Humoral and cell-mediated immune responses to different doses of attenuated vaccine against avian infectious bronchitis virus

The antibody and cellular immune responses against infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) were evaluated at mucosal sites of chickens after immunization with various doses of an attenuated vaccine at 1 day of age. The correlation of these immune responses with protection of tracheal tissues was evaluated after experimental infection of these birds. Significantly reduced tracheal pathologic effects, measured according to ciliostasis and histology lesions, and reduced viral load were observed only in the full-dose vaccinated group at 5 days post-infection (dpi), while incomplete protection was observed for the subdose vaccinated groups. Moreover, birds of vaccinated groups, especially with full dose, developed higher levels of lachrymal IBV-specific IgG and IgA and increased the expression of cell-mediated immunity (CMI) genes, such as gamma interferon (IFNγ), CD8+ T cell marker, and granzyme homolog A more rapidly. In addition, these humoral and cellular immune responses evaluated at mucosal sites correlated significantly with tracheal protection against homologous IBV challenge in a vaccine dose-dependent manner. The results indicate that IgG, IgA and CD8+ T cell responses developed at mucosal sites after IBV vaccination of day-old chicks, could be taken as good correlates of protection against this virus. © 2013, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.

Improvement in clinical signs and cellular immunity of dogs with visceral leishmaniasis using the immunomodulator P-MAPA

This study investigated the immunotherapeutic potential of the protein aggregate magnesium-ammonium phospholinoleate-palmitoleate anhydride immuno-modulator (P-MAPA) on canine visceral leishmaniasis. Twenty mongrel dogs presenting clinical symptoms compatible with leishmaniasis and diagnosis confirmed by the detection of anti-leishmania antibodies were studied. Ten dogs received 15 doses of the immunomodulator (2.0mg/kg) intramuscularly, and 10 received saline as a placebo. Skin and peripheral blood samples were collected following administration of the immunomodulator. The groups were followed to observe for clinical signals of remission; parasite load in the skin biopsies using real-time PCR, the cytokines IL-2, IL-10 and IFN-γ in the supernatant of peripheral blood mononuclear cells stimulated in vitro with either total promastigote antigen or phytohemagglutinin measured by capture ELISA, and changes in CD4+ and CD8+ T cell subpopulations evaluated by flow cytometry. Comparison between the groups showed that treatment with the immunomodulator promoted improvement in clinical signs and a significant reduction in parasite load in the skin. In peripheral blood mononuclear cell cultures, supernatants showed a decrease in IL-10 levels and an increase in IL-2 and IFN-γ. An increase in CD8+ T cells was observed in peripheral blood. In addition, the in vitro leishmanicidal action of P-MAPA was investigated using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) and no leishmanicidal activity was detected. These findings suggest that P-MAPA has potential as an immunotherapeutic drug in canine visceral leishmaniasis, since it assists in reestablishing partial immunocompetence of infected dogs. © 2013 Elsevier B.V.

Bacille Calmette-Guérin/DNAhsp65 prime-boost is protective against diabetes in non-obese diabetic mice but not in the streptozotocin model of type 1 diabetes

Type I diabetes is a disease caused by autoimmune destruction of the beta cells in the pancreas that leads to a deficiency in insulin production. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prophylactic potential of a prime-boost strategy involving bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) and the pVAXhsp65 vaccine (BCG/DNAhsp65) in diabetes induced by streptozotocin (STZ) in C57BL/6 mice and also in spontaneous type 1 diabetes in non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice. BCG/DNAhsp65 vaccination in NOD mice determined weight gain, protection against hyperglycaemia, decreased islet inflammation, higher levels of cytokine production by the spleen and a reduced number of regulatory T cells in the spleen compared with non-immunized NOD mice. In the STZ model, however, there was no significant difference in the clinical parameters. Although this vaccination strategy did not protect mice in the STZ model, it was very effective in NOD mice. This is the first report demonstrating that a prime-boost strategy could be explored as an immunomodulatory procedure in autoimmune diseases. © 2013 British Society for Immunology.

CD95 (FAS) and CD178 (FASL) induce the apoptosis of CD4+ and CD8+ cells isolated from the peripheral blood and spleen of dogs naturally infected with Leishmania spp

Infected dogs are urban reservoirs of Leishmania chagasi, which is a causative agent of visceral leishmaniasis (VL). Dogs exhibit immune suppression during the course of this disease, and lymphocyte apoptosis is involved in this process. To investigate apoptosis and the expression levels of FAS-FAS-associated death domain protein (CD95 or APO-1), FASL-FAS ligand protein (CD178), and TRAIL-TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (CD253) receptors in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and spleen leukocytes from 38 symptomatic dogs with moderate VL and 25 healthy dogs were evaluated by flow cytometry. The apoptosis rate of blood and splenic CD4+ and CD8+ cells was higher in infected dogs than in healthy dogs. The expression levels of FAS and FASL in blood and splenic CD4+ cells were lower in infected dogs than in healthy dogs. FAS expression in CD8+ cells was higher in infected dogs than in healthy dogs; in contrast, FASL expression was lower in infected dogs. The expression of the TRAIL receptor increased only in splenic CD8+ cells from infected dogs. The FAS and FAS-L blocking antibodies confirmed the importance of these receptors in apoptosis. Our results enhance the current understanding of the immune response in dogs infected with L. chagasi, facilitating the future development of therapeutic interventions to reduce lymphocyte depletion. © 2013 Elsevier B.V.

Efeito da desnutrição protéico-calórica experimental na resposta imune e na susceptibilidade á infecção por Staphylococcus aureus

Pós-graduação em Biologia Geral e Aplicada - IBB

Validação de anticorpo monoclonal anti-CD45 obtido in house para utilização em citometria de fluxo e imuno-histoquímica

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Avaliação da correlação entre aloimunização à antígenos eritrocitários e Sistema de histocompatibilidade (HLA) em pacientes com doença falciforme

Pós-graduação em Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento (Biotecnologia Médica) - FMB

Caracterização da resposta imune celular pela expressão imunoistoquímica de CD4, CD8, CD28, CD152, CD56 e FOXP3 em carcinoma mamário de fêmeas caninas

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Aplicabilidade da alga cianofícea Spirulina maxima como ingrediente em petfood: avaliação de ação antioxidante e imunológica em cães

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Avaliação do efeito de derivados de parede celular de levedura de cana-de-açúcar (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) sobre a resposta imune de cães adultos

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Efeito da adição de parede celular de levedura sobre a digestibilidade, microbiota, ácidos graxos de cadeia curta e aminas fecais e parâmetros hematológicos e imunológicos de cães

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Avaliação da transferência de imunidade passiva em bezerros de vacas da raça Canchim

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Parâmetros imunovirológicos em pacientes infectados pelo HIV, tratados ou não com antirretrovirais

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Perfil nutricional de pacientes infectados por HIV hospitalizados e comparação do desempenho de diferentes indicadores de estado nutricional

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Efeitos genéticos e ambientais sobre o tempo de permanência em imobilidade tônica de perdizes (Rhynchotus rufescens)

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)