Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

G Pizzolo

Publications and source records attributed to G Pizzolo.

187 records · Page 11Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Circulating levels of soluble CD30, a marker of cells producing Th2-type cytokines, are increased in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and correlate with disease activity.

OBJECTIVE: To measure the levels of serum soluble CD30 (sCD30), a marker of cells producing T helper 2(Th2)-type cytokines, in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and undifferentiated connective tissue disease (UCTD), and to determine its value in assessing disease activity. METHODS: Serum levels of sCD30 were measured by ELISA in 21 patients with SLE, in 17 patients with UCTD and in 40 normal donors. Disease activity was evaluated according to the ECLAM scoring system. RESULTS: sCD30 values were 53.84 +/- 58.24 U/mL in SLE, 22.65 +/- 9.82 U/mL in UCTD and 5.3 +/- 5.7 in normal controls (p < 0.0005 SLE vs controls; p < 0.05 SLE vs UCTD). sCD30 levels were directly related to the disease activity (p < 0.002). CONCLUSION: These data support a relationship between the Th2-type immune response and the pathogenesis of SLE, and suggest that sCD30 can be used as a simple marker for the evaluation of disease activity.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Preferential release of high amounts of interleukin-8 by myeloid blasts showing monocytic differentiation.

BACKGROUND: In myeloid blasts, the expression and release of the multifunctional chemokine IL-8 could be expected to be differentiation-associated. METHODS: We investigated the profile of interleukin-8 (IL-8) expression and release by leukemic cells obtained at diagnosis from 42 untreated adult patients with acute myeloid leukemia of various FAB subtypes (2 M0, 7 M1, 6 M2, 6 M3, 10 M4 and 11 M5). IL-8 transcripts were evaluated by Northern blot and densitometric analysis. IL-8 release by myeloid blasts was evaluated by a specific ELISA either in sera at diagnosis or in supernatants (SN) obtained from cultured leukemic cells. RESULTS: In basal conditions, Northern blot analysis revealed detectable IL-8 transcripts in 15/29 cases, eleven of which were classified as M4-M5 and 4 as FAB M0-M3. Densitometric analysis of IL-8 transcript bands showed higher expression in M4-M5 than in M0-M3 cases (mean values +/- SD: 16.5 +/- 21 and 0.77 +/- 1.36 densitometric units, respectively; p = 0.012). Higher IL-8 serum levels were observed in leukemic patients as opposed to normal controls (mean values +/- SD: 0.53 +/- 0.75 vs 0.003 +/- 0.014 ng/mL, respectively; p = 0.006). Furthermore, a trend (though not of statistical significance) towards higher IL-8 serum values was observed in M4-M5 as opposed to M0-M3 subtypes. After 24 hours of culture, the majority of myeloid blasts (95%) spontaneously released detectable amounts of IL-8 into SN. However, M4-M5 released substantially higher amounts of IL-8 than M0-M3 blasts (mean +/- SD: 68 +/- 46 and 8.5 +/- 12 ng/mL, respectively; p < 0.001). This difference between M0-M3 and M4-M5 blasts was already observed after 6 hours of culture and increased over 72 hours. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings confirm and further support the preferential release of high levels of IL-8 by myeloid blasts showing monocytic differentiation.

Acute Disease↗