6‐Dihydroparadol,a Ginger Constituent,Enhances Cholesterol Efflux from THP‐1‐Derived Macrophages

1 Scope

Ginger is reported to be used for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Cholesterol efflux from macrophage foam cells is an important process in reverse cholesterol transport, whose increase may help to prevent or treat CVD. In this study, we investigated the effects of 6‐dihydroparadol from ginger on macrophage cholesterol efflux.

2 Methods and results

We show that 6‐dihydroparadol concentration‐dependently enhances both apolipoprotein A1‐ and human plasma–mediated cholesterol efflux from cholesterol‐loaded THP‐1‐derived macrophages using macrophage cholesterol efflux assay. 6‐Dihydroparadol increases protein levels of both ATP‐binding cassette transporters A1 and G1 (ATP‐binding cassette transporter A1 [ABCA1] and ATP‐binding cassette transporter G1 [ABCG1]) according to Western blot analysis. The ABCA1 inhibitor probucol completely abolishes 6‐dihydroparadol‐enhanced cholesterol efflux. Furthermore, increased ABCA1 protein levels in the presence of 6‐dihydroparadol were associated with both increased ABCA1 mRNA levels and increased ABCA1 protein stability. Enhanced ABCG1 protein levels were only associated with increased protein stability. Increased ABCA1 protein stability appeared to be the result of a reduced proteasomal degradation of the transporter in the presence of 6‐dihydroparadol.

3 Conclusion

We identified 6‐dihydroparadol from ginger as a novel promoter of cholesterol efflux from macrophages that increases both ABCA1 and ABCG1 protein abundance. This newly identified bioactivity might contribute to the antiatherogenic effects of ginger.     

Accurate determination of hexanal in beef bouillons by headspace solid‐phase microextraction gas‐chromatography mass‐spectrometry

Lipid oxidation has great impact on the quality of food products through flavor and taste deterioration, reduction in nutritive value, and potential toxicity of the oxidized food components. Flavor and taste deterioration can be easily perceived and it represents one of the major causes of consumer complaints in the food industry. The deterioration of sensory properties is due to the decomposition products of hydroperoxides that easily isomerize and degrade into volatile compounds. Volatile products are responsible for flavor and taste deterioration. In this study, we present the development of the solid‐phase microextraction gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry (SPME‐GC‐MS) technique to quantify low amounts (μg/g range) of secondary oxidation products, i.e. hexanal. The optimization of SPME parameters is a difficult task because of the possibility of further formation of volatile products during analysis. Different parameters such as type of fiber, exposure time of the fiber to the sample headspace and the optimal temperature of absorption have also been investigated. The complete validation of the method was achieved by the determination of linearity, limits of detection and quantification and repeatability. We demonstrated that the SPME method is a valuable tool for the quantification of low amounts of secondary oxidation products such as hexanal. Therefore, this technique can be used to detect early formation of volatiles.     

Pulsatile Jet Cleaning of Filter Cloths Contaminated with Yeast Cells

The cleaning of filter cloths is necessary to avoid prolonged system downtime and strong fouling. Reliable cleaning concepts are central to the removal of residues from the complex surface of filter cloths. Particle residues, in particular, play a decisive role in the sufficiency of the cleaning performance. Consequently, enhanced particle‐removal cleaning concepts based on pulsatile jets for filter cloths have been developed. By varying the cleaning parameters, it has been demonstrated that increased pulse numbers and velocities improve the cleaning performance. Furthermore, this promising cleaning concept cleaned more effectively than conventional methods. The reduction in the amount of detergent needed is an ecological and economic advantage of pulsatile cleaning.     

Radio‐opaque fecal impaction and pseudo‐occlusion in a dialyzed patient taking lanthanum carbonate

Lanthanum therapy is an efficient therapy of hyperphosphoremia by chelating phosphore in the digestive tract. Lanthanum is a silvery white metallic element that belongs to group 3 of the periodic table. This drug is lightly absorbed and has low water solubility. It should be borne in mind that abdominal X‐rays of patients taking lanthanum carbonate may have a radio‐opaque appearance typical of imaging agents. This characteristic is suggested to confirm adherence of the patient by doing an abdominal X‐ray. We describe in our case a particular good compliant patient with slow digestive transit, which ends by pseudo‐occlusion.     

Iridium complexes incorporating coumarin moiety as catalyst photoinitiators: Towards household green LED bulb and halogen lamp irradiation

Household LED bulbs and halogen lamps are used to promote the ring-opening photopolymerization of epoxides in the presence of a new series of iridium(III) complexes (IrCs) exhibiting enhanced visible light absorption properties through the introduction of a coumarin moiety. These latter complexes are used as catalyst photoinitiators in an oxidative cycle in combination with a silane and an iodonium salt. Remarkably, even under the selected very soft irradiations (e.g. light intensity lower than 2 mW/cm²), excellent polymerization profiles are obtained (conversions > 80%). The mechanisms are investigated by ESR and luminescence experiments.     

Increasing Role of Targeted Immunotherapies in the Treatment of AML

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is the most common acute leukemia in adults. The standard of care in medically and physically fit patients is intensive induction therapy. The majority of these intensively treated patients achieve a complete remission. However, a high number of these patients will experience relapse. In patients older than 60 years, the results are even worse. Therefore, new therapeutic approaches are desperately needed. One promising approach in high-risk leukemia to prevent relapse is the induction of the immune system simultaneously or after reduction of the initial tumor burden. Different immunotherapeutic approaches such as allogenic stem cell transplantation or donor lymphocyte infusions are already standard therapies, but other options for AML treatment are in the pipeline. Moreover, the therapeutic landscape in AML is rapidly changing, and in the last years, a number of immunogenic targets structures eligible for specific therapy, risk assessment or evaluation of disease course were determined. For example, leukemia-associated antigens (LAA) showed to be critical as biomarkers of disease state and survival, as well as markers of minimal residual disease (MRD). Yet many mechanisms and properties are still insufficiently understood, which also represents a great potential for this form of therapy. Therefore, targeted therapy as immunotherapy could turn into an efficient tool to clear residual disease, improve the outcome of AML patients and reduce the relapse risk. In this review, established but also emerging immunotherapeutic approaches for AML patients will be discussed.