1
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Zollo M, Asadzadeh F, Ferrucci V, De Antonellis P, Bibbò F, Siciliano R, Sorice C, Criscuolo G, Filiz DK, Tecik M, Amente S, Saccà CD, Gorini F, Pedone E, Diana D, Pirone L, Fattorusso R, Navas L, Donofrio V, Errico ME, Spennato P, De Martino L, Quaglietta L, Tirone F, Cinalli G. DDDR-32. A NEW IMMUNOMODULATORY FUNCTION OF PYRIDO-PYRIMIDINE DERIVATIVES TO IMPAIR METASTATIC GROUP 3 MEDULLOBLASTOMA IN VIVO. Neuro Oncol 2022. [PMCID: PMC9660321 DOI: 10.1093/neuonc/noac209.397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Medulloblastoma (MB) is an embryonal tumor of the cerebellum constituting ~ 20% of pediatric brain tumors. To date, four MB molecular groups (further stratified in twelve subtypes) have been described. Among them, Groups 3 and Group 4 MB have the poorest prognosis due to their high metastatic potential. Recently, we have reported a metastatic axis driven by Prune1 overexpression in MB Group3 characterized by canonical TGF-β signaling enhancement and epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Here, we have developed a new not toxic pyrido-pyrimidine derivative with the ability to impair Prune-1-driven-axis, thus ameliorating the survival rate of a murine model of metastatic MB Group3 characterized by overexpression of human Prune1 gene in the cerebellum (under the control of MATH1 promoter). Of importance, this small molecule also is showing immunomodulatory functions thus inhibiting the conversion of tumor-infiltrating T lymphocytes (TILs) to immunosuppressive regulatory T cells (Tregs) in vivo via impairing the secretion of inflammatory cytokines from MB cells. Furthermore, this molecule can also act synergistically with the currently used modified-intensity chemotherapy (e.g. in PNET5 use of Vincristine) or potential in the combination with epigenetics drugs (e.g., LSD1/KDM1A inhibitors). Altogether these results are of importance for future targeted therapies of high-risk metastatic MB. Acknowledgments: We thank for funding support: the Italian Association for Cancer Research (AIRC) Grant IG no. 22129 (M.Z.) and Lazio Innova Grant n. 85-2017-14785 (FT; MZ)
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Affiliation(s)
- Massimo Zollo
- Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Naples, Italy. , Naples , Italy
| | - Fatemeh Asadzadeh
- Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Naples, Italy. , Naples , Italy
| | - Veronica Ferrucci
- Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Naples, Italy. , Naples , Italy
| | - Pasqualino De Antonellis
- Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Naples, Italy. , Naples , Italy
| | - Francesca Bibbò
- Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Naples, Italy. , Naples , Italy
| | | | - Carmen Sorice
- CEINGE Biotecnologie Avanzate, Naples, Italy. , Naples , Italy
| | - Giuseppina Criscuolo
- Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Naples, Italy. , Naples , Italy
| | | | - Melisa Tecik
- CEINGE Biotecnologie Avanzate, Naples, Italy. , Naples , Italy
| | - Stefano Amente
- Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Naples, Italy. , Naples , Italy
| | - Carmen Daniela Saccà
- Department of Biology, University of Naples 'Federico II', Naples, Italy , Naples , Italy
| | - Francesca Gorini
- Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Naples, Italy. , Naples , Italy
| | - Emilia Pedone
- Dipartimento di Farmacia, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Naples, Italy , Naples , Italy
| | - Donatella Diana
- Dipartimento di Farmacia, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Naples, Italy , Naples , Italy
| | - Luciano Pirone
- Dipartimento di Farmacia, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Naples, Italy , Naples , Italy
| | - Roberto Fattorusso
- Dipartimento di Farmacia, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Naples, Italy , Naples , Italy
| | - Luigi Navas
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Productions, Universita` degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Naples, Italy , Naples , Italy
| | - Vittoria Donofrio
- Surgical Pathology, Ospedale Santobono-Pausilipon, Naples, Italy , Naples , Italy
| | - Maria Elena Errico
- Surgical Pathology, Ospedale Santobono-Pausilipon, Naples, Italy , Naples , Italy
| | - Pietro Spennato
- Paediatric Neurosurgery, Neuro-oncologia, AORN Santobono-Pausilipon, Naples, Italy , Naples , Italy
| | - Lucia De Martino
- Paediatric Neurosurgery, Neuro-oncologia, AORN Santobono-Pausilipon, Naples, Italy , Naples , Italy
| | - Lucia Quaglietta
- Paediatric Neurosurgery, Neuro-oncologia, AORN Santobono-Pausilipon, Naples, Italy , Naples , Italy
| | - Felice Tirone
- Biochemistry and Cell Biology (IBBC) National Research Council, Monterotondo - Rome Italy , Rome , Italy
| | - Giuseppe Cinalli
- Paediatric Neurosurgery, Neuro-oncologia, AORN Santobono-Pausilipon, Naples, Italy , Naples , Italy
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2
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D’Alterio G, Lasorsa VA, Bonfiglio F, Cantalupo S, Rosato BE, Andolfo I, Russo R, Esposito U, Frisso G, Abete P, Cassese GM, Servillo G, Gentile I, Piscopo C, Della Monica M, Fiorentino G, Boccia A, Paolella G, Ferrucci V, de Antonellis P, Siciliano R, Asadzadeh F, Cerino P, Buonerba C, Pierri B, Zollo M, Iolascon A, Capasso M. Germline rare variants of lectin pathway genes predispose to asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection in elderly individuals. Genet Med 2022; 24:1653-1663. [PMID: 35511137 PMCID: PMC9068606 DOI: 10.1016/j.gim.2022.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2021] [Revised: 04/04/2022] [Accepted: 04/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Emerging evidence suggest that infection-dependent hyperactivation of complement system (CS) may worsen COVID-19 outcome. We investigated the role of predicted high impact rare variants - referred as qualifying variants (QVs) - of CS genes in predisposing asymptomatic COVID-19 in elderly individuals, known to be more susceptible to severe disease. METHODS Exploiting exome sequencing data and 56 CS genes, we performed a gene-based collapsing test between 164 asymptomatic subjects (aged ≥60 years) and 56,885 European individuals from the Genome Aggregation Database. We replicated this test comparing the same asymptomatic individuals with 147 hospitalized patients with COVID-19. RESULTS We found an enrichment of QVs in 3 genes (MASP1, COLEC11, and COLEC10), which belong to the lectin pathway, in the asymptomatic cohort. Analyses of complement activity in serum showed decreased activity of lectin pathway in asymptomatic individuals with QVs. Finally, we found allelic variants associated with asymptomatic COVID-19 phenotype and with a decreased expression of MASP1, COLEC11, and COLEC10 in lung tissue. CONCLUSION This study suggests that genetic rare variants can protect from severe COVID-19 by mitigating the activity of lectin pathway and prothrombin. The genetic data obtained through ES of 786 asymptomatic and 147 hospitalized individuals are publicly available at http://espocovid.ceinge.unina.it/.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe D’Alterio
- European School of Molecular Medicine, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy,CEINGE Biotecnologie Avanzate, Naples, Italy
| | | | - Ferdinando Bonfiglio
- Department of Chemical, Materials and Production Engineering, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Sueva Cantalupo
- CEINGE Biotecnologie Avanzate, Naples, Italy,Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Barbara Eleni Rosato
- CEINGE Biotecnologie Avanzate, Naples, Italy,Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Immacolata Andolfo
- CEINGE Biotecnologie Avanzate, Naples, Italy,Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Roberta Russo
- CEINGE Biotecnologie Avanzate, Naples, Italy,Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | | | - Giulia Frisso
- CEINGE Biotecnologie Avanzate, Naples, Italy,Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Pasquale Abete
- COVID Hospital, P.O.S. Anna e SS. Madonna della Neve di Boscotrecase, Ospedali Riuniti Area Vesuviana, Naples, Italy
| | - Gian Marco Cassese
- COVID Hospital, P.O.S. Anna e SS. Madonna della Neve di Boscotrecase, Ospedali Riuniti Area Vesuviana, Naples, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Servillo
- Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive Sciences and Dentistry, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Ivan Gentile
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Carmelo Piscopo
- Medical and Laboratory Genetics Unit, A.O.R.N. Antonio Cardarelli, Naples, Italy
| | - Matteo Della Monica
- Medical and Laboratory Genetics Unit, A.O.R.N. Antonio Cardarelli, Naples, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Fiorentino
- Cotugno Hospital, Azienda Ospedaliera di Rilievo Nazionale Ospedali dei Colli, Naples, Italy
| | | | - Giovanni Paolella
- CEINGE Biotecnologie Avanzate, Naples, Italy,Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Veronica Ferrucci
- CEINGE Biotecnologie Avanzate, Naples, Italy,Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Pasqualino de Antonellis
- CEINGE Biotecnologie Avanzate, Naples, Italy,Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Roberto Siciliano
- CEINGE Biotecnologie Avanzate, Naples, Italy,Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Fathem Asadzadeh
- European School of Molecular Medicine, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy,CEINGE Biotecnologie Avanzate, Naples, Italy
| | - Pellegrino Cerino
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, Napoli, Italy
| | - Carlo Buonerba
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry “Scuola Medica Salernitana,” University of Salerno, Baronissi, Italy
| | - Biancamaria Pierri
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, Napoli, Italy,Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry “Scuola Medica Salernitana,” University of Salerno, Baronissi, Italy
| | - Massimo Zollo
- CEINGE Biotecnologie Avanzate, Naples, Italy,Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Achille Iolascon
- CEINGE Biotecnologie Avanzate, Naples, Italy,Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Mario Capasso
- CEINGE Biotecnologie Avanzate, Naples, Italy; Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy.
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3
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Pinto G, Illiano A, Ferrucci V, Quarantelli F, Fontanarosa C, Siciliano R, Di Domenico C, Izzo B, Pucci P, Marino G, Zollo M, Amoresano A. Identification of SARS-CoV-2 Proteins from Nasopharyngeal Swabs Probed by Multiple Reaction Monitoring Tandem Mass Spectrometry. ACS Omega 2021; 6:34945-34953. [PMID: 34926968 PMCID: PMC8672425 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.1c05587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Numerous reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests have emerged over the past year as the gold standard for detecting millions of cases of SARS-CoV-2 reported daily worldwide. However, problems with critical shortages of key reagents such as PCR primers and RNA extraction kits and unpredictable test reliability related to high viral replication cycles have triggered the need for alternative methodologies to PCR to detect specific COVID-19 proteins. Several authors have developed methods based on liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) to confirm the potential of the technique to detect two major proteins, the spike and the nucleoprotein, of COVID-19. In the present work, an S-Trap mini spin column digestion protocol was used for sample preparation prodromal to LC-MS/MS analysis in multiple reactions monitoring ion mode (MRM) to obtain a comprehensive method capable of detecting different viral proteins. The developed method was applied to n. 81 oro/nasopharyngeal swabs submitted in parallel to quantitative reverse transcription PCR (RT-qPCR) assays to detect RdRP, the S and N genes specific for COVID-19, and the E gene for all Sarbecoviruses, including SARS-CoV-2 (with cycle negativity threshold set to 40). A total of 23 peptides representative of the six specific viral proteins were detected in the monitoring of 128 transitions found to have good ionic currents extracted in clinical samples that reacted differently to the PCR assay. The best instrumental response came from the FLPFQFGR sequence of spike [558-566] peptide used to test the analytical performance of the method that has good sensitivity with a low false-negative rate. Transition monitoring using a targeted MS approach has the great potential to detect the fragmentation reactions of any peptide molecularly defined by a specific amino acid sequence, offering the extensibility of the approach to any viral sequence including derived variants and thus providing insights into the development of new types of clinical diagnostics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriella Pinto
- Department
of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples
Federico II, Via Cinthia 26, 80126 Naples, Italy
- Istituto
Nazionale Biostrutture e Biosistemi-Consorzio Interuniversitario, Viale delle Medaglie d’Oro,
305, 00136 Rome, Italy
| | - Anna Illiano
- Department
of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples
Federico II, Via Cinthia 26, 80126 Naples, Italy
- CEINGE
Advanced Biotechnology, Via Gaetano Salvatore 486, 80145 Naples, Italy
- Istituto
Nazionale Biostrutture e Biosistemi-Consorzio Interuniversitario, Viale delle Medaglie d’Oro,
305, 00136 Rome, Italy
| | - Veronica Ferrucci
- CEINGE
Advanced Biotechnology, Via Gaetano Salvatore 486, 80145 Naples, Italy
- Department
of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, Via Pansini 5, 80145 Naples, Italy
| | | | - Carolina Fontanarosa
- Department
of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples
Federico II, Via Cinthia 26, 80126 Naples, Italy
- Istituto
Nazionale Biostrutture e Biosistemi-Consorzio Interuniversitario, Viale delle Medaglie d’Oro,
305, 00136 Rome, Italy
| | - Roberto Siciliano
- CEINGE
Advanced Biotechnology, Via Gaetano Salvatore 486, 80145 Naples, Italy
| | - Carmela Di Domenico
- CEINGE
Advanced Biotechnology, Via Gaetano Salvatore 486, 80145 Naples, Italy
| | - Barbara Izzo
- CEINGE
Advanced Biotechnology, Via Gaetano Salvatore 486, 80145 Naples, Italy
- Department
of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, Via Pansini 5, 80145 Naples, Italy
| | - Piero Pucci
- Department
of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples
Federico II, Via Cinthia 26, 80126 Naples, Italy
- CEINGE
Advanced Biotechnology, Via Gaetano Salvatore 486, 80145 Naples, Italy
| | - Gennaro Marino
- Department
of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples
Federico II, Via Cinthia 26, 80126 Naples, Italy
| | - Massimo Zollo
- CEINGE
Advanced Biotechnology, Via Gaetano Salvatore 486, 80145 Naples, Italy
- Department
of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, Via Pansini 5, 80145 Naples, Italy
| | - Angela Amoresano
- Department
of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples
Federico II, Via Cinthia 26, 80126 Naples, Italy
- Istituto
Nazionale Biostrutture e Biosistemi-Consorzio Interuniversitario, Viale delle Medaglie d’Oro,
305, 00136 Rome, Italy
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4
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Canonico ME, Scudiero F, Sanna GD, Siciliano R, Guarino S, Saba PS, Esposito G, Parodi G. Impact of smoking habit on baseline and on-treatment platelet reactivity in STEMI patients treated with 3rd generation P2Y12. Eur Heart J 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehab724.1291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background
Smoking habit is a well known risk factor for cardiovascular disease. High on-treatment platelet reactivity has been associated with high risk of ischemic events in STEMI patients. The relationship between platelet reactivity and smoking habit was investigated only in few studies, and the impact of smoke on platelet reactivity in STEMI patients treated with 3rd generation P2Y12 inhibitor is still lacking.
Purpose
This study aim to assess the impact of smoking habits on baseline and on-treatment platelet reactivity in STEMI patients treated with 3rd generation P2Y12 inhibitor.
Methods
Overall, 429 STEMI patients were enrolled in this study. Patients were divided into two groups according to smoking habit. Platelet reactivity was assessed by VerifyNow at baseline and after 3rd generation P2Y12 inhibitor (ticagrelor or prasugrel) loading dose (LD). Blood samples were obtained at baseline (T0), and after 1 hour (T1), 2 hours (T2), 4–6 hours (T3) and 8–12 hours (T4) after LD.
Results
The mean age of the enrolled population was 62±12 and male rate was 75%. Patients with smoking habit were younger (75.8% vs 38.9%, p<0.001 for age <65 years), with higher prevalence of family history of CAD, while with a lower rate hypertension (43.4% vs 65.9%, p<0.001) and previous myocardial infarction (5.3% vs 11.4%, p=0.022) (Table). Smoker patients had lower platelet reactivity either at baseline [T0: 249 (205–285) vs 284 (230–324), p<0.001] or at 2 hours after the LD [T2: 107 (18–279) vs 136 (51–260), p=0.003] (Table). Similarly, Smoker patients experienced a lower rate of in-hospital composite adverse event of death, reinfarction, stroke or acute kidney injury (1.6% vs 12.4%; p≤0.001) (Table). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that left ventricular ejection fraction at admission (OR= 0.916, 95% CI 0.865–0.969; p=0.002), and platelet reactivity at baseline (OR= 1.013, 95% CI 1.002–1.024; p=0.024) were independent predictors of in-hospital composite adverse event.
Conclusions
Smoker status is associated with lower platelet reactivity either at baseline or after LD and with a better short-term prognosis in STEMI patients treated by dual antiplatelet therapy with ticagrelor or prasugrel.
Funding Acknowledgement
Type of funding sources: None.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - G D Sanna
- University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
| | | | - S Guarino
- University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
| | - P S Saba
- University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
| | - G Esposito
- Federico II University Hospital, Naples, Italy
| | - G Parodi
- University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
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5
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Ferrucci V, Kong DY, Asadzadeh F, Marrone L, Boccia A, Siciliano R, Criscuolo G, Anastasio C, Quarantelli F, Comegna M, Pisano I, Passariello M, Iacobucci I, Monica RD, Izzo B, Cerino P, Fusco G, Viscardi M, Brandi S, Pierri BM, Borriello G, Tiberio C, Atripaldi L, Bianchi M, Paolella G, Capoluongo E, Castaldo G, Chiariotti L, Monti M, De Lorenzo C, Yun KS, Pascarella S, Cheong JH, Kim HY, Zollo M. Long-chain polyphosphates impair SARS-CoV-2 infection and replication. Sci Signal 2021; 14:14/690/eabe5040. [PMID: 34230209 PMCID: PMC8432949 DOI: 10.1126/scisignal.abe5040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Long-chain, inorganic polyphosphates (polyPs), which are found in many cells in the blood, have cytoprotective and antiviral activities, particularly against HIV-1 infection. Ferrucci et al. tested the effects of polyPs of various lengths on severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in vitro. Molecular docking and binding analyses showed that polyPs bound to the host receptor ACE2, which facilitates viral entry, and a viral RNA polymerase required for replication. Both proteins underwent proteasomal degradation in cells incubated with polyP120, the optimal species tested, resulting in inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 replication and a reduced inflammatory response. Given that polyPs have low toxicity, these results suggest that their potential therapeutic use should be further explored. Inorganic polyphosphates (polyPs) are linear polymers composed of repeated phosphate (PO43−) units linked together by multiple high-energy phosphoanhydride bonds. In addition to being a source of energy, polyPs have cytoprotective and antiviral activities. Here, we investigated the antiviral activities of long-chain polyPs against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. In molecular docking analyses, polyPs interacted with several conserved amino acid residues in angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), the host receptor that facilitates virus entry, and in viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp). ELISA and limited proteolysis assays using nano– LC-MS/MS mapped polyP120 binding to ACE2, and site-directed mutagenesis confirmed interactions between ACE2 and SARS-CoV-2 RdRp and identified the specific amino acid residues involved. PolyP120 enhanced the proteasomal degradation of both ACE2 and RdRp, thus impairing replication of the British B.1.1.7 SARS-CoV-2 variant. We thus tested polyPs for functional interactions with the virus in SARS-CoV-2–infected Vero E6 and Caco2 cells and in primary human nasal epithelial cells. Delivery of a nebulized form of polyP120 reduced the amounts of viral positive-sense genomic and subgenomic RNAs, of RNA transcripts encoding proinflammatory cytokines, and of viral structural proteins, thereby presenting SARS-CoV-2 infection in cells in vitro.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronica Ferrucci
- CEINGE Biotecnologie Avanzate, Naples 80145, Italy.,Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche (DMMBM), "Federico II" University of Naples, Naples 80131, Italy
| | - Dae-Young Kong
- Ginxen Co., Ltd., 2F, Daewoong Building, Seocho-gu, Seoul, South Korea
| | | | - Laura Marrone
- CEINGE Biotecnologie Avanzate, Naples 80145, Italy.,Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche (DMMBM), "Federico II" University of Naples, Naples 80131, Italy
| | - Angelo Boccia
- Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche (DMMBM), "Federico II" University of Naples, Naples 80131, Italy
| | | | - Giuseppina Criscuolo
- CEINGE Biotecnologie Avanzate, Naples 80145, Italy.,Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche (DMMBM), "Federico II" University of Naples, Naples 80131, Italy
| | | | | | - Marika Comegna
- CEINGE Biotecnologie Avanzate, Naples 80145, Italy.,Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche (DMMBM), "Federico II" University of Naples, Naples 80131, Italy
| | - Ida Pisano
- CEINGE Biotecnologie Avanzate, Naples 80145, Italy
| | - Margherita Passariello
- CEINGE Biotecnologie Avanzate, Naples 80145, Italy.,Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche (DMMBM), "Federico II" University of Naples, Naples 80131, Italy
| | - Ilaria Iacobucci
- CEINGE Biotecnologie Avanzate, Naples 80145, Italy.,Department of Chemical Sciences, University "Federico II", Via Cinthia 4, Naples 80125, Italy
| | | | - Barbara Izzo
- CEINGE Biotecnologie Avanzate, Naples 80145, Italy.,Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche (DMMBM), "Federico II" University of Naples, Naples 80131, Italy
| | - Pellegrino Cerino
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, Naples 80055, Italy
| | - Giovanna Fusco
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, Naples 80055, Italy
| | - Maurizio Viscardi
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, Naples 80055, Italy
| | - Sergio Brandi
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, Naples 80055, Italy
| | | | - Giorgia Borriello
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, Naples 80055, Italy
| | - Claudia Tiberio
- U.O.C. di Patologia Clinica Ospedale D. Cotugno, Azienda Sanitaria Ospedali dei Colli, Naples 80131, Italy
| | - Luigi Atripaldi
- U.O.C. di Patologia Clinica Ospedale D. Cotugno, Azienda Sanitaria Ospedali dei Colli, Naples 80131, Italy
| | - Martina Bianchi
- Sapienza Università di Roma, Department of Biochemical Sciences "A. Rossi Fanelli", Rome 00185, Italy
| | - Giovanni Paolella
- CEINGE Biotecnologie Avanzate, Naples 80145, Italy.,Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche (DMMBM), "Federico II" University of Naples, Naples 80131, Italy
| | - Ettore Capoluongo
- CEINGE Biotecnologie Avanzate, Naples 80145, Italy.,DAI Medicina di Laboratorio e Trasfusionale, AOU Azienda Ospedaliera "Federico II", Naples 80131, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Castaldo
- CEINGE Biotecnologie Avanzate, Naples 80145, Italy.,Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche (DMMBM), "Federico II" University of Naples, Naples 80131, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Chiariotti
- CEINGE Biotecnologie Avanzate, Naples 80145, Italy.,Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche (DMMBM), "Federico II" University of Naples, Naples 80131, Italy
| | - Maria Monti
- CEINGE Biotecnologie Avanzate, Naples 80145, Italy.,Department of Chemical Sciences, University "Federico II", Via Cinthia 4, Naples 80125, Italy
| | - Claudia De Lorenzo
- CEINGE Biotecnologie Avanzate, Naples 80145, Italy.,Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche (DMMBM), "Federico II" University of Naples, Naples 80131, Italy
| | - Kyong-Seop Yun
- HaimBio Co. Ltd, Industrial Park, Korea University, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Stefano Pascarella
- Sapienza Università di Roma, Department of Biochemical Sciences "A. Rossi Fanelli", Rome 00185, Italy
| | - Jae-Ho Cheong
- Department of Surgery, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
| | - Hong-Yeoul Kim
- Ginxen Co., Ltd., 2F, Daewoong Building, Seocho-gu, Seoul, South Korea. .,HaimBio Co. Ltd, Industrial Park, Korea University, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Massimo Zollo
- CEINGE Biotecnologie Avanzate, Naples 80145, Italy. .,Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche (DMMBM), "Federico II" University of Naples, Naples 80131, Italy.,DAI Medicina di Laboratorio e Trasfusionale, AOU Azienda Ospedaliera "Federico II", Naples 80131, Italy
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6
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Zollo M, Ferrucci V, Izzo B, Quarantelli F, Domenico CD, Comegna M, Paolillo C, Amato F, Siciliano R, Castaldo G, Capoluongo E. SARS-CoV-2 Subgenomic N ( sgN) Transcripts in Oro-Nasopharyngeal Swabs Correlate with the Highest Viral Load, as Evaluated by Five Different Molecular Methods. Diagnostics (Basel) 2021; 11:288. [PMID: 33673182 PMCID: PMC7923082 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics11020288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2021] [Revised: 02/05/2021] [Accepted: 02/05/2021] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has forced diagnostic laboratories to focus on the early diagnostics of SARS-CoV-2. The positivity of a molecular test cannot respond to the question regarding the viral capability to replicate, spread, and give different clinical effects. Despite the fact that some targets are covered by commercially-available assays, the identification of new biomarkers is desired in order to improve the quality of the information given by these assays. Therefore, since the subgenomic transcripts (sgN and sgE) are considered markers of viral activity, we evaluated these subgenomic transcripts in relation to the genomic amplification obtained using five different commercial CE-IVD tools. Methods: Five CE-IVD kits were compared in terms of their capability to detect both synthetic SARS-CoV-2 viral constructs (spiked in TMB or PBS medium) and targets (N, E, RdRp and Orf1ab genes) in twenty COVID-19-positive patients' swabs. The sgN and sgE were assayed by real-time RT-qPCR and digital PCR. Results: None of the diagnostic kits missed the viral target genes when they were applied to targets spiked in TMB or PBS (at dilutions ranging from 100 pg to 0.1 pg). Nevertheless, once they were applied to RNA extracted from the patients' swabs, the superimposability ranged from 50% to 100%, regardless of the extraction procedure. The sgN RNA transcript was detected only in samples with a higher viral load (Ct ≤ 22.5), while sgE was within all of the Ct ranges. Conclusions: The five kits show variable performances depending on the assay layout. It is worthy of note that the detection of the sgN transcript is associated with a higher viral load, thus representing a new marker of early and more severe infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Massimo Zollo
- CEINGE, Biotecnologie Avanzate, 80131 Naples, Italy; (M.Z.); (V.F.); (B.I.); (F.Q.); (C.D.D.); (M.C.); (F.A.); (R.S.); (G.C.)
- Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche, Università di Napoli Federico II, 80138 Naples, Italy
- Department of Medicina di Laboratorio e Trasfusionale, AOU Federico II, 80138 Naples, Italy
| | - Veronica Ferrucci
- CEINGE, Biotecnologie Avanzate, 80131 Naples, Italy; (M.Z.); (V.F.); (B.I.); (F.Q.); (C.D.D.); (M.C.); (F.A.); (R.S.); (G.C.)
- Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche, Università di Napoli Federico II, 80138 Naples, Italy
| | - Barbara Izzo
- CEINGE, Biotecnologie Avanzate, 80131 Naples, Italy; (M.Z.); (V.F.); (B.I.); (F.Q.); (C.D.D.); (M.C.); (F.A.); (R.S.); (G.C.)
- Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche, Università di Napoli Federico II, 80138 Naples, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Quarantelli
- CEINGE, Biotecnologie Avanzate, 80131 Naples, Italy; (M.Z.); (V.F.); (B.I.); (F.Q.); (C.D.D.); (M.C.); (F.A.); (R.S.); (G.C.)
| | - Carmela Di Domenico
- CEINGE, Biotecnologie Avanzate, 80131 Naples, Italy; (M.Z.); (V.F.); (B.I.); (F.Q.); (C.D.D.); (M.C.); (F.A.); (R.S.); (G.C.)
| | - Marika Comegna
- CEINGE, Biotecnologie Avanzate, 80131 Naples, Italy; (M.Z.); (V.F.); (B.I.); (F.Q.); (C.D.D.); (M.C.); (F.A.); (R.S.); (G.C.)
- Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche, Università di Napoli Federico II, 80138 Naples, Italy
| | - Carmela Paolillo
- Dipartimento di Clinica e Medicina Sperimentale, Università degli Studi di Foggia “Emanuele Altomare” Via Napoli, 121, 71122 Foggia FG, Italy;
| | - Felice Amato
- CEINGE, Biotecnologie Avanzate, 80131 Naples, Italy; (M.Z.); (V.F.); (B.I.); (F.Q.); (C.D.D.); (M.C.); (F.A.); (R.S.); (G.C.)
- Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche, Università di Napoli Federico II, 80138 Naples, Italy
| | - Roberto Siciliano
- CEINGE, Biotecnologie Avanzate, 80131 Naples, Italy; (M.Z.); (V.F.); (B.I.); (F.Q.); (C.D.D.); (M.C.); (F.A.); (R.S.); (G.C.)
| | - Giuseppe Castaldo
- CEINGE, Biotecnologie Avanzate, 80131 Naples, Italy; (M.Z.); (V.F.); (B.I.); (F.Q.); (C.D.D.); (M.C.); (F.A.); (R.S.); (G.C.)
- Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche, Università di Napoli Federico II, 80138 Naples, Italy
- Department of Medicina di Laboratorio e Trasfusionale, AOU Federico II, 80138 Naples, Italy
| | - Ettore Capoluongo
- CEINGE, Biotecnologie Avanzate, 80131 Naples, Italy; (M.Z.); (V.F.); (B.I.); (F.Q.); (C.D.D.); (M.C.); (F.A.); (R.S.); (G.C.)
- Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche, Università di Napoli Federico II, 80138 Naples, Italy
- Department of Medicina di Laboratorio e Trasfusionale, AOU Federico II, 80138 Naples, Italy
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7
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Ferrucci V, Asadzadeh F, Collina F, Siciliano R, Boccia A, Marrone L, Spano D, Carotenuto M, Chiarolla CM, De Martino D, De Vita G, Macrì A, Dassi L, Vandenbussche J, Marino N, Cantile M, Paolella G, D'Andrea F, di Bonito M, Gevaert K, Zollo M. Prune-1 drives polarization of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) within the lung metastatic niche in triple-negative breast cancer. iScience 2020; 24:101938. [PMID: 33426510 PMCID: PMC7779777 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2020.101938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2020] [Revised: 10/22/2020] [Accepted: 12/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
M2-tumor-associated macrophages (M2-TAMs) in the tumor microenvironment represent a prognostic indicator for poor outcome in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Here we show that Prune-1 overexpression in human TNBC patients has positive correlation to lung metastasis and infiltrating M2-TAMs. Thus, we demonstrate that Prune-1 promotes lung metastasis in a genetically engineered mouse model of metastatic TNBC augmenting M2-polarization of TAMs within the tumor microenvironment. Thus, this occurs through TGF-β enhancement, IL-17F secretion, and extracellular vesicle protein content modulation. We also find murine inactivating gene variants in human TNBC patient cohorts that are involved in activation of the innate immune response, cell adhesion, apoptotic pathways, and DNA repair. Altogether, we indicate that the overexpression of Prune-1, IL-10, COL4A1, ILR1, and PDGFB, together with inactivating mutations of PDE9A, CD244, Sirpb1b, SV140, Iqca1, and PIP5K1B genes, might represent a route of metastatic lung dissemination that need future prognostic validations. Prune-1 correlates to M2-TAMs confirming lung metastatic dissemination in GEMM Cytokines and EV proteins are responsible of M2-TAMs polarization processes A small molecule with immunomodulatory properties ameliorates metastatic dissemination Identification of gene variants within immune response and cell adhesion in TNBC
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronica Ferrucci
- CEINGE, Biotecnologie Avanzate, Naples 80145, Italy.,Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche (DMMBM), 'Federico II' University of Naples, Naples 80134, Italy.,European School of Molecular Medicine (SEMM), University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Fatemeh Asadzadeh
- CEINGE, Biotecnologie Avanzate, Naples 80145, Italy.,Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche (DMMBM), 'Federico II' University of Naples, Naples 80134, Italy
| | - Francesca Collina
- Pathology Unit, Istituto Nazionale Tumori-IRCS- Fondazione G.Pascale, Naples 80131, Italy
| | | | | | - Laura Marrone
- CEINGE, Biotecnologie Avanzate, Naples 80145, Italy.,Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche (DMMBM), 'Federico II' University of Naples, Naples 80134, Italy
| | | | - Marianeve Carotenuto
- Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche (DMMBM), 'Federico II' University of Naples, Naples 80134, Italy
| | | | - Daniela De Martino
- Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche (DMMBM), 'Federico II' University of Naples, Naples 80134, Italy
| | - Gennaro De Vita
- Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche (DMMBM), 'Federico II' University of Naples, Naples 80134, Italy
| | | | - Luisa Dassi
- CEINGE, Biotecnologie Avanzate, Naples 80145, Italy
| | - Jonathan Vandenbussche
- VIB-UGent Centre for Medical Biotechnology, Ghent 9052, Belgium.,Department of Biomolecular Medicine, Ghent University, B9052 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Natascia Marino
- CEINGE, Biotecnologie Avanzate, Naples 80145, Italy.,Department of Medicine, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis 46202, USA
| | - Monica Cantile
- Pathology Unit, Istituto Nazionale Tumori-IRCS- Fondazione G.Pascale, Naples 80131, Italy
| | | | - Francesco D'Andrea
- Dipartimento di Sanità pubblica - AOU, Università; degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Naples 80131, Italy
| | - Maurizio di Bonito
- Pathology Unit, Istituto Nazionale Tumori-IRCS- Fondazione G.Pascale, Naples 80131, Italy
| | - Kris Gevaert
- VIB-UGent Centre for Medical Biotechnology, Ghent 9052, Belgium.,Department of Biomolecular Medicine, Ghent University, B9052 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Massimo Zollo
- CEINGE, Biotecnologie Avanzate, Naples 80145, Italy.,Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche (DMMBM), 'Federico II' University of Naples, Naples 80134, Italy.,European School of Molecular Medicine (SEMM), University of Milan, Milan, Italy.,DAI Medicina di Laboratorio e Trasfusionale, AOU Federico II, Naples 80131, Italy
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8
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Siciliano R, Agapito G, Siciliano S, Fimognari FL. Aging changes complexity of heart rate dynamics assessed by entropy and Lyapunov exponent analysis. Geriatr Care 2019. [DOI: 10.4081/gc.2019.8038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
In recent years, many research groups are trying to quantify the physiological signals of an individual, proposing new models to assess the complex dynamics of biological control systems. Indeed, life coincides with the good handling of the structures in the organism and of physiological control mechanisms, while disease and death coincide with the loss of structure and of coordinated functions. The homeodynamic systems which normally govern health are the same that cause pathological events when activated inadequately, or rather, when the balance between order and chaos of the elementary physiological processes is no longer effectively controlled in relation to any type of stress, both external and internal to the body. In a complex system, loss or alteration of communication between physiological signals means pathology. In this paper a signal analysis method based on Entropy (E), Lyapunov exponent (1), Median Absolute Deviation (MAD), Multiscale Entropy (MSE), is proposed to estimate the complexity of long-range temporal correlation heart rate (HR) time series for an elderly person and a young person both healthy. These new methods could improve overall understanding of the physiological system of the human organism, by adopting new models and experimental paradigms, such as those of fractality and entropy, who have the ability to direct from an organ medicine to a modern systemic medicine.
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9
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Siciliano R, Piro F, Cosentino D, Massenzo A, Marafioti L. 358. How much treatment suspension or scheduling delay in treating gynecological cancer affects survival? Phys Med 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmp.2018.04.366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
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10
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Ferrucci V, de Antonellis P, Pennino FP, Asadzadeh F, Siciliano R, Virgilio A, Galeone A, De Martino L, Quaglietta L, Errico ME, Donofrio V, Picard D, Remke M, Chesler L, Swartling F, Weiss W, Taylor M, Cinalli G, Zollo M. MBRS-52. TARGETING PRUNE-1 IN A GEMM OF METASTATIC MEDULLOBLASTOMA: A POTENTIAL ROUTE OF INHIBITION FOR NEW FUTURE THERAPIES. Neuro Oncol 2018. [DOI: 10.1093/neuonc/noy059.497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Veronica Ferrucci
- European School of Molecular Medicine (SEMM), Milan, Italy
- Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Pasqualino de Antonellis
- CEINGE Biotecnologie Avanzate, Naples, Italy., Naples, Italy
- Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Francesco Paolo Pennino
- Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Naples, Italy
- CEINGE Biotecnologie Avanzate, Naples, Italy., Naples, Italy
| | | | | | - Antonella Virgilio
- Dipartimento di Farmacia, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Aldo Galeone
- Dipartimento di Farmacia, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Lucia De Martino
- Paediatric Neurosurgery, Ospedale Santobono-Pausilipon, Naples, Italy
| | - Lucia Quaglietta
- Paediatric Neurosurgery, Ospedale Santobono-Pausilipon, Naples, Italy
| | | | | | - Daniel Picard
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Department of Paediatric Oncology, Haematology, and Clinical Immunology, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Marc Remke
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Department of Paediatric Oncology, Haematology, and Clinical Immunology, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Louis Chesler
- Division of Clinical Studies, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK
| | - Fredrik Swartling
- Science for Life Laboratory, Rudbeck Laboratory, Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - William Weiss
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Michael Taylor
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Arthur and Sonia Labatt Brain Tumour Research Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Giuseppe Cinalli
- Paediatric Neurosurgery, Ospedale Santobono-Pausilipon, Naples, Italy
| | - Massimo Zollo
- Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Naples, Italy
- CEINGE Biotecnologie Avanzate, Naples, Italy., Naples, Italy
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11
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Siciliano R. Entropy as a method to investigate complex biological systems. An alternative view on the biological transition from healthy aging to frailty. Geriatr Care 2017. [DOI: 10.4081/gc.2017.6755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Everyone is subject to a process of progressive deterioration of control mechanisms, which supervise the complex network of human physiological functions, reducing the individual ability to adapt to emerging situations of stress or change. In the light of results obtained during the last years, it appears that some of the tools of nonlinear dynamics, first developed for the physical sciences are well suited for studies of biological systems. We believe that, considering the level of order or complexity of the anatomical apparatus by measuring a physical quantity, which is the entropy, we can evaluate the health status or vice versa fragility of a biological system. In particular, a reduction in the entropy value, indicates modification of the structural order with a progressive reduction of functional reserve of the individual, which is associated with a failure to adapt to stress conditions, difficult to be analyzed and documented with a unique traditional biochemical or biomolecular vision. Therefore, in this paper, we present a method that, conceptually combines complexity, disease and aging, alloys Poisson statistics, predictive of the personal level of health, to the entropy value indicating the status of bio-dynamic and functional body, seen as a complex and open thermodynamic system.
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12
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Siciliano R. Radiological Examinations in Pediatric Age. Ann Ig 2017; 29:134-140. [PMID: 28244582 DOI: 10.7416/ai.2017.2140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Diagnostic radiology imaging is an essential tool for adequate clinical investigation of pathological processes and the drafting of a personalized therapy plan. However, in recent years, there has been a substantial increase of requests, mainly due to technological advances but also to social and cultural reasons, not always based on the principle of the diagnostic justification. The progress of recent years in the field of diagnostic radiology has made available to the physician a variety of sophisticated radiological examinations, which are not always used rationally and appropriately. The theme is of paramount importance, particularly in childhood or adolescence, characterized by elevated radiosensitivity (high cell turnover) and longer life expectancy; therefore, children exposed to ionizing radiation are theoretically subject to a higher risk of carcinogenesis compared to the general population. For these reasons the young patients should have greater protection and examinations must respect stringent appropriateness criteria. Far from underestimating the important diagnostic and therapeutic benefits that these procedures provide, the use of ionizing radiations must minimize the radiation-related risk in accordance with the ALARA principle (As Low As Reasonably Achievable), key principle of modern radiation protection.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Siciliano
- Medical Physics Unit, Cosenza Hospital, Italy and Magna Graecia University, Catanzaro, Italy
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13
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Loizzo M, Siciliano R. Quality Implementation in Health Physics Unit, Cosenza Hospital. Accreditation Program as Quality Improvement instrument. Ann Ig 2016; 28:304-9. [PMID: 27479767 DOI: 10.7416/ai.2016.2110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Achieving high levels of quality in healthcare, which could be measurable, is increasingly important at present and is dictated by the radical changes of the welfare system imposed today by the well known economic constraints. However, even in the ongoing legislation, the practices concerning the verification and review of the quality of health care has had a major impact in the galaxy of Health. On the one hand, the citizen is developing an awareness of the possibilities of choice (Empowerment) between a plurality of providers of healthcare services, on the other hand providers themselves are obliged, within the logic of a global market, to retrain their offers to respond satisfactorily to the needs of citizens. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate how the adoption of Operational Procedures, following the granting of a certificate of accreditation to the Unit of Medical Physics, has changed the approach to the work on the part of health workers, in the direction of a dynamic quality improvement.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Loizzo
- MD, Head of the Quality, Accreditation, Research and Innovation Unit, Cosenza Hospital, Italy
| | - R Siciliano
- PhD, Head of Medical Physics Unit, Cosenza Hospital, Italy
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14
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Faggiano A, Carratù AC, Guadagno E, Tafuto S, Tatangelo F, Riccardi F, Mocerino C, Palmieri G, Damiano V, Siciliano R, Leo S, Mauro A, Tozzi LF, Battista C, De Rosa G, Colao A. Letter: the response to somatostatin analogues in neuroendocrine tumours is influenced by the Ki67 score. Aliment Pharmacol Ther 2015; 42:1033-4. [PMID: 26374262 DOI: 10.1111/apt.13381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- A Faggiano
- Thyroid and Parathyroid Surgery Unit, Istituto Nazionale per lo studio e la cura dei tumori "Fondazione G. Pascale" - IRCCS, Napoli, Italy.
| | - A C Carratù
- Endocrinology Unit, Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Università di Napoli Federico II, Napoli, Italy
| | - E Guadagno
- Pathology Unit, Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, Università di Napoli Federico II, Napoli, Italy
| | - S Tafuto
- Medical Oncology Unit, Istituto Nazionale per lo studio e la cura dei tumori "Fondazione G. Pascale" - IRCCS, Napoli, Italy
| | - F Tatangelo
- Pathology Unit, Istituto Nazionale per lo studio e la cura dei tumori "Fondazione G. Pascale" - IRCCS, Napoli, Italy
| | - F Riccardi
- Oncology Unit, AORN Cardarelli, Napoli, Italy
| | - C Mocerino
- Oncology Unit, AORN Cardarelli, Napoli, Italy
| | - G Palmieri
- Oncology Unit, Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Università di Napoli Federico II, Napoli, Italy
| | - V Damiano
- Oncology Unit, Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Università di Napoli Federico II, Napoli, Italy
| | - R Siciliano
- Department of Industrial Engeenering, Università di Napoli Federico II, Napoli, Italy
| | - S Leo
- Oncology Unit, Ospedale Civico, Lecce, Italy
| | - A Mauro
- Oncology Unit, Ospedale Civico, Lecce, Italy
| | - L F Tozzi
- Oncology Unit, IRCCS Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy
| | - C Battista
- Endocrinology Unit, IRCCS Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy
| | - G De Rosa
- Pathology Unit, Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, Università di Napoli Federico II, Napoli, Italy
| | - A Colao
- Endocrinology Unit, Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Università di Napoli Federico II, Napoli, Italy
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15
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16
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Stroffolini T, Spadaro A, Di Marco V, Scifo G, Russello M, Montalto G, Bertino G, Surace L, Caroleo B, Foti G, Portelli V, Madonia S, Sapienza M, Cosco L, Frugiuele P, Galdieri A, Brandolino N, Siciliano R, Bruno S, Almasio PL. Current practice of chronic hepatitis B treatment in Southern Italy. Eur J Intern Med 2012; 23:e124-7. [PMID: 22726382 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejim.2012.03.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2012] [Revised: 03/15/2012] [Accepted: 03/31/2012] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Treatment choice for chronic HBV infection is a continuously evolving issue, with a wide range of options. We aimed to evaluate the current practice of HBV therapies in the real world in Southern Italy. METHODS A prospective study enrolling over a six month period (February-July 2010) all consecutive HBsAg positive subjects, never previously treated, referred to 16 liver units in two Southern Italy regions (Calabria and Sicily). RESULTS Out of 247 subjects evaluated, 116 (46.9%) had HBV-DNA undetectable or lower than 2000 UI/ml. There were 108 (43.7%) inactive carriers, 103 (41.7%) chronic hepatitis, and 36 (14.6%) liver cirrhosis. Antiviral treatment was planned in 94 (38.0%) patients (26 cases with Interferon or Pegylated Interferon and 68 with nucleos(t)ides analogues). As many as 49.5% of subjects with chronic hepatitis did not receive antiviral treatment. DISCUSSION The majority of chronic HBsAg carrier referring centres for evaluation were not considered suitable for antiviral treatment. Nucleos(t)ides analogues are the preferred first choice for therapy. A long-lasting period of observation may be needed to make appropriate therapeutic decisions in several cases.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Stroffolini
- Department of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, Policlinico Umberto I, Rome, Italy
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17
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Stroffolini T, Spadaro A, Di Marco V, Scifo G, Russello M, Montalto G, Bertino G, Surace L, Caroleo B, Foti G, Portelli V, Madonia S, Sapienza M, Cosco L, Frugiuele P, Galdieri A, Brandolino N, Siciliano R, Bruno S, Almasio PL. Current practice of chronic hepatitis B treatment in Southern Italy. Eur J Intern Med 2012. [PMID: 22726382 DOI: 10.1016/-j.ejim.2012.03.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Treatment choice for chronic HBV infection is a continuously evolving issue, with a wide range of options. We aimed to evaluate the current practice of HBV therapies in the real world in Southern Italy. METHODS A prospective study enrolling over a six month period (February-July 2010) all consecutive HBsAg positive subjects, never previously treated, referred to 16 liver units in two Southern Italy regions (Calabria and Sicily). RESULTS Out of 247 subjects evaluated, 116 (46.9%) had HBV-DNA undetectable or lower than 2000 UI/ml. There were 108 (43.7%) inactive carriers, 103 (41.7%) chronic hepatitis, and 36 (14.6%) liver cirrhosis. Antiviral treatment was planned in 94 (38.0%) patients (26 cases with Interferon or Pegylated Interferon and 68 with nucleos(t)ides analogues). As many as 49.5% of subjects with chronic hepatitis did not receive antiviral treatment. DISCUSSION The majority of chronic HBsAg carrier referring centres for evaluation were not considered suitable for antiviral treatment. Nucleos(t)ides analogues are the preferred first choice for therapy. A long-lasting period of observation may be needed to make appropriate therapeutic decisions in several cases.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Stroffolini
- Department of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, Policlinico Umberto I, Rome, Italy
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Piro F, Siciliano R, Cosentino D, Indrieri P, Ziccarelli L, Ziccarelli P, Marafioti L. 948 poster HDR BRACHYTHERAPY IN SKIN CANCERS: TARGET DETERMINATION AND OUTCOME VERSUS CONVENTIONAL RADIOTHERAPY. Radiother Oncol 2011. [DOI: 10.1016/s0167-8140(11)71070-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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19
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Siqueira A, Higashino H, Siciliano R, Ho Y, Macêdo T, França F, Strabelli T. 125 ACUTE ENDOCARDITIS DUE TO PASTEURELLA SPP. IN AORTIC PROSTHESIS: CASE REPORT. Int J Antimicrob Agents 2009. [DOI: 10.1016/s0924-8579(09)70144-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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20
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Di Carlo I, Toro A, Sofia M, Sparatore F, Galia A, Vasta D, Patanè D, Malfa PA, Corsale G, Siciliano R. [Use of the Floating Ball for hepatic resection in cirrhotic patients affected by hepatocellular carcinoma]. G Chir 2005; 26:321-7. [PMID: 16329776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Done to the improvement of knowledges in hepatic surgery and postoperative care, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have been treated more and more frequently by hepatic resection. Aim of this study is to report an initial series of patients affected by HCC treated by hepatic resection utilizing a new water-cooled, high-density, monopolar device, the Tissuelink Monopolar Floating Ball (Tissuelink Medical Inc., Dover, NH, U.S.A.), in order to avoid bleeding during hepatic surgery. Sex, age, kind of disease, viral and Child status, type of surgical procedure, in association to lenght of surgical procedure, blood loss, utilization of the vascular clamping of the liver, hospital stay, morbidity and mortality have been analized. Six liver resections have been performed utilizing this new device. No vascular clamping was established except one. No mortality was recorded. Morbidity was ascites in one case and pleural effusion in a second one. In conclusion the Floating Ball reduces the intraoperative bleeding during hepatic resection in patients with HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- I Di Carlo
- Università degli Studi di Catania, Azienda Ospedaliera Cannizzaro, Catania, Dipartimeno di Scienze Chirurgiche, Trapianti d'Organo e Tecnologie Avanzate, Divisione Clinicizzata di Chirurgia d'Urgenza
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21
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De Simone BC, Siciliano R, Pachi' A, Cametti C, De Luca F. Electrical impedance tomography via filtered-back projection of fan current distribution: a numerical simulation. Bioelectromagnetics 2002; 23:516-21. [PMID: 12224055 DOI: 10.1002/bem.10044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
An approach to electrical impedance tomography (EIT) data acquisition inspired by NMR-filtered back-projection imaging with fan isochromat distribution is proposed. A current projection is generated by injecting current at a certain point of the sample and simultaneously collecting the current itself at different points on the half space opposite the point of current injection. After that, the injection is shifted to another point and collected as above and so on. A very simple algebra and software support the numerical simulations. This method is expected to be more sensitive than the traditional method based on potential measurements. A preliminary low resolution experiment is presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- B C De Simone
- Dipartimento di Chimica, Universita' della Calabria, Rende, Italy
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22
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Montalto G, Tripi S, Vuturo O, Di Gaetano G, Soresi M, Spadaro A, Aiello A, Russello M, Benigno R, Siciliano R. Randomised Trial of Two Different Daily Doses of Interferon-?? versus Classical Therapy in Treatment-Na??ve Patients with Chronic Hepatitis C. Clin Drug Investig 2002; 22:623-631. [DOI: 10.2165/00044011-200222090-00007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/30/2023]
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23
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Superti F, Siciliano R, Rega B, Giansanti F, Valenti P, Antonini G. Involvement of bovine lactoferrin metal saturation, sialic acid and protein fragments in the inhibition of rotavirus infection. Biochim Biophys Acta 2001; 1528:107-15. [PMID: 11687297 DOI: 10.1016/s0304-4165(01)00178-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Although the antiviral activity of lactoferrin is one of the major biological functions of this iron binding protein, the mechanism of action is still under debate. We have investigated the role of metal binding, of sialic acid and of tryptic fragments of bovine lactoferrin (bLf) in the activity towards rotavirus (intestinal pathogen naked virus) infecting enterocyte-like cells. The antiviral activity of bLf fully saturated with manganese or zinc was slightly decreased compared to that observed for apo- or iron-saturated bLf. The antiviral activity of differently metal-saturated bLf towards rotavirus was exerted during and after the virus attachment step. The removal of sialic acid enhanced the anti-rotavirus activity of bLf. Among all the peptidic fragments obtained by tryptic digestion of bLf and characterised by advanced mass spectrometric methodologies, a large fragment (86-258) and a small peptide (324-329: YLTTLK) were able to inhibit rotavirus even if at lower extent than undigested bLf.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Superti
- Department of Ultrastructures, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
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24
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Longobardo L, Melck D, Siciliano R, Santini A, Di Marzo V, Cammarota G. Beta-casomorphins: substitution of phenylalanine with beta-homo phenylalanine increases the mu-type opioid receptor affinity. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2000; 10:1185-8. [PMID: 10866377 DOI: 10.1016/s0960-894x(00)00187-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Two analogues of bovine beta-casomorphin-7 and beta-casomorphin-5 containing a beta-homo phenylalanine in substitution of the phenylalanine in position 3 were synthesised and tested for their mu-opioid receptor affinity. The modification enhanced the mu receptor affinity 5-fold in the case of modified beta-CM-7 and 2-fold for modified beta-CM-5 when compared to the natural peptides.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Longobardo
- Dipartinento di Scienza degli Alimenti, Università di Napoli Federico II, Portici, Italy.
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25
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Amoresano A, Amedeo S, D'andrea G, Siciliano R, Gagna C, Castagnaro M, Marino G, Guarda F. N-Linked glycans of proteins from mitral valves of normal pigs and pigs affected by endocardiosis. Eur J Biochem 2000; 267:1299-306. [PMID: 10691966 DOI: 10.1046/j.1432-1327.2000.01090.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Endocardiosis, a degenerative and dystrophic process affecting cardiac valves and described in many mammalian species, is characterized by the accumulation of glycosaminoglycans, in particular hyaluronic acid, in the extracellular matrix. The glycoprotein patterns of pig mitral valves in normal animals and animals affected by endocardiosis were investigated. A different N-linked glycosylation pattern of glycoproteins was detected in affected valves compared with normal ones. In either normal or pathological species, the detected N-linked glycans were of the complex type. However, in samples from affected valves, sialic acid showed a prevalence of the alpha2,6 linkage to the galactosyl residue, whereas in normal samples the most frequent linkage was of the alpha2,3 type. In normal valves, the majority of complex oligosaccharides presented two outer branches with different degrees of fucosylation and sialylation, whereas in pathological samples we noted an increased number of glycans having up to four outer branches.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Amoresano
- Centro Internazionale di Servizi di Spettrometria di Massa, CNR-Università, Napoli, Italy.
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26
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Abstract
Structural modifications induced by industrial treatments on milk proteins have been investigated using a new analytical protocol based on mass spectrometric procedures (electrospray and matrix assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry) providing a direct correlation between the severity of the treatment and the damages observed. The application of this procedure to the analysis of whey proteins from milk samples submitted to different thermal processes confirmed that under these conditions protein modification is essentially due to the nonenzymatic glycation of amino groups by lactose (Maillard reaction). A detailed structural investigation of the modification sites, carried out by the mass mapping strategy, revealed the occurrence of preferentially lactosylated sites in both alpha-lactalbumin and beta-lactoglobulin.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Siciliano
- Istituto di Scienze dell'Alimentazione del CNR, Avellino, Italy.
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27
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Orrù S, Amoresano A, Siciliano R, Napoleoni R, Finocchiaro O, Datola A, De Luca E, Sirna A, Pucci P. Structural analysis of modified forms of recombinant IFN-beta produced under stress-simulating conditions. Biol Chem 2000; 381:7-17. [PMID: 10722045 DOI: 10.1515/bc.2000.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
The present study focused on the investigation of the chemical stability of recombinant human interferon-beta (rhIFN-beta) tested in vitro by chemical treatments that simulate stress-induced conditions that may occur during handling, storage or ageing of protein samples. Mild oxidation and/or alkylation of the recombinant protein showed that the four methionines occurring in the interferon displayed different chemical susceptibility in that Met36 and Met117 were fully modified, whereas Met1 showed only little modification and Met62 was completely resistant. Moreover, incubation of rhIFN-beta under alkaline conditions resulted in the formation of a covalent dimeric species stabilised by an intermolecular disulphide bridge involving the free SH group of Cys17 from each polypeptide chain. Analysis of biological activity of the different IFN-beta derivatives showed that rhIFN-beta fully retains its specific activity following mild oxidation treatments whereas reaction with a high concentration of alkylating agents or incubation under alkaline conditions strongly reduce its specific antiviral activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Orrù
- Centro Internazionale Servizi di Spettrometria di Massa, CNR-Università di Napoli, Federico II, Italy
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Siciliano R, Fornai F, Bonaccorsi I, Domenici L, Bagnoli P. Cholinergic and noradrenergic afferents influence the functional properties of the postnatal visual cortex in rats. Vis Neurosci 1999; 16:1015-28. [PMID: 10614584 DOI: 10.1017/s0952523899166045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Based on previous evidence that acetylcholine (ACh) and noradrenaline (NA) play a permissive role in developmental plasticity in the kitten visual cortex, we reinvestigated this topic in the postnatal visual cortex of rats with normal vision. In rats, the functional properties of visual cortical cells develop gradually between the second and the sixth postnatal week (Fagiolini et al., 1994). Cortical cholinergic depletion, by basal forebrain (BF) lesions at postnatal day (PD) 15 (eye opening), leads to a transient disturbance in the distribution of ocular dominance (Siciliano et al., 1997). In the present study, we investigated the development of visual cortical response properties following cytotoxic lesions of the locus coeruleus (LC) alone or in combination with lesions of cholinergic BF. The main result is that early NA depletion impairs the orientation selectivity of cortical neurons, causes a slight increase of their receptive-field size, and reduces the signal-to-noise ratio of cell responses. Similar effects are obtained following NA depletion in adult animals, although the effects of adult noradrenergic deafferentation are significantly more severe than those obtained after early NA depletion. Additional cholinergic depletion causes an additional transient change in ocular-dominance distribution similarly to that obtained after cholinergic deafferentation alone. Comparisons between depletion of NA on the one hand and depletion of both NA and ACh on the other suggest that the effects of combined deafferentation on the functional properties studied result from simple linear addition of the effects of depleting each afferent system alone.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Siciliano
- Department of Physiology and Biochemistry G. Moruzzi, University of Pisa, Italy
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29
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Siciliano R, Rega B, Marchetti M, Seganti L, Antonini G, Valenti P. Bovine lactoferrin peptidic fragments involved in inhibition of herpes simplex virus type 1 infection. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 1999; 264:19-23. [PMID: 10527833 DOI: 10.1006/bbrc.1999.1318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Bovine lactoferrin (BLf) prevents the infection of some enveloped and naked viruses. To identify BLf sequences responsible for the antiviral activity, we tested 31 HPLC fractions, derived from tryptic digestion of BLf, toward herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1). Only a few HPLC purified fragments were active against HSV-1, even if at lower extent than the native undigested BLf. Two large fragments, one corresponding to the C-lobe (amino acid sequence 345-689) and the other corresponding to a large portion of the N-lobe (1-280), were inhibitors of HSV-1 infection, while a smaller part of the N-lobe (86-258) was ineffective. Among the low-molecular-weight fragments, only two small peptides, which coeluted in a single chromatographic peak, were effective towards HSV-1. These peptides, both present in the N-lobe, were identified as peptides 222-230 (ADRDQYELL) and 264-269 (EDLIWK). The same peptides, chemically synthesised, were able to inhibit HSV-1 infection only when they were assayed in association.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Siciliano
- Institute of Food Science and Technology, CNR, Avellino, I-83100, Italy
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30
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Squadrito G, Orlando ME, Cacciola I, Rumi MG, Artini M, Picciotto A, Loiacono O, Siciliano R, Levrero M, Raimondo G. Long-term response to interferon alpha is unrelated to "interferon sensitivity determining region" variability in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus-1b infection. J Hepatol 1999; 30:1023-7. [PMID: 10406179 DOI: 10.1016/s0168-8278(99)80255-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND/AIMS Contradictory data have been reported about the predictive value of the variability in interferon sensitivity determining region (ISDR) of hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype-1b on response to interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) therapy. The aim of this study was to examine this issue in a series of patients with long-term response to IFN treatment. METHODS We retrospectively analyzed 24 patients with chronic HCV genotype-1b infection treated with IFN-alpha (total dose median 677, range 216-1350 MU) selected in 6 Italian Liver Units. These patients were defined as true long-term responders (LTR) since they showed persisting biochemical and virological responses to IFN treatment (mean follow-up 38 months). HCV genomes from pretreatment serum samples were amplified and directly sequenced. The ISDR amino-acid sequences obtained were aligned and compared with the published sequence of HCV-J. RESULTS Amino-acid substitutions were found in 23 of the 24 patients, and 22 of them showed an H to R amino-acid change at codon 2218. Fourteen patients showed only one mutation (at codon 2218), two had 2, five had 3, one had 4 and one had 5 mutations. When we compared the ISDR sequences from the 24 LTR with those of non-responders (NR), we found no significant correlation between the number of mutations and the response to therapy. CONCLUSIONS Our results demonstrate that the persisting efficacy of IFN treatment in patients with chronic HCV is not related to the number of ISDR amino acid substitutions of the infecting viruses. Further studies are needed to verify whether other NS5A sequences outside the ISDR might be involved in the mechanisms of IFN resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- G Squadrito
- Dipartimento Medicina Interna, Messina University, Italy
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31
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Siciliano R, Rosso D, Elia G, Carrà R, Motta M, Santangelo N. An Intermediate Dose of Alpha-Recombinant Interferon-2a for Chronic Hepatitis C with Nonsevere Histological Pattern. Clin Drug Investig 1997. [DOI: 10.2165/00044011-199714030-00006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
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32
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Siciliano R, Fontanesi G, Casamenti F, Berardi N, Bagnoli P, Domenici L. Postnatal development of functional properties of visual cortical cells in rats with excitotoxic lesions of basal forebrain cholinergic neurons. Vis Neurosci 1997; 14:111-23. [PMID: 9057274 DOI: 10.1017/s0952523800008816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
In the rat, visual cortical cells develop their functional properties during a period termed as critical period, which is included between eye opening, i.e. postnatal day (PD) 15, and PD40. The present investigation was aimed at studying the influence of cortical cholinergic afferents from the basal forebrain (BF) on the development of functional properties of visual cortical neurons. At PD15, rats were unilaterally deprived of the cholinergic input to the visual cortex by stereotaxic injections of quisqualic acid in BF cholinergic nuclei projecting to the visual cortex. Cortical cell functional properties, such as ocular dominance, orientation selectivity, receptive-field size, and cell responsiveness were then assessed by extracellular recordings in the visual cortex ipsilateral to the lesioned BF both during the critical period (PD30) and after its end (PD45). After the recording session, the rats were sacrificed and the extent of both cholinergic lesion in BF and cholinergic depletion in the visual cortex was determined. Our results show that lesion of BF cholinergic nuclei transiently alters the ocular dominance of visual cortical cells while it does not affect the other functional properties tested. In particular, in lesioned animals recorded during the critical period, a higher percentage of visual cortical cells was driven by the contralateral eye with respect to normal animals. After the end of the critical period, the ocular dominance distribution of animals with cholinergic deafferentation was not significantly different from that of controls. Our results suggest the possibility that lesions of BF cholinergic neurons performed during postnatal development only transiently interfere with cortical competitive processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Siciliano
- Department of Physiology and Biochemistry, University of Pisa, Italy
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Mignogna G, Severini C, Erspamer GF, Siciliano R, Kreil G, Barra D. Tachykinins and other biologically active peptides from the skin of the Costa Rican phyllomedusid frog Agalychnis callidryas. Peptides 1997; 18:367-72. [PMID: 9145422 DOI: 10.1016/s0196-9781(96)00342-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Peptides present in a methanol extract prepared from skin of the Costa Rican frog Agalychnis callidryas of the Phyllomedusinae subfamily were studied by sequence analysis and pharmacological tests. Members of five different peptide families-tachykinins, bradykinins, caerulein, opioid peptides and sauvagine-were found. In particular, the extract contained a number of tachykinins with the following sequences: Gly-Pro-Pro-Asp-Pro-Asn-Lys-Phe-Ile-Gly-Leu-Met-NH2, Gly-Pro-Pro-Asp-Pro-Asp-Arg(Lys)-Phe-Tyr-Pro-Gly-Met-NH2, pGlu-Pro-Asp-Pro-Asp-Arg-Phe-Tyr-Pro-Gly-Met-NH2, Gly-Pro-Pro-Asp-Pro-Asn-Lys-Phe-Tyr-Pro-Val-Met. The latter three peptides have the unusual C-terminal sequence Pro-Gly(or Val)-Met-NH2 rather than Gly-Leu-Met-NH2 found in many other members of the tachykinin family. The observed amino acid substitutions may be the reason for the marked decrease in the biological activity observed in all in vitro and in vivo tests, even through the spectrum of tachykinin activities was retained. A kassinin-like peptide, with the sequence Gly-Pro-Pro-Asp-Pro-Asn-Lys-Phe-Ile-Gly-Leu-Met-NH2, was also found in the A. callidryas skin. While kassinin has a much higher affinity for NK-3 than for NK-1 receptors, the opposite is true for this A. callidryas peptide. The extract from A. callidryas skin also contained a new caerulein (pGlu-Asp-Tyr(HSO3)-Lys-Gly-Trp-Met-Asp-Phe-NH2) and a phyllokinin (Arg-Pro-Hyp-Gly-Phe-Ser-Pro-Phe-Arg-Ile-Tyr), as well as the opioid peptides dermorphin and [Hyp6]dermorphin, both previously isolated from different Phyllomedusa species.
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Affiliation(s)
- G Mignogna
- Istituto Pasteur-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Italy
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34
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Amoresano A, Siciliano R, Orrù S, Napoleoni R, Altarocca V, De Luca E, Sirna A, Pucci P. Structural characterisation of human recombinant glycohormones follitropin, lutropin and choriogonadotropin expressed in Chinese hamster ovary cells. Eur J Biochem 1996; 242:608-18. [PMID: 9022688 DOI: 10.1111/j.1432-1033.1996.0608r.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
The alpha and beta chains from human recombinant gonadotropins follitropin, lutropin and choriogonadotropin expressed in CHO cells have been structurally characterised both at the protein and at the carbohydrate level by using advanced mass spectrometric procedures. The three alpha chains share the same amino acid sequence while they display different glycosylation patterns. The oligosaccharide structures detected belong to the complex-type glycans with different degree of sialylation. Partial proteolytic processing occurred at the N-terminus of the follitropin beta chain and at the C-terminus of the lutropin beta chain. The N-linked glycans from the three beta chains were found to contain fucosylated and sialylated diantennary and triantennary complex-type structures. The follitropin beta chain showed the presence of N-acetyllactosamine repeats on the antennae. The overall structure of the recombinant glycohormones corresponds to their natural counterparts with the exception that sulphated terminal glycosylation is missing.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Amoresano
- Servizio di Spettrometria di Massa del CNR, Naples, Italy
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35
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Malaguarnera M, Pistone G, Trovato BA, Siciliano R, Marletta C, Motta M, Restuccia S, Marletta F. Mapped auditory evoked potentials before and after interferon treatment. J Interferon Cytokine Res 1996; 16:441-6. [PMID: 8807497 DOI: 10.1089/jir.1996.16.441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Neurotoxicity induced by interferon (IFN) is revealed by neurobehavioral changes, such as irritability, somnolence, lack of motivation, and delayed ideation. As these side effects persist throughout IFN-alpha treatment, we studied cerebral mapped auditory evoked potentials (MAEP) in 20 hepatitis C virus antibody (HCV Ab)-positive chronic active hepatitis patients before and after administration of leukocyte IFN-alpha (i.m. 3,000,000 IU). Some of the main components of MAEP, such as morphology, latency, and power spectra, were altered before IFN injection. These parameters changed 7 h after administration as revealed by increased quality and quantity of acoustic signal reaching the brain cortex and appearance of physiologic waves in patients with mild/intermediate liver disease. These effects revealed 48 h after IFN administration.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Malaguarnera
- Institute of Internal Medicine and Geriatry, University of Catania, Italy
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36
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Fontanesi G, Siciliano R, Porciatti V, Bagnoli P. Cysteamine-induced depletion of somatostatinergic systems alters potentials evoked from the rat visual cortex. Vis Neurosci 1996; 13:327-34. [PMID: 8737284 DOI: 10.1017/s0952523800007574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
This study was performed in order to establish whether selective depletion of somatostatin (SS) in the rat primary visual cortex obtained by cysteamine (CSH) administration results in changes of visual evoked potentials (VEPs). VEPs in response to a contrast reversal (0.5 Hz) of an optimal sinusoidal grating (0.1 cycle/deg, contrast 90%, mean luminance 15 cd/m2) were recorded from different layers of the binocular portion of the primary visual cortex of anesthetized rats with saline injection as well as before and after CSH treatment (90 mg/kg, s.c.). VEPs of CSH treated rats, as compared to those obtained either in saline-injected animals or before drug administration, are reduced in amplitude at intermediate cortical layers whereas they are increased at deeper layers. VEP changes depend on CSH treatment and not on the extended anesthesia since no alterations in the VEP profile can be observed in saline-injected animals maintained in the same experimental condition. Forty-eight hours following CSH treatment, the VEP profile is comparable to that of saline-injected animals. Immunocytochemical analysis of the visual cortex of rats recorded 7 h after CSH treatment shows a 20-30% reduction in the number of SS-containing cortical cells. The highest reduction can be observed in cortical layer 5 although a significant decrease is also found in layers 2-3. In contrast, the pattern of SS immunoreactivity of the visual cortex of rats recorded 48 h after CSH administration is similar to that obtained in control conditions. These results indicate that a selective toxin for somatostatinergic systems induces a transient decrease of SS-containing cell number in selected cortical layers. Accordingly, CSH can serve as a useful pharmacological tool for the study of somatostatinergic function in the rat visual cortex since changes in VEPs can be related to a reduction of somatostatinergic neurons associated to CSH treatment. In particular, the present results suggest that one of the possible actions of somatostatinergic neurons in the rat visual cortex is to modulate the excitatory-inhibitory balance.
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Affiliation(s)
- G Fontanesi
- Department of Physiology and Biochemistry, University of Pisa, Italy
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Giardina P, Aurilia V, Cannio R, Marzullo L, Amoresano A, Siciliano R, Pucci P, Sannia G. The gene, protein and glycan structures of laccase from Pleurotus ostreatus. Eur J Biochem 1996; 235:508-15. [PMID: 8654395 DOI: 10.1111/j.1432-1033.1996.00508.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
A member of the laccase multigene family in Pleurotus ostreatus has been cloned and sequenced. The gene structure has been determined by comparison with the corresponding cDNA, synthesized by reverse transcription/PCR amplification. The gene encode a laccase isoenzyme of 533 amino acids which has already been purified and characterized [Palmieri, G., Giardina, P., Marzullo, L., Desiderio, B., Nitti, G., Cannio, R. & Sannia, G.(1993) Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 39, 632-636]. More than 92% of the protein sequence, including the N and C termini, has been verified by fast-atom-bombardment mass spectrometry, thus confirming the correspondence between the gene and its protein product. The protein was N-glycosylated Asn444. Glycan analysis showed the presence of only a high-mannose structure containing varying numbers of mannose residues. The presence of O-linked oligosaccharides as well as other post-translational modification could be ruled out by the mass analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Giardina
- Dipartimento di Chimica Organica e Biologica, Università di Napoli Federico 11, Italy
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Siciliano R, Carrá R, Elia G, Rosso D, Santancelo N, Trovato BA, Giunta E, Cutrona D. Chronic hepatitis C in elderly patients: clinical, histological and virological features. Arch Gerontol Geriatr 1996; 22 Suppl 1:327-33. [PMID: 18653052 DOI: 10.1016/0167-4943(96)86957-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Some clinical, histological and virological features, efficacy and safety of interferon (IFN) therapy were evaluated in elderly patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC). We enrolled 22 patients aged 65-75 (mean age: 68.3 +/- 3.17 years); 15 males and 7 females. In all cases the hepatitis C virus RNA (HCV-RNA) was determined before, during and after the therapy, and HCV sub-types were established; 15 patients underwent hepatobiopsy. At entry, the duration of disease was: 6 patients 1-3 years, 2 patients 4-10 years, 14 patients 11-30 years; alanine-aminotransferase (ALT) = (3.17 +/- 1.15) x N (N = normal value); aspartate-transaminase (AST) = 2.28 +/- 1.6 x N; gamma-glutamyl-transpeptidase (gGT) = 1.4 +/- 1.1 x N; platelets = 164,000 +/- 66,000/mm(3); histological pattern: 2 mild chronic active hepatitis (CAH), 5 CAH, 2 severe CAM, 6 CAH with liver cirrhosis (LC); histological activity index (HAI) (14 patients) = 11.14 +/- 4.5 (range 5-17); scores according to Scheuer: lobular 2.28 +/- 1.13, portal 2.71 +/- 0.99, fibrosis 2.35 +/-1.33; HCV-RNA +ve: 20 patients, HCV-RNA -ve: 2 patients; HCV-subtypes: 1b 20/20 (100%), 1b+1a 1/20 (5%), 1b+ 2a 1/20 (5%). Treatment was applied to 18 patients, for 3-12 months; 5 received alpha-IFN2a; 5 received alpha-IFN2b, 3 lymphoblastoid IFN, all at a dose of 3 mU thrice per week; 3 patients received 6 mU beta-IFN thrice per week. Therapy over 6 months was applied to 16 patients: Complete response (CR) was observed in 8 patients (50%), one of them was with long-term CR (over 12 months after therapy); 5 have had relapse and 2 patients are still under treatment. Partial response (PR) was observed in 4 patients (25%), no response (NR) in 4 patients (25%). Side effects were moderate and self-limited. Loss of HCV-RNA was shown in some patients with PR and in all patients with CR, but only temporarily.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Siciliano
- Institute of Internal Medicine and Geriatrics, University of Catania, Cannizzaro Hospital, Via Messina, 829, I-95126 Catania, Italy
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Cordella PL, Bitocchi A, Siciliano R. [Indications of intraoperative cholangiography in laparoscopic cholecystectomy]. Ann Ital Chir 1996; 67:35-9. [PMID: 8712615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
After having related about the methods of pre and intraoperative investigation of the biliary tract in video-laparoscopic biliary surgery, the Authors make a list of the advantages and describe the video-laparoscopic methods of intraoperative cholangiography. Moreover the authors review the international literature about the subject and relate the personal statistics and opinions.
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Affiliation(s)
- P L Cordella
- II Divisione di Chirurgia, Ospedale S. Spirito in Sassia di Roma
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40
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Siciliano R, Trovato BA, Seminara G, Giustolisi V, Malaguarnera M. Interferon or hepatitis C virus induced autoimmune aplastic anemia and severe thrombocytopenia? A case report. Ann Ital Med Int 1995; 10:193-4. [PMID: 7577317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
We describe a case of aplastic anemia with severe thrombocytopenia in a patient affected by chronic active hepatitis C treated with interferon. The hematologic alterations did not disappear after suspension of interferon or after the ensuing steroid treatment. Administration of cyclosporin markedly improved the hematologic parameters and serum transaminase levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Siciliano
- Istituto di Medicina Interna e Geriatria, Università degli Studi di Catania
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41
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Malaguarnera M, Giugno I, Trovato BA, Panebianco MP, Siciliano R, Ruello P. Lipoprotein(a) concentration in patients with chronic active hepatitis C before and after interferon treatment. Clin Ther 1995; 17:721-8. [PMID: 8565035 DOI: 10.1016/0149-2918(95)80048-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Patients with chronic active hepatitis C show low lipoprotein(a) (Lp[a]) values. We studied the changes in Lp(a) levels caused by treatment with interferon in 24 patients (9 men and 15 women; mean age, 56.8 +/- 7.3 years) affected by chronic active hepatitis C. Fifteen healthy subjects (6 men and 9 women; mean age, 57.4 +/- 10.3 years) were used as controls. All of the patients with chronic hepatitis C were treated with intramuscular interferon, 3 million units 3 times per week for 6 months. These patients had lower baseline serum Lp(a) concentrations than the controls (4.8 +/- 3.8 mg/dL vs 13.4 +/- 10.3 mg/dL, respectively; P = 0.0007). A significant increase in Lp(a) levels (6.6 +/- 7.2 mg/dL; P = 0.05) occurred after 6 months of treatment in patients with chronic active hepatitis C. Only complete responders presented a significant increase in Lp(a) values (P = 0.01). We believe that increased Lp(a) levels represent an expression of improved liver functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Malaguarnera
- Department of Internal Medicine and Geriatrics, University of Catania, Italy
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42
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Vaccaro AM, Salvioli R, Barca A, Tatti M, Ciaffoni F, Maras B, Siciliano R, Zappacosta F, Amoresano A, Pucci P. Structural analysis of saposin C and B. Complete localization of disulfide bridges. J Biol Chem 1995; 270:9953-60. [PMID: 7730378 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.270.17.9953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Saposins A, B, C, and D are a group of homologous glycoproteins derived from a single precursor, prosaposin, and apparently involved in the stimulation of the enzymatic degradation of sphingolipids in lysosomes. All saposins have six cysteine residues at similar positions. In the present study we have investigated the disulfide structure of saposins B and C using advanced mass spectrometric procedures. Electrospray analysis showed that deglycosylated saposins B and C are mainly present as 79- and 80-residue monomeric polypeptides, respectively. Fast atom bombardment mass analysis of peptide mixtures obtained by a combination of chemical and enzymatic cleavages demonstrated that the pairings of the three disulfide bridges present in each saposin are Cys4-Cys77, Cys7-Cys71, Cys36-Cys47 for saposin B and Cys5-Cys78, Cys8-Cys72, Cys36-Cys47 for saposin C. We have recently shown that saposin C interacts with phosphatidylserine-containing vesicles inducing destabilization of the lipid surface (Vaccaro, A. M., Tatti, M., Ciaffoni, F., Salvioli, R., Serafino, A., and Barca, A. (1994) FEBS Lett. 349, 181-186); this perturbation promotes the binding of the lysosomal enzyme glucosylceramidase to the vesicles and the reconstitution of its activity. It was presently found that the effects of saposin C on phosphatidylserine liposomes and on glucosylceramidase activity are markedly reduced when the three disulfide bonds are irreversibly disrupted. These results stress the importance of the disulfide structure for the functional properties of the saposin.
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Affiliation(s)
- A M Vaccaro
- Laboratorio Metabolismo e Biochimica Patologica, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Roma, Italy
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Malaguarnera M, Restuccia S, Trovato G, Siciliano R, Motta M, Trovato B. Interferon-α Treatment in Patients with Chronic Hepatitis C. Clin Drug Investig 1995. [DOI: 10.2165/00044011-199509030-00002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
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Malaguarnera M, Trovato G, Restuccia S, Giugno I, Franzé CM, Receputo G, Siciliano R, Motta M, Trovato BA. Treatment of nonresectable hepatocellular carcinoma: review of the literature and meta-analysis. Adv Ther 1994; 11:303-19. [PMID: 10150270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/11/2023]
Abstract
Many doubts surround the numerous forms of nonsurgical treatment of nonresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Our study aimed to reach reliable conclusions on the actual efficacy of these treatments. We examined 85 studies involving a total of 6746 patients: 6113 were treated; the remaining 633 were not. We applied the Mantel-Haenszel-Peto method to the extrapolated data, based on the reported 1- and 3-year survival rates. The results confirm that percutaneous ethanol injection achieved survival exceeding 5 years in many cases of HCC characterized by small nodules (diameter < 3 cm). The most efficacious nonsurgical treatment options were transcatheter arterial embolization and transcatheter arterial chemoembolization. Systemic chemotherapy and hepatic intra-arterial chemotherapy were not very effective.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Malaguarnera
- Department of Internal Medicine and Geriatrics, University of Catania, Italy
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Siciliano R, Trovato BA, Romano M, Pantò A, Seminara G, Malaguarnera M. [Long-term therapy in chronic hepatitis C with recombinant alpha interferon]. Riv Eur Sci Med Farmacol 1994; 16:73-8. [PMID: 7480963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
The dosage and duration of Chronic Hepatitis (CH) C therapy with alpha (alpha-IFN) is still an unresolved problem. Considering mainly antiviral activity of alpha-IFN, the authors carried out research on 35 patients with CH-C to evaluate the efficacy and safety of long term therapy and to compare recombinant alpha-IFN-2a with recombinant alpha-IFN-2b. 21 patients (Group A: 20 males, 1 female, mean age 48.8 years, 14.2% CPH, 76% CAH, 9.5% AC) were treated with r-alpha-IFN-2a; 14 patients (Group B: 7 males, 7 females, mean age 45.2 years, 7.1% CPH, 78.5% CAH, 14.3% AC) were treated with r-alpha-IFN-2b, at a dosage of 3 MU thrice weekly (TIW) for 12 months; the follow-up was from 6 to over 24 months. Complete Response (CR) was achieved in 49.3% of the patients treated, Long Term Response (LTCR) in 19.3%, Partial Response (PR) in 29% and No Response (NR) in 22.6%), Delayed CR in 6.5%. The authors found a similar number of CR and LTRC in group A and group B; a greater percentage of PR in group A and a greater percentage of NR in group B. Early and serious side effects in 4 patients, late and serious side effects in 2 patients were observed. The date suggest that the long term therapy of CH with r-alpha IFN is effective in inducing clinical and biochemical remission in a large portion of patients and a greater number of sustained response, with respect to a therapy schedule of 6 months even at greater dosages.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Siciliano
- Istituto di Medicina Interna e Geriatria, Università degli Studi di Catania
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Dell A, Easton R, Khoo KH, McDowell RA, Panico M, Reason A, Siciliano R, Morris HR. S9.1 Applications of mass spectrometry to glycobiology. Glycoconj J 1993. [DOI: 10.1007/bf01209973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Cellerino A, Siciliano R, Domenici L, Maffei L. Parvalbumin immunoreactivity: a reliable marker for the effects of monocular deprivation in the rat visual cortex. Neuroscience 1992; 51:749-53. [PMID: 1488119 DOI: 10.1016/0306-4522(92)90514-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
In mammals, monocular deprivation performed during the early stages of postnatal development (critical period) dramatically affects the functional organization of the visual cortex. Since the early work of Hubel and Wiesel, the effects of monocular deprivation are accounted for by the fibers driven by the two eyes competing for the control of cortical territories. In cat and monkey striking structural changes accompany the functional effects of monocular deprivation. Also, in the rat, monocular deprivation causes functional alteration at the level of visual cortex; no structural correlates of these effects, however, have so far been described. Parvalbumin is a calcium binding protein that in the neocortex colocalizes with a subpopulation of GABAergic neurons. Here we report that in the rat monocular deprivation results in a dramatic reduction of parvalbumin-like immunoreactivity in the visual cortex contralateral to the deprived eye. This effect is due to competitive phenomena and not to visual deprivation itself, it is restricted to the binocular portion of the visual cortex and neither binocular deprivation, nor dark rearing can induce it. We conclude that parvalbumin-like immunoreactivity is a useful immunohistochemical marker for the effects of monocular deprivation in the rat visual cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Cellerino
- Istituto di Neurofisiologia del CNR, Pisa, Italy
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48
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Pucci P, Siciliano R, Malorni A, Marino G, Tecce MF, Ceccarini C, Terrana B. Human alpha-fetoprotein primary structure: a mass spectrometric study. Biochemistry 1991; 30:5061-6. [PMID: 1709810 DOI: 10.1021/bi00234a032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
The amino acid sequence of human alpha-fetoprotein, a 67-kDa protein present in mammalian embryonic serum, was verified by fast atom bombardment mass spectrometric (FAB/MS) analyses of three different enzymatic digests of the protein. Human alpha-fetoprotein obtained from a large-scale cell culture was digested with trypsin and V-8 protease either separately on two different samples or combined on the same one. The V-8 protease digest of the protein was partially fractionated by HPLC; the other samples were directly analyzed by FAB/MS without previous purification steps. About 90% of the alpha-fetoprotein amino acid sequence was verified by mass spectrometric analysis; this also confirmed that the cell-derived protein is identical with the hepatoma-derived protein. FAB analysis revealed that the N terminus of the mature protein is arginine rather than threonine, with the threonine occupying the second position. Therefore, the processing site of the alpha-fetoprotein signal peptide during maturation of the protein occurs at the N-terminal side of the arginine residue formerly indicated as residue-1. Thus mature alpha-fetoprotein contains 591 amino acids rather than 590.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Pucci
- Servizio di Spettrometria di Massa, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Napoli, Italy
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Porta R, Esposito C, Metafora S, Malorni A, Pucci P, Siciliano R, Marino G. Mass spectrometric identification of the amino donor and acceptor sites in a transglutaminase protein substrate secreted from rat seminal vesicles. Biochemistry 1991; 30:3114-20. [PMID: 1672504 DOI: 10.1021/bi00226a019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Four different transglutaminase-modified forms of a protein secreted by the rat seminal vesicles (SV-IV) were synthesized in vitro and characterized. FAB maps of both the native protein and its derivatives, produced by the purified guinea pig liver enzyme in the presence or absence of the polyamine spermidine, were obtained by mass spectrometric analysis after proteolytic digestions. Two differently derivatized SV-IV molecular forms, both possessing only one glutamine residue out of two (Gln-86) cross-linked to endogenous lysine residues, were produced when spermidine was omitted from the reaction mixture: (i) an insoluble homopolymer in which Lys-2, -4, -59, -78, -79, and -80 were involved in the linkage; (ii) a soluble form of the protein with an intramolecular epsilon-(gamma-glutamyl)lysine isopeptide bond between Gln-86 and Lys-59. Two species of SV-IV-spermidine adducts were obtained when the protein was treated with transglutaminase in the presence of high concentrations of the polyamine. The first one was characterized by one spermidine molecule covalently bound to Gln-86 and the second one by two spermidine molecules respectively bound to Gln-9 and Gln-86.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Porta
- Istituto di Chimica Biologica, Facoltà di Medicina e Chirurgia, Università di Palermo, Italy
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Pucci P, Siciliano R, Ferranti P, Malorni A, Marino G. Mass spectrometric characterization of recombinant human interleukins 1 beta. Biotechnol Appl Biochem 1990; 12:357-63. [PMID: 2205245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
The cDNA coding for amino acid residues 121-269 of human interleukin 1 beta was cloned and expressed at Sclavo Research Center by C. Baldari et al. (1987, EMBO J. 6, 229-234) using Saccharomyces cerevisiae as the host cell. The purified protein showed a very low specific activity when compared to that of a mature recombinant interleukin expressed from Escherichia coli. Preliminary experiments indicated the occurrence of post-translational events in the yeast-derived protein. In an attempt to correlate the structural modifications and the biological activity of recombinant interleukins, the two proteins were characterized by fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry (FAB/MS) following the FAB-mapping procedure. The amino acid sequence of interleukin expressed in E. coli was identical to that expected whereas the mass spectrometric analysis of the recombinant S. cerevisiae protein confirmed the occurrence of covalent modifications. In particular, the asparagine residue at position 7 (numbering follows the mature active protein sequence) was shown to be glycosylated and the two cysteine residues at position 8 and 71 were involved in an S-S bridge. The results demonstrate the value of FAB/MS in the quality control of recombinant interleukins.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Pucci
- Servizio di Spettrometria di Massa, CNR-Università di Napoli, Italy
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