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Scope: Nutrients stimulate the secretion of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), an incretin hormone, secreted from enteroendocrine L-cells which decreases food intake. Thus, GLP-1 analogs are approved for the treatment of obesity, yet cost and side effects limit their use. L-cells are mainly localized in the distal ileum and colon, which hinders the utilization of nutrients targeting GLP-1 secretion. This study proposes a controlled delivery system for nutrients, inducing a prolonged endogenous GLP-1 release which results in a decrease food intake. Methods and Results: α-Linolenic acid (αLA) was loaded into thermally hydrocarbonized porous silicon (THCPSi) particles. In vitro characterization and in vivo effects of αLA loaded particles on GLP-1 secretion and food intake were studied in mice. A total of 40.4 ± 3.2% of loaded αLA is released from particles into biorelevant buffer over 24 h, and αLA loaded THCPSi significantly increased in vitro GLP-1 secretion. Single-dose orally given αLA loaded mesoporous particles increased plasma active GLP-1 levels at 3 and 4 h and significantly reduced the area under the curve of 24 h food intake in mice. Conclusions: αLA loaded THCPSi particles could be used to endogenously stimulate sustain gastrointestinal hormone release and reduce food intake.

Obesity is one of the major global threats to human health and risk factors for cardiometabolic diseases and certain cancers. Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) plays a major role in appetite and glucose homeostasis and recently the USFDA approved GLP-1 agonists for the treatment of obesity and type 2 diabetes. GLP-1 is secreted from enteroendocrine L-cells in the distal part of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract in response to nutrient ingestion. Endogenously released GLP-1 has a very short half-life of

International audience; Nanostructured silicon carbide (SiC) is an exceptional material with numerous applications e.g. in catalysis, biomedicine, high performance composites, and sensing. In this study, a fast and scalable method of producing nanostructured SiC from plant materials by magnesiothermic reduction via self-propagating high-temperature synthesis (SHS) route was developed. The produced biogenic material possessed a high surface area above 200 m 2 /g with a SiC crystallite size below 10 nm, which has not been done previously by SHS. This method enables affordable synthesis of the material plant-based precursors in a reaction that only takes a few seconds, thereby paving a way for nanostructured silicon carbide production in high volumes using renewable resources. The material was also functionalized with carboxylic acid and bisphosphonate moieties, and its use as metal adsorbent in applications such as wastewater remediation was demonstrated.

Novel treatment methods for obesity are urgently needed due to the increasing global severity of the problem. Gastrointestinal hormones, such as GLP-1 and PYY, are secreted by the enteroendocrine cells, playing a critical role in regulating food intake. Digested nutrients trigger the secretion of these hormones, which have a very short half-life. α-Linolenic acid (αLA) has been shown to stimulate GLP-1 secretion, however, chemical instability and fast uptake in the small intestine hinder its use in body weight management. We developed a novel delivery system based on inorganic mesoporous particles for αLA to increase secretion of gastrointestinal peptides. αLA was loaded to thermally hydrocarbonized porous silicon particles (THCPSi). 47.9 ± 3.84% and 30.7 ± 2.86% of αLA was released during 6 h from 3.0% and 9.2% loading degree (w/w) samples in vitro, respectively. Native αLA (50 µM) significantly increased GLP-1 secretion from enteroendocrine STC-1 and GLUTag cell lines. αLA loaded THCPSi significantly and dose dependently stimulated GLP-1 secretion from STC-1 cells, whereas empty particles did not. We demonstrated in vitro that THCPSi particles have the potential to be used as a controlled delivery system for nutrients such as αLA, increasing GLP-1 secretion. Our results justify further in vivo investigations.