The antiviral effect of mollusk mucus on measles virus

Measles is a viral disease highly contagious spread by respiratory transmission. Although infection can be controlled by vaccination, numerous cases of measles have been registered in many areas of the world, highlighting the need for additional interventions. Terrestrial gastropods exude mucus on their body surface when traveling, to protect the body from mechanical injury, desiccation or contact with harmful substances. The mucus of mollusks has been studied as a source of new natural compounds with diverse biological activities. In this study, the antiviral activity of the mucus of the land slug P. boraceiensis was demonstrated in vitro using Vero cells infected with measles virus. The crude sample and four fractions were tested in cultures infected with measles virus and the antiviral activity was assessed by the cytopathic effect in infected cell cultures as well as by immunofluorescence and qPCR. Fractions 39 and 50 of the mucus from P. boraceiensis were analyzed by HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS/MS and infrared spectroscopy. A mixture of polyunsaturated fatty acids was found in the two fractions. A reduction in the growth of the measles virus was observed, measured by qPCR, with a protection index of 80% in Vero cells infected with measles and treated with fraction 39. Fraction 39 exhibited the best antiviral action in vitro and high contents of hydroxy-tritriacontapentaenoic acid and hydroxy-pentatriacontapentaenoic acid were found in this fraction. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Renal lesions in cetaceans from Brazil.

This study reports the occurrence of renal lesions in cetaceans from the coast of Brazil subjected to necropsy examination between 1996 and 2011. The animals (n = 192) were by-caught in fishing nets, were found dead on beaches or died despite attempted rehabilitation. Kidney samples were evaluated grossly and microscopically and, depending on the histopathological findings, immunohistochemical and ultrastructural analyses were conducted. Due to autolysis, a diagnosis was reached in only 128 animals, of which 82 (64.1%) had kidney lesions. Cystic renal disease was the most common lesion observed in 34 cases (26.6%) and these were classified as simple cysts in eight cases (6.3%), polycystic kidney disease in one rough-toothed dolphin (Steno bredanensis), secondary glomerulocystic disease in 16 cases (12.5%) and primary glomerulocystic disease in nine cases (7%). Other lesions included membranous glomerulonephritis (28 cases; 21.9%), membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (20 cases; 15.6%), lymphoplasmacytic interstitial nephritis (21 cases; 16.4%), lipidosis (19 cases; 14.8%), glomerulosclerosis (8 cases; 6.3%) and pyogranulomatous nephritis(five cases; 3.9%); two of the later were associated with the migration of nematode larvae. Additionally, tubular adenoma was identified in a Franciscana (Pontoporia blainvillei). The pathological implications of these lesions are discussed according the cause of death, age or sex of the animals. Furthermore, the lesions were compared with those of other marine and terrestrial mammals, including man.

Antiviral action of hydromethanolic extract of geopropolis from scaptotrigona postica against antiherpes simplex virus (HSV-1)

The studies on chemical composition and biological activity of propolis had focused mainly on species Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae). There are few studies about the uncommon propolis collected by stingless bees of the Meliponini tribe known as geopropolis. The geopropolis from Scaptotrigona postica was collected in the region of Barra do Corda, Maranhão state, Brazil. The chemical analysis of hydromethanolic extract of this geopropolis (HMG) was carried out through HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS/MS and the main constituents found were pyrrolizidine alkaloids and C-glycosyl flavones. The presence of alkaloids in extracts of propolis is detected for the first time in this sample. The antiviral activity of HMG was evaluated through viral DNA quantification experiments and electron microscopy experiments. Quantification of viral DNA from herpes virus showed reduction of about 98% in all conditions and concentration tested of the HMG extract. The results obtained were corroborated by transmission electron microscopy, in which the images did not show particle or viral replication complex. The antiviral activity of C-glycosyl flavones was reported for a variety of viruses, being observed at different points in the viral replication. This work is the first report about the antiviral activity of geopropolis from Scaptotrigona postica, in vitro, against antiherpes simplex virus (HSV).

Avaliação das expressões imunocitoquímicas das proteínas p16INK4a e Ki-67 em esfregaços cérvico-vaginais colhidos em base líquida, com diagnóstico citológico negativo e ASC-US, com Captura Híbrida 2 e/ ou PCR positivos para HPV de alto risco

A expressão do oncogene E7 do HPV de alto risco é um dos responsáveis pela carcinogênese cervical, através da sua interferência sobre a via Cdk-Rb-E2F resultando na progressão do ciclo celular anormal e superexpressão das proteínas p16 e Ki-67. O objetivo deste estudo descritivo foi avaliar, em estudo de corte transversal, a positividade das expressões imunocitoquímicas das proteínas p16 e Ki-67 e sua distribuição celular, nas 199 amostras citológicas de base líquida (CBL) de casos com diagnóstico negativo e ASC-US com testes de HPV de alto risco positivo determinados em pelo menos um dos métodos de PCR e/ou HC2. Através da técnica imunocitoquímica, a expressão positiva da proteína p16 foi observada no citoplasma e núcleo enquanto que a proteína Ki-67 foi apenas nuclear, quando comparada aos seus respectivos controles positivos. A proteína p16 foi positiva em 71/101 amostras de citologia negativa e em 12/16 amostras ASC-US, ambas associadas aos testes de HC2 e/ou PCR positivos para HPV de alto risco. A proteína Ki-67 foi positiva em 76/101 amostras de citologia negativa e em 12/16 amostras ASC-US, ambas também associadas aos testes de HC2 e/ou PCR positivos para HPV de alto risco. A proporção de positividade de Ki-67 aumentou em paralelo com o aumento do grau da positividade de p16 (p 0,001). A expressão da proteína p16 e proteína Ki-67 em amostras citológicas cérvico-vagin

Performance of the DNA-Citoliq liquid-based cytology system compared with conventional smears.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the performance of a new, manual, simplified liquid-based system, DNA-Citoliq (Digene Brasil), employed under routine conditions as compared to conventional smears collected from six collaborating private laboratories. METHODS: A panel of cytopathologists, who served as the gold standard diagnosis, adjudicated discordant opinions. RESULTS: Of 3206 pairs of slides considered valid for comparison, there were 3008 in full agreement (93.8%), 112 (3.5%) with one diagnostic category discrepancies, and 86 (2.7%) discordant cases. Among the 288 borderline+ by either method, DNA-Citoliq detected abnormalities in 243 (84.4%), and conventional smears (CS) detected abnormalities in 178 (61.8%) (McNemar test, P < 0.000), a 36.5% increased detection of borderline+ cases. CONCLUSIONS: For mild dyskaryosis, DNA-Citoliq detected 176 cases and CS 125 cases (McNemar test, P < 0.000); and for moderate+severe dyskaryosis 66 versus 32 cases respectively (McNemar test, P < 0.000).