The effect of benralizumab on inflammation in severe asthma: a real-life analysis.

Background: Benralizumab is a monoclonal antibody treatment for severe eosinophilic asthma (SEA). Few studies investigated its role in airway inflammation and its correlation with lung function.

Objectives: The aim of the present study is to assess its effect after 1 year of treatment, focusing on airway inflammation.

Asthma and hypertension: the role of airway inflammation.

Introduction: Asthma is a chronic inflammatory respiratory disease often associated with comorbidities. Among cardiovascular comorbidities, arterial hypertension seems to create an additional health burden in asthmatics. However, evidence on this relationship is lacking.

Bronchial Progenitor Cells in Obstructive and Neoplastic Lung Disease: A Pilot Study.

The alteration of progenitor/stem cells present in the airway epithelium has been observed in patients with COPD. Smoking exposure induces remodeling patterns in bronchial progenitor cells (BPCs), encompassing squamous metaplasia, hyperplasia of basal and of mucus-secreting cells, and the depletion of ciliated and non-mucous secretory cells. Our aim was to assess the expression of p63 and vimentin as potential markers of airway remodeling and the regulation of stem cell populations in obstructive and neoplastic lung disease patients.

Lung Involvement in Patients with Ulcerative Colitis: Relationship between Exhaled Nitric Oxide and Lung Function.

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is characterized by immune system dysregulation with frequent extraintestinal manifestations, including airway involvement. A reduction in CO diffusing capacity and functional alterations in small airways have been described. An extended analysis of fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) may distinguish the sites of production, and the presence of small airway inflammation may be a useful, non-invasive marker for patient follow-up.

Canagliflozin reduces thyroid cancer cells migration in vitro by inhibiting CXCL8 and CCL2: An additional anti-tumor effect of the drug.

Purpose: Canagliflozin exert anti-cancer effects in several types of cancer including thyroid cancer (TC). However, whether it could modulate chemokines secreted in TC microenvironment is still unknown. The aim of the present study is to evaluate whether Canagliflozin could inhibit pro-tumorigenic chemokines CXCL8 and CCL2 and/or the TC cell migration induced by them.

Brittle Asthma: Still on Board?

(1) Background: "Brittle Asthma" was considered an asthma clinical phenotype and deemed to be life-threatening in the early 2000s; then, this definition disappeared. The purpose of this review is to examine what has historically been referred to as this term and see whether it may be applied to modern clinical practice, thus acquiring fresh relevance and meaning. (2) Methods: A non-systematic search of the literature was conducted using both MeSH and free-text phrases.

Flow cytometry for the assessment and monitoring of aberrant intraepithelial lymphocytes in non-responsive celiac disease and non-celiac enteropathies.

Background: Few data are available on flow cytometry (FC) for monitoring intraepithelial lymphocytes (IELs) in refractory celiac disease (RCD), non-responsive celiac disease (NRCD), and non-celiac enteropathies (NCEs).

Aims: 1) To investigate the significance of monitoring IELs immunophenotype with FC in patients with NRCD, RCD and NCEs; 2) to evaluate FC concordance with immunohistochemistry (IHC) and γ-TCR clonality analysis.

Methods: Patients investigated between January-2012 and February-2023 were divided into two groups: 1)confirmed RCD or NRCD being investigated for persistent symptoms and suspected complications of celiac disease (CD); 2)NCEs lacking clinical/histological response.

Thyroid hormones modifications among COVID-19 patients undergoing pulmonary rehabilitation.

Introduction: Patients with severe COVID-19 often experience long-lasting disabilities that can improve after pulmonary rehabilitation. Moreover patients with severe COVID-19 display thyroid function alterations due to a non-thyroidal illness syndrome (NTIS). The aim of our study was to evaluate thyroid function parameters among patients hospitalized for COVID-19 who were eligible or not to respiratory rehabilitation and their modifications during follow-up.

Hypersensitivity reactions to anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccines: Basophil reactivity to excipients.

Basophil activation test (BAT) can tackle multiple mechanisms underlying acute and delayed hypersensitivity to drugs and vaccines and might complement conventional allergy diagnostics but its role in anti-severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccine-related hypersensitivity is ill-defined. Therefore, 89 patients with possible hypersensitivity (56 % with delayed mucocutaneous manifestations) to anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccines were tested with BAT for Macrogol 3350, DMG-PEG 2000, PEG 20000, polysorbate-80 and trometamol and compared to 156 subjects undergoing pre-vaccine BAT. A positive BAT was associated with delayed reaction onset (p = 0.

Human Astrocyte Spheroids as Suitable In Vitro Screening Model to Evaluate Synthetic Cannabinoid MAM2201-Induced Effects on CNS.

There is growing concern about the consumption of synthetic cannabinoids (SCs), one of the largest groups of new psychoactive substances, its consequence on human health (general population and workers), and the continuous placing of new SCs on the market. Although drug-induced alterations in neuronal function remain an essential component for theories of drug addiction, accumulating evidence indicates the important role of activated astrocytes, whose essential and pleiotropic role in brain physiology and pathology is well recognized. The study aims to clarify the mechanisms of neurotoxicity induced by one of the most potent SCs, named MAM-2201 (a naphthoyl-indole derivative), by applying a novel three-dimensional (3D) cell culture model, mimicking the physiological and biochemical properties of brain tissues better than traditional two-dimensional in vitro systems.

Analysis of Patients with Asthma and Mixed Granulocytic Inflammatory Pattern in Sputum.

Background: Patients with asthma usually present airway inflammation classified as eosinophilic, neutrophilic, mixed granulocytic, and paucigranulocytic pattern according to sputum inflammatory cells.

Objective: The aim of the study was to analyze clinical and biological characteristics of patients with asthma and mixed granulocytic pattern in comparison with the other groups.

Methods: Induced sputum was used to assess airway inflammation; lung function was evaluated as well as blood leukocytes and disease control.

Dupilumab and tezepelumab in severe refractory asthma: new opportunities.

Bronchial asthma is a chronic inflammatory condition with increasing prevalence worldwide that may present as heterogeneous phenotypes defined by the T2-mediated pattern of airway inflammation T2-high and T2-low asthma. Severe refractory asthma includes a subset of asthmatic patients who fail to control their disease despite maximal therapy and represent a group of patients needing marked resource utilization and hence may be eligible to add-on biological therapies. Among the new biologics, we focused our attention on two monoclonal antibodies: dupilumab, exerting a dual blockade of cytokine (interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-13) signaling; and tezepelumab, acting at a higher level preventing the binding of thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) to its receptor, thus blocking TSLP, IL-25, and IL-33 signaling, hence modulating airway T2 immune responses.

Basal Serum Diamine Oxidase Levels as a Biomarker of Histamine Intolerance: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Background: Histamine Intolerance (HIT) is a multifaceted pseudoallergic disorder possibly due to defective histamine metabolism. Diamine oxidase (DAO) contributes to histamine degradation and can be measured in the serum. The role of DAO measurement in the diagnostic work-up of HIT still remains unclear, and conflicting results have been reported in the literature.

Three-dimensional spheroid cell culture of human MSC-derived neuron-like cells: New in vitro model to assess magnetite nanoparticle-induced neurotoxicity effects.

As nanoparticles (NPs) can access the brain and impact on CNS function, novel in vitro models for the evaluation of NPs-induced neurotoxicity are advocated. Three-dimensional spheroids of primary neuron-like cells (hNLCs) of human origin have been generated, from differentiation of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). The study evaluated Fe O NP impact on the differentiation process by applying the challenge at complete 3D hNLC spheroid formation (after 4 days, T4) or at beginning of neurogenic induction/simultaneously 3D forming (T0).

Sleep Deprivation, Immune Suppression and SARS-CoV-2 Infection.

Sleep health and its adaptation to individual and environmental factors are crucial to promote physical and mental well-being across animal species. In recent years, increasing evidence has been reported regarding the relationship between sleep and the immune system and how sleep disturbances may perturb the delicate balance with severe repercussions on health outcomes. For instance, experimental sleep deprivation studies in vivo have reported several major detrimental effects on immune health, including induced failure of host defense in rats and increased risk for metabolic syndrome (MetS) and immune suppression in humans.

Time course of exercise capacity in patients recovering from COVID-19-associated pneumonia.

Objective: High prevalences of muscle weakness and impaired physical performance in hospitalized patients recovering from COVID-19-associated pneumonia have been reported. Our objective was to determine whether the level of exercise capacity after discharge would affect long-term functional outcomes in these patients.

Methods: From three to five weeks after discharge from acute care hospitals (T0), patients underwent a six-minute walk test (6MWT) and were divided into two groups according to the distance walked in percentage of predicted values: <75% group and ≥75% group.

The Maugeri daily activity profile: a tool to assess physical activity in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) report reduced physical activity (PA). There are only few tools available to assess PA and sedentary behavior in these patients, and none of them aims to differentiate between sedentary and active patterns. The aim of the study was to evaluate an easy tool to profile daily activity time in a cohort of patients with COPD, compared to healthy subjects; the study was set at the Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri (ICS), IRCCS of Tradate and Lumezzane, Italy, and at the Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale Novaggio, Switzerland (Italian Speaking).

How Do Inflammatory Mediators, Immune Response and Air Pollution Contribute to COVID-19 Disease Severity? A Lesson to Learn.

Inflammatory and immune processes are defensive mechanisms that aim to remove harmful agents. As a response to infections, inflammation and immune response contribute to the pathophysiological mechanisms of diseases. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), whose underlying mechanisms remain not fully elucidated, has posed new challenges for the knowledge of pathophysiology.

The 5-Repetition Sit-to-Stand Test as an Outcome Measure for Pulmonary Rehabilitation in Subjects With Asthma.

Background: The 5-repetition sit-to-stand test (5STS) is valid and responsive in subjects with COPD, but there is a lack of information in subjects with asthma. We aimed to evaluate the usefulness of the 5STS as an outcome measure of pulmonary rehabilitation in subjects with asthma as compared to subjects with COPD.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective evaluation of subjects with asthma or COPD who underwent pulmonary rehabilitation.

A snapshot of exhaled nitric oxide and asthma characteristics: experience from high to low income countries.

Nitric oxide is a gas produced in the airways of asthmatic subjects and related to T2 inflammation. It can be measured as fractional nitric oxide (FeNO) in the exhaled air and used as a non-invasive, easy to evaluate, rapid marker. It is now widely used in many settings to determine airway inflammation.

Developmental Neurotoxicity Screening for Nanoparticles Using Neuron-Like Cells of Human Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stem Cells: Example with Magnetite Nanoparticles.

Metallic nanoparticles (NPs), as iron oxide NPs, accumulate in organs, cross the blood-brain barrier and placenta, and have the potential to elicit developmental neurotoxicity (DNT). Human stem cell-derived in vitro models may provide more realistic platforms to study NPs effects on neural cells, and to obtain relevant information on the potential for early or late DNT effects in humans. Primary neuronal-like cells (hNLCs) were generated from mesenchymal stem cells derived from human umbilical cord lining and the effects caused by magnetite (FeONPs, 1-50 μg/mL) evaluated.