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Translation of preclinical findings on the efficacy of dietary interventions for metabolic disease to human clinical studies is challenging due to the predominant use of male rodents in animal research. Our objective was to evaluate a combined high-fat (HF) diet and low-dose streptozotocin (STZ) model for induction of type-2 diabetes (T2D) in male and female C57BL/6J mice. We hypothesized that T2D biomarkers would differ significantly between sexes. Mice were administered either a low-fat (LF) diet (10% kcal from fat), or HF diet (60% kcal from fat) + STZ injections (30 mg/kg/d for 3 days). Both sexes gained weight and developed impaired postprandial oral glucose tolerance on the HF+STZ treatment compared to LF. Only male mice on HF + STZ developed fasting hyperglycemia, fasting hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance, suggesting that the underlying causes of postprandial hyperglycemia differed between sexes. Principal component analysis of measures such as body weights, glucose and insulin concentrations indicated metabolic derangement for males only on HF+STZ treatment, while LF group males and both groups of females significantly overlapped. Based on our data, we accept our hypothesis that the combined high-fat diet and low-dose STZ model for T2D phenotypes differs significantly in its effect on mice based on sex. The HF diet + low-dose STZ model is not useful for studying insulin resistance in females. Other models are needed to model T2D, and study the effects of dietary interventions in this disease, in females. Sexual dimorphism remains a significant challenge for both preclinical and clinical research., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest None., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Metabolomics, the study of small-molecule metabolites within biological systems, has become a potent instrument for understanding cellular processes. Despite its profound insights into health, disease, and drug development, identifying the protein partners for metabolites, especially dietary phytochemicals, remains challenging. In the present study, we introduced an innovative in silico, structure-based target prediction approach to efficiently predict protein targets for metabolites. We analyzed 27 blood serum metabolites from nutrition intervention studies' blueberry-rich diets, known for their health benefits, yet with elusive mechanisms of action. Our findings reveal that blueberry-derived metabolites predominantly interact with Carbonic Anhydrase (CA) family proteins, which are crucial in acid-base regulation, respiration, fluid balance, bone metabolism, neurotransmission, and specific aspects of cellular metabolism. Molecular docking showed that these metabolites bind to a common pocket on CA proteins, with binding energies ranging from -5.0 kcal/mol to -9.0 kcal/mol. Further molecular dynamics (MD) simulations confirmed the stable binding of metabolites near the Zn binding site, consistent with known compound interactions. These results highlight the potential health benefits of blueberry metabolites through interaction with CA proteins.

Bananas (Musa spp.) are a target crop for provitamin A carotenoids (pVACs) biofortification programs aiming at reducing the negative impact on health caused by vitamin A deficiency in vulnerable populations. However, studies to understand the effect of ripening methods and stages and the genotype on carotenoid content and bioaccessibility in the banana germplasm are scarce. This study evaluated carotenoid content and bioaccessibility in 27 different banana accessions at three maturation stages and two ripening methods (natural ripening and ethylene ripening). Across most accessions, total carotenoid content (TCC) increased from unripe to ripe fruit; only two accessions showed a marginal decrease. The ripening method affected carotenoid accumulation; 18 accessions had lower TCC when naturally ripened compared with the ethylene ripening group, while nine accessions showed higher TCC when ripened with exogenous ethylene, suggesting that treating bananas with exogenous ethylene might directly affect TCC accumulation, but the response is accession dependent. Additionally, carotenoid bioaccessibility varied across genotypes and was correlated with the amount of soluble starch and resistant starch. These findings highlight the importance of ripening methods and genotypes in maximizing banana carotenoid content and bioaccessibility, which could contribute to improving pVACs delivery in biofortification programs.

Background: Anthocyanin and blueberry intakes positively associated with cognitive function in population-based studies and cognitive benefits in randomized controlled trials of adults with self-perceived or clinical cognitive dysfunction. To date, adults with metabolic syndrome (MetS) but without cognitive dysfunction are understudied., Objectives: Cognitive function, mood, alertness, and sleep quality were assessed as secondary end points in MetS participants, postprandially (>24 h) and following 6-mo blueberry intake., Methods: A double-blind, randomized controlled trial was conducted, assessing the primary effect of consuming freeze-dried blueberry powder, compared against an isocaloric placebo, on cardiometabolic health >6 mo and a 24 h postprandial period (at baseline). In this secondary analysis of the main study, data from those completing mood, alertness, cognition, and sleep assessments are presented (i.e., n = 115 in the 6 mo study, n = 33 in the postprandial study), using the following: 1) Bond-Lader self-rated scores, 2) electronic cognitive battery (i.e., testing attention, working memory, episodic memory, speed of memory retrieval, executive function, and picture recognition), and 3) the Leeds Sleep Evaluation Questionnaire. Urinary and serum anthocyanin metabolites were quantified, and apolipoprotein E genotype status was determined., Results: Postprandial self-rated calmness significantly improved after 1 cup of blueberries (P = 0.01; q = 0.04; with an 11.6% improvement compared with baseline between 0 and 24 h for the 1 cup group), but all other mood, sleep, and cognitive function parameters were unaffected after postprandial and 6-mo blueberries. Across the ½ and 1 cup groups, microbial metabolites of anthocyanins and chlorogenic acid (i.e., hydroxycinnamic acids, benzoic acids, phenylalanine derivatives, and hippuric acids) and catechin were associated with favorable chronic and postprandial memory, attention, executive function, and calmness., Conclusions: Although self-rated calmness improved postprandially, and significant cognition-metabolite associations were identified, our data did not support strong cognitive, mood, alertness, or sleep quality improvements in MetS participants after blueberry intervention. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT02035592., (Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: There is evidence that both omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) (eicosapentaenoic acid [EPA] and docosahexaenoic acid [DHA]) and cocoa flavanols can improve cognitive performance in both healthy individuals and in those with memory complaints. However, their combined effect is unknown., Objectives: To investigate the combined effect of EPA/DHA and cocoa flavanols (OM3FLAV) on cognitive performance and brain structures in older adults with memory complaints., Methods: A randomized placebo-controlled trial of DHA-rich fish oil (providing 1.1 g/d DHA and 0.4 g/d EPA) and a flavanol-rich dark chocolate (providing 500 mg/d flavan-3-ols) was conducted in 259 older adults with either subjective cognitive impairment or mild cognitive impairment. Participants underwent assessment at baseline, 3 mo, and 12 mo. The primary outcome was the number of false-positives on a picture recognition task from the Cognitive Drug Research computerized assessment battery. Secondary outcomes included other cognition and mood outcomes, plasma lipids, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and glucose levels. A subset of 110 participants underwent structural neuroimaging at baseline and at 12 mo., Results: 197 participants completed the study. The combined intervention had no significant effect on any cognitive outcomes, with the exception of reaction time variability (P = 0.007), alertness (P < 0.001), and executive function (P < 0.001), with a decline in function observed in the OM3FLAV group (118.6 [SD 25.3] at baseline versus 113.3 [SD 25.4] at 12 mo for executive function) relative to the control, and an associated decrease in cortical volume (P = 0.039). Compared with the control group, OM3FLAV increased plasma HDL, total cholesterol ratio (P < 0.001), and glucose (P = 0.008) and reduced TG concentrations (P < 0.001) by 3 mo, which were sustained to 12 mo, with no effect on BDNF. Changes in plasma EPA and DHA and urinary flavonoid metabolite concentrations confirmed compliance to the intervention., Conclusions: These results suggest that cosupplementation with ω-3 PUFAs and cocoa flavanols for 12 mo does not improve cognitive outcomes in those with cognitive impairment. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT02525198., (Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Dietary flavanols are known for disease preventative properties but are often poorly absorbed. Gut microbiome flavanol metabolites are more bioavailable and may exert protective activities. Using metabolite mixtures extracted from the urine of rats supplemented with flavanols and treated with or without antibiotics, we investigated their effects on INS-1 832/13 β-cell glucose stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) capacity. We measured insulin secretion under non-stimulatory (low) and stimulatory (high) glucose levels, insulin secretion fold induction, and total insulin content. We conducted treatment-level comparisons, individual-level dose responses, and a responder vs. non-responder predictive analysis of metabolite composition. While the first two analyses did not elucidate treatment effects, metabolites from 9 of the 28 animals demonstrated significant dose responses, regardless of treatment. Differentiation of responders vs. non-responder revealed that levels of native flavanols and valerolactones approached significance for predicting enhanced GSIS, regardless of treatment. Although treatment-level patterns were not discernable, we conclude that the high inter-individual variability shows that metabolite bioactivity on GSIS capacity is less related to flavanol supplementation or antibiotic treatment and may be more associated with the unique microbiome or metabolome of each animal. These findings suggest flavanol metabolite activities are individualized and point to the need for personalized nutrition practices.

Objective: Effective screening tools can help providers with treatment decisions, including when to refer patients for neuropsychological evaluations, which are the gold standard for cognitive assessment of neurodegenerative disease. The authors examined whether performance on the Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination-Third Edition (ACE-III), a readily available cognitive screening tool for older adults, predicted performance on subsequent neuropsychological evaluations., Methods: In total, 217 patients referred for neurocognitive concerns completed a neuropsychological evaluation, including the ACE-III. Patients were diagnosed as having normal cognition (NC, N=67), mild neurocognitive disorder (mild NCD, N=105), or major NCD (N=45). Regression analyses were used to determine whether ACE-III subscale scores predicted performance on neuropsychological measures assessing similar constructs. Logistic regression was used to assess whether ACE-III total score and overall neuropsychological test performance predicted diagnosis. Separate analyses compared those with higher and lower educational attainments. ACE-III subscales and total scores were compared by diagnostic group., Results: Across all groups, ACE-III subscale scores predicted within-construct neuropsychological performances with moderate to strong effects (p<0.001) but were less predictive for those with lower educational attainment. ACE-III total score was less sensitive than overall neuropsychological test performance in predicting neurocognitive disorders. ACE-III subscale and total scores distinguished diagnostic groups (NC>mild NCD>major NCD, p<0.001)., Conclusions: ACE-III subscale scores predicted performance on neuropsychological measures assessing similar constructs. However, overall performance on neuropsychological testing was more sensitive than ACE-III total score in predicting neurocognitive disorder diagnosis. Total ACE-III score differed by level of cognitive impairment. Comprehensive neuropsychological testing is recommended for patients who have lower educational status or complex symptom presentations or are younger.

Introduction: This investigation determined if 4-weeks ingestion of nutrient-dense almonds mitigated post-exercise inflammation and muscle soreness and damage., Methods: An acute 90-min of eccentric exercise (90-EE) was used to induce muscle damage in 64 non-obese adults not engaging in regular resistance training (ages 30-65 years, BMI < 30 kg/m 2 ). Using a parallel group design, participants were randomized to almond (AL) (57 g/d) or cereal bar (CB) (calorie matched) treatment groups for a 4-week period prior to the 90-EE (17 exercises). Blood and 24-h urine samples were collected before and after supplementation, with additional blood samples collected immediately post-90-EE, and then daily during 4 additional days of recovery. Changes in plasma oxylipins, urinary gut-derived phenolics, plasma cytokines, muscle damage biomarkers, mood states, and exercise performance were assessed., Results: The 90-EE protocol induced significant muscle damage, delayed onset of muscle soreness (DOMS), inflammation, reduced strength and power performance, and mood disturbance. Interaction effects (2 group × 7 time points) supported that AL vs. CB was associated with reduced post-exercise fatigue and tension ( p = 0.051, 0.033, respectively) and higher levels of leg-back strength ( p = 0.029). No group differences were found for post-90-EE increases in DOMS and six cytokines. AL was associated with lower levels of serum creatine kinase immediately- and 1-day post-exercise ( p = 0.034 and 0.013, respectively). The 90-EE bout increased plasma levels immediately post-exercise for 13 oxylipins. Interaction effects revealed significantly higher levels for AL vs. CB for 12,13-DiHOME ( p < 0.001) and lower levels for 9,10-DiHOME ( p < 0.001). Urine levels increased in AL vs. CB for seven gut-derived phenolics including 5-(3',4'-dihydroxyphenyl)-γ-valerolactone that was inversely related to changes in plasma 9,10-DiHOME ( r = -0.029, p = 0.021)., Discussion: These data support some positive effects of almond intake in improving mood state, retaining strength, decreasing muscle damage, increasing the generation of gut-derived phenolic metabolites, and altering the plasma oxylipin DiHOME response to unaccustomed eccentric exercise in untrained adults. The elevated post-exercise plasma levels of 12,13-DiHOME with almond intake support positive metabolic outcomes for adults engaging in unaccustomed eccentric exercise bouts., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Nieman, Omar, Kay, Kasote, Sakaguchi, Lkhagva, Weldemariam and Zhang.)

Scope: This study presents a workflow to construct a Dietary Exposome Library (DEL) comprised of phytochemicals and their metabolites derived from host and gut microbiome metabolism for use in peak identification/annotation of untargeted metabolomics datasets., Methods and Results: An evidence mapping initiative established target analytes related to the consumption of phytochemical-rich foods. Analytes were confirmed by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS(n)) analysis of human biospecimens from dietary intervention studies of (poly)phenol-rich diets. One hundred and sixty six verified compounds were subsequently analyzed on an untargeted metabolomics platform to acquire chromatographic and high-resolution mass spectral data for construction of a DEL. The DEL facilitated identification/annotation of 123 metabolites associate with exposure to (poly)phenol enriched diets, which included aromatic ketones, benzoic acids, ellagic acids, caffeoylquinic acids, catecholamines, coumarins, hippuric acid, hydroxytoluenes, phenylamines, stilbenes, urolithins, valerolactones, and xanthonoids, in untargeted metabolomics datasets acquire from human plasma and urine reference materials., Conclusions: The DEL focusing on (poly)phenols and their metabolites of dietary exposure facilitated identification/annotation of ingested food components and their associated pathways in untargeted metabolomics datasets acquired from human biospecimens. The DEL continues to expand with the aim to provide evidence-based data for dietary metabolites in exposome research and inform the development of dietary intervention strategies., (© 2022 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is characterized by hyperglycemia and insulin resistance. Cocoa may slow T2D development and progression. This study employed male and female BTBR.Cg-Lep ob/ob /WiscJ (ob/ob) and wild type (WT) controls to assess the potential for cocoa to ameliorate progressive T2D and compare responses between sexes. Mice received diet without (WT, ob/ob) or with cocoa extract (ob/ob + c) for 10 weeks. Acute cocoa reduced fasting hyperglycemia in females, but not males, after 2 weeks. Chronic cocoa supplementation (6-10 weeks) ameliorated hyperinsulinemia in males and worsened hyperlipidemia and hyperinsulinemia in females, yet also preserved and enhanced beta cell survival in females. The underlying mechanisms of these differences warrant further study. If sex differences are apparent in subsequent preclinical studies, clinical studies will be warranted to establish whether these differences are relevant in humans. Sex differences may need to be considered when designing human dietary interventions for T2D., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

This study investigated the effects of supplementation with a cyanidin- and delphinidin-rich extract (CDRE) on the postprandial dysmetabolism, inflammation, and redox and insulin signaling, triggered by the consumption of a high fat meal (HFM) in healthy individuals. Participants (n = 25) consumed a 1026-kcal HFM simultaneously with either the CDRE providing 320.4 mg of anthocyanins (90% cyanidin and delphinidin) or placebo. Diets were randomly assigned in a double blind, placebo-controlled crossover design. Blood was collected prior to (fasted, time 0), and for 5 h after meal consumption; plasma, serum, and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were isolated. AC metabolites were detected in serum as early as 30 min after CDRE consumption. The CDRE mitigated HFM-induced endotoxemia, reducing increases in plasma LPS and LPS-binding protein. The CDRE also reduced other events associated with HFM-triggered postprandial dysmetabolism including: i) plasma glucose and triglyceride increases; ii) TNFα and NOX4 upregulation in PBMC; and iii) JNK1/2 activation in PBMC. The CDRE did not significantly affect HFM-mediated increases in plasma insulin, GLP-1, GLP-2, GIP, and LDL- and HDL-cholesterol, and IKK phosphorylation in PBMC. In summary, dietary AC, i.e. cyanidin and delphinidin, exerted beneficial actions against unhealthy diets by modulating the associated postprandial dysmetabolism, endotoxemia, alterations of glycemia and lipidemia, and redox and insulin signaling., (Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Neuropsychological assessment via video conferencing has been proposed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Existing literature has demonstrated feasibility and acceptance of neuropsychological measures administered by videoconference, although few studies have examined feasibility and patient acceptance of TNP visits directly to patients' homes (DTH-TNP)., Methods: We modified a previously published patient satisfaction survey for DTH-TNP and developed a clinician feasibility survey to examine experiences during DTH-TNP., Results: Seventy-two patients (age range: preschool-geriatric) evaluated by DTH-TNP for cognitive problems at an academic medical center responded to voluntary surveys between April 20, 2020, and August 19, 2020, and 100% indicated satisfaction. Fifty-nine percent of patients reported limitations (e.g., technological concern) during the appointment. 134 clinician surveys were collected and indicated that clinicians achieved the goal of their appointment in 90% of encounters., Conclusions: These qualitative data suggest that patients and clinicians found DTH-TNP to be satisfactory during the COVID-19 pandemic, while also recognizing limitations of the practice. These results are limited in that voluntary surveys are subject to bias. They support the growing body of literature suggesting that DTH-TNP provides a valuable service, though additional research to establish reliability and validity is needed.

Flavanols are metabolized by the gut microbiota to bioavailable metabolites, and the absorbed fraction is excreted primarily via urine. Uroepithelial cells are thus a potential site of activity due to exposure to high concentrations of these compounds. Chemoprevention by flavanols may be partly due to these metabolites. In Vitro work in this area relies on a limited pool of commercially available microbial metabolites, and little has been done in bladder cancer. The impact of physiologically relevant mixtures of flavanols and their metabolites remains unknown. Rats were fed various flavanols and urine samples, approximating the bioavailable metabolome, were collected. Urines were profiled by UPLC-MS/MS, and their anti-proliferative activities were assayed In Vitro in four bladder cancer models. Significant interindividual variability was observed for composition and proliferation. Microbial metabolite concentrations (valerolactones, phenylalkyl acids and hippuric acids) were positively associated with reduced bladder cancer proliferation In Vitro, while native flavanols were poorly correlated with activity. These results suggest that microbial metabolites may be responsible for chemoprevention in uroepithelial cells following flavanol consumption. This highlights the potential to use individual genetics and microbial metabotyping to design personalized dietary interventions for cancer prevention and/or adjuvant therapy to reduce bladder cancer incidence and improve outcomes.

Background & Aims: Whilst the cardioprotective effects of blueberry intake have been shown in prospective studies and short-term randomized controlled trials (RCTs), it is unknown whether anthocyanin-rich blueberries can attenuate the postprandial, cardiometabolic dysfunction which follows energy-dense food intakes; especially in at-risk populations. We therefore examined whether adding blueberries to a high-fat/high-sugar meal affected the postprandial cardiometabolic response over 24 h., Methods: A parallel, double-blind RCT (n = 45; age 63.4 ± 7.4 years; 64% male; BMI 31.4 ± 3.1 kg/m 2 ) was conducted in participants with metabolic syndrome. After baseline assessments, an energy-dense drink (969 Kcals, 64.5 g fat, 84.5 g carbohydrate, 17.9 g protein) was consumed with either 26 g (freeze-dried) blueberries (equivalent to 1 cup/150 g fresh blueberries) or 26 g isocaloric matched placebo. Repeat blood samples (30, 60, 90, 120, 180, 360 min and 24 h), a 24 h urine collection and vascular measures (at 3, 6, and 24 h) were performed. Insulin and glucose, lipoprotein levels, endothelial function (flow mediated dilatation (FMD)), aortic and systemic arterial stiffness (pulse wave velocity (PWV), Augmentation Index (AIx) respectively), blood pressure (BP), and anthocyanin metabolism (serum and 24 h urine) were assessed., Results: Blueberries favorably affected postprandial (0-24 h) concentrations of glucose (p < 0.001), insulin (p < 0.01), total cholesterol (p = 0.04), HDL-C, large HDL particles (L-HDL-P) (both p < 0.01), extra-large HDL particles (XL-HDL-P; p = 0.04) and Apo-A1 (p = 0.01), but not LDL-C, TG, or Apo-B. After a transient higher peak glucose concentration at 1 h after blueberry intake ([8.2 mmol/L, 95%CI: 7.7, 8.8] vs placebo [6.9 mmol/L, 95%CI: 6.4, 7.4]; p = 0.001), blueberries significantly attenuated 3 h glucose ([4.3 mmol/L, 95%CI: 3.8, 4.8] vs placebo [5.1 mmol/L, 95%CI: 4.6, 5.6]; p = 0.03) and insulin concentrations (blueberry: [23.4 pmol/L, 95%CI: 15.4, 31.3] vs placebo [52.9 pmol/L, 95%CI: 41.0, 64.8]; p = 0.0001). Blueberries also improved HDL-C ([1.12 mmol/L, 95%CI: 1.06, 1.19] vs placebo [1.08 mmol/L, 95%CI: 1.02, 1.14]; p = 0.04) at 90 min and XL-HDLP levels ([0.38 × 10-6, 95%CI: 0.35, 0.42] vs placebo [0.35 × 10-6, 95%CI: 0.32, 0.39]; p = 0.02) at 3 h. Likewise, significant improvements were observed 6 h after blueberries for HDL-C ([1.17 mmol/L, 95%CI: 1.11, 1.24] vs placebo [1.10 mmol/L, 95%CI: 1.03, 1.16]; p < 0.001), Apo-A1 ([1.37 mmol/L, 95%CI: 1.32, 1.41] vs placebo [1.31 mmol/L, 95%CI: 1.27, 1.35]; p = 0.003), L-HDLP ([0.70 × 10-6, 95%CI: 0.60, 0.81] vs placebo [0.59 × 10-6, 95%CI: 0.50, 0.68]; p = 0.003) and XL-HDLP ([0.44 × 10-6, 95%CI: 0.40, 0.48] vs placebo [0.40 × 10-6, 95%CI: 0.36, 0.44]; p < 0.001). Similarly, total cholesterol levels were significantly lower 24 h after blueberries ([4.9 mmol/L, 95%CI: 4.6, 5.1] vs placebo [5.0 mmol/L, 95%CI: 4.8, 5.3]; p = 0.04). Conversely, no effects were observed for FMD, PWV, AIx and BP. As anticipated, total anthocyanin-derived phenolic acid metabolite concentrations significantly increased in the 24 h after blueberry intake; especially hippuric acid (6-7-fold serum increase, 10-fold urinary increase). In exploratory analysis, a range of serum/urine metabolites were associated with favorable changes in total cholesterol, HDL-C, XL-HDLP and Apo-A1 (R = 0.43 to 0.50)., Conclusions: For the first time, in an at-risk population, we show that single-exposure to the equivalent of 1 cup blueberries (provided as freeze-dried powder) attenuates the deleterious postprandial effects of consuming an energy-dense high-fat/high-sugar meal over 24 h; reducing insulinaemia and glucose levels, lowering cholesterol, and improving HDL-C, fractions of HDL-P and Apo-A1. Consequently, intake of anthocyanin-rich blueberries may reduce the acute cardiometabolic burden of energy-dense meals., Clinical Trial Registry: NCT02035592 at www.clinicaltrials.gov., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest AC and ERB both act as advisors to the USHBC grant committee. All other authors declare no relevant conflicts of interest. The funders of the study had no role in study design, data collection, data analysis, data interpretation, or writing of the manuscript., (Crown Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Berry consumption is linked to diverse health benefits, but numerous questions remain regarding mechanism of action, dose efficacy, and optimal duration and frequency of intake. Addressing these outstanding questions requires an organized assessment of current research, to inform future study designs and fill critical knowledge gaps. Tools that organize such information will also facilitate consumer messaging, targeted nutritional health initiatives, and dietary intake guidelines. This review aimed to describe the development and utility of the "Berry Health Tool Chest," an evidence map summarizing trial design features of studies characterizing the impact of berry consumption upon human health biomarkers. A systematic search strategy identified relevant high-quality human feeding studies, whose study design parameters were collected and compiled into an evidence map that is freely available as an interactive online interface enabling tabulated data to be interrogated, filtered, and exported. Of the 231 included studies, approximately 70% were of less than 3 months' duration and/or fewer than 50 participants, illustrating research gaps that could potentially inform the design of future studies., (© The Author(s) 2021. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Life Sciences Institute. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Increasing the density of micronutrients and phytochemicals in vegetable foods through plant breeding and processing is of value for consumers. However, the extent to which interactions between genetics and processing (G × P) can be leveraged for green leafy vegetables to improve the delivery of such compounds is unknown. Using spinach as a model, a three-phase in vitro digestion method with and without simulated oral processing (mastication) and coupling to a Caco-2 human intestinal cell culture model was used to determine whether bioaccessibility and intestinal uptake of carotenoids and chlorophylls can be modified from six spinach genotypes, fresh or processed as blanched, sterilized, and juiced products. Carotenoid and chlorophyll bioaccessibility varied significantly with the genotype (p < 0.001) and processing treatment (p < 0.001), with processing having a more profound influence on the bioaccessibility, decreasing micellarization of phytochemicals from juiced (25.8-29.3%), to fresh (19.5-27.9%), to blanched (14.9-20.5%), and sterilized spinach (10.4-13.0%). Oral mastication had a significant influence on the carotenoid bioaccessible content of sterilized spinach (0.3-0.5 μmoles per g DW) as compared to fresh spinach (0.1-0.3 μmoles per g DW), most likely due to the additive effect of thermal processing and mastication on facilitating digestive breakdown of the spinach matrix. Caco-2 accumulation of carotenoid and chlorophyll was modestly but significantly (<0.001) lower in fresh spinach (2.4%) compared to other treatment samples (3.7-4.8%). These results suggest that the genotype, processing treatment, and genotype × processing (G × P) interaction may affect carotenoid and chlorophyll bioaccessibility in spinach and that food processing remains a dominant factor in modulating the bioavailability of these phytochemicals.

Fruit quality traits play a significant role in consumer preferences and consumption in blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L). The objectives of this study were to construct a high-density linkage map and to identify the underlying genetic basis of fruit quality traits in blueberry. A total of 287 F 1 individuals derived from a cross between two southern highbush blueberry cultivars, 'Reveille' and 'Arlen', were phenotyped over three years (2016-2018) for fruit quality-related traits, including titratable acidity, pH, total soluble solids, and fruit weight. A high-density linkage map was constructed using 17k single nucleotide polymorphisms markers. The linkage map spanned a total of 1397 cM with an average inter-loci distance of 0.08 cM. The quantitative trait loci interval mapping based on the hidden Markov model identified 18 loci for fruit quality traits, including seven loci for fruit weight, three loci for titratable acidity, five loci for pH, and three loci for total soluble solids. Ten of these loci were detected in more than one year. These loci explained phenotypic variance ranging from 7 to 28% for titratable acidity and total soluble solid, and 8-13% for pH. However, the loci identified for fruit weight did not explain more than 10% of the phenotypic variance. We also reported the association between fruit quality traits and metabolites detected by Proton nuclear magnetic resonance analysis directly responsible for these fruit quality traits. Organic acids, citric acid, and quinic acid were significantly (P < 0.05) and positively correlated with titratable acidity. Sugar molecules showed a strong and positive correlation with total soluble solids. Overall, the study dissected the genetic basis of fruit quality traits and established an association between these fruit quality traits and metabolites., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) causes permanent cognitive disability. The enteric microbiome generates microbial-dependent products (MDPs) that may contribute to disorders including autism, depression, and anxiety; it is unknown whether similar alterations occur in PAE. Using a mouse PAE model, we performed untargeted metabolome analyses upon the maternal-fetal dyad at gestational day 17.5. Hierarchical clustering by principal component analysis and Pearson's correlation of maternal plasma (813 metabolites) both identified MDPs as significant predictors for PAE. The majority were phenolic acids enriched in PAE. Correlational network analyses revealed that alcohol altered plasma MDP-metabolite relationships, and alcohol-exposed maternal plasma was characterized by a subnetwork dominated by phenolic acids. Twenty-nine MDPs were detected in fetal liver and sixteen in fetal brain, where their impact is unknown. Several of these, including 4-ethylphenylsulfate, oxindole, indolepropionate, p-cresol sulfate, catechol sulfate, and salicylate, are implicated in other neurological disorders. We conclude that MDPs constitute a characteristic biosignature that distinguishes PAE. These MDPs are abundant in human plasma, where they influence physiology and disease. Their altered abundance here may reflect alcohol's known effects on microbiota composition and gut permeability. We propose that the maternal microbiome and its MDPs are a previously unrecognized influence upon the pathologies that typify PAE.

In the present study, we applied a novel high-throughput in vitro gastrointestinal digestion model to phenotype bioaccessibility of phenolics in a diverse germplasm collection representing cultivated highbush blueberries. Results revealed significant (P < 0.05) differences between accessions, years, and accession by year interaction for relative and absolute bioaccessibility of flavonoids and phenolic acids. Broad sense heritability estimates revealed low to moderate inheritances of relative and absolute bioaccessibility, suggesting that besides environmental variables, genetics factors could control bioaccessibility of phenolics. Acylated anthocyanins had significantly higher relative bioaccessibility than non-acylated anthocyanins. Correlation analysis indicated that relative bioaccessibility did not show significant association with fruit quality or raw concentration of metabolites. The study also identified accessions that have high relative and absolute bioaccessibility values. Overall, combining the bioaccessibility of phenolics with genetic and genomic approaches will enable the identification of genotypes and genetic factors influencing these traits in blueberry.

There is a lack of focus on the protective health effects of phytochemicals in dietary guidelines. Although a number of chemical libraries and databases contain dietary phytochemicals belonging to the plant metabolome, they are not entirely relevant to human health because many constituents are extensively metabolized within the body following ingestion. This is especially apparent for the highly abundant dietary (poly)phenols, for which the situation is compounded by confusion regarding their bioavailability and metabolism, partially because of the variety of nomenclatures and trivial names used to describe compounds arising from microbial catabolism in the gastrointestinal tract. This confusion, which is perpetuated in online chemical/metabolite databases, will hinder future discovery of bioactivities and affect the establishment of future dietary guidelines if steps are not taken to overcome these issues. In order to resolve this situation, a nomenclature system for phenolic catabolites and their human phase II metabolites is proposed in this article and the basis of its format outlined. Previous names used in the literature are cited along with the recommended nomenclature, International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry terminology, and, where appropriate, Chemical Abstracts Service numbers, InChIKey, and accurate mass., (© The Author(s) 2020. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Society for Nutrition.)

Many terms for plant-derived food components are commonly used in the literature, but there is a notable lack of standardization and definition of nomenclature. The use of terms is often field-specific, leading to misunderstanding and problems with literature searches and systematic reviews, and results in isolated and divided research; this impacts not only publication quality but also innovation, regulatory compliance, and enforcement. To begin to address this issue, this narrative review describes the current use and definition of terms. The terms are either chemical and/or origin-based, such as phytochemical (chemicals from plants), or function-based, such as phytonutrient, bioactive, or nutraceutical. The ultimate goal is to establish a common harmonized, evidence-based understanding for when to use each term, thereby providing clarity and a specific scientific basis for such nomenclature. Neither the quality nor the quantity of evidence needed to allow the use of functional terms such as phytonutrient or nutraceutical is specifically discussed here; rather, it is simply noted that evidence is needed to apply these terms. The next step would be to define the evidence necessary for a compound to have a functional descriptor. The aim in this article is to establish scientific criteria for definitions that could be applied to clearly define and differentiate commonly used terms and thus ensure their consistent application in the scientific literature., (© The Author(s) 2019. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Life Sciences Institute.)

Blueberry is well recognized as a rich source of health promoting phytochemicals such as flavonoids and phenolic acids. Multiple studies in blueberry and other crops indicated that flavonoids and phenolic acids function as bioactive compounds in the human body promoting multiple health effects. Despite their importance, information is limited about the levels of variation in bioactive compounds within and between ploidy level and species, and their association with fruit quality traits. Such information is crucial to define a strategy to study the genetic mechanisms controlling these traits and to select for these traits in blueberry breeding programs. Here we evaluated 33 health related phytochemicals belonging to four major groups of flavonoids and phenolic acids across 128 blueberry accessions over two years together with fruit quality traits, including fruit weight, titratable acidity, total soluble acids and pH. Highly significant variation between accessions, years, and accession by year interaction were identified for most of the traits. Cluster analysis grouped phytochemicals by their functional structure (e.g., anthocyanins, flavanols, flavonols, and phenolic acids). Multivariate analysis of the traits resulted in separation of diploid, tetraploid and hexaploid accessions. Broad sense heritability of the traits estimated in 100 tetraploid accessions, ranged from 20 to 90%, with most traits revealing moderate to high broad sense heritability (H 2 > 40%), suggesting that strong genetic factors control these traits. Fruit size can be estimated as a proxy of fruit weight or volume and vice versa, and it was negatively correlated with content of most of phytochemicals evaluated here. However, size-independent variation for anthocyanin content and profile (e.g., acylated vs. non-acylated anthocyanin) exists in the tetraploid accessions and can be explored to identify other factors such as genes related to the biosynthetic pathway that control this trait. This result also suggests that metabolite concentrations and fruit size, to a certain degree can be improved simultaneously in breeding programs. Overall, the results of this study provide a framework to uncover the genetic basis of bioactive compounds and fruit quality traits and will be useful to advance blueberry-breeding programs focusing on integrating these traits., (Copyright © 2020 Mengist, Grace, Xiong, Kay, Bassil, Hummer, Ferruzzi, Lila and Iorizzo.)

Diets rich in berries provide health benefits, however, the contribution of berry phytochemicals to the human metabolome is largely unknown. The present study aimed to establish the impact of berry phytochemicals on the human metabolome. A "systematic review strategy" was utilized to characterize the phytochemical composition of the berries most commonly consumed in the USA; (poly)phenols, primarily anthocyanins, comprised the majority of reported plant secondary metabolites. A reference standard library and tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) quantitative metabolomics methodology were developed and applied to serum/plasma samples from a blueberry and a strawberry intervention, revealing a diversity of benzoic, cinnamic, phenylacetic, 3-(phenyl)propanoic and hippuric acids, and benzyldehydes. 3-Phenylpropanoic, 2-hydroxybenzoic, and hippuric acid were highly abundant (mean > 1 µM). Few metabolites at concentrations above 100 nM changed significantly in either intervention. Significant intervention effects ( P < 0.05) were observed for plasma/serum 2-hydroxybenzoic acid and hippuric acid in the blueberry intervention, and for 3-methoxyphenylacetic acid and 4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid in the strawberry intervention. However, significant within-group effects for change from baseline were prevalent, suggesting that high inter-individual variability precluded significant treatment effects. Berry consumption in general appears to cause a fluctuation in the pools of small molecule metabolites already present at baseline, rather than the appearance of unique berry-derived metabolites, which likely reflects the ubiquitous nature of (poly)phenols in the background diet.

Background: Anthocyanin-rich blueberry intake is associated with reduced type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in prospective studies, although long-term randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have not been conducted in at-risk populations., Objective: In the longest-duration RCT to date, we examined the effect of 6-mo blueberry intake on insulin resistance and cardiometabolic function in metabolic syndrome., Methods: A double-blind, parallel RCT (n = 115; age 63 ± 7 y; 68% male; body mass index 31.2 ± 3.0 kg/m2) was conducted, which fed 2 dietarily achievable blueberry intakes [equivalent to 1/2 and 1 cup/d (75/150 g)] compared with matched placebo. Insulin resistance was assessed via the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (primary endpoint) and confirmed by [6-6-2H2]-glucose-labeled, 2-step hyperinsulinemic clamp (n = 20). Clinically relevant cardiometabolic endpoints [including flow-mediated dilatation, augmentation index, lipoprotein status (by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy), and nitric oxide (NO)-related metabolite assay] and anthocyanin metabolism were assessed., Results: A daily intake of 1 cup of blueberries improved endothelial function (flow-mediated dilatation: +1.45%; 95% CI: 0.83%, 2.1%; P = 0.003), systemic arterial stiffness (augmentation index: -2.24%; 95% CI: -3.97%, -0.61%; P = 0.04) and attenuated cyclic guanosine monophosphate concentrations. In statin nonusers (n = 71), elevated high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (+0.08 mmol/L; P = 0.03), high-density lipoprotein particle density (+0.48n, ×10-6; P = 0.002) and apolipoprotein A-I (+0.05 g/L; P = 0.01) concentrations were observed following the 1-cup/d intervention. Treatment compliance was 94.1% (wrapper returns) and total concentrations of anthocyanin-derived phenolic acid metabolites significantly increased, dose-dependently, in serum and 24-h urine (P < 0.01 and P < 0.001, respectively). Insulin resistance, pulse wave velocity, blood pressure, NO, and overall plasma thiol status were unaffected. Likewise, a half cup per day had no effect on any biomarkers., Conclusions: Despite insulin resistance remaining unchanged we show, to our knowledge, the first sustained improvements in vascular function, lipid status, and underlying NO bioactivity following 1 cup blueberries/d. With effect sizes predictive of 12-15% reductions in CVD risk, blueberries should be included in dietary strategies to reduce individual and population CVD risk. This study was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT02035592., (Copyright © American Society for Nutrition 2019.)

Purpose: Whiplash associated disorders remain a major health problem in terms of impact on health care and on societal costs. Aetiology remains controversial including the old supposition that the cervical muscles do not play a significant role. This study examined the muscle activity from relevant muscles during rear-end impacts in an effort to gauge their influence on the aetiology of whiplash associated disorders., Methods: Volunteers were subjected to a sub-injury level of rear impact. Surface electromyography (EMG) was used to record cervical muscle activity before, during and after impact. Muscle response time and EMG signal amplitude were analysed. Head, pelvis, and T1 acceleration data were recorded., Results: The activities of the cervical muscles were found to be significant. The sternocleidomastoideus, trapezius and erector spinae were activated on average 59 ms, 73 ms and 84 ms after the impact stimulus, respectively, prior to peak head acceleration (113 ms)., Conclusion: The cervical muscles reacted prior to peak head acceleration, thus in time to influence whiplash biomechanics and possibly injury mechanisms. It is recommended therefore, that muscular influences be incorporated into the development of the new rear-impact crash test dummy in order to make the dummy as biofidelic as possible., (Copyright © 2019 Daping Hospital and the Research Institute of Surgery of the Third Military Medical University. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Tea consumption may improve endothelial function and blood pressure via increased bioavailability and bioactivity of nitric oxide. However, questions remain as to the impact of the common practice of adding milk., Objective: To investigate the effect of regular consumption of black tea, with and without milk, on vascular function and blood pressure in healthy volunteers., Design: A randomised, controlled, crossover study was performed in 17 healthy volunteers; 7 men and 10 women, mean age 22.4 ± 3.0 years. Participants received each of the following treatments in random order for 4 weeks, with no washout period in between, (i) hot water, (ii) black tea and (iii) black tea with milk. Vascular function was assessed using flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) of the brachial artery at the end of each treatment period. In addition, participants monitored their home blood pressure for the last 7 days of each treatment period. A blood and urine sample was also collected at the end of each treatment period., Results: Black tea increased FMD compared to the hot water control group (1.00 ± 0.18%, P < 0.0001). Black tea with milk decreased FMD compared to both the hot water control (-0.64 ± 0.19%, P = 0.001) and black tea (-1.64 ± 0.19%, P < 0.0001). Compared with hot water, black tea did not alter blood pressure, while black tea with milk increased systolic (1.1 ± 0.5 mmHg, P = 0.03) and diastolic blood pressure (2.0 ± 0.5 mmHg, P < 0.0001). Black tea (-1.8 ± 0.5 bpm, P < 0.001) and black tea with milk (-1.8 ± 0.6 bpm, P < 0.001) lowered heart rate compared to hot water. No significant difference for plasma nitrate or nitrite was observed between treatment groups., Conclusions: The addition of milk to black tea alters the acute/short-term impact of regular tea consumption on vascular function and blood pressure in young healthy men and women. The exact mechanism for this affect remains unknown and longer-term trials to establish this effect in a range of populations are warranted.

Using a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, parallel group design, this investigation determined if the combination of two weeks of flavonoid supplementation (329 mg/day, quercetin, anthocyanins, flavan-3-ols mixture) and a 45-minute walking bout (62.2 ± 0.9% VO 2max (maximal oxygen consumption rate)) enhanced the translocation of gut-derived phenolics into circulation in a group of walkers ( n = 77). The walkers (flavonoid, placebo groups) were randomized to either sit or walk briskly on treadmills for 45 min (thus, four groups: placebo⁻sit, placebo⁻walk, flavonoid⁻sit, flavonoid⁻walk). A comparator group of runners ( n = 19) ingested a double flavonoid dose for two weeks (658 mg/day) and ran for 2.5 h (69.2 ± 1.2% VO 2max ). Four blood samples were collected (pre- and post-supplementation, immediately post- and 24 h post-exercise/rest). Of the 76 metabolites detected in this targeted analysis, 15 increased after the 2.5 h run, and when grouped were also elevated post-exercise (versus placebo⁻sit) for the placebo⁻ and flavonoid⁻walking groups ( p < 0.05). A secondary analysis showed that pre-study plasma concentrations of gut-derived phenolics in the runners were 40% higher compared to walkers ( p = 0.031). These data indicate that acute exercise bouts (brisk walking, intensive running) are linked to an increased translocation of gut-derived phenolics into circulation, an effect that is amplified when combined with a two-week period of increased flavonoid intake or chronic training as a runner.

Flavonoids are plant-derived dietary components with a substantial impact on human health. Research has expanded massively since it began in the 1930s, and the complex pathways involved in bioavailability of flavonoids in the human body are now well understood. In recent years, it has been appreciated that the gut microbiome plays a major role in flavonoid action, but much progress still needs to be made in this area. Since the first publications on the health effects of flavonoids, their action is understood to protect against various stresses, but the mechanism of action has evolved from the now debunked simple direct antioxidant hypothesis into an understanding of the complex effects on molecular targets and enzymes in specific cell types. This review traces the development of the field over the past 8 decades, and indicates the current state of the art, and how it was reached. Future recommendations based on this historical analysis are (a) to focus on key areas of flavonoid action, (b) to perform human intervention studies focusing on bioavailability and protective effects, and (c) to carry out cellular in vitro experiments using appropriate cells together with the chemical form of the flavonoid found at the site of action; this could be the native form of compounds found in the food for studies on digestion and the intestine, the conjugated metabolites found in the blood after absorption in the small intestine for studies on cells, or the chemical forms found in the blood and tissues after catabolism by the gut microbiota., (© 2018 Institute of Food Technologists®.)

Anthocyanins are reported to have cardio-protective effects, although their mechanisms of action remain elusive. We aimed to explore the effects of microbial metabolites common to anthocyanins and other flavonoids on vascular smooth muscle heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) expression. Thirteen phenolic metabolites identified by previous anthocyanin human feeding studies, as well as 28 unique mixtures of metabolites and their known precursor structures were explored for their activity on HO-1 protein expression in rat aortic smooth muscle cells (RASMCs). No phenolic metabolites were active when treated in isolation; however, five mixtures of phenolic metabolites significantly increased HO-1 protein expression (127.4-116.6%, p ≤ 0.03). The present study demonstrates that phenolic metabolites of anthocyanins differentially affect HO-1 activity, often having additive, synergistic or nullifying effects., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Introduction: Intraindividual variability (IIV) in motor performance has been shown to predict future cognitive decline. The apolipoprotein E-epsilon 4 (APOE-ε4) allele is also a well-established risk factor for memory decline. Here, we present novel findings examining the influence of the APOE-ε4 allele on the performance of asymptomatic healthy elders in comparison to individuals with amnestic MCI (aMCI) on a fine motor synchronization, paced finger-tapping task (PFTT)., Method: Two Alzheimer's disease (AD) risk groups, individuals with aMCI (n = 24) and cognitively intact APOE-ε4 carriers (n = 41), and a control group consisting of cognitively intact APOE-ε4 noncarriers (n = 65) completed the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test and the PFTT, which requires index finger tapping in synchrony with a visual stimulus (interstimulus interval = 333 ms)., Results: Motor timing IIV, as reflected by the standard deviation of the intertap interval (ITI), was greater in the aMCI group than in the two groups of cognitively intact elders; in contrast, all three groups had statistically equivalent mean ITI. No significant IIV differences were observed between the asymptomatic APOE-ε4 carriers and noncarriers. Poorer episodic memory performance was associated with greater IIV, particularly in the aMCI group., Conclusions: Results suggest that increased IIV on a fine motor synchronization task is apparent in aMCI. This IIV measure was not sensitive in discriminating older asymptomatic individuals at genetic risk for AD from those without such a genetic risk. In contrast, episodic memory performance, a well-established predictor of cognitive decline in preclinical AD, was able to distinguish between the two cognitively intact groups based on genetic risk.

Scope: The physiological relevance of contemporary cell culture studies is often perplexing, given the use of unmetabolized phytochemicals at supraphysiological concentrations. We investigated the activity of physiologically relevant anthocyanin metabolite signatures, derived from a previous pharmacokinetics study of 500 mg 13 C 5 -cyanidin-3-glucoside in eight healthy participants, on soluble vascular adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in human endothelial cells., Methods and Results: Signatures of peak metabolites (previously identified at 1, 6, and 24 h post-bolus) were reproduced using pure standards and effects were investigated across concentrations ten-fold lower and higher than observed mean (<5 μM) serum levels. Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)-stimulated VCAM-1 was reduced in response to all treatments, with maximal effects observed for the 6 and 24 h profiles. Profiles tested at ten-fold below mean serum concentrations (0.19-0.44 μM) remained active. IL-6 was reduced in response to 1, 6, and 24 h profiles, with maximal effects observed for 6 h and 24 h profiles at concentrations above 2 μM. Protein responses were reflected by reductions in VCAM-1 and IL-6 mRNA, however there was no effect on phosphorylated NFκB-p65 expression., Conclusion: Signatures of anthocyanin metabolites following dietary consumption reduce VCAM-1 and IL-6 production, providing evidence of physiologically relevant biological activity., (© 2017 The Authors. Molecular Nutrition & Food Research published by WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

This study evaluated the effect of ingesting a flavonoid-rich supplement (329 mg/d) on total urine phenolics and shifts in plasma metabolites in overweight/obese female adults using untargeted metabolomics procedures. Participants (N = 103, 18-65 y, BMI ≥ 25 kg/m 2 ) were randomized to flavonoid (F) or placebo (P) groups for 12 weeks with blood and 24 h urine samples collected prestudy and after 4 and 12 weeks in a parallel design. Supplements were prepared as chewable tablets and included vitamin C, wild bilberry fruit extract, green tea leaf extract, quercetin, caffeine, and omega 3 fatty acids. At 4 weeks, urine total phenolics increased 24% in F versus P with similar changes at 12 weeks (interaction effect, P = 0.041). Groups did not differ in markers of inflammation (IL-6, MCP-1, CRP) or oxidative stress (oxLDL, FRAP). Metabolomics data indicated shifts in 63 biochemicals in F versus P with 70% from the lipid and xenobiotics superpathways. The largest fold changes in F were measured for three gut-derived phenolics including 3-methoxycatechol sulfate, 3-(3-hydroxyphenyl)propanoic acid sulfate, and 1,2,3-benzenetriol sulfate (interaction effects, p ≤ 0.050). This randomized clinical trial of overweight/obese women showed that 12 weeks ingestion of a mixed flavonoid nutrient supplement was associated with a corresponding increase in urine total phenolics and gut-derived phenolic metabolites.

This review considers recent investigations on the bioavailability of anthocyanins and flavanones. Both flavonoids are significant dietary components and are considered to be poorly bioavailable, as only low levels of phase II metabolites appear in the circulatory system and are excreted in urine. However, when lower molecular weight phenolic and aromatic ring-fission catabolites, produced primarily by the action of the colonic microbiota, are taken into account, it is evident that anthocyanins and flavanones are much more bioavailable than previously envisaged. The metabolic events to which these flavonoids are subjected as they pass along the gastrointestinal tract and are absorbed into the circulatory system prior to their rapid elimination by renal excretion are highlighted. Studies on the impact of other food components and the probiotic intake on flavonoid bioavailability are summarized, as is the bioactivity of metabolites and catabolites assayed using a variety of in vitro model systems.

Background: There is much speculation with regard to the potential cardioprotective benefits of equol, a microbial-derived metabolite of the isoflavone daidzein, which is produced in the large intestine after soy intake in 30% of Western populations. Although cross-sectional and retrospective data support favorable associations between the equol producer (EP) phenotype and cardiometabolic health, few studies have prospectively recruited EPs to confirm this association., Objective: The aim was to determine whether the acute vascular benefits of isoflavones differ according to EP phenotype and subsequently investigate the effect of providing commercially produced S-(-)equol to non-EPs., Design: We prospectively recruited male EPs and non-EPs (n = 14/group) at moderate cardiovascular risk into a double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study to examine the acute effects of soy isoflavones (80-mg aglycone equivalents) on arterial stiffness [carotid-femoral pulse-wave velocity (cfPWV)], blood pressure, endothelial function (measured by using the EndoPAT 2000; Itamar Medical), and nitric oxide at baseline (0 h) and 6 and 24 h after intake. In a separate assessment, non-EPs consumed 40 mg S-(-)equol with identical vascular measurements performed 2 h after intake., Results: After soy intake, cfPWV significantly improved in EPs at 24 h (cfPWV change from 0 h: isoflavone, -0.2 ± 0.2 m/s; placebo, 0.6 ± 0.2 m/s; P < 0.01), which was significantly associated with plasma equol concentrations (R = -0.36, P = 0.01). No vascular effects were observed in EPs at 6 h or in non-EPs at any time point. Similarly, no benefit of commercially produced S-(-)equol was observed in non-EPs despite mean plasma equol concentrations reaching 3.2 μmol/L., Conclusions: Acute soy intake improved cfPWV in EPs, equating to an 11-12% reduced risk of cardiovascular disease if sustained. However, a single dose of commercially produced equol had no cardiovascular benefits in non-EPs. These data suggest that the EP phenotype is critical in unlocking the vascular benefits of equol in men, and long-term trials should focus on confirming the implications of EP phenotype on cardiovascular health. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01530893.

Background: Flavonoids have been implicated in the prevention of cardiovascular disease; however, their mechanisms of action have yet to be elucidated, possibly because most previous in vitro studies have used supraphysiological concentrations of unmetabolized flavonoids, overlooking their more bioavailable phenolic metabolites., Objective: We aimed to explore the effects of phenolic metabolites and their precursor flavonoids at physiologically achievable concentrations, in isolation and combination, on soluble vascular cellular adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1)., Method: Fourteen phenolic acid metabolites and 6 flavonoids were screened at 1 μM for their relative effects on sVCAM-1 secretion by human umbilical vein endothelial cells stimulated with tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α). The active metabolites were further studied for their response at different concentrations (0.01 μM-100 μM), structure-activity relationships, and effect on vascular cellular adhesion molecule (VCAM)-1 mRNA expression. In addition, the additive activity of the metabolites and flavonoids was investigated by screening 25 unique mixtures at cumulative equimolar concentrations of 1 μM., Results: Of the 20 compounds screened at 1 μM, inhibition of sVCAM-1 secretion was elicited by 4 phenolic metabolites, of which protocatechuic acid (PCA) was the most active (-17.2%, P = 0.05). Investigations into their responses at different concentrations showed that PCA significantly reduced sVCAM-1 15.2-36.5% between 1 and 100 μM, protocatechuic acid-3-sulfate and isovanillic acid reduced sVCAM-1 levels 12.2-54.7% between 10 and 100 μM, and protocatechuic acid-4-sulfate and isovanillic acid-3-glucuronide reduced sVCAM-1 secretion 27.6% and 42.8%, respectively, only at 100 μM. PCA demonstrated the strongest protein response and was therefore explored for its effect on VCAM-1 mRNA, where 78.4% inhibition was observed only after treatment with 100 μM PCA. Mixtures of the metabolites showed no activity toward sVCAM-1, suggesting no additive activity at 1 μM., Conclusions: The present findings suggest that metabolism of flavonoids increases their vascular efficacy, resulting in a diversity of structures of varying bioactivity in human endothelial cells.

Many foods in our diets such as berries, tea, chocolate and wine contain flavonoids, which are natural components of plants. A substantial body of evidence supports the role of flavonoids in providing protection against cardio-metabolic diseases and disorders. Despite the nearly exponential growth in flavonoid research in the past 20 years, limited progress has been made in understanding how these dietary components work. Research initially focused on their antioxidant activity without taking into account their metabolism, which now appears extensive. This has provided a new research impetus to understand the biological activity of the flavonoid metabolites. Here, we outline recent research, which suggests a highly complex interplay between metabolism, intestinal microflora, the immune system and various tissues of our body.

Scope: Flavonoids are generally studied in vitro, in isolation, and as unmetabolized precursor structures. However, in the habitual diet, multiple flavonoids are consumed together and found present in the circulation as complex mixtures of metabolites. Using a unique study design, we investigated the potential for singular or additive anti-inflammatory effects of flavonoid metabolites relative to their precursor structures., Methods and Results: Six flavonoids, 14 flavonoid metabolites, and 29 combinations of flavonoids and their metabolites (0.1-10 μM) were screened for their ability to reduce LPS-induced tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) secretion in THP-1 monocytes. One micromolar peonidin-3-glucoside, cyanidin-3-glucoside, and the metabolites isovanillic acid (IVA), IVA-glucuronide, vanillic acid-glucuronide, protocatechuic acid-3-sulfate, and benzoic acid-sulfate significantly reduced TNF-α secretion when in isolation, while there was no effect on TNF-α mRNA expression. Four combinations of metabolites that included 4-hydroxybenzoic acid (4HBA) and/or protocatechuic acid also significantly reduced TNF-α secretion to a greater extent than the precursors or metabolites alone. The effects on LPS-induced IL-1β and IL-10 secretion and mRNA expression were also examined. 4HBA significantly reduced IL-1β secretion but none of the flavonoids or metabolites significantly modified IL-10 secretion., Conclusion: This study provides novel evidence suggesting flavonoid bioactivity results from cumulative or additive effects of circulating metabolites., (© 2015 The Authors. Molecular Nutrition & Food Research published by Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Scope: In vitro and in vivo studies suggest that dietary anthocyanins modulate cardiovascular disease risk; however, given anthocyanins extensive metabolism, it is likely that their degradation products and conjugated metabolites are responsible for this reported bioactivity., Methods and Results: Human vascular endothelial cells were stimulated with either oxidized LDL (oxLDL) or cluster of differentiation 40 ligand (CD40L) and cotreated with cyanidin-3-glucoside and 11 of its recently identified metabolites, at 0.1, 1, and 10 μM concentrations. Protein and gene expression of IL-6 and VCAM-1 was quantified by ELISA and RT-qPCR. In oxLDL-stimulated cells the parent anthocyanin had no effect on IL-6 production, whereas numerous anthocyanin metabolites significantly reduced IL-6 protein levels; phase II conjugates of protocatechuic acid produced the greatest effects (>75% reduction, p ≤ 0.05). In CD40L-stimulated cells the anthocyanin and its phase II metabolites reduced IL-6 protein production, where protocatechuic acid-4-sulfate induced the greatest reduction (>96% reduction, p ≤ 0.03). Similarly, the anthocyanin and its metabolites reduced VCAM-1 protein production, with ferulic acid producing the greatest effect (>65% reduction, p ≤ 0.04)., Conclusion: These novel data provide evidence to suggest that anthocyanin metabolites are bioactive at physiologically relevant concentrations and have the potential to modulate cardiovascular disease progression by altering the expression of inflammatory mediators., (© 2015 The Authors. Molecular Nutrition & Food Research published by Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Background: Epidemiologic data suggest inverse associations between citrus flavanone intake and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. However, insufficient randomized controlled trial data limit our understanding of the mechanisms by which flavanones and their metabolites potentially reduce cardiovascular risk factors., Objective: We examined the effects of orange juice or a dose-matched hesperidin supplement on plasma concentrations of established and novel flavanone metabolites and their effects on cardiovascular risk biomarkers in men at moderate CVD risk., Design: In an acute, randomized, placebo-controlled crossover trial, 16 fasted participants (aged 51-69 y) received orange juice or a hesperidin supplement (both providing 320 mg hesperidin) or control (all matched for sugar and vitamin C content). At baseline and 5 h postintake, endothelial function (primary outcome), blood pressure, arterial stiffness, cardiac autonomic function, platelet activation, and NADPH oxidase gene expression and plasma flavanone metabolites were assessed. Before each intervention, a diet low in flavonoids, nitrate/nitrite, alcohol, and caffeine was followed, and a standardized low-flavonoid evening meal was consumed., Results: Orange juice intake significantly elevated mean ± SEM plasma concentrations of 8 flavanone (1.75 ± 0.35 μmol/L, P < 0.0001) and 15 phenolic (13.27 ± 2.22 μmol/L, P < 0.0001) metabolites compared with control at 5 h postconsumption. Despite increased plasma flavanone and phenolic metabolite concentrations, cardiovascular risk biomarkers were unaltered. After hesperidin supplement intake, flavanone metabolites were not different from the control, suggesting altered absorption/metabolism compared with the orange juice matrix., Conclusions: After single-dose flavanone intake within orange juice, circulating flavanone and phenolic metabolites collectively reached a concentration of 15.20 ± 2.15 μmol/L, but no effects were observed on cardiovascular risk biomarkers. Longer-duration randomized controlled trials are required to examine previous associations between higher flavanone intakes and improved cardiovascular health and to ascertain the relative importance of food matrix and flavanone-derived phenolic metabolites. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01530893.

Anthocyanins are reported to have vascular bioactivity, however their mechanisms of action are largely unknown. Evidence suggests that anthocyanins modulate endothelial function, potentially by increasing nitric oxide (NO) synthesis, or enhancing NO bioavailability. This study compared the activity of cyanidin-3-glucoside, its degradation product protocatechuic acid, and phase II metabolite, vanillic acid. Production of NO and superoxide and expression of endothelial NO synthase (eNOS), NADPH oxidase (NOX), and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) were established in human vascular cell models. Nitric oxide levels were not modulated by the treatments, although eNOS was upregulated by cyanidin-3-glucoside, and superoxide production was decreased by both phenolic acids. Vanillic acid upregulated p22(phox) mRNA but did not alter NOX protein expression, although trends were observed for p47(phox) downregulation and HO-1 upregulation. Anthocyanin metabolites may therefore modulate vascular reactivity by inducing HO-1 and modulating NOX activity, resulting in reduced superoxide production and improved NO bioavailability.

The metabolic fate of anthocyanins until recently was relatively unknown, primarily as a result of their instability at physiological pH and a lack of published methods for isolating and identifying their metabolites from biological samples. The aim of the present work was to establish methods for the extraction and quantification of anthocyanin metabolites present in urine, serum, and fecal samples. 35 commercial and 10 synthetic analytes, including both known and predicted human and microbial metabolites of anthocyanins, were obtained as reference standards. HPLC and MS/MS conditions were optimized for organic modifier, ionic modifier, mobile phase gradient, flow rate, column type, MS source, and compound dependent parameters. The impact of sorbent, solvent, acid, preservative, elution, and evaporation on solid phase extraction (SPE) efficiency was also explored. The HPLC-MS/MS method validation demonstrated acceptable linearity (R(2), 0.997 ± 0.002) and sensitivity (limits of detection (LODs): urine, 100 ± 375 nM; serum, 104 ± 358 nM; feces 138 ± 344 nM), and the final SPE methods provided recoveries of 88.3 ± 17.8% for urine, 86.5 ± 11.1% for serum, and 80.6 ± 20.9% for feces. The final methods were applied to clinical samples derived from an anthocyanin intervention study, where 36 of the 45 modeled metabolites were detected within urine, plasma, or fecal samples. The described methods provide suitable versatility for the identification and quantification of an extensive series of anthocyanin metabolites for use in future clinical studies exploring absorption, distribution, metabolism, and elimination.

A randomised, cross-over, controlled-feeding study was conducted to evaluate the cholesterol-lowering effects of diets containing pistachios as a strategy for increasing total fat (TF) levels v. a control (step I) lower-fat diet. Ex vivo techniques were used to evaluate the effects of pistachio consumption on lipoprotein subclasses and functionality in individuals (n 28) with elevated LDL levels ( ≥ 2·86 mmol/l). The following test diets (SFA approximately 8 % and cholesterol < 300 mg/d) were used: a control diet (25 % TF); a diet comprising one serving of pistachios per d (1PD; 30 % TF); a diet comprising two servings of pistachios per d (2PD; 34 % TF). A significant decrease in small and dense LDL (sdLDL) levels was observed following the 2PD dietary treatment v. the 1PD dietary treatment (P= 0·03) and following the 2PD dietary treatment v. the control treatment (P= 0·001). Furthermore, reductions in sdLDL levels were correlated with reductions in TAG levels (r 0·424, P= 0·025) following the 2PD dietary treatment v. the control treatment. In addition, inclusion of pistachios increased the levels of functional α-1 (P= 0·073) and α-2 (P= 0·056) HDL particles. However, ATP-binding cassette transporter A1-mediated serum cholesterol efflux capacity (P= 0·016) and global serum cholesterol efflux capacity (P= 0·076) were only improved following the 2PD dietary treatment v. the 1PD dietary treatment when baseline C-reactive protein status was low ( < 103μg/l). Moreover, a significant decrease in the TAG:HDL ratio was observed following the 2PD dietary treatment v. the control treatment (P= 0·036). There was a significant increase in β-sitosterol levels (P< 0·0001) with the inclusion of pistachios, confirming adherence to the study protocol. In conclusion, the inclusion of pistachios in a moderate-fat diet favourably affects the cardiometabolic profile in individuals with an increased risk of CVD.

Background and Purpose: Anthocyanins are phytochemicals with reported vasoactive bioactivity. However, given their instability at neutral pH, they are presumed to undergo significant degradation and subsequent biotransformation. The aim of the present study was to establish the pharmacokinetics of the metabolites of cyanidin-3-glucoside (C3G), a widely consumed dietary phytochemical with potential cardioprotective properties., Experimental Approach: A 500 mg oral bolus dose of 6,8,10,3',5'-(13)C5-C3G was fed to eight healthy male participants, followed by a 48 h collection (0, 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 6, 24, 48 h) of blood, urine and faecal samples. Samples were analysed by HPLC-ESI-MS/MS with elimination kinetics established using non-compartmental pharmacokinetic modelling., Key Results: Seventeen (13)C-labelled compounds were identified in the serum, including (13)C5-C3G, its degradation products, protocatechuic acid (PCA) and phloroglucinaldehyde (PGA), 13 metabolites of PCA and 1 metabolite derived from PGA. The maximal concentrations of the phenolic metabolites (Cmax ) ranged from 10 to 2000 nM, between 2 and 30 h (tmax) post-consumption, with half-lives of elimination observed between 0.5 and 96 h. The major phenolic metabolites identified were hippuric acid and ferulic acid, which peaked in the serum at approximately 16 and 8 h respectively., Conclusions and Implications: Anthocyanins are metabolized to a structurally diverse range of metabolites that exhibit dynamic kinetic profiles. Understanding the elimination kinetics of these metabolites is key to the design of future studies examining their utility in dietary interventions or as therapeutics for disease risk reduction., (© 2014 The Authors. British Journal of Pharmacology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of The British Pharmacological Society.)

We examined the impact of physical activity (PA) on longitudinal change in hippocampal volume in cognitively intact older adults at varying genetic risk for the sporadic form of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Hippocampal volume was measured from structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans administered at baseline and at an 18-month follow-up in 97 healthy, cognitively intact older adults. Participants were classified as High or Low PA based on a self-report questionnaire of frequency and intensity of exercise. Risk status was defined by the presence or absence of the apolipoprotein E-epsilon 4 (APOE-ε4) allele. Four subgroups were studied: Low Risk/High PA (n = 24), Low Risk/Low PA (n = 34), High Risk/High PA (n = 22), and High Risk/Low PA (n = 17). Over the 18 month follow-up interval, hippocampal volume decreased by 3% in the High Risk/Low PA group, but remained stable in the three remaining groups. No main effects or interactions between genetic risk and PA were observed in control brain regions, including the caudate, amygdala, thalamus, pre-central gyrus, caudal middle frontal gyrus, cortical white matter (WM), and total gray matter (GM). These findings suggest that PA may help to preserve hippocampal volume in individuals at increased genetic risk for AD. The protective effects of PA on hippocampal atrophy were not observed in individuals at low risk for AD. These data suggest that individuals at genetic risk for AD should be targeted for increased levels of PA as a means of reducing atrophy in a brain region critical for the formation of episodic memories.

Scope: Numerous studies feeding anthocyanin-rich foods report limited bioavailability of the parent anthocyanins. The present study explores the identity and concentration of the phenolic metabolites of anthocyanins in humans., Methods and Results: Anthocyanin metabolites were quantified in samples collected from a previously conducted 12-wk elderberry intervention study in healthy post-menopausal women. Individual 1-, 2- and 3-h post-bolus urine samples and pooled plasma samples following acute (single bolus) and chronic (12-wk supplementation) anthocyanin consumption (500 mg/day) were analysed using HPLC-ESI-MS/MS. Twenty-eight anthocyanin metabolites were identified in urine and 21 in plasma (including sulfates of vanillic, protocatechuic and benzoic acid). Phenolic metabolites reached peak concentrations of 1237 nM in plasma, while anthocyanin conjugates only reached concentrations of 34 nM. Similarly, in urine, phenolic metabolites were detected at concentrations of 33,185 ± 2549 nM/mM creatinine, while anthocyanin conjugates reached concentrations of 548 ± 219 nM/mM creatinine. There was no evidence that chronic exposure had any impact on either the profile or quantity of metabolites recovered relative to acute exposure., Conclusion: An extensive range of phenolic metabolites of anthocyanin was identified following elderberry consumption in humans, including 11 novel metabolites, which were identified at much higher concentrations than their parent compounds., (© 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Objective: Sulforaphane (SFN) has been reported to regulate signaling pathways relevant to chronic diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of SFN treatment on signaling pathways in chondrocytes and to determine whether sulforaphane could block cartilage destruction in osteoarthritis., Methods: Gene expression, histone acetylation, and signaling of the transcription factors NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and NF-κB were examined in vitro. The bovine nasal cartilage explant model and the destabilization of the medial meniscus (DMM) model of osteoarthritis in the mouse were used to assess chondroprotection at the tissue and whole-animal levels., Results: SFN inhibited cytokine-induced metalloproteinase expression in primary human articular chondrocytes and in fibroblast-like synovial cells. SFN acted independently of Nrf2 and histone deacetylase activity to regulate metalloproteinase expression in human articular chondrocytes but did mediate prolonged activation of JNK and p38 MAPK. SFN attenuated NF-κB signaling at least through inhibition of DNA binding in human articular chondrocytes, with decreased expression of several NF-κB-dependent genes. Compared with cytokines alone, SFN (10 μM) abrogated cytokine-induced destruction of bovine nasal cartilage at both the proteoglycan and collagen breakdown levels. An SFN-rich diet (3 μmoles/day SFN versus control chow) decreased the arthritis score in the DMM model of osteoarthritis in the mouse, with a concurrent block of early DMM-induced gene expression changes., Conclusion: SFN inhibits the expression of key metalloproteinases implicated in osteoarthritis, independently of Nrf2, and blocks inflammation at the level of NF-κB to protect against cartilage destruction in vitro and in vivo., (© The Authors. Arthritis & Rheumatism is published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of the American College of Rheumatology.)

Background: Evidence suggests that the consumption of anthocyanin-rich foods beneficially affects cardiovascular health; however, the absorption, distribution, metabolism, and elimination (ADME) of anthocyanin-rich foods are relatively unknown., Objective: We investigated the ADME of a (13)C5-labeled anthocyanin in humans., Design: Eight male participants consumed 500 mg isotopically labeled cyanidin-3-glucoside (6,8,10,3',5'-(13)C5-C3G). Biological samples were collected over 48 h, and (13)C and (13)C-labeled metabolite concentrations were measured by using isotope-ratio mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry., Results: The mean ± SE percentage of (13)C recovered in urine, breath, and feces was 43.9 ± 25.9% (range: 15.1-99.3% across participants). The relative bioavailability was 12.38 ± 1.38% (5.37 ± 0.67% excreted in urine and 6.91 ± 1.59% in breath). Maximum rates of (13)C elimination were achieved 30 min after ingestion (32.53 ± 14.24 μg(13)C/h), whereas (13)C-labeled metabolites peaked (maximum serum concentration: 5.97 ± 2.14 μmol/L) at 10.25 ± 4.14 h. The half-life for (13)C-labeled metabolites ranged between 12.44 ± 4.22 and 51.62 ± 22.55 h. (13)C elimination was greatest between 0 and 1 h for urine (90.30 ± 15.28 μg/h), at 6 h for breath (132.87 ± 32.23 μg/h), and between 6 and 24 h for feces (557.28 ± 247.88 μg/h), whereas the highest concentrations of (13)C-labeled metabolites were identified in urine (10.77 ± 4.52 μmol/L) and fecal samples (43.16 ± 18.00 μmol/L) collected between 6 and 24 h. Metabolites were identified as degradation products, phenolic, hippuric, phenylacetic, and phenylpropenoic acids., Conclusion: Anthocyanins are more bioavailable than previously perceived, and their metabolites are present in the circulation for ≤48 h after ingestion. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01106729.