Vitamin E decreased the amount of ROS in stored RBCs. Because vitamin E acts on lipid oxidation, results suggest that protein oxidation should also be considered a key factor for erythrocyte elastic properties. Thus, further studies combining vitamin E with protein antioxidants deserve attention, aiming to better preserve overall stored RBC properties.

No abstract

Cutaneous Leishmaniasis (CL) is a Neglected Tropical Disease characterized by skin ulcers caused by Leishmania spp. protozoans and there is no safe and effective vaccine to reduce its negative consequences. In a previous work by our group, we identified T cell epitopes of Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis which stimulated patients’ T cells in vitro. In the present work, the peptides were tested as two pools for their ability to rescue memory T cells during natural infection by Leishmania. We analyzed the frequency of central memory (TCM, CD45RA-CD62L+) and effector memory (TEM, CD45RA + CD62L-) cells during active CL and post-treatment. In parallel, we investigated cell proliferation levels and the cytokines produced after stimulation. Interestingly, we observed higher frequencies (%) in CD4+ TEM during CL, and CD8+ TEM and CD8+ TCM during CL and post-treatment. Cell proliferation was increased, and a significant difference in expression was observed on T-bet and RORγT. Besides that, IFN-γ, IL-2, and IL-10 were detected in patient samples. Collectively, this dataset suggests that during CL there is an increase in the frequency of TCM and TEM, especially in the CD8 compartment. These results indicate a potentially immunogenic profile of the peptide pools, which can support the development of anti-Leishmania formulations.

Yeasts from the Candida parapsilosis complex are clinically relevant due to their high virulence and pathogenicity potential, such as adherence to epithelial cells and emission of filamentous structures, as well as their low susceptibility to antifungals. D-limonene, a natural compound, emerges as a promising alternative with previously described antibacterial, antiparasitic, and antifungal activity; however, its mechanisms of action and antivirulence activity against C. parapsilosis complex species have not been elucidated. Therefore, in the present study, we aimed to evaluate the antifungal and antivirulence action, as well as the mechanism of action of D-limonene against isolates from this complex. D-limonene exhibited relevant antifungal activity against C. parapsilosis complex yeasts, as well as excellent antivirulence activity by inhibiting yeast morphogenesis and adherence to the human epithelium. Furthermore, the apoptotic mechanism induced by this compound, which is not induced by oxidative stress, represents an important target for the development of new antifungal drugs.

No abstract

Neonatal malnutrition focusing on critical periods of development promoted lower expression of iNOS, nitric oxide production, cell viability, and exacerbated reactive oxygen species production. The high levels of reactive oxygen species may favor the onset of serious and systemic infections with fatal outcome if associated with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

Background Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) remains an important infectious disease worldwide. VL-HIV coinfected individuals can present with atypical clinical forms of VL and have a high risk of VL relapse. Some cytokines have been described as potential markers to diagnose active VL and to predict the severity of the cases. However, few studies have included VL-HIV coinfected patients. We aimed to characterize the levels of several cytokines among VL-HIV coinfected individuals living in a VL-endemic area in Northeast Brazil. Methods This was a retrospective, cross-sectional study, aiming to estimate the levels of various cytokines in symptomatic and asymptomatic VL-HIV coinfected individuals. There were 134 study participants (35 symptomatic VL-HIV, 75 asymptomatic VL-HIV, and 24 healthy controls), all ≥ 18 years-old. Serum cytokine levels (interferon-γ, tumor necrosis factor, and interleukins 2, 4, 6, 10, and 17A) were quantified using the Becton Dickinson-BD’s Cytometric Bead Array (CBA) system. Results The population mainly consisted of men (64.9%), with a median age of 35 (27–41) years. Asymptomatic individuals were younger (p = 0.013), with more years of education (p < 0.001), and were more often on antiretroviral therapy (p < 0.001) than those in the symptomatic group. Hemoglobin levels (p < 0.001), lymphocytes (p < 0.001) and CD4 count (p < 0.001) were lower in symptomatic individuals, while HIV viral loads were higher (p < 0.001). In the symptomatic VL-HIV coinfected group, we observed increased serum levels of IL-17A, IL-6, and IL-10 compared to asymptomatic patients and the healthy controls. There were no differences in the levels of all cytokines between asymptomatic VL-HIV coinfected individuals and the healthy controls. Conclusions Higher serum levels of IL-17A, IL-6, and IL-10 cytokines were observed in symptomatic coinfected individuals but not in asymptomatically infected individuals. More studies among HIV-positive persons are needed to better understand the role of serum cytokines for prognosis, to define cure and predict VL relapses in VL-HIV coinfected individuals.

The aim of this work was to define the population of regulatory T cells (Tregs) which are circulating in the blood of Leishmania infected individuals clinically displaying a lesion (active disease–AD) and sub‐clinical (SC) ones. We have individually collected blood samples, processed the PBMC and stained with fluorochrome‐conjugated antibodies against CD3, CD4, Foxp3, CD25, CTLA‐4, Ki‐67, CCR4, CCR5, and CCR7. Cells were analyzed by flow cytometry. Our results suggest that CD25 and CTLA‐4 are upregulated in Tregs of AD patients when compared to SC and uninfected (UN) controls. Moreover, Tregs proliferate upon infection based on Ki‐67 nuclear antigen staining. Finally, we have observed that these Tregs of SC and AD patients upregulate CCR4, but not CCR5 and CCR7. There is an increase in the number of circulating Tregs in the blood of Leishmania infected individuals. These cells are potentially more suppressive based on the increased upregulation of CD25 and CTLA‐4 during clinical infection (AD) when compared to SC infection. Tregs of both SC and AD cohorts are proliferating and express CCR4, which potentially guide them to the skin, but do not upregulate CCR5 and CCR7.