Background:
CoNS are part of the normal flora of the skin, upper respiratory tract and human intestine. CoNS are able to colonize host tissues or inert materials such as prosthetics, heart valves, ...pacemakers, and urinary and venous catheters. They can also internalize in host cells, thus eluding immune defenses and attack by antibiotics.
Objective:
In this study, we collected the epidemiological data and determined the antibiotic susceptibility of 828 CoNS, collected in Garibaldi Hospital (Catania, Italy) between January 2016 and October 2018.
Methods:
Strains were evaluated by determining the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) using the broth microdilution method, according to the guidelines of the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute. The antibiotic sensitivity pattern of CoNS against eighteen antibiotics was determined.
Results:
For all the 828 clinical isolates, varying resistance rates were observed: ampicillin (87%), penicillin (86%), amoxicillin-clavulanate (71%), oxacillin (70%), erythromycin (69%), azithromycin (68%), levofloxacin (55%), ciprofloxacin (54%), gentamycin (47%), moxifloxacin (42%), trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (30%), clindamycin (28%), tetracycline (24%), rifampicin (20%), quinupristin-dalfopristin (synercid) (4%). No strains investigated demonstrated resistance to teicoplanin, vancomycin and linezolid.
Conclusion:
Our results highlight the importance of monitoring the evolution of CoNS resistance in order to implement control measures and reduce the risk of spread in the population.
Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the leading cause of mortality for oral cancer. Numerous risk factors mainly related to unhealthy habits and responsible for chronic inflammation and infections ...have been recognized as predisposing factors for oral carcinogenesis. Recently, even microbiota alterations have been associated with the development of human cancers. In particular, some specific bacterial strains have been recognized and strongly associated with oral cancer development (Capnocytophaga gingivalis, Fusobacterium spp., Streptococcus spp., Peptostreptococcus spp., Porphyromonas gingivalis and Prevotella spp.). Several hypotheses have been proposed to explain how the oral microbiota could be involved in cancer pathogenesis by mainly paying attention to chronic inflammation, microbial synthesis of cancerogenic substances, and alteration of epithelial barrier integrity. Based on knowledge of the carcinogenic effects of dysbiosis, it was recently suggested that probiotics may have anti-tumoral activity. Nevertheless, few data exist with regard to probiotic effects on oral cancer. On this basis, the association between the development of oral cancer and oral dysbiosis is discussed focusing attention on the potential benefits of probiotics administration in cancer prevention.
BACKGROUNDHepatic encephalopathy (HE) is a reversible neuropsychiatric syndrome in patients with liver disease. It was suggested that Bifidobacterium+fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) may decrease blood ...and brain ammonia levels.
AIMThe study was conducted to compare the efficacy of Bifidobacterium+FOS and lactulose in patients with HE.
METHODSOne hundred and twenty-five patients (35 hepatitis B virus infected, 70 hepatitis C virus infected and 20 cryptogenetic cirrhosis) were enrolled in the study. Patients were randomized either to a treatment for 60 days with Bifidobacterium and FOS (group A) or into-group receiving lactulose (group B) in double-blind.
RESULTSAfter 30 days of the study period, the Bifidobacterium+FOS-treated patients compared with lactulose-treated patients showed a significant decrease of Trail Making Test B (TMT B) (P<0.005), and a significant increase of Symbol Digit Modalities Test (P<0.001) and Block Design Test (P<0.001).After 60 days of the study period, the Bifidobacterium+FOS-treated patients compared with lactulose-treated patients showed a significant decrease of NH4 fasting HE1 (P<0.001), TMT A (P<0.05), TMT B (P<0.001), and a significant increase of Symbol Digit Modalities Test (P<0.001) and Block Design Test (P<0.001).
CONCLUSIONThe treatment with Bifidobacterium+FOS is an alternative to the use of lactulose in patients with cirrhosis, for its usefulness in reducing blood ammonia levels and improvement of psychometric tests.
Summary
The key aspect of neonatal meningitis is related to the ability of pathogens to invade the blood–brain barrier (BBB) and to penetrate the central nervous system. In the present study we show ...that, in an in vitro model of BBB, on the basis of co‐culturing primary bovine brain endothelial cells (BBEC) and primary bovine retinal pericytes (BRPC), Escherichia coli infection determines changes of transendothelial electrical resistance (TEER) and permeability (Pe) to sodium fluorescein. In the co‐culture model, within BBEC, bacteria are able to stimulate cytosolic and Ca2+‐independent phospholipase A2 (cPLA2 and iPLA2) enzyme activities. In supernatants of E. coli‐stimulated co‐cultures, an increase in prostaglandins (PGE2) and VEGF production in comparison with untreated co‐cultures were found. Incubation with E. coli in presence of AACOCF3 or BEL caused a decrease of PGE2 and VEGF release. SEM and TEM images of BBEC and BRPC showed E. coli adhesion to BBEC and BRPC but only in BBEC the invasion occurs. VEGFR‐1 but not VEGFR‐2 blockade by the specific antibody reduced E. coli invasion in BBEC. In our model of BBB infection, a significant loss of BRPC was observed. Following VEGFR‐1, but not VEGFR‐2 blockade, or in presence of AACOCF3 or BEL, elevated TEER values, reducedpermeability and BRPC loss were found. These data suggest that VEGFR‐1 negatively regulates BRPC survival and its blockade protects the barrier integrity. PGs and VEGF could exert a biological effect on BBB, probably by BRPC coverage ablation, thus increasing BBB permeability. Our results show the role played by the BBEC as well as BRPC during a bacterial attack on BBB. A better understanding of the mechanisms by which E. coli enter the nervous system and how bacteria alter the communication between endothelial cells and pericytes may provide exciting new insight for clinical intervention.
Cancer is the second leading cause of mortality worldwide and the constant search for novel therapeutics aims to increase the overall survival of the affected population. The human microbiota evolves ...with the host throughout the course of its entire life, as a direct consequence of individual diet and lifestyle habits. The gut microbiota tremendously affects human homeostasis and it has been widely observed that maintaining a healthy gut may prevent diseases, as well as ameliorate pathological conditions. According to the World Health Organization, probiotics may confer a health benefit on the host when administered in adequate amounts. Anticancer therapy often causes severe side-effects, including gastrointestinal toxicity. Several clinical trials have highlighted the efficacy of administering probiotics to cancer patients receiving anticancer care, with proven efficacy in reducing gut-related and life-threatening side-effects. To corroborate the clinical results, recent translational studies have indicated that the specific administration of selected bacterial gut species are capable of improving the immune check-point immunotherapy clinical outcome. Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG), a model probiotic widely studied in oncology, has been proven to be beneficial when administered during anticancer therapy. In this review, we report the up-to-date clinical advancements obtained following the administration of probiotics during anticancer therapy, with particular focus on the promising probiotic strain LGG. Key words: probiotics, cancer, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, immune-checkpoint inhibitors, integrated therapy, dysbiosis, Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG
Retinoblastoma is the most common intraocular tumour in children. In view of understanding the molecular mechanisms through which angiogenic switch on happens in the early phases of reciprocal ...interaction between tumour and cells constituting retinal microvessel, Transwell co-cultures constituted by human retinal endothelial cells (HREC), pericytes (HRPC), and human retinoblastoma cell line Y-79 were performed. Y-79 enhanced HREC proliferation, reduced by the introduction of HRPC in triple culture. In HREC/HRPC cultures, TGF-β in media increased, decreasing in triple cultures. High VEGF levels in triple cultures witnessed the establishment of a stronglyin vitroangiogenic environment. Y-79 induced in HREC an increase in c- and iPLA2, phospho-cPLA2, inducible COX-2 protein expressions, PLA2activities and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) release. These effects were attenuated when HRPC were introduced in triple culture. Moreover, antibody silencing of TGF-β demonstrated a strong correlation between the signalling pathway triggered by TGF-β of pericytal origin and the phospholipase activation and the modulation of PGE2 release. Inhibiting VEGFA effect, the HRPC loss in triple culture decreased, showing its modulatory effect on their survival. Relying on the data here presented, sustaining the pericytal survival in a tumour retinal environment could ensure the integrity of microvessels and the TGF-β supply, essential for controlling aberrant endothelial pruning and angiogenesis.
Castanea sativa is particularly exploited in the Mediterranean basin, for fruit and wood production. Several authors studied the possible effects of C. sativa compounds as interesting ingredients for ...food supplements, cosmetics and pharmaceutical products. Some of the most antioxidant molecules are not always found in fruits, but in matrices richer in polyphenols like flowers or shells. In the present study, antioxidant, antimicrobial and anticancer properties of C. sativa (Fagaceae) aqueous and ethanolic pellicle extracts were investigated for the first time. The ethanolic extract had the highest total polyphenol and flavonoid content and was also found to have the highest antioxidant activity in dose dependent manner. The antimicrobial tests showed that only ethanolic extract inhibited the growth of bacteria, whereas no activity was recorded by the aqueous extract. The cytotoxicity of both extracts was evaluated on MCF-7 breast cancer cell line by the MTT assay and reactive oxygen species (ROS) determination, suggesting a potential antiproliferative activity. Our results suggested that C. sativa ethanolic pellicle extract might represent a good natural source of antioxidant, antimicrobial and anticancer agents with potential health benefits.
In the present study, the in vitro activity of the sulbactam–durlobactam (SUL–DUR) combination was evaluated against 141 carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii (CRAb) clinical strains collected from six ...Italian laboratories. Over half (54.6%) of these isolates were resistant to colistin. The SUL–DUR combination was active against these CRAb isolates with MICsub.50 and MICsub.90 values of 0.5 mg/L and 4 mg/L, respectively. Only eleven isolates were resistant to SUL–DUR with MIC values ranging from 8 to 128 mg/L. The SUL–DUR resistant A. baumannii exhibited several antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) such as blasub.OXA-20, blasub.OXA-58, blasub.OXA-66, blasub.ADC-25, aac(6′)-Ib3 and aac(6′)-Ib-cr and mutations in gyrA (S81L) and parC (V104I, D105E). However, in these isolates, mutations Q488K and Y528H were found in PBP3. Different determinants were also identified in these CRAb isolates, including adeABC, adeFGH, adeIJK, abeS, abaQ and abaR, which encode multidrug efflux pumps associated with resistance to multiple antibacterial agents. This is the first report on the antimicrobial activity of SUL–DUR against carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii isolates selected from multiple regions in Italy.
It is suspected that microbial infections take part in the pathogenesis of diabetes mellitus type 1 (T1DM). Glucose-induced insulin secretion is accompanied by the release of free arachidonic acid ...(AA) mainly by cytosolic- and calcium independent phospholipases A.sub.2 (cPLA.sub.2 and iPLA.sub.2). Insulinoma cell line (INS-1E) was infected with E. coli isolated from the blood culture of a patient with sepsis. Invasion assay, Scanning Electron Microscopy and Transmission Electron Microscopy demonstrated the capacity of E. coli to enter cells, which was reduced by PLA.sub.2 inhibitors. Glucose-induced insulin secretion was significantly increased after acute infection (8h) but significantly decreased after chronic infection (72h). PLA.sub.2 activities, cPLA.sub.2, iPLA.sub.2, phospho-cPLA.sub.2, and COX-2 expressions were increased after acute and, even more, after chronic E. coli infection. The silencing of the two isoforms of PLA.sub.2 s, with specific cPLA.sub.2 - or iPLA.sub.2 -siRNAs, reduced insulin secretion after acute infection and determined a rise in insulin release after chronic infection. Prostaglandins E.sub.2 (PGE.sub.2) production was significantly elevated in INS-1E after long-term E. coli infection and the restored insulin secretion in presence of L798106, a specific EP3 antagonist, and NS-398, a COX-2 inhibitor, and the reduction of insulin secretion in presence of sulprostone, a specific EP3 agonist, revealed their involvement in the effects triggered by bacterial infection. The results obtained demonstrated that cPLA.sub.2 and iPLA.sub.2 play a key role in insulin secretion process after E. coli infection. The high concentration of AA released is transformed into PGE.sub.2, which could be responsible for the reduced insulin secretion.
BACKGROUND: Chlamydia trachomatis is responsible for a widespread sexually transmitted infection. In men, it is associated with a wide clinical spectrum causing infertility. Furthermore, C. ...trachomatis serovar E infection decreases motility and increases the number of non-viable sperm. No other effects of C. trachomatis have been reported on sperm despite the crucial role of DNA integrity for sperm function. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of C. trachomatis on sperm apoptosis. METHODS: Sperm from eight normozoospermic men were incubated with increasing concentrations of C. trachomatis serovar E elementary bodies (EB) for 6 and 24 h. Sperm were then collected to evaluate phosphatidylserine (PS) membrane translocation and DNA fragmentation by Annexin V–propidium iodide staining, TUNEL assay and flow cytometry. RESULTS: After 6 h of incubation, C. trachomatis had no effect on the percentage of sperm showing PS externalization. However, a significant effect on this parameter was observed after 24 h. C. trachomatis also significantly increased the number of sperm with DNA fragmentation both after 6 and 24 h of incubation. CONCLUSIONS: C. trachomatis causes sperm PS externalization and DNA fragmentation. These effects may explain the negative direct impact of C. trachomatis infection on sperm fertilizing ability.
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