Lengua azul: vacunas, inmunomoduladores e inmunidad protectora

La Lengua Azul, está producida por un virus ARN del género Orbivirus (familia Reoviridae), considerado como el virus prototipo de este género, del que se conocen al menos 24 serotipos diferentes, no todos patógenos, entre los que no existe inmunidad cruzada, lo que difi culta las estrategias de vacunación. En las dos últimas décadas, y más recientemente desde el verano de 2006, esta enfermedad ha provocado importantes pérdidas económicas, no sólo en las zonas de Europa periódicamente afectadas como los países de la cuenca Mediterránea, sino prácticamente en toda Europa. Los planes de vacunación puestos en marcha por las autoridades sanitarias, han revelado la existencia de reacciones adversas, así como la falta de protección de las vacunas en un elevado porcentaje de casos. En este trabajo pretendemos poner de manifi esto la importancia de conocer los mecanismos inmunológicos que se desarrollan tanto en animales infectados como en animales vacunados. Los mecanismos de acción de cada uno de estos serotipos varían completamente dependiendo de la especie y de la raza afectada. Hasta la fecha son escasos los trabajos in vivo que hayan centrado sus esfuerzos en una caracterización pormenorizada de los mecanismos patogénicos y de la repuesta inmune de cada uno de los serotipos patógenos en las principales especies afectadas por la enfermedad. Sólo con el conocimiento de los mecanismos de acción del virus y con el estudio de los mecanismos que controlar y modulan la respuesta inmune podremos desarrollar herramientas (nuevos adyuvantes, aplicación de inmunomoduladores, etc) que nos permitan mejorar la vacunas existentes, reduciendo las reacciones adversas que producen y potenciando su protección

Nanopigmented Acrylic Resin Cured Indistinctively by Water Bath or Microwave Energy for Dentures

The highlight of this study was the synthesis of nanopigmented poly(methyl methacrylate) nanoparticles that were further processed using a water bath and/or microwave energy for dentures. The experimental acrylic resins were physicochemically characterized, and the adherence of Candida albicans and biocompatibility were assessed. A nanopigmented acrylic resin cured by a water bath or by microwave energy was obtained. The acrylic specimens possess similar properties to commercial acrylic resins, but the transverse strength and porosity were slightly improved. The acrylic resins cured with microwave energy exhibited reduced C. albicans adherence. These results demonstrate an improved noncytotoxic material for the manufacturing of denture bases in dentistry

iPS cell cultures from a Gerstmann-Sträussler-Scheinker patient with the Y218N PRNP mutation recapitulate tau pathology

Gerstmann-Sträussler-Scheinker (GSS) syndrome is a fatal autosomal dominant neurodegenerative prionopathy clinically characterized by ataxia, spastic paraparesis, extrapyramidal signs and dementia. In some GSS familiar cases carrying point mutations in the PRNP gene, patients also showed comorbid tauopathy leading to mixed pathologies. In this study we developed an induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cell model derived from fibroblasts of a GSS patient harboring the Y218N PRNP mutation, as well as an age-matched healthy control. This particular PRNP mutation is unique with very few described cases. One of the cases presented neurofibrillary degeneration with relevant Tau hyperphosphorylation. Y218N iPS-derived cultures showed relevant astrogliosis, increased phospho-Tau, altered microtubule-associated transport and cell death. However, they failed to generate proteinase K-resistant prion. In this study we set out to test, for the first time, whether iPS cell-derived neurons could be used to investigate the appearance of disease-related phenotypes (i.e, tauopathy) identified in the GSS patien

Role of Sulfur Compounds in Garlic as Potential Therapeutic Option for Inflammation and Oxidative Stress in Asthma

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease in the airways with a multifactorial origin but with inflammation and oxidative stress as related pathogenic mechanisms. Garlic (Allium sativum) is a nutraceutical with different biological properties due to sulfur-containing natural compounds. Studies have shown that several compounds in garlic may have beneficial effects on cardiovascular diseases, including those related to the lungs. Therefore, it is possible to take advantage of the compounds from garlic as nutraceuticals for treating lung diseases. The objective of this article is to review the biological properties of the sulfur compounds present in garlic for the treatment of asthma, as well as the cellular mechanisms involved. Here, we discuss the potential therapeutic effects of garlic compounds in the modulation of inflammation and oxidative stress, as well as its antibiotic and antiviral activities for identifying and testing potential treatment options for asthma management