Potential of Polar Lipids Isolated from the Marine Sponge () against Melanoma.

Marine sponges represent a good source of natural metabolites for biotechnological applications in the pharmacological, cosmeceutical, and nutraceutical fields. In the present work, we analyzed the biotechnological potential of the alien species () de Weerdt, de Kluijver & Gomez, 1999, previously collected in the Mediterranean Sea (Faro Lake, Sicily). The bioactivity and chemical content of this species has never been investigated, and information in the literature on its Caribbean counterpart is scarce.

PRAME Updated: Diagnostic, Prognostic, and Therapeutic Role in Skin Cancer.

Preferentially Expressed Antigen in Melanoma (PRAME), a member of the cancer/testis antigen family, is central to the field of skin cancer diagnostics and therapeutics. As a nuclear receptor and transcriptional regulator, PRAME plays a critical role in inhibiting retinoic acid signalling, which is essential for cell differentiation and proliferation. Its aberrant overexpression in various malignancies, particularly cutaneous melanoma, is associated with more aggressive tumour phenotypes, positioning PRAME as both a diagnostic and prognostic marker.

Characterizing the bacterial communities associated with Mediterranean sponges: a metataxonomic analysis.

The oceans cover over 70% of our planet, hosting a biodiversity of tremendous wealth. Sponges are one of the major ecosystem engineers on the seafloor, providing a habitat for a wide variety of species to be considered a good source of bioactive compounds. In this study, a metataxonomic approach was employed to describe the bacterial communities of the sponges collected from Faro Lake (Sicily) and Porto Paone (Gulf of Naples).

Gene Expression Detects the Factors Influencing the Reproductive Success and the Survival Rates of Offspring.

The increase in the demand for roe, a food delicacy, causes increased pressure on its wild stocks. In this scenario, aquaculture facilities will mitigate the effects of anthropogenic pressures on the wild stocks of . Consequently, experimental studies should be conducted to enhance techniques to improve efficient aquaculture practices for these animals.

Bioactive Compounds from Marine Sponges and Algae: Effects on Cancer Cell Metabolome and Chemical Structures.

Metabolomics represent the set of small organic molecules generally called metabolites, which are located within cells, tissues or organisms. This new "omic" technology, together with other similar technologies (genomics, transcriptomics and proteomics) is becoming a widely used tool in cancer research, aiming at the understanding of global biology systems in their physiologic or altered conditions. Cancer is among the most alarming human diseases and it causes a considerable number of deaths each year.

Sponges and Their Symbionts as a Source of Valuable Compounds in Cosmeceutical Field.

In the last decades, the marine environment was discovered as a huge reservoir of novel bioactive compounds, useful for medicinal treatments improving human health and well-being. Among several marine organisms exhibiting biotechnological potential, sponges were highlighted as one of the most interesting phyla according to a wide literature describing new molecules every year. Not surprisingly, the first marine drugs approved for medical purposes were isolated from a marine sponge and are now used as anti-cancer and anti-viral agents.