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Biomedical subjects

J C Morini

Publications and source records attributed to J C Morini.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1998

Electrocardiographic alterations in chronically Trypanosoma cruzi-infected persons exposed to cardiovascular factors.

METHODS: We analyzed the potential influence that associated risk factors (ARF), such as smoking, alcoholism, overweight, and hypertension, could have on the establishment of chronic chagasic cardiomyopathy (CC). The sample was comprised of 124 individuals, 69 males and 55 females (mean age +/- SD, 41 +/- 9.5 years), who were born in en demic areas of Northern Argentina and migrated further to Rosario City, an area where autochthonous cases of Chagas' disease have never been registered. Assessments included the following: clinical examination to discard previous cardiomyopathies; search for the presence of ARF according to standard criteria; specific serology; frontal chest X-ray, and 12-lead resting electrocardiogram (ECG). Subjects were classified on the basis of their serological status and presence of ARF into four groups: Tc+ARF+ T. cruzi-infected persons with ARF (n = 41); Tc-ARF+ seronegativity in presence of ARF (n = 27); Tc+ARF- individuals showing positive serology that lacked ARF (n = 27), and Tc-ARF- seronegative individuals having no ARF (n = 29). RESULTS: Except for a higher female/male ratio in groups presenting no ARF (p < 0.02), no statistical differences as to age, length of residence in endemicity areas (LR), and ARF distribution were recorded among groups. Forty-one persons presented abnormal ECG tracings, distributed thus: Tc+ARF+, 18/41; Tc-ARF+, 14/27, Tc+ARF-, 14/27, and Tc-ARF, 4/29 (p < 0.01, in relation to the latter group). Subjects from the Tc+ARF+, Tc-ARF+, and Tc+ARF- groups had 4.89-, 6.7-, and 6.7-fold increases, respectively, if having an abnormal ECG when compared with Tc-ARF- individuals. Comparisons on the frequency of abnormal ECG between seropositives carrying ARF or not yielded a non-significant odds ratio, be it estimated as crude, or after adjusting for sex, age, and LR in multivariate analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Presence of ARF was not associated with an increasing risk of cardiac affectation in chronically T. cruzi-infected persons, but resulted in chagasic-compatible ECG abnormalities in those seronegative individuals.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Infection with Trypanosoma cruzi during pregnancy in rats and a decrease in chronic myocardial lesions in their infected offspring.

To ascertain whether maternal infection with Trypanosoma cruzi may influence the course of the parasitic infection in offspring, two groups of female 1 rats were mated with syngeneic sires. One group of females was infected with 10(6) trypomastigotes of T. cruzi three times at weekly intervals. All offspring were nursed by their mothers until weaning and then separated into two groups of young, one to be infected with the same dose of T. cruzi, and the other to remain uninfected. Infection of pregnant rats caused no aggravated disease but resulted in a self-controlled infection that did not cause any deaths or affect their reproductive capacity. The number of young delivered, litter size, fertility coefficient, and offspring weights at weaning were also unaffected by maternal infection; however, the survival coefficient decreased in comparison with values recorded in the offspring of uninfected mothers. The latter finding is likely due to neonatal transmission, since bloodstream forms of T. cruzi were observed in a few offspring of infected mothers. While infected offspring whose mothers had been inoculated with T. cruzi during pregnancy were not protected from acute infection, the occurrence of chronic focal myocarditis was less prevalent when compared with that recorded in chronically infected offspring born to uninfected mothers.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1994

[Concomitant immunity against Sarcoma E 100 comparing 2 strains of rats].

Concomitant immunity (IC) is usually defined as the capacity of any animal bearing a progressor tumor to inhibit a second challenge with the same tumor. In order to establish the contribution of the host to the origin of this phenomenon, IC was induced in two lines of rats with a different behavior when challenged with Sarcoma E 100 (SE 100), i.e., line IIMc: 90% take and 100% regression; line "m": 100% take and death. The rats received a second challenge on day 3 (Group II), 7 (III), and 14 (IV), as well as the control groups: II', III' and IV', respectively. The animals reinoculated on day 7 showed a decrease, both in percentage of takes (Fig. 1, III vs III') and tumor surface (Table 1, 2). Likewise, in rats IIMc, a lesser development of the first inoculum (Table 1, Ia vs I') was observed. The Winn assay (Table 3) confirmed the presence of immunocompetent spleen cells (CE) against SE 100 in IIMc rat spleens: namely, 1) immune rats (II), 2) unique tumor bearing rats (IV), 3) first progressor and second negative inoculum (V). In line "m" the percentage of takes was only smaller in the group inoculated conjointly with CE from immune rats (Table 3, VI vs VII). A mere 10% (3/30) of "m" rats were immunized against SE 100. Consequently, these results could attribute the IC, in IIMc rats, to immunological mechanisms, while in "m" it could be due to factor(s) released and/or induced by the first tumor, as proposed by Gorelik.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Variation in smoking-related lung cancer risk factors by cell type among men in Argentina: a case-control study.

A high mortality rate for lung cancer (62.7 per 100,000) is found in Rosario, Argentina. To investigate the reasons for this high rate, a case-control study was carried out among 215 male cases with histologically confirmed lung cancer and 433 hospitalized controls for conditions unrelated to tobacco consumption. Odds ratios (OR) of squamous cell (SQ), adenocarcinoma (AD), and small cell (SM) carcinoma of the lung associated with different characteristics of the smoking habit were quantified. Ninety-eight percent of the cases had smoked regularly. Smokers were significantly younger at diagnosis than ex-smokers (P < 0.0001), a pattern consistent for all cell types. The ORs for the heaviest cf the lowest consumption categories were 15.3 for SQ, 11.6 for AD, and 11.6 for all lung cancer (P < 0.0001). Risks associated with the use of unfiltered cigarettes were three to five times higher than those for filtered cigarettes, depending on cell types. For ex-smokers, risks after 10 years of nonsmoking were about 12 times lower than those of current smokers (P < 0.001). To halt further increases in lung cancer, preventive measures in Argentina should be directed primarily towards smoking control.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1993

Enhanced myocardial lesions in chronically Trypanosoma cruzi-infected rats subjected to adult thymectomy.

Control animals and rats infected 90 days earlier, by inoculation of 1 x 10(6) trypomastigotes of Trypanosoma cruzi at weaning, were subjected to adult thymectomy (ATx) or sham operation (S-ATx) and assessed 3 months later for the presence of myocardial lesions and levels of lymph node and spleen T-cell populations. Chronic focal myocarditis (CFM) developed in 78% and 84% of S-ATx or ATx infected rats, respectively. While the two groups of infected rats did not differ as to the occurrence of myocardial lesions, large foci of CFM were more prevalent in ATx infected rats. Chronic T. cruzi (Tc) infection resulted in decreased CD4+ and increased CD8+ lymph node and spleen cell, with CD8+ lymphocytes being lowered to normal values in the spleen of the ATx infected group. It is suggested that ATx might act by interfering with a down-regulating immunoregulatory mechanism, leading to an exacerbation of autoimmune reactions believed to be involved in the generation of myocardial damage.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Evaluation of an attenuated Trypanosoma cruzi strain in rats. Analysis of survival, parasitemia and tissue damage.

Infection and tissue damage induced by parasites of an attenuated Trypanosoma cruzi culture strain (TCC) were studied in "I" line of inbred rats. Suckling rats (S), 3-5 day old were inoculated i.p. with 10(6) TCC (S1), 10(7) TCC (S2) and 10(8) TCC (S3). Weaned rats (W), 21-25 day old were inoculated s.c. with 10(6) TCC (W1), 10(7) TCC (W2) and 10(8) TCC (W3). The cultures yielded up to 2% of trypomastigotes. Controls inoculated either i.p. or s.c. with 10(6) blood form trypomastigotes (SC and WC) as well as normal controls (NC) were included. Survival was 100% in S1, S2 and S3, and 0% in SC on day 13 post-infection (p.i.). The latter animals died with acute Chagas disease signs. Survival was 100% in the W groups. In the first 30 days p.i. parasites were detected in S1, S2 and S3 and W1, W2, W3 groups after exhaustive examination. Parasites were easily found in WC and SC until day 13. Xeno-diagnoses were positive (5/5) at 2 months p.i. and negative at 6 months p.i. (W1, W2, W3, 0/23; WC, 0/5). Only cardiac lesions were slightly increased. The frequency of focal chronic myocarditis seemed to be increased in a dose-independent manner (S1, S2, S3, 26%; W1, W2, W3, 46%) but was not significant in comparison with NC, and even was lower than usually found in WC (61.3%). The reduced virulence and pathogenicity suggest that the TCC strain suffered a remarkable attenuation after long term in vitro culture.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Lepromatous leprosy treated with recombinant interferon gamma: cutaneous histologic changes.

We report on the histologic changes occurring in single cutaneous lesions, from six active lepromatous patients, 1 week following the administration of three daily intradermal injections, 35 micrograms each, of recombinant interferon gamma (rIFN-gamma). Except for a strong induration at the injection site, rIFN-gamma produced no adverse systemic reactions and was able to promote a remarkable influx of T-lymphocytes, mononuclear phagocytes with large nuclei, nonvacuolated cytoplasm, and reduced lysozyme reactivity. Furthermore, despite no clear-cut reduction of mycobacterial dermal burden, bacilli showed a clear increase in the granular appearance. Present findings provide a basis for further elucidation of rIFN-gamma as an additional tool for leprosy treatment.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Biological false positive test for syphilis in lepromatous leprosy patients with concomitant hepatitis B virus infection.

Within the wide range of immunological abnormalities occurring in lepromatous leprosy (LL), antiphospholipid antibodies unrelated to treponemal infection, the so-called biological false positive test for syphilis (BFP), have long been recognized. Considering that BFP may also be encountered in different clinical situations, the fact that whether BFP in LL occurs solely or is associated with other concomitant infections or serological abnormalities was investigated. For this purpose, two groups of LL patients with similar clinical features and no evidence of treponemal infection were studied, one group with BFP (n = 21) and the other without BFP (n = 13). At the time of study, patients underwent the following tests: hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), anti-Trypanosoma cruzi specific antibodies, infectious mononucleosis-associated heterophil antibodies, rheumatoid factors, antinuclear antibodies, anti-dsDNA antibodies and gamma-globulin serum levels. Except for HBsAg, which was more frequently detected in patients with BFP (p < 0.02), the other variables showed no significant differences between groups. This finding suggests the possibility that simultaneous infection with hepatitis B virus could contribute, to some extent as an additional factor, to the generation of an altered humoral immune response. The possible physiopathologic significance of anti-phospholipid antibodies, in the light of current knowledge, is also discussed.

False Positive Reactions↗
PubMed1990

Cancer mortality and some socio economic correlates in Rosario, Argentina.

The age-standardized mortality rates by sex for cancer of all sites and some specific sites were calculated in the 22 areas of Rosario (Argentina). The rates by area were correlated with education, occupation, housing quality and population density, applying Kendall's tau. Cervical cancer rates showed the strongest correlations, which were positive with illiteracy, unqualified occupations and poor housing. These variables presented positive correlations with stomach cancer also, which were more significant in males than in females. Colon and breast cancer rates had positive correlations with the highest levels of education, occupational status, housing conditions and population density.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

Depressed adjuvant arthritis in rats transferred with spleen cells from Trypanosoma cruzi-infected syngeneic donors.

In the present study we investigated whether the attenuating effect of chronic Trypanosoma cruzi (Tc) infection on adjuvant arthritis (AA) in the rat could be transferred to naive recipients. Transfer of whole spleen cells, but not of serum, from Tc-infected rats reduced AA (means +/- SEM: 11 +/- 0.5) in recipient animals (control values, means +/- SEM: 19 +/- 0.7). Transfer of a T-cell-enriched subpopulation from spleen cells of Tc-infected rats (obtained by filtration through a nylon wool column) resulted in a similar attenuation of AA (means +/- SEM: 7.5 +/- 2.2). The arthritic response of rats intraperitoneally inoculated with 2 x 10(5) Tc 48 h before induction did not differ from that observed in controls. Neither parasites nor specific antibodies were observed in suckling mice inoculated with serum or cell suspensions employed in transfer experiments. Consequently, the depressive effect on AA could not be directly attributed to Tc per se. We hypothesize that a homeostatic immunosuppressor mechanism may be responsible for this phenomenon.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

[Immunopathology of leprosy].

Studies including close contacts of leprosy patients were performed; an inverse relationship between degree and length of exposure to Mycobacterium leprae (MI) and the magnitude of the in vivo specific immune response (Mitsuda reaction) was observed. On the other hand, this variable is greatly influenced by genetic determination. In the experimental adjuvant arthritis model, MI treatment was able to trigger a splenic suppressor cell population with regulatory activity on the immune response. These results suggest that the erythema nodosum leprosum episode (ENL) is related to an excessive humoral response and immunoregulatory alterations.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

[Significant correlations of mortality due to stomach and colonic cancer in Rosario with other neoplastic sites].

The age standardized mortality rates, by sex, for cancer all sites and some diagnostic sites were calculated in the 22 Areas of the city of Rosario during the period 1977-81. The rates of the different cancer sites, by Areas, were correlated with stomach and colon cancers, by sex, applying the Kendall's tau, a non-parametric method of correlation. While the mortality rates for cancer all sites and for stomach cancer in males were higher than in females in almost all of the Areas, for colon cancer they were almost similar. Colon cancer rates in both sexes had negative correlations with infant mortality rates, and in females had positive correlations with breast cancer, and negative correlations with cervix and uterus cancer. Stomach mortality rates had negative correlations with those of colon in both sexes, and positive correlations with total cancer and infant mortality rates. The distribution of the mortality rates of some cancer sites and their correlations suggest that some risk factors and shared in their causal chain.

Argentina↗
PubMed1988

[Study of T lymphocyte subpopulations in patients with leprosy, using incubation with theophylline].

T cells and the theophylline resistant cells (the-r, helper cells) in peripheral blood of patients with different forms of leprosy were studied. Active lepromatous patients (LL+) showed a significant decrease in T lymphocytes and the-r cells. Nevertheless, in LL+ developing a reactional episode of erythema nodosum (LL-ENL) a restoration in the level of the-r cells was observed. It is concluded that in LL+ patients the depression of T cells and the-r cells represents an imbalance in the T-T cellular cooperation with a defective cellular immune response. On the other hand, the recovery of the-r cells in LL-ENL support the hypothesis of a cell mediated immune mechanism in the immunopathology of this reactional episode.

Humans↗
PubMed1987

[Delayed cutaneous response to different antigens in household contacts of leprosy patients and controls].

The delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) response to PPD, candidin and histoplasmin, and Mitsuda reaction (MR) in household contacts (HC) of multibacillary (HCM) and paucibacillary (HCP) leprosy patients, and non exposed controls was studied. Intradermal tests with 0.1 ml. of each antigen were performed and read after 48 hours. Late nodular reaction to ML (MR) was evaluated at the 21st day post-challenge. As we had formerly demonstrated, MR was depressed in HCM. Interestingly, this reaction was also depressed in HCP to a lesser magnitude. HCM had a lower DTH response to histoplasmin in relation to PPD and candidin when persons were simultaneously challenged with the three antigens. According to these results we conclude that: a), HCM have a depression in late lepromin reaction; b), in HCP the depression in MR is of a lower magnitude. We hypothesize that in healthy contacts of bacilliferous patients an active mechanism of immunosuppression to mycobacterial antigens may be produced. Alterations in the skin response to histoplasmin is discussed.

Female↗