Sulforaphane protects from myocardial ischemia-reperfusion damage through the balanced activation of Nrf2/AhR.

The activation of the transcription factor Nrf2 and the consequent increment in the antioxidant response might be a powerful strategy to contend against reperfusion damage. In this study we compared the effectiveness between sulforaphane (SFN), a well known activator of Nrf2 and the mechanical maneuver of post-conditioning (PostC) to confer cardioprotection in an in vivo cardiac ischemia-reperfusion model. We also evaluated if additional mechanisms, besides Nrf2 activation contribute to cardioprotection. Our results showed that SFN exerts an enhanced protective response as compared to PostC. Bot, strategies preserved cardiac function, decreased infarct size, oxidative stress and inflammation, through common protective pathways; however, the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) also participated in the protection conferred by SFN. Our data suggest that SFN-mediated cardioprotection involves transient Nrf2 activation, followed by phase I enzymes upregulation at the end of reperfusion, as a long-term protection mechanism.

Tumor neuroepitelial disembrioplásico durante el embarazo. Reporte de un caso / Dysembryoplastic neuroepithelial tumor during pregnancy. A case report

Resumen ANTECEDENTES: el tumor neuroepitelial disembrioplásico es una neoplasia poco frecuente del sistema nervioso central que causa crisis convulsivas focales resistentes al tratamiento farmacológico en pacientes jóvenes; su manifestación durante el embarazo es excepcional. CASO CLÍNICO: paciente femenina de 33 años de edad, con antecedente de tres embarazos y que, durante el cuarto, en la semana 12, inició con crisis convulsivas. El diagnóstico, por resonancia magnética nuclear, fue de tumor en el lóbulo frontal izquierdo, razón por la que se vigiló estrechamente hasta el final del embarazo, que concluyó por parto, sin ninguna complicación. Debido a que en la segunda resonancia magnética se evidenció el crecimiento de la lesión, se decidió la resección quirúrgica. El diagnóstico histopatológico informó que se trató de un tumor neuroepitelial disembrioplásico. Aunque hubo una influencia del embarazo en el comportamiento y crecimiento de este tipo de tumor, no fue posible observar la expresión de receptores hormonales en las células del tumor y el tratamiento no se modificó por la gestación. CONCLUSIONES: la repercusión del embarazo en el tumor neuroepitelial disembrioplásico no se explica por la influencia de las hormonas; este tipo de tumor sigue siendo una neoplasia benigna en el contexto de una gestación, porque no ha mostrado complicaciones que pongan en riesgo la vida de la madre y su feto.

Abstract BACKGROUND: Dysembryoplastic neuroepithelial tumor is a less frequently primary central nervous system neoplasm that causes focal seizures resistant to pharmacological treatment in young patients and its presentation during pregnancy is very rare. CASE REPORT: We report here the case of a 33 years old woman who started with seizures at 12th week of her fourth gestation. She was diagnosed by cerebral magnetic resonance imaging with a left frontal lobe tumor and was observed carefully until the end of pregnancy solved by delivery without any complication. Second magnetic resonance was performed that evidenced enlargement of the injury, therefore resection was carried out and histopathological diagnosis was for dysembryoplastic neuroepithelial tumor. Although it was observed an influence of pregnancy on clinical behavior and growth of this kind of tumor we did not find expression of hormonal receptors in the cells of the lesion and treatment was not modified by gestation. CONCLUSIONS: So impact of pregnancy on dysembryoplastic neuroepithelial tumor is not explained by a hormonal influence and this kind of tumor stills being a benign neoplasm in the context of gestation, since it has shown no risk of maternal and fetal life threatening complications.