The mitochondrial membrane potential (Δ Ψ m ) is a parameter often used to determine mitochondrial function; therefore, it can be used to determine the integrity and functionality of cells. A decrement of Δ Ψ m is implicated in several inflammatory‐related pathologies, such phenomena can be related to COVID‐19 infection. The present work aimed to compare the Δ Ψ m in leucocytes (human PBMCs; HPBMC) isolated from healthy control (HC) subjects, patients with COVID‐19 (C‐19), recovered subjects at 40 ± 13 (R1) and 335 ± 20 (R2) days after infection (dai). Obtained data showed that Δ Ψ m decreased in HPBMC of subjects with C‐19, R1, and R2 compared with HC. When analyzing the Δ Ψ m data by sex, in females, a significant decrease was observed in R1 and R2 groups versus HC. Regarding men, a significant decrease of Δ Ψ m was observed in R1, with respect to HC, contrary to R2 group, who reestablished this parameter. Obtained results suggest that the loss of Δ Ψ m could be related to the long‐COVID.
Chlorpyrifos is an organophosphorous insecticide widely used in agriculture and domestic activities. However, little is known about the effect of this pesticide on the immune system of fish and other alterations of its physiological system. The aims of the present study were the evaluation of the LC(50) (lethal concentration(50)) and the potential toxicity of this substance on Nile tilapia (Oreochromis nilotucus), as well as its effect on some hematological values and phagocytic functions of this fish. Results obtained showed that chlorpyrifos does not have any effect on the following parameters: number of red blood cells, hemoglobin, hematocrit, mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC). However, the phagocytic index and the percentage of phagocytic active cells were significantly affected, which could indicate that phagocytic parameters from Nile tilapia are more sensitive than hematological ones to assess the effect of acute intoxication with chlorpyrifos.
Organophosphate pesticides (OPs) have greatly facilitated food production worldwide, and their use is not limited to agriculture and the control of pests and disease vectors. However, these substances can directly affect the immune response of non-target organisms. In this sense, exposure to OPs can have negative effects on innate and adaptive immunity, promoting deregulation in humoral and cellular processes such as phagocytosis, cytokine expression, antibody production, cell proliferation, and differentiation, which are crucial mechanisms for host defense against external agents. This review focuses on the scientific evidence of exposure to OPs and their toxic effects on the immune system of non-target organisms (invertebrates and vertebrates) from a descriptive perspective of the immuno-toxic mechanisms associated with susceptibility to the development of bacterial, viral, and fungal infectious diseases. During the exhaustive review, we found that there is an important gap in the study of non-target organisms, examples of which are echinoderms and chondrichthyans. It is therefore important to increase the number of studies on other species directly or indirectly affected by Ops, to assess the degree of impact at the individual level and how this affects higher levels, such as populations and ecosystems.
In recent years, there has been growing interest in the study of particles loaded with bioactive compounds as a proposed additive with potential nutraceutical effects. Therefore, our teamwork has designed and characterized different particles loaded with lupeol and mangiferin, which have shown different applications depending on the encapsulation material but maintaining their effect on topoisomerase and cyclooxygenase models. In this work, different loaded and unloaded encapsulation matrices were used to evaluate their toxicity in an ex vivo system of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells and erythrocytes. As a result, ZnO synthesized by sol–gel shows a toxic effect for any cell [1 mg/mL]; however, those elaborated with polylactide-co-glycolide (PLGA) do not induce apoptosis after 72 h of exposure; on the other hand, the lupeol standard has statistically equal effects (p < 0.05) to those of etoposide in mononuclear cells. This study demostrates the biocompatibility of materials such as PLGA [1 mg/mL] for the encapsulation of phytochemicals, with potential application as a food additive.
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a decrease in tourism activity. This has caused huge losses to the tourism industry, so different approaches have been devised for economic reactivation. This article aims to provide a novel strategy for mass molecular monitoring of clinically healthy individuals, and also including potentially asymptomatic carriers of SARS-CoV-2, who traveled to a tourist resort The monitoring consisted of collecting individual saliva samples (n=120) and conforming groups of 10 samples, thus setting 12 individual pools, which were analyzed by qRT-PCR. Obtained data showed that all the samples analyzed were negative, thus confirming that no individuals were infected with SARS-CoV-2 before and during the travel. The proposed molecular protocol allowed the analysis of massive saliva samples and detect individual infected persons (negative or positive). protocol for evaluate massive event, thus promoting the economic activation of the tourism industry.
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