Comparison of the blood biochemical values of foraging and nesting Olive Ridley turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea) from Sinaloa, Mexico.

Our study aimed to establish reference values for nesting females and compare them with those previously reported to understand olive ridley turtles' health status and contribute to long-term health assessment and monitoring in foraging and nesting areas from the state of Sinaloa, Mexico. In August and September 2018, morphometric data and biochemical profiles were collected from 33 nesting olive ridley turtles from Ceuta Beach Sanctuary (CBS) and 14 foraging female turtles captured at the foraging site, Navachiste Marine Area (NMA). Nesting turtles sampled had greater CCL (65.86 ± 1.70 cm) than those from the foraging area (61.54 ± 1.22) (p < 0.05). Regarding biochemical profiles, post-nesting turtles had higher packed cell volume (PCV), albumin, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), cholesterol, triglycerides, and calcium than turtles from the foraging area (p < 0.05). Phosphorus levels were higher in foraging turtles than in nesting turtles (p = 0.001), while the remaining parameters showed no significant differences. The present study describes for the first time the blood biochemical values of nesting turtles from the Ceuta Beach Sanctuary in southern Sinaloa, Mexico, similar to those of foraging turtles from the north of the state. The significant differences observed between the two analysis groups may be due to the energy reserves and reproductive and nesting activity of the nesting turtles, so the blood biochemistry values described in this study can be used as a standard reference blood value for the olive ridley turtle population of Sinaloa, Mexico.

In Silico Prediction of Hub Genes Involved in Diabetic Kidney and COVID-19 Related Disease by Differential Gene Expression and Interactome Analysis.

Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is a frequently chronic kidney pathology derived from diabetes comorbidity. This condition has irreversible damage and its risk factor increases with SARS-CoV-2 infection. The prognostic outcome for diabetic patients with COVID-19 is dismal, even with intensive medical treatment. However, there is still scarce information on critical genes involved in the pathophysiological impact of COVID-19 on DKD. Herein, we characterize differential expression gene (DEG) profiles and determine hub genes undergoing transcriptional reprogramming in both disease conditions. Out of 995 DEGs, we identified 42 shared with COVID-19 pathways. Enrichment analysis elucidated that they are significantly induced with implications for immune and inflammatory responses. By performing a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network and applying topological methods, we determine the following five hub genes: STAT1, IRF7, ISG15, MX1 and OAS1. Then, by network deconvolution, we determine their co-expressed gene modules. Moreover, we validate the conservancy of their upregulation using the Coronascape database (DB). Finally, tissue-specific regulation of the five predictive hub genes indicates that OAS1 and MX1 expression levels are lower in healthy kidney tissue. Altogether, our results suggest that these genes could play an essential role in developing severe outcomes of COVID-19 in DKD patients.

Leucism: the prevalent congenital malformation in the olive ridley sea turtle of northwestern Mexico.

Despite being the most abundant sea turtle in the world, the olive ridley turtle Lepidochelys olivacea is classified as Vulnerable by the IUCN. There is evidence of congenital malformations in hatchlings, and the associated causes are multifactorial, with both genetic and environmental sources. Santuario Playa Ceuta (SPC) is a sanctuary for the olive ridley, located at the northernmost region of its nesting range in the Mexican Pacific. The objective of this study was to identify and quantify the prevalence and severity of congenital malformations in olive ridley embryos/hatchlings in SPC during the 2017 nesting season. We collected 62907 eggs from 643 relocated nests that were moved to a hatchery, of which 4242 eggs with obvious development did not hatch and were analyzed for this study. Hatching success was 53.9%, with 22.5% of nests (n = 145) and 0.54% of eggs (n = 344) showing embryos or hatchlings with malformations. The nest severity index was 2.4 (range: 1-10) malformed embryos or hatchlings per nest, and the organism severity index was 1.4 (range: 1-7) malformations per malformed embryo or hatchling. Leucism was the most prevalent malformation (34.4%; 170/494 total observed), with the craniofacial region showing the greatest diversity of malformations (17/35 types). Given the geographical position of SPC, extreme environmental conditions (e.g. cold, heat, and dryness) could be one of the main causes of teratogenesis in this species. However, more studies are needed regarding the presence of contaminants, genetic factors, health assessments of nesting females, and malformation rates of nests that remain in situ versus those that are relocated.

The Chemokine MIG is Associated with an Increased Risk of COVID-19 Mortality in Mexican Patients.

BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an emergent viral disease in which the host inflammatory response modulates the clinical outcome. Severe outcomes are associated with an exacerbation of inflammation in which chemokines play an important role as the attractants of immune cells to the tissues. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the relationship of the chemokines IL-8, RANTES, MIG, MCP-1, and IP-10 with COVID-19 severity and outcomes in Mexican patients. METHODS: We analyzed the serum levels of IL-8, RANTES, MIG, MCP-1 and IP-10 in 148 COVID-19 hospitalized patients classified as mild (n=20), severe (n=61), and critical (n=67), as well as in healthy individuals (n=10), by flow cytometry bead array assay. RESULTS: Chemokine levels were higher in patients than in the healthy individuals, but only MIG, MCP-1, and IP-10 increased according to the disease severity, showing the highest levels in the critical group. MIG, MCP-1, and IP-10 levels were also higher in COVID-19 patients with comorbidities such as renal disease, type 2 diabetes, and hypertension. Moreover, elevated MIG levels seem to be related to organic failure/shock, and an increased risk of death. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that the increased levels of MCP-1, IP-10, and especially MIG might be useful in predicting severe COVID-19 outcomes and could be promising therapeutic targets.

First Evidence of Horizontal Transmission by Fecal Shedding of Dengue Virus 4 Among Aedes aegypti Larvae (Diptera: Culicidae) Under Laboratory Conditions.

The transmission pathways of dengue virus (DENV) among mosquitoes are a topic that has gained relevance in recent years because they could explain the maintenance of the virus in the wild independently of the human-mosquito horizontal transmission cycle. In this regard, Aedes aegypti larvae exposed to supernatants of C6/36 cells infected with DENV-4 were evaluated for virus excretion in feces and viability of infection in immature stages (larvae). The results demonstrate that larvae excrete DENV-4 in their feces with the potential to at least infect immature individuals of the same species. A horizontal transmission pathway of larvae-larvae DENV-4 under laboratory conditions is suggested.

Molecular Detection of Leishmania (L.) mexicana (Kinetoplastida: Trypanostomatidae) DNA in Culicoides furens (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) from an Area with Autochthonous Canine Leishmaniasis in Northwestern Mexico.

PURPOSE: Mexico is considered endemic for Leishmania; recent reports indicate autochthonous human and canine leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania mexicana in Sinaloa state. Lutzomyia sand fly are the primary vector of the parasite, although no records of phlebotomine vectors of Leishmania exist from Sinaloa. Other hematophagous dipterans, like Culicoides, could represent possible vectors of Leishmania in absence of phlebotomines. The known distribution of Culicoides includes the southern portion of Sinaloa state, in northwestern Mexico, with records of Culicoides furens. However, no studies have demonstrated the presence of Leishmania in C. furens or its possible participation in the parasite's life cycle in Mexico. This study, therefore, sought to detect DNA of Leishmania in C. furens captured in an endemic area of autochthonous canine leishmaniasis in northwestern Mexico. METHODS: Culicoides were captured with CDC light traps, identified morphologically, and organized in pools. DNA was extracted, and used to amplify the ribosomal ITS1 region of Leishmania. PCR products were digested with HaeIII endonuclease; the banding patterns obtained were compared to reference strains. RESULTS: Leishmania mexicana DNA was detected in five out of nine pools (55%) of female C. furens. CONCLUSION: This study offers the first evidence of L. mexicana DNA in C. furens, in an endemic area of canine leishmaniasis in northwestern Mexico, where no evidence exists of the presence of phlebotomine sand fly.

Essential and trace metals in a post-nesting olive ridley turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea) in Ceuta beach, Sinaloa, Mexico.

Trace metals have been found in sea turtle blood and tissues and may represent a threat to these endangered species. Essential trace metal (Cu, Zn Cd, Pb, As, and Hg) concentrations were determined in blood of adult female, post-nesting olive ridley turtles Lepidochelys olivacea (n = 35) on Ceuta beach, Sinaloa, Mexico. Essential metals (Zn and Cu) analyzed were found in higher concentrations than toxic metals (Cd and Pb), while As and Hg concentrations were below the limits of detection (0.01 µg g-1). Low Pb concentrations (0.09 µg g-1) were previously observed in sea turtles in the Gulf of California. There were no significant correlations found between curved carapace length (61.00-71.00 ± 2.29) vs metal concentrations (p > 0.05). Cd levels were relatively high when compared to other species and populations of sea turtles worldwide and Cd may represent the greatest risk for sea turtles in the Mexican Pacific. Such concentrations of Cd may pose a further risk to sea turtles through bioaccumulation from the nesting female to offspring which may affect embryo development.

Isolation of Gram-Positive, Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria from Tactile Mobile Phones in a Northwestern Mexican City.

The widespread use of touch-screen mobile devices renders them potential fomites for the transmission of bacterial pathogens among users of different ages. The objectives of the present research were to isolate bacteria from mobile phones, perform molecular and phylogenetic identification, and determine the antibiotic resistance profiles. The surfaces of 50 touch-screen mobile devices owned by bystanders were sampled in the city center of Culiacan, Sinaloa, Mexico. The samples were cultured on nutritive agar; 13 bacterial colonies were isolated and characterized based on their macroscopic and microscopic characteristics and then identified using PCR amplification and sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene V4 and V6 regions. Their taxonomic relationships were determined via a Bayesian inference approach. Antimicrobial resistance was evaluated via disc diffusion and broth microdilution assays. Species of the genera Staphylococcus, Bacillus, and Enterococcus were identified on 84.6, 7.7, and 7.7% of the mobile phones, respectively. A unique subgroup of Staphylococcus epidermidis was identified in strains FBOPL-23, CAEPL-28, and FREPL-28. Staphylococcus hominis novobiosepticus was also identified on mobile phones for the first time. Of the isolated bacteria, 92.3% were resistant to erythromycin, 76.9% to ampicillin and penicillin, 61.5% to dicloxacillin, 38.5% to cephalothin and 7.7% to cefotaxime and ceftriaxone. The presence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria of clinical relevance poses potential risks to users' health and the dissemination of antibiotic resistance mechanisms throughout the community; thus, we recommend regular cleaning to prevent cross-infection by multidrug-resistant bacteria when using touch-screen mobile devices.

First report of autochthonous canine leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania (L.) mexicana in Sinaloa, Mexico.

Leishmaniasis is a neglected tropical disease caused by different species of protozoan parasites of the genus Leishmania. Dogs have been proven as primary hosts of the parasite. Cases of cutaneous leishmaniasis in humans caused by Leishmania mexicana have been reported in Sinaloa; however, the vectors and hosts involved in the epidemiology of the parasite in northwestern Mexico are still unknown. Given the public health implications of this parasite's domestic hosts regarding the permanence and transmission of the disease to humans, the objective of the present study was to detect and determine the species of Leishmania that caused the first three cases of autochthonous canine leishmaniasis in the state of Sinaloa, Mexico. Three domestic dogs showing symptoms similar to canine leishmaniasis were identified, including chronic eye inflammation, corneal opacity, ocular exudate, emaciation and hyporexia. DNA was extracted from venous blood of the infected animals using a commercial kit. The internal transcribed spacer (ITS-1) of ribosomal DNA (rDNA) was amplified by specific primers for Leishmania from the extracted DNA, and the PCR products were digested with the restriction enzyme HaeIII. In addition, PCR products were subjected to automated sequencing. Molecular analysis showed that the infecting species was L. mexicana. This is the first report of autochthonous canine leishmaniasis caused by L. mexicana in Sinaloa, Mexico. Further studies are required to identify the species that serve as vectors and other wild and domestic hosts of the parasite, as well as to determine if there are more species of Leishmania circulating in Sinaloa.

Increased Micronuclei Frequency in Oral and Lingual Epithelium of Treated Diabetes Mellitus Patients.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disease characterized by persistent high levels of glucose in plasma. Chronic hyperglycemia is thought to increase oxidative stress and the formation of free radicals that in turn damage cells. Thus, we decided to determine the frequency of nuclear abnormalities in epithelial cells from cheek and tongue mucosa of DM patients with type 1 (DM1, treated only with insulin) and type 2 (DM2, treated with metformin) using the buccal micronucleus cytome (BMCyt) assay. Micronuclei frequency in cheek epithelial cells was higher in both DM1 (0.75 ± 0.31, P < 0.001) and DM2 (0.52 ± 0.27, P < 0.001) patients, as compared to healthy controls (0.07 ± 0.06). Similarly, micronuclei frequency in tongue epithelium was increased in DM1 (0.81 ± 0.22, P < 0.001) and DM2 (0.41 ± 0.21, P < 0.001) groups, in comparison to controls (0.06 ± 0.05). Besides, we found a positive correlation between micronuclei frequency and the onset time of DM2 in both cheek (ρ = 0.69, P < 0.001) and tongue epithelial cells (ρ = 0.71, P < 0.001), but not with onset time of DM1 or age of the patients. Considering all this, we pose that BMCyt could serve as a fast and easily accessible test to assess genotoxic damage during dental visits of DM patients, helping to monitor their disease.

[Apoptosis modulation by human papillomavirus]. / Modulación de la apoptosis por el virus del papiloma humano.

One of the most important processes to keep the homeostasis in organisms is the apoptosis, also called programmed cell death. This mechanism works through two pathways: The intrinsic or mitochondrial, which responds to DNA damage and extern agents like UV radiation; and the extrinsic or receptor-mediated, which binds to their ligands to initiate the apoptotic trail. The evasion of apoptosis is one of the main causes of cellular transformation to malignity. Many viruses had shown capacity to modify the apoptotic process; among them is the human papillomavirus, which, by means of its oncoproteins, interferes in pathways, reacting with the receptors and molecules and participating in the death mechanism. This creates ideal conditions for cancer development.

Uno de los procesos más importantes para el mantenimiento de la homeostasis en el organismo es la apoptosis, también denominada muerte celular programada. Este mecanismo funciona por medio de dos vías: la intrínseca o mitocondrial, que responde a daños al ADN y a agentes externos, como la radiación UV; y la extrínseca o mediada por receptores, los que se unen a sus ligandos para iniciar la cascada apoptótica. La evasión de la apoptosis es una de las principales causas de transformación celular hacia la malignidad. Muchos virus han mostrado capacidades para modificar el proceso apoptótico, entre ellos el VPH, el cual interfiere por medio de sus oncoproteínas en ambas vías y reacciona con los receptores y las moléculas que participan en el mecanismo de muerte y crea condiciones propicias para el desarrollo del cáncer.

Proapoptotic CD95L levels in normal human serum and sera of breast cancer patients.

The CD95 pathway is a critical apoptotic pathway used by immune cells to avoid cancer development. CD95 ligand (CD95L) is found in several forms, as a cell membrane-associated form, a soluble metalloprotease-cleaved form, and a soluble but membrane-bound CD95L released on cell-derived exosomes. In this study, we used a cell-based assay to evaluate the activity of proapoptotic CD95L in sera from healthy individuals and breast cancer patients. We confirmed that our cell-based assay using Jurkat cells was sensitive to the presence of proapoptotic CD95L in serum, and apoptosis induction by mechanisms other than CD95 was discriminated using apoptosis-resistant Jurkat subclones. Our results indicated a proapoptotic potential of normal serum that involved CD95L. Sera from breast cancer patients exhibited significantly decreased apoptosis induction, due to increased CD95 receptor levels compared with healthy women. Apoptotic potential tended to decrease as the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System grade increased, and we observed restoration of proapoptotic potential after tumor removal. The CD95L in serum responsible for apoptotic induction was associated with high-molecular-weight particles, perhaps with exosomes. The sera of healthy individuals generally contain a proapoptotic environment, and this property is mainly maintained by the presence of CD95L. Furthermore, measurement of CD95L-mediated apoptosis induction by sera could be a useful parameter to be evaluated during cancer development and therapeutic response.

Expression of transcription factor grainyhead-like 2 is diminished in cervical cancer.

The transcription factor grainyhead-like 2 (GRHL2) is evolutionarily conserved in many different species, and is involved in morphogenesis, epithelial differentiation, and the control of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition. It has also recently been implicated in carcinogenesis, but its role in this remains controversial. Expression of GRHL2 has not previously been reported in cervical cancer, so the present study aimed to characterize GRHL2 expression in cervical cancer-derived cell lines (CCCLs) and cervical tissues with different grades of lesions. Microarray analysis found that the expression of 58 genes was down-regulated in CCCLs compared to HaCaT cells (non-tumorigenic human epithelial cell line). The expression of eight of these genes was validated by quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR), and GRHL2 was found to be the most down-regulated. Western blot assays corroborated that GRHL2 protein levels were strongly down-regulated in CCCLs. Cervical cells from women without cervical lesions were shown to express GRHL2, while immunohistochemistry found that positivity to GRHL2 decreased in cervical cancer tissues. In conclusion, a loss or strong reduction in GRHL2 expression appears to be a characteristic of cervical cancer, suggesting that GRHL2 down-regulation is a necessary step during cervical carcinogenesis. However, further studies are needed to delineate the role of GRHL2 in cervical cancer and during malignant progression.

Apoptosis induction in Jurkat cells and sCD95 levels in women's sera are related with the risk of developing cervical cancer.

BACKGROUND: Currently, there is clear evidence that apoptosis plays an important role in the development and progression of tumors. One of the best characterized apoptosis triggering systems is the CD95/Fas/APO-1 pathway; previous reports have demonstrated high levels of soluble CD95 (sCD95) in serum of patients with some types of cancer. Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer among women worldwide. As a first step in an attempt to design a minimally invasive test to predict the risk of developing cervical cancer in patients with precancerous lesions, we used a simple assay based on the capacity of human serum to induce apoptosis in Jurkat cells. We evaluated the relationship between sCD95 levels and the ability to induce apoptosis in Jurkat cells in cervical cancer patients and controls. METHODS: Jurkat cells were exposed to serum from 63 women (20 healthy volunteers, 21 with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade I [CIN 1] and 22 with cervical-uterine carcinoma). The apoptotic rate was measured by flow cytometry using Annexin-V-Fluos and Propidium Iodide as markers. Serum levels of sCD95 and soluble CD95 ligand (sCD95L) were measured by ELISA kits. RESULTS: We found that serum from almost all healthy women induced apoptosis in Jurkat cells, while only fifty percent of the sera from women with CIN 1 induced cell death in Jurkat cells. Interestingly, only one serum sample from a patient with cervical-uterine cancer was able to induce apoptosis, the rest of the sera protected Jurkat cells from this killing. We were able to demonstrate that elimination of Jurkat cells was mediated by the CD95/Fas/Apo-1 apoptotic pathway. Furthermore, the serum levels of sCD95 measured by ELISA were significantly higher in women with cervical cancer. CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrate that there is a strong correlation between low levels of sCD95 in serum of normal women and higher apoptosis induction in Jurkat cells. We suggest that an analysis of the apoptotic rate induced by serum in Jurkat cells and the levels of sCD95 in serum could be helpful during the prognosis and treatment of women detected with precancerous lesions or cervical cancer.