0000000000450330
AUTHOR
G. Stassi
Thyroid Cancer Resistance to Chemotherapeutic Drugs via Autocrine Production of Interleukin-4 and Interleukin-10
We investigated the mechanisms responsible for the widespread refractoriness to chemotherapeutic drugs observed in thyroid cancers. We show that malignant epithelial cells from papillary, follicular, and anaplastic thyroid carcinomas express high levels of Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL. Exogenous expression of either Bcl-2 or Bcl-xL in normal thyrocytes was sufficient to prevent chemotherapeutic drug-induced cytotoxicity. All of the histological thyroid cancer variants examined produced interleukin-4 (IL-4) and interleukin-10 (IL-10), which increased Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL levels and protected thyroid cells from chemotherapeutic agents. Exposure to neutralizing antibodies against IL-4 and IL-10 resulted in do…
Centroid-based Cluster Analysis of HVSR Data for Seismic Microzonation
Horizontal to Vertical Spectral Ratio (HVSR) datasets acquired for studies of seismic microzoning in various urban centers of Sicilian towns, have been used to test clustering analysis through a nonhierarchical centroid-based algorithm. In this context clustering techniques may be useful to identify areas with similar seismic behaviour through HVSR data. Centroid-based algorithms generally require the number of clusters, k, and the initial centroid coordinates to be specified in advance. This aspect is considered to be one of the biggest drawbacks of these algorithms. The proposed algorithm doesn’t limit the number of k clusters and choose the initial centroids automatically from the data s…
Clostridium baratii bacteremia associated with Kawasaki syndrome. First case report
We experienced a case of a 3-year-old boy who presented signs and symptoms of Kawasaki syndrome. Two blood culture sets were processed by the hospital microbiology laboratory using a standard blood culturing system. The anaerobic bottles gave a positive result at day 3 after inoculation. The biochemical profiles produced by the RapID ANA II System showed that the organism was Clostridium baratii with a probability of 99%. Our case highlights the importance of C. baratii as a potential human pathogen and reports the associations with manifestations, which, to our knowledge, have not been previously described concomitantly with a clostridial infection.
Efficient killing of human colon cancer stem cells by gammadelta T lymphocytes
Colon cancer comprises a small population of cancer stem cells (CSC) that is responsible for tumor maintenance and resistant to cancer therapies, possibly allowing for tumor recapitulation once treatment stops. We previously demonstrated that such chemoresistance is mediated by autocrine production of IL-4 through the up-regulation of antiapoptotic proteins. Several innate and adaptive immune effector cells allow for the recognition and destruction of cancer precursors before they constitute the tumor mass. However, cellular immune-based therapies have not been experimented yet in the population of CSCs. Here, we show that the bisphosphonate zoledronate sensitizes colon CSCs to Vgamma9Vdelt…
Autologous adipose-derived stromal vascular fraction and platelet concentrates for the treatment of complex perianal fistulas
Abstract Background Complex perianal fistulas are a major challenge for modern surgery since 10–35% of patients have functional problems after treatment. Sphincter-saving techniques have a wide range of efficacy (10–80%). We hypothesised that autologous adipose-derived stromal vascular fraction in combination with platelet rich plasma is a new therapeutic strategy with enhanced cure and function preservation rates. Methods Adult patients with complex cryptoglandular perianal fistulas were treated with injection of autologous adipose-derived stromal vascular fraction in combination with platelet rich plasma around and inside the fistulous tract between May 2018 and April 2019 at the General …
Chapter 6 Colon
Abstract The aim of this chapter is to show the key features of adult colon stem cells and provide a useful tool for their isolation, characterization and propagation.
NF-kappaB protects Behcet's disease T cells against CD95-induced apoptosis up-regulating antiapoptotic proteins
OBJECTIVE: To determine whether prolongation of the inflammatory reaction in patients with Behçet's disease (BD) is related to apoptosis resistance and is associated with the up-regulation of antiapoptotic factors. METHODS: The percentage of cell death was evaluated by flow cytometry in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 35 patients with BD and 30 healthy volunteers. The expression levels of antiapoptotic factors and NF-kappaB regulatory proteins were measured using Western blotting and immunohistochemical analyses. To down-regulate NF-kappaB nuclear translocation, BD T lymphocytes were exposed in vitro to thalidomide and subjected to transfection with NF-kappaB small interfering RNA. …