Diss. (sammanfattning) Göteborg : Göteborgs universitet, 2010. / Härtill 3 uppsatser.

Thesis (M.S.) -- University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, 2005. / Not embargoed Vita. Bibliography: 24-25.

CoordenaÃÃo de AperfeiÃoamento de Pessoal de NÃvel Superior / A fenstatina, quimicamente designada de 4-metoxifenil-3,4,5-trimetoxifenilmetanona, denominada RR07, Ã uma bisarilcetona de esqueleto estilbenÃide que pode ser obtida a partir da combretastatina A4, com reconhecida atividade citotÃxica, por meio da oxidaÃÃo de Jacobsen. Dentre as muitas atividades desencadeadas pelos estilbenos destacam-se atividade antiangiogÃnica, citotÃxica e antitumoral. Para avaliar o seu potencial antineoplÃsico, um estudo farmacolÃgico de suas propriedades anticÃncer foi realizado em vÃrios modelos biolÃgicos. Utilizando o ensaio do MTT foi feito um estudo comparativo da citotoxicidade de molÃculas estilbenÃides com estruturas relacionadas ao composto RR07, onde foi observado que a presenÃa do anel A (3,4,5-trimetoxifenil) Ã essencial para a atividade citotÃxica da molÃcula. Determinou-se inicialmente a atividade citotÃxica, frente a 13 linhagens tumorais pelo ensaio de reduÃÃo do MTT sendo testados 11 compostos, (RR01, RR02, RR03, RR04, RR05, RR06, RR07, RR08, RR09, RR10, RR11), onde o estilbenÃide RR07 destacou-se como um dos mais citotÃxicos apresentando valores de CI50 que variaram de 0,009 a 17,49 M. Posteriormente, os estudos de mecanismo de aÃÃo com o RR07 nas concentraÃÃes de 0,25; 0,50; 1,00; 2,00 e 4,00 M, revelaram reduÃÃo, de forma concentraÃÃo-dependente, na viabilidade celular pelos mÃtodos do azul de tripan e de BrdU (bromodeoxiuridina). As anÃlises morfolÃgicas feitas por hematoxilina/eosina mostraram nÃcleos metafÃsicos, onde no ensaio de incorporaÃÃo por brometo de etÃdio/laranja de acridina evidenciou-se morte celular por apoptose nas concentraÃÃes de 0,25 e 0,50 M, com cÃlulas em necrose nas concentraÃÃes de 1,00; 2,00 e 4,00 M, destacando-se alteraÃÃes como desintegraÃÃo membranar e picnose nuclear, nas concentraÃÃes de 0,25 M e 1,00 M, respectivamente. Nos ensaios por citometria de fluxo foi observado fragmentaÃÃo do DNA com parada de ciclo na fase G2/M a partir da concentraÃÃo 0,25 M. A anÃlise pelo ensaio do cometa, para o RR07 revelou atividade genotÃxica do tipo concentraÃÃo-dependente entre cÃlulas mononucleadas de sangue perifÃrico (PBMC), principalmente em 2,00 e 4,00 M. A avaliaÃÃo do RR07 no ensaio com tubulina isolada revelou inibiÃÃo na polimerizaÃÃo da mesma em uma concentraÃÃo de 10 M. A anÃlise antitumoral evidenciou inibiÃÃo de 30,9% e 48,19%, respectivamente, para as doses de 20 e 40 mg/kg/dia de RR07 por via intraperitoneal (ip), e 55,68% de inibiÃÃo para a associaÃÃo de 10 mg/kg/dia de 5-fluorouracil com 20 mg/kg/dia de RR07 (ip), em camundongos transplantados com Sarcoma 180, onde se verificou reduÃÃo no crescimento tumoral e alteraÃÃes renais iniciais e reversÃveis. Desta forma, a fenstatina, RR07, apresenta-se como uma proposta de ferramenta farmacolÃgica Ãtil para a pesquisa de novos derivados. / The phenstatin, chemically known as 4-methoxyphenyl-3,4,5-trimetoxiphenylmethane, was called in the present study as RR07. This compound is a bisarylketone with stilbenoid skeleton obtained from combretastatin A4, with recognized cytotoxic and antineoplasic activities. Then, a detailed study of RR07 anticancer properties was conducted in several biological models. The cytotoxic activity of eleven compounds (RR01, RR02, RR03, RR04, RR05, RR06, RR07, RR08, RR09, RR10, RR11) was determined against thirteen tumor cell lines by MTT assay. Structure-activity relationship pointed out that the presence of ring A (3,4,5-trimethoxiphenyl) is essential for the cytotoxic potential. The RR07 was one of the most cytotoxic compounds, showing IC50 values ranging from 0.009 to 17.49 ÂM. Investigations on mechanism of action (0.25, 0.50, 1.00, 2.00 and 4.00 ÂM) showed a concentration-dependent manner cell viability reduction (trypan blue dye exclusion test) and proliferation decreasing (BrdU assay). Morphological alterations determined by hematoxylin/eosin and acridine orange/ethidium bromide fluorescent double staining methods indicated an increased number of apoptotic cells at lowest concentrations (0.25 and 0.50 ÂM) and necrotic cells at higher concentrations (1.00, 2.00 and 4.00 ÂM). Flow cytometry analyses showed that RR07 induced DNA fragmentation and cell cycle arrest at G2/M starting at 0.25 ÂM. In the comet assay performed with human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), RR07 caused DNA strand breaks only at higher concentrations (2.00 and 4.00 ÂM). Experiments with isolated tubulin, RR07 also induced tubulin polymerization inhibition in a concentration of 10 μM. In vivo antitumor experiments showed that Sarcoma 180 transplanted-mice treated with RR07 intraperitoneally (ip) presented a tumor growth inhibition ratios of 30.9% and 48.19% (20 mg/kg/day and 40 mg/kg/day, respectively) and inhibition of 55.68% in associated treatment (5-Fluoruracil 10 mg/kg/day + RR07 20 mg/kg/day). Histopathological analyses of kidneys, spleen and livers revealed incipient and reversible alterations. In summary, RR07 can be considered as a pharmacological useful tool as well as a lead molecule to obtain novel compounds with low toxicity and promising antitumor properties.

Agmatine, an endogenous amine derived from decarboxylation of l-arginine catalyzed by arginine decarboxylase, has been proposed as a neurotransmitter or neuromodulator in the brain. In the present study, we examined whether agmatine has neuroprotective effects against repeated immobilization-induced morphological changes in brain tissues and possible effects of immobilization stress on endogenous agmatine levels and arginine decarboxylase expression in rat brains. Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to 2 h immobilization stress daily for 7 days. This paradigm significantly increased plasma corticosterone levels, and the glutamate efflux in the hippocampus as measured by in vivo microdialysis. Immunohistochemical staining with β-tubulin III showed that repeated immobilization caused marked morphological alterations in the hippocampus and medial prefrontal cortex that were prevented by simultaneous treatment with agmatine (50 mg/kg/day), i.p.). Likewise, endogenous agmatine levels measured by high-performance liquid chromatography in the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, striatum and hypothalamus were significantly increased by immobilization, as compared to controls. The increased endogenous agmatine levels, ranging from 92 to 265% of controls, were accompanied by a significant increase of arginine decarboxylase protein levels in the same regions. These results demonstrate that the administration of exogenous agmatine protects the hippocampus and medial prefrontal cortex against neuronal insults caused by repeated immobilization. The parallel increase in endogenous brain agmatine and arginine decarboxylase protein levels triggered by repeated immobilization indicates that the endogenous agmatine system may play an important role in adaptation to stress as a potential neuronal self-protection mechanism.

The order Thysanoptera (Insecta: Paraneoptera), commonly known as thrips, includes organisms that exhibit a wide range of social and feeding behaviors that are of particular interest in evolutionary studies. These studies within thrips have been inhibited by the lack of knowledge of thrips relationships. The recognized classification scheme strives to reflect evolutionary relationships and is based upon morphology. Molecular data is next as morphology alone is not enough to resolve relationships. Few molecular studies have been conducted and all were limited in their taxon sampling and genetic sampling. To provide a foundation of future evolutionary studies, the objectives of this study are to (1) test the monophyly of the suborders Terebrantia and Tubulifera, (2) test the monophyly of the families and decipher their relationships, and (3) test the monophyly of the recognized subfamilies. Phylogenies were reconstructed based upon 5299 bp, from five genetic loci: 18S ribosomal DNA, 28S ribosomal DNA, Histone 3 (H3), Tubulin-alpha (TubA) and cytochrome oxidase c subunit I (COI). 99 thrips species from seven of the nine families, all six subfamilies and 70 genera were sequenced. Maximum Parsimony (MP), Maximum Likelihood (ML) and Bayesian analysis all strongly support a monophyletic Tubulifera and Terebrantia. Phlaeothripidae, Aeolothripidae, Melanthripidae and Thripidae are all monophyletic families. The relationship between Aeolothripidae and Merothripidae to the rest of Terebrantia is equivocal. Morphological and molecular data suggest Aeolothripidae or Merothripidae could be the basal lineage of Terebrantia. Four of the six subfamilies are recovered as monophyletic. The two largest subfamilies, Phlaeothripinae and Thripinae, are paraphyletic and require further study to understand relationships within them.

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