Localized matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and MMP-9 activity in the rat ventral prostate during the first week of postnatal development

The initial events in prostatic morphogenesis involve cell proliferation, epithelial canalization and outgrowth toward the stroma. We have hypothesized that stromal rearrangement takes place at the sites of epithelial growth and branching and that this rearrangement involves the action of gelatinases matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and MMP-9. Thus, the purpose of the present study was to characterize structural aspects of epithelial growth during the first week of postnatal development of the rat ventral prostate and to investigate the expression, localization and activity of MMP-2 and MMP-9 during this period by histological, ultrastructural and immunocytochemical analysis, in addition to gel zymography, in situ zymography and Western blotting. An increasing complexity of prostatic architeture was observed within the first postnatal week. Concurrently, the stroma became more organized and some cells differentiated into smooth muscle cells. Reticulin fibers appeared in a basket-like arrangement around both growing tips and epithelial sprouts, associated with a fainter staining for laminin. MMP-2 and MMP-9 activities were detected. MMP-2/MMP-9 expression decreased during the first week. Developing epithelial cords showed strong and difuse gelatinolytic activity. This activity coincided with the distribution of MMP-2 as determined by immunocytochemistry. on the other hand, MMP-9 was rather concentrated at the epithelial tips. These results suggest that gelatinolytic activity (with contribution of both MMP-2 and MMP-9) in the epithelium and at the epithelium-stroma interface are at least in part responsible for the tissue remodeling that allows epithelial growth and its projection into the surrounding stroma.

Microscopical Evaluation of Extracellular Matrix and Its Relation to the Palatopharyngeal Muscle in Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and MMP-9 activity and localization during ventral prostate atrophy and regrowth

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

Effects of myenteric denervation on extracellular matrix fibers and mast cell distribution in normal stomach and gastric lesions

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

Haplotype effects on matrix metalloproteinase-1 gene promoter activity in cancer cells

Increased expression of matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP1) is associated with poor prognosis in cancers. Several single nucleotide polymorphisms (-1607GG > G, -839G > A, -755G > T, -519A > G, -422T > A, -340C > T, and 320C > T) in the MMP1 gene promoter have recently been identified. In this study, we assessed the functional effects of these polymorphisms on MMP1 gene promoter activity in cell lines of melanoma (A2058 and A375), breast cancer (MCF7 and MDA-MB-231), lung cancer (A549 and H69), and colorectal cancer (HT-29, SW-620) by comparing the promoter strengths of 10 most common haplotypes deriving from these polymorphisms. In A2058 cells, the GG-G-G-A-T-T-T and GG-G-G-A-C-T haplotypes had 2-fold higher promoter activity than the GG-G-T-A-T-T-C, GG-G-G-A-A-T-T, GG-G-G-A-T-T-C, and GG-G-G-A-A-C-T haplotypes, which in turn, had 3-fold higher promoter activity than the G-G-T-A-A-C-T, G-A-T-G-T-T-T, G-A-T-G-A-C-T, and G-A-T-G-A-T-G haplotypes. In A375 and MDA-MB-231 cells, high expression haplotypes include not only the -1607GG-bearing haplotypes but also the G-A-T-G-A-T-T haplotype containing the -1607G allele. A similar trend was detected in A549 cells. In addition, in A549 cells, the GG-G-G-A-T-T-T haplotype had > 2-fold higher promoter activity than several other 1607GG-bearing haplotypes. In MCF7 cells, the GG-G-G-A-T-T-T and G-G-T-A-A-C-T haplotypes had 1.5- to 4-fold higher promoter activity than the other haplotypes. These results suggest that the polymorphisms exert haplotype effects on the transcriptional regulation of the MMP1 gene in cancer cells, and indicate a need to examine haplotypes rather than any single polymorphism in genetic epidemiologic studies of the MMP1 gene in cancers.

Autogenous demineralized dentin matrix for tissue engineering applications: Radiographic and histomorphometric studies

Purpose: This work evaluated the osteoconductive properties of autogenous demineralized dentin matrix (ADDM) on surgical bone defects in the parietal bone of rabbits, using the guided bone regeneration technique and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) membrane. Materials and Methods: Surgical bone defects were created in 24 adult rabbits and repaired with either ADDM and PTFE (experimental group) or PTFE alone (control group). The ADDM had been obtained from the central incisors of the experimental rabbits. The rabbits were sacrificed after 15, 30, 60, and 90 days and the defects examined radiographically and histologically. Results: Radiographically, the defects in the experimental animals achieved radiopacity more quickly than the defects in the control group. Discussion: After 15, 30, 60, and 90 days of observation following surgery, the ADDM slices appeared to stimulate new bone formation. The dentin slices were completely incorporated into the new bone tissue and were resorbed during the bone repair. Conclusions: Bone repair was accelerated on the bone defects treated with ADDM when compared to the control group.

Association of matrix metalloproteinase-8 gene variation with breast cancer prognosis

Animal and cell studies indicate an inhibitory effect of matrix metalloproteinase-8 (MMP8) on tumorigenesis and metastasis. We investigated whether MMP8 gene variation was associated with breast cancer metastasis and prognosis in humans. We first studied nine tagging single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in the MMP8 gene in 140 clinically and pathologically well-characterized breast cancer patients. Four of the SNPs were found to be associated with lymph node metastasis, the most pronounced being a promoter SNP (rs11225395) with its minor allele (T) associating with reduced susceptibility to lymph node metastasis (P = 0.02). This SNP was further evaluated for association with cancer relapse and survival among a cohort of similar to 1,100 breast cancer patients who had been followed for cancer recurrence and mortality for a median of 7.1 years. The T allele was associated with reduced cancer relapse and greater survival, particularly among patients with earlier stage cancer. Among patients of tumor-node-metastasis stage 0 to 11, the adjusted hazard ratio of disease-free survival was 0.7 [95% confidence interval (95% CI), 0.5-0.9] for patients carrying T allele compared with those homozygous for the C allele (P = 0.02). In vitro experiments showed that the T allele had higher promoter activity than the C allele in breast cancer cells. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays showed binding of nuclear proteins to the DNA sequence at the SNP site of the T allele but not that of the C allele. The data suggest that MMP8 gene variation may influence breast cancer prognosis and support the notion that MMP8 has an inhibitory effect on cancer metastasis.

Influence of the association between simvastatin and demineralized bovine bone matrix on bone repair in rats

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

On the relationship between a 2 x 2 matrix and second-order scalar spectral problems for integrable equations

A simple proof is given that a 2 x 2 matrix scheme for an inverse scattering transform method for integrable equations can be converted into the standard form of the second-order scalar spectral problem associated with the same equations. Simple formulae relating these two kinds of representation of integrable equations are established.

Measurement of the top quark mass in the lepton plus jets final state with the matrix element method

We present a measurement of the top quark mass with the matrix element method in the lepton+jets final state. As the energy scale for calorimeter jets represents the dominant source of systematic uncertainty, the matrix element likelihood is extended by an additional parameter, which is defined as a global multiplicative factor applied to the standard energy scale. The top quark mass is obtained from a fit that yields the combined statistical and systematic jet energy scale uncertainty. Using a data set of 0.4 fb(-1) taken with the D0 experiment at Run II of the Fermilab Tevatron Collider, the mass of the top quark is measured using topological information to be: m(top)(center dot+jets)(topo)=169.2(-7.4)(+5.0)(stat+JES)(-1.4)(+1.5)(syst) GeV, and when information about identified b jets is included: m(top)(center dot+jets)(b-tag)=170.3(-4.5)(+4.1)(stat+ JES)(-1.8)(+1.2)(syst) GeV. The measurements yield a jet energy scale consistent with the reference scale.

Looking for a Matrix model for ABJM theory

Encouraged by the recent construction of fuzzy sphere solutions in the Aharony, Bergman, Jafferis, and Maldacena (ABJM) theory, we re-analyze the latter from the perspective of a Matrix-like model. In particular, we argue that a vortex solution exhibits properties of a supergraviton, while a kink represents a 2-brane. Other solutions are also consistent with the Matrix-type interpretation. We study vortex scattering and compare with graviton scattering in the massive ABJM background, however our results are inconclusive. We speculate on how to extend our results to construct a Matrix theory of ABJM.

Measurement of Spin Correlation in t(t)over-bar Production Using a Matrix Element Approach

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Multi-spectroscopic monitoring of cisplatin-derived species delivery from ureasil polyether hybrid matrix

Driven by the challenges involved in the development of new advanced materials with unusual drug delivery profiles capable of improving the therapeutic and toxicological properties of existing cancer chemotherapy, the one-pot sol-gel synthesis of flexible, transparent and insoluble urea-cross-linked polyether-siloxane hybrids has been recently developed. In this one-pot synthesis, the strong interaction between the antitumor cisplatin (CisPt) molecules and the ureasil-poly(propylene oxide) (PPO) hybrid matrix gives rise to the incorporation and release of an unknown CisPt-derived species, hindering the quantitative determination of the drug release pattern from the conventional UV-Vis absorption technique. In this article, we report the use of an original synchrotron radiation calibration method based on the combination of XAS and UV-Vis for the quantitative determination of the amount of Pt-based molecules released in water. Thanks to the combination of UV-Vis, XAS and Raman techniques, we demonstrated that both the CisPt molecules and the CisPt-derived species are loaded into an ureasil-PPO/ureasil-poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) hybrid blend matrix. The experimentally determined molar extinction coefficient of the CisPt-derived species loaded into ureasil-PPO hybrid matrix enabled the simultaneous time-resolved monitoring of each Pt species released from this hybrid blend matrix.

Coordination polymer adsorbent for matrix solid-phase dispersion extraction of pesticides during analysis of dehydrated Hyptis pectinata medicinal plant by GC/MS

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Relation between kinetic parameters for reactions of organic matter degradation in waste environmental matrix

The organic fraction of urban solid residues disposed of in sanitary landfills during the decomposition yields biogas and leachate, which are sources of pollution. Leachate is a resultant liquid from the decomposition of substances contained in solid residues and it contains in its composition organic and inorganic substances. Literature shows an increase in the use of thermoanalytical techniques to study the samples with environmental interest, this way thermogravimetry is used in this research. Thermogravimetric studies (TG curves) carried out on leachate and residues shows similarities in the thermal behavior, although presenting complex composition. Residue samples were collected from landfills, composting plants, sewage treatment stations, leachate, which after treatment, were submitted for thermal analysis. Kinetic parameters were determined using the Flynn-Wall-Ozawa method. In this case they show little divergence between the kinetic parameter that can be attributed to different decomposition reaction and presence of organic compounds in different phases of the decomposition with structures modified during degradation process and also due to experimental conditions of analysis.