Dental development of Didelphis albiventris (Marsupialia): I - incisors and canines

Estudou-se o desenvolvimento dos dentes incisivos e caninos em 76 amostras de Didelphis albiventris com idade entre 0 e 100 dias. Cortes transversais, seriados de 6 µm de espessura foram obtidos da região da maxila, corados com Hematoxilina e Eosina e analisados ao microscópio de luz. Verificou-se que o período estudado abrange todo o desenvolvimento dental, desde a fase de iniciação da interação epitélio/mesenquima até a completa formação e erupção dos incisivos e caninos. O espessamento do epitélio oral dá origem aos incisivos e caninos funcionais, enquanto o epitélio dental externo do órgão dental origina uma lâmina dental secundária, a qual sofre degeneração, quando o dente alcança o estágio de botão. Não há vestígios de dentição decídua. Sugere-se que a lâmina dental secundária é remanescente de uma condição primitiva na qual ocorria dentição secundária.

Identification of immunodominant epitopes of Schistosoma mansoni vaccine candidate antigens using human T cells

Paramyosin and Sm14 are two of the six antigens selected by the World Health Organization as candidates to compose a subunit vaccine against schistosomiasis. Both antigens are recognized by individuals naturally resistant to Schistosoma mansoni infection and induced protective immunity in the murine model. Three Sm14 epitopes and eleven paramyosin epitopes were selected by their ability to bind to different HLA-DR molecules using the TEPITOPE computer program, and these peptides were synthetically produced. The cellular recognition of Sm14 and paramyosin epitopes by peripheral blood mononuclear cells of individuals living in endemic area for schistosomiasis was tested by T cell proliferation assay. Among all Sm14 and paramyosin epitopes studied, Sm14-3 was preferentially recognized by individuals naturally resistant to S. mansoni infection while Para-5 was preferentially recognized by individuals resistant to reinfection. These two peptides represent promising antigens to be used in an experimental vaccine against schistosomiasis, since their preferential recognition by resistant individuals suggest their involvement in the induction of protective immunity.

Immunological properties of gene vaccines delivered by different routes

Gene vaccines represent a new and promising approach to control infectious diseases, inducing a protective immune response in the appropriate host. Several routes and methods of genetic immunization have been shown to induce antibody production as well as T helper (Th) cell and cytotoxic T lymphocyte activation. However, few studies have compared the nature of the immune responses generated by different gene vaccination delivery systems. In the present study we reviewed some aspects of immunity induced by gene immunization and compared the immune responses produced by intramuscular (im) DNA injection to gene gun-mediated DNA transfer into the skin of BALB/c mice. Using a reporter gene coding for ß-galactosidase, we have demonstrated that im injection raised a predominantly Th1 response with mostly IgG2a anti-ßgal produced, while gene gun immunization induced a mixed Th1/Th2 profile with a balanced production of IgG2a and IgG1 subclasses. Distinct types of immune responses were generated by different methods of gene delivery. These findings have important implications for genetic vaccine design. Firstly, a combination between these two systems may create optimal conditions for the induction of a broad-based immune response. Alternatively, a particular gene vaccine delivery method might be used according to the immune response required for host protection. Here, we describe the characteristics of the immune response induced by gene vaccination and the properties of DNA involved in this process