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Biomedical subjects

F Aiuti

Publications and source records attributed to F Aiuti.

At least 325 records · Page 18Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Outbreak of persistent, unexplained, generalized lymphadenopathy with immunological abnormalities in drug addicts in Milan.

Persistent unexplained lymphadenopathy (LAS) with intermittent fever, weight loss, night sweats and malaise was observed from March to October 1983 in 16 of 133 intravenous drug addicts who had been followed for at least two years in a Center for Drug Addicts Assistance in Milan, Italy. All the subjects lived in a restricted suburban area and indulged in frequent toxicomanic practices and mutual sexual intercourse. The subjects showed immunological alterations such as lymphopenia (50%), decreased T helper/T suppressor ratio (93%), both these abnormalities (43%), decreased T helper cells (75%), increased T suppressor cytotoxic cells (81%), decreased natural killer (NK) activity (77%), anergy (50%) or hypoergy (43%) to recall skin testing and elevated levels of IgG (87%). Anti-HTLV III antibodies were found in 14 of 16 (87%) patients with LAS and in 3 of 11 (27%) symptom-free drug addicts belonging to the same group. It will be important to assess in the future whether this clinical and immunological picture results in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome in an area so far untouched by this disease.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Epidemic of LAV/HTLV III infection in drug addicts in Milan: serological survey and clinical follow-up.

A clinico-epidemiological study is reported concerning a group of 306 parenteral drug addicts (PDAs), 71 of whom were affected with the lymphadenopathy syndrome (LAS); all were followed-up between 1981 and 1984. Although full-blown acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) was observed only in one case, none of the other patients examined have undergone complete recovery so far. The results of our study point to a wide circulation of LAV/HTLV III among our group of PDAs, starting at least as early as 1981 and preceding by a few months the development of clinical signs and symptoms of LAS. A peak incidence of the latter was observed during the winter of 1983/1984, running parallel with a marked increase in seropositives for LAV/HTLV III antibody. Drug addiction, sexual promiscuity and a low standard of living all seem to play a decisive role in the spread of the infection and, consequently, of the diseases related to it (LAS, AIDS-related complex and AIDS). In fact, PDAs appear to represent the major source of the disease in Italy.

Antibodies, Viral↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Lack of specific cell mediated immunity to cytomegalovirus in people at risk for AIDS.

Twenty apparently healthy homosexuals from Italy and five patients with lymphadenopathic syndrome (LAS) were studied for specific cell mediated immunity (CMI) to Cytomegalovirus (CMV), by means of the leukocyte migration inhibition test (LMIT). Total circulating T cells and T cell subpopulations were also investigated by the use of specific monoclonal antibodies of the OK series. An inverted OKT4/T8 ratio was also found in about 30% of subjects. CMV was recovered from the urine of three homosexuals and high specific antibody titers were found in all the people studied. In addition we found a lack of specific CMI to CMV in 18 homosexuals and in 3 patients with LAS. We think that CMV can induce a state of immune tolerance in people at risk for AIDS which may contribute to promote the disease.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Histological and immunological study of patients with lung and digestive tract tumors. Analysis of T and B lymphocytes from the peripheral blood and from the lymph nodes draining the tumor (author's transl)].

The nature of the immune response to the tumor cell is complex and has yet to be clearly defined. Although past research has foscused on the cytotoxic effect of T lymphocytes versus tumor cells, it has been shown in animal studies that B lymphocytes may also be implicated. Lymphocytes from patients with respiratory and digestive tract tumors were studied. B and T lymphocytes of peripheral blood and of draining lymph node tumors were studied using the following techniques: E rosettes (marker for T cells); membrane Ig, EAC rosettes, aggregated-Ig (marker for B lymphocytes); PHA and PKW in vitro response of lymphocytes using tritiated thymidine incorporation. It was observed that both groups of patients had normal or depressed B and T populations. PHA response was depressed in the majority of the cases with lung tumor. No difference was observed between lymphocytes from peripheral blood and from lymph node suspensions. As in normal lymph nodes the EAC rosettes were constantly observed in the cortical area of lymph node draining tumors. The immune defect observed in part of these cases is discussed in relation to the local and general immunological factors probably responsible for this defect.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Immunological and viral markers of HIV infection and retinal microangiopathy.

The relationship between retinal microangiopathy and some features of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection such as HIV antigenemia, antibodies to the viral proteins, T lymphocyte subsets, were studied in 71 patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). The absence of antibodies to the HIV p24 protein was significantly related to retinal microangiopathy (p = 0.0051) and more closely to retinal cotton-wool spots (p = 0.0007); the combination of positive antigenemia with the absence of antibodies to p24, which is typical of the later phases of HIV infection, was found in a larger percentage of patients with cotton-wool spots (p = 0.0013) than in subjects with every sign of microangiopathy (p = 0.0546). T-helper (CD4+) cells count below 200 cells/mm3 was also detected in a higher percentage of patients with HIV-related retinal microangiopathy (p = 0.009). These findings suggest that retinal microangiopathy and especially retinal cotton-wool spots are related to the progression of immunodeficiency.

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Evaluation of T-cell response to CD3 plus CD28 monoclonal antibodies in HIV-1 infected subjects treated with highly active antiretroviral therapy.

To investigate whether highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) could improve CD28 molecule expression and CD28-costimulation pathway function we tested the effect of CD28-costimulation on T cell receptor/CD3 induced proliferative responses in a group of HIV-1-infected subjects with CD4+ cells>200/mmc before and after HAART. CD3-mediated responses are recovered or improved after HAART. However the ability of potentiating the responses through CD28-costimulation seemed conserved before therapy and decreased in parallel with increase of response to CD3 alone. These results confirm the integrity of CD28-pathway of costimulation in patients with CD4+ cells>200/mmc and suggest an inverse correlation between magnitude of response to CD3 alone and increase of CD3 response due to anti-CD28 addition.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Clinical and immunological improvement in a patient with chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis treated with transfer factor.

In a 19 year old patient suffering from CMC since the first months of life, clinical improvement accompanied by correction of the immunologic defect was achieved by Transfer Factor therapy. After 12 months from the last administration of Transfer Factor the improvement persisted. The positive outcome of the treatment in this disease is not constant. Possibly only patients with cellular immunologic defects are susceptible of a favourable response, moreover it is thinkable that the quality of Transfer Factor and the dosage administered must play a role.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Topical flunisolide treatment of perennial rhinitis: clinical and immunological effects.

We studied the clinical and immunological effects of three months' treatment with intranasal flunisolide (100 micrograms daily) in 18 allergic patients with perennial rhinitis. 17 were hypersensitive to house dust mite and one to Parietaria pollen only. We found no significant changes in white blood cell count, serum levels of IgE and nasal IgA. However the treatment induced a marked improvement of clinical symptoms in all cases, and we observed a significant reduction of total IgE in nasal secretion. Flunisolide seems to exert this effect through its antiinflammatory action on the nasal mucosa.

Administration, Intranasal↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Topical flunisolide treatment of perennial rhinitis: clinical and immunological effects.

We studied the clinical and immunological effects of three months' treatment with intranasal flunisolide (100 micrograms daily) in 18 allergic patients with perennial rhinitis. 17 were hypersensitive to house dust mite and one to Parietaria pollen only. We found no significant changes in white blood cell count, serum levels of IgE and nasal IgA. However the treatment induced a marked improvement of clinical symptoms in all cases, and we observed a significant reduction of total IgE in nasal secretion. Flunisolide seems to exert this effect through its antiinflammatory action on the nasal mucosa.

Administration, Intranasal↗