What's new for 'Trypanosomatids' in PubMed

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Sent on Friday, 2010 Jul 23
Search kinetoplastids OR kinetoplastid OR Kinetoplastida OR "trypanosoma brucei" OR leishmania OR brucei OR leishmaniasis OR "African trypanosomiasis"
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PubMed Results

Items 1 - 8 of 8

1.	Science. 2010 Jul 15. [Epub ahead of print] Association of Trypanolytic ApoL1 Variants with Kidney Disease in African-Americans. Genovese G, Friedman DJ, Ross MD, Lecordier L, Uzureau P, Freedman BI, Bowden DW, Langefeld CD, Oleksyk TK, Knob AU, Bernhardy AJ, Hicks PJ, Nelson GW, Vanhollebeke B, Winkler CA, Kopp JB, Pays E, Pollak MR. Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA. Abstract African-Americans have higher rates of kidney disease than European-Americans. Here, we show that in African-Americans, focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) and hypertension-attributed end-stage kidney disease (H-ESKD) are associated with two independent sequence variants in the APOL1 gene on chromosome 22 {FSGS odds ratio = 10.5 [95% confidence interval (CI) 6.0 to 18.4]; H-ESKD odds ratio = 7.3 (95% CI 5.6 to 9.5)}. The two APOL1 variants are common in African chromosomes but absent from European chromosomes, and both reside within haplotypes that harbor signatures of positive selection. Apolipoprotein L-1 (ApoL1) is a serum factor that lyses trypanosomes. In vitro assays revealed that only the kidney disease-associated ApoL1 variants lysed Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense. We speculate that evolution of a critical survival factor in Africa may have contributed to the high rates of renal disease in African-Americans.
	PMID: 20647424 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
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2.	Exp Parasitol. 2010 Jul 17. [Epub ahead of print] Trypanosoma cruzi: Identification of DNA targets of the nucl ear periphery coiled-coil protein TcNUP-1. Picchi GF, Ferreira AM, Souza FS, Lourenço EE, Arauco PR, Lorusso A, Bordignon J, Krieger MA, Goldenberg S, Fragoso SP. Fundação Oswaldo Cruz - Instituto Carlos Chagas - Paraná, Brazil - R. Professor Algacyr Munhoz Mader, 3775, Cidade Industrial - 81350-010, Curitiba - PR - Brazil. Abstract The nuclear lamina is a structure that lines the inner nuclear membrane. In metazoans, lamins are the primary structural components of the nuclear lamina and are involved in several processes. Eukaryotes that lack lamins have distinct proteins with homologous functions. Some years ago, a coiled-coil protein in Trypanosoma brucei, NUP-1, was identified as the major filamentous component of its nuclear lamina. However, its precise role has not been determined. We characterized a homologous protein in Trypanosoma cruzi, TcNUP-1, and identified its in vivo DNA binding sites using a chromatin immunoprecipitation assay. We demonstrate for the first time that TcNUP-1 associates with chromosomal regions containing large non-tandem arrays of genes encoding surface proteins. We therefore suggest that TcNUP-1 is a structural protein that plays an essential role in nuclear organization by anchoring T. cruzi chromosomes to the nuclear envelope. Copyright © 2010. Published by Elsevier Inc.
	PMID: 20647012 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
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3.	Trends Parasitol. 2010 Jun 18. [Epub ahead of print] The trypanolytic factor-mechanism, impacts and applications. Wheeler RJ. Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, UK, OX1 3RE. Abstract The Trypanosoma brucei subspecies T. brucei brucei is non-human infective due to susceptibility to lysis by trypanolytic factor (TLF) in human serum. Reviewed here are the advances which have revealed apolipoprotein L1 (ApoL1), found in high density lipoprotein, as the lysis-inducing component of TLF, the means of uptake via haptoglobin-related protein receptor and the mechanism of resistance in T. b. rhodesiense via its serum resistance-associated (SRA) protein. The first practical steps to application of these discoveries are now in progress; transgenic animals expressing either baboon or minimally truncated human ApoL1 show resistance to both T. b. brucei and T. b. rhodesiense. This has major implications for treatment and prevention of human and animal African trypanosomiasis. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
	PMID: 20646962 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
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4.	Pharm Biol. 2010 May;48(5):545-53. Screening of Latin American plants for antiparasitic activities against malaria, Chagas disease, and leishmaniasis. Calderón AI, Romero LI, Ortega-Barría E, Solís PN, Zacchino S, Gimenez A, Pinzón R, Cáceres A, Tamayo G, Guerra C, Espinosa A, Correa M, Gupta MP. Department of Pharmacal Sciences, Harrison School of Pharmacy, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama, USA. Abstract In order to explore rationally the medical potential of the plant biodiversity of the Central and South American region as a source of novel antiparasitic molecules, a multinational Organization of American States (OAS) project, which included the participation of multidisciplinary research centers from Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Nicaragua and Panama, was carried out during the period 2001-2004. This project aimed at screening organic plant extracts for antitrypanosomal, antileishmanial and antimalarial activities and subsequently isolating and characterizing bioactive molecules. Plants for antiparasitic screening were selected from a database of ethnomedical uses of Latin American plants (PlanMedia) based on the amount of biological and chemical information available in the literature. We report here the evaluation of 452 extracts from 311 plant species in vitro screens against Plasmodium falciparum, Leishmania mexicana, and Trypanosoma cruzi. Out of 311 species tested, 17 plants (5.4%) showed antiparasitic activities at IC(50) values </= 10 microg/mL. The most active plants were Acnistus arborescens (L.) Schltdl. (Solanaceae) (leaf, EtOH, IC(50): 4 microg/mL) Monochaetum myrtoideum Naudin (Melastomataceae) (leaf, MeOH, IC(50): 5 microg/mL) and Bourreria huanita (Lex.) Hemsl. (Boraginaceae) (branch, EtOH, IC(50): 6 microg/mL). These were selectively active against P. falciparum, L. mexicana and T. cruzi, respectively.
	PMID: 20645798 [PubMed - in process]
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5.	J Drugs Dermatol. 2010 Jun;9(6):684-6. Pimecrolimus 1% cream in the treatment of cutaneous lesions of pemphigus vulgaris: a double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Iraji F, Asilian A, Siadat AH. Department of Dermatology, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences Skin Diseases and Leishmaniasis Research Center, Isfahan, Iran. Abstract BACKGROUND: Pemphigus vulgaris (PV) is a chronic, bullous disorder that is usually characterized by the presence of bulla and erosion on the skin and mucosa. Many studies on PV focus on the use of topical non-steroid agents. One of these agents is pimecrolimus; its efficacy is established in some inflammatory and autoimmune disorders such as oral and genital lichen planus. PATIENTS, MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a double-blind study that was performed in 11 patients with confirmed diagnosis of PV. Patients under treatment with systemic steroid and azathioprine who had bilateral symmetrical oral lesions were selected and right- or left-sided lesions of those identified were randomized to be treated either by pimecrolimus 1% cream or placebo. The largest diameter of lesions was measured at the baseline and every 15 days for two times. Epithelization Index (EI) was calculated and data were analyzed with a program for statistical analysis. RESULTS: Overall, 11 patients (62 cutaneous lesions; 31 lesions in the pimecrolimus group and 31 lesions in the placebo group) with cutaneous lesions of the pemphigus vulgaris were included in this study. At the end of day 15, there was significant difference regarding EI between the pimecrolimus and placebo groups. In addition, EI was significantly different at the end of study (day 30) in favor of pimecrolimus group (P = 0.000). CONCLUSION: Pimecrolimus can be used as an effective and safe adjunctive treatment for cutaneous lesions of pemphigus vulgaris.
	PMID: 20645531 [PubMed - in process]
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6.	Trop Med Int Health. 2010 Jun;15(6):727-32. Epub 2010 Apr 4. Infestation of peridomestic Attalea phalerata pal ms by Rhodnius stali, a vector of Trypanosoma cruzi in the Alto Beni, Bolivia. Justi SA, Noireau F, Cortez MR, Monteiro FA. Laboratório de Doenças Parasitárias, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz - Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil. Abstract OBJECTIVES: To determine (i) whether peridomestic Attalea phalerata palms in fragmented human-occupied areas of the Alto Beni, Bolivia, are infested by triatomines; (ii) the specific status of triatomines captured in the area; and (iii) the rate of natural Trypanosoma cruzi infection among those triatomines. METHODS: One hundred and twenty-five live-bait traps were used to sample 47 A. phalerata palms in three Alto Beni localities. Active search for vectors was also performed in 10 chicken coops and three rice storage units. Only Rhodnius specimens were found. As nymphs of closely related Rhodnius species are morphologically undistinguishable, and because of controversy in the literature regarding which Rhodnius species occur in Bolivia, collected insects were identified through molecular taxonomy. Phylogenetic analyses of DNA sequences obtained for a fragment of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene and for the nuclear ITS-2 ribosomal region were used as molecular markers. Natural infection rates were determined using a pair of primers that PCR-amplify a 330-bp fragment of the parasite's kDNA. RESULTS: Twelve nymphs were captured in five A. phalerata palms (from two of the three localities studied), and an adult was collected from a chicken coop in Iniqua (and morphologically identified as Rhodnius stali). All nymphs (as well as the adult) were molecularly identified as R. stali based on the two molecular markers used. A single nymph was found to be infected with T. cruzi. CONCLUSIONS: Attalea phalerata palms represent an important sylvatic ecotope occupied by R. stali in the Alto Beni region of Bolivia, where there are signs of T. cruzi transmission to humans, despite the preliminary indication of low level of natural infection of the vectors.
	PMID: 20374565 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
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7.	Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2010 May;54(5):2023-31. Epub 2010 Mar 15. In vitro and in vivo activities of 1,3,4-thiadiazole-2-arylhydrazone derivatives of megazol against Trypanosoma cruzi. Salomão K, de Souza EM, Carvalho SA, da Silva EF, Fraga CA, Barbosa HS, de Castro SL. Laboratório de Biologia Celular, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. Abstract From a series of 1,3,4-thiadiazole-2-arylhydrazone derivatives of megazol screened in vitro against Trypanosoma cruzi, eight (S1 to S8) were selected for in vivo screening by single-dose oral administration (200 mg/kg of body weight) to infected mice at 5 days postinfection (dpi). Based on significant decreases in both parasitemia levels and mortality rates, S2 and S3 were selected for further assays. Despite having no in vivo effect, S1 was included since it was 2-fold more potent against trypomastigotes than megazol in vitro. Trypomastigotes treated with S1, S2, or S3 showed alterations of the flagellar structure and of the nuclear envelope. When assayed on intracellular amastigotes, the selectivity index (SI) for macrophages was in the range of >27 to >63 and for cardiac cells was >32 for S1 and >48 for megazol. In noninfected mice, S1 did not alter the levels of glutamic oxalacetic transaminase (GOT), glutamate pyruvate transaminase (GPT), or urea. S2 led to an increase in GOT, S3 to increases in GOT and GPT, and megazol to an increase in GOT. Infected mice were treated with each derivative at 50 and 100 mg/kg from dpi 6 to 15: S1 did not interfere with the course of infection or reduce the number of inflammatory foci in the cardiac tissue, S2 led to a significant decrease of parasitemia, and S3 decreased mortality. There was no direct correlation between the in vitro effect on trypomastigotes and amastigotes and the results of the treatment in experimental models, as S1 showed a high potency in vitro while, in two different schemes of in vivo treatment, no decrease of parasitemia or mortality was observed. PMCID: PMC2863677 [Available on 2010/11/1]
	PMID: 20231395 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
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8.	Phytomedicine. 2010 Apr;17(5):379-82. Epub 2009 Sep 11. Antiprotozoal activity of betulinic acid derivatives.Domínguez-Carmona DB, Escalante-Erosa F, García-Sosa K, Ruiz-Pinell G, Gutierrez-Yapu D, Chan-Bacab MJ, Giménez-Turba A, Peña-Rodríguez LM. Unidad de Biotecnología, Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán, Calle 43, No. 130, Col. Chuburná, Mérida, Yucatán 97200, México. Abstract Betulinic acid (1), isolated from the crude extract of the leaves of Pentalinon andrieuxii (Apocynaceae), together with betulinic acid acetate (2), betulonic acid (3), betulinic acid methyl ester (4), and betulin (5) were evaluated for their antiprotozoal activity. The results showed that modifying the C-3 position increases leishmanicidal activity while modification of the C-3 and C-28 positions decreases trypanocidal activity. Copyright 2009 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.
	PMID: 19748254 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
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