Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Naiara Dutra Barroso Gomes, Emanuel Paula Magalhaes, Lyanna Rodrigues Ribeiro, John Washington Cavalcante, Marcelo Morais Gomes Maia, Felipe Ramon Cunha da Silva, Arif Ali, Marcia Machado Marinho, Emmanuel Silva Marinho, Helcio Silva dos Santos, Alice Maria Costa Martins, Ramon Roseo Paula Pessoa Bezerra de Menezes
Summary: This study evaluated the activity of synthetic p-aminochalcones against T. cruzi and found that they have a trypanocidal effect by causing membrane damage and oxidative stress. Their mechanism of action may be related to inhibition of cruzain and TR.
BIOORGANIC CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Maria Carmo P. Nunes, Lewis F. Buss, Jose Luiz P. Silva, Larissa Natany A. Martins, Claudia Di Lorenzo Oliveira, Clareci Silva Cardoso, Bruno Oliveira de Figueiredo Brito, Ariela Mota Ferreira, Lea Campos Oliveira, Ana Luiza Bierrenbach, Fabio Fernandes, Michael P. Busch, Viviane Tiemi Hotta, Luiz Mario Baptista Martinelli, Maria Carolina F. Almeida Soeiro, Adriana Brentegani, Vera M. C. Salemi, Marcia M. Menezes, Antonio Luiz P. Ribeiro, Ester Cerdeira Sabino
Summary: This study provides a comprehensive description of the natural history of T. cruzi seropositivity in a contemporary patient population, highlighting the central importance of anti-T. cruzi antibody titer as a marker of Chagas disease activity and risk of progression.
Article
Microbiology
Sergio Castaneda, Marina Munoz, Peter J. Hotez, Maria Elena Bottazzi, Alberto E. Paniz-Mondolfi, Kathryn M. Jones, Rojelio Mejia, Cristina Poveda, Juan David Ramirez
Summary: Chagas disease is caused by Trypanosoma cruzi and has a profound impact on the gastrointestinal tract. Alterations in the gut microbiome caused by the parasite may play a crucial role in host-parasite interactions and immune responses. Understanding this interaction could provide valuable insights into the pathophysiology of the disease and the development of new treatments.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2023)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Leonardo da Silva Lara, Guilherme Curty Lechuga, Lorraine Martins Rocha Orlando, Byanca Silva Ferreira, Bernardo Araujo Souto, Mauricio Silva dos Santos, Mirian Claudia de Souza Pereira
Summary: Chagas disease is a long-standing disease that primarily affects impoverished populations in Latin America. The available drugs have limited effectiveness and intense side effects. This study explores the biological activity of two new series of pyrazole-thiazoline derivatives with potential therapeutic options against Trypanosoma cruzi. These derivatives show potent activity with good oral bioavailability and low cytotoxicity, making them potential candidates for Chagas disease therapy.
Article
Infectious Diseases
A. Abras, C. Ballart, A. Fernandez-Arevalo, T. Llovet, M. Gallego, C. Munoz
Summary: The study evaluated two algorithms for the diagnosis of chronic and congenital Chagas disease, with CMIA showing potential as a single diagnostic test in non-endemic countries and the revised algorithm with the >= 6 S/CO proving to be an efficient method for chronic CD diagnosis. For infants with congenital infection, CMIA could potentially be used as a single test for screening at 10 months or earlier, but further research is needed.
CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY AND INFECTION
(2021)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Mariana C. Pagotti, Herbert J. Dias, Ana Carolina B. B. Candido, Thais A. S. Oliveira, Alexandre Borges, Nicoli D. Oliveira, Carla D. Lopes, Renato P. Orenha, Renato L. T. Parreira, Antonio E. M. Crotti, Lizandra G. Magalhaes
Summary: Chagas disease, a neglected tropical disease, affects over 8 million people. Although current therapies have limited effectiveness and high toxicity, the search for new drugs remains important. In this study, neolignans were synthesized and evaluated for their activity against Trypanosoma cruzi strains. Four neolignans demonstrated activity against the T. cruzi strain, with DBN 1 exhibiting the highest activity. In silico analysis showed that these compounds could destabilize tubulin-microtubule interactions. These compounds have potential as molecular prototypes for developing new antiparasitic drugs.
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Johny Wysllas de Freitas Oliveira, Mariana Farias Alves da Silva, Igor Zumba Damasceno, Hugo Alexandre Oliveira Rocha, Arnobio Antonio da Silva Junior, Marcelo Sousa Silva
Summary: This study investigated the encapsulation of sodium diethyldithiocarbamate (DETC) by poly-lactic acid (PLA) in nanoparticles for the treatment of Chagas disease caused by Trypanosoma cruzi. The nanoparticles showed reduced toxicity against cells and maintained antiparasitic activity. The physical characterization of the nanoparticles demonstrated a small size and negative zeta potential. The encapsulated DETC exhibited similar efficacy against T. cruzi as the free form.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Natalia Lins da Silva-Gomes, Leonardo Alexandre de Souza Ruivo, Claudia Moreira, Marcelo Meuser-Batista, Cristiane Franca da Silva, Denise da Gama Jaen Batista, Stenio Fragoso, Gabriel Melo de Oliveira, Maria de Nazare Correia Soeiro, Otacilio C. Moreira
Summary: In this study, genetically modified strains of Trypanosoma cruzi were used to evaluate the role of NTPDases in parasite infectivity. The results showed that parasites overexpressing TcNTPDase-1 had higher infectivity, while hemi-knockout parasites had lower infectivity and no significant electrocardiographic changes. These findings highlight the potential of NTPDases as a therapeutic target for Chagas disease.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Gevanio Bezerra de Oliveira Filho, Marcos Verissimo de Oliveira Cardoso, Aline Caroline da Silva Santos, Thiago Andre Ramos dos Santos, Ana Catarina Cristovao-Silva, Laura Gonzalez Rubio, Luiz da Silva Maia Neto, Paulo Gaio Leite, Fabiana Simao Machado, Luiz Carlos Alves, Fabio Andre Brayner, Valeria Rego Alves Pereira, Ana Cristina Lima Leite
Summary: Chagas disease is causing more deaths in the Americas than any other parasitic disease and is increasingly becoming a global health problem. A novel series of 4-thiazolidinones derivatives have shown increased anti-T. cruzi activity, indicating potential for treating the disease.
CHEMICO-BIOLOGICAL INTERACTIONS
(2021)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Jorge Vasconez-Gonzalez, Juan S. Izquierdo-Condoy, Raul Fernandez-Naranjo, Esteban Gamez-Rivera, Andrea Tello-De-la-Torre, Galo S. Guerrero-Castillo, Carlos Ruiz-Sosa, Esteban Ortiz-Prado
Summary: Chagas disease is a neglected tropical disease caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, transmitted through contact with triatomine insect feces and urine. It infects approximately 6-7 million people worldwide, causing at least 14,000 deaths annually. In Ecuador, it has been reported in 20 out of 24 provinces, with El Oro, Guayas, and Loja being the most affected.
FRONTIERS IN PUBLIC HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Fanny Mathias, Youssef Kabri, Damien Brun, Nicolas Primas, Carole Di Giorgio, Patrice Vanelle
Summary: Chagas disease caused by T. cruzi infection is a major public health problem in Latin America, resulting in 7000 annual deaths. This study synthesized ten new 1-substituted 2-nitropyrrole compounds and evaluated their biological activity. The derivatives showed good selectivity and activity against T. cruzi, but the maximum effect was lower than the reference drug.
Article
Ecology
Zeinab Parsons, Shadi Banitaan
Summary: This research focuses on the automatic identification of Chagas Disease (CD) and proposes four different automated CD vector identification approaches. By utilizing data mining-based methods and convolutional neural networks, the proposed approaches achieved high accuracy rates in classifying kissing bugs. By achieving 100% accuracy rates for the most common dataset of kissing bugs, this study takes a significant step towards overcoming this fatal disease.
ECOLOGICAL INFORMATICS
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Camila Victoria Sousa Oliveira, Oscar Moreno-Loaiza, Daniel Figueiredo-Vanzan, Isalira Peroba Ramos, Hilton Mata-Santos, Marcelo Torres Bozza, Claudia Neto Paiva, Emiliano Medei
Summary: This study investigated the role of IL-1 beta in chronic chagasic cardiomyopathy (CCC) using a mouse model. The results showed that the absence of functional IL-1 beta/IL-1R signaling did not prevent or reverse the decrease of cardiac function and the incidence of arrhythmias induced by CCC. Therefore, ruling out the IL-1 beta signaling pathway is an important step to discourage further attempts of IL-1 beta blockade as a therapeutic measure for CCC.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Juliana Magalhaes Chaves Barbosa, Yasmin Pedra-Rezende, Luiza Dantas Pereira, Tatiana Galvao de Melo, Helene Santos Barbosa, Joseli Lannes-Vieira, Solange Lisboa de Castro, Anissa Daliry, Kelly Salomao
Summary: The combination treatment of Bz + AMD can attenuate the damage caused by T. cruzi infection in cardiac cells and have a certain control effect on parasite replication.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Emily A. Kelly, Christina A. Bulman, Emma L. Gunderson, Amanda M. Irish, Rebecca L. Townsend, Judy A. Sakanari, Susan L. Stramer, Caryn Bern, Jeffrey D. Whitman
Summary: The latest-generation CD serology tests may improve diagnostic sensitivity without affecting specificity. Reactivity and sensitivity were highest in samples from donors born in South America and lowest in specimens from those born in Mexico, with intermediate results in specimens from Central American donors.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Monique Andrade Baron, Ludmila Rodrigues Pinto Ferreira, Priscila Camillo Teixeira, Ana Iochabel Soares Moretti, Ronaldo Honorato Barros Santos, Amanda Farage Frade, Andreia Kuramoto, Victor Debbas, Luiz Alberto Benvenuti, Fabio Antonio Gaiotto, Fernando Bacal, Pablo Pomerantzeff, Christophe Chevillard, Jorge Kalil, Edecio Cunha-Neto
Summary: This study found significantly increased expression and activity of Matrix Metalloproteinases (MMP) and their inhibitors TIMP in myocardial samples of patients with Chronic Chagas disease and idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy. The imbalance between MMP-2 and 9 inhibitors and their activation may contribute to more extensive heart remodeling and poorer prognosis in Chronic Chagas disease patients.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Giuliana X. Medeiros, Greyce Luri Sasahara, Jhosiene Y. Magawa, Joao Paulo S. Nunes, Fernanda R. Bruno, Andreia C. Kuramoto, Rafael R. Almeida, Marcelo A. Ferreira, Guilherme P. Scagion, Erika D. Candido, Fabyano B. Leal, Danielle B. L. Oliveira, Edison L. Durigon, Roberto Carlos V. Silva, Daniela S. Rosa, Silvia B. Boscardin, Veronica Coelho, Jorge Kalil, Keity S. Santos, Edecio Cunha-Neto
Summary: The study found that CoronaVac vaccination induced T cell and/or antibody responses in 96% of individuals, comparable to the response in convalescent patients. However, men and individuals aged 55 years or older who received CoronaVac had significantly lower responses to the Wuhan strain and antigen-induced IL-2 production. The neutralizing antibody responses for the Gamma variant were even lower than for the Wuhan strain. Therefore, individuals above 55 years old who received CoronaVac may benefit from a heterologous third dose/booster vaccine to enhance immune response and protection, considering the emergence of novel variants of concern.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Letter
Dermatology
Rosana Camara Agondi, Paula Natassya Argolo, Mariana Mousinho-Fernandes, Bruna Gehlen, Jorge Kalil, Antonio Abilio Motta
ANAIS BRASILEIROS DE DERMATOLOGIA
(2023)
Article
Allergy
Barbara de Souza, Marcelo Alves Ferreira, Jorge Kalil, Pedro Giavina-Bianchi, Rosana Camara Agondi
Summary: This study developed and validated a questionnaire to identify sources of indoor aeroallergens. The questionnaire showed high reliability and validity, and can accurately assess the patient's home environment without the need for a personal visit. This questionnaire is a valuable tool for research and patient consultations.
Article
Immunology
Pauline Brochet, Barbara Maria Ianni, Laurie Laugier, Amanda Farage Frade, Joao Paulo Silva Nunes, Priscila Camillo Teixeira, Charles Mady, Ludmila Rodrigues Pinto Ferreira, Quentin Ferre, Ronaldo Honorato Barros Santos, Andreia Kuramoto, Sandrine Cabantous, Samuel Steffen, Antonio Noedir Stolf, Pablo Pomerantzeff, Alfredo Inacio Fiorelli, Edimar Alcides Bocchi, Cristina Wide Pissetti, Bruno Saba, Darlan da Silva Candido, Fabricio C. Dias, Marcelo Ferraz Sampaio, Fabio Antonio Gaiotto, Jose Antonio Marin-Neto, Abilio Fragata, Ricardo Costa Fernandes Zaniratto, Sergio Siqueira, Giselle De Lima Peixoto, Vagner Oliveira-Carvalho Rigaud, Fernando Bacal, Paula Buck, Rafael Ribeiro Almeida, Hui Tzu Lin-Wang, Andre Schmidt, Martino Martinelli, Mario Hiroyuki Hirata, Eduardo Antonio Donadi, Alexandre Costa Pereira, Virmondes Rodrigues Junior, Denis Puthier, Jorge Kalil, Lionel Spinelli, Edecio Cunha-Neto, Christophe Chevillard
Summary: In this study, the genetic and epigenetic deregulations associated with moderate and severe stages of Chagas disease were investigated using bulk RNA-seq and DNA methylation analysis. The results revealed differentially expressed transcripts and regulatory differentially methylated regions in the heart tissue of CCC patients. Transcription factors binding sites affected by DNA methylation were also identified. The study identified biological processes affected by severe CCC and highlighted the importance of ion transport and the nervous system in the development of the disease.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Fabiana Mascarenhas Souza Lima, Myrthes Toledo-Barros, Venancio Avancini Ferreira Alves, Maria Irma Seixas Duarte, Cleusa Takakura, Carlos Felipe Bernardes-Silva, Ana Karolina Barreto Berselli Marinho, Octavio Grecco, Jorge Kalil, Cristina Maria Kokron
Summary: CVID is an inborn immune disorder that can lead to liver disease, specifically nodular regenerative hyperplasia (NRH). This study compared CVID patients with and without liver-spleen axis abnormalities and analyzed liver and duodenal biopsies to understand the pathophysiology of liver injury. The study found that NRH and lymphocytic infiltration were present in the livers of CVID patients with portal hypertension (PH). Patients with PH were more likely to have lymphadenopathy, elevated beta(2)-microglobulin, low B-lymphocyte counts, and low natural killer-lymphocyte counts.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Karla Deysiree Alcantara Silva, Joao Paulo Silva Nunes, Pauline Andrieux, Pauline Brochet, Rafael Ribeiro Almeida, Andreia Cristina Kazue Kuramoto Takara, Natalia Bueno Pereira, Laurent Abel, Aurelie Cobat, Ricardo Costa Fernandes Zaniratto, Debora Levy, Sergio Paulo Bydlowski, Ivan Cecconello, Francisco Carlos Bernal da Costa Seguro, Jorge Kalil, Christophe Chevillard, Edecio Cunha-Neto
Summary: This study identified harmful mitochondrial gene mutations associated with Chagas disease (CD) patients with chagasic megaesophagus (CME), suggesting a potential link between immune-mediated nitro-oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction in the development of megaesophagus.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Luis Antonio Rodriguez Carnero, Andreia Kuramoto, Lea Campos de Oliveira, Jhonatas Sirino Monteiro, Joao Carlos Setubal, Edecio Cunha-Neto, Ester Cerdeira Sabino, Ricardo Jose Giordano
Summary: This study used the gPhage platform to compare antigens and antibodies before and after treatment in 20 patients with chronic Chagas disease. The results showed a decrease in antibody levels and recognition of specific antigens after treatment. The gPhage data correlated with patient PCR-status and could predict patient response to treatment. In conclusion, the use of the gPhage platform contributes to the development of novel diagnostic tools for Chagas disease.
PLOS NEGLECTED TROPICAL DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Daniele Danella Figo, Priscilla Rios Cordeiro Macedo, Gabriele Gadermaier, Cesar Remuzgo, Fabio Fernandes Morato Castro, Jorge Kalil, Clovis Eduardo Santos Galvao, Keity Souza Santos
Summary: Sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) is a widely used treatment for house dust mites (HDM) allergy. Epitope specific immunotherapy with peptide vaccines is of interest in treating allergic reactions. The study investigated the IgE and IgG4 epitope profiles during SLIT and identified potential peptide targets for vaccines.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Freddy A. Nunez, Ana C. H. Castro, Isabela P. Daher, Edecio Cunha-Neto, Jorge Kalil, Silvia B. Boscardin, Alexandre J. C. Lanfredi, Vivian L. de Oliveira, Wendel A. Alves
Summary: The evaluation of serological responses to COVID-19 is crucial for population-level surveillance, developing new vaccines, and evaluating the efficacy of different immunization programs. A biosensor based on immobilization of the recombinant S protein on ZnONRs was employed for serological evaluation. The technology shows great potential for vaccine assessment and monitoring seroprevalence.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Jorge Kalil
Summary: In this article, the author provides a brief history of vaccine development and discusses the successes and challenges of viral and bacterial vaccines. The author highlights the significant success of mRNA vaccines and discusses potential future vaccine developments. The importance of developing safe, effective, and accessible vaccines is also emphasized.
BULLETIN DE L ACADEMIE NATIONALE DE MEDECINE
(2023)
Article
Mathematical & Computational Biology
Pauline Brochet, Jean-Christophe Mouren, Laurent Hannouche, Fabrice Lopez, Benoit Ballester, Edecio Cunha-Neto, Lionel Spinelli, Christophe Chevillard
Summary: Chagas disease is a parasitic disease caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, affecting approximately 7 million people worldwide. About 10,000 people die from this disease annually, with 30% developing severe chronic forms that currently have no treatment. To facilitate research on Chagas disease, a manual curation of all relevant papers on PubMed was conducted, and a database called ChagasDB was created to include all deregulated molecules in host organisms following T. cruzi infection. A website has also been developed for easy accessibility to this database, and this article provides detailed information on its construction, contents, and usage.
DATABASE-THE JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL DATABASES AND CURATION
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Jamille Ramos Oliveira, Cesar Manuel Remuzgo Ruiz, Rafael Rahal Guaragna Machado, Jhosiene Yukari Magawa, Isabela Pazotti Daher, Alysson Henrique Urbanski, Gabriela Justamante Haendel Schmitz, Helen Andrade Arcuri, Marcelo Alves Ferreira, Greyce Luri Sasahara, Giuliana Xavier de Medeiros, Roberto Carlos Vieira Silva Jr, Edison Luiz Durigon, Silvia Beatriz Boscardin, Daniela Santoro Rosa, Deborah Schechtman, Helder. I. I. Nakaya, Edecio Cunha-Neto, Gabriele Gadermaier, Jorge Kalil, Veronica Coelho, Keity Souza Santos
Summary: This study used an RBD peptide microarray to identify differences in immunodominant regions between COVID-19 convalescents and vaccinated individuals. They found that a specific peptide, P44, was recognized by 68% of convalescents and correlated with neutralizing antibody titers. This suggests that P44 is a relevant and potential target for neutralizing activity.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Pedro Giavina-Bianchi, Marcelo Vivolo Aun, Juliana Foes Bianchini Garcia, Lais Souza Gomes, Ana Julia Riberiro, Priscila Takejima, Rosana Camara Agondi, Jorge Kalil, Antonio Abilio Motta
Summary: This study describes a series of cases of hereditary angioedema with C1 Inhibitor Deficiency (C1INH-HAE) and validates six clinical warning signs to enable early identification of the disease. The study shows that C1INH-HAE is still underdiagnosed and associated with high morbidity. The authors suggest using the acronym H4AE to remind healthcare professionals of the warning signs.