Mucosal-associated invariant T-Cell (MAIT) activation is altered by chlorpyrifos- and glyphosate-treated commensal gut bacteria

Mucosal-associated invariant T-cells (MAIT) can react to metabolites of the vitamins riboflavin and folate which are produced by the human gut microbiota. Since several studies showed that the pesticide chlorpyrifos (CPF) and glyphosate (GLP) can impair the gut microbiota, the present study was undertaken to investigate the impact of CPF and GLP treatment on the metabolism of gut microbiota and the resulting bacteria-mediated modulation of MAIT cell activity. Here, Bifidobacterium adolescentis (B. adolescentis), Lactobacillus reuteri (L. reuteri), and Escherichia coli (E. coli) were treated with CPF (50-200 µM) or GLP (75-300 mg/L) and then used in MAIT cell stimulation assays as well as in vitamin and proteome analyses. All three bacteria were nonpathogenic and chosen as representatives of a healthy human gut microflora. The results showed that E. coli activated MAIT cells whereas B. adolescentis and L. reuteri inhibited MAIT cell activation. CPF treatment significantly increased E. coli-mediated MAIT cell activation. Treatment of B. adolescentis and L. reuteri with CPF and GLP weakened the inhibition of MAIT cell activation. Riboflavin and folate production by the test bacteria was influenced by CPF treatment, whereas GLP had only minor effects. Proteomic analysis of CPF-treated E. coli revealed changes in the riboflavin and folate biosynthesis pathways. The findings here suggest that the metabolism of the analyzed bacteria could be altered by exposure to CPF and GLP, leading to an increased pro-inflammatory immune response.

A Comparison of Vitamin and Lutein Concentrations in Breast Milk from Four Asian Countries

Vitamins are the essential elements for human life and, particularly, for infant health. Human milk is the best source of nutrients for newborns, however, the information of vitamins in Asian maternal milk is still limited. In this study, we have collected 580 Asian maternal milk samples from Korea (n = 254), China (n = 137), Pakistan (n = 92), and Vietnam (n = 97). The vitamin concentrations, including vitamin B-groups (8 vitamins), fat-soluble vitamin (retinol, D, E, K) and lutein in the breast milk of were investigated. The concentration of thiamin (B1), biotin (B7), and folic acid (B9) in mother's milk of four countries were not considerably different, while riboflavin (B2), pantothenic acid (B5), and pyridoxine (B6) level in Vietnam samples were significantly lower than those in other countries. In contrast, retinol (A) and tocopherol (E) were found to be higher levels in Vietnamese maternal milk. Korean and Chinese maternal milk had low concentrations of retinol that may cause vitamin A deficiency in children. However, Chinese mother's milk was distinguished with a high concentration of lutein. Pakistani mother's milk was observed as having a significant problem of folic acid (B9) deficiency. Regardless of the country, vitamin B12, K, and D did not seem to be provided sufficiently through maternal milk. The moderate positive correlations were found between vitamin concentrations in each country and the pooled sample. The data obtained in this study were able to provide vital information to assess the nutritional status of breast milk in Asian countries and contributed to the efforts of ensuring the best nutrition for Asian children.

Dietary Supplements for Male Infertility: A Critical Evaluation of Their Composition

Dietary supplements (DS) represent a possible approach to improve sperm parameters and male fertility. A wide range of DS containing different nutrients is now available. Although many authors demonstrated benefits from some nutrients in the improvement of sperm parameters, their real effectiveness is still under debate. The aim of this study was to critically review the composition of DS using the Italian market as a sample. Active ingredients and their minimal effective daily dose (mED) on sperm parameters were identified through a literature search. Thereafter, we created a formula to classify the expected efficacy of each DS. Considering active ingredients, their concentration and the recommended daily dose, DS were scored into three classes of expected efficacy: higher, lower and none. Twenty-one DS were identified. Most of them had a large number of ingredients, frequently at doses below mED or with undemonstrated efficacy. Zinc was the most common ingredient of DS (70% of products), followed by selenium, arginine, coenzyme Q and folic acid. By applying our scoring system, 9.5% of DS fell in a higher class, 71.4% in a lower class and 19.1% in the class with no expected efficacy. DS marketed in Italy for male infertility frequently includes effective ingredients but also a large number of substances at insufficient doses or with no reported efficacy. Manufacturers and physicians should better consider the scientific evidence on effective ingredients and their doses before formulating and prescribing these products.

Rational construction of a triple emission molecular imprinting sensor for accurate naked-eye detection of folic acid

Multiple emissions of blue, green and red from a molecular imprinting sensor rationally constructed, were used for the fluorescence colorimetric visualization of a fluorescent analyte of folic acid, using a flexible post-imprinting mixing strategy. That is, two kinds of folic acid-templated molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) were firstly synthesized by encapsulating green and red fluorescent quantum dots (g-QDs and r-QDs) individually on SiO2 cores, and they were then mixed at an appropriate ratio, resulting in a triple emission MIPs sensor. Upon folic acid recognition, the inherent blue fluorescence of folic acid was intensified, and the green and red fluorescence of the sensor QDs were gradually quenched. The quenching rate difference between g-QDs and r-QDs was greatly enhanced and used to obtain a wider-range and profuse fluorescence color evolution, by investigating the influences of the QDs modifier, eluent and imprinting layer thickness in detail. Under optimal conditions, the ratiometric intensity change of the three color emissions varied in a logistic function within 0.01-50 ppm of folic acid, and the corresponding fluorescence colors shifted from yellow to orange to red to purple and finally to blue. This excellent visualization capability of the MIPs sensor contributed to the accurate naked-eye detection of folic acid concentration using a portable ultraviolet lamp. Moreover, the MIPs sensor succeeded in determining folic acid in complicated food and serum samples, providing comparable results with the PRC standard method and satisfactory recoveries of 99.5-108.0%. The merits, including construction simplicity, high sensitivity and selectivity, and result visualization, enable such a multiple emission MIPs sensing strategy to be potentially applicable for visual identification and determination of various analytes in more fields.

Effects of temperature stress on the accumulation of ascorbic acid and folates in sweet corn (Zea mays L.) seedlings

BACKGROUND

Extreme temperatures are among the primary abiotic stresses that affect plant growth and development. Ascorbic acid (AsA) is an efficient antioxidant for scavenging relative oxygen species accumulated under stress. Folates play a significant role in DNA synthesis and protect plants against oxidative stress. Sweet corn (Zea mays L.), a crop grown worldwide, is sensitive to extreme temperatures at seedling stage, which may cause yield loss. This study was conducted to explore the biosynthetic regulative mechanism of AsA and folates in sweet corn seedlings under temperature stress.

RESULTS

The AsA and folate composition and relative gene expression in sweet corn seedlings grown under different temperature stresses (10, 25, and 40 °C) were evaluated. The imposition of temperature stress altered the AsA content mainly by modulating the expression of _Zm DHAR, whose encoded enzyme dehydroascorbic reductase (DHAR) is essential in the AsA recycle pathway. Low temperature stress raised the expressions of relative genes, leading to folate accumulation. High temperature stress modulated the folate content by influencing the expression of the correspondence gene for aminodeoxychorismate synthase, _Zm ADCS, as well as downstream genes that connected with DNA methylation.

CONCLUSION

These results provided a theoretical basis, at a genetic level, for understanding the stress responses mechanism in sweet corn seedlings, offering guidance for sweet corn cultivation. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.

N, S, I co-doped carbon dots for folic acid and temperature sensing and applied to cellular imaging

The application of fluorescent carbon dots in bio-imaging has huge positive significance in the field of biomedicine. By taking this advantage, herein we prepared nitrogen, sulfur and iodine doped carbon dots (N,S,I-CDs) by a facile hydrothermal reaction using C₃N₃S₃, potassium iodate (KIO₃) and ethylenediamine (EDA), and the obtained N,S,I-CDs show bright blue fluorescence with a high fluorescence quantum yield of about 32.4%. The prepared N, S, I-CDs could interact with the folic acid (FA) with high selectivity, lead to development of a high sensitive method for the FA detection from 0.1 to 175 μM wide linear range with a detection limit of 84 nM (S/N = 3) and also applied them in U-2 OS cells imaging. Moreover, this sensor possessed a good sensitivity, linearity and reversibility in the temperature range of 10-80 °C, and successfully applied for the temperature sensing in cell HT-29 samples. This investigation illustrates that as-prepared N, S, I-CDs probe may have great potential as a high-performance platform for the accurate recognition of temperature in cells and could provide a new tool for the detection of FA in cells.

A composite film prepared from titanium carbide Ti3C2Tx (MXene) and gold nanoparticles for voltammetric determination of uric acid and folic acid

In this study, a solution-processing based galvanic deposition approach is described for in-situ deposition of gold nanoparticles (AuNP) on delaminated titanium Ti₃C₂T_x nanosheets under ultrasonication. The nanocomposite (AuNP@Ti₃C₂T_x) was placed on a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) and then applied to electrochemically with label-free, and simultaneously sense uric acid (UA), and folic acid (FA) at physiological pH. The modified GCE has attractive figures of merit: (i) The working potentials for UA and AA are well separated (+0.35 V and 0.70 V vs. Ag|AgCl); (ii) wide linear responses (from 0.03-1520 μM for UA and from 0.02-3580 μM for FA; (iii) good electrochemical sensitivities for both UA and FA (0.53 and 0.494 μAμM^-1.cm^-2, respectively), and (iv) detection limits of 11.5 nM (UA) and 6.20 nM (FA). The electrode exhibited good repeatability (RSD = 4.4%), acceptable reproducibility (RSD = 4.1%), and excellent stability (91.8% over one-month storage). The method was applied to analyze spiked serum samples, and modified GCE is shown appreciable recoveries (97.1-98.8% and 96.8-98.0% for UA, and FA, respectively). Graphical abstractA photograph (top left) of colloidal suspension of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). They were grown on the delaminated titanium carbide Ti₃C₂T_x MXene nanosheet via galvanic displacement deposition method, and their corresponding a low-resolution transmission electron microscopy micrograph (top right) of AuNP@Ti₃C₂T_x. The graphical representation of AuNP@Ti₃C₂T_x drop-casted on glassy carbon electrode (GCE) (bottom left), and their voltammetric measurement were applied in the presence of both uric acid and folic acid with increasing the concentration of both analytes (bottom right).

Effect of low-temperature storage on the content of folate, vitamin B6 , ascorbic acid, chlorogenic acid, tyrosine, and phenylalanine in potatoes

BACKGROUND

Changes in the metabolite composition of potato tubers during low-temperature storage can affect their nutritional value, susceptibility to bruising, and processing qualities. Here, we measured changes in the amounts of folate, vitamin B₆ , and vitamin C, and the blackspot pigment precursors chlorogenic acid and tyrosine, as well as phenylalanine, in five potato varieties stored at 7.8 °C for 8 months in 2015 and 2016.

RESULTS

Folate content increased in all varieties in both years during low-temperature storage, with statistically significant changes occurring in six out of eight conditions. Increase rates ranged from 11% to 141%. Vitamin B₆ content increased in all varieties during the storage period, but changes were statistically significant in only two out of eight conditions. Increase rates ranged from 5% to 24%. Ascorbic acid content decreased in all varieties in both years during the storage period. Decrease rates ranged from 16% to 78%, and were statistically significant in seven out of eight conditions. For chlorogenic acid, no consistent trend was observed. Changes varied between -14% and +14%, but none was statistically significant. Tyrosine content increased in all varieties in both years, except in Sage Russet in 2015. Increase rates ranged from 19% to 238% and were statistically significant in three out of seven conditions. Changes in phenylalanine content were very similar to those observed for tyrosine, with increases up to 272% in Teton Russet.

CONCLUSIONS

These results show that storage at low temperature substantially affects tuber nutritional quality and biochemical bruising potential. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.

Comparison of ESI-MS/MS and APCI-MS methods for the quantification of folic acid analogs in C. elegans

Folic acid (FA) plays a vital role in central metabolism, including the one carbon cycle, nucleotide, and amino acid biosynthesis. The development of sensitive, accurate analytical methods to measure FA intermediates in tissues is critical to understand their biological roles in diverse physiological and pathological contexts. Here, we developed a highly sensitive method for the simultaneous quantification of FA intermediates in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans as a model to dissect metabolic networks. The method was further validated by analyzing the worm folate pool upon RNAi knockdown of the dihydrofolate reductase gene dhfr-1. Comparative mass spectrometry behavior of the FA analogs using two different ion sources, electrospray ionization (ESI) and atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI), revealed ESI-MS/MS to be more sensitive, but APCI-MS provided more detailed structure inferences, which can elucidate chemical investigation and synthesis of FA analogs. Finally, we report on the use of in vitro oxidation coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry as a tool to discover new endogenous FA derivatives in the nematode.

How Important are Cereals and Cereal Products in the Average Polish Diet?

The main aim of this study was to identify the food sources of energy and 28 nutrients from cereals and cereal products in the average Polish diet based on data from a nationally representative sample of the Polish population attending in 2016 Household Budget Survey (i.e., 36,886 households). The contribution of energy and nutrients from cereals and cereal products were compared with reference values. The detailded analysis included five main groups and nine sub-groups of cereal food category. Our findings indicated that cereals and cereal products contributed 30.4% of total dietary energy supply, providing a significant percentage of six nutrients to the average Polish diet (i.e., 64.1% of manganese, 51% of carbohydrates, 48.5% of dietary fibre, 34.1% of iron, 33.6% of folate, and 31.3% of copper). Supply at the level of 20⁻30% was observed for protein, thiamin, phosphorus and zinc, and at 10⁻20% for polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), sodium, potassium, calcium, riboflavin, niacin, and vitamin B6. For other nutrients i.e., total fat, saturated fatty acids (SFA), monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), cholesterol, iodine, vitamins: A, D, B12, and C, the share of cereals and cereal products contribution was below 10%. Cereals and cereal products were the major food category in meeting the reference values for the Polish population in case of manganese, carbohydrates (approximately100%), and sodium (50%). The reference values was reached at the level of 30⁻40% for dietary fibre, protein, iron, copper, zinc, phosphorus and thiamin, and 20⁻30% for energy, magnesium, folate, niacin, riboflavin, vitamins B6 and E. For such nutrients as total fat, SFA, and potassium, the fulfillment of the reference values amounted to 10⁻20%. Our results document the importance of cereals and cereal products in the Polish diet, which should be emphasized from a nutritional and health point of view.

Copper nanoclusters-enhanced chemiluminescence for folic acid and nitrite detection

The reaction between diperiodatoargentate(III) (DPA) and folic acid (FA) produced weak chemiluminescence (CL) in acid medium, which was greatly enhanced in the presence of copper nanoclusters (CuNCs). The CL intensity of CuNCs-DPA-FA system increased with the concentration of FA ranging from 0.1 to 10.0 μM. The proposed CL system was applied for the detection of FA in pharmaceutical formulation and human urine samples. Further, the CL signal of CuNCs-DPA-FA system was inhibited by nitrite, and the inhibited CL intensity was proportional to the nitrite concentration in the range of 1.0-80.0 μM. The method was successfully applied to determine nitrite in water, pickled vegetable and sausage samples. A possible CL mechanism was briefly discussed.

Fiber-optic plasmonic probe with nanogap-rich Au nanoislands for on-site surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy using repeated solid-state dewetting

We report a fiber-optic plasmonic probe with nanogap-rich gold nanoislands for on-site surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). The plasmonic probe features nanogap-rich Au nanoislands on the top surface of a single multimode fiber. Au nanoislands were monolithically fabricated using repeated solid-state dewetting of thermally evaporated Au thin film. The plasmonic probe shows 7.8  ×  106 in SERS enhancement factor and 100 nM in limit-of-detection for crystal violet under both the excitation of laser light and the collection of SERS signals through the optical fiber. The fiber-through measurement also demonstrates the label-free SERS detection of folic acid at micromolar level. The plasmonic probe can provide a tool for on-site and in vivo SERS applications.

Development and validation of a prognostic multivariable model to predict insufficient clinical response to methotrexate in rheumatoid arthritis

Objective

The objective was to predict insufficient response to 3 months methotrexate (MTX) in DMARD naïve rheumatoid arthritis patients.

Methods

A Multivariable logistic regression model of rheumatoid arthritis patients starting MTX was developed in a derivation cohort with 285 patients starting MTX in a clinical multicentre, stratified single-blinded trial, performed in seven secondary care clinics and a tertiary care clinic. The model was validated in a validation cohort with 102 patients starting MTX at a tertiary care clinic. Outcome was insufficient response (disease activity score (DAS)28 >3.2) after 3 months of MTX treatment. Clinical characteristics, lifestyle variables, genetic and metabolic biomarkers were determined at baseline in both cohorts. These variables were dichotomized and used to construct a multivariable prediction model with backward logistic regression analysis.

Results

The prediction model for insufficient response in the derivation cohort, included: DAS28>5.1, Health Assessment Questionnaire>0.6, current smoking, BMI>25 kg/m², ABCB1 rs1045642 genotype, ABCC3 rs4793665 genotype, and erythrocyte-folate<750 nmol/L. In the derivation cohort, AUC of ROC curve was 0.80 (95%CI: 0.73–0.86), and 0.80 (95%CI: 0.69–0.91) in the validation cohort. Betas of the prediction model were transformed into total risk score (range 0–8). At cutoff of ≥4, probability for insufficient response was 44%. Sensitivity was 71%, specificity 72%, with positive and negative predictive value of 72% and 71%.

Conclusions

A prognostics prediction model for insufficient response to MTX in 2 prospective RA cohorts by combining genetic, metabolic, clinical and lifestyle variables was developed and validated. This model satisfactorily identified RA patients with high risk of insufficient response to MTX.

Insight into the interaction of human serum albumin with folic acid: A biophysical study

Folic acid (FA) is a water soluble bioactive food constituent from the vitamin B-family complex (B9). FA deficiency can lead to a variety of human health problems, while a high intake of FA can reduce the cytotoxicity of natural killer cells. The main goal of this study was to investigate the interaction of FA with human serum albumin (HSA) at physiological pH using ATR-FTIR, fluorescence spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy in order to understand the role of HSA as a blood transporter for FA in aqueous solution that can be used in different therapies. The quenching of HSA in the presence of FA was followed and the binding constant (K_b) was determined. The variation of electrochemical parameters proved that the FA binds to immobilized HSA and the binding constant was ten times than the value obtained when the interaction takes place between free molecules in solution when studied by fluorescence quenching. The results can be used in future studies to improve drug delivery systems or cellular uptake of folic acid and food components conjugated to HSA nanoparticles or nanocapsules.

[Correlation of the levels of seminal plasma homocysteine, folate and cobalamin with semen parameters in obese men]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the correlation of seminal plasma homocysteine (Hcy) and its metabolic factors folate (FA) and cobalamin (VB12) with semen quality in obese men.

METHODS

We randomly selected 83 male patients with idiopathic infertility for this study and, according to the body mass index (BMI), divided them into a normal BMI (n = 28), an overweight (n = 28) and an obesity group (n = 27). We determined the levels of Hcy, FA and VB12 in the seminal plasma by ELISA and analyzed their correlation with the semen parameters of the patients in different groups.

RESULTS

Compared with the normal BMI group, the obese males showed significant decreases in the semen volume (［3.23 ± 0.86］ vs ［2.58 ± 0.77］ ml, P < 0.05), total sperm count (［191.35 ± 103.00］ vs ［121.55 ± 88.08］ ×106, P < 0.05), percentage of progressively motile sperm (［52.88 ± 15.58］ % vs ［38.97 ± 16.52］ %, P < 0.05), seminal plasma Hcy (［7.41 ± 1.29］ vs ［6.62 ± 0.85］ μmol/L, P < 0.05), and VB12 (［282.41 ± 30.38］ vs ［230.07 ± 37.75］ pmol/L, P < 0.05). There were no statistically significant differences in the semen parameters between the overweight group and the normal BMI or the obese group (P > 0.05), or in sperm concentration or the FA level among the three groups of patients (P > 0.05). The levels of seminal plasma Hcy and VB12 were correlated positively with the semen volume (r = 0.281 and 0.242, P < 0.05) and total sperm count (r = 0.229 and 0.258, P < 0.05) but negatively with BMI (r = －0.293 and －0.238, P < 0.05). No correlation, however, was found either between sperm concentration and the percentage of progressively motile sperm (P > 0.05) or between the FA level and BMI or semen parameters (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The levels of seminal plasma Hcy and VB12 are correlated with BMI, semen volume and total sperm count, which suggests that the concentrations of seminal plasma Hcy and VB12 may be associated with the fertility of obese men.

Total Folate in Infant Formula and Adult Nutritionals by Trienzyme Extraction and LC-MS/MS Quantitation: A Multilaboratory Testing Study, Final Action 2011.06

Background: The need for an updated reference method for folate was identified as a priority by the AOAC's Stakeholder Panel on Infant Formula and Adult Nutritionals (SPIFAN) in 2011. An Expert Review Panel (ERP) found AOAC Official Method^SM 2011.06 suitable for the purpose and approved it as a First Action Official Method. Objective: To determine the repeatability and reproducibility of Method 2011.06: Total Folate in Infant Formula and Adult Nutritionals by Trienzyme Extraction and LC-MS/MS Quantitation. Methods: A multilaboratory collaborative study was conducted. Eleven laboratories located in five countries participated and completed analysis of all multilaboratory testing (MLT) samples. The study was divided into two parts. In the first part, the laboratories analyzed two practice samples (blindly coded) using the updated folate Method 2011.06. The laboratories providing results within the expected range qualified for part two, in which they analyzed 11 MLT samples in blind duplicates. Results: The results were compared with the Standard Method Performance Requirements (SMPR 2011.006) established for folate. The precision results met the requirements stated in the SMPR for all of the samples. Repeatability and reproducibility relative standard deviations ranged from 3.5 to 6.6 and from 9.0 to 15.7%, respectively. Horwitz ratio values for all of the samples were well below 2 (0.61-1.06). Conclusions: The ERP determined that the method performance met the SMPR requirements in September 2017 after reviewing the presented MLT data. Highlights: The ERP recommended the method for Final Action status.

Serum folate and cobalamin levels and urinary dimethylarsinic acid in US children and adults

Nutritional status could affect arsenic metabolism and toxicity in the general population chronically exposed to low levels of inorganic arsenic. In this study, we examined the association of serum folate and cobalamin with urinary concentrations of dimethylarsinic acid (DMA), the most abundant metabolite of inorganic arsenic measured in urine, in children and adults who participated in the 2003-2006 US National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys. A total of 1161 children (aged 6-19 years) and 1938 adults (aged 20-85 years) were analyzed for the association using multivariate general linear models, adjusting for potential confounders. We observed a positive association between serum levels of folate and cobalamin and creatinine-corrected urinary concentrations of DMA in both children and adults. Furthermore, serum levels of folate and cobalamin were inversely associated with homocysteine (Hcy). These results suggest that dietary intake of folate and cobalamin may exhibit protective functions against arsenic toxicity by increasing arsenic metabolism to the less toxic metabolite DMA and decreasing serum levels of Hcy.

Do dietary patterns determine levels of vitamin B6, folate, and vitamin B12 intake and corresponding biomarkers in European adolescents? The Healthy Lifestyle in Europe by Nutrition in Adolescence (HELENA) study

OBJECTIVES

To determine dietary patterns (DPs) and explain the highest variance of vitamin B6, folate, and B12 intake and related concentrations among European adolescents.

METHODS

A total of 2173 adolescents who participated in the Healthy Lifestyle in Europe by Nutrition in Adolescence study met the eligibility criteria for the vitamin B intake analysis (46% boys) and 586 adolescents for the biomarkers analysis (47% boys). Two non-consecutive, 24-h, dietary recalls were used to assess the mean intakes. Concentrations were measured by chromatography and immunoassay testing. A reduced rank regression was applied to elucidate the combined effect of food intake of vitamin B and related concentrations.

RESULTS

The identified DPs (one per vitamin B intake and biomarker and by sex) explained a variability between 34.2% and 23.7% of the vitamin B intake and between 17.2% and 7% of the biomarkers. In the reduced rank regression models, fish, eggs, cheese, whole milk and buttermilk intakes were loaded positively for vitamin B intake in both sexes; however, soft drinks and chocolate were loaded negatively. For the biomarkers, a higher variability was observed in the patterns in terms of food loads such as alcoholic drinks, sugars, and soft drinks. Some food items were loaded differently between intakes and biomarkers such as fish products, which was loaded positively for intakes but negatively for plasma folate in girls.

CONCLUSIONS

The identified DPs explained up to 34.2% and 17.2% of the variability of the vitamin B intake and plasma concentrations, respectively, in European adolescents. Further studies are needed to elucidate the factors that determine such patterns.

Folic Acid Targeting for Efficient Isolation and Detection of Ovarian Cancer CTCs from Human Whole Blood Based on Two-Step Binding Strategy

Studies regarding circulating tumor cells (CTCs) have great significance for cancer prognosis, treatment monitoring, and metastasis diagnosis. However, due to their extremely low concentration in peripheral blood, isolation and enrichment of CTCs are the key steps for early detection. To this end, targeting the folic acid receptors (FRs) on the CTC surface for capture with folic acid (FA) using bovine serum albumin (BSA)-tether for multibiotin enhancement in combination with streptavidin-coated magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs-SA) was developed for ovarian cancer CTC isolation. The streptavidin-biotin-system-mediated two-step binding strategy was shown to capture CTCs from whole blood efficiently without the need for a pretreatment process. The optimized parameters for this system exhibited an average capture efficiency of 80%, which was 25% higher than that of FA-decorated magnetic nanoparticles based on the one-step CTC separation method. Moreover, the isolated cells remained highly viable and were cultured directly without detachment from the MNPs-SA-biotin-CTC complex. Furthermore, when the system was applied for the isolation and detection of CTCs in ovarian cancer patients' peripheral blood samples, it exhibited an 80% correlation with clinical diagnostic criteria. The results indicated that FA targeting, in combination with BSA-based multibiotin enhancement magnetic nanoparticle separation, is a promising tool for CTC enrichment and detection of early-stage ovarian cancer.

How is the process of setting micronutrients recommendations reflected in nutrition policies in Poland? The case study of folate

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE

Ensuring the adequate intake of micronutrients by populations is an important aspect of public health. This study aims to elucidate the process of setting nutrition recommendations and the development of subsequent policies associated with micronutrients in Poland by using the case study of folate.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The study was based on 13 interviews conducted between October 2010 - February 2011, and desk research comprising a review of the associated scientific literature and relevant documents, such as scientific opinions and reports of the meetings of scientific committees. The interviews were conducted within the EURRECA (EURopean micronutrient RECommendations Aligned) Network of Excellence in the frame of the European Union's 6th Framework Programme.

RESULTS

Since 1997, the Experts Group of the Ministry of Health recommended that all women of childbearing age should consume folic acid as a supplement to prevent neural tube defects in their offspring. The fortification of foodstuffs with folic acid is not obligatory. This study describes the revision of the folate nutrient recommendation and the process by which strategies to increase the intake of this vitamin by the Polish population were identified. The institution responsible for the choice and implementation of folate policy is the Ministry of Health and the National Food and Nutrition Institute is responsible for setting/updating the nutrient recommendations.

CONCLUSIONS

The current Polish nutrition recommendations for folate are consistent with the levels set by most other countries. The constant improvement of nutritional knowledge on folate among consumers, especially young women, is necessary.

Metabolite profiling of green, green/red, and red lettuce cultivars: Variation in health beneficial compounds and antioxidant potential

Salad vegetables, commonly consumed at baby-leaf stages, are the most appropriate and emerging dietary source of antioxidant compounds. Screening and identification of nutrient-rich cultivars can be potentially useful to obtain a nutrient-dense diet. Thus, in this study, we explored the genetic potential of baby leaves of 23 diverse lettuce cultivars for the health-beneficial metabolites. The results showed that the composition and contents of the studied metabolites in lettuces varied significantly between cultivars and were principally dependent on leaf color. All red-leaf cultivars were rich in carotenoids, cyanidin, polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs, primarily in the form of α-linolenic and linoleic acid,) total phenolic contents (TPC), and antioxidant potential. Among carotenoids, all-E-lutein was found in highest amount, followed by all-E-violaxanthin and all-E-lactucaxanthin, accounting for an average of 30%, 28% and 15% of total carotenoids, respectively. The content of total folate was recorded in the range of 6.51 (cv. Caesar Green) to 9.73μg/g (DW) (cv. Asia Heuk Romaine). The principal component analysis (PCA) showed that the cyanidin and other phenolic compounds are the most potent scavengers of ABTS and DPPH radicals. The overall results suggested that all red-leaf lettuce cultivars have a distinct profile of phytoconstituents, which can be used as a nutrient-dense food.

Association between folate intake and risk of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: An overall and dose-response PRISMA meta-analysis

The results of published studies about the relationships between folate intake and risk of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) remained inconsistent. Hence, a comprehensive and dose-response meta-analysis was performed to clarify the association between folate intake and HNSCC risk.The electric searches of Pubmed, Medline, and EMBASE databases were performed to identify the studies examining the relationship between folate intake and HNSCC risk on April 5, 2017. According to the inclusion criteria, finally 9 studies were included in this meta-analysis. The pooled odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to evaluate the strength of associations. Dose-response analysis was conducted to quantitate the relationship between dietary folate intake and HNSCC risk.The pooled OR for assessing the risk of HNSCC and folate intake in the highest level versus lowest level was 0.505 (95% CI 0.387-0.623). The linearity model of dose-response analysis indicated that with increased 100 μg/d folate intake, the risk of HNSCC decreased 4.3% degree (OR 0.957, 95% CI 0.935-0.980).These results indicate that folate is a protective nutrient against HNSCC carcinogenesis.

Maternal Exposure to Nitrogen Dioxide, Intake of Methyl Nutrients, and Congenital Heart Defects in Offspring

Nutrients that regulate methylation processes may modify susceptibility to the effects of air pollutants. Data from the National Birth Defects Prevention Study (United States, 1997-2006) were used to estimate associations between maternal exposure to nitrogen dioxide (NO2), dietary intake of methyl nutrients, and the odds of congenital heart defects in offspring. NO2 concentrations, a marker of traffic-related air pollution, averaged across postconception weeks 2-8, were assigned to 6,160 nondiabetic mothers of cases and controls using inverse distance-squared weighting of air monitors within 50 km of maternal residences. Intakes of choline, folate, methionine, and vitamins B6 and B12 were assessed using a food frequency questionnaire. Hierarchical regression models, which accounted for similarities across defects, were constructed, and relative excess risks due to interaction were calculated. Relative to women with the lowest NO2 exposure and high methionine intake, women with the highest NO2 exposure and lowest methionine intake had the greatest odds of offspring with a perimembranous ventricular septal defect (odds ratio = 3.23, 95% confidence interval: 1.74, 6.01; relative excess risk due to interaction = 2.15, 95% confidence interval: 0.39, 3.92). Considerable departure from additivity was not observed for other defects. These results provide modest evidence of interaction between nutrition and NO2 exposure during pregnancy.

Blood lead, cadmium and mercury in relation to homocysteine and C-reactive protein in women of reproductive age: a panel study

BACKGROUND

To examine the relationship between cadmium, lead, and mercury concentrations with high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and homocysteine in women.

METHODS

Metals were measured at enrollment in whole blood. Homocysteine and hs-CRP were measured in one (N = 9) or two (N = 250) menstrual cycles up to 3 and 8 times per cycle, respectively. Linear mixed models with inverse probability of exposure weights to account for time varying confounding were used and models were stratified by dietary and serum vitamin status (dietary: vitamin B₆, B₁₂, folate; serum: folate).

RESULTS

Geometric mean (95% confidence interval (CI)) concentrations for cadmium, lead, and mercury were 0.29 (0.26-0.31) μg/L, 0.91 (0.86-0.96) μg/dL, and 1.05 (0.93-1.18) μg/L, respectively. Lead was associated with increased homocysteine (0.08; 95% CI: 0.01, 0.15) and this persisted among those in the lower three quartiles of consumption of vitamin B₆, B₁₂, folate, and serum folate but was not significant among those in the upper quartile. No associations were observed between metals and hs-CRP.

CONCLUSIONS

Blood lead was associated with increased homocysteine in a cohort of healthy, premenopausal women but these associations did not persist among those consuming ≥75th percentile of essential micronutrients. Cadmium, lead, and mercury were not associated with hs-CRP concentrations.

Folate Biofortification in Hydroponically Cultivated Spinach by the Addition of Phenylalanine

Folate is an important vitamin mainly ingested from vegetables, and folate deficiency causes various health problems. Recently, several studies demonstrated folate biofortification in plants or food crops by metabolic engineering through genetic modifications. However, the production and sales of genetically modified foods are under strict regulation. Here, we developed a new approach to achieve folate biofortification in spinach (Spinacia oleracea) without genetic modification. We hydroponically cultivated spinach with the addition of three candidate compounds expected to fortify folate. As a result of liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry analysis, we found that the addition of phenylalanine increased the folate content up to 2.0-fold (306 μg in 100 g of fresh spinach), representing 76.5% of the recommended daily allowance for adults. By measuring the intermediates of folate biosynthesis, we revealed that phenylalanine activated folate biosynthesis in spinach by increasing the levels of pteridine and p-aminobenzoic acid. Our approach is a promising and practical approach to cultivate nutrient-enriched vegetables.