Publications by authors named "Diego Jose Lira Torres"
Vitamin D treatment distinctly modulates cytokine production by peripheral blood mononuclear cells among patients with chronic cardiac and indeterminate clinical forms of Chagas disease.
Immun Inflamm Dis
September 2024
Article Synopsis
- Chagas disease, caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, has acute and chronic phases, with chronic Chagas cardiomyopathy being the most notable, and there's a potential link between vitamin D deficiency and cardiovascular issues.
- The study aimed to assess the effects of vitamin D on blood cells from patients with various chronic forms of Chagas disease by measuring cytokine production in vitro.
- Results indicated that vitamin D treatment influenced cytokine production, showing distinct changes among patients, though no statistically significant differences were found among the groups.
Interaction between peripheral blood mononuclear cells and -infected adipocytes: implications for treatment failure and induction of immunomodulatory mechanisms in adipose tissue.
Front Immunol
March 2024
Background/introduction: Adipose tissue (AT) has been highlighted as a promising reservoir of infection for viruses, bacteria and parasites. Among them is , which causes Chagas disease. The recommended treatment for the disease in Brazil is Benznidazole (BZ).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- Studies on the immune response in Chagas disease show that symptomatic patients, especially those with severe Chagas heart disease, have an inflammatory immune profile dominated by tumour necrosis factor (TNF).
- The research evaluates cytokine levels in patients with different clinical forms of Chagas disease after treatment with TNF blockers (Adalimumab and Etanercept) and benznidazole, measuring the effects on both regulatory and inflammatory cytokines.
- Results indicate that Adalimumab was more effective in blocking TNF, while Etanercept showed a specific decrease in TNF levels only in the most severe cases, suggesting that targeting TNF could be a beneficial strategy for the immunological treatment of severe Chagas heart disease.
Benznidazole (Bz) is the recommended drug for the treatment of Chagas disease; however, its efficacy may vary according to the sensitivity of Trypanosoma cruzi strains to the drug and host immune background. The study evaluated the immune response of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) that were infected in vitro with the Colombian strain (Col) and treated with Bz. The co-cultures were incubated for 24 h, 5 and 10 days, where cytokine dosage was performed in the supernatant and evaluation of the cells for CD28 and CTLA-4 molecules in CD4 and CD8 lymphocytes, and CD80 , CD86 and HLA-DR in CD14 cells.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFChagas disease (CD), caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi (T. cruzi), affects millions of people worldwide. Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) have been used as tools to monitor parasitic levels in the bloodstream of individuals exposed to infection, thus enabling the monitoring of relapses and the effectiveness of therapy, for example.
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- Soluble TNF receptors (sTNFR1 and sTNFR2) inhibit TNF and their levels are elevated in various diseases, including Chagas disease, where TNF plays a crucial role in immune response and pathology.
- In a study of 132 chronic Chagas disease patients, it was found that levels of sTNFR1 and sTNFR2 were higher in infected individuals compared to non-infected controls, indicating they may help regulate TNF activity.
- A moderate correlation was observed between sTNFR1 and TNF in patients with the indeterminate form of the disease, suggesting a protective mechanism against progression to more severe conditions like heart disease.
Effects of Migonemyia migonei salivary gland homogenates on Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis infection in BALB/c mice.
Acta Trop
March 2022
Cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis is the most widespread clinical form of leishmaniasis in the Americas. Migonemyia migonei is a widely distributed phlebotomine sand fly species in Brazil and has been implicated as a vector for L. (V.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFcauses the lethal Chagas disease, which is endemic in Latin America. Flowers of (Moringaceae) express a trypsin inhibitor (MoFTI) whose toxicity to trypomastigotes was previously reported. Here, we studied the effects of MoFTI on the viability of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) as well as on the production of cytokines and nitric oxide (NO) by -infected PBMCs.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAntitumor activity of Moringa oleifera (drumstick tree) flower trypsin inhibitor (MoFTI) in sarcoma 180-bearing mice.
Food Chem Toxicol
November 2020
The plant Moringa oleifera is used as food and medicine. M. oleifera flowers are source of protein, fiber, and antioxidants, and are used to treat inflammation and tumors.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEvaluation of antitumor activity and toxicity of Schinus terebinthifolia leaf extract and lectin (SteLL) in sarcoma 180-bearing mice.
J Ethnopharmacol
April 2019
Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Schinus terebinthifolia Raddi is a plant broadly used in folk medicine and the use of its leaf extract as an antitumor agent has been reported.
Aim Of The Study: To evaluate the antitumor potential and the toxicity of saline extract (SE) and lectin (SteLL) from S. terebinthifolia leaves in sarcoma 180-bearing mice.