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| Author(s): |
Fábio Rogério
Total Authors: 1
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| Document type: | Doctoral Thesis |
| Press: | Campinas, SP. |
| Institution: | Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Instituto de Biologia |
| Defense date: | 2006-07-21 |
| Examining board members: |
Francesco Langone;
Elenice Aparecida de Moraes Ferrari;
Roger Frigério Castilho;
Luiz Roberto Giorgetti de Britto;
Carol Fuzeti Elias
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| Advisor: | Francesco Langone |
| Abstract | |
Neuronal death may be induced in neonatal rats by peripheral axotomy. Deprivation of trophic factor produced by target cells would play a role, since it would favor oxidative stress. In the present study, rats at an age of two days postnatally (P2) were subjected to unilateral sciatic transection, daily treatment with the antioxidant melatonin and sacrificed at time points ranging from P2 to P7, when the majority of the axotomised cells is 10s1. Expression and immunohistochemical detection of superoxide dismutase isoforms 1 and 2 (SOD 1 and 2) were investigated in the lumbar enlargement. Neuronal (nNOS), endothelial (eNOS) and inducible (iNOS) isoforms of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) and Bax and Bcl-2 (cell death promoter and suppressor, respectively) were also evaluated. Finally, NOS activity and DNA fragmentation were assessed. Five days after lesion, 55% of the axotomised motoneurons died. Melatonin rescued 75% ofthe injured motoneurons. On the first day, SODl expression was reduced by 25% in axotomised rats, whereas melatonin administration yielded an increase of 25% in such expression. nNOS and eNOS activity rose at 1 and 6 hours after lesion. Melatonin increased nNOS and eNOS activity and reduced iNOS catalytic rate on the third day. Bax mRNA levels, number of Bax-positive cells and DNA fragmentation augmented on the first day. The latter was decreased by melatonin. Axotomy did not alter immunostaining for and expression of iNOS and Bcl-2. In addition, the injury did not induce Bax expression in motoneurons. The neuroprotective and antioxidant effect of melatonin in the present experimental model support the investigation of this neurohormone in neurological diseases associated with oxidative stress (AU) | |