The Effect of Total Thyroidectomy on Trace Elements, Namely Zinc and Copper in Patients with Thyroid Diseases.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of total thyroidectomy on serum levels of trace elements, namely zinc and copper, in patients with thyroid diseases. In this cross-sectional study, 42 patients with thyroid diseases according to laboratory and fine needle aspiration (FNA) results divided into two groups, including differentiated thyroid cancer group (papillary and follicular) and non-cancerous group (MNG: Multinodular goiter). Before the surgery, blood sample was taken to investigate the zinc and copper levels.

Nanomedicine-based strategies for the treatment of vein graft disease.

Autologous saphenous veins are the most frequently used conduits for coronary and peripheral artery bypass grafting. However, vein graft failure rates of 40-50% within 10 years of the implantation lead to poor long-term outcomes after bypass surgery. Currently, only a few therapeutic approaches for vein graft disease have been successfully translated into clinical practice.

Patient management for thoracic organ donor candidates: the lung transplantation team's view.

Despite the increasing demand for lung transplants, donor lungs remain in short supply. Although organ donations have been steadily increasing in Korea, with the utilization rate for donor lungs increasing to 40% in recent years, many potential donor organs remain unused. To match the increasing number of patients on the lung transplant waitlist, it is essential to increase the donor procurement rate through optimal management.

Initial Tumor Necrosis Factor-Alpha and Endothelial Activation Are Associated with Hemorrhagic Complications during Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation.

Studies on inflammatory markers, endothelial activation, and bleeding during extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) are lacking. Blood samples were prospectively collected after ECMO initiation from 150 adult patients who underwent ECMO for respiratory failure between 2018 and 2021. After excluding patients who died early (within 48 h), 132 patients were finally included.

Delivery of costimulatory blockade to lymph nodes promotes transplant acceptance in mice.

The lymph node (LN) is the primary site of alloimmunity activation and regulation during transplantation. Here, we investigated how fibroblastic reticular cells (FRCs) facilitate the tolerance induced by anti-CD40L in a murine model of heart transplantation. We found that both the absence of LNs and FRC depletion abrogated the effect of anti-CD40L in prolonging murine heart allograft survival.

High endothelial venules as potential gateways for therapeutics.

High endothelial venules (HEVs) are specialized blood vessels that support the migration of lymphocytes from the bloodstream into lymph nodes (LNs). They are also formed ectopically in mammalian organs affected by chronic inflammation and cancer. The recent arrival of immunotherapy at the forefront of many cancer treatment regimens could boost a crucial role for HEVs as gateways for the treatment of cancer.

Indirect and Direct Effects of SARS-CoV-2 on Human Pancreatic Islets.

Recent studies have shown that severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection may induce metabolic distress, leading to hyperglycemia in patients affected by coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19). We investigated the potential indirect and direct effects of SARS-CoV-2 on human pancreatic islets in 10 patients who became hyperglycemic after COVID-19. Although there was no evidence of peripheral anti-islet autoimmunity, the serum of these patients displayed toxicity on human pancreatic islets, which could be abrogated by the use of anti-interleukin-1β (IL-1β), anti-IL-6, and anti-tumor necrosis factor α, cytokines known to be highly upregulated during COVID-19.

Immunoregulatory and lipid presentation pathways are upregulated in human face transplant rejection.

BACKGROUNDRejection is the primary barrier to broader implementation of vascularized composite allografts (VCAs), including face and limb transplants. The immunologic pathways activated in face transplant rejection have not been fully characterized.METHODSUsing skin biopsies prospectively collected over 9 years from 7 face transplant patients, we studied rejection by gene expression profiling, histology, immunostaining, and T cell receptor sequencing.

Differential Regulation of T-cell Immunity and Tolerance by Stromal Laminin Expressed in the Lymph Node.

Background: Stromal laminins α4 and α5 are differentially regulated in transplant tolerance and immunity, respectively, resulting in altered T-cell trafficking. We hypothesized that laminins directly regulated T-cell activation and polarization.

Methods: Human and mouse CD4 T cells were activated in Th1, Th2, Th17, or regulatory T cell (Treg) environments with/without laminin α4 and/or α5.

Targeted delivery of immune therapeutics to lymph nodes prolongs cardiac allograft survival.

The targeted delivery of therapeutic drugs to lymph nodes (LNs) provides an unprecedented opportunity to improve the outcomes of transplantation and immune-mediated diseases. The high endothelial venule is a specialized segment of LN vasculature that uniquely expresses peripheral node addressin (PNAd) molecules. PNAd is recognized by MECA79 mAb.

Mutation analysis of SLC3A1 and SLC7A9 genes in patients with cystinuria.

Cystinuria is an autosomal inherited disorder of renal reabsorption of cystine, arginine, lysine, and ornithine. Increased urinary excretion of cystine results in the formation of kidney stones. Considering the few studies on the genetic basis of the cystinuria in the Middle East and the population-specific distribution of mutations in the SLC3A1 and SLC7A9 genes, in the present study, mutation analysis of these two genes was performed in a cohort of Iranian patients with cystinuria.

Cutting edge: Vascular endothelial growth factor-mediated signaling in human CD45RO+ CD4+ T cells promotes Akt and ERK activation and costimulates IFN-gamma production.

In this study, we find that CD45RO+ memory populations of CD4+ T lymphocytes express the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) receptors KDR and Flt-1 at both the mRNA and protein levels. Furthermore, by Western blot analysis, we find that VEGF increases the phosphorylation and activation of ERK and Akt within CD4+CD45RO+ T cells. These VEGF-mediated signaling responses were inhibited by a KDR-specific small interfering RNA in a VEGF receptor-expressing Jurkat T cell line and by SU5416, a pharmacological KDR inhibitor, in CD4+CD45RO+ T cells.

Every allograft needs a silver lining.

The development of chronic allograft rejection is based on the hypothesis that cumulative, time-dependent tissue injury eventually leads to a fibrotic response. In this issue of the JCI, Babu and colleagues found that alloimmune-mediated microvascular loss precedes tissue damage in murine orthotopic tracheal allografts (see the related article beginning on page 3774). The concept that injury to the endothelium may precede airway fibrosis suggests that interventions to maintain vascular integrity may be important, especially in the case of lung transplantation.

Organ-specific differences in the function of MCP-1 and CXCR3 during cardiac and skin allograft rejection.

Background: Chemokines are well-established to function in the recruitment of leukocytes into allografts in the course of rejection. Moreover, some studies have indicated that there are organ-specific differences in chemokine function, but the mechanism accounting for this difference is not known.

Methods: Fully major histocompatibility complex-mismatched vascularized cardiac transplants or skin transplants were performed using BALB/c (H-2d), C57BL/6 (H-2b), MCP-1-/- (H-2b) and CXCR3-/- (H-2b) mice as donors or recipients.

Predicting long-term (> or = 5 years) event-free survival in multiple myeloma patients following planned tandem autotransplants.

Although outcome in multiple myeloma (MM) patients has improved significantly with the introduction of autotransplants (AT), the curability of this approach remained to be demonstrated. Therefore, we analysed outcome and prognostic factors using a logistic regression model in 515 consecutive newly diagnosed and previously treated patients intended to receive melphalan-based tandem transplants with follow up of > or = 5 years. One quarter of patients had event-free survivals (EFS) > or = 5 years with no further relapses seen after 7 years (46 patients on plateau).

Characterization of virus-mediated inhibition of mixed chimerism and allospecific tolerance.

Simultaneous blockade of the CD28 and CD40 T cell costimulatory pathways has been shown to effectively promote skin allograft survival in mice. Furthermore, blockade of one or both of these pathways has played a central role in the development of strategies to induce mixed hematopoietic chimerism and allospecific tolerance. It has recently been observed that the beneficial effects of CD40 blockade and donor splenocytes in prolonging skin graft survival can be abrogated by some viral infections, including lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV).

High response rate in refractory and poor-risk multiple myeloma after allotransplantation using a nonmyeloablative conditioning regimen and donor lymphocyte infusions.

Standard allogeneic stem cell transplant (allo-SCT) regimens have been associated with a high transplant-related mortality (TRM) in multiple myeloma (MM). Nonmyeloablative therapy can establish stable engraftment after allo-SCT and maintain the antitumor effect with less toxicity, which is important in heavily pretreated and elderly patients. We report on 16 poor-risk MM patients receiving allo-SCT from an HLA-matched (n = 14) or mismatched (n = 2) sibling following conditioning with melphalan 100 mg/m(2) (MEL-100).

Results of high-dose therapy for 1000 patients with multiple myeloma: durable complete remissions and superior survival in the absence of chromosome 13 abnormalities.

High-dose therapy (HDT) has increased complete remission (CR) rates and survival in multiple myeloma (MM). We now report on continuous CR (CCR) and associated prognostic factors in 1000 consecutive patients receiving melphalan-based tandem HDT. Five-year CCR was 52% among 112 CR patients without chromosome 13 (triangle up13) abnormalities and with beta-2-microglobulin View Article and Find Full Text PDF