Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation, 2015
Our study describes a newly developed mini-array test for the rapid detection of poxviruses in an... more Our study describes a newly developed mini-array test for the rapid detection of poxviruses in animals and humans. The method is based on detection that combines target nucleic acid amplification by polymerase chain reaction and specific hybridization, using enzyme-linked antibodies, allowing identification of zoonotic orthopoxviruses and parapoxviruses in animal and human biological samples. With 100% specificity, the test rules out the possibility of cross-reactions with viral agents causing look-alike diseases. The assay was employed in the field to investigate the causes of several outbreaks of a malignant proliferative skin disease that affected domestic ruminants in Sicily during 2011-2014. Due to specific aspects of the lesions, the animals were clinically diagnosed with papillomatosis. The mini-array test allowed the identification of coinfections caused by more than 1 viral species belonging to the Parapoxvirus and Orthopoxvirus genera, either in goats or in cattle. Our study suggests that the so-called "papillomatosis" can be the result of multiple infections with epitheliotropic viruses, including zoonotic poxviruses that cannot be properly identified with classical diagnostic techniques.
Experimental observations highlight that the administration of 3,5-diiodo-L-thyronine (T2) may de... more Experimental observations highlight that the administration of 3,5-diiodo-L-thyronine (T2) may decrease the body weight and the plasma levels of cholesterol and triglycerides and may prevent the onset of hepatic steatosis in rats fed diets rich in lipids (HFD). On the basis of these findings we have carried out some in vivo studies to evaluate the effects of increased levels of T2 on pituitary thyroid axis function in HFD rats. Fifteeen Wistar male rats were divided in 3 groups. The first group (N) was fed with a standard diet. The second group (G) was fed with a diet high in fat (HDF), while the third group (GT2) was additionally administered intraperitoneally with T2 (70 μg/100g body weight) for 3 days a week up to 4 week. Blood samples from animals were collected and stored at -20°C until 3rd generation and TSH, T3, T4, ACTH, triglycerides, cholesterol, glucose ALT, AST, Alkaline Phosphatase were assayed. Furthermore, rat liver from rats underwent histological examination to assess the degree of steatosis. The administration of T2 (70 μg/100 gr body weight 3 times a week up to 4 weeks suppressed TSH secretion in HDF rats. Unlike observed in the liver of rats from group N and group GT2, the histological examination of the liver from G group rats showed the presence of hepatic steatosis. These preliminary data highlight that the administration of 70μg/100 b.w. of T2 inhibits TSH secretion and prevent the onset of hepatic steatosis in HFD rats.
Triple-negative breast cancers (TNBCs) are clinically aggressive forms associated with a poor pro... more Triple-negative breast cancers (TNBCs) are clinically aggressive forms associated with a poor prognosis. We evaluated the cytotoxic effect exerted on triple-negative MDA-MB231 breast cancer cells both by parthenolide and its soluble analogue dimethylamino parthenolide (DMAPT) and explored the underlying molecular mechanism. The drugs induced a dose- and time-dependent decrement in cell viability, which was not prevented by the caspase inhibitor z-VAD-fmk. In particular in the first hours of treatment (1-3 h), parthenolide and DMAPT strongly stimulated reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. The drugs induced production of superoxide anion by activating NADPH oxidase. ROS generation caused depletion of thiol groups and glutathione, activation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and downregulation of nuclear factor kB (NF-kB). During this first phase, parthenolide and DMAPT also stimulated autophagic process, as suggested by the enhanced expression of beclin-1, the conversion of microt...
Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation, 2015
Our study describes a newly developed mini-array test for the rapid detection of poxviruses in an... more Our study describes a newly developed mini-array test for the rapid detection of poxviruses in animals and humans. The method is based on detection that combines target nucleic acid amplification by polymerase chain reaction and specific hybridization, using enzyme-linked antibodies, allowing identification of zoonotic orthopoxviruses and parapoxviruses in animal and human biological samples. With 100% specificity, the test rules out the possibility of cross-reactions with viral agents causing look-alike diseases. The assay was employed in the field to investigate the causes of several outbreaks of a malignant proliferative skin disease that affected domestic ruminants in Sicily during 2011-2014. Due to specific aspects of the lesions, the animals were clinically diagnosed with papillomatosis. The mini-array test allowed the identification of coinfections caused by more than 1 viral species belonging to the Parapoxvirus and Orthopoxvirus genera, either in goats or in cattle. Our study suggests that the so-called "papillomatosis" can be the result of multiple infections with epitheliotropic viruses, including zoonotic poxviruses that cannot be properly identified with classical diagnostic techniques.
Experimental observations highlight that the administration of 3,5-diiodo-L-thyronine (T2) may de... more Experimental observations highlight that the administration of 3,5-diiodo-L-thyronine (T2) may decrease the body weight and the plasma levels of cholesterol and triglycerides and may prevent the onset of hepatic steatosis in rats fed diets rich in lipids (HFD). On the basis of these findings we have carried out some in vivo studies to evaluate the effects of increased levels of T2 on pituitary thyroid axis function in HFD rats. Fifteeen Wistar male rats were divided in 3 groups. The first group (N) was fed with a standard diet. The second group (G) was fed with a diet high in fat (HDF), while the third group (GT2) was additionally administered intraperitoneally with T2 (70 μg/100g body weight) for 3 days a week up to 4 week. Blood samples from animals were collected and stored at -20°C until 3rd generation and TSH, T3, T4, ACTH, triglycerides, cholesterol, glucose ALT, AST, Alkaline Phosphatase were assayed. Furthermore, rat liver from rats underwent histological examination to assess the degree of steatosis. The administration of T2 (70 μg/100 gr body weight 3 times a week up to 4 weeks suppressed TSH secretion in HDF rats. Unlike observed in the liver of rats from group N and group GT2, the histological examination of the liver from G group rats showed the presence of hepatic steatosis. These preliminary data highlight that the administration of 70μg/100 b.w. of T2 inhibits TSH secretion and prevent the onset of hepatic steatosis in HFD rats.
Triple-negative breast cancers (TNBCs) are clinically aggressive forms associated with a poor pro... more Triple-negative breast cancers (TNBCs) are clinically aggressive forms associated with a poor prognosis. We evaluated the cytotoxic effect exerted on triple-negative MDA-MB231 breast cancer cells both by parthenolide and its soluble analogue dimethylamino parthenolide (DMAPT) and explored the underlying molecular mechanism. The drugs induced a dose- and time-dependent decrement in cell viability, which was not prevented by the caspase inhibitor z-VAD-fmk. In particular in the first hours of treatment (1-3 h), parthenolide and DMAPT strongly stimulated reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. The drugs induced production of superoxide anion by activating NADPH oxidase. ROS generation caused depletion of thiol groups and glutathione, activation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and downregulation of nuclear factor kB (NF-kB). During this first phase, parthenolide and DMAPT also stimulated autophagic process, as suggested by the enhanced expression of beclin-1, the conversion of microt...
Uploads
Papers by R. Puleio