Cavo-portal transposition in rat: a new simple model

Background  

Liver transplantation in presence of diffuse portal vein thrombosis is possible by using caval blood as portal inflow, through cavo-portal transposition. However, clinical results are heterogeneous and experimental studies are needed, but similar hemodynamic conditions are difficult to obtain, especially in small animals. Herein we describe a new simple model of cavo-portal transposition in rat.     

Ischemia and reperfusion reduce the endogenous basic fibroblast growth factor in rat skeletal muscles: an immunohistochemical study.

Polyclonal antibodies directed against human recombinant basic fibroblast growth factor were used in immunohistochemical studies to localize this growth factor in normal and wounded rat skeletal muscles. According to the intensity of the stain, three main classes of fibers could be identified: the strongly, moderately, and weakly stained fibers. Basic fibroblast growth factor immunoreactivity was found mainly in the extracellular matrix, primarily in the endomysium, which includes the heparin-containing basal lamina, and also in the capillary basal membrane of both normal and wounded muscles; however, the signal intensity was much stronger in normal muscles. The distribution of basic fibroblast growth factor in wounded muscles became markedly heterogeneous and sparse. After 4 hours of ischemia, about 40% of skeletal muscle fibers lost their basic fibroblast growth factor immuno-reactivity. Muscles which underwent 4 hours of ischemia and 24 hours of reperfusion had only a diminished basic fibroblast growth factor immunoreactivity. The pathologic results supported the concept of destroyed cell connection and fiber necrosis in ischemic and reperfused muscles. Potential mechanisms involved in this reduced concentration of basic fibroblast growth factor in wounded muscles may include oxygen free radical activation, a generalized effect of the inflammatory response, and reduced secretion of endogenous basic fibroblast growth factor. These results are only partially compatible with the established mitogenic role of this growth factor and suggest that a reduction of endogenous fibroblast growth factor may partly contribute to a delay in wound healing.     

Management of ectopic ureterocele

We present our experience with 32 cases of ureterocele in children treated between 1972-1984. Five children with ureterocele in a single system underwent ureterocelectomy and ureteral reimplantation. Ten cases were managed by ureteropyeloanastomosis with ureterocelectomy and reimplantation with good results. Nine heminephrectomies and eight nephrectomies were done. The most common complication was ureterovesical stenosis in a "double barrel" reimplant. We were able to preserve renal parenchyma drained by a ureterocele in 15 cases.     

Recurrence of bronchioloalveolar carcinoma in donor lung after lung transplantation: microsatellite analysis demonstrates a recipient origin

Bronchioloalveolar carcinoma is a distinctive subtype of pulmonary adenocarcinoma, without effective therapy, although there have recently been some attempts to use lung transplantation. However, a high post-transplantation local recurrence rate is described with some controversy regarding the possible involved mechanisms, the main possibilities being the lymphatic spread and aerosolization. Presented herein is a case of a bilateral lung transplantation for a bilateral and pneumonic form of non-mucinous bronchioloalveolar carcinoma in a 43-year-old woman. The histological analysis of mediastinal lymph nodes during surgery did not show neoplastic cells. Thirty-five months after transplantation several nodular opacities in donor lungs were detected. Three pulmonary wedge resections were performed showing a non-mucinous bronchioloalveolar carcinoma with the same histological characteristics as the primary. Again, the mediastinal lymph nodes were tumor free. A complete microsatellites molecular analysis was performed to compare the primary and recurrent carcinoma using capillary electrophoresis, showing that the recurrent tumor was generated in a recipient cellular clone. The absence of lymph node metastasis and the molecular evidence of the recipient origin of the neoplasm supports the contamination of the new lungs at the time of implantation as being the reason for the high incidence of recurrence after lung transplantation in this kind of disease.     

Antigen-induced inhibition of human in vitro spontaneous IgE synthesis. I. Factors and kinetic studies.

Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with hypersensitivity to L. perenne and D. pteronyssinus were incubated with specific antigen. They were then cultured for 7 days in the absence of antigen and the IgE contained in the supernatants was determined using an enzyme immunoassay (ELISA). Pre-incubation of the cells with antigen produced an inhibitory effect on the spontaneous IgE synthesis in most of the cases (101 of the 134 individual studied). This inhibition was more pronounced and more frequent in those cultures with an elevated spontaneous production of IgE (3,000-10,000 pg/ml). This effect depended on the dose of antigen and the duration of cell exposure. Both spontaneous IgE production kinetics and antigen-mediated inhibition were studied. A study of the IgE content of the cell pellets indicated that the antigen did not induce inhibition of the IgE release. We therefore believe that the inhibition observed must be due to some kind of IgE synthesis suppression.