Vita Publications

Leishmania infantum (syn. Leishmania chagasi) is the etiological agent of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) in Brazil. [...]

RNA interference (RNAi) pathways utilize small non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) to regulate diverse biological processes in eukaryotes. Different classes of small ncRNAs function through distinct RNAi pathways and the focus of this review will be on two of these: microRNAs (miRNAs) and small interfering RNAs (siRNAs). [...]

Leukotrienes (LTs) produced from arachidonic acid by the action of 5-lipoxygenase (5-LO) are classical mediators of inflammatory responses. However, studies published in the literature regarding these mediators are contradictory and it remains uncertain whether these lipid mediators play a role in host defense against the fungal pathogen Paracoccidioides brasiliensis. [...]

The reintroduction of thalidomide in the pharmacotherapy greatly stimulated the interest in the synthesis and pharmacological evaluation of phthalimide analogs with new and improved activities and also greater safety. In the present study, we evaluated the activities of two phthalimide analogs devoid of the glutarimide ring, namely 2-phthalimidethanol (PTD-OH) and 2-phthalimidethyl nitrate (PTD-NO), in experimental models of inflammatory pain and edema in male C57BL/6J mice. [...]

Dengue is a mosquito-borne disease caused by one of four serotypes of Dengue virus (DENV-1-4). Epidemiologic and observational studies demonstrate that the majority of severe dengue cases, dengue hemorrhagic fever and dengue shock syndrome (DHF/DSS), occurs predominantly in either individuals with cross-reactive immunity following a secondary heterologous infection or in infants with primary DENV infections born from dengue-immune mothers, suggesting that B-cell-mediated and antibody responses impact on disease evolution. [...]

Nicorandil is a drug characterized by the coupling of a nitric oxide (NO) donor to nicotinamide. We have previously demonstrated that nicotinamide exhibits activity in different models of pain and inflammation. [...]

The association between gluten and body weight is inconsistent. Previously, we showed that a gluten-free diet reduces weight gain without changing food intake in mice fed high-fat diets. [...]

Infection with the Zika virus (ZIKV) usually causes a mild acute illness, but two major severe syndromes have been described during the epidemic in Brazil: microcephaly and the Guillain-Barré Syndrome. There is now much evidence to show that ZIKV can infect and damage neuronal cells in vitro. [...]

Excessive inflammation is involved in preeclampsia (PE) pathogenesis. Lipoxin A4 (LXA4) is an eicosanoid that counter-regulates inflammation. [...]

Zika virus (ZIKV) infection is a global health emergency that causes significant neurodegeneration. Neurodegenerative processes may be exacerbated by N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR)-dependent neuronal excitoxicity. [...]