GESSICA BAPTISTA DE MELO
Projetos de Pesquisa
Unidades Organizacionais
LIM/06 - Laboratório de Imunopatologia da Esquistossomose e outras Parasitoses, Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina
8 resultados
Resultados de Busca
Agora exibindo 1 - 8 de 8
- Culture isolation and molecular identification of Blastocystis sp. in Brazilian human isolates: preliminary results(2020) MELO, Gessica Baptista de; ROLDAN, William; MALTA, Fernanda de Mello; LESCANO, Susana Angelica Zevallos; CASTILHO, Vera Lucia; GONCALVES, Elenice Messias Do Nascimento; PAULA, Fabiana Martins de; GRYSCHEK, Ronaldo Cesar BorgesBlastocystis sp. is a protist commonly found in stool samples of humans and animals. Biological and genetic factors of this organism remain controversial. The present study aimed to develop and implement the Blastocystis in vitro culture of Brazilian human isolates for routine use. The fecal isolates (n = 20) were maintained in our laboratory by several passages in Pavlova's medium. Cultures were monitored every 72 h by light microscopy. Genomic DNA was extracted to identify the subtypes (STs). In most isolates, the vacuolar form was prevalent. The amoeboid, granular and cystic forms were observed during in vitro cultivation. STs 1, 2, 3. 4 and 7 were identified. Our preliminary results show the generation time and forms present in the in vitro culture of Blastocystis subtypes isolated from Brazilian human isolates. Therefore, we emphasize the use of in vitro culture as a tool in future studies for the better understanding of the biological aspects of Blastocystis sp.
- Blastocystis subtypes in patients with diabetes mellitus from the Midwest region of Brazil(2021) MELO, Gessica Baptista de; MAZZARO, Marcia Carolina; GOMES-GOUVEA, Michele Soares; SANTOS, Emelin Alves Dos; SOUZA, Laura Vilela de; ELIAS-OLIVEIRA, Jefferson; GRYSCHEK, Ronaldo Cesar Borges; RODRIGUES, Rosangela Maria; PAULA, Fabiana Martins deBlastocystis sp. is an enteric protist commonly found in human fecal samples. In Brazil, few studies have been developed, but none of them has explored the presence of Blastocystis in patients with diabetes mellitus. We evaluated the occurrence and molecular identification of Blastocystis sp. among patients with diabetes mellitus in the Midwest region, Goias State, Brazil. Genomic DNA was obtained from 175 fecal samples (99 from the diabetic group and 76 from the control group). PCR was performed using pan-Blastocystis primers from the SSU-rDNA gene. Microscopic examination revealed positivity of 12.1% and 7.9% for Blastocystis in diabetics and in controls, respectively. Amplification of Blastocystis DNA was observed in 34.4% (34 of 99) and 30.3% (23 of 76) from the diabetic and control groups, respectively. Phylogenetic analyses and BLAST searches revealed six subtypes among Blastocystis isolates in the diabetic group, represented by ST1 (38.2%), ST2 (11.8%), ST3 (35.3%), ST6 (2.9%), ST7 (2.9%) and ST8 (8.8%). In the control group, ST1 (21.8%), ST2 (21.8%), ST3 (43.5%), ST6 (4.4%) and ST8 (8.7%) were identified. This study is the first report regarding the occurrence and subtypes distribution of Blastocystis in patients with diabetes mellitus in Brazil. The results reinforce the potential risk of Blastocystis infection in patients with diabetes, in addition, it contributes to the understanding of the genetic diversity of this enigmatic organism.
- Shotgun proteomics of Strongyloides venezuelensis infective third stage larvae: Insights into host-parasite interaction and novel targets for diagnostics(2020) FONSECA, Priscilla D. M.; CORRAL, Marcelo A.; COSENZA-CONTRERAS, Miguel; MEISEL, Dirce M. C. L.; MELO, Gessica B.; ANTUNES, Milena M. S.; SANTO, Maria C. E.; GRYSCHEK, Ronaldo C. B.; COSTA-CRUZ, Julia M.; CASTRO-BORGES, William; PAULA, Fabiana M.Strongyloides venezuelensis is an important alternative source of antigen for the serologic diagnosis of human strongyloidiasis. Proteomics techniques applied to the analysis of the protein content of infective third stage larvae (iL3) of S. venezuelensis provide a powerful tool for the discovery of new candidates for immunodiagnosis. This study presents an overview of the protein iL3 S. venezuelensis focusing on the diagnosis of strongyloidiasis. A total of 877 proteins were identified by shotgun proteomics. Many of these proteins are involved in different cellular processes, metabolic as well as structural maintenance. Our results point to a catalog of possible diagnostic targets for human strongyloidiasis and highlight the need for evaluation of uncharacterized proteins, especially the proteins within the CAP domain, transthyretin, and BTPI inhibitor domains, as a repertoire as yet unexplored in the context of strongyloidiasis diagnostic markers. We believe that the protein profile presented in this shotgun analysis extends our understanding of the protein composition within the Strongyloides genus, opening up new perspectives for research on biomarkers that may help with the diagnosis of human strongyloidiasis. Data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD013703.
- Characterization of subtypes of Blastocystis sp. isolated from patients with urticaria, Sao Paulo, Brazil(2019) MELO, Gessica Baptista de; MALTA, Fernanda de Mello; MARUTA, Celina Wakisaka; CRIADO, Paulo Ricardo; CASTILHO, Vera Lucia Pagliusi; GONCALVES, Elenice Messias do Nascimento; ESPIRITO-SANTO, Maria Cristina de Carvalho do; PAULA, Fabiana Martins de; GRYSCHEK, Ronaldo Cesar BorgesBlastocystis sp. is described as an enteric protist prevalent in fecal samples from humans and animals; its pathogenicity and epidemiology are still controversial. Currently, it has been associated with intestinal diseases such as irritable bowel syndrome and clinical manifestations of allergic skin, such as chronic urticaria. In the context of urticaria, it is still uncertain whether this organism is directly related to the allergic manifestation or just a common component of the intestinal microbiota. This study aimed to evaluate the occurrence and molecular diversity of Blastocystis sp. in individuals with urticaria from a dermatology outpatient clinic, Sao Paulo, Brazil. Fecal samples of 58 patients with urticaria were examined using parasitological methods; and subsequently tested by polymerase chain reaction using Blastocystis-specific primers. The subtypes (STs) and alleles (a) were determined using BLASTn and MLST tools. ST1, ST2, ST3, ST4, ST6 and mixed infection (ST1 + ST3) were identified in the patients with urticaria; ST1 (a4), ST3 (a34 and a36) and ST4 (a42) were the most prevalent. Our molecular analyses allowed an initial description of Blastocystis subtypes in patients with urticaria from Sao Paulo city, Brazil. (C) 2019 Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of World Federation of Parasitologists.
- Shotgun proteomics of Strongyloides venezuelensis infective third stage larvae: Insights into host-parasite interaction and novel targets for diagnostic (vol 235, 111249, 2020)(2020) FONSECA, Priscilla D. M.; CORRAL, Marcelo A.; COSENZA-CONTRERAS, Miguel; MEISEL, Dirce M. C. L.; MELO, Gessica B.; ANTUNES, Milena M. S.; SANTO, Maria C. E.; GRYSCHEK, Ronaldo C. B.; COSTA-CRUZ, Julia M.; CASTRO-BORGES, William; PAULA, Fabiana M.
- Toxocara DNA amplification in serum and tissue samples in BALB/c mice(2021) FONSECA, Gabriela Rodrigues e; MELO, Gessica Baptista de; PAULA, Fabiana Martins de; MALTA, Fernanda Mello; GRYSCHEK, Ronaldo Cesar Borges; LESCANO, Susana Angelica ZevallosToxocariasis is still a neglected parasitic disease worldwide and much about its biology and diagnosis has yet to be understood. The migration of third stage larvae via bloodstream suggests a potential use of molecular tools in diagnosis as well to deepen the knowledge about its migration behaviors. Conventional PCR was applied in serum and tissue samples from BALB/c mice infected with 5 and 500 embryonated eggs. Blood samples were collected at 15, 30, 60, 90 and 120 days post-infection. Organs were excised at 170 days post infection. There was no DNA amplification in serum samples in any group or day post-infection; contrarily, tissue samples showed DNA amplification. These results also support a continuous larval migration after and/or simultaneously with the neurotropic-myotropic phase. Thus, molecular tools might be useful as a differential diagnosis method, but do not replace immunodiagnostics techniques.
- Evaluation of targets for Strongyloides genus specific molecular diagnosis in experimental strongyloidiasis(2021) NASCIMENTO, Rafael C.; MELO, Gessica B.; FONSECA, Priscilla D. M.; GRYSCHEK, Ronaldo C. B.; PAULA, F. M.Strongyloides venezuelensis has been used in different experimental studies, such as those aimed at the evaluation of diagnostic techniques for human strongyloidiasis, mainly the molecular diagnosis. In this study, three regions (genus, 18S and 28S targets) of Strongyloides ribosomal DNA were evaluated for the molecular diagnosis of experimental strongyloidiasis. Rats were infected subcutaneously with 400 or 4000 S. venezuelensis infective larvae (400iL3 and 4000iL3), and kept for 35 days. Fecal samples were collected daily to count eggs per gram of feces (EPG) and to perform the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Egg count started on the 5th day post-infection (pi) and ended on days 33 and 34 pi, in 400iL3 and 4000iL3 groups, respectively. Based in EPG, fecal samples were selected from days 2, 5, 8, 11, 15, 23 and 35 pi for DNA extraction; PCR (genus, 18S and 28S); and sequencing. The PCR-28S products showed higher values of identity (95-100%) in the database with the Strongyloides sequences. Therefore, it is possible to reinforce the application of PCR-28S in the diagnosis of experimental and human strongyloidiasis.
- Subtypes of Blastocystis sp. isolated in fecal samples from transplant candidates in Sao Paulo, Brazil(2020) SILVA, Maria do Rosario A.; MELO, Gessica B.; MALTA, Fernanda M.; ABDALA, Edson; COSTA, Silvia F.; PIERROTTI, Ligia C.; GONCALVES, Elenice M. N.; CASTILHO, Vera L. P.; CHIEFFI, Pedro P.; GRYSCHEK, Ronaldo C. B.; PAULA, Fabiana M.Blastocystis sp. is an intestinal protozoan commonly found in fecal samples of many animal species, including humans, but poorly studied in transplant candidates. The aim of this study was to evaluate the occurrence and molecular identification of Blastocystis sp. in fecal samples from transplant candidates. A polymerase chain reaction was performed using specific primers for Blastocystis ribosomal DNA. The DNA sequences obtained were aligned and compared with other sequences from the GenBank and MLST databases. The analyzed samples showed a positivity of 16% (24 of 150) for Blastocystis sp. The highest occurrence was observed in renal transplant candidates (31.4%), followed by hepatic transplant candidates (10.4%) and candidates for bone marrow transplantation (5.9%). Subtype (ST) 3 (45.8%) was the most prevalent among the isolates, followed by ST1 (375%), ST2 (12.5%), and ST7 (4.2%). This is the first study of molecular identification Blastocystis sp. in transplant candidates. Our results confirmed that ST3 was the most common subtype in transplant candidates and reinforce the importance of new studies to investigate of Blastocystis sp. in these patients. (C) 2019 Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of World Federation of Parasitologists.