Mormo em eqüídeos nos Estados de Pernambuco e Alagoas

Com base em aspectos clínico-patológicos, epidemiológicos e sorológicos, bem como pelo isolamento de Burkholderia mallei, diagnosticaram-se focos de mormo em eqüídeos na Zona da Mata dos Estados de Pernambuco e Alagoas. Clinicamente observaram-se hipertermia, respiração ruidosa, inapetência, emagrecimento progressivo até caquexia, congestão nasal e descarga mucopurulenta, erosões, úlceras e cicatrizes na mucosa nasal. Os linfonodos mandibulares e cervicais superficiais apresentavam-se aumentados de volume, com abscessos e fístulas exsudando material purulento. Na pele, ao longo dos vasos linfáticos, havia formação de nódulos firmes e abscessos que, nos casos crônicos, fistulavam e ulceravam deixando cicatrizes estrelares. A histopatologia dos nódulos de diversos sítios, tanto dos eqüídeos como dos cobaios utilizados na prova de Straus, revelou lesões granulomatosas e piogranulomas. Os dados deste estudo evidenciam a emergência da doença nesta área e permitem recomendar inquéritos soro-epidemiológicos nos Estados de ocorrência dos surtos e nos Estados limítrofes.

Análise do líquido cefalorraquidiano de bugio-ruivo (Alouatta guariba)

A presente pesquisa foi realizada com o objetivo de desenvolver e adaptar técnicas diagnósticas em neurologia para primatas não humanos, da espécie Alouatta guariba Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1812 (bugio-ruivo) saudáveis e mantidos em cativeiro. Foram realizadas análises físico-químicas e citológicas do líquido cefalorraquidiano obtido na cisterna magna de oito bugios-ruivos. Para realização dos exames, todos os animais foram contidos quimicamente com associação de cetamina, xilazina e midazolam e anestesia inalatória com isoflurano. Os resultados das análises do líquido cefalorraquidiano demonstraram valores médios de proteína: 16,92mg/dL±9,84; glicose: 131,25mg/dL±106,7; pH: 8,37±0,69; células nucleadas: 0,5/mm³±0,75; hemácias: 49,37/mm³±111,76 e pressão: 7,37cm H2O±1,77. O trabalho demonstrou a segurança e a eficácia da colheita do líquido cefalorraquidiano na cisterna magna de Alouatta guariba e os valores de referência para a espécie.

Role of Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis amastigote glycosphingolipids in macrophage infectivity

The role of glycosphingolipids (GSLs) present in amastigote forms of Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis during infection of macrophages was analyzed, with particular emphasis on GSLs presenting the terminal Galpß1-3Galpa disaccharide. Macrophage invasion by L. (L.) amazonensis amastigotes was reduced by 37% when the disaccharide Galpß1-3Galp (1 mM) was added to the culture medium. The putative macrophage receptor/lectin for ß-Gal-globotriaosylceramide (Galpß1-3Galpa1-4Galpß1-4Glc pß1-1Cer) and other structurally related GSLs from L. (L.) amazonensis amastigotes were analyzed by micelles and parasite binding assay to peritoneal macrophage proteins fractionated by SDS-PAGE under nonreducing conditions. Micelles containing purified amastigote GSLs or a suspention of L. (L.) amazonensis amastigotes fixed with 2% formaldehyde were incubated with nitrocellulose membrane containing the macrophage proteins transferred by Western blotting. Binding of micelles containing purified GSLs from amastigote forms or fixed L. (L.) amazonensis amastigotes to nitrocellulose membrane was probed using monoclonal antibody ST-3, which recognizes the glycoepitope Galpß1-3Galpa1-R present either in the micelle preparation or on the amastigote surface. Macrophage protein with molecular mass ~30 kDa bound the amastigote GSL and appeared to be a doublet on electrophoresis. The specificity of this interaction was confirmed using fixed L. (L.) chagasi amastigotes, which do not express GSLs such as ß-Galp-globotriaosylceramides, and which do not bind to 30-kDa protein.

Structural properties of lipid reconstructs and lipid composition of normotensive and hypertensive rat vascular smooth muscle cell membranes

Multiple cell membrane alterations have been reported to be the cause of various forms of hypertension. The present study focuses on the lipid portion of the membranes, characterizing the microviscosity of membranes reconstituted with lipids extracted from the aorta and mesenteric arteries of spontaneously hypertensive (SHR) and normotensive control rat strains (WKY and NWR). Membrane-incorporated phospholipid spin labels were used to monitor the bilayer structure at different depths. The packing of lipids extracted from both aorta and mesenteric arteries of normotensive and hypertensive rats was similar. Lipid extract analysis showed similar phospholipid composition for all membranes. However, cholesterol content was lower in SHR arteries than in normotensive animal arteries. These findings contrast with the fact that the SHR aorta is hyporeactive while the SHR mesenteric artery is hyperreactive to vasopressor agents when compared to the vessels of normotensive animal strains. Hence, factors other than microviscosity of bulk lipids contribute to the vascular smooth muscle reactivity and hypertension of SHR. The excess cholesterol in the arteries of normotensive animal strains apparently is not dissolved in bulk lipids and is not directly related to vascular reactivity since it is present in both the aorta and mesenteric arteries. The lower cholesterol concentrations in SHR arteries may in fact result from metabolic differences due to the hypertensive state or to genes that co-segregate with those that determine hypertension during the process of strain selection.

Transplantation of mononuclear cells from human umbilical cord blood promotes functional recovery after traumatic spinal cord injury in Wistar rats

Cell transplantation is a promising experimental treatment for spinal cord injury. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy of mononuclear cells from human umbilical cord blood in promoting functional recovery when transplanted after a contusion spinal cord injury. Female Wistar rats (12 weeks old) were submitted to spinal injury with a MASCIS impactor and divided into 4 groups: control, surgical control, spinal cord injury, and one cell-treated lesion group. Mononuclear cells from umbilical cord blood of human male neonates were transplanted in two experiments: a) 1 h after surgery, into the injury site at a concentration of 5 x 10(6) cells diluted in 10 µL 0.9% NaCl (N = 8-10 per group); b) into the cisterna magna, 9 days after lesion at a concentration of 5 x 10(6) cells diluted in 150 µL 0.9% NaCl (N = 12-14 per group). The transplanted animals were immunosuppressed with cyclosporin-A (10 mg/kg per day). The BBB scale was used to evaluate motor behavior and the injury site was analyzed with immunofluorescent markers to label human transplanted cells, oligodendrocytes, neurons, and astrocytes. Spinal cord injury rats had 25% loss of cord tissue and cell treatment did not affect lesion extension. Transplanted cells survived in the injured area for 6 weeks after the procedure and both transplanted groups showed better motor recovery than the untreated ones (P < 0.05). The transplantation of mononuclear cells from human umbilical cord blood promoted functional recovery with no evidence of cell differentiation.