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Biomedical subjects

D Fumarola

Publications and source records attributed to D Fumarola.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1985

Endotoxicity of newly recognized gram negative organism: a collective review.

A comprehensive picture of the in part personal investigations concerning an Endotoxin-like activity associated with some recently recognized Gram negative significant pathogens has been drawn. Suspensions of heat-killed organisms (or endotoxic lipopolysaccharide when available) have been tested using as markers of endotoxicity the Limulus assay and the skin Shwartzman reaction in rabbit. Some general considerations are finally set forth on the possible role of the surface structures in mediating (with other virulence factors) the damage in the host.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Lyme disease in Italy: first reported case.

The AA describe the first italian case of Lyme Disease in a middle aged woman: the patient developed after a tick bite the classical erythema chronicum migrans lesions and one month later an oligoarthritis. By indirect immunofluorescence assay it has been found a significant titre compatible with an infection by Borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent of Lyme Disease.

Bites and Stings↗
PubMed1984

Evaluation of absorption with Limulus amebocyte lysate to remove contaminating endotoxin from interferon and lymphokine preparations.

Alpha and beta human interferon (IFN) preparations and lymphokines (supernatants of PHA-stimulated blood lymphocytes) were deliberately contaminated with endotoxin (20 ng/ml) and subsequently rendered endotoxin-free by absorption with Limulus amebocyte lysate (LAL). Absorption with LAL did not appreciably affect the antiviral activity of IFN and lymphokines in 8 experiments and caused a 30-50% reduction in two. The capacity of these agents to stimulate natural killer cell activity and monocyte cytotoxicity was not consistently modified by absorption on LAL. When the chemotactic activity of lymphokine for monocytes was measured, the maximal number of monocytes induced to migrate and the maximal active lymphokine concentration were not affected by absorption with LAL. LAL-treated lymphokines, however, showed a prozone phenomenon, presumably related to the release of chemotaxis inhibitor(s) from the LAL gel.

Absorption↗
PubMed1983

Role of endotoxin in the expression of human monocyte cytotoxicity.

The role of bacterial endotoxin in the expression of human monocyte cytotoxicity was studied. Endotoxin contamination of all reagents and steps of the experimental procedure were assessed by the limulus amebocyte lysate (LAL) assay. Peripheral blood monocytes were separated by adherence, and cytotoxicity was measured as [3H]-thymidine release from prelabeled mKSA-TU5 murine target cells in a 48-hr assay. Human monocytes expressed appreciable levels of spontaneous cytotoxicity under LAL- conditions irrespective of the serum source employed (LAL- or LAL+ fetal bovine serum, FBS, or LAL- human cord serum, HCS). HCS gave the highest cytotoxicity levels and LAL- FBS the lowest. Polymyxin B (10 micrograms/ml), which inhibited endotoxin-induced gelation of LAL and activation of mononuclear cells for procoagulant activity, did not affect the expression of spontaneous monocyte cytotoxicity with all three sera used. Three preparations of endotoxin used in the present study (Escherichia coli, S. typhosa, S. minnesota) caused small increases in monocyte killing in micrograms per milliliter concentrations only in 5 of 19 experiments performed. Human lymphoblastoid interferon (LAL-) and phytohemagglutinin-elicited lymphokine supernatants (LAL-) enhanced the tumoricidal activity of human monocytes under LAL- conditions and were not affected by Polymyxin B. It is concluded that exposure to endotoxin is not a prerequisite for the expression of spontaneous cytotoxicity by human blood monocytes.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

In vitro effect of Leptospira icterohaemorrhagiae on human mononuclear leukocytes procoagulant activity: comparison of virulent with nonvirulent strain.

The in vitro effect of a virulent and a nonvirulent strain of Leptospira interrogans serotype icterohaemorrhagiae on human peripheral mononuclear cells was investigated. After addition of bacteria to citrated whole blood the production of mononuclear cell procoagulant activity (tissue factor) was observed. Indeed mononuclear cells isolated from whole blood bacteria mixtures after prolonged incubation shortened the recalcification time of normal plasma. The virulent strain induced a significantly higher procoagulant activity than nonvirulent and this effect was dependent on the number of bacteria. The production of tissue factor, a potent trigger of blood coagulation, by Leptospira icterohaemorrhagiae could help to understand the mechanism(s) responsible for the activation of intravascular coagulation associated with leptospirosis.

Blood Coagulation↗