Natural products and their mechanisms in potential photoprotection of the skin.

Exposure to solar radiation can generate different types of damage to the skin, including skin cancer. Depending on the duration of the exposure, sun damage can present as sunburn, photoaging, and photoimmunosuppression, among other effects. Using natural products on the skin may aid in preventing the damage caused by exposure to solar radiation, in addition to reducing the adverse side effects of common sunscreens, such as irritation, allergies, phototoxic reactions, photosensitivity, and generation of reactive oxygen species. On the other hand, the UV light absorption capacity of natural products has been reported to be due to the presence of chromophores in their structure, which, when added to the beneficial effects they have on the skin, makes them attractive candidates for use as photoprotectors. The present work gathers updated information regarding skin damage caused by prolonged sun exposure. It also describes the photoprotective effect of several natural products, their mechanism of action, and their preventive and therapeutic potential. For this purpose, the scientific literature was searched using PubMed, Science Direct, and Google Scholar.

Deep sequencing and miRNA profiles in alcohol-induced neuroinflammation and the TLR4 response in mice cerebral cortex.

Alcohol abuse can induce brain injury and neurodegeneration, and recent evidence shows the participation of immune receptors toll-like in the neuroinflammation and brain damage. We evaluated the role of miRNAs as potential modulators of the neuroinflammation associated with alcohol abuse and the influence of the TLR4 response. Using mice cerebral cortex and next-generation sequencing (NGS), we identified miRNAs that were differentially expressed in the chronic alcohol-treated versus untreated WT or TLR4-KO mice. We observed a differentially expression of miR-183 Cluster (C) (miR-96/-182/-183), miR-200a and miR-200b, which were down-regulated, while mirR-125b was up-regulated in alcohol-treated WT versus (vs.) untreated mice. These miRNAs modulate targets genes related to the voltage-gated sodium channel, neuron hyperexcitability (Nav1.3, Trpv1, Smad3 and PP1-γ), as well as genes associated with innate immune TLR4 signaling response (Il1r1, Mapk14, Sirt1, Lrp6 and Bdnf). Functional enrichment of the miR-183C and miR-200a/b family target genes, revealed neuroinflammatory pathways networks involved in TLR4 signaling and alcohol abuse. The changes in the neuroinflammatory targets genes associated with alcohol abuse were mostly abolished in the TLR4-KO mice. Our results show the relationship between alcohol intake and miRNAs expression and open up new therapeutically targets to prevent deleterious effects of alcohol on the brain.

Microcalcificaciones mamarias: revisión de los descriptores y categorías BI-RADS / Breast microcalcifications: review the BI-RADS descriptors and categories

Las calcificaciones mamarias son hallazgos frecuentes en la mamografía. La mayoría de ellas son originadas por patología benigna, aunque algunos patrones agrupados específicos pueden ser causados por patología maligna, especialmente el carcinoma ductal in situ. El objetivo del presente artículo es realizar una revisión de los descriptores y categorías BI-RADS de las microcalcificaciones, señalando sus características más importantes y el riesgo de malignidad asociado a cada descriptor.

Breast calcifications are frequent findings on mammography. Most of them are caused by benign pathologies, although some specific grouped patterns may be caused by malignancy, especially ductal carcinoma in situ. The aim of this article is to review the BI-RADS descriptors and categories of microcalcifications, marking its most important characteristics and the risk of malignancy associated with each descriptor.

Effects of Hibiscus sabdariffa extract powder and preventive treatment (diet) on the lipid profiles of patients with metabolic syndrome (MeSy).

Insulin resistance, obesity, hypertension, and dyslipidemia are strongly associated with metabolic syndrome (MeSy), which is considered to be a reversible clinical stage before its evolution to coronary heart disease and diabetes. Currently, the antihypertensive and hypolipidemic properties of aqueous Hibiscus sabdariffa extracts (HSE) have been demonstrated in clinical trials and in vivo experiments. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of a Hibiscus sabdariffa extract powder (HSEP) and a recognized preventive treatment (diet) on the lipid profiles of individuals with and without MeSy according to the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP-ATP III) criteria. The protocol was a follow-up study carried out in a factorial, randomized design (T1=preventive treatment comprises Diet, T2=HSEP, T3=HSEP+preventive treatment (Diet) X MeSy, non-MeSy individuals). A total daily dose of 100 mg HSEP was orally administered in capsules for one month. The preventive treatment (diet) was selected according to NCEP-ATP III recommendations and adjusted individually. Total cholesterol, LDL-c, HDL-c, VLDL-c, triglycerides, glucose, urea, creatinine, AST, and ALT levels in the blood were determined in all individuals pre- and post-treatment. The MeSy patients treated with HSEP had significantly reduced glucose and total cholesterol levels, increased HDL-c levels, and an improved TAG/HDL-c ratio, a marker of insulin resistance (t-test p<0.05). Additionally, a triglyceride-lowering effect was observed in MeSy patients treated with HSEP plus diet, and in individuals without MeSy treated with HSEP. Significant differences in total cholesterol, HDL-c, and the TAG/HDL-c ratio were found when the means of absolute differences among treatments were compared (ANOVA p<0.02). Therefore, in addition to the well documented hypotensive effects of Hibiscus sabdariffa, we suggest the use of HSEP in individuals with dyslipidemia associated with MeSy.

Fibromatosis mamaria, diagnóstico diferencial del carcinoma invasor: reporte de un caso / Breast fibromatosis: report of one case

Desmoid tumors or fibromatosis, a rare lesion of the connective tissue, corresponds to 0.2 percent of breast tumors. It does not metastasize but has high local recurrence rates due to margin infiltration. The clinical presentation and imaging is almost indistinguishable from breast carcinoma. Diagnosis is histological and the treatment of choice is surgical excision. We report a 31 years old woman consulting for skin retraction in right breast, without previous history of trauma or surgery. Breast ultrasound showed an irregular nodule that extended into the skin. The mammogram showed a discrete retraction of the skin and increased density of adjacent subcutaneous tissue. An ultrasound guided percutaneous biopsy showed stromal fusocelular proliferation, suggesting a phyllodes tumor. A partial mastectomy was performed and the pathological study of the surgical piece showed a mesenchymal proliferation with infiltrative borders, consistent with breast fibromatosis.

Introducción: La fibromatosis o tumor desmoide, es una lesión infrecuente del tejido conectivo, que corresponde al 0,2 por ciento de los tumores mamarios. No tiene potencial de dar metástasis pero presenta alta tasa de recidiva local debido a sus márgenes infiltrativos. Su etiología es desconocida. La presentación clínica e imagenológica es casi indistinguible a la de un carcinoma mamario. El diagnóstico es histológico y el tratamiento de elección es la resección quirúrgica. Reporte de caso: Mujer de 31 años que consulta por retracción cutánea en mama derecha. No presenta antecedentes quirúrgicos ni de traumas previos. Se realiza ecografía mamaria que muestra, en relación al sitio de retracción, un nodulo irregular que se extiende hacia la piel. La mamografía muestra discreta retracción de la piel y aumento de densidad del tejido subcutáneo adyacente. Se realiza biopsia percutánea CORE bajo ultrasonido, que muestra proliferación estromal fusocelular, sugerente de un tumor filodes. Posteriormente, se realiza mastectomía parcial cuya histología muestra una proliferación mesenquimatosa de bordes infiltrativos, concordante con fibromatosis mamaria. Conclusión: La fibromatosis mamaria es una entidad poco frecuente y localmente agresiva. Su importancia radica en que las características clínicas, radiológicas y citológicas simulan con frecuencia tumores malignos de la mama. El tratamiento de elección es la cirugía, presentando gran tendencia a la recurrencia, incluso con márgenes libres. Se han descrito poco más de 100 casos en la literatura.

Behavioral and biochemical effects of glutathione depletion in the rat brain.

Glutathione serves the function of providing reducing equivalents for the maintenance of oxidant homeostasis, and besides it plays roles in intra- and intercellular signaling in the brain. Our purpose was to test the effects of depleting tissue glutathione by diethylmaleate (5.3 mmol/kg, intraperitoneal) on brain antioxidant metabolism, nerve growth factor levels, and cognitive performance in rats. Six hours after the treatment, glutathione level in the hippocampus dropped down to 30% of the mean value of vehicle-treated animals and glutathione peroxidase activity also declined. Twenty-four hours after the injection the values had been partially restored. Moreover, the hippocampal and cortical levels of nerve growth factor protein did not change in response to diethylmaleate treatment. Glutathione depletion did not influence the performance of animals in the step-through passive avoidance test, but impairs acquisition in the Morris water maze when given before training. However, when diethylmaleate was administered after acquisition in the same paradigm, it did not affect the retention tested at the following day. Our results suggest that glutathione status is important during acquisition, but not for retention, of spatial memory in maze tasks and they support the hypothesis of the oxidant/antioxidant equilibrium as a key piece acting in the regulation of brain function.

Quinolinic acid lesion induces changes in rat striatal glutathione metabolism.

Although the involvement of oxidative mechanisms in the cytotoxicity of excitatory amino acids has been well documented, it is not known whether the intrastriatal injection of quinolinic acid (QA) induces changes in glutathione (GSH) metabolism. In this work, the activities of the enzymes GSH reductase (GRD), GSH peroxidase (GPX), and GSH S-transferase (GST), as well as the GSH content, were studied in the striatum, hippocampus, and frontal cortex of rats 1 and 6 weeks following the intrastriatal injection of QA (225 nmol). One group of animals remained untreated. This lesion resulted in a 20% decrease in striatal GRD activity at both the 1- and 6-week postlesion times, whereas GST exhibited a 30% activity increase in the lesioned striatum observable only 6 weeks after the lesion. GPX activity remained unchanged. In addition, the QA injection elicited a 30% fall in GSH level at the 1-week postlesion time. GSH related enzyme activities and GSH content from other areas outside the lesioned striatum were not affected. GST activation could represent a beneficial compensatory response to neutralize some of the oxidant agents generated by the lesion. However, this effect together with the reduction in GRD activity could be the cause or a contributing factor to the observed QA-induced deficit in GSH availability and, consequently, further disrupt the oxidant homeostasis of the injured striatal tissue. Therefore, these results provide evidence that the in vivo excitotoxic injury to the brain might affect oxidant/antioxidant equilibrium by eliciting changes in glutathione metabolism.

Molecular cloning and characterization of the 120-kilodalton protein gene of Ehrlichia canis and application of the recombinant 120-kilodalton protein for serodiagnosis of canine ehrlichiosis.

The 120-kDa outer membrane protein (p120) is a potential adhesin of Ehrlichia chaffeensis, and recombinant p120 is very useful for serodiagnosis of human monocytotropic ehrlichiosis. The analogous gene of p120 in Ehrlichia canis was cloned, sequenced, and expressed. Like the E. chaffeensis p120, the E. canis p120 contains tandem repeat units. However, neither the repeat number nor the amino acid sequences in the repeats are identical in the two Ehrlichia species. The repeat units are hydrophilic and by probability analysis are predicted to be surface exposed in both species. The repeat regions of the p120s of the two species have common amino acid sequences that are predicted to be surface exposed. The overall amino acid sequence of the E. canis p120 is 30% homologous to that of E. chaffeensis p120. Protein immunoblotting demonstrated that the recombinant E. canis p120 reacted with convalescent sera from dogs with canine ehrlichiosis. These results indicate that the recombinant p120 is a potential antigen for the serodiagnosis of canine ehrlichiosis.

Modulation of the resistance of a human endothelial cell line by human retinal glia.

BACKGROUND: Human umbilical endothelial cells were used to model the vascular component of the blood-retinal barriers and to examine the capacity of glial cultures to modulate endothelial cell resistivity in vitro. METHODS: Endothelial cell resistivity was monitored with and without cocultured human retinal glia. Immunohistochemistry indicated that both macroglia and microglia were present in one culture, while only macroglia were detectable in the second culture. RESULTS: Both cocultures produced increased resistivity in the target endothelial cells; however, a further significant increase in resistivity was noted with the glial coculture containing microglia. The results suggest that the presence of microglia significantly increases the capacity of astrocytes and Müller cells to modulate endothelial cell resistivity.

Ontogeny of the primate fovea: a central issue in retinal development.

The formation of the primate fovea has fascinated a substantial number of histologists, pathologists, ophthalmologists and physiologists for more than a century. In this article, using data from the literature as well as our own observations, we identify events which we believe are crucial in this process and present a developmental neurobiologist's view of the formation of the primate fovea. The fovea is a region of the retina specialized for diurnal, high acuity functions which require a high spatial density of cone photoreceptors as well as a large number of inner retinal cells in order to establish the distinct retinofugal pathways (ganglion cell axons) receiving from individual cones in the foveal cone mosaic. A unique feature of the fovea is the displacement of cells connected to the foveal cones onto the rim of the fovea. It is generally believed that this displacement counteracts the problems caused by the scattering of the incoming light by cells and blood vessels of the inner retina. We believe that one of the crucial events in the formation of the primate fovea is the early centripetal migration of photoreceptors towards the central area (centripetal displacement). This process, initiated early in development, continues throughout intrauterine life until some months or years postnatal. We propose that the displacement of cells from the inner layers is related to the earlier developmental accumulation of photoreceptors and inner retinal cells centrally. This, we propose, leads to metabolic "starvation" of the inner retina, resulting from the complete absence of retinal vessels from the vicinity of the incipient fovea. It is suggested that these factors in turn trigger centrifugal displacement of inner retinal cells towards the encroaching perifoveal capillary network and lead to the formation of the foveal depression.

Development of the human retinal vasculature: cellular relations and VEGF expression.

We have investigated the relationships of the cellular constituents of the retinal vasculature--astrocytes, microglia and pericytes--to the differentiating endothelium in human fetal retina. The vascular endothelium was stained using NADPH-diaphorase histochemistry in 12 human fetal retinae ranging in gestational age from 15-22 weeks. Specimens were double labeled using antibodies against glial fibrillary acid protein, alpha smooth muscle actin, or major histocompatibility complex class II antigens to label astrocytes, contractile cells and microglia, respectively. In addition, specimens of 12, 14, 16 and 20 weeks gestation were hybridized in situ for VEGF expression. In retinal wholemounts the vascularized area comprised four lobes that converged on the optic disc. The vascular network was more dense in the temporal lobes than in the nasal lobes, and different growth patterns were evident. Astrocytes were distributed in two layers--one associated with the optic axons and a deeper layer associated with the developing vessels. In retinae younger than 20 weeks, astrocytes in the deep layer were only loosely associated with the developing vessels and extended as far as 150 microns ahead of the most peripheral vessels. A closer register between retinal vessels and the distribution of astrocytes was evident in the nasal region of retinas older than 20 weeks. In situ hybridization demonstrated expression of VEGF mRNA in the vascular layer, superficial to the ganglion cell layer, at the margins of the vascularized zone. Differences were evident in the density of astrocyte coverage of developing vessels and in the extent of VEGF expression in different regions of the retina: the relationship of these differences to differentiation gradients in the neural retina is discussed. Intensely immunoreactive microglia were observed in the vascular layer, associated with the vascular endothelium as far as the most peripheral loops, but not beyond. Alpha smooth muscle actin-containing cells covered the proximal parts of large arteries, but not corresponding veins; they were absent from arterial side-arm branches, as well as the newly formed and small diameter vessels in the age range studies. The results suggest that microglia, contractile cells and astrocytes have distinct temporo-spatial relationships to the differentiating vascular endothelium in human retinas and that VEGF expression at the vascular front, presumably by astrocytes, is associated with the spread of the retinal vasculature, as described in other species.

Microglia in human retina: a heterogeneous population with distinct ontogenies.

Microglia of the adult human retina are a heterogeneous population of cells, some having characteristics of dendritic antigen presenting cells (DC) and others resembling macrophages, or MPS cells. Studies of the development of microglial distributions in human retina suggest that cells bearing macrophage markers are ontogenetically distinct from microglia that do not. Quantitative studies indicate that macrophage antigen immunoreactive microglia are a subpopulation CD45- and MHC-immunoreactive microglia. While CD45 and MHC-I and -II immunoreactive microglia are seen in the retina prior to the arrival of the vasculature, significant numbers of macrophage-positive microglia only arrive along with the vascular precursors, at about 14 to 15 weeks of gestation. Microglia appear to enter the retina from the ciliary margin prior to vascularization but from both the optic disc and ciliary margin, postvascularization. Macrophage antigen positive microglia enter the retina mainly via the optic nerve head. It is argued that macrophage-antigen positive microglia become established in the retina as vessel associated (perivascular and paravascular) microglia and that the MHC-positive, but macrophage-antigen negative microglia (representing DC), become established as the parenchymal, ramified microglia of adult retina.

[Upper and medial alveolar nerves. Study of their frequency and point of origin in 100 cases]. / Nervios alveolares superiores y medios. Estudio de su frecuencia y punto de origen en 100 casos.

The existence, frequency and origin of the middle superior alveolar nerves was studied in 100 cases. 40 dried bones and 40 formaldehyded bones with the nerves in situ, were observed by transilumunation; and 20 hemi sectioned heads were disected with the help of transilumination. The middle superior alveolar nerve was found in 57 cases, in 35 arose from the Maxillary nerve trunk in the infraorbital canal and in 22 arose from the Maxillary nerve trunk in the tuberosity face of the maxillary bone, very near of the beginning of the infraorbital canal. A enlarged review of the literature and the comparison with our findings, was made too.