Molecular, Genetic, and Biochemical Nutrition Commons^™

Anti-Nlrp3 Inflammasome Natural Compounds: An Update, Baolong Liu, Jiujiu Yu

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

The nucleotide-binding domain and leucine-rich repeat related (NLR) family, pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome is a multimeric protein complex that recognizes various danger or stress signals from pathogens, the host, and the environment, leading to activation of caspase-1 and inducing inflammatory responses. This pro-inflammatory protein complex plays critical roles in pathogenesis of a wide range of diseases including neurodegenerative diseases, autoinflammatory diseases, and metabolic disorders. Therefore, intensive efforts have been devoted to understanding its activation mechanisms and to searching for its specific inhibitors. Approximately forty natural compounds with anti-NLRP3 inflammasome properties have been identified. Here, we provide an update …

Identification Of Anti-Inflammatory Vesicle-Like Nanoparticles In Honey, Xingyi Chen, Boalong Liu, Xingzhi Li, Thuy T. An, You Zhou, Gang Li, Judy Wu-Smart, Sophie Alvarez, Michael J. Naldrett, James Eudy, Gregory Kubik, Richard A. Wilson, Stephen D. Kachman, Juan Cui, Jiujiu Yu

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

Honey has been used as a nutrient, an ointment, and a medicine worldwide for many centuries. Modern research has demonstrated that honey has many medicinal properties, reflected in its anti-microbial, anti-oxidant, and anti-inflammatory bioactivities. Honey is composed of sugars, water and a myriad of minor components, including minerals, vitamins, proteins and polyphenols. Here, we report a new bioactive component‒vesicle-like nanoparticles‒in honey (H-VLNs). These HVLNs are membrane-bound nano-scale particles that contain lipids, proteins and small-sized RNAs. The presence of plant-originated plasma transmembrane proteins and plasma membrane-associated proteins suggests the potential vesicle-like nature of these particles. H-VLNs impede the formation and activation …

Zika Virus Infection Induces Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress And Apoptosis In Placental Trophoblasts, Philma Glora Muthuraj, Prakash K. Sahoo, Madison Kraus, Taylor Bruett, Arun S. Annamalai, Aryamav Pattnaik, Siddappa N. Byrareddy, Sathish Kumar Natarajan

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

Zika virus (ZIKV) infection to a pregnant woman can be vertically transmitted to the fetus via the placenta leading to Congenital Zika syndrome. This is characterized by microcephaly, retinal defects, and intrauterine growth retardation. ZIKV induces placental trophoblast apoptosis leading to severe abnormalities in the growth and development of the fetus. However, the molecular mechanism behind ZIKV-induced apoptosis in placental trophoblasts remains unclear. We hypothesize that ZIKV infection induces endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in the trophoblasts, and sustained ER stress results in apoptosis. HTR-8 (HTR-8/SVneo), a human normal immortalized trophoblast cell and human choriocarcinoma-derived cell lines (JEG-3 and JAR) were …

Exercise Shifts Hypothetical Food Choices Toward Greater Amounts And More Immediate Consumption, Karsten Koehler, Safiya E. Beckford, Elise Thayer, Alexandra R. Martin, Julie B. Boron, Jeffrey R. Stevens

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

Although exercise modulates appetite regulation and food intake, it remains poorly understood how exercise impacts decision-making about food. The purpose of the present study was to assess the impact of an acute exercise bout on hypothetical choices related to the amount and timing of food intake. Forty-one healthy participants (22.0 ± 2.6 years; 23.7 ± 2.5 kg/m² , 56% female) completed 45 min of aerobic exercise and a resting control condition in randomized order. Food amount preferences and intertemporal food preferences (preference for immediate vs. delayed consumption) were assessed using electronic questionnaires with visual food cues. Compared to rest, …

Applications Of The Critical Power Model To Dynamic Constant External Resistance Exercise: A Brief Review Of The Critical Load Test, Haley C. Bergstrom, Taylor K. Dinyer, Pasquale J. Succi, Caleb C. Voskuil, Terry J. Housh

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

The study and application of the critical power (CP) concept has spanned many decades. The CP test provides estimates of two distinct parameters, CP and W0 , that describe aerobic and anaerobic metabolic capacities, respectively. Various mathematical models have been used to estimate the CP and W0 parameters across exercise modalities. Recently, the CP model has been applied to dynamic constant external resistance (DCER) exercises. The same hyperbolic relationship that has been established across various continuous, whole-body, dynamic movements has also been demonstrated for upper-, lower-, and whole-body DCER exercises. The asymptote of the load versus repetition relationship is defined …

Reduced Mitochondrial Dna And Oxphos Protein Content In Skeletal Muscle Of Children With Cerebral Palsy, Ferdinand Von Walden, Ivan J. Vechetti Jr, Davis Englund, Vandre C. Figueiredo, Rodrigo Fernandez-Gonzalo, Kevin Murach, Jessica Pingel, John J. Mccarthy, Per Stal, Eva Ponten

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

AIM To provide a detailed gene and protein expression analysis related to mitochondrial biogenesis and assess mitochondrial content in skeletal muscle of children with cerebral palsy (CP). METHOD Biceps brachii muscle samples were collected from 19 children with CP (mean [SD] age 15y 4mo [2y 6mo], range 9–18y, 16 males, three females) and 10 typically developing comparison children (mean [SD] age 15y [4y], range 7–21y, eight males, two females). Gene expression (quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction [PCR]), mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) to genomic DNA ratio (quantitative PCR), and protein abundance (western blotting) were analyzed. Microarray data sets (CP/aging/bed rest) were …

Genetic Mouse Models Of Liver Disease: Potential Roles Of Zhx2 (Afr1) And Afr2 In Damage And Regeneration, Courtney P. Turpin

Theses and Dissertations--Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences

The liver is the largest internal organ in mammals and responsible for carrying out various processes, including lipid and carbohydrate metabolism, detoxification of chemicals, and production of serum proteins. Liver damage, which can be caused by a variety of agents including viral infection, environmental toxins, alcohol and excessive dietary fats, can cause dysregulation of these critical functions, leading to worsening liver pathophysiology and impacting health. However, the liver has the remarkable ability to regenerate when damaged. Hepatocytes, which comprise a majority of liver cells, are relatively quiescent under healthy conditions. Upon injury, remaining hepatocytes can proliferate to recover from liver …

Differential Effects Of Whole Red Raspberry Polyphenols And Their Gut Metabolite Urolithin A On Neuroinflammation In Bv-2 Microglia, Ashley Mulcahy Toney, Mahaa Albusharif, Duncan Works, Luke Polenz, Stacie Schlange, Virginia Chaidez, Amanda E. Ramer-Tait, Soonkyu Chung

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

Whole red raspberry polyphenols (RRW), including ellagic acid, and their gut-derived metabolite, urolithin A (UroA), attenuate inflammation and confer health benefits. Although results from recent studies indicate that polyphenols and UroA also provide neuroprotective effects, these compounds differ in their bioavailability and may, therefore, have unique effects on limiting neuroinflammation. Accordingly, we aimed to compare the neuroprotective effects of RRW and UroA on BV-2 microglia under both 3 h and 12 and 24 h inflammatory conditions. In inflammation induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and ATP stimulation after 3 h, RRW and UroA suppressed pro- inflammatory cytokine gene expression and regulated the …

Covid-19 Contagion Among Communities With Limited English Proficiency: Lesson From Volunteerism, Falah N. Rashoka M.S

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

The COVID-19 affects all communities in the United States, but its impact differs from one community to another. Undoubtedly, the vulnerable populations are more impacted than others, especially refugees and immigrants. This study seeks to understand the impact of COVID-19 on marginalized communities and the need to communicate health-related information equally. A lesson learned from observation during an ongoing pandemic, including what I learned through my volunteer work between mid-March and August 2020. The study finds that neighbors with limited English Proficiency (LEP) and limited education could quickly transfer the COVID-19 virus to another neighbor with high income and well-educated. …

Essential Role Of Systemic Iron Mobilization And Redistribution For Adaptive Thermogenesis Through Hif2-Α/Hepcidin Axis, Jin-Seon Yook, Mikyoung You, Jiyoung Kim, University Of Nebraska-Lincoln, Rong Fan, Bhanwar Lal Puniya, Tomáš Helikar, Sophie Vaulont, Jean-Christophe Deschemin, Meshail Oklar, Liwei Xie, Manik C. Ghosh, Tracey A. Rouault, Jaekwon Lee, Soonkyu Chung

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

Iron is an essential biometal, but is toxic if it exists in excess. Therefore, iron content is tightly regulated at cellular and systemic levels to meet metabolic demands but to avoid toxicity. We have recently reported that adaptive thermogenesis, a critical metabolic pathway to maintain whole-body energy homeostasis, is an irondemanding process for rapid biogenesis of mitochondria. However, little information is available on iron mobilization from storage sites to thermogenic fat. This study aimed to determine the iron-regulatory network that underlies beige adipogenesis. We hypothesized that thermogenic stimulus initiates the signaling interplay between adipocyte iron demands and systemic iron liberation, …

The Effect Of Nutrition On Longevity And Fertility In Diverse Drosophila: A Tor-Mediated Process, Tessa E. Steenwinkel

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Nutrition and growth are strongly linked, but not much is known about how nutrition leads to growth. To understand the connection between nutrition through diet, growth and/or proliferation, we need to study the phenotypes resulting from the activation and inhibition of central metabolic pathways. Here I use the model organism Drosophila melanogaster (D. mel.) and three non-model Drosophila species with different dietary needs, Drosophila guttifera (D. gut.), Drosophila deflecta (D. def.), and Drosophila tripunctata (D. tri.), to study the effects of dietary amino acid availability in these diverse flies on fecundity and …

Serving Refugees In A Pandemic: Insights From Yazidis In The Midwest, Falah N. Rashoka M.S, Megan S. Kelley, Marc A. Garcia

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

There is a critical need for research to examine factors that hinder or facilitate access to healthcare in the context of COVID-19. The coronavirus pandemic has exacerbated barriers to healthcare for marginalized communities globally, leaving many without access to needed health services. Resettled refugees, in particular, must grapple with added challenges to locating and obtaining culturally appropriate healthcare services.

Recent focus groups shed light on the experiences of Yazidi refugees in the U.S. Midwest during COVID-19. Yazidis are a historically persecuted religious and ethnic minority group from northern Iraq (Kizilhan, 2017). Many Yazidis migrated to the U.S. on Special Immigrant …

The Effects Of Phosphocreatine Disodium Salts Plus Blueberry Extract Supplementation On Muscular Strength, Power, And Endurance, John Paul V. Anders, Tyler J. Neltner, Robert W. Smith, Joshua L. Keller, Terry J. Housh, F Joseph Daugherty, Michael S. Tempesta, Alekha K. Dash, Daniel J. Munt, Richard J. Schmidt, Glen O. Johnson

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

Background: Numerous studies have demonstrated the efficacy of creatine supplementation for improvements in exercise performance. Few studies, however, have examined the effects of phosphocreatine supplementation on exercise performance. Furthermore, while polyphenols have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, little is known regarding the influence of polyphenol supplementation on muscular strength, power, and endurance. Thus, the purpose of the present study was to compare the effects of 28 days of supplementation with phosphocreatine disodium salts plus blueberry extract (PCDSB), creatine monohydrate (CM), and placebo on measures of muscular strength, power, and endurance.

Methods: Thirty-three men were randomly assigned to consume either PCDSB, CM, …

Vulnerable And Resilient Phenotypes In A Mouse Model Of Anorexia Nervosa, Jeff A. Beeler, Devry Mourra, Roseanna M. Zanca, Abigail Kalmbach, Celia Gellman, Benjamin Y. Klein, Rebecca Ravenelle, Peter Serrano, Holly Moore, Stephen Rayport, Susana Mingote, Nesha Burghard

Advanced Science Research Center

Background

Increased physical activity is a common feature of anorexia nervosa (AN). Although high activity levels are associated with greater risk of developing AN, particularly when combined with dieting, most individuals who diet and exercise maintain a healthy body weight. It is unclear why some individuals develop AN while most do not. A rodent model of resilience and vulnerability to AN would be valuable to research. Dopamine, which is believed to play a crucial role in AN, regulates both reward and activity and may modulate vulnerability.

Methods

Adolescent and young adult female C57BL/6N mice were tested in the activity-based anorexia …

Neuroprotective Effect Of Passiflora Edulissims Against Amyloid Beta-Induced Neurotoxicity, Shuqin Cao

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a common and devastating disease characterized by pathological aggregations of beta-amyloid (Aβ) plaques extracellularly, and Tau tangles intracellularly. While our understandings of the aetiologies of AD have greatly expanded over the decades, there is no drug available to stop disease progression. This study involves two parts. First, we demonstrate the potential of P. edulis pericarp (PP) extract in protecting against Aβ-mediated neurotoxicity in mammalian cells and Caenorhabditis elegans models of AD. We show PP protects against memory deficit, neuronal loss, and promotes longevity in the Aβ model of AD via stimulation of mitophagy, the selective cellular …

Brain Α-Tocopherol Concentration Is Inversely Associated With Neurofibrillary Tangle Counts In Brain Regions Affected In Earlier Braak Stages: A Cross-Sectional Finding In The Oldest Old, J. Tanprasertsuk, T.M. Scott, M.A. Johnson, L.W. Poon, P.T. Nelson, A. Davey, J.L. Woodard, R. Vishwanathan, A.K. Barbey, K. Barger, X.-D. Wang, E.J. Johnson

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

Objectives: Higher vitamin E status has been associated with lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). However, evidence of the association of vitamin E concentration in neural tissue with AD pathologies is limited. Design: The cross-sectional relationship between the human brain concentrations of α- and γ-tocopherol and the severity of AD pathologies – neurofibrillary tangle (NFT) and neuritic plaque (NP) – was investigated. Setting & Participants: Brains from 43 centenarians (≥ 98 years at death) enrolled in the Phase III of the Georgia Centenarian Study were collected at autopsy. Measurements: Brain α- and γ-tocopherol concentrations (previously reported) …

Anti-Inflammatory Properties Of Blackberry Phenolic And Volatile Compounds, Pauline Morin

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Berries are known for many health benefits including anti-inflammatory properties that lower risks of chronic diseases. These properties have been linked to high concentrations of phenolic compounds, especially anthocyanins. However, the present study hypothesized that volatiles could contribute to the berries’ bioactive properties. Thus, the objectives of this research are to profile the phenolic and volatile composition of 16 blackberry genotypes harvested at the Fruit Research Center of the University of Arkansas and to evaluate the antiinflammatory capacities of three selected genotypes on inflamed cells. Phenolic and volatile profiles were evaluated using chromatographic techniques. The three genotypes A2528T, A2587T and …

Antioxidant Properties And Anti-Cancer Effects Of Polyphenols In Sweetpotato Leaves, Josue Bolanos

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Although the root is widely consumed, sweetpotato leaves (SPL) are often discarded and are only consumed in a few countries. In the United States, SPL consumption is limited to private gardens, particularly in the Southeastern United States. Not only are SPL a good source of nutrients such as vitamins and minerals, but they also contain polyphenol compounds including the caffeoylquinic acid derivatives and carotenoids such as lutein. Several studies have shown the polyphenol contents and antioxidant capacities of SPL, which vary based on year and variety, while few studies have shown anti-colon cancer effects of SPL. Therefore, this study investigated …

Ionic Mechanism Of Lysosomal Function And Cell Metabolism, Jian Xiong

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Two Pore Channels (TPCs) are endolysosomal ion channels that are permeable to sodium and calcium. Defects in TPCs have been implicated to impair vesicle trafficking, autophagy and cell metabolism control; however, the detailed mechanism remains largely unknown. In this study, I show that TPCs are critical for appropriate cargo delivery to the lysosomes and deletion of either TPC1 or TPC2 leads to delayed clearance of autophagosomes, resulting in enlarged lysosomes and accumulated contents inside the lysosomes. Cells with both TPC deleted also exhibit 50% reduction in lysosomal amino acids under normal culture conditions, leading to reduced homeostatic mTORC1 activation.

Glutamine …

The Effect Of Epa And Dha On Skeletal Muscle Physiology And Energy Balance, Saeed Jebor Ghnaimawi

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) supplementation commonly suggested during pregnancy confers many health benefits on offspring and more recently improves fetal BAT development and induces myoblast trans-differentiation into adiopocytes through activating PPARs expression. Embryonic myoblast is a highly flexible cell showing great capacity to change its phenotype into adipocyte in response to EPA and DHA supplementation in many in vitro models. However, a little is known about the identity of derived adipocytes, whether, they change into brown or white adipocyte, and in vivo evidence is still missing. Given that the myogeneis process is initiated at the mid of …