Inhibition of cytokine production and endothelial expression of adhesion antigens by 5'-methylthioadenosine.

We investigated the activity of endogenous nucleoside 5'-deoxy-5'-methylthioadenosine (MTA) on both the production of inflammatory cytokines and the cytokine-dependent endothelial expression of adhesion molecules. The compound inhibited the production of tumor necrosis factor (but not interleukin-1) in lipopolysaccharide-activated macrophages. In addition, MTA selectively inhibited the expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 in endothelial cells activated with interleukin-1. This effect was paralleled by a reduction in endothelial adhesiveness for polymorphonuclear leukocytes. These data suggest that MTA might have anti-inflammatory activity.

[Transient hyperphosphatasemia in childhood. 4 new cases and review of the literature]. / Iperfosfatasemia transitoria dell'infanzia. Quattro nuovi casi e revisione della letteratura.

Transient hyperphosphatasemia of infancy is a biochemical syndrome characterized by a striking, transient increase in serum alkaline phosphatase in children without any evidence of bone or liver disease and of a familial occurrence. The abnormal isoenzyme pattern frequently observed in this syndrome may represent an excessively sialylated form of the liver isoenzyme, not normally removed from circulation. Here are described four new cases of this syndrome, followed biochemically and clinically until normalization of the serum abnormalities; a review of literature is also presented.