Significant morbidity and mortality continues to be associated with breast cancer and its treatments. Fisetin, a phytochemical that is present in many fruits and vegetables, has demonstrated anticancer activity. My research explores fisetin as a possible novel therapeutic modality for breast cancer. Breast cancer cell lines (MDA-MB-468, MDA- MB-231, MCF-7, T47-D, SKBR-3; mitoxantrone-resistant (MITX) and paclitaxel- resistant (Tx400) cell lines) were exposed to fisetin and cell survival was assessed by MTT, crystal violet, acid phosphatase, and colony-forming assays. Normal cells (human mammary epithelial cells, fibroblasts, human umbilical vein endothelial cells) were used as negative controls. The mechanism of action of fisetin was explored using cell cycle analysis and assays for apoptosis/necrosis, including Annexin V-propidium iodide staining and LDH-release. Apoptosis induction pathways were studied using Western blotting, as well as caspase inhibitors and cell viability assays. Flow cytometry was used to assess mitochondrial membrane stability (DiOC6 staining) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production (dihydroethidium staining). Fisetin had a dose- and time-dependent cytotoxic effect on breast cancer cell lines (e.g., 100 ?M fisetin decreased MDA-MB-468 cell number by 70% at 72h in both crystal violet and acid phosphatase assays). In contrast, the viability of normal cells was not substantially affected by concentrations of fisetin that killed breast cancer cells. Fisetin-treated breast cancer cells showed cell cycle arrest (MDA-MB-468 cells arrested at G2/M phase; MDA-MB-231 cells arrested in S- phase) and death by apoptosis (e.g., MDA-MB-468 cells showed up to 50% apoptosis and 8% late apoptosis/necrosis by Annexin V-staining; cell cycle analysis and LDH- release assays supported these results). Fisetin-induced apoptosis was associated with mitochondrial membrane permeabilization, as well as activation of the caspase cascade since the pro-apoptotic effect of fisetin was reduced in the presence of a pan-caspase inhibitor. In addition, fisetin did not cause ROS production in MDA-MB-468 or 231 cells, ruling out a role for ROS in fisetin-mediated cytotoxicity. My findings suggest that fisetin may be useful in the treatment of breast cancer.

Depression has been associated with a low-grade chronic inflammatory state, suggesting a potential therapeutic role for anti-inflammatory agents. Fisetin is a naturally occurring flavonoid in strawberries that has anti-inflammatory activities, but whether fisetin has antidepressant effects is unknown. In this study, we exposed mice to spatial restraint for 2 weeks with or without treatment with fisetin. Immobility time in the forced swimming and tail suspension test after this restraint increased in the untreated group, but this increase did not occur in the fisetin group. We administered fisetin to Abelson helper integration site-1 (Ahi1) knockout mice, which have depressive phenotypes. We found that fisetin attenuated the depressive phenotype of these Ahi1 knockout mice. We further investigated the potential mechanism of fisetin's antidepressant effects. Because TrkB is a critical signaling pathway in the mechanisms of depression, we examined whether phosphorylated TrkB was involved in the antidepressant effects of fisetin. We found that fisetin increased phosphorylated TrkB level without altering total TrkB; this increase was attenuated by K252a, a specific TrkB inhibitor. Taken together, our results demonstrated that fisetin may have therapeutic potential for treating depression and that this antidepressant effect may be mediated by the activation of the TrkB signaling pathway. (Figure presented.).

Ischemic cardiomyopathies, such as myocardial infarction (MI), are a leading cause of heart failure in both men and women throughout the world. Despite timely intervention post-MI, the loss of viable myocardium can lead to global remodeling and loss of function in many patients due to the limited regenerative potential of heart tissue. Thus, there is a critical need to better understand the repair mechanisms involved and to develop new preventative and reparative therapies for treating MI and preventing progression to heart failure. Methylglyoxal (MG) is a highly reactive dicarbonyl metabolite of glycolysis and the main precursor of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs), which can cause oxidative stress and wound healing delay. MG was shown to play an important causative role in the cellular changes, adverse remodeling and functional loss of the infarcted heart. This suggests MG as a target for therapy to restore cell-ECM signaling, inhibit oxidative stress and improve cardiac function post-MI. The aim of this PhD project was to develop new biomaterial therapies that can reduce the effects of MG, decrease oxidative stress, enhance electrical conductivity and improve cardiac contractility and function post-MI. There were three primary objectives: 1) To develop an injectable antioxidant and hydrogel system for minimizing the effects of MG and promoting cardiac repair post-MI; 2) To synthesize a nanoparticle system for targeted delivery of Glyoxalase-1 (Glo1) enzyme to cardiac tissue for reducing the accumulation of MG, limiting adverse remodeling and preserving cardiac function following MI; and 3) To design a sprayable nano-therapeutic that uses surface engineered custom designed multi-armed peptide grafted nanogold for on-the-spot coating of infarcted myocardial surface for increasing contractility of the myocardium post-MI. In the first study, a fisetin-loaded collagen type I hydrogel (fisetin-HG) was injected intramyocardially in mice at 3h post-MI, and compared to fisetin-alone, hydrogel-alone, or saline treatment. The fisetin-HG treatment increased the level of glyoxalase-1 (the main MG-metabolizing enzyme), reduced MG-AGE accumulation, and decreased oxidative stress in the MI heart, which was associated with smaller scar size and improved cardiac function. Treatment with fisetin-HG also promoted neovascularization and increased the number of pro-healing macrophages in the infarct area, while reducing the number of pro-inflammatory macrophages. The second study revealed that when delivered intravenously at 3h post-MI, our Glo1-loaded nanoparticles specifically targeted the damaged cardiac tissue, led to improved cardiac function, protected cell viability and limited infarct expansion by reducing oxidative stress post-MI. Lastly, the third study showed that, when applied at 1-week post-MI, the sprayed nanogold treatment remained at the treatment site for at least 28 days with no significant off-target organ infiltration. Our results demonstrated a remarkable increase in cardiac function, muscle contractility, and myocardial electrical conductivity post-MI. Overall, these findings show that reducing MG levels through both increased activity of Glo1 and direct MG scavenging as well as increasing cardiac contractility may be a promising approach to limit adverse cardiac remodeling, prevent damage, and preserve the function of the infarcted heart

Fisetin, a flavanol with anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, and anti-aging properties, has shown promise for reducing fat accumulation in tissue culture and animal models. This plant sourced compound has limited studies supporting its effects on fat accumulation. Therefore, this study was completed to determine fisetin’s role in fat reduction along with its mechanism of action using Caenorhabditis elegans. C. elegans is a small roundworm with roughly 65% of its genes being conserved in humans related to disease. In this study, 100 and 200 µM fisetin has shown to reduce fat accumulation in wild-type worms. Body size, locomotion, and pumping rate were assessed in wild-type worms to determine if fisetin modified worm size, speed, and feed behavior, respectively. Mutant strains were tested to elucidate a potential pathway, of which tub-1 knockout mutants failed to reduce fat accumulation after fisetin treatment, suggesting this gene’s involvement. Gene expression of tub-1 was not altered by fisetin treatment, suggesting potential post-transcriptional regulation of fisetin. This study serves as an introduction to fisetin’s fat reducing effects via a tub-1 dependent mechanism.

Submitted by Cássia Santos (cassia.bcufg@gmail.com) on 2016-08-12T11:00:29Z No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Maysa Paula da Costa - 2012.pdf: 1943875 bytes, checksum: b80f4f02efcb888e3b6b59c7d58f6bc8 (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Luciana Ferreira (lucgeral@gmail.com) on 2016-08-12T14:06:08Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Maysa Paula da Costa - 2012.pdf: 1943875 bytes, checksum: b80f4f02efcb888e3b6b59c7d58f6bc8 (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-08-12T14:06:08Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Maysa Paula da Costa - 2012.pdf: 1943875 bytes, checksum: b80f4f02efcb888e3b6b59c7d58f6bc8 (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-02-29 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / Increases in antimicrobial resistance and the side effects of available antifungal drugs have increased the need to develop new and more effective antifungal agents. Among the compounds extracted from plants, flavonoids have been considered to be possible sources of new therapeutics for fungal, bacterial and viral infections. The antifungal mechanism of action and toxicity of fisetin, flavonoid with antifungal activity previously established for the Cryptococcus neoformans species complex and dermatophytes were determined. The action of this flavonoid was evaluated by quantitation of ergosterol, cell viability by flow cytometry and by changes in fungal morphology visualized by scanning electron microscopy. The fisetin toxicity was determined in vitro through the evaluation of hemolytic and myelotoxic potential and in vivo by acute oral toxicity. Hepatotoxicity of this flavonoid in hepatocellular carcinoma cell line (Hepg2) was performed by determination of mitochondrial viability using the MTT reduction method, evaluation of cellular and nuclear morphology by staining with May-Grunwald-Giemsa and Hoechst 33342 and analysis of viability and death cell by method of phosphatidylserine externalization. The obtained results have allowed to verify that the yeast subjected to the action of the fisetin showed a content ergosterol reduction, changes in cellular metabolism viewed in flow cytometry. Fungal cells treated with fisetin and observed by scanning electron microscopy showed in the analysis of yeast C. neoformans complex, retraction in the cell cytoplasm and in the dermatophytes there have been changes in hyphae and sharp reduction of conidia. The toxicological analysis of fisetin, observed a low potential hemolytic and an absence of damage on the granulocyte-macrophage progenitors cells. Animals treated with fisetin did not show behavioral changes, with liver and kidneys macroscopically normal. The cytotoxicity assessment observed on HepG2 cells in different concentrations of the compound showed cell viability with a range of 65.9% to 18.5% at concentrations from 3.12 to 400 μg/mL fisetin, suggesting that the action this flavonoid on the HepG2 cell line is concentration-dependent. Rare cellular and nuclear morphological changes, with few cells in apoptosis were observed in HepG2 cells in the presence of fisetin. In conclusion, although many cytotoxicity assays and mechanism of action must be made to introduce fisetin as a new drug, the present results show a favorable profile to conduct the study and development of this substance in the treatment of cryptococcosis and dermatophytosis. / O aumento na resistência aos antibióticos e os efeitos colaterais dos antifúngicos disponíveis têm aumentado a necessidade de desenvolver novos e mais eficazes agentes antifúngicos. Entre os compostos extraídos de plantas, os flavonóides são considerados como possíveis fontes de novos agentes terapêuticos para infecções fúngicas, bacterianas e virais. O mecanismo de ação antifúngica e a toxicidade de fisetina, flavonóide com atividade antifúngica previamente estabelecida para o complexo de espécies Cryptococcus neoformans e dermatófitos, foram determinados. A ação deste flavonóide foi avaliada pelo doseamento de ergosterol, pela viabilidade celular por citometria de fluxo e por alterações na morfologia fúngica visualizadas por microscopia eletrônica de varredura. A toxicidade de fisetina foi determinada in vitro através da avaliação do potencial hemolítico e mielotóxico e in vivo pela toxicidade oral aguda. A hepatotoxicidade deste flavonóide, em células da linhagem de carcinoma hepatocelular HepG2, foi realizada pela determinação da viabilidade mitocondrial usando o método de redução de MTT, avaliação da morfologia celular e nuclear por coloração com May-Grunwald-Giemsa e Hoechst 33342 e análise da viabilidade e morte celular pelo método de externalização da fosfatidilserina. Os resultados obtidos permitiram verificar que as leveduras submetidas à ação de fisetina apresentaram redução do conteúdo de ergosterol, alteração no metabolismo celular visualizadas na citometria de fluxo. As células fúngicas tratadas com fisetina e observadas por microscopia eletrônica de varredura apresentaram, na análise de leveduras do complexo C. neoformans, retração no citoplasma celular e nos dermatófitos verificaram-se modificações nas hifas e redução acentuada de conídios. Na análise toxicológica de fisetina, observou-se baixo potencial hemolítico e ausência de danos nas células progenitoras de granulócitos e macrófagos. Animais tratados com fisetina não apresentaram alterações de comportamento, com fígado e rins macroscopicamente normais. A avaliação de citotoxicidade verificada sobre células HepG2 em diferentes concentrações do composto mostrou viabilidade celular com uma variação de 65,9% a 18,5% em concentrações de 3,12 a 400 μg/mL de fisetina, sugerindo que a ação deste flavonóide sobre a linhagem celular HepG2 é concentração-dependente. Raras alterações morfológicas celulares e nucleares, com poucas células em apoptose foram observadas em HepG2 na presença de fisetina. Concluindo, embora vários outros testes de citotoxicidade e mecanismo de ação devam ser realizados para a introdução de fisetina como um novo fármaco, os resultados apresentados mostram um perfil favorável para conduzir ao estudo e desenvolvimento desta substância no tratamento de criptococose e dermatofitose.

Neste trabalho de Mestrado, foram feitos estudos do comportamento fotofísico da fisetina em diversos solventes através de medidas de absorção de luz UV-Visível, fluorescência estática e resolvida no tempo e da interação entre fisetina (3,3\',4\',7-tetrahidroxiflavona) e 7-hidroxiflavona com ciclodextrinas ( beta e gama) (CDs) através de experimentos de absorção de luz UV-Visível, sinal induzido de dicroísmo circular, fluorescência estática e resolvida no tempo, anisotropia de estado estacionário e RMN de 1H, focando a dependência destas medidas em função da temperatura e do pH. Os resultados experimentais foram comparados com estudos mecânico-quânticos baseados no modelo semi-empírico SAM1 (AMPAC), e nos funcionais B3LYP e MPW1PW91, da Teoria do Funcional de Densidade, empregando os conjuntos de funções de base 6-311G* e 3-21G**. Os estudos da fisetina em diferentes solventes próticos e apróticos mostraram que a fluorescência da sonda é fortemente dependente do solvente. Resultados experimentais indicam a formação de complexos de inclusão entre as CDs e os flavonóides acima. A fisetina com ?-CD forma complexo de estequiometria 1:1 nos meios neutro/ácido e básico, cujos valores de constante de complexação são 900 +- 100 +_ 240 +_ 90 (L/mol), respectivamente. Os dados teóricos evidenciaram que a inclusão da fisetina na beta-CD ocorre preferencialmente pelo anel fenila. O complexo com a gama-CD apresenta estequiometria de 1:1 em meio ácido/neutro e de 1:2 em meio básico, com constantes de complexação de 94 +- 30 e 130 +- 10 (L/mol), respectivamente. Os estudos com a 7-hidroxiflavona revelaram que somente ocorre a formação de complexos com a beta-CD de estequiometria 1:1 e não há dependência do pH. As constantes de complexação obtidas nos meios ácido/neutro e básico são similares, 1430 +-- 510 e 1220 +- 165 L/mol, respectivamente. / In this work, the photophysics of fisetin (3,3\',4\',7-tetrahydroxyflavone) in several solvents was studied through UV-vis absorption spectra, steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence measurements. The interaction between fisetin and 7-hydroxyflavone and cyclodextrins (b- e g-) (CDs) was also investigated by UV-vis absorption spectra, induced signal of circular dichroism, steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence, steady-state anisotropy, and 1H NMR, with dependence on pH and temperature. Some experimental data were compared with quantum-mechanics studies based on the SAM1 (AMPAC) semi-empirical model, as well as with the B3LYP and MPW1PW91 functional models from the Density Functional Theory using the 6-311G* and 3-21G* basis sets. The study of the photophysics of fisetin in protic and aprotic solvents showed a complex behavior and a strong dependence on the solvent. The occurrence of many equilibria between the possible structures of fisetin, e.g. the normal, a few deprotonated ones, and the tautomer due to the excited state intramolecular proton transfer can be responsible for the complex analyses of these experimental data. The spectroscopic measurements show that, at pH 4.0 and 6.5, the complex fisetin - b-CD is formed in a Fis:b-CD 1:1 stoichiometry and an equilibrium constant (K) of 900 ± 100 L/mol. In basic medium (pH 11.5), K decreases to 240 ± 90 L/mol. Molecular modeling points out that the inclusion complex is formed preferentially via entry of the fisetin phenyl group into b-CD. On the other hand, the fisetin - g-CD has a stoichiometry of 1:1 in acid/neutral solutions and of 1:2 in basic conditions. The K values are 94 ± 30 e 130 ± 10 (L/mol), respectively. The 7-hydroxyflavone can only form inclusion complexes with b-CD. The stoichiometry is 1:1 and there is no dependence on pH. Both equilibrium constants determined either in acid or basic medium is very similar to each other, 1430 ± 510, and 1220 ± 165 L/mol, respectively. For this reason, we suppose that the inclusion of this compound into b-CD is also through the phenyl ring of the flavonoid.

Neste trabalho de Mestrado, foram feitos estudos do comportamento fotofísico da fisetina em diversos solventes através de medidas de absorção de luz UV-Visível, fluorescência estática e resolvida no tempo e da interação entre fisetina (3,3\',4\',7-tetrahidroxiflavona) e 7-hidroxiflavona com ciclodextrinas ( beta e gama) (CDs) através de experimentos de absorção de luz UV-Visível, sinal induzido de dicroísmo circular, fluorescência estática e resolvida no tempo, anisotropia de estado estacionário e RMN de 1H, focando a dependência destas medidas em função da temperatura e do pH. Os resultados experimentais foram comparados com estudos mecânico-quânticos baseados no modelo semi-empírico SAM1 (AMPAC), e nos funcionais B3LYP e MPW1PW91, da Teoria do Funcional de Densidade, empregando os conjuntos de funções de base 6-311G* e 3-21G**. Os estudos da fisetina em diferentes solventes próticos e apróticos mostraram que a fluorescência da sonda é fortemente dependente do solvente. Resultados experimentais indicam a formação de complexos de inclusão entre as CDs e os flavonóides acima. A fisetina com ?-CD forma complexo de estequiometria 1:1 nos meios neutro/ácido e básico, cujos valores de constante de complexação são 900 +- 100 +_ 240 +_ 90 (L/mol), respectivamente. Os dados teóricos evidenciaram que a inclusão da fisetina na beta-CD ocorre preferencialmente pelo anel fenila. O complexo com a gama-CD apresenta estequiometria de 1:1 em meio ácido/neutro e de 1:2 em meio básico, com constantes de complexação de 94 +- 30 e 130 +- 10 (L/mol), respectivamente. Os estudos com a 7-hidroxiflavona revelaram que somente ocorre a formação de complexos com a beta-CD de estequiometria 1:1 e não há dependência do pH. As constantes de complexação obtidas nos meios ácido/neutro e básico são similares, 1430 +-- 510 e 1220 +- 165 L/mol, respectivamente. / In this work, the photophysics of fisetin (3,3\',4\',7-tetrahydroxyflavone) in several solvents was studied through UV-vis absorption spectra, steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence measurements. The interaction between fisetin and 7-hydroxyflavone and cyclodextrins (b- e g-) (CDs) was also investigated by UV-vis absorption spectra, induced signal of circular dichroism, steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence, steady-state anisotropy, and 1H NMR, with dependence on pH and temperature. Some experimental data were compared with quantum-mechanics studies based on the SAM1 (AMPAC) semi-empirical model, as well as with the B3LYP and MPW1PW91 functional models from the Density Functional Theory using the 6-311G* and 3-21G* basis sets. The study of the photophysics of fisetin in protic and aprotic solvents showed a complex behavior and a strong dependence on the solvent. The occurrence of many equilibria between the possible structures of fisetin, e.g. the normal, a few deprotonated ones, and the tautomer due to the excited state intramolecular proton transfer can be responsible for the complex analyses of these experimental data. The spectroscopic measurements show that, at pH 4.0 and 6.5, the complex fisetin - b-CD is formed in a Fis:b-CD 1:1 stoichiometry and an equilibrium constant (K) of 900 ± 100 L/mol. In basic medium (pH 11.5), K decreases to 240 ± 90 L/mol. Molecular modeling points out that the inclusion complex is formed preferentially via entry of the fisetin phenyl group into b-CD. On the other hand, the fisetin - g-CD has a stoichiometry of 1:1 in acid/neutral solutions and of 1:2 in basic conditions. The K values are 94 ± 30 e 130 ± 10 (L/mol), respectively. The 7-hydroxyflavone can only form inclusion complexes with b-CD. The stoichiometry is 1:1 and there is no dependence on pH. Both equilibrium constants determined either in acid or basic medium is very similar to each other, 1430 ± 510, and 1220 ± 165 L/mol, respectively. For this reason, we suppose that the inclusion of this compound into b-CD is also through the phenyl ring of the flavonoid.