Efeito do estradiol e da triiodotironina na proliferação de linhagens celulares de câncer de mama e na expressão de receptores de estrógeno e hormônio tireoidiano

OBJECTIVE: To better understand the estrogen (E2) agonist action of triiodothyronine (T3) the effects of these hormones on ER negative MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells were compared with those on S30, a clone of MDA-MB-231 stably transfected with ERα cDNA, in terms of proliferation and modulation of hormone receptors. RESULTS: Growth experiments showed that MDA-MB-231 was not modulated by any hormone or tamoxifen (TAM). Treatment with E2, 10-8M or 10-9M had little effect on S30 proliferation. T3 at 10-8M significantly inhibited proliferation. This effect was not reverted by TAM. Treatments with 10-8M concentration of E2 or T3 reduced ERα gene expression in S30, an effect partially blocked by association with TAM, with no effect on TR expression. These results suggest that, in S30, 10-8M T3 has a similar action to E2 relative to ERα gene modulation. CONCLUSIONS: Such results emphasize the need of determining T3 levels, before the introduction of antiestrogenic forms of treatment in breast cancer patients.OBJETIVO: Para compreender melhor a ação da triiodotironina (T3) agonista de estrógeno (E2), foram comparados os efeitos destes hormônios em células de câncer de mama MDA-MB-231 ER negativas com um clone de MDA-MB-231, transfectado estavelmente com o cDNA de ERα (S30), em termos de proliferação e modulação dos receptores hormonais. RESULTADOS: Experimentos de crescimento mostraram que MDA-MB-231 não foi modulada por qualquer hormônio ou pelo tamoxifeno (TAM). O crescimento de S30 foi essencialmente inalterado por tratamento com E2 10-9M ou 10-8M, mas T3 10-8M inibiu significativamente a proliferação quando comparada a ambas concentrações de E2. Esse efeito não foi revertido pelo TAM, sugerindo um resultado não genômico, independente de ERE. Tratamentos com 10-8M de E2 ou de T3 reduziram a expressão do gene ERα em S30, efeito parcialmente impedido pela associação com TAM, sem efeito na expressão de TR. Os resultados sugerem que, em S30, T3 10-8M tem ação semelhante ao E2 com relação à modulação do gene ERα. CONCLUSÕES: Esses resultados enfatizam a necessidade de dosagem de T3 circulante antes da introdução do tratamento antiestrogênico no câncer de mama.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP

Follicular Histomorphometry and Evaluation of Ovarian Apoptosis in Queens of Different Age Groups

Background: In humans and bitchs the age is another factor that may affect the size of ovarian structures, verifying alterations in the quality of the pool and size of follicular structures, which can compromise the use of these structures for in vitro maturation. There are no reports correlating the morphometric characteristics of the follicles and ovarian apoptosis at different ages in cats. The aim of this study was to evaluate the histomorphometric parameters of follicular growth and the relationship with the occurrence of apoptosis in ovarian tissue of young, adult and senile queens.Materials, Methods & Results: Eighteen domestic queens, multiparous, of different breeds and age groups were used in this study and divided into three groups according to their ages: five months to one year - young; (7.8 ± 1.0 months); one to six years - adults (2.8 ± 0.5 years); and more than six years - senile (8.0 ± 0.9 years). Vaginal cytology was performed in order to characterize the estrous phase associated with plasma concentrations of progesterone. The morphology and percentage of the vaginal epithelium cells were evaluated and queens were classified into estrous and non-estrus and plasma concentrations of progesterone were determined. Ovarian samples were collected after ovariohysterectomy to routine histological processin and all follicles were counted and categorized into two groups, non-atresic and atresic. The mean follicular and oocyte diameters were calculated between the measurement of the largest diameter and perpendicular diameter. The relationship between follicle and oocyte were determined using the measurements of diameter, area and perimeter. The apoptotic cells were detected and cells were considered positive when TUNEL reaction was detected. The morphometric index of 1039 follicles were evaluated. Primordial follicles in young animals showed larger diameter, follicular area and perimeter than the structures of adult queens, as well as the unilaminar primary follicles of the same group were larger compared with senile animals (P 0.05). For the pre-ovulatory follicles there was no positive correlation between the oocyte growths regarding the follicles (P > 0.05). Only in senile animals positive markers for apoptosis were identified in nuclei of primordial follicles. No significant differences concerning the number of follicles and Tunel positive cells were observed between groups (P > 0.05).Discussion: Considering the importance of this study for greater knowledge in the basic aspects for reproductive biotechnologies, we verified that secondary follicles showed the largest diameters and younger animals the largest values for diameter, area and perimeter, suggesting that this age group could be ideal for the use and manipulation of oocytes. The process of follicular atresia is characterized by the occurrence of apoptosis, or programmed cell death when the organism begins to efficiently eliminate dysfunctional cells. The study of follicular apoptosis in small animals, especially in cats, is very important for the development of reproduction biotechnologies. Phenomenon of apoptosis showed no relationship with age in queens, occurring in a physiological, continuous and proportionate manner considering the number of nondominant follicles involved in each estrous cycle

Avaliação dos efeitos de Baccharis dracunculifolia DC na prevenção e tratamento de colite induzida por ácido trinitrobenzenosulfônico em ratos

Doença inflamatória intestinal (DII) é um termo que engloba várias doenças crônicas do trato gastrintestinal, principalmente colite ulcerativa (CU) e Doença de Crohn (DC), cuja etiologia ainda não é completamente conhecida, mas que se caracterizam por um curso crônico onde se alternam períodos de remissão e de atividade de duração variáveis. Embora DII tenha sido alvo de muitas pesquisas nos últimos anos, as drogas utilizadas correntemente causam sérios efeitos colaterais quando usados em altas doses ou durante um período prolongado, o que limita seu uso. Considerando-se a etiologia multifatorial das DII, produtos que reúnam atividades antioxidante, antiinflamatória e imunomoduladora representam uma possibilidade potencial para a descoberta de novas drogas eficazes na prevenção e tratamento desta doença. Neste sentido, inúmeras alternativas de pesquisas surgem com base em produtos naturais. Este trabalho testou a atividade antiinflamatória do extrato acetato de etila de folhas de Baccharis dracunculifolia em diferentes doses (5 a 200 mg/Kg) em duas condições experimentais distintas: quando a mucosa colônica está intacta (efeito preventivo); quando a mucosa colônica está afetada por um processo inflamatório intestinal (efeito curativo) assim como preventivo da recidiva do processo inflamatório, similar ao que ocorre com a colite ulcerativa em humanos. Diferentes marcadores bioquímicos de inflamação colônica foram avaliados, incluindo glutationa e atividade das enzimas mieloperoxidase e fosfatase alcalina. Experimentos in vitro adicionais foram realizados para testar a atividade antioxidante de diferentes concentrações do EBD. A administração oral do extrato acetato de etila de folhas de Baccharis dracunculifolia na dose de 5 mg/Kg protege o cólon de ratos do processo inflamatório através de um mecanismo que envolve a diminuição...Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a term employed to several chronic disease of the digestive tract, usually ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn’s disease (CD), their etiology has not been clearly elucidated, but which are characterized by variable chronic and spontaneously relapsing inflammation. Although IBD has been the target of many studies in the last years, the drugs commonly used cause serious side effects when employed in high doses or while a long time, limiting their use. Whereas the multifactor etiology of IBD, products with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and imunnomodulatory activities play potential possibility to discovery of news drugs effective in the prevention and treatment of these disorders. In this way, many alternatives appear based in natural products. This study tested the anti-inflammatory activity of ethyl acetate extract of Baccharis dracunculifolia leaves (BDE) at different doses (5 to 200 mg/Kg) in two experimental settings: when the colonic mucosa is intact (preventive effect) or when the mucosa is in process of recovery after an initial insult (curative effect) such as relapse common in human IBD. Different biochemical markers of colonic inflammation were also evaluated, including glutathione, myeloperoxidase and alkaline phosphatase activities. Additional in vitro experiments were performed in order to test the antioxidant activity of different concentrations of BDE. BDE administrated orally at lowest dose, 5 mg/Kg, protects the rat colon of the inflammatory process through a mechanism which involve an improvement on intestinal oxidative stress associated to inflammation, such as reduction of the myeloperoxidase activity and maintenance of endogenous antioxidant levels, such as the glutathione, and that intestinal anti-inflammatory activity can be due to phenolic compounds presence in extract. The specie studied showed the new possibility for the prevention and treatment to this disorder.Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES

Follicular Histomorphometry and Evaluation of Ovarian Apoptosis in Queens of Different Age Groups

Background: In humans and bitchs the age is another factor that may affect the size of ovarian structures, verifying alterations in the quality of the pool and size of follicular structures, which can compromise the use of these structures for in vitro maturation. There are no reports correlating the morphometric characteristics of the follicles and ovarian apoptosis at different ages in cats. The aim of this study was to evaluate the histomorphometric parameters of follicular growth and the relationship with the occurrence of apoptosis in ovarian tissue of young, adult and senile queens.Materials, Methods & Results: Eighteen domestic queens, multiparous, of different breeds and age groups were used in this study and divided into three groups according to their ages: five months to one year - young; (7.8 ± 1.0 months); one to six years - adults (2.8 ± 0.5 years); and more than six years - senile (8.0 ± 0.9 years). Vaginal cytology was performed in order to characterize the estrous phase associated with plasma concentrations of progesterone. The morphology and percentage of the vaginal epithelium cells were evaluated and queens were classified into estrous and non-estrus and plasma concentrations of progesterone were determined. Ovarian samples were collected after ovariohysterectomy to routine histological processin and all follicles were counted and categorized into two groups, non-atresic and atresic. The mean follicular and oocyte diameters were calculated between the measurement of the largest diameter and perpendicular diameter. The relationship between follicle and oocyte were determined using the measurements of diameter, area and perimeter. The apoptotic cells were detected and cells were considered positive when TUNEL reaction was detected. The morphometric index of 1039 follicles were evaluated. Primordial follicles in young animals showed larger diameter, follicular area and perimeter than the structures of adult queens, as well as the unilaminar primary follicles of the same group were larger compared with senile animals (P 0.05). For the pre-ovulatory follicles there was no positive correlation between the oocyte growths regarding the follicles (P > 0.05). Only in senile animals positive markers for apoptosis were identified in nuclei of primordial follicles. No significant differences concerning the number of follicles and Tunel positive cells were observed between groups (P > 0.05).Discussion: Considering the importance of this study for greater knowledge in the basic aspects for reproductive biotechnologies, we verified that secondary follicles showed the largest diameters and younger animals the largest values for diameter, area and perimeter, suggesting that this age group could be ideal for the use and manipulation of oocytes. The process of follicular atresia is characterized by the occurrence of apoptosis, or programmed cell death when the organism begins to efficiently eliminate dysfunctional cells. The study of follicular apoptosis in small animals, especially in cats, is very important for the development of reproduction biotechnologies. Phenomenon of apoptosis showed no relationship with age in queens, occurring in a physiological, continuous and proportionate manner considering the number of nondominant follicles involved in each estrous cycle