PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

C Crisafulli

Publications and source records attributed to C Crisafulli.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2007

Effects of etanercept, a tumour necrosis factor-alpha antagonist, in an experimental model of periodontitis in rats.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Etanercept is a tumour necrosis factor antagonist with anti-inflammatory effects. The aim of our study was to evaluate, for the first time, the therapeutic efficacy of in vivo inhibition of TNF-alpha in an experimental model of periodontitis. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH: Periodontitis was induced in adult male Sprague-Dawley rats by placing a nylon thread ligature around the lower 1st molars. Etanercept was administered at a dose of 5 mg kg-1, s.c., after placement of the ligature. KEY RESULTS: Periodontitis in rats resulted in an inflammatory process characterized by oedema, neutrophil infiltration and cytokine production that was followed by the recruitment of other inflammatory cells, production of a range of inflammatory mediators, tissue damage, apoptosis and disease. Treatment of the rats with etanercept (5 mg kg-1, s.c., after placement of the ligature) significantly reduced the degree of (1) periodontitis inflammation and tissue injury (histological score), (2) infiltration of neutrophils (MPO evaluation), (3) iNOS (the expression of nitrotyrosine and cytokines (eg TNF-alpha)) and (4) apoptosis (Bax and Bcl-2 expression). CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Taken together, our results clearly demonstrate that treatment with etanercept reduces the development of inflammation and tissue injury, events associated with periodontitis.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

Inhibition of glycogen synthase kinase-3beta attenuates the development of carrageenan-induced lung injury in mice.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3) is a ubiquitous serine-threonine protein kinase that participates in a multitude of cellular processes and has recently been implicated in the pathophysiology of a number of diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of GSK-3beta inhibition in a model of acute inflammation. Here, we have investigated the effects of TDZD-8, a potent and selective GSK-3beta inhibitor, in a mouse model of carrageenan-induced pleurisy. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH: Injection of carrageenan into the pleural cavity of mice elicited an acute inflammatory response characterized by: accumulation of fluid containing a large number of neutrophils (PMNs) in the pleural cavity, infiltration of PMNs in lung tissues and subsequent lipid peroxidation, and increased production of nitrite/nitrate (NOx), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), tumour necrosis factor-alpha, (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta). Furthermore, carrageenan induced an upregulation of the adhesion molecules ICAM-1 and P-selectin, iNOS, COX-2 as well as nitrotyrosine as determined by immunohistochemical analysis of lung tissues. KEY RESULTS: Administration of TDZD-8 (1, 3 or 10 mg kg(-1), i.p.), 30 min prior to injection of carrageenan, caused a dose-dependent reduction in all the parameters of inflammation measured. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Thus, based on these findings we propose that inhibitors of the activity of GSK-3beta, such as TDZD-8, may be useful in the treatment of various inflammatory diseases.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Neuroprotective effects of Ginkgo biloba extract in brain ischemia are mediated by inhibition of nitric oxide synthesis.

We studied the effects of pre-treatment (15 days) with oral administration of Ginkgo biloba extract (Ph-Gb 37.5-150 mg/kg) on brain malonildialdehyde (MDA), brain edema, brain nitrite and nitrate and delayed neuronal death following transient cerebral ischemia in the Mongolian gerbil. Survival was not modified, however, pre-treatment with Ginkgo biloba significantly and in a dose-dependent way reduced post-ischemic brain MDA levels and post-ischemic brain edema. Delayed neuronal death in the CA1 of the hippocampus was attenuated by the highest dose of the extract. Increase of nitrite and nitrate was observed after cerebral ischemia in the hippocampus and it was dose-dependently reduced in animals pretreated with Ph-Gb, thus suggesting that neuroprotective effects of Ginkgo biloba may be due to an inhibitory action on nitric oxide formation.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1999

Quantitation of argyrophilic nucleolar organizer regions in regenerating muscle fibers in Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophies and polymyositis.

We have investigated the quantity of argyrophilic nucleolar organizer region (AgNOR) proteins in vastus lateralis muscle samples from 13 patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) (6 months-12 years), 9 with Becker muscular dystrophy (BMD) (13 months-36 years), 9 with polymyositis (PM) (8-77 years) and 10 normal subjects (5 months-32 years). AgNORs were visualized on 4-microm-thick cryostat sections and quantified according to the guidelines of the Committee on AgNOR Quantitation; statistical analysis was performed on the mean AgNOR area (NORA) values. The mean NORA values encountered in DMD (4.327+/-0.791 microm2), BMD (3.534+/-0.312 microm2) and PM (3.785+/-0.424 microm2) samples were significantly (P<0.001) higher than those of normal muscle (1.682+/-0.288 microm2); a value of P<0.001 was also obtained when NORA values found in DMD were compared with those of BMD or PM. In addition, when NORA values were exclusively calculated in regenerating myofibers in DMD, BMD and PM, no differences were appreciable. On the other hand, in non-regenerating myofibers, the NORA values showed a significant increase in DMD versus BMD and PM (P<0.001) as well as in each disease group versus controls. Our study documents that muscle diseases, such as DMD, BMD and PM in which regeneration is a constant finding, have a high rDNA transcriptional activity. In particular, our findings suggest that (1) regenerating nuclei behave in the same way in dystrophinopathies or PM; (2) virtually all nuclei, including quiescent-looking ones, are activated to realize an increased intracellular protein synthesis for proliferative and/or functional purposes; and (3) the quantity of AgNOR does not seem related to age of patients at the time of biopsy.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

Immunohistochemical detection of lactoferrin in human astrocytomas and multiforme glioblastomas.

The presence of lactoferrin in astrocytomas, anaplastic astrocytomas and multiforme glioblastomas was determined by immunohistochemistry; the staining intensity and the percentage of neoplastic stained cells were graded and statistical analysis was performed by non-parametric methods. A moderate to strong diffuse immunoreactivity for lactoferrin was shown in glial elements of astrocytomas, while the positivity was progressively reduced in anaplastic astrocytomas and in multiforme glioblastomas, some of which were unstained; a highly significant difference was found between scores relative to astrocytomas and glioblastomas. We suggest that the lactoferrin may be produced by neoplastic astrocytes which permits a greater availability of iron for metabolic cellular processes. Alternatively, the cytoplasmic localization of lactoferrin in neoplastic astrocytes may be the consequence of defective or functionally impaired lactoferrin receptors at the cellular surface.

Astrocytoma↗
PubMed1997

Multiple organ failure following zymosan-induced peritonitis is mediated by nitric oxide.

In the present study we tested the hypothesis that nitric oxide may play a role in the pathogenesis of multiple organ failure induced by peritoneal injection of zymosan in the rat. A severe inflammatory response characterized by peritoneal exudation, high plasma and peritoneal levels of nitrate/ nitrite (breakdown products of nitric oxide), prostaglandin E2 and leukocyte infiltration into peritoneal exudate was induced by zymosan administration. This inflammatory process started within 3 h of administration and onset occurred at 18 h, coinciding with damage of lung, small intestine and liver, as assessed by histological examination and by increase of myeloperoxidase activity, indicative of neutrophil infiltration. Furthermore, at 18 h after zymosan-induced peritonitis, expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase enzyme was found mainly in the macrophages of inflamed lungs. Subcutaneously administration of a nonisoform selective nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester, reduced formation of peritoneal exudate fluid, blocked plasma and peritoneal nitrate/nitrite accumulation, and attenuated the elevated release of peritoneal prostaglandin E2. In addition, nitric oxide synthase inhibition was effective in preventing the development of organ failure since tissue injury and neutrophil infiltration, by myeloperoxidase evaluation, was reduced in lung, small intestine, and liver. In conclusion, major findings of our study are that nitric oxide exerts a proinflammatory role in the development of multiple organ failure and nitric oxide synthase inhibition is an effective antiinflammatory therapeutic tool, since inhibits not only nitric oxide but also prostaglandin production and cellular infiltration in inflamed organs.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1993

A new antioxidant drug limits brain damage induced by transient cerebral ischaemia.

Restoration of blood flow after an ischaemic event generates the formation of oxygen radicals which could augment brain damage. The authors studied the effects of different doses (50, 100, 200 mg/kg/i.p.) of a new antioxidant, IRFI-016, [2(2,3-dihydro-5-acetoxy-4,6,7-trimethylbenzofuranyl) acetic acid] on brain damage in the Mongolian gerbil induced by 5 min of bilateral carotid occlusion (BCO) followed by reperfusion. Post-ischaemic brain malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and locomotor activity at different times and delayed neuronal death of hippocampal CA1 area on the fourth day after occlusion were evaluated. During reperfusion, after BCO, enhancement of brain MDA occurs (37.5%, 62.5% and 100% at 15, 30 and 60 min of reperfusion, respectively). Brain MDA postischaemic increases were reduced at 15 min of reperfusion to 15.4% and 44.4% by IRFI-016, 100 and 200 mg/kg, respectively. After 30 min of reperfusion brain MDA was reduced to 31.25% and 53.13% by IRFI-016 100 and 200 mg/kg, respectively. Hyperactivity and delayed neuronal death of CA1 were significantly reduced in postischaemic gerbils treated with the highest doses of IRFI-016. Results indicate that pretreatment with the antioxidant IRFI-016 improves in a dose-dependent manner brain damage induced by ischaemia and reperfusion in the gerbil.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Iron-binding proteins in human colorectal adenomas and carcinomas: an immunocytochemical investigation.

By immunocytochemistry, the presence of major iron-binding proteins (lactoferrin, transferrin and ferritin) was investigated in tubular adenomas (12 cases), villous adenomas (7 cases), carcinomas of the large bowel and rectum (39 cases) and lymph nodes involved in carcinomas (8 cases); 5 samples of colonic inflammatory pseudopolyps were also studied. Dysplastic areas of tubular and villous adenomas as well as adenocarcinomas and colloid carcinomas showed a variable cytoplasmic immunoreactivity for all antisera, although no staining was noted in some cases; tubular adenomas without dysplasia and colonic inflammatory pseudopolyps were always unstained. Metastatic elements present in lymph nodes maintained the immunohistochemical staining for iron-binding proteins. An autoctone production of lactoferrin, transferrin and ferritin by tumour cells may be hypothesized in relation to the increased requirement of iron for the turnover of rapidly dividing cells.

Adenoma↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Gastric hepatoid adenocarcinoma with autophagy-related necrosis-like tumor cell death: report of a case.

A case of hepatoid adenocarcinoma of the stomach is presented. The characteristic features of the tumor are summarized on the basis of the authors' experience and the literature. Ultrastructural examination revealed patchy condensations of chromatin throughout the nucleus suggestive of necrosis-like programmed cell death (PCD). These nuclear alterations were associated with the occurrence of vacuoles and lipofuscins, conferring an autophagic phenotype to this PCD. Thus, the case reported here provides an example of autophagic-related necrosis-like PCD. Alternative PCDs are reviewed and their morphologic distinction is discussed.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Examining your black box.

Effective management employs the skills of eliciting appropriate behavior and performance from people and successfully interacting with the environment. Formal management training is one tool that can help a medical group manager accomplish this objective. Another tool is a set of personal values which are consistent with the manager's actions. These values are neatly packaged in what the author calls a "black box." It makes for not only a healthy management style, but also a healthy person if the cognitions contained in one's black box are continually examined and weeded. To assist managers in identifying and examining the elements contained in their personal value sets, the author presents a few elements of his own black box.

Administrative Personnel↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Immunocytochemical detection of megakaryocytes by endothelial markers: a comparative study.

By endothelial markers such as FVIII, UEA-I, CD31 and QBEND/10, the Authors have investigated the immunohistochemical pattern of bone marrow megakaryocytes in myelodysplastic (8 cases) and myeloproliferative (35 cases) disorders as well as in control biopsies (8 cases). An evident cytoplasmic positivity with FVIII and UEA-I was encountered in all normal and pathological specimens, whereas the immunolocalization of CD31 was limited to megakaryocytes present in normal bone marrow biopsies or in cases of myelofibrosis. No immunostaining with QBEND/10 was observed in any case, although the most selective staining of endothelial cells of bone marrow vessels was noted with this antibody. The usefulness to utilize endothelial markers in order to identify atypical and immature forms of megakaryocytes as well as micromegakaryocytes, especially in myelofibrosis by the aid of CD31, was also discussed.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The application of AgNOR technique on glycol-methacrylate embedded human normal and pathological tissues.

The Authors have applied the AgNOR technique to a series of normal and pathological human tissues fixed in neutral buffered formalin and methacarnoy and embedded in glycol-methacrylate. The results show the compatibility of the AgNOR technique with this embedding medium as well as the possibility to obtain an adequate visualization of the specific silver precipitates (AgNORs) on a unique focal plane without appreciable nuclear overlap, making thus the valuation of the AgNORs less subjective.

Digestive System↗