Palladium nanoparticle effects on endocrine reproductive system of female rats

The widespread industrial application of nanomaterials (NMs) has dramatically increased the likelihood of environmental and occupational exposure of humans to such xenobiotics. This issue, together with the increasing public health interest in understanding the effects of chemicals on endocrine system, encouraged to investigate the disruptive potential of NMs on the endocrine function. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of palladium nanoparticles (Pd-NPs) on the female reproductive system of Wistar rats, intravenously exposed to different doses (0.12, 1.2, and 12 µg/kg), through the assessment of possible quantitative changes in the serum concentrations of several sex hormones. Our results demonstrated that the highest exposure doses significantly reduced the estradiol and testosterone concentrations, while increased the luteinizing hormone levels in treated animals compared to controls. Such alterations are indicative for an abnormal reproductive axis function. However, further investigations are needed to clarify the role of the different NP physicochemical properties in determining such effects, and possible underlining molecular mechanisms, as well as their relevance for the development of diseases in the female reproductive system. Overall, this may be helpful to define accurate risk assessment and management strategies to protect the health of the general and occupational populations exposed to Pd-NPs.

Ionic liquids as stationary phases for fatty acid analysis by gas chromatography

The present paper provides an overview of the application of ionic liquid (IL) columns for GC analysis of fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs).

Electronic nose and GC-MS analysis of volatile compounds in Tuber magnatum Pico: evaluation of different storage conditions

The characteristic aromatic composition of white truffles (Tuber magnatum Pico) determines its culinary and commercial value. However modifications of truffle organoleptic proprieties occur during preservation. A study of headspace of white truffles by using Electronic nose (E-nose), gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and sensory analyses was performed. Truffles were stored at different conditions for 7 days: +4 and +8°C wrapped in blotting paper or covered by rice or none of the above. Headspace E-nose measurements and sensory analyses were performed each day. Statistical multivariate analysis of the data showed the capability of E-nose to predict sensorial analysis scores and to monitor aroma profile changes during storage. Truffle's volatile molecules were also extracted by headspace solid phase microextraction technique and separated and identified by GC-MS. Partial Components Analysis of data was performed. E-nose and GC-MS results were in agreement and showed that truffle storage in paper at +8°C seemed to be the best storage condition.

Proteomics and neonatal infection

Antimicrobial peptides plays an important role in the host innate defence network, even in humans. Recent studies demonstrated the capacity of human airways epithelial cells to synthesize antimicrobial peptides, and their multifunctional role in the primary immunity. The presence of ct-defensins in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was investigated in a cohort of preterm newborns with gestational age (GA) < or =30 weeks. BALF samples were analysed by High Performance Liquid Chromatography Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometer. Our data show that preterm newborns, also at the lower GA, are able to produce defenses, underlining that their innate defence system is already active before the at-term delivery date.

Proteomics of saliva: personal experience

The salivary proteome is a complex protein mixture resulting from the activity of salivary glands with the contribution of other components that form the oral environment such as oral tissues and micro-organisms. For diagnosis purposes, saliva collection has the great advantage of being an easy and non-invasive technique. Human saliva proteomics have proven to be a novel approach in the search for protein biomarkers for detection of different local and systemic diseases. Currently, more than 1400 salivary proteins have been identified. In the last few years, our research group has extensively studied the salivary proteomics in order to analyse the salivary composition, investigating the major families of proteins present in human and mammalian saliva, the post-translational modifications, the different contributions of glands, the physiological and pathological modifications of saliva. The aim of this report is to present our personal experience in salivary proteomics. In conclusion, salivary proteome analysis represents an important field both for diagnosis and monitoring of various diseases and could be considered a novel approach to prevention of various pathological conditions.

α-Defensin Levels in Whole Saliva of Totally Edentulous Subjects

Salivary levels of α-defensins 1–4 and histatins 1, 3 and 5 were determined in 11 totally edentulous patients, 11 younger healthy adults with normal gingival mucosa (Control group I) and 8 subjects, age-matched with edentulous patients, having a minimum of 25 teeth (Control group II). Whole saliva was treated with trifluoroacetic acid and the acidic soluble fraction analyzed by High Performance Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry. The area of the extracted ion current peaks was used for peptide quantification. Levels of α-defensinsl-4, but not of histatins, were significantly lower in totally edentulous patients with respect to both Control group I and Control group II. The two control groups did not show significant differences. The reduced level of oral α-defensins, which are mainly of crevicular origin, is most likely due to the absence of the gingival sulcus in the edentulous subjects. The near absence of α-defensins might be in part responsible for the higher vulnerability of the oral cavity to oral pathogen infections observed in totally edentulous patients.

Structural and functional characterization of the porcine proline–rich antifungal peptide SP-B isolated from salivary gland granules

A 1905-Da cationic proline-rich peptide, named SP-B, was recently isolated by our group as the main component of salivary gland granules, and its primary sequence fully characterized by means of automated Edman sequencing and LC-MS/MS tools. In the present study SP-B is shown to possess antifungal activity when challenged with strains of Cryptococcus neoformans, Candida albicans and Aspergillus fumigatus, while only negligible antibacterial activity was detected. Furthermore, SP-B was found to be non-cytotoxic when tested on fibroblast cell lines. To obtain information regarding its structure affinity, capillary electrophoresis (CE), circular dichroism (CD) and attenuated total reflection (ATR)-FT/IR experiments were performed. CE revealed a pH dependence of the hydrodynamic radial dimensions both in aqueous and 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol solutions. CD and ATR-FT/IR measurements confirmed the structure-pH relationship, revealing a secondary structure composed of mixed proportions of polyproline-II, unordered and turn motifs, the last being more evident in the zwitterionic form of the peptide. From these findings SP-B peptide could be classified as a new member of the proline-rich antimicrobial peptide family.

Proteomic study of salivary peptides and proteins in patients with Sjögren's syndrome before and after pilocarpine treatment

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effect of pilocarpine on the salivary peptide and protein profile in patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome (SS) and to study the differences between patients with primary SS, patients with SS associated with other rheumatic diseases, and healthy control subjects.

METHODS

Saliva specimens were obtained from 9 primary SS patients, 9 secondary SS patients, and 10 healthy controls. Samples were analyzed for levels of 62 different salivary proteins using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry using a spectrometer equipped with an electrospray ionization source. In 6 of the primary SS patients, saliva was collected at 30 minutes, 60 minutes, and 24 hours after taking 5 mg of pilocarpine.

RESULTS

Before pilocarpine, approximately 60% of salivary proteins in samples from primary SS patients were not identifiable or showed lower levels than those in healthy controls. After 30-60 minutes following pilocarpine treatment, approximately one-third of the less represented proteins was found in a similar percentage of primary SS patients and controls. Almost all of the proteins that were detectable at lower levels in primary SS patients compared with controls reached levels similar to those in controls at 30-60 minutes after pilocarpine. The parotid gland proteins had the best response to pilocarpine. Primary SS patients were characterized by higher alpha-defensin 1 levels and by the presence of beta-defensin 2. Secondary SS patients showed an intermediate protein profile between that of the primary SS patients and the controls.

CONCLUSION

Pilocarpine partially restored the levels and numbers of identifiable proteins in saliva from patients with primary SS. Higher levels of alpha-defensin 1 and the presence of beta-defensin 2 in the saliva of patients with primary SS could be markers of oral inflammation in this patient group.

Two proline-rich peptides from pig (Sus scrofa) salivary glands generated by pre-secretory pathway underlying the action of a proteinase cleaving ProAla bonds

The primary structures of two salivary proline-rich peptides (PRP-SP-A, M 6156.0 amu and PRP-SP-B, M 1905.0 amu), from pig (Sus scrofa) were determined. The PRP-SP-B peptide, 21 residues long, overlaps with a sequence repeated 43 times in three deposited cDNAs coding for PRP proteins cloned from porcine parotid glands (Swiss-Prot codes: Q95JC9, Q95JD1, Q95JD0). PRP-SP-A peptide, 56 amino acid residues long, overlaps with the N-terminus repeats of Q95JC9 and Q95JD1 and it is phosphorylated at Ser 12 and 14. The two peptides were found both in whole saliva and in granules from pig parotid glands. The biosynthesis of the two peptides implies the action of a proteinase responsible for Pro downward arrow Ala cleavage in the pre-secretory process.