Publications by authors named "P MASTROENI"
The sustainable utilization of biomass-derived bioactives addresses the growing demand for natural health products and supports sustainable development goals by reducing reliance on synthetic chemicals in healthcare. biomass, in particular, has emerged as a valuable resource within this context. This study focuses on the hydroethanolic extract of leaves (CSE), which exhibited significant levels of phenolic compounds contributing to robust antioxidant activity.
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- There is a need for more affordable and effective vaccines to prevent bacterial meningitis caused by serogroup B globally.
- The study explores the use of modified outer membrane vesicles (mOMVs) from commensal bacteria to elicit immune responses against meningococcal antigens, specifically various versions of factor H binding protein, Heparin Binding Antigen, and Adhesin A.
- The results showed that mice immunized with these engineered mOMVs produced antibodies to all targeted antigens and demonstrated significant serum bactericidal activity, indicating the potential of mOMVs for developing a protective vaccine against meningococcal disease.
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- Alkaptonuria (AKU) is a hereditary metabolic disorder that primarily affects cartilage, leading to early osteoarthritis due to a process called ochronosis.
- Researchers faced challenges in studying AKU using human chondrocytes but overcame this by creating an in vitro model using immortalized C20/A4 cells treated with homogentisic acid (HGA), mimicking AKU conditions.
- This model revealed important insights, including oxidative stress and inflammatory responses linked to AKU, as well as potential amyloid fibril formation, highlighting its usefulness for understanding the disease and aiding in drug development.
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- Repurposing saffron waste offers a sustainable way to create valuable products, as discarding flower components results in a large amount of waste—350 kg of tepals for every kg of stigmas.
- This research utilized bioactivity studies and Life Cycle Assessments to analyze the beneficial compounds found in saffron tepals from Tuscany, discovering various flavonoids and their ability to reduce oxidative stress and enhance fermentation processes in yeast.
- The findings also indicated significant anti-inflammatory properties and potential applications in pharmaceuticals and cosmetics, while highlighting the environmental benefits of such a "green" approach in supporting the circular bioeconomy.
Alkaptonuria (AKU) is a rare autosomal recessive metabolic disorder caused by mutations in the homogentisate 1,2-dioxygenase (HGD) gene, leading to the accumulation of homogentisic acid (HGA), causing severe inflammatory conditions. Recently, the presence of serum amyloid A (SAA) has been reported in AKU tissues, classifying AKU as novel secondary amyloidosis; AA amyloidosis is characterized by the extracellular tissue deposition of fibrils composed of fragments of SAA. AA amyloidosis may complicate several chronic inflammatory conditions, like rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, inflammatory bowel disease, chronic infections, neoplasms, etc.
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