Publications by authors named "M Portero-Otin"
This study aimed to assess differences in the enteral microbiome of relatively recent-onset amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients (< 6-15 months since symptom onset) compared to healthy individuals, focusing on short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) as potential mediators of host metabolism. We included 28 volunteers (16 ALS, 12 controls) with informed consent. No significant effect of ALS on alpha diversity (measuring the variety and abundance of species within a single sample, and indicating the health and complexity of the microbiome) was observed, but ALS patients had higher abundances of Fusobacteria and Acidobacteria.
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- - Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a severe motor neuron disease with about a three-year average survival time, primarily characterized by TDP-43 protein issues that affect gene stability and autophagy processes.
- - Research on ALS mice revealed that reducing ATG4B worsens survival and autophagy, while an increase in LC3ylation was observed in both ALS patients and mouse models, suggesting a link between these processes.
- - Antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) targeting TDP-43 genes have been developed, showing potential for non-invasive treatments that can effectively distribute in the brain after administration.
The dysfunction of TAR DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43) is implicated in various neurodegenerative diseases, though the specific contributions of its toxic gain-of-function versus loss-of-function effects remain unclear. This study investigates the impact of TARDBP loss on cellular metabolism and viability using human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived motor neurons and HeLa cells. TARDBP silencing led to reduced metabolic activity and cell growth, accompanied by neurite degeneration and decreased oxygen consumption rates in both cell types.
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- Obesity contributes to age-related neurodegenerative diseases by causing mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative damage to proteins, mainly through lipoxidation due to high unsaturated fatty acid levels.
- In a study using a pig model, researchers found that obesity increased the biomarker malondialdehyde-lysine (MDAL) by 34% in the brain, with positive correlations to body weight and LDL cholesterol levels.
- Including omega-3 fatty acids and probiotics in a high-fat diet can prevent oxidative changes in the brain, indicating that dietary choices may play a role in preventing neurodegenerative conditions.
Article Synopsis
- - The study focuses on understanding how different disease patterns are related to human lifespan and health span, utilizing data from over 482,000 individuals in Catalonia who died after age 50.
- - Key findings reveal that as lifespan increases, the onset of diseases is delayed, the prevalence of individuals living without diseases is lower around life expectancy, and long-lived women are less prone to multisystem diseases.
- - The research indicates that the relationship between health span and lifespan varies depending on the specific organ systems affected, and there are notable differences in how these factors play out between men and women.