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Biomedical subjects

E Capelli

Publications and source records attributed to E Capelli.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2004

Immediate effectiveness of the "new identity" reality orientation therapy (ROT) for people with dementia in a geriatric day hospital.

Techniques of reality orientation in dementia are widely used around the world and indifferent settings. Nevertheless, after the controversies for adverse effects and frustration,by the new millennium "a new era" is coming on where cognitive rehabilitation "has come of age" and a series of positive results appeared until the fulfillment in the global and person-centered approach. This renewed technique may no more be based only on cognitive psychology but it is necessary to apply a more complete psychosocial approach taking into account also emotional, behavioral and functional domains of the globally considered person. The aims of our study are: (1) To assess the global efficacy on cognitive and affective functions. (2) To detect cognitive subsystems more sensible to our three-phase stimulation program. We studied 34 outpatients, 13 men and 21 women, age range 67-88 years, referred to our Expertise Center, all but one affected by mild cognitive impairment(MCI), suffering from mild dementia (clinical dementia rating, CDR <1). After 20 sessions of formal and complementary activities, a comprehensive improvement of cognition, language,memory and affective functions was observed. Semantic fluency improved with high statistically significant difference. The immediate recall, free or cued, appeared more sensible to stimulation than the delayed one. A correlation between a mini mental state examination (MMSE) low basal score and higher performance after the program was also obtained.

Aged↗
PubMed2003

Evaluation of serum levels of cytokines and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) in astrocytic tumours.

Soluble form of intercellular adhesion molecules (sICAM) are increased in serum of many inflammatory diseases and tumours: the expression of such molecules is regulated by cytokines. In the present paper serum levels of interleukin-2 (IL-2), soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R) and sICAM-1 were evaluated in patients with glioma compared with different tumours (lung and kidney carcinoma) in order to investigate the compromise of the immune system in these malignancies and to understand the host defence mechanisms. 14 cases of astrocytomas (WHO grade II, III), 20 cases of glioblastomas (GBL, WHO grade IV), 5 cases of lung carcinoma and 6 cases of kidney carcinoma were studied; the results were compared with 15 healthy controls. IL-2, sIL-2R, sICAM-1 concentrations were assessed by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique. The results were analyzed by Student's t test. Our findings showed that serum levels of IL-2 and sIL-2R were increased in all cancer patients; on the contrary, sICAM-1 serum levels were not significantly increased in GBL and astrocytoma patients. The increased values of IL-2 and sIL-2R are in agreement with a depression of the immune reactivity in patients with glioblastoma and astrocytoma, as reported in literature. On the contrary the levels of sICAM-1 are unchanged in astrocytic tumours while patients with kidney carcinoma presented the higher levels and an unfavourable prognosis.

Astrocytoma↗
PubMed2000

Dendritic cells and interleukin-2: cytochemical and ultrastructural study.

The aim of the present study was to verify the effect of IL-2 on dendritic cell (DC) differentiation. Various cytokines have been indicated as factors inducing DC differentiation, but no data about the interleukin-2 (IL-2) effect on DC differentiation have been reported. Monocytes isolated from peripheral blood were treated in vitro with the following factors: IL-2, IL-4, GM-CSF and G-CSF alone or in combination. Morphological (also ultrastructural) and cytochemical observations were carried out starting from 3 to 21 days of treatment. The results indicate that the differentiation of cells showing dendritic pattern is related to the presence of IL-2. Moreover a synergic effect of IL-2 and GM-CSF was observed. The enzymatic features changed with the culture time: before the differentiation into DC, the stimulated cells expressed the typical pattern of monocytes. On the contrary, at advanced stage of differentiation, some enzyme activities changed and in terminally differentiated dendritic cells the reactions for peroxidase and serine esterase were negative. Considering the morphological features, the ability to interact with lymphocytes and the enzymatic pattern observed, we suppose that IL-2 may act as a maturative factor rather than as a growth factor in the DC differentiation.

Cell Differentiation↗
PubMed2000

Cytoskeleton actin changes in IL-2 activated cells.

In the present study we analysed the changes in cytoskeleton actin in lymphoid cells following IL-2 activation and during cell interactions by means of light and electron microscopy, immunofluorescence and molecular analysis. By morphological analysis we observed a higher fluorescence in the activated cells than in the quiescent ones with no modifications in the cytoskeleton pattern comparing activated to resting cells. The results of molecular analysis indicate that, after IL-2 activation, there is a reorganisation of the actin component of the cell cytoskeleton accompanied by the differential expression of the corresponding genes. A future study will be extended to the analysis of others components of the cytoskeleton network.

Actins↗
PubMed1998

Identification of mRNAs differentially expressed in lymphocytes following interleukin-2 activation.

We investigated genes involved in the interleukin-2 activation of cultured lymphocytes using a differential display reverse transcription PCR technique. Three cDNA fragments corresponding to mRNAs differentially amplified in the activated lymphocytes were sequenced and identified. These fragments were identical to the 3' region of the mRNAs encoding for the tumor rejection antigen TRA 1 that is the human homologue of the murine heat shock protein gp96, the DAP12 protein that possesses an immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motif, and the human motor protein p87/89 expressed in the heart. These proteins are involved, respectively, in cellular communication, in signal transduction, and in cellular movements. Our findings suggest that the activation of cellular immune response by interleukin-2 is a process analogous to other known phenomena of activation of catabolic reactions of energy transduction for activities which allow adaptation of cells to stress conditions.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗
PubMed1998

Interleukin-2 at different concentrations induces the growth of selective lymphoid cells.

The effects of low and high doses of recombinant interleukin-2 (rIL-2) on cultured peripheral blood mononucleated cells are reported with the aim to show the effects of this immunomodulator in different conditions. The proliferation of various cell types at different IL-2 concentrations was investigated and ultrastructural and enzymatic studies were performed. The data obtained indicate that grade and type of cell stimulation induced by IL-2 is correlated to the dose employed.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1998

Serine protease detection in mixed lymphocyte cultures: a histochemical method for possible prediction of graft-versus-host disease.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) presents an important complication of allogeneic bone marrow transplantation. A method to predict GVHD might be the analysis of cytotoxic T lymphocyte precursors, but the technique requires the use of radioactive elements not suitable in all laboratories. DESIGN AND METHODS: Serine esterase (SE) activity was studied by a cytochemical method in donor-recipient mixed lymphocytes cultures (MLC). Twelve patients, affected by acute or chronic leukemia, and 20 donors were studied. MLC incubated with and without growth factors (IGF-1 or IL-2), were analyzed. The relationship between positivity of MLC and GVHD in transplanted patients was evaluated. RESULTS: The data obtained showed that the percentage of SE positive cells was higher in MLC compared to negative control MLC. The highest percentage of positive cells was found in the MLC obtained from unrelated subjects. INTERPRETATION AND CONCLUSIONS: These results show that serine protease expression in MLC may be a predictive marker of GVHD and could be used as an additional early test associated with cytotoxicity.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Advantages of spinal anesthesia in abdominal gynecologic surgery.

The advantages obtained in vaginal surgery and caesarean section using spinal anesthesia led us to test this anesthesia to verify feasibility, problems and advantages in abdominal surgery. Spinal anesthesia was performed in 60 patients between 21 and 87 years of age. Thirty-seven total abdominal hysterectomies with or without adnexectomy, 5 laparotomic miomectomies, 3 adnexectomies, 5 colposacropexies, 2 hysterectomies with lymphadenectomy, 7 Burch colposuspension with or without hysterectomy and 1 laparoscopy for sterilization were performed. No significant problems during surgery and the postoperative period were observed. Resumption of the different physiologic functions were more rapid, hospital stay shorter and compliance greater than with general anesthesia.

Adnexa Uteri↗
PubMed1997

Ultrastructural changes of neutrophils following IL-2 treatment in vivo.

An ultrastructural analysis of peripheral blood cells of cancer patients following recombinant interleukin-2 (rIL-2) treatment at high doses (rIL-2, 18 x 10(6) I.U./m2/day) has been performed. Characteristic patterns of intense phagocytosis (neutrophils with large vaculoes containing electron-dense bodies) were observed in granulocytes of the treated patients with respect to the basal situation. These characteristics were particularly evident in the advanced stages of the therapy (24 and 48 h). The state of neutrophil activation was sometimes accompanied by the appearance of a close net of cell membranes, probably derived from lamellopodia.

Carcinoma, Renal Cell↗
PubMed1994

Correlation between ultrastructural and histochemical parameters in lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells reacting with target cells in vitro.

Ultrastructural and fluorescence data allowed us to study the most important moments of the interaction between lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells against target cells (Chang) in vitro. The LAK cells, maintained at low doses of recombinant interleukin-2, were able to recognize, bind and destroy the tumoral cells. Before the attack, the LAK cells were characterized by a cytoplasm with a high ribosomes content; after the identification and the interaction cell-cell, a degeneration of the tumoral cell was observed. These observations allowed us to suppose that the interaction between the two types of cells may be mediated by a receptoral membrane system without the action of lytic enzymes.

Autolysis↗
PubMed1994

Activated lymphocytes in glioblastoma: significance for anti-tumoral immunity.

Interaction between immune cells and tumoral cells of a case of glioblastoma was studied. Tissue fragments obtained during neurosurgery from different areas of the tumor were examined before and after rIL-2 treatment in vitro. The same morphofunctional type of cells usually activated by rIL-2, which show antitumoral reactivity, was observed both in the glioblastoma imprints and in tumoral fragments cultured with rIL-2. This cytokine stimulated the proliferation of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes in vitro. This preliminary study shows that IL-2 potentiates the differentiation of HMS cells in peripheral blood which probably pass through the blood brain barrier and infiltrate the tumor.

Aged↗
PubMed1988

Decreased in vitro lymphocyte stimulation and reduced sensitivity to IL-2 in patients with alopecia areata.

The response to the T-cell growth factor interleukin-2 (IL-2) and to phytohemagglutinin (PHA) and concanavalin A (Con-A) were investigated in 63 patients with alopecia areata (AA) and in control subjects. The proliferative response to mitogens and to IL-2 determined by measuring [3H]-thymidine incorporation 72 h after stimulation is generally decreased in AA patients. The response to mitogens and to IL-2 was related to the response to the topical sensitizer SADBE (squaric acid dibutylester) and patients with no allergic reaction to this substance showed a marked reduction in lymphocyte stimulation, especially with IL-2. HLA typing of 34 of the 63 AA patients was performed in order to investigate the immunogenetic basis of hyporesponsiveness to topical sensitization. The relationship between reduced in vitro response to mitogens and particularly to IL-2, and in vivo response to sensitization to SADBE and the presence of HLA-DR5 are discussed.

Administration, Cutaneous↗
PubMed1987

Human leukocyte antigen region involvement in the genetic predisposition to alopecia areata.

Human leukocyte antigens (HLA) of classes I and II were studied in 127 patients with alopecia areata (AA). The patients were subdivided into different groups depending on hair loss area, sex, pathogenesis, response to topical immune modulators (squaric acid dibutylester and diphencyprone) and age of onset of the disease. The frequencies of class I HLA markers (loci A, B, C) were not significantly different from the controls. However, among the class II antigens (loci DR, DQ), the frequency of DR5 was increased in both alopecia areata and alopecia universalis when compared with the control group. In particular, DR5 was strongly linked to the early-onset form. The highest DR5 frequency (62%) was found in the group of patients which presented both the early onset and the most severe form of the disease (p less than 0.01; RR = 3.14). A decrease of the HLA-B8 phenotype frequency was found in the alopecia areata group versus the alopecia universalis one. No significant deviation was found between the female patients and the control group. However, an increase of CW3 and a decrease of DR1 was seen in the males. In the group including 'combined', 'prehypertensive', 'atopic' alopecia of Ikeda's classification the frequency of HLA-A28 and DR5 was increased and that of DR1 was decreased in comparison with the 'common' type of alopecia and the controls. It was not possible to find any relationship between these genetic markers and the response to topical immune modulators.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Identification of genetic markers of the glial tumor by means of differential display technique.

The Differential Display Reverse Transcriptase (DDRT) technique was adopted to isolate genetic markers specific for the two main grades of the Glial tumor, the Astrocytoma and the Glioblastoma. A total of 16 brain biopsies (4 Astrocytoma and 12 Glioblastoma) were analysed. The technique was modified in order to reduce the false-positive ratio by means of more stringent amplification conditions. Electrophoretic patterns with previously selected arbitrarily primers revealed differences between the grades, four of them were investigated through sequencing. These sequences did not show significant nucleotide and aminoacid similarity to any known sequences in the DataBase. Sensitivity of the method was documented by the evidence that only one of the selected markers was an artefact, while the others represented genetic markers of the human Glial neoplasm.

Astrocytoma↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Interleukin-2 induces the growth of human glioblastoma cells in culture.

The ability of the T cell growth factor interleukin-2 (IL-2) to support the proliferation of human glioblastoma cells in short-term cultures was evaluated. A morphological, cytochemical and immunocytochemical analysis was carried out at different times of treatment. In the presence of IL-2 growth of tumor cells was observed. On the contrary, in the absence of IL-2 only few colonies derived from tumor fragments were obtained and these were so after a long time. The immunocytochemical study revealed that IL-2 induces the expression of the IL-2 receptor on human glioblastoma cells. In the presence of IL-2 proliferation of infiltrating lymphoid cells inside the tumor fragments was also observed. Morphological and cytochemical analysis of these cells revealed positivity for acid phosphatase (AP), dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR), dipeptydilaminopeptidase (DAP IV) and negativity for serine esterase. These data are in agreement with our previous study on activated lymphoid subsets. On the other hand, an absence of infiltrating lymphocytes was observed in cultures without IL-2. These results indicate that local treatment of human glioblastoma using IL-2 might produce tumor cell proliferation.

Brain Neoplasms↗