THE BETAINES FROM CHINESE SEAWEEDS

Cation-exchange chromatography was selected to extract and separate betaines from marine algae. On the basis of the special chemical characteristics of the betaines and their analogues, Dragendorff’s reagent (KBiI 4) was used to test the existence of betaines and their analogues in marine algae. The total content of betaines from seven species was obtained by using the Reinkeate salt precipitation method. The results showed that the content of betaines in two species of Chlorophyta and two species of Rhodophyta were relatively high,and that the content of betaines in Enteromopha prolifera could even reach to 0.9%. The content in the three species of Phaeophyta was relatively low.

Novel Zwitterionic Surfactants: Synthesis and Surface Active Properties of N-(3-Alkoxy-2-Hydroxypropyl)-N, N-Dimethyl glycine Betaines

Five new zwitterionic surfactants with long chain alkyl betaine structure incorporated with hydroxylpropyl group have been synthesized. Their structures were identified by elemental analysis, IR (HNMR)-H-1, and (CNMR)-C-13. Surface tension experiments showed that these surfactants have higher surface activity than those without hydroxypropyl group. The values of CMC and gamma(CMC) of these surfactants have been determined.

Preparation and Reactions of Pyridinium Ylids via Decarboxylation of Pyridinium Betaines

Pyridinium ylids 4 were generated as reaction intermediates from the decarboxylation of pyridinium betaines 3, which were prepared from the reactions of a-amino acid ester hydrochlorides with 2, 4, 6-triphenylpyrylium tetrafluoroborate. Protonation, addition and substitution reactions of 4 with electrophiles were studied in this paper.

Zwitterionic betaines over HEPES as the new generation biocompatible pH buffers for cell culture

Good’s buffers have been widely applied in cell/organ culture over the past half a century as biocompatible pH stabilizers.However,the emergence of severe adverse effects,such as cellular uptake,lysosomal autophagic activation,and visible light-induced cytotoxicity,raises serious questions over its biocompatibility while underlying mechanism was unclear.Here we report that riboflavin(RF,component of cell culture medium)generates ^(1)O_(2),⋅OH,and O_(2)^(·-)under visible light exposure during regular cell manipulation.These short half-life reactive oxygen species(ROS)react with tertiary amine groups of HEPES,producing 106.6μM of H_(2)O_(2).Orders of magnitude elevated half-life of ROS in the medium caused severe cytotoxicity and systematic disorder of normal cell functions.We have further designed and validated zwitterionic betaines as the new generation biocompatible organic pH buffers,which is able to completely avoid the adverse effects that found on HEPES and derivate Good’s buffers.These findings may also open a new avenue for zwitterionic betaine based materials for biomedical applications.

Alkyl dimethyl betaine activates the low-temperature collection capacity of sodium oleate for scheelite

The impact of alkyl dimethyl betaine (ADB) on the collection capacity of sodium oleate (NaOl) at low temperatures was evaluated using flotation tests at various scales. The low-temperature synergistic mechanism of ADB and NaOl was explored by infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, surface tension measurement, foam performance test, and flotation reagent size measurement.The flotation tests revealed that the collector mixed with octadecyl dimethyl betaine (ODB) and NaOl in a mass ratio of 4:96 exhibited the highest collection capacity. The combined collector could increase the scheelite recovery by 3.48% at low temperatures of 8–12℃. This is particularly relevant in the Luanchuan area, which has the largest scheelite concentrate output in China. The results confirmed that ODB enhanced the collection capability of NaOl by improving the dispersion and foaming performance. Betaine can be introduced as an additive to NaOl to improve the recovery of scheelite at low temperatures.

Vitrification cryopreservation of ligaments based on zwitterionic betaine

Ligament cryopreservation enables a prolonged shelf life of allogeneic ligament grafts,which is fundamentally important to ligament reconstruction.However,conventional cryopreservation techniques fail to eliminate the damage caused by ice crystal growth and the toxicity of cryopreservation agents(CPAs).Here,we report a novel CPA vitrification formulation primarily composed of betaine for ligament cryopreservation.Comprehensive optimization was conducted on the methods for vitrification and rewarming,as well as the loading and unloading conditions,based on the critical cooling rate(CCR),critical warming rate(CWR),and permeation properties of the CPA.Using biomechanical and histological level tests,we demonstrate the superior performance of our method in ligament cryopreservation.After 30 days of vitrification cryopreservation,parameters such as the Young's modulus,tensile stress,denaturation temperature,and glycosaminoglycans content of the ligament remained essentially unchanged.This work pioneers the application of ice-free cryopreservation for ligament and holds great potential for improving the long-term storage of ligament,providing valuable insights for future cryopreservation technique development.

Betaine addition to the diet alleviates intestinal injury in growing rabbits during the summer heat through the AAT/mTOR pathway

Background The aim of this experiment was to investigate the effect of different levels of betaine(Bet)inclusion in the diet on the intestinal health of growing rabbits under summer heat.A total of 100 weaned Qixing meat rabbits aged 35 d with body weight of 748.61±38.59 g were randomly divided into 5 treatment groups:control group(basal diet)and Bet groups(basal diet+0.75,1.0,1.5 or 2.0 g/kg Bet).The average daily temperature in the rabbitry during the experiment was 30.48°C and the relative humidity was 69.44%.Results Dietary addition of Bet had no significant effect on growth performance and health status of growing rabbits(P>0.05),but it increased ileal secretory immunoglobulin A content compared to the control under summer heat(P<0.05).Addition of 0.75 g/kg Bet up-regulated jejunal IL-4,down-regulated ileal TNF-αexpression(P<0.05).The addition of 1.0 g/kg Bet increased the villi height(VH)in the jejunum(P<0.05).Serum glucose levels were reduced,and the expression of SLC6A20 was up-regulated in jejunum and ileum of rabbits fed with 1.5 g/kg Bet(P<0.05).When added at 2.0 g/kg,Bet reduced serum HSP70 content,increased jejunal VH,and up-regulated duodenal SLC7A6,SLC38A2,mTOR and 4EBP-2 expression(P<0.05).Correlation analysis revealed that intestinal mTOR expression was significantly and positively correlated with SLC7A6,SLC38A2,SLC36A1 and IL-4 expression(P<0.05).Conclusions Dietary addition of Bet can up-regulate the expression of anti-inflammatory factors through the AAT/mTOR pathway,improve the intestinal immune function,alleviate intestinal damage in growing rabbits caused by summer heat,and improve intestinal health.

Preparation of Durable Antibacterial Polyester Fabrics by Grafting with the Natural Quaternary Ammonium Compound Betaine

Recently, the textile industry has increasingly advocated for natural resource-based healthcare textiles. This research presents a facile and eco-friendly approach to developing durable antibacterial polyester fabrics. Polyester fabric was first subjected to an alkaline hydrolysis to impart hydroxyl groups on the fiber surface. A natural antibacterial agent, betaine, was then covalently bonded to the hydrolyzed polyester fiber surface through esterification. XPS, Raman, SEM, and Wicking measurements were carried out to verify the esterification reaction. Antibacterial tests confirmed that betaine treatment grafted polyester fabrics revealed a remarkable antibacterial effect with inhibition rates > 99.9% against both E. coli and S. aureus and still remained inhibition rates of up to 91.5% against both bacteria after home washing for 20 cycles. Moreover, the modification significantly increased the capillary effect of polyester fabric but did not cause apparent adverse effects on the fabric’s hand or tensile strength. Overall, this grafting strategy for durable, antibacterial polyester fabric represents a significant practicality in the textile industry.

Electrodeposition behavior of bright nickel in air and water-stable betaine·HCl-ethylene glycol ionic liquid

The electrodeposition behaviors of nickel on glassy carbon（GC） and carbon steel（CS） electrodes were investigated in the14.3%-85.7%（mole fraction） betaine.HCl ethylene glycol（EG） ionic liquid using cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry.The results indicated that the reduction of Ni（Ⅱ） on CS electrode via a diffusion-controlled quasi-reversible process was much more facile and easier than that occurred on GC electrode,which followed a diffusion-controlled three-dimensional instantaneous nucleation and growth.Scanning electron microscopy was used to observe that the deposit was dense and contained fine crystallites with average size of（80±4） nm.Energy dispersive spectrometer analysis showed that the obtained deposit was metallic nickel.X-ray diffraction spectroscopy indicated that（111） plane was the most preferred crystal orientation.The nickel deposit was luminous and bright,and had good adhesion with the CS substrate.

Relationship Between Drought Resistance and Betaine Aldehyde Dehydrogenase in the Shoots of Different Genotypic Wheat and Sorghum

不同基因型小麦 (TriticumaestivumL .)和高粱 (SorghumvulgareL .)的抗旱性与其种芽中的甜菜碱醛脱氢酶(BADH)的含量存在密切关系。

Studies of Glycine Betaine on Physiology of Two Varieties of Pumpkin Seedlings under NaCl Stress

[Objective] The research aimed to discuss the relationship between Glycine betaine and the salt-tolerance mechanism of different pumpkins and confirm the mechanism of betaine in salt-tolerance physiology.[Method] Taking the seedlings of C.ficifolia and Qingli pumpkin as test materials,the effects of glycine betaine on the cell membrane permeability,MDA and root activity of two varieties of pumpkin seedlings under 300 mmol/L NaCl stress were studied.[Result] At suitable concentrations,glycine betaine could d...

Effects of Exogenous Glycine Betaine on Oxidation Metabolism in Cucumbers during Low-temperature Storage

[Objective] This study aimed to analyze the effects of different concentrations of glycine betaine（GB） on oxidation metabolism in cucumbers under low-temperature stress and to investigate the possible mechanism of low-temperature resistance in cucumber during low-temperature storage. [Method] Cucumber cultivar Zhongnong No.8 was treated with 0, 5, 10 and 15 mmol/L GB solutions for 15 min and stored at 4 ℃. Changes in oxidative metabolism-related parameters were observed. [Result] Increasing exogenous GB concentration could enhance GB content in cucumbers, decline lipoxygenase（LOX） activity, improve peroxidase（POD） and catalase（CAT） activities, remove effectively hydrogen peroxide（H2O2） and reduce the accumulation of malondialdehyde（MDA）. [Conclusion] Treating cucumbers with10 mmol/L GB exhibited the most remarkable effect.

甜菜碱处理对桑种子萌发及幼苗生长的影响

甜菜碱(betaine)是一种季铵类化合物，广泛存在于植物、动物、微生物中，特别是糖用甜菜的根中含量较多，甜菜碱制备方便且无环境污染，为此得到世界各国的关注。40年代初，研究人员发现甜菜碱对动物体内的甲基代谢有显著的营养调控作用，开始被用于养殖生产。

1,3-Dipolar Cycloaddition Reaction between Vinyl Acetate and N-Alkyl Hydroxypyridinium Halide

1, 3 Dipolar cycloaddition reaction between vinyl acetate and 3-hydroxypyridiniun betaine was performed under solid-liquid phase transfer catalytic condition, This reaction has been successfully used on the synthesis of an analogue of Bao-Gong-Teng A.

Betaine inhibits Toll-like receptor 4 expression in rats with ethanol-induced liver injury

AIM:To test whether ethanol feeding could induce Toll-like receptor 4(TLR4)responses,assess the hepatoprotective effect of betaine and its inhibitive effect on TLR4 in animal models of alcoholic liver injury.METHODS:Forty-eight female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups as control,model,low and high dose betaine groups.Except control group,all rats were fed with high fat-containing diet plus ethanol and fish oil gavages for 8 wk.Betaine was administered intragastrically after exposure of ethanol for 4 wk.The changes of liver histology were examined.The expression of TLR4 mRNA and protein was detected by RT-PCR and Western blotting,respectively.The serum aminotransferase activity alanine transarninase(ALT),aspartate aminotransferase(AST),serum endotoxin,and liver inflammatory factors tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α),interferon-γ(IFN-γ),interleukin-18(IL-18)were also assayed.RESULTS:Compared with control group,rats of model group developed marked liver injury,accompanied by an increase of ALT(159.41±7.74 U/L vs 59.47± 2.34 U/L,P<0.0001),AST(248.25±1.40 U/L vs 116.89±3.48 U/L,P<0.0001),endotoxin(135.37± 30.17 ng/L vs 44.15±7.54 ng/L,P<0.0001),TNF-α(20.81±8.58 pg/mL vs 9.34±2.57 pg/mL,P=0.0003),IFN-γ(30.18±7.60 pg/mL vs 16.86±9.49 pg/mL,P= 0.0039)and IL-18(40.99±8.25 pg/mL vs 19.73±9.31 pg/mL,P=0.0001).At the same time,the expression of TLR4 mRNA and protein was markedly induced in the liver after chronic ethanol consumption(1.45±0.07 vs 0.44±0.04,P<0.0001;1.83±0.13 vs 0.56±0.08,P<0.0001).Compared with model group,betaine feeding resulted in significant decreases of ALT(64.93 ±6.06 U/L vs 159.41±7.74 U/L,P<0.0001),AST(188.73±1.11 U/L vs 248.25±1.40 U/L,P<0.0001),endotoxin(61.80±12.56 ng/L vs 135.37±30.17 ng/L,P<0.0001),TNF-α(9.79±1.32 pg/mL vs 20.81± 8.58 pg/mL,P=0.0003),IFN-γ(18.02±5.96 pg/mL vs 30.18±7.60 pg/mL,P=0.0008)and IL-18(18.23±7.01 pg/mL vs 40.99±8.25 pg/mL,P<0.0001).Betaine also improved liver steatosis.The expression levels of TLR4 mRNA or protein in liver tissues were significantly lowered(0.62±0.04 vs 1.45±0.07,P<0.0001;and 0.65±0.06 vs 1.83±0.13,P<0.0001).There was a statistical difference of TLR4 mRNA and protein expression between high-and low-dose betaine groups(0.62±0.04 vs 0.73±0.05,P<0.0001,and 0.65±0.06 vs 0.81±0.09,P<0.0001).CONCLUSION:Betaine can prevent the alcoholinduced liver injury effectively and improve the liver function.The expression of TLR4 increases significantly in ethanol-fed rats and betaine administration can inhibit TLR4 expression.

Isolation of a choline monooxygenase cDNA clone from Amaranthus tricolor and its expressions under stress conditions

Plants synthesize the osmoprotectant glycine betaine (GB) via choline→betaine aldehyde→glycine be- taine[1]. Two enzymes are involved in the pathway choline monooxygenase (CMO) and betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase (BADH). A full length CMO cDNA (1,643bp) was cloned from Amaranthus tricolor. The open reading frame encoded a 442-amino acid polypeptide, which showed 69% identity with CMOs in Spina- cia oleracea L. and Beta vulgaris L. DNA gel blot analysis indicated the presence of one copy of CMO gene in the A. tricolor genome. The expressions of CMO and BADH proteins in A.tricolor leaves significantly increased under salinization, drought and heat stress (42℃), as determined by immunoblot analysis, but did not respond to cold stress (4℃), or exogenous ABA application. The increase of GB content in leaves was parallel to CMO and BADH contents.

高效液相色谱-蒸发光散射检测法测定肉苁蓉中的甜菜碱

建立了高效液相色谱-蒸发光散射检测法测定中药材肉苁蓉中甜菜碱含量的方法。采用Waters SpherisorbS5NH2色谱柱(250mm×4.6mm,5μm),柱温25℃,流动相为0.1%(体积分数)三氟乙酸水溶液-甲醇(体积比为15∶85),流速0.6mL/min。蒸发光散射检测器参数:漂移管温度90℃,喷雾器温度45℃,载气(氮气)压力110kPa(16psi)。结果表明,该法具有良好的线性关系,同时,不同种肉苁蓉的测定结果表明:管花肉苁蓉不含甜菜碱,因此建议将甜菜碱作为标志物质来鉴别正品肉苁蓉(Cistanche deserticola Y.C.Ma)和管花肉苁蓉(C.tu-bulosa(schenk)R.Wight)。

Comparative Effects of Salt Stress and Extreme pH Stress Combined on Glycinebetaine Accumulation,Photosynthetic Abilities and Growth Characters of Two Rice Genotypes

Glycinebetaine （Glybet） accumulation, photosynthetic efficiency and growth performance in indica rice cultivated under salt stress and extreme pH stress were investigated. Betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase （BADH） activity and Glybet accumulation in the seedlings of salt-tolerant and salt-sensitive rice varieties grown under saline and acidic conditions peaked after treatment for 72 h and 96 h, respectively, and were higher than those grown under neutral pH and alkaline salt stress. A positive correlation was found between BADH activity and Glybet content in both salt-tolerant （P=0.71） and salt-sensitive （P=0.86） genotypes. The chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, total chlorophyll and total carotenoids contents in the stressed seedlings significantly decreased under both acidic and alkaline stresses, especially in the salt-sensitive genotype. Similarly, the maximum quantum yield of PSII （Fv/Fm）, photon yield of PSII （ФPSII）, non-photochemical quenching （NPQ） and net photosynthetic rate （Pn） in the stressed seedlings were inhibited, leading to overall growth reduction. The positive correlations between chlorophyll a content and Fv/Fm, total chlorophyll content and ФPSII, and Pn as well as Pn and leaf area in both salt-tolerant and salt-sensitive genotypes were found. Saline acidic and saline alkaline soils may play a key role affecting vegetative growth prior to the reproductive stage in rice plants.

Betaine and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis: Back to the future?

Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is an important indication for liver transplantation in many Western countries. Obesity and insulin resistance are the two most common risk factors for NASH, which can lead to recurrent NASH after liver transplantation. There is currently no approved therapy for NASH, and treatment is directed at risk factor modification and lifestyle changes. Betaine has been used for NASH, with mixed results, and may show promise in conjunction with other agents in clinical trials.

Betaine affects muscle lipid metabolism via regulating the fatty acid uptake and oxidation in finishing pig

Background： Betaine affects fat metabolism in animals, but the specific mechanism is still not clear. The purpose of this study was to investigate possible mechanisms of betaine in altering lipid metabolism in muscle tissue in finishing pigs.Methods： A total of 120 crossbred gilts（Landrace × Yorkshire × Duroc） with an average initial body weight of 70.1 kg were randomly allotted to three dietary treatments. The treatments included a corn–soybean meal basal diet supplemented with 0, 1250 or 2500 mg/kg betaine. The feeding experiment lasted 42 d.Results： Betaine addition to the diet significantly increased the concentration of free fatty acids（FFA） in muscle（P 〈 0.05）. Furthermore, the levels of serum cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol were decreased（P 〈 0.05） and total cholesterol content was increased in muscle（P 〈 0.05） of betaine fed pigs. Experiments on genes involved in fatty acid transport showed that betaine increased expression of lipoprotein lipase（LPL）, fatty acid translocase/cluster of differentiation（FAT/CD36）, fatty acid binding protein（FABP3） and fatty acid transport protein（FATP1）（P 〈 0.05）. The abundance of fatty acid transport protein and fatty acid binding protein were also increased by betaine（P 〈 0.05）. As for the key factors involved in fatty acid oxidation, although betaine supplementation didn＇t affect the level of carnitine and malonyl-CoA, betaine increased mR NA and protein abundance of carnitine palmitransferase-1（CPT1）and phosphorylated-AMPK（P 〈 0.05）.Conclusions： The results suggested that betaine may promoted muscle fatty acid uptake via up-regulating the genes related to fatty acid transporter including FAT/CD36, FATP1 and FABP3. On the other hand, betaine activated AMPK and up-regulated genes related to fatty acid oxidation including PPARα and CPT1. The underlying mechanism regulating fatty acid metabolism in pigs supplemented with betaine is associated with the up-regulation of genes involved in fatty acid transport and fatty acid oxidation.