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1.
Lupus ; 32(9): 1033-1042, 2023 Aug.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37436429

RESUMO

Systemic lupus erythematosus-related transverse myelitis (SLE-TM) is a rare but serious complication of SLE, which may result in significant morbidity. Its incidence is estimated between 0.5% and 1% of all SLE patients but may be the presenting feature in 30%-60% of these patients. Unfortunately, due to lack of high-quality studies, data regarding this condition remains limited. Its pathogenesis remains largely unknown and clinical presentation is variable. There are still no set guidelines regarding diagnosis, management, or monitoring and the role of autoantibodies remains controversial. In this review, we aim to summarize the available data regarding the epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical features, management, and prognosis of this rare disease.


Assuntos
Lúpus Eritematoso Sistêmico , Mielite Transversa , Mielite , Humanos , Lúpus Eritematoso Sistêmico/complicações , Lúpus Eritematoso Sistêmico/diagnóstico , Mielite Transversa/diagnóstico , Mielite Transversa/etiologia , Prognóstico , Autoanticorpos , Imageamento por Ressonância Magnética , Mielite/complicações
2.
Appl Microbiol Biotechnol ; 107(4): 1077-1093, 2023 Feb.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36648526

RESUMO

Endophytic fungi have proved to be a major source of secondary metabolites, wherein the genus Chaetomium has emerged as a source of multifarious bioactive natural compounds belonging to diverse classes such as chaetoglobosins, epipolythiodioxopiperazines, azaphilones, xanthones, anthraquinone, chromones, depsidones, terpenoids, and steroids. The objective of this review is to encapsulate recent findings on various Chaetomium strains, such as C. globosum, C. cupreum, C. elatum, C. subspirale, C. olivaceum, C. indicum, and C. nigricolor known for production of beneficial secondary metabolites, with an insight into their origin and function. A thorough literature survey was conducted for obtaining Chaetomium-derived secondary metabolites, with a scope of future application into drug development efforts. More than 100 secondary metabolites, with various beneficial properties such as antitumor, cytotoxic, antimalarial, and enzyme inhibitory activities, were enlisted. We believe this review will enhance the understanding of beneficial effects conferred by various Chaetomium-derived secondary metabolites and emphasize their potential in serving novel drug development efforts. KEY POINTS: • Identified Chaetomium-derived metabolites with potential for drug development. • More than 100 beneficial metabolites are enlisted. • Benefits include anti-cancerous, antimalarial, and anti-enzymatic properties.


Assuntos
Antimaláricos , Antineoplásicos , Chaetomium , Antimaláricos/metabolismo , Antineoplásicos/metabolismo
3.
J Mol Recognit ; 35(9): e2961, 2022 09.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35514257

RESUMO

Dengue virus (DENV) is endemic in 100 countries with the ability to impact nearly 50% of world population. DENV envelope (E) protein is responsible for viral attachment to host cells and has been target of various countermeasure development efforts. The current study focuses on a consensus computational approach to identify cross-reactive, immunogenic DENV-2 E peptides displaying promiscuity with a wide array of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) molecules. Four conserved peptides (FP-1, FP-2, FP-3 and FP-4) containing multiple CD8+ and CD4+ T cell epitopes were identified by employment of various immunoinformatics tools. FP-1, FP-2, FP-3 and FP-4 were estimated to bind with 227, 1787, 1008 and 834 HLA alleles, respectively. Root mean square deviation (RMSD) values obtained by molecular docking (CABS-Dock) with 20 HLA alleles (10 each of HLA classes I and II) resulted into comparable RMSD values of identified epitopes with native peptides, which represents the natural presentation of epitopes to HLA molecules. These peptides were also found to be part of previous experimentally validated immunogenic peptides. Further, a dengue immunogenic peptide construct was generated by linking the four peptides, an adjuvant and a 6× histidine tag. The construct showed strong binding and stability with Toll-like receptor. Collectively, these results provide strong evidence in the support of the immunogenic potential of the dengue immunogenic peptide construct.


Assuntos
Dengue , Envelope Viral , Epitopos de Linfócito T/química , Antígenos HLA/química , Antígenos de Histocompatibilidade Classe II , Humanos , Simulação de Acoplamento Molecular , Peptídeos/química
4.
Appl Microbiol Biotechnol ; 106(4): 1399-1417, 2022 Feb.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35106636

RESUMO

A quest for identification of novel, safe and efficient natural compounds, as additives in the modern food and cosmetic industries, has been prompted by concerns about toxicity and side effects of synthetic products. Plant phenolic compounds are one of the most documented natural products due to their multifarious biological applications. Grape (Vitis vinifera) is an important source of phenolic compounds such as phenolic acids, tannins, quinones, coumarins and, most importantly, flavonoids/flavones. This review crisply encapsulates enzyme inhibitory activities of various grape polyphenols towards different key human-ailment-associated enzymes: xanthine oxidase (gout), tyrosinase (hyperpigmentation), α-amylase and α-glucosidase (diabetes mellitus), pancreatic lipase (obesity), cholinesterase (Alzheimer's disease), angiotensin i-converting enzymes (hypertension), α-synuclein (Parkinson's disease) and histone deacetylase (various diseases). The review also depicts the enzyme inhibitory mechanism of various grape polyphenols and briefly discusses their stature as potential therapeutic and drug development candidates. KEY POINTS: • Nineteen major bioactive polyphenols from the grape/grape products and their disease targets are presented • Sixty-two important polyphenols as enzyme inhibitors from grape/grape products are presented • A thorough description and graphical presentation of biological significance of polyphenols against various diseases.


Assuntos
Vitis , Antioxidantes/farmacologia , Flavonoides/farmacologia , Humanos , Extratos Vegetais/farmacologia , Polifenóis/farmacologia
5.
Mol Vis ; 27: 125-141, 2021.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33907368

RESUMO

Purpose: Collagen is a key player contributing to vitreoelasticity and vitreoretinal adhesions. Molecular reorganization causes spontaneous weakening of these adhesions with age, resulting in the separation of the posterior hyaloid membrane (PHM) from the retina in what is called complete posterior vitreous detachment (PVD). Incomplete separation of the posterior hyaloid or tight adherence or both can lead to retinal detachment, vitreomacular traction syndrome, or epiretinal membrane formation, which requires surgical intervention. Pharmacological vitrectomy has the potential of avoiding surgical vitrectomy; it is also useful as an adjunct during retinal surgery to induce PVD. Previously studied enzymatic reagents, such as collagenase derived from Clostridium histolyticum, are nonspecific and potentially toxic. We studied a novel collagenase from Vibrio mimicus (VMC) which remains active (VMA), even after deletion of 51 C-terminal amino acids. To limit the activity of VMA to the vitreous cavity, a fusion construct (inhibitor of hyaluronic acid-VMA [iHA-VMA]) was made in which a 12-mer peptide (iHA, which binds to HA) was fused to the N-terminus of VMA. The construct was evaluated in the context of PVD. Methods: VMA and iHA-VMA were expressed in Escherichia coli, purified, and characterized with gelatin zymography, collagen degradation assay, fluorescamine-based assay, and cell-based assays. Two sets of experiments were performed in New Zealand albino rabbits. Group A (n = 10) received iHA-VMA, while group B (n = 5) received the equivalent dose of VMA. In both groups, saline was injected as a control in the contralateral eyes. Animals were monitored with indirect ophthalmoscopy, optical coherence tomography (OCT), and B-scan ultrasonography. Retinal toxicity was assessed with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining of retinal tissue. Results: The activity of iHA-VMA and VMA was comparable and 65-fold lower than that of C. histolyticum collagenase Type IV. In the iHA-VMA group, all the rabbits (n = 10) developed PVD, with complete PVD seen in six animals. No statistically significant histomorphological changes were seen. In the VMA group, four of the five rabbits developed complete PVD; however, retinal morphological changes were seen in two animals. Conclusions: iHA-VMA displays targeted action confined to the vitreous and shows potential for safe pharmacologic vitreolysis.


Assuntos
Colagenases/uso terapêutico , Ácido Hialurônico/uso terapêutico , Vibrio mimicus/enzimologia , Vitrectomia/métodos , Corpo Vítreo/efeitos dos fármacos , Descolamento do Vítreo/induzido quimicamente , Animais , Sobrevivência Celular , Colagenases/química , Colagenases/genética , Eletroforese em Gel de Poliacrilamida , Citometria de Fluxo , Cabras , Ácido Hialurônico/química , Ácido Hialurônico/genética , Injeções Intravítreas , Microscopia Eletrônica de Varredura , Oftalmoscopia , Coelhos , Proteínas Recombinantes de Fusão/química , Proteínas Recombinantes de Fusão/genética , Proteínas Recombinantes de Fusão/uso terapêutico , Retina/efeitos dos fármacos , Retina/fisiologia , Corpo Vítreo/ultraestrutura , Descolamento do Vítreo/diagnóstico por imagem
6.
Microbiol Immunol ; 65(11): 505-511, 2021 Nov.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34343363

RESUMO

In the past 45 years, ebolaviruses have periodically caused epidemics on the African continent. In December 2019, approval of a recombinant vector-based EBOV vaccine, named Ervebo, came as encouraging news; still, there is a long way to go in the development of an accessible, global, and pan-ebolavirus vaccine. The current study expanded our previous in silico work which was conducted on ebolavirus glycoprotein and this resulted in the identification of three potentially immunogenic peptides (P1 - FKRTSFFLWVIILFQRTFSIPL, P2 - LANETTQALQLF, and P3 - RATTELRTFSILNRKAIDF). An analysis to estimate the number of expected human leukocyte antigen (HLA) responders revealed that P1, P2, and P3 can potentially interact with 2540, 2150, and 2802 HLA alleles, respectively. Further, these peptides were subject to in vitro analysis wherein the human peripheral blood mononuclear cell proliferation and interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) production by peptide stimulated cells was studied in 10 healthy human blood samples with the help of a 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) respectively. P3 presented the best results, a significant (P < 0.05) peptide induced cell proliferation and IFN-γ stimulation for 8 and 10 samples, respectively, followed by P1 (5 and 6) and P2 (5 and 7). The in silico and in vitro results obtained in this study indicate the immunogenic potential of these peptides and warrant exploration of the effects on other cytokines as well as in vivo experimental validation.


Assuntos
Glicoproteínas/imunologia , Doença pelo Vírus Ebola , Leucócitos Mononucleares/imunologia , Proteínas Virais/imunologia , Humanos , Imunidade , Leucócitos Mononucleares/virologia , Peptídeos/imunologia
7.
Med Microbiol Immunol ; 208(2): 227-238, 2019 Apr.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30790057

RESUMO

Immunoinformatics has come by leaps and bounds to finding potent vaccine candidates against various pathogens. In the current study, a combination of different T (CD4+ and CD8+) and B cell epitope prediction tools was applied to find peptides containing multiple epitopes against Ebola nucleoprotein (NP) and the presentation of peptides to human leukocyte antigen (HLA) molecules was analyzed by prediction, docking and population coverage tools. Further, potential peptides were analyzed by ELISA for peptide induced IFN-γ secretion in peripheral blood mononuclear cells isolated from healthy volunteers. Six peptides were obtained after merging the overlapping multiple HLA I (CD8+) and II (CD4+) restricted T cell epitopes as well as B cell epitopes and eliminating the peptides liable to generate autoimmune and allergic response. All peptides displayed 100% conservancy in Zaire ebolavirus. In other Ebola virus species (Sudan, Bundibugyo and Taï forest) and Filoviridae members (Lloviuvirus and Margburgvirus), some peptides were found to be conserved with minor variations. Prediction tools confirmed the ability of predicted peptides to bind with diverse HLA (HLA-A, HLA-B, HLA-DP, HLA-DQ and HLA-DR) alleles. CABS-dock results displayed that the average root mean square deviation (RMSD) value was less than three in majority of cases representing strong binding affinity with HLA alleles. Population coverage analysis predicted high coverage (> 85%) for expected immune response in four continents (Africa, America, Asia and Europe). Nine out of ten blood samples exhibited enhanced IFN-γ secretion for two peptides (P2 and P3). Thus, the identified NP peptides can be considered as potential synthetic vaccine candidates against Ebola virus.


Assuntos
Vacinas contra Ebola/imunologia , Ebolavirus/imunologia , Epitopos/imunologia , Antígenos HLA/metabolismo , Doença pelo Vírus Ebola/prevenção & controle , Leucócitos Mononucleares/imunologia , Nucleoproteínas/imunologia , Antígenos Virais/genética , Antígenos Virais/imunologia , Biologia Computacional , Vacinas contra Ebola/genética , Ebolavirus/genética , Epitopos/genética , Antígenos HLA/genética , Voluntários Saudáveis , Humanos , Interferon gama/metabolismo , Nucleoproteínas/genética , Vacinas de Subunidades Antigênicas/genética , Vacinas de Subunidades Antigênicas/imunologia
8.
J Theor Biol ; 465: 34-44, 2019 03 21.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30639295

RESUMO

Computational approach has shown remarkable progress in epitope mapping, paving the way to finding vaccine candidates against different viruses. In the current study, prediction algorithms and molecular docking were applied to select peptides containing multiple Ebola glycoprotein epitopes showing interaction with different HLA molecules. Six peptides containing overlapping multiple HLA I (CD8+) and II (CD4+) restricted T cell epitopes were generated via consensus approach applying six different prediction tools. Four (P1, P2, P5 and P6) out of six peptides were selected after screening for absence of undesirable responses and presence of B cell epitopes. Peptide-HLA interaction analysis based on Autodock Vina and CABS-dock showed strong binding of these four peptides with eighteen HLA molecules. HLA coverage analysis from each prediction tool showed that these peptides were able to bind to diverse HLA-A, HLA-B, HLA-DP, HLA-DQ and HLA-DR alleles. Population coverage analysis of peptides for expected immune response in four different continents (Africa, America, Asia and Europe) have shown average population coverage viz, P1 (95%), P2 (96%), P5 (91%) and P6 (94%). Further, these peptides were found to be nearly 100% conserved in Zaire Ebola virus while LANETTQALQLF (P5) was found to be 100% conserved in Zaire, Sudan, Bundibugyo and Tai Forest species. Therefore, these peptides capable of inducing T and B cell response and being presented by a wide range of HLA molecules have a strong potential to be part of diagnostic and preventive tools against Ebola virus disease.


Assuntos
Biologia Computacional/métodos , Ebolavirus/imunologia , Epitopos de Linfócito T/imunologia , Glicoproteínas/imunologia , Antígenos HLA/imunologia , Peptídeos/imunologia , Sequência de Aminoácidos , Vacinas contra Ebola/administração & dosagem , Vacinas contra Ebola/imunologia , Ebolavirus/metabolismo , Mapeamento de Epitopos , Epitopos de Linfócito B/química , Epitopos de Linfócito B/imunologia , Epitopos de Linfócito T/química , Glicoproteínas/química , Antígenos HLA/química , Doença pelo Vírus Ebola/imunologia , Doença pelo Vírus Ebola/prevenção & controle , Doença pelo Vírus Ebola/virologia , Humanos , Simulação de Acoplamento Molecular , Peptídeos/química , Ligação Proteica/imunologia
10.
Retina ; 42(8): e34-e35, 2022 08 01.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33315824
11.
Microbiol Immunol ; 60(9): 646-52, 2016 Sep.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-27554419

RESUMO

The concept of peptide-based vaccines against cancer has made noteworthy progress. Metadherin (MTDH) overexpression and its role in the development of diverse cancers make it an attractive target for cancer immunotherapy. In the current study, six different T cell epitope prediction tools were run to identify MTDH peptides with multiple immunogenic regions. Further, molecular docking was performed to assess HLA-peptide binding interactions. Nine and eleven peptides fragments containing multiple CD8 (+) and CD4 (+) T-cell epitopes, ranging from 9 to 20 amino acids, respectively, were obtained using a consensus immunoinformatics approach. The three peptides that were finally identified as having overlapping CD4 (+) and CD8 (+) T- cell epitopes are ARLREMLSVGLGFLRTELG, FLLGYGWAAACAGAR, YIDDEWSGLNGLSSADP. These peptides were found to not only have multiple T cell epitopes but also to have binding affinity with wide HLA molecules. A molecular docking study revealed that the predicted immunogenic peptides (with single or multiple T cell epitopes) of MTDH have comparable binding energies with naturally bound peptides for both HLA classes I and II. Thus, these peptides have the potential to induce immune responses that could be considered for developing synthetic peptide vaccines against multiple cancers.


Assuntos
Linfócitos T CD4-Positivos/imunologia , Linfócitos T CD8-Positivos/imunologia , Vacinas Anticâncer/imunologia , Moléculas de Adesão Celular/imunologia , Epitopos de Linfócito T/imunologia , Neoplasias/imunologia , Peptídeos/imunologia , Sequência de Aminoácidos , Linfócitos T CD4-Positivos/metabolismo , Linfócitos T CD8-Positivos/metabolismo , Moléculas de Adesão Celular/química , Epitopos de Linfócito T/química , Antígenos de Histocompatibilidade Classe I/química , Antígenos de Histocompatibilidade Classe I/imunologia , Antígenos de Histocompatibilidade Classe I/metabolismo , Antígenos de Histocompatibilidade Classe II/química , Antígenos de Histocompatibilidade Classe II/imunologia , Antígenos de Histocompatibilidade Classe II/metabolismo , Humanos , Proteínas de Membrana , Simulação de Acoplamento Molecular , Simulação de Dinâmica Molecular , Neoplasias/patologia , Neoplasias/terapia , Peptídeos/química , Ligação Proteica , Conformação Proteica , Proteínas de Ligação a RNA
12.
Indian J Ophthalmol ; 72(Suppl 1): S46-S52, 2024 Jan 01.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38131542

RESUMO

PURPOSE: To quantifiably assess the diagnostic accuracy of Adven-I, a proprietary artificial intelligence (AI)-driven diagnostic system that automatically detects diseases from fundus images. The purpose is to quantify the performance of Adven-i in differentiating a nonreferable (within normal limits) image from a referable (diseased fundus) image and further segregating diabetic retinopathy (DR) from the rest of the abnormalities (non-DR) encompassing the wide spectrum of abnormal pathologies. The assessment is carried out in comparison to manual reading as the reference gold standard. Adven-i is the only AI system classifying retinal abnormalities into DR and non-DR classes separately, apart from predicting nonreferable fundus, while most existing systems classify fundus images into referable and nonreferable DR. METHODS: The double-blinded study was conducted on retrospective data collected over the course of a year in the ophthalmology outpatient department (OPD) at a top Tier II eyecare hospital in Chandigarh, India. Three vitreoretina specialists who were blinded to one another read the images. The ground-truth was generated on the basis of majority agreement among the readers. An arbitrator's decision was regarded final if all three readers disagreed. RESULTS: 2261 fundus images were analyzed by Adven-i. The sensitivity and specificity of Adven-i in diagnosing images with abnormalities were 95.12% and 85.77%, respectively, and for segregating DR from rest of the retinal abnormalities were 91.87% and 85.12%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Adven-i shows definite promise in automated screening for early diagnosis of referable fundus images including DR. Adven-i can be adopted to scale for mass screening in resource-limited settings.


Assuntos
Diabetes Mellitus , Retinopatia Diabética , Humanos , Inteligência Artificial , Retinopatia Diabética/diagnóstico , Fundo de Olho , Programas de Rastreamento/métodos , Retina , Estudos Retrospectivos , Método Duplo-Cego
13.
Plant Physiol Biochem ; 207: 108334, 2024 Feb.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38219424

RESUMO

The exponentially increasing population and the demand for food is inextricably linked. This has shifted global attention to improving crop plant traits to meet global food demands. Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is a major non-grain food crop that is grown all over the world. Currently, some of the major global potato research work focuses on the significance of microRNAs (miRNAs) in potato. miRNAs are a type of non-coding RNAs that regulate the gene expression of their target mRNA genes by cleavage and/or their translational inhibition. This suggests an essential role of miRNAs in a multitude of plant biological processes, including maintenance of genome integrity, plant growth, development and maturation, and initiation of responses to various stress conditions. Therefore, engineering miRNAs to generate stress-resistant varieties of potato may result in high yield and improved nutritional qualities. In this review, we discuss the potato miRNAs specifically known to play an essential role in the various stages of the potato life cycle, conferring stress-resistant characteristics, and modifying gene expression. This review highlights the significance of the miRNA machinery in plants, especially potato, encouraging further research into engineering miRNAs to boost crop yields and tolerance towards stress.


Assuntos
MicroRNAs , Solanum tuberosum , MicroRNAs/genética , MicroRNAs/metabolismo , Solanum tuberosum/metabolismo , Plantas/genética , Desenvolvimento Vegetal , Regulação da Expressão Gênica de Plantas , Estresse Fisiológico/genética
14.
bioRxiv ; 2024 May 20.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38826427

RESUMO

TIMM50, an essential TIM23 complex subunit, is suggested to facilitate the import of ∼60% of the mitochondrial proteome. In this study, we characterized a TIMM50 disease causing mutation in human fibroblasts, and noted significant decreases in TIM23 core protein levels (TIMM50, TIMM17A/B, and TIMM23). Strikingly, TIMM50 deficiency had no impact on the steady state levels of most of its substrates, challenging the currently accepted import dogma of the essential general import role of TIM23 and suggesting that fully functioning TIM23 complex is not essential for maintaining the steady state level of the majority of mitochondrial proteins. As TIMM50 mutations have been linked to severe neurological phenotypes, we aimed to characterize TIMM50 defects in manipulated mammalian neurons. TIMM50 knockdown in mouse neurons had a minor effect on the steady state level of most of the mitochondrial proteome, supporting the results observed in patient fibroblasts. Amongst the few affected TIM23 substrates, a decrease in the steady state level of components of the intricate oxidative phosphorylation and mitochondrial ribosome complexes was evident. This led to declined respiration rates in fibroblasts and neurons, reduced cellular ATP levels and defective mitochondrial trafficking in neuronal processes, possibly contributing to the developmental defects observed in patients with TIMM50 disease. Finally, increased electrical activity was observed in TIMM50 deficient mice neuronal cells, which correlated with reduced levels of KCNJ10 and KCNA2 plasma membrane potassium channels, likely underlying the patients' epileptic phenotype.

15.
Nat Commun ; 15(1): 4051, 2024 May 14.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38744839

RESUMO

Intestinal homeostasis is maintained by the response of gut-associated lymphoid tissue to bacteria transported across the follicle associated epithelium into the subepithelial dome. The initial response to antigens and how bacteria are handled is incompletely understood. By iterative application of spatial transcriptomics and multiplexed single-cell technologies, we identify that the double negative 2 subset of B cells, previously associated with autoimmune diseases, is present in the subepithelial dome in health. We show that in this location double negative 2 B cells interact with dendritic cells co-expressing the lupus autoantigens DNASE1L3 and C1q and microbicides. We observe that in humans, but not in mice, dendritic cells expressing DNASE1L3 are associated with sampled bacteria but not DNA derived from apoptotic cells. We propose that fundamental features of autoimmune diseases are microbiota-associated, interacting components of normal intestinal immunity.


Assuntos
Linfócitos B , Células Dendríticas , Endodesoxirribonucleases , Microbioma Gastrointestinal , Animais , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , Camundongos , Linfócitos B/imunologia , Linfócitos B/metabolismo , Células Dendríticas/imunologia , Células Dendríticas/metabolismo , Endodesoxirribonucleases/metabolismo , Endodesoxirribonucleases/genética , Microbioma Gastrointestinal/imunologia , Mucosa Intestinal/imunologia , Mucosa Intestinal/microbiologia , Mucosa Intestinal/metabolismo , Tecido Linfoide/imunologia , Tecido Linfoide/metabolismo , Camundongos Endogâmicos C57BL
16.
Pathogens ; 12(2)2023 Feb 03.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36839520

RESUMO

Since the inception of the ebolavirus in 1976, 32 outbreaks have resulted in nearly 15,350 deaths in more than ten countries of the African continent. In the last decade, the largest (2013-2016) and second largest (2018-2020) ebolavirus outbreaks have occurred in West Africa (mainly Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone) and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, respectively. The 2013-2016 outbreak indicated an alarming geographical spread of the virus and was the first to qualify as an epidemic. Hence, it is imperative to halt ebolavirus progression and develop effective countermeasures. Despite several research efforts, ebolaviruses' natural hosts and secondary reservoirs still elude the scientific world. The primary source responsible for infecting the index case is also unknown for most outbreaks. In this review, we summarize the history of ebolavirus outbreaks with a focus on etiology, natural hosts, zoonotic reservoirs, and transmission mechanisms. We also discuss the reasons why the African continent is the most affected region and identify steps to contain this virus.

17.
RMD Open ; 9(4)2023 11 23.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37996122

RESUMO

ObjectiveRheumatoid arthritis (RA) develops after progressing through sequential 'pre-RA' phases. The mechanisms driving progression from one phase to the next remain poorly understood. This study examined the longitudinal rates of community and hospital infections in patients during sequential stages of pre-RA and early arthritis. METHODS: The Scottish Early RA inception cohort recruited patients with newly diagnosed RA. Incidences of infection were determined from community antibiotic prescriptions and serious infections were determined by hospital discharge coding. Dates of diagnosis and symptom onset allowed identification of asymptomatic/symptomatic pre-RA and early arthritis eras to analyse infection rates over time compared with age- and sex-matched controls. RESULTS: The incidence rate ratio (IRR) seen in the period 0-6 months prior to symptom onset was 1.28 (95% CI 1.15 to 1.42). In 'symptomatic pre-RA', the IRR was 1.33 (95% CI 1.18 to 1.49) which persisted into 'early arthritis'. The rate of hospital admissions was numerically greater in 'pre-RA' and significantly greater in 'early arthritis' (IRR 1.82, 95% CI 1.32 to 2.46). CONCLUSION: Antibiotic risk is increased in patients with 'pre-RA' at least 6 months before symptoms develop, and this persists throughout the symptomatic pre-RA phase. Infections may be important in the mechanisms that drive progression to RA or be a manifestation of immune dysfunction (or both). These observations could inform safety and efficacy considerations for interventions in pre-RA to prevent progression. Patients with 'pre-RA' with recurrent antibiotic use may also be an identifiable 'high risk' group that could enrich the study population for intervention studies in pre-RA.


Assuntos
Artrite Reumatoide , Humanos , Artrite Reumatoide/tratamento farmacológico , Artrite Reumatoide/epidemiologia , Artrite Reumatoide/diagnóstico , Hospitalização , Incidência , Antibacterianos/efeitos adversos , Escócia/epidemiologia
18.
Genes (Basel) ; 14(5)2023 04 30.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37239392

RESUMO

Peptidyl-tRNA hydrolase 2 (PTRH2) is an evolutionarily highly conserved mitochondrial protein. The biallelic mutations in the PTRH2 gene have been suggested to cause a rare autosomal recessive disorder characterized by an infantile-onset multisystem neurologic endocrine and pancreatic disease (IMNEPD). Patients with IMNEPD present varying clinical manifestations, including global developmental delay associated with microcephaly, growth retardation, progressive ataxia, distal muscle weakness with ankle contractures, demyelinating sensorimotor neuropathy, sensorineural hearing loss, and abnormalities of thyroid, pancreas, and liver. In the current study, we conducted an extensive literature review with an emphasis on the variable clinical spectrum and genotypes in patients. Additionally, we reported on a new case with a previously documented mutation. A bioinformatics analysis of the various PTRH2 gene variants was also carried out from a structural perspective. It appears that the most common clinical characteristics among all patients include motor delay (92%), neuropathy (90%), distal weakness (86.4%), intellectual disability (84%), hearing impairment (80%), ataxia (79%), and deformity of head and face (~70%). The less common characteristics include hand deformity (64%), cerebellar atrophy/hypoplasia (47%), and pancreatic abnormality (35%), while the least common appear to be diabetes mellitus (~30%), liver abnormality (~22%), and hypothyroidism (16%). Three missense mutations were revealed in the PTRH2 gene, the most common one being Q85P, which was shared by four different Arab communities and was presented in our new case. Moreover, four different nonsense mutations in the PTRH2 gene were detected. It may be concluded that disease severity depends on the PTRH2 gene variant, as most of the clinical features are manifested by nonsense mutations, while only the common features are presented by missense mutations. A bioinformatics analysis of the various PTRH2 gene variants also suggested the mutations to be deleterious, as they seem to disrupt the structural confirmation of the enzyme, leading to loss of stability and functionality.


Assuntos
Hidrolases de Éster Carboxílico , Ataxia Cerebelar , Proteínas Mitocondriais , Malformações do Sistema Nervoso , Humanos , Ataxia , Ataxia Cerebelar/genética , Códon sem Sentido , Mutação , Malformações do Sistema Nervoso/genética , Hidrolases de Éster Carboxílico/genética , Proteínas Mitocondriais/genética
19.
J Biomol Struct Dyn ; 41(20): 11044-11061, 2023 12.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37194293

RESUMO

Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) is estimated to affect nearly 180 million people worldwide, culminating in ∼0.7 million yearly casualties. However, a safe vaccine against HCV is not yet available. This study endeavored to identify a multi-genotypic, multi-epitopic, safe, and globally competent HCV vaccine candidate. We employed a consensus epitope prediction strategy to identify multi-epitopic peptides in all known envelope glycoprotein (E2) sequences, belonging to diverse HCV genotypes. The obtained peptides were screened for toxicity, allergenicity, autoimmunity and antigenicity, resulting in two favorable peptides viz., P2 (VYCFTPSPVVVG) and P3 (YRLWHYPCTV). Evolutionary conservation analysis indicated that P2 and P3 are highly conserved, supporting their use as part of a designed multi-genotypic vaccine. Population coverage analysis revealed that P2 and P3 are likely to be presented by >89% Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) molecules from six geographical regions. Indeed, molecular docking predicted the physical binding of P2 and P3 to various representative HLAs. We designed a vaccine construct using these peptides and assessed its binding to toll-like receptor 4 (TLR-4) by molecular docking and simulation. Subsequent analysis by energy-based and machine learning tools predicted high binding affinity and pinpointed the key binding residues (i.e. hotspots) in P2 and P3. Also, a favorable immunogenic profile of the construct was predicted by immune simulations. We encourage the scientific community to validate our vaccine construct in vitro and in vivo.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.


Assuntos
Hepacivirus , Hepatite C , Humanos , Hepacivirus/genética , Simulação de Acoplamento Molecular , Glicoproteínas/genética , Antígenos HLA/química , Hepatite C/prevenção & controle , Peptídeos/genética , Vacinas de Subunidades Antigênicas , Genótipo , Epitopos de Linfócito T , Epitopos de Linfócito B , Biologia Computacional/métodos
20.
Ocul Immunol Inflamm ; 30(1): 29-33, 2022 Jan 02.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32783681

RESUMO

PURPOSE: To describe the presentation and management of atypical subretinal lesions following initiation of antitubercular therapy for a tubercular choroidal granuloma. CASE REPORT: An 18-year-old female was diagnosed with choroidal granuloma and shallow exudative retinal detachment in the left eye. Biopsy from a cervical lymph node was positive for tuberculosis. She was treated with antitubercular therapy (ATT) and oral steroids. After one week of therapy exudative detachment increased markedly and discrete yellowish-white subretinal lesions appeared first in the inferior periphery, then temporally and later involved the macula leading to a drop in visual acuity. A diagnosis of paradoxical worsening was considered and she was managed with a higher dose of oral corticosteroids, intravitreal methotrexate and intravitreal ranibizumab. The granuloma healed and the subretinal lesions as well as exudative detachment gradually resolved with improvement in visual acuity. CONCLUSION: Subretinal yellow-white lesions may develop as a paradoxical response to ATT.


Assuntos
Corioide , Descolamento Retiniano , Adolescente , Antituberculosos/efeitos adversos , Feminino , Granuloma/diagnóstico , Granuloma/tratamento farmacológico , Humanos , Ranibizumab/uso terapêutico , Descolamento Retiniano/diagnóstico
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