AUTOPHAGY AND APOPTOSIS MODULATION BY AQUEOUS EXTRACTS FROM LEAVES AND RHIZOMES OF Posidonia oceanica ON HEPG2 HEPATOCARCINOMA CELLS

2023

Anthropic impact, bioactive molecules, sustainable development, my keyword? Biodiversity!

2023

Biodiversity is my main research focus and that of my research group. We study a range of different aspects concerning biodiversity, such as the impact anthropic activities have on biodiversity and how to improve its preservation, its use as a valuable resource for the extraction of bioactive molecules, and the study of its distribution. The research group has over twenty years of experience in the study of zoology, and, more in particular, the immune and behavioural responses of aquatic invertebrates and fish. For many years, the group has observed the effects of various anthropogenic activities, such as the acoustic and chemical impacts on the physiological and behavioral responses of inv…

Fatty Acids and Triacylglycerols Profiles from Sicilian (Cold Pressed vs. Soxhlet) Grape Seed Oils

2021

Among the Sicilian economic productive sectors, that of wine production has today a considerable economic value. However, with the growth of this sector, notable was the increase in the production of waste, which to date is not only an economic damage for companies, but also a threat to the environment. It is known that waste from wine production has properties (e.g., antioxidants) which have potential reuse at cosmetic, pharmaceutical and nutritional levels to obtain economically sustainable applications. A new goal is given by the recovery of added value compounds from agri-food wastes and by-products. Grape seed oil is a promising vegetable fat and cold pressing does not involve the use …

EFFECT OF EXTRACTS FROM LEAVES AND RHIZOMES OF THE SEAGRASS POSIDONIA OCEANICA ON HEPG2 HEPATOCARCINOMA (HCC) CELLS

2022

Ciona robusta macrophage migration inhibitory factor (Mif1 and Mif2) genes are differentially regulated in the lipopolysaccharide-challenged pharynx

2023

The effects of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on Mif (macrophage migration inhibitory factor) gene expression in the pharynx (haemapoetic tissue) of Ciona robusta were investigated using quantitative reverse-transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) and in situ hybridisation (ISH). To verify the induction of an inflammatory response in the pharynx, a qRT-PCR analysis was performed to evaluate the change in the expression of proinflammatory marker genes such as Mbl, Ptx-like, Tnf-α and Nf-kb, which were shown to be upregulated 1 h post LPS challenge. The change in the expression of the two Mif paralogs in the pharynx was assessed before and after stimulation, and qRTPCR and ISH results showed that, although Mif…

CHERAX DESTRUCTOR (CLARK, 1836) AND CHERAX QUADRICARINATUS (VON MARTENS, 1868): SAFETY AND NUTRITIONAL QUALITY- Premio "YOUNG INVESTIGATOR AWARD"

2022

Two species of freshwater Parastacidae (Cherax quadricarinatus and Cherax destructor) are used for breeding in several country and to date also in Italy in one aquaculture plant located near Catania (Sicily). Although they are Australian, they seem to have some of the peculiar properties that make it important, strategic and highly appreciated species for aquaculture facilities in Italy. In fact, they mature early, have multiple reproductive cycles in a year, females can lay over a thousand eggs in a single brood and seem to tolerate wide ranges of temperature (Haubrock et al., 2021). Several authors have studied the Cherax genus from different points of view: diseases, moulting phases and …

Bright spots in the darkness of cancer: A review of starfishes-derived compounds and their anti-tumor action

2019

The fight against cancer represents a great challenge for researchers and, for this reason, the search for new promising drugs to improve cancer treatments has become inevitable. Oceans, due to their wide diversity of marine species and environmental conditions have proven to be precious sources of potential natural drugs with active properties. As an example, in this context several studies performed on sponges, tunicates, mollusks, and soft corals have brought evidence of the interesting biological activities of the molecules derived from these species. Also, echinoderms constitute an important phylum, whose members produce a huge number of compounds with diverse biological activities. In…

AQUATIC ACOUSTIC NOISE: BEHAVIORAL AND MOLECULAR RESPONSES IN ECHINODERMS, THE CASE OF A. LIXULA (LINNAEUS, 1758) SEA URCHINS

2018

Anthropic noise is considered a real pollutant, in particular the submarine noise. The impact on biodiversity is not yet sufficiently understood. Further research is needed to evaluate any negative effects. The noises associated with anthropogenic activities are increasing: shipments, seismic surveys, sonar, recreational rowing and future mineral extraction activities from ocean depths (DSM). These noises are having an impact on the welfare of many marine species. The understanding of the effects on biodiversity could be important for the creation of guidelines, laws or rules for the most environmentally sustainable exploitation of natural resources. Our study aims to investigate the motili…

In vitro cytokine profile revealed differences from dorsal and ventral skin susceptibility to pathogen-probiotic interaction in gilthead seabream

2016

Skin is the first barrier of defense on fish, which is crucial to protection against different stressors, including pathogens. Skin samples obtained from dorsal and ventral part of Sparus aurata specimens were incubated with Photobacterium damselae subsp. piscicida (a pathogen for this fish species), with Shewanella putrefaciens Pdp11 (a probiotic bacteria isolated from healthy gilthead seabream skin) or with both bacteria. The gene expression profile of nine cytokines (il1b, tnfa, il6, il7, il8, il15, il18, il10 and tgfb) was studied by qPCR in all the skin samples. The present findings revealed different patterns of cytokine profile in dorsal and ventral skin of gilthead seabream, which c…

Chitosan Film Functionalized with Grape Seed Oil—Preliminary Evaluation of Antimicrobial Activity

2022

Although the fishing and wine industries undoubtedly contribute significantly to the economy, they also generate large waste streams with considerable repercussions on both economic and environmental levels. Scientific literature has shown products can be extracted from these streams which have properties of interest to the cosmetics, pharmaceutical and food industries. Antimicrobial activity is undoubtedly among the most interesting of these properties, and particularly useful in the production of food packaging to increase the shelf life of food products. In this study, film for food packaging was produced for the first time using chitosan extracted from the exoskeletons of red shrimp (Ar…

Biological responses to high-frequency sound in a freshwater crayfish, Cherax quadricarinatus

2023

Anthropogenic noise is recognised as an important environmental stressor that can have longterm negative consequences on species. In recent years, there has been increasing attention to the potential negative impact of noise pollution on species, with great concern for the importance of impacts on aquatic animal life. This study examined the effects of acoustic stress on the biochemical parameters of the freshwater crayfish Cherax quadricarinatus. The experiment was conducted in a tank equipped with an audio and video recording system using ten groups (five control and five test) of three adult crayfish (30 animals in total). The animals in the test group were exposed to acoustic signals [a…

EFFECTS OF ACUSTIC STRESS ON BIOCHEMICAL AND MOBILITY PARAMETERS AND BEHAVIOUR IN THE CRAYFISH, CHERAX DESTRUCTOR

2022

Effects of waterg gun on echinoderms: biochemical changes on sea urchin (Arbacia lixula) and sea cucumber (Holothuria tubulosa)

2019

Sources Airguns and Waterguns are used in seismic exploration the marine seafloor for different purposes such as oil and gas search, or geological-geodynamic reconstruction. In this technique a bubble of compressed air is produced with a consequently production of loud sound wave penetrating the ocean floor. The impact of seismic Airguns was assessed in some cetaceans (Kyhn et al. 2019), fish species and invertebrate (Carroll et al. 2017), but we need to know more. In this study we evaluate the biochemical changes in sea urchin (Arbacia lixula) and sea cucumber (Holothuria tubulosa) exposed to a 20 minutes of watergun noise (1 pulse each 10 s) at a distance of 50 m. For each species 40 indi…

FISH WASTE, NOT A PROBLEM BUT A POSSIBLE SOLUTION: CHITOSAN EXTRACTS AND NEW PACKAGING POSSIBILITIES.

2021

The fishing industry is one of the oldest industries in Europe and also one of the most important economic resources in the Mediterranean area. However, to date, in addition to creating considerable economic wealth, the various sectors (markets, restaurants, shops, etc.) also create significant levels of fish waste. If not processed or recycled adequately, these waste streams can lead to environmental degradation and severe pollution (Gao et al., 2018). Although today fish waste is considered a potential resource to generate high-added value, current practices in the fishing industry do not fully exploit its biological potential. Amongst the various possibilities for reuse, the production o…

Human Drug Pollution in the Aquatic System: The Biochemical Responses of Danio rerio Adults

2021

Simple Summary The release of medicinal products for human use in the aquatic environment is now a serious problem, and can be fatal for the organisms that live there. Danio rerio is a freshwater fish that provides the possibility to study the effects of these pollutants on the health of aquatic organisms. The results of the various existing scientific studies are scarce and conflicting. Here, we review the scientific studies that have analyzed these effects, highlighting that the impacts of drugs are evident in the biochemical responses of these animals. Abstract To date, drug pollution in aquatic systems is an urgent issue, and Danio rerio is a model organism to study the toxicological ef…

New Bioactive Peptides from the Mediterranean Seagrass Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile and Their Impact on Antimicrobial Activity and Apoptosis of Hum…

2023

The demand for new molecules to counter bacterial resistance to antibiotics and tumor cell resistance is increasingly pressing. The Mediterranean seagrass Posidonia oceanica is considered a promising source of new bioactive molecules. Polypeptide-enriched fractions of rhizomes and green leaves of the seagrass were tested against Gram-positive (e.g., Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis) and Gram-negative bacteria (e.g., Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli), as well as towards the yeast Candida albicans. The aforementioned extracts showed indicative MIC values, ranging from 1.61 μg/mL to 7.5 μg/mL, against the selected pathogens. Peptide fractions were further analyzed thr…

Effects of Sulfamethoxazole on Fertilization and Embryo Development in the Arbacia lixula Sea Urchin

2022

To date, drugs released into the aquatic environment are a real problem, and among antibiotics, sulfamethoxazole is the one most widely found in wastewater; thus, the evaluation of its toxicity on marine organisms is very important. This study, for the first time, investigates the in vitro effects of 4 concentrations of sulfamethoxazole (0.05 mg/L, 0.5 mg/L, 5 mg/L, 50 mg/L) on the fertilization and development of the sea urchin Arbacia lixula. The gametes were exposed to drugs in three different stages: simultaneously with, prior to, and post-fertilization. The results show a significant reduction in the percentage of fertilized oocytes at the highest drug concentrations. Moreover, an incr…

HPLC/HRMS and GC/MS for Triacylglycerols Characterization of Tuna Fish Oils Obtained from Green Extraction

2023

Background: Fish oil is one of the most common lipidic substances that is consumed as a dietary supplement. The high omega-3 fatty acid content in fish oil is responsible for its numerous health benefits. Fish species such as mackerel, herring, tuna, and salmon are particularly rich in these lipids, which contain two essential omega-3 fatty acids, known as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Objectives: Due to the scarcity of information in the literature, this study aimed to conduct a qualitative and quantitative characterization of triglycerides (TAGs) in crude tuna fish oil using HPLC/HRMS. Fatty acid (FA) determination was also performed using GC/MS. The tuna fis…

Polyphenol Characterization and Antioxidant Activity of Grape Seeds and Skins from Sicily: A Preliminary Study

2022

The interest in the consumption of health-promoting foods has led to identifying derivatives of the wine industry as products to increase the functional properties of different foods or to design new functional foods. The main goal of this study is to characterize and valorize byproducts and wastes of Sicilian grapes as new sources of bioactive components, from the perspective of a circular economy and a biorefinery approach. In particular, this research investigated: 1. the total phenolic content and antioxidant activities and 2. the phenolic profiles of free and bound fractions of defatted grape seeds and red grape skins from Sicily. Defatted grape seeds (DGS) and red grape skins (RGSK) a…

A Novel Peptide with Antifungal Activity from Red Swamp Crayfish Procambarus clarkii

2022

The defense system of freshwater crayfish Procambarus clarkii as a diversified source of bioactive molecules with antimicrobial properties was studied. Antimicrobial activity of two polypeptide-enriched extracts obtained from hemocytes and hemolymph of P. clarkii were assessed against Gram positive (Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis) and Gram negative (Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli) bacteria and toward the yeast Candida albicans. The two peptide fractions showed interesting MIC values (ranging from 11 to 700 μg/mL) against all tested pathogens. Polypeptide-enriched extracts were further investigated using a high-resolution mass spectrometry and database search and 14 n…

Antitumoral compounds from vertebrate sister group: A review of Mediterranean ascidians

2020

Among the diseases that afflict the human population, cancer is one for which many drug treatments are not yet known or effective. Moreover, the pharmacological treatments used often create serious side effects in sick patients and for this reason, it is essential to find effective and less harmful treatments. To date, marine biodiversity is a real source of metabolites with antitumoral activity and among invertebrates' ascidians have been the main source to obtain them. Mediterranean area is the richest in biodiversity and contains several ascidian species used in drugs development during the years. However, many more Mediterranean ascidian species have not been studied and could be a sour…

ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY FROM POLYPEPTIDE-RICH EXTRACTS OF THE SEAGRASS POSIDONIA OCEANICA

2021

The present study was carried out to assess the antibacterial, antifungal and antibiofilm properties of polypeptide-rich extracts isolated from green leaves and rhizomes of Mediterranean seagrass Posidonia oceanica (L. Delile) (Posidoniaceae). The seagrass was collected, washed with freshwater, grinded with liquid nitrogen in order to obtain fine powders that were exposed to extraction by acetic acid and antiproteases. The crude extracts isolated from leaves and rhizomes of P. oceanica were subjected to microbiological assays to evaluate the antibacterial, antifungal and antibiofilm activity of polypeptide fraction against two reference bacterial strains Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923 and…

The effect of low frequency noise on the behaviour of juvenile Sparus aurata.

2020

[EN] Anthropogenic activities are causing increased noise levels in the marine environment. To date, few studies have been undertaken to investigate the effects of different noise frequencies on the behaviour of juvenile fish. In this study, the behavioural changes of juvenile gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata) are evaluated when exposed to white noise filtered in third-octave bands centred at 63, 125, 500, and 1000 Hz (sound pressure level, 140-150 dB re 1 mu& x3a1;a) for 7 h. The group dispersion, motility, and swimming height of the fish were analysed before and during the acoustic emission. Dispersion of the fish was found to reduce immediately upon application of low frequency sound (63…

Underwater high frequency noise: Biological responses in sea urchin Arbacia lixula (Linnaeus, 1758)

2020

Marine life is extremely sensitive to the effects of environmental noise due to its reliance on underwater sounds for basic life functions, such as searching for food and mating. However, the effects on invertebrate species are not yet fully understood. The aim of this study was to determine the biochemical responses of Arbacia lixula exposed to high-frequency noise. Protein concentration, enzyme activity (esterase, phosphatase and peroxidase) and cytotoxicity in coelomic fluid were compared in individuals exposed for three hours to consecutive linear sweeps of 100 to 200 kHz lasting 1 s, and control specimens. Sound pressure levels ranged between 145 and 160 dB re 1μPa. Coelomic fluid was …

Temperature increases, hypoxia, and changes in food availability affect immunological biomarkers in the marine mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis

2017

Temperature increases, hypoxia, and changes in food availability are predicted to occur in the future. There is growing concern for the health status of wild and farmed organisms, since environmental stressors alter organism functions, and elicit coordinated physiological responses for homeostasis. Mussels are good bioindicators of environmental conditions. Their ability to maintain unaltered immunosurveillance under adverse environmental conditions may enhance their survival capability. Few studies are currently concerned with the relationships and feedback among multiple stressors. Here, food concentration, temperature, and oxygenation treatments were evaluated for their effects on immune…

Humoral responses during wound healing in Holothuria tubulosa (Gmelin, 1788)

2021

Abstract Wounds in living organisms trigger tissue-repair mechanisms. The sea cucumber (Holoturia tubulosa) is an excellent model species for achieving a better understanding of the humoral and cellular aspects involved in such healing processes. Consequently, this study assesses data on its morphometric, physiological and humoral responses 1, 2, 6, 24 and 48h after wound induction. In particular, morphometric data on the weight, width, length and coelomic-fluid volume of the species were estimated at different times during our experiments. In addition, the humoral aspects related to the enzymatic activity of esterase, alkaline phosphatase and peroxidase, as well as the cytotoxic activity o…

Integration of pomace and grape seeds in feed of broiler chickens: effect on the chemical characteristics of the meat

2023

Recently, consumer demand for healthier, safer, good quality food products has increased. The use of grape pomace and grape seeds, natural antioxidants rich in polyphenols and known for their ability to prevent lipid oxidation, has attracted significant interest and could become an important alternative as a partial substitute for vitamin E which is the most commonly used antioxidant in animal diets. In this context, the valorization and reuse of wine industry wastes could be a way to reduce costs for companies and damage to the environment [1]. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of adding different percentages of pomace and grape seeds to the diet of broiler chickens. T…

CHEMICAL CHARACTERIZATION AND BIOLOGICAL PROPERTIES OF MACROALGAE EXTRACTS

2023

Marine species are a rich source of bioactive molecules and among them, it is known that marine algae produce different secondary metabolites for which different biological activities such as: immunomodulatory (Raposo et al., 2016), antioxidant (Fisch et al., 2003) and antimicrobial (Pinteus et al., 2015) were demostrated. The aim of this study was chemical charac- terize the extracts of three macroalgae species: Carpodesmia crinite (Duby, Orellana & Sansón, 2019), Carpodesmia brachy- carpa (J. Agardh, Orellana & Sansón 2019, WoRMS, 2023), Ericaria brachycarpa (J. Agardh, Molinari & Guiry, 2020), Asparagopsis taxiformis (Delile) Trevisan 1845) to evaluate also their biological a…

Biological and Proteomic Characterization of the Anti-Cancer Potency of Aqueous Extracts from Cell-Free Coelomic Fluid of Arbacia lixula Sea Urchin i…

2022

Echinoderms are an acknowledged source of bioactive compounds exerting various beneficial effects on human health. Here, we examined the potential in vitro anti-hepatocarcinoma effects of aqueous extracts of the cell-free coelomic fluid obtained from the sea urchin Arbacia lixula using the HepG2 cell line as a model system. This was accomplished by employing a combination of colorimetric, microscopic and flow cytometric assays to determine cell viability, cell cycle distribution, the possible onset of apoptosis, the accumulation rate of acidic vesicular organelles, mitochondrial polarization, cell redox state and cell locomotory ability. The obtained data show that exposed HepG2 cells under…

Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors from Marine Invertebrates

2020

Simple Summary Histone deacetylases (HDACs) are enzymes that control gene expression and are involved in the onset of serious human pathologies, including cancer; hence, their inhibitors (HDACis) have received increased attention in recent years. It is known that marine invertebrates produce significant amounts of molecules showing active pharmacological properties and an extensive spectrum of biomedical applications. This review is focused on the description of the molecular, biochemical, and, where available, physiological aspects of marine invertebrate-derived compounds that possess HDACi properties, taking into consideration their possible utilization as treatment agents against differe…

The potential of antimicrobial peptides isolated from freshwater crayfish species in new drug development: A review

2021

Abstract The much-publicised increased resistance of pathogenic bacteria to conventional antibiotics has focused research effort on the characterization of new antimicrobial drugs. In this context, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) extracted from animals are considered a promising alternative to conventional antibiotics. In recent years, freshwater crayfish species have emerged as an important source of bioactive compounds. In fact, these invertebrates rely on an innate immune system based on cellular responses and on the production of important effectors in the haemolymph, such as AMPs, which are produced and stored in granules in haemocytes and released after stimulation. These effectors are …

EFFECT OF SUBMARINE ACOUSTIC NOISE IN JUVENILE SEA BREAM (SPARUS AURATA) AND MUSSELS (MYTILUS GALLOPROVINCIALIS)

2018

The earth’ resources are running out, the population will increase and further sources will be needed. These, were found in the deep ocean. To date the mining activities (Deep Sea Mining, DSM) they have not started. One impact of DSM could be underwater noise. Considering the noise frequencies of anthropic activities in the ocean, and the European directive on underwater noise control, we stressed the animals with four acoustic 1/3 band noises around: 63 Hz, 125 Hz, 500 Hz, 1kHz. We study the effects on Sparus aurata juveniles, and on Mytilus galloprovincialis. We will analyse behavioural., molecular and biochemical responses Los recursos de la tierra se están agotando, la población aumenta…

Salmo salar fish waste oil: Fatty acids composition and antibacterial activity

2020

Background and aims Fish by-products are generally used to produce fishmeal or fertilizers, with fish oil as a by-product. Despite their importance, fish wastes are still poorly explored and characterized and more studies are needed to reveal their potentiality. The goal of the present study was to qualitatively characterize and investigate the antimicrobial effects of the fish oil extracted from Salmo salar waste samples and to evaluate the potential use of these compounds for treating pathogen infections. Methods Salmo salar waste samples were divided in two groups: heads and soft tissues. Fatty acids composition, and in particular the content in saturated (SAFAs), mono-unsaturated (MUFA…

ANTIMICROBIAL AND ANTIBIOFILM ACTIVITY OF A PEPTIDE IDENTIFIED IN THE SEAGRASS POSIDONIA OCEANICA

2022

In Vitro Cytotoxic Effect of Aqueous Extracts from Leaves and Rhizomes of the Seagrass Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile on HepG2 Liver Cancer Cells: Fo…

2023

Aqueous extracts from Posidonia oceanica’s green and brown (beached) leaves and rhizomes were prepared, submitted to phenolic compound and proteomic analysis, and examined for their potential cytotoxic effect on HepG2 liver cancer cells in culture. The chosen endpoints related to survival and death were cell viability and locomotory behavior, cell-cycle analysis, apoptosis and autophagy, mitochondrial membrane polarization, and cell redox state. Here, we show that 24 h exposure to both green-leaf- and rhizome-derived extracts decreased tumor cell number in a dose–response manner, with a mean half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) estimated at 83 and 11.5 μg of dry extract/mL, respecti…

Anthropogenic noise: the behavioural responses of Sparus aurata juveniles as the basis for a numerical model.

2019

Underwater noise is mainly produced by anthropogenic activities and has increased in recent years. The Marine Strategy Framework Directive aims to monitor “continuous low frequency sound” trends in ambient noise in particular at 1/3rd octave bands centered at 63 and 125 Hz. The aim of this work is to evaluate the possibility of using the results of Sparus aurata juvenile’s behavior for parameterizing a numerical model of the fish behavior. The fishes were stressed with white noise filtered with a band pass filter at 1/3 octave band centered respectively at 63 Hz, 125 Hz, 500 Hz, and 1 kHz (SPL: 140-150 dB re 1µPa). We performed three test replicas for the control (without any sound emission…

Cytotoxic capability and the associated proteomic profile of cell-free coelomic fluid extracts from the edible sea cucumber Holothuria tubulosa on He…

2022

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is an aggressive cancer histotype and one of the most common types of cancer worldwide. The identification of compounds that might intervene to restrain neoplastic cell growth appears imperative due to its elevated overall mortality. The marine environment represents a reservoir rich in bioactive compounds in terms of primary and secondary metabolites produced by aquatic animals, mainly invertebrates. In the present study, we determined whether the water-soluble cell-free extract of the coelomic fluid (CFE) of the edible sea cucumber Holothuria tubulosa could play an anti-HCC role in vitro by analyzing the viability and locomotory behavior, cell cycle distribu…

Collective Locomotion of Human Cells, Wound Healing and Their Control by Extracts and Isolated Compounds from Marine Invertebrates

2020

The collective migration of cells is a complex integrated process that represents a common theme joining morphogenesis, tissue regeneration, and tumor biology. It is known that a remarkable amount of secondary metabolites produced by aquatic invertebrates displays active pharmacological properties against a variety of diseases. The aim of this review is to pick up selected studies that report the extraction and identification of crude extracts or isolated compounds that exert a modulatory effect on collective cell locomotion and/or skin tissue reconstitution and recapitulate the molecular, biochemical, and/or physiological aspects, where available, which are associated to the substances und…

Transcriptomic Analyses Reveal 2 and 4 Family Members of Cytochromes P450 (CYP) Involved in LPS Inflammatory Response in Pharynx of Ciona robusta

2021

Cytochromes P450 (CYP) are enzymes responsible for the biotransformation of most endogenous and exogenous agents. The expression of each CYP is influenced by a unique combination of mechanisms and factors including genetic polymorphisms, induction by xenobiotics, and regulation by cytokines and hormones. In recent years, Ciona robusta, one of the closest living relatives of vertebrates, has become a model in various fields of biology, in particular for studying inflammatory response. Using an in vivo LPS exposure strategy, next-generation sequencing (NGS) and qRT-PCR combined with bioinformatics and in silico analyses, compared whole pharynx transcripts from naïve and LPS-exposed C. robusta…

Haemolymphatic Parameters in Two Aquaculture Crustacean Species Cherax destructor (Clark, 1836) and Cherax quadricarinatus (Von Martens, 1868)

2022

In the last few years, there has been a notable development in the breeding of freshwater shrimp (astaciculture), which involved various species and in particular, the two Australian Parastacidae species, Cherax destructor and Cherax quadricarinatus. Information about the haemolymphatic parameters of these two species is fragmentary, and filling these gaps becomes important given their importance in aquaculture. Cellular and biochemical parameters were analyzed in both species to create a reference baseline for these parameters to identify the state of welfare or suffering of these animals. The results showed that the total haemocyte count, haemocyte subpopulations, enzymatic activities and…

Haemolymphatic parameters in two aquaculture crustacean species Cherax destructor (Clark, 1836) and Cherax quadricarinatus (von Martens, 1868)

2021

The growing demand for animal proteins of aquatic origin such as fish, molluscs and crustaceans have prompted some European and Italian companies to focus their attention on some species of freshwater crustaceans such as Cherax destructor and Cherax quadricarinatus. They are among the largest freshwater decapods, matures early, females can lay over a thousand eggs in a single brood and has a broad environmental tolerance. All these characteristics make it highly appreciated species for aquaculture and few years ago their breeding has spread to Europe and recently also in Italy (Sicily). Although some commercial yabby farms have been studied these species from different points of view (dieta…

Allograft Inflammatory Factor AIF-1: early immune response in the Mediterranean sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus

2020

Echinoderms are a phylum of deuterostomic invertebrates that play a key role in maintaining the biodiversity of marine ecosystems. They represent a good study model for immunity because their coelomic fluid contains different types of cells involved in the inflammatory response: the coelomocytes. In the case of the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus, the coelomocyte population is mainly represented by amoebocytes and uncoloured spherulocytes that implement a defence program through phagocytosis, encapsulation, cytotoxicity, and production of antimicrobial agents. The purpose of this study was to find evidence of a possible modulating effect of lipopolysaccharide LPS on the expression of the A…

The use of an integrative approach to identify coelomocytes in three species of the genus Holothuria (Echinodermata)

2021

Coelomocytes in the Holothuroidea are traditionally identified according to their morphology through light, fluorescence, or electron microscopy. Former studies have typically used only one method, with few works combining two or more approaches. Studies using cytocentrifugation to study these cells are scarcer. Thus, for the first time, an integrative approach was used to compare coelomocytes in Holothuroidea. This approach consisted of living and stained cells, scanning electron microscopy (for spherule cells), and accurate morphometric analyses. Specifically, we used specimens of Holothuria grisea, Holothuria arenicola, and Holothuria tubulosa to test whether cytocentrifugation could be …

Effects of acoustic stimulation on biochemical parameters in the digestive gland of Mediterranean mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis (Lamarck, 1819)

2020

Underwater sounds generated by anthropogenic activity can cause behavior changes, temporary loss of hearing, damage to parts of the body, or death in a number of marine organisms and can also affect healing and survival. In this study, the authors examined the effects of high-frequency acoustic stimulations on a number of biochemical parameters in the Mediterranean mussel, Mytilus galloprovincialis. During the experiment, animals were placed in a test tank and exposed to acoustic signals [a linear sweep ranging from 100 to 200 kHz and lasting 1 s, with a sound pressure level range of between 145 and 160 dBrms (re 1μParms)] for 3 h. Total haemocyte count was assessed and glucose levels, cyto…

AQUEOUS EXTRACTS FROM LEAVES AND RHIZOMES OF THE MARINE SEAGRASS POSIDONIA OCEANICA EXHIBIT ANTI-LIVER CANCER ABILITY IN VITRO

2022

BROILER CHICKENS AND THEIR HEALTH STATUS IN FARM: WINE WASTE, AN ADDED VALUE ON FEEDING

2023

Various key economic sectors of the National and Sicilian economy, in addition to contributing to the economic growth also cause a considerable production of waste which today are a problem both for companies then for the environment. For this reason, there is considerable interest in this waste and in the possibility of their reuse to extract bioactive molecules with added value, all in accordance with the objectives of the Blue Economy. In this regard, it has already been demonstrated that from the production waste of various economic sectors it is possible to obtain bioactive molecules with anticancer, antimicrobial, cosmetic, antioxidant and nutraceutical properties (Mauro et al., 2022)…

Transcriptomic and Bioinformatic Analyses Identifying a Central Mif-Cop9-Nf-kB Signaling Network in Innate Immunity Response of Ciona robusta

2023

The Ascidian C. robusta is a powerful model for studying innate immunity. LPS induction activates inflammatory-like reactions in the pharynx and the expression of several innate immune genes in granulocyte hemocytes such as cytokines, for instance, macrophage migration inhibitory factors (CrMifs). This leads to intracellular signaling involving the Nf-kB signaling cascade that triggers downstream pro-inflammatory gene expression. In mammals, the COP9 (Constitutive photomorphogenesis 9) signalosome (CSN) complex also results in the activation of the NF-kB pathway. It is a highly conserved complex in vertebrates, mainly engaged in proteasome degradation which is essential for maintaining proc…

Mining extraction in the ocean depths: a baseline to understand and reduce acoustic impact on biodiversity.

2020

[ES] A lo largo de la historia, el hombre ha explotado los recursos minerales de la tierra para su supervivencia y desarrollo tecnológico sin un equilibrio con su regeneración. Dado el crecimiento de la población mundial y la reducción de recursos, el hombre comenzó a buscar nuevos depósitos que se encontraron en la década de 1960 en las profundidades de los océanos. Con estos, la humanidad empezò a pensar en extraer los minerales de estos depósitos y esto llevò al nacimiento de Deep Sea Mining (DSM). Las consecuencias de las actividades mineras en las profundidades del mar no se conocen realmente y los efectos pueden ser diferentes: contaminación acústica, contaminación lumínica, contamina…

Low frequencies noise effects on behaviour of Sparus aurata juveniles

2019

Human activities in the oceans, such as marine traffic and Deep Sea Mining (DSM), are increasing in the last years (Ross 2005; Calvo et al 2016). Underwater noise in the oceans, especially at lower frequencies, is mainly produced by marine traffic and DSM could increase this noise in the next future. Marine Strategy Framework Directive promotes the achievement of a good quality environmental status and aims to monitor “continuous low frequency sound” trend in the ambient noise level within the 1/3 octave bands centred at 63 and 125 Hz. The aim of this study is to evaluate the behavioural changes of Sparus aurata juveniles exposed to a four different acoustic signals in a tank. The emitted s…