Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

M Salcedo

Publications and source records attributed to M Salcedo.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

[Chemoembolization and posterior liver transplantation as therapeutic strategy for hepatocarcinoma].

Orthotopic Liver Transplantation (OLT) is the only surgical approach to non-resectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) but, so far its results has been poor. During 41 months 112 patients underwent 123 OLT, nine of them had HCC over cirrhosis with a mean age 60 years. The etiology of cirrhosis was: alcohol in 1 and viral hepatitis in 8. Child's grade: A in 4, B in 5. HCC was: 5 cm or less in 5 and more in 4. According pTNM staging: I in one, II in 5, II in 2 and IVb in 1. Differentiation degree: low in 1, moderate in 4, and well in 3 (one case with complete necrosis after embolization). Eight patients were previously embolized with lipiodol, adriamycin and gelfoam, obtaining central necrosis without viable features in periphery. There were no postoperative deaths, and all the patients were discharged from the hospital. During follow up, 3 recurrences were observed, one massive with death of the patient after 6 months, and the other was surgically removed (segmentectomy V, VI) after 4 months after OLT without recurrence at 18 months of resection. In the third case a focal lesions was detected in the U.S. and T.C. study, 4 months after OLT, but in wasn't possible to obtain a biopsy because its posterior location; no treatment was made, and she's alive today. In conclusion, OLT is a good surgical option for non resectable HCC complicating cirrhosis if the patient is adequately selected. Chemoembolization has a good local effect, obtaining tumoral necrosis, but it does not decrease the posterior growth of the tumor in other localizations.

Aged↗

Detection of the cystic fibrosis delta-F508 mutation at autopsy by site-directed mutagenesis.

In Caucasian populations cystic fibrosis (CF) is the most common autosomal recessive disorder. CF was previously considered rare in Mexico; however, the reported frequency is about 1% in autopsies. This discrepancy appears to be due to the inability to diagnose the illness during life. It is now known that in developing countries a great number of affected children die without the benefit of CF diagnosis and appropriate treatment. In this study we have used the PCR-mediated site-directed mutagenesis technique for the detection of the delta-F508 mutation in a 6-month-old Mexican boy who died without definitive diagnosis. The tissue available from the child was a formaldehyde fixed paraffin-embedded liver. We identified the delta-F508 mutation in homozygous form in the propositus and in a heterozygous form in his parents. This represents the first report of CF molecular diagnosis in Mexico.

Autopsy↗

Frequency of delta F508 in a Mexican sample of cystic fibrosis patients.

This paper reports the frequency of the delta F508 mutation in a cohort of 50 Mexican patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). The mutation was detected by PCR mediated site directed mutagenesis. delta F508 was found in 39% of CF chromosomes, a frequency lower than that reported in Argentina and Spain. The high rate of CF cases who die undiagnosed, the ethnic origin of Mexican populations, and the limited number of cases studied could account for the low frequency of the delta F508 mutation found in this preliminary report.

Adolescent↗

Resistance to host antimicrobial peptides is necessary for Salmonella virulence.

The production of antibacterial peptides is a host defense strategy used by various species, including mammals, amphibians, and insects. Successful pathogens, such as the facultative intracellular bacterium Salmonella typhimurium, have evolved resistance mechanisms to this ubiquitous type of host defense. To identify the genes required for resistance to host peptides, we isolated a library of 20,000 MudJ transposon insertion mutants of a virulent peptide-resistant S. typhimurium strain and screened it for hypersensitivity to the antimicrobial peptide protamine. Eighteen mutants had heightened susceptibility to protamine and 12 of them were characterized in detail. Eleven mutants were attenuated for virulence in vivo when inoculated into BALB/c mice by the intragastric route, and 8 of them were also avirulent following intraperitoneal inoculation. The mutants fell into different phenotypic classes with respect to their susceptibility to rabbit defensin NP-1, frog magainin 2, pig cecropin P1, and the insect venom-derived peptides mastoparan and melittin. The resistance loci mapped to eight distinct locations in the genome. Characterization of the mutants showed that one had a defective lipopolysaccharide and another mutant harbored a mutation in phoP, a locus previously shown to control expression of Salmonella virulence genes. Our data indicate that the ability to resist the killing effect of host antimicrobial peptides is a virulence property and that several resistance mechanisms operate in S. typhimurium.

Animals↗

Heterogeneity in state and expression of viral DNA in polyoma virus-induced tumors of the mouse.

We have examined the state and expression of polyoma viral DNA in representative epithelial and mesenchymal tumors, using a combination of biochemical and in situ methods. Results showed wide variations among tumor types and also in different regions within individual tumors, with respect to copy number of viral DNA, presence or absence of deletions, and expression of early and late viral proteins. Epithelial tumors showed the greatest heterogeneity. High copy free viral DNA, frequently with deletions, was found in all such tumors. A portion of free viral DNA was recoverable as transcriptionally active minichromosomes. Three distinct subpopulations of cells were distinguished by in situ analyses. Type 1 cells showed high copy free viral DNA and expressed the major viral capsid protein VP1; these cells appeared to be at various stages of productive (lytic) viral infection. Some productively infected cells were able to undergo mitosis; in a portion of these cells, VP1 was found in close association with the mitotic spindle. Type 2 cells contained high copy free DNA but did not express VP1; by some unknown mechanism, these cells manifest a post-replication block to late gene expression and lytic infection. Type 3 cells contained only low copy, presumably integrated, viral DNA and expressed no VP1; they thus resemble cells transformed in vitro by the virus. Epithelial tumors contained variable mixtures of these subpopulations, while mesenchymal tumors were composed of Type 3 cells only. Differences in virus-cell interactions are discussed in terms of their possible implications in tumor development.

Animals↗

The first field trials of the chemically synthesized malaria vaccine SPf66: safety, immunogenicity and protectivity.

This paper reports the results of the first field study performed to assess the safety, immunogenicity and protectivity of the synthetic malaria vaccine SPf66 directed against the asexual blood stages of Plasmodium falciparum. Clinical and laboratory tests were performed on all volunteers prior to and after each immunization, demonstrating that no detectable alteration was induced by the immunization process. The vaccines were grouped as high, intermediate or low responders according to their antibody titres directed against the SPf66 molecule. Two of the 185 (1.08%) SPf66-vaccinated and nine of the 214 (4.20%) placebo-vaccinated volunteers developed P. falciparum malaria. The efficacy of the vaccine was calculated as 82.3% against P. falciparum and 60.6% against Plasmodium vivax.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

[Effect of brain serotonin on the arterial pressure and plasma renin in normal and hypertensive rats].

The effects of changes in brain serotonin content after injections of p-chlorophenylalanine (p-CPA), L-5-hydroxytryptophan (L-5HTP) and 5-6-dihydroxytryptamine (5-6DHT) on the mean arterial pressure (MAP), plasma renin activity (PRA) and peripheral levels of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) have been studied in normal and hypertensive (2K:1C model) male Wistar rats. The p-CPA (250 mg/kg) and L-5HTP (200 mg/kg) were injected i.p., while 5-6 DHT (15 micrograms/animal in 10 mu/animal vehicle) was injected into lateral brain ventricles. The effects were studied 24 h after the p-CPA injection, 2 h after L-5HTP and 10 or 20 days after 5-6DHT administration. The fall in brain serotonin produced by p-CPA and 5-6DHT did not modify the MAP values in the normal and hypertensive rat model, whereas the increase induced after L-5HTP injection only caused a slight decrease in arterial pressure in normotensive animals. The ARP experimented remarkable rises in the normal and hypertensive rats, these values increasing after L-5HTP and falling after p-CPA and 5-6 DHT injections. Similar changes are detected in the normal group after administration of these substances related to serotoninergic brain activity. The ANP levels rose after renal artery constriction, and they are not affected by the above mentioned substances. Only p-CPA and 5-6DHT reduced a low decrease in the ANP levels 10 days after their administration.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

5,6-Dihydroxytryptamine↗

Studies on the humoral immune response to a synthetic vaccine against Plasmodium falciparum malaria.

A synthetic vaccine against the asexual blood stages of P. falciparum, the SPf 66 synthetic hybrid polymer, composed of peptides derived from three merozoite membrane proteins as well as one peptide from the sporozoite CS protein, has been developed by our group and tested in different protection assays in Aotus monkeys as well as in human volunteers. This study evaluates the humoral immune response induced by the SPf 66 protein vaccination in adult human volunteers from the Colombian Pacific coast as follows: determination of specific IgG antibody levels against SPf 66 by FAST-ELISA after each immunization; analysis of antibody reactivity with P. falciparum schizont lysates by immunoblots; and determination of the in vitro parasite growth inhibition. A clear boosting effect, dependent on time and dose, was observed in the antibody production kinetics. These antibodies also specifically recognize three proteins of the P. falciparum schizont lysate corresponding to the molecular weights of the proteins from which the amino acid sequence was derived. These sera were also capable of markedly inhibiting in vitro parasite growth.

Adolescent↗

Genetic control of the immune response to a synthetic vaccine against Plasmodium falciparum.

Two independent vaccination trials using a hybrid synthetic polypeptide containing epitopes from four proteins of Plasmodium falciparum were performed. In the first trial 63 and in the second 122 volunteers were vaccinated, using different immunization schedules. The analysis of the humoral response to the vaccine, measured by IgG antibody titres to the polypeptide showed a bimodal distribution in both cases suggesting genetic control of the immune response to this protein. There was a small group of low or non-responders and a large group of good responders. HLA phenotyping of the two groups disclosed an association of the low responders to HLA-DR4 antigens with chi-square P value of 0.00039 when compared with the good responders group. These findings provide evidence for the genetic control of the immune response to the synthetic vaccine by the association of this response with particular alleles of the HLA class II antigens; such findings may lead to an explanation of the mechanism involved in disease susceptibility and need to be used in the design of a totally effective vaccine.

Adolescent↗

[Cerebral serotonin and the hypothalamo-hypophyseal-adrenal system of the rat during aging].

The role of brain serotonin (5HT) on the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal system (HPAs) under basal condition and after injections of p-chlorophenylalanine (pCPA) and L-5-hydroxytryptophan (L-5HTP) has been studied in 6, 12 and 28 month old male Wistar rats. Four experimental groups were made for each age: control, saline, injected with pCPA (250 mg/kg i.p.) and L-5HTP (200 mg/kg i.p.), the effects being valued 2 hours after L-5HTP administration and 24 hours after pCPA injection. In all groups the plasmatic ACTH, the corticosterone levels as well as the simultaneous changes of the 5TH content tryptophan hydroxylase activity in whole brain were estimated two hours after the L-5HTP injection and 24 hours after that of pCPA. Significant changes are not found in the plasmatic ACTH and corticosterone values with respect to age under basal condition. Nevertheless, the response of HPAs differs with the age after pCPA or L-5HTP injection. The ACTH and corticosterone levels augment by L-5HTP and decrease by pCPA in all age groups, but this corresponding increase or decrease was less marked in the older rats. The 5HT content as tryptophan hydroxylase activity in brain decreased in old animals. pCPA and L-5HTP determine, respectively, high falls and rise of 5TH values, these changes being more intense for pCPA in old rats and for L-5HTP in young and mature animals. The tryptophan hydroxylase activity is decreased by pCPA as L-5HTP injections.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

5-Hydroxytryptophan↗

[Acute retroviral syndrome].

A 37 year old male developed fever for 20 days, along with headache, anorexia, malaise, sweating, pharyngitis, lymphadenopathy and splenomegaly. At this stage, Ag p24 was positive and anti HIV was negative. The patient recovered fully but 6 months later positive HIV titers were demonstrated by immunofluorescence and Western-blot. A retrospective diagnosis of acute retroviral syndrome was made. The difficult differential diagnosis with infectious mononucleosis, cytomegalovirus, measles, rubella, toxoplasmosis and influenza is discussed. Thus, anti HIV antigenemia should be investigated in any patient with a mononucleosis like syndrome belonging in a high risk group for AIDS, even if Paul-Bunnell-Davidson or IgG anti VCA-EB reactions are positive.

Acute Disease↗

[A family outbreak of acute hepatic fascioliasis].

The diagnosis of human fascioliasis was established in an 11 year old boy with prolonged fever by complement fixation and ELISA tests. Good clinical response followed the treatment with emetine. Four other family members were also affected with the disease and their treatment was equally effective. The origin of the infection was traced to the ingestion of infected watercress at a site 15 km away from Santiago.

Acute Disease↗

Novel combination of c-myc, N-myc and N-ras oncogene alteration in brain tumors.

We have examined forty human brain tumors (neoplasias presenting an important incidence in Mexico), for cellular myc (c-myc), N-myc and N-ras proto-oncogene alterations. An elevated amplification and/or rearrangement of the oncogenes was detected in most samples (60% presenting alteration for c-myc, 54% for N-myc, 6% for N-ras and 60% for ras-related genes). The tumors were of different histological types and for some of them we detected either amplification and/or rearrangement of the oncogenes. We describe, for the first time, the alterations of two related genes (c-myc and N-myc) in the same tumor samples; in 64% of the analyzed samples, oncogene alterations were accompanied by enhanced expression of N-myc and ras-related genes. These results suggest an important role for c-myc, N-myc and N-ras oncogenes, in the development and progression of brain tumors.

Adult↗

Vi serology in detection of chronic Salmonella typhi carriers in an endemic area.

A passive haemagglutination assay measuring antibody to highly purified Vi antigen, known to be sensitive and specific for the detection of chronic Salmonella typhi carriers in a non-endemic area, was assessed in an endemic area. A reciprocal serum Vi antibody titre of 160 was found to have a sensitivity of 75%, specificity of 92%, and a high predictive value in screening for chronic S typhi carriers in high-risk population group (eg, women over 40 years). This simple assay can screen for chronic S typhi carriers even in areas where typhoid fever is highly endemic.

Adolescent↗