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C de Carolis

Publications and source records attributed to C de Carolis.

6 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2004

Progesterone supplement in pregnancy: an immunologic therapy?

One of the most interesting functions of the placenta is the regulation of the maternal immune response such that the fetal semi-allograft is tolerated during pregnancy. Trophoblasts are presumed to be essential to this phenomenon because they lie at the maternal-fetal interface, where they are in direct contact with cells of the maternal immune system. Trophoblasts do not express classic major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II molecules. Surprisingly, cytotrophoblasts express more HLA-G, a MHC class Ib molecule, as they invade the uterus. Progesterone plays an important role in postovulatory regulation of the menstrual cycle. If fertilization occurs, progesterone supports implantation of the ovum and maintains the pregnancy. Progesterone has been named the 'hormone of pregnancy', because in preparing the endometrium for embryo implantation and facilitating endometrial development, it is critical to the very survival of a pregnancy. In addition, this key hormone inhibits the rejection of T cell-mediated tissue and also decreases myometrial activity and sensitivity throughout pregnancy. The cellular actions of progesterone are mediated through intracellular progesterone receptors (PRs), which are well studied gene regulators, not express classic major histocompatibility complex. The more used paradigm is relative to the alteration of relationship TH1/TH2, but the complexity of the respective distributions of cytokines at the materno-fetal interface, strongly suggest that, as useful as it certainly was for a while, the Th1/Th2 paradigm must now be considered as an oversimplification. Rather, the existing data point to sequential windows and are suggestive of a system where an extreme complexity is allied to very precise timing and tuning. They also suggest that the materno-fetal relationship is not simply maternal tolerance of a foreign tissue, but a series of intricate mutual cytokine interactions governing selective immune regulation and also control of the adhesion and vascularization processes during this dialogue. However, as shifting the immune response toward the Th2 pattern (IL-4, IL-5, IL-6) may benefit the fetus, whereas development of proinflammatory Th1 cells (secreting IL-2, IFN g, TNF a) may be harmful. Now we are working to open comprise the precise behaviour of NK populations, with the hope of obtaining a diagnostic test of the condition of abortion from 'immunological causes'.

Abortion, Habitual↗
PubMed1990

Complement, complement activation and anaphylatoxins in human ovarian follicular fluid.

Functionally active complement was sought and detected in human follicular fluids obtained during the pre-ovulatory period. All the functional complement activities tested, including total haemolytic complement, classical pathway activity and alternative pathway activity were present in nine fluids from four different donors with values within the normal serum range. The immunochemical analysis demonstrated the presence of complement factors from C1 to C9, of B and of C1 INH, H, I. Complement anaphylatoxins were found employing RIA techniques in amounts significantly higher than in human plasma, thus demonstrating that follicular fluid complement, at least during the pre-ovulatory period, is partially activated. A possible role for urokinase-like substances in such an activation was indicated by further in vitro experiments. The presence of active complement in follicular fluid can be relevant for the function of the enzymatic multi-factorial mechanism of ovulation.

Anaphylatoxins↗
PubMed1987

Evidence for activation of complement in patients with AIDS related complex (ARC) and/or lymphoadenopathy syndrome (LAS).

The complement system was examined in 16 patients with AIDS-related complex (ARC) (n = 5) and/or lymphoadenopathy syndrome (LAS) (n = 11). Of these patients 62.5% showed an impairment of classical and/or alternative pathway activity associated with the presence of cleavage fragments of C3 and/or B and a significant reduction of many complement factors. The data indicate pathological complement activation in these patients through the classical and/or alternative pathway. Complement activation was more severe in patients with ARC than in those with LAS, and greater in drug abusers than homosexuals. The lack of efficient complement in the patients can be considered an 'acquired complement deficiency' with possible importance in the failure to combat the HIV attack.

AIDS-Related Complex↗
PubMedDate not supplied

High amounts of beta-endorphin in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from HANE patients.

We measured peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) beta-endorphin (BE) in patients suffering from hereditary angioneurotic edema (HANE), a disease attributed to C1-esterase inhibitor (C1INH) deficiency inherited as an autosomal dominant trait. Two orders of considerations prompted us to undertake the study reported herein: the presence of elevated plasma BE concentrations in HANE and the demonstration of BE-immunoreactivity in human unstimulated peripheral blood leukocytes obtained from healthy volunteers. Our results show that patients suffering from HANE have a very high BE presence in uncultured, unstimulated PBMC and in unstimulated PBMC cultured for 48 h. At this time high BE concentrations are detected in the culture supernatants. These observations suggest that in HANE patients the same factor(s) involved in causing increased secretion and release of BE from the pituitary (and, in turn, increased plasma BE levels) can play a relevant role also in the determination of high BE presence in PBMC and BE release from the cells.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Complement activation by cigarette smoke condensate and tobacco infusion.

The capacity of tobacco infusion and cigarette smoke condensate to activate the complement pathway was investigated in vitro by hemolytic and immunological assays. Complement activity was studied using samples of normal human serum incubated at 37 degrees C with different dilutions of tobacco infusion and cigarette smoke condensate. In all mixtures containing tobacco infusion or cigarette smoke condensate at a concentration of 0.1: 1, total hemolytic complement showed an average progressive decrease of 90% and 50%, respectively, after 60 min of incubation. This decrease was associated with a decrease of both classical and alternative pathway activities. In addition, cleavage fragments of C3, C4, and factor B were identified with immunochemical analyses. This study suggests that tobacco infusion and cigarette smoke condensate are activators of complement either through the classical or alternative pathway.

Blood↗