Toward a bioartificial drug metabolizing system: gel immobilized liver cell microsomes.
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to M Marchisio.
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A group of 182 workers exposed to diisocyanates (varnishers, carpenters, producers of polyurethane resins and expanded plastic) were examined to study the immunogenic capacity of these substances. The skin tests, particularly the intradermal tests, revealed reactions of the immediate, accelerated and/or delayed types due to the presence of IgE and IgG, in addition to responses of the cellular type. This was confirmed by passive transfer in guinea-pigs and man and immunohaematological tests such as passive haemagglutination and lymphocyte transformation. In 4 cases it was possible to demonstrate thermoresistant, homocytotropic immunoglobulins, that were not dependent on complement and behaved like reagins (i.e. short-term anaphylactic IgG). Exposure tests were performed on 45 cases; the results are analyzed and compared with those of the skin tests. It is concluded that both these groups of tests are of value in investigating the aetiopathogenesis of the pathology of the isocyanates: the skin tests for initial screening, and then the exposure tests for resolving doubtful diagnoses. Cross-reactions were also demonstrated between toluene-diisocyanate and methylene-diisocyanate. Two phases could be considered in the pathogenesis; in the first phase, signs of inflammation appeared at the primary sites of contact with the irritant, then the ability of the diisocyanates to form a conjugate with organic proteins results in the production of a complete antigen and consequent sensitization of the exposed person. The appearance of symptoms naturally depends on subsequent exposure and the immunogenic capacity of the patient: the response is mainly of the reagin type in atopic patients and of type 3 in non-atopic patients.
Previous results demonstrated that the occurrence of death in human peripheral B lymphocytes by TNF-alpha was paralleled by the activation of the cytoplasmic Jak1 and Tyk2 protein kinases, along with the recruitment of transcription factors Stat3 and Stat5b. In this study we demonstrate that the balance of survival signals in the presence of TNF-alpha was altered by the addition of a salicylate compound, the endonuclease inhibitor aurintricarboxylic acid (ATA). Apoptosis effected by TNF-alpha alone was suppressed by ATA and this event was paralleled by phosphorylation and nuclear translocation of Jak2, Stat2, Stat4 and NF-kB, along with inhibition of caspase activation. These results confirm that among the different cellular responses evoked by TNF-alpha in human B cells, recruitment of Jak/Stat proteins and possible related gene modulation represent contributing factors and address the issue of the development of potential therapeutic strategies aimed at the control of systemic or local effects produced by TNF-alpha.
The biological and molecular mechanisms which are responsible for the formation and possible evolution of human aneurysms are unknown. Previous investigations have pointed to the possible involvement of inositol specific-phospholipase C (PLC) in the mechanisms related to the formation or evolution of intracranial aneurysms, but, thus far, a relationship of one or more PLC isoforms with the biological signals influencing the fate of this lesion has not been demonstrated. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression, activity and possible modification of PLC isoforms in intracranial aneurysms in patients undergoing elective surgical repair after casual identification of unruptured aneurysms, or during emergency surgical repair of ruptured aneurysms. PLC and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) expressions were detected by immunohistochemical analysis; PLC activity was obtained by measuring its hydrolytic activity on labelled PIP(2); PKC activity was measured by total kinase activity assay. Results indicated no substantial differences between controls and aneurysms, with the only exception being PLC delta2 which was nearly absent in controls and ruptured aneurysms, while strongly expressed and functionally active in almost all unruptured aneurysms. In addition, its expression always correlated with the proliferation cell marker PCNA, while its specific activity always correlated to PKC activity. PLC delta2 distribution, regulation and role in human tissues are still unknown Therefore, although preliminary, these data provide a novel insight into the signalling machinery influencing the aneurismal progression.
Protein kinase Cs (PKCs) belong to a serine/threonine kinase family, ubiquitously expressed and claimed to be involved in physiological processes including apoptosis, cell growth and differentiation. The question of the subcellular localization and activity of PKCs remains to be clarified. Here we report that nuclear PKC-delta cooperates to regulate the S-G2/M phase transition of cell cycle, apparently being associated to chromosome condensation and alignment on the metaphase plate.
The FHIT gene is altered in several types of tumors and abnormal expression of Fhit protein have also been reported in some preneoplastic lesions. We have determined the Fhit expression on histological samples of 26 patients affected by preneoplastic lesions who developed a gastric cancer within 2 years. The expression of the Fhit protein was always present in all preneoplastic lesions, while the Fhit protein immunostaining was distributed unevenly in 10 cases and completely lost in 6. The complete loss of Fhit expression only in areas of neoplastic low differentiation suggests that FHIT gene takes part in late gastric carcinogenesis.
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Differentiation and functional response of mature myeloid cells require cytoskeleton remodelling in a dynamic system that involves subcellular organization and regional signalling. Within the myeloid lineage, neutrophils constitute a cell type in which different cell compartments, and predominantly the nucleus, undergo distinctive large changes involving actin reorganization. In the context of the progressive elucidation of the nuclear structure and composition that has been achieved in the last two decades, it is now clear that the nucleus possesses an ordered and dynamic skeletal structure which shares many properties with the cytoskeleton, and the full set of substrates and enzymes that participate in the inositol lipid metabolism. Consolidated evidence indicate that the changes in cytoskeleton assembly are regulated also by phosphoinositides in a way dependent on their local concentration and availability. Indeed, enzymes able to affect the amount and phosphorylation of inositol lipids can play fundamental roles in determining the architectural transitions of the cell. The expression pattern and the changes of activity of PLC and PI 3-K in the nucleus during differentiation of tumoral myeloid precursors suggest that these enzymes play a crucial role in modifying the intranuclear pool of phosphoinositides, which in turn induce the changes in nucleoskeleton associated to granulocytic maturation. It can be speculated that defective control of nucleoskeleton assembly is one of the causes of dysregulated cell maturation or differentiative block in the course of myeloid leukemias. Inositide modifying enzymes can thus be regarded as potential targets for molecularly designed therapeutic intervention on hematological malignancies.
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