Introdução: A hipertrofia cardíaca induzida por sobrecarga hemodinâmica crônica (HC) é caracterizada por espessamento das paredes do ventrículo esquerdo e do tecido intersticial. As atividades aumentadas de calpaína-1 e metaloproteinase de matriz(MMP)-2 são observadas em diferentes modelos de hipertensão arterial e estão relacionadas com as mudanças fisiopatológicas na HC. Por outro lado, a atividade de MMP-2 parece ser modulada positivamente por ativação de calpaína-1 em diferentes modelos. O objetivo deste trabalho é analizar se a calpaína-1 contribui para o aumento da atividade de MMP-2 no coração e se esse mecanismo resulta nas mudanças crônicas cardíacas na hipertensão renovascular. Métodos: Ratos Wistar submetidos ao modelo de 2-rins-1 clipe (2R-1C)(180-200g) e seus respectivos controles (Sham) foram tratados com verapamil (VRP), um bloqueador de canais para cálcio tipo L (BCCL, 8mg/kg/bid) ou veículo durante 8 semanas. O BCCL reduz as concentrações intracelulares de cálcio, o que leva à diminuição da ativação de calpaína-1, e então à possível modulação da atividade e expressão proteica de MMP-2. Pressão arterial sistólica (PAS) dos ratos foi monitorada durante 10 semanas de hipertensão por pletismografia de cauda. O ventrículo esquerdo (VE) foi analisado por histologia e ecocardiografia para avaliação das dimensões ventriculares. A atividade de calpaína-1 e MMP-2 foi avaliada por zimografia em gel. A expessão proteica de calpaína-1 e MMP-2 foi avaliada por western blot e imunofluorescência. Os corações foram submetidos à avaliação funcional por Langendorff. Todos os protocolos foram aprovados pelo Comitê de Ética em Pesquisa Animal da Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto (43/2017). Resultados: Após 10 semanas, a PAS teve um aumento sustentado nos animais 2R-1C e o tratamento com VRP não foi capaz de reduzí-la em nenhum tempo de hipertensão. O peso corporal não apresentou diferença significativa entre os grupos. O grupo hipertenso teve um aumento da massa cardíaca quando comparado ao sham e o tratamento com verapamil reduziu esse parâmetro. A análise da espessura do ventrículo esquerdo demonstra que o VRP é capaz de reverter a HC induzida por sobrecarga pressórica nos animais hipertensos. Os animais 2R-1C apresentaram um aumento singificativo na expressão proteica e atividade de calpaína-1 e o VRP foi capaz de diminuir esses níveis. Foi observado aumento da atividade das isoformas de MMP-2 nos ratos 2R-1C quando comparados aos controles e o VRP foi capaz de reduzir a atividade da isoforma de 64kDa. A contratilidade cardíaca intrínseca dos animais 2R-1C sugere uma disfunção cardíaca quando comparados aos controles sham, embora a fração de ejeção desses animais esteja preservada. O VRP não foi capaz de alterar esses parâmetros. Conclusão: O VRP pode contribuir para a redução da hipertrofia cardíaca por diminuir a expressão proteica de calpaína-1 e MMP-2 na hipertensão renovascular. Apoio financeiro: Capes, CNPq, FAPESP / Introduction: The chronic hemodynamic overload-induced cardiac hypertrophy (CH) is characterized by thickening of the left ventricle walls and hypertrophy of the cardiomyocytes and interstitial tissue. Increased activity of calpain-1 and matrix metalloproteinase(MMP)-2 was observed in different models of arterial hypertension models and contributes to the pathophysiologic changes shown in CH. On the other hand, MMP-2 activity is also positively modulated by activation of calpain-1 in different animal models of cardiovascular diseases. The objectives here are to analyze whether calpain-1 contributes to increase the activity of MMP-2 in the heart and whether this mechanism results in chronic cardiac changes in the renovascular hypertension. Methods: Two kidney-one clip (2K1C) hypertensive male Wistar rats (180-200g) and their respective controls (Sham) were orally treated with verapamil (VRP), a L-type calcium channels blocker (LCCB, 8mg/kg/bid), or vehicle during 8 weeks. The LCCB reduces the intracellular concentration of calcium, thus decreasing the activation of calpain-1, and then may modulate the activity of MMP-2. Systolic blood pressure (SBP) was monitored in the rats during 10 weeks of hypertension. Left ventricle (LV) was analyzed by histology and echocardiography to evaluate ventricle thickening. Calpain- 1 and MMP-2 activities were analyzed by zymography and their expression by immunofluorescence and western blot. Hearts were submitted to functional evaluation by Langendorff. All the protocols were approved by the Ethical Committee in Animal Research of Ribeirao Preto Medical School (43/2017). Results: After 10 weeks, the systolic blood pressure had sustained increase and treatment with VRP was not able to decrease it in any time of hypertension. The body weight did not present significant changes between the groups. Hypertensive group had significant increase in the ventricle/body weight ratio (VW/BW) when compared to sham and treatment with VRP decreased it. Analysis of ventricle thickening showed that VRP is able to revert CHinduced pressure overload. The 2K-1C rats showed a significant increase in the activity and expression of calpain-1 in the heart and VRP reverted it. It was also observed increased activity of MMP-2 forms in the hypertensive rats and VRP decreased the 64kDa MMP-2 activity. The 2K-1C group had cardiac dysfunction when compared to controls groups, and VRP did not alter it. The ejection fraction was not changed in 2K- 1C rats. Conclusion: VRP decreased expression and activity of calpain-1 and MMP-2 in the hearts of 2K-1C rats and then contributed to ameliorate hypertension-induced cardiac hypertrophy

Introdução: A hipertrofia cardíaca induzida por sobrecarga hemodinâmica crônica (HC) é caracterizada por espessamento das paredes do ventrículo esquerdo e do tecido intersticial. As atividades aumentadas de calpaína-1 e metaloproteinase de matriz(MMP)-2 são observadas em diferentes modelos de hipertensão arterial e estão relacionadas com as mudanças fisiopatológicas na HC. Por outro lado, a atividade de MMP-2 parece ser modulada positivamente por ativação de calpaína-1 em diferentes modelos. O objetivo deste trabalho é analizar se a calpaína-1 contribui para o aumento da atividade de MMP-2 no coração e se esse mecanismo resulta nas mudanças crônicas cardíacas na hipertensão renovascular. Métodos: Ratos Wistar submetidos ao modelo de 2-rins-1 clipe (2R-1C)(180-200g) e seus respectivos controles (Sham) foram tratados com verapamil (VRP), um bloqueador de canais para cálcio tipo L (BCCL, 8mg/kg/bid) ou veículo durante 8 semanas. O BCCL reduz as concentrações intracelulares de cálcio, o que leva à diminuição da ativação de calpaína-1, e então à possível modulação da atividade e expressão proteica de MMP-2. Pressão arterial sistólica (PAS) dos ratos foi monitorada durante 10 semanas de hipertensão por pletismografia de cauda. O ventrículo esquerdo (VE) foi analisado por histologia e ecocardiografia para avaliação das dimensões ventriculares. A atividade de calpaína-1 e MMP-2 foi avaliada por zimografia em gel. A expessão proteica de calpaína-1 e MMP-2 foi avaliada por western blot e imunofluorescência. Os corações foram submetidos à avaliação funcional por Langendorff. Todos os protocolos foram aprovados pelo Comitê de Ética em Pesquisa Animal da Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto (43/2017). Resultados: Após 10 semanas, a PAS teve um aumento sustentado nos animais 2R-1C e o tratamento com VRP não foi capaz de reduzí-la em nenhum tempo de hipertensão. O peso corporal não apresentou diferença significativa entre os grupos. O grupo hipertenso teve um aumento da massa cardíaca quando comparado ao sham e o tratamento com verapamil reduziu esse parâmetro. A análise da espessura do ventrículo esquerdo demonstra que o VRP é capaz de reverter a HC induzida por sobrecarga pressórica nos animais hipertensos. Os animais 2R-1C apresentaram um aumento singificativo na expressão proteica e atividade de calpaína-1 e o VRP foi capaz de diminuir esses níveis. Foi observado aumento da atividade das isoformas de MMP-2 nos ratos 2R-1C quando comparados aos controles e o VRP foi capaz de reduzir a atividade da isoforma de 64kDa. A contratilidade cardíaca intrínseca dos animais 2R-1C sugere uma disfunção cardíaca quando comparados aos controles sham, embora a fração de ejeção desses animais esteja preservada. O VRP não foi capaz de alterar esses parâmetros. Conclusão: O VRP pode contribuir para a redução da hipertrofia cardíaca por diminuir a expressão proteica de calpaína-1 e MMP-2 na hipertensão renovascular. Apoio financeiro: Capes, CNPq, FAPESP / Introduction: The chronic hemodynamic overload-induced cardiac hypertrophy (CH) is characterized by thickening of the left ventricle walls and hypertrophy of the cardiomyocytes and interstitial tissue. Increased activity of calpain-1 and matrix metalloproteinase(MMP)-2 was observed in different models of arterial hypertension models and contributes to the pathophysiologic changes shown in CH. On the other hand, MMP-2 activity is also positively modulated by activation of calpain-1 in different animal models of cardiovascular diseases. The objectives here are to analyze whether calpain-1 contributes to increase the activity of MMP-2 in the heart and whether this mechanism results in chronic cardiac changes in the renovascular hypertension. Methods: Two kidney-one clip (2K1C) hypertensive male Wistar rats (180-200g) and their respective controls (Sham) were orally treated with verapamil (VRP), a L-type calcium channels blocker (LCCB, 8mg/kg/bid), or vehicle during 8 weeks. The LCCB reduces the intracellular concentration of calcium, thus decreasing the activation of calpain-1, and then may modulate the activity of MMP-2. Systolic blood pressure (SBP) was monitored in the rats during 10 weeks of hypertension. Left ventricle (LV) was analyzed by histology and echocardiography to evaluate ventricle thickening. Calpain- 1 and MMP-2 activities were analyzed by zymography and their expression by immunofluorescence and western blot. Hearts were submitted to functional evaluation by Langendorff. All the protocols were approved by the Ethical Committee in Animal Research of Ribeirao Preto Medical School (43/2017). Results: After 10 weeks, the systolic blood pressure had sustained increase and treatment with VRP was not able to decrease it in any time of hypertension. The body weight did not present significant changes between the groups. Hypertensive group had significant increase in the ventricle/body weight ratio (VW/BW) when compared to sham and treatment with VRP decreased it. Analysis of ventricle thickening showed that VRP is able to revert CHinduced pressure overload. The 2K-1C rats showed a significant increase in the activity and expression of calpain-1 in the heart and VRP reverted it. It was also observed increased activity of MMP-2 forms in the hypertensive rats and VRP decreased the 64kDa MMP-2 activity. The 2K-1C group had cardiac dysfunction when compared to controls groups, and VRP did not alter it. The ejection fraction was not changed in 2K- 1C rats. Conclusion: VRP decreased expression and activity of calpain-1 and MMP-2 in the hearts of 2K-1C rats and then contributed to ameliorate hypertension-induced cardiac hypertrophy

No description available.

The lens of the eye needs to be completely transparent in order to allow all light entering the eye to reach the retina. This transparency is maintained by the highly ordered structure of the lens proteins the crystallins. Any disruption to the lens proteins can cause an opacity to develop which is known as cataract. During cortical cataract formation there is increased truncation of the lens crystallins. It is believed that overactivation of calcium-dependent cysteine proteases, the calpains, is responsible for the increased proteolysis of the crystallins seen during cataractogenesis. Within the ovine lens there are three calpains, calpain 1, 2 and the lens specific calpain Lp82. The aim of this thesis was to determine the changes in the lens proteins during ageing and cataractogenesis, and to establish the role of the calpains in these processes. Calpain 1 and 2 were purified from ovine lung and Lp82 was purified from lamb lenses using chromatography. Activity and presence of the calpains was determined by using the BODIPY-FL casein assay, gel electrophoresis, Western blot and casein zymography. Changes in the lens proteins, specifically the crystallins, were visualised using two-dimensional electrophoresis (2DE). Lenses from fetal, 6 month old and 8 year old sheep were collected, as well as stage 0, 1, 3 and 6 cataractous ovine lenses. The proteins from the lenses were separated into the water soluble and urea soluble fractions and analysed by 2DE. Mass spectrometry was used to determine the masses and therefore modifications of the crystallins. Finally, the individual crystallins were separated using gel filtration chromatography and incubated with the purified calpains in the presence of calcium. The extent of the proteolysis was visualised using 2DE and truncation sites determined by mass spectrometry. Purification of the calpains resulted in samples that were specific for each calpain and could be used in further experiments. 2DE analysis showed that there were changes to the crystallins during maturation of the lens. The α-crystallins become increasingly phosphorylated as the lens ages and a small amount becomes truncated. The β-crystallins were also modified during ageing by truncation and deamidation. When crystallins from cataractous lenses were compared using 2DE there were changes to both the α- and β-crystallins. The α-crystallins were found to be extensively truncated at their C-terminal tail. Four of the seven β-crystallins, βB1, βB3, βB2 and βA3, showed increased truncation of their N-terminal extensions during cataract formation. All three calpains truncated αA and αB-crystallin at their C-terminal ends after incubation. Calpain 2 and Lp82 each produced unique αA-crystallin truncations. All three calpains truncated βB1 and βA3 and calpain 2 also truncated βB3. When the truncations from the calpain incubations were compared to those seen during cataract formation, many of the truncations were found to be similar. Both the unique truncations from calpain 2 and Lp82 were found in cataractous lenses, with the Lp82 more obvious in the 2DE. The β-crystallin truncations found after incubation with the calpains were similar to those found during cataractogenesis. In conclusion this study documents the changes to the ovine lens during maturation and cataractogenesis and indicates a role for the calpain family in the increased proteolysis observed in the ovine cataract.