Wancui Xie

Bio: Wancui Xie is an academic researcher from Qingdao University of Science and Technology. The author has contributed to research in topics: CREB & Neuroprotection. The author has an hindex of 1, co-authored 6 publications receiving 16 citations.

EPA-enriched ethanolamine plasmalogen and EPA-enriched phosphatidylethanolamine enhance BDNF/TrkB/CREB signaling and inhibit neuronal apoptosis in vitro and in vivo

Abstract: Our previous study showed that EPA-enriched ethanolamine plasmalogen (EPA-pPE) exerted more significant effects than EPA-enriched phosphatidylethanolamine (EPA-PE) in improving learning and memory deficit. However, the results of the mechanism study were not consistent with the improved cognitive function, which suggested that other signaling pathways might be involved. In the present study, primary cultured hippocampal neurons and cognitive deficiency rats were used to compare the effects of EPA-pPE and EPA-PE on brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)/tropomyosin receptor kinase B (TrkB)/cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) signaling and neuronal apoptosis. The in vitro experiment showed that both EPA-pPE and EPA-PE could relieve cell death and improve the cellular morphology of neurons via upregulating anti-apoptotic proteins and downregulating pro-apoptotic proteins. The in vivo experiment showed that EPA-pPE exerted more significant effects than EPA-PE in improving the number of neuronal Nissl bodies, increasing the branching of dendrites and dendritic spine density in cortical neurons, as well as improving the expression of synaptic vesicle-related proteins synaptophysin (SYN) and PSD95 via BDNF/TrkB/CREB signaling. These results indicated that EPA-pPE exerted neuroprotection at least partly through inhibiting neuronal apoptosis and enhancing the BDNF/TrkB/CREB pathway, which suggests that EPA-enriched plasmalogen can be explored as a potential therapeutic agent in long-term Alzheimer's disease therapy.

Orally Administered DHA Enriched Phospholipids and DHA Enriched Triglyceride Relief Oxidative Stress, Improve Intestinal Barrier, Modulate Inflammatory Cytokine and Gut Microbiota, and Meliorate Inflammatory Responses in the Brain in DSS-Induced Colitis in Mice.

Abstract: Scope Studies based on DHA/EPA supplementation in animal models of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) revealed controversial results. We speculated different forms of DHA may explain the controversial results. Therefore, we compared the effects of DHA enriched phospholipids (DHA-PL) and DHA enriched triglyceride (DHA-TG) on IBD. Method and results Male C57BL6/J mice were given DHA-PL and DHA-TG for 14 consecutive days, and received ad libitum a 3.0% dextran sodium sulfate solution on the 8th day to establish IBD model. The results showed that both DHA-PL and DHA-TG could reverse the colitis pathological process by decreasing the disease activity indexes (DAI), raising the colon length, suppressing the intestinal permeability, suppressing the oxidative stress, down-regulating pro-inflammatory factors, up-regulating anti-inflammatory factor in colon tissues. DHA-PL and DHA-TG also regulated the composition of gut microbiota via decreasing of the abundance Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes, and DHA-TG increased the abundance of Odoribacter. Importantly, DHA-PL and DHA-TG obviously attenuated the activation of microglia. Conclusions DHA-PL showed outstanding advantages in regulating oxidative stress, inflammatory responses and intestinal barrier permeability. The current research indicated that the existence of DHA affected the improvement, DHA in phospholipid form could be a more effective choice for nutritional intervention to prevent and treat colitis. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Protein oxidation results in textural changes in sea cucumber (Apostichopus japonicus) during tenderization

Abstract: Low-temperature tenderization is an important aspect in the processing of sea cucumber. Oxidative reactions induce protein aggregation or degradation during thermal treatment. However, whether protein oxidation occurs in sea cucumber during tenderization is unclear. Moreover, the effects of heat treatment on the protein structure in sea cucumber have not been well explored. In this study, Apostichopus japonicus body wall (AJBW) were tenderized at 37 °C and changes in the protein microstructure of AJBW and the relative indicators of oxidative reactions, including carbonyl, sulfhydryl, and amino constituents, were investigated. The findings indicated that the collagen fibers were depolymerized and the maximum denaturation temperature of collagen was significantly reduced after tenderization, suggesting that this process induced structural changes in collagen fibers. Furthermore, amino acid side-chain modifications and the formation of an unstable secondary and tertiary conformation indicated oxidation of the water-soluble proteins. The findings revealed that tenderization of AJBW caused the destruction of the collagen fiber structure and resulted in protein oxidation and degradation. Therefore, our study lays the foundation for subsequent research for determining the mechanism of tenderization.

Virgibacillus sp. SK37 and Staphylococcus nepalensis JS11 as potential starters to improve taste of shrimp paste

Abstract: The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of halophilic bacteria, including Virgibacillus sp. ZV10-1, Virgibacillus sp. SK37, and Staphylococcus nepalensis JS11 as starters on physicochemical, sensory, and taste properties of rapidly-fermented shrimp paste. Halophilic bacteria reduced moisture and total volatile basic nitrogen content and increased the pH and amino acid nitrogen content of shrimp pastes. Higher levels of total organic acids (484.47 ± 10.40 mg/100 g) were detected in sample inoculated with S. nepalensis JS11. Assessment of sensory parameters indicated that the three-bacteria compound inoculation group improved taste of shrimp paste effectively and contained the highest level of free amino acids (8930.25 ± 3.51 mg/100 g) and equivalent umami concentration (EUC) (960.32 g MSG/100 g). Furthermore, partial least squares regression analysis demonstrated that rapidly-fermented shrimp pastes were associated with sweetness, umami, color, texture, and overall liking attributes, which were related to the presence of tartaric acid, malic acid, GMP, Glu, Asp, Arg and Thr. Thus, this study highlights the potential of Virgibacillus sp. SK37 and S. nepalensis JS11 for the production of rapidly-fermented shrimp paste with improved taste profiles.

Apoptotic Pathways and Alzheimer's Disease: Probing Therapeutic Potential.

Abstract: Apoptosis is an intrinsic biochemical, cellular process that regulates cell death and is crucial for cell survival, cellular homeostasis, and maintaining the optimum functional status. Apoptosis in a predetermined and programmed manner regulates several molecular events, including cell turnover, embryonic development, and immune system functions but may be the exclusive contributor to several disorders, including neurodegenerative manifestations, when it functions in an aberrant and disorganized manner. Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a fatal, chronic neurodegenerative disorder where apoptosis has a compelling and divergent role. The well-characterized pathological features of AD, including extracellular plaques of amyloid-beta, intracellular hyperphosphorylated tangles of tau protein (NFTs), inflammation, mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, and excitotoxic cell death, also instigate an abnormal apoptotic cascade in susceptible brain regions (cerebral cortex, hippocampus). The apoptotic players in these regions affect cellular organelles (mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum), interact with trophic factors, and several pathways, including PI3K/AKT, JNK, MAPK, mTOR signalling. This dysregulated apoptotic cascade end with an abnormal neuronal loss which is a primary event that may precede the other events of AD progression and correlates well with the degree of dementia. The present review provides insight into the diverse and versatile apoptotic mechanisms that are indispensable for neuronal survival and constitute an integral part of the pathological progression of AD. Identification of potential targets (restoring apoptotic and antiapoptotic balance, caspases, TRADD, RIPK1, FADD, TNFα, etc.) may be valuable and advantageous to decide the fate of neurons and to develop potential therapeutics for treatment of AD.

Plasmalogen-Based Liquid Crystalline Multiphase Structures Involving Docosapentaenoyl Derivatives Inspired by Biological Cubic Membranes

Abstract: Structural properties of plasmenyl-glycerophospholipids (plasmalogens) have been scarcely studied for plasmalogens with long polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) chains, despite of their significance for the organization and functions of the cellular membranes. Elaboration of supramolecular assemblies involving PUFA-chain plasmalogens in nanostructured mixtures with lyotropic lipids may accelerate the development of nanomedicines for certain severe pathologies (e.g. peroxisomal disorders, cardiometabolic impairments, and neurodegenerative Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases). Here we investigate the spontaneous self-assembly of bioinspired, custom-produced docosapentaenoyl (DPA) plasmenyl (ether) and ester phospholipids in aqueous environment (pH 7) by synchrotron small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and cryogenic transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM). A coexistence of a liquid crystalline primitive cubic Im3m phase and an inverted hexagonal (HII) phase is observed for the DPA-ethanolamine plasmalogen (C16:1p-22:5n6 PE) derivative. A double diamond cubic Pn3m phase is formed in mixed assemblies of the phosphoethanolamine plasmalogen (C16:1p-22:5n6 PE) and monoolein (MO), whereas a coexistence of cubic and lamellar liquid crystalline phases is established for the DPA-plasmenyl phosphocholine (C16:1p-22:5n6 PC)/MO mixture at ambient temperature. The DPA-diacyl phosphoinositol (22:5n6-22:5n6 PI) ester lipid displays a propensity for a lamellar phase formation. Double membrane vesicles and multilamellar onion topologies with inhomogeneous distribution of interfacial curvature are formed upon incorporation of the phosphoethanolamine plasmalogen (C16:1p-22:5n6 PE) into dioleoylphosphocholine (DOPC) bilayers. Nanoparticulate formulations of plasmalogen-loaded cubosomes, hexosomes, and various multiphase cubosome- and hexosome-derived architectures and mixed type nano-objects (e.g. oil droplet-embedding vesicles or core-shell particles with soft corona) are produced with PUFA-chain phospholipids and lipophilic antioxidant-containing membrane compositions that are characterized by synchrotron SAXS and cryo-TEM imaging. The obtained multiphase nanostructures reflect the changes in the membrane curvature induced by the inclusion of DPA-based phosphoethanolamine (PE) and phosphocholine (PC) plasmalogens, as well as DPA-phosphoinositol (PI) ester derivative, and open new opportunities for exploration of these bioinspired nanoassemblies.