Browsing by Author "Dourado, M"
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- CD26/DPPIV and response to hepatitis B vaccinationPublication . Dourado, M; Alves, V; Mesquita, L; Ramos, I; Pinto, AM; Rosa, MSThe prevention of hepatitis B is important, since it is responsible for significant morbidity and mortality around the world. Unfortunately, hepatitis B vaccine does not always induce protective immunity. The lack of immune response to vaccine (non-responders) can depend on individual characteristics. The objective of this study was to correlate the CD26/DPPIV cellular expression and DPPIV serum activity with HBV vaccine response and its possible role as an indicator of immune competence acquisition. We also determined the cellular expression of CD3, CD19, CD56 and CD25 in peripheral blood T lymphocytes. Blood samples were obtained from 28 healthy human volunteers who were enrolled with a vaccination program. There were "responders" (RM = 13) and "non-responders" (NRM = 15), after vaccination. The lymphocyte populations were identified by flow cytometry. DPPIV serum activity was measured fluorimetrically. CD26 expression in responders (55.9 +/- 7.7%) versus in non-responders (51.9 +/- 7.0%) did not show a significant difference. The DPPIV serum activity in responders compared to in non-responder subgroup (59.9 +/- 8.4/50.3 +/- 10.6U/L) showed, however, a significant difference (P < 0.05). The expression of CD3, CD19 and CD56 on peripheral lymphocytes was similar between responders and non-responders. The expression of CD3CD26 (52.2 +/- 8.6%) and CD3CD25 (10.9 +/- 3.8%) in responders versus the expression of CD3CD26 (48.0 +/- 5.7%) and CD3CD25 (8 +/- 4.6%) in non-responders did not show statistically significant difference. CD25 referred as a marker of T lymphocyte activation was increased in responders (15.8 +/- 4.5%) versus in non-responders (10.1 +/- 4.8%), showing a significant difference (P = 0.003). It was, however, impossible to demonstrate an increase in CD3CD25 and CD3CD26 in the responder subgroup. This suggests that different lymphocyte subsets other than T cells are implicated in the response to hepatitis B vaccination.
- Doseamento das granzimas A e B na sarcoidose pulmonar (estudo experimental)Publication . Dourado, M; Bento, J; Mesquita, L; Marques, A; Vale-Pereira, S; Ribeiro, AB; Mota-Pinto, ASarcoidosis is a systemic disease of unknown aetiology, morphologically characterized by well-formed epithelioid granulomas, which show little or no central necrosis. These may be present in any organ or tissue. The lung is the most frequently and prominently involved target. The granuloma is often very sharply demarcated from the adjacent tissue and is surrounded by a mantle of lymphocytes, which mediate lysis of target cells by various mechanisms, including exocytosis of lytic proteins, perforins and granzymes. Sarcoidosis laboratorial diagnosis is usually made by SACE and Lisozyme dosages. The granzymes A and B could be two other markers of the disease, since the sarcoidosis granuloma is rich in cytotoxic and NK cells. An ELISA Kit was used to measure Granzyme A and B in serum of a normal control group (NC) (n=30), and in two groups with lung pathology: one without sarcoidosis, disease control (DC) (n=21) and other with sarcoidosis (S) (n=11). Our results showed that SACE activity is significantly augmented in S group comparing with NC and DC, respectively: 82,6+/-32,7/31,9+/-17,8 - p=0,00017 and 82,6+/-32,7/31,9+/-17,8 - p=0,00024. Lisozyme activity is significantly augmented in S and DC groups comparing with NC. Granzyme B showed a significant decrease in DC and S groups comparing with NC. Granzyme A showed a significant decrease between S/NC groups. Our results suggest that the decrease of Granzyme A and B in sarcoidotic patients could be related to an ineffective inflammatory local response related to the formation of sarcoidosis granulomas. More studies are needed, particularly in BAL.
- Information and Communication Technologies in Long-term and Palliative CarePublication . Reis, A; Araújo Pedrosa, A; Dourado, M; Reis, C
- Substance P in Long-Lasting Asthma: Immunoinflammatory pathwaysPublication . Todo-Bom, A; Mota-Pinto, A; Vale-Pereira, S; Alves, V; Dourado, M; Santos-Rosa, MBackground: Substance P (SP) was described at the beginning of the 20th Century, and its biological action was recognized to have implications in neurogenic inflammation and constriction of smooth muscles. The changes associated with inflammatory chronicity can compromise organ function reversibility. The role of neuromechanisms in the pathology of the disease has been investigated in order to achieve better diagnosis and therapeutic approaches. The stimulation of human cells, such as macrophages and polymorphonuclear cells by SP leads to their activation and to the release of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by these cells. Consequently, a continuous inflammatory disability is observed, mainly if a decrease in antioxidant defence occurs. SP is a substrate for dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPPIV), which is a multifunctional molecule with enzymatic and proinflammatory activities. CD26 is considered an activation T cell marker. The aim of the present study was to analyse if serum SP values in long-lasting asthma patients were related to lung function parameters. It was also decided to analyze the relationship of SP with superoxide dismutase (SOD) and total antioxidant activity in serum (TAS), as well as its association to CD26/DPPIV values considering their immunological and inflammatory properties. Methods/Data base: A group of individuals older than 65 years, including 64 asthmatic patients (mean age 72±5 years) and 41 healthy individuals (mean age 79±7years) was selected. Both subgroups were submitted to clinical observation, to skin prick tests (SPT) and to SP, TAS, SOD, and DPPIV determinations. T cell CD26 typing was also performed. Lung function tests were done on all patients. Results: Among the patients studied, 42 had positive skin tests, mainly to house dust mites. Asthmatic patients showed a significant increase in SP values (116.2±138.9 vs 39.5±17.9 pg/ml) when compared to controls and a significant decrease in TAS levels (.85±.13 vs .91±.10 mM) and in SOD levels (588.1±156.l vs 822.9±179.5 U/gHb). All patients were clinically stable and presented an average percentage of predict forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1) of 73.6±25.3 and median expiratory flow percentage of predict (MEF50) of 38.8±26.7. DPPIV values were significantly increased in asthmatics compared to controls (69.7±15.2 vs 58.6±14.3 U/L). The CD26 expression was only slightly increased in asthmatic patients (41.9±10.2 vs 39.4±11.4). Conclusion: These results confirm the role of SP in asthma and give a contribution for a better knowledge of the immunoinflammatory pathway associated with this chronic disorder. A final goal for these studies would be to achieve a better therapeutic approach in order to improve the outcome of asthmatic patients.
- Substância P na asma brônquica: Intervenção nos mecanismos de oxidação e activação celularPublication . Todo-Bom, A; Mota-Pinto, A; Vale-Pereira, S; Alves, V; Dourado, M; Chieira, C; Santos-Rosa, MThe substance P (SP) was described in the beginning of the XXth Century, and its biological actions was recognized to have implications in neurogenic inflammation and constriction of smooth muscles. The bronchial asthma prevalence has been increasing in all developed countries. The changes associated to inflammatory chronicity can compromise the organ function reversibility. The role of neuromechanisms in the pathology of the disease has been investigated considering the hypotheses that better therapeutic approaches can be achieved. The stimulation of human cells by SP leads to their activation and to reactive oxygen species (ROS) release. Consequently a persisting inflammatory disability is observed, mainly if a decrease in the anti-oxidant defence occurs. SP is a substrate for dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPPIV), which is a multifunctional molecule with enzymatic and proinflammatory activities. CD26 was identified as the membrane DPPIV and is considered as an activation T cell marker, as well as CD25. The aim of the present study was therefore to analyse if serum SP values in long-term asthma patients, were associated to lung function parameters, considering the role of SP in neurogenic inflammation and in bronchoconstriction. It was also proposed to analyse the relationship of SP with superoxide dismutase (SOD) and total anti-oxidation activity in serum (TAS), considering the ROS production during the inflammatory process, as well as its association to CD26 and CD25 values and their immunologic and inflammatory properties. A group of individuals older than 65 years including 64 asthmatic patients (mean age 72.4±5.1 years) and 41 healthy individuals (mean age 79.2±7.0 years) was selected. Both subgroups were submitted to clinical observation, to skin prick tests and to SP, TAS and SOD. T cell CD26 and CD25 typing was also performed. Lung function tests were done to all patients. Among patients studied, 42 presented positive skin tests, mainly to house dust mites. Asthmatic patients presented significant increased values of SP (116.2±138.9 vs 39.5±17.9 pg/ml) when compared to controls and a significant decrease of TAS (.85±.13 vs .91±.10 mM) and SOD (588.1±156.l vs 822.9±179.5 U/gHb). All patients have clinical stability and presented forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) values of 73.6±25.3 l/s and peak expiratory flow (PEF50) of 38.8±26.7l. The CD25 expression was significantly increased in disease (14.3±5.9 vs 22.4±7.8) while CD26 was only slightly increased (41.9±10.2 vs 39.4±11.4). These results confirm the role of SP in the respiratory pathology studied and give a contribution for a better knowledge of the network of immunoinflammatory pathway, associated to this chronic disorder. A final goal for these studies would be a better diagnostic and therapeutic approach in this pathology.