@article {3540, title = {In vitro endothelial cell proliferation assay reveals distinct levels of proangiogenic cytokines characterizing sera of healthy subjects and of patients with heart failure.}, journal = {Mediators Inflamm}, volume = {2014}, year = {2014}, month = {2014}, pages = {257081}, abstract = {

Although myocardial angiogenesis is thought to play an important role in heart failure (HF), the involvement of circulating proinflammatory and proangiogenic cytokines in the pathogenesis and/or prognosis of HF has not been deeply investigated. By using a highly standardized proliferation assay with human endothelial cells, we first demonstrated that sera from older (mean age 52 {\textpm} 7.6 years; n = 46) healthy donors promoted endothelial cell proliferation to a significantly higher extent compared to sera obtained from younger healthy donors (mean age 29 {\textpm} 8.6 years; n = 20). The promotion of endothelial cell proliferation was accompanied by high serum levels of several proangiogenic cytokines. When we assessed endothelial cell proliferation in response to HF patients{\textquoteright} sera, we observed that a subset of sera (n = 11) promoted cell proliferation to a significantly lesser extent compared to the majority of sera (n = 18). Also, in this case, the difference between the patient groups in the ability to induce endothelial cell proliferation correlated to significant (P < 0.05) differences in serum proangiogenic cytokine levels. Unexpectedly, HF patients associated to the highest endothelial proliferation index showed the worst prognosis as evaluated in terms of subsequent cardiovascular events in the follow-up, suggesting that high levels of circulating proangiogenic cytokines might be related to a worse prognosis.

}, keywords = {Adult, Cell Proliferation, Cells, Cultured, Chemokines, Cytokines, Heart Failure, Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells, Humans, Middle Aged, Neovascularization, Pathologic, Prognosis}, issn = {1466-1861}, doi = {10.1155/2014/257081}, author = {Voltan, Rebecca and Zauli, Giorgio and Rizzo, Paola and Fucili, Alessandro and Pannella, Micaela and Marci, Roberto and Tisato, Veronica and Ferrari, Roberto and Secchiero, Paola} } @article {3543, title = {Inverse correlation between circulating levels of TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand and 17β-estradiol.}, journal = {J Clin Endocrinol Metab}, volume = {99}, year = {2014}, month = {2014 Apr}, pages = {E659-64}, abstract = {

CONTEXT: The regulation of the circulating levels of TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL), a cytokine of the TNF family, playing a key role in the immune surveillance against cancer, is incompletely understood.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to investigate the potential link between TRAIL and 17β-estradiol.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Circulating TRAIL levels were measured by an ELISA in plasma samples (n = 246) of healthy, age-matched (range 30-70 y) men and women and in the sera (n = 180) of females belonging to different physiopathological conditions (childhood, pregnancy, under gonadotropin treatment, menopause) characterized by different levels of circulating 17β-estradiol.

RESULTS: TRAIL plasma levels in women with aged younger than 50 years were significantly lower compared with age-matched men, whereas in woman 50 years old or older, TRAIL levels were significantly higher compared with the age-matched men and with the younger women. Moreover, an analysis of women with different conditions revealed a significant inverse correlation between the serum levels of TRAIL and 17β-estradiol, with the lowest levels of TRAIL being observed during pregnancy and the highest in childhood and in postmenopausal women. Moreover, gonadotropin treatment in women undergoing assisted reproduction was accompanied by an acute decrease of serum TRAIL levels. Finally, in vitro treatment with 17β-estradiol decreased the TRAIL expression levels in peripheral blood mononuclear cells.

CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that 17β-estradiol plays a role in regulating TRAIL circulating levels. The demonstration that postmenopausal women exhibit the highest TRAIL levels is of particular interest in light of a previous large study population showing that TRAIL is positively correlated to the overall survival.

}, keywords = {Adult, Aged, Case-Control Studies, Child, Child, Preschool, Estradiol, Female, Humans, Infant, Male, Middle Aged, Pregnancy, Sex Factors, TNF-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand, Young Adult}, issn = {1945-7197}, doi = {10.1210/jc.2013-4193}, author = {Zauli, Giorgio and Tisato, Veronica and Melloni, Elisabetta and Volpato, Stefano and Cervellati, Carlo and Bonaccorsi, Gloria and Radillo, Oriano and Marci, Roberto and Secchiero, Paola} } @article {1965, title = {Association between the JC polyomavirus infection and male infertility.}, journal = {PLoS One}, volume = {7}, year = {2012}, month = {2012}, pages = {e42880}, abstract = {

In recent years the incidence of male infertility has increased. Many risk factors have been taken into consideration, including viral infections. Investigations into viral agents and male infertility have mainly been focused on human papillomaviruses, while no reports have been published on polyomaviruses and male infertility. The aim of this study was to verify whether JC virus and BK virus are associated with male infertility. Matched semen and urine samples from 106 infertile males and 100 fertile males, as controls, were analyzed. Specific PCR analyses were carried out to detect and quantify large T (Tag) coding sequences of JCV and BKV. DNA sequencing, carried out in Tag JCV-positive samples, was addressed to viral protein 1 (VP1) coding sequences. The prevalence of JCV Tag sequences in semen and urine samples from infertile males was 34\% (72/212), whereas the BKV prevalence was 0.94\% (2/212). Specifically, JCV Tag sequences were detected in 24.5\% (26/106) of semen and 43.4\% (46/106) of urine samples from infertile men. In semen and urine samples from controls the prevalence was 11\% and 28\%, respectively. A statistically significant difference (p<0.05) in JCV prevalence was disclosed in semen and urine samples of cases vs. controls. A higher JC viral DNA load was detected in samples from infertile males than in controls. In samples from infertile males the JC virus type 2 strain, subtype 2b, was more prevalent than ubiquitous type 1. JCV type 2 strain infection has been found to be associated with male infertility. These data suggest that the JC virus should be taken into consideration as an infectious agent which is responsible for male infertility.

}, keywords = {Adult, Amino Acid Sequence, Amino Acid Substitution, Base Sequence, BK Virus, Capsid Proteins, DNA, Viral, Humans, Infertility, Male, JC Virus, Male, Molecular Sequence Data, Polyomavirus Infections, Semen, Sequence Analysis, DNA, Tumor Virus Infections}, issn = {1932-6203}, doi = {10.1371/journal.pone.0042880}, author = {Comar, Manola and Zanotta, Nunzia and Croci, Eleonora and Murru, Immacolata and Marci, Roberto and Pancaldi, Cecilia and Dolcet, Ornella and Luppi, Stefania and Martinelli, Monica and Giolo, Elena and Ricci, Giuseppe and Tognon, Mauro} }