Cardiac-chamber-specific Fingerprints in Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction. Early Detection of Pathological Conditions by FTIR and Raman Spectroscopic Techniques

Background The pathophysiology of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is a matter of investigation and its diagnosis remains challenging. Although the mechanisms that are responsible for the development of HFpEF are not fully understood, it is well known that nearly 80% of patients with HFpEF have concomitant hypertension.Methods We investigated whether early biochemical alterations were detectable during HFpEF progression in salt-induced hypertensive rats, using Fourier-transformed infrared (FTIR) and Raman spectroscopic techniques as a new diagnostic approach. Results Greater protein content and, specifically, greater collagen deposition were observed in the left atrium and right ventricle of hypertensive rats, together with altered metabolism of myocytes. Additionally, Raman spectra indicated a conformational change, or different degree of phosphorylation/methylation, in tyrosine-rich proteins. A correlation was found between tyrosine content and cardiac fibrosis of both right and left ventricles. Microcalcifications were detected in the left and right atria of control animals, with a progressive augmentation from six to 22 weeks. A further increase occurred in the left ventricle and right atrium of 22-week salt-fed animals, and a positive correlation was shown between the mineral deposits and the cardiac size of the left ventricle. Conclusions Overall, FTIR and Raman techniques proved to be sensitive to early biochemical changes in HFpEF and preceded clinical humoral and imaging markers.

Effect of drought and waterlogging on saccharides and amino acids content in potato tubers

The study was focused on the effect of drought and waterlogging stresses in two-year pot experiments in the peat substrate on the content of glucose, fructose and sucrose and free amino acids in potato tubers of four cultivars (yellow-fleshed Laura, Marabel, Milva and blue-fleshed Valfi) after 71 days of exposure to stresses conditions (BBCH 909). Drought and waterlogging increased levels of fructose, glucose, and sucrose in three potato cultivars except for cv. Laura. Drought stress increased l-proline (+248.4%), l-hydroxyproline (+135.3%), l-arginine (+29.97%), l-glutamic acid (+29.09%) and l-leucine (+22.58%) contents in all analysed cultivars. Moreover, the high effect of drought stress on an increase of l-phenylalanine, l-histidine, l-threonine, and total free amino acids content of the cvs. Laura, Valfi and Marabel has been observed. A comparison of the effects of drought and waterlogging stresses on the content of total amino acids showed an increase under drought and a decrease under waterlogging conditions. On average, of all cultivars, waterlogging stress caused an increase of l-tyrosine content, whereas drought stress decrease. In addition, drought stress caused a significant increase of l-proline in all cultivars while waterlogging its decrease. Obtained results confirmed different responses of susceptible or resistant cultivars to abiotic stresses.

Effects of Gallic Acid by Ultrasound on Physicochemical Properties of Lateolabrax Japonicas Myofibrillar Protein

The effects of different concentrations of gallic acid (0 mg/g, 1 mg/g, 2 mg/g, 4 mg/g, and 6 mg/g) on the physicochemical properties of Lateolabrax japonicas myofibrillar protein were studied with 400 W ultrasound. The results showed that gallic acid decreased the particle size, total sulfhydryl group, carbonyl and dimer tyrosine content and Ca2+-ATPase activity (P<0.05) of myofibrillar protein, however, increased the zeta potential. Ultrasonic wave could cooperate with gallic acid to slow down protein oxidation and make the protein solution system more stable. When the concentration of gallic acid was 2 mg/g, the indicators of protein solution were most favorable, which improved the properties of protein.

BIOCHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF VEGETATIVE EXPLANTS AND CALLUS PINUS SIBIRICA DU TOUR

The methods of sterilization of annual shoots Pinus sibirica Du Tour and the conditions for their introduction into in vitro culture were studied. Induction of callusogenesis of aseptically viable explants of P. sibirica proceeds more intensively on the modified Murasige-Skoog medium: hormonal supply of 0.4% kinetin and 0.25% 6-benzylaminopurine; reduced sucrose concentration of 1.5%. The frequency of callus formation was 83%. Close quantitative indicators of extractive substances were established (36 and 33% of absolutely dry weight for callus and explant, respectively); easily hydrolyzable polysaccharides (18 and 16%) and proteins (11 and 10%).Callus P. sibirica has a higher content of ascorbic acid, flavanoids, tocopherols and ash elements compared to explants and a low amount of hard-hydrolyzable polysaccharides, lipids, tannins, pigments, and essential oils.The electrophoretic spectrum of water-soluble callus proteins is represented by eleven fractions: 63% of the total water-soluble proteins are fractions with a molecular weight of 33 kD and above. Fractions with molecular weights of 50 and 62 kD (20 and 17%, respectively) are represented as much as possible.In the explants of P. sibirica, low molecular weight fractions of proteins with molecular masses of 5 kD and lower (59%) predominate. The amino acid composition of calli and explants of P. sibirica is identical and is represented by fifteen individual amino acids. Callus tissue has a higher content of glutamic acid and two hydrophobic amino acids (proline and isoleucine) compared to the vegetative part of the plant and low tyrosine content.

Combined Transcriptome and Metabolome analysis of Pitaya fruit unveiled the mechanisms underlying Peel and pulp color formation

Background Elucidating the candidate genes and key metabolites responsible for pulp and peel coloration is essential for breeding pitaya fruit with new and improved appeal and high nutritional value. Here, we used transcriptome (RNA-Seq) and metabolome analysis (UPLC-MS/MS) to identify structural and regulatory genes and key metabolites associated with peel and pulp colors in three pitaya fruit types belonging to two different Hylocereus species. Result Our combined transcriptome and metabolome analyses suggest that the main strategy for obtaining red color is to increase tyrosine content for downstream steps in the betalain pathway. The upregulation of CYP76ADs is proposed as the color-breaking step leading to red or colorless pulp under the regulation by WRKY44 transcription factor. Supported by the differential accumulation of anthocyanin metabolites in red pulped pitaya fruit, our results showed the regulation of anthocyanin biosynthesis pathway in addition to betalain biosynthesis. However, no color-breaking step for the development of anthocyanins in red pulp was observed and no biosynthesis of anthocyanins in white pulp was found. Together, we propose that red pitaya pulp color is under the strict regulation of CYP76ADs by WRKYs and the anthocyanin coexistence with betalains is unneglectable. We ruled out the possibility of yellow peel color formation due to anthocyanins because of no differential regulation of chalcone synthase genes between yellow and green and no detection of naringenin chalcone in the metabolome. Similarly, the no differential regulation of key genes in the carotenoid pathway controlling yellow pigments proposed that the carotenoid pathway is not involved in yellow peel color formation. Conclusions Together, our results propose several candidate genes and metabolites controlling a single horticultural attribute i.e. color formation for further functional characterization. This study presents useful genomic resources and information for breeding pitaya fruit with commercially attractive peel and pulp colors. These findings will greatly complement the existing knowledge on the biosynthesis of natural pigments for their applications in food and health industry.

Studies on the Effect of Natural Preservatives and Packing Materials on Physico-Chemical Quality of pinni.

Pinni, a native heat dried sweet produce ready by roasting cereal flours mainly, with added khoa (desiccated milk) and sugar has a shelf-life of a few days under marketplace. In this study, result of preservers viz. i.e., cardamom powder and rosemary on the storage-life of pinni stored at 30±1˚C was investigated. Two packaging techniques viz., conventional cardboard boxes and polystyrene tray were compared for physico-chemical, quality of pinni during storage for 21 days and 28 days respectively at 30±1˚C. During storing, several variations took place in physico-chemical appearances, the changes being faster in control samples packed in both packaging materials as compared to cardamom and rosemary extract added pinni samples. The average tyrosine content for fresh pinni was 9.75 μg/5ml in control, 9.35 μg/5ml in cardamom and 9.45 μg/5ml in rosemary extracted added sample which increased significantly (p<0.05) to 13.87 μg/5ml, 13.59 μg/5ml and 13.23 μg/5ml respectively when packed in cardboard boxes similar results were found when pinni packed in polystyrene tray. There was slight effect of preservers on the excellence of pinni when packed in cardboard boxes, but changes were slower in pinni when packed in polystyrene tray. Pinni packaged in polystyrene tray stored at 30±1˚C, in the presence rosemary extract, was stable for 28 days and have shelf life 14 days more than control sample.

Tyrosine Supplement Ameliorates Murine aGVHD by Modulation of Gut Microbiome and Metabolome

Background The microbial communities and their metabolic components in gut are essential for immune homeostasis and profoundly influence the host susceptibility to many immune-mediated diseases including acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). However, the functional connections between microbiome and metabolites in aGVHD are poorly understood because of the complexity of gastrointestinal environment. Thus, we initially performed 16S ribosomal DNA gene sequencing and ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS)-based metabolomics to unleash the gut microbiota and fecal metabolic phenotype in aGVHD murine model. Results A Lachnospiraceae_unclassified was significantly downregulated while the relative abundance of Clostridium XI, Clostridium XIVa and Enterococcus were increased in aGVHD happened group. Meanwhile, a lower content of tyrosine was observed in the gut of aGVHD mice. The correlation analysis revealed that tyrosine-related metabolites inversely correlated with Clostridium XIVa, Blautia and Enterococcus in aGVHD condition. In addition to explore the importance and function of tyrosine, we supplied different tyrosine content diets to mice during transplantation. Additional tyrosine supplements could improve overall survival, ameliorate symptoms at the early stage of aGVHD and changed the structure and composition of gut microbiota and fecal metabolic phenotype, while mice with aGVHD deprived from tyrosine displayed worse manifestations than vehicle. Conclusions Overall, a better understanding of the roles of gut microbiota-metabolomes interconnectedness in aGVHD could help identify disease biomarkers and offer better targets for diagnosis and treatment.

INFLUENCE OF THERMAL PROCESSING ON THE AMINO ACID COMPOSITION OF WHITE WHEAT BREAD

Исследовано влияние температуры и длительности нагревания на деградацию аминокислот в пищевых продуктах. Образцы белого пшеничного хлеба подвергали термической обработке при температурах 90, 120, 150 и 180°С с интервалом в 30 мин в течение 2 ч. Количество аминокислот определяли методом высокоэффективной жидкостной хроматографии с предколоночной дериватизацией с использованием о-фталевого альдегида. Установлено, что с повышением температуры и увеличением длительности нагревания наблюдается снижение содержания аминокислот. Определены особенности реагирования аминокислот на воздействие температуры. Установлено, что на снижение содержания аспарагиновой кислоты в большей степени влияет высокая температура, чем время термообработки. Заметное снижение содержания тирозина в образцах выявлено при термообработке в течение 30–60 мин при температуре 180°С. Для аргинина характерно линейное снижение содержания при температуре 120–180°С. Содержание гистидина медленнее снижается при незначительном повышении температуры, а при высоких температурах увеличение времени термообработки ускоряет реакцию. Количество лизина существенно снижается при повышении температуры, а время нагревания влияет незначительно, причем чем выше температура, тем меньше влияние продолжительности нагревания. Отмечено повышение содержания отдельных аминокислот, что, возможно, связано с процессом ресинтеза. The aim of the work – study the effect of temperature and heating time on the degradation of amino acids. In the studies, samples of white wheat bread were heat treated at temperatures of 90, 120, 150 and 180°C with a time interval of 30 min for 2 h. Determination of the number of amino acids was carried out using HPLC from pre-columnar derivatization using o-phthalic aldehyde. It is established that with temperature increase and increase in duration of heating decrease in content of amino acids is observed. Some peculiarities of the reaction of amino acids to the effect of temperature have been established. For example, the decrease in the content of aspartic acid is more affected by the high temperature than the time of heat treatment. A noticeable decrease in tyrosine content is observed during heat treatment for 30–60 min at a temperature of 180°C. For arginine it is characterized by a linear decrease of the content in the range of 120–180°C. Histidine slows down with a slight increase in temperature, and at high temperatures, an increase of the heat treatment time accelerates the reaction. The amount of lysine falls more strongly with increasing temperature, and the heating time affects slightly, and, the higher the temperature, the less time affects. An increase in the content of individual amino acids is also noted, which is probably connected with the process of resynthesis.

The comparison of peroxynitrite action on bovine, porcine and human fibrinogens

Subjects of bovine and porcine flocks are sometimes susceptible to death before time of slaughter, and some of those deaths may be due to cardiovascular problems connected with stress. The role of oxidative stress in farm animals is yet unexplored. Human fibrinogen seems to be highly susceptible to nitration. Peroxynitrite produced from superoxide and nitric oxide initiates noticeable changes in the structure of human fibrinogen molecule. The objective of this work is to compare the in vitro interactions of peroxynitrite with human fibrinogen and with fibrinogen from mammals of great economic importance, namely cows and pigs. Using western blots and ELISA we show that porcine fibrinogen is susceptible to tyrosine nitration induced by peroxynitrite whereas, bovine fibrinogen is more resistant. Moreover, porcine fibrinogen polymerization is susceptible to peroxynitrite action, whereas bovine fibrinogen is the least susceptible to inhibition of polymerization caused by peroxynitrite. These observed differences may result from differences in amino acid sequence of fibrinogen chains, mostly including tyrosine content and location in the Aα chain. Protection against toxic effects of peroxynitrite activity in the circulatory system seems to be important in avoiding cardiovascular diseases and may prevent production loss in pig breeding herds.