The aim of the present study was to evaluate the immune response of young dogs experimentally infected with Paracoccidioides brasiliensis. Six dogs were infected intravenously with P. brasiliensis and one control dog was inoculated with sterile saline. The infected animals were sacrificed in groups of two at 1, 6 and 12 months after infection. During the experimental period, the immune responses of the dogs to the fungus were followed by ELISA (IgM and IgG), by the immunodiffusion test and by the skin test with gp43. After killing the dogs, samples from several organs were submitted to histopathological analysis (H&E and Grocott stains) but the fungus was not observed in any tissue. Attempts to isolate the fungus from these tissue samples were also unsuccessful. All infected dogs, except one, reacted positively to the immunodiffusion and skin tests. All infected dogs showed a humoral immune response to the gp43 antigen detected by ELISA. The IgM and IgG response peaked by the first and second month, respectively. We conclude that young dogs appear to be resistant to the development of paracoccidioidomycosis.

Caffeine can affect muscle cell physiology and the inflammatory response during exercise. The purpose of this study was to analyse muscle damage markers and inflammatory cell infiltration into the soleus muscle of sedentary and exercised animals submitted to chronic caffeine intake. Thirty-two male Wistar rats were divided into the following four groups (n = 8 per group): sedentary control (SCO); sedentary + caffeine (SCAF); trained control (TCO); and trained + caffeine (TCAF). The animals were housed in individual cages and received tap water or caffeine (1 mg ml −1 ); they were maintained at rest or submitted to swimming for up to 40 min day −1 with a 4% load, five times per week for 30 days. Blood samples were collected for analysis of serum lactate, creatine kinase and calcium. The right soleus muscle and the epididymal fat depot were weighed, and the muscle was submitted to histological analysis. Training and caffeine did not change body or muscle weight, food and liquid intake or serum calcium levels among groups. Decreased fat tissue (P < 0.05) was observed in the SCAF (4.05 ± 1.03 g), TCO (4.14 ± 0.78 g) and TCAF groups (4.02 ± 1.02 g) compared with the SCO group (5.31 ± 1.06 g). Serum creatine kinase activity was significantly reduced in the SCAF (787.3 ± 230.3 U l −1 ), TCO (775.3 ± 232.3 U l −1 ) and TCAF groups (379.5 ± 110.5 U l −1 ) compared with the SCO group (1610.2 ± 276.5 U l −1 ). Few damaged muscle fibres (P < 0.05) were found in SCAF (16.7 ± 12.8%) and TCAF groups (17.3 ± 11.7%) compared with the SCO group (53.6 ± 13.9%). The SCAF group presented fewer fields with inflammatory cells (7.6 ± 8.7 fields) compared with the SCO group (123 ± 146 fields). The results suggest that the chronic intake of caffeine, as well as chronic low-intensity exercise, decreased muscle damage and inflammatory infiltration into skeletal muscle.

RESUMOO alcoolismo crônico provoca alterações nos tecidos pulmonares caracterizadas por edema pulmonar e formação de extenso infiltrado inflamatório. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o efeito do exercício físico sobre as lesões pulmonares provocadas por ingestão crônica de álcool em ratos Wistar. Material e métodos: Trinta e dois ratos Wistar machos (261,1 ± 1,3 gramas) receberam aguardente de cana-de-açúcar diluída (30%, v/v, grupo alcoolizado) ou água potável (grupo controle) durante 120 dias. Após este período, cinco animais de cada grupo foram sacrificados. Os demais animais receberam apenas água potável até o final do experimento e foram divididos em quatro grupos: alcoolizados sedentários (AS), controle sedentários (CS), alcoolizados treinados (AT) e controles treinados (CT). Os animais AT e CT foram submetidos a protocolo de natação, aumentando gradativamente o tempo de exercício até 20 minutos por dia, cinco vezes por semana, durante um período total de cinco semanas. Neste mesmo período, os animais AS e CS foram mantidos em sedentarismo. Resultados: Após o período de ingestão alcoólica, os animais do grupo alcoolizado apresentaram redução de peso (P < 0,05) e aumento da massa relativa do pulmão (P < 0,05). O pulmão do grupo alcoolizado apresentou edema pulmonar e extenso infiltrado inflamatório. Os animais dos grupos CS e CT não apresentaram diferenças morfológicas. Os animais do grupo AT apresentaram aumento do quadro de edema pulmonar e do número de macrófagos pigmentados em relação ao grupo AC (P < 0,05). Conclusão: O exercício físico pode acentuar o processo inflamatório pulmonar quando aplicado em animais com lesão pulmonar inflamatória provocada pelo consumo crônico de álcool. Palavras-chave:etanol, edema pulmonar, exercício. ABSTRACTChronic alcohol consumption causes alterations in the lung tissues characterized by edema and formation of large inflammatory infiltrate. The purpose of this work was to evaluate the effect of physical exercise on lung injuries caused by chronic alcohol intake in Wistar rats. Material and methods:Thirty-two male Wistar rats (261.1 ± 1.3 g) received sugarcane distilled alcoholic beverage diluted (30%, v/v, alcohol group) or tap water (control group) for 120 days. After this period, five animals of each group were sacrificed. The remaining animals received water and were sorted in four groups: alcoholic and sedentary (AS), control and sedentary (CS), alcoholic and trained (AT) and control and trained (CT). The AT and CT groups were submitted to a swimming exercise protocol with progressive daily increase in the training time until 20 minutes per day, five times per week, for five weeks. For the same period, AS and CS groups were maintained at sedentary state. Results: after the alcoholic intake period, the alcohol group presented decreased (P<0.05) body weight and increased relative lung weight (P<0.05). Lungs of alcoholic group showed characteristics of edema and inflammatory infiltrate. The CS and CT groups did not present morphological changes. AT animals showed...

Estudos anteriores têm demonstrado os efeitos sobre o sistema imune e sobre os níveis de colesterol da dieta com fibra solúvel e proteína de soja em ratos. Nesse estudo, nós avaliamos os efeitos do farelo de aveia e da farinha de soja na resposta imune humoral de ratos Wistar tratados com dietas hipercolesterolêmicas. Os animais (6 grupos) foram alimentados com diferentes dietas por 6 semanas e inoculados duas vezes com antígeno (IgY). As amostras de plasma foram coletadas após cada inoculação e os níveis de anticorpos anti-IgY (IgM, IgG1 e IgG2a) foram avaliados por ELISA. Os animais que receberam 1% de colesterol apresentaram um aumento de IgG1 anti-IgY e uma redução de IgM e IgG2a anti-IgY em relação aos animais controle. Estes efeitos foram anulados em animais alimentados com ARTIGOS / ARTICLES CIÊNCIAS BIOLÓGICAS E DA SAÚDEPrevious studies have demonstrated the immunological and hypercholesterolaemic effects of soluble dietary fibre and soy protein in rats. In this study, we evaluated the effects of oat bran and soy flour on humoral immune response in Wistar rats fed hypercholesterolaemic diets. Animals (6 groups) fed with different diets for 6 wks were inoculated twice with antigen (IgY). Plasma samples were collected after each inoculation and anti-IgY antibody (IgM, IgG1 and IgG2a) levels were evaluated by ELISA. Animals receiving 1% cholesterol presented an increase in anti-IgY IgG1 and a reduction in anti-IgY IgM and IgG2a relative to control animals. These effects were abrogated in animals fed 1% cholesterol and oat bran or oat bran+soy protein, but not in animals fed 1% cholesterol and soy protein. Diets containing 1% cholesterol resulted in hepatic lesions and higher liver and spleen relative weights, but did not affect lipid profile, weight gain, food intake, or food conversion efficiency. In conclusion, a high-cholesterol diet influences classes of antibodies produced in response to an antigen in a way that can be reversed by oat bran. Resumo

Cyclophosphamide is an anti-neoplastic chemotherapy drug which, when administered to animals during the gestational period, provokes visceral, skeletal and external malformations. Copaiba oil obtained from Copaifera L. genus is traditionally used in popular medicine for its anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial activities. However, the effect of copaiba oil onteratogenesis remains unknown. This study aimed to investigate the possible protector effects of copaiba oil on the model of teratogenesis induced by cyclophosphamide in mice. Pregnant female Swiss mice were divided into 8 groups (n = 15). Three groups received copaiba oil, via gavage, in the following doses: 0.3 mL•Kg −1 , 0.6 mL•Kg −1 and 0.9 mL•Kg −1 (b.w.), associated to phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), intraperitoneal (i.p.). The negative control group received medium chain triglyceride (MCT) and PBS. The positive control group received cyclophosphamide (30 mg•Kg −1 (b.w.)) and MCT. The three treatment groups called associated groups (A) received one of the doses of copaiba oil, via gavage and an associated dose of cyclophosphamide intraperitoneally. Copaiba oil presented a protective effect against teratogenesis induced by cyclophosphamide in the following skeletal structures: metacarpals, forepaws proximal phalanges, and tail vertebras. It also reduced the hydrocephalus frequency. These data suggest that copaiba oil could be a potential candidate for an anti-teratogenic agent.