Sequence and analysis of the mitochondrial DNA control region in the sugarcane borer Diatraea saccharalis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae)

This study aimed at the sequence and analysis of the mtDNA control region (CR) of the Diatraea saccharalis. The genome PCR amplification was performed using the complementary primers to the flanking regions of Bombyx mori CR mitochondrial segment. The sequencing revealed that the amplified product was 568 bp long, which was smaller than that observed for B. mori (725 bp). Within the amplified segment, a sequence with 338 nucleotides was identified as the control region, which displayed a high AT content (93.5%). The D. saccharalis mtDNA CR multiple sequence alignment analysis showed that this region had high similarity with the Lepidoptera Cydia pomonella.

A broca da cana, Diatraea saccharalis pertence à família dos lepidópteros. A presença da larva pode ser extremamente destrutiva, chegando a inviabilizar a atividade canavieira, causando prejuízos consideráveis à agroindústria sucro-alcooleira. Atualmente a broca da cana vem sendo extinta da plantação por métodos de controle biológico, entretanto a evolução desses programas depende de maiores conhecimentos básicos da biologia molecular deste inseto. O estudo do segmento do genoma mitocondrial denominado região controle é amplamente utilizado em análises genéticas e filogenéticas em insetos. O objetivo desse trabalho foi sequenciar e analisar a região controle do genoma mitocondrial de Diatraea saccharalis. Esse segmento apresentou 338 nucleotídeos, menor que o observado em Bombyx mori, com conteúdo de 93,5% de A/T. As analises realizadas mostraram que Diatraea saccharalis apresenta 76% de similaridade com Cydia pomonella.

Evaluation of estrogen receptor alpha and beta and progesterone receptor expression and correlation with clinicopathologic factors and proliferative marker Ki-67 in breast cancers.

To elucidate the molecular profile of hormonal steroid receptor status, we analyzed ER-alpha, ER-beta, and PGR mRNA and protein expression in 80 breast carcinomas using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), quantitative RT-PCR, and immunohistochemical analysis. Qualitative analysis revealed positive expression of ER-alpha, ER-beta, and PGR mRNA in 48%, 59%, and 48% of the breast carcinomas, respectively. ER-alpha, ER-beta, and PGR transcript overexpression was observed in 51%, 0%, and 12% of the cases, respectively, whereas moderate or strong protein expression was detected in 68%, 78%, and 49% of the cases, respectively. Tumor grade was negatively correlated with transcript and protein levels of ER-alpha (P = .0169 and P = .0006, respectively) and PGR (P = .0034 and P = .0005, respectively). Similarly, proliferative index Ki-67 was negatively associated with transcript and protein levels of ER-alpha (P = .0006 and P < .0001, respectively) and PGR (P = .0258 and P = .0005, respectively). These findings suggest that ER-alpha and PGR expression are associated with well-differentiated breast tumors and less directly related to cell proliferation. A significant statistical difference was observed between lymph node status and ER-beta protein expression (P = .0208). In ER-alpha-negative tumors, we detected a correlation between ER-beta protein expression and high levels of Ki-67. These data suggest that ER-beta could be a prognostic marker in human breast cancer.

Investigação da citotoxicidade e mutagenicidade do hipocolesteremiante sinvastatina em células de ratos wistar e de Allium cepa L / Investigation of the cytotoxicity and mutagenicity of simvastatin hypocholesteremiant in cells of wistar rats and Allium cepa L

In the field of pharmacological research is important to assess the potential cytotoxic and/or mutagenic widely of synthetic drugs prescribed. Due to intense use by the population of the drug simvastatin (Zocor) for the reduction of cholesterol, this study aimed to evaluate the cytotoxicity and mutagenicity of this drug in bone marrow cells of Wistar rats treated in vivo, via gavage, in acute treatment, in concentrations of 0.0015, 0015 and 0.15 mg/mL, and in root meristematic cells of Allium cepa L., in concentrations of 0.10, 10.0 and 100.0 mg/mL. In the two-test system used, the tested concentrations of simvastatin did not cause statistically significant changes by the chi-square test, the rate of cell division, showed no cytotoxic activity. In the animal test system, the Zocor, in concentrations evaluated, caused no significant increase in chromosomal alterations, not present, therefore, mutagenic effects, in this type and form of treatment, and concentrations evaluated. The results obtained in this work serve to aggregate data for work done with other systems-test, for assessing the effect of simvastatin on cellular level.

No campo das investigações farmacológicas é importante avaliar o potencial citotóxico e/ou mutagênico de medicamentos sintéticos amplamente prescritos. Devido ao intenso uso pela população do fármaco sinvastatina (Zocor) para a redução do colesterol, este trabalho teve por objetivo avaliar a citotoxicidade e a mutagenicidade deste medicamento em células de medula óssea de Ratos Wistar, tratados in vivo, via gavagem, em tratamento agudo, nas concentrações de 0,0015; 0,015 e 0,15 mg/mL, e em células meristemáticas de raiz de Allium cepa L., nas concentrações de 0,10; 10,0 e 100,0mg/mL. Nos dois sistemas-teste utilizados, as concentrações testadas da sinvastatina não causaram mudanças, estatisticamente significativas, pelo teste do qui-quadrado, no índice de divisão celular, não apresentando ação citotóxica. No sistema teste animal, o Zocor, nas concentrações avaliadas, não causou aumento significativo das alterações cromossômicas, não apresentando, portanto, efeito mutagênico, neste tipo e forma de tratamento, e nas concentrações avaliadas. Os resultados obtidos neste trabalho servirão para agregar dados a trabalhos feitos, com outros sistemas-teste, referentes à avaliação da ação da sinvastatina em nível celular.