Increased IL17A, IFNG, and FOXP3 Transcripts in Moderate-Severe Psoriasis: A Major Influence Exerted by IL17A in Disease Severity.

Psoriasis is a chronic and recurrent dermatitis, mediated by keratinocytes and T cells. Several proinflammatory cytokines contribute to formation and maintenance of psoriatic plaque. The Th1/Th17 pathways and some of IL-1 family members were involved in psoriasis pathogenesis and could contribute to disease activity. Therefore, we sought to analyse skin transcript levels of IL17A, IL22, RORC, IL8, IFNG, IL33, IL36A, FOXP3, and IL10 and correlate with clinic of patients with plaque-type psoriasis. In order to conduct that, we collected punch biopsies from lesional skin and obtained tissue RNA. After reverse transcription, qRT-PCR quantified the relative mRNA expression. The main results revealed increased transcripts levels of IL17A, IFNG, and FOXP3 in moderate-severe patients. Despite this, only IL17A can increase the chance to worsen disease severity. We also observed many significant positive correlations between each transcript. In conclusion, IL17A is elevated in lesional skin from psoriasis patients and plays crucial role in disease severity.

Antimicrobial resistance and detection of the mecA gene besides enterotoxin-encoding genes among coagulase-negative Staphylococci isolated from clam meat of Anomalocardia brasiliana.

The marine clam Anomalocardia brasiliana is a candidate as a sentinel animal to monitor the contamination levels of coliforms in shellfish-harvesting areas of Brazil's northeastern region. The aim of the present study was to search enterotoxin-encoding genes plus the mecA gene among coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) isolates from shellfish meats of A. brasiliana. The specimen clam (n=48; 40 clams per sample) was collected during low tide in the bay area of Mangue Seco from April through June 2009, and random samples of chilled and frozen shelled clam meat (n=33; 250 g per sample) were obtained from retail shops from January through March 2012. Seventy-nine CNS isolates were identified, including Staphylococcus xylosus, S. cohnii spp. urealyticus, S. sciuri, and S. lentus. A high percentage of isolates resistant to erythromycin (58.5%), penicillin (51.2%), and tetracycline (43.9%), and the fluoroquinolones levofloxacin (39%) and ciprofloxacin (34.1%) were recorded from those environmental samples. Isolates from retail shops were particularly resistant to oxacillin (55.3%) and penicillin (36.8%). All CNS resistant to oxacillin and/or cefoxitin were positive for the presence of the mecA gene, but phenotypically susceptible to vancomycin. Also, the enterotoxin-encoding genes seg and seh were detected through multiplex-polymerase chain reaction in 77.7% and 88.8% of the isolates from environmental samples, versus 90.5% and 100% of the isolates from retail shops, respectively. The data reveal the risk to public health due to consuming raw or undercooked shellfish containing enterotoxigenic plus methicillin-resistant CNS.