Soluble and Cell-Associated Forms of Some Yet to be Identified Factor in Transfused Blood Which Promotes Solid Tumor Growth in Mice

Purpose The mechanism underlying the immunomodulation caused by blood transfusion has yet to be elucidated. The aim of the present study was to determine whether the transfusion of a soluble or insoluble factor present in stored blood can induce immunomodulation, which would thereby promote solid tumor growth.Methods C57Bl/6J mice were subcutaneously inoculated with B16-CG melanoma cells, which secrete -human chorionic gonadotropin (-hCG). Following inoculation, each of three different products of allogeneic and syngeneic blood were transfused on days 0 and 1: fresh whole blood, stored whole blood, and supernatants from the stored blood. Tumor growth was then monitored by measuring urinary -hCG. All mice were killed on day 15, and the tumor weight and volume were measured.Results Transfusion of all allogeneic blood products enhanced tumor growth, as did the stored syngeneic whole blood. Neither fresh syngeneic blood nor the supernatant from stored syngeneic blood promoted tumor growth. Although the tumors were not visually detectable until day 10 after inoculation, by day 7 the levels of urinary -hCG were significantly higher in the mice that received allogeneic blood supernatant than in the mice that received saline.Conclusions A soluble alloantigen enhances solid tumor growth, as does an insoluble factor present in stored syngeneic whole blood. The immunomodulation associated with this factor begins to enhance tumor growth within 7 days after transfusion.     

Clinical outcome of laparoscopically assisted endorectal pull-through in Hirschsprung's disease: comparison of abdominal and perineal approaches

Background/Purpose

Laparoscopically assisted endorectal pull-through (EPT) via a perineal approach using a prolapsing technique (PA) for Hirschsprung’s disease (HD) has been reported. However, the clinical outcome after this approach has not been reported. The purpose of this study was to compare the clinical outcome of PA and the conventional transabdominal approach (TA).

Methods

In the period between 1990 and 2001, 20 cases of HD underwent EPT with TA (group O), and 21 underwent EPT with PA (group L). There was no difference in age and weight distribution between the 2 groups. Clinical outcome was assessed 3 years after surgery.

Results

The operation time was comparable in the 2 groups (4.9 ± 0.8 v 5.2 ± 0.8 hr), whereas blood loss (98 ± 52 v 36 ± 30 mL) and postoperative complications requiring surgical intervention (26% v 0%) were significantly lower in group L. The incidence of postoperative enteritis (27% v 28%) and voluntary defecation (more than once every/2 days) were compatible in the 2 groups (70% v 87%). Soiling (small amount of involuntary stooling; >1 per month) was significantly less frequent in group L (45% v 14%).

Conclusions

Laparoscopically assisted ETP with PA is less invasive and can provide a better clinical outcome compared with TA in terms of postoperative soiling.     

Successful treatment of post-MRSA infection glomerulonephritis with steroid therapy

A 48-year-old man without underlying disease developed mediastinitis and was treated by mediastinal drainage. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) was detected in a culture of the abscess material. He was treated with anti-MRSA antibiotics and the MRSA infection improved. Four weeks after the onset of MRSA infection, he developed rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis (RPGN) with nephrotic syndrome (NS). A renal biopsy showed endocapillary proliferative glomerulonephritis with IgA-predominant glomerular deposition. These clinicopathological findings were consistent with those in glomerulonephritis following MRSA infection (post-MRSA infection glomerulonephritis). The level of serum creatinine increased to 6.3 mg/dl, 7 weeks after the onset of RPGN. At that time, the eradication of MRSA infection was considered. He was given middle-dose steroid therapy. Thereafter, his RPGN with NS improved. MRSA infection did not recur. If the disease activity of post-MRSA infection glomerulonephritis persists after the disappearance of MRSA infection, the application of immunosuppressive therapy with steroids may be useful.     

Fabrication of patterned cell co-cultures on albumin-based substrate: Applications for microfluidic devices

A surface coated with cross-linked albumin film resists the adhesion of cells, and subsequent exposure to UV irradiation or electrostatic adsorption of a cationic polymer switches the surface from non-adherent to adherent. Taking advantage of this unique property of cross-linked albumin, the authors fabricated patterned cell co-cultures with desired patterns and cell types. In this scheme, the cell-adherent region was initially created in the cell-non-adhesive albumin substrate, on which a first cell type was attached. Subsequently, the remaining region was also changed to adherent for the attachment of secondary cells in the same manner, thereby allowing distinctly localized co-cultures. As a proof of concept demonstration of the feasibility of this approach, a patterned co-culture of Neuro-2a cells with L929 cells was successfully prepared on the substrate. Furthermore, combining this technique with a microfluidic technique, a micropatterned co-culture of PA6 cells with 3T3 fibroblasts was created inside microfluidic devices. This approach could potentially be a useful tool for fundamental investigations of cell–cell interactions and for tissue engineering applications.     

Comparison between a traditional single still image and a multiframe video image along the z‐axis of the same microscopic field of interest in cytology: Which does contribute to telecytology?

The limitation of cytologic still images is one of the reasons why telecytology has not met with widespread acceptance by the cytology community. Cytologic still image only displays a single depth of field, and this is a particularly acute problem in cytology where the specimen is often much thicker than a single microscopic depth of focus. In this article, we examine the validity of a “z‐axis” video of a microscopic field of interest. After observing videos of fields of interest from 10 cases, five cytotechnologists reached suitable cytologic findings and diagnosed the fields correctly in great majority of cases. Five other cytotechnologists, who looked only at a single representative still image, could not always make a correct diagnosis. The difference between two observer groups was statistically significant by Wilcoxon's matched pairs signed‐rank test. The results indicate that “z‐axis” video of microscopic field of interest provides a similar experience to “focusing through” observation of the specimen under a microscope and may improve an accuracy of primary telecytodiagnosis. And we expect that video image telecytology will strongly influence cytology, especially in education and training. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Inhibition of growth of human tumor cells in nude mice by a metalloproteinase inhibitor

The effects of a new metalloproteinase inhibitor, BEI6627B [L-N-(N-hydroxy-2-isobutylsuccinynamoyl)-seryl-L-valine, MW: 375.2] isolated from microbial cultures, on human tumor cell growth in nude mice were investigated. BE16627B inhibited metalloproteinases in enzyme assays, as well as gelatinolysis and collagenolysis in cell cultures. BE16627B at 100 μg/ml showed no apparent cytotoxicity to human tumor cells in culture and its LD₅₀ in mice was more than 1,000 mg/kg (i.p.). The effects of BE16627B on the in vivo growth of 1 human tumor cell lines were examined: HT1080 fibrosarcoma, which overproduces metalloproteinases, and HCT116 colon carcinoma, which barely secretes metalloproteinases. When BE16627B was administered to mice at 2 mg/mouse/day by an osmotic pump implanted s.c. for 3 weeks from 1 week after i.v. inoculation of HT1080 cells, the number and size of nodules of HT1080 cells on the lung surface were reduced to 24.3 and 46.4%, respectively, of those of controls, and the increase in lung weight due to tumor-cell growth was inhibited 85.5% without body-weight loss. Moreover, BE16627B inhibited 71.2% of the growth of HT1080 cells inoculated s.c. into mice under the same conditions, but did not significantly inhibit the s.c. growth of HCT116 human colon-carcinoma cells. Thus, BE16627B inhibited metalloproteinase-dependent human tumor-cell growth as well as lung colonization without showing cytotoxicity in nude mice.