Os escargots da espécie Achatina fulica são caracóis africanos comestíveis e para essa finalidade foram introduzidos no Brasil em 1988 para substituir o escargot europeu Helix sp. Contudo, o hábito alimentar conservador da população brasileira ocasionou prejuízos aos criadores de escargots no Brasil, desencadeando uma soltura irresponsável e anti-ética desses moluscos no meio ambiente, o que proporcionou uma associação direta dos caracóis à impactos ambientais, sendo objeto de estudos e pesquisas correlatas. Todavia, estudos anteriores descreveram efeitos benéficos, antimicrobianos e cicatrizantes do muco extraído de caracóis Achatina sp, e ainda a potencialização destes efeitos a partir do acréscimo de plantas medicinais à dieta base consumida pelos escargots, constatando a capacidade de retenção em seu organismo das propriedades dos alimentos por eles ingeridos. As atividades antimicrobiana e cicatrizante também são conhecidas na utilização da própolis produzida por abelhas da espécie Apis mellifera. Partindo dessas premissas, neste estudo, foi adicionada própolis à ração base dos escargots, objetivando avaliar o efeito cicatrizante desses zooterápicos e suas aplicações. Os resultados obtidos demonstraram que a utilização de muco nas lesões cirurgicamente induzidas em camundongos acelerou o processo de cicatrização, comparativamente ao grupo controle que recebeu apenas tratamento com soro fisiológico. As análises parasitológica e citotóxica realizadas demonstraram que o muco é apto para a utilização proposta. A dieta acrescida de própolis interferiu nas características do muco. Foi possível observar, a partir das avaliações histológicas e macroscópicas uma discreta vantagem no processo de cicatrização para o grupo tratado com muco extraído de escargots que receberam ração base acrescida de própolis em sua dieta. Estes resultados demonstram a potencialidade desta pesquisa em resultar em um biofármaco com propriedades cicatrizantes à base de muco de escargots e ainda uma possível patente deste muco, através do indicativo de sua importância terapêutica para o reparo tecidual de lesões veterinárias e humanas. / The snail species Achatina fulica, is an edible African giant land snail species that was introduced into Brazil in 1988 as a substitute for the european escargot Helix sp. However, the conservative eating habits of the brazilian population have caused losses to breeders of escargot in Brazil due to the irresponsible, unethical release of the species into the environment. This species is known for its invasive nature and most of the literature focuses on the species disruption to the environment. Thus, the first objective of the study and related research focuses on these environmental impacts. Others studies have described beneficial attributes, antimicrobial and healing properties, of the mucous extracted from the small Achatina species. They have also described the potential benefits of feeding the snails a base diet enriched with medicinal plants to prove the capacity of the organisms to retain the aforementioned properties after ingestion. Lastly, our research will also examine the addition of propolis, to the base ration diet of snails. Propolis is a resinous material, obtained from local plant sources, used as a sealant in bee hives. For the purpose of these studies, the focus will be propolis specifically associated with the bees of the species Apis mellifera. The antimicrobial and healing properties of propolis have been well recognized and described. The objective of this work is thus, to evaluate the healing effects of this zootherapics, and its application in veterinary medicine as a biopharmaceutical. The results showed that the use of mucous in the lesions surgically induced in mice accelerated the healing process, compared to a control group that received treatment only with saline. Parasitological and cytotoxic analysis performed demonstrated that the mucous is suitable for the proposed use. The diet added with propolis influenced the parameters of mucous. It was observed from the macroscopic and histological findings a slight advantage in the healing process for the group treated with mucus extracted from snails fed diets basis with propolis in their diet. This results achieved were encouraging, showing the potenciality of this research results in a medication with scaring properties based on snail mucus and further a possible patent of this mucus, through its expressive therapeutics importance to veterinary and human lesions tissue repair.

An in vitro model of the follicle-associated epithelia that overlie the Peyer's patches of the small intestine was developed and validated to examine the mechanisms of mucosal antigen sampling. This model displays many phenotypic and physiological characteristics of M cells including apical expression of [alpha]5[beta]l integrin and enhanced energy dependent participate transport. CD4+ T-cells were shown to be an important influence on the development of Mlike cells. The model was used to examine the M cell mediated uptake of several putative whole-cell killed bacterial vaccines. Greater numbers of non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae NTHi 289, NTHi 2019, Escherichia coli 075 HMN and Streptococcus pneumoniae were transported by model M cells compared to control Caco-2 enterocyte-like cells. Studies in isolated murine intestine segments confirmed the selective uptake of NTHi 289 and Escherichia coli demonstrating that intestinal mucosal sampling of these antigens is performed by M cells. Pseudomonas aeruginosa was not absorbed as whole cell bacteria but as soluble antigen, as indicated by the presence of bacterial DNA in the cytoplasm of epithelial cells. These results suggest that bacteria such as NTHi and E. coli are sampled by the mucosal immune system in a different manner to that of bacteria such as Pseudomonas. A number of potential cell surface receptors were investigated to identify which molecules are responsible for intestinal uptake whole-cell killed bacteria. Immunofluorescence studies detected the presence of toll-like receptor-2, toll-like receptor-4, PAF-R and [alpha]5[beta]l integrin on in vitro M-like cell cultures. Examinations of murine intestine confirmed the presence of TLR-4 and PAF-R. TLR-4 was found in small quantities and on M cells. In contrast to the M cell model, TLR-2 expression in the murine intestine was sparse. Receptor inhibition experiments provided evidence for the involvement of TLR-4, PAF-R and [alpha]5[beta]l integrin in M cell uptake of killed bacteria both in vitro and in vivo. This thesis has contributed valuable information regarding the mechanisms of uptake of whole-cell killed bacteria by the intestinal mucosal immune system. For the first time, M cell sampling of whole-cell killed bacteria has been demonstrated. Furthermore, the receptors involved in these processes have been identified. This information will be of great use in the development and optimisation of new oral vaccines.

Copy of one of the author's previously published articles inserted. / Bibliography: leaves 357-404. / 405 leaves : / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / Describes a methodology for the detailed evaluation of the processes involved in the assessment of recombinant orally administrable vaccines against mucosal pathogens (a bivalent vaccine against diarrhoeal disease in this case) / Thesis (M.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Medicine 1991

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2007. / The entire dissertation/thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file (which also appears in the research.pdf); a non-technical general description, or public abstract, appears in the public.pdf file. Title from title screen of research.pdf file (viewed on December 12, 2007) Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Most pathogens gain access to their host through mucosal surfaces. It is therefore desirable to develop mucosal vaccines that elicit an immune response to prevent this crucial first step in infection. Current mucosal vaccines are live attenuated strains of pathogens. More recent efforts have focused on the use of recombinant non-pathogenic gram-positive bacteria as live vaccine delivery vectors. Here I have tested the potential of Lactococcus lactis to be used as a vaccine vector. A recombinant strain of L. lactis has been constructed which expresses and displays on its surface the C repeat region (CRR) of the M6 protein of Streptococcus pyogenes. I show that nasal vaccination of mice with this strain elicited strong salivary IgA and serum lgG response. These responses protected mice against a nasal challenge with S. pyogenes. Subcutaneous vaccination with the same strain of L. lactis produced a strong serum lgG response, but no salivary lgA response. Subcutaneous vaccination did not protect the mice against nasal infections when the mice were challenged with S. pyogenes. The immune response and protection afforded by concomitant vaccination by both nasal and subcutaneous routes were better that that seen in nasal vaccination alone. This study shows that an effective vaccine against S. pyogenes is possible using L. lactis as a vaccine vector. It also opens up the potential of L. lactis to be used in the development of vaccines to other mucosal infections. / Graduation date: 2004

The freshwater planarian Schmidtea mediterranea has been used in research for over 100 years, and is an emerging stem cell model. Exteriorly, planarians are covered in mucous secretions of unknown composition. While the planarian genome has been sequenced, it remains mostly unannotated. The goal my master’s research was to annotate the planarian proteome and mucous sub-proteome. Using a proteogenomics approach, I elucidated the proteome and mucous subproteome via mass spectrometry together with an in silico translated transcript database. I identified 1604 proteins, which were annotated using the Swiss-Prot BLAST algorithm and Gene Ontology analysis. The S. mediterranea proteome is highly similar to that predicted for the trematode Schistosoma mansoni associated with schistosomiasis. Remarkably, orthologs of 119 planarian mucous proteins are present in human mucosal secretions and tear fluid. I suggest planarians have potential to be a model system for parasitic worms and diseases underlined by mucous aberrancies.

The freshwater planarian Schmidtea mediterranea has been used in research for over 100 years, and is an emerging stem cell model. Exteriorly, planarians are covered in mucous secretions of unknown composition. While the planarian genome has been sequenced, it remains mostly unannotated. The goal my master’s research was to annotate the planarian proteome and mucous sub-proteome. Using a proteogenomics approach, I elucidated the proteome and mucous subproteome via mass spectrometry together with an in silico translated transcript database. I identified 1604 proteins, which were annotated using the Swiss-Prot BLAST algorithm and Gene Ontology analysis. The S. mediterranea proteome is highly similar to that predicted for the trematode Schistosoma mansoni associated with schistosomiasis. Remarkably, orthologs of 119 planarian mucous proteins are present in human mucosal secretions and tear fluid. I suggest planarians have potential to be a model system for parasitic worms and diseases underlined by mucous aberrancies.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Karolinska institutet, 2007. / Härtill 5 uppsatser.

Thesis (M.Sc.) (Honours) -- University of Western Sydney, Hawkesbury, 2001. / A thesis submitted for the degree of Master of Science (Honours), Centre for Farming Systems Research, University of Western Sydney, Hawkesbury, 2001. Bibliography : leaves 142-162.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Karol. inst., 2006. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.