Dietary supplementation of grape seed and skin flour mitigates brain oxidative damage induced by a high-fat diet in rat: Gender dependency

Relationship Between a High-Fat Diet, Reduced Mobility, and Trace Element Overload in the Olfactory Bulbs of C57BL/6J and DBA/2J Mice

The dysregulation of trace elements in the brain, which can be caused by genetic or environmental factors, has been associated with disease and compromised mobility. Research regarding trace elements and motor function has focused mainly on the basal ganglia, but few studies have examined the olfactory bulb in this context. Diets high in fat have been shown to have consequences of dysregulated iron and manganese in the brain and disrupted motor activity. The aim of our study was to examine the relationship between mobility and trace element disruption in the olfactory bulb in male and female C57BL/6J and DBA/2J mice fed a high-fat diet. Mobility was significantly reduced in male C57BL/6Js, but the correlation between iron and manganese in the olfactory bulb with velocity, distance travelled, and habituation was not statistically significant. However, there appears to be an overall pattern of a high-fat diet having a statistically significant impact individually on elevated iron and manganese in the olfactory bulb, reduced velocity, reduced distance travelled, and reduced habituation mainly in the male C57BL/6J strain. We found similar trends within the scientific literature to suggest that dysregulated trace element status in the olfactory bulb may be related to motor function in both humans and animals and that males may be more susceptible to the negative outcomes. Our findings contribute new information regarding the impact of diet on the brain, behavior, and potential connection between trace element dysregulation in the olfactory bulb with mobility.

Gender Differences in Oxidative Stress in Relation to Cancer Susceptibility and Survival

Genetic, developmental, biochemical, and environmental variables interact intricately to produce sex differences. The significance of sex differences in cancer susceptibility is being clarified by numerous studies. Epidemiological research and cancer registries have revealed over the past few years that there are definite sex variations in cancer incidence, progression, and survival. However, oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction also have a significant impact on the response to treatment of neoplastic diseases. Young women may be more protected from cancer than men because most of the proteins implicated in the regulation of redox state and mitochondrial function are under the control of sexual hormones. In this review, we describe how sexual hormones control the activity of antioxidant enzymes and mitochondria, as well as how they affect several neoplastic diseases. The molecular pathways that underlie the gender-related discrepancies in cancer that have been identified may be better understood, which may lead to more effective precision medicine and vital information on treatment options for both males and females with neoplastic illnesses.

The Protective Role of Grape Seed in Obesity and Lipid Profile: An Updated Narrative Overview of Preclinical and Clinical Studies

Obesity and dyslipidemia are common disorders universally. According to the acquired outcomes of recent studies, dietary supplementations which have great content of phenolic compounds exert protective effects against obesity and dyslipidemia. Grape [Vitis vinifera] seeds are considered attractive sources of phenolic compounds with anti-oxidative stress and anti-inflammatory effects. There are also various experimental studies describing hepatoprotective, neuroprotective, anti-aging, cardioprotective, and anti-carcinogenic effects of polyphenols isolated from grape seed, highlighting the therapeutic and biological aspects of proanthocyanidins. The present review article first discusses pharmacological, botanical, toxicological, and phytochemical characteristics of Vitis vinifera seeds and afterward designates the protective properties which are attributed to the intake of grape seeds in obesity and hyperlipidemia. Overall valuable and updated findings of this study display that polyphenol of grape seeds has meaningful impacts on the regulation of lipid profile levels and management of obesity.

Phenolic composition of grape pomace and its metabolism

Grape pomace is the most important residual after wine making, and it is considered to be a very abundant source for the extraction of a wide range of polyphenols. These polyphenols exhibit a variety of bioactivities, such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer. They are also beneficial in alleviating metabolic syndrome and regulating intestinal flora, etc. These health effects are most likely contributed by polyphenol metabolite, which are formed by the grape pomace phenolics after a complex metabolic process in vivo. Therefore, understanding the phenolic composition of grape pomace and its metabolism is the basis for an in-depth study of the biological activity of grape pomace polyphenols. In this paper, we first summarize the composition of phenolics in grape pomace, then review the recent studies on the metabolism of grape pomace phenolics, including changes in phenolics in the gastrointestinal tract, their pharmacokinetics in the systemic circulation, the tissue distribution of phenolic metabolites, and the beneficial effects of metabolites on intestinal health, and finally summarize the effects of human health status and dietary fiber on the metabolism of grape polyphenols. It is expected to provide help for the in-depth research on the metabolism and biological activity of grape pomace polyphenol extracts, and to provide theoretical support for the development and utilization of grape pomace.

Grape seed and skin extract, a potential prebiotic with anti-obesity effect through gut microbiota modulation

Background

Obesity is a worldwide health problem and a significant risk factor for diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Gut microbiota (GM) plays an essential role in obesity, and prebiotics such as polyphenols could be one way to improve microbial dysbiosis-induced obesity.

Objective

This study was designed to assess the effectiveness of grape seed and skin extract (GSSE), and/or orlistat on obese rats fed with high fat diet by targeting GM modulations. The impact of treatments was also studied in non-obese rats.

Material and methods

Rats were rendered obese or kept with a standard diet for three months. Then they were treated either with GSSE or orlistat or with the combined treatment (GSOR) during three months and then sacrificed. Adipose tissues, blood and faeces were collected and analyzed.

Results

In obese rats and to a lesser extent in non-obese rats, treatments decreased the weight of various adipose tissues and the serum levels of cholesterol, LDL, triglycerides, lipase, and CRP and increased HDL and adiponectin. GSOR treatment was even more efficient that orlistat. Obese rats had less GM diversity than non-obese rats and orlistat reduced it even more. However, diversity was restored with GSSE and GSOR treatments. Potential pathogenic Streptococcus alactolyticus/gallolyticus species were greatly increased in obese rats and drastically reduced with the treatments, as wells as other potential pathobionts.

Conclusions

GSSE exerts beneficial effects in obese rats and restores, at least partially, the observed dysbiosis. GSOR induced the highest beneficial effect. Moreover, the various treatments could also enhance physiological and GM modifications in non obese rats.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13099-022-00505-0.

The hypolipidemic, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effect of Kavolì® aqueous extract, a mixture of Brassica oleracea leaves, in a rat model of NAFLD

Herein we characterized the bioactive metabolites of the aqueous extract of Kavolì®, a commercial product composed of a mixture of Brassica oleracea leaves, and assessed its potential ameliorating effects in a rat model of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Kavolì® extract showed high levels of bioactive compounds and strong in vitro antioxidant activities. Chlorogenic and neochlorogenic acids were identified as the most representative polyphenols. The administration of brassica extract to steatotic rats significantly ameliorated the levels of blood lipids and transaminases, and lipid content and inflammatory markers in liver. Oxidative stress parameters were significantly improved in both liver and brain of steatotic rats. Moreover, plasma and feces levels of short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) were bring back close to control values by Kavolì® treatment, in spite of high fat diet/streptozotocin (HFD/STZ)-induced alterations. The efficacy of Kavolì® in treating hypercholesterolemia, reducing the level of inflammation and cardiovascular disease biomarkers, steatosis and oxidative stress parameters, as well as the ability in modulating SCFAs levels is probably related to the bioactive compounds of the water extract administered to the rat model of NAFLD. In particular, the ameliorating effects are largely attributable to the high content in polyphenols observed in our study.

Calpain-Mediated Alterations in Astrocytes Before and During Amyloid Chaos in Alzheimer's Disease

One of the changes found in the brain in Alzheimer's disease (AD) is increased calpain, derived from calcium dysregulation, oxidative stress, and/or neuroinflammation, which are all assumed to be basic pillars in neurodegenerative diseases. The role of calpain in synaptic plasticity, neuronal death, and AD has been discussed in some reviews. However, astrocytic calpain changes sometimes appear to be secondary and consequent to neuronal damage in AD. Herein, we explore the possibility of calpain-mediated astroglial reactivity in AD, both preceding and during the amyloid phase. We discuss the types of brain calpains but focus the review on calpains 1 and 2 and some important targets in astrocytes. We address the signaling involved in controlling calpain expression, mainly involving p38/mitogen-activated protein kinase and calcineurin, as well as how calpain regulates the expression of proteins involved in astroglial reactivity through calcineurin and cyclin-dependent kinase 5. Throughout the text, we have tried to provide evidence of the connection between the alterations caused by calpain and the metabolic changes associated with AD. In addition, we discuss the possibility that calpain mediates amyloid-β clearance in astrocytes, as opposed to amyloid-β accumulation in neurons.

Diet-Induced Obesity Disrupts Trace Element Homeostasis and Gene Expression in the Olfactory Bulb

The aim of this study was to determine the impact of diet-induced obesity (DIO) on trace element homeostasis and gene expression in the olfactory bulb and to identify potential interaction effects between diet, sex, and strain. Our study is based on evidence that obesity and olfactory bulb impairments are linked to neurodegenerative processes. Briefly, C57BL/6J (B6J) and DBA/2J (D2J) male and female mice were fed either a low-fat diet or a high-fat diet for 16 weeks. Brain tissue was then evaluated for iron, manganese, copper, and zinc concentrations and mRNA gene expression. There was a statistically significant diet-by-sex interaction for iron and a three-way interaction between diet, sex, and strain for zinc in the olfactory bulb. Obese male B6J mice had a striking 75% increase in iron and a 50% increase in manganese compared with the control. There was an increase in zinc due to DIO in B6J males and D2J females, but a decrease in zinc in B6J females and D2J males. Obese male D2J mice had significantly upregulated mRNA gene expression for divalent metal transporter 1, alpha-synuclein, amyloid precursor protein, dopamine receptor D2, and tyrosine hydroxylase. B6J females with DIO had significantly upregulated brain-derived neurotrophic factor expression. Our results demonstrate that DIO has the potential to disrupt trace element homeostasis and mRNA gene expression in the olfactory bulb, with effects that depend on sex and genetics. We found that DIO led to alterations in iron and manganese predominantly in male B6J mice, and gene expression dysregulation mainly in male D2J mice. These results have important implications for health outcomes related to obesity with possible connections to neurodegenerative disease.

Chamomile decoction mitigates high fat diet-induced anxiety-like behavior, neuroinflammation and cerebral ROS overload

An abundant literature suggests that obesity-associated with taking a high fat diet is related to an elevated risk of type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome. However, metabolic disorders may be involved in the induction of the anxiogenic-like symptoms. The current study was designed to elucidate the mechanisms by which a high fat diet (HFD) can cause several complications in the WISTAR rats (Rattus norvegicus) brain. Oxidative stress and inflammation as well as the putative protection afforded by chamomile decoction extract (CDE) were also studied.The results demonstrated that the increased body and brain weight, acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase activities as well as hypercholezterolaemia in response to HFD taking were correlated with anxiogenic-like symptoms. Moreover, HFD feed caused a brain oxidative stress characterized by increased lipoperoxidation, inhibition of antioxidant enzyme activities such as SOD, CAT and GPx, depletion of a non-enzymatic antioxidant such as sulfhydryl groups and GSH. Importantly, the results also show that HFD also provoked a cerebral overload in reactive oxygen species such as OH^•, H₂O₂ and O2∙- as well as brain inflammation assessed by the overproduction of cytokines such as IL-1β and IL-6.Interestingly, all neurobehavioral changes and all the biochemical and molecular disturbances were abolished in HFD-fed rats treated with CDE.Our results provide clear evidence that obesity and depression as well as anxiety are finely correlated and that M. recutita's decoction may prove to be a potential therapeutic agent to mitigate the behavioral disorders, the biochemical alterations and the neuroinflammation associated to the obesity.

Health Effects of Grape Seed and Skin Extracts and Their Influence on Biochemical Markers

This review is focused on the study of the effects of grape seed and skin extract (GSSE) on human health. GSSE contains high concentrations of important polyphenolic substances with high biological activity. This review is a summary of studies that investigate the effects of GSSE on diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease and cancer, its neuroprotective effect, and its effects on the gastrointestinal tract and other health complications related to these diseases. The results of the studies confirm that the anti-inflammatory, antiapoptotic, and pro-proliferative effects of “Vitis vinifera L.” seed extract reduce the level of oxidative stress and improve the overall lipid metabolism.

Glibenclamide restores dopaminergic reward circuitry in obese mice through interscauplar brown adipose tissue

BACKGROUND

Obesity, a critical feature in metabolic disorders, is associated with medical depression. Recent evidence reveals that brown adipose tissue (BAT) activity may contribute to mood disorders, Adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-sensitive K⁺ (K_ATP) channels regulate BAT sympathetic nerve activity. However, the mechanism through which BAT activity affects mood control remains unknown. We hypothesized the BAT is involved in depressive-like symptoms regulation by trafficking K_ATP channels.

METHODS

Eight-week-old male B6 mice fed with a high-fat diet (HFD) for 12 weeks exhibited characteristics of metabolic disorders, including hyperglycemia, hyperinsulinemia, and hyperlipidemia, as well as depressive symptoms. In this study, we surgically removed interscapular BAT in mice, and these mice exhibited immobility in the forced swim test and less preference for sugar water compared with other mice. To delineate the role of K_ATP channels in BAT activity regulation, we implanted a miniosmotic pump containing glibenclamide (GB), a K_ATP channel blocker, into the interscapular BAT of HFD-fed mice.

RESULTS

GB infusion improved glucose homeostasis, insulin sensitivity, and depressive-like symptoms. K_ATP channel expression was lower in HFD-fed mice than in chow-fed mice. Notably, GB infusion in HFD-fed mice restored K_ATP channel expression.

CONCLUSION

K_ATP channels are functionally expressed in BAT, and inhibiting BAT-K_ATP channels improves metabolic syndromes and reduces depressive symptoms through beta-3-adrenergic receptor-mediated protein kinase A signaling.

Regular Intake of Pistachio Mitigates the Deleterious Effects of a High Fat-Diet in the Brain of Obese Mice

Obesity has been associated with neurodegeneration and cognitive dysfunctions. Recent data showed that pistachio consumption is able to prevent and ameliorate dyslipidemia, hepatic steatosis, systemic and adipose tissue inflammation in mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD). The present study investigated the neuroprotective effects of pistachio intake in HFD mice. Three groups of mice were fed a standard diet (STD), HFD, or HFD supplemented with pistachio (HFD-P) for 16 weeks. Metabolic parameters (oxidative stress, apoptosis, and mitochondrial dysfunction) were analyzed by using specific assays and biomarkers. The pistachio diet significantly reduced the serum levels of triglycerides and cholesterol in the HFD model. No difference was observed in the index of insulin resistance between HFD and HFD-P. A higher number of fragmented nuclei were found in HFD cerebral cortex compared to STD and HFD-P. A decrease in reactive oxygen species, singlet oxygen and phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase, and an increase of superoxide dismutase 2 and heme oxygenase expression were found in the brains of the HFD-P samples compared to HFD. Furthermore, the impaired mitochondrial function found in HFD brain was partially recovered in HFD-P mice. These results suggest that the regular intake of pistachio may be useful in preventing obesity-related neurodegeneration, being able to reduce both metabolic and cellular dysfunctions.

Sexual hormones regulate the redox status and mitochondrial function in the brain. Pathological implications

Compared to other organs, the brain is especially exposed to oxidative stress. In general, brains from young females tend to present lower oxidative damage in comparison to their male counterparts. This has been attributed to higher antioxidant defenses and a better mitochondrial function in females, which has been linked to neuroprotection in this group. However, these differences usually disappear with aging, and the incidence of brain pathologies increases in aged females. Sexual hormones, which suffer a decrease with normal aging, have been proposed as the key factors involved in these gender differences. Here, we provide an overview of redox status and mitochondrial function regulation by sexual hormones and their influence in normal brain aging. Furthermore, we discuss how sexual hormones, as well as phytoestrogens, may play an important role in the development and progression of several brain pathologies, including neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, stroke or brain cancer.

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Sex hormones are reduced with aging, especially in females, affecting redox balance.

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Normal aging is associated to a worse redox homeostasis in the brain.

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Young females show better mitochondrial function and higher antioxidant defenses.

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Development of brain pathologies is influenced by sex hormones and phytoestrogens.

Wild Italian Prunus spinosa L. Fruit Exerts In Vitro Antimicrobial Activity and Protects Against In Vitro and In Vivo Oxidative Stress

Polyphenol-rich foods could have a pivotal function in the prevention of oxidative stress-based pathologies and antibacterial action. The purpose of this study was to investigate the in vitro antimicrobial activity, as well as the in vitro and In Vivo antioxidant capacities of wild Prunus spinosa L. fruit (PSF) from the southeast regions of Italy. The total phenolic content (TPC) was quantified, and the single polyphenols were analyzed by HPLC-DAD, showing high rutin and 4-hydroxybenzoic acid levels, followed by gallic and trans-sinapic acids. PSF extract demonstrated antimicrobial activity against some potentially pathogenic Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. Besides, we investigated the cellular antioxidant activity (CAA) and the hemolysis inhibition of PSF extract on human erythrocytes, evidencing both a good antioxidant power and a marked hemolysis inhibition. Furthermore, an In Vivo experiment with oxidative stress-induced rats treated with a high-fat diet (HFD) and a low dose of streptozotocin (STZ) demonstrated that PSF has a dose-dependent antioxidant capacity both in liver and in brain. In conclusion, the wild Italian Prunus spinosa L. fruit could be considered a potentially useful material for both nutraceutical and food industries because of its antioxidant and antimicrobial effects.

Neurochemical Modifications in the Hippocampus, Cortex and Hypothalamus of Mice Exposed to Long-Term High-Fat Diet

Metabolic syndrome and diabetes impact brain function and metabolism. While it is well established that rodents exposed to diets rich in saturated fat develop brain dysfunction, contrasting results abound in the literature, likely as result of exposure to different high-fat diet (HFD) compositions and for varied periods of time. In the present study, we investigated alterations of hippocampal-dependent spatial memory by measuring Y-maze spontaneous alternation, metabolic profiles of the hippocampus, cortex and hypothalamus by ¹H magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), and levels of proteins specific to synaptic and glial compartments in mice exposed for 6 months to different amounts of fat (10, 45, or 60% of total energy intake). Increasing the dietary amount of fat from 10 to 45% or 60% resulted in obesity accompanied by increased leptin, fasting blood glucose and insulin, and reduced glucose tolerance. In comparison to controls (10%-fat), only mice fed the 60%-fat diet showed increased fed glycemia, as well as plasma corticosterone that has a major impact on brain function. HFD-induced metabolic profile modifications measured by ¹H MRS were observed across the three brain areas in mice exposed to 60%- but not 45%-fat diet, while both HFD groups displayed impaired hippocampal-dependent memory. HFD also affected systems involved in neuro- or gliotransmission in the hippocampus. Namely, relative to controls, 60%-fat-fed mice showed reduced SNAP-25, PSD-95 and syntaxin-4 immunoreactivity, while 45%-fat-fed mice showed reduced gephyrin and syntaxin-4 immunoreactivity. For both HFD levels, reductions of the vesicular glutamate transporter vGlut1 and levels of the vesicular GABA transporter were observed in the hippocampus and hypothalamus, relative to controls. Immunoreactivity against GFAP and/or Iba-1 in the hypothalamus was higher in mice exposed to HFD than controls, suggesting occurrence of gliosis. We conclude that different levels of dietary fat result in distinct neurochemical alterations in the brain.

A Natural Dietary Supplement with a Combination of Nutrients Prevents Neurodegeneration Induced by a High Fat Diet in Mice

Obesity and metabolic disorders can be risk factors for the onset and development of neurodegenerative diseases. The aim of the present study was to investigate the protective effects of a natural dietary supplement (NDS), containing Curcuma longa, silymarin, guggul, chlorogenic acid and inulin, on dysmetabolism and neurodegeneration in the brains of high fat diet (HFD)-fed mice. Decrease in the expression of FACL-4, CerS-1, CerS-4, cholesterol concentration and increase in the insulin receptor expression and insulin signaling activation, were found in brains of NDS-treated HFD brains in comparison with HFD untreated-mice, suggesting that NDS is able to prevent brain lipid accumulation and central insulin resistance. In the brains of NDS-treated HFD mice, the levels of RNS, ROS and lipid peroxidation, the expression of p-ERK, H-Oxy, i-NOS, HSP60, NF-kB, GFAP, IL-1β, IL-6 and CD4 positive cell infiltration were lower than in untreated HFD mice, suggesting antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of NDS. The decreased expression of p-ERK and GFAP in NDS-treated HFD mice was confirmed by immunofluorescence. Lastly, a lower number of apoptotic nuclei was found in cortical sections of NDS-treated HFD mice. The present data indicate that NDS exerts neuroprotective effects in HFD mice by reducing brain fat accumulation, oxidative stress and inflammation and improving brain insulin resistance.

Supplementation of grape seed and skin extract to orlistat therapy prevents high-fat diet-induced murine spleen lipotoxicity

Spleen is the largest lymphoid organ and obesity is related to an elevated risk of immunity dysfunction. The mechanism whereby fat adversely affects the spleen is poorly understood. This study was designed to assess the effectiveness of grape seed and skin extract (GSSE) and orlistat (Xenical, Xe) on high-fat diet (HFD)-induced spleen lipotoxicity. Obese rats were treated either with GSSE (4 g/kg body weight) or Xe (2 mg/kg body weight) or GSSE+Xe and monitored for weight loss for 3 months. Animals were then sacrificed and their spleen used for the evaluation of lipotoxicity-induced oxidative stress and inflammation as well as the putative protection afforded by GSSE and Xe treatment. HFD induced body weight gain and glycogen accumulation into the spleen; ectopic deposition of cholesterol and triglycerides and an oxidative stress characterized by increased lipoperoxidation and carbonylation; inhibition of antioxidant enzyme activities, such as catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase; depletion of zinc and copper; and a concomitant increase in calcium. HFD also increased plasma pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin (IL)-6, IL-17A, tumour necrosis factor alpha, and C-reactive protein, and decreased plasma IL-10 and adiponectin. Importantly, GSSE counteracted all the deleterious effects of HFD on spleen (i.e., lipotoxicity, oxidative stress, and inflammation) and the best protection was obtained when combining Xe+GSSE. Combining GSSE with Xe prevented against fat-induced spleen lipotoxicity, oxidative stress, and inflammation; this combination may be beneficial in other diseases related to the spleen.

Protective effect of grape seed and skin extract against high-fat diet-induced dyshomeostasis of energetic metabolism in rat lung

BACKGROUND

Obesity is currently one of the major epidemics of this millennium and affects poeples throughout the world. It causes multiple systemic complications as it significantly interferes with respiratory function.

OBJECTIVE

We aimed in the present work to study the effect of high fat diet (HFD) on lung oxidative stress and energy metabolism alterations, as well as the putative protection afforded by grape seed and skin extract (GSSE).

METHODS

We started by characterizing the GSSE and its composition using gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS). We used a rat model of high-fat-diet and we evaluated the effect of GSSE on oxidative stress and energetic disturbances induced by HFD. We analyzed the effect of HFD on lung oxidative status by assessing lipid oxidation level, non-protein thiols (NPSH) and superoxide anion level… We also evaluated the effect of HFD on creatine kinase (CK), malate dehydrogenase (MDH) and mitochondrial complex IV.

RESULTS

HFD induced body weight gain, increased lung weight and lipid content without affecting insulinemia and dropped adiponectemia. HFD also provoked on lung oxidative stress characterized by increased carbonylation (+ 95%; p = 0.0045), decreased of NPSH (- 32%; p = 0.0291) and inhibition of antioxidant enzyme activities such as glutathione peroxidase (- 25%; p = 0.0074). HFD also altered lung intracellular mediators as superoxide anion O2¯ (+ 59%; p = 0.0027) and increased lung xanthine oxidase activity (+ 27%; p = 0.0122). HFD induced copper depletion (- 24%; p = 0.0498) and lead (- 51%: p = 0.0490) from the lung. Correlatively HFD decreased the copper associated enzyme tyrosinase (- 29%; p = 0.0500) and decreased glutamine synthetase activity (- 31%; p = 0.0027). HFD altered also lung energy metabolism by increasing CK activity (+ 22%; p = 0.0108) and decreasing MDH and mitochondrial complex IV activities (- 28%; p = 0.0120, - 31%; p = 0.0086 respectively). Importantly all these alterations were efficiently corrected with GSSE treatment.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, GSSE has the potential to alleviate the deleterious lipotoxic effect of HFD on lung and it could find potential application in the protection against HFD-induced lung complications.

Potential ameliorative effects of grape seed-derived polyphenols against cadmium induced prostatic deficits

Grape (Vitis vinifera) is consumed as fruit and wine for people. In this study, rat model of prostatic deficits was induced by orally receiving 60mg/L cadmium chlorine (CdCl₂) through drinking water for 20 weeks. Grape seed-derived polyphenols extract (GSP) was orally given for 20 weeks. Finally, the prostatic levels of E-cadherin, fibronectin, and α-smooth muscle actin were measured by immunohistochemical and qPCR analysis. The oxidative stress was measured by detecting the levels of malondialdehyde, nitric oxide, reduced glutathione/oxidized glutathione and enzymatic antioxidant status. Additionally, the prostatic expressions of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), type I TGF-β receptor (TGF-βRI), Smad3, phosphorylation-Smad3 (p-Smad3), Smad7, nuclear related factor-2 (Nrf-2), heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and γ-glutamate cysteine ligase catalytic subunit (γ-GCLC) were measured by western blot. The levels of microRNA (miR)-133a/b were measured by qPCR. It was observed that GSP ameliorated the prostatic oxidative stress and fibrosis induced by CdCl₂. GSP also inhibited the over-generation of TGF-β1 and p-Smad3, as well as enhanced the levels of Smad7, Nrf-2, HO-1, γ-GCLC and miR-133a/b. These results showed that GSP could attenuate Cd-induced prostatic deficits.