Publications by authors named "Marcos Vinicius Rangel Ferreira"

Acute lung injury (ALI) and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) are severe complications that can occur in infections caused by any species. Due to the high lethality rate and the lack of specific treatment for ALI/ARDS, studies aimed at understanding and searching for treatment strategies for such complications have been fundamental. Here, we investigated the protective role of dietary supplementation with DHA-rich fish oil against lung damage induced by ANKA in a murine model.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Severe malaria can cause respiratory symptoms, which may lead to malaria-acute lung injury (MA-ALI) due to inflammation and damage to the blood-gas barrier. Patients with severe malaria also often present thrombocytopenia, and the use of acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), a commonly used non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug with immunomodulatory and antiplatelet effects, may pose a risk in regions where malaria is endemic. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the systemic impact of ASA and dihydroartemisinin (DHA) on ALI induced in mice by Plasmodium berghei NK65 (PbNK65).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Every year, thousands of children, particularly those under 5 years old, die because of cerebral malaria (CM). Following conventional treatment, approximately 25% of surviving individuals have lifelong severe neurocognitive sequelae. Therefore, improved conventional therapies or effective alternative therapies that prevent the severe infection are crucial.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • - Newly emerging research indicates that neutrophil defense mechanisms can both worsen and protect against malaria, highlighting the importance of their balance in the body for disease outcomes.
  • - This study focused on the responses of neutrophils and T cells in two mouse strains infected with different types of malaria, revealing increased neutrophil percentages and neutrophil-T cell ratios before symptoms of severe malaria appeared.
  • - The findings suggest that monitoring neutrophil and T cell dynamics could potentially help predict the progression and severity of cerebral malaria, enhancing our understanding of the disease's development.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Silicosis is an occupational lung disease caused by inhalation of silica particles. It is characterized by intense lung inflammation, with progressive and irreversible fibrosis, leading to impaired lung function. Purinergic signaling modulates silica-induced lung inflammation and fibrosis through P2X7 receptor.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The release of damage-associated molecular patterns, including uridine triphosphate (UTP) and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) to the extracellular milieu is a key component of innate immune response to infection. Previously, we showed that macrophage infection by the protozoan parasite -the etiological agent of cutaneous leishmaniasis-can be controlled by ATP- and UTP-mediated activation of P2Y and P2X7 receptors (activated by UTP/ATP and ATP, respectively), which provided comparable immune responses against the parasite. Interestingly, in context of infection, UTP/P2Y triggered apoptosis, reactive oxygen species, and oxide nitric (NO) production, which are characteristic of P2X7 receptor activation.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF