Upregulation of Cardiac IL-10 and Downregulation of IFN-γ in Balb/c IL-4-/- in Acute Chagasic Myocarditis due to Colombian Strain of Trypanosoma cruzi.

Inflammatory response in Chagas disease is related to parasite and host factors. However, immune system regulation has not been fully elucidated. Thus, this study is aimed at evaluating IL-4 influence on acute phase of Trypanosoma cruzi experimental infection through dosage of cytokine levels in cardiac homogenate of infected Balb/c WT and Balb/c IL-4-/- as well as its histopathological repercussions. For such purpose, mice were divided into two groups: an infected group with 100 forms of the Colombian strain and an uninfected group. After 21 days of infection, animals were euthanized and the blood, spleen, and heart were collected. The spleen was used to culture splenic cells in 48 h. Subsequently, cytokines TNF-α, IL-12p70, IL-10, IFN-γ, and IL-17 were measured in the blood, culture supernatant, and heart apex by ELISA. The base of the heart was used for histopathological analysis. From these analysis, infected Balb/c IL-4-/- mice showed milder inflammatory infiltrate compared to Balb/c WT, but without changes in nest density and collagen deposition. IL-4 absence culminated in lower cardiac tissue IFN-γ production, although it did not affect TNF-α expression in situ. It also decreased TNF-α systemic production and increased IL-10, both systemically and in situ. In addition, IL-4 absence did not influence IL-17 expression. Splenocytes of IL-4-deficient mice produced higher amounts of IFN-γ, TNF-α, and IL-17 and lower amounts of IL-10. Thus, IL-4 absence in acute phase of experimental infection with T. cruzi Colombian strain reduces myocarditis due to lower IFN-γ production and greater IL-10 production in situ and this pattern is not influenced by splenocyte general repertoire.

Morphometric analysis of methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus isolated from the saliva of healthcare workers

The objective of this study was to evaluate the morphological changes in methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) cultured in different concentrations of sodium chloride and oxacillin. In a previous study on the prevalence of MRSA and methicillin-susceptible staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) un the saliva of health workers, 12 samples of MRSA were isolated and identified using conventional techniques and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Morphological and morphometric analyses showed that the culture of methicillin-resistant S. aureus in different concentrations of sodium chloride (2 percent, 4 percent, 6 percent and 7.5 percent) and oxacillin (2µg, 4 µg and 6µg/mL) had effect on the morphology of the bacteria.

Este estudo teve como objetivo avaliar alterações morfológicas em staphylococcus aureus resistente à meticilina (MRSA) após o cultivo em meios contendo diferentes concentrações de cloreto de sódio e oxacilina. Em um estudo prévio sobre a prevalência de MRSA e de staphylococcus aureus susceptível à meticilina (MSSA) na saliva de profissionais de saúde, 12 amostras de MRSA foram isoladas e identificadas por técnicas convencionais e pela reação em cadeia da polimerase (PCR). Análises morfológicas e morfométricas mostraram que a cultura de S. aureus em diferentes concentrações de cloreto de sódio (2 por cento, 4 por cento, 6, por cento, 7.5 por cento) e oxacilina (2µg, 4 µg e 6µg/mL) não promoveu qualquer efeito sobre a morfologia das bactérias.