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Biomedical subjects

C Surrenti

Publications and source records attributed to C Surrenti.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1987

Cell-mediated immunity to HBcAg in chronic HBV infection.

The role of hepatitis B core antigen (HBcAg) as a possible target of cell-mediated immune response in chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection has been recently emphasized. Peripheral blood leukocytes (PBLs) from 35 chronic carriers of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) were studied in vitro for their immune response to a purified preparation of HBcAg isolated from circulating Dane particles. PBLs from all the studied HBsAg-positive patients yielded a stimulation index above 3, with values ranging from 3.1 to 38.1. None of the healthy seronegative subjects, taken as control group, had a stimulation index above 2, with a mean value +/- SD of 1.28 +/- 0.35. Levels of PBL stimulation correlated with the histologic activity of liver disease, and the differences reached statistical significance. These results indicate that lymphocyte response to HBcAg may be relevant in determining liver cell damage.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Diagnostic significance of anti-HBc IgM (RIA) in healthy HBsAg carriers and in chronic hepatitis B.

The diagnostic significance of IgM antibody against hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc) in healthy hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) carriers and in subjects affected by chronic hepatitis B was evaluated. IgM anti-HBc was sought and found in all nine patients examined who were affected by acute HBsAg-positive hepatitis. It was also detected in 2 out of 18 patients with HBsAg-positive chronic persistent hepatitis and in 12 out of 42 patients affected by HBsAg-positive chronic active hepatitis. The absence of this marker was noted in all 26 HBsAg healthy carriers and in the subjects with HBsAg-positive cirrhosis. No relationship was found between the presence of IgM anti-HBc and the degree of inflammatory activity in the patients with HBsAg-positive chronic active hepatitis. A correlation was not found between the presence of IgM anti-HBc and the presence of hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) in the same patients. These data show that the absence of IgM anti-HBc may be useful in identifying healthy carriers of HBsAg. The presence of this antibody may be a suitable indication of acute HBsAg-positive hepatitis. In patients with chronic active hepatitis B the presence of IgM anti-HBc cannot be used as diagnostic tool in predicting the severity of liver disease.

Antibody Specificity↗
PubMed1985

Immune mechanisms for hepatic fibrogenesis. T-lymphocyte-mediated stimulation of fibroblast collagen production in chronic active hepatitis.

Lymphocytes can produce soluble factors capable of enhancing fibroblast proliferation and collagen synthesis. T-lymphocytes, adherent cells and undifferentiated peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with HBsAg-positive chronic active hepatitis and from HBsAg healthy carriers were triggered with purified HBsAg and tested for their ability to enhance collagen production by human dermal fibroblast cultures. Purified HBsAg did not induce any proliferative response in the mononuclear cell cultures. Addition of patient T-lymphocyte supernates to monolayers of fibroblast consistently resulted in a significant enhancement of collagen production. On the contrary, supernates harvested from adherent cell cultures did not demonstrate any stimulatory activity. We therefore assumed that the observed enhancement of collagen production was probably the result of lymphokine(s) produced by T-lymphocytes. This fibrogenic factor (or factors), which is released by T-cells independently of the presence in vitro of HBsAg, is stable at -80 degrees C, not dialyzable and, by Sephadex G-100 gel filtration, is present in a fraction which collects substances of a molecular weight between 50 000 and 100 000. Mononuclear cell supernates from HBsAg healthy carriers did not influence fibroblast collagen accumulation. These data emphasize the possible role that lymphokines may play in the pathogenesis of fibrosis during the natural history of chronic liver disease.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Serum alkaline phosphatase isoenzymes: the fast liver fraction in the diagnosis of hepatobiliary disease with or without cholestasis.

Serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP EC 3.13.1) isoenzyme patterns were studied in 110 patients with hepatobiliary disease in order to evaluate whether the appearance of the fast liver fraction, absent in normal subjects, could be a marker of cholestatic mechanism. This possibility was studied even when the ALP values are borderline or within normal limits. In conclusion it was found that the fast liver fraction, absent in normal subjects, can satisfactorily discriminate between cholestatic and non-cholestatic disease. Statistical analysis has shown a sensitivity of 98%, a specificity of 92%, a predictable positive value of 90%, a predictable negative value of 98% and a validity of 95%. False positive are 10% and false negative 2%; chi 2 test was 45.008, p less than 0.001. The results show that the presence of this fraction, besides being highly specific, is also an early marker for cholestasis.

Alkaline Phosphatase↗
PubMed1984

Calcitonin increases peripheral plasma somatostatin-like immunoreactivity levels in humans.

Even though the inhibitory effects of CT on both hormone secretion and gastrointestinal functions have been well established, the exact mechanism of action still remains unclear. Since the effects of CT can be reproduced by somatostatin, we studied in man the effect of SCT on peripheral plasma SLI levels. Immediately after the onset of CT infusion SLI rose from its mean basal value of 45 +/- 5.5 pg/ml to a peak value of 91 +/- 11 pg/ml (p less than 0.005). SLI levels were still significantly elevated at 30 (p less than 0.05), 45 (p less than 0.05), 90 (p less than 0.005) and 120 min (p less than 0.02). Our results, in good agreement with the previous report by Chiba et al. on isolated perfused rat stomach, suggest that CT effects may, at least in part, be mediated by endogenous somatostatin release.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Effect of PGE2 and indomethacin on human fibroblast collagen production.

Fibroblasts can synthetize prostaglandins (particularly PGE2) "in vitro" but it still remains unclear what role they play in the regulation of fibroblast proliferation and collagen production. We report here the effect of PGE2 and indomethacin on collagen synthesis by cultured human dermal fibroblasts. PGE2 (range: 1-300 pmoles/ml) and indomethacin (range: 0.0025-1.0 micrograms/ml) did not significantly affect fibroblast collagen production, when added for 24 hours at 37 degrees C to the cultures, in comparison to controls (fibroblasts incubated for 24 hours at 37 degrees C in medium only). Prostaglandins probably modulate collagen synthesis, as described in a previous report, by means their effect on cell proliferation. It appears they do not affect the intracellular mechanism of collagen production.

Cells, Cultured↗
PubMed1984

Long term follow-up of mild chronic active hepatitis.

A group of 41 patients (25 males and 16 females) with mild chronic active hepatitis was studied for a mean follow-up period of 6.5 years. All patients had liver biopsy on admission and a second biopsy during the follow-up period. All but 7 patients were treated with prednisolone. Most of the patients were asymptomatic. There was no history of alcohol abuse or chronic administration of drugs. Fourteen patients were HBsAg positive and 27 HBsAg negative. Circulating autoantibodies were absent. Thirty-three patients did not demonstrate any change in disease activity. Four developed liver cirrhosis and four were apparently cured.

Autoantibodies↗
PubMed1982

Abnormalities of immunocompetent cells in primary biliary cirrhosis.

Primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) is a chronic cholestatic progressive liver disease frequently associated with various immunological abnormalities. We have studied the influence of normal and PBC adherent cells (AC) on peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) colony growth both in liquid and soft agar culture. Co-culture experiments with different combinations of AC and PBL of PBC patients and normal donors provided evidence that PBC adherent cells function abnormally. However, this impaired function is not the sole factor involved, since the number of colonies formed by PBC lymphocytes in the presence of normal AC was twice the normal value. The possibility that this increase is correlated with the state of activation of T cells is discussed in the light of the high number of DR-positive T cells found in the PBC patients studied. Finally, none of these immunological abnormalities was related to the stage of the disease.

Adult↗
PubMed1981

Studies of cell-mediated immunity in patients with Crohn's disease.

A defect of cell-mediated immunity was reported in patients with Crohn's disease. In attempting to evaluate the possible role of serum factor(s) in the pathogenesis of this defect we studied the effect of sera from patients with Crohn's disease on normal lymphocyte E rosette formation and in vitro PHA responsiveness. An impairment of E rosette formation and PHA response was detected when normal donor lymphocytes were incubated with patients' sera. We concluded that the defect of cell-mediated immunity in Crohn's disease may be due to the presence of serum inhibitory factor(s) and of nutrient serum deficiencies. This defect is not correlated with clinical parameters and the duration of the disease; it is not affected by surgical resection.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1980

Effect of bile acids on E rosette formation and PHA stimulation.

The effect of bile acids on E rosette formation and lymphocyte response to PHA was studied. Pooled conjugated and unconjugated bile acids decreased normal lymphocyte E rosette formation in vitro. This inhibition is related to bile acid concentration. Unconjugated bile acids induced a depression of PHA stimulation in comparison to controls. These findings suggest that bile acids can play a role in the depression of cellular immunity observed in patients with cholestasis.

Animals↗
PubMed1980

[Correlations between gastric erosions and duodenal ulcer. Endoscopic study].

123 varioliform, 105 aphthous and 48 haemorrhagic flat erosions were noted in 2618 gastroduodenoscopies. A high incidence of erosions were associated with duodenal ulcer (43% of duodenal ulcers), especially in varioliform types and antrally. It is suggested that antral varioliform erosions form an integrating part or even the sole expression of an ulcer, and thus be seen as "sentinels" of an existing, potential or prior duodenal ulcer. Based on statistics, this view is supported by the maximum stimulus acidograms, which show that the PAO in antral varioliform erosions form an integrating part or even the sole expression of an ulcer, and thus be seen as "sentinels" of an existing, potential or prior duodenal ulcer. Based on statistics, this view is supported by the maximum stimulus acidograms, which show that the PAO in antral varioliform erosggested that antral varioliform erosions form an integrating part or even the sole expression of an ulcer, and thus be seen as "sentinels" of an existing, potential or prior duodenal ulcer. Based on statistics, this view is supported by the maximum stimulus acidograms, which show that the PAO in antral varioliform erosion without duodenal ulcer is within the range for duodenal patients. The employment of PAO is thus proposed in all cases of isolated antral varioliform gastric erosion, particularly in the absence of other possible causes.

Adult↗
PubMed1978

[The antisteatosic activity of 2-MPG (Thiola). Study with the (BSF) dynamic test and with liver biopsy before and after the treatment].

The short-term therapeutic effect of 2-MPG has been studied in 12 patients suffering from chronic liver disease of prevalent steatosic type. The drug was administered in a dose of 2.5 g. for 20 days. Patients were submitted to hepatic needle biopsy and BSF load test, with compartmental analysis before and after treatment. A marked reduction in steatosis and a statistically significant fall in BSF retention at the 45th minute, with increase in conjugation and excretion of colorant, was observed in 11 patients.

Adult↗