Karen Spadari Ferreira

Interaction between Paracoccidioides brasiliensis and Pulmonary Dendritic Cells Induces Interleukin-10 Production and Toll-Like Receptor–2 Expression: Possible Mechanisms of Susceptibility

Dendritic cells (DCs) are the most effective antigen-presenting cells for inducing cell-mediated immune responses; it is thus important to investigate the role played by lung DCs in the pathogenesis of paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM) and their potential to initiate an immune response in mice susceptible (B10.A) and resistant (A/J) to PCM. Initially, we observed that lung DCs from susceptible mice were more phagocytic than cells from resistant mice, and we observed that phagocytosis in the presence of laminarin was inhibited only in DCs from susceptible mice. DCs from resistant mice produced a low concentration of interleukin (IL)-10, IL-12, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)- alpha . In contrast, DCs from susceptible mice produced high concentrations of TNF- alpha and IL-10, but IL-10 production was significantly inhibited in the presence of laminarin. We also observed that DCs from Toll-like receptor (TLR)-2 knockout mice displayed defective production of IL-10. After 15 days of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis infection, DCs from susceptible mice produced IL-10 and expressed costimulatory molecules at a low level. We found that expression of the gene for TLR-2 is increased after infection in susceptible, but not resistant, mice. In conclusion, our data suggest that P. brasiliensis induces regulatory DCs in susceptible mice, which promotes IL-10 production and contributes to the susceptibility of mice to P. brasiliensis infection.

Regulation of T helper cell differentiation in vivo by GP43 from Paracoccidioides brasiliensis provided by different antigen-presenting cells

Paracoccidioidomycosis, endemic in Latin America, is a progressive systemic mycosis caused by Paracoccidioides brasiliensis. The infection can evolve into different clinical forms that are associated with various degrees of suppressed cell‐mediated immunity. Assuming that the effector immune response is a consequence of the preferential activation of either Th1 or Th2 subsets, in the present work we evaluated whether the nature of antigen‐presenting cells (APCs) can influence the Th1/Th2 balance in vivo. It was observed that the injection of mature dendritic cells (DCs), macrophages and B cells primed the mice and induced a proliferation of T cells in vitro. It was seen that DCs from resistant mice stimulated predominantly interleukin‐2 (IL‐2) and interferon‐γ (IFN‐γ), whereas macrophages activated IL‐10, IL‐4 and IFN‐γ‐secreting T cells and B cells IL‐4 and IL‐10 only. Results presented here clearly demonstrate that DC drives the development of cells secreting Th1‐derived cytokines, whereas B cells induce the differentiation of a Th2 phenotype in vivo.

Nerve block for the treatment of headaches and cranial neuralgias - a practical approach.

Several studies have presented evidence that blocking peripheral nerves is effective for the treatment of some headaches and cranial neuralgias, resulting in reduction of the frequency, intensity, and duration of pain.

Influence of Migraine and of Migraine Aura on Balance and Mobility – A Controlled Study

Migraine, especially migraine with aura (MA), appears to be a risk factor for ischemic lesions in the posterior fossa. The clinical relevance of the lesions is uncertain. Accordingly, herein, we identified individuals with MA, migraine without aura (MO), and without migraine (controls) in order to investigate their balance and mobility.

Comorbidities, medications and depressive symptoms in patients with restless legs syndrome and migraine

OBJECTIVEnThe pathophysiology of migraine and restless legs syndrome (RLS) seems to involve inherited mechanism and dysfunction of the dopaminergic system. Previous articles have shown that the frequency of RLS is higher in migraine patients than in controls. We conducted a study to evaluate comorbidities, medication used and depressive symptoms that can explain the relation between migraine and RLS.nnnMETHODSnA case-control study was performed in which patients with migraine (n=72) and a control group without migraine (n=72) were interviewed. Data including RLS diagnosis, depressive symptoms, comorbidities and drugs used were evaluated.nnnRESULTSnThere was a significant association between migraine and RLS (p=0.01), but comorbidities such as diabetes, hypertension, anemia and drugs used did not explain this association. Depression scores, as measured by the Beck Depression Inventory, were higher in migraine patients with RLS (p =0.04).nnnCONCLUSIONnNo specific factors explaining the association between migraine and RLS were found. Symptoms of depression were more frequent in patients with migraine and RLS.

Chronic pain in Maputo, Mozambique: new insights.

Historical data regarding the African continent have remained obscure to the rest of the world for a long period of time. We may state that Africa is much more than a single country and much less than the more than 50 territorial entities divided by artificial frontiers imposed by Europe [1]. Mozambique is a country on the East coast of Austral Africa that has been experiencing profound changes over the last 50 years. It achieved its independence from Portugal in 1975 after a prolonged and bloody war and then had a civil war between the socialist government (Frelimo) and the opposition (RENAMO). These were the last decades in Mozambique: a poor country struggling for social, political, and economic stabilization [2,3].nnThe estimated population in Mozambique is 20,069.738 million and Maputo is its main city. Regarding the social indicators, the rate of illiteracy is about 50.4%. The life expectancy of a Mozambican is 49.4 years [2]. The prevalence of HIV/AIDS in the Maputo region is about 13.0% [4]. Regarding religion, 28.4% of the population declares itself Catholic, 17.9% Muslim, 10.9% Protestant and Evangelical, and 2.1% animist. Even with the expansion of the Christian and Islamic influence, the bases of society are estimated to be anchored on traditional animist religion [2,3].nnThe Pain Unit of the Central Hospital of Maputo was implanted in 1996 with the help of a French nongovernmental organization (NGO) with humanitarian objectives called “Douleur sans Frontieres”, created in 1996 by French doctors based on other NGOs such as Medicins Du Monde and Medicins sans Frontieres, in order to export knowledge about pain to underprivileged world locations. This NGO acts on different fronts, such as Cambodia, Haiti, and Africa, sponsoring Units …

Extracellular Vesicles From Sporothrix brasiliensis Are an Important Virulence Factor That Induce an Increase in Fungal Burden in Experimental Sporotrichosis

Sporotrichosis is a mycosis that affects the skin, lymphatic system and other organs in humans and animals. The disease has a worldwide distribution, with endemic areas in Brazil, and is caused by a complex of species, including Sporothrix brasiliensis. Some fungi release extracellular vesicles (EVs) that can interact with the host cell and modulate the host immune response. The aim of this study was to analyze the participation of S. brasiliensis EVs in the modulation of dendritic cells (DCs) and in the control of infection in vivo. Our results showed that in vitro, the EVs isolated from S. brasiliensis induced an increase in the phagocytic index and fungal burden in DCs. In addition, we observed a significant increase in IL-12p40 and TNF-α cytokine production. Then, the EVs were inoculated into BALB/c mice before subcutaneous infection with yeast, and the lesion was analyzed after 21, 35, and 42 days. An increase in fungal burden and lesion diameter were observed after 21 days in mice inoculated with a high concentration of EVs. However, after 35 days, we observed a regression of the lesion, which persisted until 42 days after infection. Interestingly, we observed an increase in fungal burden in these mice. In addition, we observed the presence of immunogenic components and proteins that could be related with virulence in EVs. These results suggest that EVs can play an important role in virulence and modulation of the host immune system during experimental S. brasiliensis infection.

Women Living Together Have a Higher Frequency of Menstrual Migraine

Menstrual migraine is a highly prevalent disorder among adult women, resulting in disability and loss of quality of life. Some studies have reported menstrual cycle synchrony among women living together. No study has reported whether there may also be a higher prevalence of menstrual migraine among these women. Thus, they reported here the prevalence of menstrual migraine in a group of women living together compared with a control group of women living alone, and discussed the possible factors involved.