Transcranial low-level laser therapy in an in vivo model of stroke: Relevance to the brain infarct,microglia activation and neuroinflammation

Stroke is the main cause of death and functional disability. The available therapy affects only 5% of patients, and new therapeutic approaches have been constantly tested. Transcranial photobiomodulation (PBM) is promising for its neuroprotective effect on brain injuries. Thus, the present study investigated the PBM effects in an in vivo model of ischemic stroke induced by photothrombosis (PT). Five different groups of Wistar rats were submitted or not to a daily dose of fish oil or/and laser sessions for 2 months. The ischemia volume was evaluated by stereology; GFAP, Iba and NeuN by immunohistochemistry; TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10 and TGF-β by ELISA assay. PBM influenced both the lesion volume and the GFAP. Furthermore, PBM and Ω-3 or both reduced Iba RNAm. PBM reduced TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, brain damage, neuroinflammation and microglial activation, and it increased astroglial activity in peri-lesioned region after stroke.     

Development of terphenyl-2-methyloxazol-5(4H)-one derivatives as selective reversible MAGL inhibitors

Monoacylglycerol lipase is a serine hydrolase that plays a major role in the degradation of the endocannabinoid neurotransmitter 2-arachidonoylglycerol. A wide number of MAGL inhibitors are reported in literature; however, many of them are characterised by an irreversible mechanism of action and this behavior determines an unwanted chronic MAGL inactivation, which acquires a functional antagonism of the endocannabinoid system. The possible use of reversible MAGL inhibitors has only recently been explored, due to the lack of known compounds possessing efficient reversible inhibitory activities. In this work, we report a new series of terphenyl-2-methyloxazol-5(4H)-one derivatives characterised by a reversible MAGL-inhibition mechanism. Among them, compound 20b showed to be a potent MAGL reversible inhibitor (IC₅₀?=?348?nM) with a good MAGL/FAAH selectivity. Furthermore, this compound showed antiproliferative activities against two different cancer cell lines that overexpress MAGL.     

Peptidase activities in the semen from the ductus deferens and uterus of the neotropical rattlesnake Crotalus durissus terrificus

To understand the role of peptidases in seminal physiology of Crotalus durissus terrificus, intra- and inter-seasonal activity levels of acid (APA), basic (APB), puromycin-sensitive (APN-PS) and puromycin-insensitive neutral (APN-PI), cystyl (CAP), dipeptidyl-IV (DPPIV), type-1 pyroglutamyl (PAP-I) and prolyl-imino (PIP) aminopeptidases as well as prolyl endopeptidase (POP) were evaluated in soluble (SF) and/or membrane-bound (MF) fractions of semen collected from the ductus deferens of the male reproductive tract and from the posterior portion of the uterus. Seminal APB, PIP and POP were detected in SF, while other peptidases were detected in SF and MF. Only the convoluted posterior uterus in winter and autumn had semen. Relative to other examined peptidases, in general, APN-PI, APN-PS and APB activities were predominant in the semen from the uterus and throughout the year in the semen from the ductus deferens, suggesting their great relevance in the seminal physiology of C. d. terrificus. The levels of peptidase activities in the ductus deferens semen varied seasonally and were different from those of semen in the uterus, suggesting that their modulatory actions on susceptible peptides are integrated to the male reproductive cycle events and spermatozoa viability of this snake.     

Emerging molecular networks in Burkitt's lymphoma

Burkitt's lymphoma (BL), one of the most aggressive tumors affecting humans, characterized by the constitutive activation of the Myc oncogene together with the alteration of many other genetic and epigenetic factors. Among them, the INK4a/ARF locus has been well documented to play a central role in BL. Recently, we have discovered that simultaneous deregulation of both DNA methylation patterns and the ubiquitin‐dependent proteolysis system is required to completely inactive the INK4/ARF locus, opening new possibilities for treating Burkitt's lymphoma. In this review, we integrate our discovery with the general view of BL and propose a new comprehensive approach to analyze and manage this aggressive disease. J. Cell. Biochem. 114: 35–38, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Foraging grounds of southern giant petrels (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Macronectes giganteus</Emphasis>) on the Patagonian shelf

During the 1999 and 2000 breeding seasons we used satellite telemetry to track the foraging movements of four southern giant petrels (Macronectes giganteus) nesting on an island off the Argentine coast (45°08', 66°03'). Three of the four individuals foraged east/southeast of the colony, over the middle continental shelf and the shelf break, between 43° and 51°S. The fourth individual remained in coastal areas to the south and lost the device after 15.5 days at sea. The maximum linear distance from the nest reached during a single foraging trip was 552 km. All birds were able to fly more than 400 km in 1 day, with a maximum of 513 km recorded. The maximum total distance covered in a single foraging trip was 2,540 km. Findings of this study emphasise the importance of the Patagonian continental shelf as foraging grounds for top predators in the South Atlantic Ocean.