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Biomedical subjects

D Spina

Publications and source records attributed to D Spina.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1998

Cell kinetic patterns in early gastric cancer.

Early gastric cancers (EGC) may be subdivided into 2 groups by means of the use of mitotic index, apoptotic index and cell density: EGCs with high cell turnover and low cell density, which show high cell dissociation and, more frequently, lymph node invasion; EGCs with low cell turnover and high cell density. The same parameters discriminate among intestinal type tumors, when separately considered from diffuse ones. No correlation is noted of these 2 groups with transforming growth factor-alpha, epidermal growth factor receptor and p53 expression, gross type, entity of neoangiogenesis, and submucosal invasion.

Apoptosis↗
PubMed1998

The role of theophylline and phosphodiesterase4 isoenzyme inhibitors as anti-inflammatory drugs.

Theophylline has been used for over a century in the treatment of asthma and while it is used principally as a bronchodilator, a number of recent studies have demonstrated potential anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory activity. Indeed, regular treatment with low-dose theophylline, affords significant clinical benefit at the expense of unwanted side-effects associated with this drug, including headache and vomiting. The mechanism of action of theophylline is unclear, although a significant body of evidence points to an involvement of phosphodiesterase enzyme inhibition. Phosphodiesterases are a diverse group of enzymes that belong to at least seven families and of particular interest is the role of phosphodiesterase 4 isoenzyme as it is distributed in a number of inflammatory and immune cells and whose inhibition results in the downregulation of inflammatory and immune cell function. The discovery of pharmacological drugs selective for this isoenzyme has been viewed with interest in light of the positive results from preclinical and early clinical studies. Whether orally active safe phosphodiesterase 4 isoenzyme inhibitors will be useful in the treatment of asthma remains to be established.

3',5'-Cyclic-AMP Phosphodiesterases↗
PubMed1997

Cell proliferation, cell death and angiogenesis in early and advanced gastric cancer of intestinal type.

Mitotic (MI) and apoptotic index (AI), the sum of the 2, i.e., the turnover index (TI), tumor neovascularization (NV) and p53 expression, as well as tumor grading and node status, are evaluated in early and advanced gastric-cancer cases. T1 cases show significantly less frequent lymph-node invasion and lower tumor grade, and, taken together, have significantly lower MI, Al and TI and higher values of NV than the T2-3 cases. However, correlation of the variables shows that the above-mentioned discrimination is due to a minority of T1 cases (11 out of 33), while the majority of them are allocated in the same 95% ellipse of tolerance of the T2-3 cases.

Azure Stains↗
PubMed1997

Growth patterns of diffuse non-Hodgkin's lymphomas estimated from mitotic and apoptotic indices.

Growth rates of neoplasms could be calculated only on the basis of mitotic and apoptotic indices (MI and AI, respectively), assessed on tissue sections, if the duration of mitosis and apoptosis (Tm and Ta, respectively) in vivo were known. For humans, this is practically never the case. What use then can be made of MI and AI to arrive at a relative, crude estimate of the state of growth? As a model system to study this problem, we chose diffusely growing stage I + II non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (dNHL, n = 94). Cluster analysis revealed the existence of 3 highly distinct groups of dNHL (clusters I, II and III) in the MI vs. AI per case plot, with a roughly linear relation between both parameters. Most nosologic entities defined by the REAL classification comprise cases that were represented in more than one cluster. We adopted the simple formula GI (growth index) = XMI - AI, where X (= Ta/Tm) remains to be evaluated. Based on the assumption that spontaneous regressions of dNHL are rare but do occur, we estimated that X = 2 or, possibly, 3 are best fits for the pooled dNHLs studied. With the assumption of X = 2, (i) 2MI - AI gave relatively lower values for dNHL than proliferative indices such as %Ki-67+ cells; (ii) values for 2MI/AI per cluster showed a pattern inverse to that for %bcl-2+ cells; and (iii) a plot of 2MI - AI vs. 2MI/AI per case allowed the recognition, especially among NHLs with a low cell turnover, of cases where accumulation of presumably longer-lived cells is an important factor in determining growth.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Cellular kinetic and phenotypic heterogeneity in and among Burkitt's and Burkitt-like lymphomas.

This study asks whether the known genotypic heterogeneity within and between endemic or sporadic Burkitt's lymphomas (eBLs and sBLs, n = 10 each), and Burkitt-like lymphomas (BLLs, n-12), is reflected in divergent cytokinetics and related immunophenotypes. There was strong evidence that eBL and BLL grow markedly faster than sBL, as shown by differences in mitotic and apoptotic indices. Furthermore, in BLL, the median percentage of neoplastic cells immunoreactive for the bcl-2 protein was much higher than that observed in eBL and sBL. The reverse was true for the median fraction of cells containing c-myc protein. In eBL and sBL, the median fraction of bcl-6 protein-positive cells reached values above 50 per cent, while cells of 8/12 BLLs did not contain detectable amounts of this protein. This observation indicates that in this respect, eBL and sBL resemble normal germinal centres of lymphatic tissue much more than do BLL. Evidence for infection of neoplastic cells by the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) was observed in 9/10 cases of eBL and in 3/10 of sBL, but not in BLL. EBV-positive lymphomas were associated with distinctly lower apoptotic indices and smaller median percentages of bcl-6-positive cells than EBV-negative tumours.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Sublingual absorption of salbutamol in the guinea-pig.

Clinical observations both claim and refute sublingual absorption of salbutamol. To resolve this issue, the capacity of salbutamol to inhibit substantial bronchoconstrictor responses to histamine has been defined for both intravenous injection of saline in the anaesthetized ventilated guinea-pig. Substantial sublingual absorption was observed. It is suggested that low dose sublingual formulations might have advantage over inhalation forms of sympathomimetics.

Administration, Sublingual↗
PubMed1997

The effect of okadaic acid on non-adrenergic non-cholinergic contraction in guinea-pig isolated bronchus.

1. We have investigated the role of phosphatases in modulating contractile responses to electrical field stimulation (EFS), methacholine, substance P and capsaicin in guinea-pig isolated main bronchus by use of the phosphatase 1 and 2A inhibitor okadaic acid. 2. Non-adrenergic non-cholinergic (eNANC) contractile responses were elicited by EFS (3 Hz, 20 s, 0.5 ms max. voltage) in the guinea-pig isolated main bronchus in the presence of the non-selective muscarinic antagonist, atropine (1 microM), the non-selective beta-adrenoceptor antagonist; propranolol (1 microM), the neutral endopeptidase inhibitor thiorphan (10 microM) and the cyclo-oxygenase inhibitor, indomethacin (5 microM). Okadaic acid significantly attenuated eNANC contractile responses (% inhibition) elicited by EFS (0.01 microM, 15.2 +/- 26.9%; 0.03 microM, 30.4 +/- 13.9%; 0.01 microM, 39.8 +/- 5.1%; 0.3 microM, 59.5 +/- 8.7%; 1 microM 77.8 +/- 7.8%; P < 0.05, n = 4). In contrast, the inactive analogue 1-Nor okadaone (0.3 microM) failed to attenuate significantly eNANC contractile responses (% inhibition elicited by 1-Nor okadaone, -1.25 +/- 8.5% vs dimethylsulphoxide (DMSO), -13.5 +/- 21.5%; P > 0.05, n = 4). 3. Cholinergic contractile responses were elicited by EFS (1-30 Hz, 10 s, 0.5 ms max. voltage) in guinea-pig isolated bronchus in the presence of the nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, N omega-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME, 30 microM). Okadaic acid failed to attenuate significantly the contractile (% methacholine Emax) response elicited by EFS at all frequencies tested compared with the control (1 Hz, control, 22 +/- 7.9% vs okadaic acid, 18 +/- 7.7%; 3 Hz, control, 26 +/- 6.9% vs okadaic acid, 27 +/- 9.1%; 10 Hz, control, 36 +/- 7.6% vs okadaic acid, 33 +/- 8.9%; 30 Hz, control, 50 +/- 7.6% vs okadaic acid, 42 +/- 14%; P > 0.05, n = 4). 4. Okadaic acid (0.3 microM) failed to alter significantly the contractile potency (pD2) to capsaicin (okadaic acid, 9.0 +/- 0.5, vs DMSO, 9.2 +/- 0.4; P > 0.05 n = 6), substance P (okadaic acid, 7.6 +/- 0.3 vs DMSO, 8.2 +/- 0.2; P > 0.05 n = 7) or methacholine (okadaic acid, 6.4 +/- 0.2 vs DMSO, 6.4 +/- 0.3; P > 0.05 n = 4). 5. Okadaic acid (0.01-1 microM) did not appear to reverse substance P-induced tone. The maximal relaxant response (% reversal of substance P-induced tone) mediated by okadaic acid (1 microM) was 33 +/- 11.7% (n = 4), this was not significantly different from the DMSO (0.8%) or a time-dependent fall in tone of 34.3 +/- 23.1% (n = 4) and 33 +/- 15.8% (n = 4), respectively. Okadaic acid (0.3 microM) failed to augment isoprenaline-induced relaxation responses in substance P contracted bronchus (okadaic acid, 6.5 +/- 0.4 vs DMSO, 5.9 +/- 0.3; P > 0.05, n = 9). 6. These results indicate that protein phosphatases appear to regulate the release of sensory neuropeptides from airway sensory nerves in response to electrical field stimulation.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

The effect of 15-HPETE on airway responsiveness and pulmonary cell recruitment in rabbits.

1. In the present study we have investigated the effect of 15-hydroperoxyeicosatetraenoic acid (15-HPETE) and 15-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (15-HETE) on airway responsiveness to inhaled histamine in rabbits in vivo. 2. 15-HPETE increased airway responsiveness to histamine 24 h after tracheal instillation and this was associated with a cellular infiltration consisting mainly of neutrophils, as measured by bronchoalveolar lavage. The airway hyperresponsiveness induced by 15-HPETE was still present 72 h after tracheal instillation of 15-HPETE, but had returned to baseline values one week post challenge. The number of neutrophils in bronchoalveolar lavage remained significantly elevated compared to pre-challenge levels. In contrast to 15-HPETE, the major metabolite 15-HETE, failed to alter airway hyperresponsiveness to histamine despite the recruitment of neutrophils into the lung, suggesting that the effect of 15-HPETE was not secondary to the generation of this metabolite nor dependent on the influx of neutrophils. 3. Both capsaicin and atropine but not the peripherally acting mu-opioid receptor agonist, BW443C (H-Tyr-D-Arg-Gly-Phe(4-NO2)-Pro-NH4), attenuated 15-HPETE-induced hyperresponsiveness. The increased cellular infiltration induced by 15-HPETE was only attenuated by capsaicin. 4. The results of the present study suggest that the release of 15-HPETE into the airways could contribute to sensitization of afferent nerve endings analogous to the hyperalgesia induced by this mediator in skin.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Mitotic activity and nuclear DNA damage of large cells in Hodgkin's disease: comparison with the expression of p53 and bcl-2 proteins and the presence of Epstein-Barr virus.

The roles of the bcl-2 and p53 proteins in Hodgkin's disease (HD) are poorly understood. We therefore compared their detected presence in Hodgkin and Reed-Sternberg/large atypical (H-RS/LA) cells immunohistochemically with the percentages of these cells double-labeled for CD30 and DNA strand breaks (DNA fragmentation index, DFI); mitotic indices (MI); and the EBV infection status. We found a highly significant inverse correlation between the fractions per case of H-RS/LA cells expressing bcl-2/p53 proteins and the DFI of CD30+ elements. No marked effect of these two oncoproteins on MI was noticed, although these parameters and DFI of CD30+ cells were linearly related. EBV infection of H-RS/LA cells exerted only a limited effect on the parameters tested. The results of this study suggest that overexpressed bcl-2 and, to some extent, p53 proteins in H-RS/LA cells of HD primarily counteract deletion of these cells.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Cell kinetics, morphology, and molecular IgVH gene rearrangements in Hodgkin's disease.

The present study dealt with the question of whether any cellular kinetic patterns correlate with clonal rearrangement of the IgVH gene as revealed by polymerase chain reaction on DNA extracted from lymph nodes with classical Hodgkin's disease (HD) and/or from single CD30+ cells (Hodgkin [H] and Reed-Sternberg [RS] cells). In 15/4 cases with H-RS cells of B or Null phenotype, signs of such monoclonality could be detected (group I) but not in the others (group II). CD30+/H-RS cells in group I differed slightly but significantly from those in group II in that they a) exhibited a larger fraction of cells attaining the anaphase/telophase stage of mitosis, and b) produced relatively more mononucleated cells (H) at the expense of multinucleated (RS) cells. In addition, reactive lymphoid cell (CD30-) infiltrates were considerably less dense in group I that in group II. These findings suggest that the cytokinesis of H-RS cells in group I was moderately more efficient than in group II. However, signs of monoclonality were not associated with the normalization of the mitotic process, which also proved to be disturbed in group I.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Antivasoconstrictor and antiaggregatory activities of picotamide unrelated to thromboxane A2 antagonism.

Picotamide is a dual thromboxane (Tx) A2 receptor antagonist/Tx synthase inhibitor although some observations suggest an anti-vasoconstrictor effect independent of TxA2 inhibition/antagonism. The aim of our study was to assess whether picotamide antagonises vascular contractions induced by different vasoactive substances in vitro. Picotamide inhibited competitively the contraction of rabbit aortic rings induced by the TxA2 mimetic U46619 (pA2 = 3.59) but also the contractions induced by phenylephrine (pA2 = 3.93) and serotonin (5-HT) (pA2 = 5.81) although in a not competitive way. Picotamide did not inhibit potassium-induced contractions, thus excluding aspecific effects on vascular smooth muscle. Picotamide inhibited 5-HT-induced platelet aggregation in vitro with an IC50 (212 microM) similar to that found when other aggregating stimuli are used, but it did not affect shape change (IC50 > 1 mM) suggesting that the effects of picotamide can not be ascribed to 5-HT2-receptor antagonism; in the same experimental conditions neither a Tx-receptor antagonist (BM13.177) nor a dual Tx-receptor antagonist/synthase inhibitor (ridogrel) affected 5-HT-induced platelet responses. Our studies demonstrate that picotamide exerts antivasoconstrictor and platelet inhibitory effects unrelated to TxA2 antagonism. This activity may contribute to the anti-thrombotic/anti-ischaemic effects of the drug in vivo.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

[Qualitative and quantitative parameters for prognosis in renal carcinoma in early and advanced stages].

AIM OF THE STUDY: A minority of stage I renal cell cancers have a bad prognosis, a minority of those in stage II-IV may behave favorably. Are there parameters which characterize such cases? In this study, a number of qualitative and quantitative parameters are used to detect differences between cases with at least 9 years of survival and those with a survival of less than 9 years. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 133 cases of renal cell cancer were subdivided into stage subgroups: Robson's I; Robson's II-IV. The following data and parameters were registered and/or measured: sex, stage, tumor size, histological type, mean nuclear profile area (mA) and pleomorphism (standard deviation of mean nuclear profile area--SDA) nuclear grade (NG) and combined nuclear grade (CNG), DNA index, cell proliferation, as determined by mitotic index (MI), per cent of PCNA positive cells (PCNA + cells %), per cent of S-phase cells (SP cells %), p53 and EGFR expression, intratumoral T lymphocytes. RESULTS: Older patients have a worse prognosis independently of the stage. Stage is the most discriminant qualitative parameter; tumor dimensions and both nuclear and combined nuclear grade are important too. Mean nuclear profile area and pleomorphism are also discriminant, while no prognostic value of histological type is shown and histology is not related to other parameters. Higher DNA index characterizes cases with worse prognosis, as well as MI, SP cells %, PCNA + cells %, and EGFR expression. No significant differences are detected for p53 expression and lymphoid infiltrates. A minority of patients with stage I tumors die within 9 years of diagnosis. They are older than survivors with the same stage, their tumors have larger nuclear area and greater pleomorphism, and are more frequently aneuploid with higher DNA index. A minority of patients with stage II-IV tumors survive at least 9 years from the time of diagnosis. They are younger than non-survivors in the same stages and have lower MI and PCNA positivity in the tumors, while other parameters are not discriminant.

Antigens, Neoplasm↗
PubMed1996

Stage-related differences of mitotic and apoptotic indices, and bcl-2 protein expression in diffusely growing non-Hodgkin's lymphomas.

The present study examined whether growth characteristics of diffusely growing non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHL) may differ as a function of stage. Among 105 NHL of various types and sub-types (REAL [Revised European-American Lymphoma] classification), localized (Ann Arbor pathologic stages I + II) lymphomas exhibited clearly higher indices for mitotic activity, apoptosis and cell turnover, as well as a significantly lower percentage of cells containing immunohistochemically detectable bcl-2 protein, than disseminated (stages III + IV) NHL. A similar pattern emerged when high-grade (Kiel classification) lymphomas only were evaluated. Low-grade NHL showed analogous, but less marked, stage-dependent characteristics, with the exception of median percentages of bcl-2+ cells, which remained comparable in all stages. Our findings are consistent with the notion that dissemination of diffusely growing NHL is usually associated with reduced cell turnover and, in high-grade lymphomas, with the generation of longer-lived cells.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

Growth vs. DNA strand breaks in Hodgkin's disease: impaired proliferative ability of Hodgkin and Reed-Sternberg cells.

We re-appraised the cell renewal pattern in Hodgkin's disease (HD), considering that most, though not all, Hodgkin/Reed-Sternberg (H-RS) cells exhibit abortive mitoses and that a substantial fraction of these exhibits DNA damage suggestive of imminent or actual cell death. Using combined immunohistochemistry and in situ end-labeling to detect strand breaks, the percentage per case of CD30+ (mainly H-RS) cells with DNA fragmentation (DNA fragmentation index [DFI]) was estimated. For each case, we registered the mitotic index (MI) of CD30+ cells and the percentage of Ki-67+ atypical large cells. To quantify the sum of our parameters for mitosis, whether successful or not, and DNA damage, we introduced the kinetic event index (KEI = MI + DFI). Only DFI and KEI distinguished significantly between mixed cellularity and nodular sclerosis HD. The values for MI and DFI, and therefore for KEI, CD30+ and CD30- small lymphoid cells were proportional. The percentages of Ki-67+ large atypical cells (median 50%) did not correlate significantly with either MIs or DFIs of CD30+ cells. Cluster analysis revealed the existence, independent of histological subtype, of 2 large groups of HD with different KEIs. Our findings suggest that cell deletion plays an important role in HD. Further, it appears that proliferation-associated antigens in H-RS cells do not reflect successful cell production in this disorder.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

Neoplastic cells of Hodgkin's disease show differences in EBV expression between Kenya and Italy.

The Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of Hodgkin's disease (HD). However, the association of EBV with this disease varies greatly from series to series and from country to country. Epidemiological studies have shown differences in HD occurring in different parts of the world. In particular, it has been reported that HD in developing countries differs from HD in Western countries in terms of epidemiological, pathological and clinical characteristics. These discrepancies among populations suggest an interaction with environmental factors and a direct role of different etiological agents. At present, there are no data on the frequency of association of EBV with HD in equatorial Africa. In this study, a large series of HD cases have been collected at the University of Nairobi, Kenya, and at the Universities of Bologna and Siena, Italy. The cases have been reviewed and classified according to the REAL Classification and the presence of EBV has been assessed by in situ hybridization (ISH). A statistical difference in EBV expression was found between HD from Kenya and HD from Italy. EBV-positive neoplastic cells were detected in 92% of Kenyan cases, whereas only 48% of Italian cases showed EBER1/2 positivity in the neoplastic cells. Our results suggest that, in Kenya, EBV plays a more direct role in the pathogenesis of HD, as it does for endemic Burkitt lymphoma.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

Airway sensory nerves: a burning issue in asthma?

Asthmatic subjects cough and bronchoconstrict to various agents known to stimulate sensory nerves. A population of sensory nerves, the C fibres, contain the neuropeptides substance P, neurokinin A (NKA), and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP). Capsaicin, the principal ingredient of hot peppers, selectively stimulates C fibre afferents resulting in the release of these proinflammatory peptides. An upregulation in the function of sensory nerves may lead to augmented afferent and efferent function which, in asthma, could contribute to bronchial hyper-responsiveness, inflammation, and remodelling of the airway wall. Drugs specifically designed to attenuate the function of airway sensory nerves may prove useful in the treatment of asthma.

Asthma↗