Publications by authors named "Alfonso Principato"
Objective: Giant cell (temporal) arteritis (GCA) is a vasculitis that mainly affects the large and medium arteries, especially the branches of the proximal aorta. Interleukin-32 (IL-32) is a recently described Th1 proinflammatory cytokine, and is mainly induced by interferon-γ (IFNγ), IL-1β, and tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα). This study was undertaken to investigate the expression and tissue distribution of IL-32 in artery biopsy specimens from patients with GCA.
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- The study assessed the role of the IL-17/IL-23 pathway in Behçet's disease (BD) alongside traditional Th1 and IL-27 responses, focusing on intestinal issues.
- The researchers used advanced techniques like TaqMan RT-PCR on ileal biopsy samples from BD, ankylosing spondylitis (AS), and Crohn's disease (CD) patients to analyze cytokine levels.
- Results indicated a distinct Th1 response in BD's gastrointestinal symptoms, contrasting with CD and AS, suggesting the need to consider different immune mechanisms in BD.
Objective: Subclinical gut inflammation has been demonstrated in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS). This study was undertaken to determine the frequency of regulatory CD4+CD25(high) T cells (Treg cells) and to evaluate Treg cell-related cytokines (interleukin-2 [IL-2], transforming growth factor β [TGFβ], and IL-10) and transcription factors (FoxP3 and STAT-5) in the ileum of patients with AS.
Methods: Quantitative gene expression analysis, by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction, of Treg-related cytokines (IL-2, TGFβ, and IL-10) and transcription factors (STAT-5 and FoxP3) was performed on ileal biopsy specimens from 18 patients with AS, 15 patients with active Crohn's disease (CD), and 15 healthy subjects.
Objectives: Subclinical gut inflammation has been demonstrated in patients with AS. Altered expression of paneth cell (PC) anti-microbial peptides have been reported in the inflamed ileum of patients with Crohn's disease (CD). Here, we investigated the expression of PC-derived peptides in subclinical gut inflammation in AS.
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- Infliximab is a monoclonal antibody targeting TNF-alpha and is being studied for its effects on T lymphocytes in patients with Behçet's disease, particularly those resistant to standard treatment.
- The study analyzed various aspects of Vgamma9/Vdelta2 T cell function, including expansion and activation, revealing that these cells showed significantly increased activity in patients with active disease.
- Treatment with infliximab resulted in reduced T cell function and changes in T cell characteristics, suggesting its potential utility in other immune disorders linked to abnormal T cell activity.
The signs and symptoms of ankylosing spondylitis (AS) respond inadequately to nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs, corticosteroids, and disease modifying antirheumatic drugs in quite a number of patients. Tumor necrosis factor inhibitors have demonstrated to be of value in reducing AS disease activity in clinical trials. The efficacy and safety of both etanercept and infliximab in patients with ankylosing spondylitis were compared in a 2-year open label randomised study.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: Subclinical gut inflammation is common in spondylarthritis, but the immunologic abnormalities underlying this process are undefined. Perturbation of the interleukin-23 (IL-23)/Th17 axis has emerged as a fundamental trigger of chronic inflammation. This study was undertaken to investigate the expression and tissue distribution of IL-23/Th17-related molecules in Crohn's disease (CD) and in subclinical gut inflammation in ankylosing spondylitis (AS).
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