Publications by authors named "Marcio F Dutra"

Diabetes is associated with loss of cognitive function and increased risk for Alzheimer's disease (AD). Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) are elevated in diabetes and AD and have been suggested to act as mediators of the cognitive decline observed in these pathologies. Methylglyoxal (MG) is an extremely reactive carbonyl compound that propagates glycation reactions and is, therefore, able to generate AGEs.

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Intraneuronal aggregates of neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs), together with beta-amyloid plaques and astrogliosis, are histological markers of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The underlying mechanism of sporadic AD remains poorly understood, but abnormal hyperphosphorylation of tau protein is suggested to have a role in NFTs genesis, which leads to neuronal dysfunction and death. Okadaic acid (OKA), a strong inhibitor of protein phosphatase 2A, has been used to induce dementia similar to AD in rats.

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Diabetes is a metabolic disease characterized by high fasting-glucose levels. Diabetic complications have been associated with hyperglycemia and high levels of reactive compounds, such as methylglyoxal (MG) and advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs) formation derived from glucose. Diabetic patients have a higher risk of developing neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease or Parkinson's disease.

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Glibenclamide is widely used in the management of non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus, but numerous risks limit its use in therapy. In the search for novel structures that are safer and more efficient than glibenclamide, we obtained new chemical analogs based on bioisosterism, through the treatment of benzenesulfonamide derivatives with isothiocyanates and isocyanates, affording (thio)ureas with good yield. We also verified the hypoglycemic activity, through an in vivo approach.

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Quinolinic acid (QUIN) is a neuroactive metabolite of the kinurenine pathway, and is considered to be involved in aging and some neurodegenerative disorders, including Huntington's disease. QUIN was injected intrastriatally into adolescent rats, and biochemical and histopathological analyses in the striatum, cortex, and hippocampus, as well as behavioral tests, were carried out in the rats over a period of 21 days after drug injection. Decreased [(3)H]glutamate uptake and increased (45)Ca(2+) uptake were detected shortly after injection in the striatum and cerebral cortex.

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The effect of betulinic acid on glycemia and its mechanism of action compared with 1,25(OH)2 vitamin D3 in rat muscle were investigated. Betulinic acid improved glycemia, induced insulin secretion and increased the glycogen content and glucose uptake in muscle tissue. Additionally, the integrity of both PI3K and the cytoskeleton is necessary for the stimulatory action of betulinic acid in glucose uptake.

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Aims: We investigated the effects of ketogenic diet (KD) on levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α, a classical pro-inflammatory cytokine), BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor, commonly associated with synaptic plasticity), and S100B, an astrocyte neurotrophic cytokine involved in metabolism regulation.

Main Methods: Young Wistar rats were fed during 8weeks with control diet or two KD, containing different proportions of omega 6 and omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. Contents of TNF-α, BDNF and S100B were measured by ELISA in two brain regions (hippocampus and striatum) as well as blood serum and cerebrospinal fluid.

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Physical exercise effects on brain health and cognitive performance have been described. Synaptic remodeling in hippocampus induced by physical exercise has been described in animal models, but the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. Changes in astrocytes, the glial cells involved in synaptic remodeling, need more characterization.

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Caloric restriction (CR) has been associated with health benefits and these effects have been attributed, in part, to modulation of oxidative status by CR; however, data are still controversial. Here, we investigate the effects of seventeen weeks of chronic CR on parameters of oxidative damage/ modification of proteins and on antioxidant enzyme activities in cardiac and kidney tissues. Our results demonstrate that CR induced an increase in protein carbonylation in the heart without changing the content of sulfhydryl groups or the activities of superoxide dismutase and catalase (CAT).

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In the present report 15 day-old rats were injected with 0.3μmol of diphenyl ditelluride (PhTe)(2)/kg body weight and parameters of neurodegeneration were analyzed in slices from cerebellum 3 and 6 days afterwards. The earlier responses, at day 3 after injection, included hyperphosphorylation of intermediate filament (IF) proteins from astrocyte (glial fibrillary acidic protein - GFAP - and vimentin) and neuron (low-, medium- and high molecular weight neurofilament subunits: NF-L, NF-M and NF-H); increased mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) (Erk and p38MAPK) and cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) activities.

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Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most prevalent form of dementia. Intracerebroventricular (ICV) infusion of streptozotocin (STZ) provides a relevant animal model of chronic brain dysfunction that is characterized by long-term and progressive deficits in learning, memory, and cognitive behavior, along with a permanent and ongoing cerebral energy deficit. Numerous studies on green tea epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) demonstrate its beneficial effects on cognition and memory.

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Methylmercury (MeHg) is an environmental pollutant that biomagnifies throughout the aquatic food chain, thus representing a toxicological concern for humans subsiding on fish for their dietary intake. Although the developing brain is considered the critical target organ of MeHg toxicity, recent evidence indicates that the cardiovascular system may be the most sensitive in adults. However, data on the mechanisms mediating MeHg-induced cardiovascular toxicity are scarce.

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In the present report 15day-old Wistar rats were injected with 0.3μmol of diphenyl ditelluride (PhTe)(2)/kg body weight and parameters of neurodegeneration were analyzed in slices from striatum 6days afterwards. We found hyperphosphorylation of intermediate filament (IF) proteins from astrocyte (glial fibrillary acidic protein-GFAP and vimentin) and from neuron (low-, medium- and high molecular weight neurofilament subunits: NF-L, NF-M and NF-H, respectively) and increased MAPK (Erk, JNK and p38MAPK) as well as PKA activities.

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Astrocytic changes have been demonstrated in several neurodegenerative diseases, showing that these cells play an important role in functional recovery/maintenance against brain damage. Physical exercise is known to contribute to this process; however, the cellular mechanisms involved are not fully understood. This study investigated the effects of physical exercise on motor deficits and the expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) in a model of Parkinson's disease (PD).

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Article Synopsis
  • The study explored the impact of locomotor stimulation training on spinal cord and sciatic nerve changes due to sensorimotor restriction in rats.
  • Male Wistar rats experienced sensorimotor restriction from day 2 to day 28, leading to reduced growth in motoneuron size and sciatic nerve cross-sectional area compared to controls.
  • After three weeks of treadmill training, the size of motoneuron cell bodies returned to normal levels, indicating the potential benefits of locomotor training on nerve development.
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The intracerebroventricular infusion of streptozotocin (icv-STZ) has been largely used in research to mimic the main characteristics of Alzheimer's disease (AD), including cognitive decline, impairment of cholinergic transmission, oxidative stress and astrogliosis. Moderate physical exercise has a number of beneficial effects on the central nervous system, as demonstrated both in animals and in human studies. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of 5-week treadmill training, in the icv-SZT model of sporadic AD, on cognitive function, oxidative stress (particularly mediated by NO) and on the astrocyte marker proteins, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and S100B.

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Cerebral palsy (CP) is a group of movement and posture disorders attributed to insults in the developing brain. In rats, CP-like motor deficits can be induced by early hind-limb sensorimotor restriction (SR; from postnatal days P2 to P28), associated or otherwise with perinatal anoxia (PA; on P0 and P1). In this study, we address the question of whether PA, early SR or a combination of both produces alterations to sensorimotor development.

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The aim of the present study was to investigate whether treadmill locomotor training could have beneficial effects on deficits consequent to perinatal anoxia, sensorimotor restriction or a combination of both. Fifty-six newborn male Wistar rats were divided into four groups: control, anoxic, sensorimotor-restricted and anoxic-sensorimotor-restricted. Rats were exposed to anoxia in the first two postnatal days (P0 and P1) and/or hind-limb sensorimotor restriction from P2 to P28 for 16 h/day.

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