Aliskiren attenuates cardiac dysfunction by modulation of the mTOR and apoptosis pathways

Aliskiren (ALS) is well known for its antihypertensive properties. However, the potential underlying the molecular mechanism and the anti-hypertrophic effect of ALS have not yet been fully elucidated. The aim of the present study was to investigate the role of ALS in mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and apoptosis signaling using in vivo and in vitro models of cardiac hypertrophy. A rat model of cardiac hypertrophy was induced by isoproterenol treatment (5 mg·kg-1·day-1) for 4 weeks, with or without ALS treatment at 20 mg·kg-1·day-1. The expression of hypertrophic, fibrotic, and apoptotic markers was determined by RT-qPCR. The protein expression of apoptotic markers mTOR and p-mTOR was assessed by western blot analysis. The proliferation of H9C2 cells was monitored using the MTS assay. Cell apoptosis was analyzed using flow cytometry. In vivo, isoproterenol-treated rats exhibited worse cardiac function, whereas ALS treatment reversed these dysfunctions, which were associated with changes in p-mTOR, Bcl-2, Bax, and cleaved caspase-3 expression, as well as the number of apoptotic cells. In vitro, H9C2 cardiomyocyte viability was significantly inhibited and cardiac hypertrophy was induced by Ang II administration, but ALS reversed Ang II-induced H9C2 cardiomyocyte hypertrophy and death. Furthermore, Ang II triggered the activation of the mTOR and apoptosis pathways in hypertrophic cardiomyocytes that were inhibited by ALS treatment. These results indicated that ALS alleviated cardiac hypertrophy through inhibition of the mTOR and apoptosis pathways in cardiomyocytes.

Rol de TGF-B1 en la fibrosis de la piel inducida por radioterapia en cáncer de cabeza y cuello: [revisión] / Role of TGF-B1 in the skin fibrosis induced by radiotherapy in head and neck cancer: [review]

Introduction: radiotherapy (RT) is a major part of the treatment of head and neck cancer, but it can produce skin fibrosis and other complications. Fibrosis is produced by an increase of the fibroblasts (FB) and extra-cellular matrix proteins. TGF-b is one of the several factors implied in FB proliferation, and it is the most important element in the development of radiation fibrosis. Temporality of radiation fibrosis: there are two successive stages in the fibrosis development. An actively inflammatory with high TGF-b1 secretion one, and a second stage characterized by hypo-cellularity and low TGF-b1 secretion. TGF-b: an induction of TGF-b1 and its mRNA in animals skin during the first hours post irradiation have been demonstrated. By studying surgical skin biopsies post RT and fibrotic tissues post exposure to radiation, it was observed overexpression of TGF-b1. Discussion: there is a lot of new knowledge of the molecular process implied in radiation skin fibrosis. A future goal is to potentiate this information to improve our tools in prevention and treatment of fibrosis in patients that undergone RT because of cance.

La vía de señalización Rho a/ Rho kinasa se encuentra activada en el miocardio en ratas con fibrosis cardíaca inducida por isoprotenerol / Rho A/ Rho kinase pathway is activated in the myocardium of rats with isoprotenerol - induced fibrosis

Antecedentes: En pacientes con insuficiencia cardíaca la actividad adrenérgica está aumentada, lo que induce en el largo plazo, a cardiotoxicidad y mayor deterioro de la función ventricular. La administración experimental de Isoprotenerol, un agonista beta-adrenérgico, produce hipertrofia ventricular, daño y fibrosis miocárdica. La vía de señalización intracelular RhoA/Rho-Kinasa (ROCK) participa en el remodelamiento cardiovascular, no estando clara la relación entre la activación de esta vía y el desarrollo de fibrosis miocárdica. Objetivo: Determinar si existe activación de la vía ROCK en ratas con fibrosis miocárdica inducida experimentalmente por Isoprotenerol, mediante cuantificación de la fosforilación de la proteína blanco 1 de la fosfatasa de la miosina (MYPT1). Métodos: Se utilizaron ratas Sprague-Dawley machos (100 +/- 10 gr.); 10 como grupo control con administración de suero fisiológico y 10 en el grupo experimental con inyección subcutánea de Isoprotenerol Hemisulfato, 5 mg/kilo de peso por día, por un período de 10 días. Se determinó la presión arterial sistólica (PAS), la masa relativa ventricular izquierda (MRVI), la activación de ROCK a través de niveles de MYPT1 por Western Blot y se cuantificó la fibrosis en Ventrículo Izquierdo por análisis morfométrico del colágeno (en tinciones con Rojo de Picrosirio). Resultados (promedio +/- ES, =p<0,05): Los resultados en Presión Arterial Sistólica fueron 119,6 +/- 8,1 mmHg en el grupo control y 113,8 +/- 5,2 mmHg en el grupo tratado con Isoprotenerol, la MRVI fue de 358,3 +/- 10,9 mg/g en las controles y 495,3 +/- 42,02 mg/g en ratas Iso. La fracción volumétrica de colágeno (FVC) en miocardio y subendocardio fueron 3 +/- 0,3 y 3,3 +/- 0,4 en ratas control; en ratas Iso fueron 5,2 +/- 0,7 y 7,4 +/- 1,3 respectivamente.

Background: Patients with heart failure have increased adrenergic activity, which in turn induces cardiotoxicity, and further damage to the myocardium. lsoprotenerol induces ventricular hypertrophy with myocardial fibrosis. RHO A/ RHO Kinase pathway (ROCK) participates in myocardial remodeling, but it is not known whether ROCK is involved in the fibrotic process.Aim: To ascertain whether ROCK is activated in rats with Isoprotenerol -induced myocardial fibrosis, measuring ROCK by phosphon/ation of the myosin phosphatase (MYPTI). Methods: We used male Sprague-Dawley rats (100 +/- 10 g); 10 rats were used as controls and received sq saline,- 10 rats in the experimental group received sq Isoprotenerol (ISO rats) 5 mg/k body weight/day, during 10 days. We measured systolic blood pressure (SBP), left ventricular mass (LVM) and ROCK, which was measured by phophorylation of the MYPTI protein using Western Blot. Myocardial fibrosis was measured by morphometry of collagen in Picrosirius red stained samples, and was expressed as collagen volume fraction (CVF). Results were expressed as average +/- SEM; =p<005Results: SBP was 119,6 +/- 8,1 mmHg in controls and 113,8 +/- 5,2 mmHg in ISO rats; LVM was 358,3 +/- 10,9 mg/g in controls and 495,3 +/- 42,02 mg/g in ISO rats. CVF in the myocardium and subendocardium were 3 +/- 0,3 and 3,3 +/- 0,4 in control rats; values in ISO rats were 2 +/- 0,7 y 7,4 +/- 1,3 respectively. Total CVF were 3,2 +/- 0,4 in controls and 6,3 +/- 1,6 in ISO rats. ROCK, expressed as phosphorylated MYPTI /total MYPTI in control rats was 2,5 +/- 0,8 and 4,7 +/- 2,2 in ISO rats. Conclusion: ROCK pathway is significantly activated in the myocardium of ISO rats. ROCK antagonists for preventing myocardial fibrosis should be evaluated in this experimental model.

Hypertonic glucose solution 10 percent - 25 percent on the mesenterium and peritoneum of the rat: macroscopic and microscopic study

OBJETIVO: Investigar as alterações macroscópicas e microscópicas do mesentério e do peritônio parietal quando se administra a solução aquosa de glicose hipertônica a 10% e a 25% na cavidade peritoneal de rato.MÉTODOS: 90 ratos fêmeas (n=90), adultos, "Wistar", jovens, com peso variando de 180 a 250 gramas foram divididos em 3 sub-grupos (A, B e C) contendo cada um 30 animais com procedimentos idênticos, diferindo apenas no período de observação. Os números de 1 a 30 constituem o grupo A ou grupo-controle (NaCl 0,9%), os números de 31 a 60 constituem o grupo B ou grupo-glicose a 10% e os números de 61 a 90 constituem o grupo C ou grupo- glicose a 25%. Realizando-se posteriormente laparotomia com incisão mediana longitudinal de pele a 2 cm abaixo do processo Xiphoideus sterni, estendendo-se por 3 cm caudalmente na linha média ventral. A escolha do procedimento a ser realizado para introdução na cavidade peritoneal de 2 ml de uma solução de cloreto de sódio 0,9% (controle), de glicose hipertônica a 10% e de glicose hipertônica a 25%. Em períodos correspondentes às 6h, 24h e 48h de pós-operatório, os animais de cada grupo foram reoperados, sendo realizada avaliação macroscópica e microscópica além dos registros das alterações histológicas do mesentério e peritônio parietal.RESULTADOS: Na microscopia do mesentério observou-se que 30 animais (33,4%) apresentaram linfonodos hiperplásicos; 6 animais (6,6%) com fibrose reacional; 10 animais (11,1%) com intensa congestão vascular; 16 animais (17,8%) com inflamação crônica inespecífica; 28 casos (31,1%) sem alteração. A microscopia do peritônio revelou 6 casos com fibrose reacional (3,3%) 174 casos (96,7%) sem alteração histológica. CONCLUSÃO: As soluções de glicose a 10% e a 25% não causam necrose tecidual quando introduzidas na cavidade peritoneal. O processo reacional inflamatório é de igual intensidade tecidual comparando-se ao uso da solução de NaCl a 0,9%.

Lysosomal enzyme activity during development of carbon tetrachloride induced cirrhosis in rats.

The present study was undertaken to determine whether there is any alteration in the activities of lysosomal enzymes in the liver and sera of rats during the course of carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) induced cirrhosis in rats. Cirrhosis was induced by the chronic administration of carbon tetrachloride plus phenobarbitone. N-acetyl glucosaminidase, P-glucuronidase and acid phosphatase were assayed spectrophotometrically in the liver homogenates and in the sera at different stages of liver injury i.e., necrosis, fibrosis, and cirrhosis. Significant increase in the "basal" activities of N acetyl glucosaminidase, beta-glucuronidase, and acid phosphatase were observed in the livers of rats during the course of development of cirrhosis. As the liver injury progressed from necrosis to cirrhosis, the 'free' activities of these three enzymes also increased. The 'total' activities of the enzymes studied were either decreased or remained unaltered. The increased 'free' activities of the lysosomal enzymes in the liver of CCl4 treated rats may contribute to cellular autophagy and tissue catabolism, which may subsequently lead to cirrhosis.

Quantitative Evaluation of Liver Function with MRI Using Gd-EOB-DTPA

OBJECTIVE: Gadolinium ethoxybenzyl diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (Gd-EOB-DTPA) is a newly developed MR contrast agent. After intravenous injection, Gd-EOB-DTPA is gradually taken up by the hepatocytes and eventually excreted via the biliary pathway without any change to its chemical structure. Because of these characteristics, it can be used as a tracer for quantitative liver function testing. The purpose of this study is to develop a noninvasive method of quantitation of the hepatic function using Gd-EOB-DTPA through the deconvolution analysis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Adult New Zealand white rabbits (n = 10, average body weight = 3.5 kg) were used in the present study. Hepatic injury was induced to by the intragastric administration of carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) three times a week for three weeks. Liver enzyme (aspartate aminotransferase, AST; alanine aminotransferase, ALT) levels and the plasma indocyanine green (ICG) retention rate 15 minutes after an intravenous injection of ICG (ICG R15), was checked before and after the three-week administration of CCl4. At the end of experimental period, an observer "blinded" to the treatment given the rabbits performed the histological examination. MRI studies were performed before and after the three-week administration of CCl4 on a 1.5 T scanner using a human extremity coil. After intravenous bolus injection of Gd-EOB-DTPA (0.3 mL of Gd-EOB-DTPA freshly prepared in 2.7 mL of normal saline) through the ear vein, the 250 axial single level dynamic MR images were obtained using a fast low angle shot (FLASH, TR/TE = 11/4.2 msec, flip angle = 15, acquisition time 1 second, slice thickness = 5 mm, matrix = 128x128, field of view = 120 mm) sequence with 1.5 sec time intervals. The time-intensity curves were obtained at the abdominal aorta and the liver parenchyma that was devoid of blood vessels. Deconvolution analysis of the aortic (input function) and hepatic parenchymal (output function) time-intensity curves was performed with a modified Fourier transform technique to calculate the hepatic extraction fraction (HEF). The presence and type of hepatic injury were determined by the histopathologic examination and statistical analysis of the changes of the hepatic enzyme levels, the ICG R15 and Gd-EOB-DTPA HEF values between the time before and after CCl4 administration with Wicoxon signed rank test. Correlation between the Gd-EOB-DTPA HEF and the change of the ICG R15 were analyzed with Pearson's correlation coefficient. RESULTS: Histopathologic examination showed findings that were compatible with hepatic fibrosis caused by chronic liver injury. The initial blood biochemical studies before the administration of carbon tetrachloride showed that the mean AST and ALT levels were 39.8+/-5.2 IU/L and 59.1+/-11.7 IU/L, respectively. The AST and ALT levels increased to 138.4+/-50.5 IU and 172.0+/-71.6 IU/L, respectively, after the three week administration of CCl4. The ALT and AST levels were significantly increased after the three weeks of CCl4 administration (p=0.018). The ICG R15 values were 4.47+/-2.08% and 19.43+/-3.98% before and after three-week administration of CCl4, respectively. The ICG R15 values were significantly increased after hepatic injury (p=0.018). After normalizing the HEF as 100% in each rabbit before CCl4 administration, the deconvoluted curve after CCl4 administration revealed less hepatocyte extraction efficiency with a mean value of 77.7+/-3.6. There was a significant correlation between the HEF and changes of the ICG R15 by the Pearson correlation coefficient assessment (correlation coefficient = -0.965, p=0.000). CONCLUSION: The Gd-EOB-DTPA HEF could be calculated from deconvolution analysis of aortic and hepatic parenchymal time-intensity curves obtained by dynamic MRI. The Gd-EOB-DTPA HEF was well correlated with changes of the ICG R15, which is the most common parameter used in the quantitative estimation of the hepatic function. The Gd-EOB-DTPA HEF is a direct, noninvasive technique for the quantitative evaluation of liver function. It could be a promising alternative for the determination of noninvasive hepatic function in those patients with liver disease.

Enhancement of aflatoxin B1-induced enzyme altered hepatic foci in rats by treatment with carbon tetrachloride

The effect of carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) on aflatoxin B1 (AFB1)-induced enzyme altered hepatic foci has been examined in young male Fischer rats given AIN-76A diet. A single i.p. dose of AFB1 (0.2 mg/kg body wt) was given to rats 24 h after partial hepatectomy. Two weeks later, CCl4 (0.8 ml/kg body wt) was injected i.p. once a week for 9 weeks. Animals were sacrificed 24 h after the last dose of CCl4 and glutathione S-transferase placental form (GST-P) and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) positive hepatic foci were analyzed by immunohistochemical and histochemical methods, respectively. Ten weeks after AFB1 dosing, treatment with CCl4 increased the number of AFB1-induced enzyme altered foci several fold and produced a ten to twenty-fold increase in area and volume. GST-P was more sensitive than GGT in detecting AFB1-induced enzyme altered foci. Treatment with AFB1 or CCl4 produced mild hepatic fibrosis in zones 1 and 3 respectively, whereas both treatments produced severe fibrosis in zones 1 to 3 areas. Treatment with CCl4 after AFB1 dosing lowered hepatic GSH levels by 20% and increased lipid peroxidation by 40%. It appears that CCl4, by being an effective enhancer of AFB1-induced enzyme altered hepatic foci in the rat, may mimic cirrhosis observed in human hepatocellular carcinoma.

Impact of antifibrotic treatment on the course of Schistosoma mansoni infection in murime model

Administration of an antifibrotic agent as an adjunct to antihelmintic treatment with the objective of morbidity reduction was investigated in the nurine schistosomiasis mansoni model. Antifibrotic, ß-aminopropionitrile treatment has a profound effect on the cellular composition of the liver granuloma of Schistosoma mansoni infected mice when given alone, resulting in increase macrophage infiltration. These macrophages, in response to stimulation with soluble egg antigen or lipopolysaccharide produced elevated levels of nitric oxide but low levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha compared to untreated infected mice. This also correlated with reduced liver granuloma size. In spite of low numbers of eggs in the liver, mice receiving a combine treatment had a high level of resistance to a challenge infection compared with mice receiving only praziquantel. Those mice also exhibited a reduced lymphocyte proliferative response, similar to that of infected untreated mice. Antifibrotic treatment has an impact on the dynamic of the cellular nature of granulomas and impacts on the host immunity to infection.

Estudio comparativo con dos tipos de mallas sintéticas en plásticas intraabdominales en la rata / Comparative study with 2 synthetic mesh types in intraabdominal surgery on the rat

A 20 ratas se les realizó una plástica de la pared abdominal mediante prótesis colocadas intraperitonealmente. En 10 se empleó una malla de polipropileno y en las restantes prótesis de poliglactina 370. Luego de 45 días todos los animales habían sido sacrificados. El examen histológico demostró escasa reacción inflamatoria en los preparados con mallas absorbibles, mientras que aquellos con materiales no absorbibles desarrollaron una gran respuesta inflamatoria con la formación de bridas y granulomas. Estos hallazgos inducen, a través de un modelo experimental, a continuar evaluando y preferir en la práctica, la utilización de mallas sintéticas absorbibles, en aquellos procedimientos de reemplazo de la pared abdominal, que necesitan una prótesis en posición intraperitoneal.

Bloqueo ductal pancreático : importancia de la cantidad de sustancia oclusiva empleada / Pancreatic ductal blockade : importance of quantity occlusive substance used

Serie de 16 perros que luego de provocarles pancreatitis aguda necrohemorrágica con ClCa al 20% en lóbulo izquierdo, se les ocluyó el sistema ductal con 2 cm.3 de adhesivo tisular(Tissucol). Dentro de las 24 hs. murieron 2 perros, los restantes evolucionaron satisfactoriamente y se los sacrificó a los 30, 40 y 120 días. La sobrevida(87,5%) demuestra que rellenando sólo el continente canalicular, se interrumpe el proceso necrohemorrágico, descartando la posible influencia terapéutica del excedente que pasa al intersticio. Estudios histopatológicos revelaron que con 2cm3 en lugar de 4 a 7 cm3 disminuye la secuela fibrótica.

Neurofibromiólise do deltóide por injeçöes de fenilbutazona / Neurofibromyolysis of the deltoid caused by phenybutazone injections

A fibrose iatrogênica da musculatura esquelética por medicaçäo parenteral tem aumentado devido ao uso indiscriminado de antibiótico e antiinflamatórios. Encontra-se maior freqüência em crianças, principalmente envolvendo a musculatura do quadríceps. No adulto, os deltóides säo mais acometidos, sobretudo de forma difusa e unilateral. Devido a essas consideraçöes, os autores descrevem o seguimento clínico de dois pacientes com fibrose da musculatura deltoidiana bilateral, conseqüente a repetidas injeçöes de fenilbutazona. Discutem os possíveis mecanismos etiopatogênicos, bem como a raridade do envolvimento bilateral