Exclusão sucessória no direito brasileiro: uma análise acerca da necessidade e da possibilidade de inclusão do abandono afetivo e do abandono material como causas ensejadoras de indignidade e de deserdação de um familiar

O presente trabalho tem o escopo de estudar a possibilidade de atualmente no Brasil se excluir um sucessor que abandonou material ou afetivamente o de cujus. Assim, foi feita análise do Direito Sucessório Brasileiro e das formas pelas quais se é possível excluir um herdeiro da sucessão. Ademais, examinou-se a natureza taxativa dos róis que elencam as causas que possibilitam a indignidade e a deserdação, os quais, adiante-se, em grande descompasso com a realidade social, não preveem expressamente a possibilidade de se motivar a exclusão com base em abandono. Por fim, a partir do contexto apresentado, demonstrou-se a necessidade de alteração legislativa para a inclusão do abandono afetivo e do abandono material como hipóteses ensejadoras de indignidade e de deserdação. Destaque-se que, a fim de se alcançar os objetivos pretendidos, foi utilizada a metodologia bibliográfica-qualitativa, realizando-se estudo teórico a respeito do assunto e, a partir da exploração de artigos científicos, doutrina, jurisprudência, dentre outros registros relevantes, apontou-se a conclusão para a questão abordada

Role of cryptochrome-1 and cryptochrome-2 in aldosterone-producing adenomas and adrenocortical cells

Mice lacking the core-clock components, cryptochrome-1 (CRY1) and cryptochrome-2 (CRY2) display a phenotype of hyperaldosteronism, due to the upregulation of type VI 3β-hydroxyl-steroid dehydrogenase (Hsd3b6), the murine counterpart to the human type I 3β-hydroxyl-steroid dehydrogenase (HSD3B1) gene. In the present study, we evaluated the role of CRY1 and CRY2 genes, and their potential interplay with HSD3B isoforms in adrenal pathophysiology in man. Forty-six sporadic aldosterone-producing adenomas (APAs) and 20 paired adrenal samples were included, with the human adrenocortical cells HAC15 used as the in vitro model. In our cohort of sporadic APAs, CRY1 expression was 1.7-fold [0.75–2.26] higher (p = 0.016), while CRY2 showed a 20% lower expression [0.80, 0.52–1.08] (p = 0.04) in APAs when compared with the corresponding adjacent adrenal cortex. Type II 3β-hydroxyl-steroid dehydrogenase (HSD3B2) was 317-fold [200–573] more expressed than HSD3B1, and is the main HSD3B isoform in APAs. Both dehydrogenases were more expressed in APAs when compared with the adjacent cortex (5.7-fold and 3.5-fold, respectively, p < 0.001 and p = 0.001) and HSD3B1 was significantly more expressed in APAs composed mainly of zona glomerulosa-like cells. Treatment with angiotensin II (AngII) resulted in a significant upregulation of CRY1 (1.7 ± 0.25-fold, p < 0.001) at 6 h, and downregulation of CRY2 at 12 h (0.6 ± 0.1-fold, p < 0.001), through activation of the AngII type 1 receptor. Independent silencing of CRY1 and CRY2 genes in HAC15 cells resulted in a mild upregulation of HSD3B2 without affecting HSD3B1 expression. In conclusion, our results support the hypothesis that CRY1 and CRY2, being AngII-regulated genes, and showing a differential expression in APAs when compared with the adjacent adrenal cortex, might be involved in adrenal cell function, and in the regulation of aldosterone production

Search for Neuro-Endocrine Markers (Chromogranin A, Synaptophysin and VGF) in Breast Cancers. An integrated Approach Using Immunohistochemistry and Gene Expression Profiling

Discordant data are reported in the literature on the definition, incidence and clinical features of neuroendocrine (NE) carcinomas of the breast. This tumour entity is currently assessed by immunohistochemistry (IHC) detecting “general” NE markers such as chromogranin A (CHGA) and synaptophysin (SYP), but other markers have been considered as well. In the present study, in addition to CHGA and SYP, we investigated the expression of VGF, a neurotrophin-inducible gene, which is emerging as a new specific NE marker. In order to evaluate the differential expression of these neuro-endocrine markers in breast cancers, we conducted parallel immunohistochemical and gene expression analyses, using PCR, gene array and real-time quantitative PCR procedures. Data obtained in 28 cases were further validated with a meta-analysis of published datasets of 103 breast cancer cases. The value of IHC positivity (irrespective of the percentage of positive cells) was confirmed by over-expression of the related gene. However, the genetic approach emerged as more sensitive, showing over-expression of NE markers in a subset of IHC-negative carcinomas. In conclusion, the present study confirms, by a novel approach, the occurrence of NE differentiation in breast cancers. Over-expression of one or more NE marker (CHGA and/or SYP and/or VGF) characterizes a significant fraction (approximately 10 %) of infiltrative breast cancers. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s12022-013-9277-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users

The Dinuclear Copper Site Structure of Agaricus bisporus Tyrosinase in Solution Probed by X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy*

We have measured the x-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) spectra of the enzyme tyrosinase from the mushroom Agaricus bisporus in solution in the oxy and deoxy forms. The spectra, obtained under the same conditions as the analogous forms of mollusc hemocyanin (Hc), show that the oxidation state of copper changes from Cu(II) (oxy form) to Cu(I) (deoxy form), and the copper active site(s) of A. bisporus tyrosinase in solution undergoes the same main conformational changes as Hc. We have applied the multiple scattering theory to simulate the XANES spectra of various alternative geometries of the copper site, accounting for the residual differences between Hc and tyrosinase. While oxy-Hc is reasonably fitted only by the pseudo-square-pyramidal geometry reported by its crystallographic data, oxytyrosinase can be fitted, starting from the Hc coordinates, either by distortions toward a pseudo-tetrahedral geometry, with inequivalent copper sites, or by an apically distorted square-pyramidal geometry (with an elongation of the apical distance of no more than 0.2 A)

Tamoxifen treatment of breast cancer cells: Impact on Hedgehog/GLI1 signaling

The selective estrogen receptor (ER) modulator tamoxifen (TAM) has become the standard therapy for the treatment of ER+ breast cancer patients. Despite the obvious benefits of TAM, a proportion of patients acquire resistance to treatment, and this is a significant clinical problem. Consequently, the identification of possible mechanisms involved in TAM-resistance should help the development of new therapeutic targets. In this study, we present in vitro data using a panel of different breast cancer cell lines and demonstrate the modulatory effect of TAM on cellular proliferation and expression of Hedgehog signaling components, including the terminal effector of the pathway, the transcription factor GLI1. A variable pattern of expression following TAM administration was observed, reflecting the distinctive properties of the ER+ and ER− cell lines analyzed. Remarkably, the TAM-induced increase in the proliferation of the ER+ ZR-75-1 and BT474 cells parallels a sustained upregulation of GLI1 expression and its translocation to the nucleus. These findings, implicating a TAM-GLI1 signaling cross-talk, could ultimately be exploited not only as a means for novel prognostication markers but also in efforts to effectively target breast cancer subtypes