Prevention of acute immunological lung lesion in rats by decomplementing treatment

The intravenous administration of nephrotoxic antibody serum to rats produced a rapid and pronounced reduction in the serum complement level; this was observed before lung lesions became apparent.

A total suppression of the acute immune lung change was observed in animals depleted of complement by treatment with heat-aggregated human γ-globulin or zymosan.

Albeit the experimental evidence presented is of indirect nature, it suggests that the complement system is involved in the mediation of the acute pulmonary injury following injection of nephrotoxic antibody serum.

     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Trypanosoma evansi</Emphasis> in inbred and Swiss-Webster mice: distinct aspects of pathogenesis

Trypanosoma evansi (Trypanosomatidae, Kinetoplastida) is a salivarian trypanosomatid that infects eight mammal orders spread over America, Europe and Asia. In Brazil, T. evansi is the etiological agent of Mal de Cadeiras, a horse disease very often described in the region known as Pantanal do Mato Grosso. Few data concerning the genetic diversity and biology of subpopulations of T. evansi that circulate in Brazil are available. The factors that modulate the interaction of this parasite with its hosts also remain to be elucidated. Here we evaluated the course of experimental infection of six T. evansi isolates derived from domestic and wild animals in Swiss-Webster mice and three Mus musculus lineages. The follow-up included biological, immunological as well as biochemical and hematological parameters. The same isolates as well as three others were characterized by pulsed-field electrophoresis. Our results showed that T. evansi isolates displayed significant differences regarding behavior and morbidity patterns in the distinct mouse lineages. Nevertheless, these differences could not be correlated with pulsed-field electrophoresis profiles. Indeed, concerning this molecular marker, only microheterogeneity was observed. Moreover, we observed that the outcome of the infection is defined by both host genetic background and peculiarities (virulence factors) of the distinct T. evansi isolates. Anemia and hypoglycemia were the only features that could be observed in all mouse lineages, independently of the inoculated T. evansi subpopulation. In addition, our data also show that Mus musculus is a suitable model host for the study of the different pathogenetic features of T. evansi infection.     

Phase I testing of a malaria vaccine composed of hepatitis B virus core particles expressing Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite epitopes

We report the first phase I trial to assess the safety and immunogenicity of a malaria vaccine candidate, ICC-1132 (Malarivax), composed of a modified hepatitis B virus core protein (HBc) containing minimal epitopes of the Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite (CS) protein. When expressed in Escherichia coli, the recombinant ICC-1132 protein forms virus-like particles that were found to be highly immunogenic in preclinical studies of mice and monkeys. Twenty healthy adult volunteers received a 20- or a 50-microg dose of alum-adsorbed ICC-1132 administered intramuscularly at 0, 2, and 6 months. The majority of volunteers in the group receiving the 50-microg dose developed antibodies to CS repeats as well as to HBc. Malaria-specific T cells that secreted gamma interferon were also detected after a single immunization with ICC-1132-alum. These studies support ICC-1132 as a promising malaria vaccine candidate for further clinical testing using more-potent adjuvant formulations and confirm the potential of modified HBc virus-like particles as a delivery platform for vaccines against other human pathogens.     

Antimicrobial resistance of Salmonella serotypes isolated from slaughter-age pigs and environmental samples

The aim of this study was to determine the antimicrobial resistance patterns of Salmonella strains isolated from slaughter-age pigs and environmental samples collected at modern swine raising facilities in Brazil. Seventeen isolates of six serotypes of Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica were isolated out of 1,026 collected samples: Salmonella Typhimurium (1), Salmonella Agona (5), Salmonella Sandiego (5), Salmonella Rissen (1), Salmonella Senftenberg (4), and Salmonella Javiana (1). Resistance patterns were determined to extended-spectrum penicillin (ampicillin), broad-spectrum cephalosporins (cefotaxime and ceftriaxone), aminoglycosides (streptomycin, neomycin, gentamicin, amikacin, and tobramycin), narrow-spectrum quinolone (nalidixic acid), broad-spectrum quinolone (ciprofloxacin and norfloxacin), tetracycline, trimethoprim, and chloramphenicol. Antimicrobial resistance patterns varied among serotypes, but isolates from a single serotype consistently showed the same resistance profile. All isolates were resistant to tetracycline, streptomycin, and nalidixic acid. One isolate, Salmonella Rissen, was also resistant to cefotaxime and tobramycin. All serotypes were susceptible to ceftriaxone, norfloxacin, ciprofloxacin, ampicillin, gentamicin, and chloramphenicol. The high resistance to tetracycline and streptomycin may be linked to their common use as therapeutic drugs on the tested farms. No relation was seen between nalidixic acid and fluoroquinolone resistance.     

T and B cell responses to neutrophil cytoplasmic antigens in systemic vasculitis.

The systemic vasculitides (SV) are characterized by the presence of autoantibodies to neutrophil cytoplasmic antigens (ANCA). The role of T cells in SV is uncertain. We studied human and murine T cell responses to human neutrophil cytoplasmic antigens in vitro. T cells from mice immunized with the neutrophil extract showed dose-dependent antigen-specific proliferation, restricted by the MHC class II E molecule. Myeloperoxidase (MPO) was not an important target antigen for murine T cells. Peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) were obtained from 36 patients with SV, 31 before the start of immunosuppressive therapy, and from 11 healthy controls. T cell responses to the neutrophil extract in vitro did not differ between patients and controls: there were only low levels of antigen-specific proliferation, and this could not be amplified by in vitro selection. In 3 patients and 2 normals, PBLs were also tested after the depletion of CD8+ cells; this did not unmask T cell reactivity to neutrophil extract. The lack of demonstrable T cell reactivity to this antigen preparation may indicate that T cells do not play an important effector role in these diseases. A solid-phase spot ELISA was adapted to demonstrate autoantibody-producing B cells in vitro. Low numbers of ANCA-producing B cells could be demonstrated in the majority of patients. B cells producing antibody to MPO could be demonstrated in most patients and in three laboratory staff, but not in normals from outside the laboratory. In 2 patients, sequential B cell spot ELISAs were performed during the introduction of therapy, and autoantibody-producing B cells rapidly decreased in number. This assay may therefore be useful in monitoring the effects of treatment at the cellular level.     

Aberrant cellular retinol binding protein 1 (CRBP1) gene expression and promoter methylation in prostate cancer

AIMS: Retinoids are involved in cell growth, differentiation, and carcinogenesis. Their effects depend on cytosolic transport and binding to nuclear receptors. CRBP1 encodes a protein involved in this process. Because altered CRBP1 expression and promoter hypermethylation occur in several tumours, these changes were investigated in prostate tumorigenesis. METHODS: The CRBP1 promoter was assessed by methylation specific polymerase chain reaction on tissue samples from 36 radical prostatectomy specimens (paired normal tissue, adenocarcinoma, and high grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (HGPIN)), 32 benign prostatic hyperplasias (BPHs), and 13 normal prostate tissue samples from cystoprostatectomies. Methylation of DNA extracted from microdissected tissue was examined blindly. CRBP1 expression was assessed by immunohistochemistry on formalin fixed, paraffin wax embedded tissue. RESULTS: Loss of CRBP1 expression was seen in 15 of 36 adenocarcinomas and 18 of 36 HGPINs. Fifteen adenocarcinomas and nine HGPINs showed overexpression, whereas the remainder showed normal expression. BPH displayed normal expression. No significant associations were found between CRBP1 expression and Gleason score or stage. CRBP1 promoter hypermethylation was found in 17 of 36 adenocarcinomas, three of 35 HGPINs, one of 36 normal prostate tissues from the same patients, none of 32 BPHs, and none of 13 normal prostate tissues from cystoprostatectomies. Loss of expression and hypermethylation of CRBP1 were not significantly associated. CONCLUSIONS: Altered CRBP1 expression and hypermethylation are common in prostate carcinoma, although CRBP1 hypermethylation is not an early event in tumorigenesis. Moreover, both adenocarcinoma and HGPIN show frequent CRBP1 overexpression. The molecular mechanisms underlying altered CRBP1 expression in prostate cancer deserve further study.     

Cytologic analyses of spindle-cell lesions of the thorax and retroperitoneum

Thoracic and retroperitoneal spindle-cell lesions represent a diagnostic challenge in the evaluation of fine-needle aspiration (FNA) specimens. The challenge is due to the morphologic similarities and wide variety of different entities with spindle-cell morphology in these two sites. The purpose of this study was to identify criteria helpful in the classification and differential diagnosis of spindle-cell lesions in these two locations. A set of cytologic features was analyzed in 57 thoracic or retroperitoneal spindle-cell lesions. Our results show that pleomorphism and abundant single cells were parameters associated with high-grade tumors in univariate and multivariate analysis, while coarse chromatin pattern was significant only in a univariate analysis. The combination of absence of pleomorphism, rare single cells, tight cluster arrangement, fine chromatin pattern, and absence of macronucleoli was seen only in benign cases. Assessment of background material was helpful in the differential diagnosis and classification. Necrosis was only found in high-grade cases.     

The complete genome sequence of a new necrovirus isolated from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Olea europaea</Emphasis> L.

Summary. The complete nucleotide sequence of a virus isolated from Olea europaea L. (GP isolate), previously identified as an isolate of Tobacco necrosis virus D (TNV-D) based on its coat protein sequence, was determined. The viral RNA genome consists of 3683 nucleotides and contains five open reading frames. The putative RNA-dependent RNA polymerase shows 91.2% amino acid identity with that of an isolate of Olive latent virus 1 (OLV-1) and the coat protein reveals highest sequence identity with that of TNV-D. Based on the deduced genome organization and phylogenetic analysis of predicted functional translation products with that of other necroviruses, the GP isolate genome appears to represent an example of a new virus arisen by gene exchange and is proposed to be a new necrovirus, provisionally named Olive mild mosaic virus.     

Genomic fingerprinting of bacteriocin-producer strains of Staphylococcus aureus

Among 363 strains of Staphylococcus aureus, 21 were shown to produce bacteriocins (Bac), antimicrobial peptides with potential biotechnological applications. This collection includes strains which are either isolated from food, patients and healthy cattle, or are involved in subclinical bovine mastitis. From these 21 strains, 17 were shown to carry closely-related 8.0-kb Bac plasmids encoding bacteriocins either identical to or similar to aureocin A70, a bacteriocin able to inhibit strains of Listeria monocytogenes, a food-borne pathogen. Such findings prompted us to investigate the genetic relationships among these Bac+ strains. To obtain more discriminatory results, a combined analysis of AP-PCR, rep-PCR, and a modified PCR technique that we designated SD-PCR was employed. The 17 Bac+ strains harboring 8.0-kb Bac plasmids exhibited seven fingerprint patterns. One such genotype was composed of 8 out of the 11 strains associated with bovine mastitis, which suggests the prevalence of a clone of Bac+ strains involved in this animal infection carrying 8.0-kb Bac plasmids. Our data support the assumption that Bac+ strains of S. aureus carrying genetically related 8.0-kb Bac plasmids do not belong to a single clone. It seems, therefore, that 8.0-kb Bac plasmids have spread horizontally among different S. aureus strains. There also seems to be genetic diversity among the remaining Bac+ strains analyzed.