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C Pasquinelli

Publications and source records attributed to C Pasquinelli.

27 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1987

Frequent lymphocytes infection by hepatitis B virus in haemophiliacs.

We have tested the different mononuclear blood cell populations of seven patients with severe haemophilia and one patient with F VII deficiency for the presence of HBV DNA. These subjects were all polytransfused with non-heated coagulation factors; three were HBsAg positive, five HBsAg negative but anti-HBc and anti-HBs positive; HBV DNA sequences were detected in six subjects including three without detectable serum HBsAg. Furthermore the viral DNA sequences were identified in the T lymphocyte subpopulations (OKT4+ and/or OKT8+ cells). This observation suggests that HBV infection of lymphocytes might be related to the immunological disorders observed in these patients.

Blood Coagulation Factors↗
PubMed1986

Hepatitis B virus DNA in mononuclear blood cells. A frequent event in hepatitis B surface antigen-positive and -negative patients with acute and chronic liver disease.

We have investigated 38 hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-positive and 34-negative patients with acute and chronic liver disease for the presence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA in peripheral mononuclear blood cells. Among the HBsAg-positive subjects HBV DNA was detected in the mononuclear cells of asymptomatic HBV carriers (2/6), patients with acute hepatitis (8/8), chronic active hepatitis (18/21), and with hepatocellular carcinoma (2/3); the viral DNA sequences were also identified in the mononuclear cells of patients with HBsAg-negative acute hepatitis (2/3), chronic active hepatitis (5/15) and hepatocellular carcinoma (5/16), some of these showing no evidence of HBV by conventional serological markers. By contrast HBV DNA was not detected after resolution of the acute viral infection. For 7 patients different mononuclear cell-enriched subpopulations were assayed and the viral DNA was observed in T lymphocytes (both OKT4+ and OKT8+ enriched subsets) and/or in B enriched lymphocytes; the restriction DNA patterns showed in some patients a genetic organisation of the viral DNA similar to those observed in the liver (including free monomeric and oligomeric HBV DNA and results consistent with integrated viral sequences); however, no HBV DNA replicative forms were detected. These results show that the hepatitis B virus infection of mononuclear blood cells (including lymphoid cells) is a frequent event at all stages of the viral infection which might be related to immunological abnormalities observed in HBV carriers; in addition the mononuclear blood cells analysis may provide an insight to the liver cells status.

B-Lymphocytes↗
PubMed1984

Gastrointestinal endoscopy and HBV infection: no evidence for a causal relationship. A prospective controlled study.

The importance of the different endoscopic procedures in the transmission of hepatitis B was investigated prospectively by following up for 6 months all HBV-negative patients endoscoped from April to October 1981. A group of patients admitted in the same period to our unit constituted the control group. Controls were obtained after 1, 3, and 6 months from endoscopy. Infection rate was 1% for the control group and 0.45% for the endoscopy group. The difference is not statistically significant. These results strongly support the view, already present on an uncontrolled basis in the literature, that transmission of hepatitis B is not associated with gastrointestinal endoscopy.

Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Ethanol-induced increase in cytosolic estrogen receptors in human male liver: a possible explanation for biochemical feminization in chronic liver disease due to alcohol.

The hepatic cytosolic estrogen receptor content was measured in liver samples from patients with normal livers and from patients with nonalcoholic cirrhosis, alcoholic cirrhosis and alcoholic hepatitis. The estrogen receptor content of normal liver was 5.2 +/- 3.5 fmoles per mg of cytosolic protein. Levels which were not significantly different from this were found in the samples from patients with nonalcoholic cirrhosis (2.1 +/- 2.0 fmoles per mg of cytosolic protein). The cytosolic estrogen receptor content in the livers of patients with alcoholic cirrhosis who were abstaining was 4.2 +/- 3.6 fmoles per mg of cytosolic protein, but it increased to 10.4 +/- 4.9 fmoles per mg of protein in the livers of patients with alcoholic cirrhosis who were drinking, to 17.3 +/- 8.7 fmoles per mg of protein in the livers of patients with alcoholic hepatitis with cirrhosis and to 22.7 +/- 15.7 fmoles per mg of protein in the livers of patients with alcoholic hepatitis without cirrhosis. Alcohol abuse appeared, therefore, to induce an increase in the estrogen receptor content of human liver, especially in patients who were drinking and had histological evidence of acute liver damage (alcoholic hepatitis). The increase in hepatic estrogen receptor which we have observed may be involved in the molecular mechanisms underlying the feminization of the liver in alcoholic males.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Estrogen receptors in the human liver].

Human hepatic estrogen receptors (ER) were investigated in 17 healthy subjects (13 males and 4 females) and 70 patients with chronic liver disease (45 males and 25 females). Characterization of the estrogen binders in cytosol from human male liver showed two classes of binders, the first of them corresponding to estrogen receptor (Kd = 10(-10) M), and the second representing a low affinity binder (KD = 10(-8) M). Increased ER levels were found in males with chronic liver disease, patients with primary hepatic carcinoma (PHC) having about twice the levels of normal males. Normal females had basal values about three times higher than control males; during the progression of chronic liver disease, ER levels fell to arise again slowly so that, in PHC, values were about half of those in normal females. Prolonged alcohol abuse appeared to induce a marked increase in ER levels both in male and in female patients. The increase was maximal in patients who were still actively drinking and in those with histological signs of acute alcoholic hepatitis.

Carcinoma, Hepatocellular↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[HBV DNA in mononuclear cells of peripheral blood in acute hepatitis B: a comparative analysis of Southern blot and polymerase chain reaction (PCR)].

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) has been observed in all stages of liver disease. The data available on acute hepatitis patients are limited. We therefore focused our attention on the presence of HBV DNA sequences in PMBCs of 30 patients with acute type B hepatitis. Southern Blot analysis showed no HBV sequences in PMBCs, although the sensitivity of our method enabled us to detect as low as 1 pg of cloned HBV insert. On the other hand, Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) demonstrated the presence of HBV related sequences in 14 out of 30 patients (5 HBeAg positive, 9 anti HBeAg positive). Our results indicate that the involvement of PMBCs with HBV during acute infection is not correlated with viral replication and occurs at a very low level, so that its detection by traditional Southern Blotting can prove ineffective.

Acute Disease↗