Publications (22) View all
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Article: Distinct cytokine profiles of circulating mononuclear cells stimulated with Staphylococcus aureus enterotoxin A in vitro during early and late episodes of chronic osteomyelitis.
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ABSTRACT: We investigated the cytokine profile of peripheral mononuclear cells from chronic osteomyelitis (OST) patients following in vitro stimulation with staphylococcal enterotoxin A (SEA). We demonstrate that stimulation with SEA induced prominent lymphocyte proliferation and high levels of tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-10 secretion in both OST and non-infected individuals (NI). Even though stimulation with SEA had no impact on IL-6 production in either patient group, the baseline level of IL-6 production by cells from OST patients was always significantly less than that produced by cells from NI. After classifying the osteomyelitic episodes based on the time after the last reactivation event as "early" (1-4 months) or "late" osteomyelitis (5-12 months), we found that increased levels of TNF-α and IL-4 in combination with decreased levels of IL-6 were observed in the early episodes. By contrast, increased levels of IL-10, IL-2 and IL-6 were hallmarks of late episodes. Our data demonstrate that early osteomyelitic episodes are accompanied by an increased frequency of "high producers" of TNF-α and IL-4, whereas late events are characterised by increased frequencies of "high producers" of IL-10, IL-6 and IL-2. These findings demonstrate the distinct cytokine profiles in chronic osteomyelitis, with a distinct regulation of IL-6 production during early and late episodes.Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz 05/2012; 107(3):348-55. · 2.15 Impact Factor -
Article: Immunological changes in canine peripheral blood leukocytes triggered by immunization with first or second generation vaccines against canine visceral leishmaniasis.
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ABSTRACT: In this study, we summarized the major phenotypic/functional aspects of circulating leukocytes following canine immunization with Leishvaccine and Leishmune®. Our findings showed that Leishvaccine triggered early changes in the innate immunity (neutrophils and eosinophils) with late alterations on monocytes. Conversely, Leishmune(®) induced early phenotypic changes in both, neutrophils and monocytes. Moreover, Leishvaccine triggered mixed activation-related phenotypic changes on T-cells (CD4+ and CD8+ and B-lymphocytes, whereas Leishmune(®) promoted a selective response, mainly associated with CD8+ T-cell activation. Mixed cytokine profile (IFN-γ/IL-4) was observed in Leishvaccine immunized dogs whereas a selective pro-inflammatory pattern (IFN-γ/NO) was induced by Leishmune® vaccination. The distinct immunological profile triggered by Leishvaccine and Leishmune® may be a direct consequence of the distinct biochemical composition of these immunobiological, i.e. complex versus purified Leishmania antigen along with Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) versus saponin adjuvant. Both immunobiologicals are able to activate phagocytes and CD8+ T-cells and therefore could be considered as a putative vaccines against canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL).Veterinary Immunology and Immunopathology 02/2011; 141(1-2):64-75. · 2.08 Impact Factor -
Article: PCR detection of multiple human herpesvirus DNA in saliva from HIV-infected individuals in Teresina, State of Piauí, Brazil.
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ABSTRACT: Human herpesviruses are frequently associated with orofacial diseases in humans (HSV-1, EBV, CMV and HHV-8), some can also cause systemic disease (CMV and HHV-8). The transmission of these viruses occurs by contact with infected secretions, especially saliva. Human immunodeficiency virus infection is associated with an increased risk of HHVs and related diseases. This work aimed to detect HSV-1, EBV, CMV and HHV-8 DNA in saliva of HIV-infected patients from Teresina, northeast Brazil, by PCR and compare these findings with age and sex matched HIV-seronegative individuals. No difference in prevalence was verified between HHV detection in the saliva of HIV-seropositive individuals and controls. The individual frequencies of these viruses in these two populations were different. HIV seropositivity correlated positively with the presence of CMV (OR: 18.2, p= 0.00032) and EBV (OR: 3.44, p= 0.0081). No association between CD4 counts and the prevalence of HHVs in the saliva was observed; however, a strong association was determined between seropositivity and the presence of multiple HHV DNAs in saliva (OR: 4.83, p = 0.0028). These findings suggest the asymptomatic salivary shedding of HHVs is a common event between HIV-seropositive and seronegative individuals from Teresina, Piauí, Brazil, and, especially for HIV-seropositive patients, saliva is a risk factor for the acquisition/transmission of multiple HHVs.Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical 12/2010; 43(6):620-3. · 0.68 Impact Factor -
Article: Qualitative and quantitative immunohistochemical evaluation of iNOS expression in the spleen of dogs naturally infected with Leishmania chagasi.
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ABSTRACT: Nitric oxide (NO), the product of the nitric oxide synthase enzymes has been detected in Leishmania-infected animals. Besides its role on the immunity to infection, the role of NO and the inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in the pathogenesis of canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL) is not well understood. This study aimed at evaluating immunohistochemically the iNOS expression in the spleen of dogs naturally infected (ID) with Leishmania (L.) chagasi compared with non-infected dogs (NID). The ID was grouped according to the clinical form and the parasite load. Symptomatic dogs (SD) presented higher parasite load in relation to oligosymptomatic (OD) and asymptomatic (AD). The qualitative expression of iNOS was observed only in ID. SD presented strong and prominent labeling of iNOS, followed by OD and AD. Quantitatively, the results showed that the median expression of iNOS was higher in SD and OD compared to NID. Also, dog spleens with high parasitism load showed marked iNOS expression. Taken together, the results suggest that the expression of iNOS in the spleen of infected dogs with CVL was associated with clinical worsening of the disease and with high parasitism.Parasitology Research 12/2010; 108(6):1397-403. · 2.15 Impact Factor -
Article: Trypanosoma cruzi: Serum levels of nitric oxide and expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase in myocardium and spleen of dogs in the acute stage of infection with metacyclic or blood trypomastigotes.
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ABSTRACT: The participation of nitric oxide (NO) in the control of blood parasitemia and parasitism during the acute phase of infection in dogs inoculated with blood trypomastigotes (BT) or metacyclic trypomastigotes (MT group) of Berenice-78 Trypanosoma cruzi strain has been evaluated. Animals of the MT group (n=4) presented increased levels of serum NO throughout the infection when compared with the BT (n=4) or control (n=4) groups, and a delay in parasitemia peak compared with the BT group. In spleen fragments, tissue parasitism was not observed but the MT group presented larger areas associated with inducible NO synthase (iNOS) in relation to BT and control groups. Heart fragments of MT-infected animals exhibited comparatively low tissue parasitism and high iNOS expression, while animals of the BT group presented high inflammatory infiltrate, high tissue parasitism and low iNOS expression. These results indicate that the source of inoculum can interfere with the development of the acute phase of Chagas disease, and may also trigger a distinct parasite-host interaction during this phase.Experimental Parasitology 11/2008; 121(1):76-82. · 2.12 Impact Factor
