Publications by authors named "Bellisa F Barbosa"

Galectin-3 (Gal-3) is a β-galactoside-binding lectin expressed in cells of the placental microenvironment. This lectin is involved in various biological processes, such as modulation of the immune system and control of parasitic illness. infection can lead to congenital transmission and cause miscarriages, prematurity and fetal anomalies.

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Congenital Chagas disease (CCD) is a worldwide neglected problem with significant treatment limitations. This study aimed to evaluate the potential of Copaifera spp. oleoresins (ORs) against Trypanosoma cruzi infection in trophoblast cells (BeWo lineage) and human chorionic villous explants (HCVE).

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Toxoplasmosis affects about one-third of the world's population. The disease treatment methods pose several side effects and do not efficiently eliminate the parasite, making the search for new therapeutic approaches necessary. We aimed to assess the anti-Toxoplasma gondii activity of four Copaifera oleoresins (ORs) and two isolated diterpene acids, named ent-kaurenoic and ent-polyalthic acid.

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Objective: To understand how congenital toxoplasmosis (CT) diagnosis has evolved over the years, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to summarize the kind of analysis that has been employed for CT diagnosis.

Methods: PubMed and Lilacs databases were used in order to access the kind of analysis that has been employed for CT diagnosis in several samples. Our search combined the following combining terms: "congenital toxoplasmosis" or "gestational toxoplasmosis" and "diagnosis" and "blood," "serum," "amniotic fluid," "placenta," or "colostrum.

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Introduction: is the etiologic agent of toxoplasmosis, a disease that affects about one-third of the human population. Most infected individuals are asymptomatic, but severe cases can occur such as in congenital transmission, which can be aggravated in individuals infected with other pathogens, such as HIV-positive pregnant women. However, it is unknown whether infection by other pathogens, such as , the etiologic agent of Chagas disease, as well as one of its proteins, P21, could aggravate infection.

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Congenital toxoplasmosis, caused by the opportunistic protozoan parasite T. gondii, can cause stillbirths, miscarriages and fetal abnormalities, as well as encephalitis and chorioretinitis in newborns. Available treatment options rely on antiparasitic drugs that have been linked to serious side effects, high toxicity and the development of drug-resistant parasites.

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Due to the lack of efficient antiparasitic therapy and vaccines, as well as emerging resistance strains, congenital toxoplasmosis is still a public health issue worldwide. The present study aimed to assess the effects of an oleoresin obtained from the species Copaifera trapezifolia Hayne (CTO), and an isolated molecule found in the CTO, ent-polyalthic acid (ent-15,16-epoxy-8(17),13(16),14-labdatrien-19-oic acid) (named as PA), against T. gondii infection.

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The conventional treatment of congenital toxoplasmosis is mainly based on the combination of sulfadiazine and pyrimethamine. However, therapy with these drugs is associated with severe side effects and resistance, requiring the study of new therapeutic strategies. There are currently many studies with natural products, including oleoresin, showing actions against some pathogens, as and .

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Cytokines are small molecules secreted by numerous cells. Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor (MIF) is a cytokine initially described due to its function of inhibiting random macrophage migration. Currently, new functions have been described for MIF, such as stimulating inflammatory functions in response to infections by microorganisms including, Toxoplasma gondii.

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are fungi that are well-known to inhibit the growth of a variety of plant pathogens. Currently, there is an increasing search for new drugs to treat toxoplasmosis. The aims of this study were to investigate the effect of Ext in the control of proliferation and the course of toxoplasmosis in a mouse model.

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We evaluated the influence of the Toll-like receptor (TLR)-4 pathways on BeWo, JEG-3 and HTR-8/SVneo cells, as well as in human villous explants infected with Toxoplasma gondii. Cells and explants were stimulated with LPS for 24 or 48 h and processed for the MTT assay, and expression of TLR4 was evaluated by confocal microscopy. In addition, we used peptides that inhibit MyD88 or TRIF, and inhibitor to NF-κB.

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Toxoplasma gondii is a parasite able to infect various cell types, including trophoblast cells. Studies have demonstrated that interleukin (IL)-10, transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 and interferon (IFN)-γ are involved in the susceptibility of BeWo trophoblast cells to T. gondii infection.

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Congenital toxoplasmosis is represented by the transplacental passage of Toxoplasma gondii from the mother to the fetus. Our studies demonstrated that T. gondii developed mechanisms to evade of the host immune response, such as cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 and prostaglandin E (PGE) induction, and these mediators can be produced/stored in lipid droplets (LDs).

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Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) enzyme exerts beneficial effects at the maternal-fetal interface, especially in trophoblasts, being involved in survival and maturation of these cell phenotypes. Trophoblast cells play essential roles throughout pregnancy, being the gateway for pathogens vertically transmitted, such as . It was previously shown that HO-1 activity was involved in the control of infection ; however, its contribution in trophoblast cells during infection, remain undefined.

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During pregnancy, Toxoplasma gondii can triggers serious manifestations and potentially affect the fetal development. In this scenario, differences in susceptibility of trophoblast cells to T. gondii infection might be evaluated in order to establish new therapeutic approaches capable of interfering in the control of fetal infection by T.

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The combination of sulfadiazine and pyrimethamine plus folinic acid is the conventional treatment for congenital toxoplasmosis. However, this classical treatment presents teratogenic effects and bone marrow suppression. In this sense, new therapeutic strategies are necessary to reduce these effects and improve the control of infection.

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Article Synopsis
  • Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) is a parasite that can cause serious health issues, especially in pregnant women, leading to severe congenital infections that affect infants' eyes and brain development.* -
  • This study examines the roles of pregnancy and a specific cytokine called Macrophage Migration Inhibition Factor (MIF) in the intestinal environment during T. gondii infection in mice, highlighting how MIF deficiency and pregnancy affect infection severity and intestinal structure.* -
  • Findings revealed that the absence of MIF and pregnancy both increased T. gondii infection rates, altered intestinal villi sizes, and changed goblet cell numbers in the small intestine, with cytokine levels showing a significant immune response to the
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During pregnancy, the placenta regulates the transfer of oxygen, nutrients, and residual products between the maternal and fetal bloodstreams and is a key determinant of fetal exposure to xenobiotics from the mother. To study the disposition of substances through the placenta, various experimental models are used, especially the perfused placenta, placental villi explants, and cell lineage models. In this context, nanotechnology, an area of study that is on the rise, enables the creation of particles on nanometric scales capable of releasing drugs aimed at specific tissues.

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Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is a potent pro-inflammatory cytokine, which mediates the regulation of diverse cellular functions. It is produced by extravillous trophoblastic cells and has been found to be involved in the pathogenesis of diseases caused by some protozoa, including . Previous studies demonstrated the ability of to take advantage of MIF action in human trophoblast cells.

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is able to infect a wide range of vertebrates, including humans. Studies show that cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is a modulator of immune response in multiple types of infection, such as . However, the role of COX-2 during infection is still unclear.

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Congenital toxoplasmosis is a serious health problem that can lead to miscarriage. HTR-8/SVneo is a first trimester extravillous trophoblast, while BeWo is a choriocarcinoma with properties of villous trophoblast cells. In the placenta, iron is taken up from Fe-transferrin through the transferrin receptor being the ion an important nutrient during pregnancy and also for Toxoplasma gondii proliferation.

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Migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is a pro-inflammatory cytokine that plays important roles in physiology, pathology, immunology and parasitology, including the control of infection by protozoa parasites such as . As the MIF function in congenital toxoplasmosis is not fully elucidated yet, the present study brings new insights for infection in the absence of MIF based on pregnant C57BL/6MIF mouse models. Pregnant C57BL/6MIF and C57BL/6WT mice were infected with 05 cysts of (ME49 strain) on the first day of pregnancy (dop) and were euthanized at 8 dop.

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