Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

M Crescimanno

Publications and source records attributed to M Crescimanno.

25 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Beta-adrenergic influences on doxorubicin-sensitive or -resistant P388 leukemia cells.

Taking into account the possible regulatory influences of the beta-adrenergic system on lymphocyte proliferation as well as the proposed role of cyclic 3'-5'-adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) in the modulation of multidrug resistance (MDR) in tumour cells, we have tried to assess the status of the interactions between the beta-adrenergic system and a mouse lymphocytic leukemia, the P388, both as a doxorubicin-sensitive (P388) and -resistant (MDR) variant (P388/DXR). P388 showed a low total number of high affinity 125I-pindolol binding sites (340 +/- 33/cell, Kd 108 pM) when compared with normal splenocytes (1221 +/- 67 sites/cell, Kd 97 pM). The number of beta-adrenergic receptors was even lower in P388/DXR cells (230 +/- 41 sites/cell, Kd 101 pM). In addition, these receptors were subnormally expressed on the cell surface: only 26% and 52% of the total receptors were surface receptors in P388 and P388/DXR, respectively, whereas it was 87% in normal splenocytes. Isoproterenol slightly (less than 1-fold) stimulated cAMP accumulation in P388 and P388/DXR; the stimulation observed in splenocytes was 2.5-fold. In addition, the basal levels of cAMP appeared to be low (0.48 +/- 0.05 pmoles/10(6) cells in P388 and 0.71 +/- 0.08 pmoles/10(6) cells in P388/DXR; 3.47 +/- 0.28 pmoles/10(6) cells in splenocytes) in the two leukemias and they were only slightly (less than 2-fold) increased by forskolin, which otherwise stimulated about 15-fold cAMP accumulation in splenocytes; thus, P388 and P388/DXR were probably also defective in their adenylate cyclase activity. It can be concluded that, owing to multifactorial mechanisms, the lymphocytic leukemia P388, also as an MDR variant, is minimally sensitive to the direct influences of the beta-adrenergic system, probably including any effect of this system on drug-sensitivity.

Animals↗

Modulation of the antioxidant activities in dox-sensitive and -resistant Friend leukemia cells. Effect of doxorubicin.

Tumor cell resistance to anthracyclines has been associated with increased activity against free radicals. Here, we have investigated the direct effect of doxorubicin (DOX) in the modulation of glutathione level and antioxidant activities in DOX-sensitive and-resistant cells (288 fold). The glutathione level in untreated cells was 88% greater in resistant than in sensitive cells. The activities of the superoxide dismutase, glutathione -S-transferase and glutathione reductase were respectively 24, 15 and 38% higher in resistant cells than in their sensitive counterparts. In contrast, catalase and total glutathione peroxidase were reduced in resistant cells by 18 and 21% respectively. Moreover, the activity of selenium-dependent glutathione peroxidase was lowered by 47% in the resistant as compared to the sensitive cells. Exposure of sensitive or resistant cells to low doses of DOX did not affect these levels in either cell variant. It is concluded therefore that resistance to anthracyclines may not always be associated with an elevated level of intracellular antioxidant activity enzymes.

Animals↗

Combined activity of interleukin-1 alpha or TNF-alpha and doxorubicin on multidrug resistant cell lines: evidence that TNF and DXR have synergistic antitumor and differentiation-inducing effects.

We report on the antiproliferative effects that interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1) or TNF-alpha (TNF) in combination with doxorubicin (DXR) exert on DXR-sensitive (B16 melanoma, Friend, K562 and CCRF/CEM leukemias) and -resistant (B16-DXR, FLC-DXR, K562-DXR) cell lines in vitro. Multidrug resistance (MDR) of the latter lines entails cross-resistance to vincristine and overexpression of P-glycoprotein. Il-1 showed only a very marginal growth inhibitory activity and the effects of its combination with DXR were essentially additive in all the cell lines, except in chemosensitive B16, where a slight synergism occurred. TNF demonstrated greater antiproliferative activity in the MDR B16 and Friend tumors than in their parent variants. The combination of TNF and DXR produced synergistic growth inhibition in B16, K562 and, particularly, also in the MDR sublines of these two tumors. In addition, TNF and DXR induced synergistically erythroid differentiation in K562 and multidirectional differentiation in K562-DXR. The synergism was critically schedule-dependent in that it was achieved only when DXR application preceded or was simultaneous with that of TNF. Finally, TNF did not modify drug accumulation and retention in the cells. Our present findings stress especially the fact that DXR and TNF may exert useful antitumor synergism even in MDR lines; however, it is not likely that their interaction will occur at the specific MDR process level.

ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Mem↗

Cathepsin D, B and L circulating levels as prognostic markers of malignant progression.

Growing evidence indicates that lysosomal Cathepsins D (CD), B (CB) and L (CL) may promote carcinogenesis and tumor progression. Therefore, we evaluated their potential value as biochemical parameters of malignant progression in patients with benign diseases which may undergo malignant transformation, such as liver cirrhosis (LC) and chronic pancreatitis (CHP) as well as in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and pancreatic cancer (DPC). CD, CB and CL serum levels were determined by immunoenzymatic assays in LC, CHP, HCC or DPC patients and correlated with a number of biochemical and clinical parameters of these diseases. CD serum levels were increased in LC, CHP and HCC, but not in the DPC group as compared to normal subjects (NS) (P < 0.01). Interestingly, higher levels of this enzyme were observed in LC patients compared to HCC patients ( P < 0.01). CB serum concentrations were increased in all patient groups (P < 0.01). However no difference was evidenced between benign and malignant diseases. CL serum levels were significantly increased only in DPC as compared to NS (P < 0.01) or CHP patients (P < 0.02) and in HCC as compared to NS (P < 0.01). The evaluation of CD, CB and CL serum pattern in LC, CHP, HCC and DPC patients may be useful as additional biochemical parameters in the differential diagnosis and therapeutic monitoring of these diseases. Prospective clinical investigations to assess the potential value of these enzymes as biochemical markers of malignant progression of LC or CHP are warranted by the present data.

Adult↗