Article
Food Science & Technology
Oktay Yerlikaya, Leyla Gucer, Ecem Akan, Saban Meric, Emel Aydin, Ozer Kinik
Summary: Benzoic acid, a weak acid precursor to many important organic compounds, can be naturally formed in various cheese types due to microbial activity. Microbiota significantly influences the formation of benzoic acid in cheese, leading to different levels in fresh and ripened varieties. Variations in benzoic acid content are observed between cheese types, with fresh cheeses having lower levels compared to ripened ones, indicating a correlation between benzoic acid levels and yeast-mold changes.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Klara Bartakova, Lenka Vorlova, Sandra Dluhosova, Ivana Borkovcova, Sarka Bursova, Jan Pospisil, Bohumira Janstova
Summary: Yoghurts from sheep milk had the highest benzoic acid content, while cow yoghurts had the lowest, with goat yoghurts falling in between. Benzoic acid content did not show significant variation until the second and third weeks of storage, with dynamics depending on the type of yoghurt. Different storage temperatures and milk heat treatment temperatures affected the amount of benzoic acid in yoghurts.
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Jeffrey R. Idle, Diren Beyo
Summary: This article traces the development of fundamental ideas in cancer research throughout the 20th century, starting with observations on mustard gas toxicity during World War I. The progression of these ideas was facilitated through chemical carcinogenesis labs in London, then transferred to Yale and Chicago, before finally reaching the pharmaceutical industry in Bielefeld, Germany. By investigating the metabolic disposition of ifosfamide, efforts were made to mitigate its side effects, particularly ifosfamide-induced encephalopathy (IIE). Various metabolites, including 2-chloroacetaldehyde, 2-chloroacetic acid, acrolein, 3-hydroxypropionic acid, and S-carboxymethyl-L-cysteine, have been proposed as potential culprits for IIE. Methylene blue (MB) administration has shown promise in preventing and treating IIE, likely by inhibiting monoamine oxidase and modulating the effects of ifosfamide on the GABAergic and glutamatergic systems.
PHARMACOLOGY & THERAPEUTICS
(2023)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Oya Kuseyri Huebschmann, Natalia Alexandra Julia-Palacios, Mireia Olivella, Philipp Guder, Dimitrios I. Zafeiriou, Gabriella Horvath, Jan Kulhanek, Toni S. Pearson, Alice Kuster, Elisenda Cortes-Saladelafont, Salvador Ibanez, Maria Concepcion Garcia-Jimenez, Tomas Honzik, Rene Santer, Kathrin Jeltsch, Sven F. Garbade, Georg F. Hoffmann, Thomas Opladen, Angeles Garcia-Cazorla
Summary: This study investigates the Glycine encephalopathy and proposes a severity prediction model based on clinical, biochemical, and genetic parameters, expanding the phenotypic spectrum of attenuated NKH.
ANNALS OF NEUROLOGY
(2022)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Gizem Sendogan, Ecem Akan, Oktay Yerlikaya, Saban Meric, Ozer Kinik
Summary: The research showed that the content of benzoic acid in goat milk kefir was significantly affected by both the starter kefir cultures and microbiota used in production, as well as the storage period. Considerably lower levels of benzoic acid were found in kefir samples produced with kefir grain, which also had the highest counts of Lactobacillus and Lactococcus.
Review
Cell Biology
Mateus Grings, Moacir Wajner, Guilhian Leipnitz
Summary: Ethylmalonic encephalopathy is a severe intoxication disorder caused by mutations in the ETHE1 gene. Disruption of mitochondrial and redox homeostasis, as well as oxidative stress, are important pathomechanisms in tissue damage. Current treatment does not effectively prevent encephalopathy.
CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR NEUROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Yun Zhang, Zhe Liu, Xueliang Wang, Hui Jian, Haihan Xiao, Tingyi Wen
Summary: Mitochondrial serine hydroxymethyltransferase (SHMT2) supports the proliferation of bladder cancer cells by maintaining redox homeostasis and its deficiency triggers cell apoptosis through ROS-dependent, mitochondrial-mediated pathways.
CANCER GENE THERAPY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Tudor Mocan, Dong Wook Kang, Billy J. Molloy, Hyeonho Jeon, Zeno A. Sparchez, Diren Beyoglu, Jeffrey R. Idle
Summary: The concentrations of two 3-oxo-Delta(4) fetal bile acids in plasma are significantly correlated with the severity of liver cirrhosis as determined by Child-Pugh and MELD scores in adult patients. This suggests that the levels of these fetal bile acids may serve as indicators of liver cirrhosis severity.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Review
Oncology
Diren Beyoglu, Jeffrey R. Idle
Summary: Oncometabolites are produced by cancer cells, facilitating cancer proliferation and progression. Metabolomics, utilizing mass spectrometry platforms, has defined the metabolic changes in cancer cells and uncovered potential oncometabolites.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Diren Beyoglu, Cedric Simillion, Federico Storni, Andrea De Gottardi, Jeffrey R. Idle
Summary: This study found that the metabolic characteristics of ascites fluid were associated with the severity of liver cirrhosis, with increased amino acids and decreased lipids. These findings have potential relevance for diagnostic purposes.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Asim Dave, Eun-Jung Park, Avinash Kumar, Falguni Parande, Jeffrey R. Idle, John M. Pezzuto, Diren Beyoglu
Summary: This study aimed to explore the potential of dietary grape consumption in modulating the adverse effects of a high-fat diet. The results showed that dietary grape supplementation can regulate gene expression, prevent oxidative damage, induce fatty acid metabolism, improve nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and increase longevity.
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Diren Beyoglu, Jeffrey R. Idle
Summary: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a major complication of liver cirrhosis, causing over 2 million deaths globally each year. There are limited treatment options for liver cirrhosis and HCC, emphasizing the importance of early intervention. This article proposes dietary and therapeutic solutions that involve the gut microbiota and its consequences. Dysbiosis, the imbalance of gut microbiota, can be induced by various lifestyle factors and produce metabolites that may contribute to HCC development. The activation of toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) by gram-negative bacteria in the liver can also contribute to HCC initiation and progression. To prevent HCC, maintaining a healthy gut microbiota through the use of probiotic supplements and prebiotic plant fibers is suggested. Additionally, the development of TLR4 antagonists and further nutrigenomic studies are deemed urgent to counteract dysbiosis and understand the effects of diet on the gut microbiota and liver.
BIOCHEMICAL PHARMACOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Diren Beyoglu, Stephanie Schwalm, Nasser Semmo, Andrea Huwiler, Jeffrey R. Idle
Summary: A lipidomic investigation was conducted on 30 patients with chronic HCV infection and 30 healthy controls, revealing clustering and complete separation of the two groups. The metabolic effects of HCV were found to persist in patients who cleared the virus or were successfully treated. Multiple metabolites, including endocannabinoids, phosphosphingolipids, and lysophosphatidylinositols, were identified as being dysregulated in HCV infection. These findings provide new insights into the pathobiology of HCV infection and suggest potential lipid targets for therapeutic intervention.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Cell Biology
Diren Beyoglu, Pinzhu Huang, Disha Skelton-Badlani, Christine Zong, Yury V. Popov, Jeffrey R. Idle
Summary: We studied the metabolic reprogramming in liver fibrosis progression using different hepatotoxins in mice. The administration of carbon tetrachloride (CCl4), thioacetamide (TAA), or a high-fat diet resulted in similar metabolic changes during fibrogenesis. Hepatic glucose, galactose, fructose, and glucuronic acid were diminished, while ascorbate and collagen prolyl 4-hydroxylase increased. Recovery from high-fat diet challenge showed reversed changes. The hijacking of glucose and galactose metabolism for ascorbate synthesis was mediated by increased aldose reductase Akr1b3 transcription.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
John M. Pezzuto, Asim Dave, Eun-Jung Park, Diren Beyoglu, Jeffrey R. Idle
Summary: The purpose of this study was to determine the potential of grape consumption to modulate UV-induced skin erythema. It was found that consuming the equivalent of three servings of grapes per day for two weeks increased skin resistance to UV irradiation in 9 out of 29 human volunteers. Grape consumption modulated microbiota abundance, enzyme levels, and KEGG pathways, suggesting a potential relationship to the gut-skin axis.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Diren Beyoglu, Eun-Jung Park, Adolfo Quinones-Lombrana, Asim Dave, Falguni Parande, John M. Pezzuto, Jeffrey R. Idle
Summary: This study found that grape powder has significant effects on gut microbiota metabolism and hepatic oxidative stress, while enhancing the utilization of glucose by the liver.