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Biomedical subjects

C Bentivoglio

Publications and source records attributed to C Bentivoglio.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

Relationship between Chlamydia pneumoniae infection, inflammatory markers, and coronary heart diseases.

Chlamydia pneumoniae is an intracellular pathogen and an important cause of respiratory tract infections in humans and more recently it has been associated with chronic diseases such as atherosclerosis. Numerous studies have been performed to show the "infectious" hypothesis of atherosclerosis by direct detection of the organisms within atheromatous plaques by seroepidemiological estimation and by animal, immunological and antibiotic interventional studies. In this work we investigated the relation between chronic chlamydial infection, inflammatory markers, Interleukin 7 (IL-7) production and coronary heart disease. We studied 60 patients with coronary heart diseases (CHD), 45 of whom were men and 15 women, with a mean age of 65+/-5 years, and a control group of 20 healthy subjects, 15 men and 5 women, with a mean age of 60+/-7 years. Detailed histories including symptoms, risk factors and demographic data were obtained from patients and healthy subjects by administering a standardized questionnaire. Our results demonstrate that the enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA) test appears to have a greater sensitivity than the microimmunofluorescence (MIF) technique. 80% of patients had positive IgG to C. pneumoniae and 58% positive IgA to C. pneumoniae with ELISA, while the MIF test showed 68% and 55% positive IgG and IgA to C. pneumoniae, respectively. The control subjects showed 55% positive IgG and 10% IgA to C. pneumoniae by ELISA and 35% positive IgG and 5% IgA to C. pneumoniae by MIF. The combination of positive IgG and IgA to C. pneumoniae was present more frequently than in the control group. Serum levels of IL-7 measured by ELISA were also significantly higher in patients compared to healthy subjects. In conclusion, our study shows that C. pneumoniae IgG and IgA seropositivity, inflammatory markers such as IL-7, fibrinogen, C-reactive protein were significantly correlated with CHD.

Aged↗
PubMed2005

Brucellosis with erythema nodosum-like manifestations diagnosed by isolated positivity of the ELISA test for anti-Brucella IgM.

Brucellosis is endemic in the Mediterranean area. In spite of the false negative results, the standard agglutination test remains the routine test for the diagnosis of brucellosis in southern Italy. We present a case of a patient with undulant fever and erythema nodosum-like skin lesions, with negative serum agglutination test, but isolated positivity of the ELISA test for anti-Brucella IgM. A diagnosis of brucellosis for this patient was supported by the anamnestic and clinical data, and by the response to therapy. This case and a review of the literature urge us to consider the ELISA test indispensable for the serological diagnosis of brucellosis.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Apoptosis modulation by mycolic acid, tuberculostearic acid and trehalose 6,6'-dimycolate.

The object of our study is to demonstrate that some components of M. tuberculosis, such as cord factor or mycolic acid or whole bacteria can prolong cell survival compared to controls. The cells treated with cord factor or mycolic acid at a concentration of 5 microg/ml were 65+/-8% viable reaching 70+/-8% at a concentration of 10 microg/ml. The cells treated with heat killed mycobacteria were 70+/-8% viable; while control cells exhibited a viability 50+/-7%. Conversely, tuberculostearic acid induced early cell death. The results also demonstrated a dose-dependent effect on the viability or induction of macrophage apoptosis. We also showed that prolonged viability of the treated cells with mycolic acid or cord factor (+20+/-4% and +25+/-5%, respectively) was correlated with a significant increase in Bcl-2 expression. The treated cells with whole bacteria presented a Bcl-2 expression of 40+/-6%, while Fas expression was not changed compared to controls. This study confirm that at the site of mycobacterial infection, necrosis, apoptosis or prolonged survival of the cells depend on the quantity and quality of the molecules expressed by the mycobacteria; whether necrosis or apoptosis or prolonged survival is more or less favorable to the host likely depends on several factors regarding the inflammatory and immune response, both markedly stimulated by mycobacteria.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

HSP and apoptosis in leukocytes from infected or vaccinated animals by Brucella abortus.

The production of hsp and apoptosis of leukocytes in the peripheral blood of animals naturally infected with Brucella spp or treated with the vaccine Brucella abortus 19 have been investigated in this study. Cytokines able to induce phagocytic activity in macrophages of non treated healthy animals were found in the supernatant of bovine leukocytes cultivated in vitro. A long-lasting antibody response against hsp 60 kDa and 27 kDa, which lasts a long time, is induced in naturally infected animals, while in animals vaccinated with B. abortus 19 we detected an antibody response against hsp 60 and 70 kDa which is much shorter, disappearing in two months. During the early phase of infection, lymphocytes and monocytes of naturally infected animals show a delay of apoptosis in vitro compared to the same cells coming from healthy controls and vaccinated animals.

Agglutination↗
PubMed1999

Effect of transforming growth factor beta on experimental Salmonella typhimurium infection in mice.

We have investigated the effect of the in vivo administration of recombinant transforming growth factor beta (rTGF-beta) on the pathogenic mechanisms involved in Salmonella typhimurium experimental infection in mice. The protective response elicited by macrophages was induced by rTGF-beta1 by 2 days after experimental infection, as demonstrated by an increased NO production, while the humoral protective effect began with cytokine mRNA expression 2 days after the challenge and continued after 5 days with cytokine release and lymphocyte activation. We demonstrated that all mice who received rTGF-beta1 survived 7 days after infection. The number of bacteria recovered in the spleens and in the livers of rTGF-beta1-treated mice 2 and 5 days after infection was significantly smaller than that found in the same organs after phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) inoculation. Furthermore, 2 and 5 days after infection, splenic macrophages from rTGF-beta1-treated mice showed a greater NO production than did those from PBS-treated mice. The effect of rTGF-beta1 on S. typhimurium infection in mice was correlated with the expression of cell costimulatory CD28 molecules. Five days after S. typhimurium infection, the percentage of CD28(+)-expressing T cells in splenic lymphocytes from rTGF-beta1-treated mice increased with respect to that from control mice. Gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) mRNA was present in a greater amount in spleen cells from rTGF-beta1-treated mice after 2 days, although the intensity of the band decreased 5 days after the challenge. A similar pattern was obtained with the mRNAs for interleukin-1alpha (IL-1alpha), IL-6, TGF-beta, and inducible nitric oxide synthase, which showed greater expression in cells obtained from rTGF-beta1-treated and S. typhimurium-infected mice 2 days after challenge. The treatment with rTGF-beta1 induced an increase in IL-1alpha and IFN-gamma release in the supernatant of splenocyte cultures 5 days after the experimental infection with S. typhimurium. Moreover, we demonstrated that 5 days after infection, the IFN-gamma titer was significantly greater in the sera of rTGF-beta-treated mice than in those of PBS-treated mice. Also, hsp60 showed greater expression 2 days after the challenge in splenocytes from rTGF-beta1-treated mice. The role played by proinflammatory and immunoregulatory cytokines and by CD28 is discussed.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Polyclonal T cell elimination by prolonged immunostimulation in an experimental model.

An experimental model of immunological deficiency obtained by treating mice for 6 months with serum of human blood drawn from different healthy individuals has been studied. The results show that an alteration of a circulating lymphocyte population with alterations of the ratio CD4+/CD8+ appeared in mice stimulated for a long period with immunogens. Mice treated for 2-4 months showed an increase in B lymphocytes and a decrease in the total number of T lymphocytes, with a decrease in CD4+ lymphocytes and an increase in CD8+ lymphocytes. After 4 months, the CD8+ lymphocyte population started to decrease, with a ratio of CD4+/CD8+ reaching almost 1. In animals treated for 2-3 months, the mean survival time (MST) following experimental infection with Salmonella typhimurium presented a decrease to 5 days, and after 5-6 months of treatment presented a decrease to 3-2.5 days. The bacteraemia was modified in comparison with controls. Prolonged exposure to antigens also induced lymphocyte apoptosis: cells of animals treated for 4-6 months presented increased levels of apoptosis with a percentage that reached 30-35%. A semiquantitative evaluation of the level of heat shock protein (hsp) in splenic lymphocytes showed an increase in the presence of hsp60 and hsp70 in the first 3 months of treatment, which then remained constant for up to 6 months.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

CD11a/CD18 and CD11b/18 modulation by lipoteichoic acid, N-acetyl-muramyl-alpha-alanyl-D-isoglutamine, muramic acid and protein A from Staphylococcus aureus.

This study investigates the effect of some components of the Staphylococcus aureus cell wall [lipoteichoic acid (LTA), N-acetyl-muramyl-alanyl-D-isoglutamine (MD), muramic acid (MA) and protein A (PA)] in modulating expression of cell-surface adhesion molecules CD11a/CD18, CD11b/C18 on monocytes qualitatively and quantitatively. Monocytes incubated with bacterial components presented different CD11b/CD18 expressions which were dose-dependent in contrast to controls. The results obtained demonstrated that lymphocytes incubated with bacterial components also increased the expression of CD11a/CD18. The modifications in activation of CD11a/CD18 and CD11b/CD18 expression are probably correlated with modifications of membrane fluidity measured as polarisation fluorescence (P).

Acetylmuramyl-Alanyl-Isoglutamine↗
PubMed1996

Recombinant human prolactin induces protection against Salmonella typhimurium infection in the mouse: role of nitric oxide.

In the present study, we demonstrated that repeated treatment with recombinant human prolactin (rhPRL) protected mice against Salmonella typhimurium infection. The protective activity was statistically significant, dose-dependent and present only when rhPRL treatments were performed before the infection. This activity was probably related to the observed increases in phagocytosis and intracellular killing of peritoneal macrophages induced by the hormonal treatment. The number of peripheral leukocytes was not modified, excluding a mobilization of cells from other compartments. A decrease in the mortality rate after challenge was also observed in mice treated with the monoclonal antibody anti-PRL receptor U5, confirming that the protective activity was associated with receptor activation. Our studies also suggest that nitric oxide (NO) production was involved in the protective effect of rhPRL since pre-treatment of the animals with L-NAME, an inhibitor of NO-synthase, was able to completely revert the protective activity, whereas D-NAME, the inactive D-isomer, was without effect.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Effects of benzodiazepines on immunodeficiency and resistance in mice.

Our results indicate that benzodiazepine (Bz) treatment time, greater than 2-3 months, induce a decrease of both specific and nonspecific responses. Mice treated for different times with diazepam or chlordemethyldiazepam showed decreased survival to experimental Salmonella typhimurium infections after three months of treatment. Adherence, expressed as the polymorphonuclear cells (PMN) capacity to attach to nylon wool, was impaired after 7 days of treatment. Longer treatments further increase this impairment. PMN from mice treated with Bz for 90 days also demonstrate on impaired chemotaxis and phagocytosis for Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Monocytes from mice treated for 7 days secreted more IL-1 alpha then controls; the antibody titer in mice given to prolonged treatment progressively diminished compared to controls. Con A or LPS stimulated lymphocytes showed an increase of H3-thymidine incorporation from mice treated for a short time and conversely a decreased incorporation when taken from mice that underwent longer treatments. Benzodiazepines were therefore found to affect PMN chemotaxis and phagocitosis, general immunity and survival of mice to infections.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

In vivo inhibition of cell-mediated and humoral immune responses to cellular antigens by SV-IV, a major protein secreted from the rat seminal vesicle epithelium.

Microgram amounts of protein SV-IV, a major secretory protein produced by adult rat seminal vesicle epithelium, markedly decrease the mouse humoral immune response to cellular xenogeneic or allogeneic antigens (sheep red blood cells (SRBC) or mouse epididymal spermatozoa). The significant reduction in the total number of splenocytes and their main cell subsets in SRBC-immunized mice, the dramatic decrease in the number of Ia+ splenic T cells and the marked inhibition of splenocyte ability to respond in vitro to polyclonal mitogen stimuli suggest that the macrophage accessory cells are the primary target of the SV-IV immunosuppressive activity in vivo. Moreover, the infection of SV-IV-treated mice with Salmonella typhimurium produced an increased mortality of the experimental animals associated with a marked decrease of the phagocytic and intracellular killing activities of their peritoneal macrophages.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Enhanced cellular response in mice treated with a Brucella antigen-liposome mixture.

The capacity of liposomes constituted by dycetyl-phosphate (0.009 mM), cholesterol (0.017 mM), lecithin (0.003 mM), and myristic (0.1 mM), stearic (0.1 mM), or oleic acid (0.1 mM) to modify the lymphocyte response to Brucella melitensis antigens in mice was studied. Mice treated with antigens mixed with liposomes containing myristic, stearic or oleic acid had higher antibody titres than mice given antigen suspended in a saline solution. Liposomes alone, without Brucella antigens, resulted in increased 3H-thymidine incorporation by lymphocytes both in vivo and in vitro. The addition of polyclonal activators (LPS and ConA) caused a further increase of 3H-thymidine uptake. Moreover, spleen lymphocytes from mice inoculated with Brucella antigens mixed with the liposomes had a significantly lower population of B lymphocytes (10%), and a notable increase in the Tc lymphocytes (20%). Autoradiography of sections of popliteal ganglia of treated mice showed that the radioactivity was concentrated mainly in the membrane structures of the cell.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗
PubMed1994

Beneficial effects of myristic, stearic or oleic acid as part of liposomes on experimental infection and antitumor effect in a murine model.

Liposomes consisting of dicetyl-phosphate, cholesterol, lecithin and stearic or myristic or oleic acid, exert a protective effect for mice against experimental infection by Salmonella typhimurium, and delay both the onset and mortality B16 melanoma in these animals. Liposomes labelled with 3H-myristic acid were used as probes in the spleen and liver. We found that the treatment schedule rather than route of administration of liposomes, is important. The results show that in order to induce protection, preventive treatment must start at least three days before. Longer treatments do not increase the degree of protection, and treatments started at the same time as, or following experimental infection or tumor transplantation, have no effect.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Prolactin protection against lethal effects of Salmonella typhimurium.

The immunoregulatory role of prolactin (PRL) has been well established. In order to clarify if the hormone is also able to stimulate a protective activity against pathogens-induced infections we have studied the modifications of the infective capacity of Salmonella typhimurium induced in mice by repeated treatments with ovine PRL. A significant dose-dependent reduction in the mortality rate was observed in comparison to controls. This activity is probably related to the observed increases in phagocytosis and intracellular killing of the peritoneal macrophages and chemotaxis of the peritoneal granulocytes induced by the hormonal treatment. On the contrary, the number of leukocytes in blood was not modified by PRL treatment excluding a mobilization of cells from other districts. Our findings confirm the existence of a linkage between the neuroendocrine and immune systems suggesting a possible role for PRL in the regulation of non-specific immune response.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

HLA class II antigens and interleukin-1 in patients affected by type-II diabetes mellitus and hyperlipemia.

In order to evaluate the influence of hyperlipemia on the specific cell defence reaction in type-II diabetes mellitus in humans, 20 diabetics were recruited in this study. They were divided into two groups on the basis of the absence or coexistence of abnormal serum lipid pattern. The lymphocyte and monocyte cells drawn from the type-II diabetic patients with abnormally elevated serum levels of cholesterol and triglycerides showed a decreased expression of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class-II antigens and an impaired secretion of interleukin (IL-1). Values of MHC class-II antigen expression in diabetics without lipid metabolic alterations were not significantly different from those found in healthy subjects. In conclusion, abnormalities of lipid metabolism often found in type-II diabetes mellitus may play a key role in the impaired specific cell reaction toward infectious diseases of these patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Autoreactive cytotoxic cells in rabbits after prolonged immunostimulation.

Rabbits immunized for 6 months with different amounts of sterile human serum showed weight loss and a decrease in leukocytes. The lymphocyte population reacting to ConA contained autoreactive cells capable of causing 51Cr release from labeled cells from a culture consisting of splenic and peripheral lymphocytic cells from the same animal.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Correlation between modification of membrane phospholipids and some biological activity of lymphocytes, neutrophils and macrophages.

Our study considered the possibility of modifying the functional response of human neutrophils, of mouse lymphocytes and macrophages treated with phospholipids having different polar groups, different isomerisms with saturated and unsaturated fatty acids from C12 to C20 carbon atoms. The results are as follows. a) Most of the phospholipids containing fatty acids from C12 to C20 cause inhibition of the blastogenic capacity of the polyclonal activators tested. b) The phospholipids tested cause a decrease in adherence of polymorphonuclear leukocytes with the exception of the phosphatidyl-choline containing saturated and unsaturated fatty acids. c) A decrease in polymorphonuclear leukocytes migrational capacity almost always occurs. d) The cells treated with L-phosphatidyl-ethanolamine having fatty acids from C14 to C17 show an increase in chemiluminescence; those treated with phosphatidyl-choline and L-phosphatidyl-glycerol show a decrease of the chemiluminescence; L-phosphatidic acid and L-phosphatidyl-ethanolamine having Microbial fatty acids (FAs) at C16 cause a decrease in the formation of phagolisosomes in the macrophages tested.

Animals↗