Neuroprotective effects of tempol (4 - hydroxy - Tempo) after sciatic nerve transection in neonatal rats

• Grant number: 11/12857-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Effective date (Start): April 01, 2012
• Effective date (End): July 31, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Morphology - Anatomy
• Principal Investigator: Alexandre Leite Rodrigues de Oliveira
• Grantee: Gabriela Bortolança Chiarotto
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biologia (IB). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Currently, due to the increased life span of the population, there is a growing interest in studying neurodegenerative diseases. Oxidative stress seems to be involved in the etiology of these diseases affecting neurons. The pathologies that affect motoneurons are characterized by inducing apoptosis. Thus, several studies have been conducted to investigate the effect of neuroprotective drugs aiming at reducing neuronal death. Among these drugs, the antioxidant tempol is very promising, since it is capable of reacting with reactive oxygen species (ROS), minimizing or even preventing tissue damage caused by these molecules. In this sense, this study aims to evaluate the neuroprotective effect of tempol on the neuronal death induced by sciatic nerve transection in neonatal animals. Thus, P2 rats will be subjected to unilateral section of the sciatic nerve, and divided into two distinct groups: (1) treated with TEMPOL, (2) placebo -treated with tempol vehicle solution. The animals of both groups will be sacrificed after survival times of 8, 12, 24, 72 hours and one week after the injury. In this way, the animals will be anesthetized and subjected to thoracotomy for perfusion and fixation. The set containing the lumbar intumescence and nerve roots will be processed for subsequent histological analysis. Cross sections of the lumbar spinal cord will be used for the assessment of neuronal survival and TUNEL labeling for the detection and quantification of apoptosis. For evaluation and quantification of the expression of Bax, caspase 3 and Bcl-2 genes, RT-PCR will be used.

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

CHIAROTTO, GABRIELA BORTOLANCA; DRUMMOND, LUISA; CAVARRETTO, GABRIELA; BOMBEIRO, ANDRE LUIS; RODRIGUES DE OLIVEIRA, ALEXANDRE LEITE. Neuroprotective effect of tempol (4 hydroxy-tempo) on neuronal death induced by sciatic nerve transection in neonatal rats. Brain Research Bulletin, v. 106, p. 1-8, JUL 2014. (11/12857-8)

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

CHIAROTTO, Gabriela Bortolança. Neuroprotective effects of Tempol (4-hidroxi tempo) after sciatic nerve transection in neonatal rats. 2013. Master's Dissertation - Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Instituto de Biologia Campinas, SP.