Eosinophils,mast cells,nerves and ganglion cells in appendicitis

Introduction  

Twenty to thirty percent appendices removed from patients with suspected appendicitis appear normal on histology. The cause of pain in these patients is unknown. The presence of eosinophils and mast cells should be looked at skeptically which may explain the cause of pain. The aim was to study the eosinophils, mast cells, nerves and ganglions in normal and inflamed appendices.     

Ultrastructural and cytobiological studies on possible interactions between PTHrP-secreting tumor cells,stromal cells,and bone cells

Parathyroid hormone-related peptide (PTHrP) induces pathological bone resorption in an endocrine manner, resulting in hypercalcemia of malignancy. However, the histopathological aspect of the action of PTHrP secreted by tumor cells on bone resorption has not well been documented. Therefore, we studied cell–cell interactions between bone cells, stromal cells, and PTHrP-secreting tumor cells (EC-GI-10) morphologically. Tumor cells injected subcutaneously into the parietal region formed a tumor mass, invading the bone marrow. The tumor mass was surrounded by a membrane structure consisting of stromal cells. These stromal cells were positive for alkaline phosphatase (ALPase). Tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAPase)-positive osteoclasts were localized close to the ALPase-positive cells, and numerous osteoclasts were observed on the neighboring bone surfaces. PTHrP, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 were detected in the tumor cells. Using RT-PCR, expression of interleukin (IL)-1, IL-1, and PTHrP, which are strong bone resorption factors, was detected in the tumor cells. Some ALPase-positive cells localizing on the neighboring bone surfaces and endothelial cells revealed PTH/PTHrP receptor immunoreactivity. Ultrastructurally, numerous blood vessels were observed between the tumor nests and the stromal cells. The nests were surrounded by a basement membrane, but it was discontinuous, therefore permitting direct contact between the tumor cells and the stromal cells. These results indicate that PTHrP secreted by tumor cells appears to stimulate osteoclast differentiation and bone resorption in a paracrine manner through PTH/PTHrP receptor-immunopositive cells. IL-1, IL-1, VEGF, and MMP-9 may also be involved in facilitating osteoclast formation and the subsequent bone resorption.     

Calcium,cells and bone

Journal of Bone and Mineral Metabolism -     

Anesthetics,immune cells,and immune responses

General anesthesia accompanied by surgical stress is considered to suppress immunity, presumably by directly affecting the immune system or activating the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and the sympathetic nervous system. Along with stress such as surgery, blood transfusion, hypothermia, hyperglycemia, and postoperative pain, anesthetics per se are associated with suppressed immunity during perioperative periods because every anesthetic has direct suppressive effects on cellular and neurohumoral immunity through influencing the functions of immunocompetent cells and inflammatory mediator gene expression and secretion. Particularly in cancer patients, immunosuppression attributable to anesthetics, such as the dysfunction of natural killer cells and lymphocytes, may accelerate the growth and metastases of residual malignant cells, thereby worsening prognoses. Alternatively, the anti-inflammatory effects of anesthetics may be beneficial in distinct situations involving ischemia and reperfusion injury or the systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS). Clinical anesthesiologists should select anesthetics and choose anesthetic methods with careful consideration of the clinical situation and the immune status of critically ill patients, in regard to long-term mortality, morbidity, and the optimal prognosis.     

Cytokines, T cells and proliferative glomerulonephritis

SUMMARY: The glomerulus, by virtue of its functional role as a filter, is vulnerable to injury in the context of inflammatory responses, with the potential involvement of a number of different inflammatory processes. Recent work has provided insights into the role of T cells in proliferative glomerulonephritis, particularly in determining patterns of injury and outcomes in cresentic forms of glomerulonephritis. Experimental models have shown that in proliferative glomerulonephritis, cytokines play important roles both in determining T helper cell phenotype (particularly in the context of T helper cell 1 responses) and (from T cell themselves) in activating effectors of injury. Conversely, some cytokines regulate T cell responses to limit injury. There is an emerging role in other areas of the inflammatory response for cytokines traditionally thought to be involved predominantly in the injurious T cell response. These include regulatory T cells, the interaction between resident renal cells and leukocytes and the development of renal fibrosis. Cytokine-based therapies are entering clinical practice in other diseases. However, a number of challenges and questions remain to be answered before translating basic understanding into clinical practice in immune glomerular injury.     

Probiotics, dendritic cells and bladder cancer

What's known on the subject? and What does the study add? The suppressor effect of probiotics on superficial bladder cancer is an observed phenomenon but the specific mechanism is poorly understood. The evidence strongly suggests natural killer (NK) cells are the anti‐tumour effector cells involved and NK cell activity correlates with the observed anti‐tumour effect in mice. It is also known that dendritic cells (DC) cells are responsible for the recruitment and mobilization of NK cells so therefore it may be inferred that DC cells are most likely to be the interphase point at which probiotics act. In support of this, purification of NK cells was associated with a decrease in NK cells activity. The current use of intravesical bacille Calmette‐Guérin in the management of superficial bladder cancer is based on the effect of a localised immune response. In the same way, understanding the mechanism of action of probiotics and the role of DC may potentially offer another avenue via which the immune system may be manipulated to resist bladder cancer. Probiotic foods have been available in the UK since 1996 with the arrival of the fermented milk drink (Yakult) from Japan. The presence of live bacterial ingredients (usually lactobacilli species) may confer health benefits when present in sufficient numbers. The role of probiotics in colo‐rectal cancer may be related in part to the suppression of harmful colonic bacteria but other immune mechanisms are involved. Anti‐cancer effects outside the colon were suggested by a Japanese report of altered rates of bladder tumour recurrence after ingestion of a particular probiotic. Dendritic cells play a central role to the general regulation of the immune response that may be modified by probiotics. The addition of probiotics to the diet may confer benefit by altering rates of bladder tumour recurrence and also alter the response to immune mechanisms involved with the application of intravesical treatments (bacille Calmette‐Guérin).     

Liver regeneration, stem cells and beyond

Studies of the liver regenerative process have gained prominence in the last few years, especially with the interest in stem cell therapy. The regenerative capacity of the liver, its mechanisms and the role of stem cells will be discussed in this editorial as well as the role of artificial tissues and organs aiming to produce a new liver based on the current literature.