Solanum aethiopicum L. from the Basilicata Region Prevents Lipid Absorption, Fat Accumulation, Oxidative Stress, and Inflammation in OA-Treated HepG2 and Caco-2 Cell Lines

: Obesity is widely associated with intestine barrier impairment, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) outbreaks, oxidative stress, and inflammation. In a previous investigation, the Solanum aethiopicum L. growing in Basilicata Region has demonstrated to have antioxidant activity; hence this investigation was aimed to evaluate for the first time the antilipidemic and anti-inflammatory activity of the Lucanian S. aethiopicum L. peel extract in vitro on OA-treated HepG2 and Caco-2 cell lines. It was shown that the extract could reduce lipogenesis by down-regulating SREBP-1c and HMGCR expression and fatty acid β-oxidation by up-regulating PPARα, CPT1A, and UCP2 expression. In addition, the S. aethiopicum L. peel extract might also improve oxidative stress by reducing endoplasmic reticulum stress and regulating the Nrf2 and Nf-κB molecular pathways. Altogether, these results demonstrated for the first time the possible application of the Lucanian S. aethiopicum peel extract for preventing obesity and managing NAFLD

Biocompounds recovery from Spirulina by conventional and ohmic heating methodologies: chemical and biological properties

Extracting the totality of bio-compounds with industrial interest from Cyanobacterium is often prevented by the intrinsic rigidity of its cell wall. In this sense, the present study focuses on evaluating the influence thermal batch extraction (conventional extraction technologies) and ohmic heating (OH) assisted extraction (considered a greener alternative technology) in blue green microalgae Arthrospira platensis (Spirulina) cell disruption for bioactive fractions recovery. The proximal composition of Spirulina was initially determined. The maximum protein content (i.e., CPhycocyanin), total carbohydrates (TC) and total phenolic compounds (TPC) extracted in water at different times (30-120 min) and temperatures (30-51 ºC) was quantified after the conventional and OH- assisted extraction. The freeze-thawing process was used as control. The antioxidant activity (i.e., FRAP and DPPH assays) of the obtained extracts was assessed. Results showed that with the freeze-thawing process, traditionally used for the recovery of bio- compounds from Spirulina, the concentration of C-phycocyanin was approx. 42 mg/g of Spirulina, 26 mgGlcE/g Spirulina of TC and 9 mgGAE/g Spirulina of TPC. Using OH-assisted extraction, the maximum of C-Phycocyanin content obtained was 45 mg/g of Spirulina (obtained at 37 ºC, 30 min), the maximum carbohydrates content was 40 mgGlcE/g Spirulina and the maximum TPC was 10 mgGAE/g Spirulina. On the other hand, using conventional thermal treatment it can be observed that, under the same conditions, the bioactive compounds recovery decreased to 35 mg/g, 20 mgGlcE/g Spirulina for C-phycocyanin concentration and TC (p<0.05), respectively. The concentration in phenolic compounds is not so affected, but even so the ohmic heating potentiates the extraction of these secondary metabolites. The antioxidant activity of the extracts there was not different between conventional treatments andOH. Thus, the results indicated that OH is a good alternative to conventional methods aiming at the extraction of intracellular components with a decrease in processing time and energy costs associated with the extraction process, which together with an easy upscale make OH an interesting methodology for use in the industrial production of microalgae colorants and bioactive supplements.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Rotondas red eggplant: nutritional characterization and extractionof high added value biocompounds using emerging electrotechnologies

Rotondas Red Eggplant belongs to the family of Solanum aethiopicum species, cultivated in a specific area of Potenza (Basilicata, Italy) and has gained the Protected Designation of Origin certification. Recently, Red Eggplant was associated with different biological properties, related to health benefits, as antioxidant, hypoglycemic, antihypertensive and hypolipidemic, probably due to its chemical composition. The search for "greener" technologies has been one of the focus of research, having in mind industrial applications. In this sense, electrotechnologies, such as ohmic heating (OH), have been explored, showing to have potentially lower energy costs, higher extraction yields, being less time consuming and increasing the biocompounds chemical stability. The aim of this study was to determine the chemical/nutritional composition of Red Eggplant and to assess conventional and OH methods in the extraction and recovery of the main bio-compounds present in this material. Red Eggplant was characterized for the nutritional profile (AOAC procedures): proteins, carbohydrates, total extractives, lipids, ash and minerals. The selected conditions for the extraction of the main biocompounds, for conventional and OH methods, were: solid/liquid ratio 1:10 (w:v), 80 °C, 25 min and water or mixture of 50% (v/v) ethanol/water as a solvent. Subsequently, assays were carried out to determine the content of proteins (Bradford), total carbohydrates (phenolsulfuric acid) and phenolics (Folin-Ciocalteu), and antioxidant activity (FRAP and DPPH) of the obtained extracts. Monosaccharides profile after hydrolysis and phenolics were also quantified by HPLC. Results showed that carbohydrates were the major macronutrient, followed by protein, lipids and ash. K, Ca and Mg were the major minerals. Regarding the monosaccharide composition, glucose, fructose, xylose and arabinose were the most abundant sugars. Ethanolic extractives represented approximately 46 % of the Red Eggplant composition. Independently of the solvent, higher amounts of polyphenols, proteins and carbohydrates were extracted when OH was applied. Moreover, OH extracts showed greater antioxidant activity compared to extracts obtained by the conventional extraction method. According to the polyphenol profile of the extracts the main compounds found were taxifolin, rutin and rosmarinic acid. These results demonstrate the potential of this vegetable to be used for nutraceuticals or functional food.The authors wish to thank for the financial support to funding program Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant (MSCA-RISE; FODIAC; 778388). Pedro Santos is recipient of a fellowship supported by a doctoral advanced training (call NORTE-69-2015-15), funded by the European Social Fund under the scope of Norte2020 - Programa Operacional Regional do Norte (NORTE-08-5369-FSE-000036). Zlatina Genisheva is supported by the project OH2O (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-029145) funded by FCT and Fundo Europeu de Desenvolvimento Regional (FEDER) under the scope of Programa Operacional de Competividade e Internacionalizaçao (POCI)-COMPETE 2020 and Portugal 2020.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Influence of thermal and electrical effects of ohmic heating on C-phycocyanin properties and biocompounds recovery from Spirulina platensis

Spirulina platensis is interesting for the food industry due to its overall composition and high content in C-phycocyanin. However, the sensitivity of C-phycocyanin makes its extraction a delicate process. The present study focuses on assessing the use of ohmic heating (OH) in the recovery of C-phycocyanin and other relevant compounds as an alternative method to freeze-thawing or conventional heating. Different ohmic and conventional heating treatments were applied both to purified C-phycocyanin and Spirulina powder. Evaluation of fluorescence and circular dichroism showed that moderated electric fields increased C-phycocyanin stability. This was confirmed in the extraction trials which revealed that OH assisted extraction at higher temperatures (44°C), and shorter times (30min) allowed significant higher extraction yield of C-phycocyanin (45 mg/gdw Spirulina), in comparison with conventional heating and freeze-thawing. OH allowed also up to 80% higher yields in phenolic compounds and carbohydrates.This study was supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) under the scope of the strategic funding of UIDB/04469/2020 unit and BioTecNorte operation (NORTE-01-0145-FEDER000004) funded by the European Regional Development Fund under the scope of Norte2020 - Programa Operacional Regional do Norte. The study was also supported by the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant (MSCA-RISE; FODIAC; 778388) and project OH2O – POCI-01-0145-FEDER-029145 (FCT and COMPETE2020). Pedro Santos is recipient of a fellowship supported by a doctoral advanced training (call NORTE-69-2015-15), funded by the European Social Fund under the scope of Norte2020 - Programa Operacional Regional do Norte (NORTE-08-5369-FSE-000036).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Impact of in vitro gastrointestinal digestion on upcycled blackcurrant dried extract

Pomaces, the major by-product of fruit juice processing industries, is rich in bioactive compounds. Among them, polyphenols boost the body's antioxidant capacity, improving cardiovascular health, reducing the risk of diabetes and inflammation, and promoting intestinal microbiota health. Blackcurrant (Ribes nigrum L.) is a highly antioxidant berry rich in anthocyanins, a polyphenols class that also gives the fruit a black-purple color. Thus, blackcurrant pomace polyphenols have the potential to be functional food ingredients that can enhance sustainability in the agri-food processing chain with health benefits. In order to have a beneficial effect on health, polyphenols must be bioaccessible. This means they must be released from the food matrix during gastrointestinal digestion (GID) and available for absorption in the gut.This study aimed to assess the bioaccessibility of anthocyanins and the antioxidant activity of polyphenolic extract from blackcurrant pomace. For this purpose, an enzymatic method was used to release the polyphenols from the pomace, which were then spray-dried. The INFOGEST 2.0 protocol was used to simulate the in vitro GID of the powder. The anthocyanins profile (HPLC-DAD), total phenolic content (TPC, Folin-Ciocalteu method), antioxidant capacity (ABTS, DPPH), and cytotoxicity (PrestoBlue assay) were evaluated.The blackcurrant powder extract initially contained over 900 mg/L of total anthocyanins. The major compounds are cyanidin-3-O-glucoside (54%), pelargonidin-3-O-glucoside (19%), and delphinidin-3-O-glucoside (18%). The anthocyanins remained stable during the gastric phase of GID, with a full recovery index of 20% and 12% for cyanidin-3-O-glucoside. Still, they drastically decreased in the intestinal stage due to a pH change that caused a break in the anthocyanin B-ring. The TPC of the extract significantly reduced during the oral and gastric phases but increased slightly during the intestinal phase, with a 19% recovery index. The extract's antioxidant activity decreased, resulting in a bioaccessibility index of 19% and 23% for ABTS and DPPH scavenging activity, respectively. Despite a decrease in TPC along the GID, the extract still exhibited antioxidant capacity due to the existence of various phenolic compounds, specifically hydroxybenzoic and hydroxycinnamic acids, resulting from the degradation/transformation of anthocyanins3. A 2.5% (w/v) of antioxidant extract powder is safe for food formulations.Thus, this work provides insights into the effects of GID on anthocyanins and the potential use of blackcurrant pomace as a source of bioactive ingredients, promoting a circular economy.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

New Insight on the Bioactivity of Solanum aethiopicum Linn. Growing in Basilicata Region (Italy): Phytochemical Characterization, Liposomal Incorporation, and Antioxidant Effects

Food extract’s biological effect and its improvement using nanotechnologies is one of the challenges of the last and the future decades; for this reason, the antioxidant effect of scarlet eggplant extract liposomal incorporation was investigated. Scarlet eggplant (Solanum aethiopicum L.) is a member of the Solanaceae family, and it is one of the most consumed vegetables in tropical Africa and south of Italy. This study investigated the antioxidant activity and the phytochemical composition of S. aethiopicum grown in the Basilicata Region for the first time. The whole fruit, peel, and pulp were subjected to ethanolic exhaustive maceration extraction, and all extracts were investigated. The HPLC-DAD analysis revealed the presence of ten phenolic compounds, including hydroxycinnamic acids, flavanones, flavanols, and four carotenoids (one xanthophyll and three carotenes). The peel extract was the most promising, active, and the richest in specialized metabolites; hence, it was tested on HepG2 cell lines and incorporated into liposomes. The nanoincorporation enhanced the peel extract’s antioxidant activity, resulting in a reduction of the concentration used. Furthermore, the extract improved the expression of endogenous antioxidants, such as ABCG2, CAT, and NQO1, presumably through the Nrf2 pathway

Solanum aethiopicum L. from the Basilicata region as a source of specialized metabolites with promising anti-obesity effects: phytochemical characterization and in vivo investigation in high fat diet-fed mice

: Introduction: Solanum aethiopicum L., commonly known as scarlet eggplant (Solanaceae family) is one of the most traditionally cultivated vegetables in Basilicata, a southern region of Italy. Although multiple uses have been given to this vegetable, data about its anti-obesogenic activity are still limited. Methods: This study focuses on testing two different extracts obtained either from the peel or from the whole fruit of the Lucanian Solanum aethiopicum. Their ability to inhibit certain enzymatic activities was tested in vitro and then, the one that showed the better outcomes was tested on an experimental model of High-Fat Diet (HFD) induced obesity. Results: Spectrophotometric assays demonstrated that the peel extract possessed the highest ability to inhibit the selected enzymatic activities and so, its phytochemical profile was obtained through LC-MS chromatography. The oral administration of this extract (25&nbsp;mg/kg) to HFD-fed mice reduced body weight gain and improved glucose and lipid metabolism. Similarly, the extract ameliorated the obesity-induced inflammatory status by reducing the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines in both adipose and hepatic tissues. Interestingly, these effects were associated with the improvement of vascular dysfunction. Discussion: Lucanian Solanum aethiopicum extract may represent a new strategic approach for managing obesity and its associated diseases

Multipathogen infections and multifactorial pathogenesis involved in noble pen shell (Pinna nobilis) mass mortality events: Background and current pathologic approaches

Disease outbreaks in several ecologically or commercially important invertebrate marine species have been reported in recent years all over the world. Mass mortality events (MMEs) have affected the noble pen shell (Pinna nobilis), causing its near extinction. Our knowledge of the dynamics of diseases affecting this species is still unclear. Early studies investigating the causative etiological agent focused on a novel protozoan parasite, Haplosporidium pinnae, although further investigations suggested that concurrent polymicrobial infections could have been pivotal in some MMEs, even in the absence of H. pinnae. Indeed, moribund specimens collected during MMEs in Italy, Greece, and Spain demonstrated the presence of a bacteria from within the Mycobacterium simiae complex and, in some cases, species similar to Vibrio mediterranei. The diagnostic processes used for investigation of MMEs are still not standardized and require the expertise of veterinary and para-veterinary pathologists, who could simultaneously evaluate a variety of factors, from clinical signs to environmental conditions. Here, we review the available literature on mortality events in P. nobilis and discuss approaches to define MMEs in P. nobilis. The proposed consensus approach should form the basis for establishing a foundation for future studies aimed at preserving populations in the wild.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

The IAAM LTBP4 Haplotype is Protective Against Dystrophin-Deficient Cardiomyopathy

Background: Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a major complication of, and leading cause of mortality in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). Its severity, age at onset, and rate of progression display wide variability, whose molecular bases have been scarcely elucidated. Potential DCM-modifying factors include glucocorticoid (GC) and cardiological treatments, DMD mutation type and location, and variants in other genes. Methods and Results: We retrospectively collected 3138 echocardiographic measurements of left ventricular ejection fraction (EF), shortening fraction (SF), and end-diastolic volume (EDV) from 819 DMD participants, 541 from an Italian multicentric cohort and 278 from the Cooperative International Neuromuscular Group Duchenne Natural History Study (CINRG-DNHS). Using generalized estimating equation (GEE) models, we estimated the yearly rate of decrease of EF (–0.80%) and SF (–0.41%), while EDV increase was not significantly associated with age. Utilizing a multivariate generalized estimating equation (GEE) model we observed that mutations preserving the expression of the C-terminal Dp71 isoform of dystrophin were correlated with decreased EDV (–11.01 mL/m2 , p = 0.03) while for dp116 were correlated with decreased EF (–4.14%, p = Conclusions: We quantitatively describe the progression of systolic dysfunction progression in DMD, confirm the effect of distal dystrophin isoform expression on the dystrophin-deficient heart, and identify a strong effect of LTBP4 genotype of DCM in DMD