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Biomedical subjects

S Neri

Publications and source records attributed to S Neri.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed2002

An unusual case of genodermatosis with familial gastrointestinal polyposis, angiomatous malformation and ascites.

Gardner's syndrome is a familial adenomatous polyposis syndrome with extraintestinal manifestations, characterized by the coexistence of intestinal polyposis with an early risk of malignant degeneration and extraintestinal manifestations mainly involving the skin, eye, bone and thyroid. We describe an unusual case of intestinal adenomatous polyposis, retinal hypertrophy, fibromas of the skin, bone and thyroid tumors accompanied by congenital arteriovenous malformations with lethal complications.

Arteriovenous Fistula↗
PubMed2001

Inhibition and regulation of rat liver L-threonine dehydrogenase by different fatty acids and their derivatives.

Rat liver L-threonine dehydrogenase is a mitochondrial enzyme which transforms L-threonine either into aminoacetone or into acetyl-CoA. We show that it is inhibited by several fatty acids and their derivatives: short chain fatty acids, L-2-hydroxybutyrate and D-3-hydroxybutyrate, long chain fatty acids, such as lauric acid, myristic acid, palmitic and stearic acids, bicarboxylic acids such as malonic acid and its derivatives methyl- and hydroxymalonic acids. The inhibition occurs at low and physiological concentrations of such compounds, which are normally present and metabolized in mitochondria. It presumably plays a role in the physiology of acetyl-CoA-dependent formation of fatty acids and ketobodies, in L-threonine-dependent gluconeogenesis, and in the regulation of L-threonine metabolism by L-threonine dehydrogenase and L-threonine deaminase.

3-Hydroxybutyric Acid↗
PubMed2001

Different IL-8 production by T and NK lymphocytes in elderly subjects.

A gradual decline in the functional activity of the immune system is described with advancing age. The adaptive immune system seems the most severely affected, but some age-associated modifications also occurs in NK cells. Several studies investigated the age related changes of cytokine production, while little is known about chemokines, whose importance in regulating immune-response becomes even more evident. In this study we investigated whether the ability of T lymphocytes and NK cells to produce IL-8, either spontaneously or after activation, respectively with anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody or interleukin 2 (IL-2) was affected by age. We demonstrated that: (a) T lymphocytes and NK cells spontaneously produced detectable amounts of IL-8; (b) anti-CD3 stimulation of T lymphocytes significantly increased IL-8 production and the increment was more evident in the nonagenarian subjects; (c) similarly, IL-2 stimulation of NK cells rose the production of IL-8 but the amount produced by the old was lower than the one produced by the young group. Because of the co-stimulatory role of chemokines on NK responses and given the demonstrated importance of NK cells in defence against viral infections, the decreased production of IL-8 can be involved in the defective functional activity of NK cells from old subjects.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Duration of menopause and behavior of malondialdehyde, lipids, lipoproteins and carotid wall artery intima-media thickness.

AIM: our study assessed whether minor or major hormonal deficiency influenced oxidative status and vascular wall structure in menopausal women. METHODS: the study series was made up of 62 non hypertensive non diabetic menopausal women (mean age 52.3+/-4.7 years) divided into two groups depending on duration of menopause (group 1 duration 0-5 years; group 2 duration over 5 years). Total cholesterol (TC), LDL cholesterol (LDL-C), HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C), triglycerides (TG), malondialdehyde (MDA) and common carotid artery wall intima-media thickness (IMT) were determined in the entire series. RESULTS: mean TC, LDL-C, TG, MDA and IMT values were higher in group 2 than group 1. The intergroup difference between MDA (P<0.007) and IMT values (P<0.006) values was statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: the study revealed a close temporal correlation between plasma oxidative stress and carotid wall IMT, jeopardizes vascular wall status as menopause proceeds.

Carotid Arteries↗
PubMed2001

Oxidative stress and endothelial damage in patients with asymptomatic carotid atherosclerosis.

It is known that oxidative stress can be able to induce cytotoxicity of blood cells, stimulate release of inflammatory cytokines, and induce the production of growth factors. The aim of this study was to investigate oxidative stress and endothelial dysfunction in patients with asymptomatic carotid artery disease and healthy controls. Native low-density lipoproteins, oxidised low-density lipoproteins, malondialdehyde, nitrates, glutathione peroxidase activity and endothelin-1 were determined in patients without severe (range between 30% and 50%) carotid artery stenosis. Native low-density lipoproteins, oxidized low-density lipoproteins, malondialdehyde, glutathione peroxydase, and endothelin-1 concentrations were higher in patients than in health controls (P<0.001). No difference was observed in nitrate values (P<0.8). Our results revealed oxidative stress in patients without severe carotid artery stenosis and clinical symptoms. This was shown by the elevated malondialdehyde and oxidized low-density lipoprotein levels.

Aged↗
PubMed2001

Human leucocyte antigen I expression in spermatozoa from infertile men.

The expression of class I human leucocyte antigen (HLA) has been investigated by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and flow cytometry on human purified ejaculated spermatozoa from an infertile population. Similar investigation in a control fertile population has been performed. Among 22 fertile and 20 infertile men, 17 were selected for the study because they showed no contamination with non-sperm cells. HLA I molecules were expressed in four of nine fertile subjects (44.4%) and three of eight infertile subjects (37.5%), with no significant difference between groups. These data demonstrate for the first time the presence of class I HLA antigens on spermatozoa of infertile subjects. In addition, considering that similar results have been obtained in both fertile and infertile populations, the hypothesis that the fertilizing capacity of the spermatozoon is independent of class I HLA-antigen expression on their surface may be advanced.

Histocompatibility Antigens Class I↗
PubMed2001

Calcein-acetyoxymethyl cytotoxicity assay: standardization of a method allowing additional analyses on recovered effector cells and supernatants.

Cytotoxicity assays provide an in vitro evaluation of the lytic activity of NK and T cells against tumors or transformed cells. However, none of these methods allow the recovery of cells or supernatants after the assay. We standardized a microcytotoxicity test using calcein-acetoxymethyl (calcein-AM) dye that requires very small quantities of cells while maintaining the same sensitivity as the traditional (51)Cr assay. The assay is applicable to resting as well as activated human effector cells and uses different targets such as human cell lines that are adherent or growing in suspension and resistant or sensitive. The most important feature of the method is the possibility of recovering cells and supernatants for additional analyses such as phenotyping and evaluation of soluble factors.

Cell Survival↗
PubMed2001

[Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. A case report].

A case of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is presented. The difficulty of a differential diagnosis with other interstitial lung diseases and the necessity of a right and complete diagnostic pathway are underlined.

Aged↗
PubMed2001

Changes in splenoportal axis calibre and flow in a patient affected by hereditary angioedema.

The authors describe a case of hereditary angioedema characterised by abdominal pain accompanied by ascites. Ultrasound (US) examination performed after acute abdominal attack implied the presence of increased splenoportal axis calibre and reduced blood flow. According to the authors, this may confirm the pathogenic role of C1-inhibitor deficiency induced oedema that is capable of creating major haemodynamic involvement also of abdominal vessels. US findings of transient appearance, especially related to the specific treatment, may help physicians make early diagnosis and avoid dangerous invasive procedures resulting from incorrect diagnosis of acute abdomen.

Abdomen, Acute↗
PubMed2000

Chemokine production by peripheral blood mononuclear cells in elderly subjects.

The function of chemokines in promoting and modulating leukocyte migration is essential for a prompt and efficacious inflammatory response and in host defence against infections. In order to investigate whether this important aspect of immunological response is influenced by ageing, we evaluated the basal levels as well as the ability of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from young and healthy elderly subjects to produce chemokines (IL-8, MCP-1, MIP-Ialpha, RANTES) in response to stimulation with anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody and lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a gram negative bacterial endotoxin. Our main findings are a spontaneous chemokine production; a 20% decrease of proliferative response to anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody accompanied by an age related increase of MIP-Ialpha and RANTES production and by a general increase of all chemokine production compared to unstimulated conditions; a proliferative defect of monocytes to LPS challenge associated with an increase of chemokine production compared to basal conditions with a progressive age-related increase of MIP-lalpha. In conclusion, this study suggests that chemokines could have a compensatory role in balancing the impaired mechanisms involved in 'specific' immune response during ageing. The successful activation of this strategy could contribute to the good performance of immune system so maintaining healthy status in elderly.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Radiation-induced gadd45 expression correlates with clinical response to radiotherapy of cervical carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Recent work has identified a category of genes devoted to the control of genomic stability and prevention of cellular evolution. They encode components of cell cycle checkpoint, i.e., regulatory pathways committed to ordered cell cycle transition and fidelity of replicated DNA under adverse environmental conditions, such as those following exposure to genotoxic agents. Gadd45 belongs to the class II family of DNA damage-inducible (DDI) gene, and its role in DNA repair has been proved in many experimental models. The aim of our study was to correlate gadd45 radio-induction with the responsiveness to radiotherapy of cervical carcinomas, a type of cancer most commonly treated with radiotherapy alone. METHODS: By means of a competitive polymerase chain reaction strategy, we compared in 14 patients the gene expression levels before and during external beam radiotherapy, when a dose ranging from 18 to 25 Gy was delivered to the target. RESULTS: We found a correlation between the lack of gadd45 induction and a good clinical response to radiotherapy, in terms of both local control and disease-free survival. CONCLUSION: Our results support the measure of the induction of gadd45, and possibly of other genes required for regulated G1-S checkpoint, as a method useful for prognostic evaluation of cervical carcinoma patients.

Aged↗
PubMed2000

Plasma endothelin-1 levels in liver cirrhosis.

The role of circulating endothelin- , a potent vasoconstricting peptide, in liver cirrhosis is still controversial. It has been postulated that endothelin-1 may play a role in the circulatory derangement occurring in cirrhotic subjects, and increased plasma endothelin-1 levels have been reported in these patients. In this study we looked for a relationship between the severity of the liver disease according to Child's classification and plasma endothelin-1 concentrations in a group of cirrhotic patients compared with a healthy control group. Twenty-two cirrhotic patients and 10 healthy controls, matched for sex and age, were selected for study after informed consent. The etiology of cirrhosis was posthepatitis B in 8 of 22 cases, posthepatitis C in 13 of 22 cases, and alcoholism in 1 patient. According to Child's classification, 6 patients were in class A, 6 in class B, and 10 in class C. Plasma endothelin-1 was measured by a commercial RIA kit (Amersham UK). Mean +/- SD plasma endothelin-1 levels were 8.8 +/- 0.9 pg/ml in controls and 9.2 +/- 1.1 pg/ml in all cirrhotic patients (P > 0.05). In each sub-group of cirrhotics, plasma endothelin- was 8.6 +/- 1.2 pg/ml in Child A, 8.9 +/- 1.9 pg/ml in Child B, and 10.6 +/- 1.5 pg/ml in Child C groups, respectively. There were no statistical differences between control subjects and Child A and B cirrhotic patients (P > 0.05). A significant increase in endothelinl was observed only in the Child C group versus either group A or B (P = 0.004). Our results show that alterations of circulating endothelin-1 do not occur in all cirrhotic patients; higher plasma levels than controls are only detectable in patients with more-severe hepatic failure. We do not know whether increased endothelin-1 levels are a consequence of hemodynamic disorders occurring in the advanced phase of liver cirrhosis or play a pathogenic role.

Biomarkers↗
PubMed2000

Perihepatic lymphadenopathy in chronic hepatitis C: a complementary diagnostic element?

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The authors searched for perihepatic lymph nodes during ultrasonography performed for other symptoms in 1222 Sicilian outpatients in order to assess the incidence and possible significance of the association of perihepatic lymph nodes and chronic hepatitis C. METHOD: One or two lymph nodes were observed in 184/1222 patients, and 142 of these 184 were anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV) positive. RESULTS: Our results confirmed a very high incidence of perihepatic lymphadenopathy during chronic hepatitis. The concomitant presence of HCV virus and perihepatic lymph nodes may confirm the marked lymphotropism of this virus. CONCLUSION: As anti-HCV positivity is frequent in asymptomatic subjects with normal alanine aminotransferase concentrations, the authors believe that searching for sentinel perihepatic lymph nodes during abdominal ultrasonography could be recommended in routine diagnostic screening for HCV infection. Any perihepatic lymph nodes detected by this method could pinpoint subjects for whom more specific examinations are required, especially in areas where the virus is particularly endemic.

Female↗
PubMed2000

Unusual manifestations of hereditary angioedema.

Hereditary angioedema is a hereditary disorder transmitted as an autosomal dominant trait, characterized by reduced plasma concentration of C1 esterase inhibitor (type 1) or the presence of non functional C1 esterase inhibitor (type 2). We describe and discuss the case of a 35-year-old man who presented two unusual clinical manifestations of type 2 hereditary angioedema causing diverse emergency situations: acute abdomen and parasellar oedema.

Abdomen, Acute↗
PubMed2000

Clinical outcome of extramedullary plasmacytoma.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was a retrospective analysis of the presenting features of extramedullary plasmacytoma, its response to therapy and its clinical course. DESIGN AND METHODS: Forty-six cases diagnosed between August 1970 and June 1993 were carefully reviewed. The follow-up was continued until June 1998 and the median observation time was 118 months. RESULTS: The disease was most frequently localized in the upper airways (37/46; 80%), with the mass limited to a single site in all but seven patients in whom two contiguous sites were involved. Other localizations were the lymph nodes, thyroid, skin, stomach, and brain. The clinical symptoms were related to the site of presentation, and the median time between appearance and diagnosis was 7.5 months. The median age at diagnosis was 55 years (range 16-80), with 14 patients (30%) being under 50 years old. The disorder was approximately twice as common in males as in females. Ten patients (21%) had a monoclonal component. The therapeutic strategy varied, although the most frequent form of treatment was local radiotherapy. Thirty-nine patients (85%) achieved complete remission (CR), five (11%) a partial remission (PR) and two (4%) did not respond to therapy (NR). Local recurrence (LR) or recurrence at other sites (ROS) occurred in 7.5% and 10%, respectively. Seven patients (15%) developed multiple myeloma (MM), characterized by multiple sites of osteolysis in almost all cases with soft tissue involvement in some of them. The 15 year survival rate was 78%. INTERPRETATION AND CONCLUSIONS: This review of a relatively large series of patients confirms the favorable prognosis of EMP when treated locally by irradiation and/or surgery.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Association of alpha-interferon and acetyl cysteine in patients with chronic C hepatitis.

BACKGROUND: Numerous experimental findings have underlined the relationships between liver damage and production of oxygen-derived free radicals during inflammation. In chronic hepatitis C liver disease this damage may be attributed to altered oxide-reductive balance and glutathione (GSH) depletion. Moreover, it may be linked to chronic inflammation provoked by the replicative activity of the hepatitis C virus and its relationships with immune system cells. Our aim was to assess the effects of combined IFN + NAC treatment to compare the effects of interferon alpha-n1 associated with N-acetyl cysteine treatment with the results observed using interferon therapy alone. METHODS EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: prospective randomised study. SETTING: Ambulatory and hospitalised care. PATIENTS: 77 selected patients affected by chronic C hepatitis. INTERVENTIONS: our patients were investigated by laboratory tests (ALT values, RIBA test, HCV-RNA, oxide-reductive balance), liver biopsy and liver US. The recruited subjects were treated with interferon and N-acetyl cysteine or with interferon alone. RESULTS: Our findings confirmed the presence of oxidative stress in patients with chronic hepatitis C and showed earlier relapse in patients treated with interferon alone. The difference between the results in patients treated with interferon and N-acetyl cysteine and those on interferon alone was significant. CONCLUSIONS: The good results and absence of side effects in patients treated with interferon + N-acetyl cysteine recommend wider use of this association.

Acetylcysteine↗
PubMed1999

Protective effect of pirenoxine and U74389F on induced lipid peroxidation in mammalian lenses. An in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo study.

Oxidative stress is believed to be involved in cataract development. The protective effect of the xanthomatine derivative, pirenoxine, and the 21-aminosteroid U74389F on oxidative insult in mammalian lenses was evaluated in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo. In vitro pirenoxine and U74389F inhibited lipid peroxidation induced by iron or haemoglobin in guinea-pig homogenate lens or whole lenses. Both compounds produced the same effect when lens oxidation was induced by superoxide producing system such as xanthine/xanthine oxidase or fMLP stimulated macrophages. In all the in vitro experiments, the values of biochemical lipid peroxidation markers, such as lipid hydroperoxides or thiobarbituric reactant substances, fell to the basal values with the addition of either pirenoxine (10(-5) M) or U74389F (10(-5) M). When two drops (60 microl) of the above molecular solutions (0.005 and 0.012% in saline respectively) were instilled in rabbit eyes (every hour for 8 hours over 2 days), the extracted lenses appeared to have better defences against an in vitro iron-induced lipid peroxidation, as shown by the values of conjugated dienes and lipid soluble fluorescent substances. These values also proved to be significantly lower when the same parameters were assayed in lenses from eyes where a lipid peroxidation was induced in vivo by haemoglobin or Diquat intravitreal injection followed by instillations of pirenoxine sodium salt or U74389F solutions (2 drops of about 60 microl every hour for 8 hours over 4 days) administered topically. Polarographic and chronocoulometric measurements were also performed in order to investigate the action mechanisms of both compounds. Experimental data indicate that the pirenoxine sodium salt and U74389F may be considered effective tools for rejecting an oxidative attack on the lenses, which can finally lead to cataract formation.

Animals↗