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Biomedical subjects

A Caruso

Publications and source records attributed to A Caruso.

At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources
PubMed1998

Segregation of type 1 cytokine production in human peripheral blood lymphocytes: phenotypic differences between IFN-gamma and IL-2-producing cells in the CD8+ T cell subset.

T cell clones are classified as type 0, 1 or 2 depending on the lymphokines they produce. However, it has remained unclear whether single cells of a given type produce one or several cytokine species. Flow cytometric analysis of peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) obtained from 20 healthy donors for the production of the type 1 cytokines IFN-gamma and IL-2 revealed very few cells that co-expressed both cytokines independently of the mitogenic stimulus used for PBL activation. Similarly, kinetic studies of cytokine synthesis indicated a low percentage of IFN-gamma/IL-2 double-positive T cells at all time points. Reverse transcription-PCR analysis of sorted IL-2- and IFN-gamma-positive T cells showed the presence of IL-2- or IFN-gamma-specific mRNA only in those cells expressing the corresponding cytokine. This segregation of the two type 1 cytokines was lost in long-term cultured T cells and in T cell clones. A high percentage of cells expressing only IL-2 or IFN-gamma was observed even when the production of these cytokines was evaluated on CD4- and CD8+ subsets. Moreover, in some healthy individuals, IFN-gamma and IL-2 production by CD8+ T cells was related to CD8+ expression levels and cell size, i. e. IL-2-expressing cells were generally smaller with more intense CD8+ staining as compared with IFN-gamma-producing T cells. These data indicate that activated T lymphocytes are strongly committed in vivo to produce IFN-gamma or IL-2 and emphasizes the independent regulation of the two cytokine genes.

CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes↗
PubMed1998

Involvement of DA1 and DA2 receptors in the gastroprotective activity of amylin in the rat.

Peripheral administration of amylin (40 microg kg-1) exerts gastroprotective effects in the reserpine-induced gastric lesions in the rat. This activity is decreased by pretreatment (30 min before) with (-)-sulpiride (0.1 mg kg-1 s.c.) or domperidone (0.1-2.5 mg kg-1 per os), dopamine DA2 antagonists. Pretreatment with SCH 23390 (0.5-4 mg kg-1 s.c.), a DA1 antagonist, at the maximal dose used, also significantly decreased the gastroprotective activity of the peptide. Amylin does not exert any gastroprotective effect in indomethacin-pretreated rats (7.5 mg kg-1 s.c., 30 min before), as well as in the aspirin-induced ulcer test (200 mg kg-1 per os at the time of amylin administration). Our data confirm that the gastroprotective effect of amylin in reserpine-induced gastric lesions involves, at least in part, the dopaminergic transmission, interfering with both the DA1 and DA2 receptor subtypes.

Amyloid↗
PubMed1998

Role of opioid tone in the pathophysiology of hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance in polycystic ovarian disease.

Hyperinsulinemia secondary to a poorly characterized disorder of insulin action is a feature of polycystic ovarian disease (PCOD). On the other hand, being generally admitted that opioids may play a role in glycoregulation and that opioid tone is altered in PCOD, an involvement of the opioids in determining the hyperinsulinemia of PCOD patients could be suggested. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of a chronic opioid blockade on insulin metabolism and peripheral insulin sensitivity in PCOD hyperinsulinemic patients. Twenty-three women with PCOD were studied. An oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and a clamp study were performed at baseline (during the follicular phase) and after 6 weeks of naltrexone administration (50 mg/d orally). Based on the insulinemic response to the OGTT, 16 women were classified as hyperinsulinemic and seven as normoinsulinemic. Naltrexone treatment significantly reduced fasting (P < .05) and area under the curve (AUC) (P < .02) plasma insulin levels only in the hyperinsulinemic group. Moreover, hyperinsulinemic patients showed similar C-peptide incremental areas after naltrexone treatment, whereas in the same patients the fractional hepatic insulin extraction calculated from the incremental areas of insulin and C-peptide was found to be increased after chronic opioid blockade by naltrexone. For peripheral insulin sensitivity, the hyperinsulinemic group showed significantly lower (P < .01) total-body glucose utilization (M) compared with the normoinsulinemic group. No change in the M value was found after treatment in both groups. These data suggest that the insulin sensitivity and hyperinsulinemia after an OGTT are two distinct deranged features of the insulin disorder of PCOD patients.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

Effect of maternal carbohydrate metabolism on fetal growth.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of maternal carbohydrate metabolism and anthropometric characteristics on fetal growth. METHODS: Eight pregnant women in the third trimester with unexplained fetal growth restriction (FGR) and 11 women with normal pregnancies in the third trimester were evaluated for maternal carbohydrate metabolism, using oral glucose tolerance tests and hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamps. These data and maternal anthropometric characteristics subsequently were related to relative birth weight, defined as observed birth weight x 100/50th percentile birth weight. RESULTS: The women with FGR pregnancies were more insulin sensitive than were controls (21.6+/-4.4 versus 16.7+/-4.8 micromol/kg x min, P < .05) and showed reduced insulin and glucose areas under the curve (96,293+/-25,870 versus 145,291+/-49,356 pmol/L, P < .03; 1057.0+/-184.7 versus 1210.1 +/-85.9 mmol/L, P < .05, respectively). No differences were seen in fasting plasma glucose, insulin and human placental lactogen samples, age, height, pregravid weight, weight gain, and parity. In all patients, maternal insulin sensitivity and weight gain correlated well with relative birth weight (r =-.65, P < .002; r=.68, P < .001, respectively). When the same analysis was computed separately in the groups, insulin sensitivity exhibited a strong negative correlation with relative birth weight in the FGR group but not in controls (r=-.84, P < .007; r=-.54, P=.08, respectively). Conversely, in control women the best correlation between relative birth weight and the other variables studied was seen with maternal weight gain (r=.82, P < .002). CONCLUSION: Women with unexplained FGR have a different glucose metabolic pattern than do normals. We speculate that increased insulin sensitivity leads to a reduction in metabolic substrates for fetal growth.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Effect of nitric oxide synthase induction on the expression of mitochondrial respiratory chain enzyme subunits in mixed cortical and astroglial cell cultures.

In the present study we evaluated the effects of NO synthase (NOS) induction on the regulation of cytochrome c oxidase (CO) and F0F1-ATPase subunit expression in astroglial and mixed cortical cell cultures. In mixed cortical cell cultures, 18 h of treatment with lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 0.1 microgram/mL) plus interferon-gamma (INF-gamma, 10 U/mL) caused an increase of mRNAs for CO-I, F0F1-ATPase 6 and also for iNOS at 20 DIV. The induction of both CO-I and F0F1-ATPase 6 was abolished by the NOS inhibitor N-monomethyl-L-arginine (NMMA) or by the enzymatic scavenger superoxide dismutase/catalase (SOD/CAT). In primary astroglial cell cultures, treatment for 18 h with increasing concentrations of LPS and INF gamma, produced an increase in the amount of mitochondrial encoded CO-I and -II subunits, with no significant modifications of nuclear encoded subunit IV. An increase was also observed at level of transcription for CO-I and -II, and F0F1-ATPase 6 mRNAs. These effects were abolished by addition of NMMA or SOD/CAT. mRNA induction of CO-I was higher in mixed cortical than in astroglial cell cultures while that of F0F1-ATPase 6 was similar in both cell types. These results suggest that the expression of mitochondrial encoded subunits (CO-I, CO-II and F0F1-ATPase 6) is up-regulated in response to oxygen and NO reactive species. The activity of cytochrome c oxidase decreased after LPS/INF gamma treatment in both astroglial and mixed cortical cultures. The activity of ATP synthase was unmodified, while ATP content drastically decreased after LPS/INF gamma treatment, in both astroglial and mixed cortical cultures. The enzymatic activities of catalase and Mn-SOD (mitochondrial) showed a significant increase after LPS/INF gamma treatment, which was abolished by NMMA.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

A randomized comparison of vaginal prostaglandin E2 with oxytocin plus amniotomy for induction of labour in women with intermediately ripe cervices.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effects of oxytocin and amniotomy or vaginal prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) for induction of labour. STUDY DESIGN: We conducted a randomized clinical trial. Eligible for the trial were women with normal pregnancy, parity 0-3, with intact membranes, >40 weeks of gestation documented by ultrasound examination before 20 weeks gestation, observed in a network of 13 general and teaching hospitals in Italy. Inclusion criteria were cervical Bishop's score 5-7, less than six uterine contractions per hour, single pregnancy, cephalic presentation, no history of cesarean section and uterine surgery. Eligible women were randomly assigned by phone to oxytocin plus amniotomy (163 women) or vaginal PGE2 2 mg, two doses at 6-h intervals (157 women). RESULTS: Overall, 50 women (15.6%) delivered by cesarean section, 22 (13.5%) randomized to oxytocin, and 28 (17.8%) randomized to PGE2 (not significant). Twelve hours after randomization, induction had failed in 26 women of the 163 randomized to oxytocin plus amniotomy (21.6%) and 34 out of the 157 randomized to PGE2 (15.9%): the difference was not significant. Neonatal outcome was similar in the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: This study did not find marked differences in labour and neonatal outcome between women randomized to oxytocin plus amniotomy or vaginal PGE2. A shorter induction delivery interval in the group receiving amniotomy and oxytocin after PGE2 priming was observed.

Administration, Intravaginal↗
PubMed1998

Lack of polarized type 1 or type 2 cytokine profile in asymptomatic HIV-1-infected patients during a two-year bimonthly follow-up.

The production of type 1 (interferon or IFN-gamma) and type 2 (interleukin or IL-4 and IL-10) cytokines by mitogen-stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) obtained from asymptomatic human immunodeficiency virus-seropositive (HIV+) patients untreated with any antiviral, antibacterial or antimycotic drugs, and from healthy individuals, was evaluated by quantitative ELISA. Patients who were HIV+ were characterized by the absence of abnormal cytokine production. The level of each cytokine differed among individuals in the same group with intersubject variations greater for HIV+ patients than for healthy individuals. The longitudinal evaluation of IFN-gamma, IL-4 and IL-10 production showed intrasubject variations which were particularly marked in HIV+ patients. Accordingly, HIV+ patients and, to a lesser extent, healthy individuals were characterized by a wide spectrum of possible profiles, which were confined to type 0 phenotype. In HIV+ patients no correlation was found between each cytokine level and the number of CD4+ T cells, not even in those with a falling CD4+ T-cell count and clinical symptoms.

CD4 Lymphocyte Count↗
PubMed1998

The metabotropic glutamate receptor mGlu5 controls the onset of developmental apoptosis in cultured cerebellar neurons.

Cultured cerebellar granule cells grown in medium containing 10 mM K+ undergo apoptosis after 4-5 days in vitro (DIV), and, at that time, the activity of metabotropic glutamate (mGlu) receptors coupled to polyphosphoinositide (PI) hydrolysis begins to decline. In granule cells at 4 DIV, the mGlu receptor subtype mGlu5 was expressed at high levels. The expression of another PI-coupled mGlu receptor, the mGlu1a, was low at 4 DIV but increased during the following days. In cultures at 4-5 DIV, the few cells that already showed an apoptotic phenotype were devoid of mGlu5 receptors, but they all expressed mGlu1a receptors. The development of apoptosis was accelerated after treating the cultures with: (i) mGlu5 antisense oligonucleotides; (ii) the mixed mGlu receptor antagonist, (+)-alpha-methyl-4-carboxyphenylglycine; or (iii) the glutamate depleting enzyme, alanine aminotransferase. In contrast, an induced overexpression of mGlu5 receptors protected cultured granule cells against apoptotic death. We suggest that the activity of mGlu5 receptors supports cell survival, and a decline in the expression of mGlu5 receptors gives access to programmed cell death in cerebellar granule cells developing in primary cultures.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Endocrino-metabolic features in women with polycystic ovary syndrome during pregnancy.

To elucidate the mechanism of metabolic adaptation of women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) during pregnancy, the endocrino-metabolic features of a group of PCOS patients with or without gestational diabetes were studied longitudinally during the three trimesters of gestation. Oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT, 100 g) and hyperinsulinaemic-euglycaemic clamp were performed throughout the study. Plasma concentrations of insulin and glucose were determined by radioimmunoassay and glucose oxidase technique, respectively. Five of 13 PCOS patients developed gestational diabetes (GD) at the third trimester (PCOS-GD), while the other eight patients did not develop any alteration of glucose metabolism (PCOS-nGD). Both fasting glucose and insulin plasma concentrations did not change significantly during pregnancy and no difference was seen between the two groups. On the contrary PCOS-GD group early exhibited higher values of area under the curve (AUC) for glucose and insulin response to OGTT with respect to those found in PCOS-nGD group. This difference was already significant in the first gestational trimester. Moreover insulin sensitivity value (M) was significantly lower in the first trimester of gestation in PCOS-GD as compared with that found in PCOS-nGD group. However, as gestation proceeded, M value decreased in PCOS-nDG group and the difference from PCOS patients developing gestational diabetes was not sustained into the second and third trimesters. Both groups had similar body mass index values and AUC insulin increase from first to third trimester of gestation. It is concluded that early alteration of insulin sensitivity and secretion constitute specific risk factors in PCOS patients for the development of abnormalities of glucose tolerance.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Acute insulin response to intravenous glucagon in polycystic ovary syndrome.

In order to evaluate the acute insulin response after i.v. injection of glucagon in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), 35 women affected by PCOS and 11 normo-ovulatory controls underwent a 75 g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and, 2 days later, a glucagon test (1 mg i.v.). Patients were analysed according to their degree of obesity; the insulin release after glucagon injection for lean PCOS subjects and control women was not statistically significantly different. Conversely obese PCOS patients had higher insulin secretion after both i.v. glucagon and OGTT when compared to the other groups. Moreover the insulin secretory patterns were heterogeneously represented in lean and obese PCOS women. When the patients were analysed according to their insulinaemic response to OGTT, normoinsulinaemic PCOS women and control subjects had a similar insulin response to i.v. glucagon whereas the hyperinsulinaemic PCOS group had a higher insulin response (P < 0.0001). Moreover, a highly significant relationship was found between the insulin response to OGTT and to glucagon administration in the PCOS population (P < 0.0001; r = 0.73), which was maintained also after controlling for obesity. Our results are consistent with the hypothesis that PCOS patients could have an insulin hyper-response to glucagon administration, that is partially independent from obesity and related to their insulinaemic status. Moreover, the glucagon test could represent an effective alternative to OGTT in screening insulin disorders of PCOS patients (at least in the absence of other risk factors), due to its reliability, simplicity, and speed of performance.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1998

Involvement of ovarian steroids in the opioid-mediated reduction of insulin secretion in hyperinsulinemic patients with polycystic ovary syndrome.

To evaluate the possible involvement of ovarian steroids on the opioid-mediated disorders of insulin in patients affected by polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), we studied 40 PCOS women. All patients underwent an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT; 75 g) and basal hormone assay; based on the insulin response to OGTT, 26 women were classified as hyperinsulinemic and continued the study protocol. Patients were randomly divided into three groups characterized by different treatments: group A (nine patients) was treated with GnRH analog (one ampule every 28 days for 2 months), group B (eight patients) was treated with naltrexone (an oral opioid antagonist, 50 mg/day, orally) for 8 weeks, and group C (nine patients) was treated with GnRH analog plus naltrexone for 2 months. After continuation of treatment, all patients repeated the basal study in a second hospitalization. Naltrexone treatment significantly reduced the insulin response to OGTT, whereas GnRH analogue administration did not significantly change the insulin secretion after the glucose load. The GnRH analog/ naltrexone cotreatment was not able to influence the insulin secretory pattern; in fact, the insulin area under the curve was superimposable before and after therapy. These data could lead to the hypothesis that the opioidergic regulation of insulin secretion requires a normal steroidogenic pattern, thus suggesting that ovarian steroids modulate opioid activity also at peripheric districts.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

[Coexistence of vestibular schwannoma and glomus tympanicum tumor].

Simultaneous occurrence of a vestibular schwannoma and a glomus tympanicum tumor has been reported only once in the international literature. The authors present a second case: a 72-year-old woman having a glomus tympanicum tumor and an ipsilateral lesion confined to the internal auditory canal, radiologically diagnosed as an acoustic neuroma. Due to the patient's age, symptoms, hearing threshold and the small size of both tumors the decision was made not to perform surgery. The patient will be regularly followed-up through computerized tomography and magnetic resonance imaging.

Aged↗
PubMed1998

Synthesis of new thieno [2,3-d]pyrimidine-2,4(1H,3H)-diones with analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities.

A series of new 1,3-disubstituted thieno[1,3-d]pyrimidine-2,4(1H,3H)-diones were prepared to investigate their analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties. The analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities of synthesized compounds were investigated by the phenylquinone-induced writhing syndrome test, carrageenan rat paw oedema test and acetic acid-induced peritonitis assay. Most of the new compounds were found to be superior to mefenamic acid, as they were devoid of any ulcerogenic activity.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Isolation and chemoantibiotic resistance of Ureaplasma urealyticum in HIV-1 infected patients.

The presence of Ureaplasma urealyticum was evaluated on 1912 vaginal and urethral swabs from HIV-1 seronegative (HIV-) inpatients (210) and outpatients (503) suffering from acute urethritis or vaginitis; asymptomatic HIV- outpatients (201); and asymptomatic HIV-1 seropositive (HIV+) inpatients (120). The study reported an increased frequency of Ureaplasma urealyticum isolates in asymptomatic HIV+ compared to asymptomatic HIV- subjects. As expected, the frequency of Ureaplasma urealyticum isolates increased in symptomatic HIV- subjects. Strains of Ureaplasma urealyticum resistant to ciprofloxacin, tetracycline and minocycline were more frequently isolated in HIV+ (34.1%) than HIV- (3.8%) subjects; on the other hand, only 1 out of 704 (0.1%) strains isolated from outpatients was resistant to ciprofloxacin. We found no association in HIV+ patients between Ureaplasma urealyticum infection and CD4 count or HIV-1 p24 antigenemia.

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections↗
PubMed1998

Short-term maternal oxygen administration in fetuses with absence or reversal of end-diastolic velocity in umbilical artery: pathophysiological and clinical considerations.

BACKGROUND: The aim of our study was to evaluate the hemodynamic response to acute maternal hyperoxygenation (O2 test) in a group of growth retarded fetuses with absence or reversal of end-diastolic velocity (AREDV) in the umbilical artery (UA) and to correlate this response to a series of feto-placental velocimetric parameters and clinical variables. METHODS: In 25 singleton pregnancies, feto-maternal Doppler velocimetry was performed before and after acute maternal hyperoxygenation. RESULTS: Ten fetuses (40%) exhibited an increase of middle cerebral artery Pulsatility Index (PI) >20% after O2 (Responders), while in 15 fetuses PI did not change relevantly (Nonresponders). Non-responder fetuses showed a higher prevalence of reverse flow in umbilical artery (6/15 vs 0/10: p<0.03) and a slight, but not significant, higher percentage with reversed flow in inferior vena cava (% of A). Also the prevalence of a % of A greater than 95th confidence interval was higher in Non-responders (13/15 vs 4/10; p<0.04). Finally the Responder fetuses showed higher peak velocities in the cardiac outflows, even if the difference reached a statistical significance only for the pulmonary artery. The outcome of the two groups did not differ significantly. CONCLUSIONS: Our results seem to prove an ability of O2 test in selecting a group of AREDV fetuses characterized by a higher degree of hemodynamic deterioration and hence 'placed' in a more advanced step of the pathological process leading to overt cardiac decompensation, even if the clinical application of such a test seems to be still of limited value.

Blood Pressure↗
PubMed1997

Effect of amylin in various experimental models of gastric ulcer.

Subcutaneous administration of amylin (20-40 micrograms/kg) prevented, in a dose-dependent manner, reserpine- and serotonin-induced gastric damage, but the anti-ulcer effect was not present when lesions were induced by pylorus ligation. The protective effect of amylin was inhibited by pretreatment with capsicin as well as CGRP-(8-37), a calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and amylin receptor antagonist, and was significantly reduced by domperidone, a dopamine D2 receptor antagonist, or neostigmine, an inhibitor of acetylcholinesterase. Our data suggest that the gastroprotective activity of amylin in some experimental models of gastric ulcers involves capsaicin-sensitive fibers and CGRP receptors. Moreover, the peptide interferes, at least in part, with the dopaminergic and parasympathetic systems.

Amyloid↗
PubMed1997

T cells from individuals in advanced stages of HIV-1 infection do not proliferate but express activation antigens in response to HIV-1-specific antigens.

Like T cells from healthy subjects, those of HIV-1-infected patients are capable of expressing activation antigens on their surface after antigenic or mitogenic stimulation, but their proliferative activity is strongly reduced or even absent, especially in patients with advanced stages of the disease. The characteristic of expressing activation antigens in response to different stimuli in the absence of cell proliferation is shared by CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell subsets from HIV-1-infected patients. The number of T cells capable of expressing CD25 and CD71 in response to HIV-1-related antigens but not of proliferating increased significantly with the progression of the disease, but the number of T cells capable of expressing the two activation antigens in response to the classic tetanus toxoid recall antigen decreased. The higher numbers of T cells capable of responding to HIV-1-related antigens in conjunction with a reduction in the number of T cells responding to recall antigens may explain the occurrence of different infections, including opportunistic microorganisms, during the more advanced stages of HIV-1 infection. Because the increase in the number of HIV-1 antigen-responding T cells (defined by CD25 and CD71 activation antigen expression) is a characteristic of symptomatic HIV-1-infected patients, expression (by flow cytometry) of these activation antigens on T cells in response to HIV-1 antigens could be used as a new marker of disease progression.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗