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E Ottaviani

Publications and source records attributed to E Ottaviani.

151 records · Page 9Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Immunocytochemical evidence for ACTH- and beta-endorphin-like molecules in phagocytic blood cells of urodelan amphibians.

Using immunocytochemical procedures and RIA tests, the presence of immunoreactive ACTH and beta-endorphin molecules in the basophils and neutrophils of urodelan amphibians (Salamandra s. salamandra, Triturus c. carnifex, Speleomantes imperialis) has been established. Moreover, it was observed that not only neutrophils but also basophils have phagocytic activity. The findings reported suggest that: 1) a relationship exists between the immune and neuroendocrine systems, and 2) the opioid-like molecules play a physiological role in the process of phagocytosis. Indeed, ACTH increases the phagocytic activity.

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The neuroimmunology of stress from invertebrates to man.

Stress can be seen as the body's most important and complex reaction to ensure survival involving the neuroendocrine systems and a variety of other organs. The investigation of the evolutionary bases of stress argues that the basic mechanisms and molecules involved in stress (CRH, ACTH, glucocorticoids, biogenic amines and cytokines) are fundamentally similar and well preserved throughout evolution in different species and taxa. A review of available data highlights that the involvement of immunity during stress response has a strong evolutionary basis and is not a mere consequence of glucocorticoid hormone release. We propose that the evolutive cellular bases of stress are to be identified in immune cells, such as invertebrate hemocytes, producing a variety of cytokine-like molecules, capable at the same time of producing a variety of hormone- and neuropeptide-like molecules and of performing a proto-stress response (release of biogenic amines). We conclude that stress, a highly conserved reaction remarkably similar in different species and taxa, is a fundamentally positive type of adaptive reaction.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Serum levels of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor in treated patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia in chronic phase.

BACKGROUND: Despite the fact that granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) are increasingly used in clinical practice, little is known of their endogenous production, especially in myeloproliferative disorders such as chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). METHODS: In order to define serum levels of GM-CSF and G-CSF in subjects affected by CML, the sera of 17 patients with CML in chronic phase treated either with hydroxyurea or interferon-alpha were tested by specific enzyme immunoassays. Fifteen age- and sex-matched healthy volunteers were used as normal controls. RESULTS: Eight out of the 17 patients (44%) with CML showed detectable (> 3 pg/mL) serum levels of GM-CSF (range 3.9-55 pg/mL). Detectable levels (> 50 pg/mL) of G-CSF were observed in 9 of these patients (52%) (range 150-2,830 pg/mL). On the contrary, among the normal controls only one had detectable GM-CSF concentrations, and none had detectable G-CSF concentrations. The highest concentrations of both GM-CSF and G-CSF were seen in patients with the highest white blood cell counts, although a linear correlation between the levels of these growth factors and the number of circulating leukocytes was not demonstrated. CONCLUSIONS: Our data indicate that significant amounts of both endogenous GM-CSF and G-CSF are detectable in the serum of a substantial percentage of patients with CML in chronic phase. The pathophysiological meaning of this finding remains to be determined.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Swiss mice CD1 fed on mussels contaminated by okadaic acid and yessotoxins: effects on thymus and spleen.

The toxicity of okadaic acid (OA) and yessotoxins (YTXs) was studied in mice orally fed on (i) OA (17.80+/-2.41 microg/kg) for 24 h and mouse feed for 24 h; (ii) OA (17.2+/-2.13 microg/kg) plus YTXs (1.30+/-0.12 mg/kg) for 24 h and mouse feed for 24 h; (iii) OA (18.88+/-1.86 microg/kg) plus YTXs (1.45+/-0.12 mg/kg) for 24 h. After toxin treatments the thymus and spleen were examined. More severe morpho-functional modifications were found in the thymus, which presented atrophy, a significant depletion in the lymphoid compartment and angiogenesis. In spite of the impairment, a number of inflammatory cells, reactive to anti-cytokine antibodies, were recruited. Moreover, greater expression of matrix metalloproteinase-9, particularly in cells located near new blood vessels, was observed. Thymus injury was still observed after 48 h. Histopathological changes to the spleen were more evident in mice orally treated for 24 h and immediately sacrificed. The organ showed a significant loss of volume and a fibrous component invaded regions involved in immune functions. In white pulp the marginal zones were reduced, lymphoid nodules contained large germinal centres and the periarteriolar lymphoid sheaths showed cellular depletion. An inflammatory cell response was activated by the recruitment of granulocytes, an increased number of active macrophages and increased immunoreactivity to cytokines. Unlike in the thymus, some evidence of recovery was seen in the spleen. The data suggest that low oral doses of OA alone or OA plus YTXs are able to provoke immunostimulation and systemic immunotoxicity, thus also indicative of tumorigenic properties.

Animal Feed↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The expression of proliferation and quiescence associated antigens in acute myeloid leukemia correlates with survival duration: analysis of 15 refractory cases.

In this study, blast cells from 15 patients with acute myeloid leukemia resistant to induction therapy were examined with two monoclonal antibodies that identify, respectively, the nuclear protein specifically expressed in non proliferating cells (statin) and the proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA). We found that statin values varied widely, ranging from 0.6% to 14.7% (mean value 6.4%). When the patients were subdivided according to the mean value, those presenting with higher statin values survived for a shorter period of time than the ones characterized by lower levels (p = 0.003). We observed a wide variation in the range of PCNA values; however, if an agreement between survival duration and at least one of the proposed markers was considered, all but one case displayed concordance between survival duration and PCNA and/or statin values (in addition, 4/15 cases showed agreement for both markers). These preliminary data could indicate a possible discriminating prognostic factor between categories of patients characterized by different aspects of resistance, perhaps susceptible to different salvage therapy approaches.

Acute Disease↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Adenoviral mediated gene transfer can be accomplished in human myeloid cell lines and is inhibited by all-trans retinoic acid-induced differentiation.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Gene transfection could potentially represent a useful therapeutic tool for genetic and neoplastic hematological diseases. After having long been considered poorly able to transfect myeloid cells, adenoviral vectors have recently been demonstrated to be capable of introducing foreign DNA into purified CD34+ cells from human bone marrow or cord blood. In the present study we evaluated the feasibility of adenoviral-mediated gene transfer in two human leukemic cell lines, both at baseline and after differentiation induction by all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA). METHODS: We used a recombinant adenovirus expressing beta-galactosidase (Ad-RSV-beta-gal) to transfect K562 and HL-60 cell lines. The effects of 10(-6)M ATRA were evaluated after 8 days of exposure. The efficacy of transfection was verified by X-gal staining. RESULTS: Ad-RSV-beta-gal was able to transfect both the HL-60 and, to a minor extent, the K562 cell lines. The addition of ATRA had no effect on transfection of K562 cells, while a lower percentage of beta-gal-positive cells was detected in HL-60, which underwent differentiation upon ATRA treatment. INTERPRETATION AND CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that adenoviral-mediated gene transfer could be feasible in myeloid leukemia cell lines and that it is inhibited by ATRA in differentiation-sensitive cells. The latter effect merits further investigation in order to verify whether this represents an ATRA-related or a differentiation-related phenomenon.

Adenoviridae↗