Investigating the effects of a daily multidisciplinary intensive outpatient rehabilitation program on innovative biomarkers in people with Parkinson's disease: Study protocol for a phase III randomized controlled clinical trial.

Background: To date, there has been no medication that has prevented the progression of Parkinson's disease (PD). Many benefits of intensive and multidisciplinary rehabilitation program for PD are supported by clinical, epidemiological, and experimental data. The main question is whether high-intensity motor and cognitive exercises have an effect on the disease's biological mechanisms.

The non-pathogenic protozoon interferes with the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome in human cells: new perspectives in the control of inflammation.

Background: Innate immune responses against infectious agents can act as triggers of inflammatory diseases. On the other hand, various pathogens have developed mechanisms for the evasion of the immune response, based on an inhibition of innate immunity and inflammatory responses. Inflammatory diseases could thus be controlled through the administration of pathogens or pathogen-derived molecules, capable of interfering with the mechanisms at the basis of inflammation.

Glibenclamide-Loaded Engineered Nanovectors (GNVs) Modulate Autophagy and NLRP3-Inflammasome Activation.

Activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome in response to either exogenous (PAMPs) or endogenous (DAMPs) stimuli results in the production of IL-18, caspase-1 and IL-1β. These cytokines have a beneficial role in promoting inflammation, but an excessive activation of the inflammasome and the consequent constitutive inflammatory status plays a role in human pathologies, including Alzheimer's disease (AD). Autophagic removal of NLRP3 inflammasome activators can reduce inflammasome activation and inflammation.

Glibenclamide-Loaded Nanoparticles Reduce NLRP3 Inflammasome Activation and Modulate miR-223-3p/miR-7-1-5p Expression in THP-1 Cells.

The anti-hyperglycemic drug glibenclamide (Glb) might represent an interesting therapeutic option in human neurodegenerative diseases because of its anti-inflammatory activity and its ability to downregulate activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome. Bi-functionalized liposomes that can cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB) may be used to release Glb into the central nervous system (CNS), overcoming its poor solubility and bioavailability. Here, we analyzed in vitro the effect of Glb-loaded nanovectors (GNVs) and Glb itself on NLRP3 inflammasome activation using a lipopolysaccharide- and nigericine-activated THP-1 cell model.

Alterations of natural killer cells activatory molecules phenotype and function in mothers of ASD children: a pilot study.

Introduction: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is accompanied by complex immune alterations and inflammation, and the possible role played by Natural Killer (NK) in such alterations is only barely understood.

Methods: To address this question we analysed activating and inhibitory NK receptors, as well as NK cells phenotype and function in a group of mothers of children who developed ASD (ASD-MO; N=24) comparing results to those obtained in mothers of healthy children who did not develop (HC-MO; N=25).

Results: Results showed that in ASD-MO compared to HC-MO: 1) NK cells expressing the inhibitory receptor ILT2 are significantly decreased; 2) the activating HLA-G14bp+ polymorphism is more frequently observed and is correlated with the decrease of ILT2-expressing cells; 3) the CD56 and CD56 NK subsets are increased; 4) IFNγ and TNF production is reduced; and 5) perforin- and granzymes-releasing NK cells are increased even in unstimulated conditions and could not be upregulated by mitogenic stimulation.

TREM2 Expression and Amyloid-Beta Phagocytosis in Alzheimer's Disease.

Alzheimer's Disease is the most common form of dementia; its key pathological findings include the deposition of extracellular-neurotoxic-plaques composed of amyloid-beta (Ab). AD-pathogenesis involves mechanisms that operate outside the brain, and new researches indicate that peripheral inflammation is an early event in the disease. Herein, we focus on a receptor known as triggering-receptor-expressed-on-myeloid-cells2 (TREM2), which promotes the optimal immune cells function required to attenuate AD-progression and is, therefore, a potential target as peripheral diagnostic and prognostic-biomarker for Alzheimer's Disease.

Innate immune responses to three doses of the BNT162b2 mRNA SARS-CoV-2 vaccine.

To explore the effects of SARS-CoV-2-mRNA vaccines on innate immune responses we enrolled 58 individuals who received 3 doses of the BNT162b2 vaccine in a longitudinal study; 45 of these individuals had never been SARS-CoV-2 infected. Results showed that vaccination significantly increased: 1) classical and intermediate inflammatory monocytes, 2) CD56, CD56, and CD56/CD16 NK cells, and 3) IFN-γ+ ;production as well as perforin and granzyme content by NK cells. Vaccination also reduced expression of the NK inhibitory receptor ILT-2, increasing that of the stimulatory molecule 2DS2.

Modulation of Neuroendocrine and Immunological Biomarkers Following Rehabilitation in Sarcopenic Patients.

This study aimed to investigate if rehabilitation could down-regulated sarcopenia-associated inflammation by modulating the crosstalk between the neuroendocrine and immune systems, with the aim of ameliorating quality of life of sarcopenic subjects. A total of 60 sarcopenic patients (49 females and 11 males; median age 74.5, interquartile range 71-79), undergoing a personalized rehabilitation program, have been recruited and subjected to: (1) functional and physical evaluation (Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), Barthel Index and Tinetti Test); (2) pro-inflammatory IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-6, IL-18, and anti-inflammatory IL-10 cytokines plasmatic level measures; and (3) norepinephrine, epinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin neurotransmitter level evaluation at time of enrollment (T0) and once rehabilitation was concluded (1 month, T1).

Modulation of MAPK- and PI3/AKT-Dependent Autophagy Signaling by Stavudine (D4T) in PBMC of Alzheimer's Disease Patients.

Background: Aβ deposition plays a pivotal role in AD pathogenesis by inducing the activation of microglial cells and neuroinflammation. This process is antagonized by microglia-mediated clearance of Aβ plaques. Activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome is involved in neuroinflammation and in the impairments of Aβ-plaque clearance.

Increased Levels of Beta-Endorphin and Noradrenaline after a Brief High-Impact Multidimensional Rehabilitation Program in Multiple Sclerosis.

Finding new solutions for the management of multiple sclerosis (MS) is crucial: further research is needed to study the effect of non-pharmacological interventions on the symptoms and the course of the disease, especially on lifestyle. Benefits from a proper lifestyle are evident not only on a clinical level but also on immune and neuro-endocrine systems. A brief high-impact multidimensional rehabilitation program (b-HIPE) was proposed for a sample of people with MS (pwMS) with a medium level of disease disability.

Pharmacological and Epigenetic Regulators of NLRP3 Inflammasome Activation in Alzheimer's Disease.

Activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome complex results in the production of IL-18, Caspase-1 and IL-1β. These cytokines have a beneficial role in promoting inflammation, but an excessive activation of the inflammasome and the consequent constitutive inflammatory status is a negative factor in human pathologies including Alzheimer's Disease (AD). MicroRNAs (miR-NAs) target the 3'UTR region of NLRP3, preventing the activation of the inflammasome and inhibiting cytokine production.

NK Cell Subpopulations and Receptor Expression in Recovering SARS-CoV-2 Infection.

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is responsible for the pandemic of coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Whereas in most cases COVID-19 is asymptomatic or pauci-symptomatic, extremely severe clinical forms are observed. In this case, complex immune dysregulations and an excessive inflammatory response are reported and are the main cause of morbidity and mortality.

Influence of a High-Impact Multidimensional Rehabilitation Program on the Gut Microbiota of Patients with Multiple Sclerosis.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a neurodegenerative inflammatory condition mediated by autoreactive immune processes. Due to its potential to influence host immunity and gut-brain communication, the gut microbiota has been suggested to be involved in the onset and progression of MS. To date, there is no definitive cure for MS, and rehabilitation programs are of the utmost importance, especially in the later stages.

Identification of a SCN5A founder mutation causing sudden death, Brugada syndrome, and conduction blocks in Southern Italy.

Background: The genetic architecture of Brugada syndrome (BrS) is emerging as an increasingly complex area of investigation. The identification of genetically homogeneous populations can provide mechanistic insights and improve genotype-phenotype correlation.

Objective: To characterize and define the clinical implications of a novel BrS founder mutation.

Deregulation of IL-37 and its miRNAs modulators in sarcopenic patients after rehabilitation.

Background: sarcopenia is a highly prevalent condition in elderly individuals which is characterized by loss of muscle mass and functions; recent results showed that it is also associated with inflammation. Rehabilitation protocols for sarcopenia are designed to improve physical conditions, but very scarce data are available on their effects on inflammation We verified whether in sarcopenic patients the inflammation is reduced by rehabilitation and investigated the biological correlates of such effect.

Methods: Twenty-one sarcopenic patients undergoing a specifically-designed rehabilitation program were enrolled in the study.

Inflammatory Responses to Monomeric and Aggregated α-Synuclein in Peripheral Blood of Parkinson Disease Patients.

To investigate whether different forms of α-synuclein (α-syn) proteins can induce inflammation and activate the NLRP3 inflammasome, we stimulated with monomeric or aggregated α-syn peripheral blood mononuclear cells of Parkinson disease (PD) patients and age- and sex-matched healthy controls (HC). ASC-speck formation, i.e.

The Role of the Inflammasome in Neurodegenerative Diseases.

Neurodegenerative diseases are chronic, progressive disorders that occur in the central nervous system (CNS). They are characterized by the loss of neuronal structure and function and are associated with inflammation. Inflammation of the CNS is called neuroinflammation, which has been implicated in most neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and multiple sclerosis (MS).

A straightforward LC-MS/MS analysis to study serum profile of short and medium chain fatty acids.

Short and medium fatty acids derived from either dietary sources, gut microbiota, and liver production might play a role in the modulation of metabolism and inflammation. The outcome of different autoimmune or inflammatory diseases could be related to microbiota composition and consequently fatty acids production. Their analytical detection, historically completed by GC, was herein investigated using a sensitive approach of LC-MS/MS with straightforward chemical derivatization, using 3-NPH, to the respective acylhydrazines.

Alterations in Circulating Fatty Acid Are Associated With Gut Microbiota Dysbiosis and Inflammation in Multiple Sclerosis.

Butyric acid (BA) is a short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) with anti-inflammatory properties, which promotes intestinal barrier function. Medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA), including caproic acid (CA), promote TH1 and TH17 differentiation, thus supporting inflammation. Since most SCFAs are absorbed in the cecum and colon, the measurement of BA in peripheral blood could provide information on the health status of the intestinal ecosystem.

IL-33 and its decoy sST2 in patients with Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive impairment.

Background: Interleukin-33 is a cytokine endowed with pro- and anti-inflammatory properties that plays a still poorly defined role in the pathogenesis of a number of central nervous system (CNS) conditions including Alzheimer's disease (AD). We analyzed this cytokine and its decoy receptor sST2 in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI).

Method: IL-33 and sST2 were analyzed in serum and CSF of AD and MCI patients, comparing the results to those obtained in age-matched healthy controls (HC).

Leishmania infantum infection reduces the amyloid β-stimulated NLRP3 inflammasome activation.

Activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome has been shown to play a major role in the neuroinflammation that accompanies Alzheimer's disease (AD); interventions that down regulate the NLRP3 inflammasome could thus be beneficial in AD. Parasite infections were recently shown to be associated with improved cognitive functions in Apolipoprotein E4 (ApoE4)-expressing members of an Amazonian tribe. We verified in an in vitro model whether Leishmania infantum infection could reduce NLRP3.

Guidelines for the use of flow cytometry and cell sorting in immunological studies (second edition).

These guidelines are a consensus work of a considerable number of members of the immunology and flow cytometry community. They provide the theory and key practical aspects of flow cytometry enabling immunologists to avoid the common errors that often undermine immunological data. Notably, there are comprehensive sections of all major immune cell types with helpful Tables detailing phenotypes in murine and human cells.

Stavudine Reduces NLRP3 Inflammasome Activation and Modulates Amyloid-β Autophagy.

Background: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is associated with the accumulation of amyloid-β (Aβ) within senile plaques in the brain and neuroinflammation, possibly driven by the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome. Nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTI) hamper the NLRP3 inflammasome assembly.

Objective: We utilized an in vitro model reproducing the Aβ-driven inflammation seen in AD to analyze whether stavudine (D4T), a prototypical NRTI, modulates Aβ-mediated inflammasome activation and the ability of macrophages to eliminate Aβ via phagocytosis and autophagy.

Herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1) infection induces a potent but ineffective IFN-λ production in immune cells of AD and PD patients.

Background: The sequential activation of immediate early (IE), early (E) and late (L) genes is required to allow productive herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) infection. Several evidences suggest that, together with inflammation, an immunological response incapable to counteract HSV-1 reactivation plays a role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's (AD) and Parkinson's (PD) diseases. IFN-lambda (IFN-λ), a cytokine endowed with a robust antiviral activity, contains HSV-1 reactivation.