Intravitalmikroskopische und immunhistochemische Untersuchungen zur Wirkung poly- und monoklonaler anti-Lymphozytenantikörper am konkordanten, xenogenen Primatenmodel

Es wurden zwei tierexperimentelle Versuchsaufbauten erarbeitet: 1.Die ex vivo perfusion isolierter Nieren von Macaca Fascicularis mit poliklonalem ATG 2.Perfusion der unteren Extremität von Macaca Fascicularis mit menschlichem Blut in einem geschlossenen Perfusionssystem Mit Hilfe der o.g. Aufbauten wurden folgende Fragestellungen untersucht: 1.Bindet poliklonales ATG im xenogenen konkordanten Modell an Strukturen der Niere von Macaca Fascicularis und 2.wird diese Bindung durch verlängerte Ischämiezeit moduliert? 3.Binden mononukleäre Zellen (Lymphozyten, Monozyten) an Gefrierschnitte der Niere von Macaca fascicularis und 4.wird diese Bindung durch vorherige Behandlung der mononukleären Zellen mit polyklonalem ATG moduliert? 5.Beeinflusst die Behandlung mit polyklonalem ATG das Adhäsionsverhalten menschlicher Lymphozyten bei der konkordanten Xenotransplantation und 6.gibt es diesbezüglich Unterschiede zwischen ATG-Fresenius und ATG-Mérieux? 7.Beeinflusst die Behandlung mit anti- IL-2 Rezeptor Antikörpern das Adhäsionsverhalten menschlicher Lymphozyten bei der konkordanten Xenotransplantation? 8.Ist die prophylaktische Therapie mit polyklonalem ATG einer verzögerten Therapie im vorliegenden Ansatz überlegen? Die Ergebnisse im ersten Versuchsaufbau waren: 1.Polyklonales ATG bindet im konkordanten Modell Mensch zu Macaca Fascicularis nicht an Strukturen der Niere. 2.Eine verlängerte Ischämiezeit hat keinen Einfluss auf die Bindung von polyklonalem ATG an Strukturen der Niere von Macaca Fascicularis. 3.Mononukleäre Zellen binden nicht an nach kurzer Ischämiezeit entnommene, Gefrierschnitte der Niere von Macaca Fascicularis. 4.Eine vorherige Behandlung der Zellen mit polyklonalem ATG beeinflusst dieses Bindungsverhalten nicht. Die Ergebnisse im zweiten Versuchsaufbau waren: 1.Ohne vorherige Behandlung des menschlichen Blutes kommt es bereits nach etwa 15 Minuten zu einer weitgehend vollständigen Adhäsion humaner Leukozyten an das Gefäßendothel von Macaca Fascicularis. 2.Die Zugabe von polyklonalem ATG nach vollständiger Leukozytenadhäsion führt zu einer partiellen Aufhebung der Leukozyten-Endothel Interaktion. 3.Durch die prophylaktische Therapie mit polyklonalem ATG kann im vorliegendem Versuchsaufbau eine Leukozyten-Endothel Bindung in 4 von 6 Fällen vollständig, und in 2 Fällen nahezu vollständig verhindert werden. 4.Die prophylaktische Therapie mit polyklonalem ATG ist im vorliegenden Versuchsaufbau einer zeitversetzten Therapie überlegen. 5.Die prophylaktische Therapie mit anti- IL-2 Rezeptor Antikörpern hat im vorliegenden Versuchsaufbau keine positiven Effekte auf die Leukozyten-Endothel- Interaktion. Folgende klinische Hypothesen lassen sich aus den durchgeführten Experimenten ableiten: 1.Polyklonales ATG vermittelt keine direkte Wirkung durch Bindung an das Gewebe der Niere, unabhängig von der Ischämiezeit des transplantierten Organs. 2.Die prophylaktische Therapie mit polyklonalem ATG ist wirksam bei der Verhinderung zellulärer Abstoßungsreaktionen und verbessert das Transplantatüberleben durch Vermeidung einer Immunisierung

Novel 3D light microscopic analysis of IUGR placentas points to a morphological correlate of compensated ischemic placental disease in humans

The villous tree of the human placenta is a complex three-dimensional (3D) structure with branches and nodes at the feto-maternal border in the key area of gas and nutrient exchange. Recently we introduced a novel, computer-assisted 3D light microscopic method that enables 3D topological analysis of branching patterns of the human placental villous tree. In the present study we applied this novel method to the 3D architecture of peripheral villous trees of placentas from patients with intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR placentas), a severe obstetric syndrome. We found that the mean branching angle of branches in terminal positions of the villous trees was significantly different statistically between IUGR placentas and clinically normal placentas. Furthermore, the mean tortuosity of branches of villous trees in directly preterminal positions was significantly different statistically between IUGR placentas and clinically normal placentas. We show that these differences can be interpreted as consequences of morphological adaptation of villous trees between IUGR placentas and clinically normal placentas, and may have important consequences for the understanding of the morphological correlates of the efficiency of the placental villous tree and their influence on fetal development

Novel 3D Microscopic Analysis of Human Placental Villous Trees Reveals Unexpected Significance of Branching Angles

The villous trees of human placentas delineate the fetomaternal border and are complex three-dimensional (3D) structures. Thus far, they have primarily been analyzed as thin, two-dimensional (2D) histological sections. However, 2D sections cannot provide access to key aspects such as branching nodes and branch order. Using samples taken from 50 normal human placentas at birth, in the present study we show that analysis procedures for 3D reconstruction of neuronal dendritic trees can also be used for analyzing trees of human placentas. Nodes and their branches (e.g., branching hierarchy, branching angles, diameters, and lengths of branches) can be efficiently measured in whole-mount preparations of isolated villous trees using high-end light microscopy. Such data differ qualitatively from the data obtainable from histological sections and go substantially beyond the morphological horizon of such histological data. Unexpectedly, branching angles of terminal branches of villous trees varied inversely with the fetoplacental weight ratio, a widely used clinical parameter. Since branching angles have never before been determined in the human placenta, this result requires further detailed studies in order to fully understand its impact

Does 2D-Histologic identification of villous types of human placentas at birth enable sensitive and reliable interpretation of 3D structure?

INTRODUCTION: The villous tree of human placentas is a complex three-dimensional (3D) structure which enables fetomaternal exchange. Current concepts of microscopic analyses are based on the analysis of two-dimensional (2D) histologic sections. For this approach, the assessment of the stromal core of sectioned villi is of key importance. The classification of stromal properties of sectioned villi allows allocation of villous sections to villous types which are named by their expected position in villous trees (terminal, intermediate, and stem villi). METHOD: The present study takes these current concepts of placental histology as hypothesis and validates them against predetermined 3D positions of branches of villous trees. The 3D positions were determined prior to histologic sectioning using a recently introduced 3D-microscopic approach. Individual histologic sections of villi were classified by their stromal structures and inter rater variability of these histologic assessments were determined. RESULTS/DISSCUSSION: Inter rater variability was high and indicates substantial observer influence on the outcome of histologic assessments. Cross-match of villous types with the predetermined positions of villous branches of villous trees revealed substantial mismatch between the outcome of stromal classification and 3D-position of the sectioned villi in the placental villous trees.DFG, grant numbers INST 86/1495-1 FUGG, INST86/1452-1 LAGG.This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Elsevier via http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.placenta.2015.10.00

Prospective cohort study using the breast cancer spheroid model as a predictor for response to neoadjuvant therapy--the SpheroNEO study

Background Aim of this prospective study was to predict response to neoadjuvant therapy in breast cancer patients using an in vitro breast cancer spheroid model. Methods Three-dimensional spheroids were directly generated from fresh breast tumor biopsies of 78 patients eligible for neoadjuvant therapy. Cell survival was measured after in vitro exposure to the equivalent therapeutic agents in the breast cancer spheroid model. Treatment results in vitro were correlated with pathological complete response (pCR, i.e. ypT0 ypN0) determined at surgery. Results A mean cell survival of 21.8 % was found in the breast cancer spheroid model for 22 patients with pCR versus 63.8 % in 56 patients without pCR (P = .001). The area under the receiver operator characteristic curve to predict pCR was 0.86 (95 % CI: 0.77 to 0.96) for cell survival in vitro compared to 0.80 (95 % CI: 0.70 to 0.90) for a combined model of conventional factors (hormone- and HER2 receptor, and age). A cutoff at 35 % cell survival for the spheroid model was proposed. Out of the 32 patients with values below this threshold, 21 patients (65.6 %) and one patient (2.2 %) with a cell survival greater than 35 % achieved pCR respectively; (sensitivity 95.5 % (95 % CI: 0.86 to 1.00); specificity 80.4 % (95 % CI: 0.70 to 0.91)). Extent of residual disease positively correlated with increased cell survival (P = .021). Conclusion The breast cancer spheroid model proved to be a highly sensitive and specific predictor for pCR after neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer patients

Interinstitutional variations in mode of birth after a previous caesarean section : a cross-sectional study in six German hospitals

Aims: Regional and interinstitutional variations have been recognized in the increasing incidence of caesarean section. Modes of birth after previous caesarean section vary widely, ranging from elective repeat caesarean section (ERCS) and unplanned repeat caesarean section (URCS) after trial of labour to vaginal birth after caesarean section (VBAC). This study describes interinstitutional variations in mode of birth after previous caesarean section in relation to regional indicators in Germany. Material and methods: A cross-sectional study using the birth registers of six maternity units (n=12,060) in five different German states (n=370,209). Indicators were tested by χ2 and relative deviations from regional values were expressed as relative risks and 95% confidence intervals. Results: The percentages of women in the six units with previous caesarean section ranged from 11.9% to 15.9% (P=0.002). VBAC was planned for 36.0% to 49.8% (P=0.003) of these women, but actually completed in only 26.2% to 32.8% (P=0.66). Depending on the indicator, the units studied deviated from the regional data by up to 32% [relative risk 0.68 (0.47–0.97)] in respect of completed VBAC among all initiated VBAC. Conclusions: There is substantial interinstitutional variation in mode of birth following previous caesarean section. This variation is in addition to regional patterns

Novel 3D light microscopic analysis of IUGR placentas points to a morphological correlate of compensated ischemic placental disease in humans

The villous tree of the human placenta is a complex three-dimensional (3D) structure with branches and nodes at the feto-maternal border in the key area of gas and nutrient exchange. Recently we introduced a novel, computer-assisted 3D light microscopic method that enables 3D topological analysis of branching patterns of the human placental villous tree. In the present study we applied this novel method to the 3D architecture of peripheral villous trees of placentas from patients with intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR placentas), a severe obstetric syndrome. We found that the mean branching angle of branches in terminal positions of the villous trees was significantly different statistically between IUGR placentas and clinically normal placentas. Furthermore, the mean tortuosity of branches of villous trees in directly preterminal positions was significantly different statistically between IUGR placentas and clinically normal placentas. We show that these differences can be interpreted as consequences of morphological adaptation of villous trees between IUGR placentas and clinically normal placentas, and may have important consequences for the understanding of the morphological correlates of the efficiency of the placental villous tree and their influence on fetal development

The Density of Cell Nuclei at the Materno-Fetal Exchange Barrier is Sexually Dimorphic in Normal Placentas, but not in IUGR

Abstract Placental sexual dimorphism is of special interest in prenatal programming. Various postnatal diseases with gender dependent incidence, especially neuropsychiatric disorders like schizophrenia and autism spectrum disorders, have prenatal risk factors established. However, the functional relevance of placental microarchitecture in prenatal programming is poorly investigated, mainly due to a lack of statistically efficient methods. We hypothesized that the recently established 3D microscopic analysis of villous trees would be able to identify microscopic structural correlates of human placental sexual dimorphism. We analyzed the density of cell nuclei of villous trophoblast, i.e. the materno-fetal exchange barrier, in placentas from term pregnancies. The cell nuclei were grouped into proliferative and non-proliferative nuclei by detection of a proliferation marker (PCNA). Normal female placentas showed a higher density of non-proliferating nuclei (PCNA-negative) in villous trophoblast than normal male placentas. The density of PCNA-negative cell nuclei was higher in placentas of pregnancies with intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) than in control placentas. The data of the present study shows that the density of non-proliferative cell nuclei in the syncytial layer of villous trophoblast is influenced by fetal sex and by IUGR, while proliferation remains unchanged. A novel concept of post-fusion regulation of syncytial structure and function is proposed