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Pruneti C, Vanello N, Paterni M, Landini L, Guidotti S, Ferdeghini EM. Combined functional magnetic resonance imaging and skin conductance to detect localized neural response to psychological stress: a pilot study. Arch Ital Biol 2021; 159:21-27. [PMID: 34159574 DOI: 10.12871/00039829202112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This preliminary study aims at investigating the neural correlates of the stress response, intended as an emotional and cognitive response, through the description of the activation of the autonomic nervous system in a problem-solving task and central functional data; in particular, we recorded skin conductance level (SCL) and response (SCR) and observed the correlation with fMRI data. MATERIALS AND METHODS The results obtained from 6 healthy subjects, 3 males and 3 females, aged between 18 and 45 (average = 27, SD = 7.08) who voluntarily offered to participate in the study were examined. They were previously subjected to a brief clinical psychological assessment (MMPI-2) and then to a psychophysiological evaluation. The real experiment consisted in subjecting the participants to an adapted version of the Raven's Coloured Progressive Matrices 47 (CPM 47) test to evaluate some consequences on brain activity of attention, orientation, reflex and response to stress during fMRI data acquisition and SCL-SCR recording. RESULTS SCR changes were found to be related to the activity of different brain regions such as bilateral precentral gyrus, right inferior frontal gyrus, right medial frontal gyrus, bilateral superior frontal gyri and left anterior cingulate suggesting a specific relationship between attentive processing and autonomic arousal. CONCLUSION The association of SC measurement with neuroimaging allows to highlight the interaction between emotional and cognitive processes: although preliminary, these results partially confirm what previously found in literature on the neural correlates of psychological stress and underline the interaction between cognitive function and autonomic arousal system during a stressful problem-solving task.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Pruneti
- Dep. of Medicine and Surgery, Clinical Psychology, Clinical Psychophysiology and Clinical Neuropsychology Labs., University of Parma, Italy -
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Andreano E, Paciello I, Bardelli M, Tavarini S, Sammicheli C, Frigimelica E, Guidotti S, Torricelli G, Biancucci M, D’Oro U, Chandramouli S, Bottomley MJ, Rappuoli R, Finco O, Buricchi F. The respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) prefusion F-protein functional antibody repertoire in adult healthy donors. EMBO Mol Med 2021; 13:e14035. [PMID: 33998144 PMCID: PMC8185550 DOI: 10.15252/emmm.202114035] [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] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2021] [Revised: 04/10/2021] [Accepted: 04/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the leading cause of death from lower respiratory tract infection in infants and children, and is responsible for considerable morbidity and mortality in older adults. Vaccines for pregnant women and elderly which are in phase III clinical studies target people with pre-existing natural immunity against RSV. To investigate the background immunity which will be impacted by vaccination, we single cell-sorted human memory B cells and dissected functional and genetic features of neutralizing antibodies (nAbs) induced by natural infection. Most nAbs recognized both the prefusion and postfusion conformations of the RSV F-protein (cross-binders) while a smaller fraction bound exclusively to the prefusion conformation. Cross-binder nAbs used a wide array of gene rearrangements, while preF-binder nAbs derived mostly from the expansion of B-cell clonotypes from the IGHV1 germline. This latter class of nAbs recognizes an epitope located between Site Ø, Site II, and Site V on the F-protein, identifying an important site of pathogen vulnerability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emanuele Andreano
- Department of Life SciencesUniversity of SienaSienaItaly
- GSK VaccinesSienaItaly
- Present address:
Monoclonal Antibody Discovery (MAD) LabFondazione Toscana Life SciencesSienaItaly
| | - Ida Paciello
- GSK VaccinesSienaItaly
- Present address:
Monoclonal Antibody Discovery (MAD) LabFondazione Toscana Life SciencesSienaItaly
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Sumana Chandramouli
- GSK VaccinesRockvilleMDUSA
- Present address:
Moderna Therapeutics IncCambridgeMAUSA
| | | | - Rino Rappuoli
- GSK VaccinesSienaItaly
- Faculty of MedicineImperial CollegeLondonUK
- Monoclonal Antibody Discovery (MAD) LabFondazione Toscana Life SciencesSienaItaly
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3
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Schneikart G, Tavarini S, Sammicheli C, Torricelli G, Guidotti S, D'Oro U, Finco O, Bardelli M. Dataset of antibody variable region sequence features inferred from a respiratory syncytial virus fusion protein-specific B cell receptor repertoire induced by natural infection of a healthy adult. Data Brief 2020; 33:106499. [PMID: 33225034 PMCID: PMC7666335 DOI: 10.1016/j.dib.2020.106499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [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: 10/22/2020] [Accepted: 10/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the primary cause for acute lower respiratory syndrome in children younger than 5 years. Research on B cell repertoires and antibodies binding the RSV fusion protein (RSV F) is of major interest in the development of potential vaccine candidates and therapies. B cell receptors (BCRs) which have higher affinities for a specific antigen are preferentially selected for B cell clonal expansion in germinal center reactions. Consequently, antigen-specific BCR repertoires share common features, as for instance preferential variable gene usage, variable region mutation levels or lengths of the heavy chain complementarity-determining region 3. Since RSV repeatedly infects every person throughout life, memory B cells (MBC) expressing RSV F-binding BCRs circulate in the blood of healthy adults. This dataset of BCR variable region sequence features was derived from single cell-sorted RSV F-directed MBCs of a healthy adult blood donor [1]. The dataset was produced with publicly available data analysis software programs and scripts, which facilitates integration or comparison with antibody sequence repertoire data of different individuals derived with the same or comparable data analysis approaches and tools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerald Schneikart
- GSK, Via Fiorentina 1, 53100 Siena, Italy
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Via Aldo Moro 2, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | | | | | | | | | - Ugo D'Oro
- GSK, Via Fiorentina 1, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | | | - Monia Bardelli
- GSK, Via Fiorentina 1, 53100 Siena, Italy
- Corresponding author.
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D'Adamo S, Cetrullo S, Guidotti S, Borzì RM, Flamigni F. Hydroxytyrosol modulates the levels of microRNA-9 and its target sirtuin-1 thereby counteracting oxidative stress-induced chondrocyte death. Osteoarthritis Cartilage 2017; 25:600-610. [PMID: 27914878 DOI: 10.1016/j.joca.2016.11.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2016] [Revised: 10/13/2016] [Accepted: 11/25/2016] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Nutraceutical compounds, such as hydroxytyrosol (HT), have been found to exert protective effects in osteoarthritis (OA) by affecting a variety of key molecular and cellular processes in chondrocytes. However, to our knowledge, no relationship has been reported between nutraceuticals and microRNA (miR) network in OA models. Here, we identified a miR that is implicated in HT-mediated chondroprotection following oxidative stress condition by targeting sirtuin-1 (SIRT-1). METHODS Human primary and C-28/I2 chondrocytes were pre-treated with 100 μM HT 30 min before 100 μM H2O2 addition. In silico analyses were exploited to select putative candidate miRs able to target SIRT-1 mRNA. Luciferase-based gene reporter assay was employed to demonstrate the direct link between miR-9 and its putative mRNA target. Transient transfection approach was performed to examine the effects of miR-9 levels on caspase activity, cell viability and expression of OA-related genes. RESULTS MiR-9 was identified and confirmed as a post-transcriptional regulator of SIRT-1. MiR-9 and SIRT-1 levels showed opposite changes in chondrocytes following H2O2 and HT treatment. Moreover mir-9 silencing inhibited cell death induced by H2O2 partly through down-regulation of SIRT-1, whereas miR-9 overexpression markedly reduced the protective effect of HT. The manipulation of miR-9 levels also resulted in the modulation of OA-related gene expression, including MMP-13, VEGF and RUNX-2. CONCLUSIONS These results show that miR-9 is a critical mediator of the deleterious and OA-related effects of oxidative stress in chondrocytes and that modulation of miR expression may be a crucial mechanism underlying the protective action of HT.
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Affiliation(s)
- S D'Adamo
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche e Neuromotorie, Università di Bologna, Bologna, Italy; Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche e Chirurgiche, Università di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - S Cetrullo
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche e Neuromotorie, Università di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - S Guidotti
- Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche e Chirurgiche, Università di Bologna, Bologna, Italy; Laboratorio di Immunoreumatologia e Rigenerazione Tissutale, Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, Bologna, Italy
| | - R M Borzì
- Laboratorio di Immunoreumatologia e Rigenerazione Tissutale, Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, Bologna, Italy
| | - F Flamigni
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche e Neuromotorie, Università di Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
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5
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Siena E, D'Aurizio R, Riley D, Tettelin H, Guidotti S, Torricelli G, Moxon ER, Medini D. In-silico prediction and deep-DNA sequencing validation indicate phase variation in 115 Neisseria meningitidis genes. BMC Genomics 2016; 17:843. [PMID: 27793092 PMCID: PMC5084427 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-016-3185-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [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: 04/22/2016] [Accepted: 10/22/2016] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Neisseria meningitidis (Nm) chromosome shows a high abundance of simple sequence DNA repeats (SSRs) that undergo stochastic, reversible mutations at high frequency. This mechanism is reflected in an extensive phenotypic diversity that facilitates Nm adaptation to dynamic environmental changes. To date, phase-variable phenotypes mediated by SSRs variation have been experimentally confirmed for 26 Nm genes. RESULTS Here we present a population-scale comparative genomic analysis that identified 277 genes and classified them into 52 strong, 60 moderate and 165 weak candidates for phase variation. Deep-coverage DNA sequencing of single colonies grown overnight under non-selective conditions confirmed the presence of high-frequency, stochastic variation in 115 of them, providing circumstantial evidence for their phase variability. We confirmed previous observations of a predominance of variable SSRs within genes for components located on the cell surface or DNA metabolism. However, in addition we identified an unexpectedly broad spectrum of other metabolic functions, and most of the variable SSRs were predicted to induce phenotypic changes by modulating gene expression at a transcriptional level or by producing different protein isoforms rather than mediating on/off translational switching through frameshifts. Investigation of the evolutionary history of SSR contingency loci revealed that these loci were inherited from a Nm ancestor, evolved independently within Nm, or were acquired by Nm through lateral DNA exchange. CONCLUSIONS Overall, our results have identified a broader and qualitatively different phenotypic diversification of SSRs-mediated stochastic variation than previously documented, including its impact on central Nm metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Romina D'Aurizio
- GSK Vaccines, 53100, Siena, Italy.,Present address: Institute of Informatics and Telematics and Institute of Clinical Physiology, National Research Council, 56124, Pisa, Italy
| | - David Riley
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA.,Present address: Personal Genome Disgnostics inc., Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA
| | - Hervé Tettelin
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA
| | | | | | - E Richard Moxon
- Medical Sciences Division, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, OX3 9DS, UK
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Campisi E, Rosini R, Ji W, Guidotti S, Rojas-López M, Geng G, Deng Q, Zhong H, Wang W, Liu H, Nan C, Margarit I, Rinaudo CD. Genomic Analysis Reveals Multi-Drug Resistance Clusters in Group B Streptococcus CC17 Hypervirulent Isolates Causing Neonatal Invasive Disease in Southern Mainland China. Front Microbiol 2016; 7:1265. [PMID: 27574519 PMCID: PMC4983569 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2016.01265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [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: 06/08/2016] [Accepted: 08/02/2016] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Neonatal invasive disease caused by group B Streptococcus (GBS) represents a significant public health care concern globally. However, data related to disease burden, serotype distribution, and molecular epidemiology in China and other Asian countries are very few and specifically relative to confined regions. The aim of this study was to investigate the genetic characteristics of GBS isolates recovered from neonates with invasive disease during 2013–2014 at Guangzhou and Changsha hospitals in southern mainland China. We assessed the capsular polysaccharide type, pilus islands (PIs) distribution and hvgA gene presence in a panel of 26 neonatal clinical isolates, of which 8 were recovered from Early Onset Disease and 18 from Late Onset Disease (LOD). Among 26 isolates examined, five serotypes were identified. Type III was the most represented (15 cases), particularly among LOD strains (n = 11), followed by types Ib (n = 5), V (n = 3), Ia (n = 2) and II (n = 1). We performed whole-genome sequencing analysis and antimicrobial susceptibility testing on the 14 serotype III isolates belonging to the hypervirulent Clonal Complex 17 (serotype III-CC17). The presence of PI-2b alone was associated with 13 out of 14 serotype III-CC17 strains. Genome analysis led us to identify two multi-drug resistance gene clusters harbored in two new versions of integrative and conjugative elements (ICEs), carrying five or eight antibiotic resistance genes, respectively. These ICEs replaced the 16 kb-locus that normally contains the PI-1 operon. All isolates harboring the identified ICEs showed multiple resistances to aminoglycoside, macrolide, and tetracycline antibiotic classes. In conclusion, we report the first whole-genome sequence analysis of 14 GBS serotype III-CC17 strains isolated in China, representing the most prevalent lineage causing neonatal invasive disease. The acquisition of newly identified ICEs conferring multiple antibiotic resistance could in part explain the spread of this specific clone among Chinese neonatal isolates and underlines the need for a constant epidemiological surveillance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edmondo Campisi
- GlaxoSmithKline Vaccines S.r.l., SienaItaly; Laboratory of Bacterial Pathogenesis and Immunology, Rockefeller University, New York, NYUSA
| | | | - Wenjing Ji
- Department of Pharmacy Administration and Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University Xi'an, China
| | | | | | - Guozhu Geng
- Shanghai Hengrui Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd, Shanghai China
| | - Qiulian Deng
- Clinical Laboratory, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou China
| | - Huamin Zhong
- Clinical Laboratory, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou China
| | - Weidong Wang
- Changsha Hospital for Maternal and Child Health, Changsha China
| | - Haiying Liu
- Clinical Laboratory, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou China
| | | | | | - C D Rinaudo
- GlaxoSmithKline Vaccines S.r.l., Siena Italy
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Battistelli M, Salucci S, Olivotto E, Facchini A, Minguzzi M, Guidotti S, Pagani S, Flamigni F, Borzì RM, Facchini A, Falcieri E. Cell death in human articular chondrocyte: a morpho-functional study in micromass model. Apoptosis 2015; 19:1471-83. [PMID: 25015553 DOI: 10.1007/s10495-014-1017-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Chondrocyte death and loss of extracellular matrix are the central features in articular cartilage degeneration during osteoarthritis pathogenesis. Cartilage diseases and, in particular, osteoarthritis are widely correlated to apoptosis but, chondrocytes undergoing apoptosis "in vivo" more often display peculiar features that correspond to a distinct process of programmed cell death termed "chondroptosis". Programmed cell death of primary human chondrocyte has been here investigated in micromasses, a tridimensional culture model, that represents a convenient means for studying chondrocyte biology. Cell death has been induced by different physical or chemical apoptotic agents, such as UVB radiation, hyperthermia and staurosporine delivered at both 1 and 3 weeks maturation. Conventional electron microscopy was used to analyse morphological changes. Occurrence of DNA fragmentation and caspase involvement were also investigated. At Transmission Electron Microscopy, control cells appear rounding or slightly elongated with plurilobated nucleus and diffusely dispersed chromatin. Typically UVB radiation and staurosporine induce chromatin apoptotic features, while hyperthermia triggers the "chondroptotic" phenotype. A weak TUNEL positivity appears in control, correlated to the well known cell death patterns occurring along cartilage differentiation. UVB radiation produces a strong positivity, mostly localized at the micromass periphery. After hyperthermia a higher number of fluorescent nuclei appears, in particular at 3 weeks. Staurosporine evidences a diffuse, but reduced, positivity. Therefore, DNA fragmentation is a common pattern in dying chondrocytes, both in apoptotic and "chondroptotic" cells. Moreover, all triggers induce caspase pathway activation, even if to a different extent, suggesting a fundamental role of apoptotic features, in chondrocyte cell death.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Battistelli
- DiSTeVA, Campus Scientifico Enrico Mattei, Università degli Studi di Urbino Carlo Bo, Via Ca' le Suore 2, 61029, Urbino, PU, Italy,
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Guidotti S, Jansen HG, Aerts-Bijma AT, Verstappen-Dumoulin BMAA, van Dijk G, Meijer HAJ. Doubly Labelled Water analysis: preparation, memory correction, calibration and quality assurance for δ2H and δ18O measurements over four orders of magnitudes. Rapid Commun Mass Spectrom 2013; 27:1055-1066. [PMID: 23592209 DOI: 10.1002/rcm.6540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2012] [Revised: 01/30/2013] [Accepted: 02/05/2013] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE The Doubly Labelled Water (DLW) method is an established way of determining the metabolic rate in humans and animals, with the advantage that the subjects need not be confined. The method, however, needs accurate determination of both the δ(2)H and the δ(18)O isotope values over a wide range of enrichments. METHODS In this paper we describe a number of crucial steps in the process of isotope determination in body fluids. These steps include micro-distillation, correction of the measurements for sample-to-sample memory and calibration of the isotope scales over many orders of magnitudes. In contrast to several published protocols and guidelines, we also take highly enriched samples into account, as they are required for studying the metabolic rate of birds and small mammals. For our isotope scale calibration, we made a set of gravimetrically prepared, double labelled waters with known isotope values. Our quality assurance includes a scheme for easy calculation of the error propagation, leading to a reliable estimate of the analytical error in the metabolic rate. RESULTS Our memory correction algorithm assumes the existence of three water "pools" that have different sizes and exchange rates with the injected samples. We show that the method can correct even huge memory signals, without the need for "true" values. CONCLUSIONS With the presented building blocks, we show how to assure a reliable and accurate isotope analysis for the DLW method, both for human and for animal applications. Although our measurements have been performed using isotope ratio mass spectrometry, most of the procedures are also useful for laser spectrometry.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Guidotti
- Center for Isotope Research (CIO), Energy and Sustainability Research Institute Groningen (ESRIG), University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
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Moschioni M, Lo Sapio M, Crisafulli G, Torricelli G, Guidotti S, Muzzi A, Barocchi MA, Donati C. Sequence analysis of 96 genomic regions identifies distinct evolutionary lineages within CC156, the largest Streptococcus pneumoniae clonal complex in the MLST database. PLoS One 2013; 8:e61003. [PMID: 23593373 PMCID: PMC3625235 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0061003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [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] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2012] [Accepted: 03/05/2013] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Multi-Locus Sequence Typing (MLST) of Streptococcus pneumoniae is based on the sequence of seven housekeeping gene fragments. The analysis of MLST allelic profiles by eBURST allows the grouping of genetically related strains into Clonal Complexes (CCs) including those genotypes with a common descent from a predicted ancestor. However, the increasing use of MLST to characterize S. pneumoniae strains has led to the identification of a large number of new Sequence Types (STs) causing the merger of formerly distinct lineages into larger CCs. An example of this is the CC156, displaying a high level of complexity and including strains with allelic profiles differing in all seven of the MLST loci, capsular type and the presence of the Pilus Islet-1 (PI-1). Detailed analysis of the CC156 indicates that the identification of new STs, such as ST4945, induced the merging of formerly distinct clonal complexes. In order to discriminate the strain diversity within CC156, a recently developed typing schema, 96-MLST, was used to analyse 66 strains representative of 41 different STs. Analysis of allelic profiles by hierarchical clustering and a minimum spanning tree identified ten genetically distinct evolutionary lineages. Similar results were obtained by phylogenetic analysis on the concatenated sequences with different methods. The identified lineages are homogenous in capsular type and PI-1 presence. ST4945 strains were unequivocally assigned to one of the lineages. In conclusion, the identification of new STs through an exhaustive analysis of pneumococcal strains from various laboratories has highlighted that potentially unrelated subgroups can be grouped into a single CC by eBURST. The analysis of additional loci, such as those included in the 96-MLST schema, will be necessary to accurately discriminate the clonal evolution of the pneumococcal population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monica Moschioni
- Research Center, Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics, Siena, Italy.
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10
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Abstract
Clinicians are opting ever more frequently for restorative materials which have an elastic modulus similar to that of dentin when reconstructing endodontically treated teeth. Metallic posts, which are capable of causing dangerous and non-homogenous stresses in root dentin, are slowly being abandoned. Ideal posts may be those made of various types of fibre (carbon, mineral and glass) and which are adhesively luted into the canal. Among the different methods for evaluating the mechanical behaviour of posts in root canals (progressive loads and photo-elastic technique) the finite element method (FEM) presents many advantages. The aim of this paper is to evaluate, utilizing three-dimensional analysis of the finite elements, what the effect of material rigidity, depth of insertion and post diameter could be on the stress distribution in the different components of the single tooth-post-core reconstruction unit. The results of the FEM analyses, expressed as the distribution of Von Mises stress values, has allowed us to conclude that (i) fibreglass-reinforced composite distributes stress better than titanium alloy or stainless steel; (ii) fibreglass-reinforced composite posts should be inserted as deeply as possible (but maintaining 5-6 mm of gutta-percha apical seal); (iii) fibreglass-reinforced composite post diameter does not affect stress distribution, therefore, as much radicular dentin as possible should be preserved.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Boschian Pest
- Department of Restorative Dentistry, School of Dentistry, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
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Palli D, Saieva C, Luzzi I, Masala G, Topa S, Sera F, Gemma S, Zanna I, D'Errico M, Zini E, Guidotti S, Valeri A, Fabbrucci P, Moretti R, Testai E, del Giudice G, Ottini L, Matullo G, Dogliotti E, Gomez-Miguel MJ. Interleukin-1 gene polymorphisms and gastric cancer risk in a high-risk Italian population. Am J Gastroenterol 2005; 100:1941-8. [PMID: 16128937 DOI: 10.1111/j.1572-0241.2005.50084.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [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: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Host genetic factors, including the IL1 gene cluster, play a key role in determining the long-term outcome of Helicobacter pylori infection. The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between selected IL1 loci polymorphisms and gastric cancer risk in an Italian population. METHODS In a case-control study we compared the IL1B-31 and IL1B+3954 biallelic and IL1RN pentaallelic variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) polymorphisms in 185 gastric cancer patients and 546 controls randomly sampled from the general population of an area at high gastric cancer risk (Tuscany, Central Italy). RESULTS Genotype frequencies of the IL1B-31 T/C, IL1B+3954 C/T, and IL1RN polymorphisms among our population controls were in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. In multivariate analyses, no increase in gastric cancer risk was observed for the IL1B-31*C- and IL1B+3954*T- carriers; a significant 50% increase emerged for IL1RN*2 allele carriers (OR = 1.49; 95% CI: 1.01-2.21). Analyses based on combined genotypes showed also that the association with IL1RN*2 allele was limited to two-variant allele carriers who were also homozygous for the IL1B-31*T allele (OR = 2.23; 95% CI: 1.18-4.23) with a statistically significant interaction between these two genotypes (p= 0.043). Haplotype analysis showed an increased risk for the haplotype IL1RN*2/IL1B-31*T. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that host genetic factors (such as the IL1RN and the IL1B-31 polymorphisms) interact in the complex process of gastric carcinogenesis in this high-risk Italian population. Overall, this effect appears more modest than previously reported in other populations, supporting the hypothesis that other still-to-be-defined factors are important in gastric carcinogenesis. These findings might be due to a haplotype effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Palli
- Molecular and Nutritional Epidemiology Unit, Cancer Research and Prevention Center (CSPO), Scientific Institute of Tuscany, Florence, Italy
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12
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Eickmann M, Becker S, Klenk HD, Doerr HW, Stadler K, Censini S, Guidotti S, Masignani V, Scarselli M, Mora M, Donati C, Han JH, Song HC, Abrignani S, Covacci A, Rappuoli R. Phylogeny of the SARS coronavirus. Science 2003; 302:1504-5. [PMID: 14645828 DOI: 10.1126/science.302.5650.1504b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
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13
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Pellegrini S, Censini S, Guidotti S, Iacopetti P, Rocchi M, Bianchi M, Covacci A, Gabrielli F. A human short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase gene: structure, chromosomal localization, tissue expression and subcellular localization of its product. Biochim Biophys Acta 2002; 1574:215-22. [PMID: 11997086 DOI: 10.1016/s0167-4781(01)00323-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
We have previously described the cloning of Hep27, a short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase, which is synthesized in human hepatoblastoma HepG2 cells following growth arrest induced by butyrate treatment. The present report describes the cloning, the structure and the physical and cytogenetic mapping of the gene coding for Hep27. We also show that Hep27 is synthesized in a limited number of human normal tissues and that it is localized in the nuclei and cytoplasm of HepG2 cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Pellegrini
- Department of Experimental Pathology and Medical Biotechnology, University of Pisa, Via S. Zeno 37, I-56127 Pisa, Italy
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Iezzi A, Tartaro A, Magarelli N, Guidotti S, Tonni G, Carriero A. [2D TOF angio-MR of the thoraco-abdominal aorta. Technique and clinical applications]. Radiol Med 1993; 85:364-9. [PMID: 8516460] [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: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
The diagnostic role of Magnetic Resonance Angiography (MRA) was investigated in the study of the thoracic and abdominal aorta. Thirty-two patients with different conditions were examined: the thoracic aorta was affected in 7 cases (3 aneurysms, 2 dissections, 2 tumors) and the abdominal aorta in 25 cases (21 aneurysms, 3 stenoses and 1 dissection). Moreover, 2 kinkings and 1 dextroposition of the thoracic aorta were observed as occasional findings, together with 15 abdominal aorta kinking cases. A 1.5-T superconductive magnet (Magnetom, Siemens) with circular polarization body coil and the 2D TOF (FL 18 degrees, TR 30 ms, TE 10 ms, ST 5 mm, 1-mm overlap) technique were used. The images acquired on the coronal and sagittal or parasagittal planes were rotated from -45 degrees to 45 degrees and from 60 degrees to 120 degrees during post-processing, according to MIP. Digital angiography was the gold standard in all cases, angiography and CT were the gold standards for aneurysms, and surgery for the lesions reaching the thoracic aorta. The 2D TOF technique allowed excellent visualization of both the thoracic and the abdominal aorta. In thoracic aorta conditions, MRA always identified aneurysms and assessed their relationship to epiaortic branchings. Moreover, MRA identified 2 cases of thoracic aorta dissection. In one case (1/2) MRA failed to depict aortic wall infiltration by tumor. In 21 abdominal aorta aneurysms, MRA always correctly demonstrated both the extent of the aneurysm and its relationships to renal and iliac arteries. Moreover, the thrombotic aneurysmal component was demonstrated, together with left renal vein course, which was retroaortic in 4 cases. Abnormal course, stenoses (2 cases) and dissection of the abdominal aorta were always identified by MRA.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Iezzi
- Istituto di Scienze Radiologiche, Università G. D'Annunzio, Chieti
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Abstract
Obstruction of pulmonary arterial blood flow results in minimal biochemical and/or morphological changes in the involved lung. If the lung is reperfused, a syndrome of leukopenia and lung edema occurs. We used the radiolabeled microsphere technique to measure the response of the bronchial circulation in rabbits to acute pulmonary artery occlusion (PAO) and to pulmonary artery reperfusion. We found that the bronchial blood flow (Qbr) decreased from a base line of 0.37 +/- 0.10 to 0.09 +/- 0.04 (SE) ml.min-1.g dry lung-1 (P less than or equal to 0.05) after 4 h of PAO. In a separate group of animals, Qbr 24 h after PAO remained low (0.20 +/- 0.07 ml.min-1.g dry lung-1, P = 0.06). Qbr during PAO was inversely correlated with the wet-to-dry ratio after reperfusion (r = -0.68, P = 0.06). Qbr did not change during 4 h of reperfusion. We speculate that a critical level of Qbr may be necessary during PAO to prevent ischemia/reperfusion injury from occurring.
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Affiliation(s)
- T F Kowalski
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Washington, Seattle 98195
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Goodman MF, Keener S, Guidotti S, Branscomb EW. On the enzymatic basis for mutagenesis by manganese. J Biol Chem 1983; 258:3469-75. [PMID: 6833210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The effects of manganese on DNA synthesis fidelity are measured using T4 DNA polymerase. When the nucleotide analogue 2-aminopurine deoxyribonucleoside triphosphate competes against dATP at thymine sites on template DNA, the aminopurine misincorporation frequency increases from 6.3% in the presence of Mg2+ to 29.2% in the presence of Mn2+. The major cause of the increased error rate is an approximate 4-fold increase in the frequency of aminopurine misinsertions. Exonucleolytic proofreading of aminopurine is similar in the presence of Mn2+ and Mg2+. However, the excision frequency of the correct nucleotide, dAMP, is increased 2-fold with Mn2+. In experiments in which insertion and incorporation velocities of aminopurine and adenine are measured independently of each other, a 5- to 10-fold decrease in the Michaelis constant for aminopurine is observed in the presence of Mn2+ compared to a 2-fold decrease in the Km for adenine. In contrast to the marked differential reduction in the ratio of aminopurine to adenine Km values, the maximum insertion velocities of both nucleotides are reduced by similar amounts (40-fold). We suggest that the mutagenic action of Mn2+ can be attributed primarily to a significant differential increase in binding of mispaired relative to correctly paired nucleotides to the polymerase-template complex. The resulting increase in the ratio of residence times for mispaired compared with correctly paired nucleotides on the complex results in their increased frequency of misinsertion. A smaller contributing factor to Mn2+-induced mutagenesis is a loss of proofreading specificity. We propose that the losses in both the specificities of nucleotide insertion and excision (proofreading) share a common molecular origin in which nucleotides are bound in the presence of Mn2+ in distorted configurations at the polymerase insertion and excision active sites resulting in increased nonspecific enzyme-substrate binding forces at the expense of template-substrate base pair specific hydrogen bonds.
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Abstract
In an hypothesis-generating activity, data in a population-based cancer registry were analyzed according to occupation and industry. The number of cases of multiple myeloma was found to be excessive for females in the occupation "cosmetologists, hairdressers and manicurists." Race did not explain the excess. People in this occupation have potential exposure to a number of chemicals that produce mutations in bacteria. Studies should be done to investigate the hypothesis that these chemicals cause multiple myeloma in cosmetologists.
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