RESUMEN
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: To estimate the impact of diabetes and its complications, overall and in different age classes, on the likelihood of hospital admission for specific causes. METHODS AND RESULTS: We carried out a record-linkage analysis of administrative registers including data on 8,940,420 citizens in 21 Local Health Authorities in Italy. Individuals with pharmacologically treated diabetes (≥2 prescriptions of antidiabetic agents during the year 2008) were paired in a 1:1 proportion with those who did not receive such drugs (controls) based on propensity-score matching. Odds Ratios (ORs) of hospitalization for macro and microvascular conditions in individuals with diabetes as compared to controls were estimated. The system identified 498,825 individuals with diabetes pharmacologically treated (prevalence of 5.6%). Prevalence of diabetes in people aged <14 years, 14-39 years, 40-65 years, and ≥65 years was 0.1%, 0.6%, 6.4%, and 18.2%, respectively. Overall, 23.9% of subjects with diabetes and 11.5% of controls had had at least a hospital admission during 12 months for the causes considered. Diabetes increased the likelihood of hospitalization by two to six times for the different causes examined. In absolute terms, diabetes was responsible for an excess of over 12,000 hospital admissions per 100,000 individuals/year. CONCLUSION: Despite the availability of effective treatments to prevent or delay major complications, diabetes still places an enormous burden on both patients and the health care system. Given the continuous rise in diabetes prevalence both in middle-aged and elderly individuals, we can expect an additional, hardly sustainable increase in the demand for health care in the near future.
Asunto(s)
Costo de Enfermedad , Diabetes Mellitus/tratamiento farmacológico , Diabetes Mellitus/epidemiología , Adolescente , Adulto , Anciano , Benzamidas/uso terapéutico , Femenino , Hospitalización , Humanos , Hipoglucemiantes/uso terapéutico , Insulina/uso terapéutico , Italia/epidemiología , Masculino , Metformina/uso terapéutico , Persona de Mediana Edad , Oportunidad Relativa , Prevalencia , Tiazolidinedionas/uso terapéutico , Resultado del Tratamiento , Adulto JovenRESUMEN
Natural killer (NK) cells are critical to the immune response to viral infections. Their functions are controlled by receptors for major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I, including NKG2A and killer-cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIR). In order to evaluate the role of MHC class I receptors in the immune response to hepatitis C virus infection we have studied patients with chronic HCV infection by multi-parameter flow cytometry directly ex vivo. This has permitted evaluation of combinatorial expression of activating and inhibitory receptors on single NK cells. Individuals with chronic HCV infection had fewer CD56(dim) NK cells than healthy controls (4.9 +/- 3.4% versus 9.0 +/- 5.9%, P < 0.05). Expression levels of the inhibitory receptor NKG2A was up-regulated on NK cells from individuals with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) (NKG2A mean fluorescence intensity 5692 +/- 2032 versus 4525 +/- 1646, P < 0.05). Twelve individuals were treated with pegylated interferon and ribavirin. This resulted in a down-regulation of NKG2A expression on CD56(dim) NK cells. Individuals with a sustained virological response (SVR) had greater numbers of NKG2A-positive, KIR-negative NK cells than those without SVR (27.6 +/- 9.6% NK cells versus 17.6 +/- 5.7, P < 0.02). Our data show that NKG2A expression is dysregulated in chronic HCV infection and that NKG2A-positive NK cells are associated with a beneficial response to pegylated interferon and ribavirin therapy.
Asunto(s)
Hepatitis C Crónica/tratamiento farmacológico , Células Asesinas Naturales/metabolismo , Subfamília C de Receptores Similares a Lectina de Células NK/metabolismo , Adulto , Antivirales/farmacología , Antivirales/uso terapéutico , Complejo CD3/metabolismo , Antígeno CD56/metabolismo , Recuento de Células , Femenino , Antígenos HLA/metabolismo , Hepatitis C Crónica/inmunología , Humanos , Interferón alfa-2 , Interferón-alfa/farmacología , Interferón-alfa/uso terapéutico , Células Asesinas Naturales/citología , Células Asesinas Naturales/efectos de los fármacos , Células Asesinas Naturales/inmunología , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Subfamilia K de Receptores Similares a Lectina de Células NK/metabolismo , Receptor 1 Gatillante de la Citotoxidad Natural/metabolismo , Receptor 3 Gatillante de la Citotoxidad Natural/metabolismo , Polietilenglicoles/farmacología , Polietilenglicoles/uso terapéutico , ARN Viral/sangre , Receptores KIR/metabolismo , Receptores KIR2DL1/metabolismo , Receptores KIR2DL3/metabolismo , Proteínas Recombinantes , Inducción de Remisión , Ribavirina/farmacología , Ribavirina/uso terapéutico , Linfocitos T/efectos de los fármacos , Linfocitos T/metabolismo , Factores de TiempoRESUMEN
We previously reported that photodynamic therapy (PDT) using Purpurin-18 (Pu-18) induces apoptosis in HL60 cells. Using flow cytometry, two-dimensional electrophoresis coupled with immunodetection of carbonylated proteins and mass spectrometry, we now show that PDT-induced apoptosis is associated with increased reactive oxygen species generation, glutathione depletion, changes in mitochondrial transmembrane potential, simultaneous downregulation of mitofilin and carbonylation of specific proteins: glucose-regulated protein-78, heat-shock protein 60, heat-shock protein cognate 71, phosphate disulphide isomerase, calreticulin, beta-actin, tubulin-alpha-1-chain and enolase-alpha. Interestingly, all carbonylated proteins except calreticulin and enolase-alpha showed a pI shift in the proteome maps. Our results suggest that PDT with Pu-18 perturbs the normal redox balance and shifts HL60 cells into a state of oxidative stress, which systematically induces the carbonylation of specific chaperones. As these proteins normally produce a prosurvival signal during oxidative stress, we hypothesize that their carbonylation represents a signalling mechanism for apoptosis induced by PDT.
Asunto(s)
Apoptosis/fisiología , Estrés Oxidativo/fisiología , Fotoquimioterapia , Porfirinas/farmacología , Especies Reactivas de Oxígeno/metabolismo , Actinas/metabolismo , Apoptosis/efectos de los fármacos , Biomarcadores de Tumor , Calreticulina/metabolismo , Caspasas/metabolismo , Proteínas de Unión al ADN/metabolismo , Electroforesis en Gel Bidimensional , Citometría de Flujo , Proteínas de Choque Térmico/metabolismo , Humanos , Oxidación-Reducción , Estrés Oxidativo/efectos de los fármacos , Fosfopiruvato Hidratasa/metabolismo , Proteómica , Proteínas Supresoras de Tumor/metabolismoRESUMEN
Pyrrolyl aryl sulfones (PASs) have been recently reported as a new class of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) reverse transcriptase (RT) inhibitors acting at the non-nucleoside binding site of this enzyme (Artico, M.; et al. J. Med. Chem. 1996, 39, 522-530). Compound 3, the most potent inhibitor within the series (EC(50) = 0.14 microM, IC(50) = 0.4 microM, and SI > 1429), was then selected as a lead compound for a synthetic project based on molecular modeling studies. Using the three-dimensional structure of RT cocrystallized with the alpha-APA derivative R95845, we derived a model of the RT/3 complex by taking into account previously developed structure-activity relationships. Inspection of this model and docking calculations on virtual compounds prompted the design of novel PAS derivatives and related analogues. Our computational approach proved to be effective in making qualitative predictions, that is in discriminating active versus inactive compounds. Among the compounds synthesized and tested, 20 was the most active one, with EC(50) = 0.045 microM, IC(50) = 0.05 microM, and SI = 5333. Compared with the lead 3, these values represent a 3- and 8-fold improvement in the cell-based and enzyme assays, respectively, together with the highest selectivity achieved so far in the PAS series.
Asunto(s)
Transcriptasa Inversa del VIH/antagonistas & inhibidores , Pirroles/síntesis química , Inhibidores de la Transcriptasa Inversa/síntesis química , Triterpenos/farmacología , Supervivencia Celular/efectos de los fármacos , Fenómenos Químicos , Química Física , Cristalografía por Rayos X , Efecto Citopatogénico Viral/efectos de los fármacos , Diseño de Fármacos , VIH-1/efectos de los fármacos , Humanos , Modelos Moleculares , Conformación Molecular , Pirroles/farmacología , Inhibidores de la Transcriptasa Inversa/farmacología , Relación Estructura-Actividad , Triterpenos/químicaRESUMEN
The amino sugar is recognized to be a critical determinant of the activity of anthracycline monosaccharides related to doxorubicin and daunorubicin. In an attempt to improve the pharmacological properties of such agents, novel anthracycline disaccharides have been designed in which the amino sugar, daunosamine, is separated from the aglycone by another carbohydrate moiety. In the present study, we examined the influence of the orientation of the second sugar residue on drug biochemical and biological properties in a series of closely related analogs. This structure-activity relationship study showed that the substitution of the daunosamine for the disaccharide moiety dramatically reduced the cytotoxic potency of the drug in the 4-methoxy series (daunorubicin analogs). In contrast, in the 4-demethoxy series (idarubicin analogs), the C-4 axial, but not the equatorial, configuration conferred a cytotoxic potency and antitumor activity comparable to that of doxorubicin. The configuration also influenced the drug's ability to stimulate topoisomerase II alpha-mediated DNA cleavage. Indeed, the glycosides with the equatorial orientation were ineffective as topoisomerase II poisons, whereas the compounds with axial orientation were active, although the daunorubicin analog exhibited a lower activity than the idarubicin analog. It is conceivable that the axial orientation allows an optimal interaction of the drug with the DNA-enzyme complex only in the absence of the methoxy group. Our results are consistent with a critical role of the sugar moiety in drug interaction with the target enzyme in the ternary complex.
Asunto(s)
Antraciclinas/farmacología , Antineoplásicos/farmacología , Disacáridos/farmacología , Idarrubicina/farmacología , Animales , Antraciclinas/química , Antineoplásicos/química , Antineoplásicos/uso terapéutico , ADN/efectos de los fármacos , ADN/metabolismo , Disacáridos/química , Modelos Animales de Enfermedad , Humanos , Idarrubicina/química , Idarrubicina/uso terapéutico , Concentración 50 Inhibidora , Espectroscopía de Resonancia Magnética , Ratones , Ratones Desnudos , Conformación Molecular , Proteínas Recombinantes/metabolismo , Relación Estructura-Actividad , Células Tumorales Cultivadas , Ensayos Antitumor por Modelo de XenoinjertoRESUMEN
Photodynamic therapy (PDT), a cancer treatment using a photosensitizer and visible light, has been shown to induce apoptosis or necrosis. We report here that Purpurin-18 (Pu18) in combination with light induces rapid apoptotic cell death in the human leukemia cell line (HL60) at low doses and necrosis at higher concentrations. Cells treated with Pu18 and light under apoptotic conditions exhibited DNA laddering and an increase in both cellular content of subdiploid DNA and externalization of phosphatidylserine (PS), indicating DNA fragmentation and loss of membrane phospholipid asymmetry. In the absence of light activation, Pu18 at nanomolar concentrations had no detectable cytotoxic effect. Caspase-3 activity was increased even after 1 h from treatment with low doses of Pu18 and light. The PS exposure and nuclear features of apoptosis were prevented by treatment of cells before illumination with caspase inhibitors benzyloxycarbonyl-Val-Ala-Asp-fluoromethylketone (Z-VAD-FMK) and benzyloxycarbonyl-Asp-Glu-Val-Asp-fluoromethylketone (Z-DEVD-FMK). Conversely, the caspase-1 inhibitor, acetyl-Tyr-Val-Ala-Asp-aldehyde (Ac-YVAD-CHO) failed to suppress the apoptosis. No protective effect of the three caspase inhibitors was observed when the cells were exposed to necrotic concentrations of Pu18 and light. Our results show that caspase-3, but not caspase-1, is involved in the signaling of apoptotic events in PDT with Pu18-induced apoptosis of HL60 cells. Moreover, both the time course of PS exposure and the effect of caspase inhibitors on it indicate that it is regulated in the same manner as DNA fragmentation.
Asunto(s)
Apoptosis/efectos de los fármacos , Fotoquimioterapia , Porfirinas/farmacología , Células HL-60 , Humanos , NecrosisRESUMEN
The cyanomorpholino analogue of antitumor anthracycline doxorubicin possesses an intense potency and differs from the parent compound in cross-resistance and other biological properties. The induction by cyanomorpholinodoxorubicin of both DNA cross-links and strand scission suggests an altered mode of action relative to doxorubicin with a different DNA-interacting capacity. We have co-crystallized 3'-(3-cyano-4-morpholinyl)-3'-desaminodoxorubicin (CMD) with the DNA hexamer d(CGATCG) and have determined the crystal structure at 0.16-nm resolution. The complex crystallizes in the space group P4(1)2(1)2 and is similar to the previously reported anthracycline/DNA structures, with the drug intercalated at the CpG step, forming hydrogen bonds with the guanine residue. The structure reveals that the morpholino moiety has undergone a major rearrangement with loss of the cyano group and opening of the morpholino ring. The compound actually bound to DNA in the complex resembles N-(2-hydroxyethyl)doxorubicin, which was previously identified as a hydrolysis product of CMD. No DNA alkylation has been observed. However, the structure shows that the active site of the morpholino ring, after dissociation of the cyano group, lies in the minor groove in proximity of the A/T base pair. This may indicate that a C/G base pair next to the intercalation site, with NH2 group in the minor groove, is required for DNA alkylation.
Asunto(s)
Doxorrubicina/análogos & derivados , Oligodesoxirribonucleótidos/química , Antibióticos Antineoplásicos , Cristalografía por Rayos X , Aductos de ADN/química , Doxorrubicina/química , Enlace de Hidrógeno , Modelos Moleculares , Conformación Molecular , Estructura MolecularRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Ultraviolet (UV) rays cause depletion of the antioxidant substances contained in the epidermis. This is the rationale for the use of topical antioxidant substances. METHODS: We studied the protective activity against UV radiation of a product based on lycopene and a product containing a mixture of vitamins E and C. Photostimulation was applied with a solar simulator and the cutaneous response was evaluated instrumentally. RESULTS: The lycopene-based product had a much greater protective ability than the product containing the mixture of vitamins. CONCLUSIONS: Lycopene has suitable characteristics to be used successfully in the prevention of cutaneous damage by free radicals. Its antioxidant ability is probably due to its high reductive power.