Update on critical evidence for use of carnitine analogs in clinical practice in CNS disorders

Giovanna TrainaDepartment of Economics and Food Sciences, University of Perugia, Perugia, ItalyAbstract: L-carnitine (LC) is part of the carnitine shuttle system at the mitochondrial inner membrane (MIM) and transports long chain fatty acids over the MIM route. Acetyl-L -carnitine (ALC), the acetyl ester of LC, plays an essential role in intermediary metabolism. To ALC are ascribed neurotrophic actions, antioxidant and antiapoptotic activity, positive effects on mitochondrial metabolism, and stabilization of intracellular membranes. Acylcarnitine and LC supplementation have shown beneficial effects in the treatment of aging, chronic degenerative pathologies and the slowing of the progression of mental deterioration in neurodegenerative diseases, and painful neuropathies. ALC is reported to affect brain energy and phospholipid metabolism and to interact with cell membranes, proteins, and enzymes. It also shows a neuromodulatory effect on synaptic morphology and neurotransmitter synaptic transmission, including that of acetylcholine and dopamine. All these data suggest that ALC can affect several targets in the central nervous system. The roles and effects of LC and ALC have led researchers to investigate carnitine's involvement in a variety of neuropathological states and treatments, including autism, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, Down's syndrome, Huntington's disease, cerebellar ataxia, age-associated mental decline, hepatic encephalopathy, and ammonia neurotoxicity. This review summarizes evidence that carnitine analogs play many roles in serious neurological pathologies.Keywords: L-carnitine, acetyl-L-carnitine, brain, neural disorder

Tryptophan and Membrane Mobility as Conditioners and Brokers of Gut–Brain Axis in Depression

The aim of this brief narrative commentary is to discuss some aspects involved in depression. It is increasingly evident that the phenomenon of mood disorders, despite its unequivocal genetic origin, slips into a multifactorial set of biochemical and molecular events that involve the whole organism. A vast literature has provided evidence that recognizes changes in serotonergic neurotransmission in the pathophysiology of depression. In addition, an increased arachidonic acid/omega-3 fatty acid ratio, which confers to mammalian cell membranes their fluidity, is associated with the depressive state. The combination of the excessive expression of kinurenine and the increased fluidity of the membrane has never been considered in the meaning of a simultaneous effect in the determinism of the depressive condition. Furthermore, various evidence supports the relationship between intestinal microbiota and depression and confirms alterations in the microbiota in depressive pathology

Mouse thyroid gland changes in aging: Implication of galectin-3 and sphingomyelinase

Prevalence of thyroid dysfunction and its impact on cognition in older people has been demonstrated, but many points remain unclarified. In order to study the effect of aging on the thyroid gland, we compared the thyroid gland of very old mice with that of younger ones. We have first investigated the changes of thyroid microstructure and the possibility that molecules involved in thyroid function might be associated with structural changes. Results from this study indicate changes in the height of the thyrocytes and in the amplitude of interfollicular spaces, anomalous expression/localization of thyrotropin, thyrotropin receptor, and thyroglobulin aging. Thyrotropin and thyrotropin receptor are upregulated and are distributed inside the colloid while thyroglobulin fills the interfollicular spaces. In an approach aimed at defining the behavior of molecules that change in different physiopathological conditions of thyroid, such as galectin-3 and sphingomyelinase, we then wondered what was their behavior in the thyroid gland in aging. Importantly, in comparison with the thyroid of young animals, we have found a higher expression of galectin-3 and a delocalization of neutral sphingomyelinase in the thyroid of old animals. A possible relationship between galectin-3, neutral sphingomyelinase, and aging has been discussed

Effect of packaging and storage conditions on some quality traits of bovine meat

Packaging is considered one of the most interesting technological aspects of food production and is a constantly evolving subject in food production. The type of packaging is important for the quality and safety of the product and for the visual appearance of the product to be immediately evaluated by consumers. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of four different types of modified atmosphere packaging (ATM) and vacuum packaging (VP) currently used by a company in central Italy, on the main qualitative characteristics of beef. For these two traditional and two new solutions with reduced environmental impact and compostable were evaluated. For each type of packaging, two different products were analyzed: steaks and hamburgers. The samples, immediately after production, were transported to the laboratory in refrigerated containers. Several parameters (color, pH, water holding capacity, drip loss, and microbiological characteristics) were evaluated at time 0 and after 7 (T7), 14 (T14) and 21 days (T21) of storage in the dark and at refrigeration temperature (+4°C ± 2°C). The results showed that the two types of packaging have very similar effects on the water-retaining capacity of the steaks. More noticeable differences were recorded by the colorimetric analysis: for both steaks and hamburgers, the products packaged in the traditional packaging appeared brighter and redder than those packaged in the new alternatives. The microbiological analysis of the steaks showed higher values in the “new” packaging. The formation of abundant ropy slime was observed in one of the samples in the “new” modified atmosphere package at T21. The results of this study showed that the technological characteristics (in particular, the color) and the microbiological characteristics of the steaks and hamburgers were better in “old” packaging, with a better appearance and a longer shelf life. The results obtained show how the research for eco-sustainable products for packaging must be addressed, taking into account the effect of the materials on the qualitative and hygienic- sanitary characteristics of the meat.https://www.pagepressjournals.org/index.php/ijfsam2023Paraclinical Science

The Connection between Gut and Lung Microbiota, Mast Cells, Platelets and SARS-CoV-2 in the Elderly Patient

The human coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 or COVID-19 that emerged in late 2019 causes a respiratory tract infection and has currently resulted in more than 627 million confirmed cases and over 6.58 million deaths worldwide up to October 2022. The highest death rate caused by COVID-19 is in older people, especially those with comorbidities. This evidence presents a challenge for biomedical research on aging and also identifies some key players in inflammation, including mast cells and platelets, which could represent important markers and, at the same time, unconventional therapeutic targets. Studies have shown a decrease in the diversity of gut microbiota composition in the elderly, particularly a reduced abundance of butyrate-producing species, and COVID-19 patients manifest faecal microbiome alterations, with an increase in opportunistic pathogens and a depletion of commensal beneficial microorganisms. The main purpose of this narrative review is to highlight how an altered condition of the gut microbiota, especially in the elderly, could be an important factor and have a strong impact in the lung homeostasis and COVID-19 phenomenon, jointly to the activation of mast cells and platelets, and also affect the outcomes of the pathology. Therefore, a targeted and careful control of the intestinal microbiota could represent a complementary intervention to be implemented for the management and the challenge against COVID-19

COLON MICROBIAL COMPOSITION IS CORRELATED WITH THE SEVERITY OF COLITIS INDUCED BY 2,4,6-TRINITROBENZENESULFONIC ACID IN MICE

The objective of this study was to evaluate the changes in some bacterial species of colonic microbiota, the clinical signs and the intestinal changes in mice with 2,4,6trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid (TNBS)-induced colitis. CD-1 male mice were randomly divided into three groups and inoculated intrarectally with saline, ethanol or TNBS solutions. Ethanol and TNBS treatments induced weight loss accompanied by mild and severe inflammation of the colon mucosa, respectively. However, TNBS-treated mice displayed significant differences compared to the saline group in terms of disease activity index and histological scoring. Both ethanol and TNBS groups showed an increased prevalence of Escherichia coli and Clostridium spp., a decrease in Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria counts, as well as changes in the relative proportions of bacteria in the colon. The results confirm the validity of TNBS treatment to study the mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis and progression of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) in CD-1 mice. Gut microbiota may become a diagnostic biomarker with therapeutic potential for IBD in the future

Probiotics and Microbiota-Derived Molecules for Inflammation, Neuroinflammation and Mood Disorders

The gut microbiota plays an important role in inflammation, neuroinflammation and the function of neuronal cells [...

Caulerpenyne Affects Bradykinin-Induced Intracellular Calcium Kinetics in LoVo Cells

Sesquiterpene caulerpenyne (CYN) is the major metabolite present in green macroalgae Caulerpa taxifolia. This metabolite has been shown to be cytotoxic in some cell lines and was found to be active in various assays of pharmacological interest. In addition, it exerts antibiotic, antiviral, phytotoxic, antidyslipidemic, and antiproliferative activities. In the present study, we report that pretreatment with CYN decreases the bradykinin-induced calcium peak in human colon LoVo cells. We hypothesize that CYN pretreatment may adversely affect bradykinin-induced intracellular calcium increases. The data suggest that CYN, by reducing the increase in intracellular calcium, exerts an inhibitory role on calcium homeostasis and, likely, intercellular transmission

Mast Cells in Human Health and Diseases

This Special Issue includes articles that discuss several important aspects regarding the role of mast cells (MCs) and elucidate some cellular and molecular mechanisms of these multifaceted cells [...