Adv Exp Med Biol
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Case Reports
Accelerated nodulosis during methotrexate therapy for refractory rheumatoid arthritis. A case report.
Accelerated nodulosis (AN) is a potential complication of methotrexate (MTX) therapy for rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We report on a 62-year old man affected by seropositive RA who developed AN after five months of MTX treatment. MTX-dose reduction was followed by rapid regression of the skin nodules. The Authors describe the typical features of AN and discuss on the pathogenetic mechanisms.
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Comparative Study
Plasma and urinary serotonin and 5-hydroxyindol-3-acetic acid in adults with migraine and tension-type headache.
Each headache can be a complex diagnostic, therapeutic, prognostic and social problem. The pain in the head can be connected with many organic and non-organic causes. ⋯ Based on the data obtained and their correlation with clinical features and in comparison with a control group, the following can be stated: (1) there is involvement of serotonin in migraine and tension-type headache during the attacks, although the positive 5-HT values from plasma were small; (2) urinary 5-HT values in migraine and tension-type headache were normal in comparison to the control group; (3) significantly decreased values of 5-HIAA in urine were found both in migraine and tension-type headache groups. These findings show that catabolism of 5-HT is probably decreased during headache periods; (4) visual aura was found in five out of ten subjects with tension-type headache.
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The molecular mechanisms governing the G protein coupling selectivity of different members of the vasopressin receptor family were studied by using a combined molecular genetic/biochemical approach. While the V1a and V1b vasopressin receptors are selectively linked to G proteins of the Gq/11 class, the V2 vasopressin receptor is preferentially coupled to Gs. Systematic functional analysis of V1a/V2 hybrid receptors showed that the second intracellular loop of the V1a receptor is required and sufficient for efficient coupling to Gq/11, whereas the third intracellular loop of the V2 receptor is required and sufficient for coupling to Gs. ⋯ Following adenovirus infection, arginine vasopressin (AVP) gained the ability to stimulate cAMP formation in all CHO cell clones studied. Adenovirus-mediated gene transfer also proved to be a highly efficient method to achieve expression of the V2-tail fragment (as well as of the wild type V2 vasopressin receptor) in MDCK renal tubular cells. We therefore speculate that the targeted expression of receptor fragments in vivo may represent a novel strategy in the treatment of human diseases caused by inactivating mutations in distinct G protein-coupled receptors.