University of Brasilia View Institution's Website 7 articles published in JoVE Immunology and Infection A Set of Screening Techniques for a Quick Overview of the Neutrophil Function Isabelle Souza Luz1, Raquel Takaya1, Daiane Gonzaga Ribeiro1, Natanael Sales Silva1, Lucas Fontes2, Mariana S. Castro1, Wagner Fontes1 1Laboratory of Protein Chemistry and Biochemistry, Department of Cell Biology, University of Brasilia, 2Institute of Physics, University of Brasilia This protocol features a set of neutrophil functional assays to be used as a screening method to cover functions from different signaling pathways. The protocol includes an initial and simple evaluation of cell viability, purity, reactive oxygen species production, real-time migration, phagocytosis, and a preliminary suggestion of neutrophil extracellular traps. Immunology and Infection Pseudotyped Viruses As a Molecular Tool to Monitor Humoral Immune Responses Against SARS-CoV-2 Via Neutralization Assay Tobia Fantoni*1, Michele Bissoli*1, Chiara Stefani1, Mauro Voi1, Alexandrina Dabija1, Rebecca Casula1, Domenico Luca Minafra1, Julys da Fonseca Palmeira2, Enrique Roberto Argañaraz2, Martin Mayora-Neto3, Nigel J. Temperton3, Donato Zipeto1, Alessandra Ruggiero1 1Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Movement, University of Verona, 2Laboratory of Molecular Neurovirology, Faculty of Health Science, University of Brasília, 3Viral Pseudotype Unit, Medway School of Pharmacy, Universities of Kent and Greenwich at Medway Pseudotyped viruses (PVs) are replication-defective virions that are used to study host-virus interactions under safer conditions than handling authentic viruses. Presented here is a detailed protocol that shows how SARS-CoV-2 PVs can be used to test the neutralizing ability of patients' serum after COVID-19 vaccination. Biochemistry RGBradford: Protein Quantitation with a Smartphone Camera Daniel C. Moreira1 1Research Center in Morphology and Applied Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Brasilia This paper provides a protocol for protein quantification using the Bradford assay and a smartphone as an analytical device. Protein levels in samples can be quantified using color data extracted from a picture of a microplate taken with a smartphone. Immunology and Infection Sexual Transmission of American Trypanosomes from Males and Females to Naive Mates Adriana B. Almeida1, Perla F. Araújo1, Francisco M. Bernal1, Ana de Cassia Rosa1, Sebastião A. Valente2, Antonio R.L. Teixeira1 1Chagas Disease Multidisciplinary Research Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine, University of Brasilia, 2Instituto Evandro Chagas The Trypanosoma cruzi agent of Chagas disease produces long-lasting asymptomatic infections that abruptly develop into clinically recognized pathology. The following research protocol describes a short-run family-based epidemiological study to unravel the T. cruzi infection transmitted sexually from parent to progeny. Biology Broth Microdilution In Vitro Screening: An Easy and Fast Method to Detect New Antifungal Compounds Calliandra Maria de-Souza-Silva1, Fernanda Guilhelmelli1, Daniel Zamith-Miranda2,3, Marco Antônio de Oliveira1, Joshua Daniel Nosanchuk2,3, Ildinete Silva-Pereira*1, Patrícia Albuquerque*1,4 1Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Department of Cellular Biology, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Brasília, 2Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 3Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 4Faculty of Ceilândia, University of Brasília An easy and adaptable broth microdilution method for screening antifungal compounds and extracts. Chemistry CN-GELFrEE - Clear Native Gel-eluted Liquid Fraction Entrapment Electrophoresis Rafael D. Melani*1,2, Henrique S. Seckler*1, Owen S. Skinner1, Luis H. F. Do Vale1,3, Adam D. Catherman1, Pierre C. Havugimana1, Marcelo Valle de Sousa3, Gilberto B. Domont2, Neil L. Kelleher1, Philip D. Compton1 1Departments of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, Chemistry of Life Processes Institute, Proteomics Center of Excellence, Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University, 2Institute of Chemistry, Proteomics Unit, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, 3Department of Cell Biology, Brazilian Center for Protein Research, Laboratory of Biochemistry and Protein Chemistry, University of Brasilia This protocol describes how to prepare and perform clear native gel-eluted liquid fraction entrapment electrophoresis (CN-GELFrEE), a native separation technique for non-covalent biomolecular assemblies and proteins from heterogeneous samples that is compatible with various downstream protein analysis techniques. Immunology and Infection Parasite Induced Genetically Driven Autoimmune Chagas Heart Disease in the Chicken Model Antonio R. L. Teixeira1, Nadjar Nitz1, Francisco M. Bernal1, Mariana M. Hecht1 1Chagas Disease Multidisciplinary Research Laboratory, University of Brasilia The inoculation of Trypanosoma cruzi in fertile eggs prior to incubation renders the parasite kDNA minicircle integration in embryo cells genome. Crossbreeding reveals the vertical transfer of the mutations to progeny. The kDNA integrates into coding regions at several chromosomes and the chickens die with an inflammatory autoimmune heart disease.
