Patrizia Teofoli
University of Siena
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Featured researches published by Patrizia Teofoli.
Journal of Dermatological Science | 1999
Patrizia Teofoli; S. Barduagni; M. Ribuffo; A Campanella; O. De Pità; Pietro Puddu
Keloids and hypertrophic scars represent a model of altered wound healing characterized by overproduction of extracellular matrix and dermal fibroblasts with high mitotic rate. Alteration of apoptosis and cell proliferation has been implicated in the etiology of keloids. The bcl-2 protooncogene encodes a protein that protects cells from programmed cell death while p53 protein functions as negative regulator of cell proliferation. Both protooncogenes have been shown to play a role in tissue homeostasis as apoptotic regulatory genes. The c-jun and c-fos protooncogenes are transactivating factors also involved in fibroblast proliferation. In our study we investigated, by immunohistochemistry, skin specimens from three clinically active hypertrophic scars and keloids, two resting keloids and two early phase morphea to detect both bcl-2 and p53 protein expression, in order to evaluate these apoptotic regulatory genes in different fibrotic conditions. The c-jun and c-fos, at protein and mRNA level, and Ki67 nuclear antigen expression were also investigated. In hypertrophic scars and active keloids we could detect intense Bcl-2 staining in basal keratinocytes and in scattered fibroblast-like and perivascular spindle-shaped cells, while no p53 expression could be demonstrated. The c-jun and c-fos mRNA and protein expression was mainly found in dermal fibroblast-like cells and elongated perivascular cells in all skin biopsies, and similar immunostaining pattern was observed for Ki67 antigen. No protooncogene expression in morphea patients and normal skin, unless Bcl-2 staining in the basal layer of normal epidermis, was documented. Our results suggest that Bcl-2, c-jun and c-fos protein expression and lack of p53 detection in fibroblast-like and perivascular spindle cells are related to increased fibroblast proliferation, confirmed by Ki67 positivity, probably due to alteration of these regulatory apoptotic genes resulting in pathological scarring.
Current Drug Targets - Inflammation & Allergy | 2003
Paolo Amerio; Alessandra Frezzolini; Claudio Feliciani; Roberto Verdolini; Patrizia Teofoli; Ornella De Pità; Pietro Puddu
Cell migration is mediated by a group of chemotactic cytokines called chemokines: low molecular weight molecules that have been shown as important leukocyte chemical attractants to sites of inflammation and infection. Eotaxin-1, also called CCL11, was first described in 1994, as a highly specific eosinophils chemokine. Many cell types including lymphocytes, macrophages, bronchial smooth muscle cells, endothelial cells and eosinophils, are able to produce this chemokine, predominantly after cytokine stimulation, however little is known about its expression in human skin in vivo. Eotaxin-1 also regulates the chemiotaxis and, in some conditions, activation of basophils, mast cells and T lymphocytes. Chemokine receptors are named from their ligand families, thus the CC chemokine eotaxin-1 binds to the CCR3 receptor which is expressed on eosinophis, mast cells, Th2 type lymphocytes and even on keratinocytes. It seems that eotaxin-1 is one of the most important cytokines involved in tissue inflammation playing a central role in the pathogenesis of allergic airway diseases (asthma and rhinitis), in inflammatory bowel disease and gastrointestinal allergic hypersensitivity and recently it has been proposed as a therapeutical target for these conditions. Our group has studied the role of eotaxin-1 in the pathogenesis of two skin conditions: dermatitis herpetiformis and AIDS-associated eosinophilic folliculitis, demonstrating that this chemokine, together with Th2 type cytokines (IL-13 and IL-4) is important in cell recruitment, inflammation and tissue damage; moreover eotaxin has proven to paly an important role in other skin conditions such as, bullous pemphigoid, pemphigoid gestationis, atopic dermatitis and allergic drug reactions Recent advances in the understanding of eotaxin-1-mediated mechanisms of chemotaxis in allergic and inflammatory conditions may predict that therapeutic antagonism is achievable. This paper will focus on the role that eotaxin and its receptor play in the pathogenetical mechanism in a number of dermatologic diseases, some of which, like atopic dermatitis, may benefit from the introduction of novel and more selective therapeutic options.
Allergy | 2006
A. Frezzolini; Alessia Provini; Patrizia Teofoli; Debora Pomponi; O. De Pità
Background: Functional autoantibodies against the α‐chain of the high‐affinity IgE receptor (FcɛRIα) identify a subset of patients with chronic urticaria (CU) due to autoreactivity, as assessed by an in vivo positive response to autologous serum skin test (ASST). We performed a study to standardize the serum‐induced basophil activation assay by flow cytometry (FCM) using a new tricolour method, assessing the diagnostic performance of this test in discriminating between ASST+ and ASST− CU patients.
Archives of Dermatological Research | 1997
O. De Pitá; A. Frezzolini; Giuseppe Cianchini; M. Ruffelli; Patrizia Teofoli; Pietro Puddu
Abstract Bullous pemphigoid (BP) is an autoimmune blistering skin disease in which autoantibodies are directed against hemidesmosomal proteins of basal keratinocytes. The presence of activated T helper cells in lesions and peripheral blood of BP patients, the eosinophilia, the high levels of serum IgE, eosinophil cationic protein and soluble immune products such as IL-2, sIL-2R, IL-5, soluble CD23 (sCD23) strongly suggest the involvement of a cell-mediated immune reaction in which Th2 lymphocytes could play a pivotal role. To seek evidence to support this hypothesis we evaluated serum levels of IL-4 and sCD30, a specific activation marker of cells able to produce Th2-like cytokines, in 25 patients affected with BP. Serum from both healthy donors and pemphigus vulgaris (PV) patients were used as controls. Our results demonstrated significantly higher levels of IL-4 and sCD30 in patients with BP in relation to both normal individuals (16.6 ± 7.9 vs 4.5 ± 2.2 pg/ml, P < 0.0001; 30.3 ± 10 vs 10.5 ± 4 U/ml, P < 0.0001) and PV patients (6.2 ± 4 pg/ml, P < 0.0001; 16 ± 8.5 U/ml, P < 0.0001). Furthermore, a positive correlation between IL-4 and sCD30 was found ( R = 0.85, P < 0.0001). In a subset of seven patients observed after systemic immunosuppressive therapy, we detected a significant reduction in sCD30 serum levels (36.9 ± 7.3 vs 16.3 ± 6.8 U/ml, P = 0.002), with a parallel improvement in their clinical condition. These results seem to be consistent with the systemic involvement of Th2 lymphocytes in the pathogenesis of BP and suggest a role for sCD30 as a serological marker of disease activity.
International Journal of Dermatology | 1993
Torello Lotti; Dionigi Tsampau; Patrizia Teofoli; Maurizio Benci; Ilaria Ghersetich; Michael Dahm; Pietro Cappugi; Emiliano Panconesi
During a 4 year period, we observed three patients, aged 74, 47, and 55, with an average 12‐year history of chronic itching and prickling skin discomfort. The dorsal and paimar surface of the hands and feet were involved without observable cutaneous lesions. We followed the patients for 1.5 years in our department. None of the subjects was dermographic, had personal or family history of atopy, or took drugs. The symptoms were not related to the degree of skin dryness, serum IgE levels, exercise, neoplasias, or high environmental temperature and low humidity caused by central heating or seasonal variations. No neurologic alterations were observed in a complete neurologic examination. Emotional upset did not induce symptoms. Upon psychiatric evaluation, the patients showed no alterations in their personality profile. Water exposure did not modify the symptoms. The wheals and pruritus induced by the intradermal injection of 1:10,000 histamine phosphate did not differ from those in three controls1 Immersion of one hand and foot for 5 days per week for 2 weeks in water at different temperatures (0–45°C) for varying lengths of time and the administration of one minimum erythemal dose of ultraviolet light (280–340 nm) to the controlateral part of the body three times per week for 3 weeks both failed to reduce the severity of the discomfort. Biopsy specimens were taken from the symptomatic skin of the three subjects and from three controls. The specimens were routinely stained with hematoxylineosin for mast cells, elastic fibers, and glycosaminoglycans. There were no significant differences between the two groups. Cutaneous fibrinolytic activity, which is due to the release of cutaneous plasminogen activators, was similar in both groups.2 Direct immuno‐fluorescence staining (dif) for neuropeptides substance P (sp) (Fig. 1), vasointestinal polypeptide (vip), and calcitonin gene related peptide (CGRP) showed an increased number of pep‐tidergic fibers in affected skin. After 2 weeks of three times daily application of 0.25% capsaicin in cold cream (8‐methyl‐N‐ vanillyl‐6‐nonenamide, known to interfere with the storage and release of neuropeptides), the symptoms disappeared completely, and neuropetidergic fibers were no longer de‐tectable in the skin, as shown by dif.
Skin Pharmacology and Physiology | 1997
Patrizia Teofoli; Ornella De Pità; Torello M. Lottia
Cyclosporin A (CyA), a fungal metabolite with potent immunosuppressive activity and an antiproliferative effect on epithelial cells, i.e. normal and transformed keratinocytes, is currently proposed in the treatment of psoriasis, where its use is limited mainly by possible nephrotoxicity and/or hepatotoxicity. Numerous analogs of CyA have been produced and studied. The most promising of these is the immunosuppressive analog cyclosporin G (CyG), in which norvaline is substituted for alpha-aminobutyric acid at the 2 position. This would maintain strong immunological activity, with reduced to absent nephrotoxic and hepatotoxic effects. The authors compared the antiproliferative effect of CyG and CyA on the epidermoid carcinoma cell line A431 in vitro, performing the MTT-microculture tetrazolium colorimetric assay based on the ability of viable cells to reduce the MTT compound to a blue formazan product. Subconfluent A431 cells were incubated with CyA or CyG or solvent only, for 24, 48, 72 or 96 h at concentrations of in vivo relevance (0.3, 0.6, 1.25, 2.5, 5, 7.5, 10 micrograms/ml). CyA and CyG showed similar antiproliferative effects, in low-serum-containing media in a dose- and time-dependent manner. After 24 h of incubation, the inhibition of the growth rate was irrelevant. A striking inhibition of the growth rate at the higher concentrations of the drugs (7.5 and 10 micrograms/ml) at 72 and 96 h of incubation was evident. Therefore CyG has been demonstrated to exercise an antiproliferative effect on the A431 cell line. These data suggest possible use for CyG in the treatment of immune-mediated disease, particularly in the treatment of dermatologic diseases characterized by epidermal hyperplasia and/or keratinocyte hyperproliferation.
Journal of Investigative Dermatology | 2002
Eleonora Candi; Sergio Oddi; Andrea Paradisi; Alessandro Terrinoni; Marco Ranalli; Patrizia Teofoli; Gennaro Citro; Silvia Scarpato; Pietro Puddu; Gerry Melino
European Journal of Dermatology | 2002
Alessandra Frezzolini; Patrizia Teofoli; Giuseppe Cianchini; Silvia Barduagni; M. Ruffelli; G. Ferranti; Pietro Puddu; Ornella De Pità
European Journal of Dermatology | 2002
Paolo Amerio; C. R. Girardelli; Gianluca Proietto; Pietro Forleo; Luca Cerritelli; Claudio Feliciani; L. Colonna; Patrizia Teofoli; Pierluigi Amerio; Pietro Puddu; Damiano Abeni
European Journal of Dermatology | 2002
Patrizia Teofoli; Claudio Barbieri; Sabatino Pallotta; G. Ferranti; Pietro Puddu