Serological tests can be important tools to assist in the diagnosis of leprosy and can contribute to an earlier diagnosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antibody responses against ...phenolic glycolipid-1 (PGL-1), natural disaccharide linked to human serum albumin via an octyl (NDO-HSA), Leprosy IDRI Diagnostic-1 (LID-1) and natural disaccharide octyl--Leprosy IDRI Diagnostic-1 (NDO-LID) in leprosy patients, household contacts of patients and the general population.
Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays were used to analyze the antigen-specific antibody responses of 94 leprosy cases, 104 household contacts of cases and 2.494 individuals from the general population.
A positive correlation was observed for the antibody responses to all antigens studied. A higher proportion of seropositivity for all antigens, along with stronger magnitude of response, was observed in multibacillary (MB) leprosy patients and household contacts of MB leprosy patients compared with the levels observed in paucibacillary (PB) leprosy patients and household contacts of PB leprosy patients. A substantial and significant positive correlation was found between seropositivity and the bacterial index for the leprosy patients. Anti-PGL-1 tests were more frequently positive than anti-NDO-HSA tests among patients with all clinical forms of leprosy and among the group of household contacts. The LID-1 and NDO-LID antigens showed a greater capacity to identify household contacts and individuals from the general population infected with M. leprae.
Tests that measure the antibody responses against LID-1, NDO-LID, NDO-HSA and PGL-1 were effective tools for the detection of patients with MB leprosy. Our data indicate that the anti-LID-1 and anti-NDO-LID responses were more effective than an anti-NDO-HSA response for the identification of individuals with subclinical infection.
Dozens of marine fish species are known to form spawning aggregations, a behaviour that often increases the species vulnerability to fisheries. Therefore, it is widely recommended for aggregation ...sites to be considered a conservation priority, and implementation of management measures on those sites is essential. Here, we report for the first time the reproductive behaviour of the marbled grouper Dermatolepis inermis, observed at a lower mesophotic coral ecosystem of Fernando de Noronha, an oceanic tropical archipelago in the southwestern Atlantic. The event was characterised by an aggregation of six adult fish, displaying courtship behaviour and reproductive colouration. We also recorded an aggregation of about 20 dog snappers Lutjanus jocu at the same site, but no reproductive behaviour was observed. Finally, another aggregation was observed in the island's upper mesophotic reefs, with 25 terminal phase individuals of the Brazilian endemic parrotfish Sparisoma amplum. Our report reinforces the biological importance of mesophotic coral ecosystems, and highlights the urgent need of governmental policies for studying, monitoring, and protecting those reefs.
There is still controversy about the immunologic function of autotransplanted splenic tissue. In this study, splenic autotransplantation was performed in the abdominal cavity of mice, and the ...plaque‐forming cell (PFC) assay was used to investigate the frequency of antibody‐forming cells in response to sheep red blood cell (SRBC) immunization. BALB/c mice were divided into four groups according to the location of the autogenous graft: intraomental (IO), free peritoneal splenosis (FPS), retroperitoneal (RP), and nongrafted control (CT). Thirty days after surgery the mice were immunized intraperitoneally with SRBCs, and 4 days later splenic immunoglobulin M anti‐SRBC‐secreting cells were determined by counting the number of PFCs. All the immunized mice showed increased numbers of PFCs that were about 2 logs higher than those in the the nonimmunized controls (P < 0.005). The frequencies of anti‐SRBC‐producing cells in the tissues grafted in various sites of the abdominal cavity (IO, FPS, RP), in the normal spleen from nonoperated controls (CT), or in the sham‐operated control group (SCT) were not notably different (5582 ± 2475 PFC/107 cells for IO; 4849 ± 1856 for FPS; 6604 ± 2903 for RP; 5940 ± 5029 for CT; and 6172 ± 2203 for SCT). Similar histology with small architectural variations was observed in all implants; less white pulp was involved, and there was more congestion in the red pulp, with extensive sinusoids and reticular fiber proliferation. This study shows that the T cell‐dependent antibody response in implanted splenic tissues is as efficient as in the intact spleen, with no difference between the graft sites studied. This immune response does not depend on the slight architectural variations observed in the splenic implants.
Acute Chagas' disease triggers potent inflammatory reaction characterized by great increase of peripheral blood monocyte (PBM) and macrophage numbers. We studied the respiratory burst responses of ...PBM and peritoneal and splenic macrophages to in vivo infection (rats). The ultrastructure of heart inflammatory macrophages was also investigated. The infection increased the hydrogen peroxide (H
2O
2) production by PBM and splenic macrophages but not by peritoneal macrophages. Accordingly, the PBM and spleen cell numbers increased but the total number of peritoneal cells was similar to controls. Heart macrophages of infected rats exhibited increase (number and size) and activated morphology in parallel to high cardiomyocyte parasitism. Our data highlight the importance of innate immunity and H
2O
2production to host resistance during acute phase of
T. cruzi infection. A novel finding is that H
2O
2production seems related to specific types of monocytes/macrophages that are able to release this agent when in presence of high parasite load.
Symptomatic mucocele after esophageal exclusion Haddad, Rui; Teixeira Lima, Rodrigo; Henrique Boasquevisque, Carlos ...
Interactive cardiovascular and thoracic surgery,
08/2008, Letnik:
7, Številka:
4
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
Thoracic Surgery Division, Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine and Thoracic Diseases Institute, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
*Corresponding author. ...Rua Barão de Lucena 48, Sala 03 22260-020, Botafogo, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. Tel./fax: +55-21-33221545. E-mail address : haddad{at}ufrj.br (R. Haddad).
Surgical exclusion of the thoracic esophagus can result in the accumulation of secretions and dilatation of the esophageal remnant, a clinical picture known as esophageal mucocele. Although it is usually asymptomatic, if it increases in size it can produce a variety of compressive symptoms such as coughing, chest pain and respiratory distress. We present two cases of symptomatic mucocele after esophageal exclusion treated successfully with surgical resection. We believe that surgical resection should be considered for symptomatic patients, and that esophageal bypass surgery should be used with caution and indicated mostly in patients with a limited life span or with contraindications for esophagectomy.
Key Words: Esophageal mucocele; Complication esophageal bypass; Mediastinum; Cyst
Abstract Paracoccidioidomycosis is a chronic infection that primarily affects the lungs. Here we investigated cellular and humoral immune responses after intrathoracic Paracoccidioides brasiliensis ...infection in BALB/c mice. P. brasiliensis -colony-forming units (CFUs), fungal DNA and granulomas in lungs increased progressively, peaking at day 90 postinfection (p.i.). IFN-γ production was highest on day 15 p.i., declining thereafter. The kinetics of the NO production was similar to that described for IFN-γ. In contrast, IL-10 increased from day 45 p.i. reaching a peak at day 90. Levels of serum IgG1 were higher than IgG2a between days 30 and 90 p.i. 30% of mice died by day 90 p.i. These data indicate that infection with P. brasiliensis by the intrathoracic route shows high IFN-γ and NO production at day 15 p.i., unable to control multiplication of fungi, which appears to be associated with a progressive increase in IL-10 and in the number and complexity of granulomas.
The immunological activity of macrophages against pathogens in hosts includes the phagocytosis and the production of nitric oxide. We report herein the investigation of the effect of ...6‐carboxymethylthiopurine on nitric oxide production by murine macrophages as well as its effect on the cell viability and proliferation after stimulus with Mycobacterium bovis bacille Calmette–Guérin, interferon‐gamma or a combination of both. J774A.1 macrophages stimulated or not by bacille Calmette–Guérin (20 μg/mL), interferon‐gamma or both, were cultured in the presence of 6‐carboxymethylthiopurine (125, 250 and 500 μm). Nitric oxide production was measured by the Griess method and cell viability/proliferation by the diphenyltetrazolium assay 3‐(4, 5‐dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl)‐2, 5‐diphenyltetrazolium bromide. We observed an increase of J774A.1 cell proliferation after stimulus with bacille Calmette–Guérin at 125, 250 and 500 μm (69.1, 124.0 and 89.7%, respectively) and with interferon‐gamma at 125 and 250 μm (64.8% and 61.7%, respectively) (p < 0.05). In all cultures treated with 6‐carboxymethylthiopurine, interferon‐gamma‐activated nitric oxide production by J774A.1 cells decreased as well as when subjected to interferon‐gamma plus bacille Calmette–Guérin stimuli at 500 μm (p < 0.05). Altogether these data point to an anti‐inflammatory effect of 6‐carboxymethylthiopurine on stimulated macrophages.
Summary
Apoptosis of macrophages has been reported as an effective host strategy to control the growth of intracellular pathogens, including pathogenic mycobacteria. Tumour necrosis factor‐α (
TNF
...‐α) plays an important role in the modulation of apoptosis of infected macrophages. It exerts its biological activities via two distinct cell surface receptors,
TNFR
1 and
TNFR
2, whose extracellular domain can be released by proteolysis forming soluble
TNF
receptors (
sTNFR
1 and
sTNFR
2). The signalling through
TNFR
1 initiates the majority of the biological functions of
TNF
‐α, leading to either cell death or survival whereas
TNFR
2 mediates primarily survival signals. Here, the expression of TNF‐α receptors and the apoptosis of alveolar macrophages were investigated during the early phase of infection with attenuated and virulent mycobacteria in mice. A significant increase of apoptosis and high expression of
TNFR
1 were observed in alveolar macrophages at 3 and 7 days after infection with attenuated
M
ycobacterium bovis
but only on day 7 in infection with the virulent
M. bovis
. Low surface expression of
TNFR
1 and increased levels of
sTNFR
1 on day 3 after infection by the virulent strain were associated with reduced rates of apoptotic macrophages. In addition, a significant reduction in apoptosis of alveolar macrophages was observed in
TNFR1
−/−
mice at day 3 after bacillus Calmette–Guérin infection. These results suggest a potential role for
TNFR
1 in mycobacteria‐induced alveolar macrophage apoptosis
in vivo
. In this scenario, shedding of
TNFR
1 seems to contribute to the modulation of macrophage apoptosis in a strain‐dependent manner.
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