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1.
Molecules ; 27(11)2022 Jun 04.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35684550

RESUMO

Withania aristata (Aiton) Pauquy, a medicinal plant endemic to North African Sahara, is widely employed in traditional herbal pharmacotherapy. In the present study, the chemical composition, antioxidant, antibacterial, and antifungal potencies of extract from the roots of Withania aristata (Aiton) Pauquy (RWA) against drug-resistant microbes were investigated. Briefly, RWA was obtained by maceration with hydro-ethanol and its compounds were identified by use of high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The antioxidant activity of RWA was determined by use of ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), and total antioxidant capacity (TAC). The evaluation of the antimicrobial potential of RWA was performed against drug-resistant pathogenic microbial strains of clinical importance by use of the disc diffusion agar and microdilution assays. Seven compounds were identified in RWA according to HPLC analysis, including cichoric acid, caffeic acid, apigenin, epicatechin, luteolin, quercetin, and p-catechic acid. RWA had excellent antioxidant potency with calculated values of 14.0 ± 0.8 µg/mL (DPPH), 0.37 ± 0.08 mg/mL (FRAP), 760 ± 10 mg AAE/g (TAC), and 81.4% (ß-carotene). RWA demonstrated good antibacterial potential against both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, with inhibition zone diameters ranging from 15.24 ± 1.31 to 19.51 ± 0.74 mm, while all antibiotics used as drug references were infective, except for Oxacillin against S. aureus. Results of the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) assay against bacteria showed that RWA had MIC values ranging from 2.13 to 4.83 mg/mL compared to drug references, which had values ranging from 0.031 ± 0.003 to 0.064 ± 0.009 mg/mL. Similarly, respectable antifungal potency was recorded against the fungal strains with inhibition zone diameters ranging from 25.65 ± 1.14 to 29.00 ± 1.51 mm compared to Fluconazole, used as a drug reference, which had values ranging from 31.69 ± 1.92 to 37.74 ± 1.34 mg/mL. Results of MIC assays against fungi showed that RWA had MIC values ranging from 2.84 ± 0.61 to 5.71 ± 0.54 mg/mL compared to drug references, which had values ranging from 2.52 ± 0.03 to 3.21 ± 0.04 mg/mL. According to these outcomes, RWA is considered a promising source of chemical compounds with potent biological properties that can be beneficial as natural antioxidants and formulate a valuable weapon in the fight against a broad spectrum of pathogenic microbes.


Assuntos
Anti-Infecciosos , Withania , Antibacterianos/análise , Antibacterianos/farmacologia , Anti-Infecciosos/química , Antifúngicos/farmacologia , Antioxidantes/química , Testes de Sensibilidade Microbiana , Extratos Vegetais/química , Extratos Vegetais/farmacologia , Staphylococcus aureus , Withania/química
2.
Hemoglobin ; 44(2): 78-81, 2020 Mar.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32448003

RESUMO

Hb F modulates sickle cell disease. Five major haplotypes of the ß-globin gene cluster are associated with sickle cell disease. In the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia, the Arab-Indian (AI) is most common. Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotyping (rs3834466, rs28440105, rs10128556, and rs968857) was carried out by nuclease allelic discrimination assay with target-specific forward and reverse primers, TaqMan probes, labeled with VIC and FAM. In 778 patients with sickle cell disease from the Eastern Province, a haplotype was assigned to 90.9% of all samples; 9.1% were classified as compound heterozygotes for the AI and an atypical haplotype. The distribution of haplotypes for 746 Hb S (HBB: c.20A > T) homozygotes was: 614 AI/AI, nine SEN/SEN (Senegal), 42 SEN/AI, nine CAM/CAM (Cameroon), one CAR (Central African Republic)/BEN (Benin), 71 AI/atypical. In Hb S/ß-thalassemia (Hb S/ß-thal), the distribution of Hb S haplotypes was: 22 AI/AI, one CAM/CAM, four AI/SEN, five AI/atypical. Mean Hb F in the haplotypes was: AI/AI 16.6 ± 7.5%, CAM/CAM 8.0 ± 4.1%, SEN/SEN 11.0 ± 5.1%, SEN/AI 15.1 ± 4.6%, AI/atypical 16.2 ± 6.5%. The presence of the SEN and CAM haplotypes was unexpected due to the apparent homogeneity of the population of the Eastern Province. We have successfully classified sickle cell disease haplotypes using the relatively inexpensive TaqMan assay for the first time. In addition, we have previously shown that children with AI haplotype have Hb F of 30.0% and mild disease, while in our cohort of adult AI patients, which might be the largest yet reported, Hb F was about 16.6%.


Assuntos
Anemia Falciforme/genética , Hemoglobina Falciforme/genética , Polimorfismo de Nucleotídeo Único , Adolescente , Adulto , Idoso , Idoso de 80 Anos ou mais , Anemia Falciforme/epidemiologia , Criança , Pré-Escolar , Feminino , Haplótipos , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Prevalência , Arábia Saudita/epidemiologia , Adulto Jovem , Globinas beta/genética
4.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-22571529

RESUMO

The present work was aimed to study the activity of nano-particulated ZnO and nano Pd doped nano-ZnO against Aspergillus and Candida species, commonly contaminating the water supply systems. Micro-ZnO was purchased from the market (Aldrich, USA) while nano ZnO were synthesized using sole gel and precipitation methods and their morphology was determined using XRD and TEM techniques. The average grain size of nano-ZnO estimated by these techniques was 30 nm and 20 nm, respectively. The doping of nano-ZnO with 5 % Pd was achieved by a thermal decomposition method and its morphology; as characterized by XRD, TEM and FESEM techniques; gave an average grain size of 35 nm. Serial dilutions of nano-ZnO doped with 5 % Pd, pure nano-ZnO and micro-ZnO (as a control) were prepared from 10 mg/mL stock solution of each in dermasel agar (OXOID), inoculated with standard strains of Candida albicans and Aspergillus niger and incubated at 37°C for 24 and 48 hours, respectively. Their antimicrobial effect was compared by the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC), determined as the dilution giving a negligible growth of microorganism. Nano-ZnO doped with 5 % nano-Pd, pure nano-ZnO and micro-ZnO, showed antifungal activity against Aspergilus niger with an MIC of 1.25, 2.5 and 5mg/mL, respectively. However, Candida albicans yeasts were relatively resistant to these compounds, with an MIC of 2.5, 5 and 10 mg/mL for Pd doped nano-ZnO, nano-ZnO and micro-ZnO, respectively. Thus nano-ZnO was twice as potent in killing Aspergillus, as compared to its non-nano-counterpart and loading of nano-ZnO with 5 % nano-Pd further increased its activity, four times that of micro-ZnO. Further investigations are needed to confirm the potential use of nano-ZnO and its doping with nano-Pd in the treatment of water supply systems and food preservation.


Assuntos
Antifúngicos/toxicidade , Nanopartículas/toxicidade , Paládio/toxicidade , Microbiologia da Água , Purificação da Água/métodos , Abastecimento de Água , Óxido de Zinco/toxicidade , Antifúngicos/química , Aspergillus/efeitos dos fármacos , Candida/efeitos dos fármacos , Microscopia Eletrônica de Transmissão , Nanopartículas/química , Paládio/química , Tamanho da Partícula , Especificidade da Espécie , Difração de Raios X , Óxido de Zinco/química
5.
Saudi J Biol Sci ; 28(9): 5283-5289, 2021 Sep.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34466106

RESUMO

Cancer is a devastating and aggressive disease that is globally ranked as the second-leading cause of deaths despite the relentless efforts being directed towards the discovery of novel chemotherapeutic drugs. Plants naturally produce a plethora of secondary metabolites that play a crucial role as effective therapeutic agents. Cancer treatment rely primarily on chemo- and radio-therapeutic strategies that suffers from known side effects. Recently, the strategy of controlling cancer progression by use of plant-derived natural products have extensively attracted research interests. In this study, the antioxidant and anticancer activities of the methanolic extract of Calligonum comosum (MeCc) fruit hairs were investigated. According to DPPH and ABTS assays, MeCc exhibited potent antioxidant capacity as it displayed significant free-radical scavenging activity. Results of the MTT cytotoxicity assay revealed that the MeCc exhibited potent anti-proliferation activity (IC50 = 10.4 µg/ml) that is specific against human hepatocarcinoma cells (HepG2), as only marginally harmful effect against non-cancerous control BJ-1 cells was detected. Results of the RT-qPCR gene expression analyses indicated that MeCc resulted in significant overexpression of mRNA transcript levels of the pro-apoptotic genes p53, caspase-3 and Bax, while downregulating the level of Bcl-2, an anti-apoptotic marker gene. Immunoblotting of the protein expression levels for the same markers showed similar pattern to that observed in RT-qPCR profiling. While the levels of p53, caspase-3 and Bax proteins exhibited significant increase, the protein level of Bcl-2 was significantly reduced. In conclusion, it is proposed that the observed specific anticancer activity of MeCc against HepG2 cells takes place via the engagement of apoptosis. This highlights the value of C. comosum as a source of potent natural anticancer agents and warrants further investigation to identify the active principals involved.

6.
Cells ; 10(9)2021 09 05.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34571968

RESUMO

The discovery of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) has made an invaluable contribution to the field of regenerative medicine, paving way for identifying the true potential of human embryonic stem cells (ESCs). Since the controversy around ethicality of ESCs continue to be debated, iPSCs have been used to circumvent the process around destruction of the human embryo. The use of iPSCs have transformed biological research, wherein increasing number of studies are documenting nuclear reprogramming strategies to make them beneficial models for drug screening as well as disease modelling. The flexibility around the use of iPSCs include compatibility to non-invasive harvesting, and ability to source from patients with rare diseases. iPSCs have been widely used in cardiac disease modelling, studying inherited arrhythmias, neural disorders including Alzheimer's disease, liver disease, and spinal cord injury. Extensive research around identifying factors that are involved in maintaining the identity of ESCs during induction of pluripotency in somatic cells is undertaken. The focus of the current review is to detail all the clinical translation research around iPSCs and the strength of its ever-growing potential in the clinical space.


Assuntos
Diferenciação Celular/efeitos dos fármacos , Proliferação de Células/efeitos dos fármacos , Avaliação Pré-Clínica de Medicamentos , Células-Tronco Pluripotentes Induzidas/efeitos dos fármacos , Células-Tronco Pluripotentes Induzidas/transplante , Regeneração/efeitos dos fármacos , Medicina Regenerativa , Transplante de Células-Tronco , Pesquisa Translacional Biomédica , Animais , Linhagem Celular , Regulação da Expressão Gênica no Desenvolvimento , Ensaios de Triagem em Larga Escala , Humanos , Células-Tronco Pluripotentes Induzidas/metabolismo , Células-Tronco Pluripotentes Induzidas/patologia , Fenótipo , Transdução de Sinais
7.
J Med Virol ; 81(8): 1343-7, 2009 Aug.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-19551834

RESUMO

Injecting drug users are at increased risk of infection with hepatitis viruses and blood-borne pathogens. The aim of this study was to examine HBV, HCV, HDV, and TTV infections in Saudi drug users (N = 344). Extraction of nucleic acid from serum, reverse-transcription, amplification of viral nucleic acids, and HBV and HCV genotyping were done using established techniques. Of the analyzed samples, 41 (12%) contained detectable HBV DNA, 131 (38%) contained detectable HCV RNA, and 174 (51%) had detectable TTV DNA. The predominant HBV genotype was found to be genotype D and the predominant HCV genotype was found to be genotype 1b. All the samples were negative for HDV. Twelve samples (3.5%) were found to contain mixed HBV and HCV genomes, 24 samples (7%) were found to contain mixed HBV and TTV genomes, 82 samples (24%) were found to contain mixed HCV and TTV genomes, and 9 samples (2.6%) were found to contain mixed HBV, HCV, and TTV genomes. Identification of various infections in drug users will help the control of these infections in this group as well as in the community.


Assuntos
Infecções por Vírus de DNA/epidemiologia , Hepacivirus/isolamento & purificação , Vírus da Hepatite B/isolamento & purificação , Hepatite B/epidemiologia , Hepatite C/epidemiologia , Torque teno virus/isolamento & purificação , Comorbidade , Infecções por Vírus de DNA/virologia , Usuários de Drogas , Genótipo , Hepatite B/virologia , Hepatite C/virologia , Humanos , Arábia Saudita/epidemiologia , Soro/virologia , Abuso de Substâncias por Via Intravenosa/complicações
8.
J Drugs Dermatol ; 7(5): 457-62, 2008 May.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-18505138

RESUMO

BACKGROUND: Herpes zoster (HZ), caused by varicella zoster virus (VZV), initially produces chicken-pox, then the virus lies dormant in the dorsal root ganglia. The virus can reactivate after many years and results in HZ along ganglion's distribution. Old age, trauma, stress, diabetes mellitus, and immune suppression are important risk factors for the reactivation. Herpes zoster is characterized by unilateral radicular pain and vesicular eruption that is generally limited to the dermatome innervated by the affected ganglion. In immunocompromised individuals, disseminated zoster may develop. The aims of therapy in HZ are to control pain or reduce its severity by the use of analgesics, reduce the duration and eruption of new lesions, and prevent complications, particularly postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) by appropriate antiviral therapy. METHODS: All cases of HZ seen in the dermatology clinic at King Fahd Hospital of the University (KFHU) from 1988 to 2006 were included in the study. Their diagnoses were based on the clinical presentation. The following parameters were collected and analyzed: age, sex, nationality, symptoms, dermatomal distribution, complications, coexisting diseases, and disease management. RESULTS: Of 22 749 new cases seen in the dermatology clinic over 18 years, 141 were HZ, with an occurrence of 0.62%. Male to female ratio was 2:1 and the age ranged from 14 months to 80 years. The thoracic dermatomes were the most commonly involved. The most frequent coexisting disease was diabetes mellitus, and the most common complication of HZ was PHN. Most patients with HZ ophthalmicus developed eye complications. CONCLUSION: The occurrence of HZ is 0.62% in patients reporting to the dermatology clinic of the hospital. Males are little more affected than females. The thoracic dermatomes are the most frequently involved. Diabetes mellitus is the most frequent coexisting disease. Postherpetic neuralgia is the most common complication of HZ.


Assuntos
Herpes Zoster/diagnóstico , Adolescente , Adulto , Idoso , Idoso de 80 Anos ou mais , Criança , Pré-Escolar , Feminino , Herpes Zoster/complicações , Herpes Zoster/tratamento farmacológico , Humanos , Lactente , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Neuralgia Pós-Herpética/tratamento farmacológico
9.
Saudi Med J ; 29(10): 1394-6, 2008 Oct.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-18946561

RESUMO

OBJECTIVE: To assess the prevalence of HIV-1 genetic subtypes in Saudi Arabia in samples that are serologically positive for HIV-1, and compare the HIV-1 genetic subtypes prevalent in Saudi Arabia with the subtypes prevalent in other countries. METHODS: Thirty-nine HIV-1 positive samples were analyzed for HIV-1 subtypes using molecular techniques. The study is a retrospective study that was conducted in Dammam, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and in Abbott laboratories (United States of America) from 2004 to 2007. RESULTS: All samples were seropositive for HIV-1 group M. Of the 39 seropositive samples, only 12 were polymerase chain reaction positive. Subtype C is the most common virus strain as it occurred in 58% of these samples; subtype B occurred in 17%; and subtypes A, D and G were found in 8% each. The phylogenetic tree was also identified for the isolates. CONCLUSION: Detection of HIV subtypes is important for epidemiological purposes and may help in tracing the source of HIV infections in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.


Assuntos
Infecções por HIV/epidemiologia , HIV-1/classificação , Adulto , Feminino , Infecções por HIV/virologia , HIV-1/genética , Humanos , Masculino , Prevalência , Estudos Retrospectivos , Arábia Saudita/epidemiologia
10.
Biomed Res Int ; 2017: 1972429, 2017.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28280727

RESUMO

Background and Objectives. ß-Thalassemia and sickle cell disease are genetic disorders characterized by reduced and abnormal ß-globin chain production, respectively. The elevation of fetal hemoglobin (HbF) can ameliorate the severity of these disorders. In sickle cell disease patients, the HbF level elevation is associated with three quantitative trait loci (QTLs), BCL11A, HBG2 promoter, and HBS1L-MYB intergenic region. This study elucidates the existence of the variants in these three QTLs to determine their association with HbF levels of transfusion-dependent Saudi ß-thalassemia patients. Materials and Methods. A total of 174 transfusion-dependent ß-thalassemia patients and 164 healthy controls from Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia were genotyped for fourteen single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from the three QTL regions using TaqMan assay on real-time PCR. Results. Genotype analysis revealed that six alleles of HBS1L-MYB QTL (rs9376090C p = 0.0009, rs9399137C p = 0.008, rs4895441G p = 0.004, rs9389269C p = 0.008, rs9402686A p = 0.008, and rs9494142C p = 0.002) were predominantly associated with ß-thalassemia. In addition, haplotype analysis revealed that haplotypes of HBS1L-MYB (GCCGCAC p = 0.022) and HBG2 (GTT p = 0.009) were also predominantly associated with ß-thalassemia. Furthermore, the HBS1L-MYB region also exhibited association with the high HbF cohort. Conclusion. The stimulation of HbF gene expression may provide alternative therapies for the amelioration of the disease severity of ß-thalassemia.


Assuntos
Transfusão de Sangue , DNA Intergênico/genética , Hemoglobina Fetal/genética , Haplótipos/genética , Talassemia beta/genética , Adolescente , Estudos de Casos e Controles , Criança , Pré-Escolar , Estudos de Coortes , Feminino , Humanos , Desequilíbrio de Ligação/genética , Masculino , Polimorfismo de Nucleotídeo Único/genética , Regiões Promotoras Genéticas/genética , Arábia Saudita
11.
Bosn J Basic Med Sci ; 15(4): 24-9, 2015 Oct 14.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-26614848

RESUMO

The present study evaluates the synergistic effect of sulbactam/tazobactam in combination with meropenem or colistin against multidrug resistant (MDR) Acinetobacter baumannii isolated from hospitalized patients from a tertiary care hospital in Saudi Arabia. During the study period, 54 multidrug and carbapenem-resistant isolates of A. baumannii isolates were collected from blood and respiratory samples of patients with ventilator-associated pneumonia or bacteremia. Microbroth checkerboard assay (CBA) and E-test were performed to look for synergistic interface of sulbactam and tazobactam with meropenem or colistin. All 54 MDR isolates of A. baumannii were resistant to carbapenem. Minimum inhibitory concentration [50/90] value against sulbactam, tazobactam, meropenem, colistin was found to be 64/128, 64/128, 64/256, and 0.5/1.0 respectively. Synergy was detected in more isolates with CBA compared to E-test. All four combinations showed significant synergistic bactericidal activity. However, the combination with colistin showed greater synergistic effect than combination with meropenem. Antagonism was not detected with any of the combinations and any method, but indifference was seen in tazobactam and colistin combination alone. A significant bactericidal effect was seen with sulbactam combination with meropenem or colistin in both methods. A combination therapy can be a choice of treatment. As colistin is known to exhibit nephrotoxicity, the combination of sulbactam and meropenem might be considered as an alternative antibiotic treatment for such multi- and extremely resistant bacteria. Yet, sample size is small in our study, so further well-designed in vitro and clinical studies on large scale should confirm our findings.


Assuntos
Acinetobacter baumannii/efeitos dos fármacos , Antibacterianos/farmacologia , Colistina/uso terapêutico , Ácido Penicilânico/análogos & derivados , Sulbactam/uso terapêutico , Tienamicinas/uso terapêutico , Infecções por Acinetobacter/tratamento farmacológico , Colistina/administração & dosagem , Combinação de Medicamentos , Farmacorresistência Bacteriana , Sinergismo Farmacológico , Humanos , Meropeném , Testes de Sensibilidade Microbiana , Ácido Penicilânico/administração & dosagem , Ácido Penicilânico/uso terapêutico , Estudos Prospectivos , Sulbactam/administração & dosagem , Tazobactam , Tienamicinas/administração & dosagem
12.
Ann Thorac Med ; 10(2): 146-9, 2015.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-25829968

RESUMO

Human bocavirus (HBoV) is a major etiology of lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) in young children. We tested 149 patients admitted to King Fahd Hospital of the University with diagnosis of LRTI. Viremia caused by the different studied viruses was detected in 31.5% of the total cases by Real-time Polymerase chain reaction. We report five patients who were positive for HBoV in serum samples. Clinical presentation ranged from mild to severe disease as one of them required admission to intensive care unit. Wheezing was a striking feature in most of our patients, but fever was not a consistent finding.

13.
Genome Med ; 7: 90, 2015 Oct 01.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-26423053

RESUMO

BACKGROUND: In addition to HLA genetic incompatibility, non-HLA difference between donor and recipients of transplantation leading to allograft rejection are now becoming evident. We aimed to create a unique genome-wide platform to facilitate genomic research studies in transplant-related studies. We designed a genome-wide genotyping tool based on the most recent human genomic reference datasets, and included customization for known and potentially relevant metabolic and pharmacological loci relevant to transplantation. METHODS: We describe here the design and implementation of a customized genome-wide genotyping array, the 'TxArray', comprising approximately 782,000 markers with tailored content for deeper capture of variants across HLA, KIR, pharmacogenomic, and metabolic loci important in transplantation. To test concordance and genotyping quality, we genotyped 85 HapMap samples on the array, including eight trios. RESULTS: We show low Mendelian error rates and high concordance rates for HapMap samples (average parent-parent-child heritability of 0.997, and concordance of 0.996). We performed genotype imputation across autosomal regions, masking directly genotyped SNPs to assess imputation accuracy and report an accuracy of >0.962 for directly genotyped SNPs. We demonstrate much higher capture of the natural killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptor (KIR) region versus comparable platforms. Overall, we show that the genotyping quality and coverage of the TxArray is very high when compared to reference samples and to other genome-wide genotyping platforms. CONCLUSIONS: We have designed a comprehensive genome-wide genotyping tool which enables accurate association testing and imputation of ungenotyped SNPs, facilitating powerful and cost-effective large-scale genotyping of transplant-related studies.


Assuntos
Estudo de Associação Genômica Ampla , Genótipo , Variações do Número de Cópias de DNA , Antígenos HLA/genética , Humanos , Polimorfismo de Nucleotídeo Único , Receptores KIR/genética
14.
J Virol Methods ; 99(1-2): 53-61, 2002 Jan.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-11684303

RESUMO

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major cause of chronic hepatitis with liver-related death occurring in 20-25% of patients who develop cirrhosis. Detection of the virus RNA in liver is difficult since viral expression is very low. In situ polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in situ hybridisation (ISH) was developed for detection and localisation of viral RNA in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded liver tissue. Nested PCR technology was adapted for in situ use employing primers derived from the 5' end of the HCV genome. Seventeen liver blocks from known HCV-infected patients were examined. Viral RNA was detected in liver from eleven patients using solution phase reverse transcriptase-PCR. Of these positive samples, ten were positive by the in situ method. Positive signal was detected in the cytoplasm of hepatocytes and mononuclear cells. No Kupffer cell or bile duct epithelial positivity was observed. No positive signal was evident in any of the negative controls. A reliable method is described to demonstrate the presence and localisation of HCV RNA in liver tissue using an in situ PCR-ISH assay and it is believed that this will be a valuable tool for the understanding of HCV replication and pathogenesis.


Assuntos
Hepacivirus/isolamento & purificação , Hepatócitos/virologia , Hibridização In Situ/métodos , Fígado/virologia , Reação em Cadeia da Polimerase/métodos , RNA Viral/análise , Hepacivirus/genética , Hepatite C Crônica/virologia , Humanos
16.
Results Immunol ; 3: 85-94, 2013.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-24600563

RESUMO

After scald burn-injury, the intestinal immune system responds to maintain immune balance. In this regard CD4+T cells in Gut-Associated Lymphoid Tissues (GALT), like mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN) and Peyer's patches (PP) respond to avoid immune suppression following major injury such as burn. Therefore, we hypothesized that the gut CD4+T cells become dysfunctional and turn the immune homeostasis towards depression of CD4+ T cell-mediated adaptive immune responses. In the current study we show down regulation of mucosal CD4+ T cell proliferation, IL-2 production and cell surface marker expression of mucosal CD4+ T cells moving towards suppressive-type. Acute burn-injury lead to up-regulation of regulatory marker (CD25+), down regulation of adhesion (CD62L, CD11a) and homing receptor (CD49d) expression, and up-regulation of negative co-stimulatory (CTLA-4) molecule. Moreover, CD4+CD25+ T cells of intestinal origin showed resistance to spontaneous as well as induced apoptosis that may contribute to suppression of effector CD4+ T cells. Furthermore, gut CD4+CD25+ T cells obtained from burn-injured animals were able to down-regulate naïve CD4+ T cell proliferation following adoptive transfer of burn-injured CD4+CD25+ T cells into sham control animals, without any significant effect on cell surface activation markers. Together, these data demonstrate that the intestinal CD4+ T cells evolve a strategy to promote suppressive CD4+ T cell effector responses, as evidenced by enhanced CD4+CD25+ T cells, up-regulated CTLA-4 expression, reduced IL-2 production, tendency towards diminished apoptosis of suppressive CD4+ T cells, and thus lose their natural ability to regulate immune homeostasis following acute burn-injury and prevent immune paralysis.

17.
J Infect Dev Ctries ; 7(8): 618-29, 2013 Aug 15.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-23949298

RESUMO

INTRODUCTION: Few reports about the prevalence and genetic basis of extended spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLs) are available from Saudi Arabia. We sought to determine the prevalence of ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae in a university hospital in eastern Saudi Arabia and to characterize the ESBLs produced by these isolates at the molecular level. METHODOLOGY: All clinical isolates of Escherichia coli, Klebsiella spp., and Proteus spp. collected over two years were evaluated for susceptibility to a panel of antimicrobials and were analyzed for the ESBL phenotype using screening and confirmatory tests. ESBL-positive isolates were then screened for the presence of genes encoding CTX-M, SHV, and TEM beta-lactamases by PCR. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The overall prevalence of ESBL-producing isolates was 4.8% (253/5256). Most isolates (80%) were from the inpatient department. The ESBL phenotype was more frequently detected in K. pneumonia. CTX-M genes were the most prevalent ESBL genes, detected in 82% of the studied isolates. The ESBL producers demonstrated a high multidrug resistance rate (96.6%). In transconjugation assay, the same ESBL gene pattern was transmitted from 29.7% of K. pneumoniae donors to the recipient strain, and the latter exhibited concomitant decreased aminoglycosides and co-trimoxazole susceptibility. We observed the presence of ESBL screen-positive but confirmatory-negative isolates (8.9%). Phenotypic tests for the production of AmpC ß-lactamase tested positive in 52% of these isolates. Further studies are needed for appropriate detection of concomitant ESBL and AmpC enzyme production among such isolates. Continued surveillance and judicious antibiotic usage together with the implementation of efficient infection control measures are absolutely required.


Assuntos
Infecções por Enterobacteriaceae/epidemiologia , Infecções por Enterobacteriaceae/microbiologia , Enterobacteriaceae/enzimologia , beta-Lactamases/genética , Adolescente , Adulto , Idoso , Idoso de 80 Anos ou mais , Conjugação Genética , DNA Bacteriano/genética , Farmacorresistência Bacteriana Múltipla , Enterobacteriaceae/genética , Enterobacteriaceae/isolamento & purificação , Transferência Genética Horizontal , Genótipo , Humanos , Masculino , Testes de Sensibilidade Microbiana , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Fenótipo , Prevalência , Arábia Saudita/epidemiologia , Adulto Jovem , beta-Lactamases/análise
19.
J Infect Dev Ctries ; 4(2): 110-3, 2010 Mar 08.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-20212343

RESUMO

BACKGROUND: The relationship among cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection and the serum level of chemokines and soluble adhesion molecules is not well studied. This study aimed to assess chemokines and soluble adhesion molecules in CMV-positive Saudi renal transplant recipients. METHODOLOGY: The study was conducted in a tertiary hospital in Eastern Saudi Arabia over a 12-month period. All kidney transplant recipients who regularly attended the nephrology clinics were included (n = 150). Randomly selected age- and sex-matched individuals served as a control group (n = 158). CMV antibodies (IgG and IgM), chemokines and soluble adhesion molecules were measured using standard enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). CMV viral DNA was detected using real time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). RESULTS: Of the 150 patients studied, 149 (n = 150) had detectable levels of Anti-CMV IgG antibodies (99.3%). In the control group, 113 (n = 158), blood donors had anti-CMV IgG antibodies (71.5%). Forty-one (n = 150) kidney transplant recipients were positive for anti-CMV IgM antibodies (27.3%), whereas only one (n = 158) blood donor had detectable anti-CMV IgM antibodies. All IgM positive samples contained CMV viral DNA. MCP-1, IL-8, ICAM-1, and VCAM-1 levels were measured using ELISA. Of those, only MCP-1 and IL-8 were detectable. Eighteen kidney transplant recipients were positive for MCP-1 (12%). All MCP-1 patients were also anti-CMV IgM positive, while 5 patients had detectable levels of IL-8 (3.3%). All these patients were CMV IgM-positive. CONCLUSIONS: The increase in chemokine levels during CMV infection may reflect a possible role for these molecules in the immunopathogenesis of CMV infection in this study population.


Assuntos
Moléculas de Adesão Celular/imunologia , Quimiocinas/imunologia , Infecções por Citomegalovirus/complicações , Infecções por Citomegalovirus/imunologia , Transplante de Rim/imunologia , Biomarcadores/sangue , Quimiocinas/sangue , Citomegalovirus , Infecções por Citomegalovirus/epidemiologia , Feminino , Humanos , Imunoglobulina G/sangue , Imunoglobulina M/sangue , Masculino , Prevalência , Arábia Saudita/epidemiologia , Transplante
20.
Indian J Sex Transm Dis AIDS ; 31(2): 81-6, 2010 Jul.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-21716786

RESUMO

INRODUCTION: Of the "top ten" sexually transmitted infections, Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae are ranked second and fifth, respectively, worldwide. AIM: The aim of this study was to screen the pregnant women for C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae infections and to detect antimicrobial resistance pattern of N. gonorrhoeae. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was a prospective, hospital-based analysis of a random sample of pregnant women visiting the antenatal clinic of a tertiary hospital in eastern Saudi Arabia. Endocervical and high vaginal swabs were collected both from pregnant women and female patients attending gynecology clinic with lower genital tract infection (control group). C. trachomatis antigen was detected using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). N. gonorrhoeae was detected by culture and identification of isolates, and antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 13.0 and Chi-square test were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: C. trachomatis antigen was detected in 10.5% (10/95) and 34.4% (35/102) of pregnant women and control group, respectively (P < 0.001). The isolation rate of N. gonorrhoeae among pregnant women was 0.0% compared to 7.8% (8/102) among the control group (P < 0.01). N. gonorrhoeae were resistant to penicillin (62.5%), tetracycline (50%), ampicillin (25%), amoxycillin-clavulinic acid (25%) and ciprofloxacin (37.5%), while they were susceptible to cefepime, ceftriaxone, ceftazidime, spectinomycin, and cefuroxime. CONCLUSION: Screening of pregnant women for C. trachomatis infection should be included in the antenatal care in this area. The detection rate of both organisms among the control group highlights the importance of preventive strategies. Certain antibiotics previously used in treating gonorrhea are no longer effective.

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