Bio-waste products as a source of nutraceuticals to target the common trait of inflammation in cancer and neurodegeneration
Neurodegenerative diseases and cancer have much in common as they have similar epidemiological and biochemical features and share common risk factors such as aging and inflammation. The inflammation hypothesis is one of the most accredited explanation for comparison between neurodegeneration and cancer. The immune factors and reactive oxygen species released from chronic inflammatory reactions not only promote disease occurrence, but also allow cellular DNA to accumulate mutations more easily, forming proteins with aberrant functions. A valuable resource of potential protective agents are phytochemicals that possess pleiotropic biological activities. Many food wastes and vegetable processing by-products are rich of bioactive phytochemicals and the possibility to convert bio-wastes in nutraceuticals represents a valuable step towards sustainability. General goal of the project is to identify low-cost/sustainable bio-waste extracts effective in counteracting cancer and neurodegeneration targeting the inflammatory machine. The in vivo model of Drosophila melanogaster (both wild type and engineered to develop Alzheimer and Parkinson Diseases) as well as some cancer (osteosarcoma cell models: MG63, SaOS-2, U2-OS, MNNG and TE85) and neuro- inflammation cell lines (BV-2 microglial cells as such or in co-culture with neuron-like SH-SY5Y cells) will be used to test the identified most promising extracts, previously in vitro tested for their biological properties (antioxidant and/or anti-inflammatory activities).
Keywords - ENGLISH
Drosophila melanogaster; signal transduction; inflammation; proteomics; nutraceuticals; bio-wastes.
Active participants in the research line (PI last author or *)
Daniela Beghelli; Laura Giusti.
External Collaborations
Università degli Studi di Bologna; Università degli Studi di Siena.
Pillar
Human Health
Macroareas in Human Health
Biology of health and disease
Relevant research grants (national/international) funding specifically this Research Line
PRIN 2022 -progetto: 2022LW54KC
Titolo: BIO-WASTE PRODUCTS AS A SOURCE OF NUTRACEUTICALS TO TARGET THE COMMON TRAIT OF INFLAMMATION IN CANCER AND NEURODEGENERATION
Email Address
daniela.beghelli@unicam.it
Link to Relevant Publications