Intestinal administration of copper and its transient release into venous rat blood serum concomitantly with metallothionein

The impact of nutrients on the aging rate: A complex interaction of demographic, environmental and genetic factors

Nutrition has a strong influence on the health status of the elderly, with many dietary components associated to either an increased risk of disease or to an improvement of the quality of life and to a delay of age-related pathologies. A direct effect of a reduced caloric intake on the delay of aging phenotypes is documented in several organisms. The role of nutrients in the regulation of human lifespan is not easy to disentangle, influenced by a complex interaction of nutrition with environmental and genetic factors. The individual genetic background is fundamental for mediating the effects of nutritional components on aging. Classical genetic factors able to influence nutrient metabolism are considered those belonging to insulin/insulin growth factor (INS/IGF-1) signaling, TOR signaling and Sirtuins, but also genes involved in inflammatory/immune response and antioxidant activity can have a major role. Considering the worldwide increasing interest in nutrition to prevent age related diseases and achieve a healthy aging, in this review we will discuss this complex interaction, in the light of metabolic changes occurring with aging, with the aim of shedding a light on the enormous complexity of the metabolic scenario underlying longevity phenotype.

Effect of 6-month caloric restriction on Cu bound to ceruloplasmin in adult overweight subjects

In a randomized clinical trial of calorie restriction (CR), we demonstrated that important cardiovascular disease (CVD) biomarkers were favorably influenced by CR alone and in conjunction with physical exercise. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of CR with or without exercise on copper bound to ceruloplasmin (CuCp), a well-known biomarker for CVD, in overweight men and women enrolled in the CALERIE phase 1 study. Forty-six individuals were randomized to one of four groups for 6 months: control, healthy weight maintenance; CR, 25% CR from baseline energy requirements; CR+exercise, 12.5% CR and 12.5% through aerobic exercise; and low-calorie diet, low-calorie diet until 15% reduction in body weight followed by weight maintenance diet. CuCp was determined in fasting blood samples by a high-performance liquid chromatography-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry methodology and compared with changes in body composition and markers of CVD. After 6 months, CR combined with exercise induced a decrease in plasma concentration of CuCp. CuCp was inversely correlated with insulin sensitivity at baseline and after 6 months of intervention. A cluster analysis showed that the percent change of weight after 6 months of intervention was the most important variable that could discriminate the intervention groups. The percent change of CuCp was the only other variable selected by the analysis. Decreased CuCp in overweight subjects by CR combined with exercise suggests a positive effect of this intervention on metabolic health. Further studies to explain the relationship between weight loss and CuCp and its relevance for cardiovascular health are needed.

Micronutrient-gene interactions related to inflammatory/immune response and antioxidant activity in ageing and inflammation. A systematic review

Recent longitudinal studies in dietary daily intake in human centenarians have shown that a satisfactory content of some micronutrients within the cells maintain several immune functions, a low grade of inflammation and preserve antioxidant activity. Micronutrients (zinc, copper, selenium) play a pivotal role in maintaining and reinforcing the performances of the immune and antioxidant systems as well as in affecting the complex network of the genes (nutrigenomic) with anti- and pro-inflammatory tasks. Genes of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines and some key regulators of trace elements homeostasis, such as Metallothioneins (MT), are involved in the susceptibility to major geriatric disease/disorders. Moreover, the genetic inter-individual variability may affect the nutrients' absorption (nutrigenetic) with altered effects on inflammatory/immune response and antioxidant activity. The interaction between genetic factors and micronutrients (nutrigenomic and nutrigenetic approaches) may influence ageing and longevity because the micronutrients may become also toxic. This review reports the micronutrient-gene interactions in ageing and their impact on the healthy state with a focus on the method of protein-metal speciation analysis. The association between micronutrient-gene interactions and the protein-metal speciation analysis can give a complete picture for a personalized nutrient supplementation or chelation in order to reach healthy ageing and longevity.

Micronutrient (Zn, Cu, Fe)-gene interactions in ageing and inflammatory age-related diseases: implications for treatments

In ageing, alterations in inflammatory/immune response and antioxidant capacity lead to increased susceptibility to diseases and loss of mobility and agility. Various essential micronutrients in the diet are involved in age-altered biological functions. Micronutrients (zinc, copper, iron) play a pivotal role either in maintaining and reinforcing the immune and antioxidant performances or in affecting the complex network of genes (nutrigenomic approach) involved in encoding proteins for a correct inflammatory/immune response. By the other side, the genetic inter-individual variability may affect the absorption and uptake of the micronutrients (nutrigenetic approach) with subsequent altered effects on inflammatory/immune response and antioxidant activity. Therefore, the individual micronutrient-gene interactions are fundamental to achieve healthy ageing. In this review, we report and discuss the role of micronutrients (Zn, Cu, Fe)-gene interactions in relation to the inflammatory status and the possibility of a supplement in the event of a micronutrient deficiency or chelation in presence of micronutrient overload in relation to specific polymorphisms of inflammatory proteins or proteins related of the delivery of the micronutriemts to various organs and tissues. In this last context, we report the protein-metal speciation analysis in order to have, coupled with micronutrient-gene interactions, a more complete picture of the individual need in micronutrient supplementation or chelation to achieve healthy ageing and longevity.