O câncer de mama é a neoplasia mais comum na população feminina, representando até um terço dos novos diagnósticos de neoplasia nessa população em algumas regiões do mundo. A prevenção primária ou secundária constitui a pedra fundamental no controle do câncer de mama; depende da identificação dos determinantes da doença, em termos de iniciação e promoção. Aproximadamente, 48.930 novos casos de câncer de mama são detectados anualmente no Brasil, tornando-se um sério problema de saúde pública. O objetivo primário deste estudo foi avaliar a ação e diferenças de dois SERMs, tamoxifeno (TAM) e raloxifeno (RAL), na quimioprevenção de tumores mamários quimicamente induzidos em ratas. Foram estudados três grupos homogêneos (DMBA ou 7,12-Dimetilbenzantraceno, TAM e RAL) compostos de 20 ratas adultas da raça Sprague-Dawley com tumores induzidos quimicamente pelo carcinógeno DMBA. As ratas, com 40 a 50 dias de vida, receberam a substância em dose única, por gavagem. Nos grupos TAM e RAL, os animais receberam os SERMs, diariamente, por via oral, 10 dias antes e por mais 80 dias após a indução química com o DMBA. A ação destes SERMs na quimioprevenção de tumores mamários, como também as características morfológicas e histopatológicas dos tumores induzidos, a porcentagem de receptores de estrogênio e a atividade proliferativa da célula tumoral pelo Ki67 foram analisadas. A expressão angiogênica em cada grupo e suas diferenças foram avaliadas com o método qRT-PCR. Após a análise estatística dos resultados observou-se, em relação aos três grupos, que não houve diferenças significantes quanto ao peso, tipo histológico do tumor formado, porcentagem dos receptores de estrogênio e a média do tamanho tumoral. Houve diferenças estatísticas quanto a: 1) número de ratas que desenvolveram tumores (DMBA 100%, tamoxifeno 35% e raloxifeno 15%) ; 2) indução do aparecimento do tumor (DMBA = 32 dias, TAM=46 dias e RAL=57 dias); 3) média, por rata, de tumores formados em cada grupo (DMBA=4,5 tumores, TAM=1,33 tumores e RAL=1,28 tumores); 4) porcentagem de células Ki-67 positivas nos tumores: DMBA 85% dos casos Ki67= 75% a 80%, 15% dos casos Ki67=50%; TAM 43% dos casos Ki57=50% e 57% dos casos Ki67=75% ,e RAL 100% dos casos Ki67=50%; 5) grau histológico tumoral: DMBA 100% grau 3; TAM 71% grau 2 e 29% grau 3 , RAL 100% grau 2; 6) a avaliação da expressão de fatores angiogênicos: nos grupos TAM vs DMBA apresentou maior expressão nos genes Angpt1, Angpt2, Hqf, Hif1a, Itgab3, Lep, Mapk14,Mmp19 predicted, Nrp1, Pgf, Plau, Serpinf1, Tgfb1, Tgfb2, Tek, Timp3, TNF, Vegfa e Vegfc. No grupo RAL vs DMBA, apresentaram maior expressão os genes Hif1a, Itgab3 , Pgf, Plau, Tek e Vegfc. Este grupo mostrou, ainda, menor expressão dos genes Fgf6 e Pecam. Neste modelo experimental, houve maior eficácia do raloxifeno em relação ao tamoxifeno na quimioprevenção mamária; possivelmente, esta maior proteção esteja relacionada com os diferentes fatores angiogênicos expressos nos dois grupos. / Breast cancer is the most common neoplastic disease in the female population, accounting for up to one third of new cancer cases in women in some regions of the world. Prevention, either primary or secondary, is essential for breast cancer control, which depends on identification of the determining factor of the disease, both for initiation and promotion. About 48,930 new cases of breast cancer are detected annually in Brazil, creating a serious Public Health problem. The primary objective of the present study was to determine the action of two SERMs (tamoxifen and raloxifene) as chemopreventive agents and to check the differences between them. The secondary objectives were to evaluate morphological and histological aspects, the percentage of estrogen receptor and proliferative mammary activity (Ki67), and expression of 84 genes involved in modulating the biological process of angiogenesis by qRT-PCR array. Young female Sprague-Dawley rats had chemically-induced tumors by DMBA (7,12Dimethylbenzanthracene) administered by gavage between the ages of 40 to 50 days old. They were divided into three groups: DMBA, TAM and RAL; the two latter groups received SERMs 10 days before DMBA and for 80 days after it. Data analyses showed: 1) the number of rats that developed tumors in each group (DMBA = 20 rats - 100%; TAM = 7 rats - 35%; RAL = 3 rats -15%); 2) induction of tumor onset (DMBA = 32 days, TAM = 46 days, RAL = 57 days); 3) number of tumors formed in each group by individual rat (DMBA = 4.5; TAM = 1.33, and RAL = 1.28); 4) the percentage of Ki67 positive cells in tumors (DMBA = 50 to 80%, TAM = 50 to 75%, and RAL = 50%); 5) histological grade of mammary tumor (DMBA = 100% grade 3, TAM = 71% grade 2 and 29% grade 3, and RAL = 100% grade 2); 6) assessment of expression of angiogenic factors. TAM group compared to DMBA group showed greater expression of the following genes: Angpt2, Hqf, Hif1a, Itgab3, Lep, Mapk14, mmp19 predicted, Nrp1, Pgf, Plau, Serpinf1, Tgfb1, Tgfb2, Tek, Timp3, TNF, Vegfa and Vegfc. RAL group compared to DMBA group showed greater expression of genes Hif1a, Itgab3, Pgf, Plau, Tek and Vegfc; in addition, in this group, genes Fgf6 and Pecam had less expression. In conclusion, in this experimental model, the raloxifene group proved to be more efficient than the tamoxifen group in mammary chemoprevention. The results can be possibly associated with different expressions of angiogenic factors in both groups

Introdução. Nos últimos a função motora vem sendo associada com a atenuação sensitiva e de dor, logo antes, durante e apos a contração muscular. No entanto as vias anatômicas e funcionais deste fenômeno não são conhecidas. O objetivo deste estudo é o de criar um modelo animal e investigar o efeito da estimulação subliminar do córtex motor (ECM) no limiar nociceptivo e na atividade neuronal subcortical. Método. O limiar nociceptivo foi avaliado por teste plantar e reflexo de retirada da cauda antes e após o implante dos eletródios epidurais sobre o córtex motor da pata posterior orientado por mapa funcional na mesma cepa de ratos. Os mesmos testes foram repetidos antes, durante e após a ECM. Antagonismo sistêmico do por naloxona foi incluído neste protocolo para investigar a relação com mediação opióide. O registro neuronal multiunitário do núcleo centro mediano (CM) e ventral posterolateral (VPL) do tálamo e da substância periaqüeductal (SPM) foi realizado antes, durante e após ECM ipso e contralateral. Resultados. O implante per se não causou alterações no limiar nociceptivo. ECM induziu significativa antinocicepção seletiva na pata contralateral mas não na ipsolateral. Este efeito não mais foi observado 15 minutos após o término da estimulação. Nenhuma alteração motora e comportamental foi observada nos testes de campo aberto. A mesma estimulação no córtex sensitivo e parietal posterior não causou quaisquer alterações de limiar nociceptivo. Administração sistêmica de naloxone reverteu completamente o efeito antes observado com a ECM. O registro neuronal multiunitário evidenciou diminuição na atividade do CM durante e após a ECM contra e ipsolateral. O ritmo de disparos neuronais no VPL também mostrou diminuição apenas com a ECM ipsolateral. No entanto os neurônios da SPM aumentaram significativamente a freqüência de disparos com ECM ipsolateral e não com a contralateral. Conclusão. A ECM subliminar está relacionada consistentemente com a atenuação sensitiva durante o comportamento, provavelmente mediado por inibição talâmica e ativação da SPM. / Background. The motor function has been associated to sensory and pain attenuation, before during and shortly after the muscle activity. How ever the anatomical and functional basis of this phenomenon is not yet defined. The present study was designed to set an animal model and investigate the effect of subthreshold electrical stimulation of motor cortex (MCS) on pain threshold and neuron activity of thalamus and periaqüedutal gray. Method. Nociceptive thresholds of hind paws and the tail flick reflex were evaluated before and after surgical placement of epidural electrodes; before during and after electrical stimulation of motor cortex. Opioid antagonism was also included in this protocol in order to define neurotransmitter mediation of this process. Multiunit recording of thalamic median center (CM) and ventral posterolateral nuclei (VPL) and lateral periaqüedutal gray (SPM) were performed before and after electrical stimulation of ipso and contralateral motor cortex. Results. The procedure itself did not induce any threshold changes. MCS induced selective antinociception of contralateral paw, but no changes were detected in the nociceptive threshold of the ipsolateral side. This effect disappeared completely 15 minutes after the stimulation was ceased. No behavioral or motor impairment were observed during and after the stimulation session in the open field test. The same stimulation on sensory and posterior parietal cortex did not elicit any changes in behavioral and nociceptive tests. Systemic administration of naloxone completely reversed the previous observed antinociceptive effect. Multiunit recording evidenced decrease in spontaneous neuron firing in CM with short recovery time during ipso and contralateral MCS. Neuron activity in VPL was also significantly decreased during ipsolateral MCS but not with contralateral stimulation. How ever, neuron firing in SPM was significantly increased during and long after ipsolateral MCS but not with contralateral stimulation. Conclusion. Subthreshold MCS is consistently related to sensory attenuation during behavior, probably through thalamic inhibition and SPM activation.

INTRODUÇÃO: O transplante de intestino (TI) estabeleceu-se como tratamento para pacientes com falência intestinal e complicações da nutrição parenteral. Entretanto, sepse continua sendo a principal causa de mortalidade. A lesão causada pela isquemia seguida de reperfusão (LIR) é apontada como um dos fatores de ruptura da barreira mucosa intestinal, com consequente translocação bacteriana e sepse, seja precocemente, por lesão epitelial direta, seja mais tardiamente pela sua associação com o desenvolvimento da rejeição celular aguda. Criou-se um modelo de TI em porcos jovens com a finalidade de estudar a LIR e seus efeitos no epitélio intestinal. MÉTODOS: Para a padronização do modelo, foram realizados 25 procedimentos, tendo sido testados os tamanhos dos animais, as soluções de preservação, o tipo de drenagem venosa, o tipo de reconstrução intestinal e o tempo de duração do experimento. Na pesquisa propriamente dita, 20 porcos jovens foram submetidos a TI ortotópico. Dois grupos foram determinados conforme o tempo de isquemia fria a que foi submetido o intestino: grupo 1 (n=12) 90 minutos (min) e grupo 2 (n=8) 180 min. O procedimento foi realizado sob técnica asséptica e as anastomoses vasculares realizadas entre a aorta do doador e a aorta infra-renal do receptor e a veia porta do doador e a veia cava inferior do receptor. O trânsito intestinal foi reconstruído através de anastomoses entre o jejuno proximal do doador e do receptor e o íleo terminal do doador e do receptor. A solução de preservação utilizada foi Euro Collins. Não foi administrada medicação imunossupressora, exceto pela metilprednisolona (20mg/kg) no momento da reperfusão. Fragmentos de intestino foram obtidos: 1 no momento da laparotomia do doador, o fragmento basal, considerado controle, 2 30 min após a reperfusão e 3 3 dias após o transplante. Os fragmentos assim obtidos foram submetidos a: 1 análise histológica com coloração de hematoxilina-eosina (HE), 2 análise imunoistoquímica para a detecção de infiltração da mucosa por neutrófilos (marcados pelos grânulos ricos em mieloperoxidase MPO), 3 análise histoquímica para quantificação de células epiteliais em apoptose pelo método TUNEL, 4 análise da expressão dos genes da endotelina-1 (ET-1) e da interleucina-6 (IL-6), do gene antiapoptótico Bcl-XL e do gene pró-apoptótico Bak. A análise estatística foi realizada utilizando-se o teste de Mann-Whitney na comparação entre os grupos e, na análise da evolução temporal da LIR em cada grupo, o teste de Friedman seguido do teste post hoc de Dunn quando detectada diferença estatisticamente significante. RESULTADOS: Não foram encontradas diferenças entre os grupos quanto às alterações histológicas estudadas. O grau de infiltração da mucosa por neutrófilos elevou-se significantemente nos dois grupos 30 min após perfusão, tendo persistido elevado 3 dias após o TI somente no grupo 2. O número de células epiteliais em apoptose detectadas pelo método TUNEL sofreu incremento significante apenas no grupo 1, 3 dias após o procedimento. As duas citocinas estudadas, IL-6 e ET-1 mostraram elevação significante 30 minutos após a reperfusão, tendo retornado aos níveis basais 3 dias após a cirurgia em ambos os grupos. Detectou-se redução significante da expressão do Bcl-XL somente no grupo 1, 3 dias após o TI. CONCLUSÕES: As citocinas estudadas estão envolvidas no processo de LIR nas fases iniciais do TI. Ocorre diminuição da expressão de gene anti-apoptótico e aumento do número de células em processo de morte celular de maneira mais intensa no grupo submetido a menor tempo de isquemia / INTRODUCTION: Intestinal transplantation (ITx) has become an accepted mode of treatment of intestinal failure patients who develop parenteral nutrition-related complications. Overall outcomes have dramatically improved but sepsis remains the leading cause of mortality. Ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) has been related to the development of sepsis due either to direct mucosal damage or to increased risk of acute cellular rejection. An experimental ITx model has been idealized in order to better characterize IRI-associated mucosal damage. METHOD: 25 procedures involving 75 outbred pigs were necessary to standardize the procedure. Weight of the animals, venous drainage, intestinal transit reconstruction as well as the time period the animals should be maintained alive were evaluated. Orthotopic ITx was performed in 20 hybrid pigs. Two groups were assigned according to cold ischemia time (CI): group 1 (n=12) 90 minutes (min), group 2 (n=8) 180 min. The procedure was performed under aseptic technique and portal drainage was adopted as standard. Intestinal transit reconstruction involved the performance of termino-terminal anastomosis between donor and recipient jejunum and donor and recipient terminal ileum. Euro-Collins was used as preservation solution. 20mg/kg of metilprednisolone was administered at reperfusion and no other immunosuppressive drug has been employed. Specimens were collected from the donor at laparotomy, and from the receptor, 30 min, and 3 days after reperfusion. Mucosal damage was assigned by histological evaluation with hematoxylin-eosin dye. Neutrophilic infiltration was quantified using myeloperoxidase (MPO) immunohistochemical assay and epithelial cell apoptosis was also assigned by means of TUNEL assay. Molecular biology involved the quantification of the expression of the IL-6, ET-1, Bak, and Bcl-XL genes. RESULTS: No statistical difference was detected between the groups as far as plain histological evaluation is regarded. Neutrophilic infiltration increased in a similar fashion in both groups, but lasted longer in group 2. Apoptosis detected by TUNEL showed significant increase in group 1, 3 days after surgery. Anti-apoptotic gene Bcl-XL had its expression decreased in group 1, in 3 days as well. Endothelin-1 and IL-6 genes expression increased 30 min after the procedure and had already returned to baseline 3 d after surgery. CONCLUSION: IL-6 and ET-1 are involved precociously in the development of intestinal IRI. Neutrophilic infiltration lasted longer in the group submitted to longer CI. Although there were no significant differences between the groups, significant increase in the number of apoptotic epithelial cells 3 days after reperfusion could be detected in animals

Adiponectin is an adipose-derived protein (adipocytokine) that is secreted by adipose tissue. It has insulin-sensitizing, anti-inflammatory and cardio-protective properties, and is thought to be protective against obesity-related diseases such as type 2 diabetes. Humans and cats are two species that commonly develop type 2 diabetes associated with insulin resistance, impaired beta cell function and spontaneous islet amyloid deposition. The domestic cat (Felis catus) has recently been proposed as an animal model for human type 2 diabetes. However, little is known about the physiology of adiponectin in cats. Therefore, we set out to investigate the association of adiponectin profiles with dietary carbohydrate intake, feeding, body weight, fat mass, and insulin sensitivity in healthy young adult cats (n=32; 2-4 years old; gender ratio 1:1; body condition 4-5/9). Cats were fed a moderate carbohydrate diet (37% ME) at maintenance energy requirements for four weeks. Cats were then assigned to either receive a low (19% ME) or high (52% ME) carbohydrate diet and fed at maintenance energy requirements for another four weeks, followed by ad-libitum feeding for eight weeks to facilitate weight gain. Adiponectin profiles including total circulating adiponectin and its distribution [low molecular weight (LMW) and high molecular weight (HMW) adiponectin], and proportion of adiponectin that is HMW (SA) were measured by ELISA and velocity sedimentation using sucrose gradients, followed by Western blotting, respectively. We demonstrated inter-animal variation in total adiponectin concentration at baseline (0.6 to 15.0 g/mL), with the adiponectin present in both LMW and HMW forms. Feeding with a high carbohydrate diet for four weeks at maintenance energy requirements resulted in increased total adiponectin concentration, which was associated with an increased concentration of LMW adiponectin. In contrast, feeding with a low carbohydrate diet for four weeks at maintenance energy requirements resulted in increased concentration of HMW adiponectin, decreased LMW adiponectin concentration, and increased SA, without a change in total adiponectin concentration. In cats fed the high carbohydrate diet, total adiponectin and HMW adiponectin concentrations become lower at six hours after feeding, as compared to the fasting concentrations. This phenomenon was not observed in cats fed a low carbohydrate diet, indicating a diet-dependent postprandial effect. There was no effect of gender on any of the adiponectin profiles in cats. Unlike other studies in humans and mice in which adiponectin concentrations decreased as fat mass increased, our data indicate that a moderate weight gain achieved by ad libitum feeding of a low carbohydrate diet for eight weeks correlated with increased adiponectin concentrations. Total adiponectin concentration (mirrored by HMW adiponectin) was positively correlated with body weight gain and fat mass gain (but not absolute fat mass) in our overweight cats. Furthermore, the fat mass-related increases in plasma adiponectin over eight weeks correlated with insulin sensitivity (higher adiponectin concentration corresponded to greater insulin sensitivity in overweight cats). These data hint at the possibility that in overweight animals, adiponectin is similar to other adipokines that rise concomitantly with increased of moderate fat mass gain and thus increases insulin sensitivity. Overall, the knowledge in this study therefore provides useful information to veterinarians and cat food manufacturers, and forms a foundation for future studies to extend our knowledge of adiponectin in cats. Data gathered in cats may also be applicable to humans and could therefore inform research using cats as an animal model of human obesity and type 2 diabetes.

<p>Circulating immune complexes play an important role in the modulation of antibody responses and in the pathogenesis of immune diseases. This thesis deals with the <i>in vivo </i>regulatory properties of antibodies and their specific Fc receptors.</p><p>The immunosuppressive function of IgG is used clinically, to prevent rhesus-negative women from becoming sensitized to rhesus-positive erythrocytes from the fetus. The mechanism behind this regulation is poorly understood but involvement of a receptor for IgG, FcγRII, has been suggested. It is shown in this thesis that IgG and also IgE induce immunosuppression against sheep erythrocytes to a similar extent both in mice lacking all the known Fc receptors as in wild-type animals. These findings imply that antibody-mediated suppression of humoral responses against particulate antigens is Fc-independent and that the major operating mechanism is masking of epitopes.</p><p>Immunization with soluble antigens in complex with specific IgG leads to an augmentation of antibody production. The cellular mechanism behind this control is examined here and it is found that the capture of IgG2a immune complexes by a bone marrow-derived cell expressing FcγRI (and FcγRIII) is essential. An analysis of the ability of IgG3 to mediate this regulation indicated that, in contrast, this subclass of IgG augments antibody responses independently of FcγRI (and FcγRIII). These findings suggest that distinct mechanisms mediate the enhancing effect of different subclasses of antibodies.</p><p>Finally, the contribution of FcγRIII was studied in the development of collagen-induced arthritis (CIA), an animal model for rheumatoid arthritis in humans. It was discovered that while DBA/1 wild-type control mice frequently developed severe CIA, with high incidence, FcγRIII-deficient mice were almost completely protected, indicating a crucial role for FcγRIII in CIA.</p><p>The results presented here help to understand how immune complexes regulate immune responses <i>in vivo</i> and show that Fc receptors for IgG, if involved, could be new targets for the treatment of immune complex-related disorders.</p>

<p>In the field of transplantation, the increasing deficit of human donors have lead to an interest in animals as an alternative source of organs and tissues. </p><p>Different <i>in vitro </i>systems and rodent models of xenotransplantation were used to examine the most significant barriers that have to be overcome, before isolated islets of Langerhans from pigs can be used as a cure for insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus in humans.</p><p>In clinical transplantation, islets are infused into the liver through the portal vein. During this procedure the islets are susceptible to harmful innate reactions triggered in blood. Adenoviral vectors generating transgenic expression of human complement regulatory proteins were evaluated in pig islets and shown to confer protection against acute complement-mediated damage. </p><p>Transplanted islets escaping this immediate destruction will be targets of a cellular immune response. Using a new mouse model of islet xenograft rejection, it was demonstrated that macrophages, effector cells in the rejection, were part of an MHC-restricted xenospecific immune response mediated by T cells. In a strain of knockout mice it was further shown that this process can proceed in the absence of an important signalling system, mediated by Toll-like receptors, between cells in innate and adaptive immunity. These findings illustrate some of the mechanistic differences compared to cellular islet allograft rejection which partly explain why immunosuppressive drugs used in clinical allotransplantation is not sufficient for preventing xenograft rejection. </p><p>Porcine endogenous retroviruses (PERV) remain a safety concern in xenotransplantation. Characterization of PERV in pig islets indicated that virus expression is low <i>in vitro </i>but increases during the immediate time period following transplantation. This suggests that antiviral therapies administered at the time of transplantation could be used for preventing the risk of PERV transmission after xenotransplantation.</p>

Circulating immune complexes play an important role in the modulation of antibody responses and in the pathogenesis of immune diseases. This thesis deals with the in vivo regulatory properties of antibodies and their specific Fc receptors. The immunosuppressive function of IgG is used clinically, to prevent rhesus-negative women from becoming sensitized to rhesus-positive erythrocytes from the fetus. The mechanism behind this regulation is poorly understood but involvement of a receptor for IgG, FcγRII, has been suggested. It is shown in this thesis that IgG and also IgE induce immunosuppression against sheep erythrocytes to a similar extent both in mice lacking all the known Fc receptors as in wild-type animals. These findings imply that antibody-mediated suppression of humoral responses against particulate antigens is Fc-independent and that the major operating mechanism is masking of epitopes. Immunization with soluble antigens in complex with specific IgG leads to an augmentation of antibody production. The cellular mechanism behind this control is examined here and it is found that the capture of IgG2a immune complexes by a bone marrow-derived cell expressing FcγRI (and FcγRIII) is essential. An analysis of the ability of IgG3 to mediate this regulation indicated that, in contrast, this subclass of IgG augments antibody responses independently of FcγRI (and FcγRIII). These findings suggest that distinct mechanisms mediate the enhancing effect of different subclasses of antibodies. Finally, the contribution of FcγRIII was studied in the development of collagen-induced arthritis (CIA), an animal model for rheumatoid arthritis in humans. It was discovered that while DBA/1 wild-type control mice frequently developed severe CIA, with high incidence, FcγRIII-deficient mice were almost completely protected, indicating a crucial role for FcγRIII in CIA. The results presented here help to understand how immune complexes regulate immune responses in vivo and show that Fc receptors for IgG, if involved, could be new targets for the treatment of immune complex-related disorders.

In the field of transplantation, the increasing deficit of human donors have lead to an interest in animals as an alternative source of organs and tissues. Different in vitro systems and rodent models of xenotransplantation were used to examine the most significant barriers that have to be overcome, before isolated islets of Langerhans from pigs can be used as a cure for insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus in humans. In clinical transplantation, islets are infused into the liver through the portal vein. During this procedure the islets are susceptible to harmful innate reactions triggered in blood. Adenoviral vectors generating transgenic expression of human complement regulatory proteins were evaluated in pig islets and shown to confer protection against acute complement-mediated damage. Transplanted islets escaping this immediate destruction will be targets of a cellular immune response. Using a new mouse model of islet xenograft rejection, it was demonstrated that macrophages, effector cells in the rejection, were part of an MHC-restricted xenospecific immune response mediated by T cells. In a strain of knockout mice it was further shown that this process can proceed in the absence of an important signalling system, mediated by Toll-like receptors, between cells in innate and adaptive immunity. These findings illustrate some of the mechanistic differences compared to cellular islet allograft rejection which partly explain why immunosuppressive drugs used in clinical allotransplantation is not sufficient for preventing xenograft rejection. Porcine endogenous retroviruses (PERV) remain a safety concern in xenotransplantation. Characterization of PERV in pig islets indicated that virus expression is low in vitro but increases during the immediate time period following transplantation. This suggests that antiviral therapies administered at the time of transplantation could be used for preventing the risk of PERV transmission after xenotransplantation.

Stress has been shown to exacerbate cell death and cognitive deficits after ischemic injury in rodents, however, little is known of the effects of stress on motor recovery. The objective of this present thesis is to examine the effects of chronic stress on skilled motor recovery after devascularization lesion in rats. It was found that pre-lesion stress induced the most behavioural impairments, while post-lesion stress exacerbated infarct volume. The effects of chronic multiple stress on skilled motor recovery after lesion was also examined. Chronic multiple stress did not modulate skilled motor recovery nor did it have any influence on infarct volume. Additionally, stress had effect on edema after devascularization lesion. The present thesis suggests that the time of exposure to chronic stress in respect to the ischemic lesion, in addition to the type of stress, will differentially affect recovery and compensation in rats. / xii, 122 leaves : ill. ; 29 cm.

Approximately 45% of men will develop cancer during their lifetime; some of which will be of reproductive age (Canadian Cancer Society, 2008). Current advances in treatment regimens such as radiotherapy have significantly lowered cancer-related mortality rates; however, one major quality-of-life issue in cancer survivors is the ability to produce healthy offspring. Exposure to ionizing radiation (IR) leads to genomic instability in the germline, and further to transgeneration genome instability in unexposed offspring of preconceptionally exposed parents. The results presented in this thesis define, in part, the molecular consequences of direct and indirect irradiation for the male germline. Direct exposure results in a significant accumulation of DNA damage, altered levels of global DNA methylation and microRNAome dysregulation of testis tissue. Localized cranial irradiation results in a significant accumulation of unrepaired DNA lesions and loss of global DNA methylation in the rodent (rat) germline. Biological consequences of the changes observed are discussed. / xii, 121 leaves : ill. ; 29 cm.