids were related to allergic diagnosis, seafood intake and LCPUFA proportions in cord blood.</br></br> METHODS: Serum was obtained from 148 birth cohort children at 13 years of age. Forty had atopic eczema, 53 had respiratory allergy, and 55 were nonallergic. Proportions of LCPUFAs were determined in serum phospholipids; cord blood from 128 of the individuals was previously analysed. Seafood intake was estimated using questionnaires.</br></br> RESULTS: Allergic and nonallergic individuals did not differ significantly regarding individual LCPUFAs. However, arachidonic acid over docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) ratio was higher in allergic, compared with nonallergic, adolescents. In nonallergic individuals, LCPUFA proportions in cord serum and adolescent serum correlated weakly. In individuals with atopic eczema and respiratory allergy, these correlations were weak or absent. A moderate correlation between seafood intake and serum DHA was seen in nonallergic individuals and those with respiratory allergy, but not in those with atopic eczema.</br></br> CONCLUSION: Serum LCPUFA pattern was similar in allergic and nonallergic adolescents. Fatty acid metabolism may be altered in atopic eczema subjects, suggested by poor correlations between fatty acid intake and serum levels

Aqueous fish extract increases survival in the mouse model of cytostatic toxicity

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Treatment of cancer patients with anthracycline antibiotic doxorubicin (DOX) may be complicated by development of acute and chronic congestive heart failure (CHF), malignant arrhythmias and death. The aim of this study was to test whether an aqueous low molecular weight (LMW) extract from cod muscle decreases acute mortality in the mouse model of acute CHF caused by DOX.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A LMW fraction (<500 Da) of the aqueous phase of cod light muscle (AOX) was used for treatment of male BALB/c mice (~25 g, n = 70). The animals were divided into four groups, DOX + AOX (n = 20), DOX + saline (NaCl) (n = 30), NaCl + AOX (n = 10) and NaCl only (n = 10). Echocardiography was performed in the separate subgroups (DOX treated n = 6 and controls n = 6) to verify the presence and the grade of acute CHF. The cod extract was delivered by subcutaneously implanted osmotic minipumps over the period of 2 weeks. High-dose injection of DOX was administered to randomly selected animals. The animals received single intraperitoneal injection of DOX (25 mg/kg) and were followed over two weeks for mortality.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Mortality rate was 68% lower (p < 0.05) in the mice treated with the extract. The analyses of cod extract have shown strong antioxidative effect <it>in vitro</it>.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The aqueous LMW cod muscles extract decreases mortality in the mouse model of DOX induced acute CHF. This effect may be mediated by cardioprotection through antioxidative mechanisms.</p

The Omega-3 Fatty Acids EPA and DHA, as a Part of a Murine High-Fat Diet, Reduced Lipid Accumulation in Brown and White Adipose Tissues.

Excess energy intake can trigger an uncontrolled inflammatory response, leading to systemic low-grade inflammation and metabolic disturbances that are hypothesised to contribute to cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. The long chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC n-3 PUFAs) eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are suggested to mitigate this inflammatory response, but the mechanisms are unclear, especially at the tissue level. Adipose tissues, the first tissues to give an inflammatory response, may be an important target site of action for EPA and DHA. To evaluate the effects of EPA and DHA in white and brown adipose tissues, we fed male C57Bl/6J mice either a high fat diet (HFD) with 5% corn oil, an HFD with 40% of the corn oil substituted for purified EPA and DHA triglycerides (HFD-ED), or normal chow, for 8 weeks. Fatty acid profiling and transcriptomics were used to study how EPA and DHA affect retroperitoneal white and brown adipose tissues. HFD-EDfed mice showed reduced lipid accumulation and levels of the pro-inflammatory fatty acid arachidonic acid in both white and brown adipose tissues, compared withHFD-cornoil fed animals. The transcriptomic analysis showed changes inβ-oxidation pathways, supporting the decreased lipid accumulation in the HFD-ED fed mice. Therefore, our data suggests that EPA and DHA supplementation of a high fat diet may be anti-inflammatory, as well as reduce lipid accumulation in adipose tissues

Isolation, identification, and selection of strains as candidate probiotics and starters for fermentation of Swedish legumes

Background: The non-dairy sector is growing, fermented alternatives to dairy are sparse. Adapted starter cultures to substituting raw materials needs to be developed.Objective: Aims of this study were to isolate, identify, and phenotypically characterize lactic acid bacteria (LAB) that inhabit Swedish legumes, and assess properties necessary for selecting strains with the ability to ferment a bean beverage and with potential health beneficial properties.Design: Isolates of presumed LAB were obtained from legumes collected at 6land, Sweden. Strain diversity was assessed by repetitive polymerase chain reaction (rep-PCR). The strains were identified using\ua0 matrix- assisted laser desorption/ionization–time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). Species belonging to Enterococcus were predominant along with Pediococcus and closely related Bacillus. Strains were tested for tolerance to low pH, phenol, and bile as well as their bile salt hydrolase (BSH) activity. In addition, Enterococcus strains were tested for antibiotic resistance, and Pediococcus strains for their ability to ferment a bean beverage.Results: From the 25 strains char acterized, five were found resistant to low pH, bile, and phenol, suggesting that they can survive a passage through the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) and hence potentially exert beneficial effects in the host. These are suggested for further investigation on specific host-beneficial properties. Two of these, belonging to Pediococ cus pentosaceus, were able to ferment a bean beverage without any added nutrients, indicating that the Pediococcus strains are well adapted to the bean substrate. One of the P. pentosaceus strains were also able to markedly improve the reduction of phytate by the phytase-producing yeast strain Pichia kudriavzevii TY1322 during co-fermentation as well as increase the final cell count of the yeast strain.Conclusion: Strain isolation and characterization performed in this study aids in selecting starter cultures for legume fermentation. Nutritional properties can be improved by co-fermentation with yeast indicating that novel nutritious fermented non-dairy products could be developed

Identification of metabotypes in complex biological data using tensor decomposition

Differences in the physiological response to treatment, such as dietary intervention, has led to the development of precision approaches in nutrition and medicine to tailor treatment for improved benefits to the individual. One such approach is to identify metabotypes, i.e., groups of individuals with similar metabolic profiles and/or regulation. Metabotyping has previously been performed using e.g., principal component analysis (PCA) on matrix data. However, metabotyping methods suitable for more complex experimental designs such as repeated measures or cross-over studies are needed. We have developed a metabotyping method for tensor data, based on CANDECOMP/PARAFAC (CP) tensor decomposition. Metabotypes are inferred from CP scores using k-means clustering, and robustness is evaluated using bootstrapping of metabolites. As a proof-of-concept, we identified metabotypes from metabolomics data where 79 metabolites were analyzed in 8 time points postprandially in 17 overweight men that underwent a three-arm dietary crossover intervention. Two metabotypes were found, characterized by differences in amino acid metabolite concentration, that were differentially associated with baseline plasma creatinine (p = 0.007) and with the baseline metabolome (p = 0.004). These results suggest that CP decomposition provides a viable approach for metabotype identification directly from complex, high-dimensional data with improved biological interpretation compared to the more simplistic PCA approach. A simulation study together with results from measured data concluded that several preprocessing methods should be taken into consideration for CP-based metabotyping on complex tensor data