Immunophenotypic lymphocyte profiles in human african trypanosomiasis.

Human African trypanosomiasis (HAT) is a deadly vector-born disease caused by an extracellular parasite, the trypanosome. Little is known about the cellular immune responses elicited by this parasite in humans. We used multiparameter flow cytometry to characterize leukocyte immunophenotypes in the blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of 33 HAT patients and 27 healthy controls identified during a screening campaign in Angola and Gabon.

In vitro apoptotic induction of human glioblastoma cells by Fas ligand plus etoposide and in vivo antitumour activity of combined drugs in xenografted nude rats.

Human glioblastomas that express Fas/CD95 receptor are highly resistant to conventional brain tumour therapies. The aim of this study is to evaluate anti-tumour properties of a combination of Fas ligand (FasL) plus etoposide with or without dexamethasone on intracerebral experimental glioblastomas. The human Fas-expressing glioblastoma cell line, U-87 MG, was firstly studied in vitro for apoptosis and proliferation assays in the presence of FasL and etoposide, separately or associated, in order to detect a supra-additive effect on FasL or etoposide-induced apoptosis.

A link between chemokine levels and disease severity in human African trypanosomiasis.

Trypanosoma brucei gambiense infection is an important public health challenge in sub-Saharan Africa. This parasitic disease is difficult to diagnose due to insidious clinical signs and transient parasitaemias. The clinical course is marked by two stages of increasing disease severity.

Trypanocidal activity of methylene blue. Evidence for in vitro efficacy and in vivo failure.

Human African trypanosomiasis remains a difficult health problem to treat because of the few compounds available nowadays and their toxicity. The disease also affects animals and is therefore responsible for economic difficulties and zoonotic risks. There is an urgent need to develop new drugs for treatment of African trypanosomiasis.

Plasma kinetics and efficacy of oral megazol treatment in Trypanosoma brucei brucei-infected sheep.

Experimentally infected sheep have been previously developed as an animal model of trypanosomosis. We used this model to test the efficacy of megazol on eleven Trypanosoma brucei brucei-infected sheep. When parasites were found in blood on day 11 post-infection, megazol was orally administered at a single dose of 40 or 80mg/kg.