Identification of Crocetin as a Dual Agonist of GPR40 and GPR120 Responsible for the Antidiabetic Effect of Saffron

Unveiling the biological activities of the microbial long chain hydroxy fatty acids as dual agonists of GPR40 and GPR120

The physiological functions of various fatty acid-originating metabolites from foods and fermented products remained mostly untouched. Thereby, this study examined the biological activities of hydroxy fatty acids as agonists of G protein-coupled receptors (i.e., GPR40 and GPR120), which are derived from long-chain fatty acids (e.g., oleic acid and linoleic acid) by microbiota. Cell-based Ca2+ mobilization assays and in silico docking simulations revealed that not only the degree of unsaturation but also the number and position of hydroxyl groups played a key role in their agonist activities. For instance, 8,11-dihydroxyoctadec-9Z-enoic acid exhibited significantly greater Ca2+ response in the GPR40/GPR120-expressing cells as compared to the endogenous agonists (e.g., linoleic acid and docosahexaenoic acid), forming hydrogen bond interactions with residues in the ligand-binding pockets of receptors. This study will contribute to understanding the relationships between fatty acid structures and agonist activities.

Compatibility of Whole Wheat-Based Composite Flour in the Development of Functional Foods

Over the last decades, eating habits have shifted towards convenient foods with shorter preparation times due to people's busy lifestyles and higher living standards. Rapid changes in dietary patterns and lifestyles with the industrialization and globalisation have led to the escalating incidence of chronic diseases, which has paved the way to greater interest in dietary changes regarding nutritional status and health benefits. Composite flour is a combination of wheat and non-wheat flours or exclusively non-wheat flour with improved nutritional value, therapeutic properties and functional characteristics. The application of composite flours in the food industry is an important milestone that maximises the use of indigenous crops while optimising the product quality, nutritional value, organoleptic properties and consumer acceptance. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of the suitability and compatibility of alternative composite flours in the food industry with regard to the existing formulations. Furthermore, the suitability of composite flours in food products in terms of nutritive and therapeutic value is emphasised. It was found that food products with higher nutritional and therapeutic value and acceptable sensory properties can be formulated by blending different non-wheat flour sources with wheat flour at different ratios. Composite flours have the potential to reduce the risk of non-communicable diseases, particularly type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer. It can be concluded that the use of composite flours in the food industry is a trending approach due to their numerous benefits.

G protein-coupled receptors driven intestinal glucagon-like peptide-1 reprogramming for obesity: Hope or hype?

'Globesity' is a foremost challenge to the healthcare system. The limited efficacy and adverse effects of available oral pharmacotherapies pose a significant obstacle in the fight against obesity. The biology of the leading incretin hormone glucagon-like-peptide-1 (GLP-1) has been highly captivated during the last decade owing to its multisystemic pleiotropic clinical outcomes beyond inherent glucoregulatory action. That fostered a pharmaceutical interest in synthetic GLP-1 analogues to tackle type-2 diabetes (T2D), obesity and related complications. Besides, mechanistic insights on metabolic surgeries allude to an incretin-based hormonal combination strategy for weight loss that emerged as a forerunner for the discovery of injectable 'unimolecular poly-incretin-agonist' therapies. Physiologically, intestinal enteroendocrine L-cells (EECs) are the prominent endogenous source of GLP-1 peptide. Despite comprehending the potential of various G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) to stimulate endogenous GLP-1 secretion, decades of translational GPCR research have failed to yield regulatory-approved endogenous GLP-1 secretagogue oral therapy. Lately, a dual/poly-GPCR agonism strategy has emerged as an alternative approach to the traditional mono-GPCR concept. This review aims to gain a comprehensive understanding by revisiting the pharmacology of a few potential GPCR-based complementary avenues that have drawn attention to the design of orally active poly-GPCR agonist therapy. The merits, challenges and recent developments that may aid future poly-GPCR drug discovery are critically discussed. Subsequently, we project the mechanism-based therapeutic potential and limitations of oral poly-GPCR agonism strategy to augment intestinal GLP-1 for weight loss. We further extend our discussion to compare the poly-GPCR agonism approach over invasive surgical and injectable GLP-1-based regimens currently in clinical practice for obesity.