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Biomedical subjects

A Pucci

Publications and source records attributed to A Pucci.

53 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1989

The morphologic spectrum of dilated cardiomyopathy and its relation to immune-response genes.

Endomyocardial biopsies from 174 patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DC) were examined. Eight patients with histologically proven myocarditis were excluded from the study. A peculiar pattern of oversized and bizarre nuclei was observed in only some of the remaining patients. Two groups were identified: those with and without this feature (groups A and B, respectively). Myocyte width, nuclear diameter and nuclear/sarcoplasmic ratio were significantly higher in group A. The mean respective values were 36 +/- 5 mu, 14 +/- 3 mu and 0.41 +/- 0.08 for group A versus 20 +/- 8 mu, 7 +/- 2 mu and 0.37 +/- 0.08 for group B. Interstitial fibrosis was similarly present in groups A and B. Endocardial thickness was significantly increased in all patients, with group A showing the highest mean value. The morphologic features showed no correlation with the clinical condition of the patients at time of presentation. HLA typing was performed in 50 consecutive patients, 38 from group A and 12 from group B. DR4 and DR5 antigens were significantly more frequent in DC patients than in a normal population control (400 blood donors), while DR3 was less frequent. Group A was more strongly associated with the DR5 antigen than group B (55.3 vs 25.0%, respectively). It was less strongly associated with the DR4 antigen compared with group B (21.5 vs 41.7%, respectively). No difference was observed between the 2 groups concerning negative association with the DR3 antigen. Endomyocardial biopsies from DC patients reveal marked morphologic changes from patient to patient.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Myocardial iron grading by endomyocardial biopsy. A clinico-pathologic study on iron overloaded patients.

Endomyocardial biopsy was performed in 13 patients with primary or secondary iron overload. Prussian blue staining showed visible iron in the biopsy fragments of 8 out of 13 patients. Because of the inhomogeneity of iron deposition in the biopsy fragments, a semi-quantitative myocardial iron grading system was used in which the percentage of Perls' positive cells on 4 to 6 biopsy fragments was averaged from each case. The presence of stainable iron in the myofibrils was not predictable from serum iron, transferrin saturation, serum ferritin or liver iron grading, nor from evidence of endocrine dysfunction. In patients with Perls' positive material in the myocardium, there was a significant correlation between the endomyocardial iron grade and serum iron and transferrin saturation. These results suggest that other factors besides the body iron load determine cardiac iron deposition. The fact that myocardial siderosis was documented only in patients with hepatic cirrhosis, irrespective of the hepatic iron load, suggests that severe liver damage may be a prerequisite for the accumulation of iron in the heart.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Direct detection of Neisseria gonorrhoeae with monoclonal antibodies characterized by serotyping reagents.

A panel of monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) directed to outer membrane protein I were generated with the ultimate aim of detecting Neisseria gonorrhoeae in patient samples by a direct immunofluorescence (IF) test. In an initial evaluation of the sensitivity of these reagents, a cocktail of six IF MAbs recognized 491 (91%) of 540 gonococci isolates from several centers in Sydney, Australia. IF MAbs designated 185 and 228 recognized serovars of WI serogroup and IF MAbs 208, 210, and 312 recognized serovars of WII/III serogroup. IF MAb 198 recognized serovars within both serogroups. Three additional IF MAbs, designated 322, 323, and 330, were then generated by using strains which failed to react with the original MAb cocktail and which belonged to particular serovars. The new cocktail of nine IF MAbs recognized 96% of the gonococcal isolates, which incidentally contained representatives of serovars shown to have a worldwide distribution in previous studies. Although subtle differences were apparent in the reaction patterns found with coagglutination (serotyping) and IF, there nonetheless seems to be merit in the approach of continually evaluating the sensitivity of diagnostic reagents such as MAbs. This is especially true with an organism such as N. gonorrhoeae, which has the capacity to regularly alter the antigenic structure of its outer membrane proteins.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗
PubMed1989

[Progressive changes in the lymphocyte subpopulations and the clinical picture in 2 brothers with familial dilated cardiomyopathy].

We report two brothers, aged 22 and 34, affected by dilated cardiomyopathy. At the first examination both patients were in NYHA functional class I. Their echocardiograms showed dilated and hypokinetic ventricles. Their clinical condition remained stable for three years, during which the peripheral immunophenotyping of T-lymphocyte subsets showed T-helper/T-suppressor ratio values lower than normal (normal value for our laboratory = 1.64 +/- 0.53) due both to low T-helper and to high T-suppressor subsets. Subsequently, the clinical condition of both patients deteriorated, exercise tolerance decreased and echocardiographic ventricular diameters increased. T-helper/T-suppressor ratio progressively increased from the initial values of 0.8 and 0.42 to 2.5 and 2.24, respectively. A few months later, both patients died, one because of refractory heart failure and the other one suddenly. Histologic examination of myocardial tissue in one patient showed a diffuse necrotizing disease involving myocytes with focal lymphocyte infiltrates, granulation tissue and endocardial thrombosis. The reported data underline the importance of genetic and familial factors in the pathogenesis and evolution of dilated cardiomyopathies. The increasing T-helper/T-suppressor ratio value which matched the deterioration of the clinical status, is proposed as a useful evolutive and prognostic marker.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Myocardial involvement due to a disseminated human cytomegalovirus infection in a heart transplant recipient. A case report.

A cytomegalovirus seronegative 9 year-old child, affected by terminal dilated cardiomyopathy, underwent cardiac transplantation and received the heart of a cytomegalovirus seropositive donor. After the positive outcome of an acute moderate rejection episode which was treated with steroids, the patient developed an infectious clinical syndrome with cytomegalovirus seroconversion and virus isolation from peripheral blood leukocytes. The 5th endomyocardial biopsy showed a typical cytomegalovirus-like nuclear inclusion in a single cell. In spite of specific treatment with (9-(2-hydroxy-1-(hydroxymethyl)ethoxy)methyl-guanine) (BW B759U) (Wellcome), the patient died 45 days after the operation from cytomegalovirus-induced interstitial pneumonia and virus-associated hemophagocytic syndrome.

Cardiomyopathies↗
PubMed1987

Myocarditis and cardiomyopathy: diagnosis by endomyocardial biopsy.

UNLABELLED: To investigate the incidence of myocarditis, 30 patients, with unexplained congestive heart failure, underwent endomyocardial biopsy. For each case three to five samples were examined on light and electron microscopy. Inflammatory infiltrates and injury to adjacent myocytes consistent with myocarditis were detected in 3 of the 30 cases (10%). Changes attributable to cardiomyopathy were found in the remaining 27 cases. Two of the three patients with biopsy-proven myocarditis were treated with prednisone and azathioprine. Their control biopsies six months later showed interstitial fibrosis and absence of inflammatory infiltrates. They clinically improved but hemodynamic and angiocardiographic patterns failed to show the expected improvement. The third patient affected by myocarditis died two weeks later. IN CONCLUSION: in our series of patients with unexplained congestive heart failure, the incidence of biopsy-proven myocarditis resulted low (10%). The results of the immunosuppressive treatment in two patients with myocarditis were unconclusive. Therefore the effectiveness of such therapy should be confirmed in a larger number of patients.

Biopsy↗
PubMed1984

An enzyme immunoassay for bovine brucellosis using a monoclonal antibody specific for field strains of Brucella abortus.

The success of various attempts to discriminate serologically between vaccinated cattle and those infected with field strains of Brucella abortus has been limited. A reliable assay that has this discriminating ability would greatly benefit the Australian Brucellosis Eradication Scheme. Studies of similar diagnostic problems have shown that species and strain-specific monoclonal antibodies with diagnostic potential can be produced. Therefore, the production of monoclonal antibodies specific for Br. abortus field strains was attempted. Spleen cells from Balb/C mice immunized with formalin-killed Br. abortus strain 544 were fused with P3/NSI-1 Ag4-1 cells using polyethylene glycol 4000. The resulting hybrid cells were screened by ELISA using soluble fractions of sonicated, heat-killed (60 degrees C, 1 h) bacteria as antigen. More than 200 cultures of hybrid cells contained detectable amounts of antibody to both field and vaccine strains of Brucella. However, one monoclonal antibody, Br 25, was found to bind field strains of Br. abortus biotypes 1 and 2, but not strain 19, Br. suis, Br. melitensis, or Br. ovis. The titre of Br 25 hybridoma cell culture supernatant is over 2 000, Br 25 cells injected into mice produce ascites fluid having titres of more than 100 000. A sandwich ELISA incorporating successive incubations of Br 25, soluble Brucella antigen, bovine sera and labelled anti-bovine immunoglobulin was developed. Sera from cattle that had been either vaccinated with strain 19 and infected were tested in the ELISA. In this ELISA most infected cattle were positive, whether vaccinated or not, whereas uninfected and vaccinated cattle were negative.

Animals↗
PubMed1981

Increased circulating T alpha lymphocyte population in bronchogenic and colonic carcinoma.

The proportion of T lymphocytes bearing membrane receptors for IgA (T alpha cells) was markedly increased in the peripheral blood of patients suffering from cancers of the colon and bronchus compared to an age-matched normal population and to age-matched control patients being treated for non-malignant chronic inflammatory conditions of the intestine and lung. By contrast, the percentage of the T lymphocyte population having Fc-IgG receptors (T gamma cells) and Fc-IgM receptors (T mu cells) in mucosal malignancy was similar to that found in the two control populations. It is suggested that the increased percentage of T alpha cells found in colonic and bronchogenic carcinoma patients may reflect an as yet unknown regulatory function for this subset.

Carcinoma, Bronchogenic↗
PubMed1978

Sensitisation of gut-associated lymphoid tissue during oral immunisation.

The time course of appearance of sensitised lymphocytes was studied in rabbits fed 0.1% bovine serum albumin (BSA). Antigen reactive cells (ARC) were detected in Peyer's patches at 1 week, prior to both the appearance of primed cells in the spleen and the detection of circulating anti-BSA antibody. Systemic immunisation with 2 mg BSA induced sensitised cells in the spleen and Peyer's patches. No evidence of an early appearance of sensitised cells in the mucosal cell population was found. These data support the postulates that the initial lymphocyte sensitisation to ingested soluble antigen occurs in Peyer's patches, that this lymphoid tissue provides a significant contribution to systemic immunity following oral and parenteral immunisation, and that the mucosal lymphocyte population is not involved in the early phase of sensitisation to ingested antigen.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1978

Absence of K cells in human gut mucosa.

Lymphocytes have been isolated from human rectal biopsies in numbers sufficient for microassay procedures. No antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxic (ADCC) activity could be detected in normal or inflamed human gut mucosa, using two assay systems which detect predominantly K cell activity. The tissue localisation and circulation characteristics of K cells require definition before establishing their role as an efferent immunological mechanism.

Antibody-Dependent Cell Cytotoxicity↗
PubMed1978

Immunologic "memory" for microbial antigens in lymphocytes obtained from human bronchial mucosa.

Memory for previous immunologic contact with microbial antigens has been detected in lymphocytes from human bronchi as a secondary immune response, when tested in vitro. Antigens stimulated a predominantly proliferative response in blood lymphocytes that was significantly greater than the response in mucosal lymphocytes with purified protein derivative and Herpes simplex type 1 antigens. Co-culture experiments with autologous blood lymphocytes showed that cell-dependent suppression was one mechanism of the low response of bronchial lymphocytes. In the patient who inhaled a foreign body, a proliferative response to antigens was restricted to bronchus-associated lymphoid tissue lymphocytes, suggesting a recruitment of antigen-reactive cells from a circulating pool.

Antigens, Viral↗
PubMed1978

[Bypass of the outlet of the left ventricle with a Hancock valve tube: report of two cases surgically treated (author's transl)].

The Authors describe two cases in which the outlet of the left ventricle was recreated by means of a bypass with a valve tube. The first is a case of correct levo-transposition of the great vessels with atresia of the pulmonary, in which a valve tube was applied between the inverted left ventricle and the right branch and trunk of the pulmonary. The second is a case of "long" fibrous subvalvular aortic stenosis, a relapse from former correction of membranous subaortic stenosis, in which bypass was applied between the left ventricle and the ascending aorta. This latter method, adopted by McGoon, is held by the Authors to be easier to apply and more physiological in its hemodynamic effects. The clinical and instrumental results were good in both cases. The hemodynamic and cardioangiographic controls carried out in the second case, 4 months after the surgical operation, showed the normal functioning of the prosthesis, an outflow equal to 60.3% of the total capacity through the bypass, and the ample neostomy of the left ventricle in systolic phase.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Histologic and molecular diagnosis of myocardial human cytomegalovirus infection after heart transplantation.

A total of 879 paraffin-embedded endomyocardial biopsy specimens from 69 heart transplant recipients were studied. In 30 biopsy specimens, the presence of human cytomegalovirus was investigated by routine histologic and immunohistochemical evaluation, in situ hybridization, and polymerase chain reaction. These 30 biopsies were performed in seven patients with clinical human cytomegalovirus infection (four primary and three recurrent infections) and in eight patients with asymptomatic human cytomegalovirus recurrent infection. These endomyocardial biopsy specimens showed grade 0 (n = 9), 1A (n = 12), 1B (n = 7), or 2 (n = 2) acute rejection. No myocarditis with human cytomegalovirus-like inclusion bodies was observed by routine histologic evaluation. Human cytomegalovirus DNA or antigens were not shown by in situ hybridization or by immunohistochemical evaluation, respectively. Viral DNA was detected by polymerase chain reaction in two grade 1A endomyocardial biopsy specimens from two patients with systemic human cytomegalovirus primary infection. These two biopsy specimens were shown to be positive by polymerase chain reaction at the time of the acute phase of the infection as shown by laboratory findings. Therefore cytomegalovirus DNA detected by polymerase chain reaction could result from viral carriers, that is, leukocytes of rejection-related infiltrates or within intramyocardial vessels as a result of a more aggressive expression of the systemic infection in seronegative recipients with cytomegalovirus seropositive donors. Polymerase chain reaction is the most sensitive method for viral DNA detection on paraffin-embedded biopsy specimens, but a multitechnologic approach, including routine histologic evaluation, is required for a proper diagnosis of human cytomegalovirus myocardial infection.

Antibodies, Viral↗