Evidence of vitamin D synthesis in insects exposed to UVb light

Oonincx, D.G.A.B.; Keulen, P. van; Finke, Mark D.; Baines, Frances M.; Vermeulen, M.; Bosch, G.

doi:10.1038/s41598-018-29232-w

Cited by 58 publications

(42 citation statements)

References 49 publications

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“…These are considered a relatively sustainable source of animal protein and are perceived as highly nutritious (van Huis & Oonincx, ). Most insects are rich sources of protein, minerals, and certain vitamins, although great variation exists between species and life stages, and due to production conditions (Finke & Oonincx, ; Oonincx et al ., ). Additionally, most insect species contain large amounts of fat.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Dietary enrichment of edible insects with omega 3 fatty acids

et al. 2019

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Edible insects are advocated as sustainable and healthy food and feed. However, commercially produced insects are often low in n-3 fatty acids and have suboptimal n-6/n-3 ratios. A certain amount and proportion of these FAs is required to optimize human health. Flaxseed oil consists primarily (57%) out of alpha-linolenic acid. An experiment was conducted to quantify the effect of flaxseed oil provision on fatty acid composition and to determine the quantity needed to attain a beneficial n-6/n-3 ratio. Three species were used in the experiment: house crickets (Acheta domesticus [L.]), lesser mealworms (Alphitobius diaperinus [Pfanzer]) and black soldier flies (Hermetia illucens [L.]). These were provided with either a control diet or a diet enriched with 1%, 2%, or 4% flaxseed oil during their larval/nymphal stage. Fatty acid profiles of diets and insects were determined via GC-MS. The three species had distinct fatty acid profiles on all four diets, but responded similarly to flaxseed oil addition. For each percent added to the diet, the alpha-linolenic acid content of the insects increased by 2.3%-2.7%. Four percent addition increased the n-3 fatty acid content 10-20 fold in the three species and thereby strongly decreased n-6/n-3 ratios from 18-36 to 0.8-2.4. A ratio below 5 is considered optimal for human health and was achieved by 2% flaxseed oil inclusion for house crickets and lesser mealworms, and at 1% inclusion for black soldier flies. Adding a source of n-3 fatty acids to insect diets can thus improve the nutritional quality of insects.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Dietary enrichment of edible insects with omega 3 fatty acids

et al. 2019

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“…UV radiation is the most important external cause of melanogenesis (Glady et al, 2018;Mishima and Tanay, 1968). Current studies have found that UV light can promote melanogenesis through epigenetic modifications (Zhang et al, 2019), DNA damage repair (Kemp et al, 2019;Oonincx et al, 2018), signal transduction (Hu et al, 2019), and the alteration of the MC microenvironment (Glady et al, 2018;Pei et al, 2018). It is well known that any biological behavior exerts positive and negative feedback to maintain homeostasis.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Long Noncoding RNA UCA1 Negatively Regulates Melanogenesis in Melanocytes

Pei

Chen

et al. 2020

Journal of Investigative Dermatology

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The long noncoding RNA UCA1 was first discovered in bladder cancer and is known to regulate the proliferation and migration of melanoma. However, its role in melanogenesis is unclear. In this study, we aimed to explore the role and mechanism of UCA1 in melanogenesis. Our findings showed that the expression of UCA1 was negatively correlated with melanin content in melanocytes and pigmented nevus. Overexpression of UCA1 in melanocytes decreased melanin content and the expression of melanogenesis-related genes, whereas knockdown of UCA1 in melanocytes had the opposite effect. High-throughput sequencing revealed that microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF), an important transcription factor affecting melanogenesis, was also negatively correlated with the expression of UCA1. Furthermore, the transcription factor CRE-binding protein (CREB), which promotes MITF expression, was negatively regulated by UCA1. The cAMP/ protein kinase A (PKA), extracellular signaleregulated kinase (ERK), and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) signaling pathways, which are upstream of the CREB/MITF/melanogenesis axis, were activated or inhibited in response to silencing or enhancing UCA1 expression, respectively. In addition, enhanced UCA1 expression downregulates the expression of melanogenesis-related genes induced by UVB in melanocytes. In conclusion, UCA1 may negatively regulate the CREB/MITF/melanogenesis axis through inhibiting the cAMP/PKA, ERK, and JNK signaling pathways in melanocytes. UCA1 may be a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of pigmented skin diseases.

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“…Oonincx et al (2019) achieved optimal ratios by adding only 1-2% of flaxseed oil to the diet of house crickets, lesser mealworms, and black soldier flies. Oonincx et al (2018) also showed that insects can synthesize vitamin D de novo and that the amounts depend on UVb irradiance and exposure duration.…”

Section: Nutrition and Healthmentioning

confidence: 96%

Prospects of insects as food and feed

2020

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In the last 10 years, the interest to use insects as food and feed has increased exponentially. In tropical zones, insects are a common food item as they are more readily available as food in nature than in other climate zones. However, if we want to promote insects as food and feed, harvesting from nature is not an option and the farming of these animals is required. This can be done in environmentally controlled facilities. Insects are not only nutritionally excellent food; they may also have health benefits. When using organic side streams as substrate, chemical and biological contaminants need to be considered. People in western countries are not used to eating insects, and therefore, strategies to "convince" consumers of their hygienic safety, environmental sustainability, and tastiness are necessary. The insect sector is maturing fast, but still faces many challenges, which can only be met when all stakeholders cooperate closely. Keywords Edible insects. Insects as food and feed. Circular economy. Nutrition and health. Industrial production. Food safety and legislation. Consumer attitudes Org. Agr.

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Evidence of vitamin D synthesis in insects exposed to UVb light

Cited by 58 publications

References 49 publications

Dietary enrichment of edible insects with omega 3 fatty acids

Dietary enrichment of edible insects with omega 3 fatty acids

The Long Noncoding RNA UCA1 Negatively Regulates Melanogenesis in Melanocytes

Prospects of insects as food and feed

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