Astrocyte intermediate filaments are important markers in olfactory bulb of bovine herpesvirus type 5 natural infections

Astroglial cells are the most abundant cells in the mammalian central nervous system, yet our knowledge about their function in bovine Herpesvirus type 5 (BoHV-5) has been limited. The aim of this study was to detect by immunohistochemistry assay the reactive astrocytes for glial fibrilary acidic protein (GFAP) and vimentin (VIM), considered intermediate filaments of the cytoskeleton, localized in olfactory bulb from natural acute cases of BoHV-5 infection. All samples were submitted to virus isolation, real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and in situ hybridization (ISH) technique to confirm the virus transcription and respective genome. Samples were classified into four groups according to the severity of histological lesions. Groups III and IV, which histological lesions were classified as alacia, gliosis, satellitosis, neuronophagia and neuronal necrosis, 35% (± 1.8-2.1) of the inflammatory mononuclear cells, corresponded to CD3 positive lymphocytes. In the same group, 35% (± 1.8) of astrocytes were described as reactive to GFAP and VIM proteins. An agreement of r = 1.0 (P<0.0001) was found between histological lesions, intermediate filaments expression, viral DNA and transcription and CD3 lymphocytes. However, samples with mild histological lesions, 10.8 to 14.2% of astrocytes were classified as reactive to GFAP and VIM filaments. Our findings suggest that GFAP and VIM reactive astrocytes, in primary site of virus replication, seems to play an important role in neurovirulence, in spite of many questions concerning the virus immunopathology remains unclear.

Antiviral activity of plants occurring in the state of minas gerais (Brazil): Part III

A total of 24 extracts from 14 plant species collected at the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, and belonging to five botanical families (Annonaceae, Apocynaceae, Ochnaceae, Polygonaceae and Vitaceae) was screened for cytotoxicity in cultured Vero cells and for antiviral activity against human herpes virus type 1 (HSV-1), vaccinia virus (VACV) and murine encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV). The highest cytotoxicity (CC 50 < 10 μg/mL) was observed for the ethanol extracts from Annona coriacea fruits and seeds. Extracts from Hancornia speciosa, Ouratea castaneafolia and O. semisrrata were the only ones that have shown activity against all the three viruses assayed. Extracts from Polygonum spectabile, Hancornia speciosa, Himatanthus phagedaenica, Ouratea spectabilis and O. semiserrata were the most active against HSV-1 (EC 50 < 50 mg/mL), with favorable SI values (8.0 to 10.0). Hancornia speciosa and Anaxagorea dolichocarpa were the most active against EMCV (EC 50 50 - 100 μg/mL), with reasonable SI values (5.2 to 6.1), while moderate to low activity (EC 50 > 100 μg/mL) was observed for Ouratea spectabilis and O. semiserrata. A total of 7 plant species, Ouratea semiserrata, O. spectabilis, O. castanaeafolia, Rollinia laurifolia, Cissus erosa, Polygonum spectabile, and Hancornia speciosa, were active against VACV, disclosing EC50 < 50 μg/mL and SI values ranging from 6.6 to 67.3. In total, 10 out of the 14 species were selected from a literature survey on plants used to treat viral diseases in Brazil; these species were responsible for 70% of the positive results.

Agelaia MP-I: A peptide isolated from the venom of the social wasp, Agelaia pallipes pallipes, enhances insulin secretion in mice pancreatic islets

Peptides isolated from animal venoms have shown the ability to regulate pancreatic beta cell function. Characterization of wasp venoms is important, since some components of these venoms present large molecular variability, and potential interactions with different signal transduction pathways. For example, the well studied mastoparan peptides interact with a diversity of cell types and cellular components and stimulate insulin secretion via the inhibition of ATP dependent K + (K ATP) channels, increasing intracellular Ca 2+ concentration. In this study, the insulin secretion of isolated pancreatic islets from adult Swiss mice was evaluated in the presence of synthetic Agelaia MP-I (AMP-I) peptide, and some mechanisms of action of this peptide on endocrine pancreatic function were characterized. AMP-I was manually synthesized using the Fmoc strategy, purified by RP-HPLC and analyzed using ESI-IT-TOF mass spectrometry. Isolated islets were incubated at increasing glucose concentrations (2.8, 11.1 and 22.2 mM) without (Control group: CTL) or with 10 μM AMP-I (AMP-I group). AMP-I increased insulin release at all tested glucose concentrations, when compared with CTL (P < 0.05). Since molecular analysis showed a potential role of the peptide interaction with ionic channels, insulin secretion was also analyzed in the presence of 250 μM diazoxide, a K ATP channel opener and 10 μM nifedipine, a Ca 2+ channel blocker. These drugs abolished insulin secretion in the CTL group in the presence of 2.8 and 11.1 mM glucose, whereas AMP-I also enhanced insulin secretory capacity, under these glucose conditions, when incubated with diazoxide and nifedipine. In conclusion, AMP-I increased beta cell secretion without interfering in K ATP and L-type Ca 2+ channel function, suggesting a different mechanism for this peptide, possibly by G protein interaction, due to the structural similarity of this peptide with Mastoparan-X, as obtained by modeling. © 2012 Elsevier Ltd.

Manipulação remota de um braço mecânico (Scorbot ER - III) utilizando a rede mundial de computadores

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

'ZN IND.7'SB IND. 2'O IND. 12' contendo Ce(III), Pr(III) ou Eu(III): investigação de suas propriedades estruturais e ópticas para potencial aplicação como cintilador

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Efeitos da combinação do fator de crescimento de fibroblastos básico e fator de transformação de crescimento beta na proliferação, expressão de genes para colágeno tipos I e III, metaloproteases-1 e -2 e TIMPs 1,2 e 3, e na modulação da síntese destes próprios fatores de crescimento pelas células do ligamento periodontal de humanos

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Síntese, caracterização e estudo do comportamento térmico dos 3-metoxibenzoatos de lantanídeos(III) e ítrio(III), no estado sólido

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Síntese, caracterização e estudo do comportamento térmico dos tartaratos de Lantanídeos (III) e Ítirio(III), no estado sólido

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Type-2 diabetes mellitus and the frequency of the G22A polymorphism of the adenosine deaminase gene in a mixed population in Brazil

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Cobalt(III) complexes with thiosemicarbazones as potential anti-Mycobacterium tuberculosis agents

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

Heterologous expression and biochemical and functional characterization of a recombinant alpha-type myotoxin inhibitor from Bothrops alternatus snake

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

Influência de diferentes superfícies de implantes unitários com geometria do tipo hexágono externo, Platform Switching e Cone-Morse em osso tipo III e IV: estudo pelo método dos elementos finitos tridimensionais

Pós-graduação em Odontologia - FOA

Estudo de nanocompósitos luminescentes baseados em complexos de Eu(III) e Ir(III) ancorados à nanopartículas de sílica por bases de Schiff

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Caracterização térmica e físico-química do sistema argila-8-hidroxiquinolina na remoção de íons Fe(III), Ni(II) e Co(II)

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Leaf colleters in Tabernaemontana catharinensis (Apocynaceae, Rauvolfioideae): structure, ontogenesis, and cellular secretion

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