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Biomedical subjects

V Esposito

Publications and source records attributed to V Esposito.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed2001

Oral leukoplakia: open trial of topical therapy with calcipotriol compared with tretinoin.

The aim of the current study was to evaluate, in an open trial, the clinical efficacy of topical calcipotriol compared with tretinoin in the therapy of hyperkeratotic oral lesions (leukoplakia). The study group consisted of 40 patients with histologically proven oral leukoplakias, 20 treated with calcipotriol, the other 20 with tretinoin. The treatment was for 5 weeks and follow-up at 4 months, with clinical assessments at 2, 4 and 5 weeks and regular laboratory assessments. The results showed a significant reduction in lesions (80%), in both calcipotriol and tretinoin groups, with no documented topical or systemic adverse reactions, results maintained at 4 months. Tretinoin however, potentially can induce erythema, angular cheilitis and xerostomia. The study suggests that topical calcipotriol is as effective in the therapy of oral leukoplakia as is topical tretinoin.

Administration, Topical↗
PubMed2001

Evidence of a restrictive spirometric pattern in older thalassemic patients.

BACKGROUND: Lung impairment represents one of the complications of thalassemia major whose clinical picture can remain in subclinical form all life long. Few works have been published and the results are contradictory. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to determine the spirometric pattern, the age of onset in thalassemic boys and girls, and to investigate the association with the onset of endocrinological complications. METHODS: We studied 48 patients, divided into three groups according to pubertal stages, in order to better distinguish the periods of life in which different endocrinological complications usually appear. Group A: (n = 14; 8 F, 6 M; age 10.8 +/- 1.7 years): prepubertal patients; group B (n = 21; 10 F, 11 M; age 15.7 +/- 1.1 years): pubertal patients; and group C (n = 13; 9 F, 4 M; age 19.0 +/- 1.4 years): postpubertal patients. Pulmonary function tests (PFTs) and diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (DCO), corrected for both Hb values (DCO*) and alveolar volume (KCO), were performed 2 days after blood transfusion and were considered pathologic when they fell below 80% of the predicted value. RESULTS: All patients in group A showed normal PFTs, DCO* and KCO values, as well as normal endocrinological assessment. By contrast, all those in group C showed a restrictive spirometric pattern with reduced DCO* (63 +/- 8%), elevated KCO values (120 +/- 14%), a variable degree of hypoxia (PO2 82 +/- 9%), and high serum ferritin levels. Only 2 patients showed a radiological picture of interstitial fibrosis. Furthermore, 9 patients had hypogonadism and 3 hypothyroidism. In group B, only 3 patients showed a restrictive pattern and 1 of them reduced DCO* values, and 2 out of 3 patients had hypogonadism. Considering all patients on the whole, DCO* was negatively correlated with both serum ferritin (r = -0.58; p < 0.05) and age (r = -0.57; p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The presence of a restrictive pattern in 16 older patients associated with both high serum ferritin levels and endocrinological complications in a lot of them was the main feature in this study. Iron overload might be the main factor determining lung impairment, even though a more accurate evaluation is necessary. Possible pathological mechanisms and the role of the genotype are discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Two familial giant pituitary adenomas associated with overweight: clinical, morphological and genetic features.

OBJECTIVE: Pituitary adenomas are usually sporadic, although rare familial cases have been described. Here we report two first degree female cousins with giant pituitary adenoma and overweight. Both presented with secondary amenorrhoea, occasional headache and weight gain. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In both patients clinical, morphological and genetic studies were performed. Both patients underwent surgery and post-operative medical therapy with somatostatin analogues and dopamine agonist, followed by a conventional radiotherapy course. RESULTS: Clinical examination at presentation revealed an acromegaloid habitus only in the second patient. Basal and dynamic hormonal evaluation showed high serum GH and serum IGF-I values, higher in the second than in the first patient, and a mild hyperprolactinaemia only in the first patient. On optical and electron microscopy, both tumours were oncocytic adenomas, immunopositive for GH in the first patient and GH/prolactin in the second. The genetic analysis for germ-line mutations of the multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 gene was negative. Two years after radiotherapy a remarkable shrinkage of both tumours was observed, whereas the overweight worsened in both patients, accompanied by high plasma leptin values. CONCLUSION: To our knowledge, this is the first report of familial pituitary adenomas including one case of a clinically silent GH-secreting adenoma. In addition, it provides further evidence that familial pituitary tumours can occur as a multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 unrelated disease.

Adenoma↗
PubMed2001

Potential role for high and low molecular weight tissue transglutaminases in transforming mammalian cell properties.

Tissue transglutaminase (tTGase, tTG) is known as being implicated in the intracellular cross-linking of proteins occurring in a growing series of physiological conditions including--just to mention the most relevant ones--programmed cell death (apoptosis), cell adhesion, growth, spreading and differentiation, tumor growth, metastasis, cell adhesion, proliferation, differentiation, extra cellular matrix (ECM) stabilization. In the current work we investigated tTG activity and expression of "normal" and potential transformed cytosolic tTG antigens in mammalian cells. Most cell lines studied showed low tTG activity, which in all cases could be enhanced considerably by treating cell cytosol homogenates with trypsin. The results suggested the existence -in transformed cells- of inactive types of tTGase. We purified cytosolic tTG antigens from these cells utilizing a GTP-agarose resin, and we can therefore conclude that "normal" molecular weight (mw) tTG antigens, but also high molecular weight (hmw) and low molecular weight (lmw) tTG antigens from transformed cells, retain GTP-binding ability. The initial results from our study also allowed us to hypothesize that transformed hmw- and lmw- tTG antigens should not be considered as the result of post-translational modifications of normal mw, cytosolic tTG. The potentially low or absent transamidating functionality of cytosolic tTG species in transformed mammalian cells could be responsible for decreased or even abolished programmed cell death, whereas the unaffected GTP-binding functionality of such proteins in these cells might lead to increased signal transduction and possibly proliferation.

3T3 Cells↗
PubMed2001

[Comparison between integrated 24-hour concentrations of growth hormone, insulin-like growth factor I and prolactin in acromegalic patients treated with octreotide and patients treated with octreotide LAR].

The current therapeutic options for acromegalic patients (surgery, radiation therapy and/or pharmacological treatment) do not always lead to a definitive resolution of the disorder. Recently, octreotide (OC) and, more recently, octreotide LAR (OC-LAR), a new slow-release formulation of the long-acting somatostatin analog, have been regarded as the primary treatment for acromegaly. This study reports our observations of the integrated 24-hour concentrations of GH, IGF-I and prolactin (PRL) in acromegalic patients treated with octreotide (OC) and octreotide LAR (OC-LAR), highlighting lower percentages of apparent remissions.

Acromegaly↗
PubMed2000

Binding and redox properties of iron(II) bonded to an oxo surface modeled by calix[4]arene.

The syntheses of the parent compounds [(p-Bu(t)-calix[4]-(O)2(OR)2)Fe-L] [R = Me, L = THF, 5; R = Bu(n), L = THF, 6; R = PhCH2, L = THF, 7; R = SiMe3, L = none, 8] have been performed by reacting the protonated form of the dialkylcalix[4]arene with [Fe2Mes4] [Mes = 2,4,6-Me3C6H2]. All of them undergo one-electron oxidative functionalization. By use of different oxidizing agents, the following iron(III) derivatives have been obtained: [(p-Bu(t)-calix[4]-(O)2(OR)2)Fe-X] [X = Cl, R = Me, 9; X = I, R = Me, 10] and [(p-Bu(t)-calix[4]-(O)2(OR)2)2Fe2(mu-X] [X = O, R = Me, 11; X = O, R = Bu(n), 12; X = S, R = Me, 13], 9 and 10 being particularly appropriate for a further functionalization of the metal. The last three display typical antiferromagnetic behavior [J = -78.6 cm-1, 11; J = -64.1 cm-1, 13]. In the case of 7 and 8, the reaction with O2 led to the dealkylation of one of the alkoxo groups, with the formation of a dimeric iron(III) derivative ([mu-p-Bu(t)-calix[4]-(O)3(OR))2Fe2] [R = PhCH2, 14; R = SiMe3, 15] [J = -9.8 cm-1]. The reaction of the parent compounds with ButNC and diazoalkanes led to the formation of [Fe=C] functionalities supported by a calix[4]arene oxo surface. The following compounds have been isolated and characterized: ([p-Bu(t)-calix[4]-(O)2(OR)2)Fe=CNBut] [R = SiMe3, 16, nu CN = 2175 cm-1], ([p-Bu(t)-calix[4]-(O)2(OR)2)Fe=CPh2] [R = Me, 17; R = PhCH2, 18; R = SiMe3, 19]. The three carbene complexes 17-19 display quite an unusual high-spin state, which is a consequence of the formation of a weak pi interaction between the metal and the carbene carbon, as confirmed by the extended Hückel calculations. The carbene functionality has been removed from the iron center in the reaction with O2 and HCl. The proposed structures have been supported by X-ray analyses of complexes 8, 9, 12, 14, 16, 17, and 19.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2000

Radiosurgery in the management of pediatric brain tumors.

A total of 114 patients with benign and malignant intracranial tumors were treated by Valentino at the Flaminia Radiosurgical Center using a Philips 6-MeV linear accelerator between 1987 and 1995. The tumor locations break down as follows: 36 in the cerebral hemispheres, 14 in the region of the hypothalamus/optic chiasm, 21 in the III ventricle/pineal region, 3 in the basal ganglia, 27 in the posterior fossa, 13 in the brain stem. Seventy-nine patients had multivariate/combined treatment consisting of surgery or biopsy followed by chemotherapy, radiotherapy and/or radiosurgery. Thirty-five were not operated on or biopsied but were treated primarily by radiosurgery, which was associated with chemotherapy and conventional radiotherapy. The short- and long-term results were evaluated separately for each pathology in an attempt to derive guidelines for future treatment. For tumors of the pineal region, we are of the opinion that radiosurgery is the treatment of choice in children and that more than one-third of patients can be cured by this means. The remaining patients require surgery and/or chemotherapy in addition. For medulloblastomas radiosurgery may be useful to control local recurrence if coupled with chemotherapy. In the case of ependymomas, partly because of the extreme malignancy of the lesions in our series, radiosurgery did not succeed in controlling local recurrence. We fear that limiting treatment to radiosurgery, rather than prescribing conventional radiotherapy when indicated, could permit CNS seeding. For craniopharyngiomas radiosurgery proved useful for controlling solid remnants. In glial tumors radiosurgery helped either to "sterilize" the tumor bed after removal or to treat remnants of the lesions in critical areas; for diffuse brain stem gliomas it should be considered the treatment of choice.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Evidence of lymphocyte alveolitis by bronchoalveolar lavage in thalassemic patients with pulmonary dysfunction.

Pulmonary dysfunction represents one of the least studied complications in thalassemic patients. Probably, it is due to the absence of pulmonary symptoms. There are few works in the literature, and contradictory results have been published. The aim of this study was to define the spirometric pattern and the possible causes of lung impairment by testing bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) with pathological pulmonary function tests (PFTs). Furthermore, diffusion capacity tests for carbon monoxide corrected for hemoglobin value (Dco*) were performed. We studied 48 thalassemic patients (27 F and 21 M), with an age range from 8 to 23 years, divided into two groups on the basis of PFTs results. Thus, group A was formed by 16 patients with restrictive spirometric patterns of whom 14 had also reduced Dco* values and group B consisted of 32 patients with normal PFTs and Dco* values. Patients of group A underwent chest high-resolution computing tomography (CHRCT) and BAL whose fluid was analyzed by microbiologic and cytological assays. A pathological CHRCT picture was present in 8 patients. Nine out of 16 patients who accepted to undergo BAL had a chronological age greater than 17 years with a mean bone age of 13.9 years. BAL results showed lymphocyte alveolitis in 6 patients and a normal cytogram in 3, while alveolar iron-laden macrophages were present in 4 out of 6 patients with alveolitis and 2 out of 3 patients with normal cytogram. Moreover, all examined BAL fluids showed a normal CD4/CD8 ratio, while only 2 patients showed an altered serum CD4/CD8 ratio. We demonstrated the presence of (1) lung-restrictive syndrome in 16 of the oldest thalassemic patients; (2) lymphocyte alveolitis in 6 patients, and (3) a picture of interstitial fibrosis by CHRCT in 8 of them. All these data are suggestive of a diagnosis of interstitial lung disease secondary to thalassemia. BAL helped to identify the presence of alveolar iron-laden macrophages that represented a local defense mechanism against free iron. This latter finding therefore might be the primary cause of the lung impairment promoting an oxidative damage. Further studies are needed to investigate this hypothesis and therapeutical potentials.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Hydrocephalus caused by dolichoectatic basilar artery. Case report.

The authors report a rare case of dolichoectatic basilar artery causing hydrocephalus by direct compression of foramen of Monro, documented by brain CT scan and MRI angiography, treated by positioning a biventriculo-peritoneal shunt. Pathogenesis, diagnostic difficulty and treatment are discussed.

Aged↗
PubMed1999

Independent prognostic role of p16 expression in lung cancer.

OBJECTIVES: The cyclin-dependent kinase p16 (also known as Ink4A, Mts1, Cdkn2, and Cdkn4i) has been proposed as a tumor suppressor gene mapped on chromosome segment 9p21. This study evaluated p16 protein expression in 135 lung cancer specimens and investigated potential genetic alterations occurring in this gene. RESULTS: We found altered p16 immunohistochemical expression to be a frequent event in lung cancer and to be independent of either the histologic type or any other clinical-pathologic feature. Western blot analyses performed on about one third of the specimens correlated highly with these results. In addition, we found p16 immunohistochemical expression to be a favorable prognostic factor in lung cancer in that its reduction or loss correlated with a worse outcome for the patients. Polymerase chain reaction amplification and direct sequencing of p16 exons 1 and 2 revealed no mutations, indicating that p16-altered expression in lung cancer is not necessarily linked to mutational events of these genes. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that p16-altered expression is both an independent and frequent event in lung cancer and may have an important role in tumorigenesis and in malignant progression of a significant proportion of these cancers. However, the actual incidence and relevance of p16 mutations in this neoplasm continues to be debated, and its analysis seems inconclusive. Our results suggest a prognostic role for the immunodetection of this protein on formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded specimens. They further suggest its routine use in the evaluation of the frequently unpredictable behavior of lung cancer.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1999

Long-term effects of X-irradiation on gastrointestinal function and regulatory peptides in monkeys.

PURPOSE: To investigate the long-term effects of X-irradiation on different aspects of gastrointestinal function in the non-human primate (Macaca mulatta). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Animals were exposed to X-radiation (5 or 6 Gy) or not (sham) and gastrointestinal function was investigated 4-6 years after exposure. Basal and agonist-stimulated short circuit current (Isc) responses were measured in isolated jejunum. Intestinal tissue was taken for histological analysis as well as for determination of mucosal marker enzyme activities and gastrointestinal regulatory peptide levels. Vasoactive intestinal peptide receptor characteristics were determined as well as VIP-stimulated Isc responses. GI peptides were also measured in plasma. RESULTS: Few differences were seen in basal electrical parameters or tissue morphology but there was a tendency for reduced basolateral membrane enzyme activity. VIP-stimulated Isc responses were reduced in irradiated animals as were VIP-stimulated adenylate cyclase responses. Plasma and tissue (ileal and colonic muscle layers) gastrin releasing peptide levels were increased in irradiated animals. In contrast circulating gastrin levels were lower. CONCLUSIONS: Late effects of total-body irradiation on GI function in monkeys showed altered circulating and tissue levels of some GI peptides. In addition the biological effects of vasoactive intestinal peptide were modified.

Adenylyl Cyclases↗
PubMed1999

Increased concentrations of eosinophilic cationic protein in whole-gut lavage fluid from children with inflammatory bowel disease.

BACKGROUND: Eosinophils may be involved in the pathogenesis of inflammation in inflammatory bowel disease. The purpose of this study was to verify whether concentrations of eosinophilic cationic protein in gut lavage fluid from children with inflammatory bowel disease correlate with clinical and laboratory indexes of disease activity. METHODS: Twenty-three children with Crohn's disease, 14 with ulcerative colitis, and 22 age-matched control subjects entered the study. Radioimmunoassay and sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay techniques were used to measure eosinophilic cationic protein, total immunoglobulin G and interleukin-1beta, respectively. RESULTS: Gut lavage eosinophilic cationic protein levels were significantly (p < 0.005) higher in patients with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis than in control subjects. Intestinal eosinophilic cationic protein levels decreased in three of four children with Crohn's disease who were fed an elemental diet. There was a significant (p < 0.001) correlation between eosinophilic cationic protein concentrations and immunoglobulin G and interleukin-1beta levels in gut lavage fluid. CONCLUSIONS: Elevated intestinal eosinophilic cationic protein levels in inflammatory bowel disease suggest that eosinophils are involved in the gastrointestinal inflammation in this disease. Intestinal eosinophilic cationic protein concentration is another marker with which to discriminate between active and inactive inflammatory bowel disease.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

Prognostic role of cyclin D1 in lung cancer. Relationship to proliferating cell nuclear antigen.

We developed an immunohistochemical assay specific for cyclin D1 and suitable for formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded sections, to evaluate cyclin D1 expression in a group of 135 surgically resected lung-cancer patients for the purpose of investigating the prognostic role of this protein in lung cancer. In addition, we compared cyclin D1 expression with the expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), considered to be a reliable index of the proliferation rate. We found cyclin D1 expressed in more than 60% of the neoplastic cells in 26.5% of our specimens. A total of 24.5% of the specimens showed cyclin D1 expression in a percentage of cells ranging from 30 to 60%; 36.7% of the specimens expressed cyclin D1 in less than 30% of the cells; and 12.2% of the specimens expressed cyclin D1 in less than 1% of the evaluated cells. Western blot analyses confirmed the specificity of this assay by correlating statistically in a highly significant fashion with the immunohistochemical results (P = 0.0003). Furthermore, we found a direct relationship between cyclin D1 and PCNA immunodetection (P = 0.0004), which correlated cyclin D1 overexpression with a higher tumor proliferation rate. When we analyzed our data statistically, cyclin D1 expression was found to be a negative prognostic marker (P < 0.00005) whose expression correlates with a shorter patient survival time.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1998

Height, weight, height velocity of primary school population sample in Campania region.

Aim of this study was to plot height, weight and height velocity values of primary school civic population of Portici and Ercolano, Campania towns, on Tanner's charts in order to verify the overlapping of percentile distribution. On May 1994 height and weight were measured in 3504 children (1735 boys and 1769 girls, aged 5.4-16.1 years, mean age = 8.6 years) from the 1st, 2nd and 5th year of primary schools in Portici and Ercolano. One year later, on May 1995, we remeasured and reweighed 1583 (781 boys and 802 girls, aged 6.4-14.2 years, mean age = 9.6 years) out of total children and we calculated height velocity (HV). The height and weight profiles of our population sample show that children in Portici and Ercolano are taller and fatter than those measured by Tanner and Whitehouse 25-30 years ago. The calculation of body mass index (BMI) confirmed that 30% of total children were obese. Furthermore, the evaluation of one-year HV revealed a clear improvement of linear growth. Our data suggest that Tanner and Whitehouse charts should be updated, and it should be useful to elaborate also height, weight and HV standards derived from present-day population.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

A substance P receptor antagonist (FK 888) modifies gut alterations induced by ionizing radiation.

PURPOSE: We previously reported disturbances of ileal substance P (SP) levels and of characteristics of specific receptors after ionizing radiation associated with disorders of intestinal motility. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of a SP receptor blockade by FK 888 on gut SP levels and contractile properties after rat irradiation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Rats were exposed to 6 Gy whole-body gamma-irradiation and injected 1 h post-irradiation with FK 888 for 3 days (0.1 mg/kg/day). Plasma and ileal SP concentrations, ileal muscle SP receptor binding and SP-induced contractions in isolated ileum were investigated 3 and 14 days post-irradiation and FK 888 treatment. RESULTS: Irradiation induced an increase of total SP binding site number at day 3 (1.3-fold) and day 14 (1.6-fold). FK 888 had no effect on SP receptor characteristics in irradiated animals. In contrast, FK 888 treatment caused a reduction of endogenous ileal SP level in mucosal (-29%) and muscularis (-40%) layers at day 3 and these decreases were greater at day 14, -88% in mucosal and -61% in muscularis layers. FK 888 treatment decreased efficacy of ileal contraction in both the control and irradiated rat but surprisingly it increased potency at day 3 and decreased it at day 14 in the irradiated rat. CONCLUSIONS: The findings demonstrate that a SP receptor antagonist could be effective on intestine contractility alteration induced several days after ionizing radiation exposure but not at 3 days after irradiation.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

The morphology of the ureter in the duck (Anas platyrhynchos).

The morphology of the ureter of the duck was investigated, using histological, SEM and TEM techniques. The inner perimeter, the total thickness of the ureteral wall and the thickness of each uretral layer were measured. The epithelium was tall columnar and pseudostratified along all the tracts of the ureter and showed a high muco-secretive activity. The lamina propria contained numerous capillaries and aggregates of leucocytes and macrophages. Throughout the lamina propria there was a dense plexus of nerves. Some denuded single nerve fibres were observed between the epithelial basal cells. A plexus of nerves was also observed in the tunica muscularis. The ostium cloacale ureteris opened on a well-developed papilla in the dorsal region of the urodeum. The total thickness of the ureteral wall, the thickness of the lamina propria and the tunica muscularis, and the inner perimeter progressively increased towards the ostium. The above observations suggest that the avian ureter plays an important role in the modification of the urine coming from medullary cones, and in emission of the urine into the cloaca.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

p21waf1/cip1mda-6 expression in non-small-cell lung cancer: relationship to survival.

In order to clarify critical events during bronchial carcinogenesis, and to evaluate a possible prognostic role for p21 immunohistochemical detection, we assessed the immunohistochemical expression of p21 protein in 60 surgically resected non-small-cell lung cancers (NSCLCs) that had been investigated previously for their p53 protein status. We found that p21 protein was expressed in both normal and neoplastic tissue. In normal tissue, p21 immunoreactivity was detectable in a low percentage of well-differentiated cells. We found immunostaining for p21 in 80% of the investigated neoplasms. In 73.3% of the neoplasms, p21 was considered to be overexpressed. No relationship was found between p21 overexpression and tumor stage or tumor-nodal-metastatic (TNM) status. The histologic grading was slightly correlated with the p21 status (P = -0.51), with no significant differences noted between squamous carcinomas and adenocarcinomas. Survival percentage curves for our lung-cancer patients, based on a comparison of different p21 expression levels and constructed through a Kaplan-Meier analysis, showed significant differences in mean (P < 0.001) and overall (P < 0.001) survival time between patients of different p21 status, suggesting a favorable prognostic value of p21 immunostaining for NSCLC patients.

Adenocarcinoma↗