>Magister Scientiae - MSc / Tyrosinase is an enzyme widely distributed in the biosphere and is found in many species of bacteria, fungi, animals, and plants; it is associated with melanin production. Even though it possesses many beneficial properties such as photoprotection, but overproduction causes undesirable effects such melasma, solar lentigines etc. Therefore, tyrosinase enzyme inhibitors are of far-ranging importance in cosmetics, medicinal products, and food industries. This study is aimed to test anti-tyrosinase activity in 37 plants from 20 families using mushroom tyrosinase inhibition method; each plant was extracted with methanol. The results showed that 17 plant extracts, exerted a considerable level of in vitro tyrosinase inhibition comparable to positive controls of kojic acid in the same solvent systems when evaluated spectrophotometrically. Among plant extracts, those that showed an inhibition rate >50 % at 50 μg/ml and ˃60 % at 200 μg/ml were A. karroo (Hayne.), A. afra Jacq. Ex Willd, C. geifolia (L.), E. racemosa (L.), H. petiolare Hilliard & B.L.Burt, M. quercifolia (L.), M. communis (L.), P. rigida (Wikstr.), P. ecklonii (Benth.), P. ericoides (L.), S. Africanacaerulea (L.), S. Africana-lutea (L.), S. antarcticus (Willd.), S. lucida (L.) F.A.Barkley, S. hamilifolius (L.), S. furcellata R.Br and T riparia which exhibited great anti-tyrosinase activity.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:30:55Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2010-06-01Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T19:01:01Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 zieri_r_dr_sjrp.pdf: 889017 bytes, checksum: 170c2d62d9c91d29ca0d8ba71a162b3b (MD5) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / Os vertebrados ectotérmicos apresentam um desenvolvido sistema de células com pigmentos melânicos em seu citoplasma, localizado em diversos órgãos e membranas. A dispersão dos grãos de melanina dentro dos melanócitos responde fortemente à exposição ao hormônio estimulante de melanócitos (MSH) e aos hormônios sexuais, promovendo alteração na coloração. Este trabalho buscou avaliar o efeito dos esteróides cipinato de testosterona, 17 β-estradiol e do MSH sobre a pigmentação hepática e testicular de Eupemphix nattereri, mediante análise histológica, e ultra-estrutural. Foram coletados 60 machos adultos na região de São José do Rio Preto, SP. Para cada experimento, dez machos adultos receberam doses subcutâneas contendo 0,5 mg/kg de cipionato de testosterona e 0,5 mg/kg de 17 β-estradiol, dissolvidos em óleo vegetal e, 2,5x10-7 mmol/10g de α-MSH dissolvido em PBS, durante 7 dias, a cada 48h. O grupo controle recebeu apenas óleo vegetal ou PBS. Grupos com cinco animais foram eutanasiados 24h após do término do tratamento, e outros cinco, após 15 dias. Foram realizados estudos morfológicos utilizando microscopia de luz e microscopia eletrônica de transmissão. No tecido hepático foram encontradas células de Kupffer. No interstício testicular observou-se melanócitos, com inúmeros melanossomos. Para o grupo tratado com cipionato de testosterona, foi observado um aumento de aproximadamente 2x na área ocupada pelas células pigmentadas no fígado e 4x nos testículos mediante analise a curto prazo. Para o mesmo tratamento, foi observado aumento de 1,8x no fígado dos animais eutanasiados após 15 dias. Tal resposta pode ser decorrente do aumento da atividade melanossintética, do aumento do número de células, ou ambos. Os animais tratados com 17 β-estradiol e α- MSH não apresentaram alterações na pigmentação hepática e testicular mediante... / Ectothermic vertebrates have a well-developed system of melanin-containing cells, which are distributed throughout several organs and tissues. The dispersion of melanin-containing granules within melanocytes responds to prolonged exposure to high concentration of MSH and sexual hormones inducing color change. The present study aimed to characterize morphological and stereological patterns of pigmented cells in liver and testis of the Eupemphix nattereri under effect of testosterone cypionate, 17 β-estradiol and α-MSH. Sixty adult males were collected in São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo State, Brazil. For each experiment, ten adult males were treated with the following hormones injected in the dorsal lymph sac during seven days: (1) 5 mg/kg dose of testosterone cypionate or (2) 5 mg/kg dose of 17 β-estradiol (dissolved in vegetal oil) or (3) 2,5x10-7 mmol/10g of α-MSH (dissolved in PBS). The control group received only vegetal oil or PBS solution at the same hormonal concentration. Groups of five animals were euthanatized after 24h and the other five, after 15 days. Morphological studies with light and transmission electron microscopy were carried out in the groups. In the hepatic tissue were found Kupffer cells, which are characterized by multivesicle bodies in the cytoplasm and large amount of melanosomes. In the testis, melanocytes-like cells are present in the interstitium. They presented large and irregular aspect and a great amount of intensely pigmented cytoplasm. For the groups treated with testosterone cypionate an increase of approximately 2x in the occupied area by the pigmented cells in the liver and 4x in the testis was observed in the treatment group against the control. The observed response can be due to increase of melanosynthesis Introdução 3 Zieri et al., 2010 activity, increase in the number of pigmented cells, or both. Moreover, for the same treatment... (Complete abstract click electronic access below)

Le mélanome cutané est le cancer de la peau le plus agressif et malgré d’importants progrès dans sa prise en charge thérapeutique, la recherche de nouvelles stratégies se poursuit pour les patients non éligibles à la chimiothérapie ciblée ou non répondeurs aux thérapies actuelles. Le laboratoire UMR990 travaille sur une stratégie de radiothérapie interne vectorisée (RIV) utilisant des ligands ciblant spécifiquement et durablement la mélanine. Parmi ceux-ci la molécule ICF01012 couplée à l’iode 131 induit une inhibition significative de la croissance tumorale de tumeurs murines et de xénogreffes humaines pigmentées, associée à un allongement de la médiane de survie des animaux. Les objectifs de la thèse ont eu pour but i) de réaliser des études de dosimétrie dans un modèle de mélanome humain ii) d’approfondir les mécanismes de réponse à la RIV dans les modèles murins et humains iii) de potentialiser l’effet de cette stratégie par la co-injection de molécules radiosensibilisantes. L’étude dosimétrique réalisée sur le modèle de xénogreffe SK-Mel 3 montre ainsi que la croissance de ces tumeurs, qui possèdent environ 3 fois moins de mélanines que les tumeurs B16, est contrôlée de façon significative par 3 injections successives de 25 MBq. Ceci conforte l’idée d’approche théranostique avec la nécessité de caractériser les lésions d’un patient par imagerie en termes de cibles disponibles pour adapter le traitement. Nous montrons que dans les tumeurs SK-Mel 3, l’augmentation de la quantité de mélanines chez les animaux traités avec [131I]ICF01012 est similaire pour la phéo et l’eumélanine. De façon intéressante dans le modèle B16Bl6, le traitement avec [131I]ICF01012 réduit le nombre de métastases spontanées ou de colonies pulmonaires. Ce traitement est donc performant sur les petites tumeurs ou les cellules circulantes. Les mécanismes associés à la RIV sont superposables avec ceux induits par des irradiations externes à savoir cassures de l’ADN et arrêt de cycle. Les altérations moléculaires sont cependant différentes en fonction du statut du gène p53 des cellules tumorales. Le traitement avec [131I]ICF01012 induit un contrôle tumoral limité dans le temps, l’utilisation de radiosensibilisants est donc d’intérêt. Le coDbait est une petite molécule d’ADN qui mime une cassure double-brin d’ADN et sert ainsi de leurre pour les enzymes de réparation. Les modèles B16Bl6 et SK-Mel 3 ont été traités par [131I]ICF01012 associé à des injections intratumorales de coDbait. Les résultats obtenus sur la croissance tumorale et la survie des animaux montrent que l’association des deux molécules est synergique dans le modèle SK-Mel 3 à croissance lente et additive dans le modèle B16Bl6. Nous avons ainsi montré la possibilité d’augmenter les effets de la RIV dans les modèles précliniques par la déstabilisation des processus de réparation. Des travaux préliminaires montrent également un effet positif des nanoparticules de gadolinium sur l’efficacité d’[131I]ICF01012 dans le modèle B16Bl6. Les mécanismes mis en jeu restent à être définis. En conclusion, nos travaux montrent que la molécule [131I]ICF01012 constitue une thérapie alternative aux traitements conventionnels pour le mélanome métastatique pigmenté. [131I]ICF01012 est en cours de transfert clinique chez l’homme. / Melanoma is a highly aggressive skin cancer and despite the significant progress in its therapeutic management, the research keeps on developing new strategies for non-eligible patients for targeted chemotherapy or without successful therapy. The UMR990 is working on targeted radiotherapy (TRT) using ICF01012 vector labeled with iodine 131, with a high affinity for melanin and therefore for pigmented melanoma. [131I]ICF01012 induces a significant decrease of the tumoral growth in syngenic B16 models and human melanoma xenografts and a significant improvement of the survival median. The aims of the present work were i) to evaluate the dosimetry in human melanoma model, ii) to study mechanisms after TRT injection in xenografts and murin pigmented melanoma, iii) to potentiate the efficiency of this strategy using radiosensitizer. The dosimetric study showed that in SK-Mel 3 model, less pigmented than B16Bl6 tumors, the tumoral growth was significant controlled by 3 successive injections of 25 MBq. The theranostic approach is then necessary to characterize the available quantity of targets in the patient before treatment. The melanin content demonstrated that repeated injections of [131I]ICF01012 in xenografts induced an increase of melanin without any enrichment of the pheomelanin, an oxydant pigment. Interestingly, the treatment with [131I]ICF01012 reduced the number of spontaneous metastases or lung colonies in the B16Bl6 model. This treatment was then effective on small tumors or circulating cells. Consecutive mechanisms to the TRT were similar to those induced by external irradiation: DNA breaks and cell cycle arrest. However, they differed depending on p53 status of tumoral cells. The tumor regression was uncompleted after [131I]ICF01012 treatment and co-injection with radiosensitizers could improve its efficiency. We used small DNA molecules, called coDbait, mimicking the double-strand breaks to trap repairing enzymes. Syngenic model B16Bl6 and xenograft SK-Mel 3 were treated by [131I]ICF01012 and coDbait intratumoral injection. A synergistic effect of the two molecules was observed on SK-Mel 3 model, while the effect was additive in B16Bl6, a model with a fast doubling time. The coDbait destabilized the repairing process after treatment with [131I]ICF01012. Preliminary studies showed a positive effect of gadolinium nanoparticles on the efficiency of [131I] ICF01012 towards B16Bl6 tumors. The mechanisms involved remained to be defined. In conclusion, these data suggest that [131I]ICF01012 is a promising treatment for patients with pigmented metastatic melanoma.

Lignins are produced by all vascular plants and they represent one of the most abundant groups of biopolymers in nature. Lignin chemistry research, which has been of great importance for the progress of pulping technologies, has been plagued by the difficulties of its isolation and characterization. The pioneering work of Karl Freudenberg in the 1950’s with synthetic models of lignin paved the way for a detailed structural characterization of many lignin substructures. His work with the so-called “synthetic lignins” or dehydrogenative polymers (DHP) also laid a foundation for understanding how different lignin substructures are formed, reinforcing the already existing theory of lignin polymerization. However, subsequent structural characterizations of DHPs and lignins have repeatedly put this theory to the test. In the past decade, even a new radically different hypothesis for lignin polymerization has emerged and is sustained by a few researchers in the field. In this work, DHPs were produced from phenolic monomers, mostly coniferyl alcohol, a common lignin monomer, in a variety of reaction conditions. This was done in order to establish how different chemical factors, potentially active in the plant cell wall during lignin polymerization, influence the polymer’s final properties. In the presence of nicotine amide adenine dinucleotide (NADH), a quinone methide model, which is an intermediate formed during lignin polymerization, was effectively reduced. An equivalent reduced structure was produced during DHP synthesis in the presence of NADH. These studies showed that reduction might take place during oxidative polymerization, possibly explaining how reduced lignin structures are formed in the plant cell wall. Another reductive agent, ascorbic acid, was also tested during synthesis of DHPs. It displayed a totally different effect than NADH, probably due to its anti-oxidant nature, by altering the final amounts of certain inter-unit substructures, in favour of β-O-4′ structures, which are so prominent in natural lignins. Furthermore, the new suggested model for lignin polymerization, stating that lignin itself possesses the ability for template replication, was tested by synthesizing DHPs in the presence of a simple β-β′ substructure model. The DHPs produced the same amounts of β-β′ substructures as a control synthesis without the model structure, indicating that no replication had occurred. Finally, the role of the monolignol γ-carbon oxidation state in lignin polymerization, was studied. Hypothetically, lignin- like polymers could be produced by the plant, using monolignol biosynthetic precursors which exhibit γ-carbonyl groups instead of an alcohol group, like the common lignin monomer. Synthetic lignins produced with ferulic acid, coniferaldehyde and the normal monolignol, coniferyl alcohol, displayed important differences in chemical and physical properties. Both the ferulic acid and coniferaldehyde polymers exhibited almost no saturated inter-unit substructures and very few cyclic structures, both of which are very common in coniferyl alcohol dehydrogenative polymers and natural lignins. This could have significant implications for the formation of an important type of lignin carbohydrate complexes (LCC). Also the hydrophobicity of the alcohol-type polymer was lower than the other two. The biological implications of all these findings are discussed and some suggestions are made to explain how all these factors might affect lignin polymerization and structure in nature. / QC 20100811

Melanin is the dark pigment found in most organisms that gives color to the skin, hair, feathers, and eyes of vertebrates. While melanin is known to also be present in the stria vascularis of the mammalian cochlea, its function in the inner ear is still unknown. Some previous studies have indicated that melanin may serve to protect the mammalian ear from hearing loss. Minimal previous research on melanin within the inner ears of fishes has been conducted. In this study, the melanin levels in the inner ears of different color morphs of two fish species (Poecilia latipinna and Cyprinus carpio) were examined, as well as the potential protective role of melanin from acoustical stress. To identify the relationship between fish color morph and inner ear melanin, a spectrophotometric melanin assay was used for dissected inner ears, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was used to examine melanosome structure in the crus commune of the inner ears. For each color morph and species, hearing thresholds were quantified before and after sound exposure (150 Hz tone at 165 dB re 1 μPa for 48 h) by measuring auditory evoked potentials (AEPs). Melanin levels were associated with scale color, with black morphs having more inner ear melanin than white or golden morphs. TEM imaging showed that melanosome size varied among color morphs, with black P. latipinna morphs having larger melanosomes than white morphs. Hearing thresholds did not differ significantly among color morphs before sound exposure in either species. However, hearing thresholds post-sound exposure and the associated threshold shifts significantly differed between black morphs and other color morphs in the two species, with black morphs having lower thresholds and exhibiting less hearing loss than the other morphs. This suggests that melanin plays a protective role in the teleost inner ear, similar to what other researchers have found in mammalian models. Teleost fishes may be a new, more efficient model for testing melanin's function in the inner ear and how it interacts with stress from acoustical trauma and ototoxic drugs.

Conducting polymer is a rapidly developing area of research due to its potential in combining the physical properties of polymers with electrical properties previously found only in inorganic systems. These conducting polymers owe their unique properties to a conjugated polymer backbone and become conducting upon oxidation or reduction. Melanin, a biopolymer, possess a conjugated backbone required of a conducting polymer, and has shown properties of an amorphous semiconductor. However, there has not been much study done in this area despite its potential, and this is partially due to the lack of processing methods as melanin is generally synthesised as an intractable powder. Thus, a better synthetic method was required, and a possible solution is the use of electrochemical synthesis. In our previous study we have shown that melanin can be synthesised electrochemically as a free-standing film, which was the first step towards the use of melanin as a bulk material. This project aims to continue from this preliminary work, investigating the various synthetic parameters and possible modifications as well as investigating possible applications for the electrochemically synthesised melanin film.

Melanins are a class of bio-macromolecules that are found throughout the biosphere. They fulfill various functions in human beings, which makes them a long studied substance in medicine and biology. Furthermore they possess a set of rare and special physico-chemical properties which include featureless broad band absorption in the UV-Vis spectrum and condensed phase electrical conduction. Many scientists have interpreted their findings in terms of an amorphous semiconductor model, but this was done under the a priori assumption that charge transport in melanin is electronic. However, a very strong dependence of melanin’s electrical properties on its level of hydration has recently led to speculations that the dominant charge carrier for high hydration is of protonic rather than electronic nature. This thesis will present direct evidence for electronic charge transport, found by investigating the influence of different environmental parameters on the conductivity of melanin. It will furthermore be shown that the hydration dependent conductivity of melanin can be understood in terms of a dielectric response model for an amorphous semiconductor. This establishment of the major charge carrier is an important step in the on-going effort to fully map the structure-property relationship of melanin and will help to understand its function in vivo. With the ultimate goal to make use of melanin’s fascinating properties, thin films, a new class of device has been characterized and investigated. These thin films, while exhibiting melanin’s characteristics, show improved mechanical stability, a very uniform morphology and a much faster response than standard pellet samples. They are furthermore applicable to standard polymer processing techniques which brings technological applications within reach.

A paracoccidioidomicose (PCM) é uma micose granulomatosa sistêmica, que tem como agentes etiológicos fungos dimórficos do gênero Paracoccidioides. A produção de melanina por vários fungos interfere no mecanismo da patogênese, como ocorre na paracoccidioidomicose. O presente projeto visou avaliar a produção de melanina pelos isolados de P. lutzii, e seus efeitos in vitro, avaliando o processo de fagocitose. Os resultados obtidos durante este trabalho mostraram que os isolados de P. lutzii (Pb01, Pb66, ED01, Pb1578 e Pb8334) melanizam de formas diferenciadas entre eles e quando comparados com isolados de P. brasiliensis (Pb60855, Pb18 e Pbcão). Ensaios de fagocitose, com os isolados Pb18, Pb60855 e Pb01, mostraram que a melanina reduziu a porcentagem de fagocitose das leveduras não tratadas de Pb18 e Pb60855, e o contrário aconteceu com Pb01. As análises dos perfis proteicos e enzimáticos dos isolados Pb18, Pb60855 e Pb01, permitiram determinar que o isolado Pb01 produz uma menor quantidade de proteínas que Pb18 e Pb60855 nas condições ensaiadas. / Paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM) is a granulomatous systemic mycosis, whose etiological agents are dimorphic fungi of the genus Paracoccidioides. Melanin production by various fungi interferes in the mechanism of pathogenesis, as in paracoccidioidomycosis. Thus, this project aimed to evaluate the production of melanin by isolates of P. lutzii and its in vitro effects by assessing the process of phagocytosis. The results obtained during this work showed that the isolates of P. lutzii (Pb01, Pb66, ED01, Pb1578 and Pb8334) produce melanin in different ways between them and also when compared with isolates of P. brasiliensis (Pb60855, Pb18 and Pbcão). Phagocytosis assays, with Pb18, Pb60855 and Pb01, showed that melanin reduced the percentage of phagocytosis of untreated yeast of Pb60855 and Pb18 and the opposite happened with Pb01. The analysis of the protein and enzymatic profiles, of the isolates Pb18, Pb60855 and Pb01, enabled to determine that the isolated Pb01 produces a smaller amount of proteins compared with Pb18 and Pb60855 in the tested conditions.

Made available in DSpace on 2015-07-22T20:50:08Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2009-02-27 / Em vista do crescimento de infecções fúngicas oportunisticas causadas por Fusarium spp. e da resistência do fungo aos antifúngicos frequentemente utilizados, o estudo visa avaliar o perfil de sensibilidade das associações entre terbinafina, itraconazol, cetoconazol e anfotericina B frente a 20 isolados clínicos e ambientais de Fusarium solani, e verificar fatores associados a virulência como pesquisa de melanina na parede celular e a produção das enzimas extracelulares proteinase, fosfolipase, lipase e DNAse. Anfotericina B associada à itraconazol demonstrou efeito sinérgico em 15% dos isolados, sendo 33% de origem ambiental e 65% de origem clínica. Efeitos sinérgicos foram obtidos contra 10% dos isolados na associação entre anfotericina B e cetoconazol e contra 5% na associação entre anfotericina B e terbinafina. Nossos resultados revelaram efeitos aditivos e indiferentes contra as cepas testadas nas associações entre terbinafina e derivados azólicos. Não foi detectada presença de melanina na parede de F. solani. As culturas de F. solani clínicas e ambientais apresentaram atividade enzimática de proteinase positiva após coloração com ácido acético e negro de amido, com formação de halos ao redor da colônia na proporção de 30% e 45% respectivamente. Atividades enzimáticas de lipase, fosfolipase e DNAse não foram detectadas, contudo, não é possível afirmar que F. solani não produza essas enzimas, considerando que as mesmas podem ser mantidas intracelularmente e não liberadas para o meio. / Despite of the increase of opportunistic fungal infections caused by Fusarium spp. and their resistance to antifungal drugs, the aims of this study were to evaluate susceptibility profiles of 20 clinical and environmental isolates of Fusarium solani against the associations among terbinafine, itraconazole, ketoconazole and amphotericin B, and to verify the presence of associated virulence factors as melanin and extracellular enzymes (proteinase, phospholipase, lipase and DNAse). Amphotericin B combined with itraconazole showed synergism against 15% of the isolates, 33% of these was from the environment and 65% from clinical cases. Synergistic effect was observed against 10% of strains tested by association between amphotericin B and ketoconazole and against 5% in association between anphotericin B and terbinafine. The associations between terbinafine and azole derivatives showed additive effect and no difference against the samples. Presence of melanin in the F. solani cell wall was not observed. Both, clinical and environmental isolates expressed enzymatic activity of proteinase in 30% and 45% of cases. Enzymatic activity of lipase, phospholipase and DNAse were not detected; however, it was not possible to state that F. solani do not produce these enzymes, as they could manteined intracellularly and would not released to the environment. / TEDE / BV UNIFESP: Teses e dissertações

Resumo: Os vertebrados ectotérmicos apresentam um desenvolvido sistema de células com pigmentos melânicos em seu citoplasma, localizado em diversos órgãos e membranas. A dispersão dos grãos de melanina dentro dos melanócitos responde fortemente à exposição ao hormônio estimulante de melanócitos (MSH) e aos hormônios sexuais, promovendo alteração na coloração. Este trabalho buscou avaliar o efeito dos esteróides cipinato de testosterona, 17 β-estradiol e do MSH sobre a pigmentação hepática e testicular de Eupemphix nattereri, mediante análise histológica, e ultra-estrutural. Foram coletados 60 machos adultos na região de São José do Rio Preto, SP. Para cada experimento, dez machos adultos receberam doses subcutâneas contendo 0,5 mg/kg de cipionato de testosterona e 0,5 mg/kg de 17 β-estradiol, dissolvidos em óleo vegetal e, 2,5x10-7 mmol/10g de α-MSH dissolvido em PBS, durante 7 dias, a cada 48h. O grupo controle recebeu apenas óleo vegetal ou PBS. Grupos com cinco animais foram eutanasiados 24h após do término do tratamento, e outros cinco, após 15 dias. Foram realizados estudos morfológicos utilizando microscopia de luz e microscopia eletrônica de transmissão. No tecido hepático foram encontradas células de Kupffer. No interstício testicular observou-se melanócitos, com inúmeros melanossomos. Para o grupo tratado com cipionato de testosterona, foi observado um aumento de aproximadamente 2x na área ocupada pelas células pigmentadas no fígado e 4x nos testículos mediante analise a curto prazo. Para o mesmo tratamento, foi observado aumento de 1,8x no fígado dos animais eutanasiados após 15 dias. Tal resposta pode ser decorrente do aumento da atividade melanossintética, do aumento do número de células, ou ambos. Os animais tratados com 17 β-estradiol e α- MSH não apresentaram alterações na pigmentação hepática e testicular mediante... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: Ectothermic vertebrates have a well-developed system of melanin-containing cells, which are distributed throughout several organs and tissues. The dispersion of melanin-containing granules within melanocytes responds to prolonged exposure to high concentration of MSH and sexual hormones inducing color change. The present study aimed to characterize morphological and stereological patterns of pigmented cells in liver and testis of the Eupemphix nattereri under effect of testosterone cypionate, 17 β-estradiol and α-MSH. Sixty adult males were collected in São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo State, Brazil. For each experiment, ten adult males were treated with the following hormones injected in the dorsal lymph sac during seven days: (1) 5 mg/kg dose of testosterone cypionate or (2) 5 mg/kg dose of 17 β-estradiol (dissolved in vegetal oil) or (3) 2,5x10-7 mmol/10g of α-MSH (dissolved in PBS). The control group received only vegetal oil or PBS solution at the same hormonal concentration. Groups of five animals were euthanatized after 24h and the other five, after 15 days. Morphological studies with light and transmission electron microscopy were carried out in the groups. In the hepatic tissue were found Kupffer cells, which are characterized by multivesicle bodies in the cytoplasm and large amount of melanosomes. In the testis, melanocytes-like cells are present in the interstitium. They presented large and irregular aspect and a great amount of intensely pigmented cytoplasm. For the groups treated with testosterone cypionate an increase of approximately 2x in the occupied area by the pigmented cells in the liver and 4x in the testis was observed in the treatment group against the control. The observed response can be due to increase of melanosynthesis Introdução 3 Zieri et al., 2010 activity, increase in the number of pigmented cells, or both. Moreover, for the same treatment... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Orientador: Classius de Oliveira / Coorientador: Sebastião Roberto Taboga / Banca: Rejane Maira Góes / Banca: Patrícia Simone Leite Vilamaior / Banca: Selma Maria Almeida Santos / Banca: Wagner José Fávaro / Doutor