Sea urchin embryos: development and stress toxicity

Correlation among pAKT, pERK1/2 and DNA fragmentation index in human cumulus cells to determine oocyte competence

The aim was to correlate specific biological aspects of cumulus cells isolated from individual cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) with the clinical outcome of the related embryos.

Developmental defects induced by gadolinium ions in sea urchin embryos of phylogenetically distant species

Gadolinium (Gd) is nowadays an emergent environmental pollutant: it is a metal of the lanthanide series of the elements whose chelates are commonly employed as contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging and subsequently released into the aquatic environment. Sea urchin embryos are highly sensitive to several kinds of stressors and able to activate different defense strategies. The aim of this study was to analyze the consequences of embryo exposure to sublethal Gd concentrations. We compared the effects of Gd on the development of four phylogenetically distant sea urchin species: two Mediterranean species, Paracentrotus lividus and Arbacia lixula, and two species living in the East coas…

Interference of metals in sea urchin embryo development.

Metallothionein genes in sea urchin embryos and their induction by cadmium

Metallothioneins (MTs) are proteins that play a major role in metal homeostasis and as a reservoir. The MT gene/protein systems of sea urchins are an invaluable model for the study of gene expression regulation and MT isoform-specific functionality of these proteins. We isolated five paralogous MT isogenes and we studied their expression in the sea urchin embryo Paracentrotus lividus. The Cadmium-dependent transcriptional activation of the five isogenes was assessed using quantitative Real Time PCR. Two of the five P. lividus MT (MT-7 and MT-8) isogenes appeared to be constitutively expressed and upregulated upon cadmium treatment. Three isogenes (MT-4/MT-6) are not transcribed in control e…

Apoptosis and pAKT levels in cumulus cells of patients undergoing in vitro fertilization program with specific polymorphisms of gonadotropins and their receptors: a case-control study.

Study question Is there a difference in oocyte competence among patients with different gonadotrophin polymorphisms, after ovarian stimulation with r-FSH? Summary Answer Higher DNA Fragmentation Index and cleaved caspase-3 related to lower level of pAKT has been observed in patients with specific gonadotrophin polymorphism (FSHR and LHB). What is known already • In our experience, the DFI, the percentage of cleaved caspase-3 and the pAKT on cumulus cells can be used as molecular markers of oocyte competence; • The polymorphic variant of LHB is characterized by an extra glycosylation signal into the β subunit. This molecular variation influences the pharmacokinetic properties of v-betaLH, sh…

Marine Invertebrates as Bioindicators of Heavy Metal Pollution

Atmosphere, earth and water compose the environment. The presence of heavy metals in the environment has grown because of their large employment in some industrial and agricultural activities. Although these metals are terrestrial products, they flow into the sea through effluents and sewage or are directly discharged from industries placed on the seawater front. It should be considered that metals concentrations vary widely according to different seawater latitudes and depths and can be strongly influenced by fresh water discharges from heavily polluted rivers. In this review recent studies on heavy metal pollution in marine ecosystems and their organisms will be presented. Metal speciatio…

APOPTOSIS RATE IN CUMULUS CELLS AS POSSIBLE MOLECULAR BIOMARKER FOR OOCYTE COMPETENCE.

Several lines of evidence showed that apoptosis rate of cumulus cells in oocytes derived by assisted reproductive technologies could be used as an indicator of fertilizing gamete quality. Aim of the study was to investigate the effects of three different ovarian stimulation protocols on the biological and clinical outcome in hyporesponder patients. Collected data showed a higher significant rate of DNA fragmentation index (DFI) in U group (patients treated with Highly Purified human Menopausal Gonadotrophin) than in P group (treated with recombinant human Follicle Stimulating Hormone (r-hFSH) combined with recombinant human Luteinizing Hormone (r-hLH)). Both groups R (treated with r-hFSH al…

Environmentally relevant cadmium concentrations affect development and induce apoptosis of Paracentrotus lividus larvae cultured in vitro. Epub ahead of print.

Sea urchin embryos and larvae represent suitable model systems on where to investigate the effects of heavy metals on development and cell viability. Here, we tested the toxic effects of low (10(-12 )M), medium (10(-9 )M), and high (10(-6 )M) cadmium chloride concentrations, mimicking unpolluted, moderately and highly polluted seawaters, respectively, on Paracentrotus lividus sea urchins offspring. Larvae were continuously treated from fertilization and inspected at time intervals comprised between 10 and 30 days of development. Delays and/or morphological abnormalities were firstly evident in larvae treated for 15 days with high cadmium (10(-6 )M) and for 25 days with medium cadmium (10(-9…

The effects of HPV infection on semen: first results from a new approach.

Study question: The effect of HPV infection on semen characteristics was investigated using a new method that allow to evaluate virus localization in the different semen components. Summary answer: Our data indicate a correlation between HPV infection of exfoliated epithelial cells (from spermatic ducts and accessory glands) and reduction of sperm cell motility. What is known already: HPVs are agents of the most common sexually transmitted diseases. Both in men and in women, HPVs cause a variety of clinical symptoms ranging from warts to cancer. It has been shown (IARC, 2009) that infection with 12 oncogenic HPVs is the major cause of development of cervical cancer in women and it is also r…

Strategie di difesa in risposta a stress in embrioni di riccio di mare: L'embrione di riccio di Paracentrotus lividus come modello sperimentale per lo studio della sopravvivenza o della morte cellulare

Negli ultimi decenni, grazie alle nuove tecnologie e alla maggiore disponibilità di strumenti di ricerca, il campo riguardante lo studio delle strategie di difesa attivate nella risposta a stress, compresi i meccanismi di apoptosi e autofagia, è divenuto molto ampio ed è in continua espansione. Sin dagli albori della Biologia, gli studi condotti sul modello sperimentale di riccio di mare hanno permesso di ottenere conoscenze di base, spesso applicabili ad altri modelli biologici. I dati riportati nel presente libro dovrebbero aiutare a far luce sui meccanismi di difesa che le cellule sono in grado di attivare, in caso di necessità, se esposte a sfavorevoli condizioni ambientali. Le osservaz…

Magnesium deprivation affects development and biomineralization in the sea urchin arba-cia lixula

Skeletogenesis is a key morphogenetic event in the life of marine invertebrates. Marine calcifiers secrete their calcareous skeletons taking up ions from seawater. Marine biominerals include aragonite and calcite, the latter of which in some taxa (e.g. echinoderms, coralline algae) can have a substantial magnesium (Mg) component. Echinoderms have an extensive endoskeleton composed of high magnesian calcite and occluded matrix proteins1. As biomineralization in sea urchin larvae is sensitive to the Magnesium:Calcium ratio of sea water, we investigated the effects of magnesium deprivation on development and skeletogenesis in the Mediterranean sea urchin Arbacia lixula. Microscopic inspection …

Cadmium as apoptotic inductor in sea urchin embryos: possible implication of extrinsic pathway

The role of autophagy during the oogenesis of Paracentrotus lividus sea urchin

Marine Invertebrates as Bioindicators of Heavy Metal Pollution

The marine environment presents a range of anthropogenic contaminants. According to the World Health Organization, more than 100,000 chemicals are released into the global environment every year as a consequence of their production, use and disposal. The fate of a chemical substance depends on physical-chemical properties, in combination with the characteristics of the environment where it is released. Among the substances that accumulate in the sea, for anthropogenic activities, metals/metalloids have a leading position. Some of these have a biological role but their bioaccumulation is injurious. Chemical pollutants can cause effects on organisms, biodiversity and human health. Various eff…