Wednesday, December 29, 2010

What's new for 'Trypanosomatids' in PubMed

This message contains My NCBI what's new results from the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) at the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM).
Do not reply directly to this message.

Sender's message:

Sent on Wednesday, 2010 Dec 29
Search kinetoplastids OR kinetoplastid OR Kinetoplastida OR "trypanosoma brucei" OR leishmania OR brucei OR leishmaniasis OR "African trypanosomiasis"
Click here to view complete results in PubMed. (Results may change over time.)
To unsubscribe from these e-mail updates click here.



PubMed Results
Items 1 - 6 of 6

1. Parasitol Res. 2010 Dec 29. [Epub ahead of print]

Qualitative and quantitative immunohistochemical evaluation of iNOS expression in the spleen of dogs naturally infected with Leishmania chagasi.

Dos Santos FR, Vieira PM, Correa-Oliveira R, Giunchetti RC, Carneiro CM, Reis AB, Malaquias LC.

Universidade Presidente Antonio Carlos, Teófilo Otoni, MG, Brazil.

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.

PMID: 21188604 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
2. J Vet Med Sci. 2010 Dec 22. [Epub ahead of print]

Differential Kinetic Activities of Glycerol Kinase among African Trypanosome Species: Phylogenetic and Therapeutic Implications.

Ohashi-Suzuki M, Yabu Y, Ohshima S, Nakamura K, Kido Y, Sakamoto K, Kita K, Ohta N, Suzuki T.

Department of International Health Development, Division of Public Health, Graduate School of Tokyo Medical and Dental University.

Abstract

African trypanosome species are causative agents for sleeping sickness in humans and nagana disease in cattle. Trypanosoma brucei can generate ATP via a reverse reaction with glycerol kinase (GK) when alternative oxidase (AOX) is inhibited; thus, GK is considered to be a crucial target for chemotherapy combined with AOX. However, the energy metabolism systems of African trypanosome species other than T. brucei are poorly understood. Thus, GK genes were surveyed from genome databases and cloned by PCR from T. vivax and T. congolense. Then, recombinant GK proteins (rGK) of T. vivax, T. congolense and T. brucei were expressed and purified. Kinetic analysis of these rGK proteins revealed that the K(m) values of T. congolense rGK for ADP and G-3-P substrates were lower than those of T. vivax and T. brucei. The expression level of GK molecules was highest in T. congolense cells and lowest in T. vivax cells. Based on these results, effective combination dosages of ascofuranone, a specific inhibitor of AOX, and glycerol, an inhibitor of the GK reverse reaction, were determined by using in vitro-cultured trypanosome cells.

PMID: 21187682 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
3. Exp Parasitol. 2010 Dec 24. [Epub ahead of print]

Evaluation of DNA/DNA and prime-boost vaccination using LPG3 against L. major infection in susceptible BALB/c mice and its antigenic properties in human leishmaniasis.

Abdian N, Gholami E, Zahedifard F, Safaee N, Rafati S.

Molecular Immunology and Vaccine Research Lab, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran; Khatam University, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

One of the main issues in vaccine development is implementation of new adjuvants to improve the antigen presentation and eliciting the protective immune response. Heat Shock Protein (HSP) molecules are known as natural adjuvants. They can stimulate the innate and adaptive immune response against infectious diseases and cancer. Lipophosphoglycan 3 (LPG3), the Leishmania homologous with GRP94 (glucose regulated protein 94, a member of HSP90 family, is involved in assembly of LPG as the most abundant macromolecule on the surface of Leishmania promastigotes. In the present study as a primary step, we tested LPG3 as a vaccine candidate in two regimens, DNA/DNA and prime-boost (DNA/Protein), against L. major infection in BALB/c mice model. Our results showed that LPG3 and its fragment (rNT-LPG3) are highly immunogenic in BALB/c mice and can stimulate the production of both IgG1 and IgG2a. In prime-boost immunization strategy, the level of antibody response was higher compared with DNA/DNA immunization. The levels of IFN-γ in the supernatant of splenocytes from mice immunized with DNA/DNA and prime-boost regimens were significantly higher when compared to control groups. In fact, immunization with prime-boost vaccination has higher ratio of IFN-γ/IL-5, suggesting a shift towards a Th1 response. In addition, sera reactivity against LPG3 in visceral leishmaniasis (VL) patients was significantly higher in comparison with cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) patients. Therefore, we recommend further investigations on the usage of LPG3 co-delivery with candidate antigens for vaccine development against leishmaniasis.

Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
PMID: 21187087 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
4. Exp Parasitol. 2010 Dec 24. [Epub ahead of print]

Fluorescent Leishmania species: Development of stable GFP expression and its application for in vitro and in vivo studies.

Bolhassani A, Taheri T, Taslimi Y, Zamanilui S, Zahedifard F, Seyed N, Torkashvand F, Vaziri B, Rafati S.

Molecular Immunology and Vaccine Research Laboratory, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

Reporter genes have proved to be an excellent tool for studying disease progression. Recently, the green fluorescent protein (GFP) ability to quantitatively monitor gene expression has been demonstrated in different organisms. This report describes the use of Leishmania tarentolae (L. tarentolae) expression system (LEXSY) for high and stable levels of GFP production in different Leishmania species including L. tarentolae, L. major and L. infantum. The DNA expression cassette (pLEXSY-EGFP) was integrated into the chromosomal ssu locus of Leishmania strains through homologous recombination. Fluorescent microscopic image showed that GFP transgenes can be abundantly and stably expressed in promastigote and amastigote stages of parasites. Furthermore, flow cytometry analysis indicated a clear quantitative distinction between wild type and transgenic Leishmania strains at both promastigote and amastigote forms. Our data showed that the footpad lesions with GFP-transfected L. major is progressive over time by using fluorescence small-animal imaging system. Consequently, the utilization of stable GFP-transfected Leishmania species will be appropriate for in vitro and in vivo screening of anti-leishmanial drugs and vaccine development as well as understanding the biology of the host-parasite interactions at the cellular level.

Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
PMID: 21187086 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
5. Clin Microbiol Rev. 2010 Oct;23(4):795-836.

Importance of nonenteric protozoan infections in immunocompromised people.

Barratt JL, Harkness J, Marriott D, Ellis JT, Stark D.

Department of Microbiology, St. Vincent's Hospital, Darlinghurst 2010, NSW, Australia. Joel.barratt-1@uts.edu.au

Abstract

There are many neglected nonenteric protozoa able to cause serious morbidity and mortality in humans, particularly in the developing world. Diseases caused by certain protozoa are often more severe in the presence of HIV. While information regarding neglected tropical diseases caused by trypanosomatids and Plasmodium is abundant, these protozoa are often not a first consideration in Western countries where they are not endemic. As such, diagnostics may not be available in these regions. Due to global travel and immigration, this has become an increasing problem. Inversely, in certain parts of the world (particularly sub-Saharan Africa), the HIV problem is so severe that diseases like microsporidiosis and toxoplasmosis are common. In Western countries, due to the availability of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), these diseases are infrequently encountered. While free-living amoebae are rarely encountered in a clinical setting, when infections do occur, they are often fatal. Rapid diagnosis and treatment are essential to the survival of patients infected with these organisms. This paper reviews information on the diagnosis and treatment of nonenteric protozoal diseases in immunocompromised people, with a focus on patients infected with HIV. The nonenteric microsporidia, some trypanosomatids, Toxoplasma spp., Neospora spp., some free-living amoebae, Plasmodium spp., and Babesia spp. are discussed.

PMCID: PMC2952979 [Available on 2011/10/1]
PMID: 20930074 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Related citations
Click here to read

6. J Vector Ecol. 2009 Dec;34(2):304-10.

Abundance and nightly activity behavior of a sylvan population of Triatoma dimidi ata (Hemiptera: Reduviidae: Triatominae) from the Yucatan, México.

Rebollar-Téllez EA, Reyes-Villanueva F, Escobedo-Ortegón J, Balam-Briceño P, May-Concha I.

Laboratorio de Entomología Médica, Departamento de Zoología de Invertebrados, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Nuevo León, México.

Abstract

Triatoma dimidiata is the vector of Trypanosoma cruzi in the Yucatan Peninsula (YP). Earlier studies have shown that domestic and peri-domestic populations of the vector originated from the sylvan stock and that effectiveness of insecticide-spraying was affected by re-infestations of houses from the sylvan T. dimidiata population. In addition, in the YP most previously published reports have focused on domestic and peri-domestic populations and very little is known about the nocturnal behavior of the sylvan populations. The main aim of our study was to determine the nightly activity patterns of adult T. dimidiata in a selected location in the YP. Secondly, we sought to document the reproductive status and infection rate of active females. During eight sampling nights spaced from late March to late July, 2007, we collected 544 adult T. dimidiata. We found that square-cloth illuminated white traps were effective to attract the sylvan individuals and that T. dimidiata adults exhibited a unimodal activity pattern throughout the night. The accumulated mean of captured bugs also showed a non-linear distribution for females and males. Furthermore, we found that male and female catches were significantly correlated with the means of temperature and humidity recorded during the sampling period. Out of 46 dissected females, we observed that 43.5% of females had fully-formed eggs in their abdomens, and only two females (4.4%) had sperm within the spermatheca. The infection rate of T. dimidiata harboring T. cruzi was found to be 3.7%. The implications of the light attraction to bugs and potential dispersal capabilities are discussed in the paper in the context of infestation/re-infestation of rural houses by sylvan T. dimidiata flying adults.

PMID: 20836833 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Related citations

No comments:

Post a Comment