A Physiological Approach to Explore How Thioredoxin-Glutathione Reductase (TGR) and Peroxiredoxin (Prx) Eliminate H2O2 in Cysticerci of Taenia.

Peroxiredoxins (Prxs) and glutathione peroxidases (GPxs) are the main enzymes of the thiol-dependent antioxidant systems responsible for reducing the H2O2 produced via aerobic metabolism or parasitic organisms by the host organism. These antioxidant systems maintain a proper redox state in cells. The cysticerci of Taenia crassiceps tolerate millimolar concentrations of this oxidant. To understand the role played by Prxs in this cestode, two genes for Prxs, identified in the genome of Taenia solium (TsPrx1 and TsPrx3), were cloned. The sequence of the proteins suggests that both isoforms belong to the class of typical Prxs 2-Cys. In addition, TsPrx3 harbors a mitochondrial localization signal peptide and two motifs (-GGLG- and -YP-) associated with overoxidation. Our kinetic characterization assigns them as thioredoxin peroxidases (TPxs). While TsPrx1 and TsPrx3 exhibit the same catalytic efficiency, thioredoxin-glutathione reductase from T. crassiceps (TcTGR) was five and eight times higher. Additionally, the latter demonstrated a lower affinity (>30-fold) for H2O2 in comparison with TsPrx1 and TsPrx3. The TcTGR contains a Sec residue in its C-terminal, which confers additional peroxidase activity. The aforementioned aspect implies that TsPrx1 and TsPrx3 are catalytically active at low H2O2 concentrations, and the TcTGR acts at high H2O2 concentrations. These results may explain why the T. crassiceps cysticerci can tolerate high H2O2 concentrations.

Modularity Implications of an Overground Exoskeleton on Plantar Pressures, Strength, and Spasticity in Persons with Acquired Brain Injury.

This study explored the effects of a modular overground exoskeleton on plantar pressure distribution in healthy individuals and individuals with Acquired Brain Injury (ABI). The research involved 21 participants, including ABI patients and healthy controls, who used a unique exoskeleton with adaptable modular configurations. The primary objective was to assess how these configurations, along with factors such as muscle strength and spasticity, influenced plantar pressure distribution. The results revealed significant differences in plantar pressures among participants, strongly influenced by the exoskeleton's modularity. Notably, significant distinctions were found between ABI patients and healthy individuals. Configurations with two modules led to increased pressure in the heel and central metatarsus regions, whereas configurations with four modules exhibited higher pressures in the metatarsus and hallux regions. Future research should focus on refining and customizing rehabilitation technologies to meet the diverse needs of ABI patients, enhancing their potential for functional recovery.

Frequency of PCV-2 viremia in nursery piglets from a Spanish swine integration system in 2020 and 2022 considering PRRSV infection status.

BACKGROUND: Porcine circovirus 2 (PCV-2) poses a significant economic threat for the swine industry, causing a range of diseases collectively referred to as porcine circovirus diseases (PCVDs). Despite PCV-2 vaccine effectiveness, the need for monitoring infectious pressure remains. PCV-2 coinfection with other pathogens like porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) can exacerbate disease severity and lead to PCV-2-systemic disease cases. Monitoring both PRRSV and PCV-2 in co-infected farms is crucial for an effective management and vaccination programs. The present cross-sectional study aimed to determine PCV-2 antibody levels in piglets at weaning and PCV-2 and PRRSV viremia in pooled serum samples at weaning (vaccination age) and at 6 and 9 weeks of age from a Spanish swine integration system in 2020 (48 farms) and in 2022 (28 out of the 48 analysed previously). RESULTS: The frequency of PCV-2 detection in pools of piglet sera was 2.1% (2020) and 7.1% (2022) at vaccination age but increased at the end of the nursery period (10.4% in 2020 and 39.3% in 2022) in both years. Co-infections between PCV-2 and PRRSV were detected in a significant proportion of PRRSV positive farms (15% in 2020, and 60% in 2022). PCV-2 antibody levels (ELISA S/P ratios) at weaning were lower in PCV-2 qPCR positive farms at different sampling time-points (0.361 in 2020 and 0.378 in 2022) compared to PCV-2 qPCR negative ones (0.587 in 2020 and 0.541 in 2022). The 28 farms tested both years were classified in four different epidemiological scenarios depending on their PCV-2 virological status. Those PCV-2 qPCR negative farms in 2020 that turned to be positive in 2022 had a statistically significant increase of PRRSV RT-qPCR detection and a PCV-2 antibody levels reduction, facts that were not observed in the rest of the scenarios. CONCLUSION: This epidemiological study in farms from the same integration system determined the occurrence, in 2020 and in 2022, of PCV-2 and PRRSV infections in piglets during the nursery period by using pooled serum samples.

Effects of Combined Movement and Storytelling Intervention on Fundamental Motor Skills, Language Development and Physical Activity Level in Children Aged 3 to 6 Years: Study Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial.

This study protocol aims to analyze and compare the effects of combined movement and storytelling intervention (CMSI) on fundamental motor skills (locomotor skills and object control), language development (language comprehension, language expression, vocabulary and language description), and physical activity levels (light intensity, moderate-to-vigorous intensity and sedentary time) in children aged 3 to 6 years. The sample will consist of 144 children from 12 class groups, randomly assigned to 3 experimental groups (n = 72 children) and 3 control groups (n = 72 children), belonging to 4 class groups of upper-middle-level classes (2 experimental and 2 control; 3 to 4 years), 4 transition level 1 classes (2 experimental and 2 control; 4 to 5 years) and 4 transition level 2 classes (2 experimental and 2 control; 5 to 6 years). The experimental groups will perform CMSI for 3 sessions per week (40 min per session) over 12 weeks (using one motor story per week), while the control groups will not receive any treatment. The main outcome will provide information about fundamental motor skills, language development, and physical activity levels. Our hypothesis indicates that CMSI has the potential to generate significant increases in selected assessments. If this intervention proves to be beneficial, it could contribute to preschool and school curricula.

Mesenchymal Stem Cells Genetically Modified by Lentivirus-Express Soluble TRAIL and Interleukin-12 Inhibit Growth and Reduced Metastasis-Relate Changes in Lymphoma Mice Model.

BACKGROUND: Cancer treatment has many side effects; therefore, more efficient treatments are needed. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) have immunoregulatory properties, tumor site migration and can be genetically modified. Some proteins, such as soluble TRAIL (sTRAIL) and interleukin-12 (IL-12), have shown antitumoral potential, thus its combination in solid tumors could increase their activity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Lentiviral transduction of bone marrow MSC with green fluorescent protein (GFP) and transgenes (sTRAIL and IL-12) was confirmed by fluorescence microscopy and Western blot. Soluble TRAIL levels were quantified by ELISA. Lymphoma L5178Y cells express a reporter gene (GFP/mCherry), and TRAIL receptor (DR5). RESULTS: An in vivo model showed that combined treatment with MSC expressing sTRAIL+IL-12 or IL-12 alone significantly reduced tumor volume and increased survival in BALB/c mice (p < 0.05) with only one application. However, at the histological level, only MSC expressing IL-12 reduced tumor cell infiltration significantly in the right gastrocnemius compared with the control group (p < 0.05). It presented less tissue dysplasia confirmed by fluorescence and hematoxylin-eosin dye; nevertheless, treatment not inhibited hepatic metastasis. CONCLUSIONS: MSC expressing IL-12, is or combination with BM-MSC expressing sTRAIL represents an antitumor strategy for lymphoma tumors since they increase survival and reduce tumor development. However, the combination did not show significative additive effect. The localized application did not inhibit metastasis but reduced morphological alterations of tissue associated with liver metastasis.

Low-Cost Photoreactor to Monitor Wastewater Pollutant Decomposition.

Actually, the quality of water is one of the most important indicators of the human environmental impact, the control of which is crucial to avoiding irreversible damage in the future. Nowadays, in parallel to the growth of the chemical industry, new chemical compounds have been developed, such as dyes and medicines. The increasing use of these products has led to the appearance of recalcitrant pollutants in industrial wastewater, and even in the drinking water circuit of our populations. The current work presents a photoreactor prototype that allows the performance of experiments for the decomposition of coloured pollutants using photocatalysis at the laboratory scale. The design of this device included the study of the photometric technique for light emission and the development of a software that allows monitoring the dye degradation process. Open-source hardware platforms, such as Arduino, were used for the monitoring system, which have the advantages of being low-cost platforms. A software application that manages the communication of the reactor with the computer and graphically displays the data read by the sensor was also developed. The results obtained demonstrated that this device can accelerate the photodegradation reaction in addition to monitoring the changes throughout the process.

STELO: A New Modular Robotic Gait Device for Acquired Brain Injury-Exploring Its Usability.

In recent years, the prevalence of acquired brain injury (ABI) has been on the rise, leading to impaired gait functionality in affected individuals. Traditional gait exoskeletons are typically rigid and bilateral and lack adaptability. To address this, the STELO, a pioneering modular gait-assistive device, was developed. This device can be externally configured with joint modules to cater to the diverse impairments of each patient, aiming to enhance adaptability and efficiency. This study aims to assess the safety and usability of the initial functional modular prototype, STELO, in a sample of 14 ABI-diagnosed participants. Adverse events, device adjustment assistance and time, and gait performance were evaluated during three sessions of device use. The results revealed that STELO was safe, with no serious adverse events reported. The need for assistance and time required for device adjustment decreased progressively over the sessions. Although there was no significant improvement in walking speed observed after three sessions of using STELO, participants and therapists reported satisfactory levels of comfort and usability in questionnaires. Overall, this study demonstrates that the STELO modular device offers a safe and adaptable solution for individuals with ABI, with positive user and therapist feedback.

Synthesis, Characterization and Decomposition of Potassium Jarosite for Adsorptive As(V) Removal in Contaminated Water: Preliminary Study.

Jarosite-type compounds precipitated in the zinc industry for iron control can also incorporate arsenic and can be used for wastewater treatment for As elimination. According with the last, this work is related to arsenic incorporation at room temperature in decomposed potassium jarosite. The work began with the synthesis of the compound at 75 °C for 9 h using Fe2(SO4)3 and K2SO4 at a pH of 1.1. Once jarosite was obtained, solids were subjected to an alkaline decomposition using NaOH at pH 10 for 30 min, and then As was added to the solution as HAsNaO4 and the pH modified by adding HNO3 until it reached a value of 1.1. The initial, intermediate, and final products were wholly characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) in conjunction with energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Raman spectroscopy (RS), and X-ray photoelectron spectrometry (XPS). The obtained results show that As(V) can be adsorbed by ionic exchange in the amorphous FeOH structure of decomposed jarosite and when pH decreased to 1.1, the compound recrystallized, incorporating up to 6% As on average, which is indicative that this process can be used to reduce As in contaminated waters.

Evaluating the effect of curcumin on the metacestode of Taenia crassiceps.

Curcumin, a curcuminoid present in the rhizome of the plant Curcuma longa has multiple pharmacological effects including anticarcinogenic and anti-inflammatory properties. This work evaluates the anthelmintic effect of the curcumin molecule (98% pure) on Taenia crassiceps cysticerci viability in vitro. Cysticerci incubated in the presence of increasing concentrations of curcumin showed a dose-dependent mortality correlated with a significant increase in the production of reactive oxygen species and a partial inhibition of thioredoxin-glutathione reductase, the only disulfide reductase present in these parasites. At 500 µM curcumin, a 100% of cysticerci lethality was obtained after 2 h of treatment. These results suggest the curcumin-induced oxidative stress could be in the origin of the anthelminthic effect of curcumin. Mice with cysticerci were injected intraperitoneally with 20, 40, or 60 mM curcumin daily for 30 days. A decrease in the burden of cysticerci (46%) was observed with a 60 mM dose of curcumin, supporting this compound as a potential anthelmintic drug.

Evolutionary Adaptations of Parasitic Flatworms to Different Oxygen Tensions.

During the evolution of the Earth, the increase in the atmospheric concentration of oxygen gave rise to the development of organisms with aerobic metabolism, which utilized this molecule as the ultimate electron acceptor, whereas other organisms maintained an anaerobic metabolism. Platyhelminthes exhibit both aerobic and anaerobic metabolism depending on the availability of oxygen in their environment and/or due to differential oxygen tensions during certain stages of their life cycle. As these organisms do not have a circulatory system, gas exchange occurs by the passive diffusion through their body wall. Consequently, the flatworms developed several adaptations related to the oxygen gradient that is established between the aerobic tegument and the cellular parenchyma that is mostly anaerobic. Because of the aerobic metabolism, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is produced in abundance. Catalase usually scavenges H2O2 in mammals; however, this enzyme is absent in parasitic platyhelminths. Thus, the architecture of the antioxidant systems is different, depending primarily on the superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and peroxiredoxin enzymes represented mainly in the tegument. Here, we discuss the adaptations that parasitic flatworms have developed to be able to transit from the different metabolic conditions to those they are exposed to during their life cycle.

Leaching of Copper Contained in Waste Printed Circuit Boards, Using the Thiosulfate-Oxygen System: A Kinetic Approach.

The present work is related to the treatment of crushed waste of printed circuit boards (WPCBs) from electrical and electronic devices (WEEE), carrying out the recovery of copper in solution. In the first stage, the studied material was characterized by AAS, SEM-EDS, and XRD. The results revealed significantly high amounts of copper (744.42 mg/g), compared with the rest of the metals present in the sample, mainly iron and zinc. In the second stage of the work, alkali dynamic leaching experiments were carried out in the S2O3−2− O2 medium, evaluating important kinetic variables in order to verify the controlling step of the system and adjust the data to a kinetic model. According to the results obtained from the various experimental tests executed, it was found that in the studied system of S2O3−2− O2, the leaching of copper was preferably adjusted to the model of spherical particles with a shrinking core finding a mixed chemical−diffusive control, with values of Ea = 25.78 kJ/mol and n = 0.22 (for the leaching reagent), indicating that the reaction was controlled by the oxygen transport to the solid−liquid interface and also by the chemical reaction in the surface of particles, obtaining up to 99.82% copper in solution.

A combined antitumor strategy of separately transduced mesenchymal stem cells with soluble TRAIL and IFNß produces a synergistic activity in the reduction of lymphoma and mice survival enlargement.

As the understanding of cancer grows, new therapies have been proposed to improve the well-known limitations of current therapies, whose efficiency relies mostly on early detection, surgery and chemotherapy. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been introduced as a promissory and effective therapy. This fact is due to several useful features of MSCs, such as their accessibility and easy culture and expansion in vitro, and their remarkable ability for 'homing' towards tumors, allowing MSCs to exert their anticancer effects directly into tumors. Additionally, MSCs offer the practicability of being genetically engineered to carry anticancer genes, increasing their specificity and efficacy for fighting tumors. In the present study, the antitumoral efficacy and post-implant survival of mice bearing lymphomas implanted intratumorally were determined using mouse bone marrow-derived (BM)-MSCs transduced with soluble TRAIL (sTRAIL), full length TRAIL (flTRAIL), or interferon ß (IFNß), naïve BM-MSCs, or combinations of these. The percentage of surviving mice was determined once all not-implanted mice succumbed. It was found that the percentage of surviving mice implanted with the combination of MSCs-sTRAIL and MSCs-IFN-ß was 62.5%. Lymphoma model achieved 100% fatality in the non-treated group by day 41. On the other hand, the percentage of surviving mice implanted with MSCs-sTRAIL was 50% and with MSCs-INFß 25%. All the aforementioned differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). In conclusion, all implants exhibited tumor size reduction, growth delay, or apparent tumor clearance. MSCs proved to be effective anti-lymphoma agents; additionally, the combination of soluble TRAIL and IFN-ß resulted in the most effective antitumor and life enlarging treatment, showing an additive antitumoral effect compared with individual treatments.

Effect of immunosuppression by UV-B radiation on components of the innate immune response in skin lesions with Leishmania mexicana: Effect of UVB on the innate immune response in cutaneous infection by L. mexicana.

Cutaneous leishmaniasis is the most common form of leishmaniasis in humans, factors such as poverty, poor housing, inadequate domestic hygiene, malnutrition, mobility, and occupational exposure are risk factors associated with the condition, however, there are few studies focused on determining the immune mechanism involved in the resolution of cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by the species Leishmania mexicana, as well as possible environmental factors such as solar radiation, which could contribute to its establishment. through mechanisms immunosuppressants, of which to date is unknown. In this study, the effect of UV-B light was evaluated as a risk factor affecting components of the innate immune response 3 days after infection with L. mexicana. A delayed-type hypersensitivity reaction (DTH) was used to evaluate immunosuppression induced by UV-B light. Through a histological analysis, the skin lesions of the mice (Hematoxylin & Eosin) were evaluated, the presence of mast cells and their level of degranulation (toluidine blue staining), the presence of IL-10+ and MOMA2+ cells were analyzed by immunohistochemistry and finally, the cytokine profile was evaluated by qPCR in the skin lesions tissue. An alteration in the architecture of the tissue was observed, as well as a greater number of mast cells, both complete and degranulated, as well as an increase in IL-10+ and MOMA2+ cells in the skin lesions of the mice that were irradiated and subsequently infected, when compared with the lesions of infected mice (P> 0.0001), immunomodulation was also observed in the profile of cytokines expressed between both groups analyzed. This is the first study to demonstrate the effects of UV-B radiation on components of the innate immune response at short times of infection by L. mexicana.

Tratamiento del trastorno depresivo en adolescentes: revisión bibliográfica / Treatment of depressive disorder in adolescents: literature review

El trastorno depresivo en adolescentes es un diagnóstico en aumento que se ha asociado con una alta incidencia de patologías psiquiátricas en la adultez, con repercusiones en los resultados educativos, vocacionales, relaciones interpersonales, salud y bienestar físico y mental. Por lo tanto, es crucial el diagnóstico temprano y el tratamiento adecuado. El objetivo de la presente revisión bibliográfica fue analizar las alternativas terapéuticas tanto farmacológicas como no farmacológicas disponibles. Se llevó a cabo una búsqueda en PubMed de artículos publicados en los últimos 5 años y en Google Scholar desde el 2018. Los resultados sugieren que la terapia cognitivo conductual sigue siendo la intervención de primera línea con mayor respaldo de evidencia. Sin embargo, se observa que actividades como la actividad física, intervenciones psicoeducativas, estimulación magnética transcraneal, musicoterapia, yoga, biorretroalimentación, terapia del bosque, terapia basada en el arte e intervenciones digitales también han demostrado alivio de los síntomas en medida heterogénea. En cuanto al tratamiento farmacológico, los antidepresivos son la terapia de primera línea, siendo la fluoxetina y el escitalopram los más respaldados por la evidencia. Esta revisión destaca el interés en investigar el uso de otros fármacos como la lamotrigina y la ketamina, aunque la evidencia es incipiente y se requieren más ensayos controlados aleatorizados para determinar su efectividad.

Depressive disorder in adolescents is a diagnosis that has been increasing and is associated with a high incidence of psychiatric pathologies in adulthood, impacting educational and vocational outcomes, interpersonal relationships, as well as physical and mental well-being. Early diagnosis and proper treatment are crucial in addressing these issues. The objective of this bibliographic review was to examine available pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapeutic alternatives. The review involved a search on PubMed for articles published in the last 5 years and on Google Scholar since 2018. The available evidence suggests that cognitive-behavioral therapy remains the first-line intervention with the most support. However, physical activity, psychoeducational interventions, transcranial magnetic stimulation, music therapy, yoga, biofeedback, forest therapy, art-based therapy, and digital interventions have shown varying degrees of symptom relief. In terms of pharmacological treatment, antidepressants, particularly fluoxetine and escitalopram, are considered the first-line therapy based on the strongest evidence. The review also highlights the interest in exploring the use of other drugs such as lamotrigine and ketamine. However, more randomized controlled trials are needed to establish their effectiveness conclusively.

Tratamiento del trastorno de déficit de atención con hiperactividad en población pediátrica: revisión bibliográfica / Treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in the pediatric population: literature review

El Trastorno por Déficit de Atención con Hiperactividad (TDAH) es un trastorno del comportamiento común en la infancia, caracterizado por la presencia de hiperactividad, impulsividad, problemas de atención y dificultades en las interacciones sociales. El objetivo de esta revisión bibliográfica fue identificar los tratamientos disponibles para el manejo del TDAH, tanto farmacológicos como no farmacológicos. La búsqueda se realizó en PubMed y Google Scholar, recopilando 285 artículos. Se excluyeron aquellos que no estaban en inglés o español, incluían población adulta o no se ajustaban al propósito de la revisión. Se seleccionaron 48 artículos y se incluyeron finalmente 30 para la lectura. Se concluye que la evidencia sugiere un enfoque combinado de tratamiento farmacológico y no farmacológico. Entre los tratamientos farmacológicos, los estimulantes como el metilfenidato siguen siendo la opción de primera línea. Además, hay estudios preliminares que respaldan la suplementación de hierro, vitamina D, zinc, omega 3, ginseng rojo y proteína de suero de leche. En cuanto a los tratamientos no farmacológicos, hay una amplia variedad de estrategias terapéuticas, como psicoeducación, entrenamiento en habilidades sociales, terapia de aceptación y compromiso, entrenamiento para padres, neurofeedback, aplicaciones de juegos móviles, actividad física, higiene del sueño, estimulación magnética transcraneal, acupuntura y terapia asistida por caballos. Aunque estos estudios son prometedores, muchos son incipientes, y se requiere más investigación en este campo.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a common behavioral disorder in childhood, characterized by the presence of hyperactivity and impulsivity, attention problems, and difficulties in social interactions. The objective of this bibliographic review was to identify the available treatments for the non-pharmacological and pharmacological management of ADHD. A search was conducted in PubMed for articles published in the last 5 years and in Google Scholar since 2018, resulting in 285 collected articles. Articles not in English or Spanish, including adults in their population, or not fitting the purpose of this review were excluded. Out of 48 selected articles for reading, 30 were finally included. The available evidence suggests a combined approach of pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment. Stimulants such as methylphenidate continue to be the first-line treatment among pharmacological measures. Incipient studies recommend the use of iron, vitamin D, zinc, omega 3, red ginseng, and whey protein supplementation. Non-pharmacological measures include a variety of therapeutic strategies, such as psychoeducation, training in social skills, acceptance and commitment therapy, training for parents, neurofeedback, mobile game applications, physical activity, sleep hygiene, transcranial magnetic stimulation, acupuncture, and horse-assisted therapy. While these studies show promise, most are still in the early stages, emphasizing the need for further research in this area.

Immunosuppression by UVB radiation exacerbates Leishmania mexicana skin lesions in mice.

Cutaneous leishmaniasis is the most common form of leishmaniasis in humans. The disease is caused by several species, such as Leishmania mexicana, a protozoa parasite. Several major risk factors are associated with this disease, including poverty, poor housing, inadequate domestic hygiene, malnutrition, mobility, and occupational exposure. Solar radiation (UVB) has not been considered a risk factor because there is no scientific evidence demonstrating a correlation with increased susceptibility to cutaneous leishmaniasis. In this study, the shaved skin of the back of C57BL/6 mice was irradiated with 24.2 mJ/cm2 of UVB. A delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) reaction was used to assess UV-induced immune suppression. Skin lesions were quantitated, and parasite burden and the presence of anti-Leishmania mexicana antibodies in serum and germinal centers in draining lymph nodes were determined. We found an increased in the lesion size and parasitic load in UVB-irradiated mice compared to the WT mice and B lymphocyte activation in draining lymph nodes and increased IgG1 production. Our results show an important role of UVB-induced suppression in cutaneous leishmaniasis through local production of IL-10 and systemic IgG1antibodies. This is the first study that demonstrates the effects of UVB radiation on cutaneous leishmaniasis by Leishmania mexicana.

Activity In Vitro of 2-Chloro-N-[4-(4-Chlorophenyl)-2-Thiazolyl]Acetamide Against Promastigotes of Leishmania mexicana: An Apoptosis Inducer.

PURPOSE: Leishmaniasis is an infectious disease transmitted by insects that proliferate mainly in impoverished environments of tropical climates. In the absence of an effective vaccine, pharmacological treatment is the main tool to combat this disease. The objective of this work was to analyze the anti-leishmanial activity of 2-chloro-N-[4-(4-chlorophenyl)-2-thiazolyl] acetamide (AT) in promastigotes of Leishmania mexicana. METHODS: The biological activity of the compound was evaluated using a sulphorhodamine B cytotoxicity test and the integrity of the erythrocytes was evaluated by a lysis test. The anti-trypanosomatid activity was evaluated in vitro, a cell death assay was performed by flow cytometry (IP/Annexin V stain) and a parasite growth recovery assay was performed. RESULTS: The AT showed a CC50 value of 0.031 µM for HeLa cells after 24 h of exposure, which did not induce erythrocyte lysis. On the other hand, the AT showed an IC50 value of 0.086 µM for L. mexicana (promastigote form) after 24 h of interaction. The compound was capable of inducing apoptosis in the parasites and did not allow recovery after 24 h of exposure. CONCLUSION: This study provides valuable information with the objective of developing new drugs for the treatment of this disease, although more research on this molecule is needed to improve its biological activity.

Immune response to Leishmania mexicana: the host-parasite relationship.

Leishmaniosis is currently considered a serious public health problem and it is listed as a neglected tropical disease by World Health Organization (WHO). Despite the efforts of the scientific community, it has not been possible to develop an effective vaccine. Current treatment consists of antimonials that is expensive and can cause adverse effects. It is essential to fully understand the immunopathogenesis of the disease to develop new strategies to prevent, treat and eradicate the disease. Studies on animal models have shown a new paradigm in the resolution or establishment of infection by Leishmania mexicana where a wide range of cytokines, antibodies and cells are involved. In recent years, the possibility of a new therapy with monoclonal antibodies has been considered, where isotype, specificity and concentration are critical for effective therapy. Would be better to create/generate a vaccine to induce host protection or produce passive immunization with engineering monoclonal antibodies to a defined antigen? This review provides an overview that includes the current known information on the immune response that are involved in the complex host-parasite relationship infection caused by L. mexicana.

Thiol antioxidant thioredoxin reductase: A prospective biochemical crossroads between anticancer and antiparasitic treatments of the modern era.

The thiol-based glutathione reductase (GR) and thioredoxin reductase (TrxR) are the major antioxidant enzymes present in various organisms that maintain the internal redox homeostasis. The thioredoxin system has attracted the attention of researchers from diverse investigation fields of biological sciences. Apart from redox regulation, this system is thought to be the major regulator of various biological processes including transcription, apoptosis, etc. Identification and physicobiochemical characterization of the reductase enzyme i.e. Thioredoxin reductase (TrxR) revealed the potency of it to become a promising target. Novel therapeutic interventions by selective targeting of TrxR in parasitic organisms as well as in the cancer cells have now become a usual treatment approach. However, different isoforms and their variation in the penultimate amino acid (Selenocysteine or cysteine) present in the catalytic site of the enzyme have made this enzyme to respond differently towards various drugs and synthetic and/or natural compounds. Therefore, the present article seeks to highlight the importance and the detailed molecular mechanism, functional perspective underlying the TrxR inhibition in various parasitic protozoans, helminthes as well as in cancer cells for devising suitable anti-TrxR candidates.

Seroprevalence of Trypanosoma cruzi Infection in Pregnant Women Suggests a High Risk for Congenital Transmission in Central Veracruz, Mexico.

PURPOSE: The state of Veracruz, Mexico, is a well-recognized endemic region for Chagas disease, but congenital transmission has not been extensively studied. We estimated here the prevalence and the risk of congenital transmission of Trypanosoma cruzi in pregnant women from 27 municipalities of central Veracruz. METHODS: 528 sera from pregnant women were analyzed by ELISA and IFA assays for the detection of IgG antibodies against T. cruzi. RESULTS: The presence of anti-T. cruzi antibodies was identified in women from 17 municipalities, obtaining an overall seroprevalence of 17.0%. A higher seropositivity was observed in the municipalities of Orizaba (25.2%), Nogales (13.6%), and Río Blanco (10.5%). The results suggest that there is a high risk of congenital transmission of T. cruzi in the region. CONCLUSION: There are currently limited actions for the surveillance and control of congenital transmission of Chagas disease in Veracruz.