Effects of salivary gland homogenate from wild-caught and laboratory-reared Lutzomyia longipalpis on the evolution and immunomodulation of Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis infection.

We investigated the effects of Lutzomyia longipalpis salivary glands homogenate of wild-caught and laboratory-reared vectors on the lesion evolution and immunomodulation of the infection caused by Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis. To compare the effect of both salivary glands homogenate (SGH), C57BL/6 mice were inoculated subcutaneously into the hind footpads or into the ear dermis with 10(6) promastigotes in the presence or not of SGH from wild-caught and laboratory-colonized sand flies. Comparing SGH groups, the lesion size was lower in mice co-inoculated with wild-caught SGH, as the parasitism and the infiltration of macrophages at the inoculation site. Wild-caught SGH also determined lower production of IL-4 and IL-10 but higher IL-12 levels compared with laboratory-reared SGH. Our findings address a probable bias by using SGH from laboratory-colonized sand flies instead of wild-caught vector SGH in studies concerning saliva effects. A possible mild influence of sand fly saliva in natural infections caused by Leishmania is also speculated, as infection is transmitted by wild and not by laboratory-reared vectors.

Vicilins (7S storage globulins) of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) seeds bind to chitinous structures of the midgut of Callosobruchus maculatus (Coleoptera: Bruchidae) larvae.

The presence of chitin in midgut structures of Callosobruchus maculatus larvae was shown by chemical and immunocytochemical methods. Detection by Western blotting of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) seed vicilins (7S storage proteins) bound to these structures suggested that C. maculatus-susceptible vicilins presented less staining when compared to C. maculatus-resistant vicilins. Storage proteins present in the microvilli in the larval midgut of the bruchid were recognized by immunolabeling of vicilins in the appropriate sections with immunogold conjugates. These labeling sites coincided with the sites labeled by an anti-chitin antibody. These results, taken together with those previously published showing that the lower rates of hydrolysis of variant vicilins from C. maculatus-resistant seeds by the insect's midgut proteinases and those showing that vicilins bind to chitin matrices, may explain the detrimental effects of variant vicilins on the development of C. maculatus larvae.

Vicilins (7S storage globulins) of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) seeds bind to chitinous structures of the midgut of Callosobruchus maculatus (Coleoptera: Bruchidae) larvae

The presence of chitin in midgut structures of Callosobruchus maculatus larvae was shown by chemical and immunocytochemical methods. Detection by Western blotting of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) seed vicilins (7S storage proteins) bound to these structures suggested that C. maculatus-susceptible vicilins presented less staining when compared to C. maculatus-resistant vicilins. Storage proteins present in the microvilli in the larval midgut of the bruchid were recognized by immunolabeling of vicilins in the appropriate sections with immunogold conjugates. These labeling sites coincided with the sites labeled by an anti-chitin antibody. These results, taken together with those previously published showing that the lower rates of hydrolysis of variant vicilins from C. maculatus-resistant seeds by the insect's midgut proteinases and those showing that vicilins bind to chitin matrices, may explain the detrimental effects of variant vicilins on the development of C. maculatus larvae

[Influence of nutrition on hormone secretion. I. Study in Agua Preta (author's transl)]. / Influência da nutricão sobre a secrecão hormonal. I. Eistudo em Agua Preta

A positive correlation between the circulating growth hormone levels and the nutritional status was reported in 9 children of both sexes, aged 1 to 6 years, suffering from 2nd degree malnutrition. The mean serum insulin levels, the mean urinary 17-KS and 17-OHCS levels were low before the dietary therapy. No significant correlation between the levels of these hormones and the nutritional status was found. The hormone levels gradually returned to normal after the dietary therapy and the nutritional status of the children improved, according to the observed biochemical, clinical and anthropometric data.