Direct-acting antivirals used in HCV-related liver disease do not affect thyroid function and autoimmunity.

PURPOSE: It is well known that interferon-α (IFN-α), used for long time as the main therapy for HCV-related disease, induces thyroid alterations, but the impact of the new direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) on thyroid is not established. Aim of this prospective study was to evaluate if DAAs therapy may induce thyroid alterations. METHODS: A total of 113 HCV patients, subdivided at the time of the enrollment in naïve group (n = 64) and in IFN-α group (n = 49) previously treated with pegylated interferon-α and ribavirin, were evaluated for thyroid function and autoimmunity before and after 20-32 weeks of DAAs. RESULTS: Before starting DAAs, a total of 8/113 (7.1%) patients showed Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) all belonging to IFN-α group (8/49, 16.3%), while no HT cases were found in the naïve group. Overall, 7/113 (6.2%) patients were hypothyroid: 3/64 (4.7%) belonging to naïve group and 4/49 (8.2%) to IFN-α group. Furthermore, a total of 8/113 patients (7.1%) showed subclinical hyperthyroidism: 2/64 (3.1%) were from naïve group and 6/49 (12.2%) from IFN-α group. Interestingly, after DAAs therapy, no new cases of HT, hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism was found in all series, while 6/11 (54.5%) patients with non-autoimmune subclinical thyroid dysfunction became euthyroid. Finally, the only association between viral genotypes and thyroid alterations was genotype 1 and hypothyroidism. CONCLUSIONS: This study supports evidence that DAAs have a limited or missing influence on thyroid in patients with HCV-related diseases. Moreover, it provides preliminary evidence that subclinical non-autoimmune thyroid dysfunction may improve after HCV infection resolution obtained by DAAs.

Controlling bovine leukemia virus in dairy herds by identifying and removing cows with the highest proviral load and lymphocyte counts.

The objective of this field trial was to reduce bovine leukemia virus (BLV) transmission and prevalence in commercial dairy herds using proviral load (PVL) and lymphocyte count (LC) measurements as indicators of the most infectious animals for culling or segregation. Bovine leukemia virus causes lymphoma in <5% of infected cattle, and increased lymphocyte counts (lymphocytosis) in about one-third. Recent research has shown that dairy cows infected with BLV have altered immune function associated with decreases in milk production and lifespan. Recent findings show that a minority of infected cattle have PVL concentrations in blood and other body fluids of over 1,000 times that of other infected cattle. In combination with a high LC, these animals are thought to be responsible for most transmission of BLV in a herd. Milk or blood samples from adult cows in our 3 Midwestern dairy farm field trials were tested semiannually with ELISA for BLV antibodies, and ELISA-positive cattle were then retested using a blood LC and a quantitative PCR test for PVL to identify the animals presumed to be most infectious. Herd managers were encouraged to consider PVL and LC status when making cull decisions, and to segregate cows with the highest PVL and LC from their BLV ELISA-negative herd mates where possible. After 2 to 2.5 yr of this intervention, the incidence risk of new infections decreased in all 3 herds combined, from 13.8 to 2.2, and the overall herd prevalence decreased in all 3 herds combined from 62.0 to 20.7%, suggesting that this approach can efficiently reduce BLV transmission as well as prevalence. This is encouraging, because a very low prevalence of BLV infection would make it economically feasible to cull the remaining ELISA-positive cattle, as was achieved in national eradication programs in other countries decades ago.

High-Resolution DCE-MRI of the Pituitary Gland Using Radial k-Space Acquisition with Compressed Sensing Reconstruction.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The pituitary gland is located outside of the blood-brain barrier. Dynamic T1 weighted contrast enhanced sequence is considered to be the gold standard to evaluate this region. However, it does not allow assessment of intrinsic permeability properties of the gland. Our aim was to demonstrate the utility of radial volumetric interpolated brain examination with the golden-angle radial sparse parallel technique to evaluate permeability characteristics of the individual components (anterior and posterior gland and the median eminence) of the pituitary gland and areas of differential enhancement and to optimize the study acquisition time. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective study was performed in 52 patients (group 1, 25 patients with normal pituitary glands; and group 2, 27 patients with a known diagnosis of microadenoma). Radial volumetric interpolated brain examination sequences with golden-angle radial sparse parallel technique were evaluated with an ROI-based method to obtain signal-time curves and permeability measures of individual normal structures within the pituitary gland and areas of differential enhancement. Statistical analyses were performed to assess differences in the permeability parameters of these individual regions and optimize the study acquisition time. RESULTS: Signal-time curves from the posterior pituitary gland and median eminence demonstrated a faster wash-in and time of maximum enhancement with a lower peak of enhancement compared with the anterior pituitary gland (P < .005). Time-optimization analysis demonstrated that 120 seconds is ideal for dynamic pituitary gland evaluation. In the absence of a clinical history, differences in the signal-time curves allow easy distinction between a simple cyst and a microadenoma. CONCLUSIONS: This retrospective study confirms the ability of the golden-angle radial sparse parallel technique to evaluate the permeability characteristics of the pituitary gland and establishes 120 seconds as the ideal acquisition time for dynamic pituitary gland imaging.

Novel therapeutics for the treatment of familial Mediterranean fever: from colchicine to biologics.

Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF), an inherited autosomal recessive disorder, is characterized by sporadic, paroxysmal attacks of fever and serosal inflammation, lasting 1-3 days. Patients may develop renal amyloidosis, arthritis, serositis, and skin and oral lesions. Diagnosis is based on clinical features, response to treatment with colchicine, and genetic analysis. Colchicine prevents attacks and renal amyloidosis, in addition to reversing proteinuria. Nonresponders may receive novel therapy, including interleukin (IL)-1 receptor antagonists and IL-1 decoy receptor. Recently, new options have been considered.

The Use of Antidepressants in the Long-Term Treatment Should not Improve the Impact of Fibromyalgia on Quality of Life.

BACKGROUND: Antidepressant (AD) drugs are effective in the short term treatment of fibromyalgia (FM). It may be useful to study the long-term impact of AD on patients with FM. METHODS: One-year follow-up study on 23 females with FM divided into groups on AD (ADg-N=7), and not taking AD (NADg-N=11). Evaluation at t1 and at the end (t2) with the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ); at t2 with: SCID-IV; Mood Disorder Questionnaire (MDQ); Short Form-12; Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D); Functioning Assessment Short Test (FAST). RESULTS: After a year the AD group showed a worst impact of the disease by FIQ (p=0.017), worsened quality of life by SF-12 (p<0.01), and disability linked to bipolar symptoms by FAST (p=0.05). About 40% of the sample was screened positive at MDQ without difference in the two groups. The patients who recovered from a depressive episode did not differ between ADg and NADg (20% vs 33.3%), and were fewer than expected from the literature (40-60%). The HAM-D score at the end of the trial was worse in the ADg (p<0.03). LIMITATIONS: Observational research on few patients, not specifically designed to test the hypothesis. The results have a heuristic value only. DISCUSSION: The results should be read in the light of the high prevalence of patients screened positive for Bipolar Disorders and of the well-known poor response of the mood symptoms to antidepressants in Bipolar Depression. The deterioration in the long-term management of FM patients following AD treatments suggests the need for new and robust studies.

Breath tests with novel 13C-substrates for clinical studies of liver mitochondrial function in health and disease.

Mitochondrial dysfunction determines the onset and progression of chronic deleterious conditions including liver diseases. The in vivo assessment of mitochondrial function, by providing more insight into the pathogenesis of liver diseases, would be a helpful tool to study specific functions and to develop diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic strategies. The application of breath tests in the clinical setting to evaluate mitochondrial fitness may elegantly and noninvasively overcome the difficulties due to previous complex techniques and may provide clinically relevant information, i.e the effects of drugs presenting mitochondrial liabilities. Substrates meeting this requirement include alpha-ketoisocaproic acid and methionine, both decarboxylated by mitochondria. Long and medium chain fatty acids that are metabolized through the Krebs cycle and benzoic acid, which undergoes glycine conjugation, may also reflect the mitochondrial performance. This review focuses on the utility of breath tests to assess mitochondrial function in humans, thus contributing to unravel potential mechanisms associated with the dysfunction of this organelle network in the pathophysiology of liver diseases.

Purine metabolites in fibromyalgia syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate serum purine metabolite concentrations in patients affected by fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) and the relationships between their levels and FM clinical parameters. DESIGN AND METHODS: Serum purine levels were quantified using LC/UV-vis in 22 fibromyalgic females (according to the American College of Rheumatology classification criteria) and 22 healthy females. RESULTS: Significantly higher serum inosine, hypoxanthine and xanthine levels (p<0.001) and significantly lower serum adenosine (p<0.05) were detected in the FMS patients vs healthy controls. Our data show a negative correlation between adenosine and Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ). CONCLUSIONS: Study results suggest that purines, in particular adenosine and inosine, may be involved in pain transmission in fibromyalgia.

Involvement of IL-1R/TLR signalling in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis and multiple sclerosis.

Multiple sclerosis is a complex disease characterised by chronic inflammation, demyelination and axonal pathology resulting in progressive neurological disabilities. Multiple sclerosis is generally considered to be an autoimmune disease, even though the primary cause of the underlying autoimmune response is unknown. Epidemiological evidence suggests that both genetic and environmental factors play a key role in susceptibility to multiple sclerosis; however, the relative contributions of these factors in triggering the onset of the disease remain unclear. Several studies indicate that receptors belonging to the Interleukin-1 and Toll-like receptor families are crucially involved in the mechanisms underlying the development of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, an animal model that mimics multiple sclerosis. Moreover, recent evidence highlights the importance of downstream signalling proteins in the Interleukin-1 and Toll-like receptor signalling pathways, namely, myeloid differentiation primary response protein 88 and Interleukin-1-receptor-associated kinase. This review summarises the current knowledge concerning the involvement of Interleukin-1/Toll-like receptor signalling in the development of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis and multiple sclerosis. A deeper understanding of the role of these important pathways in the pathogenesis of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis may eventually yield clinical benefits in the treatment of central nervous system-based inflammatory disorders.

The immunosuppressor st1959, a 3,5-diaryl-s-triazole derivative, inhibits T cell activation by reducing NFAT nuclear residency.

3-(2-ethylphenyl)-5-(3-methoxyphenyl)-1H-1,2,4-triazole (ST1959) has shown therapeutic effects in several animal models of autoimmune diseases. In this study the effects of ST1959 were further investigated in a murine model of colitis. The evidence obtained indicates that the beneficial effects exerted by ST1959 rely upon a decreased local immunological response. The cellular effects of ST1959 were additionally investigated on human peripheral blood mononuclear cells and Jurkat T cells by measuring cytokine production, cell proliferation and activation of a set of transcription factors. ST1959 decreases human T cell proliferation and inhibits cytokine expression at the transcriptional level. Moreover, at doses inhibiting cytokine production, ST1959 blocks phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) and ionomycin-induced nuclear factor protein of activated T cell (NFAT1) activity, without impairing AP-1- and NF-kB-dependent transcription. Immunofluorescence data show that ST1959 inhibits the nuclear residency of NFAT1 in both Jurkat and human peripheral blood mononuclear cells activated with PMA/ionomycin. leptomycin B, an inhibitor of CRM1/exportin-1alpha-dependent nuclear export, reverted the inhibitory effect of ST1959 on NFAT1 nuclear localization. This indicates that ST1959 may increase the nuclear export of NFAT1, downregulating NFAT1 activity via a mechanism different from that of cyclosporin A, since it does not affect NFAT phosporylation/dephosphorylation steps. These findings provide new insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying the immunomodulatory activity of ST1959.

[Quality of life and associated clinical distress in fibromyalgia]. / Fibromialgia: qualità di vita e sindromi associate.

OBJECTIVES: Fibromyalgia (FM) is a syndrome characterized by chronic, diffuse musculoskeletal pain and by a low pain threshold at specific anatomical points (tender points). Numerous other conditions (Irritable bowel syndrome, tension-type headache, migraine headaches, etc.) may overlap with FM. Aim of this study was to evaluate the quality of life and associated clinical distress in patients with FM. METHODS: 53 females affected by primary fibromyalgia and 40 healthy females were examined were examined by an experienced rheumatologist and interviewed using the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ). Clinical monitoring included Visual Analogue Scale for pain and pain pressure threshold measurements. RESULTS: Mean FIQ scores were 66.39+/-14.94 in FM patients and 13.15+/-5.37 in control subjects and the difference was statistically significant. Among associated clinical distress higher frequencies have been found for paraesthesia (87%), sleep disturbance (72%), tension type headache (70%), oto-vestibule syndrome (72%) and irritable colon (60%). An R.O.C. bend was developed in the presence of paraesthesias and oto-vestibule syndromes at the same time. This allowed us to identify a FIQ cut off value of 66.85 so FM patients were divided into 2 groups according to their FIQ scores: severe degree and mild or slight degree. CONCLUSIONS: Based on our data, it would appear possible to use a FIQ value equal to or higher than 66.85 for the clinical picture of FM to be classified as severe.

Isolation by language and distance in Belgium.

The isonymy structure of trilingual Belgium was studied using the surname distributions for 1,118,004 private telephone users. The users were distributed in 77 Flemish, 76 French, and 3 German speaking towns, selected on a geographic basis to form an approximately regular grid over Belgium. Lasker's distance was found to be considerably higher between languages than within languages. For the whole of Belgium, irrespective of language, it was highly correlated with linear geographic distance, with r = 0.721+/-0.014, which is the highest correlation observed in European countries to date. Within Belgium and within languages, the correlation was highest among the Flemish (r = 0.878 +/- 0.007), and lowest among the French (r = 0.631+/-0.020). Isolation by distance in Belgium is the highest we have found in Europe, and as high as in Switzerland where the different languages are separated by geographical barriers. This is not the case in Belgium, so that the considerable isolating power of languages emerges clearly from the present analysis. From the comparison of Lasker's distance between (9.48) and within (8.16) languages, and from its regression over geographic distance (b = 0.01206), it was possible to establish a quantitative relationship between the isolating power of languages and that of geographic distance as (9.48-8.16)/0.01206 = 109 kilometres. This transformation of language distance into an equivalent geographic distance, given here for Belgium, can be applied to any similar geo-linguistic situation.

[Safety of lornoxicam in G-6-PDH deficiency]. / Sicurezza terapeutica di lornoxicam in soggetti G-6-PDH carenti.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the safety of lornoxicam in subjects with G-6-PDH deficiency. METHODS: Open controlled 2-week in vivo study on lornoxicam 8 mg bid in subjects with G-6-PDH deficiency suffering from rheumatic diseases. RESULTS: In 8 male patients with the Mediterranean form of G-6-PDH deficiency (mean age +/- SD, 54.3 years +/- 7.2) lornoxicam showed no influence on red blood cells (RBC) survival curve. The RBC half-life was the same before and after two weeks of treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Lornoxicam caused no RBC damage and evidenced favourable safety in subjects with G-6-PDH deficiency, suffering from rheumatic diseases.

T-cell receptor expression in C57BL/6 mice that reject or are rendered tolerant to bm1 cardiac grafts.

To study the molecular immunologic features of allograft rejection and tolerance induction by intrathymic pretreatment we developed a murine model of cardiac transplantation. In this model the transplant recipient was the C57BL/6 mouse with its major histocompatibility phenotype H-2b. Donors of cells for intrathymic pretreatment and of hearts for grafting were mice of the bm1 mutation. The bm1 mutation involves substitution of three amino acids in one of the alpha helixes of the class I H-2Kb molecule. Because of the discrete molecular configuration of the transplant antigen we hypothesized that there would be limited heterogeneity of receptor expression on C57BL/6 T cells responding to bm1 cardiac grafts and that intrathymic pretreatment would alter the T-cell repertoire of graft recipients by causing elimination of T cells responsible for graft rejection. Mice were given 0.3 ml of antilymphocyte serum intraperitoneally and had intrathymic injection of 25 x 10(6) bm1 splenocytes 12 to 21 days before transplantation with a bm1 cardiac graft. Flow cytometric analysis of lymph node and spleen cells was used to study the V beta T-cell repertoire of graft recipients. Cells were stained with monoclonal antibodies to CD3 and 13 V beta regions (n = 5, each group) of T cells in naive, sensitized, and tolerant animals. Untreated C57BL/6 mice (n = 9) rejected bm1 cardiac grafts a mean of 20.4 days after transplantation. Twelve mice pretreated with antilymphocyte serum and intrathymic bm1 cells had permanent graft survival (> 100 days, p < 0.0001). Animals treated with antilymphocyte serum alone (n = 5) or pretreated animals undergoing third-party BALB/c grafts (n = 4) rejected grafts in the normal time frame. There was significant alteration of percentage receptor expression of V beta 5.1, 7, 12, 13, and 17a in sensitized and tolerant mice. Of interest, V beta 7 expression was increased in the sensitized mice (3.8% to 8.3%,p = 0.005) and was virtually eliminated in tolerant mice (p = 0.005). In conclusion, these data suggest that V beta 7 is a critical receptor in the C57BL/6 response to subcutaneous bm1 cardiac grafts. Pretreatment of graft recipients with one dose of antilymphocyte serum and intrathymic bm1 cells appears to produce permanent tolerance to bm1 grafts with elimination of T cells expressing receptor chain V beta 7.

Beneficial effects of a novel platelet-activating factor receptor antagonist, ST 899, on endotoxin-induced shock in mice.

The effect of ST 899, a novel platelet-activating factor (PAF) receptor antagonist, on serum tumor necrosis factor (TNF), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) production as well as on lethality in an experimental endotoxin shock model was investigated in C57BL/6 mice. In this model, animals receiving 40 mg/kg lipopolysaccharide (LPS) (Escherichia coli 055:B5) intraperitoneally were pretreated with ST 899 administered according to two different schedules. ST 899 pretreatment dose dependently reduced the mortality induced by LPS injection. The PAF receptor antagonist was also able to reduce significantly the LPS-induced increase in serum TNF. Although serum IL-6 levels were not affected, we found that ST 899, when administered intraperitoneally 60 min and intravenously 10 min prior to LPS challenge, had a tendency (at higher doses) to decrease circulating IFN-gamma levels. It is suggested that ST 899 may be beneficial, in combination with current therapies, in the treatment of diseases that involve overproduction of PAF, TNF, and IFN-gamma such as septic shock.

Development of tolerance to experimental cardiac allografts in utero.

"Actively acquired tolerance" to foreign cells was described in 1953 by Medawar and colleagues and formed the basis for subsequent efforts in organ transplantation. We have applied these historic principles of intrauterine immune manipulation in a vascularized cardiac allograft model. Allogeneic Lewis-Brown Norway (LBN) splenocytes (0 to 5 x 10(7) cells) were injected intraperitoneally into each fetus of a pregnant Lewis rat at day 14 to 16 of gestation, when T cells are "educated" to distinguish self from foreign. This manipulation causes fetal attrition inversely proportional to the number of cells injected. Heterotopic transplantation using an LBN heart was carried out in each surviving fetus at 6 to 8 weeks of age. Untreated Lewis rats rejected LBN hearts within 7.6 days. Rats receiving LBN splenocytes in utero demonstrated prolongation of graft survival proportional to the number of cells given. Surviving animals exposed to 5 x 10(7) allogeneic cells in utero (n = 4) had graft survivals of 24 to more than 150 days (mean, 88.0 days), significantly longer than control animals (6 to 10 days; mean, 7.6 days; p < 0.02). Significant prolongation of cardiac allograft survival and in some cases complete tolerance can be achieved by intrauterine exposure to allogeneic cells at a critical period of immunologic development. Because many serious cardiac defects amenable to treatment by cardiac transplantation can be detected by ultrasound early in gestation, treatment based on this strategy may become useful in pediatric heart transplantation.

Experiments in cardiac xenotransplantation. Response to intrathymic xenogeneic cells and intravenous cobra venom factor.

Permanent tolerance to an experimental cardiac allograft can be achieved by pretransplantation intrathymic inoculation of donor-specific lymphoid cells. We studied the effects of intrathymic inoculation of xenogeneic cells and intravenous cobra venom factor in a rodent model of cardiac xenotransplantation. Lewis rats underwent intraabdominal heterotopic heart transplantation with Syrian hamster donors. In untreated animals, mean graft survival time was 3 days. Five rats had 1 ml of antilymphocyte serum administered intraperitoneally. One day later, 2.5 x 10(7) hamster spleen cells were inoculated into the thymus under direct vision. Twenty-one days after antilymphocyte serum was given, heterotopic heart transplantation with a hamster donor was carried out. In all cases, rejection was accelerated and occurred between 20 minutes and 1 day after transplantation. Mean graft survival time was 5.2 hours (p < 0.0001 versus control). Six animals treated with antilymphocyte serum and intrathymic xenogeneic cells had 0.5 ml of cobra venom factor, a complement antagonist, administered intravenously 3 hours before transplantation and every other day thereafter. Mean graft survival was 3 days, which was not different from the response of naive animals. Animals treated with antilymphocyte serum only had no prolongation of graft survival (mean survival time 3 days, p = not significant). Animals treated with cobra venom factor alone (n = 5) before transplantation and on alternate days subsequently had mild graft prolongation with a mean survival time of 4 days (p = 0.0133). In contrast to experimental allograft models, intrathymic inoculation of xenogeneic cells produces hyperacute rejection in these naturally concordant species. The administration of cobra venom factor abrogates the hyperacute response, but the combination of cobra venom factor and intrathymic inoculation does not produce long-term graft survival.

Successful experimental heart transplantation without immunosuppressive drugs.

Donor-specific unresponsiveness is an important goal of heart transplantation research. Work by other investigators has shown that intrathymic transplantation of pancreatic islet cells not only leads to factor permanent acceptance of the intrathymic graft but tolerance to subsequent extrathymic islet cell transplants. We applied this concept to a model of heart allotransplantation in the rat. Recipient Lewis rats were treated with 1 ml of antilymphocyte serum and 5 x 10(7) Lewis-Brown Norway spleen cells injected into the thymus under direct vision. Twenty-one days later, heterotopic heart transplantation was performed with Lewis-Brown Norway (allograft) and Wistar-Furth (third-party allograft) donors. Control Lewis recipients received no treatment, antilymphocyte serum alone, or antilymphocyte serum plus intrathymic syngeneic Lewis spleen cells. Another group of animals received intravenous Lewis-Brown Norway cells before transplantation with Lewis-Brown Norway heart donors. Untreated control animals had heart graft survival of 6 to 10 days (mean, 7.6 days) and 7 to 9 days (mean, 7.8 days) for Lewis-Brown Norway (n = 5) and Wistar-Furth (n = 5) donors, respectively. Antilymphocyte serum alone (n = 10) failed to prolong survival of Lewis-Brown Norway grafts (mean, 10.7 days; p = not significant). Antilymphocyte serum plus intrathymic Lewis cells (n = 5) did not prolong survival of a subsequent Lewis-Brown Norway graft (mean, 9.2 days; p = not significant). Survival of Wistar-Furth third-party allografts (n = 10) was not prolonged by intrathymic Lewis-Brown Norway cells (mean survival, 13.9 days; p = not significant).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)