Immunomodulatory effects of low dose chemotherapy and perspectives of its combination with immunotherapy

Given that cancer is one of the main causes of death worldwide, many efforts have been directed toward discovering new treatments and approaches to cure or control this group of diseases. Chemotherapy is the main treatment for cancer; however, a conventional schedule based on maximum tolerated dose (MTD) shows several side effects and frequently allows the development of drug resistance. On the other side, low dose chemotherapy involves antiangiogenic and immunomodulatory processes that help host to fight against tumor cells, with lower grade of side effects. In this review, we present evidence that metronomic chemotherapy, based on the frequent administration of low or intermediate doses of chemotherapeutics, can be better than or as efficient as MTD. Finally, we present some data indicating that noncytotoxic concentrations of antineoplastic agents are able to both up-regulate the immune system and increase the susceptibility of tumor cells to cytotoxic T lymphocytes. Taken together, data from the literature provides us with sufficient evidence that low concentrations of selected chemotherapeutic agents, rather than conventional high doses, should be evaluated in combination with immunotherapy. Copyright © 2012 UICC.

Interleucina 6 e proteinograma sérico de ovinos submetidos à endotoxemia experimental

Pós-graduação em Ciência Animal - FMVA

Expressão de CD45+ na medula óssea e sangue periférico de cães com linfoma tratados com alta dose de ciclofosfamida suportada por transplante autólogo de medula óssea

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Avaliação leucométrica e citofluorométrica do sangue periférico de cães com linfoma, após uso de rhG-CSF, submetidos à alta dose de ciclofosfamida seguida ou não de transplante autólogo de medula óssea

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Obstrução intestinal experimental em equinos: parâmetros clínicos e laboratoriais

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

Infecção experimental com Salmonella Dublin em bezerros bubalinos: estudo clínico, laboratorial e terapêutico

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Estudo da hemoglobina como adjuvante na infecção experimental de eqüinos, via intraperitoneal, com Escherichia coli e/ou Bacteroides fragilis

Pós-graduação em Medicina Veterinária - FCAV

Patogenicidade do isolado Lins de Trypanosoma vivax em bovinos natural e experimentalmente infectados

Pós-graduação em Medicina Veterinária - FCAV

Hydroxyurea in the sickle cell anemia: toxicity and effectiveness

Objective: to evaluate the use of hydroxyurea with regard to effectiveness and toxicity in people with sickle cell anemia. Method: this is a retrospective descriptive study, developed with 57 medical records of patients with sickle cell anemia, treated at the University Hospital Center of Campo Grande (Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil), from 1993 to 2005. Inclusion criteria: electrophoresis of hemoglobin in medical record; regular use of drugs, for an average of 196 weeks; dosage; and hematological analyses before starting treatment. Exclusion criteria: living with other hemoglobinopathies. The variables evaluated were: neutrophils count; platelets; leukocytes; hemoglobin; time using hydroxyurea; drug response to the optimal dosage; and number and type of episodes of hospitalization. The research protocol was approved by the Ethics Committee of Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul, under the Protocol 645. Results: of the 57 medical records, 3 cases were evaluated. Comparing the hematological values, according to Portaria 872, enacted on 11/12/2002, it was found that: cases A, B, and C present an use of hydroxyurea (500 mg/day) for four years, with an average of 196 weeks. Case A, female, decreased painful episodes and frequency of hospitalization, keeping hematological values with no toxicity. In Case B, female, there was one hospitalization due to pain crises and important hemolysis. It stood out, in case C, male, neutropenia with hematological values < 2,000/mm3 . Conclusion: in the cases analyzed, we observed a drop in the number of hospitalizations with the decrease in painful crises from three to one a year, and there was no toxicity with regard to the dosage and time using hydroxyurea, in all three cases. For more comprehensive results, one suggests further study on this therapy with significant samples of this clientele.

Síntese, caracterização e avaliação farmacológica de derivados N-acilhidrazônicos para a prevenção de aterotrombose

Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by accumulation of lipid and fibrous components in arterial vessels, giving rise to atheromas. Development of Atheromatou plaques leads to arterial steatosis, triggering ischemic events. Atherotrombosis has a strong correlation with atherosclerosis, where rupture of atheromatous plaques cause release of vessel wall's pro-thrombotic components, activating platelet aggregation and thromosis. Due to the major role played by platelets on thrombus-embolic conditions, drugs that inhibit platelet aggregation demonstrate great relevance for atherothrombosis prevention, reducing patient mortality. Currently, there are a variety of drugs acting on several different targets, preventing platelet activation. However, these therapies demosntrate side effects such as thrombocytopenia, neutropenia, hemorrhage and low oral availability. Thus, the application of molecular modifications such as hybridization can produce novel, more efficient antiplatelet aggregation inhibitors. In this project we describe the synthesis and characterization of novel N-acilhydrazone compounds, acting through multiple mechanisms such as platelet calcium chelation and nitric oxide donation by furoxanic subunits. Furthermore, we demonstrate that such compounds exhibit biological activity in in vivo bleeding time, in vitro antiplatelet aggregation and in vivo antinociceptive assays. Therefore, novel N-acilhydrazone compounds demonstrate potential as antiplatelet drugs for atherothrombosis prevention.

Analysis of the feasibility of early hospital discharge after autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and the implications to nursing care

Autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is a conduct used to treat some hematologic diseases and to consolidate the treatment of others. In the field of nursing, the few published scientific studies on nursing care and early hospital discharge of transplant patients are deficient. Knowledge about the diseases treated using hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, providing guidance to patients and caregivers and patient monitoring are important nursing activities in this process. Guidance may contribute to long-term goals through patients' short-term needs. To analyze the results of early hospital discharge on the treatment of patients submitted to autologous transplantation and the influence of nursing care on this conduct. A retrospective, quantitative, descriptive and transversal study was conducted. The hospital records of 112 consecutive patients submitted to autologous transplantation in the period from January to December 2009 were revisited. Of these, 12 patients, who remained in hospital for more than ten days after transplantation, were excluded from the study. The medical records of 100 patients with a median age of 48.5 years (19-69 years) were analyzed. All patients were mobilized and hematopoietic stem cells were collected by leukapheresis. The most common conditioning regimes were BU12Mel100 and BEAM 400. Toxicity during conditioning was easily managed in the outpatient clinic. Gastrointestinal toxicity, mostly Grades I and II, was seen in 69% of the patients, 62% of patients had diarrhea, 61% of the patients had nausea and vomiting and 58% had Grade I and II mucositis. Ten patients required hospitalization due to the conditioning regimen. Febrile neutropenia was seen in 58% of patients. Two patients died before Day +60 due to infections, one with aplasia. The median times to granulocyte and platelet engraftment were 12 days and 15 days, respectively, with median red blood cell and platelet transfusions until discharge of three and four units, respectively. Twenty-three patients required rehospitalization before being discharged from the outpatient clinic. The median time to granulocyte engraftment was 12 days and during the aplasia phase few patients were hospitalized or suffered infections. The toxicity of the conditioning was the leading cause of rehospitalization. The nursing staff participated by providing guidance to patients and during the mobilization, transplant and outpatient follow-up phases, thus helping to successfully manage toxicity.

Vitamin A affects haematology, growth and immune response of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus, L.), but has no protective effect against bacterial challenge or cold-induced stress

Vitamin A (vitA) is an essential nutrient that acts as an endocrine regulator of several metabolic pathways, modulating normal growth and health status of animals. Although the importance of vitA for normal haematology and immune response is well documented for higher vertebrates, there is limited information on the physiological effects of vitA on fish. Therefore, we designed a 130-day feeding trial to evaluate the effect of vitA supplementation on growth, haematology, immune function and resistance to experimental infection with Aeromonas hydrophila and cold-induced stress. A group of 320 Nile tilapia fingerlings 7.49 ± 0.19 g weight (mean ± SD) were randomly stocked into 40 250 L-aquaria and fed practical diets containing graded levels of vitA (0, 0.06, 0.12, 0.24, 0.48, 0.96, 1.92, 3.84 mg retinol (ROH) kg−1 diet. Growth, haematology, plasma protein profile and immune response were significantly affected by vitA supplementation; however, no clear protective effect of vitA supplementation on disease and cold stress resistance were observed in this study. Clinical signs of vitA deficiency were: resting and abnormal swimming behaviour, exophthalmia, haemorrhages at the base of fins and on skin, serous fluids in abdominal cavity, neutropenia, reduction in red blood cell count, haematocrit and haemoglobin evolving to high mortality rates in a short period of time. A dietary level of vitA around 1.2 mg ROH kg−1 may be required to prevent gross deficiency signs and promote proper growth and health status of Nile tilapia. VitA does not seem to have a pronounced effect on leucocyte differentiation, but clearly plays an important role on maintaining normal erythropoiesis.