Explore the vast range of titles available.

Undaria pinnatifida fucoidan (UPF), a bioactive sulphated polysaccharide, is widely recognised for its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antitumor, anticoagulant, antiviral, and immunomodulatory properties. However, the precise mechanisms by which UPF regulates inflammation and neuronal health remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the effects of UPF supplementation on pro-inflammatory cytokines in skeletal muscle, small intestine, and the hypothalamus, as well as plasma cytokine levels. Additionally, a brain proteomic investigation in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) was performed to assess UPF’s impact on neuronal protein expression in mice. A total of 64 C57BL/6J mice were administered either a standard chow or high-fat diet (HFD) with or without UPF (400 mg/kg/day) for 10 weeks. In HFD-fed mice, UPF significantly reduced the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6) in skeletal muscle, small intestine, and hypothalamus, while also lowering circulating IL-1α and IL-6 levels. Proteomic analysis of the NAc revealed that UPF modulated proteins involved in oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, neurotransmitter regulation, and endoplasmic reticulum stress. In contrast, in chow-fed mice, UPF had no effect on the neuroinflammatory–oxidative stress markers but influenced the abundance of proteins associated with immune response and innate immunity. These findings suggest that UPF modulates stress-response pathways in a diet-dependent manner, supporting its potential neuroprotective role in inflammation-related disorders and brain health.

Plastics pose a significant global threat to the ecosystems due to their accumulation and impact on human health. The degradation of plastics results in the formation of microplastics (MPs), small particles less than 5 mm in size, which are released into the environment. Polystyrene (PS) is a major chemical component of plastics, and exposure to PS-based microplastics (PS-MPs) has been linked to cellular damage. This study aimed to explore the effects of 1 μm PS-MPs on human gingival fibroblast cells (hGF). PS-MPs induced a limited cytotoxicity at the tested concentrations and time points. Confocal microscopy, TEM and flow cytometry revealed the uptake of PS-MPs in about 10% of hGF cells. Proteomics identified a profoundly altered proteostasis in PS-MPs treated cells. Enrichment analysis of differentially expressed proteins uncovered disruptions in cellular pathways, including metabolisms (glycolysis and adipogenesis), endocrine functions (androgen and oestrogen responses), inflammatory responses (interferons α and γ) and cancer progression (epithelial-mesenchymal transition). Consistent with the enrichment analysis, treated cells exhibited a significant increase in motility. This study demonstrated that PS-MPs are internalized by cells and influence key cellular pathways related to inflammation, motility, and survival, reinforcing the notion that PS-MP exposure may pose risks to human health.

The role of the purinergic signal has been extensively investigated in many tissues and related organs, including the central and peripheral nervous systems as well as the gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, respiratory, renal, and immune systems. Less attention has been paid to the influence of purines in the oral cavity, which is the first part of the digestive apparatus and also acts as the body’s first antimicrobial barrier. In this review, evidence is provided of the presence and possible physiological role of the purinergic system in the different structures forming the oral cavity including teeth, tongue, hard palate, and soft palate with their annexes such as taste buds, salivary glands, and nervous fibers innervating the oral structures. We also report findings on the involvement of the purinergic signal in pathological conditions affecting the oral apparatus such as Sjögren’s syndrome or following irradiation for the treatment of head and neck cancer, and the use of experimental drugs interfering with the purine system to improve bone healing after damage. Further investigations are required to translate the results obtained so far into the clinical setting in order to pave the way for a wider application of purine-based treatments in oral diseases.

The autonomic nervous system (ANS) plays a crucial role both in acute and chronic psychological stress eliciting changes in many local and systemic physiological and biochemical processes. Salivary secretion is also regulated by ANS. In this study, we explored salivary proteome changes produced in thirty-eight University students by a test stress, which simulated an oral exam. Students underwent a relaxation phase followed by the stress test during which an electrocardiogram was recorded. To evaluate the effect of an olfactory stimulus, half of the students were exposed to a pleasant odor diffused in the room throughout the whole session. Saliva samples were collected after the relaxation phase (T0) and the stress test (T1). State anxiety was also evaluated at T0 and T1. Salivary proteins were separated by two-dimensional electrophoresis, and patterns at different times were compared. Spots differentially expressed were trypsin digested and identified by mass spectrometry. Western blot analysis was used to validate proteomic results. Anxiety scores and heart rate changes indicated that the fake exam induced anxiety. Significant changes of α-amylase, polymeric immunoglobulin receptor (PIGR), and immunoglobulin α chain (IGHA) secretion were observed after the stress test was performed in the two conditions. Moreover, the presence of pleasant odor reduced the acute social stress affecting salivary proteome changes. Therefore, saliva proteomic analysis was a useful approach to evaluate the rapid responses associated to an acute stress test also highlighting known biomarkers.

The journal retracts the article titled “Multipotent Stromal Cells from Subcutaneous Adipose Tissue of Normal Weight and Obese Subjects: Modulation of Their Adipogenic Differentiation by Adenosine A1 Receptor Ligands” [...]

The aim of this work was to deeply investigate the structure and properties of electrochemically synthesized silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) through high-resolution techniques such as transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Zeta Potential measurements, and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS). Strong brightness, tendency to generate nanoclusters containing an odd number of atoms, and absence of the free silver ions in solution were observed. The research also highlighted that the chemical and physical properties of the AgNPs seemed to be related to their peculiar oxidative state as suggested by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) analyses. Finally, the MTT assay tested the low cytotoxicity of the investigated AgNPs.

Ethyl acetate (EA), methanol (MeOH), and aqueous extracts of aerial parts of Anthemis tinctoria var. pallida (ATP) and A. cretica subsp. tenuiloba (ACT) were investigated for their phenol and flavonoid content, antioxidant, and key enzyme inhibitory potentials. All extracts displayed antiradical effects, with MeOH and aqueous extracts being a superior source of antioxidants. On the other hand, EA and MeOH extracts were potent against AChE and BChE. Enzyme inhibitory effects against tyrosinase and α-glucosidase were observed, as well. We also studied Anthemis extracts in an ex vivo experimental neurotoxicity paradigm. We assayed extract influence on oxidative stress and neurotransmission biomarkers, including lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and serotonin (5-HT), in isolated rat cortex challenged with K+ 60 mM Krebs-Ringer buffer (excitotoxicity stimulus). An untargeted proteomic analysis was finally performed in order to explore the putative mechanism in the brain. The pharmacological study highlighted the capability of ACT water extract to blunt K+ 60 mM increase in LDH level and 5-HT turnover, and restore physiological activity of specific proteins involved in neuron morphology and neurotransmission, including NEFMs, VAMP-2, and PKCγ, thus further supporting the neuroprotective role of ACT water extract.

We recently identified nitroxoline as a repurposed drug candidate in pancreatic cancer (PC) showing a dose-dependent antiproliferative activity in different PC cell lines. This antibiotic is effective in several in vitro and animal cancer models. To date, the mechanisms of nitroxoline anticancer action are largely unknown. Using shotgun proteomics we identified 363 proteins affected by nitroxoline treatment in AsPC-1 pancreatic cancer cells, including 81 consistently deregulated at both 24- and 48-hour treatment. These proteins previously unknown to be affected by nitroxoline were mostly downregulated and interconnected in a single highly-enriched network of protein-protein interactions. Integrative proteomic and functional analyses revealed nitroxoline-induced downregulation of Na/K-ATPase pump and β-catenin, which associated with drastic impairment in cell growth, migration, invasion, increased ROS production and induction of DNA damage response. Remarkably, nitroxoline induced a previously unknown deregulation of molecules with a critical role in cell bioenergetics, which resulted in mitochondrial depolarization. Our study also suggests that deregulation of cytosolic iron homeostasis and of co-translational targeting to membrane contribute to nitroxoline anticancer action. This study broadens our understanding of the mechanisms of nitroxoline action, showing that the drug modulates multiple proteins crucial in cancer biology and previously unknown to be affected by nitroxoline.

The purinergic signalling has a well-established role in the regulation of energy homeostasis, but there is growing evidence of its implication in the control of food intake. In this review, we provide an integrative view of the molecular mechanisms leading to changes in feeding behaviour within hypothalamic neurons following purinergic receptor activation. We also highlight the importance of purinergic signalling in metabolic homeostasis and the possibility of targeting its receptors for therapeutic purposes.

Background In recent years, mechanistic, epidemiologic, and interventional studies have indicated beneficial effects of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFA) against brain aging and age-related cognitive decline, with the most consistent effects against Alzheimer’s disease (AD) confined especially in the early or prodromal stages of the pathology. In the present study, we investigated the action of n-3 PUFA supplementation on behavioral performances and hippocampal neurogenesis, volume, and astrogliosis in aged mice subjected to a selective depletion of basal forebrain cholinergic neurons. Such a lesion represents a valuable model to mimic one of the most reliable hallmarks of early AD neuropathology. Methods Aged mice first underwent mu-p75-saporin immunotoxin intraventricular lesions to obtain a massive cholinergic depletion and then were orally supplemented with n-3 PUFA or olive oil (as isocaloric control) for 8 weeks. Four weeks after the beginning of the dietary supplementation, anxiety levels as well as mnesic, social, and depressive-like behaviors were evaluated. Subsequently, hippocampal morphological and biochemical analyses and n-3 PUFA brain quantification were carried out. Results The n-3 PUFA treatment regulated the anxiety alterations and reverted the novelty recognition memory impairment induced by the cholinergic depletion in aged mice. Moreover, n-3 PUFA preserved hippocampal volume, enhanced neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus, and reduced astrogliosis in the hippocampus. Brain levels of n-3 PUFA were positively related to mnesic abilities. Conclusions The demonstration that n-3 PUFA are able to counteract behavioral deficits and hippocampal neurodegeneration in cholinergically depleted aged mice promotes their use as a low-cost, safe nutraceutical tool to improve life quality at old age, even in the presence of first stages of AD.