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Background: An antigen is a small foreign substance, such as a microorganism structural protein, that may trigger an immune response once inside the body. Antigens are preferentially used rather than completely attenuated microorganisms to develop safe vaccines. Unfortunately, not all antigens are able to induce an immune response. Thus, new adjuvants to enhance the antigen’s ability to stimulate immunity must be developed. Objectives: Therefore, this work aimed to evaluate the molecular-structure adjuvant activity of tannic acid (TA) coupled to a protein antigen in Balb/c mice. Method: Bovine serum albumin (BSA) was used as an antigen. The coupling of BSA and TA was mediated by carbodiimide crosslinking, and verified by SDS-PAGE. Forty-two Balb/c mice were divided into seven groups, including two controls without antigen, an antigen control, an adjuvant control, and two treatment groups. An additional group was used for macrophages isolation. A 30-day scheme was used to immunize the mice. The analysis of humoral immunity included immunoglobulin quantification, isotyping and antigen-antibody precipitation. The analysis of cell-mediated immunity included the quantification of nitric oxide from peritoneal macrophages and splenocytes’ proliferation assay after treatment stimulation. Results: No differences were found in the antibodies’ concentration or isotypes induced with the conjugate or the pure BSA. However, an immunogenicity improvement (p < 0.05) was observed through the specific anti-BSA antibody titers in mice immunized with the conjugate. Besides, macrophage activation (p < 0.05) was detected when stimulated with the treatments containing TA. Conclusion: Tannic acid exhibited macrophages’ activation properties. Moreover, when TA was incorporated into the structure of a protein antigen, such as BSA, an antibody specificity enhancement was observed. This was a consequence of antigen processing by activated antigen-presenting cells. These results showed the use of tannic acid as a novel candidate for vaccine molecular-structure adjuvant.

Plants traditionally used for their antiviral activity could be an alternative against SARS-CoV-2. In this study, the efficacy of 10 bioactive plant compounds commonly used in Mexico against COVID-19 was evaluated by molecular docking with two online servers: COVID-19 Docking Server and DockThor. Remdesivir was used as a control. The results showed that Cypellocarpin B, Cypellocarpin C, Luteolin 7-glucoside and Syringetin glucopyranoside showed the highest affinity towards viral proteins Mpro and RdRp respect to Remdesivir. Comparison of molecular docking servers showed differences in the docking motors and proteins available on each server. The use of bioactive compounds represents an alternative for the treatment of patients with COVID-19.

Background: The world's population is still growing, having an impact on the environment and the economic growth of developing countries; so that, there is a particular interest in the development of new fertility control methods, focused on male contraception. Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of methanolic extracts of leaf and fruit of Azadirachta indica on sperm quality and testicular histology of Long Evans rats. Methods: Antifertility effects of a methanolic leaf and fruit extracts of A. indica on 24 male rats were investigated. The animals were randomly divided into two control groups and four treatment groups (n=4). Doses of the leaf and fruit extract were given at concentrations of 100 and 200 μg mL-1. Results: A significant decrease in the viability of sperm cells was observed. The leaf extract at a concentration of 200 μg mL-1 inhibited cell viability compared to the negative control (p< 0.001). The percentage of abnormal cells in leaf extract was shown in 100 and 200 μg mL-1, the conditions at which a higher percentage of morphological irregularities of observed (15% and 16% respectively). The results show that there was cellular detachment in the seminiferous epithelium in the experimental groups treated with methanolic extracts. Sperm death was observed without decreasing the number of sperm. Conclusion: The methanolic extracts of Azadirachta indica have a modulating effect on the spermatogenesis of experimental rats through sperm morphological alterations.

Introduction Diabetes is related to different complications, such as nephropathy. In kidneys, the tight junctions (TJ) regulate the paracellular transport of solutes and water. The claudins are the most significant component in the TJ and are expressed throughout the epithelium and modulated permeability. Objective To evaluate the antioxidant effect of Jatropha dioica (JD) extract and claudin 2 (CLDN 2) in the kidney of rats with induced diabetes. Methods It is an experimental, explanatory, prospective, longitudinal, and analytical study. The effect of hydro-alcoholic extract from JD root on the presence of CLDN 2 in rats with induced diabetes was evaluated. The experiment lasting 21 days, treated 40 rats with and without induced diabetes by an intraperitoneal (IP) injection of alloxan. The study groups were exposed to JD extract at 25, 50, and 100 mg/kg. There was no significant morphological difference in the renal tissue morphology of the treated and control groups. Conclusion These results demonstrate that JD extract at 50 mg/kg ameliorated the tubular damage induced by diabetes, and the mechanism might be related to the CLDN2 expression. Finally, JD could also increase total antioxidant capacity to protect the kidney from oxidative stress.

Background: Immunization or vaccination is the process of inducing artificial immunity against an antigen taking advantage of the mechanisms of immunological memory. Current vaccines include substances known as adjuvants, which tend to improve the immunogenicity of the antigen, reduce the antigen quantity employed, and boost the immune response in weak responders. Unfortunately, only a few vaccine adjuvants are approved for human use. Objective: Thus, the objective of this study was to investigate the effect of Tannic acid on humoral and cell-mediated immunity against bovine serum albumin (BSA) as a protein antigen in Wistar rats. Method: In order to establish the Tannic acid concentration to test it as an adjuvant, the lethal dose 50 and maximum non-toxic dose were calculated through cytotoxicity and hemolytic assays with J774 A.1 cell line and rat erythrocytes by resazurin reduction method and UV/vis spectrophotometry. Thirty Wistar rats were divided into 5 groups that included two controls without antigen and three treatment groups of adjuvants plus BSA as a protein antigen. The rats were immunized in a 30-day scheme. Blood samples were collected for humoral immunity analysis by means of immunoglobulin quantification, isotyping and antigen-antibody precipitation inhibition analysis. Rat peritoneal macrophages and splenocytes were isolated for cell-mediated immunity analysis by means of nitric oxide quantification from adjuvant stimulated peritoneal macrophages and lymphocytes proliferation assay. Results: Tannic acid was capable of increasing the immunogenicity of the antigen; besides, it was able to stimulate cell-mediated immunity by means of increased lymphocyte proliferation. Moreover, Tannic acid improved the humoral response by means of increased specific antibodies titers. These activities may be attributed to pattern recognition receptors stimulation. Conclusion: Tannic acid was considered biocompatible when tested in vivo because the concentration tested did not show cytotoxicity or hemolytic effect, and there was no detrimental effect observed on the animals’ health. These results show Tannic acid as a promising candidate for vaccine adjuvant.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic had infected more than 3.5M people around the world and more than 250K people died in 187 countries by May 2020. The causal agent of this disease is a coronavirus whose onset of symptoms to death range from 6 to 41 days with a median of 14 days. This period is dependent on several factors such as the presence of comorbidities, age and the efficiency of the innate or adaptive immune responses. Methods: The effector mechanisms of both types of immune responses depend on the pathogen involved. In the case of a viral infection, the innate immune response may approach the harmful virus through pattern recognition receptors inducing an antiviral state. Results: On the other hand, the adaptive immune response activates antibody production to neutralize or eliminate the virus. Phenolics are plant secondary metabolites with many biological activities for plants and humans against infection. Chemical modification of proteins may enhance their biological properties; thus, a protein of medical interest, for instance, a viral protein can be used as a scaffold to build a biopharmaceutical conjugated or complexated with phenolics exhibiting structural complexity or biological activities to achieve effective phenolic-protein-based therapeutics like vaccine adjuvant complexes, immunogen conjugates, and antiviral conjugates. Conclusion: Pharmaceutical biotechnology applies the principles of biotechnology to develop biopharmaceuticals for protein-based therapeutics; such as adjuvants, recombinant proteins, monoclonal antibodies, and antivirals. As neither a vaccine nor a treatment for COVID-19 is currently available, this manuscript focuses on insights from pharmaceutical biotechnology into phenolic biopharmaceuticals against COVID-19.

Leptin levels and oxidative stress are implicated in obesity risk. Reports of association of leptin gene (LEP) and leptin receptor gene (LEPR) polymorphisms with leptin elevation are contradictory in a diverse population. Only a few studies report the linkage of obesity with biochemical markers and genetic factors. Objective: The aim of this study was to examine whether plasma lipid peroxidation, antioxidant capability, leptin levels are associate selected LEP -2548 A/G and LEPR Q223R polymorphisms in mestizo and indigenous obesity Mexican population. Methods: We identified and characterized 50 overweight or obese subjects and 50 healthy, normal- weight volunteers with indigenous Tepehuana or Mexican mestizo ethnicity from Durango, Mexico. LEP -2548 A/G and LEPR Q223R polymorphisms were determined by genotyping. Concentrations of leptin, antioxidant capacity (CA) and lipoperoxidation (LIPX) were determined in fast conditions on plasma with Enzyme-Linked ImmunoSorbent Assay (ELISA) in all participants. Results: The highest genotype frequency was the heterozygous LEPR, which was associated with lipid peroxidation levels in normal-weight Tepehuan populations. A positive correlation was observed (r = 0.5; p

Alexithymia is the lack of mental representations of emotions leading to limited ability to understand and regulate these and can contribute to the development or maintenance of a psychosomatic illness. The aim of the study was to demonstrate that alexithymia is a feature that occurs more frequently in patients with psoriasis and that the coexistence of alexitimia-psoriasis is associated with high levels of trait anxiety.We applied the Toronto Alexithymia Scale -20 (TAS-20), Inventory of state-trait anxiety (STAI) to 16 outpatients with psoriasis of Dermatology Service of Hospital de Especialidades (Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI) and the results were compared with 25 control subjects.25 % of patients with psoriasis presented alexitimia, while in the control group was 8 % (p = 0.002). Correlation between the scores of the TSA-20 and STAI-trait (r = 0.6957, p0.0001) was observed.The alexitimia occurs more frequently in individuals with psoriasis than in the general population, and levels of trait anxiety in individuals with psoriasis are similar regardless of the presence of alexithymia.Introducción: la alexitimia consiste en la carencia de representaciones mentales de las emociones que conduce a una capacidad limitada para comprender y regular estas, y que puede contribuir en el desarrollo o mantenimiento de una enfermedad psicosomática. El objetivo de este estudio fue demostrar que la alexitimia es una característica que se presenta más frecuentemente en pacientes con psoriasis y que la coexistencia de alexitimia-psoriasis se asocia, como rasgo, a niveles altos de ansiedad. Métodos: la escala de alexitimia de Toronto-20 (TAS- 20) y el inventario de ansiedad estado-rasgo (IDARE) se aplicaron a 16 pacientes con psoriasis de la consulta externa de Dermatología del Hospital de Especialidades del Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI y se compararon con 25 individuos control. Resultados: de los pacientes con psoriasis, 25 % presentaron alexitimia, mientras que en el grupo control fue un 8 % (p = 0.002). Se observó correlación entre las puntuaciones de la TSA-20 y del IDARE-rasgo (r = 0.6957, p0.0001). Conclusiones: la alexitimia se presenta con mayor frecuencia en individuos con psoriasis que en la población en general y los niveles de ansiedad como rasgo en individuos con psoriasis son similares, independientemente de la presencia de alexitimia.

"Introducción: la alexitimia consiste en la carencia de representaciones mentales de las emociones que conduce a una capacidad limitada para comprender y regular estas, y que puede contribuir en el desarrollo o mantenimiento de una enfermedad psicosomática. El objetivo de este estudio fue demostrar que la alexitimia es una característica que se presenta más frecuentemente en pacientes con psoriasis y que la coexistencia de alexitimia-psoriasis se asocia, como rasgo, a niveles altos de ansiedad. Métodos: la escala de alexitimia de Toronto-20 (TAS- 20) y el inventario de ansiedad estado-rasgo (IDARE) se aplicaron a 16 pacientes con psoriasis de la consulta externa de Dermatología del Hospital de Especialidades del Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI y se compararon con 25 individuos control. Resultados: de los pacientes con psoriasis, 25 % presentaron alexitimia, mientras que en el grupo control fue un 8 % (p = 0.002). Se observó correlación entre las puntuaciones de la TSA-20 y del IDARE-rasgo (r = 0.6957, p < 0.0001). Conclusiones: la alexitimia se presenta con mayor frecuencia en individuos con psoriasis que en la población en general y los niveles de ansiedad como rasgo en individuos con psoriasis son similares, independientemente de la presencia de alexitimia."