Biomedical subjects

E Profumo

Publications and source records attributed to E Profumo.

24 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

PubMed1996

Production of IL-5 and IL-6 by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from patients with Echinococcus granulosus infection.

The role of Th2 cytokines in human hydatidosis was evaluated in ELISA determining IL-5 and IL-6 production in PBMC cultures from 27 pharmacologically treated hydatid patients and from 13 uninfected controls. PBMC from patients produced large amounts of parasite antigen-driven IL-5, whereas PBMC from uninfected individuals produced none. In contrast, PBMC from patients and from uninfected controls produced large amounts of parasite antigen-driven IL-6. Immunoglobulin isotype analysis revealed that IL-5 production correlated significantly with IgE and IgG4 expression (IL-5/IgE r = 0.5, P < 0.05; IL-5/IgG4 r = 0.6, P < 0.05). The high IL-5 levels in supernatants from patients' PBMC did not correspond to an increase in eosinophils. Neither IL-5 nor IL-6 production showed an association with the outcome of therapy. Overall, these findings confirm that the lymphocytes of individuals with Echinococcus granulosus infection contain Th2-like subpopulations.

Albendazole↗

PubMed1996

Immunological responses to antigen B from Echinococcus granulosus cyst fluid in hydatid patients.

The immunological reactivity of Echinococcus granulosus antigen B was evaluated in 30 hydatid patients. Antigen B was purified from sheep hydatid cyst fluid by electroelution from a non-reducing SDS-PAGE gel (AgB). In ELISA and immunoblotting (IB), determining antibody production in sera from patients with hydatid disease and with other parasitic infections, purified AgB showed higher specificity than a partially purified antigen named pH5PPT (100% vs 83% in pH5PPT-ELISA and 58% in pH5PPT-IB). AgB-IB achieved higher sensitivity than AgB-ELISA (80% vs 63%). All AgB-IB positive sera recognized the 12 kDa subunit. Qualitative AgB-IB assessment of IgG isotype responses identified IgG4 as the predominant isotype (87%). The other isotypes showed a lower percentage of positive reactions: IgG1, 33%; IgG2, 21%; and IgG3, 17%. PBMC proliferative assay revealed a cellular response to AgB in 100% of patients' PBMC. These findings confirm antigen B, especially its smallest subunit, as a good diagnostic molecule.

Animals↗

PubMed1995

Immunological markers indicating the effectiveness of pharmacological treatment in human hydatid disease.

The relation of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), IL-4, IL-10 production and specific IgE, total IgG, IgG subclass expression to the effectiveness of pharmacological treatment in human hydatid disease (Echinococcus granulosus infection) was evaluated in 27 hydatid patients divided into four clinical groups according to their response to albendazole/mebendazole therapy (full, partial, low and non-responders). After parasite antigen stimulation, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from full responders produced significantly more IFN-gamma (P = 0.038), significantly less IL-4 (P = 0.001) and less IL-10 than PBMC from non-responders. PBMC from partial and low responders produced intermediate cytokine concentrations. ELISA determining immunoglobulin production showed that sera from all non-responders had IgE and IgG4 antibodies, both regulated by IL-4. In contrast to IgG4, IgE decreased rapidly in full responders. Full responders also showed the highest percentage of IgG3 reactions. Qualitative analysis of total IgG responses in hydatid patients' sera determined by immunoblotting showed that binding profiles to hydatid cyst fluid antigen differed in the four groups of treated patients. Non-responders had the highest percentage of reactions to all subunits of antigens 5 and B, and full responders had the highest percentage of reactions to antigen 5 alone. The high IFN-gamma production associated with a lack of IL-4 and low IL-10 production in the full responders, and vice versa the high IL-4 and IL-10 production associated with lack of or low IFN-gamma production in the non-responders implies Th1 cell activation in protective immunity and Th2 cell activation in susceptibility to hydatid disease. IgE may be a useful marker of therapeutic success in hydatid patients with pretreatment specific IgE antibodies. IgG subclass responses and differential immunoglobulin subclass binding pattern to hydatid antigens may also be useful in the immunosurveillance of hydatid disease.

Adult↗

PubMed1995

In vitro production of cytokines by peripheral blood mononuclear cells from hydatid patients.

The role of cytokines in human hydatidosis (Echinococcus granulosus infection) was evaluated in immunoassays determining production of IL-4, IL-10 and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) in peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) cultures from 30 hydatid patients and 14 uninfected controls. In cell cultures from hydatid patients parasite and non-parasite antigen stimulation significantly increased IL-4 production (P < or 0.005). Spontaneous and mitogen-driven IL-4 production was similar in patients and controls. IL-10 and IFN-gamma production did not differ statistically in the two groups, even though some hydatid patients produced these cytokines in large amounts. Notably, antigen-driven IFN-gamma concentrations were invariably higher in patients than in uninfected controls. Data analysis showed a relationship between IgE and IgG4 responses and parasite-driven cytokine production. High IgE and IgG4 responders produced high IL-4 and IL-10 concentrations. High IgE responders showed decreased IFN-gamma production, but high IgG4 responders had IFN-gamma levels slightly higher than those of low responders. Cytokine response patterns did not relate to the clinical stage of disease. The significantly increased IL-4 and the high IL-10 concentrations found in PBMC from many hydatid patients in this study are consistent with Th2 cell activation in human hydatidosis. The presence of antigen-driven IFN-gamma production in patients with E. granulosus infection implies concurrent intervention of the Th1 or Th0 cell subset.

Antibodies, Helminth↗

PubMed1994

Cellular and humoral responses to antigenic subunits of Echinococcus granulosus cyst fluid in hydatid patients.

The hydatid fluid antigenic subunits which stimulate the proliferative response of T cells in PBMC isolated by hydatid patients were identified. In the same subjects, the serum IgG antibody profiles were determined by immunoblotting to compare T cell activation and IgG production. The study was carried out on 18 patients with clinically and serologically diagnosed hydatidosis and on ten healthy blood donors. To assess the proliferative response to the different antigenic subunits, sheep hydatid fluid was separated by the SDS-PAGE and the fractions were blotted onto nitrocellulose and solubilized. The comparison between immunoblotting and PBMC proliferation assay shows that the 55 and 65 kDa subunits of antigen 5 and the 12 kDa subunit of antigen B are the most reactive subunits in the two techniques. The 16 and 20 kDa subunits of antigen B are more reactive in PBMC proliferation assay than in immunoblotting, thus assigning a specific role to antigen B in cellular response.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Renal changes in malaria].

The renal complications in course of malaria have notably increased in number during the last years, as well as the cases of malaria in the world. This subject and a case of malaria in the world. This subject and a case of renal complication in course of malaria we could recently observe led us to re-examine the papers in which this problem was debated. Only the Pl. malaria and the Pl. falciparum can cause renal complications, as the first can produce a nephrosic syndrome and the second an acute renal insufficiency functional or organic, or a glomerulonephritis more often acute transitory, which can rarely develop into a nephrosic syndrome or into an acute renal organic insufficiency. Then the various physiopathologic causes of the acute renal insufficiency, of the glomerulonephritis, of the nephrosic syndrome are described, followed by a case description of an acute renal functional insufficiency in course of malaria caused by Pl. falciparum.

Acute Kidney Injury↗