A Comparison of the Impact of Restrictive Diets on the Gastrointestinal Tract of Mice

The association between plasma angiopoietin-like protein 4, glucose and lipid metabolism during pregnancy, placental function, and risk of delivering large-for-gestational-age neonates

BACKGROUND

Large-for-gestational-age (LGA) neonates have increased risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes and adult metabolic diseases. We aimed to investigate the relationship between plasma angiopoietin-like protein 4 (ANGPTL4), a protein involved in lipid and glucose metabolism during pregnancy, placental function, growth factors, and the risk of LGA.

METHODS

We conducted a prospective cohort study and recruited women with singleton pregnancies at the National Taiwan University Hospital between 2013 and 2018. First trimester maternal plasma ANGPTL4 concentrations were measured.

RESULTS

Among 353 pregnant women recruited, the LGA group had higher first trimester plasma ANGPTL4 concentrations than the appropriate-for-gestational-age group. Plasma ANGPTL4 was associated with hemoglobin A1c, post-load plasma glucose, plasma triglyceride, plasma free fatty acid concentrations, plasma growth hormone variant (GH-V), and birth weight, but was not associated with cord blood growth factors. After adjusting for age, body mass index, hemoglobin A1c, and plasma triglyceride concentrations, plasma ANGPTL4 concentrations were significantly associated with LGA risk, and its predictive performance, as measured by the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, outperformed traditional risk factors for LGA.

CONCLUSIONS

Plasma ANGPTL4 is associated with glucose and lipid metabolism during pregnancy, plasma GH-V, and birth weight, and is an early biomarker for predicting the risk of LGA.

Restrictive diets have a beneficial impact on dextran sodium sulfate-induced colitis in male mice

BACKGROUND

Previously, we assessed the impact of restrictive diets, including caloric restriction (CR), intermittent fasting (IF), or fasting-mimicking diet (FMD), on a healthy gastrointestinal tract. We revealed that each of the diets shows anti-inflammatory outcomes.

OBJECTIVE

The current study aimed to verify the diets' applicability in treating colitis.

METHODS

We exposed a mouse model with mild chronic dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced colitis to ad libitum control feeding, CR, IF, or FMD. The collected samples were analyzed for markers of inflammation.

RESULTS

The diets reduced DSS-triggered increases in spleen weight and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity. Diet intervention also influenced occludin levels, small intestine morphology, as well as cytokine and inflammatory gene expression, mainly in the mucosa of the proximal colon. The diets did not reverse DSS-enhanced gut permeability and thickening of the colon muscularis externa. Concerning inflammatory gene expression, the impact of DSS and the dietary intervention was limited to the colon as we did not measure major changes in the jejunum mucosa, Peyer's patches, and mesenteric lymph nodes. Further, rather modest changes in the concentration of intestinal bile acids were observed in response to the diets, whereas taurine and its conjugates levels were strongly affected.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite the differences in the dietary protocol, the tested diets showed very similar impacts and, therefore, may be interchangeable when aiming to reduce inflammation in the colon. However, FMD showed the most consistent beneficial impact.

Intermittent Fasting on Neurologic Diseases: Potential Role of Gut Microbiota

As the global population ages, the prevalence of neurodegenerative diseases is surging. These disorders have a multifaceted pathogenesis, entwined with genetic and environmental factors. Emerging research underscores the profound influence of diet on the development and progression of health conditions. Intermittent fasting (IF), a dietary pattern that is increasingly embraced and recommended, has demonstrated potential in improving neurophysiological functions and mitigating pathological injuries with few adverse effects. Although the precise mechanisms of IF's beneficial impact are not yet completely understood, gut microbiota and their metabolites are believed to be pivotal in mediating these effects. This review endeavors to thoroughly examine current studies on the shifts in gut microbiota and metabolite profiles prompted by IF, and their possible consequences for neural health. It also highlights the significance of dietary strategies as a clinical consideration for those with neurological conditions.

The regulatory effect of intermittent fasting on inflammasome activation in health and disease

Intermittent fasting (IF), one of the most popular diets, can regulate inflammation and promote health; however, the detailed molecular mechanisms are not fully understood. The present review aims to provide an overview of recent preclinical and clinical studies that have examined the effect of IF on inflammasome signaling, and to discuss the translational gap between preclinical and clinical studies. Three databases (PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase) were searched to identify all relevant preclinical and clinical studies up to October 30, 2022. A total of 1544 studies were identified through the database searches, and 29 preclinical and 10 clinical studies were included. Twenty-three of the 29 preclinical studies reported that IF treatment could reduce inflammasome activation in neurological diseases, metabolic and cardiovascular diseases, immune and inflammatory diseases, gastrointestinal diseases, and pulmonary diseases, and 7 of the 10 clinical studies demonstrated reduced inflammasome activation after IF intervention in both healthy and obese participants. Among various IF regimens, time-restricted eating seemed to be the most effective one in terms of inflammasome regulation, and the efficacy of IF might increase over time. This review highlights the regulatory effect of IF on inflammasome activation in health and disease. Future studies using different IF regimens, in various populations, are needed in order to evaluate its potential to be used alone or as an adjunct therapy in humans to improve health and counteract diseases.

Fasting-mimicking diet synergizes with ferroptosis against quiescent, chemotherapy-resistant cells

BACKGROUND

More than ten randomized clinical trials are being tested to evaluate the efficacy, effectiveness and safety of a fasting-mimicking diet (FMD) combined with different antitumor agents.

METHODS

UMI-mRNA sequencing, Cell-cycle analysis, Label retention, metabolomics, Multilabeling et al. were used to explore mechanisms. A tandem mRFP-GFP-tagged LC3B, Annexin-V-FITC Apoptosis, TUNEL, H&E, Ki-67 and animal model was used to search for synergistic drugs.

FINDINGS

Here we showed that fasting or FMD retards tumor growth more effectively but does not increase 5-fluorouracil/oxaliplatin (5-FU/OXA) sensitivity to apoptosis in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, we demonstrated that CRC cells would switch from an active proliferative to a slow-cycling state during fasting. Furthermore, metabolomics shows cell proliferation was decreased to survive nutrient stress in vivo, as evidenced by a low level of adenosine and deoxyadenosine monophosphate. CRC cells would decrease proliferation to achieve increased survival and relapse after chemotherapy. In addition, these fasting-induced quiescent cells were more prone to develop drug-tolerant persister (DTP) tumor cells postulated to be responsible for cancer relapse and metastasis. Then, UMI-mRNA sequencing uncovered the ferroptosis pathway as the pathway most influenced by fasting. Combining fasting with ferroptosis inducer treatment leads to tumor inhibition and eradication of quiescent cells by boosting autophagy.

INTERPRETATION

Our results suggest that ferroptosis could improve the antitumor activity of FMD + chemotherapy and highlight a potential therapeutic opportunity to avoid DTP cells-driven tumor relapse and therapy failure.

FUNDING

A full list of funding bodies can be found in the Acknowledgements section.

Dietary patterns and cardiometabolic health: Clinical evidence and mechanism

For centuries, the search for nutritional interventions to underpin cardiovascular treatment and prevention guidelines has contributed to the rapid development of the field of dietary patterns and cardiometabolic disease (CMD). Numerous studies have demonstrated that healthy dietary patterns with emphasis on food-based recommendations are the gold standard for extending lifespan and reducing the risks of CMD and mortality. Healthy dietary patterns include various permutations of energy restriction, macronutrients, and food intake patterns such as calorie restriction, intermittent fasting, Mediterranean diet, plant-based diets, etc. Early implementation of healthy dietary patterns in patients with CMD is encouraged, but an understanding of the mechanisms by which these patterns trigger cardiometabolic benefits remains incomplete. Hence, this review examined several dietary patterns that may improve cardiometabolic health, including restrictive dietary patterns, regional dietary patterns, and diets based on controlled macronutrients and food groups, summarizing cutting-edge evidence and potential mechanisms for CMD prevention and treatment. Particularly, considering individual differences in responses to dietary composition and nutritional changes in organ tissue diversity, we highlighted the critical role of individual gut microbiota in the crosstalk between diet and CMD and recommend a more precise and dynamic nutritional strategy for CMD by developing dietary patterns based on individual gut microbiota profiles.