Therapeutic potential of relaxin or relaxin mimetics in managing cardiovascular complications of diabetes.

Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disease with an escalating global prevalence. Despite the abundance and relative efficacies of current therapeutic approaches, they primarily focus on attaining the intended glycaemic targets, but patients ultimately still suffer from various diabetes-associated complications such as retinopathy, nephropathy, cardiomyopathy, and atherosclerosis. There is a need to explore innovative and effective diabetic treatment strategies that not only address the condition itself but also combat its complications.

Pressurized Hot Water Extraction of Mangosteen Pericarp and Its Associated Molecular Signatures in Endothelial Cells.

The mangosteen ( L.) pericarp is known to be rich in potent bioactive phytochemical compounds such as xanthones, which possess pharmacologically important antioxidant activity and beneficial cardiometabolic properties. Mangosteen pericarp is typically classified as unavoidable food waste and discarded, despite being rich in bioactive phytochemical compounds that therefore present an exciting opportunity for valorization.

Time-dependent specific molecular signatures of inflammation and remodelling are associated with trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO)-induced endothelial cell dysfunction.

Endothelial dysfunction is a critical initiating factor contributing to cardiovascular diseases, involving the gut microbiome-derived metabolite trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO). This study aims to clarify the time-dependent molecular pathways by which TMAO mediates endothelial dysfunction through transcriptomics and metabolomics analyses in human microvascular endothelial cells (HMEC-1). Cell viability and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation were also evaluated.

Recent advances in the combination of organic solvent-free extraction, chemical standardization, antioxidant assay, and cell culture metabolomics for functional food and its by-product.

Functional foods and their by-products contain a wide range of bioactive components with an array of health benefits and were proposed to improve public health, well-being, and others. To achieve a circular economy, the processing and extraction of flavonoids, phenolic compounds, and others from functional food and agri-food wastes will require the use of environmentally friendly, sustainable, and a low-cost solution. Extraction methods that can eliminate the use of organic solvents, suitable for use in the laboratory and production of extracts will be covered.

3D printability and biochemical analysis of revalorized orange peel waste.

Orange peels are often discarded as food waste despite being a nutritious source of vitamins and antioxidants. These orange peel wastes (OPW) are produced in millions of tons globally every year; discarding them results in detrimental environmental and economical impacts. This paper discusses the application of 3D printing technology to effectively upcycle the OPW into edible, healthy snacks for consumption.

Relaxin elicits renoprotective actions accompanied by increasing bile acid levels in streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice.

Background: The peptide hormone relaxin has potent anti-fibrotic and anti-inflammatory properties in various organs, including the kidneys. However, the protective effects of relaxin in the context of diabetic kidney complications remain controversial. Here, we aimed to evaluate the effects of relaxin treatment on key markers of kidney fibrosis, oxidative stress, and inflammation and their subsequent impact on bile acid metabolism in the streptozotocin-induced diabetes mouse model.

Endothelium-dependent relaxation is impaired in Schlager hypertensive (BPH/2J) mice by region-specific mechanisms in conductance and resistance arteries.

Aims: Endothelial dysfunction and arterial stiffness are hallmarks of hypertension, and major risk factors for cardiovascular disease. BPH/2J (Schlager) mice are a genetic model of spontaneous hypertension, but little is known about the vascular pathophysiology of these mice and the region-specific differences between vascular beds. Therefore, this study compared the vascular function and structure of large conductance (aorta and femoral) and resistance (mesenteric) arteries of BPH/2J mice with their normotensive BPN/2J counterparts.

S-Nitrosylation-Mediated Reduction of Ca1.2 Surface Expression and Open Probability Underlies Attenuated Vasoconstriction Induced by Nitric Oxide.

Background: L-type Ca1.2 calcium channel, the primary gateway for Ca influx in smooth muscles, is widely regulated by multiple posttranslational modifications, such as protein kinase-mediated phosphorylation and nitric oxide-induced S-nitrosylation. However, the effect of S-nitrosylation on Ca1.

Green Extraction of Orange Peel Waste Reduces TNFα-Induced Vascular Inflammation and Endothelial Dysfunction.

Orange peel waste (OPW) is known to contain an abundant amount of polyphenols compounds such as flavonoids, well-reported for their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. While OPW is generally regarded as a food waste, the opportunity to extract bioactive compounds from these "wastes" arises due to their abundance, allowing the investigation of their potential effects on endothelial cells. Hence, this study aims to use a green extraction method and pressurized hot water extraction (PHWE) to extract bioactive compounds from OPW.

Valorization of avocado seeds with antioxidant capacity using pressurized hot water extraction.

The pulp of avocado (Persea Americana) is widely consumed as the primary food source, while the seed is often discarded as food waste. Increased consumption of avocado would inevitably results in production of waste by-products such as avocado seeds, hence the ability to extract phytochemicals from such waste, and upcycling to potential nutraceutical products is of great interest. The overall aim of this study is to explore avocado seeds as potential functional food through the combined use of a green extraction method, chemical standardization and pattern recognition tools, and biological characterization assays.

Three-Dimensional Printing of Food Foams Stabilized by Hydrocolloids for Hydration in Dysphagia.

Three-dimensional food printing offers the possibility of modifying the structural design, nutrition, and texture of food, which may be used for consumers with special dietary requirements such as dysphagic patients. One of the food matrices that can be used for liquid delivery to dysphagic patients is food foams. Foams are widely used in different food products to adjust food density, rheological properties, and texture.

Pressurized Hot Water Extraction of Okra Seeds Reveals Antioxidant, Antidiabetic and Vasoprotective Activities.

(okra) is a commonly consumed vegetable that consists of the seeds and peel component which are rich in polyphenolic compounds. The aim of this study is to utilize pressurized hot water extraction (PHWE) for the extraction of bioactive phytochemicals from different parts of okra. A single step PHWE was performed at various temperatures (60 °C, 80 °C, 100 °C and 120 °C) to determine which extraction temperature exhibits the optimum phytochemical profile, antioxidant and antidiabetic activities.

Diabetes Attenuates the Contribution of Endogenous Nitric Oxide but Not Nitroxyl to Endothelium Dependent Relaxation of Rat Carotid Arteries.

Endothelial dysfunction is a major risk factor for several of the vascular complications of diabetes, including ischemic stroke. Nitroxyl (HNO), the one electron reduced and protonated form of nitric oxide (NO•), is resistant to scavenging by superoxide, but the role of HNO in diabetes mellitus associated endothelial dysfunction in the carotid artery remains unknown. To assess how diabetes affects the role of endogenous NO• and HNO in endothelium-dependent relaxation in rat isolated carotid arteries.

Antioxidant and Cytoprotective Effect of Quinoa (.) with Pressurized Hot Water Extraction (PHWE).

Quinoa is widely noted for its nutritional value. The seed is the main edible part of the plant and exists in at least three different colors: white, red and black. This study utilized a pressurized hot water extraction (PHWE) for the extraction of phytochemicals from quinoa.

Ocular Phenotype of Relaxin Gene Knockout (Rln) Mice.

: To test if relaxin deficiency affects ocular structure and function we investigated expression of relaxin () and RXFP receptors (), and compared ocular phenotypes in relaxin gene knockout ( ) and wild type ( ) mice. : and mRNA expression was detected in ocular tissues of Rln+/+ mice using RT-PCR. The eyes of 11 and 5 male mice were investigated.

The Novel Small-molecule Annexin-A1 Mimetic, Compound 17b, Elicits Vasoprotective Actions in Streptozotocin-induced Diabetic Mice.

The formyl peptide receptor (FPR) family are a group of G-protein coupled receptors that play an important role in the regulation of inflammatory processes. It is well-established that activation of FPRs can have cardioprotective properties. Recently, more stable small-molecule FPR1/2 agonists have been described, including both Compound 17b (Cmpd17b) and Compound 43 (Cmpd43).

Annexin-A1 deficiency exacerbates pathological remodelling of the mesenteric vasculature in insulin-resistant, but not insulin-deficient, mice.

Background And Purpose: Arterial stiffness, a characteristic feature of diabetes, increases the risk of cardiovascular complications. Potential mechanisms that promote arterial stiffness in diabetes include oxidative stress, glycation and inflammation. The anti-inflammatory protein annexin-A1 has cardioprotective properties, particularly in the context of ischaemia.

Nitric Oxide Resistance, Induced in the Myocardium by Diabetes, Is Circumvented by the Nitric Oxide Redox Sibling, Nitroxyl.

Impairment of tissue responsiveness to exogenous and endogenous nitric oxide (NO), known as NO resistance, occurs in many cardiovascular disease states, prominently in diabetes and especially in the presence of marked hyperglycemia. In this study, we sought to determine in moderate and severe diabetes (i) whether NO resistance also occurs in the myocardium, and (ii) whether the NO redox sibling nitroxyl (HNO) circumvents this. The spectrum of acute NO effects (induced by diethylamine-NONOate), including vasodilation, and enhanced myocardial contraction and relaxation were impaired by moderately diabetic rats ([blood glucose] ∼20 m).

Relaxin reduces endothelium-derived vasoconstriction in hypertension: Revealing new therapeutic insights.

Background And Purpose: Endothelium-derived vasoconstriction is a hallmark of vascular dysfunction in hypertension. In some cases, an overproduction of endothelium-derived prostacyclin (PGI ) can cause contraction rather than relaxation. Relaxin is well known for its vasoprotective actions, but the possibility that this peptide could also reverse endothelium-derived vasoconstriction has never been investigated.

Recent developments in relaxin mimetics as therapeutics for cardiovascular diseases.

Cardiovascular disease is the most common cause of mortality worldwide, accounting for almost 50% of all deaths globally. Vascular endothelial dysfunction and fibrosis are critical in the pathophysiology of cardiovascular disease. Relaxin, an insulin-like peptide, is known to have beneficial actions in the cardiovascular system through its vasoprotective and anti-fibrotic effects.

Relaxin as a Therapeutic Target for the Cardiovascular Complications of Diabetes.

Cardiovascular complications are the major cause of mortality in patients with diabetes. This is closely associated with both macrovascular and microvascular complications of diabetes, which lead to organ injuries in diabetic patients. Previous studies have consistently demonstrated the beneficial effects of relaxin treatment for protection of the vasculature, with evidence of antioxidant and anti-remodeling actions.

Peptide hormone relaxin: from bench to bedside.

The peptide hormone relaxin has numerous roles both within and independent of pregnancy and is often thought of as a "pleiotropic hormone." Relaxin targets several tissues throughout the body, and has many functions associated with extracellular matrix remodeling and the vasculature. This review considers the potential therapeutic applications of relaxin in cervical ripening, in vitro fertilization, preeclampsia, acute heart failure, ischemia-reperfusion, and cirrhosis.