Pre-transplant low level HLA antibody shows a composite poor outcome in long-term outcome of renal transplant recipients.

To determine the significance of low-level DSA (donor specific antibody) in patients transplanted with negative cytotoxicity AHG (antihuman immunoglobulin) crossmatch, data from 279 patients who received a kidney transplant between July 1999 and March 2006 were collected. All kidney recipients received ABO-compatible donors. A poor outcome was defined as any one of the following: death, Cr>2.

Preoperative stress conditioning prevents paralysis after experimental aortic surgery: increased heat shock protein content is associated with ischemic tolerance of the spinal cord.

Background: All forms of surgical therapy are stressful and injurious. The problems of paralysis, renal dysfunction, and colonic ischemia associated with aortic occlusion are due to acute ischemia-reperfusion injury at the cellular level. Acute-anterior spinal cord ischemia is the most devastating outcome of these iatrogenic-ischemic events.

In vivo characterization of the molecular-genetic changes in gastric mucosa during the development of acute gastritis and stress ulceration.

Background: Trauma patients are at risk for the development of stress ulceration. Stress ulceration should be associated with increased heat-shock gene (iHSP70) and an inhibition of the trefoil peptide, spasmolytic polypeptide (SP), and mucin (MUC5AC) gene expressions.

Methods: Male Sprague-Dawley rats (10 weeks old) were restrained for 0-, 4-, 8-, 12-, and 24-hour periods of time.

Effects of heat shock, stannous chloride, and gallium nitrate on the rat inflammatory response.

Heat and a variety of other stressors cause mammalian cells and tissues to acquire cytoprotection. This transient state of altered cellular physiology is nonproliferative and antiapoptotic. In this study, male Wistar rats were stress conditioned with either stannous chloride or gallium nitrate, which have immunosuppressive effects in vivo and in vitro, or heat shock, the most intensively studied inducer of cytoprotection.

Tissue-level cytoprotection.

In vitro and ex vivo tissue models provide a useful level of biological organization for cytoprotection studies positioned between cultured cells and intact animals. We have used 2 such models, primary tissue cultures of winter flounder renal secretory epithelium and ex vivo preparations of rat intestinal tissues, the latter to access the microcirculation of exposed mesentery tissues. Herein we discuss studies indicating that differentiated functions are altered in thermotolerant or cytoprotected tissues.

Surgical stress and the heat shock response: in vivo models of stress conditioning.

All forms of surgical therapy are stressful and injurious. The majority of surgical procedures are performed electively and provide an opportunity to condition the patient before surgery to maximize outcome. We have successfully protected the spinal cord and kidneys from warm ischemia-reperfusion injury with whole-body heat shock (42.

Acute stress impairs lymphocyte function but spares pancreatic endocrine function.

In the same animal, following HS and recovery, pancreatic islet function remains intact while immunologic functions are impaired. Cellular responses to thermal stresses are complex and tissue specific.

Lactation stage-dependent changes of lymphocyte subpopulations in mammary secretions: inversion of CD4+/CD8+ T cell ratios at parturition.

Problem: Determination of lactation stage-dependent changes in levels of lymphocyte subpopulations in milk.

Method: Flow cytometric assay was used to identify and assay lymphocyte subpopulations in bovine milk at different stages of lactation.

Results: Lymphocyte subpopulations in mammary secretions of dairy cows change during the lactation cycle.

Albumin improves islet isolation: specific versus nonspecific effects.

1. BSA-containing solutions improve islet yields using standard collagenase digestion techniques. 2.

Lactation stage-dependent changes in levels of tumor necrosis factor/cachectin in milk.

Problem: Determination of lactation stage-dependent changes in levels of tumor neurosis factor (TNF) in milk.

Method: Bioassay and immunoblocking assay were used to identify and assay tumor necrosis factor (TNF; mostly TNF alpha) in bovine milk at different stages of lactation.

Results: TNF alpha levels in milk started to increase steadily after the onset of drying-off (weaning/involution), peaked at 4 to 6 wk prior to parturition and precipitously decreased to undetectable levels at parturition (colostrum).