Publications by authors named "Vincenza Mele"
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is among the most aggressive and lethal human tumors. Many functional studies have demonstrated the role of non-coding RNAs (ncRNA), particularly microRNAs (miRNA), in the regulation of hepatocarcinogenesis driving pathways. MiR-125a-5p (miR-125a) has been consistently reported as an oncosuppressive miRNA, as demonstrated in vivo and in vitro.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn this work, we report on the synthesis and properties of a new sensitizer for photodynamic therapy applications, constituted by a ruthenium(ii) complex (1) featuring a ligand inspired from natural isoquinoline alkaloids. The spectroscopic analysis revealed that 1 is characterized by an intense red emission ( = 620 nm, = 0.17) when excited at 550 nm, a low energy radiation warranting for a safe therapeutic approach.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: The contribution of Cannabinoid type 1 receptor (CB1) in mitochondrial energy transduction mechanisms and mitochondrial activities awaits deeper investigations. Our study aims to assess the impact of CB1 absence on the mitochondrial compartment in the liver, focusing on both functional aspects and remodeling processes.
Methods: We used CB1 and CB1 male mice.
Article Synopsis
- - The study investigates how cannabinoid type 1 receptor (CB1) signaling affects the gastrocnemius muscle, particularly its role in maintaining mitochondrial balance and function.
- - Observations indicate that mice lacking CB1 show changes in muscle fiber composition, with more oxidative fibers and improved oxidative capacity, yet this comes with increased oxidative stress and weakened antioxidant defenses.
- - Findings suggest that CB1 influences not only mitochondrial production and dynamics but also protein quality control, revealing complex interactions that enhance our understanding of muscle physiology and cellular adaptability to CB1 signaling.
Article Synopsis
- - Obesity leads to systemic oxidative stress and inflammation, which can negatively affect male fertility by altering sperm quality and function through circRNA regulation.
- - A study involving high-fat diet male mice treated with a combination of vitamins and antioxidants showed a reversal of obesity-related sperm defects, suggesting the effectiveness of these bioactive molecules.
- - The research focused on how the treatment improved sperm circRNA profiles, indicating that these changes may enhance sperm motility and viability by addressing oxidative stress issues.
Article Synopsis
- Nuclear F-actin in sperm cells is vital for supporting the acroplaxome and ensuring the correct positioning of the sperm membrane protein IZUMO1, crucial for sperm-oocyte fusion.
- The study compares high-quality (A-SPZ) and low-quality (B-SPZ) human spermatozoa, revealing that excessive F-actin in B-SPZ altered the localization of IZUMO1.
- F-actin depolymerization, induced by a treatment called cytochalasin D, improved both IZUMO1 repositioning and acrosome reaction, while promoting better sperm nuclear size and histone acetylation, suggesting F-actin's significant role in sperm quality control.
Article Synopsis
- Obesity can lead to excess fat accumulation, oxidative stress, and chronic inflammation, which negatively impacts male reproductive health, especially in younger populations.
- This study investigates how a high-fat diet (HFD) affects sperm quality and the levels of circular RNAs (circRNAs), crucial for sperm development, in male mice.
- Findings show that although sperm from HFD mice have enhanced backsplicing abilities, they also exhibit inefficient circRNA production, potentially linked to proteins FUS and QKI, which may play a role in regulating these processes.
Article Synopsis
- CircRNA in sperm affects cell quality by influencing morphology and motility, with cannabinoid receptor CB1 playing a key role in spermatogenesis and sperm maturation.* -
- In a study using CB1 knock-out mice, researchers identified differences in circRNA content in sperm and focused on circLIMA1 as a regulator of actin structure in cells.* -
- They discovered a novel nuclear actin remodeling process in sperm, suggesting that endocannabinoids regulate circRNA cargo, which may impact sperm maturation and function.*
Article Synopsis
- Kisspeptins regulate the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, Leydig cell functions, and testosterone secretion by acting on the KISS1 receptor.
- ANKRD31 protein is crucial for male fertility, influencing meiotic progression and sperm maturation, and it physically interacts with the KISS1 receptor in Leydig cells.
- The study reveals that Kisspeptin-10 enhances the protein complex formation and gene expression via modulation of F-actin synthesis, highlighting a new role for Kisspeptin-10 in Leydig cells related to cytoskeletal-nucleoskeletal pathways.