Researchers from the University of Granada have conducted a review of the scientific literature on the role of the ‘fat mass and obesity-associated’ (FTO) gene in the relationship between depression and obesity

Scientists from the University of Granada (UGR) have highlighted that the possible role attributed to the ‘fat mass and obesity-associated’ (FTO) gene in the comorbidity of depression and obesity can only be confirmed by conducting more studies involving individuals suffering from both diseases, together with more in-depth analysis of the different clinical subtypes of depression, as some are more prone to being accompanied by obesity than others.

In their study, which has been published in the prestigious journal Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, the researchers conducted an exhaustive systematic review of the scientific literature published to date on this topic, to better understand the role of this gene in the relationship between these two diseases.

Depression and obesity are both extremely common diseases in our society, with serious implications not only on a personal and family level but also for public, occupational, and economic health. Depression is currently considered the world’s leading cause of disability. No less serious, obesity is considered a pandemic constituting the main risk factor for other diseases that cause mortality, such as cardiovascular disease, type-2 diabetes, or cancer.

Juan Antonio Zarza Rebollo, a researcher from the UGR’s Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology II and the main author of this work, explains: “Depression and obesity have a strong bidirectional relationship—that is, obesity increases the risk of developing depression; and vice-versa, people with depression are at higher risk of becoming obese. Furthermore, it is common for depression and obesity to present as comorbidities—that is, they appear at the same time and coexist in the same individual, which poses an even greater health risk”.

There are different factors that increase the risk that an individual will develop depression and obesity simultaneously. These factors include having low self-esteem, having suffered maltreatment or abuse in childhood, social stigma, or a low level of family and social support. All of these can impact on the biology of each individual, where there are certain physiological mechanisms (which involve the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis or inflammation) or genetic risk variants that can play an important role in the appearance of these pathologies.

According to the “Ramón y Cajal” research fellow Margarita Rivera (coordinator of this work and of the research on physical health and mental health of this group and also a lecturer in the UGR’s Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology II): “The study of the underlying genetic factors involved in the comorbidity between depression and obesity is one of the active lines of research of our group. Specifically, the FTO gene has been investigated by this and other international research groups as a possible genetic link between both pathologies”.

A limited but important role

The role of genes in the development of these diseases is limited and cannot be considered a determining factor (that is, there is no “obesity gene” or “depression gene”). Esther Molina, a co-author of this research and lecturer at the UGR’s Department of Nursing, explains, however, that “there are genetic variants common to both disorders that confer a greater risk of developing these diseases on those who carry those variants because they can interact with the environment, giving rise to an individual risk for these pathologies. Hence, we find that some individuals are more likely to develop them than others”.

This systematic review was undertaken to derive insights from the published scientific evidence on the possible role that one particular gene, the FTO gene, may play in comorbid depression and obesity. This gene contains an area that varies from person to person, known as a polymorphism.

“The presence of the so-called ‘risk’ variant of this polymorphism has been linked by numerous studies to a greater probability of suffering from obesity and to an increase in body weight in humans. Although there are no studies that associate it with depression independently, the FTO gene is highly expressed in the brain, and recent studies have described functions that may participate in important brain mechanisms. All of this leads us to believe that this gene may play a key role in the appearance of comorbid depression and obesity”, notes Zarza-Rebollo.

The authors of this work, all of whom belong to the “Federico Olóriz” Institute of Neurosciences and the Biomedical Research Centre of the UGR, have shown that there are very few studies analysing the role of this gene in comorbid obesity and depression. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct more studies where individuals with both pathologies are analysed simultaneously. According to Margarita Rivera, “at the same time, it is important that future studies take into account the different subtypes of depression, since they have different characteristics not only at the clinical level but also in terms of metabolism and weight-gain. Different subtypes of depression are likely to have different genetic profiles. By characterising the samples by the different depression subtypes, we may be able to illuminate the role played by the FTO gene and possibly other genes in those depression subtypes that are more prone to triggering weight-gain”.

“A better understanding of the role of genetics in comorbid depression and obesity opens the door to early detection of those individuals with a higher risk of developing this comorbidity and to being able to design more personalized (and more effective) prevention and treatment strategies for them”, stresses Esther Molina.

Bibliography:

Juan Antonio Zarza-Rebollo, Esther Molina, and Margarita Rivera (2021), ‘The role of the FTO gene in the relationship between depression and obesity: A systematic review’, Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews 127, 630–7.

Image caption:

The UGR research team that carried out this work

Media enquiries:

Esther Molina Rivas, Department of Nursing, “Federico Olóriz” Institute of Neurosciences and the Biomedical Research Centre of the University of Granada

Tel.: Laboratory: +34 958 241000 ext. 20342. Faculty of Health Sciences Office: +34 958 248750

Email: emrivas@ugr.es

Margarita Rivera Sánchez

Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology II, “Federico Olóriz” Institute of Neurosciences and the Biomedical Research Centre of the University of Granada

Tel.: Laboratory and office: +34 958 241000 ext. 20343

Email: mrivera@ugr.es

An international study, in which the University of Granada (UGR) is participating as part of the ProyectORCE project, has obtained new data on the Prehistoric humans who inhabited the Guadix-Baza basin, thanks to an analysis of the teeth of herbivorous animals such as mammoths, hippopotamuses, rhinoceroses, horses, deer, and bison

This study, in which the University of Helsinki (Finland) is also participating, reveals that our ancestors could only inhabit this area when Mediterranean ecosystems provided extra productivity, since these first hominids required a high amount of energy, and resources there were insufficient during the cooler and drier climatic phases

The first humans to inhabit the Guadix-Baza basin (Province of Granada) during Prehistory (from 1.5 million to 400,000 years ago) looked for areas of high vegetation in order to survive, but they could only inhabit this area when the productivity of Mediterranean ecosystems was especially abundant, since these ancestors required a high amount of energy, and resources there were insufficient during the cooler and drier climatic phases.

These are the main conclusions drawn from a study led by researchers from the Universities of Helsinki and Granada and published in the journal Quaternary Science Reviews. This was an interdisciplinary, international study in which, as well as the aforementioned universities, the Catalan Institute of Human Paleoecology and Social Evolution (IPHES, Tarragona) and the Universities of Zaragoza, Barcelona, ​​Salamanca, Complutense de Madrid, and Tübingen (Germany) also participated. The work was conducted within the framework of the ProyectORCE project, coordinated by the UGR and financed by the Junta (regional government) of Andalusia.

4.5 million years of history reflected in teeth

To arrive at these conclusions, the scientists analysed the teeth of herbivorous animals—such as mammoths, hippopotamuses, rhinoceroses, horses, deer, and bison—found at the different archaeological sites at Orce (Granada). This is the first study to analyse the faunal evolution and the ecological changes that took place over a period of four million years in the Guadix-Baza basin, which is located in the Granada Geopark.

Teeth are anatomical structures that are directly related to diet. To determine the significance of the main types of vegetables consumed in that epoch, two techniques developed by Mikael Fortelius (lecturer at the University of Helsinki and Visiting Scholar at the UGR) were applied to a dozen sites that date back as far back as 4.5 million years ago (Baza-1 site) to as recently as 400,000 years ago (Solana del Zamborino site, Fonelas). The two techniques involved studying patterns of wear in the animal teeth and the structural characteristics of their dental remains (known as the “ecometric method”).

On the one hand, dental wear is linked to the nature of the food consumed by the animal: the harder it is (and the lower the consumption of vegetables), the greater the deterioration of the teeth. On the other hand, the presence or absence of certain dental functional traits correlates closely with rainfall and, above all, with primary productivity—that is, with the quantity and quality of plant matter available to herbivores.

Habitat type revealed

One of the great debates that have surrounded the first human settlement of the European continent is the type of habitat that our oldest ancestors occupied. Some scholars claim that the first humans went out “in pursuit” of the habitat of origin—that is, the savannah. But the results of this study, led by Juha Saarinen of the University of Helsinki, show that, in fact, these primitive groups lived in habitats very similar to those still in existence today in much of the Iberian Peninsula: Mediterranean woodland. It is well known that the climate associated with these ecosystems is extremely seasonal, with summers dominated by a persistent drought, in which productivity falls to a minimum, especially when coupled with extended autumn and spring droughts.

The maximum productivity is found at Solana del Zamborino (Fonelas), a very interesting archaeological site dated to approximately 400,000 years ago, which coincides with one of the warmest and most humid periods of the last two million years. Following this, in terms of productivity, is a paleontological site, Baza-1, in which, due to its age (4.5 million years old), the presence of hominids is not to be expected.

At the opposite extreme are the paleontological sites with the lowest productivity: Huélago (2.5 million years), Fonelas-P1 (2 million years), and the Orce-based sites of Fuente Nueva-1 (2.2 million years) and Venta Micena (1.6 million years). The likelihood of finding evidence of a human presence at these sites is very low or inexistent. In between, with high productivity, are the emblematic sites of Barranco León (1.4 million years old) and Fuente Nueva-3 (1.2 million), the oldest locations with evidence of a human presence in the western part of Europe.

Human presence is also documented at Huéscar-1 (1 million years) and Cúllar-Baza-1 (Cúllar, 800,000 years) albeit on a very small scale. Finally, there are other sites that could likely have been home to our ancestors but that, for the moment, yield no clear evidence: Barranco del Paso (Orce, 1.8 million years old) and Mencal-9 (Pedro Martínez, 1.7 million years). Therefore, this study constitutes a hugely significant methodological contribution in the quest for locations that would potentially have been habitable for the very first Europeans.

Humans, major energy consumers

But why did our most distant ancestors require such productive habitats? “In the first place, because we are a very gregarious species that needed to live in relatively large groups, possibly of more than 30 individuals”, explains Juan Manuel Jiménez Arenas, the director of ProyectORCE and a researcher from the UGR’s Department of Prehistory and Archaeology.

“This gave us an important evolutionary advantage in relation to, on the one hand, inbreeding (probably one of the triggers for the disappearance of Neanderthals) and, on the other, the presence of predators. Likewise, social cohesion would contribute to survival in a complex and conflictive environment. In addition, humans have tremendously large brains relative to our body mass. Remember that this organ consumes an extraordinary amount of energy for its low weight (just 2% of total body mass vs. 20% of energy consumption in today’s humans)”, notes Jiménez Arenas.

Furthermore, the inability to produce fire or work with it would render certain foods of plant origin inedible. Lastly, the lithic technology or tools available to the first settlers of the European continent did not lend themselves to making intensive use of the available resources. “To exemplify this, our study reveals that our ancestors could not currently live in the Orce area. Hence, given the means to which they had access, the earliest settlers of Europe could not cope with an overexploitation of the territory, as is the case today. Therefore, it was Nature that determined the presence of our ancestors—it was not they who imposed themselves on Nature”, concludes Jiménez Arenas.

Bibliography:

Saarinen J, Oksanen O, Žliobaitė I, Fortelius M, DeMiguel D, Azanza B, Bocherens H, Luzón C, Solano-García JA, Yravedra J, Courtenay LA, Blain H-A, Sánchez-Bandera C, Serrano-Ramos A, Rodríguez-Alba JJ, Viranta S, Barsky D, Tallavaara M, Oms O, Agustí J, Ochando J, Carrión J, Jiménez-Arenas JM (2021), ‘Pliocene to Middle Pleistocene climate history in the Guadix-Baza Basin, and the environmental conditions of early Homo dispersal in Europe’, Quaternary Science Reviews 268: 107132. 

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2021.107132

Image captions:

Reconstruction of the palaeoenvironment that would have been found in Orce 1.5 million years ago. Recreation by Mauricio Antón from data derived from the Georgian site of Dmanisi

Juha Saarinen, main author of the work, at the Venta Micena site (Orce, Granada) during the 2018 campaign. Photo by Susana Girón

Evolution of productivity over the last 4.5 million years from the main paleontological and archaeological sites of the Guadix-Baza basin. The full squares correspond to sites where evidence of a human presence has been found. The blank squares represent those without evidence of a human presence. The section of the graph shadowed with grey lines indicates the range of productivity where the probability of human presence is low. The dotted lines represent the interval where the appearance of a human presence is highly probable. CG-B = Guadix-Baza Basin. Modified from Saarinen et al. (2021)

The present-day landscape at Orce. Photo by Susana Girón

Media enquiries:

Juan Manuel Jimenez Arenas, Department of Prehistory and Archaeology, University of Granada

Email: jumajia@ugr.es

According to family aggregation studies, this disease has a hereditary component, with approximately 10% of patients having one or more relatives affected by it

A team of scientists from the University of Granada (UGR) and GENYO (Pfizer-University of Granada-Andalusian Government Centre for Genomics and Oncological Research—led by Pablo Roman-Naranjo and Jose Antonio López-Escámez, researcher in charge of the Biohealth Research Institute in Granada (ibs.GRANADA)—has identified new genes associated with familial Meniere’s disease.

Meniere’s disease is a disorder of the inner ear that is characterised by repeated episodes of vertigo and persistent noise in the ears (tinnitus), leading to progressive hearing loss.

This disease has a hereditary component, as identified in family aggregation studies, with approximately 10% of patients having one or more relatives affected by it. In this new study, published in the journal Hearing Research, a total of 62 families affected by this disease (mainly from Spain) were analysed. The results point to the existence of a relationship between familial Meniere’s disease and various ear-genes, the main candidate being the MYO7A gene, which encodes a protein called myosin VIIa that is specific to inner-ear hair cells.

The correct functioning of the ear relies on thousands of genes. When these genes are altered by rare mutations, this may reduce both the individual’s ability to keep their balance and to hear properly. In the case of Meniere’s disease, the researchers in this study propose a “digenic inheritance” model, in which rare mutations in at least two genes are necessary.

The origin of this disease in some families seems to lie in rare mutations of the MYO7A gene, together with mutations in other genes, such as CDH23, PCDH15, or ADGRV1 (that is, genes with which MYO7A interacts). This hypothesis is based on the results obtained in the present study: nine of the families presented rare mutations in these genes.

As the article notes, these genes are expressed in a specific area of ​​the ear: the stereocilia of the neurosensory cells of the inner ear. These cells are responsible for the transmission of sound in the organ of Corti, as well as the perception of acceleration in the posterior labyrinth, sending nerve impulses to the central nervous system. Stereocilia are found in each of these cells. According to the authors, mutations in MYO7A and other genes would cause alterations in several proteins that keep the stereocilia bundled together, ultimately causing hearing loss and vertigo.

“We suggest that rare mutations in the MYO7A gene, either by itself or combined with other mutations in genes that interact with MYO7A, would cause alterations in the morphostructure of the stereocilia and a loss of cohesiveness between them, with an abnormal opening of the mechanotransduction complex (located in the cilia) and, finally, hearing loss and/or vertigo. The MYO7A gene has been associated with familial sensorineural hearing loss or retinitis pigmentosa—another rare disease that causes blindness”, explain the authors.

The ‘Otology and Otoneurology CTS495’ research group, led by López-Escámez, coordinates genomic studies in collaboration with over 15 hospitals in Spain, Italy, and Switzerland and participates in several research projects on Meniere’s disease funded by the “Carlos III” Health Institute (PI20-1126), the Department for Health and Families (PI027-2020), and the Department for Economic Transformation, Industry, Knowledge, and Universities (PI20-00303).

The study of Meniere’s disease and the identification of new genes that can explain its origin can help to decipher the mechanisms underlying it and thereby facilitate its early genetic diagnosis, as well as contribute to the development and application of new drugs in its treatment.

Bibliography:

Roman-Naranjo, P., Moleon, MDC., Aran, I. et al. (2021). ‘Rare coding variants involving MYO7A and other genes encoding stereocilia link proteins in familial Meniere disease’, Hearing Research, 409 (108329).

doi:10.1016/j.heares.2021.108329

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378595521001635

Image captions:

Photo of the ‘Otology and Otoneurology CTS495’ Research Group

Proteins involved in bundling together the stereocilia of the sensory cells of the inner ear

Media enquiries:

José Antonio López Escámez, Department of Surgery and Surgical Specialties, University of Granada

Tel.: +34 958 24 96 75

Email: jalopezescamez@ugr.es

Researchers from the University of Granada and the Institut d’Investigació Sanitària Pere Virgili (Tarragona) have identified that the levels of a small molecule, succinate, found in plasma could help identify those young people at high risk of cardiovascular disease

The study offers fresh insights in the field of cardiovascular risk biomarkers among the young, and could be key for the development of new therapies to combat obesity and diabetes

A study conducted by researchers from the University of Granada (UGR), in collaboration with researchers from the Institut d’Investigació Sanitària Pere Virgili (IISPV), Tarragona, has identified that the level of circulating succinate—a small molecule identifiable in plasma—could be used for the early identification of individuals with a higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease. The work has been published in the journal Cardiovascular Diabetology, whichspecialises in the study of diabetes and cardiovascular disorders.

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the world. Globally, it is estimated that each year about 18 million die people as a result of cardiovascular diseases. In Spain alone, about 120,000 deaths are attributed to it annually. One of the most alarming statistics is that the incidence of cardiovascular disease is increasing among the youngest sectors of the population. Hence, there is an imperative need to implement new tools to identify those individuals with a higher risk of developing this disease in the future.

Why succinate?

Succinate is traditionally known for its role as an energy-producing molecule in the Krebs cycle (via the metabolic pathway—that is, a series of chemical reactions that are part of the cellular respiration of all cells that use oxygen). However, it has recently been shown that succinate is also a key molecule in the regulation of the metabolism that plays a role in signalling and communication processes outside the cell, similar to that of hormones and other cytokines.

In a previous study led by Dr. Sonia Fernández-Veledo—head of the IISPV’s DIAMET Research Group on Diabetes and Metabolic Diseases and of the ‘CIBER of Diabetes and Associated Metabolic Diseases’ (CIBERDEM)—it was observed that the circulating succinate levels were elevated in individuals with cardiometabolic and inflammatory diseases, such as obesity and type-2 diabetes.

This group also demonstrated that succinate levels were linked to a greater abundance of bacteria in the gut microbiota that produce this molecule as a product of their metabolism. Other studies have found that succinate activates brown adipose tissue, a type of fat that is associated with better cardiovascular health. For all these reasons, the involvement of succinate in metabolism and its relationship with health and disease have resulted in an exponential increase in scholarly interest in this molecule.

Cardiovascular risk in young adults

In the study led by the UGR, circulating succinate levels in plasma were measured in a total of 100 young people aged 18–25 years. Their body composition, nutritional intake patterns, brown adipose tissue volume, and general activity levels were analysed, along with the composition of their intestinal microbiota. In addition, their levels of circulating oxylipins (molecules derived from omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids) were measured, as these play a very important role in anti- and pro-inflammatory processes, respectively.

The study detected no link between succinate levels and the individual’s activity level, the volume of brown adipose tissue, or the composition of their gut microbiota. However, succinate levels were positively associated with cardiometabolic risk-markers such as increased visceral adipose tissue, diastolic blood pressure, levels of triglyceride and levels of C-reactive protein—an important inflammatory marker.

Individuals presenting higher levels of succinate also had higher levels of omega-6 oxylipins in the blood, which are associated with the pathophysiology of obesity and poorer cardiovascular health.

Clinical implications of the study

The study shows that succinate is a biomarker linked to cardiovascular risk factors in young adults. At the clinical level, measuring succinate levels could serve as a tool for early identification of young individuals who carry a higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease in the future.

The researchers note that additional studies are needed to confirm that circulating succinate levels truly reflect the cardiovascular status of individuals, and to validate its usefulness as a potential marker of cardiovascular risk among young-adult populations. The study of succinate therefore constitutes a promising line of research for the development of new treatments in the fight against obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.

Bibliography:

Osuna-Prieto FJ, Martinez-Tellez B, Ortiz-Alvarez L, Di X, Jurado-Fasoli L, Xu H, Ceperuelo-Mallafré V, Núñez-Roa C, Kohler I, Segura-Carretero A, García-Lario JV, Gil A, Aguilera CM, Llamas-Elvira JM, Rensen PCN, Vendrell J, Ruiz JR, and Fernández-Veledo S. (2021), ‘Elevated plasma succinate levels are linked to higher cardiovascular disease risk factors in young adults’, Cardiovasc Diabetol. 20(1):151.

doi: 10.1186/s12933-021-01333-3. PMID: 34315463; PMCID: PMC8314524.

Image captions:

Metabolic interactions of succinate with peripheral tissues and organs. Succinate can be produced in the mitochondria or by bacteria in the gut microbiota. When it reaches the blood, succinate exerts its endocrine actions in very diverse peripheral tissues and organs, such as the pancreas, adipose tissue, kidneys, muscle, or the immune system.

UGR researchers Borja Martínez and Francisco Javier Osuna

Media enquiries:

Jonatan Ruiz Ruiz, Department of Physical Education and Sports, University of Granada

Email: ruizj@ugr.es

Francisco Javier Osuna Prieto, Department of Analytical Chemistry, University of Granada

Email: fjosunaprieto@ugr.es

Scientists from the UGR have participated in an international study analysing the benefits and detriments linked to wild ungulates on a global scale

The benefits to humans most commonly associated with wild ungulates—such as deer, hippos, wild boar, or giraffes—are hunting (and the food-source it represents for many communities) and their aesthetic value. This is one of the conclusions of a scientific literature review led by researchers from the Ecology Area of ​​the Miguel Hernández University of Elche (MHU), in which scientists from the University of Granada (UGR) also participated. In the study, the benefits and detriments associated with wild ungulates were studied on a global scale.

Wild hoofed animals or ungulates are becoming increasingly prolific and more widely distributed throughout Europe and North America. They are also recolonising many areas where they once had a strong presence—decades or even centuries ago—and from which they were eradicated. By contrast, in Africa and Asia, ungulate populations are suffering significant decline due to land use for human expansion. According to the study, for these reasons, there is more and more interaction between ungulates and people. Some aspects of this mutual interaction are positive and others negative. To assess this scenario, the researchers analysed 575 scientific articles to determine which benefits and detriments generated by wild ungulates were discussed in scientific publications between 2000 and 2019.

Among the human–wildlife conflicts mentioned in scientific publications, damage to agriculture, silviculture, and natural vegetation stand out in particular, as well as traffic collisions. According to the researchers, since the beginning of the 21st Century, the number of annual publications on wild ungulates and their interaction with people has risen. So has the number of benefits that have been examined in scientific publications (mentioned in 50.3% of the publications included in the literature review), despite the fact that the majority of publications centre on the conflicts with humans generated by ungulates (which appear in 93.7% of the cases analysed).

From this analysis of scientific publications, seven research clusters related to wild ungulates were identified, dealing with: herbivory and natural vegetation; silvicultural damage in Eurasia; agricultural damage in Mediterranean agro-ecosystems; agricultural damage in North America; conflicts in urban areas of North America; natural American Northwest areas; and social research in Africa and Asia.

In Europe and North America

These primary research clusters are centred mainly in Europe and North America, with five of them focusing on these parts of the world (accounting for 70.6% of the publications analysed). This is despite the fact that only 7% of ungulates inhabit Europe and North America, suggesting that there is a clear geographical bias in the investigation of these species. The one line of research that is being conducted in developing countries (Africa and Asia) includes social aspects in its studies that encourage coexistence with wild ungulates and their conservation. It is also the line of research that most clearly highlights the benefits associated with wild ungulates.

In their conclusions, the Spanish researchers point out that, despite the negative aspects traditionally associated with wild ungulates, in recent years the benefits that they can also contribute to socio-ecological systems—such as tourism or the maintenance of habitats—have become more evident. They observe that the interactions between humans and wild ungulates require significant cooperation between the different social agents involved (managers, conservationists, hunters, or farmers), and will do so to an even greater degree in the future. Here, it is critical to implement management measures that support the coexistence of wildlife and people. In view of the results of the present study, the researchers consider that the scientific perspective should take into account all aspects of wild ungulates (both positive and negative) relative to the functioning of ecosystems—which, in most cases, have been transformed by humans—if this coexistence is to be facilitated.

The multidisciplinary team that conducted this study comprises researchers from the Ecology area of MHU in collaboration with researchers from Spain’s Institute for Game and Wildlife Research (IREC-CSIC, UCLM, JCCM), the University of Alicante, the University of Granada, and the Complutense University of Madrid, and international centres including the Institute of Nature Conservation Polish Academy of Sciences (Poland), WWF-US (United States), University of British Columbia (Canada), and Leuphana University Lüneburg (Germany).

Bibliography:

Pascual-Rico, R. et al. (2021) ‘Usually hated, sometimes loved: A review of wild ungulates’ contributions to people’. Science of The Total Environment 801: 149652. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.149652

Image captions:

Ungulates in the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi National Park (South Africa) / Jorge Lozano

Red deer in Scotland (photo by F. David Carmona)

Media enquiries:

Marcos Moleón Paiz, Department of Zoology, University of Granada

Tel.: +34 958 243082

Email: mmoleon@ugr.es

The study, conducted by researchers from the UGR and the company Notaliv Cosmética Natural, will be aimed at people who have to wear an ostomy pouch (mainly following colon/rectal cancer), which is a small bag that collects the waste eliminated by the body

The deterioration of the peristomal skin (the area of skin surrounding the stoma, where the pouch is attached) is one of the main problems that affect the quality of life of these patients

Researchers from the University of Granada (UGR) have signed an agreement with the company Notaliv Cosmética Natural to develop an important line of research to test the efficacy of its products in caring for peristomal skin. Under this agreement, the company will donate natural skincare products that are based on extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO). The donation is being made through the UGR’s Technical Directorate for Social Outreach, Sponsorship and Patronage.

For over a decade, the ‘CTS-436’ Research Group has been developing a line of research on the care of people with ostomies. These are people who—mainly after suffering colon/rectal cancer—have to wear a device or pouch that collects their intestinal waste products. The investigations carried out to date and all the available evidence point to the fact that damage to the peristomal skin (the area of skin surrounding the stoma, where the pouch is attached) is one of the problems that most affect the quality of life of these patients.

Caring for this skin is essential, as it acts as a protective barrier against the external environment. In stoma clinics, it is usually the stoma therapy nurse who is responsible for monitoring and supporting self-care among people with ostomies. Among the objectives of the care plan in these cases is to recommend the right products for the hygiene and protection of the peristomal skin, this being a field under constant scientific investigation.

Throughout history, the value of using olive oil for hygiene and skincare purposes has been verified. It has been in everyday use in hospitals and health centres for decades, as a compound of products used for different purposes. It has been shown to be effective in the prevention of ulcerated wounds; and its potential in the prevention of skin cancer has also been recognised. Ecological varieties of EVOO have recently been studied as solutions in the prevention and treatment of painful, cracked nipples among breastfeeding women.

Notaliv is a manufacturer of natural cosmetics, located in the town of Villacarrillo (Jaén). Its cosmetics are based on natural products including olive oil and other natural oils. Alongside product manufacturing, the company aims to raise awareness of the value of the topical use of EVOO. Hence, this agreement helps to strengthen its commitment to research in this field.

The area of research that is to be developed using this company’s products includes the application of gels and creams that ensure the correct functioning of the ostomy device, especially regarding its attachment and removal. The known moisturising, regenerative, and protective properties of EVOO suggest that it will be effective in keeping the vulnerable peristomal skin intact.

The ‘gAOVEstoma’ project is the first study of this kind to be launched. As a pilot study, its primary objective is to test the efficacy of a gel based on ecological EVOO in the hygiene-care of peristomal skin. The gel product in question is entirely neutral, which is a feature recommended by ostomy-care guidelines. The use of an organic variety of EVOO not only points to its potential for skin protection but also presents the added value of being obtained through a pro-environmental cultivation process that has less potential for toxicity.

The lead researchers are César Hueso Montoro and Concepción Capilla Díaz, both lecturers from the Department of Nursing of the UGR and researchers from the ‘CTS-436’ group. The study will be carried out in stoma therapy consultations at the “San Cecilio” University Hospital (HUSC) and the “Virgen de las Nieves” University Hospital (HUVN), in Granada. The nurses responsible for these consultations, also participating in the study, are Josefa Martín Cebrián (HUVN) and Rosa Huertas Fernández (HUSC), who will have the support of two other nurses, also experts in stomatherapy: Inmaculada Sánchez Crisol (HUSC) and Noelia Moya Muñoz (HUVN) .

Overseeing the work will be Francisco Pedro García Fernández, a lecturer and researcher at the University of Jaén and also its current coordinator of the Chair for Advanced Studies in Wound Care. The study has now been approved by the Granada Provincial Research Ethics Committee.

Image caption:

Mixing machine used to make the gel, to which EVOO is added

Media enquiries:

Cesar Hueso Montoro, Department of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Granada

Email: cesarhueso@ugr.es