Effects of fullerene C60 in blue mussels: Role of mTOR in autophagy related cellular/tissue alterations

Lysosomes, Autophagy, and Hormesis in Cell Physiology, Pathology, and Age-Related Disease

“… 14 , 15 Lysosomal autophagy is also implicated in many disease processes, cell injury, cell death, and adaptive responses. 10 , 14 , 15 , 17 , 18 , 21 , 22 , 31 , 34 - 39 Autophagy comprises at least 3 related cellular processes (ie, macroautophagy, microautophagy, and chaperone-mediated autophagy [CMA]); and it is essential for maintenance of cell homeostasis. 14 , 15 , 40 Furthermore, cell morphological evidence has long indicated that lysosomal autophagy is a highly conserved mechanism evolutionarily.…”

“… 17 , 22 , 24 , 26 , 108 This released lysosomal iron generates ROS that can cause oxidative damage to cellular components 22 , 24 , 108 ; however, the ROS will also inhibit the PI3K/AKT/mTORC1 pathway thus inducing augmented autophagy. 21 , 31 Many of the phytochemicals that are considered to be potentially beneficial at low concentrations are in fact toxic at high concentrations: They are chemical defensive products of the evolution of protective mechanisms in plants to counter pathogens, parasites, and consumption by herbivores. 109 - 112 Exposure to these biogenic products, particularly in foodstuffs, will probably have beneficially influenced the evolution of human cellular processes, particularly anti-inflammatory cell signaling mechanisms.…”

“…Risks to health as a result of exposure to nanomaterials, other than combustion particulates, are still largely unknown, although considerable concern has been expressed as to the safety of engineered nanomaterials. 31 , 39 , 83 , 126 Furthermore, there is now some evidence that engineered nanoparticles (eg, C 60 fullerene and glass nanofibres) can inhibit mTORC1, induce augmented autophagy, and some may even induce pathological dysfunctional autophagy 21 , 24 , 31 , 108 ; and these materials are finding their way into the environment and may impact on animal and human food networks and possibly on human health. 127 …”

An Update Report on the Biosafety and Potential Toxicity of Fullerene-Based Nanomaterials toward Aquatic Animals

“…Waissi-Leinonen et al (2012) depicted the agglomeration of fullerene C60 in the gut area and damage of microvilli of C. riparius [33]. In a study, Sforzini et al (2020) [37] reported subcellular distribution of fullerene C60 in mussel digestive gland cells and the possible involvement of mTOR inhibition in pathophysiological perturbation induced by nanoparticle accumulation. Further, the group stated that autophagic induction by fullerene C60 might represent an attempted degradation in lysosomes of material that is recognized by cells as foreign, such as pathogens, damaged intracellular proteins, and membranes.…”

“…No oxidative stress was observed for cellular distribution of C60 in the digestive gland at 0.01 mg/l concentration. The study suggested that mussels' most affected functions were related to energy metabolism, lysosomal activity and cytoskeleton organization [37].…”