Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

M Fiore

Publications and source records attributed to M Fiore.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources

Enhancement of induced sister chromatid exchange and chromosomal aberrations by inhibitors of DNA repair processes.

The effect of post-treatment with inhibitors of DNA synthesis (hydroxyurea, aphidicolin) and repair (caffeine, 3-aminobenzamide) on the frequencies of chromosomal aberrations and sister chromatid exchange (SCE) induced by mitomycin C and decarbamoyl mitomycin C both in Chinese hamster cells and in human lymphocytes in vitro has been studied. The data show that in the case of Chinese hamster and human lymphocytes mitomycin C-treated cells there is an increased frequency of both chromosomal aberrations and SCE after a G2 post-treatment with the inhibitors, while no increase is observed for decarbamoyl mitomycin C-treated cells. Since SCE are DNA synthesis-dependent phenomenon, an increase in the frequency of SCE also in the G2 phase might suggest that after mitomycin C treatment there is a residual DNA synthesis still going on very late in the cell cycle.

Animals↗

Formation of chromatid-type aberrations in G2 stage of the cell cycle.

CHO cells were treated in G1 stage of the cell cycle with chromosome-breaking agents that act in an S-dependent manner. The cells were challenged in G2 stage, before fixation, with various inhibitors of DNA synthesis or repair. Short-wave UV, mitomycin C, decarbomyl mitomycin and 4-nitroquinoline oxide (4NQO) were used as chromosome-breaking agents. The inhibitors of DNA repair or synthesis used were hydroxyurea, aphidicolin and caffeine. Permeabilization of cells followed by a treatment with Neurospora endonuclease (a treatment to convert DNA single-strand breaks into double-strand breaks) did not have any influence on the frequencies of chromatid aberrations induced by the chemicals used, whereas with the inhibitors the extent of potentiation varied depending on the mutagen and the inhibitor used.

Animals↗

Immune response of dogs and rabbits to intrabronchial trimellitic anhydride.

8 dogs and 7 rabbits were immunized intrabronchially with trimellitic anhydride (TMA) using three different immunizing doses. An immune response occurred in both animal species. Predominantly IgG with lower levels of IgM and IgA antibodies against trimellityl-erythrocytes (TM-E) were detected on both dogs and rabbits. Antibody binding of TM125I dog serum albumin (TM125I-DSA) occurred in most dogs and of TM125I rabbit serum albumin (TM125I-RSA) in 1 out of 7 rabbits. Lymphocyte reactivity was present in all 8 dogs. Death occurred in the 2 dogs immunized with the low dose (0.1 mg/kg) of TMA, in 2 of the 4 dogs immunized with the moderate dose (1.0 mg/kg), and in neither of the 2 dogs immunized repeatedly with the high dose (10.0 mg/kg). No correlation of deaths could be made with serum levels of anti-TM-E antibody or anti-TM125I-DSA antibody binding, or lymphocyte reactivity. The deaths occurred early in the TMA immunizations. All antibody levels in the diseased animals were less than those seen in human workers with TMA-related respiratory disease. Autopsy findings in the 4 dogs showed hemorrhagic pneumonitis possibly analogous to the pulmonary lesions seen in the hemorrhagic pneumonitis of some workers exposed to TMA fumes. TMA as used in these experiments was not toxic to dogs as the high doses of TMA (10.0 mg/kg) did not lead to death which did occur at the lower doses. No deaths occurred in the 7 rabbits immunized with 1.0 mg TMA/kg. The immune responses and pathological findings in dogs encourage further work in the development of animal models of TMA immunologic lung disease.

Animals↗

The HLA system in the Campania region: a genetic study.

The HLA-A, -B and -C locus gene frequencies and the significant A, B and B, C haplotypes of the population of Campania (Southern Italy) are reported. From a comparison of gene frequencies and from an overall genetic distance evaluation with other European and Mediterranean populations the typical Mediterranean structure of the Campanian population is confirmed. While keeping several Middle Eastern features, it places itself as far from Northern Italy (Bergamo) as from the Spanish and the French populations. Among all the groups compared, including Turkish and Lebanese, the largest distance is measured from the English, the Danish and the German populations.

Chromosome Mapping↗

The pattern of HLA antigens in two Italian regions.

The HLA antigen and gene frequencies (A, B and C loci) in the populations of the Bergamo area and of the Campania region are compared. Significant discrepancies were found between the two sets of data, as regards the distribution of single genes and the haplotype frequencies and deltas as well. Stone of the frequencies diverge significantly also from accepted data on European Caucasoid populations.

Biometry↗

Medium and long-term behavioral effects in mice of extended gestational exposure to ozone.

CD-1 mice were continuously exposed to ozone (O3) from 6 days before the formation of breeding pairs to Day 17 of pregnancy. The concentrations used were 0, 0.2, 0.4, and 0.6 ppm; the lowest-observed-effect levels for eye irritation and respiratory function are in the range of 0.08-0.2 ppm for both humans and animals (47). Ozone failed to produce significant effects on either reproductive performance, postnatal somatic and neurobehavioral development (as assessed by a Fox test battery) or adult motor activity (including within-session habituation). In social interaction tests performed in the pre-juvenile period (23-25 days) and the juvenile period (43-45 days), social response endpoints were not modified in O3 mice, but exploration and self-grooming showed concentration dependent effects (decrease and increase, respectively). Performance at 84-98 days in an eight-arm radial maze with water reinforcement was initially impaired in O3 mice, but the results were not entirely consistent; e.g., the data failed to show a concentration dependence of the effects. Overall, the data confirm previous results of an experiment with more limited exposure [pregnancy Days 7-17 (6)] by showing that prenatal O3 exposure, even when extended to include a period before the start of pregnancy and the preimplantation phase, does not produce major or widespread somatic and neurobehavioral effects. Some of the results, however, point to subtle or borderline behavioral deficits which deserve to be considered both in further animal experiments and in the assessment of risk to developing humans.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Analysis of Variance↗

Prenatal exposure to methylazoxymethanol acetate in the rat alters neurotrophin levels and behavior: considerations for neurodevelopmental diseases.

We did a single injection of methylazoxymethanol acetate (MAM) in pregnant rats on gestational day (GD) 11 or 12 to investigate the long-lasting effects of early entorhinal cortex (EC) and hippocampus maldevelopment on behavior, brain nerve growth factor (NGF) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels, and the neurotrophin receptor p75 and choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) immunoreactivity. Adult animals treated with MAM had compromised EC development and showed changes in locomotion and displacement activities. In addition, rats treated on GD 12 had increased concentration of NGF and BDNF in the EC and hippocampus if compared to control rats. Prenatal MAM administration did not affect significantly p75 and ChAT distribution in the EC and septum. Results are discussed in reference to the neurodevelopmental hypothesis of psychiatric disorders.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗

Prenatal sulfur dioxide exposure induces changes in the behavior of adult male mice during agonistic encounters.

Sulfur dioxide (SO2) is one of the most important pollutants of the western countries, responsible for several cardiopulmonary diseases in humans. SO2 affects both young and adult people, causing low work productivity with social and economical costs extremely high for the communities. To test whether or not SO2 produces changes in social and/or agonistic behavior of laboratory animals, outbred CD-1 male mice were prenatally exposed to different SO2 concentrations (0, 5, 12, or 30 ppm) up to pregnancy day 14. At adulthood, following a 4-week isolation period, they underwent an aggressive encounter with CD-1 male opponents of the same age, body weight, and isolation condition (single 20-min session). The levels of several responses such as tail rattling, freezing, and defensive postures were reduced by the treatment, particularly during the initial period of the agonistic encounter, whereas offensive and attack behaviors were not significantly modified. In addition, rearing and social investigation increased. Overall, the present results indicate that prenatal SO2 exposure can alter mouse social/agonistic behavior, apparently acting on the approach phase toward the opponent and suggestive of changes in the animals' capability to cope with threatening dangerous situations.

Agonistic Behavior↗

Prenatal ethanol effects on NGF level, NPY and ChAT immunoreactivity in mouse entorhinal cortex: a preliminary study.

It has been reported that maternal ethanol consumption leads to deficits in the limbic areas involved in cognitive functions and interferes with synthesis and utilization of neurotrophins. In the present study, it was hypothesized that prenatal alcohol intake might induce neuroanatomical alterations in the entorhinal cortex (EC). We also investigated the possible EC involvement of brain nerve growth factor (NGF), the first neurotrophin to be isolated, during such pathological events. To test this hypothesis, we used pregnant mice exposed to ethanol during EC neurogenesis (starting about gestational day 8). Our data show that prenatal alcohol intake in male mice alters the EC neuronal growth and differentiation. These morphological alterations are accompanied by an altered NGF level in the EC of prenatal alcohol-treated mice. We also found a decrease in choline acetyltransferase- and neuropeptide Y-immunopositive neurons in the EC of alcohol-exposed mice. However, the relationship between neuronal damage induced in the EC by ethanol, low presence of NGF, and the possible functional and behavioral consequences remains to be elucidated.

Animals↗

[Personal experience with thermographic studies of skeletal metastasis of breast cancer].

Dynamic telethermography may be usefully employed, alone or in association with X-ray or scintigraphy investigations, for the evaluation of skeletal metastases both diagnostically (differential diagnosis, screening of pains in patients with tumours, study of the extent of metastatic bone localizations) and prognostico-therapeutically (assessment of the effectiveness of chemo-hormonal or radiant treatment).

Bone Neoplasms↗