Browsing by Author "Gollob, Kenneth John"

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    Captopril increases the intensity of monocyte infection by Trypanosoma cruzi and induces human T helper type 17 cells.
    (2010) Santos, Janete Soares Coelho dos; Menezes, Cristiane Alves da Silva; Villani, Fernanda Nobre Amaral; Magalhães, Luísa Mourão Dias; Scharfstein, Julio; Gollob, Kenneth John; Dutra, Walderez Ornelas
    The anti-hypertensive drug captopril is used commonly to reduce blood pressure of patients with severe forms of Chagas disease, a cardiomyopathy caused by chronic infection with the intracellular protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi. Captopril acts by inhibiting angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), the vasopressor metallopeptidase that generates angiotensin II and promotes the degradation of bradykinin (BK). Recent studies in micemodels of Chagas disease indicated that captopril can potentiate the T helper type 1 (Th1)-directing natural adjuvant property of BK. Equipped with kinin-releasing cysteine proteases, T. cruzi trypomastigotes were shown previously to invade nonprofessional phagocytic cells, such as human endothelial cells and murine cardiomyocytes, through the signalling of G protein-coupled bradykinin receptors (B2KR). Monocytes are also parasitized by T. cruzi and these cells are known to be important for the host immune response during infection. Here we showed that captopril increases the intensity of T. cruzi infection of human monocytes in vitro. The increased parasitism was accompanied by up-regulated expression of ACE in human monocytes.While T. cruzi infection increased the expression of interleukin (IL)-10 by monocytes significantly, compared to uninfected cells, T. cruzi infection in association with captopril down-modulated IL-10 expression by the monocytes. Surprisingly, studies with peripheral blood mononuclear cells revealed that addition of the ACE inhibitor in association with T. cruzi increased expression of IL-17 by CD4+ T cells in a B2KR-dependent manner. Collectively, our results suggest that captopril might interfere with host–parasite equilibrium by enhancing infection of monocytes, decreasing the expression of the modulatory cytokine IL-10, while guiding development of the proinflammatory Th17 subset.
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    Clinical aspects of Chagas disease and implications for novel therapies.
    (2011) Menezes, Cristiane Alves da Silva; Costa, Germano Carneiro; Gollob, Kenneth John; Dutra, Walderez Ornelas
    The interaction between the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi and the human host dates back 9,000 years, as demonstrated by molecular analysis of material obtained from Andean mummies indicating the presence of the parasite’s kinetoplast DNA in populations from Chile and Peru. This long-established interaction, which persists today, demonstrates that T. cruzi has established a very well adapted relationship with the human host. From the point of view of a host–parasite relationship, this is desirable; however, such a high degree of adaptation is perhaps the foundation for many of the unknowns that surround this disease. Unveiling of the immunological mechanisms that underlie the establishment of pathology, identification of parasite-associated factors that determine strain-differential tissue tropism, discovery of host genetic elements that influence the development of different clinical forms of the disease, and understanding environmental factors that may influence the host–parasite interactions are some of the key questions that remain to be answered. The response to these questions will aid in addressing some of the current challenges in Chagas disease: fulfilling the need for efficient diagnosis, developing effective prophylactic measures, discovering effective therapeutics, and finding methods to control disease progression.
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    Down modulation of MHC surface molecules on B cells by suppressive immune complexes obtained from chronic intestinal schistosomiasis patients.
    (1998) Rezende, Simone Aparecida; Gollob, Kenneth John; Oliveira, Rodrigo Corrêa de; Goes, Alfredo Miranda de
    Granulomatous inflammation around parasite eggs is the prominent lesion in human schistosomiasis. Studies have suggested the involvement of a series of suppressive mechanisms in the control of this reaction, such as macrophages, cytokines, idiotipic interactions and immune complexes (IC). The studies examine the role of IC obtained from chronic intestinal schistosomiasis patients (ISP) in the reactivity of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). The results have shown that these immune complexes are able to suppress cell reactivity by inducing an increase in the production of soluble mediators such as prostaglandins and IL-10. To gain a better understanding of how this suppression occurs the present study examines the phenotypic pattern of PBMC after immune complex treatment in cell proliferation assays. These data show that cultures including immune complex present a higher percentage of B lymphocytes in which a lower expression of a MHC-class II gene product, HLA-DR was detected. This altered expression of the HLA-DR molecule on B lymphocytes after IC treatment suggests a novel mechanism for the suppression observed, that is, IC might decrease the antigen-presenting function of B lymphocytes.
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    Highly conserved CDR3 region in circulating CD4(+) Vβ5(+) T cells may be associated with cytotoxic activity in Chagas disease.
    (2012) Menezes, Cristiane Alves da Silva; Sullivan, A. K.; Falta, M. T.; Mack, D. G.; Freed, B. M.; Rocha, Manoel Otávio da Costa; Gollob, Kenneth John; Fontenot, A. P.; Dutra, Walderez Ornelas
    Human infection with Trypanosoma cruzi leads to Chagas disease, which presents as several different clinical conditions ranging from an asymptomatic form to a severe dilated cardiomyopathy. Several studies have demonstrated that T cells play a critical role in the development of cardiac pathology, as well as in immunoregulation during chronic disease. However, the mechanisms that drive protective or pathogenic T cell response are not known.We have shown that CD4+ T cells from chagasic patients preferentially express T cell receptor (TCR) b-chain variable region (Vb) 5. The aim of this work was to determine whether T cells expressing this particular Vb region displayed variable or restricted CDR3 sequences, as an indicator of the nature of the stimulus leading to the activation of these T cells in vivo. Additionally, we aimed to evaluate phenotypic characteristics of these cells that might be associated with pathology. CDR3 junctional region sequencing of Vb5·1 expressing CD4+ T cells revealed the occurrence of a highly homologous CDR3 region with conserved TCR Jb region usage among patients with cardiac, but not indeterminate, Chagas disease. Moreover, correlation analysis indicated that the frequency of CD4+Vb5·1+ cells is associated with granzyme A expression, suggesting that these cells might display cytotoxic function. Together these results provide new insight into T cell recognition of antigens involved in Chagas disease and suggest that these cells may be implicated in the pathogenesis of chagasic cardiomyopathy.
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    IgG isotype profile is correlated with cardiomegaly in Beagle dogs infected with distinct Trypanosoma cruzi strains.
    (2008) Guedes, Paulo Marcos da Matta; Veloso, Vanja Maria; Gollob, Kenneth John; Afonso, Luís Carlos Crocco; Caldas, Ivo Santana; Vianna, Priscila; Lana, Marta de; Chiari, Egler; Bahia, Maria Terezinha; Galvão, Lúcia Maria da Cunha
    A systematic study following infection by various strains of the protozoan parasite, Trypanosoma cruzi, and the simultaneous monitoring of the humoral immune response together with the elicited cellular response, could add greatly to our understanding of differences between strains of this important human pathogen. In that sense, acute and chronic infections with distinct T. cruzi strains (Y, Berenice-78 and ABC) in Beagle dogs were studied through a longitudinal evaluation of immunoglobulin G (IgG), IgG1 and IgG2 isotypes (by ELISA and flow cytometry (FC)), as well as measurements of peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) proliferation over a 100-week period, and their correlation with cardiomegaly. Our results show that infected animals presenting cardiomegaly showed lower or absent levels of IgG1 during the chronic phase of the infection, when compared to those that did not show an increase in heart weight. In that manner, our results suggest that IgG1 could be used as a marker for cardiac pathogenicity in Chagas disease.
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    Immunochemotherapy in american cutaneous leishmaniasis : immunological aspects before and after treatment.
    (2001) Toledo, Vicente de Paulo Coelho Peixoto de; Mayrink, Wilson; Gollob, Kenneth John; Oliveira, Milton Adriano Pelli de; Costa, Carlos Alberto da; Genaro, Odair; Pinto, J. A.; Afonso, Luís Carlos Crocco
    In this study, we evaluated the immune response of patients suffering from cutaneous leishmaniasis treated with two distinct protocols. One group was treated with conventional chemotherapy using pentavalent antimonium salts and the other with immunochemotherapy where a vaccine against cutaneous leishmaniasis was combined with the antimonium salt. Our results show that, although no differences were observed in the necessary time for complete healing of the lesions between the two treatments, peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients treated by chemotherapy showed smaller lymphoproliferative responses at the end of the treatment than those from patients in the immunochemotherapy group. Furthermore, IFN-production was also different between the two groups. While cells from patients in the chemotherapy group produced more IFN-at the end of treatment, a significant decrease in this cytokine production was associated with healing in the immunochemotherapy group. In addition, IL-10 production was also less intense in this latter group. Finally, an increase in CD8+ -IFN-producing cells was detected in the chemotherapy group. Together these results point to an alternative treatment protocol where healing can be induced with a decreased production of a potentially toxic cytokine.
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    Low levels of vasoactive intestinal peptide are associated with Chagas disease cardiomyopathy.
    (2013) Corrêa, Marielle Valério; Rocha, Manoel Otávio da Costa; Sousa, Giovane Rodrigo de; Nunes, Maria do Carmo Pereira; Gollob, Kenneth John; Dutra, Walderez Ornelas; Menezes, Cristiane Alves da Silva
    The interconnection between immune and neuroendocrine systems influences regulation of inflammatory responses. The possible relevance that this integrative response may have during the course of Chagas disease remains poorly characterized. In this context, our study was designed to determine the expression of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), a neuropeptide with anti-inflammatory properties, in blood from the indeterminate and cardiac polarized forms of Chagas disease. Moreover, we determined whether the differential expression of VIP is associated with the development of cardiomyopathy in individuals infected with Trypanosoma cruzi. Finally, we analyzed gene polymorphisms of VIP receptors, VPAC1 and VPAC2, and performed correlation analysis of these polymorphisms with the different clinical forms of Chagas disease. Our results demonstrated that low plasma levels of VIP were associated with the cardiac morbidity in Chagas disease. Accordingly, correlation analysis showed that low plasma levels of VIP were associated with worse cardiac function, as determined by left ventricular ejection fraction and left ventricular diastolic diameter values. Polymorphism analysis showed a significant association between VPAC1 and the indeterminate form of Chagas disease development. Our data indicate that VIP expression and its receptors’ polymorphism may be important in determining susceptibility to progression from mild to severe forms of Chagas disease.
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    Unequivocal identification of subpopulations in putative multiclonal Trypanosoma cruzi strains by FACs single cell sorting and genotyping.
    (2012) Valadares, Helder Magno Silva; Pimenta, Juliana Ramos; Segatto, Marcela; Veloso, Vanja Maria; Gomes, Mônica Lúcia; Chiari, Egler; Gollob, Kenneth John; Bahia, Maria Terezinha; Lana, Marta de; Franco, Glória Regina; Machado, Carlos Renato; Pena, Sérgio Danilo Junho; Macedo, Andréa Mara
    Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiological agent of Chagas disease, is a polymorphic species. Evidence suggests that the majority of the T. cruzi populations isolated from afflicted humans, reservoir animals, or vectors are multiclonal. However, the extent and the complexity of multiclonality remain to be established, since aneuploidy cannot be excluded and current conventional cloning methods cannot identify all the representative clones in an infection. To answer this question, we adapted a methodology originally described for analyzing single spermatozoids, to isolate and study single T. cruzi parasites. Accordingly, the cloning apparatus of a Fluorescence-Activated Cell Sorter (FACS) was used to sort single T. cruzi cells directly into 96-wells microplates. Cells were then genotyped using two polymorphic genomic markers and four microsatellite loci. We validated this methodology by testing four T. cruzi populations: one control artificial mixture composed of two monoclonal populations – Silvio X10 cl1 (TcI) and Esmeraldo cl3 (TcII) – and three naturally occurring strains, one isolated from a vector (A316A R7) and two others derived from the first reported human case of Chagas disease. Using this innovative approach, we were able to successfully describe the whole complexity of these natural strains, revealing their multiclonal status. In addition, our results demonstrate that these T. cruzi populations are formed of more clones than originally expected. The method also permitted estimating of the proportion of each subpopulation of the tested strains. The single-cell genotyping approach allowed analysis of intrapopulation diversity at a level of detail not achieved previously, and may thus improve our comprehension of population structure and dynamics of T. cruzi. Finally, this methodology is capable to settle once and for all controversies on the issue of multiclonality.