Articles tagged with Metabolites
Scientists used mass spectrometry and statistical measures to analyze plant metabolites in response to herbivore attack. The results show that plants regulate their metabolism directionally to produce effective defenses, supporting the theory of optimal defense.
A study from North Carolina State University has identified blood plasma metabolite markers that can aid in ALS diagnosis, rule out environmental neurotoxin involvement, and predict disease progression. Elevated creatine levels and decreased creatinine and methylhistidine were found in ALS patients.
Researchers developed a new technology to monitor cholesterol in brain tissue, revealing major locations of cholesterol and its metabolites. This breakthrough could lead to the discovery of new therapies for neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and Huntington's disease.
A newly identified metabolic signature can evaluate an individual's adherence and metabolic response to the Mediterranean diet, indicating future CVD risk. The signature consists of 67 metabolites that were highly reproducible across different study populations.
Scientists have developed a method to predict which plant groups and regions are likely to have medicinal effects. The study found that specific plant families and mountainous regions are rich in anti-infective compounds.
Researchers identified the origin source of lactic acid bacteria responsible for kimchi fermentation, revealing that ingredients such as ginger and red pepper do not contribute to fermentation. The study found three unique fermentative microbes specific to each ingredient, resulting in distinct flavor profiles.
Researchers review bryophyte phytochemistry, highlighting neuroprotective and muscle-relaxant properties of various compounds. These compounds exhibit acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity, making them potential therapeutic agents.
Researchers at OIST Graduate University developed a new method to diagnose frailty using metabolomics and identified key biomarkers in the blood. The study found that 22 blood metabolites correlate with frailty, cognitive impairment, and hypomobility, offering potential for early diagnosis and treatment.
A recent study published in Cardiovascular Research found that exercise has a profound impact on metabolism, leading to dramatic changes in metabolites related to energy production and waste elimination. The research also identified a specific metabolite called DMGV that may predict who does not benefit from exercise.
Scientists create micrometric scaffolding with gold nanoparticles to detect biomarkers and track cell displacement in real time. The SERS technology allows for precise monitoring of tumor growth and evolution, providing insights into cancer treatment.
Researchers found that prebiotic dietary fiber can influence gut bacteria and produce bioactive molecules that may modulate stress physiology and sleep. The study used mass spectrometry to analyze rats' fecal samples and found that those on the prebiotic diet had a different metabolome, including higher levels of fatty acids and sugars.
A new study by West Virginia University researcher Nancy Lan Guo found that printer toner nanoparticles can change genetic and metabolic profiles, increasing disease risk. The study used rat models and found significant genomic changes linked to cardiovascular, neurological, and metabolic disorders.
Recent technical developments and restrictions on chemicals have renewed interest in natural product drug discovery. Essential oil components show promise as sources of new drugs due to their unique properties and potential therapeutic applications.
A Wayne State University team, led by Miriam Greenberg, is working on potential new targets for treating Barth syndrome, a life-threatening X-linked genetic disorder affecting mainly males. The four-year grant aims to identify specific metabolites as candidates for new treatments.
Researchers developed a wearable device that monitors body chemistry to improve athletic performance and detect potential health problems, such as dehydration. The device can be used in military training and competitive sports, with applications including tracking athletic recovery.
Researchers found plants manipulate nematode pheromones to repel these pests, which cause more than $100 million in damage to crops every year. Plants metabolize ascarosides and secrete the metabolites back into the soil, broadcasting propaganda that 'this is a bad place'.
A longitudinal study of 209 New York City women and their offspring found a decrease in fine-motor functions among girls following prenatal exposure to specific phthalates. The analysis identified three phthalates most linked to the deficits: mono-butyl phthalate, mono-benzyl phthalate, and mono-isobutyl phthalate.
Researchers explore chemodiversity in plants to understand its impact on ecosystems, including foodwebs and biodiversity. The new Research Unit will analyze chemodiversity within individual plants, between populations, and across species.
Researchers at Clemson University's Center for Human Genetics have identified hundreds of metabolites that may serve as indicators for disease. The study found correlations between genetic variation, metabolite levels, and specific traits, such as stress resistance and aggression.
A recent study has found that BPA levels in humans are significantly higher than previously estimated, with a 44-fold increase in exposure. The research challenges the safety assumptions of regulatory agencies and highlights the need for more accurate measurement methods.
A team of microbiologists developed CRAGE to study and produce secondary metabolites, compounds produced by microbes for internal and external messaging. The technique allows scientists to access these compounds more readily than before, filling significant gaps in our understanding of microbial interactions.
Researchers at Cleveland Clinic identified a metabolite associated with specific PTEN mutations, distinguishing those at high risk for neurodevelopmental disorders from cancer. The findings may help tailor treatments to individual patients with germline PTEN mutations.
A new study using WHI data found that hormone therapy decreases markers of insulin sensitivity and blood glucose in women, reducing the risk of Type 2 diabetes. The study focused on nine metabolites associated with diabetes development and found seven to be significantly decreased with hormone therapy.
A University of Michigan study found that a high sugar diet depletes key brain metabolites, affecting behavior and potential connections to depression. The researchers compared fasting and fed fruit flies, discovering rapid changes in brain versus body metabolites.
A new study suggests that metabolites produced by the body's breakdown of toxins may protect against obstructive airway disease in 9/11 first responders. Researchers identified specific compounds, including protein-building amino acids and omega-3 fatty acids, which are found in diets rich in fish and olive oil.
University of Alberta researchers have identified a unique biological marker that can predict the course of myasthenia gravis and develop personalized treatment plans. The biomarker, composed of 12 metabolites exclusive to patients with myasthenia gravis, enables early diagnosis and more effective management of the disease.
Fuzhong Zhang receives nearly $2 million NIH grant to investigate metabolic diversity and its relation to antibiotic persistence in bacteria. He aims to understand what causes cells with different metabolic activity and develop strategies to control these differences.
A new study by researchers at UConn Health and Texas A&M University found that walnut consumption provided protection against experimentally-induced ulcerative colitis in mice. The study showed that walnuts reduced inflammation and enhanced the repair process of the colon, leading to less injury during an episode of ulcerative colitis.
Researchers have identified a previously unknown family of small-molecule metabolites responsible for the bright green color in sharks' skin, which may also aid in identifying other sharks and fighting microbial infections. The discovery opens new questions about the potential functions of biofluorescence in shark biology.
A new study from the University of Eastern Finland reveals that rye's bioactive compounds are processed by both gut microbiomes and lactic acid bacteria, leading to improved insulin metabolism and reduced cardiovascular disease risk. The study used metabolomics to analyze compounds found in rye and its effects on human health.
A mutant worm with a change in one mitochondrial gene produces more ROS, but lives twice as long due to a detoxification pathway. The study reveals that this pathway is conserved throughout the animal kingdom and essential for longevity.
Researchers discovered distinct metabolic patterns in the prefrontal cortex of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The study found that ASD affects evolutionarily novel metabolic pathways, suggesting a possible connection to human-specific evolutionary changes.
Scientists at McMaster University have identified biomarkers for Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) in urine, which could lead to better treatments and reduce the need for costly colonoscopy procedures. The study found distinctive metabolic signatures that were elevated in IBS patients, suggesting an impairment of the gut's elastic lining.
Researchers have successfully stored and retrieved kilobyte-scale image files using artificial metabolomes, demonstrating a proof-of-concept for wider ranges of molecule-based data storage. The study's findings suggest that small molecules can store more information density than DNA and offer potential for in-solution computations.
Scientists have successfully encoded and decoded digital images using metabolites, demonstrating a potential alternative to microchips for data storage. The study achieves an accuracy rate of 98-99.5%, encoding over 100,000 bits of information into synthetic metabolomes.
A new study suggests that 7-hydroxymitragynine, a kratom metabolite, is responsible for the treatment's therapeutic effects. The researchers found that most of the analgesic effect comes from this compound rather than mitragynine.
Researchers found 69 metabolites changed significantly when air pollution fluctuated during the Beijing Olympics, affecting systems like cardiovascular and nervous systems. The study identified two major metabolic signatures, including lipids and dipeptides, which were involved in oxidative stress, inflammation, and other processes.
Researchers discovered a receptor on human cells that detects metabolites from fermented food bacteria, triggering immune cell movement. Consuming lactic acid bacteria may provide anti-inflammatory effects and serve as a potential drug target for inflammatory diseases.
Researchers discovered a previously unknown triterpene biosynthetic network in plant roots that shapes specific root microbiota. This network produces compounds with growth-promoting and antibiotic activities towards different microbiome taxa, supporting its role in cultivating favorable root communities.
Researchers identified 27 new metabolites associated with arterial stiffness in a large study of over 1,200 participants. The study found that certain lifestyle factors, including coffee drinking and Southern foods, were linked to increased levels of these metabolites.
Researchers created SCOTfluors, a class of small fluorophores that can be attached to common metabolites and emit light in the visible to near-infrared range. This allows for the observation of metabolite trafficking in living cells without destroying them.
Research at Children's National Hospital found that breastfed preterm infants have higher levels of key metabolites, such as creatine and choline, which support brain growth and development. This study suggests breastfeeding may play a crucial role in neurodevelopmental outcomes for preterm infants.
The NASA Twins Study found changes in gene expression and metabolite alterations that support the potential health effects of long-duration spaceflight on astronauts. The study also suggests that human health can be mostly sustained over a year-long space mission, with targeted countermeasures needed for future Mars missions.
Researchers have discovered a correlation between estrogen byproducts and survival rates for women with breast cancer, with higher levels of the "good" metabolite associated with reduced mortality. The study suggests that measuring these byproducts may help predict prognosis after breast cancer diagnosis.
Researchers developed a computational mass-spectrometry system that identified thousands of plant metabolites, including previously unknown compounds with medicinal properties. The new method provides 10 times the coverage of previous methods and has applications in drug discovery and understanding plant physiology.
A multi-disciplinary team of researchers at Harvard's Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering discovered four human microbiome metabolites that enhance colon injury by enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) in a human-mouse comparative study using Organ-on-a-Chip technology.
A pilot study by Johns Hopkins researchers found decreases in GABA and glutamate in people with mild cognitive impairment compared to healthy individuals. The study used strong magnets to measure multiple brain metabolites simultaneously, potentially revealing the earliest changes in brain chemistry associated with dementia.
Researchers at the Advanced Science Research Center have identified a mechanism by which metabolites inhibit epigenetic changes in brain-homing immune cells, which play a key role in multiple sclerosis. The discovery could lead to more specific and effective MS therapies.
Researchers at UMass Amherst have discovered a novel therapeutic target, CYP monooxygenase pathway, that could prevent or treat colon cancer. The study found that certain fatty acid metabolites, such as epoxyoctadecenoic acids (EpOMEs), increase inflammation and tumor growth in the colon.
Researchers at Michigan State University used machine learning to sort through tens of thousands of plant genes and identify those responsible for producing specialized metabolites. This breakthrough could lead to improved plants, plant-based pharmaceuticals, and environmentally safe pesticides.
The Baltic Sea is home to large quantities of sunken munitions, posing an environmental risk. Researchers have provided guidelines and decision-making support to help address this issue.
Mitochondrial researchers at the University of Freiburg discovered a critical role for the metabolite channel porin/VDAC in protein import into mitochondria. The study shows that porin/VDAC stimulates carrier protein import independently of its channel activity, forming an 'elegant mechanism' to regulate mitochondrial function.
Researchers have developed a community-agreed model of worm metabolism, which has been re-optimised for relevance to metabolic changes during ageing. The model predicts that Oxaloacetate production becomes limiting in aged worms, potentially leading to extended lifespan by up to 20%.
Researchers at Duke University Medical Center have developed a blood test that can detect early changes in blood flow to the heart by identifying five specific metabolites. The test shows promise as an alternative or complement to current stress tests, which could lead to more accurate diagnoses and efficient treatment plans.
A study published in Scientific Reports found that fasting increases metabolic activity, generates antioxidants, and may reverse some aging effects. Researchers discovered 30 previously unknown substances whose quantity increases during fasting, indicating various health benefits.
Researchers at Osaka University found that common bacterial metabolites pyruvate and lactate activate the intestinal immune response, enhancing dendrite protrusion in macrophages. This discovery has multiple clinical applications, including improving oral vaccines and eliminating intestinal pathogens.
A new Tel Aviv University study uses genetically manipulated yeast cells to mimic the pathology and symptoms of congenital metabolic diseases. The innovative platform will allow scientists to screen thousands of drug-like small molecules to identify potential therapies for these devastating diseases.
A metabolite from pomegranate diet, Urolithin A, and its synthetic analog mitigate IBD by increasing proteins that tighten epithelial cell junctions in the gut. These compounds reduce inflammation and restore gut barrier integrity.
A microbial metabolite from pomegranates, Urolithin A, has been shown to reduce inflammatory bowel disease by increasing proteins that tighten epithelial cell junctions in the gut. The researchers also found that a synthetic version of UroA, UAS03, shows therapeutic and protective effects against colitis.
A recent study elucidates how methionine controls cell growth programs by setting into motion a metabolic program for cell proliferation. Methionine activates key nodes in metabolism that produce critical substrates and co-factors fueling the production of amino acids and nucleotides, critical for growth.