Journal Article Randomized Controlled Trial Epublish 7 citations
PubMed: 39940991 DOI: 10.3390/ijms26031224
Mitochondria-Derived Vesicles and Inflammatory Profiles of Adults with Long COVID Supplemented with Red Beetroot Juice: Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial.
Int J Mol Sci 26(3)
Authors: Emanuele Marzetti, Hélio José Coelho-Júnior, Riccardo Calvani, Giulia Girolimetti, Riccardo Di Corato, Francesca Ciciarello, Vincenzo Galluzzo, Clara Di Mario, Barbara Tolusso, Luca Santoro, Ottavia Giampaoli, Alberta Tomassini, Walter Aureli, Matteo Tosato, Francesco Landi, Cecilia Bucci, Flora Guerra, Anna Picca
Affiliations
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario "Agostino Gemelli" IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy.
- Department of Geriatrics, Orthopedics and Rheumatology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy.
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Salento, Via Provinciale Lecce-Monteroni, 73100 Lecce, Italy.
- Institute for Microelectronics and Microsystems (IMM), CNR, Via Provinciale Lecce-Monteroni, 73100 Lecce, Italy.
- Center for Biomolecular Nanotechnologies, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 73010 Arnesano, Italy.
- Department of Environmental Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy.
- NMR-Based Metabolomics Laboratory (NMLab), Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy.
- R&D, Aureli Mario S.S. Agricola, Via Mario Aureli 7, 67050 Ortucchio, Italy.
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies, Università del Salento, 73100 Lecce, Italy.
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, LUM University, Str. Statale 100 Km 18, 70010 Casamassima, Italy.
Abstract
In a recent clinical trial, beetroot juice supplementation for 14 days yielded positive effects on systemic inflammation in adults with long COVID. Here, we explored the relationship between circulating markers of mitochondrial quality and inflammation in adults with long COVID as well as the impact of beetroot administration on those markers. We conducted secondary analyses of a placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial testing beetroot juice supplementation as a remedy against long COVID. Analyses were conducted in 25 participants, 10 assigned to placebo (mean age: 40.2 ± 11.5 years, 60% women) and 15 allocated to beetroot juice (mean age: 38.3 ± 7.7 years, 53.3% women). Extracellular vesicles were purified from serum by ultracentrifugation and assayed for components of the electron transport chain and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) by Western blot and droplet digital polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR), respectively. Inflammatory markers and circulating cell-free mtDNA were quantified in serum through a multiplex immunoassay and ddPCR, respectively. Beetroot juice administration for 14 days decreased serum levels of interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-8, and tumor necrosis factor alpha, with no effects on circulating markers of mitochondrial quality control. Significant negative associations were observed between vesicular markers of mitochondrial quality control and the performance on the 6 min walk test and flow-mediated dilation irrespective of group allocation. These findings suggest that an amelioration of mitochondrial quality, possibly mediated by mitochondria-derived vesicle recycling, may be among the mechanisms supporting improvements in physical performance and endothelial function during the resolution of long COVID.
MeSH
Cytokines, Cells, Functional Food, Quality Control, Extracellular Vesicles, Tumor Necrosis Factor-Alpha, Muscles, Serum, Mitochondria, Dna, Mitochondrial, Post-Acute Covid-19 Syndrome