Search results for "Growth factors."
showing 10 items of 116 documents
Liver specific overexpression of platelet-derived growth factor-B accelerates liver cancer development in chemically induced liver carcinogenesis
2010
A genetic basis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has been well-established and major signaling pathways, such as p53, Wnt-signaling, transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) and Ras pathways, have been identified to be essential to HCC development. Lately, the family of platelet-derived growth factors (PDGFs) has shifted to the center of interest. We have reported on spontaneously developing liver fibrosis in PDGF-B transgenic mice. Since HCC rarely occurs in healthy liver, but dramatically increases at the cirrhosis stage of which liver fibrosis is a preliminary stage, we investigated liver cancer development in chemically induced liver carcinogenesis in these mice. HCC induction was performe…
ASTROCYTES SHED EXTRACELLULAR VESICLES THAT CONTAIN FIBROBLAST GROWTH FACTOR-2 AND VASCULAR ENDOTHELIAL GROWTH FACTOR.
2007
An important component of the pathogenic process of multiple sclerosis (MS) is the blood-brain barrier (BBB) damage. We recently set an in vitro model of BBB, based on a three-cell-type co-culture system, in which rat neurons and astrocytes synergistically induce brain capillary endothelial cells to form a monolayer with permeability properties resembling those of the physiological BBB. Herein we report that the serum from patients with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS) has a damaging effect on isolated neurons. This finding suggests that neuronal damaging in MS could be a primary event and not only secondary to myelin damage, as generally assumed. SPMS serum affects the perme…
Hypoxia-stimulated expression of angiogenic growth factors in cervical cancer cells and cervical cancer-derived fibroblasts
2001
It is generally accepted that local growth of solid tumors and their ability to establish distant metastases are dependent on the formation of new blood vessels arising from preexisting ones (angiogenesis). The angiogenic response of the host is mediated by angiogenic molecules that are released from cancer and normal stroma cells, especially fibroblasts. The goal of the present study was to quantitatively compare the expression of the two most important angiogenic growth factors (VEGF, angiogenin) of cervical cancer cells (HeLa and Me-180) with that of cervical cancer-derived fibroblasts (from one tumor/patient) under defined normoxic and hypoxic conditions in vitro. The growth kinetics of…
Intravitreal dexamethasone implant versus anti-vascular endothelial growth factor therapy combined with cataract surgery in patients with diabetic ma…
2021
Objective: to compare outcomes of cataract surgery combined with either anti-Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (anti-VEGF) therapy or dexamethasone implant (DEX) in patients with diabetic macular oedema (DMO). Methods: Pubmed and Embase databases were searched for studies reporting outcomes of diabetic cataract surgery combined with either anti-VEGF or DEX, with a follow-up ≥3 months. The primary outcome was the mean change in central macular thickness (CMT). Mean change in best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was considered as a secondary outcome. The mean difference between baseline and post-treatment values (MD) with 95%-Confidence Interval (95%CI) was calculated and meta-analyses were p…
Early OCTA Changes of Type 3 Macular Neovascularization Following Brolucizumab Intravitreal Injections
2022
Background and Objectives: Brolucizumab is a novel anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), whose efficacy has been shown in the Hawk and Harrier phase 3 clinical studies. The goal of the present case series is to report initial results of brolucizumab intravitreal injections (IVI) on type 3 neovascularization in neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD), evaluated by optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA). Materials and Methods: This is a bicentric retrospective case series. Patients with newly diagnosed type 3 MNV treated with brolucizumab IVI and at least 6 months follow-up were enrolled. OCTA en face images and B-scans were analyzed for lesions at baseline, 1 m…
How is the biocompatibilty of dental biomaterials evaluated?
2007
All biomaterials used in dentistry must be evaluated for biocompatibility using screening assays to protect patient health and safety. The purpose of this review is to explain the international biocompatibility guidelines, and to explain the structure of a test program. The test program requires the structured assessment of materials into four phases; general toxicity, local tissue irritation, pre-clinical, and clinical evaluation. Different types of screening assays are available, and it is important to understand the advantages and limitations of the various types of assays that are available, so that they can be selected for appropriateness and interpreted accurately. New scientific adva…
Longitudinal Study of Cytokine Expression, Lipid Profile and Neuronal Growth Factors in Human Breast Milk from Term and Preterm Deliveries
2015
Breast milk (BM) is considered as a reference for infant nutrition. The role of bioactive components, such as cytokines, hormones, growth factors (GFs) and fatty acids (FAs) is poorly known, but they might be implicated in immune response development. The aim of this study was to identify the lipid profile and the spectrum of cytokines and neuronal GF in BM samples and analyse the influence of gestational age and lactation time on these components. This study used a longitudinal prospective method for the characterization of cytokines, FAs and GFs global profiles in 120 BM samples from 40 healthy mothers (20 preterm and 20 term) collected as colostrum, transitional and mature milk. The cyto…
Estrogens and Stem Cells in Thyroid Cancer
2014
Recent discoveries highlight the emerging role of estrogens in the initiation and progression of different malignancies through their interaction with stem cell compartment. Estrogens play a relevant role especially for those tumors bearing a gender disparity in incidence and aggressiveness, as occurs for most thyroid diseases. Although several experimental lines suggest that estrogens promote thyroid cell proliferation and invasion, their precise contribution in stem cell compartment still remains unclear. This review underlines the interplay between hormones and thyroid function, which could help to complete the puzzle of gender discrepancy in thyroid malignancies. Defining the associatio…
Targeting the vascular endothelial growth factor system to prevent ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome
2008
BACKGROUND: Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) typically occurs when ovaries are primed with FSH/ LH and subsequently exposed to hCG. The ultimate pathophysiological step underlying this clinical picture is increased vascular permeability (VP). METHODS: A search of the literature was carried out using PubMed and the authors’ files. RESULTS: In rodents and humans, the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and VEGF receptor 2 (VEGFR-2) mRNA increases during ovarian stimulation. With the administration of hCG, the expression of each rises to a maximum. Expression of VEGF/VEGFR-2 mRNAs correlates with enhanced VP, with both peaking 48 h following an injection of hCG. Imm…
Expression of neurotrophins, GDNF, and their receptors in rat thyroid tissue
1999
Levels of mRNA for neurotrophins (brain-derived neurotrophic factor, BDNF; neurotrophin 3, NT-3; neurotrophin 4, NT-4) and their receptors (trkA, trkB, trkC) and for glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) and its receptors (ret, GDNFR-alpha) were measured in rat thyroid tissue by ribonuclease protection assays. In thyroid tissue the NT-3 mRNA level was threefold lower and the NT-4 mRNA level sixfold higher than those detected in adult rat hippocampus, while BDNF mRNA was undetectable. Very low levels of mRNA for truncated trkB and trkC receptors and no catalytic trkA, trkB or trkC were found. In conclusion NT-3 and NT-4, but not the corresponding functional receptors, are expres…