scholarly journals Beyond the Gastrointestinal Tract: The Emerging and Diverse Tissue Tropisms of Astroviruses

Viruses ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 732
Author(s):  
Andrew B. Janowski

Astroviruses are single stranded, positive-sense RNA viruses that have been historically associated with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract of vertebrates, including humans. However, there is now a multitude of evidence demonstrating the capacity of these viruses to cause extraintestinal diseases. The most striking causal relationship is neurological diseases in humans, cattle, pigs, and other mammals, caused by astrovirus infection. Astroviruses have also been associated with disseminated infections, localized disease of the liver or kidneys, and there is increasing evidence suggesting a potential tropism to the respiratory tract. This review will discuss the current understanding of the tissue tropisms for astroviruses and their emerging capacity to cause disease in multiple organ systems.

2015 ◽  
Vol 308 (6) ◽  
pp. G459-G471 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alicia K. Olivier ◽  
Katherine N. Gibson-Corley ◽  
David K. Meyerholz

Multiple organ systems, including the gastrointestinal tract, pancreas, and hepatobiliary systems, are affected by cystic fibrosis (CF). Many of these changes begin early in life and are difficult to study in young CF patients. Recent development of novel CF animal models has expanded opportunities in the field to better understand CF pathogenesis and evaluate traditional and innovative therapeutics. In this review, we discuss manifestations of CF disease in gastrointestinal, pancreatic, and hepatobiliary systems of humans and animal models. We also compare the similarities and limitations of animal models and discuss future directions for modeling CF.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-6
Author(s):  
Sagar Vyavahare ◽  
Sandeep Kumar ◽  
Nicholas Cantu ◽  
Ravindra Kolhe ◽  
Wendy B. Bollag ◽  
...  

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), affecting multiple organ systems, including the respiratory tract and lungs. Several studies have reported that the tryptophan-kynurenine pathway is altered in COVID-19 patients. The tryptophan-kynurenine pathway plays a vital role in regulating inflammation, metabolism, immune responses, and musculoskeletal system biology. In this minireview, we surmise the effects of the kynurenine pathway in COVID-19 patients and how this pathway might impact muscle and bone biology.


2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. 632-637
Author(s):  
Pooja Bhadoria ◽  
Harsha Rathore

With a continuous increase in Covid-19 cases, patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 have shown a wide variety of symptoms including fever, shortness of breath, cough, myalgia, dizziness, headache, impaired consciousness, abdominal pain and diarrhoea. Lab studies have shown higher leukocyte counts and neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), decreased lymphocytes, increased prothrombin time and a partial thromboplastin time, increased serum lactate dehydrogenase, ferritin and various other markers, indicating multiple organ system dysfunction including respiratory system, immune system, nervous system and gastrointestinal tract. Apart from these, heart and kidneys are also found to be affected in some patients. Patients presenting with previous history of diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, kidney diseases, pregnant females, neonates, immunosuppressed patients, and aged people have shown poor prognosis of disease. Various studies suggest possible reasons of multiple organ dysfunctions including wide distribution of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE-2) receptors, cytokine storm and hypercoagulability of blood. We have listed the various organ systems affected by the virus and possible explanations as to why and how these organ systems are affected. SARS-CoV-2 outbreak has caused a global pandemic, with more than 33,400,000 confirmed cases of Covid-19, including more than 1,000,000 deaths, reported to World Health Organization (WHO) globally till 30 September 2020. 1 with a basic reproductive number estimated to be 2.2 (1.4 - 3.9) the virus spread is very fast affecting many individuals across the globe. 2 One of the major causes of efficient spread of SARS-CoV-2 in humans is the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 receptors, used by the virus to enter the cells. 3 Hence, wide distribution of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 receptors in body including lungs, kidney, bladder, gastrointestinal tract, heart, central nervous system and peripheral nervous system4 and even placenta5 is one of the reasons the virus is found to affect these organs. Two closely related viruses causing Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) were also found to affect multiple organ systems. SARS‐CoV-1 was found in the respiratory pathway (trachea, bronchus, lung), gastrointestinal tract (stomach, small intestines), glands (sweat gland, liver, pancreas, parathyroid, pituitary, adrenal gland), renal system (convoluted renal tubules) and brain tissue (cerebrum) in the autopsy samples of patients who died because of severe acute respiratory syndrome. 6 Respiratory, circulatory, gastrointestinal, haematological, renal and hepatological symptoms were also found to be affected in patients with Middle East respiratory syndrome infection. 7 Though the virus is found to affect multiple organ systems, the underlying mechanisms are not clearly understood.


Author(s):  
T. L. Benning ◽  
P. Ingram ◽  
J. D. Shelburne

Two benzofuran derivatives, chlorpromazine and amiodarone, are known to produce inclusion bodies in human tissues. Prolonged high dose chlorpromazine therapy causes hyperpigmentation of the skin with electron-dense inclusion bodies present in dermal histiocytes and endothelial cells ultrastructurally. The nature of the deposits is not known although a drug-melanin complex has been hypothesized. Amiodarone may also cause cutaneous hyperpigmentation and lamellar lysosomal inclusion bodies have been demonstrated within the cells of multiple organ systems. These lamellar bodies are believed to be the product of an amiodarone-induced phospholipid storage disorder. We performed transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and energy dispersive x-ray microanalysis (EDXA) on tissue samples from patients treated with these drugs, attempting to detect the sulfur atom of chlorpromazine and the iodine atom of amiodarone within their respective inclusion bodies.A skin biopsy from a patient with hyperpigmentation due to prolonged chlorpromazine therapy was fixed in 4% glutaraldehyde and processed without osmium tetroxide or en bloc uranyl acetate for Epon embedding.


2010 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Richard T. Katz

Abstract This article addresses some criticisms of the AMA Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment (AMA Guides) by comparing previously published outcome data from a group of complete spinal cord injury (SCI) persons with impairment ratings for a corresponding level of injury calculated using the AMA Guides, Sixth Edition. Results of the comparison show that impairment ratings using the sixth edition scale poorly with the level of impairments of activities of daily living (ADL) in SCI patients as assessed by the Functional Independence Measure (FIM) motor scale and the extended FIM motor scale. Because of the combinations of multiple impairments, the AMA Guides potentially overrates the impairment of paraplegics compared with that of quadriplegics. The use and applicability of the Combined Values formula should be further investigated, and complete loss of function of two upper extremities seems consistent with levels of quadriplegia using the SCI model. Some aspects of the AMA Guides contain inconsistencies. The concept of diminishing impairment values is not easily translated between specific losses of function per organ system and “overall” loss of ADLs involving multiple organ systems, and the notion of “catastrophic thresholds” involving multiple organ systems may support the understanding that variations in rating may exist in higher rating cases such as those that involve an SCI.


2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 5-19
Author(s):  
Nikhil Nair ◽  
Ronith Chakraborty ◽  
Zubin Mahajan ◽  
Aditya Sharma ◽  
Sidarth Sethi ◽  
...  

Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is a genetic condition caused by a mutation in either the TSC1 or TSC2 gene. Disruption of either of these genes leads to impaired production of hamartin or tuberin proteins, leading to the manifestation of skin lesions, tumors and seizures. TSC can manifests in multiple organ systems with the cutaneous and renal systems being the most commonly affected. These manifestations can secondarily lead to the development of hypertension, chronic kidney disease, and neurocognitive declines. The renal pathologies most commonly seen in TSC are angiomyolipoma, renal cysts and less commonly, oncocytomas. In this review, we highlight the current understanding on the renal manifestations of TSC along with current diagnosis and treatment guidelines.


Author(s):  
Farzaneh Shobeirian

Background: Coronaviruses are non-segmented enveloped positive-sense single-strand RNA viruses, and COVID-19 is the seventh known coronavirus, infecting humans. Objective: As the COVID-19 continued to spread the world wildly, every radiologist or clinician needs to be familiar with its imaging findings. Methods: In this study, we reviewed available studies to provide a comprehensive statement on COVID-19 imaging findings. Results: Ground-glass opacities, linear opacities, interlobular septal thickening, consolidation, and Crazy-paving patterns are the most frequent findings in computed tomography (CT) of lungs in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia, which are mostly bilateral, multifocal, and peripheral. Staff needs to follow some rules to reduce infection transmission. Conclusion: COVID-19 pneumonia is a new global concern which has many unknown features. In this article, the radiologic characteristics of COVID-19 pneumonia are discussed. We also discussed appropriate protective measures that the radiology team should be aware of.


2009 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 234-244 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kajohn Boonrod ◽  
Gabriele Krczal

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hacer Kuzu Okur ◽  
Koray Yalcin ◽  
Cihan Tastan ◽  
Sevda Demir ◽  
Bulut Yurtsever ◽  
...  

UNSTRUCTURED Dornase alfa, the recombinant form of the human DNase I enzyme, breaks down neutrophil extracellular traps (NET) that include a vast amount of DNA fragments, histones, microbicidal proteins and oxidant enzymes released from necrotic neutrophils in the highly viscous mucus of cystic fibrosis patients. Dornase alfa has been used for decades in patients with cystic fibrosis to reduce the viscoelasticity of respiratory tract secretions, to decrease the severity of respiratory tract infections, and to improve lung function. Previous studies have linked abnormal NET formations to lung diseases, especially to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic affected more than two million people over the world, resulting in unprecedented health, social and economic crises. The COVID-19, viral pneumonia that progresses to ARDS and even multiple organ failure, is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). High blood neutrophil levels are an early indicator of SARS-CoV-2 infection and predict severe respiratory diseases. A similar mucus structure is detected in COVID-19 patients due to the accumulation of excessive NET in the lungs. Here, we show our preliminary results with dornase alfa that may have an in-vitro anti-viral effect against SARS-CoV-2 infection in a bovine kidney cell line, MDBK without drug toxicity on healthy adult peripheral blood mononuclear cells. In this preliminary study, we also showed that dornase alfa can promote clearance of NET formation in both an in-vitro and three COVID-19 cases who showed clinical improvement in radiological analysis (2-of-3 cases), oxygen saturation (SpO2), respiratory rate, disappearing of dyspnea and coughing.


Author(s):  
Christian Muschitz ◽  
Anita Trummert ◽  
Theresa Berent ◽  
Norbert Laimer ◽  
Lukas Knoblich ◽  
...  

SummarySevere acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the etiological agent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), produces protean manifestations and causes indiscriminate havoc in multiple organ systems. This rapid and vast production of proinflammatory cytokines contributes to a condition termed cytokine storm. A 35-year-old, otherwise healthy, employed, male patient was tested positive for COVID-19. He was admitted to the hospital on disease day 10 due to retarded verbal reactions and progressive delirium. On account of these conditions and the need for noninvasive/invasive ventilation, a combination treatment with baricitinib and remdesivir in conjunction with standard of care was initiated. The cytokine storm was rapidly blocked, leading to a vast pulmonary recovery with retarded recovery of the central nervous system. We conclude that the rapid blockade of the COVID-19-induced cytokine storm should be considered of avail as a principle of careful decision-making for effective recovery.


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