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Manuela Di Lauro

Bio: Manuela Di Lauro is an academic researcher from University of Rome Tor Vergata. The author has contributed to research in topics: Medicine & Kidney disease. The author has an hindex of 7, co-authored 14 publications receiving 109 citations.

Papers
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Promising applications of e-GST discussed in the present review are its use for monitoring human subjects living in polluted areas and mammals for veterinary purpose.
Abstract: Glutathione transferase P1-1 (GSTP1-1) is expressed in some human tissues and is abundant in mammalian erythrocytes (here termed e-GST). This enzyme is able to detoxify the cell from endogenous and exogenous toxic compounds by using glutathione (GSH) or by acting as a ligandin. This review collects studies that propose GSTP1-1 as a useful biomarker in different fields of application. The most relevant studies are focused on GSTP1-1 as a biosensor to detect blood toxicity in patients affected by kidney diseases. In fact, this detoxifying enzyme is over-expressed in erythrocytes when unusual amounts of toxins are present in the body. Here we review articles concerning the level of GST in chronic kidney disease patients, in maintenance hemodialysis patients and to assess dialysis adequacy. GST is also over-expressed in autoimmune disease like scleroderma, and in kidney transplant patients and it may be used to check the efficiency of transplanted kidneys. The involvement of GSTP in the oxidative stress and in other human pathologies like cancer, liver and neurodegenerative diseases, and psychiatric disorders is also reported. Promising applications of e-GST discussed in the present review are its use for monitoring human subjects living in polluted areas and mammals for veterinary purpose.

42 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the use of functional foods, and the assumption of natural bioactive compounds (NBCs), could exert beneficial effects on body weight, blood pressure and glucose metabolism control, on endothelial damage, on the improvement of lipid profile, on inflammatory state, and on oxidative stress.
Abstract: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a clinical manifestation characterized by a plethora of comorbidities, including hyperglycemia, abdominal obesity, arterial hypertension, and dyslipidemia. All MetS comorbidities participate to induce a low-grade inflammation state and oxidative stress, typical of this syndrome. MetS is related to an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases and early death, with an important impact on health-care costs. For its clinic management a poly-pharmaceutical therapy is often required, but this can cause side effects and reduce the patient’s compliance. For this reason, finding a valid and alternative therapeutic strategy, natural and free of side effects, could represent a useful tool in the fight the MetS. In this context, the use of functional foods, and the assumption of natural bioactive compounds (NBCs), could exert beneficial effects on body weight, blood pressure and glucose metabolism control, on endothelial damage, on the improvement of lipid profile, on the inflammatory state, and on oxidative stress. This review focuses on the possible beneficial role of NBCs in the prevention and in the clinical management of MetS and its comorbidities.

38 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A significant decrease of traditional inflammatory biomarkers and other laboratory parameters like e-GST, azotaemia, and albuminuria after OFS treatment in CKD patients are highlighted.
Abstract: The identification of natural bioactive compounds, able to counteract the abnormal increase of oxidative stress and inflammatory status in chronic degenerative non-communicable diseases is useful for the clinical management of these conditions. We tested an oral food supplement (OFS), chemically characterized and evaluated for in vitro and in vivo activity. Vitamin C, analyzed by High Performance Liquid Chromatography-Diode Array Detector (HPLC-DAD), was 0.19 mg/g in rosehip dry extract and 15.74 mg/capsule in the OFS. The identification of polyphenols was performed by HPLC-DAD; the total antioxidant capacity was assessed by Folin-Ciocalteu test. Total polyphenols were 14.73 mg/g gallic acid equivalents (GAE) for rosehip extract and 1.93 mg/g GAE for OFS. A total of 21 chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients and 10 healthy volunteers were recruited. The evaluation of routine laboratory and inflammatory parameters, erythrocyte glutathione transferase (e-GST), human oxidized serum albumin (HSAox), and assessment of body composition were performed at two different times, at baseline and after 5 weeks of OFS assumption. In the study, we highlighted a significant decrease of traditional inflammatory biomarkers (such as C-reactive protein, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, platelet to lymphocyte ratio) and other laboratory parameters like e-GST, azotaemia, and albuminuria after OFS treatment in CKD patients. Moreover, we demonstrated a lipid profile improvement in CKD patients after OFS supplementation.

24 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The use of an oral food supplement containing natural active compounds from Capsicum annuum, Garcinia cambogia, Centella asiatica L., artichoke, and Aesculus hippocastanum, which are virtually devoid from side effects, but rich in antioxidant and antiradical properties, could represent a valid therapeutic adjunct in the clinical management of nephropathic patients.
Abstract: Nephropathic patients show elevated cardiovascular morbidity and mortality compared to the general population In order to delve deeper into the understanding of this phenomenon, it is necessary to recognize risk factors that are distinctive to the uremic state, such as oxidative stress and chronic low-grade inflammation Moreover, gender differences have been reported in nephrology, as it has been observed that chronic kidney disease has higher prevalence in males than in females The use of an oral food supplement (OFS) containing natural active compounds from Capsicum annuum L, Garcinia cambogia, Centella asiatica L, artichoke, and Aesculus hippocastanum L which are virtually devoid from side effects, but rich in antioxidant and antiradical properties, could represent a valid therapeutic adjunct in the clinical management of nephropathic patients Moreover, quantitative analysis performed in vitro on such compounds showed that they expressed good total antioxidant (728 gallic acid equivalents) and antiradical activity (above 80%) In this study, 23 male nephropathic patients and 10 age and body composition parameter matched healthy males (control group) were enrolled and took 3 cps/day of OFS for 5 weeks At the end of the study, the nephropathic patient group showed a statistically significant reduction in the following laboratory parameters: total cholesterol (TC) (p = 0044), atherogenic index TC/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (p = 0010), inflammatory parameters (C-reactive protein, p = 0048, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate, p = 0019), systolic (p = 0044), and diastolic arterial blood pressure (p = 0003) Regarding body composition, there was an increase in total body water % (p = 0035) with redistribution of extracellular water % (p = 0030) and intracellular water % (p = 0049) In the control group, there was a reduction in fat mass % (p = 0017) and extracellular water % (p = 0047) Therefore, this OFS may represent a valid adjunct therapy to counteract comorbidities related to uremia

24 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, a new nutritional approach, named caloric restriction diet (CRD), was proposed to provide a significant reduction in blood pressure values and an improvement of the endothelial dysfunction.
Abstract: The most common manifestation of cardiovascular (CV) diseases is the presence of arterial hypertension (AH), which impacts on endothelial dysfunction. CV risk is associated with high values of systolic and diastolic blood pressure and depends on the presence of risk factors, both modifiable and not modifiable, such as overweight, obesity, physical exercise, smoking, age, family history, and gender. The main target organs affected by AH are the heart, brain, vessels, kidneys, and eye retina. AH onset can be counteracted or delayed by adopting a proper diet, characterized by a low saturated fat and sodium intake, a high fruit and vegetable intake, a moderate alcohol consumption, and achieving and maintaining over time the ideal body weight. In this review, we analyzed how a new nutritional approach, named caloric restriction diet (CRD), can provide a significant reduction in blood pressure values and an improvement of the endothelial dysfunction. In fact, CRD is able to counteract aging and delay the onset of CV and neurodegenerative diseases through the reduction of body fat mass, systolic and diastolic values, free radicals production, and oxidative stress. Currently, there are few studies on CRD effects in the long term, and it would be advisable to perform observational studies with longer follow-up.

23 citations


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TL;DR: In this paper, the authors explored the modulation of the human microbiota, in response to Mediterranean diet adherence, focusing the attention on polyphenols, polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) ω-3 and fiber.
Abstract: Gut microbiota changes correlate with health status. Literature data on gut microbiota show that all dietary changes can induce the alteration of gut microbiota composition. Mediterranean diet (MD) is associated with a reduction of all-cause mortality and in this review, we analyzed its interactions with human microbiota. In particular, we explored the modulation of the human microbiota, in response to MD adherence, focusing the attention on polyphenols, polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) ω-3 and fiber. Evidences suggest that MD is able to modulate the gut microbiota, increasing its diversity. In fact, a Mediterranean-type dietary pattern is associated with specific gut microbiota characteristics. The available evidence, suggests that gut microbiota of subjects that follow a MD is significantly different from subjects that follow a Western diet model. In fact, the latter show an increased gut permeability, which is responsible for metabolic endotoxemia. For this reason, we can speculate that the gut microbiota of the subjects following a MD is able to prevent the onset of chronic non-communicable degenerative diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases and some types of cancer. However, in order to understand these correlations with dietary patterns, controlled intervention studies on the gut microbiota composition and activity are needed.

114 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
12 Apr 2021-Foods
TL;DR: The potential of food derived bioactive compounds, providing information for researchers that may be valuable for devising future strategies such as choosing promising bioactive ingredients to make functional foods for various non-communicable disorders.
Abstract: Plant foods are consumed worldwide due to their immense energy density and nutritive value. Their consumption has been following an increasing trend due to several metabolic disorders linked to non-vegetarian diets. In addition to their nutritive value, plant foods contain several bioactive constituents that have been shown to possess health-promoting properties. Plant-derived bioactive compounds, such as biologically active proteins, polyphenols, phytosterols, biogenic amines, carotenoids, etc., have been reported to be beneficial for human health, for instance in cases of cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and diabetes, as well as for people with gut, immune function, and neurodegenerative disorders. Previous studies have reported that bioactive components possess antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory properties, in addition to improving intestinal barrier functioning etc., which contribute to their ability to mitigate the pathological impact of various human diseases. This review describes the bioactive components derived from fruit, vegetables, cereals, and other plant sources with health promoting attributes, and the mechanisms responsible for the bioactive properties of some of these plant components. This review mainly compiles the potential of food derived bioactive compounds, providing information for researchers that may be valuable for devising future strategies such as choosing promising bioactive ingredients to make functional foods for various non-communicable disorders.

107 citations

Journal Article
TL;DR: In this article, the authors identify predictors of the decline in renal function, especially those that are modifiable, in the 5488 participants of the prospective, community-based cohort study PREVEND who completed three visits during a mean follow-up of 6.5 years.

102 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Practical advice for dentists based on the recent literature is provided, which may be useful in reducing the risk of spreading COVID-19 during clinical practice.
Abstract: COVID-19 is the disease supported by SARS-CoV-2 infection, which causes a severe form of pneumonia. Due to the pathophysiological characteristics of the COVID-19 syndrome, the particular transmissibility of SARS-CoV-2, and the high globalization of our era, the epidemic emergency from China has spread rapidly all over the world. Human-to-human transmission seems to occur mainly through close contact with symptomatic people affected by COVID-19, and the main way of contagion is via the inhalation of respiratory droplets, for example when patients talk, sneeze or cough. The ability of the virus to survive outside living organisms, in aerosol or on fomites has also been recognized. The dental practitioners are particularly exposed to a high risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection because they cannot always respect the interpersonal distance of more than a meter and are exposed to saliva, blood, and other body fluids during surgical procedures. Moreover, many dental surgeries can generate aerosol, and the risk of airborne infection is to be considered higher. The aim of this paper is to provide practical advice for dentists based on the recent literature, which may be useful in reducing the risk of spreading COVID-19 during clinical practice.

92 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, a review aimed to evaluate the relationship between the traditional components of metabolic syndrome (MS) with cardiovascular disease (CVD), inflammation, and oxidative stress, and found that chronic low-grade inflammatory states and metaflammation are often accompanied by metabolic changes directly related to CVD incidence.
Abstract: Metabolic syndrome (MS) is a chronic non-infective syndrome characterised clinically by a set of vascular risk factors that include insulin resistance, hypertension, abdominal obesity, impaired glucose metabolism, and dyslipidaemia. These risk factors are due to a pro-inflammatory state, oxidative stress, haemodynamic dysfunction, and ischaemia, which overlap in 'dysmetabolic' patients. This review aimed to evaluate the relationship between the traditional components of MS with cardiovascular disease (CVD), inflammation, and oxidative stress. MEDLINE-PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases were searched. Chronic low-grade inflammatory states and metaflammation are often accompanied by metabolic changes directly related to CVD incidence, such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and obesity. Moreover, the metaflammation is characterised by an increase in the serum concentration of pro-inflammatory cytokines, mainly interleukin-1 β (IL-1β), IL-6, and tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), originating from the chronically inflamed adipose tissue and associated with oxidative stress. The increase of reactive oxygen species overloads the antioxidant systems causing post-translational alterations of proteins, lipids, and DNA leading to oxidative stress. Hyperglycaemia contributes to the increase in oxidative stress and the production of advanced glycosylation end products (AGEs) which are related to cellular and molecular dysfunction. Oxidative stress and inflammation are associated with cellular senescence and CVD. CVD should not be seen only as being triggered by classical MS risk factors. Atherosclerosis is a multifactorial pathological process with several triggering and aetiopathogenic mechanisms. Its medium and long-term repercussions, however, invariably constitute a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. Implementing preventive and therapeutic measures against oxy-reductive imbalances and metaflammation states has unquestionable potential for favourable clinical outcomes in cardiovascular medicine.

71 citations