Insights from the sequence similarity of Zika virus proteins with the Human nerve proteins.

Massive peptide sharing between the Zika virus polyprotein and host tissue proteins could elicit significant host-pathogen interactions and cross-reactions leading to autoimmune diseases. This study found similarities in the Zika V proteins and human nerve tissue proteins. 63 human nerve proteins were screened for similarities with the Zika V of which Neuromodulin, Nestin, Galanin, Bombesin, Calcium-binding protein were found to have similarities to the Zika V poly protein C at different sequence regions.

Anticeramide antibody and butyrylcholinesterase in peripheral neuropathies.

Ceramide is a glycosphingolipid, a component of nerve and non neuronal cell membrane and plays a role in maintaining the integrity of neuronal tissue. Butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) is a multifunctional enzyme, its involvement in neurodegenerative diseases has been well established. Anticeramide antibody (Ab-Cer) and enzyme BChE have been implicated in peripheral neuropathies.

High levels of plasma interferon gamma and +874T/A gene polymorphism is associated with HIV-TB co-infection.

Objective: Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the most frequent opportunistic infections in HIV patients leading to increased morbidity and death rate. This study was carried out to investigate the role of the cytokines IFN-γ and TNF-α level and their single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in HIV-TB co-infection.

Methods: 247 HIV-TB (124 HIV-pulmonary TB, 123 HIV-extra pulmonary TB), 126 HIV positive individuals without tuberculosis and 129 healthy subjects (HS) were included to measure plasma levels of IFN-γ and TNF-α by sandwich ELISA and One way ANOVA statistical analysis was carried out among the groups.

Detection of Tuberculosis in HIV Co-infected Individuals: Use of Multiple ELISA Responses to 38kDa, Lipoarabinomannan and ESAT- 6 of M. tuberculosis.

Introduction: There is a constant search for more sensitive and specific laboratory markers for tuberculosis (TB) infection. The early detection of TB in HIV co infected individuals is a diagnostic challenge. This is further compounded in those harbouring extrapulmonary disease.

Insights from the predicted epitope similarity between Mycobacterium tuberculosis virulent factors and its human homologs.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis is known to be associated with several autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematous, rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis. This is attributed to sequence similarity between virulent factors and human proteins. Therefore, it is of interest to identify such regions in the virulent factors to assess potential autoimmune related information.

Association of tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interferon gamma gene polymorphisms and their plasma levels in leprosy, HIV and other peripheral neuropathies.

Objective: Mycobacterium leprae and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) are causative agents known to be involved in nerve damage in leprosy and HIV-peripheral neuropathy (HIV-PN) respectively. Among other peripheral neuropathies the most common is diabetic neuropathy, which is metabolically induced. The proinflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IFN-γ have been implicated in the pathogenesis of peripheral neuropathy.

Serological responses to prednisolone treatment in leprosy reactions: study of TNF-α, antibodies to phenolic glycolipid-1, lipoarabinomanan, ceramide and S100-B.

Background: Corticosteroids have been extensively used in the treatment of immunological reactions and neuritis in leprosy. The present study evaluates the serological response to steroid treatment in leprosy reactions and neuritis.

Methods: Seven serological markers [TNF-α, antibodies to Phenolic glycolipid-1 (PGL-1 IgM and IgG), Lipoarabinomannan (LAM IgG1 and IgG3), C2-Ceramide and S100 B] were analyzed longitudinally in 72 leprosy patients before, during and after the reaction.

Antibodies to myelin P0 and ceramide perpetuate neuropathy in long standing treated leprosy patients.

Anti neural antibodies are known to play a role in the immunopathogenesis of nerve damage in leprosy and HIV/AIDS. Myelin Protein zero (P0) and ceramide are two nerve components which maintain the integrity of the peripheral nerve. The present study was undertaken to identify antibodies to myelin P0 and ceramide in the sera of treated leprosy patients, HIV positive individuals and healthy subjects using enzyme linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA).

Protein phosphorylation pattern in the immune cells of leprosy affected individuals.

Background: Leprosy is an infectious disease in which the susceptibility to the pathogen Mycobacterium leprae and the clinical manifestations are attributed to host immune cell response. Receptor mediated events and signalling in the immune cells are mediated by protein phosphorylation. The main signalling pathways and protein kinases known to be involved in the regulation of immune cells are cAMP dependent kinases, calcium/calmodulin dependent kinases, protein kinase C and mitogen activated protein kinases.

Diagnostic role of the antibody response to the 38kDa, 16kDa proteins and lipoarabinomannan of mycobacterium tuberculosis.

The antibody response to the 38kDa, 16kDa and Lipoarabinomannan (LAM) antigens ofMycobacterium tuberculosis was evaluated using three different ELISAs based on these antigens. The study group included tuberculosis patients (n=52), patients with HIV and TB co-infection (n=10), other chest symptomatics (n=5), HIV infected individuals (n=10), leprosy cases (n=7) and healthy controls (n=75). The results indicate that the 38kDa and LAM based ELISA for IgM/IgG has a low specificity (ranging from 69-85%) and sensitivity (ranging from 55-78%).

Microsatellite mapping of Mycobacterium leprae populations in infected humans.

To investigate genetic diversity in a bacterial population, we measured the copy numbers of simple sequence repeats, or microsatellites, in Mycobacterium leprae from patients living in and around Hyderabad, India. Three microsatellite loci containing trinucleotide or dinucleotide repeats were amplified from infected tissues, and the copy numbers were established by sequence analysis. Extensive diversity was observed in a cross-sectional survey of 33 patients, but closely related profiles were found for members of a multicase family likely to share a common transmission source.

Comparative proteomics of the Mycobacterium leprae binding protein myelin P0: its implication in leprosy and other neurodegenerative diseases.

Mycobacterium leprae, the causative agent of leprosy invades Schwann cells of the peripheral nerves leading to nerve damage and disfigurement, which is the hallmark of the disease. Wet experiments have shown that M. leprae binds to a major peripheral nerve protein, the myelin P zero (P0).

Mycobacterium leprae binds to a major human peripheral nerve glycoprotein myelin P zero (P0).

We have previously shown that a major phosphorylated 25-kDa glycoprotein of the human peripheral nerve binds to Mycobacterium leprae. In the present study, we confirm that the 25-kDa glycoprotein of the human peripheral nerve is myelin P zero (P0) by immunoprecipitation and Western blot experiments using monoclonal antibodies to myelin P0. Immunohistochemical studies on human nerve using these antibodies to myelin P0 exhibited a strong immunoreactivity to the myelin and Schwann cells.