α-Chaconine Affects the Apoptosis, Mechanical Barrier Function, and Antioxidant Ability of Mouse Small Intestinal Epithelial Cells

Metabolomics Reveals the Response Mechanisms of Potato Tubers to Light Exposure and Wounding during Storage and Cooking Processes

Potato is susceptible to light exposure and wounding during harvesting and transportation. However, the metabolite profile changes in these potato tubers are unclear. The potato cultivars in this study included Hezuo88 (HZ88), Shida6 (SD6), and Jianchuanhong (JCH); the effects of light exposure (L), wounding (W), and the cooking process on potato metabolites were determined. In total, 973 metabolites were identified, with differential metabolites (mainly alkaloids, flavonoids, and phenolic acids) accumulated on days 0 and 2 (0 d and 2 d) in the 0dHZ88 vs. 0dJCH (189), 0dHZ88 vs. 0dSD6 (147), 0dSD6 vs. 0dJCH (91), 0dJCH vs. 2dIJCH (151), 0dJCH vs. 2dWDJCH (250), 0dJCH vs. 2dWLJCH (255), 2dIJCH vs. 2dWDJCH (234), and 2dIJCH vs. 2dWLJCH (292) groups. The flavonoid content in the light exposure group was higher than that in the dark group. The alkaloid content in the wounded group was higher than that in the uninjured potato tuber group, but the lipid content in the wounded group was lower. Importantly, only 5.54% of the metabolites changed after potato tuber steaming. These results provide valuable information for the breeding and consumption of potato tubers.

The role of nutrition, food allergies, and gut dysbiosis in immune-mediated inflammatory skin disease: a narrative review

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

This review focuses on the emerging roles of nutrition, food allergies, and gut dysbiosis, and their influence on pediatric skin conditions such as psoriasis, hidradenitis suppurativa, and alopecia areata. As the prevalence of these conditions increases, understanding the underlying mechanisms and potential therapeutic targets is crucial for clinical practice and research.

RECENT FINDINGS

The review covers 32 recent articles that highlight the significance of the gut microbiome, nutrition, and gut dysbiosis in the pathogenesis and progression of inflammatory and immune-related pediatric skin conditions. The data suggest that food allergies and gut dysbiosis play a crucial role in disease pathogenesis.

SUMMARY

This review emphasizes the need for larger-scale studies to determine the effectiveness of dietary changes in preventing or treating inflammatory and immune-related skin conditions. Clinicians must maintain a balanced approach when implementing dietary changes in children with skin diseases like atopic dermatitis to avoid potential nutritional deficiencies and growth impairments. Further research into the complex interplay between environmental and genetic factors is warranted to develop tailored therapeutic strategies for these skin conditions in children.

Unrinsed Nemipterus virgatus surimi provides more nutrients than rinsed surimi and helps recover immunosuppressed mice treated with cyclophosphamide

BACKGROUND

The rinsing process in the production of surimi can cause the loss of some important nutrients. To investigate the differences in nutritional properties between rinsed surimi (RS) and unrinsed surimi (US), this study compared the elemental composition, amino acid composition, fatty acid composition, proteomics, and an immunosuppression mouse model of surimi before and after rinsing, and analyzed the nutritional and immunological properties of RS and US.

RESULTS

The results showed that the protein, fat, and ash contents of RS were decreased compared with those of US; specifically, the contents of essential amino acids, semi-essential amino acids, non-essential amino acids, saturated fatty acids, monounsaturated fatty acids, and polyunsaturated fatty acids were decreased. In the non-labeled quantitative proteomics analysis, three high-abundance quantifiable protein contents and 68 low-abundance quantifiable protein contents were found in RS (P-values < 0.05, ratio > 2). Immune function experiments in mice revealed that both RS and US contributed to the recovery of immunity in immunocompromised mice. The effect of US was better than that of RS.

CONCLUSION

The rinsing process in surimi processing leads to the loss of nutrients in surimi. US promotes the recovery of immunity in immunocompromised mice more effectively than RS. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Nightshade Vegetables: A Dietary Trigger for Worsening Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Irritable Bowel Syndrome?

The Solanaceae family of plants, commonly known as Nightshade vegetables or Nightshades, contains a diverse range of crops of over 2000 members with significant culinary, economic, and cultural importance. Familiar edible Nightshades include tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, and white potatoes. Many pharmacologically active compounds used in traditional medicine, including atropine and hyoscyamine, are derived from Nightshades. In addition to these beneficial pharmacologic agents, Nightshade-derived glycoalkaloid compounds, a key defense mechanism against predation, have been shown to disrupt intestinal epithelium and to potentially activate mast cells in the gut mucosa, leading to adverse symptoms in humans. There is a new appreciation that mast cell activation is an allergic inflammatory mechanism contributing both to pain in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and to gut inflammation in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Given their ubiquity in Western diets and their shared glycoalkaloid active compounds, edible Nightshades are attracting new interest as a potential trigger for worsening gut symptoms in functional and inflammatory gastrointestinal disorders. Here, we review the limited existing literature on the adverse effects of Nightshade consumption, including the effects of Nightshade-derived glycoalkaloids on IBD gut inflammation, and the under-recognized contribution of Nightshades to food allergies and allergic cross-reactivity. We then highlight new evidence on the contributions of mast cell activation to GI disorder pathogenesis, including potential linkages between Nightshade antigens, intestinal mast cells, and GI dysfunction in IBS and IBD.

Acidifiers Attenuate Diquat-Induced Oxidative Stress and Inflammatory Responses by Regulating NF-κB/MAPK/COX-2 Pathways in IPEC-J2 Cells

In this study, we evaluated the protective effects and potential mechanisms of acidifiers on intestinal epithelial cells exposure to oxidative stress (OS). IPEC-J2 cells were first pretreated with 5 × 10⁻⁵ acidifiers for 4 h before being exposed to the optimal dose of diquat to induce oxidative stress. The results showed that acidifiers attenuated diquat-induced oxidative stress, which manifests as the improvement of antioxidant capacity and the reduction in reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation. The acidifier treatment decreased cell permeability and enhanced intestinal epithelial barrier function through enhancing the expression of claudin-1 and occludin in diquat-induced cells. Moreover, acidifier treatment attenuated diquat-induced inflammatory responses, which was confirmed by the decreased secretion and gene expression of pro-inflammatory (TNF-α, IL-8) and upregulated anti-inflammatory factors (IL-10). In addition, acidifiers significantly reduced the diquat-induced gene and protein expression levels of COX-2, NF-κB, I-κB-β, ERK1/2, and JNK2, while they increased I-κB-α expression in IPEC-J2 cells. Furthermore, we discovered that acidifiers promoted epithelial cell proliferation (increased expression of PCNA and CCND1) and inhibited apoptosis (decreased expression of BAX, increased expression of BCL-2). Taken together, these results suggest that acidifiers are potent antioxidants that attenuate diquat-induced inflammation, apoptosis, and maintain cellular barrier integrity by regulating the NF-κB/MAPK/COX-2 signaling pathways.

Mycophenolic Acid Induces the Intestinal Epithelial Barrier Damage through Mitochondrial ROS

Mycophenolic acid (MPA) may cause gastrointestinal adverse effects by damaging the intestinal epithelial barrier, the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. Studies have demonstrated that oxidative stress caused by reactive oxygen species (ROS) is linked to tight junction (TJ) proteins and apoptosis, both of which cause abnormalities in intestinal barrier function. Mitochondria, one of the main sources of ROS and abnormally high levels of ROS are linked to mitochondrial dysfunction. The aim of this study was to investigate whether MPA induces intestinal barrier dysfunction through regulation of the mitochondrial ROS. MPA-induced intestinal injury model in Kunming mice and Caco-2 cells. The effect of MPA on Caco-2 cell viability was measured by MTT; tissue diamine oxidase and endotoxin expression were determined by ELISA; expression of total proteins of ZO-1, occludin, Bax, Bcl-2, and mitochondrial proteins of Cytochrome C and Bax was measured by Western blot; and the localization of Cytochrome C with MitoTraker was observed by immunofluorescence staining. Caco-2 cell apoptosis, ROS levels, and mitochondrial membrane potential were detected by flow cytometry, while intramitochondrial ROS levels were observed by MitoSOX fluorescence staining. The results showed that MPA increased intracellular and mitochondrial ROS production to promote oxidative stress and the antioxidant NAC effectively restored ZO-1 and occludin expressions, reduced apoptosis in intestinal epithelial cells. Furthermore, we found that low concentrations of MPA caused mitochondrial damage, induced hyperpolarization of the mitochondrial membrane potential and the translocation of Cytochrome C and Bax proteins from the cytoplasm to the mitochondria. The mitochondrial protectant SS-31 reduces intracellular and intramitochondrial ROS, upregulates TJ, and reduces apoptosis. Our studies suggest that MPA-induced intestinal barrier dysfunction in vivo and in vitro is mediated, at least in part, by impairing mitochondrial function and promoting oxidative stress.

Relief Effects of Icariin on Inflammation-Induced Decrease of Tight Junctions in Intestinal Epithelial Cells

Inflammatory cytokines including TNF-α and IL-1β impair intestinal barrier function in aging by disrupting intestinal tight junction integrity. Icariin (ICA) has a variety of pharmacological effects. Indeed, ICA produces anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative stress, and inhibitory effects on microRNA (miRNA) expression. This study was to explore whether ICA could alleviate inflammation-associated intestinal barrier function impairment in aging and its underlying mechanism. Of particular interest, network pharmacology prediction indicated the potential therapeutic impacts of ICA for the treatment of colitis. Then, rats were used to study whether ICA has a protective effect on the reduction of tight junctions caused by inflammatory cytokines. Next, Caco-2 cell monolayers were used to explore the mechanism by which ICA alleviates the down-regulation of tight junctions. Network pharmacology prediction revealed that ICA alleviated colitis via suppressing oxidative stress. After ICA intervention, expressions of inflammatory cytokines were reduced, but tight junctions, antioxidant enzymes in aging rats were up-regulated. ICA reversed the TNF-α-induced decrease in abundance of Occludin protein in Caco-2 cell monolayers. Meanwhile, ICA alleviated the increase in permeability and expression of miR-122a. However, the protective effect of ICA was markedly attenuated after transfection with miR-122a mimics. In conclusion, ICA reduced the expressions of Occludin, Claudin1, and Claudin5 in colon, which were related to the reduction of TNF-α and IL-1β and alleviation of colonic in vivore. And ICA attenuated TNF-α-induced Occludin disruption and epithelial barrier impairment by decreasing miR-122a expression in Caco-2 cell monolayers.

Schisandrin A alleviates mycophenolic acid-induced intestinal toxicity by regulating cell apoptosis and oxidative damage

The gastrointestinal side effects of mycophenolic acid affect its efficacy in kidney transplant patients, which may be due to its toxicity to the intestinal epithelial mechanical barrier, including intestinal epithelial cell apoptosis and destruction of tight junctions. The toxicity mechanism of mycophenolic acid is related to oxidative stress-mediated the activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK). Schisandrin A (Sch A), one of the main active components of the Schisandra chinensis, can protects intestinal epithelial cells from deoxynivalenol-induced cytotoxicity and oxidative damage by antioxidant effects. The aim of this study was to investigate the protective effect and potential mechanism of Sch A on mycophenolic acid-induced damage in intestinal epithelial cell. The results showed that Sch A significantly reversed the mycophenolic acid-induced cell viability reduction, restored the expression of tight junction protein ZO-1, occludin and reduced cell apoptosis. In addition, Sch A inhibited mycophenolic acid-mediated MAPK activation and reactive oxygen species (ROS) increase. Collectively, our study showed that Sch A protected intestinal epithelial cells from mycophenolic acid intestinal toxicity, at least in part, by reducing oxidative stress and inhibiting MAPK signaling pathway.