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Ca2+ influx through ionotropic glutamate receptors regulates a variety of developmental processes including neurite outgrowth and naturally occurring cell death. In the CNS, NMDA receptors were originally thought to be the sole source of Ca2+ influx through glutamate receptors; however, AMPA receptors also allow a significant influx of Ca2+ ions. The Ca2+ permeability of AMPA receptors is regulated by the insertion of one or more edited GluR2 subunits into the receptors. Although Ca2+-permeable AMPA receptors are a familiar feature in developing neurons, the developmental function of these receptors during the formation of the nervous system has yet to be established. This study was designed to investigate the expression and functional role of Ca2+-permeable AMPA receptors in developing chicken spinal motoneurons. Our results demonstrate that chicken lumbar motoneurons express functional AMPA receptors as early as embryonic day (E) 5. Electrophysiological recordings of kainate-evoked currents indicate a significant reduction in the Ca2+ permeability of AMPA receptors between E6 and E11. During this developmental period, the Ca2+ permeability of AMPA receptors decreases three-fold. Reduction in the Ca2+ permeability of AMPA receptors is accompanied by increased expression of GluR2 mRNA in the spinal motoneuron pool. Changes in GluR2 mRNA expression occur in parallel to changes in GluR2 protein expression in the chicken ventral spinal cord. Changes in the Ca2+-permeability of AMPA receptors are not mediated by age-dependent changes in the editing pattern of GluR2 subunits. At early stages of development, functional AMPA receptors were composed of a combination of GluR3 and GluR4 subunits. mRNA analysis indicates that GluR4 is the most abundant subunit in the chicken ventral spinal cord between E6 and E11. Immunohistochemistry analysis of spinal cord sections also demonstrated that both GluR3 and GluR4 proteins are expressed at E6 and E11. Expression of Ca2+-permeable AMPA receptors regulates the maturation of dendritic outgrowth in developing spinal motoneurons. Measurements of dendritic length and branching pattern demonstrate significant changes in the dendritic morphology of spinal motoneurons between E6 and E11. Blockade of AMPA receptor activation with CNQX between E5 and E8 causes a significant increase in dendritic outgrowth in lumbar motoneurons, when compared with vehicle-treated embryos. Treatment of chicken embryos with CNQX between E8 and E11, when AMPA receptors become Ca2+-impermeable, has no affect on dendritic morphology. However, blockade of NMDA receptor activation with MK-801 causes a significant reduction in dendritic outgrowth of lumbar motoneurons by E11. These findings indicate that AMPA receptor activation between E5 and E8 limits dendritic outgrowth in developing motoneurons, whereas NMDA receptor activation is involved in dendritic remodeling after the establishment of synaptic contacts with sensory afferents.

O glifosato é o herbicida mais usado em todo o mundo. Sendo assim, é necessário que se tenham programas de monitoramento do seu uso, para garantir o bem estar da lavoura e da população. O seu metabólito principal é o ácido aminometilfosfônico (AMPA) que apesar de possuir baixa toxicidade, é mais persistente que o glifosato. O presente trabalho teve como objetivo desenvolver uma metodologia de análise para o glifosato e o AMPA por cromatografia gasosa acoplada à espectrometria de massas (CG/EM), a fim de avaliar possíveis contaminações em amostras ambientais nas imediações do Rio Monjolinho, em São Carlos. Para a faixa estudada (1,0 ug L-1 a 500 ug L-1, os limites de detecção e quantificação para o AMPA foram de 0,15 e 0,45 ug L-1 e para o glifosato, 0,67 e 2,02 ug L-1. As recuperações em água variaram entre 96,2 e 121% e para solo 70,1 a 119%. O método proposto apresentou boa linearidade, exatidão, seletividade e sensibilidade. A robustez foi avaliada de acordo com o teste de Youden. O procedimento de extração foi baseado em reações ácido-base e realizou-se etapa de clean-up para água e sedimento. Para os pontos amostrados, houve resíduo de AMPA em dois pontos (4,19 e 6,22 ug L-1). Os resultados encontrados para DBO foram altos, estando acima do limite estabelecido para um corpo d\'água Classe 3, de acordo com a CONAMA 357. Isso pode ter ocorrido devido à grande quantidade de esgoto despejado no leito do rio. Os valores de nitrogênio e fósforo também estão elevados, o que indica uma alta eutrofização do leito do rio. Vale ressaltar a necessidade de se ter uma legislação que estabeleça um limite máximo permitido para o AMPA, visto que ele é mais persistente no ambiente do que o glifosato. / The glyphosate is the most widely used herbicide worldwide. Therefore, it is necessary to have programs for monitoring their use to ensure the welfare of the farming and population. Its main metabolite is the acid aminomethylphosphonic (AMPA) that despite having low toxicity, is more persistent than glyphosate. This study aimed to develop a methodology for analyzing glyphosate and AMPA by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC/MS) in order to assess possible contamination of samples environment in the vicinity of Monjolinho River in São Carlos. In the range studied (1.0 ug L-1 to 500 ug L-1, limits of detection and quantification were 0.15 and 0.45 ug L-1 for AMPA and 0.67 and 2.02 ug L-1 for glyphosate. The recoveries in water varied between 96.2 and 121% and for soil from 70.1 to 119%. The proposed method showed good linearity, accuracy, selectivity and sensitivity. The robustness was evaluated according to the Youden test. The extraction procedure was based on acid-base reactions and included a clean-up step for water and sediment. For the sampling sites, it was determined residual AMPA at two points (4.19 and 6.22 ug L-1). The results for BOD were high, being above the limit set for a waterbody Class 3, according to CONAMA 357. This may be due to large amount of sewage dumped into the river bed. The values of nitrogen and phosphorus are also high, which indicates a high eutrophication of the bed river. It is worth emphasizing the need of having a legislation that establishes a maximum allowed value for AMPA, whereas it is more persistent in environment than glyphosate.

CoordenaÃÃo de AperfeiÃoamento de Pessoal de NÃvel Superior / A transmissÃo de impulsos nervosos à feita por meio das sinapses, envolvendo neurotransmissores e receptores. Os receptores ionotrÃpicos glutamatÃrgicos (GluRs) sÃo importantes canais iÃnicos do sistema nervoso central, encontrados em sinapses de excitaÃÃo rÃpida, e estÃo relacionados a funÃÃes cerebrais importantes como aprendizado e memÃria. AlÃm disso, os GluRs tambÃm estÃo associados com certas doenÃas neurolÃgicas e psiquiÃtricas, como por exemplo: a doenÃa de Alzheimer, o mal de Parkinson, a epilepsia, o acidente vascular cerebral, a esclerose lateral amiotrÃfica e a esquizofrenia. Neste trabalho, tiramos vantagem dos dados disponÃveis na literatura da co-cristalizaÃÃo dos seguintes agonistas glutamato (C5H9NO4) e AMPA (C7H10N2O4), do agonista parcial cainato (C10H15NO4) e do antagonista DNQX (C8H2N4O6) com o receptor GluR2 com resoluÃÃo de 1,9 Ã, 1,7 Ã, 1,9 à e 1,8 Ã, respectivamente, para estudar a interaÃÃo destes quatro ligantes com a GluR2 por meio de mÃtodos computacionais ab initio. Os hidrogÃnios ausentes dos dados de difraÃÃo de raios-X foram colocados atravÃs de um processo semi-clÃssico de minimizaÃÃo da energia total GluR2-ligante. A seguir, as simulaÃÃes foram feitas usando a Teoria do Funcional da Densidade (DFT), tanto ao nÃvel da aproximaÃÃo da densidade local (LDA), como da aproximaÃÃo do gradiente generalizado (GGA), para descriÃÃo dos efeitos de troca e correlaÃÃo. A utilizaÃÃo do mÃtodo de fragmentaÃÃo molecular com capas conjugadas (MFCC) tornou possÃvel analisar a interaÃÃo dos ligantes com cada um dos resÃduos prÃximos e pÃs-prÃximos do GluR2. Considerou-se tambÃm a relevÃncia da blindagem dos resÃduos pÃs-prÃximos que interagem com os ligantes, bem como se fez uma anÃlise da energia de interaÃÃo dos resÃduos (prÃximos e pÃs-prÃximos) considerados com os Ãtomos dos ligantes (resultados apresentados nos grÃficos BIRD), sem e com mediaÃÃo das molÃculas de Ãgua existentes no sÃtio de ligaÃÃo (o que permite se determinar ab initio a relevÃncia da Ãgua na energÃtica da interaÃÃo ligante-GluR2). Obteve-se a energia total de interaÃÃo GluR2-ligante em funÃÃo da distÃncia dos centroides dos ligantes aos resÃduos, o que permitiu correlacionÃ-la à intensidade de ativaÃÃo e antagonismo dos neurotransmissores em questÃo. Demonstrou-se que ela segue a ordem AMPA > glutamato > cainato > DNQX somente quando um raio do sÃtio de ligaÃÃo suficientemente grande à considerado, o que explica dados experimentais publicados sobre a ativaÃÃo e antagonismo do receptor glutamatÃrgico GluR2, sugerindo que os resÃduos pÃs-prÃximos podem ser importantes para determinar o funcionamento do receptor. Para o glutamato, os resultados obtidos indicam que os resÃduos atrativos mais relevantes sÃo: Arg485, Lys730 (mediado pela Ãgua W39), Ser654, Leu650 mediado por W69, e Lys656 mediado por W22; os resÃduos repulsivos mais relevantes para o glutamato sÃo Glu402 (pÃs-prÃximo) mediado por W36, Glu657 e Asp651 (pÃs-prÃximos). Para o AMPA os resÃduos atrativos mais relevantes sÃo: Arg485, Thr655 mediado por W134, Lys730 mediado por W137, Lys656 mediado por W138, Lys449 e Arg684 (pÃs-prÃximos); os resÃduos repulsivos mais relevantes para o AMPA sÃo Glu402 mediado por W3, Asp651 mediado por W96 e W139 (pÃs-prÃximo), e Glu657 (pÃs-prÃximo) mediado por W140. Para o cainato os resÃduos atrativos mais relevantes sÃo Arg485, Ser654, Thr655 e Arg684 (pÃs-prÃximo); os resÃduos repulsivos mais relevantes para o Cainato sÃo Glu402, Glu657 mediado por W78 (pÃs-prÃximo) e Asp651. Para o DNQX os resÃduos atrativos mais relevantes sÃo Arg485, Glu705 e Tyr450 mediado por W26 e W137; o resÃduo repulsivo mais relevante para o DNQX à Leu498. Uma plÃiade de perspectivas relacionadas aos resultados obtidos reluz e dentre elas podemos destacar a possibilidade do desenvolvimento de agonistas e antagonistas glutamatÃrgicos com especificidades voltadas à diminuiÃÃo de efeitos colaterais quando utilizados no tratamento de doenÃas relacionadas à neurotransmissÃo glutamatÃrgica. / The transmission of nerve impulses occurs through the synapses, involving neurotransmitters and receptors. The ionotropic glutamate receptors GluRs are important ionic channels of the central nervous system, founded in rapid excitation synapses, and related to important cerebral functions like learning and memory. Besides this, GluRs are also associated with important neurological and psychiatric diseases like Alzheimer, Parkinson, epilepsy, cerebral ischemia, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and schizophrenia. In this work, we take advantage of the available data in the literature of co-crystallization of the following full agonists glutamate (C5H9NO4) and AMPA (C7H10N2O4), the partial agonist kainate (C10H15NO4) and the antagonist DNQX (C8H2N4O6) with the GluR2 receptor with resolution of 1.9 Ã, 1.7 Ã, 1.9 à and 1.8 Ã, respectively to study the interaction of these four ligands with GluR2 by means of ab initio computational methods. The absent hydrogens in the GluR2-ligand X-ray diffraction data were inserted through a semi-classical total energy minimization process. Next, the simulations were performed within the scope of the Density Functional Theory (DFT), both in the local density approximation (LDA) as generalized gradient approximation (GGA) for the description of exchange-correlation effects. The use of the molecular fragmentation method with conjugated caps (MFCC) allowed to analyze the interaction between the ligands with each one close and next-closed GluR2 residues. It was also considered the relevance of the screening of the next-closed residues with interact with the ligands, and it was performed an analysis of the interaction energy between the focused residues (close and next-closed) with the atoms of the ligands (results depicted in the BIRD panels), without and with the mediation of water molecules existing in the binding pocket (which allows to determine ab initio the relevance of water in the GluR2-ligands energetic). It was obtained the GluR2-ligand total energy interaction as a function of the distance between the ligand centroid and the residues, which allowed to correlate it to the activation strength and antagonism of the ligands focused. It was demonstrated that it follows the order AMPA > glutamate > kainite > DNQX only when a large enough binding pocket radius is taken into account, explaining the experimental data published on the activation and antagonism of the glutamatergic receptor GluR2 and suggesting the next-closed residues can be important to determine the receptor functioning. For the glutamate, the obtained results point that the most important attractive residues are Arg485, Lys730 (water W39 mediated), Ser654, Leu650 (water W69 mediated), and Lys656 (water W22 mediated); the most important repulsive residues for the glutamate are Glu402 (next-closed water W36 mediated), Glu657 and Asp651 (nex-closed). For AMPA, the most important attractive residues are Arg485, Thr655 (water W134 mediated), Lys730 (water W137 mediated), Lys656 (water W138 mediated), Lys449 and Arg684 (next-closed); the most important repulsive residues for AMPA are Glu402 (water W3 mediated), Asp651 (next-closed, water W96 and W139 mediated), and Glu657 (next-closed, water W140 mediated). For kainate the most important attractive residues are Arg485, Ser654, Thr655 and Arg684 (next-closed); the most important repulsive residues for kainite are Glu402, Glu657 (next-closed, water W78 mediated) and Asp651. For DNQX, the most important attractive residues are Arg485, Glu705 and Tyr450 (water W26 and W137 mediated); the most important repulsive residue for DNQX is Leu498. A pleiade of perspectives related with the obtained results shines, among which one can highlight the possibility to develop glutamatergic agonists and antagonists with specificities related to decrease side effects when used in the treatment of maladies related with the glutamatergic neurotransmission.

O glifosato é o herbicida mais usado em todo o mundo. Sendo assim, é necessário que se tenham programas de monitoramento do seu uso, para garantir o bem estar da lavoura e da população. O seu metabólito principal é o ácido aminometilfosfônico (AMPA) que apesar de possuir baixa toxicidade, é mais persistente que o glifosato. O presente trabalho teve como objetivo desenvolver uma metodologia de análise para o glifosato e o AMPA por cromatografia gasosa acoplada à espectrometria de massas (CG/EM), a fim de avaliar possíveis contaminações em amostras ambientais nas imediações do Rio Monjolinho, em São Carlos. Para a faixa estudada (1,0 ug L-1 a 500 ug L-1, os limites de detecção e quantificação para o AMPA foram de 0,15 e 0,45 ug L-1 e para o glifosato, 0,67 e 2,02 ug L-1. As recuperações em água variaram entre 96,2 e 121% e para solo 70,1 a 119%. O método proposto apresentou boa linearidade, exatidão, seletividade e sensibilidade. A robustez foi avaliada de acordo com o teste de Youden. O procedimento de extração foi baseado em reações ácido-base e realizou-se etapa de clean-up para água e sedimento. Para os pontos amostrados, houve resíduo de AMPA em dois pontos (4,19 e 6,22 ug L-1). Os resultados encontrados para DBO foram altos, estando acima do limite estabelecido para um corpo d\'água Classe 3, de acordo com a CONAMA 357. Isso pode ter ocorrido devido à grande quantidade de esgoto despejado no leito do rio. Os valores de nitrogênio e fósforo também estão elevados, o que indica uma alta eutrofização do leito do rio. Vale ressaltar a necessidade de se ter uma legislação que estabeleça um limite máximo permitido para o AMPA, visto que ele é mais persistente no ambiente do que o glifosato. / The glyphosate is the most widely used herbicide worldwide. Therefore, it is necessary to have programs for monitoring their use to ensure the welfare of the farming and population. Its main metabolite is the acid aminomethylphosphonic (AMPA) that despite having low toxicity, is more persistent than glyphosate. This study aimed to develop a methodology for analyzing glyphosate and AMPA by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC/MS) in order to assess possible contamination of samples environment in the vicinity of Monjolinho River in São Carlos. In the range studied (1.0 ug L-1 to 500 ug L-1, limits of detection and quantification were 0.15 and 0.45 ug L-1 for AMPA and 0.67 and 2.02 ug L-1 for glyphosate. The recoveries in water varied between 96.2 and 121% and for soil from 70.1 to 119%. The proposed method showed good linearity, accuracy, selectivity and sensitivity. The robustness was evaluated according to the Youden test. The extraction procedure was based on acid-base reactions and included a clean-up step for water and sediment. For the sampling sites, it was determined residual AMPA at two points (4.19 and 6.22 ug L-1). The results for BOD were high, being above the limit set for a waterbody Class 3, according to CONAMA 357. This may be due to large amount of sewage dumped into the river bed. The values of nitrogen and phosphorus are also high, which indicates a high eutrophication of the bed river. It is worth emphasizing the need of having a legislation that establishes a maximum allowed value for AMPA, whereas it is more persistent in environment than glyphosate.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a devastating public health problem for patients and their families. The neurodegeneration that follows TBI is complex, but can be broadly subdivided into primary and secondary damage. Though primary damage is irreversible and therefore unsalvageable, extensive literature aimed at understanding the tissue, cellular, inflammatory and subcellular processes following the injury have proven unequivocally that secondary pathophysiological events are delayed and progressive in nature. Understanding these secondary events at the cellular levels is critical in the eventual establishment of targeted therapeutics aimed at limiting progressive injury after an initial trauma. One such secondary event is referred to in the literature as excitotoxicity; a sustained and de-regulated activation of glutamate receptors that leads to rapid cytotoxic edema and calcium overload. Our understanding of excitotoxicity has evolved to include not only a role for elevated extracellular glutamate in mediating neuronal damage, but also post-synaptic receptor modifications that render glutamate profoundly more toxic to injured neurons than healthy tissue. In this thesis, we explored the hypothesis that glutamate excitotoxicity can be perpetuated by trauma-induced post-synaptic modification of the AMPA receptor. Specifically, we used a cortical culture model of TBI as well as the fluid percussion injury device to test the hypothesis that TBI confers a reduction of surface GluR2 protein, an AMPA receptor subunit that limits neuronal calcium permeability. We conjectured that this decrease in the expression of surface GluR2 would increase the expression of calcium-permeable AMPA receptors, thereby rendering neurons vulnerable to secondary excitotoxic injury. We further investigated the subcellular mechanisms responsible for the internalization of surface GluR2, and the phenotypic consequences of GluR2 endocytosis in both models. Our data revealed that both models of TBI resulted in a regulated signaling cascade leading to the phosphorylation and internalization of GluR2. By exogenously interrupting the trafficking of GluR2 protein with an inhibitory peptide, we further observed that GluR2 internalization was mediated by a protein interaction involving protein interacting with C kinase 1 (PICK1) and protein kinase C alpha (PKCα), two PDZ domain-containing proteins that mediate GluR2 trafficking during constitutive synaptic plasticity. We observed that GluR2 endocytosis was NMDA receptor dependent, and resulted in increased neuronal calcium permeability, augmented AMPA receptor-mediated electrophysiological activity and increased susceptibility to delayed cell death. Finally, we demonstrated that the interruption of GluR2 trafficking is cytoprotective, suggesting that sustaining surface GluR2 protein protects neurons against secondary injury. Overall, our findings suggest that experimental TBI promotes the expression of injurious GluR2-lacking AMPA receptors, thereby enhancing cellular vulnerability to secondary excitotoxicity.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a devastating public health problem for patients and their families. The neurodegeneration that follows TBI is complex, but can be broadly subdivided into primary and secondary damage. Though primary damage is irreversible and therefore unsalvageable, extensive literature aimed at understanding the tissue, cellular, inflammatory and subcellular processes following the injury have proven unequivocally that secondary pathophysiological events are delayed and progressive in nature. Understanding these secondary events at the cellular levels is critical in the eventual establishment of targeted therapeutics aimed at limiting progressive injury after an initial trauma. One such secondary event is referred to in the literature as excitotoxicity; a sustained and de-regulated activation of glutamate receptors that leads to rapid cytotoxic edema and calcium overload. Our understanding of excitotoxicity has evolved to include not only a role for elevated extracellular glutamate in mediating neuronal damage, but also post-synaptic receptor modifications that render glutamate profoundly more toxic to injured neurons than healthy tissue. In this thesis, we explored the hypothesis that glutamate excitotoxicity can be perpetuated by trauma-induced post-synaptic modification of the AMPA receptor. Specifically, we used a cortical culture model of TBI as well as the fluid percussion injury device to test the hypothesis that TBI confers a reduction of surface GluR2 protein, an AMPA receptor subunit that limits neuronal calcium permeability. We conjectured that this decrease in the expression of surface GluR2 would increase the expression of calcium-permeable AMPA receptors, thereby rendering neurons vulnerable to secondary excitotoxic injury. We further investigated the subcellular mechanisms responsible for the internalization of surface GluR2, and the phenotypic consequences of GluR2 endocytosis in both models. Our data revealed that both models of TBI resulted in a regulated signaling cascade leading to the phosphorylation and internalization of GluR2. By exogenously interrupting the trafficking of GluR2 protein with an inhibitory peptide, we further observed that GluR2 internalization was mediated by a protein interaction involving protein interacting with C kinase 1 (PICK1) and protein kinase C alpha (PKCα), two PDZ domain-containing proteins that mediate GluR2 trafficking during constitutive synaptic plasticity. We observed that GluR2 endocytosis was NMDA receptor dependent, and resulted in increased neuronal calcium permeability, augmented AMPA receptor-mediated electrophysiological activity and increased susceptibility to delayed cell death. Finally, we demonstrated that the interruption of GluR2 trafficking is cytoprotective, suggesting that sustaining surface GluR2 protein protects neurons against secondary injury. Overall, our findings suggest that experimental TBI promotes the expression of injurious GluR2-lacking AMPA receptors, thereby enhancing cellular vulnerability to secondary excitotoxicity.

Licentiatafhandling.