Elucidating bacterial adhesion to mucosal surface by an original AFM approach

Background Fish skin represents an ancient vertebrate mucosal surface, sharing characteristics with other mucosal surfaces including those of the intestine. The skin mucosa is continuously exposed to microbes in the surrounding water and is therefore important in the first line defense against environmental pathogens by preventing bacteria from accessing the underlying surfaces. Understanding the microbe-host interactions at the fish skin mucosa is highly relevant in order to understand and control infection, commensalism, colonization, persistence, infection, and disease. Here we investigate the interactions between the pathogenic bacteria Aeromonas salmonicida (A. salmonicida) and Yersinia ruckeri (Y. ruckeri), respectively, and the skin mucosal surface of Atlantic salmon fry using AFM force spectroscopy. Results The results obtained revealed that when retracting probes functionalized with bacteria from surfaces coated with immobilized mucins, isolated from salmon mucosal surfaces, rupture events reflecting the disruption of adhesive interactions were observed, with rupture strengths centered around 200 pN. However, when retracting probes functionalized with bacteria from the intact mucosal surface of salmon fish fry no adhesive interactions could be detected. Furthermore, rheological measurements revealed a near fluid-like behavior for the fish fry skin mucus. Taken together, the experimental data indicate that the adhesion between the mucin molecules within the mucous layer may be significantly weaker than the interaction between the bacteria and the mucin molecules. The bacteria, immobilized on the AFM probe, do bind to individual mucins in the mucosal layer, but are released from the near fluid mucus with little resistance upon retraction of the AFM probe, to which they are immobilized. Conclusion The data provided in the current paper reveal that A. salmonicida and Y. ruckeri do bind to the immobilized mucins. However, when retracting the bacteria from intact mucosal surfaces, no adhesive interactions are detected. These observations suggest a mechanism underlying the protective function of the mucosal surface based on the clearing of potential threats by adhering them to loosely attached mucus that is subsequently released from the fish skin.

Topical Tacrolimus vs Topical Triamcinolone equally effective in the Treatment of Oral Lichen Planus

Background: Lichen planus is a disease that can involve either skin, mucosa or both. Although there is no definite treatment but many medications are available for the relieving the symptoms of this autoimmune disease and recent literature has brought into light the use of an immunosuppressant such as Tacrolimus that may be effectively used as topical application in treatment of Oral Lichen Planus (OLP). Methods: We conducted a study on 80 patients to determine the use of results of topical Tacrolimus (0.1%) versus Triamcinolone acetonide (0.1%) ointment for the treatment of Oral Lichen Planus over a period of six months at Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Department, HITEC Dental College Taxila. Results: Outcome of the study was determined in terms of ‘Improvement in pain’. Conclusion: This study showed an insignificant difference in improvement in pain of patients of lichen planus treated with tacrolimus and triamcinolone. Keywords: Oral lichenplanus, treatment outcome, symptomatic management, improvement in pain,

Facial angioedema in young elderly: Rare complication of rare drug

Angioedema is an intense often disfiguring but temporary swelling of a localized area which usually involves superficially lying structures like skin, mucosa along with subcutaneous tissues. Areas which are often affected by angioedema have a wide range starting from the face, lips, tongue, pharynx, the supraglottic area and rarely, the subglottic area. It might also effect the gastrointestinal mucous membranes, genitalia, hands and feet. There maybe variety of causes for development of angioedema including various drug intake, insect bites or stings and certain types of food products particularly nuts, milk and eggs. Levamisole is known to have anthelminthic and immunomodulatory properties and is a common contaminant in cocaine due to its mood stimulatory action. Here we report a case of a 60-year-old female who presented with angioedema following ingestion of a drug known as levamisole for its anthelminthic activity.

Microbiome in immuno-rheumatology

The microbiota is a set of microorganisms (bacteria, archaea, viruses, fungi and protists), that reside in our body and are usually associated with healthy tissues (skin, mucosa, etc.) of the human body. Microorganisms reside in these places more or less permanently, and in some cases perform specific functions

Microbiome in immuno-rheumatology

The microbiota is a set of microorganisms (bacteria, archaea, viruses, fungi and protists), that reside in our body and are usually associated with healthy tissues (skin, mucosa, etc.) of the human body. Microorganisms reside in these places more or less permanently, and in some cases perform specific functions

Characteristics and potential malignancy of colorectal juvenile polyps in adults: a single-center retrospective study in China

BackgroundColorectal juvenile polyps are rare and usually considered benign in adults. Carcinogenesis or neoplastic changes are rarely mentioned in the literature. We aimed to systematically evaluate the characteristics and potential malignancy of colorectal juvenile polyps in adults.MethodsWe retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 103 adults diagnosed with colorectal juvenile polyps from 9/2007 to 5/2020 in our hospital. The characteristics, endoscopic findings, occurrence of intraepithelial neoplasia, carcinogenesis and diagnostic value of chicken skin mucosa (CSM) were analyzed.ResultsThe average age of patients with juvenile polyps was 43.2 years (range, 19 to 78). A total of 101 patients (101/103, 98.1%) had a single juvenile polyp, while two had multiple polyps (107 polyps in total). Polyp sizes ranged from 0.5 to 5 cm. One (1/107, 0.9%) juvenile polyp was cancerous, and 7 (7/107, 6.5%) developed low-grade intraepithelial neoplasia. Neoplasia or cancerization was not associated with the number of polyps. A 27-year-old female had a polyp with well-differentiated adenocarcinoma in the mucosa that was 2 cm in the sigmoid colon with erosion on the surface. According to immunohistochemistry, the Ki-67 was approximately 80%. P53 was mutated with diffuse and strongly positive expression. CSM was observed beside 17 polyps, which were all located in the rectum and sigmoid colon; one polyp had low-grade intraepithelial neoplasia.ConclusionsColorectal juvenile polyps in adults have neoplastic potential. Neither neoplasia nor carcinogenesis was associated with the number of polyps. CSM was not a tumorigenesis marker in colorectal juvenile polyps in the distant colorectum. Colorectal juvenile polyps in adult may go through a ‘low-grade intraepithelial neoplasia to high-grade intraepithelial neoplasia to carcinoma’ path and should be treated and regularly followed up as adenomas.

Skin Multi-Omics-Based Interactome Analysis: Integrating the Tissue and Mucus Exuded Layer for a Comprehensive Understanding of the Teleost Mucosa Functionality as Model of Study

From a general structural perspective, a mucosal tissue is constituted by two main matrices: the tissue and the secreted mucus. Jointly, they fulfill a wide range of functions including the protection of the epithelial layer. In this study, we simultaneously analyzed the epithelial tissue and the secreted mucus response using a holistic interactome-based multi-omics approach. The effect of the gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata) skin mucosa to a dietary inclusion of spray-dried porcine plasma (SDPP) was evaluated. The epithelial skin microarrays-based transcriptome data showed 194 differentially expressed genes, meanwhile the exuded mucus proteome analysis 35 differentially synthesized proteins. Separately, the skin transcripteractome revealed an expression profile that favored biological mechanisms associated to gene expression, biogenesis, vesicle function, protein transport and localization to the membrane. Mucus proteome showed an enhanced protective role with putatively higher antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. The integrated skin mucosa multi-interactome analysis evidenced the interrelationship and synergy between the metabolism and the exuded mucus functions improving specifically the tissue development, innate defenses, and environment recognition. Histologically, the skin increased in thickness and in number of mucous cells. A positive impact on animal performance, growth and feed efficiency was also registered. Collectively, the results suggest an intimate crosstalk between skin tissue and its exuded mucus in response to the nutritional stimulus (SDPP supplementation) that favors the stimulation of cell protein turnover and the activation of the exudation machinery in the skin mucosa. Thus, the multi-omics-based interactome analysis provides a comprehensive understanding of the biological context of response that takes place in a mucosal tissue. In perspective, this strategy is applicable for evaluating the effect of any experimental variable on any mucosal tissue functionality, including the benefits this assessment may provide on the study of the mammalian mucosa.

Prevailing role of mucosal immunoglobulins and B cells in teleost skin immune responses to bacterial infection

The skin of vertebrates is the outermost organ of the body and serves as the first line of defense against external aggressions. In contrast to mammalian skin, that of teleost fish lacks keratinization and has evolved to operate as a mucosal surface containing a skin-associated lymphoid tissue (SALT). Thus far, IgT representing the prevalent immunoglobulin (Ig) in SALT have only been reported upon infection with a parasite. However, very little is known about the types of B cells and Igs responding to bacterial infection in the teleost skin mucosa, as well as the inductive or effector role of the SALT in such responses. To address these questions, here we analyzed the immune response of trout skin upon infection with one of the most widespread fish skin bacterial pathogens, Flavobacterium columnare. This pathogen induced strong skin innate immune and inflammatory responses at the initial phases of infection. More critically, we found that the skin mucus of fish having survived the infection contained significant IgT-but not IgM- or IgD-specific titers against the bacteria. Moreover, we demonstrate the local proliferation and production of IgT+ B-cells and specific IgT titers respectively within the SALT upon bacterial infection. Thus, our findings represent the first demonstration that IgT is the main Ig isotype induced by the skin mucosa upon bacterial infection, and that because of the large surface of the skin, its SALT probably represents a prominent IgT inductive site in fish.

Sarcoma de Kaposi lingual. Rara variante en paciente VIH positivo. A propósito de un caso.

Kaposi's sarcoma is a vascular lesion of intermediate-grade malignant potential affecting skin, mucosa, lymph nodes, and viscera. Four clinical variants have been recognized: classic, African Kaposi sarcoma, immunosuppression-associated Kaposi sarcoma and AIDS-associated Kaposi sarcoma. Human herpes virus type 8 is implicated as the etiological agent in all of them. We present a 39-year-old man with a history of pulmonary tuberculosis under treatment, and two months of evolution HIV / AIDS, with a lympangiomatous Kaposi sarcoma in an atypical location. Keywords: Kaposi's sarcoma; HIV; HHV-8; vascular neoplasia; lymphangioma-like Kaposi sarcoma.