O treinamento físico (TF) promove adaptações no sistema hematopoiético e o sítio NH2-terminal da enzima conversora de angiotensina I (ECA) hidrolisa um tetrapeptídeo hemorregulador negativo, o Acetil-Seril-Aspartil-Lisil-Prolina (Ac-SDKP). O objetivo do presente estudo foi investigar se o sítio NH2-terminal da ECA participaria nas adaptações hematopoiéticas induzidas pelo TF. Realizamos duas séries de experimentos. A primeira para determinarmos qual protocolo de TF seria o mais adequado para estudar as adaptações eritropoiéticas e a segunda para estudar o papel do sítio NH2-terminal da ECA nessas adaptações. Série de experimentos 1: ratas Wistar foram divididas em 3 grupos: controle (C), que realizaram TF (60 min/d, 5dias/sem) de 10 semanas uma vez ao dia (T1) e que realizaram o mesmo TF por 8 semanas, seguido de uma semana 2 vezes ao dia e uma semana 3 vezes ao dia (T2). Série de experimentos 2: ratas Wistar foram divididas em 4 grupos: controle (C), controle tratadas com captopril (10 mg.kg-1.dia-1) (C-Cap), treinadas sob o protocolo T2 (T2) e treinadas sob o protocolo T2 tratadas com captopril (T2-Cap). Foram medidos: 1) a pressão arterial (PA) e a freqüência cardíaca; 2) a hipertrofia cardíaca e atividade da citrato sintase; 3) o consumo máximo de oxigênio, o tempo de exercício e a distância percorrida em teste máximo; 4) a atividade catalítica dos terminais da ECA; 5) a concentração plasmática e na fração extracelular da medula óssea de Ac-SDKP; 6) o número e a proliferação de células tronco hematopoiéticas (CTH) no sangue e medula; 8) a reticulocitose e meia-vida das hemácias. As diferenças observadas apresentaram p<0,05. Série de experimentos 1: o protocolo T2 induziu maiores adaptações fisiológicas, morfológicas e funcionais em comparação ao T1. O protocolo T2 foi eficaz em promover adaptações no sistema eritropoiético como aumento no número e na capacidade proliferativa de CTH, no percentual de reticulócitos e redução na meia-vida das hemácias. O protocolo T2 aumentou a atividade catalítica do sítio NH2-terminal da ECA e reduziu a concentração plasmática e na fração extracelular da medula óssea de Ac-SDKP, o que não foi observado em T1. Série de experimentos 2: o grupo T2 apresentou aumento na atividade NH2-terminal da ECA, que foi inibido no grupo T2-Cap. A inibição do sítio NH2-terminal da ECA não influenciou a PA nem afetou as respostas ao treinamento. O grupo T2 apresentou redução na concentração plasmática e na fração extracelular da medula óssea de Ac-SDKP, enquanto no grupo T2-Cap não houve redução do Ac-SDKP no plasma e houve atenuação da redução na fração extracelular da medula óssea. Houve aumento no número e na proliferação de CTH na medula óssea e no sangue no grupo T2 e este aumento foi parcialmente inibido no grupo T2-Cap. Houve aumento na reticulocitose no grupo T2 e inibição parcial deste aumento no grupo T2-Cap. A meia-vida das hemácias foi reduzida em 50% no grupo T2, enquanto no grupo T2-Cap houve atenuação da redução. Concluímos que o protocolo de treino T2 estimula a hematopoiese pelo aumento na atividade do sítio NH2-terminal da ECA, aumento este que inativa o tetrapeptídeo Ac-SDKP. / Physical training (PT) promotes changes in the hematopoietic system and the NH2-terminal active site of angiotensin-converting enzyme I (ACE) hydrolyzes a tetrapeptide, negative hemoregulador, the acetyl-seryl-aspartyl-lysyl-proline (Ac-SDKP). The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the NH2-terminal active site of ACE plays a role in the hematopoietic changes induced by PT. We conducted two series of experiments. The first in prder to determine which PT protocol would be more appropriate to study the erythropoietic adaptations and the second to study the role of the NH2-terminal site of ACE in these adaptations. Experiment series 1: female Wistar rats were divided into 3 groups: control (C), submitted to PT (60 min/d, 5d/week) for 10 weeks once a day (T1) and submitted to the same TF for 8 weeks, followed by a week 2 times a day and a week 3 times a day (T2). Experiment series 2: female Wistar rats were divided into four groups: control (C), control treated with captopril (10 mg.kg-1.day-1) (C-Cap), trained under the protocol T2 (T2) and trained under protocol T2 treated with captopril (Cap-T2). We measured: 1) blood pressure (BP) and heart rate, 2) cardiac hypertrophy and citrate synthase activity, 3) the maximum oxygen consumption, exercise time and distance in maximal test, 4) catalytic activity ACE terminals, 5) plasma and bone marrow extracellular fraction concentration of Ac-SDKP, 6) the number and proliferation of hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) in the blood and marrow, 8) reticulocytosis and erythrocyte life-spam. The observed differences presented p <0.05. Experiment series 1: T2 protocol induced greater physiological, morphological and functional compared to T1. T2 protocol was effective in causing changes in the erythropoietic system such as increase the number and proliferative capacity of HSC, the percentage of reticulocytes and reduced erythrocyte life-spam. The protocol T2 increased the catalytic activity of the NH2-terminal site of ACE and decreased plasma and bone marrow extracellular fraction concentration of Ac-SDKP, which was not observed in T1. Experiment series 2: the T2 group showed an increase in the activity of the NH2-terminal ACE, which was inhibited in group T2-Cap. Inhibition of the NH2-terminal site of ACE did not influence or affect the BP responses to training. The T2 group showed a reduction in plasma and bone marrow extracellular fraction of Ac-SDKP, whereas in the T2-Cap there was no reduction of Ac-SDKP in plasma and there was attenuation of the reduction in the extracellular fraction of bone marrow. There was an increase in the number and proliferation of HSC in bone marrow and blood in the T2 group and this increase was partially inhibited in group T2-Cap. There was an increase in reticulocytosis in group T2 and partial inhibition of the increase in T2-Cap group. The erythrocyte life-spam was reduced by 50% in T2, while in the T2-Cap group there was attenuation of the reduction. We conclude that the training protocol T2 stimulates hematopoiesis by increasing the activity of the NH2-terminal site of ACE, an increase that inactivates the tetrapeptide Ac-SDKP.

O treinamento físico (TF) promove adaptações no sistema hematopoiético e o sítio NH2-terminal da enzima conversora de angiotensina I (ECA) hidrolisa um tetrapeptídeo hemorregulador negativo, o Acetil-Seril-Aspartil-Lisil-Prolina (Ac-SDKP). O objetivo do presente estudo foi investigar se o sítio NH2-terminal da ECA participaria nas adaptações hematopoiéticas induzidas pelo TF. Realizamos duas séries de experimentos. A primeira para determinarmos qual protocolo de TF seria o mais adequado para estudar as adaptações eritropoiéticas e a segunda para estudar o papel do sítio NH2-terminal da ECA nessas adaptações. Série de experimentos 1: ratas Wistar foram divididas em 3 grupos: controle (C), que realizaram TF (60 min/d, 5dias/sem) de 10 semanas uma vez ao dia (T1) e que realizaram o mesmo TF por 8 semanas, seguido de uma semana 2 vezes ao dia e uma semana 3 vezes ao dia (T2). Série de experimentos 2: ratas Wistar foram divididas em 4 grupos: controle (C), controle tratadas com captopril (10 mg.kg-1.dia-1) (C-Cap), treinadas sob o protocolo T2 (T2) e treinadas sob o protocolo T2 tratadas com captopril (T2-Cap). Foram medidos: 1) a pressão arterial (PA) e a freqüência cardíaca; 2) a hipertrofia cardíaca e atividade da citrato sintase; 3) o consumo máximo de oxigênio, o tempo de exercício e a distância percorrida em teste máximo; 4) a atividade catalítica dos terminais da ECA; 5) a concentração plasmática e na fração extracelular da medula óssea de Ac-SDKP; 6) o número e a proliferação de células tronco hematopoiéticas (CTH) no sangue e medula; 8) a reticulocitose e meia-vida das hemácias. As diferenças observadas apresentaram p<0,05. Série de experimentos 1: o protocolo T2 induziu maiores adaptações fisiológicas, morfológicas e funcionais em comparação ao T1. O protocolo T2 foi eficaz em promover adaptações no sistema eritropoiético como aumento no número e na capacidade proliferativa de CTH, no percentual de reticulócitos e redução na meia-vida das hemácias. O protocolo T2 aumentou a atividade catalítica do sítio NH2-terminal da ECA e reduziu a concentração plasmática e na fração extracelular da medula óssea de Ac-SDKP, o que não foi observado em T1. Série de experimentos 2: o grupo T2 apresentou aumento na atividade NH2-terminal da ECA, que foi inibido no grupo T2-Cap. A inibição do sítio NH2-terminal da ECA não influenciou a PA nem afetou as respostas ao treinamento. O grupo T2 apresentou redução na concentração plasmática e na fração extracelular da medula óssea de Ac-SDKP, enquanto no grupo T2-Cap não houve redução do Ac-SDKP no plasma e houve atenuação da redução na fração extracelular da medula óssea. Houve aumento no número e na proliferação de CTH na medula óssea e no sangue no grupo T2 e este aumento foi parcialmente inibido no grupo T2-Cap. Houve aumento na reticulocitose no grupo T2 e inibição parcial deste aumento no grupo T2-Cap. A meia-vida das hemácias foi reduzida em 50% no grupo T2, enquanto no grupo T2-Cap houve atenuação da redução. Concluímos que o protocolo de treino T2 estimula a hematopoiese pelo aumento na atividade do sítio NH2-terminal da ECA, aumento este que inativa o tetrapeptídeo Ac-SDKP. / Physical training (PT) promotes changes in the hematopoietic system and the NH2-terminal active site of angiotensin-converting enzyme I (ACE) hydrolyzes a tetrapeptide, negative hemoregulador, the acetyl-seryl-aspartyl-lysyl-proline (Ac-SDKP). The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the NH2-terminal active site of ACE plays a role in the hematopoietic changes induced by PT. We conducted two series of experiments. The first in prder to determine which PT protocol would be more appropriate to study the erythropoietic adaptations and the second to study the role of the NH2-terminal site of ACE in these adaptations. Experiment series 1: female Wistar rats were divided into 3 groups: control (C), submitted to PT (60 min/d, 5d/week) for 10 weeks once a day (T1) and submitted to the same TF for 8 weeks, followed by a week 2 times a day and a week 3 times a day (T2). Experiment series 2: female Wistar rats were divided into four groups: control (C), control treated with captopril (10 mg.kg-1.day-1) (C-Cap), trained under the protocol T2 (T2) and trained under protocol T2 treated with captopril (Cap-T2). We measured: 1) blood pressure (BP) and heart rate, 2) cardiac hypertrophy and citrate synthase activity, 3) the maximum oxygen consumption, exercise time and distance in maximal test, 4) catalytic activity ACE terminals, 5) plasma and bone marrow extracellular fraction concentration of Ac-SDKP, 6) the number and proliferation of hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) in the blood and marrow, 8) reticulocytosis and erythrocyte life-spam. The observed differences presented p <0.05. Experiment series 1: T2 protocol induced greater physiological, morphological and functional compared to T1. T2 protocol was effective in causing changes in the erythropoietic system such as increase the number and proliferative capacity of HSC, the percentage of reticulocytes and reduced erythrocyte life-spam. The protocol T2 increased the catalytic activity of the NH2-terminal site of ACE and decreased plasma and bone marrow extracellular fraction concentration of Ac-SDKP, which was not observed in T1. Experiment series 2: the T2 group showed an increase in the activity of the NH2-terminal ACE, which was inhibited in group T2-Cap. Inhibition of the NH2-terminal site of ACE did not influence or affect the BP responses to training. The T2 group showed a reduction in plasma and bone marrow extracellular fraction of Ac-SDKP, whereas in the T2-Cap there was no reduction of Ac-SDKP in plasma and there was attenuation of the reduction in the extracellular fraction of bone marrow. There was an increase in the number and proliferation of HSC in bone marrow and blood in the T2 group and this increase was partially inhibited in group T2-Cap. There was an increase in reticulocytosis in group T2 and partial inhibition of the increase in T2-Cap group. The erythrocyte life-spam was reduced by 50% in T2, while in the T2-Cap group there was attenuation of the reduction. We conclude that the training protocol T2 stimulates hematopoiesis by increasing the activity of the NH2-terminal site of ACE, an increase that inactivates the tetrapeptide Ac-SDKP.

Chronic pulmonary disorders, marked by excessive extracellular matrix deposition (ECM) or fibrosis, are the most resistant to present clinical therapies resulting in prognoses of 50% life expectancy three years from diagnosis. Inadequacies of current treatments may be attributable to limitations in non-invasive therapeutic administration modalities. However, with the use of polyketal microparticles (PKMs), a novel drug delivery vehicle, a myriad of therapeutic schemes may be explored. Polyketals are a new polymeric family characterized by tissue biocompatibility, rapid hydrolysis, and benign degradation byproducts making it attuned for pulmonary applications. Potential treatments such as siRNA, oligo nucleotides, enzymes and other biomolecules can be encapsulated within PKMs and administered non-invasively via inhalation. For this study, we selected a model therapeutic peptide, Ac-SDKP, with established anti-fibrotic properties as the load for PKMs. For lung dysfunctions accompanied by fibrotic scarring, Ac-SDKP possesses promise in restoring the normal ECM framework. To assess PKMs viability as a pulmonary drug delivery vehicle three objectives were initially defined: 1) Synthesize particles possessing aerodynamic properties conducive for aerosolization 2) Optimization of the therapeutic load, Ac-SDKP, in PKMs to levels that will translate to clinical dosing concentrations, and 3) Determine the biocompatibility of the PKMs in the lung. Optimization of the Ac-SKDP loading within PKMs and size analysis revealed that a solid in oil in water double emulsion particle synthesis technique produced the most ideal microspheres. Based on previous reports, the loading efficiency attained, when locally dispensed, should reach clinical dosing requirements. Synthesized particles were compatible with aerosolization criteria; i.e., diameters below 3 μm and low polydispersities. In addition, we evaluated PKM tissue biocompatibility using a murine lung model. Examination of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid demonstrated only a slight inflammatory response to intratracheal particle injections of PKMs whereas PLGA, a commonly used biomaterial, elicited a significantly higher response. Histological assessment of the lungs following particle injection verified PKMs biocompatibility superiority. In conclusion, small-diameter PKMs are a suitable delivery system for pulmonary drug delivery, capable of delivering small peptide therapeutics and evading the local inflammatory response. The present work will enable expansion of therapeutic avenues capable of combating chronic lung disease.