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L Botto

Publications and source records attributed to L Botto.

13 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2007

Changes in the composition of detergent-resistant membrane domains of cultured neurons following protein kinase C activation.

Changes in the composition of cell fractions, and in particular of detergent-resistant membranes (DRM) isolated from cultured rat cerebellar granule cells, were taken as possible changes in lipid raft composition during a signal transduction event. After activation of protein kinase C (PKC) with phorbol esters (PMA) or glutamate, the content of PKC and of proteins highly enriched (GAP43, Fyn, and PrP(c)) or not (MARCKS) in DRM was followed. PKC activation strongly increased its association with membranes (from 2% to 75%), causing its enrichment within DRM; the substrate GAP43, enriched in DRM, remained membrane associated, but its proportion in DRM dramatically decreased (from about 40% to 2.5%), suggesting its shift from raft to nonraft membranes, possibly as a consequence of phosphorylation by PKC. The distribution of Fyn and PrP(c) (DRM-enriched) and of MARCKS (present mainly outside DRM) did not change. PKC activation was followed by an increase of GAP43 and MARCKS phosphorylation (about 7- and 8-fold, respectively). Noteworthy was that, after cell treatment with the lipid raft-disrupting drug methyl-beta-cyclodextrin, PKC activation occurred normally, followed by MARCKS phosphorylation, but GAP43 phosphorylation did not occur. Taken altogether, these data suggest that the integrity of lipid rafts is necessary for PKC to affect GAP43 and catalyze its phosphorylation.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

[Prevalence of methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene polymorphism (C677T) in the Hungarian population].

MTHFR encodes a critical enzyme in folate and homocysteine metabolism and the C677T allele of the MTHFR gene has some association with an increased risk for neural-tube defects and for adult cardiovascular diseases. As part of an international collaborative study the prevalence of C677T homozygous genotype was 11.1% while the frequency of C677T heterozygous condition was 45.2% in the Hungarian neonate sample. These findings underscore the clinical importance of the C677T variant in the Hungarian population and urge population-based prevention of conditions related to such gene.

Alleles↗
PubMed1999

Nausea during pregnancy and congenital heart defects: a population-based case-control study.

The authors investigated the possible association between a mother's nausea during pregnancy and her child's risk for a congenital heart defect using data from the population-based Atlanta Birth Defects Case-Control Study conducted in 1982-1983. Case infants (n = 998) had nonsyndromic congenital heart defects and control infants (n = 3,029) had no congenital defects. Nausea during pregnancy (NP) was graded in eight levels of "severity" based on its onset, frequency, and duration. Level 1, the most severe NP, was associated with a lower risk for a congenital heart defect in the child (odds ratio (OR) = 0.81, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.67-0.99) compared with no nausea. The lower risk tended to disappear with less severe levels of nausea, and the trend was statistically significant. Overall, early NP (levels 1 to 4 combined) with use of antinausea medication, particularly Bendectin (doxylamine, dicyclomine (dropped from the formulation in 1976), pyridoxine (vitamin B6)), was associated with a lower risk for congenital heart defects compared with: 1) absence of nausea (OR = 0.67, 95% CI 0.50-0.92), and 2) nausea without medication use (OR = 0.70, 95% CI 0.50-0.94). The results suggest that pregnancy hormones and factors or, alternatively, a component of Bendectin (most probably pyridoxine) may be important for normal heart development. These findings outline potential areas for future research on and prevention of congenital heart defects.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Monitoring for new multiple congenital anomalies in the search for human teratogens.

The ability of birth defects monitoring to detect new human teratogenic and mutagenic agents may be limited if only isolated defects are monitored. Surveillance for "new" multiple congenital anomalies (MCA) may improve the detection of environmental agents associated with new defect patterns. To evaluate the feasibility of such monitoring, we examined data from two programs: 1) the Metropolitan Atlanta Congenital Defects Program (MACDP), which ascertains infants with serious defects diagnosed in the first year of life, and, 2) the Italian Multicenter Register for Congenital Malformations (IPIMC), which ascertains newborn infants with birth defects from many hospitals in Italy. We focused on 24 relatively serious defects and defect groups. For a baseline period (MACDP: 1968-1988, 581,000 births; IPIMC: 1986-1989, 448,000 births), we identified all possible combinations of defects occurring in the same baby. For a test period (MACDP: 1989-1990, 77,000 births; IPIMC: 1990, 91,500 births), we identified babies with "new" MCA (i.e., combinations of defects not observed before in the system). During this period in MACDP, of the 85 babies with two or more defects, 9 babies had new MCAs. In IPIMC, of the 54 babies with two or more defects, 10 babies had new MCAs. A review of the records of infants with new MCAs in MACDP and IPIMC did not identify commonalities in maternal characteristics. This analysis illustrates the feasibility of monitoring for new MCAs in surveillance systems. This approach, complemented by an evaluation of exposures, may be a powerful additional tool in searching for human teratogens and mutagens.

Abnormalities, Multiple↗
PubMed1993

Omphalocele and gastroschisis: a collaborative study of five Italian congenital malformation registries.

During 1984-1989, 116 cases of omphalocele and 42 cases of gastroschisis were detected among 736,760 consecutive births in the area covered by five Italian congenital malformation registries. The prevalence rate was 1.6 per 10,000 for omphalocele and 0.6 per 10,000 for gastroschisis. Three additional cases were detected among spontaneous abortions, giving a total of 117 cases of omphalocele and 44 of gastroschisis. No variations in prevalence rates were observed among registries. A cluster of omphalocele was found in 1989 in Firenze. All cases were sporadic except for one infant with two sibs with Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome. A predominance of male infants was observed for both defects. This study confirms the very young maternal age for isolated gastroschisis as compared to that for omphalocele and controls. Birth weight and the percentage of small-for-date is different among isolated gastroschisis, omphalocele and controls. Associated anomalies occurred in 45 cases of omphalocele and 11 cases of gastroschisis. Our data confirm the association of omphalocele with trisomies 13 and 18. Twelve cases of omphalocele and gastroschisis with associated limb defects were classified as limb body wall complex. The possible differences in etiopathology between omphalocele and gastroschisis, both isolated and associated, are discussed.

Abnormalities, Multiple↗
PubMed1993

Antiepileptic drug therapy and congenital defects.

The present paper is a literature review on congenital malformations observed in the offspring of epileptic mothers. The conditions which are here considered are both morphologic and functional defects. To prevent one or more of these defects it is essential to understand the precise etiologic role of the antiepileptic drugs, which seem to be of primary importance, and their mechanism of action, as drug therapy cannot be stopped during pregnancy being indispensable for the well-being of the mother and fetus. At this state of knowledge a proportion of defects can be prevented if optimal therapy is followed right from the preconceptional period: to this end, a set of guidelines is suggested and discussed.

Abnormalities, Drug-Induced↗
PubMed1989

An outbreak of multiply resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa in a neonatal unit: plasmid pattern analysis.

An outbreak of infection due to multiply resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa occurred from March to April 1986 in a neonatal unit. Affected neonates were receiving ventilation support and the mortality rate was high. Plasmid analysis and antibiograms indicated that the outbreak was due to a single strain. A survey of bacteria isolated from respirators, potable water and hands of personnel working in the unit failed to recover the outbreak strain. Lack of sterilization of respirators and overcrowding were considered to be the causes of the outbreak and reinforcement of the importance of aseptic techniques helped in its termination.

Argentina↗