MedWorm.com provides a medical RSS filtering service. Over 6000 RSS medical sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest items from the 'Experimental Parasitology' source. Tue, 07 Feb 2012 00:43:17 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5657930&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D22281156%26dopt%3DAbstract The objective of this study was to develop a novel liposomal formulation, containing phosphatidylserine (PS), of buparvaquone (BPQ) and to evaluate its in vivo effectiveness in Leishmania (L.) infantum chagasi-infected hamsters. The activity of BPQ was evaluated against both the promastigote forms of different Leishmania species and the intracellular amastigotes of L. (L.) infantum chagasi. Buparvaquone was entrapped in PS-liposomes (BPQ-PS-LP), and the drug was quantified by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography. The treatment was quantified by detecting the RNA of the living amastigotes in the spleen and the liver by real-time PCR. In vitro assays with L. (L.) infantum chagasi intracellular amastigotes were performed in peritoneal macrophages for the evaluation of the 50% inhibito... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5657930 Fri, 20 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100 5657930 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5657932&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D22269441%26dopt%3DAbstract We examined the relationship between the mucin alterations in airway and jejunal mucosae and the worm expulsion after third-stage larva reinfection. When rats had been inoculated with fourth-stage larvae and immunized with only the intestinal-stage worms for more than 8days, the challenge larvae were expelled during the intestinal stage along with a rapid increase of the specific sialomucin in jejunal mucosa, without any effect on the bronchial mucus. When rats had been infected with third-stage larvae and immunized with only the pre-intestinal stage larvae by killing with antihelminthic, the challenge larvae were rejected during the pre-intestinal stage along with marked goblet cell hyperplasia and Muc5AC mucin hyperproduction on the bronchial mucosa, but not as a result of jejunal mucin ... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5657932 Wed, 18 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100 5657932 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5657931&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D22269442%26dopt%3DAbstract In conclusion oral infection through the direct delivery of larvae in the stomach is simple and effective. PMID: 22269442 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Experimental Parasitology) Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5657931 Wed, 18 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100 5657931 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5620133&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D22248985%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Kamda JD, Nash TE, Singer SM Abstract Interleukin (IL)-6 is important in numerous infections. IL-6 can promote T cell survival and differentiation toward Th17 cells, as well as B cell proliferation and differentiation to plasma cells. Giardia duodenalis is a protozoan parasite that replicates in the lumen of the small intestine in humans and many other mammals resulting in diarrhea, cramps and developmental delays in children. IL-6 is required for control of this infection, but it is unclear what its role is or which cells are required to produce this cytokine to generate efficient immunity. We have analyzed infections in a series of chimeric mice in which specific cell types lacked the ability to produce IL-6 in order to determine which sources of IL-6 played an important... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5620133 Tue, 10 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100 5620133 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5620132&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D22248986%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Huang X, Li J, Zhang G, Gong P, Yang J, Zhang X Abstract Toxoplasmosis is one of the most world-wide spread zoonosis representing a very serious clinical and veterinary problem. There is still need for vaccines for toxoplasmosis. In the present study, we evaluated the protective efficacy of a recombinant actin depolymerizing factor (ADF) subunit vaccine against Toxoplasma gondii infection in BALB/c mice. The recombinant T. gondii ADF protein (rADF) was expressed in Escherichia coli and used as antigens for BALB/c mice immunization. The results indicated that specific antibody and the increased percentage of CD4(+) T lymphocyte were found in vaccinated BALB/c mice with rADF, when compared with adjuvant or PBS groups. After challenged with T. gondii (RH strain) tachyzoites, ... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5620132 Tue, 10 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100 5620132 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5620134&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D22233734%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Gahtori P, Ghosh SK, Parida P, Prakash A, Gogoi K, Bhat HR, Singh UP Abstract Present communication deals with the docking study of hybrid phenyl thiazolyl-1,3,5-triazine analogues (1a-36d) on three selected different binding site viz., α, β and γ of wild type Pf-DFHR-TS. In admiration of excellent H-bond scoring, with regard to cycloguanil and to a large extent similar scoring with WR99210, compound 4a, 12b, 21c, 23c, 28d, 29d, 34d, and 35d were selected for in vitro antimalarial activity against 3D7 strain of Plasmodium falciparum. Findings from the study disclose that a significant correlation was exist between in vitro results and in silico prediction (r(2)=0.543). Furthermore, investigation of structure-activity relationships elucidate crucial structural requiremen... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5620134 Tue, 03 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100 5620134 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5620136&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D22230706%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Slapeta J PMID: 22230706 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Experimental Parasitology) Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5620136 Mon, 02 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100 5620136 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5620135&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D22230707%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Xiao L, Ryan UM, Fayer R, Bowman DD, Zhang L PMID: 22230707 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Experimental Parasitology) Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5620135 Mon, 02 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100 5620135 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5577849&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D22227102%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Machado M, Pires P, Dinis AM, Santos-Rosa M, Alves V, Salgueiro L, Cavaleiro C, Sousa MC Abstract In order to contribute for the search of new drugs for leishmaniasis, we study the susceptibility of Leishmania infantum, Leishmania tropica and Leishmania major to Cymbopogon citratus essential oil and major compounds, mrycene and citral. C. citratus and citral were the most active inhibiting L. infantum, L. tropica and L. major growth at IC(50) concentrations ranging from 25 to 52μg/ml and from 34 to 42μg/ml, respectively. L. infantum promastigotes exposed to essential oil and citral underwent considerable ultrastructural alterations, namely mitochondrial and kinetoplast swelling, autophagosomal structures, disruption of nuclear membrane and nuclear chromatin condensation.... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5577849 Mon, 02 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100 5577849 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5577850&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D22226640%26dopt%3DAbstract In this study, many ciliates were found in the blood vessel, brain, dorsal fins, muscle, kidney, and vertebra of infected flounder. The histopathological investigations are of significant importance in view of possible routes of entry into the host and doses of ciliates that trigger fast infection for potential utility of drugs as a strategy for the control of P. dicentrarchi in farmed olive flounder. PMID: 22226640 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Experimental Parasitology) Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5577850 Thu, 29 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5577850 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5559473&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D22209941%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Cala AC, Chagas AC, Oliveira MC, Matos AP, Borges LM, Sousa LA, Souza FA, Oliveira GP Abstract The control of parasitic diseases in small ruminants is mainly done with the use of synthetic anthelmintics. However, incorrect and indiscriminate use of these products has caused the emergence of parasite resistance. Plants with anthelmintic activity are used in folk veterinary medicine, but it is necessary to investigate and scientifically validate low-cost phytotherapeutic alternatives for future use to control gastrointestinal nematodes in small ruminants by family farmers. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the in vitro anthelmintic effect of plant extracts from Melia azedarach and Trichilia claussenii by the egg hatch test (EHT) and larval development test (LDT) ag... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5559473 Tue, 27 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5559473 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5559470&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D22212684%26dopt%3DAbstract This study aimed to evaluate the in vitro effect of the entomopathogenic fungi Metarhizium anisopliae sensu lato (s.l.) and Beauveria bassiana sensu lato (s.l.) on two distinct populations of Rhipicephalus microplus, from two different experimental farms. Bioassays were performed with engorged females, eggs and larvae. Fungal infection was evaluated based on biological parameters of treated engorged females, percentage of hatch from treated eggs, and percentage of mortality and mean lethal time (LT90) of treated larvae. When the treatments were compared between the two populations, there were significant differences in the following parameters: pre-oviposition period, hatching period and egg production index. Moreover, the results showed that B. bassiana s.l., isolate Bb 986, was more viru... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5559470 Mon, 26 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5559470 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5559474&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D22209940%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Kosik-Bogacka DI, Wojtkowiak-Giera A, Kolasa A, Salamatin R, Jagodzinski PP, Wandurska-Nowak E Abstract Toll receptors play a critical role in the rapid activation of innate immune responses to a variety of pathogens. In mammals, Toll-like receptors (TLRs) have been found in both immune related cells and other cells. At present little is known about the participation of TLRs in host defense mechanisms during parasitic infections. The aim of this study was to determine the expression of TLR2 and TLR4 genes in rat intestines during experimental hymenolepidosis. There is difference in expression of TLR2 and TLR4 genes in the colon and jejunum in uninfected rats: in the colon, mRNA of the examined TLRs is present in much higher amounts than the jejunum, while the protein of th... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5559474 Sat, 24 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5559474 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5559472&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D22210156%26dopt%3DAbstract In conclusion, different strains of T. gondii cause morphometric changes in caecal myenteric neurons of rats. Only the genotype I strain was able to cause neuronal density changes. PMID: 22210156 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Experimental Parasitology) Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5559472 Thu, 22 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5559472 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5559471&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D22210157%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Stoco PH, Aresi C, Lückemeyer DD, Sperandio MM, Sincero TC, Steindel M, Miletti LC, Grisard EC Abstract Glycoconjugates play essential roles in cell recognition, infectivity and survival of protozoan parasites within their insect vectors and mammalian hosts. β-Galactofuranose is a component of several glycoconjugates in many organisms, including a variety of trypanosomatids, but is absent in mammalian and African trypanosomes. Herein, we describe the presence of a β(1-3) galactofuranosyl transferase (GALFT), an important enzyme of the galactofuranose biosynthetic pathway, in Trypanosoma rangeli. The T. rangeli GALFT gene (TrGALFT) has an ORF of 1.2Kb and is organized in two copies in the T. rangeli genome. Antibodies raised against an internal fragment of the transferas... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5559471 Thu, 22 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5559471 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5559475&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D22206770%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Hao YJ, Montiel R, Lucena MA, Costa M, Simoes N Abstract Entomopathogenic nematode Heterorhabditis bacteriophora Az29 and Az36 isolates with different virulence against Popillia unipuncta and soil survival time were isolated from the Azorean archipelago (Portugal) and used for the study. RAPD analysis revealed a very low-level of genetic diversity (GD(axenic Az36 isolate)(axenic Az29 isolate)=0.2338±0.0541) between axenic Az29 and Az36 isolates, and a relative low-level of diversity (GD(Az36 isolate)(Az29 isolate)=0.3366±0.0471) between Az29 and Az36 isolates. To unravel the molecular differences, a suppressive subtractive hybridization library was constructed from the parasitic stage. Assembling 150 high quality ESTs produced 70 singletons and 17 contigs. BLAST analysis... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5559475 Tue, 20 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5559475 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5559477&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D22202181%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: He GZ, Deng SX, Tian WY, Feng Y Abstract Entamoeba histolytica cysteine proteinase gene 5(EhCP5) is one of the major proteinase genes of all EhCP-transcripts. The amebiasis cysteine proteinase gene encoding an antigen from E. histolytica, as well as the recombinant EhCP5, obtained by cloning and expression of the EhCP5 gene in heterologous host Escherichia coli BL-21 (DE3), were used to evaluate their ability to induce immune protective responses in Minipig against challenge infection in a minipig-E. histolytica model. There was a 52.27% reduction (P<0.001) in the group of recovery of challenged E. histolytica compared with that in the control group. Specific anti-EhCP5 antibodies from immune protected minipig had significantly higher levels of immunoglobulin G (IgG) (P... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5559477 Mon, 19 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5559477 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5559476&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D22202182%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Rossi A, Marquésa JM, Gavidia CM, Gonzalez AE, Carmona C, García HH, Chabalgoity JA Abstract Modulation of host responses is an important strategy by which parasites ensure successful establishment and persistence. Host counteraction against this modulation may be required for the host to develop resistance to infection. In this pilot study, experimental infection of dogs with Echinococcus granulosus induced a strong polarization of the cytokine response towards a Th2 phenotype. Consecutive rounds of infection and cure induced resistance to infection resulting in a dramatically lower parasite burden. Repeatedly-infected resistant dogs also lost immune polarization and developed a balanced Th1/Th2 response. No major differences were observed in the production of regulator... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5559476 Mon, 19 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5559476 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5532887&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D22154977%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: He GZ Abstract The amebiasis cysteine proteinase gene (ACP1) encoding an antigen from Entamoeba histolytica, as well as the recombinant ACP1, obtained by cloning and expression of the ACP1 gene in heterologous host Escherichia coli BL-21 (DE3), were used to evaluate their ability to induce immune protective responses in minipig against challenge infection in a minipig -E. histolytica model. There was a 64.52% reduction (P<0.001) in the group of recovery of challenged E. histolytica compared with that in the control group. Specific anti-ACP1 antibodies from immune protected minipig had significantly higher levels of immunoglobulin G (IgG) (P<0.001). Our data indicate recombinant ACP1 may be a potential target as a vaccine antigen. PMID: 22154977 [PubMed - as suppl... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5532887 Sun, 04 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5532887 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5532886&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D22154978%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Verdillo JC, Lazaro JV, Abes NS, Mingala CN Abstract The virulence of three Trypanosoma evansi isolates in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao water buffaloes was compared determining the mortality rate, parasitemia level, clinical signs, and lesions on mice. A total of 51 inbred Balb/c mice (5-6weeks old) were used and divided into two sets. Set A had three groups corresponding to three trypanosomes isolates (Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao) with seven mice each whose parasitemia level, clinical signs, and lesions were noted at necropsy. Set B had three groups corresponding to the three isolates with ten mice each whose mortality was monitored. Each infected mouse was inoculated with 0.2ml of T. evansi intraperitoneally and blood was examined under high power magnification. Their pa... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5532886 Sun, 04 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5532886 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5532890&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D22143088%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Fernandes EK, Bittencourt VR, Roberts DW Abstract Ticks are serious health threats for humans, and both domestic and wild animals. Ticks are controlled mostly by application of chemical products; but these acaricides have several negative side effects, including toxicity to animals, environmental contamination, and induction of chemical resistance in some tick populations. Entomopathogenic fungi infect arthropods in nature and can occur at enzootic or epizootic levels in their host populations. Laboratory studies clearly demonstrate that these fungi can cause high mortality in all developmental stages of several tick species, and also reduce oviposition of infected engorged females. Tick mortality following application of fungi in the field, however, often is less than tha... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5532890 Mon, 28 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5532890 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5532889&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D22143089%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Siddiqui R, Khan NA Abstract Given the remarkable similarities in cellular structure (morphological and ultra-structural features), molecular motility, biochemical physiology, ability to capture prey by phagocytosis and interactions with microbial pathogens, here we pose the question whether Acanthamoeba and macrophages are evolutionary related. This is discussed in the light of evolution and functional aspects such as the astonishing resemblance of many bacteria to infect and multiply inside human macrophages and amoebae in analogous ways. Further debate and studies will determine if Acanthamoeba is an evolutionary ancestor of macrophages. Is this a myth or reality? PMID: 22143089 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Experimental Parasitology) Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5532889 Mon, 28 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5532889 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5532888&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D22143090%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Grecco SD, Reimão JQ, Tempone AG, Sartorelli P, Cunha RL, Romoff P, Ferreira MJ, Fávero OA, Lago JH Abstract Leishmaniasis and Chagas' are parasitic protozoan diseases that affect the poorest population in the world, causing a high mortality and morbidity. As a result of highly toxic and long-term treatments, novel, safe and more efficacious drugs are essential. In this work, the CH(2)Cl(2) phase from MeOH extract from the leaves of Baccharis retusa DC. (Asteraceae) was fractioned to afford two flavonoids: naringenin (1) and sakuranetin (2). These compounds were in vitro tested against Leishmania spp. promastigotes and amastigotes and Trypanosoma cruzi trypomastigotes and amastigotes. Compound 2 presented activity against Leishmania (L.) amazonensis, Leishmania (V.) braz... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5532888 Mon, 28 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5532888 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5532891&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D22138443%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Lin RQ, Liu GH, Zhang Y, D'Amelio S, Zhou DH, Yuan ZG, Zou FC, Song HQ, Zhu XQ Abstract In the present study, we sequenced the complete mt genome (14,022bp) of parasitic nematode Contracaecum rudolphii B and its structure and organization compared with Anisakis simplex s.l. The mt genome of C. rudolphii B is slightly longer than that of A. simplex s.l. (13,916bp). C. rudolphii B mt genome is circular, and consists of 36 genes, including 12 genes for proteins, 2 genes for rRNA and 22 genes for tRNA. This genome contains a high A+T (70.5%) content. The mt gene order for C. rudolphii B is the same as those for A. simplex s.l., but it is distinctly different from other nematodes compared. The start codons inferred in the mt genome of C. rudolphii B are TTG and ATT. Six protein... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5532891 Fri, 25 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5532891 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5532892&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D22127328%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Fraga CM, Costa TL, Bezerra JC, de Souza Lino R, Vinaud MC Abstract Human cysticercosis by Taenia crassiceps is rare although it is considered of zoonotic risk, especially to immunocompromised individuals. Albendazole and praziquantel are widely used and effective in its treatment. Their active forms inhibit the glucose uptake by the parasite and induce muscle contractions that alter its glycogen levels interfering in the energetic metabolism of the parasite and leading to its death. The aim of this study was to evaluate alterations in glycolysis, the tricarboxylic acid cycle and glucose concentrations caused by low dosage treatments of the hosts with albendazole and praziquantel. Therefore, T. crassiceps intraperitoneally infected mice were treated by gavage feeding with ... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5532892 Tue, 22 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5532892 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5532893&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D22119241%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Vigueira PA, Paul KS Abstract Trypanosoma brucei, a eukaryotic pathogen that causes African sleeping sickness in humans and nagana in cattle, depends on the enzyme acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) for full virulence in mice. ACC produces malonyl-CoA, the two carbon donor for fatty acid synthesis. We assessed the effect of haloxyfop, an aryloxyphenoxypropionate herbicide inhibitor of plastid ACCs in many plants as well as Toxoplasma gondii, on T. brucei ACC activity and growth in culture. Haloxyfop inhibited TbACC in cell lysate (EC(50) 67μM), despite the presence of an amino acid motif typically associated with resistance. Haloxyfop also reduced growth of bloodstream and procyclic form parasites (EC(50) of 0.8 and 1.2mM). However, the effect on growth was likely due to off-ta... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5532893 Sat, 19 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5532893 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5532895&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D22101075%26dopt%3DAbstract This study suggested that the use of natural plant extracts or their products as ecofriendly biodegradable agents could be of high value for the control of Varroa mite. PMID: 22101075 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Experimental Parasitology) Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5532895 Sat, 12 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5532895 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5532894&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D22101110%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Barboza-Filho CG, Cabrera FC, Dos Santos RJ, De Saja Saez JA, Job AE Abstract The development of nanotechnology has generated new means of disease diagnosis and treatment. Infectious diseases, including leishmaniasis, malaria, etc., have benefited from the advent of new nanomaterials and/or nanodevices capable of detecting specific antigens and antibodies with high specificity and low cost. In this paper, we present an investigation on a single-celled protozoan Leishmaniasis parasite, a disease considered of standard infectivity, given the high degree of immunological specificity. Natural rubber (NR) membranes incorporating gold nanoparticles (GNPs) were placed in the culture medium and the physiological behavior of Leishmania brasiliensis promastigotes was evaluated. The ... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5532894 Thu, 10 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5532894 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5418722&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D22085769%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Luo Y, Terkawi MA, Jia H, Aboge GO, Goo YK, Cao S, Li Y, Yu L, Ooka H, Kamyingkird K, Masatani T, Zhang S, Nishikawa Y, Igarashi I, Xuan X Abstract A double antibody sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (DAS-ELISA) targeting secreted antigen 1 of Babesia microti (BmSA1) was developed for detection of B. microti infection. The optimized DAS-ELISA was sensitive enough to detect circulating BmSA1 by day 2 post-infection, in sequential sera of a hamster infected with B. microti. This detection was 4days earlier than antibody detection by indirect ELISA. The kinetics of circulating BmSA1 coincided with the profile of parasitemia. The specificity of this assay was evaluated using sera from animals experimentally infected with different species of Babesia. The DAS-ELISA had... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5418722 Wed, 09 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5418722 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5418720&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D22085770%26dopt%3DAbstract In this study, we expressed and obtained specific antibodies to HslU and HslV recombinant proteins and demonstrated the interaction between HslU/HslV by coimmunoprecipitation. To evaluate the intracellular distribution of HslV in T. cruzi we used an immunofluorescence assay and ultrastructural localization by transmission electron microscopy. Both techniques demonstrated that HslV was localized in the kinetoplast of epimastigotes. We also analyzed the HslV/20S proteasome co-expression in Y, Berenice 62 (Be-62) and Berenice 78 (Be-78) T. cruzi strains. Our results showed that HslV and 20S proteasome are differently expressed in these strains. To investigate whether a proteasome inhibitor could modulate HslV and proteasome expressions, epimastigotes from T. cruzi were grown in the presence o... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5418720 Wed, 09 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5418720 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5418724&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D22075212%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Ferrer E, Sánchez J, Milano A, Alvarez S, La Rosa R, Lares M, González LM, Cortéz MM, Dávila I, Harrison LJ, Parkhouse RM, Gárate T Abstract To study diagnostic epitopes within the Taenia solium 8kDa antigen family, six overlapping synthetic peptides from an 8kDa family member (Ts8B2) were synthesized and evaluated by ELISA and MABA with sera from patients with neurocysticercosis (NCC), from infected pigs and from rabbits immunized with recombinant Ts8B2 protein. The pre-immune rabbit sera and the Ts8B2 recombinant protein served as negative and positive controls, respectively. A similar analysis was done with the already described antigenic peptides from another member of the 8kDa family, highly similar to Ts8B2, the CyDA antigen. Surprisingly, neither the Ts8B2 pept... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5418724 Thu, 03 Nov 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5418724 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5418727&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D22067209%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: González-Robles A, Salazar-Villatoro L, González-Lázaro M, Omaña-Molina M, Martínez-Palomo A Abstract Some structural observations on cultured Vahlkampfia sp. trophozoites are reported. Trophozoites are active and pleomorphic, producing large cell protrusions related to locomotion such as lamellipodia, filopodia and endocytic structures formed by hyaline cytoplasm, in which actin provides a framework that allows rapid changes in morphology. As observed by transmission electron microscopy, the cytoplasm is highly granular masking some cell organelles and the major cytoplasmic membrane systems. The structure of cell organelles such as the nucleus, endoplasmic reticulum, and digestive vacuoles is described. A common finding was the presence of 50nm electron-dense round g... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5418727 Mon, 31 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5418727 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5379157&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D22024448%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Xue J, Zhan B, Jian G, He N, Qiang HQ, Hotez P, Xiao SH Abstract The aim of the study is to demonstrate and understand the acquired immunity in golden hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus) elicited by primary Necator americanus infective third-stage larvae (L3) infection. Hamsters infected with 150 L3 for 1, 2, 3, 6 and 10weeks, were challenged with the same number of L3 and sacrificed 25days post challenge. The primarily infected hamsters exhibited 99-100% protection against subsequent L3 challenge compared to un-infected naive hamsters. The acquired immunity was developed as early as 1week post L3 infection and lasted up to 10weeks. Similar protective immunity was obtained in hamsters infected with N. americanus L3 and then treated orally with a single of 100mg/kg albendazole,... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5379157 Fri, 21 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5379157 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5379152&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D22041100%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Otify YZ Abstract A new method for measuring the size of parasites and other objects using optical microscopy was developed using a specifically designed movable computer ruler (MCR) derived from digital images of a stage micrometer. Subsequently, MCR can be superimposed on images of parasites to measure their size. MCR derived from the stage micrometer under a particular objective lens can be used to measure the size of an object acquired by the same lens/microscope/camera system. The conditions are fixed for every superimposed image including width, height, pixel number and density. The MCR was tested using selected parasites, and shown to be as accurate as the ocular micrometer disk, screw micrometer eyepiece and image analysis software. The lower technical complexity o... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5379152 Thu, 20 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5379152 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5379154&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D22033075%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Elias CG, Chagas MG, Souza-Gonçalves AL, Pascarelli BM, d'Avila-Levy CM, Branquinha MH, Santos AL Abstract Phytomonas serpens synthesizes metallo- and cysteine-proteases that are related to gp63 and cruzipain, respectively, two virulence factors produced by pathogenic trypanosomatids. Here, we described the cellular distribution of gp63- and cruzipain-like molecules in P. serpens through immunocytochemistry and confocal fluorescence microscopy. Both proteases were detected in distinct cellular compartments, presenting co-localization in membrane domains and intracellular regions. Subsequently, we showed that exogenous proteins modulated the production of both protease classes, but in different ways. Regarding the metalloprotease, only fetal bovine serum (FBS) influenced t... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5379154 Wed, 19 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5379154 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5379155&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D22027550%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Kit CW, Wah MJ, Ambu S, Segarra I Abstract Toxoplasma gondii is an intra-cellular parasite that infects humans through vertical and horizontal transmission. The cysts remain dormant in the brain of infected humans and can reactivate in immunocompromised hosts resulting in acute toxoplasmic encephalitis which may be fatal. We determined the onset and progression of brain cysts generation in a mouse model following acute toxoplasmosis as well as the ability of brain cysts to reactivate in vitro. Male Balb/c mice, (uninfected control group, n=10) were infected orally (study group, n=50) with 1000 tachyzoites of T. gondii (ME49 strain) and euthanized at 1, 2, 4, 8 and 16weeks post infection. Brain tissue was harvested, homogenized, stained and the number of brain cysts counted... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5379155 Tue, 18 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5379155 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5379156&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D22024449%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Jakobsen PJ, Scharsack JP, Hammerschmidt K, Deines P, Kalbe M, Milinski M Abstract With the present study, a culture system for successive life-cycle stages of the tapeworm Schistocephalus solidus was developed and this report documents for the first time, cultivation of the procercoid stage of S. solidus from eggs. Additionally we have transformed procercoids dissected from experimentally infected copepods and cultured procercoids into the early plerocercoid stage in vitro. Observations in the culture suggest that the coracidia can interact with their external environment and need no host specific stimuli, except for the components in the culture medium, for activation and hatching from the embryophore. Increasing the culture medium pH from 7.3 to 8.0 improved escape rate... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5379156 Sat, 15 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5379156 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5379153&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D22033076%26dopt%3DAbstract In this study, we evaluated four methods to separate and purify Toxoplasma gondii tachyzoites from in vivo and in vitro culture systems, including trypsin digestion, purification with a 3-μm filter, CF-11 cellulose purification, and Percoll purification. Our results indicate that both purification with a 3-μm filter and CF11 cellulose purification methods remove leukocytes or HeLa cells, and can therefore be used as candidate methods for the purification of in vivo and in vitro culture products. Trypsin digestion had a high tachyzoite recovery rate, but 22.35% of leukocytes and 69.64% of HeLa cells remained in the purified products. Percoll solution [30% (v/v)] also had a high tachyzoite recovery rate, but 3.44% of leukocytes and 61.61% of HeLa cells remained in the purified products. Th... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5379153 Sat, 15 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5379153 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5379163&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D22019408%26dopt%3DAbstract This study demonstrates that administration of high dose of naloxone could improve protection against L. major infection in BALB/c mice, presumably by modulation in Th1/Th2 balance or by affecting macrophages through binding to Toll-like receptors. PMID: 22019408 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Experimental Parasitology) Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5379163 Wed, 12 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5379163 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5379162&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D22019409%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Ricardo PU, Felipe VP, Lucia J, Abraham L Abstract Cytosolic Cu,Zn superoxide dismutase (Cu,Zn-SOD) catalyzes the dismutation of superoxide (O(2)(-)) to oxygen and hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) and plays an important role in the establishment and survival of helminthes in their hosts. In this work, we describe the Taenia solium Cu,Zn-SOD gene (TsCu,Zn-SOD) and a Taenia crassiceps (TcCu,Zn-SOD) cDNA. TsCu,Zn-SOD gene that spans 2.841kb, and has three exons and two introns; the splicing junctions follow the GT-AG rule. Analysis in silico of the gene revealed that the 5'-flanking region has three putative TATA and CCAAT boxes, and transcription factor binding sites for NF1 and AP1. The transcription start site was a C, located at 22 nucleotides upstream of the translation star... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5379162 Wed, 12 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5379162 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5379161&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D22019410%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Azzouz S, Maache M, Osuna A, Lawton P, Pétavy AF Abstract Toxoplasma gondii is an ubiquitous intracellular parasite, causative agent of toxoplasmosis, and a worldwide zoonosis for which an effective vaccine is needed. A group of proteins secreted by tachyzoites during host-cell invasion was isolated from the interaction medium. It induced the permeability of the cells as assessed by alpha-sarcin and consequently facilitated the entry of the parasite into the cells. SDS-PAGE of the purified proteins showed a pattern of four proteins of 67, 42, 32 and 27kDa. MRC-5 cells incubated with the total protein and the different electroeluted bands endured a high cellular death in presence of alpha-sarcin. BALb/C mice immunized with the group of proteins had a mixed Th1/Th2 response... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5379161 Wed, 12 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5379161 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5379160&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D22019416%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Datta S, Adak R, Chakraborty P, Haldar AK, Bhattacharjee S, Chakraborty A, Roy S, Manna M Abstract The present study intends to evaluate the role of radio-attenuated leishmania parasites as immunoprophylactic agents for experimental murine visceral leishmaniasis. BALB/c mice were immunized with gamma (γ)-irradiated Leishmania donovani. A second immunization was given after 15days of first immunization. After two immunizations, mice were infected with virulent L. donovani promastigotes. Protection against Kala-azar (KA) was estimated from spleen and liver parasitic burden along with the measurement of nitrite and superoxide anion generation by isolation of splenocytes and also by T-lymphocyte helper 1(Th1) and T-lymphocyte helper 2(Th2) cytokines release from the experimen... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5379160 Wed, 12 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5379160 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5379159&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D22019417%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Abdel Fattah NS, Ahmed NS Abstract Experimental studies have demonstrated the occurrence of angiogenesis, blood vessels formation from pre-existing vessels, in the initial phase of bilharzial granuloma formation and during fibrosis progression in chronic hepatic schistosomiasis. Paradoxically, a recent work demonstrated an occurrence of angiogenesis during fibrosis regression months after curative treatment. Studies regarding the in situ kinetics of blood vessels in the phase of granuloma resolution and liver tissue healing early after treatment are lacking. The current work compared the kinetics of blood vessels by immunohistochemical staining using CD34, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and actin in the livers of normal control mice, Schistosoma mansoni infected... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5379159 Wed, 12 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5379159 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5379158&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D22019418%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Felizardo TC, Gaspar-Elsas MI, Lima GM, Abrahamsohn IA Abstract Lesion development in tegumentary leishmaniasis is markedly influenced by the inoculation site and the type and number of injected infective forms. This and the yet unclear contribution of Th2 cytokines as susceptibility factors to Leishmania amazonensis infection prompted us to investigate the roles of IL-4, IL-13 and IL-10 on C57BL/6 and BALB/c mice infected in the footpad (paw) or rump with low-dose L. amazonensis purified-metacyclics. Wild-type (WT) mice of either strain developed, in the rump, a single large ulcerated lesion whereas paw lesions never ulcerated and were much smaller in C57BL/6 than in BALB/c mice. However, rump-inoculated IL-4-deficient (IL-4(-/-)) C57BL/6 mice did not develop any visible ... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5379158 Wed, 12 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5379158 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5325388&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D22001446%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Park JS, Cho MK, Yu HS, Ahn SC Abstract A gene coding for a 24kDa protein (22U homologous; As22U) was isolated from the Anisakis simplex third-stage larvae cDNA library during expressed sequence tag analysis. As22U was 636bp long, and was found to code for 212 amino acid residues with a calculated mass of 23.5kDa and a PI of 9.06. The As22U deduced amino acid sequence harbored a signal peptide region and 16 highly conserved cysteine residues, and it was identified in both the total extracts and ES protein of A. simplex. Its molecular weight was measured at 24kDa via western blot analysis. The expression levels of thymic stromal lymphopoietin, IL-25, and CXCL1 (Gro-α) genes were increased at 6h after recombinant As22U treatment in mouse intestinal epithelial cells. Additio... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5325388 Wed, 12 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5325388 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5325389&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D22001445%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Joung M, Yoon S, Choi K, Kim JY, Park WY, Yu JR Abstract Cryptosporidium parvum can survive exposure to harsh environmental conditions, various disinfectants, and high doses of γ-radiation. Recently, it was found that the expression of thioredoxin peroxidase (CpTPx) in C. parvum increased after a high dose of γ-irradiation to the parasite. CpTPx is a two-cysteine peroxiredoxin that contains cysteines at positions 49 and 170. Recombinant CpTPx fused to an N-terminal hexahistidine sequence, (His)(6)-CpTPx, exhibited substantial thiol-dependent peroxidase activity that protected plasmid DNA from damage by metal-catalyzed oxidation in vitro. (His)(6)-CpTPx was used to screen sera from C. parvum-infected mice and humans for antibodies against CpTPx. In Western blots, 10% of t... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5325389 Wed, 05 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5325389 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5325390&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21985914%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Maggioli G, Silveira F, Martín-Alonso JM, Salinas G, Carmona C, Parra F Abstract Antioxidant systems are fundamental components of host-parasite interactions, and often play a key role in parasite survival. Here, we report the cloning, heterologous expression, and characterization of a thioredoxin glutathione reductase (TGR) from Fasciola hepatica. The deduced polypeptide sequence of the cloned open reading frame (ORF) confirmed the experimental N-terminus previously determined for a native F. hepatica TGR showing thioredoxin reductase (TR) activity. The sequence revealed the presence of a fusion between a glutaredoxin (Grx) and a TR domain, similar to that previously reported in Schistosoma mansoni and Echinococcus granulosus. The F. hepatica TGR sequence included an add... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5325390 Sat, 01 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5325390 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5296173&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21978449%26dopt%3DAbstract In this study we report that Ld1590 potentially encodes a nucleotide sugar transporter (NST) which localizes in the L.donovani Golgi apparatus. Surprisingly, although transgenic expression of the Ld1590 NST increased L.major survival in visceral organs, deletion of Ld1590 NST in L.donovani had no significant effect on L.donovani survival in mice. These observations suggest that loss of the functional Ld1590 gene in L.major may have been associated with reduced virulence in visceral organs in its animal reservoir and could have contributed to L.major's tropism for cutaneous infections. PMID: 21978449 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Experimental Parasitology) Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5296173 Thu, 29 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5296173 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5296174&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21963790%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Li RW, Tuo W Abstract To understand the genetic basis of virulence, gene expression profiles of a temperature-sensitive clone (NCts-8, relatively avirulent) and its wild type (NC-1) of Neospora caninum were characterized and compared using a high-density microarray with approximately 63,000 distinct oligonucleotides. This microarray consists of 5692 unique N. caninum sequences, including 1980 Tentative Consensus sequences and 3712 singleton ESTs from the TIGR N. caninum Gene Index (NCGI, release 5.0). Each sequence was represented by 11 distinct 60mer oligonucleotides synthesized in situ on the microarray. The results showed that 111 genes were significantly repressed and no up-regulated genes were identified in the NCts-8 clone. The level of 10 randomly selected genes fro... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5296174 Thu, 22 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5296174 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5296175&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21963772%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Lovato DV, Amino R, González Y, Miranda A, Schenkman S, Tanaka AS Abstract Infestins are Kazal-type serine protease inhibitors described in the midgut of Triatoma infestans, Chagas disease vector. Of all infestins, only infestin 1R (INF1R) does not control host blood coagulation, due to its inhibitory specificity for chymotrypsin-like proteases. We further investigated the effect of INF1R on cell infection by Trypanosoma cruzi. The importance of INF1R reactive site to inhibit T. cruzi cell invasion was confirmed using 1RSFTI, a synthetic cyclic peptide containing the inhibitor reactive site region hybridized to the Sunflower Trypsin Inhibitor-1 (SFTI-1). Our results suggest that INF1R efficiently inhibited parasite cell invasion. For the first time, a serine protease inhi... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5296175 Wed, 21 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5296175 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5276561&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21959021%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Specht S, Taylor MD, Hoeve M, Allen JE, Lang R, Hoerauf A Abstract Individuals infected with parasitic helminths are able to tolerate the presence of parasites for considerable time without clinical pathology. Immunosuppressive responses induced by the filarial parasite are considered responsible for this long-lasting relationship, insuring to the benefit of both parasite and host. In order to directly link IL-10 with parasite survival, we infected mice, in which over expression of IL-10 was restricted to macrophages under control of the CD68 promoter (macIL-10tg), with Litomosoides sigmodontis. IL-10 overexpression by macrophages led to increased susceptibility with a significantly higher number of adult worms. Most profound, IL-10 overexpression was sufficient to convert... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5276561 Mon, 19 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5276561 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5276560&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21959022%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Knight AJ, Behm CA Abstract The vacuolar ATPase enzyme complex (V-ATPase) pumps protons across membranes, energised by hydrolysis of ATP. It is involved in many physiological processes and has been implicated in many different diseases. While the broader functions of V-ATPases have been reviewed extensively, the role of this complex in nematodes specifically has not. Here, the essential role of the V-ATPase in nematode nutrition, osmoregulation, synthesis of the cuticle, neurobiology and reproduction is discussed. Based on the requirement of V-ATPase activity, or components of the V-ATPase, for these processes, the potential of the V-ATPase as a drug target for nematode parasites, which cause a significant burden to human health and agriculture, is also discussed. The V-AT... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5276560 Mon, 19 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5276560 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5276559&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21959023%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: De NV, Le TH Abstract The prevalence of fish-borne trematodes in humans and their molecular identification was investigated in the Rang Dong commune of Nam Dinh province, Vietnam, between January 2009 and December 2010. A total of 405 people in this commune were interviewed on the habit of eating raw fish and all of their stool samples were collected using the Kato-Katz technique for examination of the presence of fish-borne trematodes. The worms (and eggs) were first morphologically examined, counted, described and identified, then the representative isolates were subjected for molecular species confirmation. A total of 385 adult flukes collected from 10 patients were morphologically identified to species and defined as Clonorchis sinensis (14.58%) in Opisthorchiidae fami... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5276559 Mon, 19 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5276559 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5276564&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21945268%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Yadav S, Saxena JK, Dwivedi UN Abstract Plasmodium lacks the de novo pathway for purine biosynthesis and relies exclusively on the salvage pathway. Adenosine deaminase (ADA), first enzyme of the pathway, was purified and characterized from Plasmodium yoelii, a rodent malarial species, using ion exchange and gel exclusion chromatography. The purified enzyme is a 41kDa monomer. The enzyme showed K(m) values of 41μM and 34μM for adenosine and 2'-deoxyadenosine, respectively. Erythro-9-(2-hydroxy-3-nonyl) adenine competitively inhibited P. yoelii ADA with K(i) value of 0.5μM. The enzyme was inhibited by DEPC and protein denaturing agents, urea and GdmCl. Purine analogues significantly inhibited ADA activity. Inhibition by p-chloromercuribenzoate (pCMB) and N-ethylmaleimide ... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5276564 Fri, 16 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5276564 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5276563&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21945269%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Mirzaei A, Rouhani S, Taherkhani H, Farahmand M, Kazemi B, Hedayati M, Baghaei A, Davari B, Parvizi P Abstract In Iran, three species of Leishmania have been incriminated as the causative agents of human leishmaniasis, Leishmania (L.) major, Leishmania tropica, and Leishmania infantum.Rhombomis opimus have been incriminated as a principal reservoirs of the parasitic protozoan Leishmania major, the causative agent of rural zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (ZCL) in Iran. Rodents captured and examined to find Leishmania species using conventional methods including direct impression smear and microscopic observation inoculation samples to Balb/c and culture in NNN medium. Also molecular method was employed to detect Leishmania in rodents by amplifying a region of the ribosomal... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5276563 Fri, 16 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5276563 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5276565&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21939658%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Soares RO, Echevarria A, Bellieny MS, Pinho RT, de Leo RM, Seguins WS, Machado GM, Canto-Cavalheiro MM, Leon LL Abstract Synthetic thiosemicarbazones and semicarbazones were evaluated for their Trypanosoma cruzi trypomastigotes obtained from LLC-MK2 cell cultures. In general, thiosemicarbazone derivatives were most effective and among them the 4-N-(2'-methoxy styryl)-thiosemicarbazone was chosen, to compare the in vitro effect against amastigotes of T. cruzi lodged in mouse peritoneal and human macrophages. A potent trypanocidal effect was observed that was more pronounced against parasites internalized in human macrophages. A potential target for this compound was also evaluated by measuring the nitric oxide synthase activity through NADPH consumption. A significant decre... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5276565 Wed, 14 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5276565 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5276562&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21945847%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Prudencio CR, Rodrigues AA, Cardoso R, Souza GR, Szabó MP, Goulart LR Abstract Early experiments performed by our group with the phage display technique revealed the potential for using epitope-displaying phages (mimotopes) as a tool for tick antigen discovery. Thus, as a preliminary study, inflammatory reactions induced by phage display tick-borne candidates were investigated by using the cutaneous hypersensitivity test. The profile of selected Rhipicephalus microplus mimotopes was assessed on tick field-exposed cattle and our data indicated a pattern similar to immediate hypersensitivity reaction and not a delayed immune response as expected. However, the wild-type phage inoculation surprisingly induced a strong immediate response on its own. Such reactions indicate tha... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5276562 Mon, 12 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5276562 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5246012&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21925176%26dopt%3DAbstract In this study, we identified by molecular weight, proteins that interact with ES-62 and found differences amongst the immune system cells studied. Thus, whereas lymphocytes appear to have two major interacting proteins of ∼135 and ∼82kDa, U937 monocytes only contain an ES-62-binding protein of the latter molecular weight. Binding to the proteins on B cells and U937 cells was blocked by PC, suggesting a critical role for this ES-62 moiety in facilitating interaction. Finally, ES-62 binding is followed by internalization in both macrophages and B cells but only in the former was absence of TLR4 found to block internalization. These findings are consistent with differences in receptor usage by ES-62 amongst different cell-types. PMID: 21925176 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Sour... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5246012 Thu, 08 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5246012 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5246013&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21925175%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Yang Y, Qin W, Wei H, Ying J, Zhen J Abstract Cathepsin B proteinase constitutes a large multigenes family in parasitic and non-parasitic nematodes. The localization of cathepsin B proteinases (AcCP-1 and AcCP-2) in adult worm of Ancylostoma caninum has been characterized (Harrop et al., 1995), but the localization and function in eggs and larval stages remained undiscovered. Here we described the expressing of cathepsin B proteinase (AcCP-2) in Escherichia coli, and immuno-localization of cathepsin B proteinase in eggs and larvae stages of A. caninum. A cDNA fragment encoding a cathepsin B proteinase (AcCP-2) was cloned from A. caninum and expressed in E. coli. Gelatin digestion showed that recombinant cathepsin B proteinase (AcCP-2) has protease activity. The protein lev... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5246013 Wed, 07 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5246013 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5246014&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21924265%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Glaser KC, Hagos B, Molestina RE Abstract The majority of strains of Toxoplasma gondii belong to three distinct clonal lines known as types I, II, and III. The outcome of the immune response to infection is influenced by the parasite strain type. The goal of this study was to examine differences in the kinetics of gene expression in microglial cells infected with types I, II, or III of T. gondii. In addition, a requirement for the integrity of host Toll-like receptor (TLR) signaling in parasite-mediated changes in gene expression was evaluated. Wild type murine microglial cells infected with T. gondii displayed different kinetic patterns of pro-inflammatory cytokine expression that were dependent on the parasite strain type. In general, types II and III elicited higher sus... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5246014 Tue, 06 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5246014 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5218288&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21910990%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Martin RJ, Buxton SK, Neveu C, Charvet CL, Robertson AP Abstract Nematode parasites infect humans and domestic animals; treatment and prophylaxis require anthelmintic drugs because vaccination and sanitation is limited. Emodepside is a more recently introduced cyclooctadepsipeptide drug that has actions against GI nematodes, lungworm, and microfilaria. It has a novel mode of action which breaks resistance to the classical anthelmintics (benzimidazoles, macrocyclic lactones and cholinergic agonists). Here we review studies on its mode of action which suggest that it acts to inhibit neuronal and muscle activity of nematodes by increasing the opening of calcium-activated potassium (SLO-1) channels. PMID: 21910990 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Experimental P... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5218288 Sat, 03 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5218288 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5218289&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21907709%26dopt%3DAbstract This study demonstrates the usefulness of Salmonella as a carrier of nematode epitopes providing a surface display system for intestinal parasite vaccine applications. PMID: 21907709 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Experimental Parasitology) Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5218289 Wed, 31 Aug 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5218289 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5218290&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21907198%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Lee C, Chung KW, Kim TS, Choi KM, Choi YK, Chung NJ, Rhie HG, Lee HS, Lee SJ, Lee HW Abstract Merozoite surface protein-1 (MSP-1), a major asexual blood stage antigen, and circumsporozoite protein (CSP), a component of sporozoites that includes a Plasmodium vivax B-cell epitope, are strong candidates for use in a malaria vaccine. A chimeric recombinant gene containing portions of both msp-1 and csp from P. vivax separated by Pro-Gly linker motif was generated. The construct gene was named mlc (msp-1, linker, and csp). The MLC chimeric recombinant protein had a molecular weight of approximately 25kDa when expressed in Escherichia coli, as determined with sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) analysis. The purified chimeric protein reacted with... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5218290 Sun, 28 Aug 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5218290 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5218291&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21893057%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Aranzamendi C, Tefsen B, Jansen M, Chiumiento L, Bruschi F, Kortbeek T, Smith DF, Cummings RD, Pinelli E, Van Die I Abstract Diagnostic methods for parasite infections still highly depend on the identification of the parasites by direct methods such as microscopic examination of blood, stool and tissue biopsies. Serodiagnosis is often carried out to complement the direct methods; however, few synthetic antigens with sufficient sensitivity and specificity are available. Here we evaluated a glycan microarray approach to select for synthetic glycan antigens that could be used for serodiagnosis of parasitic infections. Using a glycan array containing over 250 different glycan antigens, we identified GalNAcβ1-4(Fucα1-3)GlcNAc-R (LDNF) as a glycan antigen that is recognized by... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5218291 Wed, 24 Aug 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5218291 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5218293&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21875582%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Tian Z, Liu G, Xie J, Shen H, Zhang L, Zhang P, Luo J Abstract Seven Trypanosoma evansi isolates from China and a Trypanosoma congolense sp. gifted from Kenya were characterized genetically by the internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS-1) of nuclear ribosomal DNA (rDNA). The ITS-1 rDNA with the length of 338-342bp was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequenced from individual isolates of T. evansi. Although sequence variation between T. evansi isolates from China only was 0.3-3.8%, the constructed phylogenetic tree based on the ITS-1 rDNA sequence by the method of neighbor-joining and maximum parsimony revealed the genetic diversity among T. evansi isolates from China. For T. congolense sp., the most phylogenetically related species was T. congolense IL1180. Al... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5218293 Tue, 23 Aug 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5218293 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5218294&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21875581%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Maizels RM, Hewitson JP, Murray J, Harcus YM, Dayer B, Filbey KJ, Grainger JR, McSorley HJ, Reynolds LA, Smith KA Abstract The intestinal nematode parasite Heligmosomoides polygyrus bakeri exerts widespread immunomodulatory effects on both the innate and adaptive immune system of the host. Infected mice adopt an immunoregulated phenotype, with abated allergic and autoimmune reactions. At the cellular level, infection is accompanied by expanded regulatory T cell populations, skewed dendritic cell and macrophage phenotypes, B cell hyperstimulation and multiple localised changes within the intestinal environment. In most mouse strains, these act to block protective Th2 immunity. The molecular basis of parasite interactions with the host immune system centres upon secreted pro... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5218294 Mon, 22 Aug 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5218294 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5218292&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21875583%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Sotillo J, Trelis M, Cortes A, Fried B, Marcilla A, Esteban JG, Toledo R Abstract In order to investigate the factors determining the expulsion of intestinal helminths, we have analyzed the in vivo expression of IL-17, TGF-β and IL-23 in several tissues of two host species displaying different compatibility with Echinostoma caproni (Trematoda). We did not observe upregulation of these cytokines in any of the tissues of the high compatible host (mice). In contrast, the responses in the host of low compatibility (rats) with the parasite were markedly different. Significant increases in the expression of IL-17 and TGF-β were observed in the Peyer's patches and the intestine from the 2 to 8weeks post-infection. The expression of IL-23 was upregulated from 2 to 4weeks post-in... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5218292 Mon, 22 Aug 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5218292 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5174918&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21864529%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Umair S, Knight JS, Patchett ML, Bland RJ, Simpson HV Abstract A full length cDNA encoding glutamate dehydrogenase was cloned from Teladorsagia circumcincta (TcGDH). The TcGDH cDNA (1614bp) encoded a 538 amino acid protein. The predicted amino acid sequence showed 96% and 93% similarity with Haemonchus contortus and Caenorhabditis elegans GDH, respectively. A soluble N-terminal 6xHis-tagged GDH protein was expressed in the recombinant Escherichia coli strain BL21 (DE3) pGroESL, purified and characterised. The recombinant TcGDH had similar kinetic properties to those of the enzyme in homogenates of T. circumcincta, including greater activity in the aminating than deaminating reaction. Addition of 1mM ADP and ATP increased activity about 3-fold in the deaminating reaction, b... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5174918 Mon, 15 Aug 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5174918 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5174917&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21864530%26dopt%3DAbstract This study compared genes with various copy numbers to detect and quantify L. infantum chagasi in L. longipalpis specimens by real-time PCR. We mixed pools of 1, 10 and 30 male sand flies with various amounts of L. infantum chagasi, forming groups with 50, 500, 5000 and 50,000 Leishmania parasites. For the amplification of L. infantum chagasi DNA, primers targeting kDNA, polymerase α and the 18S ribosome subunit were employed. Parasites were measured by absolute and relative quantification. PCR detection using the amplification of kDNA exhibited the greatest sensitivity among the genes tested, showing the capacity to detect the DNA equivalent of 0.004 parasites. Additionally, the relative quantification using these primers was more accurate and precise. In general, the number of sand flie... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5174917 Mon, 15 Aug 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5174917 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5174916&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21864531%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Sharmila S, Christiana I, Kiran P, Reddy MV, Kaliraj P Abstract The filarial protein Abundant Larval Transcript-2 (ALT-2) of the filarial parasite Brugia malayi has been shown to produce 74% worm clearance when administered with an adjuvant. In the present study, we show that it not only induces humoral and cell-mediated immunity, but also protection up to 71% in Mastomys coucha, a permissive animal model for filariasis, even without adjuvant. This unique feature of ALT-2 protein is highly restricted to its 21 amino acid N-terminal signal sequence, the absence of which resulted in poor immune response as well as immunoprotection (49%). Moreover, ALT-2 is likely to exert immunoprotection effects in B. malayi infection by maintaining a Th1-Th2 balance, evident from higher le... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5174916 Mon, 15 Aug 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5174916 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5174915&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21864532%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Barata L, Silva MS, Schuldt L, Ferreira AE, Gomes RA, Tomás AM, Weiss MS, Freire AP, Cordeiro C Abstract Leishmania infantum glyoxalase II shows absolute specificity towards its trypanothione thioester substrate. In the previous work, we performed a comparative analysis of glyoxalase II structures determined by X-ray crystallography which revealed that Tyr291 and Cys294, absent in the human homologue, are essential for substrate binding. To validate this trypanothione specificity hypothesis we produced a mutant L. infantum GLO2 enzyme by replacing Tyr291 and Cys294 by arginine and lysine, respectively. This new enzyme is capable to use the glutathione thioester substrate, with kinetic parameters similar to the ones from the human enzyme. Substrate specificity is likely to... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5174915 Mon, 15 Aug 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5174915 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5174914&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21864533%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Lu Y, Han C, Yang J, Li X, Song M Abstract DNAs of Trichinella dog isolate (HC), Trichinella swine isolate (HH) and Trichinella cat isolate (SW), obtained from Heilongjiang Province, were amplified by the fragments of 18S rDNA and ITS2. Two reference strains, Trichinella spiralis (ISS3) and Trichinella nativa (ISS10) were used for sequence comparison. Sequence and dendrogram analysis indicated that HC belonged to T.nativa and HH together with SW belonged to T.spiralis. This method permits rapid species identification of Trichinella isolates, although further evaluation is required before precisely identification. PMID: 21864533 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Experimental Parasitology) Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5174914 Mon, 15 Aug 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5174914 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5174919&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21856298%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Cheng L, Lei L, Guo S, Zhu C, Rong H, Guo D, Zhang L, Jiang Y, Lin J Abstract This paper reports the effective treatment of Schistosoma japonicum in a mouse model with long-acting praziquantel (PZQ)-loaded poly(ε-caprolactone) implants. The implants yielded stable, high plasma PZQ concentrations ranging 100-1600ng/mL during the 40-day investigation period. For assessment of efficacy, the implants were implanted into mice immediately after infection and at 1, 2, 3 and 4weeks after infection to treat the schistosomes at different developmental stages. All the mice were sacrificed at 6weeks after infection for worm and egg recovery, worm morphology examination, and histopathological analysis of implantation site tissues. The worm burdens, egg burdens, and numbers of miracidi... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5174919 Wed, 10 Aug 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5174919 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5174921&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21854774%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Britton C, Samarasinghe B, Knox DP Abstract RNA interference (RNAi) is widely used in Caenorhabiditis elegans to identify essential gene function. In parasitic nematodes RNAi has been reported to result in transcript knockdown of some target genes, but not others, thus limiting its use as a potential functional genomics tool. We recently extended work in Haemonchus contortus to examine why only some genes seem to be susceptible to RNAi and to test RNAi effects in vivo. Here we review our findings, which suggest that site of gene expression influences silencing. This most likely reflects limited uptake of dsRNA from the environment, a phenomenon also observed in other free-living nematodes. We discuss new technologies to improve dsRNA delivery, such as nanoparticles being d... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5174921 Tue, 09 Aug 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5174921 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5174920&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21854775%26dopt%3DAbstract In this study, U937 cells were treated with interferon-γ and one of the following antimalarial drugs: amodiaquine, artemisinin, chloroquine, doxycycline, primaquine, pyrimethamine or quinine. The effects of treating the U937 cells with malaria pigment (β-haematin), latex beads, or Plasmodium falciparum-infected-red blood cell lysates were also investigated. U937 GTP-cyclohydrolase 1 mRNA expression was monitored using reverse-transcriptase-quantitative PCR. Artemisinin, primaquine, and quinine down-regulated GTP-cyclohydrolase 1 gene expression 1.26-, 1.29-, and 1.63-fold, respectively. The remaining drugs had insignificant effects. β-haematin up-regulated GTP-cyclohydrolase 1 mRNA expression 1.18-fold, whereas P. falciparum-infected red blood cell lysate down-regulated expression 1.56-... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5174920 Tue, 09 Aug 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5174920 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5141050&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21840309%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Dewalick S, Tielens AG, van Hellemond JJ Abstract The schistosome eggshell is a hardened and tanned structure made from cross-linked proteins. It is synthesized within the female worm from many different kinds of proteins and glycoproteins. Once the egg is released in the circulation, the outer surface of the eggshell is exposed and hence a direct site of interaction between the parasite and the host. The major eggshell protein is p14, but about one third of the eggshell is made from common cellular proteins, some of which are known to be immunogenic. This has many consequences for parasite-host interactions. However, so far, the eggshell has gained little attention from researchers. We will discuss the structure of the eggshell and its role in granuloma formation, host fa... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5141050 Thu, 04 Aug 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5141050 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5141051&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21835175%26dopt%3DAbstract In this study, we assessed the immune response of two Leishmania donovani recombinant proteins: iron superoxide dismutase B1 (SODB1) and peroxidoxin 4 (Pxn4) in BALB/c mice. Assessment of the immunogenicity of these proteins alone or combined with Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR-9) agonist (CpG ODN) or TLR-4 agonist (GLA-SE) showed that they elicit specific antibody as well as cytokine production in response to the respective antigen in vitro. The use of adjuvants augmented immunogenicity of these antigens and more importantly, skewed the immune response to a Th1-type. These results indicate that recombinant SODB1 and Pxn4 proteins are potential vaccine candidates when administered with appropriate adjuvants. PMID: 21835175 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Experimental Parasitolo... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5141051 Tue, 02 Aug 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5141051 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5141053&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21824474%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Harikrishnan R, Kim JS, Kim MC, Balasundaram C, Heo MS Abstract Kelp grouper, Epinephelus bruneus, fed for 30days with 0% (control), 0.1%, 1.0%, and 2.0% of Styrax japonica supplementation diets, led to reductions in mortality after being challenged with a bacterium (Vibrio harveyi) and a ciliate protozoan (Uronema marinum). The enriched diets significantly increased the survival rate as compared to the controls. The phagocytic and respiratory activities were significantly increased in kelp groupers given 1.0% and 2.0% enriched diets. The complement activity, lysozyme activity, serum bactericidal activity, and total protein level significantly increased with any enriched diet against the pathogens; however antiprotease activity and myeloperoxidase levels significantly incr... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5141053 Fri, 29 Jul 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5141053 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5141052&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21827749%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Paletta-Silva R, Vieira DP, Vieira-Bernardo R, Majerowicz D, Gondim KC, Vannier-Santos MA, Lopes AH, Meyer-Fernandes JR Abstract Ecto-3'-nucleotidase/nuclease (3'NT/NU) is a membrane-bound enzyme that plays a key role in the nutrition of Leishmania sp. protozoan parasites. This enzyme generates nucleosides via hydrolyzes of 3'mononucleotides and nucleic acids, which enter the cell by specific transporters. In this work, we identify and characterize Leishmania amazonensis ecto-3'-nucleotidase activity (La3'-nucleotidase), report ammonium tetrathiomolybdate (TTM) as a novel La3'-nucleotidase inhibitor and approach the possible involvement of ecto-3'-nucleotidase in cellular adhesion. La3'-nucleotidase presented characteristics similar to those reported for the class I single... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5141052 Fri, 29 Jul 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5141052 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5141054&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21820434%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Tunholi VM, Lustrino D, Tunholi-Alves VM, Garcia JS, Mello-Silva CC, Maldonado A, Rodrigues MD, Pinheiro J Abstract The calcium content in the hemolymph and shell of Biomphalaria glabrata (Say, 1818) was determined before and after exposure to different parasite burdens (5 and 50 miracidia) of Echinostoma paraensei (Lie and Basch, 1967). The snails were dissected 1, 2, 3, and 4weeks after infection to collect the hemolymph and shell. An increase in calcemia was observed in snails infected with both miracidial doses. A significant decrease in the calcium ions in the shell was observed, coinciding with the calcemia peak in the hemolymph. This indicates greater mobilization of calcium between the shell and hemolymph to regulate the calcium content in the body when the snail i... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5141054 Wed, 27 Jul 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5141054 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5141055&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21819984%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Kling J, Gollan R, Fromm P, Körner H Abstract Leishmania (L.) major is a protozoan parasite that infects mammalian hosts and causes a spectrum of disease manifestations that is strongly associated with the genetic background of the host. Interleukin (IL)-6 is an acute phase proinflammatory cytokine, known in vitro to be involved in the inhibition of the generation of regulatory T cells. IL-6-deficient mice were infected with L. major, and T cell and monocyte subsets were analyzed with flow cytometry. Our data show that at the site of infection in the footpad and in the draining popliteal lymph node, numbers of regulatory T cells remain unchanged between WT and IL-6-deficient mice. However, the spleens of IL-6(-/-) mice contained fewer regulatory T cells after infection wi... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5141055 Tue, 26 Jul 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5141055 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5097484&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21801722%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Lloyd MM, Poulin R The ability to culture parasites outside their host (i.e. in vitro) is essential for several aspects of parasitological research. Here, a culture medium for marine trematode parthenitae was optimized using Philophthalmus sp. rediae from the intermediate snail host, Zeacumantus subcarinatus. The medium was optimized by sequentially testing the suitability of different levels of osmolality, different commercially available media, and different concentrations of supplemented chicken serum, while controlling for genetic variation among cultures. Philophthalmus sp. rediae survived up to 56days in cultures of the best tested medium, remaining active and continuously shedding cercariae. The broader suitability of the culture medium was tested using five other trema... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5097484 Fri, 22 Jul 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5097484 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5097448&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21802416%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Epping K, Brehm K Smad transcription factors are central components of transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β)/bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling pathways in metazoans, and regulate key developmental processes such as body axis formation or regeneration. In the present study, we have identified and characterized a novel member of this protein family, EmSmadE, in the human parasitic cestode Echinococcus multilocularis, the causative agent of alveolar echinococcosis. The cDNA of the corresponding gene, emsmadE, was fully sequenced and shown to encode a protein with considerable homologies to known members of the receptor regulated Smad (R-Smad) family of a wide variety of organisms. EmSmadE contains highly conserved MH1- and MH2-domains and, on the basis of sequence featu... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5097448 Fri, 22 Jul 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5097448 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5097445&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21802417%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Sandagdorj N, Goo YK, Badgar B, Punsantsogvoo M, Terkawi MA, Soma T, Luo Y, Li Y, Cao S, Yu L, Kamyingkird K, Aboge GO, Nishikawa Y, Xuan X Among the previously established enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs), an ELISA using the full length of a recombinant thrombospondin-related adhesive protein of Babesia gibsoni (rBgTRAPf) is considered as the most sensitive diagnostic method for the detection of an antibody to B. gibsoni in dogs. However, the expression of rBgTRAPf in high concentration is poor and, thus, limits its usefulness as a diagnostic antigen. To improve its expression level, we have truncated BgTRAPf into two fragments having either an N- or a C-terminus (BgTRAPn or BgTRAPc, respectively). The expression of BgTRAPc protein in Escherichia coli yielded adequ... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5097445 Fri, 22 Jul 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5097445 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5097418&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21803038%26dopt%3DAbstract In this study, the morphological, biological, and genetic characteristics of the Cryptosporidium mouse genotype I are described. As a full re-description of C. parvum was made in 1985 for isolates from calves and humans and the name C. parvum has been widely used for the parasite that is infectious to both ruminants and humans, the mouse genotype I is named as Cryptosporidium tyzzeri. Oocysts of the new species (4.64±0.05μm ×4.19±0.06μm, with a mean shape index of 1.11±0.02; n=69) are slightly smaller than those of the re-described C. parvum. The prepatent period was six and seven days, and the patent period was 24-28 and 28-29days in neonatal and adult mice, respectively. Oocysts were not infectious to lambs and calves. Light, transmission electron and scanning electron microscopy s... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5097418 Fri, 22 Jul 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5097418 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5097411&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21803039%26dopt%3DAbstract In this study, we have investigated the effects of DB750 and nitazoxanide treatments of experimentally infected Balb/c mice, by applying the drugs either through the oral or the intraperitoneal route. In experiment 1, administration of DB750 (2mg/kg/day) and nitazoxanide (150mg/kg/day) started already 3days prior to experimental infection of mice with 2×10(6) tachyzoites. Following infection, the drugs were further administrated daily for a period of 2weeks, either orally or intraperitoneally. Intraperitoneal injection of DB750 was well tolerated by the mice, but treatment with nitazoxanide resulted in death of all mice within 3days. Upon intraperitoneal application of DB750, the cerebral parasite load was significantly reduced compared to all other groups, while oral application of DB750... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5097411 Thu, 21 Jul 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5097411 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5097516&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21782814%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Skrzycki M, Majewska M, Podsiad M, Czeczot H, Salamatin R, Twarowska J, Grytner-Zięcina B Many helminths cause long-lasting infections, living for several years in mammalian hosts reflecting a well balanced coexistence between host and parasite. There are many possible explanations as to how they can survive for lengthy periods. One possibility is their antioxidant systems, which can serve as defence mechanisms against host-generated oxygen radicals. Therefore, the aim of this experimental study was to examine the antioxidant system in Hymenolepisdiminuta during short (1.5months young tapeworms) and long (1.5years old tapeworms) term infection in the rat small intestine. The strobilae of H. diminuta tapeworms (14 young and three old) were divided into three pieces: the anteri... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5097516 Tue, 19 Jul 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5097516 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5097497&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21784070%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Araujo-Montoya BO, Rofatto HK, Tararam CA, Farias LP, Oliveira KC, Verjovski-Almeida S, Wilson RA, Leite LC Here we describe the cloning and characterization of the Schistosoma mansoni Alkaline Phosphatase (SmAP), previously identified in the tegument of adult worms. SmAP encodes a complete sequence composed of 536 amino acids containing an N-terminal signal peptide, five N-glycosylation sites, and a GPI anchor signal, similar to that described for mammalian orthologs. Real-time RT-PCR and Western blot experiments suggest a rapid translation as soon as cercariae are transformed into schistosomula. Immunolocalization analysis shows that the protein is widely distributed in the worm tissues, with increased concentration in the vitelline glands of female parasites. Furthermore, t... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5097497 Sun, 17 Jul 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5097497 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5049923&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21767535%26dopt%3DAbstract In this study, a cDNA library was constructed from a female adult of T. canis and 215 high-quality ESTs from 5'-ends of the cDNA clones representing 79 unigenes were obtained. The titer of the primary cDNA library was 1.83×10(6)pfu/mL with a recombination rate of 99.33%. Most of the sequences ranged from 300 to 900bp with an average length of 656bp. Cluster analysis of these ESTs allowed identification of 79 unique sequences containing 28 contigs and 51 singletons. BLASTX searches revealed that 18 unigenes (22.78% of the total) or 70 ESTs (32.56% of the total) were novel genes that had no significant matches to any protein sequences in the public databases. The rest of the 61 unigenes (77.22% of the total) or 145 ESTs (67.44% of the total) were closely matched to the known genes or sequen... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5049923 Thu, 14 Jul 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5049923 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5049922&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21767536%26dopt%3DAbstract In this study, alginate microspheres as an antigen delivery system and CpG-ODN as an immunoadjuvant were used to enhance immune response and induce protection against an experimental autoclaved Leishmania major (ALM) vaccine. Alginate microspheres were prepared by an emulsification technique and the characteristics of the preparation such as size, encapsulation efficiency and release profile of encapsulates were studied. Mean diameter of microspheres was determined using SEM (Scanning Electron Microscopy) and particle size analyzer. The encapsulation efficiency was determined using Lowry protein assay method. The integrity of ALM antigens was assessed using SDS-PAGE. Mean diameter of microspheres was 1.8±1.0μm. BALB/c mice were immunized three times in 3-weeks intervals with ALM+CpG-ODN ... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5049922 Thu, 14 Jul 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5049922 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5049921&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21767537%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Shibui A, Doi J, Tolba ME, Shiraishi C, Sato Y, Ishikawa S, Watanabe J, Nogami S, Nakae S, Sugano S, Hozumi N It is considered that several glycoproteins on erythrocytes in mammalian species are involved in malaria parasite infection. To elucidate the role of N-glycans on malaria parasite infection, we induced experimental murine malaria infection (using Plasmodium berghei ANKA) in mice deficient in N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase V (Mgat5), which is one of the enzymes involved in β1,6-GlcNAc N-glycan biosynthesis. After infection, Mgat5(-/-) mice showed severe body weight loss and parasitemia compared with wild-type mice. The Mgat5(-/-) mice, but not wild-type mice, also showed severe pathology accompanied by marked infiltration of plasma cells into the lungs and liver. Thes... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5049921 Thu, 14 Jul 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5049921 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5049920&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21771591%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Stitt LE, Tompkins JB, Dooley LA, Ardelli BF Some ABC transporters play a significant role in human health and illness because they confer multidrug resistance (MDR) through their overexpression. Compounds that inhibit the drug efflux mechanism can improve efficacy or reverse resistance. Of the eight described ABC transporter subfamilies, those proteins conferring MDR in humans are in subfamilies A, B, C, and G. In nematodes, transporters in subfamilies B and C are suggested to confer resistance to ivermectin. The Brugia malayi ABC transporter superfamily was examined to assess their potential to influence sensitivity to moxidectin. There was an increase in expression of ABC transporters in subfamilies A, B, C, and G following treatment. Co-administration of moxidectin with in... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5049920 Tue, 12 Jul 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5049920 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5049919&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21771592%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Dos Santos AO, Costa MA, Ueda-Nakamura T, Dias-Filho BP, da Veiga-Júnior VF, de Souza Lima MM, Nakamura CV Leishmaniasis is a severe public-health problem, with high rates of morbidity and mortality. Efforts to find new, effective and safe oral agents for the treatment of leishmaniasis have been ongoing for several decades, in order to avoid the problems with the currently used antimonials. In the present study, we found that a copaiba oil oral treatment (Group IV) caused a significant reduction in the average lesion size (1.1±0.4mm) against Leishmania amazonensis lesions compared with untreated mice (Group I) (4.4±1.3mm). To prove the safety of the oil, the toxicity and genotoxicity were also determined. Histopathological evaluation did not reveal changes in the copaiba oi... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5049919 Tue, 12 Jul 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5049919 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5049924&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21763690%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Amor N, Farjallah S, Salem M, Lamine DM, Merella P, Said K, Ben Slimane B Fasciolosis caused by Fasciola hepatica and Fasciola gigantica (Platyhelminthes: Trematoda: Digenea) is considered the most important helminth infection of ruminants in tropical countries, causing considerable socioeconomic problems. From Africa, F. gigantica has been previously characterized from Burkina Faso, Senegal, Kenya, Zambia and Mali, while F. hepatica has been reported from Morocco and Tunisia, and both species have been observed from Ethiopia and Egypt on the basis of morphometric differences, while the use of molecular markers is necessary to distinguish exactly between species. Samples identified morphologically as F. gigantica (n=60) from sheep and cattle from different geographical localit... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5049924 Thu, 07 Jul 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5049924 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5049926&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21762692%26dopt%3DAbstract Conclusion: PTX could attenuate liver fibrosis in early stages of S. mansoni infection through downregulation of profibrogenic cytokines, oxidative stress and collagen deposition. PMID: 21762692 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Experimental Parasitology) Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5049926 Tue, 05 Jul 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5049926 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5049925&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21762693%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Gazim ZC, Demarchi IG, Lonardoni MV, Amorim AC, Hovell AM, Rezende CM, Ferreira GA, de Lima EL, de Cosmo FA, Cortez DA Tetradenia riparia (Lamiaceae) is a well-known herbal medicine with a variety of useful properties, including its acaricidal effect. This experiment was carried out to study the bioacaricidal activity of T. riparia essential oil (EO) against engorged females of Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus (Acari; Ixodidae). For this purpose, nine serial concentrations (12.50%, 6.25%, 3.75%, 1.80%, 0.90%, 0.45%, 0.22%, 0.11%, and 0.056% w/v) of T. riparia were used for the adult immersion test (AIT). For the larval packet test (LPT), we used 14 serial concentrations (100.00%, 50.00%, 25.00%, 12.50%, 6.25%, 3.65%, 1.82%, 0.91%, 0.45%, 0.228%, 0.114%, 0.057%, 0.028%, and ... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5049925 Mon, 04 Jul 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5049925 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5049928&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21756908%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Voutilainen A The present study had a practical goal. I aimed to determine whether praziquantel could reduce the production of Echinoparyphium aconiatum (Trematoda: Echinostomatidae) cercariae in infected snails Lymnaea stagnalis (Gastropoda: Lymnaeidae) without killing the hosts. Praziquantel is a broad-spectrum antihelminth agent. It caused a total cessation of cercaria shedding when the praziquantel concentration in the treatment bath was 10mg/L and the treatment time was 30h or longer. A next research step which has to be taken before giving detailed recommendations about using praziquantel for ceasing production of E. aconiatum cercariae in parasitized snails is to follow the survivorship and performance of treated snails after a praziquantel exposure for longer than in t... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5049928 Sat, 02 Jul 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5049928 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5049927&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21756909%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Marcelino E, Martins TM, Morais JB, Nolasco S, Cortes H, Hemphill A, Leitão A, Novo C Besnoitia besnoiti is an apicomplexan parasite responsible for bovine besnoitiosis, a disease with a high prevalence in tropical and subtropical regions and re-emerging in Europe. Despite the great economical losses associated with besnoitiosis, this disease has been underestimated and poorly studied, and neither an effective therapy nor an efficacious vaccine is available. Protein disulfide isomerase (PDI) is an essential enzyme for the acquisition of the correct three-dimensional structure of proteins. Current evidence suggests that in Neosporacaninum and Toxoplasmagondii, which are closely related to B. besnoiti, PDIs play an important role in host cell invasion, is a relevant target for ... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5049927 Sat, 02 Jul 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5049927 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5049930&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21745472%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Ryan U, Yang R, Gordon C, Doube B Cryptosporidium oocysts were inoculated into fresh dung (∼1.2×10(4) oocysts per gram wet weight) and fed to dung beetles to assess the effect of dung burial by the dung beetle Bubas bison on the distribution of the oocysts in small cores of soil in the laboratory. The experiment consisted of five replicates of each of two treatments; controls (dung but no dung beetles) and the experimental treatment (inoculated dung and seven pairs of dung beetles). After 5 days, when approximately 90% of the dung was buried, the surface and buried dung was recovered and subsampled. The oocysts in the subsamples were recovered and enumerated using qPCR. Oocyst viability was evaluated using an assay based on the exclusion or inclusion of two fluorogenic vita... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5049930 Fri, 01 Jul 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5049930 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5049929&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21745473%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Almeida GT, Amaral MS, Beckedorff FC, Kitajima JP, Demarco R, Verjovski-Almeida S Schistosoma mansoni is one of the agents of schistosomiasis, a chronic and debilitating disease. Here we present a transcriptome-wide characterization of adult S. mansoni males by high-throughput RNA-sequencing. We obtained 1,620,432 high-quality ESTs from a directional strand-specific cDNA library, resulting in a 26% higher coverage of genome bases than that of the public ESTs available at NCBI. With a 15×-deep coverage of transcribed genomic regions, our data were able to (i) confirm for the first time 990 predictions without previous evidence of transcription; (ii) correct gene predictions; (iii) discover 989 and 1196 RNA-seq contigs that map to intergenic and intronic genomic regions, respec... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5049929 Fri, 01 Jul 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5049929 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5049932&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21741380%26dopt%3DAbstract This study investigated the genetic characteristics of Toxoplasma gondii samples collected from 62 patients with toxoplasmosis in Sao Paulo State, Brazil. DNA samples were isolated from blood, cerebrospinal fluid and amniotic fluids of 25 patients with cerebral toxoplasmosis and AIDS, two patients with acute toxoplasmosis, 12 patients with ocular toxoplasmosis, six newborns with congenital toxoplasmosis and 17 pregnant women with acute infection. Diagnosis of toxoplasmosis was based in clinical, radiological and laboratory features. Genotyping was performed using multilocus PCR-RFLP genetic markers including SAG1, SAG2, 5'- and 3'-SAG2, alt.SAG2, SAG3, BTUB, GRA6, C22-8, c29-2, L358, PK1 and Apico. Among the 62 clinical samples, 20 (32%) were successfully genotyped at eight or more genetic... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5049932 Wed, 29 Jun 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5049932 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5049934&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21740902%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Csaba G, Lajkó E, Pállinger E Cell populations of Tetrahymena pyriformisGL were kept in nutrient-free (Losina) milieu and treated with different (10(-6)-10(-21)M) concentrations of serotonin, histamine or insulin for 30min. Following that the hormone (serotonin and adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) content of the cells were measured by immunocytochemical flow cytometric method. Serotonin reduced histamine when applied in 10(-12) and 10(-15)M concentrations, while elevated ACTH levels when applied in 10(-6), 10(-9) and 10(-21)M concentrations. Histamine reduced serotonin concentration at 10(-9)-10(-21)M concentrations and increased ACTH in 10(-6)M. Insulin elevated both hormones' content in each concentration except at 10(-12)M. The results demonstrate that (1) in nutrient-free cond... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5049934 Tue, 28 Jun 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5049934 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5049933&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21740903%26dopt%3DAbstract This study suggested that Cp20 could serve as an effective target for specific preventive and therapeutic measures for cryptosporidiosis. PMID: 21740903 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Experimental Parasitology) Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5049933 Tue, 28 Jun 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5049933 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5049931&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21741973%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Kennedy MW We are engaged in structural and functional studies of several types of lipid binding protein that are only found in nematodes. Amongst these are the nematode polyprotein allergens (NPAs) and we now report the solution structure of ABA-1A (As-NPA-A1), the most repeated unit within the NPA array of Ascaris suum, which is almost identical in amino acid sequence to that of Ascaris lumbricoides. The protein forms a slightly flattened, compact, globular fold consisting of a long central helix that participates in two flanking helical bundles. Two pockets lined with apolar amino acid sidechains are apparent, one in the carboxy-terminal region of the protein, and another smaller one in the amino-terminal region. The former appear to be the main site of fatty acid binding, ... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5049931 Tue, 28 Jun 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5049931 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5000711&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21708148%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Hulstijn M, Barros LD, Neves RH, de Moura EG, Machado-Silva JR Schistosomes are blood-dwelling flukes which are highly dependent on the host metabolism. The aim of this study was to investigate possible relationship between streptozotocin-induced diabetes and the outcome of acute murine schistosomiasis mansoni. Male and female SW mice were treated by a single intraperitoneally injected dose of streptozotocin (180mg/kg). Seven days after induction, both control and diabetic animals were infected with 70 Schistosoma mansoni cercariae (BH strain). Diabetics and their controls were weighed 45days after birth and for the last time prior to killing. Susceptibility to infection was evaluated twice a week by quantifying fecal egg excretion 7-9weeks post-infection by the Kato-Katz' thi... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5000711 Thu, 23 Jun 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5000711 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5000709&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21723282%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Hartmann W, Eschbach ML, Breloer M It is estimated that over one third of the world population is infected with helminths, Strongyloides ssp. accounting for approximately 30-100 million cases. As helminth infections often result in a modulation of the host's immune system, infected people may display impaired responses to concurrent infections and to third party antigens. Here, we employ the experimental system of murine Strongyloides ratti infection to investigate the impact of helminth infections on experimental vaccinations. We demonstrate that concurrent infection with S. ratti strongly affected the humoral response to a thymus dependent model antigen, whereby predominantly Th1 associated IgG2b production was suppressed. We provide evidence that this suppression was due to... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5000709 Wed, 22 Jun 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5000709 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5000710&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21718697%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Silva LS, Sartori AL, Zaniolo LM, da Silva AV, Sant'ana DD, Araújo EJ Several studies have demonstrated that the myenteric plexus experiences quantitative and morphometric changes in rats inoculated orally with Toxoplasma gondii. This paper aims to verify if these alterations are also seen when the same animals are inoculated intraperitoneally with the parasite. In order to do that, six Wistar rats (Rattus norvegicus) 60days of age were infected intraperitoneally with 10(6) tachyzoites of a genotype I T. gondii strain (BTU IV). After 60 days, the animals were anaesthetised and underwent laparotomy. All organs from the small and large intestines were removed, measured, dissected and underwent whole-mount Giemsa technique to stain the neurons in the myenteric plexus. A quantita... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5000710 Tue, 21 Jun 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5000710 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5000708&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21726555%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Allienne JF, Théron A, Gourbal B Detailed studies of host/parasite interactions are currently limited because in situ gene sequencing or monitoring of parasite gene expression is so far limited to genes presenting a high loci copy number in the Schistosome genome or a high level of expression. Indeed, how to investigate the host parasite molecular interplay when parasites are not directly accessible in vivo? Here we describe a method to circumvent this problem and to analyze DNA and RNA of Schistosoma mansoni during the interaction with its intermediate snail host Biomphalaria glabrata. We propose a technique for improved DNA and RNA extraction from the intra-molluscan stage of the parasite recovered after fixation of infected snails in Raillet-Henry solution. The extractions... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5000708 Tue, 21 Jun 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5000708 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4953813&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21684278%26dopt%3DAbstract This study assessed the utility of the SYBR® Safe fluorescent dye, considering its affinity for nucleic acids as a useful property for staining the nucleus and kinetoplast of Leishmania parasites within an infected cell. Infection (and subsequent treatment) assays were performed in dendritic cells and macrophages infected with Leishmania panamensis parasites to compare SYBR® Safe and Giemsa stain for the same assay. Correlation coefficients were found to be above 0.9 for both techniques; however, unlike Giemsa, SYBR® Safe staining was easier and provided a clearer observation of internalized parasites. These results support the use of SYBR® Safe as a promising tool for evaluating potential antileishmanials given its advantages over the traditional technique. PMID: 21684278 [PubMed ... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4953813 Sun, 12 Jun 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4953813 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4953815&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21679706%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Paim FC, Da Silva AS, Wolkmer P, Costa MM, Da Silva CB, Paim CB, Oliveira MS, Silva LF, Mello CF, Monteiro SG, Mazzanti CM, Lopes ST Nitric oxide (NO) is involved in many physiological processes, such as blood pressure control, neurotransmission, inhibition of platelet and neutrophil adherence, and the ability to kill tumor cells and parasites. The indirect determination of NO can be made by detection of 3-nitrotyrosine (3-NT) residues. The aim of this study was to measure the concentration of 3-NT in the brain of rats experimentally infected with Trypanosoma evansi. Twenty-four were inoculated intraperitoneally with cryopreserved blood containing 1×10(6) trypomastigotes per animal. Twenty-four animals were used as negative controls and received 0.2mL of saline by the same ro... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4953815 Mon, 06 Jun 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4953815 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4953814&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21679707%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Millet CO, Lloyd D, Coogan MP, Rumsey J, Cable J The metabolism of Spironucleus vortens, a parasitic, diplomonad flagellate related to Giardia intestinalis, was investigated using a combination of membrane inlet mass spectrometry, (1)H NMR, (13)C NMR, bioscreen continuous growth monitoring, and ion exchange chromatography. The products of glucose-fuelled and endogenous metabolism were identified by (1)H NMR and (13)C NMR as ethanol, acetate, alanine and lactate. Mass spectrometric monitoring of gas metabolism in buffered cell suspensions showed that glucose and ethanol could be used by S. vortens as energy-generating substrates, but bioscreen automated monitoring of growth in culture medium, as well as NMR analyses, suggested that neither of these compounds are the substrates ... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4953814 Mon, 06 Jun 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4953814 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4953816&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21651909%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Raabe A, Berry L, Sollelis L, Cerdan R, Tawk L, Vial HJ, Billker O, Wengelnik K Phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase C (PI-PLC) is a major regulator of calcium-dependent signal transduction, which has been shown to be important in various processes of the malaria parasite Plasmodium. PI-PLC is generally implicated in calcium liberation from intracellular stores through the action of its product, inositol-(1,4,5)-trisphosphate, and is itself dependent on calcium for its activation. Here we describe the plc genes from Plasmodium species. The encoded proteins contain all domains typically found in PI-PLCs of the δ class but are almost twice as long as their orthologues in mammals. Transcriptional analysis by qRT-PCR of plc during the erythrocytic cycle of P. falciparum reveal... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4953816 Sun, 29 May 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4953816 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4855727&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21575635%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Peloia LS, Biondo CE, Kimura E, Politi MJ, Lonardoni MV, Aristides SM, Dorea RC, Hioka N, Silveira TG The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) using Methylene Blue (MB) as the photosensitizing compound and a Light-Emitting Diode (LED) in American cutaneous leishmaniasis (ACL). Hamsters were experimentally infected with Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis. After the development of the lesions in the footpad, the animals were treated with MB three times a week for 3months. Ten minutes after each application of MB, the lesions were irradiated with LED for 1h. The lesions were evaluated weekly by the measurement of the hamster footpad thickness. At the end of the treatment the parasitic load was quantified in the regional lymph node ... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4855727 Fri, 06 May 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4855727 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4855729&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21570966%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Da Silva AS, França RT, Costa MM, Paim CB, Paim FC, Dornelles GL, Soares JF, Labruna MB, Mazzanti CM, Monteiro SG, Lopes ST Recently we conducted the molecular characterization of Rangelia vitalii, a protozoan with high pathogenicity for young dogs in southern Brazil. To date, the descriptions of the disease have been restricted to natural infection cases. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the parasitemia, biological cycles and clinical-pathological findings in dogs experimentally infected with R. vitalii in the acute phase of disease, and also aimed to test a therapeutic protocol based on the diminazene aceturate. For this study, we used 12 young dogs (females), separated into two groups. Group A was composed of healthy dogs, not-infected (n=5), and Group B consisted o... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4855729 Thu, 05 May 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4855729 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4855728&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21570967%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Roriz M, Santos C, Vasconcelos MW For a long time it was thought that Bursaphelenchus xylophilus was the only agent of the pine wilt disease. Recently, it was discovered that there are bacteria associated with the nematodes that contribute to the pathogenesis of this disease, mainly through the release of toxins that promote the death of the pines. Among the species most commonly found, are bacteria belonging to the Bacillus, Pantoea, Pseudomonas and Xanthomonas genera. The main objective of this work was to study the effect of inoculation of maritime pine (Pinus pinaster) with four different nematode isolates, in the bacterial population of nematodes and trees, at different stages of disease progression. The monitoring of progression of disease symptoms was also recorded. Als... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4855728 Thu, 05 May 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4855728 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4855731&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21557938%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Qi M, Wang R, Ning C, Li X, Zhang L, Jian F, Sun Y, Xiao L To characterize the prevalence and assess the zoonotic transmission burden of Cryptosporidium species/genotypes in pet birds in Henan, China, 434 fecal samples were acquired from 14 families of birds in pet shops. The overall prevalence of Cryptopsoridium was 8.1% (35/434) by the Sheather's sugar flotation technique. The Cryptosporidium-positive samples were analyzed by DNA sequence analysis of the small subunit (SSU) rRNA gene. Three Cryptosporidium species and two genotypes were identified, including C. baileyi (18/35 or 51.4%) in five red-billed leiothrixes (Leiothrix lutea), four white Java sparrows (Padda oryzivora), four common mynas (Acridotheres tristis), two zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata), a crested Lark ... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4855731 Tue, 03 May 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4855731 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4855734&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21554876%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Sánchez VR, Pitkowski MN, Fernández Cuppari AV, Rodríguez FM, Fenoy IM, Frank FM, Goldman A, Corral RS, Martin V Synthetic oligodeoxynucleotides containing unmethylated CpG motifs (CpG-ODN) have been characterized as Th1-promoting immunopotentiators, an adjuvant activity desirable for vaccination against intracellular parasites like Toxoplasma gondii. In an attempt to find new antigen-adjuvant combinations that enhance the immunogenicity of antigen candidates for toxoplasma vaccines, we analyzed the extent of protection in mice immunized with ROP2 and GRA4 recombinant proteins when co-administered with CpG-ODN. Both GRA4+CpG-ODN and ROP2+CpG-ODN formulations were shown to induce a strong humoral Th1-biased response characterized by a high IgG(2a) to IgG(1) antibody ratio. B... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4855734 Sat, 30 Apr 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4855734 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4855733&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21554877%26dopt%3DAbstract This study was performed to gain insight into the maturation of the reproductive system of Echinostoma paraensei worms grown in an early infection of Mesocricetus auratus. Hamsters were infected with 100 metacercariae and necropsied on days 3, 5, 7, 10 and 14 post infection (dpi). Recovered flukes stained with hydrochloric carmine were preserved as whole mounts and analyzed by light and confocal scanning laser microscopy. The average worm recovery was 43.7 per host. Images of the male and female reproductive systems were taken. The ovary and anterior and posterior testis were evidenced on day 3, while the ootype and cirrus sac were present on day 5. Confocal imaging showed primordium testis and ovary as a cluster of primordial cells from day 3 onward. The testes, ovary, cirrus sac and uter... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4855733 Sat, 30 Apr 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4855733 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4855732&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21554878%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Lichtenbergová L, Lassmann H, Jones MK, Kolářová L, Horák P Besides their natural bird hosts, Trichobilharzia regenti cercariae are able to penetrate skin of mammals, including humans. Experimental infections of mice showed that schistosomula of this species are able to avoid the immune response in skin of their non-specific mammalian host and escape the skin to migrate to the CNS. Schistosomula do not mature in mammals, but can survive in nervous tissue for several days post infection. Neuroinfections of specific bird hosts as well as accidental mammalian hosts can lead to neuromotor effects, for example, leg paralysis and thus this parasite serves as a model of parasite invasion of the CNS. Here, we show by histological and immunohistochemical investigation of CNS invas... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4855732 Sat, 30 Apr 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4855732 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4855730&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21557939%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Paim FC, Duarte MM, Costa MM, Da Silva AS, Wolkmer P, Silva CB, Paim CB, França RT, Mazzanti CM, Monteiro SG, Krause A, Lopes ST The aim of this study was to measure the levels of interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin 1 (IL-1) and interleukin 6 (IL-6) in the serum of rats experimentally infected with Trypanosoma evansi and to correlate these levels with hematological parameters. Initially, 48 rats (group T) were intraperitoneally inoculated with cryopreserved blood containing 1×10(6) trypomastigotes per animal. Twenty-eight animals (group C) were used as negative controls and received 0.2mL of saline by the same route. The experimental groups were formed according to the time after infection and the degree of parasitemia as follows: fou... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4855730 Sat, 30 Apr 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4855730 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4802983&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21510933%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Allahverdiyev AM, Koc RC, Ates SC, Bagirova M, Elcicek S, Oztel ON Leishmania parasites can be exposed to effects of light in their vectors and hosts, at various periods. However, there is no information about the effects of light on Leishmania parasites. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of light on various cell parameters of Leishmania tropica, in vitro. All experiments were conducted on L. tropica promastigotes and amastigote-macrophage cultures, using flow cytometric analysis, MTT and phenol-sulfuric acid assay, DAPI and Giemsa. The results showed that the morphology of parasites has changed; the cell cycle has been affected and this caused parasites to remain at G0/G1 phase. Furthermore the proliferation, infectivity, glucose consumption and mitochondria... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4802983 Mon, 11 Apr 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4802983 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4802982&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21510934%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Baker RH, Buschbaum S, Matthews JB, McKendrick IJ, Schnieder T, Strube C, Nisbet AJ GTP-Cyclohydrolase (GTP-CH) is necessary for the production of tetrahydrobiopterin, a required cofactor for the three aromatic amino acid hydroxylases and nitric oxide synthases. The gene encoding GTP-CH is transcribed at high levels in infective third larval stages of a number of parasitic trichostrongylid nematodes. We explore the potential role of GTP-CH within the processes of nematode development and environmentally-induced hypobiosis. For two species of parasitic nematode that are of major economic and welfare importance to livestock in temperate regions, Teladorsagia circumcincta and Dictyocaulus viviparus, we have demonstrated that each of the pre-parasitic larval stages transcribe high... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4802982 Mon, 11 Apr 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4802982 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4802984&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21501609%26dopt%3DAbstract This study was not able to observe infection of the A. cajennense by T. equi. PMID: 21501609 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Experimental Parasitology) Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4802984 Fri, 08 Apr 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4802984 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4697263&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21440545%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Zepeda N, Copitin N, Solano S, Fernández AM, Tato P, Molinari JL The present research was performed to isolate and study the effects of a low molecular weight (<1300Da) parasite-associated substance, obtained from peritoneal fluids of female mice infected with Taenia crassiceps cysticerci, on seminiferous epithelium cells of male mice testis. The results showed an intense disruption of Sertoli cells and germ cells within the seminiferous tubules of experimental mice, along with the destruction of their gap junction (GJ). Significant generalized apoptosis of germ cells within seminiferous tubules was determined by TUNEL staining (P=0.0159). In addition, a significant number of infiltrating macrophages were found in the luminal space of these seminiferous tubules (P<0.000... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4697263 Thu, 31 Mar 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4697263 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4697262&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21440546%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Amor N, Halajian A, Farjallah S, Merella P, Said K, Slimane BB Fasciolosis caused by Fasciola spp. (Platyhelminthes: Trematoda: Digenea) is considered as the most important helminth infection of ruminants in tropical countries, causing considerable socioeconomic problems. In the endemic regions of the North of Iran, Fasciola hepatica and Fasciola gigantica have been previously characterized on the basis of morphometric differences, but the use of molecular markers is necessary to distinguish exactly between species and intermediate forms. Samples from buffaloes and goats from different localities of northern Iran were identified morphologically and then genetically characterized by sequences of the first (ITS-1) and second (ITS-2) Internal Transcribed Spacers (ITS) of nuclear ... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4697262 Thu, 31 Mar 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4697262 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4697261&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21440547%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Sun M, Ren Q, Liu Z, Guan G, Gou H, Ma M, Li Y, Liu A, Yang J, Yin H, Luo J Owing to the need to combat the spread of chemical acaricide resistance in ticks, we evaluated the efficacy of a mixture of the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana AT17 and acaricides for the control of Hyalomma anatolicum anatolicum in China. A mixture of B. bassiana AT17 at the concentration of 10(8)conidia/mL and the synthetic pyrethroid deltamethrin at concentrations of 2500, 250, 25, 5, 2.5, 0.5 and 0.25ppm was tested in vitro. The germination capability, vegetative growth, conidia production, and viability of B. bassiana AT17 were assessed and the efficacy of the mixture in killing engorged H. anatolicum anatolicum females was measured. High mortality rates were achieved when the entomopat... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4697261 Thu, 31 Mar 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4697261 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4697266&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21439955%26dopt%3DAbstract We report herein the complete coding sequence of a Taenia solium cytosolic malate dehydrogenase (TscMDH). The cDNA fragment, identified from the T. solium genome project database, encodes a protein of 332 amino acid residues with an estimated molecular weight of 36517Da. For recombinant expression, the full length coding sequence was cloned into pET23a. After successful expression and enzyme purification, isoelectrofocusing gel electrophoresis allowed to confirm the calculated pI value at 8.1, as deduced from the amino acid sequence. The recombinant protein (r-TscMDH) showed MDH activity of 409U/mg in the reduction of oxaloacetate, with neither lactate dehydrogenase activity nor NADPH selectivity. Optimum pH for enzyme activity was 7.6 for oxaloacetate reduction and 9.6 for malate oxidatio... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4697266 Tue, 29 Mar 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4697266 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4697265&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21439956%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Tunholi-Alves VM, Tunholi VM, Gôlo P, Lustrino D, Maldonado A, Bittencourt VR, Rodrigues MD, Pinheiro J The effect of experimental exposure of Biomphalaria glabrata to different doses (5 and 50) of Echinostoma paraensei miracidia on the total levels of cholesterol and triglycerides circulating in the hemolymph and the neutral lipids in the digestive gland-gonad (DGG) complex were studied. The snails were dissected one, two, three and four weeks after infection to collect the hemolymph and DGG tissue, to measure the levels of cholesterol and triglycerides in the hemolymph and neutral lipids in the tissue. The results for the hemolymph showed a similar order of variation for both substrates tested in the first week after infection. The reduced levels of these lipids in the infe... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4697265 Tue, 29 Mar 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4697265 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4697264&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21439957%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Zhu J, Krishnegowda G, Li G, Channe Gowda D The glycosylphosphatidylinositols (GPIs) of Plasmodium falciparum have been shown to activate macrophages and produce inflammatory responses. The activation of macrophages by malarial GPIs involves engagement of Toll like receptor 2 (TLR2) resulting in the intracellular signaling and production of cytokines. In the present study, we investigated the requirement of TLR1 and TLR6 for the TLR2 mediated cell signaling and proinflammatory cytokine production by macrophages. The data demonstrate that malarial GPIs, which contain three fatty acid substituents, preferentially engage TLR2-TLR1 dimeric pair than TLR2-TLR6, whereas their derivatives, sn-2 lyso GPIs, that contain two fatty acid substituents recognize TLR2-TLR6 with slightly high... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4697264 Tue, 29 Mar 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4697264 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4697260&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21458452%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Steverding D, Baldisserotto A, Wang X, Marastoni M Nine vinyl ester tripeptides selective for inhibition of mammalian proteasome trypsin-like activity were tested for in vitro activity against Trypanosoma brucei. Interestingly, two compounds showed trypanocidal activity in the low micromolar range without displaying cytotoxicity against human cells. However, the compounds did not inhibit the trypsin-like activity of the trypanosome proteasome although their effect correlates with inactivation of the chymotrypsin-like activity. This finding shows that the inhibitor sensitivities between mammalian and trypanosome proteasome are distinct. This difference may be exploited for rational anti-trypanosomal drug development. PMID: 21458452 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Sourc... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4697260 Tue, 29 Mar 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4697260 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4697259&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21458453%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Kaňková S, Kodym P, Flegr J Latent toxoplasmosis is known to influence the morphology of infected persons and also increases the probability of the birth of male offspring in both humans and mice. All these traits can be related to the observed differences in the concentration of testosterone between Toxoplasma-infected and Toxoplasma-free subjects. However, it is not possible to decide, using the Toxoplasma-human model, whether toxoplasmosis influences the level of testosterone in the infected host or whether individuals with different levels of testosterone vary in the probability of toxoplasma infection. Here we studied changes in the testosterone levels in the latent phase of toxoplasmosis in laboratory mice artificially infected with cystogenic but relatively virulent s... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4697259 Tue, 29 Mar 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4697259 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4697267&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21439277%26dopt%3DAbstract We present data from molecular studies to provide evidence for ABZ-induced apoptosis in Mf and adult worms of S. cervi. PMID: 21439277 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Experimental Parasitology) Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4697267 Wed, 23 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0100 4697267 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4637911&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21426905%26dopt%3DAbstract Conclusion; NAC downregulates oxidative stress induced by S. mansoni infection and enhances the therapeutic potential of artemether against adult schistosomes. PMID: 21426905 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Experimental Parasitology) Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4637911 Sat, 19 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0100 4637911 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4637910&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21426906%26dopt%3DAbstract This study aimed to evaluate the activities of the ectoenzymes NTPDase and 5'-nucleotidase in synaptosomes from cerebral cortex of rats experimentally infected with Trypanosoma evansi. The animals were divided in four groups (n = 10) according to the time and degree of parasitemia (Group A, B, C and D). The animals from group A were euthanized on day 3 (low parasitemia), group B on day 5 (high parasitemia) and group C on day 15 (low parasitemia). Group D consisted of healthy rats (not-infected, n=15) and were divided in three periods (n = 5) in order to compare with the infected groups. After euthanasia, cerebral cortex was removed for the preparation of synaptosomes and enzymatic assays. Group A showed no changes in enzymatic activities compared with control. The hydrolysis of ATP, ADP an... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4637910 Sat, 19 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0100 4637910 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4637914&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21420954%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Tonin AA, Da Silva AS, Costa MM, Otto MA, Thomé G, Tavares KS, Miletti LC, Leal MD, Lopes ST, Mazzanti CM, Monteiro SG, de La Rue ML The aim of this study was to evaluate the utilization of a standard treatment with diminazene aceturate against the infection caused by Trypanosoma evansi, associated to sodium selenite and vitamin E. In vitro tests showed trypanocidal effect related to the treatment with diminazene aceturate and sodium selenite, but vitamin E had no harmful effect on the trypanosomes. In vivo experiments utilized a total of 72 adult outbreed females rats, separated into 9 groups (A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H and I), 8 animals each. Group A was the uninfected group; Groups B to I were infected with 0.2 mL of blood containing 10(6) trypanosomes. Parasitemia was estimat... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4637914 Fri, 18 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0100 4637914 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4637913&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21420955%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Kasinathan RS, Greenberg RM Schistosomes are the causative agents of schistosomiasis, a neglected tropical disease affecting hundreds of millions worldwide and a major global health burden. Current control of schistosomiasis depends largely on a single drug, praziquantel (PZQ). One potential physiological target for new antischistosomal drugs is the parasite's excretory system, which removes wastes and xenobiotics. Multidrug resistance (MDR) transporters that are members of the ATP-binding cassette (ABC) superfamily of proteins are ATP-dependent efflux pumps involved in removal of toxins and xenobiotics from cells. They mediate the phenomenon of multidrug resistance, in which cells resistant to one drug show cross-resistance to a broad range of other agents, and are also assoc... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4637913 Fri, 18 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0100 4637913 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4637912&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21420956%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Da Silva AS, Pimentel VC, Jaques JA, Wolkmer P, Tavares KC, Lazzarotto CR, Miletti LC, Schetinger MR, Mazzanti CM, Lopes ST, Monteiro SG Biochemical and molecular research on parasites has increased considerably in trypanosomes in the recent years. Many of them have the purpose of identify areas, proteins and structures of the parasite which are vulnerable and could be used in therapy against the protozoan. Based on this hypothesis this study aimed to detect biochemically the enzyme adenosine deaminase (ADA) in Trypanosoma evansi, and to adapt an assay to the measurement of its activity in trypomastigotes. Firstly, the parasites were separated from the blood of mice experimentally infected with a DEAE-cellulose column. The ADA activity in trypomastigotes was evaluated at conce... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4637912 Fri, 18 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0100 4637912 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4637915&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21396364%26dopt%3DAbstract In this report we use gene knockouts to demonstrate that two mitogen activated kinase kinase genes, MKK1 (Tb927.3.4860) and MKK5 (Tb927.10.5270), are not essential in the pathogenic bloodstream stage of Trypanosoma brucei, either in vitro or in vivo. Bloodstream forms lacking MKK1 showed decreased growth at 39°C as compared to the parental line. However, unlike its Leishmania orthologue, T. brucei MKK1 does not appear to play a significant role in flagellar biogenesis. PMID: 21396364 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Experimental Parasitology) Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4637915 Wed, 16 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0100 4637915 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4578259&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21376042%26dopt%3DAbstract In this study we observed altered activity of antioxidant enzymes and glutathione level in experimental hymenolepidosis, as a consequence of oxidative stress. It may indicate a decrease in the efficiency of intestinal protection against oxidative stress induced by the presence of the parasite. The imbalance between oxidant and antioxidant processes may play a major role in pathology associated with hymenolepidosis. PMID: 21376042 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Experimental Parasitology) Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4578259 Tue, 01 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0100 4578259 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4578258&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21376043%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Li SQ, Luckins A, Lun ZR Trypanosoma brucei brucei, the infectious agent of the disease known as Nagana, is a pathogenic trypanosome occurring in Africa, where it causes significant economic loss to domesticated livestock. Although many studies on the histopathology of organs of mice infected with T. b. brucei have been reported, little work has been done regarding gene expression in these organs in infected mice. In this paper we describe the use of cDNA microarray to determine gene expression profiles in the liver and spleen of mice infected with T. b. brucei (STIB 920) at peak parasitaemia (12 days after infection). Our results showed that a total of 123 genes in the liver and 389 genes in the spleen were expressed differentially in T. b. brucei infected mice. In contrast, ... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4578258 Tue, 01 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0100 4578258 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4578257&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21376044%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Simo G, Njitchouang GR, Njiokou F, Cuny G, Asonganyi T To identify Trypanosoma brucei genotypes which are potentially transmitted in a sleeping sickness focus, microsatellite markers were used to characterize Trypanosoma brucei found in the mid-guts of wild tsetse flies of the Fontem sleeping sickness focus in Cameroon. For this study, two entomological surveys were performed during which 2685 tsetse flies were collected and 1596 (59.2%) were dissected. Microscopic examination revealed 1.19% (19/1596) mid-gut infections with trypanosomes; the PCR method identified 4.7% (75/1596) infections with Trypanosoma brucei in the mid-guts. Of these 75 trypanosomes identified in the mid-guts, Trypanosoma brucei gambiense represented 0.81% (13/1596) of them, confirming the circulation of ... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4578257 Tue, 01 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0100 4578257 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4578260&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21371475%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Li X, Zhuo K, Luo M, Sun L, Liao J The cloning and characterization of a cDNA encoding a calreticulin from the pinewood nematode Bursaphelenchus xylophilus is described herein. The full-length cDNA (Bx-crt-1) contained a 1200 bp open reading frame that could be translated to a 399 amino acid polypeptide. The deduced protein contained highly conserved regions of a calreticulin gene and had 66.2% to 70.1% amino acid sequence identity to other calreticulin sequences from nematodes. RNAi, RT-PCR amplification, and southern blot suggest that Bx-crt-1 may be important for the development of B. xylophilus. PMID: 21371475 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Experimental Parasitology) Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4578260 Mon, 28 Feb 2011 00:00:00 +0100 4578260 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4578261&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21356210%26dopt%3DAbstract The objective of this study was to determine and characterize miRNAs of female and male adults of A. cantonensis by Solexa deep sequencing. A total of 8861,260 and 10,957,957 high quality reads with 20 and 23 conserved miRNAs were obtained in females and males, respectively. No new miRNA sequence was found. Nucleotide bias analysis showed that uracil was the prominent nucleotide, particularly at positions of 1, 10, 14, 17 and 22, approximately at the beginning, middle and the end of the conserved miRNAs. To our knowledge, this is the first report of miRNA profiles in A. cantonensis, which may represent a new platform for studying regulation of genes and their networks in A. cantonensis. PMID: 21356210 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Experimental Parasitology) Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4578261 Sat, 26 Feb 2011 00:00:00 +0100 4578261 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4578269&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21352824%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Nodari EF, Roma GC, Furquim KC, Bechara GH, Mathias MI Because of the medical and veterinary importance of ticks and the wide use of synthetic chemical substances such as permethrin (active ingredient of Advantage® Max3 - Bayer)for their control, this study evaluated the effects of different concentrations (206, 1031 and 2062ppm) of the acaricide on the salivary glands of Rhipicephalus sanguineus semi-engorged females. Results showed that permethrin is a potent substance that acts morpho-physiologically in the tick glandular tissue, causing changes in the acini shape intense vacuolation in acinar cells, and disruption of the tissue by cell death process, with subsequent formation of apoptotic bodies, especially at higher concentrations, thus precluding the accurate identifica... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4578269 Fri, 25 Feb 2011 00:00:00 +0100 4578269 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4578268&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21354139%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Mendoza A, Pérez-Silanes S, Quiliano M, Pabón A, Galiano S, González G, Garavito G, Zimic M, Vaisberg A, Aldana I, Monge A, Deharo E Piperazine and pyrrolidine derivatives were synthesised and evaluated for their capacity to inhibit the growth of Plasmodium falciparum chloroquine-resistant (FCR-3) strain in culture. The combined presence of a hydroxyl group, a propane chain and a fluor were shown to be crucial for the antiplasmodial activity. Five compounds of the aryl-alcohol series inhibited 50% of parasite growth at doses ⩽10μM. The most active compound 1-(4-fluoronaphthyl)-3-[4-(4-nitro-2-trifluoromethylphenyl)piperazin-1-yl] propan-1-ol was almost 20-40 times more active on P. falciparum (IC(50): 0.5μM) than on tumorogenic and non-tumorogenic cells. In vivo it has ... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4578268 Thu, 24 Feb 2011 00:00:00 +0100 4578268 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4578267&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21354140%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Christodoulou V, Messaritakis I, Svirinaki E, Tsatsanis C, Antoniou M Although macrophages have a microbicidal role in the immune system they themselves can be infected by pathogens. Often a simultaneous infection by more than one microbe may occur in a single cell. This is the first report of coinfection of macrophages with Toxoplasma gondii and Leishmania infantum, in vitro and in vivo. L. infantum does not cause severe disease in mice but T. gondii, RH strain, is lethal. Cell culture studies using THP-1 macrophages dually infected in vitro revealed that 4.3% harbored both parasites 24h after infection. When mice were infected with both parasites on the same day 7.3% of the infected cells carried both parasites 7days later. Yet, if mice were first infected with L. infantum a... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4578267 Thu, 24 Feb 2011 00:00:00 +0100 4578267 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4578266&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21354141%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Reimão JQ, Colombo FA, Pereira-Chioccola VL, Tempone AG The need for novel and efficacious drugs against neglected parasitic diseases, such as Leishmaniasis and American Trypanosomiasis, is certainly apparent. In this work, we evaluated the in vitro potential of the calcium channel blocker bepridil against Leishmania spp. and Trypanosoma cruzi parasites and exploited an experimental assay using a hamster model with Leishmania (L.) chagasi, with a real-time PCR method for therapeutic evaluation. Bepridil was in vitro effective against promastigotes and intracellular amastigotes of L. (L.) chagasi, with 50% inhibitory concentration (IC(50)) values of 3.81 and 21.55μM, respectively. Leishmania (L.) amazonensis, L. (L.) major and L. (V.) braziliensis promastigotes and T. cruzi t... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4578266 Thu, 24 Feb 2011 00:00:00 +0100 4578266 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4578265&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21354142%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Roberts SC, Kline C, Liu W, Ullman B Leishmania null mutants created by targeted gene replacement are typically complemented with chimeric episomes harboring the replaced gene in order to validate that the observed phenotype is due to the specific gene deletion. However, the current inventory of available episomes for complementation of genetic lesions in Leishmania is unstable in the absence of drug selection, and levels of gene expression cannot be controlled, especially in vivo. To circumvent this impediment, a strategy to re-introduce the targeted gene into the original chromosomal locus to generate "knock-in" parasites within selectable null backgrounds has been developed. A genomic fragment encompassing the ornithine decarboxylase locus and lacking heterologous DNA seque... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4578265 Thu, 24 Feb 2011 00:00:00 +0100 4578265 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4578264&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21354143%26dopt%3DAbstract The objective of this study was to evaluate if an established method for axenic culture of pleomorphic bloodstream form T.b. brucei strains, based on methylcellulose containing HMI-9 medium, also facilitated the continuous in vitro propagation of other bloodstream form Trypanozoon strains, in particular of T.b. gambiense. Bloodstream form trypanosomes from one T.b. brucei, two T.b. rhodesiense, one T. evansi and seven T.b. gambiense strains were isolated from mouse blood and each was concurrently cultivated in liquid and methylcellulose-containing HMI-9 based medium, either with or without additional human serum supplementation, for over 10 consecutive sub passages. Although HMI-9 based medium supplemented with 1.1% (w/v) methylcellulose supported the continuous cultivation of all non-gamb... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4578264 Thu, 24 Feb 2011 00:00:00 +0100 4578264 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4578263&cid=s_35569_141_f&fid=35569&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21354144%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Awais MM, Akhtar M, Muhammad F, Haq AU, Anwar MI Present paper reports the effects of aqueous and ethanolic extracts of sugar cane (Saccharum officinarum L.) juice and bagasse, respectively on protective immune responses in industrial broiler chickens against coccidiosis. Immunotherapeutic efficacies of the extracts were measured by evaluating their effect on body weight gain, oocyst shedding, lesion score, anti-coccidial indices, per cent protection and elicited serum antibody responses against coccidiosis. Results revealed a significantly lower (P<0.05) oocyst shedding and mortality in chickens administered with sugar cane extracts as compared to control. Further, significantly higher (P<0.05) body weight gains and antibody responses were detected in chickens administe... Experimental Parasitology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4578263 Thu, 24 Feb 2011 00:00:00 +0100 4578263