Genetic Distinctiveness Highlights the Conservation Value of a Sicilian Manna Ash Germplasm Collection Assigned to (Oleaceae).

The cosmopolitan genus comprises about 40 species occupying several habitats in the Northern Hemisphere. With some species hybridizing and sharing genetic variants, questions remain on the species assignment of germplasm within the genus despite numerous species-specific assessments. A multidisciplinary approach was employed to provide a definitive insight into the genetics of an endangered "manna ash" collection, located in a rich plant biodiversity hotspot of the Madonie Mountains (Sicily).

The wild taxa utilized as vegetables in Sicily (Italy): a traditional component of the Mediterranean diet.

Background: Wild vegetables in the Mediterranean Basin are still often consumed as a part of the diet and, in particular, there is a great tradition regarding their use in Sicily. In this study, an ethnobotanical field investigation was carried out to (a) identify the wild native taxa traditionally gathered and consumed as vegetables in Sicily, comparing the collected ethnobotanical data with those of other countries that have nominated the Mediterranean diet for inclusion in the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity and (b) highlight new culinary uses of these plants.

Methods: Interviews were carried out in 187 towns and villages in Sicily between 2005 and 2015.

Cultured human amniocytes express hTERT, which is distributed between nucleus and cytoplasm and is secreted in extracellular vesicles.

Background: An increasing number of studies on stem cells suggests that the therapeutic effect they exert is primarily mediated by a paracrine regulation through extracellular vesicles (EVs) giving solid grounds for stem cell EVs to be exploited as agents for treating diseases or for restoring damaged tissues and organs. Due to their capacity to differentiate in all embryonic germ layers, amniotic fluid stem cells (AFCs), represent a highly promising cell type for tissue regeneration, which however is still poorly studied and in turn underutilized. In view of this, we conducted a first investigation on the expression of human hTERT gene - known to be among the key triggers of organ regeneration - in AFCs and in the EVs they secrete.

Residual matrix from different separation techniques impacts exosome biological activity.

Exosomes are gaining a prominent role in research due to their intriguing biology and several therapeutic opportunities. However, their accurate purification from body fluids and detailed physicochemical characterization remain open issues. We isolated exosomes from serum of patients with Multiple Myeloma by four of the most popular purification methods and assessed the presence of residual contaminants in the preparations through an ad hoc combination of biochemical and biophysical techniques - including Western Blot, colloidal nanoplasmonics, atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning helium ion microscopy (HIM).

Merging colloidal nanoplasmonics and surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy for enhanced profiling of multiple myeloma-derived exosomes.

A novel approach for sorting exosomes from multiple myeloma (MM), monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) and healthy individuals is presented. The method is based on the combination of colloidal gold nanoplasmonics and surface plasmon resonance (SPR) biosensing and probes distinctive colloidal properties of MM-derived exosomes, such as molar concentration and cell membrane binding preferences. It allowed to discover that MM patients produce about four folds more exosomes than MGUS and healthy individuals.

Colorimetric nanoplasmonic assay to determine purity and titrate extracellular vesicles.

Extracellular Vesicles (EVs) - cell secreted vesicles that carry rich molecular information of the parental cell and constitute an important mode of intercellular communication - are becoming a primary topic in translational medicine. EVs (that comprise exosomes and microvesicles/microparticles) have a size ranging from 40 nm to 1 μm and share several physicochemical proprieties, including size, density, surface charge, and light interaction, with other nano-objects present in body fluids, such as single and aggregated proteins. This makes separation, titration, and characterization of EVs challenging and time-consuming.

Comparison of Hevylite™ IgA and IgG assay with conventional techniques for the diagnosis and follow-up of plasma cell dyscrasia.

Background: Heavy/light chain assay allows the characterization and quantification of immunoglobulin light chains bound to heavy chains for each Ig'k and Ig'λ immunoglobulin class, discriminating between the involved/uninvolved isotypes in plasma cell dyscrasia. The Ig'k/Ig'λ ratio (heavy/light chain ratio) enables to monitor the trend of monoclonal component during therapy and disease evolution.

Objective: In this study, we evaluate the impact of the heavy/light chain assay in monitoring multiple myeloma patients in comparison with conventional techniques.

Immunoglobulin Free Light Chains and GAGs Mediate Multiple Myeloma Extracellular Vesicles Uptake and Secondary NfκB Nuclear Translocation.

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a hematological malignancy caused by a microenviromentally aided persistence of plasma cells in the bone marrow. Monoclonal plasma cells often secrete high amounts of immunoglobulin free light chains (FLCs) that could induce tissue damage. Recently, we showed that FLCs are internalized in endothelial and myocardial cell lines and secreted in extracellular vesicles (EVs).

Polyclonal versus monoclonal immunoglobulin-free light chains quantification.

Background: The clinical usefulness of the serum-free light chain assays has expanded since their first description, and further applications other than plasma cell dyscrasia are emerging. Currently, we have the ability to perform the measurements with two certified methods: the Freelite™ assay (The Binding Site Ltd, Birmingham, UK) and the new N Latex free-light chain assay (Siemens, Germany). In the present study, we investigated the impact of free light chain concentrations and structures on their quantification, performed with both tests.

C-src enriched serum microvesicles are generated in malignant plasma cell dyscrasia.

Plasma cell dyscrasias are immunosecretory disorders that can lead to hematological malignancies such as Multiple Myeloma (MM). MM accounts for 15% of all hematologic cancers, and those diagnosed with MM typically become severely ill and have a low life expectancy. Monoclonal immunoglobulin Free Light Chains (FLC) are present in the serum and urine of many patients with plasma cell diseases.