Identification of molecules related to the synthesis of adrenaline, noradrenaline and dopamine in the endothelium of reptiles and mammals by immunohistochemistry and in situ hibridization

• Grant number: 21/13726-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: February 01, 2022
• End date: January 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Pharmacology - Cardiorenal Pharmacology
• Principal Investigator: Gilberto de Nucci
• Grantee: Valéria Barbosa de Souza
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Médicas (FCM). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 19/16805-4 - Evaluation of the pathophysiological role of endothelial catecholamines, AP.TEM

Abstract

Endothelium is an organ capable of regulating vascular tone through the release of relaxing (such as nitric oxide and prostacyclin) or contracting substances (such as endothelin and prostanoid PGH2). In addition, according to the current view, such a regulation occurs through the release of catecholamines originated exclusively from nerve fibers. Our group has demonstrated in isolated reptile tissue experiments that endothelium can also be a direct source of catecholamines, since electrical-field stimulation-induced contractions of aorta is prevented by adrenergic antagonists and endothelial removal. This observation was confirmed by the immunohistochemical identification of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), which is the enzyme responsible for the rate-limiting step in catecholamine biosynthesis (see associated Thematic Project). In the Literature, there are no studies on the detection of TH (and other relevant enzymes such as dopa decarboxylase and phenylalanine hydroxylase) in the endothelia from different tissues (normal and neoplastic), in reptiles and mammals, from a comparative point of view. Nevertheless, one can suppose that there may be differences among animal classes and distinct species, as well as among tissues. If confirmed, these differences could contribute to the knowledge on the real physiological and pathophysiological role of endothelial catecholamines. Therefore, our main goal with this subproject is to investigate the presence of enzymes related to catecholamine biosynthesis in endothelia from different species and in different tissues/contexts (in particular, normal vs. neoplastic tissues), using classic and innovative tissue-based techniques for protein (ie, chromogenic immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence) and mRNA detection (ie, conventional FISH and RNAScope).

Scientific publications

(7)

(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)

LIMA, ANTONIO TIAGO; JABBOUR, SAMI; BRITTO-JUNIOR, JOSE; DE CARVALHO, DEMETRIO MARTINHO RAMOS; FREGONESI, ADRIANO; MARIANO, FERNANDA V.; DE SOUZA, VALERIA BARBOSA; SCHENKA, ANDRE ALMEIDA; ANTUNES, EDSON; DE NUCCI, GILBERTO. 6-Nitrodopamine potentiates catecholamine-induced contractions of human isolated vas deferens. FASEB BIOADVANCES, v. 7, n. 2, p. 9-pg., 2025-01-15. (19/16805-4, 17/15175-1, 21/13593-6, 21/14414-8, 21/13726-6)

J. BRITTO-JÚNIOR; A.T. LIMA; J.S. SANTOS-XAVIER; P. GONZALEZ; F.Z. MÓNICA; R. CAMPOS; V.B. DE SOUZA; A.A. SCHENKA; E. ANTUNES; G. DE NUCCI. Relaxation of thoracic aorta and pulmonary artery rings of marmosets (Callithrix spp.) by endothelium-derived 6-nitrodopamine. Brazilian Journal of Medical and Biological Research, v. 56, 2023-04-07. (21/14414-8, 21/13593-6, 21/13726-6, 17/15175-1, 19/16805-4)

LIMA, ANTONIO TIAGO; DOS SANTOS, ERIC XAVIER; BRITTO-JUNIOR, JOSE; DE SOUZA, VALERIA B.; SCHENKA, ANDRE A.; CAMPOS, RAFAEL; MORAES, MANOEL ODORICO; MORAES, MARIA ELISABETE A.; ANTUNES, EDSON; DE NUCCI, GILBERTO. Release of 6-nitrodopamine modulates vascular reactivity of Pantherophis guttatus aortic rings. COMPARATIVE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY C-TOXICOLOGY & PHARMACOLOGY, v. 262, p. 9-pg., 2022-12-01. (21/13593-6, 21/13726-6, 19/16805-4, 17/15175-1)

DAL POZZO, CAROLINE FERNANDA SANCHES; MALDONADO JUNIOR, JOSE EDUARDO; BRITTO-JUNIOR, JOSE; BADIN, JOAO FELIPE AGOSTINI; DE SOUZA, VALERIA BARBOSA; SCHENKA, ANDRE ALMEIDA; PETERSON, LARRYN W.; FREGONESI, ADRIANO; ANTUNES, EDSON; DE NUCCI, GILBERTO. Basal release of 6-cyanodopamine from rat isolated vas deferens and its role on the tissue contractility. PFLUGERS ARCHIV-EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY, v. 476, n. 8, p. 15-pg., 2024-07-04. (21/13726-6, 17/15175-1, 19/16805-4, 22/13062-3, 21/14414-8)

DE OLIVEIRA, LUIS FREDERICO GERBASE; BRITTO JUNIOR, JOSE; LIMA, ANTONIO TIAGO; MORAES, MANOEL ODORICO; MORAES, MARIA ELISABETE A.; DE SOUZA, VALERIA BARBOSA; SCHENKA, ANDRE ALMEIDA; MONICA, FABIOLA ZAKIA; DE NUCCI, GILBERTO. Release of 6-nitrodopamine from human popliteal artery and vein. Life Sciences, v. 326, p. 9-pg., 2023-05-31. (21/14414-8, 17/15175-1, 19/16805-4, 21/13593-6, 21/13726-6)

BRITTO-JUNIOR, JOSE; LIMA, ANTONIO TIAGO; OLIVEIRA, DENIS LIMA; MARIANO, FERNANDA, V; DE SOUZA, VALERIA BARBOSA; SCHENKA, ANDRE ALMEIDA; PETERSON, LARRYN W.; SLOT, MARIA SKOVBJERG; FJORD, REBECCA; WANG, TOBIAS; et al. 6-Cyanodopamine as an endogenous modulator of heart chronotropism and inotropism. Life Sciences, v. 366, p. 13-pg., 2025-02-24. (21/13726-6, 19/16805-4, 21/13593-6, 17/15175-1, 23/16075-1, 23/04217-6, 21/14414-8)

CAMPOS, RAFAEL; NIEDERAUER, ANA JULIA SCHMIDT; BRITTO-JUNIOR, JOSE; DE SOUZA, VALERIA B.; SCHENKA, ANDRE A.; MONICA, FABIOLA Z.; MORAES, MANOEL ODORICO; MORAES, MARIA ELISABETE A.; ANTUNES, EDSON; DE NUCCI, GILBERTO. Basal release and relaxation responses to 6-nitrodopamine in swine carotid, coronary, femoral, and renal arteries. COMPARATIVE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY C-TOXICOLOGY & PHARMACOLOGY, v. 285, p. 13-pg., 2024-08-17. (21/13726-6, 22/08232-7, 17/15175-1, 19/16805-4, 21/14414-8, 23/15350-9, 23/14557-9)