BACKGROUND Leprosy is a highly neglected disease that is considered a serious public health problem in many countries. This illness is characterised by a variety of clinical and histopathological manifestations that are related to the patient immune response. OBJECTIVES This work aimed evaluate the profile of circulating immune mediators in the plasma from patients classified clinically as paucibacillary (PB), multibacillary (MB), households contacts (HHC), type1 leprosy reaction (T1R), type2 leprosy reaction (T2R) and control individuals without medical history of leprosy (CTL). METHODS To assessment of the plasma immune mediators was used multiplex microbeads immunoassay “Luminex”. FINDINGS The results showed that patients (PB) had a regulatory-biased profile, while MB revealed a pro-inflammatory trend of highly expressed biomarkers. HHC display conspicuously increased levels in the plasma of the chemokines (CCL2, CCL3, CCL4, CCL5 and CXCL8), pro-inflammatory cytokines (IFN-γ,TNF and IL-1β), modulating cytokines (IL-9 and IL-1Ra) and growth factors (PDGF, G-CSF and IL-2). Interestingly, HHC displayed superior production of IFN-γ as compared to other leprosy groups, indicating a putative protective role for this cytokine during chronic Mycobacterium leprae exposure. MAIN CONCLUSION Further investigations are currently underway to elucidate the potential of these mediators as biomarkers applicable to the diagnosis/prognosis of leprosy and also T1R and T2R leprosy reactions. countries response PB, PB , MB, (MB) HHC, (HHC) type T1R, TR T R (T1R) (T2R CTL. CTL . (CTL) Luminex. Luminex “Luminex” (PB regulatorybiased regulatory biased proinflammatory pro inflammatory CCL2, CCL2 CCL (CCL2 CCL3 CCL4 CXCL8, CXCL8 CXCL CXCL8) IFNγ,TNF IFNγTNF IFN γ,TNF γ TNF IL1β, IL1β ILβ IL 1β β IL-1β) IL9 9 (IL- IL1Ra ILRa 1Ra Ra IL-1Ra PDGF, PDGF (PDGF GCSF G CSF IL2. IL2 2 IL-2) Interestingly IFNγ groups exposure diagnosisprognosis diagnosis prognosis reactions (MB (HHC (T1R (CTL “Luminex (CCL γTNF IL-1β (IL IL-2 IL-

Resumo Vacinação contra Anaplasma marginale tem sido considerada uma importante estratégia de controle da anaplasmose bovina. Recentemente, camundongos imunizados com rMSP1a funcionalizada à nanotubos de carbono (MWNT) apresentaram resposta imune significante, gerando nova possibilidade para o uso da vacina inativada. O objetivo desse estudo foi investigar a resposta celular e humoral em bezerros imunizados com MWNT+rMSP1a, associado com a vacina inativada de A. marginale produzida in vitro, e avaliar os efeitos tóxicos dos MWNT nas funções hepática e renal. rMSP1 a foi ligada covalentemente aos MWNT. Vacina inativada (AmUFMG2) foi produzida através do cultivo de A. marginale em células IDE8. Vinte e quatro bezerros Holandeses foram divididos (quatro grupos) e imunizados subcutaneamente com: PBS e MWNT não-carboxilados (controle, G1), AmUFMG2 (G2), MWNT+rMSP1 a (G3), e AmUFMG2 com MWNT+rMSP1a (G4). Amostras de sangue foram coletadas para contagem de leucócitos, perfil bioquímico e avaliação da resposta celular e humoral. Imunização com MWNT+rMSP1a induziu aumento dos leucócitos totais, células NK, na população de linfócitos e altos níveis de anticorpos comparado com animais imunizados apenas com AmUFMG2. Além disso, MWNT não induziu alterações no perfil bioquímico. Esses dados indicam que MWNT+rMSP1a foram capazes de induzir eficientemente a resposta imune comparado com AmUFMG2 sozinho, sem gerar toxicidade.

Abstract Vaccination against Anaplasma marginale has been considered an important control strategy for bovine anaplasmosis. Recently, mice immunized with rMSP1 a linked to carbon nanotubes (MWNT) showed significant immune responses, generating a new possibility for use of an inactivated vaccine. The objective of this study was to investigate the cellular and humoral responses in calves immunized with MWNT+rMSP1a , associated with inactivated vaccine of A. marginale produced in vitro, and evaluate the toxic effects of the MWNT on renal and hepatic function. rMSP1a was covalently linked to MWNT. Inactivated vaccine (AmUFMG2) was produced by cultivating A. marginale in IDE8 cells. Twenty-four Holstein calves were divided (four groups) and immunized subcutaneously with PBS and non-carboxylated MWNT (control, G1), AmUFMG2 (G2), MWNT+rMSP1a (G3), and AmUFMG2 with MWNT+rMSP1a (G4). Blood samples were collected for total leukocyte counts, biochemical profiling and evaluation of the cellular and humoral response. Immunization with MWNT+rMSP1a induced increase in the total number of leukocytes, NK cells, in the lymphocyte populations and higher levels of antibodies compared to calves immunized only with AmUFMG2. Furthermore, MWNT did not induce changes in the biochemical profile. These data indicate that MWNT+rMSP1a were able to induce the immune responses more efficiently than AmUFMG2 alone, without generating toxicity.

Trypanosoma cruzi strains from distinct geographic areas show differences in drug resistance and association between parasites genetic and treatment response has been observed. Considering that benznidazole (BZ) can reduce the parasite burden and tissues damage, even in not cured animals and individuals, the goal is to assess the drug response to BZ of T. cruzi II strains isolated from children of the Jequitinhonha Valley, state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, before treatment. Mice infected and treated with BZ in both phases of infection were compared with the untreated and evaluated by fresh blood examination, haemoculture, polymerase chain reaction, conventional (ELISA) and non-conventional (FC-ALTA) serologies. In mice treated in the acute phase, a significant decrease in parasitaemia was observed for all strains. Positive parasitological and/or serological tests in animals treated during the acute and chronic (95.1-100%) phases showed that most of the strains were BZ resistant. However, beneficial effect was demonstrated because significant reduction (p < 0.05%) and/or suppression of parasitaemia was observed in mice infected with all strains (acute phase), associated to reduction/elimination of inflammation and fibrosis for two/eight strains. BZ offered some benefit, even in not cured animals, what suggest that BZ use may be recommended at least for recent chronic infection of the studied region.