Modeling the dynamics of energy imbalance: The free radical theory of aging and frailty revisited

Artisanal Gem Mining in Brazil: Evaluation of Oxidative Stress and Genotoxicity Biomarkers

This study was carried out in the district of Taquaral de Minas, in the municipality of Itinga, located in Jequitinhonha Valley, state of Minas Gerais, which is considered one of the largest yolk-producing regions in Brazil. Miners in gem extraction areas are prone to severe oxidative damage due to their increased exposure to toxic metals, as well as chemical, physical, and biological agents, resulting in diseases such as silicosis. Thus, this work aimed to evaluate occupational exposure in prospectors through biomonitoring techniques using a variety of biomarkers for oxidative stress, genotoxicity, and mutagenicity. Twenty-two miners and seventeen workers who were not occupationally exposed were recruited, totaling thirty-nine participants. The study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the Federal University of the Jequitinhonha and Mucuri Valleys. In this study, the levels of total peroxides, catalase activity, and microelements in plasma were evaluated. Additionally, environmental analysis was carried out through the Ames and Allium cepa tests. The results of the lipoperoxidation assessment were significant, with increased frequencies in exposed individuals compared to controls (p < 0.05), as determined by the Mann-Whitney test. Micronutrients in the blood showed lower concentrations in the group exposed to Fe and Se than in individuals not exposed to these elements. The results of the Ames test and Allium cepa test were statistically significant compared to the controls (p < 0.05), as determined by the Mann-Whitney test for genotoxicity and cytotoxicity. Thus, the results of the present study indicate possible environmental contamination and a potential risk to the health of miners, which suggests that further studies are important in the region.

Embracing complexity of (brain) aging

Aging is a multifactorial process occurring in a pathophysiological continuum which leads to organ and system functional loss. While aging is not a disease, its pathophysiological continuum predisposes to illness and multimorbidity clusters which share common biomolecular mechanisms-the pillars of aging. Brain aging and neurodegeneration share many hallmarks with other age-related diseases. The central nervous system is often the weakest link susceptible to the aging process and its deterioration, resulting in cognitive impairment and other symptoms; the aging process is associated with proteostasis collapse, stem cell exhaustion, repair mechanisms, altered brain nutrient sensing, endothelial changes, inflammation, oxidative distress, and energy unbalance, as well as other disturbances. These mechanisms are highly interwoven, and considerable research is aimed at their disentanglement and detection of their clinically relevant impact, particularly in order to identify pharmacological and non-pharmacological preventive and therapeutic strategies.

Focus on senescence: Clinical significance and practical applications

The older population is increasing worldwide, and life expectancy is continuously rising, predominantly thanks to medical and technological progress. Healthspan refers to the number of years an individual can live in good health. From a gerontological viewpoint, the mission is to extend the life spent in good health, promoting well-being and minimizing the impact of aging-related diseases to slow the aging process. Biologically, aging is a malleable process characterized by an intra- and inter-individual heterogeneous and dynamic balance between accumulating damage and repair mechanisms. Cellular senescence is a key component of this process, with senescent cells accumulating in different tissues and organs, leading to aging and age-related disease susceptibility over time. Removing senescent cells from the body or slowing down the burden rate has been proposed as an efficient way to reduce age-dependent deterioration. In animal models, senotherapeutic molecules can extend life expectancy and lifespan by either senolytic or senomorphic activity. Much research shows that dietary and physical activity-driven lifestyle interventions protect against senescence. This narrative review aims to summarize the current knowledge on targeting senescent cells to reduce the risk of age-related disease in animal models and their translational potential for humans. We focused on studies that have examined the potential role of senotherapeutics in slowing the aging process and modifying age-related disease burdens. The review concludes with a general discussion of the mechanisms underlying this unique trajectory and its implications for future research.

Aging hallmarks, biomarkers, and clocks for personalized medicine: (re)positioning the limelight

The rapidly increasing aging prevalence, complexity, and heterogeneity pose the scientific and medical communities in front of challenges. These are delivered by gaps between basic and translational research, as well as between clinical practice guidelines to improve survival and absence of evidence on personalized strategies to improve functions, wellbeing and quality of life. The triumphs of aging science sheding more and more light on mechanisms of aging as well as those of medical and technological progress to prolong life expectancy are clear. Currently, and in the next two to three decades, all efforts must be put in a closer interdisciplinary dialogue between biogerontologists and geriatricians to enable real-life measures of aging phenotypes to be used to uncover the physiological - and therefore translational - relevance of newly discovered aging clocks, biomarkers, and hallmarks.

Development of Continuous Assessment of Muscle Quality and Frailty in Older Patients Using Multiparametric Combinations of Ultrasound and Blood Biomarkers: Protocol for the ECOFRAIL Study

BACKGROUND

Frailty resulting from the loss of muscle quality can potentially be delayed through early detection and physical exercise interventions. There is a demand for cost-effective tools for the objective evaluation of muscle quality, in both cross-sectional and longitudinal assessments. Literature suggests that quantitative analysis of ultrasound data captures morphometric, compositional, and microstructural muscle properties, while biological assays derived from blood samples are associated with functional information.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to assess multiparametric combinations of ultrasound and blood-based biomarkers to offer a cross-sectional evaluation of the patient frailty phenotype and to track changes in muscle quality associated with supervised exercise programs.

METHODS

This prospective observational multicenter study will include patients aged 70 years and older who are capable of providing informed consent. We aim to recruit 100 patients from hospital environments and 100 from primary care facilities. Each patient will undergo at least two examinations (baseline and follow-up), totaling a minimum of 400 examinations. In hospital environments, 50 patients will be measured before/after a 16-week individualized and supervised exercise program, while another 50 patients will be followed up after the same period without intervention. Primary care patients will undergo a 1-year follow-up evaluation. The primary objective is to compare cross-sectional evaluations of physical performance, functional capacity, body composition, and derived scales of sarcopenia and frailty with biomarker combinations obtained from muscle ultrasound and blood-based assays. We will analyze ultrasound raw data obtained with a point-of-care device, along with a set of biomarkers previously associated with frailty, using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Additionally, we will examine the sensitivity of these biomarkers to detect short-term muscle quality changes and functional improvement after a supervised exercise intervention compared with usual care.

RESULTS

At the time of manuscript submission, the enrollment of volunteers is ongoing. Recruitment started on March 1, 2022, and ends on June 30, 2024.

CONCLUSIONS

The outlined study protocol will integrate portable technologies, using quantitative muscle ultrasound and blood biomarkers, to facilitate an objective cross-sectional assessment of muscle quality in both hospital and primary care settings. The primary objective is to generate data that can be used to explore associations between biomarker combinations and the cross-sectional clinical assessment of frailty and sarcopenia. Additionally, the study aims to investigate musculoskeletal changes following multicomponent physical exercise programs.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05294757; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05294757.

INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID)

DERR1-10.2196/50325.

Survival, growth and digestive functions after exposure to nanodiamonds - Transgenerational effects beyond contact time in house cricket strains

The long-term exposure effects of nanodiamonds (NDs), spanning an organism's entire lifespan and continuing for subsequent generation, remain understudied. Most research has focused on evaluating their biological impacts on cell lines and selected organisms, typically over short exposure durations lasting hours or days. The study aimed to assess growth, mortality, and digestive functions in wild (H) and long-lived (D) strains of Acheta domesticus (Insecta: Orthoptera) after two-generational exposure to NDs in concentrations of 0.2 or 2 mg kg-1 of food, followed by their elimination in the third generation. NDs induced subtle stimulating effect that depended on the strain and generation. In the first generation, more such responses occurred in the H than in the D strain. In the first generation of H strain insects, contact with NDs increased survival, stimulated the growth of young larvae, and the activity of most digestive enzymes in mature adults. The same doses and exposure time did not cause similar effects in the D strain. In the first generation of D strain insects, survival and growth were unaffected by NDs, whereas, in the second generation, significant stimulation of those parameters was visible. Selection towards longevity appears to support higher resistance of the insects to exposure to additional stressor, at least in the first generation. The cessation of ND exposure in the third generation caused potentially harmful changes, which included, e.g., decreased survival probability in H strain insects, slowed growth of both strains, as well as changes in heterochromatin density and distribution in nuclei of the gut cells in both strains. Such a reaction may suggest the involvement of epigenetic inheritance mechanisms, which may become inadequate after the stress factor is removed.

Evaluation of the Impact of Alternanthera philoxeroides (Mart.) Griseb. Extract on Memory Impairment in D-Galactose-Induced Brain Aging in Mice through Its Effects on Antioxidant Enzymes, Neuroinflammation, and Telomere Shortening

Aging is a well-known factor that accelerates brain deterioration, resulting in impaired learning and memory functions. This current study evaluated the potential of an extract of Alternanthera philoxeroides (AP), an edible flavonoid-rich plant, to ameliorate D-galactose-induced brain aging in male mice. Chronic administration of D-galactose (150 mg/kg/day) in mice mimicked the characteristics of aging by accelerating senescence via downregulation of the following telomere-regulating factors: mouse telomerase reverse transcriptase (mTERT) and mouse telomeric repeat-binding factors 1 (mTRF1) and 2 (mTRF2). D-galactose also decreased the activities of the antioxidant enzymes catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD), while increasing expression of neuroinflammatory cytokines in the frontal cortex and hippocampus. Daily treatment of D-galactose-induced aging mice with AP at 250 and 500 mg/kg/day or vitamin E (100 mg/kg/day) significantly increased the activities of SOD and CAT, as well as expression of mTERT, mTRF1, and mTRF2, which are involved in telomere stabilization, but decreased the levels of proinflammatory cytokines IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α. In the behavioral portion of the study, AP improved aging-related cognitive deficits in short-term memory as shown by the Y-maze task and the novel object recognition test (NORT) and long-term memory as shown by the Morris water maze test (MWMT). The flavones kaempferol-O-glucoside (1), quercetin (2), alternanthin B (3), demethyltorosaflavone D (4), and chrysoeriol-7-O-rhamnoside (5), which could be responsible for the observed effects of AP in the D-galactose-induced aging mice, were identified by HPLC analysis.

Physical activity and neurotrophic factors as potential drivers of neuroplasticity in Parkinson's Disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder, characterized by motor and non-motor symptoms, that still lacks of a disease-modifying treatment. Consistent evidence proved the benefits of physical therapy on motor and non-motor symptoms in PD patients, leading the scientific community to propose physical activity as disease-modifying therapy for PD and suggesting the involvement of neurotrophic factors (NFs) as key mediators of neuroplasticity. However, the lack of standardized exercise training and methodological flaws of clinical trials have limited the evidence demonstrating the exercise-induced changes in serum and plasma neurotrophic factors concentration. A systematic search, covering 20 years of research in this field and including randomized and non-randomized controlled trials (RCTs and non-RCTs), which reported changes in serum and plasma NFs after a specific intervention, were reviewed. Pooled effect sizes (p-ESs) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CIs) were calculated using a random effects model with R software. A total of 18 articles, of which exercise programs of interventions were codified in terms of type, intensity and duration adopting a standardisation methodology, were included in the systematic review. Six papers, describing the effect of different training programs on BDNF and IGF-1 levels, were included and independently analysed in two meta-analyses. Quantitative analysis for BDNF indicated a statistically significant improvement in serum concentration of PD patients (MD: 5.99 ng/mL; 95%IC: 0.15 -11.83; I2 = 77%) performing physical activity compared with control conditions in RCTs. Preliminary evidence supported the hypothesis that a moderate intensity aerobic exercise (MIAE) would be necessary to induce the changes in NFs. However, sensitivity analysis of meta-analysis and the few studies included in subgroup analysis did not support these results. Alongside, meta-analysis followed by sensitivity analysis revealed a potential change in serum IGF-1 (MD: 33.47 ng/mL; 95%IC: 8.09-58.85) in PD patients performing physical activity with respect controls in RCT studies. Considering the limited evidence to support or refute the increase in NFs levels in PD patients performing physical activity, there is a need to develop a rigorous controlled randomized trial, with standardization for loading intensity of physical activity, greater sample size, and a correct stratification of PD patients to establish a well-defined correlation between physical activity and NFs levels.

Antioxidant Peptides Derived from Millet Bran Promote Longevity and Stress Resistance in Caenorhabditis elegans

Millet bran as a by-product of millet grain processing remains a reservoir of active substances. In this study, functional millet bran peptides (MBPE) were obtained from bran proteins after alcalase hydrolysis and ultrafiltration. The activity of MBPE was assessed in vitro and in the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans). In vitro, compared to unhydrolyzed proteins, MBPE significantly enhanced the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2'-Azinobis-(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonate (ABTS) and hydroxyl radicals scavenging activity, and the scavenging rate of MBPE with 15,000 U/g alcalase reached 42.79 ± 0.31%, 61.38 ± 0.41 and 45.69 ± 0.84%, respectively. In C. elegans, MBPE at 12.5 µg/mL significantly prolonged the lifespan by reducing lipid oxidation, oxidative stress, and lipofuscin levels. Furthermore, MBPE increased the activities of the antioxidant enzymes. Genetic analyses showed that MBPE-mediated longevity was due to a significant increase in the expression of daf-16 and skn-1, which are also involved in xenobiotic and oxidative stress responses. In conclusion, this study found that MBPE had antioxidant and life-prolonging effects, which are important for the development and utilization of millet bran proteins as resources of active ingredients.

Phytochemical Screening and In Vitro Evaluation of the Antioxidant Potential of Dichloromethane Extracts of Strychnos henningsii Gilg. and Ficus sycomorus L

Medicinal plants are a rich source of antioxidants such as flavonoids, phenols, tannins, and alkaloids among others and are currently used as alternative and complementary drugs in the management of stress-related disorders. Strychnos henningsii and Ficus sycomorus have been traditionally used by the people of Mbeere, Embu county, Kenya, as medicine for the treatment of various oxidative stress-related disorders such as diabetes and rheumatism; however, no empirical data are available to authenticate the said claim. The aim of this study was to evaluate preliminary phytochemical screening and in vitro antioxidant activity of dichloromethane (DCM) leaf extract of S. henningsii and stem bark extract of F. sycomorus using DPPH, hydrogen peroxide, and ferric reducing power assays; total flavonoids and phenolic compounds were also determined by colorimetric assay and Folin–Ciocalteu reaction, respectively. Phytochemical screening showed that both extracts possessed saponins, flavonoids, phenols, steroids, alkaloids, and cardiac glycosides; however, terpenoids were found to be absent in S. henningsii. The total phenolic and flavonoid content of the DCM stem bark extract of F. sycomorus was lower than that of the leaf extract of S. henningsii. These extracts significantly exhibited strong antioxidant activities at different concentrations tested. The IC50 values of S. henningsii and F. sycomorus were 0.325 mg/ml and 0.330 mg/ml for hydrogen peroxide and 0.068 mg/ml and 0.062 mg/ml for DPPH, respectively. Both DCM leaf and stem bark extracts of S. henningsii and F. sycomorus were found to have strong ferric reducing power. Therefore, both extracts showed significant nonenzyme-based antioxidant activities. The two plants possess phytochemicals that have significant antioxidant properties.

Low Xanthophylls, Retinol, Lycopene, and Tocopherols in Grey and White Matter of Brains with Alzheimer's Disease

BACKGROUND

Oxidative stress contributes to pathogenesis and progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Higher levels of the dietary antioxidants- carotenoids and tocopherols- are associated with better cognitive functions and lower risk for AD, and lower levels of multiple carotenoids are found in serum and plasma of patients with AD. Although brains donated by individuals with mild cognitive impairment had significantly lower levels of lutein and beta-carotene, previous investigators found no significant difference in carotenoid levels of brains with AD and cognitively normal brains.

OBJECTIVE

This study tested the hypothesis that micronutrients are significantly lower in donor brains with AD than in healthy elderly brains.

METHODS

Samples of donor brains with confirmed AD or verified health were dissected into grey and white matter, extracted with organic solvents and analyzed by HPLC.

RESULTS

AD brains had significantly lower levels of lutein, zeaxanthin, anhydrolutein, retinol, lycopene, and alpha-tocopherol, and significantly increased levels of XMiAD, an unidentified xanthophyll metabolite. No meso-zeaxanthin was detected. The overlapping protective roles of xanthophylls, carotenes, α- and γ-tocopherol are discussed.

CONCLUSION

Brains with AD had substantially lower concentrations of some, but not all, xanthophylls, carotenes, and tocopherols, and several-fold higher concentrations of an unidentified xanthophyll metabolite increased in AD (XMiAD).

A blast from the past: To tame time with metformin

The strong evidence of metformin use in subjects affected by type 2 diabetes (T2DM) on health outcomes, together with data from pre-clinical studies, has led the gerontological research to study the therapeutic potential of such a drug as a slow-aging strategy. However, despite clinical use for over fifty years as an anti-diabetic drug, the mechanisms of action beyond glycemic control remain unclear. In this review, we have deeply examined the literature, doing a narrative review from the metformin story, through mechanisms of action to slow down aging potential, from lower organisms to humans. Based on the available evidence, we conclude that metformin, as shown in lower organisms and mice, may be effective in humans' longevity. A complete analysis and follow-up of ongoing clinical trials may provide more definitive answers as to whether metformin should be promoted beyond its use to treat T2DM as a drug that enhances both healthspan and lifespan.

Influence of a 12-Month Structured Exercise Program on the Micronutrient-Cognitive Fitness-Physical Association Profiles in Mild Cognitive Impairment

Background

Preventive lifestyle strategies have shown promise to slow down or prevent age-related cognitive decline. However, evidence on the reciprocal longitudinal relationships between nutrition biomarkers and cognitive and physical performance is lacking. Studying nutritional, cognitive, and physical profiles over time may help to overcome this knowledge gap.

Objective

To investigate the relationship of plasma levels of the robust nutritional- and antioxidant defense-related biomarkers carotenoids and tocopherols with both indicators of cognitive and physical performance in persons with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) participating in a structured exercise program.

Methods

Data from 40 participants with MCI of the NeuroExercise study were analyzed. Participants had undergone a blood withdrawal for the analysis of plasma concentrations of six carotenoids, two tocopherols and retinol prior to and after one-year of structured exercise. All participants had undergone a broad spectrum of cognitive and physical performance tests.

Results

Significant associations between lipophilic micronutrients and cognitive/physical measures were observed that were previously found to play a role in cognitive and physical frailty. In particular, lutein, zeaxanthin, and lycopene are confirmed as robust, reliable, and stable indicators of nutritional defense. Importantly, these micronutrients were associated with cognitive measures prior to the physical training program and to a more prominent extent with indicators of motoric function after the physical exercise program.

Conclusion

Specific profiles of lipophilic micronutrients are associated to cognitive performance measures and, especially after a structured exercise program, to indicators of physical performance.

Frailty-the missing constraint in radiotherapy treatment planning for older adults

Current demographic changes translate into an increased frequency of cancer in older adults. Available data show that about 45-55% of the new cancer patients will need RT treatments, with an expected increase of 20-30% in the future. To provide the best cancer care it is mandatory to assess frailty, offer appropriate curative treatments to patients and personalise them for the frail. Based on published data, the median prevalence of frailty in older population is about 42%. Recently, the free radical theory of frailty has been proposed stating that oxidative damage is more prevalent in frail patients. In parallel, RT is one of the most frequent cancer treatments offered to older adults and is a source of external free radicals. RT dose constraints correlate with toxicity rates, so we open the question whether frailty should be considered when defining these constraints. Thus, for this paper, we will highlight the importance of frailty evaluation for RT treatment decisions and outcomes.

Antiaging Effect of 4-N-Furfurylcytosine in Yeast Model Manifests through Enhancement of Mitochondrial Activity and ROS Reduction

Small compounds are a large group of chemicals characterized by various biological properties. Some of them also have antiaging potential, which is mainly attributed to their antioxidant activity. In this study, we examined the antiaging effect of 4-N-Furfurylcytosine (FC), a cytosine derivative belonging to a group of small compounds, on budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We chose this yeast model as it is known to contain multiple conserved genes and mechanisms identical to that of humans and has been proven to be successful in aging research. The chronological lifespan assay performed in the study revealed that FC improved the viability of yeast cells in a concentration-dependent manner. Furthermore, enhanced mitochondrial activity, together with reduced intracellular ROS level, was observed in FC-treated yeast cells. The gene expression analysis confirmed that FC treatment resulted in the restriction of the TORC1 signaling pathway. These results indicate that FC has antiaging properties.