Carlo Foresta

Circulating endothelial progenitor cells and endothelial function after chronic Tadalafil treatment in subjects with erectile dysfunction

We evaluated the effect of a chronic treatment with Tadalafil on progenitor cells (PCs) number and endothelial function in patients with erectile dysfunction (ED) with or without cardiovascular risk factors. Twenty-six subjects with ED and 23 aged matched controls were studied. All subjects underwent blood tests, International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5), Nocturnal Penile Tumescence Rigidity Monitoring test (NPTRM), brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (FMD) and PCs count. International index of erectile function, FMD and PC count were re-evaluated in all subjects at the end of Tadalafil and placebo treatment. With respect to controls patients had lower basal FMD (P<0.05) and basal PCs (P<0.05). Treatment with Tadalafil determined a significant increase in PCs (P<0.001) and FMD (P<0.001) with respect to basal level. Positive correlation was found between basal FMD and PCs (P<0.05) and between basal FMD and PCs increase after Tadalafil treatment (P<0.05). Tadalafil promotes a mobilization of PCs and improves endothelial function in ED patients.

Localisation of the Y chromosome stature gene to a 700 kb interval in close proximity to the centromere

The sex related height difference in humans is thought to be caused mainly by two components: first, a hormonal component determined by the sex dimorphism of bioactive gonadal steroids, and, second, a genetic component attributed to a Y specific growth gene, GCY .1–3 Despite extensive mapping attempts for this gene on the human Y chromosome,4–7 its precise position remains unknown. We have recently provided evidence that inappropriate cytogenetic methodology in the characterisation of Y chromosomal terminal deletions has led to some of the difficulties in elucidating the GCY critical region. In order to circumvent these problems, we have decided to consider only patients presenting de novo interstitial deletions for GCY analysis on the Y chromosome.8 This approach allows the assignment of GCY to a particular chromosomal interval without excluding the presence of X0 mosaicism and/or i(Yp) and idic(Yq11) chromosomes in patients with terminal deletions. Indeed, the direct comparison of overlapping interstitial deletions in seven adult males with normal height, one male with borderline height, and one patient with short stature resulted in the confirmation of a GCY critical interval between markers DYZ3 and DYS11. This region roughly encompasses 1.6-1.7 Mb of genomic DNA. To improve the resolution in the region of interest close to the centromere, we established additional new STS markers specific for this part of the chromosome using our bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC)/P1 derived artificial chromosome (PAC) contig. Molecular deletion analysis using these new Y chromosomal STSs allowed us to exclude almost all of the Y chromosomal long arm as the putative location of the GCY growth gene and to narrow down the critical interval to a genomic region of 700 kb.nn### Selection of patientsnnAll nine patients are sterile and have deletions of either AZFa, AZFb, or AZFc or a combination thereof. They were otherwise …

P175 - Low endothelial progenitor cell numbers in patients with inflammatory bowel disease

This may be interpreted in two different but compatible ways: A positive view, highlighting that infliximab therapy is relatively durable, with the majority of patients predicted to continue infliximab treatment at least during the first year; or a negative view, interpreting that a significant proportion of Crohn’s disease patients more than 10% per patient-year of infliximab treatment on long-term will lose response and will require an increase in dose and/or decrease in infusion interval.