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Biomedical subjects

V Pesce

Publications and source records attributed to V Pesce.

18 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Acetyl-L-carnitine feeding to unloaded rats triggers in soleus muscle the coordinated expression of genes involved in mitochondrial biogenesis.

The expressional profile of mitochondrial transcripts and of genes involved in the mitochondrial biogenesis pathway induced by ALCAR daily supplementation in soleus muscle of control and unloaded 3-month-old rats has been analyzed. It has been found that ALCAR treatment is able to upregulate the expression level of mitochondrial transcripts (COX I, ATP6, ND6, 16 S rRNA) in both control and unloaded animals. Interestingly, ALCAR feeding to unloaded rats resulted in the increase of transcript level for master factors involved in mitochondrial biogenesis (PGC-1alpha, NRF-1, TFAM). It also prevented the unloading-induced downregulation of mRNA levels for kinases able to transduce metabolic (AMPK) and neuronal stimuli (CaMKIIbeta) into mitochondrial biogenesis. No significant effect on the expressional level of such genes was found in control ALCAR-treated rats. In addition, ALCAR feeding was able to prevent the loss of mitochondrial protein content due to unloading condition. Correlation analysis revealed a strong coordination in the expression of genes involved in mitochondrial biogenesis only in ALCAR-treated suspended animals, supporting a differentiated effect of ALCAR treatment in relation to the loading state of the soleus muscle. In conclusions, we demonstrated the ability of ALCAR supplementation to promote only in soleus muscle of hindlimb suspended rats an orchestrated expression of genes involved in mitochondrial biogenesis, which might counteract the unloading-induced metabolic changes, preventing the loss of mitochondrial proteins.

Acetylcarnitine↗
PubMed2003

Adhesion molecules in gonarthrosis and knee prosthesis aseptic loosening follow-up: possible therapeutic implications.

The involvement of the synovium is common in phlogistic processes of various joint diseases. Apart from synoviocytes and the other cells in the synovial tissue, circulating cells recruited from peripheral blood also participate in the phlogistic process. The increased expression of adhesion molecules on both circulating and endothelial cell surface may further this recruitment. We studied 15 patients affected by serious gonarthrosis requiring a prosthetic implant (GPI) and 7 with knee prosthesis aseptic loosening (KPL) to evaluate adhesion molecule expression and phlogistic infiltration in the synovium using immunohistochemistry and microscopic analysis. As control we studied 10 subjects affected by degenerative meniscopathies undergoing a selective arthroscopic surgical meniscectomy. Analysis with Kruskal-Wallis test showed no statistical significant differences in the expression of CD54, CD11a, CD11b and CD18 in three groups examined. The model of variance analysis (Friedman test), showed that CD54 expression is greater in patients with GPI and KPL in comparison with the other molecules. Adhesion molecules and their functions are important in arthropathies not only because their evaluation can allow us to identify the degree of inflammation and to predict its evolution, but also because pharmacological control of their expression could have important therapeutic implications.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Rat hindlimb unloading: Soleus and Extensor Digitorum Longus histochemistry, mitochondrial DNA content and mitochondrial DNA deletions.

Mitochondrial phenotypic alterations, mitochondrial DNA content and mitochondrial DNA deletions in a slow, Soleus, and a fast, Extensor Digitorum Longus, skeletal muscle of 3- and 15-month-old hindlimb suspended rats have been studied. Cytochrome c oxidase-negative fibers appeared after unloading in all examined animals and their percentage increased with increasing unloading time. After 14 days of suspension the mitochondrial DNA content did not change in 3-month-old but decreased significantly in 15-month-old rats. Soleus was much more affected by unloading than Extensor Digitorum Longus. The mitochondrial DNA deletion of 4834 bp as well as other mtDNA deletions, researched with Long Distance-PCR, were absent in both studied muscles before and after unloading.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Increased expression of mitochondrial transcription factor A and nuclear respiratory factor-1 in skeletal muscle from aged human subjects.

The expression of two factors involved in the nuclear-mitochondrial crosstalk, namely the mitochondrial transcription factor A (TFAM) and the nuclear respiratory factor-1 (NRF-1), was studied in human skeletal muscle biopsies of young and aged subjects. Aged subjects presented a 2.6-fold and an 11-fold increase of the levels of TFAM protein and TFAM mRNA, respectively. The increased expression of TFAM was associated to the doubling of NRF-1 DNA-binding affinity and to a 6-fold increase of NRF-1 mRNA level. The upregulation of TFAM and NRF-1, in aged skeletal muscle, appears involved in the pathway leading to the age-related increase of mitochondrial DNA content.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Age-related mitochondrial genotypic and phenotypic alterations in human skeletal muscle.

To have a clearer picture of how mitochondrial damages are associated to aging, a comprehensive study of phenotypic and genotypic alterations was carried out, analyzing with histochemical and molecular biology techniques the same skeletal muscle specimens of a large number of healthy subjects from 13 to 92 years old. Histochemical data showed that ragged red fibers (RRF) appear at about 40 years of age and are mostly cytochrome c oxidase (COX)-positive, whereas they are almost all COX-negative thereafter. Molecular analyses showed that the 4977 bp deletion of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA(4977)) and the 7436 bp deletion of mtDNA (mtDNA(7436)) are already present in individuals younger than 40 years of age, but their occurrence does not change with age. After 40 years of age the number of mtDNA deleted species, as revealed by Long Extension PCR (LX-PCR), increases, the 10422 bp deletion of mtDNA (mtDNA(10422)) appears, although with a very low frequency of occurrence, and mtDNA content is more than doubled. Furthermore, mtDNA(4977) level directly correlates with that of COX-negative fibers in the same analyzed subjects. These data clearly show that, after 40 years of age, the phenotypic and genotypic mitochondrial alterations here studied appear in human skeletal muscle and that they are closely related.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

Aging and mitochondria.

Aging is a complex physiological phenomenon and several different theories have been elaborated about its origin. Among such theories, the 'mitochondrial theory of aging', which has gained a large support, indicates the accumulation of somatic mutations of mitochondrial DNA leading to the decline of mitochondrial functionality as one of the driving forces for the process itself. In this review data on rat and man from our laboratory and from recent literature have been thoroughly examined and compared in order to provide the 'state-of-the-art' on the role of mitochondria in aging. Alterations of structure and expression of mitochondrial genome with aging, to find out the eventual relevant changes of mitochondrial biogenesis, have been studied in rat whereas the relationship between cytochrome c oxidase activity and 'common deletion' has been studied in man. Results on the effect of acetyl-L-carnitine on the mitochondrial functionality are also reported.

Acetylcarnitine↗
PubMed1993

Articular cartilage echography as a criterion of the evolution of osteoarthritis of the knee.

We propose a modification of the Aisen's technique by which precise reproducible measurements of articular cartilage thickness of the knee is possible. A group of 23 patients with severe osteoarthritis was studied by ultra-sound (US) before knee prosthesis surgery. Evaluation with US was performed by a real-time scanner with a 7.5 MHz linear probe with upper-patellar transverse scans tangent to the upper patellar pole at 90 degrees knee flexion. The cartilage thickness was measured within the weight-bearing area. After surgery, on the corresponding gross pathological specimen, US re-evaluation and histological measurements were made. Results of pre- and post-operative ultrasonography (US) data were compared with histological data and a good correlation between these measurements was found (p(t) > 10%). Preoperative measurements ranged from 2.4 to 0.3 mm. In order to obtain normal reference values of the articular cartilage within the weight-bearing area of the femoral trochlea for comparison, a group of 10 control subjects was also studied with US as above. The US data were then compared with computed tomography (arthro-CT) evaluations. No significant differences in mean values were found between the two imaging techniques (2.2 mm versus 2.3 mm for the lateral condyle and 2.3 versus 2.3 for the medial condyle, respectively). We conclude that ultra-sound measurement of articular cartilage thickness of femoral condyles is a sensitive and reproducible technique which permits early diagnosis and management of knee arthropathy and also quantification of cartilage damage.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

[Comparative study of echography and conventional radiology in the evaluation of the Insall-Salvati index].

For the study of painful patello-femoral syndromes, the authors suggest the use of US for the evaluation of the so-called Insall-Salvati ratio--i.e., length of patellar ligament/patellar length--whose alteration is suggestive of vertical patello-femoral malalignement (patella alta and patella infera). Ten normal volunteers (20 knees) were examined by means of both US and conventional radiology, and the Insall-Salvati ratio was calculated for each knee. US and radiologic measurements were statistically compared by the correlation-coefficient method: the result was 0.802. US measurements were repeated twice with 0.778 interobserver variability according to the Spearman correlation index. Based on their results, the authors conclude that, in the evaluation of the Insall-Salvati ratio, the diagnostic accuracy of US is almost the same as that of conventional radiology; the former method may even be preferred for it is a simple, quick and repeatable technique not needing ionizing radiations.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

[Paralysis of the ulnar nerve caused by osteochondromatosis].

Synovial osteochondromatosis is a rare pathology (5% according to Mumenthaler, 1961) producing a compression of the ulnar nerve in the elbow and/or the wrist. The authors describe 4 cases of this pathology (3 of the elbow and 1 of the wrist) analysing its etiology and, in particular, the predisposition of the synovial membrane.

Adult↗
PubMed1980

[Non-A, non-B post-transfusion hepatitis. Serological survey of 85 patients with acute hepatitis following blood transfusion].

In a serological survey of 85 adult patients hospitalized for an episode of transfusion-associated hepatitis, 45 were reactive for hepatitis B surface antigen and therefore diagnosed as having hepatitis B. Forty HBsAg non reactive patients were examined for development of antibody to hepatitis A and B antigens, cytomegalovirus and Epstein-Barr virus. Three patients showed serologic evidence of hepatitis B and one for hepatitis A. None of the remaining 36 subjects developed serologic evidence of acute infection with the viruses tested during the study period, so that they were classified as having so-called NANB hepatitis. As reported in other studies, analysis of the incubation period showed that two subgroups of NANB hepatitis may be identified with short and long incubation period, so that it appears likely that at least two agents are implicated in NANB hepatitis. Our data confirm that also in our area a large proportion of transfusion-associated hepatitis is related to NANB agent(s) requiring additional measures for its prevention.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1978

[Role of chronic HBsAg carriers in intrafamilial diffusion of hepatitis B virus infection].

To assess the hepatitis B virus infection risk to household contacts exposed to HBsAg-positive chronic carriers, 169 family members of 20 healthy carriers of HBsAg and of 12 with chronic hepatitis were followed up prospectively for two to five years. All family members are investigated for the presence of serum HBsAg/antiHBs system and for the presence of liver disease. Our results indicate that the family contacts of HBsAg carriers with evidence of chronic liver disease are at greater risk of exposure to HBV than the contacts of healthy carriers and that acquisition of HBsAg is more common among males than among females. Evidence of exposure to HBsAg is very frequent in young age with a striking rise between 10 and 20 years. On the contrary acquisition of anti-HBsAg is more common after 40 years of age. These data suggest that persistent circulation of HBV in a family of chronic HBsAg carrier increases the risk of infection in household contacts and that HBV is eliminated in a more infective form from the carriers with chronic liver disease.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[The normal aspect of the suprapatellar bursa in echography of the knee].

Sonography is suitable to recognize fluids in the suprapatellar bursa, which can represent an indirect sign of intra-articular knee effusion. In order to obtain the physiologic parameters of suprapatellar bursa, 50 healthy volunteers, 38 sedentary and 12 sportsmen, were evaluated by means of US. The bursa was recognizable in 8/50 cases (16%) with quadriceps in prolapse (mean thickness: 1.8 mm, mean length: 20.5 mm), and in 23/50 cases (46%) with quadriceps in contraction (mean thickness: 2.6 mm, mean length: 22.6 mm). Suprapatellar bursal thickness ranged 1-4 mm, and its length ranged 12-44 mm. The suprapatellar bursa appeared as a well-defined hypoechoic band, cranial to patella, anterior to the distal femoral shaft, and posterior to quadriceps tendon. Quadriceps contraction increases both thickness and length of bursal swelling (1 and 2 mm, respectively, on the average). When sportsmen were compared with sedentary subjects, suprapatellar bursa diameters were observed not to change, but the bursal itself was evident in 3/12 (25%) and in 8/12 (66%) of cases, according to whether the quadriceps was in prolapse or in contraction. Bursal contents were homogeneously anechoic and bursal outline smooth and regular in all cases (23/23). Bursal morphology was symmetric, in 23/23 cases, in length, regularity of outline, and echogenicity of contents. Thickness alone resulted asymmetrical in 2/23 subjects (8%), even though variations were less than or equal to 2 mm. In conclusion, we can consider as pathologic features: thickness greater than 3-4 mm, asymmetry greater than 2 mm, irregular outline, and inhomogeneous contents. These parameters must be examined in pathologic subjects and further research is mandatory.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Epidemiologic study of chronic hepatitis in relation to heptatis B virus infections (author's transl)].

In order to evaluate the role of hepatitis B virus (HBV) in the etiology of chronic liver diseases, paired sera of 143 patients with biopsy-documented chronic hepatitis were tested for HBsAg and anti-HBs by radioimmunoassay method. HBsAg was detected in 67.3% of patients with a preceding verified eipsode of acute hepatitis, and in 26.7% of patients with a cryptogenic form of chronic hepatitis. HBsAg was not found in any of patients with alcoholic chronic hepatitis and in only two of 18 patients with other forms of chronic liver disease. No significant difference in the incidence of anti-HBs was observed in all groups of patients. According to previous studies our results confirm the higher prevalence of HBV infection in etiology of chronic persistent and aggressive hepatitis and indicate that this prevalence may be observed especially in Middle and South Italy. The presence of HBsAg in the serum of 37.2% of our patients with cirrhosis compared with 9% of reported cases in North Italy suggest that HBV plays an important role in the etiology of cirrhosis of the liver in our area.

Adolescent↗