The release of extracellular vesicles (EVs) in cell cultures as well as their molecular cargo can be influenced by cell culture conditions such as the presence of foetal bovine serum (FBS). Although several studies have evaluated the effect of removing FBS-derived EVs by ultracentrifugation (UC), less is known about the influence of FBS heat inactivation (HI) on the cell-derived EVs. To assess this, three protocols based on different combinations of EV depletion by UC and HI were evaluated, including FBS ultracentrifuged but not heat inactivated (no-HI FBS), FBS heat inactivated before EV depletion (HI-before EV-depl FBS), and FBS heat inactivated after EV depletion (HI-after EV-depl FBS).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFLemon essential oil (LEO) is known for its aromatic and healthy properties; however, less consideration is given to the biological properties of the fractions obtained from LEO. This study aims to evaluate the ability of a citral-enriched fraction obtained from LEO (Cfr-LEO) to counteract lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-mediated inflammation, oxidative stress, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in healthy human hepatocytes. Human immortalized hepatocytes (THLE-2 cell line) were pretreated with Cfr-LEO and subsequently exposed to LPS at various time points.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Metastatic disease is the major cause of cancer-related deaths. Increasing evidence shows that primary tumor cells can promote metastasis by preparing the local microenvironment of distant organs, inducing the formation of the so-called "pre-metastatic niche". In recent years, several studies have highlighted that among the tumor-derived molecular components active in pre-metastatic niche formation, small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) play a crucial role.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFChronic inflammation is linked to the development of numerous diseases and is accompanied by increased cytokine secretion. Macrophages provide a first line of defense against pathogens that under inflammatory stimuli release pro-inflammatory cytokines. The essential oil (EO) fractions obtained from Citrus spp.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTumor-associated macrophages play a key role in promoting tumor progression by exerting an immunosuppressive phenotype associated with the expression of programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1). It is well known that tumor-derived small extracellular vesicles (SEVs) affect the tumor microenvironment, influencing TAM behavior. The present study aimed to examine the effect of SEVs derived from colon cancer and multiple myeloma cells on macrophage functions.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFExtracellular vesicles (EVs) are mediators of intercellular communication under both healthy and pathological conditions, including the induction of pro-metastatic traits, but it is not yet known how and where functional cargoes of EVs are delivered to their targets in host cell compartments. We have described that after endocytosis, EVs reach Rab7 late endosomes and a fraction of these enter the nucleoplasmic reticulum and transport EV biomaterials to the host cell nucleoplasm. Their entry therein and docking to outer nuclear membrane occur through a tripartite complex formed by the proteins VAP-A, ORP3 and Rab7 (VOR complex).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFLemon essential oil (LEO) is a well-known flavoring agent with versatile biological activities. In the present study, we have isolated and characterized four citral-enriched fractions of winter LEO. We reported that in murine and human macrophages the pre-treatment with a mix of these fractions (Cfr-LEO) reduces the expression of the pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 induced by LPS.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFUnopened flower buds of Capparis spinosa L. (capers), generally used in the Mediterranean area as food flavoring, are known to be a good source of bioactive compounds. The aim of this work was to evaluate the nutraceutical value of salt-fermented capers collected from different areas of Pantelleria Island (Italy), testing their methylglyoxal and glyoxal trapping capacity and antioxidant activity by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH), [2,2-azinobis(3-ethylben- zothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)] diammonium salt (ABTS), and oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) assays.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe contribution of two starter (Lactobacillus delbrueckii and Streptococcus thermophilus) and nine non-starter (Enterococcus casselliflavus, Enterococcus faecalis, Enterococcus durans, Enterococcus gallinarum, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus paracasei, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Pediococcus acidilactici and Pediococcus pentosaceus) species of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) to the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) of Caciocavallo Palermitano cheese was investigated. The strains used in this study were isolated during the production/ripening of the stretched cheese and tested in a cheese-based medium (CBM). The fermented substrates were analyzed for the growth of the single strains and subjected to the head space solid phase micro-extraction (HS-SPME) and gas chromatography - mass spectrometry (GC-MS).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe influence of the wooden equipment used for the traditional cheese manufacturing from raw milk was evaluated on the variations of chemico-physical characteristics and microbial populations during the ripening of Caciocavallo Palermitano cheese. Milk from two farms (A, extensive; B, intensive) was processed in traditional and standard conditions. Chemical and physical traits of cheeses were affected by the farming system and the cheese making technology, and changed during ripening.
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