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Biomedical subjects

F Balsano

Publications and source records attributed to F Balsano.

At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources
PubMed1985

Immunoregulation of the in vitro anti-HBs antibody synthesis in chronic HBsAg carriers and in recently boosted anti-hepatitis B vaccine recipients.

We report a study on immunoregulation of in vitro antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen (anti-HBs) synthesis induced by pokeweed mitogen (PWM) from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) in chronic hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) carriers and in 'high responders', (anti-HBs RIA ratio greater than or equal to 20 in serum), recently boosted with anti-hepatitis B vaccine. Anti-HBs was detected in 11 days PBMC supernatants (SN) from 24 out of 36 'high responders', but in none from 31 chronic HBsAg carriers, despite detectable amounts of polyclonal IgG and antibody to hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc) were produced. The lack of anti-HBs production by chronic HBsAg carriers did not seem to be determined by suppressor influences because T lymphocytes from the majority of chronic HBsAg carriers, co-cultured with 'high responders' PBMC did not suppress anti-HBs production. Co-cultures between HBsAg carriers T4 positive (helper/inducer) cells and allogenic 'high responder' non-T cells produced anti-HBs antibody, indicating that HBsAg carrier T cells are not deficient in this allogenic helper function under PWM stimulation. Allogenic cocultures between HBsAg carrier non-T cells and 'high responder' T4 positive cells failed in anti-HBs production: a specific B lymphocyte defect might be involved in the lacking anti-HBs synthesis in chronic HBV patients. Antigen-induced specific anti-HBs synthesis experiments indicate that B cells themselves seem to be the target for HBsAg-induced suppression of anti-HBs antibody response.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1984

Influence of vitamin E on plasma malondialdehyde-like material in man.

The behaviour of plasma malondialdehyde-like material (MDA-LM) was evaluated in 13 healthy subjects by a single-blind study that consisted of placebo (30 days), vitamin E treatment (300 mg/day) (30 days) and placebo (30 days). The study demonstrated that MDA-LM did not change during placebo treatment while it significantly decreased after vitamin E administration.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1984

Prekallikrein behaviour in chronic active hepatitis and in cirrhotic patients.

Prekallikrein (Prekk), antithrombin III (ATIII), plasminogen and alpha 2-antiplasmin were evaluated in chronic active hepatitis and in liver cirrhotic patients and correlated with Normotest. Prekk, ATII and plasminogen were significantly decreased in chronic active hepatitis as well as in liver cirrhosis. Alpha 2-antiplasmin levels in chronic active hepatitis patients did not differ from controls; liver cirrhotic patients, on the contrary, showed significantly low values of alpha 2-antiplasmin, Prekk, ATIII and plasminogen were significantly correlated with Normotest in both groups, but when cirrhotic patients were divided into the compensated and decompensated state only Prekk was correlated with Normotest in the decompensated state. The investigation seems to suggest that Prekk could be a reliable index for protein liver failure.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Circulating HBsAg/IgM complexes in acute and chronic hepatitis B.

Complexes between HBsAg and IgM have recently been described in the sera of HBsAg carriers. A solid phase RIA for HBsAg/IgM complexes has been described. Fifteen patients with acute viral hepatitis type B, and 52 HBsAg chronic carriers were studied. Testing of serial sera in acute hepatitis patients revealed that HBsAg/IgM complexes disappeared (preceding HBsAg negativization and usually at the same time as seroconversion from "e" to "anti-e") with 4 weeks in all but one patient who became a chronic HBsAg carrier. In addition, HBsAg/IgM complexes were found in 48% of HBsAg chronic carriers, in 69% of CPH patients, but in only 20% of healthy carriers (p less than 0.005). Although complexes were detectable in 93% HBeAg positive chronic carriers, they were also frequently found in anti-HBe positive patients, but never in e/anti-e negative patients (p less than 0.001). HBsAg/IgM complexes seem to be of important prognostic and diagnostic value in acute and chronic hepatitis B.

Antigen-Antibody Complex↗
PubMed1983

Immunoregulatory T cells in HBV-induced chronic liver disease as defined by monoclonal antibodies.

Peripheral blood T lymphocytes and T-cell subsets were analyzed in 19 patients with HBV-associated chronic liver disease, in 9 "autoimmune" chronic active hepatitis patients, and in three patients with HBV acute hepatitis. The percentages of the different T-cell subpopulations were defined by indirect immunofluorescence using monoclonal antibodies against all peripheral blood T cells (OKT3), T helper cells (OKT4), T suppressor cytotoxic cells (OKT8), and Ia antigens (OKIa1). The OKT4/OKT8 ratio was significantly lower in HBsAg+ chronic liver disease patients as compared with controls (P less than 0.001), with both decreases of T helper cells and increases of T suppressor cells, while "autoimmune" chronic active hepatitis patients showed a significantly increased ratio (P less than 0.001). Acute HBV infection was associated with a reversal in the normal ratio of helper to suppressor T lymphocytes. During convalescence helper T lymphocytes increased and suppressor T lymphocytes decreased.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗
PubMed1983

Relationship between T cell subsets and suppressor cell activity in chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection.

The relationship between T cell subset, as defined by monoclonal antibodies, and suppressor cell function, using a short lived suppressor cell assay, was studied in 38 chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) carriers and in 32 patients with HBsAg negative chronic active hepatitis (CAH). Patients with HBV chronic infection showed an absolute reduction in the OKT4 positive subset and a significantly decreased OKT4/OKT8 ratio, as compared with healthy controls. Patients with anti-nuclear antibodies (ANA) and anti-smooth muscle antibodies (ASMA) positive CAH with or without antibodies to HBV antigens, namely anti-HBs and anti-HBc, demonstrated a significant reduction in cytotoxic/suppressor T cells and an increased helper/suppressor ratio. A negative correlation between suppressor index (SI) and OKT4/OKT8 ratio (P less than 0.01), and a positive correlation between SI and OKT8 positive cells absolute number (P less than 0.01) were also observed.

Antibodies, Antinuclear↗
PubMed1983

HBeAg/anti-HBe system and development of primary hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with HBsAg-positive liver cirrhosis.

The significance of the HBeAg/anti-HBe system and other HBV markers in the evolution of HBsAg-positive liver cirrhosis to primary hepato-cellular carcinoma (PHC) was studied by following up 70 cirrhotic patients from February 1978 to February 1981. Eight out of 19 (42.1%) patients with HBsAg positive liver cirrhosis developed PHC. On the other hand, only 7.8% of the patients with HBsAg-negative liver cirrhosis developed PHC. In the HBsAg-positive group only the patients who had already seroconverted to anti-HBe (7 out of 11) or were negative for both HBeAg and anti-HBe (1 out of 3) at the time of first observation and showed a histological picture of inactive cirrhosis, developed PHC during the follow-up period. No HBeAg-positive cirrhosis showed such an evolution. The absence of HBeAg in the sera of patients who developed PHC suggests that active HBV replication becomes increasingly defective during the course of malignant transformation.

Antibodies, Viral↗
PubMed1982

Effects of ticlopidine on platelet function and blood coagulation.

A double blind study was performed on 20 atherosclerotic patients. A placebo was administered to one group of 10 patients (group A) and ticlopidine (500 mg/day) was administered to another group of 10 patients (group B) for one month. ADP and collagen-induced platelet aggregation (PA), platelet malondialdehyde (MDA) produced by thrombin stimulation and plasma beta-thromboglobulin (beta TG) levels, prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) fibrinogen, antithrombin (AT) III fibrin(ogen) degradation products, alpha 2-antiplasmin and plasminogen were evaluated in both groups before and after treatment. No changes in PA, MDA and beta TG were seen in group A. Group B showed a significant decrease of PA, beta TG and a significant increase of MDA. No changes on blood coagulation data were seen in either group. This study suggests that ticlopidine is able to inhibit platelet function in vivo.

Adult↗
PubMed1982

Long-term captopril treatment in moderate to severe hypertension.

1 The long-term effects of the oral angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor captopril with the addition of a diuretic (chlorthalidone) were examined in 16 patients with moderate or grave hypertension. Of these, 14 had essential hypertension and two renovascular hypertension. 2 Blood pressure fell sharply in all patients and this antihypertensive effect was maintained during 2, 4, 6, 12, and 24-month follow-up periods. The efficacy of treatment was not predicted by basal values of plasma renin activity. 3 Urinary excretion of sodium and potassium increased, but the increases were never such as to modify significantly sodium and potassium serum concentration. 4 The long-term treatment was generally well tolerated.

Adult↗