Impact of mixed-species forest plantations on soil mycobiota community structure and diversity in the Congolese coastal plains.

Mixed tree plantations containing nitrogen (N2)-fixing species have the potential to enhance C sequestration, soil biodiversity and forest productivity. Here, we investigated the impact of Acacia mangium and Eucalyptus urophilla x E. grandis mixed plantations in the Congolese coastal plains on soil mycobiota community structure and diversity by ITS metabarcoding sequencing and bioinformatic analysis. Higher Faith's phylogenetic diversity and Evenness' was found in Eucalyptus monoculture relative to stands containing Acacia. Differences in beta diversity were found among Eucalyptus and Acacia monoculture, and mixed-species stands highlight the effects of plant species on fungal community structure. Ascomycota, Basidiomycota and Rozellomycota phyla were predominant in all stands, with both Dikarya (Ascomycota and Basidiomycota) accounting for more than 70% in all stands. Correlation analysis revealed that sulfur (S) was the most correlated soil attribute with the three predominant phyla but also with Mucoromycota and Calcarisporiellomycota phyla, although mostly negatively correlated (4 out of 5). Phosphorus was mostly positively correlated to soil attributes (3 out of 4) and nitrogen was correlated twice, positively and negatively. Distance-based redundancy analysis revealed a positive correlation of nitrogen (p-value = 0.0019, contribution = 22%) and phosphorus (p-value = 0.0017, contribution = 19%) with soil mycobiota. A high prevalence of generalists (28% to 38%) than specialists (9% to 24%) were found among the different sites. In stands containing Acacia (pure and mixed species) the soil mycobiota harbor the prevalence of generalist strategies with the potential to withstand environmental stresses and utilize a higher number of resources against specialists in Eucalyptus stands. Stronger positive correlation between soil attributes and main fungal taxa, higher generalists' strategies and lower Faith's phylogenetic diversity and Evenness were reported in stands containing Acacia. This highlights the potential of mixed-species in preserving community stability following environmental disturbances and increasing the number of resources confirming their important ecological role in boosting the resilience of the forest ecosystems to climate and land-use (plant species as shown by PCA analysis) changes.

Flow cytometry: Unravelling the real antimicrobial and antibiofilm efficacy of natural bioactive compounds.

Flow cytometry (FCM) provides unique information on bacterial viability and physiology, allowing a real-time early warning antimicrobial and antibiofilm monitoring system for preventing the spread risk of foodborne disease. The present work used a combined culture-based and FCM approach to assess the in vitro efficacy of essential oils (EOs) from condiment plants commonly used in Mediterranean Europe (i.e., thyme EO, oregano EO, basil EO, and lemon EO) against planktonic and sessile cells of food-pathogenic Listeria monocytogenes 56 LY, and contaminant and alterative species Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 and Pseudomonas fluorescens ATCC 13525. Evaluation of the bacterial response to the increasing concentrations of natural compounds posed FCM as a crucial technique for the quantification of the live/dead, and viable but non-culturable (VBNC) cells when antimicrobial agents exert no real bactericidal action. Furthermore, the FCM results displayed higher numbers of viable bacteria expressed as Active Fluorescent Units (AFUs) with a greater level of repeatability compared with outcomes of the plate-count method. Overall, accurate counting of viable microbial cells is a critically important parameter in food microbiology, and flow cytometry provides an innovative approach with high-throughput potential for applications in the food industry as "flow microbiology".

Lactiplantibacillus plantarum monolayer enhanced bactericidal action of carvacrol: biofilm inhibition of viable foodborne pathogens and spoilage microorganisms.

The prevalence of biofilm-associated microorganisms and the increasing use of ready-to-eat fresh products represent the current duality the food industry must address. Innovative and eco-friendly antibiofilm solutions and appropriate microbiological food control systems are urgently needed to improve food quality and safety. This study aimed to investigate the in vitro combined efficacy of carvacrol with a pre-formed biofilm monolayer of the probiotic Lactiplantibacillus plantarum DSM 20174. The antimicrobial activity of carvacrol against both planktonic and sessile cells of foodborne pathogens and spoilage microorganisms, alone or in the presence of the pre-formed biofilm of L. plantarum, was investigated by culture-based methods along with flow cytometry (FCM) to monitor cells' cultivability and viability. The synergistic action of carvacrol and the pre-formed biofilm of L. plantarum was evaluated in the 96-well plates. The results showed that L. plantarum pre-formed biofilm monolayer enhanced the antimicrobial effect of carvacrol determining a bactericidal action while the treatment alone induced the viable but not culturable (VBNC) cell state only. Furthermore, the great efficacy of the combined treatment allowed the application of a lower concentration of carvacrol (100 ppm) to achieve significant damage in cell viability. In conclusion, the incorporation of carvacrol into the L. plantarum pre-formed biofilm represents a promising alternative for an antimicrobial functionalized ready-to-eat packaging.

Diaminobenzidine Photooxidation to Visualize Fluorescent Nanoparticles in Adhering Cultured Cells at Transmission Electron Microscopy.

Visualizing nanoparticles made of organic material (e.g., polysaccharides, proteins, non-osmiophilic lipids) inside cells and tissues at transmission electron microscopy is a difficult task due to the intrinsic weak electron density of these nanoconstructs, which makes them hardly distinguishable in the biological environment. We describe here a simple protocol to apply photooxidation to fluorescently labeled nanoparticles administered to cultured cells in vitro. The conversion of the fluorescent signal into a granular electron-dense reaction product through light irradiation in the presence of diaminobenzidine makes the nanoparticles clearly visible at the ultrastructural level. Our procedure proved to be reliable with various fluorophores and may be applied to any cell type.

Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms of Ozone Therapy: Present Knowledge and Prospective Applications.

As a complementary, adjuvant or palliative cure, ozone therapy has increasingly been used globally on a wide variety of diseases [...].

Ozone at low concentration modulates microglial activity in vitro: A multimodal microscopy and biomolecular study.

Oxygen-ozone (O2 -O3 ) therapy is an adjuvant/complementary treatment based on the activation of antioxidant and cytoprotective pathways driven by the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2). Many drugs, including dimethyl fumarate (DMF), that are used to reduce inflammation in oxidative-stress-related neurodegenerative diseases, act through the Nrf2-pathway. The scope of the present investigation was to get a deeper insight into the mechanisms responsible for the beneficial result of O2 -O3 treatment in some neurodegenerative diseases. To do this, we used an integrated approach of multimodal microscopy (bright-field and fluorescence microscopy, transmission and scanning electron microscopy) and biomolecular techniques to investigate the effects of the low O3 concentrations currently used in clinical practice in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated microglial cells human microglial clone 3 (HMC3) and in DMF-treated LPS-activated (LPS + DMF) HMC3 cells. The results at light and electron microscopy showed that LPS-activation induced morphological modifications of HMC3 cells from elongated/branched to larger roundish shape, cytoplasmic accumulation of lipid droplets, decreased electron density of the cytoplasm and mitochondria, decreased amount of Nrf2 and increased migration rate, while biomolecular data demonstrated that Heme oxygenase 1 gene expression and the secretion of the pro-inflammatory cytokines, Interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α augmented. O3 treatment did not affect cell viability, proliferation, and morphological features of both LPS-activated and LPS + DMF cells, whereas the cell motility and the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines were significantly decreased. This evidence suggests that modulation of microglia activity may contribute to the beneficial effects of the O2 -O3 therapy in patients with neurodegenerative disorders characterized by chronic inflammation. HIGHLIGHTS: Low-dose ozone (O3 ) does not damage activated microglial cells in vitro Low-dose O3 decreases cell motility and pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion in activated microglial cells in vitro Low-dose O3 potentiates the effect of an anti-inflammatory drug on activated microglial cells.

Synergistic Action of Mild Heat and Essential Oil Treatments on Culturability and Viability of Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 Tested In Vitro and in Fruit Juice.

The strengthening effect of a mild temperature treatment on the antimicrobial efficacy of essential oils has been widely reported, often leading to an underestimation or a misinterpretation of the product's microbial status. In the present study, both a traditional culture-based method and Flow Cytometry (FCM) were applied to monitor the individual or combined effect of Origanum vulgare essential oil (OEO) and mild heat treatment on the culturability and viability of Escherichia coli in a conventional culture medium and in a fruit juice challenge test. The results obtained in the culture medium showed bacterial inactivation with an increasing treatment temperature (55 °C, 60 °C, 65 °C), highlighting an overestimation of the dead population using the culture-based method; in fact, when the FCM method was applied, the prevalence of injured bacterial cells in a viable but non-culturable (VBNC) state was observed. When commercial fruit juice with a pH of 3.8 and buffered at pH 7.0 was inoculated with E. coli ATCC 25922, a bactericidal action of OEO and a higher efficiency of the mild heat at 65 °C for 5' combined with OEO were found. Overall, the combination of mild heat and OEO treatment represents a promising antimicrobial alternative to improve the safety of fruit juice.

Quantitative magnetic resonance characterization of the effect of physical training on skeletal muscle of the Ts65Dn mice, a model of Down syndrome.

Down syndrome (DS) is characterized by muscle hypotonia and low muscle strength associated with motor dysfunction. Elucidation of the determinants of muscle weakness in DS would be relevant for therapeutic approaches aimed at treating/mitigating a physical disability with a strong impact on the quality of life in persons with DS. The Ts65Dn mice is a recognized mouse model of DS, with trisomic mice presenting gross motor and muscle phenotypes. The aim of this work was to assess the effect of physical exercise, a well-known tool to improve skeletal muscle condition, in the hindlimbs of trisomic and euploid male mice using quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) metabolomics and histological fiber typing were used to further characterize the post-exercise muscle. Quantitative MRI showed not significantly different amounts of skeletal muscle in proximal hindlimbs in trisomic and euploid mice both at baseline and after physical exercise (P>0.05). Similar results were obtained for hindlimbs subfascia adipose tissue, and subcutaneous adipose tissue (P>0.05). MRS showed lower amounts of exercise-related metabolites (valine, isoleucine, leucine) in euploid vs. trisomic mice after exercise (P≤0.05). The percentage of slow-twitch fibers was similar in the two genotypes (P>0.05). We conclude that in DS adapted physical exercise (one month of training) does not induce quantitative changes in skeletal muscle or fiber type composition therein; however, the metabolic response of skeletal muscle to exercise may be affected by trisomy. These findings prompt further research investigating the role of physical exercise as a cue to clarify the mechanisms of the muscular deficit found in DS.

Low Ozone Concentrations Differentially Affect the Structural and Functional Features of Non-Activated and Activated Fibroblasts In Vitro.

Oxygen-ozone (O2-O3) therapy is increasingly applied as a complementary/adjuvant treatment for several diseases; however, the biological mechanisms accounting for the efficacy of low O3 concentrations need further investigations to understand the possibly multiple effects on the different cell types. In this work, we focused our attention on fibroblasts as ubiquitous connective cells playing roles in the body architecture, in the homeostasis of tissue-resident cells, and in many physiological and pathological processes. Using an established human fibroblast cell line as an in vitro model, we adopted a multimodal approach to explore a panel of cell structural and functional features, combining light and electron microscopy, Western blot analysis, real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction, and multiplex assays for cytokines. The administration of O2-O3 gas mixtures induced multiple effects on fibroblasts, depending on their activation state: in non-activated fibroblasts, O3 stimulated proliferation, formation of cell surface protrusions, antioxidant response, and IL-6 and TGF-ß1 secretion, while in LPS-activated fibroblasts, O3 stimulated only antioxidant response and cytokines secretion. Therefore, the low O3 concentrations used in this study induced activation-like responses in non-activated fibroblasts, whereas in already activated fibroblasts, the cell protective capability was potentiated.

Formulative Study and Intracellular Fate Evaluation of Ethosomes and Transethosomes for Vitamin D3 Delivery.

In this pilot study, ethosomes and transethosomes were investigated as potential delivery systems for cholecalciferol (vitamin D3), whose deficiency has been correlated to many disorders such as dermatological diseases, systemic infections, cancer and sarcopenia. A formulative study on the influence of pharmaceutically acceptable ionic and non-ionic surfactants allowed the preparation of different transethosomes. In vitro cytotoxicity was evaluated in different cell types representative of epithelial, connective and muscle tissue. Then, the selected nanocarriers were further investigated at light and transmission electron microscopy to evaluate their uptake and intracellular fate. Both ethosomes and transethosomes proven to have physicochemical properties optimal for transdermal penetration and efficient vitamin D3 loading; moreover, nanocarriers were easily internalized by all cell types, although they followed distinct intracellular fates: ethosomes persisted for long times inside the cytoplasm, without inducing subcellular alteration, while transethosomes underwent rapid degradation giving rise to an intracellular accumulation of lipids. These basic results provide a solid scientific background to in vivo investigations aimed at exploring the efficacy of vitamin D3 transdermal administration in different experimental and pathological conditions.

Ethosomes and Transethosomes for Mangiferin Transdermal Delivery.

Mangiferin is a natural glucosyl xanthone with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity, making it suitable for protection against cutaneous diseases. In this study ethosomes and transethosomes were designed as topical delivery systems for mangiferin. A preformulation study was conducted using different surfactants in association with phosphatidylcholine. Vesicle dimensional distribution was monitored by photon correlation spectroscopy, while antioxidant capacity and cytotoxicity were respectively assessed by free radical scavenging analysis and MTT on HaCaT keratinocytes. Selected nanosystems were further investigated by cryogenic transmission electron microscopy, while mangiferin entrapment capacity was evaluated by ultracentrifugation and HPLC. The diffusion kinetics of mangiferin from ethosomes and transethosomes evaluated by Franz cell was faster in the case of transethosomes. The suitability of mangiferin-containing nanovesicles in the treatment of skin disorders related to pollutants was investigated, evaluating, in vitro, the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effect of ethosomes and transethosomes on human keratinocytes exposed to cigarette smoke as an oxidative and inflammatory challenger. The ability to induce an antioxidant response (HO-1) and anti-inflammatory status (IL-6 and NF-kB) was determined by RT-PCR and immunofluorescence. The data demonstrated the effectiveness of mangiferin loaded in nanosystems to protect cells from damage. Finally, to gain insight into the keratinocytes' uptake of ethosome and transethosome, transmission electron microscopy analyses were conducted, showing that both nanosystems were able to pass intact within the cells.

Ozone Activates the Nrf2 Pathway and Improves Preservation of Explanted Adipose Tissue In Vitro.

In clinical practice, administration of low ozone (O3) dosages is a complementary therapy for many diseases, due to the capability of O3 to elicit an antioxidant response through the Nuclear Factor Erythroid 2-Related Factor 2 (Nrf2)-dependent pathway. Nrf2 is also involved in the adipogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells, and low O3 concentrations have been shown to stimulate lipid accumulation in human adipose-derived adult stem cells in vitro. Thus, O3 treatment is a promising procedure to improve the survival of explanted adipose tissue, whose reabsorption after fat grafting is a major problem in regenerative medicine. In this context, we carried out a pilot study to explore the potential of mild O3 treatment in preserving explanted murine adipose tissue in vitro. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy, Western blot, real-time polymerase chain reaction and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy were used. Exposure to low O3 concentrations down in the degradation of the explanted adipose tissue and induced a concomitant increase in the protein abundance of Nrf2 and in the expression of its target gene Hmox1. These findings provide a promising background for further studies aimed at the clinical application of O3 as an adjuvant treatment to improve fat engraftment.

Combined Microscopic and Metabolomic Approach to Characterize the Skeletal Muscle Fiber of the Ts65Dn Mouse, A Model of Down Syndrome.

Down syndrome (DS) is a genetically based disease caused by triplication of chromosome 21. DS is characterized by severe muscle weakness associated with motor deficits; however, understanding the DS-associated skeletal muscle condition is limited. In this study, we used a combined methodological approach involving light and electron microscopy, as well as nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy metabolomics, to investigate morphology and composition of the quadriceps muscles in the Ts65Dn mouse, a model of DS, to identify structural and/or functional trisomy-associated alterations. Morphometric analysis demonstrated a larger size of myofibers in trisomic versus euploid mice; however, myofibrils were thinner and contained higher amounts of mitochondria and lipid droplets. In trisomic mice, magnetic resonance spectroscopy showed a tendency to an overall increase in muscle metabolites involved in protein synthesis. These data strongly suggest that in DS, a sarcoplasmic hypertrophy associated with myofibril loss characterizes quadriceps myofibers. In addition, large-sized mitochondria suggestive of impaired fission/fusion events, as well as metabolites modifications suggestive of decreased mitochondrial function, were found in the trisomic muscle. Albeit preliminary, the results provided by this novel approach consistently indicate structural and compositional alterations of the DS skeletal muscle, which are typical of early aging.

Ozone at low concentrations does not affect motility and proliferation of cancer cells in vitro.

Exposure to low ozone concentrations is used in medicine as an adjuvant/complementary treatment for a variety of diseases. The therapeutic potential of low ozone concentrations relies on their capability to increase the nuclear translocation of the Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), thus inducing the transcription of Antioxidant Response Elements (ARE)-driven genes and, through a cascade of events, a general cytoprotective response. However, based on the controversial role of Nrf2 in cancer initiation, progression and resistance to therapies, possible negative effects of ozone therapy may be hypothesised in oncological patients. With the aim to elucidate the possible changes in morphology, migration capability and proliferation of cancer cells following mild ozone exposure, we performed wound healing experiments in vitro on HeLa cells treated with low ozone concentrations currently used in the clinical practice. By combining a multimodal microscopy approach (light and fluorescence microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy) with morphometric analyses, we demonstrated that, under our experimental conditions, exposure to low ozone concentrations does not alter cytomorphology, motility and proliferation features, thus supporting the notion that ozone therapy should not positively affect tumour cell growth and metastasis.

Satellite Cells in Skeletal Muscle of the Hibernating Dormouse, a Natural Model of Quiescence and Re-Activation: Focus on the Cell Nucleus.

Satellite cells (SCs) participate in skeletal muscle plasticity/regeneration. Activation of SCs implies that nuclear changes underpin a new functional status. In hibernating mammals, periods of reduced metabolic activity alternate with arousals and resumption of bodily functions, thereby leading to repeated cell deactivation and reactivation. In hibernation, muscle fibers are preserved despite long periods of immobilization. The structural and functional characteristics of SC nuclei during hibernation have not been investigated yet. Using ultrastructural and immunocytochemical analysis, we found that the SCs of the hibernating edible dormouse, Glis glis, did not show apoptosis or necrosis. Moreover, their nuclei were typical of quiescent cells, showing similar amounts and distributions of heterochromatin, pre-mRNA transcription and processing factors, as well as paired box protein 7 (Pax7) and the myogenic differentiation transcription factor D (MyoD), as in euthermia. However, the finding of accumulated perichromatin granules (i.e., sites of storage/transport of spliced pre-mRNA) in SC nuclei of hibernating dormice suggested slowing down of the nucleus-to-cytoplasm transport. We conclude that during hibernation, SC nuclei maintain similar transcription and splicing activity as in euthermia, indicating an unmodified status during immobilization and hypometabolism. Skeletal muscle preservation during hibernation is presumably not due to SC activation, but rather to the maintenance of some functional activity in myofibers that is able to counteract muscle wasting.

Embedding cell monolayers to investigate nanoparticle-plasmalemma interactions at transmission electron microscopy.

Transmission electron microscopy is the technique of choice to visualize the spatial relationships between nanoconstructs and cells and especially to monitor the uptake process of nanomaterials. It is therefore crucial that the cell surface be preserved in its integrity, to obtain reliable ultrastructural evidence: the plasmalemma represents the biological barrier the nanomaterials have to cross, and the mode of membrane-nanoconstruct interaction is responsible for the intracellular fate of the nanomaterials. In this paper, we describe a simple and inexpensive method to process cell monolayers for ultrastructural morphology and immunocytochemistry, ensuring consistent preservation of the cell surface and of the occurring interactions with nanoparticles of different chemical composition.

Uptake and intracellular fate of biocompatible nanocarriers in cycling and noncycling cells.

AIM: To elucidate whether different cytokinetic features (i.e., presence or absence of mitotic activity) may influence cell uptake and distribution of nanocarriers, in vitro tests on liposomes, mesoporous silica nanoparticles, poly(lactide-co-glycolide) nanoparticles and nanohydrogels were carried out on C2C12 murine muscle cells either able to proliferate as myoblasts (cycling cells) or terminally differentiate into myotubes (noncycling cells). MATERIALS & METHODS: Cell uptake and intracellular fate of liposomes, mesoporous silica nanoparticles, poly(lactide-co-glycolide) nanoparticles and nanohydrogels were investigated by confocal fluorescence microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. RESULTS: Nanocarrier internalization and distribution were similar in myoblasts and myotubes; however, myotubes demonstrated a lower uptake capability. CONCLUSION: All nanocarriers proved to be suitably biocompatible for both myoblasts and myotubes. The lower uptake capability of myotubes is probably due to different plasma membrane composition related to the differentiation process.

Ozone Treatment of Grapes During Withering for Amarone Wine: A Multimodal Imaging and Spectroscopic Analysis.

The production of Amarone wine is governed by a disciplinary guideline to preserve its typical features; however, postharvest infections by the fungus Botrytis cinerea (B. cinerea) not only represent a phytosanitary problem but also cause a significant loss of product. In this study, we tested a treatment with mild ozoniztion on grapes for Amarone wine production during withering in the fruttaio (the environment imposed by the disciplinary guideline) and evaluated the impact on berry features by a multimodal imaging approach. The results indicate that short and repeated treatments with low O3 concentrations speed up the naturally occurring berry withering, probably inducing a reorganization of the epicuticular wax layer, and inhibit the development of B. cinerea, blocking the fungus in an intermediate vegetative stage. This pilot study will pave the way to long-term research on Amarone wine obtained from O3-treated grapes.

Low ozone concentrations promote adipogenesis in human adipose-derived adult stem cells.

Ozone is a strong oxidant, highly unstable atmospheric gas. Its medical use at low concentrations has been progressively increasing as an alternative/adjuvant treatment for several diseases. In this study, we investigated the effects of mild ozonisation on human adipose-derived adult stem (hADAS) cells i.e., mesenchymal stem cells occurring in the stromal-vascular fraction of the fat tissue and involved in the tissue regeneration processes. hADAS cells were induced to differentiate into the adipoblastic lineage, and the effect of low ozone concentrations on the adipogenic process was studied by combining histochemical, morphometric and ultrastructural analyses. Our results demonstrate that ozone treatment promotes lipid accumulation in hADAS without inducing deleterious effects, thus paving the way to future studies aimed at elucidating the effect of mild ozonisation on adipose tissue for tissue regeneration and engineering.

Mild ozonisation activates antioxidant cell response by the Keap1/Nrf2 dependent pathway.

Treatment with low-dose ozone is successfully exploited as an adjuvant therapy in the treatment of several disorders. Although the list of medical applications of ozone therapy is increasing, molecular mechanisms underlying its beneficial effects are still partially known. Clinical and experimental evidence suggests that the therapeutic effects of ozone treatment may rely on its capability to mount a beneficial antioxidant response through activation of the nuclear factor erythroid-derived-like 2 (Nrf2) pathway. However, a conclusive mechanistic demonstration is still lacking. Here, we bridge this gap of knowledge by providing evidence that treatment with a low concentration of ozone in cultured cells promotes nuclear translocation of Nrf2 at the chromatin sites of active transcription and increases the expression of antioxidant response element (ARE)-driven genes. Importantly, we show that ozone-induced ARE activation can be reverted by the ectopic expression of the Nrf2 specific inhibitor Kelch-like ECH associated protein (Keap1), thus proving the role of the Nrf2 pathway in the antioxidant response induced by mild ozonisation.