Associations of Coffee Drinking with Systemic Immune and Inflammatory Markers

Beneficial effects and possible mechanism of intake coffee for COVID-19: A meta-analysis and molecular docking

BACKGROUND

To systematically evaluate the effectiveness of regular coffee intake in the prevention or treatment of COVID-19 infection, and to explore its possible mechanism of action using computer molecular docking technology.

METHODS

We searched for relevant ClinicalTrials.gov, Cochrane Library, PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and China Biomedicine, Wanfang, CNKI, VIP databases to summarize studies on the effectiveness of coffee in preventing or treating COVID-19. The search period lasted until August 1, 2024. The 2 researchers screened the literature and data using Rev Man 5.4 software (the Cochrane Collaboration, 2020) for data analysis and used Schrodinger 2018-1 software to explore possible mechanisms of action.

RESULTS

A total 5 studies with 39,290 participants were included. The results showed that compared with the control group that drank less or no coffee, the experimental group that drank more than 1 cup of coffee per day had significantly higher benefit rates (RD = 0.17, 95% confidence intervals [CI] = 0.08-0.27, P = .0005), including lower infection rates and improved recovery rates from COVID-19 (RD = 0.24, 95% CI = 0.13-0.35), P < .0001). Molecular docking showed that CGA and caffeine present in coffee could combine with key amino acid residues of ACE2 or 3CL proteins to form hydrogen bonds.

CONCLUSIONS

Regular consumption of coffee may have certain preventive or therapeutic effects on COVID-19, and the mechanism of action may be that CGA or/caffeine in coffee may be related to the formation of hydrogen bonds by key amino acid residues such as ARG273/HIE345 of ACE2 and CYS145 of 3CL. Owing to the limited number and quality of the included studies, the effect evaluation needs to be further confirmed using clinical randomized controlled trials. The exact mechanism of action requires further verification at the molecular level, both inside and outside cells.

Effects of Coffee on Gut Microbiota and Bowel Functions in Health and Diseases: A Literature Review

Background and objectives: As one of the most popular beverages in the world, coffee has long been known to affect bowel functions such as motility, secretion, and absorption. Recent evidence obtained in human and animal studies suggests that coffee has modulating impacts on gut microbiota. We aim to present an overview of the specific effects of coffee on gut microbiota composition, diversity, and growth. We will also critically review the impacts of coffee on bowel functions in health and diseases and discuss whether gut microbiota play a role in the coffee-associated functional changes in the gastrointestinal tract. Methods: We searched the literature up to June 2024 through PubMed, Web of Science, and other sources using search terms such as coffee, caffeine, microbiota, gastrointestinal infection, motility, secretion, gut-brain axis, absorption, and medication interaction. Clinical research in patients and preclinical studies in rodent animals were included. Results: A majority of the studies found that moderate consumption of coffee (<4 cups a day) increased the relative abundance of beneficial bacterial phyla such as Firmicutes and Actinobacteria and decreased Bacteroidetes. Moderate coffee consumption also increased Bifidobacterium spp. and decreased the abundance of Enterobacteria. Coffee consumption is reported to increase gut microbiota diversity. Although the effects of coffee on bowel functions have been known for a long time, it is not until recently that we have recognized that some of the effects of coffee may be partly due to its impacts on microbiota. Conclusions: The current literature suggests that moderate coffee consumption has beneficial effects on oral and gut microbiota and motility function. However, excessive coffee intake (>5 cups a day) is implicated in reflux disorders, periodontal diseases, and progression of Crohn's disease. Further research in the field is needed, as there are many conflicting results regarding the impacts of coffee in the gastrointestinal tract.

Aging Processes Are Affected by Energy Balance: Focused on the Effects of Nutrition and Physical Activity on Telomere Length

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

The number and proportion of individuals aged 60 and over are increasing globally. The increase in the elderly population has important social and economic effects. Telomere length is an important marker for healthy aging. Here, we review the relevance between telomere length and energy balance by determining the effects of physical activity, nutrients, dietary patterns, and foods on healthy aging and telomere length with related studies.

RECENT FINDINGS

Evidence emphasizes the importance of telomere length and integrity for healthy aging. It also focuses on the importance of potential interventions such as physical activity and a healthy diet to improve this process. We suggest that ensuring energy balance with regular physical activity and healthy diets can contribute to the aging process by protecting telomere length. In addition, different methods in studies, short and inconsistent durations, different types of exercise, different diet patterns, and non-standard foods have led to conflicting results. More studies are needed to elucidate molecular-based mechanisms.

Can a cup a day keep cancer away? A systematic review exploring the potential of coffee constituents in preventing oral squamous cell carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Coffee is one of the most consumed beverages in the world. Containing an abundance of bioactive molecules including polyphenols and flavonoids, the constituents of this beverage may exert antiproliferative, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.

METHODS

We conducted a systematic review to summarise the available evidence on the anticancer effects of coffee constituents and their potential therapeutic use for oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Studies were identified through a comprehensive search of OVID MEDLINE, OVID EMBASE and Web of Science, including articles from any year up to 15 May 2023.

RESULTS

Of the 60 reviewed papers, 45 were in vitro, 1 was in silico and 8 were in vivo exclusively. The remaining studies combined elements of more than one study type. A total of 55 studies demonstrated anti-proliferative effects, whilst 12 studies also investigated migration and invasion of neoplastic cells. The constituents studied most frequently were quercetin and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), demonstrating various cytotoxic effects whilst also influencing apoptotic mechanisms in cancer cell lines. Dose-dependent responses were consistently found amongst the studied constituents.

CONCLUSION

Whilst there was heterogeneity of study models and methods, consistent use of specific models such as SCC25 for in vitro studies and golden hamsters for in vivo studies enabled relative comparability. The constituents of coffee have gained significant interest over the last 30 years, particularly in the last decade, and present an area of interest with significant public health implications. Currently, there is a paucity of literature on utilization of active coffee constituents for the therapeutic treatment of oral cancers.

Coffee or tea: Anti-inflammatory properties in the context of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease prevention

Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) is the leading cause of premature death worldwide. Inflammation and its biomarkers, like C-reactive protein (CRP), among the risk factors, such as hypertension, lipid disorders, and diabetes, may be also responsible for the residual cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. Modern lipid-lowering treatment with statins, ezetimibe, PCSK9 inhibitors, or bempedoic acid does not fully protect against inflammation. The recommendations of the International Lipid Expert Panel (ILEP) indicate selected nutraceuticals with anti-inflammatory properties. Diet may have a significant impact on inflammation. Especially interesting in the context of inflammation is the consumption of coffee and tea. These drinks in many observational studies significantly reduced cardiovascular risk and mortality. The question is whether the anti-inflammatory effects of these drinks contribute significantly to the observed clinical effects. Thus, in this narrative review, we primarily discuss the anti-inflammatory properties of consuming tea and coffee. Based on a comprehensive analysis of the studies and their meta-analyses, inconsistent results were obtained, which makes it impossible to conclusively state how clinically significant the potential anti-inflammatory properties of black and green tea and coffee are. A number of confounding factors can cause the inconsistency of the available results. Consumption of tea and coffee appears to increase adiponectin concentrations, decrease reactive oxygen species, decrease low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol concentrations (effect of green tea, etc.). Despite the still uncertain anti-inflammatory effect of tea and coffee, we recommend their consumption as a part of the healthy diet.

The Role of Nutrition on Meta-inflammation: Insights and Potential Targets in Communicable and Chronic Disease Management

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Chronic low-grade inflammation may contribute to the onset and progression of communicable and chronic diseases. This review examined the effects and eventual mediation roles of different nutritional factors on inflammation.

RECENT FINDINGS

Potential nutritional compounds influencing inflammation processes include macro and micronutrients, bioactive molecules (polyphenols), specific food components, and culinary ingredients as well as standardized dietary patterns, eating habits, and chrononutrition features. Therefore, research in this field is still required, taking into account critical aspects of heterogeneity including type of population, minimum and maximum intakes and adverse effects, cooking methods, physiopathological status, and times of intervention. Moreover, the integrative analysis of traditional variables (age, sex, metabolic profile, clinical history, body phenotype, habitual dietary intake, physical activity levels, and lifestyle) together with individualized issues (genetic background, epigenetic signatures, microbiota composition, gene expression profiles, and metabolomic fingerprints) may contribute to the knowledge and prescription of more personalized treatments aimed to improving the precision medical management of inflammation as well as the design of anti-inflammatory diets in chronic and communicable diseases.

A moderate dosage of coffee causes acute retinal capillary perfusion decrease in healthy young individuals

AIM

Caffeinated beverages are very popular across populations and cultures, but quantitative evidence of the acute effects of moderate coffee doses on retinal perfusion is sparse and contradicting. Thus, the aim of this randomized, cross-over and parallel-group design study was to investigate whether moderate consumption of coffee alters macular retinal capillary perfusion in young healthy individuals.

METHODS

Twenty-seven young healthy individuals were recruited for this study. Acute changes in retinal microvasculature were assessed using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography angiography (SD-OCTA) at baseline, 0.5 h, and 2 h after intake of coffee, or water. Meanwhile, cerebral blood flow (CBF) and retina-choroid blood flow were evaluated in a parallel-group design (4 participants each in coffee or water group) using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with pseudo-continuous arterial spin labeling sequences.

RESULTS

Two hours after coffee intake, blood caffeine concentration increased from 0 to 5.05 ± 1.36 µg/mL. Coffee caused a significant decrease in retinal vessel diameter index (VDI) (19.05 ± 0.24 versus [vs] 19.13 ± 0.26; p < 0.001) and CBF in the frontal lobe (77.47 ± 15.21 mL/100 mL/min vs. 84.13 ± 15.55 mL/100 mL/min; p < 0.05) 2 h after intake. However, it significantly increased retina-choroid blood flow after 0.5 and 2 h (163.18 ± 61.07 mL/100 mL/min vs. 132.68 ± 70.47 mL/100 mL/min, p < 0.001, and 161.21 ± 47.95 vs. 132.68 ± 70.47; p < 0.001, respectively).

CONCLUSION

This is the first study to demonstrate the acute effects of daily dose coffee consumption on retinal capillary perfusion using SD-OCTA combinate with blood flow MRI. The findings imply that although moderate coffee intake caused a significant increase in retina-choroid blood flow, there was a significant acute decrease both in macular retinal capillary perfusion and CBF.

Association between Dietary Habits and Helicobacter pylori Infection among Bahraini Adults

Helicobacter pylori (H. Pylori) infection is the main bacterial cause of several gastrointestinal disorders. This study aims to estimate the prevalence of H. pylori infection in a population of Bahraini adults seeking care in gastroenterology clinics in a tertiary care hospital in the Kingdom of Bahrain and examine the association between dietary habits and other factors with H. pylori infection. The study is a hospital-based retrospective, cross-sectional analytical study that included 200 participants. H. pylori infection prevalence among the studied group was 55.5%, and it was significantly higher among participants with a high school education or less (44.1%). Among dietary habits, the mean of frequency of green tea, coffee and honey intake was significantly lower among the H. pylori infected participants compared to their non-infected counterparts. H. pylori infection was significantly higher among participants with vitamin D deficiency (63.6%) compared to participants with normal vitamin D (30%) (p = 0.001) and each unit decrease in serum vitamin D was associated with an increased risk of infection by 1.1 times (OR = 1.1; 95% CI: 1.05, 1.18; p < 0.001). The study revealed that high educational levels, consumption of honey, green tea, and coffee, as well as normal serum vitamin D level, were independent protectors against H. pylori infection. Additional studies are needed to estimate the prevalence and predisposing factors of H. pylori infection in the general population.

The Examination of the Influence of Caffeinated Coffee Consumption on the Concentrations of Serum Prolactin and Selected Parameters of the Oxidative-Antioxidant Balance in Young Adults: A Preliminary Report

We verified whether caffeinated coffee consumption influenced the concentrations of prolactin (PRL) and oxidative stress parameters: total antioxidant status (TAS), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), total oxidant status (TOS), oxidative stress index (OSI), advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP), uric acid (UA), total bilirubin (T-Bil), albumin (ALB), iron (Fe), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), and inflammatory marker C-reactive protein (CRP)-in blood sera obtained at 15, 60, and 120 minutes after caffeinated coffee intake, in relation to the fasting point. The study participants were 33 young, healthy, nonsmoking volunteers (15 men, 18 women) aged 19-29 years. PRL concentrations significantly decreased (p < 0.05) after consumption, except at time point 15' in men (p > 0.05). In women, FRAP levels significantly increased over time, and significant changes were also observed for UA at 120' and ALB at 15'. In men, significant changes were found for levels of AOPP at 15', T-Bil and ALB at 15', iron at 60' and 120', and calcium at 120'. There were no significant differences in the levels of other examined parameters between the defined time points. In conclusion, the substances contained in caffeinated coffee decrease the level of prolactin and may also have an impact on selected parameters of oxidative stress, which could be the basis of future research focused on the identification of new therapeutic targets.

Coffee Consumption May Mitigate the Risk for Acute Kidney Injury: Results from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study

Introduction

Coffee is one of the most frequently consumed beverages worldwide and has been found to have a wide assortment of health benefits. Although habitual coffee consumption is associated with a lower incidence of chronic kidney disease, an association between coffee and acute kidney injury (AKI) has not yet been revealed.

Methods

In the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study, a prospective cohort study of 14,207 adults aged 45 to 64 years, coffee consumption (cups/d) was assessed at a single visit via food frequency questionnaires and compared with incident AKI defined by hospitalization with an AKI-related International Classification of Diseases code.

Results

In ARIC, there were 1694 cases of incident AKI in a median of 24 follow-up years. Higher coffee consumption was associated with lower AKI risk versus no consumption (hazard ratio [HR] <1 cup/d: 0.92 [95% CI: 0.79–1.08]; 1 cup/d: 1.08 [95% CI: 0.94–1.24]; 2 to 3 cups/d: 0.83 [95% CI: 0.72–0.95]; >3 cups/d: 0.83 [95% CI: 0.71–0.96]; reference: never, P = 0.003). Trends for AKI risk across coffee categories remained significant after multivariable adjustment for age, sex, race-center, education, total daily energy intake, physical activity, smoking, alcohol intake, diet quality (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension [DASH] score), systolic blood pressure (BP), diabetes status, use of antihypertensive agents, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), and body mass index (BMI) (P = 0.02).

Conclusion

Higher coffee intake was associated with a lower risk of incident AKI and could present an opportunity for cardiorenal protection through diet. Further evaluation of the physiological mechanisms underlying the cardiorenal protective effects of coffee consumption is necessary.

The Impact of Instant Coffee and Decaffeinated Coffee on the Gut Microbiota and Depression-Like Behaviors of Sleep-Deprived Rats

Objective

Based on our previous research, chronic paradoxical sleep deprivation (PSD) can cause depression-like behaviors and microbial changes in gut microbiota. Coffee, as the world’s most popular drink for the lack of sleep, is beneficial to health and attention and can eliminate the cognitive sequelae caused by poor sleep. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of coffee and decaffeinated coffee on PSD rats.

Research Design and Methods

A total of 32 rats were divided into four groups: control group, PSD model group, conventional coffee group, and decaffeinated coffee group. Behavioral tests, including sucrose preference test, open field test, forced swimming test, and tail suspension test, as well as biochemical detection for inflammatory and antioxidant indexes were performed. The effects of coffee and decaffeinated coffee on the gut microbiota of PSD rats were investigated by 16S rRNA gene sequencing.

Results

Coffee and decaffeinated coffee significantly improved the depression-like behaviors. Moreover, the serum levels of interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor alpha were decreased in both coffee and decaffeinated coffee groups, as well as the levels of superoxide dismutase and GSH-Px were increased. Gut microbiota analysis revealed that the abundance of S24-7, Lachnospiraceae, Oscillospira, and Parabacteroides were significantly increased in PSD rats, while the abundance of Akkermansia and Klebsiella were significantly decreased. After the treatment of coffee and decaffeinated coffee, the abundance of the above gut microbiota was all restored in different degrees. Coffee had relatively more significant effects on PSD-induced depressive-like behaviors, while the difference between coffee and decaffeinated coffee was not obvious in correcting the disorder of gut microbiota.

Conclusions

These findings have shown that both coffee and decaffeinated coffee are effective for sleep deprivation-induced depression-like behaviors and the dysbiosis of gut microbiota and indicated that caffeine may be not the only key substance of coffee for regulating gut microbiota.

Relationship of coffee consumption with a decline in kidney function among patients with type 2 diabetes: the Fukuoka Diabetes Registry

Aims/Introduction

The evidence regarding the effects of coffee consumption on incident chronic kidney disease is inconclusive, and no studies have investigated the relationship in patients with diabetes. We aimed to prospectively investigate the relationship between coffee consumption and the decline in estimated glomerular function rate (eGFR) in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Materials and Methods

A total of 3,805 patients (2,112 men, 1,693 women) with type 2 diabetes (mean age 64.2 years) and eGFR ≥60 mL/min/1.73 m² were followed (completion of follow up, 97.6%; median 5.3 years). Coffee consumption was assessed at baseline. The end‐point was a decline in eGFR to <60 mL/min/1.73 m² during the follow‐up period.

Results

During follow up, 840 participants experienced a decline in eGFR to <60 mL/min/1.73 m². Higher coffee consumption reduced the risk of decline in eGFR. Compared with no coffee consumption, the multivariate‐adjusted hazard ratios (95% confidence intervals) were 0.77 (0.63–0.93) for less than one cup per day, 0.77 (0.62–0.95) for one cup per day and 0.75 (0.62–0.91) for two or more cups per day (P for trend 0.01). This trend was unaffected by further adjustment for baseline eGFR and albuminuria. The mean eGFR change per year was −2.16 mL/min/1.73 m² with no coffee consumption, −1.89 mL/min/1.73 m² with less than one cup per day, −1.80 mL/min/1.73 m² with one cup per day and −1.78 mL/min/1.73 m² with two or more cups per day (P for trend 0.03).

Conclusions

Coffee consumption is significantly associated with a lower risk of decline in eGFR in patients with type 2 diabetes.

No Association Observed Between Coffee Intake and Risk of Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma among Postmenopausal Women

BACKGROUND

Some preliminary studies indicate that components in coffee may have anticarcinogenic effects. However, the association between coffee-drinking habits and the risk of NHL remain controversial.

OBJECTIVE

To examine the relationship between coffee intake and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) incidence in a large prospective study of postmenopausal US women.

DESIGN AND PARTICIPANTS/SETTING

The participants included 74,935 women from the Women's Health Initiative Observational Study (WHI-OS) who were recruited from 1993 through 1998. Information about coffee-drinking habits was collected at baseline via self-administered questionnaires.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Newly diagnosed NHL was validated by medical records and pathology records. Separate analyses were performed for the following three subtypes of NHL: diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL (n=244)), follicular lymphoma (FL (n=166)), and chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL/SLL (n=64)).

STATISTICAL ANALYSES PERFORMED

Age-adjusted and multivariable-adjusted Cox proportional hazards models were used to determine associations of coffee intake (specifically, the total amount of coffee consumed daily, coffee types, and coffee preparation methods) with risk of NHL.

RESULTS

A total of 851 women developed NHL during a median 18.34 years of follow-up (range, 0.01 to 24.30 years; SD ± 6.63 years). Overall, no associations were observed between coffee intake and risk of NHL regardless of the total amount of daily coffee intake (P-value for trend test = 0.90), caffeinated (P-value=0.55) or decaffeinated coffee intake (P-value=0.78), and filtered or unfiltered coffee intake (P-value=0.91) after controlling for sociodemographic factors, lifestyle risk factors, and clinical risk factors/current medical conditions. No significant associations were observed between coffee intake with specific subtypes of NHL. A statistically significant interaction was found between alcohol intake, coffee intake, and incident NHL (P-value for interaction=0.02) based on the adjusted analysis. Specifically, among women who frequently consumed alcohol (>7 drinks/week), those who had moderate coffee intake (2-3 cups coffee/day) had a significantly reduced risk of developing NHL (HR:0.61, 95%CI: 0.36-0.98), compared to those who did not drink coffee.

CONCLUSION

The findings from this study do not support an association between coffee consumption and NHL risk, irrespective of the total amount of daily coffee intake, coffee types, or coffee preparation methods.

Korean traditional foods as antiviral and respiratory disease prevention and treatments: A detailed review

BACKGROUND

Korean traditional food (KTF), originated from ancestral agriculture and the nomadic traditions of the Korean peninsula and southern Manchuria, is based on healthy food that balances disease prevention and treatment. Fermented foods that include grains, herbs, fruits, and mushrooms are also an important practice in KTF, providing high levels of Lactobacilli, which confer relevant health benefits, including antiviral properties. Some of these probiotics may also protect against the Influenza virus through the modulation of innate immunity.

SCOPE AND APPROACH

The emerging of the COVID-19 pandemic, in addition to other diseases of viral origin, and the problems associated with other respiratory disorders, highlight how essential is a healthy eating pattern to strengthen our immune system.Key Findings and Conclusions: The present review covers the information available on edible plants, herbs, mushrooms, and preparations used in KTF to outline their multiple medicinal effects (e.g., antidiabetic, chemopreventive, antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial), emphasizing their role and effects on the immune system with an emphasis on modulating properties of the gut microbiota that further support strong respiratory immunity. Potential functional foods commonly used in Korean cuisine such as Kimchi (a mixture of fermented vegetables), Meju, Doenjang, Jeotgal, and Mekgeolli and fermented sauces, among others, are highlighted for their great potential to improve gut-lung immunity. The traditional Korean diet and dietary mechanisms that may target viruses ACE-2 receptors or affect any step of a virus infection pathway that can determine a patient's prognosis are also highlighted. The regular oral intake of bioactive ingredients used in Korean foods can offer protection for some viral diseases, through protective and immunomodulatory effects, as evidenced in pre-clinical and clinical studies.

Dietary Behaviors and Incident COVID-19 in the UK Biobank

BACKGROUND

Nutritional status influences immunity but its specific association with susceptibility to COVID-19 remains unclear. We examined the association of specific dietary data and incident COVID-19 in the UK Biobank (UKB).

METHODS

We considered UKB participants in England with self-reported baseline (2006-2010) data and linked them to Public Health England COVID-19 test results-performed on samples from combined nose/throat swabs, using real time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)-between March and November 2020. Baseline diet factors included breastfed as baby and specific consumption of coffee, tea, oily fish, processed meat, red meat, fruit, and vegetables. Individual COVID-19 exposure was estimated using the UK's average monthly positive case rate per specific geo-populations. Logistic regression estimated the odds of COVID-19 positivity by diet status adjusting for baseline socio-demographic factors, medical history, and other lifestyle factors. Another model was further adjusted for COVID-19 exposure.

RESULTS

Eligible UKB participants (n = 37,988) were 40 to 70 years of age at baseline; 17% tested positive for COVID-19 by SAR-CoV-2 PCR. After multivariable adjustment, the odds (95% CI) of COVID-19 positivity was 0.90 (0.83, 0.96) when consuming 2-3 cups of coffee/day (vs. <1 cup/day), 0.88 (0.80, 0.98) when consuming vegetables in the third quartile of servings/day (vs. lowest quartile), 1.14 (1.01, 1.29) when consuming fourth quartile servings of processed meats (vs. lowest quartile), and 0.91 (0.85, 0.98) when having been breastfed (vs. not breastfed). Associations were attenuated when further adjusted for COVID-19 exposure, but patterns of associations remained.

CONCLUSIONS

In the UK Biobank, consumption of coffee, vegetables, and being breastfed as a baby were favorably associated with incident COVID-19; intake of processed meat was adversely associated. Although these findings warrant independent confirmation, adherence to certain dietary behaviors may be an additional tool to existing COVID-19 protection guidelines to limit the spread of this virus.

Targeting Melanoma-Initiating Cells by Caffeine: In Silico and In Vitro Approaches

The beneficial effects of coffee on human diseases are well documented, but the molecular mechanisms of its bioactive compounds on cancer are not completely elucidated. This is likely due to the large heterogeneity of coffee preparations and different coffee-based beverages, but also to the choice of experimental models where proliferation, differentiation and immune responses are differently affected. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of one of the most interesting bioactive compounds in coffee, i.e., caffeine, using a cellular model of melanoma at a defined differentiation level. A preliminary in silico analysis carried out on public gene-expression databases identified genes potentially involved in caffeine’s effects and suggested some specific molecular targets, including tyrosinase. Proliferation was investigated in vitro on human melanoma initiating cells (MICs) and cytokine expression was measured in conditioned media. Tyrosinase was revealed as a key player in caffeine’s mechanisms of action, suggesting a crucial role in immunomodulation through the reduction in IL-1β, IP-10, MIP-1α, MIP-1β and RANTES secretion onto MICs conditioned media. The potent antiproliferative effects of caffeine on MICs are likely to occur by promoting melanin production and reducing inflammatory signals’ secretion. These data suggest tyrosinase as a key player mediating the effects of caffeine on melanoma.

Association between coffee consumption and functional disability in older US adults

The effect of coffee consumption on functional disability has been scarcely investigated. Thus, this study aimed to examine the association between coffee consumption and functional disability in older American adults. Participants (≥60 years old, n 7704) were from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2007-2016. Coffee consumption was assessed through two 24-h dietary recall interviews. Five domains of functional disability including lower extremity mobility (LEM), general physical activity (GPA), leisure and social activities (LSA), activities of daily living (ADL) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) were self-reported. Age- and multivariate-adjusted logistic regression models and restricted cubic spline analyses were used. Total coffee consumption was inversely associated with LEM, GPA, LSA and IADL disability. Compared with non-drinkers of total coffee, those who consumed ≥2 cups/d reported lower odds of LEM (OR 0·67, 95 % CI 0·50, 0·91), GPA (OR 0·65, 95 % CI 0·47, 0·88), LSA (OR 0·61, 95 % CI 0·45, 0·83) and IADL (OR 0·59, 95 % CI 0·44, 0·78) disability. The dose-response analyses confirmed these relationships. Intake of ≥2 cups/d caffeinated coffee was also inversely linked to GPA (OR 0·67, 95 % CI 0·48, 0·92), LSA (OR 0·66, 95 % CI 0·46, 0·93) and IADL (OR 0·57, 95 % CI 0·43, 0·75) disability, whereas the inverse association of 2+ cups/d decaffeinated coffee was only on LEM (OR 0·43, 95 % CI 0·23, 0·81) and LSA (OR 0·39, 95 % CI 0·16, 0·94) disability. The present study suggested that coffee consumption was inversely associated with functional disability in older American adults. Those associations of diverse coffee types differed across domains of functional disability.

Caffeinated Coffee Consumption and Health Outcomes in the US Population: A Dose-Response Meta-Analysis and Estimation of Disease Cases and Deaths Avoided

To explore the role of coffee on health outcomes in the United States, where coffee consumption is common, we conducted a meta-analysis of prospective studies investigating the magnitude (any compared with no consumption) and the dose-response shape (cups per day) of the associations between caffeinated coffee consumption and incidence/mortality of cardiovascular disease (CVD), as well as incidence of type 2 diabetes (T2D), hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), endometrial cancer, melanoma, and nonmelanoma skin cancer. We selected the desirable health outcomes that have been shown to be positively associated with coffee consumption. Studies were identified by searching PubMed/Embase databases up to September 2019. Inclusion criteria included prospective studies that investigated the relation of ≥3 categories of caffeinated coffee consumption and the outcomes of interest. Twenty-six studies (42 distinct cohorts), with 93,706 cases/deaths and 3,713,932 participants, met the inclusion criteria. In any coffee consumers, there was a significant inverse association with the risk of CVD (RR = 0.90; 95% CI: 0.84, 0.96), T2D (RR = 0.90; 95% CI: 0.85, 0.96), endometrial cancer (RR = 0.85; 95% CI: 0.78, 0.92), melanoma (RR = 0.89; 95% CI: 0.80, 0.99), and nonmelanoma skin cancer (RR = 0.92; 95% CI: 0.89, 0.95). Coffee consumption was also inversely associated with HCC (RR = 0.93; 95% CI: 0.80, 1.08), without reaching statistical significance. The dose-response relation was nonlinear uniquely for CVD (P-nonlinearity = 0.01). In particular, the largest risk reduction was observed for 3-4 cups/d (∼120 mL/cup) and no reduction thereafter. For other outcomes, the risk decreased linearly over the whole coffee consumption range. Current patterns of consumption in the United States would account for a fraction of avoided cases/deaths ranging from 6% to 12% according to the outcome considered. This study confirms the beneficial health effects of caffeinated coffee consumption in the US population on the health outcomes considered, and quantifies their possible magnitude.

Role of Coffee Caffeine and Chlorogenic Acids Adsorption to Polysaccharides with Impact on Brew Immunomodulation Effects

Coffee brews have High Molecular Weight (HMW) compounds with described immunostimulatory activity, namely polysaccharides and melanoidins. Melanoidins are formed during roasting and are modified during brews technological processing. In addition, brews have Low Molecular Weight (LMW) compounds, namely free chlorogenic acids and caffeine, with well-known anti-inflammatory properties. However, this study shows that both espresso and instant coffee brews did not present immunostimulatory neither anti-inflammatory in vitro activities. It is possible that the simultaneous existence of compounds with antagonistic effects can mitigate their individual effects. To test this hypothesis, an ultrafiltration separation process was applied, studying the behavior of coffee brews’ HMW on retention of LMW compounds. Several ultrafiltration sequential cycles were required to separate retentates from LMW compounds, suggesting their retention. This effect was higher in instant coffee, attributed to its initial higher carbohydrate content when compared to espresso. Separation of HMW and LMW compounds boosted their immunostimulatory (6.2–7.8 µM nitrites) and anti-inflammatory (LPS induced nitrite production decrease by 36–31%) in vitro activities, respectively. As coffee anti-inflammatory compounds are expected to be first absorbed during digestion, a potential in vivo fractionation of LMW and HMW compounds can promote health relevant effects after coffee intake.

Daily Coffee Drinking Is Associated with Lower Risks of Cardiovascular and Total Mortality in a General Italian Population: Results from the Moli-sani Study

BACKGROUND

An inverse relationship between coffee intake and mortality has been observed in several population cohorts, but rarely within Mediterranean countries. Moreover, the biological pathways mediating such an association remain unclear.

OBJECTIVES

We assessed the associations between coffee consumption and total and cause-specific mortality and examined the mediating roles of N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide (NTproBNP), high-sensitivity Troponin I, blood glucose, lipid metabolism, and selected biomarkers of inflammation and renal function.

METHODS

We longitudinally analyzed data on 20,487 men and women (35-94 years old at baseline) in the Moli-sani Study, a prospective cohort established in 2005-2010. Individuals were free from cardiovascular disease (CVD) and cancer and were followed-up for a median of 8.3 years. Dietary data were collected by a 188-item semi-quantitative FFQ. Coffee intake was standardized to a 30-mL Italian espresso cup size. HRs with 95% CIs were calculated by multivariable Cox regression.

RESULTS

In comparison with no/rare coffee consumption (up to 1 cup/d), HRs for all-cause mortality across categories of coffee consumption (>1 to ≤2, >2 to ≤3, >3 to ≤4 and >4 cups/d) were 0.79 (95% CI, 0.65-0.95), 0.84 (95% CI, 0.69-1.03), 0.72 (95% CI, 0.57-0.92), and 0.85 (95% CI, 0.62-1.12), respectively. For CVD mortality, a nonlinear (P for non-linearity = 0.021) J-shaped association was found (magnitude of the relative reduction = 37%; nadir at 3-4 cups/d). Circulating levels of NTproBNP explained up to 26.4% of the association between coffee and all-cause mortality, while systolic blood pressure was likely to be on the pathway between coffee and CVD mortality, although to a lesser extent.

CONCLUSIONS

In this large cohort of Italian adults, moderate consumption (3-4 cups/d) of Italian-style coffee was associated with lower risks of all-cause and, specifically, of CVD mortality. Among the known biomarkers investigated here, NTproBNP likely mediates the relationship between coffee intake and all-cause mortality.

Cocoa colonic phenolic metabolites are related to HDL-cholesterol raising effects and methylxanthine metabolites and insoluble dietary fibre to anti-inflammatory and hypoglycemic effects in humans

BACKGROUND

In many cocoa intervention studies, health outcomes are related to cocoa components without taking into account the bioavailability of the main bioactive components: phenolic compounds and methylxanthines.

METHODS

The present work associates the results of bioavailability and randomised controlled crossover studies in humans carried out with similar cocoa products, so that the main phenol and methylxanthine metabolites observed in plasma and urine are associated to the health effects observed in the chronic studies. We outstand that doses of cocoa and consumption rate used are realistic. In the bioavailability study, a conventional (CC) and a methylxanthine-polyphenol rich (MPC) cocoa product were used, whereas in the chronic study a dietary fibre-rich (DFC) and a polyphenol-rich (PC) product were studied in healthy and cardiovascular risk subjects.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The main phenolic metabolites formed after CC and MPC intake, 5-(4'-hydroxyphenyl)-γ-valerolactone-3'-sulfate, 3'-methyl-epicatechin-5-sulfate, 4-hydroxy-5-(4'-hydroxyphenyl)valeric acid-sulfate, 5-phenyl-γ-valerolactone--sulfate and 5-(4'-hydroxyphenyl)-γ-valerolactone-3'-glucuronide, may contribute to the changes in cholesterol (and indirectly HDL-cholesterol) observed after the regular intake of both DFC and PC, in healthy and cardiovascular risk subjects, whereas 7-methylxanthine (the main cocoa methylxanthine metabolite) and theobromine, together with its content in insoluble dietary fibre, may be responsible for the decrease of IL-1β and hypoglycemic effects observed with DFC. With both phenolic and methylxanthine metabolites a strong dose-response effect was observed.

CONCLUSION

After the regular consumption of both DFC and PC, positive changes were observed in volunteer's lipid profile, which may be related to the long-lasting presence of colonic phenolic metabolites in blood. In contrast, the anti-inflammatory and hypoglycemic effects were only observed with DFC, and these may be related to methylxanthine metabolites, and it is likely that insoluble dietary fibre may have also played a role.

Coffee consumption and overall and cause-specific mortality: the Norwegian Women and Cancer Study (NOWAC)

Coffee consumption has previously been reported to reduce overall and cause-specific mortality. We aimed to further investigate this association by coffee brewing methods and in a population with heavy coffee consumers. The information on total, filtered, instant, and boiled coffee consumption from self-administered questionnaires was available from 117,228 women in the Norwegian Women and Cancer (NOWAC) Study. We used flexible parametric survival models to calculate hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for all-cause, cardiovascular, and cancer mortality by total coffee consumption and brewing methods, and adjusted for smoking status, number of pack-years, age at smoking initiation, alcohol consumption, body mass index, physical activity, and duration of education. During 3.2 million person-years of follow-up, a total of 16,106 deaths occurred. Compared to light coffee consumers (≤ 1 cup/day), we found a statistically significant inverse association with high-moderate total coffee consumption (more than 4 and up to 6 cups/day, HR 0.89; 95% CI 0.83–0.94) and all-cause mortality. The adverse association between heavy filtered coffee consumption (> 6 cups/day) and all-cause mortality observed in the entire sample (HR 1.09; 95% CI 1.01–1.17) was not found in never smokers (HR 0.85; 95% CI 0.70–1.05). During the follow-up, both high-moderate total and filtered coffee consumption were inversely associated with the risk of cardiovascular mortality (HR 0.79; 95% CI 0.67–0.94; HR 0.80; 95% CI 0.67–0.94, respectively). The association was stronger in the analyses of never smokers (> 6 cups of filtered coffee/day HR 0.20; 95% CI 0.08–0.56). The consumption of more than 6 cups/day of filtered, instant, and coffee overall was found to increase the risk of cancer deaths during the follow-up. However, these associations were not statistically significant in the subgroup analyses of never smokers. The data from the NOWAC study indicate that the consumption of filtered coffee reduces the risk of cardiovascular deaths. The observed adverse association between coffee consumption and cancer mortality is most likely due to residual confounding by smoking.

Health Effects of Coffee: Mechanism Unraveled?

The association of habitual coffee consumption with a lower risk of diseases, like type 2 diabetes mellitus, chronic liver disease, certain cancer types, or with reduced all-cause mortality, has been confirmed in prospective cohort studies in many regions of the world. The molecular mechanism is still unresolved. The radical-scavenging and anti-inflammatory activity of coffee constituents is too weak to account for such effects. We argue here that coffee as a plant food has similar beneficial properties to many vegetables and fruits. Recent studies have identified a health promoting mechanism common to coffee, vegetables and fruits, i.e., the activation of an adaptive cellular response characterized by the upregulation of proteins involved in cell protection, notably antioxidant, detoxifying and repair enzymes. Key to this response is the activation of the Nrf2 (Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor-2) system by phenolic phytochemicals, which induces the expression of cell defense genes. Coffee plays a dominant role in that regard because it is the major dietary source of phenolic acids and polyphenols in the developed world. A possible supportive action may be the modulation of the gut microbiota by non-digested prebiotic constituents of coffee, but the available data are still scarce. We conclude that coffee employs similar pathways of promoting health as assumed for other vegetables and fruits. Coffee beans may be viewed as healthy vegetable food and a main supplier of dietary phenolic phytochemicals.

Circulating inflammation markers and colorectal adenoma risk

Inflammation is a driver of colorectal neoplasia; however, what particular inflammatory processes play a role in early carcinogenesis are unclear. We compared serum levels of 78 inflammation markers between 171 pathologically confirmed colorectal adenoma cases (including 48 incident cases) and 344 controls within the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial. We used weighted multivariable logistic regression to compute odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). We found 14 markers associated with risk of adenoma overall; three of these were also associated with incident adenoma: CC-chemokine cysteine motif chemokine ligand 20 (CCL20) [overall adenoma fourth versus first quartile: OR 4.8, 95% CI 2.0-12, Ptrend 0.0007; incident adenoma third versus first tertile: OR 4.6, 95% CI 1.0-22, Ptrend 0.03], growth-related gene oncogene products (GRO) [OR 3.8, 95% CI 1.6-9.3, Ptrend 0.006 and OR 3.6, 95% CI 1.1-12, Ptrend 0.04, respectively] and insulin [OR 2.9, 95% CI 0.8-10, Ptrend 0.05 and OR 7.8, 95% CI 1.3-46, Ptrend 0.03, respectively]. All statistical tests were two-sided. These results provide important new evidence implicating CCL20- and GRO-related pathways in early colorectal carcinogenesis and further support a role for insulin.

Profiling the Salivary microbiome of the Qatari population

BACKGROUND

The role of the human microbiome in human health and disease has been studied in various body sites. However, compared to the gut microbiome, where most of the research focus is, the salivary microbiome still bears a vast amount of information that needs to be revealed. This study aims to characterize the salivary microbiome composition in the Qatari population, and to explore specific microbial signatures that can be associated with various lifestyles and different oral conditions.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We characterized the salivary microbiome of 997 Qatari adults using high-throughput sequencing of the V1-V3 region of the 16S rRNA gene.

RESULTS

In this study, we have characterized the salivary microbiome of 997 Qatari participants. Our data show that Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, Actinobacteria and Proteobacteria are the common phyla isolated from the saliva samples, with Bacteroidetes being the most predominant phylum. Bacteroidetes was also more predominant in males versus females in the study cohort, although differences in the microbial diversity were not statistically significant. We also show that, a lower diversity of the salivary microbiome is observed in the elderly participants, with Prevotella and Treponema being the most significant genera. In participants with oral conditions such as mouth ulcers, bleeding or painful gum, our data show that Prevotella and Capnocytophaga are the most dominant genera as compared to the controls. Similar patterns were observed in participants with various smoking habits as compared to the non-smoking participants. Our data show that Streptococcus and Neisseria are more dominant among denture users, as compared to the non-denture users. Our data also show that, abnormal oral conditions are associated with a reduced microbial diversity and microbial richness. Moreover, in this study we show that frequent coffee drinkers have higher microbial diversity compared to the non-drinkers, indicating that coffee may cause changes to the salivary microbiome. Furthermore, tea drinkers show higher microbial richness as compared to the non-tea drinkers.

CONCLUSION

This is the first study to assess the salivary microbiome in an Arab population, and one of the largest population-based studies aiming to the characterize the salivary microbiome composition and its association with age, oral health, denture use, smoking and coffee-tea consumption.

Chemical composition and health properties of coffee and coffee by-products

Coffee can be an ally in the fight against diseases such as type 2 diabetes, cancer, hepatic injury, cirrhosis, depression, suicidal behavior, and neurological and cardiovascular disorders. The properties of coffee also favor gastrointestinal tract and gut microbiota establishment. Coffee bioactive components include phenolic compounds (chlorogenic acids, cafestol and kahweol), alkaloids (caffeine and trigonelin), diterpenes (cafestol and kahweol) and other secondary metabolites. The image of coffee as a super functional food has helped to increase coffee consumption across the globe. This chapter addresses the main health promotion mechanisms associated with coffee consumption. Related topics on coffee production chain, world consumption and reuse of coffee by-products in the production of high-value-adding molecules with potential applications in the food industry are addressed and discussed.

Association between coffee drinking and telomere length in the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial

Mounting evidence indicates that coffee, a commonly consumed beverage worldwide, is inversely associated with various chronic diseases and overall mortality. Few studies have evaluated the effect of coffee drinking on telomere length, a biomarker of chromosomal integrity, and results have been inconsistent. Understanding this association may provide mechanistic insight into associations of coffee with health. The aim of our study was to test the hypothesis that heavier coffee intake is associated with greater likelihood of having above-median telomere length. We evaluated the cross-sectional association between coffee intake and relative telomere length using data from 1,638 controls from four previously conducted case-control studies nested in the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial. Coffee intake was assessed using a food frequency questionnaire, and relative telomere length was measured from buffy-coat, blood, or buccal cells. We used unconditional logistic regression models to generate multivariable-adjusted, study-specific odds ratios for the association between coffee intake and relative telomere length. We then conducted a random-effects meta-analysis to determine summary odds ratios. We found that neither summary continuous (OR = 1.01, 95% CI = 0.99-1.03) nor categorical (OR <3 cups/day vs. none = 1.37, 95% CI = 0.71-2.65; OR ≥3 cups/day vs. none = 1.47, 95% CI = 0.81-2.66) odds ratio estimates of coffee drinking and relative telomere length were statistically significant. However, in the largest of the four contributing studies, moderate (<3 cups/day) and heavy coffee drinkers (≥3 cups/day) were 2.10 times (95% CI = 1.25, 3.54) and 1.93 times as likely (95% CI = 1.17, 3.18) as nondrinkers to have above-median telomere length, respectively. In conclusion, we found no evidence that coffee drinking is associated with telomere length. Thus, it is unlikely that telomere length plays a role in potential coffee-disease associations.

Caffeine improves sperm quality, modulates steroidogenic enzyme activities, restore testosterone levels and prevent oxidative damage in testicular and epididymal tissues of scopolamine-induced rat model of amnesia

Objectives

This study was designed to assess the role of caffeine on fertility parameters in testicular and epididymal tissues of scopolamine-induced model of amnesia in rats.

Methods

Adult male rats were treated with scopolamine with or without caffeine. The modulatory effects of caffeine or scopolamine on fertility parameters were assessed in rats' testicular and epididymal homogenates.

Key findings

Scopolamine-induced sperm abnormalities, reduced steroidogenic enzyme 3β-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3β-HSD) and 17β-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (17β-HSD) activities and serum testosterone levels in rats' testicular tissues. Treatment with caffeine increased 3β-HSD and 17β-HSD as well as testosterone levels. Caffeine also reversed sperm viability, sperm motility and sperm count in testicular tissues of scopolamine-treated rats. Furthermore, scopolamine-induced oxidative damage in rats' epididymal and testicular tissues via reduction of thiol and non-protein thiol content as well as increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. Caffeine attenuated oxidative stress in testicular and epididymal tissues of rats treated with scopolamine via increase in non-protein and protein thiol levels with concomitant reduction in ROS and MDA levels.

Conclusion

This study revealed that caffeine (5 and 25 mg/kg) improved sperm quality, increased steroidogenic enzyme activities and attenuated oxidative damage in testis and epididymis of rats treated with scopolamine.

Targeted proteomic response to coffee consumption

PURPOSE

Coffee is widely consumed and implicated in numerous health outcomes but the mechanisms by which coffee contributes to health is unclear. The purpose of this study was to test the effect of coffee drinking on candidate proteins involved in cardiovascular, immuno-oncological and neurological pathways.

METHODS

We examined fasting serum samples collected from a previously reported single blinded, three-stage clinical trial. Forty-seven habitual coffee consumers refrained from drinking coffee for 1 month, consumed 4 cups of coffee/day in the second month and 8 cups/day in the third month. Samples collected after each coffee stage were analyzed using three multiplex proximity extension assays that, after quality control, measured a total of 247 proteins implicated in cardiovascular, immuno-oncological and neurological pathways and of which 59 were previously linked to coffee exposure. Repeated measures ANOVA was used to test the relationship between coffee treatment and each protein.

RESULTS

Two neurology-related proteins including carboxypeptidase M (CPM) and neutral ceramidase (N-CDase or ASAH2), significantly increased after coffee intake (P < 0.05 and Q < 0.05). An additional 46 proteins were nominally associated with coffee intake (P < 0.05 and Q > 0.05); 9, 8 and 29 of these proteins related to cardiovascular, immuno-oncological and neurological pathways, respectively, and the levels of 41 increased with coffee intake.

CONCLUSIONS

CPM and N-CDase levels increased in response to coffee intake. These proteins have not previously been linked to coffee and are thus novel markers of coffee response worthy of further study. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRY: http://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN12547806.

Plasma Metabolites Associated with Coffee Consumption: A Metabolomic Approach within the PREDIMED Study

Few studies have examined the association of a wide range of metabolites with total and subtypes of coffee consumption. The aim of this study was to investigate associations of plasma metabolites with total, caffeinated, and decaffeinated coffee consumption. We also assessed the ability of metabolites to discriminate between coffee consumption categories. This is a cross-sectional analysis of 1664 participants from the PREDIMED study. Metabolites were semiquantitatively profiled using a multiplatform approach. Consumption of total coffee, caffeinated coffee and decaffeinated coffee was assessed by using a validated food frequency questionnaire. We assessed associations between 387 metabolite levels with total, caffeinated, or decaffeinated coffee consumption (≥50 mL coffee/day) using elastic net regression analysis. Ten-fold cross-validation analyses were used to estimate the discriminative accuracy of metabolites for total and subtypes of coffee. We identified different sets of metabolites associated with total coffee, caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee consumption. These metabolites consisted of lipid species (e.g., sphingomyelin, phosphatidylethanolamine, and phosphatidylcholine) or were derived from glycolysis (alpha-glycerophosphate) and polyphenol metabolism (hippurate). Other metabolites included caffeine, 5-acetylamino-6-amino-3-methyluracil, cotinine, kynurenic acid, glycocholate, lactate, and allantoin. The area under the curve (AUC) was 0.60 (95% CI 0.56-0.64), 0.78 (95% CI 0.75-0.81) and 0.52 (95% CI 0.49-0.55), in the multimetabolite model, for total, caffeinated, and decaffeinated coffee consumption, respectively. Our comprehensive metabolic analysis did not result in a new, reliable potential set of metabolites for coffee consumption.

Coffee consumption and plasma biomarkers of metabolic and inflammatory pathways in US health professionals

BACKGROUND

Coffee consumption has been linked to lower risk of various health outcomes. However, the biological pathways mediating the associations remain poorly understood.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to assess the association between coffee consumption and concentrations of plasma biomarkers in key metabolic and inflammatory pathways underlying common chronic diseases.

METHODS

We investigated the associations of total, caffeinated, and decaffeinated coffee consumption with 14 plasma biomarkers, including C-peptide, insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), IGF binding protein (IGFBP) 1, IGFBP-3, estrone, total and free estradiol, total and free testosterone, sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), total adiponectin, high-molecular-weight (HMW) adiponectin, leptin, C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin 6 (IL-6), and soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor 2 (sTNFR-2). Data were derived from 2 cohorts of 15,551 women (Nurses' Health Study) and 7397 men (Health Professionals Follow-Up Study), who provided detailed dietary data before blood draw and were free of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, or cancer at the time of blood draw. Multivariable linear regression was used to calculate the percentage difference of biomarker concentrations comparing coffee drinkers with nondrinkers, after adjusting for a variety of demographic, clinical, and lifestyle factors.

RESULTS

Compared with nondrinkers, participants who drank ≥4 cups of total coffee/d had lower concentrations of C-peptide (-8.7%), IGFBP-3 (-2.2%), estrone (-6.4%), total estradiol (-5.7%), free estradiol (-8.1%), leptin (-6.4%), CRP (-16.6%), IL-6 (-8.1%), and sTNFR-2 (-5.8%) and higher concentrations of SHBG (5.0%), total testosterone (7.3% in women and 5.3% in men), total adiponectin (9.3%), and HMW adiponectin (17.2%). The results were largely similar for caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee.

CONCLUSION

Our data indicate that coffee consumption is associated with favorable profiles of numerous biomarkers in key metabolic and inflammatory pathways. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT03419455.

Serum Inflammatory Profile for the Discrimination of Clinical Subtypes in Parkinson's Disease

Background: Blood levels of immune markers have been proposed to discriminate patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) from controls. However, differences between clinical PD subgroups regarding these markers still need to be identified.

Objective: To investigate whether clinical phenotypes can be predicted by the assessment of immune marker profiles in the serum of PD patients.

Methods: Phenotypes of clinical PD from Tübingen, Germany (n = 145) and Toronto, Canada (n = 90) were defined regarding clinical subtype, disease onset, severity, and progression as well as presence of cognitive and/or autonomic dysfunction. A panel of serum immune markers was assessed using principal component analysis (PCA) and regression models to define the marker(s) that were associated with clinical phenotypes after adjusting for potential confounders. Findings of both centers were compared for validation. Further, a [18F] FEPPA-PET was performed in a group of patients with high and low values of candidate markers for the assessment of in vivo brain microglial activation.

Results: Overall, serum immune markers did not cluster to define a pro/anti-inflammatory profile in PCA. Out of 25 markers only IL-12p40 showed a trend to discriminate between PD subgroups in both cohorts which could not be replicated by [18F] FEPPA-PET.

Conclusions: Assessment of cytokines in serum does not reliably differentiate clinical PD subtypes. Accompanying subtype-irrelevant inflammation in PD, dual activity, and lack of specificity of the immune markers, the complex function of microglia, probable effects of treatment, disease stage, and progression on inflammation as well as current technical limitations may limit the usefulness of serum immune markers for the differentiation of subtypes.

Prevalence of human papillomavirus in oral rinse samples from healthy individuals in northern Thailand

BACKGROUND

The incidence of oral cancers associated with human papillomavirus (HPV) has been increasing in recent years. Therefore, it is necessary to elucidate HPV prevalence in oral cells and exposure to risk factors in various age groups.

METHODS

Oral rinse samples from healthy individuals in northern Thailand were investigated for HPV prevalence and genotyped using the polymerase chain reaction (GP5+/6+ primers) and DNA sequencing of the PCR products.

RESULTS

Samples were collected from 594 participants between 4 and 60 years of age. HPV was detected in 3.7% of samples. The prevalence of HPV-positive cases was 8.6% in the 31-50 age group. HPV prevalence increased with age and was the highest (9.2%) in the 41-50 age group, but decreased (to 3%) in the 51-60 age group. Risk factors significantly associated with HPV-positive cases included alcohol consumption, coffee drinking, sexual activity, and having children. HPV 16 and 18 were common genotypes, especially in the 31-50 age group, and were associated with having sexual activity (odds ratio 19.0 [95% CI: 2.5-142.5]). At follow-up of some individuals in the 4-10 age group, a 9-year-old child was found to be positive for HPV18.

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest that HPV can be acquired at a young age and the prevalence peaks in the middle age class among healthy individuals in northern Thailand, especially in the 31-50 age group.

Effect of Roasting Levels and Drying Process of Coffea canephora on the Quality of Bioactive Compounds and Cytotoxicity

Coffee is a popular drink consumed all over the world. Besides its long-recognized stimulant effect, it has important nutritional and health effects. However, the type of bean processing modifies the composition of brewed coffee and possibly its bioactivity. In this study, extracts obtained from green and roasted beans of Coffea canephora (Coffea canephora var. robusta) were submitted to spray- or freeze-drying and were tested for antiproliferative activity, using MTT assay, and their influence on the cell cycle and apoptosis by flow cytometry analysis. Moreover, colors and nutrient contents were measured to identify the changes due to the roasting process. The results obtained showed that extracts from green and light roasted beans exhibited strong bioactive capacity. Coffee extracts promoted a decrease in cell viability, modulated cell cycle and induced apoptosis in human prostate carcinoma cell line (DU-145). The level of roasting reduced this property, but the type of drying did not in all cases.

Coffee, caffeine, chlorogenic acid, and the purinergic system

Coffee is a drink prepared from roasted coffee beans and is lauded for its aroma and flavour. It is the third most popular beverage in the world. This beverage is known by its stimulant effect associated with the presence of methylxanthines. Caffeine, a purine-like molecule (1,3,7 trymetylxantine), is the most important bioactive compound in coffee, among others such as chlorogenic acid (CGA), diterpenes, and trigonelline. CGA is a phenolic acid with biological properties as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, neuroprotector, hypolipidemic, and hypoglicemic. Purinergic system plays a key role inneuromodulation and homeostasis. Extracellular ATP, other nucleotides and adenosine are signalling molecules that act through their specific receptors, namely purinoceptors, P1 for nucleosides and P2 for nucleotides. They regulate many pathological processes, since adenosine, for instance, can limit the damage caused by ATP in the excitotoxicity from the neuronal cells. The primary purpose of this review is to discuss the effects of coffee, caffeine, and CGA on the purinergic system. This review focuses on the relationship/interplay between coffee, caffeine, CGA, and adenosine, and their effects on ectonucleotidases activities as well as on the modulation of P1 and P2 receptors from central nervous system and also in peripheral tissue.

Caffeine: Well-known as psychotropic substance, but little as immunomodulator

To date, numerable reviews are found in the literature prominent to the effect of caffeine on the immune system, with the latest review published in 2006. Database screening reveals around three thousand articles that have been published during the last decade. Interestingly, less than hundred articles involved humans and rodents as tested models, out of which 20% is of interest to this paper excluding studies done on the nervous and cardiac systems, and in pregnant and cancer cases. In this review, information pertaining to the experimental setup of various studies, namely, the tested model, the study type (in vivo or in vitro), and caffeine dose is covered to discern the behaviour of major cellular and molecular immune components in light of caffeine exposure. Although it is hard to extrapolate results done in rodents to humans and to relay conclusions from in vitro to in vivo studies, most of the collected data favor the suppressive effects of caffeine on the proliferation of stimulated lymphocytes. Macrophages and natural killer cells also exhibited a reduced activity in the presence of high caffeine doses compared to increased activity at low doses. Immunosuppression is also supported by reduced levels of major anti-inflammatory cytokines, IL-2, IL-6, TNF-α. Moreover, certain innate and adaptive immune receptors, such as TLR1, TLR2, TLR4, and MHC class I-related chain B (MICB) molecules, exhibited decreased expression levels. Thus, we support the use of caffeine to alleviate various inflammatory conditions and autoimmune diseases.

Association of Coffee Drinking With Mortality by Genetic Variation in Caffeine Metabolism: Findings From the UK Biobank

Importance

Prospective cohorts in North America, Europe, and Asia show consistent inverse associations between coffee drinking and mortality, including deaths from cardiovascular disease and some cancers. However, concerns about coffee, particularly among people with common genetic polymorphisms affecting caffeine metabolism and among those drinking more than 5 cups per day, remain.

Objective

To evaluate associations of coffee drinking with mortality by genetic caffeine metabolism score.

Design, Setting, and Participants

The UK Biobank is a population-based study that invited approximately 9.2 million individuals from across the United Kingdom to participate. We used baseline demographic, lifestyle, and genetic data form the UK Biobank cohort, with follow-up beginning in 2006 and ending in 2016, to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) for coffee intake and mortality, using multivariable-adjusted Cox proportional hazards models. We investigated potential effect modification by caffeine metabolism, defined by a genetic score of previously identified polymorphisms in AHR, CYP1A2, CYP2A6, and POR that have an effect on caffeine metabolism. Of the 502 641 participants who consented with baseline data, we included those who were not pregnant and had complete data on coffee intake and smoking status (n = 498 134).

Exposures

Total, ground, instant, and decaffeinated coffee intake.

Main Outcomes and Measures

All-cause and cause-specific mortality.

Results

The mean age of the participants was 57 years (range, 38-73 years); 271 019 (54%) were female, and 387 494 (78%) were coffee drinkers. Over 10 years of follow-up, 14 225 deaths occurred. Coffee drinking was inversely associated with all-cause mortality. Using non-coffee drinkers as the reference group, HRs for drinking less than 1, 1, 2 to 3, 4 to 5, 6 to 7, and 8 or more cups per day were 0.94 (95% CI, 0.88-1.01), 0.92 (95% CI, 0.87-0.97), 0.88 (95% CI, 0.84-0.93), 0.88 (95% CI, 0.83-0.93), 0.84 (95% CI, 0.77-0.92), and 0.86 (95% CI, 0.77-0.95), respectively. Similar associations were observed for instant, ground, and decaffeinated coffee, across common causes of death, and regardless of genetic caffeine metabolism score. For example, the HRs for 6 or more cups per day ranged from 0.70 (95% CI, 0.53-0.94) to 0.92 (95% CI, 0.78-1.10), with no evidence of effect modification across strata of caffeine metabolism score (P = .17 for heterogeneity).

Conclusions and Relevance

Coffee drinking was inversely associated with mortality, including among those drinking 8 or more cups per day and those with genetic polymorphisms indicating slower or faster caffeine metabolism. These findings suggest the importance of noncaffeine constituents in the coffee-mortality association and provide further reassurance that coffee drinking can be a part of a healthy diet.

Association of Coffee and Tea Intake with the Oral Microbiome: Results from a Large Cross-Sectional Study

Background: The oral microbiota play a central role in oral health, and possibly in carcinogenesis. Research suggests that coffee and tea consumption may have beneficial health effects. We examined the associations of these common beverages with the oral ecosystem in a large cross-sectional study.Methods: We assessed oral microbiota in mouthwash samples from 938 participants in two U.S. cohorts using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Coffee and tea intake were assessed from food frequency questionnaires. We examined associations of coffee and tea intake with overall oral microbiota diversity and composition using linear regression and permutational MANOVA, respectively, and with taxon abundance using negative binomial generalized linear models; all models adjusted for age, sex, cohort, body mass index, smoking, ethanol intake, and energy intake.Results: Higher tea intake was associated with greater oral microbiota richness (P = 0.05) and diversity (P = 0.006), and shifts in overall community composition (P = 0.002); coffee was not associated with these microbiome parameters. Tea intake was associated with altered abundance of several oral taxa; these included Fusobacteriales, Clostridiales, and Shuttleworthia satelles (higher with increasing tea) and Bifidobacteriaceae, Bergeyella, Lactobacillales, and Kingella oralis (lower with increasing tea). Higher coffee intake was only associated with greater abundance of Granulicatella and Synergistetes.Conclusions: In the largest study to date of tea and coffee consumption in relation to the oral microbiota, the microbiota of tea drinkers differed in several ways from nondrinkers.Impact: Tea-driven changes to the oral microbiome may contribute to previously observed associations between tea and oral and systemic diseases, including cancers. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 27(7); 814-21. ©2018 AACR.

Circulating inflammatory proteins and gallbladder cancer: Potential for risk stratification to improve prioritization for cholecystectomy in high-risk regions

BACKGROUND

Inflammatory proteins could help identify individuals most likely to have gallbladder cancer (GBC) among those waiting for cholecystectomy.

METHODS

We analyzed 49 circulating inflammation-related proteins in 144 patients with GBC and 150 patients with gallstones. We calculated age- and sex-adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% CIs for protein quantiles and GBC versus gallstones. Using proteins associated with early GBC (stage 1-2) that were selected in stepwise logistic regression, we created an inflammation score and explored the potential utility for risk stratification.

RESULTS

26 proteins (53%) had P values for the trend across categories ≤0.001, with associations for a one category increase ranging from 1.52 (95% CI: 1.20-1.94) for CC motif ligand 4 to 4.00 (95% CI: 2.76-5.79) for interleukin (IL)-8. Soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor 2 (sTNFR2), IL-6, sTNFR1, CC motif ligand 20 (CCL20), vascular cell adhesion molecule 1, IL-16, and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor had P values ≤0.001 for early GBC. Of those, IL-6, IL-16, CCL20, and STNFR1 were included in the inflammation score. In a high-risk setting with a pre-test disease risk of 10% (e.g., elderly patients) and using an inflammation score cutoff that provides 90% sensitivity, 39% of patients on the waiting list would be predicted to be positive, and 23% of those would be predicted to have GBC.

CONCLUSION

These results highlight the strong associations of inflammatory proteins with GBC risk and their potential clinical utility. Larger studies are needed to identify the most effective combinations of inflammatory proteins for detecting early GBC and precursor lesions.

Targeted proteomic analysis of habitual coffee consumption

BACKGROUND

Coffee drinking has been implicated in mortality and a variety of diseases but potential mechanisms underlying these associations are unclear. Large-scale systems epidemiological approaches may offer novel insights to mechanisms underlying associations of coffee with health.

OBJECTIVE

We performed an analysis of known and novel protein markers linked to cardiovascular disease and their association with habitual coffee intake in the Prospective Study of the Vasculature in Uppsala Seniors (PIVUS, n = 816) and followed up top proteins in the Uppsala Longitudinal Study of Adult Men (ULSAM, n = 635) and EpiHealth (n = 2418).

METHODS

In PIVUS and ULSAM, coffee intake was measured by 7-day dietary records whilst a computer-based food frequency questionnaire was used in EpiHealth. Levels of up to 80 proteins were assessed in plasma by a proximity extension assay.

RESULTS

Four protein-coffee associations adjusted for age, sex, smoking and BMI, met statistical significance in PIVUS (FDR < 5%, P < 2.31 × 10^-3 ): leptin (LEP), chitinase-3-like protein 1 (CHI3L), tumour necrosis factor (TNF) receptor 6 and TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand. The inverse association between coffee intake and LEP replicated in ULSAM (β, -0.042 SD per cup of coffee, P = 0.028) and EpiHealth (β, -0.025 SD per time of coffee, P = 0.004). The negative coffee-CHI3L association replicated in EpiHealth (β, -0.07, P = 1.15 × 10^-7 ), but not in ULSAM (β, -0.034, P = 0.16).

CONCLUSIONS

The current study supports an inverse association between coffee intake and plasma LEP and CHI3L1 levels. The coffee-CHI3L1 association is novel and warrants further investigation given links between CHI3L1 and health conditions that are also potentially influenced by coffee.

Coffee consumption and disease correlations

Coffee is one of the most widely consumed beverages in the world. It has primarily consumed due to its stimulant effect and unique taste since the ancient times. Afterwards, its consumption has been historically associated with a lower risk of some diseases such as type 2 diabetes mellitus, obesity, cardiovascular disease and some type of cancer and thus it has also consumed due to health benefits. It contains many bioactive compounds such as caffeine, chlorogenic acids and diterpenoid alcohols which have so far been associated with many potential health benefits. For example, caffeine reduces risk of developing neurodegenerative disease and chlorogenic acids (CGA) and diterpene alcohols have many health benefits such as antioxidant and chemo-preventive. Coffee also have harmful effects. For example, diterpenoid alcohols increases serum homocysteine and cholesterol levels and thus it has adverse effects on cardiovascular system. Overall, the study that supports the health benefits of coffee is increasing. But, it is thought-provoking that the association with health benefits of coffee consumption and frequency at different levels in each study. For this reason, we aimed to examine the health effect of the coffee and how much consumption is to investigate whether it meets the claimed health benefits.

The association between distance to public amenities and cardiovascular risk factors among lower income Singaporeans

Existing evidence on the association between built environment and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors focused on the general population, which may not generalize to higher risk subgroups such as those with lower socio-economic status (SES). We examined the associations between distance to 5 public amenities from residential housing (public polyclinic, subsidized private clinic, healthier eatery, public park and train station) and 12 CVD risk factors (physical inactivity, medical histories and unhealthy dietary habits) among a study sample of low income Singaporeans aged ≥ 40 years (N = 1972). Using data from the Singapore Heart Foundation Health Mapping Exercise 2013–2015, we performed a series of logistic mixed effect regressions, accounting for clustering of respondents in residential blocks and multiple comparisons. Each regression analysis used the minimum distance (in km) between residential housing and each public amenity as an independent continuous variable and a single risk factor as the dependent variable, controlling for demographic characteristics. Increased distance (geographical inaccessibility) to a train station was significantly associated with lower odds of participation in sports whereas greater distance to a subsidized private clinic was associated with lower odds of having high cholesterol diagnosed. Increasing distance to park was positively associated with higher odds of less vegetable and fruits consumption, deep fried food and fast food consumption in the preceding week/month, high BMI at screening and history of diabetes, albeit not achieving statistical significance. Our findings highlighted potential effects of health-promoting amenities on CVD risk factors in urban low-income setting, suggesting gaps for further investigations.

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We examined associations between access to 5 amenities and 12 CVD risk factors.

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Only 2/60 associations were statistically significant.

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Poorer access to train station was associated with lower odds of sports.

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Poorer access to primary care was associated with lower high cholesterol diagnosis.

Association of Coffee Consumption With Total and Cause-Specific Mortality Among Nonwhite Populations

BACKGROUND

Coffee consumption has been associated with reduced risk for death in prospective cohort studies; however, data in nonwhites are sparse.

OBJECTIVE

To examine the association of coffee consumption with risk for total and cause-specific death.

DESIGN

The MEC (Multiethnic Cohort), a prospective population-based cohort study established between 1993 and 1996.

SETTING

Hawaii and Los Angeles, California.

PARTICIPANTS

185 855 African Americans, Native Hawaiians, Japanese Americans, Latinos, and whites aged 45 to 75 years at recruitment.

MEASUREMENTS

Outcomes were total and cause-specific mortality between 1993 and 2012. Coffee intake was assessed at baseline by means of a validated food-frequency questionnaire.

RESULTS

58 397 participants died during 3 195 484 person-years of follow-up (average follow-up, 16.2 years). Compared with drinking no coffee, coffee consumption was associated with lower total mortality after adjustment for smoking and other potential confounders (1 cup per day: hazard ratio [HR], 0.88 [95% CI, 0.85 to 0.91]; 2 to 3 cups per day: HR, 0.82 [CI, 0.79 to 0.86]; ≥4 cups per day: HR, 0.82 [CI, 0.78 to 0.87]; P for trend < 0.001). Trends were similar between caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee. Significant inverse associations were observed in 4 ethnic groups; the association in Native Hawaiians did not reach statistical significance. Inverse associations were also seen in never-smokers, younger participants (<55 years), and those who had not previously reported a chronic disease. Among examined end points, inverse associations were observed for deaths due to heart disease, cancer, respiratory disease, stroke, diabetes, and kidney disease.

LIMITATION

Unmeasured confounding and measurement error, although sensitivity analysis suggested that neither was likely to affect results.

CONCLUSION

Higher consumption of coffee was associated with lower risk for death in African Americans, Japanese Americans, Latinos, and whites.

PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCE

National Cancer Institute.

Associations between self-reported diabetes and 78 circulating markers of inflammation, immunity, and metabolism among adults in the United States

Inflammation is increasingly thought to be associated with diabetes; however, only a few inflammation markers have been assessed concurrently in relation to history of diabetes. In the most comprehensive evaluation of inflammation markers and diabetes to date using a Luminex bead-based assay, we measured 78 inflammation-, immune-, and metabolic-related markers detectable in at least 10% of serum samples collected from participants from the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal and Ovarian Cancer (PLCO) screening trial (n = 1,814). At baseline, 6.6% (n = 120) of PLCO participants self-reported a history of diabetes. Cross-sectional associations between these markers and self-reported diabetes were assessed using weighted logistic regression adjusting for sex, smoking status, blood draw age and year, body mass index, and cohort sub-study. Including chemokines [C-C motif ligand (CCL) 19, CCL20, CCL21, C-X-C motif ligand (CXCL) 6, CXCL10, and CXCL11] and soluble cytokine and chemokine receptors [soluble (s) interleukin (IL) 6 receptor (R), soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor (sTNFR) 1, sTNFR2, and sIL-R2], ten inflammation-related markers, were nominally associated with diabetes (P<0.05). In addition to these associations, higher levels of insulin, gastric inhibitory polypeptide, and pancreatic polypeptide remained significantly associated with self-reported diabetes with a false discovery rate <5%, indicating that the assay was able to detect markers associated with diabetes. In summary, self-reported diabetes was nominally associated with circulating cytokines, chemokines, and soluble cytokine and chemokine receptors in the most expansive examination of diabetes and inflammation- and immune-related markers to date. These results highlight the need to explore in future prospective studies the role of inflammation markers in diabetes.