Immunosenescence, inflammation and Alzheimer’s disease

Ageing impacts negatively on the development of the immune system and its ability to fight pathogens. Progressive changes in the T-cell and B-cell systems over the lifespan of individuals have a major impact on the capacity to respond to immune challenges. The cumulative age-associated changes in immune competence are termed immunosenescence that is characterized by changes where adaptive immunity deteriorates, while innate immunity is largely conserved or even upregulated with age. On the other hand, ageing is also characterized by “inflamm-ageing”, a term coined to explain the inflammation commonly present in many age-associated diseases. It is believed that immune inflammatory processes are relevant in Alzheimer’s disease, the most common cause of dementia in older people. In the present paper we review data focusing on changes of some immunoinflammatory parameters observed in patients affected by Alzheimer’s diseas

Pro-inflammatory genetic markers of atherosclerosis

Atherosclerosis (AS) is a chronic, progressive, multifactorial disease mostly affecting large and medium-sized elastic and muscular arteries. It has formerly been considered a bland lipid storage disease. Currently, multiple independent pathways of evidence suggest this pathological condition is a peculiar form of inflammation, triggered by cholesterol-rich lipoproteins and influenced both by environmental and genetic factors. The Human Genome Project opened up the opportunity to dissect complex human traits and to understand basic pathways of multifactorial diseases such as AS. Population-based association studies have emerged as powerful tools for examining genes with a role in common multifactorial diseases that have a strong environmental component. These association studies often estimate the risk of developing a certain disease in carriers and non-carriers of a particular genetic polymorphism. Dissecting out the influence of pro-inflammatory genes within the complex pathophysiology of AS and its complications will help to provide a more complete risk assessment and complement known classical cardiovascular risk factors. The detection of a risk profile will potentially allow both the early identification of individuals susceptible to disease and the possible discovery of potential targets for drug or lifestyle modification; i.e. it will open the door to personalized medicine

Role of cyclooxygenae-2 and 5-lypoxygenase polymorphisms in Alzheimer's disease in a population from northern Italy:implications for pharmacogenomics

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder clinically characterized by cognitive deficit with progressive worsening of memory. Recent data indicate that neurons, as well as other brain cells, can express enzymes such as cyclooxygenases (COXs) and 5-lipoxygenase (5-LO) which are considered important in inflammatory cells. Moreover, it has been demonstrated that COX-2 and 5-LO enzymes play a considerable role in the pathophysiology of AD. In order to assess the possible role of COX-2 and 5-LO single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in AD, we examined their distribution in 341 AD patients and 190 controls from Northern Italy. A significant difference was observed in the distribution of the -765G COX-2 and -1708A 5-LO alleles between AD cases and controls (p=0.03 for -765G/C COX-2 SNP; and p=0.007 for -1708G/A 5-LO SNP). Hence, COX-2 -765G and 5-LO -1708A alleles were overrepresented in AD patients and underrepresented in controls. Our data suggest that these alleles of COX-2 and 5-LO could be risk factors for AD. These results seem of some importance for a pharmacogenomic approach

Serum levels of total IgE and soluble CD23 in bronchial asthma

The aim of the present study was to compare, during the pollen season, serum levels of total IgE and soluble CD23 (sCD23) from patients with allergic bronchial asthma, with those from healthy subjects. Significantly higher levels of total IgE and sCD23 were found in patients with asthma compared to the control group. Both in normal controls and in asthmatic patients, a significant correlation was shown between the levels of these two molecules. In asthmatic patients, significant correlations were found for both total IgE and sCD23, with lung function measured as bronchial responsiveness to inhaled methacholine. These results suggest that in asthmatic patients, in addition to the study of total serum IgE levels, the assessment of sCD23 serum levels may be helpful in the evaluation of disease activity

Allergy to polyethilenglicole of anti-sars cov2 vaccine recipient: A case report of young adult recipient and the management of future exposure to sars-cov2

The main contraindication to the anti-SARS CoV2 vaccine is an anaphylactic reaction to a vaccine component. The need to vaccinate allergic people who are at higher risk can be of public health interest and this report shows a case of an allergic reaction to PEG of a HCW who had received the first dose of anti-SARS CoV2 vaccine. For 5 h after the administration of the vaccine, she had the appearance of erythematous spots on the face and neck, and a feeling of a slurred mouth and hoarseness. In order to treat the event, she was administered 8 mg intravenous dexamethasone, 1 vial intravenous chlorphenamine maleate, 250 mL intravenous 0.9% NaCl, and conventional oxygen therapy (2 L/min) with complete resolution of the suspected adverse drug reaction. According to the contraindication to the cutaneous test for this patient, BAT was used for further investigations. The patient who suffered the adverse reaction to the COVID-19 vaccine and other five allergic patients who did not report any adverse reaction after the vaccination were tested. There was a significant activation of the vaccine-reactive patient’s basophils with 14.79 CD203chigh% at the concentration of 0.2 mg/mL, while other patients were negative. People who have a confirmed reaction to a vaccine component should undergo further investigation to discover other possible cross-reactions and select the right vaccine to immunize them

Association between the MHC class I gene HFE polymorphisms and longevity: a study in Sicilian population

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PRIMI DATI SUGLI INNESTI DI ABIES NEBRODENSIS (LOJAC.) MATTEI ESEGUITI SU ABETI ESOTICI NELL\u2019AREA DI INDIGENATO (MADONIE)

C2 = PRIMI DATI SUGLI INNESTI DI ABIES NEBRODENSIS (LOJAC.) MATTEI ESEGUITI SU ABETI ESOTICI NELL\u2019AREA DI INDIGENATO (MADONIE) R. SCHICCHI, P. BONOMO, M. CANDORE, G. DI NOTO, A. PUCCI, F. TRAPANI, P. MARINO Dipartimento di Biologia Ambientale e Biodiversit\ue0 dell'Universit\ue0, via Archirafi 38, 90123 Palermo (I) [email protected] Abies nebrodensis \ue8 una specie endemica relitta, gravemente minacciata di estinzione, la cui popolazione naturale \ue8 costituita da 30 individui distribuiti discontinuamente in una piccola area del territorio di Polizzi Generosa, all\u2019interno del Parco naturale delle Madonie in Sicilia. La minaccia di estinzione \ue8 dovuta, oltre all'esiguit\ue0 della popolazione, al ridotto numero di piante mature (ventiquattro) e al pericolo di inquinamento genetico incombente. A partire dall\u2019inizio degli anni \u201880 del secolo scorso, infatti, sono stati introdotti nella vicinanze dell\u2019area di indignato individui di abeti esotici (Abies alba Mill., A. cephalonica Loudon, e A. nordmanniana (Stefen) Spach) che, avendo raggiunto la maturit\ue0 sessuale, potrebbero mettere a rischio l\u2019integrit\ue0 genetica della progenie dell\u2019abete locale (Raimondo & Schicchi, 2005). Nell\u2019ambito del progetto \u201cConservazione di Abies nebrodensis e ripristino delle torbiere di Geraci Siculo\u201d, in corso di attuazione da parte dell\u2019Ente Parco delle Madonie, del Dipartimento di Biologia ambientale e Biodiversit\ue0 di Palermo e di altri partners locali, un\u2019azione di salvaguardia prevede l\u2019innesto degli abeti esotici con marze di A. nebrodensis, valorizzando la positiva esperienza effettuata con il progetto Life Natura (1). A tal fine, nel periodo compreso tra la terza decade di aprile e la seconda decade di maggio sono stati effettuati circa 350 innesti in contrada Comunello, nel territorio di Isnello. Le marze sono state prelevate da individui maturi di A. nebrodensis di oltre 30 anni di et\ue0, introdotti nelle opere di ripopolamento che, in seguito ai risultati delle analisi genetiche, sono geneticamente correlati agli esemplari della popolazione naturale. Gli innesti sono stati eseguiti a spacco ma soprattutto a corona, previa capitozzatura dei soggetti di A. alba e A. cephalonica, a un\u2019altezza di circa 2 m per evitare possibili danneggiamenti da parte del bestiame. Nei soggetti sono stati, comunque, rilasciati temporaneamente alcuni palchi che, continuando a svolgere le normali funzioni vitali, agevoleranno l\u2019attecchimento delle marze. Queste ultime sono state opportunamente sagomate e inserite tra la corteccia e il legno sia nel fusto capitozzato che in alcuni rami laterali. Esse sono state tenute strettamente aderenti ai soggetti tramite nastro adesivo e protette da due sacchetti, rispettivamente di polietilene e di carta, per creare condizioni micro-climatiche ottimali alla sopravvivenza delle marze. Dalla terza decade di maggio \ue8 iniziato, con cadenza settimanale, il monitoraggio degli innesti e la foratura, ove necessario, del sacchetto di plastica per eliminare l\u2019umidit\ue0 in eccesso. Dopo 40 giorni \ue8 stato possibile constatare che oltre il 90% degli innesti \ue8 attecchito. Anche alcuni innesti eseguiti a scopo sperimentale su Pseudotsuga menziesii Franco sono vitali. Durante la fine di luglio e agosto si prevede una graduale scopertura delle marze. Gli esiti di questa azione, tuttavia, potranno essere valutati compiutamente all\u2019inizio della prossima primavera. La tecnica dell\u2019innesto riveste notevole importanza poich\ue9 permette di eliminare o ridurre una delle minacce pi\uf9 consistenti a carico della popolazione naturale di A. nebrodensis, trasformando la stessa in un punto di forza nell\u2019ambito della strategia di conservazione della specie. Essa, infatti, potr\ue0 contribuire a incrementare la popolazione dell\u2019endemico A. nebrodensis, valorizzando come portainnesti piante che se non abbattute costituirebbero un serio pericolo per la conservazione dell\u2019abete delle Madonie. Raimondo F. M., Schicchi R., 2005. Rendiconto sul progetto LIFE Natura n\ub0 LIFE2000NAT/IT/7228 \u201cConservazione in situ ed ex situ di Abies nebrodensis (Lojac.) Mattei\u201d. Tipolitografia Luxograph, Palermo

Pathological implications of Th1/Th2 cytokine genetic variants in Beh\ue7et's disease: Data from a pilot study in a Sicilian population

Cytokines act as pleiotropic polypeptides able to regulate inflammatory/immune responses and to provide important signals in physiological and pathological processes. Several cytokines (Th1, Th2, and Th17) seem to be involved in the pathophysiology of Beh\ue7et's disease, a chronic immune-mediated disease characterized by oral and genital lesions and ocular inflammation. Its individual susceptibility seems to be modulated by genetic variants in genes codifying these cytokines. Th1 and Th17 seem to be involved in the disease's active phases, and Th2 seems to affect the development or severity of the disease; however, contrasting data are reported. In this study, some genetic variants of the Th1/Th2 cytokine genes were investigated in Sicilian patients and age- and gender-matched controls. Three very significant associations with Beh\ue7et's disease were detected, and combined genotypes associated with increased disease risk were identified. Results obtained point to the key role of Th1/Th2 cytokine genetic variants in disease susceptibility

Administration of a Synbiotic to Free-Living Elderly and Evaluation of Serum Cytokines. A Pilot Study

Ten free-living elderly were administered with a synbiotic [fermented milk containing Lactobacillus rhamnosus Gorbach and Goldin (LGG)] and oligofructose as a prebiotic for one month. Serum cytokines were evaluated before (T0) and after (T1) synbiotic administration. At T0, values of Interleukin (IL)-12, IL-6, IL-10, IL-1 and Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF)- were lower than normal controls, with the exception of IL-8, thus confirming previous results on the impairment of both innate and adaptive responses in elderly. At T1, the synbiotic was able to significantly increase, depressed values of IL-1, IL-6 and IL-8 with a trend to a modest increase for the restant cytokines. In conclusion, the synbiotic used in this study seems to be very beneficial to elderly for its capacity to maintain the immune homeostasis, even if an increase in dosage and prolongation of administration time are required for a better modulation of the aged adaptive immune response

Use of bioelectrical impedance analysis in centenarians: a systematic review

Background: Centenarians often represent one of the best examples of aging successfully. However, the role of body composition or hydration status assessed with bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) is poorly explored in this population. Therefore, the aim of this systematic review was to better understand the use and the role of BIA for evaluating body composition and hydration status in centenarians. Methods: We conducted a systematic review of the literature up to the 1st of May, 2022 for published articles providing data on BIA to evaluate body composition parameters or hydration status in centenarians. Data were summarized descriptively because a meta-analysis was not possible due to the scarcity of available studies. Results: Among 2222 articles screened, four were eligible including 291 centenarians (mean age: 100.5 years) who were mainly women (88%). In one study, BIA overestimated fat-free mass and underestimated fat mass when compared to deuterium oxide dilution. Another study carried out in Italy including 14 centenarians found a significant correlation between BIA and fat-free mass evaluated using anthropometric tools. In one study, BIA showed a significant agreement with anthropometric measures of fat mass. In the same sample, sarcopenia and dehydration, evaluated with BIA, had a high prevalence. Conclusion: BIA may be used for assessing body composition in centenarians, but research is limited to a few studies suggesting the need of future research in this area