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Biomedical subjects

P Mancini

Publications and source records attributed to P Mancini.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Sensory disorders of the lower urinary tract: urodynamic evaluation.

Sensory disorders of the lower urinary tract (urethral syndrome, prostatodynia, painful pelvic-perineal syndromes, trigonitis) are clinically frequent, however this diagnosis is possible only by excluding other pathologies after clinical and instrumental evaluation. The Authors report their experience in urodynamic evaluation of sensory disorders of the lower urinary tract and they discuss about the absence of a typical urodynamic pattern of sensorial pathology.

Female

Partition of epidermal growth factor receptors on freeze-fractured plasma membranes of A431 cells is affected by the ligand.

The fracture immunolabel technique, which permits assessment of the partition of transmembrane proteins with the inner or outer leaflets of the freeze-fractured membrane, was used to analyze the behavior on fracture of epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptors over the plasma membranes of A431 cells. The receptors partition mainly with the outer leaflet of the freeze-fractured plasma membranes, whereas they become associated with the inner leaflet when they are occupied by the ligand. This modified partition is even more evident after receptor clustering induced by incubation with EGF at 37 degrees C. Treatment with 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) decreases the number of receptors over both inner and outer leaflets. An effect similar to that induced by the ligand is obtained when receptor aggregation is achieved using anti-receptor monoclonal antibodies (MAb). The modified partition therefore indicates receptor activation and appears to be a consequence of receptor cross-linking rather than to reflect a conformational change of the receptor molecule. Parallel immunolabeling with anti-phosphotyrosine antibodies of freeze-fractured EGF-treated A431 cells reveals that the receptors, when activated, are associated only with the inner leaflet of the plasma membrane.

Cell Line

High-resolution surface views of human lymphocytes during capping of CD4 and HLA antigens as revealed by immunogold fracture-flip.

The surface ultrastructure of lymphocytes during capping of two transmembrane proteins is shown. As seen by fracture-flip the plasma membranes of human lymphocytes are covered by a high density of surface particles. Incubation in 30% glycerol leads to aggregation of these surface particles. Immunogold labelling shows that the transmembrane proteins bearing HLA class I and CD4 antigens are confined to the particle aggregates. These results indicate that surface particles revealed by fracture-flip represent surface protrusions of integral membrane proteins seen as intramembrane particles in freeze-fractured lymphocytes. During capping HLA or CD4 antigens aggregate into progressively larger patches and, finally, into single caps. As revealed by fracture-flip the patches/caps are seen as clearly differentiated raised platforms that are clearly and sharply demarcated relative to contiguous areas of the surface. In non-patched (non-capped) regions, the pattern of distribution and apparent density of surface particles remain unaltered. Immunogold labelling clearly demarcates patches and caps, and shows that virtually no antigen molecules remain dispersed over the non-patched (non-capped) regions. Estimates of the surface density of either HLA or CD4 antigens over the capped areas point to high planar concentrations of the transmembrane proteins that bear these antigens.

Antigens, Surface

[Bidirectional tachycardia. Physiopathogenetic considerations and therapeutic strategy].

The authors report two cases of bidirectional ventricular tachycardia in patients suffering from digitalis intoxications. Considered the severe prognosis of such arrhythmias, the importance of an early diagnosis for starting an exact therapeutic strategy is stressed. It is important to note the absolute contraindication at the use of cardioactive glucoside. The various pathogenetic hypotheses about this arrhythmias are reviewed.

Adult

[Electrocardiographic evaluation of myocardial co-involvement in Duchenne muscular dystrophy: prognostic implications in a case with multiple localizations].

After a review of the literature on myocardial involvement (MI) in Duchenne's progressive muscular dystrophy (DMD), the authors report a case with an extensive MI. This severe myocardial functional impairment is a poor index in the prognosis of DMD. The authors emphasize the use of echocardiography in the screening of MI in DMD.

Adolescent

Molecular cytochemistry of CD3 and CD4 antigens in human lymphocytes as studied by label-fracture and by fracture-label.

Label-fracture and fracture-label membrane immunocytochemistry are used to analyze the surface distribution, dynamics and partition on fracture of CD3 and CD4 antigens of human T lymphocytes. Redistribution of the antigens, induced by treatment at 37 degrees C with specific monoclonal antibodies, results in patching and capping of the labeling as observed in label-fractured specimens. Examination of platinum/carbon replicas of freeze-fractured plasma membranes of antibody-treated cells does not reveal recognizable domains of intramembrane particles. However, in cells where the aggregation of intramembrane particles is induced by incubation with glycerol, colloidal gold-labeled CD3 and CD4 molecules are seen confined to particulate domains of the membrane. Therefore, the lack of visible aggregation of intramembrane particles in patched or capped regions of the membrane implies that migration of CD3 and CD4 antigens with concentration in domains of the membrane is achieved contemporaneously with export of other non-capped integral membrane proteins from the same regions, in a process of diffusional equilibrium. Examination of fracture-labeled specimens shows that CD4 molecules partition on fracture with the inner protoplasmic face of the plasma membrane. This partition illustrates the transmembrane attitude of the antigen molecule and is a probable consequence of interaction of the protein with other components of the membrane or with the cytoskeleton.

Antibodies, Monoclonal

Capping of HLA antigens in human lymphocytes as followed by immunogold label-fracture.

We used immunogold label-fracture to follow the migration of HLA I class and HLA II class antigens during capping as induced by specific monoclonal antibodies. Capping is achieved through a process of clustering and "consolidation" of clusters into larger patches and, finally, a single cap. All receptors appear to cluster from the very start, with no "stray" molecules joining already formed patches. Characterization of exoplasmic and protoplasmic fracture-faces of capping cells fails to reveal any corresponding accumulation of intramembrane particles and/or subtler rugosities. Our results are consistent with the concepts that view the migration of capping molecules as contemporaneous with the efflux of noncapping integral membrane proteins.

Antibodies, Monoclonal

Wheat germ agglutinin fracture-label of Golgi apparatus membranes in proliferating cells.

The thin section fracture-label technique has been recently used to analyze the distribution and compartmentalization of fully glycosylated components on intracellular membranes. Labelling with the lectin wheat germ agglutinin over the freeze-fractured membranes of Golgi apparatus in various secretory and non-secretory cells as well as in human peripheral lymphocytes was always very weak or absent even over the trans-most cisternae. In order to investigate if the labelling density may reflect the cellular activity in membrane biogenesis, we used in this study wheat germ agglutinin fracture-label of rapidly proliferating cells and mitogen-activated lymphocytes. Labelling over the fractured cisternae of the medial and trans portions of the Golgi apparatus was intense. Treatment with cycloheximide of proliferating cells induced a drastic reduction of the labelling over the Golgi cisternae.

Cell Division

Mobilization of plasmid pHSV106 from Escherichia coli HB101 in a laboratory-scale waste treatment facility.

The mobilization of plasmid pHSV106 from Escherichia coli HB101, in a laboratory model waste treatment facility, by both laboratory and indigenous wastewater strains of E. coli was monitored by transfer of antibiotic resistance characteristics and by detection of pHSV106 DNA sequences in recipient cells. The mobilization was demonstrated to occur under several different treatment conditions, such as different media composition, microbial concentrations, and waste flow rates. The herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase gene was used as a hybridization marker to confirm the occurrence of the transfer. The use of the HB101 (recA mutant) host cell implies that recA functions are unnecessary for the gene transfer.

Base Sequence

Prognosis in chronic lymphocytic leukemia: a retrospective multicentric study from the GIMEMA group.

Clinical and biological data were evaluated using Desu univariate analyses or Cox multivariate analyses in a series of 1,777 chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) patients from an Italian Cooperative Group. In univariate analyses, age and sex of patients, presence of bone marrow (BM; greater than or equal to 50%), and peripheral blood (PB; greater than or equal to 60,000/microL) lymphocytosis, anemia (hemoglobin [Hb] less than 11 g/dL), thrombocytopenia (less than 100,000/microL), direct Coombs' test positivity, hepatomegaly, splenomegaly, and extent of lymph node involvement were shown to be of significant prognostic value. Multivariate analyses, through a stepwise procedure, showed that the most important prognostic variables are Hb, hepatomegaly, lymph node involvement, PB lymphocytosis, and age and sex of patients. Further covariates would produce an improvement having a nonsignificant P value. Based on the results of multivariate analyses, a four-step staging using the significant variables of the Cox model is proposed.

Adult