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1.
J Food Sci Technol ; 61(5): 833-846, 2024 May.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38487286

RESUMEN

Vegetable substrates are food matrices with micronutrients, antioxidants, and fiber content with a high potential for bioprocesses development. In addition, they have been recognized as essential sources of a wide range of phytochemicals that, individually or in combination, can act as bioactive compounds with potential benefits to health due to their antioxidant and antimicrobial activity and recently due to their status as prebiotics in the balance of the human intestinal microbiota. This systematic review explores the benefits of lactic fermentation of plant matrices such as fruits, vegetables, legumes, and cereals by bacteria with probiotic potential, guaranteeing cell viability (106-107 CFU/mL) and generating bioactive metabolic products for modulation of the gut microbiome.

2.
Int J Mol Sci ; 25(1)2023 Dec 29.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38203638

RESUMEN

Modulation of the allergic immune response through alternative therapies is a field of study that aims to address allergic reactions differently from traditional approaches. These therapies encompass the utilization of natural functional foods, which have been observed to exert an influence on the immune response, thus mitigating the severity of allergies. Indeed, some studies suggest that the incorporation of these nutraceuticals can regulate immune function, leading to a reduction in histamine release and subsequent alleviation of allergic symptoms. Moreover, certain herbs and dietary supplements, such as curcumin, are believed to possess anti-inflammatory properties, which may serve to moderate allergic responses. Although the results remain somewhat mixed and require further research, these alternative therapies exhibit the potential to impact the allergic immune response, thereby providing complementary options to conventional treatments. Therefore, in this review, we aim to provide an updated account of functional foods capable of modulating the immune response to allergies. In that sense, the review delves into functional foods sourced from plants (phytochemicals), animals, and marine algae. Emphasis is placed on their potential application in the treatment of allergic disorders. It also provides an overview of how these foods can be effectively utilized as functional foods. Additionally, it explores the molecular mechanisms and scientific validity of various bioactive natural compounds in the management of allergies.


Asunto(s)
Alimentos Funcionales , Hipersensibilidad , Animales , Hipersensibilidad/tratamiento farmacológico , Suplementos Dietéticos , Liberación de Histamina , Inmunidad
3.
J Food Sci Technol ; 60(9): 2297-2308, 2023 Sep.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37424571

RESUMEN

The development of yogurt with functional characteristics from bioactive compounds such as fiber, antioxidants, and probiotics represents a novel strategy in designing value-added dairy beverages. However, biotechnological challenges are present in these bioprocesses, such as the selection of probiotic strains, as well as the correlation with the physicochemical characteristics of the fermentative metabolism of probiotic microorganisms. Therefore, yogurt could be a vehicle for including probiotic bacteria, bioactive compounds, and phytochemicals that allow synergistic effects in the development of bioprocesses with potential benefits for the host's health. Therefore, this article aims to review the current conditions of bio-yogurt production, discuss the physicochemical and bioactive composition (sugars, fiber, vitamins), and include phytochemicals from carrots to establish synergistic relationships with probiotic microorganisms to obtain a functional dairy beverage.

4.
Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr ; : 1-17, 2022 Jul 26.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35880471

RESUMEN

Anthocyanin-rich fruit beverages are of special interest as functional products due to their antioxidant activity, antimicrobial properties against pathogens, and, more recently, evidence of prebiotic potential. The stability and bioactivity of anthocyanins, probiotics, prebiotics, and synbiotics have been extensively documented in beverage models and reviewed separately. This review summarizes the most recent works and methodologies used for the development of probiotic and synbiotic beverages based on anthocyanin-rich fruits with a synergistic perspective. Emphasis is made on key optimization factors and strategies that have allowed probiotic cultures to reach the minimum recommended doses to obtain health benefits at the end of the shelf life. The development of these beverages is limited by the high acidity and high content of phenolic compounds in anthocyanin-rich fruits. However, a proper selection of probiotic strains and strategies for their media adaptation may improve their viability in the beverages. Fermentation increases the viability of the probiotic cultures, improves the safety and stability of the product, and may increase its antioxidant capacity. Moreover, fermentation metabolites may synergistically enhance probiotic health benefits. On the other hand, the inoculation of probiotics without fermentation allows for synbiotic beverages with milder changes in terms of physicochemical and sensory attributes.

5.
Aging Ment Health ; 26(5): 898-904, 2022 05.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33970704

RESUMEN

Objectives: This study aimed at estimating the pre-pandemic and pandemic prevalence of loneliness and investigating the association of loneliness with social disconnectedness during social distancing strategies in the time of the COVID-19 pandemic period.Methods: We used data from the ELSI COVID-19 initiative with participants from the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Aging (ELSI-Brazil), which comprised 4,431 participants aged 50 years and over. Loneliness (hardly ever/some of the time/often) was assessed by the question "In the past 30 days, how often did you feel alone/lonely?". Social disconnectedness included information on social contacts through virtual talking (i.e. telephone, Skype, WhatsApp, or social media) and outside-home meetings with people living in another household. Covariates included sociodemographic and health related characteristics. Multinomial logistic regression models were used to estimate odds ratios (OR) with their 95% confidence interval (CI).Results: The overall prevalence of loneliness during the pandemic was 23.9% (95% CI 20.7-27.5); lower than in the pre-pandemic period (32.8%; 95% CI 28.6-37.4). In the pandemic period, 20.1% (95% CI 16.9-23.6) reported some of the time feeling lonely and 3.9% (95% CI 3.1-4.8) reported often feeling lonely. In the fully adjusted model, virtual talking disconnectedness (OR=1.67; 95% CI 1.09-2.56) was positively associated with some of the time feeling lonely and outside-home disconnectedness (OR=0.33; 95% CI 0.18-0.60) was negatively associated with often feeling lonely.Conclusion: Individuals with virtual talking disconnectedness and without outside-home disconnectedness are at higher risk of loneliness during the time of COVID-19 pandemic. Stimulating virtual talking connectedness might have the potential to diminish loneliness despite steep outside-home disconnectedness.


Asunto(s)
COVID-19 , Soledad , Anciano , Brasil/epidemiología , COVID-19/epidemiología , Humanos , Estudios Longitudinales , Persona de Mediana Edad , Pandemias
6.
An Acad Bras Cienc ; 94(2): e20201718, 2022.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35674605

RESUMEN

The inappropriate disposal of toxic compounds generated by industrial activity has considerably impacted the environment. Microbial communities inhabiting contaminated sites may represent ecological alternatives for the decontamination of environments. The present work aimed to search the potential of fungi isolated from wastewater treatment plant of a textile industry for bioremediation processes. Twenty-three fungi previously isolated from textile effluent were evaluated for their abilities to degrade pollutants using heavy metal and hydrocarbon tolerance assays. One isolate was subjected to pyrene degradation due its ability to tolerate hydrocarbon. The majority of isolates were resistant to at least two metals tested, i.e. chrome, copper, lead and aluminum. Isolates Penicillium sp. ITF 2, Penicillium rubens ITF 4, Penicillium sp. ITF 12 and ITF 20 (not identified) showed tolerance to tested heavy metals in all concentrations. ITF 12 and ITF 20 were able to tolerate benzene, toluene and hexane, separately. ITF 12 was able to degrade 24.9% of pyrene after 5 days of cultivation. The results encourage future studies to optimize the tolerance and degradation assay using the isolates that showed the best results, as well as studies on the treatment of environments contaminated with heavy metals and hydrocarbons, including industrial textile effluents.


Asunto(s)
Hongos , Metales Pesados , Biodegradación Ambiental , Metales Pesados/análisis , Pirenos/metabolismo , Textiles
7.
An Acad Bras Cienc ; 94(2): e20201718, 2022.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35703692

RESUMEN

The inappropriate disposal of toxic compounds generated by industrial activity has considerably impacted the environment. Microbial communities inhabiting contaminated sites may represent ecological alternatives for the decontamination of environments. The present work aimed to search the potential of fungi isolated from wastewater treatment plant of a textile industry for bioremediation processes. Twenty-three fungi previously isolated from textile effluent were evaluated for their abilities to degrade pollutants using heavy metal and hydrocarbon tolerance assays. One isolate was subjected to pyrene degradation due its ability to tolerate hydrocarbon. The majority of isolates were resistant to at least two metals tested, i.e. chrome, copper, lead and aluminum. Isolates Penicillium sp. ITF 2, Penicillium rubens ITF 4, Penicillium sp. ITF 12 and ITF 20 (not identified) showed tolerance to tested heavy metals in all concentrations. ITF 12 and ITF 20 were able to tolerate benzene, toluene and hexane, separately. ITF 12 was able to degrade 24.9% of pyrene after 5 days of cultivation. The results encourage future studies to optimize the tolerance and degradation assay using the isolates that showed the best results, as well as studies on the treatment of environments contaminated with heavy metals and hydrocarbons, including industrial textile effluents.


Asunto(s)
Hongos , Metales Pesados , Biodegradación Ambiental , Metales Pesados/análisis , Pirenos/metabolismo , Textiles
8.
Immunogenetics ; 73(3): 227-241, 2021 06.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33595694

RESUMEN

KIR2DL4 is an important immune modulator expressed in natural killer cells; HLA-G is its main ligand. We have characterized the KIR2DL4 genetic diversity by considering the promoter, all exons, and all introns in a highly admixed Brazilian population sample and by using massively parallel sequencing. We introduce a molecular method to amplify and to sequence the complete KIR2DL4 gene. To avoid the mapping bias and genotype errors commonly observed in gene families, we have developed and validated a bioinformatic pipeline designed to minimize these errors and applied it to survey the variability of 220 individuals from the State of São Paulo, southeastern Brazil. We have also compared the KIR2DL4 genetic diversity in the Brazilian cohort with the diversity previously reported by the 1000Genomes consortium. KIR2DL4 presents high linkage disequilibrium throughout the gene, with coding sequences associated with specific promoters. There are few but divergent promoter haplotypes. We have also detected many new KIR2DL4 sequences, all bearing nucleotide exchanges in introns and encoding previously described proteins. Exons 3 and 4, which encode the external domains, are the most variable. The ancestry background influences the KIR2DL4 allele frequencies and must be considered for association studies regarding KIR2DL4.


Asunto(s)
Etnicidad/genética , Regulación de la Expresión Génica , Predisposición Genética a la Enfermedad , Haplotipos , Polimorfismo de Nucleótido Simple , Receptores KIR2DL4/genética , Receptores KIR2DL4/metabolismo , Adulto , Brasil , Estudios de Cohortes , Femenino , Secuenciación de Nucleótidos de Alto Rendimiento , Humanos , Desequilibrio de Ligamiento , Masculino , Regiones Promotoras Genéticas
9.
BMC Biotechnol ; 20(1): 38, 2020 07 23.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32703192

RESUMEN

BACKGROUND: Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are intestinal disorders characterized by inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) and to date, no efficient treatments exist. Interleukin-10 (IL-10), one of the most important anti-inflammatory cytokines of the immune response, has been under study due to its potential for IBD therapy; however, systemic treatments lead to undesirable side effects and oral administration is limited due to its quick degradation. To avoid these bottlenecks, we previously engineered an invasive Lactococcus lactis (L. lactis) strain capable of delivering, directly to host cells, a eukaryotic DNA expression vector coding for IL-10 of Mus musculus (pValac:il-10) that diminished inflammation in two induced mouse models of intestinal inflammation. Thus, the aim of this study was to analyze its therapeutic effect in the IL-10-deficient mouse model (IL-10-/-) that spontaneously and gradually develops an inflammation that modifies the immune system and resembles Crohn's disease (CD) in humans, and evaluate if it would also diminish and/or prevent the onset of this disease. RESULTS: Oral administration of L. lactis MG1363 FnBPA+ (pValac:il-10) to IL-10-/- mice not only led to IL-10 production by these, but consequently also diminished the severe development of the disease, with animals showing lower macroscopic scores and histological damages, increased IL-10 levels and tendency to lower pro-inflammatory cytokine levels. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study, together with the previously published ones using this DNA delivery-based strategy, show that it is capable of creating and maintaining an anti-inflammatory environment in the GIT and thus effectively diminish the onset of inflammation in various mouse models.


Asunto(s)
Inflamación/terapia , Interleucina-10/deficiencia , Lactococcus lactis/genética , Plásmidos/metabolismo , Administración Oral , Animales , Modelos Animales de Enfermedad , Lactococcus lactis/metabolismo , Ratones , Ratones Noqueados
10.
Bull Tokyo Dent Coll ; 61(1): 27-36, 2020 Mar 12.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32074585

RESUMEN

The aim of this cross-sectional study was to evaluate the impact of anxiety and quality of sleep on quality of life (QOL) in undergraduate dental students. A total of 141 students were enrolled. All were required to answer the following questionnaires: the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) subscale state (S) (STAI-S); the Sleep Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ); and the simplified World Health Organization Quality of Life survey (WHO QOL-bref). The statistical analysis included univariate and bivariate analyses and Poisson regressions. The mean age of the participants was 22.9 (SD=5.2) years; 81.6% were women, and 37.6% studied during the morning shift. The mean STAI-S score was 50.3 (SD=9.4). Sleep problems, classified as "always" or "frequently", were reported by 11.3% and 18.4% of the sample, respectively. Quality of life had a mean score of 13.2 (SD=2.0). The STAI-S and SAQ scores showed a significant association with all WHOQOL-bref dimensions (p<0.05). Analyses performed using multivariate regression and the highest STAI-S score (RR=1.46, 95%CI=1.03-2.06) and SAQ (RR=1.39, 95%CI=1.02-1.90) demonstrated significant sleep problems, even when other variables were controlled to prevent confounding biases. In conclusion, the dental students evaluated showed high levels of anxiety and sleep disorders impacting on QOL.


Asunto(s)
Calidad de Vida , Universidades , Adulto , Ansiedad , Estudios Transversales , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Sueño , Estudiantes de Odontología , Encuestas y Cuestionarios , Adulto Joven
12.
J Food Sci Technol ; 56(2): 987-994, 2019 Feb.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30906056

RESUMEN

The viability of probiotics in the development of functional tropical fruit beverages is a technological challenge that may benefit from the addition of prebiotics, due to the synergistic (synbiotic) interaction. This study evaluated the viability of a commercial probiotic (Lactobacillus casei) in a blended red fruit beverage (RFB; 20% strawberry, 10% blackberry and 5% papaya), enriched with three separate prebiotics: inulin (IN), fructooligosaccharides (FOS) and galactooligosaccharides, added at 1 and 5%. The consumer preference for the beverages was also examined. The inoculum was produced in MRS broth supplemented with 10% RFB, which reached the exponential phase (9.96 log CFU mL-1) after incubation at 37 °C for 24 h. In search of the probiotic strain's adaptation and viability in the presence of the different prebiotics (measured by optical density, OD600 nm), the prebiotics were added to MRS broth at 1 and 5%. Since 1% IN (OD = 3.99 ± 0.36) and 1% FOS (OD = 3.48 ± 0.28) were the most significant, these treatments, without inoculation of probiotics, were assessed by the sensory panel. Although neither RFB was significantly preferred the RFB with 1% IN received the greatest number of responses (n = 33/60). Its effect on the viability of L. casei inoculated in the RFB was monitored by the growth kinetics at 37 °C for 50 h. The findings indicated that fortification with 1% IN could have a possible protective effect on the stability of L. casei in RFBs, highlighting the use of tropical fruits as potential carriers of probiotics.

13.
Microb Cell Fact ; 15(1): 150, 2016 Aug 30.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-27576902

RESUMEN

BACKGROUND: Inflammatory bowel diseases are characterized by chronic intestinal inflammation that leads to severe destruction of the intestinal mucosa. Therefore, the understanding of their aetiology as well as the development of new medicines is an important step for the treatment of such diseases. Consequently, the development of Lactococcus lactis strains capable of delivering a eukaryotic expression vector encoding the interleukin 4 (IL-4) of Mus musculus would represent a new strategy for the elaboration of a more effective alternative therapy against Crohn's disease. RESULTS: The murine IL-4 ORF was cloned into the eukaryotic expression vector pValac::dts. The resulting plasmid-pValac::dts::IL-4-was transfected into CHO cells so that its functionality could be evaluated in vitro. With fluorescent confocal microscopy, flow cytometry and ELISA, it was observed that pValac::dts::IL-4-transfected cells produced IL-4, while non-transfected cells and cells transfected with the empty vector did not. Then, pValac::dts::IL-4 was inserted into L. lactis MG1363 FnBPA(+) in order to evaluate the therapeutic potential of the recombinant strain against TNBS-induced colitis. Intragastric administration of L. lactis MG1363 FnBPA(+) (pValac::dts::IL-4) was able to decrease the severity of colitis, with animals showing decreased levels of IL-12, IL-6 and MPO activity; and increased levels of IL-4 and IL-10. Finally, LP-isolated cells from mice administered TNBS were immunophenotyped so that the main IL-4 and IL-10 producers were identified. Mice administered the recombinant strain presented significantly higher percentages of F4/80(+)MHCII(+)Ly6C(-)IL-4(+), F4/80(+)MHCII(+)Ly6C(-)IL-10(+), F4/80(+)MHCII(+)Ly6C(-)CD206(+)CD124(+)IL-10(+) and CD4(+)Foxp3(+)IL10(+) cells compared to the other groups. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that L. lactis MG1363 FnBPA(+) (pValac::dts::IL-4) is a good candidate to maintain the anti-inflammatory and proinflammatory balance in the gastrointestinal tract, increasing the levels of IL-10-secreting regulatory cells and, thus, demonstrating the effectiveness of this novel DNA delivery-based strategy.


Asunto(s)
Vectores Genéticos , Inflamación/terapia , Enfermedades Inflamatorias del Intestino/terapia , Interleucina-10/metabolismo , Interleucina-4/genética , Lactococcus lactis/genética , Animales , Células CHO , Cricetulus , Citocinas/inmunología , Citocinas/metabolismo , ADN/genética , Inflamación/inducido químicamente , Enfermedades Inflamatorias del Intestino/inmunología , Enfermedades Inflamatorias del Intestino/prevención & control , Interleucina-4/inmunología , Interleucina-4/uso terapéutico , Mucosa Intestinal/citología , Mucosa Intestinal/inmunología , Ratones , Membrana Mucosa/inmunología , Membrana Mucosa/ultraestructura , Transfección
14.
World J Microbiol Biotechnol ; 32(11): 179, 2016 Nov.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-27628339

RESUMEN

Biomining is an applied biotechnology for mineral processing and metal extraction from ores and concentrates. This alternative technology for recovering metals involves the hydrometallurgical processes known as bioleaching and biooxidation where the metal is directly solubilized or released from the matrix for further solubilization, respectively. Several commercial applications of biomining can be found around the world to recover mainly copper and gold but also other metals; most of them are operating at temperatures below 40-50 °C using mesophilic and moderate thermophilic microorganisms. Although biomining offers an economically viable and cleaner option, its share of the world´s production of metals has not grown as much as it was expected, mainly considering that due to environmental restrictions in many countries smelting and roasting technologies are being eliminated. The slow rate of biomining processes is for sure the main reason of their poor implementation. In this scenario the use of thermophiles could be advantageous because higher operational temperature would increase the rate of the process and in addition it would eliminate the energy input for cooling the system (bioleaching reactions are exothermic causing a serious temperature increase in bioreactors and inside heaps that adversely affects most of the mesophilic microorganisms) and it would decrease the passivation of mineral surfaces. In the last few years many thermophilic bacteria and archaea have been isolated, characterized, and even used for extracting metals. This paper reviews the current status of biomining using thermophiles, describes the main characteristics of thermophilic biominers and discusses the future for this biotechnology.


Asunto(s)
Archaea/aislamiento & purificación , Bacterias/aislamiento & purificación , Microbiología Industrial/métodos , Minería/métodos , Archaea/crecimiento & desarrollo , Bacterias/crecimiento & desarrollo , Cobre/química , Oro/química , Oxidación-Reducción
15.
Appl Microbiol Biotechnol ; 99(4): 1817-26, 2015 Feb.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-25503506

RESUMEN

The use of the food-grade bacterium Lactococcus lactis as a vehicle for the oral delivery of DNA vaccine plasmids constitutes a promising strategy for vaccination. The delivery of DNA plasmids into eukaryotic cells is of critical importance for subsequent DNA expression and effectiveness of the vaccine. In this context, the use of the recombinant invasive L. lactis FnBPA+ (fibronectin-binding protein A) strain for the oral delivery of the eukaryotic expression vector vaccination using lactic acid bacteria (pValac), coding for the 6-kDa early secreted antigenic target (ESAT-6) gene of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, could represent a new DNA vaccine strategy against tuberculosis. To this end, the ESAT-6 sequence was cloned into the pValac vector; the L. lactis fibronectin-binding protein A (FnBPA)+ (pValac:ESAT-6) strain was obtained, and its immunological profile was checked in BALB/c mice. This strain was able to significantly increase interferon gamma (IFN-γ) production in spleen cells, showing a systemic T helper 1 (Th1) cell response. The mice also showed a significant increase in specific secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) production in colon tissue and fecal extracts. Thus, this is the first time that L. lactis has been used to deliver a plasmid DNA harboring a gene that encodes an antigen against tuberculosis through mucous membranes.


Asunto(s)
Antígenos Bacterianos/inmunología , Proteínas Bacterianas/inmunología , Portadores de Fármacos , Lactococcus lactis/genética , Mycobacterium tuberculosis/inmunología , Vacunas contra la Tuberculosis/inmunología , Vacunas de ADN/administración & dosificación , Animales , Antígenos Bacterianos/genética , Proteínas Bacterianas/genética , Clonación Molecular , Colon/inmunología , Heces/química , Inmunoglobulina A Secretora/análisis , Interferón gamma/metabolismo , Leucocitos Mononucleares/inmunología , Ratones Endogámicos BALB C , Mycobacterium tuberculosis/genética , Plásmidos , Bazo/inmunología , Vacunas contra la Tuberculosis/administración & dosificación , Vacunas contra la Tuberculosis/genética , Vacunas contra la Tuberculosis/aislamiento & purificación , Vacunas de ADN/genética , Vacunas Sintéticas/administración & dosificación , Vacunas Sintéticas/genética , Vacunas Sintéticas/inmunología , Vacunas Sintéticas/aislamiento & purificación
16.
Biomed Pharmacother ; 177: 117056, 2024 Aug.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38945082

RESUMEN

Inflammation and immune responses are intricately intertwined processes crucial for maintaining homeostasis and combating against pathogens. These processes involve complex signaling pathways, notably the Nuclear Factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B-cells (NF-κB) and Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase (MAPK) pathways, which play crucial roles. Sulforaphane (SFN), a nutraceutic, has emerged as a potential regulator of NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathways, exhibiting anti-inflammatory properties. However, limited knowledge exists regarding SFN's effects on immune cell modulation. This study aimed to assess the immunomodulatory capacity of SFN pretreatment in human dendritic cells (DCs), followed by exposure to a chronic inflammatory environment induced by lipopolysaccharide. SFN pretreatment was found to inhibit the NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathways, resulting in phenotypic changes in DCs characterized by a slight reduction in the expression of surface markers, as well as a decrease of TNF-α/IL-10 ratio. Additionally, SFN pretreatment enhanced the proliferation of Treg-cells and promoted the production of IL-10 by B-cells before exposure to the chronic inflammatory environment. Furthermore, these changes in DCs were found to be influenced by the inhibition of NF-κB and MAPK pathways (specifically p38 MAPK and JNK), suggesting that these pathways may play a role in the regulation of the differentiation of adaptive immune responses (proliferation of T- and IL-10-producing regulatory-cells), prior to SFN pretreatment. Our findings suggest that SFN pretreatment may induce a regulatory response by inhibiting NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathways in an inflammatory environment. SFN could be considered a promising strategy for utilizing functional foods to protect against inflammation and develop immunoregulatory interventions.


Asunto(s)
Células Dendríticas , Isotiocianatos , FN-kappa B , Sulfóxidos , Isotiocianatos/farmacología , Humanos , Sulfóxidos/farmacología , Células Dendríticas/efectos de los fármacos , Células Dendríticas/inmunología , Células Dendríticas/metabolismo , FN-kappa B/metabolismo , Sistema de Señalización de MAP Quinasas/efectos de los fármacos , Lipopolisacáridos/farmacología , Transducción de Señal/efectos de los fármacos , Linfocitos T Reguladores/efectos de los fármacos , Linfocitos T Reguladores/inmunología , Proliferación Celular/efectos de los fármacos , Inflamación/inmunología , Inflamación/metabolismo , Inflamación/tratamiento farmacológico
17.
Lab Chip ; 2024 Sep 12.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-39264341

RESUMEN

In vitro myotube cultures are widely used as models for studying muscle pathophysiology, but their limited maturation and heterogeneity pose significant challenges for functional analyses. While they remain the gold standard for studying muscle function in vitro, myotube cultures do not fully recapitulate the complexity and native features of muscle fibers, which may compromise their ability to predict in vivo outcomes. To promote maturation and decrease heterogeneity, we have incorporated engineered structures into myotube cultures, based on a PDMS thin layer with micrometer-sized grooves (µGrooves) placed over a glass substrate. Different sizes and shapes of µGrooves were tested for their ability to promote alignment and fusion of myoblasts and enhance their differentiation into myotubes. A 24 hour electrical field stimulation protocol (4 V, 6 ms, 0.1 Hz) was used to further promote myotube maturation, after which several myotube features were assessed, including myotube alignment, width, fusion index, contractile function, and calcium handling. Our results indicate superior calcium and contractile performance in µGrooved myotubes, particularly with the 100 µm-width 700 µm-long geometry (7 : 1). This platform generated homogeneous and isolated myotubes that reproduced native muscle features, such as excitation-contraction coupling and force-frequency responses. Overall, our 2D muscle platform enables robust high-content assays of calcium dynamics and contractile readouts with increased sensitivity and reproducibility compared to traditional myotube cultures, making it particularly suitable for screening therapeutic candidates for different muscle pathologies.

18.
Vaccines (Basel) ; 12(2)2024 Feb 06.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38400148

RESUMEN

Dendritic cells (DCs) serve as professional antigen-presenting cells (APC) bridging innate and adaptive immunity, playing an essential role in triggering specific cellular and humoral responses against tumor and infectious antigens. Consequently, various DC-based antitumor therapeutic strategies have been developed, particularly vaccines, and have been intensively investigated specifically in the context of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). This hematological malignancy mainly affects the elderly population (those aged over 65), which usually presents a high rate of therapeutic failure and an unfavorable prognosis. In this review, we examine the current state of development and progress of vaccines in AML. The findings evidence the possible administration of DC-based vaccines as an adjuvant treatment in AML following initial therapy. Furthermore, the therapy demonstrates promising outcomes in preventing or delaying tumor relapse and exhibits synergistic effects when combined with other treatments during relapses or disease progression. On the other hand, the remarkable success observed with RNA vaccines for COVID-19, delivered in lipid nanoparticles, has revealed the efficacy and effectiveness of these types of vectors, prompting further exploration and their potential application in AML, as well as other neoplasms, loading them with tumor RNA.

19.
Sci Rep ; 14(1): 5225, 2024 03 04.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38433244

RESUMEN

Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiological agent of Chagas disease, invades many cell types affecting numerous host-signalling pathways. During the T. cruzi infection, we demonstrated modulations in the host RNA polymerase II activity with the downregulation of ribonucleoproteins affecting host transcription and splicing machinery. These alterations could be a result of the initial damage to the host DNA caused by the presence of the parasite, however, the mechanisms are not well understood. Herein, we examined whether infection by T. cruzi coincided with enhanced DNA damage in the host cell. We studied the engagement of the DNA damage response (DDR) pathways at the different time points (0-24 h post-infection, hpi) by T. cruzi in LLC-MK2 cells. In response to double-strand breaks (DSB), maximum phosphorylation of the histone variant H2AX is observed at 2hpi and promotes recruitment of the DDR p53-binding protein (53BP1). During T. cruzi infection, Ataxia-telangiectasia mutated protein (ATM) and DNA-PK protein kinases remained active in a time-dependent manner and played roles in regulating the host response to DSB. The host DNA lesions caused by the infection are likely orchestrated by the non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) pathway to maintain the host genome integrity.


Asunto(s)
Enfermedad de Chagas , Roturas del ADN de Doble Cadena , Humanos , Células Epiteliales , Enfermedad de Chagas/genética , Fosforilación , Reparación del ADN
20.
Cancer Genomics Proteomics ; 20(5): 487-499, 2023.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37643780

RESUMEN

BACKGROUND/AIM: Pancreatic cancer (PC) has one of the highest mortality rates, with an overall five-year survival rate of only 7%. When diagnosed, PC is limited to the pancreas in only 20% of patients, whereas in 50% it has already metastasized. This is due to its late diagnosis, which makes the treatments used, such as radiotherapy, difficult, and reduces survival rates. Therefore, the importance of this study in detecting genes that may become possible biomarkers for this type of tumor, especially regarding the human secretome, is highlighted. These genes participate in pathways that are responsible for tumor migration and resistance to therapies, along with other important factors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: To achieve these goals, the following online tools and platforms have been expanded to discover and validate these biomarkers: The Human Protein Atlas database, the Xena Browser platform, Gene Expression Omnibus, the EnrichR platform and the Kaplan-Meier Plotter platform. RESULTS: Our study adopted a methodology that allows the identification of potential biomarkers related to the effectiveness of radiotherapy in PC. Inflammatory pathways were predominantly enriched, related to the regulation of biological processes, primarily in cytokine-derived proteins, which are responsible for tumor progression and other processes that contribute to the development of the disease. CONCLUSION: Radiotherapy treatment demonstrated greater efficacy when used in conjunction with other forms of therapy since it decreased the expression of essential genes involved in several inflammatory pathways linked to tumor progression.


Asunto(s)
Biomarcadores de Tumor , Neoplasias Pancreáticas , Humanos , Biomarcadores de Tumor/genética , Biomarcadores de Tumor/metabolismo , Pronóstico , Neoplasias Pancreáticas/genética , Neoplasias Pancreáticas/radioterapia , Neoplasias Pancreáticas/metabolismo , Regulación Neoplásica de la Expresión Génica , Biología Computacional/métodos , Perfilación de la Expresión Génica/métodos , Neoplasias Pancreáticas
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