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T Marotti

Publications and source records attributed to T Marotti.

47 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

In vivo effect of progesteron and estrogen on thymus mass and T-cell functions in female mice.

Progesteron and estradiol, administered in doses equivalent to those used for therapy caused a marked transient reduction of the thymus mass, but did not affect the cellularity of other lymphoid organs. Humoral and cellular immune response of the hormone-treated mice was normal at the time of thymus involution. The same was true for the stem-cell differentiation capacity. The remaining thymus cells after hormone treatment showed increased DNA-synthesis.

Animals↗

Immunoregulatory properties and LP-pattern of human ovarian carcinoma ascites and pleural effusions of nonmalignant origin.

The immunoregulatory activity of ascitic fluids obtained from patients with ovarian carcinoma, and pleural effusions collected from patients with various nonmalignant diseases, was tested. The following assays were performed: in vivo, PFC-response of mouse splenocytes to SRBC; in vitro, antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC), and phagocytic activity of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMoC). The migration ability of mouse splenocytes in the presence of ascitic fluids was also evaluated. Parallelly, lipid (triglyceride and cholesterol) and lipoprotein (high-density/HDL/, low-density/LDL/, and very-low-density/VLDL/) content in ascites and pleural effusions, were determined. Both types of fluids suppressed the PFC-response and inhibited phagocytosis of 51Cr-labeled sheep erythrocytes by PBMoC, but augmented ADCC of PBMoC against sheep erythrocytes. An elevation of VLDL and a decrease of HDL and LDL in ascitic fluids and pleural effusions, as compared to normal human sera, were found. There were similar changes in the cholesterol content of these lipoprotein fractions, i.e., an increase of VLDL- and a decrease of HDL- and LDL-cholesterol.

Animals↗

Immunosuppression related to ascitic fluid in patients with ovarian carcinoma.

The immune response to SRBC (PFC assay) was suppressed in mice injected with cell-free ascitic fluid from patients with ovarian carcinoma. The immunosuppressive effect of ascitic fluid obtained from stage IV patients was stronger than that of stage III patients. These data were correlated with the patient's immune status (number of E and EAC rosettes, PHA reactivity of lymphocytes, skin reactivity in recall antigens) and with changes in protein fractions in the serum and ascitic fluid. A good correlation was found between the immunosuppressive effect in the mouse PEC assay and the increased quantity of alpha-1-globulins in ascites. Skin nonreactivity to PPD also correlated with the immunosuppressive effect of ascitic fluid. However, the lymphocyte response to PHA and the numbers of E and EAC rosettes did not correlate either with skin reactivity or recall antigens or with the suppression of PFC response in mice.

Adult↗

Carcinomas of the cervix and corpus uteri in humans: stage-dependent blood levels of substance(s) immunologically cross-reactive with insulin.

Inasmuch as the elevated levels of substance(s) immunologically cross-reactive with insulin (SICRI) in a diabetic woman with carcinoma of the corpus uteri decreased following the surgical removal of the uterus and ovaries, 80 women with cervical carcinomas of various stages and 70 women with carcinomas of the corpus uteri of various stages were screened for the levels of SICRI and C-peptide. The levels of SICRI in the second, third, and fourth stages of the cancers were elevated (up to six times above the normal levels of immunoreactive insulin) and stage-dependent. The levels of C-peptide, which are related to the insulin-secreting activity of pancreatic beta-cells, were normal and independent of the stage of cancer.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Thymic influence of proliferation and interaction of fractionated spleen cells of mice.

Cells from the spleens of mice were separated into seven subpopulations by centrifugation on a discontinuous density gradient of dextran. The lightest fraction (containing stem cells), the three heaviest fractions (containing small lymphocytes), or a mixture of these, were injected into thymectomized or sham-thymectomized irradiated mice together with sheep red blood cells as antigen. After 8 days, the spleens of treated mice were tested for their content of cells lysing sheep red blood cells in agar (PFC) or cells mounting graft-versus-host reaction in newborn mice (GVHR). Heavy fractions were depleted of progenitors of PFC, but contained progenitors of cells mounting GVHR. The light fraction was depleted of both. If light cells were given together with heavy ones, the potential to generate PFC was restored, but only if the recipients were without their thymus; by contrast, the potential to generate GVH-reactive cells was strongly suppressed in the absence of a thymus. It is concluded that, in this model, stem cells probably interact with immunocompetent cells, and that the interaction depends on the thymus.

Animals↗

Side-effects of peptidoglycan monomer (PGM) treatment in mice.

The influence of single (4 mg/mouse) and multiple (1 mg/mouse per day for 5 consecutive days) injections of PGM on some hepatic enzymes, lipid peroxide generation in serum and liver, sialic acid concentration in serum and spleen and hepatic lysosomal membrane permeability was investigated. The studies performed showed that a single injection of PGM in vivo changed temporarily the permeability of lysosomal membranes, lipid peroxidation products and sialic acid concentration, and when administered in vitro modulated superoxide anion production and did not affect the activity of lysosomal membrane enzymes. Multiple injections of PGM did not cause significant changes in the examined parameters. Although the metabolic changes were time-limited and from the toxicological point of view, provoked transient effects, the results obtained may be of importance when using PGM in combined chemo-immunotherapy.

Acetylmuramyl-Alanyl-Isoglutamine↗

Influence of methionine-enkephalin on stress-induced parameters.

This study examines the influence of methionine-enkephalin (MENK) on stress-induced oxidative damage (lipid peroxidation; LPO) in mice liver homogenate, plasma corticosterone concentration (CS) and phagocytic activity of mouse splenocytes. The LPO value increased in the mice subjected to restraint stress and had no correlation to stress duration, while MENK had no effect. The CS concentration was enhanced after 6 h of stress and 6 h after injection of a low (2.5 mg/kg bw) dose of MENK. However, MENK and stress are adjunct modulators of LPO and corticosterone in vivo. LPO was additionally elevated when MENK (10 mg/kg bw) proceeded for 2 h after the onset of stress. However, corticosterone concentration seems to be regulated differently by the same dose of MENK depending on the duration of stress i.e. elevated in cases involving short periods of stress (2 h) and decreased in cases involving prolonged periods of stress (6 h). This modulation of LPO and corticosterone by 10 mg/kg bw of MENK and 2 h of restraint stress was paralleled with elevated phagocytosis.

Animals↗