Person:
Cruz López, Fátima

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First Name
Fátima
Last Name
Cruz López
Affiliation
Universidad Complutense de Madrid
Faculty / Institute
Veterinaria
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Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
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    Hemolysis, icterus and lipemia interfere with the determination of two oxidative stress biomarkers in canine serum
    (BMC Veterinary Research, 2023) Pérez Montero, Blanca; Fermín Rodríguez, María Luisa; Miró Corrales, Guadalupe; Juan Ferré, Lucía De; Cruz López, Fátima
    Background: Oxidative stress has been proven to play a role in numerous human and canine diseases. Among the biomarkers of oxidative stress, Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances (TBARS) and Total Antioxidant Status (TAS) are two of the most widely used. Preanalytical factors are crucial for obtaining accurate results in these assays. Hemolysis, icterus and lipemia (HIL) are common sources of preanalytical errors in the laboratory; however, limited information is available regarding the considerations for canine specimens. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the potential interferences of HIL in the determination of TBARS and TAS in canine serum. Methods: Solutions of pooled canine serum samples were prepared by adding increasing concentrations of hemolysate, bilirubin and a synthetic lipid emulsion. TBARS and TAS were determined, and biases from the control value caused by the interfering substances were calculated. Results: Hemolysis, icterus and lipemia induced significant interferences on TBARS and TAS, albeit to varying degrees depending on the specific biomarker and interfering substance. TBARS appeared to be more susceptible to interferences in this study. Slight hemolysis, moderate icterus and slight lipemia caused notable deviations in TBARS values, surpassing the acceptable threshold for interference. TAS assay was also affected by HIL, although to a lesser extent compared to TBARS. Significant biases from TAS control value were observed when icterus was moderate, and when hemolysis and lipemia were more pronounced. Conclusions: In light of our results, we conclude that hemolyzed, icteric and lipemic specimens are not suitable for TBARS and TAS determination in canine serum. Our findings hold considerable practical utility, as a simple visual inspection would be sufficient for identifying and excluding such specimens.
  • Item
    Neuropathological lesions in intravenous BCG-stimulated K18-hACE2 mice challenged with SARS-CoV-2
    (Veterinary Research, 2024) Sánchez Morales, Lidia; Porras González, Néstor; García-Seco Romero, María Teresa; Pérez Sancho, Marta; Cruz López, Fátima; Chinchilla Rodríguez, Blanca; Barroso Arévalo, Sandra; Díaz Frutos, Marta; Buendía Andrés, Aránzazu; Moreno, Inmaculada; Briones Dieste, Víctor; Risalde, María A.; De la Fuente, José; Juste, Ramón; Garrido, Joseba; Balseiro, Ana; Gortázar, Christian; Rodríguez Bertos, Antonio Manuel; Domínguez, Mercedes; Domínguez Rodríguez, Lucas José
    In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2, questions emerged about the potential effects of Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine on the immune response to SARS-CoV-2 infection, including the neurodegenerative diseases it may contribute to. To explore this, an experimental study was carried out in BCG-stimulated and non-stimulated k18-hACE2 mice challenged with SARS-CoV-2. Viral loads in tissues determined by RT-qPCR, histopathology in brain and lungs, immunohistochemical study in brain (IHC) as well as mortality rates, clinical signs and plasma inflammatory and coagulation biomarkers were assessed. Our results showed BCG-SARS-CoV-2 challenged mice presented higher viral loads in the brain and an increased frequency of neuroinvasion, with the greatest differences observed between groups at 3–4 days post-infection (dpi). Histopathological examination showed a higher severity of brain lesions in BCG-SARS-CoV-2 challenged mice, mainly consisting of neuroinflammation, increased glial cell population and neuronal degeneration, from 5 dpi onwards. This group also presented higher interstitial pneumonia and vascular thrombosis in lungs (3–4 dpi), BCG-SARS-CoV-2 mice showed higher values for TNF-α and D-dimer values, while iNOS values were higher in SARS-CoV-2 mice at 3–4 dpi. Results presented in this study indicate that BCG stimulation could have intensified the inflammatory and neurodegenerative lesions promoting virus neuroinvasion and dissemination in this experimental model. Although k18-hACE2 mice show higher hACE2 expression and neurodissemination, this study suggests that, although the benefits of BCG on enhancing heterologous protection against pathogens and tumour cells have been broadly demonstrated, potential adverse outcomes due to the non-specific effects of BCG should be considered.