Publications by authors named "Pizzochero C"

We compared the immunogenetic data from 2666 patients affected by HLA-related autoimmune diseases with those from 4389 ethnically matched controls (3157 cord blood donors CBD, 1232 adult bone marrow donors BMD), to verify the appropriateness of HLA typing requests received in the past decade. The frequency of HLA-B∗27 phenotype was 10.50% in 724 ankylosing spondylitis, 16.

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The HLA genomic structure underlines the permanence of fixed haplotypes transmitted in blocks as allelic combinations. One of the most discussed concerns is how and why such a strong linkage between HLA alleles has been maintained for so long. We hypothesized a possible KIR-driven pressure in the genesis of specific HLA-A,B haplotypes.

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The receptor for advanced glycation end product (RAGE) is thought to play an important role in inflammation. Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a long-lasting fatigue that compromises at least 50% of a subject's daily activities without other known cause. Immune dysfunction has been implicated and an association with a peculiar genetic cytokine profile, predisposing to an immunomodulatory response of inflammatory nature, was found.

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High-resolution polymerase chain reaction using sequence-specific primer typing of the HLA-DRB1 gene of an Italian patient waiting for unrelated bone marrow transplantation revealed a new allelic variant of HLA-DRB1*13. Sequencing the exon 2 of DRB1* gene demonstrated a G-->C transition at the nucleotide 216 resulting in a silent mutation at codon 72: CGG-->CGC. The closest sequence was the HLA-DRB1*1302 and the new allele was named HLA-DRB1*13022.

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HLA study was performed in 9 absolute non-responder (serum titre of anti-HBsAg < 2 mIU ml-1) and 8 hyporesponder (serum antibody level between 2 and 9.9 mIU ml-1) babies who underwent, in neonatal period, HBV vaccination with Engerix B recombinant vaccine. The investigation pointed out that many of these subjects carry HLA haplotypes classically involved in autoimmune diseases: namely HLADR7; DQ2, DR4; DQ8 and DR3; DQ2.

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Growth failure starting before birth is a common characteristic in Turner syndrome, and its pathogenesis is still not completely explained. Experiments performed in mice and rats to test whether a genetic disparity between mothers and offspring and maternal immunological status have any influence on litter size have demonstrated that allogenic litters are significantly larger in size than genetically compatible ones. Studies in humans have given contrasting results, but some authors have found that heterozygosity at enzyme loci and in blood groups is positively correlated with intrauterine growth.

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Much of the surrounding studies on the association between HLA and diseases reflects a new insight into the key role of HLA molecules in the generation and regulation of the immune response. HLA molecules, on the surface of antigen presenting cells, bind foreign peptides. This HLA-antigen complex is then recognized by T lymphocytes and triggers the alloresponse against the peptide.

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