RESUMO
This study aimed to determine the accuracy of assessing stallion sperm motility using a light microscope, a cell phone camera, and a free computer-assisted semen analysis (FCASA) package for ImageJ. The total motility of frozen (n=22) and cooled (n=48) equine semen was determined by FCASA and compared to the results of subjective visual analysis (SVA) by two technicians. Frozen samples were also evaluated by a commercial computer-assisted semen analysis (CCASA) system. The Friedman test revealed no significant differences (P>0.05) between cooled samples analyzed by FCASA (38.0) and SVA (technician 1, 40.0; technician 2, 40.0), nor between frozen samples analyzed by FCASA (23.36 ± 15.9), SVA (25.5 ± 18.8 and 25.8 ± 18.5), and CCASA (25.2 ± 18.3). However, mean FCASA results were underestimated by 7.2% compared with CCASA. The correlation between FCASA and CCASA was significant and strong (P<0.0001, r=0.95). Chi-squared tests indicated that FCASA provided similar results (P=0.14) to the reference method (CCASA), but SVA had lower accuracy (P=0.04). ImageJ analysis of cell phone videos captured under a light microscope can be used for estimation of stallion sperm motility with comparable accuracy to commercial systems.(AU)
O objetivo deste estudo foi testar as configurações necessárias para avaliar a motilidade espermática total de garanhões, mediante o uso de ImageJ, microscópio óptico e câmera de celular. Os valores de motilidade total das amostras de sêmen equino congeladas (22) e refrigeradas (48) foram comparados por análise visual (SVA) e pelo plugin do ImageJ (CASAF). Amostras congeladas também foram comparadas por um CASA comercial (CCASA). O teste de Friedman não resultou em diferença estatística (P>0,05) entre as 48 amostras analisadas com CASAF (38,0) e SVA de dois avaliadores (40,0 e 40,0). A comparação das 22 amostras congeladas entre CASAF (23,36±15,9), SVA (25,5±18,8 e 25,8±18,5) e CCASA (25,2±18,3) também não resultou em diferença estatística, sendo que a média dos resultados obtidos com CASAF subestimou a obtida com o CCASA em 7,2%. A correlação entre CASAF e CCASA foi significativamente elevada (r=0,95, P<0,0001). O teste de qui-quadrado resultou em proporção de acertos semelhantes entre o CASAF e o CCASA (P=0,14), enquanto SVA resultou em proporção diferente (P=0,04), indicando menor acurácia. O uso de microscópio óptico e câmera de celular foi útil para obter vídeos de sêmen de garanhões a serem analisados com ImageJ, proporcionando resultados de motilidade total equiparáveis a sistemas comerciais.(AU)
Assuntos
Animais , Masculino , Motilidade dos Espermatozoides , Análise do Sêmen/métodos , Smartphone/instrumentação , Cavalos/fisiologia , Análise do Sêmen/veterinária , Microscopia/veterináriaRESUMO
Purpose: The influence of a challenge dose of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on the behavioural selection between maternal (MB) and predatory behaviours (PB) of female rats prenatally treated with the same endotoxin or saline solution (F1 generation) were studied.Material and methods: Thus, in adult age, these female rats were mated and, at lactation days 5 or 6, the following groups were formed: (1) LPS + LPS group-female rats prenatally treated with LPS and received an LPS challenge dose; (2) S + LPS group-female rats prenatally treated with saline solution and received a challenge LPS dose (3) S + S group-females rats prenatally treated with saline which received a saline injection. MB, PB to cockroaches, exploratory behaviour, periaqueductal grey (PAG) expression of the astrocytic biomarker glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), and corticosterone and TNF-alpha serum levels were evaluated.Results: Showed that: (1) relative to the S + S group, the LPS + S group showed decreased MB and slightly increased PB, without inducing sickness behaviour; (2) the LPS + LPS group showed decreased MB but few effects on PB; (3) there was increased sickness behaviour associated with increased TNF-alpha serum levels in the LPS + LPS group; (4) a significant increase in GFAP expression was observed in both LPS groups, which was greater in the LPS + LPS group and (5) no differences in the corticosterone of all groups.Conclusions: Prenatal LPS impaired the switch from MB to PB in female rats of the LPS + LPS group by increased sickness behaviour as well as an increase in plasmatic TNF-alpha levels inducing PAG astrogliosis.
Assuntos
Proteína Glial Fibrilar Ácida/metabolismo , Gliose , Comportamento de Doença , Lipopolissacarídeos/farmacologia , Comportamento Materno , Comportamento Predatório , Efeitos Tardios da Exposição Pré-Natal , Fator de Necrose Tumoral alfa/sangue , Animais , Corticosterona/sangue , Modelos Animais de Doenças , Feminino , Gliose/induzido quimicamente , Gliose/metabolismo , Comportamento de Doença/efeitos dos fármacos , Comportamento de Doença/fisiologia , Lipopolissacarídeos/administração & dosagem , Comportamento Materno/efeitos dos fármacos , Comportamento Materno/fisiologia , Substância Cinzenta Periaquedutal/metabolismo , Comportamento Predatório/efeitos dos fármacos , Comportamento Predatório/fisiologia , Gravidez , Efeitos Tardios da Exposição Pré-Natal/induzido quimicamente , Efeitos Tardios da Exposição Pré-Natal/metabolismo , Efeitos Tardios da Exposição Pré-Natal/fisiopatologiaRESUMO
The present study investigated whether male offspring (F2 generation) from female rats (F1 generation) whose mothers (F0 generation) were food restricted during gestation inherit a phenotypic transgenerational tendency towards being overweight and obese in the juvenile period, in the absence of food restriction in the F1/F2 generations. Dams of the F0 generation were 40% food restricted during pregnancy. Bodyweight, the number and size of larger and small hypodermal adipocytes (HAs), total retroperitoneal fat (RPF) weight and the expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) in periventricular hypothalamic astrocytes (PHAs), as determined by immunohistochemistry, were evaluated in both generations. In the female F1 generation, there was low bodyweight gain only during the juvenile period (30-65 days of age), a decrease in the size of small adipocytes, an increase in the number of small adipocytes, an increase in RPF weight and an increase in GFAP expression in PHAs at 90-95 days of age. In males of the F2 generation at 50 days of age, there was increased bodyweight and RPF weight, and a small number of adipocytes and GFAP expression in PHAs. These data indicate that the phenotypic transgenerational tendency towards being overweight and obese was observed in females (F1) from mothers (F0) that were prenatally food restricted was transmitted to their male offspring.
Assuntos
Astrócitos/patologia , Privação de Alimentos , Gordura Intra-Abdominal/patologia , Desnutrição/complicações , Complicações na Gravidez/patologia , Efeitos Tardios da Exposição Pré-Natal/patologia , Fenômenos Fisiológicos da Nutrição Pré-Natal , Adipócitos Brancos/patologia , Animais , Contagem de Células , Tamanho Celular , Cruzamentos Genéticos , Feminino , Hipotálamo/patologia , Masculino , Desnutrição/genética , Desnutrição/patologia , Gravidez , Complicações na Gravidez/genética , Efeitos Tardios da Exposição Pré-Natal/genética , Ratos , Ratos WistarRESUMO
AIMS: Melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH) is implicated in the control of food intake, body weight regulation and energy homeostasis. Lactation is an important physiological model to study the hypothalamic integration of peripheral sensory signals, such as suckling stimuli and those related to energy balance. MCH can be detected in the medial preoptic area (MPOA), especially around the 19th day of lactation, when this hormone is described as displaying a peak synthesis followed by a decrease after weaning. The physiological significance of this phenomenon is unclear. Therefore, we aimed to investigate hypothalamic changes associated to sensory stimulation by the litter, in special its influence over MCH synthesis. MAIN METHODS: Female Wistar rats (n=56) were euthanized everyday from lactation days 15-21, with or without suckling stimulus (WS and NS groups, respectively). MCH and Fos immunoreactivity were evaluated in the MPOA and lateral and incerto-hypothalamic areas (LHA and IHy). KEY FINDINGS: Suckling stimulus induced Fos synthesis in all regions studied. An increase on the number of suckling-induced Fos-ir neurons could be detected in the LHA after the 18th day. Conversely, the amount of MCH decreased in the MPOA from days 15-21, independent of suckling stimulation. No colocalization between MCH and Fos could be detected in any region analyzed. SIGNIFICANCE: Suckling stimulus is capable of stimulating hypothalamic regions not linked to maternal behavior, possibly to mediate energy balance aspects of lactation. Although dams are hyperphagic before weaning, this behavioral change does not appear to be mediated by MCH.
Assuntos
Hormônios Hipotalâmicos/biossíntese , Hipotálamo/metabolismo , Lactação/metabolismo , Melaninas/biossíntese , Melanóforos/metabolismo , Hormônios Hipofisários/biossíntese , Proteínas Proto-Oncogênicas c-fos/biossíntese , Animais , Animais Lactentes , Feminino , Hormônios Hipotalâmicos/análise , Melaninas/análise , Hormônios Hipofisários/análise , Proteínas Proto-Oncogênicas c-fos/análise , Ratos , Ratos WistarRESUMO
AIMS: Previous studies have shown that brain opioid peptides exert an inhibitory influence on gonadotropin secretion. Different types of brain opioids, such as ß-endorphin, enkephalin, and dynorphin, exert their actions by binding to specific opioid receptors (i.e., µ, δ, and κ, respectively). The present study determined the effects of chronic treatment with morphine in female rats with pharmacologically induced estrus on behavior and opioid receptor gene and protein expression in the hypothalamus, striatum, and periaqueductal gray. MAIN METHODS: Female ovariectomized rats treated with estrogen+progesterone received 3.5mg/kg morphine once per day for 6days. We evaluated general activity, sexual behavior, Oprm1, Oprd1, and Oprk1 gene expression, and µ opioid receptor (MOR), δ opioid receptor (DOR), and κ opioid receptor (KOR) protein expression in the hypothalamus, striatum, and periaqueductal gray in adult virgin female ovariectomized rats. KEY FINDINGS: Chronic morphine treatment increased locomotion and grooming behavior, decreased immobility time, decreased sexual behavior, and decreased the lordosis quotient. The molecular biology results showed that morphine treatment increased Oprm1 gene and MOR protein expression in the striatum and decreased KOR protein expression in the hypothalamus in animals that were assessed for general activity. The animals that were evaluated for sexual behavior exhibited an increase in Oprm1 expression in the periaqueductal gray and increase in KOR expression in the striatum. SIGNIFICANCE: These results suggest that both opioid system activation and sex hormones alter behavioral and molecular patterns in ovariectomized rats within a relatively short period of time.
Assuntos
Analgésicos Opioides/farmacologia , Hormônios Esteroides Gonadais/farmacologia , Morfina/farmacologia , Receptores Opioides/metabolismo , Comportamento Sexual Animal/efeitos dos fármacos , Animais , Corpo Estriado/efeitos dos fármacos , Corpo Estriado/metabolismo , Estrogênios/farmacologia , Feminino , Regulação da Expressão Gênica/efeitos dos fármacos , Hipotálamo/efeitos dos fármacos , Hipotálamo/metabolismo , Ovariectomia , Substância Cinzenta Periaquedutal/efeitos dos fármacos , Substância Cinzenta Periaquedutal/metabolismo , Progesterona/farmacologia , Ratos , Ratos WistarRESUMO
The human leukocyte antigen-E (HLA-E) locus is a human major histocompatibility complex (MHC) gene associated with immune-modulation and suppression of the immune response by the interaction with specific natural killer (NK) and T cell receptors (TCRs). It is considered one of the most conserved genes of the human MHC; however, this low nucleotide variability seems to be a consequence of the scarce number of studies focusing on this subject. In this manuscript we assessed the nucleotide variability at the HLA-E coding and 3' untranslated regions (3'UTRs) in Brazil and in the populations from the 1000Genomes Consortium. Twenty-eight variable sites arranged into 33 haplotypes were detected and most of these haplotypes (98.2%) are encoding one of the two HLA-E molecules found worldwide, E*01:01 and E*01:03. Moreover, three worldwide spread haplotypes, associated with the coding alleles E*01:01:01, E*01:03:01 and E*01:03:02, account for 85% of all HLA-E haplotypes, suggesting that they arose early before human speciation. In addition, the low nucleotide diversity found for the HLA-E coding and 3'UTR in worldwide populations suggests that the HLA-E gene is in fact a conserved gene, which might be a consequence of its key role in the modulation of the immune system.
Assuntos
Regiões 3' não Traduzidas , Haplótipos , Antígenos de Histocompatibilidade Classe I/classificação , Antígenos de Histocompatibilidade Classe I/genética , Fases de Leitura Aberta , Polimorfismo Genético , Alelos , Sequência de Bases , Brasil , Sequência Conservada , Especiação Genética , Antígenos de Histocompatibilidade Classe I/imunologia , Humanos , Dados de Sequência Molecular , Filogenia , Antígenos HLA-ERESUMO
We report a novel nonclassical class I HLA-E*01:06 allele observed in Brazilian individuals.
Assuntos
Alelos , Cadeias beta de HLA-DQ/genética , Mutação , Sequência de Bases , Brasil , Éxons , Feminino , Teste de Histocompatibilidade , Humanos , Masculino , Dados de Sequência Molecular , Alinhamento de Sequência , Análise de Sequência de DNARESUMO
The periaqueductal gray (PAG) has been reported to be a location for opioid regulation of pain and a potential site for behavioral selection in females. Opioid-mediated behavioral and physiological responses differ according to the activity of opioid receptor subtypes. The present study investigated the effects of the peripheral injection of the kappa-opioid receptor agonist U69593 into the dorsal subcutaneous region of animals on maternal behavior and on Oprk1 gene activity in the PAG of female rats. Female Wistar rats weighing 200-250 g at the beginning of the study were randomly divided into 2 groups for maternal behavior and gene expression experiments. On day 5, pups were removed at 7:00 am and placed in another home cage that was distant from their mother. Thirty minutes after removing the pups, the dams were treated with U69593 (0.15 mg/kg, sc) or 0.9% saline (up to 1 mL/kg) and after 30 min were evaluated in the maternal behavior test. Latencies in seconds for pup retrieval, grouping, crouching, and full maternal behavior were scored. The results showed that U69593 administration inhibited maternal behavior (P < 0.05) because a lower percentage of kappa group dams showed retrieval of first pup, retrieving all pups, grouping, crouching and displaying full maternal behavior compared to the saline group. Opioid gene expression was evaluated using real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). A single injection of U69593 increased Oprk1 PAG expression in both virgin (P < 0.05) and lactating female rats (P < 0.01), with no significant effect on Oprm1 or Oprd1 gene activity. Thus, the expression of kappa-opioid receptors in the PAG may be modulated by single opioid receptor stimulation and behavioral meaningful opioidergic transmission in the adult female might occur simultaneously to specific changes in gene expression of kappa-opioid receptor subtype. This is yet another alert for the complex role of the opioid ...
Assuntos
Animais , Feminino , Ratos , Comportamento Animal/fisiologia , Lactação/fisiologia , Comportamento Materno/fisiologia , Substância Cinzenta Periaquedutal/efeitos dos fármacos , Receptores Opioides kappa/agonistas , Comportamento Animal/efeitos dos fármacos , Expressão Gênica , Lactação/efeitos dos fármacos , Lactação/genética , Comportamento Materno/efeitos dos fármacos , Ratos Wistar , Reação em Cadeia da Polimerase Via Transcriptase Reversa , Receptores Opioides kappa/genéticaRESUMO
The periaqueductal gray (PAG) has been reported to be a location for opioid regulation of pain and a potential site for behavioral selection in females. Opioid-mediated behavioral and physiological responses differ according to the activity of opioid receptor subtypes. The present study investigated the effects of the peripheral injection of the kappa-opioid receptor agonist U69593 into the dorsal subcutaneous region of animals on maternal behavior and on Oprk1 gene activity in the PAG of female rats. Female Wistar rats weighing 200-250 g at the beginning of the study were randomly divided into 2 groups for maternal behavior and gene expression experiments. On day 5, pups were removed at 7:00 am and placed in another home cage that was distant from their mother. Thirty minutes after removing the pups, the dams were treated with U69593 (0.15 mg/kg, sc) or 0.9% saline (up to 1 mL/kg) and after 30 min were evaluated in the maternal behavior test. Latencies in seconds for pup retrieval, grouping, crouching, and full maternal behavior were scored. The results showed that U69593 administration inhibited maternal behavior (P < 0.05) because a lower percentage of kappa group dams showed retrieval of first pup, retrieving all pups, grouping, crouching and displaying full maternal behavior compared to the saline group. Opioid gene expression was evaluated using real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). A single injection of U69593 increased Oprk1 PAG expression in both virgin (P < 0.05) and lactating female rats (P < 0.01), with no significant effect on Oprm1 or Oprd1 gene activity. Thus, the expression of kappa-opioid receptors in the PAG may be modulated by single opioid receptor stimulation and behavioral meaningful opioidergic transmission in the adult female might occur simultaneously to specific changes in gene expression of kappa-opioid receptor subtype. This is yet another alert for the complex role of the opioid system in female reproduction.
Assuntos
Comportamento Animal/fisiologia , Lactação/fisiologia , Comportamento Materno/fisiologia , Substância Cinzenta Periaquedutal/efeitos dos fármacos , Receptores Opioides kappa/agonistas , Animais , Comportamento Animal/efeitos dos fármacos , Feminino , Expressão Gênica , Lactação/efeitos dos fármacos , Lactação/genética , Comportamento Materno/efeitos dos fármacos , Ratos , Ratos Wistar , Receptores Opioides kappa/genética , Reação em Cadeia da Polimerase Via Transcriptase ReversaRESUMO
Here we report two new non-classical class I HLA-G alleles found in the Brazilian population.
Assuntos
Alelos , Éxons/genética , Antígenos HLA-G/genética , Mutação/genética , Sequência de Bases , Brasil , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , Dados de Sequência Molecular , Polimorfismo de Nucleotídeo Único , Análise de Sequência de DNARESUMO
Opioid peptides play an important role in maternal behaviour, as well as in physiological and pathological phenomena involving motivation. Daily 3.5 mg/kg doses of morphine from days 17-21 of pregnancy are able to change the expression of maternal behaviour patterns. However, the role of hormones on such opioid behavioural actions remains to be determined. The present study investigated the endocrine responses to this morphine treatment. Corticosterone, progesterone, oestradiol and prolactin serum concentrations were measured after each morphine injection. No significant differences were found in corticosterone, oestradiol or prolactin serum concentrations. The results suggest that the treatment was unable to promote different effects, other than those caused by saline injections. In morphine-treated animals, however, progesterone concentrations were consistently and significantly increased from days 18-20 of treatment. Thus, because this behavioural meaningful opioidergic stimulation during late pregnancy affects progesterone levels, the findings of the present study raise the hypothesis that this hormone may play a role in morphine-induced changes in opioid sensitivity during late pregnancy and early lactation.
Assuntos
Morfina/farmacologia , Peptídeos Opioides/farmacologia , Período Pós-Parto , Progesterona/fisiologia , Animais , Feminino , Masculino , RadioimunoensaioRESUMO
Luehea divaricata is a native plant of the Brazilian Cerrado, known as "açoita-cavalo". It is used as a popular herbal medicine in the treatment of dysentery, bleeding, arthritis, tumors, ulcers, and gangrenous wounds. Considering that herbal medicines sometimes provoke tumors and/or may prevent mutational events, it is important to study the action of these natural drugs on DNA. Aqueous extract of the bark of L. divaricata was evaluated at three different concentrations (0.10, 0.30, 0.50 mg/mL), individually and in combination with the neoplastic drug doxorubicin (DXR), by the somatic mutation and recombination test (SMART/wing) in Drosophila melanogaster. Distilled water was included as a negative control. The mutation frequency in the treatments with L. divaricata extract alone was not significantly higher than in the negative control for standard (ST) and high bioactivation (HB) crosses. When L. divaricata extract was combined with DXR, there was a significant reduction in the frequency of spots when compared to DXR alone, in both crosses. Further studies with other experimental models would be useful to confirm that L. divaricata extract is not harmful and that it could be used in the prevention of cancer.
Assuntos
Drosophila melanogaster/efeitos dos fármacos , Malvaceae/química , Mutagênicos/toxicidade , Extratos Vegetais/toxicidade , Plantas Medicinais/toxicidade , Animais , Doxorrubicina/farmacologia , Drosophila melanogaster/genética , Testes de Mutagenicidade , Mutação/efeitos dos fármacos , Análise de Sobrevida , Asas de Animais/efeitos dos fármacosRESUMO
Mutagenic and antimutagenic activities of the medicinal plant Duguetia furfuracea were assessed using SMART/wing and ring-X-loss tests. For the ring-X-loss test, 2- to 3-day-old Drosophila melanogaster ring-X-lineage males and virgin ywsn³ females received D. furfuracea infusion at doses of 0.085, 0.042, or 0.014 g/mL for 24 h. We found that D. furfuracea did not produce any mutagenic effects in D. melanogaster germinative cells. The somatic cells of D. melanogaster were analyzed using the SMART/wing test involving three lineages - mwh, flr³, and ORR - and the same doses of D. furfuracea infusion employed in the ring-X-loss test, as well as 20 mM urethane. The results of both standard (ST) and high bioactivation (HB) crosses showed absence of mutagenic activity of D. furfuracea. In contrast, in both ST and HB crosses, we observed a modulatory effect of D. furfuracea against the genotoxic activity of urethane.
Assuntos
Annonaceae/química , Drosophila melanogaster/efeitos dos fármacos , Drosophila melanogaster/genética , Extratos Vegetais/farmacologia , Animais , Drosophila melanogaster/citologia , Feminino , Genótipo , Masculino , Testes de Mutagenicidade , Mutagênicos/farmacologia , Mutação , Fenótipo , Plantas Medicinais/química , Asas de Animais/efeitos dos fármacosRESUMO
It is well established that morphine inhibits maternal behaviors. Previous studies by our group have shown activation of the rostrolateral periaqueductal gray (rlPAG) upon inhibition-intended subcutaneous injections of morphine. In this context, we demonstrated that a single naloxone infusion into the rlPAG, following this opioid-induced inhibition, reactivated maternal behaviors. Since these data were obtained by using peripheral morphine injections, the present study was designed to test whether morphine injected directly into the rlPAG would affect maternal behaviors. Our hypothesis that morphine acting through the rlPAG would disrupt maternal behaviors was confirmed with a local infusion of morphine. The mothers showed shorter latency for locomotor behavior to explore the home cage (P = 0.049). Inhibition was especially evident regarding retrieving (P = 0.002), nest building (P = 0.05) and full maternal behavior (P = 0.023). These results support the view that opioidergic transmission plays a behaviorally meaningful inhibitory role in the rostrolateral PAG.
Assuntos
Animais , Feminino , Masculino , Ratos , Comportamento Materno/efeitos dos fármacos , Morfina/farmacologia , Entorpecentes/farmacologia , Substância Cinzenta Periaquedutal/efeitos dos fármacos , Animais Recém-Nascidos , Comportamento Materno/fisiologia , Substância Cinzenta Periaquedutal/fisiologia , Ratos Wistar , Tempo de Reação/efeitos dos fármacosRESUMO
It is well established that morphine inhibits maternal behaviors. Previous studies by our group have shown activation of the rostrolateral periaqueductal gray (rlPAG) upon inhibition-intended subcutaneous injections of morphine. In this context, we demonstrated that a single naloxone infusion into the rlPAG, following this opioid-induced inhibition, reactivated maternal behaviors. Since these data were obtained by using peripheral morphine injections, the present study was designed to test whether morphine injected directly into the rlPAG would affect maternal behaviors. Our hypothesis that morphine acting through the rlPAG would disrupt maternal behaviors was confirmed with a local infusion of morphine. The mothers showed shorter latency for locomotor behavior to explore the home cage (P = 0.049). Inhibition was especially evident regarding retrieving (P = 0.002), nest building (P = 0.05) and full maternal behavior (P = 0.023). These results support the view that opioidergic transmission plays a behaviorally meaningful inhibitory role in the rostrolateral PAG.
Assuntos
Comportamento Materno/efeitos dos fármacos , Morfina/farmacologia , Entorpecentes/farmacologia , Substância Cinzenta Periaquedutal/efeitos dos fármacos , Animais , Animais Recém-Nascidos , Feminino , Masculino , Comportamento Materno/fisiologia , Substância Cinzenta Periaquedutal/fisiologia , Ratos , Ratos Wistar , Tempo de Reação/efeitos dos fármacosRESUMO
Palicourea coriacea, popularly known as "douradinha", is a medicinal plant from the Brazilian Cerrado region used in folk medicine to treat kidney and urethral stones and kidney inflammation. We evaluated the cytotoxic, genotoxic, and possible antigenotoxic activities of an aqueous extract of P. coriacea on somatic cells of Drosophila melanogaster, using the somatic mutation and recombination test. We used third-stage larvae of D. melanogaster from a standard cross and a high bioactivation cross and tested 10 different doses of P. coriacea aqueous extract (5, 15, 25, 35, 50, 65, 80, 95, 110, and 125 mg/mL). Doxorubicin (0.125 mg/mL) was used as a positive control and distilled water as a negative control. None of the doses was lethal to the larvae.There was no genotoxic effect at 5, 10, or 15 mg extract/mL. However, a significant decrease in the frequency of spots induced by doxorubicin was observed when administered with P. coriacea aqueous extract at these same doses. We conclude that P. coriacea aqueous extract is not cytotoxic or genotoxic at these doses, but it does protect against the genotoxic action of doxorubicin.
Assuntos
Doxorrubicina/farmacologia , Drosophila melanogaster/efeitos dos fármacos , Drosophila melanogaster/genética , Rubiaceae/genética , Rubiaceae/metabolismo , Animais , Relação Dose-Resposta a Droga , Genes de Plantas , Técnicas Genéticas , Heterozigoto , Larva/efeitos dos fármacos , Testes de Mutagenicidade , Mutação/efeitos dos fármacos , Extratos Vegetais/farmacologia , Plantas Medicinais , Recombinação Genética/efeitos dos fármacos , Asas de Animais/efeitos dos fármacosRESUMO
BACKGROUND/AIM: Prolactin (PRL), a hormone produced by the pituitary gland, has multiple physiological functions, including immunoregulation. PRL can also be secreted in response to stressful stimuli. During stress, PRL has been suggested to oppose the immunosuppressive effects of inflammatory mediators. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to analyze the effects of short- and long-term hyperprolactinemia on the inflammatory response in rats subjected to acute or chronic cold stress. METHODS: Inflammatory edema was induced by carrageenan in male rats, and hyperprolactinemia was induced by injections of the dopamine receptor antagonist domperidone. The volume of inflammatory edema was measured by plethysmography after carrageenan injection. Additionally, the effects of hyperprolactinemia on body weight and serum corticosterone levels were evaluated. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Five days of domperidone-induced hyperprolactinemia increased the volume of inflammatory edema. No differences in serum corticosterone levels were observed between groups. No significant differences were found among 30 days domperidone-induced hyperprolactinemic animals subjected to acute stress and the inflammatory response observed in chronic hyperprolactinemic animals subjected to chronic stress. The results suggest that short-term hyperprolactinemia has pro-inflammatory effects. Because such an effect was not observed in long-term hyperprolactinemic animals, PRL-induced tolerance seems likely. We suggest that short-term hyperprolactinemia may act as a protective factor in rats subjected to acute stress. These data suggest that hyperprolactinemia and stress interact differentially according to the time period.
Assuntos
Hiperprolactinemia/imunologia , Hiperprolactinemia/patologia , Mediadores da Inflamação/administração & dosagem , Doença Aguda , Animais , Carragenina/administração & dosagem , Doença Crônica , Temperatura Baixa/efeitos adversos , Modelos Animais de Doenças , Domperidona/administração & dosagem , Edema/induzido quimicamente , Edema/imunologia , Edema/patologia , Hiperprolactinemia/induzido quimicamente , Inflamação/induzido quimicamente , Inflamação/imunologia , Inflamação/patologia , Masculino , Neuroimunomodulação/efeitos dos fármacos , Neuroimunomodulação/imunologia , Prolactina/biossíntese , Prolactina/metabolismo , Ratos , Ratos Wistar , Regulação para Cima/efeitos dos fármacos , Regulação para Cima/imunologiaRESUMO
Byrsonima verbascifolia, popularly known in Brazil as murici, is a medicinal plant widely used in the treatment of bacterial and viral infections, Chagas's disease, diarrhea, bronchitis, cough and fever, as well as for protection of the intestinal mucosa. Since chemotherapy and radiotherapy, broadly employed in the treatment of cancer, can have undesirable side effects, such as inducing DNA damage in normal cells, it would be useful to investigate compounds that inhibit or reduce these effects. A lyophilized water extract of murici, used at three different concentrations (25, 50, and 100 mg/mL), was tested to determine if it could reduce damage induced by the antineoplastic compound doxorubicin in somatic cells of Drosophila melanogaster, analyzed by SMART/wing. The frequency of mutant spots in descendants from standard and high bioactivation crosses was significantly reduced by treatment with murici extract. Further studies are needed using other experimental models, to determine if murici has the potential to be employed by cancer patients receiving chemotherapy.
Assuntos
Antimutagênicos/farmacologia , Antineoplásicos/efeitos adversos , Dano ao DNA/efeitos dos fármacos , Doxorrubicina/efeitos adversos , Malpighiaceae/química , Extratos Vegetais/farmacologia , Animais , Brasil , Drosophila melanogaster/efeitos dos fármacos , Drosophila melanogaster/genética , Testes de MutagenicidadeRESUMO
This study investigated the effects of perinatal cadmium exposure on physical and reflexologic development of pup rats. It was examined if the immediate postpartum testosterone administration was able to reverse the toxic effects of the metal. Forty Wistar pregnant rats were divided into three groups: control and 10 and 20 mg kg(-1) per day of cadmium chloride. These dams were treated from gestational days 18 to 21, and until the 7th lactation day. Immediately after birth, half of the offspring from the experimental and control groups received 50 microL of testosterone 0.2% i.p. The maternal body weight gain, food and water consumption were measured during the treatment period. In pups, the body weight, body length, physical landmarks, reflex development and the general activity were assessed. Results showed that: only 20 mg kg(-1) cadmium induced maternal toxicity; pup body weight and body weight gain were reduced in all experimental groups; only the cadmium-exposed offspring not treated with testosterone treatment showed a reduction in body length and body length gain; cadmium highest dose reduced the anogenital index in pups and delayed physical and reflexes development; and cadmium effects on the offspring, except in body length gain, were not reversed by testosterone. The results indicate that perinatal maternal exposure to cadmium promoted changes in the development of male rat offspring, reprogramming the pup's development. Testosterone administration was not able to reverse the cadmium effects, even on those parameters more directly related to the androgenic system as the testis descent and anogenital distance delays.
Assuntos
Cádmio/toxicidade , Efeitos Tardios da Exposição Pré-Natal/prevenção & controle , Substâncias Protetoras/uso terapêutico , Propionato de Testosterona/uso terapêutico , Envelhecimento/efeitos dos fármacos , Animais , Animais Lactentes , Comportamento Animal/efeitos dos fármacos , Tamanho Corporal/efeitos dos fármacos , Cloreto de Cádmio/administração & dosagem , Intoxicação por Cádmio/tratamento farmacológico , Dieta , Relação Dose-Resposta a Droga , Ingestão de Líquidos/efeitos dos fármacos , Feminino , Lactação , Masculino , Exposição Materna/efeitos adversos , Gravidez , Ratos , Ratos Wistar , Reflexo/efeitos dos fármacos , Maturidade Sexual/efeitos dos fármacosRESUMO
Aerococcus viridans is a catalase-negative gram-positive bacterium rarely found as human pathogen. Some cases of urinary tract infection (UTI) have been described in immunocompromised adults. In this article we describe a UTI case caused by this agent in a child with severe obstructive uropathy, clinically presented with secondary pseudohypoaldosteronism (SPHA). Although A. viridans is rarely associated with child infection, it can be responsible for life threatening conditions/ situations. To our knowledge, A. viridans UTI has never been reported in pediatric patients.