44 research outputs found
Can alpha-linolenic acid be a modulator of “cytokine storm,” oxidative stress and immune response in SARS-CoV-2 infection?
Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) is a long-chain polyunsaturated essential fatty acid of the Ω3 series found mainly in vegetables, especially in the fatty part of oilseeds, dried fruit, berries, and legumes. It is very popular for its preventive use in several diseases: It seems to reduce the risk of the onset or decrease some phenomena related to inflammation, oxidative stress, and conditions of dysregulation of the immune response. Recent studies have confirmed these unhealthy situations also in patients with severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Different findings (in vitro, in vivo, and clinical ones), summarized and analyzed in this review, have showed an important role of ALA in other various non-COVID physiological and pathological situations against “cytokines storm,” chemokines secretion, oxidative stress, and dysregulation of immune cells that are also involved in the infection of the 2019 novel coronavirus. According to the effects of ALA against all the aforementioned situations (also present in patients with a severe clinical picture of severe acute respiratory syndrome-(CoV-2) infection), there may be the biologic plausibility of a prophylactic effect of this compound against COVID-19 symptoms and fatality
Myrtle (Myrtus communis L.) berries, seeds, leaves, and essential oils: New undiscovered sources of natural compounds with promising health benefits
AbstractMyrtle (Myrtus communis L.) is a typical plant of the coasts of Mediterranean area, which grows spontaneously as a shrub or a small tree. Myrtle berries, leaves, seeds, and essential oils are natural sources of several nutrients and bioactive compounds with marked health effects. In the ancient medicine, it has been indeed used for treating several common diseases, including gastrointestinal, urinary, and skin disorders, whereas currently it is widely employed in food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries. This review aims to describe the nutritional and the phytochemical compositions of different parts of myrtle plant, as well as their antioxidant activities. In addition, several in vitro, in vivo, and ex vivo studies are also presented to give a general overview of the potential effects of myrtle on human health. Finally, a critical analysis of the limitations related to the current research on myrtle is given
Isolation and characterization of Mesenchymal Stem Cells from pituitary tumours
In the past few years the introduction of the cancer stem cells (CSCs) notion opened new perspectives for the diagnosis and cure of solid tumors. According to this theory, CSCs originate from mutated stem cells, maintaining the self-renewal and differentiative abilities. Therefore, the development of specific therapies targeted at CSCs holds hope for improvement of survival and quality of life of cancer patients. Actually, no informations are available about stem cells and cancer stem cells on pituitary tumours. This work depicts some essential features of stem cells isolated from pituitary adenomas. Six tumour biopsies (3: GH-secreting; 3: non secreting) were collected and cultured with a specific culture medium. Cell growth and morphology were monitored and cells were subjected to analyses for stemness determination (immunophenotype, gene expression and differentiative potential) [1, 2] and GH secretion. Cells showed a stem-like immunophenotype, the expression of Oct-4, Sox-2, Nanog and Klf-4 and the ability to differentiate towards osteogenic, chondrogenic and adipogenic lineages. The hormone secretion ended after two weeks culturing. Even if further studies are needed for the fully comprehension of the specific nature of these cells and on their role on tumour onset and maintenance, this study opens to the possibility of isolation of stem cells from pituitary tumour, allowing a molecular targeting of it. This work was supported by grant FIRB-RBAP10MLK7_003 from Ministero dell’Istruzione, dell’Università e della Ricerca, Rome, Ital
Strawberry-Based Cosmetic Formulations Protect Human Dermal Fibroblasts against UVA-Induced Damage
Extreme exposure of skin to Ultraviolet A (UVA)-radiation may induce a dysregulated
production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) which can interact with cellular biomolecules leading
to oxidative stress, inflammation, DNA damage, and alteration of cellular molecular pathways,
responsible for skin photoaging, hyperplasia, erythema, and cancer. For these reasons, the use
of dietary natural bioactive compounds with remarkable antioxidant activity could be a strategic
tool to counteract these UVA-radiation-caused deleterious effects. Thus, the purpose of the present
work was to test the efficacy of strawberry (50 µg/mL)-based formulations supplemented with
Coenzyme Q10 (100 µg/mL) and sun protection factor 10 in human dermal fibroblasts irradiated
with UVA-radiation. The apoptosis rate, the amount of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS)
production, the expression of proteins involved in antioxidant and inflammatory response, and
mitochondrial functionality were evaluated. The results showed that the synergic topical use of
strawberry and Coenzyme Q10 provided a significant (p < 0.05) photoprotective effect, reducing cell
death and ROS, increasing antioxidant defense, lowering inflammatory markers, and improving
mitochondrial functionality. The obtained results suggest the use of strawberry-based formulations
as an innovative, natural, and useful tool for the prevention of UVA exposure-induced skin diseases
in order to decrease or substitute the amount of synthetic sunscreen agents
Nutrition and Rheumatoid Arthritis in the ‘Omics’ Era
Modern high-throughput ‘omics’ science tools (including genomics, transcriptomics, pro teomics, metabolomics and microbiomics) are currently being applied to nutritional sciences to
unravel the fundamental processes of health effects ascribed to particular nutrients in humans and
to contribute to more precise nutritional advice. Diet and food components are key environmental
factors that interact with the genome, transcriptome, proteome, metabolome and the microbiota,
and this life-long interplay defines health and diseases state of the individual. Rheumatoid arthritis
(RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease featured by a systemic immune-inflammatory response, in
genetically susceptible individuals exposed to environmental triggers, including diet. In recent years
increasing evidences suggested that nutritional factors and gut microbiome have a central role in RA
risk and progression. The aim of this review is to summarize the main and most recent applications
of ‘omics’ technologies in human nutrition and in RA research, examining the possible influences of
some nutrients and nutritional patterns on RA pathogenesis, following a nutrigenomics approach.
The opportunities and challenges of novel ‘omics technologies’ in the exploration of new avenues in
RA and nutritional research to prevent and manage RA will be also discussed
Strawberry tree honey in combination with 5-fluorouracil enhances chemosensitivity in human colon adenocarcinoma cells
The authors would like to thank Prof. Gavino Sanna, Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy (University of Sassari, Italy), for providing STH samples. Tamara Y. Forbes-Hernandez is supported by a "Juan de la Cierva-Formacion" post-doctoral contract.Colorectal cancer remains a challenging health burden worldwide. This study aimed to assess the potentiality of
Strawberry tree honey (STH), a polyphenol-enriched food, to increase the effectiveness of 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU)
in adenocarcinoma (HCT-116) and metastatic (LoVo) colon cancer cell lines. The combined treatment reduced
cell viability and caused oxidative stress, by increasing oxidative biomarkers and decreasing antioxidant defence,
in a more potent way compared to 5-FU alone. The expression of endoplasmic reticulum (ATF-6, XBP-1) and
MAPK (p-p38 MAPK, p-ERK1/2) markers were also elevated after the combined treatment, enhancing the cell
cycle arrest through the modulation of regulatory genes (i.e., cyclins and CDKs). Apoptotic gene (i.e., caspases)
expressions were also increased after the combined treatment, while those of proliferation (i.e., EGFR), cell
migration, invasion (i.e., matrix metallopeptidase) and epithelial–mesenchymal transition (N-cadherin, β-catenin)
were suppressed. Finally, the combined treatment led cell metabolism towards a quiescent stage, by
reducing mitochondrial respiration and glycolysis. In conclusion, this work represents an initial step to highlight
the possibility to use STH in combination with 5-FU in the treatment of colon cancer, even if further in vitro an in
vivo studies are strongly needed to confirm the possible chemo-sensitizing effects of STH."Juan de la Cierva-Formacion" post-doctoral contrac
Strawberry (cv. Romina) Methanolic Extract and Anthocyanin-Enriched Fraction Improve Lipid Profile and Antioxidant Status in HepG2 Cells
Dyslipidemia and oxidation of low density lipoproteins (LDL) are recognized as critical factors in the development of atherosclerosis. Healthy dietary patterns, with abundant fruit and vegetable consumption, may prevent the onset of these risk factors due to the presence of phytochemical compounds. Strawberries are known for their high content of polyphenols; among them, flavonoids are the major constituents, and it is presumed that they are responsible for the biological activity of the fruit. Nevertheless, there are only a few studies that actually evaluate the effects of different fractions isolated from strawberries. In order to assess the effects of two different strawberry extracts (whole methanolic extract/anthocyanin-enriched fraction) on the lipid profile and antioxidant status in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) cells, the triglycerides and LDL-cholesterol content, lipid peroxidation, intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) content and antioxidant enzymes’ activity on cell lysates were determined. Results demonstrated that both strawberry extracts not only improved the lipid metabolism by decreasing triglycerides and LDL-cholesterol contents, but also improved the redox state of HepG2 cells by modulating thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances production, antioxidant enzyme activity and ROS generation. The observed effects were more pronounced for the anthocyanin-enriched fraction
Phenolic Compounds Isolated from Olive Oil as Nutraceutical Tools for the Prevention and Management of Cancer and Cardiovascular Diseases
Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) have become the largest contributor to worldwide
morbidity and mortality. Among them, cancer and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are responsible
for a 47% of worldwide mortality. In general, preventive approaches modifying lifestyle are more
cost-effective than treatments after disease onset. In this sense, a healthy diet could help a range
of NCDs, such as cancer and CVDs. Traditional Mediterranean Diet (MD) is associated by the
low-prevalence of certain types of cancers and CVDs, where olive oil plays an important role. In fact,
different epidemiological studies suggest that olive oil consumption prevents some cancers, as well as
coronary heart diseases and stroke incidence and mortality. Historically, the beneficial health effects
of virgin olive oil (VOO) intake were first attributed to the high concentration of monounsaturated
fatty acids. Nowadays, many studies indicate that phenolic compounds contained in olive oil have
positive effects on different biomarkers related to health. Among them, phenolic compounds would
be partially responsible for health benefits. The present work aims to explore, in studies published
during the last five years, the effects of the main phenolic compounds isolated from olive oil on
different cancer or CVD aspects, in order to clarify which compounds have more potential to be used
as nutraceuticals with preventive or even therapeutic properties
Phenolic Compounds in Honey and Their Associated Health Benefits: A Review
Honey is a natural substance appreciated for its therapeutic abilities since ancient times.
Its content in flavonoids and phenolic acids plays a key role on human health, thanks to the high
antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that they exert. Honey possesses antimicrobial capacity
and anticancer activity against different types of tumors, acting on different molecular pathways that
are involved on cellular proliferation. In addition, an antidiabetic activity has also been highlighted,
with the reduction of glucose, fructosamine, and glycosylated hemoglobin serum concentration.
Honey exerts also a protective effect in the cardiovascular system, where it mainly prevents the
oxidation of low-density lipoproteins, in the nervous system, in the respiratory system against
asthma and bacterial infections, and in the gastrointestinal system. A beneficial effect of honey can
also be demonstrated in athletes. The purpose of this review is to summarize and update the current
information regarding the role of honey in health and diseases
Beeswax by-Products Efficiently Counteract the Oxidative Damage Induced by an Oxidant Agent in Human Dermal Fibroblasts
The antioxidant capacity and the phytochemical composition of two by-products from
beeswax recycling processes were recently investigated. The aim of the present work was to
evaluate the efficacy of one of these by-products, MUD1, against the oxidative stress induced by
2,20-azobis(2-amidinopropane) dihydrochloride (AAPH) in human dermal fibroblast (HDF) cells.
After a preliminary viability assay, the protective effect of MUD1 was investigated through the
measurement of apoptosis level, the reactive oxygen species (ROS) and nitrite (NO2-) production,
the level of protein and lipid biomarkers (carbonyl groups, total glutathione and thiobarbituric
acid-reactive substance) of oxidative damage, and the measurement of antioxidant enzymes activities
(glutatione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, glutathione transferase, superoxide dismutase and
catalase). The obtained results showed that MUD1 exerted protective effects on HDF, increasing
cell viability and counteracted the oxidative stress promoted by AAPH-treatment, and improved
mitochondria functionality and wound healing capacities. This work shows the antioxidant effects
exerted by beeswax by-products, demonstrating for the first time their potential against oxidative
stress in human dermal fibroblast cells; however, further research will be necessary to evaluate their
potentiality for human health by more deeply in vitro and in vivo studies.The present study was partially funded by the “National Beekeeping Aid Program (Programa
Nacional de Ayudas a la Apicultura)”, cofounded by the European Union and assigned to Spanish FEGA and
FEAGA agencies. Patricia Reboredo-Rodríguez acknowledges award of a post-doctoral contract from Xunta
de Galicia