High ethanol consumption and senility: inflammation and oxidative stress in the cerebellum of UChB rats (voluntary ethanol consumers)

• Grant number: 23/13596-0
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: May 01, 2024
• End date: April 30, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Collective Health - Public Health
• Principal Investigator: Marcelo Martinez
• Grantee: Marcelo Martinez
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde (CCBS). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Associated scholarship(s): 24/18841-6 - High ethanol consumption and senility: inflammation and oxidative stress in the cerebellum of UChB rats (voluntary ethanol consumers), BP.TT; 24/10316-0 - High ethanol consumption and senility: inflammation and oxidative stress in the cerebellum of UChB rats (voluntary ethanol consumers), BP.TT

Abstract

The abusive consumption of ethanol is one of the main public health problems worldwide. In the Central Nervous System (CNS) it is capable of impacting the balance of the internal microenvironment and leading to processes of neurodegeneration, neuroadaptation and neuroinflammation. It is also known that adenosinergic pathways play a protective role in the CNS. MiRNAs widely affect cellular and physiological function and may be altered after consumption of ethanol and other substances, being linked to the modulation of the inflammatory response. Ethanol abuse is a common characteristic of older people and there is a substantial and comprehensive lack of scientific data to assess the real impact of drinking on the elderly. Elderly individuals are particularly susceptible to the harmful effects of ethanol consumption, because of biological changes associated with aging. In addition to motor deterioration following ethanol consumption, cerebellar degeneration contributes to distinct neuropsychological deficits in chronic alcoholics. However, the effects on senile individuals are scarce. The objective of the work will be to detect the expressions of genes and microRNAs related to inflammatory processes and adenosinergic pathways in the elderly cerebellum after ethanol ingestion. Male UChB rats aged 13 months will be divided into two groups (n=10/group): 1. UChB (UChB rats that will receive a 10% ethanol solution and water ad libitum); 2. Control (UChB rats that will receive only water ad libitum). The animals' cerebellum will be collected and processed for PCR-RT techniques for the inflammatory markers NFkB, TLR4, TLR2 and MyD88 and adenosinergic receptors A1 and A2a, the miRNAs -155-5p, -146a-5p, -126-3p, -132-3p, -339-5p, tissue and plasma. Pro-inflammatory mediators (IL-1², IL-6 and TNF-±) will be analyzed by immunoassays. For oxidative stress, the activities of superoxide dismutase, reduced glutathione, catalase and lipid hydroperoxide will be evaluated. (AU)