Ozone Activates the Nrf2 Pathway and Improves Preservation of Explanted Adipose Tissue In Vitro

• Main Authors: Barbara Cisterna, Manuela Costanzo, Alice Nodari, Mirco Galiè, Serena Zanzoni, Paolo Bernardi, Viviana Covi, Gabriele Tabaracci, Manuela Malatesta
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2020-10-01
• Series: Antioxidants
• Subjects: fat; lipid loss; ozone therapy; scanning electron microscopy; transmission electron microscopy; real-time polymerase chain reaction
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3921/9/10/989

In clinical practice, administration of low ozone (O₃) dosages is a complementary therapy for many diseases, due to the capability of O₃ to elicit an antioxidant response through the Nuclear Factor Erythroid 2-Related Factor 2 (Nrf2)-dependent pathway. Nrf2 is also involved in the adipogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells, and low O₃ concentrations have been shown to stimulate lipid accumulation in human adipose-derived adult stem cells in vitro. Thus, O₃ treatment is a promising procedure to improve the survival of explanted adipose tissue, whose reabsorption after fat grafting is a major problem in regenerative medicine. In this context, we carried out a pilot study to explore the potential of mild O₃ treatment in preserving explanted murine adipose tissue in vitro. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy, Western blot, real-time polymerase chain reaction and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy were used. Exposure to low O₃ concentrations down in the degradation of the explanted adipose tissue and induced a concomitant increase in the protein abundance of Nrf2 and in the expression of its target gene Hmox1. These findings provide a promising background for further studies aimed at the clinical application of O₃ as an adjuvant treatment to improve fat engraftment.