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The programmed cell death pathways of apoptosis are important in mammalian cellular protection from infections. The activation of these pathways depends on the presence of membrane receptors that bind bacterial components to activate the transduction mechanism. In addition to bacteria, these mechanisms can be activated by outer membrane vesicles (OMVs). OMVs are spherical vesicles of 20–250 nm diameter, constitutively released by Gram-negative bacteria. They contain several bacterial determinants including proteins, DNA/RNA and proteins, that activate different cellular processes in host cells. This study focused on Klebsiella pneumoniae-OMVs in activating death mechanisms in human bronchial epithelial cells (BEAS-2B). Characterization of purified OMVs was achieved by scanning electron microscopy, nanoparticle tracking analysis and protein profiling. Cell viability was assessed by the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay while apoptotic induction was measured by flow cytometry and confirmed by western blotting. The OMVs produced showed a spherical morphology, with a diameter of 137.2 ± 41 nm and a vesicular density of 7.8 × 109 particles/mL Exposure of cell monolayers to 50 μg of K. pneumoniae-OMV for 14 h resulted in approximately 25 % cytotoxicity and 41.15–41.14 % of cells undergoing early and late apoptosis. Fluorescence microscopy revealed reduced cellular density, the presence of apoptotic bodies, chromatin condensation, and nuclear membrane blebbing in residual cells. Activation of caspases −3 and −9 and dysregulation of BAX, BIM and Bcl-xL indicated the activation of mitochondria-dependent apoptosis. Furthermore, a decrease in the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase involved endoplasmic reticulum stress with the potential formation of reactive oxygen species. These findings provide evidence for the role of OMVs in apoptosis and involvement in the pathogenesis of K. pneumoniae infections.

Abstract Long-living individuals (LLIs) escape age-related cardiovascular complications until the very last stage of life. Previous studies have shown that a Longevity-Associated Variant (LAV) of the BPI Fold Containing Family B Member 4 (BPIFB4) gene correlates with an extraordinarily prolonged life span. Moreover, delivery of the LAV-BPIFB4 gene exerted therapeutic action in murine models of atherosclerosis, limb ischemia, diabetic cardiomyopathy, and aging. We hypothesize that downregulation of BPIFB4 expression marks the severity of coronary artery disease (CAD) in human subjects, and supplementation of the LAV-BPIFB4 protects the heart from ischemia. In an elderly cohort with acute myocardial infarction (MI), patients with three-vessel CAD were characterized by lower levels of the natural logarithm (Ln) of peripheral blood BPIFB4 (p = 0.0077). The inverse association between Ln BPIFB4 and three-vessel CAD was confirmed by logistic regression adjusting for confounders (Odds Ratio = 0.81, p = 0.0054). Moreover, in infarcted mice, a single administration of LAV-BPIFB4 rescued cardiac function and vascularization. In vitro studies showed that LAV-BPIFB4 protein supplementation exerted chronotropic and inotropic actions on induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived cardiomyocytes. In addition, LAV-BPIFB4 inhibited the pro-fibrotic phenotype in human cardiac fibroblasts. These findings provide a strong rationale and proof of concept evidence for treating CAD with the longevity BPIFB4 gene/protein.

The global population is experiencing an increase in ageing and life expectancy [...]

Abstract As we age, our body experiences chronic, systemic inflammation contributing to the morbidity and mortality of the elderly. The senescent immune system has been described to have a causal role in driving systemic aging and therefore may represent a key therapeutic target to prevent pathological consequences associated with aging and extend a healthy lifespan. Previous studies from our group associated a polymorphic haplotype variant in the BPIFB4 gene (LAV-BPIFB4) with exceptional longevity. Transfer of the LAV-BPIFB4 in preclinical models halted the progression of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and frailty by counterbalancing chronic inflammation. In the present study, we aimed to delineate the action of systemic adeno-associated viral vector-mediated LAV-BPIFB4 gene transfer (AAV-LAV-BPIFB4) on the deleterious age-related changes of the immune system and thereby the senescence-associated events occurring in C57BL/6J mice aged 26 months. Our in vivo data showed that 26-months-old mice had a higher frequency of CD45+SA-beta Gal+ immune cells in peripheral blood than young (4-months-old) C57BL/6J mice. Notably, AAV-LAV-BPIFB4 gene transfer in aged mice reduced the pool of peripheral immunosenescent cells that were shown to be enriched in the spleen. In addition, the proper tuning of the immune secretory phenotype (IL1βlow, IL6low, IL10high) associated with a significant reduction in SA-beta Gal-positive area of aorta from AAV-LAV treated mice. At the functional level, the reduction of senescence-associated inflammation ensured sustained NAD+ levels in the plasma of AAV-LAV-BPIFB4 old mice by preventing the NADase CD38 increase in F4/80+ tissue-resident macrophages and Ly6Chigh pro-inflammatory monocytes of the spleen and bone marrow. Finally, to validate the clinical implication of our findings, we showed that Long-living-individuals (LLIs, >95 years), which delay CVDs onset, especially if LAV-carriers, were characterized by high NAD+ levels. In conclusion, the new senotherapeutic action of LAV-BPIFB4 may offer a valuable therapeutic tool to control aging and reduce the burden of its pathophysiological disorders, such as CVDs.

SARS-CoV-2 infection causes a considerable inflammatory response coupled with impaired platelet reactivity, which can lead to platelet disorders recognized as negative prognostic factors in COVID-19 patients. The virus may cause thrombocytopenia or thrombocytosis during the different disease stages by destroying or activating platelets and influencing platelet production. While it is known that several viruses can impair megakaryopoiesis by generating an improper production and activation of platelets, the potential involvement of SARS-CoV-2 in affecting megakaryopoiesis is poorly understood. To this purpose, we explored, in vitro, the impact of SARS-CoV-2 stimulation in the MEG-01 cell line, a human megakaryoblastic leukemia cell line, considering its spontaneous capacity of releasing platelet-like particles (PLPs). We interrogated the effect of heat-inactivated SARS-CoV-2 lysate in the release of PLPs and activation from MEG-01, the signaling pathway influenced by SARS-CoV-2, and the functional effect on macrophagic skewing. The results highlight the potential influence of SARS-CoV-2 in the early stages of megakaryopoiesis by enhancing the production and activation of platelets, very likely due to the impairment of STATs signaling and AMPK activity. Overall, these findings provide new insight into the role of SARS-CoV-2 in affecting megakaryocyte–platelet compartment, possibly unlocking another avenue by which SARS-CoV-2 moves.

The homozygous genotype of the Longevity-Associated Variant (LAV) in Bactericidal/Permeability-Increasing Fold-Containing Family B member 4 (BPIFB4) is enriched in long-living individuals of three independent populations and its genetic transfer in C57BL/6J mice showed a delay in frailty progression and improvement of several biomarkers of aging and multiple aspects of health. The C57BL/6J strain is a suitable model for studying therapies aimed at extending healthy aging and longevity due to its relatively short lifespan and the availability of aging biomarkers. Epigenetic clocks based on DNA methylation profiles are reliable molecular biomarkers of aging, while frailty measurement tools are used to evaluate overall health during aging. In this study, we show that the systemic gene transfer of LAV-BPIFB4 in aged C57BL/6J mice was associated with a significant reduction in the epigenetic clock-based biological age, as measured by a three CpG clock method. Furthermore, LAV-BPIFB4 gene transfer resulted in an improvement of the Vitality Score with a reduction in the Frailty Index. These findings further support the use of LAV-BPIFB4 gene therapy to induce beneficial effects on epigenetic mechanisms associated with aging and frailty in aged mice, with potential implications for future therapies to prevent frailty in humans.

Longevity, as a complex life-history trait, shares an ontogenetic relationship with other quantitative traits, such as epigenetic and environmental factors. Therefore, it is important to identify environmental factors that may modify the epigenome to establish healthy aging. This study explored the association between tap drinking water and longevity in Cilento, Italy, to understand whether trace elements in local drinking water may have an influence on old, nonagenarian, and centenarian people and promote their health and longevity. Data on population and water sources were collected through the National Demographic Statistics, the Cilento Municipal Archives, and the Cilento Integrated Water Service. Ordinary least squares (OLS) regression and a geographically weight regression (GWR) model were used to study the spatial relationship between the explanatory and outcome variables of longevity. The results of the study showed that the prevalence of longevity is concentrated in the central, northern and southeastern areas of the territory and that some trace elements present in tap water may contribute to local longevity in Cilento. Specifically, all Cilento municipalities had alkaline tap water, and the municipalities with the highest longevity concentrations had higher alkalinity levels than the other municipalities, soft to medium-hard water hardness, an amount of total dissolved solids equivalent to the level of excellent water, lower amounts of sodium, adequate iron concentration, and adequate dietary intake of manganese per day.

Huntington’s disease (HD) is caused by the production of mutant Huntingtin (mHTT), characterized by long polyglutamine repeats with toxic effects. There are currently no clinically validated therapeutic agents that slow or halt HD progression, resulting in a significant clinical unmet need. The striatum-derived STHdh cell line, generated from mHTT knock-in mouse embryos (STHdhQ111/Q111), represents a useful model to study mechanisms behind pathogenesis of HD and to investigate potential new therapeutic targets. Indeed, these cells show susceptibility to nucleolar stress, activated DNA damage response and apoptotic signals, and elevated levels of H3K9me3 that all together concur in the progressive HD pathogenesis. We have previously shown that the adeno-associated viral vector-mediated delivery of the longevity-associated variant (LAV) of BPIFB4 prevents HD progression in a mouse model of HD. Here, we show that LAV-BPIFB4 stably infected in STHdhQ111/Q111 cells reduces (i) nucleolar stress and DNA damage through the improvement of DNA repair machinery, (ii) apoptosis, through the inhibition of the caspase 3 death signaling, and (iii) the levels of H3K9me3, by accelerating the histone clearance, via the ubiquitin–proteasome pathway. These findings pave the way to propose LAV-BPIFB4 as a promising target for innovative therapeutic strategies in HD.

Longevity is rightly considered one of the greatest achievements of modern society. Biomedical research has shown that aging is the major risk factor for many diseases, so to find the right answers to aging it is necessary to identify factors that can positively influence longevity. This study investigated the clinical status, nutritional behavior, lifestyle, and social and community determinants of the well-being of young older adults and nonagenarians/centenarians in Salerno and province through the judgment of their physicians. Data were collected through an online survey. Multivariate Poisson and logistic regression models were used to calculate significant predictors of the outcomes of interest. The interesting finding was that cardiovascular disease was a risk factor for young older adults, while it was a protective factor for nonagenarians/centenarians, meaning that as age increased, heart problems tended to decrease. Certain foods were found to be a significant protective factor for both young older adult and nonagenarian–centenarian patients. In addition, psychosomatic disorders were found to be determinant for the young older adults, while depression was a risk factor for the nonagenarians/centenarians because they were not always gratified by their long lives and often felt like a burden on the family. The protective significant variable among the determinants of community well-being for both young older adults and nonagenarians/centenarians was the retention of honorary achievement. Based on our results, we are able to support the hypothesis of a difference between the young older adults and the nonagenarians/centenarians in clinical status, nutritional behaviors, lifestyle, and determinants of community well-being. However, societies need more social and educational programs that are able to build “a new idea of old age” by improving and supporting the young older adults and the nonagenarians/centenarians, with the goal of intergenerational solidarity, well-being, and social inclusion, as well as preventive interventions on lifestyles and nutrition, which will allow us to provide a new key to understanding aging.

In the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic, male sex is a risk factor for severe disease and death, and the reasons for these clinical discrepancies are largely unknown. The aim of this work is to study the influence of sex on the course of infection and the differences in prognostic markers between genders in COVID-19 patients. Our cohort consisted of 64 adult patients (n = 34 men and n = 30 women) with PCR-proven SARS-CoV-2 infection. Further, a group of patients was characterized by a different severity degree (n = 8 high- and n = 8 low-grade individuals for both male and female patients). As expected, the serum concentrations of LDH, fibrinogen, CRP, and leucocyte count in men were significantly higher than in females. When serum concentrations of the inflammatory cytokines, including IL-6, IL-2, IP-10 and IL-4 and chemokines like MCP-1, were measured with multiplex ELISA, no significant differences between male and female patients were found. In COVID-19 patients, we recently attributed a new prognostic value to BPIFB4, a natural defensin against dysregulation of the immune responses. Here, we clarify that BPIFB4 is inversely related to the disease degree in men but not in women. Indeed, higher levels of BPIFB4 characterized low-grade male patients compared to high-grade ones. On the contrary, no significant difference was reported between low-grade female patients and high-grade ones. In conclusion, the identification of BPIFB4 as a biomarker of mild/moderate disease and its sex-specific activity would open an interesting field for research to underpin gender-related susceptibility to the disease.

Long-Living Individuals (LLIs) delay aging and are less prone to chronic inflammatory reactions. Whether a distinct monocytes and macrophages repertoire is involved in such a characteristic remains unknown. Previous studies from our group have shown high levels of the host defense BPI Fold Containing Family B Member 4 (BPIFB4) protein in the peripheral blood of LLIs. Moreover, a polymorphic variant of the BPIFB4 gene associated with exceptional longevity (LAV-BPIFB4) confers protection from cardiovascular diseases underpinned by low-grade chronic inflammation, such as atherosclerosis. We hypothesize that BPIFB4 may influence monocytes pool and macrophages skewing, shifting the balance toward an anti-inflammatory phenotype. We profiled circulating monocytes in 52 LLIs (median-age 97) and 52 healthy volunteers (median-age 55) using flow cytometry. If the frequency of total monocyte did not change, the intermediate CD14++CD16+ monocytes counts were lower in LLIs compared to control adults. Conversely, non-classical CD14+CD16++ monocyte counts, which are M2 macrophage precursors with an immunomodulatory function, were found significantly associated with the LLIs' state. In a differentiation assay, supplementation of the LLIs' plasma enhanced the capacity of monocytes, either from LLIs or controls, to acquire a paracrine M2 phenotype. A neutralizing antibody against the phosphorylation site (ser 75) of BPIFB4 blunted the M2 skewing effect of the LLIs' plasma. These data indicate that LLIs carry a peculiar anti-inflammatory myeloid profile, which is associated with and possibly sustained by high circulating levels of BPIFB4. Supplementation of recombinant BPIFB4 may represent a novel means to attenuate inflammation-related conditions typical of unhealthy aging.

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common primary brain cancer with the median age at diagnosis around 64 years, thus pointing to aging as an important risk factor. Indeed, aging, by increasing the senescence burden, is configured as a negative prognostic factor for GBM stage. Furthermore, several anti-GBM therapies exist, such as temozolomide (TMZ) and etoposide (ETP), that unfortunately trigger senescence and the secretion of proinflammatory senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) factors that are responsible for the improper burst of (i) tumorigenesis, (ii) cancer metastasis, (iii) immunosuppression, and (iv) tissue dysfunction. Thus, adjuvant therapies that limit senescence are urgently needed. The longevity-associated variant (LAV) of the bactericidal/permeability-increasing fold-containing family B member 4 (BPIFB4) gene previously demonstrated a modulatory activity in restoring age-related immune dysfunction and in balancing the low-grade inflammatory status of elderly people. Based on the above findings, we tested LAV-BPIFB4 senotherapeutic effects on senescent glioblastoma U87-MG cells and on T cells from GBM patients. We interrogated SA-β-gal and HLA-E senescence markers, SASP factors, and proliferation and apoptosis assays. The results highlighted a LAV-BPIFB4 remodeling of the senescent phenotype of GBM cells, enhancement of their sensitivity to temozolomide and a selective reduction of the T cells’ senescence from GBM patients. Overall, these findings candidate LAV-BPIFB4 as an adjuvant therapy for GBM.

Abstract Background Mutations in the gene that encodes CDGSH iron sulfur domain 2 (CISD2) are causative of Wolfram syndrome type 2 (WFS2), a rare autosomal recessive neurodegenerative disorder mainly characterized by diabetes mellitus, optic atrophy, peptic ulcer bleeding and defective platelet aggregation. Four mutations in the CISD2 gene have been reported. Among these mutations, the homozygous c.103 + 1G > A substitution was identified in the donor splice site of intron 1 in two Italian sisters and was predicted to cause a exon 1 to be skipped. Methods Here, we employed molecular assays to characterize the c.103 + 1G > A mutation using the patient’s peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). 5′-RACE coupled with RT-PCR were used to analyse the effect of the c.103 + 1G > A mutation on mRNA splicing. Western blot analysis was used to analyse the consequences of the CISD2 mutation on the encoded protein. Results We demonstrated that the c.103 + 1G > A mutation functionally impaired mRNA splicing, producing multiple splice variants characterized by the whole or partial absence of exon 1, which introduced amino acid changes and a premature stop. The affected mRNAs resulted in either predicted targets for nonsense mRNA decay (NMD) or non-functional isoforms. Conclusions We concluded that the c.103 + 1G > A mutation resulted in the loss of functional CISD2 protein in the two Italian WFS2 patients.

In severe muscle injury, skeletal muscle tissue structure and functionality can be repaired through the involvement of several cell types, such as muscle stem cells, and innate immune responses. However, the exact mechanisms behind muscle tissue regeneration, homeostasis, and plasticity are still under investigation, and the discovery of pathways and cell types involved in muscle repair can open the way for novel therapeutic approaches, such as cell-based therapies involving stem cells and peripheral blood mononucleate cells. Indeed, peripheral cell infusions are a new therapy for muscle healing, likely because autologous peripheral blood infusion at the site of injury might enhance innate immune responses, especially those driven by macrophages. In this review, we summarize current knowledge on functions of stem cells and macrophages in skeletal muscle repairs and their roles as components of a promising cell-based therapies for muscle repair and regeneration.

Soil contamination constitutes a significant threat to the health of soil ecosystems in terms of complexity, toxicity, and recalcitrance. Among all contaminants, aliphatic petroleum hydrocarbons (APH) are of particular concern due to their abundance and persistence in the environment and the need of remediation technologies to ensure their removal in an environmentally, socially, and economically sustainable way. Soil remediation technologies presently available on the market to tackle soil contamination by petroleum hydrocarbons (PH) include landfilling, physical treatments (e.g., thermal desorption), chemical treatments (e.g., oxidation), and conventional bioremediation. The first two solutions are costly and energy-intensive approaches. Conversely, bioremediation of on-site excavated soil arranged in biopiles is a more sustainable procedure. Biopiles are engineered heaps able to stimulate microbial activity and enhance biodegradation, thus ensuring the removal of organic pollutants. This soil remediation technology is currently the most environmentally friendly solution available on the market, as it is less energy-intensive and has no detrimental impact on biological soil functions. However, its major limitation is its low removal efficiency, especially for long-chain hydrocarbons (LCH), compared to thermal desorption. Nevertheless, the use of fungi for remediation of environmental contaminants retains the benefits of bioremediation treatments, including low economic, social, and environmental costs, while attaining removal efficiencies similar to thermal desorption. Mycoremediation is a widely studied technology at lab scale, but there are few experiences at pilot scale. Several factors may reduce the overall efficiency of on-site mycoremediation biopiles (mycopiles), and the efficiency detected in the bench scale. These factors include the bioavailability of hydrocarbons, the selection of fungal species and bulking agents and their application rate, the interaction between the inoculated fungi and the indigenous microbiota, soil properties and nutrients, and other environmental factors (e.g., humidity, oxygen, and temperature). The identification of these factors at an early stage of biotreatability experiments would allow the application of this on-site technology to be refined and fine-tuned. This review brings together all mycoremediation work applied to aliphatic petroleum hydrocarbons (APH) and identifies the key factors in making mycoremediation effective. It also includes technological advances that reduce the effect of these factors, such as the structure of mycopiles, the application of surfactants, and the control of environmental factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

People are living longer, not, as was previously the case, due to reduced child mortality, but because we are postponing the ill-health of old age [...]

Aging is the most relevant risk factor for cardiovascular diseases which are the main cause of mortality in industrialized countries. In this context, there is a progressive loss of cardiovascular homeostasis that translates in illness and death. The study of long living individuals (LLIs), which show compression of morbidity toward the end of their life, is a valuable approach to find the key to delay aging and postpone associate cardiovascular events. A contribution to the age-related decline of cardiovascular system (CVS) comes from the immune system; indeed, it is dysfunctional during aging, a process described as immunosenescence and comprises the combination of several processes overpowering both innate and adaptative immune system. We have recently discovered a longevity-associated variant (LAV) in bactericidal/permeability-increasing fold-containing family B member 4 (BPIFB4), which is a secreted protein able to enhance endothelial function through endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) activation and capable to protect from hypertension, atherosclerosis, diabetic cardiopathy, frailty, and inflammaging. Here, we sum up the state of the art of the mechanisms involved in the main pathological processes related to CVD (atherosclerosis, aging, diabetic cardiopathy, and frailty) and shed light on the therapeutic effects of LAV-BPIFB4 in these contexts.