ABSTRACT
New drugs are constantly in demand, and nature's biodiversity is a rich source of new compounds for therapeutic applications. Synthetic peptides based on the transcriptome analysis of scorpion venoms of Tityus obscurus, Opisthacanthus cayaporum, and Hadrurus gertschi were assayed for their cytotoxic and antiretroviral activity. The Tityus obscurus scorpion-derived synthetic peptide (FFGTLFKLGSKLIPGVMKLFSKKKER), in concentrations ranging from 6.24 to 0.39 µM, proved to be the most active one against simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) replication in the HUT-78 cell line and in primary human leukocytes, with the lowest toxicity for these cells. The immune cellular response evaluated in primary human leukocytes treated with the most promising peptide and challenged with SIV infection exhibited production of cytokines such as interleukin (IL)-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, and interferon-γ, which could be involved in cell defense mechanisms to overcome viral infection through proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory pathways, similar to those evoked for triggering the mechanisms exerted by antiviral restriction factors.
Subject(s)
Anti-Retroviral Agents/pharmacology , Leukocytes/drug effects , Peptides/pharmacology , Scorpion Venoms/pharmacology , Scorpions/metabolism , Simian Immunodeficiency Virus/drug effects , Virus Replication/drug effects , Animals , Anti-Retroviral Agents/chemical synthesis , Anti-Retroviral Agents/toxicity , Cell Line , Cell Survival/drug effects , Cytokines/metabolism , Host-Pathogen Interactions , Humans , Inflammation Mediators/metabolism , Leukocytes/immunology , Leukocytes/metabolism , Leukocytes/virology , Peptides/chemical synthesis , Peptides/toxicity , Scorpion Venoms/genetics , Scorpion Venoms/metabolism , Scorpion Venoms/toxicity , Scorpions/genetics , Simian Immunodeficiency Virus/growth & development , Simian Immunodeficiency Virus/immunology , TranscriptomeABSTRACT
The human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) is a deltaretrovirus claimed to be aetiologically linked to the adult T-cell leukaemia/lymphoma (ATLL) and associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) besides other minor pathologies. HTLV-1 infection is worldwide distributed, despite its heterogeneous prevalence. Environmental factors and host-genetic background are very likely to determine the epidemiological profile of HTLV-1 prevalence and related disease confinement in distinct human ethnic populations and geographical coordinates, which raises the question if the virus is a real pathogen or a runaway well-organized packed genome of a burden host cell near death process. New methodological approaches need to be proposed and applied in order to prove or discard the hypotheses emerged in the present review.
Subject(s)
HTLV-I Infections/virology , Human T-lymphotropic virus 1/pathogenicity , Leukemia-Lymphoma, Adult T-Cell/virology , Paraparesis, Tropical Spastic/virology , HTLV-I Infections/epidemiology , HTLV-I Infections/genetics , Human T-lymphotropic virus 1/genetics , Human T-lymphotropic virus 1/radiation effects , Humans , Leukemia-Lymphoma, Adult T-Cell/epidemiology , Leukemia-Lymphoma, Adult T-Cell/genetics , Paraparesis, Tropical Spastic/epidemiology , Paraparesis, Tropical Spastic/genetics , Radiation, IonizingABSTRACT
Antimicrobial resistance is a subject of great concern in public health and also in the designing of strategies for current therapeutic protocols all over the world. New drugs, including those necessary for a reserve armamentarium and exhibiting less side effects deserve special attention. In rural areas, particularly in Brazil, a huge number of natural products, in different artisanal preparations, mainly from plants, have been used by traditional populations to cure diseases. Despite some of these plants have been studied, many of them are awaiting to have their compounds chemically characterized and investigated their pharmacodynamics properties. Further, as well known, the environment plays a crucial role in the metabolism of these plants, yielding different and varied molecular complexes depending on the period of collection, climate conditions, kind of soil and also the plant speciation. In this report, ethanol crude extract of 10 different botanical specimens from the Amazon region of Brazil, in the Amapa State, were screened for antibacterial activity of 7 clinical resistant microorganisms utilizing as control ATCC bacterial species by the Kirby-Bauer method. Plant extracts of Geissospermum argenteum, Uncaria guianensis, Brosimum acutifolium, Copaifera reticulate, Licania macrophylla, Ptycopetalum olacoides and Dalbergia subcymosa yielded activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, both multidrug resistant, and Staphylococcus aureus ATCC strain.
Subject(s)
Anti-Bacterial Agents/pharmacology , Bacteria/drug effects , Plant Extracts/pharmacology , Brazil , Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial , Microbial Sensitivity TestsABSTRACT
HTLV-I seroprevalences of 3.63% (02/55), 12.19% (10/82) and 13.88% (10/72) were demonstrated among Tiryio, Mekranoiti and Xicrin Amazonian Indians, respectively, by the Western blotting enzyme assay (WBEI). By indirect immunoelectron microscopy (IIEM), 2 Tiriyo, 9 Mekranoiti and 6 Xicrin Amerindians were reactive. Of 44 serum samples from Japanese immigrants, none reacted by any of the techniques before mentioned. One, 8 and 6 serum samples from Tiryio, Mekranoiti and Xicrin Indians, respectively, were both WBEI and IIEM positive. Our results strongly suggest that HTLV-I and/or an HTLV-I antigenic variant circulate (s) among populations living in the Amazon region of Brazil.
Subject(s)
HTLV-I Antibodies/blood , HTLV-I Infections/ethnology , HTLV-I Infections/immunology , Indians, South American , Blotting, Western , Brazil/epidemiology , Humans , Immunohistochemistry , Indians, South American/statistics & numerical data , Japan/ethnology , Microscopy, Immunoelectron , Prevalence , Seroepidemiologic StudiesABSTRACT
HTLV-I seroprevalences of 3.63% (02/55), 12.19% (10/82) and 13.88% (10/72) were demonstrated among Tiryio, Mekranoiti and Xicrin Amazonian Indians, respectively, by the Western blotting enzyme assay (WBEI). By indirect immunoelectron microscopy (IIEM), 2 Tiriyo, 9 Mekranoiti and 6 Xicrin Amerindians were reactive. Of 44 serum samples from Japanese immigrants, none reacted by any of the techniques before mentioned. One, 8 and 6 serum samples from Tiryio, Mekranoiti and Xicrin Indians, respectively, were both WBEI and IIEM positive. Our results strongly suggest that HTLV-I and/or an HTLV-I antigenic variant circulate (s) among populations living in the Amazon region of Brazil
Subject(s)
Humans , HTLV-I Antibodies/blood , HTLV-I Infections/ethnology , HTLV-I Infections/immunology , Indians, South American , Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander , Blotting, Western , Brazil/epidemiology , Immunohistochemistry , Indians, South American/statistics & numerical data , Japan/ethnology , Microscopy, Immunoelectron , Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander/statistics & numerical data , Prevalence , Seroepidemiologic StudiesABSTRACT
Amostra de soro obtida de paciente com a sindrome de Guillain-Barre revelou-se positiva quanto a presenca de anticorpos para o virus linfotropico humano T (HTLV-I) pelo metodo imuno-enzimatico (ELISA) e a analise por "Western-Blot". Resultaram negativos os testes visando a deteccao de enterovirus (incluindo poliovirus) a partir de material fecal, tanto em cultura de tecidos como em camundongos recem-nascidos; exames com amostras de soro aguda e convalescente nao exibiram qualquer evidencia de infeccao recente pelos tres tipos de poliovirus. O teste de Paul-Bunnel, assim como o "ELISA" para a deteccao de IgM anti-citomegalovirus resultaram negativos. Nao foi registrada, no presente caso, quer a leucemia adulta de celulas T, quer linfomas.
Subject(s)
Child , Humans , Male , HTLV-I Antibodies/analysis , Polyradiculoneuropathy/immunology , Blotting, Western , Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent AssayABSTRACT
Serum sample obtained from a male, 12 year old patient suffering from Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) was positive for human T-lymphotropic virus (HTLV-I) antibody by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and the Western Blot analysis (WB). Attempts to isolate enteroviruses (including poliovirus) from faecal material in both tissue culture and suckling mice were unsuccessful; in addition, acute and convalescent paired serum samples did not show any evidence of recent poliovirus infection when tested against the three serotypes. Specific tests for detection of Epstein-Barr virus infection were not performed; however, the Paul-Bunnel test yielded negative results. ELISA for detection of anti-cytomegalovirus IgM was also negative. The concomitant occurrence of either adult T cell leukemia (ATL) or lymphoma was not recorded in this case.
Subject(s)
HTLV-I Antibodies/analysis , Polyradiculoneuropathy/immunology , Blotting, Western , Child , Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay , Humans , MaleABSTRACT
Forty-tree (31.4%) out of 137 serum samples obtained from two Indian communities living in the Amazon region were found to be positive for HTLV-I antibody, as tested by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (Elisa). Eighty-two sera were collected from Mekranoiti Indians, yielding 39% of positivity, whereas 11 (20.0%) or the 55 Tiriyo serum samples had antibody to HTLV-I. In addition, positive results occurred in 10 (23.2%) out of 43 sera obtained from patients living in the Belem area, who were suffering from cancer affecting different organs. Five (16.7%) out of 30 Elisa positive specimens were also shown to be positive by either Western blot analysis (WB) or indirect immunogold electron microscopy (IIG-EM)
Subject(s)
Infant, Newborn , Infant , Child, Preschool , Child , Adolescent , Adult , Middle Aged , Humans , Male , Female , HTLV-I Antibodies/analysis , Human T-lymphotropic virus 1/immunology , Indians, South American , HTLV-I Infections/epidemiology , Blotting, Western , Brazil , Deltaretrovirus Infections/diagnosis , Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay , Immunohistochemistry , Neoplasms/blood , PrevalenceABSTRACT
Forty-three (31.4%) out of 137 serum samples obtained from two Indian communities living in the Amazon region were found to be positive for HTLV-I antibody, as tested by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Eighty-two sera were collected from Mekranoiti Indians, yielding 39% of positivity, whereas 11 (20.0%) of the 55 Tiriyo serum samples had antibody to HTLV-I. In addition, positive results occurred in 10 (23.2%) out of 43 sera obtained from patients living in the Belem area, who were suffering from cancer affecting different organs. Five (16.7%) out of 30 ELISA positive specimens were also shown to be positive by either Western blot analysis (WB) or indirect immunogold electron microscopy (IIG-EM).
