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Biomedical subjects

A Castilla

Publications and source records attributed to A Castilla.

30 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1989

Cytoskeletal organization and functional changes in monocytes from patients with chronic hepatitis B: relationship with viral replication.

Monocytes play an important role in the initiation and regulation of the antiviral immune response. These cells have a dense framework of intermediate filaments composed of vimentin monomers. In 35 patients with chronic hepatitis B, 26 healthy controls, seven patients with acute liver damage and eight patients with inactive HBsAg-negative cirrhosis, we investigated the expression of vimentin filaments, C3b and IgGFc receptors, HLA-DR molecules and the phagocytic activity in monocytes purified from venous blood. In the same subjects, we also studied the display of CD2, CD3 and CD5 on lymphocytes. In patients with chronic hepatitis B manifesting viral replication (n = 21; Group 1), the expression of vimentin filaments and the other functional monocyte parameters were decreased, whereas in patients in the nonreplicative phase of the disease (n = 14; Group 2) and in control cases with various forms of acute liver damage or inactive HBsAg-negative cirrhosis, they were similar to those found in healthy subjects. In Group 1, there was also a selective defect in the display of CD3 on lymphocytes. The expression of this molecule correlated with the functional state of monocytes. In three patients with chronic hepatitis B that changed from the replicative to the nonreplicative phase of the disease, the expression of vimentin filaments in monocytes and of CD3 on lymphocytes increased to normal levels. On the other hand, the incubation of patients' monocytes with gamma-interferon corrected the diminished expression of vimentin filaments and the other decreased functional parameters.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Cytoskeleton↗
PubMed1989

Suppressor T-cell activity in chronic hepatitis B-virus infection: relationship with the presence of HBV-DNA in serum.

Suppressor T-cell activity and allogeneic T-cell response to concanavalin A (ConA) were investigated in 46 patients chronically infected with hepatitis B virus (HBV). Thirty-eight patients had chronic active hepatitis, seven of whom were superinfected with Delta virus, and eight were healthy chronic HBV carriers. T-cell suppressor activity was in the normal range in healthy carriers and in patients negative for serum HBV-DNA, independent of the e antigen status. In contrast, the group of patients positive for HBV-DNA exhibited a significant reduction in suppressor activity. Longitudinal studies in patients who cleared serum HBV-DNA demonstrated that suppressor T-cell activity became normal thereafter. These results suggest a relationship between suppressor T-cell function and the stage of viral replication in individuals with chronic HBV infection.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

A pilot study of thymus extract in chronic non-A, non-B hepatitis.

In previous studies it has been suggested that activation of cellular immunity may have a role in controlling the activity of chronic non-A, non-B liver disease. We conducted a pilot study of therapy with a bovine thymus extract for 6 weeks in 15 consecutive patients with chronic non-A, non-B hepatitis, most of them sporadic cases. Treatment induced immunomodulation, and in five patients a significant but transient diminution in aminotransferase levels was observed associated with increments in several parameters of cellular immunity. This suggests that a longer administration of this or other related compounds, or treatment with a more potent immunomodulating agent, might be effective in these patients.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Opioid peptides modulate the organization of vimentin filaments, phagocytic activity, and expression of surface molecules in monocytes.

It is theorized that intermediate filaments are important in the modulation of membrane activity and cell motility; however, their functions are unknown. The assembly and organization of these filaments are under hormonal regulation. We investigated in human monocytes the in vitro effects of Met-enkephalin, Leu-enkephalin, and beta-endorphin on the expression of immunoreactive cytoskeletal vimentin filaments. We simultaneously examined their effect on the phagocytosis of Candida albicans and on the membrane display of surface molecules. The three opioid peptides markedly reduced the expression of vimentin filaments, the phagocytic activity, and the display of HLA-DR molecules at concentrations of 10(-6), 10(-8), and 10(-10) M. On the other hand, the intravenous administration of fentanyl, a synthetic opiate agonist, to patients undergoing surgery induced similar changes in monocytes. In other experiments, 10(-8) M beta-endorphin also decreased the expression of CR3 but did not influence the display of CD13, a surface protein of unknown function. Expression of vimentin filaments correlated directly with the display of HLA-DR antigens and CR3 and with the phagocytic activity. The results of this paper indicate that opiates and opioids, neuropeptides known to be released during stress, can directly depress several monocyte functions. Furthermore, from these data it may be speculated that intermediate filaments may regulate the membrane expression of some surface molecules and the phagocytic process.

Antigens, Surface↗
PubMed1989

Naloxone-reversible monocyte dysfunction in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

We studied monocyte function in 35 consecutive patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and 25 healthy controls. Eighty-five per cent of the patients showed monocyte dysfunction characterized by marked reduction in the number of monocytes displaying immunoreactive cytoskeletal vimentin filaments, a low phagocytosis index, and a reduced expression of HLA-DR antigens. These values increased dramatically after incubation of the patients' monocytes with the opioid antagonist naloxone. Other immunological abnormalities also noted in the patients were low lymphocyte blastogenesis and diminished numbers of monocytes displaying receptors for Fc of IgG (FcR) and C3b (CR1). These findings suggest that an increased opioid activity acting through a classical receptor mechanism is active on monocytes from a high proportion of patients with CFS and that this represents a novel example of immunomodulation by opioid peptides in human disease. We suggest that endogenous opioids are involved in the pathogenesis of the chronic fatigue syndrome.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Alcohol intake in a rural village: physical signs and biological markers predicting excessive consumption in apparently healthy people.

Four hundred and ninety-two (232 males and 260 females) randomly selected inhabitants older than 15 years of La Esperanza, a rural village of Tenerife, have been inquired about their daily alcohol intake, analyzing the relationship between this parameter and sex, age, marital status, educational level, job and smoking habit, physical signs, and biological markers of excessive ethanol consumption. One hundred and seventy-four out of them (35.4%) were teetotalers, while 318 (64.6%) consumed alcoholic beverages; 18.2% (34.1% of the males and 4.2% of the females) referred excessive ethanol consumption (more than 80 g/day and 40 g/day, respectively). Men consumed 62.3 +/- 4 g/day ethanol and women, 8 +/- 1 g/day. The distribution of the population according to the amount of ethanol consumed fits into Lederman's curve, most of the individuals being consumers of small amounts of ethanol. Male sex, middle age, married or separated status, unskilled job, sometimes unemployed, low educational level, daily drinking (mainly wine), and smoking, were all related to a higher ethanol consumption. When assessed by logistic regression, only liver enlargement, parotid swelling, retches and tremor in the morning, and hoarseness, out of the physical signs, showed independent predictive value as indicators of excessive consumption as well as serum GGT, ASAT, MCV, and urate levels out the biological markers. When all those physical and analytical signs that had previously shown predictive independent value are analyzed together, all the five physical signs (liver enlargement, parotid swelling, retches and tremor in the morning, and hoarseness) but only urate, out of the biochemical markers, showed independent predictive value.

Adult↗