Zika virus infection in the genital tract of non-pregnant females: a systematic review

This review provides a general overview on the positivity and persistence of Zika virus (ZIKV) in female genital tract (FGT) of non-pregnant women and animals, as well as in cell cultures, and its influence on FGT health. We performed a systematic review based on the PRISMA statement to identify studies focused on “Zika virus” and “non-pregnant female” in PubMed, Embase, Scopus Scholar and Web of Knowledge databases of full-text papers and abstracts published in English, with no restrictions regarding the initial date of publication, up to August 2019. Our search terms yielded 625 records, that were 108 after removal of duplicates, leaving 517 items for title and abstract reviews. Of these, 475 did not meet the inclusion criteria, leaving 42 records for full-text review and resulting in the exclusion of 6 additional records. The remaining 36 met our inclusion criteria. Variations were observed regarding the presence and persistence of ZIKV in lower and upper genital samples. However, the FGT was the place in which ZIKV RNA has been detected, sometimes for relatively long periods, even after the clearance from blood and urine. In addition to the vagina and cervix, the endometrium, uterus and ovary (oocytes and follicles) could also be involved in persistent ZIKV infections. Further prospective studies are needed to assess the effect of ZIKV on FGT health

Selective photodynamic effects on cervical adenocarcinoma cells provided by F127 Pluronic®-based micelles modulating hypericin delivery

Cervical cancer is a leading cause of death among women. The endocervical adenocarcinoma (ECA) represents an aggressive and metastatic type of cancer with no effective treatment options currently available. We evaluated the antitumoral and anti-migratory effects of hypericin (HYP) encapsulated on Pluronic F127 (F127/HYP) photodynamic therapy (PDT) against a human cell line derived from invasive cervical adenocarcinoma (HeLa) compared to a human epithelial cell line (HaCaT). The phototoxicity and cytotoxicity of F127/HYP were evaluated by the following assays: colorimetric assay, MTT, cellular morphological changes by microscopy and long-term cytotoxicity by clonogenic assay. In addition, we performed fluorescence microscopy to analyze cell uptake and subcellular distribution of F127/HYP, cell death pathway and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. The PDT mechanism was determined with sodium azide and D-mannitol and cell migration by wound-healing assay. The treatment with F127/HYP promoted a phototoxic result in the HeLa cells in a dose-dependent and selective form. Internalization of F127/HYP was observed mainly in the mitochondria, causing cell death by necrosis and ROS production especially by the type II PDT mechanism. Furthermore, F127/HYP reduced the long-term proliferation and migration capacity of HeLa cells. Overall, our results indicate a potentially application of F127/HYP micelles as a novel approach for PDT with HYP delivery to more specifically treat ECA

Pharmacological properties of specioside from the stem bark of Tabebuia aurea

Iridoids are secondary metabolites with several biological activities. They are often found in species of the genus Tabebuia Gomes ex A.P. de Candolle. Tabebuia aurea (Silva Manso) Benth. & Hook. F. ex S. Moore, Bignoniaceae, is used to treat snake bites in traditional medicine. This study aimed to isolate the specioside - an the iridoid glycoside - from T. aurea, as well as investigate its potential biological properties, including anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antibiofilm, cytotoxic, anti-Trichomonas vaginalis and antitrypanosomal activities. Specioside inhibited leucocyte recruitment into the peritoneal cavity in mice injected with carrageenan, data that demonstrated its anti-inflammatory potential. However, the additional evaluated biological properties were negligible

Pharmacological properties of specioside from the stem bark of Tabebuia aurea

Iridoids are secondary metabolites with several biological activities. They are often found in species of the genus Tabebuia Gomes ex A.P. de Candolle. Tabebuia aurea (Silva Manso) Benth. & Hook. F. ex S. Moore, Bignoniaceae, is used to treat snake bites in traditional medicine. This study aimed to isolate the specioside - an the iridoid glycoside - from T. aurea, as well as investigate its potential biological properties, including anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antibiofilm, cytotoxic, anti-Trichomonas vaginalis and antitrypanosomal activities. Specioside inhibited leucocyte recruitment into the peritoneal cavity in mice injected with carrageenan, data that demonstrated its anti-inflammatory potential. However, the additional evaluated biological properties were negligible