Serum levels of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines in non-pregnant women, during pregnancy, labour and abortion.

Disturbance of the cytokine equilibrium has been accused for many pathological disorders. Microbial infections, autoimmune diseases, graft rejection have been correlated to over- or under-production of specific cytokines which are produced as responder molecules to the various immune stimuli. The sole naturally occurring immune reaction in the organism is developed during the gestational period where, despite the presence of a semi-allogeneic graft, maternal immunoreactivity is driven to support fetal growth. The successful embryo development has been attributed to the important intervention of cytokines where some have been characterized as indispensable and others deleterious to fetal growth. However, the physiological levels of many factors during the gestational process have not been determined. Thus, in the present study we have measured and established the values of IL-1alpha, IL-2, IL-3, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12, GM-CSF, TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma during all phases of human pregnancy (first, second and third trimester of pregnancy, labour, abortions of the first trimester) as well as in the non-pregnant control state. This is an attempt to assess serum protein concentrations and present the physiological levels of these cytokines at certain time intervals providing thus a diagnostic advantage in pregnancy cases where the mother cannot immunologically support the fetus. Exploitation of this knowledge and further research may be useful for therapeutic interventions in the future.

[Dynamic ultrasonography in the assessment of candidates to laparoscopic cholecystectomy]. / L'ultrasonografia dinamica nella valutazione del candidato alla colecistectomia laparoscopica.

Laparoscopic surgery has opened a new era in the management of surgical diseases. But, on the other hand, has created problems relating to the technological and to the technico-surgical aspects. In the preoperative evaluation of laparoscopic cholecystectomy candidates it is very important to know about the pathological state of the gallbladder, which may become the cause of very difficult or impossible laparoscopic operation, and the convert in an open procedure will be forced. Recurrent gallbladder inflammations provoke alterations of the normal structure of the wall (oedema, fibrosis) and normal elasticity and contraction after stimulation is last. Adhesion with neighbouring organs hinder contraction as well, and surgical difficulties increase. Choledocholithiasis must be known before operation, to plan surgical strategy. The presence of choledochus disease does that allow us to modify its calibre after stimulation. 100 patients who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy, in our Department, were evaluated before with dynamic ultrasonography (DUS), and the results were compared with operating finds. In this paper are exposed the used method of evaluation and the results of this work. These results allow as to state that the method is effective and trustworthy.

Placental tissue from human miscarriages expresses class II HLA-DR antigens.

PROBLEM: Class II major histocompatibility antigens occupy a central role in the development of humoral or cellular immunologic responses. Surprisingly, in the maternal-fetal interphase, where two genetically different organisms come in direct contact, these antigens are absent. Based on previous studies in mice we have demonstrated that the absence of class II antigens represents another mechanism of fetal protection from the maternal immune response and, furthermore, that the induction of these antigens in the placenta makes the tissue immunogenic and susceptible to maternal immune attack, leading thus to fetal abortion. In order to test this hypothesis in humans, we analyzed the presence of class II antigens in aborted placentae. METHOD: Class II expression on aborted placentae was examined by immunoperoxidase staining on frozen sections. We also studied hematologic changes that accompany such events, measuring white and red blood cell counts, hematocrit, hemoglobin, as well as IgG serum levels by standard techniques. RESULTS: The detection of class II antigens on the aborted tissue indicates that these antigens are indeed major components of a pathway, which leads to a plethora of abnormal phenomena for the maternal organism such as low hematocrit levels, elevated IgG production, and increase of white blood cell numbers. CONCLUSION: The results presented are consistent with our previous observations in mice and point to novel directions not only to pregnancy failure diagnosis, but also to new therapeutic approaches.

Sex hormones in women on hemodialysis.

The pituitary-ovarian axis was studied in 12 women with a creatinine clearance of less than 5 ml/min per 17 m2, established on regular hemodialysis for at least 12 months. Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) serum levels were found to be slightly lower than normal, luteinizing hormone (LH) plasma concentration generally elevated, while progesterone and estradiol values were extremely low. The major reproductive consequence of chronic renal failure in women on hemodialysis is a severe impairment in ovulatory function.

Correlation between histopathologic features and estrogen receptor status in primary breast cancer.

Relationships between certain histopathologic features of tumor specimens and estrogen receptor (ER) status were investigated. Lobular and ductal carcinomas were found to be richer in ER than other histologic types. Well differentiated carcinomas were more often hormone receptor positive than poorly differentiated tumors. Lymphocytic and plasmatocytic infiltration in and around the tumor as well as elastosis also appeared to be related positively to ER status.