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Biomedical subjects

A Marzullo

Publications and source records attributed to A Marzullo.

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

Correlation of bone marrow angiogenesis and mast cells with tryptase activity in myelodysplastic syndromes.

Bone marrow samples from 30 patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) grouped according to the International Prognostic Scoring System for MDS were investigated for counts of microvessels, total metachromatic mast cells (MC) and MC expressing tryptase, an angiogenesis-inducing molecule. Counts were higher in patients with a poor prognosis. The observation of a high correlation between microvessel counts and both total metachromatic and tryptase-reactive MC in all samples suggests that angiogenesis in MDS increases with their progression and that MC may intervene in the angiogenic response in MDS through tryptase contained in their secretory granules.

Antigens, CD34↗
PubMed2001

Thyroid C-cell hyperplasia in an adolescent with neurofibromatosis type 1.

BACKGROUND: Subjects with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) show an increased risk of endocrine tumors, especially pheochromocytoma, whereas thyroid C-cell hyperplasia (CCH) and medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) are very rare events described only in adult patients. METHOD: A case of CCH diagnosed in a 14-year-old girl affected with NF1 is reported. Calcitonin serum level after pentagastin was elevated (286 pg/ml). Genetic testing was performed in order to rule out mutations in the RET proto-oncogene. RESULT: No germline mutation previously reported in MEN2 was detected. Multifocal and bilateral CCH was demonstrated by immunohistochemistry. CONCLUSION: It is suggested that in such a genetic background of high risk for malignancy, CCH could be considered as an extremely rare condition likely preceding MTC.

Child↗
PubMed2001

[Sufentanil vs morphine combined with ropivacaine for thoracic epidural analgesia in major abdominal surgery].

BACKGROUND: Pain, postoperative ileus, nausea, vomiting are the universal complications after major abdominal surgery. The aim of this study was to assess pain relief, side effects and recovery of gastrointestinal function during epidural analgesia with ropivacaine plus sufentanil and ropivacaine plus morphine after major abdominal surgery. METHODS: In this prospective study, sixty patients (median age 62+/-12 years) undergoing major abdominal surgery, after informed consent, were randomized into two groups, during a period of 3 months. Patients who were not considered suitable candidates for epidural anaesthesia were excluded. Epidural catheters were inserted at T8-T9 (upper abdominal surgery) or T9-T11 (lower abdominal surgery) and ropivacaine 0,5% 7-9 ml (upper abdominal surgery) or 10-12 ml (lower abdominal surgery) combined with sufentanil 30 mcg (group S, n=30) or with morphine 2 mg (group M, n=30) was injected. General anaesthesia was induced and a continuous epidural infusion of ropivacaine 0.5% 5-10 ml/h was begun. Postoperatively, continuous epidural administration of ropivacaine 0.2% plus sufentanil 0.5 mcg/ml (group S) or ropivacaine 0.2 plus morphine 0.02 mg/ml (group M) was continued. Data on the quality of analgesia, recovery of gastrointestinal function and all side effects were recorded for 48 hours. RESULTS: Incident and resting pain scores were not significantly different among group; although sufentanil provided better resting pain scores at 16th, 20th, 24th hours, and incident pain score at 24th hour. The incidence of nausea, vomiting and pruritus was more in morphine group (p<0,0001). Time to the first flatus was significantly shorter for patients in the sufentanil group (p<0,0001). The quality of pain relief assessed by the patients was rated as good in all patients. CONCLUSIONS: Continuous administration of epidural ropivacaine combined with sufentanil or with morphine resulted in good analgesia. Epidural analgesia with ropivacaine plus sufentanil provided the best balance of analgesia, side effects and recovery of gastrointestinal function.

Abdomen↗
PubMed2000

Interferon beta-1a prevents the effects of lipopolysaccharide on embryonic brain microvessels.

By means of light and electron microscopy we have studied the effect of interferon beta-1a (IFNbeta-1a) in the optic tecta of 20-day-old chick embryos under normal conditions and after exposure to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) which mimics the blood-brain barrier (BBB) disruption in meningoencephalitis. Optic tecta were examined for: (i) ultrastructure by means of transmission electron microscopy; (ii) the immunohistochemical localization of HT7 antigen, a specific marker of differentiation of the brain microvessels; (iii) the brain microvessel permeability, by means of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) tracer; (iv) the expression of microvessel glycoconjugates, by means of lectin histochemistry, using Ricinus communis agglutinin-I (RCA-I), specific for beta-D-galactosyl moieties and Wheat Germ agglutinin (WGA) specific for sialyl and N-acetylglucosaminyl moieties. A morphometric evaluation of brain microvessel permeability and of glycoconjugate expression was also performed. In control- and in IFNbeta-1a-treated embryos, HRP was confined to the vessel lumina which were sealed by the interendothelial tight junctions. RCA-I binding sites were recognizable both in the basal membranes and in the tight junctions, while WGA sites were present on the luminal side of the endothelial cells. HRP was blocked in the vessels lumina by the interendothelial tight junctions. After LPS treatment, HRP showed an extravascular localization and the labeling of microvessels by anti-HT7 antibodies disappeared. RCA-I binding was only found ultrastructurally and appeared as irregularly clustered gold particles, in the cleft of damaged tight junctions, but were no longer detectable in the endothelial basement membranes. After pretreatment of LPS-treated embryos with IFNbeta-1a, the vessel permeability to HRP strongly decreased and the vessels showed the normal pattern of HT7 protein and of the RCA-I binding sites. These results indicate that the changes induced by LPS in the endothelial cells are prevented by IFNbeta-1a.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Angiogenesis and mast cell density with tryptase activity increase simultaneously with pathological progression in B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphomas.

Node biopsies of 16 benign lymphadenopathies and 72 B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (B-NHLs) were investigated for counts of microvessels, total metachromatic mast cells (MCs) and MCs expressing tryptase, an angiogenesis-inducing molecule. Counts were higher in B-NHLs. When grouped according to the Working Formulation (WF) malignancy grades, they were significantly higher in low-grade B-NHLs vs. lymphadenopathies and intermediate-grade vs. low-grade tumors and there was a further increase in the high-grade tumors. A high correlation was demonstrated in all groups of tissues between microvessel counts and both total metachromatic and tryptase-reactive MCs. These results suggest that angiogenesis in B-NHLs increases with their progression, and that MCs cooperate in its induction via the tryptase contained in their secretory granules.

Chymases↗
PubMed1999

Developmental expression of ZO-1 antigen in the mouse blood-brain barrier.

Tight junction biogenesis during blood-brain barrier development (BBB) in mesencephalon microvessels of mouse embryos of day 9, foetuses of day 15 and 19 and new-born (2-day-old) mice was examined by light and electron microscopy, using monoclonal antibodies recognizing the tight junction peripheral membrane protein ZO-1. A faint spot-like staining began to be recognizable under the light microscope in day 15 vessels in which the endothelial cells showed isolated fusion points between the external plasma membrane leaflets under the electron microscope. A stronger labelling was present in microvessels of day 19 foetuses and new-born animals when the endothelial tight junction appeared completely differentiated. In the immunogold study, gold particles were seen scattered throughout the cytoplasm of endothelial cells of day 15 foetuses. In day 19 foetuses and in the new-born mice, gold particles were located only at the cytoplasmic surfaces of the tight junctions. The results indicate that the ZO-1 protein is a specific molecular marker in the developing brain endothelial tight junctions and that its expression takes place parallel to BBB morphofunctional maturation.

Aging↗
PubMed1999

Expression of EDA/EDB isoforms of fibronectin in papillary carcinoma of the thyroid.

Cellular fibronectins containing the extracellular domain A or B (EDA and EDB) are particularly abundant in fetal and neoplastic tissues. The presence of EDA and EDB was investigated in 28 cases of papillary carcinoma of the thyroid using IST-9 and BC-1 monoclonal antibodies. Immunostaining for EDA and EDB was detected in tumour stroma, in tumour basement membranes, and in tumour blood vessels. EDA was present in 27 of the 28 cases, in 20 of which more than 75 per cent of the tumour stroma was stained. Immunostaining for EDB was detected in 23 of the 28 cases and was less pronounced than that for EDA, being present in less than 25 per cent of the tumour stroma in most cases. Reactivity for EDA/EDB was not observed in the adjacent normal thyroid in any of the cases investigated. In a group of 20 non-papillary tumours, immunostaining for EDA was present in the stroma of three follicular carcinomas (one minimally and two widely invasive), one medullary carcinoma, and 5 of 16 follicular adenomas; expression of EDB was more restricted, being present in only the two cases of widely invasive follicular carcinoma. The presence of EDA and EDB was not correlated with the extent of fibrosis or the degree of tumour cell differentiation. Immunoreactivity was already present in microcarcinomas. These observations raise the possibility that the production of oncofetal fibronectins is an important step in papillary carcinoma tumourigenesis, perhaps facilitating adhesion and spreading of tumour cells.

Carcinoma, Papillary↗
PubMed1999

Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) stimulates tumour invasiveness in papillary carcinoma of the thyroid.

The present study has investigated the functional role of the Met receptor in primary cultures of 20 papillary carcinomas and of normal thyroid cells obtained from the same patients. Normal and tumour cells grew as adherent cells, formed a confluent monolayer after 10-20 days, had epithelial morphology, and were immunoreactive for cytokeratin, vimentin, and thyroglobulin. The potential effect of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) on cell invasiveness was investigated in Boyden chambers, using a nucleopore filter coated with Matrigel as the barrier and HGF as the chemoattractant. Tumour cells of five out of seven cases of papillary carcinoma were more responsive to HGF than the corresponding normal cells in terms of the number of migrated cells per mm(2). Involvement of the Met receptor in the HGF-induced migratory response was suggested by the observation that the agonistic anti-Met monoclonal antibody (MAb) DO-24 was equally effective. HGF did not affect the proliferative activity of thyroid cells. Under the same experimental conditions, 10 per cent fetal bovine serum (FBS) induced a two-fold increase in [(3)H]thymidine incorporation into normal cells and tumour cells. These findings are consistent with the possibility that HGF plays a crucial role in determining the invasiveness of tumour cells in papillary carcinoma of the thyroid.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗
PubMed1999

Giant abdominopelvic epithelioid angiomyolipoma associated with tuberous sclerosis: report of a case.

Tuberous sclerosis is a hereditary autosomal-dominant disease characterized by hamartomas that can develop in any organ. We report herein the case of a 34-year-old female with tuberous sclerosis and a huge abdominopelvic mass that started growing quickly 2 years after its diagnosis. The patient had undergone several previous operations for hydrocephalus and cerebral tubers, and a nephrectomy for right renal angiomyolipoma. On admission, she was in poor general health with renal failure, severe anemia, and weight loss. A laparotomy revealed that the tumor occupied the pelvis, the lower and part of the upper abdomen, and was hypervascularized, with an extremely irregular surface covered in nodules, vegetations, and areas of hemorrhagic necrosis. The development of the mass and the impossibility of recognizing the internal genital organs led us to assume that the formation had originated from these. Frozen-section examination indicated an undifferentiated tumor that had not been completely resected. Her postoperative course was complicated by bronchopneumonia and progressive renal failure. The patient died 10 days after surgery due to cardiorespiratory failure. A histological diagnosis of epithelioid angiomyolipoma was confirmed. Although it is presently impossible to determine whether angiomyolipoma with predominant epithelioid cells is more aggressive than typical angiomyolipoma, it definitively demonstrated local aggressive behavior in this patient.

Abdominal Neoplasms↗
PubMed1999

Bone marrow angiogenesis and mast cell density increase simultaneously with progression of human multiple myeloma.

Immunohistochemical, cytochemical and ultrastructural data showing vivid angiogenesis and numerous mast cells (MCs) in the bone marrow of 24 patients with active multiple myeloma (MM) compared with 34 patients with non-active MM and 22 patients with monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) led us to hypothesize that angiogenesis parallels progression of MM, and that MCs participate in its induction via angiogenic factors in their secretory granules.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

[A uterine pecoma: a case report].

The authors describe the first ever reported case of a malignant pecoma of the uterus infiltrating the ovary, the tube and two bowel loops. This extremely rare tumour usually shows a benign behaviour and seems to arise from the perivascular epithelioid cells (PEC).

Epithelioid Cells↗
PubMed1998

Expression of Met protein and urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (uPA-R) in papillary carcinoma of the thyroid.

Met protein encoded by MET oncogene is the high affinity receptor for hepatocyte growth factor (HGF)/scatter factor (SF). HGF/SF has to be cleaved in its heterodimeric form by the urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) to become active as a ligand for Met receptor. The expression of Met protein and of the high affinity receptor for uPA (uPA-R) was investigated in 39 samples of papillary carcinoma using immunohistochemistry. Reactivity for Met protein was present in 33 of 34 tumours, mostly with a diffuse pattern of staining. Reactivity for uPA-R was present in 78 per cent of papillary tumours and exhibited a pattern of staining similar to that of Met protein. Staining for uPA-R was present in 23 of 25 cases (92 per cent) of papillary carcinoma with prominent sclerosis, and in only 1 of 7 cases (14 per cent) without sclerosis. Peritumoural normal thyroid, follicular adenomas, and follicular carcinomas were negative for Met protein and for uPA-R. Hyperfunctioning tall thyroid cells showed weak membrane reactivity for uPA-R and for Met protein. The findings of immunohistochemistry were confirmed at the mRNA level using in situ hybridization, since the signal for uPA-R and Met RNAs was detected in most tumour cells of five cases of papillary carcinoma.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Intratumoral microvessel density and expression of ED-A/ED-B sequences of fibronectin in breast carcinoma.

The aim of this study was to examine the correlation between intratumoral microvessel density (iMVD) and the presence of cellular fibronectin isoforms, ED-A and ED-B, in order to identify those tumours with a prominent angiogenic phenotype. 91 cases of invasive ductal breast carcinoma were evaluated for TNM, histological grading, percentage of Ki-67+ cells and receptor hormonal status. iMVD was determined as a single microvessel count in a 200 x microscope field from the region of the tumour that appeared to be most densely vascular. When the mean values of iMVD of the various groups were compared, no significant difference was noted (Mann-Whitney test). When tumours were classified as high or low iMVD, based on a cut-off value (99 vessels/0.74 mm2), cases with high iMVD were significantly more numerous in poorly differentiated G3 tumours (P = 0.01, Chi-square test), and in tumours with lymph node metastasis (N0 versus N1 + N2; P = 0.002). The possibility that high iMVD was the expression of prominent vascular neoformation was explored using ED-A and ED-B isoforms of fibronectin as markers of neoformed vessels. ED-A + and/or ED-B + blood vessels were < 10% of total vessels, were detected in approximately 50% of cases independently of iMVD values, and were not more numerous in tumour areas with hot spot vascularisation. Our findings indicate that iMVD and expression of ED-A/ED-B reflect different aspects of tumour-associated angiogenesis.

Biomarkers, Tumor↗
PubMed1998

Do mast cells help to induce angiogenesis in B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphomas?

Morphological and morphometric data showing a higher number of mast cells (MCs) in the stroma of B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (B-NHL) than in benign lymphadenopathies are presented in support of the suggestion that angiogenesis during the progression of B-NHL may be partly mediated by angiogenic factors in their secretory granules.

Humans↗
PubMed1998

Antiphospholipid antibodies in chronic hypertension: the value of screening during pregnancy.

To determine if screening for antiphospholipid antibodies in gravid chronic hypertension patients is warranted, we performed a retrospective cohort study to test the association between antiphospholipid antibodies and perinatal outcome in this group of women. The primary outcome we compared was adverse perinatal outcome, defined as delivery <37 weeks' gestation secondary to maternal or fetal indications, intrauterine or neonatal death, birth weight <10th percentile for gestational age, early-onset severe preeclampsia, or placental abruption. Our sample size allowed for the detection of a 60% reduction in the relative risk of adverse perinatal outcome in patients who were antiphospholipid antibody screen negative (80% power, P = 0.05). No increased risk of adverse perinatal outcome was demonstrated among patients with positive serum antiphospholipid antibodies (33.3%, 5/15) versus patients with negative screening (40.0%, 22/55) in our cohort (RR 0.88, 95% Cl 0.38-1.83). Furthermore, antiphospholipid antibody status was not associated with adverse perinatal outcome after controlling for classic indications for antibody screening (RRMH 0.63, 95% Cl 0.30-1.33). In conclusion, chronic hypertension patients with positive antiphospholipid antibody screening are not at increased risk for adverse perinatal outcome compared to those with negative screening. Therefore, screening for antiphospholipid antibodies in chronic hypertension patients without classic indications for screening is not warranted.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Angiogenesis in hepatocellular carcinoma: an experimental study in the chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane.

Ten samples of human hepatocellular carcinoma and three of a laceration injure of the liver (controls) were grafted onto the chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) to investigate their possible angiogenic activity. The angiogenic response in pathological and control implants was assessed on histologic sections by a morphometric method, 4 days after grafting. The vascular count in the CAMs treated with the pathological implants was significantly higher compared to control ones and the angiogenic response induced by pathological implants was comparable to that of a well known angiogenic molecule, namely basic fibroblast growth factor. The role played in vasoproliferative response by angio-genic cytokines released by tumor cells, by CAM extracellular matrix and by the perivascular mononuclear cells was supported by this study.

Allantois↗
PubMed1997

Expression of ER-D5 and EGFr in laryngeal carcinoma and pre-malignant epithelium.

The expression of estrogen receptors was biochemically assessed in a series of 46 cases of consecutive laryngeal carcinomas. ER-D5 and EGFr were also immunohistochemically detected in 44 and 46 cases respectively. There was no correlation between the expression of these molecules and the typical anatomo-clinical prognostic parameters of laryngeal tumors. The concomitant expression of estrogen receptors, ER-D5 and EGFr was also investigated in normal, hyperplastic and dysplastic epithelium. An increasing expression of ER-D5 and EGFr from normal to hyperplastic and dysplastic epithelium was noted. These data suggest a possible role of hormone receptors in the laryngeal carcinogenesis.

Biomarkers, Tumor↗