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Sabrina David,
Fabio Bucchieri,
Simona Corrao,
Anna M Czarnecka,
Claudia Campanella,
Felicia Farina, Giovanni Peri,
Giovanni Tomasello,
Carmelo Sciumè,
Giuseppe Modica,
Giampiero La Rocca,
Rita Anzalone,
Mario Giuffrè,
Everly Conway de Macario,
Alberto Jl Macario,
Francesco Cappello,
Giovanni Zummo
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ABSTRACT: There is growing evidence that molecular chaperones/heat shock proteins are involved in the pathogenesis of a number of human diseases, known as chaperonopathies. A better molecular understanding of the pathogenetic mechanisms is essential for addressing new strategies in diagnostics, therapeutics and clinical management of chaperonopathies, including those in which Hsp10 is involved. This chaperonin has been studied for a long time as a member of the mitochondrial protein-folding machine. However, although in normal cells Hsp10 is mainly localized in the mitochondrial matrix, it has also been found during and after stress in other subcellular compartments, such as cytosol, vesicles and secretory granules, alone or in combination with other proteins. In these extramitochondrial locales, Hsp10 plays an active role in cell signalling. For example, cancer cells often show altered levels of Hsp10, compared to normal cells. Hsp10 may also be found in the extracellular space and in the bloodstream, with a possible immunomodulatory activity. This minireview focuses on some studies to date on the involvement of Hsp10 in human disease pathogenesis.
Frontiers in bioscience (Elite edition) 01/2013; E5:768-778.
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ABSTRACT: Quantitative changes in Hsp60 during the development of some tumors suggest that this chaperonin plays a role in carcinogenesis. A description of the specific role(s) of Hsp60 in tumor-cell growth and proliferation is still incomplete, but it is already evident that monitoring its levels and distribution in tissues and fluids has potential for diagnosis and staging, and for assessing prognosis and response to treatment. Although Hsp60 is considered an intramitochondrial protein, it has been demonstrated in the cytosol, cell membrane, vesicles, cell surface, extracellular space, and blood. The knowledge that Hsp60 occurs at all these locations opens new avenues for basic and applied research. It is clear that elucidating the mechanisms by which the chaperonin arrives at these various locations, and characterizing its functions in each of them will provide information useful for understanding carcinogenesis and for developing diagnostic and therapeutic tools for clinical oncology. Some of these issues pertinent to colorectal cancer (CRC) are discussed in this article.
Frontiers in bioscience (Scholar edition) 01/2011; 3:341-51.
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ABSTRACT: Atrial natriuretic peptide, oxytocin and vasopressin are three well known and widely studied molecules since many years. They have been fully characterised from a genetic and biomolecular point of view and a number of receptor-dependent functions have been recognised for them. Nevertheless, in the last years our group has conducted morphologic studies, using an immunohistochemical approach complemented by molecular biology techniques, and could show non-canonical localization and co-localization of these peptides in normal and pathologic tissues, that permitted us to postulate that they may be involved in a wider range of functions than usually assumed and not yet fully understood. In this minireview we summarise some of the main results that open new scenarios in the comprehension of the biologic activities of these peptides and allow to postulate a role for them as diagnostic tools.
Italian journal of anatomy and embryology = Archivio italiano di anatomia ed embriologia 01/2010; 115(1-2):159-65.
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ABSTRACT: We performed a study on 25 common carotid arteries (CCA) affected by atherosclerotic plaques, comparing them to 25 normal CCA. We researched the presence and localisation of atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) and oxytocin (OX) by immunohistochemistry. We found ANF abundantly expressed in plaques, mainly localising in intima and subintima layers; by contrast normal vessels were scarcely positive or negative; finally, OX resulted negative or weakly positive in both atherosclerotic and normal vessels. Our results show for the first time ANF presence in atherosclerotic plaques of CCA and are in agreement with other studies, mainly performed in vitro, that hypothesise the involvement of this molecule in the modulation of atherosclerotic inflammatory lesions and its use as anti-inflammatory agent.
Italian journal of anatomy and embryology = Archivio italiano di anatomia ed embriologia 114(2-3):129-36.
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ABSTRACT: In this work a methodology for automatic data processing over medical imaging data is presented. Anatomical knowledge about the target part of the body is encoded by means of a description language expressing geometric features and relationships among areas of images belonging to sections of interest. In order to address the problem of high variability of the anatomical domain, such relationships can be based on fuzzy expressions as well as crisp ones. The description language embeds also first order logic, unification with backtracking and sequential clauses execution mechanism of Prolog. The description paradigm is centred on sets that can be defined by either declaring their content or by constructor declarations built by the aforementioned relationships using an extensible set of predicates. Complex processing can be thus performed by on demand solving relationships among sets without any strict algoritmical description. A software implementation of the methodology aimed at automatic 3D reconstruction from imaging data is also presented with its application to reconstruction of Carotid arteries in the neck from CT images.
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ABSTRACT: Aim of this work is to investigate the presence of Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and insulin in human foetal pancreas from not diabetic and diabetic mothers. The data literature evidenced relationship between serum ANP and insulin. The our work carried out on sections immunostained for ANP and insulin showed positivity for ANP and insulin in beta-cells of pancreas from diabetic mothers, while positivity for insulin in beta-cells of foetuses from not diabetic mothers. Results indicate that the insulin presence stimulates the ANP synthesis in pancreas of human foetuses from diabetic mothers.
Italian journal of anatomy and embryology = Archivio italiano di anatomia ed embriologia 114(1):21-5.
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Daniele Peri,
Edoardo Ardizzone,
Salvatore Gaglio,
Aldo Gerbino,
Maria Buscemi,
Riccardo Mandracchia,
Biagio Valentino,
Francesco Cappello,
Rosaria Lo Verde,
Vito Marciano, Giovanni Peri
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ABSTRACT: In this work we used a virtual approach to study the human liver by three-dimensional geometrical models. We built the models through computer aided geometric modelling techniques starting from pictures taken during both real dissections and diagnostic medical imaging. The results show in a complete modular synthesis and with a schematic iconology the structural organization of this organ in a logic sequence of layers and topographic and spatial relationship among its components. This approach represents an amazing support to clinical anatomy for teaching and research.
Italian journal of anatomy and embryology = Archivio italiano di anatomia ed embriologia 111(1):23-30.
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ABSTRACT: In this work we studied the inguinal-abdominal region and the inguinal canal using three-dimensional geometrical models. We built the models through computer aided geometric modeling techniques on the basis of observations during real dissections, operations and diagnostic medical imaging. The obtained models show in a complete modular synthesis and with a schematic iconology the structural organization of the anatomical districts in a logic sequence of layers and topographic and spatial relationships among its components. The models represent an amazing support to anatomy and clinical anatomy for teaching and research purposes on organogenesis, surgery and diagnosis.
Italian journal of anatomy and embryology = Archivio italiano di anatomia ed embriologia 108(4):223-30.
