Objetivo: Estabelecer relação entre a sobrevivência de retalhos cutâneos em ilha submetidos à isquemia prolongada e o uso da estreptoquinase e do alopurinol administrados após o período de isquemia prolongado. Método: Foram utilizados 48 ratos machos da raça Wistar, com pesos entre 300 e 350g, divididos em quatro grupos com 12 cada um, sendo; grupo controle, alopurinol, estreptoquinase e associação de alopurinol com estreptoquinase, submetidos à dissecção de retalho epigástrico em ilha, seguido de clampeamento do feixe vascular, por 8 horas em isquemia mista normotérmica. Após este período, as pinças foram retiradas e cada animal recebeu o esquema terapêutico proposto através de injeção intravenosa. A análise da sobrevivência dos retalhos foi realizada no sétimo dia de pós-operatório. Foram realizadas análises descritivas (% de área necrótica) e de variâncias, bem como, comparações múltiplas de Dunnett T3 entre os quatro grupos e o teste da mediana. Resultados: O grupo controle apresentou em média 79,88% de necrose da área total, aqueles que receberam alopurinol apresentaram em média 64,05% de necrose e o grupo que recebeu estreptoquinase apresentou em média 55,52% de necrose. Com a associação das duas drogas os ratos apresentaram em média 54,30% de área necrótica. Aplicando o teste Dunnett e o teste da mediana verificouse de que o grupo estreptoquinase é o que possui o menor percentual de necrose neste estudo, e o que apresentou diferença estatística significativa em relação ao grupo controle. Conclusão: A administração sistêmica da estreptoquinase após 8 horas de isquemia mista normotérmica resultou em aumento da sobrevivência de retalhos epigástricos em ilha em ratos, quando comparado à administração de alopurinol, associação do alopurinol e estreptoquinase e do grupo controle / Background: To establish a relation between the survival rate of island skin flaps submitted to a prolonged ischemia and the effect of streptokinase and allopurinol administered after the ischemic period. Methods: A total of 48 male Winstar rats, each weighing between 300 and 350 grams, separated in four groups of twelve each, as follows: control, alopurinol, streptokinase and association of allopurinol and streptokinase, were submitted to an epigastric island flap dissection followed by the epigastric vessel bundle clamping. Flaps remained this way for 8 hours in normothermic mixed ischemia. After the ischemic period, the clamps were removed and each rat received the therapeutical scheme proposed for the group through intravenous injections. Flap survival analysis was performed on the seventh post operative day. Variance and descriptive analyses (as a percentage of the necrotic area) as well as Dunnett-T3 multiple comparisons among the 4 groups and median tests were carried out. Results: Rats in the control group presented an average of 79.88% of necrosis in the flap total area; those which received allopurinol presented an average of 64.05% of necrosis whereas the group which received streptokinase showed an average of 55.52% of necrosis. With the association of both drugs, rats presented an average of 54.30% of necrosis in the flap total area. . By applying Dunnet test and the median test, we could verify that the streptokinase group had the lowest necrosis rate in this study. Conclusion: The systemic administration of streptokinase after 8 hours of normothermic global ischemia resulted in an increase in survival rate of epigastric island skin flaps in rats, when compared to the administration of alopurinol, association of the two drugs and the control group

INTRODUÇÃO: A isquemia-reperfusão pulmonar e o uso do oxigenador de membranas são considerados fatores importantes na resposta inflamatória após a cirurgia cardíaca (CC) com utilização da circulação extracorpórea (CEC). Estudos anteriores que utilizaram os próprios pulmões dos pacientes como oxigenador em uma circulação extracorpórea biventricular (CECBV) em comparação à CEC convencional (CECC) mostraram efeitos benéficos na mecânica pulmonar e na reação inflamatória sistêmica. No entanto, a inflamação pulmonar ainda não foi totalmente esclarecida neste cenário. Os objetivos deste estudo foram observar o impacto da exclusão do oxigenador de membranas e da manutenção da ventilação e perfusão pulmonar na inflamação regional em porcos submetidos à CEC. MÉTODOS: Vinte e sete porcos ventilados mecanicamente foram submetidos à toracotomia e alocados randomicamente nos grupos: Controle (n=8), CECC (n=9) e CECBV (n=10). Os animais dos grupos CECC e CECBV foram submetidos respectivamente a uma CEC convencional ou a uma CEC biventricular com ventilação e perfusão pulmonar sem oxigenador de membranas por 90 minutos. As interleucinas (ILs) séricas foram avaliadas nos momentos: basal, após a CEC e 90 minutos após a CEC, e em momentos equivalentes no grupo Controle. As ILs do lavado broncoalveolar (LBA) foram medidas nos momentos basal e 90 minutos após a CEC. Amostras de tecido pulmonar foram coletadas da região ventral e dorsal do lobo pulmonar esquerdo para avaliação do número de polimorfonucleares (PMN) e quantificação do edema pela área de parênquima. Os dados foram avaliados através de ANOVA, considerando-se estatisticamente significante p<0,05. RESULTADOS: O grupo CECC apresentou uma maior inflamação, com um aumento no número de PMN, comparado ao grupo Controle (p < 0,001) nas regiões: ventral (2,8 x10-6± 0,7 x10-6 vs. 1,6 x10-6 ± 0,5 x10-6 , respectivamente) e dorsal (3,3 x10-6 ± 1,0 x10-6 vs. 1,9 x10- 6 ± 0,5 x10-6, respectivamente) e ao grupo CECBV (p = 0,006) nas regiões: ventral (2,3 x10-6 ± 0,7 x10-7) e dorsal (2,1 x10-6 ± 0,7 x10-6). Edema foi maior no grupo CECC comparado ao Controle nas regiões ventral e dorsal (2,4 x10-2 ± 3,5 x10-2 vs. 8,2 x10-4 ± 0,2 x10-4 e 5,7 x10 -2 ± 4,3 x10-2 vs. 0,3 x10-2 ± 1,0 x10-2, respectivamente, p = 0,016) e mais intenso na região dorsal em todos os grupos (p = 0,004). As IL 10 e IL6 do LBA foram maiores nos grupos submetidos à CECC (41,9 ± 12,2, p = 0,010 e 239,4 ± 45,2, p < 0,001, respectivamente) e à CECBV (40,7 ± 12,0, p = 0,016 e 174,8 ± 61,2, p = 0,004, respectivamente) comparadas ao Controle (21,0 ± 6,9 e 71,8 ± 29,8, respectivamente). As ILs séricas não diferiram entre os grupos (p > 0,05). O Grupo CECC, comparado ao grupo CECBV, mostrou um aumento maior com o tempo na IL6 do LBA (239,4 ± 45,2 vs. 174,8 ± 61,2, p = 0,027, respectivamente) e na IL8 sérica (193,1 ± 108,8 vs. 147,0 ± 59,4, p = 0,040, respectivamente). CONCLUSÕES: Em modelo experimental de circulação extracorpórea em porcos, a manutenção da perfusão e ventilação dos pulmões na CEC biventricular atenua a inflamação pulmonar em comparação à CEC convencional / BACKGROUND: Lung ischemia-reperfusion injury and the membrane oxygenator are considered important factors in the inflammatory response after cardiac surgery and cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Previous studies using the own lung as the oxygenator with a biventricular bypass demonstrated the beneficial effects of this technique. However, lung inflammation was not fully evaluated in this scenario. The aim of this study was to observe the impact of the exclusion of the membrane oxygenator and maintenance of lung perfusion on regional lung inflammation in pigs undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass. METHODS: Twenty-seven mechanically ventilated pigs were subjected to a thoracotomy and randomly allocated into Control (n=8), CPB (n=9) or Lung Perfusion (n=10) groups. Animals from the CPB group and Lung Perfusion group were subjected respectively to a conventional CPB or to a biventricular bypass with pulmonary ventilation and perfusion without a membrane oxygenator for 90 minutes. The systemic interleukins (ILs) were determined at baseline, after bypass and 90 min after bypass or at equivalent times in the Control group. ILs from bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BAL) were evaluated at baseline and 90 min after bypass. Tissue samples were collected from the dorsal and ventral regions of the left lung for assessment of the number of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) per parenchyma area and edema. Data were evaluated using ANOVA and p< 0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: The CPB group showed increased lung inflammation, with an increased PMN count compared to the Control (p<0,001) at ventral (2.8 x10-6± 0.7 x10-6 vs. 1.6 x10-6± 0.5 x10-6 , respectively) and dorsal regions (3.3 x10-6 ± 1.0 x10-6 vs. 1.9 x10-6 ± 0.5 x10-6, respectively) and to Lung Perfusion Group (p = 0.006) at ventral (2.3 x10-6 ± 0.7 x10-7) e dorsal regions (2.1 x10-6 ± 0.7 x10-6). Edema was higher in the CPB group compared to the Control at ventral and dorsal regions (2.4 x10-2± 3.5 x10-2 vs. 8.2 x10 -4± 0.2 x10-4 and 5.7 x10 -2 ± 4.3 x10-2 vs. 0.3 x10-2 ± 1.0 x10-2, respectively, p = 0.016) and increased in the dorsal region in all groups (p = 0.004). BAL IL10 and IL6 were higher in groups subjected to CPB group (41.9 ± 12.2, p = 0.010 e 239.4 ± 45.2, p<0.001, respectively) and to Lung Perfusion group (40.7 ± 12.0, p = 0.016 e 174.8 ± 61.2, p = 0.004, respectively) compared to Control group (21.0 ± 6.9 e 71.8 ± 29.8). Systemic interleukins did not differ between groups (p > 0.05). The CPB group compared to Lung Perfusion group showed a higher increase in BAL IL6 (239,4 ± 45,2 vs. 174,8 ± 61,2, p = 0,027, respectively) and in serum IL8 over time (193,1 ± 108,8 vs. 147,0 ± 59,4, p = 0,040, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: In a pig model of extracorporeal circulation, maintenance of lung perfusion and ventilation with biventricular bypass attenuates the pulmonary inflammation as compared to conventional CPB

L’insuffisance rénale aiguë (IRA) est une dysfonction d’organe fréquente. Alors que la fonction rénale récupère le plus souvent, on sait depuis 2009 que le pronostic rénal est malgré tout engagé à long terme. L’objectif de ce travail est d’étudier les mécanismes de réparation pathologique de l’épithélium tubulaire afin de mieux comprendre les conséquences à long terme d’un épisode d’IRA.Le parcours des patients après IRA a été transposé dans un modèle à deux agressions (souris C57Bl6/J) : ischémie-reperfusion rénale, suivie à distance par l’administration continue d’angiotensine 2. L’agression aiguë a été calibrée pour obtenir une récupération fonctionnelle et une histologique (microarchitecture normale à la fin du processus de réparation). La fibrose rénale sous angiotensine 2 était plus importante après un antécédent de nécrose tubulaire ischémique résolutive. En isolant les cellules du tube proximal différenciées, une reprogrammation durable du métabolisme et une probable compartimentalisation de la fibrogénèse ont été mises en évidence.L’hypothèse d’un mécanisme épigénétique, faisant le lien entre ischémie-reperfusion et fibrose à distance, a été explorée. Des modifications d’acétylation des histones dans les cellules tubulaires ont été constatées sur des biopsies des greffons humains en post-IRA. Ces modifications ont été reproduites chez la souris et modélisées in vitro après hypoxie-réoxygénation sur une culture primaire de cellules tubulaires. L’acétylation du locus du gène du micro-ARN miR21, dont les cibles sont impliquées dans la progression de la fibrose, est augmentée après ischémie-reperfusion et associée à son induction. / Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a frequent organ dysfunction. While renal function generally recovers, it has been shown since 2009 that AKI carries a poor long-term renal prognosis. The objective of this study was to investigate the maladaptive repair of the tubular epithelium in order to better understand the long-term consequences of AKI. The course of patients after AKI was transposed into a two-hit animal model (C57Bl6/J mice): renal ischemia-reperfusion, followed by continuous administration of angiotensin 2. AKI was calibrated so as to obtain full functional recovery and normal microarchitecture after ischemic tubular necrosis. There was greater renal fibrosis under angiotensin 2 after a history of resolving ischemic tubular necrosis. By isolating differentiated proximal tubular cells, sustained metabolism reprogramming and compartmentalization of fibrogenesis were highlighted. The hypothesis of an underlying epigenetic mechanism, linking ischemia-reperfusion to fibrosis, was explored. Histone post-translational modifications (H3K18 acetylation) in tubular cells were found in human graft biopsies. These changes were reproduced in mice and modeled in vitro after hypoxia-reoxygenation on a primary culture of tubular cells. Histone acetylation peaked at the locus of the miR21 microRNA gene, whose targets are involved in the progression of fibrosis, and was implicated in miR21 expression following our model of AKI.

Magister Scientiae (Medical Bioscience) - MSc(MBS) / Stroke is the third leading cause of death in South Africa, killing about 240 people a day and leaving survivors with residual disabilities. There is no clinically approved neuroprotective agent for stroke at the moment but the consumption of plant polyphenols has been suggested to offer neuroprotection against stroke and other neurodegenerative diseases. In this study, we investigated the effects of long term consumption of fermented rooibos herbal tea (FRHT) on ischemia reperfusion brain injury (I-RBI) in rats. Male adult Wistar rats were fed FRHT ad libitum for 7 weeks prior to the induction of ischemic injury by the transient bilateral occlusion of the common carotid arteries (BCCAO) for 20 minutes followed by 24 hours, 4 and 7 days of reperfusion respectively. Rats were then evaluated for neurologic deficits before sacrifice and brains harvested for assessment of brain oedema, blood-brain-barrier (BBB) integrity through Evans blue extravasation (EBE), immunohistochemical studies of apoptosis and lipid peroxidation. Oxygen radical antioxidant capacity and ferric reducing antioxidant power assays were also conducted to assess total antioxidant capacity after ischemia-reperfusion injury. Notably, the long term consumption of fermented rooibos herbal tea prevented brain oedema by reducing cerebral swelling induced by I-RBI. We also observed that fermented rooibos herbal tea offered neuroprotection against damage to the BBB and delayed neuronal death associated with BCCAO as fewer apoptotic cells were identified 7 days post BCCAO reperfusion. Significantly reduced levels of lipid peroxidation and increased levels of total antioxidant capacity were also observed in brain specimens of rats treated with FRHT. Rats treated with FRHT also showed improved neurologic outcomes when compared with the untreated animals. Our results show that FRHT has potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties which can provide neuroprotective effects against neuronal cell loss, cerebral swelling, BBB disruption, lipid peroxidation and neurologic deficits following I-RBI. The use of FRHT is therefore highly recommended for patients with conditions that predispose them to stroke.

Endogenous cardiac protection against acute ischemia/reperfusion injury can by increased by cardiac adaptation to various forms of chronic hypoxia. Chronic hypoxia induces a large variety of adaptive changes in the myocardium that could be considered as protective, but the exact mechanism of increased ischemic tolerance is unknown. Different studies suggest that catecholamine release and their effect on -adrenergic signaling after adaptation to chronic hypoxia contributes to cardioprotection. In this study we focused on characterization of -adrenergic receptors ( -ARs) in the myocardium of rats after adaptation to three different hypoxic conditions: 1. intermittent normobaric hypoxia - INH/R (23 h hypoxia, 1 h reoxygenation), 2. intermittent normobaric hypoxia - INH (8 h hypoxia, 16 h normoxia), 3. continuous normobaric hypoxia - CNH (24 h hypoxia). We compared how each hypoxic model affects the total number of -adrenergic receptors and proportion of individual subtypes ( 1-and 2-ARs) in the left and right ventricles compared control normoxic rats. The INH model had apparently no effect on -ARs in either ventricles. On the other hand, adaptation to INH/R and CNH was accompanied by a significant decrease (by about 25%) in the total number of -adrenergic receptors in the right ventricles. Our present...

Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of death in the United States. Toll-like receptor (TLR)-mediated pathways have been demonstrated to play a role in myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury. We and others have shown that PI3K/Akt signaling is involved in regulating cellular survival and protecting the myocardium from I/R induced injury. In this dissertation, we provide compelling evidence that miR-125b serves to “fine tune” TLR mediated NF-kB responses by repressing TNF-a and TRAF6 expression. We constructed lentiviral expressing miR-125b, delivered it into the myocardium. The data showed that delivery of lentivirus expressing miR-125b significantly reduces myocardial infarct size and improves cardiac function in I/R hearts. Mechanistic studies demonstrated that miR-125b negatively regulates TLR mediated NF-kB activation pathway by repressing TNF-a and TRAF6 expression in the myocardium. We also observed that transfection of the myocardium with lentivirus expressing miR-214 markedly attenuates I/R induced myocardial infarct size and cardiac dysfunction. We demonstrated that miR-214 activates PI3K/Akt signaling by targeting PTEN expression in the myocardium. We also investigated the role of TLR3 in neonatal heart repair and regeneration following myocardial infarction (MI). Wild type (WT) neonatal mice showed fully cardiac functional recovery and small infarct size, while TLR3 deficient mice exhibited impaired cardiac functional recovery and large infarct area after MI. Poly (I:C), a TLR3 ligand, administration significantly enhances glycolysis, YAP1 activation and the proliferation of WT neonatal cardiomyocytes. 2-deoxyglucose (2-DG), a glycolysis inhibitor treatment abolished cardiac functional recovery and YAP1 activation in neonatal mice after MI. In vitro either inhibition of glycolysis by 2-DG or inhibition of YAP1 activation prevents Poly (I:C) induced YAP1 activation and neonatal cardiomyocyte proliferation. Importantly, YAP1 activation increases miR-152 expression, leading to cardiomyocyte proliferation through suppression P27kip1 and DNMT1 expression. We conclude that microRNAs play an important role in TLR modulation induced protection against myocardial I/R injury by increasing the activation of PI3K/Akt signaling pathway, decreasing TLR/NF-kB mediated inflammatory response, and suppressing activation of apoptotic signaling following myocardial I/R injury. In addition, TLR3 is an essential for neonatal heart repair and regeneration after myocardial infarction. TLR3 modulation could be a novel strategy for heart regeneration and repair.

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Background: Despite recent advances and refinements in perioperative management of kidney transplantation (KT), early renal graft injury (eRGI) remains a critical problem with serious impairment of graft function as well as short- and long-term outcome. Serial monitoring of peripheral blood innate immune cells might be a useful tool in predicting post-transplant eRGI and graft outcome after KT. Methods: In this prospective study, medical data of 50 consecutive patients undergoing KT at the University Hospital of Leipzig were analyzed starting at the day of KT until day 10 after the transplantation. The main outcome parameter was the occurrence of eRGI and other outcome parameters associated with graft function/outcome. eRGI was defined as graft-related complications and clinical signs of renal IRI (ischemia reperfusion injury), such as acute tubular necrosis (ATN), delayed graft function (DGF), initial nonfunction (INF) and graft rejection within 3 months following KT. Typical innate immune cells including neutrophils, natural killer (NK) cells, monocytes, basophils and dendritic cells (myeloid, plasmacytoid) were measured in all patients in peripheral blood at day 0, 1, 3, 7 and 10 after the transplantation. Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curves were performed to assess their predictive value for eRGI. Cutoff levels were calculated with the Youden index. Significant diagnostic immunological cutoffs and other prognostic clinical factors were tested in a multivariate logistic regression model. Results: Of the 50 included patients, 23 patients developed eRGI. Mean levels of neutrophils and monocytes were significantly higher on most days in the eRGI group compared to the non-eRGI group after transplantation, whereas a significant decrease in NK cell count, basophil levels and DC counts could be found between baseline and postoperative course. ROC analysis indicated that monocytes levels on POD 7 (AUC: 0.91) and NK cell levels on POD 7 (AUC: 0.92) were highly predictive for eRGI after KT. Multivariable analysis identified recipient age (OR 1.53 (95% CI: 1.003–2.350), p = 0.040), recipient body mass index > 25 kg/m2 (OR 5.6 (95% CI: 1.36–23.9), p = 0.015), recipient cardiovascular disease (OR 8.17 (95% CI: 1.28–52.16), p = 0.026), donor age (OR 1.068 (95% CI: 1.011–1.128), p = 0.027), <0.010), deceased-donor transplantation (OR 2.18 (95% CI: 1.091–4.112), p = 0.027) and cold ischemia time (CIT) of the renal graft (OR 1.005 (95% CI: 1.001–1.01), p = 0.019) as clinically relevant prognostic factors associated with increased eRGI following KT. Further, neutrophils > 9.4 × 103/μL on POD 7 (OR 16.1 (95% CI: 1.31–195.6), p = 0.031), monocytes > 1150 cells/ul on POD 7 (OR 7.81 (95% CI: 1.97–63.18), p = 0.048), NK cells < 125 cells/μL on POD 3 (OR 6.97 (95% CI: 3.81–12.7), p < 0.01), basophils < 18.1 cells/μL on POD 10 (OR 3.45 (95% CI: 1.37–12.3), p = 0.02) and mDC < 4.7 cells/μL on POD 7 (OR 11.68 (95% CI: 1.85–73.4), p < 0.01) were revealed as independent biochemical predictive variables for eRGI after KT. Conclusions: We show that the combined measurement of immunological innate variables (NK cells and monocytes on POD 7) and specific clinical factors such as prolonged CIT, increased donor and recipient age and morbidity together with deceased-donor transplantation were significant and specific predictors of eRGI following KT. We suggest that intensified monitoring of these parameters might be a helpful clinical tool in identifying patients at a higher risk of postoperative complication after KT and may therefore help to detect and—by diligent clinical management—even prevent deteriorated outcome due to IRI and eRGI after KT.