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M Provencio

Publications and source records attributed to M Provencio.

44 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1990

Sympathetic nervous system mediates central corticotropin-releasing factor induced suppression of natural killer cytotoxicity.

Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) acts within the brain to elicit changes in neuroendocrine, autonomic and behavioral activity similar to those observed after stress. A reduction of cellular immune function as measured by splenic natural killer cell activity has also been described following the central administration of CRF. In this study we evaluated the role of the sympathetic nervous system in mediating CRF-induced suppression of natural killer (NK) cytotoxicity. Synthetic rat CRF (1.0 microgram) microinjected into the lateral ventricle increased noradrenergic function and reduced NK activity in the rat spleen. Pretreatment of the animals by chemical sympathectomy (6-hydroxy-dopamine, 100 mg/kg i.p. daily over 10 days) produced a greater than 95% reduction of splenic norepinephrine concentration and abolished completely both the CRF-induced increase in plasma catecholamine levels and the reduction in splenic NK activity. In addition, beta adrenergic receptor blockade (either propranolol, 10 mg/kg i.p., or butoxamine, 25 mg/kg i.p. 30 min before i.c.v. infusion) antagonized the CRF-induced reduction in NK activity. Measurement of circulating levels of adrenocorticotrophic hormone and corticosterone demonstrated that activation of the pituitary adrenal axis by CRF was dissociated from changes in NK activity. These findings suggest that the sympathetic nervous system mediates the suppression of splenic NK cytotoxicity after i.c.v. CRF.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Malignant fibrous histiocytoma of the spleen and chronic myelogenous leukemia. A case report.

We report a rare case of a patient with an intrasplenic malignant fibrous histiocytoma (MFH) and chronic myelogenous leukemia. The neoplasms were synchronous in their onset and evolution. The peculiarity of the primary site of the MFH, the genetic implications of multiple primary tumors in a single patient, and the controversy about the cell precursors of MFH are briefly outlined.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Metastatic renal cell carcinoma to the head and neck area.

AIMS AND BACKGROUND: Metastases of renal cell carcinoma to the head and neck are rare. We report on three cases with tumor spread to this area (nasal cavity, tongue and larynx) and present a review of the literature. PATIENTS: The first patient presented with lung and nasal cavity metastases five years after renal tumor resection. In patient 2 the diagnosis of primary renal carcinoma and lung and tongue metastases was concomitant. In case 3 a primary kidney tumor was not suspected until radical resection of a tongue lesion was performed. RESULTS: The first two patients received radiation therapy. They had been previously treated with interleukin + interferon and vinblastine + interleukin 2 and achieved a survival of 14 and 16 months, respectively. The third patient has not been given any treatment to date (apart from surgery) and remains asymptomatic four years after diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with cell carcinoma the occurrence of lesions in the head and neck area may suggest metastases. In some cases they may precede the diagnosis of a renal tumor and mimic a primary head and neck tumor; otolaryngologists should be aware of this possibility. An individualized treatment approach is recommended. In the case of solitary metastases a surgical excision should be performed as palliation, if not cure.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Testicular germ cell tumor and Down syndrome.

The association between Down syndrome and testicular germ cell tumors may be more frequent than expected according to chance, but few reports have focused on this excess. We report two cases of this association and review the English medical literature.

Adult↗