Laser induced autofluorescence studies of animal skin used in modeling of human cutaneous tissue spectroscopic measurements

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Laser-induced autofluorescence spectroscopy provides excellent possibilities for medical diagnostics of different tissue pathologies including cancer. However, to create the whole picture of pathological changes, investigators collect spectral information from patients in vivo or they study different tumor models to obtain objective information for fluorescent properties of every kind of healthy and diseased tissue. Therefore, it is very important to find the most appropriate, and close to the human skin, animal samples from the fluorescence point of view, which will allow the extrapolation of the animal data to human spectroscopic diagnostics. METHODS: In the present work, we examined the autofluorescence properties of different animal skin tissues, which are considered as the most common skin models. A nitrogen laser was used as an excitation source. Samples of healthy mouse, chicken and pig skin in vivo and/or ex vivo were studied and were compared with results obtained from investigations of healthy human skin in vivo. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Specific features of the recorded spectra are discussed and the possible origin of the obtained fluorescence signals is proposed. Quantitative evaluation of data extrapolation for each skin type is also depicted.     

Genetics in multiple sclerosis: past and future perspectives

The enormous development in the field of molecular genetics during the last decades has lead to optimism concerning the possibilities for identifying the causes of multiple sclerosis (MS) through genetic studies. However, we have learned that dense mapping of large sample sets is needed, which only can be achieved through large collaborative studies. The contribution from each yet unidentified gene is probably weaker than that of the well established human leukocyte antigen association. The ultimate goal of the search for susceptibility genes in MS is to develop diagnostic tools and better treatments that can prevent or reduce the development of symptoms of this often devastating disease.     

Kidney Transplantation in Patients with Antibodies against Donor HLA Class II

The immunologic risk associated with donor-specific antibodies (DSA) against Class II human leukocyte antigens (HLA) in kidney transplant (KTx) recipients is unclear. The aim of this study was to determine the outcome of KTx when DSA was detected only against HLA Class II. To isolate the impact of anti-Class II DSA, we retrospectively analyzed 12 KTx recipients who at baseline had a positive B-cell flow cytometric crossmatch (FXM) and a negative T-cell FXM. Using alloantibody specification analysis, 58.3% (7/12) had DSA against donor Class II and 41.7% had no demonstrable DSA. Biopsy-proven AMR occurred in 57% (4/7) in the Class II(+) group and 0% in the Class II(-) group (p > 0.05). Peritubular capillaries stained positive for C4d in 86% (6/7) of the Class II(+) patients and in 40% (2/5) of the Class II(-) patients (p > 0.05). One patient in the Class II(+) group lost their graft at 3 months to accelerated transplant glomerulopathy, while all other grafts were functioning 3-37 months posttransplant despite the persistence of anti-Class II DSA. We conclude that KTx recipients with clearly defined anti-Class II DSA are at risk for humoral rejection suggesting that desensitization and/or close posttransplant monitoring may be needed to prevent AMR.     

Recombinant glycoprotein based vaccine for Chandipura virus infection

Chandipura virus (CHPV) has emerged as an important pediatric encephalitis-causing pathogen with very high mortality in India. No specific vaccine or treatment is available till date. We attempted to prepare a candidate vaccine employing recombinant CHPV Glycoprotein (rGp). The Glycoprotein gene (G-gene) of CHPV was expressed using Baculovirus expression system. The rGp was purified by HPLC and used for mice immunization, 3 doses, and 4 weeks apart. One microgram rGp was found to be optimum. Sero-conversion was observed as early as 2nd week by detecting anti-CHPV IgG antibodies. Antibody titres were immunogen-concentration dependent. Intracerebral challenge of the immunized mice with 100 LD₅₀ of the homologous strain demonstrated 90% protection. In in vitro neutralization, antibodies from the immunized mice were able to neutralize heterologous viruses. There was 60% T cell proliferation observed against rGp in immunized mice. The study shows that rGp induces both arms of immune response and represents an ideal vaccine candidate for further evaluations.     

人胎冠状动脉原位杂交c-myc和jun原癌基因表达

目的研究原癌基因c-myc和jun在人胎冠状动脉发育过程中的表达与平滑肌细胞增殖的关系.方法用原位杂交方法检测,胎龄分别为16周、22周(因治疗需要引产)的胎儿和意外死亡的足月胎儿冠状动脉前降支c-myc mRNA和jun mRNA的表达水平.杂交反应产物用图像分析仪(MIAS300)作定量分析.结果C-myc mRNA原位杂交反应产物与被测血管区域面积的百分比在16周、22周和足月胎儿分别是70、56和10;Jun mRNA的杂交信反应产物与被测血管区域面积的百分比在这三个时期分别是68、53和8.两个原癌基因在不同阶段的表达均具有显著性差异.结论本实验首次报道c-myc和jun在人胎冠状动脉发育过程中平滑肌的表达图型,c-myc和jun在胎儿冠状动脉平滑肌细胞增殖和内膜的形成过程中可能具有重要的调控作用.     

沙培林增强人腹腔巨噬细胞抗癌免疫功能的研究

目的:探讨腹腔内注射沙培林增强人腹腔抗癌免疫功能的机制。方法:72例早中期胃肠道肿瘤患者术前48h和24h腹腔内分别注射生理盐水和5KE的沙培林,术中采集腹腔内巨噬细胞,计数并测定乳酸脱氢酶(LDH)和酸性磷酸酶(ACP)的活性,巨噬细胞吞噬活力,一氧化氮(NO)的分泌以及对人胃癌MKN1细胞的细胞毒性进行分析。同时采集大网膜,对大网膜乳斑的数量和面积进行观察。结果:沙培林显著增加腹腔巨噬细胞(PMΦ)的数量和NO的分泌,增强LDH和ACP的活性,吞噬活力,以及抗癌细胞毒性,也显著增加了大网膜乳斑的数量和面积。结论:腹腔内注射沙培林可显著增加人大网膜乳斑的数量和面积,并因此增加PMΦ的数量,增强PMΦ的活性。因而增强了腹腔巨噬细胞的免疫功能。     

Comparative studies of chemotherapy of human tumor cells in vitro by tritiated thymidine uptake inhibition and soft agar clonogenic assay

A rapid nonsterile short-term assay has been investigated in which percent inhibition of incorporation of the DNA precursor (3H)-thymidine is measured following exposure of tumor cells to the test drugs. To evaluate the usefulness of the short-term assay in providing a rapid reliable assessment of chemotherapeutic response, the short-term assay was compared with the soft agar clonogenic assay. Sensitivity to five anticancer drugs was compared using three human tumor cell lines (epidermoid carcinoma of the oral cavity, pancreatic carcinoma, and bladder carcinoma). The short-term assay produced results that were similar to results of the clonogenic assay in two of the three tumors tested, for three drugs (cis-platin, doxorubicin, and BCNU), but did not detect responses to two antimetabolites (5-FU and MTX) in any tumor. Further studies of this short-term assay should focus on alkylating agents and other nonantimetabolites.     

Reassessment of the accuracy of traditional sperm characteristics and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) in estimating the fertilizing potential of human semen in vivo

Receiver operating characteristic curves and accuracy parameters were computed for traditional sperm characteristics (concentration, motility, morphology) and the number of peroxidase negative cells, and the concentration of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) in semen from populations of fertile and infertile men, and men who achieved a pregnancy after varicocele treatment. The percentage and concentration per millilitre of spermatozoa with rapid linear progressive motility, and the ATP concentration, provided the best discrimination between fertile and treated fertile from infertile men. The misclassification rate was higher for sperm morphology, total progressive motility and viability, whereas sperm concentration and the total sperm count per ejaculate had the worst discriminating power. The number of peroxidase negative cells per 100 spermatozoa was highly specific in identifying men who achieved pregnancy after varicocele treatment. The lower limit of normality of sperm characteristics was remarkably different between fertile men and men achieving pregnancy after treatment or during infertility work-up.