Pro-Inflammatory Diet Is Correlated with High Veillonella rogosae, Gut Inflammation and Clinical Relapse of Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are chronic conditions arising from an intricate interplay of genetics and environmental factors, and are associated with gut dysbiosis, inflammation, and gut permeability. In this study, we investigated whether the inflammatory potential of the diet is associated with the gut microbiota profile, inflammation, and permeability in forty patients with IBD in clinical remission. The dietary inflammatory index (DII) score was used to assess the inflammatory potential of the diet. The fecal microbiota profile was analyzed using 16SrRNA (V3-V4) gene sequencing, while fecal zonulin and calprotectin levels were measured with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. We found a positive correlation between the DII score and elevated calprotectin levels (Rho = 0.498; p = 0.001), but not with zonulin levels. Although α- and β-diversity did not significantly differ across DII quartiles, the most pro-inflammatory diet group exhibited a higher fecal abundance of Veillonella rogosae (p = 0.026). In addition, the abundance of some specific bacteria sequences showed an exponential behavior across DII quartiles and a correlation with calprotectin or zonulin levels (p ≤ 0.050). This included a positive correlation between sq702. Veillonella rogosae and fecal calprotectin levels (Rho = 0.419, p = 0.007). DII, calprotectin, and zonulin levels were identified as significant predictors of 6-month disease relapse (p ≤ 0.050). Our findings suggest a potential relationship of a pro-inflammatory diet intake with Veillonella rogosae and calprotectin levels in IBD patients in clinical remission, which may contribute to disease relapse.

Distinct pattern of one-carbon metabolism, a nutrient-sensitive pathway, in invasive breast cancer: A metabolomic study

Altered cell metabolism is a hallmark of cancer and critical for its development. Particularly, activation of one-carbon metabolism in tumor cells can sustain oncogenesis while contributing to epigenetic changes and metabolic adaptation during tumor progression. We assessed whether increased one-carbon metabolism activity is a metabolic feature of invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC). Differences in the metabolic profile between biopsies from IDC (n = 47) and its adjacent tissue (n = 43) and between biopsies from different breast cancer subtypes were assessed by gas spectrometry in targeted (Biocrates Life Science^®) and untargeted approaches, respectively. The metabolomics data were statistically treated using MetaboAnalyst 4.0, SIMCA P+ (version 12.01), Statistica 10 software and t test with p < 0.05. The Cancer Genome Atlas breast cancer dataset was also assessed to validate the metabolomic profile of IDC. Our targeted metabolomics analysis showed distinct metabolomics profiles between IDC and adjacent tissue, where IDC displayed a comparative enrichment of metabolites involved in one-carbon metabolism (serine, glycine, threonine, and methionine) and a predicted increase in the activity of pathways that receive and donate carbon units (i.e., folate, methionine, and homocysteine). In addition, the targeted and untargeted metabolomics analyses showed similar metabolomics profiles between breast cancer subtypes. The gene set enrichment analysis identified different transcription-related functions between IDC and non-tumor tissues that involved one-carbon metabolism. Our data suggest that one-carbon metabolism may be a central pathway in IDC and even in general breast tumors, representing a potential target for its treatment and prevention.

Resting energy expenditure in white and non-white severely obese women

This study aimed to compare the resting energy expenditure (REE) of white and non-white severely obese Brazilian women. REE was examined in 83 severely obese Brazilian women (n = 58 white and 25 non-white) with mean (+/- SD) age 42.99 +/- 11.35 and body mass index 46.88 +/- 6.22 kg/m(2) who were candidates for gastric bypass surgery. Body composition was assessed by air displacement plethysmography (ADP) BOD PODO body composition system (Life Measurement Instruments, Concord, CA) and REE was measured, under established protocol, with an open-circuit calorimeter (Deltatrac II MBM-200, Datex-Ohmeda, Madison, WI, USA). There was no significant difference between the REE of white and non-white severely obese women (1,953 +/- 273 and 1,906 +/- 271 kcal/d, respectively; p = 0.48). However, when adjusted for fat free mass (MLG), REE was significantly higher in nonwhite severely obese women (difference between groups of 158.4 kcal, p < 0.01). REE in white women was positively and significantly correlated to C-reactive protein (PCR) (r = 0.418; P < 0.001) and MLG (r = 0.771; P < 0.001). In the non-white women, REE was only significantly correlated to MLG (r = 0.753; P < 0.001). The multiple linear regression analysis showed that skin color, MLG and PCR were the significant determinants of REE (R(2) = 0.55). This study showed that, after adjustment for MLG, non-white severely obese women have a higher REE than the white ones. The association of body composition inflammation factors and REE in severely obese Brazilian women remains to be further investigated.

Anti-inflammatory effect of parenteral fish oil lipid emulsion on human activated mononuclear leukocytes

BACKGROUND & AIM

To compare the effect of fish oil-based (FO) lipid emulsions (LE) for parenteral administration with standard LE and a new FO containing LE composed of four different oils on the antigen presentation and inflammatory variables.

METHODS

Phytohemagglutinin (PHA) activated human mononuclear leukocytes were cultured with different LE - Control: without LE; SO: soybean oil; SO/FO: soybean and FO (4:1); MCT/SO: medium chain triglycerides and SO (1:1); MCT/SO/FO: MCT/SO and FO (4:1) and SMOF: a new LE containing FO. Cytokine production was evaluated by ELISA, the expression of antigen-presenting and co-stimulatory surface molecules were analyzed by flow cytometry and lymphocyte proliferation was assessed by H(3)-Thymidine incorporation, after tetanus toxoid-induced activation.

RESULTS

All LE decreased the HLA-DR and increased CD28 and CD152 expression on monocytes/macrophages and lymphocytes surface (p < 0.05). SO/FO and MCT/SO/FO decreased lymphocyte proliferation (p<0.05). All LE decreased IL-2 production, but this effect was enhanced with MCT/SO/FO and SMOF (p < 0.05). MCT/SO/FO decreased IL-6 and increased IL-10, whereas SO had the opposite effect (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

FO LE inhibited lymphocyte proliferation and had an anti-inflammatory effect. These effects seem to be enhanced when FO is mixed with MCT/SO. SMOF had a neutral impact on lymphocyte proliferation and IL-6 and IL-10 production.

Sarc-Global: a new sarcopenia screening tool in older adults

BACKGROUND

Sarcopenia is associated with clinical complications that increase mortality in older adults. Current screening tools, such as Sarc-F and Sarc-CalF, focus primarily on muscular performance but have limited sensitivity in identifying elderly individuals at risk of sarcopenia. The present study aims to develop a more comprehensive sarcopenia risk screening tool, Sarc-Global, which integrates additional anthropometric and clinical variables to enhance the sensitivity and accuracy of sarcopenia risk assessment in older adults.

METHODS

The aim of this cross-sectional study was to develop a sarcopenia risk screening tool, named Sarc-Global, with enhanced sensitivity, incorporating factors pertinent to the overall health of elderly individuals. Utilizing the criteria established by EWGSOP2 for diagnosing sarcopenia, we evaluated 395 community-dwelling elderly individuals. This evaluation served as a reference for assessing the efficacy of two validated questionnaires, Sarc-F and Sarc-CalF, and our newly developed Sarc-Global.

RESULTS

Multiple logistic regression revealed that Sarc-Global integrates variables such as sex, age, medication use, body mass index, arm circumference, and handgrip strength, which are significantly associated with sarcopenia (p<0.001). When combined with Sarc-CalF, these variables form the basis of the Sarc-Global model. In screening for sarcopenia risk, Sarc-Global demonstrated superior accuracy, specificity, and sensitivity (74%), outperforming Sarc-F (21%) and Sarc-CalF (34%).

CONCLUSION

Sarc-Global proves to be an effective tool for identifying elderly individuals at risk of sarcopenia.