RESUMO
Estrogen replacement therapy is not thought to be a safe treatment for prevention of cardiovascular disease in menopausal women; isoflavones are a possible alternative. Estrogen produces beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system by enhancing production of nitric oxide, a vasoprotective and antiatherosclerotic agent. Estrogen-like compounds such as isoflavones are also suggested for increasing nitric oxide production. Isoflavones are present mainly in soy foods as glucosides, but soy isoflavone aglycones, the biologically active estrogen-like compounds, are absorbed faster and in higher amounts than their glucoside derivatives and show higher biological activity, implying that they may be more effective in preventing chronic diseases such as coronary heart disease. We evaluated an extract of soybeans fermented by Aspergillus awamori on which polyphenol glucosides were biotransformed to aglycone forms on production of nitric oxide, prostaglandin E2 and endothelin-1 in vitro in human endothelial cells, comparing it with a non-fermented extract. Bioconverted soybean extracts enhanced endothelin-1, nitric oxide and prostaglandin E2 production, while the unfermented extract only enhanced endothelin-1 production. Thus, only the aglycone-rich forms of soybean extracts were able to increase nitric oxide and prostaglandin E2 production, demonstrating that, in endothelial cells in vitro, they may be usable as therapeutic agents against the development of atherosclerosis.
Assuntos
Glycine max , Células Endoteliais da Veia Umbilical Humana/efeitos dos fármacos , Isoflavonas/farmacologia , Fitoestrógenos/farmacologia , Extratos Vegetais/farmacologia , beta-Glucanas/farmacologia , Aspergillus/metabolismo , Biomarcadores/metabolismo , Biotransformação , Sobrevivência Celular/efeitos dos fármacos , Células Endoteliais da Veia Umbilical Humana/metabolismo , HumanosRESUMO
This report describes a case of arthrogryposis multiplex congenita and concomitant bruxism with limited mouth opening and pain in the temporomandibular joints (TMJ). A conservative treatment with a myorelaxing splint and physiotherapeutic exercises was prescribed resulting in improvement to the muscular and joint conditions and a reduction in pain.
Assuntos
Artrogripose/complicações , Dor Facial/terapia , Placas Oclusais , Síndrome da Disfunção da Articulação Temporomandibular/etiologia , Artrogripose/fisiopatologia , Bruxismo/etiologia , Bruxismo/terapia , Assimetria Facial/etiologia , Dor Facial/etiologia , Feminino , Humanos , Amplitude de Movimento Articular , Síndrome da Disfunção da Articulação Temporomandibular/terapiaRESUMO
A new immunogenic outer membrane protein, Omp-28 (MW 28,000 and pI 4.6), was isolated from smooth Salmonella typhi cells by the use of an extracting medium containing 6 M urea, 1% deoxycholate and 5 mM EDTA. The purification of Omp-28 was performed by gel filtration and fast ion exchange chromatography. This protein showed to be the prevalent component isolated by the latter methodology. Omp-28 is formed by three identical subunits (MW 9,000), not linked by disulfide bonds. The partial N-terminal amino acid sequence of Omp-28 presented great homology with part of the sequence of an Escherichia coli protein found in a precursor whose sequence was predicted by c-DNA. ELISA and Western blotting identified Omp-28 as the major antigenic protein present in the outer membrane protein fraction, isolated by gel filtration. Antibodies against Omp-28 were detected by ELISA in 43% of 28 sera from typhoid fever convalescent patients. The antisera from mice immunized with Omp-28 and the highest positive typhoid fever convalescent serum gave a positive bactericidal test, killing 50% of Salmonella typhi cells in serum dilutions of 1/80 and 1/320, respectively. These results indicate the immunogenic importance of Omp-28 isolated from Salmonella typhi outer membrane and strongly suggest it should be used in further studies of animal protection against the disease caused by this pathogenic bacteria.