Effect of Fat, Compared with That of Soybean Oil and Palm Oil, on Hepatic Lipid Metabolism and Plasma Metabolome in Healthy Rats.

Palm oil (PO) is currently the most widely used fat source for food production, but insect fat from larvae (HF) might be a suitable alternative fat source, because its production is less harmful to the environment. The present study investigated the effect of HF, as compared to PO and soybean oil (SO), on the hepatic lipid metabolism and the plasma metabolome of healthy rats, which were randomly assigned to three groups ( = 10 rats/group), and fed three different semi-synthetic diets containing either SO, PO, or HF as the main fat source for 4 weeks. Feed intake, body weight gain, liver and plasma lipid concentrations, and the hepatic mRNA levels of genes involved in lipid metabolism and inflammation did not differ between groups.

Fat from Hermetia illucens Alters the Cecal Gut Microbiome and Lowers Hepatic Triglyceride Concentration in Comparison to Palm Oil in Obese Zucker Rats.

Background: Palm oil (PO) is the most widely utilized plant oil for food production. Owing to the great ecologic problems associated with PO production, sustainably produced fats, such as insect fat, might be a suitable alternative.

Objectives: The hypothesis was tested that fat from Hermetia illucens larvae (HF) compared with PO and soybean oil (SO) has no adverse effects on hepatic lipid metabolism, plasma metabolome, and cecal microbiome in obese Zucker rats.

Feeding of Larvae Meal Attenuates Hepatic Lipid Synthesis and Fatty Liver Development in Obese Zucker Rats.

The present study tested the hypothesis that dietary insect meal from Hermetia illucens (HI) larvae attenuates the development of liver steatosis and hyperlipidemia in the obese Zucker rat. To test the hypothesis, a 4-week trial with male, obese Zucker rats (n = 30) and male, lean Zucker rats (n = 10) was performed. The obese rats were assigned to three obese groups (group O-C, group O-HI25, group O-HI50) of 10 rats each.

Performance and Metabolic, Inflammatory, and Oxidative Stress-Related Parameters in Early Lactating Dairy Cows with High and Low Hepatic FGF21 Expression.

Induction of FGF21 expression in the liver and a significant increase in plasma FGF21 concentration have been demonstrated in cows during early lactation, but knowledge about the function of FGF21 in dairy cows remains limited. In order to improve the understanding of the physiological role of FGF21 in dairy cows, the present study aimed to investigate differences in metabolic pathways between dairy cows with high and low hepatic expression of FGF21 at week 1 of lactation (n = 8/group) by liver transcriptomics, targeted plasma metabolomics, and analysis of inflammatory and oxidative stress-related parameters. Dry matter intake, energy balance, milk yield, and energy-corrected milk yield at days 8−14 postpartum did not differ between cows with high and low hepatic FGF21 expression.

Feeding of cuticles from larvae modulates the gut microbiota and attenuates hepatic steatosis in obese Zucker rats.

Insect biomass obtained from large-scale mass-rearing of insect larvae has gained considerable attention in recent years as an alternative and sustainable source of food and feed. A byproduct from mass-rearing of insect larvae is the shed cuticles - the most external components of insects which are a relevant source of the polysaccharide chitin. While it has been shown that chitin modulates the gut microbiota and ameliorates lipid metabolic disorders in obese rodent models, feeding studies dealing with isolated insects' cuticles are completely lacking.

Fibroblast growth factor 21 in dairy cows: current knowledge and potential relevance.

Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) has been identified as an important regulator of carbohydrate and lipid metabolism, which plays an important role for metabolic regulation, particularly under conditions of energy deprivation or stress conditions. Dairy cows are subjected to a negative energy balance and various kinds of stress particularly during the periparturient phase and during early lactation. It has been shown that the plasma concentration of FGF21 in dairy cows is dramatically increased at parturition and remains high during the first weeks of lactation.

Effect of larvae meal on the antioxidant status and stress response pathways in tissues of growing pigs.

Insect meal (IM) produced from edible insects, such as , has been recognised as a potentially suitable protein component in feeding rations for monogastric livestock. While several studies with broilers have shown that animal´s health is not negatively affected by IM, less is known with regard to the influence of IM on metabolism of pigs. The present study investigates whether IM from larvae causes oxidative stress and activates oxidative stress-sensitive signalling pathways in key metabolic tissues of pigs.

Effect of Ecdysterone on the Hepatic Transcriptome and Lipid Metabolism in Lean and Obese Zucker Rats.

Conflicting reports exist with regard to the effect of ecdysterone, the predominating representative of steroid hormones in insects and plants, on hepatic and plasma lipid concentrations in different rodent models of obesity, fatty liver, and diabetes, indicating that the effect is dependent on the rodent model used. Here, the hypothesis was tested for the first time that ecdysterone causes lipid-lowering effects in genetically obese Zucker rats. To test this hypothesis, two groups of male obese Zucker rats ( = 8) were fed a nutrient-adequate diet supplemented without or with 0.

Tandem mass tag-based proteomics for studying the effects of a biotechnologically produced oyster mushroom against hepatic steatosis in obese Zucker rats.

Hepatic steatosis is a very common response to liver injury and often attributed to metabolic disorders. Prior studies have demonstrated the efficacy of a biotechnologically produced oyster mushroom (Pleurotus sajor-caju, PSC) in alleviating hepatic steatosis in obese Zucker rats. This study aims to elucidate molecular events underlying the anti-steatotic effects of PSC.

Swine Inflammation and Necrosis Syndrome Is Associated with Plasma Metabolites and Liver Transcriptome in Affected Piglets.

Swine Inflammation and Necrosis Syndrome can lead to severe clinical signs, especially in tails, ears, teats, and claws in pigs. Clinical and histopathological findings in newborn piglets with intact epidermis indicate a primarily endogenous etiology, and microbial-associated molecular patterns (MAMPs), such as lipopolysaccharide (LPS) are assumed to play a central role in the development of the syndrome. We hypothesized that swine inflammation and necrosis syndrome (SINS) is indirectly triggered by gut-derived MAMPs entering the circulatory system via the liver and thereby causing derangements on liver metabolism.

Influence of a Biotechnologically Produced Oyster Mushroom () on the Gut Microbiota and Microbial Metabolites in Obese Zucker Rats.

Mushrooms are a rich source of dietary fiber. This study aimed to characterize the modulation of colonic microbiota in Zucker rats after supplementing their diet with a biotechnologically produced oyster mushroom (). Microbiota composition and short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in the colon and bile acids in the plasma of the rats were analyzed to assess the effects of supplementation on the microbiota in the colon and its interplay with the host in the event of hepatic steatosis.

Effects of supplementation of DL-methionine on tissue and plasma antioxidant status during heat-induced oxidative stress in broilers.

Exposure to high ambient temperature has been shown to impair growth performance and to cause oxidative stress in broilers. This study investigated the hypothesis that supplementation with methionine (Met) as DL-Met (DLM) more than the National Research Council recommendations improves growth performance and alleviates oxidative stress in broilers exposed to high ambient temperature. One-day-old male Cobb-500 broilers (n = 68) were allotted to 4 groups and phase-fed 3 basal diets during days 1 to 10, 11 to 21, and 22 to 35.

Effect of DL-Methionine Supplementation on Tissue and Plasma Antioxidant Status and Concentrations of Oxidation Products of Cholesterol and Phytosterols in Heat-Processed Thigh Muscle of Broilers.

In this study, the hypothesis that supplementation with methionine (Met) as DL-Met (DLM) in excess of the National Research Council (NRC) recommendations improves the antioxidant system in broilers was investigated. Day-old male Cobb-500 broilers (n = 72) were divided into three groups which were fed a control diet or diets supplemented with two levels of DLM in which the concentrations of Met + Cys exceeded the recommendations of NRC by 15-20% (group DLM 1) or 30-40% (group DLM 2), respectively. The three groups of broilers did not show differences in body weight gains, feed intake, and feed conversion ratio.

Characterization of the Nutritional Composition of a Biotechnologically Produced Oyster Mushroom and its Physiological Effects in Obese Zucker Rats.

Scope: Sustainable protein sources are needed to meet the increasing protein demands of a continuously growing world population. This study is focused on the biotechnological production of a protein rich oyster mushroom (Pleurotus sajor-caju; PSC) by valorization of an agricultural side stream and the evaluation of the physiological effects of PSC in a rat model of metabolic syndrome.

Methods And Results: PSC is produced via submerged cultivation in a 150 L bioreactor that utilizes isomaltulose molasses as its sole carbon source, and is further analyzed for its nutritional composition.

Branched-Chain Fatty Acids as Mediators of the Activation of Hepatic Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Alpha by a Fungal Lipid Extract.

The study aimed to test the hypothesis that monomethyl branched-chain fatty acids (BCFAs) and a lipid extract of (CHLE), rich in monomethyl BCFAs, are able to activate the nuclear transcription factor peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARalpha). Rat Fao cells were incubated with the monomethyl BCFAs 12-methyltridecanoic acid (MTriA), 12-methyltetradecanoic acid (MTA), isopalmitic acid (IPA) and 14-methylhexadecanoic acid (MHD), and the direct activation of PPARalpha was evaluated by reporter gene assay using a PPARalpha responsive reporter gene. Furthermore, Fao cells were incubated with different concentrations of the CHLE and PPARalpha activation was also evaluated by using the reporter gene assay, and by determining the mRNA concentrations of selected PPARalpha target genes by real-time RT-PCR.

Larvae Meal Affects the Cecal Microbiota of Growing Pigs.

The hypothesis tested was that dietary inclusion of insect meal (IM) causes an alteration in the cecal microbiota composition and its fermentation activity of growing pigs. Five-week-old male crossbred pigs were randomly assigned to three groups of 10 pigs each, and fed isonitrogenous diets either without (CON) or with 5% IM (IM5) or 10% IM (IM10) from larvae for four weeks. The relative abundance of the phylum Bacteroidetes was lower in group IM10 than in group CON ( < 0.

Effects of supplementation of green tea extract on the milk performance of peripartal dairy cows and the expression of stress response genes in the liver.

Background: We hypothesised that supplementation of green tea extract (GTE) in dairy cows during the transition period can attenuate proinflammatory conditions and prevent endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in the liver of these cows. Thirty Holstein cows with an average parity of 3.06 (± 1.

Supplementation of Sulfur-Containing Amino Acids or Essential Amino Acids Does Not Reverse the Hepatic Lipid-Lowering Effect of a Protein-Rich Insect Meal in Obese Zucker Rats.

The present study tested the hypothesis that the liver lipid-lowering effect of insect meal (IM) is caused by its low methionine concentration. A total of fifty, male obese Zucker rats were randomly assigned to five groups of 10 rats each (casein (C), IM, IM + Met, IM + Cys, and IM + EAA). While group C received a diet with casein, the IM-fed groups received a diet with IM as the protein source.

Nicotinic Acid Improves Endurance Performance of Mice Subjected to Treadmill Exercise.

Recently, administration of nicotinic acid (NA) at a pharmacological dose was found to induce a similar change in the muscle´s contractile and metabolic phenotype as observed in response to endurance exercise. Thus, the hypothesis was tested that combined NA administration and endurance exercise promotes the adaptation of muscle to regular exercise and improves the endurance performance to a greater extent than exercise alone. Thus, 30 adult mice were randomly divided into three groups of 10 mice/group.

Comprehensive evaluation of the metabolic effects of insect meal from L. in growing pigs by transcriptomics, metabolomics and lipidomics.

Background: The hypothesis was tested that insect meal (IM) as protein source influences intermediary metabolism of growing pigs. To test this, 30 male, 5-week-old crossbred pigs were randomly assigned to 3 groups of 10 pigs each with similar body weights (BW) and fed isonitrogenous diets either without (CON) or with 5% IM (IM5) or 10% IM (IM10) from L. for 4 weeks and key metabolic tissues (liver, muscle, plasma) were analyzed using omics-techniques.

The Gut-Liver Axis in the Control of Energy Metabolism and Food Intake in Animals.

Recent research has convincingly demonstrated a bidirectional communication axis between the gut and liver that enables the gut microbiota to strongly affect animals' feeding behavior and energy metabolism. As such, the gut-liver axis enables the host to control and shape the gut microbiota and to protect the intestinal barrier. Gut microbiota-host communication is based on several gut-derived compounds, such as short-chain fatty acids, bile acids, methylamines, amino acid-derived metabolites, and microbial-associated molecular patterns, which act as communication signals, and multiple host receptors, which sense the signals, thereby stimulating signaling and metabolic pathways in all key tissues of energy metabolism and food intake regulation.

Insect Meal as Alternative Protein Source Exerts Pronounced Lipid-Lowering Effects in Hyperlipidemic Obese Zucker Rats.

Background: Specific dietary proteins exert strong health-related effects compared with casein.

Objective: Herein, the hypothesis was tested using screening and conventional biochemical and molecular biological techniques that protein-rich insect meal compared with casein influences metabolic health in hyperlipidemic rats.

Methods: A 4-wk feeding trial with male, 8-wk-old homozygous obese Zucker rats (n = 36) and male, 8-wk-old heterozygous lean Zucker rats (n = 12) was performed.

The Antisteatotic and Hypolipidemic Effect of Insect Meal in Obese Zucker Rats is Accompanied by Profound Changes in Hepatic Phospholipid and 1-Carbon Metabolism.

Scope: The hypothesis is tested that insect meal, which has a low methionine content, reduces the hepatic phosphatidylcholine (PC):phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) ratio, which is a critical determinant of hepatic lipid synthesis, by decreasing availability of the methionine metabolite S-adenosylmethionine (SAM).

Methods And Results: Obese rats (n = 24) are randomly divided into two groups (Obese Casein and Obese Insect) of 12 rats each. In addition, lean rats (n = 12) are used as control group (LC).

An excess dietary vitamin E concentration does not influence Nrf2 signaling in the liver of rats fed either soybean oil or salmon oil.

Background: Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are known to stimulate the activation of nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor-2 (Nrf2), the key regulator of the antioxidant and cytoprotective defense system in the body. The hypothesis underlying this study was that high dietary concentrations of vitamin E suppress Nrf2 activation, and thus could weaken the body's antioxidative and cytoprotective capacity. As the effect of vitamin E on Nrf2 pathway might be influenced by concentrations of fatty acids susceptible to oxidation in the diet, we used also diets containing either soybean oil as a reference oil or salmon oil as a source of oil rich in n-3 polyunsatuated fatty acids.

Analysis of hepatic transcript profile and plasma lipid profile in early lactating dairy cows fed grape seed and grape marc meal extract.

Background: It was recently reported that dairy cows fed a polyphenol-rich grape seed and grape marc meal extract (GSGME) during the transition period had an increased milk yield, but the underlying reasons remained unclear. As polyphenols exert a broad spectrum of metabolic effects, we hypothesized that feeding of GSGME influences metabolic pathways in the liver which could account for the positive effects of GSGME in dairy cows. In order to identify these pathways, we performed genome-wide transcript profiling in the liver and lipid profiling in plasma of dairy cows fed GSGME during the transition period at 1 week postpartum.