Obesity is a major risk factor for several metabolic diseases, including type 2 diabetes, hyperlipidemia, cardiovascular diseases, and brain disorders. Growing evidence suggests the importance of inter-organ metabolic communication for the progression of obesity and the subsequent onset of related disorders. This review provides a broad overview of the pathophysiological processes that from adipose tissue dysfunction leading to altered multi-tissue crosstalk relevant to regulating energy homeostasis and the etiology of obesity. First, a comprehensive description of the role of adipose tissue was reported. Then, attention was turned toward the unhealthy expansion of adipose tissue, low-grade inflammatory state, metabolic inflexibility, and mitochondrial dysfunction as root causes of systemic metabolic alterations. In addition, a short spot was devoted to iron deficiency in obese conditions and the role of the hepcidin–ferroportin relationship in the management of this issue. Finally, different classes of bioactive food components were described with a perspective to enhance their potential preventive and therapeutic use against obesity-related diseases.

A thorough knowledge of body composition assessment techniques is the cornerstone for initiating a customized nutritional program. The second step is to consider the potential of their application in different physiological and pathological conditions and their effectiveness in the management of a monitoring pathway during dietary interventions. To date, bioimpedance analysis is the most effective and reliable method for assessing body composition due to its advantages in terms of speed of execution, non-invasiveness and low cost. Therefore, this review article aims to analyze the main concepts and application areas of bioimpedance measurement techniques, in particular vector frequency-based analysis (BIVA) systems, in order to assess their validity in both physiological and pathological conditions.

The correct assessment of body composition is essential for an accurate diagnostic evaluation of nutritional status. The body mass index (BMI) is the most widely adopted indicator for evaluating undernutrition, overweight, and obesity, but it is unsuitable for differentiating changes in body composition. In recent times, bioelectrical impedance analyses (BIA) have been proven as a more accurate procedure for the assessment of body composition. Furthermore, the efficiency of bioelectrical impedance vector analyses, as an indicator of nutritional status and hydration, has been demonstrated. By applying a bioimpedance analysis, it is possible to detect fat mass (FM), fat free mass (FFM), phase angle, and body cell mass (BCM). It is important to point out that phase angle and BCM are strongly associated with health status. The aim of this research was to examine body composition and the association between the phase angle and BCM in 87 subjects (14 males and 73 females), aged between 23 and 54 years, with BMIs ranging from 17.0 to 32.0 kg/m², according to sex. The BMI results revealed that the majority of the assessed subjects were within the normal range and had a normal percentage of FM. Our data indicate that a direct relation exists between phase angle and cellular health and that these values increase almost linearly. Consequently, a high phase angle may be related to increased BCM values.

Targeting DNA damage response (DDR) pathways represents one of the principal approaches in cancer therapy. However, defects in DDR mechanisms, exhibited by various tumors, can also promote tumor progression and resistance to therapy, negatively impacting patient survival. Therefore, identifying new molecules from natural extracts could provide a powerful source of novel compounds for cancer treatment strategies. In this context, we investigated the role of oleanolic acid (OA), identified in fermented Aglianico red grape pomace, in modulating the DDR in response to camptothecin (CPT), an inhibitor of topoisomerase I. Specifically, we found that OA can influence the choice of DNA repair pathway upon CPT treatment, shifting the repair process from homologous recombination gene conversion to single-strand annealing. Moreover, our data demonstrate that combining sub-lethal concentrations of OA with CPT enhances the efficacy of topoisomerase I inhibition compared to CPT alone. Overall, these findings highlight a new role for OA in the DDR, leading to a more mutagenic DNA repair pathway and increased sensitivity in the HeLa cancer cell line.

Obesity is a condition of chronic low-grade inflammation affecting peripheral organs of the body, as well as the central nervous system. The adipose tissue dysfunction occurring under conditions of obesity is a key factor in the onset and progression of a variety of diseases, including neurodegenerative disorders. Mitochondria, key organelles in the production of cellular energy, play an important role in this tissue dysfunction. Numerous studies highlight the close link between obesity and adipocyte mitochondrial dysfunction, resulting in excessive ROS production and adipose tissue inflammation. This inflammation is transmitted systemically, leading to metabolic disorders that also impact the central nervous system, where pro-inflammatory cytokines impair mitochondrial and cellular functions in different areas of the brain, leading to neurodegenerative diseases. To date, several bioactive compounds are able to prevent and/or slow down neurogenerative processes by acting on mitochondrial functions. Among these, some molecules present in the Mediterranean diet, such as polyphenols, carotenoids, and omega-3 PUFAs, exert a protective action due to their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory ability. The aim of this review is to provide an overview of the involvement of adipose tissue dysfunction in the development of neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and multiple sclerosis, emphasizing the central role played by mitochondria, the main actors in the cross-talk between adipose tissue and the central nervous system.

(1) Background: The use of cancer therapy is one of the most challenging arguments in cancer research and is in constant development. One of the principal problems connected with tumor therapy arises from the potential side effects connected with the classical chemotherapeutic treatment but also with molecular target therapy. The identification of novel molecules useful for the reduction of potential side effects but also as a new therapeutic opportunity is one of the hottest topics. (2) Methods: We identified castalin from chestnut shells by using NRM and LC-MS/MS. We treated different cancer cell lines with castalin alone or in combination with a CHK1 inhibitor. Finally, we performed an RNA-seq analysis of HeLa cells treated with castalin. (3) Results: We demonstrated the ability of castalin to induce DNA damage, probably by increasing ROS production. Consistently, antioxidant treatment, with ascorbic acid, reduced the DNA damage induced by castalin. Finally, we demonstrated the potential synergistic effect of castalin with SRA737, a CHK1 inhibitor currently used in clinical trials. (4) Conclusions: We demonstrated the ability of castalin to induce DNA damage favoring NHEJ repair. Moreover, the use of castalin in combination with SRA737 increased the efficacy of the CHK1 inhibitor, reducing its possible side effects.