Project description:The very low-calorie ketogenic diet (VLCKD) has emerged as an effective weight loss strategy for obese patients. It significantly reduces visceral adipose tissue (VAT), which is cardinal for mitigating metabolic complications associated with obesity. By promoting rapid weight loss, VLCKD helps to decrease insulin resistance and alleviate inflammation. Chronic liver inflammation can progress to severe conditions like non-alcoholic steatohepatitis and fibrosis, potentially resulting in liver failure and hepatocellular carcinoma. Transient elastography (FibroScan) is a known technique for assessing hepatic steatosis, with FIB E levels below 8kPa indicating low fibrosis risk (LR), while levels above 8kPa suggest a higher risk of chronic liver disease (IHR). Prevention of fibrosis includes lifestyle changes such as a healthy diet and increased physical activity. Traditional low-calorie diets often fail to achieve significant weight loss; hence, the very low-calorie ketogenic diet (VLCKD) is proposed as an effective strategy to decrease VAT and insulin resistance. Recent studies indicate extracellular vesicles (EVs), particularly small EVs (sEVs), play a crucial role in liver fibrosis by activating hepatic stellate cells. Our group identified that sEVs, to be involved in liver degeneration binded to the fibrosis. The aim of this study is to investigate the role of sEVs in 60 obese adults classified as LR and IHR based on FIB E score, enrolled in an 8-week VLCKD weight loss program. Remarkably, the cellular reactivity to sEVs derived from these patients in the early production and modulation of certain fibrosis markers, such as MMPs, and stress fibres Vimentin, and α-Actin was studied.
Project description:Metaproteomics is a valuable approach to characterize the biological functions involved in the gut microbiota (GM) response to dietary interventions. Ketogenic diets (KDs) are very effective in controlling seizure severity and frequency in drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE) and in the weight loss management in obese/overweight individuals. This case study provides proof of concept for the suitability of metaproteomics to monitor changes in taxonomic and functional GM features in an individual on a short-term very low-calorie ketogenic diet (VLCKD, 4 weeks), followed by a low-calorie diet (LCD). A marked increase in Akkermansia and Pseudomonadota was observed during VLCKD and reversed after the partial reintroduction of carbohydrates (LCD), in agreement with the results of previous metagenomic studies. In functional terms, the relative increase in Akkermansia was associated with an increased production of proteins involved in response to stress and biosynthesis of gamma-aminobutyric acid. In addition, VLCKD caused a relative increase in enzymes involved in the synthesis of the beta-ketoacid acetoacetate and of the ketogenic amino acid leucine. Our data support the potential of fecal metaproteomics to investigate the GM-dependent effect of KD as a therapeutic option in obese/overweight individuals and DRE patients.
Project description:Compared to whole serum miRNAs, miRNAs in serum small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) are well protected form RNA enzymes, thus provide a consistent source of miRNA for disease biomarker detection. Serum sEVs and their miRNA cargos released by injured liver cells could be promising biomarkers for diagnosis of liver diseases. We were very interested to find out the effects of liver injury on serum extracellular vesicles as well as the small RNA components they transported, if there is any difference between acute and chronic injury. Study in this regard will help us to identify new serum biomarkers for liver injury, and to find out if there are specific markers for acute or chronic liver injury. To identify potential biomarker for liver injury based on serum sEVs miRNAs, we established the carbon tetrachloride (CCL4) induced acute and chronic liver injury mice model, and examined the dynamic changes of small RNA components, especially miRNAs, in serum sEVs.
Project description:The present study investigates the transcriptomic profiles of small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) isolated from the liver tissues of mice at different ages to understand the role of sEVs in aging and lipid metabolism. We hypothesize that age-related changes in sEVs could reflect alterations in cellular communication and contribute to the development of age-associated diseases. Through a comprehensive analysis of miRNA expression, we aim to identify biomarkers and potential therapeutic targets for liver aging and metabolic disorders. The study involved the extraction and characterization of sEVs from the liver tissues of mice at various ages.The age distribution and corresponding numbers of mice included 10 mice at 1 week (1 W), 5 mice at 6 weeks (6 W), 5 mice at 6 months (6 M), 5 mice at 12 months (12 M), and 5 mice at 14 months (14 M). Transcriptome analysis was performed to identify differentially expressed miRNAs.
Project description:Experiment aimed at understanding the compositional changes of small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) derived from cells grown under hyperthermic conditions. Human embryonic kidney (HEK293) cells were cultured 48 h under normal conditions (37°C/140 rpm/5% CO2) before being subjected to a 72 h, 40°C temperature shift. sEVs were then isolated from the supernatant via tangential flow filtration (TFF) and size exclusion chromatography (SEC)
Project description:Aim: To find out the effects of small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) from short-term activated and long-term activated hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) on Kupffer cells (KCs) and bone marrow-derived monocytes (MOs). Methods: For the isolation of HSC-derived sEVs, culture media (CMs) from Day 0 to Day 3 and Day 7 to Day 14 were collected. The sEVs from Day 0 to Day 3 HSC CMs were referred to as short-term activated HSC-sEVs (3dHSC-sEVs), and those from Day 7 to Day 14 HSC CMs were referred to as long-term activated HSC-sEVs (14dHSC-sEVs). Purified primary rat KCs and MOs were cocultured with 3dHSC- or 14dHSC-sEVs for 48 h. HSC-sEVs cocultured KCs or MOs were lysed in TRIzol (Life Technologies) for RNA sample preparation at the indicated time points.
Project description:Aims: To obtain small non-coding RNA expression profiles of short-term activated and long-term activated hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). To obtain small non-coding RNA expression profiles of small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) from short-term activated and long-term activated HSCs. Methods: Primary rat HSCs were isolated and cultured in vitro. To isolate HSC-derived sEVs, culture media (CMs) from Day 0 to Day 3 and Day 7 to Day 14 were collected. The sEVs from Day 0 to Day 3 HSC CMs were referred to as short-term activated HSC-sEVs (3dHSC-sEVs), and those from Day 7 to Day 14 HSC CMs were referred to as long-term activated HSC-sEVs (14dHSC-sEVs). Day 3 HSCs, Day 14 HSCs, and HSC-sEVs were collected and lysed in TRIzol (Life Technologies) for RNA sample preparation at the indicated time points.
Project description:Adipocytes are a major source of secreted small extracellular vesicles (sEVs), which carry various cargo including small non-coding RNAs (smRNAs) and miRNAs to distal cells. Several miRNAs have been implicated in obesity and insulin resistance, and since they function like adipokines, we sought to assess whether insulin can regulate their secretion into sEVs from adipocytes.
Project description:To assess inflammation associated gene expression in endothelial cells mediated by small extracellular vesicles (sEVs), HUVECs were treated for 8hrs with plasma-Evs isolated from polytrauma patients 4 and 24hrs after trauma and healthy probands.
Project description:Small extracellular vesicles (sEVs)-derived circular RNAs (circRNAs) could regulate gene expression in recipient cells, and dysregulation of sEVs-derived circRNAs has been implicated in several diseases. However, the expression and function of sEVs-derived circRNAs in coronary atherosclerosis (CAD) remain unknown. In this study, we investigated global changes in the expression patterns of circRNAs in sEVs from coronary atherosclerosis-related monocytes.