Curcumin ameliorates autoimmune diabetes. Evidence in accelerated murine models of type 1 diabetes.

Type 1 diabetes (T1DM) is a T cell-mediated autoimmune disease that selectively destroys pancreatic ß cells. The only possible cure for T1DM is to control autoimmunity against ß cell-specific antigens. We explored whether the natural compound curcumin, with anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, might down-regulate the T cell response that destroys pancreatic ß cells to improve disease outcome in autoimmune diabetes. We employed two accelerated autoimmune diabetes models: (i) cyclophosphamide (CYP) administration to non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice and (ii) adoptive transfer of diabetogenic splenocytes into NODscid mice. Curcumin treatment led to significant delay of disease onset, and in some instances prevented autoimmune diabetes by inhibiting pancreatic leucocyte infiltration and preserving insulin-expressing cells. To investigate the mechanisms of protection we studied the effect of curcumin on key immune cell populations involved in the pathogenesis of the disease. Curcumin modulates the T lymphocyte response impairing proliferation and interferon (IFN)-γ production through modulation of T-box expressed in T cells (T-bet), a key transcription factor for proinflammatory T helper type 1 (Th1) lymphocyte differentiation, both at the transcriptional and translational levels. Also, curcumin reduces nuclear factor (NF)-κB activation in T cell receptor (TCR)-stimulated NOD lymphocytes. In addition, curcumin impairs the T cell stimulatory function of dendritic cells with reduced secretion of proinflammatory cytokines and nitric oxide (NO) and low surface expression of co-stimulatory molecules, leading to an overall diminished antigen-presenting cell activity. These in-vitro effects correlated with ex-vivo analysis of cells obtained from curcumin-treated mice during the course of autoimmune diabetes. These findings reveal an effective therapeutic effect of curcumin in autoimmune diabetes by its actions on key immune cells responsible for ß cell death.

Cladistic analysis of Tospovirus using molecular characters.

The genus Tospovirus was thought to be composed only of the tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV), but now at least four Tospovirus species have been proposed based on serological and molecular data. A classification of tospoviruses has been proposed taking into account global similarities of the N gene and N protein sequences of 7 isolates of Tospovirus. Because phylogenetic analyses based on global similarities can lead to classifications which do not mirror the genealogy of the group, we have employed a cladistic analysis using parsimony of this genus with RNA sequences of 450 nucleotides of the N gene from 14 new Argentinean isolates and 4 previously described isolates. Representatives of the Bunyaviridae family, Rift Valley Fever Virus (Phlebovirus) and Bunyamwera (Bunyavirus), were used as the outgroup in separate analyses.

Detection of Tospovirus species by RT-PCR of the N-gene and restriction enzyme digestions of the products.

Tomato spotted wilt is a serious disease that affects several economically important crops. From the epidemiological point of view and for the development of a successful plan for transgenic resistance plants, the four known Tospovirus species must be discriminated at the molecular level. A RT-PCR assay using primers complementary to the N gene was used to detect and differentiate fourteen Argentinian isolates of Tospovirus from different crops and geographical areas. Extracts were reverse transcribed using a thermo-resistant reverse transcriptase and PCR reactions were performed for 30 min in a capillar thermo-cycler. The products were digested with restriction enzymes and three of the four described species were identified. Additionally, the results were confirmed by DAS-ELISA. The method described here is rapid and reliable.