RESUMO
Epidemiological studies demonstrate that arsenic exposure is associated with cognitive dysfunction. Experimental arsenic exposure models showed learning and memory deficits and molecular changes resembling the functional and pathologic neurodegeneration features. The present work focuses on hippocampal pathological changes in Wistar rats induced by continuous arsenic exposure from in utero up to 12 months of age, evaluated by magnetic resonance imaging along with immunohistochemistry. Diffusion-weighted images revealed age-related lower fractional anisotropy and higher radial-axial and mean diffusivity at 6 and 12 months, indicating that arsenic exposure leads to hippocampal demyelination. These structural alterations were paralleled by immunohistochemical changes that showed a significant loss of myelin basic protein in CA1 and CA3 regions accompanied by increased glial fibrillary acidic protein expression at all time-points studied. Concomitantly, arsenic exposure induced an altered morphology of astrocytes at all studied ages, whereas increased synaptogenesis was only observed at two months of age. These results suggest that environmental arsenic exposure is linked to impaired hippocampal connectivity and perhaps early glial senescence, which together might resemble a premature aging phenomenon leading to cognitive deficits.
Assuntos
Arsênio/farmacologia , Astrócitos/efeitos dos fármacos , Hipocampo/efeitos dos fármacos , Substância Branca/efeitos dos fármacos , Animais , Astrócitos/citologia , Forma Celular/efeitos dos fármacos , Hipocampo/citologia , Hipocampo/diagnóstico por imagem , Imageamento por Ressonância Magnética , Masculino , Ratos , Ratos Wistar , Substância Branca/citologia , Substância Branca/diagnóstico por imagemRESUMO
There is solid epidemiological evidence that arsenic exposure leads to cognitive impairment, while experimental work supports the hypothesis that it also contributes to neurodegeneration. Energy deficit, oxidative stress, demyelination, and defective neurotransmission are demonstrated arsenic effects, but it remains unclear whether synaptic structure is also affected. Employing both a triple-transgenic Alzheimer's disease model and Wistar rats, the cortical microstructure and synapses were analyzed under chronic arsenic exposure. Male animals were studied at 2 and 4 months of age, after exposure to 3 ppm sodium arsenite in drinking water during gestation, lactation, and postnatal development. Through nuclear magnetic resonance, diffusion-weighted images were acquired and anisotropy (integrity; FA) and apparent diffusion coefficient (dispersion degree; ADC) metrics were derived. Postsynaptic density protein and synaptophysin were analyzed by means of immunoblot and immunohistochemistry, while dendritic spine density and morphology of cortical pyramidal neurons were quantified after Golgi staining. A structural reorganization of the cortex was evidenced through high-ADC and low-FA values in the exposed group. Similar changes in synaptic protein levels in the 2 models suggest a decreased synaptic connectivity at 4 months of age. An abnormal dendritic arborization was observed at 4 months of age, after increased spine density at 2 months. These findings demonstrate alterations of cortical synaptic connectivity and microstructure associated to arsenic exposure appearing in young rodents and adults, and these subtle and non-adaptive plastic changes in dendritic spines and in synaptic markers may further progress to the degeneration observed at older ages.
Assuntos
Intoxicação por Arsênico/patologia , Córtex Cerebral/efeitos dos fármacos , Sinapses/efeitos dos fármacos , Animais , Intoxicação por Arsênico/diagnóstico por imagem , Western Blotting , Córtex Cerebral/diagnóstico por imagem , Córtex Cerebral/patologia , Imagem de Tensor de Difusão , Feminino , Masculino , Camundongos Transgênicos , Plasticidade Neuronal/efeitos dos fármacos , Ratos , Ratos Wistar , Sinapses/patologiaRESUMO
Inorganic arsenic is among the major contaminants of groundwater in the world. Worldwide population-based studies demonstrate that chronic arsenic exposure is associated with poor cognitive performance among children and adults, while research in animal models confirms learning and memory deficits after arsenic exposure. The aim of this study was to investigate the long-term effects of environmentally relevant arsenic exposure in the myelination process of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and corpus callosum (CC). A longitudinal study with repeated follow-up assessments was performed in male Wistar rats exposed to 3â¯ppm sodium arsenite in drinking water. Animals received the treatment from gestation until 2, 4, 6, or 12â¯months of postnatal age. The levels of myelin basic protein (MBP) were evaluated by immunohistochemistry/histology and immunoblotting from the PFC and CC. As plausible alterations associated with demyelination, we considered mitochondrial mass (VDAC) and two axonal damage markers: amyloid precursor protein (APP) level and phosphorylated neurofilaments. To analyze the microstructure of the CC in vivo, we acquired diffusion-weighted images at the same ages, from which we derived metrics using the tensor model. Significantly decreased levels of MBP were found in both regions together with significant increases of mitochondrial mass and slight axonal damage at 12â¯months in the PFC. Ultrastructural imaging demonstrated arsenic-associated decreases of white matter volume, water diffusion anisotropy, and increases in radial diffusivity. This study indicates that arsenic exposure is associated with a significant and persistent negative impact on microstructural features of white matter tracts.
Assuntos
Intoxicação por Arsênico/patologia , Doenças Desmielinizantes/patologia , Envelhecimento , Precursor de Proteína beta-Amiloide/metabolismo , Animais , Intoxicação por Arsênico/diagnóstico por imagem , Arsenitos/toxicidade , Axônios/patologia , Corpo Caloso/patologia , Doenças Desmielinizantes/diagnóstico por imagem , Imagem de Tensor de Difusão , Água Potável , Imuno-Histoquímica , Masculino , Mitocôndrias/efeitos dos fármacos , Mitocôndrias/metabolismo , Proteína Básica da Mielina/metabolismo , Proteínas de Neurofilamentos/metabolismo , Córtex Pré-Frontal/patologia , Ratos , Ratos Wistar , Compostos de Sódio/toxicidade , Substância Branca/diagnóstico por imagem , Substância Branca/patologiaRESUMO
Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are used in the medical, pharmaceutical and food industry. Adverse effects and toxicity induced by AgNPs upon cardiac function related to nitric oxide (NO) and oxidative stress (OS) are described. AgNPs-toxicity may be influenced by cardiovascular pathologies such as hypertension. However, the molecules involved under pathophysiological conditions are not well studied. The aim of this work was to evaluate perfusion pressure (PP) and left ventricle pressure (LVP) as physiological parameters of cardiovascular function in response to AgNPs, using isolated perfused hearts from spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR), and identify the role of NO and OS. The results suggest that AgNPs reduced NO derived from endothelial/inducible NO-synthase and increased OS, leading to increased and sustained vasoconstriction and myocardial contractility. Additionally, the hypertension condition alters phenylephrine (Phe) and acetylcholine (ACh) classic effects. These data suggest that hypertension intensified AgNPs-cardiotoxicity. Nevertheless, the precise mechanism of action is still under elucidation.
Assuntos
Regulação da Expressão Gênica/efeitos dos fármacos , Hipertensão/fisiopatologia , Nanopartículas Metálicas/administração & dosagem , Óxido Nítrico/metabolismo , Estresse Oxidativo/efeitos dos fármacos , Prata/química , Vasoconstrição/efeitos dos fármacos , Animais , Masculino , Nanopartículas Metálicas/química , Óxido Nítrico Sintase Tipo II/genética , Óxido Nítrico Sintase Tipo II/metabolismo , Óxido Nítrico Sintase Tipo III/genética , Óxido Nítrico Sintase Tipo III/metabolismo , Ratos , Ratos Endogâmicos SHRRESUMO
Neurodegenerative diseases are characterized by the presence of abnormal aggregates of proteins in brain tissue. Among them, the presence of aggregates of phosphorylated Tau protein (p-Tau) is the hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other major neurodegenerative disorders such as corticobasal degeneration and frontotemporal dementia among others. Although Tau protein has previously been assumed to be exclusive to the central nervous system, it is also found in peripheral tissues. The purpose of this study was to determine whether there is a differential Tau expression in oral mucosa cells according to cognitive impairment. Eighty-one subjects were enrolled in the study and classified per Mini-Mental State Examination test score into control, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and severe cognitive impairment (SCI) groups. Immunocytochemistry and immunofluorescence revealed the presence of Tau and four p-Tau forms in the cytoplasm and nucleus of oral mucosa cells. More positivity was present in subjects with cognitive impairment than in control subjects, both in the nucleus and cytoplasm, in a speckle pattern. The mRNA expression of Tau by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction was higher in SCI as compared with the control group (P < 0.01). A significantly higher percentage of immunopositive cells in the SCI group was found via flow cytometry in comparison to controls and the MCI group (P < 0.01). These findings demonstrate the higher presence of p-Tau and Tau transcript in the oral mucosa of cognitively impaired subjects when compared with healthy subjects. The feasibility of p-Tau quantification by flow cytometry supports the prospective analysis of oral mucosa as a support tool for screening of proteinopathies in cognitively impaired patients.
RESUMO
Since the tau protein is closely involved in the physiopathology of Alzheimer's disease (AD), studying its behavior in cellular models might lead to new insights on understanding this devastating disease at molecular levels. In the present study, primary cultures of human fibroblasts were established and used to determine the expression and localization of the tau protein in distinct phosphorylation states in both untransfected and tau gene-transfected cells subjected to oxidative stress. Higher immunopositivity to phospho-tau was observed in cell nuclei in response to oxidative stress, while the levels of total tau in the cytosol remained unchanged. These findings were observed in both untransfected cells and those transfected with the tau gene. The present work represents a useful model for studying the physiopathology of AD at the cellular level in terms of tau protein implications.
RESUMO
Diverse intracoronary hormones cause their cardiac effects solely via activation of their coronary endothelial luminal membrane (CELM) receptors. To test this hypothesis for Ang II, we synthesized: a) two large polymers of Ang II (Ang II-POL) and Losartan (Los-POL) which act only in the CELM's AT1R because they cannot cross the endothelial barrier and b) biotin-labeled Ang II (Ang II-Biotin) and Ang II-POL-Biotin to be identified by microscopy in tissues. Sustained coronary perfusion of Ang II (potentially diffusible) or Ang II-POL caused a positive inotropic effect (PIE) and an increase in coronary perfusion pressure (CPP) of equal magnitude that were blocked by Losartan and Los-POL. However, Ang II effects, in contrast to Ang II-POL effects, were transient due to desensitization and resulted in tachyphylaxis to a second administration of Ang II or Ang II-POL. Furthermore, if Ang II and Ang II-POL acted differently on the same receptor; a competition of effects would be expected. This was demonstrated by infusing simultaneously a molar ratio of Ang II:Ang II-POL. As this molar ratio decreased, Ang II-induced desensitization and tachyphylaxis decreased. Intravascularly-administered Ang II-Biotin and Ang II-POL-Biotin remained bound and confined to the endothelium. Our results support the hypothesis and indicate intravascular Ang II, not by mass exchange with the interstitium, but by an action restricted to the CELM's AT1R, causes release of endothelial chemical messengers that exert physiological effects and modulate the effects and metabolism of paracrine Ang II. Endocrine Ang II controls and communicates with its paracrine counterparts solely through endothelial receptors.
Assuntos
Angiotensina II/metabolismo , Endotélio Vascular/metabolismo , Losartan/farmacologia , Receptor Tipo 1 de Angiotensina/metabolismo , Angiotensina II/administração & dosagem , Angiotensina II/química , Bloqueadores do Receptor Tipo 1 de Angiotensina II/administração & dosagem , Bloqueadores do Receptor Tipo 1 de Angiotensina II/química , Bloqueadores do Receptor Tipo 1 de Angiotensina II/farmacologia , Animais , Biotina/química , Vasos Coronários/metabolismo , Dextranos/química , Difusão , Losartan/administração & dosagem , Losartan/química , Comunicação Parácrina , Polímeros/química , Ratos , Ratos WistarRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Ischemia and ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) are common clinical insults that disrupt the molecular structure of coronary vascular endothelial luminal membrane (VELM) that result in diverse microvasculature dysfunctions. However, the knowledge of the associated biochemical changes is meager. We hypothesized that ischemia and I/R-induced structural and functional VELM alterations result from biochemical changes. First, these changes need to be described and later the mechanisms behind be identified. METHODS: During control conditions, in isolated perfused rat hearts VELM proteins were labeled with biotin. The groups of hearts were: control (C), no flow ischemia (I; 25 min), and I/R (I; 25 min, reperfusion 30 min). The biotinylated luminal endothelial membrane proteins in these three different groups were examined by 2-D electrophoresis and identified. But, it must be kept in mind the proteins were biotin-labeled during control. RESULTS: A comparative analysis of the protein profiles under the 3 conditions following 2D gel electrophoresis showed differences in the molecular weight distribution such that MW(C) > MW(I) > MW(I/R). Similar analysis for isoelectric points (pH(i)) showed a shift toward more acidic pHi under ischemic conditions. Of 100 % proteins identified during control 66% and 88% changed their MW-pH(i) during ischemia and I/R respectively. Among these lost proteins there were 9 proteins identified as adhesins and G-protein coupled receptors. GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE: I and I/R insults alter MW-pH(i) of most luminal glycocalyx proteins due to the activation of nonspecific hydrolizing mechanisms; suspect metalloproteases and glycanases. This makes necessary the identification of hydrolyzing enzymes reponsible of multiple microvascular dysfunctions in order to maintain the integrity of vascular endothelial membrane. VELM must become a target of future therapeutics.
RESUMO
Coronary blood flow applied to the endothelial lumen modulates parenchymal functions via paracrine effectors, but the mechanism of flow sensation is unknown. We and others have demonstrated that coronary endothelial luminal membrane (CELM) oligosaccharides and lectins are involved in flow detection, and we proposed that cardiac effects of coronary flow result from a reversible flow-modulated lectin-oligosaccharide interaction. Recently, glycosylated and amiloride-sensitive Na(+)/Ca(++) channels (ENaCs) have been proposed to be involved in the flow-induced endothelial responses. Because N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNac) is one of the main components of glycocalyx oligosaccharides (i.e., hyaluronan [-4GlcUAbeta1-3GlcNAcbeta1-](n)), the aim of this article is to isolate and define CELM GlcNac-binding lectins and determine their role in cardiac and vascular flow-induced effects. For this purpose, we synthesized a 460-kDa GlcNac polymer (GlcNac-Pol) with high affinity toward GlcNac-recognizing lectins. In the heart, intracoronary administration of GlcNac-Pol upon binding to CELM diminishes the flow-dependent positive inotropic and dromotropic effects. Furthermore, GlcNac-Pol was used as an affinity probe to isolate CELM GlcNac-Pol-recognizing lectins and at least 35 individual lectinic peptides were identified, one of them the beta-ENaC channel. Some of these lectins could participate in flow sensing and in GlcNac-Pol-induced effects. We also adopted a flow-responsive and well-accepted model of endothelial-parenchymal paracrine interaction: isolated blood vessels perfused at controlled flow rates. We established that flow-induced vasodilatation (FIV) is blocked by endothelial luminal membrane (ELM) bound GlcNac-Pol, nitro-l-arginine methyl ester and indomethacin, amiloride, and hyaluronidase. The effect of hyaluronidase was reversed by infusion of soluble hyaluronan. These results indicate that GlcNac-Pol inhibits FIV by competing and displacing intrinsic hyaluronan bound to a lectinic structure such as the amiloride-sensitive ENaC. Nitric oxide and prostaglandins are the putative paracrine mediators of FIV.
Assuntos
Acetilglucosamina/metabolismo , Circulação Coronária/fisiologia , Endotélio Vascular/fisiologia , Lectinas/metabolismo , Miocárdio/metabolismo , Animais , Cromatografia de Afinidade , Cobaias , Masculino , Contração Miocárdica/fisiologia , Vasodilatação/fisiologiaRESUMO
Diverse intracoronary agonists cause cardiac effects while acting on coronary endothelial luminal membrane (CELM) receptor. Our data show: a) the presence of AT(1)R in isolated CELM and in all cardiac cell types and b) sustained intracoronary infusions of Ang II-POL, a large sized molecule (approximately 15,000 kDa) confined to the vessel lumen that can only act on CELM's AT(1)R or Ang II (approximately 1 kDa); both exert the same maximum positive inotropic (PIE) and coronary constriction (CPP). The effects of these two agonists are blocked by Losartan and by Sar-POL; a large size antagonist (approximately 15,000 kDa) that acts only on CELM. Ang II effects are transient due to desensitization and cause tachyphylaxis to Ang II and toward Ang II-POL suggesting that both Ang II and Ang II-POL act on the same receptor group. In contrast, Ang II-POL effects are sustained and do not cause tachyphylaxis. The results show that intravascular Ang II and Ang II-POL act differentially by an unknown mechanism on CELM's AT(1)R and suggest that intravascular Ang II and Ang II-POL cause PIE and CCP by activation limited to CELM's AT(1)R through an unknown mechanism that is space-confined to the CELM's AT(1)R.
Assuntos
Vasos Coronários/efeitos dos fármacos , Endotélio Vascular/efeitos dos fármacos , Receptor Tipo 1 de Angiotensina/agonistas , Angiotensina II/farmacologia , Animais , Vasos Coronários/fisiologia , Endotélio Vascular/fisiologia , Losartan/farmacologia , Ratos , Ratos Wistar , Receptor Tipo 1 de Angiotensina/análise , Receptor Tipo 1 de Angiotensina/efeitos dos fármacos , Saralasina/farmacologia , Vasoconstrição/efeitos dos fármacosRESUMO
The coronary endothelial luminal membrane (CELM) glycocalyx has diverse molecules involved in blood flow signal transduction. Evidence suggests that some of these structures may be lectinic. To test this, we synthesized two monosaccharide polymers (Mon-Pols) made of Mannose (Man-Pol) or Galactose (Gal-Pol) covalently coupled to Dextran (70 kDa) and used them as lectin affinity probes. In situ intracoronary infusion of both polymers resulted in CELM-binding but only Man-Pol caused a reduction in flow-induced positive inotropism and dromotropism. To demonstrate that our lectinic probes could bind to CELM lectins, a representative CELM protein fraction was isolated via intracoronary infusion of a cationic silica colloid and either Mannose- or Galactose-binding lectins were purified from the CELM protein fraction using the corresponding Mon-Pol affinity chromatography resin. Resin-bound CELM proteins were eluted with the corresponding monosaccharide. 2D-SDS-PAGE (pH 4-7) revealed 9 Mannose- and approximately 100 Galactose-selective CELM lectins. In summary, the CELM glycocalyx contains Mannose- and Galactose-binding lectins that may be involved in translating coronary flow into a cardiac parenchymal response.