Antigen location contributes to the pathological features of a transplanted heart graft

Organ-specific injury after transplantation presents with a variety of clinical and pathological phenotypes, yet the factors influencing development of each outcome are poorly understood. Because primed T lymphocytes must re-encounter their antigen within the target organ to engage effector functions, we postulated that the cellular location of antigen within that organ could significantly impact the induced pathology. We challenged female Marilyn CD4 T-cell receptor transgenic mice, in which all T cells are specific for the male minor transplantation antigen, with male heart transplants expressing the relevant peptide: major histocompatibility complex on either graft parenchymal/vascular cells or alternatively, on graft-infiltrating mononuclear cells. The two different graft donors led to equivalent activation of recipient T cells as assessed by frequency, cell surface marker expression, cytokine production, and the ability to traffic to the graft. Nonetheless, if the target antigen was expressed on graft vascular and/or parenchymal cells, the outcome was acute graft destruction. In contrast, if the antigen was expressed only on graft-infiltrating mononuclear cells the same effector T-cell repertoire caused chronic rejection and vasculopathy. This unique result, that target antigen location can influence pathological outcome, has significant implications for understanding the pathogenesis of chronic allograft injury in humans.     

Susceptibilities of Mycobacterium tuberculosis to isoniazid and rifampin on blood agar

In this study, blood agar was used instead of 7H10 agar for the susceptibility testing of 34 clinical isolates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis to isoniazid (INH) and rifampin (RIF) in accordance with the NCCLS. The BACTEC 460 TB system (Becton Dickinson, Sparks, Md.) was used as a "gold standard." Results for both media were in agreement for RIF and INH at 100 and 94.1%, respectively. For INH, the specificity, sensitivity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value were found to be 71.4, 100, 93.1, and 100%, respectively, while these values were 100% for RIF. In addition, the results of the susceptibility test performed with blood agar were obtained on day 14 of incubation. In conclusion, results were obtained much earlier with blood agar (2 weeks) than with 7H10 agar (3 weeks), and the results of this study suggest that blood agar may be used as an alternative medium for the susceptibility testing of M. tuberculosis to INH and RIF.     

The prevalence of hereditary thrombophilia in the Trakya region of Turkey

The prevalences of deficiencies in antithrombin III (AT III), protein C (PC), protein S (PS) and in the activated protein C (APC) resistance in the thrombotic population of the Trakya region, Turkey were investigated. 37 patients with venous thrombosis (VT) and 17 patients with arterial thrombosis (ArT) were included in this study. The mean ages of the patients with VT and ArT were 46 years (range 20-70) and 38 years (range 32-40), respectively. The activity of AT III was measured by commercially available immuno-turbidimetric assay. The activities of PC and PS were determined by coagulometric assay. The APC resistance was measured using a modified APTT-based clotting assay. Among the VT patients, there were 2 cases (5.4%) with AT III, 5 (13.51%) with PC deficiency, 5 (13.51%) with PS deficiency and 2 (5.4%) with APC resistance. In the ArT patient group, there was 1 patient (5.88%) with AT III, 3 (17.64%) with PC deficiency, 1 (5.88%) with PS deficiency and no APC resistant patients, while there was one (2.08%) with PC deficiency and one (2.08%) with APC resistance in the control group (49 persons, mean age 41 years). The relative risk of thrombosis (odds ratio) was 1.7 in the deficiency of PC and 5.6 in the deficiency of PS. The data presented suggests that the prevalences of AT III, PC and PS deficiencies causing thrombophilia in the Trakya region of Turkey are higher than in other reported studies while the APC resistance is lower than in others. Further studies including more patients would be required to clarify these discrepancies.     

Effects of green tea polyphenols on murine transplant-reactive T cell immunity

Green tea polyphenols (GrTP), the active ingredient of green tea, may have immunosuppressive properties, but whether and how GrTP affect transplant-reactive T cells is unknown. To address this, we tested the effects of GrTP on in vitro and in vivo transplant-reactive T cell immunity. GrTP inhibited IFNgamma secretion by cultured monoclonal T cells and by alloreactive T cells in mixed lymphocyte reactions. Oral GrTP significantly prolonged minor antigen-disparate skin graft survival and decreased the frequency of donor-reactive interferon gamma-producing T cells in recipient secondary lymphoid organs compared to controls. In contrast to other hypothesized actions, oral GrTP did not alter dendritic cell trafficking to lymph nodes or affect metalloproteinase activity in the graft. This is the first report of an immunosuppressive effect of GrTP on transplant-reactive T cell immunity. The results suggest that oral intake of green tea could act as an adjunctive therapy for prevention of transplant rejection in humans.     

Impact of anxiety,stress and depression related to COVID-19 pandemic on the course of hereditary angioedema with C1-inhibitor deficiency

Background

Hereditary angioedema (HAE) attacks can be provoked with psychological factors. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of anxiety, depression and stress related to COVID-19 pandemic on disease activity of HAE patients during the quarantine period (QP) and the return to normal period (RTNP).

Methods

This study was conducted between March 2020 and September 2020 in four allergy centres. Demographic, clinical features and mental health status were evaluated in QP (from March to the beginning of June) and RTNP (from June to the beginning of September) applied by the government. The 10-point visual analogue scale (VAS10) was used to define the severity of HAE attacks. Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scales-21 (DASS-21) and Fear of COVID-19 (FC-19) scale were performed to assess mental health status.

Results

139 HAE patients were included in the study. In QP, median attack numbers and median VAS10 scores were 5 (min-max: 0–45) and 6 (min-max: 0–10), respectively. HAE attack numbers, DASS-21 stress, anxiety, depression and total DASS-21 scores, and FC-19 scores were higher in QP than RTNP (p = 0.001, p < 0.001, p = 0.001, p < 0.001, p < 0.001, p < 0.001, respectively). However, there was no difference in attack severity scores between the two periods (p > 0.05).

Conclusions

This study revealed that the restriction measures during COVID-19 outbreak cause an increase in the number of HAE attacks in relation to anxiety, depression, stress and fear of COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, it is important to provide psychological support to HAE patients during the pandemic.

     

Morphological changes in mesothelial cells induced by shed menstrual endometrium in vitro are not primarily due to apoptosis or necrosis

In a previous study on the pathogenesis of endometriosis, we observed that constituents of menstrual effluent induce morphological alterations in human mesothelial cells. In this study, we investigated whether these alterations were associated with apoptosis or necrosis or were the result of cellular remodelling. After overnight incubation of confluent monolayers of human omental mesothelial cells (HOMEC) with conditioned media prepared from menstrual effluent shed anterogradely, severe alterations in morphology were observed. Typical polygonal mesothelial cell cultures at confluency acquired elongated spindle morphology, resulting in gaps between the cells. In contrast, mesothelial cells from the control groups receiving culture medium only, retained a normal morphology. Immunofluorescence staining revealed that cytokeratin, vimentin and actin filaments were still present, homogeneously distributed in the cell cytoplasm following changes in morphology. To evaluate whether the morphological alterations were associated with apoptosis and/or necrosis, the cells were stained with the M30 CytoDeath antibody or annexin V with propidium iodide and analysed using flow cytometry. The results showed that only a small percentage (1-7%) of the affected HOMEC were undergoing apoptosis or necrosis. We conclude that the profoundly altered morphology of HOMEC is a result of cellular remodelling and that the role of apoptosis and necrosis is negligible. Soluble paracrine factors released by cells isolated from menstrual effluent shed anterogradely may induce a reorganization of the cytoskeleton. As a result, the underlying basement membrane will be exposed and the mesothelium may no longer prevent implantation of endometrium shed retrogradely into the peritoneum, thus facilitating the development of endometriosis.     

Suicide attempts and risk factors among children and adolescents

The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of suicide attempts, and to identify the risk factors for suicide attempts in Turkish children and adolescents between the ages 10 and 20 years. Multi-step, stratified, cluster sampling was used. A stratified sample of 4256 students was selected as representative of the city's school children population. Data was obtained with a pair of structured questionnaires designed to evaluate the presence and risk factors of suicide attempts, both in the children and adolescents and their parents. These questionnaires investigated family environment, subject characteristics, and various risk factors for suicide attempts. Child Beck Depression Inventory (CBDI) was administered to all children and adolescents. After the data quality control process, the study sample was reduced to 4143 children and adolescents. Children and adolescents were divided two groups according to the experience or non-experience of suicide attempts: group 1 (n=80) and group 2 (n=4063), respectively. Three categories of independent variables were assessed: adolescent, family, and socioeconomic characteristics. Logistic regression models were based on the children and adolescents and on parent reports. The prevalence of suicide attempts as reported by the children and adolescents was 1.93% (n=80).The mean age of group 1 was higher than that of group 2 (p=0.002, t=-3.172), as was the mean score of CBDI (p=0.000, t=-9.083). Logistic regression analysis indicated that having problems with parents, using illicit drugs, and psychiatric problems in relatives best predicted suicide attempts in Turkish children and adolescents.     

Kidney biopsy in the elderly: diagnostic adequacy and yield

International Urology and Nephrology - The number of kidney biopsies (KB) performed in elderly patients has been increasing. Safety and usefulness of elderly KB have been well established, whereas...     

The effects of vitamin B12, vitamin D,ferritin level,neutrophil/monocyte ratio and some blood parameters on genital warts presence,the number of lesions,and recurrence rates

The relationships between cancer caused by HPV and some vitamins, as well as leucocytes and their ratios, have been investigated in the literature. Our aim is to evaluate these relationships at the level of genital wart in terms of the investigated parameters and lesion numbers. Data were obtained from 98 and 94 patients for groups one and two, including warts patients and healthy people respectively. The Neutrophil/Monocyte ratio and lesion numbers in the warts patients were reported and analysed in terms of vitamin B12 and D, ferritin and leucocytes. A correlation was established between lesion numbers, age and midcorpuscular volume (p <0.05). There was no correlation between lesion numbers and recurrence. According to the comparative analysis, there were differences in terms of ferritin, neutrophil, monocyte, haemoglobin, midcorpuscular volume and neutrophil/monocyte ratio between groups. The cut-off values for neutrophil, monocyte and N/M ratios were 56.45, 4.91 and 7.825 respectively. While our study showed that wart development may be affected by blood ferritin levels and in this situation, midcorpuscular volume, neutrophil, monocyte and N/M ratios may change, a relation was found between lesion numbers and age and mean midcorpsucular volume values only. However, further studies are needed to clarify this issue.     

Determination of oxidative stress parameters and DNA fragmentation on post-thawed buck semen in the presence of ram seminal plasma and fetal calf serum

The aim of the study was to investigate the efficiency of ram seminal plasma and fetal calf serum on freezing of buck semen. Twenty ejaculates were collected using an electro-ejaculator and split into six groups. While FCS additive was not used in A1, A2 and A3 groups, 10% FCS was added to B1, B2 and B3 groups. These groups were then edited according to whether the buck or ram SP was involved. The design of the groups was done as follows: Group A1 (control 1), group A2 without buck SP, group A3 containing ram SP instead of buck SP. Groups B1 (control 2), B2 and B3 were the FCS added forms of these groups. Progressive sperm motility percentages in Group A1 and Group B2 were found to be higher when compared to the lowest Group B3. There were no significant differences between the groups in neither the levels of reactive oxygen species nor the enzyme and glutathione activities. In conclusion, the lack of statistical difference between the groups suggested that despite the supplements used but only when the buck spermatozoa structure was healthy, the cell could preserve acrosome, DNA and the integrity of membrane.