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Biomedical subjects

F Mata

Publications and source records attributed to F Mata.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Genotype-phenotype correlation for pulmonary function in cystic fibrosis.

BACKGROUND: Since the CFTR gene was cloned, more than 1000 mutations have been identified. To date, a clear relationship has not been established between genotype and the progression of lung damage. A study was undertaken of the relationship between genotype, progression of lung disease, and survival in adult patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). METHODS: A prospective cohort of adult patients with CF and two CFTR mutations followed up in an adult cystic fibrosis unit was analysed. Patients were classified according to functional effects of classes of CFTR mutations and were grouped based on the CFTR molecular position on the epithelial cell surface (I-II/I-II, I-II/III-V). Spirometric values, progression of lung disease, probability of survival, and clinical characteristics were analysed between groups. RESULTS: Seventy four patients were included in the study. Patients with genotype I-II/I-II had significantly lower current spirometric values (p < 0.001), greater loss of pulmonary function (p < 0.04), a higher proportion of end-stage lung disease (p < 0.001), a higher risk of suffering from moderate to severe lung disease (odds ratio 7.12 (95% CI 1.3 to 40.5)) and a lower probability of survival than patients with genotype I-II/III, I-II/IV and I-II/V (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The presence of class I or II mutations on both chromosomes is associated with worse respiratory disease and a lower probability of survival.

Adult↗

Electrochemical behaviour of droxicam: kinetic study in aqueous-organic media.

A kinetic study of the hydrolytic decomposition of droxicam was carried out in order to establish the possible pharmacological action of the drug in the organism of the human being. The electrochemical technique used was scan cyclic voltammetry on a HMDE, giving a well-defined peak. Due to the insolubility of droxicam in water, the working media was a methanol-H(2)O (4:96, V/V) mixture. The decomposition product of droxicam is piroxicam, which is also reduced on a mercury electrode giving a well-defined cyclic voltammetric peak. It is proposed that the decomposition of droxicam is controlled by a kinetic equation: v=(1.93 x 10(-3)+78.9 [D]) [D]=k(D)[D].

Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal↗

Supported discharge shortens hospital stay in patients hospitalized because of an exacerbation of COPD.

This prospective, controlled, but not formally randomized study investigates the feasibility and efficiency of an alternative to standard hospitalization for patients with exacerbated chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), based upon supported discharge with nurse supervision at home. Over a 12-month period, emergency physicians, not directly involved in the study, admitted 205 patients with exacerbated COPD to the authors' respiratory unit. Patients were included in the supported discharge group (n=105) if they voluntarily chose to participate in the programme and lived in the city of Palma de Mallorca (where adequate home support could be provided). Patients not fulfilling these criteria (mainly residents outside the city) served as controls (n=100). Inpatient treatment was standardized in all patients and included oxygen therapy, bronchodilators, antibiotics and steroids. Both groups were comparable in terms of age (mean +/- SD: 70 +/- 10 versus 65 +/- 11 yr for supported discharge and control group, respectively), severity of airflow obstruction (forced expiratory volume in one second 45 +/- 18% reference versus 46 +/- 19% ref.), comorbidity and socioeconomic status. Length of hospital stay (LOS) in the supported discharge group was shorter (5.9 +/- 2.8 versus 8.0 +/- 5.1 days, p < 0.001). After discharge, a respiratory nurse visited supported discharge patients at home during 7.3 +/- 3.8 days. Only one patient (1%) required hospital readmission during this period of time. The reduced LOS resulted in a lower utilization of hospital beds at any given point in time throughout the study period. Within the framework and potential limitations of this study, the results indicate that the supported discharge programme in Spain: 1) allows a significant reduction in the length of hospital stay of patients hospitalized because of an exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; 2) does not result in an inappropriately increased rate of hospital readmissions; and 3) reduces the utilization of hospital resources.

Aged↗

Differential redistribution of protein kinase C isoforms by cyclic AMP in HL60 cells.

In this study we have analyzed the distribution of protein kinase C isoforms in cytosol, membrane, and nucleus in HL60 cells. Furthermore, we have studied the redistribution of these isoforms after cyclic AMP treatment. Protein kinase C localization and cyclic AMP-induced translocation was demonstrated by Western blot analysis. Cytosol, membrane and nucleus in HL60 cells expressed the abundance of protein kinase C alpha, betaI, betaII, delta, lambda, and zeta isoforms. After cyclic AMP treatment, the amount of protein kinase C betaI and zeta increased only in the nucleus, while protein kinase C delta increased in the three fractions tested. These effects were dependent on the cyclic AMP concentration and duration of action. Our results suggest the existence of cross-talk between the cyclic AMP system and protein kinase C in HL60 cells. Taking into account the processes regulated by protein kinase C, these findings also suggest that cyclic AMP plays a regulatory role in various cellular responses in HL60 cells, such as differentiation and gene expression. The increase observed in PKC delta was due to cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase C activation, and the synthesis of enzyme was probably activated by the nucleotide.

Biological Transport↗

Etoposide stimulates 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 differentiation activity, hormone binding and hormone receptor expression in HL-60 human promyelocytic cells.

The simultaneous administration of the DNA topoisomerase II inhibitor etoposide (0.15 mM) and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (VD3) (10 nM) synergistically induced the differentiation of HL-60 human promyelocytic leukemia cells. Similar results were obtained using U-937 human promonocytic cells, or the topoisomerase II inhibitors doxorubicin (15 nM) and mitoxantrone (2.5 nM). When sequential treatments were used, pre-incubation with VD3 had little effect on the subsequent action of etoposide, while pre-incubation with etoposide greatly potentiated the subsequent action of VD3. In addition, etoposide treatment stimulated VD3 binding activity and increased VD3 receptor mRNA and protein levels. The increase in hormone receptor expression may explain, at least in part, the capacity of topoisomerase inhibitors to potentiate the differentiation inducing activity of VD3.

Apoptosis↗

Microalbuminuria as renal marker in recurrent acute tonsillitis and tonsillar hypertrophy in children.

Raised levels of microalbuminuria pointing out glomerular abnormality and indicate renal damage. Glomerulonephritis is caused by immune reaction leading to the formation of circulating immune complexes that are deposited on the basal membrane of the glomerulus. The time course and the appearance of antibodies against infectious agents both play very important roles in its clinical presentation. Antibodies against streptococci have not a protective role, but offers a useful marker of the presence or absence of recent infection. This work studies the presence of microalbuminuria and circulating anti-streptococcal antibodies, namely, anti-streptolysin O and anti-deoxyribonuclease B antibodies in ninety children which underwent tonsillectomy due to infectious and obstructive tonsillar pathology. These children were divided in recurrent acute tonsillitis (n= 34), recurrent tonsillitis with tonsillar hypertrophy (n = 26), and tonsillar hypertrophy (n = 30). It was found in recurrent acute tonsillitis a moderate correlation between microalbuminuria and anti-streptolysin O, and a weak correlation between microalbuminuria and anti-deoxyribonuclease B antibodies. It was also found significant differences of the levels of anti-streptococcal antibodies between the three groups of pathologies. It is proposed the determination of microalbuminuria, an inexpensive and harmless test, as an indicator of possible renal damage in recurrent acute tonsillitis.

Acute Disease↗

[An alternative method to determine the radiochemical purity of the 99mTC-tetrofosmine preparations].

This paper describes a new quality control method to determine the radiochemical purity (RCP) value of Technetium-99m-Tetrofosmin preparations. The results of this procedure were compared with the results obtained with the method suggested by the manufacturer of the kit (classic method), consisting in thin-layer chromatography involving the use of a single strip of ITLC/SG as the stationary phase, and a acetone:dichlorometane 35:65 (Ac:DCM) solvent mixture as the mobile phase. The method that is proposed in this paper (alternative method) uses the same stationary phase but it is developed in a single solvent, methylethylketone (MEK). This method has the following advantages: a better capacity to separate the 99mTc-Tetrofosmin complex from 99mTcO4- and 99mTcO2 impurities, a faster chromatographic developing time and the use of a single solvent in the quality control.

Acetone↗

Adenoidal and tonsillar lymphocyte subsets in AIDS children.

Tonsils and adenoids are secondary lymphoid organs exposed to the environment. The most important classifications of AIDS include the lymphocyte subsets of peripheral blood. We have studied the lymphocyte subsets in peripheral blood and secondary lymphoid organs in a control group of children suffering adenotonsillar pathology and in five children with AIDS and the same adenotonsillar pathology. The antigen surface markers were determined by flow cytometry in lymphocytes isolated from peripheral blood, and from tonsils and adenoids after tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy, in the control group and in children diagnosed with AIDS. The most important findings in tonsils and adenoids were a decrease of the total T lymphocytes, helper T lymphocytes and CD4/CD8 ratio; an increase of cytotoxic T lymphocytes and B lymphocytes, as well as a 200% increase in monocytes of AIDS-affected children. These observations show the value of analyzing the lymphocyte subsets of the tonsils and adenoids of AIDS-affected children, and establishing an earlier relation to clinical symptoms.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

Tonsillar lymphocyte subsets in recurrent acute tonsillitis and tonsillar hypertrophy.

Recurrent acute tonsillitis is usually produced directly by micro-organisms, mainly beta-hemolytic streptococcus. Idiopathic tonsillar hypertrophy is presented without infection history and usually leads to obstructive sleep apnea. We have measured lymphocyte subsets in tonsillar cellular suspensions of infectious and obstructive tonsillar pathology by flow cytometry. Comparing with peripheral blood, the CD4+/CD8+ ratio for tonsillar pathology varies from 4.0 to 5.0 while in peripheral blood the ratio was 1.3. In tonsils the ratio of B lymphocytes/T lymphocytes is 1.6, being 0.3 in peripheral blood, cytotoxic T lymphocytes represent 8% in tonsils and 29% in peripheral blood, virgin or nonstimulated T lymphocytes (CD4+ CD62L+) consist of 3% in tonsils and 16% in peripheral blood. The immature B lymphocytes (CD20+ CD5+) represent 23% in tonsils and 12% in peripheral blood. In regards to NK cells (CD3- CD16+), 1% was found in tonsils and 11% in peripheral blood. In tonsils B lymphocytes and a low proportion of cytotoxic T lymphocytes predominate, in comparison to peripheral blood, with a CD4+/CD8+ ratio four times greater than tonsils. We have found in tonsils a significant increase of T cells (CD3+ and TCR alpha+ beta+) in infectious processes in comparison to obstructive pathology.

Acute Disease↗

Differentiation of U-937 promonocytic cells with mitomycin C or cis-diamminedichloroplatinum II.

Administration of 0.3 microM mitomycin C (MMC) or 2.0 microM cis-diamminedichloroplatinum II (CDDP) decreased the growth activity and induced the differentiation of U-937 human promonocytic cells, as shown by nitroblue tetrazolium reduction and an increase in surface expression of the leukocyte integrins CD11b/CD18 and CD11c/CD18. Expression of these differentiation markers started to be significant at 48 hr of treatment. These concentrations resulted in little cell damage (determined by Trypan blue exclusion) and slightly induced apoptosis (determined by DNA degradation and changes in nuclear morphology). The treatments induced a transient increase in c-fos and c-jun mRNA levels, with maximum values at 1-6 hr; a transient increase in collagenase mRNA level, with a maximum value at 48 hr; and a progressive increase in vimentin and lamin A and C mRNA levels. These changes were qualitatively similar to those produced by 12-0-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate. CDDP and MMC also caused a transient increase of total AP-1 binding activity, as determined by gel retardation assays. The drugs produced an early transient activation (3-6 hr) of membrane-bound protein kinase C, followed by a later activation (48 hr) of both the membrane and the cytosolic enzyme. These results suggest that protein kinase C and AP-1-dependent gene expression could be involved in myeloid cell differentiation by alkylating agents.

Antibiotics, Antineoplastic↗

VIP gene expression in rat thymus and spleen.

Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) is a neuropeptide with immunomodulatory properties. In the present study, we demonstrate VIP gene expression in cells of both thymus and spleen in the rat by in situ hybridization. In thymus sections, hybridization signal for VIP mRNA was found in cells in corticomedullary and medulla regions. In the spleen, cells were labeled at the outer area on the periarteriolar lymphoid sheath of the white pulp. Hybridization signal appeared to be in lymphoid cells. These findings suggest that lymphoid cells might produce VIP, which, if released, could exert a paracrine action on central and peripheral lymphoid organs. We suggest that VIP participates in the bidirectional communication between the nervous and the immune systems.

Animals↗

Differential modulation of the expression of the intermediate filament proteins vimentin and nuclear lamins A and C by differentiation inducers in human myeloid leukemia (U-937, HL-60) cells.

Earlier reports seemed to indicate that the cytoplasmic intermediate filament protein vimentin and the nuclear intermediate-type filament proteins A and C lamins are expressed in a coordinate manner in human myeloid cells. We have comparatively studied the expression of the vimentin and the A/C lamin genes at the RNA and protein levels in human U-937 promonocytic and HL-60 promyelocytic cells treated with differentiation inducers. 12-O-Tetradecanoyl phorbol-13-acetate and cytosine arabinoside produced a coordinate and stable stimulation of both vimentin and A/C lamin expression in U-937 cells. A stable increase in vimentin expression was also produced by sodium butyrate and by dibutyryl cyclic AMP in U-937 cells and by dimethyl sulfoxide in HL-60 cells. In contrast, these agents produced only a transient increase in A/C lamin expression (maximum mRNA levels at 6-24 h), which later returned to expression levels similar to or even lower than those in untreated cells. Retinoic acid greatly inhibited vimentin expression in HL-60 cells, but it had little effect on A/C lamin expression. Taken together, the present results suggest that there are important differences in the mechanisms which regulate the expression of the vimentin and nuclear lamin genes, as well as in their implication in the differentiation of human myeloid cells.

Bucladesine↗

Camptothecin induces differentiation and stimulates the expression of differentiation-related genes in U-937 human promonocytic leukemia cells.

We have studied the effect of the DNA topoisomerase I inhibitor camptothecin on growth, differentiation, and gene expression in U-937 human promonocytic leukemia cells. At a concentration of 20 nM, camptothecin caused significant DNA strand breakage and decreased the growth activity by accumulating cells preferentially at the G2 phase of the cycle. The growth arrest occurred concomitantly with an increase in cell size. Under those conditions, camptothecin induced differentiation, as demonstrated by (a) the capacity of the cells to generate reactive oxygen species, (b) the increase in the surface expression of the leukocyte integrins CD11b/CD18 and CD11c/CD18, (c) the increase in the cellular content of the intermediate filament protein vimentin, and (d) the decrease in the surface expression of the transferrin receptor. Camptothecin also induced the expression of differentiation markers in other human myeloid cells, namely, the promonocytic THP-1 and the myelomonocytic HL-60 cell lines. Northern blot assays revealed that camptothecin stimulated the expression of CD11b, CD11c, and vimentin at the mRNA level. Moreover, the drug increased the transcription rate of the vimentin gene, as shown by "run-on" transcription assays.

Camptothecin↗

Comparative effects of butyrate and N6, 2'-O-dibutyryladenosine-3':5'-cyclic monophosphate on growth, differentiation and gene expression in U937 human monoblastoid cells.

Administration of 1mM sodium butyrate or N6,2'-O-dibutyryladenosine 3':5'-cyclic monophosphate (dbcAMP) inhibits the growth activity of U937 human monoblastoid cells by blocking them at the G1 or at the G1 + G2 phases of the cell cycle, respectively. Both agents induce the differentiation of U937 cells, as proved by the increased expression of the maturation-associated CD11b antigen and by the increased capacity to reduce nitroblue tetrazolium. RNA blot assays indicate that butyrate and dbcAMP decrease the expression of ornithine decarboxylase and c-myc genes, and stimulate the expression of the vimentin gene. However, while dbcAMP induces c-fos mRNA accumulation, butyrate did not affect the expression of this proto-oncogene.

Blotting, Northern↗

Differentiation of human promonocytic leukemia U-937 cells with DNA topoisomerase II inhibitors: induction of vimentin gene expression.

The administration of the DNA topoisomerase II inhibitors 4'-(9-acridinylamino)methanesulfon-m-anisidide (m-AMSA) (10(-7) M), VP-16 (2 x 10(-7) M), or novobiocin (1.5 x 10(-4) M) reduces the growth activity of human promonocytic leukemia U-937 cells, by arresting them preferentially at the G2 (m-AMSA and VP-16) or at the G1 and G2 (novobiocin) phases of the cell cycle. Under these conditions, m-AMSA and VP-16 induce the differentiation of the cells efficiently, as proved both by an increase in the production of reactive oxygen species and by the activation of the surface expression of CD11b and CD11c, two differentiation-specific antigens. Novobiocin also induces the expression of those differentiation markers, but to a lesser extent. Analyses by Northern blot indicate that the topoisomerase II inhibitors reduce the levels of c-myc and beta-actin mRNA and increase the levels of vimentin mRNA. The expression of vimentin is also stimulated at the protein level, as indicated by immunofluorescence assays. This represents one of the few known instances in which topoisomerase inhibitors stimulate gene expression in eukaryotic cells.

Amsacrine↗

S-phase inhibitors induce vimentin expression in human promonocytic U-937 cells.

The administration of hydroxyurea (3 x 10(-4) M) and cytosine arabinoside (10(-7) M) greatly induces the expression of the vimentin gene in human promonocytic leukemia U-937 cells. The induction takes place at both the mRNA and protein levels, as demonstrated by Northern blot, immunoblot and immunofluorescence assays. On the contrary, the drugs inhibit the expression of c-myc and ornithine decarboxylase, and do not modify significantly the expression of beta-actin. Since hydroxyurea and cytosine arabinoside trigger the phenotypic differentiation of U-937 cells, as demonstrated by the induction of the differentiation-specific CD11b and CD11c antigens, it is concluded that vimentin expression might be implicated in the maturation of these cells.

Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic↗

Lipid composition of miniature pig platelets.

1. Analyses of platelet lipid composition were carried out on material pooled from male and female miniature pigs. 2. The cholesterol/phospholipid molar ratio was 0.6. 3. Phosphatidylcholine represents the major class of phospholipids (47%) and phosphatidylinositol the minor (2%). 4. The main fatty acids of phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylserine, phosphatidylinositol and sphingomyelin were: palmitic, stearic, oleic, linoleic and arachidonic acids. 5. The ratios of saturated to unsaturated fatty acids were: sphingomyelin, 1.7; phosphatidylcholine, 1.2; phosphatidylserine, 0.9; phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylinositol, 0.6. 6. Our results suggests that human and miniature pig platelet lipids bear several characteristics in common. This fact would allow miniature pig to be used as a new experimental model.

Animals↗