Drugs used in the pharmaceutical industry often occur as a mixture of several isomers with a different biological activity. In a case that some isomer provides an undesirable side effect, it is important to separate it from the mixture and check the chiral purity of a drug. Capillary zone electrophoresis plays a significant role in chiral separations. A different affinity of isomers to complexation reagent is used for their separation from each other. The extent of their interaction is characterized by the complexation constant. Most commonly the cyclodextrins are used for the chiral separations of β-blockers and they could be in neutral or charged form. They probably interact with them through the creation of inclusion complexes. A successful baseline enantioseparation of all the β-blockers that have been studied, labetalol, pindolol, alprenolol and atenolol, was provided by using the background electrolyte containing charged cyclodextrins. The highest resolution of peaks was observed using sulfated cyclodextrins.

L’hypertension artérielle pulmonaire (HTAP) est une maladie rare caractérisée par un remodelage des artères pré-capillaires pulmonaires lié à une dysfonction des cellules endothéliales (CE) conduisant à une prolifération cellulaire vasculaire. Cette prolifération conduit à une obstruction progressive du lit artériel et à l’augmentation des résistances vasculaires. L’hypertension pulmonaire (HTP) qui en résulte provoque une hypertrophie du ventricule droit aboutissant à la défaillance cardiaque et à la mort du patient. Actuellement le seul recours possible est la transplantation pulmonaire. Les mécanismes responsables de ce remodelage vasculaire sont encore peu connus. Les premiers travaux présentés mettent en évidence in situ un nouveau mécanisme impliqué dans ce remodelage. Au cours de ce processus, appelé transition endothélio-mésenchymateuse (EndoMT), les CE se désolidarisent de l’endothélium vasculaire et envahissent l’espace sous endothélial. Ce mécanisme s’accompagne d’une perte progressive du phénotype endothélial et du gain d’un phénotype mésenchymateux invasif et proliférant. L’EndoMT est impliquée dans la formation des lésions intimale et plexiforme. L’inhibition de l’EndoMT a donné des résultats prometteurs dans des modèles in vivo et in vitro d’HTAP. Cette découverte ouvre une nouvelle voie pour le traitement de la maladie. Dans un second projet nous avons confirmé le lien suspecté entre les chimiothérapies et la maladie veino-occlusive pulmonaire (MVOP), une forme d’HTP touchant les veines et veinules pulmonaires. L’étude des cas rapportés de MVOP consécutive à une chimiothérapie indiquent une forte incidence des agents alkylants, notamment du cyclophosphamide (CP), sur le développement de la MVOP. L’exposition au CP a provoqué une HTP associée à des lésions post-capillaires chez 3 espèces animales (souris, rat et lapin) confirmant ce lien. Nous espérons que nos travaux aboutiront à une plus grande vigilance concernant cette complication rare et sévère de l’exposition aux agents alkylants. De plus, nos travaux in vivo ont permis de mettre au point le tout premier modèle expérimental de MVOP. Au cours du dernier projet présenté, nous avons démontré que le nebivolol, un β-bloquant (β1 antagoniste β2 et β3 agoniste ayant un effet vasodilatateur) de 3ème génération, permettait d’améliorer les paramètres hémodynamiques et morphologiques, ainsi que la dysfonction endothéliale, liés à l’HTAP dans les modèles in vivo et in vitro. Ces travaux suggèrent la nécessité de réévaluer les recommandations actuelles, basées sur l’étude de β-bloquants non spécifiques de 1ère génération, qui proscrivent leur utilisation dans l’HTAP. En revisitant plusieurs aspects du remodelage vasculaire, ma thèse contribue ainsi à l’innovation thérapeutique dans l’HTAP. / Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a rare disease characterized by a severe modeling of the precapillary pulmonary arteries related to an endothelial cells (EC) dysfunction leading to vascular cell proliferation. This proliferation leads to a progressive obstruction of the distal pulmonary arterial bed and increases pulmonary vascular resistance. The resulting pulmonary hypertension (PH) leads to a progressive right ventricular hypertrophy, and subsequent right heart failure and death unless the patient receives a lung transplantation. The primary mechanisms that trigger the vascular remodeling remain poorly understood. In the first presented study, we discovered in situ a new pathological process involved in vascular remodeling in PAH. During this process called endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EndoMT), the EC lose their cell-junctions to leave the endothelium and invade the subendothelial space. This phenomenon involves the progressive loss of the endothelial phenotype and the gain of a pro-invasive and pro-proliferative mesenchymal phenotype. This process is implicated in the pathogenesis of intimal and plexiform lesions. The inhibition of EndoMT gave promising results in experimental in vivo and in vitro models of PAH. This finding may have therapeutic implications for PAH. During a second project presented, we confirmed the suspected potential link between chemotherapies and the pulmonary veino-occlusive disease (PVOD). PVOD is a PH with vein and venular lesions. The systematic review of cases of chemotherapy induced PVOD cases suggests that alkylating agents, and cyclophosphamide (CP) in particular, represents a risk factor for the development of PVOD. In experimental models, CP exposure induced PH in three different animal models (mouse, rat, and rabbit). We hope that our findings will allow achieving greater vigilance against this rare and severe complication after alkylating agents exposure. Moreover our in vivo results lead to the development of the 1st experimental model of PVOD. In the last part, we demonstrated that nebivolol, a 3rd generation β-blocker (β1 antagonist, β2 & β3 agonist with vasodilator effect), improved PAH in in vitro and in vivo models. The actual guidelines, based on results obtained with non-specific 1st generation β-blockers, advice against the use of β-blockers in PAH. Our results suggest that the recommendation against β-blockers might be reevaluated taking into consideration their generation and specificity. By revisiting many aspects of vascular remodeling, my thesis contributes to therapeutic innovation in PAH.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / β-Blockers are an important group of prescription drugs; as a consequence of the large and continuous use, they are commonly found in the environment. This study assessed, preliminary, the inherent risk of the β-blockers Atenolol, Metoprolol and Propranolol, mostly used in the University Hospital of Santa Maria (HUSM), and showed that Propranolol has high Risk Quotient (RQ) of 0.56. HPLC-FLD and SPE methodologies were developed and optimized with the aid of experimental design in order to analyze the occurrence of β-blockers in the HUSM sewage system. The average concentration for Atenolol, Metoprolol and Propranolol found for a week sampling were 2.45, 4.67 and 0.70 μg L-1 in the sewage of the Emergence; 0.95, 0.70 and 0.315 μg L-1 in the HUSM main sewage, and 1.26, 1.27 and 0.56 μg L-1 in the water course receptor, respectively, As possible remediation methodologies for the Hospital Wastewater (HWW) were investigated Advanced Oxidation Process (AOPs) such as photo-Fenton, K2FeO4, Ozonation and O3/Fe2+. The operational parameters were optimized by Response Surface Methodology (RSM). Using optimized conditions for photo-Fenton, Atenolol, Metoprolol and Propranolol were totally degraded in 5 min in aqueous solution, and the mineralization achieved 80% after 120 min of treatment. In HWW, the β-blockers were also totally degraded, however, only 26.5% of the organic matter and 38.6% of the aromaticity were removed. The ready biodegradability and toxicity of the photo-Fenton s samples were estimated by official methods, which indicated an increase in the biodegradability and toxicity. This behavior may be correlated to the formation of degradation products (DPs), relatively, more toxic. The DPs were identified with aid of Liquid Chromatography tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC-MSn). Other proposed degradation process was oxidation-coagulation using Fe(VI), which achieved above 90% degradation for Atenolol, Metoprolol and Propranolol in HWW, while only 17% COD and 60% aromaticity removal. In aqueous solution this process led to 71.7%, 24.7% and 96.5% degradation of Atenolol, Metoprolol and Propranolol, respectively. No mineralization was found, indicating the formation of DPs, identified by LC-MSn. The ready biodegradability of the post-process samples was tested and the results showed that the oxidation-coagulation with Fe(VI) increased the biodegradability. The applicability of ozonation was evaluated varying the pH (3-11) for HWW and aqueous solution. More than 95% of the β-blockers were degraded independently of the initial pH, while above 50% of the aromaticity was removed. In aqueous solution the β-blockers were degraded in 10 min treatment and the identification of the DPs were carried out for process pH 5, 7 and 9. Catalytic ozonation (O3/Fe2+) was applied to HWW and a mineralization of 49% was achieved, with 77.9% aromaticity removal. The β-blockers were totally degraded. Therefore, the present study represents a high qualified analytical information contribution concerning the occurrence of β-blockers in HWW. The studied AOPs/Fe(VI) processes demonstrated to be suitable to degrade Atenolol, Metoprolol and Propranolol. Moreover, high removal of organic matter and aromaticity were achieved by appling O3/Fe2+ process. In many aspects, this work can be considered original, in especial, by regarding the application of Ferrate(VI) and Catalytic Ozonation to the degradation of β-blockers in HWW. / Os β-bloqueadores são uma importante classe de fármacos prescritos na terapia de doenças cardiovasculares e como consequência de seu grande e contínuo uso são comumente encontrados no meio ambiente. O presente estudo avaliou preliminarmente o risco inerente dos β-bloqueadores mais usados no Hospital Universitário de Santa Maria (HUSM), Atenolol, Metoprolol e Propranolol, evidenciando que Propranolol apresentou maior risco inerente com Quociente de Risco teórico de 0,56 (risco médio). Métodos HPLC-FLD e de clean-up/pré-concentração por SPE foram desenvolvidos e otimizados com auxílio de Metodologia de Superfície de Resposta (RSM) para avaliar a ocorrência de β-bloqueadores no sistema de esgotos do HUSM. A concentração ambiental mensurada para Atenolol, Metoprolol e Propranolol durante um ciclo semanal no ponto de lançamento Efluente PA foi 2,45; 4,67 e 0,70 μg L-1, no ponto HUSM principal 0,95; 0,70 e 0,32 μg L-1 e para o Córrego onde os efluentes são lançados de 1,26; 1,27 e 0,56 μg L-1, respectivamente. Como metodologia de remediação da contaminação de β-bloqueadores em Efluente Hospitalar (EH) foram investigados os Processos Avançados de Oxidação (PAOs) Foto-Fenton, K2FeO4, Ozonização e O3/Fe2+. Os parâmetros operacionais foram otimizados por RSM. Usando as condições otimizadas para o processo Foto-Fenton, Atenolol, Metoprolol e Propranolol foram totalmente degradados em 120 min de tratamento, contudo somente 26,5 e 38,6% da carga orgânica e aromaticidade, respectivamente, foram removidos em EH. A pronta biodegradabilidade e toxicidade para amostras aquosas do processo Foto-Fenton foram analisadas por métodos oficiais e indicaram aumento na biodegradabilidade e toxicidade. Este comportamento esta relacionado à formação de Produtos de Degradação (PD) relativamente mais tóxicos. Os PDs foram identificados por Cromatografia Líquida acoplada a Espectrometria de Massas (LC-MSn). Outro processo proposto foi oxidação-coagulação com Fe(VI) que alcançou degradação de Atenolol, Metoprolol e Propranolol acima de 90% em EH, enquanto apenas 17 e 60% da matéria orgânica e aromaticidade foram removidos, respectivamente. Em solução aquosa este processo conduziu a degradação de 71,7; 24,7 e 96,5% de Atenolol, Metoprolol e Propranolol, respectivamente. Nenhuma mineralização foi encontrada indicando a formação de PDs, identificados por LC-MSn. A pronta biodegradabilidade para as amostras aquosas pós-processo foram avaliadas e os resultados encontrados mostraram que houve aumento na biodegradabilidade. A aplicabilidade de ozonização foi avaliada variando o pH de 3-11 em EH e solução aquosa. Mais de 95% dos β-bloqueadores foram degradados independente do pH inicial, enquanto mais de 50% da aromaticidade e 30% da matéria orgânica foram. Em solução aquosa todos os β-bloqueadores foram degradados em menos de 10 min e para os processos em pH 5, 7 e 9 foram identificados os PDs. O processo de O3/Fe2+ alcançou 49% de remoção de matéria orgânica, 77,9% de redução da aromaticidade e completa degradação de Atenolol, Metoprolol e Propranolol em EH. Portanto, o presente estudo contribui com informação analítica qualificada sobre a ocorrência de β-bloqueadores em EH. Os processos de degradação estudados mostraram-se adequados para a degradação de Atenolol, Metoprolol e Propranolol. Ademais, a maior remoção de matéria orgânica e aromaticidade foram observadas para o processo de O3/Fe2+. Em muitos aspectos, este trabalho pode ser considerado original, em especial sobre a aplicação de ferrato(VI) e ozonização catalítica para a degradação de β-bloqueadores em EH.