Peripheral double negative T: A look at senescent Cubans.

INTRODUCTION: Age-related changes in the immune system are called immunosenescence. Within the T lymphocytes is the subpopulation of double negative (DNT) peripheral lymphocytes that are immunomodulators of the immune response, based on their ability to suppress the functions of simple positive T cells and their cytotoxicity for tumor cells and those infected by viruses. OBJECTIVE: To determine the frequency of peripheral DNT lymphocytes in older Cuban adults. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was carried out in 30 older adults, residents in Cuba. DNT lymphocytes in peripheral blood were quantified by flow cytometry. A Beckman Coulter Gallios flow cytometer was used for data reading and analysis. Percentage values mean and standard deviation were used. The Chi-square was used to relate the percentage values of DNT and comorbidities. It was considered statistically significant if p ≤ 0.05. RESULTS: There was a predominance of women who represented 70 %. No older adult with low values of DNT lymphocytes was reported. Women with high percentage and absolute values of DNT lymphocytes prevailed in relation to men. In the group ≥80 years, high values in % and absolute values of DNT lymphocytes predominated. The high percentage values of DNT cells were mainly related to cardiovascular disease, and predominated in the elderly of ≥80 years old; who presented respiratory and skin infections, fundamentally. The percentage normal value in the group < 80 years was significant (p = 0.0198). The Chi-square value was 0,5995. CONCLUSIONS: Most older adults who exhibited high percentage and absolute values of DNT lymphocytes, or a tendency to them, had some associated comorbidity, an idea that suggests that DNT cells participate in immune surveillance, defense and homeostasis based on their double identity, that is, its pathogenic or immunosuppressive phenotype according to the specific immunological microenvironment.

Immunophenotypic characterization of B1a lymphocytes in Cuban older adults.

INTRODUCTION: B1a lymphocytes are characterized by having a high capacity for self-renewal and production of natural antibodies, in a T-independent manner. There are differences in both the number and composition of mature B lymphocytes throughout life, due to the phenomenon of immunosenescence. OBJECTIVE: To characterize the immunophenotype of B1a lymphocytes in older Cuban adults with a simplified CD19CD20CD5 panel. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 30 institutionalized Cuban older adults. Characterization of CD19 + CD5+, CD20 + CD5+, and CD19 + CD20+ B lymphocytes in peripheral blood was performed by flow cytometry. For the reading and analysis of the biological samples, a flow cytometer, Beckman Coulter, Gallios, was used. A Microsoft Excel database was created with the information obtained. The sample was divided by sex and age. The data were processed using the statistical program GraphPadPrism version 6.00 using the percentage values and the median for the sample description. RESULTS: The elderly aged 80 years and over showed a decrease in the absolute count of CD19 + CD20+ B lymphocytes, as well as in the percentage and absolute count of CD19 + CD5+ B lymphocytes. On the other hand, they presented higher absolute counts of CD20 + CD5+ lymphocytes in relation to those of the <80-year-old group. Women showed higher absolute counts of CD19 + CD5+, CD20 + CD5+, and CD19 + CD20+ B lymphocyte populations. CONCLUSIONS: The immunophenotypic characterization of B1a lymphocytes in older Cuban adults is similar to that reported by other researchers. Both age and sex influence the absolute count of these cells, being higher in women under 80 years of age.

Effect of Biomodulina-T® and VA-MENGOC-BC® on lymphocyte subpopulations in older adults.

INTRODUCTION: The elderly population suffers from the natural process called immunosenescence, which may be related to the high mortality rates it has against the SARS-CoV2 virus, which is why therapies that improve the immune status are required. The combined treatment of the VA-MENGOC-BC® (V-BC) vaccine and the Biomodulina T® (BT) drug could achieve this purpose. This treatment could immunomodulate both the innate and adaptive branches of the immune system simultaneously. OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of BT and V-BC on the immunomodulation of lymphocyte subpopulations in older adults. METHODS: Our study was carried out in 30 apparently healthy Cuban adults over 65 years of age. The study included three groups of 10 subjects per treatment: a combination of both and the monotherapies. Before and 7 days after treatment, 2 mL of peripheral blood was drawn from each subject. Multiparametric flow cytometry was used to identify lymphocyte subpopulations. For the comparison between the groups, point estimates and the confidence intervals of the Odds Ratio were made. RESULTS: We found that subpopulations of B lymphocytes and natural cytotoxic T (NKT) cells increased only with the administration of BT. Additionally, combination treatments and V-BC did not generate statistically significant immunomodulatory changes in any of the studied lymphocyte subpopulations. CONCLUSIONS: BT presented an immunoenhancing effect on the B and NKT lymphocyte subpopulations of older adults. The three-dose treatment scheme a novel and specific treatment strategy for this formulation. We also were verified that the combined application of V-BC and BT did not have the expected benefits. All these findings suggest that BT administration is a promising approach for immune restoration and to offering protection in elderly patients against COVID-19.

Immunophenotypic characterization of double positive T lymphocytes in Cuban older adults.

INTRODUCTION: Immunosenescence is the functional deterioration of the immune system during natural aging that mainly affects T lymphocytes, within which is the subpopulation of peripheral double positive T lymphocytes that are immunomodulators of the immune response. They are increased in older adults and play a fundamental role in the immunopathogenesis of autoimmune diseases, viral infections and neoplasms. OBJECTIVE: To characterize the immunophenotype of peripheral double positive T lymphocytes in Cuban older adults. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was carried out in 30 older adults residing in Cuba. Peripheral blood double positive T lymphocytes were quantified by flow cytometry. The reading was done on a Beckman Coulter Gallios flow cytometer. A Beckman Coulter Gallios flow cytometer was used for data analysis. Percentage values, median and standard deviation were used. RESULTS: There was a predominance of women who represented 70%. No older adults with low values of double positive T lymphocytes were reported. Women with high percentage and absolute values of DPT lymphocytes predominated in relation to men. Among the high percentage values and the absolute value of DPT lymphocytes, the group ≥80 years prevailed. CONCLUSIONS: Most of the older adults who exhibited high percentage and absolute values of DPT lymphocytes had some associated comorbidity, an idea that suggests that CD4 + CD8+ T cells seem to play an important role in peripheral sites as powerful immunosuppressants or as cells with high cytotoxic potential.

The role of P-type IIA and P-type IIB Ca2+-ATPases in plant development and growth.

As sessile organisms, plants have evolved mechanisms to adapt to variable and rapidly fluctuating environmental conditions. Calcium (Ca2+) in plant cells is a versatile intracellular second messenger that is essential for stimulating short- and long-term responses to environmental stresses through changes in its concentration in the cytosol ([Ca2+]cyt). Increases in [Ca2+]cyt direct the strength and length of these stimuli. In order to terminate them, the cells must then remove the cytosolic Ca2+ against a concentration gradient, either taking it away from the cell or storing it in organelles such as the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and/or vacuoles. Here, we review current knowledge about the biological roles of plant P-type Ca2+-ATPases as potential actors in the regulation of this cytosolic Ca2+ efflux, with a focus the IIA ER-type Ca2+-ATPases (ECAs) and the IIB autoinhibited Ca2+-ATPases (ACAs). While ECAs are analogous proteins to animal sarcoplasmic-endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPases (SERCAs), ACAs are equivalent to animal plasma membrane-type ATPases (PMCAs). We examine their expression patterns in cells exhibiting polar growth and consider their appearance during the evolution of the plant lineage. Full details of the functions and coordination of ECAs and ACAs during plant growth and development have not yet been elucidated. Our current understanding of the regulation of fluctuations in Ca2+ gradients in the cytoplasm and organelles during growth is in its infancy, but recent technological advances in Ca2+ imaging are expected to shed light on this subject.

Aspectos más relevantes del síndrome periódico asociado al receptor del factor de necrosis tumoral / Most relevant aspects of tumor necrosis factor receptor associated periodic syndrome

Los desórdenes autoinflamatorios hereditarios constituyen una gama de condiciones heterogéneas que tienen como característica común la aparición de ataques no provocados de inflamación, la cual podría ser sistémica u ocurrir en nichos localizados del organismo. Dentro de estos se encuentran los síndromes hereditarios de fiebre periódica, caracterizados por ataques cortos y recurrentes de fiebre e inflamación localizada grave, que ocurre periódica o irregularmente y que no se explican por las infecciones usuales de la infancia. Forma parte de estas entidades el síndrome periódico asociado al receptor del factor necrosis tumoral, el cual se caracteriza por episodios de fiebre prolongada, mialgias, dolor abdominal, eritema cutáneo migratorio, conjuntivitis o edema periorbitario, con un patrón de herencia autosómico dominante. Lo más importante para el diagnóstico es el análisis genético y su pronóstico está determinado por la aparición de amiloidosis. En 1999, se descubrió su base genética, al identificarse las mutaciones causantes de la enfermedad en el gen que codifica para la superfamilia 1 A del receptor del factor de necrosis tumoral. En años recientes se han logrado avances significativos en el diagnóstico y tratamiento de esta enfermedad gracias a un mejor conocimiento de su patogénesis. En este trabajo se describen los aspectos más relevantes en cuanto a patogénesis, relación de las mutaciones con el fenotipo de la enfermedad, características clínicas y tratamiento(AU)

Hereditary autoinflammatory disorders are a range of heterogeneous conditions that have as a common feature the appearance of unprovoked inflammatory attacks, which may be systemic or occur in localized niches of the body. Among these are hereditary periodic fever syndrome, characterized by short and recurrent attacks of fever and severe localized inflammation, occurring periodically or irregularly and not explained by the usual infections of childhood. Tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated periodic syndrome is part of these entities and is characterized by episodes of prolonged fever, myalgias, abdominal pain, migratory cutaneous erythema, conjunctivitis and/or periorbital edema, with an autosomal dominant inheritance pattern. The most important for the diagnosis is the genetic analysis and its prognosis is determined by the appearance of amyloidosis. In 1999 its genetic basis was discovered by identifying disease-causing mutations in the gene encoding tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily member 1A. In recent years, significant advances have been achieved in the diagnosis and treatment of this disease, thanks to a better understanding of its pathogenesis. This paper describes the most relevant aspects regarding pathogenesis, relation of mutations with the disease phenotype, clinical characteristics and treatment(AU)