Updated 28th march 2014 - Physiological responses to
environmental stress factors in invertebrates, vertebrates and
human cell lines. Physiological aspects and changes in the presence
of environmental stress factors concerning: signal transduction
(cAMP, IP3-Ca2+ and MAPK); gene and protein expression of Heat
Shock Proteins and metallothioneins; gene expressions of MXR
carriers; enzyme acttivities; biomarkers of exposure and
genotoxicity.
The environmental stress factors, natural or anthorpogenic,
induce modifications of physiological parameters in exposed
organisms. These can be displayed at different levels, molecular,
cellular, etc. and can be protective or adaptive responses,
although pathological consequences are aldo present. The laboratori
of Evironmental Physiology and Biochemistry located at CIRSA,
Ravenna and headed by Prof. Elena Fabbri works on the effects
played by environmental stress factors of physical (temperature and
electromagnetic fields) or chemical (heavy metals, oxidants)
nature have on physiological functions in particular 1) on
HSP70 and metallotihonein (MT) expressions for what
concerning cytoprotection ; 2) on the expression levels of genes
implicated in cytoprotective responses including those coding
for MT, HSP70 and members of the Multidrug
Xenobiotic Resistance (MXR) family; 3) son signal transduction
pathways cAMP-, calcium- and MAPK- dependent. The experimental
models are mussels, Mytilus galloprovincialis, and human
trophoblast cell lines. Moreover the activity of the
laboratory is addressed to a more applicative fiels, concerning
the biomarker evaluation in bivavle molluscs and earthworms.
Biomarkers are biological parameters as lysosome functionality,
lipofuscin or neutral lipid accumulation, calcium ATPase activity,
Acethylcholiesterase activity, DNA damage which are optimal
indicatore of animal health status. These parameters are used for
evaluation of environmental quality. Lab bibliographic references:
HSP70 and metallothioneins: Piano et al., Cell Stress Chap
2002; 2004;Valbonesi et al., Placenta 2008; Fabbri et al., J. Inv
Sur 2008, review; HSP70 and MXR gene expression: Franzellitti
e Fabbri, Biochem Biophys Res Comm 2005; 2006. Singal transduction:
Valbonesi et al., Sci Tot Env. 2003; Fabbri and Capuzzo, Aquat
Toxicol. 2006; Valbonesi et al, Placenta 2008; Electromagnetic
fields Valbonesi et al., 2008; Franzellitti et al., 2008.
Biomarkers: Viarengo et al., Comp Biochem Physiol 2007, review.
