Publications by authors named "M T Calierno"
In the present study we evaluated the long-term effects of lithium administration to a knock-out double transgenic mouse model (Smn-/-; SMN1A2G+/-; SMN2+/+) of Spinal Muscle Atrophy type III (SMA-III). This model is characterized by very low levels of the survival motor neuron protein, slow disease progression and motor neuron loss, which enables to detect disease-modifying effects at delayed time intervals. Lithium administration attenuates the decrease in motor activity and provides full protection from motor neuron loss occurring in SMA-III mice, throughout the disease course.
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- The catecholamine nuclei in the brainstem reticular formation (RF) are crucial for various brain functions, but a detailed characterization of these nuclei under consistent experimental conditions has been lacking.
- This study systematically counts tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-positive neurons in the RF of mouse brainstems, analyzing aspects like localization, volume, and neuron density, providing a reference for future research on brainstem functions.
- Findings reveal that most TH-positive cells are in the lateral RF, known for high catecholamine content, highlighting the importance of these nuclei in understanding brain physiology and their potential relevance to psychiatric and neurological disorders.
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- Glioblastoma cells have a part called mTOR that can make them grow and resist treatments, which leads to worse outcomes for patients.
- Researchers used a drug called rapamycin to see how it affects genes, and they found that it helps glioblastoma cells change into neuron-like cells instead of stem-like cells.
- This study shows that understanding how mTOR works could help in finding new ways to treat brain cancer and even help regenerate brain cells.
The present manuscript is an overview of various effects of mTOR up-regulation in astrocytoma with an emphasis on its deleterious effects on the proliferation of Glioblastoma Multiforme. The manuscript reports consistent evidence indicating the occurrence of mTOR up-regulation both in experimental and human astrocytoma. The grading of human astrocytoma is discussed in relationship with mTOR up-regulation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground And Purpose: It is thought that the mechanism of action of anticancer chemotherapeutic agents is mainly due to a direct inhibition of tumour cell proliferation. In tumour specimens, the endothelial cell proliferation rate increases, suggesting that the therapeutic effects of anticancer agents could also be attributed to inhibition of tumour angiogenesis. Hence, we investigated the potential effects of [Pt(O,O'-acac)(γ-acac)(DMS)] ([Pt(DMS)]), a new platinum drug for non-genomic targets, on human renal carcinoma and compared them with those of the well-established anticancer drug, cisplatin.
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