Biological value of semi-smoked sausages with cedar oil cake

Introduction. Development of novel meat products with better quality and biological value remains one of priority objectives of modern food industry. New meat products correspond with the principles of healthy diet due to their improved fatty acid profile and lower sodium content. The present research featured semi-smoked sausages with 15% of cedar oilcake and a low-sodium curing mix. The cedar nut oilcake is as a source of highly unsaturated fatty acids and high-grade protein. In addition to the physiological effect, the low-sodium curing mix increases the resistance of the combined fat phase to deterioration during storage. Study objects and methods. Sausages of control and experimental formulations were made in laboratory conditions. The control formulation included raw second-grade beef, semi-fat pork (30% of fat), and traditional curing ingredients, i.e. sodium chloride and nitrite curing mix. In the experimental formulation, 15% of the semi-fat pork was replaced by cedar oil cake, and 30% of sodium chloride – by magnesium chloride. The samples were tested for fatty and amino acid composition, biological value of the lipid and protein phase, chemical composition, as well as physical, chemical, and sensory properties. Other research data included water activity, as well as acid, peroxide, and thiobarbituric value during storage at a temperature of 4 ± 2°C for 15 days. Results and discussion. The study of fatty acid composition showed significant differences in the ratio of saturated (SFA), monounsaturated (MUFA), and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA, P ˂ 0.05) in the samples. When 15% of pork was replaced by cedar oilcake, the amount of SFA decreased by 19.8%, while the content of MUFA and PUFA increased by 10.2% and 24.9%, respectively. These changes improved the indices of atherogenicity and thrombogenicity. The quality of the protein component also improved, as the utility coefficient of amino acids increased from 0.83 to 0.87, and the coefficient of comparable redundancy decreased from 7.2 g/100 g of protein to 5.35 g/100 g of protein. The sausages with cedar oil cake and low sodium chloride content received a high consumer evaluation. The hydrolysis of the lipid fraction was the same in both samples. The process of lipid oxidation was inhibited, which can partially be explained by a lower water activity. Conclusion. The biological value, consumer quality, and storage stability of semi-smoked sausages could be improved by replacing fat-containing meat raw materials with cedar oil cake and reducing sodium chloride content. The new product demonstrated a better nutrition quality and can be recommended for mass production.

NLRP6 function in inflammatory monocytes reduces susceptibility to colitis in mice

NLRP6 is a member of the Nod-like receptor (NLR) family, whose members are involved in the recognition of microbes and/or tissue injury. NLRP6 was previously shown to regulate IL-18 secretion and is important for protecting mice against chemically-induced colitis and colitis-associated colon cancer. However, the cellular mechanisms by which NLRP6 reduces susceptibility to colonic inflammation remain unclear. Here, we determined that NLRP6 expression is specifically upregulated in Ly6Chi inflammatory monocytes that infiltrate into the colon during dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced inflammation. Adoptive transfer of WT Ly6Chi inflammatory monocytes into Nlrp6−/− mice was sufficient to protect them from mortality, significantly reducing intestinal permeability and damage. NLRP6-deficient inflammatory monocytes were specifically defective in TNFα production, which was important for reducing DSS-induced mortality and dependent on autocrine IL-18 signaling by inflammatory monocytes. Our data reveal a previously unappreciated role for NLRP6 in inflammatory monocytes, which are recruited during colitis to promote barrier function and limit bacteria-driven inflammation. This study also highlights the importance of early cytokine responses, particularly NLRP6-dependent and IL-18-dependent TNFα production, in preventing chronic dysregulated inflammation that occurs in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

Regulation of epithelial differentiation in rat intestine by intraluminal delivery of an adenoviral vector or silencing RNA coding for Schlafen 3

Although we stimulate enterocytic proliferation to ameliorate short gut syndrome or mucosal atrophy, less effort has been directed at enterocytic differentiation. Schlafen 3 (Slfn3) is a poorly understood protein induced during IEC-6 enterocytic differentiation. We hypothesized that exogenous manipulation of Slfn3 would regulate enterocytic differentiation in vivo. Adenoviral vector coding for Slfn3 cDNA (Ad-GFP-Slfn3) or silencing RNA for Slfn3 (siSlfn3) was introduced intraluminally into rat intestine. We assessed Slfn3, villin, sucrase-isomaltase (SI), Dpp4, and Glut2 by qRT-PCR, Western blot, and immunohistochemistry. We also studied Slfn3 and these differentiation markers in atrophic defunctionalized jejunal mucosa and the crypt-villus axis of normal jejunum. Ad-GFP-Slfn3 but not Ad-GFP increased Slfn3, villin and Dpp4 expression in human Caco-2 intestinal epithelial cells. Injecting Ad-GFP-Slfn3 into rat jejunum in vivo increased mucosal Slfn3 mRNA three days later vs. intraluminal Ad-GFP. This Slfn3 overexpression was associated with increases in all four differentiation markers. Injecting siSlfn3 into rat jejunum in vivo substantially reduced Slfn3 and all four intestinal mucosal differentiation markers three days later, as well as Dpp4 specific activity. Endogenous Slfn3 was reduced in atrophic mucosa from a blind-end Roux-en-Y anastomosis in parallel with differentiation marker expression together with AKT and p38 signaling. Slfn3 was more highly expressed in the villi than the crypts, paralleling Glut2, SI and Dpp4. Slfn3 is a key intracellular regulator of rat enterocytic differentiation. Understanding how Slfn3 works may identify targets to promote enterocytic differentiation and maintain mucosal function in vivo, facilitating enteral nutrition and improving survival in patients with mucosal atrophy or short gut syndrome.

A common single nucleotide polymorphism in endoplasmic reticulum aminopeptidase 2 induces a specificity switch that leads to altered antigen processing

Endoplasmic reticulum aminopeptidases 1 and 2 (ERAP1 and ERAP2) cooperate to trim antigenic peptide precursors for loading onto MHC class I molecules and help regulate the adaptive immune response. Common coding single nucleotide polymorphisms in ERAP1 and ERAP2 have been linked with predisposition to human diseases ranging from viral and bacterial infections to autoimmunity and cancer. It has been hypothesized that altered Ag processing by these enzymes is a causal link to disease etiology, but the molecular mechanisms are obscure. We report in this article that the common ERAP2 single nucleotide polymorphism rs2549782 that codes for amino acid variation N392K leads to alterations in both the activity and the specificity of the enzyme. Specifically, the 392N allele excises hydrophobic N-terminal residues from epitope precursors up to 165-fold faster compared with the 392K allele, although both alleles are very similar in excising positively charged N-terminal amino acids. These effects are primarily due to changes in the catalytic turnover rate (k(cat)) and not in the affinity for the substrate. X-ray crystallographic analysis of the ERAP2 392K allele suggests that the polymorphism interferes with the stabilization of the N terminus of the peptide both directly and indirectly through interactions with key residues participating in catalysis. This specificity switch allows the 392N allele of ERAP2 to supplement ERAP1 activity for the removal of hydrophobic N-terminal residues. Our results provide mechanistic insight to the association of this ERAP2 polymorphism with disease and support the idea that polymorphic variation in Ag processing enzymes constitutes a component of immune response variability in humans.

Overexpression of EAT-2, a SLAM family receptor adaptor molecule, suppresses CRACC receptor expression on Antigen Presenting Cells in an ERK MAP kinase dependent mechanism (110.26)

SLAM family receptors play a critical role in immune regulation. Their function is controlled primarily by SAP, EAT-2, and ERT adaptors. We have previously described a novel immunostimulatory function for EAT-2 in a vaccine model system. In the current work we sought to examine the mechanism of action of EAT-2 in APCs. Our results demonstrated that Ad vector infection itself of macrophages significantly (p<0.001) induced the transcription of the SLAM family member CRACC, but not other SLAM family members. In dramatic contrast, infection of macrophages with Ad-EAT2 significantly prevented Ad induced CRACC expression (p<0.001). FACS analysis confirmed that Ad mediated expression of EAT-2 also resulted in decreased protein levels of CRACC on APCs. By utilization of a variety of inhibitors, we confirmed that EAT-2 mediated suppression of CRACC required a functional ERK, but not Src-kinase, PI3K, or p38 pathways. In addition, blockade of ERK signaling abolished the ability of Ad-EAT2 to induce other innate immune response genes in APCs. Finally, utilization of immunoblot confirmed that Ad-EAT-2 significantly induced ERK activation in macrophages. Thus, EAT-2 over-expression by Adenovirus activates ERK pathway that inhibits Ad mediated induction of CRACC in APCs, an activity that correlates with increased induction of several innate immune response genes, as well the improved induction of antigen specific adaptive immune responses after Ad mediated transfer of immunogenic antigens.

Complex interactions with several arms of the complement system dictate innate and humoral immunity to adenoviral vectors

The complement system is known to play critical roles in pathogen identification, initiation of innate immune responses and facilitation of adaptive immune responses. Several studies have suggested that recombinant adenoviruses (rAds) interact with proteins of the complement system within minutes of administration. In this study, we assessed the roles of the alternative (Factor B), classical (C1q and C4) and common (C3) arms of the complement system in the innate and humoral response to systemic rAd administration using mice genetically deficient for each of these functions. Although most plasma cytokines and chemokines induced by Ads appeared to be elicited in a C3-dependent manner, we found that rAd-induced thrombocytopenia was dependent on Factor B and C3, implicating the alternative pathway as responsible for this response. Alteration of the complement-dependent transcriptome response after rAd-induced liver gene expression was also found to be Factor B- and C3-dependent. Ad interactions with the classical and alternative arms of the complement system can also be redundant, as many complement-dependent, Ad-induced innate immune responses appeared to be primarily C3-dependent. We also identified a C3 dependence of Ad-mediated induction of the nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) activation pathway. Finally, we confirmed that humoral immune responses to the vector capsid, and the transgene it encodes, are also complement-dependent.

Adenovirus vectors for renal-targeted gene delivery

Adenovirus (Ad)-based vectors are considered a promising tool for effective gene transfer in a number of renal disease-specific applications. This opinion is based upon their natural ability to infect a broad array of both dividing and terminally differentiated, nondividing cell types, their capacity to deliver (transduce) large amounts of DNA, and the ease at which this vector platform can be mass produced. Furthermore, Ads remain the gene transfer vector of choice for numerous human clinical trials, as more clinical trials utilize Ad-based vectors than any other vector currently available. However, as with all types of gene transfer vectors, several limitations to the use of Ads have been delineated. The construction of advanced-generation Ad vectors with unique modifications of the viral genome has addressed many of these issues, although continued research will no doubt provide safer alternatives to the presently used viral vectors. In this chapter, we review the current state of Ad-based gene transfer, brief updates on advanced-generation Ad-based vectors, and provide a discussion of how these vectors infect various tissues. We then specifically focus on the kidney and discuss a multitude of techniques previously employed to deliver Ad-based vectors to various regions of the kidney and in the process, reveal many associated complexities. Furthermore, exciting new studies that use Ads to express immunosuppressive gene products have shown great promise in the area of transplantation and allograft survival. Based upon this summary, we confirm that Ad-based vectors currently offer multiple advantages for the study and potential treatment of a great variety of renal and urological diseases. Utilization of advanced-generation Ad vectors combined with novel insights into the complexities of Ad-based gene transfer in general, should allow numerous inroads to be made in the near term, relative to the use of Ad-based gene transfer to treat a variety of renal diseases.

Wild-type adenoviruses from groups A-F evoke unique innate immune responses, of which HAd3 and SAd23 are partially complement dependent

Alternative human and non-human Ad serotype vectors are currently studied for gene therapy and/or vaccine applications to capitalize upon their likely ability to avoid pre-existing immunity to HAd5. However, relatively little attention has been given to the nature and scope of innate immune responses generated by alternative Ad serotypes. In this study, we characterized several innate immune responses after intravenous administration of wild-type Ad serotypes HAd31, HAd3, HAd5, HAd37, SAd23 and HAd41, representing groups A-F, respectively. Notably, biodistribution studies revealed significant differences between the serotypes, with high levels of HAd3 genomes found in the liver and lung, and HAd37 genomes found in the spleen after systemic administration. Relative to similar treatments with other Ad serotypes, HAd3 and SAd23 induced altered innate immune responses, illustrated by induction of higher levels of cellular gene transcription in several tissues, and higher plasma levels of cytokines and chemokines. We also investigated whether complement interactions have a role in HAd3- and SAd23-induced responses. We confirmed complement dependent gene transcription, plasma cytokine/chemokine responses, and liver toxicities incurred after administration of HAd3 and SAd23. This study highlights the potential benefits and/or limitations to the proposed use of alternative Ad serotypes for gene therapy or vaccine applications.