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Masi A, Stark G, Pfnier J, Mach RL, Mach-Aigner AR. Exploration of Trichoderma reesei as an alternative host for erythritol production. BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR BIOFUELS AND BIOPRODUCTS 2024; 17:90. [PMID: 38937852 PMCID: PMC11210129 DOI: 10.1186/s13068-024-02537-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2024] [Accepted: 06/18/2024] [Indexed: 06/29/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Erythritol, a natural polyol, is a low-calorie sweetener synthesized by a number of microorganisms, such as Moniliella pollinis. Yet, a widespread use of erythritol is limited by high production costs due to the need for cultivation on glucose-rich substrates. This study explores the potential of using Trichoderma reesei as an alternative host for erythritol production, as this saprotrophic fungus can be cultivated on lignocellulosic biomass residues. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether such an alternative host would lead to a more sustainable and economically viable production of erythritol by identifying suitable carbon sources for erythritol biosynthesis, the main parameters influencing erythritol biosynthesis and evaluating the feasibility of scaling up the defined process. RESULTS Our investigation revealed that T. reesei can synthesize erythritol from glucose but not from other carbon sources like xylose and lactose. T. reesei is able to consume erythritol, but it does not in the presence of glucose. Among nitrogen sources, urea and yeast extract were more effective than ammonium and nitrate. A significant impact on erythritol synthesis was observed with variations in pH and temperature. Despite successful shake flask experiments, the transition to bioreactors faced challenges, indicating a need for further scale-up optimization. CONCLUSIONS While T. reesei shows potential for erythritol production, reaching a maximum concentration of 1 g/L over an extended period, its productivity could be improved by optimizing the parameters that affect erythritol production. In any case, this research contributes valuable insights into the polyol metabolism of T. reesei, offering potential implications for future research on glycerol or mannitol production. Moreover, it suggests a potential metabolic association between erythritol production and glycolysis over the pentose phosphate pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Audrey Masi
- Christian Doppler Laboratory for Optimized Expression of Carbohydrate-Active Enzymes, Institute of Chemical, Environmental and Bioscience Engineering, TU Wien, Gumpendorfer Str. 1a, 1060, Vienna, Austria
- Research Unit of Biochemical Technology, Institute of Chemical, Environmental and Bioscience Engineering, TU Wien, Gumpendorfer Str. 1a, 1060, Vienna, Austria
| | - Georg Stark
- Christian Doppler Laboratory for Optimized Expression of Carbohydrate-Active Enzymes, Institute of Chemical, Environmental and Bioscience Engineering, TU Wien, Gumpendorfer Str. 1a, 1060, Vienna, Austria
| | - Johanna Pfnier
- Christian Doppler Laboratory for Optimized Expression of Carbohydrate-Active Enzymes, Institute of Chemical, Environmental and Bioscience Engineering, TU Wien, Gumpendorfer Str. 1a, 1060, Vienna, Austria
| | - Robert L Mach
- Research Unit of Biochemical Technology, Institute of Chemical, Environmental and Bioscience Engineering, TU Wien, Gumpendorfer Str. 1a, 1060, Vienna, Austria
| | - Astrid R Mach-Aigner
- Christian Doppler Laboratory for Optimized Expression of Carbohydrate-Active Enzymes, Institute of Chemical, Environmental and Bioscience Engineering, TU Wien, Gumpendorfer Str. 1a, 1060, Vienna, Austria.
- Research Unit of Biochemical Technology, Institute of Chemical, Environmental and Bioscience Engineering, TU Wien, Gumpendorfer Str. 1a, 1060, Vienna, Austria.
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Khafagy R, Paterson AD, Dash S. Erythritol as a Potential Causal Contributor to Cardiometabolic Disease: A Mendelian Randomization Study. Diabetes 2024; 73:325-331. [PMID: 37939167 DOI: 10.2337/db23-0330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023]
Abstract
People with type 2 diabetes frequently use low-calorie sweeteners to manage glycemia and reduce caloric intake. Use of erythritol, a low-calorie sweetener, has increased recently. Higher circulating concentration associates with major cardiac events and metabolic disease in observational data, prompting some concern. As observational data may be prone to confounding and reverse causality, we undertook bidirectional Mendelian randomization (MR) to investigate potential causal associations between erythritol and coronary artery disease (CAD), BMI, waist-hip-ratio (WHR), and glycemic and renal traits in cohorts of European ancestry. Analyses were undertaken using instruments comprising genome-wide significant variants from three cohorts with erythritol measurement. Across instruments, we did not find supportive evidence that increased erythritol increases CAD (b = -0.033 ± 0.02, P = 0.14; b = 0.46 ± 0.37, P = 0.23). MR indicates erythritol may decrease BMI (b = -0.04 ± 0.018, P = 0.03; b = -0.04 ± 0.0085, P = 1.23 × 10-5; b = -0.083 ± 0.092, P = 0.036), with potential evidence from one instrument of increased BMI adjusted for WHR (b = 0.046 ± 0.022, P = 0.035). No evidence of causal association was found with other traits. In conclusion, we did not find supportive evidence from MR that erythritol increases cardiometabolic disease. These findings await confirmation in well-designed prospective studies. ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS
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Affiliation(s)
- Rana Khafagy
- Department of Medicine, University Health Network, and Banting & Best Diabetes Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
- Genetics and Genome Biology Program, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
- Divisions of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Andrew D Paterson
- Genetics and Genome Biology Program, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
- Divisions of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Satya Dash
- Department of Medicine, University Health Network, and Banting & Best Diabetes Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
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Ortiz SR, Field MS. C2C12 Muscle Myotubes, but not Kidney Proximal Tubule HK-2 Cells, Elevate Erythritol Synthesis in Response to Oxidative Stress. Curr Dev Nutr 2023; 7:102012. [PMID: 37877034 PMCID: PMC10590721 DOI: 10.1016/j.cdnut.2023.102012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Revised: 09/19/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Background As a biomarker, elevated serum erythritol concentrations predict type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease onset. Erythritol was recently shown to be a product of human glucose metabolism through the pentose phosphate pathway. The regulation of erythritol synthesis from glucose has been explored in cancer cells but not in nontransformed cells. Objective The kidneys and skeletal muscle have increased erythritol content in response to dietary sucrose, which suggests that they may significantly contribute to circulating erythritol concentrations. In the present study, we evaluated if conditions that promote erythritol synthesis in cancer cells are consistent in skeletal muscle and kidney cells. Methods C2C12 myotubules were used as a model for skeletal muscle, and human kidney (HK)-2 human proximal tubule cells were used to model kidney. C2C12 cells were exposed to high- or low-glucose conditions. Both C2C12 and HK-2 cells were exposed to the free radical generator menadione, then intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and erythritol concentrations were measured. Intracellular sorbitol concentrations were also measured because increased polyol flux was also observed after exposure to excess glucose and oxidative stress. Results Intracellular erythritol concentrations were significantly elevated in C2C12 cells following both high-glucose and menadione treatment. In contrast, HK-2 cells did not increase erythritol synthesis in response to oxidative stress. Generation of ROS through hydrogen peroxide exposure elevated sorbitol concentrations in both C2C12 and HK-2 cells, whereas generation of radicals with menadione treatment did not affect sorbitol production in either cell type. Conclusions These findings highlight that the factors contributing to elevated erythritol synthesis vary between cell types. More specifically, these studies demonstrate that muscle cells increase erythritol synthesis in response to both high glucose in culture medium and oxidative stress, whereas kidney cells increase erythritol synthesis only in response to high glucose.
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Affiliation(s)
- Semira R. Ortiz
- Division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States
| | - Martha S. Field
- Division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States
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Mazi TA, Stanhope KL. Elevated Erythritol: A Marker of Metabolic Dysregulation or Contributor to the Pathogenesis of Cardiometabolic Disease? Nutrients 2023; 15:4011. [PMID: 37764794 PMCID: PMC10534702 DOI: 10.3390/nu15184011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2023] [Revised: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Erythritol is a non-nutritive sugar replacement that can be endogenously produced by humans. Witkowski et al. reported that elevated circulating erythritol is associated with adverse cardiovascular events in three independent cohorts, demonstrated in vitro and ex vivo that erythritol promotes platelet activation, and showed faster clotting time in mice injected with erythritol. It was concluded that erythritol fosters enhanced thrombosis. This narrative review presents additional evidence that needs to be considered when evaluating these data and conclusions. We conducted a search of all studies related to erythritol exposure with focus on those that reported vascular health outcomes. Patients with chronically elevated erythritol levels due to inborn errors of metabolism do not exhibit higher platelet activation or thrombosis risk. Most long-term studies in which animals consumed high levels of erythritol do not support its role in platelet activation and thrombosis formation. Clinical data on the effects of chronic intake of erythritol are limited. Erythritol may be merely a marker of dysregulation in the Pentose Phosphate Pathway caused by impaired glycemia. However, this suggestion and the findings of Witkowski et al. need to be further examined. Clinical trials examining the long-term effects of erythritol consumption on cardiometabolic outcomes are required to test the causality between dietary erythritol and cardiometabolic risk. Until supportive data from these trials are available, it cannot be concluded that dietary erythritol promotes platelet activation, thrombosis, and cardiometabolic risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tagreed A. Mazi
- Department of Community Health Sciences-Clinical Nutrition, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, P.O. Box 10219, Riyadh 11433, Saudi Arabia
| | - Kimber L. Stanhope
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA;
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Ortiz SR, Field MS. Sucrose Intake Elevates Erythritol in Plasma and Urine in Male Mice. J Nutr 2023; 153:1889-1902. [PMID: 37245661 DOI: 10.1016/j.tjnut.2023.05.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2023] [Revised: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 05/30/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Elevated serum erythritol concentration is a predictive biomarker of diabetes and cardiovascular incidence and complications. Erythritol is synthesized endogenously from glucose, but little is known regarding the origin of elevated circulating erythritol in vivo. OBJECTIVES In vitro evidence indicates that intracellular erythritol is elevated by high-glucose cell culture conditions and that final step of erythritol synthesis is catalyzed by the enzymes sorbitol dehydrogenase (SORD) and alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) 1. The purpose of this study was to determine whether dietary intake and/or diet-induced obesity affect erythritol synthesis in mice and whether this relationship is modified by the loss of the enzymes SORD or ADH1. METHODS First, 8-wk-old male Sord+/+, Sord-/-, Adh1+/+, and Adh1-/- mice were fed either low-fat diet (LFD) with 10% fat-derived calories or diet-induced obesity high-fat diet (HFD) with 60% fat-derived calories for 8 wk. Plasma and tissue erythritol concentrations were measured using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Second, male wild-type 8-wk-old C57BL/6J mice were fed LFD or HFD with plain drinking water or 30% sucrose water for 8 wk. Blood glucose and plasma and urinary erythritol concentrations were measured in nonfasted and fasted samples. Tissue erythritol was measured after killing. Finally, male Sord+/+ and Sord-/- mice were fed LFD with 30% sucrose water for 2 wk; then, nonfasted plasma, urine, and tissue erythritol concentrations were quantified. RESULTS Plasma and tissue erythritol concentrations were not affected by loss of Sord or Adh1 in mice fed LFD or HFD. In wild-type mice, consumption of 30% sucrose water significantly elevated plasma and urinary erythritol concentrations on both LFD-fed and HFD-fed mice compared with that of plain water. Sord genotype did not affect plasma or urinary erythritol concentration in response to sucrose feeding, but Sord-/- mice had reduced kidney erythritol content compared with wild-type littermates in response to sucrose. CONCLUSIONS Sucrose intake, not HFD, elevates erythritol synthesis and excretion in mice. Loss of ADH1 or SORD does not significantly affect erythritol concentration in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Semira R Ortiz
- Division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Martha S Field
- Division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA.
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Cramer T, Gonder U, Kofler B. Plasma erythritol and cardiovascular risk: is there evidence for an association with dietary intake? Front Nutr 2023; 10:1195521. [PMID: 37287998 PMCID: PMC10242034 DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2023.1195521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Thorsten Cramer
- Department of General, Visceral and Transplantation Surgery, RWTH University Hospital, Aachen, Germany
| | - Ulrike Gonder
- Nutritionist, Freelance Science Writer, Hünstetten, Germany
| | - Barbara Kofler
- Research Program for Receptor Biochemistry and Tumor Metabolism, Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital of the Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg, Austria
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