Search results for "RACE"

Sedimentary record of anthropogenic contaminants (trace metals and PAHs) and organic matter in a Mediterranean coastal area (Gulf of Palermo, Italy)

2009

Abstract The Gulf of Palermo (Italy, Mediterranean Sea) is a contaminated coastal environment with a relatively high influx of unregulated industrial and domestic effluents. Two sediment box-cores were collected at water depths of 100 and 712 m. Samples were analysed for trace metals (As, Cu, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb), total polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (ΣPAHs), organic carbon to total nitrogen (Corg/Ntot) ratios and organic carbon and nitrogen isotopic composition (δ13Corg and δ15Ntot). At the coastal site, trace metal and ΣPAH depth profiles show a clear upcore increase, indicating increasing contamination over the recent past. Concentrations of ΣPAHs, Hg, Pb, Cu, and As appear to be potentiall…

Crushing predation of the spiny star Marthasterias glacialis upon the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus

2009

Literature data report that only fish predators are able to crush sea urchin tests in Mediterranean rocky reefs. This experimental study showed that the spiny star Marthasterias glacialis is able to break Paracentrotus lividus tests and that the breaking event is more likely to occur for small-sized sea urchins than for big ones. Our results show that the role of M. glacialis in regulating P. lividus population density can be important in specific locations. They may have important implications, moreover, for the use of tethering techniques aimed at identifying predator types of sea urchins.

Stable carbon and nitrogen ratios (δ13Corg and δ15Ntot) of core sediments from the Gulf of Palermo (NW Sicily): implications for the carbon source

2010

Trace metal contamination in a Mediterranean coastal pond (Acquatina, Apulia, Italy).

2010

Influence of seabird guano on the contamination level of a Sicilian coastal area (Marinello ponds).

2010

G26/24 extracellular microvesicles contain both H1° protein and RNA

2015

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are released into the extracellular space from both tumor and normal brain cells. By releasing EVs which contain FGF2 and VEGF1-2, astrocytes and neurons, co-cultured with brain capillary endothelial cells, are for example able to induce them to form a blood-brain barrier-like monolayer. On the other hand, membrane microvesicles (MVs) shed from G26/24 oligodendro­glioma cells, when added to primary cultures of rat cortical neurons, induce neuronal damage; the damaging effects include a strong reduction of neurite outgrowth, and apoptosis in about 75% of the cells3. The same amount of shed MVs induce apoptosis in about 40% of astrocytes4. These effects are probab…

Melanoma cells release extracellular vesicle which contain H1° linker histone as well as RNA-binding proteins which bind to the H1° mRNA

2015

We previously demonstrated that G26/24 oligodendroglioma cells release EVs that contain proteins, such as FasL and TRAIL, which induce apoptosis in rat cortical neurons [1] and astrocytes [2]. We also reported that cancer cells use EVs for transferring, into the environment [3], proteins such as extracellular matrix remodelling proteases [4], and H1°, a differentiation-specific histone [5]. In particular, by releasing H1°, cells could escape differentiation cues [5]. To verify the role of EVs in releasing specific proteins and mRNAs, in this study we used as a model A375 melanoma cells. METHODS EVs were purified from cell culture media as previously reported [1, 2]. T1 RNase-protection assa…

Cancer cells can affect behaviour of neighbouring cells by transferring molecules through extracellular vesicles

2017

Most cells release into the extracellular space membrane-bound structures of different sizes, origin and composition, collectively called extracellular vesicles (EVs) [1]. Tumor cells are much more active than normal cells in producing EVs. Because of this property, they are able to transfer both nucleic acids and proteins to the surrounding normal cells, thus inducing in these latter at least some transformed behavior. We previously showed that EVs produced by G26/24 oligodendroglioma cells can horizontally transfer to their neighbours radioactive proteins [2]. In addition, EVs released by these cells contain pro-apoptotic proteins, such as TRAIL and Fas-Ligand, able to induce apoptosis in…

Melanoma cells release extracellular vesicles which contain RNA-binding proteins able to bind the mRNA encoding histone H1°

2015

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are produced by most prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells; tumour cells, however, release much higher amounts of EVs, which contain cancer-specific proteins and RNAs. Molecules carried by EVs are captured by surrounding cells, which then undergo profound phenotypic modifications. G26/24 oligodendroglioma cells release, for example, EVs containing FasL and TRAIL, which induce apoptosis in rat cortical neurons and astrocytes in culture. By metabolic labelling of cells, EV-mediated horizontal transfer of radioactive proteins was clearly demonstrated. Among the proteins present in EVs produced by oligodendroglioma cells, extracellular matrix remodelling proteases, and t…

RNA as a carrier of epigenetic information

2017

Both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells release into the extracellular matrix membrane-bound structures of different sizes, origin and composition, collectively called extracellular vesicles (EVs) [1]. Tumor cells, in particular, use EVs to transfer both nucleic acids and proteins to the surrounding normal cells, thus inducing in them transformed behaviours or killing them. G26/24 oligodendroglioma cells, for example, transfer by EVs pro-apoptotic proteins, such as TRAIL and Fas-Ligand [2], extracellular matrix remodelling proteases (such as ADAMTS) [3], and even the H1.0 histone protein [4]. Another tumour cell line, with a different tissue origin (A375 melanoma cells) releases into the medi…