Circulating and dietary advanced glycation end products and obesity in an adult population: A paradox of their detrimental effects in obesity

Advanced Glycation End Products in Disease Development and Potential Interventions

Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) are a group of compounds formed through non-enzymatic reactions between reducing sugars and proteins, lipids, or nucleic acids. AGEs can be generated in the body or introduced through dietary sources and smoking. Recent clinical and animal studies have highlighted the significant role of AGEs in various health conditions. These compounds accumulate in nearly all mammalian tissues and are associated with a range of diseases, including diabetes and its complications, cardiovascular disease, and neurodegeneration. This review summarizes the major diseases linked to AGE accumulation, presenting both clinical and experimental evidence. The pathologies induced by AGEs share common mechanisms across different organs, primarily involving oxidative stress, chronic inflammation, and direct protein cross-linking. Interventions targeting AGE-related diseases focus on inhibiting AGE formation using synthetic or natural antioxidants, as well as reducing dietary AGE intake through lifestyle modifications. AGEs are recognized as significant risk factors that impact health and accelerate aging, particularly in individuals with hyperglycemia. Monitoring AGE level and implementing nutritional interventions can help maintain overall health and reduce the risk of AGE-related complications.

The Advanced Glycation End-Products (AGE)-Receptor for AGE System (RAGE): An Inflammatory Pathway Linking Obesity and Cardiovascular Diseases

The AGE (advanced glycation end-products)-RAGE (receptor for AGE) system is a pro-inflammatory pathway that contributes to the pathogenesis of obesity and obesity-related cardiovascular disorders (CVD). Circulating AGE and the soluble form of RAGE (sRAGE) has been suggested as a potential biomarker of CVD related to obesity. In this study, we aim to (1) summarize the current knowledge about the role of obesity in the onset and progression of CVD, (2) discuss the role of the AGE-RAGE system as a pathway promoting obesity and linking obesity to CVD, and (3) highlight available strategies for reducing AGE-RAGE system activation and the associated beneficial effects.

The Multifaceted Chemistry of Chili Peppers: A Biodiversity Treasure for Nutrition and Biomedicine

Due to its biodiversity, traditional medicine has been recognized worldwide for centuries and continues to affect the development of complementary and alternative therapies. A wide variety of spices, herbs, and trees are known for their curative effects. Chili pepper (Ch-p), a spice-utilizing fruit, is rich in natural medicinally bioactive compounds, such as flavonoids, capsaicinoids, and many other phytochemicals and phytonutrients. Operating in synergy and consortium, these compounds demonstrate their functionality, in comparison to lonely treatment, as active agents in handling many disorders. These may include abnormal coagulation, oxidative stress, obesity, diabetes, inflammation, cancer, and microbe-inducing diseases. Recently, capsaicinoids, particularly capsaicin, have been shown to manage the symptoms of significant viral diseases, including COVID-19. Capsaicin also has the potential to be an effective anesthetic agent and enables Ch-p to be expandedly employed as a topical preparation in relieving pain as well. The phytochemicals of Ch-p are not only beneficial and inexpensive phyto-alternatives in disease management, but they can also be used as scaffolds for the production of novel medicines. The study also substantiates the role of the TRPV1 receptor in the mitigation of chronic diseases in conjunction with capsaicin. Nevertheless, the consumption of Ch-p is the subject of limited medicinal research, necessitating the confirmation of the results from animal studies. The nutritional and biomedical prospection of Ch-p-derived products has been addressed in an accessible format in this artifact, with the potential to precisely enhance and enrich our pharmaceutical industries in the pursuit of human well-being.

Sweet Bell Pepper: A Focus on Its Nutritional Qualities and Illness-Alleviated Properties

Sweet bell pepper (SBP, Capsicum annuum L.) can be employed as a spice in many dishes and may also be eaten as a delicious fruit. These two nutritional attributes are owing to the strong, deep taste of many SBP phytochemicals. This fruit has many additional beneficial properties because it contains high concentrations of minerals and vitamins that distinguish it from other kinds of fruits. Almost every part of the SBP is thought to be an excellent source of bioactive substances that are health supporters, such as flavonoids, polyphenols, and various aromatic substances. The ability of SBP-phytochemicals to work as antioxidants, reducing the harmful effects of oxidative stress and consequently preventing many chronic illnesses, is one of their main biomedical characteristics. These phytochemicals have good antibacterial properties, mostly against gram-positive pathogenic microbes, in addition to their anti-carcinogenic and cardio-preventive effects. So, this review aims to highlight the nutritional qualities of SBP-derived phytochemicals and their illness-alleviated characteristics. Antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antitumor, antidiabetic, and analgesic properties are some of the ones discussed.

Glycative stress as a cause of macular degeneration

People are living longer and rates of age-related diseases such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD) are accelerating, placing enormous burdens on patients and health care systems. The quality of carbohydrate foods consumed by an individual impacts health. The glycemic index (GI) is a kinetic measure of the rate at which glucose arrives in the blood stream after consuming various carbohydrates. Consuming diets that favor slowly digested carbohydrates releases sugar into the bloodstream gradually after consuming a meal (low glycemic index). This is associated with reduced risk for major age-related diseases including AMD, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. In comparison, consuming the same amounts of different carbohydrates in higher GI diets, releases glucose into the blood rapidly, causing glycative stress as well as accumulation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs). Such AGEs are cytotoxic by virtue of their forming abnormal proteins and protein aggregates, as well as inhibiting proteolytic and other protective pathways that might otherwise selectively recognize and remove toxic species. Using in vitro and animal models of glycative stress, we observed that consuming higher GI diets perturbs metabolism and the microbiome, resulting in a shift to more lipid-rich metabolomic profiles. Interactions between aging, diet, eye phenotypes and physiology were observed. A large body of laboratory animal and human clinical epidemiologic data indicates that consuming lower GI diets, or lower glycemia diets, is protective against features of early AMD (AMDf) in mice and AMD prevalence or AMD progression in humans. Drugs may be optimized to diminish the ravages of higher glycemic diets. Human trials are indicated to determine if AMD progression can be retarded using lower GI diets. Here we summarized the current knowledge regarding the pathological role of glycative stress in retinal dysfunction and how dietary strategies might diminish retinal disease.

Epigenetic contributions to cancer: Exploring the role of glycation reactions

Advanced Glycation End-products (AGEs), with their prolonged half-life in the human body, are emerging as potent diagnostic indicators. Early intervention studies, focusing on AGE cross-link breakers, have shown encouraging results in heart failure patients, paving the way for disease progression monitoring and therapy effectiveness evaluation. AGEs are the byproducts of a non-enzymatic reaction where sugars interact with proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids. These compounds possess the power to alter numerous biological processes, ranging from disrupting molecular conformation and promoting cross-linking to modifying enzyme activity, reducing clearance, and impairing receptor recognition. The damage inflicted by AGEs through the stimulation of intracellular signaling pathways is associated with the onset of chronic diseases across various organ systems. This review consolidates the characteristics of AGEs and the challenges posed by their expression in diverse physiological and pathological states. Furthermore, it highlights the clinical relevance of AGEs and the latest research breakthroughs aimed at reducing AGE accumulation.

Yeast-Hydrolysate-Derived 1-Methyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-β-carboline-3-carboxylic Acid Inhibits Fat Accumulation during Adipocyte Differentiation

This study aimed to investigate the impact of yeast hydrolysate (YH) on lipogenesis, elucidate its mechanistic action, and identify the active compounds responsible for its anti-adipogenic effects. YH (2 mg/mL) significantly reduced Oil Red O-stained lipids. YH (2 mg/mL) also downregulated C/EBPβ and upregulated KLF2, both of which are early adipogenic factors. Moreover, YH (2 mg/mL) decreased C/EBPα, PPARγ, FABP4, FAS, ACC, and HMGCR mRNA expression. Additionally, YH significantly downregulated SEBP1c and SREBP2 and their target genes, which govern fatty acid and cholesterol metabolism; however, 2 mg/mL YH had a greater suppressive effect on SREBP1c than on SREBP2. YH (2 mg/mL) also significantly reduced the mRNA level of G6PD and malic enzyme, which are enzymes that synthesize NADPH for lipid synthesis, compared with the control. Furthermore, 1-methyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-β-carboline-3-carboxylic acid (MTCA) was identified as the active compound with anti-adipogenic effects using solvent fractionation and chromatographic analysis of YH, and 1.1 μg/mL MTCA significantly downregulated SREBP1c/SREBP2 mRNAs by 47.8% and 69.2%, respectively, along with the target genes FAS, ACC, and HMGCR by 79.0%, 77.0%, and 40.9%, respectively. Collectively, YH effectively suppressed adipogenic lipid storage by downregulating SREBP- and NADPH-synthesizing genes. These findings suggest that YH containing MTCA has the potential to act as an anti-obesity agent.

Differential Association of Glycation Products with Bone Mineral Density and Fat Mass in Healthy and Diabetes Type 2 Subjects from Mexican Southeastern: A Cross Sectional Study

Background: Glycation products have been linked to decreased bone mineral density (BMD) in a number of clinical settings. This study examined the correlation between early glycation products (HbA1c and glycated albumin (ALB-g)) and advanced glycation end products (pentosidine (PTD)) with BMD in two groups of participants: those with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2) and those without diabetes or any other comorbidities (noDM). All of the participants had resided in southeastern Mexico for a minimum of 10 years. Material and Methods: This study included 204 participants: 112 (55%) with DM2 and 92 (45%) healthy subjects. We utilized dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) to measure both the total and segment-specific BMD and adipose mass. In addition, the fasting blood glucose, HbA1c, PTD, and ALB-g parameters were measured. Correlation and logistic regression analyses were conducted. Results: There was an inverse correlation between PTD and BMD in all anatomical regions among postmenopausal women (PMW) in the DM2 group, whereas in non-PMW, only the waist-to-height ratio was statistically significant. A negative correlation was observed between HbA1c levels and BMD in the arms and legs of DM2 individuals. However, in the noDM group, a negative correlation was found between HbA1c levels and BMD in the pelvis, while a positive association was observed between HbA1c and indicators of adipose tissue. ALB-g, demonstrated a negative correlation with fat mass. After performing binary logistic regressions, the following odds ratios (OR) for osteopenia/osteoporosis risk were determined: PTD OR 1.1 (p = 0.047) for DM2 PMW, HbA1c OR 1.4 (p = 0.048), and fat mass content OR 1.011 (p = 0.023) for the entire sample. Conclusions: Glycation products are associated with BMD differentially depending on the analyzed anatomical segment, but PTD, HbA1c, and fat mass are significant predictors of low bone mass. In prospective studies, this association could be determined using other techniques involving three-dimensional analysis of bone architecture to evaluate bone architecture.

Implications of receptor for advanced glycation end products for progression from obesity to diabetes and from diabetes to cancer

Obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) are chronic pathologies with a high incidence worldwide. They share some pathological mechanisms, including hyperinsulinemia, the production and release of hormones, and hyperglycemia. The above, over time, affects other systems of the human body by causing tissue hypoxia, low-grade inflammation, and oxidative stress, which lay the pathophysiological groundwork for cancer. The leading causes of death globally are T2DM and cancer. Other main alterations of this pathological triad include the accumulation of advanced glycation end products and the release of endogenous alarmins due to cell death (i.e., damage-associated molecular patterns) such as the intracellular proteins high-mobility group box protein 1 and protein S100 that bind to the receptor for advanced glycation products (RAGE) - a multiligand receptor involved in inflammatory and metabolic and neoplastic processes. This review analyzes the latest advanced reports on the role of RAGE in the development of obesity, T2DM, and cancer, with an aim to understand the intracellular signaling mechanisms linked with cancer initiation. This review also explores inflammation, oxidative stress, hypoxia, cellular senescence, RAGE ligands, tumor microenvironment changes, and the “cancer hallmarks” of the leading tumors associated with T2DM. The assimilation of this information could aid in the development of diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to lower the morbidity and mortality associated with these diseases.

Receptor for the Advanced Glycation End Products (RAGE) Pathway in Adipose Tissue Metabolism

Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) are mediators in the process of cellular dysfunction in response to hyperglycemia. Numerous data indicate that the accumulation of AGEs in the extracellular matrix plays a key role in the development of obesity-related adipose tissue dysfunction. Through binding of their membrane receptor (RAGE), AGEs affect numerous intracellular pathways and impair adipocyte differentiation, metabolism, and secretory activity. Therefore, inhibiting the production and accumulation of AGEs, as well as interfering with the metabolic pathways they activate, may be a promising therapeutic strategy for restoring normal adipose tissue function and, thus, combating obesity-related comorbidities. This narrative review summarizes data on the involvement of the RAGE pathway in adipose tissue dysfunction in obesity and the development of its metabolic complications. The paper begins with a brief review of AGE synthesis and the RAGE signaling pathway. The effect of the RAGE pathway on adipose tissue development and activity is then presented. Next, data from animal and human studies on the involvement of the RAGE pathway in obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases are summarized. Finally, therapeutic perspectives based on interference with the RAGE pathway are discussed.