Differential inflammatory macrophage response to rutile and titanium particles.

Titanium and its alloys are widely used as implant materials for dental and orthopaedic applications due to their advantageous bulk mechanical properties and biocompatibility, compared to other metallic biomaterials. In order to improve their wear and corrosion resistance, several surface modifications that give rise to an outer ceramic layer of rutile have been developed. The ability of rutile wear debris to stimulate the release of inflammatory cytokines from macrophages has not been addressed to date.

Molecular basis of cholestatic diseases of surgical interest.

Cholestasis constitutes one of the most common and severe manifestations of acquired or inherited liver disease. When manifest in early infancy, it is often life-threatening and usually requires surgical management. In many cases, liver transplantation is the only effective therapy.

Reduced hepatic expression of farnesoid X receptor in hereditary cholestasis associated to mutation in ATP8B1.

Farnesoid X receptor (FXR) is a transcription factor that controls bile acid homeostasis. The phenotype of Fxr null mice is characterized by hypercholanaemia, impaired secretion of bile acids and failure to thrive. Human disorders with these characteristics include FIC1 disease (caused by mutations in ATP8B1, which encodes a putative aminophospholipid translocase, FIC1, whose function in bile handling is unknown) and bile salt export pump (BSEP) disease (caused by mutation in ABCB11, which encodes BSEP, the primary canalicular bile salt export pump).

Involvement of CCL27-CCR10 interactions in drug-induced cutaneous reactions.

Background: Drug-induced skin reactions, including toxic epidermal necrolysis and Stevens-Johnson syndrome, are severe bullous cutaneous diseases of uncertain etiology, although cytotoxic T cells seem to be involved. Cutaneous T cell-attracting chemokine (CTACK/CCL27) is selectively expressed in skin and attracts CCR10-expressing cells. Exclusive CTACK expression by keratinocytes suggests its involvement in inflammatory skin diseases.

Improvement of toxic epidermal necrolysis after the early administration of a single high dose of intravenous immunoglobulin.

Background: Toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) is a severe disease often induced by drugs. Treatment is controversial, although intravenous immunoglobulins (IVIGs) have been effective.

Objective: To report the case of a child with TEN after lamotrigine treatment, who improved 24 hours after IVIG administration.

Anaphylactic reaction to diphtheria-tetanus vaccine in a child: specific IgE/IgG determinations and cross-reactivity studies.

The present study describes the occurrence of an anaphylactic reaction after the administration of the fifth booster dose of DT vaccine in a six-year-old child. Skin test, in vitro determinations of specific IgE antibodies and immunoblotting assays showed that the IgE response was directed against tetanus and diphtheria toxoids (Dtx). IgG antibodies were also detected by ELISA and immunoblotting.