Characterization of Depression- and Anxiety-Like Behaviours in a Mouse Model of Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis.

Relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) is an autoimmune neurological disease and is the most common subtype of MS. In addition, it is associated with the development of depression and anxiety. To date, depressive- and anxiety-like behaviours were only studied using models of progressive MS, which causes severe motor alterations. Thus, we sought to standardise the depressive and anxiety-like behaviours in an RRMS model induced by experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (RR-EAE) in mice. The RR-EAE model was induced in C57BL/6 female mice using myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG35-55) antigen and Quillaja saponin (Quil A) as an adjuvant. The immunisation of RR-EAE did not induce locomotor alteration but caused relapsing-remitting induction of clinical scores in mice until 35 post-immunization (p.i.). Also, increased levels of tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), astrocyte marker (GFAP), and microglial markers (IBA-1) were detected in the prefrontal cortex at 35 p.i. of RR-EAE. In the open field test, RR-EAE mice showed decreased time spent at the centre and sniffing behaviour (at days 21 and 34 p.i.). Also, on day 35 p.i. the RR-EAE group spent less time in the open arms and had decreased open-arm entries compared to control mice in the elevated plus maze (EPM) test, confirming the anxiety-like behaviour. At day 36° p.i. in the tail suspension test, mice showed depression-like behaviour with decreased latency time and increased immobility time. Thus, the RR-EAE model mimics the neuroinflammatory and behavioural features of the RRMS, including depression- and anxiety-like symptoms.

Green Synthesis of Gold Nanoparticles with Curcumin or Açai in the Tissue Repair of Palatal Wounds.

This study aimed to evaluate and compare the effects of treatment with gold nanoparticles (GNPs) reduced with Curcumin (Curcuma longa L.) or Açai (Euterpe oleracea) to a standard commercial treatment of the pharmacological type (Omcilon®) and an electrophysical agent (photobiomodulation) in the palatal wounds of rats. As for the in vitro assay, a cell viability test was performed to assess the toxicity of the synthesized nanoparticles. In vivo assay: 60 Wistar rats were divided into five groups (n = 12): I. Palatal Wound (PW); II. PW + Photobiomodulation (PBM); III. PW + Omcilon®; IV. PW + GNPs-Cur (0.025 mg/mL); V. PW + GNPs-Açai (0.025 mg/mL). Animals were first anesthetized, and circular lesions in the palatine mucosa were induced using a 4 mm-diameter punch. The first treatment session started 24 h after the injury and occurred daily for 5 days. The animals were euthanized, and the palatal mucosa tissue was removed for histological, biochemical, and molecular analysis. GNPs-Açai were able to significantly reduce pro-inflammatory cytokines and increase anti-inflammatory ones, reduce oxidant markers, and reduce inflammatory infiltrate while increasing the collagen area and contraction rate of the wound, along with an improved visual qualification. The present study demonstrated that the proposed therapies of GNPs synthesized greenly, thus associating their effects with those of plants, favor the tissue repair process in palatal wounds.