Food & Function Blog

Chronic vascular inflammation, induced by pathogenic bacterial or viral infection, or non-pathogenic factors such as low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (or “bad” cholesterol) plays an important part in the development of atherosclerosis and related conditions. In the process of vascular inflammation the vascular endothelial cells form a monolayer covering the inner surface of the blood vessels, which plays an important role in regulation. Curcuminoids have been extensively investigated for their antiinflammatory activity, however, the involvement of microRNAs in this activity is not well understood.

In this article by Susanne Mertens-Talcott and co-workers in the US, the antiinflammatory effects of curcuminoids has been investigated. The protective effects of standardized curcuminoid extract (SCE) on vascular inflammation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) was studied and the mechanistic involvement of microRNAs in their antiinflammatory activity was assessed. Inflammation was induced by Escherichia coli lipopolysacharides and it was shown that curcuminoids protect HUVEC from inflammation-induced TLR-4 signalling and expression of cell adhesion molecules through mechanisms not involving microRNA-146a or microRNA-126.

To read the article in full for free until 17th October, click on the link below…

Standardized curcuminoid extract (Curcuma longa l.) decreases gene expression related to inflammation and interacts with associated microRNAs 1 in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC), Gabriela Angel-Morales, Giuliana Noratto and Susanne Mertens-Talcott, Food Funct., 2012, DOI: 10.1039/c2fo30023k

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Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), found in ground beef extract, has been reported to show many beneficial health effects including anticancer activity and anti-obesity behaviour. The mechanism for the anti-obesity activity of CLA and its isomers is thought to involve an increase in energy expenditure, reduced adipocyte number and size, and an increase in lipolysis. However, the full mechanism and the influence of CLA isomers is not fully understood.

In this work, Yeonhwa Park and co-workers from the US investigated the effect of CLA on voluntary physical activity in an animal model using young N2KO mice. It was found that CLA improves voluntary physical activity in the animal model and reduced body fat by reducing serum triglyceride levels and down-regulatin mRNA expressions of C/EBPaand leptin. These findings suggest that dietary CLA could prevent inactivity-induced obesity, which may in turn prevent weight gain. The work could provide a foundation for future clinical trials using CLA for obesity prevention.

Look out for the story in Chemistry World!

Read the full article for free until the 12th October:

Preventive effects of conjugated linoleic acid on obesity by improved physical activity in nescient basic helix-loop-helix 2 knockout mice during growth period, Jun Ho Kim, Darla Gilliard, Deborah J. Good and Yeonhwa Park, Food Funct., 2012, DOI: 10.1039/c2fo30103b

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It is well known that maintaining a healthy and active lifestyle is important for weight management and controlling obesity. However, obesity and related diseases such as type-2 diabetes are reaching epidemic proportions – trebling in Europe over the past 20 years. There are drug-based treatments available to control obesity and appetite, but these are often associated with adverse side-effects. Therefore the possibility to develop functional foods which are both nutritionally beneficial and also aid weight management is highly desirable.

Peptides produced by enteroendocrine cells in the gastrointestinal tract have been shown to be important bioactive ingredients in functional foods because they regulate feed intake and satiety. In this Food & Function review by Linda Giblin and co-workers from Ireland, the interaction of functional foods with these cells are discussed in the context of developing foods with positive health benefits for obesity. The abilty of food components to modulate hormonal signals from gastrointestinal enteroendocrine cells are covered, including areas such as satiety signalling, incretin signalling and mechanisms of nutrient sensing.

To find out more, read the article for free until 2nd October by clicking the link below:

The effects of food components on hormonal signalling in gastrointestinal enteroendocrine cells, Christine M. Bruen, Fiona O’Halloran, Kevin D. Cashman and Linda Giblin, Food Funct., 2012, DOI: 10.1039/C2FO30086A

You can keep up to date with the latest developments from Food & Function by signing up for free table of contents alerts and monthly e-newsletters.