Nandrolone Decanoate associated with exercise training inhibit vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) mRNA expression in rat soleus muscle

Androgenic-anabolic steroids (AAS) have been used for both performance improvement and aesthetic reasons. It is well know that high doses of AAS induce serious adverse effects such as skeletal muscle injuries, including increase in the rate of muscle strains/ruptures. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a key factor in angiogenesis induction on both physiological and pathological conditions The aim of this study was to investigate VEGF mRNA expression in rat soleus muscle after jumping training associated with AAS administration. Wistar rats were grouped into: sedentary (S); trained without AAS (T); sedentary nandrolone decanoate (ND)-treated (AAS); and trained with AAS (AAST). The trained groups carried out jumps in water at 32°C.: 4 series of 10 jumps each, with a 30-second interval among series, for 7 weeks, with 50-80% overload of the animal corporal mass. The AAS (Decadurabolin® - 5mg/kg) was injected subcutaneously in the animal’s back twice a week. Real-time PCR analyses showed that training significantly increased VEGF mRNA expression in comparison with the S and AAS groups. When exercise training was associated with nandrolone decanoate, the VEGF mRNA expression was inhibited compared with T group. The inhibition of VEGF expression by AAS administration can decrease angiogenesis in skeletal muscle. These results suggest that the AAS may be strongly prejudicial to muscle remodeling and performance

Palladium(II) complexes with thiosemicarbazones: syntheses, characterization and cytotoxicity against breast cancer cells and anti-mycobacterium tuberculosis activity

Three PdII complexes were prepared from N(4)-substituted thiosemicarbazones: [Pd(aptsc)(PPh3)](NO3)•H2O, 1, [Pd(apmtsc)(PPh3)](NO3), 2, and [Pd(apptsc)(PPh3)](NO3)•H2O, 3, where PPh3 = triphenylphosphine; Haptsc = 2-acetylpyridine-thiosemicarbazone; Hapmtsc = 2-acetylpyridine-N(4)-methyl-thiosemicarbazone and Happtsc = 2-acetylpyridine-N(4)-phenyl-thiosemicarbazone. All complexes were characterized by elemental analysis, IR, UV-Vis, 1H and 31P{1H} NMR spectroscopies, and had their crystalline structures determined by X-ray diffractometry from single crystals. The monoanionic thiosemicarbazonate ligands act in a tridentate mode, binding to the metal through the pyridine nitrogen, the azomethine nitrogen and the sulfur atoms. The cytotoxic activity against the breast cancer cell line MDA-MB231 and the anti-Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv ATCC 27294 activity were evaluated for the compounds. All PdII complexes were highly active against the studied cell line, presenting similar values of IC50, around 5 µmol L-1, while the clinically applied antitumor agent cisplatin was inactive. The compounds show remarkable anti-M. tuberculosis activities, presenting MIC values comparable or better than some commercial anti-M tuberculosis drugs.FAPESPCAPESCNPqFINE

Evaluating kinetic and physiological features of rCHO-K1 cells cultured on microcarriers for production of a recombinant metalloprotease/disintegrin

We present kinetic and physiological data regarding the culturing of rCHO-K1 cells on various microcarriers, to evaluate the potential of this culture strategy for mass production of these cells and expression of a recombinant disintegrin. Cultures were performed in 500 mL spinner flasks in DMEM culture medium with 10% v/v fetal calf serum, gently shaken at 37°C, pH 7.4, in a 10% v/v CO2 atmosphere. The following values were obtained, respectively, for the adhesion time-constant Ka (h) and specific growth rate μmax (d-1) on each microcarrier: Cytodex 1 (0.91, 0.45), Cultispher S (0.28, 0.34), Immobasil FS (0.85, 0.52) and Pronectin F (5.12, 0.67). Metabolic characteristics showed some variation among the cultures with the four microcarriers, the most significant being the higher production of ammonia with microcarriers coated with adhesive molecules (Cultispher S and Pronectin F) relative to the uncoated carriers (Cytodex 1 and Immobasil FS). Experiments where the DMEM medium was gradually replaced by the serum-free medium (CHO-SFM-II) revealed important advantages over media containing serum, not only for assay purposes, but also for purification of the disintegrin. Altogether these results demonstrate that cultures on microcarriers, especially on Pronectin F, show good potential for larger scale cultures of rCHO-K1 cell

New ruthenium(II)/phosphines/diimines complexes: promising antitumor (human breast cancer) and Mycobacterium tuberculosis fighting agents

The synthesis and characterization of ruthenium compounds of the type [RuCl2(P)2(N–N)] [(P)2 = (PPh3)2, dppb = 1,4-bis(diphenylphosphino)butano; dppp = 1,3-bis(diphenylphosphino)propane; N–N = 5,5'- dimethyl-2,2'dipyridyl (5,5'-mebipy) or 4,4'-dimethyl-2,2'dipyridyl (4,4'-mebipy)] are described. The complexes were characterized using elemental analysis, UV–Vis and infrared spectroscopies, cyclic voltammetry, and X-ray crystallography. In vitro evaluation of the complexes, using the MTT methodology, revealed their cytotoxic activities in a range of 5.4–15.7 lM against the MDA-MB-231 breast tumor cells and showed that, in this case, they are more active than the reference metallodrug cisplatin. The in vitro antimycobacterial activities of the complexes had their Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) for MTB cell growth measured, by the REMA method. The MICs for these complexes were found to be between 12.5 and 25.0 lg/mL. The results are comparable with the ‘‘second line’’ drug cycloserine (MIC = 12.5– 50.0 lg/mL), commonly used in the treatment of TB.CNPqCAPESFAPESPFAPERJCYTE