Team 1: ‘Nutrition - Functional Food & Vascular Health’ Biochemistry Laboratory, University of Monastir (Monastir, Tunisia) and Lab. Biochemistry, University of Sousse (Sousse, Tunisia)
Key members: Dr Amira Zarrouk (Ph.D; Ass.Prof); Dr Imen Ghzaiel (Ph.D ; Post-Doc) ; Prof. Mohamed Hammami (Ph.D); Prof. Sonia Hammami (MD, Ph.D)
Contacts: zarroukamira@gmail.com ; imenghzaiel93@gmail.com; sonia.hammami@fmm.rnu.tn
Research activities: The primary focus of our research is to investigate the role of lipid metabolism in aging and in some age-related diseases. In this context, we focus on different lipid types, such as oxysterols and fatty acids, and we are interested to identify lipids, including oxysterols as biomarkers of age-related diseases (Alzheimer, sarcopenia). We also aim to find natural molecules able to promote healthy aging, counter the development of age-related diseases, and facilitate the treatment of chronic pathologies. We attempt to identify plant extracts as well as edible oils able to prevent oxidative stress, known to play major roles in the development of degenerative diseases (Alzheimer’s diseases, sarcopenia), and in the cytotoxicity of several oxysterols.
Key papers related to ENOR:
Ghzaiel I, Zarrouk A, Essadek S, Martine L, Hammouda S, Yammine A, Ksila M, Nury T, Meddeb W, Tahri Joutey M, Mihoubi W, Caccia C, Leoni V, Samadi M, Acar N, Andreoletti P, Hammami S, Ghrairi T, Vejux A, Hammami M, Lizard G. Protective effects of milk thistle (Sylibum marianum) seed oil and α-tocopherol against 7β-hydroxycholesterol-induced peroxisomal alterations in murine C2C12 myoblasts: Nutritional insights associated with the concept of pexotherapy. Steroids. 2022; 183: 109032.
Ghzaiel I, Zarrouk A, Nury T, Libergoli M, Florio F, Hammouda S, Ménétrier F, Avoscan L, Yammine A, Samadi M, Latruffe N, Biressi S, Levy D, Bydlowski SP, Hammami S, Vejux A, Hammami M, Lizard G. Antioxidant Properties and Cytoprotective Effect of Pistacia lentiscus L. Seed Oil against 7β-Hydroxycholesterol-Induced Toxicity in C2C12 Myoblasts: Reduction in Oxidative Stress, Mitochondrial and Peroxisomal Dysfunctions and Attenuation of Cell Death. Antioxidants (Basel). 2021; 10(11): 1772.
Zarrouk A, Hammouda S, Ghzaiel I, Hammami S, Khamlaoui W, Ahmed SH, Lizard G, Hammami M. Association Between Oxidative Stress and Altered Cholesterol Metabolism in Alzheimer's Disease Patients. Curr Alzheimer Res. 2020; 17(9): 823-834.
Zarrouk A, Nury T, Karym EM, Vejux A, Sghaier R, Gondcaille C, Andreoletti P, Trompier D, Savary S, Cherkaoui-Malki M, Debbabi M, Fromont A, Riedinger JM, Moreau T, Lizard G. Attenuation of 7-ketocholesterol-induced overproduction of reactive oxygen species, apoptosis, and autophagy by dimethyl fumarate on 158N murine oligodendrocytes. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol. 2017; 169: 29-38.
Zarrouk A, Debbabi M, Bezine M, Karym EM, Badreddine A, Rouaud O, Moreau T, Cherkaoui-Malki M, El Ayeb M, Nasser B, Hammami M, Lizard G. Lipid Biomarkers in Alzheimer's Disease. Curr Alzheimer Res. 2017. doi: 10.2174/1567205014666170505101426.
Zarrouk A, Vejux A, Mackrill J, O'Callaghan Y, Hammami M, O'Brien N, Lizard G. Involvement of oxysterols in age-related diseases and ageing processes. Ageing Res Rev. 2014; 18: 148-62.
Team 2: Molecular bases of human diseases, University of Sfax (Sfax, Tunisia)
Key members: Dr Meriam Messedi (Ph.D; Post Doc); Dr Wassim Guidara (Ph.D ; Post-Doc) ; Prof. Fatma Makni-Ayadi (MD)
Contacts: meriammessedi@gmail.com ; ayadi_fatma@medecinesfax.org
Research activities: The primary focus of our research is to investigate the role of lipid metabolism in neuropsychiatric disorders and in inflammatory diseases. In this context, we focus on different lipid types, such as oxysterols and fatty acids, and we are interested to identify lipids, especially oxysterols as biomarkers of autism spectrum disorder, bipolar disease and schizophrenia as well as in inflammatory conditions (Behçet’s disease, metabolic syndromes). We also aim to find out the most relevant oxidative stress parameters that might interfere with the homeostasis cholesterol and its oxidized metabolites.
Key papers related to ENOR:
Guidara W, Messedi M, Naifar M, Maalej M, Khrouf W, Grayaa S, Maalej M, Bonnefont-Rousselot D, Lamari F, Ayadi F. Plasma oxysterols in drug-free patients with schizophrenia. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol. 2022; 221: 106123.
Messedi M, Guidara W, Grayaa S, Khrouf W, Snoussi M, Bahloul Z, Bonnefont-Rousselot D, Lamari F, Ayadi F. Selected plasma oxysterols as a potential multi-marker biosignature panel for Behçet's Disease. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol. 2022; 221: 106122.
Guidara W, Messedi M, Maalej M, Naifar M, Khrouf W, Grayaa S, Maalej M, Bonnefont-Rousselot D, Lamari F, Ayadi F. Plasma oxysterols: Altered level of plasma 24-hydroxycholesterol in patients with bipolar disorder. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol. 2021; 211: 105902.
Grayaa S, Zerbinati C, Messedi M, HadjKacem I, Chtourou M, Ben Touhemi D, Naifar M, Ayadi H, Ayedi F, Iuliano L. Plasma oxysterol profiling in children reveals 24-hydroxycholesterol as a potential marker for Autism Spectrum Disorders. Biochimie. 2018 ; 153: 80-85.