Search Results (13)

Matcha is a very popular tea food around the world, being widely used in the food, beverage, health food, and cosmetic industries, among others. At present, matcha shade covering methods, matcha superfine powder processing technology, and digital evaluations of matcha flavor quality are receiving research attention. However, research on the differences in flavor and quality characteristics of matcha from the same tea tree variety from different typical regions in China is relatively weak and urgently required. Taking Japan Shizuoka matcha (R) as a reference, the differences in sensory quality characteristics and non-volatile substances of matcha processed with the same tea variety from different regions in China were analyzed. The samples were China Hangzhou matcha (Z1), China Wuyi matcha (Z2), China Enshi matcha (H), and China Tongren matcha (G), which represent the typical matcha of eastern, central, and western China. A total of 1131 differential metabolites were identified in the matcha samples, comprising 118 flavonoids, 14 tannins, 365 organic acids, 42 phenolic acids, 22 alkaloids, 39 saccharides, 208 amino acids and derivatives, 17 lignans and coumarins, seven quinones, 44 nucleotides and derivatives, 14 glycerophospholipids, two glycolipids, 15 alcohols and amines, 140 benzenes and substituted derivatives, 38 terpenoids, 30 heterocyclic compounds, and 15 lipids. Kaempferol-7-O-rhamnoside, 3,7-Di-O-methylquercetin, epigallocatechin gallate, epicatechin gallate, and epigallocatechin were detected in Z1, Z2, H, and G. A total of 1243 metabolites differed among Z1, Z2, and R. A total of 1617 metabolites differed among G, H, and R. The content of non-volatile difference metabolites of Z2 was higher than that of Z1. The content of non-volatile difference metabolites of G was higher than that of H. The 20 key differential non-volatile metabolites of Z1, Z2, G, and H were screened out separately. The types of non-volatile flavor differential metabolites of G and H were more numerous than those of Z1 and Z2. The metabolic pathways, biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, biosynthesis of co-factors, flavonoid biosynthesis, biosynthesis of amino acids, biosynthesis of various plant secondary metabolites, and purine metabolism of metabolic pathways were the main KEGG pathways. This study provides new insights into the differences in metabolite profiles among typical Chinese matcha geographic regions with the same tea variety. Full article

Glucose and lipid metabolism disorders are the core pathological mechanism of a variety of metabolic diseases, and the incidence of related diseases is increasing year by year, which seriously threatens human life and health. Traditional Chinese medicine with medicinal and edible properties refers to Chinese medicinal resources that have both medicinal and edible characteristics. Due to its safety and its health-promoting and medicinal functions, traditional Chinese medicine has received increasing attention in the development of functional health foods. Phenolic acids are important secondary metabolites that are ubiquitous in medicinal and edible homologous plants, and the regulation of glycolipid metabolism is an important activity and plays a key role in many diseases. In this paper, we focus on the alleviation of glycolipid disorders using MEHH phenolic acids, which regulate glucose metabolism and lipid metabolism, improve insulin resistance, inhibit inflammatory responses, alleviate oxidative stress, and regulate intestinal flora; additionally, we summarize the mechanism in order to provide a reference for MEHH phenolic acids in the treatment of glycolipid metabolism diseases. Full article

Leprosy is a poverty-associated infectious disease in humans caused by Mycobacterium leprae or M. lepromatosis, often resulting in skin and peripheral nerve damage, which remains a significant public health concern in isolated areas of low- and middle-income countries. Previous studies reported leprosy in red squirrels in the British Isles, despite the fact that autochthonous human cases have been absent for centuries in this region. To investigate the extent of M. leprae and M. lepromatosis presence in wild red squirrels in the northern UK, we analyzed 220 blood/body cavity fluid samples from opportunistically sampled red squirrels (2004–2023) for specific antibodies against phenolic glycolipid-I, a cell wall component specific for these leprosy bacilli. Additionally, we assessed bacillus-derived DNA by real-time PCR (qPCR) in 250 pinnae from the same cohort. M. lepromatosis and M. leprae DNA were detected by qPCR in 20.4% and 0.8% of the squirrels, respectively. No cases of co-detection were observed. Detectable levels of anti-PGL-I antibodies by UCP-LFA were observed in 52.9% of animals with the presence of M. lepromatosis determined by qPCR, and overall in 15.5% of all animals. In total, 22.6% (n = 296) of this UK cohort had at least some exposure to leprosy bacilli. Our study shows that leprosy bacilli persist in red squirrels in the northern UK, emphasizing the necessity for ongoing molecular and serological monitoring to study leprosy ecology in red squirrels, gain insight into potential zoonotic transmission, and to determine whether the disease has a conservation impact on this endangered species. Full article

Tuberculosis (TB), caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), remains a public health issue, particularly due to multi-drug-resistant Mtb. The bacillus is wrapped in a waxy envelope containing lipids acting as essential virulence factors, accounting for the natural antibiotic resistance of mycobacteria. Telacebec (previously known as Q203) is a promising new anti-TB agent inhibiting the cytochrome bc₁ complex of a mycobacterial electron transport chain (ETC). Here, we show that the telacebec-challenged M. bovis BCG exhibited a reduced expression of proteins involved in the synthesis of phthiocerol dimycocerosates (PDIMs)/phenolic glycolipids (PGLs), lipid virulence factors associated with cell envelope impermeability. Consistently, telacebec, at concentrations lower than its MIC, downregulated the transcription of a PDIM/PGL-synthesizing operon, suggesting a metabolic vulnerability triggered by the drug. The drug was able to synergize on BCG with rifampicin or vancomycin, the latter being a drug exerting a marginal effect on PDIM-bearing bacilli. Telacebec at a concentration higher than its MIC had no detectable effect on cell wall PDIMs, as shown by TLC analysis, a finding potentially explained by the retaining of previously synthesized PDIMs due to the inhibition of growth. The study extends the potential of telacebec, demonstrating an effect on mycobacterial virulence lipids, allowing for the development of new anti-TB strategies. Full article

Peripheral nerves and Schwann cells (SCs) are privileged and protected sites for initial colonization, survival, and spread of leprosy bacillus. Mycobacterium leprae strains that survive multidrug therapy show a metabolic inactivation that subsequently induces the recurrence of typical clinical manifestations of leprosy. Furthermore, the role of the cell wall phenolic glycolipid I (PGL-I) in the M. leprae internalization in SCs and the pathogenicity of M. leprae have been extensively known. This study assessed the infectivity in SCs of recurrent and non-recurrent M. leprae and their possible correlation with the genes involved in the PGL-I biosynthesis. The initial infectivity of non-recurrent strains in SCs was greater (27%) than a recurrent strain (6.5%). In addition, as the trials progressed, the infectivity of the recurrent and non-recurrent strains increased 2.5- and 2.0-fold, respectively; however, the maximum infectivity was displayed by non-recurrent strains at 12 days post-infection. On the other hand, qRT-PCR experiments showed that the transcription of key genes involved in PGL-I biosynthesis in non-recurrent strains was higher and faster (Day 3) than observed in the recurrent strain (Day 7). Thus, the results indicate that the capacity of PGL-I production is diminished in the recurrent strain, possibly affecting the infective capacity of these strains previously subjected to multidrug therapy. The present work opens the need to address more extensive and in-depth studies of the analysis of markers in the clinical isolates that indicate a possible future recurrence. Full article

The cyanobacterium Arthrospira platensis (Spirulina platensis) is a natural source of considerable amounts of ingredients that are relevant for nutra- and pharmaceutical uses. Different hydrophilic and hydrophobic substances can be obtained by extraction from the biomass. The respective extraction techniques determine the composition of substances in the extract and thus its biological activity. In this short review, we provide an overview of the hydrophilic compounds (phenols, phycobiliproteins, polysaccharides, and vitamins) and lipophilic ingredients (chlorophylls, vitamins, fatty acids, and glycolipids) of Arthrospira platensis. The principal influences of these substances on blood and tissue cells are briefly summarized. Full article

Background: Leprosy is a neglected tropical disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae, leading to disabilities if untreated. The ELISA based on phenolic glycolipid I (PGL-I), or its synthetic version ND-O-BSA, is almost universally positive in multibacillary leprosy and thus extensively used in endemic countries. Household contacts with a positive antibody titer have ~6-fold higher probability to develop the disease than those with a negative titer. Thus, the aim of the study was to evaluate the performance of this ELISA in the setting of a non-endemic country. Methods: We calculate the cut-off using optimized O.D. thresholds, generated by receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve analysis, testing 39 well-characterized sera obtained from lepromatous leprosy patients with strongly positive ND-O-BSAELISA titer and 39 sera from healthy non-endemic patients never exposed to M. leprae or M. tuberculosis. Indeed, we tested a second set of sera from suspected or confirmed leprosy or household contacts (SLALT group, n=50), and patients with tuberculosis (control group, n=40). Results: We detected 56.4% of SLALT and 22.5% of tuberculosis as positive, consistent with the literature. Conclusion: The ELISA based on ND-O-BSA may thus be considered a good option to be used in a non-endemic area as a screening tool in at risk population usually coming to our center. Full article

Biosurfactant is a biodegradation accelerator that improves bioavailability and facilitates degradation by microorganisms. The study was meant to produce a novel biosurfactant molecule from Bacillussafensis YKS2. An efficient biosurfactant-producing strain, namely, Bacillus safensis YKS2, was selected using hemolytic activity, drop collapsing test, oil spreading test and blue agar plate methods in four oil-degrading strains isolated from a soil sample. Biosurfactant production in the optimization of bacteria culture conditions by RSM is a statistical grouping technique that is analyzed using the AVOVA approach to surface tention. In addition, the study was characterized by UV spectrophotometer FT-IR, HR-SEM, and GC-MS analyses to explain its structural and chemical details. Wastewater treatment was monitored for pH, EC, turbidity, alkalinity, chemical oxygen demand (COD), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and dissolved oxygen (DO) in order to justify the efficacy of the biosurfactant during wastewater treatment. The results of the UV spectrophotometer showed absorption at 530 nm, and the FT-IR analyzed carboxylic acids, alcohol and phenols groups, whichthe GC-MS analysis indicated were lipopeptide purified by hexadecanoic andtetradecanoic processes, respectively. The results show that the wastewater removal efficiency of 70% wasachieved within 24 h. In comparison, metagenomics was conducted during the treatment process to identify changes in the microbial load and diversity, which essentially indicatethe biosurfactant performance of the wastewater treatment process. The microbial load in the treated biosurfactant wastewater (84,374 sequences) was greatly decreased compared to untreated wastewater (139,568 sequences). It was concluded that B. safensis YKS2, producing a glycolipid form of biosurfactant, has possible benefits in the remediation of wastewater, and can be used for large-scale processing inbiosurfactant industries. Full article

Background: East Java has become one of the provinces that have higher prevalence of leprosy, especially in the coastal region. Environment has also influenced for leprosy transmission and early detection could reduce the incidence rate of new leprosy cases. Epidemiological studies of leprosy in children can give an illustration of the important aspects of the environment. Presence of Mycobacterium leprae (M. leprae) DNA in nasal swabs and seropositivity level among them can describe M. leprae exposure in that area. Objective: Analyzing PCR from nasal swab and seropositivity level among elementary school children between northern coast and southern coast of East Java province. Methods: Five hundred and thirty children in Pacitan and Lamongan were involved. Both areas are representation of northern and southern coastal region in East Java Province. After clinical examination, nasal swab and blood samples were obtained. ELISA test was performed to measure the titer of IgM anti Phenolic Glicolipid-1 (PGL-1) antibody then continued by PCR to detect M. leprae DNA. Results: From 301 students in Pacitan, 25 students (8.3%) are sero-positives and 9 students (2.9%) are PCR positives. from 229 students in Lamongan, 110 (48.3%) students are sero-positives and 49 students (21.4%) are PCR positives. Both are analyzed by Chi-Square, and from the PCR and ELISA, it concluded that there are statistically significant differences between the two regions. Conclusion: From study above shows that in the northern coast of East Java, incidence of subclinical leprosy is still high, it means that in this area still has a high risk of new cases of leprosy in the future and early detection tools need to performed as a preventative measure. Full article

The clinically important Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tb) and related mycobacterial pathogens use various virulence mechanisms to survive and cause disease in their hosts. Several well-established virulence factors include the surface-exposed lipids in the mycobacterial outer membrane, as well as the Esx family proteins and the Pro-Glu (PE)/ Pro-Pro-Glu (PPE) family proteins secreted by type VII secretion systems (T7SS). Five ESX T7SS exist in M. tb and three—EsxA secretion system-1 (ESX-1), ESX-3, and ESX-5—have been implicated in virulence, yet only the structures of ESX-3 and ESX-5 have been solved to date. Here, we summarize the current research on three outer membrane lipids—phthiocerol dimycocerosates, phenolic glycolipids, and sulfolipids—as well as the secretion machinery and substrates of three mycobacterial T7SS—ESX-1, ESX-3, and ESX-5. We propose a structural model of the M. tb ESX-1 system based on the latest structural findings of the ESX-3 and ESX-5 secretion apparatuses to gain insight into the transport mechanism of ESX-associated virulence factors. Full article

Human gut microbiota has been increasingly recognized as a pivotal determinant of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Apart from the changes in the composition of gut microbiota, the components and metabolites derived from intestinal microbiota have emerged as key factors in modulating the pathological process of NAFLD. Compelling evidences have revealed that gut microbiota generates a variety of bioactive substances that interact with the host liver cells through the portal vein. These substances include the components derived from bacteria such as lipopolysaccharides, peptidoglycan, DNA, and extracellular vesicles, as well as the metabolites ranging from short-chain fatty acids, indole and its derivatives, trimethylamine, secondary bile acids, to carotenoids and phenolic compounds. The mechanisms underlying the hepatic responses to the bioactive substances from gut bacteria have been associated with the regulation of glycolipid metabolism, immune signaling response, and redox homeostasis. Illuminating the interplay between the unique factors produced from gut microbiome and the liver will provide a novel therapeutical target for NAFLD. The current review highlights the recent advances on the mechanisms by which the key ingredients and metabolites from gut microbiota modulate the development and progression of NAFLD. Full article

The marine environment supports a remarkable diversity of organisms which are a potential source of natural products with biological activities. These organisms include a wide variety of marine plants (from micro- to macrophytes), which have been used in the food and pharmaceutical industry. However, the biochemistry and biological activities of many of these macrophytes (namely macroalgae and halophytes, including seagrasses) are still far from being fully explored. Most popular bioactive components include polysaccharides, peptides, phenolics and fatty acids (FAs). Polar lipids (glycolipids, phospholipids and betaine lipids) are emerging as novel value-added bioactive phytochemicals, rich in n-3 FA, with high nutritional value and health beneficial effects for the prevention of chronic diseases. Polar lipids account various combinations of polar groups, fatty acyl chains and backbone structures. The polar lipidome of macrophytes is remarkably diverse, and its screening represents a significant analytical challenge. Modern research platforms, particularly mass spectrometry (MS)-based lipidomic approaches, have been recently used to address this challenge and are here reviewed. The application of lipidomics to address lipid composition of marine macrophytes will contribute to the stimulation of further research on this group and foster the exploration of novel applications. Full article

We isolated a high-purity carp glycophorin from carp erythrocyte membranes following extraction using the lithium diiodosalicylate (LIS)-phenol method and streptomycin treatment. The main carp glycophorin was observed to locate at the position of the carp and human band-3 proteins on an SDS-polyacrylamide gel. Only the N-glycolylneuraminic acid (NeuGc) form of sialic acid was detected in the carp glycophorin. The oligosaccharide fraction was separated into two components (P-1 and P-2) using a Glyco-Pak DEAE column. We observed bacteriostatic activity against five strains of bacteria, including two known fish pathogens. Fractions from the carp erythrocyte membrane, the glycophorin oligosaccharide and the P-1 also exhibited bacteriostatic activity; whereas the glycolipid fraction and the glycophorin fraction without sialic acid did not show the activity. The carp glycophorin molecules attach to the flagellum of V. anguillarum or the cell surface of M. luteus and inhibited bacterial growth. Full article