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- Cheng, Liqin, et al.
(author)
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The protective role of commensal gut microbes and their metabolites against bacterial pathogens
- 2024
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In: Gut microbes. - : Taylor & Francis. - 1949-0976 .- 1949-0984. ; 16:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Multidrug-resistant microorganisms have become a major public health concern around the world. The gut microbiome is a gold mine for bioactive compounds that protect the human body from pathogens. We used a multi-omics approach that integrated whole-genome sequencing (WGS) of 74 commensal gut microbiome isolates with metabolome analysis to discover their metabolic interaction with Salmonella and other antibiotic-resistant pathogens. We evaluated differences in the functional potential of these selected isolates based on WGS annotation profiles. Furthermore, the top altered metabolites in co-culture supernatants of selected commensal gut microbiome isolates were identified including a series of dipeptides and examined for their ability to prevent the growth of various antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Our results provide compelling evidence that the gut microbiome produces metabolites, including the compound class of dipeptides that can potentially be applied for anti-infection medication, especially against antibiotic-resistant pathogens. Our established pipeline for the discovery and validation of bioactive metabolites from the gut microbiome as novel candidates for multidrug-resistant infections represents a new avenue for the discovery of antimicrobial lead structures.
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2. |
- Mauri, Davide, et al.
(author)
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Facing internet fake-medicine and web para-pharmacy in the total absence of official recommendations from medical societies
- 2019
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In: Journal of B.U.ON. : official journal of the Balkan Union of Oncology. - : BAKIS Productions LTD. - 2241-6293. ; 24:4, s. 1314-1325
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- PURPOSE: Internet fake information, parapharmacy and counterfeit drugs are a market of hundreds of billion dollars. Misleading internet data decrease patients' compliance to medical care, promote use of questionable and detrimental practices, and jeopardize patient outcome. This is particularly harmful among cancer patients, especially when pain and nutritional aspects are considered. Provision of Web recommendations for the general audience (patients, relatives, general population) from official medical-providers might be useful to outweigh the detrimental internet information produced by non-medical providers.METHODS: 370 oncology and anesthesiology related societies were analyzed. Our objective was to evaluate the magnitude of web-recommendation for cancer cachexia and cancer pain for the general audience provided by official medical organizations' web sites at global level.RESULTS: Magnitude of web-recommendations at global level was surprisingly scant both for coverage and consistency. Seven official medical societies provided updated web-recommendation for cancer cachexia to their patients/family members, and 15 for cancer pain. Scantiness was unrelated by continent, developmental index, oncology tradition, economic-geographic area and society type scrutinized.CONCLUSIONS: Patients need expert advice when exposed to fake internet information largely dominated by paramedical market profits. In this era of "new media" the patients' net-education represents a new major educational challenge for medical societies.
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3. |
- Tsiara, Ioanna, et al.
(author)
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Immobilized Enzymes on Magnetic Beads for Separate Mass Spectrometric Investigation of Human Phase II Metabolite Classes
- 2023
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In: Analytical Chemistry. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 0003-2700 .- 1520-6882. ; 95:33, s. 12565-12571
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The human body hasevolved to remove xenobiotics through a multistepclearance process. Non-endogenous metabolites are converted througha series of phase I and different phase II enzymes into compoundswith higher hydrophilicity. These compounds are important for diverseresearch fields such as toxicology, nutrition, biomarker discovery,doping control, and microbiome metabolism. One of the challenges inthese research fields has been the investigation of the two majorphase II modifications, sulfation and glucuronidation, and the correspondingunconjugated aglycon independently. We have now developed a new methodologyutilizing an immobilized arylsulfatase and an immobilized & beta;-glucuronidaseto magnetic beads for treatment of human urine samples. The enzymeactivities remained the same compared to the enzyme in solution. Theseparate mass spectrometric investigation of each metabolite classin a single sample was successfully applied to obtain the dietaryglucuronidation and sulfation profile of 116 compounds. Our new chemicalbiology strategy provides a new tool for the investigation of metabolitesin biological samples with the potential for broad-scale applicationin metabolomics, nutrition, and microbiome studies.
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4. |
- Vallianatou, Theodosia, et al.
(author)
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Identification of New Ketamine Metabolites and Their Detailed Distribution in the Mammalian Brain
- 2024
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In: ACS Chemical Neuroscience. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 1948-7193. ; 15:7, s. 1335-1341
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Ketamine is a common anesthetic used in human and veterinary medicine. This drug has recently received increased medical and scientific attention due to its indications for neurological diseases. Despite being applied for decades, ketamine's entire metabolism and pharmacological profile have not been elucidated yet. Therefore, insights into the metabolism and brain distribution are important toward identification of neurological effects. Herein, we have investigated ketamine and its metabolites in the pig brain, cerebrospinal fluid, and plasma using mass spectrometric and metabolomics analysis. We discovered previously unknown metabolites and validated their chemical structures. Our comprehensive analysis of the brain distribution of ketamine and 30 metabolites describes significant regional differences detected mainly for phase II metabolites. Elevated levels of these metabolites were identified in brain regions linked to clearance through the cerebrospinal fluid. This study provides the foundation for multidisciplinary studies of ketamine metabolism and the elucidation of neurological effects by ketamine.
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