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1.
Public Health ; 218: 186-196, 2023 May.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37060739

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: Formaldehyde is an organic compound used in the production of resins, paper, wood plywood, solvents and cleaning products. Formaldehyde is also present when tobacco is smoked. Formaldehyde has been defined as an irritant and is classified as a human carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the following two distinct correlations: (1) the association between formaldehyde exposure and development of irritant diseases affecting the respiratory tract, mainly asthma; and (2) the association between formaldehyde exposure and development of neoplastic diseases. STUDY DESIGN: This was an umbrella review. METHODS: A search was conducted in the three main electronic databases of scientific literature: PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science. The search included systematic reviews and meta-analyses published in the previous 10 years. Initially, titles and abstracts of retrieved articles were evaluated, then full-text assessments of selected articles took place. Data extraction and quality assessment were performed according to Assessing the Methodological Quality of Systematic Reviews (AMSTAR) score. RESULTS: A total of 630 articles were initially collected. Nine articles concerning the association between formaldehyde exposure and asthma were included in the present review, and the majority of these reported good association. In addition, 27 articles investigating the association between formaldehyde exposure and neoplastic diseases were included in the review. These studies showed that nasopharyngeal cancer and leukaemia were the most represented neoplastic diseases; however, only a weak association was reported between formaldehyde exposure and cancer. CONCLUSIONS: Although the studies included in this review did not show a strong association between exposure to formaldehyde and irritant or neoplastic diseases, the World Health Organisation recommends that levels of formaldehyde do not exceed the threshold value of 0.1 mg/m3 (0.08 ppm) for a period of 30 min. It is recommended that preventive measures, such as ventilation in workplaces with high exposure to formaldehyde and environmental monitoring of formaldehyde concentrations, are implemented.


Subject(s)
Asthma , Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms , Humans , Irritants/toxicity , Systematic Reviews as Topic , Formaldehyde/toxicity
2.
Clin Ter ; 174(2): 159-166, 2023.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36920134

ABSTRACT

Background: Alcohol, drug consumption and polysubstance use are some of the most important causes of illnesses and mortality among adolescents, who have been identified as common users of these substances. Aim of this study was to assess and describe the current scenery of alcohol and other drugs consumption habits among a wide sample of Italian high school and university students. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out using an online survey. The questionnaire was developed and administered via an internet forum for middle school, high school and university students named "Skuola.net". The statistical analysis included descriptive statistics, univariate and multivariate analysis. Additive interactions were assessed by calculating the synergy index. Results: A total of 11,379 Italian students answered the questionnaire. The prevalence of alcohol drinkers was 34.2%; among these, 17.8% of the individuals showed unhealthy drinking behaviors (frequency of alcohol use of four times or more per week); 10.3% of individuals declared daily assumption of six or more glasses of alcohol. Concerning drugs, 15.7% of the responders classified themselves as illicit drug users, with cannabis getting the highest prevalence rates (6.9%). Finally, concerning alcohol, a synergistic effect was recorded for male and adult individuals (SI = 1.04); while concerning illicit drugs, a synergistic effect was found between male gender and older age (SI = 1.42), and between university students and male gender (SI = 1.10). Conclusions: This study gives an overview about the attitudes of a wide sample of Italian students concerning alcohol and drugs habits. These results are in line with evidences from the scientific literature and will be helpful for developing future prevention strategies towards this target population.


Subject(s)
Illicit Drugs , Substance-Related Disorders , Adult , Adolescent , Humans , Male , Cross-Sectional Studies , Alcohol Drinking/epidemiology , Substance-Related Disorders/epidemiology , Surveys and Questionnaires , Ethanol , Attitude , Students , Demography
3.
Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci ; 25(13): 4535-4539, 2021 Jul.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34286496

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess the synergistic effect of non-adherence to the Mediterranean Diet (MD) and lifestyle habits on the occurrence of breast cancer (BC). PATIENTS AND METHODS: A case-control study was carried out from September 2018 to February 2019 at the Teaching Hospital "Umberto I" in Rome. A Food Frequency Questionnaire was used for assessing the level of adherence to MD, the IPAQ Questionnaire to measure physical activity, and AUDIT-C to estimate alcohol consumption. The possible interaction between risk factors was tested using the synergism index. RESULTS: A total of 94 cases and 88 controls were enrolled (median age 55.8 for cases and 57.9 for controls). The MD Score over 6 was associated with low odds of having breast cancer (OR = 0.29; 95% CI: 0.12-0.69). There is a clear indication for the additivity and synergism between non-adherence to MD and many risk factors on the occurrence of BC: current smoker (S = 2.02; 95% CI 0.62-8.07), physical inactivity (S = 2.14; 95% CI 0.71 2-8.28) and alcohol consumption (S = 3.02; 95% CI 0.91-12.95). CONCLUSIONS: Primary prevention of BC can benefit from intervention targeting nutritional and lifestyle factors that act synergistically.


Subject(s)
Breast Neoplasms/epidemiology , Diet, Mediterranean/statistics & numerical data , Habits , Life Style , Patient Compliance/statistics & numerical data , Aged , Breast Neoplasms/prevention & control , Case-Control Studies , Female , Humans , Italy/epidemiology , Middle Aged
4.
Clin Ter ; 171(4): e357-e368, 2020.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32614371

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Alzheimer's disease is the most widespread senile dementia in the world and diagnoses are on the rise due to the aging of the world's population and this is causing a significant increase in health spending on the care of the disease. Current studies highlight the need for rapid diagnosis in order to prevent the therapeutic approach from being ineffective, and a comprehensive management of the disease, both with pharmacological and integrative therapies (safety of the environment, music therapy, diet, physical activity, recreational activities, etc.). Regarding the care provided by caregivers, the need to educate these figures is fundamental, to support them economically and psycho-socially (especially during the most difficult stages of the disease) and to provide them with technical skills to effectively and safely address the patient's care. OBJECTIVES: Aim of this study was to investigate the current evidence from scientific literature about the early stage of Alzheimer's disease in order to educate and support caregivers with specific technical and practical skills. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A systematic review of the scientific literature of the last 10 years, has been conducted in September 2019 through Medline (PubMed), Scopus and Cinahl databases, in accordance with the criteria of PRISMA Statement guideline (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses). The included studies were related to Alzheimer's disease and patients' management. RESULTS: Thirty-six articles met the inclusion criteria but only for 26 of these it was possible to retrieve and access the full text. CONCLUSIONS: The evidences from this study provide information on how to effectively address Alzheimer's disease. The studies address different aspects of the disease, with different methodologies, thus providing heterogeneous evidence. Future studies with reproducible methodologies should be undertaken in order to achieve robustness in results.


Subject(s)
Alzheimer Disease/therapy , Early Medical Intervention , Caregivers , Disease Progression , Humans
5.
Occup Med (Lond) ; 69(6): 412-418, 2019 Oct 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31394573

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Renal transplant is the gold standard treatment for patients with end-stage renal disease. Employment after transplant is an important marker of recovery and a key component of general well-being with important social implications. AIMS: To evaluate employment status after renal transplant and to investigate facilitators of and barriers to return to work for renal transplant patients. METHODS: We searched PubMed, Scopus and the Cochrane Library in March 2019 using the following algorithms: 'return to work' AND kidney AND transplant. Eligible studies were selected by two independent researchers. Quality assessment was performed using the following tools: International Narrative Systematic Assessment (INSA) and Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) for cross-sectional and cohort studies. RESULTS: The review included 18 papers: 10 cross-sectional studies, 6 cohort studies and 2 narrative reviews. The weighted mean percentage for return to work within 1 year was 39.4% (95% CI 39.3-39.6%). Employment status was influenced by modifiable and non-modifiable factors, such as pre-transplant employment, sociodemographic characteristics, clinical conditions and comorbidities, operative technique (invasive or not), type of transplants (living donor or cadaver), pre-transplant dialysis, psychosocial support, educational level and participation in education programmes. CONCLUSION: Return to work after kidney transplant is a dynamic process influenced by numerous factors. It is vital to implement multidimensional interventions focused on rehabilitation and influencing modifiable factors to improve return to work after kidney transplant. This systematic review updates knowledge in the field of transplant and of disability management.


Subject(s)
Kidney Failure, Chronic/surgery , Kidney Transplantation/rehabilitation , Kidney Transplantation/statistics & numerical data , Return to Work/statistics & numerical data , Cross-Sectional Studies , Humans
6.
Clin Ter ; 170(3): e184-e191, 2019.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31173048

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Climate Change (CC) is a worldwide concern with important consequences for Public Health. A more sustainable and responsible way of living is necessary in order to reduce CC consequences, and adequation to this is directly related to risk perception and knowledge about the phenomenon. The aim of this study was to validate a questionnaire to measure the knowledge of Italians on CC and its consequences. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The questionnaire was administered online to high school students, their parents and teachers that were participating to a meeting at Sapienza University. The questionnaire contained a sociodemographic section and 19 questions on causes and consequences of CC and ways to fight it. The statistical analysis was performed with Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25. RESULTS: Sixty-four individuals answered the online questionnaire. The analysis of internal consistency was performed by 12 dichotomous variables that measured the knowledge level on CC. The analysis showed a standardized Cronbach's alpha equal to 0.39, corresponding to a low reliability. When females were excluded, the alpha value rose to 0.497, and ascended to the reliable value of 0.639 when refining the selection of the included questions. CONCLUSIONS: The Cronbach's alpha value found showed a low reliability but achieves acceptable levels when considering only males and excluding some of the initial questions. Future studies should be performed in order to highlight the reliability of this tool to assess the knowledge about CC among the population.


Subject(s)
Climate Change , Students/statistics & numerical data , Adolescent , Female , Humans , Italy , Male , Perception , Reproducibility of Results , Surveys and Questionnaires , Young Adult
7.
Work ; 61(3): 463-476, 2018.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30400123

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Due to improvements in breast cancer diagnosis and treatment, the healthcare system faces a growing number of cancer survivors. Breast cancer survivors experience many difficulties when returning to work, including discrimination at work and lack of support by employers and colleagues. OBJECTIVE: To point out the knowledge in literature up to date about return to work (RTW) after breast cancer, the factors influencing it and the interventions to facilitate it. METHODS: A literature search was conducted in January 2017 using the databases Medline (PubMed) and Scopus. Studies were included if they analyzed the problem of RTW in women treated for breast cancer. RESULTS: Twenty-six articles met the inclusion criteria. The studies were divided into four themes: factors facilitating or impeding RTW; interventions to enhance RTW; lived experiences of RTW; economic aspects related to cancer survivors and RTW. CONCLUSIONS: The heterogeneity of the interventions suggests the need for a better definition of the concept of RTW. To compare interventions, studies should use a rigorous approach and better outcome measures should be identified to evaluate RTW.


Subject(s)
Breast Neoplasms/surgery , Return to Work/psychology , Adult , Breast Neoplasms/complications , Female , Humans , Middle Aged , Rehabilitation, Vocational/standards , Return to Work/trends
8.
J Prev Med Hyg ; 59(2): E153-E158, 2018 Jun.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30083623

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: In the light of diagnostic and therapeutic advances, patients with a previous myocardial infarction or with a diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are vulnerable and need continuous monitoring over time. These pathological frameworks have a strong impact on the economy and on the status of the population and require effective and low-cost solutions. AIMS: The objective of this clinical trial is to evaluate the efficacy in the short term of a telephone counseling intervention to modify the lifestyles of these two patient populations. METHODS: In May 2015, all the patients included in the study underwent a questionnaire to evaluate their eating and smoking habits and their quality of life. After randomization in two groups, the intervention group received telephone counseling related to the correct lifestyles. The control group did not undergo any intervention. In September-October 2015, the same initial questionnaire was administered to evaluate changes in patients' behavior. RESULTS: 64 patients were included in the study: 34 were assigned to the intervention group and 30 to the control group. The outcomes evaluated were: quality of life, assessment of eating habits and smoking status. After the telephone counseling, the intervention group (34 persons) showed a significant improvement in the score of adherence to the Mediterranean diet (p = 0.01) and a significant reduction in the percentage of smokers (p = 0.01) compared to the population that did not receive any intervention (30 persons). On the other hand, the changes related to the quality of life questionnaire were not significant. CONCLUSIONS: A single telephone counseling intervention is effective in modifying the lifestyles of patients with a previous myocardial infarction or diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in the short term, reducing their risk profile.


Subject(s)
Counseling , Myocardial Infarction/psychology , Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive/psychology , Quality of Life/psychology , Humans , Pilot Projects
9.
Clin Ter ; 169(4): e151-e154, 2018.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30151547

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Improvements in breast cancer diagnosis and treatment led to an increased incidence of survivors' rate. The healthcare system has to face new problems related not only to the treatment of the disease, but also to the management of the quality of life after the diagnosis. The aim of this study was to validate the Italian version of the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy - Breast (FACT-B+4) questionnaire and to evaluate its reliability. METHODS: The questionnaire was administered twice, with an interval of three days between each administration, to a cohort of women of the Breast Surgical Unit, PoliclincoUmberto I. Cronbach's alpha was used as a measure of the internal consistency of the Italian version. RESULTS: The Italian version of the tool was administered to 55 subjects. The Cronbach's alpha for most scores registered values >0.7, both at baseline and at the follow-up analysis, therefore the subscale showed good internal consistency. CONCLUSIONS: The Italian version of FACT-B+4 demonstrated acceptable reliability properties in the Breast Unit patients. The use of this questionnaire seemed to be effective and in line with the results derived from the English and Spanishversions. Internal consistency and validity had similar performance results.


Subject(s)
Breast Neoplasms/therapy , Quality of Life , Surveys and Questionnaires , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Cohort Studies , Female , Humans , Italy , Language , Middle Aged , Reproducibility of Results
10.
Ann Ig ; 30(4): 273-284, 2018.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29895045

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Young people who begin to smoke at an early age are at a higher risk of becoming occasional or regular smokers and establishing a premature dependence. It is fundamental to act as soon as possible, from very early childhood, to prevent harmful behaviors for health such as smoking and drinking alcohol. Young people must be encouraged to adopt healthy lifestyles. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study is two-fold. First, increasing the knowledge about the negative health effects of cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption among children aged 9-10 years; and second, to introduce and reinforce life skills in order to learn how to tackle social influences that encourage children to smoke and to drink alcohol. METHODS: A pilot randomized field trial was conducted in May-June 2017. Four primary school classes in Rome were randomized to either the intervention or the control group. Both groups participated in an oral presentation about the risks and consequences of smoking and alcohol consumption, and the concept of life skills. The intervention group participated in two gaming sessions, each lasting 1.5 hours. Children were involved in six games aiming to deliver and reinforce knowledge about the target themes of the study. A 21 multi-response questions questionnaire was handed out to both groups at the beginning and at the end of the study. Eleven questions were about smoking; five questions about alcohol; five questions about life skills. Each question item included one correct answer. For each domain, a score was computed (total; smoking; alcohol; life skills). RESULTS: 67 children participated in the study (34 in the intervention and 33 in the control group). Univariate analyses showed significant differences among the intervention group before and after the intervention for total score (p<0.001), smoke score (p<0.001), and life skills score (p=0.003). No significant differences among the intervention group before and after the intervention were reported for alcohol score (p=0.076). Regarding the control group univariate analysis showed significant differences in total score (p=0,001) and life skills score (p=0.005). Multivariate analysis revealed that enrollment in the intervention was the only variable that had a significant positive influence on smoking knowledge score (beta=1.070, p=0.05). CONCLUSION: This pilot study shows that the intervention was effective among the intervention group for all the scores: total score, smoke score and life skills score, but ineffective for alcohol. Overall, the combination of a presentation and games was effective in increasing life skills knowledge.


Subject(s)
Alcohol Drinking/prevention & control , Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice , School Health Services/organization & administration , Smoking Prevention/methods , Alcohol Drinking/adverse effects , Child , Female , Healthy Lifestyle , Humans , Italy , Male , Multivariate Analysis , Pilot Projects , Program Development , Program Evaluation , Smoking/adverse effects , Surveys and Questionnaires
11.
Qual Life Res ; 26(10): 2573-2592, 2017 10.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28623442

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Higher survival rates for breast cancer patients have led to concerns in dealing with short- and long-term side effects. The most common complications are impairment of shoulder functions, pain, lymphedema, and dysesthesia of the injured arm; psychological consequences concern: emotional distress, anxiety, and depression, thereby, deeply impacting/affecting daily living activity, and health-related quality of life. OBJECTIVE: To perform a systematic review for assessing the efficacy or effectiveness of interventions aiming at improving health-related quality of life, return to daily activity, and correct lifestyles among breast cancer patients. METHODS: A literature search was conducted in December 2016 using the databases PubMed and Scopus. Search terms included: (counseling) AND (breast cancer) AND (quality of life). Articles on counseling interventions to improve quality of life, physical and psychological outcomes were included. RESULTS: Thirty-five articles met the inclusion criteria. The interventions were grouped in five main areas: concerning lifestyle counseling interventions, related to combined interventions (physical activity and nutritional counseling), physical therapy, peer counseling, multidisciplinary approach, included psychological, psycho-educational interventions, and cognitive-behavior therapy (CBT). Exercise counseling as well as physical therapy are effective to improve shoulder mobility, healing wounds, and limb strength. Psychological therapies such as psychoeducation and CBT may help to realize a social and psychological rehabilitation. CONCLUSION: A multidisciplinary approach can help in sustaining and restoring impaired physical, psychosocial, and occupational outcomes of breast cancer patients.


Subject(s)
Breast Neoplasms/psychology , Counseling/methods , Sickness Impact Profile , Breast Neoplasms/mortality , Breast Neoplasms/pathology , Female , Humans , Survival Rate
12.
Allergy ; 55(3): 246-50, 2000 Mar.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-10753015

ABSTRACT

Pollen allergens are multivalent proteins that cross-link IgE antibodies on mast or basophil cells, inducing secretion of biologic mediators, and resulting in various allergic symptoms. The IgE-binding regions of the Parietaria judaica (Pj) pollen major allergen rPar j 2 were investigated. Twenty-nine single sera from Pj-allergic subjects were tested by Western blot against five recombinant peptides. At least four putative IgE-binding epitopes were identified. The analysis of their diffusion suggested a heterogeneous IgE-binding response. In fact, 75% of the sera reacted with peptide 1-54, 48% with peptide 48-101, 24% with peptide 1-30, 7% with peptide 29-54, and none with peptide 48-76. These five peptides were analyzed with the histamine-release assay. Only peptide 48-101 was capable of inducing degranulation and release of histamine. These results suggest that the recombinant rPar j 2 allergen contains IgE epitopes that are heterogeneously recognized by sensitive patients, and that therefore the therapeutic approach based on the use of haptenic peptides needs a careful evaluation.


Subject(s)
Allergens/immunology , Binding Sites, Antibody , Epitopes, B-Lymphocyte/immunology , Immunoglobulin E/metabolism , Pollen/immunology , Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal/immunology , Allergens/chemistry , Amino Acid Sequence , Antigens, Plant , Blotting, Western , Epitopes, B-Lymphocyte/chemistry , Histamine Release , Humans , Immunoglobulin E/chemistry , Molecular Sequence Data , Peptide Fragments/chemistry , Peptide Fragments/immunology , Plants , Pollen/chemistry , Radioallergosorbent Test , Recombinant Proteins/chemistry , Recombinant Proteins/immunology
13.
J Neuroimmunol ; 101(2): 128-36, 1999 Nov 15.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-10580796

ABSTRACT

Unregulated increasing of Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) could be pathogenic in inflammatory diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate the anti-inflammatory role of the Substance P-antagonists (SPAs) through the inhibition of histamine release (HR) and TNF-alpha production from mast cell. Rat peritoneal mast cells (PMC) stimulated with Substance P (SP), in the presence of SPAs or not, were analyzed for HR and TNF-alpha protein production. Competitive Polymerase Chain Reaction, with an internal standard competing with target cDNA for the same primers, was used to determine the TNF-alpha mRNA expression. We show that the increase of either HR and TNF-alpha levels in peritoneal (PMC) after induction with SP was inhibited by pre-incubation with SPA or with the Peptide 101 (P101), while the [D-Pro2, D-Phe7, D-Trp9]-SP (dSP) had no effect. Neuraminidase treatment suggests that dSP, as well as SP, interacts with sialic acid residues on the cell surface. Moreover, SPA and P101 also inhibit the release of histamine and TNF-alpha induced by dSP suggesting that a receptor-independent mechanism is involved. These data could be useful to better understand the mechanisms involved in the mast cell activation and TNF-alpha production in the inflammatory diseases where SP is involved.


Subject(s)
Mast Cells/drug effects , Substance P/antagonists & inhibitors , Substance P/pharmacology , Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/biosynthesis , Animals , Female , Histamine Release/drug effects , Mast Cells/metabolism , Neuraminidase/pharmacology , Polymerase Chain Reaction , RNA, Messenger/analysis , Rats , Rats, Wistar , Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/genetics
14.
Neuroreport ; 10(3): 575-8, 1999 Feb 25.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-10208592

ABSTRACT

The effect of cytokines and neuropeptides on neuroimmune functions has not been completely elucidated and recent evidence suggests an important role for these molecules linking the neuroimmune system and inflammatory events. The aim of this study was to analyse the effect of substance P (SP) on a pure population of hypothalamic brain mast cell (BMC). A pure population of BMC challenged with 10(-8) M SP gave 78% histamine release (HR) and secreted 600 pg/ml of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) as determined by ELISA. The production of TNF-alpha mRNA, measured by a competitive RT-PCR, was 14 times higher than that in unstimulated cells. The secretion of histamine and TNF-alpha from BMC after stimulation with SP supports the hypothesis that these mediators could induce an initial response in neuroinflammatory diseases.


Subject(s)
Histamine Release/drug effects , Hypothalamus/metabolism , Mast Cells/metabolism , Substance P/pharmacology , Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/biosynthesis , Animals , Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay , Female , Hypothalamus/cytology , RNA, Messenger/metabolism , Rats , Rats, Wistar , Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/genetics
16.
Neuroreport ; 9(1): 95-8, 1998 Jan 05.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-9592055

ABSTRACT

Tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) levels in mammalian brain increase during neuroinflammatory diseases. We used the competitive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to quantify the amount of TNF-alpha in stimulated and unstimulated brain mast cells (BMC). A cDNA fragment shortened by a deletion of 56 bp was used as an internal TNF-alpha-specific standard. The immunological stimulus resulted in enhanced TNF-alpha mRNA expression and increased release of histamine and TNF-alpha. This is the first time that BMC showing functional FCepsilonRI-bound IgE receptors have been purified. Our results support the hypothesis that BMC mediators might induce an initial response in neuroinflammatory diseases.


Subject(s)
Brain/physiology , Mast Cells/physiology , Neuritis/physiopathology , Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/biosynthesis , Animals , Binding, Competitive , Brain/cytology , Brain/metabolism , Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay , Female , Histamine Release , Immunoglobulin E/immunology , Mast Cells/metabolism , Neuritis/metabolism , Neuritis/pathology , Polymerase Chain Reaction/methods , Rats , Rats, Wistar , Transcription, Genetic
17.
J Immunol ; 160(6): 2780-5, 1998 Mar 15.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-9510179

ABSTRACT

Par j 1.0101 is one of the two major allergens of the Parietaria judaica (Pj) pollen, and its three-dimensional structure was built by three-dimensional structural homology modeling. The resultant model was used to identify putative IgE binding regions. Western blot analysis of gene fragmentation products showed that the 1 to 30 region was capable of binding specific IgE from a pool of sera (n = 30) of patients allergic to Pj pollen. Using the structural model as a guide, deletion and site-directed mutagenesis of the 1 to 30 region was performed, and the amino acids involved in IgE binding were identified. In addition, a synthetic peptide covering the 1 to 30 region was capable of binding human IgE without triggering histamine release from basophils of Pj allergic patients (n = 6) and thus represents a haptenic molecule with potential use as an immunotolerant agent. This epitope is also present on the Par j 2.0101 major allergen representing a common IgE epitope. It is an immunodominant epitope, since it was capable of inhibiting 30% of all specific IgE against the Pj major allergens, and therefore, it might be a candidate for the future development of immunotherapeutics.


Subject(s)
Allergens/immunology , Immunodominant Epitopes , Immunoglobulin E/immunology , Pollen/immunology , Allergens/chemistry , Amino Acid Sequence , Epitope Mapping , Histamine Release , Humans , Models, Structural , Molecular Sequence Data
18.
Neuroreport ; 8(13): 2961-4, 1997 Sep 08.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-9376539

ABSTRACT

Substance P (SP) is a neuropeptide which influences the interaction between the nervous and immune systems. It is an important modulator of cytokines, including tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) whose role during the reproductive processes has been established. We have investigated the effects of SP on TNF-alpha mRNA expression in macrophages and mast cells (MC) isolated from rat peritoneum and uterus. Cell supernatants were analysed for their histamine content as a measure of stimulation. SP alone increased TNF-alpha expression in peritoneal MC but not in peritoneal macrophages. The addition of SP resulted in a six-fold enhancement of TNF-alpha expression in uterine MC whereas no stimulation was observed in macrophages as determined by competitive polymerase chain reaction (PCR).


Subject(s)
Neuroimmunomodulation/physiology , RNA, Messenger/biosynthesis , Substance P/pharmacology , Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/genetics , Uterus/immunology , Animals , Female , Macrophages, Peritoneal/immunology , Mast Cells/immunology , Polymerase Chain Reaction , Rats , Rats, Wistar
19.
J Neuroimmunol ; 75(1-2): 9-18, 1997 May.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-9143232

ABSTRACT

The neuropeptide substance P (SP) is a mediator of neuro-inflammation and can play a role by induction of histamine release (HR) and TNF-alpha. However, its effect on the heterogeneous response of mast cells (MC) has not been completely studied. We have established that the SR can induce 25% of HR in highly purified rat uterine MC at diestrous but not at proestrous phases of the reproductive cycle and 88% of HR in peritoneal mast cells (PMC). We also found 2.2 fold increase in TNF-alpha mRNA at diestrous, in SP stimulated uterine MC versus control and 2.7 fold increase in PMC; RT and competitive PCR were used to amplify the TNF-alpha mRNA. We have thereafter investigated the mechanism whereby the binding of SP to sialic acid on the MC membrane, could trigger secretion of histamine and induction of TNF-alpha mRNA. The neuraminidase pretreatment (0.1 U/ml) inhibited SP-stimulated HR from either uterine MC and PMC (98% and 50%, respectively) and totally inhibited SP-stimulated TNF-alpha mRNA levels. The neuraminidase effect was not toxic, since it was not observed in IgE mediated HR and TNF-alpha mRNA levels. In conclusion, the inhibitory effect of the neuraminidase on the SP-mediated increase of histamine and TNF-alpha mRNA, suggests that the SP-sialic acid interaction could have a role in the MC heterogeneous response.


Subject(s)
Histamine Antagonists/pharmacology , Histamine Release/drug effects , Mast Cells/metabolism , Neuraminidase/pharmacology , Substance P/pharmacology , Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/genetics , Animals , Female , Mast Cells/drug effects , Peritoneum/cytology , RNA, Messenger/antagonists & inhibitors , RNA, Messenger/metabolism , Rats , Rats, Wistar , Receptors, Cell Surface/physiology , Uterus/cytology
20.
Int Arch Allergy Immunol ; 112(4): 348-55, 1997 Apr.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-9104790

ABSTRACT

Two cDNA clones named P9* and P1* of 794 and 631 bp, respectively, were isolated from a lambda ZAP cDNA expression library using Parietaria judaica (Pj) pollen-specific IgE antibodies from a pool of sera (n = 23) of patients allergic to Pj. Sequence analysis showed open reading frames of 176 and 138 amino acids. Both clones contain a putative signal peptide giving two mature processed proteins named Par j 1.0102 of 14,726 D and Par j 1.0201 of 10,677 D. These proteins represent isoallergenic forms of the major Pj allergen Par j 1.0101 (clone P5) previously reported. The Par j 1.0102 shared 98% amino acid sequence homology with the P5, while the Par j 1.0201 shared 89% homology. Since P1, P5 and P9 clones were expressed in Escherichia coli, and since the three allergenic proteins shared a very high degree of sequence identity and comparable binding to the Pj-specific IgE, we decided to analyze in more detail the immunological properties of only one allergen, the recombinant Par j 1.0101. The allergenic activity determined by the histamine release assay ranged between 9 and 56%, depending on the allergic patient analyzed, while it blocked approximately 40% of all the Pj-specific IgE antibodies, as detected after ELISA and cross-absorption analysis.


Subject(s)
Allergens/genetics , Allergens/isolation & purification , DNA, Complementary/chemistry , DNA, Complementary/isolation & purification , Plant Proteins/genetics , Plant Proteins/isolation & purification , Pollen/chemistry , Pollen/immunology , Allergens/chemistry , Amino Acid Sequence , Antigens/chemistry , Antigens/immunology , Base Sequence , Cloning, Molecular , DNA, Complementary/immunology , Humans , Isomerism , Molecular Sequence Data , Molecular Weight , Plant Proteins/chemistry
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