Photosynthetic antenna size in higher plants is controlled by the plastoquinone redox state at the post-transcriptional rather than transcriptional level.

We analyze the effect of the plastoquinone redox state on the regulation of the light-harvesting antenna size at transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels. This was approached by studying transcription and accumulation of light-harvesting complexes in wild type versus the barley mutant viridis zb63, which is depleted in photosystem I and where plastoquinone is constitutively reduced. We show that the mRNA level of genes encoding antenna proteins is almost unaffected in the mutant; this stability of messenger level is not a peculiarity of antenna-encoding genes, but it extends to all photosynthesis-related genes. In contrast, analysis of protein accumulation by two-dimensional PAGE shows that the mutant undergoes strong reduction of its antenna size, with individual gene products having different levels of accumulation. We conclude that the plastoquinone redox state plays an important role in the long term regulation of chloroplast protein expression. However, its modulation is active at the post-transcriptional rather than transcriptional level

Antihypertensive Treatment in the Elderly and Very Elderly: Always “the Lower, the Better?”

Arterial hypertension (HT) is age dependent and, with the prolongation of life expectancy, affects more and more elderly people. In the elderly, HT is a risk factor for organ damage and cardiovascular (CV) events. Both pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic reduction of blood pressure (BP) is associated with a corresponding decrease in systolic-diastolic or isolated systolic HT. Clinical trials have shown that BP lowering is associated with a decrease in stroke and other CV events. Therefore, BP reduction per se appears more important than a particular class of antihypertensive drugs. The benefit of antihypertensive treatment has been confirmed up to the age of 80 years, remaining unclear in the octogenarians. The benefit in lowering diastolic BP between 80 and 90 mmHg is well established, while that of lowering systolic BP below 140 mmHg requires further confirmations

Biological activities of the aerial and undergound parts of Gymnadenia nigra Rchb.f. (syn. Nigritella nigra (L.) Rchb. f.) from the Italian Alps

: This study investigated the bioactivity of both aerial (GNAR) and underground (GNUG) parts of Gymnadenia nigra Rchb.f. (syn. Nigritella nigra (L.) Rchb. f.) (Orchidaceae). The obtained data proved interesting when the samples were tested in two adrenocortical cancer cell lines (SW13 and H295R). In particular, the GNAR 80% methanol extract distinctly inhibited their viability after 24 h at a concentration of 1 µg/µL by MTT assay and trypan blue dye exclusion method. Cell morphology evaluation by means Wright's staining also showed significant results, particularly in SW13 cells under the effect of both extracts. GNAR extract was able to scavenge the DPPH radical better than GNUG extract. It also was more active in albumin denaturation (a maximum % denaturation equal to 463.0 ± 8.3 vs 77.3 ± 13.3) and protease inhibition (a maximum % inhibition equal to 138.5 ± 7.0 vs 2.1 ± 2.0) tests. The results highlighted an important antitumor activity of G. nigra in vitro that deserves to be further studied

Digestive and gastroprotective effects of Achillea erba-rotta subsp. moschata (Wulfen) I.Richardson (syn. A. moschata Wulfen) (Asteraceae): From traditional uses to preclinical studies

Ethnopharmacological relevance: Achillea erba-rotta subsp. moschata (Wulfen) I.Richardson (syn. A. moschata Wulfen) (Asteraceae) is an alpine endemic plant whose aerial parts are harvested by the locals mainly for the digestive properties. Despite its widespread use, few studies have been conducted to date to verify its bioactivity. Aim of the study: The purpose of the work was to meet the tradition confirming with experimental data the popular belief that the consumption of this species offers beneficial effects to the gastrointestinal system. Materials and methods: Using Soxhlet apparatus, the dried aerial parts of A. erba-rotta subsp. moschata were successively extracted with petroleum ether (PET), dichloromethane (DCM) and methanol (MeOH). The essential oil (EO) was obtained by hydrodistillation using a Clevenger apparatus while infusion (AE) was prepared following the traditional local recipe. Their chemical characterization was performed by various techniques including SPME-GC/MS, GC/MS and HPLC/MS-MS. An in vitro biological screening was carried out. The influence of AE on lipid digestion was monitored by titration of free fatty acids (FFA) during pancreatic lipase activity with the pH-stat method. For all extracts and EO, the anti-Helicobacter pylori activity was assessed by the broth microdilution method, the influence on cell viability was evaluated against NCI–N87, OE21 and Caco-2 cell lines and a preliminary toxicity evaluation was done using Brine Shrimp lethality (BSL) assay. The anti-inflammatory potential was evidenced by interleukin IL-1- induced IL8 expression on Caco-2 cells. Results: AE increased by 15% the FFA releasing compared to the pancreatic lipase alone. PET, DCM and MeOH extracts as well as AE and EO were considered active against the growth of both antimicrobial susceptible and resistant strains of H. pylori with MIC values starting from 16 μg/mL. PET and DCM (IC50 = 89 μg/mL and 96 μg/mL, respectively, against Caco-2 cell line) extracts showed the high effect on cell viability while the EO reduced in 50% of cell viability at 1.48 μL/mL (NCI–N87 cells), 1.42 μL/mL (OE21 cells), and 3.44 μL/mL (Caco-2 cells) corroborating the BSL results. In different degrees, all extracts and EO inhibited the IL-1β-stimulated IL-8 production in Caco-2 cells

Molecular and biochemical biomarkers in environmental monitoring: a study with a benthic fish living in the Venice Lagoon

Introduction. The Venice Lagoon (VEL) is a coastal ecosystem known to be heavily contaminated (Locatello, 2009). In the present study, the effects of persistent organic pollutants on the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) and cytochrome P450 1A (CYP1A) expression and catalytic activity (ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase, EROD) were measured in situ by using Zosterisessor ophiocephalus, a benthic species living in the VEL and showing a resident behaviour. Materials and Methods. Fishes were sampled during spring and autumn seasons from three VEL areas (Porto Marghera, Val di Brenta and Porto Canale) with a high, intermediate or low level of contamination, respectively. A total of 189 pools, each one consisting of the liver of three animals, were prepared. Total RNA was extracted and liver microsomes obtained by using common procedures. Species-specific AhR, CYP1A and \u3b2-actin (reference gene) coding sequences were identified and sequenced. Aryl hydrocarbon receptor and CYP1A mRNA levels as well as CYP1A apoprotein and EROD were measured by using a quantitative Real Time RT-PCR approach, immunoblotting and a HPLC method, respectively. Confirmatory residue analyses (non-dioxin-like and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls) were executed on the lipid component of pooled muscle by gas-chromatography. Results. When compared to Porto Canale, significant increases of CYP1A expression and EROD were noticed in samples from Porto Marghera and Val di Brenta. Data from residues analysis mirrored this trend to induction. Furthermore, season-differences were observed for CYP1A expression (higher in the spring, which represents the reproductive season) and EROD activity (higher in the autumn season). Contrasting results were obtained for AhR gene expression. Conclusions. This integrated biomarker approach confirmed Porto Marghera as the most polluted area of VEL (Zonta, 2007). Collectively, CYP1A expression was proved as a suitable biomarker of effect in Zoosterisessor ophiocephalus; therefore, this species may, in turn, be considered as a good sentinel species for VEL environmental monitoring in situ. Less clear-cut results were obtained for EROD. Present AhR data need further molecular investigations, also in light of its role in other physiological mechanisms, including reproduction (Cal\uf2, 2010). References. Locatello L., Matozzo V., Marin M. G., 2009. Biomarker responses in the crab Carcinus aestuarii to assess environmental pollution in the Lagoon of Venice (Italy). Ecotoxicology, 18:869-877. Zonta R., Botter M., Cassin D., Pini R., Scattolin M., Zaggia L. 2007. Sediment chemical contamination of a shallow water close to the industrial zone of Porto Marghera (Venice Lagoon, Italy). Marine Pollution Bulletin, 55:529-542. Cal\uf2 M., Alberghina D., Bitto A., Lauriano E.R., Lo Cascio P. 2010. Estrogenic followed by anti-estrogenic effects of PCBs exposure in juvenil fish (Sparus aurata). Food and Chemical Toxicology 48:2458-2463. Acknowledgements. Project supported by grants from Regione del Veneto (Dgr. 3094 03/10/2006) to M.D. and F.M. and Universit\ue0 degli Studi di Padova (60A08\u20104049/11) to M.G

Significance of the goby Zosterisessor ophiocephalus as a sentinel species for Venice Lagoon contamination: Combining biomarker responses and bioaccumulation

The Venice Lagoon is an interesting example of an ecosystem suffering for a considerable anthropogenic impact, resulting in high concentrations of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in lagoon sediments and seafood. In this context, biomonitoring is a crucially important task. The present study aimed at evaluating the validity of a multiple biomarker approach in a benthic fish species. A total of 567 Zosterisessor ophiocephalus (Gobiidae) fish were collected in spring and autumn from three areas of Venice Lagoon (Porto Marghera, Val di Brenta, and C\ue0 Roman) showing high, intermediate and low amounts of POPs, respectively. Aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) and cytochrome P450 1A (CYP1A) mRNA levels, CYP1A protein amount and ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase activity (EROD) were measured in pooled liver and gills (mRNA levels only). Such biological data were then compared with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) residues, measured in grass goby muscle by gas chromatography. Aryl hydrocarbon receptor and CYP1A mRNAs, protein and EROD were upregulated in accordance with PCB amounts measured in Z. ophiocephalus muscles. In fact, the highest AHR and CYP1A induction was observed in fish sampled in close proximity of the industrial area of Porto Marghera. Overall, the present study confirm the grass goby as a reliable sentinel species for Venice Lagoon, and AHR/CYP1A/EROD as a sensitive set of biomarkers of exposure for AHR ligands

Biological activities of the aerial and undergound parts of <i>Gymnadenia nigra</i> Rchb.f. (syn. <i>Nigritella nigra</i> (L.) Rchb. f.) from the Italian Alps

This study investigated the bioactivity of both aerial (GNAR) and underground (GNUG) parts of Gymnadenia nigra Rchb.f. (syn. Nigritella nigra (L.) Rchb. f.) (Orchidaceae). The obtained data proved interesting when the samples were tested in two adrenocortical cancer cell lines (SW13 and H295R). In particular, the GNAR 80% methanol extract distinctly inhibited their viability after 24 h at a concentration of 1 µg/µL by MTT assay and trypan blue dye exclusion method. Cell morphology evaluation by means Wright’s staining also showed significant results, particularly in SW13 cells under the effect of both extracts. GNAR extract was able to scavenge the DPPH radical better than GNUG extract. It also was more active in albumin denaturation (a maximum % denaturation equal to 463.0 ± 8.3 vs 77.3 ± 13.3) and protease inhibition (a maximum % inhibition equal to 138.5 ± 7.0 vs 2.1 ± 2.0) tests. The results highlighted an important antitumor activity of G. nigra in vitro that deserves to be further studied.</p