Liana Bosco - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Liana Bosco

Life

Nowadays, the striking numbers of infertile couples that turn to assisted reproductive technologi... more Nowadays, the striking numbers of infertile couples that turn to assisted reproductive technologies (ART) drive the research toward a more comprehensive understanding of the underlying causes. Male factors contribute to the inability to conceive in half of the cases, and it has been suggested that sexually transmitted infections could have a role in the onset of spermatozoa impairments. Since the impact of HPV infection on sperm quality and sperm DNA integrity is debated, we wanted to analyze its impact on conventional seminal parameters and the sperm DNA fragmentation index (DFI). Therefore, 117 semen samples of patients undergoing IVF were evaluated for the following characteristics: HPV DNA detection and sperm DNA fragmentation, concentration, motility, and morphology. The results showed a higher rate of HPV-negative patients (59.8% vs. 40.2%) and no HPV-related effect on DFI, sperm concentration, total sperm number, and total motility. Only progressive motility and morphology we...

European Journal of Histochemistry, Jun 15, 2016

Cancellations must be received before the end of September to take effect at the end of the same ... more Cancellations must be received before the end of September to take effect at the end of the same year. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, electrostatic, magnetic type, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise) without written permission by the Publishers. Reg. Tribunale di Pavia n. 289/23.2.1984. Recognized by the Ministero per i Beni e le Attività Culturali, Italy as a publication of high cultural value. Associato all'USPI Unione Stampa Periodica Italiana Disclaimer. Whilst every effort is made by the publishers and the editorial board to see that no inaccurate or misleading data, opinion or statement appears in this journal, they wish to make it clear that the data and opinions appearing in the articles or advertisements herein are the responsibility of the contributor or advisor concerned. Accordingly, the publisher, the editorial board and their respective employees, officers and agents accept no liability whatsoever for the consequences of any inaccurate or misleading data, opinion or statement.

Several studies have demonstrated the relationship between gonadotrophine serum levels and the ap... more Several studies have demonstrated the relationship between gonadotrophine serum levels and the apoptosis rate in germinal cells. In human, lower FSH serum levels are associated with reduced Sperm Standard Parameters in term of concentration, motility and morphology and higher sperm DNA fragmentation. Hypogonadotrope hypogonadism is a clinical condition associated with male infertility, characterized by low serum levels of gonadotrophins. In this pilot study we investigated the spermatozoa quality of 11 patients with development of hypogonadotrope hypogonadism urdergoing in vitro fertilization programs. Recombinant-FSH administered to improve the sperm parameters, apoptosis rate, aiming to increase the success of in vitro fertilization techniques. We found an effective procedure to highlight the correlation between spermatozoa morphology and DNA fragmentation, by TUNEL assay in situ. Spermatozoa integrity DNA influences reproductive potentiality and increases IVF outcome

The sea urchin embryo is a suitable model system that offers an excellent opportunity to investig... more The sea urchin embryo is a suitable model system that offers an excellent opportunity to investigate different defense strategies activated in stress conditions. We previously showed that cadmium treatment provokes the accumulation of metal in dose-time dependent manner in embryonic cells and the activation of defense systems, such as the synthesis of HSPs and/or the initiation of apoptosis. Analyzing autophagy, by neutral red, acridine orange and LC3-detection, we demonstrated that Cd-exposed embryos adopt this process as an additional stratagem to safeguard the developmental program. We observed that embryos treated with subletal Cd concentration activate massive autophagic response after 18h of treatment. In addition, autophagy decreases between 21h and 24h, in the opposite of apoptotic process (1-2). In order to investigate a possible temporal relationship between autophagy and apoptosis , we tested apoptosis by immunodetection in situ of cleaved caspase-3 and TUNEL assays we showed that embryos activate a massive apoptosis after 24h of Cd-treatment. In addition, a functional relationship between autophagy and apoptosis was estimated evaluating apoptosis in Cd-exposed embryos with inhibited autophagy, by treatment with 3-methyladenine (3-MA). We found that the inhibition of autophagy produced a reduction of apoptotic signals, suggesting that the two phenomena are functionally related. Considering the catabolic role, an energetic hypothesis to explain this relationship was evaluated; in this case autophagy could contribute to apoptotic process providing ATP, necessary for execution of the apoptotic program. In effect, using Methylpyruvate (MP), a substrate for ATP production, in embryos with inhibited autophagy, apoptosis was substantially restored. In this context, autophagy could play a crucial role in stress response of this suitable model system (3). References (1) Klionsky, DJ et al. (2012). Autophagy. 8, 445-544. (2) Chiarelli et al. (2011). Autophagy. 7, 1028-1034. (3) Chiarelli et al. (2012). Cells. 1, 597-616

Literature data demonstrated that some environmental factors could have a key role in the remarka... more Literature data demonstrated that some environmental factors could have a key role in the remarkable and continuous decline of sperm quality observed in the last fifty years. Specifically, in the Taranto area, data about the detrimental effects of environmental pollution are alarming because of the high level of poisons released in the atmosphere. Pollution coming from the plant causes health and fertility risks, mainly due to the exposure to the dioxin. Our study analyzed sperm samples from three patients groups: i) workers of local steel factories; ii) Taranto residents; iii) Controls. Results demonstrate that patients from the \u201cfactory workers\u201d group, constantly exposed to environmental pollutants for professional reasons, show a mean percentage of DNA fragmentation above 30%. In contrast, patients from group \u201cTaranto residents\u201d and patients coming from Palermo considered as \u201cControls\u201d group show mean percentages of 25 and 16.8%, respectively. We observed an increase of spermatic DNA fragmentation (DFI) in the \u201cfactory workers\u201d and \u201cTaranto residents\u201d groups, compared to \u201cControls\u201d. These ones are patients of an in vitro fertilization clinic, with supposed fertility issues. It is known that a spermatic DFI less than 15% is physiologic, while above 30% is related to fertility issues. It is also known that interrupting the sperms damaging source might bring back the DFI level to normal values. So, moving away from the sperms damaging source, patients from \u201cfactory workers\u201d and \u201cTaranto residents\u201d groups could restore spermatogenesis. The research methods employed in this study were found to be specific and valid for these analysis

(ttaty) 2.lnstitute of Biochemistry ond Biophysics, polish Academy of sciences, warsow (potond)

The Ras oncogene is mutated in about 30% of the human tumors and its mutations are almost always ... more The Ras oncogene is mutated in about 30% of the human tumors and its mutations are almost always point mutations concerning codon 12, 13 and 61. These mutations cause in the proteins a reduced GTPase activity, so that they become costitutively active. In human cells there are threee main isoforms of Ras (H, K, N-Ras) which can trigger alternative pathways of signal transduction. In order to investigate the effects of expression of different oncogenic Ras isoforms in colorectal carcinoma cells (HT-29), we obtained stable clones of HT-29 cells transfected with cDNAs codifying H-RasG12V and K-RasG12V called respectively H12 and K12 and K-RasG13D called K13, under the control of an hormone-inducible promoter. We had previously observed changes in shape and growth rate when mutated Ras was expressed. We then analyzed the differential expression of genes such as the cell-cycle inhibitor p21 and the EMT associated gene snail. Q-RT PCR assay showed an increase in p21 level only in H12 cells but not in K13 and K12 compared with the respective controls. Instead, snail mRNA level was increased in all three clones. We investigated also by Semiquantitative RT-PCR H-RasG12V, p21 and snail levels in H12 cells induced for a long time and we noted a decreased level of H-RASG12V associated with no p21 and snail expression. Our results show that specific mutations of different Ras isoforms have different effects on morphology and gene expression in HT-29. Other studies are of course necessary to shed more light on the role played by Ras mutations in tumor devlopment.

Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, 1997

terest to study the location of this family in subcellular Paracentrotus lividus mitochondrial ma... more terest to study the location of this family in subcellular Paracentrotus lividus mitochondrial matrix confractions of the early sea urchin embryos, as a prelimitains a constitutive hsp of 56-KDa which cross reacts nary study to understand their function under these with a serum anti-hsp-60 chaperonine from yeast mitoparticular developmental conditions, i.e. a developchondria. The localization of hsps preexisting or newly mental period in which mitochondrial replication is mosynthesized in different subcellular fractions of gasmentaneously halted although mitochondrial metabotrula embryos is also analyzed by two-dimensional lism is active, in a lively replicating cell (19, 11).

Epidemiology and Infection, 2019

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the agent of the most common sexually transmitted diseases causing ... more Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the agent of the most common sexually transmitted diseases causing a variety of clinical manifestations ranging from warts to cancer. Oncogenic HPV infection is the major cause of cervical cancer and less frequently of penile cancers. Its presence in semen is widely known, but the effects on fertility are still controversial. We developed a new approach to evaluate virus localisation in the different semen components. We analysed also the specific genotype localisation and viral DNA quantity by qPCR. Results show that HPV DNA can be identified in every fraction of semen: spermatozoa, somatic cells and seminal plasma. Different samples can contain the HPV DNA in different fractions and several HPV genotypes can be found in the same fraction. Additionally, different fractions may contain multiple HPV genotypes in different relative quantity. We analysed the wholeness of HPV DNA in sperm cells by qPCR. In one sample more than half of viral genomes were def...

The Korean Infomation Display Society, 2005

Human Reproduction, 2021

Study question Could the expression of the anti-apoptotic molecules AKT, p-Akt and ERK1/2 in Mura... more Study question Could the expression of the anti-apoptotic molecules AKT, p-Akt and ERK1/2 in Mural Granulosa Cells (MGC) be considered as marker of oocyte quality? Summary answer MGCs activate cell death pathways in analyzed follicles and it is not influenced by different stimulation protocols and it is not correlated to oocyte competence. What is known already It has been previously demonstrated that apoptosis rate of mural granulosa or cumulus cells (CC) were correlated with follicular oocyte number, age, embryo numbers in IVF/ICSI and also clinical pregnancy. Moreover, our previous data demonstrated that in selected patients, who received recombinant LH associated with recombinant FSH (rFSH), the DNA fragmentation in cumulus cells was significantly lower and pregnancy rate was higher, compared to patients treated with rFSH alone. However, to date little is known about the differences between MGC and CC regarding death/survival pathways and whether the two cell types respond in th...

European Journal of Histochemistry, 2019