Experimental gastric carcinogenesis in Cebus apella nonhuman primates

The evolution of gastric carcinogenesis remains largely unknown. We established two gastric carcinogenesis models in New-World nonhuman primates. In the first model, ACP03 gastric cancer cell line was inoculated in 18 animals. In the second model, we treated 6 animals with N-methyl-nitrosourea (MNU). Animals with gastric cancer were also treated with Canova immunomodulator. Clinical, hematologic, and biochemical, including C-reactive protein, folic acid, and homocysteine, analyses were performed in this study. MYC expression and copy number was also evaluated. We observed that all animals inoculated with ACP03 developed gastric cancer on the 9(th) day though on the 14(th) day presented total tumor remission. In the second model, all animals developed pre-neoplastic lesions and five died of drug intoxication before the development of cancer. The last surviving MNU-treated animal developed intestinal-type gastric adenocarcinoma observed by endoscopy on the 940(th) day. The level of C-reactive protein level and homocysteine concentration increased while the level of folic acid decreased with the presence of tumors in ACP03-inoculated animals and MNU treatment. ACP03 inoculation also led to anemia and leukocytosis. The hematologic and biochemical results corroborate those observed in patients with gastric cancer, supporting that our in vivo models are potentially useful to study this neoplasia. In cell line inoculated animals, we detected MYC immunoreactivity, mRNA overexpression, and amplification, as previously observed in vitro. In MNU-treated animals, mRNA expression and MYC copy number increased during the sequential steps of intestinal-type gastric carcinogenesis and immunoreactivity was only observed in intestinal metaplasia and gastric cancer. Thus, MYC deregulation supports the gastric carcinogenesis process. Canova immunomodulator restored several hematologic measurements and therefore, can be applied during/after chemotherapy to increase the tolerability and duration of anticancer treatments.     

Experimental Model of Arthritis Induced by Paracoccidioides brasiliensis in Rats

Paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM), a disease caused by the fungus Paracoccidioides brasiliensis (Pb), is highly prevalent in Brazil, where it is the principal cause of death by systemic mycoses. The disease primarily affects men aged 30-50 year old and usually starts as a pulmonary focus and then may spread to other organs and systems, including the joints. The present study aimed to develop an experimental model of paracoccidioidomycotic arthritis. Two-month-old male Wistar rats (n = 48) were used, divided in 6 groups: test groups EG/15 and EG/45 (received one dose of 100 μl of saline containing 10(5) Pb viable yeasts in the knee); heat killed Pb-group HK/15 and HK/45 (received a suspension of 10(5) Pb nonviable yeasts in the knee) and control groups CG/15 and CG/45 (received only sterile saline in the knee). The rats were killed 15 and 45 days postinoculation. In contrast with the control rats, the histopathology of the joints of rats of the test groups (EG/15 and EG/45) revealed a picture of well-established PCM arthritis characterized by extensive sclerosing granulomatous inflammation with numerous multiple budding fungal cells. The X-ray examination revealed joint alterations in these groups. Only metabolic active fungi evoked inflammation. The experimental model was able to induce fungal arthritis in the knees of the rats infected with metabolic active P. brasiliensis. The disease tended to be regressive and restrained by the immune system. No evidence of fungal dissemination to the lungs was observed.     

New insight in staphylococcin research: bacteriocin and/or bacteriocin-like inhibitory substance(s) produced by S. aureus AB188

Summary Staphylococcus aureus AB188 (a clinical isolate from wound pus) has been found to produce bacteriocins and/or bacteriocin-like inhibitory substance(s) tentatively termed staphylococcin Bac188. It has a broad activity spectrum against many Gram-positive (e.g. B. subtilis, S. aureus, E. faecalis), Gram-negative bacteria (e.g. E. coli, S. typhi and S. dysenteriae), and dermatophytes including Microsporum canis, Microsporum gypseum, Trichophyton mentagrophytes, Trichophyton longi and Trichophyton rubrum. Interestingly, staphylococcin Bac188 also showed very potent activity against many clinical isolates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Staphylococcin Bac188 showed wide thermostability and remained stable over the wide pH range (pH 2–14). It was also resistant to treatment with chloroform, catalase, lipase and lysozyme, but showed sensitivity to proteinase K, trypsin and α-chymotrypsin suggesting its proteinaceous nature. Staphylococcin Bac188 revealed bactericidal effects on the S. aureus SS-1 sensitive strain as well as on E. coli and S. typhi, suggesting a similar mode of action on both Gram-negative and Gram-positive organisms. The antimicrobial, antidermatophytic and antimycobacterial activities expressed by S. aureus AB188 correlate with the production of a bacteriocin and/or bacteriocin-like inhibitory substance with properties similar to other staphylococcins reported earlier. To our knowledge, this is the first report describing such wide possible clinical applications of a bacteriocin and/or bacteriocin-like inhibitory substance produced by S. aureus AB188, suggesting further investigation for potential therapeutic development.     

New coordination polymers based on a novel polynitrile ligand: Synthesis,structure and magnetic properties of the series [M(tcnoetOH)2(4,4′-bpy)(H2O)2] (tcnoetOH− = [(NC)2CC(OCH2CH2OH)C(CN)2]−; M = Fe,Co and Ni)

A novel polynitrile anionic ligand, tcnoetOH^?(=[(NC)₂CC(OCH₂CH₂OH)C(CN)₂]^?), has been synthesized by a one-pot reaction from a cyclic acetal and malononitrile. This ligand has been successfully used to prepare, with 4,4′-bpy as co-ligand, a novel series of coordination polymers formulated as [M(tcnoetOH)₂(4,4′-bpy)(H₂O)₂] with M(II) = Fe (1), Co (2) and Ni (3). These isostructural compounds present a linear chain structure consisting of octahedrally coordinated metal ions bridged by trans 4,4′-bpy ligands. The coordination sphere of the metal ions is completed with two terminal tcnoetOH^? ligand and two water molecules. The magnetic properties indicate that the three compounds are paramagnetic, as expected from the long 4,4′-bpy bridge connecting the metal atoms. Their magnetic properties have been fitted with a model of isolated ions including a zero field splitting for the Fe(II) and Ni(II) derivatives.     

In Planta Transformation of Tomato

In this study, in planta transformation of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.), using fruit injection and floral dip, is reported. Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain EHA 105 containing one of three constructs, i.e., pROKIIAP1GUSint (carrying the Apetala 1 [AP1] gene), pROKIILFYGUSint (carrying the LEAFY [LFY] gene), or p35SGUSint (carrying the β-glucuronidase [GUS] gene), was used for plant transformation. For fruit injection transformation, no significant effects (p > 0.05) of the construct used were observed. The highest frequency of transformation was obtained following 48-h incubation of tomato fruit with bacterial cells harboring either one of the three constructs; transformation frequencies of 17%, 19%, and 21% for AP1, LFY, and GUS gene constructs, respectively, were obtained. When fruit maturity was evaluated in fruit injection experiments, mature red fruit resulted in higher frequency of transformants than immature green fruit with 40%, 35%, and 42% for AP1, LFY, and GUS gene constructs, respectively. For floral dip transformation, a higher number of transformants was obtained when the GUS gene construct was used instead of either the AP1 or LFY gene construct, thus suggesting a possible inhibitory effect of the flowering genes used. When flowers were transformed prior to rather than following pollination, they yielded a higher transformation frequency, 12% for the LFY construct and 23% for the GUS construct (p < 0.05), although no transformant was obtained with the AP1 gene construct. All putative GUS-positive transformants were analyzed using polymerase chain reaction and confirmed for the presence of the transgene. Compared to control plants, transgenic plants carrying either the AP1 or LFY transgene flowered earlier and showed several different morphological characters.     

Repigmentation in vitiligo: position paper of the Vitiligo Global Issues Consensus Conference

The Vitiligo Global Issues Consensus Conference (VGICC), through an international e‐Delphi consensus, concluded that ‘repigmentation’ and ‘maintenance of gained repigmentation’ are essential core outcome measures in future vitiligo trials. This VGICC position paper addresses these core topics in two sections and includes an atlas depicting vitiligo repigmentation patterns and color match. The first section delineates mechanisms and characteristics of vitiligo repigmentation, and the second section summarizes the outcomes of international meeting discussions and two e‐surveys on vitiligo repigmentation, which had been carried out over 3 yr. Treatment is defined as successful if repigmentation exceeds 80% and at least 80% of the gained repigmentation is maintained for over 6 months. No agreement was found on the best outcome measure for assessing target or global repigmentation, therefore highlighting the limitations of e‐surveys in addressing clinical measurements. Until there is a clear consensus, existing tools should be selected according to the specific needs of each study. A workshop will be conducted to address the remaining issues so as to achieve a consensus.     

Innovative serum-free medium for in vitro cultivation of promastigote forms of Leishmania species

We described a comparatively simple medium formula (CML) using common, available and reasonably priced ingredients that could be used in place of medium that requires calf serum enhancement for cultivation of Leishmania promastigote forms. This medium equivalently supported the growth of parasites at rates comparable with those obtained with serum supplemented RPMI-1640 medium. Leishmania promastigotes reproduced in CML exhibited moderate to high infectivity capacities when tested against J774 macrophage cell line. No significant difference was noted between Leishmania strains cultivated in the newly modified medium and those grown in RPMI-1640 medium in their cells infectivity and replication potentials. The use of new CML can easily take the place of other biphasic or liquid media because of its easy preparation and instantaneous use, reasonable price, availability of ingredients, and its long shelf life, which is 30–45 days. The fact that this medium is similar to other culture media as far as durability and quantity of produced parasites might give it an advantage over the other currently used media.