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Environmental pollutants from different chemical families may reach the gut microbiome, where they can be metabolized and transformed. However, how our gut symbionts respond to the exposure to environmental pollution is still underexplored. In this observational, cohort study, we aim to investigate the influence of environmental pollution on the gut microbiome composition and potential activity by shotgun metagenomics. We select as a case study a population living in a highly polluted area in Campania region (Southern Italy), proposed as an ideal field for exposomic studies and we compare the fecal microbiome of 359 subjects living in areas with high, medium and low environmental pollution. We highlight changes in gut microbiome composition and functionality that were driven by pollution exposure. Subjects from highly polluted areas show higher blood concentrations of dioxin and heavy metals, as well as an increase in microbial genes related to degradation and/or resistance to these molecules. Here we demonstrate the dramatic effect that environmental xenobiotics have on gut microbial communities, shaping their composition and boosting the selection of strains with degrading capacity. The gut microbiome can be considered as a pivotal player in the environment-health interaction that may contribute to detoxifying toxic compounds and should be taken into account when developing risk assessment models. The study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov with the identifier NCT05976126. In this study, the authors employ metagenomics to explore the impact of environmental pollution on the human gut microbiome using samples from a cohort living in a very polluted area in Southern Italy, showing that pollutants degradation genes are more abundant in subjects with higher blood levels of those specific xenobiotics.

A new method for simultaneous determination by liquid chromatography coupled with high resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-HRMS/MS) of 14 paralytic shellfish poisoning toxins (PSP), that is, Saxitoxin, Neosaxitoxin, Gonyautoxins and their respective variants, in bivalve molluscs, is herein described. The samples were extracted by acetic acid solution, then analysed by UHPLC coupled with a Q-Exactive Orbitrap Plus high resolution mass spectrometer, by electrospray ionization mode (ESI) with no further clean up step. The analysis was carried out by monitoring both the exact mass of the molecular precursor ion of each compound (in mass scan mode, resolution at 70,000 FWHM) and its respective fragmentation patterns (two product ions) with mass accuracy greater than 5 ppm. The analytical performance of the method was evaluated calculating trueness, as mean recoveries of each biotoxin, between 77.8% and 111.9%, a within-laboratory reproducibility (RSDR) between 3.6% and 12.2%, the specificity, the linearity of detector response, and the ruggedness for slight changes The results of the validation study demonstrate this method fits for the purposes of the official control of PSP toxins in molluscs. The results of two years of monitoring in local mussel farms are also reported, showing that no significant concerns for food safety in the monitored productions.

Background Mainly known as a transcription factor patterning the rostral brain and governing its histogenesis, FOXG1 has been also detected outside the nucleus; however, biological meaning of that has been only partially clarified. Results Prompted by FOXG1 expression in cytoplasm of pallial neurons, we investigated its implication in translational control. We documented the impact of FOXG1 on ribosomal recruitment of Grin1 -mRNA, encoding for the main subunit of NMDA receptor. Next, we showed that FOXG1 increases GRIN1 protein level by enhancing the translation of its mRNA, while not increasing its stability. Molecular mechanisms underlying this activity included FOXG1 interaction with EIF4E and, possibly, Grin1 -mRNA. Besides, we found that, within murine neocortical cultures, de novo synthesis of GRIN1 undergoes a prominent and reversible, homeostatic regulation and FOXG1 is instrumental to that. Finally, by integrated analysis of multiple omic data, we inferred that FOXG1 is implicated in translational control of hundreds of neuronal genes, modulating ribosome engagement and progression. In a few selected cases, we experimentally verified such inference. Conclusions These findings point to FOXG1 as a key effector, potentially crucial to multi-scale temporal tuning of neocortical pyramid activity, an issue with profound physiological and neuropathological implications.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a group of organic compounds with fused aromatic rings, primarily derived from combustion processes and environmental pollutants. This narrative review discusses the most relevant studies on PAHs, focusing on their sources, environmental and occupational exposure, and effects on human health, emphasizing their roles as carcinogenic, mutagenic, and teratogenic agents. The primary pathways for human exposure to PAHs are through the ingestion of contaminated food (mainly due to some food processing methods, such as smoking and high-temperature cooking techniques), the inhalation of ambient air, and the smoking of cigarettes. Coke oven workers are recognized as a high-risk occupational group for PAH exposure, highlighting the need for appropriate strategies to mitigate these risks and safeguard worker health. PAHs are metabolized into reactive intermediates in the body, which can lead to DNA damage and promote the development of various health conditions, particularly in environments with high exposure levels. Chronic PAH exposure has been linked to respiratory diseases, as well as cardiovascular problems and immune system suppression. Furthermore, this review underscores the significant impact of PAHs on reproductive health. The results of the reported studies suggest that both male and female fertility can be compromised due to oxidative stress, DNA damage, and endocrine disruption caused by PAH exposure. In males, PAHs impair sperm quality, while, in females, they disrupt ovarian function, potentially leading to infertility, miscarriage, and birth defects. Fetal exposure to PAHs is also associated with neurodevelopmental disorders. Given the extensive and detrimental health risks posed by PAHs, this review stresses the importance of stringent environmental regulations, occupational safety measures, and public health initiatives to mitigate exposure and safeguard reproductive and overall health.

Transposable elements (TEs), also known as “jumping genes”, are repetitive sequences with the capability of changing their location within the genome. They are key players in many different biological processes in health and disease. Therefore, a reliable quantification of their expression as transcriptional units is crucial to distinguish between their independent expression and the transcription of their sequences as part of canonical transcripts. TEs quantification faces difficulties of different types, the most important one being low reads mappability due to their repetitive nature preventing an unambiguous mapping of reads originating from their sequences. A large fraction of TEs fragments localizes within introns, which led to the hypothesis that intron retention (IR) can be an additional source of bias, potentially affecting accurate TEs quantification. IR occurs when introns, normally removed from the mature transcript by the splicing machinery, are maintained in mature transcripts. IR is a widespread mechanism affecting many different genes with cell type-specific patterns. We hypothesized that, in an RNA-seq experiment, reads derived from retained introns can introduce a bias in the detection of overlapping, independent TEs RNA expression. In this study we performed meta-analysis using public RNA-seq data from lymphoblastoid cell lines and show that IR can impact TEs quantification using established tools with default parameters. Reads mapped on intronic TEs were indeed associated to the expression of TEs and influence their correct quantification as independent transcriptional units. We confirmed these results using additional independent datasets, demonstrating that this bias does not appear in samples where IR is not present and that differential TEs expression does not impact on IR quantification. We concluded that IR causes the over-quantification of intronic TEs and differential IR might be confused with differential TEs expression. Our results should be taken into account for a correct quantification of TEs expression from RNA-seq data, especially in samples in which IR is abundant.

In recent years, biomonitoring has gained more attention, particularly when assessing the environmental health of significant areas, such as those near waste-to-energy facilities. These requirements coincide with the chance to detect environmental pollutants using sensitive organisms. Bees were shown to be quite effective in evaluating the presence of certain compounds by analyzing their associated matrices, such as pollen, honey, or wax. In our study, we employed the honey bee (Apis mellifera) as an indicator to initially monitor the vicinity of the waste-to-energy plant in Acerra, which is situated in the Campania region of Italy. The primary aim was to determine whether the facility was accountable for any environmental releases of dioxins or dioxin-like compounds. Then, we assessed the presence of additional pollutants in the same area, including trace elements, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and pesticides, released by human activities. To obtain further information about environmental quality, a second biomonitoring station was installed near the Caivano S.T.I.R. (Waste Shredding, Sifting, and Packaging Plant). The results showed the dioxin levels did not exceed predetermined limitations at the Acerra site, thus demonstrating the efficacy of the waste-to-energy facility and the bees’ ability to detect the presence of other pollutants. Additionally, this biomonitoring system exhibited sensitivity to environmental variations, thereby enabling the evaluation of xenobiotic flux between two proximate zones and across temporal scales. This pioneering study suggests the advantages of utilizing bees to detect a wide range of contaminants, thereby providing valuable insights into environmental quality and potential health risks for both ecosystems and human populations.

Viral and chemical analyses were performed on 80 dead cats and 51 dead dogs from the Campania Region (Southern Italy), with the aim of evaluating in vivo the potential correlation between coronavirus (CoV) infections and levels of environmental pollutants such as dioxins and PCSs (PCDD/F, DL-PCB and NDL-PCB). The overall viral prevalence was 16.3% in cats and 23.5% in dogs. Both feline coronavirus (FCoV) and canine coronavirus (CCoV) were identified, with variable detection rates in all the other organs investigated, supporting studies that provide evidence of systemic viral spread. The highest prevalence of coronaviruses (CoVs) was observed in Naples (19.2% for FCoV; 30.7% for CCoV) and Caserta (11.1% for FCoV; 50.0% for CCoV), areas that include municipalities with the highest Municipality Index of Environmental Pressure (MIEP) scores. Chemical analyses showed that DL-PCBs were present at more elevated concentrations in CoV-infected dogs and cats than in non-infected animals, whereas ∑NDL-PCB and ∑PCDD/F were detected in greater amounts in non-infected subjects. Among PCDDs, the congener 2,3,7,8-TCDD displayed different distribution patterns between infected and non-infected animals. In cats, 70.0% of FCoV-positive individuals had 2,3,7,8-TCDD levels above the limit of quantification (LOQ), compared with 38.0% of FCoV-negative cats. In dogs, 78.0% of CCoV-infected animals exceeded the LOQ, compared with 20.0% of non-infected ones; this difference was statistically significant. The results of the study suggest that elevated levels of 2,3,7,8-TCDD may be associated with CCoV infection and replication in dogs, suggesting a possible relationship between environmental pollution and susceptibility to coronavirus infections.

The levels of essential (Cu, Cr, Co, Mn, Se, Zn) and non-essential (As, Be, Bi, Cd, Cs, Ga, Ni, Pb, Sr, Tl, U, V) trace elements were studied in razor clams (Solen marginatus) collected from the Tyrrhenian coast of Southern Italy at five selected sites along the Domitio littoral in the Campania region. The main objectives of this study were to assess the contamination status of these bivalve mollusks and to evaluate the risks to the environment and consumers due to metal contamination. The concentrations of 18 trace elements were determined after microwave-assisted mineralization and by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Concentrations of the toxic elements Pb and Cd were below the maximum levels established by Commission Regulation (EC) 1881/2006, while higher average concentrations of arsenic were found at each of the five sites studied. Regarding the other trace elements, contamination levels followed the order: Zn > Sr > Mn > Cu > Se > Cr > V > Ni > Co > Ga > Cs > Be > U > Bi > Tl. No significant differences among the sites were found with regard to any of the trace elements analyzed, and element levels in razor clams did not reflect sediment contamination. The results demonstrated the substantial food safety of the razor clams in this area with respect to heavy metals but revealed a potential health risk due to arsenic contamination in all the areas sampled.

This study reports the results of aflatoxins B/G monitoring in food of vegetal origin, imported in Southern Italy from extra-European Union countries. From 2017 to 2020, we analyzed 1675 samples using an accredited HPLC method with fluorescence detection. We found out 295 samples (17.6%) were contaminated by aflatoxin B1, 204 by aflatoxins B/G (12.2%), while 75 (4.5%) resulted non-compliant to maximum limits set by the European Union law. Most of the batches tested were unprocessed food; the distribution of contamination levels, incidence of non-compliant samples, inference for different kinds of food are reported. The study focuses on the food more susceptible to contamination by aflatoxins; nuts are the food more controlled, showing the higher number of non-compliant samples. Our study confirms that pistachio nuts, hazelnuts and almonds are the major sources of exposure for consumers. Still, other products, such as chili pepper and Brazil nuts, need to get more information about their contamination levels. The study’s findings are discussed in the perspective of the last opinion by EFSA about chronic exposure to aflatoxins. A case study to evaluate not compliance of a composed food to the European Union law is reported.

Background Environmental reservoirs of antibiotic resistance pose a threat to human and animal health. Aquatic biofilms impacted by wastewater effluent (WW) are known environmental reservoirs for antibiotic resistance; however, the relative importance of biotic factors and abiotic factors from WW on the abundance of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) within aquatic biofilms remains unclear. Additionally, experimental evidence is limited within complex aquatic microbial communities as to whether genes bearing low sequence similarity to validated reference ARGs are functional as ARGs. Results To disentangle the effects of abiotic and biotic factors on ARG abundances, natural biofilms were previously grown in flume systems with different proportions of stream water and either ultrafiltered or non-ultrafiltered WW. In this study, we conducted deep shotgun metagenomic sequencing of 75 biofilm, stream, and WW samples from these flume systems and compared the taxonomic and functional microbiome and resistome composition. Statistical analysis revealed an alignment of the resistome and microbiome composition and a significant association with experimental treatment. Several ARG classes exhibited an increase in normalized metagenomic abundances in biofilms grown with increasing percentages of non-ultrafiltered WW. In contrast, sulfonamide and extended-spectrum beta-lactamase ARGs showed greater abundances in biofilms grown in ultrafiltered WW compared to non-ultrafiltered WW. Overall, our results pointed toward the dominance of biotic factors over abiotic factors in determining ARG abundances in WW-impacted stream biofilms and suggested gene family-specific mechanisms for ARGs that exhibited divergent abundance patterns. To investigate one of these specific ARG families experimentally, we biochemically characterized a new beta-lactamase from the Planctomycetota ( Phycisphaeraceae ). This beta-lactamase displayed activity in the cleavage of cephalosporin analog despite sharing a low sequence identity with known ARGs. Conclusions This discovery of a functional planctomycete beta-lactamase ARG is noteworthy, not only because it was the first beta-lactamase to be biochemically characterized from this phylum, but also because it was not detected by standard homology-based ARG tools. In summary, this study conducted a metagenomic analysis of the relative importance of biotic and abiotic factors in the context of WW discharge and their impact on both known and new ARGs in aquatic biofilms. DkJa1T-YWptaXXeH_hsDtB Video Abstract