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Biomedical subjects

L Businco

Publications and source records attributed to L Businco.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
PubMed1982

Superoxide-dependent chemotactic activity for PMNs derived from opsonized zymosan-stimulated human platelets.

Previous studies have shown that platelets exhibit a H2O2 producing, NADH-dependent system that is activated by interaction with particulate material. Current evidence suggests that this system could be critically involved in th generation of chemotactic factor(s). In the present studies, chemotactic activity for polymorphonuclear leukocytes of supernatants derived from zymosan-stimulated human platelets has been evaluated using an agarose gel technique. Supernatants of opsonized zymosan-stimulated platelets showed significant chemotactic activity (migration index = 300 +/- 50), in comparison with supernatants prepared from platelet suspensions stimulated with nonopsonized-zymosan (migration index = 10 +/- 15) or resting platelet supernatants (migration index = 15 +/- 15). Furthermore, a marked increase in chemotactic activity of the opsonized zymosan-treated platelet supernatants was demonstrated after the addition of NADH (migration index = 525 +/- 100). The inclusion of specific inhibitors of the cycloxygenase and lipoxygenase pathways resulted in a marked reduction of chemotactic activity, which was restored in the presence of NADH. Further, the addition of superoxide dismutase completely abolished the chemotactic response induced by NADH. These data suggest that platelets are the source of chemotactic factor(s) derived from the activation of a superoxide generating system.

Blood Platelets↗
PubMed1982

A case of hyperimmunoglobulinemia E treated with cow's milk and egg-free diet.

This report is of seven-year-old girl with a lifelong history of severe eczema, intestinal features of food allergy, recurrent respiratory tract infections, chronic bilateral keratitis and mucocutaneous candidiasis. Immunological tests showed high serum IgE levels, with specific IgE antibodies to cow's milk and egg white, defective PMN chemotaxis and a marked defect in both the function and number of T-lymphocytes. On a cow's milk-free and egg-free diet the eczema subsided and the respiratory infections improved. A partial correction of the immunodeficiency was also observed. The relationships between the immune system and atopy are discussed.

Animals↗
PubMed1981

Clinical and therapeutic aspects of sinusitis in children with bronchial asthma.

Eighty children between 4 and 14 years of age suffering from bronchial asthma were investigated. Fifty-five of them showed clinical and radiological findings of sinusitis. Of these, 13 patients with purulent postnasal drip were treated with ampicillin, phenylephrine and triprolidine (therapy A) and for the other 42 ampicillin was replaced by beclomethasone (therapy B). Thirty-four of 55 children showed improvement in sinus X-rays; 20 children had a considerable decrease in the severity of asthma and many symptoms cleared up after the therapy for sinusitis (P less than 0.001). In conclusion, owing to the high prevalence of sinusitis in children with bronchial asthma, all asthmatic children should be investigated to check for a sinus disease.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1981

A child with atopic features, raised serum IgE, and recurrent infection treated with levamisole.

A 6-year-old girl had a long history of severe eczema, asthma, recurrent otitis media, and staphylococcal infections with disseminated chronic skin abscesses. Immunological studies showed a neutrophil chemotaxis defect, hyperimmunoglobulinaemia E, IgE antibodies against cows' milk proteins, absence of IgM, and absence of staphylococcal haemolysins. Neutrophil phagocytic and bactericidal functions and complement system were normal. In the course of treatment with levamisole (2.5 mg/kg, 3 times a week for one year) a striking clinical improvement occurred: the skin lesions and the staphylococcal abscesses gradually cleared and the girl gained weight. There was also a partial correction of the immune deficiency.

Abscess↗
PubMed1981

Cellular immune defects to Epstein-Barr virus-determined antigens in young males.

Three males with the X-linked lymphoproliferative syndrome (XLP) with hypo- or agammaglobulinemia following Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection and two males with the chronic mononucleosis syndrome were investigated for immune responses to EBV-determined antigens. Males with XLP showed profound cellular immune defects. Markedly diminished responses of natural killer cell and interferon-activated killer cell activities and impaired leukocyte migration inhibition responses to phytohemagglutinin were determined in patients with XLP. The two patients with chronic mononucleosis showed less severe defects. All patients showed partial or complete impairment of their EBV-specific immune responses as measured by leukocyte migration inhibition. EBV-specific antibodies were markedly diminished against EBV-associated nuclear antigen, early antigen, and viral capsid antigen in males with XLP. In contrast, patients with chronic mononucleosis had elevated antibodies to most EBV-specific antigens. Individuals with life-threatening EBV-induced lymphoproliferative disorders may exhibit multiple defective immune mechanisms against the virus.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1980

[Histamine as the principal pathogenetic factor in gastroduodenal ulcer. Research priorities].

A research group led by L. Businco between 1937 and 1942 was able, by applying new measuring methods in a variety of experimental situations, to demonstrate for the first time a concrete pathogenetic link between histamine and gastroduodenal ulcer. These personal researches produced the following objective data: increase in blood histamine in more than 70% of patients with ulcers; presence of histamine in the gastric juice of ulcer patients; diminution of blood histamine after gastric resection; increase in blood histamine in patients with postoperative peptic ulcer; increase in tissue histamine in ulcerous zones; diminution in blood histamine, parallel clinical improvement and contemporaneous diminution in total and hydrochloric acidity in patients treated with histaminase. The discover by Black et al of cimetidine as an antagonist of H2 receptors to which is added the gastric secretory stimulus of histamine, underscores the role played by this substance in determining gastroduodenal ulcer.

Cimetidine↗
PubMed1980

Zinc-dependent chemotactic defect in an infant with acrodermatitis.

A 5-month-old infant developed acrodermatitis enteropathica when weaned from breast milk to cows' milk. Plasma zinc concentration was low. T- and B-lymphocyte functions were normal, but there was a severe defect of neutrophil chemotaxis. Oral treatment with zinc sulphate (40 mg daily) induced an immediate clinical improvement, with restoration of normal plasma zinc level and complete correction of neutrophil chemotaxis.

Acrodermatitis↗
PubMed1979

Intradermal skin tests with Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus in asthmatic children: correlation with specific IgE and bronchial provocation tests.

The purpose of the present study was to compare the results of the skin tests, the specific IgE levels and bronchial provocation tests in a group of sensitive asthmatic children with a Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus extract standardized by the RAST inhibition method. Skin tests showed a positive 'end point' in twelve children of 0.5 U/ml antigen; in eleven 5 U/ml; seven of 50 U/ml; six of 500 U/ml. Specific IgE was present in thirty-three children (92%). A close relationship between positive skin tests and serum IgE levels was found. Bronchial provocation tests were positive in twenty-eight children (78%): eight children with both positive RAST and positive skin tests had negative bronchial provocation tests.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1979

Immunologic and clinical investigation on a bovine thymic extract. Therapeutic applications in primary immunoedificiencies.

Thirteen patients with primary immunodeficiencies (eight with T-cell deficiency, one with Wiskott-Aldrich (W-A) syndrome, two with common variable agammaglobulinemia (CVA), and two with severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) were treated with a calf thymus extract, called thymostimulin (TS). It has been shown that this extract causes in vitro differentiation of T-cell precursors in patients with T-cell defect. Five of eight patients with pure T-cell defect showed immunologic recovery and clinical remission lasting for several months after interruption of the therapy; one had only transient reconstitution, one had slight increase in T-cells (clinical conditions not yet estimated), and two patients soon died from severe infections after showing a slight increase of T-cells. Immune recovery was assess by an increase of the absolute number of E-rosettes forming cells, of human T-lymphocyte antigen positive cells and of PHA responsiveness in the peripheral blood, and by a positive delayed hypersensitivity reaction to antigens. In five patients, there was also B-cell increase after TS treatment. Clinical remission consisted of disappearance of infections, weight gain, and in improvement in general conditions. No effect was observed in one patient with W-A syndrome, in two with CVA, and in two with SCID. Several hypotheses on the mechanisms involved in immune reconstitution are discussed. It seems likely that TS acts on prethymic cells or on the epithelial cells of hypoplastic thymuses. TS was not effective, either in vitro or in vivo, in patients with SCID probably because of a defect in stem cells.

Agammaglobulinemia↗