Publications by authors named "Mary V"

Fungal skin infections significantly contribute to the global human disease burden, yet our understanding of cutaneous immunity against dermatophytes remains limited. Previously, we developed a model of epicutaneous infection with Microsporum canis in C57BL/6 mice, which highlighted the critical role of IL-17RA signaling in antidermatophyte defenses. In this study, we expanded our investigation to the human pathogen Nannizzia gypsea and demonstrated that skin γδTCR and CD8/CD4 double-negative βTCR T cells are the principal producers of IL-17A during dermatophytosis.

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Article Synopsis
  • Aflatoxin B (AFB) and fumonisin B (FB) are harmful mycotoxins found in cereals that can increase the risk of liver cancer, yet their combined effects have not been extensively researched.
  • This study investigated how different concentrations of AFB and FB, as well as their mixtures, impact the differentiation of immune cells in mouse spleen, focusing on regulatory T cells (Treg) and Th17 cells, and the role of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (Ahr) in this process.
  • The results showed that AFB and AFB-FB mixtures influence immune cell differentiation and immunotoxicity through Ahr signaling, potentially enhancing the risk of immune suppression and contributing to tumor growth evasion when these
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An imbalance between suppressor and effector immune responses may preclude cure in chronic parasitic diseases. In the case of Trypanosoma cruzi infection, specialized regulatory Foxp3+ T (Treg) cells suppress protective type-1 effector responses. Herein, we investigated the kinetics and underlying mechanisms behind the regulation of protective parasite-specific CD8+ T cell immunity during acute T.

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Lead is considered one of the most prevalent environmental and biologically hazardous toxicants among metallic elements. It severely affects human health and especially the male reproductive system by causing reproductive organ dysfunction leading to infertility. Natural dietary antioxidants are studied for their ability to ameliorate the cells' miscellaneous damage.

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Diazinon is an organophosphorus pesticide, which may have potential toxic effects on the liver and immune system; however, the underlying mechanisms remain mostly unidentified. This work is aimed at evaluating the oxidative stress and cell cycle alterations elicited by low-dose diazinon in a rat liver cell line (BRL-3A) and spleen mononuclear cells (SMC) from Wistar rats. Diazinon (10-50 μM) caused early reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation (from 4 h) as well as increased O level (from 0.

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Smut fungi, such as , have been studied extensively as a model for plant-pathogenic basidiomycetes. However, little attention has been paid to smut diseases of agronomic importance that are caused by species of the genus , probably due to their more localized distribution. Peanut smut incited by has been reported only in South America, and Argentina is the only country where this disease has been noted in commercial peanut production.

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The oxidative stress generation in bacteria by the presence of antibiotics (in this case silver nanoparticles (AgNPs)) is already widely known. Previously, we demonstrated that AgNPs generate oxidative stress in Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli mediated by the increase of reactive oxygen species (ROS). In this work we are demonstrating the consequences of the oxidative stress by the presence of AgNPs; these bacterial strains increased the levels of oxidized proteins and lipids.

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6-Gingerol [5-hydroxy-1-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl) decan-3-one], the bio-active ingredient of the popular Indian spice ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe), is well-known for its pharmacological and physiological actions. The potent antioxidant, antiemetic, antiulcer, antimicrobial, analgesic, hypoglycemic, antihypertensive, antihyperlipidemic, immunostimulant, anti-inflammatory, cardiotonic, and cancer prevention activities of 6-Gingerol has been investigated and explored. 6-Gingerol is a good candidate for the treatment of various cancers including prostrate, pancreatic, breast, skin, gastrointestinal, pulmonary, and renal cancer.

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Introduction: Tau hyperphosphorylation and neurofibrillary tangles are histopathologic hallmarks of tauopathies. Histamine H3-receptor antagonists have been proposed to reduce tau hyperphosphorylation in preclinical models.

Methods: We evaluated the ability of SAR110894, a selective histamine H3-receptor antagonist, to inhibit tau pathology and prevent cognitive deficits in a tau transgenic mouse model (THY-Tau22).

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Luteolin (CHO) is an important flavonoid found in many fruits, plants, medicinal herbs, and vegetables exhibiting many pharmacological properties. The anticancer, antitumor, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activities of luteolin have been reported. The pharmacological action of small molecules is dependent upon its interaction with biomacromolecules.

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Procambial and cambial stem cells provide the initial cells that allow the formation of vascular tissues. WOX4 and WOX14 have been shown to act redundantly to promote procambial cell proliferation and differentiation. Gibberellins (GAs), which have an important role in wood formation, also stimulate cambial cell division.

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Human oral exposure to aflatoxin B (AFB ) and fumonisin B (FB ) is associated with increased hepatocellular carcinoma. Although evidence suggested interactive AFB -FB hepatotoxicity, the underlying mechanisms remain mostly unidentified. This work was aimed at evaluating the possible AFB -FB interplay to induce genetic and cell cycle toxicities in BRL-3A rat hepatocytes, reactive oxygen species (ROS) involvement, and the AFB metabolizing pathways cytochrome P450 (CYP) and arachidonic acid (ArAc) metabolism as ROS contributors.

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Curcumin is a natural phytochemical from the rhizoma of Curcuma longa, the popular Indian spice that exhibits a wide range of pharmacological properties like antioxidant, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antitumor, and antiviral activities. In the published literatures we can see different studies and arguments on the interaction of curcumin with DNA. The intercalative binding, groove binding and no binding of curcumin with DNA were reported.

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Background: Pyoderma gangrenosum is a neutrophilic dermatosis of unknown etiology, with inconstant systemic associations and a variable prognosis.

Aims: To study the clinical features and systemic associations of pyoderma gangrenosum and its response to treatment.

Methods: All patients diagnosed to have pyoderma gangrenosum at the dermatology department of the Government Medical College, Kozhikode, from January 01, 2005 to December 31, 2014 were included in this prospective study.

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Fusarium verticillioides is a major maize pathogen and there are susceptible and resistant cultivars to this fungal infection. Recent studies suggest that its main mycotoxin fumonisin B1 (FB1) may be involved in phytopathogenicity, but the underlying mechanisms are mostly still unknown. This work was aimed at assessing whether FB1 disseminates inside the plants, as well as identifying possible correlations between the maize resistant/susceptible phenotype and the unbalances of the FB1-structurally-related sphingoid base sphinganine (Sa) and phytosphingosine (Pso) due to toxin accumulation.

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Piperine, the bioactive phytochemical from black pepper (Piper nigrum L.), is a nontoxic natural compound exhibiting many physiological and pharmacological properties. They include antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimutagenic, antitumor, antiapoptotic, antigenotoxic, antiarthritic, antifungal, antimicrobial, antidepressant, anti-HBV, and gastro-protective activities.

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To improve seed iron (Fe) content and bioavailability, it is crucial to decipher the mechanisms that control Fe storage during seed development. In Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) seeds, most Fe is concentrated in insoluble precipitates, with phytate in the vacuoles of cells surrounding the vasculature of the embryo. NATURAL RESISTANCE ASSOCIATED-MACROPHAGE PROTEIN3 (AtNRAMP3) and AtNRAMP4 function redundantly in Fe retrieval from vacuoles during germination.

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Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and fumonisin B1 (FB1) are mycotoxins widely found as cereal contaminants and their co-occurrence in corn has been associated with a high incidence of liver cancer. Both toxins are immunotoxic, with AFB1 being a procarcinogen, and its bioactivation through specific cytochrome P450 (Cyp) enzymes, such as Cyp1A, being a requirement for hepatocarcinogenic and toxic activities. This study evaluated the effects of these mycotoxins, alone or combined, on activation and expression of Cyp1A and its transcription factor aryl hydrocarbon receptor (Ahr) in hepatoma cell line H4IIE and spleen mononuclear cells of rats.

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Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease with a wide spectrum of signs and symptoms depending on the ability of the host's immune system to resist the infection. The disease is frequently associated with sensory loss in skin lesions and damage in peripheral nerve trunks leading to nerve function impairment. In lepromatous leprosy, the immune system offers no protection against the multiplying bacilli and this results in heavy infiltration of the internal organs.

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Seeds are a crucial stage in plant life. They contain the nutrients necessary to initiate the development of a new organism. Seeds also represent an important source of nutrient for human beings.

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Aflatoxin B1 (AFB(1)) and fumonisin B1 (FB(1)) are mycotoxins widely found as cereal contaminants. Their immunotoxicities predispose to infectious diseases and may alter the tumor immunosurveillance of human and animals, but the mechanisms underlying have not been fully elucidated, and the induction of oxidative stress has been proposed as a probable mechanism. This work was aimed at evaluating in spleen mononuclear cells (SMC) from Wistar rats the effects of the exposure, in vitro for up to 48 h, to 20 μM AFB(1), 10 μM FB(1) and AFB(1)-FB(1) mixture (MIX), over cellular oxidative status, as well as at elucidating the contribution of different reactive oxygen species (ROS) to biomolecular oxidative damage, the biochemical pathways involved, and the probable interaction of both toxins to induce oxidative stress.

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Fusarium verticillioides is best known for its worldwide occurrence on maize resulting in highly variable disease symptoms, ranging from asymptomatic to severe rotting and wilting and fumonisin production. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of hybrid genotypes in the early stages of F. verticillioides infection, and the role of fumonisins as effectors in the outcome of this complex interaction.

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Production of reactive oxygen species (hydroxyl radicals, superoxide radicals and hydrogen peroxide) was studied using EPR spin-trapping techniques and specific dyes in isolated plasma membranes from the growing and the non-growing zones of hypocotyls and roots of etiolated soybean seedlings as well as coleoptiles and roots of etiolated maize seedlings. NAD(P)H mediated the production of superoxide in all plasma membrane samples. Hydroxyl radicals were only produced by the membranes of the hypocotyl growing zone when a Fenton catalyst (FeEDTA) was present.

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