Transcriptional profiling in rats and an ex vivo analysis implicate novel beneficial function of egg shell membrane in liver fibrosis

Rejuvenation: Turning Back Time by Enhancing CISD2

The aging human population with age-associated diseases has become a problem worldwide. By 2050, the global population of those who are aged 65 years and older will have tripled. In this context, delaying age-associated diseases and increasing the healthy lifespan of the aged population has become an important issue for geriatric medicine. CDGSH iron-sulfur domain 2 (CISD2), the causative gene for Wolfram syndrome 2 (WFS2; MIM 604928), plays a pivotal role in mediating lifespan and healthspan by maintaining mitochondrial function, endoplasmic reticulum integrity, intracellular Ca²⁺ homeostasis, and redox status. Here, we summarize the most up-to-date publications on CISD2 and discuss the crucial role that this gene plays in aging and age-associated diseases. This review mainly focuses on the following topics: (1) CISD2 is one of the few pro-longevity genes identified in mammals. Genetic evidence from loss-of-function (knockout mice) and gain-of-function (transgenic mice) studies have demonstrated that CISD2 is essential to lifespan control. (2) CISD2 alleviates age-associated disorders. A higher level of CISD2 during natural aging, when achieved by transgenic overexpression, improves Alzheimer's disease, ameliorates non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and steatohepatitis, and maintains corneal epithelial homeostasis. (3) CISD2, the expression of which otherwise decreases during natural aging, can be pharmaceutically activated at a late-life stage of aged mice. As a proof-of-concept, we have provided evidence that hesperetin is a promising CISD2 activator that is able to enhance CISD2 expression, thus slowing down aging and promoting longevity. (4) The anti-aging effect of hesperetin is mainly dependent on CISD2 because transcriptomic analysis of the skeletal muscle reveals that most of the differentially expressed genes linked to hesperetin are regulated by hesperetin in a CISD2-dependent manner. Furthermore, three major metabolic pathways that are affected by hesperetin have been identified in skeletal muscle, namely lipid metabolism, protein homeostasis, and nitrogen and amino acid metabolism. This review highlights the urgent need for CISD2-based pharmaceutical development to be used as a potential therapeutic strategy for aging and age-associated diseases.

A review on recent advances of egg byproducts: Preparation, functional properties, biological activities and food applications

The rapid development of egg industries produced vast byproducts that have not been effectively used. In this paper, the comprehensive utilization of egg byproducts was reviewed. Protein extraction and enzymatic hydrolysis were the main used ways for recycle of egg byproducts. The fact that eggshell membrane could accelerate would healing and improve facial skin of healthy people for 12 weeks was found. However, salted egg white had poor functional properties owing to high salt and ultrafiltration was an effective technology to remove 92.93% of salt. Moreover, Defatted yolk protein had the great potential to be used as food additives and functional foods. Other egg byproducts such as egg inhibitor and eggshells also were discussed. The novel applications of egg byproducts in the food field included food additives, feeds, food packaging materials and nutraceuticals based on current knowledge, but the proportion needed to be improved. This paper would provide a new insight for comprehensive utilization of egg byproducts.

Eggshell membrane powder ameliorates intestinal inflammation by facilitating the restitution of epithelial injury and alleviating microbial dysbiosis

Gut microbiota is an essential factor in the shaping of intestinal immune system development and driving inflammation in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). We report the effects and microbe-host interactions underlying an intervention using fine powder of eggshell membrane (ESM) against IBD. ESM attenuated lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammatory cytokine production and promoted the Caco-2 cell proliferation by up-regulating growth factors in vitro. In a murine model of dextran sodium sulphate-induced colitis, ESM significantly suppressed the disease activity index and colon shortening. These effects were associated with significant ameliorations of gene expressions of inflammatory mediators, intestinal epithelial cell proliferation, restitution-related factors and antimicrobial peptides. Multifaceted integrated omics analyses revealed improved levels of energy metabolism-related genes, proteins and metabolites. Concomitantly, cecal metagenomic information established an essential role of ESM in improving dysbiosis characterized by increasing the diversity of bacteria and decreasing absolute numbers of pathogenic bacteria such as Enterobacteriaceae and E. coli, as well as in the regulation of the expansion of Th17 cells by suppressing the overgrowth of segmented filamentous bacteria. Such modulations have functional effects on the host; i.e., repairing the epithelium, regulating energy requirements and eventually alleviating mucosal inflammation. These findings are first insights into ESM’s modulation of microbiota and IBD suppression, providing new perspectives on the prevention/treatment of IBD.

Anti-steatotic and anti-inflammatory roles of syringic acid in high-fat diet-induced obese mice

This study examined the effects of syringic acid (SA) on obese diet-induced hepatic dysfunction.

Actions of Huangqi decoction against rat liver fibrosis: a gene expression profiling analysis

Background

Huangqi decoction (HQD) is used for liver fibrosis and cirrhosis treatment in Chinese medicine. This study aims to investigate the pharmacological actions of HQD against liver fibrosis in rats by high-throughput gene expression profiling, network analysis and real-time qRT-PCR.

Methods

We analyzed the profiles of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in dimethylnitrosamine (DMN)-induced liver fibrosis in rat. The liver tissue samples of control group (n = 3), model group (n = 3) and HQD group (n = 3) were examined by microarrays. Pathways were analyzed by KEGG. Pathway-gene and protein–protein interaction (PPI) networks were constructed with Cytoscape software. The expression of candidate genes was verified by qRT-PCR. P values less than 0.05 indicated statistical significance.

Results

Collagen deposition and hydroxyproline (Hyp) content were decreased in the HQD group compared with the model group (P < 0.001), while that of Hyp in the model group were increased compared with the control group (P < 0.001). In comparison with the model group, 1085 DEGs (all P < 0.05, |fold change| >1.5) and 52 pathways in the HQD group were identified. TGF-beta, ECM-receptor interaction, and the cell adhesion molecules pathways were significantly recovered by HQD (P < 0.001). A pathway-gene network was constructed, including 303 DEGs and 52 pathways, and 514 nodes and 2602 edges, among 142 genes with node degrees greater than 10. The expressions of PDGFra, PDGFrb, PDGFb, PDGFd, COL1A1, COL1A2, COL5A2, and THBS1 were significantly down-regulated by HQD (P < 0.001).

Conclusion

HQD down-regulated the expressions of PDGFra, PDGFrb, PDGFb, PDGFd, COL1A1, COL1A2, COL5A2 and THBS1, and TGF-β and PDGF signaling pathways in the DMN-induced liver fibrosis in rats.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13020-015-0066-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

The application of omics technologies in the functional evaluation of inulin and inulin-containing prebiotics dietary supplementation

Inulin, a natural renewable polysaccharide resource produced by various plants in nature, has been reported to possess a significant number of diverse pharmaceutical and food applications. Recently, there has been rapid progress in high-throughput technologies and platforms to assay global mRNA, proteins, metabolites and gut microbiota. In this review, we will describe the current status of utilizing omics technologies of elucidating the impact of inulin and inulin-containing prebiotics at the transcriptome, proteome, metabolome and gut microbiome levels. Although many studies in this review have addressed the impact of inulin comprehensively, these omics technologies only enable us to understand physiological information at each different stage of mRNA, protein, metabolite and gut microbe. We believe that a synergistic approach is vital in order to fully illustrate the intricate beauty behind the relatively modest influence of food factors like inulin on host health.

Eggshell membrane ameliorates hepatic fibrogenesis in human C3A cells and rats through changes in PPARγ-Endothelin 1 signaling

Our previous nutrigenomic findings indicate that eggshell membrane (ESM) may prevent liver fibrosis. Here we investigated the effects and mechanisms underlying ESM intervention against liver injury by using DNA microarray analysis and comparative proteomics. In vitro hydrolyzed ESM attenuated the TGFβ1-induced procollagen production of human hepatocyte C3A cells and inhibited the expression of Endothelin 1 (EDN1) and its two receptors, and extracellular matrix components. In vivo male Wistar rats were allocated into a normal control group, a CCl4 group (hypodermic injection of 50% CCl4 2×/wk) and an ESM group (20 g ESM/kg diet with CCl4 injection) for 7 wks. Dietary ESM ameliorated the elevated activity of ALT/AST, oxidative stress and collagen accumulation in liver, accompanied by the down-regulated expression of Edn1 signaling and notable profibrogenic genes and growth factors as well as peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ). Concomitantly, the decreased expressions of Galectin-1 and Desmin protein in the ESM group indicated the deactivation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). Through a multifaceted integrated omics approach, we have demonstrated that ESM can exert an antifibrotic effect by suppressing oxidative stress and promoting collagen degradation by inhibiting HSCs' transformation, potentially via a novel modulation of the PPARγ-Endothelin 1 interaction signaling pathway.

Beneficial effects of soluble dietary Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus) in the prevention of the onset of type 2 diabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in high-fructose diet-fed rats

Jerusalem artichoke (JA) has the potential to attenuate lipid disturbances and insulin resistance (IR), but the underlying mechanisms are not well understood. In the present study, we elucidated the physiological responses and mechanisms of JA intervention with a comprehensive transcriptome analysis. Wistar rats were fed a control diet, a 60 % fructose-enriched diet (FRU), or a FRU with 10 % JA (n 6-7) for 4 weeks. An oral glucose tolerance test was carried out on day 21. Liver samples were collected for biochemical and global gene expression analyses (GeneChip® Rat Genome 230 2.0 Array, Affymetrix). Fructose feeding resulted in IR and hepatic TAG accumulation; dietary JA supplementation significantly improved these changes. Transcriptomic profiling revealed that the expression of malic enzyme 1 (Me1), associated with fatty acid synthesis; decorin (Dcn), related to fibrosis; and cytochrome P450, family 1, subfamily a, polypeptide 2 (Cyp1a2) and nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (Nampt), associated with inflammation, was differentially altered by the FRU, whereas dietary JA supplementation significantly improved the expression of these genes. We established for the first time the molecular mechanisms driving the beneficial effects of JA in the prevention of type 2 diabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. We propose that 10 % JA supplementation may be beneficial for the prevention of the onset of these diseases.

Coffee intake mitigated inflammation and obesity-induced insulin resistance in skeletal muscle of high-fat diet-induced obese mice

Epidemiologic findings offer the promise that coffee or its many constituents may be useful as a dietary intervention in type 2 diabetes (T2D) prevention. We aimed to elucidate the molecular mechanisms involved in the ameliorative effects of caffeinated coffee (CC), decaffeinated coffee (DC) and unroasted caffeinated green coffee (GC) on skeletal muscle gene expression profiles and their relationships in an obesity animal model. Eight-week-old male C57BL6 mice were raised for 9 weeks ad libitum on a normal diet, a high-fat diet, or high-fat diet containing 2 % freeze-dried CC, or DC, or GC. Total RNA and protein were extracted from skeletal muscle and subjected to microarray (Mouse Genome 430 2.0, Affymetrix) and western blotting analyses, respectively. Coffee intake mitigated the insulin resistance by decreasing plasma glucose levels during an insulin tolerance test and by increasing tyrosine phosphorylation of insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1), p85/IRS-1 complex and pAkt/PKB (protein kinase B). In addition, coffee intake down-regulated the anti-inflammatory genes activating transcription factor 3, FBJ osteosarcoma oncogene, heat shock protein 1A, heat shock protein 1B and synuclein, gamma and the inflammation-associated insulin signaling genes stearoyl-coenzyme A desaturase 1 and secreted phosphoprotein 1. These results provide scientific insight on the probable positive effects of coffee intake on impaired insulin signaling, inflammation and obesity, thereby providing a new perspective on the prevention of obesity and T2D.