Association between diet and polymorphisms in individuals with statin-controlled dyslipidaemia grouped according to oxidative stress biomarkers

The objective of this study was to investigate whether differences in diet and in single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) found in paraoxonase-1 (PON-1), 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase (HMGCR), cholesterol ester transfer protein (CETP) and apolipoprotein E (APOE) genes, are associated with oxidative stress biomarkers and consequently with susceptibility of low-density cholesterol (LDL) to oxidation. A multivariate approach was applied to a group of 55 patients according to three biomarkers: plasma antioxidant activity, malondialdehyde and oxidized LDL (oxLDL) concentrations. Individuals classified in Cluster III showed the worst prognoses in terms of antioxidant activity and oxidative status. Individuals classified in Cluster I presented the lowest oxidative status, while individuals grouped in Cluster II presented the highest levels of antioxidant activity. No difference in nutrient intake was observed among the clusters. Significantly higher gamma- and delta-tocopherol concentrations were observed in those individuals with the highest levels of antioxidant activity. No single linear regression was statistically significant, suggesting that mutant alleles of the SNPs selected did not contribute to the differences observed in oxidative stress response. Although not statistically significant, the p value of the APO E coefficient for oxLDL response was 0.096, indicating that patients who carry the TT allele of the APO E gene tend to present lower plasma oxLDL concentrations. Therefore, the differences in oxidative stress levels observed in this study could not be attributed to diet or to the variant alleles of PON-1, CETP, HMGCR or APO E. This data supports the influence of gamma-tocopherol and delta-tocopherol on antioxidant activity, and highlights the need for further studies investigating APO E alleles and LDL oxidation.

Leucine Is Essential for Attenuating Fetal Growth Restriction Caused by a Protein-Restricted Diet in Rats

Certain amino acids, such as leucine (Leu) are not only substrates for protein synthesis but also are important regulators of protein metabolism. Moreover, it is known that alterations in intrauterine growth favor the development of chronic diseases in adulthood. Therefore, we investigated the role of Leu in combination with other BCAA on effects that are induced by maternal protein restriction on fetal growth. Wistar rats were divided into 4 groups according to the diet provided during pregnancy: control (C; 20% casein); V+I [5% casein + 2% L-valine (Val) + 2% L-isoleucine (Ile)1; KYT 15% casein + 1.8% L-lysine (Lys) + 1.2% L-tyrosine (Tyr) + 1% L-threonine (Thr)1; and BCAA (5% casein + 1.8% L-Leu + 1.2% L-Val + 1% L-Ile). Maternal protein restriction reduced the growth and organ weight of the offspring of dams receiving the V+I and KYT diets compared with the C group. Supplementation with BCAA reversed this growth deficit, minimizing the difference or restoring the mass of organs and carcass fat, the liver and muscle protein, and the RNA concentrations compared with newborns in the C group (P < 0.05). These effects could be explained by the activation of the mTOR signaling pathway, because phosphorylation of 4E-BP1 in the liver of offspring of the BCAA group was greater than that in the C, V+I, and KYT groups. The present results identify a critical role for Leu in association with other BCAA in the activation of the mTOR signaling pathway for the control of altered intrauterine growth induced by a maternal low-protein diet. J. Nutr. 142: 924-930, 2012.

Do Tobacco and Alcohol Modify Protective Effects of Diet on Oral Carcinogenesis?

Recent systematic reviews concluded that the frequent consumption of fruits and vegetables is inversely associated with the risk of oral cancer. We assessed this association, specifically comparing results obtained to nonsmokers and smokers, as well to nondrinkers and drinkers. We conducted a case-control study involving 296 patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (cases) attended in 3 major hospitals of Sao Paulo, Brazil, paired with 296 controls, recruited from outpatient units of the same hospitals. Multivariate models assessed the effect of fruits and salads according to smoking and drinking. The intake of fruit was associated with the prevention of the disease in the specific assessment among light [odds ratio (OR) = 0.46; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.27-0.78) and heavy (OR = 0.30; 95% CI = 0.14-0.65) smokers. The same was observed for vegetables consumption. For nonsmokers, no fruit (OR = 50; 95% CI = 0.22-1.12) or vegetable (for tomato, OR = 0.53; 95% CI = 0.31-0.93) was associated with reduced risk of oral and oropharyngeal cancer. Similar results were found in the stratified analysis according to drinking status with OR = 0.51 (95% CI = 0.30-0.87) and 0.18 for fruits (95% CI = 0.07-0.45), respectively, for light and heavy drinkers. This observation suggests that the protective effect of fruit and salad intake may modulate the deleterious effects from tobacco and alcohol.

Photodynamic Effects of Curcumin Against Cariogenic Pathogens

Background data: The presence of Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacillus acidophilus in dental structure is an indicator of a cariogenic biofilm. Photodynamic therapy is a technique that involves the activation of photosensitizers by light in the presence of oxygen, resulting in the production of reactive radicals capable of inducing cell death. Reduction of bacteria levels can provide additional means of preventing dental caries. Objective: The present study evaluated the susceptibility of planktonic cultures of S. mutans (ATCC 25175) and L. acidophilus (ATCC-IAL-523) from the Adolfo Lutz Institute (IAL) to photodynamic therapy after sensitization with curcumin and exposure to blue light at 450 nm. Methods: Bacterial suspensions of S. mutans and L. acidophilus isolated (as single species) and combined (multspecies) were prepared and then evaluated. Four different groups were analyzed: L-D- (control group), L-D+ (drug group), L+D- (light group), and L+D+ (photodynamic therapy group). Two different concentrations of curcumin were tested (0.75 and 1.5 g/L) associated with a 5.7 J/cm(2) light emission diode. Results: Significant decreases (p < 0.05) in the viability of S. mutans were only observed when the bacterial suspensions were exposed to both curcumin and light. Then, reductions in viability of up to 99.99% were observed when using 1.5 g/L of the photosensitizer. The susceptibility of L. acidophilus was considerably lower (21% and 37.6%) for both curcumin concentrations. Conclusions: Photodynamic therapy was found to be effective in reducing S. mutans and L. acidophilus on planktonic cultures. No significant reduction was found for L-D+, proving the absence of dark toxicity of the drug.

Caffeic acid phenethyl ester reduces the activation of the nuclear factor kappa B pathway by high-fat diet-induced obesity in mice

Objective. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of CAPE on the insulin signaling and inflammatory pathway in the liver of mice with high fat diet induced obesity. Material/Methods. Swiss mice were fed with standard chow or high-fat diet for 12-week. After the eighth week, animals in the HFD group with serum glucose levels higher than 200 mg/dL were divided into two groups, HFD and HFD receiving 30 mg/kg of CAPE for 4 weeks. After 12 weeks, the blood samples could be collected and liver tissue extracted for hormonal and biochemical measurements, and insulin signaling and inflammatory pathway analyzes. Results. The high-fat diet group exhibited more weight gain, glucose intolerance, and hepatic steatosis compared with standard diet group. The CAPE treatment showed improvement in glucose sensitivity characterized by an area under glucose curve similar to the control group in an oral glucose tolerance test Furthermore, CAPE treatment promoted amelioration in hepatic steatosis compared with the high-fat diet group. The increase in glucose sensitivity was associated with the improvement in insulin-stimulated phosphorylation of the insulin receptor substrate-2, followed by an increase in Akt phosphorylation. In addition, it was observed that CAPE reduced the induction of the inflammatory pathway, c-jun-N- terminal kinase, the nuclear factor kappa B, and cyclooxygenase-2 expression, respectively. Conclusions. Overall, these findings indicate that CAPE exhibited anti-inflammatory activity that partly restores normal metabolism, reduces the molecular changes observed in obesity and insulin resistance, and therefore has a potential as a therapeutic agent in obesity. (C) 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Quality of diet of working college students

Considering the scarcity of studies with young workers and the role of diet in the prevention of chronic diseases, the objective of the study was to assess the quality of diet of working college students. The present study investigated 43 university students, aged between 18 and 25 years old who had systematically being involved in a working activity in the past 6 months, paid or unpaid, at least 6 hours daily, five days a week. Dietary intake measured by seven dietary records covering every day of the week was used to calculate the Brazilian Healthy Eating Index Revised (B-HEIR). It was observed a low B-HEIR score (53.43,+/- 7.81) indicating a risk of a poor quality of diet, with high intake of sodium and sugar and low consumption of fruits and whole grains. This poor quality of diet can result in an inadequate nutritional status that may increase the risk of obesity and chronic diseases.

No evidence of selenosis from a selenium-rich diet in the Brazilian Amazon

Selenium (Se) is an essential element and a well-known anti-oxidant. In the Lower Tapajos River region of the Brazilian Amazon, biomarkers of Se range from normal to very high. The local traditional diet includes important Se sources such as Brazil nuts, chicken, game meat and certain fish species. Some studies have reported alterations in keratin structure, gastrointestinal problems and paresthesia in populations with high Se intake. The objective of the present study was to evaluate cutaneous and garlic odor of the breath signs and sentinel symptoms of Se toxicity (selenosis) in relation to Se status in communities along the Tapajos River. Participants (N = 448), aged 15-87 years, were recruited from 12 communities. Se concentrations were measured in blood (B-Se) and plasma (P-Se) by ICP-MS. A nurse performed an examination of the hair, nails, skin and breath for signs of Se toxicity. Interview-administered questionnaires were used to collect information on socio-demographics, medical history and possible symptoms of Se toxicity. In this population, the median levels of B-Se and P-Se were 228.4 mu g/L (range 103.3-1500.2 mu g/L) and 134.8 mu g/L (range 53.6-913.2 mu g/L) respectively. Although B-Se and P-Se surpassed concentrations considered toxic (B-Se: 1000 mu g/L (U.S. EPA, 2002)), no dermal or breath signs or symptoms of Se toxicity were associated with the biomarkers of Se status. In the present study population, where Se intake is mostly from traditional diet, there is no evidence of selenosis. These findings support the need to re-assess Se toxicity considering factors such as the chemical form of Se exposure, route of exposure (inhaled versus ingested), co-exposures to toxic elements such as mercury. Considering the current food transition towards a western diet in the Amazon, further studies should address the possible association between high Se status and cardiometabolic health in this study population. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

New Protein Sources in Adults Diet for Mass-rearing of Anastrepha fraterculus (Diptera: Tephritidae)

The aim of this study was to find alternatives to reduce the cost of mass production of the South American fruit fly (A. fraterculus) by looking for locally available products as protein source in the diet of adults to replace the imported product without changing the quality parameters. Two yeast from a Brazilian company were evaluated. The quality parameters showed that the imported hydrolyzed yeast used in the adult diet could be perfectly replaced by the local products tested, with a reduction of over 80% of the cost of the diet. The quality of the produced insects remained the same and there were improvements in some quality parameters such as the volume of eggs produced, number of adults flying and longevity under the stress.

Degradation of the resin-dentin bonds after simulated and inhibited cariogenic challenge in an in situ model

The aim of this study was to evaluate the resindentin bonds of two simplified etch-and-rinse adhesive after simulated cariogenic and inhibited cariogenic challenge in situ. Dental cavities (4 mm wide, 4 mm long, and 1.5 mm deep) were prepared in 60 bovine teeth with enamel margins. Restorations were bonded with either adhesive Adper Single Bond 2 (3MESPE) or Optibond Solo Plus (Kerr). Forty restorations were included in an intra-oral palatal appliance that was used for 10 adult volunteers while the remaining 20 dental blocks were not submitted to any cariogenic challenge [NC group] and tested immediately. For the simulated cariogenic challenge [C+DA], each volunteer dropped 20% sucrose solution onto all blocks four times a day during 14 days and distilled water twice a day. In the inhibited cariogenic challenge group [C + FA], the same procedure was done, but slurry of fluoride dentifrice (1.100 ppm) was applied instead of water. The restored bovine blocks were sectioned to obtain a slice for cross-sectional Vickers microhardness evaluation and resindentin bonded sticks (0.8 mm2) for resindentin microtensile evaluation. Data were evaluated by two-way ANOVA and Tukey's tests (a = 0.05). Statistically lower microhardness values and degradation of the resindentin bonds were only found in the C + DW group for both adhesives. The in situ model seems to be a suitable short-term methodology to investigate the degradation of the resindentin bonds under a more realistic condition. (c) 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater 100B: 14661471, 2012.

Diet and the risk of head and neck cancer: a pooled analysis in the INHANCE consortium

We investigated the association between diet and head and neck cancer (HNC) risk using data from the International Head and Neck Cancer Epidemiology (INHANCE) consortium. The INHANCE pooled data included 22 case-control studies with 14,520 cases and 22,737 controls. Center-specific quartiles among the controls were used for food groups, and frequencies per week were used for single food items. A dietary pattern score combining high fruit and vegetable intake and low red meat intake was created. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the dietary items on the risk of HNC were estimated with a two-stage random-effects logistic regression model. An inverse association was observed for higher-frequency intake of fruit (4th vs. 1st quartile OR = 0.52, 95% CI = 0.43-0.62, p (trend) < 0.01) and vegetables (OR = 0.66, 95% CI = 0.49-0.90, p (trend) = 0.01). Intake of red meat (OR = 1.40, 95% CI = 1.13-1.74, p (trend) = 0.13) and processed meat (OR = 1.37, 95% CI = 1.14-1.65, p (trend) < 0.01) was positively associated with HNC risk. Higher dietary pattern scores, reflecting high fruit/vegetable and low red meat intake, were associated with reduced HNC risk (per score increment OR = 0.90, 95% CI = 0.84-0.97).

Interstrain differences in the severity of liver injury induced by a choline- and folate-deficient diet in mice are associated with dysregulation of genes involved in lipid metabolism

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a major health problem and a leading cause of chronic liver disease in the United States and developed countries. In humans, genetic factors greatly influence individual susceptibility to NAFLD. The goals of this study were to compare the magnitude of interindividual differences in the severity of liver injury induced by methyl-donor deficiency among individual inbred strains of mice and to investigate the underlying mechanisms associated with the variability. Feeding mice a choline-and folate-deficient diet for 12 wk caused liver injury similar to NAFLD. The magnitude of liver injury varied among the strains, with the order of sensitivity being A/J approximate to C57BL/6J approximate to C3H/HeJ < 129S1/SvImJ approximate to CAST/EiJ < PWK/PhJ < WSB/EiJ. The interstrain variability in severity of NAFLD liver damage was associated with dysregulation of genes involved in lipid metabolism, primarily with a down-regulation of the peroxisome proliferator receptor alpha (PPAR alpha)-regulated lipid catabolic pathway genes. Markers of oxidative stress and oxidative stress-induced DNA damage were also elevated in the livers but were not correlated with severity of liver damage. These findings suggest that the PPAR alpha-regulated metabolism network is one of the key mechanisms determining interstrain susceptibility and severity of NAFLD in mice.-Tryndyak, V., de Conti, A., Kobets, T., Kutanzi, K., Koturbash, I., Han, T., Fuscoe, J. C., Latendresse, J. R., Melnyk, S., Shymonyak, S., Collins, L., Ross, S. A., Rusyn, I., Beland, F. A., Pogribny, I. P. Interstrain differences in the severity of liver injury induced by a choline-and folate-deficient diet in mice are associated with dysregulation of genes involved in lipid metabolism. FASEB J. 26, 4592-4602 (2012). www.fasebj.org

Exercise training improves relaxation response and SOD-1 expression in aortic and mesenteric rings from high caloric diet-fed rats

Abstract Background Obesity has been associated with a variety of disease such as type II diabetes mellitus, arterial hypertension and atherosclerosis. Evidences have shown that exercise training promotes beneficial effects on these disorders, but the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. The aim of this study was to investigate whether physical preconditioning prevents the deleterious effect of high caloric diet in vascular reactivity of rat aortic and mesenteric rings. Methods Male Wistar rats were divided into sedentary (SD); trained (TR); sedentary diet (SDD) and trained diet (TRD) groups. Run training (RT) was performed in sessions of 60 min, 5 days/week for 12 weeks (70–80% VO2max). Triglycerides, glucose, insulin and nitrite/nitrate concentrations (NOx-) were measured. Concentration-response curves to acetylcholine (ACh) and sodium nitroprusside (SNP) were obtained. Expression of Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD-1) was assessed by Western blotting. Results High caloric diet increased triglycerides concentration (SDD: 216 ± 25 mg/dl) and exercise training restored to the baseline value (TRD: 89 ± 9 mg/dl). Physical preconditioning significantly reduced insulin levels in both groups (TR: 0.54 ± 0.1 and TRD: 1.24 ± 0.3 ng/ml) as compared to sedentary animals (SD: 0.87 ± 0.1 and SDD: 2.57 ± 0.3 ng/ml). On the other hand, glucose concentration was slightly increased by high caloric diet, and RT did not modify this parameter (SD: 126 ± 6; TR: 140 ± 8; SDD: 156 ± 8 and TRD 153 ± 9 mg/dl). Neither high caloric diet nor RT modified NOx- levels (SD: 27 ± 4; TR: 28 ± 6; SDD: 27 ± 3 and TRD: 30 ± 2 μM). Functional assays showed that high caloric diet impaired the relaxing response to ACh in mesenteric (about 13%), but not in aortic rings. RT improved the relaxing responses to ACh either in aortic (28%, for TR and 16%, to TRD groups) or mesenteric rings (10%, for TR and 17%, to TRD groups) that was accompanied by up-regulation of SOD-1 expression and reduction in triglycerides levels. Conclusion The improvement in endothelial function by physical preconditioning in mesenteric and aortic arteries from high caloric fed-rats was directly related to an increase in NO bioavailability to the smooth muscle mostly due to SOD-1 up regulation.

Vitamin C and Vitamin E in Prevention of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) in Choline Deficient Diet Fed Rats

Abstract Aim Oxidative stress has been implicated in the pathogenesis of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD). Vitamin C and vitamin E are known to react with reactive oxygen species (ROS) blocking the propagation of radical reactions in a wide range of oxidative stress situations. The potential therapeutic efficacy of antioxidants in NAFLD is unknown. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of antioxidant drugs (vitamin C or vitamin E) in its prevention. Methods Fatty liver disease was induced in Wistar rats by choline-deficient diet for four weeks. The rats were randomly assigned to receive vitamin E (n = 6) – (200 mg/day), vitamin C (n = 6) (30 mg/Kg/day) or vehicle orally. Results In the vehicle and vitamin E-treated rats, there were moderate macro and microvesicular fatty changes in periportal area without inflammatory infiltrate or fibrosis. Scharlach stain that used for a more precise identification of fatty change was strong positive. With vitamin C, there was marked decrease in histological alterations. Essentially, there was no liver steatosis, only hepatocellular ballooning. Scharlach stain was negative. The lucigenin-enhanced luminescence was reduced with vitamin C (1080 ± 330 cpm/mg/minx103) as compared to those Vitamin E and control (2247 ± 790; 2020 ± 407 cpm/mg/minx103, respectively) (p < 0.05). Serum levels of aminotransferases were unaltered by vitamin C or vitamin E. Conclusions 1) Vitamin C reduced oxidative stress and markedly inhibited the development of experimental liver steatosis induced by choline-deficient diet ; 2)Vitamin E neither prevented the development of fatty liver nor reduced the oxidative stress in this model.

Urinary acidifier in diet with high excess base for adult cats

Maintaining the pH of urine in the ideal range (6.2 - 6.4) is of great importance for health promotion in the lower urinary tract of cats. In the economic and standard feed sector this is a major concern, given that the animal urine tends to be alkaline after food consumption of those commercial segments, which predispose to the formation of struvite urolith. Therefore, this study aimed to study the effects of increasing levels of urinary acidifiers (0.0%, 0.3%, 0.6% and 0.9%, on a dry matter base) in feed with high excess base over the acid-basic balance in the organism, apparent digestibility coefficients of nutrients, urinary pH, hydro-electrolyte balance in cats, as well as the adequacy of equations proposed in the literature to estimate the urinary pH. Twenty-four adult cats, males and females were distributed in a completely randomized design, consisting of six animals per treatment. The dry matter content of urine presented a quadratic behavior (p<0,05; y = 9.5863 + 3.2299x + 0.7871x2 R2 = 99,91%), HCO3-, total CO2 and excess blood base during the period in which the animals were fed were high when including 0.9% acidifier compared to 0.6% (p<0.05). In contrast, the use of the additive did not change the urinary pH, blood electrolyte concentration, nutrient digestibility, fecal score, food and water intake (p>0.05). The equations proposed in the literature, which use excess of base in feed to estimate urinary pH, overestimated the pH values found in this study.

The antioxidant response of the liver of male Swiss mice raised on a AIN 93 or commercial diet

Background: Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are formed under natural physiological conditions and are thought to play an important role in many human diseases. A wide range of antioxidants are involved in cellular defense mechanisms against ROS, which can be generated in excess during stressful conditions, these include enzymes and non-enzymatic antioxidants. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antioxidant responses of mice to two diets control, commercial and the purified AIN 93 diet, commonly used in experiments with rodents. Results: Malondialdehyde (MDA) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) concentrations and superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione reductase (GR) activities determined in the liver were lower in the group of mice fed with the AIN 93 diet, while catalase (CAT) activity was higher in the same group, when compared to the group fed on the commercial diet. Liver glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity was similar in the groups fed on either AIN 93 or the commercial diets. Two SOD isoforms, Mn-SODII and a Cu/Zn-SODV, were specifically reduced in the liver of the AIN 93 diet fed animals. Conclusions: The clear differences in antioxidant responses observed in the livers of mice fed on the two diets suggest that the macro- and micro-nutrient components with antioxidant properties, including vitamin E, can promote changes in the activity of enzymes involved in the removal of the ROS generated by cell metabolism.