Sulfated Bile Acids in Serum as Potential Biomarkers of Disease Severity and Mortality in COVID-19.

The fight against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) continues. Since the pandemic's onset, several biomarkers have been proposed to assess the diagnosis and prognosis of this disease. This research aimed to identify potential disease severity biomarkers in serum samples of patients with COVID-19 during the disease course.

Promising Effects of Novel Supplement Formulas in Preventing Skin Aging in 3D Human Keratinocytes.

Dietary intervention is considered a safe preventive strategy to slow down aging. This study aimed to evaluate the protective effects of a commercially available supplement and six simpler formulations against DNA damage in 3D human keratinocytes. The ingredients used are well known and were combined into various formulations to test their potential anti-aging properties.

Bile Acids and Bilirubin Role in Oxidative Stress and Inflammation in Cardiovascular Diseases.

Bile acids (BAs) and bilirubin, primarily known for their role in lipid metabolism and as heme catabolite, respectively, have been found to have diverse effects on various physiological processes, including oxidative stress and inflammation. Indeed, accumulating evidence showed that the interplay between BAs and bilirubin in these processes involves intricate regulatory mechanisms mediated by specific receptors and signaling pathways under certain conditions and in specific contexts. Oxidative stress plays a significant role in the development and progression of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) due to its role in inflammation, endothelial dysfunction, hypertension, and other risk factors.

Emerging Microfluidic Tools for Simultaneous Exosomes and Cargo Biosensing in Liquid Biopsy: New Integrated Miniaturized FFF-Assisted Approach for Colon Cancer Diagnosis.

The early-stage diagnosis of cancer is a crucial clinical need. The inadequacies of surgery tissue biopsy have prompted a transition to a less invasive profiling of molecular biomarkers from biofluids, known as liquid biopsy. Exosomes are phospholipid bilayer vesicles present in many biofluids with a biologically active cargo, being responsible for cell-to-cell communication in biological systems.

The Use of Microbial Modifying Therapies to Prevent Psoriasis Exacerbation and Associated Cardiovascular Comorbidity.

Psoriasis has emerged as a systemic disease characterized by skin and joint manifestations as well as systemic inflammation and cardiovascular comorbidities. Many progresses have been made in the comprehension of the immunological mechanisms involved in the exacerbation of psoriatic plaques, and initial studies have investigated the mechanisms that lead to extracutaneous disease manifestations, including endothelial disfunction and cardiovascular disease. In the past decade, the involvement of gut dysbiosis in the development of pathologies with inflammatory and autoimmune basis has clearly emerged.

Peto's paradox: Nature has used multiple strategies to keep cancer at bay while evolving long lifespans and large body masses. A systematic review.

Comparative oncology is an understudied field of science. We are far from understanding the key mechanisms behind Peto's paradox, i.e.

The spontaneous immortalization probability of mammalian cell culture strains, as their proliferative capacity, correlates with species body mass, not longevity.

Background: The Peto's paradox consists in the observation that individuals from long-lived and large animal species do not experience a higher cancer incidence, despite being exposed for longer time to the possibility of accumulating mutations and having more target cells exposed to the phenomenon. The existence of this paradox has been recently confirmed (Vincze et al., 2022).

Treatment with PCSK9 Inhibitor Evolocumab Improves Vascular Oxidative Stress and Arterial Stiffness in Hypercholesterolemic Patients with High Cardiovascular Risk.

Atherosclerosis and atherosclerotic-related cardiovascular diseases (ASCVD) are characterized by high serum levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) that can promote the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). To answer the need for better LDL-C control in individuals at high and very high risk for CVD, a new injectable innovative family of lipid-lowering (LL) monoclonal antibodies against the protein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) has been approved. However, the effect of these drugs on vascular function, such as ROS generation and arterial stiffness, has not already been extensively described.

Agri-Food Waste from Apple, Pear, and Sugar Beet as a Source of Protective Bioactive Molecules for Endothelial Dysfunction and Its Major Complications.

Endothelial damage is recognized as the initial step that precedes several cardiovascular diseases (CVD), such as atherosclerosis, hypertension, and coronary artery disease. It has been demonstrated that the best treatment for CVD is prevention, and, in the frame of a healthy lifestyle, the consumption of vegetables, rich in bioactive molecules, appears effective at reducing the risk of CVD. In this context, the large amount of agri-food industry waste, considered a global problem due to its environmental and economic impact, represents an unexplored source of bioactive compounds.

New Insights into Bile Acids Related Signaling Pathways in the Onset of Colorectal Cancer.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) ranks as the second among the causes of tumor death worldwide, with an estimation of 1.9 million new cases in 2020 and more than 900,000 deaths. This rate might increase by 60% over the next 10 years.

Fermentation of Berries with Reduces Oxidative Stress in Endothelial Cells and Modulates Macrophages Function.

Accumulating evidence suggests that high consumption of natural antioxidants promotes health by reducing oxidative stress and, thus, the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases. Similarly, fermentation of natural compounds with lactic acid bacteria (LAB), such as , enhances their beneficial properties as regulators of the immune, digestive, and cardiovascular system. We investigated the effects of fermentation with on the antioxidant and immunomodulatory effects of Pushgay berries (, Ericaceae family) in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and macrophage cell line RAW264.

Grape Pomace for Topical Application: Green NaDES Sustainable Extraction, Skin Permeation Studies, Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Activities Characterization in 3D Human Keratinocytes.

Food waste is a global problem due to its environmental and economic impact, so there is great demand for the exploitation of new functional applications. The winemaking process leads to an incomplete extraction of high-value compounds, leaving the pomace still rich in polyphenols. This study was aimed at optimising and validating sustainable routes toward the extraction and further valorisation of these polyphenols, particularly for cosmeceutical applications.

Effect of Fermented Broths Enriched with Seed Extracts on Intestinal Barrier and Inflammation in a Co-Culture System of an Enterohemorrhagic and Human Intestinal Cells.

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) "fermentates" confer a beneficial effect on intestinal function. However, the ability of new fermentations to improve LAB broth activity in preventing pathogen-induced intestinal inflammation and barrier dysfunction has not yet been studied. The objective of this study was to determine if broths of LAB fermented with or seed extracts prevent gut barrier dysfunction and interleukin-8 (CXCL8) release in vitro in human intestinal Caco-2 cells infected with enterohemorrhagic (EHEC) O157:H7.

The Use of Nutraceuticals to Counteract Atherosclerosis: The Role of the Notch Pathway.

Despite the currently available pharmacotherapies, today, thirty percent of worldwide deaths are due to cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), whose primary cause is atherosclerosis, an inflammatory disorder characterized by the buildup of lipid deposits on the inside of arteries. Multiple cellular signaling pathways have been shown to be involved in the processes underlying atherosclerosis, and evidence has been accumulating for the crucial role of Notch receptors in regulating the functions of the diverse cell types involved in atherosclerosis onset and progression. Several classes of nutraceuticals have potential benefits for the prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis and CVDs, some of which could in part be due to their ability to modulate the Notch pathway.

Estrogen-mediated protection against coronary heart disease: The role of the Notch pathway.

Estrogen regulates a plethora of biological processes, under physiological and pathological conditions, by affecting key pathways involved in the regulation of cell proliferation, fate, survival and metabolism. The Notch receptors are mediators of communication between adjacent cells and are key determinants of cell fate during development and in postnatal life. Crosstalk between estrogen and the Notch pathway intervenes in many processes underlying the development and maintenance of the cardiovascular system.

Advanced biosensors for monitoring astronauts' health during long-duration space missions.

Long-duration space missions pose important health concerns for astronauts, especially regarding the adverse effects of microgravity and exposure to high-energy cosmic rays. The long-term maintenance of crew health and performance mainly relies on prevention, early diagnoses, condition management, and medical interventions in situ. In-flight biosensor diagnostic devices and medical procedures must use few resources and operate in a microgravity environment, which complicates the collection and management of biological samples.

Combined analytical approaches to define biodistribution and biological activity of semi-synthetic berberrubine, the active metabolite of natural berberine.

Berberine (BBR) is a natural alkaloid obtained from Berberis species plants, known for its protective effects against several diseases. Among the primary BBR metabolites, berberrubine (M1) showed the highest plasma concentration but few and conflicting data are available regarding its concentration in biological fluids related to its new potential activity on vascular cells. A combined analytical approach was applied to study biodistribution of M1 in comparison with BBR.

Advanced bioanalytics for precision medicine.

Precision medicine is a new paradigm that combines diagnostic, imaging, and analytical tools to produce accurate diagnoses and therapeutic interventions tailored to the individual patient. This approach stands in contrast to the traditional "one size fits all" concept, according to which researchers develop disease treatments and preventions for an "average" patient without considering individual differences. The "one size fits all" concept has led to many ineffective or inappropriate treatments, especially for pathologies such as Alzheimer's disease and cancer.

Estrogen receptor β-dependent Notch1 activation protects vascular endothelium against tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα)-induced apoptosis.

Unlike age-matched men, premenopausal women benefit from cardiovascular protection. Estrogens protect against apoptosis of endothelial cells (ECs), one of the hallmarks of endothelial dysfunction leading to cardiovascular disorders, but the underlying molecular mechanisms remain poorly understood. The inflammatory cytokine TNFα causes EC apoptosis while dysregulating the Notch pathway, a major contributor to EC survival.

Effect of apple polyphenols on vascular oxidative stress and endothelium function: a translational study.

Scope: We aimed examining apple polyphenols' effect on uricemia and endothelial function in a sample of overweight subjects.

Methods And Results: This was a two-phased study. In vitro experiment aimed to evaluate apple polyphenols' ability to lower uric acid in comparison with allopurinol.

Distinct gene expression profiles associated with Notch ligands Delta-like 4 and Jagged1 in plaque material from peripheral artery disease patients: a pilot study.

Background: The lack of early diagnosis, progression markers and effective pharmacological treatment has dramatic unfavourable effects on clinical outcomes in patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD). Addressing these issues will require dissecting the molecular mechanisms underlying this disease. We sought to characterize the Notch signaling and atherosclerosis relevant markers in lesions from femoral arteries of symptomatic PAD patients.

Fructose Intake, Serum Uric Acid, and Cardiometabolic Disorders: A Critical Review.

There is a direct relationship between fructose intake and serum levels of uric acid (UA), which is the final product of purine metabolism. Recent preclinical and clinical evidence suggests that chronic hyperuricemia is an independent risk factor for hypertension, metabolic syndrome, and cardiovascular disease. It is probably also an independent risk factor for chronic kidney disease, Type 2 diabetes, and cognitive decline.