Metabolites from Induratia spp. modulating key enzymes in human hemostasis.

Induratia spp. fungi have been poorly evaluated for their non-volatile secondary metabolites. In the present work, we evaluated the effects of non-volatile secondary metabolites released into the culture medium by Induratia spp.

Self-management in patients with type 2 diabetes: Group-based versus individual education. A systematic review with meta-analysis of randomized trails.

Aim: Patient education is an essential component of the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The present meta-analysis was aimed at verifying the efficacy of group-based versus individual education for self-management in patients with T2DM.

Data Synthesis: A Medline and Embase search up to January 1st, 2021, was performed, including Randomized Controlled Trials (RCT) with duration>6 months, enrolling patients with T2DM and comparing individual-based with group-based educational programs.

Reduced Thiamine Availability and Hyperglycemia Impair Thiamine Transport in Renal Glomerular Cells through Modulation of Thiamine Transporter 2.

Thiamine helps transketolase in removing toxic metabolites, counteracting high glucose-induced damage in microvascular cells, and progression of diabetic retinopathy/nephropathy in diabetic animals. Diabetic subjects show reduced thiamine levels. Hyperglycemia and reduced thiamine availability concur in impairing thiamine transport inside the blood-retinal barrier, with thiamine transporter-2 (THTR2) primarily involved.

White Adipose Tissue Expansion in Multiple Symmetric Lipomatosis Is Associated with Upregulation of CK2, AKT and ERK1/2.

Multiple symmetric lipomatosis (MSL) is a rare disorder characterized by overgrowing lipomatous tissue (LT) in the subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT). What LT is and how it expands are not completely understood; previous data suggested that it could derive from brown AT precursors. In six MSL type I patients, we compared LT morphology by histological and immunohistochemistry (IHC) analysis, gene expression, by qPCR, kinase activity, by Western Blot and in vitro assay to paired-control SAT using AT from patients with pheochromocytoma as a human browning reference.

Enzymatic Modulators from Induratia spp.

In the present work, ethyl acetate extracts, consisting of non-volatile compounds, from the culture of endophytic fungi isolated from coffee plants, Induratia coffeana and Induratia yucatanensis, were prospected in enzyme modulation tests that act in human hemostasis. Dry extracts of the fungi were diluted in dimethyl sulfoxide p.a.

Catechin and epicatechin as an adjuvant in the therapy of hemostasis disorders induced by snake venoms.

Snake toxins, such as phospholipases A and proteases, are used as research tools to evaluate biological activities and to understand physiopathological processes of natural compounds better. In the present study, the phenolic compounds catechin and epicatechin were incubated with snake venoms to evaluate their inhibition against different substrates. Catechin and epicatechin exerted inhibitions between 20% and 95% on the activity of phospholipases A present in the venom of Bothrops alternatus.

Self-management education may improve blood pressure in people with type 2 diabetes. A randomized controlled clinical trial.

Background And Aims: Diabetes is a suitable model to evaluate intervention programmes aimed at chronic diseases, because of its well-defined and measurable process and outcome indicators. In this study, we aimed at investigating the effects of group based self-management education on clinical and psychological variables in type 2 diabetes.

Methods And Results: Four-year randomized controlled clinical trial (ISRCTN14558376) comparing Group Care and traditional one-to-one care.

Effects of thiamine and fenofibrate on high glucose and hypoxia-induced damage in cell models of the inner blood-retinal barrier.

Aims: Although diabetic retinopathy has long been considered a microvascular complication, retinal neurodegeneration and inflammation may precede its clinical manifestations. Despite all research efforts, the primary treatment options remain laser photocoagulation and anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) intravitreal injections, both aggressive and targeting the late stages of the disease. Medical treatments addressing the early phases of diabetic retinopathy are therefore needed.

Vanillic acid as phospholipase A and proteases inhibitor: In vitro and computational analyses.

Enzymatic inhibition by natural compounds may represent a valuable adjuvant in snakebite serum therapy. The objective in this work was to evaluate possible in vitro interactions between vanillic acid and enzymes from Bothrops spp. and Crotalus durissus terrificus venoms, and also suggest a theory as how they interact based on molecular docking.

Thiamine transporter 2 is involved in high glucose-induced damage and altered thiamine availability in cell models of diabetic retinopathy.

Thiamine prevents high glucose-induced damage in microvasculature, and progression of retinopathy and nephropathy in diabetic animals. Impaired thiamine availability causes renal damage in diabetic patients. Two single-nucleotide polymorphisms in locus encoding for thiamine transporter 2 are associated with absent/minimal diabetic retinopathy and nephropathy despite long-term type 1 diabetes.

Mitochondriotropic action and DNA protection: Interactions between phenolic acids and enzymes.

The protective action of caffeic (CA) and syringic (SA) acids on the genotoxicity exercised by snake venoms was investigated in this study. Molecular interactions between phenolic acids and the enzyme succinate dehydrogenase were also explored. In the electrophoresis assay, SA did not inhibit the genotoxicity induced by the venom.

Mutational and Immunophenotypic Profiling of a Series of 8 Tubo-ovarian Carcinosarcomas Revealed a Monoclonal Origin of the Disease.

Carcinosarcomas are rare, highly aggressive neoplasms composed of a combination of carcinomatous and sarcomatous elements. These tumors represent a paradigmatic field for the study of intratumor heterogeneity. A series of 8 tubo-ovarian carcinosarcomas was characterized for the following: (i) immunohistochemical expression of MNF116, epithelial membrane antigen, vimentin, S100, chromogranin, synaptophysin, desmin, myogenin (MYF4), and p53; (ii) mutational profiling of KRAS, BRAF, PIK3CA, NRAS, TP53, and DICER1 genes.

Exploring the structural and functional aspects of the phospholipase A from Naja spp.

Naja spp. venom is a natural source of active compounds with therapeutic application potential. Phospholipase A (PLA) is abundant in the venom of Naja spp.

Dysfunctional eating in type 2 diabetes mellitus: A multicenter Italian study of socio-demographic and clinical associations.

Background And Aims: Dysfunctional eating might impact on the management and metabolic control of type 2 diabetes (T2DM), modifying adherence to healthy diet and food choices.

Methods And Results: In a multicenter study, we assessed the prevalence of dysfunctional eating in 895 adult outpatients with T2DM (51% males, median age 67, median BMI 30.3 kg/m).

Vision-related quality of life and locus of control in type 1 diabetes: a multicenter observational study.

Aims: Diabetic retinopathy remains asymptomatic until its late stages but remains a leading cause of vision impairment and blindness. We studied quality of life and the ability to deal with the discomfort deriving from the presence of a chronic disease in patients with type 1 diabetes and different stages of retinopathy.

Methods: Multicenter collaborative observational study involving nine centers screening for retinopathy in different areas of Italy.

Lecanicillium aphanocladii: snake venom phospholipases A and proteases as tools to prospect enzymatic inhibitors.

Natural enzyme inhibitors have been widely described in literature because of its pharmacological and cosmetic applications. Fungi found in caves represent a promising source of bioactive substances that are still little explored scientifically. Thus, the present work evaluated the presence of enzymatic modulators in a filtrate obtained from the cultivation of the cave fungus Lecanicillium aphanocladii (Family: Cordycipitaceae).

Functional analysis of miR-21-3p, miR-30b-5p and miR-150-5p shuttled by extracellular vesicles from diabetic subjects reveals their association with diabetic retinopathy.

Microvascular dysfunctions due to altered interactions between endothelial cells (ECs) and pericytes are key-events in the pathogenesis of diabetic retinopathy. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) derived from mesenchymal stem cells cultured in diabetic-like conditions enter pericytes, cause their detachment and migration, and stimulate angiogenesis. We recently showed that EVs from diabetic patients with retinopathy have different miRNA profiling patterns from healthy controls, and determine features of retinopathy in in vitro models of retinal microvasculature.

Spent pot liner from aluminum industry: genotoxic and mutagenic action on human leukocytes.

Spent pot liner (SPL) is a toxic solid waste generated in the aluminum mining and processing industry. SPL is considered as an environmental pollution agent when is dumped on environment. Thus, it is important to access its toxicological risk for the exposed organisms.