Uncaria tomentosa (UT) es antioxidante, antiviral, antimicrobiana y antiinflamatoria, propiedades atribuidas a sus alcaloides; sin embargo, otros compuestos como polifenoles tienen actividad antioxidante y antiinflamatoria. Objetivo: determinar el efecto UT-PRO en el proceso de muerte celular. Consideramos que algunas concentraciones de UT-PRO no inducirán muerte celular. Método: Preparamos UT-PRO (20mg en 40uL de dimetilsulfoxido), luego se diluyó entre 0,25-500ug/mL en RPMI-1640. Se aislaron PBMC (n= 3) mediante gradiente de centrifugación (Hystopaque, d=1,077g/mL), se sembraron 0,5x106 PBMC en una placa de cultivo y se agregaron las UT-PRO. Se incubo durante 24h, 37ºC y 5% CO2. La citotoxicidad se midió por colorimetria en el sobrenadante de cultivo mediante la actividad de la lactato deshidrogenasa (LDH)(Roche,USA). Se determino el IC50 (concentración UT-PRO que elimina al 50%...

Objective: To evaluate the humoral immunogenicity induced by homologous and heterologousvaccination schedules through a comparison of two methods for detecting IgG antibodies againstSARS-CoV-2. Materials and methods: Serum concentrations of specific IgG antibodies targetingthe receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein were measured. Samples werecollected from 60 individuals who received different COVID-19 vaccination schedules establishedby the Peruvian health system. Additionally, 20 pre-pandemic serum samples were retrieved froma serum bank. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), considered the reference standardtest for such measurements, was used. Additionally, OJABIO rapid diagnostic test kit (PRO) was alsoemployed to qualitatively assess the IgG response. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictivevalue (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), Cohenâ...

Immunity against COVID-19 is crucial. Little is known about the mechanisms involved in stimulating antibody production against SARS-CoV-2 by the tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and the exhaustion of T-cells. Objective: To evaluate the IgG (anti-spike) response, TNF-α, T-cell subsets, and their exhaustion. Methods: Serum samples and peripheral mononuclear cells of subjects with infection (G1, n=07), asymptomatic (G2, n=08 y G3, n=10) vaccinated with three doses of the BNT162b2 (G1 and G2) or the ChAdOx1-S (G3) vaccines. ELISA determined the level of IgG and TNF-α, and flow cytometry determined the T-cell subsets and exhaustion. Results: No change was observed in the levels of IgG before and after vaccination. G1 significantly increased TNF-α levels after receiving the third vaccine dose. Total lymphocytes significantly decreased in G2, but CD3+ did not change. G3 had a reduction i...

Introduction: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease characterized by a chronic inflammatory process within the joints. Recently, the importance of dendritic cells (DC) has been emphasized in this condition due to their remarkable ability for presenting autoantigens and for stimulating auto-reactive T-cells. The ability of Uncaria tomentosa (CatÂ’s claw), a native Peruvian plant with immune-modulating properties on the circulating dendritic cell population and on their maturation and co-stimulation capacities was assessed.Objectives: To determine subsets of myeloid and plasmacytoid dendritic cells (mDC and pDC, respectively) in patients with RA with the use of flow cytometry. To evaluate variations in the expression of HLA-DR and CD86 molecules in both subsets of DC in response to different concentrations of a hydro-alcoholic extract of Cat´s claw with 5% of pentac...

Introduction: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease characterized by a chronic inflammatory process within the joints. Recently, the importance of dendritic cells (DC) has been emphasized in this condition due to their remarkable ability for presenting autoantigens and for stimulating auto-reactive T-cells. The ability of Uncaria tomentosa (CatÂ’s claw), a native Peruvian plant with immune-modulating properties on the circulating dendritic cell population and on their maturation and co-stimulation capacities was assessed.Objectives: To determine subsets of myeloid and plasmacytoid dendritic cells (mDC and pDC, respectively) in patients with RA with the use of flow cytometry. To evaluate variations in the expression of HLA-DR and CD86 molecules in both subsets of DC in response to different concentrations of a hydro-alcoholic extract of Cat´s claw with 5% of pentac...