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G Monastra

Publications and source records attributed to G Monastra.

16 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Cloricromene, a semi-synthetic coumarin derivative, inhibits tumor necrosis factor-alpha production at a pre-transcriptional level.

Cloricromene decreases myocardial infarct size after ischemic-reperfusion injury in vivo, and it has been suggested that this is due to inhibition of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha). The purpose of this work was to characterize the mechanism of cloricromene-induced inhibition of TNF-alpha in rat macrophages. Cloricromene inhibited lipopolysaccharide-induced TNF-alpha release in a dose-dependent manner (IC(50)=5.9 +/- 0.8 microM). This was not due to cytotoxicity, as cloricromene was well tolerated up to 500 microM. Cloricromene inhibited lipopolysaccharide-induced expression of TNF-alpha mRNA, which suggests a pre-transcriptional effect. We then investigated the early signal transduction pathway triggered by lipopolysaccharide. The binding of lipopolysaccharide to its receptor CD14 activates protein kinase C and nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB). Cloricromene inhibited NF-kappaB activation in a dose-dependent manner, but affected protein kinase C translocation only slightly. We then established that cloricromene inhibited lipopolysaccharide-induced cellular oxidative activity, which is important for NF-kappaB activation. Our results show that cloricromene interferes with the early signal transduction pathway triggered by lipopolysaccharide.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

The immunosuppressant steroid cholesterylphosphoserine inhibits tumour necrosis factor-alpha secretion in vitro and in vivo.

The synthetic steroid cholesterylphosphoserine (CPHS) inhibited the secretion of TNF-alpha in lipopolysaccharide-challenged human monocytes. CPHS (5-20 microM) was effective when added together with the endotoxin, or after an interval (1-2 h) sufficient to have allowed for initiation of TNF-alpha synthesis. Consistently, CPHS did not alter TNF-alpha gene transcription. In contrast to its action on TNF-alpha, CPHS showed only marginal effects on interleukin 1beta secretion. Given intraperitoneally to mice 2 h before lipopolysaccharide CPHS prevented the rise in plasma TNF-alpha (IC(50): 5 mg/kg). The inhibition of TNF-alpha secretion by CPHS may contribute to the immunosuppressive activity of this steroid.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Cultured human monocytes release proinflammatory cytokines in response to myelin basic protein.

In human cultured monocytes we examined the ability of myelin basic protein (MBP) to induce the production of proinflammatory cytokines potentially involved in inflammatory demyelination. Northern blots and specific immunoassays demonstrated that monocytes incubated with optimal doses of MBP showed increased mRNA expression and release of tumor necrosis factor (TNF-alpha), interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-8 (IL-8) but not of interleukin-12/p40 (IL-12/p40). We also showed that cytokine production by MBP-stimulated monocytes was abrogated by incubation with Dexamethasone. These data suggest that interaction of mononuclear phagocytes with MBP may participate in the regulatory process of cytokine production during inflammatory demyelination and support the beneficial role of corticosteroids therapy in aberrant immune responses to the myelin sheath.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Protection from experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE): non-depleting anti-CD4 mAb treatment induces peripheral T-cell tolerance to MBP in PL/J mice.

Following pre-treatment with a non-depleting anti-CD4 mAb (H129.19) that produces long-lasting receptor saturation, PL/J mice were fully protected from experimental auto-immune encephalomyelitis (EAE) induced by injection of myelin basic protein (MBP). These mice did not develop EAE following MBP re-challenge 5-10 weeks later when the CD4+ cells were no longer coated by the mAb and their lymph node cells were specifically unresponsive to MBP stimulation in vitro. Moreover, superantigen staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) inoculation, which re-induces EAE in MBP immunized mice, failed to activate encephalitogenic T-cells in anti-CD4 + MBP treated mice, even after MBP re-challenge, indicating that tolerance in the peripheral T-cell compartment was achieved. However, MBP re-challenge 16 weeks later, but not SEB, produced an acute episode of EAE in these mice, while it failed to induce disease in a parallel group of adult thymectomized mice. These results indicate that no memory of the first priming exists at this time and that new MBP-specific T-cell precursors are peripheralized and produce EAE after MBP recognition.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Membrane form of TNF alpha induces both cell lysis and apoptosis in susceptible target cells.

Tumor necrosis factor alpha, in the secreted as well as membrane-associated (mTNF alpha) form, represents a cytotoxic effector mechanism of activated macrophages; in contrast, direct evidence of the mTNF alpha involvement in cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL)-mediated lysis has not yet been obtained. We observed that following activation with anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody (mAb), both cloned CTL and peritoneal exudate lymphocytes rapidly upregulated mTNF alpha; a similar effect was observed in the macrophage cell line J774 after stimulation with lipopolysaccharide endotoxin. Activated effector cells, which were fixed with paraformaldehyde before testing, exerted lytic activity against the TNF-sensitive WEHI 164 tumor cell line, but not against the TNF-resistant P-815 mastocytoma. This effect was completely inhibited in the presence of anti-mouse TNF alpha Ab. Moreover, both mTNF alpha-expressing macrophages and CTL induced nuclear DNA fragmentation in WEHI 164 cells, which was also blocked by anti-TNF alpha Ab and was accompanied by a morphologic degeneration characteristic of the apoptotic form of cell death. These data on the whole indicate a common mode of action for mTNF alpha expressed on different cell populations endowed with cytotoxic capability and also imply a role for this molecule in T-cell-mediated cytotoxicity.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Inhibition by cholesterylphosphorylserine of T-cell-mediated immune responses in mice.

The synthetic analogue of phosphatidylserine, cholesterylphosphorylserine (CPHS) inhibits T-cell-mediated immune responses in mice. Tested in cultured mouse spleen cells, CPHS inhibits concanavalin A-induced activation of DNA synthesis (IC50, 3.5 microM). Injected i.p. during the efferent phase, CPHS (25-100 mg/kg) inhibits the manifestations of delayed-type of hypersensitivity. The compound (25 mg/kg i.p., daily) reduces the acute graft-versus-host reaction when given for 5 days to donor mice before the isolation of spleen cells used for the inoculum. These data suggest that the addition of a phosphorylserine group to a steroid ring may produce immunoregulatory compounds.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗
PubMed1994

Beta-endorphin concentrations in brain areas and peritoneal macrophages in rats susceptible and resistant to experimental allergic encephalomyelitis: a possible relationship between tumor necrosis factor alpha and opioids in the disease.

Since the central nervous system and neuropeptides modulate immune functions, we investigated whether the different susceptibility of Lewis and Brown Norway rats to experimental allergic encephalomyelitis could also reflect differences in beta-endorphin and substance P concentrations in brain areas and macrophages during the development of the disease. We show that beta-endorphin concentrations increase much more in the hypothalamus and macrophages of Lewis rats during the development of the disease, while the increase is much lower or absent in Brown Norway rats. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha seems to play an important role in this difference. The administration of the opiate receptor antagonist naltrexone worsens the development of the disease, suggesting that the increase of the opioid beta-endorphin might represent a mechanism to downregulate the immune response. In both strains, the concentrations of substance P do not change.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Beta-adrenergic receptors mediate in vivo the adrenaline inhibition of lipopolysaccharide-induced tumor necrosis factor release.

Adrenaline has been shown to inhibit the release of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) elicited by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) when tested in vitro on cultured human blood cells and rat macrophages. In this report we have examined the effect of the in vivo administration of adrenaline on TNF serum levels induced by LPS. In agreement with in vitro data, adrenaline (0.1 mg/kg, s.c.) was found to inhibit in the mouse the LPS-induced TNF release. The beta-adrenergic antagonist propranolol administered 1 h before adrenaline completely blocked the adrenaline activity, whereas the alpha-adrenergic antagonist phentolamine was ineffective. These data demonstrate that: (i) adrenaline is an effective antagonist of LPS-induced TNF release in vivo, and (ii) its effect is mediated by beta-adrenergic receptors.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Phosphatidylserine, a putative inhibitor of tumor necrosis factor, prevents autoimmune demyelination.

We tested the effect of bovine cortex phosphatidylserine (BC-PS), a membrane phospholipid known to inhibit the release of the cytokine tumor necrosis factor (TNF), in SJL/J mice sensitized for adoptively transferred experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). Control, sensitized mice developed severe clinical and histologic EAE within 6 to 9 days, whereas only 20% of mice given BC-PS displayed clinical signs that were much less severe and minimal CNS pathology. Cessation of BC-PS treatment after 15 to 40 days led to disease within 1 to 2 weeks, but when treatment was more prolonged, animals remained healthy after cessation. Serial transfer of spleen cells (SC) from BC-PS-treated and control animals into naive recipients resulted in acute EAE within 6 to 7 days with cells from either donor type. Animals treated late with BC-PS failed to relapse and generally remained healthier than controls did over a 40-day period of observation. Cultures of lymph node cells or SC from BC-PS-treated and control animals showed an 80 to 90% reduction in TNF production in the BC-PS-treated group. Thus, we demonstrate that PS can abrogate or significantly reduce the severity of EAE without permanently inhibiting effector T cells. The approach might be considered a candidate for future therapies of relevance to MS.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Decreased serum level of tumor necrosis factor in animals treated with lipopolysaccharide and liposomes containing phosphatidylserine.

The rise in serum level of tumor necrosis factor (TNF), produced by lipopolysaccharide, has been measured in mice and rabbits treated with phospholipid liposomes. After 3 daily ip injection (mice) or 5 daily i.v. injections (rabbits) of 30 mg/kg of a phospholipid mixture enriched in phosphatidylserine, the action of lipopolysaccharide was 80-90% reduced. The phospholipid effect is dose dependent, requires a minimum of two daily injections before the administration of lipopolysaccharide, and is still manifest 2 days after the last phospholipid dose. Among individual purified phospholipids, phosphatidylserine and phosphatidylethanolamine were effective whereas phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylglycerol, and phosphatidylcholine did not show significant activity. The data indicate that the parenteral administration of liposomes containing the aminophospholipids phosphatidylserine, and phosphatidylethanolamine is an efficient mode to reduce the endotoxin-induced production of TNF. As suggested by liposome pharmacokinetics, this effect may be related to phospholipid accumulation in the mononuclear phagocyte system of liver and spleen.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Autacoid properties of lysophosphatidylserine.

The hypothesis of this study is summarized in Fig. 6. Phosphatidylserine due to distribution in the internal side of plasma membrane is prevented to react with the extracellular environment. When injury to cell occurs, phospholipid asymmetry is lost and the exposed phosphatidylserine becomes a signal of cell damage. Phosphatidylserine may activate defense reactions while it is still anchored to plasma membrane (Zwaal, 1978; Tanaka and Schroit, 1983). Alternatively, the soluble lysophosphatidylserine is generated, ready to diffuse and transmit the information of tissue damage to other cells. In this sequence of events, lysophosphatidylserine becomes an autacoid, originated from a membrane phospholipid. In rodents, lysophosphatidylserine seems specifically devoted to activate mast cells. The role of these cells in the regulation of the immune reactions and in tissue repair has been advocated (Dexter et al., 1981). The lysophosphatidylserine-induced mast cell activation has been shown in vivo and in vitro in a variety of rodent species (mouse, rat, gerbil, hamster). It may occur through a direct effect or through the participation of synergistic endogenous compounds. Structure-activity relationships in the action of lysophosphatidylserine show that the effect on mast cells is linked to a definite molecular organization. Determinants of the mast cell activation are the free amino group and the carboxyl group of the serine. Support to the general hypothesis of this study originates from the observation that active lysophosphatidylserine is generated within a population of leukocytes, the cells migrating in areas of wounded tissue (Mietto et al., 1987). Production of lysophosphatidylserine can be anticipated in pathological situations associated with extensive cell death (tumor growth, graft rejection, burns). At present, the observations on lysophosphatidylserine are confined to rodent mast cells. Other histamine-secreting cells (e.g., the human basophil) are unresponsive to this phospholipid (Kolster et al., 1987). Among the endogenous compounds interacting with lysophosphatidylserine, nerve growth factor seems of particular interest (Bruni et al., 1982). The synergism with lysophosphatidylserine has been confirmed in other laboratories (Sugiyama et al., 1985; Pearce and Thompson, 1986; Mazurek et al., 1986). The concerted effects by these two compounds on mast cells is in line with current opinion on the participation of nerve growth factor in the regulation of inflammatory and immune reactions (Mietto et al., 1987; Weskamp and Otten, 1987).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Not Available].

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Biophysics↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Epidemiology of hospital loads in patients with multiple hospitalizations due to diabetes].

This study describes the results of a retrospective study carried out to evaluate the hospitalizations of patients with type 2 diabetes admitted from January to June 2001 in the teaching hospital "SS. Annunziata" of Chieti. This research evaluates the generic appropriateness using the PRUO manual and the specific appropriateness using the guidelines approved by Italian Diabetes Association, Italian Diabetes Society and Italian College of General Practitioners. A sample of 196 medical charts was examined. The percentage of inappropriate admission was 21.9%. The "critical" clinical conditions of patients were responsible for only 23.7% of inappropriate admissions. The first reason of the inappropriateness of the admission was the execution of diagnostic examinations (60.5%), followed by the execution of medical therapy (23.2%) and waiting for surgical intervention (16.3%). 46.5% of inappropriate hospitalization was prescribed by specialists. Concerning specific appropriateness, 42.3% of hospitalization was inappropriate. These findings suggest that a system for the assessment of disease management of diabetes should be started up in the Abruzzo region. Moreover, guidelines utilization should be implemented in order to get a more correct utilization of acute hospital by specialists and GPs.

Age Factors↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Lysophosphatidylserine-induced activation of mast cells in mice.

Intravenous injection of lysophosphatidylserine (2.5-25 mg/kg) increases the blood histamine level in mice. Lysophosphatidyl-D-serine, alkyl-lysophosphatidylserine and glycerophosphorylserine show little or no activity. As shown by the similar efficacy of the analogue lacking the OH group in the C-2 position of glycerol conversion into phosphatidylserine is not required. The age of mice influences the activity of lysophosphatidylserine. Thus, the increase in blood histamine is greater in adult mice (8-10 weeks) than in young mice (4-6 weeks). In old mice (50-60 weeks) the tolerance to lysophosphatidylserine is reduced. Repeated parenteral administrations induce depletion of histamine stores with concomitant desensitization to lysophosphatidylserine. Well-perfused organs containing connective tissue mast cells (tongue) are more affected. When [3H] histidine is injected into lysophosphatidylserine-treated mice, the highly radioactive histamine detected in the tongue indicates the preservation of histidine decarboxylase activity after degranulation. The data suggest that lysophosphatidylserine specifically activates connective tissue mast cells in mice.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Adrenalectomy abolishes phosphatidylserine inhibition of lipopolysaccharide-induced tumor necrosis factor release.

The treatment with phosphatidylserine (PS) has recently been shown to inhibit in vivo the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced release of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) (Monastra and Bruni, 1992, Lymphokine Cytokine Res. 11:39). The aim of the present work was to investigate the mechanism(s) involved in the inhibition by PS. No in vitro inhibition of LPS-induced TNF release was observed when PS was used in vitro with human whole blood cells. The opposite was observed, in vitro PS enhanced TNF release. Previous work has shown that PS induces histamine release by mast cells and it is known that histamine inhibits TNF release. PS treatment of W/WV mice lacking mast cells, which are therefore unable to release histamine, resulted in inhibition of LPS-induced TNF release; thus excluding a major role of histamine in mediating PS inhibition. However, in adrenalectomized mice PS treatment failed to inhibit the LPS-induced TNF release, while the effect of PS was evident in sham-operated mice. PS treatment in adrenalectomized mice was associated with an increase in TNF serum levels when compared to untreated animals. Overall these results suggest that PS inhibition of LPS-induced TNF release is dependent on adrenal hormones, while PS, in the absence of adrenal hormones, seems to have a priming effect on the cells that produce TNF after LPS stimulus.

Adrenal Cortex Hormones↗