Monitoring human genotoxicity risk associated to urban and industrial Buenos Aires air pollution exposure

The quality of life in large megacities is directly affected by its air quality. In urban environments, suspended particles from anthropogenic origin is one of the main air contaminants identified as highly genotoxic, mutagenic, or carcinogenic. Atmospheric monitoring is therefore imperative, and bioassays to detect the effects of genotoxic agents give usually excellent results. Analysis of micronucleus (MN) in exfoliated oral mucosa cells is a sensitive non-invasive method for monitoring genetic damage in human populations. The first aim of this study was to analyze and characterize levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), particulate matter (PM), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in two areas from Buenos Aires: La Plata city, an urban (U) area and Ensenada, an industrial (I) area. Secondly, we evaluated the possible health risk of its inhabitants through a simple genotoxic assay on exfoliated oral mucosa cells. Whole blood cell count and nuclear abnormalities frequencies were evaluated in the exfoliated oral mucosa cells from urban and industrial inhabitants. Smoking habit represented a significant factor increasing MN percentage while, age did not increase the production of any of the nuclear aberrations assayed (micronuclei, binucleated, karyorrhexis) when the inhabitants from the urban and the industrial areas were compared. In addition, changes in MN and binucleated cell percentages in males and females were found to be area-dependent. We suggest that regardless PM concentration, PM-specific characteristics (size, shape, chemical elements, etc.) and VOCs levels could be responsible for the different harmful genotoxic effects seen in the two areas. Although this is a preliminary study, our results allowed to recognize that individuals living in both the urban and the industrial areas could be considered susceptible groups and should periodically undergo biological monitoring and appropriate care.Centro de Investigaciones del MedioambienteCentro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Ciencias Aplicada

Infected pancreatic necrosis: outcomes and clinical predictors of mortality. A post hoc analysis of the MANCTRA-1 international study

: The identification of high-risk patients in the early stages of infected pancreatic necrosis (IPN) is critical, because it could help the clinicians to adopt more effective management strategies. We conducted a post hoc analysis of the MANCTRA-1 international study to assess the association between clinical risk factors and mortality among adult patients with IPN. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression models were used to identify prognostic factors of mortality. We identified 247 consecutive patients with IPN hospitalised between January 2019 and December 2020. History of uncontrolled arterial hypertension (p = 0.032; 95% CI 1.135-15.882; aOR 4.245), qSOFA (p = 0.005; 95% CI 1.359-5.879; aOR 2.828), renal failure (p = 0.022; 95% CI 1.138-5.442; aOR 2.489), and haemodynamic failure (p = 0.018; 95% CI 1.184-5.978; aOR 2.661), were identified as independent predictors of mortality in IPN patients. Cholangitis (p = 0.003; 95% CI 1.598-9.930; aOR 3.983), abdominal compartment syndrome (p = 0.032; 95% CI 1.090-6.967; aOR 2.735), and gastrointestinal/intra-abdominal bleeding (p = 0.009; 95% CI 1.286-5.712; aOR 2.710) were independently associated with the risk of mortality. Upfront open surgical necrosectomy was strongly associated with the risk of mortality (p < 0.001; 95% CI 1.912-7.442; aOR 3.772), whereas endoscopic drainage of pancreatic necrosis (p = 0.018; 95% CI 0.138-0.834; aOR 0.339) and enteral nutrition (p = 0.003; 95% CI 0.143-0.716; aOR 0.320) were found as protective factors. Organ failure, acute cholangitis, and upfront open surgical necrosectomy were the most significant predictors of mortality. Our study confirmed that, even in a subgroup of particularly ill patients such as those with IPN, upfront open surgery should be avoided as much as possible. Study protocol registered in ClinicalTrials.Gov (I.D. Number NCT04747990)

Reproduction and population structure of the salp Iasis zonaria (Pallas, 1774) in the southwestern Atlantic Ocean (34 30' to 39 30'S) during three successive winters (1999-2001)

The salp Iasis zonaria is often found over the Argentine continental shelf of the southwestern Atlantic Ocean and, occasionally, its high densities dominate over other groups of zooplankton. Therefore, a better understanding of the basic aspects of its life history is essential for understanding the mechanisms underlying bloom formation. In this study, I. zonaria was collected during the austral winters of 1999, 2000 and 2001. Additional data were obtained from this area from May to November 1978. The most widespread distribution and largest catches occurred in 1999 (≈55 100 ind. 10 m−2). Densities decreased markedly in 2000 and the species was virtually absent in 2001. The growth of the solitary stage blastogenetic stolon and formation of several blocks of aggregates buds are described. Eight development stages were characterized and it is estimated that each solitary can produce at least four blocks and a total of ≈ 420 aggregates. The average number of buds per block increases from the older (first formed) to the youngest. The total number of buds (y) was related to solitary length (x) as: y = 4.94 x – 134.57. Four developmental stages were described for aggregate individuals. Based on monthly samples collected in 1978, the estimated lifespan of aggregate individuals varies between 11 and 14 months.Fil: Daponte, María C.. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental; ArgentinaFil: Palmieri, Mónica A.. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental; ArgentinaFil: Casareto, Beatriz E.. Shizuoka University; JapónFil: Esnal, Graciela Beatriz. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Oficina de Coordinacion Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Biodiversidad y Biologia Experimental y Aplicada; Argentin

Study by multiplex PCR of Listeria monocytogenes serotypes isolated in Argentine

Se comparó una PCR múltiple recientemente validada para la caracterización de serotipos de Listeria monocytogenes con el método tradicional de serotipificación. Se estudiaron 342 aislamientos de origen humano, alimentario, veterinario y ambiental obtenidos durante el período 1992-2005. La concordancia entre ambos métodos para los serotipos 1/2a, 1/2b y 1/2c fue del 100%, y para el serotipo 4b fue del 98%. La serotipificación constituye una herramienta importante como primer nivel de diferenciación de cepas de L. monocytogenes para llevar a cabo la vigilancia epidemiológica y, sobre todo, el estudio de brotes. La PCR múltiple es una técnica alternativa rápida, de bajo costo y fácilmente adaptable en laboratorios de bacteriología clínica y bromatología.Study by multiplex PCR of Listeria monocytogenes serotypes isolated in Argentine. A multiplex PCR assay, recently validated to characterize the serotypes of Listeria monocytogenes was evaluated in comparison to conventional serotyping. Three hundred forty two L. monocytogenes strains isolated from human, food, animal and environmental sources during the 1992-2005 period were assayed. The concordance between the two methods for serotypes 1/2a, 1/2b and 1/2c was 100%, whereas for serotype 4b it was 98%. Serotyping is a useful tool for first line strain differentiation during epidemiological surveillance and outbreaks. The multiplex PCR assay offers a fast and low-cost alternative, which is easily adaptable to clinical bacteriology and bromatology laboratories.Fil: Callejo, Raquel. ANLIS Dr.C.G.Malbrán. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas. Departamento de Bacteriología. Servicio de Bacteriología Especial; Argentina.Fil: Prieto, M. ANLIS Dr.C.G.Malbrán. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas. Departamento de Bacteriología. Servicio de Bacteriología Especial; Argentina.Fil: Martínez, C. ANLIS Dr.C.G.Malbrán. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas. Departamento de Bacteriología. Servicio de Bacteriología Especial; Argentina.Fil: Aguerre, Lorena. ANLIS Dr.C.G.Malbrán. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas. Departamento de Bacteriología. Servicio de Bacteriología Especial; Argentina.Fil: Rocca, F. ANLIS Dr.C.G.Malbrán. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas. Departamento de Bacteriología. Servicio de Bacteriología Especial; Argentina.Fil: Martínez, G. ANLIS Dr.C.G.Malbrán. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas. Departamento de Bacteriología. Servicio de Bacteriología Especial; Argentina.Fil: Palmieri, O. Hospital de Enfermedades Infecciosas Dr. F. J. Muñiz. Cátedra de Enfermedades Infecciosas; Argentina

Study by multiplex PCR of Listeria monocytogenes serotypes isolated in Argentine

Se comparó una PCR múltiple recientemente validada para la caracterización de serotipos de Listeria monocytogenes con el método tradicional de serotipificación. Se estudiaron 342 aislamientos de origen humano, alimentario, veterinario y ambiental obtenidos durante el período 1992-2005. La concordancia entre ambos métodos para los serotipos 1/2a, 1/2b y 1/2c fue del 100%, y para el serotipo 4b fue del 98%. La serotipificación constituye una herramienta importante como primer nivel de diferenciación de cepas de L. monocytogenes para llevar a cabo la vigilancia epidemiológica y, sobre todo, el estudio de brotes. La PCR múltiple es una técnica alternativa rápida, de bajo costo y fácilmente adaptable en laboratorios de bacteriología clínica y bromatología.Study by multiplex PCR of Listeria monocytogenes serotypes isolated in Argentine. A multiplex PCR assay, recently validated to characterize the serotypes of Listeria monocytogenes was evaluated in comparison to conventional serotyping. Three hundred forty two L. monocytogenes strains isolated from human, food, animal and environmental sources during the 1992-2005 period were assayed. The concordance between the two methods for serotypes 1/2a, 1/2b and 1/2c was 100%, whereas for serotype 4b it was 98%. Serotyping is a useful tool for first line strain differentiation during epidemiological surveillance and outbreaks. The multiplex PCR assay offers a fast and low-cost alternative, which is easily adaptable to clinical bacteriology and bromatology laboratories.Fil: Callejo, Raquel. ANLIS Dr.C.G.Malbrán. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas. Departamento de Bacteriología. Servicio de Bacteriología Especial; Argentina.Fil: Prieto, M. ANLIS Dr.C.G.Malbrán. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas. Departamento de Bacteriología. Servicio de Bacteriología Especial; Argentina.Fil: Martínez, C. ANLIS Dr.C.G.Malbrán. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas. Departamento de Bacteriología. Servicio de Bacteriología Especial; Argentina.Fil: Aguerre, Lorena. ANLIS Dr.C.G.Malbrán. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas. Departamento de Bacteriología. Servicio de Bacteriología Especial; Argentina.Fil: Rocca, F. ANLIS Dr.C.G.Malbrán. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas. Departamento de Bacteriología. Servicio de Bacteriología Especial; Argentina.Fil: Martínez, G. ANLIS Dr.C.G.Malbrán. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas. Departamento de Bacteriología. Servicio de Bacteriología Especial; Argentina.Fil: Palmieri, O. Hospital de Enfermedades Infecciosas Dr. F. J. Muñiz. Cátedra de Enfermedades Infecciosas; Argentina

H2O2 scavenging inhibits G1/S transition by increasing nuclear levels of p27KIP1

The aim of the present study was to evaluate cell cycle regulation by scavenging H(2)O(2) in tumor cells. A significant arrest in the G1 phase of the cell cycle was demonstrated in CH72-T4 carcinoma cells exposed to catalase, associated with a decrease in cyclin D1 and an increase in the CDK inhibitory protein p27(KIP1). Moreover, we found a differential intracellular distribution of p27(KIP1), which remained in the nucleus after catalase treatment. In vivo experiments showed an increase in nuclear levels of p27(KIP1) associated with the inhibition of tumor growth by H(2)O(2) scavenging, confirming in vitro results. To conclude, H(2)O(2) scavenging may induce cell cycle arrest through the modulation of cyclin D1 and p27(KIP1) levels and nuclear localization of p27(KIP1). To our knowledge, this is the first report that demonstrates that the modulation of ROS alters the intracellular localization of a key regulatory protein of G1/S transition.Fil: Ibañez, Irene Laura. Comision Nacional de Energia Atomica; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Policastro, Lucia Laura. Comision Nacional de Energia Atomica; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Tropper, Ivanna. Universidad Nacional de San Martín; ArgentinaFil: Bracalente, María Candelaria. Comision Nacional de Energia Atomica; ArgentinaFil: Palmieri, Mónica A.. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; ArgentinaFil: Rojas, Paola Andrea. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (i); Argentina; ArgentinaFil: Molinari, Beatriz Lucia. Comision Nacional de Energia Atomica; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Duran, Hebe Alicia. Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica. Gerencia del Area de Investigación y Aplicaciones No Nucleares. Gerencia de Desarrollo Tecnológico y Proyectos Especiales. Departamento de Micro y Nanotecnología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin

Enhancement in the Therapeutic Efficacy of In Vivo BNCT Mediated by GB-10 with Electroporation in a Model of Oral Cancer

Boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) combines preferential tumor uptake of 10B compounds and neutron irradiation. Electroporation induces an increase in the permeability of the cell membrane. We previously demonstrated the optimization of boron biodistribution and microdistribution employing electroporation (EP) and decahydrodecaborate (GB-10) as the boron carrier in a hamster cheek pouch oral cancer model. The aim of the present study was to evaluate if EP could improve tumor control without enhancing the radiotoxicity of BNCT in vivo mediated by GB-10 with EP 10 min after GB-10 administration. Following cancerization, tumor-bearing hamster cheek pouches were treated with GB-10/BNCT or GB-10/BNCT + EP. Irradiations were carried out at the RA-3 Reactor. The tumor response and degree of mucositis in precancerous tissue surrounding tumors were evaluated for one month post-BNCT. The overall tumor response (partial remission (PR) + complete remission (CR)) increased significantly for protocol GB-10/BNCT + EP (92%) vs. GB-10/BNCT (48%). A statistically significant increase in the CR was observed for protocol GB-10/BNCT + EP (46%) vs. GB-10/BNCT (6%). For both protocols, the radiotoxicity (mucositis) was reversible and slight/moderate. Based on these results, we concluded that electroporation improved the therapeutic efficacy of GB-10/BNCT in vivo in the hamster cheek pouch oral cancer model without increasing the radiotoxicity

Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) Mediated by Maleimide-Functionalized Closo-Dodecaborate Albumin Conjugates (MID:BSA) for Oral Cancer: Biodistribution Studies and In Vivo BNCT in the Hamster Cheek Pouch Oral Cancer Model

Background: BNCT (Boron Neutron Capture Therapy) is a tumor-selective particle radiotherapy that combines preferential boron accumulation in tumors and neutron irradiation. Although p-boronophenylalanine (BPA) has been clinically used, new boron compounds are needed for the advancement of BNCT. Based on previous studies in colon tumor-bearing mice, in this study, we evaluated MID:BSA (maleimide-functionalized closo-dodecaborate conjugated to bovine serum albumin) biodistribution and MID:BSA/BNCT therapeutic effect on tumors and associated radiotoxicity in the hamster cheek pouch oral cancer model. Methods: Biodistribution studies were performed at 30 mg B/kg and 15 mg B/kg (12 h and 19 h post-administration). MID:BSA/BNCT (15 mg B/kg, 19 h) was performed at three different absorbed doses to precancerous tissue. Results: MID:BSA 30 mg B/kg protocol induced high BSA toxicity. MID:BSA 15 mg B/kg injected at a slow rate was well-tolerated and reached therapeutically useful boron concentration values in the tumor and tumor/normal tissue ratios. The 19 h protocol exhibited significantly lower boron concentration values in blood. MID:BSA/BNCT exhibited a significant tumor response vs. the control group with no significant radiotoxicity. Conclusions: MID:BSA/BNCT would be therapeutically useful to treat oral cancer. BSA toxicity is a consideration when injecting a compound conjugated to BSA and depends on the animal model studied

Different oral cancer scenarios to personalize targeted therapy: Boron Neutron Capture Therapy translational studies

Boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) is a targeted therapy, which consists of preferential accumulation of boron carriers in tumor followed by neutron irradiation. Each oral cancer patient has different risks of developing one or more carcinomas and/or oral mucositis induced after treatment. Our group proposed the hamster oral cancer model to study the efficacy of BNCT and associated mucositis. Translational studies are essential to the advancement of novel boron delivery agents and targeted strategies. Herein, we review our work in the hamster model in which we studied BNCT induced mucositis using three different cancerization protocols, mimicking three different clinical scenarios. The BNCT-induced mucositis increases with the aggressiveness of the carcinogenesis protocol employed, suggesting that the study of different oral cancer patient scenarios would help to develop personalized therapies.Fil: Monti Hughes, Andrea. Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Goldfinger, Jessica A.. Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica; ArgentinaFil: Santa Cruz, Iara S.. Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica; ArgentinaFil: Pozzi, Emiliano C.C.. Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica; ArgentinaFil: Thorp, Silvia. Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica; ArgentinaFil: Curotto, Paula. Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica; ArgentinaFil: Garabalino, Marcela Alejandra. Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica; ArgentinaFil: Itoiz, María E.. Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Odontología; ArgentinaFil: Palmieri, Mónica Alejandra. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; ArgentinaFil: Ramos, Paula. Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica; ArgentinaFil: Heber, Elisa Mercedes. Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica; ArgentinaFil: Aromando, Romina F.. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Odontología; ArgentinaFil: Nigg, David W.. No especifíca;Fil: Koivunoro, Hanna. No especifíca;Fil: Trivillin, Verónica Andrea. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica; ArgentinaFil: Schwint, Amanda Elena. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica; Argentin