Potential Mechanisms Underlying COVID-19-Mediated Central and Peripheral Demyelination: Roles of the RAAS and ADAM-17.

Demyelination is among the most conspicuous neurological sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (COVID-19) in both the central (CNS) and peripheral (PNS) nervous systems. Several hypotheses have been proposed to explain the mechanisms underlying demyelination in COVID-19. However, none have considered the SARS-CoV-2's effects on the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS).

Chimeric proteins of Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae as vaccine and preclinical model for immunological evaluation.

Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae (M. hyopneumoniae) is a primary agent of porcine enzootic pneumonia, a disease that causes significant economic losses to pig farming worldwide. Commercial vaccines induce partial protection, evidencing the need for a new vaccine against M.

Design, synthesis, antiviral evaluation, and In silico studies of acrylamides targeting nsP2 from Chikungunya virus.

The Togaviridae family comprises several New- and Old-World Alphaviruses that have been responsible for thousands of human illnesses, including the RNA arbovirus Chikungunya virus (CHIKV). Firstly, it was reported in Tanzania in 1952 but rapidly it spread to several countries from Europe, Asia, and the Americas. Since then, CHIKV has been circulating in diverse countries around the world, leading to increased morbidity rates.

LASSBio-596: a New Pre-clinical Candidate for Rheumatoid Arthritis?

Pain and inflammatory disorders are significant health problems because of prevalence and associated disabilities. In this context, LASSBio-596 is a hybrid compound able to modulate TNF-α and phosphodiesterases 4 and 5, exhibiting an anti-inflammatory effect in the pulmonary inflammatory model. Aiming at a better description of the activities of LASSBio-596, we initially conducted nociception tests (acetic acid-induced abdominal writhing, glutamate, and formalin-induced nociception and hot plate test) and later inflammatory tests (acute, peritonitis; and chronic, arthritis) that directed us to this last one.

Targeting Chikungunya Virus Entry: Alternatives for New Inhibitors in Drug Discovery.

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is an Alphavirus (Togaviridae) responsible for Chikungunya fever (CHIKF) that is mainly characterized by a severe polyarthralgia, in which it is transmitted by the bite of infected Aedes aegypti and Ae. albopictus mosquitoes. Nowadays, there are no licensed vaccines or approved drugs to specifically treat this viral disease.

Druggable targets from coronaviruses for designing new antiviral drugs.

Severe respiratory infections were highlighted in the SARS-CoV outbreak in 2002, as well as MERS-CoV, in 2012. Recently, the novel CoV (COVID-19) has led to severe respiratory damage to humans and deaths in Asia, Europe, and Americas, which allowed the WHO to declare the pandemic state. Notwithstanding all impacts caused by Coronaviruses, it is evident that the development of new antiviral agents is an unmet need.

Computer-Aided Design, Synthesis, and Antiviral Evaluation of Novel Acrylamides as Potential Inhibitors of E3-E2-E1 Glycoproteins Complex from Chikungunya Virus.

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) causes an infectious disease characterized by inflammation and pain of the musculoskeletal tissues accompanied by swelling in the joints and cartilage damage. Currently, there are no licensed vaccines or chemotherapeutic agents to prevent or treat CHIKV infections. In this context, our research aimed to explore the potential anti-CHIKV activity of acrylamide derivatives.

Retrospective clinical and epidemiological analysis of scorpionism at a referral hospital for the treatment of accidents by venomous animals in Alagoas State, Northeast Brazil, 2007-2017.

Scorpionism has a high incidence rate in Brazil. It is considered a serious public health problem mainly in tropical and subtropical regions around the world. The number of scorpion accidents have increased over the years and the highest frequencies have been reported mainly in the Brazilian Northeast region.

Cytokines and chemokines triggered by Chikungunya virus infection in human patients during the very early acute phase.

Background: The immune response against the Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) during the very early acute phase is not fully elucidated. Therefore we explored the cytokine and chemokine profile triggered by CHIKV in infected patients.

Methods: Cytokines, chemokines and C5a anaphylatoxin were analysed in serum from CHIKV-infected patients during the viraemic phase (mean 2.

Cellular and Molecular Immune Response to Chikungunya Virus Infection.

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a re-emergent arthropod-borne virus (arbovirus) that causes a disease characterized primarily by fever, rash and severe persistent polyarthralgia. In the last decade, CHIKV has become a serious public health problem causing several outbreaks around the world. Despite the fact that CHIKV has been around since 1952, our knowledge about immunopathology, innate and adaptive immune response involved in this infectious disease is incomplete.

Report of East-Central South African Chikungunya virus genotype during the 2016 outbreak in the Alagoas State, Brazil.

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) causes a self-limiting disease characterized by the onset of fever, skin rash and persistent arthralgia. In the last decade, it has emerged as a serious public health problem causing several outbreaks around the world. Here, we report the CHIKV genotype characterization during the 2016 CHIKV outbreak in Alagoas State, Brazil.

Mesenchymal stromal cells modulate gut inflammation in experimental colitis.

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) affect millions of people worldwide and their frequencies in developed countries have increased since the twentieth century. In this context, there is an intensive search for therapies that modulate inflammation and provide tissue regeneration in IBDs. Recently, the immunomodulatory activity of adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (ADMSCs) has been demonstrated to play an important role on several immune cells in different conditions of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases.

A Regulatory miRNA-mRNA Network Is Associated with Tissue Repair Induced by Mesenchymal Stromal Cells in Acute Kidney Injury.

Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) orchestrate tissue repair by releasing cell-derived microvesicles (MVs), which, presumably by small RNA species, modulate global gene expression. The knowledge of miRNA/mRNA signatures linked to a reparative status may elucidate some of the molecular events associated with MSC protection. Here, we used a model of cisplatin-induced kidney injury (acute kidney injury) to assess how MSCs or MVs could restore tissue function.

Gut Bacteria Products Prevent AKI Induced by Ischemia-Reperfusion.

Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) are fermentation end products produced by the intestinal microbiota and have anti-inflammatory and histone deacetylase-inhibiting properties. Recently, a dual relationship between the intestine and kidneys has been unraveled. Therefore, we evaluated the role of SCFA in an AKI model in which the inflammatory process has a detrimental role.

Mesenchymal stem cells derived from human exfoliated deciduous teeth (SHEDs) induce immune modulatory profile in monocyte-derived dendritic cells.

Background: Mesenchymal stem cells have prominent immune modulatory properties, which may have clinical applications; however their major source, bone marrow, is of limited availability. On the other hand, mesenchymal stem cells derived from human exfoliated deciduous teeth (SHEDs) are readily accessible, but their immune regulatory properties have not been completely investigated. This study was designed, therefore, to evaluate the SHEDs influence on DCs differentiation, maturation, ability to activate T cells and to expand CD4(+)Foxp3(+) T cells.

Balance between the two kinin receptors in the progression of experimental focal and segmental glomerulosclerosis in mice.

Focal and segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) is one of the most important renal diseases related to end-stage renal failure. Bradykinin has been implicated in the pathogenesis of renal inflammation, whereas the role of its receptor 2 (B2RBK; also known as BDKRB2) in FSGS has not been studied. FSGS was induced in wild-type and B2RBK-knockout mice by a single intravenous injection of Adriamycin (ADM).

Leptin deficiency impairs maturation of dendritic cells and enhances induction of regulatory T and Th17 cells.

Leptin is an adipose-secreted hormone that plays an important role in both metabolism and immunity. Leptin has been shown to induce Th1-cell polarization and inhibit Th2-cell responses. Additionally, leptin induces Th17-cell responses, inhibits regulatory T (Treg) cells and modulates autoimmune diseases.

In pulmonary paracoccidioidomycosis IL-10 deficiency leads to increased immunity and regressive infection without enhancing tissue pathology.

Background: Cellular immunity is the main defense mechanism in paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM), the most important systemic mycosis in Latin America. Th1 immunity and IFN-γ activated macrophages are fundamental to immunoprotection that is antagonized by IL-10, an anti-inflammatory cytokine. Both in human and experimental PCM, several evidences indicate that the suppressive effect of IL-10 causes detrimental effects to infected hosts.

Adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells increase skin allograft survival and inhibit Th-17 immune response.

Adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ADSC) exhibit immunosuppressive capabilities both in vitro and in vivo. Their use for therapy in the transplant field is attractive as they could render the use of immunosuppressive drugs unnecessary. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of ADSC therapy on prolonging skin allograft survival.

Immune regulatory properties of allogeneic adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells in the treatment of experimental autoimmune diabetes.

Adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ADMSCs) display immunosuppressive properties, suggesting a promising therapeutic application in several autoimmune diseases, but their role in type 1 diabetes (T1D) remains largely unexplored. The aim of this study was to investigate the immune regulatory properties of allogeneic ADMSC therapy in T cell-mediated autoimmune diabetes in NOD mice. ADMSC treatment reversed the hyperglycemia of early-onset diabetes in 78% of diabetic NOD mice, and this effect was associated with higher serum insulin, amylin, and glucagon-like peptide 1 levels compared with untreated controls.

TLR2, TLR4 and the MYD88 signaling pathway are crucial for neutrophil migration in acute kidney injury induced by sepsis.

The aim of this study was to investigate the role of TLR2, TLR4 and MyD88 in sepsis-induced AKI. C57BL/6 TLR2(-/-), TLR4(-/-) and MyD88(-/-) male mice were subjected to sepsis by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP). Twenty four hours later, kidney tissue and blood samples were collected for analysis.

Exploring the role of soluble factors associated with immune regulatory properties of mesenchymal stem cells.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are characterized as multipotent stromal cells with the capacity for both self-renewal and differentiation into mesodermal cell lineages. MSCs also have a fibroblast-like phenotype and can be isolated from several tissues. In recent years, researchers have found that MSCs secrete several soluble factors that exert immunosuppressive effects by modulating both innate (macrophages, dendritic and NK cells) and adaptive (B cells and CD4+ and CD8+ T cells) immune responses.