scholarly journals Immunocompetent Mice Infected by Two Lineages of Dengue Virus Type 2: Observations on the Pathology of the Lung, Heart and Skeletal Muscle

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (12) ◽  
pp. 2536
Author(s):  
Fernanda Cunha Jácome ◽  
Gabriela Cardoso Caldas ◽  
Arthur da Costa Rasinhas ◽  
Ana Luisa Teixeira de Almeida ◽  
Daniel Dias Coutinho de Souza ◽  
...  

Dengue virus (DENV) infection by one of the four serotypes (DENV-1 to 4) may result in a wide spectrum of clinical manifestations, with unpredictable evolution and organ involvement. Due to its association with severe epidemics and clinical manifestations, DENV-2 has been substantially investigated. In fact, the first emergence of a new lineage of the DENV-2 Asian/American genotype in Brazil (Lineage II) in 2008 was associated with severe cases and increased mortality related to organ involvement. A major challenge for dengue pathogenesis studies has been a suitable animal model, but the use of immune-competent mice, although sometimes controversial, has proven to be useful, as histological observations in infected animals reveal tissue alterations consistent to those observed in dengue human cases. Here, we aimed to investigate the outcomes caused by two distinct lineages of the DENV-2 Asian/American genotype in the lung, heart and skeletal muscle tissues of infected BALB/c mice. Tissues were submitted to histopathology, immunohistochemistry, histomorphometry and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis. The viral genome was detected in heart and skeletal muscle samples. The viral antigen was detected in cardiomyocytes and endothelial cells of heart tissue. Heart and lung tissue samples presented morphological alterations comparable to those seen in dengue human cases. Creatine kinase serum levels were higher in mice infected with both lineages of DENV-2. Additionally, statistically significant differences, concerning alveolar septa thickening and heart weight, were observed between BALB/c mice infected with both DENV-2 lineages, which was demonstrated to be an appropriate experimental model for dengue pathogenesis studies on lung, heart and skeletal muscle tissues.

2016 ◽  
Vol 25 (140) ◽  
pp. 170-177 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesca Luisi ◽  
Olga Torre ◽  
Sergio Harari

Generalised lymphatic anomaly (GLA), also known as lymphangiomatosis, is a rare disease caused by congenital abnormalities of lymphatic development. It usually presents in childhood but can also be diagnosed in adults. GLA encompasses a wide spectrum of clinical manifestations ranging from single-organ involvement to generalised disease. Given the rarity of the disease, most of the information regarding it comes from case reports. To date, no clinical trials concerning treatment are available. This review focuses on thoracic GLA and summarises possible diagnostic and therapeutic approaches.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Idrissa Dieng ◽  
Maryam Diarra ◽  
Moussa Moïse Diagne ◽  
Martin Faye ◽  
Marie Henriette Dior Ndione ◽  
...  

Dengue virus (DENV) is the most prevalent arboviral threat worldwide. This virus belonging to genus Flavivirus, Flaviviridae family, is responsible for a wide spectrum of clinical manifestations, ranging from asymptomatic or mild febrile illness (dengue fever) to life-threatening infections (severe dengue). Many sporadic cases and outbreaks have occurred in Senegal since 1970. Nevertheless, this article describes a field investigation of suspected dengue cases, between 05 September 2017 and 17 December 2017 made possible by the deployment of a Mobile Biosafety Laboratory (MBS-Lab). Overall, 960 human sera were collected and tested in the field for the presence of viral RNA by real-time RT-PCR. Serotyping, sequencing of complete E gene, and phylogenetic analysis were also performed. Out of 960 suspected cases, 131 were confirmed dengue cases. The majority of confirmed cases were from Louga community. Serotyping revealed two serotypes, Dengue 1 (100/104; 96, 15%) and Dengue 2 (04/104; 3, 84%). Phylogenetic analysis of the sequences obtained indicated that the Dengue 1 strain was closely related to strains isolated, respectively, in Singapore (Asia) in 2013 (KX380803.1) outbreak and it cocirculated with a Dengue 2 strain closely related to strains from a Burkina Faso dengue outbreak in 2016 (KY62776.1). Our results showed the co-circulation of two dengue virus serotypes during a single outbreak in a short time period. This co-circulation highlighted the need to improve surveillance in order to prevent future potential severe dengue cases through antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE). Interestingly, it also proved the reliability and usefulness of the MBS-Lab for expedient outbreak response at the point of need, which allows early cases management.


Lupus ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 096120332110142
Author(s):  
Tamer A Gheita ◽  
Rasha Abdel Noor ◽  
Esam Abualfadl ◽  
Osama S Abousehly ◽  
Iman I El-Gazzar ◽  
...  

Objective The aim of this study was to present the epidemiology, clinical manifestations and treatment pattern of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in Egyptian patients over the country and compare the findings to large cohorts worldwide. Objectives were extended to focus on the age at onset and gender driven influence on the disease characteristics. Patients and method This population-based, multicenter, cross-sectional study included 3661 adult SLE patients from Egyptian rheumatology departments across the nation. Demographic, clinical, and therapeutic data were assessed for all patients. Results The study included 3661 patients; 3296 females and 365 males (9.03:1) and the median age was 30 years (17–79 years), disease duration 4 years (0–75 years) while the median age at disease onset was 25 years (4–75 years). The overall estimated prevalence of adult SLE in Egypt was 6.1/100,000 population (1.2/100,000 males and 11.3/100,000 females).There were 316 (8.6%) juvenile-onset (Jo-SLE) and 3345 adult-onset (Ao-SLE). Age at onset was highest in South and lowest in Cairo (p < 0.0001). Conclusion SLE in Egypt had a wide variety of clinical and immunological manifestations, with some similarities with that in other nations and differences within the same country. The clinical characteristics, autoantibodies and comorbidities are comparable between Ao-SLE and Jo-SLE. The frequency of various clinical and immunological manifestations varied between gender. Additional studies are needed to determine the underlying factors contributing to gender and age of onset differences.


Diagnostics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 1218
Author(s):  
Raffaella Brunetti-Pierri ◽  
Marianthi Karali ◽  
Francesco Testa ◽  
Gerarda Cappuccio ◽  
Maria Elena Onore ◽  
...  

Pathogenic variants in the MKS1 gene are responsible for a ciliopathy with a wide spectrum of clinical manifestations ranging from Meckel and Joubert syndrome (JBTS) to Bardet-Biedl syndrome, and involving the central nervous system, liver, kidney, skeleton, and retina. We report a 39-year-old male individual presenting with isolated Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP), as assessed by full ophthalmological evaluation including Best-Corrected Visual Acuity measurements, fundus examination, Goldmann Visual Field test, and full-field Electroretinography. A clinical exome identified biallelic nonsense variants in MKS1 that prompted post-genotyping investigations for systemic abnormalities of ciliopathy. Brain magnetic resonance imaging revealed malformations of the posterior cranial fossa with the ‘molar tooth sign’ and cerebellar folia dysplasia, which are both distinctive features of JBTS. No other organ or skeletal abnormalities were detected. This case illustrates the power of clinical exome for the identification of the mildest forms of a disease spectrum, such as a mild JBTS with RP in the presented case of an individual carrying biallelic truncating variants in MKS1.


2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 6
Author(s):  
Divya Gupta ◽  
Jeffrey W. Santoso ◽  
Megan L. McCain

Engineered in vitro models of skeletal muscle are essential for efficiently screening drug safety and efficacy. However, conventional culture substrates poorly replicate physical features of native muscle and do not support long-term culture, which limits tissue maturity. Micromolded gelatin hydrogels cross-linked with microbial transglutaminase (gelatin-MTG hydrogels) have previously been shown to induce C21C2 myotube alignment and improve culture longevity. However, several properties of gelatin-MTG hydrogels have not been systematically characterized, such as changes in elastic modulus during incubation in culture-like conditions and their ability to support sarcomere maturation. In this study, various gelatin-MTG hydrogels were fabricated and incubated in ambient or culture-like conditions. Elastic modulus, mass, and transmittance were measured over a one- or two-week period. Compared to hydrogels in phosphate buffered saline (PBS) or ambient air, hydrogels in Dulbecco’s Modified Eagle Medium (DMEM) and 5% CO2 demonstrated the most stable elastic modulus. A subset of gelatin-MTG hydrogels was micromolded and seeded with C2C12 or primary chick myoblasts, which aligned and fused into multinucleated myotubes with relatively mature sarcomeres. These data are important for fabricating gelatin-MTG hydrogels with predictable and stable mechanical properties and highlight their advantages as culture substrates for engineering relatively mature and stable muscle tissues.


Author(s):  
G. Scarlato ◽  
G. Pellegrini ◽  
C. Cerri ◽  
G. Meola ◽  
A. Veicsteinas

SUMMARY:Two cases of systemic carnitine deficiency are described. In both patients, carnitine concentration was lower than normal in serum and muscle tissue. In the first case, the illness began at age 35; the clinical manifestations were only muscular. In the second case, the illness began in childhood; there were intermittent episodes of hepatic enlargement and coma. An excessive lipid content was present in muscle tissue, especially in type I fibers, of both cases, and in the liver of the second patient. Ultrastructural studies of muscle tissue revealed important changes of mitochondria.During muscular exercise, aerobic and anaerobic metabolism were in vestigated. For a given relative work intensity, these patients showed abnormally high blood lactic acid concentration and lactic acid/pyruvic acid ratios. These data, together with the morphological alterations observed in mitochondria, suggest an impaired function of the respiratory chain, leading to a shift of the red/ox potential of the tissue towards a non reduced state.


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andres Cardenas ◽  
Isabel Graupera ◽  
Elsa Sola ◽  
Pere Ginès

Cirrhosis is the most advanced stage of all the different types of chronic liver diseases. It is defined as a diffuse disorganization of normal hepatic structure by extensive fibrosis associated with regenerative nodules. Hepatic fibrosis is potentially reversible if the causative agent is removed. However, advanced cirrhosis leads to major alterations in the hepatic vascular bed and is usually irreversible. Cirrhosis is a progressive and severe clinical condition associated with considerable morbidity and high mortality. It leads to a wide spectrum of characteristic clinical manifestations, mainly attributable to hepatic insufficiency and portal hypertension. Major complications of portal hypertension include ascites, gastrointestinal (GI) variceal bleeding, hepatic encephalopathy (HE), renal failure, and bacterial infections. In recent years, major advances in the understanding of the natural history and pathophysiology of cirrhosis and the treatment of its complications have led to improved management, quality of life, and life expectancy of patients with this disease. Cirrhosis is also a risk factor for developing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Decompensated cirrhosis carries a poor short-term prognosis; thus, orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) should always be considered in suitable candidates. This chapter describes the epidemiology, etiology and genetic factors, pathogenesis, diagnosis, general management, and treatment of cirrhosis. Complications of cirrhosis are discussed, including ascites, spontaneous bacterial peritonitis, dilutional hyponatremia, hepatorenal syndrome, variceal bleeding, hepatopulmonary syndrome and postpulmonary hypertension, HE, and HCC. Indications and contraindications for liver transplantation are described. Figures show liver biopsy results and ultrasound images in cirrhosis from hepatitis C, a patient with tense ascites, transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunting (TIPS), large esophageal varices with red spots, and HCC. Tables outline the main causes of cirrhosis and the diagnostic methods for identifying them, the Child-Pugh score, diagnostic criteria for hepatorenal syndrome, grades of HE, and indications for liver transplantation.This chapter contains 6 highly rendered figures, 8 tables, 73 references.


Lab on a Chip ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 17 (20) ◽  
pp. 3447-3461 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gaurav Agrawal ◽  
Aereas Aung ◽  
Shyni Varghese

We introduce a microfluidic platform in which we culture three-dimensional skeletal muscle tissues, while evaluating tissue formation and toxin-induced muscle injury.


2011 ◽  
Vol 80 (1) ◽  
pp. 119-124 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katarína Holovská ◽  
Viera Almášiová ◽  
Viera Cigánková ◽  
Peter Škrobánek

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of simulated microgravity (hypodynamia) on the structure of the skeletal muscle (m. gastrocnemius) in developing Japanese quail by transmission electron microscopy. Samples of muscle tissues from experimental (n = 28) and control (n = 28) birds were collected at day 7, 14, 28, 42 and 56 of age. The structure of m. gastrocnenmius was changed depending on hypodynamia length. The first extensive structural changes were found on day 14 of age. The mitochondria were enlarged and the spaces between the myofibrils were slightly extended compared to control. The sarcomeres were irregular and lipid droplets occurred in the sarcoplasm. Further developmental changes occurred on day 28 of age. Mitochondria fused into the giant mitochondria which frequently exceeded the length of one sarcomere. Moreover, at 42 days of age, beside the above mentioned changes, sarcoplasmic reticulum was dilated and the number of mitochondrial cristae was reduced. However, the structure of m. gastrocnemius on day 56 was less damaged compared to the damage observed on day 42 of age. Presented results indicate that the continuous stay of male Japanese quail under simulated microgravity has a negative impact on the structure of m. gastrocnemius, but also the ability of muscle tissue to cope with these specific conditions.


Author(s):  
Raonne Souza Almeida Alves Menezes ◽  
Bernardo Galvão Castro Filho ◽  
Maria Fernanda Rios Grassi

This study aimed to describe comorbidities and symptoms of asymptomatic HTLV-1-infected patients according to the proviral load. Medical records were revised and patients categorized in high and low proviral load groups: >5% and <5% -infected cells, respectively. Frequency of symptoms was quantified. A total of 64 patients were evaluated. Twenty three (36%) patients had high proviral load. All patients had clinical abnormalities reported in the medical records. The most frequently comorbidities were hypertension (37.5%) and depression (25%) and the most frequent symptoms were neurological (82.8%) and ophthalmologic (65.6%). There were no differences in the frequencies of clinical manifestations in patients with low and high proviral load, except for urinary retention, that was more prevalent in the group with high proviral (34.8%). In summary, patients infected with HTLV-1 asymptomatic have a wide spectrum of clinical abnormalities and should be closely followed in order to identify the development of HTLV-1-associated diseases.


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