Comparative analysis of RBC membrane fatty acids, proteins and glycophorin in patients with heterozygous beta thalassemia and iron deficiency anemia

Membrane lipid and protein composition was compared in erythrocytes from iron deficiency anemia (IDA) and heterozygous beta thalassemia patients. The study was planned to correlate the influence of iron deficiency with the intrinsic defect of the heterozygous condition on the membrane structural integrity as well as to investigate whether there are differences in membrane changes between the two conditions. Results indicate high levels of saturated fatty acids and low unsaturated fatty acids in both disorders although arachidonic acid and the unsaturation index were lower in heterozygous thalassemia than IDA. Nevertheless, neither of the conditions provoked any alterations in membrane protein or glycophorin suggesting alterations in the lipid moiety only. Present findings indicate that irrespective to the etiology, both, iron deficiency and the heterozygous condition show a common pattern of lipid derangement, which may in turn result in increased membrane rigidity and decreased cellular deformability.     

Characteristics of faecal bacterial flora and volatile fatty acids in Min pig,Landrace pig,and Yorkshire pig

BackgroundIn order to study the influence of long-term growth process and evolution environment on intestinal bacteria of different breeds, the intestinal bacteria and volatile fatty acids among the faeces of Min, Landrace and Yorkshire pigs were analysed by Illumina high-throughput sequencing of the 16S-rDNA and gas chromatography.ResultsThe shared core microbiota of Landrace, Yorkshire and Min pig were 1273, accounting for 69.56% of total abundance of organisms. The proportion of Firmicutes in Min pig faeces (57.89%) was significantly higher than that in Landrace and Yorkshire pig faeces (47.01% and 46.40%, respectively) (P < 0.05), but that of Bacteroidetes was exactly opposite. Moreover, Min pig presented more highly efficient membrane transport, environmental adaptation, carbohydrate transport, and metabolism than Yorkshire pig (P < 0.05). The acetic acid/total volatile fatty acid ratio in Min pig was significantly higher than that in Landrace pig (P < 0.05), and the isobutyric acid/ total volatile fatty acid ratio in Min pig was significantly larger than that in Yorkshire pig (P < 0.05). Furthermore, the content of branched chain volatile fatty acids in Min pig was significantly higher than that in Yorkshire pig (P < 0.05).ConclusionsThis study demonstrated that Min pig, as an excellent breed in the cold area of China, possessed special intestinal floral structure compared to the imported pigs in order to satisfy their physiological and metabolic demands, which may influence their characteristics such as resistance to cold, diseases, and crude feeding, and the ability to deposit intramuscular fat.How to cite: Yang Y, Sun C, Li F, et al. Characteristics of faecal bacterial flora and volatile fatty acids in Min pig, Landrace pig, and Yorkshire pig. Electron J Biotechnol 2021;53. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejbt.2021.05.002     

Effect of low-dose omega-3 fatty acids substitution on blood pressure, hyperinsulinemia and dyslipidemia in Indians with essential hypertension: A pilot study

The present study comprised 100 patients of essential hypertension who were screened for fasting hyperinsulinemia, which was detected in 77% cases. Twenty such hyperinsulinemic cases were subjected to 4 weeks of dietary control phase followed by 6 weeks of omega-3 fatty acids substitution [either 0.6 g/d (group 1) or 1.2 g/d (group 2)]. The mean basal fasting plasma insulin levels were significantly higher (p<0.001) in patients of hypertension when compared to normal controls (126.51±80.36 and 19.35±12.61 μU/ml respectively). At the end of 4 weeks of diet control only, no significant change was observed in any parameter. After substitution of omega-3 fatty acid, a significant reduction of fasting plasma insulin levels in both group 1 (29%) and group 2 (22.8%) was observed (p<0.001). Significant reduction of systolic and diastolic blood pressure (16.4% and 25% respectively), serum cholesterol, triglycerides and low density lipoprotein was also noted in both groups (p<0.001), while high density lipoprotein increased by ∼8 mg% in both groups. Thus omega-3 fatty acid substituion in low dose along-with curtailment of dietary omega-6 fatty acid may be used as an adjunctive measure in the management of essential hypertension.