In the course of our search for an alternative to Malachite Green treatment for fish-Saprolegniasis, a few Fluorescent Brighteners (diaminostilbene derivatives compounds) were tested for their anti-Saprolegnia activity. We hypothesize that these compounds bind and interfere with further synthesis of Saprolegnia cell wall cellulose or have effect on the integrity of the cell wall that does not confer enough strength to guarantee cell survival. In vitro susceptibility tests indicated that S. parasitica T-1 was susceptible to Blankophor BA. This compound exhibited low toxicity for Tilapia and was highly effective in prevention of Saprolegnia infection in the Tilapia-Saprolegniasis model, even at a low dosage of 25 mg/L. The effective concentration was lower than the MIC value. The infected untreated high therapeutic index of Blankophor BA in combination with its documented safety to mammals and environment and its low cost, indicate that the treatment with Blankophor BA for fish Saprolegniasis could be an excellent alternative for Malachite Green.
The inventors have found that HIV infection is associated with anti-CD4 T cells autoimmunity exhibited in T-cell reactivity to humanCD4 molecule. T-cell proliferation responses to synthetic peptides from the human CD4 molecule were tested among CD4 positive responders. The use of immunogenic synthetic CD4 peptides to replace the complete CD4 molecule may therefore lead to a cost-effective T-cell vaccination (TCV) of HIV-positive patients exhibiting anti-CD4 autoimmunity, as well as to the development of complimentary T-cell Receptor peptides for future peptide vaccination.
We successfully synthesized a peptide which inhibits bacterial virulence when administered to mice simultaneously with bacteria. This peptide is a genetically engineered "mutated" version of a fragment of the bacterial protein responsible for the bacterial virulence. Complete recovery was achieved, even though the bacterial infection tested was of particular high virulence - Group A Streptococcus infection, notoriously known as the "flesh-eating" bacteria.
