RESUMO Introdução: p-cresol (PC) e p-cresil sulfato (PCS) são responsáveis por muitas das consequências clínicas uremia, tais como a aterosclerose em pacientes com Doença Renal Crônica (DRC). Objetivos: No presente trabalho, investigamos in vitro o impacto de PC e PCS na expressão da quimiocina monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) via NF-kappa B (NF-κB) p65 em VSMC. Métodos: O PCS foi sintetizado por sulfatação do PC. As VSMC foram extraídas por digestão enzimática da veia do cordão umbilical e caracterizadas por imunofluorescência através do anticorpo α-actina. As células foram tratadas com PC e PCS em suas concentrações normal (n), urêmica (u) e urêmica máxima (m). A viabilidade celular foi avaliada pelo ensaio de MTT. A expressão de MCP-1 foi investigada por ELISA em sobrenadantes de células após o tratamento com as toxinas, com ou sem o inibidor de NF-κB p65. Resultados: Não houve diferença significativa na viabilidade das células após o tratamento com toxinas para todas as concentrações testadas. Houve um aumento significativo na expressão de MCP-1 em células tratadas com PCu e PCm (p < 0,001) e PCSn, PCSu e PCSm (p < 0,001), em comparação com o controle. Quando as VSMC foram tratadas com o inibidor de NF-κB p65 mais PCu e PCm, houve uma diminuição significativa na produção de MCP-1 (p < 0,005). Este efeito não foi observado com PCS. Conclusões: VSMC estão envolvidas na formação da lesão aterosclerótica e produção de MCP-1, o que contribui para o início da resposta inflamatória. Os nossos resultados sugerem que a PC medeia a produção de MCP-1 em VSMC, provavelmente através da via NF-κB p65 e que PCS atue através de uma subunidade diferente da via, uma vez que o inibidor da porção p65 não foi capaz de inibir a produção de MCP-1.

ABSTRACT Introduction: p-cresol (PC) and p-cresyl sulfate (PCS) are responsible for many of the uremia clinical consequences, such as atherosclerosis in Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) patients. Objectives: We investigate the in vitro impact of PC and PCS on monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) expression via NF-kappa B (NF-κB) p65 in VSMC. Methods: PCS was synthesized by PC sulfatation. VSMC were extracted by enzymatic digestion of umbilical cord vein and characterized by immunofluorescence against α-actin antibody. The cells were treated with PC and PCS at their normal (n), uremic (u) and maximum uremic concentrations (m). Cell viability was assessed by MTT. MCP-1 expression was investigated by ELISA in cells supernatants after toxins treatment with or without the NF-κB p65 inhibitor. Results: There was no significant difference in cell viability after toxins treatment for all concentrations tested. There was a significant increase in MCP-1 expression in cells treated with PCu and PCm (p < 0.001) and PCSn, PCSu and PCSm (p < 0.001), compared with the control. When VSMC were treated with the NF-κB p65 inhibitor plus PCu and PCm, there was a significant decrease in MCP-1 production (p < 0.005). This effect was not observed with PCS. Conclusions: VSMC are involved in atherosclerosis lesion formation and production of MCP-1, which contributes to the inflammatory response initiation. Our results suggest that PC mediates MCP-1 production in VSMC, probably through NF-κB p65 pathway, although we hypothesize that PCS acts through a different subunit pathway since NF-κB p65 inhibitor was not able to inhibit MCP-1 production.

AIM: To evaluate in vivo the association of hypericum Hypericum perforatum, valerian Valeriana officinalis and kava Piper methysticum with analgesia by assessing their effects in reducing orofacial pain as well as the possible hepatic, hematologic and biochemical alterations induced by regular administration of these extracts. METHODS: Orofacial pain was induced in mice with the administration of 2.5% formalin in the upper lip. After 60 min, the animals were treated with saline, carbamazepine and hydroalcoholic plant extracts. The nociceptive intensity was determined by the timing at which the animal remained rubbing the injected area. To assess the hepatotoxic effect, mice were chronically treated for 25 days with saline, carbamazepine and hydroalcoholic extract. The animals were euthanized and the liver weighed, followed by a differential count of leukocytes and measurement of alanine transaminase and alkaline phosphatase. RESULTS: The evaluation of analgesic activity in phase 1 reduced the time of rubbing compared to the control by 86% 0.05 mL/10 g and 76% 0.10 mL/10 g. In phase 2, the extracts reduced rubbing time by 94% and 85%, respectively. In the evaluation of alkaline phosphatase, the groups treated with extracts at doses of 0.05 mL/10 g and 0.1 mL/10 g increased by 16.1% and 9.5% compared to the control group and a reduction of 8.5% and 9.1% in the evaluation of alanine transaminase respectively. It was demonstrated that in the differential counts showed an increase in eosinophils in the treated group with 0.05 mL/10 g. CONCLUSIONS: The use of hydroalcoholic extract of the associated plants reduced the orofacial formalin-induced pain with better results than carbamazepine, at both the neural conductor level of pain phase 1 and in inflammatory or later pain phase 2 without presenting hepatotoxicity. The observed eosinophilia is suggestive of a phenomenon called hormesis.