Effects of Injectable Solutions on the Quality of Monocyte-Derived Dendritic Cells for Immunotherapy.

Therapeutic vaccines based on monocyte-derived dendritic cells have been shown to be promising strategies and may act as complementary treatments for viral infections, cancers, and, more recently, autoimmune diseases. Alpha-type-1-polarized dendritic cells (aDC1s) have been shown to induce type-1 immunity with a high capacity to produce interleukin-12p70 (IL-12p70). In the clinical use of cell-based therapeutics, injectable solutions can affect the morphology, immunophenotypic profile, and viability of cells before delivery and their survival after injection.

Salivary, serological, and cellular immune response to the CoronaVac vaccine in health care workers with or without previous COVID-19.

We investigated the anti-SARS-CoV-2 post-vaccine response through serum and salivary antibodies, serum antibody neutralizing activity and cellular immune response in samples from health care workers who were immunized with two doses of an inactivated virus-based vaccine (CoronaVac) who had or did not have COVID-19 previously. IgA and IgG antibodies directed at the spike protein were analysed in samples of saliva and/or serum by ELISA and/or chemiluminescence assays; the neutralizing activity of serum antibodies against reference strain B, Gamma and Delta SARS-CoV-2 variants were evaluated using a virus neutralization test and SARS-CoV-2 reactive interferon-gamma T-cell were analysed by flow cytometry. CoronaVac was able to induce serum and salivary IgG anti-spike antibodies and IFN-γ producing T cells in most individuals who had recovered from COVID-19 and/or were vaccinated.

SARS-CoV-2 recombinant proteins stimulate distinct cellular and humoral immune response profiles in samples from COVID-19 convalescent patients.

Objectives: In this preliminary study we investigated cellular and humoral immune responses to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) antigens in blood samples from 14 recovered coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients and compared them to those in samples from 12 uninfected/unvaccinated volunteers.

Methods: Cellular immunity was assessed by intracellular detection of IFN-γ in CD3+ T lymphocytes after stimulation with SARS-CoV-2 spike (S1), nucleocapsid (NC), or receptor-binding domain (RBD) recombinant proteins or overlapping peptide pools covering the sequence of SARS-CoV-2 spike, membrane and nucleocapsid regions. The humoral response was examined by ELISAs and/or chemiluminescence assays for the presence of serum IgG antibodies directed to SARS-CoV-2 proteins.

Prevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in outpatients of a large public university hospital in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) is caused by SARS-Cov-2 and the manifestations of this infection range from an absence of symptoms all the way up to severe disease leading to death. To estimate the prevalence of past infection in a population, the most readily available method is the detection of antibodies against the virus. This study has investigated the prevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in outpatients of the Hospital das Clinicas, in Sao Paulo city (Brazil), which is a large university hospital belonging to the public health system that cares for patients with complex diseases who need tertiary or quaternary medical care.

Association of Exon 1 Polymorphisms With Multibacillary Leprosy.

Mannose-binding lectin (MBL) is a serum protein of innate immunity, with a central role in the activation of the complement system through the lectin pathway. This protein is encoded by gene, and single-nucleotide polymorphisms located at exon 1, such as rs5030737 C>T ( variant), rs1800450 G>A ( variant), and rs1800451 G>A ( variant), may change the MBL structure and the serum concentration. polymorphisms have been associated with several infectious diseases, including leprosy.

Association of functional polymorphisms with cancer and cardiovascular disease: a meta-analysis.

Introduction: Interleukin-16 (IL-16) is a chemotactic cytokine that is found to increase in Cancer and cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in were associated with diseases. Thus, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate possible associations between rs4778889, rs11556218, rs4072111, and rs1131445 SNPs and the risk for cancer or CVD.

Vitamin D Receptor Gene Polymorphisms Are Associated With Leprosy in Southern Brazil.

Vitamin D, together with its nuclear receptor (VDR), plays an important role in modulating the immune response, decreasing the inflammatory process. Some polymorphisms of the gene, such as I (G>A rs1544410)I (G>T rs7975232), and I (T>C rs731236) could affect its stability and mRNA transcription activity, while I T>C (rs2228570) gives a truncated protein with three fewer amino acids and more efficiency in binding vitamin D. This study evaluated these four polymorphisms in the immunopathogenesis of leprosy in 404 patients and 432 control individuals without chronic or infectious disease in southern Brazil.

The impact of KIR/HLA genes on the risk of developing multibacillary leprosy.

Background: Killer-cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs) are a group of regulatory molecules able to activate or inhibit natural killer cells upon interaction with human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I molecules. Combinations of KIR and HLA may contribute to the occurrence of different immunological and clinical responses to infectious diseases. Leprosy is a chronic neglected disease, both disabling and disfiguring, caused mainly by Mycobacterium leprae.

Analysis of cytokines IFN-γ, TNF-α, TGF-β and nitric oxide in amniotic fluid and serum of pregnant women with toxoplasmosis in southern Brazil.

This study detected and compared the levels of IFN-γ, TNF-α, TGF-β and nitric oxide (NO) in amniotic fluid (AF) and serum of pregnancies with acute toxoplasmosis, Southern Brazil. It also was compared the levels of the same mediators in the serum of pregnancies in acute and chronic toxoplasmosis with non-infected. Serological investigation, anti-T gondii IgM and IgG, of the 67 pregnancies was determined by Elisa MEIA.

An alternative method to recover Toxoplasma gondii from greenery and fruits.

Toxoplasma gondii oocysts are an important form of contamination with a high dispersion in the environment, but their detection is still a challenge. This study evaluated the recovery of oocysts from strawberries and crisphead lettuce. Samples (250 g of strawberries or one head of lettuce) were experimentally inoculated with 10, 10(2), 10(3) and 10(4) T.

Predominance of Giardia duodenalis Assemblage AII in Fresh Leafy Vegetables from a Market in Southern Brazil.

We investigated the presence of Giardia duodenalis cysts and its genotypes in raw leafy vegetables sold in a Brazilian market. These products are different from those sold in most street markets because the producers themselves display and sell their products and rely on specialized technical and sanitary assistance. Vegetable and water samples were collected from 14 (80%) producers who cultivated vegetables that are typically consumed raw for sale at the market, obtained at the market and farms, respectively.