The regulatory function of Blastocystis spp. on the immune inflammatory response in the gut microbiome.

Blastocystis spp. is a unicellular organism that resides in digestive tract of various vertebrates, with a worldwide distribution and a variable prevalence. For many years, Blastocystis spp. was considered a cyst of a flagellate, a fungus, or a saprophyte yeast of the digestive tract; in 1996, it is placed in the group of stramenopiles (heterokonts). Since its new classification, many questions have arisen around this protist about its role as a pathogen or non-pathogen organism. Recent evidence indicates that Blastocystis spp. participates in the immune inflammatory response in the intestinal microbiome generating an anti-inflammatory response, showing a lower concentration of fecal inflammatory markers in infected human hosts. Here, we review recent findings on the regulatory function of Blastocystis spp. in the immune inflammatory response to comprehend the purpose of Blastocystis spp. in health and disease, defining if Blastocystis spp. is really a pathogen, a commensal or even a mutualist in the human gut microbiome.

Differential Pathogenic Gene Expression of E. histolytica in Patients with Different Clinical Forms of Amoebiasis.

The etiological agent of human amoebiasis is the protozoan parasite E. histolytica; the disease is still an endemic infection in some countries and the outcome of infection in the host infection can range from asymptomatic intestinal infection to intestinal or liver invasive forms of the disease. The invasive character of this parasite is multifactorial and mainly due to the differential expression of multiple pathogenic genes. The aim of the present work was to measure the differential expression of some genes in different specimens of patients with amoebic liver abscess (ALA) and specimens of genital amoebiasis (AG) by RT-qPCR. Results show that the expression of genes is different in both types of samples. Almost all studied genes were over expressed in both sets of patients; however, superoxide dismutase (Ehsod), serine threonine isoleucine rich protein (Ehstirp), peroxiredoxin (Ehprd) and heat shock protein 70 and 90 (Ehhsp-70, EHhsp-90) were higher in AG biopsies tissue. Furthermore, cysteine proteinases 5 and 2 (Ehcp5, Ehcp2), lectin (Ehgal/galnaclectin) and calreticulin (Ehcrt) genes directly associate with pathogenic mechanisms of E. histolytica had similar over expression in both AG and ALA samples. In summary the results obtained show that trophozoites can regulate the expression of their genes depending on stimuli or environmental conditions, in order to regulate their pathogenicity and ensure their survival in the host.

Genotype B of Killer Cell Immunoglobulin-Like Receptor is Related with Gastric Cancer Lesions.

NK cells are important in innate immunity for their capacity to kill infected or cancer cells. The killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIR) are a family of polymorphic genes with inhibitory and activating functions. The main driving force for gastric cancer (GC) development is a chronic response, which causes an increase of NK cells in the gastric mucosa. The aim of this work was to study polymorphisms in KIR genes in patients with either GC or non-atrophic gastritis (NAG). We studied 242 patients (130 with NAG and 112 with GC) and contrasted with 146 asymptomatic individuals. We analyzed diversity in the content and localization of KIR genes in the different clinical groups studied. Four activating and one inhibitory genes were associated with GC: 2DS1 (OR 3.41), 2DS3 (OR 4.66), 2DS5 (OR 2.25), 3DS1 (OR 3.35) and 2DL5 (OR 3.6). The following were also found as risk factors for GC: Bx genotype (OR 4.2), Bx-Bx centromere-telomere (OR 2.55), cA01|cB03 (OR 36.39) and tB01|tB01 (OR 7.55) gene content and three B motifs (OR 10.9). Polymorphisms in KIR genes were associated with GC and suggest that mutated NK cells may contribute to GC development by increasing gastric mucosa inflammation, leading to constant tissue damage.

Analysis of heat shock protein 70 gene polymorphisms Mexican patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

BACKGROUND: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a fatal lung disease of unknown etiology. Genetic variation within different major histocompatibility complex (MHC) loci contributes to the susceptibility to IPF. The effect of 70 kDa heat shock proteins (HSP70) gene polymorphisms in the susceptibility to IPF is unknown. The aim of this study was to explore the association between HSP70 polymorphisms and IPF susceptibility in the Mexican population. METHODS: Four HSP70 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were evaluated using real time PCR assays in 168 IPF patients and 205 controls: +2763 C>T of HSPA1L (rs2075800), +2437 of HSP HSPA1L A>G (rs2227956), +190 of HSPA1A G>C (rs1043618) and +1267 of HSPA1B G>A (rs1061581). RESULTS: The analysis of the recessive model revealed a significant decrease in the frequency of the genotype HSPA1B AA (rs1061581) in IPF patients (OR = 0.27, 95 % CI = 0.13-0.57, Pc = 0.0003) when compared to controls. Using a multivariate logistic regression analysis in a codominant model the HSPA1B (rs1061581) GA and AA genotypes were associated with a lower risk of IPF compared with GG (OR = 0.22, 95 % CI = 0.07-0.65; p = 0.006 and OR = 0.17, 95 % CI = 0.07-0.41; p = <0.001). Similarly, HSPA1L (rs2227956) AG genotype (OR = 0.34, 95 % CI = 0.12-0.99; p = 0.04) and the dominant model AG + GG genotypes were also associated with a lower risk of IPF (OR = 0.24, 95 % CI = 0.08-0.67; p = 0.007). In contrast, the HSPA1L (rs2075800) TT genotype was associated with susceptibility to IPF (OR = 2.52, 95 % CI = 1.32-4.81; p = 0.005). CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate that HSPA1B (rs1061581), HSPA1L (rs2227956) and HSPA1 (rs1043618) polymorphisms are associated with a decreased risk of IPF.

Characterization of Single-Nucleotide Polymorphisms in the Tumor Necrosis Factor α Promoter Region and in Lymphotoxin α in Squamous Intraepithelial Lesions, Precursors of Cervical Cancer.

Development of cervical cancer is a long process of abnormal cancerous cell growth in the cervix and is primarily the result of infection with specific high-risk types of human papillomavirus (HPV). The cytokines tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) and lymphotoxin α (LTA) have an important role in all stages of cervical cancer and have the ability to induce the regression or promote the development of human tumors. Biologically important single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) occur within the TNFα and LTA genes. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the SNPs in the TNFα promoter region (-163, -238, -244, -308, -376, -857, -863, and -1031) and in the first intron of LTA (+252) in women with precursor lesions of cervical cancer. Overall, we studied 396 women from Mexico City. A total of 191 patients with HPV infection and precursor cervical lesions were subdivided in two groups: those with low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (n = 132) and those with high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (n = 59). Women (n = 205) negative for HPV and without cervical lesions were also included in the study. DNA was extracted from peripheral white blood cells and from cervical samples, and detection of biallelic polymorphisms of TNFα and LTA was performed using the polymerase chain reaction-sequence-specific oligonucleotide probe and restriction fragment length polymorphism techniques, respectively. We demonstrated that risk is associated with the genotype G/A (odds ratio = 2.48) and that protection is associated with the genotype G/G of SNP TNFα -376 (odds ratio = 0.37).

Cationic liposomes bearing IL-2 on their external surface induced mice leukocytes to kill human cervical cancer cells in vitro, and significantly reduced tumor burden in immunodepressed mice.

Tumor cells are known to modify their surroundings in order to escape immunologic detection, and IL-2, a killer cell activator, is one of the factors known to overcome this escape mechanism. In this regard, when we cocultured cells from the human cervical cancer cell line INBL with mice blood leukocytes, no inhibition of tumor cell growth was observed, but when a similar coculture was done in the presence of cationic liposomes bearing IL-2 on their external surface (CL-IL-2), all the INBL cells were killed. In order to evaluate whether this in vitro property of CL-IL-2 to overcome tumor cell detection by lymphocytes could also be reproduced in vivo, INBL cells were intraperitoneally (i.p.) inoculated into immunodepressed mice to produce solid tumors. We observed that the subsequent i.p. delivery of CL-IL-2 rendered the tumor masses significantly smaller. The presence of a large number of infiltrating lymphocytes on those tumors, and the fact that many had a cytotoxic CD8(+) phenotype suggests that these lymphocytes were responsible for the observed antitumor effect. Finally, the possible formation of a bridge between the IL-2R receptors on both, the lymphocytes and the INBL cells, mediated by the IL-2-bearing liposomes, and its possible effect on the activation of antitumor cytotoxic lymphocytes is discussed.

Polymorphisms in TNF and HSP-70 show a significant association with gastric cancer and duodenal ulcer.

Tumour Necrosis Factor (TNF) and Heat Shock Protein 70 (HSP70) are important molecules in inflammatory, infectious and tumoral processes. The genes codifying these molecules are polymorphic and certain alleles have been associated with susceptibility to disease. Gastric cancer is associated with an Helicobacter pylori-induced chronic inflammatory response. The aim of this work was to analyze whether polymorphisms in inflammation-related genes are associated with the development of gastric cancer. We studied 447 Mexican adult patients including 228 with non-atrophic gastritis, 98 with intestinal metaplasia, 63 with gastric cancer and 58 with duodenal ulcer, and 132 asymptomatic individuals as well. DNA from peripheral white blood cells was typed for the Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) -308 of TNF-alpha, +252 of TNF-beta, +190 of HSP70-1, +1267 of HSP70-2 and +2437 of HSP70-HOM. Compared with the asymptomatic group, we found a significant association of TNF-beta*A and HSP70-1*C alleles with gastric cancer (OR 5.69 and 3.76, respectively) and HSP70-1*C with duodenal ulcer (OR 3.08). Genotype TNF-beta G/G showed a significant gene-dose effect with gastric cancer (OR 0.09); whereas HSP70-1 C/G showed significant association with both, gastric cancer (OR 13.31) and duodenal ulcer (OR 16.19). Polymorphisms in TNF and HSP70 showed a significant severity-dose-response as risk markers from preneoplastic lesions to gastric cancer in Mexican population, probably because of their association with an intense and sustained inflammatory response.

La transfección de la línea celular TF-1 con el proto-oncogen bcl-2 humano proporciona supervivencia a corto plazo en ausencia de GM-CSF sin cambiar el fenotipo / Transfection of the tf-1 cell line with the human protooncogen bcl-2 favors short term cell survival and does not change phenotype

La muerte celular programada (apoptosis) es un proceso controlado genéticamente. El producto del gen bcl-2 (Bcl-2) es una proteína anti apoptótica integrada a la membrana externa mitocondrial. Objetivo. El objetivo del presente trabajo fue valorar los efectos de la transfección de bcl-2 sobre la supervivencia, proliferación, fenotipo y morfología en las líneas celulares TF-1, TF-1 neo (control negativo) y TB-1 (TF-1 transfectada con bcl-2). Metodología. Para ello utilizamos el método siguiente: examen del nivel de expresión de los antígenos de superficie CD13, CD34 y c-Kit, respuesta celular al GM-CSF y capacidad de supervivencia luego del retiro del factor de viabilidad. La apoptosis fue evaluada mediante la observación del blebbing membranal a diferentes tiempos luego del retiro del suero, el factor de viabilidad GM-CSF y la tolerancia a toxinas presentes en Justicia spicigera. Resultados. La expresión ectópica de bcl-2 en las células TB-1 previno la muerte celular por apoptosis sin inducir un cambio importante en el fenotipo y morfología en ausencia de GM-CSF, suero o en presencia del extracto de Justicia spicigera. Consistente con la función de Bcl-2, encontramos que la proliferación de la línea celular TB-1 fue muy similar a la línea parental TF-1 en respuesta al GM-CSF y por lo tanto Bcl-2 no altera dicha función. El retiro de suero y GM-CSF al medio de cultivo de las líneas TF-1 y TF-1 neo, induce apoptosis en 36 h. Por el contrario, la línea TB-1 entra en apoptosis a 96 h bajo las mismas condiciones. Conclusiones. Reuniendo los resultados, éstos sugieren que Bcl-2 es un inhibidor de la apoptosis a corto plazo en la línea celular TB-1, no cambia la respuesta al GM-CSF y no afecta el nivel de expresión de otros antígenos de superficie como CD13, CD34 y c-Kit.