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Russo R, Ragusa MA, Arancio W, Zito F. Gene, Protein, and in Silico Analyses of FoxO, an Evolutionary Conserved Transcription Factor in the Sea Urchin Paracentrotus lividus. Genes (Basel) 2024; 15:1078. [PMID: 39202438 PMCID: PMC11353378 DOI: 10.3390/genes15081078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2024] [Revised: 08/07/2024] [Accepted: 08/13/2024] [Indexed: 09/03/2024] Open
Abstract
FoxO is a member of the evolutionary conserved family of transcription factors containing a Forkhead box, involved in many signaling pathways of physiological and pathological processes. In mammals, mutations or dysfunctions of the FoxO gene have been implicated in diverse diseases. FoxO homologs have been found in some invertebrates, including echinoderms. We have isolated the FoxO cDNA from the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus (Pl-foxo) and characterized the corresponding gene and mRNA. In silico studies showed that secondary and tertiary structures of Pl-foxo protein corresponded to the vertebrate FoxO3 isoform, with highly conserved regions, especially in the DNA-binding domain. A phylogenetic analysis compared the Pl-foxo deduced protein with proteins from different animal species and confirmed its evolutionary conservation between vertebrates and invertebrates. The increased expression of Pl-foxo mRNA following the inhibition of the PI3K signaling pathway paralleled the upregulation of Pl-foxo target genes involved in apoptosis or cell-cycle arrest events (BI-1, Bax, MnSod). In silico studies comparing molecular data from sea urchins and other organisms predicted a network of Pl-foxo protein-protein interactions, as well as identified potential miRNAs involved in Pl-foxo gene regulation. Our data may provide new perspectives on the knowledge of the signaling pathways underlying sea urchin development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberta Russo
- Istituto per la Ricerca e l’Innovazione Biomedica (IRIB), Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Via Ugo La Malfa 153, 90146 Palermo, Italy; (W.A.); (F.Z.)
| | - Maria Antonietta Ragusa
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Biologiche, Chimiche e Farmaceutiche (STEBICEF), Università degli Studi di Palermo, Viale delle Scienze Ed. 16, 90128 Palermo, Italy;
| | - Walter Arancio
- Istituto per la Ricerca e l’Innovazione Biomedica (IRIB), Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Via Ugo La Malfa 153, 90146 Palermo, Italy; (W.A.); (F.Z.)
| | - Francesca Zito
- Istituto per la Ricerca e l’Innovazione Biomedica (IRIB), Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Via Ugo La Malfa 153, 90146 Palermo, Italy; (W.A.); (F.Z.)
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Santos J, Rodríguez-Romero A, Cifrian E, Maldonado-Alameda A, Chimenos JM, Andrés A. Eco-toxicity assessment of industrial by-product-based alkali-activated binders using the sea urchin embryogenesis bioassay. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2023; 341:118100. [PMID: 37209591 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.118100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2023] [Revised: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 05/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
New cement-based materials such as alkali-activated binders (AABs) or geopolymers allow the incorporation of waste or industrial by-products in their formulation, resulting an interesting valorization technique. Therefore, it is essential to inquire about the potential environmental and health impacts throughout their life cycle. In the European context, a minimum aquatic toxicity tests battery has been recommended for construction products, but their potential biological effects on marine ecosystems have not been considered. In this study, three industrial by-products, PAVAL® (PV) aluminum oxide, weathered bottom ash (WBA) resulting from incinerator bottom ash and glass cullet recycling waste (CSP), were evaluated as precursors in the AAB formulation from an environmental point of view. To determine the potential effects on marine environment caused by the leaching of contaminants from these materials into seawater, the leaching test EN-12457-2 and an ecotoxicity test using the model organism sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus were conducted. The percentage of abnormal larval development was selected as endpoint of the toxicity test. Based on the results obtained from the toxicity tests, AABs have less damaging impact (EC50 values: 49.2%-51.9%) on the marine environment in general than raw materials. The results highlight the need to stablish a specific battery of toxicity tests for the environmental assessment of construction products on marine ecosystem.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Santos
- GER Green Engineering and Resources Group, Department of Chemistry and Process & Resource Engineering, ETSIIT, University of Cantabria, 39005, Santander, Spain
| | - A Rodríguez-Romero
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Marine and Environmental Sciences, Institute of Marine Research (INMAR), University of Cádiz, Puerto Real, 11510, Cádiz, Spain
| | - E Cifrian
- GER Green Engineering and Resources Group, Department of Chemistry and Process & Resource Engineering, ETSIIT, University of Cantabria, 39005, Santander, Spain
| | - A Maldonado-Alameda
- DIOPMA Design and Optimization of Processes and Materials, Department of Materials Science and Physical Chemistry, University of Barcelona, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - J M Chimenos
- DIOPMA Design and Optimization of Processes and Materials, Department of Materials Science and Physical Chemistry, University of Barcelona, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - A Andrés
- GER Green Engineering and Resources Group, Department of Chemistry and Process & Resource Engineering, ETSIIT, University of Cantabria, 39005, Santander, Spain.
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Descoteaux AE, Zuch DT, Bradham CA. Polychrome labeling reveals skeletal triradiate and elongation dynamics and abnormalities in patterning cue-perturbed embryos. Dev Biol 2023; 498:1-13. [PMID: 36948411 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2023.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Revised: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/09/2023] [Indexed: 03/24/2023]
Abstract
The larval skeleton of the sea urchin Lytechinus variegatus is an ideal model system for studying skeletal patterning; however, our understanding of the etiology of skeletal patterning in sea urchin larvae is limited due to the lack of approaches to live-image skeleton formation. Calcium-binding fluorochromes have been used to study the temporal dynamics of bone growth and healing. To date, only calcein green has been used in sea urchin larvae to fluorescently label the larval skeleton. Here, we optimize labeling protocols for two additional calcium-binding fluorochromes: xylenol orange and calcein blue- and demonstrate that these fluorochromes can be used individually or in nested pulse-chase experiments to understand the temporal dynamics of skeletogenesis and patterning. Using a pulse-chase approach, we show that the initiation of skeletogenesis begins around 15 h post fertilization. We also assess the timing of triradiate formation in embryos treated with a range of patterning perturbagens and demonstrate that triradiate formation is delayed and asynchronous in embryos ventralized via treatment with either nickel or chlorate. Finally, we measure the extent of fluorochrome incorporation in triple-labeled embryos to determine the elongation rate of numerous skeletal elements throughout early skeletal patterning and compare this to the rate of skeletal growth in embryos treated with axitinib to inhibit VEGFR. We find that skeletal elements elongate much more slowly in axitinib-treated embryos, and that axitinib treatment is sufficient to induce abnormal orientation of the triradiates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abigail E Descoteaux
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, United States; Program in Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, and Biochemistry, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, United States; Biological Design Center, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, United States
| | - Daniel T Zuch
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, United States; Program in Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, and Biochemistry, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, United States
| | - Cynthia A Bradham
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, United States; Program in Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, and Biochemistry, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, United States; Biological Design Center, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, United States; Program in Bioinformatics, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, United States.
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4
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Zito F, Bonaventura R, Costa C, Russo R. Carbonic anhydrases in development: morphological observations and gene expression profiling in sea urchin embryos exposed to acetazolamide. Open Biol 2023; 13:220254. [PMID: 36597694 PMCID: PMC9811153 DOI: 10.1098/rsob.220254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Carbonic anhydrases (CANs) are conserved metalloenzymes catalysing the reversible hydration of carbon dioxide into protons and bicarbonate, with important roles in cells physiology. Some CAN-coding genes were found in sea urchin genome, although only one involved in embryonic skeletogenesis was described in Paracentrotus lividus. Here, we investigated gene expression patterns of P. lividus embryos cultured in the presence of acetazolamide (AZ), a CAN inhibitor, to combine morphological defects with their molecular underpinning. CAN inhibition blocked skeletogenesis, affected the spatial/temporal expression of some biomineralization-related genes, inhibited embryos swimming. A comparative analysis on the expression of 127 genes in control and 3 h/24 h AZ-treated embryos, using NanoString technology, showed the differential expression of genes encoding for structural/regulatory proteins, with different embryonic roles: biomineralization, transcriptional regulation, signalling, development and defence response. The study of the differentially expressed genes and the signalling pathways affected, besides in silico analyses and a speculative 'interactomic model', leads to predicting the presence of various CAN isoforms, possibly involved in different physiological processes/activities in sea urchin embryo, and their potential target genes/proteins. Our findings provide new valuable molecular data for further studies in several biological fields: developmental biology (biomineralization, axes patterning), cell differentiation (neural development) and drug toxicology (AZ effects on embryos/tissues).
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Zito
- Istituto per la Ricerca e l'Innovazione Biomedica, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, via Ugo La Malfa 153, Palermo 90146, Italy
| | - Rosa Bonaventura
- Istituto per la Ricerca e l'Innovazione Biomedica, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, via Ugo La Malfa 153, Palermo 90146, Italy
| | - Caterina Costa
- Istituto per la Ricerca e l'Innovazione Biomedica, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, via Ugo La Malfa 153, Palermo 90146, Italy
| | - Roberta Russo
- Istituto per la Ricerca e l'Innovazione Biomedica, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, via Ugo La Malfa 153, Palermo 90146, Italy
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Santos J, Cifrian E, Rodriguez-Romero A, Yoris-Nobile AI, Blanco-Fernandez E, Castro-Fresno D, Andres A. Assessment of the environmental acceptability of potential artificial reef materials using two ecotoxicity tests: Luminescent bacteria and sea urchin embryogenesis. CHEMOSPHERE 2023; 310:136773. [PMID: 36220438 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.136773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2022] [Revised: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 10/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Ecotoxicological analysis of construction products is a relatively unexplored area at international level. Aquatic toxicity tests on construction products has been recommended recently for freshwater environment. However, the biological effects of alternative materials on marine ecosystem are still not considered. In this study, the main aim was to assess the environmental impact of alternative mortars proposed as artificial reefs (ARs) materials. The ARs specimens were developed by 3D printing, based on cement and geopolymer mortars using recycled sands of glass and seashells. For this purpose, a leaching test and two different toxicity bioassays, luminosity reduction of marine bacteria Vibrio fischeri (Microtox®) and the success of embryo-larval development of sea-urchin Paracentrotus lividus, were conducted. From the leaching results it should be noted that the mobility of all trace elements considered in both, raw materials and mortars, meet the inert landfill limits, except As, Mo, Se or Sb in the leachates geopolymer mortars. However, the results obtained from the both bioassays show low environmental acceptability for those mortars containing shell sand, probably due to the degradation of the organic matter adhered to the shells. On the other hand, cement mortars obtain better results than geopolymer mortars, regardless of the aggregate used, showing certain consistency with the leaching behaviour, since they present the lowest mobility of trace chemical elements. Therefore, the results supporting the environmental acceptability of its potential use as alternative materials in the production of ARs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge Santos
- Department of Chemistry and Process & Resource Engineering, ETSIIT, University of Cantabria, Cantabria, 39005, Spain
| | - Eva Cifrian
- Department of Chemistry and Process & Resource Engineering, ETSIIT, University of Cantabria, Cantabria, 39005, Spain.
| | - Araceli Rodriguez-Romero
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Marine and Environmental Sciences, University of Cadiz, Puerto Real, Cádiz, 11510, Spain
| | | | | | | | - Ana Andres
- Department of Chemistry and Process & Resource Engineering, ETSIIT, University of Cantabria, Cantabria, 39005, Spain
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Yu M, Chen F, Wang H, Fu Q, Yan L, Chen Z, Li H, Jia M, Yang D, Hua X, Shen T, Zhu Q, Zhou C. Endoplasmic reticulum stress mediates nickel chloride-induced epithelial‑mesenchymal transition and migration of human lung cancer A549 cells through Smad2/3 and p38 MAPK activation. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2023; 249:114398. [PMID: 36508813 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2022.114398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2021] [Revised: 12/04/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is a cellular membrane-bound organelle whereby proteins are synthesized, folded and glycosylated. Due to intrinsic (e.g., genetic) and extrinsic (e.g., environmental stressors) perturbations, ER proteostasis can be deregulated within cells which triggers unfolded protein response (UPR) as an adaptive stress response that may impact the migration and invasion properties of cancer cells. However, the mechanisms underlying the nickel compounds on lung cancer cell migration and invasion remain uncertain. OBJECTIVE We aimed to study whether Nickel chloride (NiCl2) induces ER stress in lung cancer cells, and whether ER stress is involved in modulating epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and migration by Smads and MAPKs pathways activation following NiCl2 treatment. METHODS A549 cells were treated with NiCl2 to determine the cell viability using MTT assay. The wound healing assay was used to evaluate cell migration ability. ER ultrastructure was observed by transmission electron microscopy. Western blotting assay was performed to evaluate the protein levels of BIP, PERK, IRE-1α, XBP-1 s, and ATF6 for ER stress and UPR, E-cadherin and Vimentin for EMT, p-Smad2/3, p-ERK, p-JNK, and p-P38 for activation of Smads and MAPKs signaling pathways. RESULTS The expression levels of BIP, PERK, IRE-1α, XBP-1 s, and ATF6 were significantly increased following treatment with NiCl2 in time- and dose-effect relationship. The ER stress inhibitor 4-PBA downregulated the expression levels of the above five proteins, and reversed the decrease in E-cadherin protein level and the increase in vimentin protein expression and cell migration abilities caused by NiCl2. Furthermore, 4-PBA significantly reduced nickel chloride-induced Smad2/3 and p38 MAPK pathway activation, while not affected ERK and JNK MAPK pathways. CONCLUSION NiCl2 triggers ER stress and UPR in A549 cells. Moreover, 4-PBA alleviates NiCl2-induced EMT and migration ability of A549 cells possibly through the Smad2/3 and p38 MAPK pathways activation, rather than ERK and JNK MAPK pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengping Yu
- Department of Occupational Health and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, Anhui, PR China
| | - Feipeng Chen
- Department of Occupational Health and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, Anhui, PR China
| | - Haopei Wang
- Department of Occupational Health and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, Anhui, PR China
| | - Qianlei Fu
- Department of Occupational Health and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, Anhui, PR China
| | - Lingzi Yan
- Department of Occupational Health and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, Anhui, PR China
| | - Zhao Chen
- Department of Occupational Health and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, Anhui, PR China
| | - Huijun Li
- Department of Occupational Health and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, Anhui, PR China
| | - Miaomiao Jia
- Department of Occupational Health and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, Anhui, PR China
| | - Dalong Yang
- Department of Occupational Health and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, Anhui, PR China
| | - Xiaohui Hua
- Department of Occupational Health and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, Anhui, PR China
| | - Tong Shen
- Department of Occupational Health and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, Anhui, PR China
| | - Qixing Zhu
- Department of Occupational Health and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, Anhui, PR China; Institute of Dermatology, the First Affiliated Hospital, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, Anhui, PR China
| | - Chengfan Zhou
- Department of Occupational Health and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, Anhui, PR China.
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Vanadium Modulates Proteolytic Activities and MMP-14-Like Levels during Paracentrotus lividus Embryogenesis. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232214238. [PMID: 36430713 PMCID: PMC9697301 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232214238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2022] [Revised: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The increasing industrial use of vanadium (V), as well as its recent medical use in various pathologies has intensified its environmental release, making it an emerging pollutant. The sea urchin embryo has long been used to study the effects induced by metals, including V. In this study we used an integrated approach that correlates the biological effects on embryo development with proteolytic activities of gelatinases that could better reflect any metal-induced imbalances. V-exposure caused morphological/morphometric aberrations, mainly concerning the correct distribution of embryonic cells, the development of the skeleton, and the embryo volume. Moreover, V induced a concentration change in all the gelatinases expressed during embryo development and a reduction in their total proteolytic activity. The presence of three MMP-like gelatinases (MMP-2, -9, and -14) was also demonstrated and their levels depended on V-concentration. In particular, the MMP-14-like protein modified its expression level during embryo development in a time- and dose-dependent manner. This enzyme also showed a specific localization on filopodia, suggesting that primary mesenchyme cells (PMCs) could be responsible for its synthesis. In conclusion, these results indicate that an integrated study among morphology/morphometry, proteolytic activity, and MMP-14 expression constitutes an important response profile to V-action.
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Bonaventura R, Costa C, Deidda I, Zito F, Russo R. Gene Expression Analysis of the Stress Response to Lithium, Nickel, and Zinc in Paracentrotus lividus Embryos. TOXICS 2022; 10:toxics10060325. [PMID: 35736933 PMCID: PMC9231221 DOI: 10.3390/toxics10060325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Revised: 06/06/2022] [Accepted: 06/11/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Many anthropogenic pollutants such as metals are discharged into the marine environment through modern sources. Among these, lithium (Li), nickel (Ni), and zinc (Zn) can interfere with biological processes in many organisms when their concentration rises. These metals are toxic to sea urchin embryos, affecting their development. Indeed, animal/vegetal and dorso/ventral embryonic axes are differently perturbed: Li is a vegetalizing agent, Ni can disrupt dorso-ventral axis, Zn can be animalizing. To address the molecular response adopted by embryos to cope with these metals or involved in the gene networks regulating embryogenesis, and to detect new biomarkers for evaluating hazards in polluted environments in a well-known in vivo model, we applied a high-throughput screening approach to sea urchin embryos. After fertilization, Paracentrotus lividus embryos were exposed to Li, Ni, and Zn for 24/48 h. At both endpoints, RNAs were analyzed by NanoString nCounter technology. By in silico analyses, we selected a panel of 127 transcripts encoding for regulatory and structural proteins, ranked in categories: Apoptosis, Defense, Immune, Nervous, Development, and Biomineralization. The data analysis highlighted the dysregulation of many genes in a metal-dependent manner. A functional annotation analysis was performed by the KEEG Orthology database. This study provides a platform for research on metals biomarkers in sea urchins.
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Vanadium Toxicity Monitored by Fertilization Outcomes and Metal Related Proteolytic Activities in Paracentrotus lividus Embryos. TOXICS 2022; 10:toxics10020083. [PMID: 35202269 PMCID: PMC8878891 DOI: 10.3390/toxics10020083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Revised: 01/25/2022] [Accepted: 02/08/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Metal pharmaceutical residues often represent emerging toxic pollutants of the aquatic environment, as wastewater treatment plants do not sufficiently remove these compounds. Recently, vanadium (V) derivatives have been considered as potential therapeutic factors in several diseases, however, only limited information is available about their impact on aquatic environments. This study used sea urchin embryos (Paracentrotus lividus) to test V toxicity, as it is known they are sensitive to V doses from environmentally relevant to very cytotoxic levels (50 nM; 100 nM; 500 nM; 1 µM; 50 µM; 100 µM; 500 µM; and 1 mM). We used two approaches: The fertilization test (FT) and a protease detection assay after 36 h of exposure. V affected the fertilization percentage and increased morphological abnormalities of both egg and fertilization envelope, in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, a total of nine gelatinases (with apparent molecular masses ranging from 309 to 22 kDa) were detected, and their proteolytic activity depended on the V concentration. Biochemical characterization shows that some of them could be aspartate proteases, whereas substrate specificity and the Ca2+/Zn2+ requirement suggest that others are similar to mammalian matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs).
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Gharred C, Jenzri M, Bouraoui Z, Guerbej H, Jebali J, Gharred T. Application of the Paracentrotus lividus sea-urchin embryo-larval bioassay to the marine pollution biomonitoring program in the Tunisian coast. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:5787-5797. [PMID: 34427883 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-16101-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2021] [Accepted: 08/18/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The pollution of the marine environment by treated and untreated effluents has increased due to human activities. Monitoring the marine ecosystem is nowadays a global concern. In this work, we evaluated the effect of contaminated and uncontaminated seawater, from different Tunisian coastal areas, on the fertilization, gastrulation, and embryo-larval development events of sea urchins (Paracentrotus lividus). The station of Salakta (SA) is considered as a control station, while the stations of Hamdoun Wadi (HW), Port of Monastir (PM), Karaia Monastir (KM), Teboulba (TE), and Khniss Lagoon (KL) are considered to be contaminated stations. The analysis of seawater physicochemical characteristics showed that levels of the total suspended matter (TSM), chemical oxygen demand (COD), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), total organic carbon (TOC), and nitrate (NO3-) were lower in the seawater of the reference site Salakta (SA) when compared to those of the contaminated seawater sites. In addition, a very strong variation in the levels of trace metals in seawaters sampled in the studied sites was noted. In fact, the highest concentrations of Pb and Cu were observed in Hamdoun Wadi (HW), port of Monastir (PM), and Karaia Monastir (KM), while the highest concentration of Zn was noted in the Teboulba lagoon (TE) and Khniss (LK). Alterations in physicochemical characteristics as well as elevated trace metal levels in the studied seawater samples were correlated with reduced fertility rate, gastrulation rate, and the frequency of normal sea urchin larvae. The total absence of normal sea urchin pluteus larvae in the sea waters of heavily polluted sites proves the great sensitivity of the larval frequency to mixed pollution. This work recommends the utility of urchin fertilization and gastrulation rates and normal pluteus larval frequencies as useful bioassays to monitor the exposure of marine ecosystems to mixed pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chayma Gharred
- Research Laboratory of Bioresources: Integrative Biology & Valorization (LR 14ES06), Higher Institute of Biotechnology of Monastir, Avenue Tahar HAdded, 74,5000, Monastir, PB, Tunisia.
| | - Maroua Jenzri
- Research Laboratory of Bioresources: Integrative Biology & Valorization (LR 14ES06), Higher Institute of Biotechnology of Monastir, Avenue Tahar HAdded, 74,5000, Monastir, PB, Tunisia
| | - Zied Bouraoui
- Laboratory of Blue Biotechnology and Aquatic Bioproducts (B3Aqua), National Institute of Marine Sciences and Technology, 59, 5000, Monastir, BP, Tunisia
| | - Hamadi Guerbej
- Laboratory of Blue Biotechnology and Aquatic Bioproducts (B3Aqua), National Institute of Marine Sciences and Technology, 59, 5000, Monastir, BP, Tunisia
| | - Jamel Jebali
- Research Laboratory of Genetics, Biodiversity and Valorization of Bioresources (LR11ES41), Higher Institute of Biotechnology of Monastir, Avenue Tahar HAdded, 74, 5000, Monastir, PB, Tunisia
| | - Tahar Gharred
- Research Laboratory of Bioresources: Integrative Biology & Valorization (LR 14ES06), Higher Institute of Biotechnology of Monastir, Avenue Tahar HAdded, 74,5000, Monastir, PB, Tunisia
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11
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Albarano L, Zupo V, Guida M, Libralato G, Caramiello D, Ruocco N, Costantini M. PAHs and PCBs Affect Functionally Intercorrelated Genes in the Sea Urchin Paracentrotus lividus Embryos. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms222212498. [PMID: 34830379 PMCID: PMC8619768 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222212498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2021] [Revised: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) represent the most common pollutants in the marine sediments. Previous investigations demonstrated short-term sublethal effects of sediments polluted with both contaminants on the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus after 2 months of exposure in mesocosms. In particular, morphological malformations observed in P. lividus embryos deriving from adults exposed to PAHs and PCBs were explained at molecular levels by de novo transcriptome assembly and real-time qPCR, leading to the identification of several differentially expressed genes involved in key physiological processes. Here, we extensively explored the genes involved in the response of the sea urchin P. lividus to PAHs and PCBs. Firstly, 25 new genes were identified and interactomic analysis revealed that they were functionally connected among them and to several genes previously defined as molecular targets of response to the two pollutants under analysis. The expression levels of these 25 genes were followed by Real Time qPCR, showing that almost all genes analyzed were affected by PAHs and PCBs. These findings represent an important further step in defining the impacts of slight concentrations of such contaminants on sea urchins and, more in general, on marine biota, increasing our knowledge of molecular targets involved in responses to environmental stressors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luisa Albarano
- Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Department of Marine Biotechnology, Villa Comunale, 80121 Naples, Italy; (L.A.); (G.L.); (N.R.)
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Complesso di Monte Sant’Angelo, Via Cinthia 21, 80126 Naples, Italy;
| | - Valerio Zupo
- Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Department of Marine Biotechnology, Villa Dohrn, Punta San Pietro, 80077 Naples, Italy;
| | - Marco Guida
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Complesso di Monte Sant’Angelo, Via Cinthia 21, 80126 Naples, Italy;
- Centro Servizi Metrologici e Tecnologici Avanzati (CeSMA), Complesso Universitario di Monte Sant’Angelo, Via Cinthia 21, 80126 Naples, Italy
| | - Giovanni Libralato
- Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Department of Marine Biotechnology, Villa Comunale, 80121 Naples, Italy; (L.A.); (G.L.); (N.R.)
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Complesso di Monte Sant’Angelo, Via Cinthia 21, 80126 Naples, Italy;
| | - Davide Caramiello
- Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Department of Research Infrastructures for Marine Biological Resources, Marine Organisms Core Facility, Villa Comunale, 80121 Naples, Italy;
| | - Nadia Ruocco
- Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Department of Marine Biotechnology, Villa Comunale, 80121 Naples, Italy; (L.A.); (G.L.); (N.R.)
- Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Department of Marine Biotechnology, C. da Torre Spaccata, 87071 Amendolara, Italy
| | - Maria Costantini
- Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Department of Marine Biotechnology, Villa Comunale, 80121 Naples, Italy; (L.A.); (G.L.); (N.R.)
- Correspondence:
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12
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Bonaventura R, Zito F, Morroni L, Pellegrini D, Regoli F, Pinsino A. Development and validation of new analytical methods using sea urchin embryo bioassay to evaluate dredged marine sediments. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2021; 281:111862. [PMID: 33385898 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2020.111862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2020] [Revised: 11/28/2020] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Management of dredged materials disposal is regulated by several environmental normative requirements, and it is often supported by the integration of chemical data with ecotoxicological characterization. The reliability of a bioassay to assess the potential toxicity of dredged sediments requires the selection of quality criteria that should be based on simple analytical methods and easily understandable hazard for politicians and environmental managers. The sea urchin embryo-toxicity bioassay is considered an essential component for evaluating the quality of sediments in harbour areas but its use, when based exclusively on the observation of normal vs. abnormal embryos, may alter the interpretation of the results, overestimating the risk assessment. To improve the reliability of this assay in establishing a causative relationship between quality of sediments and sea urchin embryonic development, here we developed and validated three Integrative Toxicity Indexes (ITI 2.0, ITI 3.0, ITI 4.0), modifying the already-known ITI (here ITI 1.0). Based on this aim, we used Taranto harbour as a model pilot-study to compare results to those obtained from standard criteria. Among the tested indexes, the ITI 4.0, discriminating strictly developmental delay and morphological defects from fertilized egg to gastrula stage, resulted in the most promising.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosa Bonaventura
- Istituto per La Ricerca e L'Innovazione Biomedica (IRIB), Consiglio Nazionale Delle Ricerche, Via Ugo La Malfa, 153, Palermo, 90146, Italy
| | - Francesca Zito
- Istituto per La Ricerca e L'Innovazione Biomedica (IRIB), Consiglio Nazionale Delle Ricerche, Via Ugo La Malfa, 153, Palermo, 90146, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Morroni
- Istituto Superiore per La Protezione e La Ricerca Ambientale (ISPRA), Via Del Cedro 38, Livorno, 57122, Italy
| | - David Pellegrini
- Istituto Superiore per La Protezione e La Ricerca Ambientale (ISPRA), Via Del Cedro 38, Livorno, 57122, Italy
| | - Francesco Regoli
- Dipartimento di Scienze Della Vita e Dell'Ambiente, Università Politecnica Delle Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, Ancona, 60131, Italy
| | - Annalisa Pinsino
- Istituto per La Ricerca e L'Innovazione Biomedica (IRIB), Consiglio Nazionale Delle Ricerche, Via Ugo La Malfa, 153, Palermo, 90146, Italy.
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Bonaventura R, Zito F, Russo R, Costa C. A preliminary gene expression analysis on Paracentrotus lividus embryos exposed to UVB, Cadmium and their combination. AQUATIC TOXICOLOGY (AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS) 2021; 232:105770. [PMID: 33581547 DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2021.105770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Revised: 01/18/2021] [Accepted: 01/27/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Paracentrotus lividus is a Mediterranean and Eastern Atlantic sea urchin species, very sensitive to chemical and physical environmental changes and widely used in eco-toxicological studies. Here, we applied a high throughput screening approach on P. lividus embryos exposed to UVB radiation (UV), Cadmium Chloride (Cd) and their combination (Cd/UV), to deeply characterize the molecular responses adopted by embryos to cope with these stressors. in vitro eco-toxicological assays were performed by exposing embryos to Cd (10-4 M) soon after fertilization, to UV (200 and 400J/m2) at early stage of development, while in co-exposure experiments, Cd-exposed embryos were irradiated with UV at 200 J/m2. By NanoString nCounter technology, custom-made probes were developed and hybridized on total RNA extracted from exposed embryos at 51h after fertilization. By in silico analyses, we selected and retrieved at the NCBI nucleotide database a panel of P. lividus transcripts encoding for many regulatory and structural proteins that we ranked in categories, i.e., Apoptosis, Biomineralization, Defense, Development, Immunity, Signaling and Transcription Factors. The analysis of 127 transcripts highlighted the dysregulation of many genes, some specifically activated to cope with stress agents, others involved in the complex molecular network of genes that regulate embryo development. We revealed the downregulation of Biomineralization and Development genes and the upregulation of Defensive genes in Cd and Cd/UV embryos. Our approach, using sea urchin embryo as an in vivomodel, contributes to advance our knowledge about cellular responses to UV, Cd and their combination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosa Bonaventura
- Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto per la Ricerca e l'Innovazione Biomedica, Via Ugo La Malfa 153, Palermo, 90146, Italy.
| | - Francesca Zito
- Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto per la Ricerca e l'Innovazione Biomedica, Via Ugo La Malfa 153, Palermo, 90146, Italy
| | - Roberta Russo
- Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto per la Ricerca e l'Innovazione Biomedica, Via Ugo La Malfa 153, Palermo, 90146, Italy.
| | - Caterina Costa
- Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto per la Ricerca e l'Innovazione Biomedica, Via Ugo La Malfa 153, Palermo, 90146, Italy
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Chiaramonte M, Bonaventura R, Costa C, Zito F, Russo R. [6]-Gingerol dose-dependent toxicity, its role against lipopolysaccharide insult in sea urchin (Paracentrotus lividus Lamarck), and antimicrobial activity. FOOD BIOSCI 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fbio.2020.100833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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Russo R, Chiaramonte M, Lampiasi N, Zito F. MITF: an evolutionarily conserved transcription factor in the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus. Genetica 2019; 147:369-379. [PMID: 31625006 DOI: 10.1007/s10709-019-00077-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2019] [Accepted: 10/09/2019] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) is a member of MYC superfamily, associated with melanocyte cells, as it was discovered in depigmented mice. However, over the last years it was found to be involved in many cellular signaling pathways, among which oncogenesis, osteoclast differentiation, and stress response. In mammals, Mitf gene mutations can cause diverse syndromes affecting pigmentation of eyes or skin, bone defects and melanomas. As MITF protein homologs were also found in some invertebrates, we have isolated and characterized the MITF cDNAs from the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus, referred to as Pl-Mitf. The in silico study of the secondary and tertiary structure of Pl-Mitf protein showed high conserved regions mostly lying in the DNA binding domain. To understand the degree of evolutionary conservation of MITF, a phylogenetic analysis was performed comparing the Pl-Mitf deduced protein with proteins from different animal species. Moreover, the analysis of temporal and spatial expression pattern of Pl-Mitf mRNA showed that it was expressed from the onset of gastrulation of the sea urchin embryo to the pluteus larva, specifically in primary mesenchymes cells (PMCs), the sea urchin skeletogenic cells, and in the forming archenteron, the larval gut precursor. In silico protein-protein interactions analysis was used to understand the association of MITF with other proteins. Our results put in evidence the conservation of the MITF protein among vertebrates and invertebrates and may provide new perspectives on the pathways underlying sea urchin development, even if further functional analyses are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberta Russo
- Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto per la Ricerca e l'Innovazione Biomedica, Via Ugo La Malfa 153, 90146, Palermo, Italy.
| | - Marco Chiaramonte
- Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto per la Ricerca e l'Innovazione Biomedica, Via Ugo La Malfa 153, 90146, Palermo, Italy
| | - Nadia Lampiasi
- Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto per la Ricerca e l'Innovazione Biomedica, Via Ugo La Malfa 153, 90146, Palermo, Italy
| | - Francesca Zito
- Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto per la Ricerca e l'Innovazione Biomedica, Via Ugo La Malfa 153, 90146, Palermo, Italy.
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PI3K inhibition highlights new molecular interactions involved in the skeletogenesis of Paracentrotus lividus embryos. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-MOLECULAR CELL RESEARCH 2019; 1867:118558. [PMID: 31525406 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamcr.2019.118558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2019] [Revised: 09/05/2019] [Accepted: 09/10/2019] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
The sea urchin embryo develops a well-defined biomineralized endoskeleton, synthesized exclusively by the skeletogenic cells, supported by ectodermal cues for the correct skeleton patterning. The biomineralization process is tightly regulated via a hierarchical order of gene expression, including transcription and growth factors, biomineralization proteins. Recently, the role of kinases and intracellular signaling pathways in sea urchin skeletogenesis has been addressed, although the downstream components still remain unknown. In this study, we investigated the role of phosphatidylinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)-mediated signaling pathway in Paracentrotus lividus, to identify its genes/proteins targets. The effects of LY294002 (LY), a PI3K-specific inhibitor, were evaluated at morphological and molecular levels. Treatment with 40 μM LY from the blastula stage completely blocked skeleton deposition, which was reversed by wash out experiments. Besides, LY caused a slight delay in the tripartite gut development. Despite the skeleton absence, a few skeleton-specific proteins/mRNAs were regularly expressed and localized in LY-treated embryos, as shown for MSP130 and SM50 by immunofluorescence and in situ hybridization experiments. QPCR analyses showed that LY differently affected the expression of genes coding for other biomineralization proteins, transcription and growth factors. SM30 and carbonic anhydrase expression was severely downregulated, while almost all the transcription factors analyzed were upregulated. Based on the present results and in silico analyses, we propose an "interactomic" model simulating PI3K connections in P. lividus embryos. Our findings define a novel regulatory step in the embryonic skeletogenesis, and provide valuable molecular data for further studies on the role of PI3K signaling in invertebrate biomineralization.
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Chiaramonte M, Arizza V, Russo R. Evolutionary conserved pathway of the innate immune response after a viral insult in
Paracentrotus lividus
sea urchin. Int J Immunogenet 2019; 46:192-202. [DOI: 10.1111/iji.12424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2019] [Revised: 02/18/2019] [Accepted: 02/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Marco Chiaramonte
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Biologiche Chimiche e Farmaceutiche Università degli Studi di Palermo Palermo Italy
- Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche Istituto di Biomedicina e Immunologia Molecolare “Alberto Monroy” Palermo Italy
| | - Vincenzo Arizza
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Biologiche Chimiche e Farmaceutiche Università degli Studi di Palermo Palermo Italy
| | - Roberta Russo
- Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche Istituto di Biomedicina e Immunologia Molecolare “Alberto Monroy” Palermo Italy
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Basha MAF. Optical properties and colorimetry of gelatine gels prepared in different saline solutions. J Adv Res 2019; 16:55-65. [PMID: 30899589 PMCID: PMC6412942 DOI: 10.1016/j.jare.2018.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2018] [Revised: 12/09/2018] [Accepted: 12/10/2018] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Gelatine has been widely used in many multidisciplinary research fields due to its biocompatibility. Using saline solutions in the gelation of gelatine allows for new properties to be incorporated into the prepared gels. This study examined the optical and colour properties of gelatine gels prepared in saline solutions, containing three different metal chlorides (NiCl2·6H2O, CoCl2·6H2O, and CrCl3·6H2O) with concentrations of up to 50%, to prepare three groups of gels. FTIR spectroscopy indicated a loss in the helical structure of the metal-containing gelatine gels, and a shift in the amide bands towards lower wavenumbers. From the thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), the starting degradation temperatures (SDTs) of the prepared gelatine gels were found to be correlated to the concentration of the gelling solutions. All SDTs were above 250 °C, making these gels suitable for standing temperatures beyond the daily range. UV-vis spectroscopy showed that d-d transitions were responsible for the colour properties of the metal-containing gelatine gels. It is concluded that the studied properties and the measured parameters were found to depend on both salt type and concentration. With the current findings, the prepared gels can be used as optical thermometers, colour-selective corner cube retroreflectors, laser components, and coatings for OLEDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad A F Basha
- Physics Department, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, P.O. Box 12613, Giza, Egypt
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Di Natale M, Bennici C, Biondo G, Masullo T, Monastero C, Tagliavia M, Torri M, Costa S, Ragusa MA, Cuttitta A, Nicosia A. Aberrant gene expression profiles in Mediterranean sea urchin reproductive tissues after metal exposures. CHEMOSPHERE 2019; 216:48-58. [PMID: 30359916 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2018.10.137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2018] [Revised: 10/12/2018] [Accepted: 10/18/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Marine organisms are simultaneously exposed to numerous pollutants, among which metals probably represent the most abundant in marine environments. In order to evaluate the effects of metal exposure at molecular level in reproductive tissues, we profiled the sea urchin transcriptional response after non-lethal exposures using pathway-focused mRNA expression analyses. Herein, we show that exposures to relatively high concentrations of both essential and toxic metals hugely affected the gonadic expression of several genes involved in stress-response, detoxification, transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation, without significant changes in gonadosomatic indices. Even though treatments did not result in reproductive tissues visible alterations, metal exposures negatively affected the main mechanisms of stress-response, detoxification and survival of adult P. lividus. Additionally, transcriptional changes observed in P. lividus gonads may cause altered gametogenesis and maintenance of heritable aberrant epigenetic effects. This study leads to the conclusion that exposures to metals, as usually occurs in polluted coastal areas, may affect sea urchin gametogenesis, thus supporting the hypothesis that parental exposure to environmental stressors affects the phenotype of the offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marilena Di Natale
- National Research Council-Istituto per lo studio degli impatti Antropici e Sostenibilità in ambiente marino (IAS-CNR), Laboratory of Molecular Ecology and Biotechnology, Detached Unit of Capo Granitola, Via del mare, 91021, Torretta Granitola (TP), Sicily, Italy.
| | - Carmelo Bennici
- National Research Council-Istituto per lo studio degli impatti Antropici e Sostenibilità in ambiente marino (IAS-CNR), Laboratory of Molecular Ecology and Biotechnology, Detached Unit of Capo Granitola, Via del mare, 91021, Torretta Granitola (TP), Sicily, Italy.
| | - Girolama Biondo
- National Research Council-Istituto per lo studio degli impatti Antropici e Sostenibilità in ambiente marino (IAS-CNR), Laboratory of Molecular Ecology and Biotechnology, Detached Unit of Capo Granitola, Via del mare, 91021, Torretta Granitola (TP), Sicily, Italy.
| | - Tiziana Masullo
- National Research Council-Istituto per lo studio degli impatti Antropici e Sostenibilità in ambiente marino (IAS-CNR), Laboratory of Molecular Ecology and Biotechnology, Detached Unit of Capo Granitola, Via del mare, 91021, Torretta Granitola (TP), Sicily, Italy.
| | - Calogera Monastero
- National Research Council-Istituto per lo studio degli impatti Antropici e Sostenibilità in ambiente marino (IAS-CNR), Laboratory of Molecular Ecology and Biotechnology, Detached Unit of Capo Granitola, Via del mare, 91021, Torretta Granitola (TP), Sicily, Italy.
| | - Marcello Tagliavia
- National Research Council-Istituto per lo studio degli impatti Antropici e Sostenibilità in ambiente marino (IAS-CNR), Laboratory of Molecular Ecology and Biotechnology, Detached Unit of Capo Granitola, Via del mare, 91021, Torretta Granitola (TP), Sicily, Italy.
| | - Marco Torri
- National Research Council-Istituto per lo studio degli impatti Antropici e Sostenibilità in ambiente marino (IAS-CNR), Laboratory of Molecular Ecology and Biotechnology, Detached Unit of Capo Granitola, Via del mare, 91021, Torretta Granitola (TP), Sicily, Italy.
| | - Salvatore Costa
- Department of Biological, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies (STEBICEF), University of Palermo, Viale delle Scienze, Ed. 16, 90128, Palermo, Sicily, Italy.
| | - Maria Antonietta Ragusa
- Department of Biological, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies (STEBICEF), University of Palermo, Viale delle Scienze, Ed. 16, 90128, Palermo, Sicily, Italy.
| | - Angela Cuttitta
- National Research Council-Istituto per lo studio degli impatti Antropici e Sostenibilità in ambiente marino (IAS-CNR), Laboratory of Molecular Ecology and Biotechnology, Detached Unit of Capo Granitola, Via del mare, 91021, Torretta Granitola (TP), Sicily, Italy.
| | - Aldo Nicosia
- National Research Council-Istituto per lo studio degli impatti Antropici e Sostenibilità in ambiente marino (IAS-CNR), Laboratory of Molecular Ecology and Biotechnology, Detached Unit of Capo Granitola, Via del mare, 91021, Torretta Granitola (TP), Sicily, Italy.
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