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En Nayarit, estudios preliminares re- portan la presencia de fumonisina B1, toxina T-2 y zearalenona en maíz forrajero y ocratoxina en café verde. Además, recientemente se determinó la presencia de fumonisinas en alimento para tilapia producida en el estado de Nayarit. Estos antecedentes sugieren la importancia de realizar investigación en el campo de las micotoxinas, que contribuya a la legislación existente en alimentos destinados al consumo humano y animal.

S. Typhimurium bacteria cause one of the most recurrent gastrointestinal diseases worldwide. This bacterium can settle in the gastrointestinal tract and internalize into different cellular strains, causing the formation of cellular reservoirs that subsequently lead to systemic dissemination. Exogenous factors such as pesticide exposure can also cause immunological alterations, increasing susceptibility to bacterial infection. The present work evaluated the infection capacity of Salmonella Typhimurium, during a short period (1 h) on mononuclear and polymorphonuclear cells previously exposed to diazoxon (1 h, during 4 h). Mononuclear cells were infected more frequently and in greater magnitude than polymorphonuclear cells. However, when actin polymerization and the release of reactive oxygen species (ROS) were analyzed, polymorphonuclear cells showed increased activity. These processes were evidenced by conformational changes during infection. This suggests differential dynamics of S. Typhimurium infection in mononuclear and polymorphonuclear cells previously exposed to diazoxon., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2025 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Helminth infections are associated with cognitive deficits, especially in school-age children. Deworming treatment in heavily infected children improves their short- and long-term memory recall. In mice, intraperitoneal helminth infection with Taenia crassiceps ( T. crassiceps ) shows sexual dimorphism in terms of the parasite load, immune response, hormone levels, and behavioral changes. We have previously shown poorer short-term memory performance and changes in the concentrations of cytokines and neurotransmitters in the hippocampus, which were replicated in this study. The molecular changes in other brain structures, such as those related to reproduction, are unknown., Methods: Male and female Balb/cAnN mice were chronically infected with T. crassiceps larvae. We determined the peritoneal parasite load and established the presence of cytokines and neurotransmitters in the hippocampus, olfactory bulb, and hypothalamus., Results: The parasite load was higher in female than male infected mice, as expected. In the hippocampus, the neurotransmitters norepinephrine and serotonin increased in males but decreased in females. In contrast, in the olfactory bulb and hypothalamus, the neurotransmitters assessed showed no statistical differences. The cytokine profiles were different in each brain structure. The TNF-α levels in the olfactory bulb and the IL-4 levels in the hippocampus of infected mice were dimorphic; IFN-γ was augmented in both male and female infected animals, although the increase was higher in infected males., Conclusions: The brain responds to peripheral infection with cytokine levels that vary from structure to structure. This could be a partial explanation for the dimorphic behavioral alterations associated with infection, it also demonstrates the synergic interaction between the immune, the endocrine, and the nervous systems.

This study investigates the in vitro digestion of vacuum-impregnated yam bean snacks enriched with Pediococcus acidilactici and mango seed polyphenols, focusing on bacterial survival and polyphenol bioaccessibility. The snacks were prepared by vacuum impregnation (VI) with solutions containing either mango seed extract, P. acidilactici , or a combination of both, followed by dehydration. The antimicrobial activity of the treatments was assessed against pathogens, revealing limited effectiveness, likely due to insufficient concentrations of mango seed extract and the intrinsic resistance of the bacteria. VI of mango seed extract improved the total soluble phenols (TSP) content up to 400% and maintained the initial probiotic concentration (10 6 cell/mL). In vitro digestion was performed to simulate gastrointestinal conditions, measuring the stability of TSP and the survival of P. acidilactici. The results indicated that the viability of P. acidilactici fluctuated throughout the digestion process (10 6 to 10 4 log UFC/g), the polyphenols showed varying degrees of bioaccessibility (11 to 30%), and the TSP content in the intestinal fraction ranged from 1.95 to 6.54 mg GAE/g. The study highlights the potential of VI for incorporating functional components into plant-based snacks, though further optimization is necessary to enhance the stability of P. acidilactici and the effectiveness of the bioactive ingredients.

The present review aimed to evaluate the current situation of pesticide residues detected in shrimp (commercial species) on the Mexican coasts. The organochlorine pesticides (OC), α-endosulfan (210.01 ng g -1 ), endosulfan sulfate (127.5 ng g -1 ), heptachlor (126.04 ng g -1 and γ-HCH (121.04 ng g -1 ) are identified as the most common pesticides in shrimp tissues, with the Northwest area reporting the highest concentrations of these OC. Given that there is an under-evaluation of pesticide residue levels, there was a greater contribution of studies directed at the Northwest of the country considering that there are states that are among the main shrimp-producing and consumers entities. The concentrations and types of pesticides banned nationally and globally, due to their toxic effects on the population, were reported. Therefore, since the most current information is 19 years out of date, it is necessary to perform recent evaluations with sensible and precise methods.

The physiological and molecular responses of leukocytes are altered by organophosphate pesticides. Some reports have shown that diazinon causes immunotoxic effects; diazoxon, the oxon metabolite of diazinon, is attributed to influence the immune response by affecting the leukocyte cholinergic system. In this study, the in vitro effects of diazoxon on molecules involved in cell signaling (cAMP, IP3, DAG, JAK1, and STAT3), which play a crucial role in the activation, differentiation, and survival of leukocytes, were evaluated. Data indicate that diazoxon leads to a decrease in cAMP concentration and an increase in basal IP3 levels. However, diazoxon does not affect basal levels of JAK1 and STAT3 phosphorylation. Instead, diazoxon inhibits leukocyte responsiveness to phorbol myristate acetate and ionomycin, substances that, under normal conditions, enhance JAK/STAT signaling. These findings demonstrate that diazoxon significantly affects key molecular parameters related to cell signaling., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest statement. The authors declare no conflict of interest., (© Crown copyright 2024.)

Various exogenous factors, such as microbiological and chemical contamination condition food security. Salmonella Typhimurium ( S. Typhimurium ) is the cause of salmonellosis. This bacterium utilizes phagocytosis to create bacterial reservoirs. On the other hand, exposure to chemical contaminants, such as pesticides, increases susceptibility to numerous infections. Therefore, this research aims to evaluate the effect of co-exposure to diazoxon and S. Typhimurium on the in vitro infection dynamics. For this purpose, human mononuclear cells were pre-exposed in vitro to diazoxon and then challenged with S. Typhimurium at 1, 8, and 24 h. Bacterial internalization, actin polymerization, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) were analyzed. Obtained data show that mononuclear cells previously exposed to diazoxon exhibit greater internalization of S. Typhimurium . Likewise, greater ROS production and an increase in actin polymerization were observed. Therefore, in the proposed scenario, obtained data suggest that co-exposure to diazoxon and S. Typhimurium increases susceptibility to acquiring an illness.

Brucellosis is an infection widely distributed around the world, and in some countries it is considered a public health problem. Brucellosis causes insidious symptoms that make it difficult to diagnose. Infection can also trigger chronic pain and neuropsychiatric complications. Antibiotics are not always effective to eradicate infection, contributing to chronicity. We aimed to investigate the effects of antibiotic treatment on proinflammatory cytokines, neurotransmitters, corticosterone, and behavior in a murine model of infecrion of B. abortus strain 2308. Four study groups were created: (a) control; (b) antibiotic control; (c) infected with B. abortus 2308; and (d) infected and treated with rifampicin and doxycycline. We determined B. abortus 2308 colony-forming units (CFUs), the count of dendritic cells, and macrophages in the spleen; serum levels of cytokines and corticosterone; levels of serotonin, dopamine, epinephrine, and norepinephrine in the brain; and equilibrium, physical strength, anxiety, and hopelessness tests. The infected and treated mice group was compared with the control and infected mice to assess whether treatment is sufficient to recover neuroimmunoendocrine parameters. Our results showed that despite the treatment of brucellosis with rifampicin and doxycycline, antibiotic-treated mice showed a persistence of B. abortus 2308 CFUs, an increased count in macrophage number, and higher circulating levels of corticosterone. Furthermore, the levels of IL-12, IL-6, and TNF-α remained higher. We found a decrease in muscular strength and equilibrium concomitant to changes in neurotransmitters in the hippocampus, cerebellum, and frontal cortex. Our data suggest that the remaining bacterial load after antibiotic administration favors inflammatory, neurochemical, and behavioral alterations, partly explaining the widespread and paradoxical symptomatology experienced by patients with chronic brucellosis.

Introduction: Worldwide, breast cancer is the most important cancer in incidence and prevalence in women. Different risk factors interact to increase the probability of developing it. Biological agents such as helminth parasites, particularly their excretory/secretory antigens, may play a significant role in tumor development. Helminths and their antigens have been recognized as inducers or promoters of cancer due to their ability to regulate the host's immune response. Previously in our laboratory, we demonstrated that chronic infection by Toxocara canis increases the size of mammary tumors, affecting the systemic response to the parasite. However, the parasite does not invade the tumor, and we decided to study if the excretion/secretion of antigens from Toxocara canis (EST) can affect the progression of mammary tumors or the pathophysiology of cancer which is metastasis. Thus, this study aimed to determine whether excretion/secretion T. canis antigens, injected directly into the tumor, affect tumor growth and metastasis., Methods: We evaluated these parameters through the monitoring of the intra-tumoral immune response., Results: Mice injected intratumorally with EST did not show changes in the size and weight of the tumors; although the tumors showed an increased microvasculature, they did develop increased micro and macro-metastasis in the lung. The analysis of the immune tumor microenvironment revealed that EST antigens did not modulate the proportion of immune cells in the tumor, spleen, or peripheral lymph nodes. Macroscopic and microscopic analyses of the lungs showed increased metastasis in the EST-treated animals compared to controls, accompanied by an increase in VEGF systemic levels., Discussion: Thus, these findings showed that intra-tumoral injection of T. canis EST antigens promote lung metastasis through modulation of the tumor immune microenvironment., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Aragón-Franco, Ruiz-Manzano, Nava-Castro, Del Rìo Araiza, Garay-Canales, Pérez-Torres, Chacón-Salinas, Girón-Pérez and Morales-Montor.)

Yam bean is an important source of dietary fiber and other components that comprise the total indigestible fraction (TIF), which can be fermented by the colonic microbiota and produce metabolites with beneficial health effects. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the in vitro colonic fermentation of yam bean TIF and the changes caused by the addition of a polyphenolic extract of mango seed and the lactic acid bacteria Pediococcus acidilactici. The mango seed extract was obtained by ultrasound-assisted extraction, and the microbial growth rate and viability of P. acidilactici were determined using a Neubauer chamber. Yam bean TIF was isolated by triple enzymatic hydrolysis and subjected to in vitro colonic fermentation in combination with treatments with mango seed extract and P. acidilactici suspensions. Changes in pH, total soluble phenols (TSP), and antioxidant capacity (AOX) were evaluated. Furthermore, the production of metabolites was quantified by HPLC-DAD-MS and GC-MS. The Growth rate of P. acidilactici was 0.1097 h -1 with 97.5 % viability at 7 h of incubation. All TIF treatments showed a high capacity of fermentation, and the addition of mango seed extract increased the TSP content and AOX in DPPH and FRAP assays. A total of Forty-six volatile metabolites were detected, with highlighting the presence of esters, benzenes, aldehydes, and short-chain fatty acids. Five phenolic compounds associated with mango by-products were quantified during all fermentation process, despite the concentration of the extract. P. acidilactici did not substantially modify the fermentative profile of TIF. However, further studies such as the evaluation of the abundance of microbial communities may be necessary to observe whether it can generate changes during colonic fermentation., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Brucellosis infection causes non-specific symptoms such as fever, chills, sweating, headaches, myalgia, arthralgia, anorexia, fatigue, and mood disorders. In mouse models, it has been associated with increased levels of IL-6, TNF-α, and IFN-γ, a decrease in serotonin and dopamine levels within the hippocampus, induced loss of muscle strength and equilibrium, and increased anxiety and hopelessness. Imipramine (ImiP), a tricyclic antidepressant, is used to alleviate neuropathic pain. This study evaluated the effects of ImiP on Balb/c mice infected with Brucella abortus 2308 (Ba) at 14- and 28-days post-infection. Serum levels of six cytokines (IFN-γ, IL-6, TNF-α, IL-12, MCP-1. and IL-10) were assessed by FACS, while the number of bacteria in the spleen was measured via CFU. Serotonin levels in the hippocampus were analyzed via HPLC, and behavioral tests were conducted to assess strength, equilibrium, and mood. Our results showed that mice infected with Brucella abortus 2308 and treated with ImiP for six days (Im6Ba14) had significantly different outcomes compared to infected mice (Ba14) at day 14 post-infection. The mood was enhanced in the forced swimming test (FST) ( p < 0.01), tail suspension test (TST) ( p < 0.0001), and open-field test ( p < 0.0001). Additionally, there was an increase in serotonin levels in the hippocampus ( p < 0.001). Furthermore, there was an improvement in equilibrium ( p < 0.0001) and muscle strength ( p < 0.01). Lastly, there was a decrease in IL-6 levels ( p < 0.05) and CFU count in the spleen ( p < 0.0001). At 28 days, infected mice that received ImiP for 20 days (Im20Ba28) showed preservation of positive effects compared to infected mice (Ba28). These effects include the following: (1) improved FST ( p < 0.0001) and TST ( p < 0.0001); (2) better equilibrium ( p < 0.0001) and muscle strength ( p < 0.0001); (3) decreased IL-6 levels ( p < 0.05); and (4) reduced CFU count in the spleen ( p < 0.0001). These findings suggest the potential for ImiP to be used as an adjuvant treatment for the symptoms of brucellosis, which requires future studies.

Organophosphate pesticides (OPs) have greatly facilitated food production worldwide, and their use is not limited to agriculture and the control of pests and disease vectors. However, these substances can directly affect the immune response of non-target organisms. In this sense, exposure to OPs can have negative effects on innate and adaptive immunity, promoting deregulation in humoral and cellular processes such as phagocytosis, cytokine expression, antibody production, cell proliferation, and differentiation, which are crucial mechanisms for host defense against external agents. This review focuses on the scientific evidence of exposure to OPs and their toxic effects on the immune system of non-target organisms (invertebrates and vertebrates) from a descriptive perspective of the immuno-toxic mechanisms associated with susceptibility to the development of bacterial, viral, and fungal infectious diseases. During the exhaustive review, we found that there is an important gap in the study of non-target organisms, examples of which are echinoderms and chondrichthyans. It is therefore important to increase the number of studies on other species directly or indirectly affected by Ops, to assess the degree of impact at the individual level and how this affects higher levels, such as populations and ecosystems.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection is a global health problem; this has caused thousands of deaths around the world. This infection induces hematologic alterations, and it is necessary to recognize predictive biomarkers to address the need for hospitalization or the severity of the disease. This study aimed to analyze different parameters in outpatients and hospitalized patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 and determine whether hematic biometry can be used for prognosis rapidly. We analyzed 689 patients, of whom 355 were outpatients (162 women and 193 men) and 334 required hospitalization (197 men and 137 women). The average age of the hospitalized patients was 46 years (men, 49 years; women, 52 years), whereas the average age of the outpatients was 49 years (men, 51 years; women, 44 years). Hematologic parameters were analyzed and compared between the outpatients and hospitalized patients. The patients were divided into groups by age and sex. We found that in the hospitalized patients, the erythrocyte, hematocrit, and hemoglobin levels decreased, whereas the outpatients did not experience changes in the erythroid series. In leukocytes, these increased significantly, as they did in neutrophils; however, lymphocytopenia was observed. In the outpatients, we observed normal levels of neutrophils and lymphopenia. We can conclude that hematic biometry can be used as a biomarker, and the relation between neutrophils and lymphocytes is indicated for understanding the development and prognosis of the disease., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest Disclosure The authors do not have any conflicts of interest to declare in relation to this work., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

COVID-19 is a worldwide health emergency, therapy for this disease is based on antiviral drugs and immunomodulators, however, there is no treatment to effectively reduce the COVID-19 mortality rate. Fucoidan is a polysaccharide obtained from marine brown algae, with anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and immune-enhancing properties, thus, fucoidan may be used as an alternative treatment (complementary to prescribed medical therapy) for the recovery of COVID-19.  This work aimed to determine the effects of ex-vivo treatment with fucoidan on cytotoxicity, apoptosis, necrosis, and senescence, besides functional parameters of calcium flux and mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) on human peripheral blood mononuclear cells isolated from SARS-CoV-2 infected, recovered and healthy subjects. Data suggest that fucoidan does not exert cytotoxicity or senescence, however, it induces the increment of intracellular calcium flux. Additionally, fucoidan promotes recovery of ΔΨm in PBMCs from COVID-19 recovered females. Data suggest that fucoidan could ameliorate the immune response in COVID-19 patients.

Breast cancer treatment failure is related to low response rates, high costs, and long-term toxicities. Thus, it is necessary to find less toxic, cheaper, and more effective treatments. In situ administration ensures drug delivery to tumor cells and decreases systemic toxic effects. The androstene-3β, 17α-diol (α-AED) reduces breast tumor cell proliferation and is an ideal candidate to treat mammary tumors. This study aims to identify the in vitro and in vivo effects of α-AED on a triple-negative mammary tumor model. An in vitro biphasic steroid effect was observed in mouse and human mammary tumor cells treated with α-AED. In this sense, cells treated with higher doses (100 and 200 μM) showed an antiproliferative effect. The α-AED administrated intratumorally reduced average tumor weight and increased the percentage of natural killer cells (NK), plasmatic, and plasmablast cells in mice tumors. Of note, VEGF levels in all α-AED-treated tumors was lower than in the control and vehicle groups. The tumor in situ increased response was reflected systemically by higher anti-4T1 IgG concentration in serum from α-AED-treated mice, but no other associated systemic changes were detected. The reduction in tumor size for the local injection of α-AED is associated with the anti-proliferative effect of this steroid, and the lower local levels of VEGF may be related to the imperceptible macroscopic metastasis in α-AED-treated mice. The above suggests that α-AED may be used in clinical studies to prove its efficacy as an alternative breast tumor treatment or in conjunction with already established therapies.

Diazinon is an organophosphorus pesticide, which may have potential toxic effects on the liver and immune system; however, the underlying mechanisms remain mostly unidentified. This work is aimed at evaluating the oxidative stress and cell cycle alterations elicited by low-dose diazinon in a rat liver cell line (BRL-3A) and spleen mononuclear cells (SMC) from Wistar rats. Diazinon (10-50 μM) caused early reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation (from 4 h) as well as increased O 2 •- level (from 0.5 h), which led to subsequent lipid peroxidation at 24 h, in BRL-3A cells. In SMC, diazinon (20 μM) produced similar increases in ROS levels, at 4 and 24 h, with the highest O 2 •- level being found at 4 h. Low-dose diazinon induced G1-phase arrest and cell death in hepatic cells and SMC. Therefore, diazinon could affect the liver and the immunological system through the premature oxidative stress induction. Abbreviations: O 2 •- : superoxide anion radical; ROS: reactive oxygen species; SMC: spleen mononuclear cells; TBARS: thiobarbituric acid reactive substances.

The mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨ m ) is a parameter often used to determine mitochondrial function; therefore, it can be used to determine the integrity and functionality of cells. A decrement of ΔΨ m is implicated in several inflammatory-related pathologies, such phenomena can be related to COVID-19 infection. The present work aimed to compare the ΔΨ m in leucocytes (human PBMCs; HPBMC) isolated from healthy control (HC) subjects, patients with COVID-19 (C-19), recovered subjects at 40 ± 13 (R1) and 335 ± 20 (R2) days after infection (dai). Obtained data showed that ΔΨ m decreased in HPBMC of subjects with C-19, R1, and R2 compared with HC. When analyzing the ΔΨ m data by sex, in females, a significant decrease was observed in R1 and R2 groups versus HC. Regarding men, a significant decrease of ΔΨ m was observed in R1, with respect to HC, contrary to R2 group, who reestablished this parameter. Obtained results suggest that the loss of ΔΨ m could be related to the long-COVID., (©2022 Society for Leukocyte Biology.)

To balance the risks and benefits of fish consumption, selenium, fatty acids (DHA + EPA), and mercury in fishery products were determined. Analyzed products were canned tuna, frozen tuna (Thunnus albacares), smoked striped marlin (Tetrapturus audax), fresh Pacific sierra (Scomberomorus sierra), fresh dolphinfish (Coryphaena hippurus), fresh tilapia (Gerres cinereus), and fresh bullseye puffer (Sphoeroides annulatus). Mercury (μg g -1 wet weight) ranged from 0.01 (dolphinfish) to 0.23 (bullseye puffer); Se ranged from 0.12 to 0.25. EPA + DHA ranged from 1.16 to 10.72 mg g -1 . Intake of EPA + DHA was comparable or above the recommended daily intake; Hg intake was below the reference dose but Se intake was below than recommended values for the different population groups. Considering the HBV Se , fishery products had positive values; i.e., they are healthy food items. According to the interaction of Hg and Se and the rate of fishery product consumption, the risk for consumers is below one percent., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Murine leprosy is a systemic infectious disease of mice caused by Mycobacterium lepraemurium (MLM) in which the central nervous system (CNS) is not infected; nevertheless, diseased animals show measurable cognitive alterations. For this reason, in this study, we explored the neurobehavioral changes in mice chronically infected with MLM. BALB/c mice were infected with MLM, and 120 days later, the alterations in mice were evaluated based on immunologic, histologic, endocrine, neurochemical, and behavioral traits. We found increases in the levels of IL-4 and IL-10 associated with high bacillary loads. We also found increase in the serum levels of corticosterone, epinephrine, and norepinephrine in the adrenal gland, suggesting neuroendocrine deregulation. Mice exhibited depression-like behavior in the tail suspension and forced swimming tests and anxiolytic behavior in the open field and elevated plus maze tests. The neurobehavioral alterations of mice were correlated with the histologic damage in the prefrontal cortex, ventral hippocampus, and amygdala, as well as with a blood-brain barrier disruption in the hippocampus. These results reveal an interrelated response of the neuroimmune--endocrinological axis in unresolved chronic infections that result in neurocognitive deterioration., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Governments have implemented measures to minimize SARS-CoV-2 spread. However, these measures were relaxed, and the appearance of new variants has prompted periods of high contagion known as waves. In Mexico, four waves distributed between July and August 2020, January and February 2021, August and September 2021, and January and February 2022 have appeared. Current health policies discourage mass sampling, preferring to focus on the corrective treatment of severe cases. Outpatients are only advised to undergo brief voluntary confinement and symptomatic treatment, with no follow-up. Therefore, the present study aimed to analyze sex, age, and viral load in outpatients during the four waves in a medium-sized city in Mexico. For each wave, the date of peak contagion was identified, and data were collected within ±15 days. In this regard, data from 916 patients (434 men and 482 women) were analyzed. The age range of positive patients (37-45 years) presented a higher frequency during the first and third waves, while 28-36 years was the most frequent age range during the second and fourth waves, while the viral load values were significantly higher, for both sexes, during the fourth wave. Obtained data of COVID-19 prevalence in population segments can be used for decision-making in the design of effective public health policies.

Organophosphorus pesticides (OPs) are widespread insecticides used for pest control in agricultural activities and the control of the vectors of human and animal diseases. However, OPs' neurotoxic mechanism involves cholinergic components, which, beyond being involved in the transmission of neuronal signals, also influence the activity of cytokines and other pro-inflammatory molecules; thus, acute and chronic exposure to OPs may be related to the development of chronic degenerative pathologies and other inflammatory diseases. The present article reviews and discusses the experimental evidence linking inflammatory process with OP-induced cholinergic dysregulation, emphasizing the molecular mechanisms related to the role of cytokines and cellular alterations in humans and other animal models, and possible therapeutic targets to inhibit inflammation.

Temephos and spinosad are pesticides used for control of vector-borne diseases such as dengue, chikungunya and zika. However, the inadequate use of these substances has affected the health of non-target organisms. The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare, the effects of temephos and spinosad on leukocyte viability and death, using guppy fish ( Poecilia reticulate) as a model organism. Guppies were exposed to temephos (10 mg/L) and spinosad (0.5 mg/L) for 7, 14, and 21 days. Afterwards, they were placed in pesticide-free fish tanks (7, 35, and 70 days) for recovery. The results showed that exposure to temephos caused leukocyte death, even at 35 days of recovery. Contrarily, the exposure to spinosad did not cause leukocyte death. This research show, for the first time, that a single dose of temephos causes apoptosis up to 56 days post-exposition, indicating that this pesticide induces chronic effects on immune response cells.

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted health systems vulnerabilities, as well as thoughtlessness by governments and society. Due to the nature of this contingency, the use of geographic information systems (GIS) is essential to understand the SARS-CoV-2 distribution dynamics within a defined geographic area. This work was performed in Tepic, a medium-sized city in Mexico. The residence of 834 COVID-19 infected individuals was georeferenced and categorized by viral load (Ct). The analysis took place during the maximum contagion of the first four waves of COVID-19 in Mexico, analyzing 158, 254, 143, and 279 cases in each wave respectively. Then heatmaps were built and categorized into five areas ranging from very low to very high risk of contagion, finding that the second wave exhibited a greater number of cases with a high viral load. Additionally, a spatial analysis was performed to measure urban areas with a higher risk of contagion, during this wave this area had 19,203.08 km 2 (36.11% of the city). Therefore, a kernel density spatial model integrated by meaningful variables such as the number of infected subjects, viral load, and place of residence in cities, to establish geographic zones with different degrees of infection risk, could be useful for decision-making in future epidemic events.

Spinosad and temefos are widely used pesticides for chemical control of dengue vector-borne disease ( Aedes aegypti ). The aim of this study was to compare the effect of acute exposure (7 days) to spinosad (0.5 mg A.I. L -1 ) and temefos (10 mg A.I. L -1 ), concentrations used by the Mexican Ministry of Health, on phagocytic capacity (PC) of mononuclear cells of guppies fish ( Poecilia reticulata ), as well as to assess PC in fish, at 96 days after exposure to those pesticides. Obtained results indicated that spinosad did not alter PC, while an acute exposure to temefos significantly affected phagocytosis and this parameter was maintained downed even 96 days after the acute exposure, suggesting that the immunotoxic effects of temefos may be chronic.

Fucoidan is a polysaccharide obtained from marine brown algae, with anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, and immune-enhancing properties, thus, fucoidan may be used as an alternative treatment (complementary to prescribed medical therapy) for COVID-19 recovery. This work aimed to determine the ex-vivo effects of treatment with fucoidan (20 µg/mL) on mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm, using a cationic cyanine dye, 3,3'-dihexyloxacarbocyanine iodide (DiOC 6 (3)) on human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (HPBMC) isolated from healthy control (HC) subjects, COVID-19 patients (C-19), and subjects that recently recovered from COVID-19 (R1, 40 ± 13 days after infection). In addition, ex-vivo treatment with fucoidan (20 and 50 µg/mL) was evaluated on ΔΨm loss induced by carbonyl cyanide 3-chlorophenylhydrazone (CCCP, 150 µM) in HPBMC isolated from healthy subjects (H) and recovered subjects at 11 months post-COVID-19 (R2, 335 ± 20 days after infection). Data indicate that SARS-CoV-2 infection induces HPBMC loss of ΔΨm, even 11 months after infection, however, fucoidan promotes recovery of ΔΨm in PBMCs from COVID-19 recovered subjects. Therefore, fucoidan may be a potential treatment to diminish long-term sequelae from COVID-19, using mitochondria as a therapeutic target for the recovery of cellular homeostasis.

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Cysticercosis is a disease caused by the metacestode of the parasite Taenia solium (T. solium). In humans, the most severe complication of the disease is neurocysticercosis. The drug of choice to treat this disease is albendazole; however, the bioavailability and efficacy of the drug are variable. Therefore, new molecules with therapeutic effects against this and other parasitic infections caused by helminths must be developed. Naphthoquinones are naphthalene-derived compounds that possess antibacterial, antifungal, antitumoral, and antiparasitic properties. The aim of this work was to evaluate the in vitro anti-helminthic effect of 2-[(3-chlorophenylamino)phenylmethyl]-3-hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone, isolated from a natural source and then synthesized (naphthoquinone 4a), using an experimental model of murine cysticercosis caused by Taenia crassiceps (T. crassiceps). This compound causes paralysis in the cysticerci membrane from day 3 of the in vitro treatment. Additionally, it induces changes in the shape, size, and appearance of the cysticerci and a decrease in the reproduction rate. In conclusion, naphthoquinone 4a has in vitro cysticidal activity on T. crassiceps cysticerci depending on the duration of the treatment and the concentration of the compound. Therefore, it is a promising drug candidate to be used in T. crassiceps and possibly T. solium infections., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Introduction: Former studies have shown that hematologic parameters are affected by the SARS-CoV-2 infection which has caused a global health problem. Therefore, this research aims to identify the most frequent symptoms and comorbidities in SARS-CoV-2 infected outpatients; besides, to analyze hematological parameters and their correlation with cycle threshold (Ct) values., Methods: We analyzed a total of sixty outpatients with SARS-CoV-2 infection. They were divided according to sex. Afterward, a questionnaire was carried out to find out their symptoms and comorbidities. Additionally, blood biometry data were correlated with the Ct value, respectively., Results: Sixty patients were analyzed; the mean age was 43 years. All patients were from Nayarit, Mexico. The frequency index showed that the main symptoms were headache and anosmia, and the comorbidities were obesity and smoking. The analysis of blood biometry showed a clear increase in red blood cells (RBC) related parameters in women. In both sexes an increase in the number of white blood cells (WBC) was observed. Also, all the hematological alterations correlated with the grade of infection., Conclusion: Headache and anosmia are the most common symptoms according to the frequency index, the main comorbidities were obesity and smoking. Also, there is a Ct value correlation with hematological parameters (WBC, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, hemoglobin); they can be used as a prognostic marker of infection., (© 2021 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Objective: To perform an improved large-scale SARS-CoV-2 detection on pooled tests of asymptomatic workers., Methods: qRT-PCR validation of the SARS-CoV-2 detection in salivae samples and saliva pools and working-group saliva pooling and testing for SARS-CoV-2., Results: We found a high Cycle threshold correlation (r = 0.9099) between swabs and saliva samples. Then, through the pooling strategy, we detected that 18/360 (5%) of individual saliva samples were SARS-CoV-2 positive. Saliva-pooling efficiency (360 of test sample/30 individual PCR) was higher (5.45) than the reported for swabbing group-testing and we spared 82% of the PCR reagents as well as sampling and personal protection equipment., Conclusion: Through this simplified and less expensive procedure, we detected in a short time asymptomatic-infected SARS-CoV-2-carriers that were isolated from their co-workers, thus, this methodology can be implemented in different workplaces to ensure consumers that employees are not infectious., Competing Interests: MI Giroń-Pérez, DA Giroń-Pérez, Ruiz-Manzano, Benitez-Trinidad, Ventura-Ramoń, Covantes-Rosales, Ojeda-Durań, Mercado-Salgado, Toledo-Ibarra, and Díaz-Reséndiz have no relationships/conditions/circumstances that present potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.)

Organophosphate pesticides as diazinon disrupt the neuroimmune communication, affecting the innate and adaptive immune response of the exposed organisms. Since the target molecule of diazinon is typically the acetylcholinesterase enzyme (AChE), the existence of a non-neuronal cholinergic system in leukocytes makes them susceptible to alterations by diazinon. Therefore, the aim of this work was to evaluate the activity of AChE, acetylcholine (ACh) concentration, and the expression of nicotinic ACh receptors (nAChR) and muscarinic ACh receptors (mAChR) in spleen mononuclear cells (SMNC) of Nile tilapia (O. niloticus) exposed in vitro to diazoxon, a diazinon metabolite. SMNC were exposed in-vitro to 1 nM, 1 μM, and 10 μM diazoxon for 24 h. The enzyme activity of AChE was then evaluated by spectrophotometry, followed by ACh quantification by ultra-performance liquid chromatography. Finally, mAChR and nAChR expression was evaluated by RT-qPCR. The results indicate that AChE levels are significantly inhibited at 1 and 10 μM diazoxon, while the relative expression of (M3, M4, and M5) mAChR and (β2) nAChR is reduced significantly as compared against SMNC not exposed to diazoxon. However, ACh levels show no significant difference with respect to the control group. The data indicate that diazoxon directly alters elements in the cholinergic system of SMNC by AChE inhibition or indirectly through the interaction with AChR, which is likely related to the immunotoxic properties of diazinon and its metabolites., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The immune response of teleosts (bonefish) is altered by diazinon (DZN), an organophosphate pesticide. It has been suggested that such alteration is due to the extraneuronal cholinergic system in fish leukocytes that renders these cells a target of pesticides. Diazoxon (DZO), the oxon metabolite of DZN, has been attributed immunotoxic effects. Still, to date there are no reports on the effects of DZO upon parameters involved in the signaling cascade of immune response cells. Therefore, this work evaluated the effect of DZO on key parameters of cell signaling (intracellular Ca 2+ flux, ERK 1/2 phosphorylation), cell proliferation, and antiproliferative processes (apoptosis, senescence, mitochondrial membrane potential) in spleen mononuclear cells of Nile tilapia fish. The results obtained show that DZO does not affect cell proliferation but causes a lack of response to stimulation with PMA and ionomycin to release intracellular calcium. In addition, it inhibits ERK 1/2 phosphorylation and causes loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, apoptosis, and senescence. These results suggest that the lack of cell response to release intracytoplasmic Ca 2+ inhibits ERK which disrupts the mitochondrial membrane potential, leading to cell apoptosis and senescence. These findings prove that DZO significantly affects key parameters involved in the survival of immune response cells., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a global health issue that affects 350 million people of all ages. Although between 2% and 5.6% of affected individuals are adolescents, research on young patients is limited. The inflammatory response contributes to the onset of depression, and in adult MDD patients, symptom severity has been linked to chemokine levels., Aim: To determine the differences in circulatory levels of chemokines in healthy volunteers (HVs) and adolescents with MDD, and assess the changes induced by fluoxetine consume., Methods: The 22 adolescents with MDD were monitored during the first 8 wk of clinical follow-up and clinical psychiatric evaluation was done using the Hamilton depresión rating scale (HDRS). The serum levels of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-1α, MIP-1β, interleukin (IL)-8, interferon gamma-induced protein (IP)-10, and eotaxin were measured in patients and HVs., Results: In all cases, significant differences were detected in circulating chemokine levels between patients before treatment and HVs ( P < 0.0001). All chemokines decreased at 4 wk, but only MCP-1 and IL-8 significantly differed ( P < 0.05) between 0 wk and 4 wk. In the patients, all chemokines rose to their initial concentrations by 8 wk vs 0 wk, but only IP-10 did so significantly ( P < 0.05). All patients experienced a significant decrease in HDRS scores at 4 wk ( P < 0.0001) and 8 wk ( P < 0.0001) compared with 0 wk., Conclusion: Despite the consumption of fluoxetine, patients had significantly higher chemokine levels, even after considering the improvement in HDRS score. The high levels of eotaxin, IP-10, and IL-8 partially explain certain aspects that are affected in MDD such as cognition, memory, and learning., Competing Interests: Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors report no conflicts of interest in relation to the topic of this study., (©The Author(s) 2020. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.)

Bisphenol A, a very widespread environmental pollutant and endocrine disruptor compound, can interact with several steroid receptors, particularly with estrogen ones. In different studies, it has observed that the endocrine disruption during critical periods of development can trigger alterations in the immune response during the adult life. Male Wistar rats were exposed indirectly to BPA at a dose of 250 μg/kg day during the perinatal period (from day 5 of pregnancy until day 21 postnatal), At the 60 days of age, the adulthood, animals were infected with larvated eggs of the Toxocara canis, and were sacrificed at 7 days post-infection. Parasitic loads in the lung and in the liver were analyzed by artificial digestion. Furthermore, immune cell subpopulations (macrophages, NK cells, Tγδ, total T cells, T helper, T cytotoxic, and B lymphocytes) present in spleen, peripheral and mesenteric lymph nodes were analyzed by flow cytometry. The expression of Th1 and Th2 cytokines at the splenic level was determined by real-time quantitative PCR. Finally, the titers of specific antibodies against to the parasite were analyzed by ELISA. The BPA treatment administrated in the perinatally stage favors a significant increase of the percentage of Toxocara canis larvae in the lungs and liver in the adulthood. Additionally, the exposure to this compound caused a dramatically decrease in the production of specific antibodies against to this parasite, downregulating together Th2 cytokines (IL-4, IL-5 and IL-13), meanwhile upregulated Th1 cytokines (IFN-γ and TNF-α). Perinatal exposure to BPA affects the performance of the immune response during adult life, modifying both cytokines and antibodies production by these cells, which favors the susceptibility to infections, specifically toxocariosis., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Major depressive disorder (MDD) has a prevalence of 5% in adolescents. Several studies have described the association between the inflammatory response and MDD, but little is known about the relationship between MDD and growth factors, such as IL-7, IL-9, IL-17A, VEGF, basic FGF, G-CSF, and GM-CSF. It must be appointed that there are scarce reports on growth factors in adolescents with MDD and even fewer with a clinical follow-up. In this work, we evaluated the levels of growth factors (IL-7, IL-9, IL-17A, VEGF, basic FGF, G-CSF, and GM-CSF) in MDD adolescents and the clinical follow-up during eight weeks of treatment with fluoxetine. Methods . All patients were diagnosed according to the DSM-IV-TR, and the severity of the symptoms was evaluated using the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS). Growth factors IL-7, IL-9, IL-17A, VEGF, basic FGF, G-CSF, and GM-CSF were quantified by cytometric bead array using serum samples from 22 adolescents with MDD and 18 healthy volunteers. Results . All patients showed clinical improvement since the fourth week of pharmacological treatment according to the HDRS. Considerably higher levels of IL-7, IL-9, IL-17A, VEGF, basic FGF, G-CSF, and GM-CSF were detected in MDD adolescents as compared to healthy volunteers. A significant but temporal decrease was detected in basic FGF, G-CSF, and GM-CSF at week four of fluoxetine administration. Conclusions . To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report to show alterations in the levels of growth factors, such as IL-7, IL-9, IL-17A, VEGF, basic FGF, G-CSF, and GM-CSF in MDD adolescents during eight weeks of clinical follow-up. These disturbances might be involved in the physiopathology of MDD since such growth factors have been proven to participate in the neural development and correct functioning of the CNS; therefore, subtle alterations in it may contribute to MDD., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest associated with the present manuscript., (Copyright © 2019 Enrique Becerril-Villanueva et al.)

Bisphenol A (BPA) is an endocrine disruptor to which animals and humans are highly exposed. Many reports have established a relationship between BPA exposure and breast cancer incidence, especially during critical periods of development. However, its effects on the immune response in testicular tumour growth have not yet been described. Thus, we wanted to analyse the effect of perinatal BPA exposure in pregnant female mice and the immune response modulation and tumour growth in an intratesticular cancer model in offspring male mice. Pregnant female mice were exposed to a dose of 250 mg/kg/day/body weight of BPA in their drinking water. In adulthood, male offspring underwent intrascrotal inoculation with 4T1 cancer cells. On day 21 after inoculation, mice were euthanised, and serum was obtained to measure BPA levels using HPLC coupled to mass spectrometry. The percentages of immune cell populations in peripheral lymph nodes (PLN), the spleen and tumours were evaluated by flow cytometry. In addition, the tumour expression of IL-10, TNF-α and TGF-β was analysed by RT-PCR. Of note, we found detectable circulating levels of BPA in the offspring of mothers exposed to it while pregnant. Remarkably, BPA treatment promoted tumour growth by about 75% compared to mice coming from female mice that did not receive the compound. Perinatal exposure to BPA modulated the percentages of different immune cells in the spleen and PLN. In addition, the expression of inflammatory-related cytokines (IL-10 and TNF-α) in the tumours was significantly enhanced compared to control and vehicle groups. In conclusion, the perinatal BPA administration in pregnant female mice modulated different cellular and molecular immune components that resulted in outstanding testicular tumour size in male offspring.

Diazinon (DZN) is an organophosphate pesticide characterized by inhibiting the enzyme acetylcholinesterase (AChE) (E.C. 3.1.1.7), affecting the nervous system. There is currently enough evidence proving this pesticide also affects the immune response; however, the immunotoxicity mechanisms through which these substances exerts toxic effects remain unclear. For that reason, this work evaluated the effect of diazinon on the intracellular calcium flux, ERK1/2 phosphorylation (pERK1/2), apoptosis, senescence, and mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) in spleen mononuclear cells (SMNC) of Nile tilapia, a teleost fish of commercial and ecological relevance. The results obtained indicate that diazinon causes significant damage in all evaluated parameters, which play an essential role in intracytoplasmic signaling of immune cells, suggesting these signal pathways could be related with the immunotoxicity mechanism of these type of pesticides., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Nervous and immune systems maintain a bidirectional communication, expressing receptors for neurotransmitters and cytokines. Despite being well established in mammals, this has been poorly described in lower vertebrates as fishes. Experimental evidence shows that the neurotransmitter acetylcholine (ACh) regulates the immune response. In this research, we evaluated mRNA levels of muscarinic acetylcholine receptor (mAChR) in spleen mononuclear cells of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) and compared the expression levels of immune cells with the brain. The mAChR subtypes (M2-M5A) were detected in both tissues, but mAChRs mRNA levels were higher in immune cells. This data have a potential use in biomedical and comparative immunology fields., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Organophosphorus pesticides (OPs) are broad-spectrum insecticides. One of the commonly used OPs is diazinon (DZN). The aim of this study was to evaluate the immunotoxic effect of DZN on phagocytic parameters of blood leukocytes using the teleost fish Oreochromis niloticus as a study model. For this purpose, fish were exposed in vivo to 0.97, 1.95 and 3.97 mg/L of DZN for 6 and 24 h. Our results indicated that phagocytic active cells decreased in fish exposed in vivo to 0.97 and 1.95 mg/L of DZN for 6 and 24 h. Regarding ROS production, H 2 O 2 and O 2 - levels were higher on fish exposed to 1.95 mg/L for 6 and 24 h, while H 2 O 2 production increased at 0.97 mg/L for 24 h. From this we can conclude that phagocytic parameters are sensitive to assess the effect of acute intoxication with organophosphorus pesticides on Nile tilapia., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Spinosad and temephos are two of the most used pesticides in Mexico for the control of vector causing disease such as dengue, chikungunya and Zika. The aim of this study was to compare the neurotoxic effects of these two pesticides using guppy fish (Poecilia reticulata) as a model organism. Guppies were exposed for 7 and 21 days to technical grade temephos and spinosad at 1.0 and 0.07 g/L, respectively, (10 and 0.5 mg/L of active substance; concentrations recommended by the Ministery of Health of the State (Secretaría de Salud de Nayarit (SSN) Mexico)). Subsequently, acetylcholinesterase activity (AChE) and acetylcholine concentrations (ACh) in muscle tissue were determined. Temephos exposure decreased AChE activity and increased ACh concentration, whereas exposure to spinosad only increased ACh concentration. Though cholinergic alterations were more severe in fish exposed to temephos, both pesticides were equally lethal during the first seven days after exposure. Nonetheless, temephos was more lethal after 21 days.

Agricultural activity demands the use of pesticides for plague control and extermination. In that matter, diazinon is one of the most widely used organophosphorus pesticides (OPs). Despite its benefits, the use of OPs in agricultural activities can also have negative effects since the excessive use of these substances can represent a major contamination problem for water bodies and organisms that inhabit them. The aim of this paper was to evaluate oxidative damage in lipids and proteins of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) exposed acutely to diazinon (0.97, 1.95 and 3.95ppm) for 12 or 24h. The evaluation of oxidative damage was determined by quantifying lipid hydroperoxides (Fox method) and oxidized proteins (DNPH method). The data from this study suggest that diazinon induces a concentration-dependent oxidative damage in proteins, but not lipids, of the liver and gills of Nile tilapia. Furthermore, the treatment leads to a decrease in the concentration of total proteins, which can have serious consequences in cell physiology and fish development., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The skin of the fish is the foremost target of oxidative stress due to the generation of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) originated in the environment and in the skin itself. In this study, a non-destructive assay was developed to evaluate the effects of crude oil (0.0001-0.1mg/L, 96h) on oxidative stress response in the Skin Mucus Layer (SML) of the dusky splitfin goodeid (Goodea gracilis). The response in the SML was compared with recognized target organs through the Integrated Biomarker Response (IBRv2) and a slight addition to the method was proposed. Crude oil was extremely toxic and elicited a clear induction of ROS in the SML, as in the brain, liver and muscle. By the exposure to crude, a significant change in the activities of Superoxide Dismutase (SOD), Catalase (CAT), Glutathione Peroxidase (GPx) as well as on lipid peroxidation (TBARS) and carbonyl protein (RCO) levels was detected. Also, increases in the activity of EROD were found. The general IBRv2 proposed in this study (gIBRv2) showed that oil causes the higher oxidative response in the SML (60.049) under different concentrations of petroleum, which was greater in the brain (56.749), muscle (56.561) and liver (55.775). The results of the study revealed an organ-specific antioxidant defense response that was dependent on the load of petroleum. These results contributed to the understanding of the complexity of oxidative stress response in fish exposed to crude oil using the Skin Mucus Layer as a target for environmental monitoring studies., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

In this study, we assessed the effects of inorganic and organic pollutants [As, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb, Zn, PAHs (11 compounds) and total phenols] from a panel of biomarkers [O2, H2O2, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), carbonyl proteins (RCO), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and total cytochrome P450 activities] evaluated in the Snout Scraping (SS), Serum (S) and Peripheral Blood Cells (PBC) of the Morelet's crocodile (Crocodylus moreletii) inhabiting the reference locality (Lake Mocu) and polluted locality (Champoton River) using Principal Component Analysis (PCA). In male crocodiles from the reference site, only H2O2 in PBC was related to levels of fluoranthene on the Keel of Caudal Scales (KCS), but, in females, no association was detected. In contrast, a sex-linked response was detected in specimens from the polluted locality. Levels of benzo[a]pyrene, benzo[a]anthracene, chrysene, pyrene, phenanthrene, acenaphthene, Zn, Cu, and Pb in KCS of the female crocodil were related to the oxidative stress biomarkers on PBC, incluing the total CYP450 activity and levels of O2, H2O2 in serum. However, in male crocodiles, the oxidative stress in SS and in the serum (TBARS, RCO, CAT, GPx), and SOD in PBC was related to As, Pb, Cu, Fe, and benzo[a]pyrene water concentrations and to the burdens of As, Fe, Mn, indeno[1,2,3cd]pyrene in KCS. These results confirm the usefulness of minimal or non-invasive methods of evaluating the oxidative stress response for the environmental monitoring program on the wild Morelet's crocodile that is subject to special protection in Mexican guidelines., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Boca de Camichin Estuary is one of the main producers of Crassostrea corteziensis oysters in Mexico, but the presence of pollutants can affect oyster production. Molluscs produce reactive oxygen species (ROS) in response to changes in the environment and pollution. These ROS induce oxidative damage in biomolecules. The main objective of this study was to evaluate pollution in the estuary and the subsequent oxidative stress in C. corteziensis oysters during the 2010 production cycle. For this aim, we performed monthly samplings in the oyster farms from January to May. We took water samples to quantify polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) and metal content; also, we evaluated oxidative damage (lipoperoxidation, lipidic hydroperoxides, protein oxidation) and enzyme activity (CAT, SOD, GPx, GST and AChE) in oyster gills. The results show the presence of Cu, Fe, Mn, naphthalene, benz[a]anthracene, pyrene, benz[a]pyrene and benzo[k]fluoranthene. On the other hand, AChE activity was not inhibited, which suggests that organophosphorus pollutants or carbamates were absent. Regarding oxidative stress, oysters from the estuary had oxidative damage in lipids, not proteins, and altered antioxidant enzyme activity, when compared to control organisms. Interestingly, we did not observe any correlation between the pollutants and the oxidative stress parameters evaluated in this study. Thus, we cannot rule out that a synergistic effect between the environmental variables and the pollutants is causing the oxidative stress in these oysters., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Fish rearing under intensive farming conditions can be easily disturbed by pesticides, substances that have immunotoxic properties and may predispose to infections. Organophosphorus pesticides (OPs) are widely used in agricultural activities; however, the mechanism of immunotoxicity of these substances is unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of diazinon pesticides (OPs) on the cholinergic system of immune cells as a possible target of OP immunotoxicity. We evaluated ACh levels and cholinergic (nicotinic and muscarinic) receptor concentration. Additionally, AChE activity was evaluated in mononuclear cells of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), a freshwater fish mostly cultivated in tropical regions around the world. The obtained results indicate that acute exposure to diazinon induces an increase in ACh concentration and a decrease in nAChR and mAChR concentrations and AChE activity in fish immune cells, This suggests that the non-neuronal lymphocytic cholinergic system may be the main target in the mechanism of OP immunotoxicity. This study contributes to the understanding of the mechanisms of immunotoxicity of pollutants and may help to take actions for animal health improvement., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Immune response is modulated by different substances that are present in the environment. Nevertheless, some of these may cause an immunotoxic effect. In this paper, the effect of organophosphorus pesticides (frequent substances spilled in aquatic ecosystems) on the immune system of fishes and in immunotoxicology is reviewed. Furthermore, some cellular and molecular mechanisms that might be involved in immunoregulation mechanisms of organophosphorus pesticides are discussed.

Objective: Biomarkers of pesticide toxicity and paraoxonase 1 (PON1) phenotype and genotypes were evaluated in indigenous Mexican farmworkers exposed mainly to organophosphate (OP) pesticides., Methods: Acetylcholinesterase, butyrylcholinesterase, and PON1 activities--arylesterase and CMPAase activities--were evaluated spectrophotometrically. PON1 55 and 192 polymorphisms were determined by real-time polymerase chain reaction. Hematological parameters were evaluated using a cytometer., Results: Butyrylcholinesterase and arylesterase activities were lower in farmworkers, who also showed lower levels of leukocytes but higher percentages of lymphocytes when compared with the nonexposed group. Our results showed a high frequency of OP, high hydrolysis-related PON1 alleles (LL/QR and LL/RR) in the study population. An association was observed between CMPAase activity and PON1Q192R polymorphism., Conclusions: Our results suggest that pesticide exposure modifies biochemical and hematological biomarkers in the study population, and that the phenotype of PON1 (CMPAase) is a sensible susceptibility biomarker of OP pesticide toxicity.

The physiological system of molluscs, particularly pro-oxidant and antioxidant mechanisms, could be altered by pollutants and induce disturbance on health status and productive parameters of aquatic organisms, such as oyster. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the chemical contamination in water (total metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) and oxidative stress parameters in oysters (Crassostrea corteziensis) in Camichin estuary, located in Mexican Tropical Pacific. The results obtained showed the presence of arsenic, lead and zinc, as well as naphthalene, pyrene and benzo[a]pyrene in concentrations relatively higher than criteria established by local and international guidelines. Regarding the biomarkers of oxidative stress response (H2O2 and O2 concentration, catalase activity, lipid peroxidation, and hydroperoxide concentration), differences between oyster from estuary and control group were significant. These results indicate that these pollutants could be related with oxidative stress detected in oyster., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: The incidences of breast cancer (BC) and cervico-uterine cancer (CC) vary widely from country to country. In Mexico, BC mortality has doubled in the last 20 years to become the second leading cause of death for women aged 30 to 54 years. CC is the most common cause of death from neoplasia in women over 25 years old. In 2006, the state of Nayarit had one of the highest mortality rates for these types of cancers in Mexico., Objective: To analyze and characterize the current demographics and morbidities associated with BC and CC in the state of Nayarit., Material and Methods: In this retrospective study, the clinical histories of patients who were diagnosed with BC or CC at the State Cancer Center from January 2006 to December 2010 were analyzed., Results: A total of 406 patients with BC and 328 patients with CC were registered. The most common clinical stage for both cancer types was IIB. The municipalities of San Pedro Lagunillas and El Nayar presented the highest prevalences of BC and CC, respectively., Concluision: Our results suggest that women living in poorer and more marginalized regions have a higher possibility of developing BC and CC. Because BC and CC are preventable and treatable in their early stages, demographic information from population records for these cancers is helpful in determining the incidence rates and patterns and improving decision-making processes.

Fishes are the phylogenetically oldest vertebrate group, which includes more than one-half of the vertebrates on the planet; additionally, many species have ecological and economic importance. Fish are the first evolved group of organisms with adaptive immune mechanisms; consequently, they are an important link in the evolution of the immune system, thus a potential model for understanding the mechanisms of immunoregulation. Currently, the influence of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine (ACh) on the cells of the immune system is widely studied in mammalian models, which have provided evidence on ACh production by immune cells (the noncholinergic neuronal system); however, these neuroimmunomodulation mechanisms in fish and lower vertebrates are poorly studied. Therefore, the objective of this review paper was to analyze the influence of the cholinergic system on the immune response of teleost fish, which could provide information concerning the possibility of bidirectional communication between the nervous and immune systems in these organisms and provide data for a better understanding of basic issues in neuroimmunology in lower vertebrates, such as bony fishes. Thus, the use of fish as a model in biomedical research may contribute to a better understanding of human diseases and diseases in other animals.

Chlorpyrifos and methyl parathion are among the most widely used insecticides in the world. Human populations are constantly exposed to low doses of both due to their extensive use and presence in food and drinking water. Glutathione S-transferase (GST) catalyzes the conjugation of glutathione on electrophilic substrates and is an important line of defense in the protection of cellular components from reactive species. GST alpha1 (GSTA1) is the predominant isoform of GST expressed in the human liver; thus, determining the effect of insecticides on GSTA1 transcription is very important. In the present study, we analyzed the effects of methyl parathion and chlorpyrifos on GSTA1 gene expression in HepG2 cells using real time PCR, and activity and immunoreactive protein assays. The results demonstrated that exposure to methyl parathion and chlorpyrifos increased the level of GSTA1 mRNA, GSTA1 immunoreactive protein and GST activity relative to a control. These results demonstrated that these insecticides can increase the expression of GSTA1. In conclusion, HepG2 cell cultures treated with methyl parathion and chlorpyrifos could be a useful model for studying the function of GSTA1 and its role in the metabolism of xenobiotics in the liver., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)