Biomedical subjects

G Valcurone

Publications and source records attributed to G Valcurone.

15 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1987

Immunological agents in the respiratory tract: their role in homeostasis and immunopathogenesis of some morbid conditions of the airways.

Some immunological agents, which are expected to interfere with homeostasis and immunopathogenesis of some morbid conditions of the airways, have been reviewed. Attention was focused on some immunoglobulins (IgG, IgA, IgE) and other immunoeffectors such as alveolar macrophages, eosinophils, lymphocyte subsets, interleukins. Other substances, which prospective relation with immunity has been lately highlighted, were considered as well (fibronectin, neuropeptides). The possible pathological role of these immunoeffectors has been discussed.

Eosinophils↗

PubMed1986

[New findings on the immunology of bronco-82].

The effect of Bronco-82 treatment, a bacterial polyvalent vaccine, was determined on some of the most significant parameters of the immune response, i.e. PHA-induced blastogenesis, secretory IgA levels, IL 2 receptor expression, human T-cell activation antigen (MLR 3) and gamma-interferon production. The results obtained pointed out a high immunostimulating activity of the vaccine on the parameters considered. Some aspects of the complex immunomodulating effects of Bronco-82 are discussed.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗

PubMed1986

Specific immunotherapy with allergoids in atopic subjects, hyporeactive to other vaccines.

Allergoids comply with the therapeutic requirement to reach high doses of the injected allergen, since the modifications of the allergens cause a loss of allergenicity, though the immunogenicity is being retained. Considering that it is possible to use a starting dose 40 times higher in comparison with retard vaccines, we thought it very expedient to treat with allergoids 18 patients allergic to parietaria, and 12 patients allergic to grass pollen, who had shown no clinical improvement after immunotherapy, lasting for at least three years with retard vaccines. The therapeutic results obtained are the following: improvement in 66% of the parietaria allergic patients after the first year, and of the 72% in the second year, of the 75% of the grass pollen allergic patients after the first year and of the 83% in the second year. They can be interpreted as due to the fact that such patients are always poorly reactive to the doses of allergens commonly present in retard vaccines. On the contrary, they do react to allergoids, both due to the high amount of allergen administered, and to the fact that polymerization brings about a stronger epitopic expression matched by a higher immunogenic activity. Moreover, the data are also indicative for a good relationship between the antibody titer of antigen-specific blocking IgG and the clinical effectiveness valued by means of symptom and medication scores.

Humans↗

PubMed1985

Immunomodulators and allergy.

The role played by immunomodulation in allergy is critically reviewed. The prospective mechanisms of immunomodulation, specifically including those showing relation with allergic phenomena, are taken into consideration, examining the main interfering factors. Type I, IgE-mediated immunoreaction, in its two aspects, IgE synthesis and mediator's release, is analyzed, bearing in mind some agents involved or affecting these processes, mimicking immunomodulation. Other agents, such as Corynebacterium granulosum derivatives and glucocorticoids have been also appraised, to highlight their action in this connection.

Acetylmuramyl-Alanyl-Isoglutamine↗

PubMed1984

In vivo and in vitro study of antigens and allergens in pollen extracts of Graminaceae.

The standardization of the diagnostic and immunotherapeutic products plays an even more definite role in allergology. The investigations performed in the last few years allowed to attain the purification and characterization of the allergenic extracts, both from the allergenic and antigenic viewpoint, implementing the most sophisticated techniques. The identification of the allergens in the extracts is of primary importance in the standardization and purification of the allergens themselves. The allergenic activity may be determined both in vitro and in vivo and the combination of the two techniques allows reaching a higher reliability in the assay. The Authors thought it very timely to verify the reliability of the in vivo and in vitro assays by employing four allergenic extracts of Graminaceae pollens, due to their importance in the allergological field. Phleum, Lolium, Cynodon, Anthoxanthum, were selected for the investigations. The extracts were also characterized by immunoprecipitation techniques. The results allowed to state that good results may be obtained by the in vivo assay (prick test) of allergenic extracts, with a precision comparable to that obtainable with the RAST inhibition, even using a restricted sample of allergic patients. It was ascertained that it is possible to express the allergenic activity versus a reference extract (Phleum). The three extracts (Anthoxanthum, Cynodon, Lolium), for which good antisera were obtained, were antigenically characterized, by means of CRIE and CIE, and the major allergens were identified.

Adult↗

PubMed1984

Attempts at characterizing the allergens of cat saliva and fur.

In the framework of a wide program aimed at identifying various animal allergens, it was deemed interesting to study cat fur and saliva antigens. Cat fur and saliva extracts were prepared. Cat saliva antiserum was raised in rabbits with cat saliva as antigen. Immunochemical techniques such as isoelectric focusing, blotting, CIE, CRIE, fused rocket immunoelectrophoresis, line immunoelectrophoresis were implemented in order to identify the allergens and their isoelectric point, to perform the antigenic and allergenic characterization of the candidate allergen, to define their molecular weights and last, but not least, to carry out the quantitative assay towards a standard. On the whole the results obtained, besides confirming some previous results, pointed out by literature (presence of Cat 1 and albumin in the extracts) do stress the presence of other allergens, and the possibility to implement isoelectric focusing and blotting, which avoids the use of animal antisera, for the allergen detection in biological materials.

Allergens↗

PubMed1980

[Immunomodulators].

A comprehensive picture of the most well-known immunomodulators has been drawn, focussing the attention on their immunopharmacological profile and their prospective clinical use. Besides, the cell targets of the immunologically active agents are also considered. The role of cyclic nucleotides in the mechanisms of immune regulation as well as the importance of the host characteristics in this connection are carefully analyzed. Some general considerations are finally set forth on the usefulness of the immunopharmacology investigation both in defining the action of the agents under study and in suggesting their potential role in the design of new agents for immunotherapy.

Acetylmuramyl-Alanyl-Isoglutamine↗

PubMed1978

[Atopy and RAST. Diagnostic, therapeutic and standardization problems. Experimental contribution (allergy to antibiotics)].

The authors outline the immunological and immunogenetic bases of atopy, as well as the radioimmunological techniques employed in the allergological diagnosis and purification as well as standardization of the allergens. The latest trends of the allergological immunotherapy are examined, covering fundamentally two wide fields: the possibility to elicit an aspecific immunological tolerance (soluble suppressor substances of IgE response; Asp-Ser-Asp-Pro-arg pentapeptide, D-GL copolimer conjugated aptens) or the specific induction of "suppressor" mechanisms (allergoids, modified allergens). The preliminary results obtained on sera of patients with a symptomatology highly indicative of penicillin allergy, employing RAST Penicilloil G and Penicilloil V, are also reported.

Allergens↗

PubMed1978

[Syphilis serology: "ELISA", a third generation test].

The characteristics and the working modalities of ELISA (Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay) are outlined at the onset. Subsequently, the Authors refer the data relevant to the use of ELISA in the syphilis serodiagnosis, by describing the operative phases for the working out of the test with the enzyme peroxidase, and reporting the results of the clinical investigation performed on primary and secondary syphilis in progress, on treated primary and secondary syphilis (examinations performed 1 to 10 years after the end of therapy), on healthy blood donors, and on samples of false biological positivities. On the basis of the analysis of the results, the Authors feel that ELISA for its characteristics of sensitivity, easiness in carrying out, rapidity and reproducibility, might find a rational indication in the modern serodiagnosis of the syphilis.

Blood Donors↗

PubMed1978