Papers by George Kontakis
Blood
Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) are myeloid cells with immunoregulatory properties chara... more Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) are myeloid cells with immunoregulatory properties characterized mainly by suppression of T-cell responses (Bizymi et al, HemaSphere 2019). They are divided in HLA-DRlow/-/CD11b+/CD33+/CD15+ polymorphonuclear (PMN-MDSCs) and HLA-DRlow/-/CD11b+/CD33+/CD14+ monocytic (M-MDSCs) subsets and they are implicated in inflammatory and malignant diseases. Chronic idiopathic neutropenia (CIN), is a (usually benign) neutrophil disorder characterized by persistent and unexplained neutropenia following a detailed clinical/laboratory investigation including anti-neutrophil antibody testing, bone marrow (BM) biopsy and karyotype (Dale & Bolyard, Curr Opin Hematol 2017). Previous studies have shown that neutropenia in CIN is associated with increased apoptosis of BM granulocytic progenitor cells due to an inflammatory BM microenvironment consisting of oligoclonal T-lymphocytes, proinflammatory monocytes and proapoptotic cytokines. The aim of the present study...
Two cases of spinal cord tumours (one schwannoma and one ependymoma) of the lumbar spine are repo... more Two cases of spinal cord tumours (one schwannoma and one ependymoma) of the lumbar spine are reported. The treatment with radical excision and posterolateral fusion, along with adjuvant radiation therapy in the case with ependymoma was successful, with follow-up of six and seven years respectively. A literature review is presented, and a possible presentation with low back pain is analysed.
Leukemia & Lymphoma
Previous studies have shown that bone marrow mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (BM-MSCs) are involve... more Previous studies have shown that bone marrow mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (BM-MSCs) are involved in the pathogenesis and disease progression of some B-cell lymphomas, including chronic lymphocyti...
Hormones
Family B of G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) and their ligands play a central role in a number... more Family B of G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) and their ligands play a central role in a number of homeostatic mechanisms in the endocrine, gastrointestinal, skeletal, immune, cardiovascular and central nervous systems. Alterations in family B GPCRregulated homeostatic mechanisms may cause a variety of potentially life-threatening conditions, signifying the necessity to develop novel ligands targeting these receptors. Obtaining structural and functional information on family B GPCRs will accelerate the development of novel drugs to target these receptors. Family B GPCRs are proteins that span the plasma membrane seven times, thus forming seven transmembrane domains (TM1-TM7) which are connected to each other by three extracellular (EL) and three intracellular (IL) loops. In addition, these receptors have a long extracellular N-domain and an intracellular C-tail. The upper parts of the TMs and ELs form the J-domain of receptors. The C-terminal region of peptides first binds to the Ndomain of receptors. This 'first-step' interaction orients the N-terminal region of peptides towards the J-domain of receptors, thus resulting in a 'second-step' of ligand-receptor interaction that activates the receptor. Activation-associated structural changes of receptors are transmitted through TMs to their intracellular regions and are responsible for their interaction with the G proteins and activation of the latter, thus resulting in a biological effect. This review summarizes the current information regarding the structure and function of family B GPCRs and their physiological and pathophysiological roles.
Stem Cell Research & Therapy
Background: In view of the current interest in exploring the clinical use of mesenchymal stem cel... more Background: In view of the current interest in exploring the clinical use of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) from different sources, we performed a side-by-side comparison of the biological properties of MSCs isolated from the Wharton's jelly (WJ), the most abundant MSC source in umbilical cord, with bone marrow (BM)-MSCs, the most extensively studied MSC population.
Foot & Ankle Specialist, 2016
Calcaneal fractures are complex injuries with high complication rates and they can lead to seriou... more Calcaneal fractures are complex injuries with high complication rates and they can lead to serious disability. The proper management remains controversial and complications may occur regardless of the chosen type of treatment (operative or nonoperative). The present article reviews the studies that are related to the complications of calcaneal fractures. The incidence, the diagnosis, the prevention and the treatment of these complications were researched and analyzed, with the use of PubMed database, abstracts and original articles in English than investigate the etiology. The aim of the article is to discuss the most suitable management of the complications of calcaneal fractures and recommend a specific treatment as well as prevention methods. Levels of Evidence: Level IV
Acta Orthopaedica Belgica, Sep 1, 2008
Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research, 2009
Acta orthopaedica Belgica
The majority of acromioclavicular joint cysts are the manifestation of underlying pathology of th... more The majority of acromioclavicular joint cysts are the manifestation of underlying pathology of the rotator cuff. A chronic rotator cuff tear should be the first option in differential diagnosis, when facing such a condition, although this is not always the case. A case of a 67-year-old male patient, who abruptly developed a painless lump over his right acromioclavicular joint, is presented. Imaging studies were diagnostic for a cystic lesion, and degeneration of the acromioclavicular joint without communication with the subdeltoid bursa and the glenohumeral joint. The rotator cuff was intact. Surgical treatment, with cyst removal and resection of the distal end of the clavicle, was performed. The lesion was proved to be a synovial cyst. Eighteen months postoperatively, the patient was asymptomatic and no recurrence of the cyst was evident.
Acta orthopaedica Belgica
Acta orthopaedica Belgica, 2008
Two cases of spinal cord tumours (one schwannoma and one ependymoma) of the lumbar spine are repo... more Two cases of spinal cord tumours (one schwannoma and one ependymoma) of the lumbar spine are reported. The treatment with radical excision and posterolateral fusion, along with adjuvant radiation therapy in the case with ependymoma was successful, with follow-up of six and seven years respectively. A literature review is presented, and a possible presentation with low back pain is analysed.
Minerva medica, 2011
Posttraumatic arthritis primarily affects younger individuals, leading to reduced physical activi... more Posttraumatic arthritis primarily affects younger individuals, leading to reduced physical activity, chronic pain, and prolonged symptomatic treatments. The management of post-traumatic arthritis after fracture, dislocation or ligament rupture continues to be one of the most challenging clinical entities in orthopaedic and trauma surgery. Therapies to address early symptoms include anti-inflammatory agents, pain killers, corticosteroid or hyaluronic acid joint injections but these offer only temporary pain relief with hardly any mid or long term benefit. There are many surgical options for the treatment of posttraumatic arthritis. For the early stages, arthroscopic debridement should be considered. At late stages, corrective osteotomies or arthrodesis are strongly recommended for the young patients. In older patients arthroplasties remain the treatment of choice.
Acta orthopaedica Belgica, 2008
Galeazzi injury combined with ipsilateral Monteggia lesion is extremely rare. A 45-year-old male ... more Galeazzi injury combined with ipsilateral Monteggia lesion is extremely rare. A 45-year-old male patient with a mistreated Galeazzi lesion combined with an ipsilateral Monteggia fracture at the age of 6 is presented. Thirty-nine years post-injury his elbow was asymptomatic and stable and his distal radioulnar and radiocarpal joints were also asymptomatic. The strength of the limb was equal to the unaffected contralateral upper limb and he was able to work manually as a waiter for the last 20 years without any problem. The only obvious defect was a 30 degrees lack of elbow flexion and a 10 degrees lack of forearm pronation in comparison to the normal side.
Acta orthopaedica Belgica, 2007
The majority of acromioclavicular joint cysts are the manifestation of underlying pathology of th... more The majority of acromioclavicular joint cysts are the manifestation of underlying pathology of the rotator cuff. A chronic rotator cuff tear should be the first option in differential diagnosis, when facing such a condition, although this is not always the case. A case of a 67-year-old male patient, who abruptly developed a painless lump over his right acromioclavicular joint, is presented. Imaging studies were diagnostic for a cystic lesion, and degeneration of the acromioclavicular joint without communication with the subdeltoid bursa and the glenohumeral joint. The rotator cuff was intact. Surgical treatment, with cyst removal and resection of the distal end of the clavicle, was performed. The lesion was proved to be a synovial cyst. Eighteen months postoperatively, the patient was asymptomatic and no recurrence of the cyst was evident.
Orthopedics, 2007
This study measured in vitro the degree of lateral advancement of the subscapularis tendon achiev... more This study measured in vitro the degree of lateral advancement of the subscapularis tendon achieved by circumferential release. Thirty-eight cadaveric shoulders underwent circumferential subscapularis release with anterior capsulotomy. Release was performed in two phases. The first phase consisted of four stages: 1) cutting the capsule parallel to the superior border of the subscapularis tendon to the level of the glenoid; 2) division of the anterior capsule and blunt dissection along the glenoid neck; 3) safe separation of the capsule and muscle inferiorly; and 4) blunt, with a finger, dissection between the conjoined tendon and the subscapularis to the level of the joint line. The second phase was performed by cutting the coracohumeral ligament and the consistently found fibrous band that connects the superior aspect of the subscapularis tendon to the base of the coracoid. After each phase, 3 kg of traction were applied to the muscle and the lateral advancement of the subscapulari...
Acta orthopaedica Belgica, 2007
The applications of bioabsorbable implants in orthopaedic surgery have mainly been mandated from ... more The applications of bioabsorbable implants in orthopaedic surgery have mainly been mandated from the need to eliminate implant removal operations. Although they have not gained widespread popularity among orthopaedic surgeons, they still represent an area of evolution. Considerable effort has been put into developing new bioabsorbable materials with fewer adverse effects. In this article an extensive review of the literature is presented emphasising on basic science and clinical applications of these materials. A review of the types of implants, the materials used, their biochemical properties, their adverse effects and some of the potential future applications is presented.
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Papers by George Kontakis