Melanoma is the deadliest form of skin cancer showing rising incidence over the past years. New insights into the mechanisms of melanoma progression contributed to the development of novel treatment options, such as immunotherapies. However, acquiring resistance to treatment poses a big problem to therapy success. Therefore, understanding the mechanisms underlying resistance could improve therapy efficacy. Correlating expression levels in tissue samples of primary melanoma and metastases revealed that secretogranin 2 (SCG2) is highly expressed in advanced melanoma patients with poor overall survival (OS) rates. By conducting transcriptional analysis between SCG2-overexpressing (OE) and control melanoma cells, we detected a downregulation of components of the antigen presenting machinery (APM), which is important for the assembly of the MHC class I complex. Flow cytometry analysis revealed a downregulation of surface MHC class I expression on melanoma cells that showed resistance towards the cytotoxic activity of melanoma-specific T cells. IFNγ treatment partially reversed these effects. Based on our findings, we suggest that SCG2 might stimulate mechanisms of immune evasion and therefore be associated with resistance to checkpoint blockade and adoptive immunotherapy.
Riboflavin, vitamin B2, is essential for humans and has to be obtained from the diet. Some lactic acid bacteria (LAB) produce this vitamin, and they can be used for in-situ fortification of foods. This could be an alternative to supplementation with chemically synthesized vitamin, to palliate riboflavin deficiencies in specific groups of people. Moreover, if the producing LAB could survive in the gastrointestinal stress (GIT) they could be added as probiotics in this environment. In the present study we tested two riboflavin-overproducing Lactiplantibacillus plantarum strains (M5MA1-B2 and M9MG6-B2), spontaneous mutants of LAB isolated from chicha, a traditional Andean beverage. These two LAB, and also their isogenic strains M5MA1-B2[pRCR12] and M9MG6-B2[pRCR12], expressing the mCherry protein from the pRCR12 plasmid, were evaluated in vitro under simulated GIT conditions. Among other, specifically developed protein fluorescence assays were used. The four LAB showed similar levels of adhesion (>6.0%) to Caco-2 cells, higher than that of the probiotic Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus GG strain (4.51%). Thus, LAB biofilm formation was assessed in the labeled cells by intracellular mCherry fluorescence and in the unlabeled parental strains by crystal violet staining. Both methods detected the formation of consistent biofilms by the L. plantarum strains. The quantification of mCherry fluorescence was also used to analyze LAB auto-aggregation properties. High levels of auto-aggregation were detected for both M5MA1-B2[pRCR12] and M9MG6-B2[pRCR12]. Survival of LAB included in a commercial cereal-based food matrix (Incaparina) under GIT conditions was also evaluated. The four LAB were resistant in vitro to the stomach and intestinal stresses, and proliferated in this environment, indicating a protective and nutritional effect of the Incaparina on the bacteria. Also, M9MG6-B2 survival in the presence or absence of Incaparina was evaluated in vivo in a BALB/c mouse model. The administration of the M9MG6-B2 strain alone or together with Incaparina had no adverse effect on the health, growth and/or well-being of the rodents. In addition, an increment in the villus length/crypt depth ratio was observed. The overall results obtained indicate that the LAB studied have probiotic characteristics of interest for the development of functional foods.
Chile suffers significant pollution from large industrial emitters associated with the mining, metal processing, paper production, and energy industries. The aim of this research was to determine whether the presence of large industrial facilities (i.e. coal- and oil-fired power plants, pulp and paper mills, mining facilities, and smelters) affects mortality and morbidity rates in Chile. For this, we conducted an ecological study that used Chilean communes as small-area observation units to assess mortality and morbidity. Public databases provided information on large pollution sources relevant to Chile. The large sources studied were oil- and coal-fired power plants, copper smelters, pulp and paper mills, and large mining facilities. Large sources were filtered by first year of production, type of process, and size. Mortality and morbidity data were acquired from public national databases, with morbidity being estimated from hospitalization records. Cause-specific rates were calculated for the main outcomes: cardiovascular, respiratory, cancer; and other more specific health outcomes. The impact of the large pollution sources was estimated using Bayesian models that included spatial correlation, overdispersion, and other covariates. Large and significant increases in health risks (around 20%-100%) were found for communes with power plants and smelters for total, cardiovascular, respiratory, all-cancer, and lung cancer mortality. Higher hospitalization rates for cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, cancer, and pneumonia (20-100%) were also found for communes with power plants and smelters. The impacts were larger for men than women in terms of both mortality and hospitalizations. The impacts were also larger when the sources were analyzed as continuous (production volume) rather than dichotomous (presence/absence) variables. In conclusion, significantly higher rates of total cardiovascular, respiratory, all-cancer and lung cancer mortality and cardiovascular, respiratory, cancer and pneumonia hospitalizations were observed in communes with power plants and smelters.
Environmental Monitoring , Environmental Pollutants/toxicity , Environmental Pollution/adverse effects , Industrial Waste , Adult , Bayes Theorem , Cardiovascular Diseases/mortality , Chile , Environmental Exposure , Environmental Illness , Environmental Pollution/statistics & numerical data , Female , Health Status , Humans , Male , Morbidity , Neoplasms/mortality , Respiratory Tract Diseases/mortality
Las alteraciones fisicoquímicas y sensoriales fueron evaluadas en filetes sajados de híbrido de cachama (Piaractus brachypomus x Colossoma macropomum), biopreservados con un extracto crudo de bacteriocinas producidas por Lactobacillus plantarum LPBM10, empacados al vacío y almacenados a 3 ºC/30 días. La evaluación serealizó bajo tres tratamientos, extracto crudo de bacteriocinas, ácido láctico y control.Los valores de pH disminuyeron a lo largo del periodo de almacenamiento alcanzand1 o valores de 6.20 para el final del periodo. El valor inicial del acido tiobarbitúrico (TBA) para los filetes fue de 0.93 mg de malonaldehido/kg, hacia el día 10 de almacenamiento se obtuvieron los valores más altos de TBA. Para este periodo el mayor valor fue alcanzado para el tratamiento con ácido láctico y el menor para el tratamiento control.El análisis de bases volátiles totales de nitrógeno (BVT-N) mostró los mejores resultados para el tratamiento con extracto crudo de bacteriocinas y finalizó con 19.3 mg BVT8N/100g. Los resultados del análisis sensorial para filetes sajados en estado fresco y cocinado, presentaron las mejores puntuaciones de aceptabilidad para el tratamiento con extracto crudo de bacteriocinas.
Biopreservatives for a native strain bacteriocin producer were evaluated on fillets of hybrid Cachama. A raw extract of Lactobacillus plantarum LPBM10-bacteriocin was added to fillets of cachama hybrids (Piaractus brachypomus x Colossoma macropomum)°vaccum-packed and stored at 30 °C/30 days. The evaluation was performed with three treatments, crude bacteriocin extract, lactic acid and control. The pH values decrease throughout storage period levels 6.20 at the end of the period. The initial value of thiobarbituric acid (TBA) for the fillets was 0.93 mg of malonaldehyde/kg, the highest values in physicochemical and sensory changes were evaluated to cachama hybrid fillets Piaractus brachypomus x Colossoma macropomum biopreserved with a crude bacteriocin extract produced by Lactobacillus plantarum LPBM10, vacuum-packed and stored at 30 ºC/30 days. The evaluation of TBA was obtained up the day 10 of storage. For this period the lactic acid treatment reached the highest value and the lower were observed for the control treatment. The analysis of TVB-N showed the best results for bacteriocin treatment and concluded with 19.3 mg TVB-N/100g. The results of sensory analysis for fresh and cooked cut fillets showed the best acceptability scores for the crude bacteriocin extract treatment.
As perturbações físicas e sensoriais foram avaliadas em filetes Sajid de híbridos de cachama (Piaractus brachypomus x Colossoma macropomum), biopreservados com um extrato bruto de bacteriocinas produzidas por Lactobacillus plantarum LPBM10, vácuo-embaladas e armazenadas em 3 ºC/30 dias. A avaliação foi conduzida sob três tratamentos, extrato bruto de bacteriocinas, ácido láctico e de controlo. O pH diminuiu ao longo do período de armazenagem atingindo valores de 6.20 no final do período. O valor inicial no ácido thiobarbiturico (TBA) foi para os filetes de estresse oxidativo 0.93 mg/kg a 10 dias de armazenamento foram os maiores valores de TBA. Para este período, o valor mais elevado foi atingido por tratamento com ácido láctico e os mais baixos para o tratamento controle. A análise de aminas voláteis de nitrogênio (N-BVT) apresentou os melhores resultados para o tratamento com extrato bruto de bacteriocinas e terminou com 19.3 mg BVT-N/100g. Os resultados da análise sensorial para filetes Sajid como frescos e cozidos, teve a melhor pontuação para a aceitação do tratamento com extrato bruto de bacteriocinas.
Animals , Bacteriocins , Lactobacillus , Thiobarbiturates
Objetivo. Determinar la presencia de endoparásitos del género Anisakidae en rubio Salminus affinis en el medio natural. Materiales y métodos. Por medio de diseccióne inspección de las vísceras y la cavidad abdominal fueron analizados 45 ejemplares capturados en los ríos Sinú (n=34) y San Jorge (n=11) (Córdoba, Colombia).Resultados. Larvas terciarias (L3) de nemátodos del género Contracaecum (Nematoda: Anisakidae) fueron halladas en la cavidad visceral de rubio capturadosen ambos ríos. La prevalencia de este nemátodo en los dos ríos estudiados fue mayor de 95 por ciento. El grado de infestación fue leve en 94.1 por ciento de los rubios del río Sinú y el restante 5.9 por ciento tuvieron una infestación moderada; mientras que el 100 por ciento de los casos del río San Jorge tuvieron un grado de infestación leve. Conclusiones. Losresultados permiten concluir que el rubio de los ríos Sinú y San Jorge se encuentran con un grado de infestación leve del anisákido Contracaecum sp; el cual se encuentra alojado en el tracto digestivo y grasa mesentérica en estado larval terciario (L3)
Objective. To determine the presence of internal parasites of gender Anisakidaethat infest to Salminus affinis (Rubio) in the natural enviroment. Materials andmethods. Through out dissection and inspection of the viscera and the abdominal cavity 45 Salminus affinis specimenes from Sinu (n = 34) and San Jorge (n = 11)rivers (Córdoba, Colombia) were analyzed. Results. Larvae L3 of nematodes of thegenus Contracaecum (Nematode: Anisakidae) were found in the visceral cavity in both rivers. The prevalence of this nematode in the two studied rivers was greater than 95%. Conclusions. The results of the present work allow to conclude that the Salminus affinis fishes of the Sinú and San Jorge rivers present a degree of low infestation of the anisakido Contracaecum sp; which is located in the digestive tract and fatty mesenteric in larval state third (L3)
Animals , Colombia , Nematoda , Parasites
