Itaconate and itaconate derivatives target JAK1 to suppress alternative activation of macrophages.

The Krebs cycle-derived metabolite itaconate and its derivatives suppress the inflammatory response in pro-inflammatory "M1" macrophages. However, alternatively activated "M2" macrophages can take up itaconate. We therefore examined the effect of itaconate and 4-octyl itaconate (OI) on M2 macrophage activation.

Genome-wide analysis of copy number alterations led to the characterisation of PDCD10 as oncogene in ovarian cancer.

Copy Number Alterations (CNAs) represent the most common genetic alterations identified in ovarian cancer cells, being responsible for the extensive genomic instability observed in this cancer. Here we report the identification of CNAs in a cohort of Italian patients affected by ovarian cancer performed by SNP-based array. Our analysis allowed the identification of 201 significantly altered chromosomal bands (70 copy number gains; 131 copy number losses).

Ferroptosis and Cancer: Mitochondria Meet the "Iron Maiden" Cell Death.

Ferroptosis is a new type of oxidative regulated cell death (RCD) driven by iron-dependent lipid peroxidation. As major sites of iron utilization and master regulators of oxidative metabolism, mitochondria are the main source of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and, thus, play a role in this type of RCD. Ferroptosis is, indeed, associated with severe damage in mitochondrial morphology, bioenergetics, and metabolism.

FtH-Mediated ROS Dysregulation Promotes CXCL12/CXCR4 Axis Activation and EMT-Like Trans-Differentiation in Erythroleukemia K562 Cells.

The cell-microenvironment communication is essential for homing of hematopoietic stem cells in stromal niches. Recent evidences support the involvement of epithelial-to-mesenchymal (EMT) process in hematopoietic stem cell homeostasis as well as in leukemia cells invasiveness and migration capability. Here, we demonstrate that the alteration of iron homeostasis and the consequent increase of redox metabolism, mediated by the stable knock down of ferritin heavy chain (FtH), enhances the expression of CXCR4 in K562 erythroleukemia cells, thus promoting CXCL12-mediated motility.

H-Ferritin Affects Cisplatin-Induced Cytotoxicity in Ovarian Cancer Cells through the Modulation of ROS.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) mediates cisplatin-induced cytotoxicity in tumor cells. However, when cisplatin-induced ROS do not reach cytotoxic levels, cancer cells may develop chemoresistance. This phenomenon can be attributed to the inherited high expression of antioxidant protein network.

Chemoresistance in H-Ferritin Silenced Cells: The Role of NF-κB.

Nuclear Factor-κB (NF-κB) is frequently activated in tumor cells contributing to aggressive tumor growth and resistance to chemotherapy. Here we demonstrate that Ferritin Heavy Chain (FHC) protein expression inversely correlates with NF-κB activation in cancer cell lines. In fact, FHC silencing in K562 and SKOV3 cancer cell lines induced p65 nuclear accumulation, whereas FHC overexpression correlated with p65 nuclear depletion in the same cell lines.

shRNA targeting of ferritin heavy chain activates H19/miR-675 axis in K562 cells.

Purpose: The heavy subunit of the iron storage protein ferritin (FHC) is essential for the intracellular iron metabolism and, at the same time, it represents a central hub of iron-independent pathways, such as cell proliferation, angiogenesis, p53 regulation, chemokine signalling, stem cell expansion, miRNAs expression. In this work we have explored the ability of FHC to modulate gene expression in K562 cells, through the up-regulation of the lncRNA H19 and its cognate miR-675.

Materials And Methods: Targeted silencing of FHC was performed by lentiviral-driven shRNA strategy.

[Measurement of glycated hemoglobin with the Abbott IMx automatic analyzer].

The Abbott IMx assay is an affinity method, based on boronate binding to glycated hemoglobin. A novel separation system, ion capture technology, is used for separation of GHb from non-GHb. Affinity-based GHb methods are reported not to be subject to interference from either aldimine intermediates (pre-Alc fraction) or Hb variants that can comigrate in ion-exchange based chromatographic methods with the HbAlc fraction or with HbAO, having, in both cases, an unreliable % HbA1c result.

Simultaneous measurement of reticulocyte and red blood cell indices in healthy subjects and patients with microcytic and macrocytic anemia.

Using the new Bayer H*3 hematology analyzer (Leverkusen, Germany), we have determined red blood cell and reticulocyte indices in 64 healthy subjects, in patients with microcytosis due to iron deficiency (58 patients) and heterozygous beta-thalassemia (40 patients), and in patients with macrocytosis (28 patients). We found in all cases that reticulocytes were larger than mature red cells by 24% to 35%, with a hemoglobin concentration 16% to 25% lower and a similar hemoglobin content. The correlation between red cell and reticulocyte indices was strikingly tight (r = .

Prognostic value of mitochondrial aspartate aminotransferase in acute myocardial infarction.

In 112 prospectively selected patients suffering from acute myocardial infarction (AMI), the serum CK, CK-MB, LD, HBD, AST and m-AST were determined from the time of admission to hospital and every 12 hours for three days in succession. Sixteen of the enrolled patients died due to complications which arose within the first four days of hospitalization while the rest had a favourable outcome. All enzyme activities were determined at 37 degrees C using routine methods; m-AST was measured using an immunochemical method.

The use of immobilized enzyme reactors in continuous-flow analyzers for the determination of glucose, urea, and uric acid.

We describe the use of immobilized enzymes in assay methods for the determination of glucose with glucose oxidase, uric acid with uricase, and urea with urease in serum samples. The enzyme reactor tubes were adapted to continuous-flow analyzers (Technicon AA II, SMA 12/60, and SMAC) used in routine laboratory determinations, and results with their use were compared to those from assays involving soluble enzymes. We substituted the reactors for the free enzyme reagents in the respective channels of the SMA 12/60 and SMAC, without modifying the parameters of the remaining channels.

[The cerebro-spinal fluid: chemical values for diagnosis of meningitis (author's transl)].

We describe the chemical values of the normal cerebro-spinal fluid and any variation during meningitis. We also refere the physical peculiarity and the variations of non-proteins-nitrogen, of enzymes, of glucose and its metabolites, of proteins and cells. On the picture we resume the most significative variation for differential diagnosis among bacterial, viral and tuberculous meningitis.

[Study of a family with a slow type of bisalbuminemia and of 2 other familial cases].

The AA. illustrate cases of slow type bisalbuminaemia that they happen to observe on three different family one of which, on a family of north italian origin, has been particularly developed. The cases have been studied on the various components of each family living and to be found, on serum and urine, using electrophoretic methods on cellulose acetate and acrylamide gel and also using the immunoelectrophoretic and cromatographic method on serum after hydrolysis.