Neuroaxonal Degeneration as a Converging Mechanism in Motor Neuron Diseases (MNDs): Molecular Insights into RNA Dysregulation and Emerging Therapeutic Targets.

Motor Neuron Diseases (MNDs) such as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), Primary Lateral Sclerosis (PLS), Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia (HSP), Spinal Muscular Atrophy with Respiratory Distress Type 1 (SMARD1), Multisystem Proteinopathy (MSP), Spinal and Bulbar Muscular Atrophy (SBMA), and ALS associated to Frontotemporal Dementia (ALS-FTD), have traditionally been studied as distinct entities, each one with unique genetic and clinical characteristics. However, emerging research reveals that these seemingly disparate conditions converge on shared molecular mechanisms that drive progressive neuroaxonal degeneration. This narrative review addresses a critical gap in the field by synthesizing the most recent findings into a comprehensive, cross-disease mechanisms framework.

Protective effect of hydroxytyrosol against hyperglycemia-induced phosphatidylserine exposure in human erythrocytes: focus on dysregulation of calcium homeostasis and redox balance.

Diabetes is a widespread chronic disease that poses serious health concerns due to its numerous associated complications, including an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases. Under conditions of prolonged hyperglycemia, erythrocytes (RBC) undergo the breakdown of the natural phospholipid asymmetry, triggered by cell surface exposure of phosphatidylserine (PS) associated with increased prothrombotic activity. The aim of the present study was to provide insights into the potential molecular mechanisms underlying, focusing on two phospholipid translocases, ATP-dependent flippase ATP11C and calcium-dependent scramblase PLSCR1.

New insights into car tire rubber particle toxicity: chemical composition and ecotoxicity assessment of leachate on gamete quality of the Mediterranean mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis.

Thousands of tire rubber particles (TPs) enter the marine environment every year, contributing to microplastic pollution. The toxicity of TPs can be related to the particles themselves or chemical additives, which can leach into seawater and potentially affect marine organisms. The current study presents new insights into TPs' impact on marine organisms' reproductive processes.

Overview of the effects of heavy metals on the reproductive health of males in the genus Mytilus spp.

This review examines the reprotoxic effects of key heavy metals, specifically nickel, chromium, zinc, copper, mercury and cadmium, on the reproductive health of bivalve molluscs of the genus Mytilus spp. which serve as important bioindicators in marine ecosystems. Exposure to even sub-lethal concentrations of these metals induces oxidative stress, DNA damage and changes in chromatin structure, which are thought to affect fertility.

Protective effects of olive oil antioxidant phenols on mercury-induced phosphatidylserine externalization in erythrocyte membrane: Insights into scramblase and flippase activity.

In several physiopathological processes, phosphatidylserine (PS), normally sequestered to the inner leaflet of the plasma membrane, becomes exposed to the cell surface. In erythrocytes (RBC), PS externalization is a crucial event for the removal of aged/damaged cells but can also be associated with increased prothrombotic activity. Structurally related olive oil antioxidants, including hydroxytyrosol (HT), are able to significantly reduce the percentage of PS-exposing RBC, when cells are exposed to toxic compounds such as the heavy metal mercury (Hg).

Immune and Reproductive Biomarkers in Female Sea Urchins under Heat Stress.

The functioning of the immune and reproductive systems is crucial for the fitness and survival of species and is strongly influenced by the environment. To evaluate the effects of short-term heat stress (HS) on these systems, confirming and deepening previous studies, female sea urchin were exposed for 7 days to 17 °C, 23 and 28 °C. Several biomarkers were detected such as the ferric reducing power (FRAP), ABTS-based total antioxidant capacity (TAC-ABTS), nitric oxide metabolites (NO), total thiol levels (TTL), myeloperoxidase (MPO) and protease (PA) activities in the coelomic fluid (CF) and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), HO content and intracellular pH (pH) in eggs and coelomocytes, in which TAC-ABTS and reactive nitrogen species (RNS) were also analyzed.

Impact of Heavy Metal Exposure on Spermatozoa: A Metabolomic Investigation.

Metabolomics is a method that provides an overview of the physiological and cellular state of a specific organism or tissue. This method is particularly useful for studying the influence the environment can have on organisms, especially those used as bio-indicators, e.g.

A Molecular Mechanism to Explain the Nickel-Induced Changes in Protamine-like Proteins and Their DNA Binding Affecting Sperm Chromatin in : An In Vitro Study.

Nickel is associated with reproductive toxicity, but little is known about the molecular mechanisms of nickel-induced effects on sperm chromatin and protamine-like proteins (PLs). In the present work, we analyzed PLs from by urea-acetic acid polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (AU-PAGE) and SDS-PAGE and assessed their binding to DNA by Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay (EMSA) after exposing mussels to 5, 15, and 35 µM NiCl for 24 h. In addition, a time course of digestion with MNase and release of PLs from sperm nuclei by the NaCl gradient was performed.

Mercury Chloride Affects Band 3 Protein-Mediated Anionic Transport in Red Blood Cells: Role of Oxidative Stress and Protective Effect of Olive Oil Polyphenols.

Mercury is a toxic heavy metal widely dispersed in the natural environment. Mercury exposure induces an increase in oxidative stress in red blood cells (RBCs) through the production of reactive species and alteration of the endogenous antioxidant defense system. Recently, among various natural antioxidants, the polyphenols from extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO), an important element of the Mediterranean diet, have generated growing interest.

Effect of Mercury on Membrane Proteins, Anionic Transport and Cell Morphology in Human Erythrocytes.

Background/aims: Mercury (Hg) is a heavy metal widespread in all environmental compartments as one of the most hazardous pollutants. Human exposure to this natural element is detrimental for several cellular types including erythrocytes (RBC) that accumulate Hg mainly bound to the SH groups of different cellular components, including protein cysteine residues. The cellular membrane represents a major target of Hg-induced damage in RBC with loss of physiological phospholipid asymmetry, due to phosphatidylserine (PS) exposure to the external membrane leaflet.

Olive Oil Phenols Prevent Mercury-Induced Phosphatidylserine Exposure and Morphological Changes in Human Erythrocytes Regardless of Their Different Scavenging Activity.

Phosphatidylserine (PS) translocation to the external membrane leaflet represents a key mechanism in the pathophysiology of human erythrocytes (RBC) acting as an "eat me" signal for the removal of aged/stressed cells. Loss of physiological membrane asymmetry, however, can lead to adverse effects on the cardiovascular system, activating a prothrombotic activity. The data presented indicate that structurally related olive oil phenols prevent cell alterations induced in intact human RBC exposed to HgCl (5-40 µM) or Ca ionophore (5 µM), as measured by hallmarks including PS exposure, reactive oxygen species generation, glutathione depletion and microvesicles formation.

Morphological, Gene, and Hormonal Changes in Gonads and In-Creased Micrococcal Nuclease Accessibility of Sperm Chromatin Induced by Mercury.

Mercury is one of the most dangerous environmental pollutants. In this work, we analysed the effects of exposure of to 1, 10 and 100 pM HgCl for 24 h on the gonadal morphology and on the expression level of three stress genes: , and . In this tissue we also evaluated the level of steroidogenic enzymes 3β-HSD and 17β-HSD and the expression of PL protein genes.

Erythrocytes as a Model for Heavy Metal-Related Vascular Dysfunction: The Protective Effect of Dietary Components.

Heavy metals are toxic environmental pollutants associated with severe ecological and human health risks. Among them is mercury (Hg), widespread in air, soil, and water, due to its peculiar geo-biochemical cycle. The clinical consequences of Hg exposure include neurotoxicity and nephrotoxicity.

New Insights into Alterations in PL Proteins Affecting Their Binding to DNA after Exposure of to Mercury-A Possible Risk to Sperm Chromatin Structure?

Mercury (Hg) is a highly toxic and widespread pollutant. We previously reported that the exposure of for 24 h to doses of HgCl similar to those found in seawater (range 1-100 pM) produced alterations in the properties of protamine-like (PL) proteins that rendered them unable to bind and protect DNA from oxidative damage. In the present work, to deepen our studies, we analyzed PL proteins by turbidimetry and fluorescence spectroscopy and performed salt-induced release analyses of these proteins from sperm nuclei after the exposure of mussels to HgCl2 at the same doses.

Spermatozoa Transcriptional Response and Alterations in PL Proteins Properties after Exposure of to Mercury.

Mercury (Hg) is an environmental pollutant that impacts human and ecosystem health. In our previous works, we reported alterations in the properties of protamine-like (PL) proteins after 24 h of exposure to subtoxic doses of toxic metals such as copper and cadmium. The present work aims to assess the effects of 24 h of exposure to 1, 10, and 100 pM HgCl on spermatozoa and PL proteins of .

Novel Insights into Mercury Effects on Hemoglobin and Membrane Proteins in Human Erythrocytes.

Mercury (Hg) is a global environmental pollutant that affects human and ecosystem health. With the aim of exploring the Hg-induced protein modifications, intact human erythrocytes were exposed to HgCl (1-60 µM) and cytosolic and membrane proteins were analyzed by SDS-PAGE and AU-PAGE. A spectrofluorimetric assay for quantification of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) generation was also performed.

Salicylic Acid and Melatonin Alleviate the Effects of Heat Stress on Essential Oil Composition and Antioxidant Enzyme Activity in and L.

The aim of this study was to evaluate changes in the chemical profile of essential oils and antioxidant enzymes activity (catalase CAT, superoxide dismutase SOD, Glutathione -transferases GST, and Peroxidase POX) in L. (Mitcham variety) and L. (var.

Phenol-Rich (Pineapple Guava) Extracts Protect Human Red Blood Cells from Mercury-Induced Cellular Toxicity.

Plant polyphenols, with broadly known antioxidant properties, represent very effective agents against environmental oxidative stressors, including mercury. This heavy metal irreversibly binds thiol groups, sequestering endogenous antioxidants, such as glutathione. Increased incidence of food-derived mercury is cause for concern, given the many severe downstream effects, ranging from kidney to cardiovascular diseases.

Antimicrobial and antioxidant activity of proteins from Berg. fruit before and after in vitro gastrointestinal digestion.

In this paper we report for the first time a method for the extraction of the protein fraction from Berg. fruit and its electrophoretic analysis. In addition we analyzed the protein fraction for its antioxidant activity and its effectiveness against different Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria both as American type culture collection (ATCC) standard and clinically isolated strains.

Alterations in the properties of sperm protamine-like II protein after exposure of Mytilus galloprovincialis (Lamarck 1819) to sub-toxic doses of cadmium.

Protamine-like proteins (PL-II, PL-III and PL-IV) represent the major basic nuclear component of Mytilus galloprovincialis L sperm chromatin. The present study investigates the effects induced on the properties of PL-II protein after exposure of Mytilus galloprovincialis L for 24 h to 1.5 and 5 µM CdCl.

Protamine-like proteins have bactericidal activity. The first evidence in Mytilus galloprovincialis.

The major acid-soluble protein components of the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis sperm chromatin consist of the protamine-like proteins PL-II, PL-III and PL-IV, an intermediate group of sperm nuclear basic proteins between histones and protamines. The aim of this study was to investigate the bactericidal activity of these proteins since, to date, there are reports on bactericidal activity of protamines and histones, but not on protamine-like proteins. We tested the bactericidal activity of these proteins against Gram-positive bacteria: Enterococcus faecalis and two different strains of Staphylococcus aureus, as well as Gram-negative bacteria: Proteus mirabilis, Proteus vulgaris, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhmurium, Enterobacter aerogenes, Enterobacter cloacae, and Escherichia coli.

Protamine-like proteins' analysis as an emerging biotechnique for cadmium impact assessment on male mollusk Mytilus galloprovincialis (Lamarck 1819).

Here we report the industrial pollution effects due to cadmium on the reproductive health of Mytilus galloprovincialis. Mussels were removed from the biofouling of a Conatex panel after one year exposition at a polluted site near a disposal metallurgical factory. A high cadmium bioaccumulation was observed in the testis of mussels housed at the polluted site, with respect to a control site, as determined by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry, along with a 10 fold increase in metallothionein 20 kDa gene (mt20) expression levels determined by qPCR.

Mytilus galloprovincialis (Lamarck, 1819) spermatozoa: hsp70 expression and protamine-like protein property studies.

In this work, we describe results of the reproductive health monitoring studies in Mytilus galloprovincialis following spermatozoa hsp70 expression and protamine-like protein properties. Mussels control (ctr) were released within cages for 30 days in three different marine sites near Naples (Campania, Italy): Bagnoli south (BAs) and Bagnoli north (BAn), both close to a disposal metallurgical factory and in Capo Miseno (CM). Studies of hsp70 gene expression carried out, by RT-qPCR, in mussel spermatozoa have shown varied expression levels, particularly 5, 13, and 15-fold more than ctr in CM, BAs, and BAn, respectively, indicating highest involvement of stress proteins in spermatozoa of mussels in Bagnoli.