Publications by authors named "Joao Costa-Rodrigues"

Bisphosphonates are a class of drugs widely used for the treatment of several pathologies associated with increased bone resorption. Although displaying low oral bioavailability, these drugs have the ability to accumulate in bone matrix, where the biological effects are exerted. In the present work, four mono- and dianionic Etidronate-based Organic Salts and Ionic Liquids (Eti-OSILs) were developed by combination of this drug with the superbases 1,1,3,3-tetramethylguanidine (TMG) and 1,5-diazabicyclo(4.

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Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Solanum lycocarpum St. Hil. (Solanaceae) is widely distributed in the Brazilian Cerrado and is used in folk medicine for treatment of inflammatory disorders, such as asthma and hepatitis, as weel as antirheumatic.

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Herein the quantitative synthesis of eight new mono- and dianionic Organic Salts and Ionic Liquids (OSILs) from alendronic acid (ALN) is reported by following two distinct sustainable and straightforward methodologies, according to the type of cation. The prepared ALN-OSILs were characterized by spectroscopic techniques and their solubility in water and biological fluids was determined. An evaluation of the toxicity towards human healthy cells and also human breast, lung and bone (osteosarcoma) cell lines was performed.

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Novel ionic liquids and organic salts based on mono- or dianionic zoledronate and protonated superbases, choline and n-alkylmethylimidazolium cations, were prepared and characterized by spectroscopic and thermal analyses. Most of the prepared salts display amorphous structures and very high solubility in water and saline solutions, especially the dianionic salts. Among the zoledronate-based ionic compounds, those containing choline [Ch] and methoxyethylmethylimidazolium [C OMIM] cations appear to have significant cytotoxicity against human osteosarcoma cells (MG63) and low toxicity toward healthy skin fibroblast cells.

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Bisphosphonates (BPs) are stable analogues of the Inorganic Pyrophosphate (PPi), an endogenous regulator of bone mineralization, which can resist the hydrolysis in the gastrointestinal tract. Their conformation allows targeting the bone as a result of their three-dimensional structure, which makes them primary agents against osteoclast-mediated bone loss. They are used in many bone pathological conditions, like bone metastasis, because of its ability to modulate bone metabolism into a less favorable place to cancer cell growth, through the inhibition of osteoclastogenesis and bone resorption.

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Antiepileptic drugs (AED) have been associated to in vivo deleterious consequences in bone tissue. The present work aimed to characterize the cellular and molecular effects of five different AED on human osteoclastogenesis and osteblastogenesis. It was observed that the different drugs had the ability to differentially modulate both processes, in a way dependent on the identity and dose of the AED.

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The unique properties of ionic liquids make them quite appealing for diverse applications, from "green" solvents (1st generation ionic liquids) to finely tuned materials (2nd generation ionic liquids). A decade ago, a 3rd generation of ionic liquids emerged which is focused on their prospective clinical applications, either as drugs per se or as adjuvants in drug formulations. In recent years, research focused on the use of ionic liquids for topical drug delivery has been increasing and holds great promise towards clinical application against skin cancers.

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The treatment of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) involves surgery, chemotherapy, and/or radiotherapy, which can cause mucositis (inflammation of the oral mucosa that causes considerable pain and can compromise the continuity of oncological treatment). Photobiomodulation (PBM) has been successfully used in the treatment of mucositis, but doubts arise regarding the use of laser for areas in which tumor cells may remain. In this study, the effect of PBM on the viability, mitochondrial activity, proliferation, apoptosis, and migration of cells derived from oral SCC was evaluated.

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Lycopene is a lipid-soluble pigment that is mainly found in tomato. It is the carotenoid that presents the highest antioxidant potential, and due to that, it has been implicated in a decrease of the risk of several oxidative-stress-related disorders, such as cancer, inflammatory diseases and osteoporosis. Nevertheless, at the present, there is no detailed information about how lycopene affects bone metabolism.

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Cigarette smoke is associated to pathological weakening of bone tissue, being considered an important playmaker in conditions such as osteoporosis and periodontal bone loss. In addition, it is also associated with an increased risk of failure in bone regeneration strategies. The present work aimed to characterize the effects of nicotine on human osteoclastogenesis over a hydroxyapatite substrate.

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Among the many challenges that the pharmaceutical industry currently faces is the need to develop innovative and effective therapies. The investigation of alternative and effective therapies against cancer is a current goal of the pharmaceutical industry. Ionic liquids (ILs) have emerged recently as a topic of study by researchers in the pharmaceutical industry in their search for new therapeutic agents.

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The treatment for oral cancer usually involves surgical excision followed by chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy. The combination of these therapies generally promotes a serious inflammation of the mucosa of the digestive tract, denominated mucositis, which compromises continuity of treatment. Photobiomodulation (PBM) therapy has been used successfully to reduce the oral mucositis, however there is still some controversy regarding the effects of this therapy on unintentionally irradiated tumor cells that may remain after cancer treatment.

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Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) is widely used as a biomarker for prostate cancer. Recently, an electrochemical biosensor for PSA detection by means of molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) was developed. This work evaluated the performance and the effectiveness of that PSA biosensor in screening the biomarker PSA in biological media with complex composition, collected from different human prostate cell line cultures.

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Significant antiproliferative effects against various tumor cell lines were observed with novel ampicillin salts as ionic liquids. The combination of anionic ampicillin with appropriate ammonium, imidazolium, phosphonium, and pyridinium cations yielded active pharmaceutical ingredient ionic liquids (API-ILs) that show potent antiproliferative activities against five different human cancer cell lines: T47D (breast), PC3 (prostate), HepG2 (liver), MG63 (osteosarcoma), and RKO (colon). Some API-ILs showed IC50 values between 5 and 42 nM, activities that stand in dramatic contrast to the negligible cytotoxic activity level shown by the ampicillin sodium salt.

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Nanosized hydroxyapatite (HA) is a promising material in clinical applications targeting the bone tissue. NanoHA is able to modulate bone cellular events, which accounts for its potential utility, but also raises safety concerns regarding the maintenance of the bone homeostasis. This work analyses the effects of HA nanoparticles (HAnp) on osteoclastic differentiation and activity, an issue that has been barely addressed.

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Introduction: The incorporation of quaternary ammonium polyethylenimine (QPEI) nanoparticles into endodontic sealers induces alterations in their structure and surface properties, which may affect the compatibility with the periapical tissues. This work addressed the behavior of human bone cells exposed to extracts from commercial and QPEI containing AH Plus (DeTrey, Konstanz, Germany) and Pulp Canal Sealer EWT (PCS; Kerr Italia Srl, Salerno, Italy).

Methods: Freshly mixed AH Plus and PCS or containing 2% QPEI (0.

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The oceans remain a major source of natural compounds with potential in pharmacology. In particular, during the last few decades, marine cyanobacteria have been in focus as producers of interesting bioactive compounds, especially for the treatment of cancer. In this study, the anticancer potential of extracts from twenty eight marine cyanobacteria strains, belonging to the underexplored picoplanktonic genera, Cyanobium, Synechocystis and Synechococcus, and the filamentous genera, Nodosilinea, Leptolyngbya, Pseudanabaena and Romeria, were assessed in eight human tumor cell lines.

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Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), a class of molecules that are used to decrease gastric acid production, might have adverse effects on bone metabolism. The aim of this study was to characterize the concentration-dependent and time-dependent effects of three PPIs (omeprazole, esomeprazole, and lansoprazole) on human osteoclast precursor cells isolated from peripheral blood, and on human mesenchymal stem cells (osteoblast precursors). Cell cultures were characterized for total protein content, apoptosis, and several osteoclastic/osteoblastic features, and also for the involvement of some intracellular signaling pathways.

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Introduction: This study evaluates the concentration and time-dependent effects of endodontic sealers' extracts (AH Plus [Dentsply DeTrey, Konstanz, Germany], GuttaFlow [Roeko, Colténe/Whaledent, Germany], Tubliseal [Kerr/Sybron, Romulus, MI], Sealapex [Kerr/Sybron, Romulus, MI], and RealSeal [SybronEndo, Orange, CA]) in the differentiation and function of both unstimulated and stimulated osteoclast precursors, simulating, respectively, immature/undifferentiated precursors and cells undergoing osteoclastogenesis.

Methods: The sealers were mixed according to the manufacturers' instructions, freshly extracted with culture medium (1.3 cm(2)/mL, 24 hours, 37°C, 5% CO2/air), and diluted (1:20, 1:100, 1:500, and 1:2500).

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Objectives: Bone tissue is constantly being moulded and shaped by the coordinated action of bone-resorbing osteoclasts and bone-synthesizing osteoblasts. This study addresses the long-term effects of endodontic sealers' extracts (AH Plus™, GuttaFlow™, Tubliseal™, Sealapex™ and RealSeal™) on co-cultures of human osteoclastic and osteoblastic cells.

Methods: The sealers were mixed according to the manufacturer's instructions, freshly extracted with culture medium (1.

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Marine cyanobacteria have been considered a rich source of secondary metabolites with potential biotechnological applications, namely in the pharmacological field. Chemically diverse compounds were found to induce cytoxicity, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial activities. The potential of marine cyanobacteria as anticancer agents has however been the most explored and, besides cytotoxicity in tumor cell lines, several compounds have emerged as templates for the development of new anticancer drugs.

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Breast cancer frequently metastasizes to the bone, often leading to the formation of osteolytic lesions. This work compares the paracrine-induced osteoclastogenesis mediated by four human breast cancer cell lines, the estrogen-receptor positive T47D and MCF-7 and the estrogen-negative SK-BR-3 and Hs-578T cell lines. Human osteoclast precursor cells were cultured in the presence of conditioned media from the breast cancer cell lines (10% and 20%), collected at different culture periods (48 h, 7 days, and 14 days).

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It is recognized that the surface roughness affects osteoblastic differentiation, but little information is available regarding its effect on osteoclastogenesis. With this work, the osteoclastogenic behaviour of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), cultured isolated (1.5×10(6)cellscm(-2)) or co-cultured with human bone marrow cells (hBMCs; 10(3)cellscm(-2)), was assessed on surface-abraded hydroxyapatite disks with three different surface roughnesses (R(a) 0.

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Osteosarcoma is usually associated with a disturbed bone metabolism. The aim of this work was to characterize the reciprocal interactions between MG63 osteosarcoma cells and osteoclasts, in a co-culture system. Co-cultures were characterized throughout 21 days for the osteoclastogenic response and the expression of osteoblastic markers.

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Although M-CSF and RANKL are sufficient to promote in vitro osteoclastogenesis, in vivo this is a complex process which requires the action of many signalling molecules and cellular crosstalks. In this work, isolated or combined conditioned media, obtained from human adult skin fibroblast and bone marrow cells, were tested for their osteoclastogenic potential, through an indirect co-culture system, in the absence of recombinant M-CSF and RANKL. Osteoclastogenesis was assessed on human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and CD14+ cell cultures by quantification of total protein content, tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) activity, presence of multinucleated cells positive for TRAP, RT-PCR of TRAP, CATK, CA2, c-myc and c-src and presence of multinucleated cells displaying actin rings, vitronectin and calcitonin receptors.

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