Search results for "DISEASES"
showing 10 items of 20537 documents
Stenosis coexists with compromised α1-adrenergic contractions in the ascending aorta of a mouse model of Williams-Beuren syndrome
2020
Williams-Beuren syndrome (WBS) is a rare disorder caused by a heterozygous deletion of 26-28 contiguous genes that affects the brain and cardiovascular system. Here, we investigated whether WBS affects aortic structure and function in the complete deletion (CD) mouse model harbouring the most common deletion found in WBS patients. Thoracic aortas from 3-4 months-old male CD mice and wild-type littermates were mounted in wire myographs or were processed for histomorphometrical analysis. Nitric oxide synthase (NOS) isoforms and oxidative stress levels were assessed. Ascending aortas from young adult CD mice showed moderate (50%) luminal stenosis, whereas endothelial function and oxidative str…
Synaptic Regulator α-Synuclein in Dopaminergic Fibers Is Essentially Required for the Maintenance of Subependymal Neural Stem Cells.
2018
Synaptic protein -synuclein (-SYN) modulates neurotransmission in a complex and poorly understood manner and aggregates in the cytoplasm of degenerating neurons in Parkinsons disease. Here, we report that -SYN present in dopaminergic nigral afferents is essential for the normal cycling and maintenance of neural stem cells (NSCs) in the brain subependymal zone of adult male and female mice. We also showthat premature senescence of adult NSCs into non-neurogenic astrocytes in mice lacking-SYN resemblesthe effects of dopaminergic fiber degeneration resulting from chronic exposure to 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetra-hydropyridine or intranigral inoculation of aggregated toxic -SYN. Interestingly…
Evolution of transmitted HIV-1 drug resistance and viral subtypes circulation in Italy from 2006 to 2016
2018
Objectives: The aim was to evaluate the evolution of transmitted HIV-1 drug resistance (TDR) prevalence in antiretroviral therapy (ART)-naïve patients from 2006 to 2016. Methods: HIV-1 sequences were retrieved from the Antiviral Response Cohort Analysis (ARCA) database and TDR was defined as detection of at least one mutation from the World Health Organization (WHO) surveillance list. Results: We included protease/reverse transcriptase sequences from 3573 patients; 455 had also integrase sequences. Overall, 68.1% of the patients were Italian, the median CD4 count was 348 cells/μL [interquartile range (IQR) 169–521 cells/μL], and the median viral load was 4.7 log 10 HIV-1 RNA copies/mL (IQR …
Analysis of colon-infiltrating γδ T cells in chronic inflammatory bowel disease and in colitis-associated cancer
2019
Abstract Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) remains a global health problem with a significant percentage of patients progressing to chronic inflammation and colitis-associated cancer (CAC). Whether or not γδ T cells contribute to initiation and maintenance of inflammation in IBD and in the development of CAC is not known. We have evaluated the frequency, phenotype, and functions of γδ T cells among tissue-infiltrating lymphocytes in healthy donors and IBD and CAC patients. Results show that Vδ1 T cells are the dominant γδ T-cell population in healthy tissue, whereas Vδ2 T significantly abound in chronic IBD. Vδ2 T cells produce more IFN-γ, TNF-α, and IL-17 than Vδ1 T cells in chronic inflame…
Differential Impact of Ad Libitum or Intermittent High-Fat Diets on Bingeing Ethanol-Mediated Behaviors
2019
Background: Dietary factors have significant effects on the brain, modulating mood, anxiety, motivation and cognition. To date, no attention has been paid to the consequences that the combination of ethanol (EtOH) and a high-fat diet (HFD) have on learning and mood disorders during adolescence. The aim of the present work was to evaluate the biochemical and behavioral consequences of ethanol binge drinking and an HFD consumption in adolescent mice. Methods: Animals received either a standard diet or an HFD (ad libitum vs. binge pattern) in combination with ethanol binge drinking and were evaluated in anxiety and memory. The metabolic profile and gene expression of leptin receptors and clock…
Total colonic aganglionosis and cleft palate in a newborn with Janus-cysteine 618 mutation of RET proto-oncogene: a case report.
2020
Abstract Background Hirschsprung disease, the most important congenital colonic dysmotility in children results from neural crest migration, differentiation, proliferation, or apoptosis defects where the rearranged during transfection (RET)-Protooncogene pathway has a central role. Although palatal and retinal anomalies in the context of chromosomopathies and some mono−/oligogenic syndromes are reported associated with Hirschsprung disease the role of inactivating RET mutations in these cases is not clarified. Case presentation We report on a dysmorphic newborn with cleft palate and palatal synechia, who showed intestinal obstruction after 24 h of life. Transient ileostomy and surgical biop…
Whole-blood transcriptome profiling reveals signatures of metformin and its therapeutic response
2020
Metformin, a biguanide agent, is the first-line treatment for type 2 diabetes mellitus due to its glucose-lowering effect. Despite its wide application in the treatment of multiple health conditions, the glycemic response to metformin is highly variable, emphasizing the need for reliable biomarkers. We chose the RNA-Seq-based comparative transcriptomics approach to evaluate the systemic effect of metformin and highlight potential predictive biomarkers of metformin response in drug-naive volunteers with type 2 diabetes in vivo. The longitudinal blood-derived transcriptome analysis revealed metformin-induced differential expression of novel and previously described genes involved in cholester…
Neuroprotective potential of antihyperglycemic drug metformin in streptozocin-induced rat model of sporadic Alzheimer's disease.
2020
Abstract The earliest hallmarks of sporadic Alzheimer's disease (sAD) are impaired glucose metabolism, chronic neuroinflammation, diminished synaptic plasticity and subsequent cognitive decline. The safest antidiabetic drug metformin has shown both glucose metabolism-improving and cognition-enhancing action in type 2 diabetes patients and diabetic model animals. However, metformin has not been previously studied in intracerebroventricular streptozocin (STZ)-induced model of sAD. Therefore, our aim was to assess the preventive action of metformin in sAD model-rats. Firstly, the actions of metformin (75 and 100 mg/kg) on cognitive functions and sociability were examined. Secondly, we wanted t…
Association of metformin administration with gut microbiome dysbiosis in healthy volunteers
2018
Background Metformin is a widely used first-line drug for treatment of type 2 diabetes. Despite its advantages, metformin has variable therapeutic effects, contraindications, and side effects. Here, for the very first time, we investigate the short-term effect of metformin on the composition of healthy human gut microbiota. Methods We used an exploratory longitudinal study design in which the first sample from an individual was the control for further samples. Eighteen healthy individuals were treated with metformin (2 × 850 mg) for 7 days. Stool samples were collected at three time points: prior to administration, 24 hours and 7 days after metformin administration. Taxonomic composition of…
Comparison of sperm motility subpopulation structure among wild anadromous and farmed male Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) parr using a CASA system.
2017
Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) is an endangered freshwater species that needs help to recover its wild stocks. However, the priority in aquaculture is to obtain successful fertilisation and genetic variability to secure the revival of the species. The aims of the present work were to study sperm subpopulation structure and motility patterns in wild anadromous males and farmed male Atlantic salmon parr. Salmon sperm samples were collected from wild anadromous salmon (WS) and two generations of farmed parr males. Sperm samples were collected from sexually mature males and sperm motility was analysed at different times after activation (5 and 35 s). Differences among the three groups were anal…