Publications by authors named "Alessandra Angelini"

Copper-containing amine oxidases (CuAOs) catalyze polyamines (PAs) terminal oxidation producing ammonium, an aminoaldehyde and hydrogen peroxide (HO). Plant CuAOs are induced by stress-related hormones, methyl-jasmonate (MeJA), abscisic acid (ABA) and salicylic acid (SA). In the Arabidopsis genome, eight genes encoding CuAOs have been identified.

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Plant copper amine oxidases (CuAOs) are involved in wound healing, defense against pathogens, methyl-jasmonate-induced protoxylem differentiation, and abscisic acid (ABA)-induced stomatal closure. In the present study, we investigated the role of the CuAOδ (AtCuAOδ; At4g12290) in the ABA-mediated stomatal closure by genetic and pharmacological approaches. Obtained data show that is up-regulated by ABA and that two T-DNA insertional mutants are less responsive to this hormone, showing reduced ABA-mediated stomatal closure and HO accumulation in guard cells as compared to the wild-type (WT) plants.

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Root architecture and xylem phenotypic plasticity influence crop productivity by affecting water and nutrient uptake, especially under those environmental stress, which limit water supply or imply excessive water losses. Xylem maturation depends on coordinated events of cell wall lignification and developmental programmed cell death (PCD), which could both be triggered by developmental- and/or stress-driven hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) production. Here, the effect of wounding of the cotyledonary leaf on root protoxylem maturation was explored in by analysis under Laser Scanning Confocal Microscope (LSCM).

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Wildlife has often presented and suggested the effects of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs). Animal studies have given us an important opportunity to understand the mechanisms of action of many chemicals on the endocrine system and on neurodevelopment and behaviour, and to evaluate the effects of doses, time and duration of exposure. Although results are sometimes conflicting because of confounding factors, epidemiological studies in humans suggest effects of EDCs on prenatal growth, thyroid function, glucose metabolism and obesity, puberty, fertility, and on carcinogenesis mainly through epigenetic mechanisms.

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Polyamines are involved in key developmental processes and stress responses. Copper amine oxidases oxidize the polyamine putrescine (Put), producing an aldehyde, ammonia, and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). The Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) amine oxidase gene At4g14940 (AtAO1) encodes an apoplastic copper amine oxidase expressed at the early stages of vascular tissue differentiation in roots.

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Polyamines (PAs) are aliphatic polycations present in all living organisms. A growing body of evidence reveals their involvement as regulators in a variety of physiological and pathological events. They are oxidatively deaminated by amine oxidases (AOs), including copper amine oxidases (CuAOs) and flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD)-dependent polyamine oxidases (PAOs).

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Despite the progress made in the prevention and treatment of rejection of the transplanted heart, cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV) remains the main cause of death in late survival transplanted patients. CAV consists of a progressive diffuse intimal hyperplasia and the proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells, ending in wall thickening of epicardial vessels, intramyocardial arteries (50-20 μm), arterioles (20-10 μm), and capillaries (< 10 μm). The etiology of CAV remains unclear; both immunologic and non-immunologic mechanisms contribute to endothelial damage with a sustained inflammatory response.

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