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Biomedical subjects

C Albanese

Publications and source records attributed to C Albanese.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1994

Inhaled nitric oxide in congenital diaphragmatic hernia.

Pulmonary hypertension is a major complication of congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH). Inhaled nitric oxide (NO) is a selective pulmonary vasodilator because it produces vasodilatation of the pulmonary vasculature without systemic hypotension. In experimental and clinical studies, inhaled NO ameliorates pulmonary hypertension and improves gas exchange. The goal of the present study was to determine the extent to which infants with CDH respond to inhaled NO. Four newborn infants with CDH complicated by severe respiratory insufficiency and right-to-left shunting received inhaled NO. In three patients, postductal oxygenation improved in response to small concentrations of NO (5 to 10 ppm); two received NO after operative repair, and the third both before and after repair. However, tachyphylaxis developed in all cases within 1 to 6 days. A fourth patient received inhaled NO in an attempt at weaning from ECMO. He did not respond, remaining hypoxic despite 80 ppm NO, and continued to require ECMO. In the three patients who responded to inhaled NO, plasma nitrites and nitrates (stable oxidative end products of NO) accumulated over time, but not in the patient who did not respond. The accumulation of nitrite and nitrate in plasma may reflect alveolar-capillary NO absorption, and may identify patients who will respond to continued inhaled NO. Methemoglobin remained below 1.9% in all four babies. Selected infants with CDH may respond to NO, but the benefit may be temporary.

Administration, Inhalation↗
PubMed1994

Multiple promoter elements in the human chorionic gonadotropin beta subunit genes distinguish their expression from the luteinizing hormone beta gene.

The beta subunit of human chorionic gonadotropin (CG beta) is encoded by a cluster of six genes, which have developed through gene duplication from an ancestral LH beta gene. Despite approximately 90% sequence homology between the CG beta and LH beta promoters, the CG beta gene is expressed in the placenta, whereas the LH beta promoter is active only in the pituitary. The CG beta gene uses a TATA-less promoter that is located upstream of the transcriptional start site used by the homologous LH beta gene. The purpose of this study was to use the high degree of homology among members of the CG beta gene cluster and between the CG beta and LH beta promoters to localize regulatory elements that confer CG beta expression in the placenta. The 5'-flanking regions of the different CG beta genes were cloned and expressed in JEG-3 placental cells. Naturally occurring sequence variations were correlated with promoter activity and used to identify candidate regulatory elements. Exchanges of homologous sequences in the CG beta 5 and LH beta proximal identified three separate regions between -362 and +104 that are necessary for full basal expression of the CG beta promoter. Site-directed mutagenesis of four evolutionarily divergent sequences near the CG beta transcription start site confirmed the importance of multiple distinct regulatory elements as each of these mutations resulted in an 80% decrease in promoter activity.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

8-Bromo Cyclic Adenosine Monophosphate↗
PubMed1994

Development of a bioassay for FSH using a recombinant human FSH receptor and a cAMP responsive luciferase reporter gene.

FSH exerts its actions primarily by increasing cAMP levels via a G protein-linked transmembrane receptor. We report the development of a bioassay for FSH using a cell line that stably expresses the human FSH receptor and a cAMP responsive human glycoprotein hormone alpha subunit luciferase reporter construct. Receptor activation by FSH was measured by changes in luciferase activity. The cell line was shown to express 1.6 x 10(4) receptors per cell which bound FSH with high affinity (Kd 2.76 x 10[-9] M). Human pituitary FSH caused a dose-dependent increase in cAMP (ED50, 190 mIU/ml) and luciferase (ED50, 31.5 mIU/ml) activity. The sensitivity of the bioassay was less than 0.6 mIU/well. Postmenopausal serum, rat, ovine and bovine FSH elicited a dose-dependent increase in luciferase activity. There was no significant stimulation by highly purified human LH or recombinant human TSH. This cell line should be useful in the determination of bioactive FSH and characterization of serum FSH inhibitors.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Restoration of polymorphonuclear leukocyte function in elderly subjects by thymomodulin.

Senescence is a specific physiological evolution of human beings associated with a reduction in the functionality of several apparatuses, including the immune system. Thymomodulin (TMD) contains thymus polypeptides (< 10,000 D) and it has been used in a variety of disorders associated with defective immunological functions. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect on polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMNs) phagocytosis and oxidative burst of a 6-week treatment with 160 mg/day TMD orally in elderly subjects (85.5 +/- 9.7 years). Elderly subjects have impaired PMN phagocytosis and the following release of oxidant radicals. Treatment with TMD for 6 weeks had a restoring effect; phagocytosis and the phagocytic index were significantly improved, with increases of 132.6% and 112.5%. These findings indicate that TMD might be given to enhance the immunodefenses of immunocompromised elderly subjects. Luminol-dependent chemiluminescence was increased by 15.6%, which was not significant, indicating a different response between phagocytosis and release of oxidant radicals.

Aged↗
PubMed1994

Combined duodenal and colonic necrosis. An unusual sequela of caustic ingestion.

Two unusual cases of liquid caustic ingestion that resulted in gangrene of the duodenum and adjacent colon, and burns of the esophagus, stomach, and pancreas are presented. The routine evaluation of the oropharynx, esophagus, and stomach after liquid caustic ingestion can seriously underestimate the extent of injury to distal portions of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, such as the colon and pancreas, that are not usually included in the initial evaluation of ingestion injuries. In stable patients managed nonoperatively, the entire upper GI tract, including the duodenum, must be visualized either by endoscopy or, less preferably, by barium series. Double-contrast computed tomography should be performed when significant duodenal injuries are present in order to inspect the colon, pancreas, and small bowel. With this approach, life-threatening, multi-organ, subdiaphragmatic ingestion injuries can be identified and treated early.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

S-plasty for various anal lesions.

Ten patients underwent S-plasty between July 1979 and April 1990 for the treatment of various anal conditions. Six patients had giant condyloma acuminata, and there was one patient each with Bowen's disease, verrucous carcinoma, and stricture, and ectropion (Whitehead deformity). Both anatomic and functional results were satisfactory in all patients, and there were no serious complications. S-plasty is the preferred method for the reconstruction of extensive circular denuded anal canal with full-thickness graft of bilateral rotating skin flaps. It is important not only to construct large flaps with a good blood supply, but also to obtain complete hemostasis of the raw surface.

Anus Diseases↗
PubMed1991

Novel cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate response element in the human chorionic gonadotropin beta-subunit gene.

CG is encoded by separate alpha- and beta-subunit genes. Expression of both genes is stimulated by cAMP, but the kinetics of activation are different, with cAMP stimulation of the alpha gene preceding that of the beta gene. The cAMP response element (CRE) in the alpha gene contains a palindromic DNA sequence, TGACGTCA, that binds the transcription factor CREB, a nuclear phosphoprotein that is activated by protein kinase-A. Previously, detailed characterization of a CRE in the CG beta gene had been difficult due to low levels of expression in transfected cells. In this study the 5'-flanking sequence of the CG beta gene was fused to a sensitive luciferase (LUC) reporter gene, allowing delineation of a CG beta CRE in transient expression assays performed in JEG-3 choriocarcinoma cells. The full-length CG beta promoter, -3700 to 362 basepairs (bp), was stimulated 8- to 14-fold by treatment with 1 mM 8-bromo-cAMP. Analyses of a series of deletion mutants in the CG beta promoter demonstrated that -311 CG beta LUC retained nearly complete cAMP stimulation, but deletion to -187 bp eliminated cAMP responsiveness. Overlapping DNA fragments between -311 and -30 bp were fused to a heterologous promoter (-99 alpha LUC) to further define the locations of basal elements and CREs. Basal expression required a combination of at least two distinct elements between -311 and -30 bp, whereas cAMP responsiveness was conferred by sequences between -311 and -202 bp. Shorter DNA sequences within this region were insufficient for cAMP stimulation, suggesting that more than one element may be required. DNase-I footprinting and gel mobility shift studies demonstrated at least three distinct protein-binding sites within the CG beta CRE sequence. Recombinant CREB (expressed in E. coli) did not bind to these sites, and they share no sequence homology with the alpha gene CRE, indicating that a cAMP-responsive transcription factor other than CREB interacts with the CG beta promoter.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1990

Role of immunoscintigraphy in clinical assessment of gastrointestinal tumors.

From June 1986 until April 1989 31 patients with gastrointestinal tumors were studied at follow-up for recurrences by immunoscintigraphy (IS) using F(ab)2 fragments of monoclonal antibodies anti CEA and anti CA 19-9. IS was employed to confirm the presence of metastases already found (group A) and to verify metastases suspected following physical and instrumental examinations and/or increases in CEA and/or CA 19-9 (group B). Thirty-four IS findings have been evaluated to date: 19 in group A, with 18 true positive and 1 false negative results; 15 in group B. In these patients there were 12 cases of pathologic high fixation: 6 were confirmed using standard examinations after a median follow-up of 1 month (range 1-12); 6 cases had no metastatic evolution at the suspected site after a follow-up of 5-28 months. In 3 cases IS was negative, these patients are disease free at 13, 14 and 24 months. In group B, 5 of 8 abdominal intense fixations were early diagnoses of local or peritoneal recurrences. The overall accuracy was 79.4% and it was not affected by circulating CEA levels; sensitivity was 96%. IS can be considered useful as a primary diagnostic examination in the follow-up of patients with suspected abdominal metastases.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Advanced colon cancer: staging and prognosis by CEA test.

The carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) test was studied in 54 patients with advanced stages of colon cancer which was treated with high doses of folinic acid + fluorouracil. The CEA test correlates evaluated included: prognostic value, performance status, metastatic pattern, histologic grading, predictive value for response to chemotherapy, and value differences in cases with partial response to therapy. CEA levels less than 5 ng/ml corresponded to a greater survival time than did levels greater than 5 ng/ml. A correlation of CEA with performance status and with metastatic pattern was demonstrated. A progressive increase in average CEA values corresponded to increases in neoplastic mass. Although CEA levels were not found to be an index for predicting the response to chemotherapy, there was a significant different between pre- and posttreatment levels for partial response. The results suggest that CEA offers an additional criterion for evaluating the response of colon cancer to chemotherapy and it also has a role in the staging of advanced disease.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Distinct adjacent protein-binding domains in the glycoprotein hormone alpha gene interact independently with a cAMP-responsive enhancer.

The glycoprotein hormone alpha gene contains a duplicated cAMP-responsive element (CRE) that functions as a classical enhancer and interacts with a transcription factor termed CRE-binding protein. Adjacent to the CRE resides an upstream regulatory element (URE) that binds tissue-specific factors. The URE stimulates basal transcription but requires the CRE to impart its transcriptional effects. Protein binding to the URE and CRE domains is enhanced by linking the elements together, suggesting that interactions occur between the proteins that bind to these regulatory domains. Using gel mobility shift assays, we show that the URE forms distinct complexes with proteins extracted from JEG-3 cells. Two distinct protein-binding domains within the URE were delineated using mutational analyses and methylation interference assays. An upstream domain (-177 to -156 base pairs) interacts with a relatively abundant protein, whereas a downstream domain (-172 to -151 base pairs) binds a less abundant factor. Simultaneous occupancy of the two URE domains was not found, suggesting that binding of proteins to these regions may be mutually exclusive. In transient expression assays, the upstream and downstream domains of the URE were shown to independently enhance CRE-mediated transcription of the alpha gene. However, the downstream domain of the URE imparts greater transcriptional activity than does the upstream domain, and a DNA element that contains both URE domains is less active than is the downstream domain alone. These studies support a mechanism in which the transcriptional activity of a CRE can be differentially modulated by factors that bind to adjacent, but distinct upstream regulatory elements.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1988

The gonadotropin alpha-gene contains multiple protein binding domains that interact to modulate basal and cAMP-responsive transcription.

DNA sequences that modulate basal and cAMP-stimulated transcription are located within the initial 169 base pairs of the alpha-gene 5'-flanking sequence. Using DNase I protection analyses and gel-mobility shift assays, we examined in vitro the domains in the human alpha-gene 5'-flanking sequence that bind nuclear proteins extracted from JEG-3 choriocarcinoma cells. DNase I protection studies of the sequences between -236 and -100 demonstrate two major protected regions: -178 to -156 corresponding to an upstream regulatory element (URE) and -146 to -112 corresponding to 18-base pair repeated sequences that contain cAMP-responsive enhancers (CREs). Nuclear proteins extracted from JEG-3 choriocarcinoma cells bind specifically to oligonucleotides corresponding to both the URE and CRE domains as well as to a downstream domain (-99 to -72) that contains consensus CCAAT motifs on both the sense and antisense strands. Binding to a DNA fragment (-236 to -100) that contains both the URE and CRE domains was 10-fold more effective than that using either fragment alone. Binding to this multisite DNA fragment is readily disrupted using the URE sequence, but not the CRE sequence as a competitor, suggesting that the URE binding factor may stabilize DNA-protein interactions in these adjacent complexes. The amount of protein binding to each of the alpha-gene 5'-flanking domains was unaffected by treatment with 8-bromo-cAMP. These studies indicate that there are multiple adjacent protein binding domains in human alpha-gene 5'-flanking sequence that correspond to cis-acting regulatory elements including an upstream element that activates basal expression, repeated cAMP-response elements, and a downstream sequence containing consensus CCAAT box elements. Interactions between regulatory domains facilitate protein binding and synergistically stimulate alpha-gene transcription.

8-Bromo Cyclic Adenosine Monophosphate↗
PubMed1986

Altered repertoire of endogenous immunoglobulin gene expression in transgenic mice containing a rearranged mu heavy chain gene.

C57BL/6 mice transgenic for a mu heavy chain gene, the VDJ region of which came from the BALB/c hybridoma 17.2.25, expressed high levels of antibody carrying determinants specific for the transgene (idiotypes). The individual antibodies made by hybridomas from transgenic mice, however, were generally encoded by endogenous genes; in most cases the transgene was present but not expressed. The endogenous, idiotype-positive antibodies had heavy chains that were notable for the high frequencies of JH4 (as in the transgene) and VH segments from the VH81X family (unrelated to the transgene). The expression of endogenous genes mimicking the idiotype of the transgene suggests that a rearranged gene introduced into the germ line can activate powerful cellular regulatory influences.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Experimental use of free grafts of bladder mucosa in canine bladders. Successful closure of recurrent vesicovaginal fistula utilizing bladder mucosa.

Three to 4 cm-diameter, circular-shaped full thickness sections of the anterior wall of canine bladders were resected. Free grafts of bladder mucosa were lifted from the muscular wall and sewn back as a patch onto the original defect. Fusion of the graft and normal urothelium occurred, and at eight weeks a dense fibrotic external layer and normal urothelium was observed. No diverticuli occurred. A successful closure of recurrent multiple vesicovaginal fistulas in a woman using mucosa alone is reported.

Adult↗