Anyhow whether these findings also hold for the in vivo situation remains
to be confirmed [21]. In our study we describe, for the first time, an increased Apo A-I plasma concentration following BCAA enriched mixture supplementation in the wild type mouse. The likely role of essential amino acids in Apo A-I synthesis deserves future investigations. In this study, we observed an increase in Complement C3 (CO3) and Complement Factor B (CFB) plasma proteins. CO3 plays a central role in the complement system activation. Its processing by C3 convertase is the central reaction in both classical and alternative complement pathways. After activation C3b can bind covalently via its reactive thioester to cell surface carbohydrates or immune aggregates [22]. Elevated C3 concentrations were associated with increased risk of impaired insulin sensitivity, learn more insulin resistance, abdominal I-BET151 in vitro obesity and low HDL cholesterol
compared to low C3 concentrations. Increased CHD risk conferred by elevated C3 concentrations is further accentuated among high dietary fat consumers and monounsaturated fat [23]. CFB is a fundamental component of the alternative complement pathway. Following the activation of alternative pathway factor B is cleaved by complement factor D into 2 fragments of different molecular weight, Ba (noncatalytic chain) and Bb (catalytic chain). Both of these fragments express a variety of biological functions. In particular Bb is a serine protease that combines with complement factor 3b to generate the C3 or C5 convertase. Bb is involved Cediranib (AZD2171) in the proliferation of preactivated B lymphocytes, while Ba inhibits their proliferation. Factor B hyperconsumption and increased catabolism, concomitant with factor B fragment production, occurs in a wide variety of diseases, including gram-negative sepsis, autoimmune diseases and burns [24] whereas very few data are reported on the effects of dietary supplementations on CFB plasma levels [25, 26]. An increased CFB concentration could enhance the immune response of the alternative pathway, by providing more factors B to be spun to generate more C3-convertase thus increasing the Selleckchem AZD3965 amount of its secondary
reactions described above. Although the significance of the observed changes and the underlying mechanisms deserve future investigations, the evidence of a contemporaneous increase of Apo A-I and Complement proteins allow us to speculate about a protective role of increased HDL following supplementation. In fact, in vitro studies indicate that HDL blocks the assembly of the terminal complement attack complex on endothelial cells [27]. Indeed the observed decrease in Alpha-1-antitrypsin (A1AT) a serine proteases inhibitor related to acute phase response [28] is probably a sign of the improvement in HDL protective capabilities sustained by BCAAem supplementation. Finally in our analysis we found an increase in Immunoglobulin light chain (IgLC) levels.