Objectives: To develop and validate a new algorithm to identify patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and estimate disease prevalence using administrative health databases (AHDs) of the Italian Lombardy region. Design: Case-control and cohort diagnostic accuracy study. Methods: In a randomly selected sample of 827 patients drawn from a tertiary rheumatology centre (training set), clinically vali

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune condition with a wide range of manifestations. Among the various targets of the disease, the kidney holds a very important place. In fact, renal involvement is one of the most important and frequent features of the disease, deeply affecting a patient's prognosis and influencing the therapeutic approach. In the last few years, some progress has be

In the last decades a large amount of evidence linked rheumatoid arthritis (RA) to atherosclerosis. In fact, RA patients have an increased risk of cardiovascular events that is not fully explained by other classic cardiovascular risk factors. RA and atherosclerosis may share several common pathomechanisms and inflammation undoubtedly plays a primary role. The proinflammatory cytokines such as tumo

Smooth muscle cell (SMC) proliferation is a key process in stabilization of atherosclerotic plaques, and during restenosis after interventions. A clearer understanding of SMC growth regulation is therefore needed to design specific anti-proliferative therapies. Retinoic acid has been shown to inhibit proliferation of SMCs both in vitro and in vivo and to affect the expression of extracellular matr

Background: Perlecan is a heparan sulfate proteoglycan (HSPG) constituent of the extracellular matrix with roles in cell growth, differentiation, and angiogenesis. The role of the HS side chains in regulating invivo angiogenesis after hind-limb ischemia is unknown. Methods: Heparan sulfate (HS)-deficient perlecan (Hspg2 δ3/δ3 ) mice (n= 35), containing normal perlecan core protein but deficient i

The pathophysiology of congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) is constituted by pulmonary hypoplasia and pulmonary hypertension (PH). We previously reported successful treatment with imatinib of a patient with CDH. This study examines the effect of antenatal imatinib administration on the pulmonary vasculature in a rat model of CDH. Pregnant rats were given nitrofen to induce CDH. Controls were giv

Heparan sulfate (HS) has been proposed to be antiatherogenic through inhibition of lipoprotein retention, inflammation, and smooth muscle cell proliferation. Perlecan is the predominant HS proteoglycan in the artery wall. Here, we investigated the role of perlecan HS chains using apoE null (ApoE0) mice that were cross-bred with mice expressing HS-deficient perlecan (Hspg2 Δ3/Δ3). Morphometry of cr

Heparan sulfate in the extracellular matrix of the artery wall has been proposed to possess anti-atherogenic properties by interfering with lipoprotein retention, suppression of inflammation, and inhibition of smooth muscle cell growth. Previously, the amount of heparan sulfate in atherosclerotic lesions from humans and animals has been shown to be reduced but the identity or identities of the hep

Smooth muscle cell (SMC) proliferation is a critical process in vascular disease. Heparan sulfate (HS) proteoglycans inhibit SMC growth, but the role of endogenous counterparts in the vessel wall in control of SMC function is not known in detail. Perlecan is the major HS proteoglycans in SMC basement membranes and in vessel wall extracellular matrix (ECM). In this study, transgenic mice with HS-de

The effect of neurotrophic factors on neuropeptide Y (NPY) expression was studied in adult rat dispersed dorsal root ganglion (DRG) cultures. Nerve growth factor (NGF), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), acidic fibroblast growth factor (aFGF) or basic FGF was included in the culture medium during incubation for 72 h. In untreated cultures, around 18% of all neurones (visualized by antibodie

Heparin is a well established growth inhibitor of arterial smooth muscle cells (SMCs) both in animal models and in vitro. Even though the cellular mechanisms involved in the anti-proliferative properties of heparin are being resolved, the structural requirements for the biological effects of heparin are not known in detail. Here, we have studied the effect of chemically modified heparins of differ

Smooth muscle cell proliferation after arterial injury is regulated by growth factors and components of the extracellular matrix. We have previously demonstrated that fibronectin promotes a phenotypic modulation of freshly isolated rat smooth muscle cells from a contractile to a synthetic phenotype in primary culture and supports the ability of the cells to respond to growth factors. Here, we ana

In atherogenesis and in response to vessel injury, arterial smooth muscle cells (SMCs) are activated from a quiescent, differentiated state into an actively proliferating and synthetic phenotype which migrate into the intima where the cells participate in the formation of a fibrous plaque or intimal hyperplasia. The mechanisms involved in the control of SMC function are not clear and no preventive

Smooth muscle cell migration, proliferation, and deposition of extracellular matrix are key events in atherogenesis and restenosis development. To explore the mechanisms that regulate smooth muscle cell function, we have investigated whether perlecan, a basement membrane heparan sulfate proteoglycan, modulates interaction between smooth muscle cells and other matrix components. A combined substra

Background: Enhancer of zeste 2 (EZH2) promotes prostate cancer progression. We hypothesized that increased EZH2 expression is associated with postradiotherapy metastatic disease recurrence, and may promote radioresistance. Methods: EZH2 expression was investigated using immunohistochemistry in diagnostic prostate biopsies of 113 prostate cancer patients treated with radiotherapy with curative int

AIM: Our aim was to investigate the effects of timing of cord clamping on the risk of hyperbilirubinaemia.METHODS: We recruited 540 normal vaginal deliveries at the Paropakar Maternity and Women's Hospital in Kathmandu, Nepal, from 2 October to 21 November 2014. They were randomised into two groups: 257/270 were cord clamped within 60 seconds and 209/270 after 180 seconds. Transcutaneous bilirubin

The defective generation or function of regulatory T (T reg) cells in autoimmune disease contributes to chronic inflammation and tissue injury. We report the identification of FoxA1 as a transcription factor in T cells that, after ectopic expression, confers suppressive properties in a newly identified T reg cell population, herein called FoxA1 + T reg cells. FoxA1 bound to the Pdl1 promoter, indu