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BACKGROUND RESULTS CONCLUSION Ginkgo biloba seeds (GBS) are rich in flavonoids, proteins and reducing sugar, and have been consumed as food and medicinal nuts for thousands of years. However, the presence of ginkgotoxins and their poor palatability limit people's consumption of them.This study used solid‐state fermentation with Bacillus subtilis natto and Lactobacillus plantarum to enhance the safety and benefits of GBS. Optimized fermentation conditions increased the content of beneficial components like total flavonoids, soluble protein and reducing sugar while eliminating unpleasant odors (isoamyl aldehyde and hexanal) and reducing the toxin 4′‐O‐methylpyridoxine by 91.17%. Fermentation of GBS powder can significantly enhance its anti‐inflammatory and antioxidant activities in vitro (P < 0.001). Furthermore, it exhibits a dose‐dependent effect within a certain concentration range. Mixed fermentation (FBnLp) was evaluated for its effects on obesity and metabolic syndrome in mice fed a high‐fat diet. FBnLp significantly reduced body and liver weight gain, prevented dyslipidemia and decreased inflammatory and oxidative stress compared to unfermented GBS. Histological analysis showed that FBnLp improved liver health by reducing fat accumulation and preventing non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease. Meanwhile, it was found that feeding FBnLp increased the expression of CPT‐1α, which regulates energy expenditure and fat breakdown, and downregulated the expression of SREBP‐1c, FAS and ACC, which regulate fat synthesis.This research provides new insights and technological support for the application and development of FBnLp as a functional product, addressing key issues in its use and industry growth. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genetic or hereditary kidney disease stands as a pivotal cause of chronic kidney disease (CKD). The proliferation and widespread utilization of DNA testing in clinical settings have notably eased the diagnosis of genetic kidney diseases, which were once elusive but are now increasingly identified in cases previously deemed CKD of unknown etiology. However, despite these diagnostic strides, research into disease pathogenesis and novel drug development faces significant hurdles, chiefly due to the dearth of appropriate animal models and the challenges posed by limited patient cohorts in clinical studies. Conversely, the advent and utilization of human-induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) offer a promising avenue for genetic kidney disease research. Particularly, the development of hiPSC-derived kidney organoid systems presents a novel platform for investigating various forms of genetic kidney diseases. Moreover, the integration of the CRISPR/Cas9 technique into this system holds immense potential for efficient research on genetic kidney diseases. This review aims to explore the applications of in vitro kidney organoids generated from hiPSCs in the study of diverse genetic kidney diseases. Additionally, it will delve into the limitations of this research platform and outline future perspectives for advancing research in this crucial area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Hydroxytyrosol (HT) is a polyphenol with a wide range of biological activities. Excessive drinking can lead to oxidative stress and inflammation in the liver, which usually develop into alcohol liver disease (ALD). At present, there is no specific drug to treat ALD. In this paper, the protection effect of HT on ALD and the underline mechanism were studied. Methods: HepG2 cells were exposed to ethanol in vitro and C57BL/6J mice were fed with a Lieber-DeCarli ethanol liquid diet in vivo. Results: triglyceride (TG) level in serum and the expression of fatty acid synthase (FASN) were reduced significantly by the treatment with HT The acetaldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) activity was increased, the serum level of malondialdehyde (MDA) was decreased, catalase (CAT) and glutathione (GSH) were increased, suggesting that HT may reduce its oxidative damage to the body by promoting alcohol metabolism. Furthermore, according to the mRNA levels of tnf-α, il-6 and il-1β, HT inhibited ethanol-induced inflammation significantly. The anti-inflammatory mechanism of HT may be related to suppress the STAT3/iNOS pathway. Dissussion: Our study showed that HT could ameliorate ethanol-induced hepatic steatosis, oxidative stress and inflammation and provide a new candidate for the prevention and treatment of ALD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]