Prevalence of celiac disease-specific antibodies and their association with clinical status and environmental factors.

Background And Aims: Celiac disease (CeD) affects 1-2% of the world's population. The aim of this study was to relate the incidence of CeD-related serological markers to symptoms, pathologies, and environmental exposure to wheat flour, given the number of flour mills present in the region.

Materials & Methods: Serum samples were collected from 537 inhabitants from a rural city.

Challenges and advancements in the development of vaccines and therapies against Chagas disease.

Chagas disease, caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, presents a substantial global health burden, affecting millions of individuals worldwide and posing a continual risk of infection. Despite the high mortality and morbidity rates, effective vaccines to prevent infection by the parasite remain elusive, and the drugs currently available are suboptimal. Understanding the intricate dynamics of parasite-host interactions and the resulting immune responses, which contribute to both protection and pathology, is crucial for the development of effective vaccines and therapies against Chagas disease.

Trypanocidal and Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Three -Kaurane Diterpenoids from var. (Asteraceae).

Chagas disease, caused by the protozoan , affects 6-7 million people worldwide. The dichloromethane extract obtained from the aerial parts of var showed trypanocidal activity in vitro. The fractionation of the dewaxed organic extract via column chromatography led to the isolation of three diterpenoids: -9α,11α-dihydroxy-15-oxo-kaur-16-en-19-oic acid or adenostemmoic acid B, (16)--11α-hydroxy-15-oxokauran-19-oic acid and -11α-hydroxy-15-oxo-kaur-16-en-19-oic acid.

Zika virus NS4B protein targets TANK-binding kinase 1 and inhibits type I interferon production.

Background: During viral infections, nucleic acid sensing by intracellular receptors can trigger type I interferon (IFN-I) production, key mediators in antiviral innate immunity. However, many flaviviruses use non-structural proteins to evade immune sensing favoring their survival. These mechanisms remain poorly characterized.

Antiprotozoal compounds from Mikania periplocifolia (Asteraceae).

Chagas disease, African trypanosomiasis and Leishmaniasis are neglected parasitic diseases which affect millions of people worldwide. In a previous work, we report the antiprotozoal activity of the dichloromethane extract of Mikania periplocifolia Hook. & Arn.

toxicologic profile and trypanocidal activity of estafietin, a sesquiterpene lactone isolated from Stevia alpina Griseb.

Chagas disease is an infection caused by the protozoan affecting 6-8 million people worldwide. Only two drugs are available for its treatment, having a limited efficacy and adverse side-effects. Estafietin is a sesquiterpene lactone isolated from with activity against and low cytotoxicity against mammalian cells.

Anti- Properties of Sesquiterpene Lactones Isolated from spp.: In Vitro and In Silico Studies.

species (Asteraceae) have been a rich source of terpenoid compounds, mainly sesquiterpene lactones, several of which show antiprotozoal activity. In the search for new trypanocidal compounds, var. and were studied.

Enzymatic synthesis of amlodipine amides and evaluation of their anti- activity.

Advancing with our project about the development of new antiparasitic agents, we have enzymatically synthesized a series of amides derived from amlodipine, a calcium channel blocker used as an antihypertensive drug. Through lipase-catalyzed acylation with different carboxylic acids, nineteen amlodipine derivatives were obtained, eighteen of which were new compounds. To optimize the reaction conditions, the influence of several reaction parameters was analyzed, finding different requisites for aliphatic carboxylic acids and phenylacetic acids.

Development of vaccines for Chagas disease (CRUZIVAX): stakeholders' preferences and potential impacts on healthcare.

A vaccine for Chagas disease does not currently exist. This study aims to inform the development of two vaccines for the prevention and treatment of Trypanosoma cruzi infection, and guide their pre-clinical phase up to clinical phase I. The three main objectives are: 1) to explore patients' and policy makers' preferences on the candidate vaccines in Argentina and Spain; 2) to investigate health-related quality of life of patients affected by Chagas disease; and 3) to assess the potential health provider savings associated with the vaccines, in terms of resource use and health care costs.

Superantigens, a Paradox of the Immune Response.

Staphylococcal enterotoxins are a wide family of bacterial exotoxins with the capacity to activate as much as 20% of the host T cells, which is why they were called superantigens. Superantigens (SAgs) can cause multiple diseases in humans and cattle, ranging from mild to life-threatening infections. Almost all isolates encode at least one of these toxins, though there is no complete knowledge about how their production is triggered.

MutS recognition of mismatches within primed DNA replication intermediates.

MutS initiates mismatch repair by recognizing mismatches in newly replicated DNA. Specific interactions between MutS and mismatches within double-stranded DNA promote ADP-ATP exchange and a conformational change into a sliding clamp. Here, we demonstrated that MutS from Pseudomonas aeruginosa associates with primed DNA replication intermediates.

Cytokines expression from altered motor thalamus and behavior deficits following sublethal administration of Shiga toxin 2a involve the induction of the globotriaosylceramide receptor.

Encephalopathy associated with hemolytic uremic syndrome is produced by enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) infection, which releases the virulence factors Shiga toxin (Stx) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Neurological compromise is a poor prognosis and mortality factor of the disease, and the thalamus is one of the brain areas most frequently affected.

Oxonitrogenated Derivatives of Eremophilans and Eudesmans: Antiproliferative and Anti- Activity.

Cancer is one of the most important causes of death worldwide. Solid tumors represent the vast majority of cancers (>90%), and the chemotherapeutic agents used for their treatment are still characterized by variable efficacy and toxicity. Sesquiterpenes are a group of natural compounds that have shown a wide range of biological activities, including cytotoxic and antiparasitic activity, among others.

, , and Studies of Cumanin Diacetate as a Potential Drug against Infection.

The sesquiterpene lactones cumanin, helenalin, and hymenin and their semisynthetic derivatives were evaluated against epimastigotes. The cytotoxicity of the compounds was evaluated on murine splenocytes. Cumanin diacetate was one of the most active and selective compounds [IC = 3.

Optimized surface plasmon resonance immunoassay for staphylococcal enterotoxin G detection using silica nanoparticles.

Staphylococcal enterotoxins are one of the most important causative agents of food poisoning. These molecules function as both gastrointestinal toxins and superantigens (SAgs) which can simultaneously bind MHC-II and T cell receptor leading to a non-specific polyclonal T cell activation and massive proinflammatory cytokine release. Common symptoms include vomiting and diarrhea; however, in more severe cases, systemic dissemination may result in toxic shock syndrome and can be lethal in a few hours.

Surface chemistry modification of silica nanoparticles alters the activation of monocytes.

Nanoparticles (NPs) interaction with immune system is a growing topic of study. Bare and amine grafted silica NPs effects on monocytes/macrophages cells were analyzed by flow cytometry, MTT test and LIVE/DEAD viability/cytotoxicity assay. Bare silica NPs inhibited proliferation and induced monocyte/macrophages activation (increasing CD40/CD80 expression besides pro-inflammatory cytokines and nitrite secretion).

Cruzipain and Its Physiological Inhibitor, Chagasin, as a DNA-Based Therapeutic Vaccine Against .

Chagas disease caused by the protozoan parasite is endemic in 21 Latin American countries and the southern United States and now is spreading into several other countries due to migration. Despite the efforts to control the vector throughout the Americas, currently, there are almost seven million infected people worldwide, causing ~10,000 deaths per year, and 70 million people at risk to acquire the infection. Chagas disease treatment is restricted only to two parasiticidal drugs, benznidazole and nifurtimox, which are effective during the acute and early infections but have not been found to be as effective in chronic infection.

Cellular and molecular changes and immune response in the intestinal mucosa during Trichinella spiralis early infection in rats.

Background: The main targets of the host's immune system in Trichinella spiralis infection are the adult worms (AW), at the gut level, and the migrant or newborn larvae (NBL), at systemic and pulmonary levels. Most of the studies carried out in the gut mucosa have been performed on the Payer's patches and/or the mesenteric lymph nodes but not on the lamina propria, therefore, knowledge on the gut immune response against T. spiralis remains incomplete.

Heterologous Chimeric Construct Comprising a Modified Bacterial Superantigen and a Cruzipain Domain Confers Protection Against Infection.

Chagas disease is an endemic chronic parasitosis in Latin America affecting more than 7 million people. Around 100 million people are currently at risk of acquiring the infection; however, no effective vaccine has been developed yet. is the etiological agent of this parasitosis and as an intracellular protozoan it can reside within different tissues, mainly muscle cells, evading host immunity and allowing progression towards the chronic stage of the disease.

Trypanocidal Activity of Four Sesquiterpene Lactones Isolated from Asteraceae Species.

The sesquiterpene lactones eupatoriopicrin, estafietin, eupahakonenin B and minimolide have been isolated from Argentinean Astearaceae species and have been found to be active against epimastigotes. The aim of this work was to evaluate the activity of these compounds by analyzing their effect against the stages of the parasites that are infective for the human. Even more interesting, we aimed to determine the effect of the most active and selective compound on an model of infection.

Anti- Activity of Extracts from Argentinean Asteraceae Species.

The anti- activity of extracts from 13 Argentinean Asteraceae species was determined. Dichloromethane and methanol extracts of , , and were evaluated against epimastigotes, , , , , and dichloromethane extracts showed trypanocidal activity with inhibitions higher than 60% at a concentration of 10 µg/mL. The methanol extracts of and were the most active with inhibitions of 70.

Mucosal Heterologous Prime/Boost Vaccination Induces Polyfunctional Systemic Immunity, Improving Protection Against .

There are several unmet needs in modern immunology. Among them, vaccines against parasitic diseases and chronic infections lead. , the causative agent of Chagas disease, is an excellent example of a silent parasitic invasion that affects millions of people worldwide due to its progression into the symptomatic chronic phase of infection.

Superantigens Impair Monocytes/Macrophages Inducing Cell Death and Inefficient Activation.

Bacterial superantigens (SAgs) are enterotoxins that bind to MHC-II and TCR molecules, activating as much as 20% of the T cell population and promoting a cytokine storm which enhances susceptibility to endotoxic shock, causing immunosuppression, and hindering the immune response against bacterial infection. Since monocytes/macrophages are one of the first cells SAgs find in infected host and considering the effect these cells have on directing the immune response, here, we investigated the effect of four non-classical SAgs of the staphylococcal operon, namely, SEG, SEI, SEO, and SEM on monocytic-macrophagic cells, in the absence of T cells. We also analyzed the molecular targets on APCs which could mediate SAg effects.