17b-Estradiol, a potential ally to alleviate SARS-CoV- 2 infection

Considering that female sexual hormones may modulate the inflammatory response and also exhibit direct effects on the cells of the immune system, herein, we intend to discuss the sex differences and the role of estradiol in modulating the lung and systemic inflammatory response, focusing on its possible application as a treatment modality for SARS-CoV-2 patients. COVID-19 patients develop severe hypoxemia early in the course of the disease, which is silent most of the time. Small fibrinous thrombi in pulmonary arterioles and a tumefaction of endothelial were observed in the autopsies of fatal COVID-19 cases. Studies showed that the viral infection induces a vascular process in the lung, which included vasodilation and endothelial dysfunction. Further, the proportions of CD4 + T and CD8 + T lymphocytes were strongly reduced in patients with severe SARS-CoV-2 infection. Estradiol is connected with CD4 + T cell numbers and increases T-reg cell populations, affecting immune responses to infection. It is known that estradiol exerts a protective effect on endothelial function, activating the generation of nitric oxide (NO) via endothelial nitric oxide synthase. Estrogen attenuates the vasoconstrictor response to various stimuli and induces vasodilation in the pulmonary vasculature during stress situations like hypoxia. It exerts a variety of rapid actions, which are initiated after its coupling with membrane receptors, which in turn, may positively modulate vascular responses in pulmonary disease and help to maintain microvascular flow. Direct and indirect mechanisms underlying the effects of estradiol were investigated, and the results point to a possible protective effect of estradiol against COVID-19, indicating that it may be considered as an adjuvant therapeutic element for the treatment of patients affected by the novel coronavi

Effect of chronic sleep restriction and aging on calcium signaling and apoptosis in the hippocampus of young and aged animals

Aging leads to progressive deterioration of physiological function and diminished responses to environmental stress. Organic and functional alterations are frequently observed in elderly subjects. Although chronic sleep loss is observed during senescence, little is known about the impact of insufficient sleep on cellular function in aging neurons. Disruption of neuronal calcium (Ca2+) signaling is related to impaired neuronal function and cell death. It has been hypothesized that sleep deprivation may compromise neuronal stability and induce cell death in young neurons; however, it is necessary to evaluate the impact of aging on this process. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of chronic sleep restriction (CSR) on Ca2+ signaling and cell death in the hippocampus of young and aged animals. We found that glutamate and carbonyl cyanide-p-trifluoromethoxyphenylhydrazone (FCCP) induced a greater elevation in cytosolic Ca2+ ([Ca2+](c)) in hippocampal slices from aged rats subjected to CSR compared to age-matched controls. Interestingly, aged-matched controls showed a reduced Ca2+ response to glutamate and FCCP, relative to both CSR and control young animals. Apoptotic nuclei were observed in aged rats from both treatment groups; however, the profile of apoptotic nuclei in aged CSR rats was highly variable. Bax and Bc1-2 protein expression did not change with aging in the CSR groups. Our study indicates that aging promotes changes in Ca2+ signaling, which may also be affected by CSR. These age-dependent changes in Ca2+ signaling may increase cellular vulnerability during CSR and contribute to Ca2+ signaling dysregulation, which may ultimately induce cell death. (c) 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.Associacao Fundo de Incentivo a Pesquisa (AFIP)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)CEPIDConselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Universidade Federal de São Paulo UNIFESP, Dept Psicobiol, BR-04024002 São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Farmacol, BR-04044020 São Paulo, BrazilUN1FESP, Ctr Microscopia Eletron, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo UNIFESP, Dept Psicobiol, BR-04024002 São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Farmacol, BR-04044020 São Paulo, BrazilFAPESP: 08/50424-3CEPID: 98/14303-3Web of Scienc

Autophagy and intermittent fasting: the connection for cancer therapy?

Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide, and its incidence is continually increasing. Although anticancer therapy has improved significantly, it still has limited efficacy for tumor eradication and is highly toxic to healthy cells. Thus, novel therapeutic strategies to improve chemotherapy, radiotherapy and targeted therapy are an important goal in cancer research. Macroautophagy (herein referred to as autophagy) is a conserved lysosomal degradation pathway for the intracellular recycling of macromolecules and clearance of damaged organelles and misfolded proteins to ensure cellular homeostasis. Dysfunctional autophagy contributes to many diseases, including cancer. Autophagy can suppress or promote tumors depending on the developmental stage and tumor type, and modulating autophagy for cancer treatment is an interesting therapeutic approach currently under intense investigation. Nutritional restriction is a promising protocol to modulate autophagy and enhance the efficacy of anticancer therapies while protecting normal cells. Here, the description and role of autophagy in tumorigenesis will be summarized. Moreover, the possibility of using fasting as an adjuvant therapy for cancer treatment, as well as the molecular mechanisms underlying this approach, will be presented

Felodipine induces autophagy in mouse brains with pharmacokinetics amenable to repurposing.

Neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and Huntington's disease manifest with the neuronal accumulation of toxic proteins. Since autophagy upregulation enhances the clearance of such proteins and ameliorates their toxicities in animal models, we and others have sought to re-position/re-profile existing compounds used in humans to identify those that may induce autophagy in the brain. A key challenge with this approach is to assess if any hits identified can induce neuronal autophagy at concentrations that would be seen in humans taking the drug for its conventional indication. Here we report that felodipine, an L-type calcium channel blocker and anti-hypertensive drug, induces autophagy and clears diverse aggregate-prone, neurodegenerative disease-associated proteins. Felodipine can clear mutant α-synuclein in mouse brains at plasma concentrations similar to those that would be seen in humans taking the drug. This is associated with neuroprotection in mice, suggesting the promise of this compound for use in neurodegeneration

The Interplay between Ca2+ Signaling Pathways and Neurodegeneration

Calcium (Ca2+) homeostasis is essential for cell maintenance since this ion participates in many physiological processes. For example, the spatial and temporal organization of Ca2+ signaling in the central nervous system is fundamental for neurotransmission, where local changes in cytosolic Ca2+ concentration are needed to transmit information from neuron to neuron, between neurons and glia, and even regulating local blood flow according to the required activity. However, under pathological conditions, Ca2+ homeostasis is altered, with increased cytoplasmic Ca2+ concentrations leading to the activation of proteases, lipases, and nucleases. This review aimed to highlight the role of Ca2+ signaling in neurodegenerative disease-related apoptosis, where the regulation of intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis depends on coordinated interactions between the endoplasmic reticulum, mitochondria, and lysosomes, as well as specific transport mechanisms. In neurodegenerative diseases, alterations-increased oxidative stress, energy metabolism alterations, and protein aggregation have been identified. The aggregation of α-synuclein, β-amyloid peptide (Aβ), and huntingtin all adversely affect Ca2+ homeostasis. Due to the mounting evidence for the relevance of Ca2+ signaling in neuroprotection, we would focus on the expression and function of Ca2+ signaling-related proteins, in terms of the effects on autophagy regulation and the onset and progression of neurodegenerative diseases

Estudo da sinalização glutamatérgica, estresse oxidativo e morte celular em cérebros de ratos durante o envelhecimento

O envelhecimento é um processo multi-fatorial associado a déficits funcionais, sendo que o cérebro é um dos órgãos com maior susceptibilidade a doenças crônico-degenerativas. Dentre essas, as doenças de Alzheimer e de Parkinson apresentam maior prevalência na população global e levam à incapacitação severa do indivíduo. Assim, o entendimento dos mecanismos dessas doenças que estão relacionados com o envelhecimento é importante para a busca de alternativas de tratamento. Há evidências de que, em doenças neurodegenerativas, ocorrem alterações na homeostase do cálcio (Ca2+), o que pode contribuir para a morte celular por apoptose. No presente trabalho, buscamos investigar fenômenos envolvidos com a tríade Ca2+ -mitocondria- EROs (espécies reativas do oxigênio) (TOESCU, 2005) e a apoptose em corpo estriado de ratos no envelhecimento. Foram avaliadas a sinalização intracelular dinâmica (em tempo real) e estática (biologia molecular), a morfologia celular e ultraestrutural, a morfometria e bioenergética. Utilizando fatias cerebrais de ratos, observamos que os anmais senescentes apresentaram um aumento de Ca2+ citosólico maior que os animais jovens, após a estimulação glutamatérgica. Em seguida, utilizamos antagonistas parciais das duas classes de receptores, os metabotrópicos do grupo I e os ionotrópicos (NMDAR), para estudar os componentes desse aumento de Ca2+. Avaliamos também o aumento de Ca2+ citosólico mediado por agentes que mobilizam esse íon do retículo endoplasmático e da mitocôndria, mostrando que esses estoques de Ca2+ podem estar aumentados no envelhecimento. As medidas do ∆ψm basal mostraram que hei urna diminuição deste parâmetro no envelhecimento, sendo estas alterações condizentes com a inibição mais acentuada do complexo I da cadeia transportadora de elétrons e do aumento na produção de EROs. As alterações funcionais não implicaram em mudanças ultraestruturais da mitocôndria. Foram investigados a expressão gênica e o conteúdo proteíco de Bax e Bcl-2, mostrando um aumento da expressão de bax e uma redução de proteínas Bcl-2, o que pode ter uma relação com o aumento de apoptose encontrado no estriado dos animais senescentes. Desse modo, os resultados indicam que, no envelhecimento, existem alterações no controle intracelular de sinalização de Ca2+ e na bioenergética, que podem contribuir para o aumento de apoptose

Calcium Signaling Alterations, Oxidative Stress, and Autophagy in Aging

Significance: Aging is a multi-factorial process that may be associated with several functional and structural deficits which can evolve into degenerative diseases. in this review, we present data that may depict an expanded view of molecular aging theories, beginning with the idea that reactive oxygen species (ROS) are the major effectors in this process. in addition, we have correlated the importance of autophagy as a neuroprotective mechanism and discussed a link between age-related molecules, Ca2+ signaling, and oxidative stress. Recent Advances: There is evidence suggesting that alterations in Ca2+ homeostasis, including mitochondrial Ca2+ overload and alterations in electron transport chain (ETC) complexes, which increase cell vulnerability, are linked to oxidative stress in aging. As much as Ca2+ signaling is altered in aged cells, excess ROS can be produced due to an ineffective coupling of mitochondrial respiration. Damaged mitochondria might not be removed by the macroautophagic system, which is hampered in aging by lipofuscin accumulation, boosting ROS generation, damaging DNA, and, ultimately, leading to apoptosis. Critical Issues: This process can lead to altered protein expression (such as p53, Sirt1, and IGF-1) and progress to cell death. This cycle can lead to increased cell vulnerability in aging and contribute to an increased susceptibility to degenerative processes. Future Directions: A better understanding of Ca2+ signaling and molecular aging alterations is important for preventing apoptosis in age-related diseases. in addition, caloric restriction, resveratrol and autophagy modulation appear to be predominantly cytoprotective, and further studies of this process are promising in age-related disease therapeutics.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Pharmacol, BR-04044020 São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Pharmacol, BR-04044020 São Paulo, BrazilWeb of Scienc

Unraveling Muscle Impairment Associated With COVID-19 and the Role of 3D Culture in Its Investigation.

COVID-19, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has been considered a public health emergency, extensively investigated by researchers. Accordingly, the respiratory tract has been the main research focus, with some other studies outlining the effects on the neurological, cardiovascular, and renal systems. However, concerning SARS-CoV-2 outcomes on skeletal muscle, scientific evidence is still not sufficiently strong to trace, treat and prevent possible muscle impairment due to the COVID-19. Simultaneously, there has been a considerable amount of studies reporting skeletal muscle damage in the context of COVID-19. Among the detrimental musculoskeletal conditions associated with the viral infection, the most commonly described are sarcopenia, cachexia, myalgia, myositis, rhabdomyolysis, atrophy, peripheral neuropathy, and Guillain-Barré Syndrome. Of note, the risk of developing sarcopenia during or after COVID-19 is relatively high, which poses special importance to the condition amid the SARS-CoV-2 infection. The yet uncovered mechanisms by which musculoskeletal injury takes place in COVID-19 and the lack of published methods tailored to study the correlation between COVID-19 and skeletal muscle hinder the ability of healthcare professionals to provide SARS-CoV-2 infected patients with an adequate treatment plan. The present review aims to minimize this burden by both thoroughly exploring the interaction between COVID-19 and the musculoskeletal system and examining the cutting-edge 3D cell culture techniques capable of revolutionizing the study of muscle dynamics