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Biomedical subjects

U Butturini

Publications and source records attributed to U Butturini.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources

Possible role of glucagon in cyproheptadine-induced increase of insulin secretion.

In order to test the hypothesis that insulin secretion may be affected by increased glucagon levels during cyproheptadine (CPH) administration, an arginine-glucose test was performed in 8 normal women and repeated after three days of CPH administration at a dose of 16 mg/day. Both the glucagon and the insulin response were increased by CPH treatment and so were their incremental areas. For glucagon, the increase was present at all times tested, for insulin this rise was significant only during the first 60 min of the arginine test and during the rapid secretory phase following glucose injection. The difference between the incremental areas of glucagon before and after CPH treatment was significantly correlated to the above mentioned insulin areas and to insulin peak values. These data are in agreement with the hypothesis that in vivo CPH action on insulin secretion may be partly mediated by its effects on circulating glucagon levels.

Adolescent↗

Possible roles of insulin, glucagon, growth hormone and free fatty acids in the pathogenesis of insulin resistance of subjects with chronic liver diseases.

In the present investigation, insulin sensitivity and fasting levels of insulin, C-peptide, glucagon, growth hormone and free fatty acids were estimated and correlated in a population of individuals suffering from liver cirrhosis or chronic hepatitis. Insulin sensitivity, assessed by glucose disappearance rate after intravenous bolus injection of insulin, was reduced but not significantly different from controls in subjects with chronic persistent hepatitis, while it was significantly reduced in individuals suffering from chronic active hepatitis or liver cirrhosis. Insulin, glucagon, growth hormone, and free fatty acid fasting levels were higher than in healthy subjects in individuals with liver cirrhosis or chronic active hepatitis but not in subjects with chronic persistent hepatitis. C-peptide concentrations did not differ from controls in subjects with liver disease. Significant negative correlations occurred between coefficients of insulin sensitivity and fasting concentrations of insulin, glucagon, growth hormone and free fatty acids, but not with fasting levels of C-peptide. Positive relationships were present between fasting levels of free fatty acids and both glucagon and growth hormone concentrations. These results show that, unlike subjects with liver cirrhosis and chronic active hepatitis, individuals suffering from chronic persistent hepatitis do not differ from healthy subjects in insulin sensitivity and fasting levels of insulin, glucagon, growth hormone, and free fatty acids. Moreover, they suggest that both hyperinsulinemia and high concentrations of counterregulatory substances might play a role in the pathogenesis of insulin resistance in subjects suffering from chronic liver disease.

Blood Glucose↗

Pituitary TSH response to TRH: interrelationships with gonadal activity.

A TSH radioimmunoassay is described, which was used to investigate the behaviour of the TSH pituitary response (as measured by the secretory area) to TRH in groups of subjects of both sexes and different phases of gonadal activity. It is concluded that the TSH pituitary response is in no way affected by physiological variations in the plasma gonadal hormones. This independent behaviour of the TSH response, uninfluenced by gonadal activity, was apparently confirmed by the results in some pathological conditions (ovarian agenesis and primary male hypogonadism of various types) characterized by very low plasma levels of gonadal hormones.

Adolescent↗

Prolactin secretion and nodular goiter. (Hypothetical correlations).

In a group of 129 female patients with nodular goiter, Graves' disease and primary hypothyroidism, the PRL and TSH secretions were studied in parallel. Concurrent changes in the two hormones were evident only in conditions of marked hyper- or hypothyroidism. In the patients with non-toxic nodular (single or multiple) goiter the TSH showed low or normal values, while the PRL appeared normal or elevated. From these results two important conclusions can be drawn: 1. the T3 and T4 levels interact with PRL secretion concomitantly with TSH only when they undergo a huge deviation from the normal range; 2. the goitrogenic action of PRL that has been reported in experimental animals cannot be excluded in man.

Adolescent↗

Does calcitonin modulate anterior pituitary hormone secretion?

In a group of 5 healthy subjects salmon CT (sCT) infusion was unable to induce significant variations on basal secretory levels of LH, FSH, PRL and TSH. In a second group of 5 normal subjects, GnRH and TRH tests were performed both during sCT and saline infusion; a clear inhibition of TSH-stimulated levels and of PRL area was documented, while gonadotropin secretion was not significantly affected by sCT infusion. These results suggest that CT effect might be attributed to a change in intracellular calcium of pituitary cells; however the different behavior between TRH-and GnRH-stimulated hormones might be due to a different hormonal release mechanism. Furthermore the widespread recognition of CT-like immunoreactivity in adenohypophysis and in portions of the central nervous system suggests that CT may be a neurotransmitter or paracrine regulator.

Calcitonin↗

The effect of levamisole on peripheral T-lymphocytes of patients with malignant lymphomas.

The effect of various concentrations (0.015 - 10 micrograms/ml) of Levamisole (LMS) on the peripheral lymphocytes of patients with malignant lymphomas (ML) and normal donors was investigated in vitro. The parameters studied include: E rosettes forming cells (total T lymphocytes), active E rosettes (early T lymphocytes) and DNA synthesis induced by pitogens PHA and Con A. LMS improved significantly lymphocyte response both in patients with ML and normal donors when the cells were stimulated by Con A. In both groups no significant effect was observed on the response to PHA nor on the percentage of E-rosettes, whereas the mean number of active E rosettes was significantly increased on all concentrations of the drug. While in the normal subjects a positive statistical correlation between active E-rosettes and Con A response was observed, in patients with ML an inverse correlation was found. This latter correlation was partially reversed by LMS. These results indicate that LMS, both in normals and in patients with ML, interacts with a specific cell subset (early rosetting lymphocytes), with different functions in normal and pathological situations. The drug shows an effect on the immunological handicap of lymphocytes of patients with ML.

Hodgkin Disease↗

[Carlo Bianchi].

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Education, Medical↗