Predictive Role of Immune Checkpoints in COPD Evolution Towards Lung Cancer
The aim of this study is to investigate the mechanisms underlying the complex interaction between Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lung cancer. Therefore, in order to identify a possible role of immune checkpoints not only in the susceptibility to COPD development but also in its evolution towards lung cancer, will be evaluate the correlation between PD-L1 expression and cigarette smoke exposure in COPD patients. Although there are many epidemiological studies highlighting the interconnections between COPD and lung cancer and the influence of cigarette smoke, the molecular bases of this association are less well defined. Initially they were thought to be driven just by innate inflammation, however, recent studies have also demonstrated the influence of the adaptive immune system. Despite this, the role of immune checkpoints in chronic lung inflammatory diseases such as COPD is less well understood. COPD is currently the 4th leading cause of death worldwide but is assessed to be the 3rd by the end of 2020 resulting in an economic and social burden that is in continuous progression.
The GINA 2020 guidelines suggest that asthma affects approximately 300 million persons worldwide. Even if there is a specific drug treatment for each stage of disease (From mild to severe) in some patients it is not efficacy and it culd be reated to the gender difference Polymorphisms seems to be involved in asthma (allergic or not) even if no data have been published concerning the role of gender in this clinical manifestation. The aim of this study is to assess whether genetic variations involved in the genes encoding the two key leukotriene enzymes, ALOX5 and LTC4S, and CysLTR1 are implicated in the sex difference of allergic asthma in a well-characterized patient cohort.
Efficacy and Safety of Hyperimmune Plasma Treatment in Patients With COVID-19 Severe Infection
Passive immunotherapy through plasma infusion of convalescent subjects - convalescent plasma - or "hyperimmune" plasma was one of the most widespread and effective anti-infective treatments in the pre-antibiotic era and one of the founding pillars of immunology, and has also been used during the SARS (2002-2003) and Ebola (2014-2016) viral epidemy for which there were no alternative immunoprophylactic or therapeutic interventions. To date, there are not proven etiological therapies for SARS-CoV-2 infection, the agent responsible for the disease called Covid-19. Among those subjected to clinical studies during the current epidemic in China, hyperimmune plasma appears to be one of the most rational and promising. The objective of this study will be to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the hyperimmune plasma administered add-on to the anti-Covid-19 treatment (standard therapy) according to clinical practice in patients with severe Covid-19 infection, compared to patients with severe Covid-19 infection treated only with standard therapy.