MALDI imaging reveals lipid changes in the skin of leprosy patients before and after multidrug therapy (MDT).

Leprosy still represents a health problem in several countries. Affecting skin and peripheral nerves, it may lead to permanent disabilities. Disturbances on skin lipid metabolism in leprosy were already observed; however, the localization and distribution of lipids could not be accessed.

Transforming growth factor-β1 may be a key mediator of the fibrogenic properties of neural cells in leprosy.

Fibrosis is the main cause of irreversible nerve damage in leprosy. Phenotypic changes in Mycobacterium leprae (ML)-infected Schwann cells (SCs) have been suggested to mediate this process. We found that SC line cultures stimulated with ML upregulated transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), and that TGF-β1 or ML induced increased numbers of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA)-positive cells with characteristic stress fibers.

Differential expression of cruzipain- and gp63-like molecules in the phytoflagellate trypanosomatid Phytomonas serpens induced by exogenous proteins.

Phytomonas serpens synthesizes metallo- and cysteine-proteases that are related to gp63 and cruzipain, respectively, two virulence factors produced by pathogenic trypanosomatids. Here, we described the cellular distribution of gp63- and cruzipain-like molecules in P. serpens through immunocytochemistry and confocal fluorescence microscopy.

Bone marrow mononuclear cells attenuate interstitial fibrosis and stimulate the repair of tubular epithelial cells after unilateral ureteral obstruction.

The growing number of patients suffering from chronic renal disease is a challenge for the development of innovative therapies. Benefits of cell therapy in acute renal diseases in animal models have been reported but seldom for chronic lesions. We present evidence for the improvement of renal morphology in a model of tubulointerstitial fibrosis.

Cysteine proteinases from promastigotes of Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis.

Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis is the major causative agent of American tegumentary leishmaniasis, a disease that has a wide geographical distribution and is a severe public health problem. The cysteine proteinase B (CPB) from Leishmania spp. represents an important virulence factor.

The embryonic development of Schistosoma mansoni eggs: proposal for a new staging system.

Schistosomiasis is a water-borne parasitic illness caused by neoophoran trematodes of the genus Schistosoma. Using classical histological techniques and whole-mount preparations, the present work describes the embryonic development of Schistosoma mansoni eggs in the murine host and compares it with eggs maintained under in vitro conditions. Two pre-embryonic stages occur inside the female worm: the prezygotic stage is characterized by the release of mature oocytes from the female ovary until its fertilization.

Trematode embryology: a new method for whole-egg analysis by confocal microscopy.

Trematode worms have the neoophoran mode of development in which several specialized vitelline cells surround the zygote. This vitelline cell mass appears just before the zygote passes through the ootype, a thickening of the oviduct, where the egg shell is formed. The great amount of vitelline material blurs the visualization of embryo development in whole egg seen by brightfield microscopy.

Increase in dermal collagen fibril diameter and elastogenesis with UVB exposure: an optical and ultrastructural study in albino Balb/c mice.

Cutaneous aging is a complex biological phenomenon, dependent not only on the innate or intrinsic process ("biological clock"), but also on extrinsic elements, primarily chronic sun exposure (photoaging). In order to verify dermal morphological changes in the elastic fiber system and collagen associated with aged skin, we performed a light and electron microscopic study on exposed-shaved albino mice, which were exposed to UVB radiation. The experimental group consisted of 48 exposed animals, randomly distributed in three groups and submitted to different radiation doses (A, 28800 J/m2; B, 57600 J/m2; and C, 86400 J/m2) and studied 0, 30, 60 and 90 days of exposure discontinuation.

Transendocardial autologous bone marrow mononuclear cell injection in ischemic heart failure: postmortem anatomicopathologic and immunohistochemical findings.

Background: Cell-based therapies for treatment of ischemic heart disease are currently under investigation. We previously reported the results of a phase I trial of transendocardial injection of autologous bone marrow mononuclear (ABMM) cells in patients with end-stage ischemic heart disease. The current report focuses on postmortem cardiac findings from one of the treated patients, who died 11 months after cell therapy.