Search results for "Gens"
showing 10 items of 3762 documents
Stro-1/CD44 as putative human myometrial and fibroid stem cell markers
2015
Objective To identify and characterize myometrial/fibroid stem cells by specific stem cell markers in human myometrium, and to better understand the stem cell contribution in the development of uterine fibroids. Design Prospective, experimental human and animal study. Setting University research laboratory. Patient(s)/Animal(s) Women undergoing hysterectomy for treatment of symptomatic uterine fibroids and female NOD/SCID/IL-2Rγ null mice. Intervention(s) Identification and isolation of stem cells from human fibroids and adjacent myometrium tissues using Stro-1/CD44–specific surface markers. Main Outcome Measure(s) Flow cytometry, semiquantitative polymerase chain reaction, clonogenicity as…
Update on autoimmune hepatitis
2009
Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is a necroinflammatory liver disease of unknown etiology that occurs in children and adults of all ages. Characteristics are its autoimmune features, hyperglobulinemia (IgG), and the presence of circulating autoantibodies, as well as a response to immunosuppressant drugs. Current treatment consists of prednisone and azathioprine and in most patients this disease has become very treatable. Over the past 2 years, a couple of new insights into the genetic aspects, clinical course and treatment of AIH have been reported, which will be the focus of this review. In particular, we concentrate on genome-wide microsatellite analysis, a novel mouse model of AIH, the evaluat…
Sensitization to Horse Allergens in Italy: A Multicentre Study in Urban Atopic Subjects without Occupational Exposure.
2010
<i>Background:</i> Horses play a significant role in people’s leisure time in Italy and other countries, but few data are available on IgE-mediated sensitization to horse allergens in patients without occupational exposure. We assessed, in a multicentric survey, the prevalence of horse sensitization in atopic subjects and its clinical characteristics. <i>Methods:</i> Allergists from the whole Italian territory were required to collect the results of skin prick tests from at least 100 consecutive subjects. Those patients with a positive skin test to horse dander underwent a detailed interview concerning clinical history, pet ownership and possible exposure. <i>R…
Effect of cordycepin on interleukin-10 production of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells
2002
Therapeutic options for controlling autoimmune diseases are still very limited. Interleukin-10 has been reported to be a promising approach to therapeutic intervention. In the search for a drug which results in the selective upregulation of interleukin-10, we investigated the immunoregulative effects of cordycepin. We have measured interleukin-10 and interleukin-2 secretion of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells that were incubated with cordycepin and assessed the influence of cordycepin on the expression of interleukin-10 mRNA, the proliferative response and the expression of surface markers on T lymphocytes. In addition, the subsets of interleukin-10-secreting cells, the influence of…
Genome-based in silico identification of new Mycobacterium tuberculosis antigens activating polyfunctional CD8+ T cells in human tuberculosis.
2011
Although CD8(+) T cells help control Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection, their M. tuberculosis Ag repertoire, in vivo frequency, and functionality in human tuberculosis (TB) remains largely undefined. We have performed genome-based bioinformatics searches to identify new M. tuberculosis epitopes presented by major HLA class I supertypes A2, A3, and B7 (covering 80% of the human population). A total of 432 M. tuberculosis peptides predicted to bind to HLA-A*0201, HLA-A*0301, and HLA-B*0702 (representing the above supertypes) were synthesized and HLA-binding affinities determined. Peptide-specific CD8(+) T cell proliferation assays (CFSE dilution) in 41 M. tuberculosis-responsive donors ide…
Selective Depletion of Alloreactive T Lymphocytes Using Patient-Derived Nonhematopoietic Stimulator Cells in Allograft Engineering
2008
Background. Selective depletion of alloreactive T cells in vitro results in efficient graft-versus-host disease prophylaxis in allogeneic hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation, but it is accompanied by increased recurrence of leukemia. To spare donor T-cell-mediated graft-versus-leukemia immunity against hematopoiesis-restricted minor histocompatibility (minor-H) antigens, we explored the use of patient-derived nonhematopoietic antigen-presenting cells (APC) as allogeneic stimulators for selective allodepletion in leukemia-reactive donor T-cell lines. Methods. Primary keratinocytes, dermal fibroblasts, and bone marrow fibroblasts were generated from skin biopsies and diagnostic bone marro…
Lack of Hypoxic Response in Uterine Leiomyomas despite Severe Tissue Hypoxia
2008
Abstract Hypoxia is now established as a key factor influencing the pathophysiology of malignant growth. Among other effects, hypoxia modulates the expression of a multitude of genes through the induction of hypoxia-inducible transcription factors. This differential gene expression favors angiogenesis, cell survival, an invasive/metastatic phenotype, and resistance to anticancer therapies. Because benign tumors do not exhibit these traits, one might expect these entities to be neither hypoxic nor to induce the genetic hypoxia response program. To test this hypothesis, an investigation of the oxygenation status of 17 leiomyomas and 1 leiomyosarcoma of the uterus using polarographic needle el…
Evidence that insulin and androgens may participate in the regulation of serum leptin levels in women
1999
Abstract Objective: Although serum leptin is principally influenced by body mass, to understand the role of insulin and androgens in the regulation of serum leptin in normal weight women. Design: Prospective observational study. Setting: Academic practice in reproductive endocrinology. Patient(s): Twenty-one women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) of normal body weight, 8 apparently normal women with polycystic-appearing ovaries (PAO), and 21 normal women. Intervention(s): Fasting blood levels of luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, testosterone (T), unbound T, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS), insulin, insulin growth factor–binding protein-1 (IGFBP-1), and leptin. M…
Evaluation of serum levels of soluble CD4, CD8 and β2-microglobulin in visceral human leishmaniasis
1994
SUMMARY The levels of soluble CD4 (sCD4), sCD8 and β2-microglobulin (β2-M) were measured in sera from patients with visceral leishmaniasis during the course of infection. Levels of sCD4. sCD8 and β2-M were raised significantly above levels In normal sera and returned to the normal range after recovery. The decrease in the levels of CDS was related to a reduction of anaemia, leukopenia and thrombocytopenia. In contrast, sCD4 levels fluctuated during the period of infection. β2-M returned within normal range more rapidly than sCD8 secretion. Our results suggest that T cells are activated during infection, and that it is also possible that the raised levels of these soluble molecules play a ro…
Interleukin-12 release by mitogen-stimulated mononuclear cells in the elderly.
1998
Abstract Defects involving cellular expression of activation molecules, cell mediated immune response and natural killer (NK) activity are commonly observed in the elderly. Herein, data are reported on the evaluation of IL-12 production by old subjects. IL-12 is, actually, considered the key molecule for the induction of a T helper 1 (Th1) -type and NK response. IL-12 production from old subjects peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMNC) was evaluated using T-independent (bacterial lipopolysaccharide, LPS) or -dependent (phytoemagglutinin, PHA; immobilized anti-CD3 monoclonal antibodies, anti-CD3) mitogens. The IL-12 production after LPS stimulation was not reduced in cultures from old sub…