@article {10837, title = {Pre-eclampsia affects procalcitonin production in placental tissue.}, journal = {Am J Reprod Immunol}, volume = {79}, year = {2018}, month = {2018 04}, pages = {e12823}, abstract = {

PROBLEM: Procalcitonin (PCT) is the prohormone of calcitonin which is usually released from neuroendocrine cells of the thyroid gland (parafollicular) and the lungs (K cells). PCT is synthesized by almost all cell types and tissues, including monocytes and parenchymal tissue, upon LPS stimulation. To date, there is no evidence for PCT expression in the placenta both in physiological and pathological conditions.

METHOD: Circulating and placental PCT levels were analysed in pre-eclamptic (PE) and control patients. Placental cells and macrophages (PBDM), stimulated with PE sera, were analysed for PCT expression. The effect of anti-TNF-α antibody was analysed.

RESULTS: Higher PCT levels were detected in PE sera and in PE placentae compared to healthy women. PE trophoblasts showed increased PCT expression compared to those isolated from healthy placentae. PE sera induced an upregulation of PCT production in macrophages and placental cells. The treatment of PBDM with PE sera in the presence of anti-TNF-α completely abrogated the effect induced by pathologic sera.

CONCLUSION: Trophoblast cells are the main producer of PCT in PE placentae. TNF-α, in association with other circulating factors present in PE sera, upregulates PCT production in macrophages and normal placental cells, thus contributing to the observed increased in circulating PCT in PE sera.

}, keywords = {Adult, Calcitonin, Cohort Studies, Female, Humans, Macrophages, Placenta, Pre-Eclampsia, Pregnancy, Trophoblasts, Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha, Up-Regulation, Young Adult}, issn = {1600-0897}, doi = {10.1111/aji.12823}, author = {Agostinis, Chiara and Rami, Damiano and Zacchi, Paola and Bossi, Fleur and Stampalija, Tamara and Mangogna, Alessandro and Amadio, Leonardo and Vidergar, Romana and Vecchi Brumatti, Liza and Ricci, Giuseppe and Celeghini, Claudio and Radillo, Oriano and Sargent, Ian and Bulla, Roberta} } @article {10561, title = {Preoperative Serum Human Epididymis Protein 4 Levels in Early Stage Endometrial Cancer: A Prospective Study.}, journal = {Int J Gynecol Cancer}, volume = {27}, year = {2017}, month = {2017 07}, pages = {1200-1205}, abstract = {

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to evaluate the prognostic value of human epididymis protein 4 (HE4) and cancer antigen 125 markers with pathological prognostic factor to complete the preoperative clinical panel and help the treatment planning.

METHODS: This prospective multicenter study was conducted in 2 gynecologic oncology centers between 2012 and 2014 (Institute for Maternal and Child Health IRCCS Burlo Garofolo in Trieste and Catholic University of the Sacred Heart in Rome, Italy). We enrolled 153 patients diagnosed with clinical early (International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stages I-II) type I endometrial cancer.

RESULTS: Human epididymis protein 4 levels seemed to be strictly related to age (P < 0.001) and menopausal status (P < 0.002). Compared with myometrial invasion (MI), the HE4 values were significantly higher in case of invasion of greater than 50\% of the thickness: MI of greater than 50\%, median of 94.85 pmol/L (38.3-820.8 pmol/L), versus MI of less than 50\%, median of 65.65 pmol/L (25.1-360.2 pmol/L), (P < 0.001). The HE4 levels increase significantly with increasing tumor size: diameter of larger than 2 cm, median of 86.9 pmol/L (35.8-820.8 pmol/L), versus diameter of smaller than 2 cm, median of 52.2 pmol/L (33.3-146.8 pmol/L), (P < 0.001). In our population, HE4 did not correlate with the histological grade, endometrial cancer type I versus type II (P = 0.86), the lymphovascular infiltration (P = 0.12), and the cervical invasion (P = 0.6). We established a new variable, considering 3 high-risk tumor features: MI of greater than 50\% and/or histological G3 and/or type II. Human epididymis protein 4 levels significantly increase in high-risk tumors (high risk HE4, 93.6 pmol/L vs low-medium risk, 65.5 pmol/L; P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS: A preoperative HE4 evaluation could help stratify patients with deep invasion and/or metastatic disease and is correlated with other relevant prognostic factors to be considered to tailor an adequate surgical strategy.

}, keywords = {Adult, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Biomarkers, Tumor, Endometrial Neoplasms, Female, Humans, Middle Aged, Neoplasm Staging, Preoperative Care, Prognosis, Prospective Studies, Proteins}, issn = {1525-1438}, doi = {10.1097/IGC.0000000000001015}, author = {Fanfani, Francesco and Restaino, Stefano and Cicogna, Stefania and Petrillo, Marco and Montico, Marcella and Perrone, Emanuele and Radillo, Oriano and De Leo, Rossella and Ceccarello, Matteo and Scambia, Giovanni and Ricci, Giuseppe} } @article {1981, title = {Presence of CTAK/CCL27, MCP-3/CCL7 and LIF in human colostrum and breast milk.}, journal = {Cytokine}, volume = {61}, year = {2013}, month = {2013 Jan}, pages = {26-8}, abstract = {

Human colostrum and breast milk are known to contain high levels of cytokines and chemokines, which are thought to contribute to the development of the newborn. The aim of this study was to investigate the difference in the presence and levels of 21 soluble cytokines and chemokines in paired samples of human colostrum (day 2 after delivery) and breast milk (day 4-5 after delivery) by using the multiplex technology. Of the 21 cytokine investigated in 10 pairs of samples, only β-NGF was absent in both colostrum and milk, while INF-α2, SCF and TNF-β were present in colostrum but not in human milk. As a general rule, colostrum contained higher concentrations of cytokines and chemokines with respect to breast milk. The majority of cytokines, detected in colostrum alone or in colostrum and human milk (IL-1α, IL-2Rα, IL-3, IL-16, IL-18, GRO-α, HGF, IFN-α2, M-CSF, MIF, MIG, TNF-β, SDF-1α, TRAIL) have been described in previous studies, while for the first time we describe the presence of additional cytokines either in colostrum alone (SCF) or in both colostrum and breast milk (CTAK/CCL27, MCP-3/CCL7, LIF). Our data confirm and expand previous studies showing that some cytokines/chemokines, which might contribute to the development of the gastro-intestinal and nervous systems, are overexpressed in human colostrum and breast milk, and might contribute to the development of these systems.

}, keywords = {Adult, Chemokine CCL27, Chemokine CCL7, Chemokines, Colostrum, Cytokines, Female, Humans, Infant, Newborn, Leukemia Inhibitory Factor, Milk, Human}, issn = {1096-0023}, doi = {10.1016/j.cyto.2012.09.001}, author = {Radillo, Oriano and Norcio, Alessia and Addobbati, Riccardo and Zauli, Giorgio} } @article {1667, title = {Pegylated TRAIL retains anti-leukemic cytotoxicity and exhibits improved signal transduction activity with respect to TRAIL.}, journal = {Invest New Drugs}, volume = {30}, year = {2012}, month = {2012 Apr}, pages = {828-32}, abstract = {

To improve the pharmacokinetic profile of tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis inducing ligand (TRAIL) an N-terminal specific pegylation was performed to generate pegylated TRAIL (PEG-TRAIL). In in vitro experiments, we found that although PEG-TRAIL was slightly less efficient than recombinant TRAIL in promoting leukemic cell apoptosis, it showed an improved ability to promote migration of bone-marrow mesenchymal stem cells and to elicit the ERK1/2 intracellular signal transduction pathway. Overall, these data suggest that TRAIL pegylation retains, or even enhances, the biological activities of TRAIL relevant for its therapeutic applications.

}, keywords = {Antineoplastic Agents, Apoptosis, Caspase 3, Cell Movement, Dose-Response Relationship, Drug, HL-60 Cells, Humans, Leukemia, Mesenchymal Stromal Cells, Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1, Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3, Phosphorylation, Polyethylene Glycols, Recombinant Fusion Proteins, Signal Transduction, Time Factors, TNF-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand}, issn = {1573-0646}, doi = {10.1007/s10637-010-9599-8}, author = {Gonelli, Arianna and Radillo, Oriano and Drioli, Sara and Rimondi, Erika and Secchiero, Paola and Maria Bonora, Gian} }