Pararamosis is a disease that occurs due to contact with the hairs of the larval stage of the Brazilian moth Premolis semirufa. Envenomation induces osteoarticular alterations with cartilage impairment that resembles joint synovitis. Thus, the toxic venom present in the caterpillar hairs interferes with the phenotype of the cells present in the joints, resulting in inflammation and promoting tissue injury. Therefore, to address the inflammatory mechanisms triggered by envenomation, we studied the effects of P. semirufa hair extract on human chondrocytes. We have selected for the investigation, cytokines, chemokines, matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), complement components, eicosanoids, and extracellular matrix (ECM) components related to OA and RA. In addition, for measuring protein-coding mRNAs of some molecules associated with osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA), reverse transcription (RT) was performed followed by quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR) and we performed the RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis of the chondrocytes transcriptome. In the supernatant of cell cultures treated with the extract, we observed increased IL-6, IL-8, MCP-1, prostaglandin E2, metalloproteinases (MMP-1, MMP-2, MMP-3 and MMP-13), and complement system components (C3, C4, and C5). We noticed a significant decrease in both aggrecan and type II collagen and an increase in HMGB1 protein in chondrocytes after extract treatment. RNA-seq analysis of the chondrocyte transcriptome allowed us to identify important pathways related to the inflammatory process of the disease, such as the inflammatory response, chemotaxis of immune cells and extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling. Thus, these results suggest that components of Premolis semirufa hair have strong inflammatory potential and are able to induce cartilage degradation and ECM remodeling, promoting a disease with an osteoarthritis signature. Modulation of the signaling pathways that were identified as being involved in this pathology may be a promising approach to develop new therapeutic strategies for the control of pararamosis and other inflammatory joint diseases.

The new outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has infected and caused the death of millions of people worldwide. Intensive efforts are underway around the world to establish effective treatments. Immunoglobulin from immunized animals or plasma from convalescent patients might constitute a specific treatment to guarantee the neutralization of the virus in the early stages of infection, especially in patients with risk factors and a high probability of progressing to severe disease. Worldwide, a few clinical trials using anti-SARS-CoV-2 immunoglobulins from horses immunized with the entire spike protein or fragments of it in the treatment of patients with COVID-19 are underway. Here, we describe the development of an anti-SARS-CoV-2 equine F(ab')2 immunoglobulin using a newly developed SARS-CoV-2 viral antigen that was purified and inactivated by radiation. Cell-based and preclinical assays showed that the F(ab')2 immunoglobulin successfully neutralizes the virus, is safe in animal models, and reduces the severity of the disease in a hamster model of SARS-CoV-2 infection and disease.

The caterpillar of the Premolis semirufa moth, commonly called Pararama, is found in the Brazilian Amazon region. Contact with the hairs can cause a chronic inflammatory reaction, termed "pararamosis". To date, there is still no specific treatment for pararamosis. In this study, we used a whole human blood model to evaluate the involvement of the complement in the proinflammatory effects of P. semirufa hair extract, as well as the anti-inflammatory potential of complement inhibitors in this process. After treatment of blood samples with the P. semirufa hair extract, there was a significant increase in the generation of soluble terminal complement complex (sTCC) and anaphylatoxins (C3a, C4a, and C5a), as well as the production of the cytokines TNF-α and IL-17 and the chemokines IL-8, RANTES, MIG, MCP-1, and IP-10. The inhibition of C3 with compstatin significantly decreased IL-17, IL-8, RANTES, and MCP-1 production. However, the use of the C5aR1 antagonist PMX205 promoted a reduction in the production of IL-8 and RANTES. Moreover, compstatin decreased CD11b, C5aR1, and TLR2 expression induced by P. semirufa hair extract in granulocytes and CD11b, TLR4, and TLR2 in monocytes. When we incubated vascular endothelial cells with extract-treated human plasma, there was an increase in IL-8 and MCP-1 production, and compstatin was able to decrease the production of these chemokines. C5aR1 antagonism also decreased the production of MCP-1 in endothelial cells. Thus, these results indicate that the extract of the Pararama bristles activates the complement system and that this action contributes to the production of cytokines and chemokines, modulation of the expression of surface markers in leukocytes, and activation of endothelial cells.

Bothrops lanceolatus snake venom causes systemic thrombotic syndrome but also local inflammation involving extensive oedema, pain, and haemorrhage. Systemic thrombotic syndrome may lead to fatal pulmonary embolism and myocardial and cerebral infarction. Here, we investigated the ability of B. lanceolatus venom to activate the Complement system (C) in order to improve the understanding of venom-induced local inflammation. Data presented show that B. lanceolatus venom is able to activate all C-pathways. In human serum, the venom strongly induced the generation of anaphylatoxins, such as C5a and C4a, and the Terminal Complement complex. The venom also induced cleavage of purified human components C3, C4, and C5, with the production of biologically active C5a. Furthermore, the venom enzymatically inactivated the soluble C-regulator and the C1-inhibitor (C1-INH), and significantly increased the expression of bound C-regulators, such as MCP and CD59, on the endothelial cell membrane. Our observations that B. lanceolatus venom activates the three Complement activation pathways, resulting in anaphylatoxins generation, may suggest that this could play an important role in local inflammatory reaction and systemic thrombosis caused by the venom. Inactivation of C1-INH, which is also an important inhibitor of several coagulation proteins, may also contribute to inflammation and thrombosis. Thus, further in vivo studies may support the idea that therapeutic management of systemic B. lanceolatus envenomation could include the use of Complement inhibitors as adjunct therapy.

Breast cancer is the most common malignant tumor among women worldwide, and triple-negative breast cancer is the most aggressive type of breast cancer, which does not respond to hormonal therapies. The protease inhibitor, EcTI, extracted from seeds of Enterolobium contortisiliquum, acts on the main signaling pathways of the MDA-MB-231 triple-negative breast cancer cells. This inhibitor, when bound to collagen I of the extracellular matrix, triggers a series of pathways capable of decreasing the viability, adhesion, migration, and invasion of these cells. This inhibitor can interfere in the cell cycle process through the main signaling pathways such as the adhesion, Integrin/FAK/SRC, Akt, ERK, and the cell death pathway BAX and BCL-2. It also acts by reducing the main inflammatory cytokines such as TGF-α, IL-6, IL-8, and MCP-1, besides NFκB, a transcription factor, responsible for the aggressive and metastatic characteristics of this type of tumor. Thus, the inhibitor was able to reduce the main processes of carcinogenesis of this type of cancer.

P-MAPA is a complex compound, derived from Aspergillus oryzae cultures, that has shown immunomodulatory properties in infection and cancer animal models. Despite promising results in these models, the mechanisms of cellular activation by P-MAPA, suggested to be Toll-like receptor- (TLR-) dependent, and its effect on human immune cells, remain unclear. Using an ex vivo model of human whole blood, the effects of P-MAPA on complement system activation, production of cytokines, and the expression of complement receptors (CD11b, C5aR, and C3aR), TLR2, TLR4, and the coreceptor CD14 were analyzed in neutrophils and monocytes. P-MAPA induced complement activation in human blood, detected by increased levels of C3a, C5a, and SC5b-9 in plasma. As a consequence, CD11b expression increased and C5aR decreased upon activation, while C3aR expression remained unchanged in leukocytes. TLR2 and TLR4 expressions were not modulated by P-MAPA treatment on neutrophils, but TLR4 expression was reduced in monocytes, while CD14 expression increased in both cell types. P-MAPA also induced the production of TNF-α, IL-8, and IL-12 and oxidative burst, measured by peroxynitrite levels, in human leukocytes. Complement inhibition with compstatin showed that P-MAPA-induced complement activation drives modulation of C5aR, but not of CD11b, suggesting that P-MAPA acts through both complement-dependent and complement-independent mechanisms. Compstatin also significantly reduced the peroxynitrite generation. Altogether, our results show that P-MAPA induced proinflammatory response in human leukocytes, which is partially mediated by complement activation. Our data contribute to elucidate the complement-dependent and complement-independent mechanisms of P-MAPA, which ultimately result in immune cell activation and in its immunomodulatory properties in infection and cancer animal models.

Leptospirosis is a widespread zoonotic and neglected infectious disease of human and veterinary concern that is caused by pathogenic Leptospira species. After entrance in the host, pathogenic leptospires evade the host natural defense mechanisms in order to propagate and disseminate to multiple organs. Myeloperoxidase is an enzyme stored in neutrophils azurophilic granules, and is released upon neutrophil activation to produce mainly hypochlorous acid, a strong oxidant and potent antimicrobial agent. In the present investigation, we studied the modulation of myeloperoxidase activity by L. interrogans serovar Copenhageni. We show that leptospires and their culture supernatants are able to inhibit both peroxidase and chlorination activities of myeloperoxidase, without interfering with neutrophil degranulation. By leptospiral outer membrane protein extraction and fractionation, we identified the proteins LipL21 and LipL45 as myeloperoxidase inhibitors, constituting new Leptospira virulence factors. Accordingly, we propose a function for the protein LipL21, one of the most expressed leptospiral outer membrane proteins. Our results show a novel innate immune evasion mechanism by which leptospires interfere with the host response in order to cope with the host oxidative stress and efficiently achieve dissemination and colonization.

Envenomation by Bothrops snakes causes prominent local effects, including pain, oedema, local bleeding, blistering and necrosis, and systemic manifestations, such as hemorrhage, hypotension, shock and acute renal failure. These snake venoms are able to activate the complement system and induce the generation of anaphylatoxins, whose mechanisms include the direct cleavage of complement components by snake venom metalloproteinases and serine proteinases present in the venoms. A metalloproteinase able to activate the three complement pathways and generate active anaphylatoxins, named C-SVMP, was purified from the venom of Bothrops pirajai. Considering the inflammatory nature of Bothrops venoms and the complement-activation property of C-SVMP, in the present work, we investigated the inflammatory effects of C-SVMP in a human whole blood model. The role of the complement system in the inflammatory process and its modulation by the use of compstatin were also investigated. C-SVMP was able to activate the complement system in the whole blood model, generating C3a/C3a desArg, C5a/C5a desArg and SC5b-9. This protein was able to promote an increase in the expression of CD11b, CD14, C3aR, C5aR1, TLR2, and TLR4 markers in leukocytes. Inhibition of component C3 by compstatin significantly reduced the production of anaphylatoxins and the Terminal Complement Complex (TCC) in blood plasma treated with the toxin, as well as the expression of CD11b, C3aR, and C5aR on leukocytes. C-SVMP was able to induce increased production of the cytokines IL-1β and IL-6 and the chemokines CXCL8/IL-8, CCL2/MCP-1, and CXCL9/MIG in the human whole blood model. The addition of compstatin to the reactions caused a significant reduction in the production of IL-1β, CXCL8/IL-8, and CCL2/MCP-1 in cells treated with C-SVMP. We therefore conclude that C-SVMP is able to activate the complement system, which leads to an increase in the inflammatory process. The data obtained with the use of compstatin indicate that complement inhibition may significantly control the inflammatory process initiated by Bothrops snake venom toxins.

The joint disease called pararamosis is an occupational disease caused by accidental contact with bristles of the caterpillar Premolis semirufa. The chronic inflammatory process narrows the joint space and causes alterations in bone structure and cartilage degeneration, leading to joint stiffness. Aiming to determine the bristle components that could be responsible for this peculiar envenomation, in this work we have examined the toxin composition of the caterpillar bristles extract and compared it with the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in synovial biopsies of patients affected with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and osteoarthritis (OA). Among the proteins identified, 129 presented an average of 63% homology with human proteins and shared important conserved domains. Among the human homologous proteins, we identified seven DEGs upregulated in synovial biopsies from RA or OA patients using meta-analysis. This approach allowed us to suggest possible toxins from the pararama bristles that could be responsible for starting the joint disease observed in pararamosis. Moreover, the study of pararamosis, in turn, may lead to the discovery of specific pharmacological targets related to the early stages of articular diseases.