Contributo al femminile all’educazione tecnica e scientifica per le materie STEM. Fare rete tra scienziate/i, enti, università, associazioni, media e portatori d’interesse

Questo “contributo al femminile” è stato realizzato da un gruppo di perso- ne che ambisce a contribuire al miglioramento dell’educazione scolastica; è destinato a donne, uomini, ragazze, ragazzi, bambine e bambini per mettere in luce potenzialità, diseguaglianze, specificità di vita e professionali e favorire la parità di genere soprattutto negli ambiti tecnico-scientifici, in particolar modo nelle discipline STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics)

Modifications of nuclear architecture and chromatin organization in ataxia telangiectasia cells are coupled to changes of gene transcription

Ataxia telangiectasia (AT) is a rare genetic disorder caused by mutations of ATM gene. ATM kinase is a "master controller" of DNA-damage response and signal transducer of external stimuli. The complex role of ATM may explain the pleiotropic phenotype characteristic of AT syndrome, only partially. In our hypothesis, the multi-faceted phenotype of AT patients might depend on specific chromatin reorganization, which then reflects on the cellular transcription. We analyzed three lymphoblastoid cell-lines isolated from AT patients and one healthy control. The three-dimensional reconstruction disclosed marked changes of nuclear morphology and architecture in AT cells. When chromatin condensation was analyzed by differential scanning calorimetry, a remodeling was observed at the level of fiber folding and nucleosome conformation. Despite the structural differences, chromatin did not exhibit modifications of the average acetylation status in comparison to the control. Moreover, AT cells presented significant alterations in the transcription of genes involved in cell-cycle regulation and stress response. In AT3RM cells, the average chromatin decondensation went with the upregulation of c-fos, c-jun, and c-myc and downregulation of metallothioneins, p21 and p53. AT9RM and AT44RM cells were instead characterized by an increased chromatin condensation and presented a different transcription unbalance. Whereas in AT44RM all the considered genes were downregulated, in AT3RM the three oncogenes and metallothioneins were upregulated, but p53 and p21 were downregulated

A mouse monoclonal antibody detecting the allospecificity HLA-A3

Balb/c mice were immunized with a human B-lymphoblastoid cell line typed HLA-A3, B7. The splenocytes of the immunized mice were fused with a murine myeloma. Supernatants of the cultures were screened against the immunizing cell line in fluorochromasia. Positive cultures were expanded and cloned. One of the clones, X 15.4, was expanded and brought to ascites in Balb/c mice. Monoclonality of the antibody X 15.4, which belongs to the class IgM and immunoprecipites a molecule of 44000 daltons, was demonstrated by isoelectric focusing. By complement dependent citotoxicity the ascites only reacted with the lymphocytes of all HLA-A3 individuals from a panel of 146 donors, showing no crossreactions. X 15.4 appears to be one of the very rare xenomonoclonal antibodies suitable for HLA typing