Publications by authors named "Noemi N Taniwaki"

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  • Lake Guamuez, Colombia's second largest lake, supports local families through tourism, agriculture, livestock, and trout production, but suffers from pollution due to these activities.
  • The study assessed the lake's water quality using somatic coliphages (SCs) as bioindicators, conducting samples over six months at nine locations.
  • Results revealed significant contamination and genetic diversity in SCs, with higher concentrations in areas with more human activity, raising concerns about potential links to gastrointestinal diseases in nearby populations.
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  • * A promising derivative was identified that not only induced cell death in the parasite but also altered cell signaling and protein profiles, suggesting it disrupts the parasite's bioenergetic system and promotes autophagic cell death.
  • * Additionally, this compound demonstrated anti-inflammatory properties by reducing immune responses in host cells and showed a favorable pharmacokinetic profile in rats, supporting its potential as a lead candidate for future treatments.
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  • Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a chronic disease in Brazil caused by specific parasites, with extracellular vesicles (Leish-EVs) playing a role in how the host immune system responds to the infection.
  • The study found that Leish-EVs are released more when the parasites grow at higher temperatures, and the presence of these vesicles in the host cells can help differentiate between infected and uninfected individuals.
  • THP-1 cells exposed to Leish-EVs showed altered immune responses, producing certain interleukins and microRNAs, indicating that Leish-EVs could contribute to immunosuppression and worsen the disease in infected hosts.
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Leishmaniasis is a complex disease caused by infection with different parasites. The number of medications used for its treatment is still limited and the discovery of new drugs is a valuable approach. In this context, here we describe the in vitro leishmanicidal activity and the in silico interaction between trypanothione reductase (TryR) and (-)-5-demethoxygrandisin B from the leaves of (Rol.

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Chagas disease is a severe infectious and parasitic disease caused by the protozoan and considered a public health problem. Chemotherapeutics are still the main means of control and treatment of the disease, however with some limitations. As an alternative treatment, plants have been pointed out due to their proven pharmacological properties.

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This retrospective cohort study analysed extracellular vesicles (EVs) and microRNAs (miRNAs) excreted in canine sera from dogs with canine visceral leishmaniasis (CanVL). A total of 56 canine sera were divided into Group I (28, from healthy dogs) and Group II (28, from the same dogs, but already with CanVL). CanVL was determined by clinical and laboratory diagnoses.

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(açaí) fruit has approximately 15% pulp, which is partly edible and commercialized, and 85% seeds. Although açaí seeds are rich in catechins-polyphenolic compounds with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antitumor effects-almost 935,000 tons/year of seeds are discarded as industrial waste. This work evaluated the antitumor properties of in vitro and in vivo in a solid Ehrlich tumor in mice.

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Leishmaniasis represents a serious world health problem, with 1 billion people being exposed to infection and a broad spectrum of clinical manifestations with a potentially fatal outcome. Based on the limitations observed in the treatment of leishmaniasis, such as high cost, significant adverse effects, and the potential for drug resistance, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the leishmanicidal activity of the compounds pseurotin A and monomethylsulochrin isolated from the biomass extract of sp. The chromatographic profiles of the extract were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with a diode-array UV-Vis detector (HPLC-DAD-UV), and the molecular identification of the pseurotin A and monomethylsulochrin were carried out by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry in tandem (LC-ESI-MS-MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR).

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  • Brazilian porcupine poxvirus (BPoPV) was identified in a free-ranging adult male hairy dwarf porcupine exhibiting severe skin lesions and lethargy in Brazil.
  • Diagnosis was confirmed through various methodologies, including histopathology and electron microscopy, which revealed characteristic viral inclusion bodies and large brick-shaped virions.
  • Following a comprehensive treatment plan that involved antibiotics and supportive therapies, the porcupine's skin lesions regressed, and post-treatment evaluations showed no remaining viral presence or significant pathology.
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Carajurin is the main constituent of species with reported anti- activity. However, its mechanism of action has not been described. This study investigated the mechanisms of action of carajurin against promastigote forms of .

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Leishmaniasis chemotherapy is a bottleneck in disease treatment. Although available, chemotherapy is limited, toxic, painful, and does not lead to parasite clearance, with parasite resistance also being reported. Therefore, new therapeutic options are being investigated, such as plant-derived anti-parasitic compounds.

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1,2,3-Triazole is one of the most flexible chemical scaffolds broadly used in various fields. Here, we report the antileishmanial activity of 1,2,3-triazole derivatives, the ultrastructural alterations induced by their treatment, and the nitric oxide (NO) modulation effect on their efficacy against infection. After the screening of eleven compounds, compound exhibited better results against promastigotes (IC = 15.

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Acknowledging the need of identifying new compounds for the treatment of leishmaniasis, this study aimed to evaluate, from trials, the activity of flavones from against . The chromatographic profiles of the hydroethanolic extract and a flavone-rich fraction (ACFF) from were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with a diode-array UV-Vis detector (HPLC-DAD-UV) and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry in tandem (LC-ESI-MS-MS). The flavones luteolin () and apigenin (), isolated from chromatographic techniques and identified by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance of H and C, were also quantified in ACFF, showing 190.

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  • This study analyzed extracellular vesicles (EVs) from mouse sera infected with Toxoplasma gondii or immunized with EVs derived from the parasite, identifying differences in EV concentrations and types across different mouse groups.
  • EVs were primarily microvesicles in infected groups (acute and chronic), while normal mice had significantly lower concentrations, confirmed by electron microscopy.
  • Immunological responses varied, with certain cytokines and miRNAs being up-regulated in immunized and chronically infected mice compared to normal mice, suggesting that EV concentration could differentiate infected from non-infected hosts.
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  • The study focused on how extracellular vesicles (EVs) from Toxoplasma gondii interact with the host, particularly examining three strains (RH, ME-49, and VEG).
  • The RH strain released the most EVs and influenced higher parasite loads and earlier death in mice, compared to other strains.
  • EVs from the RH strain were more immunologically reactive and were found to carry factors that impact host immune responses, suggesting they play a significant role in the host-parasite relationship.
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It has been estimated that individuals with COVID-19 can shed replication-competent virus up to a maximum of 20 days after initiation of symptoms. The majority of studies that addressed this situation involved hospitalized individuals and those with severe disease. Studies to address the possible presence of SARS-CoV-2 during the different phases of COVID-19 disease in mildly infected individuals, and utilization of viral culture techniques to identify replication-competent viruses, have been limited.

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The study aim was to analyze whether microvesicles and exosomes, named extracellular vesicles (EVs), purified from Toxoplasma gondii are able to stimulate the protective immunity of experimental mice when administered, as challenge, a highly virulent strain. EVs excreted from T. gondii tachyzoites (RH strain) were purified by chromatography and used for immunization assays in inbred mouse groups (EV-IM).

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The dioctadecyldimethylammonium bromide (DODAB) is a double-chained cationic lipid with potent bactericide and fungistatic activities; however, its toxicity on protozoan parasites is still unknown. Here, we show the antileishmanial activity of DODAB nano-sized cationic bilayer fragments on stationary-phase promastigotes and amastigotes of , the causative agent of cutaneous leishmaniasis. Upon treatment with DODAB, we analyzed the parasite surface zeta-potential, parasite viability, cellular structural modifications, and intracellular proliferation.

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The present study aimed to evaluate the antileishmanial effect, the mechanisms of action and the association with miltefosine of Vernonia brasiliana essential oil against Leishmania infantum promastigotes. This essential oil was obtained by hydrodistillation and its chemical composition was determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The antileishmanial activity against L.

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The current standard treatment for leishmaniasis has remained the same for over 100 years, despite inducing several adverse effects and increasing cases of resistance. In this study we evaluated the in vitro antileishmanial activity of 1,4-disubstituted-1,2,3 triazole compounds and carried out in silico predictive study of their pharmacokinetic and toxicity properties. Ten compounds were analyzed, with compound notably presenting IC: 14.

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Leishmaniasis remains an important neglected tropical infection caused by the protozoan Leishmania and affects 12 million people in 98 countries. The treatment is limited with severe adverse effects. In the search for new therapies, the drug repositioning and combination therapy have been successfully applied to neglected diseases.

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  • The study focused on analyzing extracellular vesicles (EVs), specifically microvesicles and exosomes, found in serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of patients affected by cerebral or gestational toxoplasmosis.
  • Researchers examined clinical samples from 83 individuals divided into four groups based on their toxoplasmosis status and HIV infection to compare concentrations and characteristics of EVs.
  • Findings revealed that serum-derived EVs from toxoplasmosis patients had significantly higher concentrations compared to healthy individuals, while the size of EVs was consistent across groups, indicating concentration rather than size could differentiate toxoplasmosis patients from non-infected individuals.
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The difficulties encountered and the numerous side effects present in the treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis have encouraged the research for new compounds that can complement or replace existing treatment. The growing scientific interest in the study of plants, which are already used in folk remedies, has led our group to test essential oil against . Several species of the family, or their compounds, have relevant antiprotozoal activities Therefore, the biological potential on forms from the essential oil of leaves was verified for the first time in that work.

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Leishmaniasis is a neglected disease that affects more than 12 million people, with a limited therapy. Plant-derived natural products represent a useful source of anti-protozoan prototypes. In this work, four derivatives were prepared from neolignans isolated from the Brazilian plant Nectandra leucantha, and their effects against intracellular amastigotes of Leishmania (L.

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Endothelial heterogeneity has important implications in health and disease. Molecular markers selectively expressed in the vasculature of different organs and tissues are currently being explored in targeted therapies with promising results in preclinical and clinical studies. Noteworthy is the role that combinatorial approaches such as phage display have had in identifying such markers by using phage as nanoparticles and surrogates for billions of different peptides, screening noninvasively the vascular lumen for binding sites.

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