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Diet and Disease Development: Mechanisms, Prevention and Treatment

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A special issue of Nutrients (ISSN 2072-6643). This special issue belongs to the section "Clinical Nutrition".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (22 November 2023) | Viewed by 30842

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Sonia Saad

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Guest Editor

Renal Medicine, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
Interests: metabolic disease; microvascular/macrovascular complications; diabetes; chronic kidney disease
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Hui Chen

E-Mail Website
Co-Guest Editor

Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, Australia
Interests: oxidative stress; inflammation; PM; foetal programming; metabolic disorders
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The relationship between diet and disease development or future programming in certain diseases is well known. Diet is the key factor influencing the gut microbiota composition and an important factor in the microbiome balance. Alteration in the microbiome balance plays an important role in physiology and disease states including obesity, diabetes, asthma, allergy, cancer, cardiovascular disease, aging and kidney disease. Hence, recent research has focused on using natural therapies or dietary supplements to modulate the microbiota for disease prevention or to better manage disease development. The mechanisms involved in the direct and transgenerational effects of high/low calorie intake on disease development are not clear. It is also not clear, to date, whether alteration in the microbiota due to bad dietary choices can affect disease onsets or limit disease progression, or whether using dietary supplements or microbiota modulators can limit disease or prevent future disease development.

The overall aims of this Special Issue are to describe and stress the importance of diet in disease development and future disease predisposition; understand the mechanism(s) whereby diet can induce disease development and affect future disease risk; examine potential novel therapies; and identify current gaps in the area of research. The reviews included in this issue will i) summarise the current literature (from animal and human studies) supporting the role of diet in disease onset or development; ii) provide critical analysis of the available data; iii) describe the mechanisms involved in disease development or prevention and in the future risk for certain diseases; iv) identify novel treatments using dietary supplements/compounds to limit disease development and progression; v) examine whether the microbiota diversity can be considered a cause or just an effect of certain diseases; and vi) assess whether modulating the microbiota can provide a novel therapy to limit disease development or can complement current drugs to better manage certain diseases.

This Special Issue titled “Diet and Disease Development: Mechanisms, Prevention and Treatment” is open for articles and reviews describing the available literature and research evidence, with critical examination of the data and identification of current research outcomes and gaps, study limitations and potential advances in knowledge in the research area. Exploring the effects of diet, nutrients, supplements or microbiota on disease development is within the scope of this study. This includes all types of disease, exploring direct or future effects from animal or human studies.

The topics and themes of this unique collection include, but are not limited to, the following:

-Studies assessing the direct effect of a high-fat diet on disease development and disease mechanisms;
-Effects of diet modification during gestation on disease development in mothers and offspring, including high-calorie or low-calorie diets or diet supplements;
-Novel methods to alter the microbiota for disease prevention;
-Effect of metabolite-based dietary supplementation on disease development;
-Nutritional approaches to manage specific diseases;
-Diet composition or modulation for the prevention of obesity and metabolic disease;

-Mechanisms and pathways linking dietary components to disease development;
-Diet and endocrine regulation of food intake for optimal health;
-Role of microbiota in disease onset and development;

-Effects of prebiotics and probiotics on disease development;
-Health effects due to dietary risks in different countries;
-Food-based therapies for disease prevention;
-Novel treatment to limit disease development or progression due to obesity or high calorie intake;
-Faecal microbiota transplantation for disease prevention.

Dr. Sonia Saad
Prof. Dr. Hui Chen
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Nutrients is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

kidney disease
nutrients
food
diet
diabetes
glucose intolerance
natural therapy
food supplements
high fat/Western diet
obesity
gut microbiota
nutraceuticals
kidney injury and fibrosis
probiotics and prebiotics

Published Papers (10 papers)

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Research

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12 pages, 1879 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Bifidobacterium breve CCFM1025 Improves Sleep Quality via Regulating the Activity of the HPA Axis: A Randomized Clinical Trial

by Yuming Lan, Junjie Lu, Guohong Qiao, Xuhua Mao, Jianxin Zhao, Gang Wang, Peijun Tian and Wei Chen

Nutrients 2023, 15(21), 4700; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15214700 - 6 Nov 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2683

Abstract

Psychobiotics, a newly identified category of probiotics primarily targeting the gut–brain axis, exhibit tremendous potential in improving sleep quality. In this study, the clinical trial was registered in advance (identifier: NO. ChiCTR2300067806). Forty participants who were diagnosed with stress-induced insomnia were chosen and randomly divided into two groups: one received CCFM1025 at a dose of 5 × 10⁹ CFU (n = 20), while the other was administered a placebo (n = 20), over a period of four weeks. The results revealed that compared to the placebo group (pre: M = 10.10, SD = 2.292; post: M = 8.650, SD = 2.793; pre vs. post: F (1, 38) = 15.41, p = 0.4316), the CCFM1025-treated group exhibited a significant decrease in Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) scores from baseline (pre: M = 11.60, SD = 3.169; post: M = 7.750, SD = 3.697, F (1, 38) = 15.41, p = 0.0007). Furthermore, the administration of CCFM1025 was associated with a more pronounced reduction in stress marker concentrations. This effect could potentially be linked to changes in serum metabolites induced by the probiotic treatment, notably daidzein. In conclusion, B. breve CCFM1025 demonstrates promise as a psychobiotic strain for enhancing sleep quality. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diet and Disease Development: Mechanisms, Prevention and Treatment)

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15 pages, 887 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Dietary Patterns in Acne and Rosacea Patients—A Controlled Study and Comprehensive Analysis

by Anne Guertler, Arina Volsky, Quirine Eijkenboom, Tobias Fiedler, Lars E. French and Markus Reinholz

Nutrients 2023, 15(20), 4405; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15204405 - 17 Oct 2023

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 7514

Abstract

As the relationship between exposome factors and inflammatory skin diseases is gaining increasing attention, the objective of this study was to investigate dietary patterns among acne and rosacea patients and to establish the disease risk attributable to nutrition. In this cross-sectional, controlled study, patients’ dietary habits were assessed via subjective ratings of beneficial and trigger foods, followed by standardized food frequency surveys (FFS). Scores for disease-specific risk stratification based on dietary habits were proposed. Clinical assessments, dermatologic examinations, and laboratory analyses were performed. A total of 296 patients (acne group (AG) n = 120, control group (ACG) n = 32; rosacea group (RG) n = 105, control group (RCG) n = 39) were included. The significant impact of diet on disease severity was self-reported by 80.8% of the AG and 70.5% of the RG. Leading dietary triggers were found in both groups, while beneficial food items were identified more clearly by the AG. FFS revealed significant dietary differences between the AG, RG, and control groups. Disease-specific scores showed greater precision for acne (odds ratio 14.5 AG, 5.5 RG). The AG had higher insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1 levels correlating with dairy intake (p = 0.006). Overall, this study underlines the influence of diet on acne and rosacea, providing valuable disease-specific scores for dietary risk stratification. Consuming vegetables, legumes, oily fish, olive oil, and nuts, and limiting meat, cheese, and alcohol appear to be beneficial for both acne and rosacea. Future studies can build on these data to further improve preventive and therapeutic strategies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diet and Disease Development: Mechanisms, Prevention and Treatment)

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16 pages, 5413 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Folate Deficiency Enhanced Inflammation and Exacerbated Renal Fibrosis in High-Fat High-Fructose Diet-Fed Mice

by Chun-Wai Chan and Bi-Fong Lin

Nutrients 2023, 15(16), 3616; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15163616 - 17 Aug 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2007

Abstract

The prevalence of obesity and chronic kidney disease (CKD) is increasing simultaneously and rapidly worldwide. Our previous study showed that folate deficiency increased lipid accumulation and leptin production of adipocytes. Whether folate plays a role in CKD, particularly obesity-related nephropathy remains unclear. To investigate the effects of folate deficiency on CKD in diet-induced obese mice, four groups of male C57BL/6 mice were fed either a normal-fat diet (NF) with folate (NF+f); NF without folate (NF−f); high-fat high-fructose diet (HFF) with folate (HFF+f); or HFF without folate (HFF−f) for 12 months during the study. The results showed that HFF increased not only body weight, fasting blood glucose, total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol, and blood pressure, but also cytokines levels, such as interleukin (IL)-2, interferon (IFN)-γ, IL-17A/F, IL-6, monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1, and transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1. The indicators of kidney failure including urinary protein, neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), renal type I and IV collagen deposits and leptin content, and serum creatinine were also increased by HFF. Folate-deficient diets further elevated serum TC, LDL-cholesterol, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, MCP-1, TGF-β1, and leptin, but decreased IL-10 level, and thus exacerbated renal fibrosis. To investigate the possible mechanisms of folate deficiency on renal injury, phosphorylation of pro-fibrosis signaling molecules, including signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT)3 and small mothers against decapentaplegic (Smad)2/3, were assayed. Both HFF and folate deficiency significantly increased the phosphorylation of STAT3 and Smad2/3, suggesting synergistic effects of HFF−f on chronic renal inflammation and fibrosis. In conclusion, the results demonstrated that folate deficiency might aggravate inflammatory status and enhance renal fibrosis. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diet and Disease Development: Mechanisms, Prevention and Treatment)

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13 pages, 4101 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of E-Vaping on Kidney Health in Mice Consuming a High-Fat Diet

by Min Feng, Xu Bai, Andrew E. Thorpe, Long The Nguyen, Meng Wang, Brian G. Oliver, Angela S. Y. Chou, Carol A. Pollock, Sonia Saad and Hui Chen

Nutrients 2023, 15(14), 3140; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15143140 - 14 Jul 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2037

Abstract

High-fat diet (HFD) consumption and tobacco smoking are risk factors for chronic kidney disease. E-cigarettes have gained significant popularity among younger populations worldwide, especially among overweight individuals. It is unclear whether vaping interacts with HFD consumption to impact renal health. In this study, Balb/c mice (male, 7 weeks old) were fed a pellet HFD (43% fat, 20 kJ/g) for 16 weeks when exposed to nicotine or nicotine-free e-vapour from weeks 11 to 16. While HFD alone increased collagen Ia and IV depositions, it did not cause significant oxidative stress and inflammatory responses in the kidney itself. On the other hand, e-vapour exposure alone increased oxidative stress and damaged DNA and mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation complexes without significant impact on fibrotic markers. However, the combination of nicotine e-vapour and HFD increased inflammatory responses, oxidative stress-induced DNA injury, and pro-fibrotic markers, suggesting accelerated development of renal pathology. Nicotine-free e-vapour exposure and HFD consumption suppressed the production of mitochondrial OXPHOS complexes and extracellular matrix protein deposition, which may cause structural instability that can interrupt normal kidney function in the future. In conclusion, our study demonstrated that a HFD combined with e-cigarette vapour exposure, especially when containing nicotine, can increase susceptibility to kidney disease. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diet and Disease Development: Mechanisms, Prevention and Treatment)

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8 pages, 1780 KiB

Open AccessCommunication

E-Cigarette Vapour Alters High-Fat Diet-Induced Systemic Inflammatory Responses but Has No Effect on High-Fat Diet-Induced Changes in Gut Microbiota

by Hui Chen, Catherine Burke, Chantal Donovan, Alen Faiz, Sonia Saad and Brian G. Oliver

Nutrients 2023, 15(7), 1783; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15071783 - 6 Apr 2023

Viewed by 2159

Abstract

Background: The gut microbiome, which can be altered by different diets or smoking, has been implicated in the pathogenesis of lung conditions. E-cigarette vaping is now recognised to have detrimental health effects, with several of these being similar to cigarette smoking. However, whether e-cigarettes can alter high-fat diet (HFD)-induced systemic effects and gut microbiota is unknown. In this study, we investigated the effects of HFD in the absence/presence of e-cigarette exposure on systemic inflammation, lipid metabolic markers, and the gut microbiome. Methods: Mice were fed a HFD (or chow) in the absence/presence of e-vapour exposure (±nicotine) and serum inflammation, lipid levels, and microbial diversity were assessed. Results: HFD increased the circulating levels of both triglycerides and non-esterified fatty acids, which were significantly reduced by e-vapour exposure in HFD-fed mice. Serum TNF-α was increased by HFD consumption or e-vapour. HFD had a significant effect on microbial diversity, but there were no additional effects of e-vapour exposure. Conclusions: This study highlights both similarities and differences in how the body responds to e-cigarette vapours, and it is therefore likely that the long-term sequelae of e-cigarette vapour exposure/vaping might not involve the significant alteration of the gut microbiome. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diet and Disease Development: Mechanisms, Prevention and Treatment)

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13 pages, 13112 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Characteristics of the Gut Microbiome and Serum Metabolome in Patients with Functional Constipation

by Jialiang Wang, Linlin Wang, Qiangqing Yu, Nan Tang, Chunxia Mei, Hao Zhang, Gang Wang, Jian Lu and Wei Chen

Nutrients 2023, 15(7), 1779; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15071779 - 6 Apr 2023

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2420

Abstract

Functional constipation (FC) is a gastrointestinal disorder with high incidence, and it seriously affects patients’ physical and mental health. Several studies have shown that the gut microbiome is associated with FC, but these studies have produced inconsistent findings, with few reflecting the relationship between the gut microbiome and metabolites. This study used 16S rRNA microbial genomics and non-target metabolome based on liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry to analyze the gut microbiota composition and serum metabolic profiles of 30 FC patients and 28 healthy individuals. We found that patients with FC and healthy individuals have different gut microbiota structures and serum metabolic profiles. FC patients had more Bacteroides and butyrate-producing bacteria (Roseburia, Faecaliberium, Butyriccoccus). The upstream products of host arginine biosynthesis (2-oxoglutaric acid, L-glutamic acid, N-acetylornithine, and L-ornithine) were significantly reduced in FC patients’ serum metabolites. In summary, our study describes the gut microbiome and serum metabolome of patients with functional constipation. It reveals that functional constipation may be associated with increased Bacteroidetes and downregulation of upstream products of host arginine biosynthesis, which may be potential markers for diagnosing functional constipation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diet and Disease Development: Mechanisms, Prevention and Treatment)

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14 pages, 3168 KiB

Open AccessArticle

α-Mangostin Inhibits the Activation of Myofibroblasts via Downregulation of Linc-ROR-Mediated TGFB1/Smad Signaling

by Yu-Hsien Lee, Pei-Ling Hsieh, Shih-Chi Chao, Yi-Wen Liao, Chia-Ming Liu and Cheng-Chia Yu

Nutrients 2023, 15(6), 1321; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15061321 - 8 Mar 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1507

Abstract

Oral submucous fibrosis (OSF) is a premalignant disorder and persistent activation of myofibroblasts is implicated in this pathological progression. Increasing attention has been addressed towards non-coding RNA-regulated myofibroblasts activities and the effects of phytochemicals on non-coding RNA modulation are of great importance. In the present study, we examined the anti-fibrosis property of α-mangostin, a xanthone isolated from the pericarp of mangosteen. We found that α-mangostin exhibited inhibitory potency in myofibroblast activities and expression of fibrosis markers at the concentrations that caused neglectable damage to normal cells. Apart from the downregulation of TGF-β1/Smad2 signaling, we found that α-mangostin attenuated the expression of long non-coding RNA LincROR as well. Our results demonstrated that the effects of α-mangostin on myofibroblast activation were reverted when LincROR was overexpressed. Additionally, we showed the expression of LincROR in OSF specimens was elevated and silencing of LincROR successfully attenuated myofibroblast characteristics and TGF-β1/Smad2 activation. Taken together, these findings indicated that the anti-fibrosis effects of α-mangostin merit consideration and may be due to the attenuation of LincROR. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diet and Disease Development: Mechanisms, Prevention and Treatment)

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15 pages, 4803 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Dietary Resveratrol Butyrate Monoester Supplement Improves Hypertension and Kidney Dysfunction in a Young Rat Chronic Kidney Disease Model

by You-Lin Tain, Chi-I Chang, Chih-Yao Hou, Guo-Ping Chang-Chien, Sufan Lin and Chien-Ning Hsu

Nutrients 2023, 15(3), 635; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15030635 - 26 Jan 2023

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2105

Abstract

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) remains a public health problem. Certain dietary supplements can assist in the prevention of CKD progression. In this regard, resveratrol is a polyphenol and has a potential therapeutic role in alleviating CKD. We previously utilized butyrate in order to improve the bioavailability of resveratrol via esterification and generated a resveratrol butyrate monoester (RBM). In this study, the hypothesis that RBM supplementation is able to protect against kidney dysfunction and hypertension was tested by using an adenine-induced CKD model. For this purpose, three-week-old male Sprague Dawley rats (n = 40) were equally categorized into: group 1—CN (sham control); group 2—CKD (adenine-fed rats); group 3—REV (CKD rats treated with 50 mg/L resveratrol); group 4—MEL (CKD rats treated with 25 mg/L RBM); and group 5—MEH (CKD rats treated with 50 mg/L RBM). At the end of a 12-week period, the rats were then euthanized. The adenine-fed rats displayed hypertension and kidney dysfunction, which were attenuated by dietary supplementation with RBM. The CKD-induced hypertension coincided with: decreased nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability; augmented renal protein expression of a (pro)renin receptor and angiotensin II type 1 receptor; and increased oxidative stress damage. Additionally, RBM and resveratrol supplementation shaped distinct gut microbiota profiles in the adenine-treated CKD rats. The positive effect of high-dose RBM was shown together with an increased abundance of the genera Duncaniella, Ligilactobacillus, and Monoglobus, as well as a decrease in Eubacterium and Schaedierella. Importantly, the mechanism of action of the RBM supplementation may be related to the restoration of NO, rebalancing of the RAS, a reduction in oxidative stress, and alterations to the gut microbiota. Moreover, RBM supplementation shows promise for the purposes of improving CKD outcomes and hypertension. As such, further translation to human studies is warranted. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diet and Disease Development: Mechanisms, Prevention and Treatment)

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Review

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22 pages, 1209 KiB

Open AccessReview

Can Nutrition Contribute to a Reduction in Sarcopenia, Frailty, and Comorbidities in a Super-Aged Society?

by Sadao Yoshida, Ryo Shiraishi, Yuki Nakayama and Yasuko Taira

Nutrients 2023, 15(13), 2991; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15132991 - 30 Jun 2023

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 4516

Abstract

Many countries are facing the advent of super-aging societies, where sarcopenia and frailty will become pertinent problems. The prevalence of comorbidities is a major problem in countries with aged populations as elderly people suffer from various diseases, such as diabetes, heart failure, chronic kidney disease and dementia. All of these diseases are associated with sarcopenia and frailty, and they frequently cause falls, fractures, and a decline in activities of daily living. Fractures in the elderly people are associated with bone fragility, which is influenced by diabetes and chronic kidney disease. Nutritional support for chronic disease patients and sarcopenic individuals with adequate energy and protein intake, vitamin D supplementation, blood glucose level management for individuals with diabetes, obesity prevention, nutritional education for healthy individuals, and the enlightenment of society could be crucial to solve the health-related problems in super-aging societies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diet and Disease Development: Mechanisms, Prevention and Treatment)

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19 pages, 4470 KiB

Open AccessReview

The Involvement of Intestinal Tryptophan Metabolism in Inflammatory Bowel Disease Identified by a Meta-Analysis of the Transcriptome and a Systematic Review of the Metabolome

by Shan Wang, Frederik-Jan van Schooten, Han Jin, Daisy Jonkers and Roger Godschalk

Nutrients 2023, 15(13), 2886; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15132886 - 26 Jun 2023

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2481

Abstract

Evidence is emerging for the role of intestinal tryptophan metabolism in the development of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). In order to identify the role of altered intestinal tryptophan metabolism in IBD pathogenesis, a meta-analysis of the transcriptome was performed to identify differentially expressed genes involved in the tryptophan metabolism pathways in intestinal biopsies of IBD as compared to non-IBD controls. Moreover, a systematic review of the metabolome was performed to identify the concurrent changes in tryptophan metabolites. Integration of the transcriptome and metabolome identified various alterations in intestinal tryptophan metabolism during active disease in IBD patients, including decreased intestinal tryptophan absorption, enhanced kynurenine pathway, increased interstitial serotonin availability, changed indole pathway, and activated aryl hydrocarbon receptor signaling. Therefore, a network of intestinal tryptophan metabolism pathways in IBD could be established, helping to assess the potential of genes and metabolites involved in these pathways as diagnostic markers and targets for IBD management. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diet and Disease Development: Mechanisms, Prevention and Treatment)

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