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Biomedical subjects

M Marini

Publications and source records attributed to M Marini.

At least 163 records · Page 9Linked to original sources
PubMed1991

Interleukin-1 binds to specific receptors on human bronchial epithelial cells and upregulates granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor synthesis and release.

Cultured human bronchial epithelial cells constitutively produce granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF). An upregulation of the synthesis and release of GM-CSF from those cells might contribute to the persistence of infiltration and local activation of inflammatory cells in some inflammatory diseases of the airways, such as asthma. Increased levels of immunoreactive and biologically active interleukin-1 (IL-1) have been identified in the airway secretions of asthmatic patients, together with an increase in GM-CSF contents. As IL-1 is known to upregulate GM-CSF production in many cell populations, in this study we investigated the ability of IL-1 to bind to specific receptors on bronchial epithelial cells and promote GM-CSF synthesis and release. Bronchial epithelial cells possessed specific single-class surface receptors for recombinant IL-1. The addition of exogenous IL-1 led to a dose-dependent increase in the accumulation of GM-CSF mRNA and release of immunoreactive GM-CSF to the culture medium. Release of IL-1 in the bronchial mucosa during allergic and nonallergic responses may lead to enhanced GM-CSF synthesis and release by epithelial cells, thus promoting airway inflammation.

Binding, Competitive↗
PubMed1991

[Role of CT in radiotherapy radiation planning for tumors of the rhinopharynx].

The authors compare the results obtained by CT with clinics and conventional radiography in the staging of nasopharyngeal tumors. The accurate evaluation of tumor size, localization, and spread, helps optimize treatment planning and fit radiation boosts on small fields. Twenty-six patients underwent clinical examination, radiography of the skull and neck, lateral stratigraphy of epipharynx, and CT of head and neck. We compared the results obtained in the study of: nasopharyngeal walls, parapharyngeal space, paranasal sinuses, nasal cavity, bone erosion of the base of skull, and continuous invasion without bone erosions. Our results point to conventional radiology as the examination of choice for the study of upper nasopharyngeal wall, while CT allows a better evaluation of the lateral wall, and is clearly superior in demonstrating parapharyngeal space, contiguous intracranial invasion, and neck nodes involvement.

Female↗
PubMed1990

Hydrolysis and protection from hydrolysis of enkephalins in human plasma.

Seven groups of enkephalin-degrading enzymes and three groups of inhibitors active on these enzymes were separated from human plasma. The activity of the enzymes in hydrolyzing enkephalins and of the inhibitors in protecting enkephalins from proteolysis was measured. Results obtained with the endogenous inhibitors were compared to those relative to synthetic inhibitors. Data obtained indicate that all enkephalin-degrading enzymes found in plasma are significantly inhibited by the endogenous substances present in this tissue. The inhibition of the different classes of plasma enzymes by two of the three groups of endogenous substances is quite uniform, while one group of inhibitors appears specific to dipeptidylpeptidases. Results obtained are discussed in terms of the functional role of the inhibitory substances and of the possible pharmacological implication of their presence in human plasma.

Enkephalins↗
PubMed1990

Hydrolysis and binding of leucine enkephalin to lymphomic and erythroleukaemic cell lines.

Hydrolysis and binding of labelled leucine enkephalin have been measured in the presence of cell lines of lymphoid and erythroid origin. The radioactive label was found to be associated to all lines studied. In the presence of these cells, enkephalin is rapidly hydrolyzed, forming three tyrosine-containing peptides: Tyr, Tyr-Gly and Tyr-Gly-Gly. Conversely, the presence of selective protease inhibitors reduces both enkephalin degradation and binding. Data obtained suggest the involvement in enkephalin hydrolysis of aminopeptidases, dypeptidylaminopeptidases and dypeptidylcarboxypeptidases. In addition, they suggest that the radioactive label associated to cells can be related to the peptides formed by the enzyme degradation of enkephalin and not to the intact pentapeptide.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1990

Recovery of human lymphocytes damaged with gamma-radiation or enzymatically produced oxygen radicals: different effects of poly(ADP-ribosyl)polymerase inhibitors.

Quiescent human lymphocytes were damaged in two different ways, both producing toxic oxygen radicals: xanthine oxidase plus hypoxanthine (XOD/HYP), or gamma-rays. Under conditions where DNA synthesis was reduced to 10-20% of control, inhibitors of poly(ADP-ribosyl)polymerase (ADPRP, an enzyme that becomes activated in the presence of DNA strand breaks) allowed lymphocytes to recover completely when the damage was caused by XOD/HYP, but they did not affect DNA synthesis of irradiated cells. However, a protective effect of ADPRP inhibitors was observed with irradiated lymphocytes receiving doses greater than or equal to 50 Gy. Unscheduled DNA synthesis was Unscheduled DNA synthesis was significantly increased when lymphocytes were damaged by high radiation doses in the presence of ADPRP inhibitors. We suggest that ionizing radiation does not stimulate poly(ADP-ribose) synthesis in lymphocytes at doses that impair lymphocyte DNA synthesis by 80-90%, while ADPRP may be involved in the repair of DNA lesions occurring at higher radiation doses.

DNA Repair↗
PubMed1990

Age-related antihypertensive and haemodynamic effects of verapamil SR: clinical results and effects on atrial natriuretic peptide.

The antihypertensive effect of the calcium-antagonist verapamil was investigated in two groups of patients, adult hypertensives (AH, less than 65 years of age) and elderly hypertensives (EH, greater than 65 years of age), who were treated with 240 mg p.o. sustained-release (SR) verapamil for 4 months. Arterial blood pressure was significantly reduced in both groups: the responders' rate was 65% in the AH group and 82% in the EG group. The heart rate was slightly but not significantly reduced. An improvement in cardiac haemodynamics was observed [cardiac index (CI), from 3.00 +/- 0.51 to 3.25 +/- 0.83 ml min-1 m-2 in AH and from 2.35 +/- 1.08 to 3.04 +/- 0.86 ml min-1 m-2 in EG]. We also evaluated the plasma concentrations of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) before and after treatment; ANP levels increased significantly only in the EH group. No serious side effects occurred. In conclusion, verapamil SR provided effective and well-tolerated antihypertensive treatment in both adult and elderly patients.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1990

[Radiologic changes in the pelvis of patients with chronic renal insufficiency undergoing periodic dialysis].

Bone alterations in the patients undergoing periodic dialysis represent a frequent and invalidating complication and cause the pattern called uremic osteodystrophy. In this study we have examined 173 pelvic X-rays of 73 patients affected with chronic renal insufficiency and undergoing periodic dialysis. The results indicate the presence of all the lesions characterizing uremic osteodystrophy. Arterial calcifications and osteoporosis are the most frequent patterns; with various incidence, osteomalacia, osteitis fibrosa, osteosclerosis and brown tumors are associated. In this group of patients, who were followed for many years, a non-univocal behavior was observed: next to patterns of progressive aggravation, such as vascular calcifications, phases of stabilization/improvement were observed, e.g., in case of brown tumors and osteitis fibrosa.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

[Medicosocial characteristics of hospitalized alcoholic patients in 2 internal medicine departments of hospitals in French-speaking Switzerland].

Two prospective studies were performed in the medical services of two hospitals located in the French-speaking part of Switzerland to assess the prevalence of alcoholism and the comparative medico-social characteristics of alcoholic and nonalcoholic patients aged 18 to 75. Both investigations used the Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test, with a cut-off score of 5. The prevalence of alcoholism was similar in the two institutions (19.6 and 20.5%) and was much higher in males (30 to 32%) than in females (3 to 5%). Among alcoholics, the percentage of unmarried or divorced patients was higher than in nonalcoholics, as was the percentage of unemployed and subjects from lower socio-economic brackets. The most frequent type of alcohol-related disease was alcoholic liver disease, encountered in 25% of alcoholics in both services. Cigarette smoking was also much more frequent in alcoholics (60%) than in nonalcoholic patients (29%). The length of stay was 2 days longer for alcoholics in both hospitals, despite the lower mean age of these patients.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Inhibition of poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation does not prevent lymphocyte entry into the cell cycle.

The enzyme poly(ADP-ribosyl)transferase (ADPRT) becomes activated soon after a mitogenic stimulus is applied to lymphocyte cultures. It has also been reported that ADPRT inhibitors prevent cell proliferation when added to cultures at the same time as the mitogen. While this has been ascribed to the need to seal physiologically present DNA strand breaks before cells enter S phase, the presence of DNA strand breaks in quiescent human lymphocytes has been recently questioned. We demonstrate here that non-toxic concentrations of ADPRT inhibitors do not affect lymphocyte blastization and proliferation, as measured by thymidine incorporation and cytofluorimetry. We therefore suggest that ADPRT activation is required for late functions which are not needed for cell cycle progression.

Benzamides↗
PubMed1988

Fractional urinary clearance of immunoreactive lipase in chronic pancreatic disease.

Using an immunoenzymatic method, we studied lipase in the serum and urine of 23 controls, 22 chronic pancreatitis patients in symptomatic remission, and in 9 patients with proven pancreatic cancer. Serum and urine lipase and its fractional urinary clearance were compared with those of amylase and immunoreactive trypsin. Lipase immunoreactivity was detectable in the urine of 81.5% of the studied subjects (controls: 82%, chronic pancreatitis: 86%, pancreatic cancer: 66%); its output was higher than the upper limit of controls in 31.8% of chronic pancreatitis and in only 1 of pancreatic cancer, and it was significantly correlated with the urinary output of trypsin (r = 0.487, P less than 0.001), but not with that of amylase. A significant correlation was found between urinary output and serum levels for lipase, but not for trypsin or amylase. Fractional clearance of lipase was of the same magnitude as that of trypsin but only 0.1% that of amylase. 19% of chronic pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer showed a fractional clearance of lipase above the upper limit of controls, compared with 45% for trypsin and 3.2% for amylase. No difference in urinary clearance of the three enzymes was found between chronic pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer. In conclusion, although of no diagnostic relevance in pain-free patients with chronic pancreatic disease, this measurement can provide information on the mechanisms of renal excretion of pancreatic enzymes.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

N-nitrosoproline excretion in patients with gastric lesions and in a control population.

N-Nitrosoproline (NPRO) excretion was measured in a group of hospital in-patients who were identified as either bearing gastric lesions or having apparently healthy stomachs. NPRO was assayed in background 24-h urine samples and then in urines collected after loading doses of nitrate and proline. The presence of gastric lesions was associated with altered gastric juice pH and nitrite concentration, but not with NPRO excretion. The significance of NPRO excretion as a marker of endogenous nitrosation is dependent on the interpretation of this result.

Adult↗