More than a Rumor Spreads in Parkinson's Disease

As Parkinson's disease progresses, a massive loss of dopaminergic neurons is accompanied by accumulation of alpha-Synuclein (αSyn) neuronal inclusions called Lewy bodies and Lewy neurites. Inclusions first appear in olfactory bulb and enteric neurons then in ascendant neuroanatomical interconnected areas, and finally, in late stages of the disease, Lewy bodies are observed in a substantia nigra pars compacta with clear signs of neuronal loss. It is believed that the spreading of Lewy bodies through the nervous system is a consequence of the cell-to-cell propagation of αSyn, that can occur via sequential steps of secretion and uptake. Certain pathological forms of transmitted αSyn are able to seed endogenous counterparts in healthy recipient cells, thus promoting the self-sustained cycle of inclusion formation, amplification and spreading, that ultimately underlies disease progression. Here we review the cell-to-cell propagation of αSyn focusing on its role in the progression of Parkinson’s disease

Preventive aspirin treatment of streptozotocin induced diabetes: Blockage of oxidative status and revertion of heme enzymes inhibition

Some late complications of diabetes are associated with alterations in the structure and function of proteins due to glycation and free radicals generation. Aspirin inhibits protein glycation by acetylation of free amino groups. In the diabetic status, it was demonstrated that several enzymes of heme pathway were diminished. The aim of this work has been to investigate the in vivo effect of short and long term treatment with acetylsalicylic acid in streptozotocin induced diabetic mice. In both treatments, the acetylsalicylic acid prevented δ-aminolevulinic dehydratase and porphobilinogen deaminase inactivation in diabetic mice and blocked the accumulation of lipoperoxidative aldehydes. Catalase activity was significantly augmented in diabetic mice and the long term treatment with aspirin partially reverted it. We propose that oxidative stress might play an important role in streptozotocin induced diabetes. Our results suggest that aspirin can prevent some of the late complications of diabetes, lowering glucose concentration and probably inhibiting glycation by acetylation of protein amino groups. Copyright (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.Fil: Caballero, Fabiana Alejandra. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Química Biológica; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; ArgentinaFil: Gerez, Esther Noemi. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Química Biológica; ArgentinaFil: Batlle, Alcira María del C.. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Química Biológica; ArgentinaFil: Vazquez, Elba Susana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Química Biológica; Argentin

Interaction of cimetidine with P450 in a mouse model of hepatocarcinogenesis initiation

Many drugs and xenobiotics are lipophilic and they should be transformed into more polar water soluble compounds to be excreted. Cimetidine inhibits cytochrome P450. The aim of this study was to investigate the preventive and/or reversal action of cimetidine on cytochrome P450 induction and other metabolic alterations provoked by the carcinogen p-dimethylaminoazobenzene. A group of male CF1 mice received a standard laboratory diet and another group was placed on dietary p-dimethylaminoazobenzene (0.5% w w−1). After 40 days of treatment, animals of both groups received p-dimethylaminoazobenzene and two weekly doses of cimetidine (120 mg kg−1, i.p.) during a following period of 35 days. Cimetidine prevented and reversed δ-aminolevulinate synthetase induction and cytochrome P450 enhancement provoked by p-dimethylaminoazobenzene. However, cimetidine did not restore haem oxygenase activity decreased by p-dimethylaminoazobenzene. Enhancement in glutathione S-transferase activity provoked by p-dimethylaminoazobenzene, persisted in those animals then treated with cimetidine. This drug did not modify either increased lipid peroxidation or diminution of the natural antioxidant defence system (inferred by catalase activity) induced by p-dimethylaminoazobenzene. In conclusion, although cimetidine treatment partially prevented and reversed cytochrome P450 induction, and alteration on haem metabolism provoked by p-dimethylaminoazobenzene AB, it did not reverse liver damage or lipid peroxidation. These results further support our hypothesis on the necessary existence of a multiple biochemical pathway disturbance for the onset of hepatocarcinogenesis initiation

Uso de de almidón de papa andina nativa y deshidratada (chuño) como estabilizantes en la elaboración de yogur firme reducido en grasa

El yogur es el alimento lácteo fermentado de mayor consumo a nivel internacional, debido tanto a sus propiedades nutricionales y sensoriales distintivas como por su impacto positivo en la salud del consumidor. Así, el mercado de yogur es uno de los más dinámicos del sector lácteo, con propuestas novedosas, entre las cuales se destaca las variedades con contenido reducido en grasas. Sin embargo, la omisión de la grasa introduce problemas de calidad que conducen al rechazo por el consumidor. La principal estrategia empleada para superar estas limitaciones es el agregado de hidrocoloides (HC) como estabilizantes. El objetivo del presente trabajo fue evaluar la influencia del agregado de almidón de papa andina nativa y de "chuño" (papa andina congelada y deshidratada) como estabilizantes en la elaboración de yogur firme bajo en grasas. Se prepararon tres formulaciones de yogures a partir de leche descremada reconstituida (10%, p/v) añadida con almidón de papa nativo (AN) o "chuño" (ACH) [2,5% (p/v) final en producto]. Los HC previamente disueltos en leche (en proporción 1:10) se agregaron previo al tratamiento térmico (90°C, 5 min con agitación). La fermentación de la leche se llevo a cabo a 45ºC en baño de agua hasta pH 4,5. El grado de sinéresis, propiedades de flujo y viscoelásticas de los yogures fueron evaluados y comparados con los de un yogur control preparado sin almidón, en los días 1, 7, 14 y 28 de almacenamiento. Para la obtención de las curvas de flujo y las medidas oscilatorias se utilizó un reómetro (AR 2000; TA Instruments, New Castle, DE, EE. UU.) geometría plato-plato de 40 mm. El agregado de almidones de AN y ACH modificó significativamente los parámetros evaluados en relación al yogur control. En relación a la sinéresis, los mayores valores se observaron en el YC, efecto que incrementó significativamente con el tiempo de almacenamiento. Se observa que las formulaciones con almidones no mostraron diferencias significativas entre ellas hasta el día 7. Sin embargo, el YCH incrementó paulatinamente los valores de sinéresis luego del día 14, mientras que en la formulación YN no se observaron diferencias hasta el final del ensayo. Además, las muestras mostraron claras diferencias en cuanto a sus propiedades reológicas. En términos generales, los yogures que contienen almidones exhibieron valores de viscosidad aparente más altos que los observados en el YC después de 1 día de almacenamiento, tendencia que se mantuvo hasta el final del ensayo. Por otra parte, los valores de los módulos viscoso (G'), elástico (G'') y complejo (G*) incrementaron proporcionalmente a la frecuencia angular, siendo G' superior a G'' en todos los casos. G* también mostró diferencias entre las muestras, siendo significativamente mayores en las muestras con AN, seguida de ACH, en relación al control para todos los tiempos evaluados. Nuestros resultados demostraron que la incorporación de almidones de papa andina y chuño en la formulación de yogur firme reducido en grasas permitió reducir el grado de sinéresis proporcionando mejores características reológicas al producto final.Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimento

Production and Characterization of Antifungal Compounds Produced by Lactobacillus plantarum IMAU10014

Lactobacillus plantarum IMAU10014 was isolated from koumiss that produces a broad spectrum of antifungal compounds, all of which were active against plant pathogenic fungi in an agar plate assay. Two major antifungal compounds were extracted from the cell-free supernatant broth of L. plantarum IMAU10014. 3-phenyllactic acid and Benzeneacetic acid, 2-propenyl ester were carried out by HPLC, LC-MS, GC-MS, NMR analysis. It is the first report that lactic acid bacteria produce antifungal Benzeneacetic acid, 2-propenyl ester. Of these, the antifungal products also have a broad spectrum of antifungal activity, namely against Botrytis cinerea, Glomerella cingulate, Phytophthora drechsleri Tucker, Penicillium citrinum, Penicillium digitatum and Fusarium oxysporum, which was identified by the overlay and well-diffusion assay. F. oxysporum, P. citrinum and P. drechsleri Tucker were the most sensitive among molds

Protective action of N-acetyl-L-cysteine associated with a polyvalent antivenom on the envenomation induced by Lachesis muta muta (South American bushmaster) in rats

In this study, we examined the potential use of N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) in association with a polyvalent antivenom and as stand-alone therapy to reduce the acute local and systemic effects induced by Lachesis muta muta venom in rats. Male Wistar rats (300–350 g) were exposed to L. m. muta venom (1.5 mg/kg – i.m.) and subsequently treated with anti-Bothrops/Lachesis serum (antivenom:venom ratio 1:3 ‘v/w’ – i.p.) and NAC (150 mg/kg – i.p.) separately or in association; the animals were monitored for 120 min to assess changes in temperature, locomotor activity, local oedema formation and the prevalence of haemorrhaging. After this time, animals were anesthetized in order to collect blood samples through intracardiac puncture and then euthanized for collecting tissue samples; the hematological-biochemical and histopathological analyses were performed through conventional methods. L. m. muta venom produced pronounced local oedema, subcutaneous haemorrhage and myonecrosis, with both antivenom and NAC successfully reducing the extent of the myonecrotic lesion when individually administered; their association also prevented the occurrence of subcutaneous haemorrhage. Venom-induced creatine kinase (CK) release was significantly prevented by NAC alone or in combination with antivenom; NAC alone failed to reduce the release of hepatotoxic (alanine aminotransferase) and nephrotoxic (creatinine) serum biomarkers induced by L. m. muta venom. Venom induced significant increase of leucocytes which was also associated with an increase of neutrophils, eosinophils and monocytes; antivenom and NAC partially reduced these alterations, with NAC alone significantly preventing the increase of eosinophils whereas neither NAC or antivenom prevented the increase in monocytes. Venom did not induce changes in the erythrogram parameters. In the absence of a suitable antivenom, NAC has the potential to reduce a number of local and systemic effects caused by L. m. muta venom