Assesing heavy metals in the marine bivalve Pinna nobilis in the Balearic Islands (western Mediterranean)

Heavy metals (Cd, Cu, Hg, Pb and Zn) concentration were determined in the marine bivalve Pinna nobilis along the Balearic Islands, comparing a protected area with two sites with strong anthropogenic influence. Analyses of Cabrera and Mallorca indicated that heavy metal concentration were generally higher in the most of samples, specially in Santa Maria bay (Cabrera, MPA), and Magaluf (Mallorca, with strong anthropogenic influence). Pinna nobilis appears to efficiently bioaccumulate heavy metals exhibiting large differences in a range of anthropic scenarios. The results on P. nobilis metal accumulation show that the concentrations decrease according to order: Zn > Cu >Pb> Cd > H

Alto contenido de metales en el molusco Pinna nobilis en el Archipiélago Balear (Mediterráneo occidental) y una revisión de las concentraciones en bivalvos marinos (Pinnidae)

Summary: Concentrations of metals (Cd, Cu, Hg, Pb and Zn) in the marine bivalve Pinna nobilis at several coastal locations of Majorca and the Cabrera Islands (Mediterranean Sea) were investigated. The elevated concentrations of metals found in the soft tissues of P. nobilis indicate high bioaccumulation factors. All concentrations and the calculated metal pollution index showed significant differences between sites, with particularly high concentrations in the Cabrera Archipelago, a marine protected area (MPA). The datasets were evaluated with the limited information published in the literature for Pinnidae species worldwide. In benthic P. nobilis, concentrations of Cd, Cu and Zn are more than 30 times higher and Hg and Pb concentrations are 4 and 7 times higher, respectively, than concentrations in other bivalve species, such as Mytilus galloprovincialis (Mytilidae). These observations from species inhabiting nearby ecological habitats of the coastal environment (Pinnidae vs. Mytilidae) are also discussed in the context of current marine monitoring strategies and assessmentsResumen: Se investigaron las concentraciones de metales (Cd, Cu, Hg, Pb y Zn) en el bivalvo marino Pinna nobilis en diferentes localidades costeras de las Islas de Mallorca y Cabrera (Mar Mediterráneo). Las elevadas concentraciones de metales que se encontraron en los tejidos blandos de P. nobilis revelaron una elevada bioacumulación. Las concentraciones de metales estudiadas, así como el índice de contaminación por metales (ICM) mostraron diferencias significativas entre los sitios, con concentraciones particularmente altas en el archipiélago de Cabrera, un área marina protegida (AMP). Se realizó una revisión bibliográfica de la escasa información publicada sobre las especies de la familia Pinnidae a nivel mundial. En comparación con otras especies de bivalvos, como Mytilus galloprovincialis (Mytilidae), la especie bentónica P. nobilis presentó concentraciones más de 30 veces superiores para Cd, Cu y Zn; y hasta 4 y 7 veces para Hg y Pb, respectivamente. La información recabada sobre estas especies que habitan en ecosistemas costeros (Pinnidae vs. Mytilidae) es discutida en el contexto de las actuales estrategias marinas de seguimiento y evaluaciónVersión del editor1,006

Multispecies Assessment of Anthropogenic Particle Ingestion in a Marine Protected Area

We have applied a multispecies ecosystem approach to analyse the ingestion of anthropogenic particles (AP) in the gastrointestinal tract of 313 individuals (17 fish species and 8 invertebrate species) from pelagic, demersal and benthic habitats in a marine protected area off the Western Mediterranean (Cabrera National Park). We have quantified and characterized the ingestion at several taxonomic levels of fish, sea urchins, sea cucumbers, bivalves, and jellyfish in relation to biotic/abiotic factors based on taxonomic groups, trophic guilds (functional groups) and habitats. AP ingestion occurrence ranged from 26 to 100% with no significant differences among taxonomic groups. The fish within the MPA showed an overall ingestion occurrence ranging from 0 to 100%, the echinoderms from 29 to 100%, the bivalves from 72 to 96% and the jellyfish 36% ingestion. The ecosystem approach applied to evaluate overall AP ingestion within the species reported that for trophic guilds, the omnivorous species ingested the highest amounts of anthropogenic items, while herbivores ingested significantly fewer items than all other trophic guilds. Moreover, no significant differences were found amongst habitats, indicating a homogeneous spatial distribution of APs at all studied habitats. The multispecies approach provided insight into the high APs exposure to species within Cabrera MPA, highlighting the potential harm linked with marine litter that threatens marine biodiversity.En prensa5,82

Ahora / Ara

La cinquena edició del microrelatari per l’eradicació de la violència contra les dones de l’Institut Universitari d’Estudis Feministes i de Gènere «Purificación Escribano» de la Universitat Jaume I vol ser una declaració d’esperança. Aquest és el moment en el qual les dones (i els homes) hem de fer un pas endavant i eliminar la violència sistèmica contra les dones. Ara és el moment de denunciar el masclisme i els micromasclismes començant a construir una societat més igualitària. Cadascun dels relats del llibre és una denúncia i una declaració que ens encamina cap a un món millor

PKR and PP1C polymorphisms in alzheimer’s disease risk

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by senile plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. Senile plaques are deposits of amyloid ß-peptide (Aß) produced by the cleavage of a transmembrane protein termed Amyloid Precursor Protein (APP). The amyloidogenic cleavage of APP is performed by γ-secretase complex and ß-site APP cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1), a key enzyme in AD that can be activated by different noxious stimuli. Interestingly, some viruses could activate double-stranded RNA-activated protein kinase (PKR), which phosphorylates Eukaryotic Initiation Factor 2 alpha (eIF2α). This phosphorylation stops global translation to avoid any synthesis of viral infective proteins, but paradoxically up-regulates BACE1 translation. One of the viral mechanisms to circumvent eIF2α phosphorylation is the recruitment of protein phosphatase 1 (PP1), to fully dephosphorylate eIF2α and allow viral protein synthesis. Due to the functional relationship between BACE1, PKR, PP1 and AD we have performed a large (1122 cases and 1191 control individuals) case-control genetic analysis using two biallelic polymorphisms rs2254958 and rs7480390, located within the genes coding for PKR and the catalytic unit A of PP1, respectively. Although a trend to association of the rs2254958 TT genotype with AD risk was found, our results show that neither rs7480390 nor rs2254958 are associated with AD susceptibility.This work was supported by the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología (FIS: PI07/0593 and PI10/00587; ISCIII-RETIC RED HERACLES RD06/0009/002- FEDER)

PKR and PP1C polymorphisms in alzheimer’s disease risk

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by senile plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. Senile plaques are deposits of amyloid ß-peptide (Aß) produced by the cleavage of a transmembrane protein termed Amyloid Precursor Protein (APP). The amyloidogenic cleavage of APP is performed by γ-secretase complex and ß-site APP cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1), a key enzyme in AD that can be activated by different noxious stimuli. Interestingly, some viruses could activate double-stranded RNA-activated protein kinase (PKR), which phosphorylates Eukaryotic Initiation Factor 2 alpha (eIF2α). This phosphorylation stops global translation to avoid any synthesis of viral infective proteins, but paradoxically up-regulates BACE1 translation. One of the viral mechanisms to circumvent eIF2α phosphorylation is the recruitment of protein phosphatase 1 (PP1), to fully dephosphorylate eIF2α and allow viral protein synthesis. Due to the functional relationship between BACE1, PKR, PP1 and AD we have performed a large (1122 cases and 1191 control individuals) case-control genetic analysis using two biallelic polymorphisms rs2254958 and rs7480390, located within the genes coding for PKR and the catalytic unit A of PP1, respectively. Although a trend to association of the rs2254958 TT genotype with AD risk was found, our results show that neither rs7480390 nor rs2254958 are associated with AD susceptibility.This work was supported by the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología (FIS: PI07/0593 and PI10/00587; ISCIII-RETIC RED HERACLES RD06/0009/002- FEDER)

Activation of PKR causes amyloid beta-peptide accumulation via De-Repression of Bace1 expression

BACE1 is a key enzyme involved in the production of amyloid ß-peptide (Aß) in Alzheimer's disease (AD) brains. Normally, its expression is constitutively inhibited due to the presence of the 5′untranslated region (5′UTR) in the BACE1 promoter. BACE1 expression is activated by phosphorylation of the eukaryotic initiation factor (eIF)2-alpha, which reverses the inhibitory effect exerted by BACE1 5′UTR. There are four kinases associated with different types of stress that could phosphorylate eIF2-alpha. Here we focus on the double-stranded (ds) RNA-activated protein kinase (PKR). PKR is activated during viral infection, including that of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV1), a virus suggested to be implicated in the development of AD, acting when present in brains of carriers of the type 4 allele of the apolipoprotein E gene. HSV1 is a dsDNA virus but it has genes on both strands of the genome, and from these genes complementary RNA molecules are transcribed. These could activate BACE1 expression by the PKR pathway. Here we demonstrate in HSV1-infected neuroblastoma cells, and in peripheral nervous tissue from HSV1-infected mice, that HSV1 activates PKR. Cloning BACE1 5′UTR upstream of a luciferase (luc) gene confirmed its inhibitory effect, which can be prevented by salubrinal, an inhibitor of the eIF2-alpha phosphatase PP1c. Treatment with the dsRNA analog poly (I:C) mimicked the stimulatory effect exerted by salubrinal over BACE1 translation in the 5′UTR-luc construct and increased Aß production in HEK-APPsw cells. Summarizing, our data suggest that PKR activated in brain by HSV1 could play an important role in the development of ADNeocodex is a private research organization (more than 70 articles in indexes of international research journals in the last 8 years). Neocodex’s work on this project was design, implementation, analysis and interpretation of genetic studies of the PKR gene that is included in this manuscript. Neocodex also coordinates the construction of the DNA bank employed in this draft. The work was carried out with funds from this entity and a project funded by the Alzheimur Foundation. The other funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. This w ork was also supported by the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología (FIS: PI07/0593; Red HERACLES RD06/0009/002