Renal Progenitor Cells Have Higher Genetic Stability and Lower Oxidative Stress than Mesenchymal Stem Cells during In Vitro Expansion.

In vitro senescence of multipotent cells has been commonly associated with DNA damage induced by oxidative stress. These changes may vary according to the sources of production and the studied lineages, which raises questions about the effect of growing time on genetic stability. This study is aimed at evaluating the evolution of genetic stability, viability, and oxidative stress of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCBMsu) and renal progenitor cells of the renal cortex (RPCsu) of swine (Sus scrofa domesticus) in culture passages. P2, P5, and P9 were used for MSCBMsu and P1, P2, and P3 for RPCsu obtained by thawing. The experimental groups were submitted to MTT, apoptosis and necrosis assays, comet test, and reactive substance measurements of thiobarbituric acid (TBARS), nitrite, reduced glutathione (GSH), and catalase. The MTT test curve showed a mean viability of 1.14 ± 0.62 and 1.12 ± 0.54, respectively, for MSCBMsu and RPCsu. The percentages of MSCBMsu and RPCsu were presented, respectively, for apoptosis, an irregular and descending behavior, and necrosis, ascending and irregular. The DNA damage index showed higher intensity among the MSCBMsu in the P5 and P9 passages (p < 0.05). In the TBARS evaluation, there was variation among the lines of RPCsu and MSCBMsu, presenting the last most significant variations (p < 0.05). In the nitrite values, we identified only among the lines, in the passages P1 and P2, with the highest averages displayed by the MSCBMsu lineage (p < 0.05). The measurement of antioxidant system activity showed high standards, identifying differences only for GSH values, in the RPCsu lineage, in P3 (p < 0.05). This study suggests that the maintenance of cell culture in the long term induces lower regulation of oxidative stress, and RPCsu presents higher genetic stability and lower oxidative stress than MSCBMsu during in vitro expansion.

CARDIOTHORACIC RATIO AND VERTEBRAL HEART SCALE IN CLINICALLY NORMAL BLACK-RUMPED AGOUTIS (DASYPROCTA PRYMNOLOPHA, WAGLER 1831).

Wild rodents, such as the lowland paca (Cuniculus paca), capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris), rock cavy (Kerodon rupestris), guinea pig (Cavia aperea), and black-rumped agouti (Dasyprocta prymnolopha) are intensely hunted throughout Amazonia and at the semiarid regions of northeastern Brazil. To contribute to the preservation of these species, more information about their anatomy, physiology and pathophysiology is needed. The aim of this study was to standardize the vertebral heart scale (VHS) and cardiothoracic ratio (CTR) in clinically normal black-rumped agouti, as well as to compare the results of these two methods, which are commonly used to evaluate the cardiac silhouette in domestic animals. Twelve healthy black-rumped agoutis, divided into two groups (six males and six females), obtained from the Nucleus for Wild Animal Studies and Conservation at the Federal University of Piauí, were radiographed in right and left lateral and dorsoventral projections. The values of the VHS were 8.00±0.31v (the number of thoracic vertebral length spanned by each dimension, starting at T4) for males and 8.11±0.41v for females, and there was no statistical difference between the decubitus (right and left) or between males and females (P>0.05). The CTR mean values obtained were 0.51±0.03 for males, and 0.52±0.02 for females, and there was no statistical difference between the genders (P>0.05). However, there was positive correlation between VHS and CTR (r=0.77 right decubitus and r=0.82 left decubitus). The thoracic and heart diameter had mean values of 6.72±0.61 and 3.48±0.30 cm (males), and for the females, it was 6.61±0.51 and 3.5±0.30 cm, respectively, and there was statistical difference between the genders. The results demonstrated high correlation between the VHS and CTR producing similar results, indicating similar clinical precision for assessing the size of the cardiac silhouette in the black-rumped agoutis.