scholarly journals The role of β-carotene and vitamin A in atherogenesis: Evidences from preclinical and clinical studies

2020 ◽  
Vol 1865 (11) ◽  
pp. 158635 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anthony P. Miller ◽  
Johana Coronel ◽  
Jaume Amengual
Keyword(s):  
Vitamin A ◽  
Clinical Studies ◽  
Preclinical And Clinical Studies ◽  
Β Carotene

scholarly journals CMO1 Deficiency Abolishes Vitamin A Production from β-Carotene and Alters Lipid Metabolism in Mice

2007 ◽  
Vol 282 (46) ◽  
pp. 33553-33561 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susanne Hessel ◽  
Anne Eichinger ◽  
Andrea Isken ◽  
Jaume Amengual ◽  
Silke Hunzelmann ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Lipid Metabolism ◽  
Vitamin A ◽  
Vitamin A Deficiency ◽  
Elevated Serum ◽  
Pcr Analysis ◽  
Marker Genes ◽  
Mouse Mutant ◽  
Adipose Tissues ◽  
Β Carotene

Carotenoids are currently investigated regarding their potential to lower the risk of chronic disease and to combat vitamin A deficiency in humans. These plant-derived compounds must be cleaved and metabolically converted by intrinsic carotenoid oxygenases to support the panoply of vitamin A-dependent physiological processes. Two different carotenoid-cleaving enzymes were identified in mammals, the classical carotenoid-15,15′-oxygenase (CMO1) and a putative carotenoid-9′,10′-oxygenase (CMO2). To analyze the role of CMO1 in mammalian physiology, here we disrupted the corresponding gene by targeted homologous recombination in mice. On a diet providing β-carotene as major vitamin A precursor, vitamin A levels fell dramatically in several tissues examined. Instead, this mouse mutant accumulated the provitamin in large quantities (e.g. as seen by an orange coloring of adipose tissues). Besides impairments in β-carotene metabolism, CMO1 deficiency more generally interfered with lipid homeostasis. Even on a vitamin A-sufficient chow, CMO1-/- mice developed a fatty liver and displayed altered serum lipid levels with elevated serum unesterified fatty acids. Additionally, this mouse mutant was more susceptible to high fat diet-induced impairments in fatty acid metabolism. Quantitative reverse transcription-PCR analysis revealed that the expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ-regulated marker genes related to adipogenesis was elevated in visceral adipose tissues. Thus, our study identifies CMO1 as the key enzyme for vitamin A production and provides evidence for a role of carotenoids as more general regulators of lipid metabolism.

scholarly journals The Role of Brassica Bioactives on Human Health: Are We Studying It the Right Way?

Molecules ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (7) ◽  
pp. 1591 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarai Quirante-Moya ◽  
Paula García-Ibañez ◽  
Francisco Quirante-Moya ◽  
Débora Villaño ◽  
Diego A. Moreno
Keyword(s):  
Sample Size ◽  
Human Health ◽  
Critical Points ◽  
Clinical Studies ◽  
Brassica Vegetables ◽  
The Right ◽  
Preclinical And Clinical Studies ◽  
Time Of Intervention ◽  
Improve Health

Brassica vegetables and their components, the glucosinolates, have been suggested as good candidates as dietary coadjutants to improve health in non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Different preclinical and clinical studies have been performed in the last decade; however, some concerns have been posed on the lack of established and standardized protocols. The different concentration of bioactive compounds used, time of intervention or sample size, and the lack of blinding are some factors that may influence the studies’ outcomes. This review aims to analyze the critical points of the studies performed with Brassica-related biomolecules and propose some bases for future trials in order to avoid biases.

scholarly journals The role of the metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 in nicotine addiction

CNS Spectrums ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 1-6
Author(s):  
Funda Akkus ◽  
Sylvia Terbeck ◽  
Connor J. Haggarty ◽  
Valerie Treyer ◽  
Janan J. Dietrich ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Glutamate Receptor ◽  
Clinical Studies ◽  
Metabotropic Glutamate Receptor ◽  
Therapeutic Potential ◽  
Nicotine Addiction ◽  
Metabotropic Glutamate Receptor 5 ◽  
Metabotropic Glutamate ◽  
Nicotine Abuse ◽  
Preclinical And Clinical Studies

Abstract This review summarizes the evidence for the potential involvement of metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGluR5) in the development of nicotine addiction. Nicotine is consumed worldwide and is highly addictive. Previous research has extensively investigated the role of dopamine in association with reward learning and addiction, which has provided strong evidence for the involvement of dopaminergic neuronal circuitry in nicotine addiction. More recently, researchers focused on glutamatergic transmission after nicotine abuse, and its involvement in the reinforcing and rewarding effects of nicotine addiction. A number of robust preclinical and clinical studies have shown mGluR5 signaling as a facilitating mechanism of nicotine addiction and nicotine withdrawal. Specifically, clinical studies have illustrated lower cortical mGluR5 density in smokers compared to nonsmokers in the human brain. In addition, mGluR5 might selectively regulate craving and withdrawal. This suggests that mGluR5 could be a key receptor in the development of nicotine addiction and therefore clinical trials to examine the therapeutic potential of mGluR5 agents could help to contribute to reduce nicotine addiction in society.

scholarly journals β-carotene in Obesity Research: Technical Considerations and Current Status of the Field

Nutrients ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 842 ◽  
Author(s):  
Johana Coronel ◽  
Ivan Pinos ◽  
Jaume Amengual
Keyword(s):  
Vitamin A ◽  
Fruits And Vegetables ◽  
Metabolic Diseases ◽  
Bioactive Molecules ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Physiological Relevance ◽  
Adipose Tissue Development ◽  
Treatment Of Obesity ◽  
Β Carotene

Over the past decades, obesity has become a rising health problem as the accessibility to high calorie, low nutritional value food has increased. Research shows that some bioactive components in fruits and vegetables, such as carotenoids, could contribute to the prevention and treatment of obesity. Some of these carotenoids are responsible for vitamin A production, a hormone-like vitamin with pleiotropic effects in mammals. Among these effects, vitamin A is a potent regulator of adipose tissue development, and is therefore important for obesity. This review focuses on the role of the provitamin A carotenoid β-carotene in human health, emphasizing the mechanisms by which this compound and its derivatives regulate adipocyte biology. It also discusses the physiological relevance of carotenoid accumulation, the implication of the carotenoid-cleaving enzymes, and the technical difficulties and considerations researchers must take when working with these bioactive molecules. Thanks to the broad spectrum of functions carotenoids have in modern nutrition and health, it is necessary to understand their benefits regarding to metabolic diseases such as obesity in order to evaluate their applicability to the medical and pharmaceutical fields.

scholarly journals Neurobiology of Impulsivity and Aggression as Substrates of Suicidal Behavior: A Narrative Focus on the Involvement of Serum Lipids

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hasan Gokcay ◽  
Yasin Hasan Balcioglu
Keyword(s):  
Suicidal Behavior ◽  
Clinical Studies ◽  
Serum Lipids ◽  
Neuronal Membrane ◽  
Cholesterol Levels ◽  
Electronic Database Search ◽  
Preclinical And Clinical Studies ◽  
Study Designs ◽  
Low Cholesterol

Previous incidental findings of an increase of suicidal risk among subjects with low cholesterol levels have drawn attention to the role of lipids in suicidal behavior. To date, multiple lines of evidence acquired from clinical studies have confirmed an association between low cholesterol levels and suicidal behavior, but the involvement of dimensional traits including impulsivity and aggression in this association remains elusive. In this narrative review, we aimed to address and synthesize the literature regarding the involvement of lipids in the neurobiology of suicidal behavior and its underlying psychological substrates, impulsivity and aggression. An electronic database search was performed using different combinations of relevant keywords. Both preclinical and clinical studies matching the scope of this article were reviewed and filtered through an inspection of the abstracts to recruit the most suitable articles that contributed essential and substantial findings to the literature. Although subject characteristics and study designs vary across studies, current research has demonstrated that impulsivity and aggression might have shared neurobiologic substrates involved in altered serotonergic neurotransmission. Despite the association between low serum lipid levels and suicidal behavior being well documented, the involvement of lipid subtypes in the pathophysiology of impulsive and aggressive traits remains elusive. Further work is warranted to recognize the roles of lipids in neuronal membrane functions and serotonin metabolism, promote a greater appreciation of identifying biomarkers that could be used to determine at-risk individuals, and develop potential interventions to disrupt the pathogenesis of behavioral phenotypes of suicide.

scholarly journals Preclinical and Clinical Evidence Supporting Use of Cannabidiol in Psychiatry

2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gioacchino Calapai ◽  
Carmen Mannucci ◽  
Ioanna Chinou ◽  
Luigi Cardia ◽  
Fabrizio Calapai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Studies ◽  
Potential Role ◽  
Clinical Evidence ◽  
Cannabis Sativa ◽  
Psychiatric Patients ◽  
Mental Diseases ◽  
Schizophrenic Patients ◽  
Major Chemical ◽  
Preclinical And Clinical Studies

Background. Cannabidiol (CBD) is a major chemical compound present in Cannabis sativa. CBD is a nonpsychotomimetic substance, and it is considered one of the most promising candidates for the treatment of psychiatric disorders. Objective. The aim of this review is to illustrate the state of art about scientific research and the evidence of effectiveness of CBD in psychiatric patients. Methods. This review collects the main scientific findings on the potential role of CBD in the psychiatric field, and results of clinical trials carried out on psychiatric patients are commented. A research was conducted in the PUBMED, SCOPUS, and ScienceDirect databases using combinations of the words cannabidiol, psychiatry, and neuropsychiatric. Results. Preclinical and clinical studies on potential role of CBD in psychiatry were collected and further discussed. We found four clinical studies describing the effects of CBD in psychiatric patients: two studies about schizophrenic patients and the other two studies carried out on CBD effects in patients affected by generalized social anxiety disorder (SAD). Conclusion. Results from these studies are promising and suggest that CBD may have a role in the development of new therapeutic strategies in mental diseases, and they justify an in-depth commitment in this field. However, clinical evidence we show for CBD in psychiatric patients is instead still poor and limited to schizophrenia and anxiety, and it needs to be implemented with further studies carried out on psychiatric patients.

A Study on the Etiological Factors of Bilharzial Bladder Cancer in Egypt: 4. β-Carotene and Vitamin a Level in Serum

1982 ◽  
Vol 68 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-22 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdelbaset Anvver El-Aaser ◽  
Mahmoud Mohamed El-Merzabani ◽  
K.A. Abdel-Reheem ◽  
B.M. Hamza
Keyword(s):  
Bladder Cancer ◽  
Vitamin A ◽  
Cell Carcinoma ◽  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Transitional Cell ◽  
Normal Male ◽  
Tumor Type ◽  
Male Subjects ◽  
Β Carotene

The possible role of vitamin A in the pathogenesis of bilharzial bladder cancer among Egyptians, particularly as it relates to the histopathologic tumor type, was investigated. Bilharzial patients and bladder cancer patients with squamous cell carcinoma, the most prevalent type in Egypt, showed significantly lower levels of vitamin A than normal male subjects. In contrast, bladder cancer patients with transitional cell carcinoma had levels that were not significantly different from normal male subjects. The possible role of vitamin A in the etiology of bilharzial bladder cancer is discussed.

scholarly journals Metabolic Consequences of Supplemented Methionine in a Clinical Context

2020 ◽  
Vol 150 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 2538S-2547S
Author(s):  
Gerdien C Ligthart-Melis ◽  
Mariëlle P K J Engelen ◽  
Sunday Y Simbo ◽  
Gabrie A M Ten Have ◽  
John J Thaden ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Adverse Effect ◽  
Clinical Studies ◽  
Clinical Applications ◽  
Central Position ◽  
Adverse Effect Level ◽  
Effect Level ◽  
Excessive Intake ◽  
Preclinical And Clinical Studies ◽  
Harmful Effects

ABSTRACT The central position of methionine (Met) in protein metabolism indicates the importance of this essential amino acid for growth and maintenance of lean body mass. Therefore, Met might be a tempting candidate for supplementation. However, because Met is also the precursor of homocysteine (Hcy), a deficient intake of B vitamins or excessive intake of Met may result in hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy), which is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. This review discusses the evidence generated in preclinical and clinical studies on the importance and potentially harmful effects of Met supplementation and elaborates on potential clinical applications of supplemental Met with reference to clinical studies performed over the past 20 y. Recently acquired knowledge about the NOAEL (no observed adverse effect level) of 46.3 mg · kg-1 · d-1 and the LOAEL (lowest observed adverse effect level) of 91 mg · kg-1 · d-1 of supplemented Met will guide the design of future studies to further establish the role of Met as a potential (safe) candidate for nutritional supplementation in clinical applications.

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