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Biomedical subjects

F Zavala

Publications and source records attributed to F Zavala.

117 records · Page 7Linked to original sources

[Recent results in the field of vinblastine group antitumour alkaloids. Biochemical studies].

Studies on the interaction between vinblastine-like alkaloids and their receptor, i.e. tubulin, are reported. They shed some light on the structure-activity relationships in this medicinally important series: the configuration at C14' and C16', as well as the presence of the methoxycarbonyl group on C16' seem to play an essential role in the determination of biological activity. A new analogue, detected by its specific behaviour with tubulin, was found, in vivo, to be as active and less toxic than vinblastine.

Animals↗

Interaction of vinblastine analogues with tubulin.

Studies of the interaction between vinblastine-like alkaloids and their receptor, i.e. tubulin, are reported. They shed some light on the structure-activity relationships in this medicinally important series: the configurations at C14' and C16' as well as the presence of the methoxycarbonyl group on C16' seem to play an essential role in the determination of biological activity.

Glycoproteins↗

Protective and pathogenic roles of CD8+ T cells during malaria infection.

CD8+ T cells play a key role in protection against pre-erythrocytic stages of malaria infection. Many vaccine strategies are based on the idea of inducing a strong infection-blocking CD8+ T cell response. Here, we summarize what is known about the development, specificity and protective effect of malaria-specific CD8+ T cells and report on recent developments in the field. Although work in mouse models continues to make progress in our understanding of the basic biology of these cells, many questions remain to be answered - particularly on the roles of these cells in human infections. Increasing evidence is also emerging of a harmful role for CD8+ T cells in the pathology of cerebral malaria in rodent systems. Once again, the relevance of these results to human disease is one of the primary questions facing workers in this field.

Animals↗

Immunity to Plasmodium sporozoites: recent advances and applications to field research.

The presence of antibodies against Plasmodium falciparum sporozoites in humans living in malaria endemic areas was measured using as antigen the synthetic peptide (NANP)3, which represents the immunodominant region of the circumsporozoite (CS) protein. The results indicate that: i) the production of anti-CS antibodies is unrelated to the presence in the circulation of blood-stage parasites; ii) anti-CS antibodies, raised by natural inoculation, could exert a protective role against natural malaria infection; iii) anti-CS antibodies can be used as indicators of the intensity of malaria transmission.

Age Factors↗

CS antigen localization in malaria vectors: hypothetical refractoriness to transmission observed in the field.

Indoor resting Anopheles gambiae s.l. were collected in two villages near Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, and processed to investigate the presence and distribution of Plasmodium sporozoites. Salivary glands were dissected, examined by phase contrast microscopy and further processed by IRMA in order to reveal the presence of the circumsporozoite (CS) antigen of P. falciparum. The corresponding thoraces were homogenized and processed by IRMA. In the village characterized by the higher inoculation rate more than 40% of the infected mosquitoes were not found infective since CS antigen was detected in the thorax in absence of sporozoites and CS antigen in the corresponding salivary glands.

Animals↗