Brown and Beige Adipose Tissue and Aging

Across aging, adipose tissue (AT) changes its quantity and distribution: AT becomes dysfunctional with an increase in production of inflammatory peptides, a decline of those with anti-inflammatory activity and infiltration of macrophages. Adipose organ dysfunction may lead to age-related metabolic alterations. Aging is characterized by an increase in adiposity and a decline in brown adipose tissue (BAT) depots and activity, and UCP1 expression. There are many possible links to age-associated involution of BAT, including the loss of mitochondrial function, impairment of the sympathetic nervous system, age-induced alteration of brown adipogenic stem/progenitor cell function and changes in endocrine signals. Aging is also associated with a reduction in beige adipocyte formation. Beige adipocytes are known to differentiate from a sub-population of progenitors resident in white adipose tissue (WAT); a defective ability of progenitor cells to proliferate and differentiate has been hypothesized with aging. The loss of beige adipocytes with age may be caused by changes in trophic factors in the adipose tissue microenvironment, which regulate progenitor cell proliferation and differentiation. This review focuses on possible mechanisms involved in the reduction of BAT and beige activity with aging, along with possible targets for age-related metabolic disease therapy

Dopamine receptor expression and function in corticotroph pituitary tumors

The role of dopamine agonist treatment in corticotroph pituitary tumors is controversial. The aim of this study was to evaluate D(2) receptor expression in 20 corticotroph pituitary tumors and to correlate it to the in vitro effect of dopamine agonists on ACTH secretion and the in vivo effect of short-term cabergoline treatment on cortisol secretion. D(2) expression was evaluated by receptor-ligand binding, immunohistochemistry, and RT-PCR. A 50% or more decrease in daily urinary cortisol levels was considered a significant clinical response. At receptor-ligand binding, specific binding of [(125)I]epidepride was found in 80% of cases. At immunohistochemistry, specific D(2) immunostaining was found in 75% of cases. D(2) expression was found in 83.3% of cases (D(2long) in 40%, D(2short) in 20%, and both in 40%) by RT-PCR. Significant in vitro inhibition of ACTH secretion was found in 100% of D(2)-positive cases, but not in 100% of D(2)-negative cases by either bromocriptine or cabergoline. A significant in vivo inhibition of cortisol secretion after 3-month cabergoline treatment was found in 60%, although a normalization of cortisol secretion was found in 40% of cases. All cabergoline-responsive cases were associated with D(2) expression, whereas all noncabergoline-responsive cases but one were not associated with D(2) expression. In conclusion, functional D(2) receptors were expressed in approximately 80% of corticotroph pituitary tumors. The effectiveness of cabergoline in normalizing cortisol secretion in 40% of cases supports its therapeutic use in the management of Cushing's disease

Italian Guidelines in diagnosis and treatment of alopecia areata

Alopecia areata (AA) is an organ-specific autoimmune disorder that targets anagen phase hair follicles. The course is unpredictable and current available treatments have variable efficacy. Nowadays, there is relatively little evidence on treatment of AA from well-designed clinical trials. Moreover, none of the treatments or devices commonly used to treat AA are specifically approved by the Food and Drug Administration. The Italian Study Group for Cutaneous Annexial Disease of the Italian Society of dermatology proposes these Italian guidelines for diagnosis and treatment of Alopecia Areata deeming useful for the daily management of the disease. This article summarizes evidence-based treatment associated with expert-based recommendations

Threads Made with Blended Biopolymers: Mechanical, Physical and Biological Features

Poly (Lactic Acid), PLA, and Poly (ε-CaproLactone), PCL, compatibilized with Ethyl Ester l-Lysine Triisocyanate (LTI) can be employed as biomaterials. We mixed PLA with PCL and LTI in a twin extruder and by a melt spinning process obtained threads with an average diameter of about 0.3 mm. In order to study the possible application of these threads, mechanical tensile (with the calorimetric and morphological investigations) and biological tests were performed. The results highlighted these biopolymers as promising materials for sutures since they can be rigid and elastic (especially by increasing the PCL amount in the blend), and they are bioactive, able to inhibit bacterial growth. This paper represents a starting point to optimize the blend composition for biomedical suture application

SSTR5 ligand binding domain immunohistological detection in pituitary adenomas using Y-SSTR5 a new mouse monoclonal antibody.

Polyclonal antibodies against somatostatin receptors (SSTRs) available up to now recognizing intracellular sites of receptors and their recycling products do not detect bioactive ligand binding domains (LBDs) and are of limited performance in paraffin-embedded tissues. Aim of this study was to evaluate by immunohistochemistry the expression of SSTR5 on an archival series of pituitary tumors using a new MoAbs against the SST-binding domain (Y-SSTR5). Methods: We used paraffined tissue sections from 20 non-secreting pituitary tumors (NS) and 14 PRL-secreting (PRL) adenomas and, as control, sections from normal tissue surrounding the same tumor. A standard streptavidin-biotin-labeled peroxidase immunostaining was performed. Negative controls were performed with non immune serum. The degree of immunopositivity was evaluated semi-quantitatively according to an arbitrary scale. Results: Immunostaining for SSTR5 was found in 90% of NS (low-medium 55%, high 35%) and in 100% of PRLS adenomas (low-medium 14%, high 86%). Conclusion: SSTR5 was found in the majority of pituitary tumors examined. PRLS adenomas showed a tendency to higher expression of receptor protein. Y SSTR5 MoAb can be used to detect SSTR5 on the membrane of pituitary cells in classical paraffin embedded histological sections. The specific detection of LBD SSTR5 by MoAb can support a potential choice of panligand or SST analogues targeting SSTR5 in resistant/recurrent pituitary tumors

SSTR5 ligand binding domain immunohistological detection in pituitary adenomas using Y-SSTR5 a new mouse monoclonal antibody.

Polyclonal antibodies against somatostatin receptors (SSTRs) available up to now recognizing intracellular sites of receptors and their recycling products do not detect bioactive ligand binding domains (LBDs) and are of limited performance in paraffin-embedded tissues. Aim of this study was to evaluate by immunohistochemistry the expression of SSTR5 on an archival series of pituitary tumors using a new MoAbs against the SST-binding domain (Y-SSTR5). Methods: We used paraffined tissue sections from 20 non-secreting pituitary tumors (NS) and 14 PRL-secreting (PRL) adenomas and, as control, sections from normal tissue surrounding the same tumor. A standard streptavidin-biotin-labeled peroxidase immunostaining was performed. Negative controls were performed with non immune serum. The degree of immunopositivity was evaluated semi-quantitatively according to an arbitrary scale. Results: Immunostaining for SSTR5 was found in 90% of NS (low-medium 55%, high 35%) and in 100% of PRLS adenomas (low-medium 14%, high 86%). Conclusion: SSTR5 was found in the majority of pituitary tumors examined. PRLS adenomas showed a tendency to higher expression of receptor protein. Y SSTR5 MoAb can be used to detect SSTR5 on the membrane of pituitary cells in classical paraffin embedded histological sections. The specific detection of LBD SSTR5 by MoAb can support a potential choice of panligand or SST analogues targeting SSTR5 in resistant/recurrent pituitary tumors