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Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology Feb 2024In recent years, microbial carotenoids have emerged as a promising alternative for the pharmaceutical and food industries, particularly in promoting human health due to... (Review)
Review
In recent years, microbial carotenoids have emerged as a promising alternative for the pharmaceutical and food industries, particularly in promoting human health due to their potent antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. Microbial carotenoids, particularly those produced by yeast, bacteria, and microalgae, are synthesized intracellularly, requiring the use of solvents for their effective extraction and recovery. The conventional use of toxic volatile organic solvents (VOCs) like hexane, petroleum ether, and dimethyl sulfoxide in the extraction of microbial carotenoids has been common. However, ongoing research is introducing innovative, non-toxic, environmentally friendly tailor-made solvents, such as ionic liquids (IL) and deep eutectic solvents (DES), indicating a new era of cleaner and biocompatible technologies. This review aims to highlight recent advancements in utilizing IL and DES for obtaining carotenoids from microorganisms. Additionally, we explore the utilization of in silico tools designed to determine the solubilities of microbial carotenoids in tailor-made DES and ILs. This presents a promising alternative for the scientific community, potentially reducing the need for extensive experimental screening of solvents for the recovery of microbial carotenoids in the separation processing. According to our expert perspective, both IL and DES exhibit a plethora of exceptional attributes for the recovery of microbial carotenoids. Nevertheless, the current employment of these solvents for recovery of carotenoids is restricted to scientific exploration, as their feasibility for practical application in industrial settings has yet to be conclusively demonstrated. KEY POINTS: • ILs and DES share many tailoring properties for the recovery of microbial carotenoids • The use of ILs and DES for microbial carotenoid extraction remains driven by scientific curiosity. • The economic feasibility of ILs and DES is yet to be demonstrated in industrial applications.
Topics: Humans; Solvents; Carotenoids; Ionic Liquids; Antioxidants; Dimethyl Sulfoxide
PubMed: 38400930
DOI: 10.1007/s00253-024-13049-x -
Nutrients Sep 2023Trace elements and vitamins, collectively known as micronutrients, are essential for basic metabolic reactions in the human body. Their deficiency or, on the contrary,... (Review)
Review
Trace elements and vitamins, collectively known as micronutrients, are essential for basic metabolic reactions in the human body. Their deficiency or, on the contrary, an increased amount can lead to serious disorders. Research in recent years has shown that long-term abnormal levels of micronutrients may be involved in the etiopathogenesis of some neurological diseases. Acute and chronic alterations in micronutrient levels may cause other serious complications in neurological diseases. Our aim was to summarize the knowledge about micronutrients in relation to selected neurological diseases and comment on their importance and the possibilities of therapeutic intervention in clinical practice.
Topics: Humans; Micronutrients; Vitamins; Trace Elements; Vitamin A; Nervous System Diseases
PubMed: 37836413
DOI: 10.3390/nu15194129 -
Cellular & Molecular Biology Letters Nov 2023Long-term exposure of humans to air pollution is associated with an increasing risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Astaxanthin (AST), a naturally occurring red...
BACKGROUND
Long-term exposure of humans to air pollution is associated with an increasing risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Astaxanthin (AST), a naturally occurring red carotenoid pigment, was proved to have multiple health benefits. However, whether or not AST also exerts a protective effect on fine particulate matter (PM)-induced cardiomyocyte damage and its underlying mechanisms remain unclear.
METHODS
In vitro experiments, the H9C2 cells were subjected to pretreatment with varying concentrations of AST, and then cardiomyocyte injury model induced by PM was established. The cell viability and the ferroptosis-related proteins expression were measured in different groups. In vivo experiments, the rats were pretreated with different concentrations of AST for 21 days. Subsequently, a rat model of myocardial PM injury was established by intratracheal instillation every other day for 1 week. The effects of AST on myocardial tissue injury caused by PM indicating by histological, serum, and protein analyses were examined.
RESULTS
AST significantly ameliorated PM-induced myocardial tissue injury, inflammatory cell infiltration, the release of inflammatory factors, and cardiomyocyte H9C2 cell damage. Mechanistically, AST pretreatment increased the expression of SLC7A11, GPX4 and down-regulated the expression of TfR1, FTL and FTH1 in vitro and in vivo.
CONCLUSIONS
Our study suggest that ferroptosis plays a significant role in the pathogenesis of cardiomyocyte injury induced by PM. AST may serve as a potential therapeutic agent for mitigating cardiomyocyte injury caused by PM through the inhibition of ferroptosis.
Topics: Humans; Animals; Rats; Myocytes, Cardiac; Ferroptosis; Xanthophylls; Particulate Matter
PubMed: 38007415
DOI: 10.1186/s11658-023-00513-1 -
International Journal of Molecular... Aug 2023Lutein, zeaxanthin, and -zeaxanthin (a steroisomer of zeaxanthin) are macular pigments. They modify the physical properties of the lipid bilayers in a manner similar to... (Review)
Review
Lutein, zeaxanthin, and -zeaxanthin (a steroisomer of zeaxanthin) are macular pigments. They modify the physical properties of the lipid bilayers in a manner similar to cholesterol. It is not clear if these pigments are directly present in the lipid phase of the membranes, or if they form complexes with specific membrane proteins that retain them in high amounts in the correct place in the retina. The high content of macular pigments in the Henle fiber layer indicates that a portion of the lutein and zeaxanthin should not only be bound to the specific proteins but also directly dissolved in the lipid membranes. This high concentration in the prereceptoral region of the retina is effective for blue-light filtration. Understanding the basic mechanisms of these actions is necessary to better understand the carotenoid-membrane interaction and how carotenoids affect membrane physical properties-such as fluidity, polarity, and order-in relation to membrane structure and membrane dynamics. This review focuses on the properties of lutein.
Topics: Lutein; Zeaxanthins; Membranes; Carotenoids; Lipid Bilayers
PubMed: 37629129
DOI: 10.3390/ijms241612948 -
JCI Insight Oct 2023Retinoic acid receptor (RAR) signaling is essential for mammalian kidney development but, in the adult kidney, is restricted to occasional collecting duct epithelial...
Retinoic acid receptor (RAR) signaling is essential for mammalian kidney development but, in the adult kidney, is restricted to occasional collecting duct epithelial cells. We now show that there is widespread reactivation of RAR signaling in proximal tubular epithelial cells (PTECs) in human sepsis-associated acute kidney injury (AKI) and in mouse models of AKI. Genetic inhibition of RAR signaling in PTECs protected against experimental AKI but was unexpectedly associated with increased expression of the PTEC injury marker Kim1. However, the protective effects of inhibiting PTEC RAR signaling were associated with increased Kim1-dependent apoptotic cell clearance, or efferocytosis, and this was associated with dedifferentiation, proliferation, and metabolic reprogramming of PTECs. These data demonstrate the functional role that reactivation of RAR signaling plays in regulating PTEC differentiation and function in human and experimental AKI.
Topics: Mice; Animals; Humans; Kidney Tubules, Proximal; Tretinoin; Kidney; Acute Kidney Injury; Epithelial Cells; Mammals
PubMed: 37698919
DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.173144 -
PloS One 2023Flavonoids and carotenoids are pigments involved in stress mitigation and numerous other processes. Both pigment classes can contribute to flower and fruit coloration....
Flavonoids and carotenoids are pigments involved in stress mitigation and numerous other processes. Both pigment classes can contribute to flower and fruit coloration. Flavonoid aglycones and carotenoids are produced by a pathway that is largely conserved across land plants. Glycosylations, acylations, and methylations of the flavonoid aglycones can be species-specific and lead to a plethora of biochemically diverse flavonoids. We previously developed KIPEs for the automatic annotation of biosynthesis pathways and presented an application on the flavonoid aglycone biosynthesis. KIPEs3 is an improved version with additional features and the potential to identify not just the core biosynthesis players, but also candidates involved in the decoration steps and in the transport of flavonoids. Functionality of KIPEs3 is demonstrated through the analysis of the flavonoid biosynthesis in Arabidopsis thaliana Nd-1, Capsella grandiflora, and Dioscorea dumetorum. We demonstrate the applicability of KIPEs to other pathways by adding the carotenoid biosynthesis to the repertoire. As a technical proof of concept, the carotenoid biosynthesis was analyzed in the same species and Daucus carota. KIPEs3 is available as an online service to enable access without prior bioinformatics experience. KIPEs3 facilitates the automatic annotation and analysis of biosynthesis pathways with a consistent and high quality in a large number of plant species. Numerous genome sequencing projects are generating a huge amount of data sets that can be analyzed to identify evolutionary patterns and promising candidate genes for biotechnological and breeding applications.
Topics: Plant Breeding; Biosynthetic Pathways; Flavonoids; Computational Biology; Carotenoids; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant
PubMed: 37972102
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0294342 -
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Dec 2023, a homology of medicine and food, contains many active ingredients including polysaccharides, polyphenol, betaine, and carotenoids, which has health benefits and... (Review)
Review
, a homology of medicine and food, contains many active ingredients including polysaccharides, polyphenol, betaine, and carotenoids, which has health benefits and economic value. The bioactive components in exhibit the effects of antioxidation, immune regulation, hypoglycemic effects, and vision improvement. Recently, the development of nutrition and health products of has been paid more and more attention with the increase in health awareness. A variety of nutrients and bioactive components in wolfberry can be retained or increased using modern fermentation technology. Through fermentation, the products have better flavor and health function, which better meet the needs of market diversification. The main products related to wolfberry fermentation include wolfberry fruit wine, wolfberry fruit vinegar, and lactic acid fermented beverage. In this review, the mainly bioactive components of and its deep-processing products of fermentation were summarized and compared. It will provide reference for the research and development of fermented and healthy products of .
Topics: Lycium; Fermentation; Polysaccharides; Antioxidants; Carotenoids; Fruit
PubMed: 38138534
DOI: 10.3390/molecules28248044 -
Advanced Science (Weinheim,... Mar 2024Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic joint disease characterized by synovitis and joint cartilage destruction. The severity of OA is highly associated with the imbalance...
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic joint disease characterized by synovitis and joint cartilage destruction. The severity of OA is highly associated with the imbalance between M1 and M2 synovial macrophages. In this study, a novel strategy is designed to modulate macrophage polarization by reducing intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and regulating mitochondrial function. A ROS-responsive polymer is synthesized to self-assemble with astaxanthin and autophagy activator rapamycin to form nanoparticles (NP@Poly ). In vitro experiments show that NP@Poly significantly reduced intracellular ROS levels. Furthermore, NP@Poly restored mitochondrial membrane potential, increased glutathione (GSH) levels, and promoted intracellular autophagy, hence successfully repolarizing M1 macrophages into the M2 phenotype. This repolarization enhanced chondrocyte proliferation and vitality while inhibiting apoptosis. In vivo experiments utilizing an anterior cruciate ligament transection (ACLT)-induced OA mouse model revealed the anti-inflammatory and cartilage-protective effects of NP@Poly , effectively mitigating OA progression. Consequently, the findings suggest that intra-articular delivery of ROS-responsive nanocarrier systems holds significant promise as a potential and effective therapeutic strategy for OA treatment.
Topics: Mice; Animals; Reactive Oxygen Species; Osteoarthritis; Xanthophylls; Macrophages
PubMed: 38093659
DOI: 10.1002/advs.202305363 -
Advanced Science (Weinheim,... Dec 2023Gut microbiome is integral to the pathogenesis of ulcerative colitis. A novel probiotic Lactobacillus intestinalis (L. intestinalis) exerts a protective effect against...
Gut microbiome is integral to the pathogenesis of ulcerative colitis. A novel probiotic Lactobacillus intestinalis (L. intestinalis) exerts a protective effect against dextran sodium sulfate-induced colitis in mice. Based on flow cytometry, colitis-associated Th17 cells are the target of L. intestinalis, which is supported by the lack of protective effects of L. intestinalis in T cell-null Rag1 mice or upon anti-IL-17-A antibody-treated mice. Although L. intestinalis exerts no direct effect on T cell differentiation, it decreases C/EBPA-driven gut epithelial SAA1 and SAA2 production, which in turn impairs Th17 cell differentiation. Cometabolism of L. intestinalis ALDH and host ALDH1A2 contributed to elevated biosynthesis of retinoic acid (RA), which accounts for the anti-colitis effect in RAR-α -mediated way. In a cohort of ulcerative colitis patients, it is observed that fecal abundance of L. intestinalis is negatively associated with the C/EBPA-SAA1/2-Th17 axis. Finally, L. intestinalis has a synergistic effect with mesalazine in alleviating murine colitis. In conclusion, L. intestinalis and associated metabolites, RA, have potential therapeutic effects for suppressing colonic inflammation by modulating the crosstalk between intestinal epithelia and immunity.
Topics: Humans; Animals; Mice; Colitis, Ulcerative; Th17 Cells; Colitis; Epithelial Cells; Tretinoin
PubMed: 37983567
DOI: 10.1002/advs.202303457 -
International Journal of Molecular... Oct 2023Aging is generally defined as a time-dependent functional decline that affects most living organisms. The positive increase in life expectancy has brought along... (Review)
Review
Aging is generally defined as a time-dependent functional decline that affects most living organisms. The positive increase in life expectancy has brought along aging-related diseases. Oxidative stress caused by the imbalance between pro-oxidants and antioxidants can be given as one of the causes of aging. At the same time, the increase in oxidative stress and reactive oxygen species (ROS) is main reason for the increase in aging-related diseases such as cardiovascular, neurodegenerative, liver, skin, and eye diseases and diabetes. Carotenoids, a natural compound, can be used to change the course of aging and aging-related diseases, thanks to their highly effective oxygen-quenching and ROS-scavenging properties. Therefore, in this narrative review, conducted using the PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar databases and complying with the Scale for the Assessment of Narrative Review Articles (SANRA) guidelines, the effects of carotenoids on aging and aging-related diseases were analyzed. Carotenoids are fat-soluble, highly unsaturated pigments that occur naturally in plants, fungi, algae, and photosynthetic bacteria. A large number of works have been conducted on carotenoids in relation to aging and aging-related diseases. Animal and human studies have found that carotenoids can significantly reduce obesity and fatty liver, lower blood sugar, and improve liver fibrosis in cirrhosis, as well as reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and erythema formation, while also lowering glycated hemoglobin and fasting plasma glucose levels. Carotenoid supplementation may be effective in preventing and delaying aging and aging-related diseases, preventing and treating eye fatigue and dry eye disease, and improving macular function. These pigments can be used to stop, delay, or treat aging-related diseases due to their powerful antioxidant, restorative, anti-proliferative, anti-inflammatory, and anti-aging properties. As an increasingly aging population emerges globally, this review could provide an important prospective contribution to public health.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Aged; Carotenoids; Reactive Oxygen Species; Prospective Studies; Antioxidants; Oxidative Stress; Aging
PubMed: 37894880
DOI: 10.3390/ijms242015199