Efeito quimiopreventivo e modulador de HLA-G (Human Leukocyte Antigen - G) de Morelloflavona

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Avaliação da mutagenicidade e da estrogenicidade dos extratos etanólicos padronizados, frações e substâncias isoladas de Arrabidaea brachypoda (DC.) Bureau

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Curcumina: de especiaria à nutracêutico

A ideia de uma nutrição que, além de suprir as necessidades nutricionais básicas do organismo também tem como objetivo a prevenção de doenças, ganha cada vez mais ênfase sobre a égide dos alimentos funcionais e dos nutracêuticos. Nesse contexto a curcumina, um pigmento amarelo-alaranjado extraído do rizoma da planta Curcuma longa L. se destaca como um promissor nutracêutico, apresentando um amplo potencial terapêutico e a cada dia encontra maior embasamento científico com a elucidação de seus mecanismos de ação sobre vários alvos moleculares importantes para a fisiopatologia de diversas doenças. A curcumina é bastante conhecida e explorada pela medicina asiática tradicional, principalmente pelas medicinas Ayurvédica e Chinesa. Utilizando o Pubmed e o Scielo como banco de dados para a pesquisa de trabalhos científicos, foi elaborada uma revisão bibliográfica com a compilação de estudos com diversos enfoques em relação à curcumina, a saber: i) características físico-químicas da curcumina; ii) propriedades anti-inflamatória, antioxidante, antidiabética, antitumoral, antiviral, antibacteriana, antiparasitária e antifúngica; iii) estratégias recentemente utilizadas para melhorar sua biodisponibilidade, tais como co-admnistração da piperina, síntese de análogos moleculares e sistemas inovadores de entrega como os sistemas coloidais (lipossomas e nanopartículas) e a complexação com ciclodextrina.

Estudos sobre a aplicação do pentacloreto de nióbio na síntese de derivados de 4-aril-3,4-di- hidrocumarinas

Coumarin is a natural active compound that can be found in many plants. The coumarins have many properties such as bronchodilator, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anticoagulant, antibiotics, immunomodulatory, antimicrobial and antiviral, thus, they are widely used in medical applications. More recently the coumarin derivatives have attracted the interest of many research groups in the field of new materials, for example the possibility of their use as sensitizers in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC) and lasers. The MCRs are defined as a process in which three or more reactants are combined in the same reaction pot, resulting in products with good structural complexity a single step, in addition to economy of atoms and selectivity and is a very important feature in modern synthetic methodology. In this work we investigated the use of niobium pentachloride as catalyst of the multicomponent reactions between phenolic derivatives, various aromatic aldehydes and β-diester derivatives in the synthesis of 4-aryl-3,4-dihydrocoumarin derivatives. The reactions were carried out at room temperature, under inert atmosphere (N2), using dichloromethane anhydrous (CH2 Cl2) as solvent, with a reaction time of most 120 hours. The products were isolated by column chromatography on silica gel and submitted to spectrometric and spectroscopic analysis. The results show that NbCl5 is an excellent agent for promoting the synthesis of 4-aryl-3,4-dihydrocoumarin derivatives through multicomponent reactions, obtaining yields varying from 45 to 95%

Galectin-1 exerts inhibitory effects during DENV-1 infection

Dengue virus (DENV) is an enveloped RNA virus that is mosquito-transmitted and can infect a variety of immune and non-immune cells. Response to infection ranges from asymptomatic disease to a severe disorder known as dengue hemorrhagic fever. Despite efforts to control the disease, there are no effective treatments or vaccines. In our search for new antiviral compounds to combat infection by dengue virus type 1 (DENV-1), we investigated the role of galectin-1, a widely-expressed mammalian lectin with functions in cell-pathogen interactions and immunoregulatory properties. We found that DENV-1 infection of cells in vitro exhibited caused decreased expression of Gal-1 in several different human cell lines, suggesting that loss of Gal-1 is associated with virus production. In test of this hypothesis we found that exogenous addition of human recombinant Gal-1 (hrGal-1) inhibits the virus production in the three different cell types. This inhibitory effect was dependent on hrGal-1 dimerization and required its carbohydrate recognition domain. Importantly, the inhibition was specific for hrGal-1, since no effect was observed using recombinant human galectin-3. Interestingly, we found that hrGal-1 directly binds to dengue virus and acts, at least in part, during the early stages of DENV-1 infection, by inhibiting viral adsorption and its internalization to target cells. To test the in vivo role of Gal-1 in DENV infection, Gal-1-deficient-mice were used to demonstrate that the expression of endogenous Galectin-1 contributes to resistance of macrophages to in vitro-infection with DENV-1 and it is also important to physiological susceptibility of mice to in vivo infection with DENV-1. These results provide novel insights into the functions of Gal-1 in resistance to DENV infection and suggest that Gal-1 should be explored as a potential antiviral compound.

Platelets can be a biological compartment for the Hepatitis C Virus

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Desenvolvimento de modelos para flavonoides e cumarinas utilizando o campo de força CGenFF

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Epidemiological profile of hepatitis C virus infection in patients from west region of Minas Gerais State, Brazil

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a serious public health problem and is the leading cause of liver transplantation due to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. In Brazil, it is estimated that there are approximately 2 to 3 million HCV chronic carriers. Few data regarding HCV infection are available in West region of Minas Gerais State. Due to the absence of an effective vaccine against this important human pathogen and the high costs of antiviral treatment, it is important to conduct epidemiological studies with the purpose of carry out the planning and implementation of measures to prevent hepatitis C in different populations. Therefore, the aim of this study is to describe the epidemiological aspects of HCV patients from West region of Minas Gerais State, Brazil. Sociodemographic data and risk factors for HCV infection were determined from 74 HCV patients from Uberlandia city (Minas Gerais State). Reactive anti-HCV sera samples were submitted to HCV RNA and genotype detection. Most of individuals were male (63.5%) with mean age of 51 years and presenting low socioeconomic status. HCV genotype was determined among 40 samples and the frequencies were: genotype 2 (45%), 1 (37.5%) and 3 (17.5%). Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection was common among male and low socioeconomic status individuals.

MxA interacts with and is modified by the SUMOylation machinery

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Galectin-1 exerts inhibitory effects during DENV-1 infection

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

The receptor-like kinase SlSOBIR1 is differentially modulated by virus infection but its overexpression in tobacco has no significant impact on virus accumulation

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Lack of reproductive toxicity in adult male rats exposed to interferon-alpha

Interferon-alpha (IFN- α ), a type I IFN, is a protein with antiviral, antiproliferative, and immunoregulatory activities, widely used in the treatment of several types of cancers as well as hepatitis B and C. Decrease of libido and erectile dysfunction are commonly reported by male patients during treatment of chronic hepatitis C with IFN- α . However, IFN therapy-associated underlying factors attributed to sexual dysfunction are still not well defined. Currently, there are few studies investigating the effects of IFN on male reproductive system functions. Given that, the aim of the present investigation was to examine effects of subchronic exposure to IFN- α (5 × 10(4) U/kg and 10 × 10(4) U/kg, 30 d) on serum hormones, sperm parameters, fertility, and testicular and epididymal hystopathology and morphometry in adult male Wistar rats. None of the evaluated parameters was markedly altered by IFN- α . Thus, our results suggest that exposure to IFN- α , in this experimental design, did not adversely affect sperm quality and fertile capacity of male rats.

O tratamento com implantes dentários para pacientes com hiv é uma realidade?

Patients infected with HIV can present several complications related to oral health. Today, the reduction of morbidity and mortality is evidenttreatment with antiviral enhances the quality of life of patients. The increase in comfort, stability, function and improving quality of life have led these patients to seek treatment with osseointegrated implants. This study aimed to discuss, based on the literature, the rehabilitation treatment with osseointegrated implants in patients HIV positive. For this we carried out a literature review including the subject in the databases: PubMed, Cochrane, ISI Dentistry and Oral Science in the last 20 years. The issue was addressed for the first time in 1998, describing a clinical case, the patient had successful rehabilitation with osseointegrated implants. However, the literature states that the indications must be carefully analyzed (2007), since there are few prospective controlled studies. There is doubt as to the use of dental implant therapy in patients with HIV-positive, and the complications are related to the patient’s systemic condition. It is essential to understand the clinical manifestations and complications of the disease before the implant therapy. It is observed that the dental implant therapy in patients with HIV positive is a predictable treatment option, it´s need an adequate control of oral and systemic conditions, and studies with larger sample, longer follow-up and randomized studies are important for evaluating the success therapy.

Epidemiological profile of hepatitis C virus infection in patients from west region of Minas Gerais State, Brazill

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Dendrimers as potential platform in nanotechnology-based drug delivery systems

The dendrimers of poly (amidoamine) (PAMAM) are nanoparticles which have proven succeed in transporting drugs due to high solubility, low toxicity and ability to control drugs release. Studies have explored the biological potential of dendrimers such as to transport genes, development of vaccines, antiviral, antibacterial and anticancer therapies. This review of literature on the PAMAM dendrimers discusses the architecture and general construction of dendrimers and intrinsic properties of the PAMAM. This study also describes how the PAMAM interact with many drugs and the potential of these macromolecules as well as drug nanocarriers in transdermal routes of administration, ocular, respiratory, oral and intravenous administration. Dendrimers promises good future prospects for the biomedicine.