Multiplatform Metabolomics Investigation of Antiadipogenic Effects on 3T3-L1 Adipocytes by a Potent Diarylheptanoid

Antidiabetic diarylheptanoids from the leaves of Amomum tsao-ko and their inhibition mechanism against α-glucosidase

Thirteen diarylheptanoids, including four undescribed ones (1-4), were isolated from the leaves of Amomum tsao-ko. Compounds 1 and 2 are two unusual diarylheptanoid-phenylpropanoid hybrids. Several of the isolates were tested for their biological activity in promoting GLP-1 secretion and inhibiting multiple type 2 diabetes-related enzymes. 2-Hydroxymusaitinerin A (1) demonstrated broad inhibitory activity against GPa, PTP1B and α-glucosidase with inhibition rates of 99.0 %, 59.4 % and 55.9 %, respectively at 200 μM. Platyphyllone (12) is a mixed-type inhibitor of α-glucosidase (IC50 = 25.8 μM), inhibiting the enzyme through both non-competitive and anti-competitive modes, as shown by enzyme kinetic study. Fluorescence quenching test confirmed that compound 12 directly interacted with α-glucosidase, forming a basal complex via a single binding site. Molecular docking predicted hydrogen-bonding interactions between OH-4'', OH-5 and 3‑carbonyl groups of 12 and α-glucosidase. This study highlights that the leaves of Amomum tsao-ko are a rich source of diarylheptanoids with multi-enzyme inhibitory effects.

Disease-derived circulating extracellular vesicle preconditioning: A promising strategy for precision mesenchymal stem cell therapy

Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-based therapies have emerged as promising methods for regenerative medicine; however, how to precisely enhance their tissue repair effects is still a major question in the field. Circulating extracellular vesicles (EVs) from diseased states carry diverse pathological information and affect the functions of recipient cells. Based on this unique property, we report that disease-derived circulating EV (disease-EV) preconditioning is a potent strategy for precisely enhancing the tissue repair potency of MSCs in diverse disease models. Briefly, plasma EVs from lung or kidney tissue injuries were shown to contain distinctly enriched molecules and were shown to induce tissue injury-specific gene expression responses in cultured MSCs. Disease-EV preconditioning improved the performance (including proliferation, migration, and growth factor production) of MSCs through metabolic reprogramming (such as via enhanced oxidative phosphorylation and lipid metabolism) without inducing an adverse immune response. Consequently, compared with normal MSCs, disease-EV-preconditioned MSCs exhibited superior tissue repair effects (including anti-inflammatory and antiapoptotic effects) in diverse types of tissue injury (such as acute lung or kidney injury). Disease-derived EVs may serve as a type of "off-the-shelf" product due to multiple advantages, such as flexibility, stability, long-term storage, and ease of shipment and use. This study highlights the idea that disease-EV preconditioning is a robust strategy for precisely enhancing the regenerative capacity of MSC-based therapies.

Dioscorea spp.: Bioactive Compounds and Potential for the Treatment of Inflammatory and Metabolic Diseases

Dioscorea spp. belongs to the Dioscoreaceae family, known as "yams", and contains approximately 600 species with a wide distribution. It is a major food source for millions of people in tropical and subtropical regions. Dioscorea has great medicinal and therapeutic capabilities and is a potential source of bioactive substances for the prevention and treatment of many diseases. In recent years, increasing attention has been paid to the phytochemicals of Dioscorea, such as steroidal saponins, polyphenols, allantoin, and, in particular, polysaccharides and diosgenin. These bioactive compounds possess anti-inflammatory activity and are protective against a variety of inflammatory diseases, such as enteritis, arthritis, dermatitis, acute pancreatitis, and neuroinflammation. In addition, they play an important role in the prevention and treatment of metabolic diseases, including obesity, dyslipidemia, diabetes, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Their mechanisms of action are related to the modulation of a number of key signaling pathways and molecular targets. This review mainly summarizes recent studies on the bioactive compounds of Dioscorea and its treatment of inflammatory and metabolic diseases, and highlights the underlying molecular mechanisms. In conclusion, Dioscorea is a promising source of bioactive components and has the potential to develop novel natural bioactive compounds for the prevention and treatment of inflammatory and metabolic diseases.

An integrative cellular metabolomic study reveals downregulated tricarboxylic acid cycle and potential biomarkers induced by tetrabromobisphenol A in human lung A549 cells

Tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) is extensively utilized as a brominated flame retardant in numerous chemical products. As an environmental contaminant, the potential human toxicity of TBBPA has been attracting increasing attention. Nonetheless, the exact underlying mechanisms of toxicological effects caused by TBBPA remain uncertain. In this study, we investigated the potential mechanisms of TBBPA toxicity in vitro in the A549 cell line, one of the widely used type II pulmonary epithelial cell models in toxicology research. Cell viability was determined after treatment with varying concentrations of TBBPA. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) metabolomics and metabolic flux approaches were utilized to evaluate metabolite and tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle oxidative flux changes. Our findings demonstrated that TBBPA significantly reduced the viability of cells and attenuated mitochondrial respiration in A549 cells. Additionally, LC-MS data showed significant reductions in TCA cycle metabolites including citrate, malate, fumarate, and alpha-ketoglutarate in 50 μM TBBPA-treated A549 cells. Metabolic flux analysis indicated reduced oxidative capacity in mitochondrial metabolism following TBBPA exposure. Moreover, diverse metabolic pathways, particularly alanine, aspartate, and glutamate metabolism and the TCA cycle, were found to be dysregulated. In total, 12 metabolites were significantly changed (p < .05) in response to 50 μM TBBPA exposure. Our results provide potential biomarkers of TBBPA toxicity in A549 cells and help elucidate the molecular mechanisms of pulmonary toxicity induced by TBBPA exposure.

Temporal metabolic trajectory analyzed by LC-MS/MS based targeted metabolomics in acute pancreatitis pathogenesis and Chaiqin Chengqi decoction therapy

BACKGROUND

Acute pancreatitis (AP) is an inflammatory disorder of pancreas that lacks effective specific drugs as well as gold standard laboratory tests for diagnosis and severity assessment. Chaiqin chengqi decoction (CQCQD) has been proven to alleviate the severity and mortality of AP, but its underlying mechanisms remain incompletely understood.

PURPOSE

To investigate the correlation between metabolic trajectories of the serum and pancreas, the metabolic pathways with respect to the onset and progression of AP, and investigate the effect of CQCQD in modulating the dysregulated pancreatic metabolism of AP.

METHODS

Serum and pancreas samples from cerulein-induced AP mice were collected for pathology, biochemical index assessment, LC-MS/MS based metabolomics and functional validation over the course of 1 - 24 h. The temporal trends of pancreatic and serum metabolites in AP were analyzed using Mfuzz clustering algorithm, and their associations were revealed by Pearson correlation analysis. The metabolic trajectories and pathways across multi-timepoints were analyzed by univariate and multivariate statistical analyses, and the AP-related metabolic pathways were further screened by metabolite correlation and network interaction analyses. Finally, the changes in metabolite levels and metabolic trajectory after CQCQD therapy were identified, and the altered expression of related metabolic enzymes was verified by RT-qPCR, western blotting, and immunohistochemistry.

RESULTS

Amino acid metabolism was significantly altered in the pancreas and serum of AP, but with different trends. The unsynchronized "open" and "closed" metabolic trajectories in pancreas and serumrevealed that metabolic processes occur earlier in peripheral rather than local tissue, with the most obvious changes occuring at 12 h in the pancreas which were also consistent with the inflammation score results. Several amino acid intermediates showed strong positive correlation between serum and pancreas, and therein serum cystathionine was positively correlated to 33 pancreatic metabolites. In particular, the correlations between the levels of pancreatic cystathionine and methionine, serine, and glutathione (GSH) emphasized the importance of trans-sulfuration to GSH metabolism for AP progression. CQCQD treatment reversed the metabolic trajectory of the pancreas, and also restored the levels of cystathionine and glutathione synthase.

CONCLUSION

Our results have defined a unique time-course metabolic trajectory for AP progression in both the serum and pancreas; it has also revealed a key role of CQCQD in reversing AP-associated metabolic alterations, thus providing new metabolic targets for the treatment and prognosis of AP.

An integrative multiomics approach to characterize anti-adipogenic and anti-lipogenic effects of Akkermansia muciniphila in adipocytes

The cellular components of Akkermansia muciniphila are considered potential biotherapeutics for the improvement of obesity, diabetes, and metabolic diseases. However, the molecular-based mechanism of A. muciniphila for treatment of obesity, which can provide important evidence for human research, has rarely been explored. Here, we applied integrative multiomics approaches to investigate the underlying molecular mechanism involved in obesity treatment by A. muciniphila. First, the treatment with a cell lysate of A. muciniphila reduced lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 cells and downregulated the mRNA expression of proteins involved in adipogenesis and lipogenesis. Our proteomic results revealed that A. muciniphila decreased the expression of proteins involved in fat cell differentiation, fatty acid metabolism, and energy metabolism in adipocytes. Moreover, A. muciniphila significantly reduced the level of metabolites related to glycolysis, the TCA cycle, and ATP in adipocytes. Interestingly, serine protease inhibitor A3 (SERPINA3) homologs were overexpressed in the 3T3-L1 cells treated with A. muciniphila. Small interfering RNA (siRNA) transfection demonstrated that A. muciniphila upregulates SERPINA3G expression and inhibits lipogenesis in adipocytes. Taken together, our multiomics-based approaches enabled to uncover the molecular mechanism of A. muciniphila for treatment of obesity and provide potent anti-lipogenic agents.

Elevated branched-chain α-keto acids exacerbate macrophage oxidative stress and chronic inflammatory damage in type 2 diabetes mellitus

AIMS

Chronic inflammation is a primary reason for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and its complications, while disordered branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) metabolism is found in T2DM, but the link between BCAA catabolic defects and inflammation in T2DM remains elusive and needs to be investigated.

METHODS

The changes in BCAA catabolism, inflammation, organ damage, redox status, and mitochondrial function in db/db mice with treatments of BCAA-overload or BCAA catabolism activator were analyzed in vivo. The changes in BCAA catabolic metabolism, as well as the direct effects of BCAAs/branched-chain alpha-keto acids (BCKAs) on cytokine release and redox status were also analyzed in primary macrophages in vitro.

RESULTS

Inactivation of branched-chain ɑ-ketoacid dehydrogenase (BCKDH) complex was found in multiple organs (liver, muscle and kidney) of db/db mice. Long-term high BCAA supplementation further increased BCKA levels, inflammation, tissue fibrosis (liver and kidney), and macrophage hyper-activation in db/db mice, while enhancing BCAA catabolism with pharmacological activator reduced these adverse effects in db/db mice. In vitro, the BCAA catabolism was unchanged in primary macrophages of db/db mice, and elevated BCKAs but not BCAAs promoted the cytokine production in primary macrophages. Moreover, BCKA stimulation was associated with increased mitochondrial oxidative stress and redox imbalance in macrophages and diabetic organs.

CONCLUSION

Impaired BCAA catabolism is strongly associated with chronic inflammation and tissue damage in T2DM, and this effect is at least partly due to the BCKAs-induced macrophage oxidative stress. This study highlights that targeting BCAA catabolism is a potential strategy to attenuate T2DM and its complications.

Effects of Dufulin on Oxidative Stress and Metabolomic Profile of Tubifex

Dufulin is a highly effective antiviral pesticide used in plants. In this study, a seven-day experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of Dufulin at five different concentrations (1 × 10⁻⁴, 1 × 10⁻³, 1 × 10⁻², 0.1, and 1 mg/L) on Tubifex. LC-MS-based metabolome analysis detected a total of 5356 features in positive and 9110 features in negative, of which 41 showed significant changes and were identified as differential metabolites. Four metabolic pathways were selected for further study. Detailed analysis revealed that Dufulin exposure affected the urea cycle of Tubifex, probably via argininosuccinate lyase (ASL) inhibition. It also affected the fatty acid metabolism, leading to changes in the concentration of free fatty acids in Tubifex. Furthermore, the changes in metabolites after exposure to Dufulin at 1 × 10⁻² mg/L were different from those at the other concentrations.

Investigation of Obesity-Alleviation Effect of Eurycoma longifolia on Mice Fed with a High-Fat Diet through Metabolomics Revealed Enhanced Decomposition and Inhibition of Accumulation of Lipids

The metabolic and bioactivity effects of Eurycoma longifolia (Eucalyptus longifolia) in obesity treatment were studied in mice fed with a high-fat diet using a metabolomics approach. Aqueous extracts of E. longifolia were obtained via grinding, dissolving, and freeze-drying. The hepatic steatosis effect of E. longifolia was characterized by hematoxylin and eosin histological staining. External performance of the obesity-alleviation effect was monitored by measuring body and food weight. In addition, the metabolomics analysis of the E. longifolia-mice interaction system was performed using the established platform combining liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry with statistical analysis. The presence and spatial distribution patterns of differential molecules were further evaluated through desorption electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry imaging. The results showed that E. longifolia played a vital role in downregulating lipid accumulation (especially triacylglycerols) and fatty acids biosynthesis together with enhanced lipid decomposition and healing in Bagg albino mice. During such a process, E. longifolia mainly induced metabolomic alterations of amino acids, organic acids, phospholipids, and glycerolipids. Moreover, under the experimental concentrations, E. longifolia induced more fluctuations of aqueous-soluble metabolites in the plasma and lipids in the liver than in the kidneys. This study provides an advanced alternative to traditional E. longifolia-based studies for evaluating the metabolic effects and bioactivity of E. longifolia through metabolomics technology, revealing potential technological improvement and clinical application.

Neuroprotective and Anti-inflammatory Ditetrahydrofuran-Containing Diarylheptanoids from Tacca chantrieri

Three new dimeric diarylheptanoids, taccachanfurans A-C (1-3), a new monomeric diarylheptanoid, taccachannoid A (4), and four known diarylheptanoids (5-8) were isolated from the EtOH extract of the rhizomes of Tacca chantrieri. Their structures were established on the basis of comprehensive spectroscopic data analysis. The absolute configuration of taccachanfuran A (1) was confirmed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. All the diarylheptanoid dimers contain a ditetrahydrofuran moiety, which has not been described previously for diarylheptanoid compounds. A plausible biosynthetic pathway for the diarylheptanoid dimers is proposed. Compounds 2-4 showed significant neuroprotective activity against Aβ_25-35-induced damage in SH-SY5Y cells at the concentrations of 10 and 1 μM. Compounds 3, 4, 6, 7, and 8 showed anti-inflammatory activity in LPS-stimulated murine microglial BV-2 cells at the concentrations of 10 and 1 μM.

2,2',4,4'-tetrabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-47) induces wide metabolic changes including attenuated mitochondrial function and enhanced glycolysis in PC12 cells

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are extensively used as brominated flame retardants in various factory products. As environmental pollutants, the adverse effects of PBDEs on human health have been receiving considerable attention. However, the precise fundamental mechanisms of toxicity induced by PBDEs are still not fully understood. In this study, the mechanism of cytotoxicity induced by 2,2',4,4'-tetrabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-47) was investigated by combining Seahorse XFp analysis and mass spectrometry-based metabolomics and flux approaches in PC12 cells, one of the most widely used neuron-like cell lines for investigating cytotoxic effects. The Seahorse results suggest that BDE-47 significantly attenuated mitochondrial respiration and enhanced glycolysis in PC12 cells. Additionally, metabolomics results revealed the reduction of TCA metabolites such as citrate, succinate, aconitate, malate, fumarate, and glutamate after BDE-47 exposure. Metabolic flux analysis showed that BDE-47 exposure reduced the oxidative metabolic capacity of mitochondria in PC12 cells. Furthermore, various altered metabolites were found in multiple metabolic pathways, especially in glycine-serine-threonine metabolism and glutathione metabolism. A total of 17 metabolic features were determined in order to distinguish potentially disturbed metabolite markers of BDE-47 exposure. Our findings provide possible biomarkers of cytotoxic effects induced by BDE-47 exposure, and elicit a deeper understanding of the intramolecular mechanisms that could be used in further studies to validate the potential neurotoxicity of PBDEs in vivo. Based on our results, therapeutic approaches targeting mitochondrial function and the glycolysis pathway may be a promising direction against PBDE exposure.

Amomutsaokols A-K, diarylheptanoids from Amomum tsao-ko and their α-glucosidase inhibitory activity

Eleven undescribed diarylheptanoids, amomutsaokols A‒K (1-11), together with 13 known ones (13-24), were isolated from the active fraction of the fruits of Amomum tsao-ko. The structures of the undescribed compounds were determined by extensive 1D and 2D NMR, HRESIMS and ECD calculations. Compounds 3-5, 7, 8, 12, 14 and 19 showed obviously α-glucosidase inhibitory activity with IC₅₀ values ranging from 12.9 to 48.8 μM. An enzyme kinetic analysis indicated that compounds 8 and 9 were α-glucosidase noncompetitive inhibitors with K_i values of 18.5 and 213.0 μM, respectively. This study supported diarylheptanoids as the active constituents of A. tsao-ko with α-glucosidase inhibitory effects.

Mitochondrial aconitase controls adipogenesis through mediation of cellular ATP production

Mitochondrial aconitase (Aco2) catalyzes the conversion of citrate to isocitrate in the TCA cycle, which produces NADH and FADH2, driving synthesis of ATP through OXPHOS. In this study, to explore the relationship between adipogenesis and mitochondrial energy metabolism, we hypothesize that Aco2 may play a key role in the lipid synthesis. Here, we show that overexpression of Aco2 in 3T3-L1 cells significantly increased lipogenesis and adipogenesis, accompanied by elevated mitochondrial biogenesis and ATP production. However, when ATP is depleted by rotenone, an inhibitor of the respiratory chain, the promotive role of Aco2 in adipogenesis is abolished. In contrast to Aco2 overexpression, deficiency of Aco2 markedly reduced lipogenesis and adipogenesis, along with the decreased mitochondrial biogenesis and ATP production. Supplementation of isocitrate efficiently rescued the inhibitory effect of Aco2 deficiency. Similarly, the restorative effect of isocitrate was abolished in the presence of rotenone. Together, these results show that Aco2 sustains normal adipogenesis through mediating ATP production, revealing a potential mechanistic link between TCA cycle enzyme and lipid synthesis. Our work suggest that regulation of adipose tissue mitochondria function may be a potential way for combating abnormal adipogenesis related diseases such as obesity and lipodystrophy.

Impacts of Penconazole and Its Enantiomers Exposure on Gut Microbiota and Metabolic Profiles in Mice

Exposure to chiral pesticides poses many potential health risks. In this study, we examined the impacts of exposure to penconazole and its enantiomers on gut microbiota and metabolic profiles in mice. The relative abundance of microbiota in cecal content significantly changed following exposure to penconazole and its enantiomers. At the genus level, the relative abundances of seven gut microflora were altered following exposure to (-)-penconazole. Both (±)-penconazole and (+)-penconazole caused significant changes in the relative abundances of five gut microflora. In addition, targeted serum metabolomics analysis showed disturbed metabolic profiles following exposure. Respectively, (±)-penconazole, (+)-penconazole, and (-)-penconazole exposure significantly altered the relative levels of 29, 23, and 36 metabolites. In general, exposure to penconazole and its enantiomers caused disorders in gut microbiota and metabolic profiles of mice. The potential health risks of penconazole and its enantiomers now require further evaluation.

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor A/G reprogrammes metabolism associated with lipid accumulation in macrophages

INTRODUCTION

Macrophage metabolism contributes to the progression of metabolic diseases, and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) play vital roles in macrophage metabolism and the treatment of metabolic diseases. However, the role of PPARs in metabolic reprogramming related to lipid accumulation in macrophages, a key pathological event in metabolic diseases, remains unclear.

OBJECTIVES

We aimed to identify PPAR-mediated metabolic reprogramming and potential therapeutic targets associated with lipid accumulation in macrophages.

METHODS

Following treatment with oleate, oleate + WY-14643 and oleate + pioglitazone to induce alterations in PPAR signaling, lipids and relevant metabolism, macrophage samples were analyzed employing an untargeted metabolomics based on gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

RESULTS

The metabolomics approach revealed that multiple metabolic pathways were altered during lipid accumulation in oleate-treated macrophages and responsive to WY-14643 and pioglitazone treatment. Notably, levels of most metabolites involved in amino acid metabolism and nucleotide metabolism were accumulated in oleate-treated macrophages, and these effects were alleviated or abolished by PPARA/G activation. Additionally, during oleate-induced lipid accumulation and lipid lowering with WY-14643 and pioglitazone in macrophages, levels of most amino acids were positively associated with neutral lipid, total cholesterol, cholesterol ester, total free fatty acid and triglyceride levels but negatively associated with expression of genes related to PPARA/G signaling. Furthermore, glycine was found to be a potential biomarker for assessing lipid accumulation and the lipid-lowering effects of PPARA/G in oleate-treated macrophages.

CONCLUSION

The results of this study revealed a high correlation of amino acid metabolism with lipid accumulation and the lipid-lowering effects of PPARA/G in macrophages.