GABAergic system and chloride cotransporters as potential therapeutic targets to mitigate cell death in ischemia.

Gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA) is a critical inhibitory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system that plays a vital role in modulating neuronal excitability. Dysregulation of GABAergic signaling, particularly involving the cotransporters NKCC1 and KCC2, has been implicated in various pathologies, including epilepsy, schizophrenia, autism spectrum disorder, Down syndrome, and ischemia. NKCC1 facilitates chloride influx, whereas KCC2 mediates chloride efflux via potassium gradient.

Highly conserved and extremely variable: The paradoxical pattern of toxin expression revealed by comparative venom-gland transcriptomics of Phalotris (Serpentes: Dipsadidae).

Although non-front fanged snakes account for almost two-thirds of snake diversity, most studies on venom composition and evolution focus exclusively on front-fanged species, which comprise most of the clinically relevant accidents. Comprehensive reports on venom composition of non-front fanged snakes are still scarce for several groups. In this study, we address such shortage of knowledge by providing new insights about the venom composition among species of Phalotris, a poorly studied Neotropical dipsadid genus.

The Healthy and Diseased Retina Seen through Neuron-Glia Interactions.

The retina is the sensory tissue responsible for the first stages of visual processing, with a conserved anatomy and functional architecture among vertebrates. To date, retinal eye diseases, such as diabetic retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration, retinitis pigmentosa, glaucoma, and others, affect nearly 170 million people worldwide, resulting in vision loss and blindness. To tackle retinal disorders, the developing retina has been explored as a versatile model to study intercellular signaling, as it presents a broad neurochemical repertoire that has been approached in the last decades in terms of signaling and diseases.

Impacts of isolated or mixed Roundup® Original DI and Boral® 500 SC herbicides on the survival and metamorphosis of Melanophryniscus admirabilis tadpoles.

The bufonid species Melanophryniscus admirabilis is restricted to a single location in the southern Atlantic Forest, Brazil. Although the site of occurrence of M. admirabilis is covered with native forest and it is not directly exposed to pesticides application, the area is surrounded by agricultural activity.

Anthropic Impact on the Critically Endangered Melanophryniscus admirabilis (Admirable Redbelly Toad): Evidence from the Presence of Multiresistant Enterobacteriaceae.

Melanophryniscus admirabilis is a microendemic and critically endangered toad, known from a single population. This microendemic species inhabits a small fragment of the Atlantic Forest in South Brazil, an area significantly impacted by hydroelectric power plant projects, livestock farming, agricultural activities, biopiracy, and tourism. Given the exclusive and limited population of M.

Unlocking Cowpea's Defense Responses: Conserved Transcriptional Signatures in the Battle against CABMV and CPSMV Viruses.

(CABMV) and (CPSMV) threaten cowpea commercial production. This study aimed to analyze Conserved Transcriptional Signatures (CTS) in cowpea's genotypes that are resistant to these viruses. CTS covered up- (UR) or down-regulated (DR) cowpea transcripts in response to CABMV and CPSMV mechanical inoculations.

NMDA Receptor Activation and Ca/PKC Signaling in Nicotine-Induced GABA Transport Shift in Embryonic Chick Retina.

Nicotinic receptors are present in the retina of different vertebrates, and in the chick retina, it is present during early development throughout to post-hatching. These receptors are activated by nicotine, an alkaloid with addictive and neurotransmitter release modulation properties, such as GABA signaling. Here we evaluated the mechanisms of nicotine signaling in the avian retina during the development of neuron-glia cells at a stage where synapses are peaking.

First Report of Culturable Skin Bacteria in Melanophryniscus admirabilis (Admirable Redbelly Toad).

Melanophryniscus admirabilis is a small toad, critically endangered with a microendemic distribution in the Atlantic Forest in southern Brazil. The amphibian skin microbiome is considered one of the first lines of defense against pathogenic infections, such as Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd). The knowledge of skin amphibian microbiomes is important to numerous fields, including species conservation, detection, and quantification of environmental changes and stressors.

Caffeine Improves GABA Transport in the Striatum of Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats (SHR).

The spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) is an excellent animal model that mimics the behavioral and neurochemical phenotype of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Here, we characterized the striatal GABA transport of SHR and investigated whether caffeine, a non-selective antagonist of adenosine receptors, could influence GABAergic circuitry. For this purpose, ex vivo striatal slices of SHR and Wistar (control strain) on the 35th postnatal day were dissected and incubated with [3H]-GABA to quantify the basal levels of uptake and release.

The Oral Bacterial Community in (Admirable Red-Belly Toads): Implications for Conservation.

(admirable red-belly toad) is a microendemic and critically endangered species found exclusively along 700 m of the Forqueta River, in a fragment of the Atlantic Forest of southern Brazil. One of the greatest concerns regarding the conservation of this species is the extensive use of pesticides in areas surrounding their natural habitat. In recent years, the adaptation and persistence of animal species in human-impacted environments have been associated with microbiota.

Advertisement call of two threatened red-bellied-toads, Melanophryniscus cambaraensis and M. macrogranulosus (Anura: Bufonidae), from the Atlantic Rainforest, southern Brazil.

In anuran amphibians, acoustic signals are fundamental mechanisms of mate recognition and mate choice, which makes frog calls a fundamental tool for anuran taxonomy. In this work, we describe the advertisement call of two species for the genus Melanophryniscus, M. cambaraensis and M.

Species limits in the Tawny-crowned Pygmy-tyrant Euscarthmus meloryphus complex (Aves: Passeriformes: Tyrannidae).

Euscarthmus pygmy-tyrants include two species of tiny passerines that inhabit semi-open landscapes in South America. One of these, Euscarthmus meloryphus is a taxonomic complex comprising three recognized subspecies for which previously proposed splits and lumps were not founded on proper taxonomic analysis. We assessed morphology (morphometrics and plumage), distribution models, and vocalizations of a substantial dataset with the aim of evaluating species limits within the E.

Caffeine has a dual influence on NMDA receptor-mediated glutamatergic transmission at the hippocampus.

Caffeine, a stimulant largely consumed around the world, is a non-selective adenosine receptor antagonist, and therefore caffeine actions at synapses usually, but not always, mirror those of adenosine. Importantly, different adenosine receptors with opposing regulatory actions co-exist at synapses. Through both inhibitory and excitatory high-affinity receptors (AR and AR, respectively), adenosine affects NMDA receptor (NMDAR) function at the hippocampus, but surprisingly, there is a lack of knowledge on the effects of caffeine upon this ionotropic glutamatergic receptor deeply involved in both positive (plasticity) and negative (excitotoxicity) synaptic actions.

Melanophryniscus admirabilis tadpoles' responses to sulfentrazone and glyphosate-based herbicides: an approach on metabolism and antioxidant defenses.

Melanophryniscus admirabilis is a frog endemic to the southern Atlantic Forest (Brazil), with restricted distribution and considered as critically endangered. The aim of this study was to evaluate possible alterations in biomarkers of metabolism (glycogen, proteins, and uric acid) and oxidative balance (superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione S-transferase, and lipoperoxidation) of tadpoles of Melanophryniscus admirabilis exposed to commercial herbicide formulations containing sulfentrazone (Boral® 500 SC: 130 and 980 μg a.i.

Single Cocaine Exposure Inhibits GABA Uptake via Dopamine D1-Like Receptors in Adolescent Mice Frontal Cortex.

Cocaine (COC) is a psychostimulant that acts by increasing catecholaminergic neurotransmission mainly due to its effects on the dopamine transporter (DAT). However, other neurotransmitter systems may also be regulated by COC, including the GABAergic system. Since the effect of COC in modulating gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) reuptake is not defined, we investigated the molecular mechanisms related to the increase in GABA uptake induced by acute COC exposure and its effects on locomotor activity in adolescent mice.

Anthropogenic substrate-borne vibrations impact anuran calling.

Anthropogenic disturbance is a major cause of the biodiversity crisis. Nevertheless, the role of anthropogenic substrate vibrations in disrupting animal behavior is poorly understood. Amphibians comprise the terrestrial vertebrates most sensitive to vibrations, and since communication is crucial to their survival and reproduction, they are a suitable model for investigating this timely subject.

Caffeine regulates GABA transport via AR blockade and cAMP signaling.

Caffeine is the most consumed psychostimulant drug in the world, acting as a non-selective antagonist of adenosine receptors AR and AR, which are widely expressed in retinal layers. We have previously shown that caffeine, when administered acutely, acts on AR to potentiate the NMDA receptor-induced GABA release. Now we asked if long-term caffeine exposure also modifies GABA uptake in the avian retina and which mechanisms are involved in this process.

Correction: Effects of traffic noise on the calling behavior of two Neotropical hylid frogs.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.

Are the unken reflex and the aposematic colouration of Red-Bellied Toads efficient against bird predation?

Aposematic signals as well as body behaviours may be important anti-predator defences. Species of the genus Melanophryniscus are characterised by having toxic lipophilic alkaloids in the skin and for presenting a red ventral colouration, which can be observed when they perform the behaviour called the unken reflex. Both the reflex behaviour and the colouration pattern are described as defence mechanisms.

Effects of traffic noise on the calling behavior of two Neotropical hylid frogs.

Anthropogenic disturbance has been pointed to as one of the major causes of the world´s biodiversity crisis. Among them, noise pollution is a potential underestimated threat, projected to increase in the next decades accompanying urban expansion. Rising levels of noise pollution may result in negative impacts on species highly dependent on acoustic communication.

Caffeine alters glutamate-aspartate transporter function and expression in rat retina.

l-Glutamate and l-aspartate are the main excitatory amino acids (EAAs) in the Central Nervous System (CNS) and their uptake regulation is critical for the maintenance of the excitatory balance. Excitatory amino acid transporters (EAATs) are widely distributed among central neurons and glial cells. GLAST and GLT1 are expressed in glial cells, whereas excitatory amino acid transporter 3/excitatory amino acid carrier 1 (EAAT3/EAAC1) is neuronal.

Climate change and the distribution of neotropical red-bellied toads (Melanophryniscus, Anura, Amphibia): how to prioritize species and populations?

We used species distribution modeling to investigate the potential effects of climate change on 24 species of Neotropical anurans of the genus Melanophryniscus. These toads are small, have limited mobility, and a high percentage are endangered or present restricted geographical distributions. We looked at the changes in the size of suitable climatic regions and in the numbers of known occurrence sites within the distribution limits of all species.

Community structure of helminth parasites of the "Cururu" toad, Rhinella icterica (Anura: Bufonidae) from southern Brazil.

Sixty specimens of the "cururu" toad, Rhinella icterica (Spix 1824) (Bufonidae), were collected in Campo Belo do Sul, State of Santa Catarina, Brazil, between May 2009 and January 2011, and were examined for the presence of helminth parasites. Nine species of adult helminths were found: Catadiscus cohni, Rudolphitrema rudolphii, Cylindrotaenia sp., Rhabdias fuelleborni, Strongyloides sp.