Molecular Detection of Rickettsia typhi in Cats and Fleas

Background

Rickettsia typhi is the etiological agent of murine typhus (MT), a disease transmitted by two cycles: rat-flea-rat, and peridomestic cycle. Murine typhus is often misdiagnosed and underreported. A correct diagnosis is important because MT can cause severe illness and death. Our previous seroprevalence results pointed to presence of human R . typhi infection in our region; however, no clinical case has been reported. Although cats have been related to MT, no naturally infected cat has been described. The aim of the study is to confirm the existence of R . typhi in our location analyzing its presence in cats and fleas.

Methodology/Principal Findings

221 cats and 80 fleas were collected from Veterinary clinics, shelters, and the street (2001-2009). Variables surveyed were: date of collection, age, sex, municipality, living place, outdoor activities, demographic area, healthy status, contact with animals, and ectoparasite infestation. IgG against R . typhi were evaluated by indirect immunofluorescence assay. Molecular detection in cats and fleas was performed by real-time PCR. Cultures were performed in those cats with positive molecular detection. Statistical analysis was carried out using SPSS. A p < 0.05 was considered significant.Thirty-five (15.8%) cats were seropositive. There were no significant associations among seropositivity and any variables. R . typhi was detected in 5 blood and 2 cultures. High titres and molecular detection were observed in stray cats and pets, as well as in spring and winter. All fleas were Ctenocephalides felis. R . typhi was detected in 44 fleas (55%), from shelters and pets. Co-infection with R . felis was observed.

Conclusions

Although no clinical case has been described in this area, the presence of R . typhi in cats and fleas is demonstrated. Moreover, a considerable percentage of those animals lived in households. To our knowledge, this is the first time R . typhi is detected in naturally infected cats.     

Reliability of FEV1/FEV6 to Diagnose Airflow Obstruction Compared with FEV1/FVC: The PLATINO Longitudinal Study

QUESTION

A 6-second spirometry test is easier than full exhalations. We compared the reliability of the ratio of the Forced expiratory volume in 1 second/Forced expiratory volume in 6 seconds (FEV₁/FEV₆) to the ratio of the FEV₁/Forced vital capacity (FEV₁/FVC) for the detection of airway obstruction.

METHODS

The PLATINO population-based survey in individuals aged 40 years and over designed to estimate the prevalence of post-Bronchodilator airway obstruction repeated for the same study participants after 5–9 years in three Latin-American cities.

RESULTS

Using the FEV₁/FVC<Lower limit of normal (LLN) index, COPD prevalence apparently changed from 9.8 to 13.2% in Montevideo, from 9.7 to 6.0% in São Paulo and from 8.5 to 6.6% in Santiago, despite only slight declines in smoking prevalence (from 30.8% to 24.3%). These changes were associated with differences in Forced expiratory time (FET) between the two surveys. In contrast, by using the FEV₁/FEV₆ to define airway obstruction, the changes in prevalence were smaller: 9.7 to 10.6% in Montevideo, 8.6 to 9.0% in São Paulo, and 7.5 to 7.9% in Santiago. Changes in the prevalence of COPD with criteria based on FEV₁/FVC correlated strongly with changes in the FET of the tests (R² 0.92) unlike the prevalence based on a low FEV₁/FEV₆ (R² = 0.40).

CONCLUSION

The FEV₁/FEV₆ is a more reliable index than FEV₁/FVC because FVC varies with the duration of the forced exhalation. Reporting FET and FEV₁/FEV₆<LLN helps to understand differences in prevalence of COPD obtained from FEV₁/FVC-derived indices.     

Alterations in miRNA Levels in the Dentate Gyrus in Epileptic Rats

The aim of this study was to characterize changes in miRNA expression in the epileptic dentate gyrus. Status epilepticus evoked by amygdala stimulation was used to induce epilepsy in rats. The dentate gyri were isolated at 7 d, 14 d, 30 d and 90 d after stimulation (n=5). Sham-operated time-matched controls were prepared for each time point (n=5). The miRNA expression was evaluated using Exiqon microarrays. Additionally, mRNA from the same animals was profiled using Affymetrix microarrays. We detected miRNA expression signatures that differentiate between control and epileptic animals. Significant changes in miRNA expression between stimulated and sham operated animals were observed at 7 and 30 d following stimulation. Moreover, we found that there are ensembles of miRNAs that change expression levels over time. Analysis of the mRNA expression from the same animals revealed that the expression of several mRNAs that are potential targets for miRNA with altered expression level is regulated in the expected direction. The functional characterization of miRNAs and their potential mRNA targets indicate that miRNA can participate in several molecular events that occur in epileptic tissue, including immune response and neuronal plasticity. This is the first report on changes in the expression of miRNA and the potential functional impact of these changes in the dentate gyrus of epileptic animals. Complex changes in the expression of miRNAs suggest an important role for miRNA in the molecular mechanisms of epilepsy.     

BMP9 Is a Proliferative and Survival Factor for Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells

TGF-β family members play a relevant role in tumorigenic processes, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but a specific implication of the Bone Morphogenetic Protein (BMP) subfamily is still unknown. Although originally isolated from fetal liver, little is known about BMP9, a BMP family member, and its role in liver physiology and pathology. Our results show that BMP9 promotes growth in HCC cells, but not in immortalized human hepatocytes. In the liver cancer cell line HepG2, BMP9 triggers Smad1,5,8 phosphorylation and inhibitor of DNA binding 1 (Id1) expression up- regulation. Importantly, by using chemical inhibitors, ligand trap and gene silencing approaches we demonstrate that HepG2 cells autocrinely produce BMP9 that supports their proliferation and anchorage independent growth. Additionally, our data reveal that in HepG2 cells BMP9 triggers cell cycle progression, and strikingly, completely abolishes the increase in the percentage of apoptotic cells induced by long-term incubation in low serum. Collectively, our data unveil a dual role for BMP9, both promoting a proliferative response and exerting a remarkable anti-apoptotic function in HepG2 cells, which result in a robust BMP9 effect on liver cancer cell growth. Finally, we show that BMP9 expression is increased in 40% of human HCC tissues compared with normal human liver as revealed by immunohistochemistry analysis, suggesting that BMP9 signaling may be relevant during hepatocarcinogenesis in vivo. Our findings provide new clues for a better understanding of BMPs contribution, and in particular BMP9, in HCC pathogenesis that may result in the development of effective and targeted therapeutic interventions.     

Human Hemorrhagic Pulmonary Leptospirosis: Pathological Findings and Pathophysiological Correlations

Background

Leptospirosis is a re-emerging zoonosis with protean clinical manifestations. Recently, the importance of pulmonary hemorrhage as a lethal complication of this disease has been recognized. In the present study, five human necropsies of leptospirosis (Weil‘s syndrome) with extensive pulmonary manifestations were analysed, and the antibodies expressed in blood vessels and cells involved in ion and water transport were used, seeking to better understand the pathophysiology of the lung injury associated with this disease.

Principal Findings

Prominent vascular damage was present in the lung microcirculation, with decreased CD34 and preserved aquaporin 1 expression. At the periphery and even inside the extensive areas of edema and intraalveolar hemorrhage, enlarged, apparently hypertrophic type I pneumocytes (PI) were detected and interpreted as a non-specific attempt of clearence of the intraalveolar fluid, in which ionic transport, particularly of sodium, plays a predominant role, as suggested by the apparently increased ENaC and aquaporin 5 expression. Connexin 43 was present in most pneumocytes, and in the cytoplasm of the more preserved endothelial cells. The number of type II pneumocytes (PII) was slightly decreased when compared to normal lungs and those of patients with septicemia from other causes, a fact that may contribute to the progressively low PI count, resulting in deficient restoration after damage to the alveolar epithelial integrity and, consequently, a poor outcome of the pulmonary edema and hemorrhage.

Conclusions

Pathogenesis of lung injury in human leptospirosis was discussed, and the possibility of primary non-inflammatory vascular damage was considered, so far of undefinite etiopathogenesis, as the initial pathological manifestation of the disease.     

The Linker Pivot in Ci-VSP: The Key to Unlock Catalysis

In the voltage-sensitive phosphatase Ci-VSP, conformational changes in the transmembrane voltage sensor domain (VSD) are transduced to the intracellular catalytic domain (CD) leading to its dephosphorylation activity against membrane-embedded phosphoinositides. The linker between both domains is proposed to be crucial for the VSD-CD coupling. With a combined approach of electrophysiological measurements on Xenopus oocytes and molecular dynamics simulations of a Ci-VSP model embedded in a lipid bilayer, we analyzed how conformational changes in the linker mediate the interaction between the CD and the activated VSD. In this way, we identified specific residues in the linker that interact with well-defined amino acids in one of the three loops forming the active site of the protein, named TI loop. With our results, we shed light into the early steps of the coupling process between the VSD and the CD, which are based on fine-tuned electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions between the linker, the membrane and the CD.     

Industrial Scale Isolation,Structural and Spectroscopic Characterization of Epiisopiloturine from Pilocarpus microphyllus Stapf Leaves: A Promising Alkaloid against Schistosomiasis

This paper presents an industrial scale process for extraction, purification, and isolation of epiisopiloturine (EPI) (2(3H)-Furanone,dihydro-3-(hydroxyphenylmethyl)-4-[(1-methyl-1H-imidazol-4-yl)methyl]-, [3S-[3a(R*),4b]]), which is an alkaloid from jaborandi leaves (Pilocarpus microphyllus Stapf). Additionally for the first time a set of structural and spectroscopic techniques were used to characterize this alkaloid. EPI has shown schistomicidal activity against adults and young forms, as well as the reduction of the egg laying adult worms and low toxicity to mammalian cells (in vitro). At first, the extraction of EPI was done with toluene and methylene chloride to obtain a solution that was alkalinized with ammonium carbonate. The remaining solution was treated in sequence by acidification, filtration and alkalinization. These industrial procedures are necessary in order to remove impurities and subsequent application of the high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The HPLC was employed also to remove other alkaloids, to obtain EPI purity higher than 98%. The viability of the method was confirmed through HPLC and electrospray mass spectrometry, that yielded a pseudo molecular ion of m/z equal to 287.1 Da. EPI structure was characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction (XRD), ¹H and ¹³C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) in deuterated methanol/chloroform solution, vibrational spectroscopy and mass coupled thermal analyses. EPI molecule presents a parallel alignment of the benzene and the methyl imidazol ring separated by an interplanar spacing of 3.758 Å indicating a π-π bond interaction. The imidazole alkaloid melts at 225°C and decomposes above 230°C under air. EPI structure was used in theoretical Density Functional Theory calculations, considering the single crystal XRD data in order to simulate the NMR, infrared and Raman spectra of the molecule, and performs the signals attribution.     

Adenosine-Mediated Enteric Neuromuscular Function Is Affected during Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 Infection of Rat Enteric Nervous System

Adenosine plays an important role in regulating intestinal motility and inflammatory processes. Previous studies in rodent models have demonstrated that adenosine metabolism and signalling are altered during chronic intestinal inflammatory diseases. However, the involvement of the adenosinergic system in the pathophysiology of gut dysmotility associated to a primary neurodysfunction is still unclear. Recently, we showed that the neurotropic Herpes simplex virus type-1 (HSV-1), orally inoculated to rodents, infects the rat enteric nervous system (ENS) and affects gut motor function without signs of systemic infection. In this study we examined whether changes in purinergic metabolism and signaling occur during permanent HSV-1 infection of rat ENS. Using isolated organ bath assays, we found that contraction mediated by adenosine engagement of A₁ or A_2A receptors was impaired at 1 and 6 weeks post-viral administration. Immunofluorescence studies revealed that viral infection of ENS led to a marked redistribution of adenosine receptors: A₁ and A_2B receptors were confined to the muscle layers whereas A_2A and A₃ receptors were expressed mainly in the myenteric plexus. Viral-induced ENS neurodysfunction influenced adenosine metabolism by increasing adenosine deaminase and CD73 levels in longitudinal muscle-myenteric plexus with no sign of frank inflammation. This study provides the first evidence for involvement of the adenosinergic system during HSV-1 infection of the ENS. As such, this may represent a valid therapeutic target for modulating gut contractility associated to a primary neurodysfunction.     

Disability Affects the 6-Minute Walking Distance in Obese Subjects (BMI>40 kg/m2)

Introduction

In obese subjects, the relative reduction of the skeletal muscle strength, the reduced cardio-pulmonary capacity and tolerance to effort, the higher metabolic costs and, therefore, the increased inefficiency of gait together with the increased prevalence of co-morbid conditions might interfere with walking. Performance tests, such as the six-minute walking test (6MWT), can unveil the limitations in cardio-respiratory and motor functions underlying the obesity-related disability. Therefore the aims of the present study were: to explore the determinants of the 6-minute walking distance (6MWD) and to investigate the predictors of interruption of the walk test in obese subjects.

Methods

Obese patients [body mass index (BMI)>40 kg/m²] were recruited from January 2009 to December 2011. Anthropometry, body composition, specific questionnaire for Obesity-related Disabilities (TSD-OC test), fitness status and 6MWT data were evaluated. The correlation between the 6MWD and the potential independent variables (anthropometric parameters, body composition, muscle strength, flexibility and disability) were analysed. The variables which were singularly correlated with the response variable were included in a multivariated regression model. Finally, the correlation between nutritional and functional parameters and test interruption was investigated.

Results

354 subjects (87 males, mean age 48.5±14 years, 267 females, mean age 49.8±15 years) were enrolled in the study. Age, weight, height, BMI, fat mass and fat free mass indexes, handgrip strength and disability were significantly correlated with the 6MWD and considered in the multivariate analysis. The determination coefficient of the regression analysis ranged from 0.21 to 0.47 for the different models. Body weight, BMI, waist circumference, TSD-OC test score and flexibility were found to be predictors of the 6MWT interruption.

Discussion

The present study demonstrated the impact of disability in obese subjects, together with age, anthropometric data, body composition and strength, on the 6-minute walking distance.     

Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor-2 Expression in Thyroid Tumor Progression: Potential Diagnostic Application

Fibroblast growth factor receptor-2 (FGFR-2) plays an important role in tumorigenesis. In thyroid cancer it has been observed a FGFR-2 down-modulation, but the role of this receptor has not been yet clarified. Therefore, we decided to examine the expression of both FGFR-2 isoform, FGFR-2-IIIb and FGFR-2-IIIc, in different histological thyroid variants such as hyperplasia, follicular adenoma and papillary carcinoma. Immunohistochemistry and quantitative Real-Time PCR analyses were performed on samples of hyperplasia, follicular adenoma and papillary carcinoma, compared with normal thyroid tissue. Thyroid hyperplasia did not show statistically significant reduction in FGFR-2 protein and mRNA levels. Interestingly, in both follicular adenoma and papillary carcinoma samples we observed a strongly reduced expression of both FGFR-2 isoforms. We speculate that FGFR-2 down-modulation might be an early event in thyroid carcinogenesis. Furthermore, we suggest the potential use of FGFR-2 as an early marker for thyroid cancer diagnosis.