Emerging models for studying adipose tissue metabolism

Understanding adipose metabolism is essential for addressing obesity and related health concerns. However, the ethical and scientific pressure to animal testing, aligning with the 3Rs, has triggered the implementation of diverse alternative models for analysing anomalies in adipose metabolism. In this review, we will address this issue from various perspectives. Traditional adipocyte cell cultures, whether animal or human-derived, offer a fundamental starting point. These systems have their merits but may not fully replicate in vivo complexity. Established cell lines are valuable for high-throughput screening but may lack the authenticity of primary-derived adipocytes, which closely mimic native tissue. To enhance model sophistication, spheroids have been introduced. These three-dimensional cultures better mimicking the in vivo microenvironment, enabling the study of intricate cell-cell interactions, gene expression, and metabolic pathways. Organ-on-a-chip (OoC) platforms take this further by integrating multiple cell types into microfluidic devices, simulating tissue-level functions. Adipose-OoC (AOoC) provides dynamic environments with applications spanning drug testing to personalized medicine and nutrition. Beyond in vitro models, genetically amenable organisms (Caenorhabditis elegans, Drosophila melanogaster, and zebrafish larvae) have become powerful tools for investigating fundamental molecular mechanisms that govern adipose tissue functions. Their genetic tractability allows for efficient manipulation and high-throughput studies. In conclusion, a diverse array of research models is crucial for deciphering adipose metabolism. By leveraging traditional adipocyte cell cultures, primary-derived cells, spheroids, AOoCs, and lower organism models, we bridge the gap between animal testing and a more ethical, scientifically robust, and human-relevant approach, advancing our understanding of adipose tissue metabolism and its impact on health.

Combined supplementation with hesperidin, phytosterols and curcumin decreases adiposity and improves metabolic health in ovariectomized rats

In recent years many women have looked for alternative therapies to address menopause. Hesperidin, phytosterols and curcumin are bioactive compounds that can ameliorate some cardiovascular risk factors associated with menopause, although there are no data concerning the effects of their combined supplementation. We used ovariectomized (OVX) rats, a postmenopausal model with oestrogen deficiency, to evaluate whether supplementation with a multi-ingredient (MI) including hesperidin, phytosterols and curcumin for 57 days would display beneficial effects against fat mass accretion and metabolic disturbances associated with menopause. Twenty OVX rats were orally supplemented with either MI (OVX-MI) or vehicle (OVX). Furthermore, 10 OVX rats orally received the vehicle along with subcutaneous injections of 17β-oestradiol biweekly (OVX-E2), whereas 10 rats were sham operated and received oral and injected vehicles (control group; SH). MI supplementation partly counteracted the fat mass accretion observed in OVX animals, which was evidenced by decreased total fat mass, adiposity index, the weight of retroperitoneal, inguinal and mesenteric white adipose tissue (MWAT) depots and MWAT adipocyte hypertrophy. These effects were accompanied by a significant decrease in the circulating levels of leptin and the mRNA levels of the fatty acid uptake-related genes Lpl and Cd36 in MWAT. These results were very similar to those observed in OVX-E2 animals. OVX-MI rats also displayed a higher lean body mass, lean/fat mass ratio, adiponectin-to-leptin ratio and insulin sensitivity than their OVX counterparts. Our findings can pave the way for using this MI formulation as an alternative therapy to manage obesity and to improve the cardiometabolic health of menopausal women.

Bacillus coagulans GBI-30, 6086 (BC30) improves lactose digestion in rats exposed to a high-lactose meal

PURPOSE

Bacillus coagulans GBI-30, 6086 (BC30) was previously shown to improve nutrient digestibility and amino acid absorption from milk protein in vitro. However, the effect of supplementation with this probiotic on lactose digestibility has not yet been evaluated in vivo.

METHODS

Wistar female rats were exposed to an acute high-lactose diet (LD; 35% lactose) meal challenge after 7 days of administration of BC30 (LD-BC; n = 10) or vehicle (LD-C; n = 10). Rats treated with vehicle and exposed to control diet (CD; 35% corn starch) meal were used as controls (CD-C; n = 10). Carbohydrate oxidation (CH_OX) and lipid oxidation (L_OX) were monitored by indirect calorimetry before and after lactose challenge. After the challenge, rats were treated daily with vehicle or probiotic for an additional week and were fed with CD or LD ad libitum to determine the effects of BC30 administration in a lactose-induced diarrhoea and malnutrition model.

RESULTS

LD-C rats showed lower CH_OX levels than CD rats, while LD-BC rats showed similar CH_OX levels compared to CD rats during the lactose challenge, suggesting a better digestion of lactose in the rats supplemented with BC30. BC30 completely reversed the increase in the small intestine length of LD-C animals. LD-BC rats displayed increased intestinal mRNA Muc2 expression. No significant changes were observed due to BC30 administration in other parameters, such as serum calprotectin, intestinal MPO activity, intestinal A1AT and SGLT1 levels or intestinal mRNA levels of Claudin2 and Occludin.

CONCLUSION

Treatment with BC30 improved the digestibility of lactose in an acute lactose challenge and ameliorated some of the parameters associated with lactose-induced malnutrition.

Structured Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA) Enhances Motility and Promotes the Antioxidant Capacity of Aged C. elegans

The human lifespan has increased over the past century; however, healthspans have not kept up with this trend, especially cognitive health. Among nutrients for brain function maintenance, long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (ω-3 LCPUFA): DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) must be highlighted, particularly structured forms of EPA and DHA which were developed to improve bioavailability and bioactivity in comparison with conventional ω-3 supplements. This study aims to elucidate the effect of a structured triglyceride form of DHA (DHA-TG) on the healthspan of aged C. elegans. Using a thrashing assay, the nematodes were monitored at 4, 8, and 12 days of adulthood, and DHA-TG improved its motility at every age without affecting lifespan. In addition, the treatment promoted antioxidant capacity by enhancing the activity and expression of SOD (superoxide dismutase) in the nematodes. Lastly, as the effect of DHA-TG was lost in the DAF-16 mutant strain, it might be hypothesized that the effects of DHA need DAF-16/FOXO as an intermediary. In brief, DHA-TG exerted a healthspan-promoting effect resulting in both enhanced physical fitness and increased antioxidant defense in aged C. elegans. For the first time, an improvement in locomotive function in aged wild-type nematodes is described following DHA-TG treatment.

"Som la Pera," a School-Based, Peer-Led Social Marketing Intervention to Engage Spanish Adolescents in a Healthy Lifestyle: A Parallel-Cluster Randomized Controlled Study

Background: Encouraging adolescents to adopt healthy lifestyles can be challenging. The aim of the "Som la Pera" study was to engage adolescents by applying new strategies to increase both their fruit and vegetable consumption and their physical activity (PA), while reducing their sedentary behavior (screen time per day). Methods: In disadvantaged neighborhoods of Reus (Spain), two high schools were randomly assigned to the intervention (n = 169 adolescents, 13- to 16-year old) and two were assigned to the control group (n = 223 adolescents, 13- to 16-year old). The intervention, which lasted 12 months and spanned two academic years (2013-2015), used social marketing (SM) to improve healthy choices. The peer-led strategy involved 5 adolescents, who designed and implemented 10 activities as challenges for their 169 school-aged peers. The control group received no intervention. To assess self-reported lifestyles in both groups, the Health Behavior in School-aged Children survey was used at baseline and end of study. Results: After 12 months, the weekly PA improved in the intervention group vs. the control one (p = 0.047). When male and female groups were examined separately, the improvement in PA remained with a borderline significance only in the male group (p = 0.050). Conclusions: A school-based, peer-led SM intervention designed and implemented by adolescents attending high schools in low-income neighborhoods promoted an increase in PA, particularly in male adolescents 13 to 16 years of age. No effect on fruit or vegetable consumption or screen time was observed. Clinical Trial Registration number: NCT02157402.

Structured Long-Chain Omega-3 Fatty Acids for Improvement of Cognitive Function during Aging

Although the human lifespan has increased in the past century owing to advances in medicine and lifestyle, the human healthspan has not kept up the same pace, especially in brain aging. Consequently, the role of preventive health interventions has become a crucial strategy, in particular, the identification of nutritional compounds that could alleviate the deleterious effects of aging. Among nutrients to cope with aging in special cognitive decline, the long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (ω-3 LCPUFAs) docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), have emerged as very promising ones. Due to their neuroinflammatory resolving effects, an increased status of DHA and EPA in the elderly has been linked to better cognitive function and a lower risk of dementia. However, the results from clinical studies do not show consistent evidence and intake recommendations for old adults are lacking. Recently, supplementation with structured forms of EPA and DHA, which can be derived natural forms or targeted structures, have proven enhanced bioavailability and powerful benefits. This review summarizes present and future perspectives of new structures of ω-3 LCPUFAs and the role of "omic" technologies combined with the use of high-throughput in vivo models to shed light on the relationships and underlying mechanisms between ω-3 LCPUFAs and healthy aging.

Effect of the consumption of hesperidin in orange juice on the transcriptomic profile of subjects with elevated blood pressure and stage 1 hypertension: A randomized controlled trial (CITRUS study)

SCOPE

Hesperidin exerts cardiovascular beneficial effects, but its mechanisms of action remain undefined. In a previous study we demonstrated that a single dose and a 12-week treatment of hesperidin decreased systolic blood pressure. The aim of this study was to ascertain the action mechanisms of hesperidin consumption in subjects with elevated blood pressure or with stage 1 hypertension, by determining their transcriptomic profile after a single dose or a 12-week treatment.

METHODS AND RESULTS

For transcriptomic analysis, peripheral blood mononuclear cells were obtained from 37 subjects with elevated blood pressure and stage 1 hypertension from CITRUS study who were randomized to receive for 12 weeks: control drink (CD; n = 11), OJ (containing 345 mg of hesperidin; n = 15) or EOJ (containing 600 mg of hesperidin; n = 11). Before starting the 12-weeks treatment, a single dose study with a 6 h of follow-up in each group was performed. After the single dose consumption, EOJ versus OJ, downregulated DHRS9 gene which is related with insulin resistance. Compared to CD, 12-week treatment of EOJ downregulated 6 proinflammatory genes while after OJ consumption only 1 proinflammatory gene was downregulated. Moreover, 12-week treatment of EOJ versus OJ, downregulated acute coronary syndrome gene related (SELENBP1).

CONCLUSION

A single dose consumption of EOJ could protect from insulin resistance. Moreover, EOJ decrease the expression of proinflammatory genes after 12-week treatment providing a possible mechanism of action on inflammation pathway.

Effects of Hesperidin Consumption on the Cardiovascular System in Pre- and Stage 1 Hypertensive Subjects: Targeted and Non-Targeted Metabolomic Approaches (CITRUS Study)

SCOPE

The aim of the present work is to determine new biomarkers of the biological effects of hesperidin in orange juice (OJ) applying a non-targeted metabolomics approach validated by targeted metabolomics analyses of compliance biomarkers.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Plasma/serum and urine targeted (HPLC-MS/MS) and untargeted (¹ H-NMR) metabolomics signatures are explored in a subsample with pre- and stage-1 hypertension subjects of the CITRUS study (N = 159). Volunteers received 500 mL day^-1 of control drink, OJ, or hesperidin-enriched OJ (EOJ) for 12-weeks. A 6-h postprandrial study is performed at baseline. Targeted analyses reveals plasma and urine hesperetin 7-O-β-d-glucuronide as the only metabolite differing between OJ and EOJ groups after 12-weeks consumption, and in urine is correlated with a decreased systolic blood pressure level. The non-targeted approach shows that after single dose and 12-weeks consumption of OJ and EOJ change several metabolites related with an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant actions, lower blood pressure levels and uremic toxins.

CONCLUSIONS

Hesperetin 7-O-β-d-glucuronide can be a candidate marker for distinguishing between the consumption of different hesperidin doses at 12-weeks consumption as well as a potential agent mediating blood pressure reduction. Moreover, changes in different endogenous metabolites can explain the mechanisms of action and the biological effects of hesperidin consumption.

The "Som la Pera" intervention: sustainability capacity evaluation of a peer-led social-marketing intervention to encourage healthy lifestyles among adolescents

Sustainability capacity, always considered a challenge, is the ability to maintain effective long-term intervention in a community. The aim of the study was to improve the sustainability capacity of effective "Som la Pera," a school-based, peer-led, social-marketing intervention that encourages healthy diet and physical activity, in low socioeconomic adolescents from Spain. The sustainability capacity was analyzed by a "programme sustainability assessment tool (PSAT)" comprising eight domains: political support, funding stability, partnerships, organizational capacity, programme evaluation, programme adaptation, communications, and strategic planning. Each domain was evaluated from 1 (no or to a small extent) to 7 points (to a great extent). The final score for sustainability capacity was the mean of the eight domain scores. The PSAT was assessed by nine professionals (researchers, staff members, and stakeholders) at two periods during intervention implementation: end of the first year (January 2015) and end of the second year (September 2015). At the end of the first year, strategic planning (4.43 ± 1.98) and funding stability (4.38 ± 1) were considered deficient domains, and at the end of the second year, these domains had improved by 1.67 points (p =.043) and 0.59 points (p = .159), respectively. The funding stability increase was not significant because only one of the five specific items, "policies implemented to ensure sustained funding," improved by 1.08 points (p = .036). The sustainability capacity final score was 5.93 ± 1.13. The sustainability capacity assessment during the intervention allows its improvement before the programme expires, ensuring the long-term implementation of the "Som la Pera" intervention programme to encourage healthy lifestyles in adolescents.

A School-Based, Peer-Led, Social Marketing Intervention To Engage Spanish Adolescents in a Healthy Lifestyle ("We Are Cool"-Som la Pera Study): A Parallel-Cluster Randomized Controlled Study

BACKGROUND

Encouraging adolescents to adopt healthy lifestyles can be challenging. The aim of the "Som la Pera" study was to engage adolescents by applying new strategies to increase both their fruit and vegetable consumption and their physical activity (PA) while reducing their sedentary behavior.

METHODS

In disadvantaged neighborhoods of Reus (Spain), two high schools were randomly assigned to the intervention (n = 170 adolescents 13- to 16-year-olds) and two were assigned to the control group (n = 223 adolescents 13- to 16-year-olds). The intervention, which lasted 12 months and spanned 2 academic years (2013-2015), used social marketing (SM) to improve healthy choices. The peer-led strategy involved 5 adolescents who designed and implemented 10 activities as challenges for their 165 school-aged peers. The control group received no intervention. To assess self-reported lifestyles in both groups, the Health Behavior in School-Aged Children Survey was used at baseline and end of study.

RESULTS

After 12 months, intervention adolescents showed an increase of 28.9% in ≥1 fruit/day (p < 0.01) and of 18.5% in ≥6 hours/week of PA (p < 0.01) compared with controls. Additionally, intervention group males had an increase of 28.8% in ≥1 vegetable/day (p < 0.01) and of 15.6% in ≤2 hours/day of sedentary activity (p = 0.01) compared with controls.

CONCLUSIONS

A school-based, peer-led, SM intervention developed by adolescents attending high schools in low-income neighborhoods effectively improved the healthy choices of their school-aged peers, leading to increased fruit consumption and PA in adolescents of both genders. Furthermore, adolescent males were more sensitive to improvements in healthy choices, showing increased vegetable consumption and decreased sedentary behavior.

[Antiurolithiasic effect of a plant mixture of Herniaria glabra, Agropyron repens, Equisetum arvense and Sambucus nigra (Herbensurina®) in the prevention of experimentally induced nephrolithiasis in rats]

OBJECTIVE

To determine the effect of a botanical formulation of Herniaria glabra, Agropyron repens, Equisetum arvense, and Sambucus nigra as a preventive agent in an experimentally induced nefrolithiasis model in rats.

METHODS

Six groups of six Wistar male rats each were induced for nefrolithiasis by treatment with 0.75% ethylene glycol (EG) and 1% ammonium chloride for three days and then EG only for 15 days. One group was treated with placebo (control group) and the other groups (treated groups) were treated with 30 mg/Kg, 60 mg/Kg, 125 mg/Kg, 250 mg/Kg and 500 mg/Kg of the plant extract formulation (PEF). 24-h urine and water samples were collected one day before EG administration and at 7, 13 and 18 days to determine diuresis, crystalluria and urine biochemistry. The kidneys were removed for histological analysis. The phytochemical characterization of PEF and each of its component plant extracts was performed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry.

RESULTS

Animals treated with 125 mg/Kg of the PEF had statistically significantly lower calcium oxalate crystals deposits content compared to the control group. All PEF doses statistically significantly decreased the number of microcalcifications compared to the control group. Furthermore, the number of kidneys affected by subcapsular fibrosis was statistically significantly higher in control group than in treated groups with the PEF. The diuresis of the 125 mg/Kg and 500 mg/Kg PEF-treated groups was statistically significantly higher than that of the control group. A phytochemical analysis demonstrated the presence of flavonoids, dicarboxylic acids and saponins.

CONCLUSION

Treatment with PEF prevents deposits of calcium oxalate crystals formation and of microcalcifications in the kidney, and reduces the risk of fibrosis subcapsular. 125 mg/Kg of PEF is the dose that has a greater effect on the studied parameters.

Long-term intake of soyabean phytosterols lowers serum TAG and NEFA concentrations, increases bile acid synthesis and protects against fatty liver development in dyslipidaemic hamsters

Various human trials and pre-clinical studies have suggested that dietary plant sterols possess hypotriacylglycerolaemic properties apart from their cholesterol-lowering properties. We hypothesised that phytosterols (PS) might attenuate triacylglycerolaemia by interfering with the deleterious effects of cholesterol overload in the liver. In the present study, twenty hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus) with diet-induced combined hyperlipidaemia were fed a high-fat diet (HFD, n 10) or a HFD supplemented with soyabean PS (n 10) for 40 d. In parallel, a healthy group was fed a standard diet (n 10). PS normalised fasting plasma cholesterol concentrations completely after 20 d and were also able to normalise serum TAG and NEFA concentrations after 40 d. HFD feeding caused microvesicular steatosis and impaired the expression of key genes related to fatty acid oxidation such as PPARA, carnitine palmitoyltransferase-Iα (CPT1A) and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase 1 (PCK1) in the liver. PS treatment completely protected against HFD-induced steatosis and resulted in a normalised hepatic gene expression profile. The protection of the hepatic function by PS was paralleled by increased faecal cholesterol excretion along with a 2-fold increase in the biliary bile acid (BA):cholesterol ratio. The present study supports the conclusion that long-term consumption of PS can reduce serum TAG and NEFA concentrations and can protect against the development of fatty liver via different mechanisms, including the enhancement of BA synthesis. The results of the present study place these compounds as promising hepatoprotective agents against fatty liver and its derived pathologies.

Differential modulation of apoptotic processes by proanthocyanidins as a dietary strategy for delaying chronic pathologies

Apoptosis is a biological process necessary for maintaining cellular homeostasis. Several diseases can result if it is deregulated. For example, inhibition of apoptotic signaling pathways is linked to the survival of pathological cells, which contributes to cancer, whereas excessive apoptosis is linked to neurodegenerative diseases, partially via oxidative stress. The activation or restoration of apoptosis via extrinsic or intrinsic pathways combined with cell signaling pathways triggered by reactive oxygen specises (ROS) formation is considered a key strategy by which bioactive foods can exert their health effects. Proanthocyanidins, a class of flavonoids naturally found in fruits, vegetables, and beverages, have attracted a great deal of attention not only because they are strong antioxidants but also because they appear to exert a different modulation of apoptosis, stimulating apoptosis in damaged cells, thus preventing cancer or reducing apoptosis in healthy cells, and as a result, preserving the integrity of normal cells and protecting against neurodegenerative diseases. Therefore, proanthocyanidins could provide a defense against apoptosis induced by oxidative stress or directly inhibit apoptosis, and they could also provide a promising treatment for a variety of diseases. Emerging data suggest that proanthocyanidins, especially those that humans can be persuaded to consume, may be used to prevent and manage cancer and mental disorders.

Nutritional biomarkers and foodomic methodologies for qualitative and quantitative analysis of bioactive ingredients in dietary intervention studies

Traditional dietary assessment methods, such as 24-h recalls, weighted food diaries and food frequency questionnaires (FFQs) are highly subjective and impair the assessment of successfully accomplished dietary interventions. Foodomic technologies offer promising methodologies for gathering scientific evidence from clinical trials with sensitive methods (e.g., GC-MS, LC-MS, CE, NMR) to detect and quantify markers of nutrient exposure or subtle changes in dietary patterns. This review provides a summary of recently developed foodomic methodologies for the detection of suggested biomarkers, including the food specificity for each suggested biomarker and a brief description of the key aspects of 24-h recalls that may affect marker detection and stability, such as mixed nutrients and cooking processes. The primary aim of this review is to contribute to the assessment of the metabolic effects of active ingredients and foods using cutting-edge methods to improve approaches to future nutritional programs tailored for health maintenance and disease prevention.

In vivo, in vitro, and in silico studies of Cu/Zn-superoxide dismutase regulation by molecules in grape seed procyanidin extract

The potential beneficial effects of flavonoids on human health have aroused considerable interest and were initially attributed to their antioxidant activities. Recent studies have speculated that as well as their antioxidant role, flavonoids can act by modulating cell signaling pathways and/or gene expression. In this respect, we have used streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats as an oxidative stress model to study whether grape seed procyanidin extract (GSPE) regulates copper/zinc-superoxide dismutase (Cu/Zn-SOD), an enzyme that defends against oxidative stress. The results indicate that the expression profile of Cu/Zn-SOD in diabetic rats was similar to the profile in nondiabetic rats. Nevertheless, the administration of GSPE increased Cu/Zn-SOD activity in both diabetic and nondiabetic rats. Therefore, to evaluate whether this increase in activity was dose-dependent, we also studied the effect of GSPE on Cu/Zn-SOD expression by using an in vitro model (Fao cell line hepatocytes). The cells were exposed to GSPE doses between 0 and 150 mg/L for 24 h, and the results showed that enzyme activity was enhanced only with 15 mg/L of GSPE. Therefore, we decided to explore whether this increase in Cu/Zn-SOD activity was due to direct interaction between some of the molecules in GSPE and the enzyme (in vitro experiments) and, if so, to analyze how this interaction occurs (in silico experiments). The results of these studies showed that direct interaction between some small- or medium-sized GSPE components and the enzyme is responsible for the increase in Cu/Zn-SOD activity.

Antigenotoxic effect of grape seed procyanidin extract in Fao cells submitted to oxidative stress

The protective effects of grape seed procyanidin extract on the repair of H(2)O(2)-induced DNA lesions were tested using Fao cells. Cells were exposed to 600 microM H(2)O(2) for 3 or 21 h. A procyanidin extract from grape seed (PE) was incubated or preincubated (1 h) during the exposure to H(2)O(2). The ability of procyanidins to protect against the genotoxicity of H(2)O(2) was compared with those of the monomeric flavanols (+)-catechin and (-)-epicatechin and the flavonol quercetin. After treatment, DNA damage was monitored using alkaline single-cell gel electrophoresis (the comet assay) (Aherne, S. A.; O'Brien, N. M. Nutr. Cancer 1999, 34, 160-166). At the end of the experiment, PE significantly decreased the damage caused by H(2)O(2). The results also showed that quercetin was the most effective of the flavonoids tested, which is consistent with its powerful antioxidant character. The results indicate that procyanidins are more effective than the corresponding individual monomers, catechin and epicatechin, at preventing DNA lesions in hepatocytes and that this protection is higher after preincubation than after co-incubation.