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Biomedical subjects

B Vitale

Publications and source records attributed to B Vitale.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1989

Body composition in subjects with surgically obtained stable body weight normalization.

The body composition of lean control subjects was compared with that of subjects following biliopancreatic diversion for morbid obesity, when their excess weight had been stabilized at under 40 per cent of the ideal body weight value for over two years. Lean body mass, body cell mass and fat were indirectly calculated from total body water and total body sodium, measured by isotope dilution technique. The body composition in the two groups of subjects was essentially normal, as was indicated by the percentage values of the body composition parameters and by the linear correlations between body weight and the lean body compartments size.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Modulation of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) lymphocyte phenotypes by in vitro incubation with alpha 1 thymosin.

In this study an attempt was made to elucidate (1) the level(s) of differentiation arrest of B cells, and (2) whether T-cell functional defects in CLL patients are related to their defective maturation. In addition, an attempt was also made to induce and/or correct maturation of T cells in CLL patients by in vitro incubation with alpha 1 thymosin. In CLL patients and controls, we determined the percentage of T and B cells with T11, T8, T4, C3, and mouse erythrocyte (ME) receptors, along with T-cell functional reactivity (measured by local xenogeneic graft vs host reaction), before and after incubation with alpha 1 thymosin. In about 60% of stable CLL patients, and in 80% of those in the progressive phase of disease, T cells possess receptors for ME and/or C3. After incubation with alpha 1 thymosin, separate analysis of surface markers on T and B cells revealed (along with the induction of T11 receptors on T-cell surface) induction of ME receptors on T and B cells in stable phase and selective loss of ME receptors on B cells in the progressive phase of CLL. After incubation of normal lymphocytes with alpha 1 thymosin, we observed an increase of T8 receptors, no change in expression of T11, and a decrease of T4 receptors along with the increase of the intensity of T-cell functional reactivity. In contrast, in CLL patients following incubation with alpha 1 thymosin, the induction of T8 receptors was less prominent in the progressive than in the stable phase of disease. Furthermore, induction of T8 receptors in CLL patients in the stable phase was accompanied by recovery of impaired or increase of preserved functional T-cell reactivity. In the progressive phase, however, T-cell functional areactivity remained unchanged. The findings suggest that different levels of B-cell-differentiation arrest along with defective maturation of T cells might be responsible for the spectrum of disease evolution in CLL.

Cell Differentiation↗
PubMed1985

The relationship between membrane characteristics, functional reactivity of T-lymphocytes, and the progression rate of B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Study performed on 192 patients has demonstrated that the progression rate of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is associated with the existence of T-cell defect(s). A dynamic classification system based on evaluation of tumor mass growth rate, response to therapy, and myelopoietic failure (MF) has been devised for evaluation of progression rate of CLL. Besides four basic groups (Group 1: CLL without therapy; Group 2: CLL on therapy, without remission; Group 3: CLL on therapy, partial remission; Group 4: CLL on therapy, complete remission) patients were further classified into phase (type) A (stable, indolent CLL) or phase (type) B (active, progressive CLL). The major criteria for phase A were: total tumor mass (TTM) doubling time (DT) longer than 12 months, no MF, and/or good response to therapy. The major criteria for phase B were: TTM DT less than 12 months and/or accompanying MF and/or no response to therapy. The following major findings have been demonstrated: (1) altered quantitative relationship between active and nonactive parts of T-cell compartment (E/A ratio) in the progressive phase of CLL; (2) altered B/T gamma ratio in the progressive phase of CLL; (3) more than 50% increased percentage of T gamma cells in the stable phase of CLL; (4) very low stable and absent seeding efficiency of T-cells in the progressive phase of CLL; (5) altered (delayed) DNA synthesis pattern in the progressive phase of CLL; and (6) negative local xenogeneic graft versus host reaction in the progressive phase of CLL. Based on reported results, a hypothesis regarding the possible role of T-cells in the pathogenesis of CLL was suggested.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

The multitest system for delayed hypersensitivity evaluation. Standardized result in an Italian adult population.

Delayed hypersensitivity was evaluated by means of Multitest System in 50 healthy Italian adults. Results were checked for homogeneity, comparability and reliability assays. Strict antigen and technique standardization warranted closely homogeneous results. Booster effect did not occur. Data evaluation was not depending on individual reader. Multitest System appears to be the most reliable method to evaluate delayed hypersensitivity and cellular immunity in man.

Adult↗
PubMed1981

Total tumour mass score (TTM): a new parameter in chronic lymphocyte leukaemia.

Total tumour mass score (TTM) is introduced as a new parameter in chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) in order to assess the tumour mass within all major body compartments. TTM is the sum of: (1) the square root of the number of peripheral blood lymphocytes per nl, (2) the diameter of the largest palpable lymph node in centimetres, and (3) the enlargement of the spleen below left costal margin in centimetres. The validity of the proposed scoring system was evaluated in a prognostic study of 256 CLL patients. Patients with high TTM (greater than 9.0) at presentation had the expected median survival (EMS) of 39 months whereas patients with low TTM (less than 8.9) had EMS of 101 months (P less than 0.0005). TTM was a significant prognostic factor even when adjustment was performed for age, sex, lymphocyte count, response to therapy, TTM-distribution pattern and bone marrow failure. In contrast, the lymphocyte count was not prognostically significant when adjustment was performed for TTM. This suggests that TTM is a better indicator of tumour cell burden than the lymphocyte count. TTM measurement enables the analysis of the tumour mass size independently of other factors. TTM is a simple, objective parameter that can be measured as a continuous quantitative variable allowing derivation of new factors. TTM-doubling time and TTM-response to therapy were significant for prognosis (P less than 0.0005). The proposed scoring system can also be used for the study of the tumour mass distribution pattern.

Bone Marrow↗
PubMed1976

Studies on the mechanism of specific immunological unresponsiveness. II. Immunological properties of lymphoid cells from normal, immunized and immunologically unresponsive mice transferred into lethally irradiated recipients.

The immunological capacity of lymphoid cells from mice rendered tolerant to high and low doses of BSA was investigated. The tolerance was induced by multiple injections of high and low doses of antigen through the period of 30 days. Lymph node and bone marrow cells from tolerant animals were transferred into lethally irradiated syngeneic recipients. After 10 days, when lymphoid organs of the recipients were repopulated with the injected cells, challenge injection of the same antigen incorporated into complete Freund's adjuvant was given. The immune response of the transferred cells in the recipients was evaluated by analysis of the specific antibodies in the sera. Lymphoid cells from donors rendered toloerant with high doses of antigen recovered their reactivity 20 days after the transfer to the level of reaction of normal cells. Lymphoid cells from donors receiving multiple injection of low doses of BSA remained tolerant after the transfer through the entire observation period. According to the cellular events in the donors during the period of tolerance induction, and the behaviour of the transferred lymphoid cells in the new recipients, it seems possible that tolerance induced with high doses of BSA corresponded to the B-cell tolerance, while low doses of antigen most likely induced tolerance of T-cell population. The possible cellular mechanisms of B and T-cell tolerance were discussed.

Animals↗
PubMed1976

Acute graft-versus-host reaction in mice. 3. Organ distribution of injected 51 chromium labeled lymphocytes.

The distribution of labeled lymph node cells, causing an acute GvH reaction in lethally irradiated allogeneic recipients, was studied. Lymph node cells of C57BL mice were labeled with 51Cr and injected into lethally irradiated: a) C57BL mice, b) CBA mice, c) CBA mice sensitized to C57BL antigens prior to irradiation, d) CBA mice splenectomized before irradiation. Two more experimental situations were studied in which C57BL donors of lymph node cells were: e) presensitized to CBA antigens, or f) deprived of T-lymphocytes. The amount of radioactivity was determined in the whole body, blood, liver, spleen, subcutaneous lymph nodes, lungs, femora and kidneys of the irradiated recipient at regular intervals from the time of injection to the 120th hour after it. We found that living cells lodged predominantly in the spleen and the lymph nodes, while dead and dying cells accumulated in the liver. Other organs contained very small amounts of radioactivity. All the results point to the primary role of the spleen in the acute graft-versus-host reaction.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1976

Acute graft-versus-host reaction in mice. I. Cellular events.

Cellular events in the spleen during the development of acute GvH reaction in lethally irradiated recipients of allogeneic lymphocytes may be divided into 6 interrelated processes: (1) entering and lodging in the spleen of about 17% of inoculated cells which forms the compartment of potentially reactive cells; (2) transformation (recruitment) of about 30% of cells lodged in the spleen into large pyroninophilic cells (LPC), a process lasting about 12-16 hr; (3) proliferation of recruited LPC by five successive divisions with a Tc of about 12 hr; (4) transformation of LPC into non-LPC; (5) proliferation of non-LPC by one division, with a Tc of about 8 hr; and (6) migration of mature immunologically active cells from the spleen. The last process correlates well with the concomitant appearance of lymphocytes in the peripheral blood (killer cells) and with the time of acute death among inoculated mice.

Animals↗