Increased levels of cortisol are associated with the severity of experimental visceral leishmaniasis in a Leishmania (L.) infantum-hamster model

Do not exclude your observations: Negative cortisol awakening responses (CAR) may be biologically relevant

The Cortisol Awakening Response (CAR) is the change in cortisol concentrations within 30-40 minutes after waking from sleep and is frequently used in stress research. Since a positive CAR is expected, we hypothesized that negative values could be associated to an underlying health condition (reflected in hematological parameters) or to environmental exposures such as lead (Pb), which has neuroendocrine effects including altered cortisol diurnal rhythms. Our aim was to analyze the prevalence of negative CAR values and their association with hematological parameters and blood Pb (BPb) levels in pregnant women (n = 900). Cortisol was measured by luminescence immunoassay in two-day saliva samples. CAR was estimated as the difference between the first (time of awakening) and second (45 min after) cortisol concentrations for each collection day and was operationalized as: both days positive (CAR-PP, 23 %), either day with a negative (CAR-NP/PN, 40 %), and both negative (CAR-NN, 37 %). A complete blood count was done using a coulter hematology analyzer. BPb was analyzed by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. Associations between hematological variables and CAR groups were analyzed using adjusted multinomial logistic regression models. Probabilities were estimated to assess the influence of BPb and hematological variables between CAR groups. The median (25th, 75th) CAR for the first collection day was -2.76 nmol/L (-16.55, 14.62) and -4.14 nmol/L (-17.66, 13.24) for the second day. Women with higher concentrations of leukocytes, eosinophils, basophils, and BPb were more likely to belong to CAR-NN or CAR-NP/PN groups. Compared to women with CAR-PP, those with CAR-NP/PN and CAR-NN had inverse associations for leukocyte levels and higher BPb concentrations. We conclude that negative CAR values could be an indicator of an underlying health condition or associated with environmental exposures such as Pb. Research should consider a thorough assessment of negative CAR values before excluding them from analyses.

Overview and Approaches for Handling of Animal Models of Leishmaniasis

Leishmaniasis, a disease of global relevance, results from infection with the protozoan parasite, Leishmania, which is transmitted to susceptible hosts through the bite of sand flies. Multiple forms of leishmaniasis may occur, including cutaneous, mucocutaneous, and visceral. Research with animal models remains an important approach to help define basic pathophysi- ologic processes associated with infection and disease. In this regard, mice and hamsters represent the most commonly used models. The severity of leishmaniasis in animal models depends on several factors, including genotype of the host and parasite and the dose and route of administration of the parasite to the host, and severity of outcome may range from subclinical to severe illness. This review provides basic background on leishmaniasis, relevant animal models, the pathophysiology and clinical signs in animals used as models of leishmaniasis, and general approaches to mitigate risk to personnel.

The role of Aeromonas genotyping in virulence for Dicentrarchus labrax

Aeromonas septicemia still represents a serious challenge facing the global aquaculture sector. In the present study, Aeromonas caviae and A. veronii were isolated from four diseased European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax) farms experiencing a high mortality rate. Diseased fish showed haemorrhages on the external body surface with exophthalmia, cataracts, scale desquamation, skin ulcers and fin erosions. The most common post-mortem findings were congested internal organs, particularly the liver and posterior kidney. Twenty-eight A. Veronii and 11 A. caviae isolates were identified biochemically by the Vitek 2 system and then confirmed by PCR and phylogenetic analysis. Hemolysin (hlyA) and aerolysin (aer) were the most abundant virulence genes in the recovered isolates, followed by cytotoxic enterotoxin (act) and heat-stable enterotoxin (ast). A. caviae was more virulent than A. veronii for D. labrax fingerlings as LD50 ranging between (>1 × 108 -6.2 × 107 ) for A. veronii and (2.9 × 107 -8.3 × 107 ) for A. caviae. The sensitivity test indicated the effectiveness of norfloxacin, doxycycline and oxytetracycline against the tested isolates. Serum cortisol significantly increased in the infected groups, while catalase and glutathione peroxidase activities significantly decreased at 2 days post-infection (DPI) and then increased at 6 DPI. The presence of virulence genes was associated with bacterial pathogenicity expressed in fish mortality rate. Virulence genes also drastically affect cortisol levels more than catalase and glutathione peroxidase levels.

Lymphocytic hypophysitis in dogs infected with Leishmania spp

Background

Morphological involvement of endocrine glands, such as the pituitary gland, remain uninvestigated in dogs with canine visceral leishmaniasis. Therefore, this study investigated the presence of amastigotes of Leishmania spp. and characterized inflammatory changes, highlighting the involvement of TCD3+ lymphocytes in different regions of the pituitary gland of dogs.

Methods

Samples were collected from 21 naturally infected dogs and 5 control, uninfected dogs. The different pituitary regions were analyzed in histological sections stained with hematoxylin and eosin (HE) under light microscopy. Inflammation was classified by intensity in a score from 0 to 3, absent (0), mild (1), moderate (2), and marked (3). The immunohistochemical (IHC) evaluation was performed in five high-power fields (hot spot) in a 40x objective of each region with manual counting (Image J1.52ª) of the TCD3+ lymphocytes and for amastigotes analyzed in 40x and 100x objectives. The Shapiro-Wilk test was used to assess the normality of the data. Differences between groups were determined by the Mann Whitney test. The correlation between variables was assessed by Sperman's correlation test. p < 0.05 were considered statistically significant.

Results

Amastigotes from the pituitary glands of two infected dogs were identified using IHC. The histopathological evaluation stained with hematoxylin and eosin showed greater intensity of inflammation in the pars distalis and pars intermedia regions of infected dogs. IHC for TCD3+ lymphocytes showed a higher median number of immunolabeled cells in pars nervosa in the infected group than in the control group (p < 0.05); and expecting a variation in the distribution and number of these cells in naturally infected dogs, the median of the control group was considered a cut-off point, an increase in T lymphocytes (p < 0.05) was also observed in the pars intermedia and pars distalis of an infected subgroup (n = 10). A moderate significant correlation between the intensity of inflammation and the number of immunolabeled TCD3+ lymphocytes was established in the analyzed pituitary regions, characterizing the occurrence of hypophysitis.

Conclusion

These findings presuppose that inflammation and/or the parasite in the pituitary region can result in gland dysfunction, worsening the clinical condition of the patient and compromising the efficiency of treatment and prognosis.

The Role of MIF and IL-10 as Molecular Yin-Yang in the Modulation of the Host Immune Microenvironment During Infections: African Trypanosome Infections as a Paradigm

African trypanosomes are extracellular flagellated unicellular protozoan parasites transmitted by tsetse flies and causing Sleeping Sickness disease in humans and Nagana disease in cattle and other livestock. These diseases are usually characterized by the development of a fatal chronic inflammatory disease if left untreated. During African trypanosome infection and many other infectious diseases, the immune response is mediating a see-saw balance between effective/protective immunity and excessive infection-induced inflammation that can cause collateral tissue damage. African trypanosomes are known to trigger a strong type I pro-inflammatory response, which contributes to peak parasitaemia control, but this can culminate into the development of immunopathologies, such as anaemia and liver injury, if not tightly controlled. In this context, the macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) and the interleukin-10 (IL-10) cytokines may operate as a molecular “Yin-Yang” in the modulation of the host immune microenvironment during African trypanosome infection, and possibly other infectious diseases. MIF is a pleiotropic pro-inflammatory cytokine and critical upstream mediator of immune and inflammatory responses, associated with exaggerated inflammation and immunopathology. For example, it plays a crucial role in the pro-inflammatory response against African trypanosomes and other pathogens, thereby promoting the development of immunopathologies. On the other hand, IL-10 is an anti-inflammatory cytokine, acting as a master regulator of inflammation during both African trypanosomiasis and other diseases. IL-10 is crucial to counteract the strong MIF-induced pro-inflammatory response, leading to pathology control. Hence, novel strategies capable of blocking MIF and/or promoting IL-10 receptor signaling pathways, could potentially be used as therapy to counteract immunopathology development during African trypanosome infection, as well as during other infectious conditions. Together, this review aims at summarizing the current knowledge on the opposite immunopathological molecular “Yin-Yang” switch roles of MIF and IL-10 in the modulation of the host immune microenvironment during infection, and more particularly during African trypanosomiasis as a paradigm.