A gut feeling about arthritis

Can Parasitic Worms Cure the Modern World's Ills?

There has been increasing recognition that the alarming surge in allergy and autoimmunity in the industrialised and developing worlds shadows the rapid eradication of pathogens, such as parasitic helminths. Appreciation of this has fuelled an explosion in research investigating the therapeutic potential of these worms. This review considers the current state-of-play with a particular focus on exciting recent advances in the identification of potential novel targets for immunomodulation that can be exploited therapeutically. Furthermore, we contemplate the prospects for designing worm-derived immunotherapies for an ever-widening range of inflammatory diseases, including, for example, obesity, cardiovascular disease, and ageing as well as neurodevelopmental disorders like autism.

GAKG-RGEKG an Epitope That Provokes Immune Cross-Reactivity between Prevotella sp. and Human Collagen: Evidence of Molecular Mimicry in Chronic Periodontitis

Periodontal disease afflicts 20% of world population. This process usually occurs in the form of being lethargic and chronic, and consequently this disease is known as chronic process. All chronic diseases constantly cause activation of the immune system, and therefore the presentation of microbial peptides which are presented to lymphocytes by professional antigen presenting cells can present microbial peptides very similar to important structures of human economy causing autoimmune diseases, process known as molecular mimicry. Thus, the aim of this study was to verify the presence of molecular mimicry phenomenon between periodontopathogens and human proteins. Blasting microbes of Socransky periodontal complexes against human collagen were performed and then the proteins with similarities were modelled and were screened in the MHI binding virtual methods. The epitopes selected were produced and plasma of chronic periodontal volunteers was obtained and a dot immunobinding assay was performed. Hypothetical protein of Prevotella sp. and human collagen epitopes with high similarities were positive for dot immunobinding assay. With this result it can be suggested that the mimicry phenomena can occur on periodontal disease.

Autoimmune Hepatitis in Hawai'i

Autoimmune Hepatitis (AIH) is a poorly understood disease. There has been a paucity of reports on the epidemiology and clinical course of AIH in multiethnic populations. The aim of this study is to examine the clinical and serologic features of AIH in the multiethnic population of Hawai'i. This was a retrospective, cross-sectional study of a cohort of patients seen between 2010-2013 in a tertiary referral center in Hawai'i. All 32 patients were diagnosed according to International Autoimmune Hepatitis Group (IAIHG) criteria. The mean (SD) age of diagnosis was 49.4 (17.5) years, 75% of patients were female, 72% were Asian, 19% were Caucasian, 6% were Pacific Islander, and 3% were African American. When compared to Caucasians, Asians had lower transaminase levels and international normalized ratio (INR), and were more likely to have anti-nuclear antibody (ANA) seropositivity at presentation. Asians were also older at diagnosis and more likely to achieve complete or partial remission. Patients diagnosed before the age of 40 had higher levels of total bilirubin at presentation compared to those diagnosed after the age of 40. No significant differences were observed between genders. Asian patients with type I AIH present later in life with more favorable laboratory values, and have a superior treatment response compared to Caucasians. Diagnosis before the age of 40 is associated with less favorable laboratory values at diagnosis. Further studies are necessary to validate these findings and determine the reason for the ethnic differences.

Inflammatory and cardiometabolic risk on obesity: role of environmental xenoestrogens

CONTEXT

Some chemicals used in consumer products or manufacturing (eg, plastics, pesticides) have estrogenic activities; these xenoestrogens (XEs) may affect immune responses and have recently emerged as a new risk factors for obesity and cardiovascular disease. However, the extent and impact on health of chronic exposure of the general population to XEs are still unknown.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of the study was to investigate the levels of XEs in plasma and adipose tissue (AT) depots in a sample of pre- and postmenopausal obese women undergoing bariatric surgery and their cardiometabolic impact in an obese state.

DESIGN AND PARTICIPANTS

We evaluated XE levels in plasma and visceral and subcutaneous AT samples of Portuguese obese (body mass index ≥ 35 kg/m(2)) women undergoing bariatric surgery. Association with metabolic parameters and 10-year cardiovascular disease risk was assessed, according to menopausal status (73 pre- and 48 postmenopausal). Levels of XEs were determined by gas chromatography with electron-capture detection. Anthropometric and biochemical data were collected prior to surgery. Adipocyte size was determined on tissue sections obtained during surgery.

RESULTS

Our data show that XEs are pervasive in this obese population. Distribution of individual and concentration of total XEs differed between plasma, visceral AT, and subcutaneous AT, and the pattern of accumulation was different between pre- and postmenopausal women. Significant associations between XE levels and metabolic and inflammatory parameters were found. In premenopausal women, XEs in plasma seem to be a predictor of 10-year cardiovascular disease risk.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings point toward a different distribution of XE between plasma and AT in pre- and postmenopausal women, and reveal the association between XEs on the development of metabolic abnormalities in obese premenopausal women.