Há algum tempo, o laboratório de eletrossíntese orgânica do Instituto de Química vem estudando reações de halociclização na obtenção de compostos heterocíclicos de enxofre. No presente trabalho foram utilizados γ-δ e ;-δ-ε alquenil benzil sulfetos e realizados experimentos seguindo duas metodologias diferentes: a química (reações dos substratos com bromo) e a eletroquímica (reações dos substratos com bromo gerado eletroquimicamente). Os experimentos eletroquímicos são mais vantajosos porque dispensam a manipulação de bromo que, neste método, é gerado in situ através da oxidação eletroquímica de íons brometo. As misturas de reação obtidas nestes experimentos foram submetidas à oxidação com ácido m-cloro-perbenzóico ou oxone antes de isolar e caracterizar os produtos formados. Obteve-se resultados diferentes dependendo da metodologia empregada. Para os experimentos realizados com os 2-(1-ciclopentenil)-etilbenzil sulfeto (1a), 2-(1-cicloexenil)-etil-benzil sulfeto (1b) e (5-fenil-4pentenil)-benzil sulfeto (1c) em que foi utilizado bromo, os produtos principais foram os compostos heterocíclicos esperados a saber, hexa-hidro-3a-bromociclopenta[b]tiofeno-S-dióxido (6a), octa-hidro-3a-bromo-benzo[b]tiofeno-Sdióxido (6b) e 2-(1-bromo-1-fenilmetil)-tetra-hidro-tiofeno-S-dióxido (6c) respectivamente, porém o (3-metil-3-butenil)-benzil sulfeto (1d), nas mesmas condições, conduziu à (3,4-dibromo-3-metil-butil)-benzil sulfona (3d). Nos experimentos eletroquímicos, os resultados dependeram do eletrólito de suporte e do tipo de cela utilizados. Em cela dividida, utilizando Et4NClO4 na presença de pequenas quantidades de Et4NBr, o sulfeto (1b) forneceu como produto principal o composto heterocíclico (6b) e o sulfeto (1d) forneceu o perclorato de 3-bromo-3-metil-tetra-hidro-tiofeno-S-benzil sulfônio (4d). Quando apenas Et4NBr foi empregado o produto principai para o sulfeto (1b) foi o composto de adição de bromo à ligação dupla 2-(1,2-dibromocicloexil)-etil-benzil sulfona (7b). Este mesmo substrato fornece como produto principal a 2-(1,2-epóxi-1-cicloexil)-etil-benzil sulfona (11b) quando a eletrólise é realizada em cela não dividida. / The laboratory of organic electrosynthesis of the Instituto de Química has studied halocyclisation reactions to obtain of sulfur heterocyclic compounds. In the present work, γ-δ and δ-ε alkenyl benzyl sulfides were employed and experiments were carried out using two methodologies, a chemical (substrate reactions with bromine) and an electrochemical (substrate reactions with bromine generated electrochemically). The electrochemical experiments are more suitable because they avoid handling of bromine which is generated in situ by electrochemical oxidation. The crude reaction products were oxidized with m-chloroperbenzoic acid or oxone before their separation and characterization. Different results were obtained depending upon the methodology used. When 2-benzylthio-1-(1-cyclopentene)-ethane (1a), 2-benzylthio-1-(1-cyclo hexene)-ethane (1b) and 5-benzylthio-1-phenyl-1-pentene (1c) reacted with bromine the expected cyclic compounds hexahydro-3a-bromocyclopentan [b]thiophene-S-dioxide (6a), octahydro-3a-bromobenzo[b]thiophene-S-dioxide (6b) and 2-(1-bromo-1-phenylmethyl)tetrahydro-thiophene-S-dioxide (6c) respectively, were obtained, but (3-methyl-3-butenyl) benzyl sulfide (1d) yielded (3,4-dibromo-3-methylbutyl) benzyl sulfone (3d). In the electrochemical experiments, the structure of the products depends on the salt used as electrolyte and the type of cell used in the electrolyses. In a divided cell, when Et4NClO4 in the presence of small amounts of Et4NBr was employed, the main product from sulfide (1b) was compound (6b) whereas (3-methyl-3-butenyl) benzyl sulfide (1d) yielded 3-bromo-3-methyltetrahydrothiophene-S-benzyl sulfonium perchlorate (4d). Using only Et4NBr as electrolyte (1b) gave 2-(1,2-dibromocyclohexyl)ethyl benzyl sulfone (7b). The same substrate (1b) when electrolysed in an undivided cell, and otherwise same experimental conditions, afforded, as major product, 2-(1,2-epoxy-1-cyclohexyl)ethyl benzyl sulfone (11b).

Acetoacetato (AA) e 2-metilacetoacetato (MAA) são compostos β-cetoácidos acumulados em diversas desordens metabólicas como no diabetes e na isoleucinemia, respectivamente. Examinamos o mecanismo de oxidação aeróbica de AA e MAA iniciada por intermediários reativos de mioglobina de coração de cavalo (Mb) gerados pela adição de H2O2. Uma rota quimioluminescente que envolve um intermediário dioxetânico cuja termólise gera espécies α-dicarbonílicas (metilglioxal e biacetilo) foi proposta e estudada. Emissão de luz ultra fraca acompanha a reação, e sua intensidade aumenta linearmente pelo aumento da concentração tanto de Mb (10-500 µM) quando AA (10-100 mM). Estudos de consumo de oxigênio mostraram que MAA é, como esperado, quase uma ordem de grandeza mais reativo que AA. Estudos de EPR com captação de spin, utilizando MNP, possibilitaram detectar adutos de MAA atribuíveis a um radical centrado no Cα (aN = 1.55 mT) e ao radical acetila (aN = 0.83 mT). O sinal do radical acetila é totalmente suprimido por sorbato, um conhecido e eficiente supressor de espécies tripletes, o que é consistente com uma rota reacional envolvendo um intermediário dioxetânico. Clivagem-α da ligação carbonila-carbonila do produto biacetilo triplete produziria, de fato, radicais acetila. Além disso, utilizando AA como substrato para Mb/H2O2, um sinal de EPR atribuível ao aduto MNP-AA• (aN = 1.46 mT e aH = 0.34 mT) foi observado e confirmado por efeito isotópico. O consumo de oxigênio e o rendimento de compostos α-dicarbonílicos foram dose-dependentes à concentração de AA ou MAA (1-50 mM) bem como à concentração de H2O2 adicionado às misturas de reação contendo Mb (até 1:10 quando medido o consumo de oxigênio, e até 1:25 quando medido o rendimento de compostos α-dicarbonílicos) e tert-butilhidroperóxido (até 1:200). Os perfis de pH (5,8-7,8) para consumo de oxigênio e rendimento de compostos α-dicarbonílicos mostraram maiores rendimentos para baixos valores de pH, indicativo de ferrilMb formada no ciclo peroxidático da proteína. Avaliando os níveis de lesão de Mb, os β-cetoácidos diminuíram o nível de desorganização protéica na estrutura secundária e terciária elicitada por H2O2. Ainda, houve maior preservação da estrutura primária da proteína, sendo que MAA protegeu mais em comparação a AA, embora quando utilizado este último composto, foi mostrado que há acetilação dose-dependente de Mb. Acetoacetato aumentou a velocidade de descoramento da hemeproteína, provavelmente por ataque de espécies tripletes geradas no sistema. Músculos de rato, plantar e sóleo, expostos ex vivo a concentrações citotóxicas de glicose oxidase (GOX, gera H2O2 em fluxo), foram protegidas pelos ésteres etílicos AAE e MAAE. Foi detectado biacetilo no meio intracelular em músculos expostos a MAAE e GOX. A concentração deste composto α-dicarbonílico é claramente relacionada à abundância de Mb em cada um dos tipos de músculos estudados. Em resumo, Mb tratada com metabólitos β-cetoácidos (AA e MAA) gera radicais centrados em carbono e produtos α-dicarbonílicos altamente reativos no estado triplete. Experimentos realizados com tecido muscular ex vivo sugerem que esta reação possivelmente ocorra in vivo. Levantamos a hipótese de que a geração de espécies carbonílicas reativas e seus adutos em condições de desbalanço metabólico possam contribuir para a compreensão das bases moleculares de desordens cetogênicas. / Acetoacetate (AA) and 2-methylacetoacetate (MAA) are β-ketoacids accumulated in several metabolic disorders such as diabetes and isoleucinemia, respectively. Here we examine the mechanism of AA and MAA aerobic oxidation initiated by the reactive enzyme intermediates formed by the reaction of muscle horse myoglobin (Mb) with H2O2. A chemiluminescent route involving a dioxetane intermediate whose thermolysis yields triplet α-dicarbonyl species (methylglyoxal and diacetyl) is envisaged. Accordingly, the ultraweak light emission that accompanies the reaction increases linearly by raising the concentration of both Mb (10-500 µM) and AA (10- 100 mM). Oxygen uptake studies revealed that MAA is, expectedly, almost one order of magnitude more reactive than AA. EPR spin-trapping studies with MNP detected spin adducts from MAA attributable to an α-carbon-centered radical (aN = 1.55 mT) and to an acetyl radical (aN = 0.83 mT). As the acetyl radical signal is totally suppressed by sorbate, a well-known efficient triplet species quencher, the dioxetane hypothesis seems to be reliable. The α-cleavage of the carbonyl-carbonyl bond of a putative excited triplet diacetyl product would, in fact, leads to an acetyl radical. Furthermore, using AA as substrate for Mb/H2O2, an EPR signal assignable to a MNP-AA• adduct (aN = 1.46 mT and aH = 0.34 mT) was observed and confirmed by isotope effect. Oxygen consumption and α-dicarbonyl yield were also dependent on AA or MAA concentrations (1-50 mM) as well as on the concentration of peroxide added to the Mb-containing reaction mixtures: H2O2 (up to 1:10 when measuring oxygen uptake and up to 1:25 when measuring the α-dicarbonyl yield) and t-butOOH (up to 1:200). The pH profiles (5.8-7.8) of oxygen consumption and α-dicarbonyl yield show higher reaction rates at lower pHs, indicative of a ferrylMb intermediate. Evaluating Mb lesion, both β-ketoacids reduced disorganization of the secondary and tertiary protein structure elicited by H2O2. Therefore, Mb primary structure was more preserved, and MAA was more protective than AA. Moreover using the later compound, it was shown that Mb acetylation is dose-dependent. Acetoacetate increased the rate of the hemeprotein bleaching, probably due to the attack of triplet products generated in the system. Plantaris and soleous rat muscles exposed to damaging concentrations of glucose oxidase (GOX, generates H2O2 in flux), was cytoprotected by AAE and MAAE. Intracellular diacetyl was detected in muscle samples exposed to MAAE and GOX. The α-dicarbonyl concentration is clearly related to the Mb abundance in the muscle types. In summary, Mb treated with peroxides reacts with β-ketoacid metabolites (AA and MAA), yielding carbon-centered radicals and highly reactive α-dicarbonyl products in the triplet state. Experiments carried out ex vivo with muscle tissue showed that this reaction possibly occurs in vivo. A new route for generation and accumulation of carbonyl reactive species and adducts is here proposed to occur in unbalanced metabolic situations, such as is the case of ketogenic disorders.

Magister Scientiae - MSc (Biotechnology) / Soybean have been listed as a priority commodity crop in South Africa (SA) and provide a good source of protein to the population. Therefore, soybean has been earmarked as an important food security crop and strategies are currently being discussed at governmental level to increase and sustain soybean production. However, the SA landscape poses many challenges to the agricultural sector such as prolong drought periods, flooding, nutrient poor soils, saline soils and heavy metal contaminated soils. Heavy metal (HM) contamination is becoming a serious concern and is aggravated by historical mining in SA. Indeed, SA has established itself as the number one ranked mining country in the world and is frequently mining metals such as chromium, vanadium, gold, zirconium, platinum, and antimony. Prolong rainfall near mining areas leads to acid mine drainage which lowers the soil pH to approximately two. These highly acidic soils will solubilize the metals and cause the metals to leach into river systems as well as the water table leading to increase heavy metal contamination in nearby soil sites. This increase metal content negatively affects seed germination and overall plant development. Nonetheless, plants have evolved numerous internal mechanisms that help them to survive HM toxicity; by either avoiding or tolerating the stress. Two stress-activated pathways that help the plant tolerate stress have attracted much interest i.e. the glyoxalase system and reactive oxygen species (ROS) - antioxidant system as they detoxify methylglyoxal (MG) and ROS. / 2021-08-31

Aminoacetona (AA) é um catabólito de Thr e Gly que se acumula nas síndromes cri-du-chat e treoninemia. Atualmente, a oxidação de AA é considerada uma das fontes alternativas de metilglioxal (MG), agente citotóxico e genotóxico, em diabetes mellitus. Em estados de deficiência metabólica, tal como o diabetes, há acúmulo de AA que, por sua vez, sofre oxidação na presença de amino oxidases sensíveis à semicarbazida (SSAO) com a produção de MG, H2O2 e NH4+. As SSAO são enzimas Cu-dependentes, cujo mecanismo de atuação ainda é pouco conhecido e possui como substrato, além de AA, metilamina (endógena) e a benzilamina (xenobiótico). AA possui um grupo amino vicinal à uma carbonila, o que sugere que ela possa sofrer enolização e oxidação catalisada por metal, produzindo espécies reativas de oxigênio (EROs), inclusive radicais HO•. A presente tese tem por objetivo esclarecer o mecanismo pelo qual AA sofre oxidação aeróbica, direta e catalisada por metal, com concomitante produção de EROs. Foi dada ênfase à catalise por ferro por sua implicação em desordens associadas com diabetes. Serão apresentados resultados que implicam AA como promotora de danos a membrana de mitocôndrias isoladas, bem como a estrutura proteica de ferritina e ceruloplasmina (CP). Como ferritina e CP estão envolvidas na homeostase de ferro, os danos causados a estas proteínas por AA possivelmente afetam o estado redox de plasma de diabéticos, contribuindo significantemente para o aumento do estresse oxidativo no diabetes. / Aminoacetone (AA) is a threonine and glycine catabolite long known to accumulate in cri-du-chat and threoninemia syndromes and, more recent1y, implicated as a contributing source of methylglyoxal (MG) in diabetes mellitus. AcetylCoA overproduction in diabetes also leads to AA accumulation. AA as well as many other endogenous (e.g., methylamine) and xenobiotic amines (e.g., benzylamine) are oxidized by dioxygen in the presence of SSAO, a group of poorly understood plasma circulating and membrane bound Cu-dependent enzymes, yielding an aldehyde, H2O2 and NH4+ ions. With AA, SSAO activity paradoxally produces the cytotoxic and genotoxic MG. AA bears an amino group vicinal to the carbonyl function and therefore is expected to undergo phosphate-catalyzed enolization and iron-catalyzed oxidation to yield reactive oxygen species (ROS), including HO• radicals. The present work aims to clarify the mechanisms by which AA undergoes direct and metal-catalyzed aerobic oxidation to yield deleterious ROS, with emphasis on the catalytic role of iron given its well-known implications in diabetes. In the present work we show that ROS generated through the aerobic oxidation of AA are able to induce damage in isolated rat liver mitochondria as well as in horse spleen ferritin (HoSF) and human ceruloplasmin (CP). The current findings of changes in HoSF and CP may contribute to explain intracellular iron-induced oxidative stress during AA accumulation in diabetes mellitus patients.

Há algum tempo, o laboratório de eletrossíntese orgânica do Instituto de Química vem estudando reações de halociclização na obtenção de compostos heterocíclicos de enxofre. No presente trabalho foram utilizados γ-δ e ;-δ-ε alquenil benzil sulfetos e realizados experimentos seguindo duas metodologias diferentes: a química (reações dos substratos com bromo) e a eletroquímica (reações dos substratos com bromo gerado eletroquimicamente). Os experimentos eletroquímicos são mais vantajosos porque dispensam a manipulação de bromo que, neste método, é gerado in situ através da oxidação eletroquímica de íons brometo. As misturas de reação obtidas nestes experimentos foram submetidas à oxidação com ácido m-cloro-perbenzóico ou oxone antes de isolar e caracterizar os produtos formados. Obteve-se resultados diferentes dependendo da metodologia empregada. Para os experimentos realizados com os 2-(1-ciclopentenil)-etilbenzil sulfeto (1a), 2-(1-cicloexenil)-etil-benzil sulfeto (1b) e (5-fenil-4pentenil)-benzil sulfeto (1c) em que foi utilizado bromo, os produtos principais foram os compostos heterocíclicos esperados a saber, hexa-hidro-3a-bromociclopenta[b]tiofeno-S-dióxido (6a), octa-hidro-3a-bromo-benzo[b]tiofeno-Sdióxido (6b) e 2-(1-bromo-1-fenilmetil)-tetra-hidro-tiofeno-S-dióxido (6c) respectivamente, porém o (3-metil-3-butenil)-benzil sulfeto (1d), nas mesmas condições, conduziu à (3,4-dibromo-3-metil-butil)-benzil sulfona (3d). Nos experimentos eletroquímicos, os resultados dependeram do eletrólito de suporte e do tipo de cela utilizados. Em cela dividida, utilizando Et4NClO4 na presença de pequenas quantidades de Et4NBr, o sulfeto (1b) forneceu como produto principal o composto heterocíclico (6b) e o sulfeto (1d) forneceu o perclorato de 3-bromo-3-metil-tetra-hidro-tiofeno-S-benzil sulfônio (4d). Quando apenas Et4NBr foi empregado o produto principai para o sulfeto (1b) foi o composto de adição de bromo à ligação dupla 2-(1,2-dibromocicloexil)-etil-benzil sulfona (7b). Este mesmo substrato fornece como produto principal a 2-(1,2-epóxi-1-cicloexil)-etil-benzil sulfona (11b) quando a eletrólise é realizada em cela não dividida. / The laboratory of organic electrosynthesis of the Instituto de Química has studied halocyclisation reactions to obtain of sulfur heterocyclic compounds. In the present work, γ-δ and δ-ε alkenyl benzyl sulfides were employed and experiments were carried out using two methodologies, a chemical (substrate reactions with bromine) and an electrochemical (substrate reactions with bromine generated electrochemically). The electrochemical experiments are more suitable because they avoid handling of bromine which is generated in situ by electrochemical oxidation. The crude reaction products were oxidized with m-chloroperbenzoic acid or oxone before their separation and characterization. Different results were obtained depending upon the methodology used. When 2-benzylthio-1-(1-cyclopentene)-ethane (1a), 2-benzylthio-1-(1-cyclo hexene)-ethane (1b) and 5-benzylthio-1-phenyl-1-pentene (1c) reacted with bromine the expected cyclic compounds hexahydro-3a-bromocyclopentan [b]thiophene-S-dioxide (6a), octahydro-3a-bromobenzo[b]thiophene-S-dioxide (6b) and 2-(1-bromo-1-phenylmethyl)tetrahydro-thiophene-S-dioxide (6c) respectively, were obtained, but (3-methyl-3-butenyl) benzyl sulfide (1d) yielded (3,4-dibromo-3-methylbutyl) benzyl sulfone (3d). In the electrochemical experiments, the structure of the products depends on the salt used as electrolyte and the type of cell used in the electrolyses. In a divided cell, when Et4NClO4 in the presence of small amounts of Et4NBr was employed, the main product from sulfide (1b) was compound (6b) whereas (3-methyl-3-butenyl) benzyl sulfide (1d) yielded 3-bromo-3-methyltetrahydrothiophene-S-benzyl sulfonium perchlorate (4d). Using only Et4NBr as electrolyte (1b) gave 2-(1,2-dibromocyclohexyl)ethyl benzyl sulfone (7b). The same substrate (1b) when electrolysed in an undivided cell, and otherwise same experimental conditions, afforded, as major product, 2-(1,2-epoxy-1-cyclohexyl)ethyl benzyl sulfone (11b).

Internalization and trafficking of ligand-receptor complex rely on a particular set of proteins, e.g. small GTPase protein Rab5 and its activators called guanine nucleotide exchange factors. Rab5-activating protein 6 (RAP6), a Vps9-containing protein, may participate in Rab5-mediated insulin signaling and receptor trafficking. A dicarbonyl compound methylglyoxal was found to alter insulin signaling in preadipocytes. This dissertation aimed to investigate the association of RAP6 activity on 3T3-L1 preadipocyte differentiation and those driven by methylglyoxal. Overexpression of RAP6 inhibited preadipocyte differentiation, Ser473-phosphorylation of Akt1, and expression of adipogenic marker PPARγ, but not C/EBPα. Methylglyoxal (10 µM) increased preadipocyte differentiation, proliferation and expression of PPARγ, C/EBPα and p-Akt1-Ser473, but appeared to be neutralized by RAP6 overexpression. The findings suggest that RAP6 may be a key modulator in regulating the stimulatory effect of methylglyoxal on preadipocyte differentiation. The associations of predominant methylglyoxal-derived adduct, methylglyoxal hydroimidazolone 1 (MGH1), with selected risk factors of chronic diseases in Black participants with and without type 2 diabetes (n=234 controls and n=254 cases) were also investigated. Only in individuals with diabetes, MGH1 levels were positively associated with fasting plasma glucose (B=0.240, p=0.037), homocysteine (B=0.355, p=0.014) and triglyceride (B=0.190, p=0.049). Being African Americans with type 2 diabetes was associated with lower MGH1 levels as compared to being Haitian American with diabetes (B=-0.334, p=0.016). The findings suggest that methylglyoxal may be linked to hyperglycemia and metabolic changes in type 2 diabetes, and may differently impact the development of diabetes across Black subgroups.

Acetoacetato (AA) e 2-metilacetoacetato (MAA) são compostos β-cetoácidos acumulados em diversas desordens metabólicas como no diabetes e na isoleucinemia, respectivamente. Examinamos o mecanismo de oxidação aeróbica de AA e MAA iniciada por intermediários reativos de mioglobina de coração de cavalo (Mb) gerados pela adição de H2O2. Uma rota quimioluminescente que envolve um intermediário dioxetânico cuja termólise gera espécies α-dicarbonílicas (metilglioxal e biacetilo) foi proposta e estudada. Emissão de luz ultra fraca acompanha a reação, e sua intensidade aumenta linearmente pelo aumento da concentração tanto de Mb (10-500 µM) quando AA (10-100 mM). Estudos de consumo de oxigênio mostraram que MAA é, como esperado, quase uma ordem de grandeza mais reativo que AA. Estudos de EPR com captação de spin, utilizando MNP, possibilitaram detectar adutos de MAA atribuíveis a um radical centrado no Cα (aN = 1.55 mT) e ao radical acetila (aN = 0.83 mT). O sinal do radical acetila é totalmente suprimido por sorbato, um conhecido e eficiente supressor de espécies tripletes, o que é consistente com uma rota reacional envolvendo um intermediário dioxetânico. Clivagem-α da ligação carbonila-carbonila do produto biacetilo triplete produziria, de fato, radicais acetila. Além disso, utilizando AA como substrato para Mb/H2O2, um sinal de EPR atribuível ao aduto MNP-AA• (aN = 1.46 mT e aH = 0.34 mT) foi observado e confirmado por efeito isotópico. O consumo de oxigênio e o rendimento de compostos α-dicarbonílicos foram dose-dependentes à concentração de AA ou MAA (1-50 mM) bem como à concentração de H2O2 adicionado às misturas de reação contendo Mb (até 1:10 quando medido o consumo de oxigênio, e até 1:25 quando medido o rendimento de compostos α-dicarbonílicos) e tert-butilhidroperóxido (até 1:200). Os perfis de pH (5,8-7,8) para consumo de oxigênio e rendimento de compostos α-dicarbonílicos mostraram maiores rendimentos para baixos valores de pH, indicativo de ferrilMb formada no ciclo peroxidático da proteína. Avaliando os níveis de lesão de Mb, os β-cetoácidos diminuíram o nível de desorganização protéica na estrutura secundária e terciária elicitada por H2O2. Ainda, houve maior preservação da estrutura primária da proteína, sendo que MAA protegeu mais em comparação a AA, embora quando utilizado este último composto, foi mostrado que há acetilação dose-dependente de Mb. Acetoacetato aumentou a velocidade de descoramento da hemeproteína, provavelmente por ataque de espécies tripletes geradas no sistema. Músculos de rato, plantar e sóleo, expostos ex vivo a concentrações citotóxicas de glicose oxidase (GOX, gera H2O2 em fluxo), foram protegidas pelos ésteres etílicos AAE e MAAE. Foi detectado biacetilo no meio intracelular em músculos expostos a MAAE e GOX. A concentração deste composto α-dicarbonílico é claramente relacionada à abundância de Mb em cada um dos tipos de músculos estudados. Em resumo, Mb tratada com metabólitos β-cetoácidos (AA e MAA) gera radicais centrados em carbono e produtos α-dicarbonílicos altamente reativos no estado triplete. Experimentos realizados com tecido muscular ex vivo sugerem que esta reação possivelmente ocorra in vivo. Levantamos a hipótese de que a geração de espécies carbonílicas reativas e seus adutos em condições de desbalanço metabólico possam contribuir para a compreensão das bases moleculares de desordens cetogênicas. / Acetoacetate (AA) and 2-methylacetoacetate (MAA) are β-ketoacids accumulated in several metabolic disorders such as diabetes and isoleucinemia, respectively. Here we examine the mechanism of AA and MAA aerobic oxidation initiated by the reactive enzyme intermediates formed by the reaction of muscle horse myoglobin (Mb) with H2O2. A chemiluminescent route involving a dioxetane intermediate whose thermolysis yields triplet α-dicarbonyl species (methylglyoxal and diacetyl) is envisaged. Accordingly, the ultraweak light emission that accompanies the reaction increases linearly by raising the concentration of both Mb (10-500 µM) and AA (10- 100 mM). Oxygen uptake studies revealed that MAA is, expectedly, almost one order of magnitude more reactive than AA. EPR spin-trapping studies with MNP detected spin adducts from MAA attributable to an α-carbon-centered radical (aN = 1.55 mT) and to an acetyl radical (aN = 0.83 mT). As the acetyl radical signal is totally suppressed by sorbate, a well-known efficient triplet species quencher, the dioxetane hypothesis seems to be reliable. The α-cleavage of the carbonyl-carbonyl bond of a putative excited triplet diacetyl product would, in fact, leads to an acetyl radical. Furthermore, using AA as substrate for Mb/H2O2, an EPR signal assignable to a MNP-AA• adduct (aN = 1.46 mT and aH = 0.34 mT) was observed and confirmed by isotope effect. Oxygen consumption and α-dicarbonyl yield were also dependent on AA or MAA concentrations (1-50 mM) as well as on the concentration of peroxide added to the Mb-containing reaction mixtures: H2O2 (up to 1:10 when measuring oxygen uptake and up to 1:25 when measuring the α-dicarbonyl yield) and t-butOOH (up to 1:200). The pH profiles (5.8-7.8) of oxygen consumption and α-dicarbonyl yield show higher reaction rates at lower pHs, indicative of a ferrylMb intermediate. Evaluating Mb lesion, both β-ketoacids reduced disorganization of the secondary and tertiary protein structure elicited by H2O2. Therefore, Mb primary structure was more preserved, and MAA was more protective than AA. Moreover using the later compound, it was shown that Mb acetylation is dose-dependent. Acetoacetate increased the rate of the hemeprotein bleaching, probably due to the attack of triplet products generated in the system. Plantaris and soleous rat muscles exposed to damaging concentrations of glucose oxidase (GOX, generates H2O2 in flux), was cytoprotected by AAE and MAAE. Intracellular diacetyl was detected in muscle samples exposed to MAAE and GOX. The α-dicarbonyl concentration is clearly related to the Mb abundance in the muscle types. In summary, Mb treated with peroxides reacts with β-ketoacid metabolites (AA and MAA), yielding carbon-centered radicals and highly reactive α-dicarbonyl products in the triplet state. Experiments carried out ex vivo with muscle tissue showed that this reaction possibly occurs in vivo. A new route for generation and accumulation of carbonyl reactive species and adducts is here proposed to occur in unbalanced metabolic situations, such as is the case of ketogenic disorders.

The energy metabolism of most tumor cells relies on aerobic glycolysis (Warburg effect) characterized by an increased glycolytic flux that is accompanied by the increased formation of the cytotoxic metabolite methylglyoxal (MGO). Consequently, the rate of detoxification of this reactive glycolytic byproduct needs to be increased in order to prevent deleterious effects to the cells. This is brought about by an increased expression of glyoxalase 1 (GLO1) that is the rate-limiting enzyme of the MGO-detoxifying glyoxalase system. Here, we overexpressed GLO1 in HEK 293 cells and silenced it in MCF-7 cells using shRNA. Tumor-related properties of wild type and transformed cells were compared and key glycolytic enzyme activities assessed. Furthermore, the cells were subjected to hypoxic conditions to analyze the impact on cell proliferation and enzyme activities. Our results demonstrate that knockdown of GLO1 in the cancer cells significantly reduced tumor-associated properties such as migration and proliferation, whereas no functional alterations where found by overexpression of GLO1 in HEK 293 cells. In contrast, hypoxia caused inhibition of cell growth of all cells except of those overexpressing GLO1. Altogether, we conclude that GLO1 on one hand is crucial to maintaining tumor characteristics of malignant cells, and, on the other hand, supports malignant transformation of cells in a hypoxic environment when overexpressed.

Masters of Science / In this study, we observed that phosphate (P) deficiency stunted plant growth and produced plants with poor morphological characteristics (yellow and small leaves). Furthermore, we treated plants with 0.8 mM (control) and 0.02 mM P (deficient) in addition to 6 μM methylglyoxal (MG) and we observed that the plants treated with MG had a higher germination, and better morphological characteristics (the leaves were more dark green and bigger in size) compared to the P deficient plants. However, we also observed that the P deficient plants treated with MG had low levels of both O2- and H2O2 and this could be a possible reason for the improved growth and morphological characteristics. In contrast, the P deficient plants not treated with MG had high levels of O2- and H2O2 which could be the possible reason for the observed cell death. We also performed biochemical assays including superoxide dismutase, ascorbate peroxidase, malondialdehyde content, ascorbic acid content, catalase, and most of the assays showed high levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and low levels of antioxidant activities in plants not treated with MG while high levels of antioxidant activities and low levels of ROS were observed in plants treated with exogenous MG. Since nitric oxide (NO) is also known to be a signalling molecule, we did a NO assay and observed that NO content increased under low exogenous doses of MG. From our findings we came to a hypothesis that MG modulates P deficiency stress in P. vulgaris through NO signalling or it might be that NO and MG work in tandem to modulate signalling pathways under P deficiency. Finally, we looked at the nutrient profile and the results showed that while there was a poor nutrient profile generally under P deficiency, there was an improvement in nutrient profile when MG was administered at low doses.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is ranked the second leading cause of death in Canada, with 53,704 heart disease-related deaths documented in 2020 alone. After a patient sustains cardiac injury, such as a myocardial infarction (MI), the heart is often unable to undergo sufficient self-recovery for healthy cardiac regeneration and repair; this is largely attributed to fibrotic tissue development at the injury site and subsequent pathological ventricular remodeling. The prevalence of MI events has created a considerable demand to develop novel strategies for effective and safe post-MI therapies. Research has indicated that post-MI modifications interfere with endogenous cardiac repair mechanisms, resulting in a pathological state. After an infarction, there is an accumulation of methylglyoxal (MG) at the site of injury. It has been suggested that MG contributes to ventricular fibrotic development, however its underlying mechanism remains unclear. Additionally, the effects that the post-MI cardiac environment, specifically MG accumulation, has on post-MI therapies and biomaterials has not been sufficiently established. Accordingly, the primary focus of this research project is to elucidate the effects of MG on the collagen-rich extracellular matrix (ECM) of the heart and key cardiac cells involved in the repair process. Further, the interaction between MG and a promising collagen-based hydrogel therapy is investigated, exploring the effects of MG on the hydrogel’s degradative process. It was found that the MG modification of hydrogels did not alter the degradation rate. Additionally, the degradation products of hydrogels, and MG-modified substrates did not affect the properties and formation of myofibroblasts.