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Role of Nutraceuticals in Oxidative Stress and Inflammation Linked to Cardiometabolic Disorders

A special issue of Nutrients (ISSN 2072-6643). This special issue belongs to the section "Phytochemicals and Human Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (10 January 2022) | Viewed by 11315

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
1. Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences—DIBINEM, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
2. Istituto Nazionale Biosistemi e Biostrutture INBB, Rome, Italy
3. Interdepartmental Center of Industrial Energy and Environment Research -CIRI FRAME, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
4. Interdepartmental Centre for Industrial Agrofood Research-CIRI Agrofood, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, Cesena, Italy
Interests: cardiovascular system; gut diseases; biosensors; natural compounds; oxidative damage; inflammation; chemiluminescence; bioluminescence
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences (DIBINEM) - Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
2. Istituto Nazionale per le Ricerche Cardiovascolari (INRC), Bologna, Italy
Interests: heart metabolism; polyunsaturated fatty acids; nutraceuticals; nutrient-sensing pathways; aging
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Despite the efforts toward primary prevention, cardiovascular diseases are still the most common causes of death and one of the first causes of disability in industrialized countries. Current opinions with respect to the etiology of cardiovascular diseases are still controversial. There are multiple factors involved, such as inflammation, vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) proliferation, endothelial cells dysfunctions (EC), macrophage differentiation, and oxidative stress. Oxidative stress that results from the imbalance between reactive oxygen species and antioxidants is a one of the key factors; indeed, experimental and clinical evidence supports the casual relationship between oxidative stress and various cardiovascular diseases. Thus, numerous studies are focused on ameliorating these types of chronic diseases by reducing oxidative stress.

A relatively large number of dietary supplements, nutraceuticals, phytochemicals, and functional foods have been studied for their ability to improve blood lipid profile in humans and to protect cells from oxidative stress and from damages related to inflammatory conditions. The scientific community has recognized their effectiveness since 2001, when during the third National Cholesterol Educational Program, it was suggested to integrate dietary supplements such as soluble fibers, omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), plant sterols, and soy protein into the diet in order to achieve an optimal low density lipoprotein–cholesterol (LDL-C) level. Similarly, in the new European guidelines for the management of dyslipidemias (Catapano et al. “ESC/EAS Guidelines for the management of dyslipidaemias. The Task Force for the management of dyslipidaemias of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) and the European Atherosclerosis Society (EAS).” Atherosclerosis, 2011, 217(1), 3-46), some nutraceuticals were added as potentially useful for lipid-lowering agents. Since the prevention of cardiometabolic disorders needs an everyday approach, both the tolerability and safety of dietary supplements, either nutraceuticals or botanicals, have to be adequately defined, as well as understanding the precise mechanisms of action and the risk/benefit ratio related to their assumption.

In this Special Issue, we invite investigators to contribute original research articles reporting data from both experimental and clinical studies, as well as review articles, which provide a better understanding of the effects of nutraceuticals, dietary supplements, phytochemicals, and functional foods on cardiovascular diseases linked to oxidative stress and inflammation. Potential topics include but are not limited to the following:

- Evaluation, by in vitro or in vivo studies, of the safety and the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the actions of natural compounds in relation to ROS-mediated signaling and redox modulation, inflammation, and endothelial dysfunction;

- Evaluation of biomarkers of cardiometabolic health, by bioanalytical methods and biosensors for the determination of the biological effects of these substances;

- Nutraceuticals, new formulations or specific diets as therapeutic strategies;

- Nutrigenetics, nutrigenomics, and potential effect on the intestinal microbiome.

Dr. Cristiana Caliceti
Dr. Silvia Cetrullo
Guest Editors

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

19 pages, 2143 KiB  
Article
Fermentation of Vaccinium floribundum Berries with Lactiplantibacillus plantarum Reduces Oxidative Stress in Endothelial Cells and Modulates Macrophages Function
by Luisa Marracino, Angela Punzo, Paolo Severi, Rosane Nganwouo Tchoutang, Celia Vargas-De-la-Cruz, Francesca Fortini, Francesco Vieceli Dalla Sega, Alessia Silla, Emanuele Porru, Patrizia Simoni, Valentina Rosta, Alessandro Trentini, Achille Wilfred Ouambo Talla, Silvana Hrelia, Carlo Cervellati, Paola Rizzo and Cristiana Caliceti
Nutrients 2022, 14(8), 1560; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14081560 - 08 Apr 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2883
Abstract
Accumulating evidence suggests that high consumption of natural antioxidants promotes health by reducing oxidative stress and, thus, the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases. Similarly, fermentation of natural compounds with lactic acid bacteria (LAB), such as Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, enhances their beneficial properties as [...] Read more.
Accumulating evidence suggests that high consumption of natural antioxidants promotes health by reducing oxidative stress and, thus, the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases. Similarly, fermentation of natural compounds with lactic acid bacteria (LAB), such as Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, enhances their beneficial properties as regulators of the immune, digestive, and cardiovascular system. We investigated the effects of fermentation with Lactiplantibacillus plantarum on the antioxidant and immunomodulatory effects of Pushgay berries (Vaccinium floribundum, Ericaceae family) in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and macrophage cell line RAW264.7. Polyphenol content was assayed by Folin–Ciocalteu and HPLC-MS/MS analysis. The effects of berries solutions on cell viability or proliferation were assessed by WST8 (2-(2-methoxy-4-nitrophenyl)-3-(4-nitrophenyl)-5-(2,4-disulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium, monosodium salt and Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release, Trypan blue exclusion test, and Alamar blue assay. Antioxidant activity was evaluated by a cell-based chemiluminescent probe for the detection of intracellular H2O2 production in HUVECs. Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) expression levels were investigated by RT-qPCR. Glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione peroxidase (Gpx), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) activities, as markers of intracellular antioxidant defense, were evaluated by spectrophotometric analysis. The immunomodulatory activity was examined in RAW 264.7 by quantification of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and Tumor Necrosis Factor—alpha (TNFα) by RT-qPCR. Data showed that fermentation of Pushgay berries (i) enhances the content of quercetin aglycone, and (ii) increases their intracellular antioxidant activity, as indicated by the reduction in H2O2-induced cell death and the decrease in H2O2-induced HO-1 gene expression in HUVECs treated for 24 h with fermented berries solution (10 µg/mL). Moreover, treatment with Pushgay berries for 72 h (10 µg/mL) promotes cells growth in RAW 264.7, and only fermented Pushgay berries increase the expression of iNOS in the same cell line. Taken together, our results show that LAB fermentation of Pushgay berries enhances their antioxidant and immunomodulatory properties. Full article
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17 pages, 860 KiB  
Article
Inflammation Markers in Adipose Tissue and Cardiovascular Risk Reduction by Pomegranate Juice in Obesity Induced by a Hypercaloric Diet in Wistar Rats
by Maria Monica Michicotl-Meneses, María del Rocío Thompson-Bonilla, César A. Reyes-López, Blanca Estela García-Pérez, Itzel I. López-Tenorio, Cynthia Ordaz-Pichardo and María Eugenia Jaramillo-Flores
Nutrients 2021, 13(8), 2577; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13082577 - 27 Jul 2021
Cited by 17 | Viewed by 4678
Abstract
Pomegranate juice (Punica granatum) has been used since ancient times in traditional medicine (Unani Medicine, Ayurveda); its main compounds are anthocyanins and ellagic acid, which have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, hepatoprotective, and cardiovascular health effects. The objective was to evaluate the effect of [...] Read more.
Pomegranate juice (Punica granatum) has been used since ancient times in traditional medicine (Unani Medicine, Ayurveda); its main compounds are anthocyanins and ellagic acid, which have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, hepatoprotective, and cardiovascular health effects. The objective was to evaluate the effect of pomegranate juice on inflammation, blood pressure, and vascular and physiological markers associated with obesity induced by a high-fat diet in a murine model. The results show that pomegranate juice reduces the concentration of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (cLDL) 39% and increases the concentration of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (cHDL) by 27%, leading to a 12%–18% decrease in the risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD). In addition to reducing blood pressure by 24%, it also had an antiatherogenic effect by decreasing sE-selectin levels by 42%. On the other hand, the juice significantly increased adiponectin levels in adipose tissue, decreased levels of inflammation markers (tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), interleukin-17A (IL-17A), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-1β (IL-1β)), and inhibited the monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1). Pomegranate juice requires clinical studies to prove its immunoregulatory and therapeutic effects on cardiovascular and atherogenic risks. Full article
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15 pages, 2137 KiB  
Article
Ellagic Acid Affects Metabolic and Transcriptomic Profiles and Attenuates Features of Metabolic Syndrome in Adult Male Rats
by Adéla Kábelová, Hana Malínská, Irena Marková, Olena Oliyarnyk, Blanka Chylíková and Ondřej Šeda
Nutrients 2021, 13(3), 804; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13030804 - 01 Mar 2021
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 2829
Abstract
Ellagic acid, a natural substance found in various fruits and nuts, was previously shown to exhibit beneficial effects towards metabolic syndrome. In this study, using a genetic rat model of metabolic syndrome, we aimed to further specify metabolic and transcriptomic responses to ellagic [...] Read more.
Ellagic acid, a natural substance found in various fruits and nuts, was previously shown to exhibit beneficial effects towards metabolic syndrome. In this study, using a genetic rat model of metabolic syndrome, we aimed to further specify metabolic and transcriptomic responses to ellagic acid treatment. Adult male rats of the SHR-Zbtb16Lx/k.o. strain were fed a high-fat diet accompanied by daily intragastric gavage of ellagic acid (50 mg/kg body weight; high-fat diet–ellagic acid (HFD-EA) rats) or vehicle only (high-fat diet–control (HFD-CTL) rats). Morphometric and metabolic parameters, along with transcriptomic profile of liver and brown and epididymal adipose tissues, were assessed. HFD-EA rats showed higher relative weight of brown adipose tissue (BAT) and decreased weight of epididymal adipose tissue, although no change in total body weight was observed. Glucose area under the curve, serum insulin, and cholesterol levels, as well as the level of oxidative stress, were significantly lower in HFD-EA rats. The most differentially expressed transcripts reflecting the shift induced by ellagic acid were detected in BAT, showing downregulation of BAT activation markers Dio2 and Nr4a1 and upregulation of insulin-sensitizing gene Pla2g2a. Ellagic acid may provide a useful nutritional supplement to ameliorate features of metabolic syndrome, possibly by suppressing oxidative stress and its effects on brown adipose tissue. Full article
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