102 research outputs found
Cell cooperation in coelomocyte cytotoxic activity of Paracentrotus lividus coelomocytes
The coelomic fluid from the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus contains several coelomocyte types including amoebocytes and uncoloured
spherulocytes involved in immune defences. In the present paper, we show a Ca2+-dependent cytotoxic activity for the unfractionated
coelomocytes assayed in vitro, with rabbit erythrocytes and the K562 tumour cell line. In a plaque-forming assay, whole coelomocyte preparations
as well as density gradient separated coelomocyte populations revealed that cell populations enriched in uncoloured spherulocytes, exerted high
cytotoxic activity by releasing lysins in the presence of amoebocytes. This cooperative effect could be dependent on soluble factors released by
amoebocytes. With regard to this, we show that an enhanced cytotoxic activity was found by adding the supernatant from sonicated amoebocytes
or hemocyte culture medium into spherulocyte preparations
Gender differences in the immune system activities of sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus
In the immune system of vertebrates, gender-specific differences in individual immune competence are well known. In general, females possess more powerful immune response than males. In invertebrates, the situation is much less clear. For this purpose we have chosen to study the immune response of the two sexes of the echinoderm Paracentrotus lividus in pre- and post-spawning phases. The coelomic fluid from the echinoderms contains several coelomocyte types and molecules involved in innate immune defenses. In this article we report that the degree of immune responses in the P. lividus differs according to sex in both pre- and post-spawning phases. We found in all tests that females were more active than males. The results indicate that females possess a significant higher number of immunocytes consisting of phagocytes and uncolored spherulocytes. Since the immunological activity is mainly based on immunocytes, it was not surprising that females possessed the highest values of cytotoxicity and hemolysis activity and showed a greater ability to uptake neutral red and phagocyte yeasts cells, while the average number of ingested particles per active phagocyte was not significantly different. Furthermore, agglutinating activity was more evident in the coelomocyte lysate and coelomic fluid of females than in those of males. Finally we found that the acidic extract of female gonads possessed greater antimicrobial activity than that of male gonads. These results make it very likely that gender differences in the immune response are not restricted to vertebrates; rather, they are a general evolutionary phenomenon
Enhanced expression of a cloned and sequenced Ciona intestinalis TNFa-like (CiTNFa) gene during the LPS-induced inflammatory response.
A tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFα)-like gene
from Ciona intestinalis (CiTNFα-like) body wall challengedprepared in the presence of detergents. Both soluble and
hemocyte-bound CiTNFα-like protein therefore appeared
to be modulated by the LPS challenge
with bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was cloned
and sequenced 4 h after LPS inoculation. An open reading
frame of 936 bp encoding a propeptide of 312 amino acids
(35.4 kDa) displaying a transmembrane domain from
positions 7 to 29, a TACE cleavage site, and a mature
peptide domain of 185 amino acids (20.9 kDa), was
determined with a predicted isoelectric point of 9.4. The
phylogenetic tree based on deduced amino acid sequences
of invertebrate TNF-like protein and vertebrate TNFs
supported the divergence between the ascidian and vertebrate
TNF families, whereas D. melanogaster Eiger A and
B TNF-like sequences were distinctly separated from the
chordate TNFs. Thus, the ascidian TNFα-like cytokine was
upregulated by in vivo LPS challenge supporting its proinflammatory
role. In the pharynx, increased expression
levels were found following analysis by real-time polymerase
chain reaction, whereas in situ hybridization assay
showed positive hemocytes both in the tissue and in
circulating hemocytes. Finally, Western blot with monoclonal
antibodies disclosed human TNFα epitopes in a 15-kDa
protein component of the hemolymph serum and in a 43-
kDa protein contained in the hemocyte lysate supernatan
Inducible lectins with galectin properties and human IL1 alpha epitopes opsonize yeast during the inflammatory response of the ascidian Ciona intestinalis
Hemocytes from the ascidian Ciona intestinalis exert in vitro Ca2+-dependent cytotoxic activity
toward mammalian erythrocytes and K562 cells. To examine the lytic mechanism, hemocyte
populations were separated (B1-B6 bands) through a Percoll discontinuous density gradient, the
hemocyte cytotoxic activity (HCA) and the lytic activity of the hemocyte lysate supernatant (HLS)
were assayed. In addition the separated hemocytes were cultured and the cell free medium (CFM)
assayed after 3h culture. Results support that unilocular refractile hemocytes (URGs), enriched in
B5, are cytotoxic. The B5-HLS contains lysins and the activity of B5-CFM shows that lysisns can
be released into a culture medium. The B5 activity was blocked by D-Galactose, α-Lactose,
Lactulose, LacNAc, thiodigalactoside (TDG), L-Fucose, D-Mannose, D-Glucose, sphingomyelin
(SM), and soluble phospholipase A2 (sPLA2) inhibitors (dibucain, quinacrine). Accordingly, HLS
chemico-physical properties (alkaline medium, high termostability, Ca2+-dependence, trypsin
treatment, protease inhibitors) and SEM observations of the affected targets suggested that sPLA2
could be responsible for changes and large alterations of the target cell membrane. An apoptotic
activity, as recorded by a caspase 3, 7 assay, was found by treating K562 cells with very diluted
HLS. A lytic mechanism involving sPLA2 and lectins promptly released by URGs and morula cells
respectively is suggested, whereas target cell membrane SM could be a modulator of the enzyme
activity
Rapporto finale sull'impatto del sistema ISWEC nell'area marina interessata (isola di Pantelleria) dal punto di vista idrologico, dei nutrienti e metalli pesanti.
Il presente report tecnico riporta i risultati di un monitoraggio dei parametri fisici e biogeochimici della colonna d'acqua finalizzati a valutare l'eventuale impatto ambientale del sistema ISWEC (Inertial Sea Wave Energy Converter). Il sistema è un convertitore di tipo galleggiante che utilizza l'inclinazione del fianco dell'onda per produrre energia elettrica ubicato all’interno della zona ZPS (Zona a Protezione Speciale) in prossimità dell’isola di Pantelleria (Stretto di Sicilia). I risultati ottenuti hanno evidenziato una variabilità ipotizzabile interna al sistema marino sia per quanto riguarda le principali caratteristiche chimico-fisiche delle acque che per quanto riguarda la componente biogeochimica intesa come nutrienti disciolti e metalli sia disciolti che in fase particolato
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DNA Barcoding as a tool for Zoological Taxonomy: Identification of bony fish in the Mediterranean Sea
The description of all the species present in nature is a vast task to be fulfilled by using the
classical approach of morphological description of the organisms. In recent years, the
traditional taxonomy, based primarily on identification keys of species, has shown a number
of limitations in the use of the distinctive features in many animal taxa and inconsistencies
with the genetic data. Furthermore, the increasing need to get a true estimate of biodiversity
has led Zoological Taxonomy to seek new approaches and methodologies to support the
traditional methods. The classification procedure has added modern criteriasuch as the
evolutionary relationships and the genetic, biochemical and morphological characteristics of
the organisms.Until now the Linnean binomial was the only abbreviated code associated with
the description of the morphology of a species. The new technologies aim to achieve a short
nucleotide sequence of the DNA to be used as an unique and solely label for a particular
species, a specific genetic barcode. For both morphological and genetic approaches, skills and
experience are required.
Taxonomy is one of zoological disciplines that has been benefited from the achievements
reached by modern molecular biotechnology. Using a molecular approach it is possible to
identify cryptic species, to establish a family relationship between species and their
membership of taxonomic categories or to reconstruct the evolutionary history of a taxon
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