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Zingaro F, Gianoncelli A, Ceccone G, Birarda G, Cassano D, La Spina R, Agostinis C, Bonanni V, Ricci G, Pascolo L. Morphological and lipid metabolism alterations in macrophages exposed to model environmental nanoplastics traced by high-resolution synchrotron techniques. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1247747. [PMID: 37744340 PMCID: PMC10515218 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1247747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The release of nanoplastics (NPs) in the environment is a significant health concern for long-term exposed humans. Although their usage has certainly revolutionized several application fields, at nanometer size, NPs can easily interact at the cellular level, resulting in potential harmful effects. Micro/Nanoplastics (M/NPs) have a demonstrated impact on mammalian endocrine components, such as the thyroid, adrenal gland, testes, and ovaries, while more investigations on prenatal and postnatal exposure are urgently required. The number of literature studies on the NPs' presence in biological samples is increasing. However, only a few offer a close study on the model environmental NP-immune system interaction exploited by advanced microscopy techniques. The present study highlights substantial morphological and lipid metabolism alterations in human M1 macrophages exposed to labeled polypropylene and polyvinyl chloride nanoparticles (PP and PVC NPs) (20 μg/ml). The results are interpreted by advanced microscopy techniques combined with standard laboratory tests and fluorescence microscopy. We report the accurate detection of polymeric nanoparticles doped with cadmium selenide quantum dots (CdSe-QDs NPs) by following the Se (L line) X-ray fluorescence emission peak at higher sub-cellular resolution, compared to the supportive light fluorescence microscopy. In addition, scanning transmission X-ray microscopy (STXM) imaging successfully revealed morphological changes in NP-exposed macrophages, providing input for Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy analyses, which underlined the chemical modifications in macromolecular components, specifically in lipid response. The present evidence was confirmed by quantifying the lipid droplet (LD) contents in PP and PVC NPs-exposed macrophages (0-100 μg/ml) by Oil Red O staining. Hence, even at experimental NPs' concentrations and incubation time, they do not significantly affect cell viability; they cause an evident lipid metabolism impairment, a hallmark of phagocytosis and oxidative stress.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Giacomo Ceccone
- European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), Ispra, Italy
| | | | | | - Rita La Spina
- European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), Ispra, Italy
| | - Chiara Agostinis
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, Trieste, Italy
| | | | - Giuseppe Ricci
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, Trieste, Italy
- Department of Medical, Surgical and Health Science, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Lorella Pascolo
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, Trieste, Italy
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Zupin L, Psilodimitrakopoulos S, Celsi F, Papadimitriou L, Ranella A, Crovella S, Ricci G, Stratakis E, Pascolo L. Upside-Down Preference in the Forskolin-Induced In Vitro Differentiation of 50B11 Sensory Neurons: A Morphological Investigation by Label-Free Non-Linear Microscopy. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24098354. [PMID: 37176061 PMCID: PMC10179713 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24098354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2023] [Revised: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 04/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
In this study, we revealed a peculiar morphological feature of 50B11 nociceptive sensory neurons in in vitro culture related to the forskolin-induced differentiation of these cells growing upside-down on cover glass supports. Multi-photon non-linear microscopy was applied to monitor increased neurite arborization and elongation. Under live and unstained conditions, second harmonic generation (SHG) microscopy could monitor microtubule organization inside the cells while also correlating with the detection of cellular multi-photon autofluorescence, probably derived from mitochondria metabolites. Although the differentiated cells of each compartment did not differ significantly in tubulin or multi-photon autofluorescence contents, the upturned neurons were more elongated, presenting a higher length/width cellular ratio and longer neurites, indicative of differentiated cells. SHG originating from the axons' microtubules represented a proper tool to study neurons' inverted culture in live conditions without exogenous staining. This work represents the first instance of examining neuronal cell lines growing and differentiated in an upside-down orientation, allowing a possible improvement of 50B11 as a model in physiology studies of sensory neurons in peripheric nervous system disease (e.g., Fabry disease, Friedreich ataxia, Charcot-Marie-Tooth, porphyria, type 1 diabetes, Guillain-Barré syndrome in children) and analgesic drug screening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luisa Zupin
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, 34137 Trieste, Italy
| | - Sotiris Psilodimitrakopoulos
- Institute of Electronic Structure and Laser, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, 70013 Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - Fulvio Celsi
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, 34137 Trieste, Italy
| | - Lina Papadimitriou
- Institute of Electronic Structure and Laser, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, 70013 Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - Anthi Ranella
- Institute of Electronic Structure and Laser, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, 70013 Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - Sergio Crovella
- Biological Science Program, Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, University of Qatar, Doha 2713, Qatar
| | - Giuseppe Ricci
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, 34137 Trieste, Italy
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, 34129 Trieste, Italy
| | - Emmanuel Stratakis
- Institute of Electronic Structure and Laser, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, 70013 Heraklion, Crete, Greece
- Department of Physics, School of Sciences and Engineering, University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - Lorella Pascolo
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, 34137 Trieste, Italy
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Pascolo L, Pachetti M, Camillo A, Cernogoraz A, Rizzardi C, Mikus KV, Zanconati F, Salomé M, Suárez VT, Romano F, Zito G, Gianoncelli A, Ricci G. Detention and mapping of iron and toxic environmental elements in human ovarian endometriosis: A suggested combined role. Sci Total Environ 2023; 864:161028. [PMID: 36549535 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.161028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2022] [Revised: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Endometriosis is a disease affecting 10-15 % of women worldwide, consisting in the ectopic growth of endometrial cells outside the uterine cavity. Whist the pathogenetic mechanisms of endometriosis remain elusive and contemplating even environmental causes, iron deposits are common in endometrial lesions, indicating an altered iron metabolism at this level. This study was undertaken to reveal a possible relationship between iron dysmetabolism and accumulation of environmental metals. METHODS By combining histological and histochemical analysis (H&E and Perl's staining) with μ- and nano- synchrotron-based (SR-based) X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) microscopy, we investigated the distribution of iron and other elements in the ovarian endometriomas of 12 endometriosis patients and in 7 healthy endometrium samples. RESULTS XRF microscopy expanded the findings obtained by Perl's staining, revealing with an exceptional sensitivity intracellular features of iron accumulation in the epithelial endometrium, stroma and macrophages of the endometriotic lesions. XRF evidenced that iron was specifically accumulated in multiple micro aggregates, reaching concentrations up to 10-20 % p/p. Moreover, by XRF analysis we revealed for the first time the retention of a number of exogenous and potentially toxic metals such as Pb, Br, Ti, Al Cr, Si and Rb partially or totally co-localizing with iron. CONCLUSION μXRF reveals accumulation and colocalization of iron and environmental metals in human ovarian endometriosis, suggesting a role in the pathogenesis of endometriosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorella Pascolo
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, 34137 Trieste, Italy.
| | - Maria Pachetti
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, 34137 Trieste, Italy
| | - Anna Camillo
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, AOUI Verona, Piazzale A. Stefani 1, 37126 Verona, Italy
| | - Alice Cernogoraz
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, F. Del Ponte Hospital, University of Insubria, Varese, Italy
| | - Clara Rizzardi
- Department of Medical, Surgical, and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, 34149 Trieste, Italy
| | - Katarina Vogel Mikus
- Jožef Stefan Institute, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; Slovenia Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Fabrizio Zanconati
- Department of Medical, Surgical, and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, 34149 Trieste, Italy
| | - Murielle Salomé
- ESRF, The European Synchrotron, 38043 Grenoble Cedex 9, France
| | | | - Federico Romano
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, 34137 Trieste, Italy
| | - Gabriella Zito
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, 34137 Trieste, Italy
| | - Alessandra Gianoncelli
- Elettra, Sincrotrone Trieste, Strada Statale 14 - km 163,5 in AREA Science Park, Trieste, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Ricci
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, 34137 Trieste, Italy; Department of Medical, Surgical, and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, 34149 Trieste, Italy
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Merolle L, Pascolo L, Zupin L, Parisse P, Bonanni V, Gariani G, Kenig S, Bedolla DE, Crovella S, Ricci G, Iotti S, Malucelli E, Kourousias G, Gianoncelli A. Impact of Sample Preparation Methods on Single-Cell X-ray Microscopy and Light Elemental Analysis Evaluated by Combined Low Energy X-ray Fluorescence, STXM and AFM. Molecules 2023; 28:molecules28041992. [PMID: 36838979 PMCID: PMC9962160 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28041992] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Revised: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although X-ray fluorescence microscopy is becoming a widely used technique for single-cell analysis, sample preparation for this microscopy remains one of the main challenges in obtaining optimal conditions for the measurements in the X-ray regime. The information available to researchers on sample treatment is inadequate and unclear, sometimes leading to wasted time and jeopardizing the experiment's success. Many cell fixation methods have been described, but none of them have been systematically tested and declared the most suitable for synchrotron X-ray microscopy. METHODS The HEC-1-A endometrial cells, human spermatozoa, and human embryonic kidney (HEK-293) cells were fixed with organic solvents and cross-linking methods: 70% ethanol, 3.7%, and 2% paraformaldehyde; in addition, HEK-293 cells were subjected to methanol/ C3H6O treatment and cryofixation. Fixation methods were compared by coupling low-energy X-ray fluorescence with scanning transmission X-ray microscopy and atomic force microscopy. RESULTS Organic solvents lead to greater dehydration of cells, which has the most significant effect on the distribution and depletion of diffusion elements. Paraformaldehyde provides robust and reproducible data. Finally, the cryofixed cells provide the best morphology and element content results. CONCLUSION Although cryofixation seems to be the most appropriate method as it allows for keeping cells closer to physiological conditions, it has some technical limitations. Paraformaldehyde, when used at the average concentration of 3.7%, is also an excellent alternative for X-ray microscopy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucia Merolle
- AUSL-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, Transfusion Medicine Unit, 42123 Reggio Emilia, Italy
| | - Lorella Pascolo
- IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, Institute for Maternal and Child Health, 34137 Trieste, Italy
| | - Luisa Zupin
- IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, Institute for Maternal and Child Health, 34137 Trieste, Italy
| | - Pietro Parisse
- Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto Officina dei Materiali, 34149 Trieste, Italy
- Elettra—Sincrotrone Trieste S.C.p.A., Basovizza, 34149 Trieste, Italy
| | - Valentina Bonanni
- Elettra—Sincrotrone Trieste S.C.p.A., Basovizza, 34149 Trieste, Italy
| | - Gianluca Gariani
- Elettra—Sincrotrone Trieste S.C.p.A., Basovizza, 34149 Trieste, Italy
| | - Sasa Kenig
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Primorska, Polje 42, 6310 Izola, Slovenia
| | - Diana E. Bedolla
- Elettra—Sincrotrone Trieste S.C.p.A., Basovizza, 34149 Trieste, Italy
- Area Science Park, Padriciano 99, 34149 Trieste, Italy
| | - Sergio Crovella
- Biological Science Program, Department of Biological and Environmental Science, College of Arts and Sciences, Qatar University, Doha 2713, Qatar
| | - Giuseppe Ricci
- IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, Institute for Maternal and Child Health, 34137 Trieste, Italy
- Department of Medical, Surgical, and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, 34149 Trieste, Italy
| | - Stefano Iotti
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
- National Institute of Biostructures and Biosystems, 00136 Rome, Italy
| | - Emil Malucelli
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - George Kourousias
- Elettra—Sincrotrone Trieste S.C.p.A., Basovizza, 34149 Trieste, Italy
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Jobim PFC, Iochims Dos Santos CE, Dias JF, Kelemen M, Pelicon P, Mikuš KV, Pascolo L, Gianoncelli A, Bedolla DE, Rasia-Filho AA. Human Neocortex Layer Features Evaluated by PIXE, STIM, and STXM Techniques. Biol Trace Elem Res 2023; 201:592-602. [PMID: 35258774 DOI: 10.1007/s12011-022-03182-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2021] [Accepted: 02/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
The human neocortex has a cytoarchitecture composed of six layers with an intrinsic organization that relates to afferent and efferent pathways for a high functional specialization. Various histological, neurochemical, and connectional techniques have been used to study these cortical layers. Here, we explore the additional possibilities of swift ion beam and synchrotron radiation techniques to distinguish cellular layers based on the elemental distributions and areal density pattern in the human neocortex. Temporal cortex samples were obtained from two neurologically normal adult men (postmortem interval: 6-12 h). A cortical area of 500 × 500 μm2 was scanned by a 3 MeV proton beam for elemental composition and areal density measurements using particle induced x-ray emission (PIXE) and scanning transmission ion microscopy (STIM), respectively. Zinc showed higher values in cortical layers II and V, which needs a critical discussion. Furthermore, the areal density decreased in regions with a higher density of pyramidal neurons in layers III and V. Scanning transmission X-ray microscopy (STXM) revealed the cellular density with higher lateral resolution than STIM, but not enough to distinguish each cortical lamination border. Our data describe the practical results of these approaches employing both X-ray and ion-beam based techniques for the human cerebral cortex and its heterogeneous layers. These results add to the potential approaches and knowledge of the human neocortical gray matter in normal tissue to develop improvements and address further studies on pathological conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paulo Fernandes Costa Jobim
- Department of Basic Sciences/Physiology, Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
| | | | - Johnny Ferraz Dias
- Ion Implantation Laboratory, Physics Institute, Federal University of Rio Grande Do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | | | | | - Katarina Vogel Mikuš
- Jožef Stefan Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Lorella Pascolo
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, Trieste, Italy
| | | | - Diana Eva Bedolla
- Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste, Area Science Park, Basovizza, Trieste, Italy
| | - Alberto Antônio Rasia-Filho
- Department of Basic Sciences/Physiology, Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
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Pachetti M, D’Amico F, Zupin L, Luppi S, Martinelli M, Crovella S, Ricci G, Pascolo L. Strategies and Perspectives for UV Resonance Raman Applicability in Clinical Analyses of Human Sperm RNA. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms222313134. [PMID: 34884939 PMCID: PMC8658360 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222313134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2021] [Revised: 12/02/2021] [Accepted: 12/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Developing a deeper knowledge about the impact of DNA and RNA epigenetic mutations on sperm production and fertilization performance is essential for selecting best quality samples in Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART). Indeed, sperm RNAs adenine and guanine are likely to be methylated in low quality RNA sperm samples and their study requires the employment of techniques able to isolate high quality nucleic acids. UV resonance Raman spectroscopy represents a valuable tool that is able to monitor peculiar molecular modifications occurring predominantly in nucleic acids, being less sensitive to the presence of other biological compounds. In this work, we used an UV Resonance Raman (UVRR) setup coupled to a synchrotron radiation source tuned at 250 nm, in order to enhance sperm RNAs adenine and guanine vibrational signals, reducing also the impact of a fluorescence background typically occurring at lower energies. Despite that our protocol should be further optimized and further analyses are requested, our results support the concept that UVRR can be applied for setting inexpensive tools to be employed for semen quality assessment in ART.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Pachetti
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, 34137 Trieste, Italy; (L.Z.); (S.L.); (M.M.); (G.R.); (L.P.)
- Correspondence: (M.P.); (F.D.)
| | - Francesco D’Amico
- Elettra—Sincrotrone Trieste S.C.p.A., SS14—km 163.5, 34149 Trieste, Italy
- Correspondence: (M.P.); (F.D.)
| | - Luisa Zupin
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, 34137 Trieste, Italy; (L.Z.); (S.L.); (M.M.); (G.R.); (L.P.)
| | - Stefania Luppi
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, 34137 Trieste, Italy; (L.Z.); (S.L.); (M.M.); (G.R.); (L.P.)
| | - Monica Martinelli
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, 34137 Trieste, Italy; (L.Z.); (S.L.); (M.M.); (G.R.); (L.P.)
| | - Sergio Crovella
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, University of Qatar, P.O. Box 2713, Doha 122104, Qatar;
| | - Giuseppe Ricci
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, 34137 Trieste, Italy; (L.Z.); (S.L.); (M.M.); (G.R.); (L.P.)
- Department of Medical, Surgical, and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, 34149 Trieste, Italy
| | - Lorella Pascolo
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, 34137 Trieste, Italy; (L.Z.); (S.L.); (M.M.); (G.R.); (L.P.)
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Pachetti M, D'Amico F, Pascolo L, Pucciarelli S, Gessini A, Parisse P, Vaccari L, Masciovecchio C. UV Resonance Raman explores protein structural modification upon fibrillation and ligand interaction. Biophys J 2021; 120:4575-4589. [PMID: 34474016 PMCID: PMC8553600 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2021.08.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2020] [Revised: 06/28/2021] [Accepted: 08/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyloids are proteinaceous deposits considered an underlying pathological hallmark of several degenerative diseases. The mechanism of amyloid formation and its inhibition still represent challenging issues, especially when protein structure cannot be investigated by classical biophysical techniques as for the intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs). In this view, the need to find an alternative way for providing molecular and structural information regarding IDPs prompted us to set a novel, to our knowledge, approach focused on UV Resonance Raman (UVRR) spectroscopy. To test its applicability, we study the fibrillation of hen-egg white lysozyme (HEWL) and insulin as well as their interaction with resveratrol, employing also intrinsic fluorescence spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The increasing of the β-sheet structure content at the end of protein fibrillation probed by FTIR occurs simultaneously with a major solvent exposure of tryptophan (Trp) and tyrosine (Tyr) residues of HEWL and insulin, respectively, as revealed by UVRR and intrinsic fluorescence spectroscopy. However, because the latter technique is successfully used when proteins naturally contain Trp residues, it shows poor performances in the case of insulin, and the information regarding its tertiary structure is exclusively provided by UVRR spectroscopy. The presence of an increased concentration of resveratrol induces mild changes in the secondary structure of both protein fibrils while remodeling HEWL fibril length and promoting the formation of amorphous aggregates in the case of insulin. Although the intrinsic fluorescence spectra of proteins are hidden by resveratrol signal, UVRR Trp and Tyr bands are resonantly enhanced, showing a good sensitivity to the presence of resveratrol and marking a modification in the noncovalent interactions in which they are involved. Our findings demonstrate that UVRR is successfully employed in the study of aggregation-prone proteins and of their interaction with ligands, especially in the case of Trp-lacking proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Pachetti
- Elettra - Sincrotrone Trieste, Trieste, Italy; Department of Physics, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy; Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, Trieste, Italy.
| | | | - Lorella Pascolo
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, Trieste, Italy
| | - Stefania Pucciarelli
- University of Camerino, School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, Camerino, Italy
| | | | - Pietro Parisse
- Elettra - Sincrotrone Trieste, Trieste, Italy; Istituto Officina dei Materiali - CNR (IOM-CNR), Trieste, Italy
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Zupin L, Fontana F, Gratton R, Milani M, Clemente L, Pascolo L, Ruscio M, Crovella S. SARS-CoV-2 Short-Time Infection Produces Relevant Cytopathic Effects in Vero E6 Cell Line. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2021; 18:ijerph18179020. [PMID: 34501610 PMCID: PMC8431154 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18179020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2021] [Revised: 08/18/2021] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is mainly transmitted through respiratory droplets from positive subjects to susceptible hosts or by direct contact with an infected individual. Our study focuses on the in vitro minimal time of viral absorption as well as the minimal quantity of virus able to establish a persistent infection in Vero E6 cells. We observed that 1 min of in vitro virus exposure is sufficient to generate a cytopathic effect in cells after 7 days of infection, even at a multiplicity of infection (MOI) value of 0.01. Being aware that our findings have been obtained using an in vitro cellular model, we demonstrated that short-time exposures and low viral concentrations are able to cause infection, thus opening questions about the risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmissibility even following short contact times.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luisa Zupin
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, 34137 Trieste, Italy; (R.G.); (L.P.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-040-3785422
| | - Francesco Fontana
- Division of Laboratory Medicine, University Hospital Giuliano Isontina (ASUGI), 34129 Trieste, Italy; (F.F.); (L.C.); (M.R.)
| | - Rossella Gratton
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, 34137 Trieste, Italy; (R.G.); (L.P.)
| | - Margherita Milani
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, 34149 Trieste, Italy;
| | - Libera Clemente
- Division of Laboratory Medicine, University Hospital Giuliano Isontina (ASUGI), 34129 Trieste, Italy; (F.F.); (L.C.); (M.R.)
| | - Lorella Pascolo
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, 34137 Trieste, Italy; (R.G.); (L.P.)
| | - Maurizio Ruscio
- Division of Laboratory Medicine, University Hospital Giuliano Isontina (ASUGI), 34129 Trieste, Italy; (F.F.); (L.C.); (M.R.)
| | - Sergio Crovella
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, University of Qatar, Doha 2713, Qatar;
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Kourousias G, Billè F, Borghes R, Pascolo L, Gianoncelli A. Megapixel scanning transmission soft X-ray microscopy imaging coupled with compressive sensing X-ray fluorescence for fast investigation of large biological tissues. Analyst 2021; 146:5836-5842. [PMID: 34378555 DOI: 10.1039/d1an01074c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Soft X-ray microscopy coupled with low energy X-ray fluorescence is a powerful tool for investigating complex biological systems like cells and tissues. Due to certain characteristics of X-ray sources, sample stage motors, and detectors, the examination of large areas at high resolutions is very time consuming, often confining the analysis only to a restricted number of pre-selected representative regions. Here we propose and demonstrate a compressive sensing method that provides an alternative approach for overcoming such limitations and can be applied to different kinds of samples and other microscopy and analytical techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- George Kourousias
- Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste, SS 14 km 163, 5 in Area Science Park, 34149 Basovizza, Trieste, Italy.
| | - Fulvio Billè
- Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste, SS 14 km 163, 5 in Area Science Park, 34149 Basovizza, Trieste, Italy.
| | - Roberto Borghes
- Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste, SS 14 km 163, 5 in Area Science Park, 34149 Basovizza, Trieste, Italy.
| | - Lorella Pascolo
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, via dell'Istria 65/1, 34137 Trieste, Italy
| | - Alessandra Gianoncelli
- Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste, SS 14 km 163, 5 in Area Science Park, 34149 Basovizza, Trieste, Italy.
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Andolfi L, Battistella A, Zanetti M, Lazzarino M, Pascolo L, Romano F, Ricci G. Scanning Probe Microscopies: Imaging and Biomechanics in Reproductive Medicine Research. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22083823. [PMID: 33917060 PMCID: PMC8067746 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22083823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2021] [Revised: 03/31/2021] [Accepted: 04/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Basic and translational research in reproductive medicine can provide new insights with the application of scanning probe microscopies, such as atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning near-field optical microscopy (SNOM). These microscopies, which provide images with spatial resolution well beyond the optical resolution limit, enable users to achieve detailed descriptions of cell topography, inner cellular structure organization, and arrangements of single or cluster membrane proteins. A peculiar characteristic of AFM operating in force spectroscopy mode is its inherent ability to measure the interaction forces between single proteins or cells, and to quantify the mechanical properties (i.e., elasticity, viscoelasticity, and viscosity) of cells and tissues. The knowledge of the cell ultrastructure, the macromolecule organization, the protein dynamics, the investigation of biological interaction forces, and the quantification of biomechanical features can be essential clues for identifying the molecular mechanisms that govern responses in living cells. This review highlights the main findings achieved by the use of AFM and SNOM in assisted reproductive research, such as the description of gamete morphology; the quantification of mechanical properties of gametes; the role of forces in embryo development; the significance of investigating single-molecule interaction forces; the characterization of disorders of the reproductive system; and the visualization of molecular organization. New perspectives of analysis opened up by applying these techniques and the translational impacts on reproductive medicine are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Andolfi
- Istituto Officina dei Materiali IOM-CNR, 34149 Trieste, Italy; (A.B.); (M.Z.); (M.L.)
- Correspondence: (L.A.); (G.R.)
| | - Alice Battistella
- Istituto Officina dei Materiali IOM-CNR, 34149 Trieste, Italy; (A.B.); (M.Z.); (M.L.)
- Doctoral School in Nanotechnology, University of Trieste, 34100 Trieste, Italy
| | - Michele Zanetti
- Istituto Officina dei Materiali IOM-CNR, 34149 Trieste, Italy; (A.B.); (M.Z.); (M.L.)
- Doctoral School in Nanotechnology, University of Trieste, 34100 Trieste, Italy
| | - Marco Lazzarino
- Istituto Officina dei Materiali IOM-CNR, 34149 Trieste, Italy; (A.B.); (M.Z.); (M.L.)
| | - Lorella Pascolo
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, 34137 Trieste, Italy; (L.P.); (F.R.)
| | - Federico Romano
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, 34137 Trieste, Italy; (L.P.); (F.R.)
| | - Giuseppe Ricci
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, 34137 Trieste, Italy; (L.P.); (F.R.)
- Department of Medical, Surgical and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, 34127 Trieste, Italy
- Correspondence: (L.A.); (G.R.)
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11
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Zupin L, Gratton R, Fontana F, Clemente L, Pascolo L, Ruscio M, Crovella S. Blue photobiomodulation LED therapy impacts SARS-CoV-2 by limiting its replication in Vero cells. J Biophotonics 2021; 14:e202000496. [PMID: 33619888 PMCID: PMC7995021 DOI: 10.1002/jbio.202000496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2020] [Revised: 02/15/2021] [Accepted: 02/16/2021] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
The study of any intervention able to counteract SARS-CoV-2 pandemic is considerably envisaged. It was previously shown, in in vitro models of infections, that the LED blue light is able to decrease the viral load of HSV-1 and ZIKV. In our study, LED photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT) at blue wavelengths (450, 454 and 470 nm) was tested in an in vitro model of SARS-CoV-2 infection, employing three experimental settings: SARS-CoV-2 was irradiated and then transferred to cells; already infected cells were irradiated; cells were irradiated prior to infection. A decrement of the viral load was observed when previously infected cells were irradiated with all three tested wavelengths and relevant effects were registered especially at 48 hours post-infection, possibly suggesting that the blue light could interfere with the intracellular viral replication machinery. Our in vitro findings could represent the starting point for translational applications of PBMT as a supportive approach to fight SARS-CoV-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luisa Zupin
- Medical Genetics, Institute for Maternal and Child Health—IRCCS “Burlo Garofolo”TriesteItaly
| | - Rossella Gratton
- Medical Genetics, Institute for Maternal and Child Health—IRCCS “Burlo Garofolo”TriesteItaly
| | - Francesco Fontana
- Division of Laboratory MedicineUniversity Hospital Giuliano Isontina (ASU GI)TriesteItaly
| | - Libera Clemente
- Division of Laboratory MedicineUniversity Hospital Giuliano Isontina (ASU GI)TriesteItaly
| | - Lorella Pascolo
- Obstetrics and GynecologyInstitute for Maternal and Child Health—IRCCS “Burlo Garofolo”TriesteItaly
| | - Maurizio Ruscio
- Division of Laboratory MedicineUniversity Hospital Giuliano Isontina (ASU GI)TriesteItaly
| | - Sergio Crovella
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, College of Arts and SciencesUniversity of QatarDohaQatar
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12
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D'Amico F, Zucchiatti P, Latella K, Pachetti M, Gessini A, Masciovecchio C, Vaccari L, Pascolo L. Investigation of genomic DNA methylation by ultraviolet resonant Raman spectroscopy. J Biophotonics 2020; 13:e202000150. [PMID: 32729213 DOI: 10.1002/jbio.202000150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2020] [Revised: 07/24/2020] [Accepted: 07/28/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Cytosine plays a preeminent role in DNA methylation, an epigenetic mechanism that regulates gene expression, the misregulation of which can lead to severe diseases. Several methods are nowadays employed for assessing the global DNA methylation levels, but none of them combines simplicity, high sensitivity, and low operating costs to be translated into clinical applications. Ultraviolet (UV) resonant Raman measurements at excitation wavelengths of 272 nm, 260 nm, 250 nm, and 228 nm have been carried out on isolated deoxynucleoside triphosphates (dNTPs), on a dNTP mixture as well as on genomic DNA (gDNA) samples, commercial from salmon sperm and non-commercial from B16 murine melanoma cell line. The 228 nm excitation wavelength was identified as the most suitable energy for enhancing cytosine signals over the other DNA bases. The UV Raman measurements performed at this excitation wavelength on hyper-methylated and hypo-methylated DNA from Jurkat leukemic T-cell line have revealed significant spectral differences with respect to gDNA isolated from salmon sperm and mouse melanoma B16 cells. This demonstrates how the proper choice of the excitation wavelength, combined with optimized extraction protocols, makes UV Raman spectroscopy a suitable technique for highlighting the chemical modifications undergone by cytosine nucleotides in gDNA upon hyper- and hypo-methylation events.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Paolo Zucchiatti
- Elettra-Sincrotrone Trieste, Trieste, Italy
- Department of Physics, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
- Plasmon Nanotechnologies line, IIT, Genoa, Italy
| | - Katia Latella
- Elettra-Sincrotrone Trieste, Trieste, Italy
- Department of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry, University of Genova, Genoa, Italy
| | - Maria Pachetti
- Elettra-Sincrotrone Trieste, Trieste, Italy
- Department of Physics, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | | | | | | | - Lorella Pascolo
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, Trieste, Italy
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13
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Pachetti M, Zupin L, Venturin I, Mitri E, Boscolo R, D’Amico F, Vaccari L, Crovella S, Ricci G, Pascolo L. FTIR Spectroscopy to Reveal Lipid and Protein Changes Induced on Sperm by Capacitation: Bases for an Improvement of Sample Selection in ART. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21228659. [PMID: 33212829 PMCID: PMC7698301 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21228659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2020] [Revised: 11/05/2020] [Accepted: 11/12/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Although being a crucial step for Assisted Reproduction Technologies (ART) success, to date sperm selection is based only on morphology, motility and concentration characteristics. Considering the many possible alterations, there is a great need for analytical approaches allowing more effective sperm selections. The use of Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) may represent an interesting possibility, being able to reveal many macromolecular changes in a single measurement in a nondestructive way. As a proof of concept, in this observational study, we used a FTIR approach to reveal features related to sperm quality and chemical changes promoted by in vitro capacitation. We found indication that α-helix content is increased in capacitated sperm, while high percentages of the β-structures seem to correlate to poor-quality spermatozoa. The most interesting observation was related to the lipid composition, when measured as CH2/CH3 vibrations (ratio 2853/2870), which resulted in being strongly influenced by capacitation and well correlated with sperm motility. Interestingly, this ratio is higher than 1 in infertile samples, suggesting that motility is related to sperm membranes stiffness and lipid composition. Although further analyses are requested, our results support the concept that FTIR can be proposed as a new smart diagnostic tool for semen quality assessment in ART.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Pachetti
- Elettra—Sincrotrone Trieste S.C.p.A., SS14—km 163.5, 34149 Trieste, Italy; (M.P.); (I.V.); (E.M.); (F.D.); (L.V.)
- Department of Physics, University of Trieste, Via Valerio 2, 34143 Trieste, Italy
| | - Luisa Zupin
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, 34137 Trieste, Italy; (L.Z.); (R.B.); (G.R.)
| | - Irene Venturin
- Elettra—Sincrotrone Trieste S.C.p.A., SS14—km 163.5, 34149 Trieste, Italy; (M.P.); (I.V.); (E.M.); (F.D.); (L.V.)
| | - Elisa Mitri
- Elettra—Sincrotrone Trieste S.C.p.A., SS14—km 163.5, 34149 Trieste, Italy; (M.P.); (I.V.); (E.M.); (F.D.); (L.V.)
| | - Rita Boscolo
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, 34137 Trieste, Italy; (L.Z.); (R.B.); (G.R.)
| | - Francesco D’Amico
- Elettra—Sincrotrone Trieste S.C.p.A., SS14—km 163.5, 34149 Trieste, Italy; (M.P.); (I.V.); (E.M.); (F.D.); (L.V.)
| | - Lisa Vaccari
- Elettra—Sincrotrone Trieste S.C.p.A., SS14—km 163.5, 34149 Trieste, Italy; (M.P.); (I.V.); (E.M.); (F.D.); (L.V.)
| | - Sergio Crovella
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, University of Qatar, P.O. Box 2713 Doha, Qatar;
| | - Giuseppe Ricci
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, 34137 Trieste, Italy; (L.Z.); (R.B.); (G.R.)
- Department of Medical, Surgical, and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, 34149 Trieste, Italy
| | - Lorella Pascolo
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, 34137 Trieste, Italy; (L.Z.); (R.B.); (G.R.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-040-378-5526
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14
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Pascolo L, Zito G, Zupin L, Luppi S, Giolo E, Martinelli M, De Rocco D, Crovella S, Ricci G. Renin Angiotensin System, COVID-19 and Male Fertility: Any Risk for Conceiving? Microorganisms 2020; 8:E1492. [PMID: 32998451 PMCID: PMC7601043 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8101492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2020] [Revised: 09/08/2020] [Accepted: 09/25/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The current knowledge concerning the connection between severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) system in the male reproductive apparatus is still limited, so dedicated studies are urgently required. Concerns about the male fertility consequences of SARS-CoV-2 infection have started to emerge, since epidemiologic studies observed that this coronavirus affects male patients more frequently and with increased severity, possibly because of the hormone-regulated expression of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor. A disturbance in fertility is also expected based on studies of the previous SARS-CoV infection, which targets the same ACE2 receptor when entering the host cells. In addition, bioinformatics analyses reveal the abundant expression of ACE2 receptor in the male reproductive tissues, particularly in the testis. It has been proposed that pharmacological intervention favoring the angiotensin-(1-7)/ACE2/Mas receptor pathway and increasing ACE2 expression and activity could greatly prevent inflammatory lesions in this area. Finally, in laboratories performing assisted reproductive technologies it is recommended that more attention should be paid not only to sperm quality but also to safety aspects. Data about the potential infectivity of seminal fluid are in fact conflicting and do not exclude risks for both personnel and patients. The potential infectivity of SARS-CoV-2 in reproductive male tissues should be strongly considered and further investigated for the proper management of in vitro fertilization procedures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorella Pascolo
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, 34137 Trieste, Italy; (S.L.); (E.G.); (M.M.); (D.D.R.); (S.C.); (G.R.)
| | - Gabriella Zito
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, 34137 Trieste, Italy; (S.L.); (E.G.); (M.M.); (D.D.R.); (S.C.); (G.R.)
| | - Luisa Zupin
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, 34137 Trieste, Italy; (S.L.); (E.G.); (M.M.); (D.D.R.); (S.C.); (G.R.)
| | - Stefania Luppi
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, 34137 Trieste, Italy; (S.L.); (E.G.); (M.M.); (D.D.R.); (S.C.); (G.R.)
| | - Elena Giolo
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, 34137 Trieste, Italy; (S.L.); (E.G.); (M.M.); (D.D.R.); (S.C.); (G.R.)
| | - Monica Martinelli
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, 34137 Trieste, Italy; (S.L.); (E.G.); (M.M.); (D.D.R.); (S.C.); (G.R.)
| | - Daniela De Rocco
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, 34137 Trieste, Italy; (S.L.); (E.G.); (M.M.); (D.D.R.); (S.C.); (G.R.)
| | - Sergio Crovella
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, 34137 Trieste, Italy; (S.L.); (E.G.); (M.M.); (D.D.R.); (S.C.); (G.R.)
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, 34137 Trieste, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Ricci
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, 34137 Trieste, Italy; (S.L.); (E.G.); (M.M.); (D.D.R.); (S.C.); (G.R.)
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, 34137 Trieste, Italy
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15
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Zupin L, Pascolo L, Zito G, Ricci G, Crovella S. SARS-CoV-2 and the next generations: which impact on reproductive tissues? J Assist Reprod Genet 2020; 37:2399-2403. [PMID: 32783136 PMCID: PMC7419027 DOI: 10.1007/s10815-020-01917-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2020] [Accepted: 08/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome–coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a severe global pandemic, affecting mostly the respiratory system. Understandably, attention is also being directed towards the urogenital tract. In this work, expression patterns of various host molecules possibly involved in viral entry and replication were investigated in human female and male reproductive systems by inquiring online repositories, including the Human Protein Atlas, GTEx, FANTOM5. Our findings highlight that male reproductive tissues could be targeted by SARS-CoV-2, particularly the testis since it co-expresses the receptor (ACE2) and the protease (TMPRSS) needed for viral entry. We hypothesized that SARS-CoV-2 infection could have repercussions on the fertility status of male individuals Potential infectivity of SARS-CoV-2 in reproductive tissues should be considered in reproductive medicine and management of in vitro fertilization in present and future generations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luisa Zupin
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, Via dell'Istria 65/1, 34137, Trieste, Italy.
| | - Lorella Pascolo
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, Via dell'Istria 65/1, 34137, Trieste, Italy
| | - Gabriella Zito
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, Via dell'Istria 65/1, 34137, Trieste, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Ricci
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, Via dell'Istria 65/1, 34137, Trieste, Italy.,Department of Medicine, Surgery and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Sergio Crovella
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, Via dell'Istria 65/1, 34137, Trieste, Italy.,Department of Medicine, Surgery and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
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16
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Zupin L, Pascolo L, Gianoncelli A, Gariani G, Luppi S, Giolo E, Ottaviani G, Crovella S, Ricci G. Synchrotron radiation soft X-ray microscopy and low energy X-ray fluorescence to reveal elemental changes in spermatozoa treated with photobiomodulation therapy. Anal Methods 2020; 12:3691-3696. [PMID: 32729854 DOI: 10.1039/d0ay00960a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Male infertility is a worldwide clinical issue that increases the number of couples resorting to assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) to achieve pregnancy. Photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT) is a promising technique that can biostimulate cells and tissues and it is currently successfully employed to enhance the sperm motility in vitro. Nevertheless, its use has been so far restricted to the research field. In the present work, we exploited two PBMT protocols at an 800 nm wavelength on sperm derived from infertile individuals, detecting an increase in sperm motility 1 hour after irradiation. Moreover, in order to add new information about the molecular effect of PBMT, the content of some light elements was evaluated using high resolution X-ray fluorescence imaging. Interestingly, an increase in Na content was detected in the irradiated samples, possibly suggesting a role of this element in sperm motility; indeed, a low Na content was previously correlated with a poor sperm quality, low semen volume, and modest fertilization rate. Amplifying the knowledge of PBMT in the ART field will expedite the translational potentiality of the PBMT use in clinical settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luisa Zupin
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, via dell'Istria 65/1, 34137 Trieste, Italy.
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17
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Zupin L, Pascolo L, Crovella S. Is FURIN gene expression in salivary glands related to SARS-CoV-2 infectivity through saliva? J Clin Pathol 2020; 74:209-211. [PMID: 32660959 DOI: 10.1136/jclinpath-2020-206788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2020] [Accepted: 06/27/2020] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Luisa Zupin
- Genetic Immunology Laboratory, Institute for Maternal and Child Health IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, Trieste, Italy
| | - Lorella Pascolo
- Gynecology and Obstetrics Department, Institute for Maternal and Child Health IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, Trieste, Italy
| | - Sergio Crovella
- Genetic Immunology Laboratory, Institute for Maternal and Child Health IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, Trieste, Italy.,Department of Medicine, Surgery and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
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18
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Zupin L, Pascolo L, Luppi S, Ottaviani G, Crovella S, Ricci G. Photobiomodulation therapy for male infertility. Lasers Med Sci 2020; 35:1671-1680. [PMID: 32483749 DOI: 10.1007/s10103-020-03042-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2020] [Accepted: 05/17/2020] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Male infertility is a worldwide critical condition that affects about the 7.5% of males in Europe leading to an increment of the couples referring to reproductive medicine units to achieve pregnancy. Moreover, in the recent years, an increased number of patients have required to freeze their gametes in order to preserve their fertility. Photobiomodulation (PBM) therapy is a potential treatment that has been used for different clinical application basically aimed at biostimulating cells and tissues. Here, we report a deep overview of the published studies, focusing on PBM mechanism of action, with the aim of expanding the knowledge in the field of laser light for a rational utilization of irradiation in the clinical practice. In the field of reproductive science, PBM was employed to increment spermatozoa's metabolism, motility, and viability, due to its beneficial action on mitochondria, leading to an activation of the mitochondrial respiratory chain and to the ATP production. This treatment can be particularly useful to avoid the use of chemicals in the spermatozoa culture medium as well as to promote the spermatozoa survival and movement especially after thawing or in largely immotile sperm samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luisa Zupin
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, via dell'Istria 65/1, 34137, Trieste, Italy.
| | - Lorella Pascolo
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, via dell'Istria 65/1, 34137, Trieste, Italy
| | - Stefania Luppi
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, via dell'Istria 65/1, 34137, Trieste, Italy
| | - Giulia Ottaviani
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, 34149, Trieste, Italy
| | - Sergio Crovella
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, via dell'Istria 65/1, 34137, Trieste, Italy.,Department of Medicine, Surgery and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, 34149, Trieste, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Ricci
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, via dell'Istria 65/1, 34137, Trieste, Italy.,Department of Medicine, Surgery and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, 34149, Trieste, Italy
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19
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Affiliation(s)
- L Pascolo
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, Trieste, Italy
| | - L Zupin
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, Trieste, Italy
| | - M Melato
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - P M Tricarico
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, Trieste, Italy
| | - S Crovella
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, Trieste, Italy.,Department of Medicine, Surgery and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
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20
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Pascolo L, Sena G, Gianoncelli A, Cernogoraz A, Kourousias G, Metscher BD, Romano F, Zito G, Pacilè S, Barroso R, Tromba G, Zweyer M, Ricci G. Hard and soft X-ray imaging to resolve human ovarian cortical structures. J Synchrotron Radiat 2019; 26:1322-1329. [PMID: 31274461 DOI: 10.1107/s1600577519003680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2018] [Accepted: 03/15/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Laboratory and synchrotron X-ray tomography are powerful tools for non-invasive studies of biological samples at micrometric resolution. In particular, the development of phase contrast imaging is enabling the visualization of sample details with a small range of attenuation coefficients, thus allowing in-depth analyses of anatomical and histological structures. Reproductive medicine is starting to profit from these techniques, mainly applied to animal models. This study reports the first imaging of human ovarian tissue where the samples consisted of surgically obtained millimetre fragments, properly fixed, stained with osmium tetroxide and included in epoxydic resin. Samples were imaged by the use of propagation phase contrast synchrotron radiation micro-computed tomography (microCT), obtained at the SYRMEP beamline of Elettra light source (Trieste, Italy), and X-ray absorption microCT at the Theoretical Biology MicroCT Imaging Laboratory in Vienna, Austria. The reconstructed microCT images were compared with the soft X-ray absorption and phase contrast images acquired at the TwinMic beamline of Elettra in order to help with the identification of structures. The resulting images allow the regions of the cortex and medulla of the ovary to be distinguished, identifying early-stage follicles and visualizing the distribution of blood vessels. The study opens to further application of micro-resolved 3D imaging to improve the understanding of human ovary's structure and support diagnostics as well as advances in reproductive technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorella Pascolo
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, 34147 Trieste, Italy
| | - Gabriela Sena
- Nuclear Engineering Institute, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-594, Brazil
| | - Alessandra Gianoncelli
- Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste, SS 14 km 163.5 in Area Science Park, Basovizza, 34149 Trieste, Italy
| | - Alice Cernogoraz
- Department of Medical, Surgical and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, 34149 Trieste, Italy
| | - Geroge Kourousias
- Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste, SS 14 km 163.5 in Area Science Park, Basovizza, 34149 Trieste, Italy
| | - Brian D Metscher
- Department of Theoretical Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Federico Romano
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, 34147 Trieste, Italy
| | - Gabriella Zito
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, 34147 Trieste, Italy
| | - Serena Pacilè
- Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste, SS 14 km 163.5 in Area Science Park, Basovizza, 34149 Trieste, Italy
| | - Regina Barroso
- Physics Institute, State University of Rio de Janeiro (UERJ), Rio de Janeiro 21941-594, Brazil
| | - Giuliana Tromba
- Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste, SS 14 km 163.5 in Area Science Park, Basovizza, 34149 Trieste, Italy
| | - Marina Zweyer
- Department of Medical, Surgical and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, 34149 Trieste, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Ricci
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, 34147 Trieste, Italy
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Delfino R, Biasotto M, Candido R, Altissimo M, Stebel M, Salomè M, van Elteren JT, Vogel Mikuš K, Zennaro C, Šala M, Addobbati R, Tromba G, Pascolo L. Gadolinium tissue deposition in the periodontal ligament of mice with reduced renal function exposed to Gd-based contrast agents. Toxicol Lett 2019; 301:157-167. [DOI: 10.1016/j.toxlet.2018.11.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2018] [Revised: 11/14/2018] [Accepted: 11/22/2018] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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Pascotto E, Gianoncelli A, Calligaro C, Marcuzzo T, Melato M, Rizzardi C, Pascolo L. Ferruginous bodies resolved by synchrotron XRF in a dog with peritoneal malignant mesothelioma. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 2018; 25:35707-35714. [PMID: 30357666 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-018-3521-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2018] [Accepted: 10/17/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Mesothelioma is a malignant tumor mainly correlated to occupational asbestos exposure. Rare reports describe its occurrence also in animals, mainly linked to asbestos in the environment. Asbestos exposure is demonstrated by the appearance of characteristic histological hallmarks: asbestos containing ferruginous bodies that are iron-based structures forming around fibers and also other dust particles. Here we present a clinical case of a suspect of mesothelioma in the peritoneum of a dog with parallel histological observation of ferruginous bodies. To possibly correlate the dog tumor to environmental exposure, we performed X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analyses at two different synchrotrons to resolve the ferruginous bodies' composition. While the histological examination diagnoses a tubulo-papillary mesothelioma, the XRF analyses show that ferruginous bodies contain Si particles, resembling formations of exogenous origin; however, the morphology is unlikely that of asbestos fibers. We speculate that the peritoneal mesothelioma of this dog could be related to environmental exposure to non-asbestos material.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ernesto Pascotto
- ULSS n.2 Marca Trevigiana. Dipartimento di Prevenzione - Servizi Veterinari di Asolo, Treviso, 31100, Italy
| | - Alessandra Gianoncelli
- Elettra - Sincrotrone Trieste S.C.p.A, Strada Statale 14 - km 163,5 in AREA Science Park, 34149 Basovizza, Trieste, Italy
| | - Carla Calligaro
- Servizio Diagnostica Veterinaria, University of Udine, 33100 Udine, Italy
| | - Thomas Marcuzzo
- Department of Medical, Surgical, and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, 34149, Trieste, Italy
| | - Mauro Melato
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, 34137, Trieste, Italy
| | - Clara Rizzardi
- Department of Medical, Surgical, and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, 34149, Trieste, Italy
| | - Lorella Pascolo
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, 34137, Trieste, Italy.
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23
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Pascolo L, Venturin I, Gianoncelli A, Bortul R, Zito G, Giolo E, Salomé M, Bedolla DE, Altissimo M, Zweyer M, Ricci G. Light element distribution in fresh and frozen–thawed human ovarian tissues: a preliminary study. Reprod Biomed Online 2018; 37:153-162. [DOI: 10.1016/j.rbmo.2018.04.051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2017] [Revised: 04/18/2018] [Accepted: 04/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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Rizzardi C, Athanasakis E, Cammisuli F, Monego SD, DE Spelorzi YCC, Costantinides F, Giudici F, Pinamonti M, Canzonieri V, Melato M, Pascolo L. Puzzling Results from BAP1 Germline Mutations Analysis in a Group of Asbestos-Exposed Patients in a High-risk Area of Northeast Italy. Anticancer Res 2017; 37:3073-3083. [PMID: 28551647 DOI: 10.21873/anticanres.11663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2017] [Revised: 05/12/2017] [Accepted: 05/16/2017] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Germline mutations of the oncosuppressor gene breast cancer 1-associated protein 1 (BAP1) were recently related to an autosomal-dominant tumor predisposition syndrome (BAP1-TPDS), characterized by uveal melanoma, malignant mesothelioma (MM), cutaneous melanoma, and other malignancies. The demonstration that BAP1 mutations are strongly associated with MM has provided a real breakthrough in the study of genetic predisposition in MM, that may explain why only a fraction of asbestos-exposed individuals go on to develop MM. MATERIALS AND METHODS To evaluate the possible role of BAP1 mutations in the epidemiology of sporadic MM, and their relationship with asbestos exposure, we determined the prevalence of germline BAP1 mutations by the Sanger method in a group of 29 asbestos-exposed patients, 21 of which were diagnosed with MM. They were residents of Trieste, a ship-building town in Northeast Italy with a very high incidence of mesothelioma. RESULTS We identified non-obviously pathogenetic germline sequence variants of BAP1 in 3/29 patients and in 2/21 MM cases (10%). CONCLUSION Non obviously pathogenic germline sequence variants of BAP1 were found. Nevertheless, limitations of predictive web tools allowed us to comment on some interesting peculiarities of our findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clara Rizzardi
- Department of Medical, Surgical and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | | | - Francesca Cammisuli
- Department of Medical, Surgical and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Simeone Dal Monego
- Cluster in Biomedicine, CBM S.c.r.l., Bioinformatic Services, Area Science Park, Trieste, Italy
| | | | - Fulvio Costantinides
- Department of Medical, Surgical and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Fabiola Giudici
- Department of Medical, Surgical and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Maurizio Pinamonti
- Department of Medical, Surgical and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | | | - Mauro Melato
- Department of Pathology and Forensic Medicine, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Lorella Pascolo
- Department of Medical, Surgical and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
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25
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Gianoncelli A, Kourousias G, Cammisuli F, Cassese D, Rizzardi C, Radillo O, Lazzarino M, Pascolo L. Combined use of AFM and soft X-ray microscopy to reveal fibres' internalization in mesothelial cells. Analyst 2017; 142:1982-1992. [PMID: 28509933 DOI: 10.1039/c6an02661c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Nanotoxicology and nanomedicine investigations often require the probing of nano-objects such as fibres and particles in biological samples and cells, whilst internalization and intracellular destiny are the main issues for in vitro cellular studies. Various high resolution microscopy techniques are well suited for providing this highly sought-after information. However, sample preparation, nanomaterial composition and sectioning challenges make it often difficult to establish whether the fibres or particles have been internalized or they are simply overlaying or underlying the biological matter. In this paper we suggest a novel suitable combination of two different microscopic techniques to reveal in intact cells the uptake of asbestos fibres by mesothelial cells. After exposure to asbestos fibres and fixation, cells were first analysed under the AFM instrument and then imaged under the TwinMic soft X-ray microscope at Elettra Sincrotrone. The suggested approach combines standard soft X-ray microscopy imaging and AFM microscopy, with a common non-invasive sample preparation protocol which drastically reduces the experimental uncertainty and provides a quick and definitive answer to the nanoparticle cellular and tissue uptake.
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26
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Cammisuli F, Pascolo L, Morgutti M, Gessini A, Masciovecchio C, D'Amico F. Avoiding Ethanol Presence in DNA Samples Enhances the Performance of Ultraviolet Resonance Raman Spectroscopy Analysis. Appl Spectrosc 2017; 71:152-155. [PMID: 27815433 DOI: 10.1177/0003702816654152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Ethanol is an essential chemical reagent in DNA preparation as its use increases the yield of extraction. All methodologies for DNA isolation involve the use of ethanol in order to prevent DNA dissolution in water and to optimize the binding of DNA to chromatographic membranes. In this note, we show how the presence of ethanol traces in DNA aqueous solution affects ultraviolet Raman spectra, leading to possible misinterpretations. We report a simple method to remove the ethanol Raman features from the spectra, based on heating the DNA sample at 80 ℃, followed by a slow cooling procedure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Cammisuli
- 1 Department of Medical, Surgical, and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Lorella Pascolo
- 2 Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, Trieste, Italy
| | - Marcello Morgutti
- 2 Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, Trieste, Italy
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Pascolo L, Gianoncelli A, Rizzardi C, de Jonge M, Howard D, Paterson D, Cammisuli F, Salomé M, De Paoli P, Melato M, Canzonieri V. Focused X-Ray Histological Analyses to Reveal Asbestos Fibers and Bodies in Lungs and Pleura of Asbestos-Exposed Subjects. Microsc Microanal 2016; 22:1062-1071. [PMID: 27619825 DOI: 10.1017/s1431927616011685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Asbestos bodies are the histological hallmarks of asbestos exposure. Both conventional and advanced techniques are used to evaluate abundance and composition in histological samples. We previously reported the possibility of using synchrotron X-ray fluorescence microscopy (XFM) for analyzing the chemical composition of asbestos bodies directly in lung tissue samples. Here we applied a high-performance synchrotron X-ray fluorescence (XRF) set-up that could allow new protocols for fast monitoring of the occurrence of asbestos bodies in large histological sections, improving investigation of the related chemical changes. A combination of synchrotron X-ray transmission and fluorescence microscopy techniques at different energies at three distinct synchrotrons was used to characterize asbestos in paraffinated lung tissues. The fast chemical imaging of the XFM beamline (Australian Synchrotron) demonstrates that asbestos bodies can be rapidly and efficiently identified as co-localization of high calcium and iron, the most abundant elements of these formations inside tissues (Fe up to 10% w/w; Ca up to 1%). By following iron presence, we were also able to hint at small asbestos fibers in pleural spaces. XRF at lower energy and at higher spatial resolution was afterwards performed to better define small fibers. These analyses may predispose for future protocols to be set with laboratory instruments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorella Pascolo
- 1Department of Medical, Surgical, and Health Sciences,University of Trieste,34149 Trieste,Italy
| | | | - Clara Rizzardi
- 1Department of Medical, Surgical, and Health Sciences,University of Trieste,34149 Trieste,Italy
| | - Martin de Jonge
- 3Australian Synchrotron,3168 Clayton,Melbourne,VIC,Australia
| | - Daryl Howard
- 3Australian Synchrotron,3168 Clayton,Melbourne,VIC,Australia
| | - David Paterson
- 3Australian Synchrotron,3168 Clayton,Melbourne,VIC,Australia
| | - Francesca Cammisuli
- 1Department of Medical, Surgical, and Health Sciences,University of Trieste,34149 Trieste,Italy
| | - Murielle Salomé
- 4European Synchrotron Radiation Facility,38000 Grenoble,Cedex 9,France
| | - Paolo De Paoli
- 5Scientific Direction,Centro di Riferimento Oncologico (CRO),National Cancer Institute,IRCCS,33081 Aviano (PN),Italy
| | - Mauro Melato
- 6Institute for Maternal and Child Health,IRCCS Burlo Garofolo,34137 Trieste,Italy
| | - Vincenzo Canzonieri
- 7Division of Pathology,Centro di Riferimento Oncologico (CRO),National Cancer Institute,IRCCS,33081 Aviano (PN),Italy
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28
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Radillo O, Pascolo L, Martelossi S, Dal Bo S, Ventura A. Fecal Calprotectin: Diagnostic Accuracy of the Immunochromatographic CalFast Assay in a Pediatric Population. J Clin Lab Anal 2016; 30:500-5. [PMID: 26879689 DOI: 10.1002/jcla.21886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2014] [Revised: 03/12/2015] [Accepted: 07/29/2015] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Fecal calprotectin is a noninvasive marker for bowel diseases and it is high valuable to follow disease activity in Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). In this study, we evaluated the diagnostic performance of the recently introduced immunochromatographic assay CalFast in comparison to the well-known ELISA tests for calprotectin assay to obtain a rapid diagnosis of bowel inflammation in pediatric patients. METHODS CalFast was tested in parallel to the classic ELISA tests CalPrest and PhiCal (gold standards for the calprotectin determination) on 148 fecal samples from pediatric subjects including 104 healthy subjects, 29 with CD, and 15 with UC. RESULTS In this study, the sensitivity and specificity of CalFast, CalPrest, and PhiCal were 86.4%, 88.6%, and 93.2% and 86.6%, 74%, and 64.4%, respectively. The area under the curve, obtained from receiver operating characteristic analysis, indicated the lack of significant difference among all the kits used. CONCLUSION The immunochromatographic assay demonstrated good diagnostic predictive values, comparable to those of the ELISA methods, and may represent a valid alternative in order to save operators' time. The test, in fact, has a short turnaround time and does not need a specific ELISA instrumentation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oriano Radillo
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health-IRCCS "Burlo Garofolo", Trieste, Italy
| | - Lorella Pascolo
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health-IRCCS "Burlo Garofolo", Trieste, Italy.
| | - Stefano Martelossi
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health-IRCCS "Burlo Garofolo", Trieste, Italy
| | - Sara Dal Bo
- Department of Medical, Surgical and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Alessandro Ventura
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health-IRCCS "Burlo Garofolo", Trieste, Italy.,Department of Medical, Surgical and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
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29
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Trevisan E, Zabucchi G, Pascolo L, Pascotto E, Casarsa C, Lucattelli M, Lungarella G, Cavarra E, Bartalesi B, Zweyer M, Borelli V. Histopathological data of iron and calcium in the mouse lung after asbestos exposure. Data Brief 2016; 6:769-75. [PMID: 26909387 PMCID: PMC4744238 DOI: 10.1016/j.dib.2016.01.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2015] [Revised: 01/07/2016] [Accepted: 01/12/2016] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
This data article contains data related to the research article entitled, “Synchrotron X-ray microscopy reveals early calcium and iron interaction with crocidolite fibers in the lung of exposed mice” [1]. Asbestos fibers disrupt iron homeostasis in the human and mouse lung, leading to the deposition of iron (Fe) onto longer asbestos fibers which forms asbestos bodies (AB) [2]. Similar to Fe, calcium (Ca) is also deposited in the coats of the AB. This article presents data on iron and calcium in the mouse lung after asbestos exposure detected by histochemical evaluation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Trevisan
- Department of Life Science, University of Trieste, 34127 Trieste, Italy
| | - Giuliano Zabucchi
- Department of Life Science, University of Trieste, 34127 Trieste, Italy
| | - Lorella Pascolo
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, 34137 Trieste, Italy
| | - Ernesto Pascotto
- Servizio Diagnostica Veterinaria, University of Udine, 33100 Udine, Italy
| | - Claudia Casarsa
- Department of Life Science, University of Trieste, 34127 Trieste, Italy
| | - Monica Lucattelli
- Department of Life Science, Section of Experimental Pathology, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Lungarella
- Department of Life Science, Section of Experimental Pathology, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Eleonora Cavarra
- Department of Life Science, Section of Experimental Pathology, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Barbara Bartalesi
- Department of Life Science, Section of Experimental Pathology, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Marina Zweyer
- Dipartimento Universitario Clinico di Scienze Mediche, Chirurgiche e della Salute, Università di Trieste, 34149 Trieste, Italy
| | - Violetta Borelli
- Department of Life Science, University of Trieste, 34127 Trieste, Italy
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30
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Pascolo L, Zabucchi G, Gianoncelli A, Kourousias G, Trevisan E, Pascotto E, Casarsa C, Ryan C, Lucattelli M, Lungarella G, Cavarra E, Bartalesi B, Zweyer M, Cammisuli F, Melato M, Borelli V. Synchrotron X-ray microscopy reveals early calcium and iron interaction with crocidolite fibers in the lung of exposed mice. Toxicol Lett 2016; 241:111-20. [DOI: 10.1016/j.toxlet.2015.11.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2015] [Revised: 11/11/2015] [Accepted: 11/13/2015] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
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Pascolo L, Borelli V, Canzonieri V, Gianoncelli A, Birarda G, Bedolla DE, Salomé M, Vaccari L, Calligaro C, Cotte M, Hesse B, Luisi F, Zabucchi G, Melato M, Rizzardi C. Differential protein folding and chemical changes in lung tissues exposed to asbestos or particulates. Sci Rep 2015; 5:12129. [PMID: 26159651 PMCID: PMC4498377 DOI: 10.1038/srep12129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2015] [Accepted: 06/16/2015] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Environmental and occupational inhalants may induce a large number of pulmonary diseases, with asbestos exposure being the most risky. The mechanisms are clearly related to chemical composition and physical and surface properties of materials. A combination of X-ray fluorescence (μXRF) and Fourier Transform InfraRed (μFTIR) microscopy was used to chemically characterize and compare asbestos bodies versus environmental particulates (anthracosis) in lung tissues from asbestos exposed and control patients. μXRF analyses revealed heterogeneously aggregated particles in the anthracotic structures, containing mainly Si, K, Al and Fe. Both asbestos and particulates alter lung iron homeostasis, with a more marked effect in asbestos exposure. μFTIR analyses revealed abundant proteins on asbestos bodies but not on anthracotic particles. Most importantly, the analyses demonstrated that the asbestos coating proteins contain high levels of β-sheet structures. The occurrence of conformational changes in the proteic component of the asbestos coating provides new insights into long-term asbestos effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorella Pascolo
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, Trieste, Italy
| | | | - Vincenzo Canzonieri
- Division of Pathology, CRO Centro di Riferimento Oncologico, National Cancer Institute, IRCCS, Aviano (PN) Italy
| | | | - Giovanni Birarda
- Elettra - Sincrotrone Trieste, Trieste, Italy
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Diana E. Bedolla
- Elettra - Sincrotrone Trieste, Trieste, Italy
- Physics Department, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Murielle Salomé
- European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Grenoble Cedex 9, France
| | | | - Carla Calligaro
- Servizio Diagnostica Veterinaria, University of Udine, Italy
| | - Marine Cotte
- European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Grenoble Cedex 9, France
| | - Bernhard Hesse
- European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Grenoble Cedex 9, France
| | | | | | - Mauro Melato
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, Trieste, Italy
| | - Clara Rizzardi
- Department of Medical, Surgical, and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, Italy
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32
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D'Amico F, Cammisuli F, Addobbati R, Rizzardi C, Gessini A, Masciovecchio C, Rossi B, Pascolo L. Oxidative damage in DNA bases revealed by UV resonant Raman spectroscopy. Analyst 2015; 140:1477-85. [DOI: 10.1039/c4an02364a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
We report on the use of the UV Raman technique to monitor the oxidative damage of deoxynucleotide triphosphates (dATP, dGTP, dCTP and dTTP) and DNA (plasmid vector) solutions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Francesca Cammisuli
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health
- Trieste
- Italy
- Department of Medical Science
- University of Trieste
| | | | | | | | | | - Barbara Rossi
- Department of Physics
- University of Trento
- Trento
- Italy
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33
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Pascolo L, Bortot B, Benseny-Cases N, Gianoncelli A, Tosi G, Ruozi B, Rizzardi C, De Martino E, Vandelli MA, Severini GM. Detection of PLGA-based nanoparticles at a single-cell level by synchrotron radiation FTIR spectromicroscopy and correlation with X-ray fluorescence microscopy. Int J Nanomedicine 2014; 9:2791-801. [PMID: 24944512 PMCID: PMC4057326 DOI: 10.2147/ijn.s58685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Poly-lactide-co-glycolide (PLGA) is one of the few polymers approved by the US Food and Drug Administration as a carrier for drug administration in humans; therefore, it is one of the most used materials in the formulation of polymeric nanoparticles (NPs) for therapeutic purposes. Because the cellular uptake of polymeric NPs is a hot topic in the nanomedicine field, the development of techniques able to ensure incontrovertible evidence of the presence of NPs in the cells plays a key role in gaining understanding of their therapeutic potential. On the strength of this premise, this article aims to evaluate the application of synchrotron radiation-based Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (SR-FTIR) spectromicroscopy and SR X-ray fluorescence (SR-XRF) microscopy in the study of the in vitro interaction of PLGA NPs with cells. To reach this goal, we used PLGA NPs, sized around 200 nm and loaded with superparamagnetic iron oxide NPs (PLGA-IO-NPs; Fe₃O₄; size, 10-15 nm). After exposing human mesothelial (MeT5A) cells to PLGA-IO-NPs (0.1 mg/mL), the cells were analyzed after fixation both by SR-FTIR spectromicroscopy and SR-XRF microscopy setups. SR-FTIR-SM enabled the detection of PLGA NPs at single-cell level, allowing polymer detection inside the biological matrix by the characteristic band in the 1,700-2,000 cm(-1) region. The precise PLGA IR-signature (1,750 cm(-1) centered pick) also was clearly evident within an area of high amide density. SR-XRF microscopy performed on the same cells investigated under SR-FTIR microscopy allowed us to put in evidence the Fe presence in the cells and to emphasize the intracellular localization of the PLGA-IO-NPs. These findings suggest that SR-FTIR and SR-XRF techniques could be two valuable tools to follow the PLGA NPs' fate in in vitro studies on cell cultures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorella Pascolo
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico Burlo Garofolo, Trieste, Italy
| | - Barbara Bortot
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico Burlo Garofolo, Trieste, Italy
| | - Nuria Benseny-Cases
- European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Polygone Scientifique Louis Néel, Grenoble, France
| | | | - Giovanni Tosi
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Barbara Ruozi
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Clara Rizzardi
- Department of Anatomical Pathology, Department of Pathology and Forensic Medicine, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Eleonora De Martino
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico Burlo Garofolo, Trieste, Italy
| | | | - Giovanni Maria Severini
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico Burlo Garofolo, Trieste, Italy
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Gianoncelli A, Kourousias G, Pascolo L, Rizzardi C, Ceccone G, Kaulich B, Kiskinova M. Life science applications and research potential of the TwinMic spectromicroscopy station at ELETTRA. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2013. [DOI: 10.1088/1742-6596/463/1/012004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
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35
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Addobbati R, Pascolo L, Di Toro N, Sebastiani GB, Martellossi S, Not T. Influence of urine volume on the assessment of intestinal permeability in affected children by multiple sugar probes. Clin Chem Lab Med 2013; 52:227-35. [PMID: 24108205 DOI: 10.1515/cclm-2013-0626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2013] [Accepted: 08/23/2013] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In this study we have looked at the reliability of a multi-sugar test in a pediatric patient population and its accuracy at small urine volumes to evaluate intestinal permeability. METHODS Out of 117 subjects enrolled, 31 were healthy and 86 were sick. A solution containing lactulose, rhamnose, sucrose, and sucralose was administered to subjects who were on fasting; the urine excreted during 5 h was collected and measured. Samples were analyzed by gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and results were expressed as percentage of sugar recoveries and lactulose/rhamnose (L/R) ratio. RESULTS The analyses showed a clear effect of low urinary volumes (≤240 mL) particularly affecting rhamnose excretion in healthy subjects and sucrose and sucralose recovery in diseased children. Despite the low rhamnose recovery, as lactulose is not similarly affected, the diagnostic reliability of L/R ratio is well preserved at low diuresis conditions. However, this ratio can be useful to discriminate acute conditions vs. clinical remissions only at high urine volumes. Data also suggest potential diagnostic applicability of sucrose and sucralose in children at high urine volumes. CONCLUSIONS In conclusion, the multi-sugar test has a good predictivity in pediatric subjects but results must be carefully interpreted in the face of reduced diuresis.
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Zennaro C, Rastaldi MP, Pascolo L, Stebel M, Trevisan E, Artero M, Tiribelli C, Di Maso V, Carraro M. Podocyte expression of membrane transporters involved in puromycin aminonucleoside-mediated injury. PLoS One 2013; 8:e66159. [PMID: 23840417 PMCID: PMC3688733 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0066159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2013] [Accepted: 05/02/2013] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Several complex mechanisms contribute to the maintenance of the intricate ramified morphology of glomerular podocytes and to interactions with neighboring cells and the underlying basement membrane. Recently, components of small molecule transporter families have been found in the podocyte membrane, but expression and function of membrane transporters in podocytes is largely unexplored. To investigate this complex field of investigation, we used two molecules which are known substrates of membrane transporters, namely Penicillin G and Puromycin Aminonucleoside (PA). We observed that Penicillin G pre-administration prevented both in vitro and in vivo podocyte damage caused by PA, suggesting the engagement of the same membrane transporters by the two molecules. Indeed, we found that podocytes express a series of transporters which are known to be used by Penicillin G, such as members of the Organic Anion Transporter Polypeptides (OATP/Oatp) family of influx transporters, and P-glycoprotein, a member of the MultiDrug Resistance (MDR) efflux transporter family. Expression of OATP/Oatp transporters was modified by PA treatment. Similarly, in vitro PA treatment increased mRNA and protein expression of P-glycoprotein, as well as its activity, confirming the engagement of the molecule upon PA administration. In summary, we have characterized some of the small molecule transporters present at the podocyte membrane, focusing on those used by PA to enter and exit the cell. Further investigation will be needed to understand precisely the role of these transporter families in maintaining podocyte homeostasis and in the pathogenesis of podocyte injury.
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MESH Headings
- ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Member 1/antagonists & inhibitors
- ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Member 1/genetics
- ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Member 1/metabolism
- Animals
- Antibiotics, Antineoplastic/metabolism
- Antibiotics, Antineoplastic/toxicity
- Biological Transport/drug effects
- Cell Adhesion
- Cell Line, Tumor
- Cell Membrane Permeability
- Cell Proliferation
- Cell Survival/drug effects
- Cyclosporine/pharmacology
- Cytoprotection
- Gene Expression/drug effects
- Humans
- Kidney Glomerulus/cytology
- Kidney Glomerulus/drug effects
- Male
- Organic Anion Transporters/antagonists & inhibitors
- Organic Anion Transporters/genetics
- Organic Anion Transporters/metabolism
- Penicillin G/metabolism
- Penicillin G/pharmacology
- Podocytes/drug effects
- Podocytes/metabolism
- Puromycin Aminonucleoside/metabolism
- Puromycin Aminonucleoside/toxicity
- Rats
- Rats, Sprague-Dawley
- Serum Albumin/metabolism
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Zennaro
- Department of Medical, Surgery and Health Sciences, Università degli Studi di Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Maria Pia Rastaldi
- Renal Research Laboratory, Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico & Fondazione D’Amico per la Ricerca sulle Malattie Renali, Milano, Italy
| | - Lorella Pascolo
- IRCCS Burlo Garofolo Istituto per la Cura a Carattere Scientifico Materno Infantile, Trieste, Italy
| | - Marco Stebel
- Department of Life Sciences, Università degli Studi di Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Elisa Trevisan
- Department of Life Sciences, Università degli Studi di Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Mary Artero
- Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Ospedali di Riuniti di Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Claudio Tiribelli
- Department of Medical, Surgery and Health Sciences, Università degli Studi di Trieste, Trieste, Italy
- Liver Research Center, AREA Science Park, Trieste, Italy
| | - Vittorio Di Maso
- Department of Medical, Surgery and Health Sciences, Università degli Studi di Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Michele Carraro
- Department of Medical, Surgery and Health Sciences, Università degli Studi di Trieste, Trieste, Italy
- * E-mail:
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Pascolo L, Esteve F, Rizzardi C, James S, Menk R. Potential Advantages of Using Synchrotron X-ray Based Techniques in Pediatric Research. Curr Med Chem 2013; 20:2157-75. [DOI: 10.2174/0929867311320170002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2013] [Revised: 01/25/2013] [Accepted: 02/10/2013] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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Pascolo L, Gianoncelli A, Schneider G, Salomé M, Schneider M, Calligaro C, Kiskinova M, Melato M, Rizzardi C. The interaction of asbestos and iron in lung tissue revealed by synchrotron-based scanning X-ray microscopy. Sci Rep 2013; 3:1123. [PMID: 23350030 PMCID: PMC3553542 DOI: 10.1038/srep01123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2012] [Accepted: 12/12/2012] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Asbestos is a potent carcinogen associated with malignant mesothelioma and lung cancer but its carcinogenic mechanisms are still poorly understood. Asbestos toxicity is ascribed to its particular physico-chemical characteristics, and one of them is the presence of and ability to adsorb iron, which may cause an alteration of iron homeostasis in the tissue. This observational study reports a combination of advanced synchrotron-based X-ray imaging and micro-spectroscopic methods that provide correlative morphological and chemical information for shedding light on iron mobilization features during asbestos permanence in lung tissue. The results show that the processes responsible for the unusual distribution of iron at different stages of interaction with the fibres also involve calcium, phosphorus and magnesium. It has been confirmed that the dominant iron form present in asbestos bodies is ferritin, while the concurrent presence of haematite suggests alteration of iron chemistry during asbestos body permanence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorella Pascolo
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, 34137 Trieste, Italy.
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Delfino R, Altissimo M, Menk RH, Alberti R, Klatka T, Frizzi T, Longoni A, Salomè M, Tromba G, Arfelli F, Clai M, Vaccari L, Lorusso V, Tiribelli C, Pascolo L. X-ray fluorescence elemental mapping and microscopy to follow hepatic disposition of a Gd-based magnetic resonance imaging contrast agent. Clin Exp Pharmacol Physiol 2011; 38:834-45. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1440-1681.2011.05618.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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40
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Marmorato P, Ceccone G, Gianoncelli A, Pascolo L, Ponti J, Rossi F, Salomé M, Kaulich B, Kiskinova M. Cellular distribution and degradation of cobalt ferrite nanoparticles in Balb/3T3 mouse fibroblasts. Toxicol Lett 2011; 207:128-36. [DOI: 10.1016/j.toxlet.2011.08.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2011] [Revised: 08/30/2011] [Accepted: 08/31/2011] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
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Pascolo L, Gianoncelli A, Kaulich B, Rizzardi C, Schneider M, Bottin C, Polentarutti M, Kiskinova M, Longoni A, Melato M. Synchrotron soft X-ray imaging and fluorescence microscopy reveal novel features of asbestos body morphology and composition in human lung tissues. Part Fibre Toxicol 2011; 8:7. [PMID: 21299853 PMCID: PMC3041679 DOI: 10.1186/1743-8977-8-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2010] [Accepted: 02/07/2011] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Occupational or environmental exposure to asbestos fibres is associated with pleural and parenchymal lung diseases. A histopathologic hallmark of exposure to asbestos is the presence in lung parenchyma of the so-called asbestos bodies. They are the final product of biomineralization processes resulting in deposition of endogenous iron and organic matter (mainly proteins) around the inhaled asbestos fibres. For shedding light on the formation mechanisms of asbestos bodies it is of fundamental importance to characterize at the same length scales not only their structural morphology and chemical composition but also to correlate them to the possible alterations in the local composition of the surrounding tissues. Here we report the first correlative morphological and chemical characterization of untreated paraffinated histological lung tissue samples with asbestos bodies by means of soft X-ray imaging and X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) microscopy, which reveals new features in the elemental lateral distribution. Results The X-ray absorption and phase contrast images and the simultaneously monitored XRF maps of tissue samples have revealed the location, distribution and elemental composition of asbestos bodies and associated nanometric structures. The observed specific morphology and differences in the local Si, Fe, O and Mg content provide distinct fingerprints characteristic for the core asbestos fibre and the ferruginous body. The highest Si content is found in the asbestos fibre, while the shell and ferruginous bodies are characterized by strongly increased content of Mg, Fe and O compared to the adjacent tissue. The XRF and SEM-EDX analyses of the extracted asbestos bodies confirmed an enhanced Mg deposition in the organic asbestos coating. Conclusions The present report demonstrates the potential of the advanced synchrotron-based X-ray imaging and microspectroscopy techniques for studying the response of the lung tissue to the presence of asbestos fibres. The new results obtained by simultaneous structural and chemical analysis of tissue specimen have provided clear evidence that Mg, in addition to Fe, is also involved in the formation mechanisms of asbestos bodies. This is the first important step to further thorough investigations that will shed light on the physiopathological role of Mg in tissue response to the asbestos toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorella Pascolo
- Sincrotrone Trieste S.C.p.a., Area Science Park, Basovizza, Trieste, Italy.
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Adler M, Appel K, Canal T, Mora PC, Delfino R, Gennaro R, Gritzko K, Pascolo L, Ruzzier F, Tiribelli C, Wallner B, Schulze J. Effects of Chelidonium majus extracts in human hepatocytes in vitro. Toxicol Lett 2006. [DOI: 10.1016/j.toxlet.2006.07.095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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43
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Libra A, Fernetti C, Lorusso V, Visigalli M, Anelli PL, Staud F, Tiribelli C, Pascolo L. Molecular Determinants in the Transport of a Bile Acid-Derived Diagnostic Agent in Tumoral and Nontumoral Cell Lines of Human Liver. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 2006; 319:809-17. [PMID: 16895978 DOI: 10.1124/jpet.106.106591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (CE-MRI) is a valuable technique for the diagnosis of liver diseases. As gadocoletic acid trisodium salt (B22956/1), a new contrast agent showing high biliary excretion, may be potentially advantageous in hepatobiliary imaging, the aim of the study was to investigate the molecular mechanisms of hepatic transport of the B22956 ion in a cellular model of hepatic tumor. B22956 ion uptake was measured in tumoral (HepG2) and nontumoral (Chang liver) hepatic cell lines. Absolute quantitative real-time reverse transcriptase (RT)-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analyses, using cloned PCR products as standards, were performed on total RNA of both cell lines and normal liver to evaluate the transcription of 12 transport genes: SLCO1A2, SLCO2B1, SLCO1B1, SLCO3A1, SLCO4A1, SLCO1B3, SLC22A7, SLC22A8, SLC22A1, SLC10A1, SLC15A1, and SLC15A2. B22956 transport was more efficient in Chang liver than in HepG2 cells and was inhibited by cholecystokinin-8, a specific substrate of OATP1B3. Real-time RT-PCR analyses revealed different transcription profiles in the tumoral and nontumoral cell lines. Compared with normal liver, the expression of SLCO1B1, SLCO3A1, and SLCO1B3 was greatly repressed in HepG2 cells, whereas SLCO2B1, SLC22A7, and SLC22A8 expression was either maintained or increased. On the contrary, in Chang liver cells, SLC22A7 and SLC22A8 genes were undetectable, whereas the expression of SLCO3A1, SLCO4A1, and SLCO1B3 was similar to normal liver. Transport studies and gene expression analyses indicated that B22956 ion is a good substrate to the liver-specific OATP1B3, reported to be poorly expressed or absent in human liver tumors. Therefore, B22956 may be helpful in detecting hepatic neoplastic lesions by CE-MRI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonin Libra
- Centro Studi Fegato, Bldg. Q, AREA Science Park Basovizza, SS 14 Km 163.5, 34012 Trieste, Italy
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Hafkamp AM, Havinga R, Ostrow JD, Tiribelli C, Pascolo L, Sinaasappel M, Verkade HJ. Novel kinetic insights into treatment of unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia: phototherapy and orlistat treatment in Gunn rats. Pediatr Res 2006; 59:506-12. [PMID: 16549520 DOI: 10.1203/01.pdr.0000203180.79636.98] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Treatment with phototherapy or with the lipase inhibitor orlistat decreases plasma unconjugated bilirubin (UCB) concentrations in hyperbilirubinemic Gunn rats. We investigated the mechanism(s) underlying the effects of orlistat, phototherapy, and combined treatment, using steady-state 3H-UCB kinetics. After three weeks of treatment with orlistat (200 mg/kg chow), phototherapy (19 microW/cm2/nm) or combined treatment, tracer 3H-UCB was administered IV to treated and untreated (control) Gunn rats. Plasma samples and feces were collected every 12h for 60h, and bile for 30 min at 60h. The following results were obtained: 1) each treatment decreased plasma bilirubin levels compared with controls: orlistat- 19%, phototherapy-32%, combined treatment-53%; 2) plasma bilirubin concentrations were strongly, negatively correlated with fractional bilirubin turnover; 3) orlistat treatment induced net transmucosal excretion of UCB into the intestinal lumen, whereas phototherapy increased biliary UCB excretion rate; 4) all treatments profoundly increased the enterohepatic circulation of UCB derivatives, indicating enhanced metabolism by intestinal bacteria. In conclusion, orlistat and phototherapy lower plasma bilirubin concentrations in Gunn rats by increasing (net) intestinal influx of UCB, either by transmucosal excretion (orlistat), or increased biliary secretion (phototherapy). The mechanism of phototherapy and orlistat treatment involves increasing the availability of UCB in the intestinal lumen for fecal excretion and for metabolism by intestinal bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anja M Hafkamp
- Pediatric Gastroenterology, Center for Liver, Digestive and Metabolic Disorders, University Medical Center Groningen, The Netherlands
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Abstract
Magnetic Resonance Imaging is gaining a prominent role in the routine clinical investigation. To further improve this technique it is crucial that contrast agents are developed with more optimal organ specificity. This will not only result in a better diagnostic efficiency but also in a reduction of the amount of the agent administered. A combination of techniques has been employed to increase the target selectivity of the contrast agent and thereby the feasibility to visualize different organs. The organ targeting is based on the understanding of the mechanisms involved in the interaction of the agent with plasma proteins (albumin in particular) as well as the different membrane transporters involved in the uptake and in the excretion of the agent from the organ. The physicochemical properties of the contrast agents play a major role in the interaction with these various proteins. In this review we address the relationship between the structure of the contrast agents and their binding to different plasma proteins and membrane transporters in different organs, with special reference to the liver and kidney. The present and potentially future applications of these concepts in the clinical setting are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vito Lorusso
- Centro Studi Fegato, AREA Science Park, Campus Basovizza Bldg Q, SS 16 Km 163.5, 34012 Trieste, Italy
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Rigato I, Pascolo L, Fernetti C, Ostrow J, Tiribelli C. The human multidrug-resistance-associated protein MRP1 mediates ATP-dependent transport of unconjugated bilirubin. Biochem J 2005; 383:335-41. [PMID: 15245331 PMCID: PMC1134075 DOI: 10.1042/bj20040599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Results of previous studies have suggested that UCB (unconjugated bilirubin) may be transported by MRP1/Mrp1 (multidrug-resistance-associated protein 1). To test this hypothesis directly, [3H]UCB transport was assessed in plasma-membrane vesicles from MDCKII cells (Madin-Darby canine kidney II cells) stably transfected with human MRP1 or MRP2; wild-type MDCKII cells served as controls. As revealed by Western blotting, transfection achieved abundant expression of MRP1 and MRP2. [3H]UCB uptake was measured in the presence of 60 microM human serum albumin at a free (unbound) concentration of UCB (B(F)) ranging from 5 to 72 nM and in the presence of 3 mM ATP or 3 mM AMP-PCP (adenosine 5'-[beta,gamma-methylene]triphosphate). MRP1-transfected vesicles showed transport activity three and five times higher respectively compared with MRP2 or wild-type vesicles, whose transport did not differ significantly. [3H]UCB transport was stimulated 4-fold by 1.5 mM GSH, occurred into an osmotically sensitive space, was inhibited by 3 microM MK571 and followed saturative kinetics with K(m)=10+/-3 nM (B(F)) and V(max)=100+/-13 pmol x min(-1) x (mg of protein)(-1). UCB significantly inhibited the transport of LTC4 (leukotriene C4), a leukotriene substrate known to have high affinity for MRP1. Collectively, these results prove directly that MRP1 mediates ATP-dependent cellular export of UCB and supports its role in protecting cells from bilirubin toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Igino Rigato
- *Liver Research Center, Bldg. Q, AREA Science Park Basovizza, SS 14 Km 163.5, 34012 Trieste, Italy
- †Department of Biochimica, Biofisica e Chimica delle Macromolecole, University of Trieste, 34012 Trieste, Italy
| | - Lorella Pascolo
- *Liver Research Center, Bldg. Q, AREA Science Park Basovizza, SS 14 Km 163.5, 34012 Trieste, Italy
- †Department of Biochimica, Biofisica e Chimica delle Macromolecole, University of Trieste, 34012 Trieste, Italy
| | - Cristina Fernetti
- *Liver Research Center, Bldg. Q, AREA Science Park Basovizza, SS 14 Km 163.5, 34012 Trieste, Italy
- †Department of Biochimica, Biofisica e Chimica delle Macromolecole, University of Trieste, 34012 Trieste, Italy
| | - J. Donald Ostrow
- ‡GI/Hepatology Division, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195, U.S.A
| | - Claudio Tiribelli
- *Liver Research Center, Bldg. Q, AREA Science Park Basovizza, SS 14 Km 163.5, 34012 Trieste, Italy
- †Department of Biochimica, Biofisica e Chimica delle Macromolecole, University of Trieste, 34012 Trieste, Italy
- To whom correspondence should be addressed, at Liver Research Center (email )
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Abstract
Unconjugated bilirubin (UCB), at slightly elevated unbound concentrations, is toxic to astrocytes and neurons, damaging mitochondria (causing impaired energy metabolism and apoptosis) and plasma membranes (causing oxidative damage and disrupting transport of neurotransmitters). Accumulation of UCB in the CSF and CNS is limited by its active export, probably mediated by MRP1/Mrp1 present in choroid plexus epithelia, capillary endothelia, astrocytes and neurons. Upregulation of MRP1/Mrp1 protein levels by UCB might represent an important adaptive mechanism that protects the CNS from UCB toxicity. These concepts could explain the varied susceptibility of newborns to bilirubin neurotoxicity and the occurrence of neurological damage at plasma UCB concentrations well below therapeutic guidelines, and are relevant to the increasing prevalence of bilirubin encephalopathy in newborns.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Donald Ostrow
- Research Service, VA Puget Sound Health Care System-Seattle Division, and GI/Hepatology Division, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98108-1597, USA
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Gennuso F, Fernetti C, Tirolo C, Testa N, L'Episcopo F, Caniglia S, Morale MC, Ostrow JD, Pascolo L, Tiribelli C, Marchetti B. Bilirubin protects astrocytes from its own toxicity by inducing up-regulation and translocation of multidrug resistance-associated protein 1 (Mrp1). Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2004; 101:2470-5. [PMID: 14983033 PMCID: PMC356974 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0308452100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 124] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Unconjugated bilirubin (UCB) causes encephalopathy in severely jaundiced neonates by damaging astrocytes and neurons. Astrocytes, which help defend the brain against cytotoxic insults, express the ATP-dependent transporter, multidrug resistance-associated protein 1 (Mrp1), which mediates export of organic anions, probably including UCB. We therefore studied whether exposure to UCB affects the expression and intracellular localization of Mrp1 in cultured mouse astroglial cells (>95% astrocytes). Mrp1 was localized and quantitated by confocal laser scanning microscopy and double immunofluorescence labeling by using specific antibodies against Mrp1 and the astrocyte marker glial fibrillary acidic protein, plus the Golgi marker wheat germ agglutinin (WGA). In unexposed astrocytes, Mrp1 colocalized with WGA in the Golgi apparatus. Exposure to UCB at a low unbound concentration (Bf) of 40 nM caused rapid redistribution of Mrp1 from the Golgi throughout the cytoplasm to the plasma membrane, with a peak 5-fold increase in Mrp1 immunofluorescence intensity from 30 to 120 min. Bf above aqueous saturation produced a similar but aborted response. Exposure to this higher Bf for 16 h markedly decreased Trypan blue exclusion and methylthiazoletetrazoilum activity and increased apoptosis 5-fold by terminal deoxynucleotidyltransferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling assay. These toxic effects were modestly increased by inhibition of Mrp1 activity with 3-([3-(2-[7-chloro-2-quinolinyl]ethenyl)phenyl-(3-dimethylamino-3-oxopropyl)-thio-methyl]thio)propanoic acid (MK571). By contrast, Bf=40 nM caused injury only if Mrp1 activity was inhibited by MK571, which also blocked translocation of Mrp1. Our conclusion is that in astrocytes, UCB up-regulates expression of Mrp1 and promotes its trafficking from the Golgi to the plasma membrane, thus moderating cytotoxicity from UCB, presumably by limiting its intracellular accumulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florinda Gennuso
- Neuropharmacology Section, OASI Institute for Research and Care on Mental Retardation and Brain Aging, 94018 Troina, Italy
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50
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Abstract
Revised concepts of bilirubin encephalopathy have been revealed by studies of bilirubin toxicity in cultured CNS cells and in congenitally jaundiced Gunn rats. Bilirubin neurotoxicity is related to the unbound (free) fraction of unconjugated bilirubin (Bf), of which the dominant species at physiological pH is the protonated diacid, which can passively diffuse across cell membranes. As the binding affinity of plasma albumin for bilirubin decreases strikingly as albumin concentration increases, previously reported Bf values were underestimated. Newer diagnostic tests can detect reversible neurotoxicity before permanent damage occurs from precipitation of bilirubin (kernicterus). Early toxicity can occur at Bf only modestly above aqueous saturation and affects astrocytes and neurons, causing mitochondrial damage, resulting in impaired energy metabolism and apoptosis, plus cell-membrane perturbation, which causes enzyme leakage and hampers transport of neurotransmitters. The concentrations of unbound bilirubin in the cerebro-spinal fluid and CNS cells are probably limited mainly by active export of bilirubin back into plasma, mediated by ABC transporters present in the brain capillary endothelium and choroid plexus epithelium. Intracellular bilirubin levels may be diminished also by oxidation, conjugation and binding to cytosolic proteins. These new concepts may explain the varied susceptibility of neonates to develop encephalopathy at any given plasma bilirubin level and the selective distribution of CNS lesions in bilirubin encephalopathy. They also can suggest better strategies for predicting, preventing and treating this syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- J D Ostrow
- Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98108, USA.
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