Analysis of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acid-derived lipid metabolite formation in human and mouse blood samples

Mass spectrometry techniques have enabled the identification of different lipid metabolites and mediators derived from omega-6 and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-6 and n-3 PUFA) that are implicated in various biological processes. However, the broad-spectrum assessment of physiologically formed lipid metabolites and mediators in blood samples has not been presented so far. Here lipid mediators and metabolites of the n-6 PUFA arachidonic acid as well as the long-chain n-3 PUFA eicosapentaenoic acids (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) were measured in human blood samples as well as in mouse blood. There were detectable but mostly very low amounts of the assayed compounds in human native plasma samples, whereas in vitro activation of whole blood with the calcium ionophore A23187 led to highly significant increases of metabolite formation, with a predominance of the 12-lipoxygenase (12-LOX) products 12-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (12-HETE), 12-hydroxyeicosapentaenoic acid (12-HEPE) and 14-hydroxydocosahexaenoic acid (14-HDHA). A23187 activation also led to significant increases in the formation of 5-LOX products including leukotriene B(4) (LTB(4)), leukotriene B(5) (LTB(5)) as well as of 15-LOX products and prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)) and thromboxane B(2) (TXB(2)). Levels were similar or even higher in A23187-activated mouse blood. The approach presented here thus provides a protocol for the comprehensive and concomitant assessment of the generation capacity of n-3 and n-6 PUFA-derived lipid metabolites as well as thromboxanes and prostaglandins in human and murine blood samples. Further studies will now have to evaluate lipid metabolite generation capacity in different physiological and pathophysiological contexts.     

Alleged Approach-Avoidance Conflict for Food Stimuli in Binge Eating Disorder

ObjectiveFood stimuli are omnipresent and naturally primary reinforcing stimuli. One explanation for the intake of high amounts of food in binge eating disorder (BED) is a deviant valuation process. Valuation of food stimuli is supposed to influence approach or avoidance behaviour towards food. Focusing on self-reported and indirect (facial electromyography) valuation process, motivational aspects in the processing of food stimuli were investigated.MethodsWe compared an overweight sample with BED (BED+) with an overweight sample without BED (BED-) and with normal weight controls (NWC) regarding their self-reported and indirect (via facial electromyography) valuation of food versus non-food stimuli.ResultsRegarding the self-reported valuation, the BED+ sample showed a significantly stronger food-bias compared to the BED- sample, as food stimuli were rated as significantly more positive than the non-food stimuli in the BED+ sample. This self-reported valuation pattern could not be displayed in the indirect valuation. Food stimuli evoked negative indirect valuation in all groups. The BED+ sample showed the plainest approach-avoidance conflict marked by a diverging self-reported (positive) and indirect (negative) valuation of food stimuli.ConclusionsBED+ showed a deviant self-reported valuation of food as compared to BED-. The valuation process of the BED+ sample seems to be characterized by a motivational ambivalence. This ambivalence should be subject of further studies and may be of potential use for therapeutic interventions.     

Effects of the Commercial Flame Retardant Mixture DE-71 on Cytokine Production by Human Immune Cells

IntroductionAlthough production of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) is now banned, release from existing products will continue for many years. The PBDEs are assumed to be neurotoxic and toxic to endocrine organs at low concentrations. Their effect on the immune system has not been investigated thoroughly. We aimed to investigate the influence of DE-71 on cytokine production by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) stimulated with Escherichia Coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or phytohaemagglutinin-L (PHA-L).ResultsAt non-cytotoxic concentrations (0.01–10 μg/mL), DE-71 significantly enhanced secretion of IL-1β, IL-6, CXCL8, IL-10, and TNF-α (p<0.001–0.019; n = 6) from LPS-stimulated PBMCs. IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-17A, and IL-17F (p = <0.001–0.043; n = 6) secretion were enhanced from PHA-L-stimulated PBMCs as well. Secretion of IL-1β, IL-2, IL-10, IL-8 and IL-6 was not significantly affected by DE-71.ConclusionsWe demonstrate an enhancing effect of DE-71 on cytokine production by normal human PBMCs stimulated with LPS or PHA-L ex vivo.     

Coexistence of two Cyclotella diatom species in the plankton of Lake Baikal

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The removal of stickies with modified starch and chitosan-Highly cationic and hydrophobic types compared with unmodified ones

The removal of dissolved and colloidal substances (DCS) in paper cycling water, so called stickies, with tailored natural polymers, having cationic as well as hydrophobic groups, was investigated using model suspensions made by the recycling of paper. The sticky content, characterized by the turbidity, the anionic charge, and the total organic carbon content (TOC) was increased by the addition of latex. The dynamic surface tension was established as useful tool for the characterization of the sticky content. The sticky removal using the starch derivatives (with benzyl- as well as ethyl-substituents), from very low up to high cationic charge and N-(benzyl)chitosan was compared. Depending on the properties of the derivatives two possible mechanisms can be found: "charge dominated removal" or "removal dominated by hydrophobicity." It seems that turbidity and TOC are lowered especially due to charge interaction whereas the increase of the surface tension is mainly caused by the hydrophobic character of the modified natural polymers.     

In vitro reconstitution of fibrillar collagen type I assemblies at reactive polymer surfaces

The reconstitution of fibrillar collagen and its assemblies with heparin and hyaluronic acid was studied in vitro. Fibril formation kinetics were analyzed by turbidity and depletion measurements in solutions containing varied concentrations of collagen and glycosaminoglycans. Fibril-forming collagen solutions were further applied for the coating of planar substrates which had been modified with alternating maleic anhydride copolymer films before. The immobilized collagen assemblies were characterized with respect to the deposited amount of protein using ellipsometry and acidic hydrolysis/HPLC-based amino acid analysis, respectively. AFM, SEM, and cLSM were utilized to gain information on structural features and patterns formed by surface-attached fibrils depending on the initial solution concentrations of collagen. The results revealed that the addition of heparin and hyaluronic acid affected both the fibril dimensions and the meshwork characteristics of the surface-bound fibrils.     

Microbial cycling of iron and sulfur in sediments of acidic and pH-neutral mining lakes in Lusatia (Brandenburg, Germany)

A vast number of lakes developed in the abandoned opencast lignite mines of Lusatia (East Germany) contain acidic waters (mmolSm^–2a^–). Potential Fe(III) reduction measured by the accumulation of Fe(II) during anoxic incubation yielded similar rates in both types of sediments, however, the responses towards the supplementation of Fe(III) and organic carbon were different. Sulfate reduction rates estimated with ³⁵S-radiotracer were much lower in the slightly acidic sediment than in the pH-neutral sediment (156 v.s. 738mmolSO₄ ^2–m^–2a^–1). However, sulfate reduction rates were increased by the addition of organic carbon. Severe limitation of sulfate-reducing bacteria under acidic conditions was also reflected by low most probable numbers (MPN). High MPN of acidophilic iron- and sulfur-oxidizing bacteria in acidic sediments indicated a high reoxidation potential. The results show that potentials for reductive processes are present in acidic sediments and that these are determined mainly by the availability of oxidants and organic matter.