RESUMO
Galectins are evolutionarily conserved glycan-binding proteins with pleiotropic roles in innate and adaptive immune responses. Galectin-3 has been implicated in several immunological processes as well as in pathogen recognition through specific binding to glycosylated receptors on the surface of host cells or microorganisms. In spite of considerable evidence supporting a role for galectin-3 in host-pathogen interactions, the relevance of this lectin in the regulation of the host defence mechanisms in vivo is poorly understood. In this study, we analysed the impact of galectin-3 deficiency during infection with three distinct species of rodent malaria parasites, Plasmodium yoelii 17XNL, Plasmodium berghei ANKA and Plasmodium chabaudi AS. We found that galectin-3 deficiency showed a marginal effect on the course of parasitaemia during P. chabaudi infection, but did not alter the course of parasitaemia during P. berghei infection. However, lack of galectin-3 significantly reduced P. yoelii parasitaemia. This reduced parasitaemia in Lgals3(-/-) mice was consistent with higher titres of anti-P. yoelii MSP1(19) IgG2b isotype antibodies when compared with their wild-type counterparts. Our results reflect the complexity and singularity of host-pathogen interactions, indicating a species-specific role of endogenous galectin-3 in the control of parasite infections and the modulation of antibody responses.
Assuntos
Galectina 3/imunologia , Interações Hospedeiro-Patógeno , Malária/patologia , Plasmodium berghei/patogenicidade , Plasmodium chabaudi/patogenicidade , Plasmodium yoelii/patogenicidade , Animais , Anticorpos Antiprotozoários/sangue , Modelos Animais de Doenças , Feminino , Galectina 3/deficiência , Imunoglobulina G/sangue , Malária/imunologia , Malária/parasitologia , Camundongos , Camundongos Knockout , Parasitemia/imunologia , Parasitemia/parasitologia , Parasitemia/patologia , Plasmodium berghei/imunologia , Plasmodium chabaudi/imunologia , Plasmodium yoelii/imunologiaRESUMO
The aqueous extract of Casearia sylvestris was tested in cortical membrane preparations. C. sylvestris was obtained commercially from two different sources, designated as Sample A and Sample B. The enzymes studied in this work were NTPDase-like, 5'-Nucleotidase, Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase and acetylcholinesterase (AChE). Adult rats received aqueous extracts from C. sylvestris in a dose of 20mg/kg body wt. daily for a 75-day-period, by oral administration (gavage). Our study showed that this treatment caused an inhibition of NTPDase-like activity with both, ATP (19.41% with Sample A and 25.03% with Sample B) and ADP (41.57% with Sample A and 31.20% with Sample B) as substrates. This treatment also caused an inhibition of 5'-nucleotidase activity (28.34% with Sample A and 31.46% with Sample B) and Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase (25.08% with Sample A and 24.81% with Sample B). The rate of acetylcholine degradation was reduced, as shown by the inhibition of AChE (31.65% and 26.74%, Samples A and B, respectively). These results suggest that extracts of C. sylvestris can cause neurochemical alterations in the purinergic and cholinergic systems of the central nervous system.
Assuntos
Casearia/química , Córtex Cerebral/efeitos dos fármacos , Inibidores Enzimáticos/análise , Extratos Vegetais/farmacologia , 5'-Nucleotidase/antagonistas & inibidores , Acetilcolinesterase/efeitos dos fármacos , Animais , Antígenos CD , Apirase/antagonistas & inibidores , Membrana Celular/efeitos dos fármacos , Masculino , Folhas de Planta/química , Ratos , Ratos Wistar , ATPase Trocadora de Sódio-Potássio/antagonistas & inibidoresRESUMO
Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) is a frequent infection in cirrhotic patients with ascites, with a poor prognosis. The aims of this study were to determine the long-term survival of cirrhotic patients with SBP treated with ceftriaxone and to identify predictive factors related to survival. We studied 47 first episodes of SBP treated with ceftriaxone with a mean follow-up of 272 days. Nineteen variables were recorded to evaluate their relation to survival. The most frequent organism that caused SBP was Escherichia coli (40%). Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis resolution was achieved in 67% of patients. After resolution, SBP recurrence was observed in 44% of patients. The cumulative probability of survival was 68.1% at 1 month and 30.8% at 6 months. After uni-and multivariate analyses of all cases, SBP resolution ( p = 0.0001) and international normalized ratio (INR) ( p = 0.0057) were found to be related to survival. Another analysis performed after SBP resolution and SBP recurrence showed that ascitic fluid-positive culture ( p = 0.0344) and INR ( p = 0.0218) had statistical significance as variables predictive of long-term survival. We conclude that the survival of cirrhotic patients is very short after the first episode of SBP, a fact probably related to advanced liver disease, as liver dysfunction (INR) is the most important factor related to long-term patient survival.
Assuntos
Infecções Bacterianas/tratamento farmacológico , Infecções Bacterianas/mortalidade , Ceftriaxona/uso terapêutico , Peritonite/tratamento farmacológico , Peritonite/mortalidade , Adulto , Idoso , Idoso de 80 Anos ou mais , Líquido Ascítico/microbiologia , Infecções Bacterianas/diagnóstico , Intervalos de Confiança , Feminino , Seguimentos , Humanos , Cirrose Hepática/complicações , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Análise Multivariada , Peritonite/etiologia , Probabilidade , Estudos Prospectivos , Análise de Regressão , Medição de Risco , Análise de Sobrevida , Resultado do TratamentoRESUMO
A case of gingival erosive lichen planus is presented with special emphasis on its clinical and microscopic characteristics. The differential diagnosis and the controversy associated with the malignant potential of oral lichen planus is also discussed.
Assuntos
Doenças da Gengiva/diagnóstico , Líquen Plano Bucal/diagnóstico , Adulto , Anti-Inflamatórios/uso terapêutico , Biópsia , Epitélio/patologia , Eritema/diagnóstico , Feminino , Glucocorticoides/uso terapêutico , Humanos , Triancinolona Acetonida/uso terapêuticoRESUMO
The dynamics of weight gain were studied in 95 preterm adequate for gestational age infants between birth and their 6th post-term month. The infants were divided into 4 groups according to the number of weeks of gestation at birth, i.e., 33, 34, 35 and 36 weeks, respectively. To compare the results, weight gains were studied for each group of the same corrected ages up to the 64th week of post-menstrual age, corresponding to the 6th post-term month. Weight gain was small during the first 2 weeks of post-natal life but increased considerably over the subsequent weeks with an almost constant periodical increment (GRI) being maintained in all 4 groups during the first months of life. However, unit growth rate (UGR) reached its highest value during the first post-natal month and decreased a similarly in all 4 groups during the subsequent months, with values approximating to those reported for infants in developed countries.
Assuntos
Recém-Nascido Prematuro , Aumento de Peso , Feminino , Idade Gestacional , Humanos , Lactente , Recém-Nascido , Estudos Longitudinais , Masculino , Valores de ReferênciaRESUMO
A 57 year-old male patient developed cardiogenic shock after inferior wall myocardial infarction. Cinecoronariography demonstrated a critical distal lesion of the right coronary artery. Transluminal percutaneous coronary angioplasty was carried out four hours after onset of pain and thirty minutes after hospital admission. Residual lesion was 40% and the patient recovered from cardiogenic shock.