Search results for "SECRETION"
showing 10 items of 764 documents
Hirsutism: investigation and management.
2019
In all hirsute women, a careful diagnostic evaluation should be performed, and the findings will largely influence the therapeutic decisions and the follow-up of the patients. An assay of serum 17-OH progesterone is needed, while the measurement of total testosterone and sex hormone-binding globulin, with the calculation of free androgen index, are useful to assess androgen secretion. Other tests should be suggested only according to responses of specific clinical questions. Owing to their high cardiovascular and metabolic risk, patients with polycystic ovary syndrome should have an oral glucose-tolerance test and a complete lipid profile. No ideal treatment for hirsutism exists but, with c…
Ovarian and Adrenal Hyperandrogenism
2007
Because in normal women androgens are secreted in almost equal quantities by both adrenals and ovaries, for many years many studies have tried to distinguish the source of androgen excess. However, in the last 10-15 years, the diagnoses of ovarian or adrenal hyperandrogenism have almost disappeared. This is due to the lack of specificity of dynamic tests as well as to the emphasis given on clinical information and ovarian sonography for the diagnosis of hyperandrogenic syndromes. However, determination of the source of increased androgens may still be useful for improving the classification and the understanding of androgen excess disorders. The aim of this review is to examine the source o…
FLT3 as a therapeutic target in AML: still challenging after all these years
2010
Abstract Mutations within the FMS-like tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3) gene on chromosome 13q12 have been detected in up to 35% of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients and represent one of the most frequently identified genetic alterations in AML. Over the last years, FLT3 has emerged as a promising molecular target in therapy of AML. Here, we review results of clinical trials and of correlative laboratory studies using small molecule FLT3 tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) in AML patients. We also review mechanisms of primary and secondary drug resistance to FLT3-TKI, and from the data currently available we summarize lessons learned from FLT3-TKI monotherapy. Finally, for using FLT3 as a molecul…
Modulation of IL-2, IFN-γ, TNF-α and IL-4 production in mice of different ages by thymopentin
1992
The effect of an immunomodulator drug thymopentin (TP5) on the production of various cytokines (IFN-gamma, IL-2, IL-4, TNF-alpha) in mice of different ages has been studied. TP5 enhanced IL-2, TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma production but reduced the IL-4 secretion by splenocytes from aged mice (greater than 120 week old) in vitro. However, it had no effect on the IL-2, IFN-gamma, TNF-alpha or IL-4 production by splenocytes from young and adult mice. TP5 injected subcutaneously was able to induce high levels of IL-2 production by splenocytes from all groups of mice. The TP5 effect on TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma was similar, even though it was significant only in old mice. Furthermore, TP5 was able to …
Oxidative stress-induced glucocorticoid resistance is prevented by dual PDE3/PDE4 inhibition in human alveolar macrophages
2011
Summary Background Oxidative stress is present in airway diseases such as severe asthma or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and contributes to the low response to glucocorticoids through the down-regulation of histone deacetylase (HDAC) activity. Objective To study the effects of the phosphodiesterase (PDE)-3 and 4 inhibitors and their combination vs. glucocorticoids in a model of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced cytokine release in alveolar macrophages under oxidative stress conditions. Methods Differentiated U937 or human alveolar macrophages were stimulated with H2O2 (10–1000 μm) or cigarette smoke extract (CSE, 0–15%) for 4 h before LPS (0.5 μg/mL, 24 h) addition. In other experime…
Irregular Cytokine Pattern of CD4+T Lymphocytes in Response toStaphylococcus aureusin Patients with Wegener's Granulomatosis
1999
The initial stage of Wegener's Granulomatosis (WG) is often marked by symptoms of infection and it has been postulated that a bacterial infection could be the aetiologic factor of this disease. The objective of our work was to investigate T-cell-mediated immunity in WG by testing proliferative responses on bacterial antigens and particularly Staphylococcus aureus. We investigated the bulk proliferative response of peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) from patients with clinically active WG to gram-positive bacteria and purified proteinase 3 (PR-3), the major target antigen of c-ANCA. We generated S. aureus-specific PBL-derived T-cell lines and T-cell clones (TLC). In two WG patients 27 TLC we…
Fat-storing cells of the rat liver synthesize and secrete C1-esterase inhibitor; modulation by cytokines.
1992
During liver fibrogenesis, fat-storing cells transform into myofibroblast-like cells and produce increasing amounts of extracellular matrix proteins. Because fat-storing cells produce α2-macroglobulin, an important serine protease inhibitor (serpin), we investigated whether fat-storing cells also synthesize C1-esterase inhibitor, another important serpin. C1-esterase inhibitor synthesis was studied in rat fatstoring cells at day 0, 3 and 7 after isolation by biosynthetic labeling, immunoprecipitation and sodium dodecyl sulfate–polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Messenger RNA was examined by Northern-blot analysis. C1-esterase inhibitor gene expression and synthesis were detectable in fresh…
Effect of seasonality on physico-chemical and microbiological properties of nicastrese milk and artisanal cheese
2021
ABSTRACT Nicastrese is an indigenous Italian goat breed reared in the Calabria region under semi-extensive practices. From January to June, the milk yield of 400 multiparous Nicastrese goats was evaluated. In addition, tank milk and ripened cheese samples were subjected to physico-chemical and microbiological analyses with the aim to assess the effect of the seasonality on quality parameters. The volatile organic compounds profile of the ripened Nicastrese cheese samples was evaluated. Results showed that the seasonality had a significant effect on milk fat, lactose, urea, citric acid contents and acidity. Microbiological analysis of tank milk samples revealed variability among the differen…
Le varianti A1 e A2 della ?-caseina non hanno un effetto significativo sul microbiota del latteThe A1 and A2 ?-casein variants have not impact on mil…
2020
Objective: Milk is composed by a complex microbiota which can be influenced by numerous factors such as the season, the diet, the type of litter, the facility. As well, the animal's genotype can affect the composition of the milk microbiota. In milk, ?-casein is characterized by a high-level of polymorphism. The aim of this study was to verify if A1 and A2 ?-casein variants could in- fluence the milk microbioma. Materials and methods: Thirty Holstein cows were genotyped for ?-casein locus and divided into three groups. In two different sea- sons, milk samples (individual and bulk tank for each experi- mental group) and mozzarella cheese were collected separately from each group. Bacterial D…
Altered (oxidized) C1q induces a rheumatoid arthritis-like destructive and chronic inflammation in joint structures in arthritis-susceptible rats.
1997
Previous studies have identified an altered C1q molecule in synovial fluids from the joints of rheumatoid arthritis patients. We therefore immunized arthritis-susceptible Lewis 1A.AVN rats with either native C1q (C1q nat), altered (oxidized) C1q (C1q ox), or type II collagen (CII, induces arthritis in these animals), in order to induce arthritis. Unlike C1q nat, both CII and C1q ox were able to induce swelling and erythema of joints consistent with an arthritis-like inflammatory reaction. Histopathological evaluation of individual joint sections revealed synovitis, bursitis and tendovaginitis, massive joint destruction, and severe pannus formation. In a time-course study, no differences in …