O fator de virulência relacionado ao H. pylori influencia a expressão de quimiocinas CXCL10, CCL17, CCL20, CCL22, e seus receptores por células mononucleares de sangue periféricos de pacientes com úlceras pépticas / The h. pylori-related virulence factor caga influences the expression of chemokines cxcl10, ccl17, ccl20, ccl22, and their receptors by peripheral blood mononuclear cells from peptic ulcer patients

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: During the Helicobacter pylori (HP) infection, the infiltration of the leukocytes into stomach mucosa is directed by locally produced chemokines that play a decisive role in infection outcome. The CagA is the most potent virulence factor of HP, so that the infection with CagA + strains is associated with more severe complications than infection with CagA - HP. OBJECTIVE: The aim was to determine the expression of chemokines CXCL10, CCL17, CCL20 and CCL22, and their receptors by CagA + HP- and CagA - HP-derived crude extract (HP-CE)-stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from peptic ulcer (PU) patients. METHODS: The serum and the PBMCs were collected from 20 HP-infected PU patients, 20 HP-infected asymptomatic subjects (HIA) and 20 non-infected healthy subjects (NHS). The PBMCs were cultured in absence of stimulator or with 10 µg CagA + HP crude extract (CagA + CE), 10 µg CagA - HP crude extract (CagA - CE). Chemokines and receptors were measured by ELISA and real time-PCR respectively. RESULTS: In PU patients, the production of chemokines CXCL10, CCL17, CCL20 and CCL22, and the expression of chemokine receptors CXCR3, CCR4 and CCR6 by CagA + CE-induced PBMCs were significantly higher than non-stimulated and CagA - CE stimulated cultures. The CXCL10 production by CagA + CE stimulated PBMCs from HIA subjects was significantly higher than the equal cultures from PU and NHS groups. The CCL17 and the CCL20 production by non-stimulated, CagA + CE stimulated, and CagA - CE stimulated PBMCs from PU subjects were significantly higher than the equal cultures from NHS and HIA groups. The CCL22 production by non-stimulated, CagA + CE stimulated and CagA - CE stimulated PBMCs from NHS group were significantly higher than the equal cultures from HIA and PU groups. The CagA + CE stimulated PBMCs from HIA subjects expressed lower amounts of CCR6 in comparison with CagA + CE stimulated PBMCs from NHS and PU groups. The serum levels CXCL10 and CCL20 in PU and HIA groups were significantly higher than NHS subjects. NHS and HIA groups displayed higher serum levels of CCL22 in comparison with PU patients. CONCLUSION: Results indicated that the CagA status of bacterium influence the expression of chemokines and receptors by HP-CE stimulated PBMCs from PU patients.

RESUMO CONTEXTO: Durante a infecção por Helicobacter pylori (HP), a infiltração dos leucócitos na mucosa estomacal é dirigida por quimiocinas produzidas localmente que desempenham um papel decisivo no resultado da infecção. O CagA é o fator de virulência mais potente do HP, de modo que a infecção com cepas CagA + está associada a complicações mais graves do que a infecção com CagA - HP. OBJETIVO: O objetivo foi determinar a expressão das quimiocinas CXCL10, CCL17, CCL20 e CCL22, e seus receptores por CagA + HP- e CagA - extrato bruto (EB) derivado de HP (HP-EB) de células mononucleares do sangue periférico (CMSP) de pacientes com úlcera péptica (UP). MÉTODOS: O soro e as CMSP foram coletados de 20 pacientes com UP infectados pelo HP, 20 indivíduos assintomáticos infectados pelo HP (AI-HP) e 20 indivíduos saudáveis não infectados pelo HP (NI-HP). As CMSP foram cultivadas na ausência de estimulador ou com extrato bruto CagA + HP de 10 μg (CagA + EB), 10 μg CagA - extrato bruto HP (CagA - EB). Quimiocinas e receptores foram medidos por ELISA e PCR em tempo real, respectivamente. RESULTADOS: Em pacientes com UP a produção de quimiocinas CXCL10, CCL17, CCL20 e CCL22, e a expressão dos receptores de quimiocina CXCR3, CCR4 e CCR6 por CagA + CMSP induzidos pelo EB foram significativamente maiores do que as culturas não estimuladas e CagA - EB estimulados. A produção de CXCL10 por CagA + EB estimulou as CMSP de sujeitos AI-HP em proporção significativamente maior do que as culturas iguais dos grupos UP e NI-HP. A produção de CCL17 e CCL20 por grupos não estimulados, CagA + EB estimulado, e CagA - EB estimulou CMSP de sujeitos com UP e foram significativamente superiores às culturas iguais dos grupos NI-HP e AI-HP. A produção de CCL22 por grupos não estimulados, CagA + EB estimulado e CagA - EB estimulado pelo grupo NI-HP foram significativamente maiores do que as culturas iguais dos grupos AI-HP e PU. O CagA + EB estimulou as CMSP dos sujeitos do AI-HP, expressando menores quantidades de CCR6 em comparação com as CMSP estimuladas pelo CagA + EB de grupos NI-HP e UP. Os níveis sanguíneos de CXCL10 e CCL20 nos grupos UP e AI-HP foram significativamente superiores aos dos sujeitos do NI-HP. Os grupos NI-HP e AI-HP apresentaram níveis sanguíneos mais elevados de CCL22 em comparação com pacientes com UP. CONCLUSÃO: Os resultados indicaram que o estado CagA da bactéria influencia a expressão de quimiocinas e receptores por HP-EB estimulados CMSP de pacientes com UP.

Molecular characterization of mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates from Tehran, Iran by restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis and spoligotyping

Abstract: INTRODUCTION Characterization of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) isolates by DNA fingerprinting has contributed to tuberculosis (TB) control. The aim of this study was to determine the genetic diversity of MTB isolates from Tehran province in Iran. METHODS MTB isolates from 60 Iranian and 10 Afghan TB patients were fingerprinted by standard IS6110-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis and spoligotyping. RESULTS The copy number of IS6110 ranged from 10-24 per isolate. The isolates were classified into 22 clusters showing ≥ 80% similarity by RFLP analysis. Fourteen multidrug-resistant (MDR) isolates were grouped into 4 IS6110-RFLP clusters, with 10 isolates [71% (95% CI: 45-89%)] in 1 cluster, suggesting a possible epidemiological linkage. Eighteen Iranian isolates showed ≥ 80% similarity with Afghan isolates. There were no strains with identical fingerprints. Spoligotyping of 70 isolates produced 23 distinct patterns. Sixty (85.7%) isolates were grouped into 13 clusters, while the remaining 10 isolates (14.2%) were not clustered. Ural (formerly Haarlem4) (n = 22, 31.4%) was the most common family followed by Central Asian strain (CAS) (n = 18, 25.7%) and T (n = 9, 12.8%) families. Only 1strain was characterized as having the Beijing genotype. Among 60 Iranian and 10 Afghan MTB isolates, 25% (95% CI: 16-37) and 70% (95% CI: 39-89) were categorized as Ural lineage, respectively. CONCLUSIONS A higher prevalence of Ural family MTB isolates among Afghan patients than among Iranian patients suggests the possible transmission of this lineage following the immigration of Afghans to Iran.

Connection between radial and ulnar nerves at humeral level and its clinical significance: a cadaveric case report / Conexión entre los nervios radial y ulnar a nivel humeral y su importancia clínica: reporte de caso en un cadáver

Variations of the terminal branches of the brachial plexus in the upper limb are abundant and frequently have been reported. But connection between its radial and ulnar nerves at humeral level is very rare. During routine dissection of the right arm of a 75-year-old male cadaver in the Department of Anatomy of Birjand University of Medical Sciences (BUMS), in Iran, we observed a connection between radial and ulnar nerves, and from the literature reviewed, we found only two cases that had been reported previously, one of them was unilateral and the other bilateral. Awareness of such variations are very important for surgeons and diminish the possible complication of regional anesthesia and surgical procedures, hence, we decided to report it.

Las variaciones de los ramos terminales del plexo braquial en el miembro superior son abundantes y reportadas con frecuencia. Sin embargo, la conexión entre los nervios radial y ulnar a nivel humeral es muy rara. Durante la disección rutinaria de un brazo derecho en un cadáver de sexo masculino de 75 años, en el Departamento de Anatomía de la Birjand University of Medical Sciences (BUMS) en Irán, se observó una relación entre los nervios radial y ulnar. En la literatura, encontramos sólo dos casos que habían sido reportados previamente, uno bilateral y otro unilateral. Conocer estas variaciones es de importancia para los cirujanos, así como para disminuir posibles complicaciones en la colocación de anestesia regional y procedimientos quirúrgicos.

Assessment and partial purification of serine protease inhibitors from Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) annulatus larvae / Avaliação e purificação parcial dos inibidores da serina protease de larvas do Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) annulatus

Ticks are rich sources of serine protease inhibitors, particularly those that prevent blood clotting and inflammatory responses during blood feeding. The tick Rhipicephalus (Boophlus) annulatus is an important ectoparasite of cattle. The aims of this study were to characterize and purify the serine protease inhibitors present in R. (B.) annulatus larval extract. The inhibitors were characterized by means of one and two-dimensional reverse zymography, and purified using affinity chromatography on a trypsin-Sepharose column. The analysis on one and two-dimensional reverse zymography of the larval extract showed trypsin inhibitory activity at between 13 and 40 kDa. Through non-reducing SDS-PAGE and reverse zymography for proteins purified by trypsin-Sepharose affinity chromatography, some protein bands with molecular weights between 13 and 34 kDa were detected. Western blotting showed that five protein bands at 48, 70, 110, 130 and 250 kDa reacted positively with immune serum, whereas there was no positive reaction in the range of 13-40 kDa. Serine protease inhibitors from R. (B.) annulatus have anti-trypsin activity similar to inhibitors belonging to several other hard tick species, thus suggesting that these proteins may be useful as targets in anti-tick vaccines.

Carrapatos são uma rica fonte de inibidores da serina protease, particularmente aqueles que previnem coagulação e respostas inflamatórias durante a alimentação com sangue. O carrapato Rhipicephalus (B.) annulatus é um ectoparasita importante de bovinos. O objetivo deste estudo foi caracterizar e purificar os inibidores da serina protease presentes no extrato de larva do R. (B.) annulatus. Os inibidores foram caracterizados através de zimografia reversa uni e bidimensional e purificados com cromatografia de afinidade em uma coluna de sepharose-tripsina. A análise do extrato de larva pela zimografia reversa uni e bidimensional mostrou atividade inibitória de tripsina entre 13 e 40 kDa. Através de SDS-PAGE e zimografia reversa para proteínas purificadas pela cromatografia por sepharose-tripsina, algumas bandas de proteínas com pesos moleculares entre 13 e 34 kDa foram detectadas. Western blotting mostrou que cinco bandas de proteínas a 48, 70, 110, 130 e 250 kDa reagiram positivamente com o soro imune, enquanto não houve reação positiva nas bandas 13-40 kDa. Inibidores da serina protease do R. (B.) annulatus têm atividade antitripsina semelhante àquelas dos inibidores de outras espécies de carrapatos duros, sugerindo, assim, que essas proteínas podem ser úteis como alvo de vacinas contra carrapatos.