The development of systems in which adenovirus DNA can be replicated in vitro has led to the elucidation of the sequences essential for origin function and to the identification of the proteins required for viral DNA replication. Much of the information currently available has been derived from investigations carried out using adenovirus types 2 and 5 which in addition to the viral proteins, adenovirus DNA polymerase, precursor terminal protein and DNA binding protein, require cellular proteins nuclear factor I and nuclear factor III for efficient initiation of DNA replication. In contrast adenovirus type 4 replicates Its DNA efficiently without these cellular proteins. Correspondingly its minimal origin of replication is remarkably simple in structure, consisting of only the terminal 18bp of the adenovirus genome ('the core sequence'). The effect of point mutations in the core region on adenovirus type 4 DNA replication in vitro was investigated and it was found that mutations within two discrete domains had a married deleterious effect on initiation of DNA replication. The crude Ad4 infected cell extracts initially used for in vitro DNA replication were fractionated and it was found that only four detectable proteins, three of which were identified as viral DNA polymerase, precursor terminal protein and DNA binding protein gave efficient DNA replication in vitro and furthermore behaved similarly to unfractionated infected cell extracts in the presence of template which contained point mutations. To examine a possible role of the core region of the origin as containing sites for specific interactions with viral replication proteins, purified adenovirus type 5 precursor terminal protein and DNA polymerase were assayed for their ability to recognise the terminal 1-18 sequence. It was found that both proteins independently and as a heterodimer bound specifically to a sequence corresponding to the core origin of replication, suggesting that sequences within this region are important for localisation of DNA replication proteins at the origin via a sequence specific DNA-protein interaction.

Aluminium alloys are essential to a variety of industry sectors, particularly transport, where they are used in the production of cars and aeroplanes. However, aluminium alloys are susceptible to degradation through corrosion which can compromise the integrity of components manufactured from this material. Therefore research into the means by which these alloys degrade is important. This thesis aims to understand how one of the more potentially damaging types of corrosion, known as pitting corrosion, occurs in the important aluminium alloy 2024-T3 (AA2024-T3). In order to study this phenomenon, this thesis first characterises the alloy microstructure in detail, particularly the type and distribution of intermetallic particles since these play an important role in corrosion processes. The microstructure was studied using an electron microprobe analysis of a 5 mm x 5 mm area of AA2024-T3 and some 80,000 particles were characterised. This investigation was one of the most comprehensive studies to date of any aluminium alloy. Of the particles studied, it was found that the major types included the S and θ phases and a number of compositions based around AlCuFeMn and AlCuFeMnSi. Depletion zones were an integral feature of the alloy microstructure. Pair correlation functions were used to determine the degree of clustering and it was found that there was both inter particle as well as intra particle clustering. Inter particle clustering was observed at length scales well beyond 50 µm. A detailed study of corrosion on AA2024-T3 was undertaken by examining the surface after corrosion over a time period spanning 2.5 minutes to 120 minutes. From this investigation, a hierarchy of the localised corrosion was observed as it was very apparent that particles of particular elemental compositions were more susceptible to attack much sooner than other compositions. Larger corrosion attack sites on the surface, which were called co-operative corrosion, were attributed to intermetallic clustering affects and changes in chemical composition such as Cu-enrichment. These results were used to develop a detailed model of the initiation of stable pitting corrosion in AA2024-T3, which will lead to a better understanding on how to prevent pitting attack on commercially important aluminium alloys. AA2024-T3 is rarely used in the polished state, for real world applications is it generally finished by mechanical or chemical processing. In the final part of this thesis, the influence of clusters on metal finishing was examined using a standard aluminium chemical deoxidiser. It was found that the etch rate of this deoxidiser increased dramatically with the increase in temperature. Under certain processing conditions only the intermetallic particles are etched out and these retain the history of the spatial distribution of the clustering of the intermetallic particles. This leaves a cluster of 'holes' which could trap metal finishing solution and lead to severe subsurface attack

Aquatic microalgae produce a variety of toxic secondary metabolites, which are a concern for public health and seafood industries, while also presenting a source of pharmacologically valuable compounds. The present study deals with the physiology and molecular genetics of saxitoxin (STX), a cyanobacterial neurotoxic alkaloid. Ecological and chemical parameters have been investigated for their effects on growth and STX production in the cyanobacterium Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii T3, in order to better understand the physiological responses of this cyanobacterium to the anthropogenic eutrophication of water bodies. The results indicated that phosphate, in particular, had an incremental effect on STX production, as well as promoting the up-regulation of transcription of the STX biosynthetic gene cluster (sxt). High temperature was found to negatively affect growth and STX production in this organism. The effects of the plant hormone, jasmonic acid, were also tested, since it has previously been shown to affect plant alkaloid production. The hypothesised similarity between cyanobacterial and plant secondary metabolism in response to this plant hormone was confirmed in the neurotoxic cyanobacterium, C. raciborskii T3, as well as the non-toxic Anabaena sp. PCC7120. Furthermore, investigation of the sxt gene cluster transcriptional map in C. raciborskii T3 was carried out, with identification of three main polycistronic and one monocistronic transcripts. Promoter regions putatively involved in the regulation of STX production in C. raciborskii T3 were also identified. Transcription factor consensus motifs, the pho boxes, were identified in the main promoter region. These conserved motifs are the binding regions for the transcriptional regulator, PhoB, to the pho regulon genes, involved in phosphate uptake during conditions of its depletion in the environment. Moreover, a genomic region adjacent to the sxt gene cluster in C. raciborskii T3 was identified and characterised, putatively encoding a regulatory two-component system. This system appears to be involved in the sensing of environmental signals, in particular depleted phosphate, while activating the transcription of genes involved in its uptake and transport. The results of this study lead to a greater understanding of the complex factors associated with the regulation of STX biosynthesis and bloom-formation, by the cyanobacterium C. raciborskii T3.

Aquatic microalgae produce a variety of toxic secondary metabolites, which are a concern for public health and seafood industries, while also presenting a source of pharmacologically valuable compounds. The present study deals with the physiology and molecular genetics of saxitoxin (STX), a cyanobacterial neurotoxic alkaloid. Ecological and chemical parameters have been investigated for their effects on growth and STX production in the cyanobacterium Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii T3, in order to better understand the physiological responses of this cyanobacterium to the anthropogenic eutrophication of water bodies. The results indicated that phosphate, in particular, had an incremental effect on STX production, as well as promoting the up-regulation of transcription of the STX biosynthetic gene cluster (sxt). High temperature was found to negatively affect growth and STX production in this organism. The effects of the plant hormone, jasmonic acid, were also tested, since it has previously been shown to affect plant alkaloid production. The hypothesised similarity between cyanobacterial and plant secondary metabolism in response to this plant hormone was confirmed in the neurotoxic cyanobacterium, C. raciborskii T3, as well as the non-toxic Anabaena sp. PCC7120. Furthermore, investigation of the sxt gene cluster transcriptional map in C. raciborskii T3 was carried out, with identification of three main polycistronic and one monocistronic transcripts. Promoter regions putatively involved in the regulation of STX production in C. raciborskii T3 were also identified. Transcription factor consensus motifs, the pho boxes, were identified in the main promoter region. These conserved motifs are the binding regions for the transcriptional regulator, PhoB, to the pho regulon genes, involved in phosphate uptake during conditions of its depletion in the environment. Moreover, a genomic region adjacent to the sxt gene cluster in C. raciborskii T3 was identified and characterised, putatively encoding a regulatory two-component system. This system appears to be involved in the sensing of environmental signals, in particular depleted phosphate, while activating the transcription of genes involved in its uptake and transport. The results of this study lead to a greater understanding of the complex factors associated with the regulation of STX biosynthesis and bloom-formation, by the cyanobacterium C. raciborskii T3.

Thesis (M.S.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering, 1960. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 76-77). / by Alfred I. Raff. / M.S.

A liga de alumínio AA2024-T3, amplamente utilizada na indústria aeroespacial, apresenta elevada resistência mecânica conferida pela adição de elementos de liga, principalmente o Cu, que formam precipitados finamente distribuídos e coerentes com a matriz, durante o processo de envelhecimento controlado. No entanto, durante este processo, também se formam intermetálicos (IMs) maiores com composição e atividade eletroquímica diferentes da matriz, tornando a liga altamente suscetível a processos de corrosão localizada. A literatura apresenta diversos trabalhos sobre o estudo da corrosão da AA2024-T3 associada à presença dos IMs, porém, o tema ainda é bastante controverso, e muitos aspectos precisam ser estudados com mais detalhes ou mesmo ainda desvendados. Nos últimos anos, técnicas de microscopia de alta resolução, como a microscopia eletrônica de transmissão (TEM) e microscopia eletrônica de varredura (MEV), associadas à espectroscopia por energia dispersiva de raios X (EDS) e a microscopia de força atômica (AFM) bem como técnicas eletroquímicas convencionais e localizadas têm auxiliado nestas pesquisas. Na presente tese serão apresentados os resultados dos estudos realizados sobre a corrosão da liga AA 2024-T3 em soluções de cloreto de baixa concentração. A investigação foi realizada aliando as técnicas de caracterização anteriormente descritas com técnicas eletroquímicas tradicionais: acompanhamento do potencial de circuito aberto (OCP) com o tempo, curvas de polarização (CP) e espectroscopia de impedância eletroquímica (EIS) e técnicas com elevado poder de resolução espacial: como a técnica do eletrodo vibratório de varredura (SVET). A caracterização microestrutural confirmou a heterogeneidade dos IMs, e como contribuições principais, evidenciou a existência de fases secundárias (cristalinas ou não) no interior dos próprios IMs e que a matriz da liga nas proximidades dos IMs apresenta microestrutura variável, todos estes aspectos podendo contribuir de maneira sinérgica para o complexo comportamento de corrosão exibido pelos IMs. Além do mais, mostrou-se que na corrosão os IMs estão submetidos a ataque eletroquímico e químico, este último ocasionado por aumento local do pH. Os resultados dos testes eletroquímicos convencionais mostraram que nas condições empregadas no presente estudo a corrosão da liga é dominada pelo comportamento de corrosão dos IMs, e que, dentro deste contexto, o transporte de oxigênio até os sítios catódicos formados pelos IMs, ao invés da concentração de cloretos, parece ser a etapa controladora da velocidade de corrosão. Por outro lado o tratamento da região em altas freqüências dos diagramas de EIS se mostrou um importante aliado na compreensão dos processos que ocorrem na interface quando da corrosão da liga. No que se refere às técnicas localizadas, a viabilidade do uso da técnica do eletrodo vibratório de varredura (SVET) para estudo do início da corrosão na AA2024-T3 foi avaliada e um sistema para aquisição de dados experimentais por espectroscopia de impedância localizada (LEIS) foi montado e validado. A SVET confirmou que a atividade eletroquímica da liga AA2024-T3 se inicia desde os primeiros instantes de imersão do material no eletrólito teste. / The AA2024-T3 aluminium alloy is largely used in the aerospace industry. It has high mechanical properties due to the presence of alloying elements, mainly copper, that form finely distributed precipitates coherent with the matrix, during controlled aging treatment. However, during this process, large intermetallics (IMs) are also formed with composition and electrochemical activity different from the matrix, making the alloy highly susceptible to localized corrosion. Many works have been published in literature on the corrosion behavior of the AA2024-T3 alloy associated to the presence of IMs, however, the subject is still controversial and many aspects need further detailed investigation. In the last years, high resolution microscopy techniques, such as transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) associated to X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) simultaneously with conventional and localized electrochemical techniques have largely contributed to these studies. In the present work the results of studies carried out on the corrosion behavior of the AA 2024-T3 alloy in chloride solutions of low concentration are presented. The investigation was undertaken by combining the above characterization techniques with conventional electrochemical techniques: open circuit potential (OCP) measurements as a function of immersion time, polarization curves (PC) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and also techniques of high spatial resolution such as scanning vibrating electrode technique (SVET). The microstructural characterization of the AA 2024-T3 alloy corroborated the heterogeneous nature of the IMs, and as the main contributions, evidenced the presence of secondary phases (either crystalline or amorphous) inside the IMs and the heterogenous microstructure of the matrix at the vicinity of the IMs. All these properties might sinergically contribute to the complex corrosion behavior showed by the IMs. Besides, it was also found that the IMs suffer electrochemical and chemical attack, this last type being caused by local pH increase. The results of the conventional electrochemical techniques showed that under the conditions adopted in the present study, the corrosion of the AA2024-T3 is ruled by the corrosion behavior of the IMs. In this perspective, the oxygen transport to the cathodic sites generated by the IMs rather than the chloride concentration, seems to be the controlling step of the corrosion rate. On the other hand, the analysis of the EIS high frequency data allowed to elucidate the the interfacial processes occurring during the corrosion of the aluminium alloy investigated. The viability of the use of SVET to study the corrosion initiation in the AA2024-T3 was evaluated and a system for experimental data acquisition by localized electrochemical impedance spectroscopy was installed and validated. The SVET showed that the electrochemical activity of the AA2024-T3 takes place since the first periods of immersion in the test electrolyte.

Estudos preliminares através de microarray nos mostraram que a E3 ligase Mdm2 foi regulado positivamente no músculo de animais hipertireoideos. Dessa forma, nós inferimos uma possível relação de Mdm2 com a atrofia causada por T3. Para testar nossa hipótese, ratos foram induzidos ao hipertireoidismo para análises subsequentes. Concomitante com a perda de massa muscular foi confirmado um aumento da expressão de Mdm2 tanto no nível gênico (p<0.05) quanto protéico. Interessantemente, Mdm2 foi preferencialmente expresso em fibras tipo I, mostrando maior sensibilidade dessas fibras ao T3. Além disso, foi observado uma diminuição severa na expressão de Pax7/MyoD associado à superexpressão de Mdm2, sugerindo inatividade das células satélites. Surpreendentemente, a inibição de Mdm2 em miotubos cultivados provocou uma diminuição severa no diâmetro destes (~35%, p<0.05), ou seja, tal inibição foi incapaz de minimizar a proteólise muscular causada por T3. Portanto, nós concluímos que a responsividade de Mdm2 ao T3 agiria como um mecanismo compensatório numa tentativa de minimizar a proteólise muscular causada pelo hipertireoidismo. Esta conclusão é reforçada pela atrofia observada em miotubos durante a inibição de Mdm2 sem a presença de T3. / Previous studies in our lab through microarray assay observed Mdm2, an E3 ligase, up regulated in soleus muscle from hyperthyroid rats. In this sense, we inferred that Mdm2 could be related to muscle atrophy caused by T3. To test our hypothesis, rats were induced to experimental hyperthyroidism for subsequent analysis. Along the muscle mass loss, the increase on Mdm2 gene expression was confirmed (p<0.05) as well as protein expression by RT-PCR and Western Blot, respectively. Interestingly, Mdm2 was expressed predominantly in fiber I type during T3 treatment, demonstrating a higher sensibility when compared to type II fiber. Moreover, it was observed a severe decrease in Pax7/MyoD labeling, associated to an increase on Mdm2 labeling, suggesting that T3 could be associated with inactivation of satellite cells. Surprisingly, Mdm2 inhibition in myotubes have induced severe decrease on myotubes diameter (~35%, p<0.05), in other words, Mdm2 inhibition was not able to decrease muscle proteolysis during high levels of T3. Thus, the increase on Mdm2 levels could be a compensatory effect to reduce the muscle mass loss during T3 treatment. This conclusion is highlighted by the myotubes atrophy observed during the Mdm2 inhibition without T3 treatment.

Įtariant skydliaukės patologiją rekomenduojama tirti tirotropinio hormono ir laisvo tiroksino koncentracijas kraujo serume. Laisvo trijodtironino tyrimas nėra įprastinis ir atliekamas kai nustatoma sumažėjusi tirotropinio hormono ir normali laisvo tiroksino koncentracija. Šio darbo tikslas - įvertinti padidėjusio laisvo trijodtironino poveikio ypatumus, esant normaliai tirotropinio hormono ir laisvo tiroksino koncentracijai. Uždaviniai – nustatyti ir įvertinti klinikinių simptomų ypatumus, objektyvaus tyrimo duomenis (odos būklę, skydliaukės padidėjimo laipsnį, širdies ir kraujagyslių sistemos rodmenis), laisvo trijodtironino padidėjimo sąsajas su antikūnų prieš skydliaukės peroksidazę, tirotropino receptorius, tiroglobulino kiekiu, su skydliaukės hormonus nešančio baltymo indeksu, kepenų fermentų koncentracijos pokyčiais, skydliaukės mazginių pokyčių dažnį ir palyginti juos su pacientų, kai nėra hormonų koncentracijos pokyčių, arba izoliuotai padidėjęs tik trijodtironinas, ar nustatyta tirotoksikozė. Nustatyta, kad padidėjus laisvam trijodtironinui, kai tirotropinio hormono ir laisvo tiroksino koncentracija serume normali, būdingi širdies ir kraujagyslių sistemos ir emocinės būsenos sutrikimai, objektyviai dažniau apčiuopiama padidėjusi skydliaukė. Statistiškai reikšmingų sąsajų tarp padidėjusio laisvo trijodtironino ir minėtų laboratorinių rodiklių, mazginių pakitimų skydliaukėje nenustatyta. / Accordind to world guidelines of thyroid function testing, it is suggested to use only ultrasensitive thyrotropin measurement in order to determine the diagnosis of hyperthyroidism. Free triiodothyronine is not a routine test. A serum level of free triiodothyronine is tested only when the thyrotropin concentration is decreased. For the first time in Lithuania, the study was made in order to investigate clinical features of symptoms, the degree of thyroid increment, cardiovascular system data, relationship between antibodies against thyroid peroxidase, thyroglobulin and thyrotropin receptors, thyroid binding globulin index, abnormalities of liver enzyme levels, incidence of thyroid nodular lesions associated with the increases in free triiodothyronine, when free thyroxine and thyrotropine levels are within the normal range. In conclusion was found that persons, who had elevated levels of free triiodothyronine, when thyrotropin and free thyroxine concentrations in serum were in normal ranges, suffered from characteristic cardiovascular system and emotional state disorders, there are thyroid volume increase, determined elevated levels of antibodies against thyroid peroxidase and alanine transaminase in serum, but statistically significant link between increased free triiodothyronine and the laboratory parameters was not observed. The increase of free triiodothyronine concentration in serum is not associated with nodal changes in the thyroid gland.

A liga de alumínio AA2024-T3, amplamente utilizada na indústria aeroespacial, apresenta elevada resistência mecânica conferida pela adição de elementos de liga, principalmente o Cu, que formam precipitados finamente distribuídos e coerentes com a matriz, durante o processo de envelhecimento controlado. No entanto, durante este processo, também se formam intermetálicos (IMs) maiores com composição e atividade eletroquímica diferentes da matriz, tornando a liga altamente suscetível a processos de corrosão localizada. A literatura apresenta diversos trabalhos sobre o estudo da corrosão da AA2024-T3 associada à presença dos IMs, porém, o tema ainda é bastante controverso, e muitos aspectos precisam ser estudados com mais detalhes ou mesmo ainda desvendados. Nos últimos anos, técnicas de microscopia de alta resolução, como a microscopia eletrônica de transmissão (TEM) e microscopia eletrônica de varredura (MEV), associadas à espectroscopia por energia dispersiva de raios X (EDS) e a microscopia de força atômica (AFM) bem como técnicas eletroquímicas convencionais e localizadas têm auxiliado nestas pesquisas. Na presente tese serão apresentados os resultados dos estudos realizados sobre a corrosão da liga AA 2024-T3 em soluções de cloreto de baixa concentração. A investigação foi realizada aliando as técnicas de caracterização anteriormente descritas com técnicas eletroquímicas tradicionais: acompanhamento do potencial de circuito aberto (OCP) com o tempo, curvas de polarização (CP) e espectroscopia de impedância eletroquímica (EIS) e técnicas com elevado poder de resolução espacial: como a técnica do eletrodo vibratório de varredura (SVET). A caracterização microestrutural confirmou a heterogeneidade dos IMs, e como contribuições principais, evidenciou a existência de fases secundárias (cristalinas ou não) no interior dos próprios IMs e que a matriz da liga nas proximidades dos IMs apresenta microestrutura variável, todos estes aspectos podendo contribuir de maneira sinérgica para o complexo comportamento de corrosão exibido pelos IMs. Além do mais, mostrou-se que na corrosão os IMs estão submetidos a ataque eletroquímico e químico, este último ocasionado por aumento local do pH. Os resultados dos testes eletroquímicos convencionais mostraram que nas condições empregadas no presente estudo a corrosão da liga é dominada pelo comportamento de corrosão dos IMs, e que, dentro deste contexto, o transporte de oxigênio até os sítios catódicos formados pelos IMs, ao invés da concentração de cloretos, parece ser a etapa controladora da velocidade de corrosão. Por outro lado o tratamento da região em altas freqüências dos diagramas de EIS se mostrou um importante aliado na compreensão dos processos que ocorrem na interface quando da corrosão da liga. No que se refere às técnicas localizadas, a viabilidade do uso da técnica do eletrodo vibratório de varredura (SVET) para estudo do início da corrosão na AA2024-T3 foi avaliada e um sistema para aquisição de dados experimentais por espectroscopia de impedância localizada (LEIS) foi montado e validado. A SVET confirmou que a atividade eletroquímica da liga AA2024-T3 se inicia desde os primeiros instantes de imersão do material no eletrólito teste. / The AA2024-T3 aluminium alloy is largely used in the aerospace industry. It has high mechanical properties due to the presence of alloying elements, mainly copper, that form finely distributed precipitates coherent with the matrix, during controlled aging treatment. However, during this process, large intermetallics (IMs) are also formed with composition and electrochemical activity different from the matrix, making the alloy highly susceptible to localized corrosion. Many works have been published in literature on the corrosion behavior of the AA2024-T3 alloy associated to the presence of IMs, however, the subject is still controversial and many aspects need further detailed investigation. In the last years, high resolution microscopy techniques, such as transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) associated to X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) simultaneously with conventional and localized electrochemical techniques have largely contributed to these studies. In the present work the results of studies carried out on the corrosion behavior of the AA 2024-T3 alloy in chloride solutions of low concentration are presented. The investigation was undertaken by combining the above characterization techniques with conventional electrochemical techniques: open circuit potential (OCP) measurements as a function of immersion time, polarization curves (PC) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and also techniques of high spatial resolution such as scanning vibrating electrode technique (SVET). The microstructural characterization of the AA 2024-T3 alloy corroborated the heterogeneous nature of the IMs, and as the main contributions, evidenced the presence of secondary phases (either crystalline or amorphous) inside the IMs and the heterogenous microstructure of the matrix at the vicinity of the IMs. All these properties might sinergically contribute to the complex corrosion behavior showed by the IMs. Besides, it was also found that the IMs suffer electrochemical and chemical attack, this last type being caused by local pH increase. The results of the conventional electrochemical techniques showed that under the conditions adopted in the present study, the corrosion of the AA2024-T3 is ruled by the corrosion behavior of the IMs. In this perspective, the oxygen transport to the cathodic sites generated by the IMs rather than the chloride concentration, seems to be the controlling step of the corrosion rate. On the other hand, the analysis of the EIS high frequency data allowed to elucidate the the interfacial processes occurring during the corrosion of the aluminium alloy investigated. The viability of the use of SVET to study the corrosion initiation in the AA2024-T3 was evaluated and a system for experimental data acquisition by localized electrochemical impedance spectroscopy was installed and validated. The SVET showed that the electrochemical activity of the AA2024-T3 takes place since the first periods of immersion in the test electrolyte.

Estudos preliminares através de microarray nos mostraram que a E3 ligase Mdm2 foi regulado positivamente no músculo de animais hipertireoideos. Dessa forma, nós inferimos uma possível relação de Mdm2 com a atrofia causada por T3. Para testar nossa hipótese, ratos foram induzidos ao hipertireoidismo para análises subsequentes. Concomitante com a perda de massa muscular foi confirmado um aumento da expressão de Mdm2 tanto no nível gênico (p<0.05) quanto protéico. Interessantemente, Mdm2 foi preferencialmente expresso em fibras tipo I, mostrando maior sensibilidade dessas fibras ao T3. Além disso, foi observado uma diminuição severa na expressão de Pax7/MyoD associado à superexpressão de Mdm2, sugerindo inatividade das células satélites. Surpreendentemente, a inibição de Mdm2 em miotubos cultivados provocou uma diminuição severa no diâmetro destes (~35%, p<0.05), ou seja, tal inibição foi incapaz de minimizar a proteólise muscular causada por T3. Portanto, nós concluímos que a responsividade de Mdm2 ao T3 agiria como um mecanismo compensatório numa tentativa de minimizar a proteólise muscular causada pelo hipertireoidismo. Esta conclusão é reforçada pela atrofia observada em miotubos durante a inibição de Mdm2 sem a presença de T3. / Previous studies in our lab through microarray assay observed Mdm2, an E3 ligase, up regulated in soleus muscle from hyperthyroid rats. In this sense, we inferred that Mdm2 could be related to muscle atrophy caused by T3. To test our hypothesis, rats were induced to experimental hyperthyroidism for subsequent analysis. Along the muscle mass loss, the increase on Mdm2 gene expression was confirmed (p<0.05) as well as protein expression by RT-PCR and Western Blot, respectively. Interestingly, Mdm2 was expressed predominantly in fiber I type during T3 treatment, demonstrating a higher sensibility when compared to type II fiber. Moreover, it was observed a severe decrease in Pax7/MyoD labeling, associated to an increase on Mdm2 labeling, suggesting that T3 could be associated with inactivation of satellite cells. Surprisingly, Mdm2 inhibition in myotubes have induced severe decrease on myotubes diameter (~35%, p<0.05), in other words, Mdm2 inhibition was not able to decrease muscle proteolysis during high levels of T3. Thus, the increase on Mdm2 levels could be a compensatory effect to reduce the muscle mass loss during T3 treatment. This conclusion is highlighted by the myotubes atrophy observed during the Mdm2 inhibition without T3 treatment.