Adriano Arnóbio

Study of Natural Cytotoxicity Receptors in Patients with HIV/AIDS and Cancer: A Cross-Sectional Study

The NCR receptors play a fundamental role in the cytotoxicity mediated by NK cells against tumor cells. In the current study, we investigated possible HIV/AIDS-related changes in the expression of the NCR receptors comparing healthy donors, HIV/AIDS patients, and HIV/AIDS patients with cancer (HIV/AIDSWC). The NCRs were quantified in NK cells (NKdim and NKbright) and T lymphocytes from peripheral blood samples by flow cytometry. We found a significant decrease in the frequency of NK cells expressing NKp46 in HIV/AIDS group (p = 0.0012). There was a decrease in the frequency of NK cells expressing NKp46 in the HIV/AIDSWC group; however, this was not statistically significant. We found a significant decrease in the frequency of NK cells expressing NKp30 in the HIV/AIDS group (p = 0.0144). There was a decrease in the frequency of NK cells expressing NKp30 and in the HIV/AIDSWC group, but this was not statistically significant. There were no changes in the distribution of NK cells and their subtypes in both groups.

Whole body vibration exercise combined with an extract of Coriandrum sativum modify some biochemical/physiological parameters in rats

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of the association of whole body vibration (WBV) exercise with an aqueous extract of coriander on the biodistribution of the radiopharmaceutical sodium pertechnetate, on the concentration of some plasma biomarker, on the feed intake, on the body mass, and on the stool consistency in rats. Rats were divided in four groups and submitted to different treatments for 40 days. The control group (CON) received deionized water. The group treated with coriander (COR) received the extract of coriander. The rats that were exposed to WBV exercises (WBV-E) also received deionized water. A group of animals received coriander and was exposed to WBV (COR + WBV-E). We found in testis a decrease (0.13 ± 0.01 to 0.06 ± 0.03) of the percentages of injected radioactivity per gram (%ATI/g) in the WBV-E in comparison with the COR. There is no significant alteration on the concentrations of the plasma biomarkers. The feed intake showed a statistically significant increase in WBV-E. No significant difference on the body mass was found. The stool analysis showed a statistical difference on the consistency between COR (hard and dry, darker) and all the other groups (normal). In conclusion, it was verified that possible modifications in some biochemical/physiological parameters of the rats submitted to WBV exercise would be capable to increase the feed intake without changing the body mass, and normalizing the stool consistency altered by the coriander supplementation. Further studies are needed to try to understand better the biological effects involving the association of WBV exercise and coriander.

A cross-sectional study of C-type lectin receptors (CD94 and CD314) in patients with HIV/AIDS and cancer

The HIV-1 induces functional and phenotypic changes in the activation profile of NK cells. The cancers arising from immunosuppression induce an increase of pro-inflammatory cytokines in the tumor microenvironment, which can result in altered expression of these receptors in lymphocyte subpopulations, including T lymphocytes, NK cells and NKT cells. In the current study, we investigated possible HIV/AIDS-related changes in the expression of the C-type lectin receptors comparing healthy donors, HIV/AIDS patients, and HIV/AIDS patients with cancer (HIV/AIDSWC). The expression of these receptors was examined in the total NK cell population and CD56dim and CD56bright NK cell subsets separately and T- and NKT-cell populations. There was a significant increase of the expression of NKG2D (CD134) in T lymphocytes in HIV/AIDS and HIV/AIDSWC compared to healthy donors. There were no significant changes of this receptor in NK cells (and their subtypes) and NKT to compare them with healthy donors. As for the CD94 receptor, there were no significant changes of this receptor on NK cells (and their subtypes), NKT cells and T Lymphocyte to compare them with healthy donors, except for the increase in percentage of the expression in CD56bright cells, however this was not true in absolute terms.

Association Between XRCC1 and WRN as Genetic Markers of Stability and Susceptibility to Cancer in Patients with HIV/AIDS and Cancer: a Cross-Sectional Study

Background: HIV-induced immunodeficiency has been implicated as a key factor for risk of cancer. Neoplasia is considered to result from accumulation of damage to the genome. Polymorphisms in repair genes, such as the XRCC1 and WRN, have been associated with susceptibility to development of cancer in patients with HIV/AIDS. The aim of this study was to analyze the frequency of polymorphisms in XRCC1 (Arg399Gln) and WRN (Cys1367Arg) in patients with HIV/AIDS with or without cancer. Materials and Methods: Genotyping for analysis of polymorphisms was carried out by PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) and RFLP (Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism). Results: In the genotypic and allelic analysis, no increased risk of cancer was observed with any genotype or allele of XRCC1 (Arg399Gln) singly (prevalence ratio 2.82; p-value= 0.24). However, with the WRN (Cys1367Arg) gene, the heterozygous genotype and arginine allele were associated with increased risk (prevalence ratio= 25.62; p-value= 0.0001). Correlation analysis showed no association between gender and the risk (male p-value= 0.639 and women p-value> 1); however, a positive association for the increased risk of cancer was shown with XRCC1 (Arg399Arg) wild-type homozygous and WRN (Cys1367Arg) heterozygous (p-value< 0.001), with heterozygous XRCC1 (Arg399Gln) and WRN (Cys1367Arg) (p-value< 0.001), and with variant homozygous XRCC1 (Gln399Gln) and heterozygous WRN (Cys1367Arg) (p-value< 0.001). Conclusions: There is no increased risk of cancer in patients who are HIV/AIDS carriers of the XRCC1 (Arg399Gln) gene singly. However, there is a high risk in patients with HIV/AIDS who have the heterozygous genotype and the arginine allele in the WRN (Cys1367Arg) gene singly. Those with WRN (Cys1367Arg) heterozygote genotype showed a high risk of cancer with all genotypes of the XRCC1 (Arg399Gln) gene.

Streptozotocin (STZ) and schistosomiasis mansoni change the biodistribution of radiopharmaceutical sodium 99mTc-pertechnetate in mice

INTRODUCTION Technetium-99m ((99m)Tc) is a radionuclide commonly used in nuclear medicine to obtain (99m)Tc-radiopharmaceuticals, which can be used to evaluate either physiological processes or changes related to diseases. It is also used in some experimental studies. Streptozotocin (STZ) administration to rodents causes lesions in very early stages and induces severe and permanent diabetes. Most morbidity of schistosomiasis mansoni is attributed to a granulomatous inflammatory response and associated liver fibrosis. This study was designed to investigate whether STZ administration and schistosomiasis modify the biodistribution of the radiopharmaceutical sodium (99m)Tc-pertechnetate. METHODS Adult female mice were infected by exposure to 100Schistosoma mansoni cercariae (BH strain, Belo Horizonte, Brazil) and euthanized after nine weeks. STZ was administered by a single intraperitoneal injection of 100mg/kg body weight, 3 or 15days before euthanasia. Each animal received 100μl of sodium (Na) (99m)Tc-pertechnetate ((99m)TcO4(-)) (740kBq). The animals were divided into four groups: A, uninfected; B, infected; C, uninfected + STZ; and D, infected + STZ. Blood, brain, thyroid, heart, lungs, liver, spleen, pancreas and kidneys were removed. The radioactivity was counted and the percentage of the injected dose of Na(99m)TcO4 per gram of the organ (% ID/g) was determined. RESULTS Three days after the STZ injection, there was a decrease of Na(99m)TcO4 uptake by the liver, lungs, pancreas and kidneys (p<0.05) in group D when compared with group A. After 15days, the decrease of Na(99m)TcO4 uptake occurred also in the brain, thyroid, heart, spleen and blood (p<0.05) in group D. CONCLUSION We demonstrated modifications on the biodistribution of Na(99m)TcO4 due to STZ administration and schistosomiasis, possibly due to physiological alterations in some organs. ADVANCES IN KNOWLEDGE AND IMPLICATIONS FOR PATIENT CARE The biodistribution of radiopharmaceutical Na(99m)TcO4 should be carefully evaluated in subjects with diabetes and/or schistosomiasis infection.