“DEVELOPMENT AND OPTIMIZATION OF SYSTEM SUITABLE FOR THE PRODUCTION OF BIOACTIVE MOLECULES STARTING FROM UNICELLULAR PLANTS AND/OR FROM MICROORGANISMS”

In recent years, the interest in algae has increased significantly thanks to their health benefits, such as dietary supplementation but also potential alternative to classic drugs. Microalgae are new model organisms for a wide range of biotechnology applications, including the production of biodiesel and the bioremediation of waste water but also the natural food and nutraceutical food supplements sector thanks to the development of products with benefits for human health and nutrition. Rich in proteins, carbohydrates, mineral salts, vitamins and fatty acids, the cultivated microalgae are harvested and dried to be transformed into powder and then used in the preparation of food supplements and easy-to-eat products such as bread, pasta, biscuits and drinks. In particular, they are rich in micronutrients such as β-carotene (which is transformed into vitamin A in the body), astaxanthin (carotenoid with antioxidant action), vitamin B12, and omega 3 and omega 6 polyunsaturated fatty acids with interesting biological activities, including powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties presenting themselves as valuable supplements in the prevention of various pathologies and in the management and treatment of physiological imbalances. Microalgae are also considered a potential source of bioactive compounds with anti-obesity activity. Algal compounds showing potential antiobesity activities include fucoxanthin, fluorotannine, fucoidan and alginates. Studies are currently focusing on how to use algae to manage obesity and related diseases. Inhibition of lipases, especially pancreatic lipase is one of the main therapeutic targets of anti-obesity drugs. The current market-approved antiobesity drug, orlistat, acts through this mechanism, namely irreversibly blocking pancreatic lipase. Microalgae are also a promising source of industrial enzymes, thanks to their many positive and beneficial properties. To date, several microalgal enzymes have been studied with different industrial applications (for example, biofuel production, health care and bioremediation) and the modification of the enzymatic sequences involved in the production of lipids and carotenoids has produced promising results. In many cases, however, entire biosynthetic pathways/systems leading to the synthesis of potentially important bioactive compounds still need to be fully characterized. We investigated the effect of the microalgal extracts of Haematococcus Pluvialis and two of its mutants on inflammation and adipocyte function using models of inflammation and obesity in vitro. In particular, treatment with FBR1 and FBR2 mutants inhibited both the levels of some inflammatory markers such as reactive oxygen species, nitric oxide, interleukin 6, tumor necrosis factor-alpha and lipid droplet accumulation. It also reduced the expression of the transcription factor PPARγ (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ) and the metabolic protein ACLY (ATP citrate lyase). Therefore, the results suggest that the two extracts may have potential therapeutic implications for the treatment of inflammation and obesity.