Atypical lymphoproliferation progressing into B-cell lymphoma in rheumatoid arthritis treated with different biological agents: clinical course and molecular characterization.

10noA patient with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) developed an atypical lymphoproliferative disorder (LPD) after methotrexate and cyclosporine A, which regressed after suspension of both drugs. After subsequent treatment with rituximab, the LPD was still undetectable. Anti-tumor necrosis factor a therapy was used when the arthritis relapsed, but an aggressive B-cell non Hodgkin's lymphoma developed. Molecular analyses showed an oligoclonal B-cell expansion at the LPD step. A minor clone with significant sequence homology to B-cell lymphomas arising in Sjogren's syndrome and mixed cryoglobulinemia syndrome, given rise to the non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Treatment of rheumatoid arthritis associated with lymphoproliferation represents a clinical challenge, and common pathogenetic pathways to lymphoma may occur in different autoimmune diseases.openopenQuartuccio, Luca; De Re, V.; Fabris, M; Marzotto, A.; Franzolini, N; Gasparotto, D.; Caggiari, L.; Ferraccioli, G.; Scott, Cathryn Anne; DE VITA, SalvatoreQuartuccio, Luca; De Re, V.; Fabris, M; Marzotto, A.; Franzolini, N; Gasparotto, D.; Caggiari, L.; Ferraccioli, G.; Scott, Cathryn Anne; DE VITA, Salvator

New discrete and polymeric supramolecular architectures derived from dinuclear Co(II), Ni(II) and Cu(II) complexes of aryl-linked bis-beta-diketonato ligands and nitrogen bases: synthetic, structural and high pressure studies

New examples of nitrogen base adducts of dinuclear Co(II), Ni(II) and Cu(II) complexes of the doubly deprotonated forms of 1,3-aryl linked bis-β-diketones of type [RC([double bond, length as m-dash]O)CH2C([double bond, length as m-dash]O)C6H4C([double bond, length as m-dash]O)CH2C([double bond, length as m-dash]O)R] (L1H2) incorporating the mono- and difunctional amine bases pyridine (Py), 4-ethylpyridine (EtPy), piperidine (pipi), 1,4-piperazine (pip), N-methylmorpholine (mmorph), 1,4-dimethylpiperazine (dmpip) and N,N,N′,N′-tetramethylethylenediamine (tmen) have been synthesised by reaction of the previously reported [Cu2(L1)2]·2.5THF (R = Me), [Cu2(L1)2(THF)2] (R = t-Bu), [Ni2(L1)2(Py)4] (R = t-Bu) and [Co2(L1)2(Py)4] (R = t-Bu) complexes with individual bases of the above type. Comparative X-ray structural studies involving all ten base adduct derivatives have been obtained and reveal a range of interesting discrete and polymeric molecular architectures. The respective products have the following stoichiometries: [Cu2(L1)2(Py)2]·Py (R = Me), [Cu2(L1)2(EtPy)2]·2EtPy (R = t-Bu), [Cu2(L1)2(pipi)2]·2pipi (R = t-Bu), [Cu2(L1)2(mmorph)2] (R = t-Bu), [Cu2(L1)2(tmen)2] (R = t-Bu) and {[Cu2(L1)2(pip)]·pip·2THF}n, [Co2(L1)2(tmen)2] (R = t-Bu), [Ni2(L1)2(Py)4]·dmpip (R = t-Bu), [Ni2(L1)2(pipi)4]·pipi (R = t-Bu) and [Ni2(L1)2(tmen)2] (R = t-Bu). The effect of pressure on the X-ray structure of [Cu2(L1)2(mmorph)2] has been investigated. An increase in pressure from ambient to 9.1 kbar resulted in modest changes to the unit cell parameters as well as a corresponding decrease of 6.7 percent in the unit cell volume. While a small ‘shearing’ motion occurs between adjacent molecular units throughout the lattice, no existing bonds are broken or new bonds formed

Dose-effect study of Gelsemium sempervirens in high dilutions on anxiety-related responses in mice

Introduction This study was designed to investigate the putative anxiolytic-like activity of ultra-low doses of Gelsemium sempervirens (G. sempervirens), produced according to the homeopathic pharmacopeia. Methods Five different centesimal (C) dilutions of G. sempervirens (4C, 5C, 7C, 9C and 30C), the drug buspirone (5 mg/kg) and solvent vehicle were delivered intraperitoneally to groups of ICR-CD1 mice over a period of 9 days. The behavioral effects were assessed in the open-field (OF) and light\u2013dark (LD) tests in blind and randomized fashion. Results Most G. sempervirens dilutions did not affect the total distance traveled in the OF (only the 5C had an almost significant stimulatory effect on this parameter), indicating that the medicine caused no sedation effects or unspecific changes in locomotor activity. In the same test, buspirone induced a slight but statistically significant decrease in locomotion. G. sempervirens showed little stimulatory activity on the time spent and distance traveled in the central zone of the OF, but this effect was not statistically significant. In the LD test, G. sempervirens increased the % time spent in the light compartment, an indicator of anxiolytic-like activity, with a statistically significant effect using the 5C, 9C and 30C dilutions. These effects were comparable to those of buspirone. The number of transitions between the compartments of the LD test markedly increased with G. sempervirens 5C, 9C and 30C dilutions. Conclusion The overall pattern of results provides evidence that G. sempervirens acts on the emotional reactivity of mice, and that its anxiolytic-like effects are apparent, with a non-linear relationship, even at high dilutions

Bimodal action of the flavonoid quercetin on basophil function: an investigation of the putative biochemical targets

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Flavonoids, a large group of polyphenolic metabolites derived from plants have received a great deal of attention over the last several decades for their properties in inflammation and allergy. Quercetin, the most abundant of plant flavonoids, exerts a modulatory action at nanomolar concentrations on human basophils. As this mechanism needs to be elucidated, in this study we focused the possible signal transduction pathways which may be affected by this compound. Methods: K2-EDTA derived leukocyte buffy coats enriched in basophil granulocytes were treated with different concentrations of quercetin and triggered with anti-IgE, fMLP, the calcium ionophore A23187 and the phorbol ester PMA in different experimental conditions. Basophils were captured in a flow cytometry analysis as CD123bright/HLADRnon expressing cells and fluorescence values of the activation markers CD63-FITC or CD203c-PE were used to produce dose response curves. The same population was assayed for histamine release.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Quercetin inhibited the expression of CD63 and CD203c and the histamine release in basophils activated with anti-IgE or with the ionophore: the IC50 in the anti-IgE model was higher than in the ionophore model and the effects were more pronounced for CD63 than for CD203c. Nanomolar concentrations of quercetin were able to prime both markers expression and histamine release in the fMLP activation model while no effect of quercetin was observed when basophils were activated with PMA. The specific phosphoinositide-3 kinase (PI3K) inhibitor wortmannin exhibited the same behavior of quercetin in anti-IgE and fMLP activation, thus suggesting a role for PI3K involvement in the priming mechanism.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>These results rule out a possible role of protein kinase C in the complex response of basophil to quercetin, while indirectly suggest PI3K as the major intracellular target of this compound also in human basophils.</p

Intestinal microbiota in human health and disease: the impact of probiotics

The complex communities of microorganisms that colonise the human gastrointestinal tract play an important role in human health. The development of culture-independent molecular techniques has provided new insights in the composition and diversity of the intestinal microbiota. Here, we summarise the present state of the art on the intestinal microbiota with specific attention for the application of high-throughput functional microbiomic approaches to determine the contribution of the intestinal microbiota to human health. Moreover, we review the association between dysbiosis of the microbiota and both intestinal and extra-intestinal diseases. Finally, we discuss the potential of probiotic microorganism to modulate the intestinal microbiota and thereby contribute to health and well-being. The effects of probiotic consumption on the intestinal microbiota are addressed, as well as the development of tailor-made probiotics designed for specific aberrations that are associated with microbial dysbiosis

Probiotici e prebiotici

I numerosi studi condotti negli ultimi dieci anni hanno dimostrato l\u2019effettiva attivit\ue0 benefica dei microrganismi probiotici sulla salute dell\u2019uomo. Nel presente capitolo sono riportati i principali meccanismi attraverso cui i batteri probiotici esercitano la loro azione sulla microecologia intestinale e nell\u2019organismo ospite; sono illustrate le caratteristiche delle specie pi\uf9 utilizzate (lattobacilli e bifidobatteri) e le formulazioni probiotiche attraverso cui tali batteri sono veicolati nell\u2019uomo (alimenti e prodotti liofilizzati). Particolare attenzione \ue8 stata rivolta alla valutazione delle caratteristiche di qualit\ue0 che questi prodotti devono avere per garantire al consumatore un adeguato potenziale probiotico. Infine, sono riportate alcune delle pi\uf9 recenti tecniche molecolari utilizzate per lo studio dei probiotici e delle loro attivit\ue0 nell\u2019ecosistema microbico intestinale

Towards a possible “liquid mapping”

The essay investigates unexpected analogies and comparisons between different methodological approaches by design and art to the complex and delicate space of the border and crossing. Mapping the Mediterranean is the focus for the total issue that is introduced by the authors reflections