Tianming Yao , Yunus E. Tuncil , Sajal Bhattarai , Manoj Gurung , Lars Bode , Laxmi Yeruva , Stephen R. Lindemann
{"title":"Effect of maternal miRNAs and milk oligosaccharides on regulating the growth behavior of Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis","authors":"Tianming Yao , Yunus E. Tuncil , Sajal Bhattarai , Manoj Gurung , Lars Bode , Laxmi Yeruva , Stephen R. Lindemann","doi":"10.1016/j.jff.2025.106800","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jff.2025.106800","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The interplay between maternal microRNAs (miRNAs) and human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) in influencing infant gut bacteria remains poorly understood. This study investigated how milk miRNAs impact the growth dynamics and gene expression of <em>Bifidobacterium infantis</em> cultured on HMOs and lactose as substrates (1 % <em>w</em>/<em>v</em>). The strain was cultured in vitro with either human milk miRNAs or synthetic mimics (500 ng/mL). <em>B. infantis</em> grew significantly faster on HMOs (plateau at 11.23 h) than lactose (12.75 h), but miRNAs showed minimal effects on growth in both substrates. Transcriptome analysis further showed limited differential gene expression upon miRNA treatments, with only 11 overexpressed genes in the HMO-miRNA group, none likely affecting metabolism. In contrast, substrate type drove expression changes in 1986 genes, involving in ABC transporters, amino acid biosynthesis, purine, and carbohydrate metabolism. This research highlighted the stronger effects of HMOs than miRNAs on <em>B. infantis</em> biology, despite both being abundant in milk.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":360,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Functional Foods","volume":"128 ","pages":"Article 106800"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-04-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143783744","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jiale Yu , Jiaqi Su , Yiran Zhang , Ziyu Qiao , Wen Zhang , Ran Bi , Chenhong Shi , Wei Xiong , Fuqing Wang , Ran Wang , Yixuan Li
{"title":"Mitigating effects of plasmalogens on age-related cognitive impairment","authors":"Jiale Yu , Jiaqi Su , Yiran Zhang , Ziyu Qiao , Wen Zhang , Ran Bi , Chenhong Shi , Wei Xiong , Fuqing Wang , Ran Wang , Yixuan Li","doi":"10.1016/j.jff.2025.106790","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jff.2025.106790","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Cognitive impairment associated with aging is a significant and growing concern, and effective therapeutic strategies are urgently needed. In this study, we evaluated the beneficial effects of plasmalogens (PLS), phosphatidylcholine (PC), and phosphatidylserine (PS) on age-associated cognitive decline.</div><div>The results showed that PLS improved spatial memory performance by 44.42 % (p < 0.05) and object recognition by 80.32 % (p < 0.05) in <em>D</em>-galactose-induced cognitively impaired mice. In addition, PLS significantly decreased glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)-positive cells in the dentate gyrus (DG) of the hippocampus (p < 0.001). PLS also alleviated neuronal damage and protected against synaptic injury. This result was verified by a 228.01 % increase in PSD-95 expression in the hippocampus (p < 0.05). PLS showed a more prominent role for the mitigation of age-related cognitive impairment compared with PC and PS. The results of this study provide a theoretical foundation for targeted lipid intervention in cognitive impairment.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":360,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Functional Foods","volume":"128 ","pages":"Article 106790"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-04-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143777320","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pei Wang , Shumin Zhang , Shiyang Li , Wei Guo , Haohao Wu
{"title":"High-dose supplementation of Chlorella and Spirulina increases beneficial gut Bacteria in healthy ICR mice: A 90-day feeding study","authors":"Pei Wang , Shumin Zhang , Shiyang Li , Wei Guo , Haohao Wu","doi":"10.1016/j.jff.2025.106796","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jff.2025.106796","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Microalgae are increasingly recognized as important protein sources, and their potential probiotic functions have recently gained attention. This study investigated the effects of microalgae biomass (ChB from <em>Chlorella pyrenoidosa</em> and SpB from <em>Spirulina platensis</em>) on the gut microbiota of healthy ICR mice following a 90-day feeding experiment. Various health indicators were monitored to assess the health status of animals. Oral administration of ChB and SpB at doses of 0.82 g/kg and 4.10 g/kg did not result in any treatment-related impairment of physical indicators in mice. High-throughput sequencing of fecal <em>16S</em> rRNA revealed that the mice receiving high-dose ChB and SpB supplementation showed increased abundance of beneficial bacteria, particularly Lactobacillaceae and Muribaculaceae, and decreased abundance of unfavorable bacteria, notably Erysipelotrichaceae and Staphylococcaceae. The ChB-H and SpB-H groups formed clusters that were distinctly separated from the control group based on PCoA analysis, although the α-diversity was not statistically significant. PICRUSt functional analysis revealed that high-dose treatments with ChB and SpB significantly altered pathways related to lipid and amino acid-related metabolism. A strong association was observed between the pathways and microbial families. These results suggest potential health effects mediated by gut microbiota modulation. The diversity and composition of gut microbiota in the low-dose groups were comparable to those in the control group. In summary, high-dose supplementation of ChB and SpB resulted in enhanced levels of beneficial bacteria in the mice gut, which may contribute to physiological changes in the host. Therefore, ChB and SpB could serve as prebiotics to promote health.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":360,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Functional Foods","volume":"128 ","pages":"Article 106796"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-04-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143777321","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Yingbi Xu , Jiao Song , Qi Huang , Xiaorong Wei , Zhiyan Deng , Zhenguang Song , Haozhou Huang , Chuanhong Luo , Dingkun Zhang , Li Han
{"title":"Functional foods and nutraceuticals with anti-aging effects: Focus on modifying the enteral microbiome","authors":"Yingbi Xu , Jiao Song , Qi Huang , Xiaorong Wei , Zhiyan Deng , Zhenguang Song , Haozhou Huang , Chuanhong Luo , Dingkun Zhang , Li Han","doi":"10.1016/j.jff.2025.106786","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jff.2025.106786","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Dietary intervention is an effective strategy for anti-aging, and functional foods have become an important choice because of their efficiency and convenience. By regulating Bacteroides, Prevotella, Lactobacillus, <em>Clostridium butyricum</em>, and other key flora, they alleviate muscle aging, immune aging, and metabolic disorders, thereby delaying the aging of the body. Studies have shown that functional foods such as polysaccharides, oligosaccharides, probiotics, dietary fiber, and dietary polyphenols have significant anti-aging effects. However, probiotics are easily inactivated by the internal environment in the gut, which affects their efficacy. Therefore, how to achieve efficient colonization of probiotics is the key of current research. Probiotic colonization plays an important role in protecting host health by maintaining intestinal microecological balance, enhancing barrier function, regulating the immune system, and promoting nutrient absorption. Through biofilm protection, structural optimization, or a combination with other functional foods, the stability of probiotics can be enhanced so that they can play a long-term role in the gut of aging populations. This review summarizes the characteristics and regulatory mechanisms of gut microbiome in the aging population, focuses on functional foods with anti-aging effects, and puts forward suggestions for the feasibility of efficient colonization of probiotics so as to provide a theoretical basis for the development of anti-aging foods.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":360,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Functional Foods","volume":"128 ","pages":"Article 106786"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-04-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143768887","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Lijin Litson , Wenhao Cai , Jingqi Yang , Carla M. Prado , Lingyun Chen
{"title":"Identifying peptides from oat protein with potential hypocholesterolemic and satiety effects","authors":"Lijin Litson , Wenhao Cai , Jingqi Yang , Carla M. Prado , Lingyun Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.jff.2025.106793","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jff.2025.106793","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Obesity and hypercholesterolemia cause significant public health challenges, demanding alternative dietary strategie. This study investigated the cholesterol-lowering and satiety-enhancing effects of peptides derived from oat protein hydrolysates. Oat protein was hydrolyzed using pepsin and trypsin, and the resulting peptides were fractionated based on hydrophobicity. The fractions were than evaluated for their inhibitory effects on dipeptidyl-peptidase 4 (DPP4) and HMG-CoA reductase (HMGCR), as well as their impact on cholesterol micelle solubility. The most potent fraction (F4) exhibited 50 % inhibition of DPP4 at 50 μg/ml, potentially enhancing satiety. Fractions F3, F4, and hydrolyzed peptides inhibited HMGCR by 85 %, 79 %, and 83 %, respectively, at 200 μg/ml, while F1 reduced cholesterol micelle solubility by 38 % at 2 mg/ml. LC-MS/MS analysis identified peptides enriched in proline, leucine, and aromatic amino acids, contributing to bioactivity. These findings suggested oat protein-derived peptides as promising candidate for functional food development formulations aimed at mitigating obesity and hypercholesterolemia.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":360,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Functional Foods","volume":"128 ","pages":"Article 106793"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-04-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143777319","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Bovine collagen oligopeptides mitigate dexamethasone-induced muscle atrophy via PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway in mice model and C2C12 cell","authors":"Xiaxia Cai , Xuanxuan Fan , Yijin Liu , Lei Bao","doi":"10.1016/j.jff.2025.106792","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jff.2025.106792","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Sarcopenia, the age-related decline in muscle mass and strength, is a major health issue that impairs life quality and increases risks of adverse health effects. Nutrition is vital for muscle health. Bovine collagen oligopeptides (BCOP) are proven to reduce muscle soreness and fatigue. However, little is currently known about the effects of BCOP on muscle atrophy. The present study was designed to evaluate the mitigating effects of BCOP on dexamethasone-induced muscle atrophy mice model and C2C12 myoblasts in vitro and in vivo. BCOP supplementation in mice increased lean mass, improved grip strength, and modulated serum nutrition and inflammation. It also restored muscle structure and reduced atrophy markers. In C2C12 cells, BCOP enhanced myotube growth and downregulated atrophy markers. The PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway was activated by BCOP intervention both in mice model and C2C12 myotube. These findings suggest that BCOP may serve as a potential therapeutic agent for sarcopenia.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":360,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Functional Foods","volume":"128 ","pages":"Article 106792"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-04-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143761146","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Lulu Gao, Runyi Zhang, Min Zhang, Yujiao Liu, Haofeng Chai, Nana Bie, Pusen Li, Xiaomeng Liu
{"title":"Research progress on the effects of Lycium barbarum polysaccharides in metabolic diseases","authors":"Lulu Gao, Runyi Zhang, Min Zhang, Yujiao Liu, Haofeng Chai, Nana Bie, Pusen Li, Xiaomeng Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.jff.2025.106736","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jff.2025.106736","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Lycium barbarum polysaccharide</em> (LBP) stands as the primary bioactive constituent of goji berries, attracting increasing attention for its potential in mitigating metabolic disorders. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of the structure and biological properties of LBP, with particular emphasis on its roles in anti-diabetic, anti-obesity, hepatoprotective, cardiovascular protective, neuroprotective functions and protective effects on skeletal muscle. This review provides a detailed examination of the current research progress on LBPs, elucidating their mechanisms of action and clinical implications in the context of metabolic disorders. We explore the diverse bioactive components of LBPs, their effects on various metabolic parameters, and the underlying molecular mechanisms involved. Additionally, we discuss challenges and opportunities for further research to fully harness the potential of LBPs in metabolic disease management.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":360,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Functional Foods","volume":"128 ","pages":"Article 106736"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-04-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143746177","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Luoning Gou , Xingjie Yin , Rong Ma , Anita Regmi , Xiaodan Lu , Shengqing Hu , Yajuan Xie , Lulu Chen
{"title":"Abelmoschus esculentus prevents obesity-related metabolic disorders by increasing the activity of brown adipose tissue and white adipose browning via activating AMPK","authors":"Luoning Gou , Xingjie Yin , Rong Ma , Anita Regmi , Xiaodan Lu , Shengqing Hu , Yajuan Xie , Lulu Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.jff.2025.106787","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jff.2025.106787","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Obesity is a global health concern with high metabolic disease risk. Boosting the activity of brown adipose tissue (BAT) and white adipose tissue (WAT) browning combats against metabolic disorders. <em>Abelmoschus esculentus</em> (AE) was reported to improve metabolic disorders, but the mechanism remains unclear. This study aims to investigate AE's therapeutic mechanism in metabolic disorders. We explore the effect of AE on rats with high-fat diet and the primary adipocytes isolated from rat adipose tissue. In rats, the results showed that AE effectively ameliorated metabolic disorders induced by HFD, enhanced BAT activity, and WAT browning. In addition, AE significantly increased the AMPK phosphorylation in rat adipose tissues and primary adipocytes. Inhibition of AMPK in primary adipocytes abolished AE's beneficial effects, whereas AMPK activation significantly potentiated AE's effect. It demonstrates AE alleviates obesity-related metabolic dysfunction via AMPK-mediated activation of BAT and WAT browning, suggesting AE's therapeutic potential for metabolic disorders management.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":360,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Functional Foods","volume":"128 ","pages":"Article 106787"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143739842","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Zheng-Wei Liang , Hui Luo , Yun-Jun Zhang , Nian-Guo Bo , Teng Wang , Gen Sha , Yan-Hui Guan , Jia-Kun Fan , Yan Ma , Sheng-Chao Yang , Jun-Wen Chen , Tie-Jun Ling , Ming Zhao
{"title":"Transcriptomic and single-cell transcriptomic sequencing analysis of prevention of Dendrobium officinale flower extract on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in mice induced by cigarette smoke","authors":"Zheng-Wei Liang , Hui Luo , Yun-Jun Zhang , Nian-Guo Bo , Teng Wang , Gen Sha , Yan-Hui Guan , Jia-Kun Fan , Yan Ma , Sheng-Chao Yang , Jun-Wen Chen , Tie-Jun Ling , Ming Zhao","doi":"10.1016/j.jff.2025.106785","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jff.2025.106785","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Dendrobium officinale</em> flowers possess anti-aging and nourishing properties for the skin; however, there is a notable deficiency in pharmacological research concerning chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). To investigate the effects of <em>Dendrobium officinale flower</em> extract (DOFE) on the amelioration of COPD, 29 flavonoids present in DOFE were identified and quantified, which demonstrate antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Pathological observation, RNA-Seq and ScRNA-seq analysis revealed that DOFE treatment decreased the up-expression of genes caused by cigarette smoke (CS), which includes receptors (TLR, TNFR, and NOD), transcription factors (AP-1, STAT1), and key proteins (HSP90, A20, MKP) that contribute to the generation of reactive oxygen species and activation of the NF-κB and NLRP inflammasomes. This resulted in a decrease in secretion of IL-1β, IL-5, MIP-1α, and MIP-1β in neutrophils and macrophages, suppressed the increase in alveolar macrophages. Together, DOFE alleviated pulmonary inflammation, restored antioxidant capacity, and prevented COPD induced by CS.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":360,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Functional Foods","volume":"127 ","pages":"Article 106785"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143747575","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}