Mechanical modeling of lung alveoli: From macroscopic behaviour to cell mechano-sensing at microscopic level.

The mechanical signals sensed by the alveolar cells through the changes in the local matrix stiffness of the extracellular matrix (ECM) are determinant for regulating cellular functions. Therefore, the study of the mechanical response of lung tissue becomes a fundamental aspect in order to further understand the mechanosensing signals perceived by the cells in the alveoli. This study is focused on the development of a finite element (FE) model of a decellularized rat lung tissue strip, which reproduces accurately the mechanical behaviour observed in the experiments by means of a tensile test. For simulating the complex structure of the lung parenchyma, which consists of a heterogeneous and non-uniform network of thin-walled alveoli, a 3D model based on a Voronoi tessellation is developed. This Voronoi-based model is considered very suitable for recreating the geometry of cellular materials with randomly distributed polygons like in the lung tissue. The material model used in the mechanical simulations of the lung tissue was characterized experimentally by means of AFM tests in order to evaluate the lung tissue stiffness on the micro scale. Thus, in this study, the micro (AFM test) and the macro scale (tensile test) mechanical behaviour are linked through the mechanical simulation with the 3D FE model based on Voronoi tessellation. Finally, a micro-mechanical FE-based model is generated from the Voronoi diagram for studying the stiffness sensed by the alveolar cells in function of two independent factors: the stretch level of the lung tissue and the geometrical position of the cells on the extracellular matrix (ECM), distinguishing between pneumocyte type I and type II. We conclude that the position of the cells within the alveolus has a great influence on the local stiffness perceived by the cells. Alveolar cells located at the corners of the alveolus, mainly type II pneumocytes, perceive a much higher stiffness than those located in the flat areas of the alveoli, which correspond to type I pneumocytes. However, the high stiffness, due to the macroscopic lung tissue stretch, affects both cells in a very similar form, thus no significant differences between them have been observed.

[Donation in the Cardiology Hospital No. 34]. / Donación en el Hospital de Cardiología No. 34.

BACKGROUND: Chronic degenerative diseases have become a challenge for the Mexican health system. Faced with this problem, health institutions have focused on the therapeutic potential of organ and tissue donation and transplantation. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the experience of the donation program and to identify areas of opportunity at the Hospital de Cardiología No. 34 (Hospital of Cardiology Number 34), in Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Observational, cross-sectional, and retrospective study. The study population was made up by deaths and successful interviews. Only groupings with values of p < 0.05 were considered statistically significant. RESULTS: A global of 1947 deaths were registered and a total of 210 interviews were carried out; 83 (39.5%) family members accepted to donate and 127 (60.5%) refused to donate. Only 3 associations between variables had significant statistical value. The year was an important determinant in the increase in effective donations (p = 0.010), and so was the month of the year (p = 0.037), obtaining more positive interviews in the second half of the year; finally, the shift also contributed to the family response (p = 0.012), with the morning shift being the best shift to conduct a successful family interview. CONCLUSIONS: It is imperative to conduct studies that analyze and describe the experience of donation programs to promote and encourage the value of donation.

INTRODUCCIÓN: las enfermedades crónico-degenerativas se han convertido en un desafío para el sistema de salud mexicano. Frente a este problema, las instituciones sanitarias se han enfocado en el potencial terapéutico de la donación y el trasplante de órganos y tejidos. OBJETIVO: analizar la experiencia del programa de donación e identificar áreas de oportunidad en el Hospital de Cardiología No. 34, en Monterrey, Nuevo León, México. MATERIAL Y MÉTODOS: estudio observacional, transversal y retrospectivo. La población de estudio se conformó por defunciones y entrevistas exitosas. Únicamente agrupaciones con valores de p < 0.05 se consideraron estadísticamente significativas. RESULTADOS: se registró un global de 1947 defunciones y se efectuaron en total 210 entrevistas; 83 (39.5%) disponentes secundarios aceptaron donar y 127 (60.5%) se negaron. Solo tres asociaciones entre variables tuvieron valor estadístico significativo. El año fue un determinante importante en el incremento de las donaciones efectivas (p = 0.010) y también lo fue el mes del año (p = 0.037), pues se obtuvieron más entrevistas positivas en el segundo semestre del año; finalmente, el turno también contribuyó en la respuesta familiar (p = 0.012) y fue el turno matutino el mejor para hacer una entrevista familiar exitosa. CONCLUSIONES: es imperativo llevar a cabo estudios que analicen y describan la experiencia del programa de donación para promover y fomentar el valor de la donación.

The ultrasound application does not affect to the thermal properties and chemical composition of virgin olive oils.

In this work, the effects of high power ultrasound treatment (40 kHz) on virgin olive oil (VOO) for different times (0, 15, 30 min) were studied, in order to verify if extent modifications in their chemical composition and thermal properties. The effects of the different ultrasound treatments on VOOs were determined considering the following parameters: quality index (free acidity, K232 and K270), lipid profile (fatty acids and triglycerides composition) minor components (phenols, tocopherols, pigments and volatiles) and thermal properties (crystallization and melting) by Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC). During the ultrasound treatments, bubbles growth was present in the VOO due to the phenomenon of cavitation and a slight increase of the temperature was observed. In general, the ultrasound treatments did not cause alterations on VOO parameters evaluated (oxidation state, lipid profile, minor components and thermal profiles). However, a slight decrease was observed in some volatile compounds.

How olive washing and storage affect fruit ethanol and virgin olive oil ethanol, ethyl esters and composition.

BACKGROUND: Olives are stored for a short time after harvesting pending processing in the oil mills. Furthermore, olives are often washed prior to fruit storage. In this work we study how washing and storage affect fruit ethanol content and the effect on virgin olive oil ethanol content and quality. RESULTS: Olive storage produced an increase in the fruit ethanol content, achieving values six times higher when storage was in silos. Washing the olives resulted in an increase in fruit ethanol content, although when washed olives were processed immediately no difference was found. The increase in fruit ethanol content during storage was reflected in higher oil ethanol concentration. Similarly, olive washing resulted in oils with higher ethanol concentration. Industrial conditions gave more important increases in oil ethanol content than that from olives processed by hand. For quality parameters all the olive oils were classified as 'extra virgin'. In general, oils showed a slight decrease in some sensory attributes. At industrial scale after 24 h storage oils were classified as 'virgin' because sensory defects were found. CONCLUSION: Olive storage should be avoided or reduced to less than 12 h; if possible, olives should not be washed before storage since this practice favors losses in sensory characteristics and the synthesis of ethanol, a precursor of ethyl esters. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.

Nonlinear elasticity of the lung extracellular microenvironment is regulated by macroscale tissue strain.

The extracellular matrix (ECM) of the lung provides physical support and key mechanical signals to pulmonary cells. Although lung ECM is continuously subjected to different stretch levels, detailed mechanics of the ECM at the scale of the cell is poorly understood. Here, we developed a new polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) chip to probe nonlinear mechanics of tissue samples with atomic force microscopy (AFM). Using this chip, we performed AFM measurements in decellularized rat lung slices at controlled stretch levels. The AFM revealed highly nonlinear ECM elasticity with the microscale stiffness increasing with tissue strain. To correlate micro- and macroscale ECM mechanics, we also assessed macromechanics of decellularized rat lung strips under uniaxial tensile testing. The lung strips exhibited exponential macromechanical behavior but with stiffness values one order of magnitude lower than at the microscale. To interpret the relationship between micro- and macromechanical properties, we carried out a finite element (FE) analysis which revealed that the stiffness of the alveolar cell microenvironment is regulated by the global strain of the lung scaffold. The FE modeling also indicates that the scale dependence of stiffness is mainly due to the porous architecture of the lung parenchyma. We conclude that changes in tissue strain during breathing result in marked changes in the ECM stiffness sensed by alveolar cells providing tissue-specific mechanical signals to the cells. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: The micromechanical properties of the extracellular matrix (ECM) are a major determinant of cell behavior. The ECM is exposed to mechanical stretching in the lung and other organs during physiological function. Therefore, a thorough knowledge of the nonlinear micromechanical properties of the ECM at the length scale that cells probe is required to advance our understanding of cell-matrix interplay. We designed a novel PDMS chip to perform atomic force microscopy measurements of ECM micromechanics on decellularized rat lung slices at different macroscopic strain levels. For the first time, our results reveal that the microscale stiffness of lung ECM markedly increases with macroscopic tissue strain. Therefore, changes in tissue strain during breathing result in variations in ECM stiffness providing tissue-specific mechanical signals to lung cells.

"Biosynthesis of volatile compounds by hydroperoxide lyase enzymatic activity during virgin olive oil extraction process".

The approach of this research was to describe the biochemical transformations of minor components of virgin olive oil with high impact on its sensory quality, specifically "volatile compounds" during its extraction process. For this purpose `Picual´, `Arbequina´ and `Hojiblanca´ cultivars were processed at three different harvesting times. Their volatile profiles and levels of enzymatic activity of "hydroperoxide lyase", responsible for the biosynthesis of C6 aldehydes related to "green and fruity notes", were monitored and identified in mesocarp, paste before kneading and paste after kneading based on the catalytic action of crude enzyme extracts. Both of them, volatiles and HPL, were analyzed by incubating with their corresponding substrates and reaction products formed were analyzed by Solid Phase Microextraction-Gas Chromatography and Mass Spectrometry. The results obtained in the present research can be useful in order to develop new markers biochemical whereby improved aroma quality in olive breeding programs or in the design of new protocol of VOO extraction.

Effect of Sexual Intercourse on Lower Extremity Muscle Force in Strength-Trained Men.

BACKGROUND: Sex has been deemed taboo for athletic performance going back to ancient Rome and Greece, as the act of sex was thought to promote ease and a sense of relaxation. AIM: This study examined the effect of sexual intercourse completed 12 hours before a bout of isokinetic dynamometry on muscle force production in strength-trained men. METHODS: 12 Healthy physically active men (age = 25.6 ± 3.8 years) who were sexually active participated in this study. After men completed a familiarization session on day 1, muscle force was measured during 5 sets of maximal unilateral knee extension (KE) and knee flexion exercise at 30 deg/s after men engaged in or abstained from sexual intercourse within the previous 12 hours. The order of this treatment was randomized across participants, and time of day was maintained across all sessions. OUTCOMES: Lower extremity muscle strength and endurance were measured. RESULTS: Data showed no significant effect (P = .34 and P = .39) of sexual intercourse on peak or average KE or knee flexion torque. For example, after sexual intercourse, KE torque was similar in set 1 (198.9 ± 39.1 ft/lb vs 190.2 ± 28.7 ft/lb) and set 5 (163.2 ± 30.8 ft/lb vs 159.4 ± 35.2 ft/lb) compared to when men abstained from sexual intercourse. CLINICAL TRANSLATION: Engaging in sexual intercourse on the night before exercise is not detrimental to muscular strength in active men. CONCLUSIONS: This study is strengthened by use of a homogeneous sample of active men as well as precise determination of changes in muscle function via isokinetic dynamometry. However, completion of sexual intercourse was confirmed through self-report rather than direct observation, so it is not certain if participants actually met the requirements of each condition. Results demonstrate that sexual intercourse does not significantly impact lower extremity muscle force, which suggests that restricting sexual activity before short-term, high-force activity is unnecessary. Valenti LM, Suchil C, Beltran G, et al. Effect of Sexual Intercourse on Lower Extremity Muscle Force in Strength-Trained Men. J Sex Med 2018;15:888-893.

Study of virgin olive oil clarification by settling under dynamic conditions.

BACKGROUND: Vertical centrifugation is the main method for virgin olive oil (VOO) clarification. However, in recent years, settling tanks are also being used to clarify the oils from decanters. They can operate under static or dynamic conditions. In this work, vertical centrifugation and settling under dynamic conditions for VOO clarification and their effects on VOO characteristics were compared. RESULTS: VOO quality parameters were not affected by the clarification systems studied. The vertical centrifugal separator (VCS) showed higher clarification efficiency, giving clarified oils with higher phenol content and better sensory characteristics. VOOs clarified by dynamic settling showed notable losses of phenols and worse sensory characteristics, since the tank purge system was not efficient, with most of the impurities remaining in the tanks. CONCLUSION: The VCS with minimal water addition is a quick operation with low water consumption and is a better option to produce VOOs of improved quality, especially in terms of longer shelf life and preservation of positive sensory notes. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.

Effect of olive cultivar on bioaccessibility and antioxidant activity of phenolic fraction of virgin olive oil.

AIM: This study aims to characterize the phenolic profile and antioxidant capacity of seven monovarietal virgin olive oils (VOOs) and evaluate their in vitro gastrointestinal stability. METHODS: 'Picual', 'Blanqueta', 'Sevillana', 'Habichuelero', and 'Chetoui' olive cultivars were selected for VOO extraction. The oils were subjected to in vitro digestion. The recovery index (RI) of phenolic compounds after each digestion step and the bioaccessibility index (BI) were evaluated. In addition, the antioxidant activity of the bioaccessible fraction (BF) of VOOs was determined by DPPH, ABTS, and ORAC assays, as well as by studying the intracellular reactive oxygen species in Caco-2 cells. RESULTS: Differences were found in the composition of phenolic compounds in VOOs depending on cultivars. During the digestive process, important losses of phenolic compounds were observed between the buccal and duodenal steps, unlike HTy and Ty, which presented increased recovery due to the hydrolysis of secoiridoid derivatives. Differences in the bioaccessibility of phenolic compounds were found between varieties of VOOs. 'Sevillana' VOO had the highest total bioaccessibility (36%), followed by the 'Picual' (19%), 'Chetoui' (17%), 'Habichuelero' (10%), and 'Blanqueta' (8%) varieties. The BF of all the varieties of VOO showed similar radical ABTS scavenging capacity, 'Chetoui', and 'Blanqueta'-BF having the highest radical DPPH scavenging capacity, and 'Habichuelero' and 'Picual'-BF showing protective effects against the peroxyl radical measured by ORACFL assay. All VOO-BFs presented decreases in ROS levels in Caco-2 cells. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest differences in the bioaccessibility of phenolics from diverse VOO varieties, which could lead to different biological properties. Therefore, this study represents a first step toward the development of novel dietary strategies focusing on the phenolic supplementation of different VOOs to preserve human health.

Settling of virgin olive oil from horizontal screw solid bowl in static conditions.

This work was aimed to study the clarification efficiency of natural decantation in settling tank on virgin olive oil obtained from a two-ways continuous process. For this purpose, the impurities content of the virgin olive oil were monitored during settling process in settling tank at two different depths. Efficiency of purging system was determined for two days. The experiments were performed at industrial scale during three crop years. During the first minutes of settling was observed an ascent of the smaller organic particles of the oil. Then, most of the virgin olive oil impurities were settled at 300 min, independently of the initial content of virgin olive oil. Finally, oil decantation showed slower rate. Higher clarification values were obtained for those decanter oils with higher impurities content, achieving clarification percentages between of 62.69 and 95.91% at 48 h of settling. The highest settling efficiency was observed for those decanter oils with initial higher impurities content. The purging system used in the settling tanks was not able to remove the most of settled impurities since a considerable amount of the impurities remained in the tank after 48 h, between 13.6 and 71.41% for the studied oils. In the tank purges was observed important oil losses. Therefore, decantation was not an efficient system for oil clarification since its settling capacity varied depending on the initial impurities content and due to the settled impurities can not be removed fully by purging system.

Changes in Virgin Olive Oil Volatiles Caused by in Vitro Digestion.

Volatile compounds are responsible for some sensory characteristics of virgin olive oil (VOO); however, they have not been studied from a nutritional point view. In this work, the effect of the simulated digestion on VOO volatile compounds responsible for green flavor was studied, analyzing their changes through the three steps of an in vitro digestion model (mouth, stomach, and small intestine). Index of recovery and bioaccessibility were determined for the main volatiles of "Picual" VOO. At end of the duodenal step, higher recoveries of ethanol, pent-1-en-3-ol, ß-ocimene, and nonanal were observed. From the 10 volatile compounds analyzed, only six compounds were bioaccessible. The compounds with the highest bioaccessibility were pent-1-en-3-ol, nonanal, ß-ocimene, and ethanol. The results showed for the first time the recovery and bioaccessibility of several volatile compounds present in VOO.

Phytoestrogen (+)-pinoresinol exerts antitumor activity in breast cancer cells with different oestrogen receptor statuses.

BACKGROUND: Consumption of virgin olive oil (VOO) has been associated with a low breast cancer incidence. Pinoresinol is a phytoestrogen that is typically found in VOO. Considering the role of oestrogen in breast cancer development and progression, we investigated the potential antitumor activity of pinoresinol in breast cancer cells. METHODS: To address this question, we treated MDA-MB-231 (oestrogen receptor [ER] negative) and MCF7 (ER+) human breast tumour cells and MCF10A human mammary epithelial cells (ER-) with different concentrations of pinoresinol. The cytotoxic activity, cell proliferation, cell cycle profile, apoptosis induction, reactive oxygen species production and DNA damage were assessed. RESULTS: Pinoresinol showed cytotoxic, anti-proliferative and pro-oxidant activity in human breast tumour cells, independent of their oestrogen receptor status. In addition, pinoresinol exerted antioxidant activity and prevented DNA damage associated with oxidative stress in human mammary epithelial cells. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, the results suggest that pinoresinol may have antitumor activity in human breast cancer cells independently of oestrogen receptor status. Furthermore, the results show that the pinoresinol has the typical characteristics of a chemopreventive compound.

Sensory and Volatile Profiles of Monovarietal North Tunisian Extra Virgin Olive Oils from 'Chétoui' Cultivar.

The quality of olive oil is defined as a combination of characteristics that significantly determine its acceptance by consumers. This study was carried out to compare sensorial and chemical characteristics of sixty 'Chétoui' extra virgin olive oils (EVOOc) samples from six northern areas in Tunisia (Tebourba (EVOOT); Other regions (EVOON): Mornag, Sidi Amor, El Kef, Béjà and Jendouba). Trained panel taste detected ten sensory attributes. EVOOT and EVOON were defined by 'tomato' and 'grass/ leave notes, respectively. Twenty one volatile compounds from EVOOc were extracted and identified by Headspace Solid-Phase Microextraction followed by Gas Chromatography- Flame Ionization Detector. Principal component and cluster analysis of all studied parameters showed that EVOOT differed from EVOON. Sensory and volatile profiles of EVOOc revealed that the perception of different aromas, in monovarietal olive oil, was the result of synergic effect of oils' various components, whose composition was influenced by the geographical growing area.

Sterol composition of virgin olive oil of forty-three olive cultivars from the World Collection Olive Germplasm Bank of Cordoba.

BACKGROUND: In olive oil, sterols constitute the majority of the unsaponifiable fraction. In recent years there has been increased interest in the sterols of olive oil for their health benefits and their importance to virgin olive oil (VOO) quality regulation. RESULTS: Forty-three olive (Olea europaea L.) cultivars from the World Olive Germplasm Bank, IFAPA Centro 'Alameda de Obispo', Cordoba, Spain were studied for their oil sterol composition and total content. The main sterols found in olive oil were ß-sitosterol, Δ(5) -avenasterol, campesterol and stigmasterol, most of them showing high variability. Most cultivars showed total sterol contents within the limits established by EU regulations, although 28% of VOOs analysed were outside the limits established for total content and/or for individual sterols. Over the group of cultivars, total sterol contents ranged from 855 to 2185 mg kg(-1) . CONCLUSION: The high variability observed was due to the genetic component, since other agronomic and technological factors were similar. Because of the high variability, the sterol fraction can be considered as a useful tool to characterize and discriminate monovarietal VOOs. The results can be useful for nutritionists for VOO inclusion in nutrition studies. Furthermore, the variability observed can be applied in olive breeding projects to select the parents of new olive cultivars with an improved sterol fraction. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

How 'ground-picked' olive fruits affect virgin olive oil ethanol content, ethyl esters and quality.

BACKGROUND: Olives dropped on the ground naturally sometimes are not separated from those fresh and healthy collected from the tree for harvest and processing. In this work we compared the quality, ethanol content and bioactive components of virgin olive oils from ground-picked olives, tree-picked fruits and their mixture. RESULTS: Ground-picked olives produced 'Lampante' virgin olive oils; these are of a lower quality category, because of important alterations in chemical and sensory characteristics. Ethyl esters showed the highest values, although under the regulated limit. The mixture of ground and tree-picked olives gave oils classified as 'virgin' because of sensory defects, although the quality parameters did not exceed the limits for the 'extra' category. Ethanol content showed a significant increase in the oils from ground- picked olives and their mixture with respect to those from tree-picked fruits. Furthermore, bioactive compounds showed a significant decrease as fruit quality was poorer. CONCLUSION: Ground-picked olives must be harvested and processed separately since they produce low-quality virgin olive oils with sensory defects and lower concentrations of bioactive compounds. The higher acidity and ethanol concentration observed in oils from ground-picked fruits or their mixture may help ethyl ester synthesis during storage. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.

The Fatty Acid Composition of Virgin Olive Oil from Different Cultivars Is Determinant for Foam Cell Formation by Macrophages.

Although the beneficial role of Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) in the Mediterranean diet is well-known, its effects on health cannot be attributed solely to oleic acid. In addition to minor components, the presence of other fatty acids (FA), which depend largely on the cultivar among other factors, needs to be considered. The present study examined the effect of chylomicron remnant-like particles (CRLP) enriched in fatty acids of EVOO from 'Chetoui', 'Buidiego', 'Galega', 'Blanqueta', and 'Picual' cultivars on the foam cell formation by THP-1 macrophages. THP-1 cells were incubated with EVOO-CRLP for 24 h. Lipid accumulation in cells was measured by determining intracellular total triacylglycerol (TAG) concentration and FA composition. Intracellular TAG concentrations were higher in cells incubated with 'Chetoui' and 'Blanqueta' CRLP (0.33 ± 0.05 and 0.38 ± 0.07 µmol/mg of protein, respectively) than with 'Buidiego' and 'Picual' CRLP (0.20 ± 0.05 and 0.24 ± 0.06 µmol/mg of protein, respectively). In conclusion, linoleic acid-rich EVOO induced higher TAG incorporation into THP-1 macrophages compared to oleic acid-rich EVOO, the 18:1/18:2 ratio being consistently correlated with intracellular TAG accumulation. The results of this study demonstrated that the differences in EVOO-FA composition may have an important role in foam cell formation.

Ethanol in Olive Fruit. Changes during Ripening.

Ethanol is one of the precursors of ethyl esters, the virgin olive oil quality parameter for the "extra" category recently adopted by the European Union and International Olive Oil Council. Although ethyl ester content has great importance for virgin olive oil classification, the origin of ethanol is not clear. A possible source of ethanol may be the olive fruit itself while it remains on the tree. Variation of fruit ethanol content during ripening was studied for three different olive cultivars: 'Picual', 'Hojiblanca', and 'Arbequina'. Ethanol was measured in fruit homogenates by HS-SPME-GC-FID. The ethanol content varied between 0.56 and 58 mg/kg. 'Hojiblanca' fruits showed the highest ethanol concentration. For all of the cultivars, ethanol content of fruit increased during the ripening process, although a clear cultivar-dependent effect was observed because 'Hojiblanca' fruits showed the most significant raise. Therefore, results indicated that ethanol can be accumulated during fruit maturation on the olive tree.

First comprehensive characterization of volatile profile of north Moroccan olive oils: A geographic discriminant approach.

Herewith we have evaluated the variability of the composition in terms of volatile compounds of monovarietal "Picholine marocaine" olive oils and checked the possible influence of their geographical origin. For this purpose, 92 olive samples were collected during the harvesting period 2012/2013 from 7 north Moroccan regions, and the analysis of the volatile profiles of the obtained oils was performed by using headspace solid-phase microextraction coupled to gas chromatography with flame ionization and mass spectrometry detectors (HS-SPME/GC-FID-MS). A total of 40 volatile compounds belonging to different chemical classes were identified and quantified. Significant differences in the concentration levels of volatile constituents from oils of different geographical origins were found. Furthermore, for testing the ability of the identified volatile compounds for the geographical origin discrimination of the investigated oils, a stepwise linear discriminant analysis (s-LDA) was applied. Results revealed a very satisfactory classification of the studied oils according their geographic origin.

Bioactive properties of the main triterpenes found in olives, virgin olive oil, and leaves of Olea europaea.

Oleanolic acid, maslinic acid, uvaol, and erythrodiol are the main triterpenes present in olives, olive tree leaves, and virgin olive oil. Their concentration in virgin olive oil depends on the quality of the olive oil and the variety of the olive tree. These triterpenes are described to present different properties, such as antitumoral activity, cardioprotective activity, anti-inflammatory activity, and antioxidant protection. Olive oil triterpenes are a natural source of antioxidants that could be useful compounds for the prevention of multiple diseases related to cell oxidative damage. However, special attention has to be paid to the concentrations used, because higher concentration may lead to cytotoxic or biphasic effects. This work explores all of the bioactive properties so far described for the main triterpenes present in virgin olive oil.

Antioxidant, antiproliferative, and pro-apoptotic capacities of pentacyclic triterpenes found in the skin of olives on MCF-7 human breast cancer cells and their effects on DNA damage.

This research aimed to investigate erythrodiol, uvaol, oleanolic acid, and maslinic acid scavenging capacities and their effects on cytotoxicity, cell proliferation, cell cycle, apoptosis, reactive oxygen species (ROS) level, and oxidative DNA damage on human MCF-7 breast cancer cell line. The results showed that erythrodiol, uvaol, and oleanolic acid have a significant cytotoxic effect and inhibit proliferation in a dose- and time-dependent manner. At 100 µM, erythrodiol growth inhibition occurred through apoptosis, with the observation of important ROS production and DNA damage, whereas uvaol and oleanolic acid growth inhibition involved cell cycle arrest. Moreover, although all tested triterpenes did not show free radical scavenging activity using ABTS and DPPH assays, they protected against oxidative DNA damage at the concentration 10 µM. Uvaol and oleanolic and maslinic acids, tested at 10 and 100 µM, also reduced intracellular ROS level and prevented H(2)O(2)-induced oxidative injury. Overall, the results suggest that tested triterpenes may have the potential to provide significant natural defense against human breast cancer.