BioProject

Transcriptional profiling of the digestive gland tissue of female mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis exposed to TCDD, n-TiO2 and their binary mixture Background: Exposure of marine organisms to pollutant mixtures may affect the pattern of contaminant uptake/bioaccumulation, as well as of gene expression in the tissues. More...

Transcriptional profiling of the digestive gland tissue of female mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis exposed to TCDD, n-TiO2 and their binary mixture Background: Exposure of marine organisms to pollutant mixtures may affect the pattern of contaminant uptake/bioaccumulation, as well as of gene expression in the tissues. Despite the growing concern over the potential biological impact of nanoparticles (NPs) in the aquatic environment, little is known about their interactions with other pollutants.We have recently shown that in the marine mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis exposure to n-TiO2, one of the most widespread type of NPs in use, in combination with 2,3,7,8-TCDD, chosen as model organic xenobiotic, can exert antagonistic or synergistic effects on different biomarkers from the molecular to the tissue level, depending on cell/tissue and type of measured response. An integrated approach involving immunhistochemical and transcriptomic analysis was employed to clarify the itteractive effects of n-TiO2 and TCDD in mussels digestive gland. In particular,TCDD bioaccumulation was evaluated utilizing specific anti-TCDD fluorescent antibodies. Moreover, immunohistochemical evaluation of antioxidant and cytoskeletal components was performed. To provide clues about how the molecular response to the investigated compounds is modulated, we used a cDNA microarray with1673 sequences. In animals exposed only to TiO2, functional genomics analysis of the microarray data (48 differentially expressed genes (DEGs)) highlighted three biological processes, largely dominated by the up-regulation of microtubule-based movement-related genes. Exposure to 2,3,7,8-TCDD yielded 49 DEGs exhibiting distinct patterns in terms of biological processes. Finally, exposure to the mixture rendered 62 GEGs characterized by the regulation of response to chemical stimulus, microtubule-based movement and intracellular signal transduction. Our data should be carefully considered in view of the biological effects of emerging pollutants, particularly in case of mixture chemicals. Overall design: Transcriptional profiling of the digestive gland tissue of female mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis exposed to TCDD, n-TiO2 and their binary mixture Less...