Systemic and mucosal antibody responses specific to SARS-CoV-2 during mild versus severe COVID-19

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Genotype-phenotype relationship in human ATP6i-dependent autosomal recessive osteopetrosis

Autosomal-recessive osteopetrosis is a severe genetic disease caused by osteoclast failure. Approximately 50% of the patients harbor mutations of the ATP6i gene, encoding for the osteoclast-specific a3 subunit of V-ATPase. We found inactivating ATP6i mutations in four patients, and three of these were novel. Patients shared macrocephaly, growth retardation and optic nerve alteration, osteosclerotic and endobone patterns, and high alkaline phosphatase and parathyroid hormone levels. Bone biopsies revealed primary spongiosa lined with active osteoblasts and high numbers of tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP)-positive, a3 subunit-negative, morphologically unremarkable osteoclasts, some of which located in shallow Howship lacunae. Scarce hematopoietic cells and abundant fibrous tissue containing TRAP-positive putative osteoclast precursors were noted. In vitro osteoclasts were a3-negative, morphologically normal, with prominent clear zones and actin rings, and TRAP activity more elevated than in control patients. Podosomes, alphaVbeta3 receptor, c-Src, and PYK2 were unremarkable. Consistent with the finding in the bone biopsies, these cells excavated pits faintly stained with toluidine blue, indicating inefficient bone resorption. Bone marrow transplantation was successful in all patients, and posttransplant osteoclasts showed rescue of a3 subunit immunoreactivity.     

Long-term protective immune response elicited by vaccination with an expression genomic library of Toxoplasma gondii

Immunization of BALB/c mice with an expression genomic library of Toxoplasma gondii induces a Th1-type immune response, with recognition of several T. gondii proteins (21 to 117 kDa) and long-term protective immunity against a lethal challenge. These results support further investigations to achieve a multicomponent anti-T. gondii DNA vaccine.     

Cloning,isolation, and IgE-binding properties of Helix aspersa (brown garden snail) tropomyosin

BACKGROUND: Gastropod consumption is quite frequent in the Mediterranean countries and cross-reactivities with crustaceans have been described, but the mechanism of this allergenic cross-reactivity has not been studied in detail. This study aimed to produce recombinant Helix aspersa (brown garden snail) tropomyosin and investigate its implication for cross-reactivity among invertebrates. METHODS: A tropomyosin-specific cDNA encoding H. aspersa tropomyosin was synthetized, and recombinant allergen was overexpressed in Escherichia coli as nonfusion protein. IgE-binding reactivity was studied by immunoblotting and immunoblot inhibition experiments with sera from snail-allergic patients. RESULTS: Cloned brown garden snail tropomyosin shares high homology with other edible mollusk tropomyosins (84-69% identity) as well as with those from arthropods (65-62%), and less homology with vertebrate ones (56% identity). Tropomyosin reacted with 18% of the sera from patients with snail allergy. Inhibition experiments, using natural and recombinant tropomyosins, showed different degrees of cross-reactivity between invertebrate tropomyosins. Sera from snail-allergic subjects recognized tropomyosins in both mollusks and crustacean extracts. CONCLUSIONS: Tropomyosin represents a minor allergen in snail extracts, but it is clearly involved in invertebrate cross-reactivity.     

Bacteremia due to Moraxella atlantae in a cancer patient

A gram-negative alkaline phosphatase- and pyrrolidone peptidase-positive rod-shaped bacterium (CCUG 45702) was isolated from two aerobic blood cultures from a female cancer patient. No identification could be reached using phenotypic techniques. Amplification of the tRNA intergenic spacers revealed fragments with lengths of 116, 133, and 270 bp, but no such pattern was present in our reference library. Sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene revealed its identity as Moraxella atlantae, a species isolated only rarely and published only once as causing infection. In retrospect, the phenotypic characteristics fit the identification as M. atlantae (formerly known as CDC group M-3). Comparative 16S rRNA sequence analysis indicates that M. atlantae, M. lincolnii, and M. osloensis might constitute three separate genera within the MORAXELLACEAE: After treatment with amoxicillin-clavulanic acid for 2 days, fever subsided and the patient was dismissed.     

Nuclear morphometry in squamous cell carcinomas of canine skin

To investigate the diagnostic and prognostic value of nuclear morphometry in squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) of canine skin, histological samples from 15 dogs were retrospectively analysed by computerized nuclear morphometry. In each case, the nuclei of at least 100 neoplastic cells were measured, and the mean nuclear area (MNA), standard deviation of MNA (SDa), mean nuclear perimeter (MNP), standard deviation of MNP (SDp), nuclear form factor (FF), and standard deviation of FF (SDf) were calculated. The morphometric data were examined in relation to tumour histological grade. No statistical differences were found between the different grades of SCC in terms of the mean values of SDa, SDp, FF or SDf. The MNA values, however, differed significantly between grades: I and III; I and IV; II and III; II and IV. The MNP values differed significantly between grades: I and III; I and IV; II and IV. The results indicate that nuclear morphometry analysis is a simple and reproducible method that could be used to provide objective diagnostic criteria for cutaneous SCCs in the dog.     

Alterations in muscarinic receptor-coupled phosphoinositide hydrolysis and AP-1 activation in Alzheimer's disease cybrid cells

Alzheimer's disease cybrid cells produced by replacing endogenous mitochondria in human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells with platelet mitochondria from subjects with Alzheimer's disease have higher levels of reactive oxygen species than do cybrid cells with mitochondria from control subjects. These cells were used to test if this chronic mild increase in reactive oxygen species affects muscarinic receptor-coupled signaling activities. Basal and carbachol-stimulated phosphoinositide hydrolysis were higher, and there was less inhibition by glutathione depletion, in Alzheimer's disease than control cybrid cells. Elevated phosphoinositide hydrolysis in Alzheimer's disease cybrid cells also was evident upon direct activation of G-proteins (Gq/11) linked to phosphoinositide signaling or of phospholipase C, but immunoblot analyses revealed equivalent levels of Gq/11 and phospholipase C in both cell lines. These results indicate that there is up-regulation of phosphoinositide signaling in Alzheimer's disease cybrid cells in association with chronic mild oxidative stress, although treatment of cells with H(2)O(2) to induce greater acute oxidative stress caused decreases in carbachol-stimulated phosphoinositide hydrolysis that were similar in Alzheimer's disease and control cybrid cells. In contrast to phosphoinositide hydrolysis, carbachol-stimulated AP-1 DNA binding activity was lower in Alzheimer's disease than control cybrid cells, and this deficit was associated with deficient protein kinase C-mediated activation of AP-1. Overall, these results demonstrate that chronically elevated reactive oxygen species in Alzheimer's disease cybrid cells are associated with a more robust phosphoinositide signaling system, but lower signaling to activation of AP-1. These alterations may represent adaptations to exposure to oxidants, which precede more widespread deficits in signaling associated with more severe oxidative stress.     

Cytokine flow cytometry differentiates the clinical status of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients

In this study we have examined intracellular cytokines in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of MS patients by flow cytometry (cytokine flow cytometry). MS progressive patients showed an increased number of cells producing interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) after activation with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate and ionomycin, compared with patients with clinically inactive forms (P < 0001) and with healthy controls (P = 0001). These cells belonged to the CD4+ and CD8+ subsets in similar proportions. Clinically inactive patients showed a lower level of cells producing IL-2 than controls (P = 0.03) and active MS patients (P = 0.03). Most IL-2-producing cells were CD4+ lymphocytes, although a small part of the IL-2 was also produced by CD8+ cells. The percentage of cells producing simultaneously IL-2 and IFN-gamma was increased in active MS and they were mainly CD4+ lymphocytes. No differences in the production of IL-4 were observed between groups. However, we found an increased IL-10 production in clinically active MS patients (P = 0.03). Treatment with IFN-beta of active MS patients showed lower levels of cytokines when compared with untreated MS patients. This methodological approach could help in the follow up and therapeutic monitoring of MS patients.     

THE EFFECT OF ANISODAMINE ON THE MICROVASCULAR PERMEABILITY OF THE LUNGS DURING ARDS

INTRODUCTIONAdultRespiratoryDistressSyndrome(ARDS)isanacuteprogressiverespiratoryfailurecausedbymanyreasons.Thetherapeuticactionofthissyndromeisuncertain,becausethemechanismisnotwellknown.Thatis,theprognosisiscritical,themortailityisquiteheigh(50%f)ti--63'Butintherecenttenyears,manyscholarsinourcountryhavehadmuchexperienceintheaspectofusinganisodaminetorescueARDSpatientsandhavedecreasedthemortality(')'Howeveverthescholarsexplaintheprincipleofitindifferentways'Thechangesofmicrovascula…     

Pregnancies after intracytoplasmic sperm injection with cryopreserved testicular spermatozoa

In 25 patients (14 suffering from obstructive azoospermia, sixfrom non-obstructive azoospermia, three from astheno-azoospermiaand two from absence of ejaculation) spermatozoa were extractedfrom testicular biopsies. Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI)with fresh testicular spermatozoa was performed in 18 cases;spermatozoa in excess were cryopreserved in pills. No pregnancieswere achieved. In the remaining seven patients, testicular spermatozoawere retrieved and cryopreserved during a diagnostic testicularbiopsy. After thawing, sperm motility was assessed in 17 cases(68%), and 18 ICSI with cryopreserved testicular spermatozoawere performed. The mean two-pronuclear (2PN) fertilizationrate was 59%, the mean cleavage rate was 92%, and six clinicalpregnancies were achieved, all of them still ongoing (pregnancyrate 33%). A comparison of the results of ICSI carried out withfresh or cryopreserved testicular spermatozoa showed that themean 2PN fertilization rates per cycle (53 compared with 55%),mean cleavage rates per cycle (99 compared with 96%) and embryoquality were not significantly different In conclusion, cryopreservationof testicular spermatozoa is feasible, even in patients withnon-obstructive azoospermia, and the results of ICSI with frozen-thawedtesticular spermatozoa are similar to those obtained using freshtesticular spermatozoa. Cryopreservation of testicular spermatozoamay avoid repetition of testicular biopsies to retrieve spermatozoafor successive ICSI cycles in patients in whom the only sourceof motile spermatozoa is the testicle.