0000000000183797
AUTHOR
G. La Rocca
Novel in vitro and in vivo data on the cellular localization of Hsp10 in smokers affected by COPD and in lung-derived cell lines exposed to cigarette smoke extract as stressor.
Cigarette smoke is a potent stressor for the respiratory system, contributing to pathogenesis, for instance in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but its effects on the expression, function, and cellular localization of mitochondrial chaperonins are still largely unknown. We studied in vivo (airways biopsies) the localization of Hsp10 and Hsp60 in patients (smokers and non-smokers) affected by mild-moderate COPD, and characterized the effects of non-lethal doses of cigarette smoke extract (CSE) on the expression of these molecules in two human cell lines: lung fibroblasts (HFL-1) and bronchial epithelial (16HBE). We applied various in vitro methods: immunohistochemistry (IHC), su…
Dynamic Preisach Hysteresis Model for Magnetostrictive Materials for Energy Application
In this paper the magnetostrictive material considered is Terfenol-D. Its hysteresis is modeled by applying the DPM whose identification procedure is performed by using a neural network procedure previously publised [. The neural network used is a multiplayer perceptron trained with the Levenberg-Marquadt training algorithm. This allows to obtain the Preisach distribution function, without any special conditioning of the measured data, owing to the filtering capabilities of the neural network interpolators. The model is able to reconstruct both the magnetization relation and the Field-strain relation. The model is validated through comparison and prediction of data collected from a typical …
Zymographic detection and clinical correlations of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in breast cancer sera.
Matrix metalloproteinases, in particular the gelatinases MMP-2 and MMP-9, have received great attention in recent years as putative tumour markers for clinical applications. The main reason for the observed interest is their easy detection in body fluids. Moreover, recent evidence has shown multiple functions of MMPs, rather than simply degrading ECM, which include the mobilisation of growth factors and processing of surface molecules. Several authors have reported increased levels of MMPs in a number of cancers, but clinical correlations in breast cancer are still fragmentary. Thus, the aim of the present research was to investigate the activity levels of circulating gelatinases in the ser…
Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stromal Cells for Cartilage Regeneration Applications
Chondropathies are increasing worldwide, but effective treatments are currently lacking. Mesenchymal stromal cell (MSCs) transplantation represents a promising approach to counteract the degenerative and inflammatory environment characterizing those pathologies, such as osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Umbilical cord- (UC-) MSCs gained increasing interest due to their multilineage differentiation potential, immunomodulatory, and anti-inflammatory properties as well as higher proliferation rates, abundant supply along with no risks for the donor compared to adult MSCs. In addition, UC-MSCs are physiologically adapted to survive in an ischemic and nutrient-poor environment a…
Vitamin D increases the production of IL-10 by regulatory T cells in patients with systemic sclerosis
OBJECTIVES: Vitamin D status influences the risk to develop autoimmune diseases affecting the percentage and/or functions of regulatory T cells (Tregs). Since low levels of 25 (OH) D have been decreased in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc), we aimed to study the effect of Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) supplementation on Tregs frequencies and functions. METHODS: Peripheral blood and sera samples were obtained from 45 SSc patients and controls (HC). A number of eighteen SSc patients had consumed Cholecalciferol (orally) at the dose of 25.000 UI/month for 6 months at the time of enrollment. 25(OH)D serum levels were measured and VDR polymorphisms, were genotyped by polymerase chain reactio…
Analysis of Ki-ras mutations in stage I rectal carcinomas and respective regional lymphonodes
Human Wharton's jelly-derived mesenchymal stem cells express several immunomodulatory molecules both in their naïve state and hepatocyte-like differentiated progeny: prospects for their use in liver diseases
Wharton’s jelly (WJ), the main constituent of umbilical cord, is a reliable source of mesenchymal stem cells (MSC). WJ-MSC show unique ability in crossing lineage borders. As other extraembryonic mesenchymal populations (placenta and amnionderived cells), WJ-MSC express several immunomodulatory molecules, essential during the initial phases of human development. Indeed, our recent work pointed out the expression of non-classical HLA molecules as HLA-G in such cells, together with a favorable combination of B7 costimulators. Very few data in literature suggest that some of the immune features of the naïve cells are maintained after performing differentiation. The aim of this work was extendi…
CD1a down-regulation in primary invasive ductal breast carcinoma may predict regional lymph node invasion and patient outcome
Aims: CD1a is a molecule belonging to the highlyconserved group of CD1 proteins. Its expression indendritic cells is related to the presentation of tumour-derived glycolipid antigens to T cells and, consequently,the development of a successful antitumour response.The aim was to investigate the presence of CD1a+ cellsin both primary tumours and lymph nodes (LN) ofa series of 35 invasive ductal carcinomas by bothimmunohistochemistry and reverse transcription-poly-merase chain reaction.Methods and results: CD1a antigen was more expressedin N0 than N1 breast cancer (P < 0.0001) in bothprimary lesions and LN metastases and correlatedpositively and significantly with oestrogen (ER) (P =0.0025) and…
The expression of CD68 in human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells: new evidences of presence in non-myeloid cell types.
Since their first identification in bone marrow [2],MSC have attracted much attention for thei r potential todifferentiate towards several mature tissues. The efforts ofthe researchers aimed in finding new tissues, whichshould provide adequate cell numbers for regenerativemedicine applications (and between them, extraembryonicsources as umbilical cord and amniotic membrane, arebeing viewed with extreme interest).
Recent improvements in in situ hybridization for the detection of HPV infections in clinical samples
Objective: Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) infection is well-established as a cause of cervical cancer. Importantly, early HPV detection can decrease both the frequency and mortality of HPV-related cancers. In situ hybridization (ISH) is a widely used method for the early detection of HPV. Yet, ISH can be expensive, time-consuming and, in some cases, insufficiently sensitive to detect nucleic acid target at low copy number, which may lead to false-positive or false-negative results. To address these limitations, we recently developed a novel in situ hybridization technology based on proprietary Loop RNA probes (LRPs), which provides enhanced sensitivity, high-specificity and improved cost-effec…
CD1A expression in Barrett's oesophagus: new role for an old molecule against metaplastic progression
Umbilical cord revisited: From Wharton's jelly myofibroblasts to mesenchymal stem cells
The umbilical cord (UC) is an essential part of the placenta, contributing to foetal development by ensuring the blood flow between mother and foetus. The UC is formed within the first weeks of gestation by the enclosure of the vessels (one vein and two arteries) into a bulk of mucous connective tissue, named Wharton's jelly (WJ) and lined by the umbilical epithelium. Since their first identification, cells populating WJ were described as unusual fibroblasts (or myofibroblasts). Recent literature data further highlighted the functional interconnection between UC and the resident cells. The UC represents a reservoir of progenitor populations which are collectively grouped into MSCs (mesenchy…
Dynamic Preisach Hysteresis Model for Magnetostrictive Materials for Energy Application
Distribution of mitochondrial chaperonins in lung cells
Perinatal stem cells revisited: directions and indications at the crossroads between tissue regeneration and repair.
Perinatal stem cells research attracted great interest worldwide in recent years. Foetus-associated tissues contain various populations of stem cells, most of which are comprised within the category of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). This special issue collects both reviews and original reports on all the perinatal stem cell types which are currently under investigation. These cells have multiple promising features: differentiative capacity towards mature cell types of all the three germ layers, hypoimmunogenicity in vitro and in vivo, ease of sourcing, ex vivo culture and stor- age. In particular, immune modulation is viewed as a prom- ising feature of many MSCs populations, since these cel…
TP53 mutations are not prognostic independent indicators in bladder cancer.
Functional Interaction between ISWI and Covalent Modifiers of Chromatin
MULTIDISCIPLINARY APPROACH TO PALLIATIVE MANAGEMENT OF PANCREATOBILIARY TRACT CARCINOMAS
TP53 mutation are not prognostic indipendent indicators in bladder cancer
Detection of free-circulating tumor DNA in plasma of patients with gastrointestinal cancer.
The Immunomodulatory Features of Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Derived from Wharton’s Jelly, Amniotic Membrane, and Chorionic Villi In Vitro and In Vivo Data
This chapter focuses on the immunomodulatory properties of placental mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) derived from the amniotic membrane, umbilical cord, and chorionic villi. Within the amniotic membrane (AM), we discuss the immunomodulatory properties of the two main cell populations that can be isolated from AM: human amniotic mesenchymal stromal cells (hAMSCs) and human amniotic epithelial cells (hAECs). Within the umbilical cord, several compartments have been described, including the amniotic compartment, the Wharton’s jelly (WJ) compartment, and the vascular and perivascular compartment, but herein attention is focused on the properties of human WJ MSCs (hWJMSCs). Since different isol…
Isolation and characterization of pluripotent cells from the subendocardial layer of human hearts from chronic heart failure patients
CD1a expression by Barrett's metaplasia of gastric type may help to predict its evolution towards cancer
As emerging in the recent literature, CD1a has been regarded as a molecule whose expression may reflect tumour evolution. The aim of the present work was to investigate the expression of CD1a in a series of Barrett's metaplasia (BM), gastric type (GTBM), with and without follow-up, in order to analyse whether its expression may help to diagnose this disease and to address the outcome. Indeed, GTBM may be confused sometimes with islets of ectopic gastric mucosa and its evolution towards dysplasia (Dy) or carcinoma (Ca) could not be foreseen. We showed a significant higher expression of CD1a in GTBM than in both Dy and Ca; nevertheless, the number of positive GTBM was significantly lower in t…