Demonstration of safety characteristics and effects on gut microbiota of Lactobacillus gasseri HMV18

Human normal flora is a source of probiotics.The safety characteristics of a specific isolate determine its application in foods or drugs.The food-borne-pathogen antagonist strain Lactobacillus gasseri HMV18 is one of the isolates from normal human flora.In this work,we assessed the in vitro pH tolerance,bile tolerance,biogenic amine production,mucin utilization,and safety of in vivo administration to mice to evaluate general health,organ-body weight index,organ histopathological change,whether L.gasseri HMV18 can colonize in the gut or modulate the gut microbiota after oral administration.The results suggest that L.gasseri HMV18 can tolerate pH 3 for 2 h,3%bile for 3 h,biogenic amine negative,mucin usage negative,does not encode verified toxins,and cause no visible change in mice's organs.L.gasseri HMV18 might not colonize in mice's gut,but can significantly affect the structure of gut microbiota.A bibliographical survey suggested that there were as few as 8 opportunistic infection cases from 1984 to 2022 and that the possibility for L.gasseri to cause infection is relatively low.Therefore,this work provides a basis for the foods or drugs application of L.gasseri HMV18 and gives a map of experiments for the safety assessment of probiotics.

Flowers: precious food and medicine resources

Flower plants are popular all over the world and important sources of ornamental plants,bioactive molecules and nutrients.Flowers have a wide range of biological activities and beneficial pharmacological effects.Flowers and their active ingredients are becoming more and more popular in the preparation of food,drugs and industrial products.This paper summarizes the active ingredients,pharmacological activities and applications in the pharmaceutical and food industries of flower plants in recent years.In addition,the possible molecular mechanism of pharmacological effects of flower plants were also discussed.302 active constituents from 55 species of flower plants were summarized,including flavonoids(115),terpenoids(90),phenylpropanoids(20),alkaloids(13),organic acids(27)and others(37).The pharmacological effects of flower plants are very extensive,mainly including antioxidant,anti-inflammatory,anti-tumor,anti-virus,and hypoglycemic.The mechanisms of anti-inflammatory,anti-tumor and hypoglycemic activities present the characteristics of multi-way and multi-target.Because of its rich nutrients,bioactive ingredients and plant essential oils,and its wide sources,flower plants are widely used in food,beverage,cosmetics and drug research.Flower plants also play an important role in pharmaceutical industry,food industry and other fields.

Determination of egg and milk allergen in food products by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry based on signature peptides and isotope-labeled internal standard

The aim of this work was to develop a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method for the determination of milk allergen and egg allergen in food products.Signature peptides GGLEPINFQTAADQAR,VGINYWLAHK,VLVLDTDYK,FFVAPFPEVFGK,and NAVPITPTLNR were confirmed and synthesized as the quantitative peptide of ovalbumin,α-lactalbumin,β-lactoglobulin,α_(S1)-casein andα_(S2)-casein,the relative isotope-labeled internal standards were used in the quantitative analysis.Linear range was in the range of0.5-5000.0 nmol/L for egg and milk allergen in bread,cake,cookie,rice crust and wheat flour samples with free from egg and milk,the limits of detection of milk allergens and egg allergen were in the range between0.94 mg/100 g and 56.71 mg/100 g,limits of quantification of milk allergens and egg allergen were in the range between 2.36 mg/100 g and 141.78 mg/100 g.The recoveries ranged from 76.7%to 122.8%,the relative standard deviations were in the range of 1.60%-15.60%.The developed method has been successfully used for the detection of egg and milk allergen in various food samples.

Dietary polyphenols reduced the allergenicity ofβ-lactoglobulin via non-covalent interactions:a study on the structure-allergenicity relationship

Studies showed that complexation of polyphenols with milk allergens reduced their immunogenic potential.However,the relationship between structures of polyphenols and their hypoallergenic effects on milk allergens in association with physiological and conformational changes of the complexes remain unclear.In this study,polyphenols from eight botanical sources were extracted to prepare non-covalent complexes withβ-lactoglobulin(β-LG),a major allergen in milk.The dominant phenolic compounds bound toβ-LG with a diminished allergenicity were identified to investigate their respective role on the structural and allergenic properties ofβ-LG.Extracts from Vaccinium fruits and black soybeans were found to have great inhibitory effects on the IgE-and IgG-binding abilities ofβ-LG.Among the fourteen structure-related phenolic compounds,flavonoids and tannins with larger MWs and multi-hydroxyl substituents,notably rutin,EGCG,and ellagitannins were more potent to elicit changes on the conformational structures ofβ-LG to decrease the allergenicity of complexedβ-LG.Correlation analysis further demonstrated that a destabilized secondary structure and protein depolymerization caused by polyphenol-binding were closely related to the allergenicity property of formed complexes.This study provides insights into the understanding of structure-allergenicity relationship ofβ-LG-polyphenol interactions and would benefit the development of polyphenol-fortified matrices with hypoallergenic potential.

Adulteration detection of plant protein beverages by UPLC-MS/MS based on signature peptide of allergen

Plant protein beverage adulteration occurs frequently,which may cause health problems for consumers due to the hidden allergens.Hence,a novel method was developed for authentication by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry(UPLC-MS/MS).Almond,peanut,walnut and soybean were hydrolyzed,followed by separation by NanoLC-Triple TOF MS.The obtained fingerprints were identified by ProteinPilotTM combined with Uniprot,and 16 signature peptides were selected.Afterwards,plant protein beverages treated by trypsin hydrolysis were analyzed with UPLC-MS/MS.This method showed a good linear relationship with R2>0.99403.The limit of quantification(LOQ)were 0.015,0.01,0.5 and 0.05 g/L for almond,peanut,walnut and soybean,respectively.Mean recoveries ranged from 84.77%to 110.44%with RSDs<15%.The developed method was successfully applied to the adulteration detection of 31 plant protein beverages to reveal adulteration and false labeling.Conclusively,this method could provide technical support for authentication of plant protein beverages to protect the rights and health of consumers.

Intermittent fasting boosts antitumor immunity by restricting CD11b^(+)Ly6C^(low)Ly6G^(low) cell viability through glucose metabolism in murine breast tumor model

Intermittent fasting can benefit breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy or immunotherapy.However,it is still uncertain how to select immunotherapy drugs to combine with intermittent fasting.Herein we observed that two cycles of fasting treatment significantly inhibited breast tumor growth and lung tissue metastasis,as well as prolonged overall survival in mice bearing 4T1 and 4T07 breast cancer.During this process,both the immunosuppressive monocytic-(M-)and granulocytic-(G-)myeloid-derived suppressor cell(MDSC)decreased,accompanied by an increase in interleukin(IL)7R^(+)and granzyme B^(+)T cells in the tumor microenvironment.Interestingly,we observed that Ly6G^(low)G-MDSC sharply decreased after fasting treatment,and the cell surface markers and protein mass spectrometry data showed potential therapeutic targets.Mechanistic investigation revealed that glucose metabolism restriction suppressed the splenic granulocytemonocyte progenitor and the generation of colony-stimulating factors and IL-6,which both contributed to the accumulation of G-MDSC.On the other hand,glucose metabolism restriction can directly induce the apoptosis of Ly6G^(low)G-MDSC,but not Ly6G^(high)subsets.In summary,these results suggest that glucose metabolism restriction induced by fasting treatment attenuates the immune-suppressive milieu and enhances the activation of CD3^(+)T cells,providing potential solutions for enhancing immune-based cancer interventions.

Bakuchiol ameliorates glycolipid homeostasis by reducing inflammation

Inflammatory stimulation plays a significant role in the development and worsening of insulin-resistant diabetes.Therefore,it is crucial to identify therapeutic agents that can alleviate insulin resistance by targeting inflammation.Here,we present evidence that Bakuchiol(BL),a monoterpene phenolic compound first discovered from Psoralea corylifolia L.as traditional Chinese medicine,can effectively improve insulin resistance in diabetic mice through anti-inflammation.Our findings demonstrate that BL alleviates inflammation by inhibiting the toll-like receptor 4/nuclear factorκB/mitogen-activated protein kinase axis,consequently enhancing insulin receptor signaling through the c-Jun N-terminal kinase/suppressors of cytokine signaling 3/insulin receptor substrate1 pathway and improving glucolipid homeostasis.Furthermore,the insulin recovery achieved with BL(60 mg/kg)was comparable to that of metformin(200 mg/kg).These results provide further support for considering BL as a potential treatment option for insulin-resistant diabetes mellitus.

Rapid screening of 420 pesticide residues in fruits and vegetables using ultra high performance liquid chromatography combined with quadrupole-time of flight mass spectrometry

A new method for screening and identification 420 pesticide residues in fruits and vegetables by ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole-time of flight mass spectrometry(UPLC-Q-TOF/MS)were developed.The samples were extracted with acetonitrile/acetic acid(99:1,V/V),and clean-up by SinChERS-Nano(single-step,cheap,effective,rugged,safe,nano)column,determined by UPLC-Q-TOF/MS.The accurate mass database and MS/MS database which contains 420 pesticides were established,the automatic retrieval of detection results was carried on according to the accurate mass,retention time,isotope ratio,ion fragment information,and so on.Method verification was performed on leeks samples.The results showed that 420 pesticides had good linearity in the range of 0.1-100μg/L,and the correlation coeffificients(R2)was greater than 0.990.The limits of detections(LODs)and limits of quantifications(LOQs)of 420 pesticides were in range of 0.05-2.0 and 0.1-5.0μg/L,respectively.The average spike recoveries at 3 levels were 70.1%to 119.7%,and the relative standard deviations(RSD)were lower than 20%(n=6).With this method,a survey of pesticide residues was conducted for 110 samples of 10 different fruits and vegetables,which provided scientific data for ensuring pesticide residue safety of the fruits and vegetables consumed daily by the public.This method was simple,sensitive and accurate,and could be used for rapid screening of 420 pesticide residues in fruits and vegetables.

Switch of phosphorylation to O-GlcNAcylation of AhR contributes to vascular oxidative stress induced by benzo[a]pyrene

Benzo[a]pyrene(B[a]P)is a food contaminant toxic for cardiovascular diseases.The nuclear translocation of Arylhydrocarbon receptor(AhR)plays an important role in B[a]P-induced oxidative stress and vascular diseases.We confi rmed that B[a]P promoted ROS production in vascular smooth muscle cells(VSMCs)in vitro and in vivo,associated with the nuclear translocation of AhR.It is known that phosphorylation inhibits while dephosphorylation of AhR promotes nuclear translocation of AhR.However,from the posttranslational modifi cation level,the mechanism by which B[a]P activates and regulates the nuclear translocation of AhR is unclear.Co-immunoprecipitation results showed that cytoplasmic AhR was phosphorylated before B[a]P stimulation,and switched to O-GlcNAcylation upon B[a]P 1-h stimulation in VSMCs,suggesting there may be a competitively inhibitory relationship between O-GlcNAcylation and phosphorylation of AhR.Next,siRNAs of O-linked N-acetylglucosamine transferase(OGT),O-GlcNAcase(OGA)and OGA inhibitor PUGNAc were used.SiOGT blocks but siOGA and PUGNAc promote B[a]P-dependent AhR nuclear translocation and oxidative stress.Ser11 may be the competitive binding site for phosphorylation and O-GlcNAcylation of AhR.Phosphorylation-mimic variant inhibits but O-GlcNAcylation of AhR promotes AhR nuclear translocation and oxidative stress.Our fi ndings highlight a new perspective for AhR nuclear translocation regulated by the competitive modifi cation between phosphorylation and O-GlcNAcylation.

Lignans from Patrinia scabiosaefolia improve insulin resistance by activating PI-3K/AKT pathway and promoting GLUT4 expression

Patrinia scabiosaefolia,is used as wild vegetable in China for more than 2000 years,with a variety of pharmacological activities,including anti-inflammatory,anti-tumor and hypoglycemic.Based on our ongoing research on chemical constituents and hypoglycemic activity of P.scabiosaefolia,4 lignan compounds,(+)-isolariciresinol(1),7R,7’R,8S,8’S-(+)-neo-olivil-4-O-β-D-glucopyranoside(2),4-O-methylcedrusin(3)and patrinian A(4),were isolated and identifi ed.The hypoglycemic activity showed that compounds 2 and 3 could extremely signifi cantly improve insulin resistance at 100(P<0.001),50(P<0.001)and 25μmol/L(P<0.01)in IR 3T3-L1 cells.While compound 4 only promoted glucose uptake by IR 3T3-L1 cells at 100μmol/L(P<0.01).Western blotting experiments showed that compounds 2 and 4 up-regulated the protein expressions of p-IRS,PI-3K,p-AKT and glucose transporter 4(GLUT4),and promoted the transcription of GLUT4 mRNA.Therefore,the mechanisms of compounds 2 and 4 were presumed to improve IR by activating PI-3K/AKT signaling pathway.

Rapid analysis of fifteen sulfonamide residues in pork and fish samples by automated on-line solid phase extraction coupled to liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry

The aim of this work was to develop an automated on-line solid phase extraction(SPE)with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method for the detection of fifteen sulfonamides in pork and fish samples.Samples were extracted with 0.2%formic acid acetonitrile solution,purified by on-line SPE device with HLB column,then separated by XBridge C18 column,using 0.1%formic acid solution and acetonitrile as the mobile phase.Mass spectrometric data was acquired under multiple reaction monitoring(MRM)mode using positive ionization electrospray.Internal standard method was used in the quantification,good linear relationship was got in range of 0.1–100 ng/mL and correlation coefficient was higher than 0.9990.The limits of detection were in the range of 0.125–2.00g/kg and the limits of quantitation were in the range of 0.250–5.00g/kg.Recoveries of the method were in range of 78.3%–99.3%,relative standard deviation were lower than 10%.The method was simple,sensitivity,and could be used for routine supervision and analysis of fifteen sulfonamides in pork and fish.

Antrodia Cinnamomea ameliorates neointimal formation by inhibiting infl ammatory cell infi ltration through downregulation of adhesion molecule expression in vitro and in vivo

The increased vascular infl ammation is a key event in the development of atherosclerotic lesions.Antrodia cinnamomea has been shown to promote anticancerogenic activity through decreasing infl ammation.However,the potential role of A.cinnamomea in cardiovascular diseases remains unexplored.Herein,using carotid arterial ligation models,we found that ethanol extract from A.cinnamomea(EEAC)signifi cantly inhibited neointimal hyperplasia in a dose-dependent manner,accompanied with the reduced expression of activated p65 and infl ammatory cytokines.We also show that EEAC ameliorated TNF-α-induced phosphorylation of p65 and pro-infl ammatory cytokine expression in both vascular smooth muscle cells(VSMCs)and macrophages in vitro.Mechanistically,EEAC suppressed expression levels of intercellular adhesion molecule-1(ICAM-1)and vascular cell adhesion molecule(VCAM-1)in VSMCs,which attenuates the ability of monocytes/macrophages adhesion to VSMCs.Furthermore,the expression level of these adhesion molecules and infi ltration of monocytes/macrophages were also decreased in neointimal VSMCs of arteries pretreated with EEAC.Altogether,our results reveal a novel function of A.cinnamomea in suppressing vascular infl ammation upon ligation injury during neointimal formation,likely through inhibition of infl ammatory cell infi ltration via downregulating the adhesion molecules in VSMCs.Thus,A.cinnamomea may offer a pharmacological therapy to slow down disease progression in patients with vascular injury.

Simultaneous determination of 15 pesticide residues in Chinese cabbage and cucumber by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry utilizing online turbulent flow chromatography

In this experiment,a liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry method was built to determine 15 pesticide residues in Chinese cabbage and cucumber samples based on online turbulent flow chromatography purification.After modified quick,easy,cheap,effective,rugged,and safe(QuEChERS)extraction,extracts were directly injected to the TLX(TurboFlow Liquid Xcalibur)system and brought to TurboFlow™columns for on-line purification and then transferred to analytical column for further separation and analysis.TurboFlow™columns types,transfer flow rate,and transfer time were optimized.Limits of detection and limits of quantification of the method obtained for 15 pesticide residues were ranged between 0.2–1.0μg/kg and 0.5–2.0μg/kg in Chinese cabbage and cucumber samples.Recoveries of pesticide residues were in range of 75.3%–103.7%.Matrix effects for 15 pesticides were in range of 5.6%–106.6%.The developed method has been successfully used for the determination of 15 pesticide residues in real samples.

A new Lactobacillus gasseri strain HMV18 inhibits the growth of pathogenic bacteria

To search for a new eco-friendly therapy for infectious disease caused by Escherichia coli,Staphylococcus aureus or Klebsiella oxytoca,we collected the vaginal swabs from healthy women,screened for Lactobacillus and found a strain repressing the growth of pathogenic bacteria.The new isolate was identified as L.gasseri by the colony morphology,Gram staining,biochemical reactions and confirmed by the 16 S rDNA sequencing.The HMV18 strain inhibited the growth of food-borne pathogens such as E.coli,S.aureus and K.oxytoca.The HMV18 strain was sensitive to penicillin,ampicillin,erythromycin,tetracycline and chloramphenicol.The HMV18 strain producedα-hemolysis.Pathological histology of the mice ileum showed that the mucosa,villi,lamina propria and crypt depth remained intact and there was no inflammation or hyperemia in the L.gasseri HMV18 gavaged group.L.gasseri HMV18 could not up-regulate inflammatory cytokines level of plasma.All the results suggested L.gasseri HMV18 is a candidate probiotic to be an additive for food preservation or drug to prevent food-borne diseases.

Determination of 19 polyphenolic compounds in tea by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography combined with quadrupole-time of flight mass spectrometry

A rapid method was presented for the determination of 19 polyphenols in tea by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole-time of flight mass spectrometry(UPLC-Q-TOF MS).Tea samples were extracted by 50%(V/V)ethanol,then separated by Waters Acquity BEH C18 column using a binary solvent system composed of acetonitrile and water(0.1%formic acid)by gradient elution.The analytes were determined by Q-TOF MS in TOF MS and information dependent acquisition(IDA)-MS/MS mode.The results showed that mass accuracy error of the 19 polyphenols were lower than 5.0×10^(-6),good linear relationship was got in range of 0.2–500μg/L and correlation coefficient was higher than 0.9990.The LOD was in the range of 0.002–0.100 mg/kg and the LOQ was in the range of 0.004–0.200 mg/kg.Recovery of the method was in range of 78.4%–109.2%with spike levels of 0.004–2.000 mg/kg,relative standard deviations were lower than 10%.The method was simple,rapid and accurate.It could be used for the rapid screening and quantitative analysis of 19 polyphenols in tea.

Determination of icariside,hyperoside and psoralen in food by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

A high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry(HPLC-MS/MS)method was built to determine icarside,hyperoside and psoralen in food.The samples were extracted with 70%methanol,the solid and semi-solid hotpot seasoning samples were purified by solid phase extraction column,and then determined by HPLC-MS/MS.Acetonitrile and 0.1%formic acid solution were used as the mobile phase,and the gradient elution was adopted for analysis.As shown in the results,the analytes had good linearity in the range of 0.05−100 ng/mL,and the correlation coeffificients(R^(2))were greater than 0.999.In this method,the limits of quantitation(LOQ)of psoralen,icariside and hyperoside in liquid samples were 1.25,25.0 and 12.5μg/L respectively;while the LOQs of psoralen,icariside and hyperoside in solid samples and hotpot seasoning samples were 1.25,25.0 and 12.5μg/kg,respectively.The liquid beverage,solid beverage,health food(in the form of oral liquid,capsule,tablet),integrated alcoholic beverage and solid hotpot seasoning were selected as representative samples and used for method validation.The average spiked recoveries at 3 levels(LOQ,2 LOQ,10 LOQ)were in the range of 83.7%−115.0%,and the relative standard deviations were in range of 0.5%−9.4%(n=6).The method is rapid,accurate and sensitive,which is suitable for the simultaneous determination of icariside,hyperoside and psoralen in different food matrices.

Rapid detection of cordycepin in food by surface-enhanced Raman technique

In this paper,a method for rapid detection of cordycepin in food was established based on surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopic analysis method.The surface-enhanced Raman substrates were screened and the Raman detection conditions and sample pretreatment methods were optimized.The optimal substrate was gold nanocolloid,and the optimal detection conditions were as follows:the addition amount of gold nanocolloid was 200μL of gold nanocolloid and the sample addition amount was 5μL.Under the optimal conditions,the detection limit of cordycepin was 1 mg/L,and the sample pretreatment was performed by methanol extraction.Based on the established surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy(SERS)method,cordycepin in two Cordyceps militaris was detected,which confirmed the practical application of this method.

Determination of L-ergothioneine in food by UPLC-MS/MS method

L-Ergothioneine(L-EGT)possesses excellent antioxidant activity and has been used in the food,pharmaceuticals and cosmetics industries.In this study,a new efficient and sensitive ultra-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry(UPLC-MS/MS)method was established for the quantitative determination of L-EGT in food.The sample was extracted with methanol-water(70:30,V/V),separated by hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography(HILIC)and detected by triple-quadrupole mass spectrometry.Validation studies were carried out on different product and the limit of quantitation was 20μg/kg(milk,alcohol-free beverages,dairy products)and 40µg/kg(cereal bars,chocolate).Excellent linearity(correlation coefficient(R2)≥0.999)was achieved for L-EGT quantification in the range of 5–200 ng/mL.The recoveries of the method(83.7%−107.5%)and the relative standard deviation(RSD,0.88%−6.84%(n=6))meet the performance criteria required for the determination of L-EGT in food.Finally,the applicability of the method was tested by analysing actual samples.In general,the method developed is simple,reliable,accurate,and stable and could be useful for routine analyses of L-EGT in food.

Simultaneous detection of 22 mycotoxins in grape by QuEChERS and ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole/orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometry

To effectively assess the extent of the mycotoxin contamination of grapes,a method was developed to analyze 22 mycotoxins by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole/orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometry(UPLC-Q-Orbitrap HRMS).Samples were extracted and purified using the QuEChERS(quick,easy,cheap,effective,rugged,and safe)procedure.The extracts were separated on a BEH Shield C18 column(100 mm×2.1 mm,1.7μm),using methanol and water with 0.1%formic acid solution and 2 mmol/L ammonium acetate as the mobile phases.The quantification was performed according to a matrix-matched external standard method.There was a good linear relationship within the respective mass concentration ranges of 22 mycotoxins;the correlation coefficients were not less than 0.9981.The limit of quantification was 0.3-10.0μg/kg.Mycotoxin recovery ranged from 68.6%to 109.0%,with a relative standard deviation of 1.28%-12.80%.The method is simple,rapid,highly sensitive,and accurate,making it useful for screening grapes for common and emerging mycotoxins.

Antrodia cinnamomea exerts an anti-hepatoma effect by targeting PI3K/AKT-mediated cell cycle progression in vitro and in vivo

Antrodia cinnamomea is extensively used as a traditional medicine to prevention and treatment of liver cancer.However,its comprehensive chemical fingerprint is uncertain,and the mechanisms,especially the potential therapeutic target for anti-hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)are still unclear.Using UPLC-Q-TOF/MS,139 chemical components were identified in A.cinnamomea dropping pills(ACDPs).Based on these chemical components,network pharmacology demonstrated that the targets of active components were significantly enriched in the pathways in cancer,which were closely related with cell proliferation regulation.Next,HCC data was downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus database(GEO).The Cancer Genome Atlas(TCGA)and Dis Ge NET were analyzed by bioinformatics,and 79 biomarkers were obtained.Furtherly,nine targets of ACDP active components were revealed,and they were significantly enriched in PI3 K/AKT and cell cycle signaling pathways.The affinity between these targets and their corresponding active ingredients was predicted by molecular docking.Finally,in vivo and in vitro experiments showed that ACDPs could reduce the activity of PI3 K/AKT signaling pathway and downregulate the expression of cell cycle-related proteins,contributing to the decreased growth of liver cancer.Altogether,PI3 K/AKT-cell cycle appears as the significant central node in anti-liver cancer of A.Cinnamomea.