Anti-Inflammatory Effect of Dialyzable Leukocyte Extract in Autoimmune Prostatitis: Evaluation in Animal Model.

To evaluate the anti-inflammatory properties of Dialyzable Leukocyte Extract (DLE) in a murine model of chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS). Histopathological characterization, prostatein Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay, and immunohistochemical analysis for CD45, TNF-, IFN-, IL-6, IL-17, and IL-4 molecules were done in prostatic Wistar rats treated with DLE, placebo, or Dexamethasone. Histopathological analysis of animals induced to prostatitis showed inflammatory infiltrate, mainly constituted by leucocytes and mast cells as well as Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia.

Regulation of gene expression in protozoa parasites.

Infections with protozoa parasites are associated with high burdens of morbidity and mortality across the developing world. Despite extensive efforts to control the transmission of these parasites, the spread of populations resistant to drugs and the lack of effective vaccines against them contribute to their persistence as major public health problems. Parasites should perform a strict control on the expression of genes involved in their pathogenicity, differentiation, immune evasion, or drug resistance, and the comprehension of the mechanisms implicated in that control could help to develop novel therapeutic strategies.

Ultrastructural changes on Entamoeba histolytica HM1-IMSS caused by the flavan-3-ol, (-)-epicatechin.

The flavan-3-ol, (-)-epicatechin has been previously identified as the most important antiamoebic compound among the extracts from two medicinal plants: Rubus coriifolius and Geranium mexicanum. Here we report the effects of epicatechin on Entamoeba histolytica morphology, analyzed by electronic microscopy. E.

Programmed cell death in Entamoeba histolytica induced by the aminoglycoside G418.

This study presents morphological and biochemical evidence of programmed cell death (PCD) in Entamoeba histolytica induced by exposure of trophozoites to the aminoglycoside antibiotic G418. Morphological characteristics of PCD, including cell shrinkage, reduced cellular volume, nuclear condensation, DNA fragmentation and vacuolization were observed, with preservation of trophozoite membrane integrity. PCD is orchestrated biochemically by alterations in intracellular ion fluxes.

Structural and functional analysis of the Entamoeba histolytica EhrabB gene promoter.

Background: The Entamoeba histolytica EhrabB gene encodes for a Rab GTPase involved in phagocytosis. It is located at a virulence locus where the Ehcp112 gene is in the complementary strand at 332 bp of EhrabB start codon, suggesting a finely regulated transcription of both genes. However, the transcription regulation in this parasite is poorly understood.

Entamoeba histolytica: functional characterization of the -234 to -196 bp promoter region of the multidrug resistance EhPgp1 gene.

The multidrug resistance EhPgp1 gene is constitutively expressed in drug resistant trophozoites from Entamoeba histolytica. It has been demonstrated that two CCAAT/enhancer binding sites located in the EhPgp1 gene promoter control its transcriptional activation. However, functional assays of the 5' end of its promoter showed that region from -234 to -196 bp (38 bp) is also important for the EhPgp1 gene transcription.

Entamoeba histolytica EhPgp5 transcriptional activation depends on putative emetine response elements.

The multidrug resistance EhPgp5 gene promoter is active in drug resistant clone C2 trophozoites and its activity increases when trophozoites are cultured in the presence of emetine, suggesting that the EhPgp5 gene shows an inducible drug dependent mechanism. We analyzed different promoter fragments to detect those regions that activate transcription in the presence of emetine. Trophozoites were transfected with p375Pgp5, p259Pgp5, p187Pgp5, and p76Pgp5 plasmids and incubated with different emetine concentrations.

Cellular location and function of the P-glycoproteins (EhPgps) in Entamoeba histolytica multidrug-resistant trophozoites.

We have studied the cellular location and the efflux pump function of the Entamoeba histolytica P-glycoproteins (EhPgps) in drug-sensitive and -resistant trophozoites. Polyclonal antibodies against the EhPgp384 polypeptide (375-759 amino acids) revealed a 147-kDa protein by Western blot. The band intensity correlated with the emetine-resistance of the trophozoites.

Two CCAAT/enhancer binding protein sites are cis-activator elements of the Entamoeba histolytica EhPgp1 (mdr-like) gene expression.

Here, we show the relevance of promoter regions (-74 to +24, -167 to -75 and -259 to -168 bp) in the transcriptional activation of the multidrug resistance gene EhPgp1 in Entamoeba histolytica, using mutated plasmids and transfection assays. We also demonstrate that both CCAAT/enhancer binding protein sites (-54 to -43 bp and -198 to -186 bp) are cis-activating elements of gene expression in the drug-resistant (clone C2) and -sensitive (clone A) trophozoites. Nuclear proteins from trophozoites of both clones and C/EBP sequences of the core promoter formed specific complexes, which were abolished by anti-human C/EBPbeta antibodies.

The Entamoeba histolytica EhPgp5 (MDR-like) protein induces swelling of the trophozoites and alters chloride-dependent currents in Xenopus laevis oocytes.

Entamoeba histolytica, the protozoan responsible for human amoebiasis, presents the multidrug resistant phenotype due to the expression of the E. histolytica P-glycoproteins EhPgpl and EhPgp5. Here, we studied the protein EhPgp5 encoded by the EhPgp5 gene in emetine-sensitive trophozoites transfected with the pEhNEOPgp5 plasmid carrying the EhPgp5 gene.

Physiology and molecular genetics of multidrug resistance in Entamoeba histolytica.

Entamoeba histolytica presents the evolutionarily conserved multidrug-resistance (MDR) phenotype, discovered in mammalian cells. MDR cells overexpress the membrane P-glycoprotein, which excludes unrelated drugs from the cytoplasm. E.