Interleukin 17F Gene Polymorphism as a Potential Protective Factor in the Immunopathology of Ocular Toxoplasmosis.

Ocular toxoplasmosis (OT) is characterised by intraocular inflammation due to Toxoplasma gondii infection. Studies have found that interleukin 17 (IL-17) plays a central role in the pathology of OT. However, nucleotide variability in IL17 and interleukin 17 receptor (IL17R) genes has not been characterised in OT. As cytokine gene polymorphisms may influence the expression of these molecules, the aim of this study was to verify whether IL17A (rs2275913), IL17F (rs763780), IL17RA (rs4819554) and IL17RC (rs708567) polymorphisms are associated with OT in a Brazilian population. This study enrolled 214 patients seropositive for T. gondii (110 with OT and 104 without) and 107 controls. Polymorphisms were identified by PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis, validated by DNA sequencing with chi-square and multivariate analyses being used to assess possible associations between polymorphisms and OT. Logistic regression under the dominant model revealed a protection factor against OT of the C mutant allele of the IL17F (rs763780) polymorphism. The T/C-C/C genotypes were significantly more common in patients without OT compared to those with OT (p value = 0.0066) and controls (p value = 0.014). Findings from this study suggest that the IL17F polymorphism may have an influence in the immunopathology of OT in Brazilian individuals.

Production of Purpureocillium lilacinum and Pochonia chlamydosporia by Submerged Liquid Fermentation and Bioactivity against Tetranychus urticae and Heterodera glycines through Seed Inoculation.

Pochoniachlamydosporia and Purpureocilliumlilacinum are fungal bioagents used for the sustainable management of plant parasitic nematodes. However, their production through submerged liquid fermentation and their use in seed treatment have been underexplored. Therefore, our goal was to assess the effect of different liquid media on the growth of 40 isolates of P. lilacinum and two of P. chlamydosporia. The most promising isolates tested were assessed for plant growth promotion and the control of the two-spotted spider mite (Tetranychus urticae) and the soybean cyst nematode (Heterodera glycines). Most isolates produced > 108 blastospores mL−1 and some isolates produced more than 104 microsclerotia mL−1. Microsclerotia of selected isolates were used to inoculate common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) seeds in greenhouse trials. All fungal isolates reduced the T. urticae fecundity in inoculated plants through seed treatment, while P. chlamydosporia ESALQ5406 and P. lilacinum ESALQ2593 decreased cyst nematode population. Purpureocillium lilacinum was more frequently detected in soil, whereas P. chlamydosporia colonized all plant parts. Pochonia chlamydosporia ESALQ5406 improved the root development of bean plants. These findings demonstrate the possibility of producing submerged propagules of P. chlamydosporia and P. lilacinum by liquid culture, and greenhouse trials support the applicability of fungal microsclerotia in seed treatment to control P. vulgaris pests.

Osteosphere Model to Evaluate Cell-Surface Interactions of Implantable Biomaterials.

Successful biomaterials for bone tissue therapy must present different biocompatible properties, such as the ability to stimulate the migration and proliferation of osteogenic cells on the implantable surface, to increase attachment and avoid the risks of implant movement after surgery. The present work investigates the applicability of a three-dimensional (3D) model of bone cells (osteospheres) in the evaluation of osteoconductive properties of different implant surfaces. Three different titanium surface treatments were tested: machined (MA), sandblasting and acid etching (BE), and Hydroxyapatite coating by plasma spray (PSHA). The surfaces were characterized by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM), confirming that they present very distinct roughness. After seeding the osteospheres, cell-surface interactions were studied in relation to cell proliferation, migration, and spreading. The results show that BE surfaces present higher densities of cells, leaving the aggregates towards than titanium surfaces, providing more evidence of migration. The PSHA surface presented the lowest performance in all analyses. The results indicate that the 3D model allows the focal analysis of an in vitro cell/surfaces interaction of cells and surfaces. Moreover, by demonstrating the agreement with the clinical data observed in the literature, they suggest a potential use as a predictive preclinical tool for investigating osteoconductive properties of novel biomaterials for bone therapy.

Endophytic Fungi: Biological Control and Induced Resistance to Phytopathogens and Abiotic Stresses.

Plant diseases cause losses of approximately 16% globally. Thus, management measures must be implemented to mitigate losses and guarantee food production. In addition to traditional management measures, induced resistance and biological control have gained ground in agriculture due to their enormous potential. Endophytic fungi internally colonize plant tissues and have the potential to act as control agents, such as biological agents or elicitors in the process of induced resistance and in attenuating abiotic stresses. In this review, we list the mode of action of this group of microorganisms which can act in controlling plant diseases and describe several examples in which endophytes were able to reduce the damage caused by pathogens and adverse conditions. This is due to their arsenal of molecules generated during the interaction by which they form a kind of biological shield in the plant. Furthermore, considering that endophytic fungi can be an important tool in managing for biotic and abiotic stresses due to the large amount of biologically active substances produced, bioprospecting this class of microorganisms is tending to increase and generate valuable products for agriculture.

Association of MICA and HLA-B alleles with leprosy in two endemic populations in Brazil.

Leprosy is a prevalent disease in Brazil, which ranks as the country with the second highest number of cases in the world. The disease manifests in a spectrum of forms, and genetic differences in the host can help to elucidate the immunopathogenesis. For a better understanding of MICA association with leprosy, we performed a case-control and a family-based study in two endemic populations in Brazil. MICA and HLA-B alleles were evaluated in 409 leprosy patients and in 419 healthy contacts by PCR-SSOP-Luminex-based technology. In the familial study, analysis of 46 families was completed by direct sequencing of all exons and 3'/5'untranslated regions, using the Ilumina MiSeq platform. All data were collected between 2006 and 2009. Statistical analysis was performed using the Chi-square or Fisher's exact test together with a multivariate analysis. Family-based association was assessed by transmission disequilibrium test (TDT) software FBAT 2.0.4. We found associations between the haplotype MICA*002-HLA-B*35 with leprosy in both the per se and the multibacillary (MB) forms when compared to healthy contacts. The MICA allele *008 was associated with the clinical forms of paucibacillary (PB). Additionally, MICA*029 was associated with the clinical forms of MB. The association of MICA*029 allele (MICA-A4 variant) with the susceptibility to the MB form suggests this variant for the transmembrane domain of the MICA molecule may be a risk factor for leprosy. Two MICA and nine HLA-B variants were found associated with leprosy per se in the Colônia do Prata population. Linkage disequilibrium analysis revealed perfect linkage disequilibrium (LD) between HLA-B markers rs2596498 and rs2507992, and high LD (R2  = .92) between these and the marker rs2442718. This familial study demonstrates that MICA association signals are not independent from those observed for HLA-B. Our findings contribute the knowledge pool of the immunogenetics of Hansen's disease and reveals a new association of the MICA*029 allele.

Association of MBL2 Exon 1 Polymorphisms With Multibacillary Leprosy.

Mannose-binding lectin (MBL) is a serum protein of innate immunity, with a central role in the activation of the complement system through the lectin pathway. This protein is encoded by MBL2 gene, and single-nucleotide polymorphisms located at exon 1, such as rs5030737 C>T (D variant), rs1800450 G>A (B variant), and rs1800451 G>A (C variant), may change the MBL structure and the serum concentration. MBL2 polymorphisms have been associated with several infectious diseases, including leprosy. Host immune response has a major impact on the clinical manifestation of leprosy since only a few individuals infected with Mycobacterium leprae will develop the disease. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of MBL2 exon 1 polymorphisms (rs5030737, rs1800450, and rs1800451) on the MBL levels and leprosy immunopathogenesis. This case-control study included 350 leprosy patients from Southern Brazil, with 279 classified as multibacillary (MB) and 71 as paucibacillary (PB). The control group consisted of 350 non-consanguineous individuals, who were not diagnosed with leprosy or other infectious and autoimmune diseases. Genotyping was performed by PCR-sequence specific primers, and the MBL serum concentrations were evaluated by ELISA. MBL2 exon 1 polymorphisms were analyzed individually and grouped as genotypes, considering "A" as the wild allele and "O" as the presence of at least one polymorphism (D, B, or C variants). Differences were not observed in the distribution of genotypic and allelic frequencies between leprosy per se patients and controls. However, in a haplotypic analysis, the TGG haplotype presented a risk for development of leprosy per se in women when compared to the wild haplotype (CGG) (OR = 2.69). Comparing patients with MB and PB, in a multivariate analysis, the B variant was associated with the susceptibility of developing the MB form of leprosy (OR = 2.55). Besides that, the CAG haplotype showed an increased susceptibility to develop MB leprosy in women compared to men. It was observed that the A/O genotype in women was associated with a susceptibility to leprosy development per se (OR = 1.66) and progression to MB leprosy (OR = 3.13). In addition, the MBL serum concentrations were in accordance with the genotyping analysis. In summary, our data suggest that MBL2 exon 1 polymorphisms are associated with an increased risk to leprosy development and progression.

Association of functional IL16 polymorphisms with cancer and cardiovascular disease: a meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Interleukin-16 (IL-16) is a chemotactic cytokine that is found to increase in Cancer and cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in IL16 were associated with diseases. Thus, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate possible associations between IL16 rs4778889, rs11556218, rs4072111, and rs1131445 SNPs and the risk for cancer or CVD. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was performed according to the PRISMA statement. Medline, Web of Science, and Scopus databases were systematically reviewed, and a meta-analysis was conducted. RESULTS: The analysis comprised 6386 individuals with cancer and 2415 with CVD. The SNP rs11556218 was significantly associated with an increased risk for cancer in Chinese in different genetic inheritance models. Also, to the best of our knowledge, this is the first meta-analysis to show an association of rs4778889 with an increased risk of gastric cancer and rs11556218 with an increased risk of CVD in Chinese. CONCLUSIONS: Our meta-analysis suggested that the SNPs rs11556218 and rs4778889 of IL16 were associated with an increased risk for cancer in Chinese and rs11556218 with increased risk for CVD in Chinese, highlighting the need for further studies on the impact of these polymorphisms on cancer treatment and surveillance.

HLA-A, -B, -DRB1, -DQA1, and -DQB1 genotyping of 641 individuals from southern Brazil.

Sixty hundred and forty-one Brazilian individuals from the north and northwestern state of Paraná, southern Brazil, were selected for the study. The HLA-A, -B, -DRB1, -DQA1, and -DQB1 genotyping were performed using rSSO and Micro SSP analysis. These genotype data are available in the Allele Frequencies Net Database under the population name "Brazil Paraná Caucasian" number "AFND3618".

Impact of SNPs/Haplotypes of IL10 and IFNG on the Development of Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma.

The purpose of this study was to assess the influence of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) on cytokine genes in the development of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). One hundred and twelve patients and 221 controls were investigated. Among them, 97 patients treated with R-CHOP were subdivided into two groups: (i) complete remission of the disease and (ii) patients who progressed to death, relapsed, or had disease progression. The SNPs investigated by PCR-SSP were TNF -308G>A (rs1800629), IFNG +874A>T (rs2430561), IL6 -174G>C (rs1800795), IL10 -1082A>G (rs1800896), IL10 -819C>T (rs1800871), IL10 -592C>A (rs1800872), and TGFB1 codon10T>C (rs1982073) and codon25G>C (rs1800471). In general, the genotypes that have been associated in the literature with lower production or intermediate production of IL-10 and higher production of IFN-γ were associated with the protection of the development of the disease, possibly favoring the Th1 immune response and diminishing the capacity of cell proliferation. However, patients receiving R-CHOP treatment presented unfavorable prognoses in the presence of genotypes related to the intermediate production of IL-10 and high production of TGF-ß1, indicating that cytokines may be related to the response to treatment and action mechanisms of Rituximab.

The Influence of TLR4, CD14, OPG, and RANKL Polymorphisms in Periodontitis: A Case-Control Study.

The pathogenesis of periodontitis involves a complex interaction between the microbial challenge and the host immune response. The individual immunoinflammatory response has a great contribution in the pathogenesis of the disease and becomes a trigger in the process of bone remodeling which is a characteristic of the disease. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of the TLR4 A896G (rs4986790), TLR4 C1196T (rs4986791), CD14 C-260T (rs2569190), RANKL (TNFSF11, rs2277438), and OPG (TNFSF11B C163T, rs3102735) polymorphisms in periodontitis. A case-control study was conducted on patients with periodontitis (N = 203) and controls (N = 213) over 30 years of age, without diabetes mellitus, acute infections, and osteoarthritis, and patients without aggressive periodontitis, i.e., stage IV and C degree of periodontitis, and any periodontal treatment performed in the last 6 months. Genotypes were determined by the PCR-RFLP and sequencing method. The frequency comparisons between case and controls were performed using the chi-square test and logistic regression (OpenEpi and SNPStats software). The risk (OR) was evaluated for values of P < 0.05. Differences in TLR4, CD14, RANKL, and OPG genotype and allele frequency distributions were not observed between patients and controls. However, some variants were a risk factor for the development of periodontitis when considering gender and smoking habits. The TLR4 896 A/G genotype was a risk factor for periodontitis in males (OR = 2.86), and the TLR4 1196C/C genotype was a risk factor for nonsmoking males (OR = 1.85) when compared to women. The RANKL A/A and the OPG T/C genotype was associated with the risk of the disease in nonsmoking men compared to nonsmoking women with the same genotype (OR = 1.96 and OR = 2.9, respectively). In conclusion, TLR4, CD14, RANKL, and OPG variants were not associated with periodontitis. However, TLR4, RANKL, and OPG polymorphisms could be a risk for periodontitis in males regardless of smoking habits.

IL18 Polymorphism and Periodontitis Susceptibility, Regardless of IL12B, MMP9, and Smoking Habits.

Genetic variations contribute to the susceptibility in the development of periodontitis. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of IL18, IL12, and MMP9 polymorphisms in the chronic periodontitis. This case-control study involved 381 individuals matched by gender and age. Genotyping of IL18 (rs187238 and rs1946518) and IL12B (rs3212227) was performed by PCR-SSP and PCR-RFLP was used for MMP9 (rs3918242). IL-18 and MMP-9 were quantified in the serum by ELISA. SNPStats and OpenEpi software were used for statistical analysis and, in order to eliminate smoking as a confounding factor, the analyses were also performed in nonsmoking subjects. The IL18-137G/C genotype was associated with the risk of chronic periodontitis in nonsmokers (P c = 0.03; OR = 1.99; overdominant inherence model). In the multivariate analyses, homozygous IL18-137G/G and IL18-607C/C were more frequent in males compared to women with these same genotypes (OR = 2.51 and OR = 3.30, respectively). The serum levels of the IL-18 in patients were higher than those in healthy controls (P = 0.005). IL12B and MMP9 polymorphisms and MMP-9 serum concentration were similar in patients and controls. In this study, IL18 was associated with chronic periodontitis susceptibility. Men had greater risk than women for developing the disease when IL18 polymorphism was considered and the susceptibility was independent of the smoking status.