The potential for enhancing oleic acid (cis-18:1) and linoleic acid (18:2) content and lowering medium chain fatty acid (MCFA) content of bovine milk was investigated by abomasal infusion or dietary supplementation of oils. In experiment 1, olive oil, sesame oil, sunflower oil, or fish oil was abomasally infused (155 to 219 g/d) into Jersey cows during the last 6 d of each of four 14-d periods. In experiment 2, canola oil, olive oil, high-oleic sunflower oil, or distilled water (control) was abomasally infused (342 to 371 g/d) into three Holsteins and three Jerseys during the last 5 d of each of four 10-d periods. The intestinal digestibility and concentration of cis-18:1 and 18:2 in milk were proportional to flow of these fatty acids to the duodenum. Also, greater concentration of cis-18:1 in milk was associated with lowered yield of MCFA. During olive oil or sesame oil infusion in experiment 1, for each 100 g of cis-18:1 infused into the abomasum, milk cis-18:1 yield was increased by an average of 47 g, and MCFA yield was reduced by 42 g. The yield of 18:2 in milk was increased by approximately 46 g for each 100 g of infused 18:2 during olive oil or sesame oil infusion. Milk produced during sesame oil infusion, however, had an off-flavor when evaluated by a taste panel. In experiment 2, each 100 g of cis-18:1 infused daily increased milk cis-18:1 yield in Holsteins and Jerseys by 41 and 39 g/d, respectively, whereas recovery of infused 18:2 was 34 g/d for Jerseys and 42 g/d for Holsteins. In experiment 3, 22 Jersey cows were fed a basal diet, or the basal diet supplemented with 3.5% high-oleic canola oil, 3.5% soybean oil, or 1.75% high-oleic canola oil plus 1.75% soybean oil for 5 wk. Dietary canola oil supplementation increased conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) percentage in milk to a moderate level without raising trans-18:1 percentage, whereas feeding either supplement containing soybean oil raised both CLA and trans-18:1 percentages. Concentrations of trans-18:1 and CLA in milk apparently reflected the extent of unsaturated fatty acid biohydrogenation in the rumen. Dietary supplementation with canola oil increased yield of cis-18:1 in milk by 21 g for each 100 g of supplemental cis-18:1 intake. Yield of 18:2 in milk was raised by 3 g for each 100 g of supplemental 18:2 intake by cows fed soybean oil. Using abomasal infusion as an indicator of the maximum potential for apparent recovery of cis-18:1 in milk (39 to 49%), cis-18:1 recovery in response to supplemental cis-18:1 in the diet was approximately half of the potential response due to partial biohydrogenation in the rumen. The apparent recovery of dietary 18:2 in milk was reduced to only one-tenth of the potential yield (31 to 47%) indicated by abomasal infusion of seed oils. Results indicated that the fatty acid profile of bovine milk was altered in a manner that would be beneficial to human health when cows were fed supplemental oleic acid, but further research should focus on safe and economical methods to protect dietary unsaturated fatty acids from biohydrogenation. / Ph. D.

The overall purpose of this thesis is to understand the impact of management on commercial egg layers, whether that be environmental-related, health-related, or other possible stressors within the pullet and post-peak phases. Furthermore, the study seeks to examine what effects to performance and production these impacts may induce within a commercial layer in differing phases, specifically the pullet and post-peak phases. Chapter two explores into coccidiosis within the pullet phase, which induced by a commercial vaccine, can provide stress to a pullet, lowering protection against infection, and seriously compromising its growth and development into peak lay. Chapter three explores into the post-peak phase, a transition from a caged system of production to cage-free system of production was selected. incorporating multiple differing environmental stimuli that can induce stress. If commercial layers prove to possess the capabilities to adapt to these impacts in multiple phases, the possibility of extended production is possible.

京都大学 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(農学) / 甲第24671号 / 農博第2554号 / 新制||農||1099(附属図書館) / 学位論文||R5||N5452(農学部図書室) / 京都大学大学院農学研究科応用生命科学専攻 / (主査)教授 小川 順, 教授 阪井 康能, 教授 白井 理 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Agricultural Science / Kyoto University / DFAM

Branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) are a group of essential amino acids consisting of leucine, isoleucine, and valine. Leucine, in particular, has signaling functions affecting protein and energy metabolism. Plasma leucine concentration is positively correlated with obesity and associated metabolic disorders. We set out to test the hypothesis that metabolic dysfunction from high fat diets precedes dysfunctional BCAA metabolism. First, BCAA were supplemented to neonatal pigs for 4 weeks to evaluate whether the anabolic signaling function of leucine could increase muscle growth when fed for a longer duration than in previous studies. Neither normal pigs nor low birth weight pigs, which have naturally impaired muscle growth, grew better in response to BCAA supplementation, despite low birth weight pigs expressing less of the leucine sensing protein Sestrin2 in skeletal muscle. Furthermore, high plasma BCAA concentrations caused by the experimental diets had no effect on adiposity, liver fat accumulation, or expression of genes related to fatty acid synthesis, mitochondrial biogenesis, or energy expenditure in the pigs' livers. Having produced strong evidence that long term BCAA supplementation neither improves lean growth nor causes abnormal fat metabolism, we then tested whether fat supplementation changes BCAA metabolism. Pigs were fed milk replacer formula with either low energy (Control), or high energy from long-chain fatty acids (LCFA) or medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA) for 22 days. Although high fat diets did not increase plasma BCAA concentrations, the MCFA diet in particular caused metabolic changes which could lead to fatty liver disease and decreased oxidative BCAA disposal. Expression of fatty acid synthesizing genes were increased in the livers of pigs fed MCFA formula compared to Control and LCFA formula. Oxidation of α-ketoisocaproic acid was decreased in liver homogenate of pigs fed MCFA and LCFA formulas compared to Control. Additionally, hepatic oxidation of α-ketoisovalerate was decreased, and plasma concentration of α-ketoisovalerate was consequently increased, in pigs fed MCFA formula compared to Control, with LCFA formula causing intermediate results. In future research, it would be valuable to feed high MCFA formula for a longer period of time to determine whether nonalcoholic fatty liver disease will develop, and whether plasma BCAA concentrations will increase due to decreased oxidation. Overall, these studies concluded that long term BCAA supplementation does not increase muscle growth in neonatal pigs, but there is also no indication that they cause obesity or dysfunctional fat metabolism. On the other hand, high fat diets cause impairments in BCAA catabolism which may precede elevated plasma BCAA concentrations. / Doctor of Philosophy / Branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) are essential amino acids which are abundant in plant and animal proteins. In addition, the BCAA leucine has functions in protein and energy metabolism. Leucine consumption induces a signal to build new muscle protein. However, leucine concentration is also higher in blood plasma of obese individuals than in non-obese individuals, which has caused uncertainty regarding the safety of leucine consumption. In order to demonstrate that leucine does not cause obesity, we set out to test the hypothesis that high fat diets cause decreased breakdown of BCAA. In the first study, we tested whether one month of BCAA supplementation could increase muscle growth in neonatal pigs. Neither normal pigs nor low birth weight pigs, which have naturally impaired muscle growth, grew better in response to BCAA supplementation, despite low birth weight pigs expressing less of a leucine sensing protein in skeletal muscle. Furthermore, BCAA supplementation caused higher BCAA concentrations in blood plasma, but did not cause pigs to gain more fat, or cause any changes in liver fat metabolism. Having produced strong evidence that BCAA supplementation neither improves lean growth nor causes abnormal fat metabolism, we then tested whether fat supplementation changes BCAA metabolism. Pigs were fed milk replacer formula which was either low calorie (Control), or high calorie from animal fat, which is rich in long-chain fatty acids (LCFA) or high calorie from coconut oil, which is rich in medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA). Although high fat diets did not increase blood plasma BCAA concentrations, the MCFA formula in particular caused changes which could lead to fatty liver disease and decreased breakdown of BCAA. Genes which synthesize new fatty acids were increased in the livers of pigs fed MCFA formula compared to those fed LCFA and Control formulas. Furthermore, liver samples taken from pigs fed the MCFA and LCFA formulas were less able to fully break down metabolites of leucine compared to pigs fed the Control formula. In addition, liver samples from MCFA fed pigs were less able to fully break down metabolites of the BCAA valine, which led to higher concentrations of that metabolite in the blood plasma of pigs fed MCFA formula compared to pigs fed LCFA or Control formula. In the future, it would be valuable to feed a high MCFA formula for a longer period of time to determine whether nonalcoholic fatty liver disease will develop, and whether blood plasma BCAA concentrations will increase due to decreased breakdown. Overall, these studies concluded that long term BCAA supplementation does not increase muscle growth in neonatal pigs, but there is also no indication that they cause obesity or dysfunctional fat metabolism. On the other hand, high fat diets cause impairments in BCAA breakdown which may lead to elevated BCAA concentrations in blood plasma.

Depuis maintenant plus de 30 ans, il est reconnu qu’au début de la maladie d’Alzheimer, le cerveau utilise moins bien le glucose, son principal carburant. Cependant, ce problème énergétique précoce dans la maladie semblerait limité au glucose et ne concernerait pas un autre carburant, celui-ci dérivé des gras, les cétones. Ces dernières sont produites par le corps après un exercice physique d’intensité modérée. Leur production est également stimulée avec la prise de suppléments alimentaires à base d’huile de noix de coco, un aliment riche en triglycérides de moyennes chaînes (MCT). La capture des cétones au cerveau augmente proportionnellement à leur concentration plasmatique. Ainsi, des conditions élevant la cétonémie augmentent aussi la capture cérébrale des cétones. Par conséquent, l’élévation de l’apport en cétones pourrait constituer une approche novatrice qui permettrait de potentiellement ralentir le développement de la maladie d’Alzheimer. Notre objectif général était d’optimiser le type de supplément MCT à utiliser afin d’élever la cétonémie de manière aigüe et, en second lieu, d’employer ce dernier en combinaison avec une seconde stratégie cétogène, l’exercice physique de type aérobie (EA). Lors de la première phase de ce projet, l’effet cétogène de différents produits alimentaires dérivant de l’huile de noix de coco (acide caprylique [C8], acide caproïque [C10], mélange de MCT typique [C8+C10]) était comparé chez 9 participants jeunes sains. Des échantillons sanguins étaient récoltés toutes les 30 min pendant 8 h. Lors de la seconde phase, le potentiel cétogène de la combinaison d’EA à une supplémentation MCT était évalué chez 10 femmes âgées saines pendant 5 jours. Les cétones plasmatiques sous ces différentes conditions étaient mesurées. Lors de cette étude, le C8 était le produit le plus cétogène testé suivi du supplément C8+C10. L’huile de noix de coco n’a pas induit une cétonémie plus élevée qu’un 8 h sans MCT. De plus, l’ajout de 5 jours d’EA a potentialisé la cétonémie observée suite à la prise de MCT C8+C10 seul. Ainsi, la combinaison de stratégies cétogènes, tant au niveau de la diversité des molécules utilisées ou des stratégies cétogènes employées, permet d’augmenter la présence de cétones dans le sang. / Abstract : Brain glucose consumption deteriorates with age, a situation that worsens with the onset of Alzheimer's disease. However, this early energy problem in the disease is limited to glucose and does not affect brain ketone uptake. Ketones are the main alternative fuel for the brain when glucose concentrations are decreased. They are produced endogenously after moderate aerobic exercise (AE) or with a medium chain triglyceride (MCT) exogenous supplement. Ketone brain uptake increases in proportion to their plasma concentration. Thus, providing a daily ketogenic fuel could help support brain energy needs during aging. Our aim was to optimize the type of MCT to use in a ketogenic supplementation and to combine this supplement with another ketogenic strategy, AE. In the first phase of this project, the acute ketogenic effect of products derived from coconut oil was compared. Nine healthy adults took various MCT supplements (coconut oil, caprylic acid [C8], capric acid [C10], classic MCT mix [C8+C10]). Blood was sampled every 30 min over 8 h. In the second phase, we evaluated the acute ketogenic potential of the combination of AE and MCT supplementation. Ten healthy older women took C8+C10 MCT supplement for 5 days combined with a 5-days AE program. Automated spectrophotometric assays where used to measure plasma ketones under these different conditions. Our results show that in this 8 h experimental design, C8 was the most ketogenic MCT followed by C8+C10. Coconut oil alone did not induce more net ketosis than an 8 h visit with no added MCT. Furthermore, the combination of AE and MCT supplementation enhanced the ketogenic response over 4 h compared to the control day. Thus, the combination of ketogenic strategies, both in terms of the diversity of the molecules or the ketogenic strategy employed, makes it possible to increase the presence of ketones in the blood.

Receptores ativados da proliferação de peroxissomos (PPAR) são receptores nucleares que regulam o metabolismo de gordura e glicose, adipogênese e polarização de macrófagos, e são os mediadores da ação de uma grande classe de fármacos usada no tratamento de diabetes tipo 2, as tiazolidinadionas (TZD). Enquanto as TZDs reduzem a glicose do sangue e aumentam efetivamente a sensibilidade à insulina, elas podem também apresentar efeitos colaterais como aumento do risco de complicações cardiovasculares, ganho de peso, retenção de fluido e toxicidade hepática. Por causa disso, novos fármacos que possuem respostas mais favoráveis devem ser desenvolvidos, e o mecanismo de ativação do PPAR por ligantes vem sendo intensamente examinado. Para entender a relação entre a ligação de agonistas ao PPAR e a ativação transcricional, pretendíamos primeiramente obter cristais de PPAR-LBD (domínio de ligação ao ligante) humano na forma apo. Porém, surpreendentemente, a análise do sítio de ligação ao ligante revelou a presença de três pequenas moléculas, identificadas como ácidos nonanoicos e octanoicos. Este trabalho reporta a análise da estrutura cristalográfica do PPAR LBD complexado simultaneamente com três ácidos graxos de cadeia média (AGCM), provindos de bactérias (organismo de expressão), localizados no sítio de ligação ao ligante. A análise estrutural e funcional sugere que os AGCM são agonistas parciais que estabilizam a conformação do LBD do PPAR por mecanismo independente da hélice 12. / PPARs (peroxisome proliferator activated receptors) are nuclear receptors that regulate glucose and fat metabolism, adipogenesis and macrophage polarization and mediate actions of a major class of drugs that are used to treat type 2 diabetes, the thiazolidinediones. While TZDs reduce blood glucose and improve insulin sensitivity effectively, they can also exhibit deleterious side effects such as increased cardiovascular risk, weight gain, fluid retention and liver toxicity. Because it is desirable to develop new PPAR drugs with more favorable spectrums of response, mechanisms of PPAR ligand activation have come under intense scrutiny. To understand relationships between PPAR ligand binding and transcriptional activation, we sought to obtain apo human PPAR-LBD (ligand binding domain) crystals that diffract to high resolution. More surprisingly, close analysis of the ligand binding pocket revealed the presence of three small molecules, identified as nonanoic acid and octanoic acid. Here, we report the X-ray structural analysis of the PPAR LBD complexed with three bacterial (expression organism) medium chain fatty acids (MCFAs) that simultaneously occupy the buried ligand binding pocket (LBP). Structural and functional analysis suggests that MCFAs are partial agonists that stabilize PPAR LBD conformation, through a helix 12 independent mechanism.

The classic ketogenic diet, rich in long chain triacylglycerols (LCT), is characterised by a high concentration of lipids and a low concentation of carbohydrates and proteins, promoting ketonemia and ketonuria, a property used in the treatment of disorders that affect cerebral metabolism and function, for example epilepsy resistant to medication. Medium chain triacylglycerols (MCT) are considered alternative substrates to LCT in the production of this diet, to promote a more rapid increase in the levels of the body´s blood ketones. Trienantin, a medium chain triacyglycerol from enantic fatty acid (7:0), has been used with success with children suffering hereditary metabolic syndromes, but has had few studies about its toxicological effects. The objective of this dissertation was to evaluate the toxicity of a subchronic consumption of a ketogenic diet with a trienantin base on young rats, and is submitted in the form of two articles. The first, under the name of: Substitution of LCT with MCT in nutritional therapy: an emphasis on ketogenic therapy presents a revision of the ketogenic diet, comparing the data of LCT and MCT in animal and clinical studies. The more rapid ketonemia promoted by MCT allows a lower quantity of lipids and a greater proportion of proteins and carbohydrates, enhancing the palatability of the diet. The effect of replacing LCT with MCT on physiological parameters, such as serum lipid profile, remains controversial and requires additional studies to comprehend the repercussions of this class of lipids on human health. The second article entitled: Toxicological evaluation of a subchronic ketogenic diet based upon trienantin in young rats deals with an experimental study of male Wistar rats in which 3 groups (n=10), named according to their received diet: Control (diet pattern AIN-93) KetoTAGC7 (ketogenic based upon AIN-93G: modified to contain 4% soy oil, 25.79% trienantin and 40% margarine) and Keto TAGsoy (ketogenic based upon soya: AIN-93G modified to contain 29.79% soya oil and 40% margarine). The proportion of lipid:carbohydrate+protein in the ketogenic diets was 3.5:1 (control diet, 1:11.8) and the experimental duration was 6 weeks. Triacylglycerols, total cholesterol, HDLc, VLDLc and LDLc, in addition tests for hepatic and renal function and injury, were performed from serum obtained, and samples of liver,stomach, kidney and small intestine were collected for histological analysis. It was verified that the energy value of the portions of rations ingested did not differ amongst the three groups during the experimental period, however the animals submitted to the ketogenic diets had ingested a similar quantity of rations within the group, but less than (p=0.005) the control group. The ketogenic diet promoted similar weight gain amongst the group and only the animals in group KetoTAGC7 exhibited weight gain less than that of the control group (p=0.004) between the second and fifth weeks of the experiment. At the end of the study, all groups presented equivalent weights. There were no significant viii differences between the three groups as to the lipid profile, serum glucose and of the markers for hepatic function and injury. Histological analysis of samples from the small intestine, stomach and kidney did not show any significant morphological alteration and the presence of lipid infiltration within hepatocytes was detected in the same manner amongst the three groups. A ketogenic diet with a trienantin base did not promote toxic effects, under the conditions of this study, indicating the possibility that MCT could be administered to patients suffering neurological and metabolic defects, as part of ketogenic diet. / Fundação de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Alagoas / A dieta cetogênica clássica, rica em triacilgliceróis de cadeia longa (TCL), é caracterizada por uma alta concentração de lipídeos e, ao mesmo tempo, por uma baixa concentração de carboidratos e proteínas para promover cetonemia/cetonúria, propriedade utilizada no tratamento de várias desordens que afetam o metabolismo e a função cerebral, a exemplo da epilepsia resistente ao uso de medicamentos. Os triacilgliceróis de cadeia média (TCM) são considerados um substrato alternativo aos TCL na elaboração desta dieta, por promoverem um aumento mais rápido nos níveis dos corpos cetônicos sanguíneos. A trienantina é um triacilglicerol de cadeia média do ácido graxo enântico (7:0), utilizada com sucesso em crianças portadoras de síndromes metabólicas herdadas, havendo poucos estudos sobre seus efeitos toxicológicos. A presente dissertação teve como objetivo avaliar a toxicidade do consumo subcrônico da dieta cetogênica à base de trienantina em ratos jovens, sendo desenvolvida na forma de dois artigos. No primeiro, denominado Substituição de TCL por TCM na terapia nutricional: uma ênfase no tratamento cetogênico, apresenta-se uma revisão sobre a dieta cetogênica, confrontando-se dados sobre os efeitos dos TCL e dos TCM, em experimentos animais e ensaios clínicos. A mais rápida cetonemia promovida pelos TCM permite utilizar uma menor quantidade de lipídios e maior de proteínas e de carboidratos, aumentando a palatabilidade da dieta. O efeito da substituição de TCL por TCM sobre parâmetros fisiológicos, como o perfil lipídico sérico, é controverso, necessitando-se de pesquisas adicionais para entendimento da repercussão dessa classe de lipídios sobre a saúde humana. O segundo artigo, intitulado Avaliação toxicológica subcrônica de dieta cetogênica à base de trienantina em ratos jovens, trata do estudo experimental realizado em ratos Wistar, em que foram estabelecidos 3 grupos (n=10), denominados, segundo a dieta recebida, em Controle (dieta padrão AIN-93G), CetoTAGC7 (cetogênico à base de trienantina; AIN-93G modificada para conter 4% de óleo de soja, 25,79% de trienantina e 40% de margarina) e CetoTAGsoja (cetogênico à base de soja; AIN-93G modificada para conter 29,79% de óleo de soja e 40% de margarina). A proporção lipídeos:carboidratos+proteína das dietas cetogênicas foi de 3,5:1 (dieta controle, 1:11,8) e o período experimental totalizou 6 semanas. Triacilgliceróis, colesterol total, HDLc, VLDLc e LDLc, além de provas de função e lesão hepática e renal, foram medidos nas amostras de soro obtidas e fragmentos de fígado, estômago, rim e intestino delgado foram coletados para a análise histológica. Verificou-se que o valor energético da cota de ração ingerida pelos três grupos, no período experimental, não foi diferente, embora os animais submetidos às dietas cetogênicas tenham ingerido uma quantidade de ração semelhante entre si, mas inferior (P<0,005) aos do grupo controle. As dietas cetogênicas promoveram ganho de peso vi semelhante entre si e apenas os animais do grupo CetoTAGC7 exibiram ganho de peso inferior (P=0,004) em relação aos do grupo controle, entre a 2ª e a 5ª semana de experimento. Ao final do estudo, todos os grupos apresentaram pesos equivalentes. Não houve diferenças significativas entre os três grupos quanto ao perfil lipídico e glicose séricos e aos marcadores de função e lesão hepática e renal. A análise histológica dos fragmentos de intestino delgado, estômago e rim não evidenciou qualquer alteração morfológica importante e a presença de infiltração lipídica nos hepatócitos foi detectada de maneira semelhante para os três grupos. A dieta cetogênica à base de trienantina não promoveu efeitos tóxicos, nas condições do presente estudo, indicando a possibilidade deste TCM ser administrado em pacientes portadores de desordens neurológicas e defeitos metabólicos, inclusive, em concentrações cetogênicas.

Epilepsy is a chronic disturbance of brain function characterized by the presence of recurrent and spontaneous seizures, making one of the most frequent and severe neurological diseases, affecting approximately 50 million people worldwide, mainly children. Among these, 40% had antiepileptic drug refractory seizures. Non-drug options as surgery, vagus nerve stimulation and the ketogenic diet are timely. This diet, used since 1921 in treatment of drug-resistant epilepsy is characterized by a high concentration of lipids and often by low concentration of carbohydrates and proteins. Traditionally, the ketogenic diet use long chain triacylglycerols (LCT), however, the medium chain triacylglycerols (MCT) are considered an alternative substrate for promoting faster ketonemia-ketonuria. The oil from coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) is a natural source of MCT, and is used for several purposes, including therapeutic. This dissertation aims to investigate the effects of the ketogenic diet based on coconut oil and soybean oil on epileptic seizures in rats, consists of a review chapter, entitled Drug-resistant epilepsies: an emphasis on treatment ketogenic, and an article from the results, entitled Effects of ketogenic diet based on coconut oil on the seizures of rats with epilepsy induced by pilocarpine. The article deals an experimental study conducted in Wistar rats, divided into three groups (n=10), named according to the diet received, in Control (standard diet AIN-93G), CetoTAGcoco (ketogenic diet based in coconut oil; AIN-93G diet modified to contain 7% soybean oil, 22.79% of extra virgin coconut oil and 40% margarine) and CetoTAGsoja (ketogenic diet based in soybean oil; AIN-93G diet modified to contain 29.79% of soybean oil and 40% margarine). The ratio lipid:carbohydrate+protein of ketogenic diets was 3.5:1 (control diet, 1:11.8). The experimental period lasted 19 days. The animals fed ketogenic diets showed food intake (g) below, however, dispend energetic and weight gain similar to Control group. The behavioral analysis showed that the experimental groups did not differ in frequency and duration of seizures, however, the animals in group CetoTAGcoco had shorter duration of seizures in the 19th day, that the Control group (0.00±0.00 against 22.78±2.95, respectively, P<0.05). Additionally, the CetoTAGcoco group presented lower variation of frequency and duration of seizures between the 19th and 1st day of treatment than the Control group (9.00±1.73 against 11.00±1.00, for frequency, and 20.80±12.61 against 49.14±21.15, for duration, respectively, P<0.05). The results of this study suggest a possible protective effect of ketogenic diet based on extra virgin coconut oil on seizures. That result, coupled with studies attesting to confidence and tolerance of the coconut oil, particularly in ketogenic ratios, indicating a potential benefit of this oil for control the seizures, especially for individuals with medically refractory epilepsy. / Fundação de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Alagoas / A epilepsia é um disturbio crônico da função cerebral, caracterizado pela presença de crises convulsivas recorrentes e espontâneas. Trata-se de uma das mais frequentes e graves doenças neurológicas, que afeta cerca de 50 milhões de pessoas no mundo, principalmente crianças. Dentre estas, 40% apresentam crises refratárias às drogas antiepilépticas existentes. Opções não farmacológicas, como cirurgia, estimulação do nervo vago e dieta cetogênica, são oportunas. Esta dieta, utilizada desde 1921 no tratamento da epilepsia fármaco-resistente, caracteriza-se por alta concentração de lipídeos e, frequentemente, por baixa concentração de carboidratos e proteínas. Tradicionalmente, a dieta cetogênica utiliza como fonte lipídica os triacilgliceróis de cadeia longa (TCL); porém, os triacilgliceróis de cadeia média (TCM) são considerados um substrato alternativo, por promoverem cetonemia/cetonúria de forma mais rápida. O óleo proveniente do coco (Cocos nucifera L.) representa uma fonte natural de TCM, sendo utilizado para diversos fins, inclusive terapêuticos. A presente dissertação visa investigar os efeitos de dieta cetogênica à base de óleo de coco e óleo de soja sobre as crises convulsivas de ratos epilépticos. É constituída por um capítulo de revisão, intitulado Epilepsias fármaco-resistentes: uma ênfase no tratamento cetogênico, e um artigo de resultados, intitulado Efeito de dieta cetogênica à base de óleo de coco sobre as crises convulsivas de ratos portadores de epilepsia induzida por pilocarpina. O artigo trata de um estudo experimental realizado com ratos Wistar, alocados em três grupos (n=10), denominados, segundo a dieta recebida, em Controle (dieta padrão AIN-93G), CetoTAGcoco (dieta cetogênica à base de óleo de coco; AIN-93G modificada, com 7% de óleo de soja, 22,79% de óleo de coco extra-virgem e 40% de margarina) e CetoTAGsoja (dieta cetogênica à base de óleo de soja; AIN-93G modificada, com 29,79% de óleo de soja e 40% de margarina). A proporção lipídeos: carboidratos+proteína das dietas cetogênicas foi de 3,5:1 (dieta controle, 1:11,8). O período experimental totalizou 19 dias. Os animais submetidos aos tratamentos cetogênicos apresentaram consumo alimentar (g) inferior, porém, consumo energético (Kcal) e ganho de peso corporal (g) semelhantes ao grupo Controle. As análises comportamentais demonstraram que os animais dos grupos experimentais não diferiram entre si quanto à freqüência e à duração total das crises; entretanto, os animais do grupo CetoTAGCcoco tiveram menor duração média de crises no 19º dia, que o grupo Controle (0,00±0,00 contra 22,78±12,95, respectivamente; p<0,05). Adicionalmente, o grupo CetoTAGcoco apresentou valores inferiores de variação de frequência e de duração das crises entre o 19° e o 1° dia de tratamento, que o grupo Controle (9,00±1,73 contra 11,00±1,00, para freqüência, e 20,80±12,61 contra 49,14±21,15, para duração, respectivamente; p<0,05). Os resultados do presente estudo apontam para um possível efeito protetor da dieta cetogênica à base de óleo de coco extra-virgem sobre as crises convulsivas. Tais resultados, associados a estudos que atestem a confiabilidade e a tolerância do consumo de óleo de coco, particularmente em proporções cetogênicas, poderiam indicar um benefício potencial deste óleo no controle das crises convulsivas, especialmente para indivíduos portadores de epilepsia refratária a medicamentos.

Receptores ativados da proliferação de peroxissomos (PPAR) são receptores nucleares que regulam o metabolismo de gordura e glicose, adipogênese e polarização de macrófagos, e são os mediadores da ação de uma grande classe de fármacos usada no tratamento de diabetes tipo 2, as tiazolidinadionas (TZD). Enquanto as TZDs reduzem a glicose do sangue e aumentam efetivamente a sensibilidade à insulina, elas podem também apresentar efeitos colaterais como aumento do risco de complicações cardiovasculares, ganho de peso, retenção de fluido e toxicidade hepática. Por causa disso, novos fármacos que possuem respostas mais favoráveis devem ser desenvolvidos, e o mecanismo de ativação do PPAR por ligantes vem sendo intensamente examinado. Para entender a relação entre a ligação de agonistas ao PPAR e a ativação transcricional, pretendíamos primeiramente obter cristais de PPAR-LBD (domínio de ligação ao ligante) humano na forma apo. Porém, surpreendentemente, a análise do sítio de ligação ao ligante revelou a presença de três pequenas moléculas, identificadas como ácidos nonanoicos e octanoicos. Este trabalho reporta a análise da estrutura cristalográfica do PPAR LBD complexado simultaneamente com três ácidos graxos de cadeia média (AGCM), provindos de bactérias (organismo de expressão), localizados no sítio de ligação ao ligante. A análise estrutural e funcional sugere que os AGCM são agonistas parciais que estabilizam a conformação do LBD do PPAR por mecanismo independente da hélice 12. / PPARs (peroxisome proliferator activated receptors) are nuclear receptors that regulate glucose and fat metabolism, adipogenesis and macrophage polarization and mediate actions of a major class of drugs that are used to treat type 2 diabetes, the thiazolidinediones. While TZDs reduce blood glucose and improve insulin sensitivity effectively, they can also exhibit deleterious side effects such as increased cardiovascular risk, weight gain, fluid retention and liver toxicity. Because it is desirable to develop new PPAR drugs with more favorable spectrums of response, mechanisms of PPAR ligand activation have come under intense scrutiny. To understand relationships between PPAR ligand binding and transcriptional activation, we sought to obtain apo human PPAR-LBD (ligand binding domain) crystals that diffract to high resolution. More surprisingly, close analysis of the ligand binding pocket revealed the presence of three small molecules, identified as nonanoic acid and octanoic acid. Here, we report the X-ray structural analysis of the PPAR LBD complexed with three bacterial (expression organism) medium chain fatty acids (MCFAs) that simultaneously occupy the buried ligand binding pocket (LBP). Structural and functional analysis suggests that MCFAs are partial agonists that stabilize PPAR LBD conformation, through a helix 12 independent mechanism.

Sudden Infant Death (SIDS) has been associated with medium-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (MCAD) deficiency, an inborn error of fatty acid oxidation. Blood and tissue samples from a large cohort of SIDS victims were analyzed for the presence of dodecanoic acid (C₁₂) by gas chromatography. A subgroup of these cases had a significantly higher blood concentration than age-matched controls, suggesting MCAD deficiency. An animal study using Sprague-Dawley rats was done to mimic the effects of MCAD deficiency. Significantly increased blood concentrations of dodecanoic acid were observed. Decreased values in heart and liver were puzzling findings. The data indicate that dodecanoic acid is a blood marker for MCAD deficiency.