Sex-dependent metal accumulation and immunoexpression of Hsp70 and Nrf2 in rats' brain following manganese exposure.

Manganese (Mn), although important for multiple cellular processes, has posed environmental health concerns due to its neurotoxic effects. In recent years, there have been extensive studies on the mechanism of Mn-induced neuropathology, as well as the sex-dependent vulnerability to its neurotoxic effects. Nonetheless, cellular mechanisms influenced by sex differences in susceptibility to Mn have yet to be adequately characterized. Since oxidative stress is a key mechanism of Mn neurotoxicity, here, we have probed Hsp70 and Nrf2 proteins to investigate the sex-dependent changes following exposure to Mn. Male and female rats were administered intraperitoneal injections of MnCl2 (10 mg/kg and 25 mg/kg) 48 hourly for a total of eight injections (15 days). We evaluated changes in body weight, as well as Mn accumulation, Nrf2 and Hsp70 expression across four brain regions; striatum, cortex, hippocampus and cerebellum in both sexes. Our results showed sex-specific changes in body-weight, specifically in males but not in females. Additionally, we noted sex-dependent accumulation of Mn in the brain, as well as in expression levels of Nrf2 and Hsp70 proteins. These findings revealed sex-dependent susceptibility to Mn-induced neurotoxicity corresponding to differential Mn accumulation, and expression of Hsp70 and Nrf2 across several brain regions.

Motility, biofilm formation, apoptotic effect and virulence gene expression of atypical Salmonella Typhimurium outside and inside Caco-2 cells.

Disease outbreaks related to waterborne pathogen contamination throughout the world as well as challenges that lie ahead for addressing persistent infection are of renewed interest. In this research, we studied the effects of prolonged exposure of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium to the cues encountered in the extracellular environment particularly in seawater microcosm on bacterial virulence and subsequent infection in Caco-2 cells. Our data show a significant difference in biofilm formation, swimming and swarming motilities between normal and stressed cells of S. Typhimurium under differing NaCl conditions (P < 0.05). Interestingly, adhesion, invasion and apoptotic activity to Caco-2 epithelial cells were determined during infection with normal and stressed Salmonella. Furthermore, we compared the expression of SPI-1 virulence genes (sopA, sopB, sopD, sopE2 and hilA) of normal and stressed S. Typhimurium in response to salt conditions encountered in the extracellular environment in LB broth and after epithelial cell exposure. The interest of the present study is due to the fact that to investigate the bacterial survival strategies during its movement from the natural surroundings to the host cell is fundamental to our understanding of the infection process during the host-pathogen interactions.

Adhesion, invasion, cytotoxic effect and cytokine production in response to atypical Salmonella Typhimurium infection.

Pathogenic bacteria such as Salmonella have the ability to respond to a wide variety of environmental stimuli. These responses allow them to survive and withstand insults both of an external location as well as within the host. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of preadaptation in stressful conditions encountered in seawater microcosms for different periods of time on Salmonella Typhimurium survival, antibiotic susceptibility and interactions with Caco-2 cells. These results showed that the number of bacterial cells depends from the periods of stress in culture medium, highlighting the importance of using the right culture medium for the enumeration of stressed bacteria. The antibiotic resistance of starved cells was modified and their exposure to stressful conditions in seawater during 12 months significantly increased adhesion, invasion and cytotoxic activities on Caco-2 cells. Moreover, cellular cytokines IL-6 and IL-8 secretions were up-regulated. Present results seem to suggest that the preadaptation of S. Typhimurium in seawater microcosms affect the cultural characters by the appearance of the atypical cells that may play a critical role in the intestinal infection and in the systemic spread of the disease. These findings are very important to understand bacterial responses to changing conditions and explain the persistence of these atypical in eukaryotic cells.

In vitro effects of metals on isolated head-kidney and blood leucocytes of the teleost fish Sparus aurata L. and Dicentrarchus labrax L.

The in vitro use of fish leucocytes to test the toxicity of aquatic pollutants, and particularly the immutoxicological effects, could be a valuable alternative to fish bioassays but has received little attention. In this study, head-kidney and peripheral blood leucocytes (HKLs and PBLs, respectively) from gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata L.) and European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax L.) specimens were exposed to Cd, MeHg (methylmercury), Pb or As for 24 h being evaluated the resulting cytotoxicity. Exposure to metals produced a dose-dependent reduction in the viability, and MeHg showed the highest toxicity followed by Cd, As and Pb. Interestingly, leucocytes from European sea bass are more resistant to metal exposure than those from gilthead seabream. Similarly, HKLs are always more sensitive than those isolated from blood from the same fish species. Moreover, fish leucocytes incubated with metals exhibited alterations in gene expression profiles that were more pronounced in the HKLs in general, being Pb the metal provoking less effects. Concretely, genes related to cellular protection (metallothionein), stress (heat shock protein 70) and oxidative stress (superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione reductase) were, in general, down-regulated in seabream HKLs but up-regulated in seabream PBLs and sea bass HKLs and PBLs. In addition, this profile leads to the increase of expression in genes related to apoptosis (Bcl2 associated X protein and caspase 3). Finally, transcription of genes involved in immunity (interleukin-1ß and immunoglobulin M) was down-regulated, mainly in seabream leucocytes. This study points to the benefits for evaluating the toxicological mechanisms of marine pollution using fish leucocytes in vitro and insight into the mechanisms at gene level.

Effects of Shewanella putrefaciens on innate immunity and cytokine expression profile upon high stocking density of gilthead seabream specimens.

High stocking density increases the number of emerging diseases triggering economic losses worldwide. Probiotics provide an effective and natural solution for preventing some diseases through an improvement of innate immune system among others. In the present work dietary administration of the probiotic Shewanella putrefaciens (known as Pdp11) was evaluated under stress by high stocking density after 2 and 4 weeks of administration to gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata) specimens. Results showed an increase in cellular peroxidase and respiratory burst activity as well as a modulation of cytokine profile when Pdp11 was administered to fish reared at high stocking density. Overall, our results showed how Pdp11 is not only able to improve to some extent the cellular and humoral immunity but also to increase the gene expression profile of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as il1b or il6 in response to high stocking density in gilthead seabream. These findings may support the potential use of this probiotic as functional feed against stress in fish farms.

Characterization of the IFN pathway in the teleost fish gonad against vertically transmitted viral nervous necrosis virus.

One of the most powerful innate immune responses against viruses is mediated by type I IFN. In teleost fish, it is known that virus infection triggers the expression of ifn and many IFN-stimulated genes, but the viral RNA sensors and mediators leading to IFN production are scarcely known. Thus, we have searched for the presence of these genes in gilt-head sea bream (Sparus aurata) and European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax), and evaluated their expression after infection with viral nervous necrosis virus (VNNV) in the brain, the main viral target tissue, and the gonad, used to transmit the virus vertically. In sea bream, a fish species resistant to the VNNV strain used, we found an upregulation of the genes encoding MDA5 (melanoma differentiation-associated gene 5), TBK1 (TANK-binding kinase 1), IRF3 (IFN regulatory factor 3), IFN, Mx [myxovirus (influenza) resistance protein] and PKR (dsRNA-dependent protein kinase receptor) proteins in the brain, which were unaltered in the gonad and could favour the dissemination by gonad fluids or gametes. Strikingly, in European sea bass, a very susceptible species, we also identified, transcripts coding for LGP2 (Laboratory of Genetics and Physiology 2), MAVS (mitochondrial antiviral signalling), TRAF3 (TNF receptor-associated factor 3), TANK (TRAF family member-associated NFκB activator) and IRF7 (IFN regulatory factor 7), and found that all the genes analysed were upregulated in the gonad, but only mda5, lgp2, irf3, mx and pkr were upregulated in the brain. These findings supported the notion that the European sea bass brain innate immune response is unable to clear the virus and pointed to the importance of gonad immunity to control the dissemination of VNNV to the progeny--an aspect that is worth investigating in aquatic animals.

In vitro immunotoxicological effects of heavy metals on European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax L.) head-kidney leucocytes.

The knowledge about the direct effects of heavy metals on fish leucocytes is still limited. We investigate the in vitro effects of heavy metals (Cd, Hg, Pb or As) on oxidative stress, viability and innate immune parameters of head-kidney leucocytes (HKLs) from European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax). Production of free oxygen radicals was induced by Cd, Hg and As, mainly after 30 min of exposure. Cd and Hg promoted both apoptosis and necrosis cell death while Pb and As did only apoptosis, in all cases in a concentration-dependent manner. Moreover, expression of genes related to oxidative stress and apoptosis was significantly induced by Hg and Pb but down-regulated by As. In addition, the expression of the metallothionein A gene was up-regulated by Cd and Pb exposure though this transcript, as well as the heat shock protein 70, was down-regulated by Hg. Cd, methylmercury (MeHg) and As reduced the phagocytic ability, whereas Hg and Pb increased it. Interestingly, all the heavy metals decreased the phagocytic capacity (the number of ingested particles per cell). Leucocyte respiratory burst changed depending on the metal exposure, usually in a time- and dose-manner. Interestingly, the expression of immune-related genes was slightly affected by Cd, MeHg, As or Pb being Hg the form producing the greatest alterations, which included down-regulation of immunoglobulin M and hepcidin, as well as the up-regulation of interleukin-1 beta mRNA levels. This study provides an in vitro approach for elucidating the heavy metals toxicity, and particularly the immunotoxicity, in fish leucocytes.

The Role of Cardiolipin in Mitochondrial Function and Neurodegenerative Diseases.

Cardiolipin (CL) is a mitochondria-exclusive phospholipid synthesized in the inner mitochondrial membrane. CL plays a key role in mitochondrial membranes, impacting a plethora of functions this organelle performs. Consequently, it is conceivable that abnormalities in the CL content, composition, and level of oxidation may negatively impact mitochondrial function and dynamics, with important implications in a variety of diseases. This review concentrates on papers published in recent years, combined with basic and underexplored research in CL. We capture new findings on its biological functions in the mitochondria, as well as its association with neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease or Parkinson's disease. Lastly, we explore the potential applications of CL as a biomarker and pharmacological target to mitigate mitochondrial dysfunction.

Aberrant ER-mitochondria communication is a common pathomechanism in mitochondrial disease.

Genetic mutations causing primary mitochondrial disease (i.e those compromising oxidative phosphorylation [OxPhos]) resulting in reduced bioenergetic output display great variability in their clinical features, but the reason for this is unknown. We hypothesized that disruption of the communication between endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and mitochondria at mitochondria-associated ER membranes (MAM) might play a role in this variability. To test this, we assayed MAM function and ER-mitochondrial communication in OxPhos-deficient cells, including cybrids from patients with selected pathogenic mtDNA mutations. Our results show that each of the various mutations studied indeed altered MAM functions, but notably, each disorder presented with a different MAM "signature". We also found that mitochondrial membrane potential is a key driver of ER-mitochondrial connectivity. Moreover, our findings demonstrate that disruption in ER-mitochondrial communication has consequences for cell survivability that go well beyond that of reduced ATP output. The findings of a "MAM-OxPhos" axis, the role of mitochondrial membrane potential in controlling this process, and the contribution of MAM dysfunction to cell death, reveal a new relationship between mitochondria and the rest of the cell, as well as providing new insights into the diagnosis and treatment of these devastating disorders.

Defective Mitochondrial Dynamics Underlie Manganese-Induced Neurotoxicity.

Perturbations in mitochondrial dynamics have been observed in most neurodegenerative diseases. Here, we focus on manganese (Mn)-induced Parkinsonism-like neurodegeneration, a disorder associated with the preferential of Mn in the basal ganglia where the mitochondria are considered an early target. Despite the extensive characterization of the clinical presentation of manganism, the mechanism by which Mn mediated mitochondrial toxicity is unclear. In this study we hypothesized whether Mn exposure alters mitochondrial activity, including axonal transport of mitochondria and mitochondrial dynamics, morphology, and network. Using primary neuron cultures exposed to 100 µM Mn (which is considered the threshold of Mn toxicity in vitro) and intraperitoneal injections of MnCl2 (25mg/kg) in rat, we observed that Mn increased mitochondrial fission mediated by phosphorylation of dynamin-related protein-1 at serine 616 (p-s616-DRP1) and decreased mitochondrial fusion proteins (MFN1 and MFN2) leading to mitochondrial fragmentation, defects in mitochondrial respiratory capacity, and mitochondrial ultrastructural damage in vivo and in vitro. Furthermore, Mn exposure impaired mitochondrial trafficking by decreasing dynactin (DCTN1) and kinesin-1 (KIF5B) motor proteins and increasing destabilization of the cytoskeleton at protein and gene levels. In addition, mitochondrial communication may also be altered by Mn exposure, increasing the length of nanotunnels to reach out distal mitochondria. These findings revealed an unrecognized role of Mn in dysregulation of mitochondrial dynamics providing a potential explanation of early hallmarks of the disorder, as well as a possible common pathway with neurological disorders arising upon chronic Mn exposure.

Rodent hair is a Poor biomarker for internal manganese exposure.

Hair is used as a biomarker of manganese (Mn) exposure, yet there is limited evidence to support its utility to quantify internal vs external Mn exposure. C57BL/6 J mice and Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed in two blocks of 3 subcutaneous injections every 3 days starting on day 0 or 20. The control group received two blocks of saline (vehicle); Treatment A received the first block as Mn (50 mg/kg MnCl2 tetrahydrate), with the second block as either methylmercury (MeHg at 2.6 or 1.3 mg/kg) for mice or vehicle for rats; and Treatment B received Mn for both blocks. Hair was collected on days 0 and 60 from all treatment groups and Mn quantified by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and total Hg by Direct Mercury Analyzer (DMA). No correlation between internal Mn dose and hair Mn was observed, whereas hair Hg was significantly elevated in MeHg exposed vs non-exposed mice. Whole body Mn content at day 60 was quantified postmortem by neutron activation analysis, which detected significantly elevated Mn for Treatment B in mice and rats. Overall, we find no evidence to support the use of hair as a valid biomarker for internal exposure to Mn at a neurotoxic level.

Manganese-induced Mitochondrial Dysfunction Is Not Detectable at Exposures Below the Acute Cytotoxic Threshold in Neuronal Cell Types.

Manganese (Mn) is an essential metal, but excessive exposures have been well-documented to culminate in neurotoxicity. Curiously, the precise mechanisms of Mn neurotoxicity are still unknown. One hypothesis suggests that Mn exerts its toxicity by inhibiting mitochondrial function, which then (if exposure levels are high and long enough) leads to cell death. Here, we used a Huntington's disease cell model with known differential sensitivities to manganese-STHdhQ7/Q7 and STHdhQ111/Q111 cells-to examine the effects of acute Mn exposure on mitochondrial function. We determined toxicity thresholds for each cell line using both changes in cell number and caspase-3/7 activation. We used a range of acute Mn exposures (0-300 µM), both above and below the cytotoxic threshold, to evaluate mitochondria-associated metabolic balance, mitochondrial respiration, and substrate dependence. In both cell lines, we observed no effect on markers of mitochondrial function at subtoxic Mn exposures (below detectable levels of cell death), yet at supratoxic exposures (above detectable levels of cell death) mitochondrial function significantly declined. We validated these findings in primary striatal neurons. In cell lines, we further observed that subtoxic Mn concentrations do not affect glycolytic function or major intracellular metabolite quantities. These data suggest that in this system, Mn exposure impairs mitochondrial function only at concentrations coincident with or above the initiation of cell death and is not consistent with the hypothesis that mitochondrial dysfunction precedes or induces Mn cytotoxicity.

New Insights on the Role of Manganese in Alzheimer's Disease and Parkinson's Disease.

Manganese (Mn) is an essential trace element that is naturally found in the environment and is necessary as a cofactor for many enzymes and is important in several physiological processes that support development, growth, and neuronal function. However, overexposure to Mn may induce neurotoxicity and may contribute to the development of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD). The present review aims to provide new insights into the involvement of Mn in the etiology of AD and PD. Here, we discuss the critical role of Mn in the etiology of these disorders and provide a summary of the proposed mechanisms underlying Mn-induced neurodegeneration. In addition, we review some new therapy options for AD and PD related to Mn overload.

Metal detoxification in the marine teleost fish Sparus aurata L. and Dicentrarchus labrax L.

Transcription of ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters has been evaluated in cell lines and primary cultures from gilthead seabream and European sea bass teleost fish exposed to methylmercury (MeHg), arsenic, cadmium or lead. The mRNA expression levels showed abcb1, abcc2 and abcc5 constitutive gene expression in all seabream tissues analyzed; however, we were unable to detect any constitutive transcription of abcb1 in many of the sea bass tissues. Furthermore, ABC mRNA expression levels were all affected by metal exposure, especially in the case of fish cell lines and erythrocytes, and greatly depended on cell type and fish species. Thus, while ABC transcription was up-regulated in the seabream cell line it was down-regulated in the sea bass cell line, while the opposite occurred in the primary cultures. All these data point to the importance of ABC transporters in metal detoxification and in the differential regulation in seabream and sea bass cells.

Methylmercury Affects the Expression of Hypothalamic Neuropeptides That Control Body Weight in C57BL/6J Mice.

Methylmercury (MeHg) is an environmental pollutant that affects primarily the central nervous system (CNS), causing neurological alterations. An early symptom of MeHg poisoning is the loss of body weight and appetite. Moreover, the CNS has an important role in controlling energy homeostasis. It is known that in the hypothalamus nutrient and hormonal signals converge to orchestrate control of body weight and food intake. In this study, we investigated if MeHg is able to induce changes in the expression of key hypothalamic neuropeptides that regulate energy homeostasis. Thus, hypothalamic neuronal mouse cell line GT 1-7 was treated with MeHg at different concentrations (0, 0.5, 1, and 5 µM). MeHg induced the expression of the anorexigenic neuropeptide pro-omiomelanocortin (Pomc) and the orexigenic peptide Agouti-related peptide (Agrp) in a concentration-dependent manner, suggesting deregulation of mechanisms that control body weight. To confirm these in vitro observations, 8-week-old C57BL/6J mice (males and females) were exposed to MeHg in drinking water, modeling the most prevalent exposure route to this metal. After 30-day exposure, no changes in body weight were detected. However, MeHg treated males showed a significant decrease in fat depots. Moreover, MeHg affected the expression of hypothalamic neuropeptides that control food intake and body weight in a gender- and dose-dependent manner. Thus, MeHg increases Pomc mRNA only in males in a dose-dependent way, and it does not have effects on the expression of Agrp mRNA. The present study shows, for first time, that MeHg is able to induce changes in hypothalamic neuropeptides that regulate energy homeostasis, favoring an anorexigenic/catabolic profile.

Molecular oxidative stress markers in olive ridley turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea) and their relation to metal concentrations in wild populations.

Due to their longevity and extensive migration areas, marine turtles are able to accumulate diverse contaminants over many years and as a consequence they represent an interesting bioindicator species for marine ecosystem pollution. Metals provoke toxicological effects in many aquatic animal species, but marine turtles have been under-investigated in this area. Thus, we have determined the presence of certain inorganic elements (As, Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb, Se and Zn) in olive ridley turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea) and related them to metallothionein (MT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione reductase (GR) transcription and/or enzymatic activities. Gene expression of sod, cat and gr was found to be higher in blood than liver or kidney but most of the significant relationships were found in liver, not only for gene expression but also for enzyme activities. This must be related to the role the liver has as the first filter organ. Several positive relationships of sod, cat and gr gene expression in the different tissues were found in this population, as well as very high Cd concentrations. This could mean that these turtles are adapting to the metals-production of ROS and damage through a high transcription of these antioxidants. Multiple positive relationships with GR seem to be part of its compensatory effect due to the decrease of SOD production against the high and chronic exposure to certain xenobiotics. CAT, on the other hand, seems not to be used much, and glutathione detoxification of H2O2 may be more important in this species. Finally, despite the very high Cd concentrations found in this population, no significant relationship was found in any tissue with metallothionein gene expression. These results, along with very high Cd concentrations and a negative relationship with Cu, lead us to consider some kind of disruption in mt gene expression in these turtles.

Inorganic arsenic causes apoptosis cell death and immunotoxicity on European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax).

Inorganic arsenic (As) is one of the most toxic pollutants in the water. We have studied their effects on the marine teleost European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) at 2 and 10 days of 5 µM of As2O3 (sub-lethal doses) waterborne exposure. Arsenic accumulates in liver and gill tissues. The expression profile of five genes (bax, blc2, casp3, casp8 and casp9) involved in apoptosis cell death confirmed apoptotic effects in liver, slight changes in gill and no effects in skin according with the histopathology findings. Total IgM level and peroxidase activities were increased at 2 and 10 days, respectively. The bactericidal activity was decreased at 2 days after As exposure. A general decrease of cellular immune activities with significant differences in the case of respiratory burst activity was observed after 2 and 10 days of exposure. This work describes for the first time the effects of As exposure on European sea bass.

Establishment of a new teleost brain cell line (DLB-1) from the European sea bass and its use to study metal toxicology.

In teleost fish, there are no commercial cell lines for the European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax). Thus, we have established the sea bass brain (DLB-1) cell line, using a fish retrovirus for immortalization, which resemble epithelial cells and express glial cells markers. Exposure to metals [Cd, methylmercury (MeHg), Pb or As] produces cytotoxicity and induction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Interestingly, cell cycle analysis of DLB-1 cells shows that exposure to metals alters it significantly. Moreover, all the metals induce apoptosis as indicated by sub-Go/G1 population and annexin V binding. Finally, exposure of DLB-1 cells to metals also produces significant alterations at gene expression level, which confirm the above functional results. This is the first study in which metal cytotoxicity has been evaluated in a fish brain cell line and results seem to support that DLB-1 cells are suitable for toxicological studies.

Heavy metals produce toxicity, oxidative stress and apoptosis in the marine teleost fish SAF-1 cell line.

The use of cell lines to test the toxicity of aquatic pollutants is a valuable alternative to fish bioassays. In this study, fibroblast SAF-1 cells from the marine gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata L.) were exposed for 24 h to the heavy metals Cd, Hg, MeHg (Methylmercury), As or Pb and the resulting cytotoxicity was assessed. Neutral red (NR), MTT-tetrazolio (MTT), crystal violet (CV) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) viability tests showed that SAF-1 cells exposed to the above heavy metals produced a dose-dependent reduction in the number of viable cells. Methylmercury showed the highest toxicity (EC50 = 0.01 mM) followed by As, Cd, Hg and Pb. NR was the most sensitive method followed by MTT, CV and LDH. SAF-1 cells incubated with each of the heavy metals also exhibited an increase in the production of reactive oxygen species and apoptosis cell death. Moreover, the corresponding gene expression profiles pointed to the induction of the metallothionein protective system, cellular and oxidative stress and apoptosis after heavy metal exposure for 24 h. This report describes and compares tools for evaluating the potential effects of marine contamination using the SAF-1 cell line.

Cytotoxicity and alterations at transcriptional level caused by metals on fish erythrocytes in vitro.

The in vitro use of fish erythrocytes to test the toxicity of aquatic pollutants could be a valuable alternative to fish bioassays but has received little attention. In this study, erythrocytes from marine gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata L.) and European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax L.) specimens were exposed for 24 h to Cd, Hg, Pb and As and the resulting cytotoxicity was evaluated. Exposure to metals produced a dose-dependent reduction in the viability, and mercury showed the highest toxicity followed by MeHg, Cd, As and Pb. Moreover, fish erythrocytes incubated with each one of the metals exhibited alteration in gene expression profile of metallothionein, superoxide dismutase, catalase, peroxiredoxin, glutathione reductase, heat shock proteins 70 and 90, Bcl2-associated X protein and calpain1 indicating cellular protection, stress and apoptosis death as well as oxidative stress. This study points to the benefits for evaluating the toxicological mechanisms of marine pollution using fish erythrocytes in vitro.