ATLANTIC EPIPHYTES: a data set of vascular and non-vascular epiphyte plants and lichens from the Atlantic Forest

Epiphytes are hyper-diverse and one of the frequently undervalued life forms in plant surveys and biodiversity inventories. Epiphytes of the Atlantic Forest, one of the most endangered ecosystems in the world, have high endemism and radiated recently in the Pliocene. We aimed to (1) compile an extensive Atlantic Forest data set on vascular, non-vascular plants (including hemiepiphytes), and lichen epiphyte species occurrence and abundance; (2) describe the epiphyte distribution in the Atlantic Forest, in order to indicate future sampling efforts. Our work presents the first epiphyte data set with information on abundance and occurrence of epiphyte phorophyte species. All data compiled here come from three main sources provided by the authors: published sources (comprising peer-reviewed articles, books, and theses), unpublished data, and herbarium data. We compiled a data set composed of 2,095 species, from 89,270 holo/hemiepiphyte records, in the Atlantic Forest of Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay, recorded from 1824 to early 2018. Most of the records were from qualitative data (occurrence only, 88%), well distributed throughout the Atlantic Forest. For quantitative records, the most common sampling method was individual trees (71%), followed by plot sampling (19%), and transect sampling (10%). Angiosperms (81%) were the most frequently registered group, and Bromeliaceae and Orchidaceae were the families with the greatest number of records (27,272 and 21,945, respectively). Ferns and Lycophytes presented fewer records than Angiosperms, and Polypodiaceae were the most recorded family, and more concentrated in the Southern and Southeastern regions. Data on non-vascular plants and lichens were scarce, with a few disjunct records concentrated in the Northeastern region of the Atlantic Forest. For all non-vascular plant records, Lejeuneaceae, a family of liverworts, was the most recorded family. We hope that our effort to organize scattered epiphyte data help advance the knowledge of epiphyte ecology, as well as our understanding of macroecological and biogeographical patterns in the Atlantic Forest. No copyright restrictions are associated with the data set. Please cite this Ecology Data Paper if the data are used in publication and teaching events. © 2019 The Authors. Ecology © 2019 The Ecological Society of Americ

A comparative study on the anti-inflammatory effects of single oral doses of naproxen and its hydrogen sulfide (H2S)-releasing derivative ATB-346 in rats with carrageenan-induced synovitis

BACKGROUND: Non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are the most commonly prescribed agents for arthritic patients, although gastric effects limit their long-term use. Considering the reported gastric safety of hydrogen sulfide (H2S)-releasing NSAIDs, in addition to the anti-inflammatory effects of H2S administration to rats with synovitis, we decided to evaluate the effects of the H2S-releasing naproxen derivative ATB-346 in this animal model. METHODS: Male Wistar rats were anesthetized with inhalatory halothane and pre-treated with equimolar oral doses of either naproxen (0.3, 1, 3 or 10 mg/kg) or ATB-346 (0.48, 1.6, 4.8, or 16 mg/kg) 30 min before the i.art. injection of 7.5 mg of carrageenan (CGN) into the right knee joint cavity. Joint swelling and pain score were assessed after 1, 3 and 5 h, and tactile allodynia after 2 and 4 h. After the last measurement, the joint cavity lavages were performed for counting of the recruited leukocytes. The drugs (at the highest doses) were also tested for their gastric effects by evaluating macroscopical damage score and neutrophil recruitment (measured as myeloperoxidase - MPO activity) in the stomachs 5 h after administration of the drugs. In addition, the serum naproxen pharmacokinetic profiles of both compounds, administered at the highest equimolar doses, were obtained during the first 6 h after dosing. RESULTS: At the two highest tested doses, both naproxen and ATB-346 reduced edema and pain score (measured 3 and 5 h after CGN; P < 0.001). Tactile allodynia was similarly inhibited by ~45% 4 h after CGN by both naproxen (at 1, 3 and 10 mg/kg) and ATB-346 (at 1.6 and 4.8 mg/kg; P < 0.001), as well as leukocyte infiltration. Naproxen (but not ATB-346) induced significant gastric damage and, despite the increased gastric MPO activity by ~130% in the naproxen-, but not in the ATB-346-treated rats, this effect was of no statistical significance. CONCLUSION: The presence of a H2S-releasing moiety in the ATB-346 structure does not impair the antiinflammatory activity of the parent compound in rats with CGN-induced synovitis. In addition, released H2S may account for the absence of deleterious gastric effects, thus making of ATB-346 a potentially useful therapeutic alternative to traditional naproxen for treatment of patients with arthritis

The Scavenger receptor MARCO is involved in Leishmania major infection by CBA/J macrophages

Submitted by Martha Silveira Berbert ([email protected]) on 2011-04-13T02:15:34Z No. of bitstreams: 1 The scavenger receptor MARCO.pdf: 1392501 bytes, checksum: 640b34171f4feddc4ee0e5a29a9168f3 (MD5)Made available in DSpace on 2011-04-13T02:15:34Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 The scavenger receptor MARCO.pdf: 1392501 bytes, checksum: 640b34171f4feddc4ee0e5a29a9168f3 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009-04Laboratório de Patologia e Bio-interveção. Centro de Pesquisas Gonçalo Moniz - FIOCRUZ, Bahia, BrasilLaboratório de Patologia e Bio-interveção. Centro de Pesquisas Gonçalo Moniz - FIOCRUZ, Bahia, BrasilLaboratório de Patologia e Bio-interveção. Centro de Pesquisas Gonçalo Moniz - FIOCRUZ, Bahia, BrasilLaboratório de Patologia e Bio-interveção. Centro de Pesquisas Gonçalo Moniz - FIOCRUZ, Bahia, BrasilLaboratório de Patologia e Bio-interveção. Centro de Pesquisas Gonçalo Moniz - FIOCRUZ, Bahia, BrasilLaboratório de Patologia e Bio-interveção. Centro de Pesquisas Gonçalo Moniz - FIOCRUZ, Bahia, BrasilLaboratório de Engenharia Tecidual e Imunofarmacologia. Centro de Pesquisas Gonçalo Moniz - FIOCRUZ, Bahia, BrasilLaboratório de Engenharia Tecidual e Imunofarmacologia. Centro de Pesquisas Gonçalo Moniz - FIOCRUZ, Bahia, BrasilDepartment of Microbiology and Immunology and Center for the Study of Biological Complexity, Virginia Commonwealth University, Virginia, USADepartment of Microbiology and Immunology and Center for the Study of Biological Complexity, Virginia Commonwealth University, Virginia, USADepartment of Microbiology and Immunology and Center for the Study of Biological Complexity, Virginia Commonwealth University, Virginia, USAInstituto de Biologia Molecular do Paraná-PR, BrasilLaboratório de Patologia e Bio-interveção. Centro de Pesquisas Gonçalo Moniz - FIOCRUZ, Bahia, BrasilInstituto de Biologia Molecular do Paraná-PR, BrasilLaboratório de Patologia e Bio-interveção. Centro de Pesquisas Gonçalo Moniz - FIOCRUZ, Bahia, BrasilCBA/J mice are resistant to Leishmania major infection but are permissive to L. amazonensis infection. In addition, CBA/J macrophages control L. major but not L. amazonensis infection in vitro. Phagocytosis by macrophages is known to determine the outcome of Leishmania infection. Pattern recognition receptors (PRR) adorning antigen presenting cell surfaces are known to coordinate the link between innate and adaptive immunity. The macrophage receptor with collagenous structure (MARCO) is a PRR that is preferably expressed by macrophages and is capable of binding Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. No research on the role of MARCO in Leishmania-macrophage interactions has been reported. Here, we demonstrate, for the first time, that MARCO expression by CBA/J macrophages is increased in response to both in vitro and in vivo L. major infections, but not to L. amazonensis infection. In addition, a specific anti-MARCO monoclonal antibody reduced L. major infection of macrophages by 30%-40% in vitro. The draining lymph nodes of anti-MARCO-treated mice displayed a reduced presence of immunolabelled parasite and parasite antigens, as well as a reduced inflammatory response. These results support the hypothesis that MARCO has a role in macrophage infection by L. major in vitro as well as in vivo