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Rabindranath M, Zaya R, Prayitno K, Orchanian-Cheff A, Patel K, Jaeckel E, Bhat M. A Comprehensive Review of Liver Allograft Fibrosis and Steatosis: From Cause to Diagnosis. Transplant Direct 2023; 9:e1547. [PMID: 37854023 PMCID: PMC10581596 DOI: 10.1097/txd.0000000000001547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Revised: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite advances in posttransplant care, long-term outcomes for liver transplant recipients remain unchanged. Approximately 25% of recipients will advance to graft cirrhosis and require retransplantation. Graft fibrosis progresses in the context of de novo or recurrent disease. Recurrent hepatitis C virus infection was previously the most important cause of graft failure but is now curable in the majority of patients. However, with an increasing prevalence of obesity and diabetes and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease as the most rapidly increasing indication for liver transplantation, metabolic dysfunction-associated liver injury is anticipated to become an important cause of graft fibrosis alongside alloimmune hepatitis and alcoholic liver disease. To better understand the landscape of the graft fibrosis literature, we summarize the associated epidemiology, cause, potential mechanisms, diagnosis, and complications. We additionally highlight the need for better noninvasive methods to ameliorate the management of graft fibrosis. Some examples include leveraging the microbiome, genetic, and machine learning methods to address these limitations. Overall, graft fibrosis is routinely seen by transplant clinicians, but it requires a better understanding of its underlying biology and contributors that can help inform diagnostic and therapeutic practices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madhumitha Rabindranath
- Ajmera Transplant Program, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Rita Zaya
- Ajmera Transplant Program, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Khairunnadiya Prayitno
- Ajmera Transplant Program, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Ani Orchanian-Cheff
- Library and Information Services, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Keyur Patel
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Elmar Jaeckel
- Ajmera Transplant Program, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Mamatha Bhat
- Ajmera Transplant Program, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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2
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Monitoring Serial CD4+ T-Cell Function After Liver Transplantation Can Be Used to Predict Hepatocellular Carcinoma Recurrence. Transplant Proc 2015; 47:217-22. [DOI: 10.1016/j.transproceed.2014.10.044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2014] [Revised: 10/15/2014] [Accepted: 10/28/2014] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
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Grassi A, Ballardini G. Post-liver transplant hepatitis C virus recurrence: an unresolved thorny problem. World J Gastroenterol 2014; 20:11095-115. [PMID: 25170198 PMCID: PMC4145752 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i32.11095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2013] [Revised: 02/15/2014] [Accepted: 05/29/2014] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related cirrhosis represents the leading cause of liver transplantation in developed, Western and Eastern countries. Unfortunately, liver transplantation does not cure recipient HCV infection: reinfection universally occurs and disease progression is faster after liver transplant. In this review we focus on what happens throughout the peri-transplant phase and in the first 6-12 mo after transplantation: during this crucial period a completely new balance between HCV, liver graft, the recipient's immune response and anti-rejection therapy is achieved that will deeply affect subsequent outcomes. Nearly all patients show an early graft reinfection, with HCV viremia reaching and exceeding pre-transplant levels; in this setting, histological assessment is essential to differentiate recurrent hepatitis C from acute or chronic rejection; however, differentiating the two patterns remains difficult. The host immune response (mainly cellular mediated) appears to be crucial both in the control of HCV infection and in the genesis of rejection, and it is also strongly influenced by immunosuppressive treatment. At present no clear immunosuppressive strategy could be strongly recommended in HCV-positive recipients to prevent HCV recurrence, even immunotherapy appears to be ineffective. Nonetheless it seems reasonable that episodes of rejection and over-immunosuppression are more likely to enhance the risk of HCV recurrence through immunological mechanisms. Both complete prevention of rejection and optimization of immunosuppression should represent the main goals towards reducing the rate of graft HCV reinfection. In conclusion, post-transplant HCV recurrence remains an unresolved, thorny problem because many factors remain obscure and need to be better determined.
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Kim N, Lee SM, Joo JW, Kim BC, Kim HH. Usefulness of the ImmuKnow Assay in a Case of Suspected Acute Rejection after Liver Transplantation. KOREAN JOURNAL OF TRANSPLANTATION 2014. [DOI: 10.4285/jkstn.2014.28.1.36] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Namhee Kim
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Busan, Korea
| | - Sun Min Lee
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Busan, Korea
| | - Jong Woo Joo
- Department of Surgery, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Busan, Korea
| | - Byung Chang Kim
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Maryknoll Medical Center, Busan, Korea
| | - Hyung Hoi Kim
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Busan, Korea
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Burnstock G, Vaughn B, Robson SC. Purinergic signalling in the liver in health and disease. Purinergic Signal 2014; 10:51-70. [PMID: 24271096 PMCID: PMC3944046 DOI: 10.1007/s11302-013-9398-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2013] [Accepted: 10/24/2013] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Purinergic signalling is involved in both the physiology and pathophysiology of the liver. Hepatocytes, Kupffer cells, vascular endothelial cells and smooth muscle cells, stellate cells and cholangiocytes all express purinoceptor subtypes activated by adenosine, adenosine 5'-triphosphate, adenosine diphosphate, uridine 5'-triphosphate or UDP. Purinoceptors mediate bile secretion, glycogen and lipid metabolism and indirectly release of insulin. Mechanical stress results in release of ATP from hepatocytes and Kupffer cells and ATP is also released as a cotransmitter with noradrenaline from sympathetic nerves supplying the liver. Ecto-nucleotidases play important roles in the signalling process. Changes in purinergic signalling occur in vascular injury, inflammation, insulin resistance, hepatic fibrosis, cirrhosis, diabetes, hepatitis, liver regeneration following injury or transplantation and cancer. Purinergic therapeutic strategies for the treatment of these pathologies are being explored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geoffrey Burnstock
- Autonomic Neuroscience Centre, University College Medical School, Rowland Hill Street, London, NW3 2PF, UK,
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Te HS. Recurrent hepatitis C: the bane of transplant hepatology. Hepatology 2014; 59:21-3. [PMID: 23813788 DOI: 10.1002/hep.26591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2013] [Accepted: 06/12/2013] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Helen S Te
- Center for Liver Diseases, University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL
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Nagai S, Yoshida A, Kohno K, Altshuler D, Nakamura M, Brown KA, Abouljoud MS, Moonka D. Peritransplant absolute lymphocyte count as a predictive factor for advanced recurrence of hepatitis C after liver transplantation. Hepatology 2014; 59:35-45. [PMID: 23728831 DOI: 10.1002/hep.26536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2013] [Revised: 05/07/2013] [Accepted: 05/14/2013] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
UNLABELLED Lymphocytes play an active role in natural immunity against hepatitis C virus (HCV). We hypothesized that a lower absolute lymphocyte count (ALC) may alter HCV outcome after liver transplantation (LT). The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of peritransplant ALC on HCV recurrence following LT. A total of 289 LT patients between 2005 and 2011 were evaluated. Peritransplant ALC (pre-LT, 2-week, and 1-month post-LT) and immunosuppression were analyzed along with recipient and donor factors in order to determine risk factors for HCV recurrence based on METAVIR fibrosis score. When stratifying patients according to pre- and post-LT ALC (<500/μL versus 500-1,000/μL versus >1,000/μL), lymphopenia was significantly associated with higher rates of HCV recurrence with fibrosis (F2-4). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed posttransplant ALC at 1 month remained an independent predictive factor for recurrence (P = 0.02, hazard ratio [HR] = 2.47 for <500/μL). When peritransplant ALC was persistently low (<500/μL pre-LT, 2-week, and 1-month post-LT), patients were at significant risk of developing early advanced fibrosis secondary to HCV recurrence (F3-4 within 2 years) (P = 0.02, HR = 3.16). Furthermore, severe pretransplant lymphopenia (<500/μL) was an independent prognostic factor for overall survival (P = 0.01, HR = 3.01). The use of rabbit anti-thymocyte globulin induction (RATG) had a remarkable protective effect on HCV recurrence (P = 0.02, HR = 0.6) despite its potential to induce lymphopenia. Subgroup analysis indicated that negative effects of posttransplant lymphopenia at 1 month (<1,000/μL) were significant regardless of RATG use and the protective effects of RATG were independent of posttransplant lymphopenia. CONCLUSION Peritransplant ALC is a novel and useful surrogate marker for prediction of HCV recurrence and patient survival. Immunosuppression protocols and peritransplant management should be scrutinized depending on peritransplant ALC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shunji Nagai
- Division of Transplant and Hepatobiliary Surgery, Henry Ford Transplant Institute, Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, MI
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Immunological aspects in late phase of living donor liver transplant patients: usefulness of monitoring peripheral blood CD4+ adenosine triphosphate activity. Clin Dev Immunol 2013; 2013:982163. [PMID: 24187567 PMCID: PMC3803130 DOI: 10.1155/2013/982163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2013] [Revised: 07/22/2013] [Accepted: 07/23/2013] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Aim. To evaluate whether the combination of the peripheral blood CD4+ adenosine triphosphate activity (ATP) assay (ImmuKnow assay: IMK assay) and cytochrome P450 3A5 (CYP3A5) genotype assay is useful for monitoring of immunological aspects in the patient followup of more than one year after living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). Methods. Forty-nine patients, who underwent LDLT more than one year ago, were randomly screened by using IMK assay from January 2010 to December 2011, and the complete medical records of each patient were obtained. The CYP3A5 genotypes were examined in thirty-nine patients of them. Results. The mean ATP level of the IMK assay was significantly lower in the patients with infection including recurrence of hepatitis C (HCV) (n = 10) than in those without infection (n = 39): 185 versus 350 ng/mL (P < 0.001), while it was significantly higher in the patients with rejection (n = 4) than in those without rejection (n = 45): 663 versus 306 ng/mL (P < 0.001). The IMK assay showed favorable sensitivity/specificity for infection (0.909/0.842) as well as acute rejection (1.0/0.911). CYP3A5 genotypes in both recipient and donor did not affect incidence of infectious complications. Conclusions. In the late phase of LDLT patients, the IMK assay is very useful for monitoring immunological aspects including bacterial infection, recurrence of HCV, and rejection.
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Impaired lymphocyte reactivity measured by immune function testing in untransplanted patients with cirrhosis. CLINICAL AND VACCINE IMMUNOLOGY : CVI 2013; 20:526-9. [PMID: 23389930 DOI: 10.1128/cvi.00595-12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The immune function test is an integrated measure of total mitogen-inducible CD4(+) T cell metabolic activity in the peripheral blood, and it is used to guide the dosing of immunosuppressive medications after solid organ transplantation. Recently, low CD4(+) T cell metabolic activity due to pharmacologic immunosuppression has been linked to rapidly progressive cirrhosis in hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected liver transplant recipients. We speculate that either cirrhosis or HCV might adversely affect the CD4(+) T cell reactivity even in the absence of immunosuppressive medications. We thus performed this assay on a cohort of untransplanted hepatology patients who were not taking immunomodulatory drugs. Low mitogen-stimulated CD4(+) T cell metabolic reactivity was more commonly seen in untransplanted patients with HCV cirrhosis or with cirrhosis due to other causes but not in control patients or in those with chronic HCV in the absence of cirrhosis. The lowest mean CD4(+) T cell reactivities were seen in patients with both cirrhosis and HCV. Caution should be exercised when immune function test results are used to guide immunomodulatory therapy in transplant recipients with suspected cirrhosis, as low immune function test results may be a consequence of hepatic cirrhosis or of pharmacologic immunosuppression.
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Rodrigo E, López-Hoyos M, Corral M, Fábrega E, Fernández-Fresnedo G, San Segundo D, Piñera C, Arias M. ImmuKnow as a diagnostic tool for predicting infection and acute rejection in adult liver transplant recipients: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Liver Transpl 2012; 18:1245-53. [PMID: 22740321 DOI: 10.1002/lt.23497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Immune status monitoring of transplant recipients could identify patients at risk of acute rejection, infection, and cancer, which are important sources of morbidity and mortality in these patients. The ImmuKnow assay provides an objective assessment of the cellular immune function of immunosuppressed patients. Inconclusive results concerning the ability of the ImmuKnow test to predict acute rejection and infection have raised concerns about the predictive value of ImmuKnow in liver transplant recipients. We conducted a systematic literature review to identify studies published up to March 2012 that documented the use of ImmuKnow for monitoring immune function in liver transplant recipients. The study quality was assessed with the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies 2 score. We identified 5 studies analyzing ImmuKnow performance for infection and 5 studies analyzing ImmuKnow performance for acute rejection. The pooled sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio, diagnostic odds ratio, and area under the summary receiver operating characteristic curve were 83.8% [95% confidence interval (CI) = 78.5%-88.3%], 75.3% (95% CI = 70.9%-79.4%), 3.3 (95% CI = 2.8-4.0), 14.6 (95% CI = 9.6-22.3), and 0.824 ± 0.034, respectively, for infection and 65.6% (95% CI = 55.0%-75.1%), 80.4% (95% CI = 76.4%-83.9%), 3.4 (95% CI = 2.4-4.7), 8.8 (95% CI = 3.1-24.8), and 0.835 ± 0.060, respectively, for acute rejection. Heterogeneity was low for infection studies and high for acute rejection studies. In conclusion, the ImmuKnow test is a valid tool for determining the risk of further infection in adult liver transplant recipients. Significant heterogeneity across studies precludes the conclusion that ImmuKnow identifies liver transplant patients at risk for rejection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilio Rodrigo
- Nephrology Service, Marqués de Valdecilla University Hospital, University of Cantabria, Institute for Training and Research of the Marqués de Valdecilla Foundation, Santander, Spain.
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12
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Te HS, Dasgupta KA, Cao D, Satoskar R, Mohanty SR, Reau N, Millis JM, Jensen DM. Use of immune function test in monitoring immunosuppression in liver transplant recipients. Clin Transplant 2012; 26:826-32. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1399-0012.2012.01632.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/22/2011] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Helen S. Te
- Center for Liver Diseases; University of Chicago Medical Center; Chicago; IL; USA
| | - Kathleen A. Dasgupta
- Section of Transplant Surgery; University of Chicago Medical Center; Chicago; IL; USA
| | - Dingcai Cao
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences; University of Illinois at Chicago; Chicago; IL; USA
| | - Rohit Satoskar
- Institute of Transplant; Georgetown University Medical Center; Washington; DC; USA
| | - Smruti R. Mohanty
- Center for Liver Diseases; University of Chicago Medical Center; Chicago; IL; USA
| | - Nancy Reau
- Center for Liver Diseases; University of Chicago Medical Center; Chicago; IL; USA
| | - James Michael Millis
- Section of Transplant Surgery; University of Chicago Medical Center; Chicago; IL; USA
| | - Donald M. Jensen
- Center for Liver Diseases; University of Chicago Medical Center; Chicago; IL; USA
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Abstract
1. Current immunological monitoring relies heavily on clinical judgment and therapeutic drug levels and does not adequately assess the functional or donor-specific immunosuppression (IS) status of recipients of liver transplantation (LT). 2. Trough levels of drugs are arbitrary and are more clinically relevant for preventing supratherapeutic or subtherapeutic dosing and blood concentrations and for more closely monitoring at-risk populations (children, the elderly, and patients with organ dysfunction). The AUC or the post-dose levels may be more precise, but they have not been used extensively by transplant centers. 3. Data on drug/immune monitoring specific to LT are fairly limited; therefore, clinical practice is often borrowed from experiences with nonhepatic transplantation (mainly renal transplantation). 4. The monitoring of drug levels in patients taking generic immunosuppressants is challenging because the formulations may change with each prescription. The monitoring of drug or antibody levels is not yet clinically available for biological therapies (induction, lymphocyte-depleting, and maintenance agents). 5. Polymorphisms in drug metabolism (cytochrome P450 and P-glycoprotein) may be useful in selecting the initial and maintenance dosages of immunosuppressants and in preventing complications from over or underimmunosuppression. 6. Future immune monitoring assays should be focused on genomic or immunological predispositions and on specific reactivities to donor antigens to guide the appropriate dosing and minimization of IS after LT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josh Levitsky
- Division of Hepatology and Comprehensive Transplant Center, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA.
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Barritt AS, Darling JM, Hayashi PH. New and Evolving Management Paradigms for Hepatitis C after Liver Transplantation. CURRENT HEPATITIS REPORTS 2011; 10:179-185. [PMID: 22448143 PMCID: PMC3308145 DOI: 10.1007/s11901-011-0103-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Hepatitis-C induced liver failure is the leading indication for liver transplantation in the United States, and the burden of hepatitis C virus (HCV)-induced liver disease is not expected to peak for at least another decade. 2011 will usher in a new era of directly acting antiviral therapies and personalized medicine that will assist patients and clinicians in choosing the best drug regimen. Specific markers to predict sustained virologic response (SVR) in the posttransplant setting are under development, and the role of graft genetic markers like interleukin-28B and interferon-γ inducible protein-10 have yet to be fully defined. Lessons and experiences from treating the pretransplant population will be applied to patients with recurrent posttransplant HCV while studies specific to this population proceed. New paradigms for HCV treatment give promise to reducing the pretransplant burden of disease and improving SVR rates in the posttransplant population.
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Affiliation(s)
- A. Sidney Barritt
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 8004 Burnett Womack, CB #7568, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7568, USA
| | - Jama M. Darling
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 8014 Burnett Womack, CB #7568, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7568, USA
| | - Paul H. Hayashi
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 8011 Burnett Womack, CB #7568, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7568, USA
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