Vacunas e iconografía

There was some kind of method used in an empiric way that helped to suffer the small pot disease in a milder way long before the English physician E. Jenner were to discover the vaccine. This method also achieved immunity against the disease. The method was not exempt of complications, however. Sometimes these complications were serious enough as to compromise the general acceptance of the method. Besides the smallpox, we do a historic revision of rage, poliomyelitis, typhoid and paratyphoid fever, as well as that of diphtheria and tetanus. We include an iconography regarding these diseases, its vaccines and persons and institutions related to them.Peer reviewe

Role of CB2 cannabinoid receptors in the rewarding, reinforcing, and physical effects of nicotine

This study was aimed to evaluate the involvement of CB2 cannabinoid receptors (CB2r) in the rewarding, reinforcing and motivational effects of nicotine. Conditioned place preference (CPP) and intravenous self-administration experiments were carried out in knockout mice lacking CB2r (CB2KO) and wild-type (WT) littermates treated with the CB2r antagonist AM630 (1 and 3 mg/kg). Gene expression analyses of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and α3- and α4-nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subunits (nAChRs) in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and immunohistochemical studies to elucidate whether CB2r colocalized with α3- and α4-nAChRs in the nucleus accumbens and VTA were performed. Mecamylamine-precipitated withdrawal syndrome after chronic nicotine exposure was evaluated in CB2KO mice and WT mice treated with AM630 (1 and 3 mg/kg). CB2KO mice did not show nicotine-induced place conditioning and self-administered significantly less nicotine. In addition, AM630 was able to block (3 mg/kg) nicotine-induced CPP and reduce (1 and 3 mg/kg) nicotine self-administration. Under baseline conditions, TH, α3-nAChR, and α4-nAChR mRNA levels in the VTA of CB2KO mice were significantly lower compared with WT mice. Confocal microscopy images revealed that CB2r colocalized with α3- and α4-nAChRs. Somatic signs of nicotine withdrawal (rearings, groomings, scratches, teeth chattering, and body tremors) increased significantly in WT but were absent in CB2KO mice. Interestingly, the administration of AM630 blocked the nicotine withdrawal syndrome and failed to alter basal behavior in saline-treated WT mice. These results suggest that CB2r play a relevant role in the rewarding, reinforcing, and motivational effects of nicotine. Pharmacological manipulation of this receptor deserves further consideration as a potential new valuable target for the treatment of nicotine dependence.This study was supported by the following research grants: Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (SAF2011-23420 to Jorge Manzanares, SAF2009-10689 to Pere Berbel, and SAF2011-29864 to Rafael Maldonado); Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad, Dirección General de Investigación (PSI2011-24762) to José Miñarro; Generalidad Valenciana, Consejería de Educación (PROMETEO/2009/072) to José Miñarro; Gobierno Catalán (SGR2009-00131) to Rafael Maldonado; ICREA Academia-2008 to Rafael Maldonado; and Instituto de Salud ‘Carlos III’ (FIS), RETICS, Red de Trastornos Adictivos (RD06/0001/1004, RD12/0028/0019 to Jorge Manzanares; RD06/001/0016, RD12/0028/005 to José Miarro; RD06/001/001, RD12/0028/0023 to Rafael Maldonado

Inner capillary diameter of hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus of female rat increases during lactation

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The role of the endothelial cell (EC) in blood flow regulation within the central nervous system has been little studied. Here, we explored EC participation in morphological changes of the anterior hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) microvasculature of female rats at two reproductive stages with different metabolic demand (virginity and lactation). We measured the inner capillary diameter (ICD) of 800 capillaries from either the magnocellular or parvocellular regions. The space occupied by neural (somas, dendrites and axons) and glial, but excluding vascular elements of the neurovascular compartment was also measured in 100-μm² sample fields of both PVN subdivisions.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The PVN of both groups of animals showed ICDs that ranged from 3 to 10 microns. The virgin group presented mostly capillaries with small ICD, whereas the lactating females exhibited a significant increment in the percentage of capillaries with larger ICD. The space occupied by the neural and glial elements of the neurovascular compartment did not show changes with lactation.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our findings suggest that during lactation the microvasculature of the PVN of female rats undergoes dynamic, transitory changes in blood flow as represented by an increment in the ICD through a self-cytoplasmic volume modification reflected by EC changes. A model of this process is proposed.</p

Decreased cocaine motor sensitization and self-administration in mice overexpressing cannabinoid CB 2 receptors

The potential involvement of the cannabinoid CB 2 receptors (CB 2 r) in the adaptive responses induced by cocaine was studied in transgenic mice overexpressing the CB 2 r (CB 2 xP) and in wild-type (WT) littermates. For this purpose, the acute and sensitized locomotor responses to cocaine, conditioned place preference, and cocaine intravenous self-administration were evaluated. In addition, we assessed whether CB 2 r were localized in neurons and/or astrocytes, and whether they colocalized with dopamine D1 and D2 receptors (D1Dr and D2Dr). Dopamine (DA) extracellular levels in the nucleus accumbens (NAcc), and gene expression of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and DA transporter (DAT) in the ventral tegmental area (VTA), and-opioid and cannabinoid CB 1 receptors in the NAcc were also studied in both genotypes. CB 2 xP mice showed decreased motor response to acute administration of cocaine (10-20 mg/kg) and cocaine-induced motor sensitization compared with WT mice. CB 2 xP mice presented cocaine-induced conditioned place aversion and self-administered less cocaine than WT mice. CB 2 r were found in neurons and astrocytes and colocalized with D2Dr in the VTA and NAcc. No significant differences in extracellular DA levels in the NAcc were observed between genotypes after cocaine administration. Under baseline conditions, TH and DAT gene expression was higher and-opioid receptor gene expression was lower in CB 2 xP than in WT mice. However, both genotypes showed similar changes in TH and-opioid receptor gene expression after cocaine challenge independently of the pretreatment received. Importantly, the cocaine challenge decreased DAT gene expression to a lesser extent in cocaine-pretreated CB 2 xP than in cocaine-pretreated WT mice. These results revealed that CB 2 r are involved in cocaine motor responses and cocaine self-administration, suggesting that this receptor could represent a promising target to develop novel treatments for cocaine addiction. © 2012 American College of Neuropsychopharmacology.Peer Reviewe