29 research outputs found
Sentinel species selection for monitoring microplastic pollution: A review on one health approach
No full textNowadays, global environmental pollution is one of the most topical issues we have to deal with on a daily basis. Due to the development of the current society including industrial and agricultural areas, pollution and waste have increased dramatically in recent years. Among all contaminants spread worldwide, the increased use of plastic is probably the most evident. Nevertheless, plastic objects which are released into environmental compartments are processed into smaller units of plastic debris, defined, based on their dimensions, as micro- (MP) and nano-plastics (NP). These particles are classified as some of the most hazardous current micro-pollutants. The use of model organisms as bioindicators is one of the most effective ways to monitor and assess the occurrence of plastic particles in the environment.This review aims to provide comprehensive knowledge about the behaviour and the effects of MP/NPs particles on animals, humans, and the environment through the “One Health” concept, which provides an innovative and suitable perspective focused on the intersection of the above-mentioned three areas. Moreover, the key point is the evaluation of the most efficient bioindicators for monitoring microplastic pollution in environmental compartments, in order to better understand the importance of being more eco-friendly through the reduction of plastics objects.Whereas the earth is composed of about 70% water, a special focus is placed on aquatic ecosystems and the relative bioindicators. In addition, this collection of information highlights a common issue that requires awareness, prevention, and solutions to take care of global environments
Identification and characterisation of crustacean hyperglycaemic hormone (CHH) from Mediterranean shore crab Carcinus aestuarii
No full textCrustacean hyperglycaemic hormone (CHH) is a neuropeptide that was originally identified in the X-organ/sinus gland
complex of the eyestalks (ESs) incrustaceans. Several CHH isoforms and spliced variants were later identified in other tissues, and
their functions have still not been completely unveiled. In this study,the identification and characterisation of the conventional CHH
prepropeptide from the ESs of the littoral crab, Carcinus aestuarii, via rapid amplification of cDNA ends was reported.The identified
CHH resulted in a coding sequence of 429 bp, an estimatedprotein of 142 aa with a signal peptide of 26 aa, followed by a CHH precursorrelated
peptide of 40 aa and a mature peptide of 72 aa. The amino acid sequence of C.aestuarii CHH was also compared, by similarity,
with CHHs from Brachyura infraorder, which showed the highest similarity (98.6%) to the CHH peptide from Carcinus maenas.
None of CHH members were reported from this species and being proved by several studies that CHH is produced also during stress
conditions, the identification of the full length of the CHH in C. aestuarii opens a new wayin the possibly of studying stress response in
Mediterranean shore crab by monitoring of the neuropeptide expression
Editorial: Pharmaceuticals, personal care products and endocrine disrupting chemicals: The physiological consequences of exposure to pollutants in aquatic animals
No full textMolecular docking analysis and in vivo assessment of zinc oxide nanoparticle toxicity in zebrafish larvae
No full textThe zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) being widely employed in several industries and consumer products, are raising concerns about their safety on aquatic biota and human health. This study aims to investigate the possible toxicological effects of ZnO-NPs through a combined in vivo and in silico approach. Zebrafish embryos were exposed to several ZnO-NPs concentrations and morphological alterations and lipid peroxidation (MDA) were investigated. Furthermore, molecular docking simulations were applied to study the intermolecular interactions of ZnO-NPs against critical embryonic proteins namely zebrafish hatching enzyme1 (ZHE1) as well as the superoxide dismutase (SOD1). Treatment with ZnO-NPs resulted in an increase in MDA concentration and a decrease in antioxidant enzyme levels. Besides a significant decrease in mRNA expression of key enzymes of ROS detoxification genes, a modulation of inflammatory genes with a low downregulation of tnf-α, and an upregulation of il-1β were observed. Docking study suggests that the delayed hatching and increased cellular oxidative stress in zebrafish embryos may occur through a synergistic mechanism based on the ZnO-NP—dependent inhibition of ZHE1 and SOD1 enzymes. The integration of in vivo assessments with in silico computational modeling provided a more comprehensive evaluation of potential physiological risks in zebrafish embryos associated with nanomaterial exposure
LINKING NANOPARTICLES TO EMBRYONIC DEFORMITIES: EXPLORING THE TERATOGENICITY OF ZINC OXIDE NANOPARTICLES
No full textThe exponential growth of nanotechnology has led to significant advancements in engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) between 1 and 100 nm in size, with zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) playing a prominent role across various industries and applications. Particularly in biomedicine, ZnO-NPs have emerged as versatile tools, serving as anti- bacterial agents, drug and gene delivery platforms for cancer treatment, cellular imaging enhancers, and high-performance biosensors. For these reasons the aim of this study is to explore their potential toxicity on zebrafish early life stage using a combined in vivo and in-silico approach. In the first phase by SEM-EDS analysis, the ZnO-NPs purity was confirmed. After the Fish Embryo Acute Toxicity Tests according to OECD test guideline No. 236 (OECD, 2013) were performed. The embryos were exposed to five con centrations of ZnO-NPs: 50, 100, 150, 200 and 250 mg/L. At 96 hours, LC20 of about 58.201 mg/L and NOED of <50 mg/L, were determined. The most common sub-lethal alterations were pericardial and yolk edema, blood stasis, reduced blood circulation, reduced heartbeat, skeletal alterations and delayed hatching. Later, to further assess the toxicity of ZnO nanoparticles, oxidative stress was evaluated by quantifying lipid peroxidation using the thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances assay. The results showed as the treatment with ZnO-NPs led to a significant increase in lipid peroxidation in zebrafish larvae, as evidenced by the elevated levels of MDA induced by the treatment, indicating a low detoxification capacity of reactive oxygen species. To further confirm these findings, the gene expression of key antioxidant enzymes such as catalase (cat), superoxide dismutase (sod), and glutathione S-transferase (gstm) was also evaluated via RT-PCR. The results demonstrated a decrease in the expression of all the enzymes, suggesting that nanoparticles may interfere with the redox state of zebrafish larvae. Furthermore, since the oxidative stress is often associated with inflammation also key genes related to inflammation tnfalpha and il1beta were assayed. Our results showed a modulation of inflammation’s genes, particularly treatment induced a low downregulation of tnfalpha and an opposite regulation of il1beta which expression increased at very high levels. Finally, molecular docking and dynamics approach were applied to further explore any potential molecular interactions between ZnO- NPs and critical embryonic proteins, such as hatching enzyme ZHE1, and superoxide dismutase, SOD 1, enzyme. Results shown that ZnO-NPs interfered with both enzymes inhibiting those activities, and causing a delayed hatching of zebrafish embryos most probably through a multi-modal mechanism. The integration of in silico and in vivo assessments provides a more comprehensive evaluation of the potential risks associated with exposure to nano- materials, contributing to the fields of nanotoxicology and developmental biology. However, we are discussing preliminary results that require further testing and examination to fully understand the molecular mechanisms and causes of ZnO-NP toxicity
Copper Induced Lysosomal Membrane Destabilisation in Haemolymph Cells of Mediterranean Green Crab (Carcinus aestuarii, Nardo, 1847) from the Narta Lagoon (Albania)
No full textABSTRACTDestabilisation of blood cell lysosomes in Mediterranean green crabCarcinus aestuarii was investigated using Neutral Red Retention Assay (NRRA). Crabs collected in Narta Lagoon, Vlora (Albania) during May 2014 were exposed in the laboratory to sub-lethal, environmentally realistic concentrations of copper. Neutral Red Retention Time (NRRT) and glucose concentration in haemolymph of animals were measured. The mean NRRT showed a significant reduction for the animals of the treatment group compared to the control one (from 118.6 ± 28.4 to 36.4 ± 10.48 min, p<0.05), indicating damage of lysosomal membrane. Haemolymph glucose concentration was significantly higher in the treatment group (from 37.8 ± 2.7 to 137.8.4 ± 16.2 mg/dL, p<0.05) than in control group, demonstrating the presence of stress on the animals. These results showed thatC. aestuarii could be used as a successful and reliable bioindicator for evaluating the exposure to contaminants in laboratory conditions. NRRA provides a successful tool for rapid assessment of heavy metal pollution effects on marine biota
Environmentally relevant concentrations of triclocarban affect behaviour, learning, and brain gene expression in fish
No full textMany chemicals spilled in aquatic ecosystems can interfere with cognitive abilities and brain functions that control fitness-related behaviour. Hence, their harmful potential may be substantially underestimated. Triclo-carban (TCC), one of the most common aquatic contaminants, is known to disrupt hormonal activity, but the consequences of this action on behaviour and its underlying cognitive mechanisms are unclear. We tried to fill this knowledge gap by analysing behaviour, cognitive abilities, and brain gene expression in zebrafish larvae exposed to TCC sublethal concentrations. TCC exposure substantially decreased exploratory behaviour and response to stimulation, while it increased sociability. Additionally, TCC reduced the cognitive performance of zebrafish in a habituation learning task. In the brain of TCC-exposed zebrafish, we found upregulation of c-fos, a gene involved in neural activity, and downregulation of bdnf, a gene that influences behavioural and cognitive traits such as activity, learning, and memory. Overall, our experiments highlight consistent effects of non-lethal TCC concentrations on behaviour, cognitive abilities, and brain functioning in a teleost fish, suggesting critical fitness consequences of these compounds in aquatic ecosystems as well as the potential to affect human health
Environmentally relevant concentrations of triclocarban affect behaviour, learning, and brain gene expression in fish
No full textMany chemicals spilled in aquatic ecosystems can interfere with cognitive abilities and brain functions that control fitness-related behaviour. Hence, their harmful potential may be substantially underestimated. Triclocarban (TCC), one of the most common aquatic contaminants, is known to disrupt hormonal activity, but the consequences of this action on behaviour and its underlying cognitive mechanisms are unclear. We tried to fill this knowledge gap by analysing behaviour, cognitive abilities, and brain gene expression in zebrafish larvae exposed to TCC sublethal concentrations. TCC exposure substantially decreased exploratory behaviour and response to stimulation, while it increased sociability. Additionally, TCC reduced the cognitive performance of zebrafish in a habituation learning task. In the brain of TCC-exposed zebrafish, we found upregulation of c-fos, a gene involved in neural activity, and downregulation of bdnf, a gene that influences behavioural and cognitive traits such as activity, learning, and memory. Overall, our experiments highlight consistent effects of non-lethal TCC concentrations on behaviour, cognitive abilities, and brain functioning in a teleost fish, suggesting critical fitness consequences of these compounds in aquatic ecosystems as well as the potential to affect human health
Molecular docking analysis and in vivo assessment of zinc oxide nanoparticle toxicity in zebrafish larvae
No full text: The zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) being widely employed in several industries and consumer products, are raising concerns about their safety on aquatic biota and human health. This study aims to investigate the possible toxicological effects of ZnO-NPs through a combined in vivo and in silico approach. Zebrafish embryos were exposed to several ZnO-NPs concentrations and morphological alterations and lipid peroxidation (MDA) were investigated. Furthermore, molecular docking simulations were applied to study the intermolecular interactions of ZnO-NPs against critical embryonic proteins namely zebrafish hatching enzyme1 (ZHE1) as well as the superoxide dismutase (SOD1). Treatment with ZnO-NPs resulted in an increase in MDA concentration and a decrease in antioxidant enzyme levels. Besides a significant decrease in mRNA expression of key enzymes of ROS detoxification genes, a modulation of inflammatory genes with a low downregulation of tnf-α, and an upregulation of il-1β were observed. Docking study suggests that the delayed hatching and increased cellular oxidative stress in zebrafish embryos may occur through a synergistic mechanism based on the ZnO-NP-dependent inhibition of ZHE1 and SOD1 enzymes. The integration of in vivo assessments with in silico computational modeling provided a more comprehensive evaluation of potential physiological risks in zebrafish embryos associated with nanomaterial exposure
