DHA-Induced Perturbation of Human Serum Metabolome. Role of the Food Matrix and Co-Administration of Oat β-glucan and Anthocyanins

Abstract

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) has been reported to have a positive impact on many diet-related disease risks, including metabolic syndrome. Although many DHA-enriched foods have been marketed, the impact of different food matrices on the effect of DHA is unknown. As well, the possibility to enhance DHA effectiveness through the co-administration of other bioactives has seldom been considered. We evaluated DHA effects on the serum metabolome administered to volunteers at risk of metabolic syndrome as an ingredient of three different foods. Foods were enriched with DHA alone or in combination with oat beta-glucan or anthocyanins and were administered to volunteers for 4 weeks. Serum samples collected at the beginning and end of the trial were analysed by NMR-based metabolomics. Multivariate and univariate statistical analyses were used to characterize modifications in the serum metabolome and to evaluate bioactive-bioactive and bioactive-food matrix interactions. DHA administration induces metabolome perturbation that is influenced by the food matrix and the co-presence of other bioactives. In particular, when co-administered with oat beta-glucan, DHA induces a strong rearrangement in the lipoprotein profile of the subjects. The observed modifications are consistent with clinical results and indicate that metabolomics represents a possible strategy to choose the most appropriate food matrices for bioactive enrichment.

Metabolomics to Assess Response to Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Patients with Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer

“…Conversely, short chain fatty acids propionate and butyrate, as well as lysine and nicotinic acid were significantly associated with long-term beneficial effects [37]. Moreover, MS-based metabolomic analysis in serum samples has also recently been used as a tool to investigate metabolic alterations in response to immune checkpoint blockade in advanced melanoma and renal cell carcinoma patients treated with nivolumab (17). In this setting, an increase in serum kynurenine/tryptophan ratio was identified as an adaptive resistance mechanism associated with worse overall survival [38].…”

“…The human metabolome is composed by several thousands of small molecules produced by the organism and by its microflora, as well as deriving from environmental factors [16]. It is a dynamic entity that may change as a result of lifestyle, stress and, most importantly, onset of pathologies and medical treatment [17][18][19][20][21][22]. In the field of oncology, metabolomics has shown potential for early diagnosis, prognosis, individual monitoring and drug therapy design [23][24][25].…”

Effects of Probiotics Administration on Human Metabolic Phenotype

“…[ 34 ]. So-called bioactive food also impacts the human metabolome [ 35 ]. The influence of gut microbiota on the metabotype is particularly strong in the case of urine [ 36 , 37 ].…”

Co-Administration of Propionate or Protocatechuic Acid Does Not Affect DHA-Specific Transcriptional Effects on Lipid Metabolism in Cultured Hepatic Cells

“…The herein reported study was conducted within the PATHWAY-27 EU project, in which the main objective was the formulation of food enriched with DHA, alone or in combination with oat β-glucan (source of PRO) and anthocyanins (source of PCA), and the validation of their effectiveness in the counteraction of MetS. PATHWAY-27 also included a pilot intervention study [ 47 , 48 ] and a larger intervention study (unpublished data). In the pilot study, DHA administration induced a metabolome perturbation that was influenced by the co-presence of the other bioactives [ 41 ], and both intervention trials evidenced that food enriched with DHA plus oat β-glucan or DHA plus anthocyanins offer a promising food-based strategy for MetS prevention.…”