Exopolysaccharides (EPSs) produced by microorganisms have attracted interest as bioactive biopolymers, yet their roles in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) remain incompletely understood. Here, we prepared an EPS-rich fraction from Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis MG741 (EPS-BL) by ethanol precipitation and dialysis, characterized its major molecular features, and evaluated its prebiotic and barrier-supporting activities in vitro and in a high-fat diet (HFD)-induced MASLD mouse model. EPS-BL was a mannose-dominant carbohydrate-rich preparation (219.38 mg/g mannose; weight-average molecular weight, 58.3 kDa) that also contained substantial protein, and should therefore be interpreted as a minimally processed EPS-rich material rather than a fully purified polysaccharide. In vitro, EPS-BL promoted the growth of L. plantarum and L. rhamnosus and upregulated mucin-related genes (MUC2 and MUC5AC) in LS174T goblet cells. In vivo, oral administration of EPS-BL (5 or 20 mg/kg, 8 weeks) reduced weight gain and fat mass, improved glucose-related indices, lowered circulating endotoxin, and ameliorated colonic and hepatic abnormalities in HFD-fed mice. EPS-BL also attenuated hepatic triglyceride accumulation, accompanied by suppression of lipogenesis-related proteins. Targeted metabolomics revealed coordinated shifts in serum and fecal metabolites associated with metabolic dysfunction biomarkers. Overall, EPS-BL mitigates HFD-induced MASLD in association with reinforcement of the gut barrier and modulation of the gut-liver metabolic axis, supporting its potential as a functional prebiotic ingredient.

Hypertension is a hallmark of vascular aging; however, the epigenetic link between biological aging and blood pressure remains unclear. This epigenome-wide association study of hypertension examined 1528 Korean adults (896 normotensive, 632 hypertensive) from the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study using the Illumina MethylationEPIC 850K array. Overall, 53 differentially methylated positions and 10 differentially methylated regions were identified, with the top region mapping to HIVEP3, an NF-kappaB signaling inhibitor. Among the twelve hallmarks of aging, only chronic inflammation showed nominal enrichment (OR = 23.13, P = 0.045); this signal was driven solely by HIVEP3 and did not retain significance after accounting for multiple hallmarks. All five epigenetic clocks spanning three generations were significantly associated with hypertension, and DunedinPACE showed the strongest statistical significance (per-standard-deviation OR = 1.51, P = 1.3 × 10−8). Statistical mediation analysis revealed that all five clocks were consistent with mediating the age–hypertension association, with PC-GrimAge showing the largest proportion (62.2

Sodium intake is well recognized for its contribution to hypertension, but growing evidence suggests broader metabolic effects, particularly among individuals with obesity who are vulnerable to metabolic disturbances. This study investigated the cross-sectional associations between habitual sodium intake and metabolic diseases and related markers using baseline data from a prospective cohort of Korean adults with obesity. Participants with obesity (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2) and at least one metabolic condition were recruited from Severance Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea. Sodium intake was assessed using a food frequency questionnaire, and associations with diabetes, dyslipidemia, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease were evaluated using multivariable regression models. Mean differences in metabolic markers across sodium tertiles were examined using analysis of covariance with sex stratification. Of the 633 individuals enrolled, 487 with obesity were included in the final analysis after excluding non-obese participants and those with implausible energy intake. No statistically significant associations were observed between sodium intake and the prevalence of type 2 diabetes, dyslipidemia, hypertension, or cardiovascular disease. In sex-stratified biomarker analyses, LDL-C, non-HDL-C, CRI-I, and CRI-II differed across sodium tertiles among women, whereas no such differences were observed in men. In Korean adults with obesity and pre-existing metabolic conditions, increasing sodium intake was not significantly associated with higher prevalence of major metabolic diseases. In exploratory sex-stratified analyses, several atherogenic lipid markers differed across sodium intake tertiles among women only. This within-women pattern should be regarded as hypothesis-generating and requires confirmation in future longitudinal analyses of this cohort.

The personalized food industry aims to maintain health and prevent disease through nutritional solutions optimized for individuals' health status and lifestyle. As interest in personalized nutrition grows globally, Asia represents a strategically important hub where traditional medicinal plant knowledge is being translated into natural product-based personalized food innovations. This study analyzed patent filing trends in Asia to examine the development and growth stages of personalized food technologies. Patent databases were searched to identify patents related to natural product-based personalized foods filed in Asia. Of 761 patents identified, 368 were extracted as relevant valid data and categorized by technology field and applicant country. Patent applications began increasing in the mid-2000s, with a marked acceleration since 2015, indicating that the technology is in an early growth stage. Korea (43%) and China (31%) led filing activity. Dietary analysis patents accounted for 79% of valid patents, while food composition patents comprised 21%. This growth is driven by advances in personalized diet information utilizing biometrics and artificial intelligence-based health care technologies. Personalized food technology is currently in a growth phase and is expected to continue expanding.

Obesogenic diets induce systemic and gut luminal metabolic perturbations, but whether these alterations occur in parallel across biospecimens remains unclear. In particular, the extent to which high-fat diet (HFD) and Western diet (WD) produce shared or compartment-specific metabolic responses in circulation and feces has not been systematically compared. In this study, targeted LC-MS/MS-based metabolite profiling was performed using serum and fecal samples from mice fed a normal diet (ND), HFD, or WD. Serum samples were analyzed at the individual-animal level, whereas fecal samples were analyzed as cage-level pooled specimens and interpreted as exploratory. Group differences were assessed using non-parametric statistics with Benjamini-Hochberg false discovery rate correction, followed by cross-compartment comparison of HFD-versus-ND and WD-versus-ND directional changes among metabolites detected in both matrices. In serum, obesogenic diets were associated with significant alterations in branched-chain amino acid-related metabolites, phenylalanine, serotonin, butyrylcarnitine, and taurocholic acid. In exploratory fecal metabolomics, significant diet-associated differences were observed mainly in amino acid-related metabolites, cholic acid, and 3-indolepropionic acid. Cross-compartment comparison of HFD-versus-ND and WD-versus-ND responses showed that several amino acid-related metabolites, including valine, leucine, and phenylalanine, were decreased in serum but increased in feces. WD also showed fecal bile acid- and indole-related changes in the exploratory fecal dataset under the present conditions. These findings suggest that HFD and WD are associated with distinct and compartment-specific metabolic remodeling across circulating and luminal compartments and support the value of multi-compartment metabolomics in studies of diet-associated metabolic dysfunction.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE:Paeonia lactiflora Pall. Has been widely used in East Asian traditional medicine for the treatment of inflammatory disorders and muscle-related conditions. Albiflorin, a monoterpene glycoside derived from this herb, is considered one of its principal bioactive constituents; however, its potential role in skeletal muscle atrophy has not been fully elucidated. AIM OF THE STUDY:This study aimed to investigate the protective effects of albiflorin against dexamethasone-induced muscle atrophy and to elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms. MATERIALS AND METHODS:The anti-atrophic effects of albiflorin were evaluated in differentiated C2C12 myotubes and a dexamethasone-induced mouse model. Cell viability, myotube morphology, and expression of muscle atrophy-related and myogenic regulatory factors were analyzed. In vivo, body weight, grip strength, muscle thickness, histological changes, and serum biochemical parameters were assessed. RESULTS:Albiflorin significantly attenuated dexamethasone-induced cytotoxicity and myotube atrophy in C2C12 cells. It suppressed the expression of muscle-specific E3 ubiquitin ligases MuRF1 and MAFbx and increased Akt phosphorylation, while enhancing the expression of myogenic markers including MyoD and Myogenin. In the mouse model, albiflorin preserved body weight, grip strength, and gastrocnemius muscle thickness, increased muscle fiber cross-sectional area and density, and improved serum biochemical markers, including AST, ALT, and lactate dehydrogenase, along with partial restoration of insulin-like growth factor-1. CONCLUSION:Albiflorin exerts protective effects against dexamethasone-induced muscle atrophy by suppressing catabolic signaling and promoting myogenic differentiation. These findings provide experimental evidence supporting the traditional use of Paeonia lactiflora in muscle-related conditions and suggest its potential relevance in the management of muscle wasting disorders.

Objectives:This study examined the validity and reproducibility of a newly developed 129-item semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) for Korean adults with obesity. Methods:Ninety-seven Korean adults aged 19-64 years with obesity participated. To assess validity, FFQ estimates were compared with 4 seasonal sets of 3-day dietary records (3DRs). Reproducibility was assessed by administering the FFQ twice, as FFQ1 and FFQ2. Agreement was evaluated using quartile cross-classification, weighted kappa statistics, and crude and energy-adjusted Spearman correlation coefficients. Bland-Altman plots evaluated individual-level agreement. Nutrient and food-group intakes were compared between FFQ1 and FFQ2. Results:The FFQ demonstrated modest relative validity for ranking individuals. Compared with mean 3DR values, same-or-adjacent quartile agreement for energy and 10 nutrients ranged from 68.0% to 82.5%, and crude correlation coefficients ranged from 0.30 to 0.56. Averaging FFQ1 and FFQ2 improved validity metrics, including the energy-adjusted correlation for sugar intake (r=0.54). Bland-Altman plots showed relatively small mean differences for most nutrients, although the limits of agreement were wide and flavonoid intake was generally overestimated. Reproducibility was good, with same-or-adjacent quartile agreement of 81.4% to 90.7% between FFQ1 and FFQ2 and nutrient correlation coefficients of 0.50 to 0.69. Similar consistency was observed for food and dish categories. Conclusion:The tailored 129-item FFQ for Korean adults with obesity showed modest validity for ranking individuals and good reproducibility. Although caution is needed when estimating precise absolute intake at the individual level, this FFQ may support epidemiological studies of diet, obesity, and related chronic diseases in Korean adults.

With the advancement of multiomics technologies and cohort study designs, integrative omics research is increasingly applied to human health and nutrition. However, optimal storage and preprocessing of labile biological samples, particularly feces, remain challenging. In this study, we systematically evaluated three normalization methods—wet weight, dry weight, and protein quantification—for quantitative metabolomic profiling of fecal samples, using 41 metabolites. Fresh fecal samples from three healthy individuals showed high reproducibility, with 24 metabolites exhibiting a coefficient of variation (CV) below 30 for both wet and dry weight normalization. Fecal samples from 20 obese patients collected using the OMNIgene·GUT kit demonstrated improved reproducibility with wet weight normalization (20 metabolites, CV < 30) and protein quantification normalization (19 metabolites, CV < 30), whereas dry weight normalization yielded no metabolites meeting the CV < 30 criterion. Direct analysis of the kit solution without a drying step further enhanced chromatographic clarity, highlighting practical considerations for large-scale studies. Overall, wet weight normalization consistently minimized variation across sample types, providing a robust and standardized framework for fecal metabolite profiling. These findings demonstrate that the OMNIgene·GUT kit is compatible with broad-spectrum metabolomic analyses and support its integration into multiomics workflows. By establishing reproducible normalization protocols, this study provides the foundation for accurate, comparable, and scalable fecal metabolomics in both clinical and nutritional research settings.

Phyllanthus emblica is widely used in Ayurvedic preparations against multiple disorders and contains various bioactive components. This study aimed to determine the preventive effect of P. emblica on obesity by evaluating the inhibition of adipogenesis and the related regulatory epigenetic mechanisms during 3T3-L1 differentiation. The ethyl acetate fraction of P. emblica (EFPE) effectively inhibited lipid accumulation and triglyceride (TG) production in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. It also inhibited histone acetyltransferase (HAT) activity and regulated Pcaf-specific H3K9 acetylation and the expression of adipogenesis-related genes during adipocyte differentiation. Phenolic compounds were the main components of EFPE, of which gallic acid (GA) exhibited the strongest inhibitory effect on lipid accumulation and TG production. Notably, GA effectively regulated adipogenesis-mediated gene expression through H3K9 acetylation. These findings, along with the experiment results, suggest that EFPE containing GA is a potent agent for preventing obesity by regulating H3K9 acetylation.

Identifying informative features in bioinformatics is challenging due to their small proportion within large datasets. We propose a scalable and interpretable feature selection framework for cancer RNA-seq by transforming non-image bio-data into 2D formats and applying convolutional neural networks (CNNs) with transfer learning for efficient classification. Explainable artificial intelligence (XAI) techniques identify and prioritize important features, while principal component analysis (PCA) determines the optimal number of selected features, ensuring transparency and reliability. Comparative analysis of CNN and XAI highlights the effectiveness of our approach, providing a robust framework for high-dimensional genomic data analysis with applications in cancer diagnosis and prognosis.

Insulin resistance (IR) is a key component of type 2 diabetes mellitus and other metabolic disorders. Persistent hyperglycemia impairs insulin signaling and mitochondrial function, thereby contributing to IR progression. Ginsenoside Rf (G-Rf), a bioactive component of Panax ginseng (ginseng), possesses various pharmacological properties. However, its role in glucose metabolism under IR conditions remains largely unexplored. High-glucose and insulin treatment was used to induce IR in AML12 hepatocytes. G-Rf cytotoxicity was assessed using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium assays. Glucose metabolism was evaluated by measuring glucose consumption and Glut2 expression. Western blot analysis and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction were used to analyze the key proteins in the IRS1/PI3K/Akt and PPARα/PGC1α signaling pathways. Mitochondrial function was assessed through mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) quantification and intracellular adenosine triphosphate (ATP) measurements. In parallel, liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS) analysis was conducted to quantify the G-Rf content in mature and sprouted ginseng. No cytotoxicity was observed at G-Rf concentrations up to 10 µM. G-Rf treatment significantly improved glucose uptake and Glut2 expression in IR-AML12 cells and restored IRS1 phosphorylation, PI3K expression, and activation of downstream Akt/GSK-3β signaling, promoting glycogen synthesis. Moreover, it upregulated PPARα and PGC1α expression and increased mtDNA content and ATP production, indicating improved mitochondrial function. LC–MS/MS analysis revealed that mature and sprouted ginseng contained G-Rf, with higher concentrations in underground parts. Importantly, substantial G-Rf levels were found in the edible aerial parts of sprouted ginseng. G-Rf improves glucose metabolism in IR hepatocytes by activating the IRS1/PI3K/Akt and PPARα/PGC1α signaling pathways and enhancing mitochondrial function. Thus, G-Rf is a promising candidate for the dietary or therapeutic management of IR. Furthermore, sprouted ginseng may serve as a sustainable source of G-Rf, supporting its application as a functional food.

Background:The increase in obesity is becoming a world-wide health issue. However, no prospective cohorts in East Asia have thoroughly explored comprehensive nutritional and multiomic data in individuals with obesity. This study is designed to establish an obesity cohort that constitutes clinical characteristics, nutritional status, laboratory profiles, metabolic complication studies, and multiomic profiles with the goal of artificial intelligence platform-based nutriomic analysis. Methods:This study aims to enroll at least 400 obese adults (aged ≥ 19 years; body mass index ≥ 25 kg/m2) and 100 non-obese adults as controls. Obese participants have to have at least one of the following chronic metabolic diseases: hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, and metabolic syndrome. Participants will undergo assessment for demographic data, clinical, lifestyle, and dietary assessments, laboratory examination, coronary calcium/visceral fat scan, liver fibroscan, carotid ultrasound, and continuous glucose monitoring. Metabolite analysis will be conducted for blood/stool/urine/saliva samples. Deoxyribonucleic acid methylation analysis, peptidomic analysis, and lipidomic analysis will be performed on blood samples. Obese individuals will have annual study visits for collection of clinical measures and multiomics data over a 5-year period. Control individuals will have a baseline hospital visit with annual telephone follow-up for clinical event monitoring. Conclusions:The strength of this cohort will be as follows. First, the cohort will enable the integration of nutritional intake data with other multiomics data for a comprehensive analysis. Second, inclusion of both obese individuals with various metabolic traits and non-obese individuals as controls is advantageous for studying a wide range of obesity phenotypes in comparison with non-obese conditions. Third, diverse modalities to assess metabolic and complication status will facilitate multifaceted analysis. Lastly, beyond the typical blood and stool samples in multiomic studies, the inclusion of urine, saliva, and skin samples will further refine obesity characterization.

Obesity is a risk factor for metabolic syndrome and is related to other diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer. Fucoidan has been shown to exert potential anti-obesity effects. Hence, the present study systematically reviewed recent articles on the anti-obesity effects of fucoidan intake in obese animal models. The PubMed, Web of Science, and ScienceDirect databases were searched for relevant articles. Sixty-nine articles were identified from the initial literature search. Among them, 17 articles were selected for data extraction. The methodological quality was evaluated using the SYRCLE RoB tool, and the R software was used to perform a meta-analysis. The outcomes of the meta-analysis were alterations in body weight, blood lipid profiles (triglycerides [TG], total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol [LDL-C]), obesity-related hormones (adiponectin, leptin), and inflammation markers (tumor necrosis factor-alpha [TNF- α]). The meta-analysis indicated that fucoidan intake significantly reduced body weight (standardized mean difference [95% confidence interval]: −2.44 [−3.17, −1.72]), TG (−2.83 [−3.49, −2.17]), TC (−4.39 [−5.83, −2.96]), LDL-C (−2.91 [−3.97, −1.84]), and leptin (−5.71 [−8.01, −3.40]) compared with the control. Moreover, fucoidan intake was associated with significant improvement in adiponectin (5.09 [3.23, 6.96]), leptin (−5.71 [−8.01, −3.40]), and TNF-α levels (−2.97 [−4.07, −1.87]). Subgroup analyses of the outcomes, including sources, intervention type, duration, molecular size, and dose, were performed. Fucoidan supplementation was sufficiently effective in preventing obesity at concentrations above 50 mg/kg, intervention duration of <12 weeks, and low-molecular size (<10 kDa). Therefore, fucoidan supplementation has the potential to prevent obesity.

AIMS:While depressive symptoms are common during menopausal transition, the relationship between the two remains unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the longitudinal changes in depressive symptoms among middle-aged Korean women and identify those with elevated and worsening symptoms during this period. METHODS:A total of 1,178 participants who underwent comprehensive health examinations at Kangbuk Samsung Hospital in Korea were followed for a median of 10.8 years (IQR, 9.2-11.6; maximum, 12.7), including all women who reached natural menopause during follow-up, with only data prior to HRT initiation included. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), and menopausal stages were classified according to the STRAW + 10 criteria and final menstrual period (FMP). Linear mixed-effects models and group-based trajectory modelling (GBTM) were applied to evaluate longitudinal changes in depressive symptoms and to identify distinct trajectories in the severity and stability of depressive symptoms. RESULTS:The age-adjusted prevalence of CES-D ≥ 16 was 11.0%, 11.5%, 11.2% and 12.4%, with corresponding mean scores of 6.7, 6.6, 6.9 and 7.1 across stages. After adjusting for time-varying age and covariates, menopausal stage transitions were not significantly associated with higher levels of depressive symptoms, whether analysed as continuous or binary variables. For binary CES-D (≥16), the estimated coefficients (95% CI) were 0.10 (-0.20 to 0.41) for early transition, 0.09 (-0.21 to 0.39) for late transition and 0.26 (-0.09 to 0.61) for post-menopause. Similarly, time relative to the FMP (-11 to +9 years) showed no significant association with depressive symptoms. GBTM identified three distinct trajectories: most participants (75.5%) maintained consistently low depressive symptoms throughout the transition, whereas 5.8% showed worsening symptoms. Poor sleep quality (OR 5.83, 95% CI 3.25 to 10.45) and moderate-to-severe vasomotor symptoms (OR 2.95, 95% CI 1.30 to 6.70) were significantly associated with the worsening trajectory. Suicidal ideation was higher in this group (45.4% at baseline, increasing to 70.5% at follow-up). CONCLUSIONS:Most women maintained low depressive symptoms during the menopausal transition; however, a subset experienced worsening symptoms linked to menopause-related physical symptoms. Medical visits for menopause-related symptoms may provide opportunities for screening depressive symptoms in higher-risk women, though the screening effectiveness requires further evaluation.

Phellodendri cortex (PC), the dried trunk bark of Phellodendron amurense RUPR, has traditionally been used to treat patients who suffer from gastroenteritis, abdominal pain or diarrhea. Its major bioactive compounds include alkaloids and limonin, and many physiological activities including anti-microbial, anti-ulcer and anti-cancer as well as anti-inflammation have been reported. Although PC is an effective anti-inflammatory natural substance that inhibits the inflammatory response, its effect on allergic asthma has not yet been investigated. The aim of this study was to evaluate the anti-asthmatic effects of PC in an ovalbumin (OVA)-induced murine model of asthma. As a result, PC inhibited airway eosinophil accumulation, the influx of inflammatory cells, airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR), production of Th2 cytokines (IL-4, IL-5 and IL-13) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and/or lung, as well as OVA-specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) in the serum. Furthermore, PC suppressed the gene expression of IL-4, IL-5, IL-13, TARC and CCR3, and attenuated unique histological changes that are associated with airway inflammatory reactions including the infiltration of various inflammatory cells, collagen deposition and goblet cell hyperplasia in lung tissues. These results indicate that PC may have preventive and/or therapeutic effects for allergic asthma via the inhibition of cytokines, chemokines and chemokine receptors associated with allergic inflammation.

This study examined whether the relationship between exercise and depressive symptoms varied by exercise type. It also explored how the duration of the training period and the weekly time spent on each exercise type were associated with depressive symptoms. Data from 19,112 participants in nationwide Korean cohorts were analyzed. Based on their participation in regular exercise, participants were divided into the following groups: “never-exercise,” “leisure-time walking (performing at usual pace),” and “structured exercise.” The structured exercise group was further classified into “aerobic exercise,” “resistance exercise,” and “sports.” The training period and weekly exercise time for each group were analyzed to determine the optimal training level of exercise associated with a lower risk of depressive symptoms. Multiple logistic regression models were used to estimate this risk. Compared with the never-exercise group, leisure-time walking, aerobic exercise, resistance exercise, and sports were associated with 19

Obesity and abdominal obesity contribute to significant metabolic health risks through distinct pathophysiological mechanisms. We conducted an epigenome-wide association study to identify differential DNA methylation patterns associated with body mass index (BMI)-defined and abdominal obesity and explore their relationships with dietary intake among Korean adults (n = 1,526). We identified 23 and 1931 DMPs associated with abdominal obesity and severe BMI-defined obesity, respectively, with four CpG sites common to both phenotypes. The most significant associations were at cg10323433 and cg10501210 in serotonin receptor 2 A (HTR2A) for abdominal obesity (Δβ = -0.023) and BMI-defined obesity (Δβ = -0.021), respectively. Most DMPs (> 75%) exhibited hypomethylation in obesity with progressive changes correlating with obesity severity. Hierarchical clustering revealed distinct dietary associations: WHR-related DMPs correlated with traditional fermented foods, whereas BMI-related DMPs showed stronger associations with fruit consumption. Sites with hypomethylation in obesity consistently demonstrated positive correlations with fat intake but negative correlations with carbohydrates. The distinct associations between methylation patterns and dietary components suggest that different foods may influence epigenetic modifications that are specific to overall adiposity or fat distribution, providing potential targets for nutritional interventions to modify obesity-related epigenetic signatures.

This study aimed to examine the association between relative handgrip strength (rHGS) and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) incidence, considering abdominal obesity (ABO) status. This nationwide Korean cohort included 24,297 participants without NAFLD at baseline. Participants were categorized into sex-specific tertiles of rHGS (low, mid, and high). Multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to evaluate NAFLD incidence in relation to rHGS levels and/or ABO status. Over 100,381 person-years of follow-up, 1,735 participants (10.81% men and 6.01% women) developed NAFLD. High rHGS was associated with a 29% and 60% risk reduction for incident NAFLD in men and women, respectively, compared with low rHGS, despite men having significantly higher rHGS than women. Conversely, ABO increased NAFLD risk by 2.3 and 3.8 times in men and women, respectively. Even among women with ABO, mid and high rHGS were associated with a 23% and 36% risk reduction in incident NAFLD, respectively, compared with low rHGS. However, there was no significant relationship between rHGS levels and NAFLD incidence in men with ABO. Higher rHGS levels may prevent NAFLD, particularly in women. In individuals with ABO, high rHGS markedly decreased NAFLD risk in women but not in men.

SCOPE:Insulin resistance (IR), which causes chronic hyperglycemia, has been one of the most prevalent components of metabolic syndrome over the centuries. Pennogenin 3-O-β-chacotrioside (P3C), the main steroid glycoside derived from Paris polyphylla, has been found to exert various biological activities. However, the exact role of P3C on glucose metabolism in the IR state remains unexplored. METHODS AND RESULTS:To induce IR, AML12 cells were exposed to glucose (27 mM) and insulin (10 µg/mL) and then incubated with P3C (0.25 or 0.5 µM) for 24 h. The effects of P3C on glucose metabolism in insulin-resistant AML12 cells were evaluated through glucose consumption assays, real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), Western blotting, and metabolic analysis for extracellular acidification rate (ECAR) and oxygen consumption rate (OCR). Our data showed that P3C significantly improved insulin sensitivity in AML12 hepatocytes with high glucose-induced IR. P3C stimulated insulin sensitivity and glucose uptake by activating the IRS/PI3K/Akt signaling pathway, which enhances glycogen synthesis and suppresses gluconeogenesis in insulin-resistant AML12 cells. In addition, P3C treatment increased the protein expression of p-AMPK and PGC1α, as well as the expression of oxidative phosphorylation complex proteins, potentially enhancing mitochondrial oxidative respiration. CONCLUSIONS:Our findings imply that P3C could be a therapeutic option for improving metabolic abnormalities associated with IR.

Abstract Unbalanced carbohydrate diets are linked to metabolic disorders; however, there is limited information on the role of gut microbiota. We explored differences in mice gut microbiota and metabolic phenotypes resulting from diets with different carbohydrate sources. To investigate the metabolic dysfunction and mechanism of the wheat flour and starch on metabolic disorders, we analyzed the changes of phenotype and biomarkers in rice and wheat flour diet in C57BL/6 mice (specific pathogen‐free) and fecal transplantation from antibiotic‐treated or germ‐free (GF) mice model. Rice‐fed mice presented normal metabolic reactions, whereas wheat‐fed mice exhibited increased body weight, insulin resistance, serum triglycerides, and fasting glucose levels. Wheat starch‐fed mice displayed lower fecal microbiota alpha diversity, with a reduced abundance of Bacteroidetes, than high‐fat diet (HFD)‐fed and chow‐fed mice. Fecal transplantation from antibiotic‐treated or GF mice revealed that metabolic disruption induced by wheat diet feeding was mediated through gut microbiota and stearoyl‐CoA desaturase 1 (SCD1) signaling in the colon. Taken together, wheat‐based diets induce gut microbiota alterations, causing obesity and metabolic diseases through molecular activity linked to colonic SCD1. Therefore, colonic SCD1 could be a therapeutic target for patients with metabolic diseases who consume high‐carbohydrate diets.