High prevalence of insulin resistance among Brazilian chronic hepatitis C patients

<div><p>ABSTRACT Objective: This study aims to estimate the prevalence of insulin resistance (IR) among chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients and their related laboratory and demographic data. Subjects and methods: In this study, non-diabetic CHC patients referred to Viral Hepatitis Ambulatories from Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) donated blood samples. Insulin was measured using a chemiluminescence immunoassay. IR was determined by HOMA-IR, where HOMA-IR > 2 was defined as IR. Results: A total of 214 CHC patients were recruited (123 females aged 53.6 years ± 10.9 years). IR was present in 133 patients (62.1%) and was associated in bivariate analysis to higher mean values of age (p = 0.040), triglycerides (p = 0.032), glucose (p = 0.000), insulin (p = 0.000), waist circumference (p = 0.001), and body mass index (p = 0.007); however, none of these variables were significant in the multivariate analysis. Conclusions: The high prevalence of IR was observed among CHC patients, and there was no difference in clinical or laboratory parameters when both groups were compared in the multivariate analysis. This high IR prevalence could lead to a high risk for development of cardiovascular disease and metabolic disorders.</p></div

First detection of dengue virus in the saliva of immunocompetent murine model

<div><p>The lack of an experimental animal model for the study of dengue pathogenesis is a limiting factor for the development of vaccines and drugs. In previous studies, our group demonstrated the susceptibility of BALB/c mice to infection by dengue virus (DENV) 1 and 2, and the virus was successfully isolated in several organs. In this study, BALB/c mice were experimentally infected intravenously with DENV-4, and samples of their saliva were collected. Viral RNA extracted from the saliva samples was subjected to qRT-PCR, with a detection limit of 0.002 PFU/mL. The presence of DENV-4 viral RNA was detected in the saliva of two mice, presenting viral titers of 109 RNA/mL. The detection of DENV RNA via saliva sampling is not a common practice in dengue diagnosis, due to the lower detection rates in human patients. However, the results observed in this study seem to indicate that, as in humans, detection rates of DENV RNA in mouse saliva are also low, correlating the infection in both cases. This study reports the first DENV detection in the saliva of BALB/c immunocompetent mice experimentally infected with non-neuroadapted DENV-4.</p></div

Structural investigation of C6/36 and Vero cell cultures infected with a Brazilian Zika virus - Fig 6

<p><b>C6/36 cells infected with ZIKV analyzed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) at different time points post-infection (A-B: 48 hr p.i., C-D: 72 hr p.i.).</b> Several large viroplasm-like perinuclear compartments (V) (A-B) and ZIKV particles (*) measuring approximately 40–50 nm in diameter in the endoplasmic reticulum cisternae (RER) (A, B) and in lysosomes (L) (C-D) were observed. Nucleocapsids were observed inside the rER (D). Thickening of the nuclear membrane and rough endoplasmic reticulum cisternae (rER) (black head arrow) (C), numerous lysosomes (L) (C, D) and vesicular compartments associated with rER (arrow) (C) measuring approximately 100 nm in diameter were observed. Nucleus (N).</p

Uninfected C6/36 cells (negative controls) at different time points in culture.

<p><b>No cellular ultrastructural alterations were observed.</b> (A–B) 24 hr of culture; (C) 48 hr of culture; (D) 72 hr of culture. Rough endoplasmic reticulum cisternae (rER), nucleus (N).</p

Detection of ZIKV RNA and viral load quantification from C6/36 and Vero cell supernatants at 24, 48 and 72 hr p.i. by quantitative real-time RT-PCR.

<p>Detection of ZIKV RNA and viral load quantification from C6/36 and Vero cell supernatants at 24, 48 and 72 hr p.i. by quantitative real-time RT-PCR.</p

Immunolocalization of ZIKV E protein (4G2, green) [arrow] in the cytoplasm of Vero cells infected with ZIKV at different time points post-infection.

<p>(A) Uninfected cells; (B) 24 hr p.i; (C) 48 hr p.i.; (D) 72 hr p.i. The nuclei were counterstained with DAPI (blue). (E) The graph represents the mean ± standard deviation of the infection percentage (%). A higher number of infected cells was observed at 24 hr p.i.</p

Uninfected Vero cells (negative controls) at different culture time points.

<p>No cellular ultrastructural alterations were observed. (A) 24 hr of culture; (B) 48 hr of cultures; (C): 72 hr of culture. Nucleus (N), mitochondria (M).</p

Vero cell monolayer infected with ZIKV analyzed by phase contrast light microscopy at different time points post infection.

<p>(A) Uninfected cells with no monolayer changes; (B) 24 hr p.i.; (C) 48 hr p.i.; (D) 72 hr p.i. Cell individualization, rounding and detachment as well as cytolysis were observed at all time points and were more evident at 72 hr p.i.</p

Immunolocalization of ZIKV E protein (4G2, green) [arrow] inside cytoplasm of C6/36 cells infected with ZIKV at different time points post infection.

<p>(A) Uninfected cells; (B) 24 hr p.i.;(C/D) 48 hr p. i.; (E) 72 hr p.i. The nuclei (N) were counterstained with DAPI (blue). (F) The graph represents the mean ± standard deviation of the infection percentage (%). The highest number of infected cells was observed at 72 hr p.i.</p