Pancytopenia in a Case of Aplastic Anaemia/Paroxysmal Nocturnal Haemoglobinuria Unmasked by SARS-CoV-2 Infection: A Case Report.

During an acute SARS-CoV-2 infection, a diagnosis of Aplastic Anaemia associated with Paroxysmal Nocturnal Haemoglobinuria (AA/PNH) was made in a 78-year-old woman who had presented to the emergency department with severe pancytopenia. It is possible that she had subclinical AA/PNH that was unmasked during the acute COVID-19 infection, but we can also suspect a direct role of the virus in the pathogenesis of the disease, or we can hypothesize that COVID-19 infection changed the phosphatidylinositol glycan class A (PIGA) gene pathway.

Expression of apoptosis-related proteins in rat with induced colitis.

Background And Aims: Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) evoke a damage-repair process accompanied by the activation of apoptotic genes. Data on transglutaminase (TG) expression in apoptotic cells in inflamed colonic epithelium has not been reported, although TG cross-links proteins within typical apoptotic bodies in various cell lines. In an experimental model of colitis we investigated the expression of different markers of apoptosis related to the degree and development of colonic inflammation.

Factor XIII improves gastric stress lesions in rats.

Background/aims: Tissue transglutaminase has been reported to be involved in the healing of experimental gastric ulcer; nevertheless, other type(s) of transglutaminase could be involved. The present experiments aimed at examining whether plasma transglutaminase (factor XIIIa) contributes to such healing and at evaluating whether factor XIII supplementation improves gastric mucosal lesions.

Methods: The healing effect of 200 U/kg of factor XIII administered intravenously was examined using a water immersion restraint rat model of stress gastric damage.

Transglutaminase in azoxymethane-induced colon cancer in the rat.

A widespread from of transglutaminase, tissue transglutaminase, has been identified in a number of mammalian cell types, both normal and transformed cells; its biological role is not well understood. We investigated the effect of experimentally induced colon cancer on transglutaminase activity in the rat. Azoxymethane (15 mg/kg for six weeks), given by a course of weekly intraperitoneal injections, produces tumors almost exclusively confined to the intestinal tract.

Butyrate, mesalamine, and factor XIII in experimental colitis in the rat: effects on transglutaminase activity.

Background/aims: Butyrate and factor XIII may improve ulcerative colitis; they also affect tissue and serum transglutaminase levels. We investigated the therapeutic potential of sodium butyrate and factor XIII and the role of transglutaminase during mucosal repair in experimental colitis.

Methods: Rats with induced colitis were treated with sodium butyrate, mesalamine, sodium butyrate plus mesalamine, or saline enemas.

Diminished active T rosette levels and increased spontaneous B lymphocyte blastogenesis in hepatitis B virus positive chronic active hepatitis.

The present investigation was designed to detect abnormalities in CMI and the presence of polyclonally activated B cells in patients with HBV positive CAH. We studied the peripheral levels and 3H-thymidine incorporation of three lymphocyte subsets: B lymphocytes, as well as two T cell subsets that are either active or late rosetters with high and low affinity receptors respectively for sheep red blood cells (SRBC). In patients the level of peripheral T active cells was decreased, but they exhibited elevated B cell activation.

Influx of glycyl-proline and free amino acids across intestinal brush border of phenobarbital-treated rats.

In a previous study the authors have shown that treatment with phenobarbital in the rat is followed by a generalized increase of amino acid concentration in the plasma. In order to better clarify this phenomenon, the effect of phenobarbital on intestinal protein absorption was now studied by measuring the influxes of Glycyl-L-Proline, L-Phenylalanine, L-Lysine and L-Glutamic acid across the brush border of jejunum and ileum in rats treated with phenobarbital for two or four days. No significant changes of these influxes were observed in the treated animals as compared to the controls, hence suggesting that the effect of phenobarbital on plasma levels of free amino acids is not mediated by an effect on intestinal absorption.

HBsAg uptake by macrophages in vitro: an immunofluorescence study.

The uptake of HBsAg by in vitro cultured macrophages was studied by immunofluorescence method. Intracytoplasmic fluorescent particles appeared 3 h after the contact with HBsAg-positive serum, while after 24-48 h only a few cells contained these particles, which are probably destroyed within the cytoplasm.

[Clinical enzyme diagnosis in chronic hepatitis. Possibilities and limitations (author's transl)].

The determination of enzyme activity in serum for the diagnosis of chronic hepatitis has become increasingly popular. According to the author's experience serum aminotransferase is raised in about 100% of cases of chronic active hepatitis and also in active cirrhosis, but in only about 70--80% of persisting hepatitis or in moderately active chronic hepatitis. They are frequently normal in inactive cirrhosis.

Pattern and concentration of free amino acids in the plasma and liver tissue of phenobarbital-treated rats.

The pattern and concentration of free amino acids in the plasma and liver tissue of phenobarbital-treated rats was investigated. In phenobarbital-treated rats, there was a significant plasma increase of the total concentration of free amino acids. No significant change in liver free amino acid concentration was observed because of the contemporaneous and general increase in liver size which does not allow observation of any percentual variation in amino acid concentration.

Free amino acids in plasma during experimental infection of mice with the MHV-3 strain of mouse hepatitis virus.

The concentrations of total free amino acids, single free amino acids, urea, and ammonia were determined in plasma of mice during experimental infection with the MHV-3 strain of mouse hepatitis virus. Analysis of free amino acids was done by ion-exchange resin chromatography under conditions that allowed the use of a single chromatographic column, separation of glutamine and asparagine, and an accelerated rate of chromatography. The results showed that as early as 6 hr after infection there was a decrease in the concentration of several free amino acids as well as in the total concentration of free amino acids in plasma.

[Radioimmunoquantization of the HBAg in clinical liver diseases].

The two-step direct radioimmune test RIA used to detect hepatitis B virus associated antigen (HBsAg) appeared to be more sensitive than other immunologic assays. RIA demonstrated as HBsAg positive 90% of 20 patients with posttransfusion hepatitis; 88% of 50 patients with acute viral hepatitis; 100% of 13 patients with chronic active hepatitis and 35% of 20 patients with cirrhosis; on the other hand with positivity for HBsAg in the same patients appeared to be lower by AGD, CIEP and CF. The quantitation of HBsAg by RIA has been performed with a dose response curve obtained by use of HBsAg (ad) standard.

Hepatitis B virus antigen quantitation by radioimmunoassay (RIA) in viral hepatitis and in chronic liver diseases.

The incidence of HBAg in viral hepatitis, in chronic active hepatitis and in cirrhosis has been investigated by using immunological methods and a solid-phase radioimmunoassay. RIA demonstrated as positive: 90% of 20 patients with posttransfusion hepatitis; 88% of 50 patients with acute viral hepatitis; 100% of 13 patients with chronic active hepatitis and 35% of 20 patients with cirrhosis; whereas the frequency of HBAg in the same patients appeared to be lower by AGD, CIEP and CF. The measure of antigenaemia has been obtained by use of HBAg (ad) dose response standard curve.

A cytochemical study of some enzyme activities in biliverdin-treated cell cultures.

The authors studied the modifications of the activities of some enzymes in cell cultures submitted to the action of biliverdin. This biliary pigment rapidly induces a remarkable increase in alkaline phosphatase and ATP-ase activities and subsequently, an activation of acid phosphatase and beta-glucuronidase. On the contrary, 5'-nucleotidase and glucose-6-phosphatase activities remain unchanged.