A study was conducted to test the effects of Jerusalem artichoke inulin (JA) or chicory inulin (CH) in snack bars on composition of faecal microbiota, concentration of faecal SCFA, bowel habit and gastrointestinal symptoms. Forty-five volunteers participated in a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study. At the end of a 7 d run-in period, subjects were randomly assigned to three groups of fifteen subjects each, consuming either snack bars with CH or JA, or snack bars without fructans (placebo); for 7 d (adaptation period), they ingested one snack bar per day (7·7 g fructan/d) and continued for 14 d with two snack bars per day. The composition of the microbiota was monitored weekly. The consumption of CH or JA increased counts of bifidobacteria (þ 1·2 log 10 in 21 d) and reduced Bacteroides/Prevotella in number and the Clostridium histolyticum/C. lituseburense group in frequency at the end of intervention (P,0·05). No changes in concentration of faecal SCFA were observed. Consumption of snack bars resulted in a slight increase in stool frequency. Stool consistency was slightly affected in subjects consuming two snack bars containing CH or JA per day (P, 0·05). Consumption of CH or JA resulted in mild and sometimes moderate flatulence in a few subjects compared to placebo (P, 0·05). No structural differences were detected between CH and JA before and after processing. In conclusion, adaptation on increased doses of CH or JA in bakery products stimulates the growth of bifidobacteria and may contribute to the suppression of potential pathogenic bacteria.Bakery products: Inulin: Man: Faecal microflora: Processed foodsIn modern Western societies the lifestyle is characterized by a highly caloric diet, rich in fat, refined carbohydrates and animal protein, combined with low physical activity, resulting in an overall energy imbalance. Facing the fact that such inappropriate dietary habits are contributing to health risks, including obesity, diabetes, CVD, arterial hypertension and cancer, optimal nutrition that focuses on optimizing the quality of daily diet by 'innovative foods' that favour the maintenance of health may help to decrease current and future health care costs.Within the current discussion on functional foods, scientific research on the physiological effects of fructans is of importance for consumers when food manufacturers and retailers introduce new products with possible 'health benefits'. In the bakery industry, inulin or fructo-oligosaccharides from chicory (Cichorium intubus) roots or Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus) tubers are often used as fat replacers to improve the acceptability of low-fat products by the consumer.Interest in these fructans for human nutrition also stems from their prebiotic properties. Prebiotics are defined as non-digestible food ingredients that beneficially affect the host by selectively stimulating the growth and/or activity of one or a limited number of potentially health-promoting bacteria in the colon such as bifidobacteria or lactobac...

The X-chromosomal GPR34 gene encodes an orphan G i protein-coupled receptor that is highly conserved among vertebrates. To evaluate the physiological relevance of GPR34, we generated a GPR34-deficient mouse line. GPR34-deficient mice were vital, reproduced normally, and showed no gross abnormalities in anatomical, histological, laboratory chemistry, or behavioral investigations under standard housing. Because GPR34 is highly expressed in mononuclear cells of the immune system, mice were specifically tested for altered functions of these cell types. Following immunization with methylated BSA, the number of granulocytes and macrophages in spleens was significantly lower in GPR34-deficient mice as in wild-type mice. GPR34-deficient mice showed significantly increased paw swelling in the delayed type hypersensitivity test and higher pathogen burden in extrapulmonary tissues after pulmonary infection with Cryptococcus neoformans compared with wild-type mice. The findings in delayed type hypersensitivity and infection tests were accompanied by significantly different basal and stimulated TNF-␣, GM-CSF, and IFN-␥ levels in GPR34-deficient animals. Our data point toward a functional role of GPR34 in the cellular response to immunological challenges. G protein-coupled receptors (GPCR)2 form the largest gene family among transmembrane receptors, including more than 900 genes in humans and other mammals (1). A great number of stimuli, such as light, hormones, neurotransmitters, peptides, and nucleotides, activate the distinct receptors. Nonodorant receptors form about one-third of the GPCR repertoire. Although more than 200 non-odorant GPCR have been assigned to specific agonists and functions, about 155 socalled "orphan" GPCR (2) await identification of their physiological relevance. The importance of GPCR in controlling almost every physiological function makes this receptor family the most frequently used target for therapeutic drugs. Therefore, unveiling the function of orphan GPCR is a central issue in academic and industrial research.Among the five structurally different GPCR families (1, 3), the rhodopsin-like receptors form the largest in humans and other vertebrates. The rhodopsin-like family is divided further into subfamilies and groups. The P2Y 12 -like receptor group includes the ADP receptors P2Y 12 and P2Y 13 , the UDP-glucose receptor P2Y 14 , and the orphan receptors GPR87, GPR82, and GPR34 (4). Apart from the ADP receptor P2Y 12 , which has a central role in platelet aggregation and is the therapeutic target of clopidogrel (5, 6), very little is known about the function of the other members of this group.GPR34, an orphan receptor of the P2Y 12 -like receptor group, was first discovered by mining GenBank TM for novel GPCR sequences and homology cloning and has been assigned to the human X chromosome (7,8). Phylogenetic studies revealed that GPR34 has been highly conserved over the past 450 million years of vertebrate evolution, and no GPR34-deficient vertebrate has been identified yet (9). To date, there i...

Klinik fur kleine kkuentim, Ambulatorische Klinik undjrensiscbe Medien, lieraqtkcbe Hocbscbuk Hannover, Biscbofsholer Damm 15, 0 -3 0 173 Hannover, Gnnan_ySummary 214 ewes suffering from pregnancy toxaemia (ketosis) were examined. Clinical signs during onset and course of disease and laboratory findings were compared between animals that survived and those which died. In the latter the onset of ketosis was earlier in pregnancy (day 143 f 7 vs. day 146 f 8) and duration of the disease was shorter (10 f 13 vs. 14 f 9 days). The animals that died showed more severe clinical signs and higher values of 3-hydroxy-butyrate (4.3 f 3.6 vs. 3.5 f 2.6mmol/l) and cortisol (72 f 98 vs. 52 f 80 nmol/l) as well as lower values of insulin (37 f 12 vs. 66 f 42 pmol/l) and potassium (4.1 f 1.0 vs. 4.4 1.0 mmol/l) at onset of the disease than those which survived (aU of differences with P < 0.05). Glucose levels did not differ between groups.Treated animals with glucose plus fructose infusions (n = 56) or with oral application of glucose precursors plus electrolytes (n = 126) had survival rates of 53.6 Yo and 62.7 Yo, respectively. Oral treatment with glucose precursors plus electrolytes and an additional subcutaneous insulin treatment (n = 15) led to an enhanced survival rate of 86.7 YO (P < 0.05).Low insulin levels in ketotic pregnant sheep and the therapeutic effect of insuhn treatment support the hypothesis that insulin plays a causative role in the pathogenesis of ovine ketosis.

In the present study, using the murine monocyte/macrophage cell line RAW264.7 as a model system, we analyzed the phagocytosis rate and the bactericidal capacity of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA)-enriched macrophages against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Rhodococcus equi. The P. aeruginosa strain ATCC 10145, the virulent R. equi strain ATCC 33701, and the non-virulent R. equi strain ATCC 6939 were examined. Flow cytometric detection of intracellular microorganisms in combination with viability assays were used to determine the impact of PUFA on the number of engulfed, surviving as well as replicating bacteria. Macrophage enrichment with PUFA resulted in an increase of the internalization rate of the microorganisms by the immune cells. Moreover, an impeding action of the unsaturated fatty acids on the intracellular survival rates of the virulent strains P. aeruginosa ATCC 10145 and R. equi ATCC 33701 could be observed. The n-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) as well as the n-6 fatty acid arachidonic acid (AA) showed the most pronounced effects. Taken together, our data support the idea of supplementing PUFA to immunocompromised individuals as well as to people suffering from chronic infections with P. aeruginosa or R. equi to improve macrophage phagocytic and microbicidal activity.

The eukaryotic cell membrane possesses numerous complex functions, which are essential for life. At this, the composition and the structure of the lipid bilayer are of particular importance. Polyunsaturated fatty acids may modulate the physical properties of biological membranes via alteration of membrane lipid composition affecting numerous physiological processes, e.g. in the immune system. In this systematic study we present fatty acid and peptide profiles of cell membrane and membrane rafts of murine macrophages that have been supplemented with saturated fatty acids as well as PUFAs from the n-3, the n-6 and the n-9 family. Using fatty acid composition analysis and mass spectrometry-based peptidome profiling we found that PUFAs from both the n-3 and the n-6 family have an impact on lipid and protein composition of plasma membrane and membrane rafts in a similar manner. In addition, we found a relation between the number of bis-allyl-methylene positions of the PUFA added and the unsaturation index of plasma membrane as well as membrane rafts of supplemented cells. With regard to the proposed significance of lipid microdomains for disease development and treatment our study will help to achieve a targeted dietary modulation of immune cell lipid bilayers.