Inhibition of Oocyte Maturation in the Estuarine Crab Neohelice Granulata, by the Effect of Anti-Inflammatory Drugs.

The drugs ibuprofen and diclofenac were assessed in vivo on adult females of the estuarine crab Neohelice granulata. In a first, preliminary assay comprising 60-d, a significant (p < 0.05) lower content of total vitellogenic proteins was detected in the ovary at 10 mg/L of each drug. In a second 90-d assay, comprising the exposure of crabs to 5 mg/L of each drug during the entire pre-reproductive period, a significant (p < 0.05) decrease in the proportion of vitellogenic oocytes was observed by effect of diclofenac. The same effect was also observed in a third assay only comprising the last month of the pre-reproductive period, at 5 mg/L of diclofenac, and also at a mixture of both drugs; besides, this mixture significantly (p < 0.05) increased the proportion of reabsorbed vitellogenic oocytes. The obtained results indicate that the effect of diclofenac is critical at the final stage of ovarian maturation, when the participation of prostaglandins is relevant.

Molecular and functional study of pediatric patients with Niemann-Pick C in Argentina / Estudio molecular y funcional de pacientes pediátricos con Niemann-Pick C en Argentina

Abstract Niemann-Pick type C (NP-C) is a rare, autosomal recessive disorder. At least 95% of all the cases with this disease are due to mutations in the NPC1 gene. The clinical signs and symptoms of NP-C are classified into visceral, neurological and psychiatric. Our aim is to report the clinical findings, molecular results and filipin staining of 4 patients. The age of onset, expressed as median and range, was 0.2 (0.08-4.0) years and the age of diagnosis was 4.0 (2.5-8.9) years. Neurological and/or visceral manifestations were presented in our patients. Foamy cells in bone marrow biopsy were found in two patients. Through a molecular analysis of NPC1 gene, one non-reported (novel) and 4 previously described mutations were found. The filipin staining showed a positive pattern in all the patients. The diagnostic confirmation of these pediatric patients means a contribution to the casuistry of this disease in Argentina.

Resumen Niemann-Pick tipo C (NP-C) es una enfermedad poco frecuente, con un patrón de herencia au tosómico recesivo. Al menos el 95% de los casos se producen por mutaciones en el gen NPC1. Los signos y síntomas clínicos de NP-C se clasifican en viscerales, neurológicos y psiquiátricos. En este trabajo presentamos los hallazgos clínicos, los resultados moleculares y la tinción con filipina de 4 pacientes con NP-C. La edad de presentación de los primeros síntomas, expresada como mediana y rango, fue de 0.2 años (0.08-4.0) años y la edad del diagnóstico fue 4.0 (2.5-8.9) años. Los pacientes presentaron manifestaciones neurológicas y / o vis cerales. Se encontraron células espumosas en la biopsia de médula ósea en 2 pacientes. El análisis molecular del gen NPC1 encontró 1 variante nueva y 4 previamente publicadas. La tinción de filipina mostró un patrón positivo en todos los pacientes. La confirmación diagnóstica de este grupo de pacientes pediátricos significa un aporte a la casuística de esta enfermedad en Argentina.

Molecular and functional study of pediatric patients with Niemann-Pick C in Argentina.

Niemann-Pick type C (NP-C) is a rare, autosomal recessive disorder. At least 95% of all the cases with this disease are due to mutations in the NPC1 gene. The clinical signs and symptoms of NP-C are classified into visceral, neurological and psychiatric. Our aim is to report the clinical findings, molecular results and filipin staining of 4 patients. The age of onset, expressed as median and range, was 0.2 (0.08-4.0) years and the age of diagnosis was 4.0 (2.5-8.9) years. Neurological and/or visceral manifestations were presented in our patients. Foamy cells in bone marrow biopsy were found in two patients. Through a molecular analysis of NPC1 gene, one non-reported (novel) and 4 previously described mutations were found. The filipin staining showed a positive pattern in all the patients. The diagnostic confirmation of these pediatric patients means a contribution to the casuistry of this disease in Argentina.

Niemann-Pick tipo C (NP-C) es una enfermedad poco frecuente, con un patrón de herencia autosómico recesivo. Al menos el 95% de los casos se producen por mutaciones en el gen NPC1. Los signos y síntomas clínicos de NP-C se clasifican en viscerales, neurológicos y psiquiátricos. En este trabajo presentamos los hallazgos clínicos, los resultados moleculares y la tinción con filipina de 4 pacientes con NP-C. La edad de presentación de los primeros síntomas, expresada como mediana y rango, fue de 0.2 años (0.08-4.0) años y la edad del diagnóstico fue 4.0 (2.5-8.9) años. Los pacientes presentaron manifestaciones neurológicas y / o viscerales. Se encontraron células espumosas en la biopsia de médula ósea en 2 pacientes. El análisis molecular del gen NPC1 encontró 1 variante nueva y 4 previamente publicadas. La tinción de filipina mostró un patrón positivo en todos los pacientes. La confirmación diagnóstica de este grupo de pacientes pediátricos significa un aporte a la casuística de esta enfermedad en Argentina.

Intraperitoneal administration of Shiga toxin 2 induced neuronal alterations and reduced the expression levels of aquaporin 1 and aquaporin 4 in rat brain.

Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli produces watery and hemorrhagic diarrhea, and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) characterized by thrombocytopenia, microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, and acute renal failure. Central nervous system (CNS) complications are observed in around 30% of infant population with HUS. Common signs of severe CNS involvement leading to death include seizures, alteration of consciousness, hemiparesis, visual disturbances, and brain stem symptoms. The purpose of the present work was to study the effects of Shiga toxin 2 (Stx2) in the brain of rats intraperitoneally (i.p.) injected with a supernatant from recombinant E. coli expressing Stx2 (sStx2). Neurological alterations such as postural and motor abnormalities including lethargy, abnormal walking, and paralysis of hind legs, were observed in this experimental model of HUS in rats. Neuronal damage, as well as significant decrease in aquaporin 1 (AQP1) and aquaporin 4 (AQP4) expression levels were observed in the brain of rats, 2 days after sStx2 injection, compared to controls. Downregulation of aquaporin protein levels, and neuronal alterations, observed in brain of rats injected with sStx2, may be involved in edema formation and in neurological manifestations characteristic of HUS.