Resveratrol: A Focus on Several Neurodegenerative Diseases

Molecules of the plant world are proving their effectiveness in countering, slowing down, and regressing many diseases. The resveratrol for its intrinsic properties related to its stilbene structure has been proven to be a universal panacea, especially for a wide range of neurodegenerative diseases. This paper evaluates (in vivo and in vitro) the various molecular targets of this peculiar polyphenol and its ability to effectively counter several neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and Huntington’s diseases and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. What emerges is that, in the deep heterogeneity of the pathologies evaluated, resveratrol through a convergence on the protein targets is able to give therapeutic responses in neuronal cells deeply diversified not only in morphological structure but especially in their function performed in the anatomical district to which they belong

Band-3 protein function in human erythrocytes: effect of oxygenation–deoxygenation

AbstractSulfate transport by band-3 protein in adult human erythrocytes was shown to be modulated by oxygen pressure. In particular, a higher transport activity was measured under high oxygen pressure than at low one (0.0242±0.0073 vs. 0.0074±0.0010 min−1). Other factors, such as magnesium ions and orthovanadate, which can indirectly affect the binding properties of the cytoplasmic domain of band 3 (cdb3), influence significantly the anion exchanger activity. No effect of oxygen pressure on sulfate transport was found in chicken erythrocytes, which may be related to their lacking the cdb3 binding site. These findings are fully consistent with a molecular mechanism where the oxygen-linked transition of hemoglobin (T→R) could play a key role in the regulation of anion exchanger activity

A New Non-Equilibrium Thermodynamic Fractional Visco-Inelastic Model to Predict Experimentally Inaccessible Processes and Investigate Pathophysiological Cellular Structures

After remarking on non-equilibrium thermodynamics with internal variables, this paper highlights the importance of these variables to the study of biological systems. Internal variables can provide a more detailed description of biological processes that occur inside cells, tissues and organs. In order to introduce a fractional model on a visco-inelastic medium based on Kluitenberg’s non-equilibrium thermodynamics, the origin of the complex dynamic modulus is shown by means of linear response theory. This research recalls our previous work to develop an ultrasound wave technique that allows us to investigate biological systems, and introduces the fractional visco-inelastic model and relative generalized relaxation time, to show that it is possible to obtain the Cole–Cole model in a particular case

Thermodynamics Characterization of Lung Carcinoma, Entropic Study and Metabolic Correlations

In recent years, the use of dielectric spectroscopy as an investigation technique to determine the chemical–physical characteristics of biological materials has had a great increase. This study used the non-equilibrium thermodynamics with internal variables theory to test the potential pathological features of lung cancer. After a brief exploration of the dielectric polarization concept highlighting some aspects that were used, some thermodynamic functions were obtained as functions of the frequency, both for lung tumor cells and physiological ones. Variations in the intensity of values but not in the trend of the curves were observed and this was attributed to the perturbing field. The trend of this field explains the behavior of phenomena described by other functions, as related to the frequencies of the perturbing field. Compared to the physiological ones, the cancer cells appeared to be “more predisposed” to conserve their state as characterized by minor entropy production, probably because this helped cells to obtain the required adenosine triphosphate (ATP) from the minimum amount of nutrients

Expanding the Repertoire of Dielectric Fractional Models: A Comprehensive Development and Functional Applications to Predict Metabolic Alterations in Experimentally-Inaccessible Cells or Tissues

In this paper, we present the theoretical approach developed by us in the network of dielectric fractional theories. In particular, we mention the general aspects of the non-equilibrium thermodynamics, and after an introduction to the interaction between biological tissues and electrical fields, we highlight the role of phenomenological and state equations; therefore, we recall a general formulation on linear response theory. In Section 6, we introduce the classical fractional model. All of this is essential to show the role and the importance of fractional models in the context of thermodynamic dielectric investigations (of living or inert matter), giving a complete vision of the fractional approach. In Section 7 and Section 8, we introduce our new fractional model derived from non-equilibrium thermodynamic considerations

A New Non-Equilibrium Thermodynamic Fractional Visco-Inelastic Model to Predict Experimentally Inaccessible Processes and Investigate Pathophysiological Cellular Structures

After remarking on non-equilibrium thermodynamics with internal variables, this paper highlights the importance of these variables to the study of biological systems. Internal variables can provide a more detailed description of biological processes that occur inside cells, tissues and organs. In order to introduce a fractional model on a visco-inelastic medium based on Kluitenberg’s non-equilibrium thermodynamics, the origin of the complex dynamic modulus is shown by means of linear response theory. This research recalls our previous work to develop an ultrasound wave technique that allows us to investigate biological systems, and introduces the fractional visco-inelastic model and relative generalized relaxation time, to show that it is possible to obtain the Cole–Cole model in a particular case

Implication of COVID-19 on Erythrocytes Functionality: Red Blood Cell Biochemical Implications and Morpho-Functional Aspects

Several diseases (such as diabetes, cancer, and neurodegenerative disorders) affect the morpho-functional aspects of red blood cells, sometimes altering their normal metabolism. In this review, the hematological changes are evaluated, with particular focus on the morphology and metabolic aspects of erythrocytes. Changes in the functionality of such cells may, in fact, help provide important information about disease severity and progression. The viral infection causes significant damage to the blood cells that are altered in size, rigidity, and distribution width. Lower levels of hemoglobin and anemia have been reported in several studies, and an alteration in the concentration of antioxidant enzymes has been shown to promote a dangerous state of oxidative stress in red blood cells. Patients with severe COVID-19 showed an increase in hematological changes, indicating a progressive worsening as COVID-19 severity progressed. Therefore, monitored hematological alterations in patients with COVID-19 may play an important role in the management of the disease and prevent the risk of a severe course of the disease. Finally, monitored changes in erythrocytes and blood, in general, may be one of the causes of the condition known as Long COVID

Short-Term Effects of Chlorpromazine on Oxidative Stress in Erythrocyte Functionality: Activation of Metabolism and Membrane Perturbation

The purpose of this paper is to focus on the short-term effects of chlorpromazine on erythrocytes because it is reported that the drug, unstable in plasma but more stable in erythrocytes, interacts with erythrocyte membranes, membrane lipids, and hemoglobin. There is a rich literature about the side and therapeutic effects or complications due to chlorpromazine, but most of these studies explore the influence of long-term treatment. We think that evaluating the short-term effects of the drug may help to clarify the sequence of chlorpromazine molecular targets from which some long-term effects derive. Our results indicate that although the drug is primarily intercalated in the innermost side of the membrane, it does not influence band 3 anionic flux, lipid peroxidation, and protein carbonylation processes. On the other hand, it destabilizes and increases the autooxidation of haemoglobin, induces activation of caspase 3, and, markedly, influences the ATP and reduced glutathione levels, with subsequent exposure of phosphatidylserine at the erythrocyte surface. Overall our observations on the early stage of chlorpromazine influence on erythrocytes may contribute to better understanding of new and interesting characteristics of this compound improving knowledge of erythrocyte metabolism

Ornithine Carbamoyltransferase from Spinacea oleracea: Purification and Characterization

Ornithine carbamoyltransferase (OCT) from spinach (Spinacea oleracea L.) was purified to homogeneity and studied for some kinetic and structural properties. The enzyme showed a specific activity of 436 U mg−1, its molecular mass was approximately 118 kDa as estimated by Sephacryl S-200 gel filtration chromatography, the purified protein ran as a single band of 38 kDa in sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacryamide gel electrophoresis. The enzyme catalyses an ordered bi-bi-sequential reaction in which carbamoyl phosphate binds first, followed by L-ornithine; L-citrulline leaves first, followed by phosphate. The Michaelis constant was 0.19 mM for L-ornithine and 13.1 µM for carbamoyl phosphate; the dissociation constant for the enzyme and carbamoyl phosphate complex was of 19 µM. The Km of the reaction decreases from pH 6.0 to pH 10.4. The enzyme is heat-labile, but it was protected from thermal inactivation by substrates; more by ornithine alone than by two substrates acting together