Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to P Martelletti.
The authors report the first observation of a 73-year-old woman affected from CPH (Chronic Paroxysmal Hemicrania) which following an ophthalmic herpes-zoster infection. The improvement with a 5-HT 1-like agonist receptors (Sumatriptan) and with Timostimulin is discussed.
"Whole body composition" was investigated in 30 people subject to alcohol-induced migraine. The control group was 30 people matched for age, sex, height and weight, who were not subject to migraine and who consumed moderate amounts of alcohol. The following were evaluated: anthropometric data, alcohol intake in grams per day, total body water, fat-free mass, fat mass, and body mass index (kg/m2). Two methods of measurement were used: skin fold thickness evaluation, and bioelectric impedance assay (BIA). BIA is a non-invasive method based on the principle that lean tissues conduct a low frequency alternating current of electricity better than do fatty tissues. Body mass index was increased in the alcohol-induced migraine patients (p less than 0.04), as was fat mass, (p less than 0.03) as evaluated by skin fold measurements. Bioelectric impedance assay demonstrated a slight total body water increase in alcohol-induced migraine patients (p less than 0.07). Possibly, if this total body water increase was reflected at the neuronal level, the bioelectric properties of the migrainous brain may be altered, thus creating a hypothetical link with the phenomenon of spreading depression.
We studied a group of migraine patients for circulating immune complexes, lymphocyte subpopulations, IgG4 and anti-IgG antibodies, before, after 4 hours and after 72 hours a specific challenge test. We found an increased incidence of circulating immune complexes. Total T cells showed a marked increase after challenge test. The most important finding was the presence of T-activated cells. Also K and NK cells showed an early increase after the challenge. In commenting the outcomes of this investigation, it must be stressed that the evidence of an early lymphocyte activation after the challenge test indicates an involvement of interleukin-2 related receptor in food-induced migraine. The results have reinforced the idea of immune mechanism involvement in food-induced migraine, but it seems to be localized at different step from that until now hypothesized, with the involvement of the complex cytokines network.
Serotonin (5HT) binds in a saturable and specific manner to high affinity binding sites present on the surfaces of human lymphocytes and monocytes. We reported that migraine patients have an increase in 5HT binding parallel to the progression of the attack, with the appearance of a subsequent phenomenon of cellular deactivation. The same experiment previously carried out in cluster headache patients revealed a lack of high affinity binding sites, independently of the pain period. Low levels of plasma 5HT were recently described by Anthony in chronic tension-type headache. The implication of 5HT in tension headache was also hypothesized by Shukla with the demonstration of an increased 5HT uptake by platelets. We studied the 5HT binding on surfaces of lymphocytes and monocytes in 26 tension-type headache patients (16 affected by chronic form (CTH) of the disease and 10 by episodic form (ETH]. Fourteen clinically healthy subjects were used as controls. Circulating lymphocytes and monocytes were tested for their ability to specifically bind 5HT, using (3H) labeled 5HT. The "in vitro" 5HT binding curves to lymphocytes and monocytes of tension-type headache patients show a constant trend; during headaches, both CTH and ETH patients present a desensitization phenomenon with a complete loss of high affinity binding sites for 5HT. The 5HT binding curve observed in controls is indistinguishable from that of ETH patients studied outside the attack period. The total amount of 5HT bound appeared to be more markedly raised in CTH patients than in ETH patients when compared to control values.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
In a previous study we demonstrated that cluster headache (CH) patients present an increased Natural Cytotoxic response after incubation of their peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) with Interleukin-2 (IL-2). This phenomenon led to an investigation of the phenotypic expression of PBL before and after IL-2 incubation, and of the IL-2 lymphocyte receptor. IL-2 receptor is expressed on T-lymphocytes activated with an high-affinity binding site. The analysis of the function of human IL-2 receptor was facilitated by the production of a specific monoclonal antibody (MAb). This MAb identifies the IL-2 receptors by blocking the binding of radiolabelled IL-2 to T-cells. In addition, we studied the expression of Leu-4, specific for T-cells; of Leu-11b, specific for FC receptor on NK cells; and the Transferrin Receptor, specific for lymphoblasts and monocytes. Twenty-three episodic CH patients were selected for this study. Ten sex and age-matched healthy volunteers were used as the control group. We evaluated the PBL phenotypic expression of cells subsets before incubation with IL-2 (1,000 I.U./ml) and after 72 hours. The following Becton Dickinson MAbs have been used: anti-Leu-4 (CD3), anti-IL-2 receptors (CD25), anti-Transferrin receptor (TFR) and anti-Leu-11b (CD16). Indirect fluorescence with a Becton Dickinson FACS-420 flow cytometer was used to analyze the cells.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Histamine release and leukotrienes (LTB4 and LTC4) production from circulating basophil have been studied in 13 patients with episodic cluster headache (CH) during the remission phase of symptoms, and in 9 normal subjects. Cell suspensions of basophils were stimulated with scalar dilutions of anti-IgE, f-met-peptide and Ca2+ ionophore A23187. Histamine was measured by an automated fluorimetric method; LTB4 and LTC4 with RIA in individual cases, and with Reverse-Phase HPLC in the two pools obtained from the supernatants of CH patients and controls. Mean values of histamine release in patients with CH were significantly lower when compared to those obtained in control subjects after stimulation with anti-IgE at the three dilutions used. LTC4 mean levels measured in CH patients were significantly lower than those of supernatants from controls after stimulation with 0.05 gamma/ml of A23187. A reduction of LTC4 and LTB4 levels in CH patients was also observed in R-P HPLC, which showed different elution patterns in the two groups. The histamine release in individual cases was related to leukotriene production: LTC4 levels were significantly (p less than .05) higher in "high histamine releasers" than in "low histamine releasers". Our results indicate that CH patients have complex abnormalities of histamine release and of leukotriene production during the painless phase of the disease.
Previous studies showed that the Natural Killer (NK) activity of peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) from cluster headache (CH) patients is lower than that of controls. This decreased activity seems to be independent of the cluster period. beta-interferon has been shown to be more effective in increasing NK activity when incubated with PBL from CH patients, than with PBL from control donors. Lymphokine-Activated Killer (LAK) cells can be generated by incubation of human PBL in recombinant Interleukin-2 (rIL-2). This phenomenon was studied in 10 CH patients and 8 healthy volunteers. PBL were activated to LAK cells by "in vitro" incubation for 72 hours in Control Medium containing rIL-2 (1000 I.U./ml). A four hour Chromium 51 release was used to measure LAK Cell Killing of K562 target cells. The released radioactivity was measured in a gamma scintillation counter. The CH patients showed a marked increase of LAK generation compared to control subjects. This effect seems to be augmented during the cluster period.
Various immunological studies have revealed controversial outcomes on pathogenetic mechanisms of food-induced migraine. In order to better define the immune status of this disease we studied 21 patients for circulating immune complexes (CIC). Six out of them were also studied for lymphocyte subpopulations, IgG4 and anti-IgG antibodies, before (TO), 4 hours after (T4), and 72 hours after (T72) a specific challenge with 250 ml of milk. The ClqSp assay was used to determine CIC. Lymphocyte subpopulations were defined by the following monoclonal antibodies (Mab): OKT3, OKT4, OKT8, 4F2, H366, TAC, 5E9, L.243 and DA6.231. IgG4 subclass was assessed by using a mouse specific Mab. Anti-IgG antibodies were determined by using HPLC. The result showed an increased incidence of CIC (28.6%) when compared to the control group (10%). Total T-cells (OKT3+) showed a marked increase at T4 (p less than 0.01) and a subsequent decrease at T72 (p less than 0.02). Interestingly, T-activated cells (4F2+ and TAC+) showed a parallel trend at T4 (respectively p less than 0.02 and less than 0.01) and a subsequent decrease at T72 only for the Tac+ cells (p less than 0.05). Also K and NK cells (H366+) showed an early increase at T4 (p less than 0.05). No significant variation was observed in the study of the expression of DR antigens (L.243 and DA6.231) at the three times. IgG4 and anti-IgG antibodies values showed no variation in their time-course.+
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Thirteen patients affected by Burkitt's lymphoma were studied. Six out of them had cluster headache associated with Burkitt's lymphoma, and in this group we observed the absence of HLA-B14 antigen. The presence of HLA-B14 antigen in the remaining seven patients, confirm the hypothesis of a protective role of this antigen against cluster headache.
Fourty-eight cluster headache patients have been studied. Twenty-nine of them were affected also by rhythm cardiac abnormalities, and the other 19 by associated conjunctival hyperaemia. The presence of organ-specific autoantibodies was investigated by immunofluorescence. High titers of antibodies against cardiac antigenic determinants was found. The study of leukocyte subpopulations revealed a parallel increase in blood and in conjunctival mucosa of Leu7+ and LeuM3+ cells. These outcomes confirm the immunopathological theory of cluster headache.
Serotonin (5-HT) binds in a saturable and specific manner to high affinity binding sites present on the surface of human mononuclear cells. The serotonin binding to mononuclear cells has been assayed in patients with migraine, during and outside the crisis period. In these patients, unlike the episodic cluster headache patients that show a constant trend, the results are variable. This variability may depend on the fluctuation of 5-HT levels in the blood, during and after the crisis. A possible explanation for these observations is that at the beginning of the crisis the binding of 5-HT is still similar to the normal level. As the crisis goes on, there is at first an increase in 5-HT binding that saturates all the available sites and a subsequent phenomenon of desensitization, with a loss of high affinity sites. Further investigations are needed in order to assess whether or not the mononuclear cell functions are affected by the modifications of the binding of 5-HT, thought to be a regulatory molecule.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.