Search results for "Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction"
showing 10 items of 591 documents
Real-Time Quantification of Human Telomerase Reverse Transcriptase mRNA in the Plasma of Patients with Prostate Cancer
2006
The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential diagnostic value of quantitative analysis of human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) mRNA in plasma for noninvasive diagnosis of prostate cancer (PCa). Expression levels of hTERT were analyzed by real-time quantitative RT-PCR in 68 patients showing elevated prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels and a control group of 44 healthy volunteers. Sensitivity and specificity were determined and compared to the corresponding PSA values. Median values for hTERT gene expression in the PCa patients (0.72 ng; range 0.01-12.86) were statistically significantly higher (P < 0.001) than in the control group (0.13 ng; 0.02-0.35). Patients with clini…
Metabolic syndrome triggered by high-fructose diet favors choroidal neovascularization and impairs retinal light sensitivity in the rat
2014
Diabetic retinopathy and age-related macular degeneration are the leading causes of blindness in Western populations. Although it is a matter of controversy, large-scale population-based studies have reported increased prevalence of age-related macular degeneration in patients with diabetes or diabetic retinopathy. We hypothesized that metabolic syndrome, one of the major risk factors for type 2 diabetes, would represent a favorable environment for the development of choroidal neovascularization, the main complication of age-related macular degeneration. The fructose-fed rat was used as a model for metabolic syndrome in which choroidal neovascularization was induced by laser photocoagulatio…
Gene Expression Profiling of Facilitated L-LTP in VP16-CREB Mice Reveals that BDNF Is Critical for the Maintenance of LTP and Its Synaptic Capture
2011
Expression of VP16-CREB, a constitutively active form of CREB, in hippocampal neurons of the CA1 region lowers the threshold for eliciting the late, persistent phase of long-term potentiation (L-LTP) in the Schaffer collateral pathway. This VP16-CREB-mediated L-LTP differs from the conventional late phase of LTP in not being dependent on new transcription. This finding suggests that in the transgenic mice the mRNA transcript(s) encoding the protein(s) necessary for this form of L-LTP might already be present in CA1 neurons in the basal condition. We used high-density oligonucleotide arrays to identify the mRNAs differentially expressed in the hippocampus of transgenic and wild-type mice. We…
Expression of Interleukin-32 in the Inflamed Arteries of Patients With Giant Cell Arteritis
2011
Objective Giant cell (temporal) arteritis (GCA) is a vasculitis that mainly affects the large and medium arteries, especially the branches of the proximal aorta. Interleukin-32 (IL-32) is a recently described Th1 proinflammatory cytokine, and is mainly induced by interferon-γ (IFNγ), IL-1β, and tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα). This study was undertaken to investigate the expression and tissue distribution of IL-32 in artery biopsy specimens from patients with GCA. Methods Quantitative gene expression analysis of IL-32, IL-1β, TNFα, IFNγ, IL-6, and IL-27 was performed in artery biopsy specimens obtained from 18 patients with GCA and 15 controls. Immunohistochemistry analysis was performed to …
DJ-1 mutations and parkinsonism-dementia-amyotrophic lateral sclerosis complex.
2005
Mutations in DJ-1 gene have been recently shown to cause autosomal recessive early-onset Parkinson’s disease (EOPD) in a large Dutch family and in a small consanguineous Italian family.1 Subsequent to this initial finding, several additional DJ-1 mutations were identified in subjects with EOPD.2–6 We describe a family from southern Italy with three brothers affected by a complex disorder characterized by early-onset parkinsonism-dementia-amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (EOPD-D-ALS). The analysis of the DJ-1 gene showed a novel homozygous mutation (E163K) in exon 7 and a novel homozygous mutation (g.168_185dup) in the promoter region of this gene in living affected subjects
Connexin36 (Cx36) expression and protein detection in the mouse carotid body and myenteric plexus
2013
AbstractAlthough connexin36 (Cx36) has been studied in several tissues, it is notable that no data are available on Cx36 expression in the carotid body and the intestine. The present study was undertaken to evaluate using immunohistochemistry, PCR and Western blotting procedures, whether Cx36 was expressed in the mouse carotid body and in the intestine at ileum and colon level. In the carotid body, Cx36 was detected as diffuse punctate immunostaining and as protein by Western blotting and mRNA by RT-PCR. Cx36 punctate immunostaining was also evident in the intestine with localization restricted to the myenteric plexus of both the ileum and the colon, and this detection was also confirmed by…
IL-33 is overexpressed in the inflamed arteries of patients with giant cell arteritis.
2013
OBJECTIVE: To study the expression of interleukin (IL)-33 and to evaluate its relationship with macrophage polarisation in artery biopsy specimens from patients with giant cell arteritis (GCA). METHODS: IL-33, ST2, p-STAT-6 and perivascular IL-1 receptor-associated kinase 1 (p-IRAK1) tissue distribution was evaluated by immunohistochemistry. Inducible nitric oxide synthase and CD163 were also used by immunohistochemistry to evaluate the M1 and M2 polarisation, respectively. Quantitative gene expression analysis of IL-33, T-helper (Th)2-related transcription factor STAT6, Th2 cytokines (IL-4, IL-5, IL-25) and interferon (IFN)-γ was performed in artery biopsy samples obtained from 20 patients…
Evaluation by Ultrasound of Abdominal Lymphadenopathy in Chronic Hepatitis C
1999
Objective: Abdominal ultrasound has shown a frequent association between abdominal lymphadenopathy (LA) and chronic liver disease, but contradictory data have been reported on its relationship with the main parameters of hepatic function. The aim of this study was to correlate the prevalence of LA in patients who were chronic hepatitis-anti-hepatitis C virus positive prospectively followed-up over the last 3 years and its relationship with biochemical and histological data. Methods: 136 RIBA II confirmed positive patients with ALT levels >2N were included. None of these had been or was at the time of study on interferon treatment. Ultrasound was performed using a Toshiba SSA 240 A apparatus…
The effect of the pro-inflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor-alpha on human joint capsule myofibroblasts.
2009
Introduction Previous studies have shown that the number of myoblastically differentiated fibroblasts known as myofibroblasts (MFs) is significantly increased in stiff joint capsules, indicating their crucial role in the pathogenesis of post-traumatic joint stiffness. Although the mode of MFs' function has been well defined for different diseases associated with tissue fibrosis, the underlying mechanisms of their regulation in the pathogenesis of post-traumatic joint capsule contracture are largely unknown. Methods In this study, we examined the impact of the pro-inflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) on cellular functions of human joint capsule MFs. MFs were challenged w…
First Evidence for a Crosstalk Between Mitochondrial and NADPH Oxidase-Derived Reactive Oxygen Species in Nitroglycerin-Triggered Vascular Dysfunction
2008
Chronic nitroglycerin treatment results in development of nitrate tolerance associated with endothelial dysfunction (ED). We sought to clarify how mitochondria- and NADPH oxidase (Nox)-derived reactive oxygen species (ROS) contribute to nitrate tolerance and nitroglycerin-induced ED. Nitrate tolerance was induced by nitroglycerin infusion in male Wistar rats (100 microg/h/4 day) and in C57/Bl6, p47(phox/) and gp91(phox/) mice (50 microg/h/4 day). Protein and mRNA expression of Nox subunits were unaltered by chronic nitroglycerin treatment. Oxidative stress was determined in vascular rings and mitochondrial fractions of nitroglycerin-treated animals by L-012 enhanced chemiluminescence, revea…