Hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects of P. linteus have been observed in numerous studies, but the underlying molecular mechanisms are unclear. In this study, we prepared P. linteus extract (PLE) from mycelia of solid-state culture, and evaluated its hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects in rat models of high-fat diet (HFD)-induced and low-dose streptozotocin (STZ)-induced type 2 diabetes. PLE treatment effectively reduced blood glucose levels, and improved insulin resistance and lipid and lipoprotein profiles. The hypoglycemic effect of PLE was based on inhibition of key hepatic gluconeogenesis enzymes (FBPase, G6Pase) expression and hepatic glycogen degradation, and consequent reduction of hepatic glucose production. PLE also: (i) enhanced expression of CPT1A and ACOX1 (key proteins involved in fatty acid β-oxidation) and low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) in liver, thus promoting clearance of triglycerides and LDL-C; (ii) inhibited expression of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase (HMGCR) in liver, thus reducing cholesterol production; (iii) displayed strong hepatoprotective and renal protective effects. Our findings indicate that PLE has strong potential functional food application in adjuvant treatment of type 2 diabetes with dyslipidemia.

Antibiotic resistance is becoming the biggest threat to global health. At the same time, phage therapy is witnessing a return of interest. The therapeutic use of bacteriophages that infect and kill bacteria is a suitable strategy to combat antibiotic resistance. Furthermore, bacteriophages are increasingly used in combination with standard antibiotics against drug-resistant pathogens. Interestingly, we found that the engineered mycobacteriophage phAE159 and natural phage D29 cannot infect the Mycobacterium tuberculosis in the presence of kanamycin, hygromycin or streptomycin, but the phage infection was not affected in the presence of spectinomycin. Based on a series of studies and structural analysis of the above four aminoglycoside antibiotics, it could be speculated that the amino sugar group of aminoglycoside might selectively inhibit mycobacteriophage DNA replication. Our discovery that broad-spectrum antibiotics inhibit phage infection is of great value. This study will provide guidance for people to combine phage and antibiotics to treat M. tuberculosis.

Solid-state fermentation has been used to improve the nutritive value of feed ingredients. In the present study, we investigated the effects of solid-state fermented wheat bran (FWB) on growth performance and apparent digestibility in broiler chickens. We measured the growth performance (ADFI, ADG, feed conversion, livability, and European performance efficiency factor) over 38 d in chicks fed a corn-soybean meal control diet (CON) or CON plus wet FWB (25 g/kg [T₁]; 50 g/kg [T₂]); or T₁ plus 3 g/kg (T₃); or T₂ plus 6 g/kg (T₄) soybean oil). The same diets were used to determine nutrient availability in chicks aged 20 d. Regression equations for AME and AME_n were obtained using 20-day-old chicks fed either the corn-soybean meal basal diet only or basal diet partially substituted with 50, 150, or 300 g/kg DM FWB. Diets containing 25 or 50 g/kg wet FBW did not affect the growth performance of broiler chickens, nor the apparent DM, energy, and nitrogen digestibility of the feeds, compared with the control diets (all P > 0.05). Further supplementation with oil did not improve the growth performance of broiler chickens compared with controls or chickens fed FBW. However, chickens fed diets containing soybean oil (T₃ or T₄) had lower (P = 0.005 and P = 0.040, respectively) apparent DM and energy digestibility than the control and FWB groups. The regression equations for AME and AME_n with the substitution of FWB produced values of 1,854.3 and 1,743.9 kcal/kg DM, respectively, and the equations were Y = 1854.3X + 52.7 (R² = 0.971, n = 24, P < 0.001), and Y = 1743.9X + 44.6 (R² = 0.978, n = 24, P < 0.001), respectively. Supplementation with wet FWB did not affect the growth performance of broiler chickens. Therefore, FWB is a suitable feed component for broilers.