The coronavirus-disease 2019 (COVID-19) was announced as a global pandemic by the World Health Organization. Challenges arise concerning how to optimally support the immune system in the general population, especially under self-confinement. An optimal immune response depends on an adequate diet and nutrition in order to keep infection at bay. For example, sufficient protein intake is crucial for optimal antibody production. Low micronutrient status, such as of vitamin A or zinc, has been associated with increased infection risk. Frequently, poor nutrient status is associated with inflammation and oxidative stress, which in turn can impact the immune system. Dietary constituents with especially high anti-inflammatory and antioxidant capacity include vitamin C, vitamin E, and phytochemicals such as carotenoids and polyphenols. Several of these can interact with transcription factors such as NF-kB and Nrf-2, related to anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, respectively. Vitamin D in particular may perturb viral cellular infection via interacting with cell entry receptors (angiotensin converting enzyme 2), ACE2. Dietary fiber, fermented by the gut microbiota into short-chain fatty acids, has also been shown to produce anti-inflammatory effects. In this review, we highlight the importance of an optimal status of relevant nutrients to effectively reduce inflammation and oxidative stress, thereby strengthening the immune system during the COVID-19 crisis.

Strengthening the Immune System and Reducing Inflammation and Oxidative Stress through Diet and Nutrition: Considerations during the COVID-19 Crisis.

Research Section Analysis of 200 food items for benzo[a]pyrene and estimation of its intake ίη an epidemiologic study* Ν. Kazerouni a,c,*, R. Sinha a, Che-Han Hsu b,l, Α. Greenberg b,2, Ν. Rothman a "Divi8ion οι CαncCl' Epiden1iology αnd Genetic8, ΝαΙίοnαl Cαncer In8titute, ΝαΙίοnαl Ιn8ιίΙιιΙα ο/' Heαlth, Eχeωtίve ΡΙαΖα South, RIl1 7033, 6120 Execι;tivc Blvd, Rockvillc, MD 20892, USA bDepαrtIl1ent οjΈnvίrοnΙl1entαl SciencC8, Cook c.Όllege, RLifger8 υnίνCI'8ίΙΥ, Nell' Bnln8\vicl(, NJ 08903, USA CDeΡαι'Ιn1ent οι ΡΓeνenιίve Medicine αnd BiOlneuiC8, Unij(JΓmed Scγvice8 υnίνcγ8ίΙγ οjΊlιe ΗeαΙιl1 S(:ienC'e8, 4301 Jone8 BI'i,!ge Roαd, BethC8dα, MD 20814-4799, USA Accepted 1 October 2000 Animal stιιdies have shown that dietary intake of benzo[α]pyrene (BaP), a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (ΡΑΗ), canses increased levels of tumors at several sites, particιιlarly ίη the upper gastrointestinal tract. However, the role of dietary intake of BaP and cancer ίη humans is not clear. We CIeated a BaP database of selected food products that could be lίnl(ed to Food Frequency Qnestionnaires (FFQs) to estimate BaP intake. BaP levels were measnred for each food line-item (composite samples) which consisted of a variety of foods ίη a FFQ. Composite sample parts were derived from the Second National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES Π) which represents the most common food items consumed by the general popιιlation. Meat samples were cooked by different techniqnes ίn controlled conditions, and by varions restanrants and fast-food chains. Non-meat products were purchased from the major national supermarket chains. The qnantities of BaP were measnred using a thin-Iayer chromatography (TLC)/spectrofluorometer technique and were highly coaelated with both BaP (radius = 0.99) and sum of carcinogenic ΡΑΗ (1'=0.98) measured by HPLC technique. We lίnl(ed ΟΙΙΓ database to the results from a FFQ and estimated the daily BaP intal<e of varions food items ίη 228 snbjects ίn the Washington, DC metropolitan area. The highest levels of BaP (ιιρ to abont 4 ng BaP/g of cooked meat) were found ίη grilled/barbecued very well done steaks and hamburgers and ίη grilled/barbecued well done chicken with skin. BaP concentrations were lower ίη meats that were grilled/barbecued to medium done and ίη all broiled ΟΓ pan-fried meat samples regardless of doneness level. The BaP levels ίn non-meat items were generally low. However, certain cereals and greens (e.g. I<ale, collard greens) had levels ιιρ to 0.5 ng/g. Ιη our population, the bread/cereal/grain, and grilled/barbecued meat, respectively, contributed 29 and 21 Ρeιτent to the mean daily intal(e of BaP. This database may be helpful ίη initial attempts to assess dietary BaP exposnres ίn stιιdies of cancer etiology. Pnblished by Elsevier Science Ltd. Κcγ\VΟΓds: Po!ycyc!ic aromatic hydrocarbons; Benzo[α]pyrene; Meat; Pork; Chicken; Seafood; Vegetab!es; Fruit; Grains; Fat; Sweets; Pan-fry; Oven-broi1; Gri11; Barbecue; Carcinogenic; Food frequency questionnaire; Cancer AbbI'eviαtion8: ΒαΡ, benzo[α]pyrene; FFQ, Food Frequency Questionnaire; HCA, heterocyc1ic amine(s); ΡΑΗ, p01ycyc1ic aromatic hydrocaΓbοn(s); HHHQ, Hca!th Habits and ΗίstΟΓΥ QιιcstίοnnaίΓC; ng, nanοgΓanι; NHANES ΙΙ, Sccond Nationa! Hca!th and NιιtΓίΙίon Examination Survey; TLC, thin !ayer chromatography; THEES, Tota! Ηηmαη Exposure to Environmenta! Substances. The opinions ΟΓ assertions contained herein are the private ones ο[ the author and are ηοΙ Ιο be constrned as officia! ΟΓ reflecting the views ο[ the United States Department of Defense ΟΓ the Uniforιned Services University of the Health Sciences. * COΓrcsponding aιιthΟΓ. Tcl.: + 1301-594-7296; fax: + 1301-496-1854. E-ιnαil α(/drc8s: kazeroun@exchange.nih.gov (Ν. Kazerouni). \ CLIncnt addΓCSS: DCΡaΓtmcnt ofHospita! and Hca!th CaΓC ΑdnιίnίstΓatίοn, Chnng-Tai Institιιtc ofHca!th Scicnccs and Tcchno!ogy, 11, Po-tzc Lane, Τα1ωn, Taichung, 40605, Taiwan, ROC. 2 Cnrrent address: Department ο[ Chemistry, University ο[ New Hampshire, Dnrham, ΝΗ 03824, USA. 0278-6915/01/$ scc front mattcJ' Pnblishcd by EIscvicJ' Scicncc Ltd. ΡΙΙ: S0278-6915(00)00158-7

/pdf/analysis-of-200-food-items-for-benzo-a-pyrene-andestimation-489ucs4d1d.pdf

Analysis of 200 food items for benzo[a]pyrene andestimation of its intake ίη an epidemiologic study

Maize is a staple food source in the world, whose ancient varieties or landraces are receiving a growing attention. In this work, two Italian maize cultivars with pigmented kernels and one inbred line were investigated for untargeted phenolic profile, in vitro antioxidant capacity and resistance to Fusarium verticillioides infection. “Rostrato Rosso” was the richest in anthocyanins whilst phenolic acids were the second class in abundance, with comparable values detected between cultivars. Tyrosol equivalents were also the highest in “Rostrato Rosso” (822.4 mg kg-1). Coherently, “Rostrato Rosso” was highly resistant to fungal penetration and diffusion. These preliminary finding might help in breeding programs, aiming to develop maize lines being more resistant to infections and with improved nutraceutical value.

/pdf/phenolic-profile-and-susceptibility-to-fusarium-infection-of-4ix160321f.pdf

Phenolic Profile and Susceptibility to Fusarium Infection of Pigmented Maize Cultivars.

Meat: The balance between nutrition and health. A review

There are different types of nutritionally mediated oxidative stress sources that trigger inflammation. Much information indicates that high intakes of macronutrients can promote oxidative stress and subsequently contribute to inflammation via nuclear factor-kappa B- (NF-κB-) mediated cell signaling pathways. Dietary carbohydrates, animal-based proteins, and fats are important to highlight here because they may contribute to the long-term consequences of nutritionally mediated inflammation. Oxidative stress is a central player of metabolic ailments associated with high-carbohydrate and animal-based protein diets and excessive fat consumption. Obesity has become an epidemic and represents the major risk factor for several chronic diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and cancer. However, the molecular mechanisms of nutritionally mediated oxidative stress are complex and poorly understood. Therefore, this review aimed to explore how dietary choices exacerbate or dampen the oxidative stress and inflammation. We also discussed the implications of oxidative stress in the adipocyte and glucose metabolism and obesity-associated noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). Taken together, a better understanding of the role of oxidative stress in obesity and the development of obesity-related NCDs would provide a useful approach. This is because oxidative stress can be mediated by both extrinsic and intrinsic factors, hence providing a plausible means for the prevention of metabolic disorders.

/pdf/nutrients-and-oxidative-stress-friend-or-foe-ynrgntrggs.pdf

Nutrients and Oxidative Stress: Friend or Foe?

Metabolites are substances that are formed within our bodies that help us live and grow. Examples include glucose and vitamin D. When changes happen in our bodies, like when we get sick, these metabolites can change. By studying metabolite changes, using a method called metabolomics, we can learn a lot about diseases, what causes them, and how to avoid them. We know that eating foods like fish, fruits, and vegetables is healthy. Eating too much red and processed meat, however, increases our chances of developing certain types of cancer. Unfortunately, we still do not understand why that is. It could be that there are unhealthy, toxic elements or substances in the meat itself or that there are toxic metabolites formed during or after the digestion of red and processed meat. To find out, we must journey into the gut, using metabolomics!

/pdf/are-red-and-processed-meats-bad-for-our-health-ct8ozyf8.pdf

Are Red and Processed Meats Bad For Our Health?

Several studies have demonstrated that the consumption of red and processed meat can contribute to the risk of colorectal cancer. One of the hypotheses for the causal mechanism is that red and processed meat stimulate the formation of Nnitroso compounds (NOCs) in the gut. NOCs are able to alkylate and thus alter the composition of cellular DNA. It has already been reported that feces of volunteers on a high red meat diet contains high levels of NOCs. Furthermore, the occurrence of O-CMG, a NOC-specific DNA adduct in colonic cells in vivo, has also been confirmed. In our previous work we demonstrated that the formation of O-CMG specifically occurs in the colon and depends on the individual microbiota. In the present study we aimed to screen the colonic microbiota of 15 healthy volunteers for their ability to produce OCMG in in vitro digestions of meats. The production of O-CMG was monitored by means of UHPLCMS/MS. We found that O-CMG adduct formation in digesta of different meats is indeed possible, but is very much reflected by the individual microbiota of volunteers. In general, a higher formation of OCMG was observed for red meat, which proved significant for individuals but not throughout the entire test survey.

https://biblio.ugent.be/publication/4343558/file/4345594.pdf

Does digestion of red meat cause more procarcinogenic DNA adducts in healthy subjects as opposed to white meat

In recent years, feces has surfaced as the matrix of choice for investigating the gut microbiome-health axis because of its non-invasive sampling and the unique reflection it offers of an individual's lifestyle. In cohort studies where the number of samples required is large, but availability is scarce, a clear need exists for high-throughput analyses. Such analyses should combine a wide physicochemical range of molecules with a minimal amount of sample and resources and downstream data processing workflows that are as automated and time efficient as possible. We present a dual fecal extraction and ultra high performance liquid chromatography-high resolution-quadrupole-orbitrap-mass spectrometry (UHPLC-HR-Q-Orbitrap-MS)-based workflow that enables widely targeted and untargeted metabolome and lipidome analysis. A total of 836 in-house standards were analyzed, of which 360 metabolites and 132 lipids were consequently detected in feces. Their targeted profiling was validated successfully with respect to repeatability (78% CV < 20%), reproducibility (82% CV < 20%), and linearity (81% R2 > 0.9), while also enabling holistic untargeted fingerprinting (15,319 features, CV < 30%). To automate targeted processing, we optimized an R-based targeted peak extraction (TaPEx) algorithm relying on a database comprising retention time and mass-to-charge ratio (360 metabolites and 132 lipids), with batch-specific quality control curation. The latter was benchmarked toward vendor-specific targeted and untargeted software and our isotopologue parameter optimization/XCMS-based untargeted pipeline in LifeLines Deep cohort samples (n = 97). TaPEx clearly outperformed the untargeted approaches (81.3 vs 56.7-66.0% compounds detected). Finally, our novel dual fecal metabolomics-lipidomics-TaPEx method was successfully applied to Flemish Gut Flora Project cohort (n = 292) samples, leading to a sample-to-result time reduction of 60%.

Lieselot Hemeryck

Papers

Are Red and Processed Meats Bad For Our Health?

Does digestion of red meat cause more procarcinogenic DNA adducts in healthy subjects as opposed to white meat

Dual UHPLC-HRMS Metabolomics and Lipidomics and Automated Data Processing Workflow for Comprehensive High-Throughput Gut Phenotyping.