Metabolomic-based investigation of Yinlan alleviating hyperlipidemia by inhibiting blood stasis and phlegm turbidity through the PXR-CYP3A4-ABCB1-FXR pathway

Yinlan lipid regulatory capsule (YL) is a composite traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) new drug to alleviate hyperlipidemia, while its therapeutic mechanism in vivo was not clarified with nontargeted metabolomics investigation. An animal model was established in rats fed a high-fat diet, and their body weights, body mass index (BMI) and blood cholesterol levels were measured. Serum, liver and kidney tissue samples were also extracted for PXR-CYP3A4-ABCB1-FXR signaling pathway research using PCR and UHPLC–MS. The obtained plasma samples were analyzed by UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS metabolomic investigation, which revealed PXR-CYP3A4-related metabolites and changes induced by YL. Finally, the key metabolites were chosen as index components, and their levels in the serum, liver, small intestine and bile were used for simultaneous UHPLC–MS-MS determination. The results indicated that YL was effective in rebalancing blood TG and TC levels (compared to controls). With respect to the PXR-CYP3A4-ABCB1 pathway, as a result of YL’s effect, gene expression or activity of the two targets decreased significantly in both the liver and kidney. The same trend was observed in the serum samples mentioned above. Metabolomics screening and data revealed that 44 metabolites can be regarded as biomarkers related to hyperlipidemia, fatty acids synthesis, and body energy consumption, as well as synthesis, transportation and exertion of cholesterol. YL’s treatment focused on 26 of them, primarily bile acids, indicating that the antihyperlipidemic effect of this drug lies in its inhibitory activity of cholesterol metabolism. Subsequent analysis of those in vivo components revealed that significant increases (compared to the model group) occurred in the blood, liver, small intestine and bile in groups that received medium and high doses of YL (while the low dose was relatively unchanged). Those target components exhibit a close relationship with PXR and/or CYP3A4. The use of YL repressed PXR expression and subsequently decreased CYP3A4 activity. As a result, synthesis of related bile acids increased, while cholesterol levels decreased, consequently leading to the attenuation of hyperlipidemia. This study comprehensively investigated the antihyperlipidemia mechanism of YL based on its repression of PXR-CYP3A4 activity and related metabolite yield, establishing an accurate method for evaluating the therapeutic effect of YL.     

Astragalus membranaceus ultrafine powder alleviates hyperuricemia by regulating the gut microbiome and reversing bile acid and adrenal hormone biosynthesis dysregulation

Ethnopharmacological relevanceMetabolic syndrome is closely related to the intestinal microbiota and disturbances in the host metabolome. Hyperuricemia (HUA), a manifestation of metabolic syndrome, can induce various cardiovascular diseases and gout, seriously affecting a patient’s quality of life. Astragalus membranaceus has a long history as a commonly used traditional Chinese medicine to treat kidney disease in China and East Asia.Materials and methodsWe compared the therapeutic effect of benzbromarone and two different doses Astragalus membranaceus ultrafine powder (AMUP) in rats with HUA. Ultra-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometer was used to analyze the AMUP metabolism in the plasma, urine, and feces. Further, 16S ribosome RNA sequencing and feces metabolomic were performed to capture the variation of the gut microbiota and metabolites changes before and after drug administration.ResultsAMUP had a notable impact on reducing blood uric acid levels while protecting the liver and kidney. Drug metabolism analysis demonstrated that effective constituent flavonoids are distributed in the blood, whereas saponins remain in the intestine. Gut microbiota analysis showed that low-dose AMUP ameliorated HUA-induced gut dysbiosis by reducing the abundance of harmful bacteria and increasing that of some beneficial bacteria with anti-inflammatory properties, such as Clostridia, Lachnospiraceae, and Muribaculaceae. In addition, HUA-induced changes in metabolite contents in bile acid and adrenal hormone biosynthesis pathways were restored after treatment with AMUP.ConclusionLow-dose AMUP exerts remarkable therapeutic effects on HUA by regulating the gut microbiome and mediating gut metabolism pathways associated with uric acid excretion.     

Bond interchange reactions in functionalized triglyceride oil/poly(ethylene terephthalate) compositions

Naturally functionalized triglyceride oils are renewable resources which contain reactive chemical groups, hydroxyl in the case of castor oil, and epoxide in the case of vernonia oil. In this article, the reaction of these groups, and the ester linkages between the glycerol and acid residue portions of the oil molecule with poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) is investigated through a variety of means. Multiple reactions are possible in the triglyceride–PET system, some of which form a copolymer that increases miscibility, and if allowed to continue, forms a completely random copolymer mixture. Among the numerous reactions possible, PET–ester exchange with the hydroxyl or epoxide functionality of the triglyceride oils is found to be the most significant, and the effects of these and other reactions are observed and structural implications discussed. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Kinetic and stability characterization ofChromobacterium viscosum lipase and its comparison withPseudomonas glumae lipase

A kinetic study ofChromobacterium viscosum lipase was undertaken, and compared withPseudomonas glumae lipase. Optimum operation conditions were pH 9.0 and 50°C for both enzymes. A substrate specificity study was also developed. Both enzymes showed higher activity on triglycerides with a long chain of fatty acid; the specific activity was always higher for C.viscosum lipase. Stability of both enzymes in aqueous medium at 60°C and pH 9.0 was evaluated. C.viscosum lipase was three times more stable than P.glumae lipase, with at _1/2 value of 0.75 h. In addition, the activity of C.viscosum lipase with substrate concentration was studied with a triolein emulsion. A dependence of the intrinsic characteristics of the emulsion was observed. Therefore, stability ofC. viscosum lipase B with reaction products was assayed in a micellar system. Acid products reduced the specific activity of the enzyme. Glycerol and high buffer concentration were stabilizers of enzyme deactivation. Finally, substrate specificity ofC. viscosum lipase B in a micellar system was developed with tributyrin, tricaprylin, and triolein. Only tributyrin showed an apparent Michaelis-Menten kinetic with V_max ^app = 958 U/mg and K_ma ^app = 75.5 mM. Tricaprylin and triolein showed diffusion limitations at low substrate concentration and substrate inhibition at high substrate concentration. Diffusion parameters were calculated for both these substrates. Mass transfer coefficients (k₁) were 0.314 Å/min and 1.53 Å/min for tricaprylin and triolein, respectively. Effectiveness factors (η) were 0.536 and 0.768 for tricaprylin and triolein, respectively.     

Macrocybin,a Natural Mushroom Triglyceride,Reduces Tumor Growth In Vitro and In Vivo through Caveolin-Mediated Interference with the Actin Cytoskeleton

Mushrooms have been used for millennia as cancer remedies. Our goal was to screen several mushroom species from the rainforests of Costa Rica, looking for new antitumor molecules. Mushroom extracts were screened using two human cell lines: A549 (lung adenocarcinoma) and NL20 (immortalized normal lung epithelium). Extracts able to kill tumor cells while preserving non-tumor cells were considered “anticancer”. The mushroom with better properties was Macrocybe titans. Positive extracts were fractionated further and tested for biological activity on the cell lines. The chemical structure of the active compound was partially elucidated through nuclear magnetic resonance, mass spectrometry, and other ancillary techniques. Chemical analysis showed that the active molecule was a triglyceride containing oleic acid, palmitic acid, and a more complex fatty acid with two double bonds. The synthesis of all possible triglycerides and biological testing identified the natural compound, which was named Macrocybin. A xenograft study showed that Macrocybin significantly reduces A549 tumor growth. In addition, Macrocybin treatment resulted in the upregulation of Caveolin-1 expression and the disassembly of the actin cytoskeleton in tumor cells (but not in normal cells). In conclusion, we have shown that Macrocybin constitutes a new biologically active compound that may be taken into consideration for cancer treatment.     

基于甘油三酸酯的高分子材料 Ⅰ.聚酯和聚氨酯

甘油三酸酯是一种可再生资源,可以从向日葵、棉花、亚麻籽等植物中提取得到。甘油三酸酯制造高分子材料可通过许多方法,如:缩合反应、自由基反应、阳离子聚合反应等。文章综述了基于甘油三酸酯的高分子材料的研究进展。     

High strength,acid-resistant composites from canola,sunflower, or linseed oils: Influence of triglyceride unsaturation on material properties

Here are reported composites made by crosslinking unsaturated units in canola, sunflower, or linseed oil with sulfur to yield CanS , SunS , and LinS , respectively. These plant oils were selected because the average number of crosslinkable unsaturated units per triglyceride vary from 1.3 for canola to 1.5 for sunflower and 1.8 for linseed oil. The remeltable composites show compressive strengths that increase with increasing unsaturation number from CanS (9.3 MPa) to SunS (17.9 MPa) to LinS (22.9 MPa). These values for SunS and LinS are competitive when compared with the value of 17 MPa required for residential building using traditional Portland cement. The plant oil composites are recyclable over many cycles and can retain up to 100% of strength after 24 hr in oxidizing acid under conditions where Portland cement is dissolved in under 30 min. Infusion of the composites into premade cement blocks affords them with significantly improved acid resistance as well. This work thus provides a simple, nearly 100% atom economical route to convert plant oils and waste sulfur to composites having enhanced performance over commercial structural materials.     

Oxidative status of human low density lipoprotein isolated by anion-exchange high-performance liquid chromatography--assessment by total hydroxyoctadecadienoic acid, 7-hydroxycholesterol, and 8-iso-prostaglandin F(2alpha)

This study aims to measure the oxidative status of LDL from human plasma (n=26) as assessed by biomarkers for lipid peroxidation, total hydroxyoctadecadienoic acid (tHODE), 7alpha- and 7beta-hydroxycholesterol (t7-OHCh), and 8-iso-prostaglandin F(2alpha) (t8-iso-PGF(2alpha)) after subfractionation of LDL with an anion-exchange HPLC (AE-HPLC). LDL was separated and quantified by AE-HPLC as LDL-1, LDL-2, and LDL-3 in the order of the anionic charge of the LDL particles. The concentrations of tHODE, t7-OHCh, and t8-iso-PGF(2alpha) in both plasma and LDL subfractions were assessed after reduction and saponification. In this method, the free and ester forms of hydroperoxides, ketones, and hydroxides of linoleic acid and cholesterol are measured as tHODE and t7-OHCh, respectively. It was found that tHODE significantly correlated with the proportion of LDL-2 and LDL-3 as well as with the concentration of malondialdehyde-modified LDL in plasma. Further, by the analyses of LDL subfractions, the concentrations of tHODE, t8-iso-PGF(2alpha), and t7-OHCh in LDL-3 were found to be significantly higher than those in LDL-1 and LDL-2. These results clearly indicate that the extent of oxidation increases in the order of LDL-1相似文献   

Activation and inhibition of lipoprotein lipase in mixed monolayers of medium or long chain-triglycerides and phospholipids

 We evaluated the activation and inhibition effects of phosphatidylcholine (PC) and sphingomyelin (SM) on lipoprotein lipase (LPL) for medium or long chain-triglycerides (TG) in monolayers at the air/water interface. Monolayers of medium chain-TG, being in an expanded state at a surface pressure of 15 mN/m, showed low susceptibility to LPL in the subphase. Adding 50 mole% of PC or SM into these monolayers reduced the partial molecular area of the TG and enhanced the LPL activity. Monolayers of long chain-TG, being in a condensed state, showed high susceptibility of LPL either with or without PC. SM added to the long chain-TG monolayers, however, inhibited the LPL action. We investigated the interaction between TG and phospholipid on the basis of the collapse pressure-measurements of mixed monolayers. For medium chain-TG monolayers, PC and SM gave similar collapse pressure-composition profiles. Contrary to this, SM gave a markedly higher collapse pressure of long chain-TG than PC: SM stabilized the monolayer state of long chain-TG. These results suggested that I) orientation of the acyl chains of TG molecule in a monolayer is crucial for the LPL activity, and that II) strong interaction between SM and long chain-TG retards the substrate-transfer from the mixed monolayer to the catalytic pocket of LPL. Received: 6 March 1996 Accepted: 19 July 1996     

Towards on-line SEC-GC of pesticide residues? The problem of tailing triglyceride peaks

SEC is used for clean-up of food extracts obtained for analysis of pesticide residues primarily to remove high molecular weight material, among which fat may be present at the largest concentrations. The triglyceride peak, which is usually very large, is eluted before the components of interest. The problem described in this paper deals with the tail of the triglyceride peak: this may intrude into the fraction containing the pesticides and contaminate the GC.