Diabetic nephropathy produces alterations in the tissue expression profile of the orphan receptors GPR149, GPR153, GPR176, TAAR3, TAAR5 and TAAR9 in Wistar rats.

Diabetes mellitus is a debilitating health care problem affecting 382 million people around the world and one of the most common complications is diabetic nephropathy. For this reason, it is important to try to identify new mechanisms that could be involved in diabetes. A new class of receptors has been reported, called orphan receptors because the associated ligand and signaling cascades are unknown. These receptors could be an important source of targets for the treatment of many diseases such as diabetes and its associated complications like diabetic nephropathy. Therefore, the aim of this work was to study expression of the orphan receptors GPR149, GPR153, GPR176, TAAR3, TAAR5 and TAAR9 in the kidney of diabetic rats. We used male Wistar rats at 10-12 weeks of age. Diabetes was induced by a single dose of streptozotocin (60 mg/kg i.p.). After 4 weeks, tissues were obtained, and the expression of the mRNAs was measured by RT-PCR. Our results showed that the orphan receptors are expressed in a different way in the kidney. In conclusion, we suggest that orphan receptors could be involved in the development of diabetic nephropathy.

Possible involvement of orphan receptors GPR88 and GPR124 in the development of hypertension in spontaneously hypertensive rat.

Hypertension (HBP) is a chronic disease characterized by increased blood pressure, which despite several treatments maintains a high morbi-mortality, which suggests that there are other mechanisms involved in this pathology, within which the orphan receptors could be candidates for the treatment of the HBP; these receptors are called orphan receptors because their ligand is unknown. These receptors have been suggested to participate in some pathologies because they are associated with various systems such as GPR88, which has been linked to the dopaminergic system, and GPR124 with angiogenesis, suggesting that these receptors could take part in HBP. Hence, the aim of this work was to study the expression of orphan receptors GPR88 and GPR124 in various tissues of normotensive and hypertensive rats. We used Wistar Kyoto (WKY) and spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) of 6-8 and 10-12 weeks of age and we determined systolic blood pressure (SBP), heart rate, as well as mRNA of GPR88 and GPR124 receptors by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in the aorta, heart, kidney, and brain. Our results showed that GPR88 and GPR124 were expressed in all analyzed tissues, but their expression is dependent on the age and development of HBP because their expression tends to be modified as HBP is established. Therefore, we conclude that GPR88 and GPR124 receptors may be involved in the development or maintenance of high blood pressure.

Changes in protein and gene expression of angiotensin II receptors (AT1 and AT2) in aorta of diabetic and hypertensive rats.

Diabetes and hypertension have been associated with cardiovascular diseases and stroke. Some reports have related the coexistence of hypertension and diabetes with increase in the risk of developing vascular complications. Recently some studies have shown results suggesting that in the early stages of diabetes and hypertension exist a reduced functional response to vasopressor agents like angiotensin II (Ang II), which plays an important role in blood pressure regulation mechanism through the activation of its AT1 and AT2 receptors. For that reason, the aim of this work was to study the gene and protein expression of AT1 and AT2 receptors in aorta of diabetic SHR and WKY rats. Diabetes was induced by the administration of streptozotocin (60 mg/kg i.p.). After 4 weeks of the onset of diabetes, the protein expression was obtained by western blot and the mRNA expression by RT-PCR. Our results showed that the hypertensive rats have a higher mRNA and protein expression of AT1 receptors than normotensive rats while the AT2 expression remained unchanged. On the other hand, the combination of diabetes and hypertension increased the mRNA and protein expression of AT1 and AT2 receptors significantly. In conclusion, our results suggest that diabetes with hypertension modifies the mRNA and protein expression of AT1 and AT2 receptors. However, the overexpression of AT2 could be associated with the reduction in the response to Ang II in the early stage of diabetes.

[Irinotecan plus temozolomide in refractory or relapsed pediatric solid tumors]. / Irinotecán y temozolomida en tumores sólidos pediátricos en recaída o refractarios.

INTRODUCTION: The prognosis of refractory or relapsed pediatric solid tumors is very poor, and there is no standard treatment for this condition. The combination of irinotecan and temozolomide has proved useful in adults as a second-line treatment of different solid tumors. In pediatric patients, this combination has been effective in Ewing's sarcoma, neuroblastoma, and relapsed or refractory rhabdomyosarcoma. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted on 32 pediatric patients with refractory or relapsed solid tumors, who were treated with irinotecan and temozolomide in the Oncology Department at Children's Hospital Niño Jesus from September 2005 to June 2012. The clinical characteristics, treatment performed, toxicity and outcome, were analyzed. RESULTS: Thirty-two patients received a total of 180 cycles. Of the 30 evaluable patients, 10 (33%) had a positive response (2 complete remission and 8 partial remission), and in 8 (27%) the disease remained stable. Almost all (94%) of the patients achieved a response in the first four cycles. Of the 180 cycles analyzed, only 50 (28%) had toxicity, and of these only 15 (8%) were grade iii-iv. The most common toxicity was diarrhea appearing in 18 patients. All patients received ambulatory treatment, except three of them who required hospitalization due to symptoms of their underlying disease. CONCLUSION: The combination of irinotecan and temozolomide is well tolerated and active against pediatric refractory or relapsed solid tumors.

[Vegetables for human consumption as probable source of Toxocara sp. infection in man]. / Verduras de consumo humano como probable fuente de infección de Toxocara sp. para el hombre.

Although Toxocara canis life cycle is known, other possible mechanisms dynamically involved in its transmission to man are still ignored. The object of the present investigation was to search the occurrence of Toxocara sp. eggs in vegetables which humans consume. Five hundred and thirty six vegetables from a supply distribution center in Mexico City (Distrito Federal) were examined. Those included 212 carrots, 76 potatoes, 31 radishes, 22 mushrooms, 27 lettuces, 20 sweet potatoes and 66 bundles of spinaches, 32 bundles of salt-worts, 29 bundles of coriander, and 21 bundles of purslane. Each unit or bundle was washed with 50 ml of sterilized water, allowing sedimentation at room temperature for 8 hours. Five ml of sediment were centrifugated at 3,000 r.p.m. for 5 minutes. Sediment was examined in lugol stained fresh plates through light microscopy, which turned to be Toxocara sp. eggs were found only in two vegetables: 1.9% of carrots and 6.5% of radishes. Toxocara sp. eggs were: 66.7% recently emitted and 33.3% embryonated. Other parasite elements were: Ascaris lumbricoides eggs 1.9% in carrots, 2.6% in potatoes, 9.1% in mushrooms, 6.9% in corianders, 20.0% in sweet potatoes and 6.1% in spinachs. Entamoeba histolytica cyts were found in 0.9% of carrots. Soil contamination with Toxocara sp. eggs from parasitized dogs or cats, or with either sewage systems or contaminated water where vegetables for human consumption are grown, play a role as a transmission mechanism must be deeperly studied since 33.3% of Toxocara sp. eggs found contained larvae, potentially infective to man.

[Soil contamination with Toxocara sp. eggs in public parks and home gardens from Mexico City]. / Contaminación de suelos por huevos de Toxocara sp. en parques públicos y jardines de casas-habitación de la ciudad de México.

Due to de high number of stray dogs and cats which defecate in public places in Mexico City (3 millions approximately), in addition to domestic dogs and cats, exists the potential risk to man of infection by Toxocara sp. eggs. A study to determine the contamination frequency by Toxocara sp. eggs in public parks, public flower beds, and home gardens in Mexico City, Distrito Federal, was carried out in the 1995 first semester. Fourteen hundred and five soil samples were collected from 156 public parks, 83 public flower beds and 42 home gardens across the 16 delegations in Mexico City, Distrito Federal. Samples were processed by the zinc sulfate centrifugal flotation method, and supernatants read by microscopy. Out of the whole 281 sampled sites, 12.5% were found contaminated with Toxocara sp. eggs. Positivity found was: 10.9% in public parks, 13.3% in public flower beds and 16.7% in home gardens. Ninety percent of the eggs were embryonated or larvaeted measuring 60 to 90 micrometers. The high contamination frequencies found make necessary to prompt for Public Health measures granted the risk of infection acquisition spread on the most exposed population (children) provided that it is acquired via geophagia.

[Frequency of vaginal trichomoniasis and candidiasis and its relation to the clinical profile]. / Frecuencia de tricomoniasis y candidiasis vaginal y su relación con el cuadro clínico.

Eight hundred samples of vaginal swabs were taken from women with active sexual life attending the Cervicouterine Cancer Opportune Detection Service at the Familial Medicine Unit No. 18 of the National Institute of Social Security, to study the incidence and prevalence of vaginal trichomoniasis, the presence of yeasts of the genus Candida and their relationships with clinical features of vulvovaginitis. Identification of parasites was made by means of direct examination with light microscope; 14.39 per cent of candida vulvovaginitis against 3.13 per cent of trichomoniasis was found; in only five cases the two parasites were associated. Leukorrhea and vaginal pruritus were the major symptoms found and the most affected anatomical regions were vaginal walls in trichomoniasis and cervix in candidiasis. Although vaginal trichomoniasis is a worldwide distributed parasitosis, its frequency is very variable, not so vaginal candidiasis, which is more frequent.

Seropositividad a Tripanosoma cruzi en cuatro grupos de población del estado de Oaxaca / Seropositivity to Trypanosoma cruzi in four population groups of the Oaxaca State

Con el antecedente del hallazgo en el estado de Oaxaca de casos agudos de enfermedad de Chagas detectados por la Comisión Nacional para la Erradicación del Paludismo y con objeto de poner de manifiesto la importancia de esta parasitosis en dicho estado, se llevó a cabo el presente estudio por medio de un muestreo de la población humana en cuatro municipios, con un total de 1.210 sueros procesados mediante la técnica de hemaglutinación indirecta. Los resultados dieron 158 negativos y 1.052 reactores con anticuerpos de los que 111 se consideraron positivos. Llama la atención la seropositividad detectada en el grupo de los escolares

Investigacion de otro probable mecanismo de infeccion en la cisticercosis. I. Informe de los hallazgos preliminares. / Research of another probable mechanism of infection in cysticercosis. I. Report of preliminary findings

Con base en la hipotesis de que existe otro mecanismo de infeccion en la cisticercosis que actua juntamente con el fecalismo en la transmision de esta importante enfermedad, y que consiste en la ingestion de formas embrionarias precisticercosas en la carne de cerdo cisticercosa insuficientemente cocida, se presentan los resultados iniciales de esta investigacion, consistentes en el hallazgo de formas intermedias entre embrion hexacanto y cisticerco en preparados de carne macerada de cerdo con solucion salina y cortes de musculo; estas formas sirvieron para inocular cerdos sanos comprobados con serologia para cisticercosis, los cuales volvieron a desarrollar las formas, aunque no evolucionarion hasta la de cisticercos. Posteriormente uno de los cerdos se inmunodeprimio con corticoesteroides y desarrollo un cisticerco completamente formado en globo ocular, y otros en distintos grados de evolucion en el musculo esqueletico;los resultados mencionados se completan con fotografias de microscopia optica y electronica

Frecuencia de las parasitosis intestinales en poblaciones de la zona sur del Distrito Federal / Frequency of intestinal parasitosis in populations of the southern zone of Federal District

Se realizo un estudio de la frecuencia de las parasitosis intestinales en colonias comprendidas en dos delegaciones del area sur del Distrito Federal por medio de examenes coproparasitoscopicos cualitativos con el metodo de Faust. Se obtuvieron frecuencia de protozoosis y helmintiasis inse senalan en cuadros. Se hacen comentarios de los resultados obtenidos en esta encuesta epidemiologica.encuesta epidemiologica