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G Carruba

Publications and source records attributed to G Carruba.

58 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Prostaglandins of the A series inhibit Sendai virus replication in cultured cells.

Prostaglandins of the A series (PGA) were shown to be potent inhibitors of Sendai virus replication in African green monkey kidney cells in culture. This antiviral activity was specific for PGA. The effective dose (4 micrograms/ml) was not toxic to the cells and did not alter either host cell metabolism of infectivity of the virus. PGA did not affect the first stages of virus replication and seemed to act by inhibiting virus maturation and/or budding from the cells. The antiviral action of PGA was pharmacological, was not mediated by cAMP and was completely reversible. Possible mechanisms of action include post-translational binding to virus proteins or interaction with interferon.

Animals↗

Prostaglandin A compounds as antiviral agents.

Prostaglandins of the A series strongly inhibit the production of Sendai virus in African green monkey kidney cells and are able to prevent the establishment of persistent infection ("carrier" state). This action is specific for prostaglandin A and is not due to alteration in the host cell metabolism or in the virus infectivity. The possibility that this effect is mediated by interferon is discussed.

Animals↗

Phorbol diester 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA) up-regulates the expression of estrogen receptors in human THP-1 leukemia cells.

In the present work, we have inspected expression of estrogen receptors (ER) and their regulation by the phorbol diester 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA) in a leukemic cell line, the THP-1 cells, using multiple experimental approaches. Firstly, ligand binding assay (LBA) revealed that control (unstimulated) THP-1 cells express type I (high affinity, limited capacity) ER in the nuclear fraction only, whilst treatment of cells with TPA resulted in the appearance of type I ER in the soluble fraction as well, with the 50 ng/ml dose and the 48 h incubation time being the most effective experimental condition. A concomitant increase of type II ER was also seen in both soluble and nuclear cell fractions. Unstimulated THP-1 cells were found to be ER negative by immunocytochemistry; conversely, cells exposed to 50 ng/ml TPA for 48 h stained positively for ER, with the majority of cells having a strong nuclear staining. Scrutiny of ER mRNA expression using reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction showed the presence of a wild type ER transcript in both control and TPA-treated THP-1 cells, though levels of ER mRNA were found to be comparatively higher in the latter. This combined evidence would imply that the TPA-induced differentiation of THP-1 cells is accompanied by the rise of high affinity (type I) ER, suggesting that estrogens may play a role in the regulation of macrophage activity during the inflammatory and/or the immune response.

Cell Differentiation↗