Molecular and immunohistochemical alterations in fluoride-induced neurological impediment in adult rats.

Unlabelled: This study highlights the potential neurotoxic and impaired behavioral effects associated with high fluoride concentrations in drinking water.

Purpose: Fluoride is known to cause neurotoxicity, evinced by lower I.Q.

An introduction to dynamic nucleoporins in species: Novel targets for tropical-therapeutics.

Unlabelled: As an ailment, leishmaniasis is still an incessant challenge in neglected tropical diseases and neglected infections of poverty worldwide. At present, the diagnosis and treatment to combat tropical infections are not substantial remedies and require advanced & specific research. Therefore, there is a need for a potential novel target to overcome established medicament modalities' limitations in pathogenicity.

Therapeutic Potential of Quercetin-Loaded Nanoemulsion against Experimental Visceral Leishmaniasis: / Studies and Mechanistic Insights.

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is one of the most fatal and neglected tropical diseases caused by donovani (). The applications of currently available chemotherapy (amphotericin B, miltefosine, and others) in VL treatment have been limited due to their poor bioavailability, unfavorable toxicity profile, and prolonged parenteral dosing. Quercetin (QT), a potent natural antioxidant, is a prominent target when conducting investigations on alternative therapies against infections.

and analysis of enoyl acyl carrier protein reductase - A possible drug target.

The emergence of increased resistance to the available drugs has created a situation that demands to find out more specific molecular drug targets for Leishmaniasis. The enoyl acyl carrier protein reductase (ENR), a regulatory enzyme in type II fatty acid synthesis, was confirmed as a novel drug target and triclosan as its specific inhibitor in many microorganisms. In this study, the triclosan was tested for the leishmanicidal property against () and the results of and drug assays on promastigotes and amastigotes showed that triclosan possessed antileishmanial activity with a half minimal inhibitory concentration (IC) of 30 µM.

Synthesis, characterization, and mechanistic studies of a gold nanoparticle-amphotericin B covalent conjugate with enhanced antileishmanial efficacy and reduced cytotoxicity.

Background: Amphotericin B (AmB) as a liposomal formulation of AmBisome is the first line of treatment for the disease, visceral leishmaniasis, caused by the parasite . However, nephrotoxicity is very common due to poor water solubility and aggregation of AmB. This study aimed to develop a water-soluble covalent conjugate of gold nanoparticle (GNP) with AmB for improved antileishmanial efficacy and reduced cytotoxicity.

Validation of NAD synthase inhibitors for inhibiting the cell viability of : and approach.

NAD (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) synthase catalyses the biochemical synthesis of NAD, from nicotinic acid adenine dinucleotide (NAAD). NAD may be synthesized through the pathways and/or the salvage pathways in cells. However, in parasite, the synthesis of NAD solely depends on the salvage pathways.

Immunomodulation induced through ornithine decarboxylase DNA immunization in Balb/c mice infected with Leishmania donovani.

We report here a Leishmania donovani ornithine decarboxylase (Ld-ODC) gene used as a DNA vaccine against visceral leishmaniasis in a murine Balb/c mouse model. This study also evaluated the possible mechanism of action directed by this candidate. We found a Th1 immune response after immunization using an Ld-ODC DNA vaccine, with results based on the rearrangement of TCR-V-α-2, proliferation of Carboxy fluorescein Succinimidyle ester positive T cells, which were able to produce cytokines such as TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-12 and IL-2, but not IL-4, IL-5, IL-6 and IL-10, and modulations of the STAT-1 and p38 MAP kinase signaling pathways.

Leishmania donovani resistant to Ambisome or Miltefosine exacerbates CD58 expression on NK cells and promotes trans-membrane migration in association with CD2.

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a disease that is associated with compromised immunity and drug un-responsiveness as well as with the emergence of drug resistance in Leishmania donovani (Ld). Ld down-modulates cellular immunity by manipulating signaling agents, including a higher expression of the adhesion molecule CD58. The expression of CD58 and CD2 on natural killer (NK) cells facilitates intercellular adhesion and signaling.

Immunomodulation mediated through Leishmania donovani protein disulfide isomerase by eliciting CD8+ T-cell in cured visceral leishmaniasis subjects and identification of its possible HLA class-1 restricted T-cell epitopes.

Protein disulphide isomerase (PDI) is one of the key enzymes essential for the survival of Leishmania donovani in the host. Our study suggested that PDI is associated with the generation of Th1-type of cellular responses in treated Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) subjects. The stimulation of Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) with recombinant Protein Disulphide Isomerase upregulated the reactive oxygen species generation, Nitric oxide release, IL12 and IFN-γ production indicating its pivotal role in protective immune response.

Leishmania donovani phosphoproteins pp41 and pp29 re-establishes host protective immune response in visceral leishmaniasis.

As phospho proteins are reported to be involved in virulence and survival, the ability of Leishmania to inhibit macrophage effector functions may result from a direct interference of leishmanial molecules with macrophage signal transduction pathways. Several such proteins such as pp63, pp41 and pp29 have also been identified as a Th1 stimulatory protein in the Leishmania donovani. In the present study, the immunogenicity of a cocktail of pp63+pp41+pp29 was assessed by estimation of serum antibody titre, nitric oxide(NO) production, estimation of Th1 cytokine(IFN-γ) as well as Th2 cytokines(IL-4), and determination of parasite load in L.

Agar barrier method for removal of yeast and other fungal contamination from Leishmania promastigotes culture.

The present study explains a novel method of Leishmania promastigotes culture decontamination. The method is based on motility of Leishmania promastigotes across agar barrier which facilitates decontamination from yeast and other non motile contamination. This is inexpensive, easy, rapid and reliable physical method and is able to save valuable isolates in culture.

Evaluation of rK-39 strip test using urine for diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis in an endemic region of India.

The definitive diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) requires invasive procedures for demonstration of parasites in tissue smear or culture. These procedures need expertise and laboratory supports and cannot be performed in the field. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the existing rK-39 immunochromatographic nitrocellulose strips test (ICT) with some modification in human urine for diagnosis of VL.