Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: EC:1.9.3.1 (cytochrome oxidase)
 8,822 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Increasing evidence suggests a critical role for oxidative and nitrosative stress in the pathogenesis of most important neurodegenerative disorders. Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by a severe depletion in number of dopaminergic cells of the substantia nigra (SN). Administration of L-DOPA (LD) is the more effective treatment for patients with PD. However, the vast majority of patients suffer LD-related complications, which represent the major problem in the clinical management of PD. In the present study, LD administration to rats resulted in a significant dose-dependent increase in Hsp70 synthesis which was specific for the SN. The amount of 70 kDa protein increased after 6 h treatment reaching the maximal induction after 24-48 h. Induction of Hsp70 in the SN was associated with a significant increase in constitutive Hsc70 and mitochondrial Hsp60 stress proteins, and with increased expression of mitochondrial complex I whereas no significant changes were found in the activity of complex IV. In the same experimental conditions, a significant decrease in reduced glutathione was observed, which was associated with an increased content of oxidized glutathione content as well as nitric oxide (NO) synthase activity, NO metabolites and nitrotyrosine immunoreactivity. Interestingly, Hsp70 induction, iNOS up-regulation and nitrotyrosine formation have been confirmed also in SN and striatum of rats treated with LD and carbidopa, this latter being an inhibitor of the peripheral DOPA decarboxylase. Our data are in favor of the importance of the heat shock signal pathway as a basic mechanism of defense against neurotoxicity elicited by free radical oxygen and nitrogen species produced in aging and neurodegenerative disorders.
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PMID:In vivo induction of heat shock proteins in the substantia nigra following L-DOPA administration is associated with increased activity of mitochondrial complex I and nitrosative stress in rats: regulation by glutathione redox state. 1724 Nov 15

The Neotropical region harbors an astonishing diversity of species, but still encompasses the least studied biogeographic region of the world. These properties apply for different taxonomic groups, and can be exemplified by drosophilids. In fact, high levels of cryptic diversity have recently been discovered for Neotropical species of the Zygothrica genus group, but relationships among these species, or them and other Drosophilidae species still remains to be addressed. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the phylogenetic relationships between fungus-associated Neotropical species of the genera Hirtodrosophila, Mycodrosophila and Zygothrica, which together with Paramycodrosophila and Paraliodrosophila compose the Zygothrica genus group. For this, fragments of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunits I (COI) and II (COII) genes, and the nuclear alpha methyldopa (Amd) and dopa decarboxylase (Ddc) genes were newly characterized for 43 Neotropical specimens of fungus-associated drosophilids, and analyzed in the context of 51 additional Drosophilinae sequences plus one Steganinae outgroup. Based on the resulting phylogeny, the evolution of breeding sites usage was also evaluated through ancestral character reconstructions. Our results revealed the Zygothrica genus group as a monophyletic lineage of Drosophila that branches after the subgenera Sophophora and Drosophila. Within this lineage, Mycodrosophila species seem to encompass the early offshoot, followed by a grade of Hirtodrosophila species, with derived branches mostly occupied by representatives of Zygothrica. This genus, in particular, was subdivided into five major clades, two of which include species of Hirtodrosophila, whose generic status needs to be reevatuated. According to our results, the use of fungi as breeding sites encompasses a symplesiomorphy for the Zygothrica genus group, since one of the recovered clades is currently specialized in using flowers as breeding sites whereas a sole species presents a reversal to the use of fruits of a plant of Gentianales. So, in general, this study supports the paraphyly of Drosophila in relation to fungus-associated Neotropical species of Drosophilidae, providing the first molecular insights into the phylogenetic patterns related to the evolution of this diverse group of species and some of its characteristic traits.
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PMID:Phylogenetic relationships between fungus-associated Neotropical species of the genera Hirtodrosophila, Mycodrosophila and Zygothrica (Diptera, Drosophilidae), with insights into the evolution of breeding sites usage. 3193 Nov 36