A high fat diet potentiates neonatal iron overload-induced memory impairments in rats.

Purpose: The present study aimed at evaluating possible synergistic effects between two risk factors for cognitive decline and neurodegenerative disorders, i.e. iron overload and exposure to a hypercaloric/hyperlipidic diet, on cognition, insulin resistance, and hippocampal GLUT1, GLUT3, Insr mRNA expression, and AKT phosporylation.

Toxic effects of environmental-relevant exposure to polyethylene terephthalate (PET) micro and nanoparticles in zebrafish early development.

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is a commonly used thermoplastic in industry due to its excellent malleability and thermal stability, making it extensively employed in packaging manufacturing. Inadequate disposal of PET packaging in the environment and natural physical-chemical processes leads to the formation of smaller particles known as PET micro and nanoplastics (MNPs). The reduced dimensions enhance particle bioavailability and, subsequently, their reactivity.

Locomotor Behavior and Memory Dysfunction Induced by 3-Nitropropionic Acid in Adult Zebrafish: Modulation of Dopaminergic Signaling.

Huntington's disease (HD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease characterized by neuropsychiatric disturbance, cognitive impairment, and locomotor dysfunction. In the early stage (chorea) of HD, expression of dopamine D receptors (DR) is reduced, whereas dopamine (DA) levels are increased. Contrary, in the late stage (bradykinesia), DA levels and the expression of DR and dopamine D receptors (DR) are reduced.

P2Y receptor antagonism inhibits proliferation, migration and leads to autophagy of glioblastoma cells.

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most aggressive and lethal among the primary brain tumors, with a low survival rate and resistance to radio and chemotherapy. The P2Y is an adenosine diphosphate (ADP) purinergic chemoreceptor, found mainly in platelets. In cancer cells, its activation has been described to induce proliferation and metastasis.

Modulation of adenosine signaling reverses 3-nitropropionic acid-induced bradykinesia and memory impairment in adult zebrafish.

Huntington's disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative disorder, characterized by motor dysfunction, psychiatric disturbance, and cognitive decline. In the early stage of HD, occurs a decrease in dopamine D receptors and adenosine A receptors (AR), while in the late stage also occurs a decrease in dopamine D receptors and adenosine A receptors (AR). Adenosine exhibits neuromodulatory and neuroprotective effects in the brain and is involved in motor control and memory function.

Resistance Exercise Training Improves Metabolic and Inflammatory Control in Adipose and Muscle Tissues in Mice Fed a High-Fat Diet.

This study investigates whether ladder climbing (LC), as a model of resistance exercise, can reverse whole-body and skeletal muscle deleterious metabolic and inflammatory effects of high-fat (HF) diet-induced obesity in mice. To accomplish this, Swiss mice were fed for 17 weeks either standard chow (SC) or an HF diet and then randomly assigned to remain sedentary or to undergo 8 weeks of LC training with progressive increases in resistance weight. Prior to beginning the exercise intervention, HF-fed animals displayed a 47% increase in body weight (BW) and impaired ability to clear blood glucose during an insulin tolerance test (ITT) when compared to SC animals.

Inhibition of ATP hydrolysis as a key regulator of temozolomide resistance and migratory phenotype of glioblastoma cells.

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most lethal among malignant gliomas. The tumor invasiveness and therapy-resistance are important clinical hallmarks. Growing evidence emphasizes the purinergic signaling contributing to tumor growth.

Effects of lipoic acid supplementation on age- and iron-induced memory impairment, mitochondrial DNA damage and antioxidant responses.

Purpose: To investigate the effects of lipoic acid (LA) supplementation during adulthood combined with supplementation later in life or LA administration only at old age on age-induced cognitive dysfunction, mitochondrial DNA deletions, caspase 3 and antioxidant response enzymes expression in iron-treated rats.

Methods: Male rats were submitted to iron treatment (30 mg/kg body wt of Carbonyl iron) from 12 to 14th post-natal days. Iron-treated rats received LA supplementation (50 mg/kg, daily) in adulthood and old age or at old age only for 21 days.

Bone regeneration in a mouse model of type 1 diabetes: Influence of sex, vitamin D3, and insulin.

Aim: This study set forth a question: are there any differences in bone responses to insulin and/or vitamin D3 treatment in female and male type 1 diabetic (T1D) mice?

Main Methods: To address this issue, a non-critical sized femur defect was created in streptozotocin (STZ)-T1D mice. Control non-diabetic and T1D female and male mice received: saline; vitamin D3; insulin; or vitamin D3 plus insulin, for 21 days.

Key Findings: Female and male T1D mice showed impaired bone healing, as indicated by histological and micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) analysis.

Neural Regenerative Potential of Stem Cells Derived from the Tooth Apical Papilla.

The regenerative effects of stem cells derived from dental tissues have been previously investigated. This study assessed the potential of human tooth stem cells from apical papilla (SCAP) on nerve regeneration. The SCAP collected from nine individuals were characterized and polarized by exposure to interferon-γ (IFN-γ).

Pyriproxyfen Exposure Impairs Cognitive Parameters and Alters Cortisol Levels in Zebrafish.

Pyriproxyfen is one of the most used larvicides and insecticides; it acts as an analog of juvenile insect hormone (a growth regulator). It is highly toxic during all stages of mosquito development, suppresses metamorphosis, and interferes in insect reproduction and proliferation. Pyriproxyfen and its main metabolite have been shown to affect brain development in rodents.

Graphene oxide and GST-omega enzyme: An interaction that affects arsenic metabolism in the shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei.

Arsenic (As) is one of the most widespread contaminants; it is found in almost every environment. Its toxic effects on living organisms have been studied for decades, but the interaction of this metalloid with other contaminants is still relatively unknown, mainly whether this interaction occurs with emerging contaminants such as nanomaterials. To examine this relationship, the marine shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei was exposed for 48 h to As, graphene oxide (GO; two different concentrations) or a combination of both, and gills, hepatopancreas and muscle tissues were sampled.

Mitochondrial dysfunction is associated with long-term cognitive impairment in an animal sepsis model.

Several different mechanisms have been proposed to explain long-term cognitive impairment in sepsis survivors. The role of persisting mitochondrial dysfunction is not known. We thus sought to determine whether stimulation of mitochondrial dynamics improves mitochondrial function and long-term cognitive impairment in an experimental model of sepsis.

Co-exposure to nTiO impairs arsenic metabolism and affects antioxidant capacity in the marine shrimp .

Aquatic animals are vulnerable to arsenic (As) toxicity. However, rarely does a contaminant occur alone in the aquatic environment. For this reason, this study was conducted to evaluate whether titanium dioxide nanoparticles (nTiO) can interfere with the effects induced by As in .

Iron chelator deferiprone rescues memory deficits, hippocampal BDNF levels and antioxidant defenses in an experimental model of memory impairment.

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) plays a key role in neural development and physiology, as well as in pathological states. Post-mortem studies demonstrate that BDNF is reduced in the brains of patients affected by neurodegenerative diseases. Iron accumulation has also been associated to the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases.

Brain bioenergetics in rats with acute hyperphenylalaninemia.

Phenylketonuria (PKU) is a disorder of phenylalanine (Phe) metabolism caused by deficient phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH) activity. The deficiency results in increased levels of Phe and its metabolites in fluids and tissues of patients. PKU patients present neurological signs and symptoms including hypomyelination and intellectual deficit.

Antioxidants Reverse the Changes in the Cholinergic System Caused by L-Tyrosine Administration in Rats.

Tyrosinemia type II is an inborn error of metabolism caused by a deficiency in the activity of the enzyme tyrosine aminotransferase, leading to tyrosine accumulation in the body. Although the mechanisms involved are still poorly understood, several studies have showed that higher levels of tyrosine are related to oxidative stress and therefore may affect the cholinergic system. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of chronic administration of L-tyrosine on choline acetyltransferase activity (ChAT) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) in the brain of rats.

Novel insights into mitochondrial molecular targets of iron-induced neurodegeneration: Reversal by cannabidiol.

Evidence has demonstrated iron accumulation in specific brain regions of patients suffering from neurodegenerative disorders, and this metal has been recognized as a contributing factor for neurodegeneration. Using an experimental model of brain iron accumulation, we have shown that iron induces severe memory deficits that are accompanied by oxidative stress, increased apoptotic markers, and decreased synaptophysin in the hippocampus of rats. The present study aims to characterize iron loading effects as well as to determine the molecular targets of cannabidiol (CBD), the main non-psychomimetic compound of Cannabis sativa, on mitochondria.

Mechanisms underlying the antiproliferative effects of a series of quinoxaline-derived chalcones.

The present study aimed to characterize the effects of quinoxaline-derived chalcones, designed on the basis of the selective PI3Kγ inhibitor AS605240, in oral cancer cells. Three lead compounds, namely N9, N17 and N23, were selected from a series of 20 quinoxaline-derived chalcones, based on an initial screening using human and rat squamous cell carcinoma lineages, representing compounds with at least one methoxy radical at the A-ring. The selected chalcones, mainly N9 and N17, displayed marked antiproliferative effects, via apoptosis and autophagy induction, with an increase of sub-G1 population and Akt inhibition.

Draft Genome Sequence of Strain K.

The protist (Excavata, Parabasalia) is a parasite that causes bovine and feline trichomonosis. Bovine trichomonosis is a venereal disease that leads to abortion and reproductive problems in herds. Feline trichomonosis affects domestic cats.

Extracellular superoxide dismutase is necessary to maintain renal blood flow during sepsis development.

Background: Extracellular superoxide dismutase (ECSOD) protects nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability by decreasing superoxide levels and preventing peroxynitrite generation, which is important in maintaining renal blood flow and in preventing acute kidney injury. However, the profile of ECSOD expression after sepsis is not fully understood. Therefore, we intended to evaluate the content and gene expression of superoxide dismutase (SOD) isoforms in the renal artery and their relation to renal blood flow.

Effects of caffeine on behavioral and inflammatory changes elicited by copper in zebrafish larvae: Role of adenosine receptors.

This study investigated the effects of caffeine in the behavioral and inflammatory alterations caused by copper in zebrafish larvae, attempting to correlate these changes with the modulation of adenosine receptors. To perform a survival curve, 7dpf larvae were exposed to 10μM CuSO, combined to different concentrations of caffeine (100μM, 500μM and 1mM) for up to 24h. The treatment with copper showed lower survival rates only when combined with 500μM and 1mM of caffeine.

Iron Loading Selectively Increases Hippocampal Levels of Ubiquitinated Proteins and Impairs Hippocampus-Dependent Memory.

Alterations of brain iron levels have been observed in a number of neurodegenerative disorders. We have previously demonstrated that iron overload in the neonatal period results in severe and persistent memory deficits in the adulthood. Protein degradation mediated by the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) plays a central regulatory role in several cellular processes.

Effects of chlorogenic acid, caffeine and coffee on components of the purinergic system of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

We evaluated the effect of chlorogenic acid (CGA), caffeine (CA) and coffee (CF) on components of the purinergic system from the cerebral cortex and platelets of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Animals were divided into eight groups: control animals treated with (I) water (WT), (II) CGA (5 mg/kg), (III) CA (15 mg/kg) and (IV) CF (0.5 g/kg), and diabetic animals treated with (V) WT, (VI) CGA (5 mg/kg), (VII) CA (15 mg/kg) and (VIII) CF (0.