Insights into the Sex-Related Effects of Dietary Polyphenols and Metabolic Disruptors on Inflammatory and (Neuro) Endocrine Pathways in Obesity: The HEAL Project.

Background: this study was performed under the umbrella of the Health Extended Alliance for Innovative Therapies, Advanced Lab Research, and Integrated Approaches of Precision Medicine (HEAL ITALIA) partnership and funded under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, Mission 4 Component 2 Investment 1.3, and by the European Union.

Objectives: the overall objective of the HEAL project is to identify innovative and effective therapeutic approaches to reduce disease burden. The present research falls within Spoke 7: Prevention Strategies: Integrated and gender medicine approaches for prevention strategies based on environmental, lifestyle, and clinical biometric data. Obesity represents a primary risk factor worldwide for the onset of numerous life-threatening diseases, including metabolic, cardiovascular, and neurological diseases. Environmental and gender-related factors influence obesity development. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the effects of those agents on different organs of the human body are not fully understood yet.

Methods: here, we present a study protocol aimed at shedding light on (i) the complex interplays among adipose tissue, brain and gut in obesity, and (ii) the effects of specific dietary components and environmental metabolism-disrupting compounds on those interactions. To this purpose, we combined ex vivo, in vitro, and in vivo approaches to gain additional knowledge about the molecular mechanisms underlying connections between organs.

Conclusions: the data provided by this study will contribute to defining new targets for therapeutic and/or preventive interventions, thereby allowing more personalized approaches to nutrition.