Prevention of Atherosclerosis and of Low-Density Lipoprotein Oxidation: Role of Dietary Antioxidant Compounds and Altered Redox Pathways. A Commemorative Special Issue in Honour of Professor Stanley Omaye

A special issue of Antioxidants (ISSN 2076-3921).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 August 2024 | Viewed by 3762

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples “Federico II”, Via Cintia 4, I-80126 Naples, Italy
Interests: polyphenol antioxidants of dietary origin; conjugates of polyphenols with sulphydryl compounds of biological relevance; antioxidants from marine sources; valorization of agri food wastes; synthesis and exploitation of biopolymers from natural polyphenols; chemistry and structural investigation of natural polymers from catechols including human epidermal pigments melanins; oxidation chemistry of catecholamines in relation to neurodegenerative disorders; design and preparation of polydopamine related biomaterials with peculiar adhesive properties
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) increases markedly with age and is the largest contributor to morbidity and premature mortality in men and women. Increased levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and free-radical-mediated oxidative damage of LDL represent a key risk factor and a key step in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Indeed, oxidised LDL (oxLDL) plays a crucial role in the development of a chronic, low-grade inflammation state that strongly supports the evolution of CVD. Other mechanisms, including altered redox signalling and antioxidant pathways, may also be involved in the onset and development of these pathological conditions.

Approaches aimed at attenuating the risk of CVD, and which are based on dietary or supplemental antioxidants, have been increasingly investigated regarding the ability of different antioxidants and their combinations to protect LDL from oxidation. Other valuable strategies involve the targeting of altered redox signalling and the expression of antioxidant enzymes.

The research work developed by Professor Omaye and his collaborators has focused on nutraceuticals and their mode of action, particularly on antioxidant vitamins including ascorbate, alpha-tocopherol, and beta-carotene as protective agents against atherosclerosis and CVD. These vitamins have been shown to protect LDL against oxidative modification both in ex vivo supplementation studies and in vitro loading studies, suggesting that the protective effects against atherosclerosis associated with their intake may be mediated by their antioxidative activities.

This Special Issue dedicated to Professor Stanley Omaye will honour his memory, providing the latest insights into the actual role of antioxidants of dietary origin in the prevention of CVD, emerging from in vitro, animal studies and human trials. Altered redox mechanisms involved in CVD onset also represent a relevant and central topic of interest.

Original research papers, reviews and case studies addressing the topics reported below are herein welcome:

  • Studies aiming to investigate the mechanisms underlying the protective effects of antioxidants against oxLDL-related CVD;
  • Investigations into the ability of dietary antioxidants to counteract oxLDL-induced low-grade inflammation in CVD;
  • Epidemiological studies on the protective effects of dietary antioxidants against oxLDL-related CVD;
  • Studies on the bioavailability of dietary antioxidants;
  • Methodologies to investigate the action of antioxidants in experimental systems simulating LDL oxidation;
  • Investigations on redox signalling and altered antioxidant pathways related to CVD onset.

Prof. Dr. Alessandra Napolitano
Dr. Mario Allegra
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Antioxidants is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • LDL
  • oxidative stress
  • antioxidants
  • chronic, low-grade inflammation
  • vitamins
  • antioxidant enzymes
  • redox signalling

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Review

32 pages, 1833 KiB  
Review
Radical Oxygen Species, Oxidized Low-Density Lipoproteins, and Lectin-like Oxidized Low-Density Lipoprotein Receptor 1: A Vicious Circle in Atherosclerotic Process
by Marco Munno, Alice Mallia, Arianna Greco, Gloria Modafferi, Cristina Banfi and Sonia Eligini
Antioxidants 2024, 13(5), 583; https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox13050583 - 9 May 2024
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Abstract
Atherosclerosis is a complex condition that involves the accumulation of lipids and subsequent plaque formation in the arterial intima. There are various stimuli, cellular receptors, and pathways involved in this process, but oxidative modifications of low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) are particularly important in the [...] Read more.
Atherosclerosis is a complex condition that involves the accumulation of lipids and subsequent plaque formation in the arterial intima. There are various stimuli, cellular receptors, and pathways involved in this process, but oxidative modifications of low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) are particularly important in the onset and progression of atherosclerosis. Ox-LDLs promote foam-cell formation, activate proinflammatory pathways, and induce smooth-muscle-cell migration, apoptosis, and cell death. One of the major receptors for ox-LDL is LOX-1, which is upregulated in several cardiovascular diseases, including atherosclerosis. LOX-1 activation in endothelial cells promotes endothelial dysfunction and induces pro-atherogenic signaling, leading to plaque formation. The binding of ox-LDLs to LOX-1 increases the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which can induce LOX-1 expression and oxidize LDLs, contributing to ox-LDL generation and further upregulating LOX-1 expression. This creates a vicious circle that is amplified in pathological conditions characterized by high plasma levels of LDLs. Although LOX-1 has harmful effects, the clinical significance of inhibiting this protein remains unclear. Further studies both in vitro and in vivo are needed to determine whether LOX-1 inhibition could be a potential therapeutic target to counteract the atherosclerotic process. Full article
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19 pages, 1049 KiB  
Review
N-Acetylcysteine and Atherosclerosis: Promises and Challenges
by Yuqi Cui, Qiang Zhu, Hong Hao, Gregory C. Flaker and Zhenguo Liu
Antioxidants 2023, 12(12), 2073; https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox12122073 - 4 Dec 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2858
Abstract
Atherosclerosis remains a leading cause of cardiovascular diseases. Although the mechanism for atherosclerosis is complex and has not been fully understood, inflammation and oxidative stress play a critical role in the development and progression of atherosclerosis. N-acetylcysteine (NAC) has been used as a [...] Read more.
Atherosclerosis remains a leading cause of cardiovascular diseases. Although the mechanism for atherosclerosis is complex and has not been fully understood, inflammation and oxidative stress play a critical role in the development and progression of atherosclerosis. N-acetylcysteine (NAC) has been used as a mucolytic agent and an antidote for acetaminophen overdose with a well-established safety profile. NAC has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects through multiple mechanisms, including an increase in the intracellular glutathione level and an attenuation of the nuclear factor kappa-B mediated production of inflammatory cytokines like tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukins. Numerous animal studies have demonstrated that NAC significantly decreases the development and progression of atherosclerosis. However, the data on the outcomes of clinical studies in patients with atherosclerosis have been limited and inconsistent. The purpose of this review is to summarize the data on the effect of NAC on atherosclerosis from both pre-clinical and clinical studies and discuss the potential mechanisms of action of NAC on atherosclerosis, as well as challenges in the field. Full article
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