Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News’ Post

Research underway to turn milk protein into COVID-19, common cold antiviral By Kristy O'Brien and Meg Bolton --- In short: A large dairy processor is working with scientists to see if surplus cow's milk could be used to prevent COVID-19 and other respiratory diseases. --- Milk protein lactoferrin is used in many protein powders and therapeutic supplements. --- What's next? Creating an antiviral can be challenging and costly, with many hurdles involved in getting products onto pharmacy shelves. Scientists and one of Australia's biggest dairy processors are working to prove the old wives' tale — that you should avoid dairy when you're sick — is just that. Dairy processor Noumi, in partnership with the Hunter Medical Research Institute at the University of Newcastle, is investigating whether a milk protein could help prevent COVID-19 and the common cold. Scientist Sonja Kukuljan, who works for Noumi, said the milk protein lactoferrin was discovered more than 80 years ago. "Today's research is focusing more on looking at lactoferrin and its response to specific viruses like coronavirus and other common cold-causing viruses," Dr Kukuljan said. Lactoferrin has been the subject of many studies looking into its broad antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, antiparasitic and anti-inflammatory properties. It's used in infant milk formula, skincare products, protein powder and therapeutic supplements, including iron. The protein is found in both human and cow's milk. "Our own bodies make a lot of lactoferrin," Dr Kukuljan said. "But what happens when you consume more?" Continued.....please click on the banner image below to finish reading this piece. Posted by Larry Cole

#Antibiotic_therapy in early childhood may lead to irreversible predisposition to #asthma and possibly other #allergic diseases by inducing metabolomic and microbial #dysbiosis. [ Mouse ] [ Preclinical study ] [ Abstract ] NOTES: - Mice given antibiotics in early life (EL-Abx), but not in adulthood, were more susceptible to house dust mite (HDM)-induced allergic airway inflammation. - This susceptibility was maintained even after normalization of the gut microbiome. - EL-Abx decreased systemic levels of #Indole_3_propionic_acid (#IPA), which induced long-term changes to cellular stress, metabolism, and mitochondrial respiration in the lung epithelium. - IPA reduced mitochondrial respiration and superoxide production and altered chemokine and cytokine production. - early-life IPA supplementation protected EL-Abx mice against exacerbated HDM-induced allergic airway inflammation in adulthood. MyNote: - Could Indole_3_propionic_acid be the next generation antiallergic postbiotic drug?

Supplementation with a high-glucose drink stimulates anti-tumor immune responses to glioblastoma via gut microbiota modulation A high-sugar diet induces lifestyle-associated metabolic diseases, such as obesity and diabetes, which may underlie the pro-tumor effects of a high-sugar diet. A GL261 syngeneic glioblastoma (GBM) was supplied to mice with a short-term high-glucose drink (HGD) and find an increased survival rate with no evidence of metabolic disease. Modulation of the gut microbiota through HGD supplementation is critical for enhancing the anti-tumor immune response. Single-cell RNA sequencing shows that gut microbiota modulation by HGD supplementation increases the T cell-mediated anti-tumor immune response in GBM mice. It was find that the cytotoxic CD4+ T cell population in GBM is increased due to synergy with anti-programmed cell death protein 1 (anti-PD-1) immune checkpoint inhibitors, but this effect depends upon HGD supplementation. Thus, it was determined that HGD supplementation enhances anti-tumor immune responses in GBM mice through gut microbiota modulation and suggest that the role of HGD supplementation in GBM should be re-examined. https://lnkd.in/ggZNSCG8

Candidiasis basics! Since disease-causing yeast are all around us, they are normally present within your gastrointestinal tract. Usually, the presence of beneficial (good) bacteria inhibits and suppresses the disease-causing yeast, keeping them under control. Exposure to the candidiasis risk factors (“Unraveling Candidiasis” – chapter 2) can disturb, injure, or kill the beneficial bacteria, allowing your disease-causing yeast to reproduce and colonize their surroundings. This is when the trouble begins. At first, candidiasis is typically confined to the gut and mucous membranes. If circumstances permit, the disease-causing yeast can directly spread to the upper and lower respiratory tracts, including the sinuses and lungs, as well as progress up the common bile duct to infect the gallbladder, liver, and pancreas. Depending on the species and strains (variants) of disease-causing yeast that are present and the extent of their colonization, they can invade into and through the gut wall, causing leaky gut syndrome with its associated problems—especially, malabsorption and nutritional deficiencies. At this point, gastro-intestinal candidiasis has progressed to invasive candidiasis. Even worse, the disease-causing yeast can enter and colonize the blood, causing systemic candidiasis. This allows them to travel within the blood and take up residence where conditions favor their growth. In fact, infections of virtually every organ and tissue have been reported in the medical literature. To add insult, because of their strong allergy-inducing tendencies, disease-causing yeast can instigate and/or promote an abundance of sensitivities and hypersensitivities to a variety of substances, including foods, pollens, dust, chemical, and more, as well as to the disease-causing yeast themselves and numerous molds (harmful and harmless). So, candidiasis is an infection with allergic consequences and significant inflammation. Moreover, the presence of other infectious invaders, including harmful parasites (chapter 5), bacteria, molds, and/or viruses, will accelerate a candidiasis sufferer’s passage from wellness to illness. Therefore, most candidiasis sufferers require a comprehensive holistic-integrative medical approach to diagnosis and treatment to achieve the greatest improvements in their health and well-being. MJB M.D. Author, “Unraveling Candidiasis: The Perplexing Puzzle of Medical Maladies” Author, “Unraveling Candidiasis: The Patient Guide” #candida #microbiome #holistichealth #allergies #evidencebasedmedicine #inflammation

Colorectal cancer is increasing among young adults. The microbiome can be key to prevention. Our array of functional gut tests can help assess the risk. Have your patients take a variety of functional gut tests: 1. P88 Dietary Antigen Test to assess food sensitivities and allergies as well complement (C3d) which can indicate not only gut inflammation but pinpoint the foods that may be causing it. 2. G-DAP – Gut & Detox Assessment Profile to examine the overall state of gut health, including an assessment of leaky gut through testing for zonulin. 3. Comprehensive Stool Analysis with Parasitology to test the ecology and physiology of the GI tract and examine the overall health of the microbiome. Gut health is not only fundamental to help avoid colorectal cancers, but also for general immune support and overall well-being.

C A N D I D A YEAST OVERGROWTH - Here are 10 common symptoms: • Skin and nail fungal infections (such as Athlete’s foot or toenail fungus) • Feeling tired and worn down or suffering from chronic fatigue or fibromyalgia • Digestive issues such as bloating, constipation, or diarrhea • Autoimmune diseases such as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, Rheumatoid arthritis • Difficulty concentrating, poor memory, lack of focus, ADD, ADHD and brain fog • Skin issues such as eczema, psoriasis, hives, and rashes • Irritability, mood swings, anxiety, or depression • Vaginal infections, urinary tract infections, rectal itching or vaginal itching • Severe seasonal allergies or itchy ears • Strong sugar and refined carbohydrate cravings What Candida yeast (a fungus) can do to the immune system: You are born with Candida yeast (fungus) in very trace amounts until we disrupt the ecosystem we have in our colon. So what disrupts the ecosystem? Antibiotics are the biggest offender. Once you take an antibiotic, it kills the bad bacteria, but also kills the good bacteria. So now you have dead bacteria floating around in your colon, and fungus, like Candida, likes to eat dead matter. As the fungus eats the dead bacteria, it grows and continues to fill your colon, taking your immune system hostage. It puts your body into early decomposition mode, which is where all the serious diseases come in, like Fibromyalgia, autoimmune disease, and food allergies. Since 80% of our immune system is in the gut, this makes perfect sense! An even more alarming fact is that Candida can perforate your colon, allowing toxins and food particles to leak into your body. This is called the Leaky Gut Syndrome. Doctors recommend a good probiotic to combat Leaky Gut. When addressing weight loss, Candida Overgrowth must be controlled; a healthy immune system depends on it!!

#microbiome #diet #immunology #nutrition #metabolism https://lnkd.in/dSzA2s29 Abstract The short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) #butyrate, #propionate and #acetate are microbial metabolites and their availability in the gut and other organs is determined by environmental factors, such as diet and use of antibiotics, that shape the diversity and metabolism of the microbiota. SCFAs regulate epithelial barrier function as well as mucosal and systemic immunity via evolutionary conserved processes that involve G protein-coupled receptor signalling or histone deacetylase activity. Indicatively, the anti-inflammatory role of butyrate is mediated through direct effects on the differentiation of intestinal epithelial cells, phagocytes, B cells and plasma cells, and regulatory and effector T cells. Intestinally derived SCFAs also directly and indirectly affect immunity at extra-intestinal sites, such as the liver, the lungs, the reproductive tract and the brain, and have been implicated in a range of disorders, including infections, intestinal inflammation, autoimmunity, food allergies, asthma and responses to cancer therapies. An ecological understanding of microbial communities and their interrelated metabolic states, as well as the engineering of butyrogenic bacteria may support SCFA-focused interventions for the prevention and treatment of immune-mediated diseases.

As the world population continues to grow, it is postulated that between 2020 and 2040, the number of new cases of #livercancer could rise by >55% and mortality due to liver cancer by 56.4%. Any change or mutation in the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA, the genetic material) of the liver cells can give birth to liver cancer. The cancer that originates in the liver cells is called primary liver cancer, while the cancer that spreads into the liver from other organs (metastasis) is called secondary liver cancer. The most common type of primary liver cancer is hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), accounting for 90% of the cases, followed by intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (bile duct cancer). In #India, the most common risk factors for HCC include; · Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection · Chronic hepatitis C (HCV) infection · Cirrhosis of the liver (scarring of the liver cells) However, owing to the introduction of hepatitis B vaccines and antiviral therapies for HCV, there has been a decline in HBV infections and a stabilization of HCV infections, respectively. This is going to lead to a shift in the pattern of risk factors for primary liver cancer as the focus will now have to equally be on non-viral risk factors that are becoming too prevalent in India. For instance, the other prominent risk factors for HCC include; #nonalcoholic #fattyliverdisease (#nafld) which is now known as metabolic dysfunction associated steatotic liver disease (#masld), #obesity, #diabetes and history of alcohol abuse.   Evidence states that; -Frequent consumption of processed meats and processed fish might increase the risk of getting HCC, on the other hand, consuming fresh fish (a source of good fats) and white meat might reduce the risk of HCC. -#redmeat which is always flagged, owing to its saturated fat content and known carcinogens is another risk factor. -Dietary #sugar in any form is turning out to be another factor that increases the risk of HCC. -Consuming fresh #fruits and #vegetables (a rich source of vitamins and minerals, dietary fibre, flavonoids), #milk and #yogurt (source of retinol), #coffee in moderation (no more than 4 cups a day), high intake of #wholegrains (dietary fibre, resistant starch, B complex, vitamin E, zinc, copper, selenium, magnesium, phytochemicals) and #dietaryfiber reduce the risk of HCC. For detailed insight, read the blog post here https://lnkd.in/gzNEGt6k #worldcancerday

In this recently published study, researchers analyzed short chain fatty acid (SCFA) levels in serum from asthmatic and non-asthmatic children before and after airway disease symptoms. The effects of a high #dietaryfiber diet (pectin) in a mouse model of house dust mite-induced allergic asthma and in isolated lung and spleen cells infected ex vivo with Rhinovirus were also evaluated. It was found that asthmatic children had decreased levels of SCFA (specifically 3-Hydroxybutyric acid) after symptomatic episodes compared to baseline. In mice with experimental asthma, feeding the high fiber diet reduced lung #inflammation, mucus production and collagen deposition. Feeding the higher fiber diet was associated with a greater induction of CD8+ memory effector T cells in the lungs. Also, lung cells from asthmatic mice fed the high fiber diet had a reduced viral loaf when challenged ex-vivo with Rhinovirus. #dietaryfiber #animalnutrition #animalhealth https://lnkd.in/g_-rfK-m

𝑳𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒆𝒓 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘𝒏 𝒇𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒔 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒎𝒊𝒍𝒌 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒑𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒔 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐭𝐡 𝐅𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫-𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐚 (𝐓𝐆𝐅-β): Bovine milk contains a significant component called TGF-β, which plays a crucial role in human health and development. As part of a balanced diet, TGF-β offers several potential health benefits: 1. Immune Regulation: TGF-β effectively regulates the immune system, maintaining immune tolerance and modulating immune responses. This regulation is particularly beneficial in reducing inflammation and preventing autoimmune reactions, supporting the body's natural immune regulatory mechanisms. 2. Gastrointestinal Health: TGF-β contributes to the development and maintenance of the intestinal lining, providing protection against gastrointestinal disorders such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). By enhancing the gut barrier function, it reduces the risk of infections and improves nutrient absorption. 3. Anti-inflammatory Properties: TGF-β in bovine milk has anti-inflammatory properties. It can help manage inflammatory conditions in the body by modulating inflammatory pathways and cytokine production. This is particularly beneficial for individuals suffering from chronic inflammation or inflammatory diseases. 4. Development and Repair: TGF-β is involved in tissue regeneration and wound healing. It stimulates the deposition of extracellular matrix components, which are crucial for tissue repair. For growing children and adults recovering from injuries, consuming milk can be beneficial in supporting these body repair processes. 5. Potential Allergenicity Reduction: Some studies suggest that TGF-β might contribute to reducing allergenicity in infants and young children by enhancing immune tolerance. This could potentially reduce the likelihood of developing allergies, although more research is needed to fully understand this benefit. Although bovine milk consumption can provide TGF-β-related benefits, individual responses may vary due to factors such as lactose tolerance, dairy sensitivity, and dietary requirements. For those who can consume milk without adverse effects, it remains a valuable source of TGF-β and other essential nutrients.