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Efeitos neuroprotetores de nanoemulsões de canabidiol e tetrahidrocanabinol em modelos de epilepsia induzida por PTZ: implicações mitocondriais e astrogliais

Thu, 01 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Título: Efeitos neuroprotetores de nanoemulsões de canabidiol e tetrahidrocanabinol em modelos de epilepsia induzida por PTZ: implicações mitocondriais e astrogliais Autor(es): Girão Júnior, Francisco Josimar Abstract: Epilepsy is a prevalent neurological disorder in which mitochondrial dysfunction and glialactivation play a central role in its pathophysiology. The main phytocannabinoids of Cannabissativa, cannabidiol (CBD) and Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), exhibit anticonvulsantproperties; however, their combined mechanisms of action, particularly regardingmitochondrial bioenergetics, oxidative stress, and astroglial modulation, remain poorlyelucidated. Therefore, this study investigated the effects of CBD and THC nanoemulsions,administered alone or in combination, in acute and chronic models of pentylenetetrazol(PTZ)-induced seizures. In the acute protocol, male Swiss mice received oral doses of CBD,THC, or their combinations in nanoemulsion form, and latency to the first generalized seizureand mortality were evaluated. In the chronic protocol, the development of epileptogenesis,cognitive performance, and neurochemical effects were assessed. Behavioral parameters in the chronic model included the novel object recognition test and the Y-maze test to analyzememory and cognitive function. Oxidative stress in the acute model was measured by lipidperoxidation markers (TBARS/MDA), nitrate/nitrite levels, and mitochondrial H₂O₂production. The expressions of GFAP, GAT-1, and Kir4.1 was evaluated by immunohistochemistry as markers of astrogliosis. Mitochondrial function was analyzed byoxygen consumption, respiratory control ratio, ADP/O ratio, and mitochondrial swelling in invitro and ex vivo preparations. The results demonstrated that the CBD/THC combinationsignificantly increased latency to seizures and death in the acute model, in addition to delaying the development of kindling in the chronic model. The nanoemulsions reduced oxidative and nitrosative stress levels and attenuated hippocampal astrogliosis. Significantmodulation of GAT-1 and Kir4.1 expression was observed in the treated groups, suggestingimproved synaptic homeostasis. In vitro and ex vivo assays showed enhanced mitochondrialbioenergetic efficiency. Overall, these findings indicate that the CBD/THC combination exertsa neuroprotective effect mediated by mitochondrial modulation, reduction of oxidative stress, and regulation of astroglial function, although dose-dependent cognitive effects and experimental limitations were observed. Tipo: Tese

Associações entre biomarcadores salivares inflamatórios e neurotróficos em crianças e adolescentes com Transtorno do Espectro Autista: estudo transversal em ambulatório de referência no Ceará

Thu, 01 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Título: Associações entre biomarcadores salivares inflamatórios e neurotróficos em crianças e adolescentes com Transtorno do Espectro Autista: estudo transversal em ambulatório de referência no Ceará Autor(es): Vianna, Marisa Perdigão de Negreiros Abstract: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a heterogeneous neurodevelopmental condition whose clinical complexity has driven the search for peripheral biomarkers capable of broadening the understanding of biological subgroups. In this context, saliva stands out as a promising matrix due to its non-invasive nature and good acceptability in pediatric populations. This study aimed to analyze the salivary profile of inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α) and neurotrophins (BDNF and β-NGF) in children and adolescents with ASD treated at a specialized outpatient clinic, as well as to investigate the associations among these biomarkers and their relationship with clinical and contextual variables. This was a translational, observational, analytical, cross-sectional study conducted with 69 participants aged 2 to 17 years. Salivary biomarkers were measured using immunoenzymatic assays, and statistical analysis included the Shapiro-Wilk test and Spearman’s correlation coefficient. All biomarkers showed non-normal distribution. In the total sample, a strong positive correlation was observed between IL-6 and TNF-α (ρ = 0.85; p < 0.001), in addition to positive associations between both cytokines and β-NGF (ρ ≥ 0.71; p < 0.001), configuring a more stable relational axis between inflammation and neurotrophic signaling. In age-stratified analyses, this pattern remained present, with greater cohesion in Group 1 (2–4 years) and maintenance of the associations among IL-6, TNF-α, and β-NGF in Group 2 (5–9 years) and Group 3 (10–17 years), whereas IL-1β and BDNF showed more variable behavior across strata. Exploratory associations were also identified between biomarkers and clinical and contextual variables, notably the negative correlation between BMI and β-NGF in Group 1, the positive correlation between family income and BDNF across different age groups, and the negative associations between food selectivity and IL-6/TNF-α in Group 3. It is concluded that salivary biomarkers revealed a consistent pattern of association between inflammation and neurotrophy, especially involving the IL-6, TNF-α, and β-NGF axis, reinforcing saliva as a promising matrix for translational research in ASD. Tipo: Dissertação

Efeito cicatrizante da nanoemulsão de ácido Alfa-lipóico (NanoALA) em cultura de células: determinação do mecanismo de ação

Thu, 01 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Título: Efeito cicatrizante da nanoemulsão de ácido Alfa-lipóico (NanoALA) em cultura de células: determinação do mecanismo de ação Autor(es): Aquino, Gabriel Angelo de Abstract: Wound healing is a complex biological process that can be impaired by inflammatory imbalances. Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA), due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, has been investigated as a therapeutic agent. This study aimed to develop and characterize an ALA-based nanoemulsion (NanoALA) and to evaluate its wound-healing effects in vitro in RAW 264.7, L929, and HaCaT cells. Formulations F1 and F2 exhibited a mean particle size <220 nm, PDI <0.2, zeta potential of approximately −25 mV, and pH ~5.4, remaining stable for up to 90 days. Atomic force microscopy revealed spherical particles with mean sizes of 25.1 nm (F1) and 14.2 nm (F2), and encapsulation efficiencies of 57.19% and 81.20%, respectively. In cytotoxicity assays, both formulations showed concentration-related effects. In RAW 264.7 cells, the IC₅₀ at 24 h was 16.21 µg/mL (F1) and 10.22 µg/mL (F2), with further reduction at 48 h. In L929 cells, no impairment of viability was observed. In HaCaT cells, no cytotoxicity was detected at 24 h, while at 48 h F1 exhibited an IC₅₀ of 46.53 µg/mL, whereas F2 showed no cytotoxic effect. At concentrations of 50 and 100 µg/mL, both NanoALA and blank nanoemulsion increased nitric oxide (NO) levels, whereas free ALA did not alter this parameter and showed no cytotoxicity in any cell line. Based on these findings, NanoALA F1 was selected for subsequent experiments (2.86, 5.72, and 11.44 µg/mL; free ALA: 5 µg/mL). In LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells, NanoALA F1 significantly reduced NO, TNF-α, and IL-1β levels, with a more consistent effect than free ALA. In paracrine models, conditioned medium from NanoALA F1 reduced NO levels, increased TGF-β, and modulated substance P, whereas free ALA exhibited limited effects. Morphological analysis showed that NanoALA F1 attenuated the inflammatory phenotype in RAW 264.7 cells, suggesting a shift from M1 to an M2-like profile, while free ALA showed only partial effects. Morphometric analysis demonstrated that NanoALA F1 reduced inflammatory cell count and restored cell area and circularity, outperforming free ALA. In the scratch assay, NanoALA F1 significantly accelerated monolayer closure, surpassing the effect of free ALA. In conclusion, NanoALA F1 enhances the therapeutic effects of ALA by promoting greater inflammatory modulation, cellular preservation, and re-epithelialization, with efficacy at low concentrations (2.86 µg/mL). Additionally, it exhibits stability at room temperature and superior performance compared to free ALA, representing a promising nanostructured strategy for wound treatment. Tipo: Tese

Efeitos da azitromicina no sistema nervoso central em modelo de kindling induzido por pentilenotetrazol em camundongos

Thu, 01 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Título: Efeitos da azitromicina no sistema nervoso central em modelo de kindling induzido por pentilenotetrazol em camundongos Autor(es): Santiago, Rodrigo Maia Abstract: Epilepsy is characterized by neuronal hyperexcitability and is associated with redox imbalance, which supports the investigation of drugs capable of modulating seizure outcomes and oxidative-nitrosative biomarkers. The effect of azithromycin (AZT) on the seizure phenotype and redox axis was evaluated in pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)-induced models in mice. An experimental, controlled, in vivo study was conducted, comprising an acute and a chronic model. In the acute model, AZT was administered intraperitoneally at doses of 100 or 200 mg/kg, followed by a challenge with 85 mg/kg PTZ to record the latencies to the first seizure and death. In the chronic model, PTZ-kindling (35 mg/kg on alternate days for 21 days) was used, with behavioral assessment using the Racine Scale. At the end of the protocols, reduced glutathione (GSH), nitrite, and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) were quantified in the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, and striatum. A dual effect, dependent on dose and exposure time, was observed. In the acute model, AZT 100 mg/kg reduced the latency to the first seizure (median of 36 s vs. 49 s in the control), while AZT 200 mg/kg prolonged the time to death (median of 200 s vs. 173 s in the control). Biochemically, the acute phase was marked by a nitrosative peak, with a significant increase in nitrite across the three regions evaluated at the 200 mg/kg dose (p < 0.01). In the chronic model, the 200 mg/kg dose transiently attenuated seizure severity (median score 3.0 vs. 4.0 in the control; p = 0.0407 on day 13), whereas the 100 mg/kg dose was associated with high mortality and the maintenance of high scores (median between 4.0 and 5.0). In contrast to the acute phase, no statistically significant changes were detected in the redox panel (p > 0.05 for GSH, nitrite, and MDA) at the end of the kindling protocol, suggesting late biochemical adaptation or buffering. It was concluded that AZT acted as a complex and non-linear modulator in the central nervous system, with manifestations ranging from excitatory facilitation and transient behavioral attenuation to acute nitrosative induction, diverging from the profile of a classic and uniform neuroprotective agent. Tipo: Dissertação