Análise ultraestrutural e implicação do RNA de interferência na fibrilogênese do colágeno V em pacientes com esclerodermia / Ultrastructural analysis and implication of RNA interference in collagen V fibrillogenesis in patients with scleroderma

Introdução: Recentemente muitas são as funções atribuídas ao colágeno V em condições fisiológicas normais e em algumas doenças, como na esclerodermia. Esta proteína apresenta características estruturais singulares de regulação do diâmetro das fibrilas heterotípicas, e imunogenicidade, sendo capaz de desencadear uma resposta imune independente. Em descobertas recentes, desenvolvidas por nosso grupo, ficou evidenciado que o colágeno V apresenta histoarquitetura anômala, aumentando a sua imunoexpressão na pele e pulmão em estágios iniciais da doença, assim como, aumento do RNAm de suas cadeias, principalmente alfa2(V). Por esta razão e com o intuito de entender sobre os processos moleculares e ultraestruturais que correlacionam o COL V à fibrose na ES, a proposta do presente estudo foi realizar análise morfológica e ultraestrutural das cadeias, alfa1(V) e alfa2(V), da pele de pacientes com ES, assim como avaliar a influência do gene COL5A2 na fibrilogênese. Pacientes e Métodos: As análises foram desenvolvidas utilizando fragmento de pele obtidas de biópsia, tanto de pacientes como controles, sob aprovação do comitê de ética (CAPPesq 0331/10) e de acordo com Declaração de Helsinque. Participaram do estudo 7 pacientes (homens=3, mulheres=4) diagnosticados com ES há dois anos ou menos, e indivíduos voluntários saudáveis (n=7) utilizados como grupo controle. A biópsia das peles foi dividida para dois grupos de análises: estudos histológicos e cultura de fibroblastos; sob solução de formol a 10%, foram realizadas análises histomorfométricas [coloração de Hematoxilina e Eosina (H e E), Tricrômico de Masson, imunofluorescência (IM) para cadeias alfa1(V) e alfa2(V), e reconstrução tridimensional (Zeiss LSM 510 META/UV)], e em solução de glutaraldeído 2% para análise ultraestrutural (microscopia eletrônica de transmissão com imunomarcação com ouro coloidal). A quantificação das cadeias foi realizada por histomorfometria, através de análise de imagem utilizando o software...

Introduction: Recently many functions are attributed to type V collagen in normal physiological conditions and in some diseases, such as scleroderma. This protein presents unique structural features for regulating the diameter of fibrils heterotypic and immunogenicity being capable of eliciting an immune response independent. In recent discoveries, developed by our group, it was evident that collagen V presents anomalous histoarchitecture, increasing the immunoexpression in the skin and lung in the early stages of the disease, as well as increased mRNA of his chains, mainly alpha2(V). For this reason and in order to understand the molecular and ultrastructural processes that correlate COL V fibrosis in SSc, the purpose of this study was to perform morphological and ultrastructural analysis of the chains alpha1(V) and alpha2(V) of the patient´s skin with ES, as well as to assess the influence of the COL5A2 gene in fibrillogenesis. Patients and Methods: The analyses were developed using skin fragment obtained from biopsy, both of patients and controls, under the approval of the ethics committee (CAPPesq 0331/10) and in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki. The study included 7 patients (male = 3, female = 4) diagnosed with ES for two years or less, and healthy volunteers (n = 7) used as a control group. The biopsy of the skin was divided in two groups of analyzes: histological studies and cultured fibroblasts; Under formaldehyde solution 10%, histomorphometric analysis [staining with hematoxylin and eosin (H e E), Masson's trichrome, immunofluorescence (IM) to alpha1(V) and alpha2(V) chains, and three-dimensional reconstruction (Zeiss LSM 510 META were performed/UV), and in a solution of 2% glutaraldehyde for ultrastructural analysis (transmission electron microscopy with immunostaining with colloidal gold). Quantitation was performed by the chain histomorphometry by image analysis using Image Pro-Plus 6.0 software. Already a fibroblast culture...

Association between decreases in type V collagen and apoptosis in mouse lung chemical carcinogenesis: a preliminary model to study cancer cell behavior

OBJECTIVE: The importance of type V collagen and its relationships with other types of collagen and with vascular and epithelial apoptosis were studied in a model of chemical carcinogenesis in the mouse lung. METHODS: Two groups of male Balb/c mice were studied: a) animals that received two intraperitoneal doses of 3 g/kg urethane carcinogen (urethane group = 24); and b) animals submitted to a sham procedure, comparable to the test group (control group = 7). Both groups were sacrificed after 120 days. In situ detection of apoptosis, immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence and histomorphometry were used to evaluate the fraction occupied by the tumor, vascular and epithelial apoptosis, and type V, III and I collagen fibers in the lung parenchyma from both groups. RESULTS: The lung parenchyma from the urethane group showed low fractions of vascular and epithelial apoptosis as well as reduced type V collagen fibers when compared to the control group. A significant direct association was found between type V and III collagen fibers and epithelial apoptosis, type V collagen fibers and vascular apoptosis, and type V and type I collagen fibers. CONCLUSION: The results show that a direct link between low amounts of type V collagen and decreased cell apoptosis may favor cancer cell growth in the mouse lung after chemical carcinogenesis, suggesting that strategies aimed at preventing decreased type V collagen synthesis or local responses to reduced apoptosis may have a greater impact in lung cancer control.

Histomorphometric analysis of cutaneous remodeling in the early stage of the scleroderma model

INTRODUCTION/OBJECTIVES: Systemic sclerosis, or scleroderma, is a rheumatic disease characterized by autoimmunity, vasculopathy, and fibrosis of the skin and several internal organs. In the present study, our aim was to assess the skin alterations in animals with scleroderma during the first stages of disease induction. METHODS: To induce scleroderma, female New Zealand rabbits (n = 12) were subcutaneously immunized with 1 mg/ml of collagen V (Col V) in complete Freund's adjuvant, twice with a thirty-day interval. Fifteen days later, the animals received an intramuscular booster with type V collagen in incomplete Freund's adjuvant, twice with a fifteen-day interval. The control group was inoculated with 1 ml of 10 mM acetic acid solution diluted with an equal amount of Freund's adjuvant. Serial dorsal skin biopsies were performed at 7, 15, and 30 days and stained with H&E, Masson's trichrome and Picrosírius for morphological and morphometric analyses. RESULTS: Immunized rabbits presented a significant increase in collagen in skin collected seven days after the first immunization (p=0.05). CONCLUSION: The results from this experimental model may be very important to a better understanding of the pathogenic mechanisms involved in the beginning of human SSc. Therapeutic protocols to avoid early remodeling of the skin may lead to promising treatments for SSc in the future.

Purification and partial characterization of a type V like collagen from the muscle of marine prawn, Penaeus indicus.

The muscle collagen of marine prawn, Penaeus indicus, was isolated by limited pepsin digestion. Based on selective salt precipitation, amino acid composition and gel electrophoretic pattern, the major collagen was found to be a homotrimer of á 1 chain, similar to type V collagen of vertebrates. Electron microscopy of reconstituted fibrils, made for the first time from a crustacean species, revealed a characteristic 64 nm periodicity. Biochemical studies indicate a less than normal amount of associated carbohydrates and an increased alanine content The major collagen had a denaturation temperature of 37°C with an intrinsic viscosity of 11·3 dl/g. Spectral characteristics of the major collagen were studied. Results suggest the presence of genetically distinct collagen types and acid resistant cross links in crustacean muscle.