Bile Salt Degradation by Nonfermentative Clostridia

Eight strains of nonfermentative clostridia were characterized on the basis of their intracellular nicotine adenine dinucleotide- and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate-dependent hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (HSDH) content, ability to deconjugate taurocholate, growth characteristics, and metabolic products, including utilization of lactate and pyruvate. Two cultures of Clostridium sporosphaeroides (representing one strain obtained from two different sources), one strain of Clostridium irregularis, four strains of an unnamed species (Clostridium group SPH-1), and one strain of an unnamed species (Clostridium group P) were studied. Both cultures of C. sporosphaeroides contained low amounts of 7α-HSDH; C. irregularis contained only a low amount of 3α-HSDH. All four strains of Clostridium SPH-1 contained both 12α- and 7α-HSDH in the ratio of approximately 10:1. The strain of Clostridium group P contained only 12α-HSDH and was devoid of any other bile salt oxidoreductases. The enzyme preparation from Clostridium group P was useful in spectrophotometric quantitative studies of 12α-OH groups. Correlation of bile salt degradative activities with other phenotypic tests for characterization of and differentiation among such organisms is discussed.     

Prevention of Milk Fever (Hypocalcemic Paresis Puerperalis) by Dietary Salt Supplements

Twelve cows of 14 given a basic diet supplemented with Na2GO3 and NaHCO3 during four weeks pre partum and one week past partum were attacked by milk fever (hypocalcemic paresis puerperalis), while 12 cows of 13 receiving the same basic diet supplemented with sulfates and chlorides remained healthy. A mixture of CaCl2, Al2(SO4)3 and MgSO4 was found to be a convenient prophyllactic supplement. It was found possible to induce and prevent milk fever at successive parturitions in the same cow by altering the dietary conditions. The data give further support to the hypothesis that the alkali alkalinity of the diet is the major factor in induction or prevention of milk fever.     

An Evaluation of Commercial Thiosulphate Citrate Bile Salt Sucrose Agar (TCBS)

The recovery of vibrios, in particular Vibrio cholerae , non-cholera vibrios and V. parahaemolyticus , on four brands of TCBS has been compared. The selectivity of the media was also compared. Eiken TCBS performed best in our tests but was closely followed by Oxoid TCBS.     

Control of Bile Salt Synthesis

THE regulation of bile salt synthesis in man is still poorly understood. The human liver synthesizes a trihydroxy and a dihydroxy bile acid, cholic and chenodeoxycholic acid, each conjugated with glycine or taurine. These, together with deoxycholic acid, a dihydroxy bile acid which results from the 7-α dehydroxylation of cholic acid by intestinal bacteria, constitute approximately 98% of the bile salt pool which circulates enterohepatically during digestion of a meal¹. Lindstedt found that the composition of the bile salt pool varies little from day to day in any one individual² and this has also been our experience on analysis of 48 bile samples collected on different days from 16 volunteers. However, the evidence that bile salt synthesis is regulated by a negative feedback mechanism is scanty³ apart from the increased synthesis that follows interruption of the enterohepatic circulation^4–6.     

Alteration of Neuroblastoma Ganglioside Metabolism by Retinoic Acid

Cellular differentiation is often associated with striking changes in ganglioside metabolism. Because retinoic acid causes cellular differentiation in vitro, we have characterized its effect on ganglioside synthesis and shedding by LAN-5 human neuroblastoma cells. Three major observations were made: (a) 20 microM retinoic acid caused a marked (twofold) increase in cellular ganglioside content, with a slight relative enhancement in GD1a and GT1b synthesis, (b) ganglioside shedding increased in parallel with increased cellular ganglioside content, and also, unexpectedly, (c) retinoic acid caused a quantitatively similar increase in content of cell membrane phospholipids, which are also shed. We conclude that enhanced ganglioside synthesis and shedding by retinoic acid are part of a previously undescribed generalized stimulatory effect on membrane lipid metabolism.     

双酶法制备玉米皮膳食纤维的研究

采用蛋白酶和淀粉酶结合水解制备玉米皮膳食纤维,通过正交试验确立了玉米皮膳食纤维的双酶法制备工艺。双酶法制备的玉米皮膳食纤维的产率为59.4%,膳食纤维的蛋白质量分数为0.82%,淀粉质量分数为1.42%,灰分为0.4%,水分质量分数为8.6%,持水力为5.9±0.4 g.g-1。     

Gall Stones in Patients with Disorders of the Terminal Ileum and Disturbed Bile Salt Metabolism

In a combined historical and radiological survey gall stones were found in 23 out of 72 patients with disorders of the terminal ileum (31·9%). This is four to five times the expected incidence of cholelithiasis. In these patients the incidence of gall stones was not related to age, but did, however, increase with increased duration of the ileal disorder. Glycine/taurine conjugation ratios of bile salts in the bile were abnormally high in 10 out of 11 patients with ileal disorders. Both impaired bile salt recirculation and absorption of poorly soluble bacterially degraded bile salts are possible causes of cholelithiasis in these patients.     

Bile Salt Hydrolase (Bsh) Activity Screening of Lactobacilli: In Vitro Selection of Indigenous Lactobacillus Strains with Potential Bile Salt Hydrolysing and Cholesterol-Lowering Ability

The bile salt hydrolase (Bsh) activity of probiotic bacterium residing in gastrointestinal tract has often being associated with its cholesterol-lowering effects. Hence, Bsh activity was explored in this study as the criterion for the selection of most potential Bsh-active and cholesterol-lowering indigenous Lactobacillus strains. Forty lactobacilli were adjudged Bsh active after a preliminary screening of 102 lactobacilli and occurrence of Bsh activity correlated well with their natural habitats. Of the 40 shortlisted lactobacilli, fifteen putative Lactobacillus strains were selected and further tested for their comparative Bsh activity. In the end, indigenous Lactobacillus plantarum strains Lp91 and Lp21 were emerged as the promising Bsh-active lactobacilli with their substrate preference inclined more towards glycocholate than other bile acid amino conjugates. In addition, strains Lp91 and Lp21 also exhibited significantly high bile salt deconjugation, cholesterol assimilation and cholesterol co-precipitation ability in vitro. In conclusion, indigenous L. plantarum strains Lp91 and Lp21 may be the promising candidate probiotics to elucidate the ecological significance of probiotic Bsh activity in vivo.     

双歧杆菌中胆盐水解酶的研究进展

胆盐水解酶的特性及生理功能已成为研究热点。我们探讨了国内外关于双歧杆菌中胆盐水解酶的生化特性、降胆固醇机理及其生理作用几个方面的研究进展,以期对研究双歧杆菌胆盐水解酶,以及双歧杆菌及其制品的开发利用有一定的指导意义。     

Bile Salt Inhibition of Host Cell Damage by Clostridium Difficile Toxins

Virulent Clostridium difficile strains produce toxin A and/or toxin B that are the etiological agents of diarrhea and pseudomembranous colitis. Treatment of C. difficile infections (CDI) has been hampered by resistance to multiple antibiotics, sporulation, emergence of strains with increased virulence, recurrence of the infection, and the lack of drugs that preserve or restore the colonic bacterial flora. As a result, there is new interest in non-antibiotic CDI treatments. The human conjugated bile salt taurocholate was previously shown in our laboratory to inhibit C. difficile toxin A and B activities in an in vitro assay. Here we demonstrate for the first time in an ex vivo assay that taurocholate can protect Caco-2 colonic epithelial cells from the damaging effects of the C. difficile toxins. Using caspase-3 and lactate dehydrogenase assays, we have demonstrated that taurocholate reduced the extent of toxin B-induced apoptosis and cell membrane damage. Confluent Caco-2 cells cultured with toxin B induced elevated caspase-3 activity. Remarkably, addition of 5 mM taurocholate reduced caspase-3 activity in cells treated with 2, 4, 6, and 12 µg/ml of toxin B by 99%, 78%, 64%, and 60%, respectively. Furthermore, spent culture medium from Caco-2 cells incubated with both toxin B and taurocholate exhibited significantly decreased lactate dehydrogenase activity compared to spent culture medium from cells incubated with toxin B only. Our results suggest that the mechanism of taurocholate-mediated inhibition functions at the level of toxin activity since taurocholate did not affect C. difficile growth and toxin production. These findings open up a new avenue for the development of non-antibiotic therapeutics for CDI treatment.     

Regulation of Bile Salt Pool Size in Man

When the enterohepatic circulation is intact the size of the bile salt pool is largely determined by the frequency of its enterohepatic circulation. This hypothesis, derived from studies of cholate kinetics in coeliac, cholecystectomy, and gall stone patients, represents the simplest interpretation of the data. A corollary is that daily cholate secretion is likely to be normal in these conditions and that therefore the propensity of bile to form cholesterol gall stones is not likely to be directly related to bile salt pool size.     

Alteration of a Salt Marsh Bacterial Community by Fertilization with Sewage Sludge

The effects of long-term fertilization with sewage sludge on the aerobic, chemoheterotrophic portion of a salt marsh bacterial community were examined. The study site in the Great Sippewissett Marsh, Cape Cod, Mass., consisted of experimental plots that were treated with different amounts of commercial sewage sludge fertilizer or with urea and phosphate. The number of CFUs, percentage of mercury- and cadmium-resistant bacteria, and percentage of antibiotic-resistant bacteria were all increased in the sludge-fertilized plots. Preliminary taxonomic characterization showed that sludge fertilization markedly altered the taxonomic distribution and reduced diversity within both the total heterotrophic and the mercury-resistant communities. In control plots, the total heterotrophic community was fairly evenly distributed among taxa and the mercury-resistant community was dominated by Pseudomonas spp. In sludge-fertilized plots, both the total and mercury-resistant communities were dominated by a single Cytophaga sp.     

Growth and Metabolism of Senna as Affected by Salt Stress

Pot culture experiments were conducted using different NaCl concentrations to assess their impact on the growth and metabolic changes in senna (Cassia angustifolia Vahl.). Five treatments (0, 40, 80, 120, and 160 mM NaCl) were given to the plants at three phenological stages, i.e. at pre-flowering, (45 days after sowing, DAS); flowering (75 DAS) and post-flowering (90 DAS) stages. A significant reduction in the biomass and length of the roots and shoots, photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, the total chlorophyll content, protein content, nitrate reductase activity, and reduced nitrogen content of the leaves was observed at each phenological stage with each salt concentration applied. Contrary to this, proline and nitrate contents of the leaves increased markedly. The post-flowering stage was most sensitive to NaCl treatment.     

Phytase (myoinositolhexaphosphate phosphohydrolase) from Wheat Bran

Pure inositol tetra- and hexaphosphate were isolated as the main components of rice phytin by Dowex 1 column chromatography. Phytase of wheat bran was purified more than 1,500 folds. This phytase preparation showed 1) broad substrate specificity, 2) pH optimum at about 5.0, 3) no activation by magnesium ion, and 4) inhibition by fluoride ion for all the substrates tested; and was concluded as nonspecific acid phosphomonoesterase rather than phytin-specific phosphatase. The effects of metalic ions, thiol reagents, chelating agents, arsenate, alkylarsenate and hydrolysis products for this enzyme were studied. Michaelis constants and activation energy by this enzvme to various substrates were also calculated.     

孤儿受体与胆固醇及胆汁酸的代谢调节

30多年前,已经发现体内胆固醇及胆汁酸在转录水平受反馈激活或反馈抑制的调节,其机理不清楚。最近,随着孤儿受体LXR基因的克隆及其功能的研究,逐步认识到包括LXR在内的几种孤儿受体作为体内胆固醇及胆汁酸的感受器,在转录水平调节体内胆固醇及胆汁酸的代谢平衡。这4类孤儿受体在胆固醇及其代谢产物与自身代谢平衡之间建立了直接的联系。综述了4类孤儿受体的研究进展,特别是它们和胆固醇及胆汁酸代谢平衡的关系。     

Effects of Applied Electric Fields on Bile Salt Secretion by in Situ Rat Liver

The effects of weak external electric fields (1.5–3 V, 30–60 μA) on bile salt secretion by jji situ rat liver were studied after interruption (experiment A) and restoration (experiment B) of the enterohepatic bile salt cycle. In experiment A, bile salt tracer was injected in bolus 3 hr after application of the electric field (¹⁴C-TC, ¹⁴C-CA, or ¹⁴C-DCA). In experiment B, 36 μmoles/h of TC or CA were infused 150 min after application of the electric field until the end of the experiment. A bolus (¹⁴C-TC and ¹⁴C-CA) was injected 170 min after application of the electric field. The hepatic taurine pool was prelabeled in both experiments.

Application of electric fields delayed secretion of ¹⁴C-TC into the bile. This delay was longer at 60 μA than at 30 μA Neither field had any effect on ³H-tauroconjugation. Electric fields also led to the formation of osmiophilic globules in hepatocytes and, especially in experiment B, collagen fibers in intracellular spaces. Thus electric fields may provoke changes in plasmic membranes probably in connection with those in the extracellular matrix.     

Soluble Fermentable Dietary Fibre (Pectin) Decreases Caloric Intake,Adiposity and Lipidaemia in High-Fat Diet-Induced Obese Rats

Consumption of a high fat diet promotes obesity and poor metabolic health, both of which may be improved by decreasing caloric intake. Satiety-inducing ingredients such as dietary fibre may be beneficial and this study investigates in diet-induced obese (DIO) rats the effects of high or low fat diet with or without soluble fermentable fibre (pectin). In two independently replicated experiments, young adult male DIO rats that had been reared on high fat diet (HF; 45% energy from fat) were given HF, low fat diet (LF; 10% energy from fat), HF with 10% w/w pectin (HF+P), or LF with 10% w/w pectin (LF+P) ad libitum for 4 weeks (n = 8/group/experiment). Food intake, body weight, body composition (by magnetic resonance imaging), plasma hormones, and plasma and liver lipid concentrations were measured. Caloric intake and body weight gain were greatest in HF, lower in LF and HF+P, and lowest in the LF+P group. Body fat mass increased in HF, was maintained in LF, but decreased significantly in LF+P and HF+P groups. Final plasma leptin, insulin, total cholesterol and triglycerides were lower, and plasma satiety hormone PYY concentrations were higher, in LF+P and HF+P than in LF and HF groups, respectively. Total fat and triglyceride concentrations in liver were greatest in HF, lower in LF and HF+P, and lowest in the LF+P group. Therefore, the inclusion of soluble fibre in a high fat (or low fat) diet promoted increased satiety and decreased caloric intake, weight gain, adiposity, lipidaemia, leptinaemia and insulinaemia. These data support the potential of fermentable dietary fibre for weight loss and improving metabolic health in obesity.