Ricerc@Sapienza

Diabetes and periodontal disease are both chronic pathological conditions linked by several underlying biological mechanisms, in which the inflammatory response plays a critical role, and their association has been largely recognized. Recently, attention has been given to diabetes as an important mediator of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) overexpression in periodontal tissues, by virtue of its ability to affect microvasculature.

Neuropeptide Y (NPY), a powerful neurotransmitter of the central nervous system, is a key regulator of angiogenesis and biology of adipose depots. Intriguingly, its peripheral vascular and angiogenic powerful activity is strictly associated to platelets, which are source of clinical hemoderivates, such as platelet lysate (PL), routinely employed in several clinical applications as wound healing, and to preserve ex vivo the progenitor properties of the adipose stromal cells pool.

Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a chronic inflammatory cholangiopathy frequently complicated by cholangiocarcinoma (CCA). Massive proliferation of biliary tree stem/progenitor cells (BTSCs), expansion of peribiliary glands (PBGs), and dysplasia were observed in PSC. The aims of the present study were to evaluate the involvement of PBGs and BTSCs in CCA which emerged in PSC patients. Specimens from normal liver (N=5), PSC (N=20), and PSC-associated CCA (N=20) were included. Samples were processed for histology, immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence.

Intravitreal injection (IVT) of antivascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) agents is widely used for the treatment of retinal vascular diseases. Recently, the injection of anti-VEGF agents in the ocular anterior chamber has been proposed for the treatment of neovascular glaucoma and potential side effects on the corneal structures have been investigated with contrasting results. Increasing evidence has demonstrated that VEGF inhibition is associated with cellular apoptotic changes and that this effect may be mediated by alterations in nerve growth factor (NGF) pathway.

Five α-reductase inhibitors (5ARIs) are able to reduce prostate volume and are a useful treatment for reducing perioperative bleeding during prostate surgery. Holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP) is an effective surgical technique for the definitive cure of benign prostate enlargement.We investigated whether pretreatment with dutasteride before HoLEP could reduce intraoperative bleeding. A total of 402 patients were included in this double-blind placebo-controlled trial to receive daily 0.5 mg of dutasteride or placebo over 8 weeks before HoLEP.