Francesco Marotta

ReGenera R&D International for Aging Intervention, Milano · whole structure

The aging process is paralleled by two- to fourfold increases in plasma/serum levels of inflammatory mediators, such as cytokines and acute-phase proteins. In this study we assessed the inflammatory profile and polymorphism of healthy elderly subjects and the influence of a nutraceutical supplement. Forty elderly, generally healthy subjects were re...

Oxidative DNA damage occurs as an early event in hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and is an indication of the potential for carcinogenesis. The aim of this study was to test a novel antioxidant/immunomodulator in patients with HCV-related cirrhosis. The study group consisted of 50 patients with HCV-related cirrhosis with transaminase values less t...

Twelve (12) healthy elderly subjects were divided into two groups: (a) those given an antioxidant/NO-modulating fermented papaya preparation (FPP) 9 g/day for 4 weeks, and (b) a placebo group. No protein/lipid distribution in erythrocytes (RBC) membranes was noted among different ages and treatments. Higher RBC concentration of malondialdehyde and...

Motility recording of small and large intestine was performed in old Wistar rats divided into three groups: (a) standard diet, (b) standard diet plus a symbiotic preparation, and (c) standard diet plus a heat-inactivated symbiotic preparation. SCM-III. significantly increased the myoelectric activity of small intestine and colon (p < 0.01 versus [a...

These data show that pure pancreatic juice of AICP patients has a markedly defective antibacterial activity. This finding might be of potential clinical interest in the understanding of the pathophysiology of the disease. The aim of the present study was to test the antibacterial activity of pure pancreatic juice in patients with chronic pancreatit...

Utilization of forages and feed which humans cannot utilize is a distinctive feature of ruminants’ digestive system. Rumen fermentation efficiency is necessary to benefit health and production performance of ruminants. There is keen interest in the use of probiotics or direct fed microbial (DFM) in ruminants to increase and alter milk and meat prod...

Foods, feed, and agricultural produce are persistently predisposed to contamination by microbes and microbial toxins, xenobiotics such as agro-industrial chemicals. As a consequence, dairy foods, meat, and agricultural products which constitute human diet serve as sources of toxicants. In view of increasing pervasiveness of xenobiotics in food, it...

Ingested plant cell wall polysaccharides and phytochemicals, namely, polyphenols, saponins, phytoestrogens, and alkaloids during their passage through the alimentary canal are metabolized by microorganisms present in the large intestine and cecum. The resulting metabolites have added therapeutic benefits besides their direct impact on the diversity...

Probiotic research and marketing have expanded rapidly in recent years. As properties of probiotics are species and strain specific, traits, safety, and efficacy of a particular strain cannot be generalized for all strains belonging to same genus or species. Scientific regulatory authorities and expert panels such as Inaugural Meetings of Internati...

Extensive awakening in the interest of nutritionists and health experts in microorganisms with pro-health attributes and protection against infectious and non-infectious diseases has furthered the interest in diverse probiotic microorganisms. Expanding knowledge of health benefits of microorganisms has enthused interest in microbiological niches to...

A healthy gut ecosystem is important to digest and assimilate the nutrients proficiently. Probiotics have noteworthy role in poultry, pigs, equines and pets such as cats and dogs. Given that foremost cost in animal production is the cost of feeding and nutrition, efficient utilization of feed has most significant role in pigs and poultry production...

Consumers’ preference and perception about health benefits of foods are shifting now. Every so often, the raw foods and food ingredients are produced in large quantities. Prevention of surplus or unutilized food from microbial spoilage until it is consumed is the prime objective of preservation of foods. Instead of physical and chemical methods, pr...

Herbivorous animals rely on their gastrointestinal microbiota to derive nutrients from plant biomass which in addition to cell wall polysaccharides contain various other phytochemicals. Among herbivorous vertebrates, ruminants possess a complex rumen microbial ecosystem involved in enzymatic degradation and fermentation of fibrous dietary forage, u...

Infectious diseases impact the health of livestock and pets. The prevalence of infectious diseases depends on several factors including animals, age immunity, and sensitivity of the pathogens to available therapeutics. Neonatal and aged animals are more vulnerable to infections. Probiotics and probiotic metabolites are effective against gastrointes...

Wild animals are sources of income, food, microorganisms, valuable products like fur and other goods. In addition, wild animals contribute to a balanced ecosystem. Wild life is under threat due to shrinking habitat, unlawful poaching for various organs, biotic and abiotic stress, and abrupt emergence of pathogens and parasites. Under certain compel...

Fermented milk and other dairy foods are consumed globally since ages. Dairy foods are nutrient-rich foods and sources of microorganisms with probiotic properties. A variety of probiotics and starter cultures are used to generate different milk-based foods. Dairy foods have gathered optimism in view of their nutritive value, potential for gastroint...

Probiotics and starter cultures are integral components of fermentation and functional food industries. The microbes should be consumed in sufficient quantities and remain viable in the GI tract. Design and monitoring of probiotics under different environments and purposes is a challenging task for microbiologists and food technologists. Microbial...

Microbial strains used as probiotics comprise of lactic acid bacteria (LAB), non-LAB, bifidobacteria, Escherichia coli Nissle 1917, butyrogenic Firmicutes, and yeasts, obtained from fermented milks, non-milk foods, human gut, infants’ feces, and human milk. Identification, portrayal, and classification of microorganisms are the initial steps in sel...

Originally, the probiotics were believed to improve GI health. Consequent advancements in healthcare and industrial uprising have propelled the demand of functional foods and nutraceuticals with health benefits. Currently, there is an uprising demand for prebiotics, probiotics, and probiotic products in nutrition, health, and pharmaceutical industr...

Fermentation is used for centuries to preserve foods and food components and enhance their shelf life and nutritive value. Traditional and ethnic fermented foods and beverages are popular all over the world and known for their nutritive and functional properties. People consuming fermented beverages, vegetables, fruits, grains, and dairy foods have...

Ruminants transform plant biomass to high biological value foods. Ruminants’ gastrointestinal (GI) ecosystem serves as exceptionally functional system for saccharification and fermentation of consumed plant biomass and converts it into digestible microbial proteins, SCFAs, NH3, H2, CO2, and CH4. Ruminal Archaea helps indirectly by using H2, the end...

Due to its immature immune system, neonates and the young are susceptible to infections. There is interest in the use of probiotics in many diseases in neonates and growing children. Given the increasing number of probiotic strains available in the market and variable or contradictory data associated with the outcomes of the use of probiotics, heal...

Microorganisms are the backbone of food and feed industry. Commercial use of microorganisms has expanded speedily in the past two decades. Microorganisms possessing probiotic properties are used to alleviate various diseases, preserve foods, enhance their shelf life and nutritive value. It is a must that probiotics should remain viable during proce...

Aquaculture is the world’s largest growing foods and pharmaceuticals-producing sector. Undoubtedly, fishery and aquaculture have contributed intensely to human nutrition and health by nutrients and pharmaceuticals and livelihood. Progress in the fields of probiotics and direct-fed microbial has exhilarated the microbiologists and nutritional biotec...

Yeasts are the ubiquitously distributed eukaryotic microbes being components of human commensal microbiota. Many yeasts have probiotic properties. Saccharomyces boulardii, isolated around 100 years back is the most widely studied probiotic yeast. For major biological traits and features, Saccharomyces boulardii resembles Saccharomyces cerevisiae. S...

Milk is a most pertinent postnatal element for nutritional, metabolic, and immunological programming of mammalian neonatal health. Afar from nutritional benefits, the bioactive milk components such as microorganisms, biofactors including immunoglobulins, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), cytokines and chemokines, growth factors, and lactoferrin play d...

A sustained supply of green fodder is a major challenge to economic gains from livestock. As an alternative to green forage, corn, oats, and grasses can be conserved by ensiling under oxygen-free environment. The process involves microbial and enzymatic conversion of plant cell wall polysaccharides and soluble carbohydrates into lactic acid which l...

Conventional antimicrobial therapies are occasionally inadequate to protect against infections principally due to emergence of multidrug resistance among pathogens. Drug resistance and the resistant microorganisms originating because of anthropogenic activities and industrialization and commercial livestock farming have posed serious health threats...

Nutraceuticals are dietetic supplements used to enrich health, delay aging, prevent diseases, and support overall functioning of the body. In view of their availability in food items, probiotics, prebiotics, and synbiotics (containing probiotics as well as prebiotics) have been given due consideration as nutraceuticals and health supplements. Innov...

Meat is a highly nutritious food consumed by humans since ancient ages. Starting from slaughtering of the meat-producing animals to processing it, the meat remains highly susceptible to environmental and microbial contamination. Methods used to preserve meat include drying, chilling at low temperature, freeze-drying, curing, irradiation, chemical a...

Industrial pollutants have unavoidably increased the incidences of human exposure to organic and inorganic pollutants. The contaminants enter into foods accidently during production, manufacturing, processing, and packaging. Organic pollutants, nonessential heavy metals, mycotoxins, and many allergens, collectively called as xenobiotics, pose serio...

Ruminants have unique and multiple nutritional impediments. Whereas high-yielding cows fed grain-enriched diets may develop ruminal acidosis, grazing ruminants without prior adaptation suffer from toxicity due to high intake of phytochemicals in forage and agro-industrial by-products. Rumen fluid transplantation, also called as rumen transfaunation...

Proteins are the integral components of microbial cells, required for host-microbe and microbe-microbe interaction and molecular signaling. Microbial proteomics aims to study the proteins associated with structure and microbial activities, microbe-pathogen interactions, and microbial mechanisms to combat environmental stress and resistance to antib...

Over the past years, biological sciences have transformed strongly and shaped our understanding about the composition and role of the human microbiome in health and disease. Culture-independent technologies have unraveled the community structure and amazing role of the human microbiome. New generation sequencing technologies, synthetic biology, art...

Metabolic disorders are the autosomal recessive health disorders mediated by abnormal biochemical pathway reactions which negatively affect the body’s physiology and activities and utilization of macronutrients. Metabolic disorders are currently the worldwide health challenges owing to increase in their prevalence. Dietary lipid-induced cardiovascu...

The vaccine is purposed to strengthen the adaptive immune system by means of specific antigens or immunogens. Mucosal administration of protein antigens is an effective and preferred method for induction of tolerance against diseases. Degradation of orally administered protein antigens by gastric enzymes impedes the antigen efficiency, thus increas...

Probiotic or human microbiota are multipurpose microbial therapeutics to treat metabolic disorders and infectious and noninfectious diseases. As diagnostic tools, the engineered microorganisms have emerged as “smart” supportive therapies to diagnose and cure health problems. Challenges, such as biocontainment and risk of transmission of recombinant...

Supportive non-antibiotic therapies have a unique place in human healthcare regimen. The potential of human gut microbiota as therapeutics has led to the development of novel microbial therapies. The interest has increased markedly in fecal microbiota transplantation to reinstate the disrupted intestinal microbiota. The fundamental purpose of fecal...

A well-balanced immune system is pivotal to maintain health and protect from infectious and noninfectious diseases. Excessive functioning of the immune system causes autoimmune diseases and allergic reactions. The need to avert allergic diseases has never been so crucial. The surge of allergic reactions, asthma, allergic rhinitis, eczema and atopic...

Microorganisms have remarkable metabolic capabilities which make them potentially attractive candidates for food and pharmaceutical industry. Lactic acid bacteria, bifidobacteria, Escherichia coli Nissle 1917, Akkermansia muciniphila, Clostridium butyricum, and yeasts such as Pichia pastoris are the mainstream probiotics which interact directly wit...

Therapeutics based on microorganisms show a roadmap for next-generation live diagnostics and biomedicine. The purpose of genetic advancement of microorganisms is to boost their inherent capabilities and enhance protective, antimicrobial, and commercial applications. Genome engineering and gene editing systems are also used to understand molecular m...

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is an umbrella term which describes the chronic inflammatory diseases of the intestinal tract. Some of the prominent inflammatory diseases include ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, and indeterminate colitis. These diseases are polygenic disorders influenced by patients’ genetic background, environmental factors,...

Nutrients, probiotics, and microbial metabolites impact the health of the host through gene expression and metabolism. The nutrient-gene interaction has led to evolution of the dogma of nutrigenomics and nutrigenetics. The nutrigenomic studies describe the interaction between nutrients and genetic makeup of an individual and how the genes regulate...

For many reasons, surgery has become an integral component of the healthcare system. There are different types of surgery, time required to complete it, and recovery of the patients who have undergone surgery. There remains the risk of infections to patients during and after surgery. Threat may be from environmental, hospital, or microorganisms liv...

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic has caused huge mortality and morbidities including inflammation, oxidative stress, dysfunction of mitochondria, hypoxia, and gastro-hepatic and neurological problems. Besides the respiratory system, the digestive tract acts as a key route of entry of SARS-CoV-2 and its relea...

Omics technologies are valuable tools and integral components of recent biomedical and life sciences. Efficient state-of-the-art sequencing technologies generate high-throughput data and make it available for analysis. Bioinformatics, system, and computational biology tools have been developed to collect, store, retrieve, and decode the genomic, tr...

Living beings including large aquatic as well as terrestrial animals, plants, and microorganisms synthesize antagonistic compounds to inhibit competing organisms. The antagonistic substances provide benefit to producer organisms to survive better among competitors. Ribosomally synthesized bacteriocins, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), and non-ribosom...

Improving microbial strains for health and industrial application is a prospective area of research and economic importance. Cancer biology, molecular microbiology, and microbial bioengineering have spurred the development of engineered probiotics as biotherapeutics for targeted therapy, production of nutraceuticals and recombinant proteins, and pr...

Aging is a natural process of becoming elder owing to cellular and biomolecular damages in the functioning of body organs over the time. Aging is characterized by gradual damage of functional and mental capacity, susceptibility to diseases, and ultimately the bereavement. Deterioration in normal functioning is the primary risk factor for pathologie...

Threat of drug resistance and superbugs is not new, but the stride with which it is increasing is worrisome. Non-conventional traditional therapies which have been in use since ancient times signify the remedial curative practices. In the modern era of medicine and “omics” biology, the traditional medicine has again emerged supplementary therapies...

Parasites cause anemia, infections, and solemn health complications. Parasitic protozoa and intestinal parasites pose serious threat to humans in tropical, developing, and poor countries. Like pathogenic microorganisms, many parasites have developed resistance to commonly used anti-parasitic drugs. Hence, there is a need to develop alternative stra...

The availability of methods to create artificial life or manipulate the living cells has ushered in a new era in life sciences. Indeed, redesigning the microorganisms and cells is one of the fundamental accomplishments of synthetic biology. Making of genes, subcellular components with different dimensions, biochemical and material properties are th...

The lungs previously thought to be sterile organs possess a unique functional microbiome which is affected by age, genetics, and signals from the environment and intestine. A healthy lung microbiome builds up adequate immunity and serves as barrier against infectious and non-infectious diseases. Understanding of respiratory immune system has broade...

The original notion of probiotics has metamorphosed from being traditionally employed microbes to preserve and alter the nutritive properties of milk, fruits, vegetable, and cereals to the versatile microorganisms in industrial, biomedical, and veterinary health applications. At present, non-traditional, non-lactic acid bacteria and yeasts are also...

Genitourinary and reproductive health is essential for the mother and neonate. Vaginal microbiome being highly complex and dominated by beneficial lactic acid bacteria is considered an indicator of healthy normal microbiota. However, the vaginal microbiota can be perturbed by several factors including infections, antibiotic therapy, and personal hy...

The high metabolic capabilities of the human microbiota make it a treasured source of metabolites and bioactive therapeutic capabilities. Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), antimicrobial proteins and peptides (AMPs), and bacteriocins and neurotransmitters confer multiple health benefits. Some metabolites interfere at various cellular and molecular le...

The skin is the largest external organ of the body, present on the interface between body organs and the environment and acting as a protective barrier. The skin is exposed to various physical, chemical, and biological challenges. As a natural commensal microbial niche, the skin is inhabited by a complex microbiome which under normal conditions con...

The probiotics are aimed to improve health and prevent or manage some disorders, hence serving as supplemental therapeutics. The uniqueness of probiotics is that they confer nutritional and therapeutic effects only if administered in appropriate dosage. As an increasing number of microorganisms from diverse origins have been developed as probiotics...

Prokaryote-eukaryote symbiosis spans throughout living kingdom. Human, animals, and microorganisms have co-evolved in a symbiotic relation comprising an intricate interplay. By virtue of their interaction with host, the microbes implicate in various functions and overall state of well-being. Under certain adverse situations, the dwelling microbiota...

Immune tolerance to invading and ingested microbes and dietary elements which act as antigens is imperative to maintain a healthy physique. The mucosal organs serve as first line of immunity against immunogens and maintain immune homeostasis. Probiotics along with intestinal microbiota and their metabolites protect host from infection by strengthen...

Intestinal microbiota and the brain axis affect each other and the functioning of the whole body. The brain continuously receives signals from intestinal microbiota and immune system. Gut dysbiosis aggravates patients’ health and may cause persistent hurtful effects. Probiotics serve to increase functional camaraderie of normal gut microorganisms a...

Cancer, a multifactorial pathology, is among the leading causes of barrier to life expectancy and death. The intestinal microbiota maintains a balanced homeostasis, detoxifies, and eliminates the inadvertently consumed carcinogens, genotoxicants, and mutagens. Under aberrant situations, due to their immunomodulatory activities, few intestinal micro...

The bones and skeleton are very important supportive parts of the body which protect vital organs from injury. In addition, the bones stock minerals such as calcium and phosphorous and release them when needed for physiological activities. Intestinal microorganisms and their metabolites influence and act as key regulators of bone health, postnatal...

There exists an interdependent relationship between humans and the microorganisms. The human-microbiome co-evolution exerts gainful effects from one generation to another via maternal microbiome and the associated immune responses. Microorganisms and microbial metabolites, viz., lactic acid, short-chain fatty acids, bacteriocins, and antimicrobial...

By definition, the probiotics are intended for explicit nutritional and health benefits. In view of increasing demand and customers’ interest, various probiotic formulations are available in the form of tablets, pills, sachets, and powder forms. In addition, fermented foods, beverages, chewing gums, skin lotions, creams, and cosmetics containing pr...

The gut and liver are anatomically and physiologically distant organs, yet linked via portal vein and biliary duct, thus affecting each other. The gut-liver axis refers to the bidirectional relationship between the gut, its microbial metabolites, and the liver by means of signals generated by dietary metabolites and genetic and environmental factor...

The mouth has a role in food and water intake and speech. The salivary glands produce saliva which moistens food, and the salivary enzymes break down the starch. Oral cavity and the associated microbes are the first sites of interaction with gulped elements, beverages, soft drinks, and smoking. The interaction affects health directly by altering mi...

Objective: This study investigated the effects of fermented papaya preparation (FPP®) and vitamin E on gene expression in middle-aged/elderly individuals, leveraging FPP’s established antioxidant and immune-regulatory benefits. Methods: Graded Exercise Walking Test was administered twice weekly for 6 months. Total Antioxidant capacity (TAC) and gen...

Microbiome is an endocrine organ that refers to both the complicated biological system of microbial species that colonize our bodies and their genomes and surroundings. Recent studies confirm the connection between the microbiome and eye diseases, which are involved in the pathogenesis of eye diseases, including age-related macular disorders, diabe...

Background: Retinal hemorrhages are an important ophthalmic diagnostic sign of underlying systemic vascular disorder. Capsaicin is a bioactive component of chili peppers used in most countries. Capsaicin crosses the blood–brain barrier in an efficient manner. Human exposure to capsaicinoids through diet is frequent and often substantial. Presumed l...

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has emerged as a significant global health issue. The condition is closely linked to metabolic dysfunctions such as obesity and type 2 diabetes. The gut–liver axis, a bidirectional communication pathway between the liver and the gut, plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of NAFLD. This review delves into...

Background and Objective Blood-based small molecule metabolites offer easy accessibility and hold significant potential for insights into health processes, the impact of lifestyle, and genetic variation on disease, enabling precise risk prevention. In a prospective study with records of heart failure (HF) incidence, we present metabolite profiling...

Drug-induced liver disease (DILI) represents one of the main problems in the therapeutic field. There are several non-modifiable risk factors, such as age and sex, and all drugs can cause hepatotoxicity of varying degrees, including those for the treatment of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). The aim of this review is to illustrate the adverse eff...

Drug-induced liver disease represents one of the main problems in the therapeutic field. As with most pathologies, also in this case various risk factors can be recognised, such as age, sex, but also the gut microbiota. Therefore all drugs on the market can, in fact, cause hepatotoxicity of varying degrees. Drugs used in the treatment of IBD can al...

Mammalian gastrointestinal tract is inhabited by trillions of symbiotic microbiotas representing viruses, bacteria, archaea and eukaryotes including yeasts, fungi and protozoa. Compared to humans, the herbivores harbor a complex and metabolically efficient microbes which not only detoxify inadvertently consumed anti-nutritional phytochemicals, but...

Introduction Despite numerous investigations into the impact of drugs/probiotics on the gut microbiota composition in Familial Mediterranean Fever (FMF) patients, the question as to whether there exists a significant bacterial diversity(ies) independent of the placebo effect that can be reliably considered in clinical and nutritional trials remains...

Background:Milk and dairy product intake are associated with higher IGF-1 concentrations, a well-known factor promoting adverse events such as carcinogenesis. Different associations with high levels of IGF-I were found for dairy protein such as milk and derivatives, and soy protein. In this contest, fermented milk product (kefir)exhibits a growing...

Background:T his study represents the second part of a 2-year interventional study in middle-aged /elderly healthy subjects treated either with an antioxidant supplementation (200mg trans-resveratrol, 100mg Centella asiatica extract, 80mg ubiquinol, 50mg epigallo-cathechin-gallate, 20 mg anthocyanidins, 5mg zinc, and 200 IU vitamin E) or with a pro...

Cutting-edge research on oceans and human health is enhancing our comprehension of disease-causing organisms in coastal ecosystems. Coastal areas are affected by pollution resulting from the changes in hydrology and land utilization. In the coastal population, an elevated incidence of diabetes was observed. Diabetes mellitus is a prominent metaboli...

As we age, our organ functions gradually decline. Circulating factors in the blood and the integrity of organ barriers can become dysfunctional, resulting in a condition known as leaky syndrome. This condition involves the unregulated exchange or leakage of components between organs. However, the triggers of leaky syndrome, as well as its role in a...

Senotherapy, a promising therapeutic strategy, has drawn a lot attention recently due to its potential for combating cancer. Senotherapy refers to the targeting of senescent cells to restore tissue homeostasis and mitigate the deleterious effects associated with senescence. Senolytic drugs represent a promising avenue in cancer treatment, with the...

This study aimed to identify the oral microbial signature of Kazakh female rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. A total of 75 female patients who met the American College of Rheumatology 2010 classification criteria for RA and 114 healthy volunteers were included in the study. Amplicons of the 16S rRNA gene were sequenced to analyze the microbial co...

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a complex endocrine and metabolic disorder, typically characterized by anovulation, infertility, obesity, insulin resistance, and polycystic ovaries. Lifestyle or diet, environmental pollutants, genetics, gut dysbiosis, neuroendocrine alterations, and obesity are among the risk factors that predispose females to...

Stem cells are present in the tissues and organs. These cells remain in a quiescent and undifferentiated state until it is physiologically necessary to produce new descendant cells or when a disease or tissue damage activates their proliferation with the aim of repairing the tissue. In response to damage, stem cells secrete components of the extrac...

Recent advances in technology have allowed us to delve into the world of genetics in a way that could barely be conceived a couple of decades ago. Now besides the human genome, we can also study of the commensal microbiota present within the human gut and discover the link it shares to the functioning of the human body. Previously, researchers beli...

Eating disorders (EDs) are defined by persistent disturbances in eating behaviors and affect at least 9% of the population worldwide. Over time, they place physical, psychological, and social burdens on affected individuals and increase the risk for several chronic diseases. EDs (or “disordered eating”) may present at any age, but they are most com...