Clinical correlations of human cytomegalovirus strains and viral load in kidney transplant recipients

Little is known about clinical differences associated with cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection by distinct strains in renal transplant patients. Different clinical pictures may be associated with specific viral genotypes. viral load, as well as host factors. The objective of this study was to identify CMV strains to determine viral load (antigenemia), and their correlation with clinical data in renal transplant recipients. Seventy-one patients were enrolled, comprising 91 samples. After selection, polymorphonuclear cells were used to amplify and sequence the gB region of CMV DNA. The sequences were analyzed to ascertain the frequency of different genotypes. Additionally, the results of this Study showed that the gB coding gene presents a great variability, revealing a variety of patterns: classical gB (1.4%), gB1V (46.4%), classical gB2 (35.2%), gB2V (2.8%), gB3 (1.4%), classical gB4 (4.9%) and gB4V (4.9%). The mean viral load in kidney transplant patient was 75.1 positive cells (1-1000). A higher viral load was observed in patients with genotype 4 infection. Statistically significant differences were detected between gB1 and gB4 (p=0.010), and between gB2 and gB4 (p=0.021). The average numbers of positive cells in relation to clinical presentation were: 34.5 in asymptomatic, 49.5 in CMV associated syndrome and 120.7 in patients with invasive disease (p=0.048). As a group, gB1 was the most frequent strain and revealed a potential risk for developing invasive disease. Viral load also seemed to be important as a marker associated with clinical presentation of the disease. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Immune Responses and Therapeutic Antitumor Effects of an Experimental DNA Vaccine Encoding Human Papillomavirus Type 16 Oncoproteins Genetically Fused to Herpesvirus Glycoprotein D

Recombinant adenovirus or DNA vaccines encoding herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) glycoprotein D (gD) genetically fused to human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV-16) oncoproteins (E5, E6, and E7) induce antigen-specific CD8(+) T-cell responses and confer preventive resistance to transplantable murine tumor cells (TC-1 cells). In the present report, we characterized some previously uncovered aspects concerning the induction of CD8(+) T-cell responses and the therapeutic anticancer effects achieved in C57BL/6 mice immunized with pgD-E7E6E5 previously challenged with TC-1 cells. Concerning the characterization of the immune responses elicited in mice vaccinated with pgD-E7E6E5, we determined the effect of the CD4(+) T-cell requirement, longevity, and dose-dependent activation on the E7-specific CD8(+) T-cell responses. In addition, we determined the priming/boosting properties of pgD-E7E6E5 when used in combination with a recombinant serotype 68 adenovirus (AdC68) vector encoding the same chimeric antigen. Mice challenged with TC-1 cells and then immunized with three doses of pgD-E7E6E5 elicited CD8(+) T-cell responses, measured by intracellular gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) and CD107a accumulation, to the three HPV-16 oncoproteins and displayed in vivo antigen-specific cytolytic activity, as demonstrated with carboxyfluorescein diacetate succinimidyl ester (CFSE)-labeled target cells pulsed with oligopeptides corresponding to the H-2D(b)-restricted immunodominant epitopes of the E7, E6, or E5 oncoprotein. Up to 70% of the mice challenged with 5 x 10(5) TC-1 cells and immunized with pgD-E7E6E5 controlled tumor development even after 3 days of tumor cell challenge. In addition, coadministration of pgD-E7E6E5 with DNA vectors encoding pGM-CSF or interleukin-12 (IL-12) enhanced the therapeutic antitumor effects for all mice challenged with TC-1 cells. In conclusion, the present results expand our previous knowledge on the immune modulation properties of the pgD-E7E6E5 vector and demonstrate, for the first time, the strong antitumor effects of the DNA vaccine, raising promising perspectives regarding the development of immunotherapeutic reagents for the control of HPV-16-associated tumors.

GP Comunicação, Ciência, Meio Ambiente e Sociedade 2004-2014: Quem somos? O que pesquisamos?

Artigo publicado dos anais da Intercom 2015

Allegretto 120

Som componente do jogo “Musikinésia (http://www.loa.sead.ufscar.br/musikinesia.php)” desenvolvido pela equipe do Laboratório de Objetos de Aprendizagem da Universidade Federal de São Carlos (LOA/UFSCar).

Serum protein concentrations, including acute phase proteins, in calves experimentally infected with Salmonella Dublin

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

Spontaneous canine transmissible venereal tumor: cell morphology and influence on P-glycoprotein expression

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

Fatores de risco para macrossomia fetal em gestações complicadas por diabete ou por hiperglicemia diária

OBJETIVO: identificar fatores de risco para a macrossomia fetal na população de gestantes portadoras de diabete ou hiperglicemia diária. MÉTODOS: estudo retrospectivo, tipo caso-controle, incluindo 803 pares de mães e recém-nascidos desta população específica, distribuídos em dois grupos: macrossômicos (casos, n=242) e não macrossômicos (controles, n=561). Foram comparadas variáveis relativas à idade, paridade, peso e índice de massa corporal (IMC), ganho de peso (GP), antecedentes de diabete, hipertensão arterial e tabagismo, tipo e classificação do diabete e indicadores do controle glicêmico no terceiro trimestre. As médias foram avaliadas pelo teste F e as variáveis categorizadas foram submetidas à análise univariada, utilizando-se o teste do chi². Os resultados significativos foram incluídos no modelo de regressão múltipla, para identificação do risco independente de macrossomia, considerando-se OR, IC 95% e valor de p. Para todas as análises foi estabelecido o limite de significância estatística de 5% (p<0,05). RESULTADOS: observou-se associação significativa entre macrossomia e GP maior que 16 kg, IMC >25 kg/m², antecedentes pessoais, obstétricos e, especificamente, o de macrossomia, classificação nos grupos de Rudge (IB e IIA + IIB), média glicêmica (MG) >120 mg/dL e média de glicemia pós-prandial >130 mg/dL no terceiro trimestre. Na análise de regressão múltipla, o GP >16 kg (OR=1,79; IC 95%: 1,23-1,60), o IMC >25 kg/m² (OR=1,83; IC 95%: 1,27-2,64), o antecedente pessoal de diabete (OR=1,56; IC 95%: 1,05-2,31) e de macrossomia (OR=2,37; IC 95%: 1,60-3,50) e a MG >120 mg/dL no terceiro trimestre (OR=1,78; IC 95%: 1,13-2,80) confirmaram risco independente para macrossomia nestas gestações de risco. CONCLUSÃO: o GP superior a 16 kg, o IMC maior ou igual a 25 kg/m², a MG superior a 120 mg/dL no terceiro trimestre e a presença de antecedentes pessoais de diabete ou de macrossomia foram identificados como fatores de risco para macrossomia fetal em gestantes portadoras de diabete ou de hiperglicemia diária.

Bacterial leakage in root canals filled with conventional and MTA-based sealers

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

Padronização de um protocolo experimental de treinamento periodizado em natação utilizando ratos Wistar

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

Determinação de chumbo em álcool combustível por voltametria de redissolução anódica utilizando um eletrodo de pasta de carbono modificado com resina de troca iônica Amberlite IR 120

Um método envolvendo a pré-concentração e redissolução anódica em condições de voltametria de pulso diferencial empregando um eletrodo de pasta de carbono modificado (EPCM) com uma resina de troca iônica Amberlite IR120 foi proposto para a determinação de íons chumbo em álcool combustível. O procedimento é baseado em um pico de oxidação do analito observado em -0,53 V(vs. Ag/AgCl) em solução de HCl. As melhores condições experimentais encontradas foram: 5% (m/m) da Amberlite IR120 para a construção do eletrodo, solução de HCl 0,1 mol L-1, velocidade de varredura de 10 mVs-1, tempo de pré-concentração de 15 min e amplitude de pulso de 100 mV. Utilizando essas condições, o EPCM apresentou uma resposta linear entre a corrente de pico anódica e a concentração de íons chumbo para o intervalo entre 9,9 x 10-9 e 1,2 x 10-6 mol L-1 e um limite de detecção de 7,2 x 10-9 mol L-1. Valores de recuperação entre 96 % e 102 % foram encontrados para amostras de álcool combustível enriquecidas com Pb2+ em níveis de 10-7 mol L-1. O efeito da presença de outros íons concomitantes sobre a resposta voltamétrica do eletrodo também foi avaliado.

Cathodic stripping voltammetric detection and determination at a hanging mercury-drop electrode of dye contaminants in purified biomaterials: study of the human serum albumin and reactive dye 120 system

Procion red HE-3B (RR120) is an example of dye currently used in affinity purification. A method is described for determining trace amounts of RR120 dye contaminant in human serum albumin by cathodic stripping voltammetry. The method is based on a measure of a well-defined peak at -0.58 V, obtained when samples of HSA protein (0.01-2% w/v) containing dye concentrations are submitted to a heating time of 330 min at 80degreesC in NaOH, pH 12.0 and the samples are removed to a solution containing Britton-Robinson buffer, pH 4.0. Using an optimum accumulation potential and tune of 0 V and 240 s, respectively, linear calibration curves were obtained from 1.0 X 10(-9) to 1.0 X 10(-8) mol 1(-1) for RR120 dye. Leakage/hydrolysis of reactive red 120 from an agarose support (e.g. at pH 2 or 12) can also be conveniently determined at very low levels (sub-mug ml(-1)) by means of cathodic stripping voltammetry, which involves adsorptive accumulation of the dye onto the hanging mercury-drop electrode. (C) 2002 Elsevier B.V. B.V. All rights reserved.

Genetic and phylogenetic analysis of glycoprotein of rabies virus isolated from several species in Brazil

Genetic and phylogenetic analyses of the region containing the glycoprotein (G) gene, which is related to pathogenicity and antigenicity, and the G-L intergenic region were carried out in 14 Brazilian rabies virus isolates. The isolates were classified as dog-related rabies virus (DRRV) or vampire bat-related rabies virus (VRRV), by nucleoprotein (N) analysis. The nucleotide and amino acid (AA) homologies of the area containing the G protein gene and G-L intergenic region were generally lower than those of the ectodomain. In both regions, nucleotide and deduced AA homologies were lower among VRRVs than among DRRVs. There were AA differences between DRRV and VRRV at 3 antigenic sites and epitopes (IIa, WB+ and III), suggesting that DRRV and VRRV can be distinguished by differences of antigenicity. In a comparison of phylogenetic trees between the ectodomain and the area containing the G protein gene and G-L intergenic region, the branching patterns of the chiropteran and carnivoran rabies virus groups differed, whereas there were clear similarities in patterns within the DRRV and VRRV groups. Additionally, the VRRV isolates were more closely related to chiropteran strains isolated from Latin America than to Brazilian DRRV. These results indicate that Brazilian rabies virus isolates can be classified as DRRV or VRRV by analysis of the G gene and the G-L intergenic region, as well as by N gene analysis.

BINDING OF PARACOCCIDIOIDES-BRASILIENSIS TO LAMININ THROUGH SURFACE GLYCOPROTEIN GP43 LEADS TO ENHANCEMENT OF FUNGAL PATHOGENESIS

Extracellular matrix protein laminin binds specifically to yeast forms of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis and enhances adhesion of the fungus to the surface of epithelial Madin-Darby canine kidney cells in vitro. Immunoblotting of fungal extracts showed that the gp43 glycoprotein is responsible for adhesion. This was confirmed by binding assays using purified gp43, with a K-d of 3.7 nM. The coating of P. brasiliensis yeast forms with laminin before injection into hamster testicles enhanced the fungus virulence, resulting in a faster and more severe granulomatous disease. These results indicate that interaction of fungi with extracellular matrix elements may constitute a basis for the evolution of fungal infection toward regional spreading and dissemination.