Reactividad cruzada de una prueba de tamizaje para Enfermedad Celíaca con otros autoanticuerpos / Cross-reactivity of a screening test for celiac disease with other autoantibodies / Reatividade cruzada de um teste de screening para a doença celíaca com outros autoanticorpos

El objetivo del presente trabajo fue estudiar la presencia de reactividad cruzada de la prueba de tamizaje htTG/DGP para enfermedad celíaca (EC) con otros autoanticuerpos presentes en altos títulos en diferentes enfermedades autoinmunes (EA). Se realizó un estudio de corte transversal donde se seleccionaron 100 pacientes no celíacos, de ambos sexos (15 hombres, 85 mujeres) con edades entre 4 y 86 años que presentaban diversas EA. Para estudiar presencia de EC se realizaron por ELISA los ensayos QUANTALite® (INOVA Diagnostics, EE.UU.): htTG/DGPScreen, htTG IgA e IgG, Gliadina IgAII e IgGII. Los autoanticuerpos de otras EA se determinaron por inmunofluorescencia indirecta y por electroquimioluminiscencia. La reactividad cruzada encontrada con autoanticuerpos no específicos de EC fue de 2,0%. Las dos muestras positivas con la prueba de tamizaje (23,0 U y 24,9 U) presentaron anticuerpos anti-centrómero y anti-nucleares, con títulos 1/1280 y 1/640 respectivamente. Las mismas fueron analizadas para los marcadores de celiaquía y sólo una resultó positiva débil (21,8 U) para anti-Gliadina IgAII. La baja reactividad cruzada hallada con el ensayo de tamizaje htTG/DGP en presencia de otros autoanticuerpos permite concluir que dicha prueba constituye una herramienta de gran utilidad para la pesquisa de EC en pacientes con diferentes enfermedades autoinmunes.

The goal of this study was to show the presence of cross-reactivity screening test htTG/DGP for celiac disease (CD) with other autoantibodies present in high titers in different autoimmune diseases (AD). A cross-sectional study was performed for which 100 patients of both sexes (15 men, 85 women), aged between 4 and 86 years without CD who had different autoimmune pathologies were selected. To study the presence of CD, QUANTALite® (INOVA Diagnostics, USA): htTG/DGP Screen, htTG IgA and IgG, Gliadin IgAII and IgGII tests by ELISA were used. Other autoantibodies from AD were determined by indirect immunofluorescence and by electrochemiluminescence. Cross-reactivity with non-specific autoantibodies found in EC was 2.0%. The two positive samples of screening test (23,0 U and 24,9 U) had anti-centromere antibodies 1/1280 and anti-nuclear antibodies 1/640 respectively. They were analyzed for celiac disease markers and only one was weak positive (21,8 U) for anti-Gliadin IgAII. The low cross reactivity found with screening test htTG/DGP in the presence of other autoantibodies made it possible to conclude that this test is a useful tool for screening of CD in patients with different autoimmune diseases.

O objetivo deste trabalho foi estudar a presença de reatividade cruzada do teste de screening htTG/ DGP para a doença celíaca (DC) com outros autoanticorpos presentes em altos títulos em diferentes doenças autoimunes (DA). Foi realizado um estudo transversal para o qual foram selecionados 100 pacientes não-celíacos, de ambos os sexos (15 homens, 85 mulheres), com idades entre 4 e 86 anos que apresentavam diferentes patologias autoimunes (DA). Para estudar a presença de DC, realizaram-se por ELISA os ensaios QUANTALite® (INOVA Diagnostics, EUA): htTG/DGPScreen, htTG IgA e IgG, Gliadina IgAII e Gliadina IgGII por ELISA. Os autoanticorpos das outras DA foram determinados por imunofluorescência indireta e por eletroquimioluminescência. A reatividade cruzada encontrada com outros autoanticorpos não específicos de DC foi de 2,0%. As duas amostras positivas para o teste de screening (23,0 U e 24,9 U) apresentaram anticorpos anticentrômeros e antinucleares, com títulos 1/1280 e 1/640 respectivamente. Elas foram analisadas para os marcadores de doença celíaca e apenas uma resultou positiva fraca (21,8 U) para anti-Gliadina IgAII. A baixa reatividade cruzada encontrada com o teste de screening htTG/DGP em presença de outros autoanticorpos, permite concluir que este teste constitui um instrumento de grande utilidade para a pesquisa de doença celíaca em pacientes com diferentes doenças autoimunes.

La pubertad en niños chilenos muestra un adelantamiento en el inicio del crecimiento testicular / Age of onset of puberty in Chilean boys according to testicular volume and Tanner stage

Background: A secular trend towards a younger age of puberty onset has been reported in Chilean girls. Aim: To evaluate the age of onset of puberty and prevalence of early puberty in Chilean boys. Material and Methods: A pediatric endocrinologist examined 319 children attending schools in central Santiago. Pubertal development was assessed by testicular volume (TV) and genital inspection (GI) using Tanner graduation. Precocious and early puberty development was diagnosed if TV ≥ 4 ml or GI > stage 2 occurred in boys younger than 9 years and at 9-10 years of age, respectively. Results: Pubertal onset occurred at 10.2 ± 1.5 years according to TV and at 11.1 ± 1.6 years according to GI (p < 0.01). Before the age of nine, 15.2% of children had a VT ≥ 4 ml, 3% had genital changes in GI and only 3% had both changes simultaneously. Early puberty was observed in 23.8% of children according to TV and 9.5% according to GI. However, no child of less than 11 years old had a TV ≥ 4 ml, genital changes and pubic hair simultaneously. Late pubertal stages occurred at the same age according to both criteria used. Body mass index z score was not associated with the age of pubertal onset. Conclusions: Testicular enlargement occurs one year earlier than changes in genitalia according to inspection. Testicular growth, but not late stages of puberty, are occurring one year earlier than previously reported in Chile 10 years ago.

El camarón como una fuente de alérgenos / Shrimp as an allergen source

La alergia a los mariscos es una de las alergias alimentarias de mayor prevalencia en muchos países, especialmente la inducida por el consumo o contacto con los camarones. A varias especies de camarón se les conoce la capacidad de inducir alergias; sin embargo, el conjunto de alérgenos que producen no se conoce y pocos de ellos se han caracterizado completamente. Este trabajo se llevó a cabo para conocer los avances recientes en la caracterización de los alérgenos del camarón y su relación con alérgenos de otros artrópodos de importancia en las alergias. Se hace énfasis en la especie Litopenaeus vannamei , la de mayor consumo en Colombia. A los alérgenos de los camarones mayormente caracterizados se les nombra según la nomenclatura oficial, aunque se les conoce más por la función biológica asociada. La tropomiosina, el alérgeno principal y más estudiado en diferentes especies de camarón, participa en la reacción cruzada entre el camarón y otros artrópodos, como los ácaros domésticos. Los otros alérgenos caracterizados parecen contribuir poco en este tipo de reacción. El potencial alergénico del camarón L. vannamei no está completamente dilucidado y unos pocos de sus alérgenos se han caracterizado, mientras que otros recientemente identificados, como la hemocianina y las proteínas de unión a ácidos grasos, se empiezan a investigar. Los resultados preliminares sugieren que participan en la reacción cruzada entre el camarón y los ácaros. La caracterización molecular e inmunológica del conjunto de alérgenos presentes en el camarón, ayudaría a conocer mejor su papel alergénico.

Allergy to shellfish is one of the most prevalent food allergies in several countries, especially the one induced by consuming or having contact with shrimp. Several shrimp species are known to induce allergy diseases. However, the whole spectrum of allergens they contain is unknown and few of them have been completely characterized. This study was done in order to know the recent advances in the characterization of shrimp allergens and its relationship with allergens from other arthropods of importance in allergic diseases. We emphasize the species Litopenaeus vannamei , the most consumed shrimp in Colombia. Well characterized shrimp allergens are named following an official classification; nevertheless, they are better known according to the biological function associated with them. Tropomiosin, the main and most studied allergen in different shrimp species, is involved in crossreactivity among shrimp and other arthropods like domestic mites. The other characterized allergens seem to have a minor participation in this cross-reactivity. The allergenic potential of L. vannamei is not well known and few of its allergens have been characterized, whilst others that were recently identified such as the hemocyanin and the fatty acid binding proteins are beginning to be studied. Preliminary results suggest that these allergens are involved in the cross-reactivity between shrimp and domestic mites, which deserves further evaluation. The molecular and immunological characterization of all allergens present in shrimp would help understanding its allergenic role.

Formulation and Characterization of Antigen-loaded PLGA Nanoparticles for Efficient Cross-priming of the Antigen

BACKGROUND: Nanoparticles (NPs) prepared from biodegradable polymers, such as poly (D,L-lactic acid-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA), have been studied as vehicles for the delivery of antigens to phagocytes. This paper describes the preparation of antigen-loaded PLGA-NPs for efficient cross-priming. METHODS: NPs containing a similar amount of ovalbumin (OVA) but different sizes were produced using a micromixer-based W/O/W solvent evaporation procedure, and the efficiency of the NPs to induce the cross-presentation of OVA peptides were examined in dendritic cells (DCs). Cellular uptake and biodistribution studies were performed using fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-loaded NPs in mice. RESULTS: The NPs in the range of 1.1~1.4microm in size were the most and almost equally efficient in inducing the cross-presentation of OVA peptides via H-2Kb molecules. Cellular uptake and biodistribution studies showed that opsonization of the NPs with mouse IgG greatly increased the percentage of FITC-positive cells in the spleen and lymph nodes. The major cell type of FITC-positive cells in the spleen was macrophages, whereas that of lymph nodes was DCs. CONCLUSION: These results show that IgG-opsonized PLGA-NPs with a mean size of 1.1microm would be the choice of biodegradable carriers for the targeted-delivery of protein antigens for cross-priming in vivo.

Cellular Mechanism of Newly Synthesized Indoledione Derivative-induced Immunological Death of Tumor Cell

BACKGROUND: EY-6 is one of the newly synthesized indoledione derivatives to induce tumor cell-specific cell death. In this study, we investigated the mechanism of immunological death induced by EY-6 at mouse colon cancer cell as well as at the normal immune cell represented by dendritic cell. METHODS: C57BL/6 mouse syngeneic colon cancer cell MC38 was treated with EY-6, and analyzed by MTT for viability test, flow cytometry for confirming surface expressing molecules and ELISA for detection of cytokine secretion. Normal myeloid-dendritic cell (DC) was ex vivo cultured from bone marrow hematopoietic stem cells of C57BL/6 mice with GM-CSF and IL-4 to analyze the DC uptake of dead tumor cells and to observe the effect of EY-6 on the normal DC. RESULTS: EY-6 killed the MC38 tumor cells in a dose dependent manner (25, 50 and 100 microM) with carleticulin induction. And EY-6 induced the secretion of IFN-gamma but not of TNF-alpha from the MC38 tumor cells. EY-6 did not kill the ex-vivo cultured DCs at the dose killing tumor cells and did slightly but not significantly induced the DC maturation. The OVA-specific cross-presentation ability of DC was not induced by chemical treatment (both MHC II and MHC I-restricted antigen presentation). CONCLUSION: Data indicate that the EY-6 induced tumor cell specific and immunological cell death by modulation of tumor cell phenotype and cytokine secretion favoring induction of specific immunity eliminating tumor cells.

Evaluación de dos pruebas de inmunoblot con antígeno hidatídico de caprino y ovino para el diagnóstico de equinococosis humana / Evaluation of two immunoblot tests with goat and sheep hydatid antigen for human echinococcosis diagnosis

Para estimar el valor diagnóstico del antígeno hidatídico de caprino y de ovino en la prueba de inmunoblot para echinococosis quística, se usó 135 sueros, de los cuales 70 procedían de pacientes con hidatidosis confirmada por el hallazgo de protoescólices y membrana en el estudio anatomopatológico con la pieza quirúrgica; 45 a pacientes con otras enfermedades parasitarias y 20 a personas aparentemente sanas. La sensibilidad, la especificidad, el valor predictivo positivo y negativo de la prueba de inmunoblot, con antígeno hidatídico de caprino fue de 92,8%, 100%, 100% y 92,8%, respectivamente; mientras que de ovino fueron 91,4%, 95,3%, 95,5% y 91,1%, respectivamente. El índice kappa fue de 0,93 para el antígeno caprino y de 0,86 con el ovino en relación con el estudio anatomopatológico. Se recomienda el uso de ambos antígenos para el diagnóstico serológico de la equinococosis quística humana.

To estimate the diagnosis value of goat and ovine antigen for echinococcosis immunoblot test, 135 serums were used, of which 70 were coming from patients with hydatid disease confirmed by the finding of proto scolex and membrane in the pathology study of surgical piece, 45 from patients with other parasitic diseases and 20 apparently healthy people. The sensitivity, the specificity, positive and negative predictive value of immunoblot test, with hidatyd antigen of goat was of 92.8%, 100%, 100%, 92.8%, respectively, than for ovine antigen was 91.4%, 95.3%, 95.5%, 91.1%, respectively. Kappa index was 0.93 for goat antigen and 0.86 with sheep in relation to the pathological study. We recommended the use of both antigens for the serologic diagnosis of human echinococcosis.

Producción de anticuerpos IgG1 anti-glucuronoxilomanana en ratones resistentes a la criptococosis / Anti-glucuronoxylomannan IgG1 specific antibodies production in Cryptococcus neoformans resistant mice

Cryptococcus neoformans is a widely disseminated fungus shown to be responsible for infections in individuals with impaired cell mediated immunity, such as patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Cryptococcus neoformans has a polysaccharide capsule composed of glucuronoxylomannan (GXM), which acts as a major virulence factor and is considered to be a thymus independent type-2 antigen (TI-2). Objective. In the current study, the production kinetics were evaluated for IgG subclasses specific for GXM, and assessed with the cross reactive antibodies to Streptococcus pneumoniae polysaccharide. In addition, spleen B cell subpopulations were quantified in murine models of cryptococcosis with different susceptibilities to the infection. Materials and methods. Antibodies were detected by ELISA at different time intervals after C. neoformans infection in moderately resistant (Balb/c), highly resistant (CBA/j) and susceptible (C57BL/6) mouse strains. B cells subpopulations were determined by flow cytometry analysis. Results. Early production of IgG1, described as protector antibodies, coincided with a decrease of the number of C. neoformans colony forming units in the lungs. Polysaccharide cross-reactive antibodies were detected in each of the three mouse strains. Antibody titers were highest in the susceptible strain (C57BL/6), a strain which also showed the highest proportion of splenic CD5+ B lymphocytes. In contrast, CBA/J mice showed the highest levels of CD43+ B. Conclusions. These findings suggest that IgG1 antibodies specific for GXM, are implicated in host protection against C. neoformans infection and may be regulated by CD43+ cells. They also suggest that cross reactivity antibodies are not important in the protection against C. neoformans infection