Phospholipids play an essential role in cell membrane structure and function. The length and number of double bonds of fatty acids in membrane phospholipids are main determinants of fluidity, transport systems, activity of membrane-bound enzymes, and susceptibility to lipid peroxidation. The fatty acid profile of serum lipids, especially the phospholipids, reflects the fatty acid composition of cell membranes. Moreover, long-chain n-3 polyunsatured fatty acids decrease very-low-density lipoprotein assembly and secretion reducing triacylglycerol production. N-6 and n-3 polyunsatured fatty acids are the precursors of signalling molecules, termed “eicosanoids,” which play an important role in the regulation of inflammation. Eicosanoids derived from n-6 polyunsatured fatty acids have proinflammatory actions, while eicosanoids derived from n-3 polyunsatured fatty acids have anti-inflammatory ones. Previous studies showed that inflammation contributes to both the onset and progression of atherosclerosis: actually, atherosclerosis is predominantly a chronic low-grade inflammatory disease of the vessel wall. Several studies suggested the relationship between long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and inflammation, showing that fatty acids may decrease endothelial activation and affect eicosanoid metabolism.

Human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) have been implicated in human physiology and in human pathology. A better knowledge of the retroviral transcriptional activity in the general population and during the life span would greatly help the debate on its pathologic potential. The transcriptional activity of four HERV families (H, K, W, and E) was assessed, by qualitative and quantitative PCR, in PBMCs from 261 individuals aged from 1 to 80 years. Our results show that HERV-H, HERV-K, and HERV-W, but not HERV-E, are transcriptionally active in the test population already in the early childhood. In addition, the transcriptional levels of HERV-H, HERV-K, and HERV-W change significantly during the life span, albeit with distinct patterns. Our results, reinforce the hypothesis of a physiological correlation between HERVs activity and the different stages of life in humans. Studies aiming at identifying the factors, which are responsible for these changes during the individual's life, are still needed. Although the observed phenomena are presumably subjected to great variability, the basal transcriptional activity of each individual, also depending on the different ages of life, must be carefully considered in all the studies involving HERVs as causative agents of disease.

Hyperhomocysteinemia (hHcy) is a risk\ud factor in the progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD).\ud In type 2 diabetes (T2D), hHcy is strongly associated with\ud increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Vitamin B12 and\ud folic acid supplementation have been reported to lower\ud homocysteine (tHcy) levels, but no data on plasma tHcy,\ud cysteine (Cys), folate and vitamin B12 levels in T2D-CKD\ud patients are reported.\ud Procedures tHcy and Cys levels were analyzed in 178\ud T2D-CKD patients by high performance liquid chromatography\ud (HPLC) with fluorescence detection. In addition,\ud we determined folate and vitamin B12 levels using a\ud chemiluminescence method.\ud Results tHcy and Cys levels were increased in T2D\ud patients, and this rise positively correlated with the CKD\ud stage (P\0.001). Folate levels were comparable to controls\ud at various CKD stages, whereas vitamin B12 levels\ud were lower, except at stage IV. We did not find any\ud correlation between B-vitamins and levels of tHcy and Cys,\ud regardless of the CKD stage.\ud Conclusions This is the first study reporting tHcy, Cys\ud and B-vitamins status in T2D-CKD patients. Although\ud limited to our cohort of 178 patients, our findings could be\ud helpful in clarifying the conflicting literature regarding\ud B-vitamins supplementation. Further studies are necessary\ud before any Hcy-lowering therapy can be safely established\ud in T2D-CKD subjects

Since the ADHD aetiology is due to a complex interaction of environmental, biological and genetic factors, HERVs may represent one link among these factors and clinical phenotype of ADHD. A future confirmation of HERV-H overexpression in a larger number of ADHD patients will make possible to identify it as a new parameter for this clinical condition, also contributing to deepen the study on the role of HERVs in the neurodevelopment diseases.

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