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BACKGROUND: Chagas disease (CD) is caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi and is transmitted by blood-sucking triatomine insects in endemic areas of Latin America. Transmission can also occur via blood transfusion and is a major cause of CD in non-endemic areas. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to assess the prevalence of anti-T. cruzi antibodies in blood donors at risk of infection in Tuscany, Italy, following the introduction of blood safety Italian legislation. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Donors (N = 1985) were tested in 2016 to 2018 for anti-T. cruzi IgG using an immunochromatographic test (ICT). Chemiluminescent immunoassay (CLIA) was performed on ICT-positive donors to exclude CD, whereas enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and western blot were performed in case of discordant results. All assays were performed on CD patients (N = 10) for validation. RESULTS: Ten blood donors had a positive ICT result, with a resulting T. cruzi seroprevalence of 0.5% but demonstrated negative results to CLIA, as well as to the other serological assays. The comparison of serological assays suggested a lower relative sensitivity of ICT. CONCLUSION: The results of this study confirm the significance of serological testing in the screening strategy for CD. However, they provide evidence for discontinuing the use of ICT as a screening test and suggest that a sensitive, specific and multi-sample format assay should be used at the national level for uniformity of results.
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Anticorpos Antiprotozoários/sangue , Doadores de Sangue , Cardiomiopatia Chagásica/sangue , Seleção do Doador , Trypanosoma cruzi/metabolismo , Adolescente , Adulto , Idoso , Cardiomiopatia Chagásica/epidemiologia , Cardiomiopatia Chagásica/transmissão , Feminino , Humanos , Imunoensaio , Itália/epidemiologia , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Fatores de RiscoRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Transfusion with Plasmodium-infected blood represents a risk for malaria transmission, a rare but severe event. Several non-endemic countries implement a strategy for the screening of candidate blood donors including questionnaire for the identification of at-risk subjects and laboratory testing of blood samples, often serology-based, with temporary deferral from donation for individuals with a positive result. In Italy, the most recent legislation, issued in November 2015, introduced the use of serological tests for the detection of anti-Plasmodium antibodies. METHODS: In the absence of a gold standard for malaria serology, the aim of this work was to evaluate five commercial ELISA kits, and to determine their accuracy (sensitivity and specificity) in comparison to immuno-fluorescence antibody test (IFAT), and their agreement (concordance of results). Serum samples from malaria patients or from subjects with malaria history (N = 64), malaria naïve patients with other parasitic infections (N = 15), malaria naïve blood donors (N = 8) and malaria exposed candidate blood donors (N = 36) were tested. RESULTS: The specificity of all ELISA kits was 100%, while sensitivity ranged between 53 and 64% when compared to IFAT on malaria patients samples. When tested on candidate blood donors' samples, ELISA kits showed highly variable agreement (42-94%) raising the possibility that the same individual could be included or excluded from donation depending on the test in use by the transfusion centre. CONCLUSIONS: These preliminary results indicate how the lack of a gold standard for malaria serology must be taken into account in the application and future revision of current legislation. There is need of developing more sensitive serological assays. Moreover, the adoption of a unique serological test at national level is recommended, as well as the development of screening algorithms based on multiple laboratory tests, including molecular assays.
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Doadores de Sangue/estatística & dados numéricos , Ensaio de Imunoadsorção Enzimática/métodos , Malária/diagnóstico , Programas de Rastreamento/métodos , Plasmodium/isolamento & purificação , Ensaio de Imunoadsorção Enzimática/instrumentação , Itália , Malária/parasitologia , Malária/transmissão , Programas de Rastreamento/instrumentação , Estudos Retrospectivos , Sensibilidade e EspecificidadeAssuntos
Doenças Transmissíveis , Gastroenterologia , Ginecologia , Esquistossomose , Medicina Tropical , Urologia , Feminino , Gravidez , Humanos , Criança , Colposcopia , Saúde Global , Consenso , Endoscopia Gastrointestinal , Esquistossomose/diagnóstico , Esquistossomose/tratamento farmacológico , Esquistossomose/epidemiologia , Atenção Primária à Saúde , Itália/epidemiologiaRESUMO
We report a case of post-transplant liver graft infection with Schistosoma spp in a migrant from sub-Saharan Africa transplanted for HBV-related cirrhosis and with undiagnosed schistosomiasis pre-transplantation. The occurrence of tropical diseases in non-endemic areas warrants screening protocols for organ donors and recipients with a history of exposure in endemic areas.
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Transplante de Fígado/efeitos adversos , Schistosoma haematobium/isolamento & purificação , Esquistossomose Urinária/diagnóstico , Adulto , África Subsaariana , Aloenxertos/parasitologia , Animais , Anti-Helmínticos/uso terapêutico , Humanos , Fígado/parasitologia , Cirrose Hepática/cirurgia , Masculino , Esquistossomose Urinária/tratamento farmacológico , Esquistossomose Urinária/parasitologia , MigrantesRESUMO
Malaria elimination strategies require surveillance of the parasite population for genetic changes that demand a public health response, such as new forms of drug resistance. Here we describe methods for the large-scale analysis of genetic variation in Plasmodium falciparum by deep sequencing of parasite DNA obtained from the blood of patients with malaria, either directly or after short-term culture. Analysis of 86,158 exonic single nucleotide polymorphisms that passed genotyping quality control in 227 samples from Africa, Asia and Oceania provides genome-wide estimates of allele frequency distribution, population structure and linkage disequilibrium. By comparing the genetic diversity of individual infections with that of the local parasite population, we derive a metric of within-host diversity that is related to the level of inbreeding in the population. An open-access web application has been established for the exploration of regional differences in allele frequency and of highly differentiated loci in the P. falciparum genome.
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Biodiversidade , Sequenciamento de Nucleotídeos em Larga Escala , Malária Falciparum/parasitologia , Plasmodium falciparum/genética , Alelos , Genoma de Protozoário , Genótipo , Humanos , Filogenia , Plasmodium falciparum/classificação , Polimorfismo de Nucleotídeo Único , Análise de Componente PrincipalRESUMO
This study focused on the inorganic environmental contaminants in specific food products which form part of the food chain of the population residing in the area of Southern Italy (Gela) where there is a high mortality rate linked to tumor diseases and congenital malformations. Determination of toxic metals was performed by Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). The toxicological data for every toxic element has been applied to evaluate the risk for the consumer by calculating the amount of potentially toxic element that would ingest an average of 60kg weight individual adult. The analysis of the investigated samples shows a high level of metal contamination which can be linked both to the polluted water and air. The obtained results give us an idea about the agricultural products contamination and possible exposure of local people through the food chain.
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Monitoramento Ambiental/métodos , Poluentes Ambientais , Contaminação de Alimentos/análise , Metais Pesados , Verduras/química , Irrigação Agrícola , Poluentes Ambientais/análise , Poluentes Ambientais/toxicidade , Itália , Metais Pesados/análise , Metais Pesados/toxicidade , Medição de RiscoRESUMO
BACKGROUND: The presence of Plasmodium falciparum gametocytes in peripheral blood is essential for human to mosquito parasite transmission. The detection of submicroscopic infections with gametocytes and the estimation of the gametocyte sex ratio are crucial to assess the human host potential ability to infect mosquitoes and transmit malaria parasites. AIM AND OBJECTIVES: The aim of this work was to develop sensitive and cheap Real Time qPCR assays for large-scale epidemiological surveys, based on detection and amplification of gametocyte sex specific transcripts selected from the literature: the female-specific pfs25 and pf glycerol kinase (pfGK) and the male-specific pfs230p and pf13 transcripts. METHODS: RTqPCR assays were used to test the gametocyte- and sex-specific expression of the target genes using asexual stages of the gametocyteless parasite clone F12 and FACS purified male and female gametocytes of the PfDynGFP/P47mCherry line. Assays were performed on 50 blood samples collected during an epidemiological survey in the Soumousso village, Burkina Faso, West-Africa, and amplification of the human housekeeping gene 18S rRNA was employed to normalize RNA sample variability. RESULTS: SYBR Green assays were developed that showed higher sensitivity compared to Taqman assays at a reduced cost. RTqPCR results confirmed that expression of pfs25 and pfs230p are female and male-specific, respectively, and introduced two novel markers, the female-specific pfGK and the male-specific pf13. A formula was derived to calculate the ratio of male to female gametocytes based on the ratio of male to female transcript copy number. Use of these assays in the field samples showed, as expected, a higher sensitivity of RTqPCR compared to microscopy. Importantly, similar values of gametocyte sex-ratio were obtained in the field samples based on the four different target combinations. CONCLUSION: Novel, sensitive, cheap and robust molecular assays were developed for the detection and quantification of female and male P. falciparum gametocytes. In particular, the RTqPCR assays based on the female-specific pfs25 and the newly described male gametocyte-specific pf13 transcripts, including normalization by the human 18S, reliably assess presence and abundance of female and male gametocytes and enable to determine their sex-ratio in human subjects in endemic areas.
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Microscopia/métodos , Plasmodium falciparum/isolamento & purificação , Proteínas de Protozoários/análise , Reação em Cadeia da Polimerase em Tempo Real/métodos , Burkina Faso , Humanos , Dinâmica PopulacionalRESUMO
Although hemoglobin S (HbS) and hemoglobin C (HbC) are well known to protect against severe Plasmodium falciparum malaria, conclusive evidence on their role against infection has not yet been obtained. Here we show, in 2 populations from Burkina Faso (2007-2008), that HbS is associated with a 70% reduction of harboring P. falciparum parasitemia at the heterozygous state (odds ratio [OR] for AS vs AA, 0.27; 95% confidence interval [CI], .11-.66; P = .004). There is no evidence of protection for HbC in the heterozygous state (OR for AC vs AA, 1.49; 95% CI, .69-3.21; P = .31), whereas protection even higher than that observed with AS is observed in the homozygous and double heterozygous states (OR for CC + SC vs AA, 0.04; 95% CI, .01-.29; P = .002). The abnormal display of parasite-adhesive molecules on the surface of HbS and HbC infected erythrocytes, disrupting the pathogenic process of sequestration, might displace the parasite from the deep to the peripheral circulation, promoting its elimination at the spleen level.
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Hemoglobina C , Hemoglobina Falciforme , Malária Falciparum/sangue , Parasitemia , Plasmodium falciparum , Adolescente , Burkina Faso/epidemiologia , Criança , Pré-Escolar , Estudos Transversais , Feminino , Predisposição Genética para Doença , Genótipo , Heterozigoto , Humanos , Malária Falciparum/epidemiologia , Masculino , Razão de Chances , Fatores de Risco , Traço Falciforme/sangue , Traço Falciforme/epidemiologia , Traço Falciforme/genética , Adulto JovemRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Many studies report associations between human genetic factors and immunity to malaria but few have been reliably replicated. These studies are usually country-specific, use small sample sizes and are not directly comparable due to differences in methodologies. This study brings together samples and data collected from multiple sites across Africa and Asia to use standardized methods to look for consistent genetic effects on anti-malarial antibody levels. METHODS: Sera, DNA samples and clinical data were collected from 13,299 individuals from ten sites in Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso, Sudan, Kenya, Tanzania, and Sri Lanka using standardized methods. DNA was extracted and typed for 202 Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms with known associations to malaria or antibody production, and antibody levels to four clinical grade malarial antigens [AMA1, MSP1, MSP2, and (NANP)4] plus total IgE were measured by ELISA techniques. Regression models were used to investigate the associations of clinical and genetic factors with antibody levels. RESULTS: Malaria infection increased levels of antibodies to malaria antigens and, as expected, stable predictors of anti-malarial antibody levels included age, seasonality, location, and ethnicity. Correlations between antibodies to blood-stage antigens AMA1, MSP1 and MSP2 were higher between themselves than with antibodies to the (NANP)4 epitope of the pre-erythrocytic circumsporozoite protein, while there was little or no correlation with total IgE levels. Individuals with sickle cell trait had significantly lower antibody levels to all blood-stage antigens, and recessive homozygotes for CD36 (rs321198) had significantly lower anti-malarial antibody levels to MSP2. CONCLUSION: Although the most significant finding with a consistent effect across sites was for sickle cell trait, its effect is likely to be via reducing a microscopically positive parasitaemia rather than directly on antibody levels. However, this study does demonstrate a framework for the feasibility of combining data from sites with heterogeneous malaria transmission levels across Africa and Asia with which to explore genetic effects on anti-malarial immunity.
Assuntos
Anticorpos Antiprotozoários/imunologia , Malária/epidemiologia , Malária/genética , Malária/imunologia , Adolescente , Adulto , África Subsaariana/epidemiologia , Anticorpos Antiprotozoários/sangue , Criança , Pré-Escolar , Feminino , Hemoglobina Falciforme/genética , Humanos , Lactente , Recém-Nascido , Modelos Lineares , Masculino , Sri Lanka/epidemiologia , Adulto JovemRESUMO
We investigated the role of phenoloxidases (POs) in ascidians inflammatory reaction, a components of a copper-containing protein family involved in invertebrate immune system. In Ciona intestinalis two phenoloxidases (CinPO-1, CinPO-2) have been sequenced. In the present study, real time PCR analysis showed that both CinPO-1 and CinPO-2 genes were modulated by LPS inoculation suggesting that they are inducible and highly expressed in the inflamed pharynx. In situ hybridization disclosed CinPO-1 and CinPO-2 transcripts in pharynx hemocytes (granulocytes) and, mainly, in unilocular refractile granulocytes (URG) which mainly populated the inflamed tunic matrix. Interestingly, the genes are also upregulated by LPS in the endostyle (zones 7, 8 and 9) that is considered homolog to the vertebrate thyroid.
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Ciona intestinalis/enzimologia , Lipopolissacarídeos/farmacologia , Monofenol Mono-Oxigenase/metabolismo , Animais , Ciona intestinalis/efeitos dos fármacos , Ciona intestinalis/imunologia , Hemócitos/efeitos dos fármacos , Hemócitos/enzimologia , Hemócitos/imunologia , Hibridização In Situ , Monofenol Mono-Oxigenase/genética , Reação em Cadeia da Polimerase em Tempo Real , Regulação para Cima/efeitos dos fármacosRESUMO
A man with hepatitis B infection was admitted to Pisa University Hospital for hepatological evaluation, which revealed multiple cystic lesions and suggested a cirrhotic evolution. Treatment with Entecavir 0.5 mg/day was started, resulting in rapid viral load suppression and alanine aminotransferase normalization. After 10 years, imaging documented a single nodule of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and a robot-assisted nodule resection was performed. One year later, HCC recurrence prompted orthotopic liver transplantation, during which the patient died because of the sudden rupture of the donor's organ and rapid multiorgan deterioration before retransplantation. During post-mortem liver examination, adult worms were evidenced within large biliary ducts, suggesting infection with Opisthorchis or Clonorchis spp. flukes. Sequencing of the ITS2 locus, following PCR amplification of DNA extracted from liver tissue, revealed 100% identity with the reference sequence of O. felineus. Infection of the patient with O. felineus was confirmed by the presence of specific IgG detected by ELISA in the patient's sera. Two major alkaline phosphatase serum levels peaks observed during the first two years of antiviral therapy support the hypothesis that O. felineus infection worsened liver function. This case report highlights the importance of a very careful screening of parasitic infections in solid organ transplantation candidates.
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A 68-year-old man returning from Republic of Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast) was diagnosed with severe Plasmodium falciparum malaria and treated with intravenous artesunate followed by oral dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine (DHA-PPQ). A month later the patient experienced a new P. falciparum episode; analysis of pfmsp-1 and pfmsp-2 revealed that the infection was caused by a genetic strain identical to the strain that caused the initial episode, indicating resurgence of the previous infection. No mutations in genes associated with resistance to artemisinin derivatives (pfk13) or piperaquine (pfexonuclease, pfplasmepsin 2/3) were detected, suggesting that treatment failure could have been caused by drug malabsorption or poor drug manufacturing practices. A second treatment with atovaquone-proguanil was successful in eliminating the infection, with no further relapses. To our knowledge, this is the first description of a treatment failure with both artesunate and DHA-PPQ in a traveler returning from a malaria-endemic region. Analysis of molecular markers of resistance to antimalarial drugs revealed mutations associated with resistance to sulfadoxine (pfdhps) and pyrimethamine (pfdhfr), highlighting the important contribution of surveillance of imported malaria cases to the monitoring of drug resistance globally.
Assuntos
Antimaláricos , Artemisininas , Malária Falciparum , Malária , Idoso , Antimaláricos/uso terapêutico , Artemisininas/uso terapêutico , Artesunato/uso terapêutico , Côte d'Ivoire , Combinação de Medicamentos , Humanos , Malária/tratamento farmacológico , Malária Falciparum/tratamento farmacológico , Masculino , Piperazinas , Plasmodium falciparum/genética , Quinolinas , Falha de TratamentoRESUMO
BACKGROUND: The Anopheles gambiae gSG6 is an anopheline-specific salivary protein which helps female mosquitoes to efficiently feed on blood. Besides its role in haematophagy, gSG6 is immunogenic and elicits in exposed individuals an IgG response, which may be used as indicator of exposure to the main African malaria vector A. gambiae. However, malaria transmission in tropical Africa is sustained by three main vectors (A. gambiae, Anopheles arabiensis and Anopheles funestus) and a general marker, reflecting exposure to at least these three species, would be especially valuable. The SG6 protein is highly conserved within the A. gambiae species complex whereas the A. funestus homologue, fSG6, is more divergent (80% identity with gSG6). The aim of this study was to evaluate cross-reactivity of human sera to gSG6 and fSG6. METHODS: The A. funestus SG6 protein was expressed/purified and the humoral response to gSG6, fSG6 and a combination of the two antigens was compared in a population from a malaria hyperendemic area of Burkina Faso where both vectors were present, although with a large A. gambiae prevalence (>75%). Sera collected at the beginning and at the end of the high transmission/rainy season, as well as during the following low transmission/dry season, were analysed. RESULTS: According to previous observations, both anti-SG6 IgG level and prevalence decreased during the low transmission/dry season and showed a typical age-dependent pattern. No significant difference in the response to the two antigens was found, although their combined use yielded in most cases higher IgG level. CONCLUSIONS: Comparative analysis of gSG6 and fSG6 immunogenicity to humans suggests the occurrence of a wide cross-reactivity, even though the two proteins carry species-specific epitopes. This study supports the use of gSG6 as reliable indicator of exposure to the three main African malaria vectors, a marker which may be useful to monitor malaria transmission and evaluate vector control measures, especially in conditions of low malaria transmission and/or reduced vector density. The Anopheles stephensi SG6 protein also shares 80% identity with gSG6, suggesting the attractive possibility that the A. gambiae protein may also be useful to assess human exposure to several Asian malaria vectors.
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Anopheles/química , Reações Cruzadas , Vetores de Doenças , Imunoglobulina G/sangue , Proteínas de Insetos/imunologia , Proteínas e Peptídeos Salivares/imunologia , Adolescente , Adulto , Animais , Burkina Faso , Criança , Pré-Escolar , Feminino , Humanos , Lactente , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Adulto JovemRESUMO
Previous interethnic comparative studies on the susceptibility to malaria performed in West Africa showed that Fulani are more resistant to Plasmodium falciparum malaria than are sympatric ethnic groups. This lower susceptibility is not associated to classic malaria-resistance genes, and the analysis of the immune response to P. falciparum sporozoite and blood stage antigens, as well as non-malaria antigens, revealed higher immune reactivity in Fulani. In the present study we compared the expression profile of a panel of genes involved in immune response in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from Fulani and sympatric Mossi from Burkina Faso. An increased expression of T helper 1 (TH1)-related genes (IL-18, IFNgamma, and TBX21) and TH2-related genes (IL-4 and GATA3) and a reduced expression of genes distinctive of T regulatory activity (CTLA4 and FOXP3) were observed in Fulani. Microarray analysis on RNA from CD4+ CD25+ (T regulatory) cells, performed with a panel of cDNA probes specific for 96 genes involved in immune modulation, indicated obvious differences between the two ethnic groups with 23% of genes, including TGFbeta, TGFbetaRs, CTLA4, and FOXP3, less expressed in Fulani compared with Mossi and European donors not exposed to malaria. As further indications of a low T regulatory cell activity, Fulani showed lower serum levels of TGFbeta and higher concentrations of the proinflammatory chemokines CXCL10 and CCL22 compared with Mossi; moreover, the proliferative response of Fulani to malaria antigens was not affected by the depletion of CD25+ regulatory cells whereas that of Mossi was significantly increased. The results suggest that the higher resistance to malaria of the Fulani could derive from a functional deficit of T regulatory cells.
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Predisposição Genética para Doença , Malária Falciparum/etnologia , Malária Falciparum/genética , Malária Falciparum/parasitologia , Plasmodium falciparum/metabolismo , Linfócitos T Reguladores/parasitologia , Adulto , Animais , Burkina Faso , Linfócitos T CD4-Positivos/parasitologia , Proliferação de Células , Etnicidade , Feminino , Humanos , Sistema Imunitário , Subunidade alfa de Receptor de Interleucina-2/biossíntese , Leucócitos Mononucleares/parasitologia , Masculino , Mali , Pessoa de Meia-IdadeRESUMO
The aim of this study is to prompt the recovery of industrial by-products through the production of new functional foods; it takes advantage from new throughput technologies with low environmental impact and high economic sustainability. In the field of fish processing, in order to recover the worthy protein-rich fish waste, residues from the production of Anchovies (Engraulis encrasicolus) have been converted into hydrolysate through enzymatic treatment. The obtained hydrolysate product showed a promising biological and nutritional content made by differently sized peptides and free amino acids endowed with assessed benefic effects. The study showed the possibility to produce a dry powder with an activity water (aw) of 0.3-0.5 and an essential amino acids (EAA) fraction of 42.0% over the total amino acids (TAAs). These results pave the way to the smart recovery of commercial products featured by high nutritional value, either as stand-alone items or as components of functional foods.
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Proteínas de Peixes/química , Hidrolisados de Proteína/química , Hidrolisados de Proteína/isolamento & purificação , Resíduos , Aminoácidos Essenciais/análise , Aminoácidos Essenciais/química , Animais , Cromatografia Líquida de Alta Pressão , Peixes , Indústria de Processamento de Alimentos , Espectroscopia de Ressonância Magnética , Espectrometria de Massas/métodos , Valor Nutritivo , Peptídeos/química , PósRESUMO
(1) Dirofilariosis is a vector-borne parasitic disease mainly in domestic and wild carnivores caused by Dirofilaria (Noctiella) repens, which is endemic in many countries of the Old World, and D. immitis, which has a worldwide distribution. In recent years, an increase in the number of human cases has been reported, suggesting that dirofilariosis is an emergent zoonosis. Here, we describe further cases (N = 8), observed in Central Italy during the years 2018-2019. (2) Molecular diagnosis was performed on: (i) live worms extracted from ocular conjunctiva, cheek, and calf muscle; (ii) histological sections of surgically removed nodules from parenchymal lung, coccyx, and breast. (3) Sequence analysis (650-bp) of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I gene (mtDNA cox1) showed a match of 100% with the sequences of D. repens previously deposited in GenBank. ELISA test to detect IgG against filarial antigens was performed on four patients' sera and resulted positive in two patients who showed ocular and subcutaneous dirofilariosis, respectively. Microfilariae have been never detected in the peripheral blood of the patients. (4) The occurrence of N = 8 new cases of human D. repens-infections observed in a two-year period suggests an increased circulation of the parasite in Italy. Therefore, dirofilariosis should be included in differential diagnosis in patients presenting subcutaneous and/or pulmonary nodules. Molecular diagnosis of the etiological agents is fundamental. Specific serological diagnosis needs to be improved in future research work.
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Cholesterol-rich microdomains are membrane compartments characterized by specific lipid and protein composition. These dynamic assemblies are involved in several biological processes, including infection by intracellular pathogens. This work provides a comprehensive analysis of the composition of human erythrocyte membrane microdomains. Based on their floating properties, we also categorized the microdomain-associated proteins into clusters. Interestingly, erythrocyte microdomains include the vast majority of the proteins known to be involved in invasion by the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. We show here that the Ecto-ADP-ribosyltransferase 4 (ART4) and Aquaporin 1 (AQP1), found within one specific cluster, containing the essential host determinant CD55, are recruited to the site of parasite entry and then internalized to the newly formed parasitophorous vacuole membrane. By generating null erythroid cell lines, we showed that one of these proteins, ART4, plays a role in P. falciparum invasion. We also found that genetic variants in both ART4 and AQP1 are associated with susceptibility to the disease in a malaria-endemic population.
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Membrana Eritrocítica/química , Eritrócitos/parasitologia , Malária Falciparum/parasitologia , Malária/parasitologia , Microdomínios da Membrana/química , Membrana Eritrocítica/parasitologia , Eritrócitos/química , Humanos , Plasmodium falciparum/fisiologiaRESUMO
The purification, cloning, sequencing, molecular properties and expression of a fucose-binding lectin from the serum of Dicentrarchus labrax (DlFBL) have been previously reported. We now describe the distribution and expression of DlFBL during fish ontogeny. Immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization assays were carried out at various developmental stages (from 10 days post-hatching larvae to juveniles). Another fucose-binding lectin, similar to DlFBL in biochemical, immunochemical and agglutinating properties, was extracted and purified from eggs and appeared to be localized in the embryo yolk sack residual. DlFBL was found in columnar and goblet cells of the intestinal epithelium of larvae (from 20 days post-hatching) and juveniles and in parenchymal tissue of juveniles. DlFBL mRNA and protein were detected in the intestinal epithelium and in hepatocytes. An amplification product from degenerate primers indicates that lectin isotypes with DlFBL epitopes are expressed in eggs and embryos. Whether the lectin fraction isolated from eggs and embryos includes DlFBL of maternal origin remains unclear.
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Bass/crescimento & desenvolvimento , Bass/metabolismo , Proteínas de Peixes/metabolismo , Lectinas/metabolismo , Animais , Bass/genética , Proteínas de Peixes/sangue , Proteínas de Peixes/genética , Regulação da Expressão Gênica no Desenvolvimento , Imuno-Histoquímica , Hibridização In Situ , Larva/metabolismo , Lectinas/sangue , Lectinas/genética , Óvulo/citologia , Óvulo/metabolismo , RNA Mensageiro/metabolismoRESUMO
Almonds are the tasty seeds of Prunus dulcis plants globally appreciated for the pleasant palatability and remarkable nutritional value, therefore it is very spread as snack and as basic ingredient of the confectionery products. The HR-MAS-NMR is a simple spectroscopy able to directly and quickly explore the chemical composition of powdered seed samples dispersed in D2O. 1H spectra witness the remarkable presence of triglyceride fatty esters together with sucrose; other minor water soluble metabolites are also detectable. This very rough approach is effectively providing chemical profiles featuring almond samples. In this analysis we were able to statistically distinguish the "Avola" almonds from other marketed products submitted to the same analysis. This is just a first investigation based on the main compounds but it might pave the way toward the quantitative evaluation of many other compounds in the almond therefore implementing the HR-MAS-NMR knowledge of these precious seeds.
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Espectroscopia de Ressonância Magnética/métodos , Prunus dulcis/química , Sementes/química , Sacarose/análise , Triglicerídeos/análiseRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Schistosoma japonicum is endemic in the Philippines, China, and Indonesia, and is the third-most common schistosoma species. The infection can be asymptomatic for years but, if left untreated, can lead to irreversible complications. METHOD: We report the results of a systematic review of the literature on imported S. japonicum infection and describe two previously unpublished cases diagnosed in Filipino migrants in Italy. RESULTS: Twenty-five imported cases of S. japonicum schistosomiasis were retrieved. All patients but one were migrants. Most subjects acquired the infection in Philippines (nâ¯=â¯18, 72%). Median age at diagnosis was 46 years. Median period of residence in non-endemic countries before diagnosis was 14.5 years. Cases of prevalent hepatosplenic involvement were 10 (40%), those with prevalent intestinal involvement were 10 (40%), whereas five (20%) had overlapping manifestations. Ten patients suffered from cirrhosis; two underwent liver transplantation. Three patients presented with acute abdomen due to intestinal complications, leading to explorative laparotomy. In all cases, but one, the diagnosis was based on a histological examination of biopsy specimen, revealing S. japonicum ova. Seventeen patients were treated with praziquantel, and in three of them, possible treatment failures occurred. CONCLUSIONS: S. japonicum infection is uncommonly reported in non-endemic areas, but is probably underestimated because of a low threshold awareness of clinicians and unavailability of specific diagnostic tools. Viable S. japonicum adults may persist for decades, indicating that migrants or travellers previously exposed in areas with high-risk areas can harbour viable worms and deserve treatment.