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Metabolic and Vascular Effects of Mediterranean Diet

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Endocrinology and Metabolism".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 January 2021) | Viewed by 36395

Special Issue Editor

Special Issue Information

Dear colleagues,

Several studies reported that the protective effects of the Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) on cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events are being published. The scientific evidence level for each outcome is variable, and new studies are needed to better understand the molecular mechanisms whereby the MedDiet may exercise its effects. Here, we present recent advances in understanding the molecular basis of MedDiet effects, mainly focusing on cardiovascular diseases but also discussing other related diseases. There is heterogeneity in defining the MedDiet, and it can, owing to its complexity, be considered as an exposome with thousands of nutrients and phytochemicals. We review MedDiet composition and assessment, as well as the latest advances in the genomic, epigenomic (DNA methylation, histone modifications, microRNAs, and other emerging regulators), transcriptomic (selected genes and whole transcriptome), metabolomic, and metagenomic aspects of the MedDiet effects (as a whole and for their most typical food components). We also present a review of the clinical effects of this dietary style underlying the biochemical and molecular effects of the Mediterranean Diet to better understand the most important molecular mechanisms whereby the MedDiet as a whole, or its main food components, may exercise their protective effects.

Prof. Dr. Antonino Tuttolomondo
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • Mediterranean Diet
  • vascular risk
  • adherence
  • ceramides
  • cholesterol
  • inflammation

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Review

22 pages, 977 KiB  
Review
Mediterranean Diet: Lipids, Inflammation, and Malaria Infection
by Adriana R. Silva, Bianca P. T. Moraes and Cassiano F. Gonçalves-de-Albuquerque
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2020, 21(12), 4489; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms21124489 - 24 Jun 2020
Cited by 18 | Viewed by 10459
Abstract
The Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) consists of consumption of vegetables and healthy oils and have beneficial effects on metabolic and inflammatory diseases. Our goal here is to discuss the role of fatty acid content in MedDiet, mostly omega-3, omega-6, and omega-9 on malaria. Malaria [...] Read more.
The Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) consists of consumption of vegetables and healthy oils and have beneficial effects on metabolic and inflammatory diseases. Our goal here is to discuss the role of fatty acid content in MedDiet, mostly omega-3, omega-6, and omega-9 on malaria. Malaria affects millions of people around the globe. The parasite Plasmodium causes the disease. The metabolic and inflammatory alterations in the severe forms have damaging consequences to the host. The lipid content in the MedDiet holds anti-inflammatory and pro-resolutive features in the host and have detrimental effects on the Plasmodium. The lipids from the diet impact the balance of pro- and anti-inflammation, thus, lipids intake from the diet is critical to parasite elimination and host tissue damage caused by an immune response. Herein, we go into the cellular and molecular mechanisms and targets of the MedDiet fatty acids in the host and the parasite, reviewing potential benefits of the MedDiet, on inflammation, malaria infection progression, and clinical outcome. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Metabolic and Vascular Effects of Mediterranean Diet)
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47 pages, 1561 KiB  
Review
Metabolic and Vascular Effect of the Mediterranean Diet
by Antonino Tuttolomondo, Irene Simonetta, Mario Daidone, Alba Mogavero, Antonella Ortello and Antonio Pinto
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2019, 20(19), 4716; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms20194716 - 23 Sep 2019
Cited by 139 | Viewed by 25332
Abstract
Several studies indicated how dietary patterns that were obtained from nutritional cluster analysis can predict disease risk or mortality. Low-grade chronic inflammation represents a background pathogenetic mechanism linking metabolic risk factors to increased risk of chronic degenerative diseases. A Mediterranean diet (MeDi) style [...] Read more.
Several studies indicated how dietary patterns that were obtained from nutritional cluster analysis can predict disease risk or mortality. Low-grade chronic inflammation represents a background pathogenetic mechanism linking metabolic risk factors to increased risk of chronic degenerative diseases. A Mediterranean diet (MeDi) style has been reported as associated with a lower degree of inflammation biomarkers and with a protective role on cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events. There is heterogeneity in defining the MedDiet, and it can, owing to its complexity, be considered as an exposome with thousands of nutrients and phytochemicals. Recently, it has been reported a novel positive association between baseline plasma ceramide concentrations and cardiovascular events and how adherence to a Mediterranean Diet-style may influence the potential negative relationship between elevated plasma ceramide concentrations and cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Several randomized controlled trials (RCTs) showed the positive effects of the MeDi diet style on several cardiovascular risk factors, such as body mass index, waist circumference, blood lipids, blood pressure, inflammatory markers and adhesion molecules, and diabetes and how these advantages of the MeDi are maintained in comparison of a low-fat diet. Some studies reported a positive effect of adherence to a Mediterranean Diet and heart failure incidence, whereas some recent studies, such as the PREDIMED study, showed that the incidence of major cardiovascular events was lower among those assigned to MeDi supplemented with extra-virgin olive oil or nuts than among those assigned to a reduced-fat diet. New studies are needed to better understand the molecular mechanisms, whereby the MedDiet may exercise its effects. Here, we present recent advances in understanding the molecular basis of MedDiet effects, mainly focusing on cardiovascular diseases, but also discussing other related diseases. We review MedDiet composition and assessment as well as the latest advances in the genomic, epigenomic (DNA methylation, histone modifications, microRNAs, and other emerging regulators), transcriptomic (selected genes and whole transcriptome), and metabolomic and metagenomic aspects of the MedDiet effects (as a whole and for its most typical food components). We also present a review of the clinical effects of this dietary style underlying the biochemical and molecular effects of the Mediterranean diet. Our purpose is to review the main features of the Mediterranean diet in particular its benefits on human health, underling the anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant and anti-atherosclerotic effects to which new knowledge about epigenetic and gut-microbiota relationship is recently added. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Metabolic and Vascular Effects of Mediterranean Diet)
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