Reactive oxygen species derived from abdominal fat and uncontrolled glucose metabolism are contributing factors to both oxidative stress and the development of metabolic syndrome (MetS). This study was designed to evaluate the effects of daily administration of an oral glycine supplement on antioxidant enzymes and lipid peroxidation in MetS patients. The study included 60 volunteers: 30 individuals that were supplemented with glycine (15 g/day) and 30 that were given a placebo for 3 months. We analysed thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and S-nitrosohemoglobin (SNO-Hb) in plasma; the enzymatic activities of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) in erythrocytes; and the expression of CAT, GPX, and SOD2 in leukocytes. Individuals treated with glycine showed a 25% decrease in TBARS compared with the placebo-treated group. Furthermore, there was a 20% reduction in SOD-specific activity in the glycine-treated group, which correlated with SOD2 expression. G6PD activity and SNO-Hb levels increased in the glycine-treated male group. Systolic blood pressure (SBP) also showed a significant decrease in the glycine-treated men (p = 0.043). Glycine plays an important role in balancing the redox reactions in the human body, thus protecting against oxidative damage in MetS patients.

Yeasts are microscopic fungi inhabiting all Earth environments, including those inhospitable for most life forms, considered extreme environments. According to their habitats, yeasts could be extremotolerant or extremophiles. Some are polyextremophiles, depending on their growth capacity, tolerance, and survival in the face of their habitat’s physical and chemical constitution. The extreme yeasts are relevant for the industrial production of value-added compounds, such as biofuels, lipids, carotenoids, recombinant proteins, enzymes, among others. This review calls attention to the importance of yeasts inhabiting extreme environments, including metabolic and adaptive aspects to tolerate conditions of cold, heat, water availability, pH, salinity, osmolarity, UV radiation, and metal toxicity, which are relevant for biotechnological applications. We explore the habitats of extreme yeasts, highlighting key species, physiology, adaptations, and molecular identification. Finally, we summarize several findings related to the industrially-important extremophilic yeasts and describe current trends in biotechnological applications that will impact the bioeconomy.

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Follicular atresia, a common process present in all mammals, involves apoptotic and autophagic cell death. However, the participation of paraptosis, a type of caspase-independent cell death, during follicular atresia is unknown. This study found swollen endoplasmic reticulum in the granulosa cells of adult Wistar rats. Calnexin was used as a marker of the endoplasmic reticulum at the ultrastructural and optical levels. The cells with swelling of the endoplasmic reticulum were negative to the TUNEL assay and active caspase-3 immunodetection, indicating that this swelling is not part of any apoptotic or autophagic process. Additionally, immunodetection of the CHOP protein was used as a marker of endoplasmic reticulum stress, and this confirmed the presence of the paraptosis process. These data suggest that paraptosis-like cell death is associated with the death of granulosa cells during follicular atresia in adult Wistar rats.