Publications by authors named "Pamela A Godoy"

Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by cognitive impairment that increasingly affects the elderly. AD's main features have been related to cellular and molecular events, including the aberrant aggregation of the amyloid beta peptide (Aβ), Ca dyshomeostasis, and increased mitochondria-associated membranes (MAMs). Transglutaminase type 2 (TG2) is a ubiquitous enzyme whose primary role is the Ca-dependent proteins transamidation, including the Aβ peptide.

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There are over 80 million people currently living who have had a stroke. The ischemic injury in the brain starts a cascade of events that lead to neuronal death, inducing neurodegeneration which could lead to Alzheimer's disease (AD). Cerebrovascular diseases have been suggested to contribute to AD neuropathological changes, including brain atrophy and accumulation of abnormal proteins such as amyloid beta (Aβ).

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Amyloid beta peptide (Aβ) is tightly associated with the physiopathology of Alzheimer's Disease (AD) as one of the most important factors in the evolution of the pathology. In this context, we previously reported that Aβ increases the expression of ionotropic purinergic receptor 2 (P2×2R). However, its role on the cellular and molecular Aβ toxicity is unknown, especially in human brain of AD patients.

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Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by cognitive impairment that increasingly afflicts the elderly population. Soluble oligomers (AβOs) has been implicated in AD pathogenesis: however, the molecular events underlying a role for Aβ are not well understood. We studied the effects of AβOs on mitochondrial function and on key proteins that regulate mitochondrial dynamics and biogenesis in hippocampal neurons and PC-12 cells.

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Several studies have pointed to soluble oligomers of beta amyloid peptide (SOAβ) as the principal neurotoxic agents responsible for the generation of synaptotoxic events that can explain the main symptoms of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Among the toxic features associated with SOAβ, one of the most notorious is the formation of a non-selective pore-like structure in the plasma membrane, which may partly explain the overload of intracellular Ca. There is evidence that the pore causes leakage of key intracellular compounds, such as adenosine triphosphate (ATP), to the extracellular milieu.

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Article Synopsis
  • Alzheimer's disease (AD) causes progressive cognitive decline and is linked to the harmful effects of soluble amyloid-β oligomers (SO-Aβ).
  • The study explored two alkaloids from C. scoparius, Lupanine (Lup) and 17-oxo-sparteine (17-ox), which showed neuroprotective properties against SO-Aβ toxicity in cellular models, enhancing neural activity and signaling pathways.
  • Both compounds activate nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChR), suggesting they could be promising candidates for new treatments aimed at mitigating the effects of AD.
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The most common cause of dementia is Alzheimer's disease. The etiology of the disease is unknown, although considerable evidence suggests a critical role for the soluble oligomers of amyloid beta peptide (Aβ). Because Aβ increases the expression of purinergic receptors (P2XRs) in vitro and in vivo, we studied the functional correlation between long-term exposure to Aβ and the ability of P2XRs to modulate network synaptic tone.

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