La maladie de Parkinson (MP) provient de la dégénérescence des cellules du locus nigerproduisant de la dopamine. La barrière hémato-encéphalique (BHE) est un véritable obstacle pour le traitement de la MP car elle empêche ou réduit le passage d’un grand nombre de substances pharmacologiques vers le cerveau. L’encapsulation de ces substances dans des liposomes ou des niosomes avant leur libération intra-cérébrale représente une alternative de choix en raison de la biocompatibilité, la biofragmentation, la non-toxicité et les capacités de ciblage de ces systèmes. A l’heure actuelle le traitement de la MP reste un défi, malgré l’existence de nombreux projets de recherche dans ce domaine. Notre hypothèse est que l’administration de pramipexoleencapsulé dans des liposomes et/ou des niosomes pourrait représenter une approche thérapeutique pertinente. Dans le cadre de la thèse, la caractérisation et la cinétique de diffusion des liposomes et niosomescontenant du pramipexole ont été réalisées. La validation de différentes formulations a été réalisée sur un modèle de BHE constitué de co-cultures cellulaires. Les effets du pramipexoleencapsulé dans des liposomes ou desniosomesont ensuite été étudiés dans un modèle de MP chez le rat obtenu par lésion de la voie dopaminergique nigro-striée à l’aide de 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA). Pour cela, nous avons évalué le comportement rotatoire induit par l’amphétamine et l’expression du transporteur de la dopamine (DAT) par autoradiographie quantitative chez des animaux lésés traités ou non par les nanocapsules. Toutes les formulations que nous avons réalisées ont montré une capacité d’encapsulation d’environ 10% pour une taille de 100 nm, avec une cinétique de dispersion compatible avec une utilisation in vivo. Dans notre modèle de co-culture cellulaire, nous avons déterminé que nos formulations permettent le franchissement de la BHE. Chez les animaux lésés à la 6-OHDA, la quantification du DAT indique que l’administration de pramipexole réduit l’intensité de la lésion, que la substance soit administrée seule ou encapsulée dans des niosomes. Ces travaux montrent l’intérêt potentiel de l’administration de principe actif encapsulé pour le traitement de la MP, et devront être poursuivis afin d’optimiser cette approche thérapeutique, notamment au niveau des doses. / Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is degeneration of dopamine producing cells in substantia nigra. Blood-brain barrier (BBB) is a strong obstacle in PD therapy. More penetration and accumulation in the target tissue can be obtained by preventing RES uptake via “stealth effect”. Liposomes and niosomes are the promising systems for being biodegredable, bioavailable, non-toxic and targetable. Although CNS disorders are the first to endorse at their research in the diagnosis and therapy with several framework projects in Europe and over the world, there is still a huge gap in CNS drug delivery and the success of PD therapy. Although different studies have performed with pramipexole, evaluation of penetration and antiparkinsonian effect of pramipexole encapsulated liposomes and niosomes has never been studied before. Among this thesis, nanosized, polyethylene glycol (PEG) coated, neutral and positively charged, pramipexole encapsulated liposomes and noisomes were formulated, characterized and release kinetics of the systems were evaluated. In vitro penetration of all formulations was evaluated in BBB cell co-culture model. Therapeutic efficacy of neutral, pramipexole encapsulated liposomes and niosomes were evaluated in 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) lesioned rats by rotometer test and autoradiography. All formulations have approximately 10% encapsulation efficiency, around 100 nm particle sizes and fitted to first-order release kinetics. All formulations were found BBB permeable at in vitro cell culture studies. Nanosized, neutral niosomes designated similar but slightly better effect than pramipexole solution in autoradiograhy studies in 6-OHDA lesioned rats. This pramipexole dose is approximately 9 times lesser doses applied with conventional pramipexole tablets for humans in Neurology clinics. Nanosized, pramipexole encapsulated, neutral niosomes showed potential PD therapeutic effect in PD animal model depending on non-ionic surfactant properties of niosomes. / Uzm. Ecz. Mine Silindir Gunay, Parkinson Hastalığı’nın Teşhis ve Tedavisi İçin Kullanılacak Nanoboyutlu Teragnostik İmmünolipozom/İmmunoniozomlar Üzerine İn Vitro İn Vivo Çalışmalar, Hacettepe Üniversitesi – François Rabelais de Tours University, Sağlık Bilimleri Enstitüsü, Radyofarmasi Programı, UMR Inserm U 930, Ekip 3, Moleküler Görüntüleme ve Beyin Programı, Doktora Tezi, Ankara-Tours, 2016. Parkinson Hastalığı (PH) substantia nigra’daki dopamin üreten hücrelerin dejenerasyonundan kaynaklanmaktadır. Kan-beyin bariyeri (KBB) PH’nın tedavisinin önünde kuvvetli bir engeldir. Hedef dokudaki yüksek penetrasyon ve tutulum “stealth etki” ile RES tutulumunun engellenmesi ile sağlanabilir. Lipozom ve niozomlar biyoparçalanırlıkları, biyouyumlulukları, non-toksik ve hedeflendirilebilir olmaları nedeniyle en çok tercih edilen sistemlerdendir. Santral sinir sistemi hastalıklarının araştırılması Avrupa ve tüm dünyada yapılan pekçok çerçeve projelerinde ilk sırada olmasına rağmen, halen beyne ilaç taşınması ve PH’nin tedavi başarısı konusunda büyük boşluklar bulunmaktadır. Pramipeksol ile pek çok çalışma yapılmasına karşılık, bizim çalışmamız pramipeksol enkapsüle edilmiş lipozom ve niozomların beyin penetrasyonunun ve antiparkinson etkisinin değerlendirilmesi konusunda yenidir. Tez kapsamında, nanoboyutlu, PEG kaplı, nötral ve pozitif yüklü lipozom ve niozomların formüle edilmiş, karakterizasyon ve salım kinetikleri değerlendirilmiştir. Tüm formülasyonların KBB geçirgenliği, hücre KBB ko-kültürü çalışmalarında incelenmiştir. Nötral, pramipeksol enkapsüle edilen lipozom ve niozomların tedavi etkinliği in vivo olarak 6-hidroksidopamin (6-OHDA) ile lezyon yapılarak PH modeli oluşturulan sıçanlarda rotametre ve otoradyografi çalışmaları ile incelenmiştir. Tüm formülasyonlar yaklaşık %10 enkapsülasyon etkinliği ve 100 nm civarında partikül boyutu dağılımı ve birinci derece salım kinetiği göstermiştir. Hücre kültürü çalışmalarında, tüm formülasyonların KBB’nden penetre olabildiği saptamıştır. 6-OHDA lezyonlu sıçanlarda Parkinson hastalığının tedavisinde nanoboyutlu, nötral, pramipeksol enkapsüle edilen niozomlar, aynı dozdaki pramipeksol çözeltisi ile benzer hatta biraz daha iyi sonuçlar göstermiştir. Bu doz Nöroloji kliniklerinde Parkinson tedavisinde rutin olarak kullanılan konvansiyonel pramipeksol tabletlerindeki dozun yaklaşık olarak 9 kat düşük dozlarıdır. Nanoboyutlu, pramipeksol enkapsüle edilen, nötral niozomlar, niozomların non-iyonik sürfaktan özellikleri nedeniyle PH modeli sıçanlarda potansiyel bir antiparkinson terapötik etki göstermiştir.

New biomarkers are needed to improve knowledge about pathophysiology, in order to provide earlier correct diagnosis and to follow disease progression of the neurodegenerative diseases amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and Parkinson's disease (PD). The aim of this thesis was to find new biomarkers for these diseases. First, increased serum levels and unchanged levels in postmortal spinal cord of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were demonstrated. VEGF was not detected in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in ALS. Second, increased levels of fibroblast growth factor 2 were found in the CSF and serum of ALS patients. Both studies used enzyme-linked immunoassays. Third, a proteomics method for CSF analysis was explored, based on tryptic digestion and subsequent separation and detection of the peptides by on-line liquid chromatography-Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry. ALS-specific patterns were observed. Four out of five samples were correctly assigned, but no single protein biomarker could be identified. Fourth, [11C](L)-deprenyl-D2 (DED) positron emission tomography (PET) demonstrated increased retention in the pons and white matter in ALS. DED binds to monoamino oxidase B, which in the brain is primarily located in astrocytes. Thus evidence was provided that astrocytosis may be detected in vivo in ALS. Fifth, normal [11C]-PIB binding in five nondemented patients with PD was reported, in contrast to previous findings of increased retention in Alzheimer's disease reflecting amyloid aggregation. Finally, the combined use of fluorodeoxyglucose and L-[β 11C]-DOPA PET for the differential diagnosis of parkinsonian syndromes was evaluated. PET provided support for the clinical diagnosis in 62 out of 75 patients, and served to exclude suspected diagnoses in another five patients.

The overall aim of this thesis was to develop, deploy and evaluate new IT-based methods for supporting treatment and assessment of treatment of advanced Parkinson’s disease. In this condition a number of different motor and non-motor symptoms occur in episodes of varying frequency, duration and severity. In order to determine outcome of treatment changes, repeated assessments are necessary. Hospitalization for observation is expensive and may not be representative for the situation at home. Paper home diaries have questionable reliability and storage and retrieval of results are problematic. Approaches for monitoring using wearable sensors are unable to address important non-motor symptoms. A test battery system consisting of both self-assessments of symptoms and motor function tests was constructed for a touch screen mobile phone. Tests are performed on several occasions per day during test periods of one week. Data is transmitted over the mobile net to a central server where summaries in different symptom dimensions and an overall test score per patient and test period are calculated. There is a web application that graphically presents the results to treating clinical staff. As part of this work, a novel method for assessment of spiral drawing impairment useful during event-driven sampling was developed. To date, the system has been used by over 100 patients in 10 clinics in Sweden and Italy. Evidence is growing that the test battery is useful, reliable and valid for assessment of symptoms during advanced Parkinson’s disease. Infusion of a levodopa/carbidopa gel into the small intestine has been shown to reduce variation in plasma drug levels and improve clinical response in this patient category. A pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic model of this intestinal gel infusion was constructed. Possibly this model can assist the process of individualization of dosage for this treatment through in numero simulations. Results from an exploratory data analysis indicate that severity measures during oral levodopa treatment may be factors to consider when deciding candidates for infusion treatment.

A challenge for the clinical management of Parkinson's disease (PD) is the large within- and between-patient variability in symptom profiles as well as the emergence of motor complications which represent a significant source of disability in patients. This thesis deals with the development and evaluation of methods and systems for supporting the management of PD by using repeated measures, consisting of subjective assessments of symptoms and objective assessments of motor function through fine motor tests (spirography and tapping), collected by means of a telemetry touch screen device. One aim of the thesis was to develop methods for objective quantification and analysis of the severity of motor impairments being represented in spiral drawings and tapping results. This was accomplished by first quantifying the digitized movement data with time series analysis and then using them in data-driven modelling for automating the process of assessment of symptom severity. The objective measures were then analysed with respect to subjective assessments of motor conditions. Another aim was to develop a method for providing comparable information content as clinical rating scales by combining subjective and objective measures into composite scores, using time series analysis and data-driven methods. The scores represent six symptom dimensions and an overall test score for reflecting the global health condition of the patient. In addition, the thesis presents the development of a web-based system for providing a visual representation of symptoms over time allowing clinicians to remotely monitor the symptom profiles of their patients. The quality of the methods was assessed by reporting different metrics of validity, reliability and sensitivity to treatment interventions and natural PD progression over time. Results from two studies demonstrated that the methods developed for the fine motor tests had good metrics indicating that they are appropriate to quantitatively and objectively assess the severity of motor impairments of PD patients. The fine motor tests captured different symptoms; spiral drawing impairment and tapping accuracy related to dyskinesias (involuntary movements) whereas tapping speed related to bradykinesia (slowness of movements). A longitudinal data analysis indicated that the six symptom dimensions and the overall test score contained important elements of information of the clinical scales and can be used to measure effects of PD treatment interventions and disease progression. A usability evaluation of the web-based system showed that the information presented in the system was comparable to qualitative clinical observations and the system was recognized as a tool that will assist in the management of patients.

Purpose Monoamine oxidase (MAO) consists of two isoforms, namely MAO-A and MAO-B. Both these isoforms are involved in the oxidation of dopamine. In Parkinson’s disease (PD) therapy, the inhibition of the oxidation of dopamine by MAO may elevate the levels of dopamine in the brain and prevent the generation of toxic by-products such as hydrogen peroxide. MAO-B inhibitors have found application as monotherapy in PD and it has been shown that MAO-B inhibitors may also be useful as adjuvants to L-dopa in PD therapy. For example, an earlier study has shown that the combination of L-dopa with (R)-deprenyl (a selective MAO-B inhibitor), may lead to a reduction of the dose of L-dopa required for alleviating the motor symptoms in PD patients. However, older MAO inhibitors may possess adverse side effects such as psychotoxicity, liver toxicity and cardiovascular effects. The irreversible mode of inhibition of the older MAO-B inhibitors, such as (R)-deprenyl, may also be considered as less desirable. After the use of irreversible inhibitors, it may require several weeks for the MAO enzyme to recover activity. In contrast, after administration of a reversible inhibitor, enzyme activity is recovered as soon as the inhibitor is cleared form the tissues. The adverse effects and disadvantages of the older MAO-B inhibitors prompted us to undertake the discovery of safer and reversible inhibitors of MAO-B. Such compounds may find application in the treatment of PD. Rationale It was recently discovered that (E)-8-(3-chlorostyryl)caffeine (CSC) is a potent inhibitor of MAO-B, with an IC50 value of 0.128 µM. CSC has a caffeine moiety, which is thought to be essential for MAO-B inhibition. It was also reported that a related series of 8- (phenoxymethyl)caffeine derivatives are potent and reversible inhibitors of MAO-A and –B. The IC50 values of the 8-(phenoxymethyl)caffeines ranged from 0.148–5.78 µM for the inhibition of MAO-B. For the purpose of this study the phenoxymethyl side-chain was replaced with a phenylsulfanyl moiety at C8. The aim of this study was therefore to synthesize a series of 8-[(phenylsulfanyl)methyl]caffeine analogues and to compare their MAO-B inhibition potencies to the previously synthesised 8-(phenoxymethyl)caffeine derivatives. A series of five 8-[(phenylsulfanyl)ethyl]caffeine analogues was also synthesized in order to determine the effect of carbon chain elongation on the potency of MAO inhibition. O C-8 N N O N N Caffeine Cl O N N (E) O N N CSC O N N O O N N 8-(Phenoxymethyl)caffeine O N N O N N S 8-[(Phenylsulfanyl)methyl]caffeine O N N S O N N 8-[(Phenylsulfanyl)ethyl]caffeine Compound R1 R2 1a H H 1b Cl H 1c Br H 1d F H 1e CH3 H 1f OCH3 H 1g OCH2CH3 H 1h H Cl 1i H Br Compound R1 R2 2a H H 2b Cl H 2c Br H 2d H Cl 2e H Br Methods The C8 substituted caffeine analogues were synthesised by reacting 1,3-dimethyl-5,6-diaminouracil with an appropriately substituted 2-(phenylsulfanyl)acetic acid or 3-(phenylsulfanyl)propanoic acid in the presence of a carbodiimide activating reagent, N-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-N'-ethylcarbodiimide hydrochloride (EDAC). Ring closure of the intermediary amide was effected by reaction with sodium hydroxide. Resulting theophylline analogues were subsequently methylated in the presence of iodomethane to yield the target compounds. The structures of the C8 substituted caffeine analogues were verified by NMR and MS analysis. The purities thereof were subsequently estimated by HPLC analysis. The 8-[(phenylsulfanyl)methyl]caffeine and 8-[(phenylsulfanyl)ethyl]caffeine analogues were evaluated as MAO-A and –B inhibitors. The recombinant human enzymes were used as enzyme sources. The inhibitory potencies of the caffeine derivatives were expressed as IC50 values (the concentration of a drug that is required for 50% inhibition in vitro). The time- dependency of inhibition of MAO-B by the most potent inhibitor was also evaluated in order to determine the reversibility of inhibition of the test compound. A study was also conducted to determine the inhibition mode of the most potent test compound, by constructing a set of Lineweaver Burk plots. Results The results showed that the 8-[(phenylsulfanyl)methyl]caffeine analogues were inhibitors of MAO-A and –B. The most potent inhibitor in the first series (1a–i) of this study were 8-[(3- bromophenylsulfanyl)methyl]caffeine and 8-[(4-bromophenylsulfanyl)methyl]caffeine with IC50 values of 4.90 and 4.05 µM, respectively. When these results were compared to those of the previously studied 8-(phenoxymethyl)caffeine derivatives it was found that, for these compounds, the bromine substituted homologues were also the most potent MAO-B inhibitors. The bromine substituted 8-(phenoxymethyl)caffeine derivatives exhibited IC50 values of 0.148 and 0.189 µM for those homologues containing bromine on the meta and para positions of the phenoxy side chain, respectively. In general, the 8- [(phenylsulfanyl)methyl]caffeine derivatives were found to be less potent MAO-B inhibitors than the 8-(phenoxymethyl)caffeine derivatives. The 8-[(phenylsulfanyl)methyl]caffeine derivatives also did not show as high a degree of selectivity for MAO-B (compared to MAO- A) as did the 8-(phenoxymethyl)caffeines. Similar to the 8-(phenoxymethyl)caffeines, the 8- [(phenylsulfanyl)methyl]caffeines also proved to be weak MAO-A inhibitors. The most potent inhibitor of MAO-A among the test compounds exhibited an IC50 value of 19.4 µM. The most potent MAO-A inhibitor among the previously studied 8-(phenoxymethyl)caffeines was more potent with an IC50 value of 4.59 µM. From these results it may be concluded that the phenoxy side chain is more suited for the design of caffeine derived MAO inhibitors than the phenylsulfanyl side chain. The results for the second series investigated in this study, the 8-[(phenylsulfanyl)ethyl]caffeines (2a–e), revealed the chlorine substituted derivatives to be the most potent MAO-B inhibitors. The meta and para chlorine substituted derivatives exhibited IC50 values of 5.67 and 7.79 µM, respectively, for the inhibition of MAO-B. Interestingly, the meta substituted derivative exhibited no inhibition toward the MAO-A isoenzyme. However, the 8-[(phenylsulfanyl)ethyl]caffeine derivatives were found to be very weak inhibitors of both MAO-A and –B and may be considered as less potent than the 8-[(phenylsulfanyl)methyl]caffeine derivatives. Since one of the aims of this study was to synthesise reversible MAO inhibitors, a time- dependency study was carried out with the best inhibitor (1i). The aim of this study was to determine the reversibility of inhibition by the 8-[(phenylsulfanyl)methyl]caffeine derivatives. From the results, it was concluded that the inhibition of MAO-B by compound 1i is reversible. To determine the mode of inhibition, a set of Lineweaver-Burk plots was constructed and since the plots were linear and intersected on the y-axis, it was concluded that 1i is a competitive inhibitor of MAO-B. Conclusion This study concludes that the phenoxymethyl side-chain is more suited for the design of caffeine derived MAO-B inhibitors than the (phenylsulfanyl)methyl side-chain. / Thesis (MSc (Pharmaceutical Chemistry))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.

Purpose Monoamine oxidase (MAO) consists of two isoforms, namely MAO-A and MAO-B. Both these isoforms are involved in the oxidation of dopamine. In Parkinson’s disease (PD) therapy, the inhibition of the oxidation of dopamine by MAO may elevate the levels of dopamine in the brain and prevent the generation of toxic by-products such as hydrogen peroxide. MAO-B inhibitors have found application as monotherapy in PD and it has been shown that MAO-B inhibitors may also be useful as adjuvants to L-dopa in PD therapy. For example, an earlier study has shown that the combination of L-dopa with (R)-deprenyl (a selective MAO-B inhibitor), may lead to a reduction of the dose of L-dopa required for alleviating the motor symptoms in PD patients. However, older MAO inhibitors may possess adverse side effects such as psychotoxicity, liver toxicity and cardiovascular effects. The irreversible mode of inhibition of the older MAO-B inhibitors, such as (R)-deprenyl, may also be considered as less desirable. After the use of irreversible inhibitors, it may require several weeks for the MAO enzyme to recover activity. In contrast, after administration of a reversible inhibitor, enzyme activity is recovered as soon as the inhibitor is cleared form the tissues. The adverse effects and disadvantages of the older MAO-B inhibitors prompted us to undertake the discovery of safer and reversible inhibitors of MAO-B. Such compounds may find application in the treatment of PD. Rationale It was recently discovered that (E)-8-(3-chlorostyryl)caffeine (CSC) is a potent inhibitor of MAO-B, with an IC50 value of 0.128 µM. CSC has a caffeine moiety, which is thought to be essential for MAO-B inhibition. It was also reported that a related series of 8- (phenoxymethyl)caffeine derivatives are potent and reversible inhibitors of MAO-A and –B. The IC50 values of the 8-(phenoxymethyl)caffeines ranged from 0.148–5.78 µM for the inhibition of MAO-B. For the purpose of this study the phenoxymethyl side-chain was replaced with a phenylsulfanyl moiety at C8. The aim of this study was therefore to synthesize a series of 8-[(phenylsulfanyl)methyl]caffeine analogues and to compare their MAO-B inhibition potencies to the previously synthesised 8-(phenoxymethyl)caffeine derivatives. A series of five 8-[(phenylsulfanyl)ethyl]caffeine analogues was also synthesized in order to determine the effect of carbon chain elongation on the potency of MAO inhibition. O C-8 N N O N N Caffeine Cl O N N (E) O N N CSC O N N O O N N 8-(Phenoxymethyl)caffeine O N N O N N S 8-[(Phenylsulfanyl)methyl]caffeine O N N S O N N 8-[(Phenylsulfanyl)ethyl]caffeine Compound R1 R2 1a H H 1b Cl H 1c Br H 1d F H 1e CH3 H 1f OCH3 H 1g OCH2CH3 H 1h H Cl 1i H Br Compound R1 R2 2a H H 2b Cl H 2c Br H 2d H Cl 2e H Br Methods The C8 substituted caffeine analogues were synthesised by reacting 1,3-dimethyl-5,6-diaminouracil with an appropriately substituted 2-(phenylsulfanyl)acetic acid or 3-(phenylsulfanyl)propanoic acid in the presence of a carbodiimide activating reagent, N-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-N'-ethylcarbodiimide hydrochloride (EDAC). Ring closure of the intermediary amide was effected by reaction with sodium hydroxide. Resulting theophylline analogues were subsequently methylated in the presence of iodomethane to yield the target compounds. The structures of the C8 substituted caffeine analogues were verified by NMR and MS analysis. The purities thereof were subsequently estimated by HPLC analysis. The 8-[(phenylsulfanyl)methyl]caffeine and 8-[(phenylsulfanyl)ethyl]caffeine analogues were evaluated as MAO-A and –B inhibitors. The recombinant human enzymes were used as enzyme sources. The inhibitory potencies of the caffeine derivatives were expressed as IC50 values (the concentration of a drug that is required for 50% inhibition in vitro). The time- dependency of inhibition of MAO-B by the most potent inhibitor was also evaluated in order to determine the reversibility of inhibition of the test compound. A study was also conducted to determine the inhibition mode of the most potent test compound, by constructing a set of Lineweaver Burk plots. Results The results showed that the 8-[(phenylsulfanyl)methyl]caffeine analogues were inhibitors of MAO-A and –B. The most potent inhibitor in the first series (1a–i) of this study were 8-[(3- bromophenylsulfanyl)methyl]caffeine and 8-[(4-bromophenylsulfanyl)methyl]caffeine with IC50 values of 4.90 and 4.05 µM, respectively. When these results were compared to those of the previously studied 8-(phenoxymethyl)caffeine derivatives it was found that, for these compounds, the bromine substituted homologues were also the most potent MAO-B inhibitors. The bromine substituted 8-(phenoxymethyl)caffeine derivatives exhibited IC50 values of 0.148 and 0.189 µM for those homologues containing bromine on the meta and para positions of the phenoxy side chain, respectively. In general, the 8- [(phenylsulfanyl)methyl]caffeine derivatives were found to be less potent MAO-B inhibitors than the 8-(phenoxymethyl)caffeine derivatives. The 8-[(phenylsulfanyl)methyl]caffeine derivatives also did not show as high a degree of selectivity for MAO-B (compared to MAO- A) as did the 8-(phenoxymethyl)caffeines. Similar to the 8-(phenoxymethyl)caffeines, the 8- [(phenylsulfanyl)methyl]caffeines also proved to be weak MAO-A inhibitors. The most potent inhibitor of MAO-A among the test compounds exhibited an IC50 value of 19.4 µM. The most potent MAO-A inhibitor among the previously studied 8-(phenoxymethyl)caffeines was more potent with an IC50 value of 4.59 µM. From these results it may be concluded that the phenoxy side chain is more suited for the design of caffeine derived MAO inhibitors than the phenylsulfanyl side chain. The results for the second series investigated in this study, the 8-[(phenylsulfanyl)ethyl]caffeines (2a–e), revealed the chlorine substituted derivatives to be the most potent MAO-B inhibitors. The meta and para chlorine substituted derivatives exhibited IC50 values of 5.67 and 7.79 µM, respectively, for the inhibition of MAO-B. Interestingly, the meta substituted derivative exhibited no inhibition toward the MAO-A isoenzyme. However, the 8-[(phenylsulfanyl)ethyl]caffeine derivatives were found to be very weak inhibitors of both MAO-A and –B and may be considered as less potent than the 8-[(phenylsulfanyl)methyl]caffeine derivatives. Since one of the aims of this study was to synthesise reversible MAO inhibitors, a time- dependency study was carried out with the best inhibitor (1i). The aim of this study was to determine the reversibility of inhibition by the 8-[(phenylsulfanyl)methyl]caffeine derivatives. From the results, it was concluded that the inhibition of MAO-B by compound 1i is reversible. To determine the mode of inhibition, a set of Lineweaver-Burk plots was constructed and since the plots were linear and intersected on the y-axis, it was concluded that 1i is a competitive inhibitor of MAO-B. Conclusion This study concludes that the phenoxymethyl side-chain is more suited for the design of caffeine derived MAO-B inhibitors than the (phenylsulfanyl)methyl side-chain. / Thesis (MSc (Pharmaceutical Chemistry))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.

A major challenge in the field of neuroscience is to link behavior with specific neuronal circuitries and cellular events. One way of facing this challenge is to identify unique cellular markers and thus have the ability to, through various mouse genetics tools, mimic, manipulate and control various aspects of neuronal activity to decipher their correlation to behavior. The Vesicular Glutamate Transporter 2 (VGLUT2) packages glutamate into presynaptic vesicles for axonal terminal release. In this thesis, VGLUT2 was used to specifically target cell populations within the basal ganglia of mice with the purpose of investigating its connectivity, function and involvement in behavior. The motor and limbic loops of the basal ganglia are important for processing of voluntary movement and emotions. During such physiological events, dopamine plays a central role in modulating the activity of these systems. The brain reward system is mainly formed by dopamine projections from the ventral tegmental area (VTA) to the ventral striatum. Certain dopamine neurons within the VTA exhibit the ability to co-release dopamine and glutamate. In paper I, glutamate and dopamine co-release was targeted and our results demonstrate that the absence of VGLUT2 in dopamine neurons leads to perturbations of reward consumption and reward-associated memory, probably due to reduced DA release observed in the striatum as detected by in vivo chronoamperometry. In papers II and IV, VGLUT2 in a specific subpopulation within the subthalamic nucleus (STN) was identified and targeted. Based on the described role of the STN in movement control, we hypothesized that the mice would be hyperlocomotive. As shown in paper II, this was indeed the case. In paper IV, a putative reward-related phenotype was approached and we could show reduced operant-self administration of sugar and altered dopamine release levels suggesting a role for the STN in reward processes. In paper III, we investigated and identified age- and sex-dimorphisms in dopamine kinetics in the dorsal striatum of one of the most commonly used mouse lines worldwide, the C57/Bl6J. Our results point to the importance of taking these dimorphisms into account when utilizing the C57/Bl6J strain as model for neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders.

In patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD), the molecularly misfolded form of α-synuclein was recently identified in cutaneous autonomic nerve fibers which displayed increased accumulation even in early disease stages. However, the underlying mechanisms of synucleinopathic nerve damage and its implication for brain pathology in later life remain to be elucidated. To date, specific diagnostic tools to evaluate small fiber pathology and to discriminate neurodegenerative proteinopathies are rare. Recently, research has indicated that deposition of α-synuclein in cutaneous nerve fibers quantified via immunohistochemistry in superficial skin biopsies might be a valid marker of PD which could facilitate early diagnosis and monitoring of disease progression. However, lack of standardization of techniques to quantify neural α-synuclein deposition limits their utility in clinical practice. Additional challenges include the identification of potential distinct morphological patterns of intraneural α-synuclein deposition among synucleinopathies to facilitate diagnostic discrimination and determining the degree to which structural damage relates to dysfunction of nerve fibers targeted by α-synuclein. Answering these questions might improve our understanding of the pathophysiological role of small fiber neuropathy in Parkinson’s disease, help identify new treatment targets, and facilitate assessment of response to neuroprotective treatment.

Introdução: A fisiopatologia da doença de Parkinson está associada a lesões por estresse oxidativo/nitrosativo. O ferro encontra-se acumulado na substância negra (SN) de pacientes com DP e está relacionado com esse dano através das espécies reagentes de oxigênio (EROs) e de nitrogênio (ERNs) na reação de Fenton. EROs e ERNs são produzidas normalmente em processos celulares e inflamatórios, e controladas por sistemas antioxidantes. Objetivo: Avaliar níveis periféricos de ferro em pacientes com DP para determinar se acúmulo na SN está relacionado com níveis elevados no sangue. Determinar biomarcadores periféricos confiáveis de estresse oxidativo/nitrosativo Métodos: Selecionados 40 pacientes com DP e 46 indivíduos controles para comparar níveis séricos de ferro, ferritina e transferrina, e de biomarcadores de estresse oxidativo/nitrosativo: superóxido dismutase (SOD), catalase, óxido nítrico (NOx), substâncias reativas ao ácido tiobarbitúrico (TBARS), tióis não-proteicos, “advanced oxidation protein products” (AOPP), “ferric reducing ability of plasma” (FRAP), NTPDases, ecto-5’-nucleotidase, adenosina deaminase (ADA), mieloperoxidase, albumina modificada pela isquemia (IMA) e vitamina C. Resultados: Níveis de ferro estavam diminuídos em pacientes com DP, enquanto ferritina e transferrina não mostraram diferença. Os biomarcadores de estresse oxidativo como TBARS, AOPP, NTPDases, IMA, mieloperoxidase, FRAP, vitamina C e tiois não-proteicos encontraram-se significativamente aumentados na DP. SOD, catalase, ecto-5’-nucleotidase não foram diferentes entre os grupos e os marcadores NOx e ADA foram significativamente aumentados nos controles. Nenhuma correlação foi encontrada entre os biomarcadores e dados sociodemográficos e de características da doença. Conclusão: Níveis plasmáticos de ferro encontram-se diminuídos em pacientes com DP comparados com controles saudáveis. Os biomarcadores TBARS, AOPP, NTPDases, IMA e mieloperoxidase mostraram-se confiáveis para lesão oxidativa, enquanto tióis não-proteicos, FRAP e vitamina C demonstram diminuição da capacidade antioxidante na DP. / Background: Parkinson’s disease (PD) pathophysiology is associated with oxidative/nitrosative stress damage. Iron accumulates in the substantia nigra (SN) of PD patients and is related to this damage along with oxygen and nitrogen reactive species (ROS, RNS) through Fenton reaction. ROS and RNS are normally produced in cell and inflammatory processes, controlled by antioxidant systems. Objective: To determine peripheral levels of iron, ferritin and transferrin in PD patients to evaluate whether iron accumulation in the SN could be related to serum levels. To determine reliable peripheral biomarkers of oxidative/nitrative stress. Methods: Forty PD patients and 46 controls were selected to compared serum levels of iron, ferritin, transferrin and oxidative/nitrative stress biomarkers: superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, nitric oxide (NOx), thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), non-protein thiols, advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP), ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP), NTPDases, ecto-5’-nucleotidase, adenosine deaminase (ADA), myeloperoxidase, ischemic-modified albumin (IMA) and vitamin C. Results: Iron levels were decreased in patients with PD, while ferritin and transferrin were not different. Oxidative stress biomarkers, TBARS, AOPP, NTPDases, IMA, myeloperoxidase, FRAP, vitamin C and non-proteic thiols were significantly higher in PD. SOD, catalase, ecto-5’-nucleotidase were not different between the groups and biomarkers NOx and ADA were significantly increased in the controls. No correlation was found between biomarkers and sociodemographic and disease data. Conclusion: Plasmatic levels of iron are decreased in patients with PD compared to healthy controls. Biomarkers TBARS, AOPP, NTPDases, IMA and myeloperoxidase presented as reliable to measure oxidative/nitrative damage, while non-proteic thiols, FRAP and vitamin C show a decrease in the antioxidant capacity in PD.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:22:51Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2009-08-06Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T19:49:08Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 arantes_lm_me_rcla.pdf: 491035 bytes, checksum: 9c4960c1f7c34e4bc86cddd4bb744ce3 (MD5) / Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) / O presente estudo teve como objetivo analisar o efeito do treinamento de força e potência na curva força-tempo isométrica e na ativação muscular em idosos com doença de Parkinson (DP). A amostra final foi composta por 25 participantes de ambos os gêneros (n=8 – grupo controle (GC); n=8 – grupo de força (GF); n=9 – grupo de potência (GP). Os grupos GF e GP realizaram treinamento com pesos, durante oito semanas, com especificidade para desenvolvimento de força ou potência musculares, respectivamente. O grupo controle (GC), composto por idosos com DP, realizou apenas o protocolo de avaliação pré e pós oito semanas. Os participantes realizaram consecutivamente: a) avaliação da Curva força-Tempo isométrica e da atividade eletromiográfica; b) início do protocolo de treinamento para os GF e GP; c) re-avaliação ao término do protocolo de treinamento de força e de potência. Para a análise dos dados foi utilizada estatística descritiva (média e desvio-padrão) e ANOVA two-way para medidas repetidas em todas as variáveis com nível de significância de p<0,05. Os resultados apontaram interações significativas (p<0,05) em contração voluntária máxima (CVM), taxa de desenvolvimento de força (TDF) no intervalo de tempo de 0-50ms e ativação muscular (iEMG) do músculo vasto lateral. Não foram encontradas interações significativas (p>0,05) na TDF nos intervalos de tempo 0-100; 0-150 e 0-200ms, TDFpico, impulso contrátil e ativação muscular (iEMG) dos vastos lateral e medial, nos intervalos de tempo 0-50; 0-100; 0-150 e 0-200ms, como também, na ativação do músculo vasto medial no momento da contração voluntária máxima. Portanto, conclui-se que o treinamento com pesos (força e potência) é capaz de aumentar a contração voluntária máxima, contudo o protocolo de potência parece trazer maiores benefícios; a capacidade dos idosos com DP de gerar... / The purpose of this study was to analyze the effect of strength and power training on isometric force-time curve and muscular activation in elderly individuals with Parkinson’s disease (PD). The initial sample was composed by 25 participants of both gender (n=8 – control group (CG); n=8 – strength group (SG); n=9 – power group (PG). Both group, SG and PG, participated of resistance training for eight weeks with specificity for development of strength and muscular power, respectively. The CG, with Parkinson’s disease, participated only of evaluation protocol, before and after eight weeks. Participants performed consecutively: a) evaluation of isometric force-time curve and muscular activation; b) start the resistance training protocol for SG and PG; c) revaluation of isometric force-time curve and muscular activation. For the data analysis it was used the descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation) and two-way ANOVA for repeated measurements of all variables. The level of significance adopted was p<0.05. The results pointed significant interactions (p<0.05) in maximum voluntary contraction (MVC), rate of force development (RFD) in time interval of 0–50 and integrated EMG of vastus lateralis (iEMG VL). No significant interactions (p>0.05) were found in rate of force development (RFD) in time intervals of 0–100; 150; and 200 ms, peak of rate of force development (RFD peak), contractile impulse (CI) and integrated EMG of vastus lateralis and vastus medialis in time intervals of 0–50, 100, 150, and 200 ms as well in integrated EMG of vastus medialis at the same moment of MVC. In conclusion, the resistance training (strength and power) it is capable to increase the MVC, however the power training protocol seems to be more beneficial; the PD seniors’ capacity to generate fast force (TDF) in the first ones 50ms increase after eight weeks of power training... (Complete abstract click electronic access below)