IgM-mediated autoimmune responses directed against anchorage epitopes are greater in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) than in major depression

Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) and depression are considered to be neuro-immune disorders (Maes and Twisk, BMC Medicine 8:35, 2010). There is also evidence that depression and ME/CFS are accompanied by oxidative and nitrosative stress (O&NS) and by increased autoantibodies to a number of self-epitopes some of which have become immunogenic due to damage by O&NS. The aim of this study is to examine IgM-mediated autoimmune responses to different self-epitopes in ME/CFS versus depression. We examined serum IgM antibodies to three anchorage molecules (palmitic and myristic acid and S-farnesyl-L-cysteine); acetylcholine; and conjugated NO-modified adducts in 26 patients with major depression; 16 patients with ME/CFS, 15 with chronic fatigue; and 17 normal controls. Severity of fatigue and physio-somatic (F&S) symptoms was measured with the Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Rating Scale. Serum IgM antibodies to the three anchorage molecules and NO-phenylalanine were significantly higher in ME/CFS than in depression. The autoimmune responses to oxidatively, but not nitrosatively, modified self-epitopes were significantly higher in ME/CFS than in depression and were associated with F&S symptoms. The autoimmune activity directed against conjugated acetylcholine did not differ significantly between ME/CFS and depression, but was greater in the patients than controls. Partially overlapping pathways, i.e. increased IgM antibodies to a multitude of neo-epitopes, underpin both ME/CFS and depression, while greater autoimmune responses directed against anchorage molecules and oxidatively modified neo-epitopes discriminate patients with ME/CFS from those with depression. These autoimmune responses directed against neoantigenic determinants may play a role in the dysregulation of key cellular functions in both disorders, e.g. intracellular signal transduction, cellular differentiation and apoptosis, but their impact may be more important in ME/CFS than in depression.

Enzymatic synthesis of isopropyl myristate using immobilized lipase from Bacillus cereus MTCC 8372

A purified alkaline thermo-tolerant bacterial lipase from Bacillus cereus MTCC 8372 was immobilized on a Poly (MAc- co -DMA- cl -MBAm) hydrogel. The hydrogel showed approximately 94% binding capacity for lipase. The immobilized lipase (2.36 IU) was used to achieve esterification of myristic acid and isopropanol in n -heptane at 65 °C under continuous shaking. The myristic acid and isopropanol when used at a concentration of 100 mM each in n -heptane resulted in formation of isopropyl myristate (66.0 ± 0.3 mM) in 15 h. The reaction temperature below or higher than 65°C markedly reduced the formation of isopropyl myristate. Addition of a molecular sieve (3 Å × 1.5 mm) to the reaction mixture drastically reduced the ester formation. The hydrogel bound lipase when repetitively used to perform esterification under optimized conditions resulted in 38.0 ± 0.2 mM isopropyl myristate after the 3 ^rd cycle of esterification.

Dietary conjugated linoleic acid differentially alters fatty acid composition and increases conjugated linoleic acid content in porcine adipose tissue

Conjugated linoleic acids (CLA) have been shown to decrease body fat content in pigs. It is possible that feeding pigs diets rich in CLA may increase carcass lipid CLA to levels that could provide health benefits when included as a part of a healthy diet. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to determine whether dietary CLA supplementation has any effect on the fatty acid composition of subcutaneous and intramuscular adipose tissue in pigs. Thirty-five female cross bred (Large White X Landrace) pigs (initial weight 57·2 kg and initial P2 back fat 11·5 mm) were used in the present study. Pigs were housed individually and randomly allocated to one of six dietary treatments (0·00, 1·25, 2·50, 5·00, 7·50 and 10·00 g CLA55 (55 g CLA isomers/100 g total fatty acids; Natural Lipids Ltd, Hovdebygda, Norway)/kg)
and fed their respective diets for 8 weeks. Twelve CLA isomers in the diet and in pig tissue lipids were separated by Agþ-HPLC. CLA was incorporated at fivefold higher levels in subcutaneous fat as compared with intramuscular fat and in a dose-dependant manner. Overall, the transfer efficiency of CLA was maximized at 5·00 g CLA55/kg. However, there was clear selectivity in the uptake or incorporation of cis,trans-9,11 isomer over the trans,cis-10,12 isomer. In general, CLA supplementation produced significant changes in skeletal muscle and adipose tissue fatty acid composition, indicating that dietary CLA had a potent affect on lipid transport and metabolism in vivo. Significant increases in myristic, palmitic and palmitoleic acids and a reduction in arachidonic acid were observed, suggesting an alteration in
activity of Δ5-, Δ6- and Δ9-desaturases in pig adipose tissue. In conclusion, feeding pigs diets supplemented with CLA increases carcass lipid CLA, but also results in changes in the fatty acid profile in pig fat that could potentially outweigh the benefits of CLA.

Evaluation of fatty acid extraction methods for Thraustochytrium sp. ONC-T18

Various extraction methods were assessed in their capacity to extract fatty acids from a dried biomass of Thraustochytrium sp. ONC-T18. Direct saponification using KOH in ethanol or in hexane:ethanol was one of the most efficient techniques to extract lipids (697 mg g^-1). The highest amount of fatty acids (714 mg g^-1) was extracted using a miniaturized Bligh and Dyer extraction technique. The use of ultrasonics to break down cell walls while extracting with solvents (methanol:chloroform) also offered high extraction yields of fatty acids (609 mg g^-1). Moreover, when the transesterification mixture used for a direct transesterification method was doubled, the extraction of fatty acids increased approximately 77% (from 392 to 696 mg g^-1). This work showed that Thraustochytrium sp. ONC-T18 has the ability to produce over 700 mg g^-1 of lipids, including more than 165 mg g-1 of docosahexaenoic acid, which makes this microorganism a potential candidate for the commercial production of polyunsaturated fatty acids. Finally, other lipids, such as myristic, palmitic, palmitoleic, and oleic acids, were also produced and recovered in significant amounts (54, 196, 123, and 81 mg g^-1), respectively.

Relationship between erythrocyte fatty acid composition and psychopathology in the Vienna omega-3 study

This study investigated the relationship between erythrocyte membrane fatty acid (FA) levels and the severity of symptoms of individuals at ultra-high risk (UHR) for psychosis. Subjects of the present study consisted of 80 neuroleptic-naïve UHR patients. Partial correlation coefficients were calculated between baseline erythrocyte membrane FA levels, measured by gas chromatography, and scores on the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), Global Assessment of Functioning Scale, and Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) after controlling for age, sex, smoking and cannabis use. Subjects were divided into three groups according to the predominance of positive or negative symptoms based on PANSS subscale scores; membrane FA levels in the three groups were then compared. More severe negative symptoms measured by PANSS were negatively correlated with two saturated FAs (myristic and margaric acids), one ω-9 monounsaturated FA (MUFA; nervonic acid), and one ω-3 polyunsaturated FA (PUFA; docosapentaenoic acid), and were positively correlated with two ω-9 MUFAs (eicosenoic and erucic acids) and two ω-6 PUFAs (γ-linolenic and docosadienoic acids). More severe positive symptoms measured by PANSS were correlated only with nervonic acid. No associations were observed between FAs and MADRS scores. In subjects with predominant negative symptoms, the sum of the ω-9 MUFAs and the ω-6:ω-3 FA ratio were both significantly higher than in those with predominant positive symptoms, whereas the sum of ω-3 PUFAs was significantly lower. In conclusion, abnormalities in FA metabolism may contribute to the neurobiology of psychopathology in UHR individuals. In particular, membrane FA alterations may play a role in negative symptoms, which are primary psychopathological manifestations of schizophrenia-related disability.