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Ferreira RL, Jr WM, Souza LEA, Navarro HMC, de Mello LR, Mastelaro VR, Sales TO, Barbosa CDAES, Ribeiro AS, da Silva ER, Landell MF, de Oliveira IN. Harnessing Efficient ROS Generation in Carbon Dots Derived from Methyl Red for Antimicrobial Photodynamic Therapy. ACS Appl Bio Mater 2023; 6:4345-4357. [PMID: 37791902 DOI: 10.1021/acsabm.3c00541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/05/2023]
Abstract
The emergence of drug-resistant pathogenic microorganisms has become a public health concern, with demand for strategies to suppress their proliferation in healthcare facilities. The present study investigates the physicochemical and antimicrobial properties of carbon dots (CD-MR) derived from the methyl red azo dye. The morphological and structural analyses reveal that such carbon dots present a significant fraction of graphitic nitrogen in their structures, providing a wide emission range. Based on their low cytotoxicity against mammalian cells and tunable photoluminescence, these carbon dots are applied to bioimaging in vitro living cells. The possibility of using CD-MR to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) is also analyzed, and a high singlet oxygen quantum efficiency is verified. Moreover, the antimicrobial activity of CD-MR is analyzed against pathogenic microorganisms Staphylococcus aureus, Candida albicans, and Cryptococcus neoformans. Kirby-Bauer susceptibility tests show that carbon dots synthesized from methyl red possess antimicrobial activity upon photoexcitation at 532 nm. The growth inhibition of C. neoformans from CD-MR photosensitization is investigated. Our results show that N-doped carbon dots synthesized from methyl red efficiently generate ROS and possess a strong antimicrobial activity against healthcare-relevant pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raul L Ferreira
- Instituto de Física, Universidade Federal de Alagoas, 57072-970 Maceió-AL, Brazil
| | - Walter Muniz Jr
- Instituto de Física, Universidade Federal de Alagoas, 57072-970 Maceió-AL, Brazil
| | - Louise E A Souza
- Departmento de Biofísica, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, 04023-062 São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Hector M C Navarro
- Setor de Genética/ICBS, Universidade Federal de Alagoas, 57072-970 Maceió, AL, Brazil
| | - Lucas R de Mello
- Departmento de Biofísica, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, 04023-062 São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Valmor R Mastelaro
- Instituto de Física de So Carlos, Universidade de São Paulo, 13565-905 São Carlos, SP, Brazil
| | - Tasso O Sales
- Instituto de Física, Universidade Federal de Alagoas, 57072-970 Maceió-AL, Brazil
| | - Cintya D A E S Barbosa
- Instituto de Química e Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal de Alagoas, 57072-970 Maceió, AL, Brazil
| | - Adriana S Ribeiro
- Instituto de Química e Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal de Alagoas, 57072-970 Maceió, AL, Brazil
| | - Emerson R da Silva
- Departmento de Biofísica, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, 04023-062 São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Melissa F Landell
- Setor de Genética/ICBS, Universidade Federal de Alagoas, 57072-970 Maceió, AL, Brazil
| | - Italo N de Oliveira
- Instituto de Física, Universidade Federal de Alagoas, 57072-970 Maceió-AL, Brazil
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2
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Ferreira MML, de Souza SEG, da Silva CC, Souza LEA, Bicev RN, da Silva ER, Nakaie CR. Pyroglutamination-Induced Changes in the Physicochemical Features of a CXCR4 Chemokine Peptide: Kinetic and Structural Analysis. Biochemistry 2023; 62:2530-2540. [PMID: 37540799 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.3c00124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/06/2023]
Abstract
We investigate the physicochemical effects of pyroglutamination on the QHALTSV-NH2 peptide, a segment of cytosolic helix 8 of the human C-X-C chemokine G-protein-coupled receptor type 4 (CXCR4). This modification, resulting from the spontaneous conversion of glutamine to pyroglutamic acid, has significant impacts on the physicochemical features of peptides. Using a static approach, we compared the transformation in different conditions and experimentally found that the rate of product formation increases with temperature, underscoring the need for caution during laboratory experiments to prevent glutamine cyclization. Circular dichroism experiments revealed that the QHALTSV-NH2 segment plays a minor role in the structuration of H8 CXCR4; however, its pyroglutaminated analogue interacts differently with its chemical environment, showing increased susceptibility to solvent variations compared to the native form. The pyroglutaminated analogue exhibits altered behavior when interacting with lipid models, suggesting a significant impact on its interaction with cell membranes. A unique combination of atomic force microscopy and infrared nanospectroscopy revealed that pyroglutamination affects supramolecular self-assembly, leading to highly packed molecular arrangements and a crystalline structure. Moreover, the presence of pyroglumatic acid has been found to favor the formation of amyloidogenic aggregates. Our findings emphasize the importance of considering pyroglutamination in peptide synthesis and proteomics and its potential significance in amyloidosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariana M L Ferreira
- Departamento de Biofísica─Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo─São Paulo, São Paulo 04023-062, Brazil
| | - Sinval E G de Souza
- Departamento de Biofísica─Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo─São Paulo, São Paulo 04023-062, Brazil
| | - Caroline C da Silva
- Departamento de Biofísica─Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo─São Paulo, São Paulo 04023-062, Brazil
| | - Louise E A Souza
- Departamento de Biofísica─Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo─São Paulo, São Paulo 04023-062, Brazil
| | - Renata N Bicev
- Departamento de Biofísica─Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo─São Paulo, São Paulo 04023-062, Brazil
| | - Emerson R da Silva
- Departamento de Biofísica─Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo─São Paulo, São Paulo 04023-062, Brazil
| | - Clovis R Nakaie
- Departamento de Biofísica─Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo─São Paulo, São Paulo 04023-062, Brazil
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3
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Lourenço TC, de Mello LR, Icimoto MY, Bicev RN, Hamley IW, Castelletto V, Nakaie CR, da Silva ER. DNA-templated self-assembly of bradykinin into bioactive nanofibrils. Soft Matter 2023. [PMID: 37334565 DOI: 10.1039/d3sm00431g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/20/2023]
Abstract
Bradykinin (BK) is a peptide hormone that plays a crucial role in blood pressure control, regulates inflammation in the human body, and has recently been implicated in the pathophysiology of COVID-19. In this study, we report a strategy for fabricating highly ordered 1D nanostructures of BK using DNA fragments as a template for self-assembly. We have combined synchrotron small-angle X-ray scattering and high-resolution microscopy to provide insights into the nanoscale structure of BK-DNA complexes, unveiling the formation of ordered nanofibrils. Fluorescence assays hint that BK is more efficient at displacing minor-groove binders in comparison with base-intercalant dyes, thus, suggesting that interaction with DNA strands is mediated by electrostatic attraction between cationic groups at BK and the high negative electron density of minor-grooves. Our data also revealed an intriguing finding that BK-DNA complexes can induce a limited uptake of nucleotides by HEK-293t cells, which is a feature that has not been previously reported for BK. Moreover, we observed that the complexes retained the native bioactivity of BK, including the ability to modulate Ca2+ response into endothelial HUVEC cells. Overall, the findings presented here demonstrate a promising strategy for the fabrication of fibrillar structures of BK using DNA as a template, which keep bioactivity features of the native peptide and may have implications in the development of nanotherapeutics for hypertension and related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thiago C Lourenço
- Departamento de Biofísica, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo 04062-000, Brazil.
| | - Lucas R de Mello
- Departamento de Biofísica, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo 04062-000, Brazil.
| | - Marcelo Y Icimoto
- Departamento de Biofísica, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo 04062-000, Brazil.
| | - Renata N Bicev
- Departamento de Biofísica, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo 04062-000, Brazil.
| | - Ian W Hamley
- Department of Chemistry, University of Reading, Reading RG6 6AD, UK
| | | | - Clovis R Nakaie
- Departamento de Biofísica, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo 04062-000, Brazil.
| | - Emerson R da Silva
- Departamento de Biofísica, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo 04062-000, Brazil.
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4
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Härk HH, Porosk L, de Mello LR, Arukuusk P, da Silva ER, Kurrikoff K. Modification of the Linker Amino Acid in the Cell-Penetrating Peptide NickFect55 Leads to Enhanced pDNA Transfection for In Vivo Applications. Pharmaceutics 2023; 15:pharmaceutics15030883. [PMID: 36986744 PMCID: PMC10051810 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15030883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2023] [Revised: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite numerous efforts over the last three decades, nucleic acid-based therapeutics still lack delivery platforms in the clinical stage. Cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) may offer solutions as potential delivery vectors. We have previously shown that designing a “kinked” structure in the peptide backbone resulted in a CPP with efficient in vitro transfection properties. Further optimization of the charge distribution in the C-terminal part of the peptide led to potent in vivo activity with the resultant CPP NickFect55 (NF55). Currently, the impact of the linker amino acid was further investigated in the CPP NF55, with the aim to discover potential transfection reagents for in vivo application. Taking into account the expression of the delivered reporter in the lung tissue of mice, and the cell transfection in the human lung adenocarcinoma cell line, the new peptides NF55-Dap and NF55-Dab* have a high potential for delivering nucleic acid-based therapeutics to treat lung associated diseases, such as adenocarcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heleri H. Härk
- Institute of Technology, University of Tartu, Nooruse 1, 50411 Tartu, Estonia; (L.P.); (P.A.); (K.K.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Ly Porosk
- Institute of Technology, University of Tartu, Nooruse 1, 50411 Tartu, Estonia; (L.P.); (P.A.); (K.K.)
| | - Lucas R. de Mello
- Departamento de Biofisica, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo 04023-062, Brazil; (L.R.d.M.); (E.R.d.S.)
| | - Piret Arukuusk
- Institute of Technology, University of Tartu, Nooruse 1, 50411 Tartu, Estonia; (L.P.); (P.A.); (K.K.)
| | - Emerson R. da Silva
- Departamento de Biofisica, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo 04023-062, Brazil; (L.R.d.M.); (E.R.d.S.)
| | - Kaido Kurrikoff
- Institute of Technology, University of Tartu, Nooruse 1, 50411 Tartu, Estonia; (L.P.); (P.A.); (K.K.)
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de Mello LR, Carrascosa V, Rebelato E, Juliano MA, Hamley IW, Castelletto V, Vassiliades SV, Alves WA, Nakaie CR, da Silva ER. Nanostructure Formation and Cell Spheroid Morphogenesis of a Peptide Supramolecular Hydrogel. Langmuir 2022; 38:3434-3445. [PMID: 35274959 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.1c03215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Peptide-based hydrogels have attracted much attention due to their extraordinary applications in biomedicine and offer an excellent mimic for the 3D microenvironment of the extracellular matrix. These hydrated matrices comprise fibrous networks held together by a delicate balance of intermolecular forces. Here, we investigate the hydrogelation behavior of a designed decapeptide containing a tetraleucine self-assembling backbone and fibronectin-related tripeptides near both ends of the strand. We have observed that this synthetic peptide can produce hydrogel matrices entrapping >99% wt/vol % water. Ultrastructural analyses combining atomic force microscopy, small-angle neutron scattering, and X-ray diffraction revealed that amyloid-like fibrils form cross-linked networks endowed with remarkable thermal stability, the structure of which is not disrupted up to temperatures >80 °C. We also examined the interaction of peptide hydrogels with either NIH3T3 mouse fibroblasts or HeLa cells and discovered that the matrices sustain cell viability and induce morphogenesis into grape-like cell spheroids. The results presented here show that this decapeptide is a remarkable building block to prepare highly stable scaffolds simultaneously endowed with high water retention capacity and the ability to instruct cell growth into tumor-like spheroids even in noncarcinoma lineages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas R de Mello
- Departamento de Biofísica, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo 04023-062, Brazil
| | - Vinicius Carrascosa
- Departamento de Biofísica, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo 04023-062, Brazil
| | - Eduardo Rebelato
- Departamento de Biofísica, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo 04023-062, Brazil
| | - Maria A Juliano
- Departamento de Biofísica, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo 04023-062, Brazil
| | - Ian W Hamley
- Department of Chemistry, University of Reading, Reading RGD 6AD, U.K
| | | | - Sandra V Vassiliades
- Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas, Universidade Federal do ABC, Santo André 09210-580, Brazil
| | - Wendel A Alves
- Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas, Universidade Federal do ABC, Santo André 09210-580, Brazil
| | - Clovis R Nakaie
- Departamento de Biofísica, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo 04023-062, Brazil
| | - Emerson R da Silva
- Departamento de Biofísica, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo 04023-062, Brazil
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6
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de Mello LR, Porosk L, Lourenço TC, Garcia BBM, Costa CAR, Han SW, de Souza JS, Langel Ü, da Silva ER. Amyloid-like Self-Assembly of a Hydrophobic Cell-Penetrating Peptide and Its Use as a Carrier for Nucleic Acids. ACS Appl Bio Mater 2021; 4:6404-6416. [PMID: 35006917 DOI: 10.1021/acsabm.1c00601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) are a topical subject potentially exploitable for creating nanotherapeutics for the delivery of bioactive loads. These compounds are often classified into three major categories according to their physicochemical characteristics: cationic, amphiphilic, and hydrophobic. Among them, the group of hydrophobic CPPs has received increasing attention in recent years due to toxicity concerns posed by highly cationic CPPs. The hexapeptide PFVYLI (P, proline; F, phenylalanine; V, valine; Y, tyrosine; L, leucine; and I, isoleucine), a fragment derived from the C-terminal portion of α1-antitrypsin, is a prototypal example of hydrophobic CPP. This sequence shows reduced cytotoxicity and a capacity of nuclear localization, and its small size readily hints at its suitability as a building block to construct nanostructured materials. In this study, we examine the self-assembling properties of PFVYLI and investigate its ability to form noncovalent complexes with nucleic acids. By using a combination of biophysical tools including synchrotron small-angle X-ray scattering and atomic force microscopy-based infrared spectroscopy, we discovered that this CPP self-assembles into discrete nanofibrils with remarkable amyloidogenic features. Over the course of days, these fibrils coalesce into rodlike crystals that easily reach the micrometer range. Despite lacking cationic residues in the composition, PFVYLI forms noncovalent complexes with nucleic acids that retain β-sheet pairing found in amyloid aggregates. In vitro vectorization experiments performed with double-stranded DNA fragments indicate that complexes promote the internalization of nucleic acids, revealing that tropism toward cell membranes is preserved upon complexation. On the other hand, transfection assays with splice-correction oligonucleotides (SCOs) for luciferase expression show limited bioactivity across a narrow concentration window, suggesting that the propensity to form amyloidogenic aggregates may trigger endosomal entrapment. We anticipate that the findings presented here open perspectives for using this archetypical hydrophobic CPP in the fabrication of nanostructured scaffolds, which potentially integrate properties of amyloids and translocation capabilities of CPPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas R de Mello
- Departamento de Biofísica, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo 04023-062, Brazil
| | - Ly Porosk
- Institute of Technology, University of Tartu, Tartu 50411, Estonia
| | - Thiago C Lourenço
- Departamento de Biofísica, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo 04023-062, Brazil
| | - Bianca B M Garcia
- Departamento de Biofísica, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo 04023-062, Brazil
| | - Carlos A R Costa
- Laboratório Nacional de Nanotecnologia (LNNano), Centro Nacional de Pesquisa em Energia e Materiais (CNPEM), Campinas 13083-861, Brazil
| | - Sang W Han
- Departamento de Biofísica, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo 04023-062, Brazil
| | - Juliana S de Souza
- Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas, Universidade Federal do ABC, Santo André 09210580, Brazil
| | - Ülo Langel
- Institute of Technology, University of Tartu, Tartu 50411, Estonia
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Stockholm SE-10691, Sweden
| | - Emerson R da Silva
- Departamento de Biofísica, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo 04023-062, Brazil
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7
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Garcia BB, Mertins O, Silva ERD, Mathews PD, Han SW. Arginine-modified chitosan complexed with liposome systems for plasmid DNA delivery. Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces 2020; 193:111131. [DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfb.2020.111131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2020] [Revised: 05/06/2020] [Accepted: 05/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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8
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Suk WA, Ahanchian H, Asante KA, Carpenter DO, Diaz-Barriga F, Ha EH, Huo X, King M, Ruchirawat M, da Silva ER, Sly L, Sly PD, Stein RT, van den Berg M, Zar H, Landrigan PJ. Environmental Pollution: An Under-recognized Threat to Children's Health, Especially in Low- and Middle-Income Countries. Environ Health Perspect 2016; 124:A41-5. [PMID: 26930243 PMCID: PMC4786991 DOI: 10.1289/ehp.1510517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/09/2023]
Abstract
Exposures to environmental pollutants during windows of developmental vulnerability in early life can cause disease and death in infancy and childhood as well as chronic, non-communicable diseases that may manifest at any point across the life span. Patterns of pollution and pollution-related disease change as countries move through economic development. Environmental pollution is now recognized as a major cause of morbidity and mortality in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). According to the World Health Organization, pollution is responsible for 8.9 million deaths around the world each year; of these, 94% (8.4 million) are in LMICs. Toxic chemical pollution is growing into a major threat to children's health in LMICs. The disease and disability caused by environmental pollution have great economic costs, and these costs can undercut trajectories of national development. To combat pollution, improved programs of public health and environmental protection are needed in countries at every level of development. Pollution control strategies and technologies that have been developed in high-income countries must now be transferred to LMICs to assist these emerging economies to avoid the mistakes of the past. A new international clearinghouse is needed to define and track the health effects of pollution, quantify the economic costs of these effects, and direct much needed attention to environmental pollution as a risk factor for disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- William A. Suk
- Hazardous Substances Research Branch, Superfund Research Program, National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, USA
- Address correspondence to W.A. Suk, Superfund Research Program, Division of Extramural Research and Training, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709 USA. Telephone: (919) 541-0797.
| | - Hamid Ahanchian
- Department of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Ghaem Hospital, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Kwadwo Ansong Asante
- Water Research Institute, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Accra, Ghana
| | - David O. Carpenter
- Institute for Health and the Environment, University at Albany, Rensselaer, New York, USA
| | | | - Eun-Hee Ha
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Ewha Womans University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Xia Huo
- Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China
| | - Malcolm King
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
| | | | - Emerson R. da Silva
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Caxias do Sul, Caxias do Sul, Brazil
| | - Leith Sly
- Children’s Health and Environment Program, Queensland Children’s Medical Research Institute, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Peter D. Sly
- Children’s Health and Environment Program, Queensland Children’s Medical Research Institute, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Renato T. Stein
- Centro Infant, Biomedical Research Institute, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Martin van den Berg
- Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Heather Zar
- Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital, MRC Unit on Child and Adolescent Health, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, Republic of South Africa
| | - Philip J. Landrigan
- Arnhold Global Health Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA.
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9
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Souza MI, Jaques YM, de Andrade GP, Ribeiro AO, da Silva ER, Fileti EE, Ávilla ÉDS, Pinheiro MVB, Krambrock K, Alves WA. Structural and Photophysical Properties of Peptide Micro/Nanotubes Functionalized with Hypericin. J Phys Chem B 2013; 117:2605-14. [DOI: 10.1021/jp3113655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Márcia I. Souza
- Centro de Ciências Naturais
e Humanas, Universidade Federal do ABC,
09210-170, Santo André, SP, Brazil
| | - Ygor M. Jaques
- Centro de Ciências Naturais
e Humanas, Universidade Federal do ABC,
09210-170, Santo André, SP, Brazil
| | - Gislaine P. de Andrade
- Centro de Ciências Naturais
e Humanas, Universidade Federal do ABC,
09210-170, Santo André, SP, Brazil
| | - Anderson O. Ribeiro
- Centro de Ciências Naturais
e Humanas, Universidade Federal do ABC,
09210-170, Santo André, SP, Brazil
| | - Emerson R. da Silva
- Centro de Ciências Naturais
e Humanas, Universidade Federal do ABC,
09210-170, Santo André, SP, Brazil
| | - Eudes E. Fileti
- Instituto de Ciência
e Tecnologia, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, 12231-280, São José dos Campos, SP, Brazil
| | - Érick de Souza Ávilla
- Departamento de Física,
ICEx, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, 31270-901, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Maurício V. B. Pinheiro
- Departamento de Física,
ICEx, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, 31270-901, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Klaus Krambrock
- Departamento de Física,
ICEx, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, 31270-901, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Wendel A. Alves
- Centro de Ciências Naturais
e Humanas, Universidade Federal do ABC,
09210-170, Santo André, SP, Brazil
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10
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da Silva ER, Sly PD, de Pereira MU, Pinto LA, Jones MH, Pitrez PM, Stein RT. Intestinal helminth infestation is associated with increased bronchial responsiveness in children. Pediatr Pulmonol 2008; 43:662-5. [PMID: 18484663 DOI: 10.1002/ppul.20833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Non-atopic asthma is the predominant phenotype in non-affluent parts of Latin America. We recently reported that infestation with Ascaris lumbricoides increased the risk of non-atopic asthma in less affluent areas of Brazil but the mechanism is unclear. The present study was conducted to determine whether helminth infestation is associated with heightened bronchial responsiveness (BHR), a common finding in asthma. A random sample of 50 asthmatic and 50 non-asthmatic controls (mean age 10.1 years) were selected from a larger cohort (n = 1,011) without knowledge of their helminth infestation status. Three stool samples were collected from each child on different days and each sample was analyzed by the Kato-Katz method for quantitative determination of helminth eggs. Bronchial provocation tests were performed with inhaled 4.5% hypertonic saline using the ISAAC Phase II standardized protocol. There was no difference between the prevalence of positive BHR in the asthmatics (20.4%) compared with the controls (14.6%) (P = 1.0). Helminth infestation was detected in 24.0% of children, with A. lumbricoides being the most common. Children with high load infestation (>or=100 eggs/g) were five times more likely to have BHR than children with low load or no infestation. Despite the small sample size the results of the present study suggest that the link between high load helminth infestation and non-atopic asthma may be mediated via heightened bronchial responsiveness, possibly due to an inflammatory response to the pulmonary phase of the helminth life cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emerson R da Silva
- Department of Pediatrics, Pediatric Pulmonary Division, Instituto de Pesquisas Biomédicas, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
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