Pulmonary Abnormalities in Mice with Paracoccidioidomycosis: A Sequential Study Comparing High Resolution Computed Tomography and Pathologic Findings

Paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM) is a fungal infection caused by the dimorphic fungus Paracoccidioides brasiliensis. It occurs preferentially in rural workers in whom the disease is severe and may cause incapacitating pulmonary sequelae. Assessment of disease progression and treatment outcome normally includes chest x-rays or CT studies. Existing experimental PCM models have focused on several aspects, but none has done a radiologic or image follow-up evaluation of pulmonary lesions considered as the fungus primary target. In this study, the lungs of mice infected with fungal conidia were studied sequentially during the chronic stage of their experimental mycosis by noninvasive high resolution medical computed tomography, and at time of sacrifice, also by histopathology to characterize pulmonary abnormalities. Three basic lung lesion patterns were revealed by both techniques: nodular-diffuse, confluent and pseudo-tumoral which were located mainly around the hilus thus accurately reflecting the situation in human patients. The experimental design of this study decreases the need to sacrifice a large number of animals, and serves to monitor treatment efficacy by means of a more rational approach to the study of human pulmonary diseases. The findings we are reporting open new avenues for experimental research, increase our understanding of the mycosis pathogenesis and consequently have repercussions in patients' care

The embryonic development of Schistosoma mansoni eggs: proposal for a new staging system

Submitted by Gentil Jeorgina ([email protected]) on 2012-07-18T17:41:30Z No. of bitstreams: 1 The embryonic development of Schistosoma mansoni.pdf: 748130 bytes, checksum: f033be092ab04d0c3300206d02ce5804 (MD5)Made available in DSpace on 2012-07-18T17:41:30Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 The embryonic development of Schistosoma mansoni.pdf: 748130 bytes, checksum: f033be092ab04d0c3300206d02ce5804 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Departamento de Patologia. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil / Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência. Oeiras, Portugal.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Departamento de Patologia. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil / Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência. Oeiras, Portugal.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Departamento de Patologia. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou. Laboratório de Esquistossomose Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Departamento de Patologia. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Departamento de Patologia. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou. Laboratório de Esquistossomose Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Departamento de Patologia. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Universidade Federal do Rio Janeiro. Instituto de Microbiologia. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou. Laboratório de Esquistossomose Belo Horizonte, MG, BrasilFundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Departamento de Patologia. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Schistosomiasis is a water-borne parasitic illness caused by neoophoran trematodes of the genus Schistosoma. Using classical histological techniques and whole-mount preparations, the present work describes the embryonic development of Schistosoma mansoni eggs in the murine host and compares it with eggs maintained under in vitro conditions. Two pre-embryonic stages occur inside the female worm: the prezygotic stage is characterized by the release of mature oocytes from the female ovary until its fertilization. The zygotic stage encompasses the migration of the zygote through the ootype, where the eggshell is formed, to the uterus. Fully formed eggs are laid still undeveloped, without having suffered any cleavage. In the outside environment, eight embryonic stages can be defined: stage 1 refers to early cleavages and the beginning of yolk fusion. Stage 2 represents late cleavage, with the formation of a stereoblastula and the onset of outer envelope differentiation. Stage 3 is defined by the elongation of the embryonic primordium and the onset of inner envelope formation. At stage 4, the first organ primordia arise. During stages 5 to 7, tissue and organ differentiation occurs (neural mass, epidermis, terebratorium, musculature, and miracidial glands). Stage 7 is characterized by the nuclear condensation of neurons of the central neural mass. Stage 8 refers to the fully formed larva, presenting muscular contraction, cilia, and flame-cell beating. This staging system was compared to a previous classification and could underlie further studies on egg histoproteomics (morphological localizome). The differentiation of embryonic structures and their probable roles in granulomatogenesis are discussed herein

Bone Marrow-Derived Mononuclear Cells Promote Improvement in Glomerular Function in Rats with Early Diabetic Nephropathy

Background/Aims: Diabetic nephropathy is one of the main causes of end-stage renal disease. The present study investigated the effect of mononuclear cell (MC) therapy in rats subjected to diabetic nephropathy. Methods: Male Wistar rats were divided into control (CTRL), diabetic (DM), CTRL+MC and DM+MC groups. Diabetes was induced by a single injection of streptozotocin (45 mg/kg, i.p.) and, 4 weeks later, 2×107 MCs were injected via the jugular vein. Results: The rats in the DM and DM+MC groups showed increased glycemia, glomerular filtration rate and glomerular tuff area versus control groups. The glomerular filtration rate and glomerular tuff area were normalized in the DM+MC group. No alterations were observed in the fractional excretion of electrolytes and proteinuria between the DM and DM+MC groups. TGF-β1 protein levels in the DM group were significantly increased versus control animals and normalized in the DM+MC group. An increase in ED1+/arginase I+ macrophages and IL-10 renal expression was observed in the DM+MC group versus DM group. Conclusions: Bone marrow-derived MC therapy was able to prevent glomerular alterations and TGF-β1 protein overexpression and modulated glomerular arginase I+ macrophage infiltration in rats subjected to early diabetic nephropathy

Bone marrow mononuclear cells attenuate interstitial fibrosis and stimulate the repair of tribular epithelial cells after unilateral ureteral obstruction

10 p. : il.The growing number of patients suffering from chronic renal disease is a challenge for the development of innovative therapies. Benefits of cell therapy in acute renal diseases in animal models have been reported but seldom for chronic lesions. We present evidence for the improvement of renal morphology in a model of tubulointerstitial fibrosis. Wistar rats were submitted to unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO), treated with bone-marrow mononuclear cells (UUO+BMMC) infused via the cava vein, and killed on day 14. Labeled BMMC were seen in renal tissue after 7 days in the group UUO+BMMC. UUO+BMMC also showed a reduction in ED1+ cells and tubular apoptotic cells together with enhanced tubular proliferation. Myofibroblasts were also reduced after BMMC which is consistent with a decrease in collagen deposition (picro Sirius staining) and RT-PCR data showing lower levels of procollagen-I mRNA. Simultaneously, nestin+ cells increased in the interstitium and decreased in the tubules. Double stained nestin+/α-SMA+ cells were present only in the interstitium, and their levels did not change after BMMC infusion. These data indicate a renoprotective effect of BMMC through increased tubular cell regeneration, inhibition of tubular cell apoptosis and partially blocking of the inflammatory and fibrotic events that occur after unilateral ureteral obstruction