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- Anthocyanins, effects in mitochondria and metabolismPublication . Marques-da-Silva, Dorinda; Rodrigues, Joaquim Rui; Lagoa, RicardoAlterations in mitochondrial function, cellular redox signaling, and metabolism participate in the etiology and progression of different pathological conditions, such as diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular, and neurodegenerative diseases. Epidemiological, preclinical, and clinical studies indicate that anthocyanins afford therapeutic benefits for these pathologies. It is thus important to revise the effects of anthocyanins on mitochondria and metabolism that hold potential for the development of novel health protective methods. The studies available support the ability of certain anthocyanins to prevent damage to mitochondria and to sustain its function. Evidence is more compelling for cyanidin and delphinidin compounds, but promising data could also be found for malvidin, pelargonidin, and protocatechuic acid. Additionally, berry extracts also demonstrated positive outcomes in different models of neurodegeneration, endothelial dysfunction, myocardial damage, metabolic disorders, longevity, and cancer. At the molecular level, major anthocyanins can modulate the expression and activity of mitochondrial proteins, apoptotic and biogenesis factors, antioxidant defenses, inflammation, and the AMPK pathway. Noteworthy, anthocyanins could balance abnormalities in ROS production, respiration, and mitochondrial fragmentation in cells exposed to toxicants or oxidizing agents.
- Molecular mechanisms linking environmental toxicants to cancer development: Significance for protective interventions with polyphenolsPublication . Lagoa, Ricardo; Marques-da-Silva, Dorinda; Diniz, Mário; Daglia, Maria; Bishayee, AnupamHuman exposure to environmental toxicants with diverse mechanisms of action is a growing concern. In addition to well-recognized carcinogens, various chemicals in environmental and occupational settings have been sug-gested to impact health, increasing susceptibility to cancer by inducing genetic and epigenetic changes. Accordingly, in this review, we have discussed recent insights into the pathological mechanisms of these chemicals, namely their effects on cell redox and calcium homeostasis, mitochondria and inflammatory signaling, with a focus on the possible implications for multi-stage carcinogenesis and its reversal by poly- phenols. Plant-derived polyphenols, such as epigallocatechin-gallate, resveratrol, curcumin and anthocyanins reduce the incidence of cancer and can be useful nutraceuticals for alleviating the detrimental outcomes of harmful pollutants. However, development of therapies based on polyphenol administration requires further studies to validate the biological efficacy, identifying effective doses, mode of action and new delivery forms. Innovative microphysiological testing models are presented and specific proposals for future trials are given. Merging the current knowledge of multifactorial actions of specific polyphenols and chief environmental toxi- cants, this work aims to potentiate the delivery of phytochemical-based protective treatments to individuals at high-risk due to environmental exposure.