Maternal neonicotinoid pesticide exposure impairs glucose metabolism by deteriorating brown fat thermogenesis.

Background: Neonicotinoids (NEOs) are well-designed highly selective pesticides that target nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. However, their extensive use, accumulation, and biomagnification pose significant risks to humans. Increasing evidence has suggested that NEOs may affect glucose homeostasis, but little research has linked NEOs exposure to gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), which is the most common disease in pregnancy.

Lipid signature changes of women with gestational diabetes mellitus in response to puerperal exclusive breastfeeding.

Objective: We here investigated whether lactation during puerperium could help to reverse the diabetogenic effect of gestation and further explored the lipid profiling changes upon breastfeeding.

Methods: Thirty-five women diagnosed with GDM were recruited, and fasting plasma samples were collected at ~6 weeks postpartum. Maternal metabolic parameters were determined, and an untargeted lipidomic analysis was performed.

Metabolic profiles in gestational diabetes mellitus can reveal novel biomarkers for prediction of adverse neonatal outcomes.

Background: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) significantly affects the fetal metabolic environment, elevating risks of neonatal hypoglycemia and macrosomia. Metabolomics offers promising avenues for early prediction and diagnosis of GDM and associated adverse offspring outcomes.

Methods: This study analyzed serum samples from pregnant women diagnosed with GDM at 24 to 28 weeks of gestation using untargeted metabolomics.

The dairy-derived peptide Miltin exerts anti-obesity effects by increasing adipocyte thermogenesis.

Growing research has highlighted that the consumption of dairy products improves the metabolic health in obese individuals by functioning as regulatory modulators. However, the molecular basis of this effect remains largely unknown. Herein, we report a dairy-derived peptide, which we named Miltin, that activates the thermogenesis of brown adipocytes and increases white adipocyte browning.

The secreted peptide BATSP1 promotes thermogenesis in adipocytes.

Although brown adipose tissue (BAT) has historically been viewed as a major site for energy dissipation through thermogenesis, its endocrine function has been increasingly recognized. However, the circulating factors in BAT that play a key role in controlling systemic energy homeostasis remain largely unexplored. Here, we performed a peptidomic analysis to profile the extracellular peptides released from human brown adipocytes upon exposure to thermogenic stimuli.

Extracellular Vesicles Derived from Human Umbilical Cord MSC Improve Vascular Endothelial Function in In Vitro and In Vivo Models of Preeclampsia through Activating Arginine Metabolism.

Endothelial cell damage is an important feature of preeclampsia (PE). Human umbilical mesenchymal stem-cell-derived extracellular vesicles (HUMSCs-derived EVs) have been shown to have therapeutic effects on a variety of diseases and tissue damage. However, the therapeutic effect of HUMSCs-derived EVs on endothelial injury in PE remains unclear.

Human milk-derived extracellular vesicles alleviate high fat diet-induced non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in mice.

Background: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), characterized by excessive hepatic lipid accumulation, imposes serious challenges on public health worldwide. Breastfeeding has been reported to reduce the risk of NAFLD. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are bilayer membrane vesicles released from various cells into the extracellular space, participating in multiple life processes.

Influence of gestational diabetes mellitus on lipid signatures in breast milk and association with fetal physical development.

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) commonly leads to adverse pregnancy outcomes and long-term metabolic complications in offspring. Breastfeeding has been shown to rewrite the fetal "metabolic programming" resulting from maternal diabetes and finally lead to a lower risk of future metabolic disease. Lipids in breast milk act like hormones to promote infant growth and development, but there is minimal information invested thus far in constitution changes of lipids in breast milk, especially in the context of GDM.

Vitamin B12 status and folic acid/vitamin B12 related to the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus in pregnancy: a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies.

Background: This review was conducted to investigate the association between serum vitamin B12 levels as well as folic acid/vitamin B12 during pregnancy and the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).

Methods: A comprehensive search of electronic databases (Embase, PubMed, and Web of Science) was performed. The odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of GDM risk were summarized using a random effects model.

A comparative lipidomic study of the human placenta from women with or without gestational diabetes mellitus.

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is always accompanied by lipid disorders. The placenta serves as a center for lipid synthesis and transport and plays a critical role in establishing GDM. Thus, the changes in the type and content of lipids in the placenta may contribute to the development of GDM.

The mitochondrial-derived peptide MOTS-c relieves hyperglycemia and insulin resistance in gestational diabetes mellitus.

The most common complication during pregnancy, gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), can cause adverse pregnancy outcomes and result in the mother and infant having a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes after pregnancy. However, existing therapies for GDM remain scant, with the most common being lifestyle intervention and appropriate insulin treatment. MOTS-c, a mitochondrial-derived peptide, can target skeletal muscle and enhance glucose metabolism.

A Novel Anti-Infective Peptide BCCY-1 With Immunomodulatory Activities.

Antibiotic resistance has been considered to be a global threat which underscores the need to develop novel anti-infective therapeutics. Modulation of innate immunity by synthetic peptides is an attractive strategy to overcome this circumstance. We recently reported that BCCY-1, a human β-casein-derived peptide displays regulatory activities on monocytes, thereby enhancing their actions in innate immune responses.

Biological Properties of Milk-Derived Extracellular Vesicles and Their Physiological Functions in Infant.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are released by all cells under pathological and physiological conditions. EVs harbor various biomolecules, including protein, lipid, non-coding RNA, messenger RNA, and DNA. In 2007, mRNA and microRNA (miRNA) carried by EVs were found to have regulatory functions in recipient cells.

A human β-casein-derived peptide BCCY-1 modulates the innate immune response.

In this study, we report a novel peptide corresponding to the sequence of human β-casein (named BCCY-1), which was identified in our previous peptidome analysis of human milk and has great immunomodulatory activity. The results revealed that peptide BCCY-1, but not the scrambled version, enhanced monocyte migration without obvious toxicities. This selective effect was mediated via increased production of chemokines by peptide stimulated monocytes.

Human milk derived peptide AOPDM1 attenuates obesity by restricting adipogenic differentiation through MAPK signalling.

Background: Emerging evidence revealed peptides within breast milk may be an abundant source of potential candidates for metabolism regulation. Our previous work identified numerous peptides existed in breast milk, but its function has not been validated. Thus, our study aims to screen for novel peptides that have the potential to antagonize obesity and diabetes.

The Effect of FOXC2-AS1 on White Adipocyte Browning and the Possible Regulatory Mechanism.

Obesity has become a worldwide epidemic, and obesity-related problems are becoming more severe in public health. Increasing brown adipose tissue (BAT) mass or/and activity in mice and humans has been demonstrated to help lose weight and improve whole-body metabolism. Studies on the conversion of white adipose tissue (WAT) to BAT under certain conditions have provided new possibilities for treating obesity and the related disorders.

The role of microRNA-23b-5p in regulating brown adipogenesis and thermogenic program.

Enhanced brown adipose tissue (BAT) mass and activity have been demonstrated to promote the expenditure of excess stored energy and reduce prevalence of obesity. Cold is known as a potent stimulator of BAT and activates BAT primarily through the β3-adrenergic-cAMP signaling. Here, we performed RNA-sequencing to identify differential miRNAs in mouse BAT upon cold exposure and a total of 20 miRNAs were validated.

An Integrated Analysis of mRNA and lncRNA Expression Profiles Indicates Their Potential Contribution to Brown Fat Dysfunction With Aging.

Brown adipose tissue (BAT) can convert fatty acids and glucose into heat, exhibiting the potential to combat obesity and diabetes. The mass and activity of BAT gradually diminishes with aging. As a newly found regulator of gene expression, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) exhibit a wide range of functions in life processes.

A novel endogenous antimicrobial peptide CAMP derived from casein in human milk.

A large number of bioactive peptides derived from breast milk have been identified to be multifunctional having anti-inflammatory, immunoregulatory and antimicrobial activities. Here, we report that an endogenous peptide located at β-casein 211-225 amino acid from human breast milk (hereafter called CAMP211-225) presents specific antimicrobial activity against pathogenic E. coli and Y.

A novel peptide RIFV suppresses human adipocyte differentiation through the inhibition of C/EBP-β expression.

Background: Obesity is a global epidemic disease that increases the risk of metabolic syndrome. However, therapeutic drugs for obesity are still scarce. In recent years, peptides have been identified as new biological regulators.

Fluorometric determination of the CCAAT/enhancer binding protein alpha by using gold nanoparticles and a labeled protein-binding DNA.

A method is described for the determination of the CCAAT/enhancer binding protein alpha (C/EBPα) which is a regulator in adipocyte differentiation. The method is based on quenching of the red fluorescence (with excitation/emission maxima at 548/562 nm) of Cy3-labeled DNA if it becomes adsorbed on positively charged gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). Fluorescently labeled dsDNA that can bind C/EBPα is introduced as a fluorescent probes.

Association of maternal folate status in the second trimester of pregnancy with the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus.

Interest in the high folate status of pregnant women has increased due to its role in the prevention of neural tube defects (NTDs). The effect of increased red blood cell (RBC) folate status during the second trimester of pregnancy on gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) remains unclear. We measured RBC folate concentrations by competitive protein-binding assay and obtained clinical information from electronic medical records.

A Comparative Peptidomic Characterization of Cultured Skeletal Muscle Tissues Derived From Mice.

As an important secretory organ, skeletal muscle has drawn attention as a potential target tissue for type 2 diabetic mellitus (T2DM). Recent peptidomics approaches have been applied to identify secreted peptides with potential bioactive. However, comprehensive analysis of the secreted peptides from skeletal muscle tissues of mice and elucidation of their possible roles in insulin resistance remains poorly characterized.

Long non-coding RNA Bhmt-AS attenuates hepatic gluconeogenesis via modulation of Bhmt expression.

Dysregulation of gluconeogenesis contributes to the pathogenesis of metabolic disease, such as type-2 diabetes. The role of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in the pathogenesis of diabetes has recently received increased attention. In the present study, we identified a novel lncRNA, betaine-homocysteine methyltransferase-antisense (Bhmt-AS), and examined its expression patterns under pathophysiological conditions.

Age-induced oxidative stress impairs adipogenesis and thermogenesis in brown fat.

It is well-established that the mass and function of human brown adipose tissue (BAT) declines with age. A key factor involved in age-related impairment of BAT is oxidative stress; however, there is a paucity of studies to date that have explored this relationship. Here, we characterized the age-related molecular and functional alterations in BAT in vivo in mice of different ages, and treated human brown adipocytes with H O to dissect the direct effect of oxidative stress in vitro.