MikroRNAk eta adipokinak: pronostikoko eta erantzun terapeutikoko biomarkatzaileen eta ekintza-mekanismoen bitartekarien bilaketa

307 p.La presente Tesis Doctoral tiene como objetivo analizar el papel que juegan tanto los microRNAs como las adipocitokinas en el mecanismo de acción de diferentes patologías, además de su uso potencial como biomarcadores del desrrollo de esas enfermedades o de respuesta a sus tratamientos. Con el fin de alcanzar ese objetivo, se llevaron a cabo 3 proyectos de investigación:En el primero, se analizó cómo los microRNAs pueden estar involucrados en los efectos positivos del pteroestilbeno sobre la esteatosis hepática. Para ello, se midió la expresión de una serie de microRNAs en tejido hepático de ratas con esteatosis tratadas con pteroestilbeno y, mediante transfección de los mismos en hepatocitos, se estudió su mecanismo de acción a nivel celular.En el segundo, se analizó cómo los microRNAs pueden estar involucrados en los efectos sobre el metabolismo de la glucosa de un extracto de orujo de uva en personas con síndrome metabólico, y, al mismo tiempo, determinar su posible uso como marcadores de respuesta al tratamiento. Para ello, se analizó la expresión de varios microRNAs en muestras de sangre de personas con síndrome metabólico antes y después de ser tratadas con un extracto de orujo de uva, y también se compararon los valores entre los sujetos que respondieron al tratamiento y los que no.En el tercero, se investigó si las adipocitokinas podrían estar involucradas en la velocidad de crecimientode niños pequeños para la edad gestacional (PEG) y si podrían considerarse marcadores de futuras alteraciones metabólicas. Para esto, se analizó la concentración de varias adipokinas en sangre de niños PEG que tenían distintas velocidades de crecimiento durante los primeros 2 años de vida.Se pudo concluir que los microRNAs y las adipokinas pueden mediar en los mecanismos de acción y ser marcadores de respuesta terapéutica y de evolución de diferentes patologías

Features of Non-Alcoholic Beer on Cardiovascular Biomarkers. Can It Be a Substitute for Conventional Beer?

Numerous studies have revealed the beneficial effects of moderate beer consumption on cardiovascular diseases. However, the presence of alcohol in beer can represent a matter of concern, since alcohol intake poses a risk to some individuals. Additionally, adults who are life-long abstainers should not be encouraged to consume alcohol for health purposes. Consequently, the benefits of beer consumption remain a controversial issue. In this scenario, the present review gathers the reported information concerning the cardiovascular effects of non-alcoholic beer, and makes a comparison between these effects and those of conventional beer. Despite the scarcity of published results to date describing the effects of non-alcoholic beer consumption, the available literature indicates that it is more effective than conventional beer in preventing oxidative stress (lower lipid and protein oxidation), preserving the endothelial function (lower endothelial dysfunction) and inhibiting thrombogenic activity (lowered oxidized LDL). By contrast, conventional beer has shown to induce greater increases in HDL-cholesterol levels (known as a cardiovascular protective factor) compared to non-alcoholic beer. This effect cannot be solely attributed to alcohol content, since the polyphenol content in conventional beer tends to be higher than that found in non-alcoholic beer.This research was funded by CIBEROBN under Grant CB12/03/30007 and the Government of the Basque Country (IT1482-22)

Variability in the Beneficial Effects of Phenolic Compounds: A Review

When analysing the beneficial effects of phenolic compounds, several factors that exert a clear influence should be taken into account. The content of phenolic compounds in foods is highly variable, directly affecting individual dietary intake. Once ingested, these compounds have a greater or lesser bioaccessibility, defined as the amount available for absorption in the intestine after digestion, and a certain bioavailability, defined as the proportion of the molecule that is available after digestion, absorption and metabolism. Among the external factors that modify the content of phenolic compounds in food are the variety, the cultivation technique and the climate. Regarding functional foods, it is important to take into account the role of the selected food matrix, such as dairy matrices, liquid or solid matrices. It is also essential to consider the interactions between phenolic compounds as well as the interplay that occurs between these and several other components of the diet (macro- and micronutrients) at absorption, metabolism and mechanism of action levels. Furthermore, there is a great inter-individual variability in terms of phase II metabolism of these compounds, composition of the microbiota, and metabolic state or metabotype to which the subject belongs. All these factors introduce variability in the responses observed after ingestion of foods or nutraceuticals containing phenolic compounds.This study was supported by Instituto de Salud Carlos III (CIBERobn) under Grant CB12/03/30007

Key Aspects in Nutritional Management of COVID-19 Patients

This review deals with the relationship among nutrition, the immune system, and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The influence of nutrients and bioactive molecules present in foodstuffs on immune system activity, the influence of COVID-19 on the nutritional status of the patients, and the dietary recommendations for hospitalized patients are addressed. Deficient nutritional status is probably due to anorexia, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, hypoalbuminemia, hypermetabolism, and excessive nitrogen loss. There is limited knowledge regarding the nutritional support during hospital stay of COVID-19 patients. However, nutritional therapy appears as first-line treatment and should be implemented into standard practice. Optimal intake of all nutrients, mainly those playing crucial roles in immune system, should be assured through a diverse and well-balanced diet. Nevertheless, in order to reduce the risk and consequences of infections, the intakes for some micronutrients may exceed the recommended dietary allowances since infections and other stressors can reduce micronutrient status. In the case of critically ill patients, recently published guidelines are available for their nutritional management. Further, several natural bioactive compounds interact with the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor, the gateway for severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Natural bioactive compounds can also reduce the inflammatory response induced by SARS-CoV-2. These compounds are potential beneficial tools in the nutritional management of COVID-19 patients.This research was supported by Instituto de Salud Carlos III (CIBERobn) and University of the Basque Country (GIU18-173)