Molecular, Genetic, and Biochemical Nutrition Commons^™

Increasing The Impact Of Dietary Fiber From Grains On Human Health Through Gut Microbiome, Sujun Liu

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

The relationship between dietary fiber intake and human health has gained significant attention due to its potential in preventing chronic diseases and promoting gut health. Grains are a primary source of dietary fiber; however, the health impact of grain fibers is often limited because they are incompletely metabolized by gut bacteria. This dissertation explores innovative strategies to enhance the concentration and of dietary fiber from grains and its utilization by gut bacteria. By investigating various treatments, this research aims to maximize the health benefits of grain-derived dietary fibers, thereby contributing to a healthier society.

This dissertation is organized into four …

The Role Of Lymph-Adipose Crosstalk In Alcohol-Induced Perilymphatic Adipose Tissue Dysfunction, Kourtney D. Weaver, Liz Simon, Patricia E. Molina, Flavia Souza-Smith

School of Graduate Studies Faculty Publications

Chronic alcohol use leads to metabolic dysfunction in adipose tissue. The underlying mechanisms and the contribution of alcohol-induced adipose tissue dysfunction to systemic metabolic dysregulation are not well understood. In our previous studies, we found that chronic alcohol feeding induces mesenteric lymphatic leakage, perilymphatic adipose tissue (PLAT) inflammation, and local insulin resistance in rats. The goal of this study was to further explore the link between alcohol-induced lymphatic leakage and PLAT immunometabolic dysregulation, locally and systemically, using in vivo and ex vivo approaches. Male rats received a Lieber–DeCarli liquid diet, of which 36% of the calories were from alcohol, for …

The Epigenetic Impact Of Dietary Choline On Growth Outcomes Of Children Exposed To Gestational Diabetes Mellitus, Ismail Kadam

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Maternal insulin resistance and hyperglycemia lead to gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) which can cause fetal hyperinsulinemia, ultimately leading to excessive fetal growth associated with macrosomia and increased adiposity at birth. Increased placental macronutrient transport and epigenetic changes in growth and metabolic genes affected by GDM contribute to fetal overgrowth and can result in complications such as overweight/obesity, insulin resistance/type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease risk factors, as well as cognitive impairment later in life. Choline, an essential nutrient, participates in lipid and energy metabolism by providing methyl groups for DNA methylation and thus may overcome the hypomethylation of growth and metabolic …

Characterizing Gait In Young Male 5xfad Mice, Sophiya L. Sims, Kate E. Pauss, Sami L. Case, Ruei-Lung Lin, Leopoldine B. Galopin, Nicholas A. Wright, Olivier Thibault

Journal of Pharmacology & Nutritional Sciences

Gait control represents a non-cognitive domain that is affected negatively during late stages of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) and AD Related Dementias (ADRDs). In some cases, early identification can be predictive of worsened cognitive function. Prompt detection could help define intervention windows, perhaps even years prior to formal diagnosis of dementia. In this study, the locomotor function of 3-month-old male 5xFAD mice was evaluated using several variables (speed, deviance from center, paw precision index, stride length, stride length deviation, and stride time) to characterize the change in ambulatory behavior prior to the onset of cognitive decline. The data presented here show …

Molecular Mechanisms Of Exercise-Stimulated Resolution Of Inflammation And Its Dietary Dependence., Ernesto H. Pena Calderin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Diet-induced obesity and adipose tissue (AT) inflammation that ensues sets the stage for systemic metabolic inflammation, disrupted insulin signaling, and eventual type 2 diabetes (T2D) development. At the center of this pathology lies a disruption in endogenous inflammation resolution pathways characterized by an imbalance in lipid mediator production (greater abundance of pro-inflammatory to pro-resolving lipids). Additionally, obese states are characterized by adrenergic deficiency, especially in response to physical activity. Inflammatory processes have been experimentally mitigated by either the pharmacological inhibition of pro-inflammatory signals (i.e., Leukotriene B₄ (LTB₄) and its receptor BLT1, which establishes a potent chemotactic stimulus …

The Lipid-Heart Hypothesis And The Keys Equation Defined The Dietary Guidelines But Ignored The Impact Of Trans-Fat And High Linoleic Acid Consumption, Mary T. Newport, Fabian M. Dayrit

Chemistry Faculty Publications

In response to a perceived epidemic of coronary heart disease, Ancel Keys introduced the lipid-heart hypothesis in 1953 which asserted that high intakes of total fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol lead to atherosclerosis and that consuming less fat and cholesterol, and replacing saturated fat with polyunsaturated fat, would reduce serum cholesterol and consequently the risk of heart disease. Keys proposed an equation that would predict the concentration of serum cholesterol (ΔChol.) from the consumption of saturated fat (ΔS), polyunsaturated fat (ΔP), and cholesterol (ΔZ): ΔChol. = 1.2(2ΔS - ΔP) + 1.5ΔZ. However, the Keys equation conflated natural saturated fat and …

Overall And Sex-Specific Associations Of Serum Lipid-Soluble Micronutrients With Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease Among Adults In The United States, Weiwen Chai, Meng-Hua Tao

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

This study examined overall and sex-specific associations of serum lipid-soluble micronutrients including α- and γ-tocopherols, 25-hydroxy-vitamin D (25(OH)D), retinol, and six major carotenoids with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic lever disease (MASLD) using the 2017–2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. This analysis included 3956 adults (1991 men, 1965 women) aged ≥ 20 years. Steatotic liver disease was determined through transient elastography examination. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) for MASLD associated with micronutrients were estimated using logistic regressions. Higher serum α-tocopherol (highest vs. lowest quartile: OR = 1.53, 95% CI = 1.05–2.22, p = 0.03) and γ-tocopherol (highest …

Association Of Habitual Intake Of Probiotic Supplements And Yogurt With Characteristics Of The Gut Microbiome In The Multiethnic Cohort Adiposity Phenotype Study, Weiwen Chai, Gertraud Maskarinec, Unhee Lim, Carol J. Boushey, Lynne R. Wilkens, V. Wendy Setiawan, Loïc Le Marchand, Timothy W. Randolph, Isaac C. Jenkins, Johanna W. Lampe, Meredith A.J. Hullar

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

Consumption of probiotics and/or yogurt could be a solution for restoring the balance of the gut microbiota. This study examined associations of regular intake of probiotic supplements or yogurt with the gut microbiota among a diverse population of older adults (N=1,861; 60–72 years). Fecal microbial composition was obtained from 16S rRNA gene sequencing (V1-V3 region). General Linear Models were used to estimate the associations of probiotic supplement or yogurt intake with microbiome measures adjusting for covariates. Compared to non-yogurt consumers (N=1,023), regular yogurt consumers (≥once/week, N=818) had greater Streptococcus (β=0.29, P=0.0003) and lower Odoribacter (β=−0.33, P<0.0001) abundance. The directions of the above associations were consistent across the five ethnic groups but stronger among Japanese Americans (Streptococcus: β=0.56, P=0.0009; Odoribacter: …

The Impact Of Iron Supplementation On The Preterm Neonatal Gut Microbiome: A Pilot Study, Matthew Van Ormer, Maranda Thompson, Melissa K. Thoene, Jean-Jack Riethoven, Sathish Kumar Natarajan, Ann Anderson-Berry

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

Objective The gastrointestinal microbiome in preterm infants exhibits significant influence on optimal outcomes–with dysbiosis shown to substantially increase the risk of the life-threatening necrotizing enterocolitis. Iron is a vital nutrient especially during the perinatal window of rapid hemoglobin production, tissue growth, and foundational neurodevelopment. However, excess colonic iron exhibits potent oxidation capacity and alters the gut microbiome–potentially facilitating the proliferation of pathological bacterial strains. Breastfed preterm infants routinely receive iron supplementation starting 14 days after delivery and are highly vulnerable to morbidities associated with gastrointestinal dysbiosis. Therefore, we set out to determine if routine iron supplementation alters the preterm gut …

The Role Of Ferroptosis In Cholangiocarcinoma, Apiwit Sae-Fung

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a highly heterogeneous and aggressive malignancy of the bile ducts, characterized by a poor prognosis and high mortality rate. Despite advancements in treatment, effective targeted therapies and reliable prognostic biomarkers remain limited. Ferroptosis, a regulated form of cell death, has emerged as a potential therapeutic target in various cancers. However, its role in CCA remains poorly understood. In this study, we conducted a comprehensive analysis of ferroptosis-related genes (FRGs) to predict the prognosis of CCA and identify potential therapeutic targets. Using the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) Cox regression analysis on a training dataset, followed …

Sphingosine Kinase 2 Depletion Dysregulates Hepatic Redox Metabolism And Enhances Inflammation In Early Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatohepatitis (Mash), Kaitlyn Georgene Jackson

Theses and Dissertations

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) currently affects one in three people worldwide; its prevalence is growing alongside other cardiometabolic disorders. Aberrations to redox and sphingolipid metabolism contribute to MASLD pathologic progression. Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) is an active lipid, meaning that S1P participates in biochemical processes within the cell. S1P is generated by two distinct isoenzymes, sphingosine kinase (SphK)1 and SphK2. The localization of the SphK enzyme dictates S1P function. While cytosolic SphK1-generated S1P is well-characterized, nuclear and mitochondrial SphK2-generated S1P is less known. Moreover, SphK2 depletion effects on cellular redox processes and inflammation are not well-defined.

This study defines the …

Development Of Nanomaterial-Based Electrochemical Detection Devices For Point-Of-Care Testing, Khageephun Permpoka

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Electrochemical detection aligns with the REASSURED criteria established by the World Health Organization. Nanomaterials also play a crucial role in enhancing detection performance. Therefore, this research integrates nanomaterials into the development of pointof-care testing (POCT) devices for detecting prostate cancer biomarkers and monitoring wound infection status. Timely diagnosis can significantly reduce the physical burden of illness, ease pressure on healthcare systems, and lessen the broader socioeconomic impact. The first part of the research involves the development of a paper-based analytical device for detecting the enzyme myeloperoxidase (MPO). Glucose oxidase (GOx) was immobilized on paper to produce hydrogen peroxide (H2O2 ), …

Mitigating Risks For Dementia In Apoe4 Mice: Efficacy Of Prebiotic Inulin, Probiotics, And Fecal Microbiota Transplants, Ya-Hsuan Chang

Theses and Dissertations--Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences

Apolipoprotein E4 allele (APOE4) carriers show early metabolic changes, heightening the genetic risk of late-onset Alzheimer's Disease (AD), characterized by amyloid-β and tau tangle plaques and neurodegeneration. Its development is influenced by age, environment, and genetics, with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) often preceding AD, providing a crucial window for early intervention. Factors in AD progression include sex differences and gut microbiome imbalances, with women disproportionately affected and APOE4 carriers showing early metabolic and cognitive changes. This study explores the potential of prebiotic inulin, probiotic Bifidobacterium animalis, and fecal microbiota transplants (FMT) from healthy donors to mitigate AD …