Person: Barajas Vélez, Miguel Ángel
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Barajas Vélez
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Miguel Ángel
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Ciencias de la Salud
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IMAB. Research Institute for Multidisciplinary Applied Biology
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0000-0003-4004-1432
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810192
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Publication Open Access Isolation of Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) from salmonids for potential use as probiotics: in vitro assays and toxicity assessment of salmo trutta embryonated eggs(MDPI, 2024) Vargas González, Augusto; Barajas Vélez, Miguel Ángel; Pérez Sánchez, Tania; Ciencias de la Salud; Osasun ZientziakThis research investigates the potential of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) from freshwater salmonids as prospective probiotics for application in aquaculture. LAB and pathogenic bacteria were obtained from mucus and tissues of Oncorhynchus mykiss and Salmo trutta from fish farms in northeast Spain that had not used antibiotics for the six months preceding the study. Isolates were identified using Gram staining and sequencing of 16S rRNA and ITS-1. To assess the safety of the LAB, antibiotic susceptibility tests (ASTs) against 23 antimicrobials were performed. In vitro antagonism assays were conducted to evaluate the inhibitory effects of living LAB using the agar diffusion test method and their metabolites using the agar well diffusion method. The assays targeted six specific pathogens: Aeromonas salmonicida subsp. salmonicida, Carnobacterium maltaromaticum, Vagococcus salmoninarum, Yersinia ruckeri, Lactococcus garvieae, and the marine pathogen Vibrio jasicida. Additionally, a toxicity assay was conducted on embryonic eggs of S. trutta. The ASTs on probiotic LAB candidates revealed varied responses to antimicrobials, but no resistance to oxytetracycline or florfenicol, which are two antibiotics commonly used in aquaculture, was detected. The in vitro assays indicate that LAB exhibit antagonistic effects against pathogens, primarily when directly stimulated by their presence. In applications involving embryonic eggs or larvae, certain live strains of LAB were found to have adverse effects, with some isolates resulting in higher mortality rates compared to the control group or other isolates. Furthermore, the potential pathogenicity of certain LAB strains, typically considered safe in salmonids, warrants deeper investigation.Publication Open Access Elovanoids counteract inflammatory signaling, autophagy, endoplasmic reticulum stress, and eenescence gene programming in human nasal epithelial cells exposed to allergens(MDPI, 2022) Resano Lizaldre, Alfredo; Bhattacharjee, Surjyadipta; Barajas Vélez, Miguel Ángel; Do, Khanh V.; Aguado Jiménez, Roberto; Rodríguez, David; Palacios Peláez, Ricardo; Bazán, Nicolás G.; Ciencias de la Salud; Osasun ZientziakTo contribute to further understanding the cellular and molecular complexities of inflammatory-immune responses in allergic disorders, we have tested the pro-homeostatic elovanoids (ELV) in human nasal epithelial cells (HNEpC) in culture challenged by several allergens. ELV are novel bioactive lipid mediators synthesized from the omega-3 very-long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (VLC-PUFA,n-3). We ask if: (a) several critical signaling events that sustain the integrity of the human nasal epithelium and other organ barriers are perturbed by house dust mites (HDM) and other allergens, and (b) if ELV would participate in beneficially modulating these events. HDM is a prevalent indoor allergen that frequently causes allergic respiratory diseases, including allergic rhinitis and allergic asthma, in HDM-sensitized individuals. Our study used HNEpC as an in vitro model to study the effects of ELV in counteracting HDM sensitization resulting in inflammation, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, autophagy, and senescence. HNEpC were challenged with the following allergy inducers: LPS, poly(I:C), or Dermatophagoides farinae plus Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus extract (HDM) (30 µg/mL), with either phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) (vehicle) or ELVN-34 (500 nM). Results show that ELVN-34 promotes cell viability and reduces cytotoxicity upon HDM sensitization of HNEpC. This lipid mediator remarkably reduces the abundance of pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines IL-1β, IL-8, VEGF, IL-6, CXCL1, CCL2, and cell adhesion molecule ICAM1 and restores the levels of the pleiotropic anti-inflammatory IL-10. ELVN-34 also lessens the expression of senescence gene programming as well as of gene transcription engaged in pro-inflammatory responses. Our data also uncovered that HDM triggered the expression of key genes that drive autophagy, unfolded protein response (UPR), and matrix metalloproteinases (MMP). ELVN-34 has been shown to counteract these effects effectively. Together, our data reveal a novel, pro-homeostatic, cell-protective lipid-signaling mechanism in HNEpC as potential therapeutic targets for allergies.Publication Open Access Development, analysis, and sensory evaluation of improved bread fortified with a plant-based fermented food product(MDPI, 2023) Cabello Olmo, Miriam; Krishnan, Padmanaban G.; Araña Ciordia, Miriam; Oneca Agurruza, María; Díaz, Jesús Vicente; Barajas Vélez, Miguel Ángel; Rovai, Maristela; Ciencias de la Salud; Osasun ZientziakIn response to the demand for healthier foods in the current market, this study aimed to develop a new bread product using a fermented food product (FFP), a plant-based product composed of soya flour, alfalfa meal, barley sprouts, and viable microorganisms that showed beneficial effects in previous studies. White bread products prepared with three different substitution levels (5, 10, and 15%) of FFP were evaluated for physical characteristics (loaf peak height, length, width), color indices (lightness, redness/greenness, yellowness/blueness), quality properties (loaf mass, volume, specific volume), protein content, crumb digital image analysis, and sensory characteristics. The results revealed that FFP significantly affected all studied parameters, and in most cases, there was a dose–response effect. FFP supplementation affected the nutritional profile and increased the protein content (p < 0.001). The sensory test indicated that consumer acceptance of the studied sensory attributes differed significantly between groups, and bread with high levels of FFP (10 and 15% FFP) was generally more poorly rated than the control (0%) and 5% FFP for most of the variables studied. Despite this, all groups received acceptable scores (overall liking score ≥ 5) from consumers. The sensory analysis concluded that there is a possible niche in the market for these improved versions of bread products.Publication Open Access A fermented food product containing lactic acid bacteria protects ZDF rats from the development of type 2 diabetes(MDPI, 2019) Cabello Olmo, Miriam; Oneca Agurruza, María; Torre Hernández, Paloma; Sainz, Neira; Moreno Aliaga, María J.; Guruceaga, Elizabeth; Díaz, Jesús Vicente; Encío Martínez, Ignacio; Barajas Vélez, Miguel Ángel; Araña Ciordia, Miriam; Ciencias de la Salud; Osasun Zientziak; Ciencias; Zientziak; Gobierno de Navarra / Nafarroako GobernuaType 2 diabetes (T2D) is a complex metabolic disease, which involves a maintained hyperglycemia due to the development of an insulin resistance process. Among multiple risk factors, host intestinal microbiota has received increasing attention in T2D etiology and progression. In the present study, we have explored the effect of long-term supplementation with a non-dairy fermented food product (FFP) in Zucker Diabetic and Fatty (ZDF) rats T2D model. The supplementation with FFP induced an improvement in glucose homeostasis according to the results obtained from fasting blood glucose levels, glucose tolerance test, and pancreatic function. Importantly, a significantly reduced intestinal glucose absorption was found in the FFP-treated rats. Supplemented animals also showed a greater survival suggesting a better health status as a result of the FFP intake. Some dissimilarities have been observed in the gut microbiota population between control and FFP-treated rats, and interestingly a tendency for better cardiometabolic markers values was appreciated in this group. However, no significant differences were observed in body weight, body composition, or food intake between groups. These findings suggest that FFP induced gut microbiota modifications in ZDF rats that improved glucose metabolism and protected from T2D development.Publication Open Access Antidiabetic effects of Pediococcus acidilactici pA1c on HFD-induced mice(MDPI, 2022) Cabello Olmo, Miriam; Oneca Agurruza, María; Pajares Villandiego, María Josefa; Jiménez, Maddalen; Ayo, Josune; Encío Martínez, Ignacio; Barajas Vélez, Miguel Ángel; Araña Ciordia, Miriam; Ciencias de la Salud; Osasun Zientziak; Gobierno de Navarra / Nafarroako Gobernua, 0011-1365-2020-000086Prediabetes (PreD), which is associated with impaired glucose tolerance and fasting blood glucose, is a potential risk factor for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D). Growing evidence suggests the role of the gastrointestinal microbiota in both PreD and T2D, which opens the possibility for a novel nutritional approach, based on probiotics, for improving glucose regulation and delaying disease progression of PreD to T2D. In this light, the present study aimed to assess the antidiabetic properties of Pediococcus acidilactici (pA1c) in a murine model of high-fat diet (HFD)-induced T2D. For that purpose, C57BL/6 mice were given HFD enriched with either probiotic (1 × 1010 CFU/day) or placebo for 12 weeks. We determined body weight, fasting blood glucose, glucose tolerance, HOMA-IR and HOMA-β index, C-peptide, GLP-1, leptin, and lipid profile. We also measured hepatic gene expression (G6P, PEPCK, GCK, IL-1β, and IL-6) and examined pancreatic and intestinal histology (% of GLP-1+ cells, % of goblet cells and villus length). We found that pA1c supplementation significantly attenuated body weight gain, mitigated glucose dysregulation by reducing fasting blood glucose levels, glucose tolerance test, leptin levels, and insulin resistance, increased C-peptide and GLP-1 levels, enhanced pancreatic function, and improved intestinal histology. These findings indicate that pA1c improved HFD-induced T2D derived insulin resistance and intestinal histology, as well as protected from body weight increase. Together, our study proposes that pA1c may be a promising new dietary management strategy to improve metabolic disorders in PreD and T2D.Publication Open Access Human microbiota network: unveiling potential crosstalk between the different microbiota ecosystems and their role in health and disease(MDPI, 2021) Martínez, José E.; Vargas González, Augusto; Pérez Sánchez, Tania; Encío Martínez, Ignacio; Cabello Olmo, Miriam; Barajas Vélez, Miguel Ángel; Ciencias de la Salud; Osasun ZientziakThe human body is host to a large number of microorganisms which conform the human microbiota, that is known to play an important role in health and disease. Although most of the microorganisms that coexist with us are located in the gut, microbial cells present in other locations (like skin, respiratory tract, genitourinary tract, and the vaginal zone in women) also play a significant role regulating host health. The fact that there are different kinds of microbiota in different body areas does not mean they are independent. It is plausible that connection exist, and different studies have shown that the microbiota present in different zones of the human body has the capability of communicating through secondary metabolites. In this sense, dysbiosis in one body compartment may negatively affect distal areas and contribute to the development of diseases. Accordingly, it could be hypothesized that the whole set of microbial cells that inhabit the human body form a system, and the dialogue between the different host microbiotas may be a contributing factor for the susceptibility to developing diseased states. For this reason, the present review aims to integrate the available literature on the relationship between the different human microbiotas and understand how changes in the microbiota in one body region can influence other microbiota communities in a bidirectional process. The findings suggest that the different microbiotas may act in a coordinated way to decisively influence human well-being. This new integrative paradigm opens new insights in the microbiota field of research and its relationship with human health that should be taken into account in future studies.Publication Open Access New insights into immunotherapy strategies for treating autoimmune diabetes(MDPI, 2019) Cabello Olmo, Miriam; Araña Ciordia, Miriam; Radichev, Ilian; Smith, Paul; Huarte, Eduardo; Barajas Vélez, Miguel Ángel; Ciencias de la Salud; Osasun Zientziak; Gobierno de Navarra / Nafarroako GobernuaType 1 diabetes mellitus (T1D) is an autoimmune illness that affects millions of patients worldwide. The main characteristic of this disease is the destruction of pancreatic insulin-producing beta cells that occurs due to the aberrant activation of different immune effector cells. Currently, T1D is treated by lifelong administration of novel versions of insulin that have been developed recently; however, new approaches that could address the underlying mechanisms responsible for beta cell destruction have been extensively investigated. The strategies based on immunotherapies have recently been incorporated into a panel of existing treatments for T1D, in order to block T-cell responses against beta cell antigens that are very common during the onset and development of T1D. However, a complete preservation of beta cell mass as well as insulin independency is still elusive. As a result, there is no existing T1D targeted immunotherapy able to replace standard insulin administration. Presently, a number of novel therapy strategies are pursuing the goals of beta cell protection and normoglycemia. In the present review we explore the current state of immunotherapy in T1D by highlighting the most important studies in this field, and envision novel strategies that could be used to treat T1D in the future.Publication Open Access A combination of apple vinegar drink with Bacillus coagulans ameliorates high fat diet-induced body weight gain, insulin resistance and hepatic steatosis(MDPI, 2020) Urtasun Alonso, Raquel; Araña Ciordia, Miriam; Pajares Villandiego, María Josefa; Oneca Agurruza, María; Torre Hernández, Paloma; Barajas Vélez, Miguel Ángel; Encío Martínez, Ignacio; Ciencias de la Salud; Osasun Zientziak; Ciencias; Zientziak; Gobierno de Navarra / Nafarroako GobernuaObesity is a worldwide epidemic characterized by excessive fat accumulation, associated with multiple comorbidities and complications. Emerging evidence points to gut microbiome as a driving force in the pathogenesis of obesity. Vinegar intake, a traditional remedy source of exogenous acetate, has been shown to improve glycemic control and to have anti-obesity effects. New functional foods may be developed by supplementing traditional food with probiotics. B. coagulans is a suitable choice because of its resistance to high temperatures. To analyze the possible synergic effect of Vinegar and B. coagulans against the metabolic alterations induced by a high fat diet (HFD), we fed twelve-week-old C57BL/6 mice with HFD for 5 weeks after 2 weeks of acclimation on a normal diet. Then, food intake, body weight, blood biochemical parameters, histology and liver inflammatory markers were analyzed. Although vinegar drink, either alone or supplemented with B. coagulans, reduced food intake, attenuated body weight gain and enhanced glucose tolerance, only the supplemented drink improved the lipid serum profile and prevented hepatic HFD-induced overexpression of CD36, IL-1β, IL-6, LXR and SREBP, thus reducing lipid deposition in the liver. The beneficial properties of the B. coagulans-supplemented vinegar appear to be mediated by a reduction in insulin and leptin circulating levels.Publication Open Access Histologic and histomorphometric evaluation of a new bioactive liquid bbl on implant surface: a preclinical study in foxhound dogs(MDPI, 2021) Ferrés‐Amat, Eduard; Al Madhoun, Ashraf; Ferrés-Amat, Elvira; Al Demour, Saddam; Ababneh, Mera A.; Ferrés-Padró, Eduard; Marti, Carles; Carrió, Neus; Barajas Vélez, Miguel Ángel; Atari, Maher; Ciencias de la Salud; Osasun ZientziakBackground: bioactive chemical surface modifications improve the wettability and osse-ointegration properties of titanium implants in both animals and humans. The objective of this animal study was to investigate and compare the bioreactivity characteristics of titanium implants (BLT) pre‐treated with a novel bone bioactive liquid (BBL) and the commercially available BLT‐SLA active. Methods: forty BLT‐SLA titanium implants were placed in in four foxhound dogs. Animals were divided into two groups (n = 20): test (BLT‐SLA pre‐treated with BBL) and control (BLT‐SLA active) implants. The implants were inserted in the post extraction sockets. After 8 and 12 weeks, the animals were sacrificed, and mandibles were extracted, containing the implants and the surrounding soft and hard tissues. Bone‐to‐implant contact (BIC), inter‐thread bone area percentage (ITBA), soft tissue, and crestal bone loss were evaluated by histology and histomorphometry. Results: all animals were healthy with no implant loss or inflammation symptoms. All implants were clinically and histologically osseo‐integrated. Relative to control groups, test implants demon-strated a significant 1.5‐ and 1.7‐fold increase in BIC and ITBA values, respectively, at both assessment intervals. Crestal bone loss was also significantly reduced in the test group, as compared with controls, at week 8 in both the buccal crests (0.47 ± 0.32 vs 0.98 ± 0.51 mm, p < 0.05) and lingual crests (0.39* ± 0.3 vs. 0.89 ± 0.41 mm, p < 0.05). At week 12, a pronounced crestal bone loss improvement was observed in the test group (buccal, 0.41 ± 0.29 mm and lingual, 0.54 ± 0.23 mm). Tissue thickness showed comparable values at both the buccal and lingual regions and was significantly improved in the studied groups (0.82–0.92 mm vs. 33–48 mm in the control group). Conclusions: Relative to the commercially available BLT‐SLA active implants, BLT‐SLA pre‐treated with BBL showed improved histological and histomorphometric characteristics indicating a reduced titanium surface roughness and improved wettability, promoting healing and soft and hard tissue regeneration at the implant site.Publication Open Access Comparison of 0.12% chlorhexidine and a new bone bioactive liquid, BBL, in mouthwash for oral wound healing: a randomized, double blind clinical human trial(MDPI, 2022) Ferrés‐Amat, Eduard; Al Madhoun, Ashraf; Ferrés-Amat, Elvira; Carrió, Neus; Barajas Vélez, Miguel Ángel; Al-Madhoun, Areej Said; Ferrés-Padró, Eduard; Marti, Carles; Atari, Maher; Ciencias de la Salud; Osasun Zientziak; Universidad Pública de Navarra / Nafarroako Unibertsitate Publikoa, OTRI project, reference number 2020907094Following surgery, healing within the oral cavity occurs in a hostile environment, and proper oral care and hygiene are required to accelerate recovery. The aim of the current study is to investigate and compare the bioreactivity characteristics of mouthwashes based on either chlorhexidine (CHX) or a novel bone bioactive liquid (BBL) in terms of oral healing within seven days application post-surgery. A randomized, double blind clinical trial was conducted in 81 patients, wherein the mouthwashes were applied twice a day for a period of 7 days. The visual analog scale (VAS) protocol was applied to determine pain index scores. Early wound healing index (EHI) score was determined for evaluating oral cavity healing progress. No adverse effects were observed using the mouthwashes, but CHX application resulted in stained teeth. Applications of both CHX and BBL were sufficient to reduce pain over a period of 7 days. However, the BBL group demonstrated a statistically significant reduction in VAS scores starting on day 4. The EHI scores were significantly higher in the BBL group compared with the CHX group, independent of tooth location. No differences in either VAS or EHI scores due to gender were observed. Compared with the commercially available CHX mouthwash, application of the BBL mouthwash reduced pain and accelerated oral cavity healing to a greater extent, suggesting it effectively improves the oral cavity microenvironment at the wound site in mediating soft tissue regeneration.