Publications by authors named "Alessandra Luini"

Background: Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is a chronic syndrome, affecting about 1%-5% of children. OSAS is characterized by increased resistance and collapse of the upper airways, with different degrees of severity requiring interventions ranging from lifestyle modifications to surgery. Sympathetic activity is increased in OSAS, and the reduction of disease symptoms, occurring after adenotonsillectomy, correlates with biomarkers indicating a reduced sympathetic response.

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  • Proinflammatory cytokines significantly increase the expression and activity of the enzyme indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase-1 (IDO-1), which plays a key role in regulating T cell responses by converting tryptophan into L-kynurenine in dendritic cells and monocytes.
  • An experimental setup involving isolated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from healthy donors was used to assess IDO1's influence on lymphocyte proliferation under a pro-inflammatory environment triggered by lipopolysaccharide and anti-CD3/CD28.
  • Results showed that while increased IDO1 activity correlated with reduced lymphocyte proliferation when tryptophan was introduced, inhibiting IDO1 did not affect
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  • Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome (OSAS) affects 1-5% of children and is associated with various health issues, potentially linked to inflammatory processes and heightened adrenaline production.* -
  • This pilot study examined the levels of β2-adrenergic receptor (ADRB2) expression and inflammatory markers IL-6 and IL-8 in the white blood cells of pediatric OSAS patients both before and after adenotonsillectomy.* -
  • Results showed that the surgery significantly lowered ADRB2, IL-6, and IL-8 expression levels, suggesting new insights into OSAS treatment and its inflammatory mechanisms.*
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  • Cannabidiol (CBD) is studied for its impact on immune responses, specifically how it influences proinflammatory cytokine production and T cell behavior in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs).
  • The research analyzed CBD's effects on cytokine levels, cell proliferation, and regulatory T cell functionality, using techniques like flow cytometry and ELISA assays on isolated cells from healthy individuals.
  • Results indicate that CBD decreases certain cytokine mRNA levels and alters T cell differentiation, but its role in Treg cell function and PBMC proliferation is complex, warranting further exploration.
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  • * Results indicate that CBD significantly inhibits COX-1 and COX-2 mRNA expression in activated neutrophils, although it doesn't greatly change the production of prostaglandin E (PGE).
  • * The findings suggest that CBD's effects, observed at therapeutic concentrations, could have clinical implications for treating inflammation-related conditions.
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Dopamine (DA) affects immune functions in healthy subjects (HS) and during disease by acting on D1-like (D1 and D5) and D2-like (D2, D3 and D4) dopaminergic receptors (DR); however, its effects on human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) are still poorly defined. We investigated DR expression in human PMN and the ability of DA to affect cell migration and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Experiments were performed on cells from HS and from patients (Pts) with bacterial infections as well, during the acute phase and after recovery.

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Neauvia hydrogel (N-Gel) is a hyaluronic acid-based dermal filler, cross-linked with polyethylene glycol. This filler contains sodium hyaluronate at different concentrations, poly(ethylene glycol) diglycidyl ether cross-linked, glycine, and l-prolyne. Assessing any effects of N-Gel on immunity and inflammation is of crucial importance.

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Assessment of Beta-AR protein expression on tumour tissues might be a plausible strategy to select cancer patients who can benefit from Beta-blockers therapy. The aim of this study is to evaluate the differences between resected tissue specimens from primary lung cancer (adenocarcinoma (ADC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC)) in terms of expression pattern of Beta1- and Beta2-AR in both tumour and adjacent surrounding non-tumour tissue. This retrospective study was based on the analysis of 80 patients with histologically confirmed diagnosis of primary Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) who received surgical treatment.

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Cannabis and cannabinoids offer significant therapeutic benefits for a wide scope of pathological conditions. Among them, the clinical issues rooted in inflammation stand out, nonetheless, the underlying mechanisms are not yet plainly understood. Circumstantial evidence points to polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) as targets for the anti-inflammatory effects of cannabis.

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Red clover (Trifolium pratense L., Fabaceae; RCL), a perennial plant rich in isoflavones, is a natural alternative for menopausal symptoms, as well as antiaging and antioxidant. Isoflavone preparations usually contain aglycones and β-glycosides.

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This study tests the hypothesis that in isolated human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) adrenergic ligands can affect neutrophil extracellular trap (NET) formation. We have previously shown that, in PMN, adrenaline (A), through the activation of adrenergic receptors (AR), reduces stimulus-dependent cell activation; we have, therefore, planned to investigate if AR are involved in NET production. PMN were obtained from venous blood of healthy subject.

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Objective: Sample manipulation to obtain isolated granulocytes represents a key, and often necessary, step in the in vitro studies. We investigated by the means of flow cytometry and microscopic techniques (both optical microscopy [OM] and scanning electron microscopy [SEM]), the granulocyte-endothelium adhesion and the role of sample manipulation.

Methods: By means of a co-culture method, we have analysed the adhesion of human leukocytes, originated from two different blood samples (fresh venous blood [FB] and buffy coat [BC]), to the human umbilical venous endothelial cell (HUVEC) monolayer.

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Objectives: Adrenergic modulation of immunity has been extensively characterized, however, few information exist regarding polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN), despite their key role in immunity and inflammation. We investigated the effect of adrenergic agents on human PMN migration, CD11b and CD18 expression, reactive oxygen species (ROS) and interleukin (IL)-8 production, and on adrenoceptor (AR) expression.

Methods: Migration was measured by the Boyden chamber assay, CD11b/CD18 expression was assessed by flow cytometry, intracellular ROS were detected by spectrofluorimetry, and IL-8 was quantitated by standard ELISA assay.

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Objective: Observations in both animal models of arthritis and patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) suggest a role for dopamine and its receptors in RA. Because synovial fibroblasts (SFs) contribute to inflammation and joint destruction in RA, the aim of this study was to investigate dopaminergic pathways in SFs obtained from patients with RA and, for comparison, in SFs from patients with osteoarthritis (OA) undergoing knee joint replacement surgery.

Methods: The expression of all dopamine receptors (D1 -D5 ) and dopamine transporter was assessed by immunofluorescence and immunohistochemical staining.

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The estrogenicity of different batches of red clover (Trifolium pratense L., Fabaceae; RCL) extracts and its relationship with the isoflavone content were assessed by measuring MCF-7 cell proliferation by flow cytometry and propidium iodide staining. RCL extracts were compared to estradiol (E2) and to the main RCL isoflavones biochanin A, daidzein, genistein and formononetin.

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Bergamot (Citrus aurantium L. subsp. bergamia) essential oil (BEO) is used in folk medicine as an antiseptic and anthelminthic and to facilitate wound healing.

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Plants are the main source of molecules with antioxidant and radical scavenging properties that aid the natural defence systems of cells and may be involved in the preservation of human health, particularly preventing all the physiopathological conditions where oxidative damage is a hallmark. Achillea collina Becker ex Rchb. is a medicinal plant of the Achillea millefolium aggregate (yarrow) traditionally used, particularly in mountain areas, as an infusion or alcohol extract for its digestive, antiinflammatory, analgesic, antipyretic and wound healing properties.

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Lignans are plant polyphenols which may possess anticancer, antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory activities. In particular, the lignan 7-hydroxymatairesinol (HMR/lignan, HMR) is a novel precursor of the mammalian lignan enterolactone (EL). In the present study, we investigated the estrogenicity of HMR and of EL in comparison to estradiol (E2), by measuring their effects on growth and apoptotic markers in the human estrogen-sensitive cell line MCF-7.

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