Impact of diet-induced obesity on the mouse brain phosphoproteome

Obesity is closely associated to several diseases such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hepatic steatosis, airway disease, neurodegeneration, biliary diseases and certain cancers. It is, therefore, of importance to assess the role of nutrition in disease prevention as well as its effect in the course of such pathologies. In the present study, we addressed the impact of the exposure to different obesogenic diets in the mice brains phosphoproteome. To analyze if the obesity could be able to modify the protein pattern expression of brain neurons, obesity was induced in two different groups of mice. One group of mice was fed with hyperglycemic diet (HGD) and the other one was fed wit…

SuperJump training in eumenorrheic women and gut peptides: a randomized controlled study about the mechanism of action on bone and glucose homeostasis

The role played by physical activity in promoting bone health is now widely recognized. Physical activity limits and slows down the physiological demineralization that occurs over the years and plays an important role in the prevention of osteoporosis. SuperJump, a high-impact training activity performed on a mini-trampoline characterized by alternating between aerobic and anaerobic exercises, has been shown to be able to generate a substantial osteogenic response and increase bone balance and strength in eumenorrheic women. In this study it was analyzed whether gastrointestinal peptides play a role in the regulation of bone metabolism and their impact on glucose homeostasis. Methods Using …

Serum Irisin Concentrations in Severely Inflamed Patients

AbstractIrisin is a recently discovered exercise-induced myokine that has been attributed the role of favoring white-to-brown adipose tissue trans-differentiation. We confirmed in a population-based cohort that irisin serum concentrations are independently correlated with the habitual level of physical activity, but we also observed an independent correlation with serum concentrations of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), thus suggesting that inflammation may influence irisin production. In order to investigate the association between irisin and inflammation, we measured serum irisin concentrations in a group of inflamed inpatients. We hypothesized that if an association between …

Mediterranean diet and longevity: an example of nutraceuticals?

The Mediterranean diet (Mediet) is an eating pattern characterizing a lifestyle and culture that has been reported to contribute to better health and quality of life. The Mediet reflects food patterns typical of Mediterranean regions, where olive oil plays an essential role in the food pyramid. Olive oil is located in the middle and it is considered the principal source of dietary fat because of its high nutritional quality (particularly extra virgin olive oil). Several studies have shown the effect of the Mediet on healthy status by lowering the rates of coronary heart disease, certain cancers, and some other age-related chronic diseases. Although the scientific literature regarding diet a…

Biofortification: Effect of Iodine Fortified Food in the Healthy Population, Double-Arm Nutritional Study

It is estimated that one-third of the world’s population lives in areas where iodine (I) is scarce and its deficiency is responsible for many related disorders, such as goiter, reproductive failure, hearing loss, growth impairment, congenital I deficiency syndrome, and numerous kinds of brain injury. Mineral deficiencies can be overcomeviadietary diversification and mineral supplementation. An alternative or even complementary way is represented by the intake of biofortified foods, which can tackle this lack of micronutrients. In this short-term double-arm nutritional intervention study, a cohort of ten people was supplemented with curly endive leaf biofortified with I and ten people with c…

Age and Gender-related Variations of Molecular and Phenotypic Parameters in A Cohort of Sicilian Population: from Young to Centenarians

People are living longer, but lifespan increase does not coincide with a boost in health-span. Thus, improving the quality of life of older people is a priority. Centenarians reach extreme longevity in a relatively good health status, escaping or delaying fatal or strongly invalidating diseases. Therefore, studying processes involved in longevity is important to explain the biological mechanisms of health and well-being, since knowledge born from this approach can provide valuable information on how to slow aging. We performed the present study in a well characterized very homogeneous sample of 173 people from Western Sicily, to update existing literature on some phenotypic aspects of aging…

Role of the pyrin M694V (A2080G) allele in acute myocardial infarction and longevity: a study in the Sicilian population

Abstract A proinflammatory genotype seems to contribute significantly to the risk of developing coronary heart disease (CHD). Conversely, the susceptibility alleles to inflammatory disease should be infrequent in the genetic background favoring longevity. In fact, in a modern environment, attainment of longevity is facilitated by an anti-inflammatory status. To evaluate whether inflammatory alleles of pyrin, the gene responsible for familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) may play an opposite role in CHD and in longevity, we examined three FMF-associated mutations, M694V (A2080G), M694I (G2082A), and V726A (T2177C), encoded by the FMF gene (MEFV) in 121 patients affected by acute myocardial infa…

Post-acute COVID-19 neurological syndrome: A new medical challenge

In December 2019, in Wuhan (China), a highly pathogenic coronavirus, named SARS-CoV-2, dramatically emerged. This new virus, which causes severe pneumonia, is rapidly spreading around the world, hence it provoked the COVID-19 pandemic. This emergency launched by SARS-CoV-2 also had, and still has, devastating socio-economic aspects. Assessing the impact of COVID-19 on vulnerable groups of people is crucial for the adaptation of governments’ responses. Growing scientific evidence suggests that it is essential to keep the attention on people after acute SARS-CoV-2 infection; indeed, some clinical manifestations are frequently present even after recovery. There is consensus on the need to defi…

Blood group does not appear to affect longevity a pilot study in centenarians from Western Sicily.

Centenarians are the best example of extreme human longevity, and they represent a selected population in which the appearance of major age-related diseases, such as cancer, and cardiovascular diseases among others, has been consistently delayed or escaped. The study of the long-lived individual genetic profile has the purpose to possibly identify the genes and the allelic variations influencing extended life expectancy, hence considering them as biomarkers of age-related diseases onset and development. The present study shows no significant differences between allelic variations of ABO blood groups among a group of centenarians from Western Sicily.

The Genetics of Innate Immunity and Inflammation in Ageing, Age-Related Diseases and Longevity

Inflammation is a key component of age-related diseases such as atherosclerosis and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and genes coding for inflammatory or anti-inflammatory molecules are, therefore, good candidates for influencing the risk of developing these pathologies. Findings discussed in this chapter suggest that different alleles of genes coding for pro-or anti-inflammatory genes may affect individual life-span expectancy by influencing the type and intensity of immune-inflammatory responses against environmental stressors involved in the development of age-related disease. Our immune system has evolved to control pathogens and so pro-inflammatory responses are likely to be evolutionarily pro…

Factors associated with circulating concentrations of irisin in the general population cohort of the ABCD study

Animal studies have shown that irisin is a myokine secreted following physical exercise, and that it induces the remodeling of white adipose tissue toward brown adipose tissue. Therefore, a protective role of irisin against obesity, diabetes, and other metabolic and cardiovascular conditions has been hypothesized. However, data in humans are contradictory and few data are available concerning the general population.We aimed to evaluate the association between serum irisin concentrations and habitual physical activity, as well as other metabolic and cardiovascular factors in a general population in a Mediterranean area.We considered 858 consecutive individuals included in the ABCD (Alimentaz…

Association between the interleukin-1beta polymorphisms and Alzheimer's disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Abstract The pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin(IL)-1β is a main component in inflammatory pathways and is overexpressed in the brain of Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients. Several studies report associations between IL-1β polymorphisms and AD, but findings from different studies are controversial. Our aim was to verify the correlation between the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the IL-1β, at sites − 511 and + 3953, and AD by meta-analysis. Computerized bibliographic searches of PUBMED and AlzGene database ( http://www.alzgene.org ) were supplemented with manual searches of reference lists. There is evidence for association between IL-1β + 3953 SNP and AD, with an OR = 1.60 (95%…

Dare to jump: The effect of the new high impact activity SuperJump on bone remodeling. A new tool to maintain fitness during COVID-19 home confinement

SuperJump is a high impact activity performed on an elastic trampoline that mixes aerobic and anaerobic exercises already proposed as home-based activity for preventing a sedentary lifestyle. We determined in a randomized controlled trial whether 20 weeks of SuperJump activity would promote bone formation and reduce resorption in eumenorrheic women. Twenty-four women were randomized to a non-exercise group (control group) or an exercise group that performed SuperJump activity three times a week for 20 weeks. Blood samples were collected in both groups at baseline and at the end of the 20 weeks and compared within and between the groups for C-terminal telopeptide (CTX), a marker of bone reso…

Systemic Immune Responses in Alzheimer's Disease: In Vitro Mononuclear Cell Activation and Cytokine Production

To investigate the systemic signs of immune-inflammatory responses in Alzheimer's disease (AD), in the present study we have analyzed blood lymphocyte subsets and the expression of activation markers on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from AD patients and age-matched healthy controls (HC) activated in vitro by recombinant amyloid-beta peptide (rAbeta42). Our study of AD lymphocyte subpopulations confirms the already described decrease of the absolute number and percentage of B cells when compared to HC lymphocytes, whereas the other subsets are not significantly different in patients and controls. We report the increased expression of the activation marker CD69 and of the chemoki…

Pro-inflammatory gene variants in myocardial infarction and longevity: implications for pharmacogenomics.

Inflammation and genetics play an important role in the pathogenesis of coronary heart disease (CHD). However, despite the increasing appreciation of the role of genetics in CHD and myocardial infarction (MI) pathogenesis, pharmacogenomic approaches to uncover drug target have not been extensively explored. Cyclo-oxygenases (COXs) and 5-lipoxygenase (5-LO) are the key enzymes in the conversion of arachidonic acid to prostaglandins (PG) and leukotrienes (LT) and are implicated in a wide variety of inflammatory disorders, including atherosclerosis. In fact, PGE2 activates Matrix Metallo-proteinases whereas LTB4 is a chemoactractant for monocytes and activates gene expression in inflammatory c…

Inflammation, genes and zinc in Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a heterogeneous and progressive neurodegenerative disease which in Western society mainly accounts for clinical dementia. AD has been linked to inflammation and metal biological pathway. Neuro-pathological hallmarks are senile plaques, resulting from the accumulation of several proteins and an inflammatory reaction around deposits of amyloid, a fibrillar protein, Abeta, product of cleavage of a much larger protein, the beta-amyloid precursor protein (APP) and neurofibrillary tangles. Amyloid deposition, due to the accumulation of Abeta peptide, is the main pathogenetic mechanism. Inflammation clearly occurs in pathologically vulnerable regions of AD and several i…

Age and immunity

Abstract Longitudinal studies are defining progressive alterations to the immune system associated with increased mortality in the very elderly. Many of these changes are exacerbated by or even caused by chronic T cell stimulation by persistent antigen, particularly from Cytomegalovirus. The composition of T cell subsets, their functional integrity and representation in the repertoire are all markedly influenced by age and by CMV. How these findings relate to epidemiological, functional, genetic, genomic and proteomic studies of human T cell immunosenescence was the subject of intense debate at an international conference held just before Christmas 2005 in the Black Forest.

Inflamm-aging ed immunosenescenza

Nell’anziano sono descritte alterazioni dell’immunità naturale ed acquisita generalmente percepite come una condizione di deterioramento del sistema immune. A questa condizione si affianca anche uno stato infiammatorio cronico, configurando la cosiddetta immunosenescenza, che diventa il principale responsabile dell’insorgenza di patologie a carattere infettivo ed infiammatorio età correlate. Certamente una migliore conoscenza dell’immunosenescenza e lo sviluppo di adeguate strategie per contrastarla sono essenziali per migliorare la qualità della vita degli anziani e per permettere la formulazione di strategie anti-invecchiamento finalizzate non tanto a «ringiovanire» l’individuo, ma a rita…

Inflammation and Cancer of the Prostate

In response to cell injury elicited by trauma or infection, the inflammatory response creates a complex network of molecular and cellular interactions leading to the facilitation of tissue repair and to return to a physiological homeostatic condition. In case the healthy tissue is not restored, or in response to a stable low-grade irritation, inflammation becomes a chronic condition that incessantly damages the surrounding tissue and whereby immune response, tissue injury, and healing processes occur simultaneously [1].

Alzheimer’s disease and infections, where we stand and where we go

Editorial Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurological disorder, which represents the most common form of dementia, one of the major causes of disability in later life. Age is the greatest risk factor for AD, which typically affects people aged 65 years and over, with an age-standardised prevalence of 4.4 [1]. However, AD is not a normal part of ageing and advanced age alone does not justify the disease. Several pathways have been implicated in AD pathophysiology, the most described is the neurodegenerative one, which lead to the brain accumulation of beta-amyloid and neurofibrillary tangles, aggregations of hyperphosphorylated tau protein, macroscopically resulting in brain atrop…

The Impact of Diet and Physical Activity on Bone Health in Children and Adolescents.

There is growing recognition of the role of diet and physical activity in modulating bone mineral density, bone mineral content, and remodeling, which in turn can impact bone health later in life. Adequate nutrient composition could influence bone health and help to maximize peak bone mass. Therefore, children’s nutrition may have lifelong consequences. Also, physical activity, adequate in volume or intensity, may have positive consequences on bone mineral content and density and may preserve bone loss in adulthood. Most of the literature that exists for children, about diet and physical activity on bone health, has been translated from studies conducted in adults. Thus, there are still man…

EFFECT OF LONG-TERM SUPERJUMP® TRAINING ON BONE REMODELING AND METABOLISM IN WOMEN

Targeting aging with functional food: Pasta with opuntia single-arm pilot study

Interventions to extend life span represent the new perspective in aging investigation. Healthy dietary habits are important modifiable factors that can favor a healthy aging phenotype. Many studies have demonstrated benefits for metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes mellitus resulting from the traditional Mediterranean foods. Opuntia Ficus Indica (OFI), widespread in the Mediterranean basin, belongs to the Cactaceae family. It is known for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Moreover, products containing extracts from OFI fruits or cladodes have been used to control obesity and other metabolic parameters, such as glycemia and lipid profile. The aim of this study was to analy…

Administration of a Synbiotic to Free-Living Elderly and Evaluation of Serum Cytokines. A Pilot Study

Ten free-living elderly were administered with a synbiotic [fermented milk containing Lactobacillus rhamnosus Gorbach and Goldin (LGG)] and oligofructose as a prebiotic for one month. Serum cytokines were evaluated before (T(0)) and after (T(1)) synbiotic administration. At T(0), values of Interleukin (IL)-12, IL-6, IL-10, IL-1beta and Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF)-alpha were lower than normal controls, with the exception of IL-8, thus confirming previous results on the impairment of both innate and adaptive responses in elderly. At T(1), the synbiotic was able to significantly increase, depressed values of IL-1, IL-6 and IL-8 with a trend to a modest increase for the restant cytokines. In co…

Effect of training with Supejump® on bone metabolism in women

Physical exercise is recommended to decrease bone loss in elderly women. Supejump® is a new workout activity performed on a modified elastic mini trampoline that mixes aerobic and anaerobic exercises. The aim of the study was to investigate the long-term effects of training with Supejump® on bone metabolism in women. Twelve women were involved in the study. They performed Supejump®, three times a week, each session lasting 60 mins for a total of 20-weeks. Blood samples were collected at baseline and at the end of the 20-weeks of training. The biomarkers of bone resorption (c-terminal telopeptide region of collagen type 1 (β-CTX)), bone formation (osteocalcin), and calcitonin, parathyroid ho…

Inflammatory activation and endothelial dysfunction markers in patients with permanent atrial fibrillation: A cross-sectional study

In recent years a growing body of evidence supported the role of inflammation in the initiation, maintenance and outcome of atrial fibrillation (AF). Nevertheless, despite a large amount of information, whether AF or the underlying structural heart disease (SHD) is the cause of the inflammatory process is still under debate. We, therefore, sought to determine if the inflammatory process reflect an underlying disease or the arrhythmia 'per se'. We evaluated plasma levels of soluble Interleukin 2 Receptor Alpha (sIL-2Rα), TNF-α and IL-18 in 100 consecutive patients with permanent AF, (43 with a SHD and 57 without a SHD) compared to 121 age and sex-matched controls which had normal sinus rhyth…

Le metastasi

Consumo abituale di pesce, funzione endoteliale e concentrazioni ematiche di metalli pesanti

Effects of a Resistance Training Protocol on Physical Performance, Body Composition, Bone Metabolism, and Systemic Homeostasis in Patients Diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease: A Pilot Study

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by motor impairments and it is correlated with loss of bone mineral density. This study aimed to analyze the effects of resistance training on bone metabolism, systemic homeostasis, body composition, and physical performance in people with PD. Thirteen subjects (age 64.83 ± 5.70) with PD diagnosis were recruited. Participants performed neuromuscular tests, body composition assessment, and blood sample analysis at baseline, and after an 11 weeks-training period. Each training session lasted 90 min, three times a week. The participants had significant improvements in the timed up and go (p < 0.01), sit to stand (p < …

The Phenotypic Characterization of the Cammalleri Sisters, an Example of Exceptional Longevity

This article shows demographic, clinical, anamnestic, cognitive, and functional data as well as biochemical, genetic, and epigenetic parameters of two exceptional siblings: Diega (supercentenarian) and Filippa (semisupercentenarian) Cammalleri. The purpose of this study is to provide new insights into the extreme phenotypes represented by semisupercentenarians and supercentenarians. Different studies have been published on supercentenarians, but to the best of our knowledge, this is the only concerning two sisters and the most detailed from a phenotypic point of view. Our findings agree with the suggestion that supercentenarians have an increasing relative resistance to age-related diseases…

Zinc and inflammatory/immune response in aging

Life-long antigenic burden determines a condition of chronic inflammation, with increased lymphocyte activation and proinflammatory cytokine production. A large number of studies have documented changes in zinc metabolism in experimental animal models of acute and chronic inflammation and in human chronic inflammatory conditions. In particular, modification of zinc plasma concentration, as well as intracellular disturbance of antioxidant intracellular pathways, has been found in aging and in some age-related diseases. Zinc deficiency is diffused in aged individuals in order to avoid meat and other high zinc content foods due to fear of cholesterol. Rather, they increase the consumption of r…

Genotypic and phenotypic aspects of longevity: results from a Sicilian survey and implication for the prevention and the treatment of age-related diseases

Background:It is well known that long living individuals are a model of successful ageing and that the identification of both genetic variants and environmental factors that predispose to a long and healthy life is of tremendous interest for translational medicine.Methods:We present the preliminary findings obtained from an ongoing study on longevity conducted on a sample of Sicilian long-lived individuals.Results:We review the characteristics of longevity in Sicily, taking into account lifestyle, environment, genetics, hematochemical values, body composition and immunophenotype. In addition, we discuss the possible implications of our data for the prevention and/or treatment of age-related…

Immune-Inflammatory Responses and Oxidative Stress in Alzheimers Disease: Therapeutic Implications

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a heterogeneous and progressive neurodegenerative disease which in Western society mainly accounts for clinical dementia. AD has been linked to inflammation and oxidative stress. Neuro-pathological hallmarks are senile plaques, resulting from the accumulation of several proteins and an inflammatory reaction around deposits of amyloid, a fibrillar protein, Abeta, product of cleavage of a much larger protein, the beta-amyloid precursor protein (APP) and neurofibrillary tangles. Inflammation clearly occurs in pathologically vulnerable regions of AD and several inflammatory factors influencing AD development, i.e. environmental factors (pro-inflammatory phenotype) an…

Polymorphisms of pro-inflammatory genes and Alzheimer's disease risk.

Age-Related Inflammation: the Contribution of Different Organs, Tissues and Systems. How to Face it for Therapeutic Approaches

A typical feature of ageing is a chronic, low-grade inflammation characterized by a general increase in the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and inflammatory markers ("inflamm-ageing"). This status may slowly damage one or several organs, especially when unfavorable genetic polymorphisms and epigenetic alterations are concomitant, leading to an increased risk of frailty together with the onset of age-related chronic diseases. The contribution of different tissues (adipose tissue, muscle), organs (brain, liver), immune system and ecosystems (gut microbiota) to age-related inflammation ("inflamm-ageing") will be discussed in this review in the context of its onset/progression leading …

Post-acute COVID-19 neurological syndrome: a new medical 2 challenge

In December 2019, inWuhan (China), a highly pathogenic coronavirus, named SARS-CoV-2, dramatically emerged. This new virus, which causes severe pneumonia, is rapidly spreading around the world, hence it provoked the COVID-19 pandemic. This emergency launched by SARS-CoV-2 also had, and still has, devastating socio-economic aspects. Assessing the impact of COVID-19 on vulnerable groups of people is crucial for the adaptation of governments' responses. Growing scientific evidence suggests that it is essential to keep the attention on people after acute SARSCoV- 2 infection; indeed, some clinical manifestations are frequently present even after recovery. There is consensus on the need to defin…

Proeryptotic Activity of 4-Hydroxynonenal: A New Potential Physiopathological Role for Lipid Peroxidation Products

Background: Eryptosis is a physiological, apoptosis-like death of injured erythrocytes crucial to prevent premature haemolysis and the pathological sequalae generated by cell-free haemoglobin. When dysregulated, the process is associated to several inflammatory-based pathologies. 4-Hydroxy-trans-2-nonenal (HNE) is an endogenous signalling molecule at physiological levels and, at higher concentrations, is involved in the pathogenesis of several inflammatory-based diseases. This work evaluated whether HNE could induce eryptosis in human erythrocytes. Methods: Measurements of phosphatidylserine, cell volume, intracellular oxidants, Ca++, glutathione, ICAM-1, and ceramide were assessed by flow …

Immunity and Aging

In the elderly, many alterations of innate and acquired immunity have been described and viewed as deleterious, hence the term immunosenescence. Immunosenescence is a complex process involving multiple reorganizational and developmentally regulated changes, rather than simple unidirectional decline of complete immune function. On the other hand, some immunological parameters are commonly notably reduced in the elderly, and reciprocally good function is tightly correlated to health status. Whereas innate immunity is relatively well preserved in elderly, acquired immunity is more susceptible due to both the functional decline associated with the passage of time, and to antigen burden to which…

Association between the Polymorphism of CCR5 and Alzheimer's Disease: results of a study performed on male and female patients from Northern Italy

Role of persistent CMV infection in configuring T cell immunity in the elderly

Abstract Ageing is associated with declines in many physiological parameters, including multiple immune system functions. The rate of acceleration of the frequency of death due to cardiovascular disease or cancer seems to increase with age from middle age up to around 80 years, plateauing thereafter. Mortality due to infectious disease, however, does not plateau, but continues to accelerate indefinitely. The elderly commonly possess oligoclonal expansions of T cells, especially of CD8 cells, which, surprisingly, are often associated with cytomegalovirus (CMV) seropositivity. This in turn is associated with many of the same phenotypic and functional alterations to T cell immunity that have b…

Plasma proteome profiling of healthy individuals across the life span in a Sicilian cohort with long‐lived individuals

The study of healthy human aging is important for shedding light on the molecular mechanisms behind aging to promote well-being and to possibly predict and/or avoid the development of age-related disorders such as atherosclerosis and diabetes. Herein, we have employed an untargeted mass spectrometry-based approach to study age-related protein changes in a healthy Sicilian plasma cohort including long-lived individuals. This approach confirmed some of the previously known proteins correlated with age including fibulin-1, dystroglycan, and gamma-glutamyl hydrolase. Furthermore, our findings include novel proteins that correlate with age and/or with location and uric acid, which could represen…

Alzheimer’s disease and genetics of inflammation: a pharmacogenomic vision

Inflammation plays a key role in Alzheimer disease, and dissecting the genetics of inflammation may provide an answer to the possible treatment. The next-generation therapy is based on a pharmacogenomics that will reconure new approaches to a drug used on definite people with specific dosage. The translation of pharmacogenomics into clinical practice will allow bold steps to be taken toward personalized medicine. In response to tissue injury elicited by trauma or infection, the inflammatory response sets in as a complex network of molecular and cellular interactions, directed to facilitate a return to physiological homeostasis and tissue repair. The role of an individual’s genetic backgroun…

Short-term cactus pear [

Background: Dietary ingredients and food components are major modifiable factors protecting immune system and preventing the progression of a low-grade chronic inflammation responsible for age-related diseases. Objective: Our study explored whether cactus pear (Opuntia ficus-indica, Surfarina cultivar) fruit supplementation modulates plasma inflammatory biomarkers in healthy adults. Correlations between inflammatory parameters and antioxidant status were also assessed in parallel. Design: In a randomised, 2-period (2 weeks/period), crossover, controlled-feeding study, conducted in 28 healthy volunteers [mean age 39.96 (±9.15) years, BMI 23.1 (±1.5) kg/m2], the effects of a diet supplemented…

Probiotics and oral health

Probiotics are living microorganisms (e.g., bacteria) that are either the same as or similar to organisms found naturally in the human body and may be beneficial to health. Current researches have shown that the balance between beneficial and pathogenic bacteria is essential in order to maintain the oral health. Therefore, oral cavity has recently been suggested as a relevant target for probiotic applications. Dental caries can be seen as a microbial imbalance where the oral microbiota shift towards community dominance which produces acidogenic and acid-tolerant gram positive bacteria. Similarly, the accumulation of bacteria within the biofilm, facilitated by poor oral hygiene, predisposes …

Mediterranean Diet and Longevity in Sicily: Survey in a Sicani Mountains Population

Over the past several years, increasing evidence suggests that the Mediterranean diet has a beneficial influence on several age-related diseases, showing protective effect on health and longevity. Mediterranean diet refers to dietary patterns found in olive-growing regions of the Mediterranean countries. Previous data reported that in Sicily, Italy, the largest Mediterranean island, there are some mountainous regions where there is a high frequency of male centenarians with respect to the Italian average. The aim of the present study was to characterize centenarians living in one of this region, the Sicani Mountains, located in western Sicily. Present data shows that in this zone there are …

Metformin increases APP expression and processing via oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction and NF-κB activation: Use of insulin to attenuate metformin's effect

AbstractClinical and experimental biomedical studies have shown Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) to be a risk factor for the development of Alzheimer's disease (AD). This study demonstrates the effect of metformin, a therapeutic biguanide administered for T2DM therapy, on β-amyloid precursor protein (APP) metabolism in in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo models. Furthermore, the protective role of insulin against metformin is also demonstrated. In LAN5 neuroblastoma cells, metformin increases APP and presenilin levels, proteins involved in AD. Overexpression of APP and presenilin 1 (Pres 1) increases APP cleavage and intracellular accumulation of β-amyloid peptide (Aβ), which, in turn, promotes ag…

Association between +1059G/C CRP polymorphism and acute myocardial infarction in a cohort of patients from Sicily: a pilot study.

Inflammation plays a role in all the phases of atherosclerosis, and increased production of the acute-phase reactant, C-reactive protein (CRP), predicts future cardiovascular events. Furthermore, CRP has been claimed to play a role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis; therefore, CRP polymorphisms might be associated with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). We have analyzed male patients affected by AMI and healthy age-related male controls from Sicily for +1059G/C CRP single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP). There was a significantly higher frequency of +1059C SNP (P = 0.0008; OR 3.86) in patients compared to controls. CRP serum levels were significantly higher in C+ healthy subjects rather …

Remodelling of biological parameters during human ageing: evidence for complex regulation in longevity and in type 2 diabetes.

Factor structure analyses have revealed the presence of specific biological system markers in healthy humans and diseases. However, this type of approach in very old persons and in type 2 diabetes (T2DM) is lacking. A total sample of 2,137 Italians consisted of two groups: 1,604 healthy and 533 with T2DM. Age (years) was categorized as adults (≤65), old (66-85), oldest old (>85-98) and centenarians (≥99). Specific biomarkers of routine haematological and biochemical testing were tested across each age group. Exploratory factorial analysis (EFA) by principal component method with Varimax rotation was used to identify factors including related variables. Structural equation modelling (SEM) wa…

Pharmacogenomics: a tool to prevent and cure coronary heart disease.

Inflammation and genetics play an important role in the pathogenesis of coronary heart disease (CHD). This is supported by epidemiological studies which have thoroughly investigated the association between CHD and gene polymorphisms of the inflammatory molecules. Moreover, efforts to find elective therapy have not been rewarding and, despite the increasing appreciation of the role of genetics in CHD and myocardial infarction (MI) pathogenesis, pharmacogenomic approaches to uncover drug target have not been extensively explored. A critical search of published literature has suggested few inflammatory genes directly involved in the risk to develop CHD and MI. The selected genes are, the pro- …

Nutrigerontology: A key for achieving successful ageing and longevity

During the last two centuries the average lifespan has increased at a rate of approximately 3 months/year in both sexes, hence oldest old people are becoming the population with the fastest growth in Western World. Although the average life expectancy is increasing dramatically, the healthy lifespan is not going at the same pace. This underscores the importance of studies on the prevention of age-related diseases, in order to satisfactorily decrease the medical, economic and social problems associated to advancing age, related to an increased number of individuals not autonomous and affected by invalidating pathologies. In particular, data from experimental studies in model organisms have c…

Nutraceutical properties of extra-virgin olive oil: a natural remedy for age-related disease?

The health benefits of the Mediterranean diet can be largely ascribed to the nutraceutical properties of extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO). Mono-unsaturated fatty acids and various phenolic compounds, such as oleocanthal, oleuropein, hydroxytyrosol, and tyrosol, are the main nutraceutical substances of EVOO. These substances have been suggested to have the ability to modulate aging-associated processes. In experimental models, it has been shown that EVOO with high concentrations of polyphenols has anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties. Indeed, it was observed that hydroxytyrosol and oleocanthal inhibit the cyclooxygenases (COX-1 and -2) responsible for prostaglandin production; oleurope…

Beta-glucans and cancer: The influence of inflammation and gut peptide

Dietary β-glucans are soluble fibers with potentially health-promoting effects. Gut peptides are important signals in the regulation of energy and glucose homeostasis. This article reviews the effects of different enriched β-glucan food consumption on immune responses, inflammation, gut hormone and cancer. Gut hormones are influenced by enriched β-glucan food consumption and levels of such peptide as YY, ghrelin, glucagon-like peptide 1 and 2 in humans influence serum glucose concentration as well as innate and adaptive immunity. Cancer cell development is also regulated by obesity and glucose dishomeostasy that are influenced by β-glucan food consumption that in turn regulated gut hormones.

Inflammation, longevity and cardiovascular diseases: role of polymorphisms of TLR4

Gender-Related Immune-Inflammatory Factors, Age-Related Diseases, and Longevity

This review discusses the role of estrogens as pro- or antiinflammatory players in immune-inflammatory responses. In particular, their role in Alzheimer’s disease (AD), an example of immune-inflammatory disease, is discussed briefly. AD is a progressive neurodegenerative disease, which in Western societies accounts for the majority of cases of clinical senile dementia. However, sexual dimorphism of diseases may also depend on factors independent of sex hormones (i.e., a gender effect), as demonstrated by our data on differential longevity in females and males. In fact, differences in mortality between men and women are not only a question of sex that refers to biological differences, but ra…

Biomarkers of aging

Aging is a complex process that negatively impacts the development of the different systems and its ability to function. Moreover, the Aging rate in humans is not the same, principally due to genetic heterogeneity and environmental factors. The aging rate is measured as the decline of functional capacity and stress resistance. Therefore, several attempts have been made to analyse the individual age, ( so-called biological age) compared to chronological age. The biomarkers of aging are age-related body function or composition, these markers aim to assess the biological age and predict the onset of age-related diseases and/or residual lifetime. Such biomarkers should help in one hand to chara…

Immunosenescence and anti-immunosenescence therapies: the case of probiotics.

ABSTRACT Aging is a complex process that negatively impacts the development of the immune system and its ability to function. Progressive changes in the T and B cell systems over the life span have a major impact on the capacity to respond to immune challenge. These cumulative age-associated changes in immune competence are termed immunosenescence. This process is mostly characterized by: (1) shrinkage of the T cell repertoire and accumulation of oligoclonal expansions of memory/effector cells directed toward ubiquitary infectious agents; (2) involution of the thymus and the exhaustion of naive T cells; and (3) chronic inflammatory status. Here we discuss possible strategies to counteract t…

Impact on Glucose Homeostasis: Is Food Biofortified with Molybdenum a Workable Solution? A Two-Arm Study

Diabetes is expected to increase up to 700 million people worldwide with type 2 diabetes being the most frequent. The use of nutritional interventions is one of the most natural approaches for managing the disease. Minerals are of paramount importance in order to preserve and obtain good health and among them molybdenum is an essential component. There are no studies about the consumption of biofortified food with molybdenum on glucose homeostasis but recent studies in humans suggest that molybdenum could exert hypoglycemic effects. The present study aims to assess if consumption of lettuce biofortified with molybdenum influences glucose homeostasis and whether the effects would be due to c…

Pro-inflammatory status is not a limit for longevity: case report of a Sicilian centenarian

Most studies on centenarians represent them as the best model of ageing. They are defined “delayers”, if they exhibit age-related diseases between 80 and 99 years, “survivors” if they show clinically demonstrable diseases before the age of 80 years, and “escapers” when they attain their 100th year of life without any common age-associated pathologies.

Il progetto Mentori per la Didattica dell’Università degli Studi di Palermo: l’estensione del numero dei partecipanti, la figura del Mentore Senior e le esperienze di innovazione didattica

L’esperienza del Progetto Mentore (PM) nasce nel 2013 dalla percezione, da parte di diversi docenti dell’Ateneo di Palermo, che l’Accademia italiana stesse abbandonando a sé stessa la funzione didattica, confidando di fatto nelle capacità di ognuno di organizzarsi, aggiornarsi e valutarsi (Felisatti, Scialdone, Cannarozzo, & Pennisi, 2019; Caradonna, Morale, Pace, Scargiali, Scialdone, & Auteri, 2020). Tale impressione era tra le altre cose basata sul fatto che nessuno dei sistemi di valutazione dei docenti universitari (il processo di abilitazione scientifica nazionale, ma anche la stessa valutazione della qualità dei corsi di studio) mettesse enfasi sulla necessità da parte del do…

The Role of Matrix Metalloproteinases (MMP-2 and MMP-9) in Ageing and Longevity: Focus on Sicilian Long-Living Individuals (LLIs)

Extracellular matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are a group of proteins that activate substrates by enzymatic cleavage and, on the basis of their activities, have been demonstrated to play a role in ageing. Thus, in order to gain insight into the pathophysiology of ageing and to identify new markers of longevity, we analysed the activity levels of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in association with some relevant haematochemical parameters in a Sicilian population, including long-living individuals (LLIs, ≥95 years old). A cohort of 154 healthy subjects (72 men and 82 women) of different ages (age range 20-112) was recruited. The cohort was divided into five subgroups: the first group with subjects less than…

Triggering of Toll-like Receptors in Old Individuals. Relevance for Vaccination

Aging is characterized by a general decline in a range of physiological functions, with a consequent increase in the risk of developing a variety of chronic diseases and geriatric syndromes. Additionally, increasing age is accompanied by a progressive decline in both innate and acquired immune system, referred to as immunosenescence. This impaired ability to mount an efficient immune response after exposure to microorganisms or vaccines represents a major challenge in acquiring protection against pathogens in aging. Therefore, there is still a great need for vaccines that are tailored to optimally stimulate the aged immune system, thus promoting more successful aging. Various strategies ca…

Role of TLR Polymorphisms in Immunosenescence

Innate immunity provides a first line of host defense against infection through microbial recognition and killing while simultaneously activating a clonotypic immune response. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are principal mediators of rapid microbial recognition and function mainly by detection of pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) that do not exist in the host. The different members of TLRs recognize several PAMPs, such as peptidoglycan for TLR2, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) for TLR4, flagellin for TLR5, and CpGDNA-repeats for TLR9. Several endogenous ligands of various TLRs have been also identified in the host. In this chapter, we describe the involvement of TLR-4 polymorphisms in imm…

Ammonium formate-Pd/C as a new reducing system for 1,2,4-oxadiazoles. Synthesis of guanidine derivatives and reductive rearrangement to quinazolin-4-ones with potential anti-diabetic activity

1,2,4-Oxadiazole is a heterocycle with wide reactivity and many useful applications. The reactive O-N bond is usually reduced using molecular hydrogen to obtain amidine derivatives. NH4CO2H-Pd/C is here demonstrated as a new system for the O-N reduction, allowing us to obtain differently substituted acylamidine, acylguanidine and diacylguanidine derivatives. The proposed system is also effective for the achievement of a reductive rearrangement of 5-(2′-aminophenyl)-1,2,4-oxadiazoles into 1-alkylquinazolin-4(1H)-ones. The alkaloid glycosine was also obtained with this method. The obtained compounds were preliminarily tested for their biological activity in terms of their cytotoxicity, induce…

Possible role of ABO system in age-related diseases and longevity: a narrative review

ABO blood group antigens are expressed either on the surface of red blood cells either on a variety of other cells. Based on the available knowledge of the genes involved in their biosynthesis and their tissue distribution, their polymorphism has been suggested to provide intraspecies diversity allowing to cope with diverse and rapidly evolving pathogens. Accordingly, the different prevalence of ABO group genotypes among the populations has been demonstrated to be driven by malaria selection. In the similar manner, a particular ABO blood group may contribute to favour life-extension via biological mechanisms important for surviving or eluding serious disease. In this review, we will suggest…

Association Between the HLA-A2 Allele and Alzheimer Disease

In the elderly, the most common cause of dementia is Alzheimer disease (AD), which is responsible for the age-related progressive neurodegenerative inflammatory condition mediated by the disease. It has been seen that several genetic and environmental factors are involved in AD onset. Epidemiologic data suggest that some genetic determinants of AD might reside in those polymorphisms that regulate immune inflammatory responses, such as the major histocompatibility complex (MHC). Therefore, several MHC polymorphisms have been in the spotlight of a large number of AD association studies. A possible association of HLA-A2 allele with increased susceptibility to AD has been the subject of debate …

Inflammation, ageing and cancer

Cancer is generally recognized as an age-related disease. In fact, incidence and mortality rates of most human cancers increase consistently with age up to 90 years, but they plateau and decline thereafter. A low-grade systemic inflammation characterizes ageing and this pro-inflammatory status underlies biological mechanisms responsible for age-related inflammatory diseases. On the other hand, clinical and epidemiological studies show a strong association between chronic infection, inflammation and cancer and indicate that even in tumours not directly linked to pathogens, the microenvironment is characterized by the presence of a smouldering inflammation, fuelled primarily by stromal leukoc…

Genetic control of immune response in carriers of ancestral haplotype 8.1: the study of chemotaxis.

In all caucasian populations the association of an impressive number of autoimmune diseases with genes from the HLA-B8, DR3 hap- lotype that is part of the ancestral haplotype (AH) 8.1 HLA-A1, Cw7, B8, TNFAB∗a2b3, TNFN∗S, C2∗C, Bf∗s, C4A∗Q0, C4B∗1, DRB1∗0301, DRB3∗0101, DQA1∗0501, DQB1∗0201 has been reported by different research groups. This haplotype, which is more common in northern Europe, is also associated with a number of immune system dysfunctions in healthy subjects. Analyzing the data according to gender, some dysfunc- tions are observed in women but not in men, in agreement with the role of X-linked genes and/or estrogens in the development and progression of autoimmune diseases.…

CCR5 Receptor: Biologic and Genetic Implications in Age-Related Diseases

The CC chemokine receptor 5 (CCR5) is a member of CC-chemokine receptor family. CCR5 has the characteristic structure of a seven transmembrane G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR), which regulates trafficking and effector functions of memory/effector Th1 cells, macrophages, NK cells, and immature dendritic cells. CCR5 and its ligands are important molecules in viral pathogenesis. CCR5 represents the co-receptor for macrophage (M) and dual (T cell and M)-tropic immunodeficiency viruses. Recent evidence has also demonstrated the role of CCR5 in a variety of human diseases, ranging from infectious and inflammatory diseases to cancer. In this article, we describe the involvement of CCR5 in two age…

Association of obesity and diabetes with thyroid nodules

Aim: There are conflicting data concerning the possibility that obesity and diabetes raise the risk of thyroid nodules. The incidence of thyroid nodules is increasing, as is that of obesity and diabetes; therefore, understanding whether these metabolic and nutritional disorders influence nodular thyroid disease is important for organizing prevention strategies. This study investigated the association between thyroid nodules, obesity, diabetes, and dietary habits. Materials and methods: A cohort of randomly selected adults (455 males, 746 females; age: 18–90 years) living in Palermo (Italy), a mild iodine deficiency area, was cross-sectionally investigated. Participants underwent high-reso…

ATHEROSCLEROSIS in: Cytokine gene polymorphisms in multifactorial conditions (K. Vandenbroeck ed.)

Role of proinflammatory alleles in longevity and atherosclerosis: results of studies performed on -1562C/T MMP-9 in centenarians and myocardial infarction patients from Sicily.

Centenarians are characterized by marked delay or escape from age-associated diseases that cause mortality at earlier ages. Jointly, atherosclerosis and its complications, such as myocardial infarction (AMI), significantly contribute to mortality in the elderly. Inflammation is a key component of atherosclerosis and inflammatory genes are good candidates for the risk of the development of atherosclerosis. Genetic traits contribute to the risk of AMI and allelic variations in inflammatory genes should boost the risk of disease. If proinflammatory genotypes significantly contribute to the risk of AMI, alleles associated with disease susceptibility should not be included in the genetic backgro…

Human longevity within an evolutionary perspective: The peculiar paradigm of a postreproductive genetics

The data we collected on the genetics of human longevity, mostly resulting from studies on centenarians, indicate that: (1) centenarians and long-living sib-pairs are a good choice for the study of human longevity, because they represent an extreme phenotype, i.e., the survival tail of the population who escaped neonatal mortality, pre-antibiotic era illnesses, and fatal outcomes of age-related complex diseases. (2) The model of centenarians is not simply an additional model with respect to well-studied organisms, and the study of humans has revealed characteristics of ageing and longevity (geographical and sex differences, role of antigenic load and inflammation, role of mtDNA variants) wh…

Is the Secret in the Gut? SuperJump Activity Improves Bone Remodeling and Glucose Homeostasis by GLP-1 and GIP Peptides in Eumenorrheic Women

We showed that twenty weeks of SuperJump activity, an innovative workout training performed on an elastic minitrampoline, reduced bone resorption and increased bone formation in eumenorrheic women acting on the key points of the regulation of bone metabolism. The present study analyzed whether the gastrointestinal hormones are involved in the mechanism of action and if it has an impact on glucose homeostasis. The control group was composed of twelve women, similar to the exercise group that performed SuperJump activity for twenty weeks. The analysis was performed on blood samples and investigated GLP-1, GIP, GLP-2, PYY, ghrelin, glucose, insulin, insulin resistance, β-cell function, and ins…

Agenti cancerogeni e cancerogenesi

Palermo-2010 conference on biogerontology

We, as the guest editors, are pleased to introduce this special issue of Biogerontology, which is the outcome from the 7th European Congress of Biogerontology, held from 14th to 17th October, 2010 in Palermo, Italy. The thematic aim of the Palermo-conference was to get an overview of the present state of research in the development of effective therapies to postpone or treat human ageing, focusing on predictive medicine and prevention of age-related diseases, immunosenescence, longevity, model systems, ageing and wellness, and vaccination in the elderly. Understanding the determinants of ageing in humans in relation to the living environment and the individual life history was the additiona…

Polymorphisms of pro-inflammatory genes and Alzheimer's disease risk: A pharmacogenomic approach.

Clinically and pathologically Alzheimer's disease (AD) represents a sequential progressive neurodegenerative disorder. AD is etiologically heterogeneous and accounts for a majority of dementia in western societies. Inflammation clearly occurs in pathologically vulnerable regions of the AD brain and the search for genetic factors influencing the pathogenesis of AD has lead to the identification of numerous gene polymorphisms that might act as susceptibility modifiers. Accordingly, several reports have indicated that the risk of AD is substantially influenced by several genetic polymorphisms in the promoter region, or other untranslated regions, of genes encoding inflammatory mediators, altho…

Association between the polymorphism of CCR5 and Alzheimer's disease: results of a study performed on male and female patients from Northern Italy.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia in Western society. The prevalence of AD is greater in women than in men, largely due to longevity and survival differences favoring women. However, some studies suggest that incidence rates may really be increased in women. One possible factor influencing AD incidence in women is the loss of ovarian estrogens production after menopause, which might be involved in AD pathogenesis. Estrogens seem to influence some neuronal functions. Many of these actions appear beneficial (i.e., neuroprotective action against a variety of insults, as oxidative stress, and reduction of beta-amyloid plaques formation). Furthermore, several studies …

Effect of interleukin-6 polymorphisms on human longevity: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Udgivelsesdato: 2009-Jan Several studies have assessed changes in frequency of -174 interleukin (IL)-6 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) with age. If IL-6 tracks with disability and age-related diseases, then there should be reduction, in the oldest old, of the frequency of homozygous GG subjects, who produce higher IL-6 levels. However, discordant results have been obtained. To explore the relationship between this polymorphism and longevity, we analyzed individual data on long-living subjects and controls from eight case-control studies conducted in Europeans, using meta-analysis. There was no significant difference in the IL-6 genotype between the oldest old and controls (Odds Ratio […

Inflammation, Cytokines, Immune Response, Apolipoprotein E, Cholesterol, and Oxidative Stress in Alzheimer Disease: Therapeutic Implications

Alzheimer disease (AD) is a heterogeneous and progressive neurodegenerative disease, which in Western society mainly accounts for senile dementia. Today many countries have rising aging populations and are facing an increased prevalence of age-related diseases, such as AD, with increasing health-care costs. Understanding the pathophysiology process of AD plays a prominent role in new strategies for extending the health of the elderly population. Considering the future epidemic of AD, prevention and treatment are important goals of ongoing research. However, a better understanding of AD pathophysiology must be accomplished to make this objective feasible. In this paper, we review some hot to…

Polymorphisms of pro-inflammatory genes and prostate cancer risk: a pharmacogenomic approach.

In this paper, we consider the role of the genetics of inflammation in the pathophysiology of prostate cancer (PCa). This paper is not an extensive review of the literature, rather it is an expert opinion based on data from authors' laboratories on age-related diseases and inflammation. The aim is the detection of a risk profile that potentially allows both the early identification of individuals at risk for disease and the possible discovery of potential targets for medication. In fact, a major goal of clinical research is to improve early detection of age-related diseases, cancer included, by developing tools to move diagnosis backward in disease temporal course, i.e., before the clinical…

Ruolo delle mutazioni del gene della febbre mediterranea familiare nel raggiungimento dell’invecchiamento con successo.

Age-Related Inflammatory Diseases: Role of Genetics and Gender in the Pathophysiology of Alzheimer's Disease

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a heterogeneous and progressive neurodegenerative disease which in Western societies mainly accounts for clinical dementia. A high proportion of women are affected by this disease, especially at a very advanced age, which might to a large extent be associated with the fact that women live longer. However, some studies suggest that incidence rates may be really increased in women. For this reason the influence of estrogens on the brain and the decrease of it during menopause are of special interest. After menopause, circulating levels of estrogens markedly decline, influencing several brain processes predicted to influence AD risk. The control of estrogens on oxid…

Alzheimer's disease: new diagnostic and therapeutic tools.

Abstract On March 19, 2008 a Symposium on Pathophysiology of Ageing and Age-Related diseases was held in Palermo, Italy. Here, the lectures of M. Racchi on History and future perspectives of Alzheimer Biomarkers and of G. Scapagnini on Cellular Stress Response and Brain Ageing are summarized. Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a heterogeneous and progressive neurodegenerative disease, which in Western society mainly accounts for clinica dementia. AD prevention is an important goal of ongoing research. Two objectives must be accomplished to make prevention feasible: i) individuals at high risk of AD need to be identified before the earliest symptoms become evident, by which time extensive neurodege…

Understanding ageing: Biomedical and bioengineering approaches, the immunologic view

Abstract During the past century, humans have gained more years of average life expectancy than in the last 10,000 years; we are now living in a rapidly ageing world. The sharp rise in life expectancy, coupled to a steady decline in birth rates in all developed countries, has led to an unprecedented demographic revolution characterized by an explosive growth in the number and proportion of older people. Ageing is a complex process that negatively impacts the development of the immune system and its ability to function. Progressive changes in the T and B cell systems over the life span have a major impact on the capacity to respond to immune challenge. These cumulative age-associated changes…

Inflammatory mediators as biomarkers in brain disorders.

Neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer, Parkinson, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and Huntington are incurable and debilitating conditions that result in progressive death of the neurons. The definite diagnosis of a neurodegenerative disorder is disadvantaged by the difficulty in obtaining biopsies and thereby to validate the clinical diagnosis with pathological results. Biomarkers are valuable indicators for detecting different phases of a disease such as prevention, early onset, treatment, progression, and monitoring the effect of pharmacological responses to a therapeutic intervention. Inflammation occurs in neurodegenerative diseases, and identification and validation of molecules…

Centenarians and diet: what they eat in the Western part of Sicily.

Abstract This paper pays attention to the modifiable lifestyle factors such as diet and nutrition that might influence life extension and successful ageing. Previous data reported that in Sicily, the biggest Mediterranean island, there are some places where there is a high frequency of male centenarians with respect to the Italian average. The present data show that in Sicani Mountain zone there are more centenarians with respect to the Italian average. In fact, in five villages of Sicani Mountains, there were 19 people with an age range of 100–107 years old from a total population of 18,328 inhabitants. So, the centenarian number was 4.32-fold higher than the national average (10.37 vs. 2.…

GENETICS OF INFLAMMATION IN CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES AND LONGEVITY.

In the elderly, many alterations of both innate and clonotypic immunity have been described. Alterations to the immune system in the elderly are generally viewed as a deterioration of immunity, leading to the use of the term immunosenescence. However, although many immunological parameters are often notably reduced in the elderly, retained function of both innate and clonotypic immunity in the elderly is tightly correlated to health status. Recognising the important role of the immune system in ageing, over the last few years, journals oriented towards gerontology and geriatric sciences have increasingly published articles dealing with the immunology of ageing, but a specialised journal in …

Inflammation, genes and zinc in ageing and age-related diseases.

Lifelong antigenic burden determines a condition of chronic inflammation, with increased lymphocyte activation and pro-inflammatory cytokine production. A large number of studies have documented changes in Zn metabolism in experimental animal models of acute and chronic inflammation and in human chronic inflammatory diseases. In particular, modification of zinc plasma concentration as well as intracellular disturbance of antioxidant intracellular pathways have been found associated to age-related inflammatory diseases, like atherosclerosis. Zinc deficiency is extremely diffused in aged people that are educated to avoid meat and other high Zn-content foods due to fear of cholesterol. Rather,…

β-glucans: Ex vivo inflammatory and oxidative stress results after pasta intake

Background: It is well known that Mediterranean Diet can positively influence the health of each individual, in particular it is know that fibers have an important role. However, in Mediterranean cities most people do not have a close adherence to Mediterranean diet. Thus, in our study, we considered fibers like β-glucans that have been added to pasta with a percentage of 6 %. Our study aimed to evaluate the capacity of β-glucans intake on oxidative stress and inflammation in a cohort of middle aged slightly overweight subjects. Methods: We used a longitudinal study design. The study lasted 30 days during which time, each participant acted with no food restriction. Participants underwent mo…

Increased eryptosis in smokers is associated with the antioxidant status and C-reactive protein levels

Abstract Cigarette smoking has been linked with oxidative stress and inflammation. In turn, eryptosis, the suicidal erythrocyte death similar to apoptosis that can be triggered by oxidative stress, has been associated with chronic inflammatory diseases including atherosclerosis. However, the link between smoking and eryptosis has not been explored so far. The aim of the present study was to determine the level of eryptotic erythrocytes in healthy male smokers (n = 21) compared to non-smokers (n = 21) and assess its relationship with systemic inflammation (CRP) as well as with antioxidant defense (GSH) and their resistance to ex-vivo induced hemolysis. Smoking caused an increase in phosphati…

Stable polyplexes based on arginine-containing oligopeptides for in vivo gene delivery.

In this study, we investigated to what extent the stability and transduction capacity of polyplexed DNA can be improved by optimizing the condensing peptide sequence. We have synthesized a small library of cationic peptides, at which the lysine/arginine ratio and the cation charge were varied. All peptides were able to compact DNA, at which polyplexes of short lysine-rich sequences were considerably larger than those of elongated or arginine-rich peptides (GM102 and GM202). In addition, the arginine-rich peptides GM102 and GM202 rendered the polyplexes resistant to plasma incubation or DNase I-mediated digestion. While all peptides were found to improve the transfection efficiency in HepG2 …

LA CARCINOGENESI

Immunogenetics, Gender, and Longevity

In this article we discuss relevant data on aging, longevity, and gender with particular focus on inflammation gene polymorphisms which could affect an individual's chance to reach the extreme limit of human life. The present review is not an extensive revision of the literature, but rather an expert opinion based on selected data from the authors' laboratories. In 2000-2005 in the more developed regions, the life expectancy at birth is 71.9 years for men (78.3 in Japan) and 79.3 years for women (86.3 in Japan). Indeed, gender accounts for important differences in the prevalence of a variety of age-related diseases. Considering people of far-advanced age, demographic data document a clear-c…

Biomarkes of aging

Ageing is a complex process that negatively impacts the development of the different systems and its ability to function. On the other hand, the rate of ageing in humans is not uniform, due to genetic heterogeneity and the influence of environmental factors. Thus, the ageing rate, measured as the decline of functional capacity and stress resistance, seems to be different in every individual. Therefore, attempts have been made to analyse this individual age, the so-called biological age, in comparison to chronological age. Age-related changes in body function or composition that could serve as a measure of biological age and predict the onset of age-related diseases and/or residual lifetime …

From Small Peptides to Large Proteins against Alzheimer'sDisease.

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common neurodegenerative disorder in the elderly. The two cardinal neuropathological hallmarks of AD are the senile plaques, which are extracellular deposits mainly constituted by beta-amyloids, and neurofibrillary tangles formed by abnormally phosphorylated Tau (p-Tau) located in the cytoplasm of neurons. Although the research has made relevant progress in the management of the disease, the treatment is still lacking. Only symptomatic medications exist for the disease, and, in the meantime, laboratories worldwide are investigating disease-modifying treatments for AD. In the present review, results centered on the use of peptides of different sizes invol…

Inflammation and prostate cancer

Prostate cancer remains a major health concern for the male population throughout the Western world. It is today widely accepted that inflammation has a role in many human cancers. In fact, inflammation is thought to incite carcinogenesis by causing cell and genome damage, promoting cellular turnover and creating a tissue microenvironment that can enhance cell replication, angiogenesis and tissue repair. Accordingly, there is a body of literature suggesting a link between chronic inflammation and prostate cancer, in which prostate inflammation may contribute to the promotion of prostate cancer development. On the other hand, high levels of endogenous gonadal steroids are considered as risk…

Immunity & Ageing: a new journal looking at ageing from an immunological point of view. Immunity & Ageing

Inflammation, Longevity, and Cardiovascular Diseases: Role of Polymorphisms of TLR4

The total burden of infection at various sites may affect the progression of atherosclerosis, the risk being modulated by host genotype. The role of lipopolysaccaride receptor TLR4 is paradigmatic. It initiates the innate immune response against gram-negative bacteria; and TLR4 polymorphisms, as ASP299GLY, suggested to attenuate receptor signaling, have been described. We demonstrated that TLR4 ASP299GLY polymorphism shows a significantly lower frequency in patients affected by myocardial infarction compared to controls, whereas centenarians show a higher frequency. Thus, people genetically predisposed to developing weak inflammatory activity, seem to have fewer chances of developing cardio…

Protective and causative killer Ig-like receptor (KIR) and metalloproteinase genetic patterns associated with Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) encephalitis occurrence

Abstract Background The cerebral innate immune system has a critical role in control processes of viral replication in the brain after primary infactivo and immunologic disregulation and inflammation has been reported as a primary determinant of pathogenesis and prognosis of subsequent HSV-1 related encephalitis (HSE). Interaction linking LTR3-activated DCs is also represented by the killer Ig-like receptor (KIR) + pathways on NK cells. Only a few studies analyzed the role of of MMP-9 activity regulating genetic polymorphism on clinical outcome of viral infections. Susceptibility to symptomatic encephalitis depends on SNC viral invasion and BBB disruption. We hypothesize that certain KIR ge…

Opposite role of pro-inflammatory alleles in longevity and atherosclerosis: results of studies performed in male centenarians and male myocardial infarcion patients from Sicily

Trattamento cronico con diuretici ed omeostasi glico-metabolica in un campione di adulti privi di diabete noto

Age-related inflammatory disease: role of genetics and gender in the pathophisiology of Alzheimer’s disease

Due diverse esperienze di lezioni sperimentali condotte secondo il metodo di co-teaching

Nell’ambito del progetto “Mentori per la didattica”, nato nel 2013 da un ristretto gruppo di docenti dell’Università di Palermo e che comprende oggi 120 docenti, oltre alle attività di mentoring fra pari, sono state promosse diverse attività formative. Fra queste, tre workshop in tre anni consecutivi sono stati dedicati alla formazione sull’active learning e su metodi e tecniche di didattica innovativa ed in particolare nell’ultimo anno è stata importante la partecipazione di alcuni componenti del progetto al congresso “Faculty development“ e al pre-workshop del convegno di Genova di maggio 2019. A partire da tutte queste esperienze, diversi docenti hanno iniziato a sperimentare nuove modal…

Misdiagnosis of familial Mediterranean fever in patients with Anderson-Fabry disease

Fabry disease (FD) is an underdiagnosed pathology due to its symptomatology that overlaps with various systemic and rheumatic disorders, including familial Mediterranean fever (FMF). We examined the Mediterranean fever (MEFV) and α-galactosidase A (GLA) genes, whose mutations are responsible for FMF and FD, respectively, in 42 unrelated patients diagnosed with FMF, which revealed significant ambiguity regarding some of the symptoms which are also present in FD. The objective of this study was to determine the spectrum of mutations present in these genes, in order to identify cases of mistaken diagnosis of FMF and/or missed diagnosis of FD. Ten out of 42 patients had one mutation in homozygo…

Association between the polymorphisms of TLR4 and CD14 genes and Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a heterogeneous and progressive neurodegenerative disease which in Western society mainly accounts for clinical dementia. Inflammation plays a key role in AD and dissecting the genetics of inflammation may provide an answer to the possible treatment. Hence, the better understanding of different molecular and cellular inflammatory mechanisms is crucial for complete knowledge of AD pathophysiology, and for its prevention and drug therapy. Accordingly, in the present study we evaluated whether the pro-inflammatory polymorphisms of lipopolysaccaride-receptors, +896A/G Toll-Like Receptor (TLR4) and -260C/T CD14, are risk factors for AD. The study included both 626 AD …

A close connection: Alzheimer’s disease and type 2 diabetes

In the recent years a growing body of evidence links insulin resistance and insulin action to neurodegenerative diseases, especially Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The importance of insulin in ageing as well as its role in cognition and other aspects of normal brain functions are well established. The hippocampus and cerebral cortex-distributed insulin and insulin receptor (IR) have been shown to be involved in brain cognitive functions. Conversely, deterioration of IR signaling is involved in agingrelated brain degeneration such as in AD and cognitive impairment in type 2 diabetes patients. Insulin administration, while maintaining euglycemia, improves memory in both healthy adults and Alzheime…

Biology of Longevity: Role of the Innate Immune System

Genetic factors play a relevant role in the attainment of longevity because they are involved in cell maintenance systems, including the immune system. In fact, longevity may be correlated with optimal functioning of clonotypic and natural immunity. The aging of the immune system, known as immunosenescence, is the consequence of the continuous attrition caused by chronic antigenic overload. The antigenic load results in the progressive generation of inflammatory responses involved in age-related diseases. Most of the parameters influencing immunosenescence appear to be under genetic control, and immunosenescence fits with the basic assumptions of evolutionary theories of aging, such as anta…

β-Glucans and Post Prandial Satiety: The Role of Intestinal Hormones in Healthy Volunteers

Recent interest in intestinal hormones has risen with the idea that they modulate glucose tolerance and food intake through a variety of mechanisms, and such hormones like peptide YY (PYY), ghrelin, glucagon-like peptide (GLP)-1 and 2, and cholecystokinin (CKK) are therefore excellent therapeutic candidates for the treatment of diabetes and obesity. Furthermore, in the recent years, multiple studies suggest that the microbiota is critically important for normal host functions, while impaired host microbiota interactions contribute to the pathogenesis of numerous common metabolic disorders. In this study, we considered the nutraceutical effects of β-glucans added to pasta at the con…

Association between +1059G/C CRP polymorphism and acute myocardial infarction in a cohort of patients from Sicily: a pilot study.

Immune-inflammatory responses in successful and unsuccessful ageing

A dramatic increase in mean life span and life expectancy, coupled with a significant reduction in early mortality, has lead to a large increase in number of elderly people in modern societies. This demographic phenomenon has been paralleled by an epidemic of chronic diseases associated with advancing age. Both innate and instructive immunity are implicated in almost all age-related diseases. The modifications of the immune system in the elderly are evaluated as a deterioration of the immune system, the so-called immunosenescence, which is thought to be mostly the result of the declining effectiveness of T cells and it is responsible for the increased susceptibility of elderly to infectious…

Iodine Biofortification Counters Micronutrient Deficiency and Improve Functional Quality of Open Field Grown Curly Endive

Human iodine (I) shortage disorders are documented as an imperative world-wide health issue for a great number of people. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends I consumption through ingestion of seafood and biofortified food such as vegetables. The current work was carried out to appraise the effects of different I concentrations (0, 50, 250, and 500 mg L−1), supplied via foliar spray on curly endive grown in the fall or spring–summer season. Head fresh weight, stem diameter, head height, and soluble solid content (SSC) were negatively correlated to I dosage. The highest head dry matter content was recorded in plants supplied with 250 mg I L−1, both in the fall and spring–summer se…

sj-docx-1-nmi-10.1177_11786388211012405 – Supplemental material for Obesogenic Diets Cause Alterations on Proteins and Theirs Post-Translational Modifications in Mouse Brains

Supplemental material, sj-docx-1-nmi-10.1177_11786388211012405 for Obesogenic Diets Cause Alterations on Proteins and Theirs Post-Translational Modifications in Mouse Brains by Valentina Siino, Pia Jensen, Peter James, Sonya Vasto, Antonella Amato, Flavia è, Giulia Accardi and Martin Røssel Larsen in Nutrition and Metabolic Insights

A New Potential Dietary Approach to Supply Micronutrients to Physically Active People through Consumption of Biofortified Vegetables

Micronutrients are required in many reactions involved in physical activity and exercise. Most physically active people do not meet the body’s needs in terms of micronutrients through diet. The novelty of the present manuscript is the use of an innovative dietary approach to supply micronutrients to physically active people through biofortified food. Therefore, the key point of this study was to verify whether supplementation with biofortified vegetables—and specifically molybdenum (Mo)-enriched lettuce—in healthy volunteers affects essential regulators of body homeostasis and, specifically, hematological parameters, iron and lipid metabolism, and hepatic function. Twenty-…

Opposite Role of Pro-Inflammatory Alleles in Acute Myocardial Infarction and Longevity: Results of Studies Performed in a Sicilian Population

The major trait characterizing offspring in centenarians is a reduction in the prevalence of cardiovascular disease. Because a pro-inflammatory genotype seems to contribute significantly to the risk of coronary heart disease, alleles associated with disease susceptibility would not be included in the genetic background favoring longevity, as suggested by our previous studies on inflammatory cytokines. To confirm whether genotypes of inflammatory molecules play an opposite role in atherosclerosis and longevity, we are studying the role of other proinflammatory alleles, such as pyrin and CCR5, in acute myocardial infarction and longevity. The results support the hypothesis that the genetic ba…

The role of platelet gel in osteoarticular injuries of young and old patients

Background: The use of autologous platelet gel in orthopedics is effective in accelerating the healing process of osteochondral, muscle, tendon and ligament lesions. The aim of our study was to verify whether the variability in response to infiltration with platelet gel was dependent on the underlying disease treated, sex and age of the patients. During four years, 140 patients have been treated for musculoskeletal injuries by infiltration of gel platelet and lysate platelet obtained from autologous thrombin, with echo-ultrasound guided. The response to treatment was assessed at different time points T0, T1, T2 with respect to pain estimation (VAS), joint mobility (ROM scale) and echo-ultra…

The nACHR4 594C/T polymorphism in Alzheimer disease

Alzheimer disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia with complex etiology and multifactorial origin. Although several neurochemical deficits have been described in AD patients, explanation of the nature of the cognitive disturbance is focused on the "cholinergic hypothesis." The neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (neuronal nAChR) belongs to the superfamily of ionic channel activated by ligand. This paper presents a population-based population association study, testing the hypothesis that variants of the nAChR gene confer genetic susceptibility to AD. The authors analyzed two cohorts constituted by 60 controls and 80 AD patients in which significant increase of 594T polymorphi…

Low Grade Inflammation as a Common Pathogenetic Denominator in Age-Related Diseases: Novel Drug Targets for Anti-Ageing Strategies and Successful Ageing Achievement

Nowadays, people are living much longer than they used to do, however they are not free from ageing. Ageing, an inexorable intrinsic process that affects all cells, tissues, organs and individuals, is a post-maturational process that, due to a diminished homeostasis and increased organism frailty, causes a reduction of the response to environmental stimuli and, in general, is associated to an increased predisposition to illness and death. However, the high incidence of death due to infectious, cardiovascular and cancer diseases underlies a common feature in these pathologies that is represented by dysregulation of both instructive and innate immunity. Several studies show that a low-grade s…

Obesogenic Diets Cause Alterations on Proteins and Theirs Post-Translational Modifications in Mouse Brains

Obesity constitutes a major global health threat and is associated with a variety of diseases ranging from metabolic and cardiovascular disease, cancer to neurodegeneration. The hallmarks of neurodegeneration include oxidative stress, proteasome impairment, mitochondrial dysfunction and accumulation of abnormal protein aggregates as well as metabolic alterations. As an example, in post-mortem brain of patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD), several studies have reported reduction of insulin, insulin-like growth factor 1 and insulin receptor and an increase in tau protein and glycogen-synthase kinase-3β compared to healthy controls suggesting an impairment of metabolism in the AD patient’s …

Genetics, gender and longevity

sj-docx-1-nmi-10.1177_11786388211012405 – Supplemental material for Obesogenic Diets Cause Alterations on Proteins and Theirs Post-Translational Modifications in Mouse Brains

Supplemental material, sj-docx-1-nmi-10.1177_11786388211012405 for Obesogenic Diets Cause Alterations on Proteins and Theirs Post-Translational Modifications in Mouse Brains by Valentina Siino, Pia Jensen, Peter James, Sonya Vasto, Antonella Amato, Flavia è, Giulia Accardi and Martin Røssel Larsen in Nutrition and Metabolic Insights

Mediterranean diet and healthy ageing: a Sicilian perspective.

Traditional Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) is a common dietary pattern characterizing a lifestyle and culture proven to contribute to better health and quality of life in Mediterranean countries. By analyzing the diet of centenarians from the Sicani Mountains and eating habits of inhabitants of Palermo, it is reported that a close adherence to MedDiet is observed in the countryside, whereas in big towns this adherence is not so close. This has an effect on the rates of mortality at old age (and reciprocally longevity) that are lower in the countryside than in big towns. Concerning the health effects of the diet, the low content of animal protein and the low glycaemic index of the Sicilian Med…

B Cells Compartment in Centenarian Offspring and Old People

Immunosenescence is considered a major contributory factor to the increased frequency of morbidity and mortality among elderly. On the other hand centenarians are considered the best example of successful ageing. To gain insight into mechanisms of immunosenescence and its clinical relevance, a possible model is represented by centenarians and/or their offspring. Nowadays centenarians are not more a curiosity, but in Europe are 1/8000 inhabitants and it has been demonstrated that the centenarian offspring, who are typically in their 70s and 80s, have a survival advantage when compared with age-matched controls whose parents died at an average life expectancy. Then again, studies on immunosen…

Dietary Supplements as Surrogate of Mediterranean Diet in Healthy Smoking Subjects

The interventions to slow aging, favoring active life expectancy, represent the new perspectives in ageing investigation. Some mechanisms that delay or prevent the onset of aging pathologies have been identified. Between them, a healthy lifestyle seems to reduce many risk factors. In particular, eating habits represent the most concrete, low-cost way to act on aging process. Mediterranean diet has received much attention since its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects have been consistently demonstrated. Unfortunately, many people follow a Western diet, poor in phytochemicals that represent the main source of beneficial effects of this dietary pattern. So, supplements administration sho…

Genetics of Inflammation in Age-Related Atherosclerosis: Its Relevance to Pharmacogenomics

In response to tissue injury elicited by trauma or infection, the inflammatory response, as a complex network of molecular and cellular interactions, sets an answer directed to facilitate a return to physiological homeostasis and tissue repair. The role of the genetic background and the subsequent predisposition toward the extent of the inflammatory response is determined by gene variability encoding endogenous mediators involved in the inflammatory pathway. Due to its clinical relevance, the genetics of inflammation in aging will be studied using an inflammatory disease like atherosclerosis as an example. Several studies have reported a significant difference in distribution, between patie…

Chance and Causality in Ageing and Longevity

Longevity is not a matter of genes. This is the message that appeared last year in all the newspapers of the world, according to a study due to a joint venture between the statisticians of Ancestry and Calico Life Sciences that has dissected the genealogical trees of 400 million individuals, tracing back generations, and including dates of birth, death, places, and family ties. The genes would have little to do with longevity: in a percentage perhaps even less than 10% [1]. However, this extensive study has analysed the influence of genetics in terms of lifespan, but not in terms of longevity. Longevity may be defined in relative and absolute terms [2]. Longevity, indeed, may be considered …

Fibres as functional foods and the effects on gut hormones: The example of β-glucans in a single arm pilot study

Abstract Nutritional styles as Mediterranean and DASH diets are associated with lower incidences of certain chronic diseases and long life expectancy. The reason lays on their different contribution in fibers, polyphenols (from vegetables and fruit) and proteins. Barley is high fiber cereal that contains high amount of β-glucans and insoluble fibers that it was recognized having healthy benefits. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of β-glucans intake on glycaemic response, cholesterol and intestinal hormones levels. A single arm pilot study was performed with ten healthy individual which, consumed pasta enriched with 6% β-glucans for 30 days. Blood was collected at fasting and…

Pathobiology of aging: An introduction to age-related diseases

Abstract The aging process is considered a universal and inevitable process of physiological decline associated with a greater vulnerability to disease and death. Efforts to understand aging have suggested the need to distinguish aging from age-related diseases. However, in our opinion, we do not need to distinguish between aging and age-related diseases because, in protected environment, humans and animals die from age-related diseases, which are manifestations of aging. A series of critical questions have arisen in the field of aging regarding the physiological sources of aging-causing damage, the compensatory responses that try to re-establish homeostasis, the interconnection between the…

Genetic risk factors and candidate biomarkers for Alzheimer s disease

Alzheimer's disease is a multifactorial and progressive neurodegenerative disease, extremely diffused and with an increasing prevalence worldwide. There is an urgent need for biomarkers to diagnose AD early in its course. Furthermore, accurate biomarkers would be able to determine the clinical efficacy of novel neuroprotective strategies. Although the heritability of late-onset AD is high, our knowledge of the underlying putative susceptibility genes remains incomplete and the only unequivocally established late-onset AD gene is APOE. Nevertheless a number of susceptibility loci seems to influence the pathogenesis of AD, and variations in numerous genes have been considered to be important …

Current Acquaintance on Agronomic Biofortification to Modulate the Yield and Functional Value of Vegetable Crops: A Review

Fresh vegetables and fruits have always been the mainstays of good nutrition as providers of fiber, beneficial phytochemicals (such as vitamins and phenolic compounds), and minerals. Today and in the future, biofortification is a promising strategy to increase the concentration of these compounds. Considering the importance of minerals in human health, the enrichment of fresh produce for consumption has been considered through specific agronomic approaches. This review discusses, in detail, the latest findings on vegetable agronomic biofortification, aimed at increasing the concentration of crucial minerals, such as iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), iodine (I), selenium (Se), molybdenum (Mo), and silic…

Molecular Biomarkers of Aging

Sergio Davinelli1, Sonya Vasto2, Calogero Caruso2, Davide Zella3 and Giovanni Scapagnini1 1Department of Health Sciences, University of Molise, Campobasso, 2Department of Pathobiology and Biomedical Methodologies, Immunosenescence Unit, University of Palermo, Palermo, 3Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Institute of Human Virology-School of Medicine, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, 1,2Italy 3USA

Inflammatory networks in ageing, age-related diseases and longevity

Inflammation is considered a response set by the tissues in response to injury elicited by trauma or infection. It is a complex network of molecular and cellular interactions that facilitates a return to physiological homeostasis and tissue repair. The individual response against infection and trauma is also determined by gene variability. Ageing is accompanied by chronic low-grade inflammation state clearly showed by 2-4-fold increase in serum levels of inflammatory mediators. A wide range of factors has been claimed to contribute to this state; however, the most important role seems to be played by the chronic antigenic stress, which affects immune system thorough out life with a progress…

Modulation of Nrf2/ARE pathway by food polyphenols: a nutritional neuroprotective strategy for cognitive and neurodegenerative disorders

In recent years, there has been a growing interest, supported by a large number of experimental and epidemi-ological studies, for the beneficial effects of some phenolic substances, contained in commonly used spices and herbs, in preventing various age-related pathologic conditions, ranging from cancer to neurodegenerative diseases. Although the exact mechanisms by which polyphenols promote these effects remain to be elucidated, several reports have shown their ability to stimulate a general xenobiotic response in the target cells, activating multiple defense genes. Data from our and other laboratories have previously demonstrated that curcumin, the yellow pigment of curry, strongly induces…

sj-xlsx-2-nmi-10.1177_11786388211012405 – Supplemental material for Obesogenic Diets Cause Alterations on Proteins and Theirs Post-Translational Modifications in Mouse Brains

Supplemental material, sj-xlsx-2-nmi-10.1177_11786388211012405 for Obesogenic Diets Cause Alterations on Proteins and Theirs Post-Translational Modifications in Mouse Brains by Valentina Siino, Pia Jensen, Peter James, Sonya Vasto, Antonella Amato, Flavia è, Giulia Accardi and Martin Røssel Larsen in Nutrition and Metabolic Insights

sj-xlsx-3-nmi-10.1177_11786388211012405 – Supplemental material for Obesogenic Diets Cause Alterations on Proteins and Theirs Post-Translational Modifications in Mouse Brains

Supplemental material, sj-xlsx-3-nmi-10.1177_11786388211012405 for Obesogenic Diets Cause Alterations on Proteins and Theirs Post-Translational Modifications in Mouse Brains by Valentina Siino, Pia Jensen, Peter James, Sonya Vasto, Antonella Amato, Flavia è, Giulia Accardi and Martin Røssel Larsen in Nutrition and Metabolic Insights

OPPOSITE ROLE OF TRL4 RECEPTOR IN ACUTE MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION AND LONGEVITY

Associazione fra l’antigene HLA-A2 e la malattia di Alzheimer

Ruolo del recettore nACHR4 nella malattia d’Alzheimer: associazione con il polimorfismo C594T