Search Results (349)

Climate change is expected to increase temperatures in agricultural producing regions, potentially affecting fruit development and quality. To date, the molecular responses of raspberry fruits to moderate warming under field conditions have not been explored. In this paper, raspberry plants (Rubus idaeus L. cv. Heritage) growing in two contrasting agroclimatic regions of Chile were exposed to a moderate increase in temperature during fruit development. Fruit phenotyping, histological analyses, and RNA sequencing were used to evaluate physiological and transcriptomic responses to warming. Elevated temperature increased fruit weight and fruit dimensions in both orchards and was associated with larger drupelet and cell areas, which was accompanied by reduced cell density. Moreover, transcriptomic analyses revealed marked differences in gene expression responses between raspberries fruits from different locations with only a small number of heat-responsive genes shared across locations. Nevertheless, the common enrichment of oxylipin-related processes was observed, suggesting a conserved response. In addition, a combined treatment model identified the enrichment of processes like ribosome biogenesis, RNA metabolism, cell cycle regulation, cytokinesis, and structural cellular remodeling. These transcriptional changes were consistent with the cellular phenotypes observed in heat-treated fruits. Overall, our results show that moderate warming promotes larger raspberry fruits through changes in cellular organization, while the underlying molecular responses are strongly influenced by agroclimatic context. Full article

Grape marc (Vitis labrusca), a major by-product of the winemaking industry, is generated in large quantities and represents a promising source of bioactive compounds. This residue is particularly rich in phenolic metabolites associated with antioxidant activity. In this study, supercritical CO₂ extraction was investigated as a sustainable strategy for the recovery of bioactive compounds from Vitis labrusca grape marc. A 2⁴⁻¹ fractional factorial design was employed to evaluate the effects of temperature (30–60 °C), pressure (137.9–275.8 bar), ethanol concentration (0–10 wt%), and particle size (116–601 µm) on extraction yield, total phenolic content (TPC), and antioxidant capacity (AC). Extraction performance was strongly influenced by operating conditions, revealing a clear trade-off between recovery and selectivity. The highest extraction yield (8.3 wt%) was obtained using 10 wt% ethanol as co-solvent, whereas the highest antioxidant capacity (365.3 µmol TE/g extract) was achieved under neat CO₂ conditions. TPC values reached approximately 69 mg GAE/g extract and were significantly affected by the combined effects of temperature, particle size, and ethanol concentration. The results revealed two distinct extraction regimes: a high-recovery regime promoted by ethanol addition and a high-selectivity regime under neat CO₂ conditions. Representative extracts were further characterized by UHPLC-QTOF-MS/MS. Ethanol-modified extraction was associated with higher relative abundance and diversity of flavonoids, stilbenes, and phenolic acids, whereas neat CO₂ extraction favored lipophilic metabolites such as oxylipins and unsaturated fatty acids. Selected operating conditions were successfully reproduced at pilot scale, supporting the scalability of the process. Overall, the results demonstrate that supercritical CO₂ extraction can be tailored to recover bioactive compounds from grape marc as extracts with distinct chemical profiles and provide a viable strategy for the valorization of Vitis labrusca winemaking residues. Full article

The edible seeds of pumpkin plants (genus Cucurbita) are becoming increasingly appreciated as functional foods for their nutritional benefits, medicinal properties, and bioactive compounds, including lipids, proteins, and antioxidants. Particularly, the naked seeds of Cucurbita pepo var. styriaca have proved to yield both an edible oil showing anti-inflammatory properties in treating skin disorders and hydro-alcoholic extracts effective in inhibiting the growth of cancer cells. In this study, a detailed and extensive analysis of the eco-friendly alcoholic extract of the seeds of this variety was accomplished by using LC-HRMSMS techniques, with the main aim to broaden the knowledge on bioactive lipids other than the already reported fatty acids. The obtained results highlighted the occurrence of numerous compounds belonging to different classes of polar and neutral lipids, such as phospholipids, sphingolipids, glycolipids, acylglycerols, and oxylipins. Noteworthily, a significant presence of Cer-(EO)LCBs, i.e., Cer-EOS-type ceramides with different long chain base (LCB) and fatty acid composition, was detected, representing a real novelty for pumpkin. Additionally, a good number of multiflorane-type triterpenoids were detected, only some of which were previously reported in this plant. These findings highlight the nutraceutical value of these edible seeds. Full article

Background: Retinoid signaling is implicated in regulating membrane-bound polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), which serve as substrates for oxylipin biosynthesis. Dysregulated vitamin A status and altered oxylipin profiles have both been associated with the development of metabolic diseases. However, whether early-life vitamin A deficiency (VAD) causally influences oxylipin metabolism and liver health remains unclear. Methods: C57BL/6J mouse pups were exposed to either a vitamin A-deficient (VD) or vitamin A-replete (VR) AIN-93G-based diet during the fetal and suckling periods, and they weremaintained on the same diet from weaning (3 weeks of age) to 9 weeks of age. Oxylipin composition in plasma, liver and cerebral tissues was analyzed by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry. Hepatic and cerebral expressions of genes involved in inflammation, phospholipid and PUFA catabolism, and oxylipin synthesis were analyzed using RT-qPCR. Results: Dietary deprivation induced severe VAD, which significantly altered 21 oxylipins in the liver and 34 oxylipins in the cerebrum, but did not affect the plasma oxylipin profile. In the liver, all altered oxylipins were elevated by VAD, the majority being ω-6-derived species with pro-inflammatory properties. In contrast, 27 altered oxylipins were lower in the VD cerebrum, including more ω-3-derived species. Multivariate analysis identified 11,12-EpETrE, 8,9-EpETrE, and 20-HETE as key hepatic oxylipins distinguishing VAD. VAD also altered hepatic expression of genes involved in membrane phospholipid remodeling (PNPLA8, PLA2G6, LPCAT3), and oxylipin metabolism (ALOX5, EPHX2), and it upregulated inflammatory signaling in the liver only, while fibrosis markers (TGFB1, COL1A1) remained unchanged. Conclusions: These findings demonstrate that early-life VAD is associated with tissue-specific alterations in oxylipin metabolism and hepatic inflammatory responses. Full article

Serum and plasma are the most widely used matrices in metabolomics and human biomonitoring studies; however, the optimal matrix for integrated non-targeted analysis (NTA) workflows combining metabolomics and exposomics has not been systematically evaluated. This pilot study applied parallel NTA workflows to paired serum and plasma samples from five individuals to characterize matrix-dependent differences and provide an empirical basis for matrix selection in integrated studies. Three analytical methods were employed: one metabolomic method (Method 1) using Hydrophilic Interaction Liquid Chromatography (HILIC) and Reversed-Phase Liquid Chromatography (RPLC) columns and one exposomics (Method 2) method using an RPLC column, each analyzed in both electrospray ionization (ESI) positive and negative modes. Overall, serum and plasma showed broad similarity, with substantial overlap in detected features and strong linear correlations between paired samples (R² = 0.70–0.87). However, PCA revealed systematic differences between the two matrices along PC1 and PC2, likely attributable to matrix effects arising from coagulation-related compositional changes in serum. For metabolomics, glycerophospholipids, sphingolipids, and acylcarnitines were consistently enriched in serum, attributable to platelet activation and phospholipase release during blood coagulation, consistent with prior reports. In contrast, oxidized fatty acid species were predominantly elevated in plasma, warranting caution in oxylipin-focused studies using serum. For exogenous chemical profiling, the two matrices performed comparably, with 32 out of 36 annotated features showing no significant matrix-dependent differences (p > 0.05), including PFAS, pharmaceuticals, and diverse xenobiotics. These findings support the interchangeability of serum and plasma for broad exposomics studies. Overall, while both matrices provided broadly comparable global coverage, plasma may represent a more appropriate matrix for integrated NTA workflows, as it better preserves in vivo metabolite composition and minimizes coagulation-induced confounding, though validation in larger cohorts is needed. Full article

Qualitative liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (UHPLC–MS) and NMR analysis of the diethyl ether extract of the aerial part of Eryngium dichotomum plant belonging to the Apiaceae family led to the putative identification of phenolic acids, flavonoid glycosides, triterpenoid saponins, fatty acids, and oxylipins. The tentative identification of several secondary metabolites by UHPLC–MS analysis was further confirmed by compound isolation and comprehensive spectroscopic characterization using 2D NMR and mass spectrometry, leading to the elucidation of seven compounds, a mixture of two hydroxy fatty acids, namely (Z,E)-13-hydroxyoctadeca-9,11-dienoic acid (1) and (E)-13-hydroxyoctadec-11-enoic acid (2); two C17 polyacetylenes, (E)-heptadeca-1,10-dien-4,6-diyne-3,8,9-triol (3), and falcarinol ((Z)-1,9-heptadeca-1,9-dien-4,6-diyn-3-ol) (4); glycerol monopalmitate (5) and two flavonoid glycosides, kaempferol 3-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1 → 6)-O-β-D-galactopyranoside (6), and quercetin 3-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1 → 6)-O-β-D-galactopyranoside (7). Furthermore, the antioxidant activity of the n-butanol and the diethyl ether extracts of the species were evaluated using the DPPH, FRAP, and ABTS assays. In addition, the anticancer activity of the major falcarinol-type polyacetylene was assessed against A375 human melanoma cells. Full article

Background/Objectives. The modern Western diet (MWD) provides high linoleic acid (LA) exposure, typically contributing 6–9% of the total caloric intake. These high LA levels have fueled a longstanding debate about whether this dietary pattern confers benefit or risk. Importantly, LA intake is disproportionately elevated among lower socioeconomic populations due to greater reliance on industrial seed oils and ultra-processed foods. Despite decades of research, controlled dietary intervention studies directly evaluating the biological consequences of varying LA exposure remain limited. Methods. The current randomized, double-blind intervention (ClinicalTrials.gov; NCT02962128; 11 November 2016) compared the effects of a 12-week Low-LA diet (2.5% energy) versus a High-LA diet (10.0% energy) in healthy adults. Outcomes included plasma concentrations of highly unsaturated fatty acids (HUFAs) and ex vivo zymosan-stimulated whole-blood oxylipin generation. Results. Fifty-two participants completed the intervention. High LA exposure resulted in marked reductions in plasma n-3 eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and eicosatetraenoic acid (ETA) concentrations compared with the Low-LA arm. Docosapentaenoic acid (DPA) was also significantly lower in weeks 4 and 8. In contrast, levels of the n-6 HUFA arachidonic acid (ARA) did not differ with dietary LA exposure. Conclusions. HUFA and oxylipin analyses revealed that higher dietary LA markedly increased the ratios of ARA to EPA and ARA- to EPA-derived oxylipin species, shifting the lipid mediator balance toward a more n-6-dominant inflammatory profile. Full article

Background/Objectives: Lipidomics has become a key component of systems biology, enabling comprehensive characterisation of lipid species and their roles in health and disease. As regulators of membrane architecture, energy balance, inflammation, and cellular signalling, lipids offer a powerful framework for understanding metabolic dysfunction. In veterinary medicine, however, lipidomics remains comparatively underdeveloped. In cats, lipid metabolism is central to disorders such as hepatic lipidosis, cystitis, obesity, diabetes mellitus, and chronic inflammatory enteropathies, yet available data remain limited. This systematic review synthesised current evidence on lipidomics and lipid-focused profiling in feline disease and identified lipid alterations with potential clinical relevance. Methods: Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Scopus were searched for original studies (1994–2026) evaluating lipidomics or lipid-focused profiling in cats. Eligible studies assessed lipid species, fatty acids, lipid mediators, or lipoproteins in disease or physiological states. Owing to methodological heterogeneity, findings were synthesised narratively. Results: Seventeen studies met inclusion criteria, covering hepatic, urinary, gastrointestinal, renal, neurological, oncological, metabolic, and pharmacologically modulated conditions. Recurring alterations involved lipoproteins, triglycerides, phospholipids, sphingolipids, fatty acids, and oxylipins. More consistent patterns emerged in hepatic lipidosis, where lipoprotein disturbances may aid diagnosis; in lower urinary tract disease, where PUFA-derived oxylipins differentiated bacterial from idiopathic cystitis; and in obesity, where phospholipid and triglyceride shifts reflected metabolic risk. Fatty acid remodelling in chronic enteropathies aligned with mucosal inflammation, while sphingolipid changes in neurological disease correlated with severity. Heterogeneity in analytical platforms, dietary control, and study design limited comparability. Conclusions: Feline lipidomics reveals biologically meaningful alterations with emerging diagnostic and prognostic value. Although still developing, lipid-focused approaches may enhance disease characterisation and support translational research. Larger, standardised studies and robust reference datasets are needed to validate lipid signatures for clinical implementation. Full article

This study presents the first tissue-resolved targeted metabolomic analysis of artificially cultivated Termitomyces upsilocystidiatus fruiting bodies using LC-MS/MS. We identified pronounced metabolic divergence between the pileus and stipe. The pileus was enriched in a nitrogen-recycling and antioxidant module, exemplified by L-citrulline (~13.5-fold higher than stipe, p < 0.01) and urea, while the stipe accumulates sulfur-derived and oxidized metabolites such as L-homocystine (~3.5-fold higher, p < 0.01) and methionine sulfoxide. Lipid profiles further distinguished the two tissues: the pileus featured high levels of linoleic acid-derived oxylipins, including 13(S)-HODE and 12(13)-DiHOME (~9.7-fold and ~303-fold enrichment, respectively, p < 0.01), suggesting a role in signaling and redox buffering. In contrast, the stipe preferentially accumulated oxidized eicosanoids (e.g., 5-oxoETE) and thromboxane B1, indicative of a stress-responsive lipid network. Together, these metabolite-level observations support a tentative “pileus-synthesis/stipe-defense” dual-hub model. This work provides a quantitative metabolic framework for understanding tissue specialization in a symbiotic fungus and offers practical entry points for cultivation optimization and quality control of Termitomyces. Full article

The Mediterranean Sea harbors a rich diversity of macroalgae with pharmacological potential. In this study, antioxidant and antifungal activities of methanol and ethyl acetate extracts from Rugulopteryx okamurae, Dictyota fasciola, Batophora sp., Codium fragile, and Palisada tenerrima from the southeastern coast of Spain were evaluated. R. okamurae, Batophora sp. and C. fragile are non-native. All extracts exhibited antioxidant activity, particularly those obtained with methanol. R. okamurae and Batophora sp. showed the highest activity, inhibiting the DPPH· radical by more than 40% at 1 mg/mL. Methanolic extracts of R. okamurae and P. tenerrima showed in vitro fungistatic activity against the banana plant pathogenic fungus Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense tropical race 4. R. okamurae exhibited the highest antifungal activity, with inhibition values of 23.3% and 30.5% at 10 and 20 mg/well, respectively, while P. tenerrima showed moderate activity, and the remaining extracts had lower effects. LC–MS/MS analysis of R. okamurae revealed a diverse metabolite profile, including oxylipin-type metabolites and terpenoid-related compounds. These results indicate that macroalgae from the southeastern Spanish coast may represent a source of antioxidant and antifungal compounds and support the valorization of invasive biomass. Full article

The growing demand for sustainable alternative proteins has intensified interest in fungal mycelia as a nutrient-dense biomass for food applications. This study compared Pleurotus ostreatus fruiting bodies with mycelia grown in liquid state on amaranth seed- and Bambara groundnut-based media, evaluating aroma-active volatiles and amino acid composition. Across 52 identified volatiles, C8 oxylipin-derived compounds dominated all matrices, with exceptionally high odour activity values (OAVs) for 1-octen-3-one (~4.1 × 10³), 3-octanone (~1.5 × 10³), 1-octen-3-ol (~8.3 × 10²) and 3-octanol (~5.3 × 10²). Amaranth-grown mycelia showed intensified mushroom/green/fatty notes due to elevated C8 ketones and unsaturated aldehydes, whereas Bambara-grown mycelia exhibited reduced C8 prominence and stronger malty, nutty and fermented nuances driven by Ehrlich-pathway aldehydes (e.g., 3-methylbutanal ~2.0 × 10³), with floral contributions from linalool (~3.8 × 10²). Mycelial protein contents ranged from 35.8 to 36.1 g/100 g (amaranth) and up to 38.2 g/100 g (Bambara), compared with 39.5 g/100 g in the fruiting body. Amino acid scores (AAS) identified cystine + methionine as limiting; mycelia exhibited higher AAS, with more indispensable amino acids exceeding reference requirements. Elevated glutamic and aspartic acids underscore the umami potential of the mycelial biomass. Overall, these plant-based substrates can strategically modulate both flavour chemistry and amino acid balance in P. ostreatus mycelia, supporting their use as nutritionally relevant, flavour-active ingredients in alternative protein and hybrid food systems. Full article

Fatty acids serve dual roles in cardiac physiology: as energy substrates and as precursors of bioactive lipid mediators (prostaglandins, leukotrienes, oxylipins) from n-3/n-6 PUFAs that regulate inflammation, thrombosis, and remodeling. Saturated, monounsaturated, and trans fatty acids modulate metabolism and membrane function, thereby shaping these pathways. Clinically, n-3 long-chain PUFAs (EPA and DHA) reduce cardiovascular mortality and aid postischemic remodeling; however, high doses increase the risk of atrial fibrillation. By contrast, trans and saturated fatty acids promote dyslipidemia, dysfunction, and higher rates of coronary artery disease and heart failure. Mechanistically, fatty acid uptake via FABPpm, CD36 (FAT), and FATPs, along with β-oxidation and PPAR signaling, regulates metabolism, while COX/LOX/CYP pathways generate eicosanoids and resolvins that influence inflammation and repair. This review synthesizes evidence on the roles of fatty acids and oxylipins in lipotoxicity, heart failure, ischemia–reperfusion, and arrhythmias, and evaluates dietary and supplemental interventions to optimize cardiac lipid metabolism, aligning with fatty acid signaling. Full article

Alterations in sphingolipids (SLs), oxylipins (OLs) and cytokines (CKs) are central to neuroinflammation. However, the effects of low doses Fumonisins B (FBs) on these analytes in the avian brain remain unclear.This study investigated SLs, OLs, CKs, and the activities of phospholipase A2c (PLA2c) and cyclooxygenase 2 (COX2) in the brains of chickens exposed to FB at a nominally safe dose of 14.6 mg FB1 + FB2/kg for 14 and 21 days. Targeted LC-MS/MS analyses revealed that FB exposure increased brain concentrations of sphingosine, N-acetyl-sphingosine, sphingosine 1-phosphate (So1P), ceramides (Cers), and sphingomyelins (SM). The Cer:SM ratio was elevated at 14 days but normalized by 21 days, whereas the So1P:Cer ratio rose at 14 days and continued to increase at 21 days. These changes coincided with elevated PLA2c and COX2 activities. OL profiling indicated a modest rise in pro-inflammatory arachidonic acid-derived COX metabolites at 14 days, while anti-inflammatory OLs derived from COX and lipoxygenase (LOX) pathways, including PGE2, 15-HETE, and 17-HDHA, increased significantly at 21 days. In contrast, the levels of CKs changed only slightly. Brain concentrations of Fumonisin B1 (FB1) indicated increased blood–brain barrier permeability.These findings highlight a key role of Cers in modulating OL production in FB neurotoxicity. Full article

The deep physiological dormancy of Zanthoxylum armatum DC. seeds severely limits its seedling propagation efficiency. Variable temperature stratification is an effective treatment for promoting dormancy release; however, the metabolic basis underlying this process remains poorly understood. In this study, we utilized a UPLC-MS/MS-based untargeted metabolomics approach, coupled with multivariate statistical analyses (PCA and OPLS-DA), to profile metabolic changes in Z. armatum seeds subjected to variable temperature stratification in a moist sand substrate (15 °C in the dark for 10 days, followed by 4 °C for 20 days). A total of 3687 metabolic features were detected, among which 33 structurally annotated differential metabolites were retained for biological interpretation, including 8 upregulated and 25 downregulated metabolites. Pathway enrichment analysis indicated that α-linolenic acid metabolism and linoleic acid metabolism were markedly altered after stratification. In particular, 9-(S)-HPOTE, colneleate, jasmonic acid (JA), and JA-ACC were significantly reduced, suggesting that attenuation of JA-related oxylipin metabolism may be associated with dormancy release in Z. armatum seeds. In addition, coordinated changes in phenylpropanoid- and cutin/wax-related metabolites implied remodeling of seed-coat-associated metabolism, whereas the accumulation of branched-chain amino acids and the alteration of sulfur- and purine-related metabolites suggested reorganization of metabolic reserves during the transition from dormancy to germination. Overall, these results provide metabolomic evidence that variable temperature stratification is associated with extensive metabolic reprogramming in Z. armatum seeds and highlight JA-related lipid metabolism as a candidate pathway involved in dormancy release. Full article

Sepsis is a life-threatening syndrome driven by dysregulated immune activation and multi-organ dysfunction, with limited effective therapies. Oxylipins are endogenous lipid mediators that promote the resolution of inflammation and tissue repair, yet their therapeutic potential in systemic inflammatory diseases remains incompletely understood. In this study, we evaluated the effects of two oxylipins, 10-epi-Protectin DX (10-epi-PDX) and Resolvin D5_{n-3 DPA} (RvD5_{n-3 DPA}), in a lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced murine endotoxemia model. Given that this model recapitulates key features of systemic inflammation and multi-organ injury relevant to sepsis-associated conditions, oxylipin effects were assessed across major organs implicated in systemic inflammatory pathology. Administration of either oxylipin significantly reduced systemic tissue injury and inflammatory damage in the lungs, kidneys, and liver. These protective effects were accompanied by suppression of inflammatory responses and marked improvements in histopathological outcomes. These findings indicate that 10-epi-PDX and RvD5_{n-3 DPA} possess organ-protective, anti-inflammatory properties in endotoxemia and support further investigation of their potential as therapeutic candidates for limiting systemic inflammatory injury. Full article