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Biomedical subjects

C U Casciani

Publications and source records attributed to C U Casciani.

At least 163 records · Page 9Linked to original sources
PubMed1990

[Cyclosporin (CyA) and H2 antagonists].

An experimental study on rats in order to discovery any possible interaction between Ciclosporin (CyA) and H2-receptor antagonists has been carried out. The results obtained demonstrated that the serum levels of CyA were higher in rats treated with CyA and Cimetidine or Ranitidine, but not Famotidine. It is probable that the increase of ciclosporinaemia is the consequence of an increased hepatotoxicity due to administration of Cya in association with Cimetidine or Ranitidine.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Drug interaction between cyclosporin A and nizatidine in Sprague-Dawley rats.

The H2-receptor antagonists seem to be effective in prevention and treatment of stress ulcer in transplant recipients. In a previous study on rats, an increase was observed in cyclosporinaemia and hepatotoxicity after administration of cimetidine or ranitidine in association with cyclosporin A (CyA). On the contrary, famotidine does not influence the blood CyA levels. The aim of the study was to detect the possible synergistic nephro- and hepatotoxicity of nizatidine administered in association with CyA, assaying the serum creatinine, the ALT and AST levels, and histological features of thirty young male Sprague-Dawley rats, divided into 6 groups of five animals each. After 10 days, all the rats were sacrificed, their blood was collected to assay serum creatinine, ALT, AST and serum CyA levels: kidneys and livers were processed for light microscopy. The results obtained demonstrated that, while the level of creatinine was normal in each group, the average level of transaminase and the serum levels of CyA were significantly higher in the animals receiving the association of CyA and nizatidine. Furthermore, this group demonstrated a mild infiltrate of the liver characterized in some cases with eosinophilic polymorphonuclear cells. In light of the results obtained, it is probable that the increase of cyclosporinaemia is the consequence of an enhanced hepatotoxicity due to administration of CyA in association with nizatidine.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Cytotoxic effectors in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells induced by a mannoprotein complex of Candida albicans: a comparison with interleukin 2-activated killer cells.

In this study, the major histocompatibility complex-unrestricted cytotoxic effectors elicited in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) by a mannoprotein (MP) component from the cell wall of the human indigenous microorganism Candida albicans have been compared with those obtained by stimulation with interleukin 2. (Interleukin 2-activated killer cells: LAK). It has been found that MP-induced lytic effectors were substantially similar to LAK in potency, target specificity, and type of precursor/effector cells. In both cases, natural killer (NK)-susceptible and NK-resistant targets as well as fresh tumor (glioma) cells were efficiently killed by a population of effectors showing a predominant CD3-, CD16+ phenotype. However, the precursors of MP-induced killers were highly sensitive to the lysosomotropic toxic drug L-leucine methyl ester (Leu-OME) whereas the generation of LAK cells was unaffected by this drug. The Leu-OME sensitivity of MP-induced cytotoxicity generation was not due to a nonspecific effect on antigen-presenting cells or inhibition of cell proliferation. In addition, the generation of MP-induced killer cells was totally abrogated by treatment with CD16 antibodies and complement, whereas a minor but significant fraction of LAK precursors was not susceptible to the above treatment. These results indicate that a defined component(s) of the cell wall of C. albicans has some properties of biological response modifiers in cultures of human PBMC in vitro.

Antigens, Surface↗
PubMed1989

HLA antigens and neuroleptic response in clinical subtypes of schizophrenia.

The frequency of HLA antigens of A and B loci was examined in a carefully selected sample of 91 schizophrenic patients from central Italy. This population showed no increase in antigens compared with the control group. However, in agreement with previous studies, a slight increase in A1 was observed in the hebephrenic subgroup and, in a lesser extent, an increase of A2 was found in the paranoid subgroup. Although these increases are more prominent when the subgroups are compared and tend to support the case for genetic heterogeneity, they fail to reach statistical significance. Response to neuroleptic treatment was studied in an attempt to further subdivide the clinical subgroups. A1-negative and A2-positive paranoid patients demonstrated a statistical better response to neuroleptics. The findings suggest that schizophrenia should be considered a heterogenous disease and that response to neuroleptics can be employed as an instrument of biological subclassification.

Antipsychotic Agents↗
PubMed1989

[Role of low molecular weight heparin in the prevention of postoperative deep venous thrombosis. Our experience in 88 cases].

In Leriche's "maladie post-operatoire" one of the most frequent and dangerous complications is the deep vein thrombosis (DVT). In general surgery its occurrence is between 10 and 40%, closely related to factors like patient's age, postoperative immobilization, type and time of surgery. Low molecular weight heparins (LMWH) have been recently introduced as a therapy to prevent postoperative DVT in high risk patients. LMWH seem to have all advantages of classical heparin products without their side effects. Eighty eight patients who underwent general surgery were studied in a clinical controlled trial about effectiveness of a new LMWH (Fluxum) for the prevention of postoperative DVT: 44 were treated with Calcium-heparin and 44 were treated with Fluxum. Both drugs decreased significantly the percentage of DVT, but Fluxum seemed to be better tolerated for its single-daily subcutaneous administration.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Alloantigen and microbial antigen-induced cellular immune responses: inhibitory effects of four anti-HLA class II monoclonal antibodies.

Four monoclonal antibodies (MAb's) directed against different epitopes of class II structures coded for by the human major histocompatibility complex (HLA), were studied to evaluate the relevance of these molecules on the control of different in vitro cell-mediated immune responses. Irrespective of the epitopes recognized, all MAb's tested exerted a powerful inhibitory effect on mixed lymphocyte cultures and on proliferation induced by microbial antigens. The generation of cytotoxic T lymphocytes and natural killer-like effectors also were inhibited by the addition of anti-HLA class II MAb in the cultures. The anti-HLA class II MAb provide a useful tool for the study of the in vitro immune response and eventually for therapeutic immunomodulation.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗