Characterization, identification, and purification of the bacterial receptor expressed by turkey peripheral blood monocytes for serogroup A:3 of Pasteurella multocida

Serogroup A Pasteurella multocida is the major cause of fowl cholera in poultry. Resistance of P. multocida to phagocytosis in non-immunized birds is associated with the presence of a hyaluronic acid capsule. The studies presented in this dissertation were designed to (1) investigate the adhesive properties of a capsulated serotype A:3 strain P. multocida and its non-capsulated variant (-:3) to turkey air sac macrophages and peripheral blood monocytes, (2) to identify, and isolate the monocyte receptor implicated in bacterial adhesion, and (3) to produce polyclonal antibodies against the P. multocida receptor. Capsulated serotype A:3, unlike the non-capsulated variant, adhered in large numbers to the macrophages but were not internalized. Depolymerization of the bacterial capsule with hyaluronidase increased phagocytosis. Addition to the macrophage cultures of hyaluronic acid, sodium metaperiodate, or trypsin, suppressed bacterial binding. In contrast to the experiments performed with air sac macrophages, serotype A:3 strains were not adherent to freshly isolated peripheral blood monocytes. Following culture of blood monocytes for six days in chamber slides, adhesion of the bacteria increased gradually. Coating chamber slides with entactin-laminin-collagen IV attachment matrix or exposure to phorbol myristate acetate enhanced bacterial binding to the monocytes whereas exposure to monoclonal antibodies directed against the major receptor for hyaluronic acid (CD44) decreased binding. Collectively, these findings indicated that capsular hyaluronic acid promotes adhesion, but not internalization, of serotype A:3 strains to turkey air sac macrophages or activated blood monocytes. The findings additionally indicated that the bacterial polysaccharide recognizes CD44 glycoproteins on monocytes;Hyaluronic-acid Sepharose affinity chromatography was subsequently used to purify hyaluronic acid binding proteins from cultured monocytes. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and electroblots of the eluted material demonstrated three major bands (81, 101, and 118 kDa) which reacted with a biotinylated hyaluronic acid probe. The 101 and 118 kDa proteins were electroeluted from the acrylamide gels by reverse polarity and used to hyperimmunize rabbits. Preinoculation serum reacted with several turkey monocyte antigens, including the 101 and 118 kDa hyaluronic acid binding proteins. Immunization did not result in higher titers or increased specificity

The Relationship between Daily Physical Activity, Psychological Factors, and Vegetative Symptoms in Women with Fibromyalgia: A Cross-Sectional Observational Study

Nowadays, there is evidence that relates the amount of physical activity, as well as the impact of psychological factors, to the intensity of symptoms present in patients with fibromyalgia (FM). However, there are no studies which correlate the level of association of physical activity, psychological factors and vegetative symptoms in the FM population. The study has a cross-sectional observational design with 41 participants being recruited from a private clinic and rehabilitation service. The Autonomic Symptom Profile (Compass-31) to assess vegetative symptoms, the GODIN questionnaire to evaluate the level of leisure activity, and the pain catastrophizing scale, Tampa Kinesiophobia Scale and Self-Efficacy Scale to assess psychological factors, were used. A low and significant level of association was found between pain catastrophizing (PCS) and Kinesiophobia (r = 0.398; p < 0.01), as well as with catastrophizing and vegetative symptoms (r = 0.428; p < 0.05). Furthermore, a low and significant level of association was also found between self-efficacy and vegetative symptoms (r = 0.397; p < 0.05). No association was found between the level of daily physical activity (measured by the Godin Leisure questionnaire) and vegetative symptoms, nor with any psychological factor studied. There is an association between vegetative symptoms and psychological factors. Nevertheless, more research which takes other factors into account, such as lifestyle and nutritional, is needed.University Chair in Clinical Psychoneuroimmunology (University of Granada)University Chair in Clinical Psychoneuroimmunology (PNI Europe

The opioid effects of gluten exorphins:asymptomatic celiac disease

Gluten-containing cereals are a main food staple present in the daily human diet, including wheat, barley, and rye. Gluten intake is associated with the development of celiac disease (CD) and related disorders such as diabetes mellitus type I, depression, and schizophrenia. However, until now, there is no consent about the possible deleterious effects of gluten intake because of often failing symptoms even in persons with proven CD. Asymptomatic CD (ACD) is present in the majority of affected patients and is characterized by the absence of classical gluten-intolerance signs, such as diarrhea, bloating, and abdominal pain. Nevertheless, these individuals very often develop diseases that can be related with gluten intake. Gluten can be degraded into several morphine-like substances, named gluten exorphins. These compounds have proven opioid effects and could mask the deleterious effects of gluten protein on gastrointestinal lining and function. Here we describe a putative mechanism, explaining how gluten could "mask" its own toxicity by exorphins that are produced through gluten protein digestion

Intermittent living; the use of ancient challenges as a vaccine against the deleterious effects of modern life - A hypothesis

Chronic non-communicable diseases (CNCD) are the leading cause of mortality in developed countries. They ensue from the sum of modern anthropogenic risk factors, including high calorie nutrition, malnutrition, sedentary lifestyle, social stress, environmental toxins, politics and economic factors. Many of these factors are beyond the span of control of individuals, suggesting that CNCD are inevitable. However, various studies, ours included, show that the use of intermittent challenges with hormetic effects improve subjective and objective wellbeing of individuals with CNCD, while having favourable effects on immunological, metabolic and behavioural indices. Intermittent cold, heat, fasting and hypoxia, together with phytochemicals in multiple food products, have widespread influence on many pathways related with overall health. Until recently, most of the employed challenges with hormetic effects belonged to the usual transient live experiences of our ancestors. Our hypothesis; we conclude that, whereas the total inflammatory load of multi-metabolic and psychological risk factors causes low grade inflammation and aging, the use of intermittent challenges, united in a 7-10 days lasting hormetic intervention, might serve as a vaccine against the deleterious effects of chronic low grade inflammation and it's metabolic and (premature) aging consequences

Mitochondria: It is all about energy

Mitochondria play a key role in both health and disease. Their function is not limited to energy production but serves multiple mechanisms varying from iron and calcium homeostasis to the production of hormones and neurotransmitters, such as melatonin. They enable and influence communication at all physical levels through interaction with other organelles, the nucleus, and the outside environment. The literature suggests crosstalk mechanisms between mitochondria and circadian clocks, the gut microbiota, and the immune system. They might even be the hub supporting and integrating activity across all these domains. Hence, they might be the (missing) link in both health and disease. Mitochondrial dysfunction is related to metabolic syndrome, neuronal diseases, cancer, cardiovascular and infectious diseases, and inflammatory disorders. In this regard, diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), and chronic pain are discussed. This review focuses on understanding the mitochondrial mechanisms of action that allow for the maintenance of mitochondrial health and the pathways toward dysregulated mechanisms. Although mitochondria have allowed us to adapt to changes over the course of evolution, in turn, evolution has shaped mitochondria. Each evolutionbased intervention influences mitochondria in its own way. The use of physiological stress triggers tolerance to the stressor, achieving adaptability and resistance. This review describes strategies that could recover mitochondrial functioning in multiple diseases, providing a comprehensive, root-cause-focused, integrative approach to recovering health and treating people suffering from chronic diseases.Clinical Psychoneuroimmunology (the University of Granada and PNI Europe

Efficacy of combined strategies of physical activity, diet and sleep disorders as treatment in patients with chronic shoulder pain. A systematic review

Introduction: The objective of this systematic review was to analyze the existing scientific evidence on the influence of dietary strategies, exercise, and sleep disorders on the symptomatology of patients with chronic shoulder pain, as well as to assess the methodological quality of the literature collected. Methods: The selection criteria were as follows: we included randomized controlled clinical trials written in English that investigated the effects of such interventions in patients with chronic shoulder pain and excluded studies where pre-operative rehabilitation or rehabilitation combined with corticosteroid injections was performed. We searched six databases Pubmed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, CINAHL, Sportdiscus and Scopus, using the keywords “shoulder pain,” “fasting,” “physical therapy modalities,” “rehabilitation,” “exercise,” “circadian clocks,” and “chronic pain” to select randomized controlled clinical trials conducted in humans and written in English. The last search was conducted on 24/01/2023. (PROSPERO:CRD42023379925). Results: We used the tool proposed by the Cochrane Handbook to assess the risk of bias in the included studies of the 17 studies included, nine had a high risk of bias, two studies had an unclear risk of bias, and the remaining six studies had a low risk of bias. A total of 17 articles were selected, including 10 studies that showed a positive influences of exercise on chronic shoulder pain and five studies that showed a negative influence of sleep disorders on this patient profile. The remaining two articles analyzed the influence of nutritional strategies and metabolic problems in patients with chronic shoulder pain. The total sample size of the 17 included articles amounted to 9,991 individuals. Discussion: Studies confirm that exercise generates a hypoalgesic effect that improves chronic shoulder pain, functionality, and quality of life. Although dietary strategies and sleep disorders are known to influence chronic shoulder pain, there is a lack of studies that conduct interventions on these problems to assess how chronic shoulder pain varies.University Chair in Clinical Psychoneuroimmunology (University of Granada and PNI Europe

The multiple faces of the human immune system:Modern life causes low-grade inflammation and thereby provokes conflict between the selfish immune system and the selfish brain

This thesis describes the multiple ways by which the human immune system can react upon direct and indirect challenges, such as infection and wounds on the one hand, and chronic stress factors, such as smoking, on the other. The human defense system exhibits a type of selfish behaviour during both acute- and chronic activity states. Acute activation of the immune system is normally finalized in a short time through multiple mechanisms exerting immune inhibiting effects. This means that an inflammation is normally self-limiting, which protects the body against secondary damaging effects of the immune system itself. Chronic activity of the immune system is caused by all those risk factors related with modern life, including sedentary time, lack of exercise, sleep deprivation, smoking, overeating and also non-solved psycho-emotional problems. The sum of risk factors produces chronic activation of stress axes and entrance of bacterial debris in the blood stream, causing a chronic infectious state that is referred to as chronic low-grade inflammation. This low-grade inflammation should be considered as the cause of most, if not all, chronic non-communicable diseases (CNCD). Our interventions show that a short bout of "ancient" stress factors could finalize the chronic activity of the immune system and in this way protect people against the toxic effects of modern life. Evidence is given through changes in metabolic parameters such as weigh loss and decrease of glucose, triglycerides and cholesterol. Changes which were achieved after an intervention period of only ten days

Efficacy of combined strategies of physical activity, diet and sleep disorders as treatment in patients with chronic shoulder pain. A systematic review

Introduction: The objective of this systematic review was to analyze the existing scientific evidence on the influence of dietary strategies, exercise, and sleep disorders on the symptomatology of patients with chronic shoulder pain, as well as to assess the methodological quality of the literature collected.Methods: The selection criteria were as follows: we included randomized controlled clinical trials written in English that investigated the effects of such interventions in patients with chronic shoulder pain and excluded studies where pre-operative rehabilitation or rehabilitation combined with corticosteroid injections was performed. We searched six databases Pubmed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, CINAHL, Sportdiscus and Scopus, using the keywords “shoulder pain,” “fasting,” “physical therapy modalities,” “rehabilitation,” “exercise,” “circadian clocks,” and “chronic pain” to select randomized controlled clinical trials conducted in humans and written in English. The last search was conducted on 24/01/2023. (PROSPERO:CRD42023379925).Results: We used the tool proposed by the Cochrane Handbook to assess the risk of bias in the included studies of the 17 studies included, nine had a high risk of bias, two studies had an unclear risk of bias, and the remaining six studies had a low risk of bias. A total of 17 articles were selected, including 10 studies that showed a positive influences of exercise on chronic shoulder pain and five studies that showed a negative influence of sleep disorders on this patient profile. The remaining two articles analyzed the influence of nutritional strategies and metabolic problems in patients with chronic shoulder pain. The total sample size of the 17 included articles amounted to 9,991 individuals.Discussion: Studies confirm that exercise generates a hypoalgesic effect that improves chronic shoulder pain, functionality, and quality of life. Although dietary strategies and sleep disorders are known to influence chronic shoulder pain, there is a lack of studies that conduct interventions on these problems to assess how chronic shoulder pain varies