Publications by authors named "Milena A Akamatsu"

Chronic neuropathic pain (CNP) remains a significant clinical challenge, with complex neurophysiological underpinnings that are not fully understood. Identifying specific neural oscillatory patterns related to pain perception and interference can enhance our understanding and management of CNP. To analyze resting electroencephalography data from individuals with chronic neuropathic pain to explore the possible neural signatures associated with pain intensity, pain interference, and specific neuropathic pain characteristics.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: SARS-CoV2 virus, responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic, has four structural proteins and 16 nonstructural proteins. S-protein is one of the structural proteins exposed on the virus surface and is the main target for producing neutralizing antibodies and vaccines. The S-protein forms a trimer that can bind the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) through its receptor binding domain (RBD) for cell entry.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Pathogenic species of are etiologic agents of leptospirosis, an emerging zoonotic disease of worldwide extent and endemic in tropical regions. The growing number of identified leptospiral species sheds light to their genetic diversity and unique virulence mechanisms, many of them still remain unknown. Toxins and adhesins are important virulence factors in several pathogens, constituting promising antigens for the development of vaccines with cross-protection and long-lasting effect against leptospirosis.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Routine immunization against diphtheria and tetanus has drastically reduced the incidence of these diseases worldwide. Anti-diphtheria/tetanus vaccine has in general aluminum salt as adjuvant in its formulation that can produce several adverse effects. There is a growing interest in developing new adjuvants.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The emergence of potentially pandemic viruses has resulted in preparedness efforts to develop candidate vaccines and adjuvant formulations. We evaluated the dose-sparing effect and safety of two distinct squalene-based oil-in-water adjuvant emulsion formulations (IB160 and SE) with influenza A/H7N9 antigen. This phase I, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, dose-finding trial (NCT03330899), enrolled 432 healthy volunteers aged 18 to 59.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

This article summarizes developments attained in oral vaccine formulations based on the encapsulation of antigen proteins inside porous silica matrices. These vaccine vehicles show great efficacy in protecting the proteins from the harsh acidic stomach medium, allowing the Peyer's patches in the small intestine to be reached and consequently enhancing immunity. Focusing on the pioneering research conducted at the Butantan Institute in Brazil, the optimization of the antigen encapsulation yield is reported, as well as their distribution inside the meso- and macroporous network of the porous silica.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Control of human ascariasis, the most prevalent neglected tropical disease globally affecting 450 million people, mostly relies on mass drug administration of anthelmintics. However, chemotherapy alone is not efficient due to the high re-infection rate for people who live in the endemic area. The development of a vaccine that reduces the intensity of infection and maintains lower morbidity should be the primary target for infection control.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Interferons are innate and adaptive cytokines involved in many biological responses, in particular, viral infections. With the final response the result of the balance of the different types of Interferons. Cytokine storms are physiological reactions observed in humans and animals in which the innate immune system causes an uncontrolled and excessive release of pro-inflammatory signaling molecules.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

In March 2013 it was reported by the World Health Organization (WHO) the first cases of human infections with avian influenza virus A (H7N9). From 2013 to December 2019, 1568 cases have been reported with 616 deaths. H7N9 infection has been associated with high morbidity and mortality rates, and vaccination is currently the most effective way to prevent infections and consequently flu-related severe illness.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Increasing pandemic influenza vaccine manufacturing capacity is considered strategic by WHO. Adjuvant use is key in this strategy in order to spare the vaccine doses and by increasing immune protection. We describe here the production and stability studies of a squalene based oil-in-water emulsion, adjuvant IB160, and the immune response of the H7N9 vaccine combined with IB160.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Until universal influenza vaccines become available, pandemic preparedness should include developing classical vaccines against potential pandemic influenza subtypes. We here show that addition of SWE adjuvant, a squalene-in-water emulsion, to H7N9 split influenza vaccine clearly enhanced functional antibody responses in ferrets. These were cross-reactive against H7N9 strains from different lineages and newly emerged H7N9 variants.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • Leptospira spirochetes cause leptospirosis, and existing vaccines mainly target LPS antigens, creating a need for new vaccine approaches.
  • The study developed whole-cell vaccines with reduced LPS and maintained protein exposure, testing them on hamsters to determine their protective capacity against various serovars.
  • Results indicated that while some vaccines offered full protection against homologous strains, protection was variable with heterologous strains, highlighting the potential of bivalent formulations with reduced LPS for effective leptospirosis prevention.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Pneumococcal Surface Protein A (PspA) has been successfully tested as vaccine candidate against Streptococcus pneumoniae infections. Vaccines able to induce PspA-specific antibodies and Th1 cytokines usually provide protection in mice. We have shown that the whole cell pertussis vaccine (wP) or components from acellular pertussis vaccines, such as Pertussis Toxin or Filamentous Hemagglutinin (FHA), are good adjuvants to PspA, suggesting that combined pertussis-PspA vaccines would be interesting strategies against the two infections.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Human ascariasis has a global and cosmopolitan distribution, and has been characterized as the most prevalent neglected tropical disease worldwide. The development of a preventive vaccine is highly desirable to complement current measures required for this parasitic infection control and to reduce chronic childhood morbidities. In the present study, we describe the mechanism of protection elicited by a preventive vaccine against ascariasis.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

While the immunogenic potential of the vaccination against infectious diseases was extensively shown, data on the safety assessment of recombinant proteins in vaccine formulations administered during pregnancy are still scarce. In the current study, the antigenicity of a vaccine against leishmaniasis (based on Leishmania braziliensis recombinant protein peroxidoxin) during pregnancy and possible maternal reproductive outcomes and fetal anomalies after immunization with a leishmanial vaccine or adjuvant alone (Bordetella pertussis derived MPLA adjuvant) were assessed. Rats were mated and allocated in three groups: Control-rats received saline; Adjuvant-rats received the adjuvant MPLA, and Vaccine-rats received the combination of MPLA and peroxidoxin.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF