Oleuropein suppresses mitochondrial reactive oxygen species generation possibly via an activation of transient receptor potential V1 and sirtuin-1 in cultured chicken muscle cells

Extra Virgin Olive Oil Phenolic Compounds: Modulating Mitochondrial Function and Protecting Against Chronic Diseases-A Narrative Review

BACKGROUND

Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), an essential element of the Mediterranean diet (MedDiet), has demonstrated considerable potential in improving mitochondrial health and protecting against chronic diseases. This narrative review aims to explore how the main phenolic compounds found in EVOO-hydroxytyrosol, oleuropein, and oleocanthal-contribute to mitochondrial health by reducing oxidative stress and inflammation.

METHODS

A search for scientific evidence was carried out between October 2024 and March 2025 in different bibliographic databases such as PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, SciSpace, and ResearchRabbit databases. The search strategy included combinations of terms such as "extra virgin olive oil", "EVOO polyphenols", "mitochondrial function", "oxidative stress", "inflammation", "mitophagy", and "chronic diseases". Preclinical, clinical, and mechanistic studies were included, giving priority to peer-reviewed publications.

RESULTS

This narrative review shows how some bioactive components of EVOO activate cellular pathways, such as mTOR, AMPK and sirtuins, which promote mitochondrial biogenesis, improve the efficiency of the electron transport chain, and protect mitochondrial DNA integrity. Furthermore, EVOO improves mitochondrial membrane fluidity and integrity, ensuring its functionality and efficiency. On the other hand, nutrition literacy, an important component of health, is a critical determinant of people's eating behaviors.

CONCLUSIONS

Although recent scientific evidence supports the metabolic benefits of EVOO components on mitochondrial metabolism and function, further nutritional intervention studies with these components are recommended to confirm their clinical relevance as a dietary tool aimed at preventing and/or delaying age-related metabolic diseases.

Mitophagy Unveiled: Exploring the Nexus of Mitochondrial Health and Neuroendocrinopathy

Mitochondria play a pivotal role in cellular metabolism, energy production, and apoptotic signaling, making mitophagy, the selective degradation of damaged mitochondria, crucial for mitochondrial health. Dysregulation of mitophagy has been implicated in various neuroendocrinopathies, yet the mechanisms linking these processes remain poorly understood. This review aims to explore the intersection between mitophagy and neuroendocrinopathy, addressing the critical gaps in knowledge regarding how mitochondrial dysfunction may contribute to the pathophysiology of neuroendocrine disorders. We conducted a comprehensive literature review of studies published on mitophagy and neuroendocrinopathies, focusing on data that elucidate the pathways involved and the clinical implications of mitochondrial health in neuroendocrine contexts. Our findings indicate that altered mitophagy may lead to the accumulation of dysfunctional mitochondria, contributing to neuroendocrine dysregulation. We present evidence linking impaired mitochondrial clearance to disease models of conditions such as metabolic syndrome, depression, and stress-related disorders, highlighting the potential for therapeutic interventions targeting mitophagy. While significant advances have been made in understanding mitochondrial biology, the direct interplay between mitophagy and neuroendocrinopathies remains underexplored. This review underscores the necessity for further research to elucidate these connections, which may offer novel insights into disease mechanisms and therapeutic strategies for treating maladaptive neuroendocrine responses.

Suppressive Effects of β-Hydroxybutyrate Administration on Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Inflammation in Broiler Chickens

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to evaluate the suppressive effects of β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) administration on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation in broiler chickens.

METHODS

Twenty-day-old male broiler chickens were randomly allocated to three groups, each of which was treated with saline (control), intraperitoneal administration of LPS [1.5 mg/kg body weight (BW), Escherichia coli O127:B8], or LPS plus BHB (3 mmol/kg BW).

RESULTS

Plasma albumin and total protein concentration were significantly reduced by LPS administration, while BHB co-treatment partially attenuated the effects. The LPS treatment significantly induced plasma aspartate and alanine aminotransferase activities, and interleukin (IL)-6 concentration, with the increases suppressed by BHB co-treatment (p < 0.05). The LPS treatment significantly increased the gene expression levels of IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-18 in the spleen and peripheral blood monocytes (PBMC), while the increases were partially attenuated by BHB in the spleen. Relatively higher levels of BHB dehydrogenase 1 and succinyl-CoA:3-ketoacid CoA transferase were observed in the spleen and skeletal muscle, while these gene levels were lower in PBMC and the liver.

CONCLUSIONS

The present results suggest that BHB can suppress LPS-induced inflammation, in which ketolytic enzyme expression levels may be involved in broiler chickens.

Role of Hydroxytyrosol and Oleuropein in the Prevention of Aging and Related Disorders: Focus on Neurodegeneration, Skeletal Muscle Dysfunction and Gut Microbiota

Aging is a multi-faceted process caused by the accumulation of cellular damage over time, associated with a gradual reduction of physiological activities in cells and organs. This degeneration results in a reduced ability to adapt to homeostasis perturbations and an increased incidence of illnesses such as cognitive decline, neurodegenerative and cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes, and skeletal muscle pathologies. Key features of aging include a chronic low-grade inflammation state and a decrease of the autophagic process. The Mediterranean diet has been associated with longevity and ability to counteract the onset of age-related disorders. Extra virgin olive oil, a fundamental component of this diet, contains bioactive polyphenolic compounds as hydroxytyrosol (HTyr) and oleuropein (OLE), known for their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective properties. This review is focused on brain, skeletal muscle, and gut microbiota, as these systems are known to interact at several levels. After the description of the chemistry and pharmacokinetics of HTyr and OLE, we summarize studies reporting their effects in in vivo and in vitro models of neurodegenerative diseases of the central/peripheral nervous system, adult neurogenesis and depression, senescence and lifespan, and age-related skeletal muscle disorders, as well as their impact on the composition of the gut microbiota.

Mitophagy: A promising therapeutic target for neuroprotection during ageing and age-related diseases

Mitochondria and mitochondria-mediated signalling pathways are known to control synaptic signalling, as well as long-lasting changes in neuronal structure and function. Mitochondrial impairment is linked to synaptic dysfunction in normal ageing and age-associated neurodegenerative ailments, including Parkinson's disease (PD) and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Both proteolysis and mitophagy perform a major role in neuroprotection, by maintaining a healthy mitochondrial population during ageing. Mitophagy, a highly evolutionarily conserved cellular process, helps in the clearance of damaged mitochondria and thereby maintains the mitochondrial and metabolic balance, energy supply, neuronal survival and neuronal health. Besides the maintenance of brain homeostasis, hippocampal mitophagy also helps in synapse formation, axonal development, dopamine release and long-term depression. In contrast, defective mitophagy contributes to ageing and age-related neurodegeneration by promoting the accumulation of damaged mitochondria leading to cellular dysfunction. Exercise, stress management, maintaining healthy mitochondrial dynamics and administering natural or synthetic pharmacological compounds are some of the strategies used for neuroprotection during ageing and age-related neurological diseases. The current review discusses the impact of defective mitophagy in ageing and age-associated neurodegenerative conditions, the underlying molecular pathways and potential therapies based on recently elucidated mitophagy-inducing strategies.

In silico investigation of uncoupling protein function in avian genomes

Introduction

The uncoupling proteins (UCPs) are involved in lipid metabolism and belong to a family of mitochondrial anionic transporters. In poultry, only one UCP homologue has been identified and experimentally shown to be associated with growth, feed conversion ratio, and abdominal fat according to its predominant expression in bird muscles. In endotherm birds, cell metabolic efficiency can be tuned by the rate of mitochondrial coupling. Thus, avUCP may be a key contributor to controlling metabolic rate during particular environmental changes.

Methods

This study aimed to perform a set of in-silico investigations primarily focused on the structural, biological, and biomimetic functions of avUCP. Thereby, using in silico genome analyses among 8 avian species (chicken, turkey, swallow, manakin, sparrow, wagtail, pigeon, and mallard) and a series of bioinformatic approaches, we provide phylogenetic inference and comparative genomics of avUCPs and investigate whether sequence variation can alter coding sequence characteristics, the protein structure, and its biological features. Complementarily, a combination of literature mining and prediction approaches was also applied to predict the gene networks of avUCP to identify genes, pathways, and biological crosstalk associated with avUCP function.

Results

The results showed the evolutionary alteration of UCP proteins in different avian species. Uncoupling proteins in avian species are highly conserved trans membrane proteins as seen by sequence alignment, physio-chemical parameters, and predicted protein structures. Taken together, avUCP has the potential to be considered a functional marker for the identification of cell metabolic state, thermogenesis, and oxidative stress caused by cold, heat, fasting, transfer, and other chemical stimuli stresses in birds. It can also be deduced that avUCP, in migrant or domestic birds, may increase heat stress resistance by reducing fatty acid transport/b-oxidation and thermoregulation alongside antioxidant defense mechanisms. The predicted gene network for avUCP highlighted a cluster of 21 genes involved in response to stress and 28 genes related to lipid metabolism and the proton buffering system. Finally, among 11 enriched pathways, crosstalk of 5 signaling pathways including MAPK, adipocytokine, mTOR, insulin, ErbB, and GnRH was predicted, indicating a possible combination of positive or negative feedback among pathways to regulate avUCP functions.

Discussion

Genetic selection for fast-growing commercial poultry has unintentionally increased susceptibility to many kinds of oxidative stress, and so avUCP could be considered as a potential candidate gene for balancing energy expenditure and reactive oxygen species production, especially in breeding programs. In conclusion, avUCP can be introduced as a pleiotropic gene that requires the contribution of regulatory genes, hormones, pathways, and genetic crosstalk to allow its finely-tuned function.

Neuroprotective Panel of Olive Polyphenols: Mechanisms of Action, Anti-Demyelination, and Anti-Stroke Properties

Neurological diseases such as stroke and multiple sclerosis are associated with high morbidity and mortality, long-term disability, and social and economic burden. Therefore, they represent a major challenge for medical treatment. Numerous evidences support the beneficial effects of polyphenols from olive trees, which can alleviate or even prevent demyelination, neurodegeneration, cerebrovascular diseases, and stroke. Polyphenols from olive oils, especially extra virgin olive oil, olive leaves, olive leaf extract, and from other olive tree derivatives, alleviate inflammation and oxidative stress, two major factors in demyelination. In addition, they reduce the risk of stroke due to their multiple anti-stroke effects, such as anti-atherosclerotic, antihypertensive, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, hypocholesterolemic, hypoglycemic, and anti-thrombotic effects. In addition, olive polyphenols have beneficial effects on the plasma lipid profiles and insulin sensitivity in obese individuals. This review provides an updated version of the beneficial properties and mechanisms of action of olive polyphenols against demyelination in the prevention/mitigation of multiple sclerosis, the most common non-traumatic neurological cause of impairment in younger adults, and against cerebral insult with increasing incidence, that has already reached epidemic proportions.

Icariin exhibits protective effects on cisplatin-induced cardiotoxicity via ROS-mediated oxidative stress injury in vivo and in vitro

BACKGROUND

Cisplatin-induced cardiotoxicity severely limits its clinical application as an antitumor drug and increases the risk of cardiovascular disease. Icariin (ICA), the main flavonoid isolated from Epimedii Folium, has been demonstrated to have various beneficial effects on cardiovascular disease. However, the protective effect of ICA against cisplatin-induced cardiotoxicity remains unclear.

PURPOSE

In present study, we explored the protective action of ICA against cisplatin-induced cardiotoxicity and its possible molecular mechanisms in vitro and in vivo.

METHODS

Mice were intraperitoneally injected with cisplatin 4 mg/kg every other day for 7 times to establish myocardial injury model. ICA (15, 30 mg/kg) was administered to mice by gavage for 21 days. H9c2 cells were treated with ICA (3, 6, 12 µM) in the presence or absence of cisplatin (40 µM), and then cell viability, oxidative stress, apoptosis, and mitochondrial function were evaluated.

RESULTS

Biochemical index detection and histopathological staining analysis showed that ICA had a good protective effect on cisplatin-induced cardiotoxicity. Cellular experiments showed that ICA inhibited cisplatin-induced oxidative stress in a dose-dependent manner by regulating the levels of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA). ICA could inhibit the expression of NF-κB and the secretion of inflammatory factors, thereby alleviating the inflammatory injury caused by cisplatin. In addition, ICA could alleviate cisplatin-induced myocardial injury by activating SIRT1 and PI3K/Akt signaling pathways and inhibiting MAPKs signaling pathway.

CONCLUSION

These results suggest that ICA could attenuate cisplatin-induced cardiac injury by inhibiting oxidative stress, inflammation and apoptosis, laying a foundation for ICA to reduce chemotherapy-induced cardiotoxicity in clinical practice.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO), a Mediterranean Diet Component, in the Management of Muscle Mass and Function Preservation

Aging results in a progressive decline in skeletal muscle mass, strength and function, a condition known as sarcopenia. This pathological condition is due to multifactorial processes including physical inactivity, inflammation, oxidative stress, hormonal changes, and nutritional intake. Physical therapy remains the standard approach to treat sarcopenia, although some interventions based on dietary supplementation are in clinical development. In this context, thanks to its known anti-inflammatory and antioxidative properties, there is great interest in using extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) supplementation to promote muscle mass and health in sarcopenic patients. To date, the molecular mechanisms responsible for the pathological changes associated with sarcopenia remain undefined; however, a complete understanding of the signaling pathways that regulate skeletal muscle protein synthesis and their behavior during sarcopenia appears vital for defining how EVOO might attenuate muscle wasting during aging. This review highlights the main molecular players that control skeletal muscle mass, with particular regard to sarcopenia, and discusses, based on the more recent findings, the potential of EVOO in delaying/preventing loss of muscle mass and function, with the aim of stimulating further research to assess dietary supplementation with EVOO as an approach to prevent or delay sarcopenia in aging individuals.