Estudio comparativo de diferentes inductores de autofagia en un modelo in vitro de la enfermedad de Parkinson.

La enfermedad de Parkinson (EP) es un desorden neurodegenerativo, cuya incidencia se cree va en aumento. Esta enfemedad se clasifica como familiar y esporádica, la forma familiar representa del 5 al 10% de los casos, y está relacionada con mutaciones en genes como DJ-1, PRKN, SNCA, entre otros; mientras que la forma esporádica comprende del 90 al 95% e implica la interacción entre la predisposición genética, el envejecimiento y la exposición a toxinas ambientales. En la actualidad no contamos con una cura para este desorden, y las terapias disponibles solamente retrasan y disminuyen los síntomas motores

Chondrocyte Turnover in Lung Cartilage

Cartilage is a highly differentiated connective tissue that forms mechanical support to soft tissues and is important for bone development from fetal period to puberty. It is conformed by chondrocytes and extracellular matrix. It is generally believed that adult cartilage has no capacity to renewal. A delicate balance between cell proliferation and cell death ensures the maintenance of normal tissue morphology and function. Stem cells play essential roles in this process. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) can give rise to multiple lineages including bone, adipose and cartilage. Nestin protein was initially identified as a marker for neural stem cells, but its expression has also been detected in many types of cells, including MSCs. In vivo, chondrocyte turnover has been almost exclusively studied in articular cartilage. In this chapter we will review the findings about the chondrocyte turnover in lung cartilage. We have presented evidence that there exist nestin-positive MSCs in healthy adulthood that participates in the turnover of lung cartilage and in lung airway epithelium renewal. These findings may improve our knowledge about the biology of the cartilage and of the stem cells, and could provide new cell candidates for cartilage tissue engineering and for therapy for devastating pulmonary diseases

Antioxidant Therapeutics in Parkinson’s Disease: Current Challenges and Opportunities

Oxidative stress is considered one of the pathological mechanisms that cause Parkinson’s disease (PD), which has led to the investigation of several antioxidants molecules as a potential therapeutic treatment against the disease. Although preclinical studies have demonstrated the efficacy of these compounds to maintain neuronal survival and activity in PD models, these results have not been reflected in clinical trials, antioxidants have not been able to act as disease modifiers in terms of clinical symptoms. Translational medicine currently faces the challenge of redesigning clinical trials to standardize criteria when testing molecules to reduce responses’ variability. Herein, we discuss current challenges and opportunities regarding several non-enzymatic antioxidants’ therapeutic molecules for PD patients’ potential treatment