Paracoccidioides brasiliensis interferes on dendritic cells maturation by inhibiting PGE(2) production

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

Aloe vera bathing improved physical and humoral protection in breeding stock after induced spawning in matrinxa (Brycon amazonicus)

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Disease resistance of pacu Piaractus mesopotamicus (Holmberg, 1887) fed with beta-glucan

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Participation of dectin-1 receptor on NETs release against Paracoccidioides brasiliensis: role on extracellular killing

Paracoccidioides brasiliensis is a dimorphic fungus from the Paracoccidioides genus, which is the causative agent of paracoccidioidomycosis, a chronic, subacute or acute mycosis, with visceral and cutaneous involvement. This disease that is acquired through inhalation primarily attacks the lungs but, can spread to other organs. Phagocytic cells as neutrophils play an important role during innate immune response against this fungus, but studies on antifungal activities of these cells are scarce. In addition to their ability to eliminate pathogens by phagocytosis and antimicrobial secretions, neutrophils can trap and kill microorganisms by release of extracellular structures composed by DNA and antimicrobial proteins, called neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs). Here, we provide evidence that P. brasiliensis virulent strain (P. brasiliensis 18) induces NETs release. These structures were well evidenced by scanning electron microscopy, and specific NETs compounds such as histone, elastase and DNA were shown by confocal microscopy. In addition, we have shown that dectin-1 receptor is the main PRR to which fungus binds to induce NETS release. Fungi were ensnared by NETs, denoting the role of these structures in confining the fungus, avoiding dissemination. NETs were also shown to be involved in fungus killing, since fungicidal activity detected before and mainly after neutrophils activation with TNF-α, IFN-γ and GM-CSF was significantly inhibited by cocultures treatment with DNAse.

Plasma sanguíneo desidratado na alimentação da Tilápia-do- Nilo

Pós-graduação em Zootecnia - FMVZ

Oxidation of Bovine Albumin by Hypochlorous and Hypobromous Acids: Structural and Functional Alterations

Aims: Hypochlorous (HOCl) and hypobromous (HOBr) acids are among the most powerful oxidants produced by the innate immune cells. Albumin is the predominant protein in most body fluids and is considered the most important antioxidant of blood plasma. Study Design: Oxidation of bovine albumin (BSA) and study of its structural and functional alterations. Place and Duration of Study: Faculty of Science and Faculty of Pharmaceutical Science, University of the State of Sao Paulo UNESP, between June and December 2012. Methodology: BSA was oxidized with excess of HOCl or HOBr and its structural and functional alterations were analyzed by spectroscopic techniques as UV-Vis absorption, intrinsic and synchronous fluorescence, fluorescence quenching, Rayleigh scattering and circular dichroism. Results: Both oxidants were able to deplete the intrinsic fluorescence of BSA, but HOBr was more effective than HOCl. The alterations in the synchronous fluorescence, UV-Vis absorption, and the appearance of a fluorescence band centered at 450 nm confirmed the difference between the oxidants. The oxidation did not induce aggregation of BSA as measured by Rayleigh scattering. The far-UV circular dichroism spectra showed a loss in the helical content and the near-UV-circular dichroism showed an alteration in the tertiary structure; HOBr was the more effective of the oxidants in this case. However, the oxidations did not induce significant alterations in the binding capacity of BSA, which was evaluated using hydrophobic (norfloxacin) and hydrophilic (ascorbic acid) drugs. Conclusion: These results suggest that, although highly susceptible to oxidation, the alterations did not inhibit BSA’s physiological function as a transport protein.

Toll-Like recepctors (TLRs) and retinoic acid inducible gene – I (RIG-I) activation by viral analogs in bovine endometrial cells

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Ribavirin has an in vitro antiviral effect in rabies virus infected neuronal cells but fails to provide benefit in experimental rabies in mice

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

Influência do tabagismo nos níveis de catelicidina e alfadefensinas no fluido gengival de pacientes com periodontite crônica

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Relações filogenéticas do gênero Apistogramma (Teleostei, Cichlidae) e filogeografia da espécie Apistogramma agassizi

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

Expressão gênica e protéica de receptores Toll-like em células do sangue periférico materno de gestações normais e complicadas por prematuridade

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

5-Lipoxygenase Deficiency Impairs Innate and Adaptive Immune Responses during Fungal Infection

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

Serum bactericidal activity as indicator of innate immunity in pacu Piaractus mesopotamicus (Holmberg, 1887)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Modulation of cell proliferation, survival and gene expression by RAGE and TLR signaling in cells of the innate and adaptive immune response: role of p38 MAPK and NF-KB

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Hemolytic activity of alternative complement pathway as an indicator of innate immunity in pacu (Piaractus mesopotamicus)

The objective of this study was to evaluate the methodology to establish the hemolytic activity of alternative complement pathway as an indicator of the innate immunity in Brazilian fish pacu (Piaractus mesopotamicus), in addition to verifying the influence of β-glucan as an immunostimulant. Fish were fed with diets containing 0, 0.1 and 1% β-glucan, during seven days, and then inoculated with Aeromonas hydrophila. Seven days after the challenge, they were bled for serum extraction. The methodology consisted of a kinetic assay that allows calculating the required time for serum proteins of the complement to promote 50% lysis of a rabbit red blood cell suspension. The method developed in mammals was successfully applied for pacu and determined that the hemolytic activity of the proteins of the complement system (alternative pathway) increased after the pathogen challenge, but was not influenced by the β-glucan treatment.