Macrophage Polarization in Leishmaniasis: Broadening Horizons

Leishmaniasis is a vector-borne neglected tropical disease that affects more than 700,000 people annually. Leishmania parasites cause the disease, and different species trigger a distinct immune response and clinical manifestations. Macrophages are the final host cells for the proliferation of Leishmania parasites, and these cells are the key to a controlled or exacerbated response that culminates in clinical manifestations. M1 and M2 are the two main macrophage phenotypes. M1 is a pro-inflammatory subtype with microbicidal properties, and M2, or alternatively activated, is an anti-inflammatory/regulatory subtype that is related to inflammation resolution and tissue repair. The present review elucidates the roles of M1 and M2 polarization in leishmaniasis and highlights the role of the salivary components of the vector and the action of the parasite in the macrophage plasticity

PEÇONHA DE Tityus bahiensis REDUZ PROLIFERAÇÃO DE Toxoplasma gondii (CEPA RH) E PRODUÇÃO DE IL-8 NAS CÉLULAS HeLa

Toxoplasma gondii é o protozoário causador da toxoplasmose, infecção que apresenta caráter grave em imunocomprometidos. Os fármacos convencionais para o tratamento desta infecção apresentam alta toxicidade. Peçonhas de escorpião são investigadas uma vez que apresentam efeito direto sobre microrganismos. Objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o potencial toxoplasmicida e imunomodulador da peçonha do escorpião Tityus bahiensis (pTb) sobre taquizoítas da cepa RH de T. gondii em células HeLa. Para averiguar índices de infecção e proliferação celular de formas taquizoítas de T. gondii (5x105) em células HeLa (1x105). Foi avaliada, também, a produção de citocinas nas células HeLa infectadas e tratados com pTb (15 µg/mL). Os resultados demonstram que, após 24 horas de tratamento, nenhuma das concentrações apresentou foi citoxicidade. A pTb não alterou os níveis de infecção das células. Na proliferação intracelular a pTb induziu redução de 17,92% na concentração 4 g/mL, 10,18%, utilizando 7,5 g/mL e 16,82% com 15 g/mL. A pTb modulou apenas a produção de IL-8, reduzindo sua produção em 87,32%. Concluímos que a pTb exerce ação imunomoduladora e anti-proliferativa sobre células HeLa infectadas com Toxoplasma gondii (cepa RH)

Exploring the leishmanicidal potential of terpenoids: a comprehensive review on mechanisms of cell death

Leishmaniasis is a neglected tropical disease with a wide spectrum of clinical manifestations, ranging from visceral to cutaneous, with millions of new cases and thousands of deaths reported each year. The species of Leishmania and the immune response of the host determine the severity of the disease. Leishmaniasis remains challenging to diagnose and treat, and there is no vaccine available. Several studies have been conducted on the use of herbal medicines for the treatment of leishmaniasis. Natural products can provide an inexhaustible source of chemical diversity with therapeutic potential. Terpenes are a class of natural products derived from a single isoprene unit, a five-carbon compound that forms the basic structure of isoprenoids. This review focuses on the most important and recent advances in the treatment of parasites of the genus Leishmania with different subclasses of terpenes. Several mechanisms have been proposed in the literature, including increased oxidative stress, immunomodulatory role, and induction of different types of parasite cell death. However, this information needs to be brought together to provide an overview of how these compounds can be used as therapeutic tools for drug development and as a successful adjuvant strategy against Leishmania sp

Cytokines as Mediators of Pain-Related Process in Breast Cancer

Pain is a clinical sign of inflammation found in a wide variety of chronic pathologies, including cancer. The occurrence of pain in patients carrying breast tumors is reported and is associated with aspects concerning disease spreading, treatment, and surgical intervention. The persistence of pain in patients submitted to breast surgery is estimated in a range from 21% to 55% and may affect patients before and after surgery. Beyond the physical compression exerted by the metastatic mass expansion and tissue injury found in breast cancer, inflammatory components that are significantly produced by the host-tumor interaction can significantly contribute to the generation of pain. In this context, cytokines have been studied aiming to establish a cause-effect relationship in cancer pain-related syndromes, especially the proinflammatory ones. Few reports have investigated the relationship between pain and cytokines in women carrying advanced breast cancer. In this scenario, the present review analyzes the main cytokines produced in breast cancer and discusses the evidences from literature regarding its role in specific clinical features related with this pathology

Cytokines as Mediators of Pain-Related Process in Breast Cancer

Pain is a clinical sign of inflammation found in a wide variety of chronic pathologies, including cancer. The occurrence of pain in patients carrying breast tumors is reported and is associated with aspects concerning disease spreading, treatment, and surgical intervention. The persistence of pain in patients submitted to breast surgery is estimated in a range from 21% to 55% and may affect patients before and after surgery. Beyond the physical compression exerted by the metastatic mass expansion and tissue injury found in breast cancer, inflammatory components that are significantly produced by the host-tumor interaction can significantly contribute to the generation of pain. In this context, cytokines have been studied aiming to establish a cause-effect relationship in cancer pain-related syndromes, especially the proinflammatory ones. Few reports have investigated the relationship between pain and cytokines in women carrying advanced breast cancer. In this scenario, the present review analyzes the main cytokines produced in breast cancer and discusses the evidences from literature regarding its role in specific clinical features related with this pathology

Antioxidant Compounds and Health Benefits of Citrus Fruits

Recent evidence emanating from epidemiological prospective studies shows that increased intakes of antioxidant-rich fruits, vegetables, and legumes are associated with a lower risk of developing chronic oxidative stress-related diseases like cardiovascular diseases and cancer, as well as with a lower risk of cardiovascular, cancer, and all-cause mortality rates [...