Sugarcane (Saccharum spp) is an important commercial crop cultivated widely in tropical and subtropical countries. Primarily sugarcane is used to produce sugar and recently it is proven to be a valuable resource for bioethanol, biodiesel, bioplastic and bioelectricity. Smut is one of the most serious sugarcane disease and occurs in sugarcane fields all over the world. The disease is caused by the biotrophic fungus Sporisorium scitamineum. The fungus induces metabolic changes in the plant leading to the production of a whip-like structure where fungal sporogenesis take place. The objective of this study was to analyse the reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, antioxidant enzymes activity and expression of genes associated with the ROS metabolism in smut susceptible (IAC66-6) and resistant sugarcane genotypes (SP80-3280). In addition, this work assessed the relationship between antioxidant enzymes and sensitivity of S. scitamineum to exogenous hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). This thesis is presented in the format of two chapters (chapters 2 and 3). In the second chapter, the results revealed that there were variations in the antioxidant system as well as in the ROS production in resistant sugarcane genotype, whereas few changes occurred in the susceptible genotype inoculated with S. scitamineum. Microscopic analysis revealed that S. scitamineum teliospore germination and appressorium formation were delayed during early infection in the smut resistant genotype, which coincided with H2O2 accumulation. In chapter 3, the results demonstrated that S. scitamineum is highly resistant to exogenous H2O2. At 2 mM exogenous H2O2 concentration the fungus presented an effective antioxidant system in response to the secondary products of oxidative stress. Furthermore, S. scitamineum when exposed for a long time at 2 mM exogenous H2O2 concentration it can acquire an adaptive response to H2O2. The results obtained in this study contributed to increase the understanding of this very complex interaction between sugarcane and S. scitamineum and it will be helpful toward understanding which aspects are involved in the resistance to S. scitamineum. These informations are important to create strategies for improving smut resistance in sugarcane. / Cana-de-açúcar (Saccharum spp) é uma importante cultura comercial amplamente cultivada em países tropicais e subtropicais. A cana-de-açúcar é principalmente utilizada para produzir açúcar e recentemente é considerada uma valiosa fonte para produção de bioetanol, biodiesel, bioplásticos e bioeletricidade. O carvão é uma das doenças mais graves da cana-de-açúcar e ocorrem em canaviais do mundo inteiro. A doença é causada pelo fungo biotrófico Sporisorium scitamineum. Este fungo induz mudanças metabólicas na planta, levando a formação de uma estrutura chamada chicote, onde ocorre a esporogênese. O objetivo desse estudo foi analisar a produção de espécies reativas de oxigênio (EROs), atividade de enzimas antioxidantes e a expressão de genes associados ao metabolismo de EROs em genótipos de cana-açúcar susceptível (IAC66-6) e resistente (SP80-3280). Além disso, este trabalho avaliou a relação entre as enzimas antioxidantes e sensibilidade de S. scitamineum a peróxido de hidrogênio (H2O2) exógeno. Esta tese está apresentada no formato de 2 capítulos (capítulos 2 e 3). No segundo capítulo, os resultados revelaram que ocorreram alterações no sistema antioxidante, bem como na produção de EROs no genótipo resistente, enquanto que poucas mudanças ocorreram no genótipo susceptível inoculado com S. scitamineum. Análises de microscopia revelaram que a germinação de teliósporos e a formação de apressórios de S. scitamineum atrasou durante o início da infeção no genótipo resistente ao carvão, coincidindo com o acúmulo de H2O2. No capítulo 3, os resultados demonstraram que S. scitamineum é altamente resistente a H2O2 exógeno. O fungo crescendo na concentração de 2 mM de H2O2 apresentou um eficiente sistema antioxidante em resposta a produtos secundários do estresse oxidativo. Além disso, quando S. scitamineum foi exposto a 2 mM de H2O2 exógeno, ele pode adquirir uma resposta adaptativa ao H2O2. Os resultados obtidos neste estudo contribuíram para aumentar o entendimento dessa complexa interação entre cana e S. scitamineum e será útil para a compreensão de quais aspectos estão envolvidos na resistência a este fungo. Estas informações são importantes para criar estratégias para o melhoramento de cana a essa doença.

Este trabalho teve como objetivo estudar a atividade eletrocatalítica da matriz Printex 6L contendo o modificador organometálico ftalocianina de prata nos percentuais 0,5; 1,0; 3,0 e 5,0% m/m para a Reação de Redução de Oxigênio (RRO). Para isso, fezse a constatação da incorporação do modificador por Fluorescência de Raios - X (FRX), o estudo da estabilidade dos catalisadores pela técnica de voltametria cíclica, bem como a avaliação da eficiência de corrente para eletrogeração de H2O2 a partir dos dados coletados na voltametria de varredura linear utilizando um sistema de eletrodo de discoanel rotatório (RRDE). A análise dos 40 ciclos obtidos para a voltametria cíclica revelou que os materiais contendo 0,5; 1,0; 3,0 e 5,0% m/m de ftalocianina de prata suportados na matriz de carbono amorfo apresentaram picos correspondentes a reações redox atribuídos à presença de impurezas, os quais desapareceram logo nos primeiros ciclos. O estudo da eficiência de corrente e número de elétrons envolvidos na RRO para os catalisadores avaliados mostraram uma queda na eficiência de corrente em relação ao padrão 2 elétrons Printex 6L (H2O2% = 92% e nt = 2,1), para os catalisadores contendo 0,5% (H2O2% = 62%), 1,0% (H2O2% = 76%) e 5% (H2O2% = 69%) de ftalocianina de prata, bem como aumento no número de elétrons envolvidos na RRO (nt = 2,8, 2,4, 2,6, respectivamente). Para o material contendo 3,0% de ftalocianina de prata, obteve-se eficiência de corrente para peróxido de hidrogênio e número de elétrons envolvidos na reação semelhante aos do padrão 2 elétrons, Printex 6L (3% Ft-Ag: H2O2% = 89% e nt = 2,2) . Avaliando as curvas de Koutecký-Levich obtidas para os materiais modificados, observou-se a semelhança da inclinação das retas correspondentes ao Printex 6L e ao material 3% Ft-Ag, mostrando que estes possuem comportamento similar, o que também é observado nos resultados obtidos anteriormente. No entanto, os materiais estudados apresentaram rendimento para a RRO via 2 elétrons inferiores ao Printex não modificado, indicando que a modificação do Printex com a Ft-Ag não é interessante para a obtenção de H2O2. / The objective of this work was to study the electrocatalytic activity of the carbon black containing the organometallic modifier silver phthalocyanine in the percentages 0.5, 1.0, 3.0 and 5.0% m / m for the Oxygen Reduction Reaction (ORR). For this, I studied the incorporation of the modifier by X-Ray Fluorescence, the stability of the catalysts by the cyclic voltammetry technique, as well as the evaluation of the current efficiency for H2O2 electrogeneration from the data Collected in linear scanning voltammetry using a rotatory disc-ring electrode system (RRDE). The analysis of the 40 cycles obtained for cyclic voltammetry showed that carbon materials containing 0.5, 1.0, 3.0 and 5.0% w/w of silver phthalocyanine had peaks corresponding to redox reactions of impurities, which disappeared as early as the first cycles. The study of the current efficiency and number of electrons involved in the RRO for the catalysts evaluated showed a decrease in the current efficiency in relation to the 2 Printex 6L (H2O2% = 92% and nt = 2.1) electrons for the catalysts containing 0.5% (H2O2% = 62%), 1.0% (H2O2% = 76%) and 5% (H2O2% = 69%) of silver phthalocyanine, as well as increase in the number of electrons involved in RRO (nt = 2.8, 2.4, 2.6, respectively). For the material containing 3.0% silver phthalocyanine, it was obtained current efficiency for hydrogen peroxide and the number of electrons involved in the reaction similar to the standard 2 electrons, Printex 6L (3% Ft-Ag: H2O2% = 89% e nt = 2.2). By evaluating the Koutecký-Levich curves obtained for the modified materials, we observed the similarity of the inclination of the lines corresponding to Printex 6L and the material 3% Ft-Ag, showing that they have similar behavior, which is also observed in the obtained results previously. However, the materials studied presented yield for the RRO via 2 electrons lower than the unmodified Printex, indicating that the modification of the Printex with the Ft-Ag is not interesting to obtain H2O2.

Neste trabalho foram estudadas a atividade e seletividade de materiais bimetálicos de rutênio e nióbio, adicionados em matriz de carbono do tipo Printex 6L, para a eletrogeração de peróxido de hidrogênio a partir da reação de redução de oxigênio. Os materiais foram caracterizados por aplicação de técnicas eletroquímicas em microcamada porosa e em eletrodos de difusão gasosa, em meio ácido. Foram realizados estudos de caracterização física e morfológica dos materiais para a compreensão dos possíveis óxidos formados em substrato de carbono, por análises de difração de Raios-X, por fluorescência de Raios-X, por microscopia eletrônica de varredura acoplada a um sistema de espectroscopia de Raios-X por dispersão de energia. Por caracterização eletroquímica em microcamada porosa, o material com 5,0% de Ru05%Nb95%Oz em carbono foi escolhido como o material com maior seletividade para a eletrogeração de peróxido de hidrogênio, com eficiência de corrente calculada de 84,6%, em potencial aplicado de -0,515 V (vs. Ag/AgCl), sendo posteriormente estudado em eletrodo de difusão gasosa, por cronopotenciometria, com concentração de peróxido de hidrogênio eletrogerado de 210,74 mg L-1, em 90 minutos de experimento, com uma densidade de corrente de -100 mA cm-2, cerca de 24,5% maior quando comparada a eletrogeração de H2O2 detectada para a matriz de carbono térmico, sem adição de elementos metálicos, nas mesmas condições experimentais. Os resultados de constante cinética obtidos na mesma densidade de corrente aplicada de -100 mA cm-2, foram: de 2,44 mg L-1 min-1 para o material com 5,0% de Ru05%Nb95%Oz, e de 1,78 mg L-1 min-1 para o eletrodo de difusão gasosa sem modificador. / In this work, the activity and selectivity of bimetallic materials composed by ruthenium and niobium, added on carbon matrix Printex 6L, for electrogeneration of hydrogen peroxide from oxygen reduction reaction. The materials were characterized by the application of electrochemical techniques in porous microlayer and gas diffusion electrodes, in acid medium. The physical and morphological characterization were made of the materials for understanding the possible metallic oxides formation in carbon substrate by analysis of X-rays diffraction , X-rays fluorescence , by scanning electron microscopy coupled by an energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. For electrochemical characterization using porous microlayer, the material with 5.0% of Ru05%Nb95%Oz in carbon was chosen as the material with greater selectivity for the hydrogen peroxide electrogeneration, with calculated current efficiency of 84.6% in applied potential of -0.515 V (vs. Ag/AgCl), studied using a gas diffusion electrode, by chronopotentiometry, with obtained hydrogen peroxide concentration of 210.74 mg L-1, at 90 minutes of experiment, with a the current density of -100 mA cm-2, about 24.5% higher when compared with the hydrogen peroxide electrogeneration detected for a carbon matrix, without addition of metal elements, under the same experimental conditions. The results obtained for calculated kinetic constant, using the same applied current density of -100 mA cm-2: 2.44 mg L-1 min-1 for using the material with 5.0% Ru05%Nb95%Oz, and 1.78 mg L-1 min-1 for using the carbon matrix without modification.

Honey has been used to heal wounds since ancient times. There are many references in ancient literature that cite honey for its medicinal uses. It is used as an alternative agent to cure infections of wounds, burns, ulcers etc. Researchers have shown some of the antimicrobial properties of honey when used as an ointment. When applied to an affected area, it helps to promote the growth of healthy tissue. One of the factors on which the quality of the honey depends, is its geographical origin. Based on the location, honey types can vary as much as 100-fold from each other in color, aroma, viscosity, and antimicrobial properties. The important components in honey that play an essential part in healing wounds and contributing to the antimicrobial properties are enzymes. Their presence allows honey to kill various types of pathogenic bacteria, viruses, fungi etc. A higher antimicrobial effect is seen in monofloral honey (when a single plant species is the source of nectar), which is often more potent than other types of honey in terms of antibacterial activity. Resistance of pathogens to these antimicrobial actions has never been shown, which makes honey a more promising source of antimicrobial research. Presently, infections of burns and wounds are very challenging to treat, especially when they are caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The purpose of this study was to examine the antimicrobial properties of honey from Utah and other locales, and to identify promising antimicrobial activities that could be useful in treating infections caused by resistant bacteria.

Copper is one of the essential metal ions for aerobic organisms. Two well known functions of copper in the biological systems are electron transfer and molecular oxygen interaction. Thus, this metal can be found in haemocyanin, an oxygen carrier protein, and superoxide dismutase, an enzyme that involves in electron transfer. In addition, having a positive redox potential allows copper to be involved in redox chemistry. It is the redox properties of copper that are responsible for many important biochemical processes. Although the copper-containing oxidases have been well studied over the years, certain mechanistic details such as reaction intermediates remain to be elucidated. Several research groups have been trying to study this by trying to mimic the native systems, synthesizing bulky organic molecules with copper-binding and oxidative capabilities. However, these model systems are only applicable in organic solvents at low temperatures. In this study, three naturally occurring peptides, amyloid-ß, bacitracin, and histatin 5, have been shown to display the oxidative chemistry when complexed with CuII. A combination of spectroscopic (UV-Vis and NMR) and reactivity was used in studying their metal-binding properties as well as in elucidating their catalytic mechanism.

Neptunium, with its rich redox chemistry, has a special position in the chemistry of actinides. With a decades-long history of development of aqueous separation methods for used nuclear fuel (UNF), management of neptunium remains an unresolved issue because of its not clearly defined redox speciation. Neptunium is present in two, pentavalent (V) and hexavalent (VI) oxidation states, both in their dioxocation O=Np=O neptunyl form, which differ greatly in their solvent extraction behavior. While the neptunium(VI) dioxocation is being very well extracted, the dioxocation of pentavalent neptunium is practically non-extractable by an organic solvent. As a result, neptunium is not well separated and remains distributed in both organic and aqueous extraction phases. The aim of this study was to develop or enhance the understanding of several key topics governing the redox behavior of neptunium in nitric acid medium, which are of vital importance for the engineering design of industrial-scale liquid-liquid separation systems. In this work, reactions of neptunium(V) and (VI) with vanadium(V) and acetohydroxamic acid - two redox agents envisioned for adjusting the neptunium oxidation state in aqueous separations ��� were studied in order to determine their kinetic characteristics, rate laws and rate constants, as a function of temperature and nitric acid concentration. Further were analyzed the interactions of neptunium(V) and (VI) with nitrous acid, which is formed as a product of radiolytic degradation of nitric acid caused by high levels of radioactivity present in such systems. Once HNO��� is distributed between both the aqueous solutions and organic solvent, nitrous acid is also formed in both phases and has a key influence on redox speciation of neptunium; therefore, the effects of gamma-radiation on the redox speciation of neptunium were investigated. The work also includes the results of examination of scavenging of nitrous acid by hydrogen peroxide, which is generated along with nitrous acid during radiolysis of aqueous solutions of nitric acid, and also by chemical reactions with added scavenging agents (methylurea, acetohydroxamic acid). / Graduation date: 2013

This thesis is focused on the novel wood chip refining process called AdvancedThermomechanical Pulp (ATMP) refining. ATMP consists of mechanical pretreatmentof chips in Impressafiner and Fiberizer prior to first stage refining atincreased intensity. Process chemicals (this study was concentrated on hydrogenperoxide and magnesium hydroxide) are introduced into the first stage refiner.It is known that the use of chemicals in TMP process and first stage refining atelevated intensity can reduce the energy demands of refining. The downside is thatthey also alter the character of the produced pulp. Reductions in fibre length andtear index are usually the consequences of refining at elevated intensity. Additionof chemicals usually leads to reduction of the light scattering coefficient. Usingstatistical methods it was shown that it is possible to maintain the TMP character ofthe pulp using the ATMP process. This is explained by a separation of thedefibration and the fibre development phases in refining. This separation allowsdefibration of chips to fibres and fibre bundles without addition of chemicals orincrease in refining intensity. Chemicals are applied in the fibre developmentphase only (first stage refiner). The energy demand in refining to reach tensileindex of 25 Nm/g was reduced by up to 1.1 MWh/odt (42 %) using the ATMPprocess on Loblolly pine. The energy demand in refining of White spruce, requiredto reach tensile index of 30 Nm/g, was reduced by 0.65 MWh/odt (37%).Characterizations of individual fibre properties, properties of sheets made fromlong fibre fractions and model fibre sheets with different fines fractions werecarried out. It was established that both the process equipment configuration (i.e.the mechanical pre‐treatment and the elevated refining intensity) and the additionof process chemicals in the ATMP process influence fibre properties such as external and internal fibrillation as well as the amount of split fibres. Improvementof these properties translated into improved properties of sheets, made from thelong fibre fractions of the studied pulps. The quality of the fines fraction alsoimproved. However, the mechanisms of improvement in the fines quality seem tobe different for fines, generated using improved process configuration andaddition of process chemicals. The first type of fines contributed to better bondingof model long fibre sheets through the densification of the structure. Fines whichhave been influenced by the addition of the process chemicals seemed in additionto improve bonding between long fibres by enhancing the specific bond strength.The improved fibre and fines properties also translated into better airpermeability and surface roughness of paper sheets, properties which areespecially important for supercalendered (SC) printing paper. The magnitude offibre roughening after moistening was mainly influenced by the processequipment configuration while the addition of process chemicals yielded lowestfinal surface roughness due to the lowest initial surface roughness. There was nodifference in how fines fractions from the studied processes influenced the fibreroughening. However, fines with better bonding yielded model fibre sheets withhigher PPS, probably due to their consolidation around fibre joints. Hence, thedecrease in PPS can probably be attributed to the improvements in the long fibrefraction properties while the improvement of fines quality contributed to thereduction of air permeability.The process chemicals, utilized in the ATMP process (Mg(OH)2 and H2O2) alsoproved to be an effective bleaching system. Comparable increases in brightnesscould be reached using the ATMP process and conventional tower bleaching.Maximum brightness of the pulp was reached after approximately 10 minutes ofhigh‐consistency storage after refining or 40 minutes of conventional bleaching.This study was conducted using a pilot scale refiner system operated as a batchprocess. Most of the experiments were performed using White spruce (Piceaglauca). In Paper I, Loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) was used. It is believed that theresults presented in this thesis are valid for other softwood raw materials as well,but this limitation should be considered.

<p>The main hypothesis in this study is the development of a nanocomposite mediated amperometric biosensor for detection of hydrogen peroxide. The aim is to combine the electrochemical properties of both polyaniline and ferrocenium hexafluorophosphate into highly conductive nano composites capable of exhibiting electrochemistry in non acidic media / shuttling electrons between HRP and GCE for biosensor applications.</p>

Background and Purpose: The endothelium is a single-cell layer positioned at the blood-vascular wall interface, where in response to blood-borne signals and hemodynamic forces, endothelial cells act as central regulators of vascular homeostatic processes including vascular tone, growth and remodeling, inflammation and adhesion, and blood fluidity and coagulation. Agonist- or flow-stimulated endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation becomes impaired in states of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk and has been identified as a possible biomarker of overall endothelial dysfunction leading to vascular dysregulation and disease pathogenesis. Accordingly, it is important to elucidate the mechanisms accounting for this endothelial vasomotor dysfunction. Upon stimulation, endothelial cells can synthesize and release a variety of endothelium-derived relaxing factors (EDRFs), the most prominent of which is nitric oxide (NO) derived from NO synthase (NOS). In addition, under certain CVD risk conditions including hypertension and aging, stimulated endothelial cells can become a prominent source of endothelium-derived contracting factors (EDCFs) produced in a cyclooxygenase (COX)-dependent manner. Consequently, endothelial dysfunction may be caused by under-active EDRF signaling and/or competitive over-active EDCF signaling. Much attention has been given to elucidating the mechanisms of under-active EDRF signaling and its role in causing endothelial dysfunction, wherein excess reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation and oxidative stress under CVD risk conditions have been recognized as major factors in reducing NO bioavailability thus causing under-active EDRF signaling and endothelial dysfunction. Less attention however, has been given to elucidating the mechanisms of over-active COX-mediated EDCF signaling and its role in causing endothelial dysfunction. Moreover, while COX-mediated EDCF signaling activity has been investigated in some segments of the vasculature, most notably the aorta, it has not been well-investigated in the common carotid artery (CCA), a highly accessible cerebral blood flow conduit particularly advantageous in exploring the roles of the endothelium in vascular pathogenesis. It was the global purpose of this thesis to gain a better understanding of the cellular-molecular mechanisms accounting for endothelial dysfunction in the CCA of animal models known to exhibit COX-mediated EDCF signaling activity, in particular essential (spontaneous) hypertension and aging. Experimental Objective and Approach: This thesis comprises three studies. Study I and Study II investigated the CCA of young-adult (16-24wk old) normotensive Wistar Kyoto (WKY) and Spontaneously Hypertensive (SHR) rats. Study III investigated the CCA of Adult (25-36wks old) and Aging (60-75wks old) Sprague Dawley (SD) rats treated in vivo (or not; CON) with L-buthionine sulfoximine (BSO) to chronically deplete the cellular anti-oxidant glutathione (GSH) and increase ROS accumulation and oxidative stress. The global objective and approach across these studies was to systematically examine the relative contributions of NOS and COX signaling pathways in mediating the acetylcholine (ACh)-stimulated endothelium-dependent relaxation (EDRF) and contractile (EDCF) activities of isometrically-mounted CCA in tissue baths in vitro, with a particular focus on elucidating the mechanisms of COX-mediated EDCF signaling activity. An added objective was to examine the in vivo hemodynamic characteristics of the CCA in each animal model investigated, serving both to identify the pressure-flow environment that the CCA is exposed to in vivo and to provide assessment of potential hypertension, aging, and oxidative stress effects on large artery hemodynamics. Key Findings: Study I hemodynamic analysis confirmed a hypertensive state in young adult SHR while also exposing a reduction in mean CCA blood flow in SHR compared to WKY accompanied by a multi-faceted pressure-flow interaction across the cardiac cycle relating to flow and pressure augmentation. Study III hemodynamic analysis found that neither aging nor chronic BSO-induced GSH depletion affected CCA blood pressure or blood flow parameters in SD rats. Study I and II demonstrated that a COX-mediated EDCF response impaired ACh-stimulated endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation in pre-contracted CCA from young adult SHR, while EDRF signaling activity, predominantly mediated by NO, remained well-preserved compared to WKY. Examining ACh-stimulated contractile function specifically from a quiescent (non pre-contracted) state revealed that EDCF activity did exist in WKY CCA but could be completely suppressed by NO-mediated EDRF signaling activity, whereas the similarly robust NO-meditated EDRF signaling activity in SHR CCA could not fully suppress its >2-fold augmented EDCF activity vs. WKY CCA. Further pharmaco-dissection of ACh-stimulated contractile function in the SHR-WKY CCA model revealed that the EDCF signaling activity was completely dependent on the COX-1 (but not COX-2) isoform of COX and was almost exclusively mediated by the thromboxane-prostanoid (TP) sub-type of the prostaglandin (PG) G-protein coupled receptor family and by Rho-associated kinase (ROCK), a down-stream effector of the molecular switch RhoA. Furthermore, it was found that while exogenous ROS-stimulated CCA contractile function was similarly >2-fold augmented in SHR vs. WKY and dependent on COX-1 and TP receptor and ROCK effectors, ACh-stimulated CCA EDCF signaling activity was only minimally affected by in-bath ROS manipulating compounds. Additional biochemical and molecular analysis revealed that ACh stimulation was associated with PG over-production from an over-expressed COX-1 in SHR CCA, and with CCA plasma membrane localization and activation of RhoA. Study III demonstrated that a COX-mediated EDCF response impaired ACh-stimulated endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation in pre-contracted CCA from Aging SD rats, while EDRF signaling activity, predominantly mediated by NO, remained well-preserved compared to Adult SD rats. Specific examination of ACh-stimulated contractile function revealed that EDCF activity did exist in Adult CCA but could be completely suppressed by NO-mediated EDRF signaling activity, whereas the similarly robust NO-meditated EDRF signaling activity in Aging CCA could not fully suppress its >3-fold augmented EDCF activity vs. Adult CCA. Further pharmaco-dissection of ACh-stimulated contractile function in the Adult-Aging SD rat CCA model revealed that EDCF signaling activity was completely dependent on COX-1, but while exogenous ROS was able to elicit a COX-dependent CCA contractile response, in-bath ROS manipulating compounds were found to be without effect on ACh-stimulated CCA EDCF signaling activity. Furthermore, biochemical analysis revealed that aging was not associated with a change in tissue (liver and vascular) GSH content or ROS accumulation. Chronic in vivo BSO treatment was effective in depleting tissue GSH content and increasing ROS accumulation, to a similar extent, in both Adult and Aging SD rats. However, regardless of age, neither ACh-stimulated NO-mediated EDRF signaling activity nor COX-mediated EDCF signaling activity were affected by these BSO-induced perturbations. Conclusions and Perspective: In the CCA of animals at the early pathological stages of either essential hypertension (young adult SHR) or normotensive aging (Aging SD rats), endothelial vasomotor dysfunction can be caused solely by over-active EDCF signaling, apparently disconnected from changes in NO bioavailability or oxidative stress. While NO and ROS may act, respectively, as negative and positive modulators of the established COX-PG-TP receptor-RhoA-ROCK cell-signaling axis mediating endothelium-dependent contractile activity, these factors do not appear to be essential to the mechanism(s) underlying the development of over-active EDCF signaling. Further elucidation of the cellular-molecular causes of over-active EDCF signaling, and its patho-biological consequences, in the SHR-WKY and Adult-Aging SD rat CCA models of EDCF activity established and hemodynamically characterized in this thesis, may help to identify new or more effective targets to be used in prevention or treatment strategies to combat the pathogenesis of CVD.

Dans les neurones et les cellules vasculaires cérébrales, les dérivés réactifs de l’oxygène jouent un double rôle puisqu’ils peuvent avoir à la fois des effets bénéfiques, à faibles concentrations, et des effets délétères, à des concentrations élevées. Chez la souris, la circulation cérébrale se distingue des autres lits vasculaires puisque le peroxyde d’hydrogène (H2O2) est le principal médiateur endothélial relaxant endogène. L’objectif de notre première étude a été de caractériser l’implication physiologique du H2O2 dérivé de la eNOS dans la fonction endothéliale cérébrale de la souris. Nous avons voulu identifier les mécanismes impliqués dans la dilatation induite par l’augmentation de débit intra-luminal (flow-mediated dilation, FMD). La FMD est la réponse à un stimulus physiologique endothélial la plus représentative de la situation in vivo. Nous avons démontré que le H2O2, et non le monoxyde d’azote (NO), dérivant de l’activation de la eNOS cérébrale, est le principal médiateur de la FMD. Cependant, nous connaissons très peu de données sur l’évolution de la voie du H2O2 au cours du vieillissement qu’il soit associé ou non aux facteurs de risque pour les maladies cardiovasculaires. Au cours du vieillissement, au niveau périphérique, les facteurs endothéliaux constricteurs ou dilatateurs évoluent en fonction de l’augmentation de stress oxydant. La présence de facteurs de risque pour les maladies cardiovasculaires, telle que l’hypercholestérolémie, pourrait accentuer l’augmentation du stress oxydant et ainsi accélérer la dysfonction endothéliale. Au niveau cérébral, très peu de données sont disponibles. Dans le cadre de notre deuxième étude, nous avons émis l’hypothèse qu’un débalancement des facteurs endothéliaux pourrait être à l’origine (1) de la dysfonction endothéliale cérébrale observée au cours du vieillissement et (2) de la dysfonction endothéliale précoce qui apparaît en présence d’athérosclérose. Nos résultats ont montré que l’augmentation de stress oxydant associée au vieillissement conduit à une libération endogène accrue de TXA2 qui diminue la voie du H2O2 au niveau cérébral et, par conséquent, réduit la dilatation dépendante de l’endothélium. De plus, la présence d’athérosclérose accélère l’apparition de la dysfonction endothéliale cérébrale. Le rôle clé joué par le stress oxydant a été confirmé par un traitement préventif avec l’antioxydant catéchine qui a permis de renverser tous les effets délétères de l’athérosclérose sur les fonctions endothéliales cérébrales. Finalement, la dysfonction endothéliale cérébrale précoce, associée avec l’athérosclérose, pourrait non seulement augmenter l’incidence de développer des accidents vasculaires cérébraux (AVC) mais aussi induire une diminution du débit sanguin cérébral et, ultimement, affecter les fonctions neuronales. Dans le cadre de notre troisième étude, nous avons émis l’hypothèse que l’augmentation de stress oxydant est associée avec une diminution du débit sanguin cérébral et un déclin subséquent des fonctions cognitives. Nous avons utilisé des souris athérosclérotiques âgées de 3 mois que nous avons soumises, ou pas, à un traitement chronique à la catéchine. Nos travaux montrent qu’un traitement préventif avec la catéchine peut prévenir les effets néfastes de l’athérosclérose sur la FMD, le débit sanguin et le déclin des fonctions cognitives qui est normalement associé au vieillissement. Nos résultats ont permis de distinguer l’effet du vieillissement des effets de l’athérosclérose sur les fonctions vasculaires cérébrales. Le traitement préventif avec la catéchine a eu des effets bénéfiques marqués sur la fonction endothéliale cérébrale, le débit sanguin cérébral et les fonctions cognitives, démontrant le rôle clé de l’environnement redox dans la régulation des fonctions cérébrales. / Reactive oxygen species can have different roles in neurons and cerebral vascular cells as low concentrations are beneficial while unlikable effects are observed at higher concentrations. Mice cerebral circulation is different from other vascular beds as hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is a major endogenous endothelium-derived relaxing factor. The objective of our first study was to characterize the physiological implication of H2O2 derived from eNOS activation in mice cerebral arteries. We tried to identify the mechanisms implicated in flow-mediated dilation (FMD), the most physiological reactive endothelial function. Our study suggested that H2O2, but not nitric oxide, derived from cerebral eNOS activity was the main factor implicated in the regulation of FMD. However, the evolution of this dilatory pathway through ageing associated or not with risk factors for cardiovascular diseases is poorly understood. Ageing is associated with increase oxidative stress and endothelial dysfunction, the later characterized by an imbalance in the release of endothelial constricting and relaxing factors. Risk factors for cardiovascular diseases, such as hypercholesterolemia, can increase oxidative stress and could hasten endothelial dysfunction. However, the evolution of the endothelial factors through ageing, particularly H2O2 dilatory pathway, in the cerebral circulation is still not well described. In our second study, we hypothesise that alterations in endothelial factors might be responsible for (1) cerebral endothelial dysfunction observed during ageing and (2) the accelerated endothelial dysfunction associated with atherosclerosis. Our results suggested that increased in oxidative stress associated with ageing leads to the release of endogenous TXA2, which in turn, reduces eNOS activity and, consequently, reduces endothelial-dependent dilation. Furthermore, we found that oxidative stress increase associated with atherosclerosis hastens cerebral endothelial dysfunction in mice. The implication of oxidative stress was confirmed by the beneficial effect of the antioxidant catechin on atherosclerosis associated cerebral endothelial function. Finally, premature cerebral endothelial dysfunction observed during atherosclerosis could not only be associated with increase stroke incidence but also associated with a reduction in cerebral blood flow and, ultimately, a decrease in cognitive function. For our third study, we hypothesise that oxidative stress increase during atherosclerosis is associated with reduced cerebral blood flow and an accelerated cognitive function decline normally associated with ageing. We treated 3 month-old atherosclerotic mice with the antioxidant catechin and used untreated mice as controls. Our results suggested that catechin treatment can prevent the decrease in FMD, the decrease in cerebral blood flow and cognitive function decline observed during atherosclerosis. Taken together, our study allows to distinguish the effect of ageing and atherosclerosis on cerebrovascular function. Catechin treatment had beneficial effects on endothelial dilation, cerebral blood flow and cognitive function suggesting that the redox environment is a key player in the regulation of cerebral function.