A Mediterranean Diet-Based Food Mix Ameliorates Diabetes- and Obesity-Associated Liver Alterations Through Mitochondrial and Metabolic Reprogramming.

Metabolic syndrome (MetS)-related diseases, such as type 2 diabetes (T2D) and obesity, are among the leading causes of liver damage, and their prevalence poses an increasing clinical challenge. The Mediterranean diet (MD) has shown promising effects in managing MetS, reducing mortality and morbidity. However, the precise biochemical and molecular mechanisms underlying the MD efficacy remain unclear.

Anion exchange chromatography-based purification of plant-derived nanovesicles from L.: molecular profiling and bioactivity in human cells.

Plant-derived nanovesicles emerge as a promising alternative to mammalian-derived exosomes with distinct advantages, including lower immunogenicity, enhanced bioavailability, and the presence of bioactive plant metabolites. They have been shown to cross biological barriers, delivering therapeutic molecules that modulate gene expression, inflammation, oxidative stress, and cancer-related pathways. However, challenges remain that limit applicative use, including poor knowledge of their interactions with mammalian host cells and primarily the lack of a cost-effective and scalable method to obtain highly purified plant-derived nanovesicles.

Multi-faceted exploration of the novel active γ-carbonic anhydrase PaCAγ1 in the human pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a ubiquitous Gram-negative bacterium, is an opportunistic pathogen that causes severe health issues in both immunocompetent and immunocompromised individuals. It is a member of the ESKAPE group of pathogens, and a leading cause of nosocomial infections worldwide. With the aim of identifying novel tools to combat P.

Natural Deep Eutectic Solvent-Dipotassium Phosphate Aqueous Two-Phase Systems: Physicochemical Characterization, Selective Partitioning of Amino Acids and Glucose, and Functional Insight into Maillard Reaction Applications.

Despite the growing interest in natural deep eutectic solvents (NADESs) for green separation, critical aspects of their structural stability in aqueous two-phase systems (ATPS), solute partitioning mechanisms, and potential as reaction media remain poorly understood. This study investigates the development and application of NADES-KHPO ATPS. Four NADES formulations, namely, betaine-glycerol (Bet:Gly), betaine-propylene glycol (Bet:PG), choline chloride-glycerol (ChCl:Gly), and choline chloride-propylene glycol (ChCl:PG), were synthesized and characterized using H NMR and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC).

Proteo-metabolomic analysis of fruits reveals molecular insights into variations among Italian Sweet Cherry ( L.) accessions.

Mass spectrometry-based proteomics and metabolomics tackle the complex interactions between proteins and metabolites in fruits. Independently used to discern phenotypic disparities among plant accessions, these analytical approaches complement well-established DNA fingerprinting methods for assessing genetic variability and hereditary distance. To verify the applicability of integrated proteomic and metabolomic procedures in evaluating phenotypic differences between sweet cherry cultivars, and to potentially relate these findings to specific pomological traits, we conducted a comparative analysis of fruits from ten Italian accessions.

A gap and synergy analysis of the European Research Infrastructure (RI) ecosystem: advancing the novel GRACE-RI dedicated to Plant Genetic Resources.

Background: Plant Genetic Resources (PGR) are crucial for sustainable agriculture and food security, but the roadmap of the European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures (ESFRI) lacks a dedicated research infrastructure (RI) for their systematic cataloguing, safeguarding and improvement. To fill this gap, we propose a new RI concept specifically for PGR in Europe.

Scope: The proposed RI called "Plant Genetic Resources Community for Europe" (GRACE) is aimed to support current and future research projects on PGR, enhance collaboration across European countries, unlock the adaptive potential of crop biodiversity preserved in PGR collections, and strengthen the current and future sustainability of the food chain in Europe.

Biochemical and functional properties of vesicles from planktonic and biofilm phenotypes of Limosilactobacillus reuteri DSM 17938.

Limosilactobacillus reuteri DSM 17938 is among the world's most studied probiotic strains and has been shown to provide several health benefits for the host. We have previously shown that the cell-free supernatant of L. reuteri DSM 17938 possesses antimicrobial activity and contains several bioactive compounds.

Unaltered maximal power and submaximal performance correlates with an oxidative vastus lateralis proteome phenotype during tapering in male cyclists.

Little is known on how a short-term reduction of training volume changes muscle proteome and physiological parameters. We investigated the impact of halving training volume during regular training of cyclists on physiological parameters in relation to vastus lateralis protein profiles and fiber percentage ratios. Fifteen male cyclists (age: 30.

Integrated Gel Electrophoresis and Mass Spectrometry Approach for Detecting and Quantifying Extraneous Milk in Protected Designation of Origin Buffalo Mozzarella Cheese.

Ensuring the authenticity of Mozzarella di Bufala Campana (MdBC), a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) cheese, is essential for regulatory enforcement and consumer protection. This study evaluates a multi-technology analytical platform developed to detect adulteration due to the addition of non-buffalo milk or non-PDO buffalo milk in PDO dairy buffalo products. Peripheral laboratories use gel electrophoresis combined with polyclonal antipeptide antibodies for initial screening, enabling the detection of foreign caseins, including those originating outside the PDO-designated regions.

Praja2 controls P-body assembly and translation in glioblastoma by non-proteolytic ubiquitylation of DDX6.

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most lethal form of malignant brain tumor in adults. Dysregulation of protein synthesis contributes to cancer cell plasticity, driving GBM cell heterogeneity, metastatic behavior, and drug resistance. Understanding the complex network and signaling pathways governing protein translation, is therefore an important goal for GBM treatment.

Challenges in Using the Official Italian Method to Detect Bovine Whey Proteins in Protected Designation of Origin Buffalo Mozzarella: A Proteomic Approach to Face Observed Limits.

This study critically examines the limitations of the official Italian methodology used for detecting bovine adulteration milk in Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) Mozzarella di Bufala Campana (MdBC). This method focuses on the whey fraction of cheese samples, which comprises about 1% of total MdBC proteins, and is based on a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) quantification of the bovine β-lactoglobulin A (β-Lg A) as a marker. Here, we have demonstrated that this official methodology suffers from measurement inconsistencies due to its reliance on raw bovine whey standards, which fail to account for β-Lg genetic polymorphisms in real MdBC samples and protein thermal modifications during cheesemaking.

Fermentation of Whole-Wheat Using Different Combinations of Lactic Acid Bacteria and Yeast: Impact on In Vitro and Ex Vivo Antioxidant Activity.

Cereals are rich in nutrients and bioactive compounds; however, many of these, such as polyphenols, are bound to the cell wall matrix, limiting their bioavailability. This study investigated the use of fermentation to enhance the bioavailability of functional compounds in whole-wheat flour. Given the impact of microbial species on fermentation outcomes, various combinations of lactic acid bacteria and yeast strains were examined.

Impact of β-casein variants on the formation of β-casomorphins in blue cheeses: Investigating key drivers through peptidomic analysis.

β-Casomorphins (BCMs), food-associated peptides resulting from the proteolytic cleavage of β-casein (β-CN), have been widely investigated for their opioid-like activity. This research aimed to identify the presence of BCM7, BCM6, and BCM5 in different bovine milk-deriving blue cheese types and to describe the intricate mechanisms behind their formation, focusing on their origin from cheese with β-CN A1 and A2 variants. Using nanoLC-ESI-Q-Orbitrap-MS/MS and advanced computational tools, we explored the peptidomes of Bleu d'Auvergne, Gorgonzola, Stilton, and Bergader blue cheeses from milk containing both β-CN A1 and A2 variants.

Gut bacterium Intestinimonas butyriciproducens improves host metabolic health: evidence from cohort and animal intervention studies.

Background: The human gut microbiome strongly influences host metabolism by fermenting dietary components into metabolites that signal to the host. Our previous work has shown that Intestinimonas butyriciproducens is a prevalent commensal bacterium with the unique ability to convert dietary fructoselysine to butyrate, a well-known signaling molecule with proven health benefits. Dietary fructoselysine is an abundant Amadori product formed in foods during thermal treatment and is part of foods rich in dietary advanced glycation end products which have been associated with cardiometabolic disease.

Leg muscles of migratory locust (Locusta migratoria) as a protein source: Extraction, protein composition and foaming properties.

Migratory locust (Locusta migratoria) is an edible insect species that is usually consumed at the adult developmental stage and represents a valuable source of proteins. Locusts can be processed into food ingredients or directly consumed after removal of legs and wings. Legs represent a unique matrix, which comprises a chitin-based exoskeleton typical for insects and muscle tissues commonly occurring also in other animals.

Compartmentalization vs. segregation of reactants: Accomplishment of the Maillard reaction at the water-water interface.

All-aqueous (water-in-water) emulsions are increasingly used as droplets reactors. The present communication reports that precursors of a reaction segregated by partitioning between emulsion phases can undergo reaction at the interface, i.e.

Diet-induced impairment of skeletal muscle and adipose tissue metabolic homeostasis and its prevention by probiotic administration.

Western dietary pattern is one of the main contributors to the increased risk of obesity and chronic diseases, through oxidative stress and inflammation, that are the two key mechanisms targeting metabolic organs, such as skeletal muscle and adipose tissue. The chronic exposure to high levels of dietary fatty acids can increase the amount of intramyocellular lipids in skeletal muscle, altering glucose homeostasis and contributing to a reduction in mitochondrial oxidative capacity. Probiotic administration is a promising approach as preventive strategy to attenuate metabolic damage induced by Western diet.

Gut microbiota drives colon cancer risk associated with diet: a comparative analysis of meat-based and pesco-vegetarian diets.

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) risk is strongly affected by dietary habits with red and processed meat increasing risk, and foods rich in dietary fibres considered protective. Dietary habits also shape gut microbiota, but the role of the combination between diet, the gut microbiota, and the metabolite profile on CRC risk is still missing an unequivocal characterisation.

Methods: To investigate how gut microbiota affects diet-associated CRC risk, we fed Apc-mutated PIRC rats and azoxymethane (AOM)-induced rats the following diets: a high-risk red/processed meat-based diet (MBD), a normalised risk diet (MBD with α-tocopherol, MBDT), a low-risk pesco-vegetarian diet (PVD), and control diet.

Metabolite variations in sulla shoots induced by drought stress.

Background: Climate change results in an increased occurrence of drought periods, which affect the performance of Mediterranean legumes such as sulla. To evaluate the effects of drought stress on the antioxidant capacity and the accumulation of phytochemicals in sulla shoots, rainfed and drought-stressed plants (RAI) and watered plants with timely vegetative regeneration (STI) were cultivated in parallel in a field experiment and sampled at four different times.

Results: Drought stress strongly and positively affected the antioxidant capacity and the accumulation of polyphenols in sulla shoots, with key differences at wintertime.

Protein-bound and free glycation compounds in human milk: A comparative study with minimally processed infant formula and pasteurized bovine milk.

The role of the Maillard reaction and the accumulation of non-enzymatic glycation compounds in human milk have been scarcely considered. In this study, we investigated the proteins most susceptible to glycation, the identity of the corresponding modified residues and the quantitative relationship between protein-bound and free glycation compounds in raw human milk and, for comparison, in minimally processed infant formula and pasteurized bovine milk. In human milk, total protein-bound lysine modifications were up to 10% of the counterparts in infant formula, while Nε-carboxymethyllysine reached up to 27% of the concentration in the other two products.

Plant production of recombinant antigens containing the receptor binding domain (RBD) of two SARS-CoV-2 variants.

Objectives: The aim of this work was to rapidly produce in plats two recombinant antigens (RBDw-Fc and RBDo-Fc) containing the receptor binding domain (RBD) of the spike (S) protein from SARS-CoV-2 variants Wuhan and Omicron as fusion proteins to the Fc portion of a murine IgG2a antibody constant region (Fc).

Results: The two recombinant antigens were expressed in Nicotiana benthamiana plants, engineered to avoid the addition of N-linked plant-typical sugars, through vacuum agroinfiltration and showed comparable purification yields (about 35 mg/kg leaf fresh weight).

Conclusions: Their Western blotting and Coomassie staining evidenced the occurrence of major in planta proteolysis in the region between the RBD and Fc, which was particularly evident in RBDw-Fc, the only antigen bearing the HRV 3C cysteine protease recognition site.

Protective role of cells and spores of Shouchella clausii SF174 against fructose-induced gut dysfunctions in small and large intestine.

The oral administration of probiotics is nowadays recognized as a strategy to treat or prevent the consequences of unhealthy dietary habits. Here we analyze and compare the effects of the oral administration of vegetative cells or spores of Shouchella clausii SF174 in counteracting gut dysfunctions induced by 6 weeks of high fructose intake in a rat model. Gut microbiota composition, tight junction proteins, markers of inflammation and redox homeostasis were evaluated in ileum and colon in rats fed fructose rich diet and supplemented with cells or spores of Shouchella clausii SF174.

Beyond the gut: Investigating the mechanism of formation of β-casomorphins in human blood.

To evaluate the potential differences in the propensity of β-casein A1 (β-CNA1) and A2 (β-CNA2) from bovine milk to release health-relevant β-casomorphins (BCMs), food-derived peptides were monitored over time in the blood of eight human volunteers who consumed milk containing both protein variants. Liquid chromatography coupled with high resolution tandem mass spectrometry revealed interindividual variability of milk peptidomic profiles in human blood. BCMs were not detected, whereas BCM precursors originating from both β-CNA1 and β-CNA2 were ascertained, with β-CNA2-derived peptides showing a slightly greater susceptibility to proteolysis.

Phenotypical and biochemical characterization of tomato plants treated with triacontanol.

Biostimulants are heterogeneous products designed to support plant development and to improve the yield and quality of crops. Here, we focused on the effects of triacontanol, a promising biostimulant found in cuticle waxes, on tomato growth and productivity. We examined various phenological traits related to vegetative growth, flowering and fruit yield, the metabolic profile of fruits, and the response of triacontanol-treated plants to salt stress.