<p dir="ltr">The yeast zinc metalloprotease, Ste24, is involved in the maturation of the yeast mating pheromone <b>a</b>-factor by performing two distinct cleavages in the same precursor peptide substrate. Firstly, during the CaaX processing, Ste24 cleaves the three terminal residues of <b>a</b>-factor. CaaX processing is a well-studied process that involves the prenylation, proteolysis, and carboxyl-methylation of proteins ending with a cysteine (C), two aliphatic residues (aa), and one of several amino acids (X). The second cleavage step by Ste24 occurs after CaaX processing and involves an upstream cleavage N-terminal to the CaaX site. Another cleavage is performed by the enzyme Axl1 before the precursor peptide is transported from the cell to initiate mating processes. Inhibition of Ste24 typically results in ‘sterile’ cells which is how the term ‘Sterile 24’ was coined. In humans, defects in this metalloprotease or its substrate, Prelamin A, typically result in a range of progeroid disorders. Furthermore, the severity of these diseases has been directly linked to the catalytical activity of the enzyme. Treatments for these diseases are difficult to develop due to the limited knowledge available on the catalysis, substrate recognition, and functions of Ste24 and its homolog.</p><p dir="ltr">As such, these studies aim to define the substrate specificity of Ste24 and elucidate the binding site of Ste24. Identifying the substrate requirements of Ste24 has been an increasingly interesting topic due to the implication of Ste24 in a variety of unrelated functions. Previously, it has only been shown that yeast Ste24 is able to cleave the native substrate, the precursor of <b>a</b>-factor, and the substrate of its human homolog, prelamin A. This is an interesting finding because both substrates have dissimilar sequences at each cleavage site; so, it could be hypothesized that Ste24 may be able to recognize a wider range of sequences than expected. Further research has provided evidence that Ste24 is able to cleave both prenylated and non-prenylated substrates. It is also able to act as a translocon unclogger which may support its function in cleaving toxic islet amyloid polypeptides involved in cell failure in diabetes. Surprisingly, it was shown that this ‘unclogger ability’ was directly correlated to the activity level of Ste24, suggesting that the active site is directly involved in cleaving these peptides. With this information, it is clear that Ste24 has a broader substrate recognition ability than previously believed.</p><p dir="ltr">To elucidate the substrate specificity of Ste24, short peptide sequences containing varying CaaX sequences were developed and tested for C-terminal activity through a radioactive methyltransferase-coupled diffusion assay. Ste24 was able to recognize several sequences, however, a larger library is necessary to identify the specific requirements necessary for cleavage. Secondly, we tested the necessity of carboxylmethylation for the upstream N-terminal cleavage. The Distefano group designed three 33-mer analogs of <b>a</b>-factor, developed to mimic the C-terminally cleaved peptide. These peptides had either <b>a)</b> a methyl ester terminus representing the native substrate, <b>b)</b> a free carboxyl terminus representing the unmethylated precursor, and <b>c)</b> an amide terminus representing an unnatural end. All three peptides were tested using a FRET-based assay that allowed for the kinetic parameters of each peptide to be evaluated. We demonstrated that carboxylmethylation was not necessary for the upstream N-terminal cleavage; all three peptides presented similar kinetics. Finally, we interrogated the binding site of Ste24 through the use of a radioactive methyltransferase-coupled diffusion assay (C-terminal cleavage), a FRET-based assay (N-terminal cleavage), and photocrosslinking assays (binding). Together, these data presented a clearer image of residues necessary for the cleavage and binding of substrates within Ste24.</p>

The cytosolic protein degradation pathway, performed by ATP-dependent proteases and ATP-independent peptidases, plays important roles in several cellular activities, e.g. cell division, cell cycle progression, intracellular signaling, MHC class I antigen presentation, host-pathogen interactions, etc. The roles of ATP-dependent proteases during stress and infection have been studied in great detail but the functional roles of ATP-independent peptidases are not clearly understood. In this study, the functional roles of E. coli or S. typhimurium encoded Peptidase N (PepN), an ATP-independent enzyme belonging to theM1 family of metallopeptidases, were investigated. The thesis will address four different aspects. (i) In the first part, the utility of using E coli ∆pepN to identify and characterize novel peptidases will be shown. It is known that deletion of pepN leads to inability to cleave the majority of in vitro peptidase substrates in E. coli and S. typhimurium. To study the differences between two closely related paralogs of the M17 family, E. coli encoded pepA and pepB were cloned in pBAD24 vector and introduced in E. coli ∆pepN. Peptidase A (PepA) and Peptidase B (PepB) expression increases the cleavage of several aminopeptidase substrates and partially rescues growth of ∆pepN during nutritional downshift and high temperature stress (NDHT), a dual stress involving growth in minimal media at 42°C. Purified PepA and PepB enzymes display broad substrate specificity; however, distinct differences are observed between these two paralogs: PepA is more stable at high temperature whereas PepB displays broader substrate specificity as it cleaves Asp and Insulin B chain peptide. The strategy utilized in this study, i.e. overexpression of peptidases in ∆pepN followed by screening for substrate specificities in total cell extracts, may be used to rapidly identify the substrate preferences of novel peptidases encoded in genomes of different organisms. (ii) The second aspect investigates the functional roles of PepN during stress and infection in S. typhimurium. PepN has two conserved signature motifs of the M1 family, GAMEN and HEXXH, which play roles in substrate recognition and catalysis. To address the roles of catalytic activity of PepN, the residue E-298, which is present in the HEXXH motif and acts as a general base during catalysis, was mutated to A-298 by site-specific mutagenesis and introduced into ∆pepN (pBR322/pepNE298A). Biochemical and biophysical analysis of purified PepN (WT and E298A) revealed loss of catalytic activity of E298A but no major structural changes were observed in comparison to the WT protein. The functional roles of this mutation using ∆pepN expressing pBR322/pepN or pBR322/pepNE298A were investigated using two conditions: (i) Nutritional downshift high temperature (NDHT)stress and (ii) systemic infection in mice. Monitoring growth profiles of different strains demonstrated the requirement of the enzymatic activity of PepN for adaptation and growth to NDHT stress. Earlier studies have shown that S. typhimurium ∆pepN hyper proliferates in peripheral organs during systemic infection in mice. However, expression of wild type (WT)or E298A PepN led to lower colony forming units (CFU), demonstrating that the decrease in CFU is independent of catalytic activity. These observations are consistent with lower serum amounts of inflammatory cytokines, lower tissue damage and increase in survival of mice infected with S. typhimurium expressing WT or E298A PepN. (iii) Although pathogen encoded peptidases are known to be important during infection, their roles in modulating host responses in immunocompromised individuals are not well studied. In the third part of this thesis, the roles of S. typhimurium encoded PepN were studied in mice lacking Interferon-γ (Ifnγ), a cytokine important for immunity. S. typhimurium lacking pepN displays enhanced CFU compared to WT in peripheral organs during systemic infection in C57BL/6 mice. However, Ifnγ-/-mice show higher CFU compared to C57BL/6 mice, resulting in lower fold differences between WT and ∆pepN. Concomitantly, reintroduction of pepN in ∆pepN reduces CFU, demonstrating pepN dependence. In addition, three distinct differences were observed between infection ofC57BL/6 and Ifnγ-/-mice upon infection with different S. typhimurium strains: (i) cytokine profiles, (ii) histological analysis and (iii) mice survival. Overall, the roles of the host encoded Ifnγ during infection with S. typhimurium strains with varying degrees of virulence will be highlighted. (iv) The final aspect of this study reveals differences in gene expression between S. typhimurium grown in rich medium (Luria-Bertani) versus NDHT stress. This adaptation affects several pathways and the gene expression of secretory proteins that are important for virulence in S. typhimurium are greatly reduced during NDHT stress. Also, analysis of secretory protein amounts in different media conditions shows reduction during growth in minimal media plus high temperature stress. The functional consequences of this reduction in secretory protein amounts lead to lower bacterial replication after infection of RAW cells or mice infected via the oral route. In addition, the differences in gene expression between WT and ∆pepN during these conditions were studied. Interestingly, there is reduction in expression of flagellar genes whereas the genes involved in nitrogen metabolism are upregulated in ∆pepN upon exposure to NDHT stress. Further studies were performed by quantifying the motility of different S. typhimurium strains grown in a variety of culture conditions. Overall, this part of the study attempts to compare and contrast the possible adaptive responses of WT and ∆pepN to NDHT stress. Together, this thesis addresses multiple aspects of the biochemistry and roles of the enigmatic PepN during stress and infection.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-06-02T19:22:53Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 3146.pdf: 7150693 bytes, checksum: cd6c8d53b2bd8f45e723e67ca13309e2 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010-03-12 / Financiadora de Estudos e Projetos / Tendons remodeling relies upon extracellular matrix restructuring by the matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). The aim of this study was to investigate MMP-2 activity in different regions of the calcanear tendon after resistance training in ovariectomized rats. Wistar adult female rats were grouped into: sedentary (Sed-Intact); ovariectomized sedentary (Sed-Ovx); acute exercise (AcuteEx-Intact); ovariectomized acute exercise (AcuteEx-Ovx); resistance trained (ChronicEx-Intact) and ovariectomized resistance trained (ChronicEx-Ovx) (n= 10 each group). The resistance training protocol required the animals to climb a 1.1-m vertical ladder with weights attached to their tail was used. The sessions were performed once every 3 days with 4-9 climbs and 8-12 dynamic movements per scaling. The acute groups performed one session, and the chronic groups underwent a 12-week of resistance training. There was an increase in total MMP-2 activity in Sed- Ovx, AcuteEx-intact and ChronicExintact compared with Sed-Intact in the proximal region of calcanear tendon. AcuteEx-Ovx exhibited higher total MMP-2 than Sed-Ovx and AcuteEx-Intact in the distal region of calcanear tendon. Chronic-Ovx presented lower total MMP-2 activity than Sed-Ovx and Chronic-Intact in the distal region of tendon. The active MMP-2 was higher for the AcuteEx- Ovx than Sed-Ovx and AcuteEx-Intact in proximal region of tendon. There was higher active MMP-2 in the distal region of tendon in the Acute-Ovx than Sed-Ovx and AcuteEx-Intact. Ovariectomy and resistance exercise modulate MMP-2 activity according to specific tendon region, indicating a differentiated tissue remodeling. / O remodelamento dos tendões depende da re-estruturação da matriz extracelular realizada pelas metaloproteinases de matriz (MMPs). O objetivo deste estudo foi investigar a atividade da MMP-2 em diferentes regiões do tendão calcâneo de ratas após ovariectomia e treinamento resistido. Ratas adultas Wistar foram agrupadas em: sedentário (Sed-Intacto); sedentário ovariectomizado (Sed-Ovx); exercício agudo (AgudoEx-Intacto); exercício agudo e ovariectomizado (AgudoEx-Ovx); treinado resistido (CrônicoEx-Intacto) e ovariectomizado treinado resistido (CrônicoEx-Ovx) (n= 10 por grupo). O protocolo de treinamento resistido exigiu a escalada dos animais em uma escada vertical de 1.1 metros com pesos atados a suas caudas. A sessão foi realizada uma vez a cada três dias de 4 a 9 escaladas com 8 a 12 movimentos dinâmicos em cada escalada. Cada sessão de treinamento consistia de no mínimo quatro escalas, com 50%, 75%, 90% e 100% da capacidade máxima de carregamento do animal, determinada anteriormente. Durante as escaladas subseqüentes (máximo de cinco escaladas) eram adicionados 30g até que uma nova capacidade máxima de carregamento fosse atingida. Os grupos agudos realizaram apenas uma sessão e os animais dos grupos crônicos foram submetidos a 12 semanas de treinamento resistido. Foi observado na região proximal do tendão calcâneo aumento da atividade total da MMP-2 no Sed-Ovx, AgudoEx-Intacto, CrônicoEx-Intacto comparados com o Sed-Intacto (p&#8804;0,05). Na região distal do tendão calcâneo, o AgudoEx-Ovx exibiu maior atividade da MMP-2 total do que Sed-Ovx e AgudoEx-Intacto (p&#8804;0,05). O CrônicoEx-Ovx apresentou na região distal do tendão calcâneo menor atividade total da MMP-2 em relação ao Sed-Ovx e CrônicoEx-Intacto (p&#8804;0,05). O AgudoEx-Ovx apresentou na região proximal e distal do tendão calcâneo maiores valores na forma ativa da MMP-2 comparado ao Sed-Ovx e AgudoEx-Intacto (p&#8804;0,05). Ovariectomia e treinamento resistido modulam a atividade da MMP-2 de acordo com a região específica do tendão calcâneo.

Die Anwendung von Birkenblättern (Betulae folium) erfolgt zur Durchspülung der Harnwege. In der vorliegenden Arbeit wurde die Wirkungsweise der Birkenblätter auf verschiedenen Ebenen der Phytopharmakaforschung untersucht. Zunächst wurde in-vitro die Beeinflussung der Metallopeptidasen Neutrale Endopeptidase (NEP, EC 3.4.24.11), Angiotensin-Converting-Enzym (ACE, EC 3.4.15.1) und Leucin-Aminopeptidase (LAP, EC 3.4.11.2) durch Birkenblätterextrakte, -fraktionen und reine Naturstoffe untersucht. Die Auftrennung eines Methanol- und eines Ethylacetatextraktes führte nicht zur Gewinnung einzelner, für die Gesamtwirkungen der Extrakte verantwortlicher Fraktionen bzw. Komponenten. Die Eigenschaft der Flavonoide als wirksamkeitsmitbestimmende Inhaltsstoffe konnte jedoch bestätigt werden. Ein systematisches Screening von Flavonoiden ergab u.a., dass das Ausmaß der Enzymhemmung von der Anzahl der freien phenolischen OH-Funktionen bestimmt wurde und dass Flavonoidaglyka stärker die Enzyme hemmten, als die im Pflanzenmaterial vorliegenden Glykoside (IC50 NEP: Myricetin 42 Mikromol/L, Quercetin 192 Mikromol/L). Die in der Birkenrinde vorkommenden Triterpene Betulinsäure und Betulinol wurden als starke Inhibitoren der LAP erkannt (IC50 LAP: 7,3 +/- 1,4 bzw. 8,8 +/- 1,78 Mikromol/L). In einem nächsten Abschnitt der Arbeit wurden die Absorptionseigenschaften von Hyperosid und Rutin mit einem In-vitro-Perfusionsmodell am isolierten Rattendünndarm untersucht. Sowohl Rutin als auch Hyperosid traten unverändert als Glykoside durch den Darm in das Akzeptorkompartiment über. Auch in Form eines Birkenblätterextraktes wurde Hyperosid am Rattendünndarm absorbiert, der Extrakt veränderte jedoch nicht die Absorptionsrate. Als Mechanismus wurde der passive Transport durch die Poren der Tight junctions der Dünndarmzellen angenommen. Abschließend wurde eine Pilotstudie (n=14) durchgeführt, in der das ausgeschiedene Harnvolumen nach einmaliger Einnahme eines Birkenblättertees im Vergleich zu einer entsprechenden Menge Leitungswasser bestimmt wurde. Bei 50 % der Probanden wurde innerhalb der vierstündigen Testphase eine Zunahme der Harnproduktion beobachtet, bei den anderen 50 % stellte sich eine gegensätzliche Reaktion auf Tee und Placebo ein. Eine signifikante Erhöhung der Harnproduktion konnte somit, unter dem angegebenen Studiendesign, nicht nachgewiesen werden. / Irrigation of the urinary tract is the therapeutic indication for Birch leaf (Betulae folium). In the present thesis, effects and efficacy of Birch leaves were investigated in various fields of medicinal plant research. The effects of Birch leaf extracts, their fractions, and pure natural compounds on the metallopeptidases - Neutral Endopeptidase (NEP, EC 3.4.24.11), Angiotensin Converting Enzyme (ACE, EC 3.4.15.1), and Leucine Aminopeptidase (LAP, EC 3.4.11.2) - were investigated in vitro. Phytochemical separation of extracts obtained by methanol and ethyl acetate did not result in more active fractions compared to those of the whole extracts. The ability of flavonoids to contribute to the efficacy reached by Birch leaf extracts, could be confirmed. A systematic screening could show that the inhibitory potency of flavonoids is dependent on the number of phenolic hydroxyl functions in their chemical structure. Aglycones of flavonoids were more active than their corresponding glycosides occurring in the plant material (IC50 NEP: myricetin 42 mikromol/L, quercetin 192 mikromol/L). Betulinic acid and betulinol, triterpenes of the bark of Betula, inhibited LAP strongly by reaching an IC50 of 7,3 +/- 1,4 mikromol/L and 8,8 +/- 1,78 mikromol/L, respectively. Furthermore, this thesis showed the absorption profiles of hyperoside and rutin in an isolated small intestine model of the rat. Both glycosides were detected in the acceptor compartment without being metabolised. Administration of hyperoside by a Birch leaf extract did not influence the absorption rate. A passive transport through the pores of the tight junctions, localized between the intestinal cells, was considered to be the mechanism of absorption of the flavonol glycosides. Finally, a human pilot study (n=14) was carried out. The excreted urinary volume was determined after a single intake of a Birch leaf infusion or tap water. An increased urine output after 4 hours of the test period was found in 50% of the volunteers. In the contrary, an opposite effect was determined in 50% of the volunteers after administration of the herbal infusion and of a placebo solution. Thus, no significant increase of urine volume could be observed under these test conditions.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-06-02T20:18:15Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 3931.pdf: 5591864 bytes, checksum: b4873ba462675328d3fc2005b8032afb (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011-02-28 / Osteoarthritis (OA), a degenerative joint disease, is one of the most frequent causes of pain in the musculoskeletal system and of the inability to work in Brazil and the world. It is a multifactor, chronic disease, leading to progressive functional inability. It can arise as a result of injuries to structures such as the anterior crossed ligament and/or meniscus (post-traumatic OA), which, in this case, can affect individuals in any age range. The development of osteoarthritis includes multiple changes in the extracellular cartilage matrix, altering the normal morphological configuration of the joint involved, leading to a lack of equilibrium between the synthesis and degradation of products in this matrix. Although OA is not considered primordially as an inflammatory disease, inflammation of the joint has been shown to be a potential amplifier of the degenerative process. Thus the objective of the present study was to analyze potential biological markers in the serum and synovial fluid, and then correlate them with one another and with the morphological, inflammatory and functional alterations found in individuals with chronic injury of the anterior crossed ligament (ACL). The following techniques were used in the study: zymography, to determine the activity of the metallopeptidases 2 and 9 (MMP-2 and MMP-9); an immune-enzymatic assay (ELISA) to determine the presence of systemic and local cytokines; and a manual count of inflammatory cells (mononuclear and polymorphonuclear) by optical microscopy and spectrophotometry, in order to analyze for sulfated glycosaminoglycans (GAGs). The results indicated joint and systemic inflammation in chronic injury of the ACL by the detection of systemic and local cytokines, by the activity of MMP-9 and by the inflow of neutrophils. There were interactions between systemic and local cytokines, in which a cytokine did not always exert the same function in the serum as in the synovial fluid. The interleucines (IL) connected to degradation of the cartilage in chronic injury of the ACL were IL-12, IL-6 and IL-8, and those connected to pain and loss of function were IL-6 and IL-9. In counterpart, MMP-2 showed a negative correlation with the damage to the cartilage. It was concluded that the molecules studied had potential as biomarkers, since alterations were suggestive of injury and degradation of the cartilage. In addition, after the traumatic event resulting in rupture of the ACL, the ambient remained chronically inflamed and this inflammation was crucial for the high index of posttraumatic OA. / A osteoartrite (OA), doença articular degenerativa, é uma das causas mais freqüentes de dor do sistema músculo-esquelético e de incapacidade para o trabalho no Brasil e no mundo. É uma doença crônica, multifatorial, que leva a uma incapacidade funcional progressiva. Pode surgir em decorrência de lesões em estruturas como ligamento cruzado anterior e/ou meniscos (OA pós-traumática), e neste caso, pode afetar indivíduos em qualquer faixa etária. O desenvolvimento da osteoartrite inclui múltiplas mudanças na matriz extracelular da cartilagem, o que altera a configuração morfológica normal da articulação envolvida, levando a um desequilíbrio entre a síntese e degradação dos produtos desta matriz. Apesar da OA não ser considerada primordialmente como uma doença inflamatória, a inflamação articular tem demonstrado um potencial amplificador do processo degenerativo. Sendo assim, o objetivo deste trabalho foi analisar potenciais marcadores biológicos no soro e no líquido sinovial, e em seguida correlacioná-los uns com os outros e com as alterações morfológicas, inflamatórias e funcionais encontradas em sujeitos com lesão crônica do ligamento cruzado anterior (LCA). Para este estudo foram utilizadas técnicas de: zimografia, para verificar a atividade das metalopeptidases 2 e 9 (MMP-2 e MMP-9); Ensaio imunoenzimático (ELISA), para constatar a presença das citocinas sistêmicas e locais; contagem manual de células inflamatórias (mononucleares e polimorfonucleares) por microscopia óptica e espectrofotometria para a análise dos glicosaminoglicanos sulfatados (GAGs). Os resultados apontaram para uma inflamação articular e sistêmica na lesão crônica do LCA, pela detecção de citocinas sistêmicas e locais, pela atividade das MMP-9 e pelo influxo de neutrófilos. Houve interações entre citocinas sistêmicas e locais, nas quais nem sempre uma citocina exerce a mesma função no soro e no líquido sinovial. As interleucinas (IL) ligadas à degradação da cartilagem na lesão crônica do LCA foram IL-12, IL-6 e IL-8 e as ligadas à dor e a perda de função foram IL-6 e IL-8. Em contrapartida, a MMP-2 apresentou correlação negativa com os danos na cartilagem. Conclui-se que, as moléculas estudadas apresentam potencial como biomarcadores, sendo suas alterações sugestivas de lesão e degradação da cartilagem. E ainda, que após o evento traumático responsável pelo rompimento do LCA, o ambiente permanece inflamado cronicamente e que esta inflamação é crucial para o alto índice de OA pós-traumática.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-06-02T19:22:04Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 2948.pdf: 23947670 bytes, checksum: 9a003bcb76beeab320966ed23e79f8b6 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010-04-30 / Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais / The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of vertical jump associated with anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS) on the biochemical, biomechanical and morphological properties, and the expression of the main genes responsible for remodeling in the calcaneal tendon (CT), superficial flexor tendon (TFS) and deep flexor tendon (TFP) in rats Animals were divided into four experimental groups: Sedentary (S), Trained (T) (vertical jump, 50 80% body weight load, 7 weeks, 5 days/week), AAS-treated sedentary rats (AAS) (5 mg/kg of body mass, twice a week).), and AAS-treated and trained animals (AAST). The techniques performed were: zymography (to analyze the metalopeptidase activity - MMP-2); biomechanical test (cross-sectional area, displacement at maximum load, maximum stress, maximum strain, and elastic modulus); morphology and real time PCR. The training promoted an increased in MMP-2 activity in the three regions of TFS, while the AAS treatment or the combination of training and AAS decreased both MMP-2 concentration and active form in all regions of the SFT. The biomechanical test showed that AAS increased tendon rigidity (i.e., lower elasticity and capacity to resist load) and the effects were enhanced by the combination of AAS and training. The DFT was the most affected by training, AAS, and the interaction of both. Take together the morphology and stereology showed that training increases the vascularity and cellularity, while the AAS combined with training reduced these two parameters in the three evaluated tendons. Gene expression showed that training did not increase the main genes expression responsible for tissue resistance: collagen type I and III, but the AAS or the association with training promoted a downregulation of expression in these genes on all tendons regions. In conclusion, the exercise increased remodeling and differently modulates the genes expression related to ECM remodeling in tendon. The AAS administration and combination with exercise induce negative effects, providing a poor remodeling and increasing risk of tendons injury. / O objetivo desse estudo foi avaliar os efeitos do salto vertical em associação com esteróide anabólico androgênico (EAA) nas propriedades bioquímicas, biomecânicas, morfológicas e a expressão dos principais genes responsáveis pelo remodelamento do tendão calcâneo (TC), tendão flexor superficial (TFS) e tendão flexor profundo (TFP) de ratos. Ratos Wistar foram divididos em quatro grupos experimentais: animais sedentários (S); animais sedentários com a administração de EAA (EAA) (5 mg/kg de peso corporal, duas vezes por semana); animais treinados (T) (salto vertical na água com carga de 50 a 80% do peso corporal do animal, duração de 7 semanas 5 dias/semana) e animais treinados com a administração de EAA (EAAT). Foram utilizadas as técnicas: de zimografia (para analisar a atividade da metalopeptidase - MMP-2); teste biomecânico (área de secção transversa, deslocamento até a carga máxima, tensão máxima, deformação máxima, e módulo de elasticidade); morfologia dos tendões e real time PCR. A zimografia mostrou que o treinamento aumentou a atividade da MMP-2 em todas as regiões do TFS enquanto o EAA ou associação de ambos reduziu a atividade da mesma em todas as regiões analisadas. O teste biomecânico mostrou que o EAA aumentou a rigidez dos tendões (baixa elasticidade e capacidade de resistir carga), e os efeitos foram reforçados pela associação de ambos, EAA e treino. O TFP foi o mais afetado pelo treinamento, EAA, e pela interação de ambos. A morfologia juntamente com a estereologia mostrou que o treinamento aumenta a vascularização e celularidade, enquanto o EAA associado ao treinamento reduz esses dois parâmetros nos 3 tendões avaliados. A expressão gênica mostrou que o treinamento não aumentou a expressão dos principais genes responsáveis pela resistência tecidual: colágeno tipo I e III, mas o EAA ou a associação com o treinamento promoveram uma redução na expressão desses genes em todas as regiões dos tendões. Assim, conclui-se que o exercício aumentou o remodelamento e modulou diferentemente a expressão de genes relacionados com o remodelamento da MEC no tendão. Já a administração de EAA e associação com o exercício acarretaram efeitos negativos no tendão, propiciando um remodelamento deficiente que pode estar relacionado com a ocorrência de lesões.