Transcriptome analysis of the white body of the squid Euprymna tasmanica with emphasis on immune and hematopoietic gene discovery.

In the mutualistic relationship between the squid Euprymna tasmanica and the bioluminescent bacterium Vibrio fischeri, several host factors, including immune-related proteins, are known to interact and respond specifically and exclusively to the presence of the symbiont. In squid and octopus, the white body is considered to be an immune organ mainly due to the fact that blood cells, or hemocytes, are known to be present in high numbers and in different developmental stages. Hence, the white body has been described as the site of hematopoiesis in cephalopods. However, to our knowledge, there are no studies showing any molecular evidence of such functions. In this study, we performed a transcriptomic analysis of white body tissue of the Southern dumpling squid, E. tasmanica. Our primary goal was to gain insights into the functions of this tissue and to test for the presence of gene transcripts associated with hematopoietic and immune processes. Several hematopoiesis genes including CPSF1, GATA 2, TFIID, and FGFR2 were found to be expressed in the white body. In addition, transcripts associated with immune-related signal transduction pathways, such as the toll-like receptor/NF-κß, and MAPK pathways were also found, as well as other immune genes previously identified in E. tasmanica's sister species, E. scolopes. This study is the first to analyze an immune organ within cephalopods, and to provide gene expression data supporting the white body as a hematopoietic tissue.

Surface membrane proteins of Biomphalaria glabrata embryonic cells bind fucosyl determinants on the tegumental surface of Schistosoma mansoni primary sporocysts.

Previous observations that in vitro adherence of Biomphalaria glabrata embryonic (Bge) cells to sporocyst larval stages of Schistosoma mansoni was strongly inhibited by fucoidan, a sulfated polymer of L-fucose, suggested a role for lectinlike Bge cell receptors in sporocyst binding interactions. In the present investigation, monoclonal antibodies with specificities to 3 major glycan determinants found on schistosomes, LacdiNAc, fucosylated LacdiNAc (LDNF), and the Lewis X antigen, were used in adhesion blocking studies to further analyze the molecular interactions at the host-parasite interface. Results showed that only the anti-LDNF antibody significantly reduced snail Bge cell adhesion to the surface of sporocysts, suggesting that fucosyl determinants may be important in larval-host cell interactions. Affinity chromatographic separation of fucosyl-reactive Bge cell proteins from fucoidan-bound Sepharose 4B revealed the presence of polypeptides ranging from 6 to 200 kDa after elution with fucoidan-containing buffer. Pre-elution of the Bge protein-bound affinity column with dextran (Dex) and dextran sulfate (DexS) before introduction of the fucoidan buffer served as controls for protein binding based on nonspecific sugar or negative charge interactions. A subset of polypeptides (approximately 35-150 kDa) released by fucoidan elution was identified as Bge surface membrane proteins, representing putative fucosyl-binding proteins. Far-western blot analysis also demonstrated binding reactivity between Bge cell and sporocyst tegumental proteins. The finding that several of these parasite-binding Bge cell proteins were also fucoidan-reactive suggests the possible involvement of these molecules in mediating cellular interactions with sporocyst tegumental carbohydrates. It is concluded that Bge cells have surface protein(s) that may be playing a role in facilitating host cell adhesion to the surface of schistosome primary sporocysts through larval fucosylated glycoconjugates.

Morbimortalidad por infarto agudo del miocardio: estudio de un año / Morbimortality by acute myocardial infarct- a one-year study

Se realizó un estudio descriptivo prospectivo con 84 infartados atendidos en el Hospital Universitario “Faustino Pérez”, de Matanzas, desde junio de 2003 a junio de 2004, con el propósito de mostrar el comportamiento del infarto agudo del miocardio en los pacientes atendidos en dicho hospital durante un año, formando así un registro de los mismos. La información se obtuvo por el método de encuesta, elaborada en el Departamento de Estadística de nuestro hospital con los listados de alta hospitalaria de los pacientes que sufrieron infarto agudo de miocardio. Se realizó necropsia al 69,2 por ciento de la muestra con una correlación clínico-patológica de 100 por ciento. El 61,9 por ciento era del sexo masculino y el promedio de edad de los infartados fue de 64,3 ± 12,5 años. El 47,6 por ciento tenía localización en la cara inferior. Se concluye que predominaron los infartados de la tercera edad y del sexo masculino. La mayoría evolucionó sin complicación, obteniéndose una mortalidad baja en la serie...