The absorption of bovine milk small extracellular vesicles largely depends on galectin 3 and galactose ligands in human intestinal cells and C57BL/6J mice.

Small extracellular vesicles in milk (sMEVs) have attracted attention in drug delivery and as bioactive food compounds. Previous studies implicate galactose residues on the sMEV surface in sMEV transport across intestinal and endothelial barriers in humans, but details of glycoprotein-dependent transport are unknown. We used a combination of cell biology and genetics protocols to identify glycoproteins on the sMEV surface that facilitate sMEV absorption. We identified 256 proteins on the bovine sMEVs surface by using LC-MS/MS, and bioinformatics analysis suggested that 42, 13, and 13 surface proteins were N-, O-, and 13 C-glycosylated, respectively. Lectin blots confirmed the presence of mannose, galactose, N-acetyl galactose, fucose, and neuraminate. When surface proteins were removed by various treatment with various proteases, sMEV uptake decreased by up to 58% and 67% in FHs-74 Int and Caco-2 cells, respectively, compared with controls (P < 0.05). When glycans were removed by treatment with various glycosidases, sMEV uptake decreased by up to 54% and 74% in FHs-74 Int and Caco-2 cells, respectively (P < 0.05). When galactose and N-acetyl galactosamine residues were blocked with agglutinins, sMEV uptake decreased by more than 50% in FHs-74 Int cells (P < 0.05). When bovine sMEVs were administered to Galectin-3 knockout mice by oral gavage, hepatic sMEV accumulation decreased by 56% compared with wild-type mice (P < 0.05), consistent with a role of ß-galactoside glycan structures in the absorption of sMEVs. We conclude that sMEVs are decorated with glycoproteins, and Galectin-3 and its galactose ligands are particularly important for sMEV absorption.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This is the first paper to assess the role of unique glycans and their Galectin-3 receptor in the transport and distribution of small extracellular vesicles ("exosomes") from milk in mammals. The research assessed milk exosome transport and distribution by using multiple approaches and platforms including cell cultures, various exosome labels, knockout and mutant mice, enzymatic removal of surface proteins and glycans, and lectin blocking of glycans.

Metalloproteomic Investigation of Hg-Binding Proteins in Renal Tissue of Rats Exposed to Mercury Chloride.

Results obtained from rat studies indicate that, even at low concentrations, mercurial species cause harmful effects on the kidneys, by inducing the nephrotic oxidative stress response. In the present work, Hg-associated proteins were identified as possible mercury-exposure biomarkers in rat kidneys exposed to low mercury chloride concentrations for 30 days (Hg-30) and 60 days (Hg-60), using metalloproteomic strategies. The renal proteomic profile was fractioned by two-dimensional electrophoresis and the mercury determinations in kidney samples, protein pellets and protein spots were performed using graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry. The characterization of Hg-associated protein spots and the analysis of differentially expressed proteins were performed by liquid chromatography, coupled with tandem mass spectrometry. Eleven Hg-associated protein spots with a concentration range of 79 ± 1 to 750 ± 9 mg kg-1 in the Hg-60 group were identified. The characterization and expression analyses allowed the identification of 53 proteins that were expressed only in the Hg-60 group, 13 "upregulated" proteins (p > 0.95) and 47 "downregulated" proteins (p < 0.05). Actin isoforms and hemoglobin subunits were identified in protein spots of the Hg-60 group, with mercury concentrations in the range of 138 to 750 mg kg-1, which qualifies these proteins as potential mercury-exposure biomarkers.

Ultrasonication of Milk Decreases the Content of Exosomes and MicroRNAs in an Exosome-Defined Rodent Diet.

BACKGROUND: Bovine milk exosomes (BMEs) harbor regulatory proteins, lipids, and microRNAs. Consumption of an exosome- and RNA-depleted (ERD) diet elicited phenotypes compared with controls fed an exosome- and RNA-sufficient (ERS) diet in mice. All other ingredients were identical in the diets. ERD and ERS diets were prepared by substituting ultrasonicated and nonultrasonicated milk, respectively, for casein in the AIN-93G formulation. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to assess the effect of ultrasonication of milk on exosome content and bioavailability, and cargo content. METHODS: Bovine milk was ultrasonicated and exosomes were isolated by ultracentrifugation [ultrasonicated exosomes (USEs)]; controls were not ultrasonicated [nonultrasonicated exosomes (NSEs)]. Exosome count, size, and morphology were assessed using a nanoparticle tracker and electron microscopy. RNAs, lipids, and proteins were analyzed by RNA sequencing and MS. Intestinal transport, bioavailability, and distribution were measured by using fluorophore-labeled USEs and NSEs in Caco-2 cells, FHs 74 Int cells, and C57BL/6J mice (n = 3; age: 6-8 wk). RESULTS: The exosome count was 76% ± 22% lower in USEs than in NSEs (P < 0.05). Ultrasonication caused a degradation of ≤100% of microRNAs. USEs and NSEs contained 145 and 332 unique lipid signatures, respectively (P < 0.05). We detected a total of 525 and 484 proteins in USEs and NSEs, respectively. The uptake of USEs decreased by 46% ± 30% and 40% ± 27% compared with NSEs in Caco-2 and FHs 74 Int cells, respectively (P < 0.05). The hepatic accumulation of USEs was 48% ± 28% lower than the accumulation of NSEs in mice (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Ultrasonication of milk depletes bioavailable BMEs in studies of Caco-2 cells, FHs 74 Int cells, and C57BL/6J mice and causes a near-complete degradation of microRNA cargos.

Mercury metalloproteomic profile in muscle tissue of Arapaima gigas from the Brazilian Amazon.

Metalloproteomics is an innovative methodology for identifying of protein-associated mercury. Thus, we analyzed the muscle proteome of Arapaima gigas (pirarucu), collected in the Madeira River of the Brazilian Amazon, to identify protein-associated mercury, with the aim of identifying possible mercury biomarkers in fish muscle tissue. After obtaining the protein pellet, we conducted two-dimensional electrophoresis (2D PAGE) to fractionate the muscle proteome. Total mercury in muscle tissue and protein pellets and mapping of mercury content in protein spots of the 2D PAGE gels was determined using graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS). The protein-associated mercury identification was performed using liquid chromatography coupled with sequence mass spectrometry (LC‒MS/MS). Total mercury determinations by GFAAS indicated concentrations on the order of 153 ± 1.90 mg kg-1 and 142 ± 1.50 mg kg-1 (total precipitation of protein fraction) and 139 ± 1.45 mg kg-1 (fractional precipitation of protein fraction) in muscle tissue and protein pellets, respectively. Mercury concentrations in the range of 48 ± 0.90 to 165 ± 3.00 mg kg-1 were found in twelve protein spots. Among the 2D PAGE protein spots, eleven Hg-binding proteins were identified using LC‒MS/MS, which showed characteristics of mercury exposure biomarkers for important metabolic functions, such as five parvalbumin isoforms, triosephosphate isomerase, cofilin 2 (muscle), and fructose-bisphosphate aldolases.

Isolation of extracellular vesicles from byproducts of cheesemaking by tangential flow filtration yields heterogeneous fractions of nanoparticles.

Extracellular vesicles (EV) in milk, particularly exosomes, have attracted considerable attention as bioactive food compounds and for their use in drug delivery. The utility of small EV in milk (sMEV) as an animal feed additive and in drug delivery would be enhanced by cost-effective large-scale protocols for the enrichment of sMEV from byproducts in dairy plants. Here, we tested the hypothesis that sMEV may be enriched from byproducts of cheesemaking by tangential flow filtration (EV-FF) and that the sMEV have properties similar to sMEV prepared by ultracentrifugation (sMEV-UC). Three fractions of EV were purified from the whey fraction of cottage cheese making by using EV-FF that passed through a membrane with a 50-kDa cutoff (50 penetrate; 50P), and subfractions of 50P that were retained (100 retentate; 100R) or passed through (100 penetrate; 100P) a membrane with a 100-kDa cutoff; sMEV-UC controls were prepared by serial ultracentrifugation. The abundance of sMEV (<200 nm) was less than 0.3% in EV-FF compared with sMEV-UC (1012/mL of milk). Despite the low EV count, the protein content (mg/mL) of 100R (63 ± 0.02; ± standard deviation) was higher than that of 50P (0.75 ± 0.10), 100P (0.65 ± 0.40), and sMEV-UC (27 ± 0.02). There were 17, 14, 35, and 75 distinct proteins detected by nontargeted mass spectrometry analysis in 50P, 100R, 100P, and sMEV-UC, respectively. Exosome markers CD9, CD63, CD81, HSP-70, PDCD6IP, and TSG101 were detected in control sMEV-UC but not in EV-FF by using targeted mass spectrometry and immunoblot analyses. Negative exosome markers, APOB, ß-integrin, and histone H3 were below the limit of detection in EV-FF and control sMEV-UC analyzed by immunoblotting. The abundance of the major milk fat globule protein butyrophilin showed the following pattern: 100R ≫ 100P = 50P > sMEV-UC. More than 100 mature microRNA were detected in sMEV-UC by using sequencing analysis, compared with 36 to 60 microRNA in EV-FF. Only 100R and sMEV-UC yielded mRNA in quantities and qualities sufficient for sequencing analysis; an average of 276,000 and 838,000 reads were mapped to approximately 14,600 and 18,500 genes in 100R and sMEV-UC, respectively. In principal component analysis, microRNA, mRNA, and protein in EV-FF preparations clustered separately from control sMEV-UC. We conclude that under the conditions used here, flow filtration yields a heterogeneous population of milk EV.

Changes in lipid profiles of epileptic mouse model.

INTRODUCTION: Approximately 1% of the world's population is impacted by epilepsy, a chronic neurological disorder characterized by seizures. One-third of epileptic patients are resistant to AEDs, or have medically refractory epilepsy (MRE). One non-invasive treatment that exists for MRE includes the ketogenic diet, a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet. Despite the KD's success in seizure attenuation, it has a few risks and its mechanisms remain poorly understood. The KD has been shown to improve metabolism and mitochondrial function in epileptic phenotypes. Potassium channels have implications in epileptic conditions as they have dual roles as metabolic sensors and control neuronal excitation. OBJECTIVES: The goal of this study was to explore changes in the lipidome in hippocampal and cortical tissue from Kv1.1-KO model of epilepsy. METHODS: FT-ICR/MS analysis was utilized to examine nonpolar metabolome of cortical and hippocampal tissue isolated from a Kv1.1 channel knockout mouse model of epilepsy (n = 5) and wild-type mice (n = 5). RESULTS: Distinct metabolic profiles were observed, significant (p < 0.05) features in hippocampus often being upregulated (FC ≥ 2) and the cortex being downregulated (FC ≤ 0.5). Pathway enrichment analysis shows lipid biosynthesis was affected. Partition ratio analysis revealed that the ratio of most metabolites tended to be increased in Kv1.1-/-. Metabolites in hippocampal tissue were commonly upregulated, suggesting seizure initiation in the hippocampus. Aberrant mitochondrial function is implicated by the upregulation of cardiolipin, a common component in the mitochondrial membrane. CONCLUSION: Generally, our study finds that the lipidome is changed in the hippocampus and cortex in response to Kv1.1-KO indicating changes in membrane structural integrity and synaptic transmission.

Validity of plasma collection cards for ferritin assessment-A proof-of-concept study.

OBJECTIVES: Iron depletion is common around the world and among certain risk groups in developed countries. The overall purpose was to test the suitability of a novel plasma collection card for minimally invasive iron status assessment. METHODS: Twenty participants (10 f/10 m) participated in this cross-sectional study. Ferritin and hemoglobin were measured from blood collected from a forearm vein, serving as reference method. Blood was also collected from the fingertip using the NoviplexTM Plasma Prep Card as well as capillary collection tubes. RESULTS: There was substantial concordance between ferritin measured from samples collected via NoviplexTM and venous ferritin (concordance correlation coefficient (CCC) = 0.96) with a mean bias of -0.8 ng/mL. Storing NoviplexTM cards at room temperature for 2 weeks resulted in slightly lower but good concordance when compared to venous ferritin (CCC = 0.95). Capillary hemoglobin (CCC = 0.42) and hematocrit (CCC = 0.25) were in poor agreement with venous data. CONCLUSIONS: NoviplexTM cards offer a suitable alternative for a minimally invasive ferritin screening in the field when compared to capillary collection tubes. Despite overall substantial concordance with the reference method, findings indicative of iron status abnormalities should be confirmed in venous samples.

Metallomics in Fish.

Metallomics allows the integration of traditionally analytical studies with inorganic and biochemical studies. The study of metallomics in living organisms allows us to obtain information about how the metal ion is distributed and coordinated with proteins, the essentiality and/or toxicity, and the individual concentrations of metal species, thus contributing to elucidation of the physiological and functional aspects of these biomolecules. In this context, several lines of research have appeared in the literature with different terms and approaches. For example, metallomic, which deals with the characterization of the total metal/metalloid species present in an organism; metalloprotein, which deals with the characterization of the total elements present in a specific site of an organism (cellular behavior, protein, metalloprotein); and metallomic, which deals with a more in-depth study of metallome. In this area, information is sought on the interactions and functional connections of metal/metalloid species with genes, proteins, metabolites and other biomolecules of the organism and, therefore, the elucidation of the biological role exerted by the metal ions bound to the biomolecules. In this chapter, we will describe techniques used in animal studies.

Green tea supplementation upregulates uncoupling protein 3 expression in severe obese women adipose tissue but does not promote weight loss.

This study aims (i) to verify expression of the UCPs, PLIN1, PPARG2, and ADRB3 genes in the abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue of obese women at baseline and after 8 weeks of supplementation with decaffeinated green tea extract, and (ii) to associate findings with clinical parameters. This is a longitudinal study during which 11 women with obesity grade III were submitted to supplementation with 450 mg of (-)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) (intervention group); the control group consisted of 10 eutrophic women. Anthropometric parameters [weight, height, and body mass index (BMI)], resting metabolic rate (RMR, measured by indirect calorimetry), and gene expression (measured by real-time PCR, RT-qPCR) were determined before and after supplementation. After 8 weeks, clinical parameters and UCP1, PLIN1, PPARG2, and ADRB3 expression remained unaltered in the intervention group (p > .05). Genetic analysis also showed that the UCP3 gene was upregulated (p = .026), but its upregulation did not promote weight loss.

Revealing oxidative damage to enzymes of carbohydrate metabolism in yeast: An integration of 2D DIGE, quantitative proteomics, and bioinformatics.

Clinical usage of lidocaine, a pro-oxidant has been linked with severe, mostly neurological complications. The mechanism(s) causing these complications is independent of the blockade of voltage-gated sodium channels. The budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae lacks voltage-gated sodium channels, thus provides an ideal system to investigate lidocaine-induced protein and pathway alterations. Whole-proteome alterations leading to these complications have not been identified. To address this, S. cerevisiae was grown to stationary phase and exposed to an LC50 dose of lidocaine. The differential proteomes of lidocaine treatment and control were resolved 6 h post exposure using 2D DIGE. Amine reactive dyes and carbonyl reactive dyes were used to assess protein abundance and protein oxidation, respectively. Quantitative analysis of these dyes (⩾ 1.5-fold alteration, p ⩽ 0.05) revealed a total of 33 proteoforms identified by MS differing in abundance and/or oxidation upon lidocaine exposure. Network analysis showed enrichment of apoptotic proteins and cell wall maintenance proteins, while the abundance of proteins central to carbohydrate metabolism, such as triosephosphate isomerase and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, and redox proteins superoxide dismutase and peroxiredoxin were significantly decreased. Enzymes of carbohydrate metabolism, such as phosphoglycerate kinase and enolase, the TCA cycle enzyme aconitase, and multiple ATP synthase subunits were found to be oxidatively modified. Also, the activity of aconitase was found to be decreased. Overall, these data suggest that toxic doses of lidocaine induce significant disruption of glycolytic pathways, energy production, and redox balance, potentially leading to cell malfunction and death.

Effect of Zinc Supplementation on Serological Response to Vaccination Against Streptococcus Pneumoniae in Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy for Colorectal Cancer.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of zinc supplementation on the antibody titer and the 23-valent pneumococcal seroconversion after vaccination in patients undergoing chemotherapy for colorectal cancer. The study included 25 patients undergoing postsurgery chemotherapy for colorectal adenocarcinoma (chemo group). Subjects were assessed in the perioperative period (prevaccination), before chemotherapy (4th wk) and after 3 cycles of chemotherapy (16th wk). Thirty-two healthy volunteers (control group) were included in the study. Participants received the 23-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, and capsules containing zinc (Zn) sulfate (70 mg daily) or identical placebo capsules (containing wheat starch with no added Zn) for 16 wk and were randomly allocated on one of the following groups: chemo-Zn (n = 10), chemo-placebo (n = 15), control-Zn (n = 21), and control-placebo (n = 11). The antipneumococcal antibody titer against 6 polysaccharides was analyzed by ELISA and compared using linear mixed models. The seroconversion rate was compared using Fisher's exact test. An immune response to the vaccination against pneumococcus was observed in all participants. In the 16th wk, the polysaccharide 6 concentration was lower in the chemo-Zn group [2.96 (1.74-5.03) µg/mL] compared with the Chemo-Placebo group [10.75 (5.37-21.54) µg/mL] and the seroconversion rate was lower in the chemo-placebo (36%) compared with the control-placebo (85%) (P = 0.027). Zinc supplementation did not change the antibody titer after vaccination. However, the lower seroconversion rate observed in the chemo-placebo suggests an influence of zinc in the vaccinal protection.

Determination of the Mercury Fraction Linked to Protein of Muscle and Liver Tissue of Tucunaré (Cichla spp.) from the Amazon Region of Brazil.

This study used metalloproteomic techniques to characterize mercury (Hg)-bound proteins in the muscle and liver tissue of Tucunaré (Cichla spp.) collected at the Jirau Hydroelectric Power Plant in Madeira River Basin, Brazil. The proteome of the muscle and liver tissue was obtained after two steps of fractional precipitation and separating the proteins by 2-D polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Hg was identified and quantified in the protein spots by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry after acid mineralization in an ultrasound bath. Hg with a molecular weight <20 kDa and a concentration between 13.30 and 33.40 mg g(-1) was found in the protein spots. These protein spots were characterized by electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry after trypsin digestion. From a total of 12 analyzed spots, seven proteins showing Hg biomarker characteristics were identified: parvalbumin and its isoforms, ubiquitin-40S ribosomal protein S27a, zinc (Zn) finger and BTB domain-containing protein 24, and dual-specificity protein phosphatase 22-B.

Energy restriction and impact on indirect calorimetry and oxidative stress in cardiac tissue in rat.

Caloric restriction, defined as a reduction in calorie intake below ad libitum, without malnutrition can have beneficial effects. In this study, we evaluated the impact of caloric restriction of 30 and 60% on calorimetric parameters and oxidative stress in cardiac tissue in rats. Rats were randomly divided into 3 groups (n = 8): G1 = control; G2 = rats exposed to dietary restriction of 30%; and G3 = rats exposed to dietary restriction of 60%. Energy restriction decreased final body weight, oxidation of carbohydrates and lipid, oxygen consumption (VO2), carbon dioxide production (VCO2), resting metabolic rate (RMR), but elevated respiratory quotient (RQ). G3 animals also displayed an imbalance in the oxidant/antioxidant system, as revealed by the decrease in the lipid hydroperoxide (LH) level and GSH-Px activity in heart tissue. In conclusion, dietary restriction decreased oxidative metabolism, as seen by the colorimetric profiles and controlled oxidative stress in cardiac tissue.

Rutin ameliorates glycemic index, lipid profile and enzymatic activities in serum, heart and liver tissues of rats fed with a combination of hypercaloric diet and chronic ethanol consumption.

Alcoholism and obesity are strongly associated with several disorders including heart and liver diseases. This study evaluated the effects of rutin treatment in serum, heart and liver tissues of rats subjected to a combination of hypercaloric diet (HD) and chronic ethanol consumption. Rats were divided into three groups: Control: rats fed a standard diet and drinking water ad libitum; G1: rats fed the HD and receiving a solution of 10% (v/v) ethanol; and G2: rats fed the HD and ethanol solution, followed by injections of 50 mg/kg(-1) rutin as treatment. After 53 days of HD and ethanol exposure, the rutin was administered every three days for nine days. At the end of the experimental period (95 days), biochemical analyses were carried out on sera, cardiac and hepatic tissues. Body weight gain and food consumption were reduced in both the G1 and G2 groups compared to control animals. Rutin effectively reduced the total lipids (TL), triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), VLDL, LDL-cholesterol and glucose levels, while it increased the HDL-cholesterol in the serum of G2 rats, compared to G1. Although rutin had no effect on total protein, albumin, uric acid and cretinine levels, it was able to restore serum activities of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and creatine kinase (CK) in animals fed HD and receiving ethanol. Glycogen stores were replenished in both hepatic and cardiac tissues after rutin treatment. Moreover, rutin consistently reduced hepatic levels of TG and TC and cardiac AST, ALT and CK activities. Thus, rutin treatment was effective in reducing the risk factors for cardiac and hepatic disease caused by both HD and chronic ethanol consumption.

Influence of treatment with quercetin on lipid parameters and oxidative stress of pregnant diabetic rats.

Among the numerous coadjuvant therapies that could influence the incidence and progression of diabetic complications, antioxidants and flavonoids are currently being tested in clinical trials. We investigated the effect of quercetin on biochemical parameters in streptozotocin-induced (60 mg/kg body mass, by intraperitoneal injection) diabetic rats. A total of 32 female Wistar rats were distributed among 4 groups as follows: control (G1); control treated with quercetin (G2); diabetic (G3); and diabetic treated with quercetin (G4). Quercetin administered to pregnant diabetic rats controlled dyslipidemia and improved lipid profiles in diabetes mellitus, regulated oxidative stress by reducing the generation of lipid hydroperoxides, and increased the activity of the antioxidant enzyme glutathione peroxidase.

Collection of Plasma Samples in Areas with Limited Healthcare Access.

Regular monitoring of various biomarkers and molecular panels in plasma can significantly help to prevent disease onset and improve its management and final outcomes. Many groups can benefit from monitoring programs focusing on the prevention of cardiovascular diseases, evaluation of environmental exposure impacts, or the prevention/management of cancer. Improvement in therapeutic options in part due to targeted therapeutic agents and monoclonal antibody therapies has led to a significant sized population that can be described as "cancer survivors." These patients, although in remission from their original disease, are at significant risk for the recurring disease and must be monitored for adverse events. Monitoring is, however, not an easy task; requiring a high level of complexity in lab facilities and blood/plasma sampling, collection, and storage must occur under tightly controlled conditions. These demanding circumstances are especially difficult to attain in rural areas and in historically marginalized populations. The Telimmune Plasma Separation Card (TPS card or TPSC) has been developed to enable diagnostic plasma sampling, collection, and stabilization in locations that may be remote to laboratory or clinic. The TPSC requires a drop of blood applied to a top of a separation system consisting of a separation membrane and collection disk. In 3 min, the TPSC device separates plasma from erythrocytes and deposits a defined volume of plasma into a collection disc which is air-dried for 15 min to deliver a stabilized, volumetric plasma sample, which may be stored or shipped at ambient temperatures with minimal biological risk. Extraction of proteins and metabolites is then achieved in well-equipped laboratories using protocols discussed in this chapter.

Comparative polar and lipid plasma metabolomics differentiate KSHV infection and disease states.

BACKGROUND: Kaposi sarcoma (KS) is a neoplastic disease etiologically associated with infection by the Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV). KS manifests primarily as cutaneous lesions in individuals due to either age (classical KS), HIV infection (epidemic KS), or tissue rejection preventatives in transplantation (iatrogenic KS) but can also occur in individuals, predominantly in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), lacking any obvious immune suppression (endemic KS). The high endemicity of KSHV and human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV) co-infection in Africa results in KS being one of the top 5 cancers there. As with most viral cancers, infection with KSHV alone is insufficient to induce tumorigenesis. Indeed, KSHV infection of primary human endothelial cell cultures, even at high levels, is rarely associated with long-term culture, transformation, or growth deregulation, yet infection in vivo is sustained for life. Investigations of immune mediators that distinguish KSHV infection, KSHV/HIV co-infection, and symptomatic KS disease have yet to reveal consistent correlates of protection against or progression to KS. In addition to viral infection, it is plausible that pathogenesis also requires an immunological and metabolic environment permissive to the abnormal endothelial cell growth evident in KS tumors. In this study, we explored whether plasma metabolomes could differentiate asymptomatic KSHV-infected individuals with or without HIV co-infection and symptomatic KS from each other. METHODS: To investigate how metabolic changes may correlate with co-infections and tumorigenesis, plasma samples derived from KSHV seropositive sub-Saharan African subjects in three groups, (A) asymptomatic (lacking neoplastic disease) with KSHV infection only, (B) asymptomatic co-infected with KSHV and HIV, and (C) symptomatic with clinically diagnosed KS, were subjected to analysis of lipid and polar metabolite profiles RESULTS: Polar and nonpolar plasma metabolic differentials were evident in both comparisons. Integration of the metabolic findings with our previously reported KS transcriptomics data suggests dysregulation of amino acid/urea cycle and purine metabolic pathways, in concert with viral infection in KS disease progression. CONCLUSIONS: This study is, to our knowledge, the first to report human plasma metabolic differentials between in vivo KSHV infection and co-infection with HIV, as well as differentials between co-infection and epidemic KS.

Metalloproteomic approach to liver tissue of rats exposed to mercury.

The aims of this study were to identify mercury-associated protein spots in the liver tissue of rats exposed to low concentrations of mercury and to elucidate the physiological and functional aspects of the proteins identified in the protein spots. Therefore, proteomic analysis of the liver tissue of Wistar rats exposed to mercury chloride (4.60 µg kg-1 in Hg2+) was performed for thirty days (Hg-30 group) and sixty days (Hg-60 group). The proteomic profile of the liver tissue of the rats was obtained by two-dimensional electrophoresis (2D-PAGE), and the determinations of total mercury in the liver tissue, pellets and protein spots were performed by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS). ImageMaster 2D Platinum 7.0 software was used to identify the differentially expressed mercury-associated protein spots, which were then characterized by liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The determinations by GFAAS indicated a total mercury bioaccumulation of 2812% in the Hg-30 group and 3298% in the Hg-60 group and 10 mercury-associated protein spots with a concentration range of 51 ± 1.0 to 412 ± 6.00 mg kg-1 in the 2D PAGE gels from the liver tissue of the Hg-60 group. The LC-MS/MS analyses allowed the identification of 11 metal binding proteins in mercury-associated protein spots that presented fold change with upregulation >1.5, downregulation < -1.7 or that were expressed only in the Hg-60 group. Using the FASTA sequences of the proteins identified in the mercury-associated protein spots, bioinformatics analyses were performed to elucidate the physiological and functional aspects of the metal binding proteins, allowing us to infer that enzymes such as GSTM2 presented greater mercury concentrations and downregulation < -3; Acaa2 and Bhmt, which showed expression only in the Hg-60 group, among others, may act as potential mercury exposure biomarkers.

First Isolation and Genome Sequence Analysis of West Nile Virus in Mosquitoes in Brazil.

West Nile virus is a flavivirus transmitted by mosquitoes, mainly of the genus Culex. In Brazil, serological studies have already indicated the circulation of the virus since 2003, with the first human case detected in 2014. The objective of the present paper is to report the first isolation of WNV in a Culex (Melanoconion) mosquito. Arthropods were collected by protected human attraction and CDC light bait, and taxonomically identified and analyzed by viral isolation, complement fixation and genomic sequencing tests. WNV was isolated from samples of Culex (Melanoconion) mosquitoes, and the sequencing analysis demonstrated that the isolated strain belonged to lineage 1a. The finding of the present study presents the first evidence of the isolation and genome sequencing of WNV in arthropods in Brazil.

The effects of mercury exposure on Amazonian fishes: An investigation of potential biomarkers.

Exposure to mercury can interfere with the expression of proteins and enzymes, compromise important pathways, such as apoptosis and glucose metabolism, and even induce the expression of metallothioneins. In this study, analytical techniques were used to determine the concentration of total mercury (THg) in muscle and liver tissue, protein pellets, and spots [using graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS)], and molecular techniques were used to identify metalloproteins present in mercury-associated protein spots. Thirty individuals from three different fish species, Cichla sp. (n = 10), Brachyplatystoma filamentosum (n = 10), and Semaprochilodus sp. (n = 10) from the Brazilian Amazon were used. Oxidative stress indicators [such as glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), a marker of lipid peroxidation (LPO)] and the possible expression of metallothioneins in muscle and liver tissues were investigated. The two piscivorous species, Cichla sp. and B. filamentosum, presented the highest concentrations of mercury in their hepatic tissue, 1219 ± 15.00 and 1044 ± 13.6 µg kg-1, respectively, and in their muscle tissue, 101 ± 1.30 µg kg-1 and 87.4 ± 0.900 µg kg-1, respectively. The non-carnivorous species Semaprochilodus sp. had comparatively low concentrations of mercury in both its hepatic (852 ± 11.1 µg kg-1) and muscle (71.4 ± 0.930 µg kg-1) tissues. The presence of mercury was identified in 24 protein spots using GFAAS; concentrations ranged from 11.5 to 787 µg kg-1, and mass spectrometry identified 21 metal-binding proteins. The activities of GSH-Px, CAT, and SOD, related to oxidative stress, decreased proportionally as tissue Hg concentrations increased, while the levels of LPO markers increased, indicating the presence of stress. Our study results demonstrate possible mercury interference in oxidative stress markers (GSH-Px, CAT, SOD, and LPO), in addition to the identification of 21 metal-binding proteins as possible biomarkers of mercury exposure in fish.