Can unexplained infertility be evaluated by a new immunological four-biomarkers panel? A pilot study.

Background: Inflammation and oxidative stress are known to be triggering factors for a decrease of the pregnancy rate like maternal immunosuppression. Under these circumstances our study was performed to verify four immunological biomarkers (IMMUNOX Panel) in terms of incidence in a sine-causa infertile population and the overall pregnancy rate when the Panel was showing some non-physiologic values.

Methods: Sera of 86 women affected by unexplained infertility were screened for the IMMUNOX panel of biomarkers composed by: tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α,) glycodelin (GLY), total oxidative status (TOS), and complement activity toxic factor (CATF).

Fetal mesenchymal stromal cells from cryopreserved human chorionic villi: cytogenetic and molecular analysis of genome stability in long-term cultures.

Background Aims: First-trimester chorionic villi (CV) are an attractive source of human mesenchymal stromal cells (hMSC) for possible applications in cellular therapy and regenerative medicine. Human MSC from CV were monitored for genetic stability in long-term cultures.

Methods: We set up a good manufacturing practice cryopreservation procedure for small amounts of native CV samples.

Mechanism of action of type II, glycoengineered, anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody GA101 in B-chronic lymphocytic leukemia whole blood assays in comparison with rituximab and alemtuzumab.

We analyzed in B-chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) whole blood assays the activity of therapeutic mAbs alemtuzumab, rituximab, and type II glycoengineered anti-CD20 mAb GA101. Whole blood samples were treated with Abs, and death of CD19(+) B-CLL was measured by flow cytometry. Alemtuzumab efficiently lysed B-CLL targets with maximal lysis at 1-4 h (62%).

The sensitivity of acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells carrying the t(12;21) translocation to campath-1H-mediated cell lysis.

Background And Objectives: Campath-1H is used in conditioning regimens and more recently as an anti-leukemic therapy in acute lymphoblastic leukemias (ALL). We therefore investigated CD52 expression and campath-1H-mediated lysis of ALL cells in vitro.

Design And Methods: Complement-mediated cytotoxicity assays were performed on freshly isolated neoplastic cells and cell lines using human serum.

The role of complement in the therapeutic activity of rituximab in a murine B lymphoma model homing in lymph nodes.

Background And Objectives: We have set up a murine B lymphoma model stably expressing human CD20 and homing in lymph nodes in immunocompetent mice to study the mechanism of action of rituximab.

Design And Methods: The B lymphoma line 38C13 was stably transduced with the human CD20 cDNA by retroviral infection and injected into syngeneic mice.

Results: The transduced 38C13-CD20(+) cells stably expressed human CD20 on 100% of cells.

Effect of alemtuzumab on neoplastic B cells.

Background And Objectives: The therapeutic antibody alemtuzumab is directed against the CD52 molecule and is used for the treatment of B-cell lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL). We investigated the mechanism of action of this antibody in vitro against different neoplastic B cells and compared it to the anti-CD20 antibody rituximab.

Design And Methods: Complement-mediated cytotoxicity assays were performed on freshly isolated neoplastic cells using human serum as the source of complement.

Rituximab-mediated antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity against neoplastic B cells is stimulated strongly by interleukin-2.

Background And Objectives: We analyzed the sensitivity of freshly isolated neoplastic B cells to rituximab-mediated antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC), using different effector cells.

Design And Methods: ADCC was performed by 51Cr release assays in vitro, using peripheral blood mononuclear cells, IL-2-activated or expanded NK cells, neutrophils or macrophages as effector cells. B lymphoma lines and freshly isolated leukemic samples were used as targets.

A human immunodeficiency virus type 1 pol gene-derived sequence (cPPT/CTS) increases the efficiency of transduction of human nondividing monocytes and T lymphocytes by lentiviral vectors.

We have investigated the capacity of two human immunodeficiency virus type 1-derived lentivectors, differing in the presence of a 118-bp pol fragment containing the cPPT/CTS element, to transduce human normal primary cells of different hematopoietic lineages. Infection of resting monocytes with a high multiplicity of infection (MOI > 10) revealed that the lentivirus carrying the pol fragment (cPPT) is effective, transducing 75% of cells compared with 36% for the no-cPPT vector. Even at low MOIs (< or =1) the cPPT vector still shows a better transduction efficiency than the no-cPPT vector.