Sulfur amino acids have critical function as intracellular redox buffers and maintain homeostasis in the external milieu by combating oxidative stress. Synthesis of glutathione (GSH) is regulated at a substrate level by cysteine, which is synthesized by homocysteine via the transsulfuration pathway. Oxidative stress and diminished glutathione pools play a sustained role in the pathogenesis of acute pancreatitis. One of the aims of this study was to experimentally address the temporal relationship between plasma sulfur amino acid levels in patients suffering from acute pancreatitis. The data indicated low concentration of cysteine initially, at levels similar to those of healthy controls. Glutathione was found reduced whilst cysteinyl-glycine and ¿- glutamyl transpeptidase activity were increased in both mild and severe attacks. As the disease progressed, glutathione and cysteinyl-glycine were further increased in mild attacks and cysteine levels correlated with homocysteine and ¿-glutamyl transpeptidase activity. The progress of severe attacks was associated with glutathione depletion, reduced ¿-glutamyl transpeptidase activity and increased cysteinyl-glycine, that correlated with glutathione depletion. The corollary that ample supply of cysteine and cysteinly-glycine does not contribute towards glutathione synthesis in acute pancreatitis poses an important issue that merits resolution. Heightened oxidative stress and depletion of glutathione rationalized the progression of disease in severe attacks. An upsurge that reactive oxygen species can shift redox state of cells is determined by the ratio of the abundant redox couples reduced and oxidized glutathione (GSH: GSSG) in cell. The study reported a novel methodology for quantification of total oxidized glutathione (tGSSG) and total glutathione (tGSH) in whole blood using reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography. The novelty of the method is ascertained by the use of a mercaptan scavenger 1, methyl-2-vinyl-pyridinium trifluromethanesulfonate for the total oxidized glutathione determination. The results reported permit quantitation of tGSSG and tGSH and was applied to a control group. Finally, the study was also focussed in developing a liquid chromatography-mass spectrometric method to evaluate free and conjugated bile acids in patients suffering from various degrees of cholestatic-hepatobiliary disorders. The study reported low levels of ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) and slightly high levels of lithocholic acid (LCA). All the primary bile acids seem to be conjugated with glycine and taurine amino acid.

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Made available in DSpace on 2017-07-20T12:37:38Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Vagner dos Santos1.pdf: 3358133 bytes, checksum: 5d65fc2649ed2010f554ec6574971249 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-06-20 / Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico / This thesis describes the use of the chloride of 3-n-propyl-pyridinium-silsesquioxane polymer (SiPy+Cl-) as an efficient stabilizer for the synthesis of platinum nanoparticles (NPs-Pt). Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and measurements of dynamic light scattering (DLS) showed good distribution of NPs-Pt (3-40 nm) in the cavities of the SiPy+Cl-. The nanohybrid (Pt-SiPy+Cl-) obtained was used as polycation in the preparation of thin films by the Layer-by-Layer (LbL) technique. In order to investigate the electrocatalytic properties, films were obtained by the alternated deposition of the polyanions poly-2,5-metoxipropiloxisulfonated-phenylenevinylene (PPV-SO3) and acid (polyvinylsulfonic) (PVS) with Pt-SiPy+Cl- polycation in the architectures (PPV/Pt-SiPy+Cl-)n, (Pt-SiPy+Cl-/PPV)n, (PVS/Pt-SiPy+Cl-)n and (Pt-SiPy+Cl-/PVS)n, respectively. The deposition of the films was monitored by UV-Vis spectroscopy, which showed a linear growth in each bilayer deposited. In addition, it was observed by UV-Vis spectra that the deposition sequence initiated by polyanions (PPV-SO3 or PVS) showed higher absorbance, indicating that the architectures (PPV/Pt-SiPy+Cl-)n and (PVS/Pt-SiPy+Cl-)n contain more species of NPs-Pt available on the surface of the films. The presence of polyelectrolytes in the films and the interaction between them were verified by Infrared spectroscopic (FTIR) and Raman. Electrochemical measurements for the detection of DA, with the LbL films from PVS e Pt-SiPy+Cl-, showed that the oxidation currents for the (PVS/Pt-SiPy+Cl-)3 in presence of its interferent the ascorbic acid (AA) were more intense, with a difference between the oxidation potential equal to 550 mV at pH 7. For the films containing PPV-SO3 and Pt-SiPy+Cl- it was found that the presence of PPV-SO3 is crucial to help the NPs-Pt in the process of electron transfer. The (PPV/Pt-SiPy+Cl-)3 LbL film detected simultaneously the DA and the interferents AA and uric acid (UA) (ΔE = 640 mV) with an oxidation potential difference of 90 mV higher than the observed with the (PVS/Pt-SiPy+Cl-)3 LbL film containing PVS (ΔE =550 mV). In addition, the better values of sensitivity (2,7 μmol L-1), detection limit (LD = 3,19 x 10-7 mol L-1), quantification limit ( LQ = 2,07 x 10-6 mol L-1) were observed in the studies with the LbL films (PPV/Pt-SiPy+Cl-)3 instead of PVS. In order to mimic a biological system, the LbL film (PPV/Pt-SiPy+Cl-)3 was selected to DA detection confined into liposomes from dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine (DPPC). This film provided a difference of oxidation potential of 350 mV of the encapsulated DA, in the presence of AA and UA interfering. In vitro measurements for the detection of DA in striatal rat brain were performed successfully with drop-coated film of polyelectrolyte PPV and Pt-SiPy+Cl-, immobilized on screen-printed carbon electrode. Besides this analyte, the architectures of LbL films (PPV/Pt-SiPy+Cl-)n and (Pt-SiPy+Cl-/PPV)n were used in the detection of H2O2 and glucose. After immobilization of glucose oxidase (GOx) on the surface of the films, the biosensor (PPV/Pt-SiPy+Cl-)6GOx exhibited sensitivity = 1.17 μmol L-1, LD = 27.4 μmol L-1, LQ = 91.4 μmol L-1 e app m k = 2.64 mmol L-1, values greater than more complex films reported in the literature, demonstrating the importance of NPsPt for these films. / Esta tese descreve o uso do polímero cloreto de 3-n-propil-piridínio-silsesquioxano (SiPy+Cl-) como um eficiente estabilizante para síntese de nanopartículas de platina (NPs-Pt). Imagens de Microscopia Eletrônica de Transmissão e medidas de espalhamento dinâmico de luz indicaram boa distribuição das NPs-Pt (3-40 nm) nas cavidades do SiPy+Cl-. O nanohíbrido Pt-SiPy+Cl- obtido foi utilizado como policátion na preparação de filmes finos pela técnica Layer-by-Layer (LbL). Para investigação das propriedades eletrocatalíticas das NPs-Pt incorporadas ao SiPy+Cl-, obteve-se filmes pela deposição alternada dos poliânions poli-2,5-metoxipropiloxi-sulfonado fenilenovinileno (PPV-SO3) e ácido-polivinilsulfônico (PVS) com o policátion Pt-SiPy+Cl-, nas arquiteturas (PPV/Pt-SiPy+Cl-)n e (Pt-SiPy+Cl-/PPV)n, (PVS/Pt-SiPy+Cl-)n e (Pt-SiPy+Cl-/PVS)n, respectivamente. A deposição nos filmes LbL foi monitorada por espectroscopia de absorção na região do UV-Vis, a qual revelou um crescimento linear dos filmes a cada bicamada depositada. Além disso, nos espectros UV-Vis foi constatado que a sequência de deposição iniciada pelos poliânions (PPV-SO3 ou PVS) apresentou maior absorbância, indicando que nas arquiteturas (PPV/Pt-SiPy+Cl-)n e (PVS/Pt-SiPy+Cl-)n há mais espécies disponíveis de NPs-Pt na superfície dos filmes. A presença dos polieletrólitos nos filmes e a interação entre estes foram constatadas por medidas espectroscópicas de infravermelho (FTIR) e Raman. Nas medidas eletroquímicas para detecção de DA, com os filmes formados por PVS e Pt-SiPy+Cl-, verificou-se que o (PVS/Pt-SiPy+Cl-)3 apresentou correntes de oxidação para a DA mais intensas em meio ao interferente ácido ascórbico (AA), com uma diferença entre os potenciais de oxidação igual a 550 mV, em pH 7. Nos filmes contendo PPV-SO3 e Pt-SiPy+Cl- verificou-se que a presença do PPV-SO3 é fundamental para auxiliar as NPs-Pt no processo de transferência de elétrons. O filme LbL (PPV/Pt-SiPy+Cl-)3 detectou simultaneamente a DA em meio aos interferentes AA e ácido úrico (AU) (ΔE = 640 mV), com uma diferença de potenciais de oxidação 90 mV maior do que a observada com o filme contendo PVS (550 mV). Além disto, melhores valores de sensibilidade (2,7 μmol L-1), limite de detecção (LD = 3,19 x 10-7 mol L-1) e limite de quantificação (LQ = 2,07 x 10-6 mol L-1) foram observados nos estudos com o filme LbL (PPV/Pt-SiPy+Cl-)3 em relação ao PVS. A fim de mimetizar um sistema biológico, escolheu-se o filme LbL (PPV/Pt-SiPy+Cl-)3 para detecção de DA confinada nos lipossomos de dipalmitoilfosfatidil colina (DPPC). Este filme possibilitou uma diferença de potencial de oxidação de 350 mV da DA encapsulada, na presença dos interferentes AA e AU. A partir desta constatação, medidas in vitro para a detecção de DA em estriados cerebrais de ratos foram realizadas com sucesso com o filme drop-coated dos polieletrólitos PPV e Pt-SiPy+Cl-, imobilizados sobre eletrodo de carbono impresso. Além deste analito, as arquiteturas dos filmes LbL (PPV/Pt-SiPy+Cl-)n e (Pt-SiPy+Cl-/PPV)n foram utilizadas na detecção de H2O2 e glicose. Após imobilização de glicose oxidase (GOx) na superfície dos filmes, o biossensor (PPV/Pt-SiPy+Cl-)6GOx exibiu sensibilidade = 1,17 μmol L-1, LD = 27,4 μmol L-1, LQ = 91,4 μmol L-1 e appmk = 2,64 mmol L-1, valores estes superiores a filmes mais complexos relatados na literatura, demonstrando a importância das NPsPt para estes filmes.

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