João Victor Cabral-Costa

Libbs Pharmaceutical | Libbs

Phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) is an important protein with key modulatory functions in cell growth and survival. PTEN is crucial during embryogenesis and plays a key role in the central nervous system (CNS), where it directly modulates neuronal development and synaptic plasticity. Loss of PTEN signaling function is associated with cognitive...

The brain is highly dependent on mitochondrial energy metabolism. As a result, mitochondrial dysfunction is a central aspect of many adult-onset neurological diseases, including stroke, ALS, Alzheimer's, Huntington's, and Parkinson's diseases. We review here how different mitochondrial functions, including oxidative phosphorylation, mitochondrial d...

Microglial activation involves both fragmentation of the mitochondrial network and changes in cellular Ca²⁺ homeostasis, but possible modifications in mitochondrial calcium uptake have never been described in this context. Here we report that activated microglial BV-2 cells have impaired mitochondrial calcium uptake, including lower calcium retenti...

Intracellular Ca²⁺ concentrations are strictly controlled by plasma membrane transporters, the endoplasmic reticulum, and mitochondria, in which Ca²⁺ uptake is mediated by the mitochondrial calcium uniporter complex (MCUc), while efflux occurs mainly through the mitochondrial Na⁺/Ca²⁺ exchanger (NCLX). We inhibited NCLX function pharmacologically o...

Astrocytes are a heterogenous population of macroglial cells spread throughout the central nervous system with diverse functions, expression signatures, and intricate morphologies. Their subcellular compartments contain a distinct range of mitochondria, with functional microdomains exhibiting widespread activities, such as controlling local metabol...

High-fat diet-induced metabolic changes are not restricted to the onset of cardiovascular diseases, but also include effects on brain functions related to learning and memory. This study aimed to evaluate mitochondrial markers and function, as well as cognitive function, in a rat model of metabolic dysfunction. Eight-week-old male Wistar rats were...

Mitochondria shape intracellular Ca²⁺ signaling through the concerted activity of Ca²⁺ uptake via mitochondrial calcium uniporters and efflux by Na⁺/Ca²⁺ exchangers (NCLX). Here, we describe a novel relationship among NCLX, intracellular Ca²⁺, and autophagic activity. Conditions that stimulate autophagy in vivo and in vitro, such as caloric restric...

High-fat diet-induced metabolic changes are not restricted to the onset of cardiovascular diseases, but also include effects on brain functions related to learning and memory. This study aimed to evaluate mitochondrial markers and function, as well as cognitive function, in a rat model of metabolic dysfunction. Eight-week-old male Wistar rats were...

Autophagy is responsive to intracellular signals, including calcium (Ca2+) ions. Mitochondrial Ca2+ transporters such as the mitochondrial calcium uniporter (MCU, an uptake pathway) and Na+/Li+/Ca2+ exchanger (NCLX, an efflux pathway) are known to shape Ca2+ signals within the cell, thereby regulating Ca2+-sensitive cellular processes. However, the...

Edited by Roger Colbran Calcium (Ca 2+) is a key regulator in diverse intracellular signaling pathways and has long been implicated in metabolic control and mitochondrial function. Mitochondria can actively take up large amounts of Ca 2+ , thereby acting as important intracellular Ca 2+ buffers and affecting cytosolic Ca 2+ tran-sients. Excessive m...

This preprint event toolkit provides a 10-step guide for how to conceptualize, organize and run a preprint-related event, either in person or online. The toolkit includes an event preparation document template, email templates to approach possible collaborators and speakers, tips on how get buy in and promote the event, and information on how ASAPb...

Astrocytes are a heterogeneous population of macroglial cells spread throughout the central nervous system with diverse functions, expression signatures, and intricate morphologies. Their subcellular compartments contain a distinct range of mitochondria, with functional microdomains exhibiting widespread activities, such as controlling local metabo...

Intracellular Ca2+ concentrations are strictly controlled by plasma membrane transporters, the endoplasmic reticulum, and mitochondria, in which Ca2+ uptake is mediated by the mitochondrial calcium uniporter complex (MCUc), while efflux occurs mainly through the mitochondrial Na+/Ca2+ exchanger (NCLX). RNAseq database repository searches led us to...

Mitochondrial Ca2+ efflux is essential for mitochondrial and cell Ca2+ homeostasis. Mitochondrial inner membrane Ca2+/H+ and Na+/Li+/Ca2+ (NCLX) exchangers are known today to be plastic transporters, with important roles in physiological responses and pathological states. Until now, however, no consensus protocols were available to measure mitochon...

Autophagy is an essential cellular process regulated by intracellular calcium signals, which play an important role in autophagic activation during metabolic changes. Calcium transporters are present in mitochondria, an organelle able to uptake and release calcium ions, thus participating in cellular calcium signaling. Uptake by mitochondria is med...

Mitochondrial matrix Ca2+ efflux is largely mediated by the mitochondrial Na+ /Ca2+ exchanger (NCLX), directly coupling mitochondrial Ca2+ and Na+ handling. NCLX has been shown to play a central role in many pathophysiological processes, including colorectal tumor metastasis, and Parkinson's and Alzheimer diseases. Indeed, sporadic Alzheimer´s dise...

Abstract: Calcium (Ca 2+) is a key regulator in diverse intracellular signaling pathways, and has long been implicated in metabolic control and mitochondrial function. Mitochondria can actively take up large amounts of Ca 2+ , thereby acting as important intracellular Ca 2+ buffers and affecting cytosolic Ca 2+ transients. Excessive mitochondrial m...

Changes in mitochondrial size and shape have been implicated in several physiologic processes, but their role in mitochondrial Ca²⁺ uptake regulation and overall cellular Ca²⁺ homeostasis is largely unknown. Here we show that modulating mitochondrial dynamics toward increased fusion through expression of a dominant negative (DN) form of the fission...

A Jornada Científica dos Acadêmicos de Farmácia-Bioquímica ( JCAFB), da Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas da Universidade de São Paulo (FCF/USP), é um projeto voluntário, autogerido e de extensão universitária. Criado em 1965, conta com a participação de professores, residentes farmacêuticos e estudantes. Inicialmente, teve a finalidade de invest...

Nrf2/skn-1, a transcription factor known to mediate adaptive responses of cells to stress, also regulates energy metabolism in response to changes in nutrient availability. The ability to locate food sources depends upon chemosensation. Here we show that Nrf2/skn-1 is expressed in olfactory interneurons, and is required for proper integration of mu...

Primary data for the analysis of chemotaxis response to benzaldehyde. (TIF)

List of primers used for quantitative PCR and cloning. (TIF)

Primary data for the analysis of chemotaxis response to 1% benzaldehyde in presence of known concentrations of OP50 at the origin. (TIF)

Primary data for the analysis of the fraction of animals remaining at the origin during chemotaxis experiments performed with the indicated concentration of benzaldehyde. (TIF)

Primary data for the analysis of the fraction of animals remaining at the indicated concentration of OP50 (origin) during chemotaxis experiments performed in 1% benzaldehyde). (TIF)

(A) Percentage of N2 and skn-1(zu67) animals remaining at the origin in presence of the indicated concentrations of benzaldehyde. (B) N2 and skn-1(zu135) worms display identical locomotion abilities. Animals were placed on an empty plate and allowed to crawl freely for 60 min. Their position was scored and the percentage of animals in the center (Z...

Effect of pan-neuronal skn-1b reconstitution on dwelling behavior performed in presence of 0.033x OP50 at the origin. (TIF)

Primary data for the analysis of thermotaxis response in a radial thermal gradient. (TIF)

Effect of skn-1b reconstitution in AIY interneurons on dwelling behavior performed in presence of 0.033x OP50 at the origin. (TIF)

Steroid hormones, such as sex hormones and glucocorticoids, have been demonstrated to play a role in different cellular processes in the central nervous system, ranging from neurodevelopment to neurodegeneration. Environmental factors, such as calorie intake or fasting frequency, may also impact on such processes, indicating the importance of exter...

Recent data from epidemiologic studies have shown that the majority of the public health costs are related to age-related disorders, and most of these diseases can lead to neuronal death. The specific signaling mechanisms underpinning neurodegeneration and aging are incompletely understood. Much work has been directed to the search for the etiology...

High fat diets are extensively associated with health complications within the spectrum of the metabolic syndrome. Some of the most prevalent of these pathologies, often observed early in the development of high-fat dietary complications, are non-alcoholic fatty liver diseases. Mitochondrial bioenergetics and redox state changes are also widely ass...