Anti-Trypanosoma cruzi effect of the photodynamic antiparasitic chemotherapy using phenothiazine derivatives as photosensitizers.

Chagas disease is endemic in Latin America and increasingly found in non-endemic countries. Its treatment is limited due to the variable efficacy and several side effects of benznidazole. Photodynamic antimicrobial chemotherapy (PACT) may be an attractive approach for treating Chagas disease. Here, the trypanocidal activity of PACT was investigated in vitro using phenothiazine derivatives. The cytotoxicity of both, methylene blue (MB) and toluidine blue (TBO), was determined on macrophages cultures using AlamarBlue method. The trypanocidal activity of the two photosensitizers was initially evaluated by determining their IC50 values against trypomastigote forms. After this, the trypanocidal effect was evaluated in cultures of infected macrophages using an automatized image analysis protocol. All experiments were performed in the dark and in the clear phase (after a photodynamic exposure). The compounds showed no cytotoxicity in both phases at the tested concentrations. The IC50 values for the sole use of MB and TBO were 2.6 and 1.2 µM, respectively. The photoactivation of the compounds using a fixed energy density (J/cm2) caused a reduction of the IC50 values to 1.0 and 0.9 µM, respectively. It was found that, on infected macrophage, the use of TBO significantly reduced the number of infected cells and parasitic load, and this effect was increased in the presence of light. The results of the present study are indicative that PACT may be considered as both selective and effective therapeutic intervention for treating Chagas disease.

Does LED phototherapy influence the repair of bone defects grafted with MTA, bone morphogenetic proteins, and guided bone regeneration? A description of the repair process on rodents.

This work carried out a histological analysis on bone defects grafted (MTA) treated or not with LED, BMPs, and membrane (GBR). Benefits of their isolated or combined usage on bone repair were reported, but not their association. Ninety rats were divided into ten groups and each subdivided into three. Defects on G II and I were filled with the blood clot. G II was further LED irradiated. G III and IV were filled with MTA; G IV was further LED irradiated. In G V and VI, the defects were filled with MTA and covered with a membrane (GBR). G VI was further LED irradiated. In G VII and VIII, BMPs were added to the MTA and group VIII was further LED irradiated. In G IX and X, the MTA + BMP graft was covered with a membrane (GBR). G X was further LED irradiated. LED was applied over the defect at 48-h intervals and repeated for 15 days. Specimens were processed, cut, and stained with H&E and Sirius red and underwent histological analysis. The use of LED light alone dramatically reduced inflammation. However, its use on MTA associated with BMP and/or GBR increased the severity of the inflammatory reaction. Regarding bone reabsorption, the poorest result was seen when the LED light was associated with the MTA + BMP graft. In the groups Clot and MTA + GBR, no bone reabsorption was detectable. Increased collagen deposition was observed when the LED light was associated with the use of the MTA associated with BMP and/or GBR. Increased new bone formation was observed when the LED light was used alone or associated with the use of MTA + GBR, MTA + BMP, on association of MTA + BMP + GBR and when BMP was added to the MTA. Our results indicate that the use of LED light alone or in association with MTA, MTA + BMP, MTA + GBR, and MTA + BMP + GBR caused less inflammation, and an increase of both collagen deposition and bone deposition as seen on both histological and morphometric analysis.

Effect of thiazolidine LPSF SF29 on the growth and morphology of Trypanosoma cruzi.

Chagas disease, caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, is an endemic illness in Latin America. Efforts have been made by several groups to develop new effective and safe anti-T. cruzi drugs. In the present work, we show that thiazolidine LPSF SF29 inhibited growth of the epimastigote and amastigote forms and caused lysis in the trypomastigote form of T. cruzi, leading to death of the protozoan. Mitochondrial dysfunction was also observed. The thiazolidine induced ultrastructural alterations such as detachment of the flagellar membrane, intense mitochondrial swelling, formation of myelin-like figures and the appearance of autophagosomes. Taken together, these results suggest that this new thiazolidine is active against T. cruzi and constitutes a promising drug for the therapy of Chagas disease.

Light microscopic description of the effects of laser phototherapy on bone defects grafted with mineral trioxide aggregate, bone morphogenetic proteins, and guided bone regeneration in a rodent model.

We carried out a histological analysis on bone defects grafted with mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) treated or not with laser, bone morphogenetic protein (BMP), and guided bone regeneration (GBR). Benefits of the use of MTA, laser, BMPs, and GBR on bone repair are well known, but there is no report on their association with laser light. Ninety rats were divided into 10 groups each subdivided into 3. Defects on G II and I were filled with the blood clot. G II was further irradiated with LED. G III and IV were filled with MTA; G IV was further irradiated with laser. G V and VI, the defects filled with MTA and covered with a membrane (GBR). G VI was further irradiated with laser. G VII and VIII, BMPs were added to the MTA and group VIII further irradiated with laser. G IX and X, the MTA + BMP graft was covered with a membrane (GBR). G X was further irradiated with laser. Laser light (λ = 850 nm, 150 mW, 4 J/cm(2) ) was applied over the defect at 48-h intervals and repeated for 15 days. Specimens were processed, cut and stained with H&E and Sirius red and underwent histological analysis. Subjects on group X were irradiated. The results showed different tissue response on all groups during the experimental time. Major changes were seen on irradiated subjects and included marked deposition of new bone in advanced maturation. It is concluded that near infrared laser phototherapy improved the results of the use of the MTA on bone defects.