80 research outputs found
Genotypic and Phenotypic Heterogeneity in Alicyclobacillus acidoterrestris: A Contribution to Species Characterization.
Alicyclobacillus acidoterrestris is the main cause of most spoilage problems in fruit juices
and acidic products. Since soil borne species often contaminate fruit juices and do not need
strict extreme requirements for survival, it is a great concern to investigate whether and how
soil species could evolve from their ecological niches in microbial community to new environments as fruit juices. In this study, 23 isolates of thermo-acidophilic, spore-forming bacteria from soil were characterized by cultural and molecular methods. In addition, 2 strains
isolated from a spoilage incident in pear juice were typed. Strains phenotyping showed that
they could be grouped into 3 different clusters, and some isolates showed identical or quite
similar patterns. Analyzing pH and temperature ranges for growth, the majority of strains
were able to grow at values described for many species of Alicyclobacillus. Qualitative utilization of lysine, arginine and indole production from tryptophan revealed, for the first time,
deamination of lysine and decarboxylation of arginine. Resistance to 5% NaCl as well as
the ability to hydrolyze starch and gelatin, nitrate reduction, catalase and oxidase activities
confirmed literature evidences. Examining of 16S rRNA, showed that isolates were divided
into three blocks represented by effectively soil species and strains that are moving from
soil to other possible growing source characterized by parameters that could strongly influence bacterial survival. RAPD PCR technique evidenced a great variability in banding patterns and, although it was not possible to obtain genotypically well-distinguished groups, it
was feasible to appreciate genetic similarity between some strains. In conclusion, the investigation of a microbial community entails a combination of metagenomic and classic culturedependent approaches to expand our knowledge about Alicyclobacillus and to look for new
subspecies
BKV infection and hemorrhagic cystitis after allogeneic bone marrow transplant.
Hemorrhagic cystitis (HC) is a well-known complication after allogeneic bone marrow transplant (BMT) and can be related to adenovirus or human polyomavirus BK (BKV) infections. In this study a group of 20 patients after allogeneic BMT has been examined. BMT urine samples were analysed for the presence of Adenovirus and BKV DNA by means of polymerase chain reaction (PCR). 5/20 BMT patients developed HC after BMT. The presence of BKV DNA in urine samples was evident in 3/15 patients without HC and in 5/5 patients with HC. In 2/5 HC-patients the BKV DNA was not found after therapy with Cidofovir and Ribavirin. The search for adenovirus DNA in all samples was negative. The analysis of BKV non-coding control region (NCCR) isolated from urine samples revealed a structure very similar to the archetype in all samples. The RFLP (Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism assay) showed the presence of BKV subtypes I and IV, with the prevalence of subtype I (4/5). This study supports the hypothesis that HC is mainly related to BKV rather than to adenovirus infection in BMT patients. Moreover, since BKV subtype I was predominant, it is reasonable to hypothesize that a specific BKV subtype could be associated with the development of HC
Increased prevalence of Human Polyomavirus JC viruria in Chronic Inflammatory Rheumatic Diseases patients in treatment with anti-TNF α: a 18 month follow-up study.
Chronic inflammatory rheumatic diseases (CIRDs) are immune-mediated pathologies
involving joints. To date, TNFα-blocking agents administration is the most promising
therapy, although these treatments are associated with an increased Polyomavirus
JC (JCPyV) reactivation, the etiological agent of the Progressive Multifocal
Leukoencephalopathy (PML). The aim of this study was the recruitment and the
analysis of a CIRDs cohort in order to investigate a possible correlation between
JCPyV presence and the influence of anti-TNF-α agents on viral loads. Blood and urine
samples were collected from 34 CIRDs subjects prior the first anti-TNF-α infusion (T0)
and after 3 (T3), 6 (T6), 12 (T12), and 18 (T18) months. Results showed persistent JC
viruria significantly higher than JC viremia throughout the 18 month follow-up study
(p=0.002). In JCPyV positive samples, the non-coding control region (NCCR) was
analyzed. Results evidenced archetypal structures (type II-S) in all isolates with the
exception of a sequence isolated from a plasma sample, that corresponds to the type
II-R found in PML subjects. Finally, the viral protein 1 (VP1) genotyping was performed
and results showed the prevalence of the European genotypes 1A, 1B, and 4. Since
only few studies have been carried out to understand whether there is a PML risk in
CIRDs population infected by JCPyV, this study contributes to enrich literature insight on
JCPyV biology in this cluster. Further investigations are necessary in order to recognize
the real impact of biologics on JCPyV life cycle and to identify possible and specific viral
variants related to increased virulence in CIRDs patient
Severity of Hepatocyte Damage and Prognosis in Cirrhotic Patients Correlate with Hepatocyte Magnesium Depletion
We aimed to evaluate the magnesium content in human cirrhotic liver and its correlation with serum AST levels, expression of hepatocellular injury, and MELDNa prognostic score. In liver biopsies obtained at liver transplantation, we measured the magnesium content in liver tissue in 27 cirrhotic patients (CIRs) and 16 deceased donors with healthy liver (CTRLs) by atomic absorption spectrometry and within hepatocytes of 15 CIRs using synchrotron-based X-ray fluorescence microscopy. In 31 CIRs and 10 CTRLs, we evaluated the immunohistochemical expression in hepatocytes of the transient receptor potential melastatin 7 (TRPM7), a magnesium influx chanzyme also involved in inflammation. CIRs showed a lower hepatic magnesium content (117.2 (IQR 110.5-132.9) vs. 162.8 (IQR 155.9-169.8) mu g/g; p < 0.001) and a higher percentage of TRPM7 positive hepatocytes (53.0 (IQR 36.8-62.0) vs. 20.7 (10.7-32.8)%; p < 0.001) than CTRLs. In CIRs, MELDNa and serum AST at transplant correlated: (a) inversely with the magnesium content both in liver tissue and hepatocytes; and (b) directly with the percentage of hepatocytes stained intensely for TRPM7. The latter also directly correlated with the worsening of MELDNa at transplant compared to waitlisting. Magnesium depletion and overexpression of its influx chanzyme TRPM7 in hepatocytes are associated with severity of hepatocyte injury and prognosis in cirrhosis. These data represent the pathophysiological basis for a possible beneficial effect of magnesium supplementation in cirrhotic patients
Involvement of cellular transcriptional factor Sp-1 and HIV-1 Tat protein in the onset or development of PML.
Different JCV NCCR structures: analysis of cellular transcriptional binding factors involved in the viral expression.
Virus e tumori vescicali: possibile ruolo dei polyomavirus BK e JC nell’eziopatogenesi del carcinoma uroteliale della vescica
The human polyomavirus BK: Potential role in cancer.
In human cancer, a role has been suggested for the human polyomavirus BK, primarily associated with tubulointerstitial nephritis and ureteric stenosis in renal transplant recipients, and with hemorrhagic cystitis in bone marrow transplant (BMT) recipients. After the initial infection, primarily unapparent and without clinical signs, the virus disseminates and establishes a persistent infection in the urinary tract and lymphocytes. There is correlative evidence regarding potential role of polyomavirus BK in cancer. In fact, the BK virus (BKV) DNA (complete genome and/or subgenomic fragments containing the early region) is able to transform embryonic fibroblasts and cells cultured from kidney and brain of hamster, mouse, rat, rabbit, and monkey. Nevertheless, transformation of human cells by BKV is inefficient and often abortive. Evidence supporting a possible role for BKV in human cancer has accumulated slowly in recent years, after the advent of polymerase chain reaction (PCR). BKV is known to commonly establish persistent infections in people and to be excreted in the urine by individuals who are asymptomatic, complicating the evaluation of its potential role in development of human cancer. Therefore, there is no certain proof that human polyomavirus BK directly causes the cancer in humans or acts as a cofactor in the pathogenesis of some types of human cancer
- …