Hypoxic stress, hepatocytes and CACO-2 viability and susceptibility to Shigella flexneri invasion.

Inflammation due to Shigella flexneri can cause damage to the colonic mucosa and cell death by necrosis and apoptosis. This bacteria can reach the bloodstream in this way, and the liver through portal veins. Hypoxia is a condition present in many human diseases, and it may induce bacterial translocation from intestinal lumen.

A novel organotellurium compound (RT-01) as a new antileishmanial agent.

Leishmaniasis is a neglected disease and endemic in developing countries. A lack of adequate and definitive chemotherapeutic agents to fight against this infection has led to the investigation of numerous compounds. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of RT-01, an organotellurane compound presenting biological activities, in 2 experimental systems against Leishmania amazonensis.

Expression of hypoxia-inducible factor 1alpha in mononuclear phagocytes infected with Leishmania amazonensis.

Increasing evidence indicates that hypoxia-inducible factor 1alpha (HIF-1alpha) can be upregulated in different cell types by nonhypoxic stimuli such as growth factors, cytokines, nitric oxide, lipopolysaccharides and a range of infectious microorganisms. In this study, the ability of the following mononuclear phagocytes to express HIF-1alpha is reported: mouse macrophages (mMPhi), human macrophages (hMPhi) and human dendritic cells (DC), parasitized in vitro with Leishmania amazonensis; as assessed by immunofluorescence microscopy. A logical explanation for HIF-1alpha expression might be that the mononuclear phagocytes became hypoxic after L.