Cell sex determines anoikis resistance in vascular smooth muscle cells.

Sexual dimorphism, detectable in vascular smooth muscle cells freshly isolated from aorta of male and female rats, is associated with a different susceptibility to radiation-induced apoptosis. In this work we investigated the mechanism underlying this difference and discovered that, in comparison with cells from male rats, cells from female rats show adhesion-associated resistance to apoptosis, the so called anoikis resistance. This is apparently due to a more adhering phenotype, characterized by a well organized actin microfilament cytoskeleton and to an increased phosphorylated focal adhesion kinase, and, more importantly, to a higher propensity to undergo survival by autophagy.

Redox state and gender differences in vascular smooth muscle cells.

Vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) have been isolated from male and female rat aorta and studied to assess their susceptibility to ultraviolet radiation-induced oxidative stress. Interestingly, a gender difference, in terms of reactive oxygen species production, was detected in both basal and irradiated VSMC. Namely, VSMC from male rats were more susceptible to radiation-induced stress and easier underwent apoptosis in comparison to cells from female rats.

Neonatal taurine administration modifies metabolic programming in male mice.

The semi-essential amino-acid taurine is involved in glucose homeostasis either in adults or in parental life. Taurine is currently used in neonatal life because it is added to milk formula for babies, and to parental solution for prematures. Here, it has been examined whether taurine administration in lactation modifies adult glucose metabolism.

Exposure to modeled microgravity induces metabolic idleness in malignant human MCF-7 and normal murine VSMC cells.

We investigated the effect of modeled microgravity (MMG) on normal vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) and neoplastic human breast cancer cells (MCF-7). In both cell types, MMG induced partial arrest in G2M and increased p14-3-3, HSP70, HSP60 and p21 expression. Cells synchronized by 24h starvation reentered the normal cycle within 24h if released in complete medium and exposed to normal gravity, but not if exposed to MMG.

Antioxidant effect of two virgin olive oils depends on the concentration and composition of minor polar compounds.

In vitro studies show that some individual minor polar phenolic compounds (MPC) present in virgin olive oil prevent oxidation of human low-density lipoproteins (LDL), but few data are available on the antioxidant effect of whole oil extract. Thus, whole virgin olive extracts were studied to determine whether they maintain the antioxidant activity and whether this last is linked to MPC composition of a single virgin oil. Using HPLC-DAD the MPC content in Taggiasca and Seggianese virgin olive oils was measured.