Polyphenolic pattern and in vitro cardioprotective properties of typical red wines from vineyards cultivated in Scafati (Salerno, Italy)

The Influence of Gut Dysbiosis in the Pathogenesis and Management of Ischemic Stroke

Recent research on the gut microbiome has revealed the influence of gut microbiota (GM) on ischemic stroke pathogenesis and treatment outcomes. Alterations in the diversity, abundance, and functions of the gut microbiome, termed gut dysbiosis, results in dysregulated gut–brain signaling, which induces intestinal barrier changes, endotoxemia, systemic inflammation, and infection, affecting post-stroke outcomes. Gut–brain interactions are bidirectional, and the signals from the gut to the brain are mediated by microbially derived metabolites, such as trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs); bacterial components, such as lipopolysaccharide (LPS); immune cells, such as T helper cells; and bacterial translocation via hormonal, immune, and neural pathways. Ischemic stroke affects gut microbial composition via neural and hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) pathways, which can contribute to post-stroke outcomes. Experimental and clinical studies have demonstrated that the restoration of the gut microbiome usually improves stroke treatment outcomes by regulating metabolic, immune, and inflammatory responses via the gut–brain axis (GBA). Therefore, restoring healthy microbial ecology in the gut may be a key therapeutic target for the effective management and treatment of ischemic stroke.

H9c2 Cardiomyocytes under Hypoxic Stress: Biological Effects Mediated by Sentinel Downstream Targets

The association between diabetes and cardiovascular diseases is well known. Related diabetes macro- and microangiopathies frequently induce hypoxia and consequently energy failure to satisfy the jeopardized myocardium basal needs. Additionally, it is widely accepted that diabetes impairs endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) activity, resulting in diminished nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability and consequent endothelial cell dysfunction. In this study, we analyzed the embryonic heart-derived H9c2 cell response to hypoxic stress after administration of a high glucose concentration to reproduce a condition often observed in diabetes. We observed that 24 h hypoxia exposure of H9c2 cells reduced cell viability compared to cells grown in normoxic conditions. Cytotoxicity and early apoptosis were increased after exposure to high glucose administration. In addition, hypoxia induced a RhoA upregulation and a Bcl-2 downregulation and lowered the ERK activation observed in normoxia at both glucose concentrations. Furthermore, a significant cell proliferation rate increases after the 1400 W iNOS inhibitor administration was observed. Again, hypoxia increased the expression level of myogenin, a marker of skeletal muscle cell differentiation. The cardiomyocyte gene expression profiles and morphology changes observed in response to pathological stimuli, as hypoxia, could lead to improper ventricular remodeling responsible for heart failure. Therefore, understanding cell signaling events that regulate cardiac response to hypoxia could be useful for the discovery of novel therapeutic approaches able to prevent heart diseases.

Diet, Lifestyle and Cardiovascular Diseases: Linking Pathophysiology to Cardioprotective Effects of Natural Bioactive Compounds

Heart and blood vessels disorders comprise one of the main causes of death worldwide. Pharmacologically active natural compounds have been used as a complementary therapy in cardiovascular disease around the world in a traditional way. Dietary, natural bioactive compounds, as well as healthy lifestyles, are considered to prevent coronary artery diseases. Pre-clinical and clinical studies reported that consumption of plant-food bioactive derivatives including polyphenolic compounds, peptides, oligosaccharides, vitamins, unsaturated fatty acids possess protective effects on cardiovascular diseases. This review aims to summarize the cardiovascular risk factors, pre-clinical studies and clinical trials related to cardioprotective properties of the plant-food-derived bioactive compounds. Molecular mechanisms by the natural bioactive compounds exert their cardiovascular protective properties have also been highlighted.

Citrus aurantium Ameliorates Cisplatin-Induced Nephrotoxicity

We aimed to study the effects of Citrus aurantium (C. aurantium) on renal functions in cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity in rats. The study involved male Wistar rats weighing 250–300 g that were fed and kept under standard conditions. Rats were randomly divided into control, cisplatin administered, C. aurantium 200 mg/kg, and C. aurantium 400 mg/kg groups. Cisplatin was administered at 5 mg/kg i.p. once at the start of study to induce nephrotoxicity. Blood and urine samples were obtained at alternative days for analysis. The body weight and urine output were monitored at regular intervals. Plasma and urinary sodium, potassium, and creatinine levels were measured at the end of study duration. Absolute excretion of sodium and potassium; sodium to potassium ratio; kidney weights; fractional excretion of sodium and potassium; and absolute creatinine clearance were determined to analyze the effects of C. aurantium. Histopathological changes of kidney tissues were studied to determine relevant effects. The results indicate that cisplatin lowered the total body weights while raising the urinary output and kidney weights, reversed by C. aurantium both dose and time dependently. Similarly, C. aurantium markedly normalized plasma, urinary sodium, potassium, and creatinine levels. Cisplatin-induced absolute sodium clearance, absolute potassium clearance, absolute creatinine clearance, sodium to potassium ratio, and fractional excretion of sodium and potassium were significantly reversed by C. aurantium. Histopathological analysis showed notable improvement in C. aurantium administered groups as compared to cisplatin-induced group. Study suggests that C. aurantium possesses excellent nephroprotective effects against cisplatin-induced toxicity.

Clinical Pharmacology of Citrus aurantium and Citrus sinensis for the Treatment of Anxiety

Objective

The aim of this review is to analyze preclinical and clinical studies investigating the anxiety effects of Citrus aurantium or Citrus sinensis essential oils (EOs).

Design

The bibliographic research was made on the major scientific databases. Analysis included only articles written in English and published on peer-reviewed scientific journals describing preclinical experiments and clinical trials carried out to investigate the antianxiety effects of Citrus aurantium or Citrus sinensis EOs on anxiety disorders. Clinical studies reporting the antianxiety effects of products containing Citrus aurantium or Citrus sinensis EOs in combination with other active substances, including medicinal plants, were excluded. Nine clinical studies fulfilled the criteria adopted for analysis.

Results

Data show that Citrus aurantium or Citrus sinensis EOs produce anxiolytic effects both in preclinical experiments and in different clinical conditions. Citrus aurantium EO aromatherapy reduced anxiety level in the great part of stress conditions studied (subjects affected by chronic myeloid leukemia and preoperative patients) except for a sample of patients subjected to colonoscopy. Exposition to Citrus sinensis EO in clinical studies shows to be positive in reducing anxiety level in patients waiting for dental treatment as well as in healthy volunteers submitted to an anxiogenic situation.

Conclusions

Overview of clinical trials conducted with Citrus aurantium or Citrus sinensis on people with anxiety showed that inhalation or oral administration of Citrus aurantium and inhalation of Citrus sinensis can exert beneficial effects on anxiety; however, because of incomplete accuracy in the reporting of methodology, further more complete clinical studies are warranted.

Characterization of active antiplatelet chemical compositions of edible Citrus limon through ultra-performance liquid chromatography single quadrupole mass spectrometry-based chemometrics

UPLC-SQD-MS-based chemometrics was applied for antiplatelet active compounds screening for the first time, and seven potential biomarkers were found in lemon extract.

Flavonoid Composition of Tarocco (Citrus sinensis L. Osbeck) Clone "Lempso" and Fast Antioxidant Activity Screening by DPPH-UHPLC-PDA-IT-TOF

INTRODUCTION

Clonal selection and hybridisation are valid strategies to obtain fruits with enhanced sensorial and nutraceutical properties. Within Citrus sinensis varieties, Tarocco clone "Lempso" is a typical product of the Calabria region (Italy) characterised by its red pulp. This is the first report concerning its accurate profiling.

OBJECTIVE

To characterise in detail the flavonoid composition of Lempso clone and to compare its antioxidant potential with other Citrus varieties by a fast screening method.

METHODOLOGY

Extracts were subjected to solid phase extraction and the qualitative/quantitative profile was elucidated through ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) coupled to photodiode array (PDA) and ion trap time-of-flight (IT-TOF) mass spectrometry detection, and compared to both Cleopatra mandarin (Citrus reticulata) and blood orange (Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck) Sanguinello varieties. The antioxidant activity was assessed by pre-column 2,2'-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) reaction coupled to UHPLC-PDA.

RESULTS

Lempso is characterised by flavonoids (17) and anthocyanins (8). Flavanones content (Hesperidin: 57.19 ± 0.49, Vicenin-2: 4.59 ± 0.03, Narirutin: 5.78 ± 0.13 mg/100 mL) was considerably higher than Cleopatra and Sanguinello varieties. The developed DPPH-UHPLC-PDA method provides information regarding the single contributions to antioxidant activity, highlighting how Ferulic acid, Quercetin and Cyanidin derivatives possess considerable radical scavenging activity (> 50%). The total antioxidant activity was also evaluated and compared with positive controls, showing higher scavenging activity than Cleopatra and Sanguinello (IC₅₀ : 333.76 ± 10.81 μg/mL vs. 452.62 ± 10.81 and 568.39 ± 26.98 μg/mL, respectively).

CONCLUSION

These data evidence the nutraceutical potential of Lempso variety, which could be an ingredient for functional beverages. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Alterations in microRNA expression associated with alcohol consumption in rectal cancer subjects

Purpose

Alcohol consumption has been purported to influence many diseases. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) may be influenced by compounds found in alcohol. In this investigation, we test the hypothesis that total alcohol, beer, wine, and hard liquor influence miRNA expression.

Methods

We studied 1447 colorectal (CR) cancer cases with normal CR mucosa and carcinoma miRNA expression data along with alcohol consumption data. We analyzed long-term and long-term and current (LTC) alcohol use for beer, liquor, and wine with miRNA expression between paired carcinoma and normal colon and rectal tissues, adjusting for multiple comparisons using the positive false discovery rate q-value. MiRNAs associated significantly with alcohol were examined with all-cause mortality (ACM). MiRNAs associated significantly with ACM were examined with RNA-Seq data.

Results

Expression of 84 miRNAs was associated significantly with LTC wine use in normal rectal mucosa. Higher expression of two of these miRNAs significantly worsened ACM: hsa-miR-210 (Hazard Ratio [HR] 1.12, 95% CI (1.03, 1.21), p-value = 0.004), and hsa-miR-92a-1-5p (HR 1.20, 95% CI (1.04, 1.38), p-value = 0.013). These miRNAs were downregulated across levels of LTC wine consumption.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that wine influences miRNA expression in rectal cancer, supporting the hypothesis that components in alcohol influence miRNA expression.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s10552-017-0882-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Characterization and cardioprotective activity of anthocyanins from Nitraria tangutorum Bobr. by-products

Anthocyanins from the industrial by-products ofN. tangutorumjuice were composed of 16 anthocyanins derived from six anthocyanidins, and exerted an excellent protective effect on DOX-injury of H9c2 myoblast cells through multi-pathway.

Photooxidative damage in retinal pigment epithelial cells via GRP78 and the protective role of grape skin polyphenols

Blue light induced oxidative damage and ER stress are related to the pathogenesis of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). However, the mechanism of blue light-induced damage remained obscure. The objective of this work is to assess the photooxidative damage to retinal pigment epithelial cells (RPE) and oxidation-induced changes in expression of ER stress associated apoptotic proteins, and investigate the mechanism underlying the protective effects of grape skin extracts. To mimic lipofuscin-mediated photooxidation in vivo, ARPE-19 cells that accumulated A2E, one of lipofuscin fluorophores, were used as a model system to investigate the mechanism of photooxidative damage and the protective effects of grape skin polyphenols. Exposure of A2E containing ARPE-19 cells to blue light resulted in significant apoptosis and increases in levels of GRP78, CHOP, p-JNK, Bax, cleaved caspase-9, and cleaved caspase-3, indicating that photooxidative damage to RPE cells is mediated by the ER-stress-induced intrinsic apoptotic pathway. Cells in which GRP78 had been knocked down with shRNA were more vulnerable to photooxidative damage. Pre-treatment of blue-light-exposed A2E containing ARPE-19 cells, with grape skin extracts, inhibited apoptosis, in a dose dependent manner. Knockdown GRP78 blocked the protective effect of grape skin extracts.

Comparative studies of polydatin and resveratrol on mutual transformation and antioxidative effect in vivo

BACKGROUND

Polydatin and resveratrol are extractives of radix or rhizoma of Polygonum cuspidatum, and as the glycoside forms, it is a natural precursor of resveratrol.

PURPOSE

In this study, we aimed to explore the mutual transformation between polydatin and resveratrol in rats, and to compare the antioxidative effect of them in vivo.

STUDY DESIGN

In this study, we analyzed the serum molar concentration of polydatin and resveratrol after oral administration in rats and evaluated the anti-oxidative stress effects of them using a mouse model.

METHODS

Rats were orally administered polydatin or resveratrol and the concentration of them in serum were analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Their antioxidative effect was compared in mice with oxidative stress cardiomyopathy induced by doxorubicin (DOX).

RESULTS

The results showed that polydatin and resveratrol could mutually transform in vivo, the molar concentration of polydatin in serum was always averagely 3.35 and 4.28 times as much as resveratrol after oral administration of polydatin and resveratrol at 200 mg/kg, respectively. Both polydatin and resveratrol could significantly decrease the content of malonydialdehyde (MDA), promote the activities of total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) in plasma, and increase the content of glutathione (GSH) in myocardial tissue. The effect of polydatin surpassed resveratrol, particularly embodied in increasing the activities of T-SOD and CAT, and the content of GSH.

CONCLUSION

It illustrates that polydatin is the main substance in serum after intragastric administration with polydatin or resveratrol, and the mutual transformation between polydatin and resveratrol keeps balance; they both have the ability of antioxidative stress in vivo, and polydatin has a better effect than resveratrol, which hints that polydatin may be a substitute for resveratrol in antioxidant for clinical use.

Prognostic role of translocator protein and oxidative stress markers in chronic lymphocytic leukemia patients treated with bendamustine plus rituximab

Principally located in the outer mitochondrial membrane, the translocator protein (TSPO) is an 18-kDa transmembrane protein that is a key component of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore. TSPO is associated with a number of biological processes, including apoptosis, the regulation of cellular proliferation, porphyrin transport and heme biosynthesis, immunomodulation, anion transport and the regulation of steroidogenesis. Thus, numerous studies have proposed TSPO as a promising target for novel therapeutic agents, particularly for the treatment of cancer. In the present study, the response of 30 consecutive chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) patients to bendamustine and rituximab treatment was evaluated according to TSPO expression levels. Furthermore, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and nitric oxide (NO) levels, as well as caspase-3 activity were determined. Compared with the lymphocytes of healthy donors, the 30 consecutive CLL patients exhibited increased TSPO expression levels, decreased TBARS and NO levels and reduced caspase-3 activity. Six months after the treatment commenced, the TSPO/mitochondria ratio resembled that of the healthy controls in 24/30 CLL patients. In addition, an increase in TBARS and NO levels, two markers of oxidative stress, and a potentiation of caspase-3 activity in all responder patients was observed. Notably, the six patients who appeared to be resistant to treatment also displayed higher TSPO levels, and lower caspase-3 activity and TBARS levels. These data indicate that TSPO expression may be a molecular prognostic factor in CLL patients.

Ultra high performance liquid chromatography with ion-trap TOF-MS for the fast characterization of flavonoids in Citrus bergamia juice

We have developed a fast ultra HPLC with ion-trap TOF-MS method for the analysis of flavonoids in Citrus bergamia juice. With respect to the typical methods for the analysis of these matrices based on conventional HPLC techniques, a tenfold faster separation was attained. The use of a core-shell particle column ensured high resolution within the fast analysis time of only 5 min. Unambiguous determination of flavonoid identity was obtained by the employment of a hybrid ion-trap TOF mass spectrometer with high mass accuracy (average error 1.69 ppm). The system showed good retention time and peak area repeatability, with maximum RSD% values of 0.36 and 3.86, respectively, as well as good linearity (R(2) ≥ 0.99). Our results show that ultra HPLC can be a useful tool for ultra fast qualitative/quantitative analysis of flavonoid compounds in citrus fruit juices.