0000000000321758
AUTHOR
Maria A. Ragusa
Molecular analyses on HPV infections in semen
Introduction: Human Papillomaviruses (HPVs) are non-enveloped double stranded DNA viruses classified in different genera and several different genotypes. Depending on the genotypes, HPV infections can be asymptomatic or can cause from warts to malignant tumours. Some genotypes, such as HPV18 and HPV16, are considered high risk (HR) HPVs and they are the major cause of cervical cancer. HPV is highly tissue-tropic and infects epithelial cells, but it can also binds other cell types. It is known that HPV can be found in semen but its effects on spermatozoa and male reproductive system are not completely clarified. Materials and Methods: In order to study the HPV infection in semen, we develope…
Different mRNA localization patterns for metallothioneins (MTs) during embryo development
MTs play pivotal roles in physiological and redox homeostasis. They are also essential during embryo development of P. lividus sea urchin. At least five MT genes are expressed in P. lividus embryo. MT7 and MT8 are constitutively expressed; while, MT4, 5, and 6 are considered as metal-induced homologues. Whole mount in situ hybridization (WMISH) defined the MT mRNAs localization across the embryo territories of the sea urchin. At the gastrula stage, MT7 is localized principally in the endomesoderm, in the vegetal pole. Progressively, it becomes heavily expressed in the endoderm during archenteron specialization in midgut and hindgut and then in stomach and intestine at the pluteus stage. In …
p38 MAPK activation is required for Paracentrotus lividus skeletogenesis
We investigated the p38 MAPK role during sea urchin, Paracentrotus lividus, development. We found that at the morula stage, before the onset of skeletogenesis, p38 MAPK shows a peak of activity, and we tested whether p38 MAPK activity has any effect on skeletogenesis. By immunohistochemistry on whole-mount embryos we show the preferential localization of the active p38 form both in the presumptive PMCs and bilateral spiculo- genesis centers in control embryos, and in the radialized supernumerary spiculogenesis centers induced by NiCl2 treatment. By using SB203580, a p38 MAPK specific inhibitor, we show that p38 activity is required both for the initial triradiate spicule rudiments formation…