Bronchial and alveolar nitric oxide in exercise-induced bronchoconstriction in asthmatic children

Summary: Background: Epidemiological studies have shown an association between the severity of exercise-induced bronchoconstriction (EIB) and fractional exhaled nitric oxide at the flow of 50 mL/s (FeNO50). However, no study has assessed the correlation between alveolar production (Calv) and bronchial flux (JNO) of nitric oxide (NO) and EIB in asthmatic children. Objective: To identify the relationship between severity of EIB and bronchial or alveolar nitric oxide. Methods: Our group included 36 allergic children with intermittent asthma. The EIB was determined by a standard exercise challenge and the severity was expressed as the maximum change in percentage from the baseline value of lung function (ΔFEV1%, ΔFEF25-75%) after exercising. A chemiluminescence analyser at multiple flows was used to calculate FeNO50, JNO and Calv, which reflect large airways, JNO and alveolar concentration of NO respectively. Results: Sixteen (44.4%) children presented a ΔFEV1 ≥ 10%, eight (22.2%) had ΔFEV1 ≥ 15% and nine (25%) children had a ΔFEF25-75 ≥ 26%. A significant correlation was observed between severity of EIB and FeNO50, JNO and Calv. EIB was significantly more severe in children sensitive to indoor allergens compared with outdoor allergens only (P = 0.014); those children showed also higher levels of Calv (P = 0.003) and of JNO (P = 0.044). Conclusions and Clinical Relevance: Our results suggest that inflammation is present in the central and peripheral airways and that it is associated with the severity of EIB. Clinicaltrials.gov NCT00952835. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd

Erratum to: Effect of moderate red wine intake on cardiac prognosis after recent acute myocardial infarction of subjects with Type 2 diabetes mellitus (Diabetic Medicine, (2006), 23, 9, (974-981), 10.1111/j.1464-5491.2006.01886.x)

In an article by Marfella et al, the author name C. Saron is incorrect and should be listed as C. Sardu. Therefore the correct author list is: R. Marfella, F. Cacciapuoti, M. Siniscalchi, F. C. Sasso, F. Marchese, F. Cinone, E. Musacchio, M. A. Marfella, L. Ruggiero, G. Chiorazzo, D. Liberti, G. Chiorazzo, G. F. Nicoletti, C. Sardu, F. D'Andrea, C. Ammendola, M. Verza and L. Coppola.In an article by Marfella et al, the author name C. Saron is incorrect and should be listed as C. Sardu. Therefore the correct author list is: R. Marfella, F. Cacciapuoti, M. Siniscalchi, F. C. Sasso, F. Marchese, F. Cinone, E. Musacchio, M. A. Marfella, L. Ruggiero, G. Chiorazzo, D. Liberti, G. Chiorazzo, G. F. Nicoletti, C. Sardu, F. D'Andrea, C. Ammendola, M. Verza and L. Coppola

Synthesis and Evaluation of Cytosolic Phospholipase A₂ Activatable Fluorophores for Cancer Imaging

Activatable fluorophores selective to cytosolic phospholipase A₂ (cPLA₂) were synthesized and evaluated for their ability to image triple negative breast cancer cells. The activatable constructs were synthesized by esterification of a small molecule fluorophore with a fatty acid resulting in ablated fluorescence. Selectivity for cPLA₂ was generated through the choice of fluorophore and fatty acid. Esterification with arachidonic acid was sufficient to impart specificity to cPLA₂ when compared to esterification with palmitic acid. <i>In vitro</i> analysis of probes incorporated into phosphatidylcholine liposomes demonstrated that a nonselective phospholipase (sPLA₂ group IB) was able to hydrolyze both arachidonate and palmitate coupled fluorophores resulting in the generation of fluorescence. Of the four fluorophores tested, DDAO (7-hydroxy-9<i>H</i>-(1,3-dichloro-9,9-dimethylacridin-2-one)) was observed to perform optimally <i>in vitro</i> and was analyzed further in 4175-Luc+ cells, a metastatic triple negative human breast cancer cell line expressing high levels of cPLA₂. In contrast to the <i>in vitro</i> analysis, DDAO arachidonate was shown to activate selectively in 4175-Luc+ cells compared to the control DDAO palmitate as measured by fluorescence microscopy and quantitated with fluorescence spectroscopy. The addition of two agents known to activate cPLA₂ enhanced DDAO arachidonate fluorescence without inducing any change to DDAO palmitate. Inhibition of cPLA₂ resulted in reduced fluorescence of DDAO arachidonate but not DDAO palmitate. Together, we report the synthesis of a cPLA₂ selective activatable fluorophore capable of detecting cPLA₂ in triple negative breast cancer cells

Erratum to: Effect of moderate red wine intake on cardiac prognosis after recent acute myocardial infarction of subjects with Type 2 diabetes mellitus (Diabetic Medicine, (2006), 23, 9, (974-981), 10.1111/j.1464-5491.2006.01886.x)

In an article by Marfella et al, the author name C. Saron is incorrect and should be listed as C. Sardu. Therefore the correct author list is: R. Marfella, F. Cacciapuoti, M. Siniscalchi, F. C. Sasso, F. Marchese, F. Cinone, E. Musacchio, M. A. Marfella, L. Ruggiero, G. Chiorazzo, D. Liberti, G. Chiorazzo, G. F. Nicoletti, C. Sardu, F. D'Andrea, C. Ammendola, M. Verza and L. Coppola.In an article by Marfella et al, the author name C. Saron is incorrect and should be listed as C. Sardu. Therefore the correct author list is: R. Marfella, F. Cacciapuoti, M. Siniscalchi, F. C. Sasso, F. Marchese, F. Cinone, E. Musacchio, M. A. Marfella, L. Ruggiero, G. Chiorazzo, D. Liberti, G. Chiorazzo, G. F. Nicoletti, C. Sardu, F. D'Andrea, C. Ammendola, M. Verza and L. Coppola