Alberto Leguina-Ruzzi

• Medical Science MD PhD
• Clinician at Private Practice

Background: Metabolic syndrome, a chronic condition associated with higher risk of cardiovascular diseases, is increasingly prevalent in young adults. Dyslipidemia, proinflammatory cytokines, endothelial dysfunction signs, and RhoA/Rho-kinase (ROCK) activation are considered risk factors of cardiovascular diseases. The occurrence of these factors i...

Glutamine is the most abundant free amino acid with multiple biological functions. Under hypercatabolic conditions, its levels are considerably depleted a condition that correlates with pathological severity and has been suggested as an independent predictor of mortality in intensive care unit patients. The supplementation of this amino acid to par...

Background Metabolic syndrome is a growing worldwide health problem. We evaluated the effects of wine grape powder (WGP), rich in antioxidants and fiber, in a rat model of metabolic syndrome induced by a high fructose diet. We tested whether WGP supplementation may prevent glucose intolerance and decrease oxidative stress in rats fed with a high fr...

Preeclampsia affects 2-3% of the pregnancies worldwide and is one of the main causes of maternal death and premature birth. Its first stage is related to the invasion of the maternal decidua and the remodeling of the uterine spiral arteries by the extravillous trophoblast. An enhancement of the systemic and local renin-angiotensin system has been i...

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) can go undiagnosed for years, leading to a stage where chronic high blood sugar produces complications such as delayed wound healing. Reports have shown that BLT2 activation improves keratinocyte migration and wound healing, as well as protecting the epidermal barrier through the promotion of actin polymerization. The goal of...

Mitochondrial production of 2-hydroxyglutarate (2HG) can be catalyzed by wild-type isocitrate dehydrogenase 2 (IDH2) and alcohol dehydrogenase, iron-containing 1 (ADHFE1). We investigated whether biochemical background and substrate concentration in breast cancer cells promote 2HG production. To estimate its role in 2HG production, we quantified 2H...

Mitochondrial production of 2-hydroxyglutarate (R-2HG) can be catalyzed by wild-type isocitrate dehydrogenase 2 (IDH2) and alcohol dehydrogenase, iron-containing 1 (ADHFE1). We investigated whether biochemical background and substrate concentration in breast cancer cells promote 2HG production. To estimate its role in 2HG production, we analyzed 2H...

Transcript levels for selected ATP synthase membrane FO-subunits—including DAPIT—in INS-1E cells were found to be sensitive to lowering glucose down from 11 mM, in which these cells are routinely cultured. Depending on conditions, the diminished mRNA levels recovered when glucose was restored to 11 mM; or were elevated during further 120 min incuba...

Significance: Nuclear factor erythroid 2 (NFE2)-related factor 2 (Nfe2l2, or NRF2) is a transcription factor predominantly affecting the expression of antioxidant genes. NRF2 plays a significant role in the control of redox balance, which is crucial in cancer cells. NRF2 activation regulates numerous cancer hallmarks, including metabolism, cancer...

Non-atopic dermatitis is a common inflammatory condition, which is potentially debilitating and can compromise life quality. Polarized ultraviolet-free polychro-matic light is used as therapeutic option for the treatment of wound healing and derma-tological conditions. It has not yet been tested in the management of non-atopic der-matitis. In this...

Type 2 diabetes affects over 340 million people worldwide. This condition can go unnoticed and undiagnosed for years, leading to a late stage where high glycaemia produces complications such as delayed wound healing. Studies have shown that 12-HHT through BLT2, accelerates keratinocyte migration and wound healing. Additionally, evidence has shown t...

There are strong data showing that malnutrition is highly prevalent in intensive care unit patients (20–50% in the worldwide), presenting a negative accumulated body energy balance. This results in an increased mortality, infections, and hospital length stay with high costs associated with the total treatment. Parenteral nutrition is the first opti...

Mitochondrial calcium-independent phospholipase A2γ (iPLA2γ) belongs to a family of enzymes that participate in cellular signaling by simultaneously producing free fatty acids and lysophospholipids. We have shown previously that the activity of iPLA2γ is increased following the addition of oxidants, such as tert-butyl hydroperoxide (tBHP) or H2O2....

Background Type 2 diabetes (T2D) can go undiagnosed for years, leading to a stage where produces complications such as delayed skin wound healing. Animal models have been developed in the last decades to study the pathological progression in this disease. Streptozotocin (STZ), that has a selective pharmacological toxicity toward pancreatic β cells,...

Mitochondrial calcium-independent phospholipase isoform γ (iPLA2γ/PNPLA8) has been shown to augment G-protein coupled receptor 40- (GPR40-) dependent insulin secretion in β-cell model insulinoma INS1-E cells [1]. Fatty acid β-oxidation produces the intramitochondrial redox signal by the elevated superoxide formation on the ETF:QOR. Superoxide is di...

Calcium-independent phospholipases (iPLA2s) are a family of enzymes participating in cellular signaling by simultaneously producing free fatty acids and lysophospholipids. Phospholipase iPLA2γ (PNPLA8) is targeted to mitochondria and has been shown to augment GPR40-dependent insulin secretion in β-cell model insulinoma INS1-E cells [1]. Here, we in...

The mitochondrial Ca²⁺-independent phospholipase A2γ (iPLA2γ) plays an antioxidant role in various tissues.¹ iPLA2γ is redox-dependent, releasing free fatty acids as substrates for mitochondrial uncoupling protein 2 and possibly other SLC25 family carriers, resulting in the attenuation of mitochondrial superoxide formation.¹ We tested the hypothesi...

Critical illness has been associated with gluta-mine (Gln) plasma levels depletion and its sup-plementation is related with better outcomes. In 2013 the Reducing Deaths due to Oxidative Stress (REDOXS) study, showed that the sup-plementation of Gln to total parenteral nutrition was associated with higher mortality without conferring beneficial effe...

Glutamine (Gln) is the most abundant free amino acid (AA) in the body with concen‐ trations fluctuating around 500–900 μmol/L. The biological functions of Gln have been widely studied, and they have opened new targets because Gln could modulate physiological functions such as immune enhancer, muscular maintainer, nitrogen transporter, neuronal medi...

Glutamine is the most abundant free amino acid with multiple biological functions. The supplementation of this amino acid to parenteral nutrition has been widely used for the management of ICU complications. However, inconclusive reports have generated reluctance in the use of this pharmaco-nutrient. In the last decade, new studies have reported th...

Most undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in Life Science colleges in Chile become involved in scientific experiments as subjects and as research assistants from the earliest stages of their studies. The complex hierarchical relationships between students and their professors are associated with particular ethical issues that are not fully...

El Síndrome Metabólico (SM) es un agregado de condiciones cardio-metabólicas que en cronicidad involucra patologías tales como la obesidad, diabetes e hipertensión arterial (HTA), aumentando considerablemente el riesgo de desarrollar enfermedades cardiovasculares (ECV). La aterosclerosis es el denominador común de las patologías que desencadenan lo...

Glutamine is one of the conditionally essential free amino acids with multiple biological functions. Its supplementation to parenteral nutrition has been widely used for the management of complications in intensive care. However, controversial clinical reports have generated reluctance in the use of this pharmaco-nutrient. In this commentary, we ad...

The Metabolic syndrome (SM) is a cluster of cardiovascular risk factors that in chronicity could lead to pathologies such as obesity, diabetes and hypertension (HT), increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Atherosclerosis is the common denominator of the cardiovascular pathologies and endothelial dysfunction (ED) is the base alteration...

Background :Cocaine abuse is associated with an increased risk of cardiac and cerebrovascular events, such as myocardial infarction, sudden cardiac death, and ischemic stroke. The underlying mechanisms leading to these complications are not fully understood although intravascular thrombus formation and accelerated atherosclerosis are prominent find...

Background :Cocaine abuse is associated with an increased risk of cardiac and cerebrovascular events, such as myocardial infarction, sudden cardiac death, and ischemic stroke. The underlying mechanisms leading to these complications are not fully understood although intravascular thrombus formation and accelerated atherosclerosis are prominent find...

Preeclampsia (PE) is initiated by a defective extravillous tropho-blast (EVT) invasion. The local renin-angiotensin system (RAS) is enhanced in PE; its counter-regulatory kallikrein–kinin system is present in EVTs. In adition, angiotensin II (AII) inhibits EVT invasion via the AT1R, while bradykinin stimulates migration and invasion via the B2R. We...