Stimulation of lymphocyte anti-melanoma activity by co-cultured macrophages activated by complex homeopathic medication

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Melanoma is the most aggressive form of skin cancer, and the most rapidly expanding cancer in terms of worldwide incidence. Chemotherapeutic approaches to treat melanoma have been uniformly disappointing. A Brazilian complex homeopathic medication (CHM), used as an immune modulator, has been recommended for patients with depressed immune systems. Previous studies in mice have demonstrated that the CHM activates macrophages, induces an increase in the number of leukocytes and improves the murine response against Sarcoma-180.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Here we studied the interaction of mouse lymph node lymphocytes, co-cultured <it>in vitro </it>with macrophages in the presence or absence of the CHM, with B16F10 melanoma cells.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Lymphocytes co-cultured with macrophages in the presence of the CHM had greater anti-melanoma activity, reducing melanoma cell density and increasing the number of lysed tumor cells. There was also a higher proportion of activated (CD25⁺) lymphocytes with increased viability. Overall, lymphocytes activated by treatment destroyed growing cancer cells more effectively than control lymphocytes.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Co-culture of macrophages with lymphocytes in the presence of the CHM enhanced the anti-cancer performance of lymphocytes against a very aggressive lineage of melanoma cells. These results suggest that non-toxic therapies using CHMs are a promising alternative approach to the treatment of melanomas. In addition, they are attractive combination-therapy candidates, which may enhance the efficacy of conventional medicines by improving the immune response against tumor cells.</p

Genome of Rhodnius prolixus, an insect vector of Chagas disease, reveals unique adaptations to hematophagy and parasite infection

Rhodnius prolixus not only has served as a model organism for the study of insect physiology, but also is a major vector of Chagas disease, an illness that affects approximately seven million people worldwide. We sequenced the genome of R. prolixus, generated assembled sequences covering 95% of the genome ( approximately 702 Mb), including 15,456 putative protein-coding genes, and completed comprehensive genomic analyses of this obligate blood-feeding insect. Although immune-deficiency (IMD)-mediated immune responses were observed, R. prolixus putatively lacks key components of the IMD pathway, suggesting a reorganization of the canonical immune signaling network. Although both Toll and IMD effectors controlled intestinal microbiota, neither affected Trypanosoma cruzi, the causal agent of Chagas disease, implying the existence of evasion or tolerance mechanisms. R. prolixus has experienced an extensive loss of selenoprotein genes, with its repertoire reduced to only two proteins, one of which is a selenocysteine-based glutathione peroxidase, the first found in insects. The genome contained actively transcribed, horizontally transferred genes from Wolbachia sp., which showed evidence of codon use evolution toward the insect use pattern. Comparative protein analyses revealed many lineage-specific expansions and putative gene absences in R. prolixus, including tandem expansions of genes related to chemoreception, feeding, and digestion that possibly contributed to the evolution of a blood-feeding lifestyle. The genome assembly and these associated analyses provide critical information on the physiology and evolution of this important vector species and should be instrumental for the development of innovative disease control methods

L-glutamine and L-glutamate in diets with different lactose levels for piglets weaned at 21 days of age

This study was developed to evaluate the effects of adding L-glutamine and L-glutamate in diets with no lactose or with 4.0 or 8.0% lactose inclusion for piglets weaned at 21 days old. One hundred and eight piglets with initial weight of 6.12±0.70 kg were allotted in a complete randomized block design, in a 3 × 2 factorial arrangement, with six treatments, six replicates, and three piglets per experimental unit. The experimental diets were supplied from 21 to 35 days. From 36 to 49 days, animals received the same diet with no lactose inclusion, but the animals in the treatments with L-glutamine + L-glutamate in the previous phase continued to receive diets containing these ingredients. There was no interaction between the level of lactose and the inclusion of L-glutamine + L-glutamate on the parameters evaluated. The levels of lactose did not affect the performance of piglets in either of the two periods. Adding L-glutamine and L-glutamate in the diet positively influenced the weight gain of pigs from 21 to 49 days of age and increased the villous height in the duodenum, jejunum and ileum. Inclusion of L-glutamine + L-glutamate in diets for piglets weaned at 21 days of age improves the performance and the intestinal mucosa morphology, regardless of lactose addition