Restricted feeding improves postischemic recovery of Langendorff-perfused rat hearts

The goal of the present study was to assess the effects of a restricted feeding schedule (RFS) on postischemic contractile recovery in relation to triacylglycerol (TAG), glycogen, and ATP content. Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH) activity, reduced/oxidized glutathione ratio (GSH/GSSG), and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) levels were also determined. Isolated rat hearts entrained to daily RFS (2 h food access starting at 1200) or fed ad libitum (FED) for 3 weeks were Langendorff-perfused (25 min ischemia, 30 min reperfusion) with Krebs-Ringer bicarbonate solution (10?mmol/L glucose). RFS improved the recovery of contractility and reduced creatine kinase (CK) release upon reperfusion. Further, at the end of reperfusion, RFS hearts exhibited increased G6PDH activity and repletion of tissue glycogen, TAG, and ATP that was not observed in the FED hearts. GSH/GSSG at the end of reperfusion fell to the same value in both nutritional states, and TBARS levels were higher in the RFS hearts. In conclusion, RFS improved postischemic functional recovery, which was accompanied by a reduction in CK release and a striking energy recovery. Although enhanced G6PDH activity was displayed, RFS was unable to reduce lipid peroxidation, supporting a clear dissociation between protection against mechanical dysfunction and CK release on the one hand and oxidative damage on the other.     

Interaction between non-anionic phospholipids and cytochrome c induced by reactive oxygen species

The oxidative interaction of cytochrome c (Cyt c) with liposomes of Palmitoyl Linoleyl Phosphatidyl Choline (PLPC) initiated by radio-induced free radicals was investigated. Results showed that the peroxidation of PLPC is decreased in the presence of Cyt c, meaning that this latter is the preferential target of hydroxyl radicals. In addition, when Cyt c was incubated with peroxidized PLPC, it was found to be able to decompose hydroperoxides of PLPC into hydroxides. The peroxidase activity of Cyt c proceeded via the opening of the tertiary structure of Cyt c, as suggested by the loss of the sixth coordination bond of the heme-iron. Even if it is known to preferentially interact with cardiolipin, this work shows that Cyt c is also able to interact with hydroperoxide species of non-anionic phospholipids.     

Effect of Electroconvulsive Shock on Mitochondrial Respiratory Chain in Rat Brain

It is well described that impairment of energy production has been implicated in the pathogenesis of a number of diseases. Although several advances have occurred over the past 20 years concerning the use and administration of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) to minimize its side effects, little progress has been made in understanding its mechanism of action. In this work, our aim was to measure the activities of mitochondrial respiratory chain complexes II and IV and succinate dehydrogenase from rat brain after acute and chronic electroconvulsive shock (ECS). Our results showed that mitochondrial respiratory chain enzymes activities were increased after acute ECS in hippocampus, striatum and cortex of rats. Besides, we also demonstrated that complex II activity was increased after chronic ECS in cortex, while hippocampus and striatum were not affected. Succinate dehydrogenase, however, was inhibited after chronic ECS in striatum, activated in cortex and not affected in hippocampus. Finally, complex IV was not affected by chronic ECS in hippocampus, striatum and cortex. Our findings demonstrated that brain metabolism is altered by ECS.     

Decreased Creatine Kinase Activity Caused by Electroconvulsive Shock

Although several advances have occurred over the past 20 years concerning the use and administration of electroconvulsive therapy to minimize side effects of this treatment, little progress has been made in understanding its mechanism of action. Creatine kinase is a crucial enzyme for brain energy homeostasis, and a decrease of its activity has been associated with neuronal death. This work was performed in order to evaluate creatine kinase activity from rat brain after acute and chronic electroconvulsive shock. Results showed an inhibition of creatine kinase activity in hippocampus, striatum and cortex, after acute and chronic electroconvulsive shock. Our findings demonstrated that creatine kinase activity is altered by electroconvulsive shock.     

Synthesis, spectroscopy (IR, multinuclear NMR, ESI-MS), diffraction, density functional study and in vitro antiproliferative activity of pyrazole-beta-diketone dihalotin(IV) compounds on 5 melanoma cell lines

Novel 4-acylpyrazolon-5-ato-dihalotin(IV) complexes, [Q2SnX2], (X = F, Cl, Br or I); HQ = HQ(CHPh2) (1,2-dihydro-3-methyl-1-phenyl-4-(2,2-diphenylacetyl)pyrazol-5-one), HQ(Bn) (1,2-dihydro-3-methyl-1-phenyl-4-(2-phenylacetyl)pyrazol-5-one) or HQ(CF3,py) (4-(2,2,2-trifluoroacetyl)-1,2-dihydro-3-methyl-1-(pyridin-2-yl)pyrazol-5-one) have been synthesized and characterized by spectroscopic (IR, 1H, 13C, 19F and 119Sn NMR, electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry (ESI-MS)), analytical and structural methods (X-ray and density functional theory). 119Sn chemical shifts depend on the nature of the halides bonded to tin. Isomer conversion, detected in solution by NMR spectroscopy, is related to the acyl moiety bulkiness while the cis(Cl)-cis(acyl)-trans(pyrazolonato) scheme is found in the solid state. The in vitro antiproliferative tests of three derivatives on three human melanoma cell lines (JR8, SK-MEL-5, MEL501) and two melanoma cell clones (2/21 and 2/60) show dose-dependent decrease of cell proliferation in all cell lines. The activity correlates with the nature of the substituent on position 1 of pyrazole, decreasing in the order pyridyl>Ph>methyl. The activity for (Q(CF3,py))2SnCl2 on the SK-MEL-5 cell line is IC50 = 50 microM.     

Dielectric behavior of DNA in water–organic co-solvent mixtures

The radiowave dielectric dispersions of DNA in different water–organic co-solvent mixtures have been measured in the frequency range from 100 kHz to 100 MHz, where the polarization mechanism is generally attributed to the confinement of counterions within some specific lengths, either along tangential or perpendicular to the polyion chain. The dielectric dispersions have been analyzed on the basis of two partially different dielectric models, a continuum counterion fluctuation model proposed by Mandel and a discrete charged site model, proposed by Minakata. The influence of the quality of the solvent on the dielectric parameters has been investigated in water–methanol and water–glycerol mixtures at different composition, by varying the permittivity ?_m and the viscosity η of the solvent phase. The analysis of the dielectric spectra in solvents where electrostatic and hydrodynamic interactions vary with the solvent composition suggests that both the two models are able, in principle, to account for the observed high-frequency dielectric behavior. However, while some certain assumptions are necessary about the polyion structure within the Mandel model, no structural prerequisite is needed within the Minakata model, where the polarization mechanism invoked considers a radial counterion exchange with the outer medium, which is largely independent of the local polyion conformation.     

C-nucleoside analogues of furanfurin as ligands to A1 adenosine receptors

Furanfurin (2-beta-D-ribofuranosylfuran-4-carboxamide) derivatives and analogues were synthesized and their affinity for adenosine receptors was determined. The agonistic behavior of furanfurin against A1 receptors is preserved only when the furan ring is substituted with isosteric pentatomic ring systems such as oxazole, thiazole or thiophene, and the carboxamide group is unsubstituted. Replacement of the hydrogen atoms of the carboxamide group with alkyl, cycloalkyl or arylalkyl groups generates compounds endowed with moderate antagonistic activity.     

Solving dynamical inverse problems by means of Metabolic P systems

MP (Metabolic P) systems are a class of P systems introduced for modelling metabolic processes. We refer to the dynamical inverse problem as the problem of identifying (discrete) mathematical models exhibiting an observed dynamics. In this paper, we complete the definition of the algorithm LGSS (Log-gain Stoichiometric Stepwise regression) introduced in Manca and Marchetti (2011) for solving a general class of dynamical inverse problems. To this aim, we develop a reformulation of the classical stepwise regression in the context of MP systems. We conclude with a short review of two applications of LGSS for discovering the internal regulation logic of two phenomena relevant in systems biology.