No / A novel high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) assay for the estimation of formoterol in urine samples was developed and validated. A solid phase extraction (SPE) using Oasis HLB was optimised to isolate formoterol from a urine matrix followed by HPLC with UV detection. This extraction procedure concentrated the final analyte forty times so that UV detection can be used to determine even a low concentration of formoterol in urine samples. The urinary assay was performed in accordance with FDA and ICH regulations for the validation of bioanalytical samples. The samples were injected onto a C18 Spherisorb® (250 mm x 4.6 mm x 5 ¿m) analytical column maintained at 30 °C. The mobile phase consisted of 5 mM of potassium dihydrogen orthophosphate buffer (adjusted to pH 3 with ortho phosphoric acid):acetonitrile (ACN) (70:30, v/v), and the formoterol peak was detected at wavelength 214 nm. The extraction recovery of formoterol from the urine sample was >95%. The calibration curve was linear (r2=0.99) over formoterol concentrations ranging from 1.5 to 25 ng/mL (n=6). The method had an accuracy of >92% and intra and inter-day precision CV% of <3.9% and <2.2%, respectively, at three different concentrations low, medium and high (10, 15, 20 ng/mL). The limit of quantification (LOQ) for formoterol was found to be 1.50 ng/mL. The accuracy and precision at the LOQ level were 95% and %CV <3.7% (n = 10), respectively. The method reported is simple, reliable, precise, and accurate and has the capacity to be used for determination of formoterol in urine samples.

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Animal Sciences and Industry / Bradley J. Johnson / Zilpaterol (ZIL) is a β-adrenergic receptor (β-AR) agonist that has been recently approved for use in feedlot cattle to improve production efficiencies and animal performance. One of the mechanisms through which this occurs is increased skeletal muscle growth. Therefore, two experiments were conducted to determine the effects of ZIL both in vivo and in vitro. In the first experiment, ZIL addition to bovine satellite cells resulted in a tendency to increase IGF-I mRNA and increased myosin heavy chain IIA (MHC) mRNA with 0.001 [micro symbol]M and decreased MHC mRNA with 0.01 and 10 [micro symbol]M. There were no effects of ZIL on protein synthesis or degradation. In myoblast cultures, there was a decrease in all three β-AR mRNA, and this was also reported in western blot analysis with a reduction in β2-AR expression due to ZIL treatment. In myotubes, there was an increase in β2-AR protein expression. In the second and third experiment, ZIL improved performance and carcass characteristics of feedlot steers and heifers. Additionally, ZIL decreased MHC IIA mRNA in semimembranosus muscle tissue collected from both steers and heifers. An additional part of the third study was conducted to determine the effects of melengestrol acetate (MGA) on bovine satellite cell and semimembranosus muscle gene expression. There were no effects of MGA on the expression of genes analyzed from semimembranosus muscle tissue collected. However, the addition of MGA to cultured bovine satellite cells resulted in increased β1 and β2-AR mRNA. These experiments aid in our understanding of the mechanism of action of MGA in heifers, as well as the effects of ZIL on both steers and heifers. Furthermore, they increase our knowledge and understanding of the mechanism of action of ZIL, as well as other β-agonists used to promote growth and efficiency in feedlot animals.

Placental insufficiency-induced intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) increases risk of mortality and morbidity in newborn infants and domestic animals. IUGR fetuses are typically exposed to prolonged hypoxemia, hypoglycemia, and hypercatecholaminemia, which results in perinatal pancreatic β-cell dysfunction. Recent evidence indicates that chronic exposure to norepinephrine in utero suppresses insulin secretion through α2-adrenergic receptors (ARs), but if the adrenergic actions are blocked compensatory hyper insulin secretion response is observed in the IUGR sheep fetus. In the current studies, we demonstrate that chronic NE exposure alone can produce the compensatory enhancement of β-cell responsiveness following termination of a chronic NE infusion. In the fetus NE was continuously infused at 1-4 μg/min for seven days starting at 131 days of gestational age (term = 145 days). During treatment, NE infused fetuses had higher (P < 0.05) plasma NE concentrations and lower (P < 0.01) insulin concentrations than vehicle infused control fetuses. Glucose stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS), which measures β-cell function, prior to NE treatment was not different between treatments. However, insulin concentrations during hyperglycemic steady state period of GSIS studies and area under the curve of glucose-potentiated arginine-induced insulin secretion were higher (P < 0.01) than control values and this augmentation was confirmed at 3 hours, 24 hours, and five days in NE-infused fetuses after discontinuing the infusion. Pancreatic islets isolated within 10 hours post NE infusion had lower (P < 0.05) mRNA expression of α1D (58%), α2A (43%), α2C (42%), α1 (67%) adrenergic receptors (ARs), and uncoupling protein 2 (40%) compared to islets from controls. Isolated islets from NE-infused fetuses 5 days after NE treatment had lower (P < 0.05) inhibitory responsiveness from NE and a greater (P < 0.05) maximal insulin release with glucose simulation in static incubations compared to controls. These findings show that following chronic NE exposure insulin secretion responsiveness was augmented and was coupled with desensitized adrenergic signaling. Moreover, this compensatory β-cell enhancement persists for days indicating chronic NE exposure permanently alters β-cell responsiveness.

Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disorder in which the body fails to achieve glucose homeostasis, due to either insulin resistance or reduced insulin secretion or both. This inadequate glucose control leads to hyperglycemia which, if left unchecked, leads to secondary complications like nephropathy, neuropathy, retinal degeneration and other serious conditions. In non-disease state, normal glucose level in the blood is maintained by pancreatic β-cells, which secrete insulin. However, during diabetes development, there is loss of β-cell mass and function; resulting in decreased insulin secretion which is the ultimate cause of hyperglycemia. The ability to non-invasively monitor changes in the β-cell mass during the development or treatment of diabetes would be a significant advance in diabetes management. However, a primary limitation for analysis of β-cell mass and developing dysfunction is the lack of specificity of β-cell targeting agents. Our novel approach for achieving the required specificity for a usable β-cell targeted contrast agent is to target a set of receptors on the cell surface that, as a combination, are unique to that cell. Through genetic screening, Glucagon Like Peptide-1 Receptor (GLP-1R) and α2Adrenergic Receptor (α2AR) were chosen as a potential molecular barcode for β-cells since their combination expression is relatively unique to the β-cells. GLP-1R and α2AR are both G-protein couple receptors (GPCRs) that, apart from being a β-cell specific combination, play an important role in regulating fundamental downstream signaling pathways in β-cells. To target these receptors effectively, we synthesized a multivalent ligand composed of Yohimbine (Yhb), an α2 adrenergic receptor (α2AR) antagonist, linked to an active Glucagon-like Peptide 1 analog (GLP-1₇₋₃₆). In this manuscript, I describe the synthesis and characterization of binding selectivity and signaling ability of GLP-1/Yhb at the cellular level. Using high throughput binding assays, we observed high affinity binding of GLP-1/Yhb to βTC3 cells, a β-cell mimetic line expressing both receptors, at a Kd of ~3 nM. Using microscopy, we observed significant Cy5-tagged GLP-1/Yhb binding and rapid internalization in cells expressing the complementary receptor pair at low concentrations, as low as 1 nM and 5 nM. When one of the receptors was made inaccessible due to presence of saturating quantities of a single unlabeled monomer, GLP-1/Yhb-Cy5 failed to bind to the cells at low concentrations (<10 nM). Similarly, in cells where either GLP-1R or α2AR were knocked down (using shRNA), binding of GLP-1/Yhb was significantly reduced (≤half of cells with both receptors), indicating strong selectivity of the ligand to cells expressing the combination of receptors. We also observed that GLP-1/Yhb construct modulates downstream signaling inβ TC3 cells resulting in enhanced Glucose Stimulated Insulin Secretion (GSIS). In presence of stimulatory glucose, GLP-1/Yhb significantly potentiated GSIS with a half-maximal effective dose of 2.6 nM. Compared to GLP-1₇₋₃₆ alone or GLP-1₇₋₃₆ and Yhb monomers added together, only GLP-1/Yhb could significantly potentiate GSIS at 1 nM, demonstrating that GLP-1/Yhb could translate high affinity binding to increased efficacy for GSIS potentiation. Unlike for insulin secretion, high affinity divalent binding did not translate to increased cAMP production at low concentrations, with significant increases above baseline seen only at 10 nM and higher. Nevertheless, these data show that GLP-1/Yhb binds selectively to β-cells and affects signaling, demonstrating its potential for targeted β-cell imaging and therapy. Overall, our work indicates that synthetic heterobivalent ligands, such as GLP-1/Yhb can be developed to increase cellular specificity and sensitivity making them a strong candidate for both noninvasive imaging and targeted therapy.

A hipertensão acomete aproximadamente 1 bilhão de pessoas em todo o mundo, no entanto, a sua etiologia exata é em muitos casos indefinida e o mecanismo de ação molecular não foi elucidado completamente. O óxido nítrico ( ) é liberado de forma contínua nos vasos de resistência, contribuindo para o controle fisiológico da pressão arterial, sendo que a redução em sua biodisponibilidade está correlacionada com o desenvolvimento da hipertensão. Durante muito tempo, acreditava-se que o nitrato e o nitrito eram apenas metabólitos inertes da via do e somente em 1994 foi demonstrado que o nitrito, derivado do nitrato, era um substrato para a produção do no estômago, de modo que a administração de nitrito de sódio exerce efeitos anti-hipertensivos. De fato, há diversas evidências demonstrando os efeitos do nitrito sobre a pressão arterial, porém, não há um consenso sobre o seu mecanismo de ação. Trabalhos recentes sugerem que os efeitos antihipertensivo do nitrito se baseiam na geração de S-nitrosotióis no estômago e na capacidade destas moléculas em nitrosar proteínas da parede vascular, alterando a sua função. Há diversas proteínas da parede vascular com função crítica no controle do tônus vascular que podem ser alvos para a nitrosação. Neste trabalho, optamos por avaliar o processo de nitrosação na sinalização do receptor -adrenérgico em ratos hipertensos e normotensos tratados com nitrito de sódio ou veículo pela via oral por 7 dias. Também foi realizada a incubação de anéis de aorta com nitrito de sódio ou S-nitrosoglutationa na presença ou ausência de ascorbato. O tratamento com nitrito de sódio oral por 7 dias foi responsável por reduzir a pressão arterial sistólica dos animais hipertensos e aumentar as quantidades de nitrito e espécies nitrosadas no plasma. Também foi observado uma redução na reatividade aórtica à fenilefrina em animais tratados com nitrito, sendo que este efeito é abolido na presença de ascorbato. A incubação de anéis de aorta com nitrito de sódio não demonstrou causar efeitos sobre a reatividade vascular, porém, o pré-tratamento com S-nitrosoglutationa seguido da sua remoção foi responsável por reduzir a reatividade aórtica à fenilefrina e aumentar a quantidade de proteínas nitrosadas na aorta. Estes efeitos também foram abolidos pela incubação com ascorbato. Estes resultados nos sugerem que os S-nitrosotióis, e não o nitrito, exercem efeito anti-hipertensivo através da redução da reatividade vascular na aorta, modulando a sinalização do receptor -adrenérgico. Estes efeitos aparentam se basear na nitrosação de proteínas, visto que a incubação com ascorbato é responsável por abolir estes efeitos e há um aumento na quantidade de proteínas nitrosadas na aorta após a pré-incubação com S-nitrosoglutationa / Hypertension affects approximately 1 billion people worldwide, however, its exact etiology is in many cases indefinite and the mechanism of molecular action has not been elucidated completely. Nitric oxide ( ) is released continuously in resistance vessels, contributing to the physiological control of blood pressure, and the reduction in its bioavailability is correlated with the development of hypertension. For a long time, it was believed that nitrate and nitrite were only inert metabolites of the pathway, and it was only in 1994 that nitrite derived from nitrate was shown to be a substrate for the production of in the stomach, so that administration of sodium nitrite exerts antihypertensive effects. In fact, there is a lot of evidence demonstrating the effects of nitrite on blood pressure, but there is no consensus on its mechanism of action. Recent work has suggested that the antihypertensive effects of nitrite are based on the generation of S-nitrosothiols in the stomach and on the ability of these molecules to nitrosate proteins in the vascular wall, altering their function. There are several vascular wall proteins with critical function in vascular tone control that may be targets for nitrosation. In this work, we chose to evaluate the process of nitrosation in -adrenergic receptor signaling in hypertensive and normotensive rats treated with sodium nitrite or vehicle orally for 7 days. Aortic rings were also incubated with sodium nitrite or S-nitrosoglutathione in the presence or absence of ascorbate. Treatment with oral sodium nitrite for 7 days was responsible for reducing the systolic blood pressure of hypertensive animals and increasing the amounts of nitrite and nitrosated species in the plasma. A reduction in aortic reactivity to phenylephrine has also been observed in nitrite treated animals, and this effect is abolished in the presence of ascorbate. The incubation of aortic rings with sodium nitrite was not shown to have an effect on vascular reactivity, however, pre-treatment with S-nitrosoglutathione followed by its removal was responsible for reducing aortic reactivity to phenylephrine and increasing the amount of nitrosated proteins in the aorta. These effects were also abolished by incubation with ascorbate. These results suggest that S-nitrosothiols, not nitrite, exert an antihypertensive effect by reducing vascular reactivity in the aorta, modulating -adrenergic receptor signaling. These effects appear to be based on protein nitrosation, since incubation with ascorbate is responsible for abolishing these effects and there is an increase in the amount of nitrosated proteins in the aorta after preincubation with S-nitrosoglutathione

Os hormônios produzidos durante o estresse e seus receptores específicos têm sido amplamente envolvidos com a progressão do câncer. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a expressão dos receptores &#x3B2;2 adrenérgicos pelas células malignas de carcinomas espinocelulares de boca (CEC) e sua correlação com as a características clínicas, evolução e o prognóstico dos pacientes. Um total de 106 pacientes portadores de CEC de boca em estádios clínicos II, III e IV, tratados no Departamento de Cirurgia de Cabeça e Pescoço e Otorrinolaringologia do Hospital de Câncer A.C. Camargo, São Paulo, Brasil, no período de 1970 a 2000, foram analisados quanto aos dados demográficos, história clínica, localização e extensão do tumor, classificação pelo sistema TNM-UICC, tratamento e evolução tumoral. Analisaram-se também as características histopatológicas, índice de malignidade tumoral e a expressão imuno-histoquímica do receptor &#x3B2;2 adrenérgico pelas células malignas no front de invasão tumoral. A associação da expressão do receptor &#x3B2;2 adrenérgico e as variáveis clínicas ou microscópicas foi calculada pelo teste do qui quadrado ou teste exato de Fisher. As probabilidades de sobrevida global e específica por câncer em 5 e 10 anos foram calculadas pelo estimador produto-limite de Kaplan-Meier, comparadas pelo test de long-rank e pelo modelo de regressão múltiplo de Cox. A expressão do receptor &#x3B2;2 adrenérgico foi detectada na membrana e no citoplasma das células malignas da maioria dos CECs de boca (72,6%) e, significativamente associada ao etilismo (p=0,021), tabagismo e etilismo simultâneo (p=0,014) e estadiamento T (p=0,07). Os pacientes cujos tumores demonstraram expressão positiva do receptor &#x3B2;2 adrenérgico apresentaram maiores taxas de sobrevida global (p=0,001) e específica por câncer (p=0,004), quando comparadas aquelas dos pacientes com tumores com ausência da expressão desta proteína. Esses resultados sugerem que a expressão do receptor &#x3B2;2 adrenérgico nas células malignas da região do front de invasão tumoral constitui um fator prognóstico favorável em pacientes com carcinoma espinocelular de boca e pode ser utilizada como alvo de novas estratégias farmacológicas antineoplásicas. / The stress related hormones and their specific receptors have been widely involved with cancer progression. The aim of this study was to evaluate the expression of &#x3B2;2 adrenergic receptor by malignant cells in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and its correlation with clinical characteristics, outcome and patients prognosis. A total of 106 patients with OSCC in clinical stages II, III and IV submitted to surgical treatment at the Head and Neck Surgery and Otorhinolaryngology Department, of the Cancer Hospital A.C. Camargo, São Paulo, Brazil, from 1970 to 2000, were analyzed for demographics data, clinical history, location, tumor extension, stage by the TNM-UICC, treatment and tumor outcome. In addition, we investigated the morphologic features, the histopathological malignant index and the immunohistochemical expression of &#x3B2;2 adrenergic receptor by malignant cells of the invasive front of tumor. Chi-square test or Fishers exact test was used to analyze the association among &#x3B2;2 adrenergic receptor expression and the clinical or morphologic variables. The probability of overall and cancer specific survival in 5 and 10 years were calculated by Kaplan-Meier method and the prognostic value of the clinical and morphologic variables was obtained by Cox regression model. Most of OSCCs (72,6%) showed the &#x3B2;2 adrenergic receptor expression in cytoplasm and cell membrane of malignant cells. In OSCC, positive &#x3B2;2 adrenergic receptor expression was significantly associated with alcoholism (p=0.021), simultaneous consumption of alcohol and tobacco (p=0.014) and T stage (p=0.07). OSCC patients with positive expression of &#x3B2;2 adrenergic receptor showed higher rates of overall survival (p=0.001) and cancer specific (p=0.004) than those patients with tumors without expression of this protein. These results suggest that the &#x3B2;2 adrenergic receptor expression by malignant cells in the invasive front of tumor is a favorable prognostic factor in patients with OSCC and can be used as a target for new anti-neoplastic pharmacological strategies.

Sabe-se que o hormônio tireoideano (HT) regula o desenvolvimento e crescimento dos ossos. No estudo, investigamos se o HT interage com o sistema nervoso simpático (SNS) controlando o crescimento longitudinal ósseo (CLO), e se essa possível interação depende do &#945;2A-AR. Para tanto, avaliamos o efeito de 30 dias de hipotireoidismo (HIPO) e hipertireoidismo (HIPER) e &#945;2A-AR-/- de 21 dias de idade. Vimos que os animais &#945;2A-AR-/- apresentam menor comprimento no fêmur, tíbia, rádio, úmero e L4 quando comparados aos animais Selv. Como esperado, o HIPO e HIPER prejudicaram o CLO desses ossos nos camundongos Selv, entretanto, o efeito do HIPO foi mais deletério. A morfologia da LE distal do fêmur mostrou que os animais &#945;2A-AR-/- eutireóideos (EUT) apresentam desorganização de zonas e alterações no número de condrócitos sendo o Hipotireoidismo o tratamento mais deletérios. Dados desse estudos sugerem que as vias PTHrP/Ihh e IGF-1/IGF-1R possam ser vias de convergência do SNS e HT na regulação da morfofisiologia da LE, envolvendo o &#945;2A-AR. Observou-se que os animais &#945;2A-AR-/- apresentam alterações no osso trabecular com potencialização com o hipotireoismo. Além disso, os animais &#945;2A-AR-/- apresentam alterações a conectividade trabecular. Esses achados sugerem que o SNS e interage o HT dependente do &#945;2A-AR. / It is known that the thyroid hormone (TH) regulates the development and growth of bones. In the study, we investigated whether the HT interacts with the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) controlling bone longitudinal growth (CLO), and if this possible interaction depends on &#945;2A-AR -/-. Therefore, we evaluated the effect of 30 days of hypothyroidism (HYPO) and hyperthyroidism (HYPER) and &#945;2A-AR -/- 21 days old. We have seen that &#945;2A-AR -/- animals have shorter femur, tibia, radius, humerus and L4 compared to Selv animals. As expected, the HYPO and HYPER damaged the CLO of these bones in Selv mice, however, the effect of HYPO was more deleterious. The morphology of the distal femur LE showed that &#945;2A-AR -/- animals euthyroid (EUT) have clutter zones and changes in the number of chondrocytes and Hypothyroidism most harmful treatment. Data from this study suggest that PTHrP pathways / Ihh and IGF-1 / IGF-1R can be SNS convergence and HT pathways in the regulation of the CO morphophysiology involving the &#945;2A-AR. It was observed that &#945;2A-AR -/- animals show changes in trabecular bone with augmentation with the hipotireoismo. Furthermore, &#945;2A-AR-/- animals show changes trabecular connectivity. These findings suggest that the SNS and interacts the HT dependent &#945;2A-AR.

A ativação do receptor beta 2 adrenérgico (&#x3B2;2-AR), pelos mediadores químicos do estresse, pode induzir efeitos estimuladores ou inibidores na migração e invasão celular, dependendo do tipo de tumor maligno. A importância deste receptor na evolução do câncer de boca não está totalmente esclarecida. O objetivo deste estudo foi verificar a expressão do &#x3B2;2-AR em linhagens de carcinomas espinocelular de boca (SCC-9 e SCC-25), e investigar o papel da ativação deste receptor pela norepinefrina e de seu bloqueio por um antagonista na migração e invasão destas células neoplásicas. As células SCC-9 e SCC-25 foram investigadas quanto à expressão gênica e proteica do &#x3B2;2-AR, respectivamente, pelo RT-qPCR e pelo Western blot. A migração e a invasão celular foram analisadas pelo ensaio de cicatrização de feridas e pelo sistema de câmeras de invasão Transwell, respectivamente. Diferentes concentrações (0,1; 1 e 10&#x3BC;M) de norepinefrina foram utilizadas para estimular e 1&#x3BC;M de propranolol foi empregado para bloquear os receptores beta adrenérgicos nas células neoplásicas. As diferenças das médias obtidas nos experimentos de invasão e migração de SCC-9 e SCC-25 e da expressão proteica do &#x3B2;2-AR, foram comparadas pelo teste t de Student com nível de significância de 5%. Os resultados mostraram que a expressão gênica e proteica do &#x3B2;2-AR foi verificada em ambas as linhagens de câncer de boca. A concentração de 10&#x3BC;M de norepinefrina inibiu, significativamente (p&#x2264;0,05), a migração e invasão celular de SCC-9 e SCC-25, sendo este efeito mais acentuado nas células SCC-25. Além disso, houve uma redução significativa (p&#x2264;0,05) do efeito da norepinefrina na migração celular quando os &#x3B2;2-AR foram inibidos pelo propranolol. Adicionalmente, o bloqueio dos &#x3B2;-ARs pelo propranolol reverteu parcialmente o efeito da norepinefrina na capacidade invasiva de SCC-9 e SCC-25. Estes resultados comprovam que a norepinefrina, via ativação do &#x3B2;2-AR, reduziu a migração e a invasão das células do carcinoma espinocelular de boca e, portanto, o uso de agonistas dos receptores beta-adrenérgicos poderia se tornar um alvo terapêutico adjuvante no tratamento desta neoplasia maligna. / The activation of beta 2 adrenergic receptor (&#x3B2;2-AR), by chemical mediators of stress, can induce stimulatory or inhibitory effects on cell migration and invasion, depending on the type of malignancy. The importance of this receptor in the oral cancer outcome is not fully understood. The aim of this study was to verify &#x3B2;2- AR expression in oral squamous cell carcinoma cell lines (SCC-9 and SCC-25), and to investigate the role of activation of this receptor by norepinephrine and its blockade by an antagonist in migration and invasion of these neoplastic cells. SCC-9 and SCC-25 cells were investigated for gene and protein expression of &#x3B2;2-AR, respectively, by RT-qPCR and Western blot. The cell migration and invasion were analyzed by wound healing assay and Transwell invasion camera system, respectively. Different concentrations (0.1, 1 and 10&#x3BC;M) of norepinephrine were used to stimulate and 1&#x3BC;M propranolol was used to block the beta adrenergic receptors on cancer cells. Differences in mean values of the invasion and migration assays of SCC-9 and SCC-25 and &#x3B2;2-AR protein expression were compared by the Student t test with 5% significance level. The results showed that &#x3B2;2-AR gene and protein expression was verified in both oral cancer cell lines. The concentration of 10&#x3BC;M of norepinephrine inhibited significantly (p&#x2264;0.05), cell migration and invasion of SCC-9 and SCC-25, being the most pronounced effect in SCC-25 cells. Furthermore, there was a significant reduction (p&#x2264;0.05) of norepinephrine effect on cell migration when the &#x3B2;2-AR was inhibited by propranolol. In addition, blockade of &#x3B2;-ARs by propranolol partially reversed the effect of norepinephrine on the invasiveness of SCC-9 and SCC-25. These results show that norepinephrine via &#x3B2;2-AR activation, reduced the migration and invasion of oral squamous cell carcinoma cells and, therefore, the use of beta-adrenergic receptors agonists could become an adjuvant therapeutic target in the treatment of this malignancy.

As metaloproteases da matriz (MMPs) são enzimas proteolíticas que participam da degradação da matriz extracelular no organismo de vertebrados. Estudos mostram a grande importância dessas enzimas no processo de remodelação do tecido cardíaco, além de sugerirem a participação da MMP-2 em doenças cardiovasculares. Em estudo recente foi demonstrado que as MMPs clivam o receptor ?2-adrenérgico, contribuindo para o aumento do tônus arteriolar de ratos espontaneamente hipertensos (SHR). Acredita-se que processo semelhante possa ser verificado em relação ao receptor ?-1 adrenérgico e proteínas das junções, que são fundamentais para o funcionamento do coração. As análises in sílico realizadas mostraram regiões prováveis de clivagem pela metaloprotease da matriz 2 humana recombinante (rhMMP-2) na porção extracelular, especificamente na região Nterminal deste receptor, no entanto, as análises de comparação de similaridade de substratos não apresentaram resultados significativos, embora os resultados preliminares obtidos no teste in vitro mostraram que houve hidrolise logo no início do peptídeo sintético ASPPASLLPPAS, entre os resíduos alanina e serina, entre as duas prolinas e por fim entre o resíduo de prolina e alanina, regiões com grandes chances de ocorrer a hidrólise, pois o substrato nativo desta enzima é o colágeno que é composto por uma cadeia polipeptídica com uma sequência de repetições onde geralmente temos glicina-X-Y, onde X normalmente é uma prolina e Y frequentemente uma hidroxiprolina, e raramente lisina e hidroxilisina, no entanto a replicação deste experimento não apresentou o mesmo resultado. Já os resultados obtidos no western blotting mostraram que a expressão do receptor é diminuída quando os cardiomiócitos são previamente tratados com 40mM e 120mM de rhMMP- 2 e esse efeito tem uma reversão significativa quando as células são previamente tratadas com inibidores doxiciclina ou ONO-4817, corroborando com os trabalhos apresentados na literatura em que a rhMMP-2 atua no receptor ?1adrenérgico. / Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are proteolytic enzymes that participate in the degradation of the extracellular matrix in the vertebrate organism. Studies show the great importance of these enzymes in the remodeling process of cardiac tissue, besides suggesting the participation of MMP-2 in cardiovascular diseases. In a recent study, MMPs were shown to cleave the ?2-adrenergic receptor, contributing to the increase in arteriolar tone of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). It is believed that a similar process can be verified also in the ?-1 adrenergic receptor and junction proteins, which are fundamental to the heart function. The in situ analyzes performed revealed sections prone to be cleaved by matrix metalloproteinase 2 recombinant human (rhMMP-2) in the extracellular portion, specifically in the Nterminal region of this receptor, however, the comparative analyzes of the similarity of substrates did not present significant results, but those obtained in the in vitro test showed that there was hydrolysis right at the beginning of the synthetic peptide ASPPASLLPPAS, between alanine and serine residues, between the two proline and finally between the proline residue and alanine. Hydrolysis among proline residues was expected, even though it was not predicted for in silica cleavage, since the native substrate of this enzyme is collagen, which is composed of a polypeptide chain with a sequence of repetitions in which it usually has glycine-XY, where X usually is a proline and Y often a hydroxyproline, and rarely lysine and hydroxylysine, however the replication of this experiment di not present the same result. The obtained results in western blotting have presented that receptor expression is decreased when cardiomyocytes are pretreated with 40mM and 120mM rhMMP-2 and this effect has a significant reversion when cells are pretreated with doxycycline or ONO-4817 inhibitors, supporting previous studies which demonstrate that rhMMP- 2 acts on the ? 1 adrenergic receptor.

As metaloproteases da matriz (MMPs) são enzimas proteolíticas que participam da degradação da matriz extracelular no organismo de vertebrados. Estudos mostram a grande importância dessas enzimas no processo de remodelação do tecido cardíaco, além de sugerirem a participação da MMP-2 em doenças cardiovasculares. Em estudo recente foi demonstrado que as MMPs clivam o receptor ?2-adrenérgico, contribuindo para o aumento do tônus arteriolar de ratos espontaneamente hipertensos (SHR). Acredita-se que processo semelhante possa ser verificado em relação ao receptor ?-1 adrenérgico e proteínas das junções, que são fundamentais para o funcionamento do coração. As análises in sílico realizadas mostraram regiões prováveis de clivagem pela metaloprotease da matriz 2 humana recombinante (rhMMP-2) na porção extracelular, especificamente na região Nterminal deste receptor, no entanto, as análises de comparação de similaridade de substratos não apresentaram resultados significativos, embora os resultados preliminares obtidos no teste in vitro mostraram que houve hidrolise logo no início do peptídeo sintético ASPPASLLPPAS, entre os resíduos alanina e serina, entre as duas prolinas e por fim entre o resíduo de prolina e alanina, regiões com grandes chances de ocorrer a hidrólise, pois o substrato nativo desta enzima é o colágeno que é composto por uma cadeia polipeptídica com uma sequência de repetições onde geralmente temos glicina-X-Y, onde X normalmente é uma prolina e Y frequentemente uma hidroxiprolina, e raramente lisina e hidroxilisina, no entanto a replicação deste experimento não apresentou o mesmo resultado. Já os resultados obtidos no western blotting mostraram que a expressão do receptor é diminuída quando os cardiomiócitos são previamente tratados com 40mM e 120mM de rhMMP- 2 e esse efeito tem uma reversão significativa quando as células são previamente tratadas com inibidores doxiciclina ou ONO-4817, corroborando com os trabalhos apresentados na literatura em que a rhMMP-2 atua no receptor ?1adrenérgico. / Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are proteolytic enzymes that participate in the degradation of the extracellular matrix in the vertebrate organism. Studies show the great importance of these enzymes in the remodeling process of cardiac tissue, besides suggesting the participation of MMP-2 in cardiovascular diseases. In a recent study, MMPs were shown to cleave the ?2-adrenergic receptor, contributing to the increase in arteriolar tone of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). It is believed that a similar process can be verified also in the ?-1 adrenergic receptor and junction proteins, which are fundamental to the heart function. The in situ analyzes performed revealed sections prone to be cleaved by matrix metalloproteinase 2 recombinant human (rhMMP-2) in the extracellular portion, specifically in the Nterminal region of this receptor, however, the comparative analyzes of the similarity of substrates did not present significant results, but those obtained in the in vitro test showed that there was hydrolysis right at the beginning of the synthetic peptide ASPPASLLPPAS, between alanine and serine residues, between the two proline and finally between the proline residue and alanine. Hydrolysis among proline residues was expected, even though it was not predicted for in silica cleavage, since the native substrate of this enzyme is collagen, which is composed of a polypeptide chain with a sequence of repetitions in which it usually has glycine-XY, where X usually is a proline and Y often a hydroxyproline, and rarely lysine and hydroxylysine, however the replication of this experiment di not present the same result. The obtained results in western blotting have presented that receptor expression is decreased when cardiomyocytes are pretreated with 40mM and 120mM rhMMP-2 and this effect has a significant reversion when cells are pretreated with doxycycline or ONO-4817 inhibitors, supporting previous studies which demonstrate that rhMMP- 2 acts on the ? 1 adrenergic receptor.