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ABSTRACT: Resistance to intracellular pathogens such as Mycobacterium leprae is dependent upon an effective T helper type 1 (Th1)-type immune response. On the other hand, intestinal helminths are known to subvert the host's immune response towards to either a Th2-type immune response or a regulatory T cell up-regulation, which may affect the host's ability to mount an effective response to mycobacteria. Here, we report a significant association between intestinal helminth infections and lepromatous leprosy [odds ratio (OR), 10.88; confidence interval (CI) 95%: 4.02-29.4; P<0.001]. We also observed that the frequency of intestinal helminths correlated strongly with the mycobacterial index (r=0.982, P<0.01). Corroborating with our hypothesis, intracellular levels of interferon-gamma were decreased significantly in leprosy patients co-infected with intestinal helminths when compared to leprosy patients without worms. Conversely, lepromatous leprosy patients with intestinal worms produced higher levels of both interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-10. Our results suggest that a pre-existing infection by intestinal helminths may facilitate the establishment of M. leprae infection or its progression to more severe forms of leprosy.
Clinical & Experimental Immunology 07/2010; 161(1):142-50. · 3.36 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: To evaluate the effect of buserelin acetate on the morphology of the endometrium of adult, non-castrated, female Wistar rats.
Female Wistar rats at estrus or diestrus (assessed by vaginal cytology) received daily subcutaneous injections of 20 mg buserelin acetate for four, eight or 12 days. Rats were sacrificed 24 hours or five days following final dosage. A control group received diluent for 12 days.
Progressive tissue hypotrophy occurred during treatment and was followed by estrogenic hyperactivity five days after the end of treatment. Vaginal cytology and endometrial histology revealed intense, vacuolized lining and glandular epithelia, brush borders and endometrial stroma densely infiltrated with eosinophils.
Buserelin acetate appears to cause a progressive blockade of gonadotrophin secretion when administered to female rats for four, eight or 12 days, and an important rebound effect, with accentuated estrogen release already apparent in the first estrous cycle following treatment.
Clinical and experimental obstetrics & gynecology 02/2008; 35(3):198-201. · 0.43 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Testosterone (T) associated with estrogen (E) has been used in hormonal replacement therapy in postmenopause women and the effects of this hormonal association on the uterus are not known.
To study the effect of long-term simultaneous exposure to testosterone and estrogen on the uterus of non-castrated adult female rats.
Groups of ten adult noncastrated female Wistar rats were treated with non-esterified testosterone and beta estradiol (subcutaneous implants with 50 mg of each hormone) or with testosterone cipionate and estradiol valerate (weekly intramuscularly or by subcutaneous injection of respectively, 2.85 mg/kg and 0.166 mg/kg). Control groups received no treatment (10 rats) or injections of diluents (6 rats). All animals were killed six months after hormonal exposure.
All rats treated with T+E developed hyperplasia and hyperkeratosis of the vaginal and cervical epithelium and focal metaplasia with keratinization of the endocervical and endometrial epithelium. Ascending pelvic inflammatory disease with pyometra and tuboovarian abscesses were frequent (25% mortality until the end of the experiment).
Testosterone associated with estrogen induced metaplasia of the genital epithelium but did not induce neoplastic lesions. The metaplasic lesions reduced the mucosal defense mechanisms enhancing ascending genital inflammatory disease. Although metaplasia of the cervical and endometrial epithelium has been observed after estrogen exposure in rats, testosterone does not appear to inhibit these estrogen effects.
Clinical and experimental obstetrics & gynecology 02/2007; 34(1):52-4. · 0.43 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Helminth infections with larvae that migrate through the tissues have been considered risk factors for CNS infections.
The present work was designed to investigate the prevalence of anti- TOXOCARA antibodies in the serum and/or in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of children with infectious meningitis or meningoencephalitis and of a control group, without meningitis, admitted at the Children's Hospital NS Glória, Vitória, ES, Brazil.
After adsorption with ASCARIS LUMBRICOIDES antigen, serum and/or cerebrospinal fluid of 381 inpatients (201 with meningitis and 180 without meningitis) were submitted to an ELISA IgG, for anti- TOXOCARA antibodies using secretion/excretion antigens of third stage larvae of T. CANIS.
No significant differences between the meningitis and the control groups were observed in the frequencies of positive tests for anti- TOXOCARA antibodies in the serum or CSF (respectively for the meningitis and control group: 33/103 or 32 % and 52/152 or 34.2 % for the serum, p = 0.821; 48/184 or 26.1 % and 23/121 or 19.0 % for the CSF; p = 0.196.
The results demonstrated that TOXOCARA infection, evaluated by detection of anti- TOXOCARA antibodies in serum or CSF, is not associated with viral or bacterial meningitis or meningoencephalitis in children in our country.
Neuropediatrics 07/2006; 37(3):126-9. · 0.94 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Increased levels of androgens in postmenopausal women are considered to be a risk factor for breast cancer. Testosterone, alone or in combination with estrogen, induces epithelial dysplasia and mammary tumors in Noble rats. Since this model of hormone-induced neoplasia has not been reported in other rat strains, we studied the effect of testosterone on the mammary gland morphology of female Wistar rats. Sixty adult, non-castrated, female Wistar rats were implanted in the dorsum midline with a silicone tube containing 50 mg testosterone (testosterone propionate in 30 animals and non-esterified testosterone in the remaining 30 animals) and 20 additional animals were implanted with empty tubes and used as control. Five animals per group were killed 30, 60, 90, 120, 150, and 180 days after implantation, and the mammary glands were dissected, fixed and embedded in paraffin. Histological sections were then stained with hematoxylin and eosin and picrosyrius red for collagen visualization. Morphological and morphometric analysis demonstrated ductal proliferation and acinotubular differentiation with secretory activity in all treated animals, peaking at 90 days of androgen exposure. After 90 days the proliferation of acinar epithelial cells was evident, but there was a progressive reduction of secretory differentiation and an increase in intralobular collagen fibers. There was no morphological evidence of dysplastic changes or other pre-neoplastic lesions. Testosterone treatment applied to adult, non-castrated female Wistar rats induced a mammary gland hyperplasia resembling the lactating differentiation, with progressive reduction in secretory differentiation.
Brazilian Journal of Medical and Biological Research 05/2005; 38(4):553-8. · 1.13 Impact Factor
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Clinical neuropathology 25(6):288-90. · 1.04 Impact Factor
