ICAM-1 signal transduction in cells stimulated with neutrophil elastase.

Neutrophil elastase, which enhances intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) expression in endothelial cells, plays an important role in ischemia/reperfusion injury. Here, we investigated signal transduction of ICAM-1 expression in endothelial cells stimulated by neutrophil elastase. Pretreatment of animals with the neutrophil elastase inhibitor, ONO-5046.

Recipient blood pre-transplant transfusion prolongs hepatic allograft survival in rats.

Background: The pre-transplant administration of donor antigens to recipients is reported to prolong transplanted organ survival. We investigated the effect of pre-transplant intraportal administration of recipient blood on rat hepatic allograft survival.

Materials And Methods: Male LEW (RT1l) and ACI (RT1a) rats were used as transplant recipients and donors, respectively.

Hepatic CCR7lowCD62LlowCD45RClow allograft dendritic cells migrate to the splenic red pulp in immunologically unresponsive rats.

Donor dendritic cells (DC) migrate into the recipient spleen after hepatic transplantation. Immunological unresponsiveness to rat hepatic allografts can be induced by prior donor-specific blood transfusion (DST). We investigated homing receptor phenotype and splenic distribution of donor DC after allografting and DST.

Steatotic liver allografts up-regulate UCP-2 expression and suffer necrosis in rats.

Background: Fatty split-liver and living-related liver transplantation is associated with massive hepatocellular necrosis during acute rejection. Uncoupling protein (UCP)-2 is a potential regulator of energy expenditure and ATP production. We investigated the role of UCP-2 and the effects of a metalloprotease inhibitor, Y-39083, on hepatocellular injury in fatty liver allografts in rats.