Gut-associated intestinal lymphoid tissue, the largest secondary lymphoid organ in the human body, constantly samples antigens from the gut lumen, presenting as a default response the activation of TCD4 FOXP3 regulatory T cells that secrete a profile of anti-inflammatory cytokines maintaining gut homeostasis denominated from an immunological perspective as mucosal tolerance. However, when antigens are sampled in an inflammatory setting, the immune response may either be protective, in the case of harmful pathogens, or cause further inflammatory reactions as in food allergy, inflammatory bowel diseases, coeliac disease or food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome. Therefore, there is a need for accurate and consistent experimental models. However, a drawback in comparing these models is the lack of a classification system similar to that which is already used for humans. Thus, the aim of this work was to propose a classification system of the small intestinal histomorphology in experimental mice. To do this we used a mouse antigen-specific gut inflammation model developed by our research group. Duodenum sections stained with haematoxylin-eosin and Alcian blue were scanned using the APERIO scanning system and analysed with the ImageScope software. The evaluated parameters were villus area, villus height and width, enterocyte count, mononuclear intra-epithelial leucocyte and goblet cell counts, and architectural and cellular ratios. Food-sensitized animals challenged with a diet containing the corresponding food allergen presented, as for humans, time-dependent shortened and widened villi accompanied by leucocyte infiltrate and loss of goblet cells. With these data, we were able to establish a classification system for experimental intestinal inflammation in mice thus permitting better comparisons among and between experiments than has been possible previously.

No abstract

No abstract

O objetivo deste estudo foi correlacionar a qualidade de vida relacionada à saúde bucal (OHRQoL) com os níveis de cortisol salivar em idosos em reabilitação protética oral. Quarenta e um participantes idosos responderam a um questionário sociodemográfico e ao Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14) para OHRQoL. Os participantes foram avaliados clinicamente e encaminhados a uma Clínica de Odontologia Geriátrica Pública para reabilitação oral protética. Amostras de saliva foram coletadas para quantificação do cortisol através de ELISA, antes (T1) e após (T2) a reabilitação oral protética. A comparação entre T1 e T2 foi realizada pelo teste de Wilcoxon com significância de 5%. A média de resposta padronizada (SRM) testou a capacidade de resposta do OHIP-14. Vinte e sete pacientes com idade média de 74 ± 8,4 anos concluíram o tratamento. O OHIP-14 apresentou responsividade satisfatória para o escore total e na maioria dos domínios (SRM> 0,5). A pontuação total do OHIP-14 e os domínios Dor Física, Incapacidade Física e Psicológica melhoraram após o tratamento (p <0,05). Por outro lado, o cortisol apresentou correlação fraca e não significativa com os escores do OHIP-14, exceto para o domínio Limitação Funcional (r = 0,405, p <0,05). Não houve diferença entre os níveis de cortisol salivar entre T1 e T2 (p> 0,05). O nível de cortisol salivar não apresentou associação direta com OHRQoL em idosos. Por outro lado, o questionário OHIP-14 evidenciou alterações após a reabilitação oral, confirmando a melhora na qualidade de vida dos idosos.

Because of the high social impact of Food allergy, it is of great importance to correctly diagnose this disease using reliable tests. Knowledge of the allergenicity properties of proteins, how they react in the body and in diagnostic tests is necessary to adequately assess the potential immunogenicity of both natural foods and those produced through biotechnological processes. Thus, our aim was to analyze the factors that influence the protein extraction of foods in terms of, immunogenicity and immunoassays sensitivity. Peanut proteins were extracted using four distinct extraction buffers (physiological saline, tris buffer, borate buffer with and without β-mercaptoethanol), the protein concentration was determined by the Lowry method and polyacrylamide electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) was used to compare the protein profile of each extract. The immunogenicity of each extract was verified by sensitizing two mouse strains (Balb/c and C57/BL6) with solution containing 100μg of the extracted proteins and determined by ELISA. Results show that extraction with the distinct buffers resulted in protein solutions with different yields and profiles. The immunogenicity of the different extracts also demonstrated distinct patterns that varied depending on the extraction methods, mouse strain and in-vitro test. Immunoreactivity varied in accordance to the protein extract used to coat the microtitration plates. In conclusion, the protein profile in the extracts is critically influenced by the salt composition and pH of the extraction buffers, this in turn influences both in vivo immunogenicity and in vitro immunoreactivity.