Green extraction of bioactive compounds from wine lees and their bio-responses on immune modulation using in vitro sheep model

The objective of this study was to apply microwave-assisted extraction using green solvents starting from 3 different wine (white, rosé, and red) lees and to test their bio-response on sheep peripheral blood mononuclear cells proliferation, Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, and cytokines secretion. Wine lees (WL) of local organic farming from white wine, produced with Trebbiano cultivar, rosé and red wine, made with Nero di Troia cultivar, were collected. The WL were subjected to microwave-assisted extraction using 2 green solvents (water and ethanol) in 3 different combinations (water; water/ethanol 1:1 vol/vol; ethanol) with a dry matter-to-solvent ratio of 1:40 (wt/vol) at 4 temperature levels: 50, 100, 150, and 200°C. Sodium carbonate Na₂CO₃ (2 mmol/g of dry weight of lees) was used for increasing the polyphenol extraction yield. A total number of 6 extracts, 2 for each kind of WL investigated, according to their total phenolic content and in vitro antioxidant capacity, were selected to be tested on sheep peripheral blood mononuclear cells, as an animal model. All the WL extracts demonstrated a strong antiproliferative action. On the contrary, the cytokines' profile was mainly dependent on the different winemaking derived WL and the extraction solvent combination procedures. Red WL extract obtained by a combination of water/Na₂CO₃ and tested at 0.8 mg/mL, resulted in an increase of both IL-6 secretion and Bax/Bcl-2 ratio. Data from the present study demonstrated that WL extracts derived from different winemaking and solvent extraction could have a bimodal action on control of inflammatory mediated damage and highlighted the importance for further studies aimed at applying the biorefinery process on by-products to increase their economic value and exploit new derived bioactive compound.

Cascade approach of red macroalgae Gracilaria gracilis sustainable valorization by extraction of phycobiliproteins and pyrolysis of residue

Phycobiliproteins extraction (primary refining) from Gracilaria gracilis seaweed, harvested in Lesina Lagoon (Italy) and further valorization of the residual algal via pyrolysis (secondary refining), were investigated with a cascade biorefinery approach. R-phycoerythrin (7 mg/g d.w.), allophycocyanin (3.5 mg/g d.w.) and phycocyanin (2 mg/g d.w.) were the main phycobiliproteins extracted. Pyrolysis of G.gracilis residue followed, aiming to investigate the production of bio-oil and biochar within a pyrolysis temperature range of 400-600 °C. Results showed that the bio-oil yield is high (∼65 wt%) at pyrolysis temperature ∼500 °C, but its high content in nitrogenous compounds prevents its use as a biofuel, unless some further de-nitrogenation takes place. Biochar yield ranged between 33 wt% (400 °C) and 26.5 wt% (600 °C). Interestingly, inorganic nutrients including P, K, Ca, Fe and Mg were detected in biochar, suggesting its potential use as recovering system of natural mineral resources from the oceanic reservoir.

A genetic score for the prediction of beta-thalassemia severity

Clinical and hematologic characteristics of beta(β)-thalassemia are determined by several factors resulting in a wide spectrum of severity. Phenotype modulators are: HBB mutations, HBA defects and fetal hemoglobin production modulators (HBG2:g.-158C>T polymorphism, HBS1L-MYB intergenic region and the BCL11A). We characterized 54 genetic variants at these five loci robustly associated with the amelioration of beta-thalassemia phenotype, to build a predictive score of severity using a representative cohort of 890 β-thalassemic patients. Using Cox proportional hazard analysis on a training set, we assessed the effect of these loci on the age at which patient started regular transfusions, built a Thalassemia Severity Score, and validated it on a testing set. Discriminatory power of the model was high (C-index=0.705; R(2)=0.343) and the validation conducted on the testing set confirmed its predictive accuracy with transfusion-free survival probability (P<0.001) and with transfusion dependency status (Area Under the Receiver Operating Characteristic Curve=0.774; P<0.001). Finally, an automatized on-line calculation of the score was made available at http://tss.unica.it. Besides the accurate assessment of genetic predictors effect, the present results could be helpful in the management of patients, both as a predictive score for screening and a standardized scale of severity to overcome the major-intermedia dichotomy and support clinical decisions.

Age- and sex-related variations in platelet count in Italy: a proposal of reference ranges based on 40987 subjects' data

Background and Objectives

Although several studies demonstrated that platelet count is higher in women, decreases with age, and is influenced by genetic background, most clinical laboratories still use the reference interval 150–400×10⁹ platelets/L for all subjects. The present study was to identify age- and sex-specific reference intervals for platelet count.

Methods

We analysed electronic records of subjects enrolled in three population-based studies that investigated inhabitants of seven Italian areas including six geographic isolates. After exclusion of patients with malignancies, liver diseases, or inherited thrombocytopenias, which could affect platelet count, reference intervals were estimated from 40,987 subjects with the non parametric method computing the 2.5° and 97.5° percentiles.

Results

Platelet count was similar in men and women until the age of 14, but subsequently women had steadily more platelets than men. The number of platelets decreases quickly in childhood, stabilizes in adulthood, and further decreases in oldness. The final result of this phenomenon is that platelet count in old age was reduced by 35% in men and by 25% in women compared with early infancy. Based on these findings, we estimated reference intervals for platelet count ×10⁹/L in children (176–452), adult men (141–362), adult women (156–405), old men (122–350) and, old women (140–379). Moreover, we calculated an “extended” reference interval that takes into account the differences in platelet count observed in different geographic areas.

Conclusions

The age-, sex-, and origin-related variability of platelet count is very wide, and the patient-adapted reference intervals we propose change the thresholds for diagnosing both thrombocytopenia and thrombocytosis in Italy.

Hormone and cytokine circadian alteration in non-small cell lung cancer patients

Alterations in hormone secretion and cytokine levels have been evidenced in many neoplastic diseases. In this study we have evaluated the circadian profile of growth hormone (GH), insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), interleukin-2 (IL2), melatonin (MEL) and cortisol (COR) serum levels in non-small cell lung cancer patients. Blood was sampled every 4 h for 24 h in 11 healthy (H) men (ages 35-53 years) and 9 men with stage 2, 3 or 4 non-small cell lung cancer (C) (ages 43-63 years). Serum GH, total IGF1, IL2, MEL and COR were measured and examined for group differences, trends, and rhythm characteristics. 24-h means were significantly higher in C234 vs H for GH, GH/IGF1, IL2 and COR, and lower for IGF1, but IL2 and COR were not different for C23 vs H. A linear regression across 4 groups (H, C2, C3, C4) found a positive trend for COR, GH, GH/IGF1 and IL2, and a negative trend for IGF1. A linear regression run between the 24-h mean levels of GH, IGF1, COR, MEL and IL2 in healthy subjects evidenced a statistically significant positive trend between MEL and GH (R = 0.281, p = 0.022) and in cancer patients showed a statistically significant negative trend between GH and IGF1 (R = 0.332, p = 0.01), COR and IGF1 (R=0.430, p=0.001), and a statistically significant positive trend between the 24-h mean of COR and GH (R = 0.304, p = 0.02). Rhythms in MEL and COR (peaks near 01:00h and 08:00h, respectively) indicated identical synchronization to the light-dark cycle for both groups. A circadian rhythm was detected in GH and GH/IGF1 for C23 and H, with IGF1 and IL2 non-rhythmic in any group. In conclusion, an increasing trend and progressive loss of circadian rhythmicity in GH and GH/IGF1, an increasing trend in cortisol and IL2, and a decreasing trend in IGF1 in C, reflect a complex chain of events that could be involved in progression of neoplastic disease. A therapeutic strategy needs to take into account circadian patterns and complex interactions of the multiple functions that characterize the hormone and cytokine levels in the frame cancer progression.

Extraction, characterization and in vivo neuromodulatory activity of phytosterols from microalga Dunaliella tertiolecta

In recent years, a great deal of research has been devoted to identify new natural sources of phytosterols and to improve methods for their recovery and purification. In this regard, unexplored natural sources of bioactive ingredients are gaining much attention since they can lead to the isolation of new compounds or bioactivities. The field of available natural sources has been further increased by including algae and, even more interestingly, microalgae. In the present study, a multidisciplinary approach has been used considering, in an integrated view, extraction, chemical composition and bioactivity of phytosterols from the microalga Dunaliella tertiolecta. A novel methodology to extract, separate and characterize microalgal-derived phytosterols has been developed. In addition, recoverable and reusable eluents have been selected in order to reduce the quantities of employed organic solvents. Finally, we addressed the question whether orally administered phytosterols reach the brain and if those interfere with the major neurotransmitter systems, such as the dopaminergic, serotoninergic and noradrenergic ones, in several brain areas of rats. Flash Liquid Chromatography has been used to separate the Total Sterol (TS) fraction, composed of twelve sterols, with a purity of 97.87% and a recovery percentage of 98%, while the "flash version" of Silver Ion Liquid Chromatography has been used to purify the most abundant phytosterols in TS, (22E,24R)- methylcholesta-5,7,22-trien-3β-ol (ergosterol) and (22E,24R)-ethylcholesta-5,7,22-trien-3β-ol (7-dehydroporiferasterol), with a purity of 97.4%. These two combined methods did not need sophisticated technologies but only cheap laboratory supplies. Moreover, the possibility of recovering and recycling the solvents used as eluents made it a cleaner process. Finally, for the first time, a neuromodulatory action of Dunaliella tertiolecta-derived phytosterols has been found in selective brain areas of rats.

REV-ERBα and the clock gene machinery in mouse peripheral tissues: a possible role as a synchronizing hinge

Rhythmic oscillations of cellular biological processes are driven by translational-transcriptional feedback loops that realize molecular clocks ticking in every single cell, driven by neural and humoral outputs from the suprachiasmatic nuclei of the hypothalamus that are entrained by environmental photon inputs. The nuclear receptor REV-ERBα has the capability to reset the molecular oscillators of peripheral tissues. The aim of our study was to evaluate the clock gene machinery function in light/dark cycles (LD) and in constant darkness (DD) exploiting in particular the REV-ERBα pattern of expression by using data from two independent experimental settings to reduce procedure related influences. In the LD study C57BL/6 male mice housed on a 12L:12D cycle were sacrificed at 4 h intervals. Liver, kidney, spleen, thymus and testis were harvested and blood was collected. Expression levels of PER1, PER2, CRY1, CRY2, BMAL1, REV-ERBα, CLOCK were evaluated by qRT-PCR. In the DD study Balb/c male mice in the third DD cycle as a continuation of the dark phase of the last LD cycle were sacrificed at 4 h intervals. Lung, heart, liver, stomach, kidney, spleen, and testis were harvested and mRNA expression of PER1, PER2, CRY1, CRY2, BMAL1, REV-ERBα, CLOCK, was evaluated by qRT-PCR. A statistically significant difference was found for the size of the semi-interquartile range of acrophases of clock gene expression in different organs evaluated in LD and DD conditions (4:38∓1:12h versus 1:16∓0:10h, p=0.026). A statistically significant difference was found for the acrophases of clock gene expression in different organs evaluated in LD (p=0.01) and in DD (p<0.0001). In LD study only REV-ERBα showed concomitant expression in the different peripheral tissues with the phase peaking around 07:03∓0.8h. In the DD study all the core clock genes showed concomitant phases in different peripheral mouse tissues and REV-ERB alpha expression peaked around 07:09∓0.9h. In conclusion, REV-ERBα is the only clock gene that maintains its timing of oscillation in the LD study and in the DD study and its phase of expression remains concomitant in the different mouse peripheral tissues in the presence of LD alternance, or in constant darkness. Oscillation in REV-ERBα ligands (heme, carbon monoxide) may affect not only the phase and amplitude of circadian rhythms, but also physiological outputs of the circadian system and REV-ERBalpha may participate in the entrainment of central and peripheral clocks, functioning as a synchronizing hinge of the clock gene machinery.

Clock gene expression in mouse kidney and testis: analysis of periodical and dynamical patterns

Molecular clocks drive circadian rhythmicity of cellular functions in peripheral tissues and organs, kidney included, whereas in the testis this clockwork seems constitutively active. We have evaluated the periodicity and the dynamics of expression of the clock genes BMAL1, CLOCK, PER1, PER2, CRY1, CRY2 and REV ERBalpha over 24 h in the kidney and testis using a mouse model. The periodicity was explored by single cosinor, and dynamics were explored by calculation of fractional variations of gene expression related to time intervals. Kidney and testis were harvested at 4-h intervals over a 24-h period from eight-week-old C57BL/6 male mice housed individually on a 12 h light (L)-dark (D) cycle (lights on at 08:00 h; lights off at 20:00 h) and mRNA was extracted and analyzed by Quantitative Real-time Reverse Transcription PCR. A statistically significant difference was evidenced between kidney and testis for the original values of expression level of BMAL1, PER1, PER2 CRY1, CRY2 and REV ERB&#945;. A statistically significant difference was evidenced between kidney and testis for the fractional variation of BMAL1, PER2, CRY1, CRY2 and REV ERB&#945;. A significant 24-h rhythmic component was found for BMAL1, CLOCK, PER1, PER2, CRY1, CRY2 and REV ERB&#945; in the kidney, whereas no core clock gene showed circadian rhythmicity in the testis. Fractional variations provided significant circadian rhythms for BMAL1, PER2, CRY, CRY2 and REV ERB&#945; in the kidney, whereas in the testis the fractional variation calculations showed no circadian rhythmicity, but quantitative comparison showed statistically significant differences in only 16.7 percent of the time points studied. In conclusion, in the kidney the clock gene machinery shows circadian oscillation of mRNA levels and time-related variations in the rate of change of clock gene expression. In the testis the clock genes do not show circadian rhythmicity of expression and the dynamics of variation are not characterized by a periodical pattern, but are quantitatively similar to those observed in the kidney. These data suggest that in the testis the clock gene machinery shows a tissue-specific pattern of function and clock genes may play a different role in the testis with regard to other peripheral tissues, maybe in relation to the presence of developmental and differentiation phenomena.

Epidemiology of osteoporosis in an isolated Sardinian population by using quantitative ultrasound

This study aimed at estimating the prevalence of osteoporosis and osteopenia in a Sardinian isolated population using hand quantitative ultrasound and at investigating the associated factors. The authors utilized a subset of data from a large population-based epidemiologic survey carried out in the Ogliastra region of Sardinia between 2003 and 2008. The sample consists of 6,326 men and women aged ≥30 years, who underwent quantitative ultrasound at the phalanges, bioelectrical impedance, anthropometric measurements, blood tests, and a standardized epidemiologic questionnaire collecting sociodemographic, lifestyle, medical, physiologic, and pharmacologic data. The T-score thresholds for amplitude-dependent speed of sound of -3.2 standard deviations and between -3.2 and -1 standard deviations were used to diagnose osteoporosis and osteopenia, respectively. Prevalence of osteoporosis was 17.0% in women and 5.2% in men. Logistic regression analysis revealed that factors associated with osteoporosis were age, anthropometric and bioimpedance measures, alkaline phosphatase levels, and menopause in women. High education, exercise, and beer consumption seem to be protective factors, whereas a family history of osteoporosis is a risk factor. Results show that osteoporosis in this population is comparable with that found in different countries, suggesting that quantitative ultrasound could be used more widely to detect high-risk individuals for preventing osteoporotic fractures.

Genetic architecture of hand quantitative ultrasound measures: a population-based study in a Sardinian genetic isolate

It is now recognized that quantitative ultrasound (QUS) measures may predict osteoporotic fracture risk independently of bone mineral density. Although many studies have examined genetic and environmental components of bone mineral density and calcaneal QUS measures, few of them were addressed to phalangeal QUS phenotypes, and none to graphic trace parameters. This study aims to evaluate the relative contribution of genetics in the expression of phalangeal QUS traits in the adult healthy population of a Sardinian genetic isolate. Our sample includes 6056 men and women aged 30-103 years, from 43 extended pedigrees recruited in 10 villages of Ogliastra region in occasion of a large epidemiologic survey. Amplitude-dependent speed of sound (AD-SoS), fast wave amplitude (FWA), signal dynamic (SDy), bone transmission time (BTT) and ultrasound bone profile index (UBPI) were obtained from the non-dominant hand using the IGEA DBM Sonic Bone Profiler. These phenotypes were first regressed on age, anthropometric and bioimpedance measures, serum calcium, phosphorus and alkaline phosphatase, alcohol and caffeine consumption, smoking status, exercise and also months since menopause and estrogens use in women. Adjusted QUS parameters were then analyzed by univariate and bivariate variance component models to obtain heritability estimates and genetic and environmental correlations. QUS parameters were correlated to age, anthropometric and bioimpedance measures, serum phosphorus, alkaline phosphatase and to reproductive history and menopause in women. All phenotypes demonstrated substantial heritabilities ranging from 0.29+/-0.03 for SDy to 0.55+/-0.03 for FWA. Proportion of variance due to all covariates ranged from 36% for SDy to 59% for BTT. Many significant genetic and environmental correlations were found between the different QUS measures. In this study, genetic factors appear to play a relevant role in determining hand QUS measures even when taking into account various important environmental factors. Furthermore, the modest genetic correlations may imply the existence of partially unique sets of genes affecting different QUS traits, thus suggesting that QUS parameters measure different properties of bone tissue.

A method for generating hybrids containing nonselected fragments of human chromosomes

We have used an irradiation and fusion technique to generate somatic cell hybrids that contain human chromosomal fragments. As a model system, a human-hamster hybrid containing a single human X chromosome was gamma-irradiated and fused with a rodent line. Hybrids were obtained without imposing direct selection for human material. Analysis of 29 clones by in situ hybridization and Southern blotting revealed that human fragments were incorporated into the hybrid cell genomes in most lines. Like chromosome-mediated gene transfer (CMGT)-generated hybrids, these hybrids contained multiple human fragments and retained alphoid centromeric sequences with a high frequency. However, unlike the CMGT, human fragments (apart from alphoid sequences) of less than 10(7) bp showed no evidence for rearrangements. This technique provides a method for constructing hybrids that contain a limited number of small human fragments derived exclusively from any chromosome of choice without the need to impose selection. Such hybrids provide a valuable resource for high-resolution mapping over short distances and for the isolation of disease and other loci mapped genetically.

Expression of bovine rotavirus neutralization antigen in Escherichia coli

A 646 bp fragment derived from a full length cDNA clone of genomic segment 9 of bovine rotavirus (NCDV strain) was inserted into Escherichia coli expression plasmid pEX1. The fragment encodes amino acids 50 to 265 of the major vital neutralization antigen VP7, a 326 amino acid long outer shell glycoprotein. Several transformed bacterial clones were isolated in which the recombinant plasmid directed the synthesis of a cro-beta-galactosidase-VP7 fusion protein that was recognized by rabbit polyclonal antibodies against NCDV rotavirus. Sera from rabbits immunized with the fusion protein specifically reacted with VP7 among NCDV virion polypeptides. The chimeric polypeptide was also specifically recognized by two monoclonal antibodies against UK strain rotavirus VP7 that exhibited virus-neutralizing activity. However, immune sera to the chimeric polypeptide showed no neutralizing activity against bovine rotavirus. These results are discussed in view of a recent report that a fusion VP7-beta-galactosidase polypeptide comprising 35 more amino acids at the carboxy terminus was able to induce neutralizing antibodies in mice to simian rotavirus SA11.

A comparison of seven strains of porcine rotavirus as studied by serum neutralization and RNA electrophoresis

Seven strains of porcine rotavirus, four of which (83/17F, 84/52F, 84/106F, 84/158F) had been isolated from diarrheic piglets in herds located in three regions (Lombardia, Veneto, Emilia) of Northern Italy, and the remaining three (SW 20/21, OSU, S80) obtained from the U.K., USA and Japan, respectively, were compared. The study included reciprocal serum neutralization tests as well as genomic RNA electrophoresis. The Italian isolates together with the U.K. (SW 20/21) and the USA (OSU) strains proved to belong to the same serological group, whereas the Japan (S80) strain appeared to be serologically distinct from the others. The gene segments of the viruses under study had identical or closely similar electrophoresis mobilities, with the only exception of S80 strain the genome profile of which was quite different from the other porcine rotavirus strains.