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Biomedical subjects

C Angelini

Publications and source records attributed to C Angelini.

At least 253 records · Page 14Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Abnormal myomuscular junctions and AChE in a congenital neuromuscular disease.

We studied a patient with a congenital neuromuscular disease clinically characterized by ophthalmoplegia, slight limb muscle weakness, and normal electromyography. In the muscle biopsy, there were frequent examples of interdigitation of areas of muscle and extracellular spaces giving a fragmented appearance to muscle fibers. These structures resemble myomuscular junctions; acetylcholinesterase activity was present in the vicinity of these structures and on the muscle cell surface.

Acetylcholinesterase↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Liver fatty acid-binding protein in two cases of human lipid storage.

FABPs in the various tissues play an important role in the intracellular fatty acid transport and metabolism. Reye's syndrome (RS) and multisystemic lipid storage (MLS) are human disorders characterized by a disturbance of lipid metabolism of unknown etiology. We investigated for the first time L-FABP in these two conditions. Affinity purified antibodies against chicken L-FABP were raised in rabbits, and found to cross-react specifically with partially purified human L-FABP. L-FABP content in liver samples of two patients with RS and MLS was investigated by immuno-histochemistry, SDS-PAGE and ELISA. L-FABP immuno-histochemistry showed increased reactivity in the liver of RS patient and normal reactivity in MLS liver. L-FABP increase in RS liver was confirmed by densitometry of SDS-PAGE and ELISA method. By these two methods the increase amounted to 180% and 199% (p less than 0.02), respectively, as compared to controls. A possible role of L-FABP in the pathogenesis of RS is discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Localization of molecules related to cholinergic signaling in eggs and zygotes of the sea urchin, Paracentrotus lividus.

In recent years, the finding of a complete set of molecules related to the cholinergic neurotransmitter system in male gametes of different invertebrate and vertebrate species has opened the question of the possible involvement of this signaling system in the regulation of intracellular ion change, functional to sperm motility and probably also to interaction with the egg. In this work, we localized molecules immunologically related to muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChRs) in sea urchin (Paracentrotus lividus) eggs and zygotes, by use of the monoclonal antibody M35. The ultrastructural analysis of immunoreactivity revealed that the localization of M35-positive molecules is different between unfertilized and fertilized egg. In the unfertilized eggs, immunoreactive molecules were localized inside and associated to the membrane of vesicles, scattered in a thick zone of the cortical cytoplasm. Following fertilization, the oolemma was decored along the surface, and positive vesicles were seldom seen in the cytoplasm. At the surface of fertilized eggs, evident pinocytotic vesicles, recognized by the surrounding coat, indicate that the positive sites correspond to receptorial activity, able to rescue ligand portions. The presence of a cholinergic signaling pattern was also suggested by the presence of molecules immunologically related to acetylcholinesterase (AChE), performing AChE enzyme activity, detected by both immunofluorescent and histochemical methods in membranous organelles belonging to the cortical region of unfertilized eggs.

Acetylcholinesterase↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Acetylcholine synthesis and possible functions during sea urchin development.

Cholinergic neurotransmitter system molecules were found to play a role during fertilisation and early cell cycles of a large number of invertebrate and vertebrate organisms. In this study, we investigated the presence and possible function of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT, the biosynthetic enzyme of acetylcholine) in gametes of the sea urchin, Paracentrotus lividus, through localisation and functional studies. ChAT-like molecules were detected in oocytes, mature eggs and zygotes with indirect immunofluorescence methods. Positive immunoreactivity was found in the ovarian egg cytoplasm and surface as well as at the zygote surface. This suggests the eggs' capacity to autonomously synthesise acetylcholine (ACh), the signal molecule of the cholinergic system. Acetylcholinesterase (AChE, the lytic enzyme of acetylcholine) was also found in ovarian eggs, with a similar distribution; however, it disappeared after fertilisation. Ultrastructural ChAT localisation in sperms, which was carried out with the immuno-gold method, showed immunoreactivity in the acrosome of unreacted sperms and at the head surface of reacted sperms. In order to verify a functional role of ACh during fertilization and sea urchin development, in vivo experiments were performed. Exposure of the eggs before fertilisation to 1 mM ACh + 1 microM eserine caused an incomplete membrane depolarisation and consequently enhanced polyspermy, while lower concentrations of ACh caused developmental anomalies. The exposure of zygotes to 0,045 AChE Units/mL of sea water caused developmental anomalies as well, in 50% of the embryos. Altogether, these findings and other previously obtained results, suggest that the cholinergic system may subserve two different tasks during development, according to which particular type of ACh receptor is active during each temporal window. The first function, taking place in the course of fertilisation is a result of autonomously synthesised ACh in sperms, while the second function, taking place after fertilisation, is due to maternal ChAT molecules, assembled on the oolemma along with egg maturation and fertilisation processes.

Acetylcholine↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Progressive supranuclear palsy: report of two cases (author's transl).

Two cases of progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) are reported in two men (49 and 75years old) who for one and four years respectively had sudden falling while walking. Rigidity of the neck was an carly feature that prgressed to involve the upper trunk while "subcortical dementia", dysarthria and dysphagia appeared. They had a complete paralysis of vertical eye movements and slow horizontal voluntary eye movements. Oculocephalic reflexes were intact. On caloric stimulation vestibulo-ocular responses were present but only slow saccadic eye movements were observed. With surface electrodes eye movements were studied during the REM phase of sleep. Our patients had both vertical and horizontal eye movements during paradoxal sleep. This findings is in keeping with a supranuclear ophtalmoplegia, and may help in antemorten diagnosis of PSP.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Sensory-motor conduction time in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

19 ALS patients were submitted to motor evoked potentials (MEP) and F-wave from thenar muscles. Somatosensory evoked potentials (SEP) from median nerve were recorded as well in 16 patients. MEP were bilaterally absent in 4 patients (21%) and monolaterally absent in 6 patients (3.6%). Among patients with recordable waves, MEP and F-wave were significantly delayed. Their upper motor neuron conduction time was clearly abnormal only in one case. In SEP recordings the N9-N13 was significantly delayed, but the N13-N20 was normal. Four patients showed a combined sensory-motor dysfunction (increase of both N19-N13 interval and F-wave latency).

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Quantitative histopathology in congenital myopathies.

A histo-morphometric analysis has been carried out in 23 muscle biopsies obtained from patients with congenital myopathies (6 nemaline m., 10 centronuclear m., 4 central core m., 3 multicore m.) in order to improve diagnosis and to confirm the data available in literature. No relationship has been found between the severity of the disease and the histo-pathological features as previously described. Nevertheless, the following pathological aspects diverge from previous reports: a) the absence of rods within the nuclei and of mitochondrial abnormalities in nemaline myopathy; b) the presence of type I fiber hypertrophy and of mitochondrial alterations in 30% of the patients with centronuclear myopathy; c) the presence of cores even in type II fibers, mitochondrial abnormalities, nucleosis, inflammatory cellular reaction and fibrosis in addition to the absence of rods in central core myopathy; d) the type I fiber hypertrophy in all patients with multicore myopathy.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Lafora disease complicating myoclonus epilepsy. Report of 3 cases].

We studied four patients affected by progressive myoclonic epilepsy: three patients had the clinical features of Lafora's disease while the fourth was affected by a Lundborg's type of myoclonic epilepsy. In all above cases we found no specific electroencephalographic records of Lafora's disease; muscle histochemistry was useful for the diagnosis and the demonstration of PAS positive and NADH-TR positive Lafora's bodies. The Authors discuss the nosographic situation of Lafora's body disease among the progressive myoclonic epilepsies.

Biopsy↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Report of two patients with fibromuscular dysplasia of the internal carotid artery (author's transl)].

Two patients with fibromuscular dysplasia of the internal carotid artery have been studied. Our patients' clinical histories suggest that cerebral symptoms were due either to episodic arterial embolization or progressive arterial occlusion. The radiological features were characteristic. Surgery of cervical vessels was performed with benefit in both cases. Histopathology of the carotid arteries showed segmental lesions with alternating marked thickening and thinning of the media and irregular hyperplasia of the intima.

Adult↗