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Zingales V, Esposito MR, Quagliata M, Cimetta E, Ruiz MJ. Comparative Study of Spheroids (3D) and Monolayer Cultures (2D) for the In Vitro Assessment of Cytotoxicity Induced by the Mycotoxins Sterigmatocystin, Ochratoxin A and Patulin. Foods 2024; 13:564. [PMID: 38397541 PMCID: PMC10887621 DOI: 10.3390/foods13040564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2023] [Revised: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 02/10/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites produced by filamentous fungi associated with a variety of acute and chronic foodborne diseases. Current toxicology studies mainly rely on monolayer cell cultures and animal models, which are undeniably affected by several limitations. To bridge the gap between the current in vitro toxicology approach and the in vivo predictability of the data, we here investigated the cytotoxic effects induced by the mycotoxins sterigmatocystin (STE), ochratoxin A (OTA) and patulin (PAT) on different 2D and 3D cell cultures. We focused on human tumours (neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells and epithelial breast cancer MDA-MB-213 cells) and healthy cells (bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells, BM-MSC, and umbilical vein endothelial cells, HUVECs). The cytotoxicity of STE, OTA, and PAT was determined after 24, 48 and 72 h of exposure using an ATP assay in both culture models. Three-dimensional spheroids' morphology was also analysed using the MATLAB-based open source software AnaSP 1.4 version. Our results highlight how each cell line and different culture models showed specific sensitivities, reinforcing the importance of using more complex models for toxicology studies and a multiple cell line approach for an improved and more comprehensive risk assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronica Zingales
- Research Group in Alternative Methods for Determining Toxics Effects and Risk Assessment of Contaminants and Mixtures (RiskTox), 46100 Valencia, Spain;
- Laboratory of Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Valencia, Av. Vicent Andrés Estellés s/n, 46100 Valencia, Spain
- Department of Industrial Engineering (DII), University of Padua, Via Marzolo 9, 35131 Padova, Italy; (M.R.E.); (M.Q.); (E.C.)
- Fondazione Istituto di Ricerca Pediatrica Cittá Della Speranza (IRP)—Lab BIAMET, Corso Stati Uniti 4, 35127 Padova, Italy
| | - Maria Rosaria Esposito
- Department of Industrial Engineering (DII), University of Padua, Via Marzolo 9, 35131 Padova, Italy; (M.R.E.); (M.Q.); (E.C.)
- Fondazione Istituto di Ricerca Pediatrica Cittá Della Speranza (IRP)—Lab BIAMET, Corso Stati Uniti 4, 35127 Padova, Italy
| | - Martina Quagliata
- Department of Industrial Engineering (DII), University of Padua, Via Marzolo 9, 35131 Padova, Italy; (M.R.E.); (M.Q.); (E.C.)
- Fondazione Istituto di Ricerca Pediatrica Cittá Della Speranza (IRP)—Lab BIAMET, Corso Stati Uniti 4, 35127 Padova, Italy
| | - Elisa Cimetta
- Department of Industrial Engineering (DII), University of Padua, Via Marzolo 9, 35131 Padova, Italy; (M.R.E.); (M.Q.); (E.C.)
- Fondazione Istituto di Ricerca Pediatrica Cittá Della Speranza (IRP)—Lab BIAMET, Corso Stati Uniti 4, 35127 Padova, Italy
| | - María-José Ruiz
- Research Group in Alternative Methods for Determining Toxics Effects and Risk Assessment of Contaminants and Mixtures (RiskTox), 46100 Valencia, Spain;
- Laboratory of Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Valencia, Av. Vicent Andrés Estellés s/n, 46100 Valencia, Spain
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Miciaccia M, Rizzo F, Centonze A, Cavallaro G, Contino M, Armenise D, Baldelli OM, Solidoro R, Ferorelli S, Scarcia P, Agrimi G, Zingales V, Cimetta E, Ronsisvalle S, Sipala FM, Polosa PL, Fortuna CG, Perrone MG, Scilimati A. Harmaline to Human Mitochondrial Caseinolytic Serine Protease Activation for Pediatric Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma Treatment. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2024; 17:135. [PMID: 38276008 PMCID: PMC10821046 DOI: 10.3390/ph17010135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2023] [Revised: 01/09/2024] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG), affecting children aged 4-7 years, is a rare, aggressive tumor that originates in the pons and then spreads to nearby tissue. DIPG is the leading cause of death for pediatric brain tumors due to its infiltrative nature and inoperability. Radiotherapy has only a palliative effect on stabilizing symptoms. In silico and preclinical studies identified ONC201 as a cytotoxic agent against some human cancer cell lines, including DIPG ones. A single-crystal X-ray analysis of the complex of the human mitochondrial caseinolytic serine protease type C (hClpP) and ONC201 (PDB ID: 6DL7) allowed hClpP to be identified as its main target. The hyperactivation of hClpP causes damage to mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation and cell death. In some DIPG patients receiving ONC201, an acquired resistance was observed. In this context, a wide program was initiated to discover original scaffolds for new hClpP activators to treat ONC201-non-responding patients. Harmaline, a small molecule belonging to the chemical class of β-carboline, was identified through Fingerprints for Ligands and Proteins (FLAP), a structure-based virtual screening approach. Molecular dynamics simulations and a deep in vitro investigation showed interesting information on the interaction and activation of hClpP by harmaline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morena Miciaccia
- Research Laboratory for Woman and Child Health, Department of Pharmacy-Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, Via E. Orabona 4, 70125 Bari, Italy; (M.M.); (A.C.); (D.A.); (O.M.B.); (R.S.); (S.F.)
| | - Francesca Rizzo
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnologies, and Environment, University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, Via E. Orabona 4, 70125 Bari, Italy; (F.R.); (P.S.); (G.A.); (P.L.P.)
| | - Antonella Centonze
- Research Laboratory for Woman and Child Health, Department of Pharmacy-Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, Via E. Orabona 4, 70125 Bari, Italy; (M.M.); (A.C.); (D.A.); (O.M.B.); (R.S.); (S.F.)
| | - Gianfranco Cavallaro
- Laboratory of Molecular Modelling and Heterocyclic Compounds ModHet, Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Catania, Viale Andrea Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy;
| | - Marialessandra Contino
- Department of Pharmacy-Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, Via E. Orabona 4, 70125 Bari, Italy;
| | - Domenico Armenise
- Research Laboratory for Woman and Child Health, Department of Pharmacy-Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, Via E. Orabona 4, 70125 Bari, Italy; (M.M.); (A.C.); (D.A.); (O.M.B.); (R.S.); (S.F.)
| | - Olga Maria Baldelli
- Research Laboratory for Woman and Child Health, Department of Pharmacy-Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, Via E. Orabona 4, 70125 Bari, Italy; (M.M.); (A.C.); (D.A.); (O.M.B.); (R.S.); (S.F.)
| | - Roberta Solidoro
- Research Laboratory for Woman and Child Health, Department of Pharmacy-Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, Via E. Orabona 4, 70125 Bari, Italy; (M.M.); (A.C.); (D.A.); (O.M.B.); (R.S.); (S.F.)
| | - Savina Ferorelli
- Research Laboratory for Woman and Child Health, Department of Pharmacy-Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, Via E. Orabona 4, 70125 Bari, Italy; (M.M.); (A.C.); (D.A.); (O.M.B.); (R.S.); (S.F.)
| | - Pasquale Scarcia
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnologies, and Environment, University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, Via E. Orabona 4, 70125 Bari, Italy; (F.R.); (P.S.); (G.A.); (P.L.P.)
| | - Gennaro Agrimi
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnologies, and Environment, University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, Via E. Orabona 4, 70125 Bari, Italy; (F.R.); (P.S.); (G.A.); (P.L.P.)
| | - Veronica Zingales
- Department of Industrial Engineering (DII), University of Padua, Via Marzolo 9, 35131 Padova, Italy; (V.Z.); (E.C.)
| | - Elisa Cimetta
- Department of Industrial Engineering (DII), University of Padua, Via Marzolo 9, 35131 Padova, Italy; (V.Z.); (E.C.)
| | - Simone Ronsisvalle
- Department of Drug and Health Sciences, University of Catania, Viale Andrea Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy; (S.R.); (F.M.S.)
| | - Federica Maria Sipala
- Department of Drug and Health Sciences, University of Catania, Viale Andrea Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy; (S.R.); (F.M.S.)
| | - Paola Loguercio Polosa
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnologies, and Environment, University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, Via E. Orabona 4, 70125 Bari, Italy; (F.R.); (P.S.); (G.A.); (P.L.P.)
| | - Cosimo Gianluca Fortuna
- Laboratory of Molecular Modelling and Heterocyclic Compounds ModHet, Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Catania, Viale Andrea Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy;
| | - Maria Grazia Perrone
- Research Laboratory for Woman and Child Health, Department of Pharmacy-Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, Via E. Orabona 4, 70125 Bari, Italy; (M.M.); (A.C.); (D.A.); (O.M.B.); (R.S.); (S.F.)
| | - Antonio Scilimati
- Research Laboratory for Woman and Child Health, Department of Pharmacy-Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, Via E. Orabona 4, 70125 Bari, Italy; (M.M.); (A.C.); (D.A.); (O.M.B.); (R.S.); (S.F.)
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Zingales V, Esposito MR, Torriero N, Taroncher M, Cimetta E, Ruiz MJ. The Growing Importance of Three-Dimensional Models and Microphysiological Systems in the Assessment of Mycotoxin Toxicity. Toxins (Basel) 2023; 15:422. [PMID: 37505691 PMCID: PMC10467068 DOI: 10.3390/toxins15070422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2023] [Revised: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 06/25/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Current investigations in the field of toxicology mostly rely on 2D cell cultures and animal models. Although well-accepted, the traditional 2D cell-culture approach has evident drawbacks and is distant from the in vivo microenvironment. To overcome these limitations, increasing efforts have been made in the development of alternative models that can better recapitulate the in vivo architecture of tissues and organs. Even though the use of 3D cultures is gaining popularity, there are still open questions on their robustness and standardization. In this review, we discuss the current spheroid culture and organ-on-a-chip techniques as well as the main conceptual and technical considerations for the correct establishment of such models. For each system, the toxicological functional assays are then discussed, highlighting their major advantages, disadvantages, and limitations. Finally, a focus on the applications of 3D cell culture for mycotoxin toxicity assessments is provided. Given the known difficulties in defining the safety ranges of exposure for regulatory agency policies, we are confident that the application of alternative methods may greatly improve the overall risk assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronica Zingales
- Laboratory of Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Valencia, Av. Vicent Andrés Estellés s/n, 46100 Valencia, Spain;
- Department of Industrial Engineering (DII), University of Padua, Via Marzolo 9, 35131 Padova, Italy; (M.R.E.); (N.T.); (E.C.)
- Fondazione Istituto di Ricerca Pediatrica Cittá Della Speranza (IRP)—Lab BIAMET, Corso Stati Uniti 4, 35127 Padova, Italy
| | - Maria Rosaria Esposito
- Department of Industrial Engineering (DII), University of Padua, Via Marzolo 9, 35131 Padova, Italy; (M.R.E.); (N.T.); (E.C.)
- Fondazione Istituto di Ricerca Pediatrica Cittá Della Speranza (IRP)—Lab BIAMET, Corso Stati Uniti 4, 35127 Padova, Italy
| | - Noemi Torriero
- Department of Industrial Engineering (DII), University of Padua, Via Marzolo 9, 35131 Padova, Italy; (M.R.E.); (N.T.); (E.C.)
- Fondazione Istituto di Ricerca Pediatrica Cittá Della Speranza (IRP)—Lab BIAMET, Corso Stati Uniti 4, 35127 Padova, Italy
| | - Mercedes Taroncher
- Laboratory of Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Valencia, Av. Vicent Andrés Estellés s/n, 46100 Valencia, Spain;
| | - Elisa Cimetta
- Department of Industrial Engineering (DII), University of Padua, Via Marzolo 9, 35131 Padova, Italy; (M.R.E.); (N.T.); (E.C.)
- Fondazione Istituto di Ricerca Pediatrica Cittá Della Speranza (IRP)—Lab BIAMET, Corso Stati Uniti 4, 35127 Padova, Italy
| | - María-José Ruiz
- Laboratory of Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Valencia, Av. Vicent Andrés Estellés s/n, 46100 Valencia, Spain;
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Zingales V, Taroncher M, Martino PA, Ruiz MJ, Caloni F. Climate Change and Effects on Molds and Mycotoxins. Toxins (Basel) 2022; 14:toxins14070445. [PMID: 35878185 PMCID: PMC9319892 DOI: 10.3390/toxins14070445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2022] [Revised: 06/21/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Earth’s climate is undergoing adverse global changes as an unequivocal result of anthropogenic activity. The occurring environmental changes are slowly shaping the balance between plant growth and related fungal diseases. Climate (temperature, available water, and light quality/quantity; as well as extreme drought, desertification, and fluctuations of humid/dry cycles) represents the most important agroecosystem factor influencing the life cycle stages of fungi and their ability to colonize crops, survive, and produce toxins. The ability of mycotoxigenic fungi to respond to Climate Change (CC) may induce a shift in their geographical distribution and in the pattern of mycotoxin occurrence. The present review examines the available evidence on the impact of CC factors on growth and mycotoxin production by the key mycotoxigenic fungi belonging to the genera Aspergillus, Penicillium, and Fusarium, which include several species producing mycotoxins of the greatest concern worldwide: aflatoxins (AFs), ochratoxins, and fumonisins (FUMs).
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronica Zingales
- Laboratory of Food Chemistry and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Valencia, Av. Vicent Andrés Estelles, s/n, Burjassot, 46100 Valencia, Spain; (V.Z.); (M.T.); (M.-J.R.)
- Laboratory of Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Valencia, Av. Vicent Andrés Estelles, s/n, Burjassot, 46100 Valencia, Spain
| | - Mercedes Taroncher
- Laboratory of Food Chemistry and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Valencia, Av. Vicent Andrés Estelles, s/n, Burjassot, 46100 Valencia, Spain; (V.Z.); (M.T.); (M.-J.R.)
- Laboratory of Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Valencia, Av. Vicent Andrés Estelles, s/n, Burjassot, 46100 Valencia, Spain
| | - Piera Anna Martino
- Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences-One Health Unit, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Pascal 36, 20133 Milan, Italy;
| | - María-José Ruiz
- Laboratory of Food Chemistry and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Valencia, Av. Vicent Andrés Estelles, s/n, Burjassot, 46100 Valencia, Spain; (V.Z.); (M.T.); (M.-J.R.)
- Laboratory of Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Valencia, Av. Vicent Andrés Estelles, s/n, Burjassot, 46100 Valencia, Spain
| | - Francesca Caloni
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy (ESP), Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 10, 20133 Milan, Italy
- Correspondence:
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Zingales V, Torriero N, Zanella L, Fernández-Franzón M, Ruiz MJ, Esposito MR, Cimetta E. Development of an in vitro neuroblastoma 3D model and its application for sterigmatocystin-induced cytotoxicity testing. Food Chem Toxicol 2021; 157:112605. [PMID: 34634377 DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2021.112605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2021] [Revised: 10/04/2021] [Accepted: 10/07/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Given the increasing importance of establishing better risk assessments for mycotoxins, novel in vitro tools for the evaluation of their toxicity are mandatory. In this study, an in vitro 3D spheroid model from SH-SY5Y cells, a human neuroblastoma cell line, was developed, optimized and characterized to test the cytotoxic effects caused by the mycotoxin sterigmatocystin (STE). STE induced a concentration- and time-dependent cell viability decrease in spheroids. Spheroids displayed cell disaggregation after STE exposure, increasing in a dose-dependent manner and over time. STE also induced apoptosis as confirmed by immunofluorescence staining and Western blot. Following the decreased proliferation and increased apoptosis, STE cytostasis effects were observed by migration assays both in 2D and 3D cell culture. Increased ROS generation, as well as DNA damage were also observed. Taken together, these data highlight the cytotoxic properties of STE and suggest that cell culture models play a pivotal role in the toxicological risk assessment of mycotoxins. The evaluation of cytotoxicity in spheroids (3D) rather than monolayer cultures (2D) is expected to more accurately reflect in vivo-like cell behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronica Zingales
- Laboratory of Food Chemistry and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Valencia, Av. Vicent Andrés Estellés s/n, 46100, Valencia, Spain.
| | - Noemi Torriero
- Department of Industrial Engineering (DII), University of Padua, Via Marzolo 9, 35131, Padova, Italy; Fondazione Istituto di Ricerca Pediatrica Città Della Speranza (IRP) - Lab NBTECH, Corso Stati Uniti 4, 35127, Padova, Italy
| | - Luca Zanella
- Department of Industrial Engineering (DII), University of Padua, Via Marzolo 9, 35131, Padova, Italy
| | - Mónica Fernández-Franzón
- Laboratory of Food Chemistry and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Valencia, Av. Vicent Andrés Estellés s/n, 46100, Valencia, Spain
| | - Maria-José Ruiz
- Laboratory of Food Chemistry and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Valencia, Av. Vicent Andrés Estellés s/n, 46100, Valencia, Spain
| | - Maria Rosaria Esposito
- Department of Industrial Engineering (DII), University of Padua, Via Marzolo 9, 35131, Padova, Italy; Fondazione Istituto di Ricerca Pediatrica Città Della Speranza (IRP) - Lab NBTECH, Corso Stati Uniti 4, 35127, Padova, Italy
| | - Elisa Cimetta
- Department of Industrial Engineering (DII), University of Padua, Via Marzolo 9, 35131, Padova, Italy; Fondazione Istituto di Ricerca Pediatrica Città Della Speranza (IRP) - Lab NBTECH, Corso Stati Uniti 4, 35127, Padova, Italy; Centro di Ricerca Interdipartimentale per le Biotecnologie Innovative (CRIBI) - Viale G. Colombo 3, 35131, Padova, Italy
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Zingales V, Fernández-Franzón M, Ruiz MJ. Sterigmatocystin-induced DNA damage triggers cell-cycle arrest via MAPK in human neuroblastoma cells. Toxicol Mech Methods 2021; 31:479-488. [PMID: 34039253 DOI: 10.1080/15376516.2021.1916801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Sterigmatocystin (STE) is a common mycotoxin found in food and feed. Many studies showed that STE is genotoxic. However, up to now, the potential genotoxicity of STE on human neuronal system remains unknown. In this study, we explored the effect of STE on DNA damage and cell-cycle progression on human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells exposed to various concentrations of STE (0.78, 1.56 and 3.12 µM) for 24 h. The results indicated that STE exposure induced DNA damage, as evidenced by DNA comet tails formation and increased γH2AX foci. Additionally, genotoxicity was confirmed by micronuclei (MN) analysis. Furthermore, we found that STE exposure led to cell-cycle arrest at the S and the G2/M phase. Considering the important role played by MAPK and p53 signaling pathways in cell-cycle arrest, we explored their potential involvement in STE-induced cell-cycle arrest by using specific inhibitors. The inhibition of JNK and ERK resulted to attenuate S and G2/M arrest, whereas the inhibition of p38 and p53 attenuated only STE-induced S phase arrest. In conclusion, the present study demonstrates that STE induced DNA damage and triggered MAPK and p53 pathways activation, resulting in cell-cycle arrest at the S and the G2/M phase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronica Zingales
- Laboratory of Food Chemistry and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Mónica Fernández-Franzón
- Laboratory of Food Chemistry and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Maria-José Ruiz
- Laboratory of Food Chemistry and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
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Zingales V, Fernández-Franzón M, Ruiz MJ. Occurrence, mitigation and in vitro cytotoxicity of nivalenol, a type B trichothecene mycotoxin - Updates from the last decade (2010-2020). Food Chem Toxicol 2021; 152:112182. [PMID: 33838177 DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2021.112182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2021] [Revised: 03/30/2021] [Accepted: 04/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
The present review aims to give an overview of the literature of the last decade (2010-2020) concerning the occurrence of the type B trichothecene mycotoxin nivalenol (NIV) and its in vitro toxicity, with the purpose of updating information regarding last researches on this mycotoxin. The most recent studies on the possible methods for preventing Fusarium spp. growth and NIV production are also discussed. Recently, various environmental factors have been shown to influence strongly NIV occurrence. However, Fusarium spp. of the NIV genotype have been found almost worldwide. With regard to NIV cytotoxicity, NIV has been reported to cause a marked decrease in cell proliferation in different mammalian cells. In particular, the recent data suggest that organs containing actively proliferating cells represent the main targets of NIV. Moreover, NIV resulted to cause immunosuppression, gastrointestinal toxicity and genotoxicity. However, sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity in humans is currently lacking, and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classifies it as a group 3 carcinogen. Further researches and the discovery of effective treatment strategies to prevent NIV contamination and to counteract its toxicity are urgently required against this common food-borne threat to human health and livestock.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronica Zingales
- Laboratory of Food Chemistry and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Valencia, Av. Vicent Andrés Estellés s/n, 46100, Valencia, Spain.
| | - Mónica Fernández-Franzón
- Laboratory of Food Chemistry and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Valencia, Av. Vicent Andrés Estellés s/n, 46100, Valencia, Spain
| | - Maria-José Ruiz
- Laboratory of Food Chemistry and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Valencia, Av. Vicent Andrés Estellés s/n, 46100, Valencia, Spain
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Zingales V, Torrisi SA, Leggio GM, Bucolo C, Drago F, Salomone S. Pharmacological and Genetic Evidence of Dopamine Receptor 3-Mediated Vasoconstriction in Isolated Mouse Aorta. Biomolecules 2021; 11:418. [PMID: 33799860 PMCID: PMC8001456 DOI: 10.3390/biom11030418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2021] [Revised: 03/05/2021] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Dopamine receptors (DRs) are generally considered as mediators of vasomotor functions. However, when used in pharmacological studies, dopamine and/or DR agonists may not discriminate among different DR subtypes and may even stimulate alpha1 and beta-adrenoceptors. Here, we tested the hypothesis that D2R and/or D3R may specifically induce vasoconstriction in isolated mouse aorta. Aorta, isolated from wild-type (WT) and D3R-/- mice, was mounted in a wire myograph and challenged with cumulative concentrations of phenylephrine (PE), acetylcholine (ACh), and the D3R agonist 7-hydrxy-N,N-dipropyl-2-aminotetralin (7-OH-DPAT), with or without the D2R antagonist L741,626 and the D3R antagonist SB-277011-A. The vasoconstriction to PE and the vasodilatation to ACh were not different in WT and D3R-/-; in contrast, the contractile responses to 7-OH-DPAT were significantly weaker in D3R-/-, though not abolished. L741,626 did not change the contractile response induced by 7-OH-DPAT in WT or in D3R-/-, whereas SB-277011-A significantly reduced it in WT but did not in D3R-/-. D3R mRNA (assessed by qPCR) was about 5-fold more abundant than D2R mRNA in aorta from WT and undetectable in aorta from D3R-/-. Following transduction with lentivirus (72-h incubation) delivering synthetic microRNAs to specifically inactivate D2R (LV-miR-D2) or D3R (LV-miR-D3), the contractile response to 7-OH-DPAT was unaffected by LV-miR-D2, while it was significantly reduced by LV-miR-D3. These data indicate that, at least in mouse aorta, D3R stimulation induces vasoconstriction, while D2R stimulation does not. This is consistent with the higher expression level of D3R. The residual vasoconstriction elicited by high concentration D3R agonist in D3R-/- and/or in the presence of D3R antagonist is likely to be unrelated to DRs.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Aorta/drug effects
- Aorta/physiology
- Indoles/pharmacology
- Male
- Mice, Inbred C57BL
- Mice, Knockout
- Nitriles/pharmacology
- Piperidines/pharmacology
- RNA, Messenger/genetics
- RNA, Messenger/metabolism
- Receptors, Dopamine D2/genetics
- Receptors, Dopamine D2/metabolism
- Receptors, Dopamine D3/agonists
- Receptors, Dopamine D3/antagonists & inhibitors
- Receptors, Dopamine D3/genetics
- Receptors, Dopamine D3/metabolism
- Tetrahydroisoquinolines/pharmacology
- Tetrahydronaphthalenes/pharmacology
- Vasoconstriction/drug effects
- Vasoconstriction/genetics
- Mice
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Salvatore Salomone
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, via S. Sofia 97, 95123 Catania, Italy; (V.Z.); (S.A.T.); (G.M.L.); (C.B.); (F.D.)
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Zingales V, Fernández-Franzón M, Ruiz MJ. Sterigmatocystin: Occurrence, toxicity and molecular mechanisms of action – A review. Food Chem Toxicol 2020; 146:111802. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2020.111802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2020] [Revised: 10/01/2020] [Accepted: 10/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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Raffaele M, Pittalà V, Zingales V, Barbagallo I, Salerno L, Li Volti G, Romeo G, Carota G, Sorrenti V, Vanella L. Heme Oxygenase-1 Inhibition Sensitizes Human Prostate Cancer Cells towards Glucose Deprivation and Metformin-Mediated Cell Death. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20102593. [PMID: 31137785 PMCID: PMC6566853 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20102593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2019] [Revised: 05/16/2019] [Accepted: 05/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
High levels of heme oxygenase (HO)-1 have been frequently reported in different human cancers, playing a major role in drug resistance and regulation of cancer cell redox homeostasis. Metformin (MET), a drug widely used for type 2 diabetes, has recently gained interest for treating several cancers. Recent studies indicated that the anti-proliferative effects of metformin in cancer cells are highly dependent on glucose concentration. The present work was directed to determine whether use of a specific inhibitor of HO-1 activity, alone or in combination with metformin, affected metastatic prostate cancer cell viability under different concentrations of glucose. MTT assay and the xCELLigence system were used to evaluate cell viability and cell proliferation in DU145 human prostate cancer cells. Cell apoptosis and reactive oxygen species were analyzed by flow cytometry. The activity of HO-1 was inhibited using a selective imidazole-based inhibitor; genes associated with antioxidant systems and cell death were evaluated by qRT-PCR. Our study demonstrates that metformin suppressed prostate cancer growth in vitro and increased oxidative stress. Disrupting the antioxidant HO-1 activity, especially under low glucose concentration, could be an attractive approach to potentiate metformin antineoplastic effects and could provide a biochemical basis for developing HO-1-targeting drugs against solid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Raffaele
- Department of Drug Science, Biochemistry Section, University of Catania, 95125 Catania, Italy.
| | - Valeria Pittalà
- Department of Drug Science, Pharmaceutical Chemistry Section, University of Catania, 95125 Catania, Italy.
| | - Veronica Zingales
- Department of Drug Science, Biochemistry Section, University of Catania, 95125 Catania, Italy.
| | - Ignazio Barbagallo
- Department of Drug Science, Biochemistry Section, University of Catania, 95125 Catania, Italy.
| | - Loredana Salerno
- Department of Drug Science, Pharmaceutical Chemistry Section, University of Catania, 95125 Catania, Italy.
| | - Giovanni Li Volti
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95125 Catania, Italy.
| | - Giuseppe Romeo
- Department of Drug Science, Pharmaceutical Chemistry Section, University of Catania, 95125 Catania, Italy.
| | - Giuseppe Carota
- Department of Drug Science, Biochemistry Section, University of Catania, 95125 Catania, Italy.
| | - Valeria Sorrenti
- Department of Drug Science, Biochemistry Section, University of Catania, 95125 Catania, Italy.
| | - Luca Vanella
- Department of Drug Science, Biochemistry Section, University of Catania, 95125 Catania, Italy.
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11
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Vanella L, Li Volti G, Distefano A, Raffaele M, Zingales V, Avola R, Tibullo D, Barbagallo I. A new antioxidant formulation reduces the apoptotic and damaging effect of cigarette smoke extract on human bronchial epithelial cells. Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci 2017; 21:5478-5484. [PMID: 29243793 DOI: 10.26355/eurrev_201712_13938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE In this study we evaluated the possible protective effect of an antioxidant formulation containing microfiltered milk derived polypeptides, Curcumin, Vitamin B2, Carnitine and N-Acetyl-cysteine (NAC) in an in vitro model of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). MATERIALS AND METHODS Human bronchial epithelial cells (16HBE) were used in this study. Cells were treated for 24 h in the presence or absence of 10% of cigarette smoke extract (CSE) and in the presence or absence of antioxidant formulation. We evaluated cell viability by MTT assay, reactive oxygen species by flow cytometer and quantitative analysis of gene expression by Real-time PCR. RESULTS The data obtained showed a significant increase of cell viability in CSE-exposed cells and a significant reduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production compared to cells treated with only CSE. The antioxidant effects of formulation were confirmed by a decrease of inflammatory cytokines genes IL-1β, IL-6, TNFα, nitric oxide synthase gene (NOS2) and through an induction of antioxidant genes such as heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1), nuclear transcription factor erythroid 2 (NRF2) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator-1 alpha (PGC-1α). CONCLUSIONS The results suggest that antioxidants combination plays a protective role on oxidative stress and inflammation, in an in vitro model of COPD, activating key genes in response to oxidative stress and decreasing the cytokines responsible for the inflammatory pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Vanella
- Department of Drug Science, Biochemistry Section, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
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Zingales V, Distefano A, Raffaele M, Zanghi A, Barbagallo I, Vanella L. Metformin: A Bridge between Diabetes and Prostate Cancer. Front Oncol 2017; 7:243. [PMID: 29075616 PMCID: PMC5641539 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2017.00243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2017] [Accepted: 09/25/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Prostate cancer (PCa) has become the most frequent type of cancer in men. Recent data suggest that diabetic patients taking metformin have a lower incidence of certain cancer, including PCa. Metformin is the most common drug used in type II diabetes mellitus; its use has been shown to lower the incidence of several cancers, although there are ambiguous data about the anticancer activity of metformin. A large number of studies examined the potential antineoplastic mechanism of metformin although it is not still completely understood. This review summarizes the literature concerning the effects of metformin on PCa cells, highlighting its numerous mechanisms of action through which it can act. We analyze the possible causes of the discordances regarding the impact of metformin on risk of PCa; we discuss the latest findings in this field, suggesting that metformin may have a future role in the management of PCa both as monotherapy and in combination with other drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronica Zingales
- Department of Drug Science, Biochemistry Section, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Alfio Distefano
- Department of Drug Science, Biochemistry Section, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Marco Raffaele
- Department of Drug Science, Biochemistry Section, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Antonio Zanghi
- Department of Surgery, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Policlinico Vittorio Emanuele, Catania, Italy
| | - Ignazio Barbagallo
- Department of Drug Science, Biochemistry Section, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Luca Vanella
- Department of Drug Science, Biochemistry Section, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
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