Avaliação da atividade antinociceptiva do ácido 3,4,5- trimetoxidihidrocinâmico extraído de piper tuberculatum jacq

TCC(graduação) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina. Centro de Ciências Biológicas. Biologia.Recentemente, demonstrou-se que o ácido 3,4,5-trimetoxidihidrocinâmico (TMDC), extraído de Piper tuberculatum, possui efeito antinociceptivo significante quando testado no modelo do ácido acético. Este estudo visa confirmar esta atividade, bem como estender os dados sobre este composto. Os animais (ratos Wistar e camundongos Swiss) foram tratados via i.p. com o TMDC, em diferentes doses, 30 min antes da realização dos testes. O modelo inicial escolhido foi a nocicepção induzida pela injeção i.pl. de formalina, que permite avaliar dois tipos distintos de nocicepção. O TMDC reduziu o comportamento nociceptivo relativo à primeira fase deste modelo (Inibição: 72 + 5%), porém não foi capaz de reduzir a segunda fase desta nocicepção. No modelo de nocicepção induzida pela injeção i.pl. de glutamato, o TMDC mostrou-se eficaz na dose de 10 mg/kg (Inibição: 42 + 10%). O efeito antihiperalgésico (térmico e mecânico) do TMDC foi testado frente a administração de BK, PGE2, Cg e PMA, e verificou-se que este reverteu as hiperalgesias induzidas pela BK e pelo PMA. A participação do sistema de cininas no efeito antinociceptivo do TMDC foi verificado através da injeção i.pl. de BK em ratos e da injeção i.t. de BK em camundongos, sendo que o composto foi capaz de inibir apenas o comportamento nociceptivo induzido pela injeção i.t. (Inibição: 67 ± 11%). Dentre os receptores TRP, apenas o TRPV1 parece estar envolvido no efeito antinociceptivo do TMDC, uma vez que o TMDC foi capaz de inibir a nocicepção induzida pela injeção i.pl. de capsaicina (Inibição: 63 ± 6%), mas não de cinamaldeído (agonista TRPA1) e mentol (agonista TRPM8). O efeito antinociceptivo do TMDC não está relacionado a nenhum efeito inespecífico, visto que não altera a atividade locomotora dos animais nos testes da barra giratória e campo aberto. Em conjunto, esses dados sugerem a interação direta ou indireta do TMDC com receptores importantes envolvidos na transmissão dolorosa, bem como apontam para a utilização do ácido 3,4,5- trimetoxidihidrocinâmico e da P. tuberculatum como medicamentos úteis para a intervenção e controle da dor

Participação dos receptores TRPV1 na atividade antinociceptiva do ácido 3,4,5-trimetoxidihidrocinâmico em camundongos

Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Neurociências, Florianópolis, 2011A procura por novas moléculas com atividade analgésica significativa, principalmente oriundas de plantas, continua sendo alvo da pesquisa acadêmica e da indústria farmacêutica para o desenvolvimento de novos fármacos mais eficazes no tratamento da dor. Assim, muitas pesquisas recentes têm focado essa ação em moléculas com capacidade de modular a atividade do receptor TRPV1, que desempenha papel importante na codificação e transmissão do estímulo doloroso. O TMDC, extraído dos frutos de P. tuberculatum, demonstrou efeito antinociceptivo significativo na nocicepção induzida pela formalina (fase neurogênica) e capsaicina, sugerindo uma modulação negativa dos receptores TRPV1. Portanto, o objetivo desse estudo foi investigar a participação dos receptores TRPV1 no efeito antinociceptivo do TMDC, bem como das vias de sinalização que levam à sensibilização desse receptor, através de modelos animais de dor. O TMDC inibe a nocicepção espontânea induzida pela injeção i.pl. de capsaicina após 30 min da sua administração, e esse efeito perdura até 2 h. Além disso, quando administrado em conjunto com a capsaicina, pela via i.pl., o TMDC também é capaz de inibir o comportamento nociceptivo observado nesse modelo. O tratamento dos animais com TMDC pela via i.t., 15 min antes, também inibe a nocicepção induzida pela capsaicina, da mesma forma que, quando administrado via i.p., inibe a nocicepção induzida pela administração i.t. de capsaicina. Contudo, quando administrado pela v.o., o TMDC tem seu efeito antinociceptivo diminuído no modelo da capsaicina. A administração i.p. do TMDC também inibe a nocicepção espontânea induzida pela injeção i.pl. de BK, porém não inibe o comportamento nociceptivo induzido pela injeção i.pl. de PGE2, PMA e FSK. Da mesma forma, o TMDC, administrado via i.p., inibe a nocicepção induzida pela administração i.t. de SP. O pré-tratamento dos animais com naloxona (antagonista de receptores opióides) reverte o efeito antinociceptivo do TMDC no modelo da capsacina i.pl. O TMDC é capaz de aumentar a latência dos animais submetidos ao teste da placa quente, sugerindo uma atividade analgésica intrínseca do composto. Além disso, o TMDC não altera a temperatura corporal dos animais tratados (via i.p.). Os dados apresentados nesse estudo nos sugerem que o TMDC possui efeito antinociceptivo significativo, em parte por ser capaz de modular a atividade dos receptores TRPV1 centrais e periféricos, podendo representar uma molécula com grande potencial para o desenvolvimento de fármacos mais eficazes no tratamento de patologias acompanhadas de dor.The research for new molecules with significant analgesic properties, particularly from plants, remains the main target of academic research and the pharmaceutical industry aiming to develop novel and improved drugs more effective for pain treatment. Recent studies have has focused on molecules with the ability to modulate the TRPV1 receptor activity, which plays an important role in the encoding and transmission of painful stimuli. TMDC, extracted from P. tuberculatum fruits, showed significant antinociceptive effect aganist formalin- (neurogenic phase) and capsaicin- induced nociception, suggesting a negative modulation of TRPV1 receptors activity. Thus, the goal of this study was to investigate the involvement of TRPV1 receptors in the antinociceptive effect of TMDC as well as the signaling pathways that lead to sensitization of this receptor, through animal models of pain. TMDC inhibits spontaneous nociception induced by i.pl. injection of capsaicin after 30 min of its administration, and this effect lasts up for 2 h. Furthermore, when administered in combination with capsaicin, via i.pl., TMDC is also able to inhibit this nociceptive behavior. Animals treated with TMDC (i.t.), 15 min before, also inhibits nociception induced by capsaicin i.pl., in the same way that, when administered i.p., TMDC inhibits nociception induced by i.t. administration of capsaicin. However, when administered by p.o., the TMDC antinociceptive effect in capsaicin i.pl. model is diminished. The i.p. administration of TMDC also inhibits spontaneous nociception induced by BK i.pl., but does not inhibit the nociceptive behavior induced by i.pl. injection of PGE2, PMA and FSK. Likewise, the TMDC, administered i.p., inhibits the nociception induced by i.t. SP administration. Pretreatment with naloxone (a non-selective opioid receptor antagonist) reversed the antinociceptive effect of TMDC on capsacin i.pl. model. TMDC increases the latency of mice in the hot plate test, suggesting an intrinsic analgesic activity of this compound. Moreover, TMDC was not able to increase the body temperature of treated animals (via i.p.). The data presented in this study suggest that TMDC has a significant antinociceptive effect, in part for being able to modulate the activity of central and peripheral TRPV1 receptors, and may represent an interesting molecule for the development of more efficient drugs for treating diseases accompanied by pain

Estudo da interação da guanosina com heterômeros de receptores A1+A2A e seu efeito neuroprotetor contra a toxicidade do peptídeo B-amiloide1-40

Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Neurociências, Florianópolis, 2016.A guanosina, nucleosídeo derivado da purina guanina, exerce efeitos neuroprotetores e neurotróficos no Sistema Nervoso Central (SNC). Recentemente, um sistema de neurotransmissão purinérgica dos derivados da guanina, ou sistema guanosinérgico, foi proposto. Deste sistema de neurotransmissão, já são conhecidos transportadores de nucleosídeos e enzimas responsáveis pelo metabolismo intra e extracelular, porém os receptores de membrana seletivos para a guanosina ainda não foram claramente caracterizados. Alguns efeitos neuroprotetores da guanosina parecem depender da ativação dos receptores de adenosina A1R e A2AR. Nesta tese, foi avaliada (i) a interação da guanosina com oligômeros de receptores de adenosina A1RA2AR; e (ii) o efeito da guanosina em um modelo animal da doença de Alzheimer. No capítulo I, através da superexpressão heteróloga dos receptores A1 e A2A em células HEK293, demonstramos que a guanosina não altera a colocalização destes receptores na membrana celular e sua heteromerização, quando avaliada por BRET e complementação de fluorescência. A guanosina não tem efeito per se, mas inibe o aumento de Ca2+ intracelular induzido por agonista de A1R (CCPA) em células que expressam A1R. Em células que expressam A1R+A2AR guanosina previne a aumento de Ca2+ induzido por agonista de A1R ou de A2AR. Guanosina induz aumento de AMPc em células A2AR, mas inibe o aumento de AMPc na presença dos agonistas A2AR, adenosina e CGS21680. Experimentos de nanoBRET sugerem que a guanosina desloca a ligação do agonista A2AR (APEC) em células que expressam A2AR e oligômeros A1R+A2AR. O efeito neuroprotetor da guanosina, não é observado em um modelo de isquemia in vitro realizado em fatias hipocampais de camundongos knock-out para o A2AR. Os resultados sugerem que guanosina pode interferir com a sinalização celular ativada por A1R e A2AR, e na presença de agonistas A2AR, guanosina bloqueia a ativação deste receptor. Além disso, o efeito neuroprotetor da guanosina depende da expressão de A2AR. No capítulo II desta tese, o efeito neuroprotetor da guanosina foi avaliado em um modelo de toxicidade do peptídeo beta-amiloide (Aß1-40), um modelo animal da doença de Alzheimer. Guanosina administrada logo após a infusão i.c.v do Aß1-40 e durante 14 dias consecutivos reverteu o déficit cognitivo e o comportamento tipo-anedônico induzidos pelo Aß1- 40. Guanosina preveniu o aumento na captação de glutamato independente de Na+ induzido pelo Aß1-40. A análise dos níveis de purinas mostra que Aß1-40 aumentou os níveis de ADP e ATP no hipocampo dos animais, e que o tratamento com guanosina aumentou os níveis de GDP. Aß1-40 reduziu a expressão de GFAP na região CA1 do hipocampo dos camundongos e guanosina não alterou esse efeito. Não foi observada alteração nos níveis de sinaptofisina no hipocampo dos animais. Os resultados obtidos sugerem que guanosina previne alterações cognitivas e no transporte de glutamato induzidas pelo Aß1-40 em camundongos. Esta tese contribuiu para identificar os sítios extracelulares de interação da guanosina e adicionou evidências sobre o efeito neuroprotetor da guanosina.Abstract : Guanosine, the guanine-based nucleoside, exerts neurotrophic and neuroprotective effects in the Central Nervous System (CNS). A guaninebased purinergic system - or guanosinergic system ? has been recently proposed. In this neurotransmitter system some components are known, as nucleosides transporters and enzymes responsible for intra and extracellular metabolism. However, a selective extracellular site for guanosine interaction or guanosine receptor has not yet been clearly characterized. Some of guanosine neuroprotective effects seem to be dependent upon the activation of adenosine A1 or A2A receptors. In this study, we investigated (i) the possible guanosine interaction with A1RA2AR oligomers, and (ii) guanosine neuroprotective effect in an animal model of Alzheimer´s disease. Using A1R and A2AR heterologous expression in HEK193 cells, we showed that guanosine did not alter the colocalization of these receptors at the cellular membrane. Guanosine also did not modify A1R-A2AR heteromeric formation, evaluated with BRET and bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) techniques. Guanosine alone had no effect on intracellular Ca2+ signaling, but it inhibited the increase in Ca2+ induced by an A1R agonist (CCPA) in A1Rcells. In A1R+A2AR-expressing cells, guanosine prevents Ca2+ signaling evoked by A1R or A2AR agonists. Guanosine increased cAMP levels in A2AR cells, but it inhibited cAMP increase induced by adenosine or CGS21680 (A2AR agonists). NanoBRET experiments suggested that guanosine displaced the binding of an A2AR agonist (APEC), both in A2AR and A2AR+A1R cells. Guanosine neuroprotective effect in an in vitro model of ischemia was not observed in hippocampal slices of A2ARknockout mice. Data presented here suggest that guanosine can interfere on A1R and A2AR activated signaling pathways. However, in the presence of an A2AR agonist, guanosine blocks A2AR activation. Furthermore, the neuroprotective effect of guanosine is dependent on A2AR expression. In chapter II, we assessed guanosine neuroprotective effects against amyloid-beta peptide (Aß1-40) intracerebroventricular infusion, an animal model of Alzheimer´s disease. Guanosine treatment soon after Aß1-40 i.c.v infusion and once a day during the 14 consecutive days, inhibited the cognitive deficit and the anhedonic-like behavior induced by Aß1-40. Guanosine prevented the impairment in Na+-independent glutamate transport induced by Aß1-40. Purines levels analysis showed that Aß1-40 increased ATP and ADP at mice hippocampus, and guanosine increased GDP levels. Aß1-40 infusion decreased GFAP at CA1 hippocampal region, an effect not modified by guanosine. No changes in synaptophysin levels were observed. Presented data show that guanosine prevents cognitive alterations and the unbalance in glutamate transmission evoked by Aß1-40 in mice. Therefore, this thesis has contributed to identify extracellular sites to guanosine action and add information on the neuroprotective effects of guanosine

Neuromodulatory effects of guanine-based purines in health and disease

The function of guanine-based purines (GBPs) is mostly attributed to the intracellular modulation of heteromeric and monomeric G proteins. However, extracellular effects of guanine derivatives have also been recognized. Thus, in the central nervous system (CNS), a guanine-based purinergic system that exerts neuromodulator effects, has been postulated. The thesis that GBPs are neuromodulators emerged from in vivo and in vitro studies, in which neurotrophic and neuroprotective effects of these kinds of molecules (i.e., guanosine) were demonstrated. GBPs induce several important biological effects in rodent models and have been shown to reduce seizures and pain, stabilize mood disorder behavior and protect against gliomas and diseases related with aging, such as ischemia or Parkinson and Alzheimer diseases. In vitro studies to evaluate the protective and trophic effects of guanosine, and of the nitrogenous base guanine, have been fundamental for understanding the mechanisms of action of GBPs, as well as the signaling pathways involved in their biological roles. Conversely, although selective binding sites for guanosine have been identified in the rat brain, GBP receptors have not been still described. In addition, GBP neuromodulation may depend on the capacity of GBPs to interact with well-known membrane proteins in glutamatergic and adenosinergic systems. Overall, in this review article, we present up-to-date GBP biology, focusing mainly on the mechanisms of action that may lead to the neuromodulator role of GBPs observed in neurological disorders

Adenosine A1-A2A receptor-receptor interaction: contribution to guanosine-mediated effects

Guanosine, a guanine-based purine nucleoside, has been described as a neuromodulator that exerts neuroprotective effects in animal and cellular ischemia models. However, guanosine's exact mechanism of action and molecular targets have not yet been identified. Here, we aimed to elucidate a role of adenosine receptors (ARs) in mediating guanosine effects. We investigated the neuroprotective effects of guanosine in hippocampal slices from A2AR-deficient mice (A2AR-/-) subjected to oxygen/glucose deprivation (OGD). Next, we assessed guanosine binding at ARs taking advantage of a fluorescent-selective A2AR antagonist (MRS7396) which could engage in a bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET) process with NanoLuc-tagged A2AR. Next, we evaluated functional AR activation by determining cAMP and calcium accumulation. Finally, we assessed the impact of A1R and A2AR co-expression in guanosine-mediated impedance responses in living cells. Guanosine prevented the reduction of cellular viability and increased reactive oxygen species generation induced by OGD in hippocampal slices from wild-type, but not from A2AR-/- mice. Notably, while guanosine was not able to modify MRS7396 binding to A2AR-expressing cells, a partial blockade was observed in cells co-expressing A1R and A2AR. The relevance of the A1R and A2AR interaction in guanosine effects was further substantiated by means of functional assays (i.e., cAMP and calcium determinations), since guanosine only blocked A2AR agonist-mediated effects in doubly expressing A1R and A2AR cells. Interestingly, while guanosine did not affect A1R/A2AR heteromer formation, it reduced A2AR agonist-mediated cell impedance responses. Our results indicate that guanosine-induced effects may require both A1R and A2AR co-expression, thus identifying a molecular substrate that may allow fine tuning of guanosine-mediated responses

Metabolomics Biomarkers: A Strategy Toward Therapeutics Improvement in ALS

Biomarkers research in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) holds the promise of improving ALS diagnosis, follow-up of patients, and clinical trials outcomes. Metabolomics have a big impact on biomarkers identification. In this mini-review, we provide the main findings of metabolomics studies in ALS and discuss the most relevant therapeutics attempts that targeted some prominent alterations found in ALS, like glutamate excitotoxicity, oxidative stress, alterations in energetic metabolism, and creatinine levels. Metabolomics studies have reported putative diagnosis or prognosis biomarkers, but discrepancies among these studies did not allow validation of metabolic biomarkers for clinical use in ALS. In this context, we wonder whether metabolomics knowledge could improve ALS therapeutics. As metabolomics identify specific metabolic pathways modified by disease progression and/or treatment, we support that adjuvant or combined treatment should be used to rescue these pathways, creating a new perspective for ALS treatment. Some ongoing clinical trials are already trying to target these pathways. As clinical trials in ALS have been disappointing and considering the heterogeneity of the disease presentation, we support the application of a pharmacometabolomic approach to evaluate the individual response to drug treatments and their side effects, enabling the development of personalized treatments for ALS. We suggest that the best strategy to apply metabolomics for ALS therapeutics progress is to establish a metabolic signature for ALS patients in order to improve the knowledge of patient metabotypes, to choose the most adequate pharmacological treatment, and to follow the drug response and side effects, based on metabolomics biomarkers

Aβ1-42 and Tau as Potential Biomarkers for Diagnosis and Prognosis of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is the most common motor neuron disease, but its definitive diagnosis delays around 12 months. Although the research is highly active in the biomarker field, the absence of specific biomarkers for diagnosis contributes to this long delay. Another strategy of biomarker identification based on less specific but sensitive molecules may be of interest in clinical practice. For example, markers related to other neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD) could be fully explored. Here, we compared baseline levels of amyloidβ1-42 (Aβ1-42), total Tau, and phosphorylated-Tau (phospho-Tau) protein in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of ALS patients to controls and correlated it with clinical parameters of ALS progression collected over 12 months. We observed increased levels of Aβ1-42 (controls: 992.9 ± 358.3 ng/L; ALS: 1277.0 ± 296.6 ng/L; p < 0.0001) and increased Aβ1-42/phospho-Tau ratio and Innotest Amyloid Tau Index (IATI) (both p < 0.0001). IATI and the phospho-Tau/total Tau ratio correlated positively with ALSFRS-R and weight at baseline. Multivariate analysis revealed that baseline ALSFRS-R was associated with Aβ1-42 and phospho-Tau/total Tau ratio (p = 0.0109 and p = 0.0013, respectively). Total Tau and phospho-Tau levels correlated negatively with ALSFRS-R variation at months 6 and 9, respectively (p = 0.02 and p = 0.04, respectively). Phospho-Tau/total Tau ratio correlated positively with ALSFRS-R variation at month 9 (p = 0.04). CSF levels of Aβ1-42 could be used as a complementary tool to ALS diagnosis, and total Tau and phospho-Tau levels may help establishing the prognosis of ALS. Further studies merit exploring the pathophysiological mechanisms associated with these markers. Despite their lack of specificity, phospho-Tau/total Tau and Aβ1-42 should be combined to other biological and clinical markers in order to improve ALS management

Metabolomics as a Crucial Tool to Develop New Therapeutic Strategies for Neurodegenerative Diseases

Neurodegenerative diseases (NDs), such as Alzheimer’s (AD), Parkinson’s (PD), and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), share common pathological mechanisms, including metabolism alterations. However, their specific neuronal cell types affected and molecular biomarkers suggest that there are both common and specific alterations regarding metabolite levels. In this review, we were interested in identifying metabolite alterations that have been reported in preclinical models of NDs and that have also been documented as altered in NDs patients. Such alterations could represent interesting targets for the development of targeted therapy. Importantly, the translation of such findings from preclinical to clinical studies is primordial for the study of possible therapeutic agents. We found that N-acetyl-aspartate (NAA), myo-inositol, and glutamate are commonly altered in the three NDs investigated here. We also found other metabolites commonly altered in both AD and PD. In this review, we discuss the studies reporting such alterations and the possible pathological mechanism underlying them. Finally, we discuss clinical trials that have attempted to develop treatments targeting such alterations. We conclude that the treatment combination of both common and differential alterations would increase the chances of patients having access to efficient treatments for each ND

Metabolomics Biomarkers: A Strategy Toward Therapeutics Improvement in ALS

This is the accepted version of the following article: "Metabolomics Biomarkers: A Strategy Toward Therapeutics Improvement in ALS", which has been published in final form at https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fneur.2018.01126/fullInternational audienceBiomarkers research in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) holds the promise of improving ALS diagnosis, follow-up of patients, and clinical trials outcomes. Metabolomics have a big impact on biomarkers identification. In this mini-review, we provide the main findings of metabolomics studies in ALS and discuss the most relevant therapeutics attempts that targeted some prominent alterations found in ALS, like glutamate excitotoxicity, oxidative stress, alterations in energetic metabolism, and creatinine levels. Metabolomics studies have reported putative diagnosis or prognosis biomarkers, but discrepancies among these studies did not allow validation of metabolic biomarkers for clinical use in ALS. In this context, we wonder whether metabolomics knowledge could improve ALS therapeutics. As metabolomics identify specific metabolic pathways modified by disease progression and/or treatment, we support that adjuvant or combined treatment should be used to rescue these pathways, creating a new perspective for ALS treatment. Some ongoing clinical trials are already trying to target these pathways. As clinical trials in ALS have been disappointing and considering the heterogeneity of the disease presentation, we support the application of a pharmacometabolomic approach to evaluate the individual response to drug treatments and their side effects, enabling the development of personalized treatments for ALS. We suggest that the best strategy to apply metabolomics for ALS therapeutics progress is to establish a metabolic signature for ALS patients in order to improve the knowledge of patient metabotypes, to choose the most adequate pharmacological treatment, and to follow the drug response and side effects, based on metabolomics biomarkers