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G Sconocchia

Publications and source records attributed to G Sconocchia.

24 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1991

Low responsiveness to Candida antigens in kidney transplant recipients.

Infections caused by commensal microorganisms, such as Candida albicans often represent a severe complication in pharmacologically immunosuppressed kidney transplanted patients. A mannoprotein (MP) antigenic preparation derived from the C. albicans cell wall was used to measure the specific immune responsiveness in 44 kidney transplanted patients and matched healthy controls. Patients immune responses were analyzed considering the transplant age. In group I, patients transplanted from greater than 1 month to less than 12 months were considered, whereas in groups II and III patients had been transplanted 1 to 3 years or 4 to 6 years earlier. A statistically significant low responsiveness to MP was recorded in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from patients belonging to groups II and III. Addition of exogenous IL-2 to PBMC cultures restored MP-induced proliferation in about 50% of patients studied. Responsiveness to mitogenic stimulation (PHA and SEB) was in the normal range in all transplanted patients. No correlation could be detected between hyporesponsiveness to MP and C. albicans infections.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Polymorphic effects of exogenous gangliosides on antigen-induced lymphoproliferation and generation of MHC unrestricted cell mediated cytotoxicity.

Cell membrane gangliosides have been shown to be involved in a number of biological processes including cell adhesion, signal transduction and ligand receptor interactions. In this paper we analyzed the effects of a mixture of bovine brain gangliosides, currently in clinical use, on cell mediated immune responses in vitro. We show here that exogenous gangliosides inhibit mitogen and alloantigen induced lymphoproliferation. On the other hand effects on antigen induced blastogenesis were exquisitely dose dependent in that while high doses of gangliosides inhibited lymphoproliferation, probably by interfering in interleukin 2 receptor interactions, lower doses significantly enhanced antigen induced responsiveness. We also report that gangliosides inhibit the generation of lymphokine activated killer cells. Altogether, these data underline the immunoregulatory potential and the polymorphism of effects of exogenous gangliosides.

Cytotoxicity, Immunologic↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Subcutaneous administration of interleukin-2 triggers Fcgamma receptor I expression on human peripheral blood neutrophils in solid and hematologic malignancies.

Freshly isolated human polymorphonuclear cells (PMNCs) constitutively express Fcgamma receptor (Fc-gammaR) II and FcgammaRIII on the cell surface but not FcgammaRI. Cytokines such as interferon-gamma (IFNgamma), granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (CSF), and granulocyte-CSF trigger FcgammaRI expression on (PMNCs). Because PMNCs express interleukin (IL)-2 receptor, we investigated whether IL-2 can induce FcgammaRI expression on PMNCs isolated from IL-2-treated metastatic renal cell carcinoma (MRCC) and low-grade non-Hodgkin lymphoma (LGNHL) patients. Pretherapy flow cytometry analysis of Fcgamma receptors on PMNCs did not show FcgammaRI expression. Interestingly, 3 days after therapy, PMNCs displayed a detectable amount of FcgammaRI on the cell surface. Kinetic studies on the in vivo effects of IL-2 on MRCC patients showed that FcgammaRI was transiently expressed, starting within 3-6 days of therapy, remaining expressed for 10-15 days, and rapidly declining, whereas such expression remained stable for months in LGNHL patients. In contrast, Fc-gammaRII was not affected. In addition, FcgammaRI+ PMNCs coated in vitro with a bispecific antibody Fab anti-FcgammaRI x anti-HER-2/neu formed intercellular conjugates with a human HER-2/neu-transfected 3T3 cell line (HER-2/neu-3T3). Interleukin-2 treatment increased the number of FcgammaRIII low eosinophils, leading to a change in FcgammaRIII distribution among granulocyte cell subsets. In vitro IL-2 treatment of purified PMNCs failed to generate Fc-gammaRI expression, suggesting that IL-2 indirectly causes FcgammaRI expression. During the IL-2 administration, we did not observe significant changes in IFNgamma serum level. In conclusion, our observation may be used to potentiate the antitumor effects of IL-2 in novel immunotherapy regimens, perhaps by redirecting FcgammaRI+ PMNCs against cancer cells by heteroconjugate antibodies and monitoring the biologic activity of subcutaneous IL-2 in cancer patients.

Adolescent↗