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Biomedical subjects

F Ferrara

Publications and source records attributed to F Ferrara.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1993

Immunostimulation by clarithromycin in healthy volunteers and chronic bronchitis patients.

The immune response to infecting pathogens may be either enhanced or depressed by therapeutic antimicrobial agents. Some macrolides have been shown to enhance aspects of the immune response. This study evaluates the effects of clarithromycin, a new broad-spectrum macrolide antibiotic, on leukocyte function in both healthy volunteers (single 500 mg dose) and chronic bronchitis patients (500 mg b.i.d.) by testing blood samples collected at baseline and at 2, 4, 8 and 12 hours after clarithromycin administration. Clarithromycin did not affect leukocyte chemotaxis but did significantly increase (P < 0.01) phagocytosis (both frequency and index), intracellular killing and natural killer activity, in healthy volunteers. In patients, clarithromycin enhanced phagocytosis frequency, index and intracellular killing. Clarithromycin appears to enhance the human immune response; the mechanism, pharmacodynamics, and clinical significance of this enhancement remain unknown.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗
PubMed1993

Clinical relevance of acute mixed-lineage leukemias.

Conflicting results have been reported in recent years concerning the incidence and prognostic relevance of acute mixed-lineage leukemias (AMLL). Among the high number of possible hybrid antigen combinations, it is important to discriminate those occurring with sufficient frequency to be of general clinical significance. In this review an approach to a classification based upon the hierarchical import of developmental antigens seen during hemopoietic differentiation is suggested. As far as the clinical relevance of AMLL is concerned, some hybrid patterns have been found to be associated with distinct characteristics in terms of clinical features at the time of presentation and poor response to treatment. For these particular types of leukemia, the time has probably arrived to design more specific therapeutic regimens.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1993

Localization of biotinylated monoclonal antibodies (B72.3 and F023C5) in patients with colorectal cancer.

The recognition and treatment of neoplastic lesions in early phases are among the most important aims of research using monoclonal antibodies (MoAb). Recent studies have demonstrated that the use of radiolabelled MoAb directed against tumor associated antigens and hand-held gamma detecting probe (GDP) could help in the recognition of primary tumors and metastases. The goal of this study was to investigate the in vivo antibody reaction as shown by histologic preparations after injection of 125I biotinylated MoAb (B72.3 or F023C5) before surgery and to compare the immunohistochemical results with those obtained with GDP in colorectal cancer. We studied 15 cases of patients with primary or recurrent colorectal cancer. The biotinylated, radiolabelled antibody administered in vivo could be seen in frozen sections with streptoavidin peroxidase complex. In 14 cases there was agreement between GDP observations and detection of the in vivo injected biotinylated MoAb with direct staining using streptoavidin peroxidase conjugate. The use of MoAbs thus provides a means of correlating the intraoperative signal with the presence of the injected antibodies on the tumor.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗
PubMed1992

Clinical relevance of immunological dissection in T-ALL: a report on 20 cases with stem cell (CD7+, CD4-, CD8-, CD1-) phenotype.

In a prospective study on 44 cases of T-cell origin acute lymphoblastic leukemia, 20 patients were found to display an immature immunophenotype (CD7+, CD4-, CD8-, CD1-) and were classified as T-stem cell leukemia (T-SCL). Twenty-four patients expressed CD4 and/or CD8 antigens on their blast cells, designated T acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL). The T-SCL subset showed a significantly higher median age, a more frequent incidence of extramedullary leukemia, a morphology L1 in most cases, and a poor response to treatment in terms of either complete remission rate or median survival duration. In addition, significant differences between the two groups were found in evaluating the number of days of blast disappearance from peripheral blood, of CR achievement, and of neutrophils and platelets recovery. We conclude that T-SCL represents a distinct clinical entity, characterized by a poor response to ALL conventional chemotherapy. Alternative therapeutic approaches should be developed for patients suffering from this form of leukemia, to modify its severe prognosis.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Recombinant interferon-alpha 2A as maintenance treatment for patients with advanced stage chronic lymphocytic leukemia responding to chemotherapy.

Forty-five patients suffering from advanced B-CLL were randomized to receive interferon-alpha (IFN alpha) or no treatment after achieving complete remission or partial response, following a chemotherapy protocol called MiNa. The two groups were fully comparable in terms of clinical characteristics and level of response obtained by chemotherapy. IFN alpha was given at a dose of 3 megaunits three times a week intramuscularly for 1 year. The IFN-treated patient group showed a significantly longer duration of response and a less frequent incidence of infections as compared to the no treatment group. A minority of patients who had had partial response to chemotherapy obtained complete remission while on therapy with IFN alpha. Toxicity was mild and patient compliance was excellent. We conclude that IFN alpha may have a role as maintenance therapy in CLL for patients responding to chemotherapy.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols↗
PubMed1992

Sulodexide and the microcirculatory component in microphlebopathies.

A double-blind, placebo-controlled study was carried out in 36 patients, aged 30 to 50 years, to evaluate the effectiveness of oral sulodexide in the treatment of chronic venous insufficiency due to idiopathic varices. Patients were allocated at random to receive either oral sulodexide as 2 capsules (each containing 250 lipoproteinolipase releasing units) twice daily or 2 identical placebo capsules twice daily over a period of 45 days. Using strain gauge plethysmographic data, assessments were made of the microcirculatory effects of treatment by calculating the coefficient of capillary filtration from measurements made on both legs of each patient on entry and after 30 and 45 days of treatment. The coefficient is derived from the transmembranous flow values at the occlusive pressures of 60 and 40 mmHg, the difference between the two occlusive pressures examined and a corrective factor to calculate the capillary pressure based on the pressure in the venous circulation. Statistical analysis of the results showed that sulodexide produced a significant mean reduction from baseline values of the coefficient at both the 30 and 45 day examinations whereas the coefficient increased in the placebo group. The difference between the two groups was also statistically significant. These findings suggest that sulodexide has a positive influence on capillary permeability.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1990

Differential expression of CD54/intercellular adhesion molecule-1 in myeloid leukemias and in lymphoproliferative disorders.

Indirect immunofluorescence staining with monoclonal antibody (MoAb) CL203.4 of malignant cells from 269 patients with hematologic malignancies showed a heterogeneous expression of CD54/intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1). This marker was expressed by malignant cells of 57 out of 118 patients with myeloid malignancies and 69 out of 135 with B-lymphoid malignancies. On the other hand, CD54 was not detected on malignant cells of 16 patients with T-lymphoid malignancies. In myeloid malignancies, CD54 is preferentially expressed by "stem cell-derived" malignancies, being detectable on blast cells from almost all patients affected by chronic myelogenous leukemia in blast phase or myelodysplastic syndromes and by only 34% of patients with de novo acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The expression of CD54 did not correlate with any specific myeloid FAB subtype, although three cases of highly undifferentiated AML (FAB MO) displayed maximal levels of the antigen. The expression of CD54 in AML was significantly associated with that of CD34 and HLA-DR antigens. In B-lymphoid malignancies, CD54 expression appears to correlate with the differentiation stage of malignant cells, since B-origin acute lymphoblastic leukemias and conventional B-chronic lymphocytic leukemias (B-CLL; ie, "dim SIg" CLL) expressed lower levels of CD54 than more mature lymphoproliferative disorders ("bright SIg" CLL, prolymphocytic leukemias, and lymphoplasmacytic tumors). "High-grade" B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (B-NHL) express in general a higher level of CD54 than "low-grade" ones. This finding in conjunction with the expression of CD54 in all 17 patients with "bright SIg" CLL investigated (characterized by marked organomegaly and poor prognosis) suggest that the differential expression of CD54 in lymphoproliferative disorders may also relate to their degree of malignancy.

Antigens, Surface↗
PubMed1990

Immunomodulatory effects of two extracts of Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer.

The effect of Panax ginseng extracts on cell-mediated immune functions in man has been investigated. Three groups, each consisting of twenty healthy volunteers, were treated under conditions of double blindness with capsules containing lactose (Control Group B), with capsules containing 100 mg of aqueous extract of the drug (Group A), and with capsules containing 100 mg of standardized extract of the drug (Group C). All the patients took one capsule every 12 h for 8 weeks. Blood samples were withdrawn before beginning the treatment, at the fourth week and at the eighth week. The immune parameters examined were the following: chemotaxis of PMNs, phagocytosis index (PHI), phagocytosis fraction (PHF), intracellular killing, total lymphocytes (T3), T helper (T4) subset, suppressor cells (T8) subset, blastogenesis of circulating lymphocytes, natural killer-cell activity (NK). Chemotaxis proved to be enhanced (p less than 0.05) already at the fourth week in Group A as well as in Group C; the increase became even more marked (p less than 0.001) at the eight week in subjects belonging to Group C. PHI and PHF proved to be enhanced (p less than 0.05) at the eighth week in subjects of Group A; these increases were found to be higher in subjects of Group C (p less than 0.001) already starting at the fourth week. Intracellular killing was shown to be significantly increased (p less than 0.05) already at the fourth week in Groups A and C; the increase becomes highly significant in both groups (p less than 0.001) at the eighth week; however, a significant increase (p less than 0.05) at the eighth week was also noticed in the placebo group (Group B).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

Cefonicid distribution into tonsillar tissue.

The kinetic profile in tonsils of cefonicid has been studied in 30 patients who underwent tonsillectomy after administration of a single intramuscular dose of 1 g. Blood and tissue samples were withdrawn 1, 2, 3, 6, 12 and 24 h after administration of the drug. The analytical determination was performed employing a microbiological method. Peak serum levels appeared at the first hour (94.2 +/- 9.83 mg/l), while peak tissue values were determined in samples collected at the third hour (11.9 +/- 3.68 mg/kg). Serum levels at the 24th hour were 3.82 +/- 1.25 mg/l. Levels in the tonsils were 7.54 +/- 2.96 mg/kg at the sixth hour, 3.34 +/- 1.42 mg/kg at the twelfth hour and 0.40 +/- 0.31 mg/kg at the 24th hour.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

Myeloid antigen expression in adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia: clinicohematological correlations and prognostic relevance.

Fifty adult patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) were prospectively studied to determine the clinical and hematological relevance of surface immunophenotypes. Before treatment, blast cells were assayed for reactivity to monoclonal antibodies to B-cell, T-cell, and myeloid (My) antigens. My antigens (CD13, CD33, and VIM2, singly or in combination) were demonstrated in 16 cases (32%) along with lymphoid specificities. Bone marrow and peripheral blood stains were classified according to French-American-British (FAB) Cooperative Group criteria and evaluated for myelodysplastic changes and azurophilic granules. Mean age of My+ patients was significantly higher. Furthermore, a greater number of My+ cases showed azurophilic cytoplasmic granules and acid ANAE positivity. FAB subtypes and myelodysplastic features did not significantly differ in the two groups analyzed, but patients with myelodysplastic abnormalities represented a significantly older age group. Response to treatment was comparable in My+ and My- cases, in terms of either complete remission rate or median survival duration.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

A new combination chemotherapy for advanced chronic lymphocytic leukemia (vincristine, cyclophosphamide, melphalan, peptichemio, and prednisone protocol).

The MiNa protocol (vincristine, cyclophosphamide, melphalan, peptichemio, and prednisone) was given to 20 patients with advanced B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Complete remission (absence of all clinical and bone marrow evidence of leukemia) was obtained in 35% of cases; partial response (greater than 50% reduction in organ enlargement and decreasement of lymphocyte count to less than 15(9) X 10/l) was observed in 35% of patients. Of 12 patients (60%) previously treated with chlorambucil and corticosteroids, nine responded to treatment. Toxicity was mild and the relapse rate particularly low. It was concluded that the MiNa protocol represents an effective chemotherapy for advanced and/or progressive CLL.

Aged↗
PubMed1989

Immunodiagnosis of acute leukemia displaying ectopic antigens: proposal for a classification of promiscuous phenotypes.

The nature of the blast cells in 163 cases of acute leukemia was investigated by immunophenotyping, with particular emphasis on the expression of "ectopic" surface membrane structures. Although no antigen included in our panel except CD3 revealed absolute lineage restriction, immunological typing allowed a definite characterization of blast cells in more than 90% of cases. Four groups of patients were identified (A, B, C, D) with different degrees of antigen ectopic expression. We classified as group A leukemias (74%) those expressing conventional antigenic patterns, in absence of cross-lineage markers. Samples classified as group B (18%) showed a single ectopic membrane specificity, apparently discordant with the overall composite phenotype; such a "low-grade deviation" did not prevent a definite immunodiagnosis. Pattern C specimens (5%) revealed a promiscuous coexpression of markers related to different lineages (biphenotypic leukemias), whereas group D included unclassifiable phenotypes, characterized by no antigen or DR-only expression. Our findings suggest the possibility of interpreting complex phenotypic constellations of membrane markers in a consistent and logical manner.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1989

Miokamycin and leukocyte activity in man.

The effects of miokamycin on the immune system were studied in healthy volunteers by means of the following assays: phagocytosis, intracellular killing and natural killer activity. The tests were performed before, 2 and 6 h after oral administration of 600 mg of miokamycin. The findings suggest that miokamycin stimulates phagocytosis and intracellular killing. These effects could be clearly shown 2 h after drug intake and disappeared at the 6th hour. On the contrary, the natural killer activity was not significantly stimulated by miokamycin.

Adult↗