Effects oftransfats on prostacyclin production

Localization of Lipid Droplets in Embryonic Axis Radicle Cells of Soybean Seeds under Various Imbibition Regimes Indicates Their Role in Desiccation Tolerance

Desiccation tolerance allows plant seeds to remain viable during desiccation and subsequent re-hydration. In this study, we tried to develop an experimental system to understand the difference between desiccation tolerant and desiccation sensitive radicle cells by examining excised embryonic axes after re-desiccation and subsequent imbibition under various regimes. Embryonic axes excised from soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) seeds imbibed for 3 h to 15 h which remained attached to the cotyledons during imbibition would grow normally after 24 h of desiccation and re-imbibition on wet filter paper. By contrast, when the embryonic axes excised after 3 h imbibition of seeds were kept on wet filter paper for 12 h to 16 h, their growth was significantly retarded after 24 h of desiccation and subsequent re-imbibition. Numerous lipid droplets were observed lining the plasma membrane and tonoplasts in radicle cells of desiccation tolerant embryonic axes before and after desiccation treatment. By contrast, the lipid droplets lining the plasma membrane and tonoplasts became very sparse in radicle cells that were placed for longer times on wet filter paper before desiccation. We observed a clear correlation between the amount of lipid droplets lining plasma membranes and the ability to grow after desiccation and re-imbibition of the excised embryonic axes. In addition to the reduction of lipid droplets in the cells, a gradual increase in starch grains was observed. Large starch grains accumulated in the radicle cells of those axes that failed to grow further.

Molecular Approaches Reduce Saturates and Eliminate trans Fats in Food Oils

Vegetable oils composed of triacylglycerols (TAG) are a major source of calories in human diets. However, the fatty acid compositions of these oils are not ideal for human nutrition and the needs of the food industry. Saturated fatty acids contribute to health problems, while polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) can become rancid upon storage or processing. In this review, we first summarize the pathways of fatty acid metabolism and TAG synthesis and detail the problems with the oil compositions of major crops. Then we describe how transgenic expression of desaturases and downregulation of the plastid FatB thioesterase have provided the means to lower oil saturates. The traditional solution to PUFA rancidity uses industrial chemistry to reduce PUFA content by partial hydrogenation, but this results in the production of trans fats that are even more unhealthy than saturated fats. We detail the discoveries in the biochemistry and molecular genetics of oil synthesis that provided the knowledge and tools to lower oil PUFA content by blocking their synthesis during seed development. Finally, we describe the successes in breeding and biotechnology that are giving us new, high-oleic, low PUFA varieties of soybean, canola and other oilseed crops.

Trans fatty acid accumulation in the human placenta

Trans fatty acid may impair fetal growth and infant neurodevelopment, but the quantity in a placenta and human tissues remains unknown. To address the issue, a simple and reliable method of quantification is needed. We established a method of quantifying trans-octadecenoic acids (trans-6,8,9,11 18:1 fatty acids, TOAs), a major component of trans fatty acid, in human tissue samples, and then determined the TOAs level in the placenta. Oleic acid (OA) (C18:1(9c)) was measured by isotope dilution gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and the TOAs level was subsequently calculated based on the ratio of the peak areas for TOAs and OA (TOAs/OA) in the mass chromatogram. Lipids were extracted from 28 human placentas at different gestational ages from 28 to 41 weeks, and the TOAs and OA levels were measured. In method validation, the limit of detection for elaidic acid (trans-9,18:1 fatty acid), a major component of TOAs, was 0.57 ng, and linearity of calibration ranging from 7.7 to 68.0 μg/g placenta for TOAs. In human placenta analysis, the TOAs level was significantly higher in term (n = 15, 40.2 ± 9.7 μg/g placenta) than in preterm placentas (n = 13, 18.9 ± 7.4 μg/g placenta) (p < 0.001), while OA levels were similar in term (n = 15, 863 ± 132 μg/g placenta) and preterm (n = 13, 743 ± 283 μg/g placenta) placentas (p = 0.15). TOAs accumulate in the placenta as pregnancy progresses and have a fate different from that of OA in vivo. To our knowledge, this is the first report of TOA quantification in human tissue samples. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Increased ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid/arachidonic acid ratios and upregulation of signaling mediator in individuals with autism spectrum disorders

AIMS

The investigation of links between the ratio of omega-3/omega-6 PUFAs and neuronal signaling is a research priority in autism spectrum disorders (ASD).

MAIN METHODS

We examine the relationships between the plasma ratios of docosahexaenoid acid (DHA)/arachidonic acid (AA) and eicopentaenoic acid (EPA)/AA and biomarkers of AA-related signaling mediators such as ceruloplasmin, transferrin and superoxide dismutase, in the behavioral symptoms of 28 individuals with ASD (mean age 13.5±4.6years) and 21 age- and gender-matched normal healthy controls (mean age 13.9±5.7years). Behavioral symptoms were assessed using the Aberrant Behavior Checklists (ABC). We conducted controlling for dietary intake and assessed the dietary intake of nutrients.

KEY FINDINGS

There were no significant differences in intake of nutrients such as omega-3 and omega-6 PUFAs, saturated and unsaturated fatty acid, DHA, AA, iron and copper. Plasma EPA, DHA, and arachidic acid levels, and plasma DHA/AA and EPA/AA ratios were significantly higher, while plasma AA and adrenic acid were significantly lower in the 28 individuals with ASD than in the 21 normal controls. The ABC scores were significantly higher in the ASD group compared to the control group. The plasma ceruloplasmin levels in the ASD group were significantly reduced compared to those in the control group.

SIGNIFICANCE

Increased plasma DHA/AA and EPA/AA ratios may be related to low plasma levels of ceruloplasmin which has neuroprotective properties. Reduced plasma ceruloplasmin levels may diminish the protective capacity against brain damage, and may contribute to the pathophysiology of behavioral symptoms in individuals with ASD.

Nutrient and nonnutrient components of legumes, and its chemopreventive activity: a review

Legumes in combination with other products are the staple food for a large part of the world population, especially the low-income fragment, because their seeds provide valuable amounts of carbohydrates, fiber, and proteins, and have an important composition of essential amino acids, the sulphured amino acids being the limiting ones. Furthermore, legumes also have nonnutritional compounds that may decrease the absorption of nutrients or produce toxic effects; however, it has been reported that depending on the dose, these nonnutritional compounds also have different bioactivities as antioxidant, hypolipidemic, hypoglycemic, and anticarcinogenic agents, which have been proven in scientific studies. It has been observed that in countries with a high consumption of legumes, the incidence of colorectal cancer is lower. Some studies have shown that legume seeds are an alternative chemopreventive therapy against various cancers especially colon; this was verified in various animal models of induced by azoxymethane, a colon specific carcinogenic compound, in which a diet was supplemented with different concentrations of beans, lentils, chickpeas, or soybeans, mostly. These studies have proven the anticancer activity of legumes in early stages of carcinogenesis. Therefore, it is important to review the information available to elucidate the chemopreventive mechanisms of action of legume compounds.