Extracellular vesicle-derived miRNAs improve stem cell-based therapeutic approaches in muscle wasting conditions.

Skeletal muscle holds an intrinsic capability of growth and regeneration both in physiological conditions and in case of injury. Chronic muscle illnesses, generally caused by genetic and acquired factors, lead to deconditioning of the skeletal muscle structure and function, and are associated with a significant loss in muscle mass. At the same time, progressive muscle wasting is a hallmark of aging.

Chondrocyte death involvement in osteoarthritis.

Chondrocyte apoptosis is known to contribute to articular cartilage damage in osteoarthritis and is correlated to a number of cartilage disorders. Micromass cultures represent a convenient means for studying chondrocyte biology, and, in particular, their death. In this review, we focused the different kinds of chondrocyte death through a comparison between data reported in the literature.

Morpho-functional analyses reveal that changes in the chemical structure of a marine bisindole alkaloid alter the cytotoxic effect of its derivatives.

2,2-bis(6-bromo-1H-indol-3-yl) ethanamine, a marine bisindole alkaloid, showed anticancer property in several tumor cell lines thanks to the presence of a 3,3'-diindolylmethane scaffold. Here, the modifications in its chemical structure into alkaloid-like derivatives, have been evaluated, to investigate changes in its biological activities. Three derivatives have been considered and their potential apoptotic action has been evaluated through morpho-functional analyses in a human cancer cell line.

Unburned Tobacco Cigarette Smoke Alters Rat Ultrastructural Lung Airways and DNA.

Introduction: Recently, the Food and Drug Administration authorized the marketing of IQOS Tobacco Heating System as a Modified Risk Tobacco Product based on an electronic heat-not-burn technology that purports to reduce the risk.

Methods: Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed in a whole-body mode to IQOS aerosol for 4 weeks. We performed the chemical characterization of IQOS mainstream and we studied the ultrastructural changes in trachea and lung parenchyma of rats exposed to IQOS stick mainstream and tissue pro-inflammatory markers.

Holotomographic microscopy: A new approach to detect apoptotic cell features.

Holotomographic (HT) microscopy, combines two techniques, holography and tomography, and, in this way, it allows to quantitatively and noninvasively investigate cells and thin tissue slices, by obtaining three-dimensional (3D) images and by monitoring inner morphological changes. HT has indeed two significant advantages: it is label-free and low-energy light passes through the specimen with minimal perturbation. Using quantitative phase imaging with optical diffraction tomography, it can produce 3D images by measuring the refraction index (RI).

SVCT2-Dependent plasma and mitochondrial membrane transport of ascorbic acid in differentiating myoblasts.

The Na-dependent Vitamin C transporter 2 (SVCT2) is expressed in the plasma and mitochondrial membranes of various cell types. This notion was also established in proliferating C2C12 myoblasts (Mb), in which the transporter was characterised by a high and low affinity in the plasma and mitochondrial membranes, respectively. In addition, the mitochondrial expression of SVCT2 appeared particularly elevated and, consistently, a brief pre-exposure to low concentrations of Ascorbic Acid (AA) abolished mitochondrial superoxide formation selectively induced by the cocktail arsenite/ATP.

Apoptotic Bodies: Particular Extracellular Vesicles Involved in Intercellular Communication.

In the last decade, a new method of cell-cell communication mediated by membranous extracellular vesicles (EVs) has emerged. EVs, including exosomes, microvesicles, and apoptotic bodies (ApoBDs), represent a new and important topic, because they are a means of communication between cells and they can also be involved in removing cellular contents. EVs are characterized by differences in size, origin, and content and different types have different functions.

Polyphenols and their potential role in preventing skeletal muscle atrophy.

Skeletal muscle atrophy is the consequence of various conditions, such as disuse, denervation, fasting, aging, and disease. Even if the underlying molecular mechanisms are still not fully understood, an elevated oxidative stress related to mitochondrial dysfunction has been proposed as one of the major contributors to skeletal muscle atrophy. Researchers have described various forms of nutritional supplementation to prevent oxidative stress-induced muscle wasting.

Diet Modulation Restores Autophagic Flux in Damaged Skeletal Muscle Cells.

Objectives: Autophagy is a physiological and highly regulated mechanism, crucial for cell homeostasis maintenance. Its impairment seems to be involved in the onset of several diseases, including muscular dystrophies, myopathies and sarcopenia. According to few papers, chemotherapeutic drug treatment is able to trigger side effects on skeletal muscle tissue and, among these, a defective autophagic activation, which leads to the persistence of abnormal organelles within cells and, finally, to myofiber degeneration.

The Customizable E-cigarette Resistance Influences Toxicological Outcomes: Lung Degeneration, Inflammation, and Oxidative Stress-Induced in a Rat Model.

Despite the knowledge gap regarding the risk-benefit ratio of the electronic cigarette (e-cig), its use has grown exponentially, even in teenagers. E-cig vapor contains carcinogenic compounds (eg, formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, and acrolein) and free radicals, especially reactive oxygen species (ROS) that cause toxicological effects, including DNA damage. The role of e-cig voltage customization on molecule generation has been reported, but the effects of the resistance on e-cig emissions and toxicity are unknown.

Morphological and ultrastructural analysis of normal, injured and osteoarthritic human knee menisci.

The human meniscus plays a crucial role for transmission and distribution of load across the knee, as well as shock absorption, joint stability, lubrication, and congruity. The aim of this study was to compare the complex geometry, and unique ultrastructure and tissue composition of the meniscus in healthy (control) and pathological conditions to provide understanding of structural changes that could be helpful in the future design of targetted therapies and improvement of treatment indications. We analyzed meniscus samples collected from 3 healthy multi-organ donors (median age, 66 years), 5 patients with traumatic meniscal tear (median age, 41 years) and 3 patients undergoing total knee replacement (TKR) for end-stage osteoarthritis (OA) (median age, 72 years).

Oxidative Stress in Autistic Children Alters Erythrocyte Shape in the Absence of Quantitative Protein Alterations and of Loss of Membrane Phospholipid Asymmetry.

Red blood cells (RBCs) from people affected by autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are a target of oxidative stress. By scanning electron microscopy, we analyzed RBC morphology from 22 ASD children and show here that only 47.5 ± 3.

Morphological evaluation of liposomal iron carriers.

Iron is one of the most important elements for human, because it plays an essential role in many metabolic processes. However, it is also recognized to be dangerous for its detrimental effect inside human cells, where, in the absence of homeostatic balance, it can induce free radicals formation. Moreover, an excessive accumulation of iron in tissues can produce iron overload, a condition incompatible with life.

The "" Journal Club Series: Highlights on Recent Papers in Exercise-Induced Immune Response.

We are glad to introduce the ninth Journal Club. This edition is focused on several relevant studies published in the last few years in the field of Exercise-Induced Immune Response, chosen by our Editorial Board members and their colleagues. We hope to stimulate your curiosity in this field and to share with you the passion for sport seen also from the scientific point of view.

Marine bisindole alkaloid: A potential apoptotic inducer in human cancer cells.

Marine organisms such as corals, sponges and tunicates produce active molecules which could represent a valid starting point for new drug development processes. Among the various structural classes, the attention has been focused on 2,2-bis(6-bromo-3-indolyl) ethylamine, a marine alkaloid which showed a good anticancer activity against several tumor cell lines. Here, for the first time, the mechanisms of action of 2,2-bis(6-bromo-3-indolyl) ethylamine have been evaluated in a U937 tumor cell model.

Bacteria-produced ferric exopolysaccharide nanoparticles as iron delivery system for truffles (Tuber borchii).

Iron exopolysaccharide nanoparticles were biogenerated during ferric citrate fermentation by Klebsiella oxytoca DSM 29614. Before investigating their effects on Tuber borchii ("bianchetto" truffle) mycelium growth and morphology, they were tested on human K562 cell line and Lentinula edodes pure culture and shown to be non-toxic. Using these nanoparticles as iron supplement, the truffles showed extremely efficient iron uptake of over 300 times that of a commercial product.

EPR, TEM and cell viability study of asbestiform zeolite fibers in cell media.

Human monocyte U937 cell line was used as a model to verify the toxicity of erionite and offretite asbestiform zeolite fibers. As a presumed non-toxic reference, a fibrous scolecite zeolite was also used. To analyze the process of fiber ingestion into cells and the cells-fibers interactions, a spin-probe electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) analysis was performed supported by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and cell viability measurements as a function of the incubation time.

Protective effect of different antioxidant agents in UVB-irradiated keratinocytes.

Skin cells can respond to UVB-induced damage either by tolerating it, or restoring it through antioxidant activation and DNA repair mechanisms or, ultimately, undergoing programmed cell death, when damage is massive. Nutritional factors, in particular, food antioxidants, have attracted much interest because of their potential use in new preventive, protective, and therapeutic strategies for chronic degenerative diseases, including skin inflammation and cancer. Some polyphenols, present in virgin olive oil, well tolerated by organism after oral administration, show a variety of pharmacological and clinical benefits such as anti-oxidant, anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, and neuro-protective activities.

Melatonin prevents mitochondrial dysfunctions and death in differentiated skeletal muscle cells.

Oxidative stress increase induces cellular damage and apoptosis activation, a mechanism believed to represent a final common pathway correlated to sarcopenia and many skeletal muscle disorders. The goal of this study is to evaluate if melatonin, a ROS scavenger molecule, is able to counteract or modulate myotube death. Here, differentiated C2C12 skeletal muscle cells have been treated with melatonin before chemicals known to induce apoptotic death and oxidative stress, and its effect has been investigated by means of morpho-functional analyses.

Electron paramagnetic resonance and transmission electron microscopy study of the interactions between asbestiform zeolite fibers and model membranes.

Different asbestiform zeolite fibers of the erionite (termed GF1 and MD8, demonstrated carcinogenic) and offretite (termed BV12, suspected carcinogenic) families were investigated by analyzing the electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectra of selected surfactant spin probes and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images in the presence of model membranes-cetyltrimethylammonium (CTAB) micelles, egg-lecithin liposomes, and dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC) liposomes. This was undertaken to obtain information on interactions occurring at a molecular level between fibers and membranes which correlate with entrance of fibers into the membrane model or location of the fibers at the external or internal membrane interfaces. For CTAB micelles, all fibers were able to enter the micelles, but the hair-like structure and chemical surface characteristics of GF1 modified the micelle structure toward a bilayer-like organization, while MD8 and BV12, being shorter fibers and with a high density of surface interacting groups, partially destroyed the micelles.

Further Highlighting on the Prevention of Oxidative Damage by Polyphenol-Rich Wine Extracts.

Wine contains various polyphenols such as flavonoids, anthocyanins, and tannins. These molecules are responsible for the quality of wines, influencing their astringency, bitterness, and color and they are considered to have antioxidant activity. Polyphenols, extracted from grapes during the processes of vinification, could protect the body cells against reactive oxygen species level increase and could be useful to rescue several pathologies where oxidative stress represents the main cause.

Defective Autophagy, Mitochondrial Clearance and Lipophagy in Niemann-Pick Type B Lymphocytes.

Niemann-Pick disease type A (NP-A) and type B (NP-B) are lysosomal storage diseases (LSDs) caused by sphingomyelin accumulation in lysosomes relying on reduced or absent acid sphingomyelinase. A considerable body of evidence suggests that lysosomal storage in many LSD impairs autophagy, resulting in the accumulation of poly-ubiquitinated proteins and dysfunctional mitochondria, ultimately leading to cell death. Here we test this hypothesis in a cellular model of Niemann-Pick disease type B, in which autophagy has never been studied.

Creatine Prevents the Structural and Functional Damage to Mitochondria in Myogenic, Oxidatively Stressed C2C12 Cells and Restores Their Differentiation Capacity.

Creatine (Cr) is a nutritional supplement promoting a number of health benefits. Indeed Cr has been shown to be beneficial in disease-induced muscle atrophy, improve rehabilitation, and afford mild antioxidant activity. The beneficial effects are likely to derive from pleiotropic interactions.

Effect of Different Exercise Intensities on the Myotendinous Junction Plasticity.

Myotendinous junctions (MTJs) are anatomical regions specialized in transmission of contractile strength from muscle to tendon and, for this reason, a common site where acute injuries occur during sport activities. In this work we investigated the influence of exercise intensity on MTJ plasticity, as well as on the expression of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) and transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) and their receptors in muscle and tendon. Three groups of rats were analyzed: control (CTRL), slow-runner (RUN-S) and fast-runner (RUN-F) trained using a treadmill.