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Biomedical subjects

F Balsano

Publications and source records attributed to F Balsano.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
PubMed1986

Effect of 28 consecutive days lymphoblastoid interferon (alpha-IFN) administration on hepatitis B virus related chronic liver disease.

Eight HBsAg, HBeAg, DNA-p, HBV-DNA-positive patients with biopsy-proven chronic hepatitis were treated with human lymphoblastoid interferon (Wellferon) given for 28 consecutive days at a dosage ranging from 2.5 to 7.5 MU/m2 i.m.; 10 patients were used as controls. Our results suggest that certain chronic carriers may respond to the treatment with this agent. In fact, the treated patients showed a permanent inhibition of HBV replication sooner and in higher percentage with respect to untreated patients (37.5% vs 20%). IFN administration does not induce any important changes in the immunoregulatory wetwork, but is able to increase significantly the cytolytic activity of NK cells in the patients who respond to the therapy with a permanent inhibition of HBV replication.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Prekallikrein and factor VII as prognostic indexes of liver failure.

Normotest, serum albumin, prekallikrein (Prekk), and Factor VII plasma activity were investigated in 64 patients with chronic liver disease--13 with type I chronic active hepatitis (CAH), 10 with type II CAH, 16 with compensated liver cirrhosis (LC), and 25 with decompensated LC--and in 20 matched-for-age healthy individuals. All of these blood parameters were reduced significantly as a result of liver damage. Patients with type II CAH and compensated LC had similar blood coagulation values. Eight decompensated LC patients, who died 30 to 45 days after the last blood coagulation parameter measurements, showed significantly low Prekk and Factor VII values compared with eight matched for sex and age survivors of decompensated LC. Prekk and Factor VII values of nonsurvivors did not overlap those of the survivors. This striking difference was not detected if Prekk and Factor VII were studied 2 to 4 months before death. These data suggest that Prekk and Factor VII are very sensitive to liver damage and could be useful prognostic indexes of liver insufficiency.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Characterization of effector cells in lymphocytotoxicity to autologous hepatocytes in HBsAg-positive and autoimmune chronic active hepatitis (CAH).

Peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets involved in cytotoxicity to autologous hepatocytes have been characterized by isolation on antibody-coated Petri dishes in autoimmune and HBsAg-positive chronic active hepatitis (CAH). In autoimmune CAH and in HBsAg-positive CAH without HBcAg in liver tissue, cytotoxicity is sustained by non-T lymphocytes and is confined to M1-positive cells bearing Fc receptors: M1 cytotoxicity inhibition by adding aggregated IgG suggests that these cells are responsible for an antibody-dependent cell-mediated mechanism (ADCC). Moreover, when T-enriched fractions were separated in T4, T8 and 5/9 positive subsets, only the first one showed a significant cytotoxicity: T4 positive cells might act as cytotoxic T cells or might be involved in delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) reactions. Cytotoxic T lymphocytes in HBsAg-positive CAH with HBcAg in liver tissue are confined in T8 positive subset, while helper/inducer T cells (T4 positive or 5/9 positive) seem to play an important role only in the induction of cell-mediated injury against hepatocytes. The inhibition of T cell-cytotoxicity by preincubating liver cells with monoclonal antibody (Mab) anti-HLA AB and not with Mab anti-HLA DR or aggregated IgG supports the involvement of the class I major histocompatibility complex (MHC) expressed on the hepatocyte surface.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗
PubMed1986

Hageman factor, high molecular weight kininogen, and prekallikrein in chronic liver disease.

The activities of Hageman factor, high molecular weight kininogen (HMWK), and prekallikrein were studied in patients who had chronic active hepatitis and cirrhosis. Serum HMWK and prekallikrein activities were decreased in chronic active hepatitis and cirrhosis, but Hageman factor activity was low in cirrhosis only. The reduction of prekallikrein, HMWK, and Hageman factor was dependent on the degree of liver failure. Similar prekallikrein values were found in serum samples, activated or not, with an excess of Hageman factor and HMWK, which suggests that the decrease of prekallikrein in liver disease is not influenced by the simultaneous decrease of Hageman factor and HMWK.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Relationship between platelet cyclooxygenase pathway and plasma malondialdehyde-like material.

Thrombin-induced platelet malondialdehyde (MDA) formation and plasma malondialdehyde-like material (MDA-LM) were evaluated in 12 healthy subjects before and after 1 and 7 days from aspirin (1 g) ingestion. 24 hr after aspirin administration, platelet MDA was almost abolished while MDA-LM showed a 23% decrease. Platelet MDA and plasma MDA-LM returned to baseline values 7 days after aspirin ingestion. These data suggest that platelet cyclooxygenase pathway affects only in part plasma MDA-LM. The evaluation of plasma MDA-LM before and after aspirin could be useful for evaluating in vivo platelet cyclooxygenase activation.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Blood lipid profile in healthy subjects treated with ticlopidine.

The study was carried out in order to evaluate if Ticlopidine induces lipid metabolism changes. Twenty seven healthy subjects were studied, 14 with placebo and 13 with Ticlopidine treatment (500 mg/day), for 30 days. Total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, apolipoproteins A and B were evaluated before and after treatment. No significant changes of the blood lipid parameters were observed.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

T-cell subsets in the hyporesponsiveness to hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and antigen-specific suppressor lymphocytes in chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection.

In contrast to convalescent hepatitis B patients, who exhibit the ability to elicit a specific immune response to HBsAg, patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection are markedly hyporesponsive to HBsAg and show a decrease in the normal ratio of OKT4-positive (helper/inducer) to OKT8-positive (suppressor/cytotoxic) lymphocytes. In this study the role of OKT4-positive and OKT8-positive cells on cellular immune response to HBsAg was evaluated in patients with chronic HBV infection and the ability of such patients to develop antigen-specific suppressor lymphocytes after in vitro sensitization to HBsAg. Elimination of OKT8-positive cells markedly improved the in vitro lymphocyte proliferative response to HBsAg without altering the reactivity of cells from the same donor to PPD or Candida. In contrast, the degree of responsiveness to HBsAg was not affected by the depletion of OKT4-positive cells. In vitro co-culture experiments, performed in the seven chronically HBV-infected patients who showed a proliferative response when their PBM were cultured with purified HBsAg or PPD, have demonstrated that lymphocytes from chronic HBV carriers, stimulated with HBsAg, inhibit the response of autologous PBM to HBsAg but not to the unrelated antigen PPD.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗
PubMed1985

Peripheral blood mononuclear cells and regulatory T cells in acute viral hepatitis.

During acute viral hepatitis, we observed a significant decrease in OKT4/OKT8 ratio with a significant increase in the OKT8 positive subset in acute type B and non-A-non-B hepatitis. This altered ratio persisted in type B for a long time until HBsAg antibody became detectable, while it soon returned to normal in type A and non-A-non-B hepatitis. In the majority of acute hepatitis the altered ratio is because of an increase and not to a decrease in the whole T cell population, as described in chronic HBV infection. The number of HNK-1 positive cells remained raised during the recovery phase of type B and non-A-non-B hepatitis, a finding consistent with the hypothesis that NK cells play a role in the host defence against B and non-A-non-B virus infections. Serum beta 2-microglobulin concentrations were increased only in acute hepatitis B and non-A-non-B where immunological mechanisms are suspected to be involved, and showed a good correlation with the population of activated OKIa positive cells.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

Correlation between hepatic blood flow and coagulation indices in chronic active hepatitis and liver cirrhosis patients.

Hepatic blood flow (HBF) has been reported to reflect liver cell mass. HBF was studied in 21 patients with chronic active hepatitis (CAH) and in 20 patients with liver cirrhosis (LC). It was correlated with such indices of liver protein synthesis as serum albumin, Normotest, plasma activity of antithrombin III, prekallikrein, alpha 2-antiplasmin and plasminogen. No correlation between HBF and the examined parameters was seen in CAH. HBF correlated with all the indices of liver protein synthesis in LC, thus suggesting that serum albumin, antithrombin III, Normotest, prekallikrein, plasminogen, and alpha 2-antiplasmin could reflect the residual liver cell mass in LC.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

A simple method for evaluating platelet superoxide dismutase.

A simple and rapid spectrophotometric method for evaluating platelet superoxide dismutase is reported. Platelets prepared avoiding erythrocyte and leucocyte contamination were lysated and tested in a Tris-cacodylic buffer containing pyrogallol. Platelet superoxide dismutase was calculated by evaluating the degree of the pyrogallol autoxidation inhibition induced by platelet lysate. Possible interferences of hydrogen peroxide, peroxidases and reducing substances were excluded. Platelet superoxide dismutase content was studied in 38 healthy subjects and was 19.1 +/- 4.1 U/10(8) platelets or 35 +/- 7.8 U/mg protein.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

Platelet hyperfunction in patients with chronic airways obstruction.

Platelet aggregation (PA) and plasma beta-thromboglobulin (beta TG) values were evaluated in 40 patients affected by chronic airway obstruction (CAO). PA and beta TG were significantly higher than those observed in normal subjects. Beta TG plasma levels were inversely correlated with PaO2, directly with PaCO2 and [H+]. Two h after a venesection of 300-400 ml, no change of beta TG and PA was seen in 10 healthy subjects, while a significant increase of beta TG and PA values was observed in 29 patients. The investigation suggests that in patients with CAO in vivo platelet activation is present.

Aged↗
PubMed1985

Relationship between vasopressin and the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system in essential hypertension: effect of converting enzyme inhibitor on plasma vasopressin.

The effect of the chronic administration of captopril on plasma levels of vasopressin (PVP) were studied in 14 patients with moderate essential hypertension and 10 normal volunteers. All patients were studied after 10 days without drugs and under a constant diet (120 mmol sodium and 80 mmol potassium/day). Plasma levels of renin activity (PRA), aldosterone (PA) and PVP were assayed before and after captopril treatment (50-100 mg/day for 1 month). In addition to the well-known effect of captopril treatment on PRA and PA, a statistically significant reduction of PVP was observed. This finding suggests that the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system influences vasopressin release, and its inhibitors may contribute to the absence of water retention during captopril treatment compared with the effect of other vasodilatory drugs.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Suppressor T cells role in the unresponsiveness to Candida albicans in chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis.

We investigated the immune function of two members of the same family, mother and son, affected by chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis (CMC). In these cases CMC was not associated with hypofunction of endocrine organs, while the son showed histological feature of chronic active hepatitis. We observed a decrease in OKT4/OKT8 ratio and an increased suppressor cell function in both patients. Elimination of cytotoxic/suppressor T cells by lysis of these cells with OKT8 plus complement markedly improved lymphocyte proliferative responses to Candida antigens but not to unrelated antigens. These data suggest that specific suppression is probably responsible for failure of Candida albicans clearance in CMC patients.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

Antigen specific suppressor T cells from chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) carriers inhibit the responsiveness to HBsAg of allogeneic high-responder lymphocytes.

Immunoregulatory mechanisms in chronic HBsAg carriers have been investigated through the study of in vitro proliferative responses to HBsAg by allogeneic coculture experiments between T lymphocytes from HBsAg + chronic active hepatitis (CAH) patients (HBsAg no responder) and PBMC from subjects boosted with anti-hepatitis B vaccine (high responder). When high-responder PBMC have been challenged with the hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) in the presence of HBsAg no-responder T lymphocytes, HBsAg no-responder T lymphocytes caused an antigen specific, dose-dependent, suppression of the responsiveness of high-responder PBMC. On the other hand, T cells from patients with autoimmune CAH did not exert any suppressor effect in our system. The suppressor T lymphocytes were mitomycin C resistant and were positive for OKT8, but were negative for OKT4. When T8 + cells were depleted from HBsAg no-responder PBMC, the in vitro immunoproliferative response to HBsAg in chronically HBV infected patients was markedly improved. Out data clearly demonstrate the existence of T8 + suppressor T lymphocytes that can control low responsiveness to HBsAg in chronic HBV patients.

Autoimmune Diseases↗