Análisis del contenido aeropolínico estival en la provincia de Málaga

Análisis del contenido aeropolínico estival en la provincia de Málaga. En el presente trabajo se realiza un estudio del contenido polínico de la atmósfera de la provincia de Málaga durante el periodo estival (Julio-Septiembre) tomando los registros obtenidos durante los últimos años en varias localidades de la provincia: Málaga (1992-1999), Estepona (1995-1997), Antequera (1998-1999) y Nerja (2000). En general, durante estos tres meses se recoge sólo entre el 3 y el 6% del polen anual, estando el espectro aeropolínico estival de Málaga representado básicamente por 14 tipos polínicos: Eucalyptus, Castanea, Parkinsonia, Cannabis, Apiaceae, Ligustrum, Chenopodiaceae-Amaranthaceae, Palmae, Compositae, Artemisia, Typha, Cyperaceae, Poaceae y Urticaceae. Los tipos que alcanzan mayores concentraciones son Eucalyptus, Chenopodiaceae-Amaranthaceae y Poaceae. El resto de los taxa citados aparecen en concentraciones muy bajas. Determinados taxa presentan concentraciones más elevadas en determinadas estaciones de muestreo: Castanea y Compositae en Antequera, Palmae y Parkinsonia en Málaga, y Artemisia en Nerja. La evolución a lo largo de los tres meses muestra, en general, dos tipos de tendencia: una descendente de Julio a Agosto (presente en todos los tipos polínicos estudiados, excepto en Artemisia y Palmae, y en todas las zonas estudiadas) y otra ascendente, de Agosto a Septiembre, de pequeña intensidad, aunque muy acusada para los dos tipos anteriores y para Chenopodiaceae-Amaranthaceae y Compositae. La mayoría de los tipos polínicos estudiados tienen sus máximos diarios en primavera, estación del año con mayor concentración polínica en el sur de Europa, excepto Eucalyptus, Castanea, Parkinsonia y Cannabis, que generalmente lo tienen en verano, y que alcanzaron máximos históricos relevantes: Eucalyptus en 1994 (112 granos/m3), Castanea en 1997 (233 granos/m3), Cannabis en 1998 (28 granos/m3)

Quercus airborne pollen tendencies in the south of Iberian Peninsula, its correlation with meteorological trends and possible effect of the climatic change in Mediterranean forests

Resumen enviado, aceptado y publicado en el libro de resúmenes titulado "Pollen3013. 2nd International APLE APLF Congres", celebrado en septiembre de 2'13 en Madrid.Universidad de Málag

Estudio aerobiológico de la localidad de Antequera, Málaga, España: 1998 - 1999

Estudio aerobiológico de la localidad de Antequera (Málaga, España): 1998-1999. En el presente trabajo se ha realizado un estudio aerobiológico de la atmósfera de Antequera (Málaga, sur de España) y se propone un calendario polínico para esta localidad a partir de los datos obtenidos durante los años 1998 y 1999, en los que el muestreo se ha realizado mediante un captador volumétrico de tipo Hirst colocado en la zona norte del núcleo urbano. En el citado calendario sólo se representan los taxa que han alcanzado una concentración de polen media decenal igual o superior a 1 grano de polen/m3 de aire, quedando reflejados un total de 33 taxa, de los cuáles sólo los dos primeros (Olea europaea y Cupressaceae) constituyen aproximadamente el 57% del polen total anual. La mayor diversidad de tipos polínicos se produce durante la primavera y las mayores concentraciones de pólenes se producen siempre durante los meses de Febrero a Junio, ambos inclusive, periodo en que se registra aproximadamente el 93% del polen total anual. Aparecen varios picos a lo largo del año, que se deben fundamentalmente a Cupressaceae, Platanus y Pinus en Marzo, Quercus en Abril, Olea europaea en Mayo y Poaceae en Junio, si bien durante los meses de Abril y Mayo también se detectan importantes cantidades de polen de Urticaceae, Plan tago y Chenopodiaceae-Amaranthaceae. Existe en Antequera un elevada incidencia atmosférica de pólenes procedentes de taxa arbóreos, ya que se ha visto que los cuatro primeros, en orden de abundancia anual son Olea europaea, Cupressaceae, Quercus y Platanus

Synthesis and biological evaluation of 1-alkylaminomethyl-1,1-bisphosphonic acids against Trypanosoma cruzi and Toxoplasma gondii

As an extension of our project aimed at the search for new chemotherapeutic agents against Chagas disease and toxoplasmosis, several 1,1-bisphosphonates were designed, synthesized and biologically evaluated against Trypanosoma cruzi and Toxoplasma gondii, the etiologic agents of these diseases, respectively. In particular, and based on the antiparasitic activity exhibited by 2-alkylaminoethyl-1,1-bisphosphonates targeting farnesyl diphosphate synthase, a series of linear 2-alkylaminomethyl-1,1-bisphosphonic acids (compounds 21–33), that is, the position of the amino group was one carbon closer to the gem-phosphonate moiety, were evaluated as growth inhibitors against the clinically more relevant dividing form (amastigotes) of T. cruzi. Although all of these compounds resulted to be devoid of antiparasitic activity, these results were valuable for a rigorous SAR study. In addition, unexpectedly, the synthetic designed 2-cycloalkylaminoethyl-1,1-bisphosphonic acids 47–49 were free of antiparasitic activity. Moreover, long chain sulfur-containing 1,1-bisphosphonic acids, such as compounds 54–56, 59, turned out to be nanomolar growth inhibitors of tachyzoites of T. gondii. As many bisphosphonate-containing molecules are FDA-approved drugs for the treatment of bone resorption disorders, their potential nontoxicity makes them good candidates to control American trypanosomiasis and toxoplasmosis.Fil: Galaka, Tamila Pavlivna. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Unidad de Microanálisis y Métodos Físicos en Química Orgánica. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Unidad de Microanálisis y Métodos Físicos en Química Orgánica; ArgentinaFil: Falcone, Bruno Nicolas. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Unidad de Microanálisis y Métodos Físicos en Química Orgánica. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Unidad de Microanálisis y Métodos Físicos en Química Orgánica; ArgentinaFil: Li, Catherine. University of Georgia; Estados UnidosFil: Szajnman, Sergio Hernan. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Unidad de Microanálisis y Métodos Físicos en Química Orgánica. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Unidad de Microanálisis y Métodos Físicos en Química Orgánica; ArgentinaFil: Moreno, Silvia N.J.. University of Georgia; Estados UnidosFil: Docampo, Roberto. University of Georgia; Estados UnidosFil: Rodriguez, Juan Bautista. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Unidad de Microanálisis y Métodos Físicos en Química Orgánica. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Unidad de Microanálisis y Métodos Físicos en Química Orgánica; Argentin

Aryloxyethyl thiocyanates are potent growth inhibitors of Trypanosoma cruzi and Toxoplasma gondii

As a part of our project aimed at searching new safe chemotherapeutic agents against parasitic diseases, several compounds structurally related to the antiparasitic agent WC-9 (4-phenoxyphenoxyethyl thiocyanate), which were modified at the terminal phenyl ring, were designed, synthesized and evaluated as growth inhibitors against Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiological agent of Chagas disease and Toxoplasma gondii, the parasite responsible of toxoplasmosis. Most of the synthetic analogues exhibited similar antiparasitic activity being slightly more potent than our lead WC-9. For example, the trifluoromethyl derivatives 15 and 16 exhibited ED50 values of 10.0 uM and 9.2 uM, respectively, against intracellular T. cruzi, whereas they showed potent action against tachyzoites of T. gondii (ED50 values 1.6 uM and 1.9 uM against T. gondii, respectively). In addition, the WC-9 analogues 48 and 61, in which the terminal aryl group was meta with respect to the alkyl chain bearing the thiocyanate group, showed potent inhibitory action against both T. cruzi and T. gondii at the very low micromolar range suggesting that para-phenyl substitution pattern is not necessarily required for biological activity.Fil: Chao, Maria Noelia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Unidad de Microanálisis y Métodos Físicos en Química Orgánica. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Unidad de Microanálisis y Métodos Físicos en Química Orgánica; ArgentinaFil: Exeni Matiuzzi, Carolina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Unidad de Microanálisis y Métodos Físicos en Química Orgánica. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Unidad de Microanálisis y Métodos Físicos en Química Orgánica; ArgentinaFil: Storey, Melissa. University of Georgia; Estados UnidosFil: Li, Catherine. University of Georgia; Estados UnidosFil: Szajnman, Sergio Hernan. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Unidad de Microanálisis y Métodos Físicos en Química Orgánica. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Unidad de Microanálisis y Métodos Físicos en Química Orgánica; ArgentinaFil: Docampo, Roberto. University of Georgia; Estados UnidosFil: Moreno, Silvia N. J.. University of Georgia; Estados UnidosFil: Rodriguez, Juan Bautista. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Unidad de Microanálisis y Métodos Físicos en Química Orgánica. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Unidad de Microanálisis y Métodos Físicos en Química Orgánica; Argentin

Proteomic Analysis of the Acidocalcisome, an Organelle Conserved from Bacteria to Human Cells

Acidocalcisomes are acidic organelles present in a diverse range of organisms from bacteria to human cells. In this study acidocalcisomes were purified from the model organism Trypanosoma brucei, and their protein composition was determined by mass spectrometry. The results, along with those that we previously reported, show that acidocalcisomes are rich in pumps and transporters, involved in phosphate and cation homeostasis, and calcium signaling. We validated the acidocalcisome localization of seven new, putative, acidocalcisome proteins (phosphate transporter, vacuolar H+-ATPase subunits a and d, vacuolar iron transporter, zinc transporter, polyamine transporter, and acid phosphatase), confirmed the presence of six previously characterized acidocalcisome proteins, and validated the localization of five novel proteins to different subcellular compartments by expressing them fused to epitope tags in their endogenous loci or by immunofluorescence microscopy with specific antibodies. Knockdown of several newly identified acidocalcisome proteins by RNA interference (RNAi) revealed that they are essential for the survival of the parasites. These results provide a comprehensive insight into the unique composition of acidocalcisomes of T. brucei, an important eukaryotic pathogen, and direct evidence that acidocalcisomes are especially adapted for the accumulation of polyphosphate

Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of sulfur-containing 1,1-bisphosphonic acids as antiparasitic agents

As part of our efforts aimed at searching for new antiparasitic agents, 2-alkylmercaptoethyl-1,1-bisphosphonate derivatives were synthesized and evaluated against Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiologic agent of Chagas disease, and Toxoplasma gondii, the responsible agent for toxoplasmosis. Many of these sulfur-containing bisphosphonates were potent inhibitors against the intracellular form of T. cruzi, the clinically more relevant replicative form of this parasite, and tachyzoites of T. gondii targeting T. cruzi or T. gondii farnesyl diphosphate synthases (FPPSs), which constitute valid targets for the chemotherapy of these parasitic diseases. Interestingly, long chain length sulfur-containing bisphosphonates emerged as relevant antiparasitic agents. Taking compounds 37, 38, and 39 as representative members of this class of drugs, they exhibited ED50 values of 15.8 μM, 12.8 μM, and 22.4 μM, respectively, against amastigotes of T. cruzi. These cellular activities matched the inhibition of the enzymatic activity of the target enzyme (TcFPPS) having IC50 values of 6.4 μM, 1.7 μM, and 0.097 μM, respectively. In addition, these compounds were potent anti-Toxoplasma agents. They had ED50 values of 2.6 μM, 1.2 μM, and 1.8 μM, respectively, against T. gondii tachyzoites, while they exhibited a very potent inhibitory action against the target enzyme (TgFPPS) showing IC50 values of 0.024 μM, 0.025 μM, and 0.021 μM, respectively. Bisphosphonates bearing a sulfoxide unit at C-3 were also potent anti-Toxoplasma agents, particularly those bearing long aliphatic chains such as 43-45, which were also potent antiproliferative drugs against tachyzoites of T. gondii. These compounds inhibited the enzymatic activity of the target enzyme (TgFPPS) at the very low nanomolar range. These bisphosphonic acids have very good prospective not only as lead drugs but also as potential chemotherapeutic agents.Fil: Recher, Marion. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Unidad de Microanálisis y Métodos Físicos en Química Orgánica. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Unidad de Microanálisis y Métodos Físicos en Química Orgánica; ArgentinaFil: Barboza, Alejandro Pedro. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Unidad de Microanálisis y Métodos Físicos en Química Orgánica. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Unidad de Microanálisis y Métodos Físicos en Química Orgánica; ArgentinaFil: Li, Zhu Hong. University of Georgia; Estados UnidosFil: Galizzi, Melina. University of Georgia; Estados UnidosFil: Ferrer, Mariana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Unidad de Microanálisis y Métodos Físicos en Química Orgánica. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Unidad de Microanálisis y Métodos Físicos en Química Orgánica; ArgentinaFil: Szajnman, Sergio Hernan. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Unidad de Microanálisis y Métodos Físicos en Química Orgánica. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Unidad de Microanálisis y Métodos Físicos en Química Orgánica; ArgentinaFil: Docampo, Roberto. University of Georgia; Estados UnidosFil: Moreno, Silvia N. J.. University of Georgia; Estados UnidosFil: Rodriguez, Juan Bautista. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Unidad de Microanálisis y Métodos Físicos en Química Orgánica. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Unidad de Microanálisis y Métodos Físicos en Química Orgánica; Argentin

Magic-angle spinning 31 P NMR spectroscopy of condensed phosphates in parasitic protozoa: visualizing the invisible

Abstract We report the results of a solid-state 31 P nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopic investigation of the acidocalcisome organelles from Trypanosoma brucei (bloodstream form), Trypanosoma cruzi and Leishmania major (insect forms). The spectra are characterized by a broad envelope of spinning sidebands having isotropic chemical shifts at V V0, 3 37 and 3 321 ppm. These resonances are assigned to orthophosphate, terminal (K K) phosphates of polyphosphates and bridging (L L) phosphates of polyphosphates, respectively. The average polyphosphate chain length is V V3.3 phosphates. Similar results were obtained with whole L. major promastigotes. 31 P NMR spectra of living L. major promastigotes recorded under conventional solution NMR conditions had spectral intensities reduced with respect to solution-state NMR spectra of acid extracts, consistent with the invisibility of the solid-state phosphates. These results show that all three parasites contain large stores of condensed phosphates which can be visualized by using magic-angle spinning NMR techniques. ß 2002 Published by Elsevier Science B.V. on behalf of the Federation of European Biochemical Societies

Calcium Uptake and Proton Transport by Acidocalcisomes of Toxoplasma gondii

Acidocalcisomes are acidic calcium stores found in diverse organisms, being conserved from bacteria to humans. They possess an acidic matrix that contains several cations bound to phosphates, which are mainly present in the form of short and long polyphosphate chains. Their matrix is acidified through the action of proton pumps such as a vacuolar proton ATPase and a vacuolar proton pyrophosphatase. Calcium uptake occurs through a Ca2+/H+ countertransporting ATPase located in the membrane of the organelle. Acidocalcisomes have been identified in a variety of microorganisms, including Apicomplexan parasites such as Plasmodium and Eimeria species, and in Toxoplasma gondii. We report the purification and characterization of an acidocalcisome fraction from T. gondii tachyzoites after subcellular fractionation and further discontinuous iodixanol gradient purification. Proton and calcium transport activities in the fraction were characterized by fluorescence microscopy and spectrophotometric methods using acridine orange and arsenazo III, respectively. This work will facilitate the understanding of the function of acidocalcisomes in Apicomplexan parasites, as we can now isolate highly purified fractions that could be used for proteomic analysis to find proteins that may clarify the biogenesis of these organelles

A solanesyl-diphosphate synthase localizes in glycosomes of Trypanosoma cruzi

Fil: Ferella, Marcela. ANLIS Dr. C. G. Malbrán. Instituto Nacional de Parasitología "Dr. M. Fatala Chabén" (INP); Argentina.Fil: Montalvetti, Andrea. University of Illinois. Department of Pathobiology; Estados Unidos.Fil: Rohloff, Peter. University of Illinois. Department of Pathobiology; Estados Unidos.Fil: Miranda, Kildare. University of Georgia. Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases. Department of Cellular Biology; Estados Unidos.Fil: Fang, Jianmin. University of Georgia. Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases. Department of Cellular Biology; Estados Unidos.Fil: Reina, Silvia. ANLIS Dr. C. G. Malbrán. Instituto Nacional de Parasitología "Dr. M. Fatala Chabén" (INP); Argentina.Fil: Kawamukai, Makoto. University Matsue. Faculty of Life and Environmental Science. Department of Applied Bioscience and Biotechnology; Japón.Fil: Bua, Jacqueline. ANLIS Dr. C. G. Malbrán. Instituto Nacional de Parasitología "Dr. M. Fatala Chabén" (INP); Argentina.Fil: Nilsson, Daniel. Karolinska Institute. Center for Genomics and Bioinformatics; Suecia.Fil: Pravia, Carlos. ANLIS Dr. C. G. Malbrán. Instituto Nacional de Parasitología "Dr. M. Fatala Chabén" (INP); Argentina.Fil: Katzin, Alejandro. Universidade de Sao Paulo. Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas. Departamento de Parasitologia; Brasil.Fil: Casera, María B. Universidade de Sao Paulo. Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas. Departamento de Parasitologia; Brasil.Fil: Áslund, Lena. Uppsala University. Department of Genetics and Pathology; Suecia.Fil: Andersson, Björn. Karolinska Institute. Center for Genomics and Bioinformatics; Suecia.Fil: Docampo, Roberto. University of Illinois. Department of Pathobiology; Estados Unidos.Fil: Bontempi, Esteban. ANLIS Dr. C. G. Malbrán. Instituto Nacional de Parasitología "Dr. M. Fatala Chabén"; Argentina.We report the cloning of a Trypanosoma cruzi gene encoding a solanesyl-diphosphate synthase, TcSPPS. The amino acid sequence (molecular mass ∼ 39 kDa) is homologous to polyprenyl-diphosphate synthases from different organisms, showing the seven conserved motifs and the typical hydrophobic profile. TcSPPS preferred geranylgeranyl diphosphate as the allylic substrate. The final product, as determined by TLC, had nine isoprene units. This suggests that the parasite synthesizes mainly ubiquinone-9 (UQ-9), as described for Trypanosoma brucei and Leishmania major. In fact, that was the length of the ubiquinone extracted from epimastigotes, as determined by high-performance liquid chromatography. Expression of TcSPPS was able to complement an Escherichia coli ispB mutant. A punctuated pattern in the cytoplasm of the parasite was detected by immunofluorescence analysis with a specific polyclonal antibody against TcSPPS. An overlapping fluorescence pattern was observed using an antibody directed against the glycosomal marker pyruvate phosphate dikinase, suggesting that this step of the isoprenoid biosynthetic pathway is located in the glycosomes. Co-localization in glycosomes was confirmed by immunogold electron microscopy and subcellular fractionation. Because UQ has a central role in energy production and in reoxidation of reduction equivalents, TcSPPS is promising as a new chemotherapeutic target