Effects of biodegradable detergents in the accumulation of lipofuscin (age pigment) in gill and liver of two neotropical fish species / Efectos de detergentes biodegradables en la acumulación de lipofuscina (pigmento de envejecimiento) en branquias e hígado de dos espécies de peces neotropicales

Currently there is a growing concern, in both population and governments, to identify the effects of substances commonly disposed of into rivers and lakes, on aquatic fauna and flora. Thus the objective of the present study was to verify effects of biodegradable detergents and water from an urban lake on gills and liver of two neotropical fish species of great economic importance, Astyanax altiparanae and Prochilodus lineatus. In order to do so, lipofuscin, also called the ageing pigment, was used as bioindicator. After one and five months of experiment both tissues accumulated this pigment. These data are discussed from physiological points of view, related with lipid peroxidation and mitochondrial damage.

Existe una preocupación creciente de la población y los gobiernos para identificar los efectos de substancias comúnmente arrojadas en ríos y lagos, sobre la fauna y flora acuática. El objetivo fue verificar los efectos de detergentes biodegradables y agua de un lago urbano sobre las branquias e hígado de dos especies de peces neo-tropicales de gran importancia económica, Astyanax altiparanae y Prochilodus lineatus. Analizamos los pigmentos de lipofuscina, también llamado pigmento de envejecimiento, el que fue utilizado como biomarcador. Después de uno y cinco meses de experimento, ambos tejidos acumulados con el pigmento fueron analizados. Los datos fueron discutidos desde el punto de vista fisiológico, relacionado con la peroxidación lipídica y daño mitocondrial.

Estudo morfométrico do miocárdio em adultos com subnutriçäo protéico-energética / Myocardial morphometric study in protein-energy malnourished adults

Objetivo - Comparar o tamanho das células musculares e a presença de lipofuscina no coração de adultos necropsiados, subnutridos e controles. Método - De uma casuística inicial de 315 necropsias de adultos, foram excluídos casos com sinais de retenção hídrica, cardiopatias, hepatopatias, hipertensão e nefropatias. Subnutrição foi caracterizada pelo índice de massa corporal (IMC) <17kh/m2. Fragmentos de miocárdio foram processados para morfometria computadorizada, determinando-se a espessura dos miocardiócitos e a presença de lipofuscina. Resultados - Subnutridos (n=8) e controles (n=4) foram estatisticamente diferentes, respectivamente, quanto ao IMC (14,86+1,13 vs 22,02+0,9 kg/m2), relação peso cardíaco/peso corporal (0,68+0,09 vs 0,54+0,07 por cento), espessura de miocardiócitos (10,91+0,77 vs 12,90+54,4 por cento). Conclusão - Comparados aos controles, adultos subnutridos têm menores espessuras de miocardiócitos e presença de lipofuscina, fenômenos que refletir um distúrbio metabólico com repercussões clínicas danosas em pacientes terminais.

Age-related decline in multiple unit action potentials of cerebral cortex correlates with the number of lipofuscin-containing neurons.

The present study examined whether there is any obvious correlation between the density of lipofuscin-containing neurons and the spontaneous neuronal action potentials (Multiple Unit Activity, MUA) in the parietal cortex of the aging rat brain. The results showed that MUA counts were decreased with age while the number of lipofuscin-containing neurons was increased. The cortex with the highest percentage of lipofuscin-containing neurons had the lowest MUA counts while the cortex with the lowest percentage of lipofuscin-containing neurons had the highest MUA counts. The inverse correlation between MUA and lipofuscin-containing neuron number was also evident when the population of the lipofuscin-containing neurons was pharmacologically altered in vivo by the administration of anti-lipofuscin drug centrophenoxine. The inverse relationship between MUA and the lipofuscin-containing neuron numbers is consistent with: (i) the correlations of MUA with age-related changes in lipid peroxidation and biochemically measured lipofuscin concentration, and (ii) the oxidative stress-induced impairments of neuronal electrophysiology.

Lipofuscinose ceróide neuronal: relato de quatro casos com estudo por histoquímica retal, microscopia eletrônica de conjuntiva e necrópsia / Neuronal ceroid-lipofuscinosis: report of 4 cases with study by rectal histochemistry, conjunctiva electron mycroscopy and necropsy

Os autores relatam os achados neuropatológicos e clínicos de quatro casos de lipofuscinose ceróide ou doença de Batten. Dois casos foram estudados por necrópsia: o encéfalo mostrou atrofia e neurônios contendo pigmento citoplasmático com características tintoriais de lipofuscina. Um caso foi diagnosticado por estudo histoquímico citoplasmático com características tintoriais de lipofuscina. Um caso foi diagnosticado por estudo histoquímico de biópsia retal, em material congelado em nitrogênio líquido demonstrando-se células ganglionares mioentéricas contendo acúmulo citoplasmático de material granular fosfatase ácida positivo, bem como em grande número de macrófagos do córion. O quarto caso foi diagnosticado por microscopia eletrônica e biópsia de conjuntiva, com identificaçäo de inclusöes curvelíneas membranáceas e tipo impressäo digital

Bilateral primary pigmented nodular adrenocortical disease: a case of report describing a rare cause of Cushing's syndrome

A case of Cushing's syndrome due to bilateral pigmented nodular adrenal disease in a 35-year-old male is presented. The adrenals showed multiple, black, variable sized nodules. Histologically the cells contained lipofuscin and either had a clear cytoplasm or an eosinophilic cytoplasm with a prominent nucleus. Lymphocytic infiltration and fatty metaplasia within the nodules are two of the prominent histological features. There is extreme internodular atrophy which suggests that primary pigmented nodular adrenocortical disease is a non-adrenocorticotropic hormone dependent condition. Since the disorder appears to involve primarily the cortex of both adrenals, the treatment of choice is bilateral adrenalectomy followed by steroid replacement. The characteristic clinicopathological manifestations that separate this diagnosis from other types of adrenal disease are also discussed. This is the first reported case in Korea to be documented with the pertinent clinicopathological findings.