Widespread Pig Farming Practice Linked to Shifts in Skin Microbiomes and Disease in Pond-Breeding Amphibians.

Farming practices may reshape the structure of watersheds, water quality, and the health of aquatic organisms. Nutrient enrichment from agricultural pollution increases disease pressure in many host-pathogen systems, but the mechanisms underlying this pattern are not always resolved. For example, nutrient enrichment should strongly influence pools of aquatic environmental bacteria, which has the potential to alter microbiome composition of aquatic animals and their vulnerability to disease. However, shifts in the host microbiome have received little attention as a link between nutrient enrichment and diseases of aquatic organisms. We examined nutrient enrichment through the widespread practice of integrated pig-fish farming and its effects on microbiome composition of Brazilian amphibians and prevalence of the globally distributed amphibian skin pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd). This farming system drove surges in fecal coliform bacteria, disturbing amphibian skin bacterial communities such that hosts recruited higher proportions of Bd-facilitative bacteria and carried higher Bd prevalence. Our results highlight previously overlooked connections between global trends in land use change, microbiome dysbiosis, and wildlife disease. These interactions may be particularly important for disease management in the tropics, a region with both high biodiversity and continually intensifying anthropogenic pressures on aquatic wildlife habitats.

Oxidative, inflammatory and cardiometabolic biomarkers of clinical relevance in patients with metabolic syndrome / Biomarcadores oxidativos, inflamatórios e cardiometabólicos de relevância clínica em pacientes com síndrome metabólica

ABSTRACT Introduction: Obesity is characterized by excessive deposition of fat in adipose tissue and is associated with the development of pathological damage in several metabolic processes that are associated with oxidative stress and inflammation. Objective: To evaluate the levels of adiponectin, inflammatory markers and oxidative markers, with the objective of determining a biomarkers profile in adults that influences the metabolic risk of developing the metabolic syndrome (MetS). Methods: The groups studied included 84 adults (48 Without MetS and 36 With MetS). General and biochemical parameters were determined. Adiponectin levels, inflammatory markers [C-reactive protein (CRP)], interleukin 6 (IL-6), adenosine deaminase (ADA), dipeptidyl peptidase-IV (DPP-IV) and oxidative markers [thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), sulfhydryl groups (SH), total ferric antioxidant power (FRAP) and vitamin C] were also measured. Results: The MetS group presented a significant increase in insulin, triglycerides, cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (GPT) and uric acid, as well as gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT), and vitamin C. Conclusion: The combination of IL-6, ultra-sensitive C-reactive protein (us-CRP), ADA, DPP-IV and the increase of TBARS, with the reduction of vitamin C, SH groups and adiponectin, promote inflammation and compromise insulin sensitivity, thus presenting an active role in the pathogenesis of MetS. These findings are significant because they may assist in monitoring clinical changes, in the prevention of future cardiometabolic events in individuals with MetS, and in the identification of inflammatory and oxidative markers that assist in the monitoring and prevention of MetS.

RESUMO Introdução: A obesidade caracteriza-se pela deposição excessiva de gordura no tecido adiposo e está associada ao desenvolvimento de danos patológicos em vários processos metabólicos que estão relacionados com o estresse oxidativo e a inflamação. Objetivo: Avaliar os níveis de adiponectina, marcadores inflamatórios e marcadores oxidativos, com o objetivo de determinar um perfil de biomarcadores em adultos que influencie o risco metabólico de desenvolver síndrome metabólica (SMet). Métodos: Os grupos estudados incluíram 84 adultos (48 sem SMet e 36 com SMet). Parâmetros gerais e bioquímicos foram determinados. Níveis de adiponectina, marcadores inflamatórios [proteína C reativa ultrassensível (PCR-us), interleucina 6 (IL-6), adenosina deaminase (ADA), dipeptidil peptidase-IV (DPP-IV)] e marcadores oxidativos [thiobarbituric acid reactive species (TBARS), sulfhydryl (SH) grupos, total antioxidante capacity ferric (FRAP) e vitamina C] também foram medidos. Resultados: O grupo com SMet apresentou aumento significativo de insulina, triglicerídeos, colesterol, colesterol da llipoproteína de baixa densidade (LDL-C), transaminase glutâmica pirúvica (TGP) e ácido úrico, bem como gamaglutamiltransferase (GGT), transaminase glutâmica oxalacética (TGO), hemoglobina glicada (HbA1C), homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), glicose, SH e TBARS, e redução significativa de sensibilidade insulínica (SI), lipoproteína de alta densidade (HDL-C) e vitamina C. Conclusão: A combinação de IL-6, PCR-us, ADA, DPP-IV e o aumento de TBARS, com a redução de vitamina C, grupos SH e adiponectina promovem inflamação e comprometem a sensibilidade à insulina, apresentando assim um papel ativo na patogênese da SMet. Esses achados são significativos porque podem auxiliar no monitoramento de alterações clínicas, na prevenção de futuros eventos cardiometabólicos em indivíduos com SMet e na identificação de marcadores inflamatórios e oxidativos que auxiliam no monitoramento e na prevenção da SMet.

Influence of obesity on the serum concentration of retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP4) in young adults / Influência da obesidade sobre a concentração sérica da proteína ligadora do retinol 4 (RBP4) em adultos jovens

ABSTRACT Introduction: Obesity is a chronic low-grade inflammation, in which macrophages play an important role in the maintenance of inflammation by producing pre-inflammatory and inflammatory substances such as retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP4), which acts as a trigger for adipose tissue inflammation and associated with obesity co-morbidities. Objective: This study evaluated the serum concentration of RBP4 and biomarkers of insulin resistance (IR) in young adult patients with normal weight, overweight and obese. Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted involving 149 subjects: 54 healthy individuals (32 women and 22 men), 27 overweight (17 women and 10 men) and 68 obese (41 women and 27 men). The anthropometric measures and the concentrations of RBP4, insulin, HbA1c and glucose were determined, in addition to the calculations for homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and insulin sensitivity (IS). Results: overweight and obese patients showed significantly higher levels of glucose, HbA1c, insulin, and HOMA-IR (p < 0.0001), and decreased IS (p > 0.0001) when compared with the normal weight group. There was an increase in RBP4 proportional to the increase in body mass index (BMI); the obese group showed significantly higher levels (p < 0.05). Conclusion: This study suggests that RBP4 may play a key role in the development of inflammation and IR in young obese individuals, as it may promote significant disturbances in insulin metabolism and may contribute to the development of obesity-related co-morbidities. This parameter can represent a hope in the identification of new inflammatory and IR markers to assist in the diagnosis and follow-up of overweight and obese patients.

RESUMO Introdução: Na obesidade, ocorre inflamação crônica de baixo grau, na qual os macrófagos desempenham um papel importante na manutenção desta inflamação por produzirem sustâncias pré-inflamatórias e inflamatórias, como a proteína transportadora de retinol (RBP4), que funciona como gatilho para a inflamação do tecido adiposo, aliando-se a comorbidades da obesidade. Objetivo: Este estudo avaliou a concentração sérica de RBP4 e biomarcadores de resistência insulínica (RI) em pacientes adultos jovens, com peso normal, sobrepeso e obesos. Métodos: Foi conduzido um estudo transversal que envolveu 149 indivíduos: 54 saudáveis (32 mulheres e 22 homens), 27 com sobrepeso (17 mulheres e 10 homens) e 68 obesos (41 mulheres e 27 homens). As medidas antropométricas e as concentrações de RBP4, insulina, HbA1c e glicose foram determinadas, além dos cálculos do modelo de avaliação da homeostase da resistência à insulina (HOMA-IR) e da sensibilidade insulínica (SI). Resultados: Pacientes obesos e com sobrepeso mostraram níveis significativos maiores de glicose, HbA1c, insulina e HOMA-IR (p > 0,0001) e diminuição da SI (p > 0,0001), quando comparados com o grupo de peso normal. Observou-se um aumento de RBP4 proporcional ao aumento do índice de massa corporal (IMC); o grupo obeso apresentou níveis significativamente superiores (p < 0,05). Conclusão: Este estudo sugere que a RBP4 pode ter papel-chave no desenvolvimento da inflamação e da RI em obesos jovens, uma vez que pode promover perturbações significativas no metabolismo da insulina, além de contribuir para o desenvolvimento de comorbidades relacionadas com obesidade. Este parâmetro pode representar uma esperança na identificação de novos marcadores inflamatórios e de RI que auxiliem o diagnóstico e o acompanhamento de pacientes com sobrepeso e obesos.

Biosurfactant Produced by Salmonella Enteritidis SE86 Can Increase Adherence and Resistance to Sanitizers on Lettuce Leaves (Lactuca sativa L., cichoraceae).

Salmonella Enteritidis SE86 is an important foodborne pathogen in Southern Brazil and it is able to produce a biosurfactant. However, the importance of this compound for the microorganism is still unknown. This study aimed to investigate the influence of the biosurfactant produced by S. Enteritidis SE86 on adherence to slices of lettuce leaves and on resistance to sanitizers. First, lettuce leaves were inoculated with S. Enteritidis SE86 in order to determine the amount of biosurfactant produced. Subsequently, lettuce leaves were inoculated with S. Enteritidis SE86 with and without the biosurfactant, and the adherence and bacterial resistance to different sanitization methods were evaluated. S. Enteritidis SE86 produced biosurfactant after 16 h (emulsification index of 11 to 52.15 percent, P < 0.05) and showed greater adherence capability and resistance to sanitization methods when the compound was present. The scanning electron microscopy demonstrated that S. Enteritidis was able to adhere, form lumps, and invade the lettuce leaves' stomata in the presence of the biosurfactant. Results indicated that the biosurfactant produced by S. Enteritidis SE86 contributed to adherence and increased resistance to sanitizers when the microorganism was present on lettuce leaves.