Submit to IJMS Review for IJMS Propose a Special Issue

Journal Menu

Journal Browser

Molecular Mechanisms of Responses to Low-Intensity Exposures

Print Special Issue Flyer
Special Issue Editors
Special Issue Information
Keywords
Published Papers

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Toxicology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (28 February 2021) | Viewed by 13354

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Nadezhda S. Kudryasheva

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Institute of Biophysics, Federal Research Center, Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, 660041 Krasnoyarsk, Russia
Interests: physicochemistry of biological objects; molecular spectroscopy; structure of molecules; chemiluminescence; bioluminescence; low-dose effects; hormesis; toxicity; radiotoxicity; antioxidant activity; bioactive compounds
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Low-intensity exposures are the most unexplored field of modern molecular toxicology. A lack of knowledge on the mechanisms of low-intensive factors causes problems in (a) the prediction of biological effects, (b) overcoming negative consequences, and (c) application of positive results. Therefore, the analysis of low impacts is topical from both fundamental and applied standpoints, particularly for ecology, biology, and medicine.

Modern toxicology uses three dose–response models: linear, threshold, and hormesis. The latter implies an activation of physiological functions at low-dose exposures and their inhibition at higher doses and describes these effects in terms of ‘adaptive response’ and ‘toxicity’, respectively. It is supposed that the hormesis model can be applied as a basic one, transforming to the other models under definite restrictions.

Studies of biological responses to bioactive compounds, radiation of different types, etc. under the conditions of low-intensity exposures are encouraged. A chemical and biochemical basis for these responses is of interest.

This Special Issue is jointly organized between IJMS and Biomedicines. According to the aims and scopes of these journals, articles showing basic studies in biochemistry, molecular biology, and molecular medicine can be submitted to IJMS, while articles presenting a more clinical content can be submitted to Biomedicines.

Prof. Dr. Nadezhda S. Kudryasheva
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. There is an Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal. For details about the APC please see here. Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

low-intensity exposures
bioactive compounds
low-dose radiation
hormesis
toxicity
adaptive response
antioxidant activity
molecular mechanisms
physicochemical processes

Published Papers (5 papers)

Download All Papers

Research

11 pages, 931 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Differential Disrupting Effects of Prolonged Low-Dose Exposure to Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane on Androgen and Estrogen Production in Males

by Nataliya V. Yaglova, Dibakhan A. Tsomartova, Sergey S. Obernikhin, Valentin V. Yaglov, Svetlana V. Nazimova, Elina S. Tsomartova, Elizaveta V. Chereshneva, Marina Y. Ivanova and Tatiana A. Lomanovskaya

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(6), 3155; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms22063155 - 19 Mar 2021

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 1939

Abstract

Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) is the most widespread, persistent pollutant and endocrine disruptor on the planet. Although DDT has been found to block androgen receptors, the effects of its low-dose exposure in different periods of ontogeny on the male reproductive system remain unclear. We evaluate sex steroid hormone production in the pubertal period and after maturation in male Wistar rats exposed to low doses of o,p’-DDT, either during prenatal and postnatal development or postnatal development alone. Prenatally and postnatally exposed rats exhibit lower testosterone production and increased estradiol and estriol serum levels after maturation, associated with the delayed growth of gonads. Postnatally exposed rats demonstrate accelerated growth of gonads and higher testosterone production in the pubertal period. In contrast to the previous group, they do not present raised estradiol production. All of the exposed animals exhibit a reduced conversion of progesterone to 17OH-progesterone after sexual maturation, which indicates putative attenuation of sex steroid production. Thus, the study reveals age-dependent outcomes of low-dose exposure to DDT. Prenatal onset of exposure results in the later onset of androgen production and the enhanced conversion of androgens to estrogens after puberty, while postnatal exposure induces the earlier onset of androgen secretion. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Mechanisms of Responses to Low-Intensity Exposures)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

21 pages, 5786 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Rapid Hormetic Responses of Photosystem II Photochemistry of Clary Sage to Cadmium Exposure

by Ioannis-Dimosthenis S. Adamakis, Ilektra Sperdouli, Anetta Hanć, Anelia Dobrikova, Emilia Apostolova and Michael Moustakas

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(1), 41; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms22010041 - 22 Dec 2020

Cited by 44 | Viewed by 2657

Abstract

Five-day exposure of clary sage (Salvia sclarea L.) to 100 μM cadmium (Cd) in hydroponics was sufficient to increase Cd concentrations significantly in roots and aboveground parts and affect negatively whole plant levels of calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg), since Cd competes for Ca channels, while reduced Mg concentrations are associated with increased Cd tolerance. Total zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), and iron (Fe) uptake increased but their translocation to the aboveground parts decreased. Despite the substantial levels of Cd in leaves, without any observed defects on chloroplast ultrastructure, an enhanced photosystem II (PSII) efficiency was observed, with a higher fraction of absorbed light energy to be directed to photochemistry (Φ_PSΙΙ). The concomitant increase in the photoprotective mechanism of non-photochemical quenching of photosynthesis (NPQ) resulted in an important decrease in the dissipated non-regulated energy (Φ_NO), modifying the homeostasis of reactive oxygen species (ROS), through a decreased singlet oxygen (¹O₂) formation. A basal ROS level was detected in control plant leaves for optimal growth, while a low increased level of ROS under 5 days Cd exposure seemed to be beneficial for triggering defense responses, and a high level of ROS out of the boundaries (8 days Cd exposure), was harmful to plants. Thus, when clary sage was exposed to Cd for a short period, tolerance mechanisms were triggered. However, exposure to a combination of Cd and high light or to Cd alone (8 days) resulted in an inhibition of PSII functionality, indicating Cd toxicity. Thus, the rapid activation of PSII functionality at short time exposure and the inhibition at longer duration suggests a hormetic response and describes these effects in terms of “adaptive response” and “toxicity”, respectively. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Mechanisms of Responses to Low-Intensity Exposures)

► Show Figures

Graphical abstract

15 pages, 2489 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Enzymatic Responses to Low-Intensity Radiation of Tritium

by Tatiana V. Rozhko, Elena V. Nemtseva, Maria V. Gardt, Alexander V. Raikov, Albert E. Lisitsa, Gennadii A. Badun and Nadezhda S. Kudryasheva

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2020, 21(22), 8464; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms21228464 - 11 Nov 2020

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1977

Abstract

The present study considers a possible role of enzymatic reactions in the adaptive response of cells to the beta-emitting radionuclide tritium under conditions of low-dose exposures. Effects of tritiated water (HTO) on the reactions of bacterial luciferase and NAD(P)H:FMN-oxidoreductase, as well as a coupled system of these two reactions, were studied at radioactivity concentrations ≤ 200 MBq/L. Additionally, one of the simplest enzymatic reactions, photobiochemical proton transfer in Coelenteramide-containing Fluorescent Protein (CLM-FP), was also investigated. We found that HTO increased the activity of NAD(P)H:FMN-oxidoreductase at the initial stage of its reaction (by up to 230%); however, a rise of luciferase activity was moderate (<20%). The CLM-FP samples did not show any increase in the rate of the photobiochemical proton transfer under the exposure to HTO. The responses of the enzyme systems were compared to the ‘hormetic’ response of luminous marine bacterial cells studied earlier. We conclude that (1) the oxidoreductase reaction contributes significantly to the activation of the coupled enzyme system and bacterial cells by tritium, and (2) an increase in the organization level of biological systems promotes the hormesis phenomenon. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Mechanisms of Responses to Low-Intensity Exposures)

► Show Figures

Graphical abstract

12 pages, 967 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Humic Substances Mitigate the Impact of Tritium on Luminous Marine Bacteria. Involvement of Reactive Oxygen Species

by Tatiana V. Rozhko, Olga V. Kolesnik, Gennadii A. Badun, Devard I. Stom and Nadezhda S. Kudryasheva

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2020, 21(18), 6783; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms21186783 - 16 Sep 2020

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3250

Abstract

The paper studies the combined effects of beta-emitting radionuclide tritium and Humic Substances (HS) on the marine unicellular microorganism—luminous bacteria—under conditions of low-dose radiation exposures (<0.04 Gy). Tritium was used as a component of tritiated water. Bacterial luminescence intensity was considered as a tested physiological parameter. The bioluminescence response of the marine bacteria to tritium corresponded to the “hormesis” model: it included stages of bioluminescence inhibition and activation, as well as the absence of the effect. HS were shown to decrease the inhibition and activation effects of tritium, similar to those of americium-241, alpha-emitting radionuclide, studied earlier. Correlations between the bioluminescence intensity and the content of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) were found in the radioactive bacterial suspensions. The results demonstrate an important role of HS in natural processes in the regions of low radioactive contamination: HS can mitigate radiotoxic effects and adaptive response of microorganisms to low-dose radioactive exposures. The involvement of ROS in these processes was demonstrated. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Mechanisms of Responses to Low-Intensity Exposures)

► Show Figures

Graphical abstract

19 pages, 3871 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Deoxynivalenol Exposure Suppresses Adipogenesis by Inhibiting the Expression of Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Gamma 2 (PPARγ2) in 3T3-L1 Cells

by Yurong Zhao, Shulin Tang, Ruqin Lin, Ting Zheng, Danyang Li, Xiaoxuan Chen, Jiahui Zhu, Jikai Wen and Yiqun Deng

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2020, 21(17), 6300; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms21176300 - 31 Aug 2020

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2730

Abstract

Deoxynivalenol (DON)—a type B trichothecene mycotoxin, mainly produced by the secondary metabolism of Fusarium—has toxic effects on animals and humans. Although DON’s toxicity in many organs including the adrenal glands, thymus, stomach, spleen, and colon has been addressed, its effects on adipocytes have not been investigated. In this study, 3T3-L1 cells were chosen as the cell model and treated with less toxic doses of DON (100 ng/mL) for 7 days. An inhibition of adipogenesis and decrease in triglycerides (TGs) were observed. DON exposure significantly downregulated the expression of PPARγ2 and C/EBPα, along with that of other adipogenic marker genes in 3T3-L1 cells and BALB/c mice. The anti-adipogenesis effect of DON and the downregulation of the expression of adipogenic marker genes were effectively reversed by PPARγ2 overexpression. The repression of PPARγ2′s expression is the pivotal event during DON exposure regarding adipogenesis. DON exposure specifically decreased the di-/trimethylation levels of Histone 3 at lysine 4 in 3T3-L1 cells, therefore weakening the enrichment of H3K4me2 and H3K4me3 at the Pparγ2 promoter and suppressing its expression. Conclusively, DON exposure inhibited PPARγ2 expression via decreasing H3K4 methylation, downregulated the expression of PPARγ2-regulated adipogenic marker genes, and consequently suppressed the intermediate and late stages of adipogenesis. Our results broaden the current understanding of DON’s toxic effects and provide a reference for addressing the toxicological mechanism of DON’s interference with lipid homeostasis. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Mechanisms of Responses to Low-Intensity Exposures)

► Show Figures

Graphical abstract

Journal Menu

Journal Browser

Molecular Mechanisms of Responses to Low-Intensity Exposures

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editor

Special Issue Information

Keywords

Published Papers (5 papers)

Research

Further Information

Guidelines

MDPI Initiatives

Follow MDPI