Targeting Aging with Functional Food: Pasta with<i>Opuntia</i>Single-Arm Pilot Study

Aiello, Anna; Bona, Danilo Di; Candore, Giuseppina; Carru, Ciriaco; Zinellu, Angelo; Miceli, Giuseppe Di; Nicosia, Aldo; Gambino, Caterina Maria; Ruisi, Paolo; Caruso, Calogero; Vasto, Sonya; Accardi, Giulia

doi:10.1089/rej.2017.1992

Cited by 21 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 51 publications

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“…UA is the end product of endogenous and exogenous purine metabolism, and some epidemiological studies suggest that increased serum levels of UA are a risk factor for diseases where oxidative stress plays an important role. On the contrary, other evidence shows that UA might play a role as an antioxidant [46]. The possible explanation lies in the fact that UA might behave as oxidant getting older.…”

Section: Mediators Of Inflammationmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…The correlation between the serum activity levels of Pro-MMP-2 and CRP and UA was also analysed. In fact, MMP-2 activity plays a relevant role in tissue remodelling and in the pathophysiology of inflammation, CRP is an inflammatory marker [45], and serum UA is considered to have an antioxidant effect [46]. Interestingly, a significant correlation was found only in LLIs.…”

Section: Pro-mmp-2 and Pro-mmp-9 Correlation With Somementioning

confidence: 99%

“…The subjects are allocated in the gels as follows: group 1-young people, N = 29: lanes12,44,45,46, 75, 77, 79, 80, 81, 82, 85, 89, 90, 92, 98, 99, 100, 106, 109, 110, 115, 118, 122, 125, 128, 130, 136, 142, and 145; group 2-adult people, N = 39: lanes 11, 14, 15, 16, 25, 27, 33, 34, 39, 50, 52, 54, 60, 64, 66, 69, 72, 74, 78, 88, 91, 93, 95, 104, 105, 108, 116, 117, 121, 123, 124, 127, 131, 134, 135, 138, 139, 144, and 152; group 3-old people, N = 50: lanes1, 2, 3, 4,5,6,7,8, 9,10,13,17,19,20,22,23,28,29,38,42,43,47,51,55,57, 63, 68, 76, 83, 84, 86, 87, 94, 97, 101, 102, 103, 113, 114, 119, 120, 126, 132, 137, 140, 141, 146, 149, 151, and 154; group 4-oldest old people, N = 12: lanes31, 35, 53, 56, 58, 61, 62, …”

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confidence: 99%

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The Role of Matrix Metalloproteinases (MMP-2 and MMP-9) in Ageing and Longevity: Focus on Sicilian Long-Living Individuals (LLIs)

Aiello

Accardi

Caldarella³

et al. 2020

Mediators of Inflammation

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Extracellular matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are a group of proteins that activate substrates by enzymatic cleavage and, on the basis of their activities, have been demonstrated to play a role in ageing. Thus, in order to gain insight into the pathophysiology of ageing and to identify new markers of longevity, we analysed the activity levels of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in association with some relevant haematochemical parameters in a Sicilian population, including long-living individuals (LLIs, ≥95 years old). A cohort of 154 healthy subjects (72 men and 82 women) of different ages (age range 20-112) was recruited. The cohort was divided into five subgroups: the first group with subjects less than 40 years old, the second group ranging from 40 to 64 years old, the third group ranging from 65 to 89 years old, the fourth group ranging from 90 to 94 years old, and the fifth group with subjects more than 95 years old. A relationship was observed between LLIs and MMP-2, but not between LLIs and MMP-9. However, in the LLI group, MMP-2 and MMP-9 values were significantly correlated. Furthermore, in LLIs, we found a positive correlation of MMP-2 with the antioxidant catabolite uric acid and a negative correlation with the inflammatory marker C-reactive protein. Finally, in LLIs MMP-9 values correlated directly both with cholesterol and with low-density lipoproteins. On the whole, our data suggest that the observed increase of MMP-2 in LLIs might play a positive role in the attainment of longevity. This is the first study that shows that serum activity of MMP-2 is increased in LLIs as compared to younger subjects. As far as we are concerned, it is difficult to make wide-ranging conclusions/assumptions based on these observations in view of the relatively small sample size of LLIs. However, this is an important starting point. Larger-scale future studies will be required to clarify these findings including the link with other systemic inflammatory and antioxidant markers.

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Section: Mediators Of Inflammationmentioning

confidence: 97%

Section: Pro-mmp-2 and Pro-mmp-9 Correlation With Somementioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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The Role of Matrix Metalloproteinases (MMP-2 and MMP-9) in Ageing and Longevity: Focus on Sicilian Long-Living Individuals (LLIs)

Aiello

Accardi

Caldarella³

et al. 2020

Mediators of Inflammation

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“…On the basis of the reported results in which the biological activity of the AFA extract is maintained during baking, we cannot exclude that the same could also be used to produce other kind of functional foods such as pasta, one of the main ingredients of the Mediterranean Diet (MedDiet) [63] that are cooked at 100°C. In a recent study, pasta enriched with 3% of Opuntia ficus-indica (OFI) extract, a plant known for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, was given to volunteers and beneficial effects were observed [64]. Similarly, pasta with beta-glucans as functional food has been investigated in a pilot study, demonstrating that its consumption could help in the prevention of age-related metabolic disorders [65].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Heat-Resistant Aphanizomenon flos-aquae (AFA) Extract (Klamin®) as a Functional Ingredient in Food Strategy for Prevention of Oxidative Stress

Nuzzo

Contardi

Kossyvaki

et al. 2019

Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity

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Microalgae are generally considered an excellent source of vitamins, minerals, and bioactive molecules that make them suitable to be introduced in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and food industries. Aphanizomenon flos-aquae (AFA), an edible microalga, contains numerous biomolecules potentially able to prevent some pathologies including age-related disorders. With the aim to include an AFA extract (Klamin®) as a functional ingredient in baked products, we investigated if its bioactive molecules are destroyed or inactivated after standard cooking temperature. The AFA extract was exposed to heat stress (AFA-HS), and no significant decrease in pigment, polyphenol, and carotenoid content was detected by spectroscopic analysis. Thermal stability of AFA-HS extract was demonstrated by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and no change in the morphology of the granules of the powder was noticed by SEM microscopic observation. By Folin-Ciocalteu, ORAC, and ABTS assays, no change in the antioxidant activity and polyphenol contents was found after high-temperature exposition. When added in cell culture, solubilized AFA-HS lost neither its scavenging ability against ROS generation nor its protective role against Abeta, the main peptide involved in Alzheimer's disease. Prebiotic and antioxidant activities of AFA extract that are not lost after thermal stress were verified on E. coli bacteria. Finally, AFA-HS cookies, containing the extract as one of their ingredients, showed increased polyphenols. Here, we evaluate the possibility to use the AFA extract to produce functional food and prevent metabolic and age-related diseases.

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“…Moreover, some authors [28] have tried to use Opuntia to make a new functional pasta and have shown that it could be considered a healthy food without altering the organoleptic and physical characteristics of the final food product [28]. Other authors [29] have instead studied the enrichment of durum wheat pasta with 3% Opuntia and have underlined that pasta with 3% Opuntia as an additive is a good functional food for maintaining a normal body weight and the prevention of age-related metabolic disorders [29].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Opuntia ficus-indica as an Ingredient in New Functional Pasta: Consumer Preferences in Italy

Palmieri¹,

Suardi²,

Stefanoni³

et al. 2021

Foods

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Opuntia ficus-indica is a source of minerals and vitamins and has recently been used as ingredient to make a new functional variety of pasta. Italy was the first country in the world to produce pasta and is also the second largest producer of Opuntia in the world. According to an Italian sample, this study considers the main factors that could influence consumers when choosing functional pasta (featuring Opuntia) and characterizes distinct hypothetical consumer segments in terms of their food habits, pasta choices, and perceptions toward functional pasta featuring Opuntia. Data were collected using a web-based survey and with 328 respondents. Factor analysis (FA) with orthogonal rotation (varimax) was used to simplify the observed variables and hierarchical cluster analysis was performed with the FA results. Seven clusters were identified and the main results show that the level of education plays an important role in the perception of functional pasta. In fact, the perceptions of well-educated people differed from poorly-educated people. Moreover, the results showed significant respondent interest regarding health benefits and the nutritional and environmental aspects of functional pasta, which should encourage people’s acceptance and consumption of this new functional food. In addition, the respondent preferences reflect a value of experience towards the pasta, i.e., the belief of cooking typical Italian pasta. This means that Opuntia used for the production of functional pasta should maintain the organoleptic and physical properties of durum wheat-based pasta. In addition, respondent preferences for pasta featuring Opuntia could also be driven by its price.

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Targeting Aging with Functional Food: Pasta withOpuntiaSingle-Arm Pilot Study

Cited by 21 publications

References 51 publications

The Role of Matrix Metalloproteinases (MMP-2 and MMP-9) in Ageing and Longevity: Focus on Sicilian Long-Living Individuals (LLIs)

The Role of Matrix Metalloproteinases (MMP-2 and MMP-9) in Ageing and Longevity: Focus on Sicilian Long-Living Individuals (LLIs)

Heat-Resistant Aphanizomenon flos-aquae (AFA) Extract (Klamin®) as a Functional Ingredient in Food Strategy for Prevention of Oxidative Stress

Opuntia ficus-indica as an Ingredient in New Functional Pasta: Consumer Preferences in Italy

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