[Comparison of the effectiveness of hematopoietic cell mobilization with chemotherapy and filgrastim versus filgrastim alone for autologous transplant in patients with lymphoma.] / Comparación de la efectividad de la movilización de células hematopoyéticas con quimioterapia y filgrastim, o con filgrastim solo, para autotrasplante en pacientes con linfoma.

INTRODUCTION: Autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is the treatment of choice for high-risk Hodgkin's lymphoma and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. OBJECTIVE: Compare the capacity to mobilize CD34+ cells for autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation using schemes with chemotherapy and without chemotherapy plus filgrastim in patients diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma or non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The clinical records of patients with Hodgkin's lymphoma or non-Hodgkin's lymphoma who received an autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplant were analyzed retrospectively. Filgrastim alone or in combination with chemotherapy was used as mobilization scheme. Cell harvesting was classified as adequate when > 2 × 106 cells/kg were collected. RESULTS: Forty-seven patients (Hodgkin's lymphoma, 24; non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, 23) were included. Comparing groups of Hodgkin's lymphoma mobilized with chemotherapy (15 patients) and without chemotherapy (nine patients), one apheresis procedure was sufficient in 73 and 44% of patients, respectively (p = 0.04), the average of CD34 + cells/kg collected was 11 x 106 and 3 x 106, respectively (p = 0.017), and the collection was adequate in 100 and 55.6% of cases, respectively (p = 0.014). Comparing the groups of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma mobilized with chemotherapy (six patients) and without chemotherapy (17 patients), one apheresis procedure was sufficient in 33 and 65% of patients, respectively (p = 0.26), the average of CD34+ cells/kg was 3.56 x 106 and 3.41 x 106, respectively (p = 0.47), and collection was adequate in 66.6 and 59% of cases, respectively (p = 0.37). CONCLUSION: In Hodgkin's lymphoma patients, mobilization schemes with chemotherapy were more effective considering the number of cells collected, the number of apheresis required, and the percentage of successful cell collections. In non-Hodgkin's lymphoma patients, there were no significant differences between the two groups.

Hydrophobicity and antioxidant activity acting together for the beneficial health properties of nordihydroguaiaretic acid.

Nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA) and rosmarinic acid (RA), phenolic compounds found in various plants and functional foods, have known antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. In the present study, we comparatively investigated the importance of hydrophobicity and oxidisability of NDGA and RA, regarding their antioxidant and pharmacological activities. Using a panel of cell-free antioxidant protocols, including electrochemical measurements, we demonstrated that the anti-radical capacities of RA and NDGA were similar. However, the relative capacity of NDGA as an inhibitor of NADPH oxidase (ex vivo assays) was significantly higher compared to RA. The inhibitory effect on NADPH oxidase was not related to simple scavengers of superoxide anions, as confirmed by oxygen consumption by the activated neutrophils. The higher hydrophobicity of NDGA was also a determinant for the higher efficacy of NDGA regarding the inhibition of the release of hypochlorous acid by PMA-activated neutrophil and cytokine (TNF-α and IL-10) production by Staphylococcus aureus-stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells. In conclusion, although there have been extensive studies about the pharmacological properties of NDGA, our study showed, for the first time, the importance not only of its antioxidant activity, but also its hydrophobicity as a crucial factor for pharmacological action.

Invertebrate compounds acting on the hemostatic mechanism.

Physiological secretions from some invertebrates have toxic effects on mammalian blood coagulation and fibrinolytic systems. Some of these effects occur because the substances contained in the secretions resemble the components of the hemostatic system. Some of the substances have been characterized, and have been found to have similar molecular weights or sequences, which may indicate a common ancestry. The components can be divided into five groups: antithrombic agents (group I); inhibitors and activators of the prothrombinase complex (group II); substances that affect platelet function (group III); substances that affect the fibrinolytic mechanism (group IV); and a group of miscellaneous agents whose activities are difficult to group together (group V). In group I special mention of the antithrombin agents in Hirudo medicinalis should be made. In group II, the agents affecting the prothrombinase complex are antistasin from Haementeria officinalis, ghilanten from Haementeria Ghiliani and the tick anticoagulant protein from Ornithodoros moubata, a factor V activator/inhibitor from Lonomia achelous and factor II and factor X activators from L. achelous and Lonomia obliqua. Examples of factors which affect platelet function (group III) are glossina from the black fly Glossina morsitans, calin from H. medicinalis, decorsin (a desintegrin) from Macrobdella decorsa, and FAGA from Stichopus japonicus selenka. The first three of these are inhibitors of platelet aggregation, and the last is an inducer. The plasminogen activators (group IV) from the L. achelous caterpillar and Eutriatoma maculata trigger the fibrinolytic system, whereas hementin from H. officinalis and hementerin from Haementeria depressa are directly fibrinolytic. The last group of substances (group V) include those with factor-XIIa-like activity from D. farinae, kallikrein-like activity and a factor XIII degrading enzyme from L. achelous, destabilase from H. medicinalis and prolixin S (nitroforin 2, or anti-factor-IXa) from Rhodnius prolixus. Some of these components have been well characterized, cloned and prepared in recombinant form, and seem to be very promising from the therapeutic point of view.