[Calcium ions, glutaminate acid, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, calcium dependent ATP-ase as causes of oxidative damage in depression patients--Part I]

Depressive disorder is still a rising and important problem in the modem world, it affects about 15% of the population. Present forms of treatment are effective in about 70% and require monthly therapy which sometimes causes side effects. Last decade studies paid attention to theories different to monoaminergic and to neurodegenerative changes mainly in the limbic system of hippocampus. In this article authors show a relationship between calcium ions, glutaminergic transduction and disfunction of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. They also take into account the activity of calcium dependent ATPase and its influence on overproduction of reactive oxygen species in the central neuron system (CNS). The first part of this article proves that disregulation of HPA increases the glutaminergic conduction in neurons and causes a cytoskeletal damage in the CNS.

[Anticancer drugs used in medicine and being in clinical research]

Tumor diseases are most serious issue of clinical medicine and pharmacology. The coordination compounds of platinum (II) are fundamental group of drugs used in antineoplastic therapy and cisplatin is the first antitumor specimen used in health care. Cisplatin is used in treatment for e.g. ovarian carcinoma, microcellular and no microcellular pulmonary carcinoma, orchiencephaloma, neck and esophagus carcinoma. Carboplatin is the second specimen applied in tumors' therapy. Both the coordination compound of platinum (II) possesses similar antineoplastic action but have a different effectiveness of activity and toxicity. It's very important for contemporary medicine to create new effective cytotoxic compounds of platinum with better clinical tolerance.

Comparative studies on the mechanism of cytotoxic action of novel platinum II complexes with pyrazole ligands

In search for new platinum-based anticancer drugs, four cisplatin analogues, which contain pyrazole rings as non-leaving ligands, have been synthesized: cis-PtCl(2)(3,5-DM HMPz)(2), cis-PtCl(2)(Pz)(2), cis-PtCl(2)(ClMPz)(2), and cis-PtCl(2)(HMPz)(2), where Pz=pyrazole, H=hydroxyl, M=methyl. We tested their cytotoxicity, apoptosis induction ability, DNA damaging and modification properties comparing them in respect to the parent compound. The cytotoxic activity of these platinum pyrazole complexes toward the murine leukemia cell line was 2.9-3.8 times lower than actvity of cisplatin. The tested compounds varied in their mechanism of action by producing different DNA lesions. The most interesting compound seems to be the complex with chloromethyl groups at N1 of pyrazole rings, which exhibited the highest ability to form bifunctional adducts with DNA in vitro.

Five-year follow-up of hepatitis C-naïve heart transplant recipients who received hepatitis C-positive donor hearts

BACKGROUND

Due to the risk of transmission of hepatitis C virus, the use of hepatitis C seropositive donors in heart transplantation is controversial. The transmission rate of hepatitis C in this patient population is estimated to range from 67% to 80%. Long-term clinical outcomes of heart transplant recipients of hepatitis C-positive donor hearts are not well described. We report the 5-year long-term outcome of seven hepatitis C-naïve heart transplant recipients who received hepatitis C-positive donor hearts.

METHODS

Retrospective analysis of clinical course, liver biochemistry, serology, and hepatitis C virology data.

RESULTS

Seven hearts transplant recipients, six men and one woman were included in our study. After a mean follow-up of 63.3 +/- 20.4 months (range 28.2 to 85.9), four of seven (57.1%) patients are hepatitis C-negative, have normal liver function tests, and no clinical evidence of hepatitis. Three of seven (43%) have been diagnosed with hepatitis C by liver biopsy or the HCV-RNA reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction at a mean follow-up of 35.1 months (18.8 months posttransplantation). One had an accelerated course of hepatitis that was ultimately fatal, one was successfully treated with interferon, and the third died from other causes than liver injury. Overall, the 5-year survival was 71.4%.

CONCLUSIONS

The 5-year survival of hepatitis C-naïve recipients of hearts from hepatitis C-positive donors is similar to heart transplant recipients with hepatitis-negative donor hearts. Nevertheless, the transmission rate is high and hepatitis C infection in this population can lead to considerable morbidity and accelerated, fatal hepatitis.

trans-Diaquatetrakis(3,5-dimethylpyrazole-N2)nickel(II) dichloride

The X-ray structure analysis of [Ni(C(5)H(8)N(2))(4)(H(2)O)(2)]Cl(2) was undertaken to elucidate the geometry around the Ni(2+) ion. The molecule lies on a twofold axis which runs through the O-Ni-O atoms. The geometry around the Ni(2+) ion is best described as slightly distorted tetragonal bipyramidal.

The uterine capacity measured by the total twin birth weight and duration of twin pregnancy

The objective of this study was to answer the question whether there is the relation between the uterine capacity, estimated by the total birth weight of fetuses, and the duration of twin gestation. The material for researches contains data received from the books of births and case records concerning the pregnant who gave births to twins in the Institute of Obstetrics and Gynecology of the Medical University in Lódź between 1970-1998. The final analysis concerned only gestations lasting more than 29 weeks, without any complications (excluding prematurity and the growth-discordant twins), and when gestational age was exactly known. The selected group was finally composed of 188 pairs of twins. The analyses considered relations between total birth weight of twins, the sex of newborn babies, parity, and the duration of gestation. The duration of the analyzed twin pregnancies was 35.6 weeks, including primiparous with 35.8 weeks, and multiparous--35.1 weeks. In the group of male-male twin pairs the average duration of pregnancy was 35.7 weeks, in unlike-sexed pairs--35.6 weeks, and in female-female pairs--35.5. In the group of the primiparous having male-male twin pairs the average duration of pregnancy was 35.1 weeks, unlike-sexed pairs--36.4 weeks and female female pairs--36.6 weeks, while in the group of multiparous relatively: 36.4, 35.4, 35.0 weeks. The total birth weight of the specific pairs of twins was from 2270 g to 6900 g (average 4794 g), while in 92% < 5500 g. In the primiparous group it was 4908.1 g. and in the multiparous group--4663.1 g. Analyzing the total twins' weight according to the fetal gender and parity it was found that in primiparous with male-male twins--4715.3, unlike-sexed--5271.6 and female-female--4967.5, whereas in multiparous relatively: 4961.5, 4692.6, 4414.0. The shortening of twin pregnancies was caused by the following factors: total body mass achieved by fetuses was > 5500 g, presence of male sex in twin pregnancies (only in primiparous), and also the multiparity.

Plasmapheresis with intravenous immunoglobulin G is effective in patients with elevated panel reactive antibody prior to cardiac transplantation

BACKGROUND

Patients with a PRA >10% are considered to be at greater risk for the development of not only acute cellular and humoral rejection but also increased mortality when compared to nonsensitized patients following transplantation. All patients with a PRA >10% at our institution are treated with plasmapheresis and intravenous immunoglobulin G immediately prior to cardiac transplantation.

METHODS

Sixteen (Group 1) of 118 patients awaiting cardiac transplantation were found to be sensitized. These patients underwent plasmapheresis followed by 20 gm of intravenous immunoglobulin G (IVIG) immediately prior to cardiac transplantation. Group 1 was compared to the remaining 102 patients with a PRA <10% (Group 2).

RESULTS

Despite more patients in Group 1 having a positive crossmatch, pulmonary hypertension, and requiring mechanical circulatory support, there was no statistically significant difference in length of stay or mortality at a mean follow-up of 21.6+/-15.0 months. There was no difference in the occurrence of mild, moderate or severe cellular rejection or humoral rejection in these sensitized patients when compared to Group 2.

CONCLUSIONS

Pretransplant plasmapheresis followed by intravenous immunoglobulin G may be an effective therapy that obviates the need for a prospective crossmatch and allows sensitized patients to undergo cardiac transplantation. There is no increase in the post transplant length of stay, occurrence of rejection or short term mortality. Long term follow up is necessary to evaluate whether there is a difference in the development of late rejection, transplant vasculopathy and survival.

Effective oral ganciclovir prophylaxis against cytomegalovirus disease in heart transplant recipients

The presented data show the combined sequential use of i.v. G for 14 days followed by PO G for 90 days is a much more effective prophylaxis for CMVD after heart transplantation than use of i.v. G for 14 days followed by PO A for 90 days. A need for hospitalization due to CMVD is significantly reduced by this new strategy. The follow-up in group II is shorter than in group I but is now at least 6 months in group II, without any new cases in the first 6 months after cardiac transplantation. Some currently unknown adverse effect of prolonged PO G, which may be present, is not identified in this analysis.

Medical applications of diffraction enhanced imaging

We have developed a new X-ray imaging technique, diffraction enhanced imaging (DEI), which can be used to independently visualize the refraction and absorption of an object. The images are almost completely scatter-free, allowing enhanced contrast of objects that develop small angle scattering. The combination of these properties has resulted in images of mammography phantoms and tissues that have dramatically improved contrast over standard imaging techniques. This technique potentially is applicable to mammography and other fields of medical X-ray imaging and to radiology in general, as well as possible use in nondestructive testing and X-ray computed tomography. Images of various tissues and materials are presented to demonstrate the wide applicability of this technique to medical and biological imaging.

Diminished cytotoxic gene expression in rat cardiac transplants with low-dose cyclosporine/methotrexate combination therapy

We have previously shown that administration of a combination low-dose cyclosporine (CsA) (1.0 mg/kg/day)/methotrexate (MTX) (450 micrograms/kg/wk) treatment significantly increases the survival of rat cardiac allografts, and may therefore potentially serve as an alternative immunosuppressive therapy designed to promote transplant survival while minimizing high-dose CsA side effects. In contrast to high-dose CsA, low-dose CsA/MTX treatment does not appear to alter IL-2 gene expression, since similar patterns of IL-2 gene transcripts were found in both low-dose CsA/MTX-treated and untreated control allografts on days 1 through 8 posttransplantation (post-tx). The mechanism(s) by which low dose CsA/MTX therapy increases the time of allograft survival remains to be elucidated. The aim of the present study was to determine the effects of low-dose CsA/MTX on the expression of the cytotoxic cytokines, TNF alpha, TNF beta, or lymphotoxin (LT), and the serine proteases HF and C11 (granzymes A and B, respectively) in rat cardiac allografts during rejection. RNA blot analysis showed significant suppression of TNF alpha, LT, HF, and C11 gene expression on days 1 through 8 post-tx in cardiac allografts from low-dose CsA/MTX-treated recipients compared with untreated allograft controls. TNF protein levels in cardiac allografts from low-dose CsA/MTX-treated recipients were also found to be significantly reduced on days 1 through 8 post-tx when compared with time-matched untreated allograft controls (P < or = 0.001). We conclude that low-dose CsA/MTX treatment, while effective in prolonging cardiac transplant survival, appears to act at the mRNA level to downregulate cytotoxic cytokine gene expression. Such trials aimed at evaluating low-dose combination therapy may afford new insight into mechanisms underlying improvement in immunosuppressive treatment.

Use of low-dose cyclosporine A/methotrexate to prolong rat cardiac allograft survival

Cyclosporine A (CSA) is the standard immunosuppressive agent used in human cardiac transplantation to prevent rejection; however, adverse side effects have been reported at therapeutic doses. Therefore, a need remains for the implementation of specific therapies designed to achieve transplant success with a minimum of undesirable side effects. The aims of the present study were: (1) to evaluate the efficacy of a low-dose CSA (1.0 mg/kg/day) / methotrexate (MTX) (450 micrograms/kg/week) combination therapy in prolonging rat cardiac allograft survival, and (2) to determine the effects of low-dose CSA/MTX on interleukin-2 (IL-2) gene expression in rat cardiac allografts. The average time to rejection of newborn donor Brown Norway (BN) rat hearts transplanted into the ear pinnae of CSA/MTX-treated adult Lewis recipients, measured by the absence of electrocardiographic (ECG) activity, more than doubled from day 8 post-transplantation (post-tx) to day 18 post-tx when compared to allografts in untreated control recipients (p < or = 0.01). Northern blot analysis demonstrated that IL-2 mRNA transcripts in cardiac allografts treated with low-dose CSA/MTX were detected as early as day 1 post-tx, and at increasing levels as rejection progressed post-tx. When IL-2 gene expression in allografts from CSA/MTX-treated recipients was compared to levels in allografts from untreated recipients, no significant difference in the pattern of IL-2 induction was observed. In contrast, IL-2 mRNA transcripts were not detected post-tx in allografts from recipients treated with high-dose (15 mg/kg/day) CSA or in cardiac isografts. The presence of IL-2 gene transcripts, therefore, appears to be allograft-specific.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Induction of TNF alpha and TNF beta gene expression in rat cardiac transplants during allograft rejection

The expression of the cytotoxic cytokines tumor necrosis factor alpha and TNF beta or lymphotoxin (LT) was assessed in rat cardiac transplants during rejection. Newborn rat cardiac grafts placed in adult rat ear pinnae were retrieved on days 1 through 10 posttransplantation; the average time to rejection, assessed by the absence of detectable electrocardiographic activity, was determined to be 7 days. Total cellular RNA and tissue homogenates were prepared from cardiac transplants in order that relative levels of TNF alpha and LT mRNA and TNF protein could be determined. A biphasic pattern of TNF alpha gene expression was consistently seen in cardiac allografts. TNF alpha mRNA transcripts were detected as early as day 2 post-tx, with peak levels appearing on day 3 post-tx. Although transcript levels decreased by day 4, a significant increase appeared again on day 6 post-tx, coincident with the onset of rejection. Similar to TNF alpha gene expression, LT transcripts demonstrated a biphasic pattern of induction. LT mRNA transcripts also reached peak levels on day 3 post-tx, with a second increase in transcript levels coincident with rejection. TNF protein levels in allografts displayed a biphasic pattern, similar to that shown by the cytokine mRNAs. Peak levels of TNF protein were detected on day 3 post-tx, with a second increase again coinciding with rejection. In contrast to TNF expression found in allografts, TNF alpha and LT mRNA transcripts were not detected in isografts on days 1 through 10 post-tx. TNF protein levels in cardiac isografts were consistently at or below the standard limits of detection, and on days 3 through 7 post-tx were significantly reduced (P < or = 0.001) when compared with time-matched allografts. Increased expression of the cytotoxic cytokines TNF alpha and LT, therefore, appears to be allograft-specific and is an early event during rat cardiac allograft rejection. In conclusion, induction of TNF gene expression may be an important early indicator of transplant rejection.

Effects of intracoronary administration of contrast media on myocardial high-energy phosphate. A comparison of sodium meglumine diatrizoate and iohexol

Myocardial ATP, ADP, and AMP were measured from cardiac biopsy in 11 dogs after intracoronary injection of 6 mL of sodium-meglumine diatrizoate (SMD), iohexol (IOH), or 0.9% sodium chloride (NaCl), and in three of the dogs at baseline before any injection. The ATP at baseline and after SMD, IOH, and 0.9% NaCl were 5.39 +/- 0.41, 3.72 +/- 0.70, 5.52 +/- 0.82, and 5.44 +/- 1.40 mumol/g wet weight, respectively. There were significant differences between SMD and IOH (P less than .02), and between SMD and 0.9% NaCl (P less than .05). The energy charge of SMD was 0.82 +/- 0.08, which differed from 0.89 +/- 0.02 for NaCl or 0.9 +/- 0.05 for baseline (P less than .05), but not from 0.85 +/- 0.04 for IOH. In conclusion, diatrizoate caused significant depletions in ATP stores in comparison with iohexol, but there was no significant difference with respect to energy charge. Nonionic contrast media would be preferable for coronary arteriography in patients whose high-energy stores might be depleted from severe ischemia.

Use of cyclosporine in the mouse heterotopic heart transplant model

We refined the mouse ear-heart transplant model developed by Fulmer and coworkers and tested cyclosporine as a sole immunosuppressive agent in this model. Three-week-old CBA mice were used as heart recipients, and unsexed newborn BALB/c mice were used as heart donors. The heart grafts were examined for visible pulsations at 10-fold to 20-fold magnification daily for the first 10 days and every other day thereafter. Graft electrocardiograms were also obtained on the same schedule. Preliminary studies had established that a dose of 15 mg/kg/day was the optimal cyclosporine dose in our model. This dose was administered subcutaneously to each of two treatment groups. Group 2 received this dose for the entire 30-day experimental period. Group 3 received this dose for the first 16 days of the experimental period. Group 1 consisted of allografts receiving no immunosuppression. Group 1 grafts showed evidence of initial successful engraftment by day 7; however, by day 13 none of the grafts remained viable. In group 2, 19 of 23 grafts remained viable for the entire experimental period. In group 3, all of the grafts remained viable until day 17 (after day 16 cyclosporine was discontinued) and rapidly lost evidence of viability thereafter. By day 21, none of the grafts in group 3 remained viable. Survival curves for the three groups as determined by electrocardiogram and visible pulsations were constructed, and the differences between the curves were significant (p = 0.001). The results of this study demonstrate the potential usefulness of the ear-heart transplantation model in screening immunosuppressive agents.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Cardiovascular and endocrine responses to feeding in the young calf

A number of cardiovascular and endocrine responses which occur during and after feeding in the unweaned calf are described. 2. There was a substantial increase in both heart rate and mean aortic blood pressure during feeding in these animals. This occurred within the first few seconds and persisted throughout the period of ingestion. 3. The concentrations of glucose, insulin and gastrin in arterial plasma rose abruptly during, or immediately after, feeding and elevated values persisted for at least 2 hr. A transient increase in glucagon concentration was also observed. In contrast, feeding appeared to produce no immediate rise in enteroglucagon concentration. 4. The adrenal output of glucocorticoids rose transiently in response to feeding but that of catecholamines was unaffected. 5. Cardiovascular responses to feeding were also examined in other species. In unweaned kids the changes were essentially similar to those observed in the calf but were less pronounced. In lambs a persistent hypertension occurred which was associated with a brief initial tachycardia. In adult dogs ingestion of solid food also caused tachycardia but although the aortic blood pressure rose for a short period at the beginning of feeding, hypotension developed thereafter. 6. The possibility that both the cardiovascular and endocrine responses, which occur during or immediately after feeding, are mediated by the autonomic nervous system is discussed.