The Effects of Multidisciplinary Intensive Rehabilitation on Cognitive and Executive Functions in Parkinson's Disease: A Clinical Database Analysis.

Background/Objectives: This study is based on data collected from a medical health record review to assess whether multidisciplinary intensive rehabilitation treatment in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients can improve global cognitive functioning and executive functions. Methods: The data related to PD patients were extrapolated from a clinical database called "NeuroRehab". A total of 104 PD patients (51 males; 53 females) performed 6 weeks of multidisciplinary intensive rehabilitation treatment in clinical practice from January 2019 to May 2023. This training program was characterized by three daily sessions of 60 min of activities (muscle relaxation and stretching exercises, moderate physical aerobic exercise, and occupational therapy). The patients were classified and stratified according to disease severity (according to the Hoehn and Yahr scale), postural instability and gait difficulty (PIGD) or tremor-dominant (TD) subtypes, disease duration (DD), and the presence of dyskinesias. The effect of multidisciplinary intensive rehabilitation treatment on cognitive and executive functions was evaluated through the administration of cognitive tests, such as the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), and Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB). All the parameters were evaluated at the baseline (T0) and at the end of the rehabilitation program (T1). Results: The multidisciplinary intensive rehabilitation treatment significantly improved cognitive performance. The MMSE, MoCA, and FAB test scores after the rehabilitation program (T1) were significantly higher compared to the scores obtained at the baseline (T0). Moreover, further analyses on subgroups of the patients who scored below the cut-off in the MMSE showed that at least 50% of patients overcame the cut-off score. Interestingly, the same analyses performed for the MoCA and FAB revealed a higher rate of improvement in cognitive functions, with normal scores in both tests after 6 weeks of multidisciplinary intensive rehabilitation treatment. Conclusions: This study revealed the potential effects of a 6-week multidisciplinary rehabilitation program in improving cognitive status in a PD inpatient cohort.

Position Statement of the Italian Society of Cardiovascular Prevention (SIPREC) and Italian Heart Failure Association (ITAHFA) on Cardiac Rehabilitation and Protection Programs as a Cornerstone of Secondary Prevention after Myocardial Infarction or Revascularization.

Despite the remarkable and progressive advances made in the prevention and management of cardiovascular diseases, the recurrence of cardiovascular events remains unacceptably elevated with a notable size of the residual risk. Indeed, in patients who suffered from myocardial infarction or who underwent percutaneous or surgical myocardial revascularization, life-style changes and optimized pharmacological therapy with antiplatelet drugs, lipid lowering agents, beta-blockers, renin angiotensin system inhibitors and antidiabetic drugs, when appropriate, are systematically prescribed but they might be insufficient to protect from further events. In such a context, an increasing body of evidence supports the benefits of cardiac rehabilitation (CR) in the setting of secondary cardiovascular prevention, consisting in the reduction of myocardial oxygen demands, in the inhibition of atherosclerotic plaque progression and in an improvement of exercise performance, quality of life and survival. However, prescription and implementation of CR programs is still not sufficiently considered.The aim of this position paper of the Italian Society of Cardiovascular Prevention (SIPREC) and of the Italian Heart Failure Association (ITAHFA) is to examine the reasons of the insufficient use of this strategy in clinical practice and to propose some feasible solutions to overcome this clinical gap.

The DNA repair protein DNA-PKcs modulates synaptic plasticity via PSD-95 phosphorylation and stability.

The key DNA repair enzyme DNA-PKcs has several and important cellular functions. Loss of DNA-PKcs activity in mice has revealed essential roles in immune and nervous systems. In humans, DNA-PKcs is a critical factor for brain development and function since mutation of the prkdc gene causes severe neurological deficits such as microcephaly and seizures, predicting yet unknown roles of DNA-PKcs in neurons. Here we show that DNA-PKcs modulates synaptic plasticity. We demonstrate that DNA-PKcs localizes at synapses and phosphorylates PSD-95 at newly identified residues controlling PSD-95 protein stability. DNA-PKcs -/- mice are characterized by impaired Long-Term Potentiation (LTP), changes in neuronal morphology, and reduced levels of postsynaptic proteins. A PSD-95 mutant that is constitutively phosphorylated rescues LTP impairment when over-expressed in DNA-PKcs -/- mice. Our study identifies an emergent physiological function of DNA-PKcs in regulating neuronal plasticity, beyond genome stability.

Persistent increase of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events in COVID-19 patients: a 3-year population-based analysis.

AIMS: We evaluated the incidence and relative risk of major post-acute cardiovascular consequences of SARS-CoV-2 infection in a large real-world population from a primary care database in a region at moderate cardiovascular risk followed up in the period 2020-22. METHODS AND RESULTS: This is a retrospective cohort analysis using data from a cooperative of general practitioners in Italy. Individuals aged >18 affected by COVID-19 starting from January 2020 have been followed up for 3 years. Anonymized data from 228 266 patients in the period 2020-22 were considered for statistical analysis and included 31 764 subjects with a diagnosis of COVID-19. An equal group of subjects recorded in the same database in the period 2017-19 was used as propensity score-matched comparison as an unquestionable COVID-19-free population. Out of the 228 266 individuals included in the COMEGEN database during 2020-22, 31 764 (13.9%) were ascertained positive with SARS-CoV-2 infection by a molecular test reported to general practitioners. The proportion of individuals with a new diagnosis of major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events was higher in the 2020-22 COVID-19 group than in the 2017-19 COMEGEN propensity score-matched comparator, with an odds ratio of 1.73 (95% confidence interval: 1.53-1.94; P < 0.001). All major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events considered showed a significantly higher risk in COVID-19 individuals. Incidence calculated for each 6-month period after the diagnosis of COVID-19 in our population was the highest in the first year (1.39% and 1.45%, respectively), although it remained significantly higher than in the COVID-19-free patients throughout the 3 years. CONCLUSION: The increase of cardiovascular risk associated with COVID-19 might be extended for years and not limited to the acute phase of the infection. This should promote the planning of longer follow-up for COVID-19 patients to prevent and promptly manage the potential occurrence of major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events.

Host-microbe tryptophan partitioning in cardiovascular diseases.

The functional interdependencies between the molecular components of a biological process demand for a network medicine platform that integrates systems biology and network science, to explore the interactions among biological components in health and disease. Access to large-scale omics datasets (genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, metagenomics, phenomics, etc.) has significantly advanced our opportunity along this direction. Studies utilizing these techniques have begun to provide us with a deeper understanding of how the interaction between the intestinal microbes and their host affects the cardiovascular system in health and disease. Within the framework of a multiomics network approach, we highlight here how tryptophan metabolism may orchestrate the host-microbes interaction in cardiovascular diseases and the implications for precision medicine and therapeutics, including nutritional interventions.

A Multicomponent Primary-Care Intervention for Preventing Falls in Older Adults Living in the Community: The PREMIO Study.

BACKGROUND: Falls are a common cause of morbidity and functional impairment in the elderly and represent a significant health problem. General practitioners (GPs) are the first point of contact for health issues and may provide preventive services. The randomized clinical trial PREMIO was conducted by GPs to evaluate the effects of a multicomponent intervention for the prevention of falls in older adults aged ≥ 65 years at high risk of falling. METHODS: 117 GPs enrolled 1757 patients (1116 F, 641 M) and randomized them into 2 groups (intervention and control). The intervention group received medical and behavioral counseling, home risk-factor assessment, a physical-activity program and nutritional counseling. The control group received only the nutritional counseling. Both groups were followed for one year. The primary outcome was the rate of falls at home over 12 months. RESULTS: 1225 patients completed the study. Subjects receiving the intervention had, on average, fewer falls at home (percentage change -31.2%, p < 0.02) and fewer total falls (-26.0%, p < 0.02), although the reduction in the number of fallers was small (-3.9%, p = 0.05). Among the secondary endpoints, rates of general hospital or emergency-department admission and GP visits showed slight improvements (not statistically significant), while the risk of fractures was unexpectedly increased in the intervention group compared to the controls (odds ratio 2.39, p = 0.023). CONCLUSIONS: Future studies and public-health interventions to prevent domestic falls among community-dwelling older people at high risk of falling could benefit from a multicomponent approach including medication review, physical exercise and home risk assessment and should include assessment of risk factors for fractures.

Physical activity and neurotrophic factors as potential drivers of neuroplasticity in Parkinson's Disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder, characterized by motor and non-motor symptoms, that still lacks of a disease-modifying treatment. Consistent evidence proved the benefits of physical therapy on motor and non-motor symptoms in PD patients, leading the scientific community to propose physical activity as disease-modifying therapy for PD and suggesting the involvement of neurotrophic factors (NFs) as key mediators of neuroplasticity. However, the lack of standardized exercise training and methodological flaws of clinical trials have limited the evidence demonstrating the exercise-induced changes in serum and plasma neurotrophic factors concentration. A systematic search, covering 20 years of research in this field and including randomized and non-randomized controlled trials (RCTs and non-RCTs), which reported changes in serum and plasma NFs after a specific intervention, were reviewed. Pooled effect sizes (p-ESs) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CIs) were calculated using a random effects model with R software. A total of 18 articles, of which exercise programs of interventions were codified in terms of type, intensity and duration adopting a standardisation methodology, were included in the systematic review. Six papers, describing the effect of different training programs on BDNF and IGF-1 levels, were included and independently analysed in two meta-analyses. Quantitative analysis for BDNF indicated a statistically significant improvement in serum concentration of PD patients (MD: 5.99 ng/mL; 95%IC: 0.15 -11.83; I2 = 77%) performing physical activity compared with control conditions in RCTs. Preliminary evidence supported the hypothesis that a moderate intensity aerobic exercise (MIAE) would be necessary to induce the changes in NFs. However, sensitivity analysis of meta-analysis and the few studies included in subgroup analysis did not support these results. Alongside, meta-analysis followed by sensitivity analysis revealed a potential change in serum IGF-1 (MD: 33.47 ng/mL; 95%IC: 8.09-58.85) in PD patients performing physical activity with respect controls in RCT studies. Considering the limited evidence to support or refute the increase in NFs levels in PD patients performing physical activity, there is a need to develop a rigorous controlled randomized trial, with standardization for loading intensity of physical activity, greater sample size, and a correct stratification of PD patients to establish a well-defined correlation between physical activity and NFs levels.

Bridging of host-microbiota tryptophan partitioning by the serotonin pathway in fungal pneumonia.

The aromatic amino acid L-tryptophan (Trp) is essentially metabolized along the host and microbial pathways. While much is known about the role played by downstream metabolites of each pathways in intestinal homeostasis, their role in lung immune homeostasis is underappreciated. Here we have examined the role played by the Trp hydroxylase/5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) pathway in calibrating host and microbial Trp metabolism during Aspergillus fumigatus pneumonia. We found that 5-HT produced by mast cells essentially contributed to pathogen clearance and immune homeostasis in infection by promoting the host protective indoleamine-2,3-dioxygenase 1/kynurenine pathway and limiting the microbial activation of the indole/aryl hydrocarbon receptor pathway. This occurred via regulation of lung and intestinal microbiota and signaling pathways. 5-HT was deficient in the sputa of patients with Cystic fibrosis, while 5-HT supplementation restored the dysregulated Trp partitioning in murine disease. These findings suggest that 5-HT, by bridging host-microbiota Trp partitioning, may have clinical effects beyond its mood regulatory function in respiratory pathologies with an inflammatory component.

Rationale and design of the CV-PREVITAL study: an Italian multiple cohort randomised controlled trial investigating innovative digital strategies in primary cardiovascular prevention.

INTRODUCTION: Prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD) is of key importance in reducing morbidity, disability and mortality worldwide. Observational studies suggest that digital health interventions can be an effective strategy to reduce cardiovascular (CV) risk. However, evidence from large randomised clinical trials is lacking. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: The CV-PREVITAL study is a multicentre, prospective, randomised, controlled, open-label interventional trial designed to compare the effectiveness of an educational and motivational mobile health (mHealth) intervention versus usual care in reducing CV risk. The intervention aims at improving diet, physical activity, sleep quality, psycho-behavioural aspects, as well as promoting smoking cessation and adherence to pharmacological treatment for CV risk factors. The trial aims to enrol approximately 80 000 subjects without overt CVDs referring to general practitioners' offices, community pharmacies or clinics of Scientific Institute for Research, Hospitalization and Health Care (Italian acronym IRCCS) affiliated with the Italian Cardiology Network. All participants are evaluated at baseline and after 12 months to assess the effectiveness of the intervention on short-term endpoints, namely improvement in CV risk score and reduction of major CV risk factors. Beyond the funded life of the study, a long-term (7 years) follow-up is also planned to assess the effectiveness of the intervention on the incidence of major adverse CV events. A series of ancillary studies designed to evaluate the effect of the mHealth intervention on additional risk biomarkers are also performed. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This study received ethics approval from the ethics committee of the coordinating centre (Monzino Cardiology Center; R1256/20-CCM 1319) and from all other relevant IRBs and ethics committees. Findings are disseminated through scientific meetings and peer-reviewed journals and via social media. Partners are informed about the study's course and findings through regular meetings. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT05339841.

The Use of Machine Learning for Inferencing the Effectiveness of a Rehabilitation Program for Orthopedic and Neurological Patients.

Advance assessment of the potential functional improvement of patients undergoing a rehabilitation program is crucial in developing precision medicine tools and patient-oriented rehabilitation programs, as well as in better allocating resources in hospitals. In this work, we propose a novel approach to this problem using machine learning algorithms focused on assessing the modified Barthel index (mBI) as an indicator of functional ability. We build four tree-based ensemble machine learning models and train them on a private training cohort of orthopedic (OP) and neurological (NP) hospital discharges. Moreover, we evaluate the models using a validation set for each category of patients using root mean squared error (RMSE) as an absolute error indicator between the predicted mBI and the actual values. The best results obtained from the study are an RMSE of 6.58 for OP patients and 8.66 for NP patients, which shows the potential of artificial intelligence in predicting the functional improvement of patients undergoing rehabilitation.

A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis on the Role of Nutraceuticals in the Management of Neuropathic Pain in In Vivo Studies.

The control of neuropathic pain is a leading challenge in modern medicine. Traditional medicine has, for a long time, used natural compounds such as nutraceuticals for this purpose, and extensive evidence has supported their role in controlling oxidative stress and persistent pain-related inflammation. Nutraceuticals are natural products belonging to the food sector whose consumption could be related to physiological benefits. Indeed, they are used to improve health, prevent chronic diseases, and delay the aging process. Here, we report a systematic review and meta-analysis to provide a more comprehensive report on the use of nutraceuticals in neuropathic pain, including evaluating confounding factors. A search of the literature has been conducted on principal databases (PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Web of Science) following the PRISMA statement, and we retrieved 484 articles, 12 of which were selected for the meta-analysis. The results showed that administration of natural drugs in animals with neuropathic pain led to a significant reduction in thermal hyperalgesia, measured in both the injured paw (SMD: 1.79; 95% CI: 1.41 to 2.17; p < 0.0001) and in the two paws (SMD: −1.74; 95% CI: −3.36 to −0.11; p = 0.036), as well as a reduction in mechanical allodynia and hyperalgesia (SMD: 1.95, 95% CI: 1.08 to 2.82; p < 0.001) when compared to controls. The results of the review indicate that nutraceutical compounds could be clinically relevant for managing persistent neuropathic pain.

Tantali fibromyalgic supplicium: Is there any relief with the antidepressant employment? A systematic review.

Widespread musculoskeletal pain characterizes fibromyalgia (FM), accompanied by sleep, fatigue, and mood problems. Chronic stress and depression play a crucial role in the etiology and pathophysiology of FM. They may contribute to a dysregulation of the central pain mechanisms together with the neuroendocrine and immune systems. Pharmacological treatments are the first-line therapy to reduce the symptoms of FM. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) indicated gabapentinoid, pregabalin, duloxetine, and milnacipran for adult patients. An alternative approach is widely used, based on therapies including interventions in patient education, behavioral therapy, exercise, pain management, and a healthy diet. A systematic search was performed on PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Web of Science databases. The authors established the selection, inclusion, and exclusion criteria. We found a total of 908 articles. This systematic review will include ten articles selected after excluding duplicates and reading the abstracts and full texts. All studies related the effect of drugs to various symptoms caused by fibromyalgia patients with depression, such as insomnia/sleepiness, depression, suicide, difficulty walking/working, pain, fatigue, and nervousness. Although, we concluded that antidepressant drugs are effective in treating depression and pain in fibromyalgia, further studies are needed to understand the etiology of this disease and to find a combination of therapies to increase tolerability and adherence of the patient to the drug, decreasing the adverse effects.

Long Lasting Cellular Immune Response Induced by mRNA Vaccination: Implication for Prevention Strategies.

As the COVID19 pandemic continues to spread and vaccinations are administered throughout the world at different rates and with different strategies, understanding the multiple aspects of the immune response to vaccinations is required to define more efficient vaccination strategies. To date, the duration of protection induced by COVID19 vaccines is still matter of debate. To assess whether 2-doses vaccination with BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine was sufficient to induce a persistent specific cellular immune response, we evaluated the presence of SARS-COV2 Spike-specific B and T lymphocytes in 28 healthcare workers 1 and 7 months after completing the vaccination cycle. The results showed that at 7 months after second dose a population of Spike-specific B lymphocytes was still present in 86% of the immunized subjects, with a higher frequency when compared to not-immunized controls (0.38% ± 0.07 vs 0.13% ± 0.03, p<0.001). Similarly, specific CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes, able to respond in vitro to stimulation with Spike derived peptides, were found at 7 months. These results confirm that vaccination with BNT162b2 is able to induce a specific immune response, potentially long lasting, and could be helpful in defining future vaccination strategies.

Comparative Effect of Bergamot Polyphenolic Fraction and Red Yeast Rice Extract in Rats Fed a Hyperlipidemic Diet: Role of Antioxidant Properties and PCSK9 Expression.

Elevated serum cholesterol levels, either associated or not with increased triglycerides, represent a risk of developing vascular injury, mostly leading to atherothrombosis-related diseases including myocardial infarction and stroke. Natural products have been investigated in the last few decades as they are seen to offer an alternative solution to counteract cardiometabolic risk, due to the occurrence of side effects with the use of statins, the leading drugs for treating hyperlipidemias. Red yeast rice (RYR), a monacolin K-rich natural extract, has been found to be effective in counteracting high cholesterol, being its use accompanied by consistent warnings by regulatory authorities based on the potential detrimental responses accompanying its statin-like chemical charcateristics. Here we compared the effects of RYR with those produced by bergamot polyphenolic fraction (BPF), a well-known natural extract proven to be effective in lowering both serum cholesterol and triglycerides in animals fed a hyperlipidemic diet. In particular, BPF at doses of 10 mg/Kg given orally for 30 consecutive days, counteracted the elevation of both serum LDL cholesterol (LDL-C) and triglycerides induced by the hyperlipidemic diet, an effect which was accompanied by significant reductions of malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione peroxidase serum levels, two biomarkers of oxidative stress. Furthermore, the activity of BPF was associated to increased HDL cholesterol (HDL-C) levels and to strong reduction of Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) levels which were found increased in hyperlipidemic rats. In contrast, RYR at doses of 1 and 3 mg/Kg, produced only significant reduction of LDL-C with very poor effects on triglycerides, HDL-C, glutathione peroxidase, MDA and PCSK9 expression. This indicates that while BPF and RYR both produce serum cholesterol-lowering benefits, BPF produces additional effects on triglycerides and HDL cholesterol compared to RYR at the doses used throughout the study. These additional effects of BPF appear to be related to the reduction of PCSK9 expression and to the antioxidant properties of this extract compared to RYR, thereby suggesting a more complete protection from cardiometabolic risk.

Detection of Pathological Markers of Neurodegenerative Diseases following Microfluidic Direct Conversion of Patient Fibroblasts into Neurons.

Neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease are clinically diagnosed using neuropsychological and cognitive tests, expensive neuroimaging-based approaches (MRI and PET) and invasive and time-consuming lumbar puncture for cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) sample collection to detect biomarkers. Thus, a rapid, simple and cost-effective approach to more easily access fluids and tissues is in great need. Here, we exploit the chemical direct reprogramming of patient skin fibroblasts into neurons (chemically induced neurons, ciNs) as a novel strategy for the rapid detection of different pathological markers of neurodegenerative diseases. We found that FAD fibroblasts have a reduced efficiency of reprogramming, and converted ciNs show a less complex neuronal network. In addition, ciNs from patients show misfolded protein accumulation and mitochondria ultrastructural abnormalities, biomarkers commonly associated with neurodegeneration. Moreover, for the first time, we show that microfluidic technology, in combination with chemical reprogramming, enables on-chip examination of disease pathological processes and may have important applications in diagnosis. In conclusion, ciNs on microfluidic devices represent a small-scale, non-invasive and cost-effective high-throughput tool for protein misfolding disease diagnosis and may be useful for new biomarker discovery, disease mechanism studies and design of personalised therapies.

Efficacy and Safety of Novel Aspirin Formulations: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study.

Low-dose aspirin represents the best option in the secondary prevention of coronary artery disease, but its extensive use in primary prevention is limited by the occurrence of gastric mucosal lesions and increased risk of bleeding. We investigated the safety profile of a novel sublingual aspirin formulation in 200 healthy volunteers, randomly assigned to ten (n = 20 each) different 7-day once-daily treatment regimens. Gastric mucosal injury based on the modified Lanza score (MLS), the histopathology of gastric mucosa and the serum determination of thromboxane B2 (TXB2) and urinary 11-dehydro-TXB2 levels were evaluated at basal as well as after 7 days of each placebo or aspirin treatment regimen. In Groups A and B (placebo-oral and sublingual, respectively), no changes in MLS and in gastric mucosal micro-vessel diameter were found at day 7. In contrast, in Groups C and D (oral standard aspirin-100 and 50 mg daily, respectively), the median MLS was significantly increased. Very few changes were found in Groups E and F (standard sublingual aspirin-100 and 50 mg, respectively). Groups G and H (oral administration of micronized collagen-cogrinded aspirin) showed gastric protection compared to Groups C and D. Moreover, Groups I and L (sublingual collagen-cogrinded aspirin-100 and 50 mg, respectively) showed a significant reduction (Group I) or total abolition (Group L) of gastric mucosal lesions and no difference compared to the standard one in serum TXB2 and urinary 11-dehydro-TXB2 levels. In conclusion, our data show that the new formulation leads to a better safety profile compared to standard aspirin, representing a better therapeutic option for extended use in primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular diseases.

SARS-CoV-2: Comparative analysis of different RNA extraction methods.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the etiologic agent of the COVID-19 pandemic. Although other diagnostic methods have been introduced, detection of viral genes on oro- and nasopharyngeal swabs by reverse-transcription real time-PCR (rRT-PCR) assays is still the gold standard. Efficient viral RNA extraction is a prerequisite for downstream performance of rRT-PCR assays. Currently, several automatic methods that include RNA extraction are available. However, due to the growing demand, a shortage in kit supplies could be experienced in several labs. For these reasons, the use of different commercial or in-house protocols for RNA extraction may increase the possibility to analyze high number of samples. Herein, we compared the efficiency of RNA extraction of three different commercial kits and an in-house extraction protocol using synthetic ssRNA standards of SARS-CoV-2 as well as in oro-nasopharyngeal swabs from six COVID-19-positive patients. It was concluded that tested commercial kits can be used with some modifications for the detection of the SARS-CoV-2 genome by rRT-PCR approaches, although with some differences in RNA yields. Conversely, EXTRAzol reagent was the less efficient due to the phase separation principle at the basis of RNA extraction. Overall, this study offers alternative suitable methods to manually extract RNA that can be taken into account for SARS-CoV-2 detection.

Nicotine Changes Airway Epithelial Phenotype and May Increase the SARS-COV-2 Infection Severity.

(1) Background: Nicotine is implicated in the SARS-COV-2 infection through activation of the α7-nAChR and over-expression of ACE2. Our objective was to clarify the role of nicotine in SARS-CoV-2 infection exploring its molecular and cellular activity. (2) Methods: HBEpC or si-mRNA-α7-HBEpC were treated for 1 h, 48 h or continuously with 10-7 M nicotine, a concentration mimicking human exposure to a cigarette. Cell viability and proliferation were evaluated by trypan blue dye exclusion and cell counting, migration by cell migration assay, senescence by SA-ß-Gal activity, and anchorage-independent growth by cloning in soft agar. Expression of Ki67, p53/phospho-p53, VEGF, EGFR/pEGFR, phospho-p38, intracellular Ca2+, ATP and EMT were evaluated by ELISA and/or Western blotting. (3) Results: nicotine induced through α7-nAChR (i) increase in cell viability, (ii) cell proliferation, (iii) Ki67 over-expression, (iv) phospho-p38 up-regulation, (v) EGFR/pEGFR over-expression, (vi) increase in basal Ca2+ concentration, (vii) reduction of ATP production, (viii) decreased level of p53/phospho-p53, (ix) delayed senescence, (x) VEGF increase, (xi) EMT and consequent (xii) enhanced migration, and (xiii) ability to grow independently of the substrate. (4) Conclusions: Based on our results and on evidence showing that nicotine potentiates viral infection, it is likely that nicotine is involved in SARS-CoV-2 infection and severity.

Natural Antioxidant Control of Neuropathic Pain-Exploring the Role of Mitochondrial SIRT3 Pathway.

Neuropathic pain is a chronic painful disease. Data have shown that reactive oxygen species (ROS) are implicated in chronic pain. Particularly, the enhanced ROS production alters the mitochondrial genome and proteome through the accumulation of lipid peroxidation products, such as 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE) and malondialdehyde (MDA). Sirtuin 3 (SIRT3) is a mitochondrial protein and its activity can reduce ROS levels by modulating key antioxidant enzymes, such as manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD). Here, we evaluated the role of SIRT3 in the maintenance of basal levels of ROS in a model of chronic constriction injury (CCI) of the sciatic nerve and the protective effects of a natural antioxidant, the bergamot polyphenolic fraction (BPF). Rats were exposed to CCI of the sciatic nerve in the presence or absence of BPF (25-75 mg/kg). Level of acetylation, post-translational modulation on cysteine residues of proteins by HNE and SIRT3 activation, were detected in the spinal cord through western blotting, WES methodology and enzymatic assays. Our results reported that SIRT3 carbonylation and therefore its inactivation contributes to mitochondrial MnSOD hyperacetylation during CCI induced neuropathic pain in rats. In particular, we have demonstrated a close relation between oxidative stress, hyperalgesia, allodynia and sirtuins inactivation reverted by BPF administration.