Systemic lupus erythematosus: disease activity may influence the release of endothelial microparticles?

: To evaluate blood-borne endothelial microparticles (EMPs) in women with SLE and correlated these to disease activity as defined by the SLEDAI-2K score. The study takes cross-sectional design. A total of 90 age-matched women were recruited including: G1 (healthy volunteers, n = 30), G2 (women with SLE and low disease activity (SLEDAI-2K score ≤4; n = 30) and G3 (women with SLE and moderate/high disease activity (SLEDAI-2K score >4; n = 30). Blood was collected in 3.2% sodium citrate. Subsequently, the microparticles were purified by ultracentrifugation and labeled with anti-CD51/61 and anti-Annexin-V antibodies. Quantification and phenotyping were performed using flow cytometry. The number of EMPs was significantly higher in SLE patients compared with controls (P = 0.0178). When SLE patients were stratified according to disease activity, the number of EMPs was significantly increased in women with moderate-to-high disease activity compared with controls (P = 0.0074). We observed a correlation between the number of EMPs and age (r = -0.34; P = 0.0123) and between the number of EMPs and SLEDAI-2K score (r = 0.30; P = 0.04). Our results suggest that the SLE causes increased EMPs release, especially in patients with SLEDAI-2K score greater than 4. Although measurement of the EMPs could be useful in distinguishing patients with SLE from health controls, they have limited value in differentiating between SLE subtypes.

CD4-CD8-αß and γδ T cells display inflammatory and regulatory potentials during human tuberculosis.

T-cells play an important role controlling immunity against pathogens and therefore influence the outcome of human diseases. Although most T-lymphocytes co-express either CD4 or CD8, a smaller T-cell subset found the in the human peripheral blood that expresses the αß or γδ T-cell-receptor (TCR) lacks the CD4 and CD8 co-receptors. These double negative (DN) T-cells have been shown to display important immunological functions in human diseases. To better understand the role of DN T-cells in human Mycobacterium tuberculosis, we have characterized their frequency, activation and cytokine profile in a well-defined group of tuberculosis patients, categorized as severe and non-severe based on their clinical status. Our data showed that whereas high frequency of αß DN T-cells observed in M. tuberculosis-infected patients are associated with disease severity, decreased proportion of γδ DN T-cells are found in patients with severe tuberculosis. Together with activation of CD4(+) and CD8(+) T-cells, higher frequencies of both αß and γδ DN T-cells from tuberculosis patients also express the chronic activation marker HLA-DR. However, the expression of CD69, an early activation marker, is selectively observed in DN T-cells. Interestingly, while αß and γδ DN T-cells from patients with non-severe tuberculosis display a pro-inflammatory cytokine profile, characterized by enhanced IFN-γ, the γδ DN T-cells from patients with severe disease express a modulatory profile exemplified by enhanced interleukin-10 production. Overall, our findings suggest that αß and γδ DN T-cell present disparate immunoregulatory potentials and seems to contribute to the development/maintenance of distinct clinical aspects of TB, as part of the complex immunological network triggered by the TB infection.

Evaluation of the immunotoxicological effects of Dimorphandra mollis Benth., Fabaceae, in rats / Avaliação dos efetos imunotoxicológicos de Dimorphandra mollis Benth., Fabaceae, em ratos

Dimorphandra mollis Benth., Fabaceae, also known as "faveira" or "fava-d'anta", is a plant common to the central woodsy meadow region of Brazil. It is well known for its antioxidant, antiplatelet and, principally, vasoprotective properties. Its principal component is rutin. The objective of this study is the evaluation of the safety of the use of the dried D. mollis extract in rodents. The rutin content of the standardized extract was 76.0±3 percent. With respect to the biochemical and hematological parameters evaluated, no alterations in the groups of rats that received 1000 and 2000 mg/kg doses of D. mollis were observed, but an increase in eosinophiles occurred. Hyperactivity of the white splenic pulp was detected in the group that received the 2000 mg/kg dose of D. mollis. In the evaluation of the lymphproliferative response with 1000 and 2000 mg/kg, no alterations were observed, and a decrease in IgG was only observed in the studies with a 2000 mg/kg dose. The results obtained with rodents suggest that no toxicity exists with the administration of dried D. mollis extract in a 1000 mg/kg dose.

A Dimorphandra mollis Benth., Fabaceae, conhecida como faveira ou fava-d'anta, é uma planta comum do cerrado central do Brasil, muito utilizada por suas propriedades antioxidante, antiplaquetária e, principalmente, como vasoprotetora. Seu principal marcador é a rutina. Este estudo teve como objetivo avaliar a segurança da utilização do extrato seco de D. mollis em roedores. O extrato foi extraído, padronizado e quantificado apresentando teor de 76,0±3 por cento de rutina. Nos parâmetros bioquímicos e hematológicos avaliados, não se observou alterações nos grupos de machos e fêmeas que receberam a dose de 1000 e 2000 mg/kg de D. mollis, mas observou-se um aumento de eosinófilos. Nos estudos histopatológicos detectou-se hiperreatividade da polpa branca esplênica, no grupo que recebeu a dose de 2000 mg/kg de D. mollis. Na avaliação da resposta linfoproliferativa, com 1000 e 2000 mg/kg não foram observadas alterações, e somente nos estudos com a dose de 2000 mg/kg se observou diminuição de IgG. Os resultados obtidos, utilizando roedores, sugerem que nenhuma toxicidade existe na administração de extrato seco de D. mollis na dose de 1000 mg/kg.

Increase of NK cells and proinflammatory monocytes are associated with the clinical improvement of diffuse cutaneous leishmaniasis after immunochemotherapy with BCG/Leishmania antigens.

Diffuse cutaneous leishmaniasis (DCL) is characterized by disseminated lesions and the absence of a specific cellular immune response. Here, the immunochemotherapy outcome of a patient with DCL from Amazonian Brazil infected with Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis is presented. After several unsuccessful chemotherapy treatment regimens and many relapses, a monthly immunotherapy scheme of L. amazonensis PH8 plus L. (Viannia) braziliensis M2903 monovalent vaccines associated with Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) was established, one round of which also included an M2903 vaccine associated with intermittent antimonial treatment. Temporary healing of all lesions was achieved, although Leishmania skin tests were negative and interferon gamma was not detected in mononuclear cell cultures stimulated with Leishmania antigens. The frequencies of CD16 (+)CD56(+) NK cells (approximately 2x) and CD14 (+)CD16(+) proinflammatory monocytes (approximately 8x) increased in peripheral blood, and CD56 (+) lymphocytes were found infiltrating the lesions. An association between the increase of the frequency of innate immune system cells and the healing of lesions is shown, suggesting that this protocol of immunotherapy reduced the parasite load and activated NK cells and monocytes.

Leishmaniose visceral canina estudo parasitológico e histopatológico em olhos de cäes: parte I / Canine visceral leishmaniosis parasitological and histopathological study in dog's eyes: part I

Vários autores têm relatado o envolvimento ocular externo em cäes naturalmente infectados com Leihmania infantum e Leishmania donovani. Entretanto, ainda näo foram realizados estudos dos olhos de cäes no nosso meio. Objetivando investigar a possibilidade de parasitismo ocular, quatro cäes controle e 12 cäes com leishmaniose visceral foram examinados, todos provinientesda regiäo metropolitana de Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil.O diagnóstico foi realizado através de sorologia convencional (RIFI e ELISA) e exame parasilógico de aspirado de medula óssea. Para o isolamento do parasito foi realizada a inoculaçäo de aproximadamente 100 ml de humor aquoso e/ou corpo vítreo em meio de cultura de NNN/LIT, que foi mantido a ...

Leishmaniose visceral canina estudo imunológico em olhos de cäes: parte II / Canine visceral leishmaniasis immunological study in dog's eyes

O quadro clínico da leishmaniose visceral canina se assemelha muito ao quadro clínico da leishmaniose visceral humana. Embora estas alteraçöes sejam amplamente abordadas em praticamente todos os sistemas no cäo, o estudo das alteraçöes imunológicas näo têm sido profundamente estudados. Aproximadamente 20ml de humor aquoso e corpo vítreo foram utilizados para exames imunológicos através do ensaio imunoenzimático (ELISA) para detecçäo de anticorpos anti leishmania (IgM e IgG) e 10ml de humor aquoso foram utilizados para dosagem de proteína pela micro técnica de Lowry. Detectou se anticorpos anti leishmania (IgM e IgG) em níveis que variaram de 1:80 a 1:2560 no humor aquoso e/ou corpo vítreo dos animais infectados e menores que 1:5 nos animais controle...