Diatom-derived oxylipins induce cell death in sea urchin embryos activating caspase-8 and caspase 3/7

Ruocco, N., Varrella, S., Romano, G., Ianora, A., Bentley, M. G., Somma, D. , Leonardi, A., Mellone, S., Zuppa, A. and Costantini, M. (2016) Diatom-derived oxylipins induce cell death in sea urchin embryos activating caspase-8 and caspase 3/7. Aquatic Toxicology, 176, pp. 128-140. (doi: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2016.04.012) (PMID:27130972)

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Abstract

Diatoms are an important class of unicellular algae that produce bioactive secondary metabolites with cytotoxic activity collectively termed oxylipins, including polyunsaturated aldehydes (PUAs), hydroxyacids (HEPEs), oxo-acids and epoxyalcohols. Previous results showed that at higher concentrations, the PUA decadienal induced apoptosis on copepods and sea urchin embryos via caspase-3 activation; at lower concentrations decadienal affected the expression levels of the caspase-8 gene in embryos of the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus. In the present work, we studied the effects of other common oxylipins produced by diatoms: two PUAs (heptadienal and octadienal) and four hydroxyacids (5-, 9- 11- and 15-HEPE) on P. lividus cell death and caspase activities. Our results showed that (i) at higher concentrations PUAs and HEPEs induced apoptosis in sea urchin embryos, detected by microscopic observation and through the activation of caspase-3/7 and caspase-8 measured by luminescent assays; (ii) at low concentrations, PUAs and HEPEs affected the expression levels of caspase-8 and caspase-3/7 (isolated for the first time here in P. lividus) genes, detected by Real Time qPCR. These findings have interesting implications from the ecological point of view, given the importance of diatom blooms in nutrient-rich aquatic environments.

Item Type:Articles
Status:Published
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:Somma, Domenico
Authors: Ruocco, N., Varrella, S., Romano, G., Ianora, A., Bentley, M. G., Somma, D., Leonardi, A., Mellone, S., Zuppa, A., and Costantini, M.
College/School:College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Infection & Immunity
Journal Name:Aquatic Toxicology
Publisher:Elsevier
ISSN:0166-445X
ISSN (Online):1879-1514
Published Online:22 April 2016

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