15 research outputs found

    Low interleukin-10 production is associated with diabetes in HIV-infected patients undergoing antiviral therapy

    No full text
    Reduced interleukin-10 (IL-10) production is associated with type 2 diabetes in elderly individuals. Antiviral therapy (ARV)-induced immune modulation results in diminished IL-10 production, and diabetes can be observed in ARV-treated human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected individuals. We analyzed, in a cross-sectional pilot study, HIV-antigen-stimulated IL-10 and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha) production, and intracellular concentration (ICC), as well as B7-H1 expression, a marker preferentially presented by IL-10-producing cells, in 20 ARV-treated individuals in whom diabetes did (n=10; diabetes mellitus, DM) or did not (n=10; controls) develop. Pre-ARV glucose, cholesterol, and triglycerides levels, duration of HIV infection and of therapy, exposure to protease inhibitors (PI), HIV plasma viremia, CD4 counts, and nadir were similar in DM and control patients. Results showed that: (1) IL-10 production was lower; (2) IL-10 ICC was reduced; (3) B7-H1-expressing CD19(+) cells were diminished; and (4) TNFalpha production and ICC by CD4(+) T cells was augmented in DM patients. Development of diabetes in HIV infected, ARV-treated individuals could be a response to therapy. Similar to what is observed in elderly individuals, low IL-10 production is associated with diabetes in antiviral-treated HIV infection. Further studies will be necessary to clarify whether low IL-10 is a risk factor for, or a consequence of, diabetes

    Effects of specific immunotherapy on the B7 family of costimulatory molecules in allergic inflammation

    No full text
    The effect of allergen-specific immunotherapy (IT) on Ag presentation and T lymphocyte stimulation was evaluated by verifying the expression of costimulatory molecules in allergic patients. Thus, CD28 and CTLA-4, B7, and B7-H molecules on immune cells, as well as cytokine production, were analyzed in and out of the pollination period in 30 patients allergic to Betulaceae that had or had nor undergone specific IT. Results showed that IT attenuated the increase in the percentage of CD28(+)CD4 T cells and the decrease in the percentage of CTLA-4(+)CD4(+) T cells seen in untreated individuals. CD19(+)/CD80, CD19(+)/CD86(+), and CD14(+)/CD80(+) APCs were significantly augmented during pollination in unvaccinated individuals. B7-H1-expressing monocytes (CD14(+)) and B lymphocytes (CD19) as well as CD14 and CD19 B7-H1(+)/IL-10(+) APC were augmented in Betulaceae Ag-stimulated cell cultures of vaccinated patients independently of pollination, and were further increased in these individuals during pollination. As a result, the IL-10-IFN-gamma ratio in CD4(+), CD14(+), and CD19(+) cells increased in vaccinated patients, but decreased in unvaccinated individuals during pollination. These data clarify the cellular and molecular basis underlying the recent observation that peripheral expansion of IL-10-producing cells is associated with successful IT. B7-H1 could be an optimal target for IT of allergic diseases using mAbs

    Cone-beam computed tomography compared to X-ray in diagnosis of extremities bone fractures: A study of 198 cases

    No full text
    CBCT is an imaging technique consisting of X-ray computed tomography, in which the x-rays are divergent, forming a cone. During 2015, a new model of CBCT, New Tom 5G XL (Verona), was used in the Radiology Department of The University of Verona, in collaboration with the Orthopaedics Department. Our study was carried out from October 2015 to October 2016 (198 patients). We compared CBCT with standard x-ray in the diagnosis of foot and anke fractures (and Lisfranc lesions), tibial plateau fractures, wrist and scaphoid fractures, elbow fractures. All patients were analyzed, of which 143 were positive or had documented bone lesions, while 55 were with no fractures seen. Of the 55 negative patients, 19 were considered positive at Standard RX, thus in 34.5% of cases the X-ray Standard examination overestimated the disease (false positive cases). Similarly, of the 143 positive patients, 21 were negative at RX, resulting in 14.6% of false negatives. We can say that if compared to standard X-ray, CBCT has higher sensitivity and specificity in the proper identification and typing of these kind of lesions, with low exposition dose if compared to MDCT. The most common rx-unrecognized fractures were in small bones of carpus and tarsus

    Immune activation and normal levels of endogenous antivirals are seen in healthy adolescents born of HIV-infected mothers

    No full text
    Immunological analyses performed in healthy adolescents born of HIV-infected (seroreverters) or healthy mothers (healthy controls; HC) showed that immune activation and a skewing of postthymic differentiation are present in adolescent seroreverters. In-utero HIV exposure results in long-lasting imprinting on the immune system. Alternatively, an immune response naturally more prone to activation could prevent vertical infection. Endogenous antivirals (APOBEC, TRIM5alpha) were comparable in seroreverters and HC, and might not play a role in resistance to vertical HIV infection
    corecore