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Biomedical subjects

F Guarino

Publications and source records attributed to F Guarino.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Effect of salbutamol on nasal symptoms and mast cell degranulation induced by adenosine 5' monophosphate nasal challenge.

BACKGROUND: In addition to its well-known functional agonism at the level of beta(2) adrenergic receptors on airways smooth muscle cells, salbutamol appears to have additional protective effects, possibly through an inhibition of mast cell activation. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to provide the first evidence in vivo of inhibition of human mast cell activation by salbutamol. METHODS: Nine atopic subjects received placebo and salbutamol (5 mg/mL) 15 min before an adenosine 5' monophosphate (AMP) nasal provocation in a double-blind crossover study design. The nasal lavage was collected from these subjects prior to or 3, 5, 15 or 30 min after the AMP nasal challenge, and concentrations of histamine and tryptase in the nasal lavage were measured. RESULTS: AMP nasal provocation produced considerable sneezing and induced a transient increase in histamine and tryptase release with peak values achieved at 3 min after the challenge in all the subjects studied. Compared with placebo, salbutamol significantly attenuated the release of histamine and tryptase induced by AMP challenge (P=0.048 and 0.020, respectively). Moreover, the AMP-induced sneezing was also inhibited by pre-treatment with salbutamol (P=0.004). CONCLUSIONS: Intranasal salbutamol attenuates nasal symptoms and inhibits histamine and tryptase release caused by AMP nasal provocation thus supporting the hypothesis that salbutamol may play an additional protective role in the airways by inhibiting mast cell activation.

Adenosine Monophosphate↗

Characterization of the human porin isoform 1 (HVDAC1) gene by amplification on the whole human genome: A tool for porin deficiency analysis.

The deficiency of porin isoform 1 (HVDAC1) in human skeletal muscle has been associated with a pathological phenotype related to defects in the bioenergetic metabolism. In the best studied case, porin deficiency was not apparent in cultured fibroblasts: this observation raised the conclusion that no molecular defect was in the cDNA sequence coding for the protein. To get more insight in the pathogenetic mechanism that is involved in porin isoform 1 deficiency, we have determined the whole structure of the corresponding human gene. On the basis of the corresponding mouse gene structure and the human cDNA sequence, we designed long extension PCR amplifications using the whole genomic DNA as a template. Exonic/intronic regions were isolated and the exons and surrounding introns sequenced. The 5' and 3' extremities of the gene were determined by genome walking. The porin isoform 1 human gene is made up of 9 exons and spans about 33 kbp. A whole panel of PCR parameters was set and is now ready to be used for specific amplification upon patients' genomic DNA. The analysis of the putative promoter sequence was performed. It revealed the presence of a sterol Repressor element (SRE), an SRY, the testis-determining factor, and a nuclear respiratory factor 2 (NRF-2) binding site. These sites, according to results from literature, could be involved in the functional modulation of the gene expression.

3' Untranslated Regions↗

Ancient DNA in human bone remains from Pompeii archaeological site.

aDNA extraction and amplification procedures have been optimized for Pompeian human bone remains whose diagenesis has been determined by histological analysis. Single copy genes amplification (X and Y amelogenin loci and Y specific alphoid repeat sequences) have been performed and compared with anthropometric data on sexing.

Amelogenin↗

Postnatal behaviour of guanase activity in rat tissues.

The behaviour of guanase activity and the 8-azaguanine/guanine deamination ratio of rat tissues during postnatal development were studied. In the liver and brain, the enzymatic activity, present from birth, gradually increases up to the 4th week. In the kidney, guanase activity appears after the 1st week and reaches the level found in adult tissues after the 6th week. The value of the deamination ratio of tissues at birth is higher than that of adult animal tissues.

Aging↗

[Serum cholinesterase activity (CHE) in different classes of chronic liver diseases (author's transl)].

ChE activity was studied in a series of 193 patients of different classes of chronic hepatitis. CAH and much more cirrhosis showed a mean value significantly lower than normal controls. In CAH, no difference was found between HBsAg positive and HBsAg negative cases. Alcoholic cirrhotics had serum cholinesterase levels more lowered than non alcoholic patients. Finally, the follow-up of serum cholinesterase levels could be useful in assessing the prognosis of cirrhotic patients.

Cholinesterases↗