Post-Implantation Inflammatory Responses to Xenogeneic Tissue-Engineered Cartilage Implanted in Rabbit Trachea: The Role of Cultured Chondrocytes in the Modification of Inflammation

Immune responses to tissue-engineered grafts made of xenogeneic materials remain poorly studied. The scope of current investigations is limited by the lack of information on orthotopically implanted grafts. A deeper understanding of these processes is of great importance since innovative surgical approaches include the implantation of xenogeneic decellularized scaffolds seeded by cells. The purpose of our work is to study the immunological features of tracheal repair during the implantation of tissue-engineered constructs based on human xenogeneic scaffolds modified via laser radiation in rabbits. The samples were stained with hematoxylin and Safranin O, and they were immunostained with antibodies against tryptase, collagen II, vimentin, and CD34. Immunological and inflammatory responses were studied by counting immune cells and evaluating blood vessels and collagen. Leukocyte-based inflammation prevailed during the implantation of decellularized unseeded scaffolds; meanwhile, plasma cells were significantly more abundant in tissue-engineered constructs. Mast cells were insignificantly more abundant in tissue-engineered construct samples. Conclusions: The seeding of decellularized xenogeneic cartilage with chondrocytes resulted in a change in immunological reactions upon implantation, and it was associated with plasma cell infiltration. Tissue-engineered grafts widely differed in design, including the type of used cells. The question of immunological response depending on the tissue-engineered graft composition requires further investigation

Clinical and morphological characteristics with markers of reparation in neuropathic diabetic foot ulcers.

Aim.  To compare the clinical and morphological characteristics of chronic diabetic foot ulcers and the markers of repair. Materials and Methods. We included 26 patients with neuropathic diabetic foot syndrome who had signs of severe peripheral neuropathy. Biopsies were performed from the margin and central part of the lesion and were fixed in a 10% formalin solution before being placed on paraffin slides and stained with hematoxylin and eosin. We assessed the percentages of necrotic, granulation and fibrotic tissues and the severity of vascular hyalinosis. Immunohistochemistry was performed with initial antibodies to Ki-67 (a marker of proliferation), smooth muscle actin (a marker of myofibroblast synthesis) and cytokeratin (a marker of epithelisation). For analysis, the samples were divided into three groups by the length of time the ulcer had been present: group 1 (≤90 days; 9 samples), group 2 (91–365 days; 10 samples) and group 3 (365 days; 9 samples). Results.  The patients of group 3 were older than those of groups 1 and 2 (53.7±2.7 vs 51.7±5.9 vs 59.9±5.6 years; p=0.04). There were no differences in the duration of diabetes, glycated haemoglobin or severity of neuropathy. The percentage of necrotic tissue was higher in group 1 (33.7%±21.7% vs 11.0%±3.9% vs 12.8%±6.1%; p=0.02) and the percentage of fibrotic tissue was highest in group 3 (21.1%±21.0% vs 35.5%±19.8% vs 54.4%±23.9%; p=0.001). However, the amount of granulation tissue was not different between the groups (45.2%±21.1% vs 53.5%±21.1% vs 32.8%±26.3%; p=0.4). There was also no difference in the severity of vascular hyalinosis between the groups (p=0.9). Expression of Ki-67 was higher in groups 1 and 2, implying a greater capacity to regenerate. The expression of smooth muscle actin and cytokeratin was higher in groups 1 and 2 but without statistical significance. Conclusion.  The morphological characteristics and regenerative capacities of neuropathic diabetic foot ulcers differ with the duration the ulcer has been present. Patients with ulcers for less than 1 year were characterised by higher cell proliferation but lower fibrosis. Neuropathic diabetic foot ulcers that are unable to heal over a year are characterised by incomplete regeneration and higher levels of fibrosis. Thus, different treatment approaches are needed depending on how long an ulcer has been present

Successful Pregnancy Outcome in Women with Recurrent IVF Failure and Anti-hCG Autoimmunity: A Report of Three Cases

We report three cases of effective management of infertility in women with a history of repeated unsuccessful IVF attempts, who have developed antibodies to hCG. A novel approach to conservative treatment of immunologic reproductive failure, suggested for selected patients, included membrane plasmapheresis, combined prednisolone, and intravenous immunoglobulin therapy. No adverse side effects were observed; all cases resulted in pregnancy and subsequent life births. In order to be given an adequate efficient treatment, women with recurrent implantation failure should be suspected for autoimmune factor of infertility and its possible association with anti-hCG autoimmunity

Relapse-Free Survival and PD-L1 Expression in First High- and Low-Grade Relapsed Luminal, Basal and Double-Negative P53-Mutant Non-Muscular Invasive Bladder Cancer Depending on Previous Chemo- and Immunotherapy

The goal of this study was to assess how PD-L1 expression in tissue specimens of patients with main molecular subtypes of NMIBC (luminal, basal and double-negative p53-mutant) associates with relapsed-free survival in dependence on the tumor grade and prior treatment of primary bladder cancer. PD-L1 expressions on the membrane of neoplastic and CD8+ immune cells were assessed in tumor specimens (n = 240) of primary and relapsed luminal, basal and double-negative p53-mutant NMIBC. Association between relapse-free survival and PD-L1 expression was estimated for high- and low-grade relapsed NMIBC according to previous treatment and their molecular profile, using the Kaplan–Meier method, and assessed by using the log-rank test. Potential confounders were adjusted by Cox regression models. In a group of patients who underwent only TUR without intravesical therapy, there were significant differences in relapse time between high- and low-grade tumors in basal and luminal molecular subtypes; for basal relapsed carcinoma, RFS was shorter in cases where tumors were less malignant. Both intravesical mitomycin and Bacillus Calmette–Guerin (BCG) therapy significantly extended the time of recurrence of low-grade luminal and basal bladder malignancies with no intergroup differences in double-negative NMIBC. PD-L1 expression status was associated with RFS for luminal relapsed NMIBCs in the group without previous frontline intervention, and with RFS in the group of patients with luminal relapsed bladder cancer previously utilized BCG. Obtained results may be considered as a promising approach for further clinical implementation