Development of a normothermic extracorporeal liver perfusion system toward improving viability and function of human extended criteria donor livers

Letter to the edito

Vibrio cholerae interactions with Mytilus galloprovincialis hemocytes mediated by serum components

Edible bivalves (e.g., mussels, oysters) can accumulate large amount of bacteria in their tissues and act as passive carriers of pathogens to humans. Bacterial persistence inside bivalves depends, at least in part, on hemolymph anti-bacterial activity that is exerted by both serum soluble factors and phagocytic cells (i.e., the hemocytes). It was previously shown that Mytilus galloprovincialis hemolymph serum contains opsonins that mediate D-mannose-sensitive interactions between hemocytes and Vibrio cholerae O1 El Tor bacteria that carry the mannose-sensitive hemagglutinin (MSHA). These opsonins enhance phagocytosis and killing of vibrios by facilitating their binding to hemocytes. Since V. cholerae strains not carrying the MSHA ligand (O1 classical, non-O1/O139) are present in coastal water and can be entrapped by mussels, we studied whether in mussel serum, in addition to opsonins directed toward MSHA, other components can mediate opsonization of these bacteria. By comparing interactions of O1 classical and non-O1/O139 strains with hemocytes in artificial sea water and serum, it was found that M. galloprovincialis serum contains components that increase by at approximately twofold their adhesion to, association with, and killing by hemocytes. Experiments conducted with high and low molecular mass fractions obtained by serum ultrafiltration indicated that these compounds have molecular mass higher than 5000 Da. Serum exposure to high temperature (80°C) abolished its opsonizing capability suggesting that the involved serum active components are of protein nature. Further studies are needed to define the chemical properties and specificity of both the involved bacterial ligands and hemolymph opsonins. This information will be central not only to better understand V. cholerae ecology, but also to improve current bivalve depuration practices and properly protect human health

Effect of chestnut tannin extract (Castanea sativa Miller) on the proliferation of Cladosporium cladosporioides on sheep cheese rind during the ripening

Strains belonging to the genus Cladosporium can cause black spots on the surface of sheep cheese, making it impossible to sell. Two water solutions of chestnut tannin extract (i) 200 g L-1 (CHE200) and (ii) 400 g L-1 (CHE400), and the chestnut tannin extract powder (CHEP) were tested in a cheese making trial in which 60 cheese units were allotted to 5 experimental groups (each of 12 cheeses: C1, control 1 without any treatment; C2, control 2 treated with a silver ion solution; and cheeses LCHE200, LCHE400, and LCHEP, treated with CHE200, CHE400, and CHEP, respectively). The cheeses were ripened in a room polluted with Cladosporium cladosporioides with the aim to create conditions for the proliferation of this fungus on the cheeses. The results indicated that chestnut tannin extract at a concentration of 200 g L-1 is capable of completely inhibiting C. cladosporioides proliferation, avoiding spoilage of the sheep cheese

Colorectal Cancer Stage at Diagnosis Before vs During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Italy

IMPORTANCE Delays in screening programs and the reluctance of patients to seek medical attention because of the outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 could be associated with the risk of more advanced colorectal cancers at diagnosis. OBJECTIVE To evaluate whether the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic was associated with more advanced oncologic stage and change in clinical presentation for patients with colorectal cancer. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS This retrospective, multicenter cohort study included all 17 938 adult patients who underwent surgery for colorectal cancer from March 1, 2020, to December 31, 2021 (pandemic period), and from January 1, 2018, to February 29, 2020 (prepandemic period), in 81 participating centers in Italy, including tertiary centers and community hospitals. Follow-up was 30 days from surgery. EXPOSURES Any type of surgical procedure for colorectal cancer, including explorative surgery, palliative procedures, and atypical or segmental resections. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES The primary outcome was advanced stage of colorectal cancer at diagnosis. Secondary outcomes were distant metastasis, T4 stage, aggressive biology (defined as cancer with at least 1 of the following characteristics: signet ring cells, mucinous tumor, budding, lymphovascular invasion, perineural invasion, and lymphangitis), stenotic lesion, emergency surgery, and palliative surgery. The independent association between the pandemic period and the outcomes was assessed using multivariate random-effects logistic regression, with hospital as the cluster variable. RESULTS A total of 17 938 patients (10 007 men [55.8%]; mean [SD] age, 70.6 [12.2] years) underwent surgery for colorectal cancer: 7796 (43.5%) during the pandemic period and 10 142 (56.5%) during the prepandemic period. Logistic regression indicated that the pandemic period was significantly associated with an increased rate of advanced-stage colorectal cancer (odds ratio [OR], 1.07; 95%CI, 1.01-1.13; P = .03), aggressive biology (OR, 1.32; 95%CI, 1.15-1.53; P < .001), and stenotic lesions (OR, 1.15; 95%CI, 1.01-1.31; P = .03). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE This cohort study suggests a significant association between the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and the risk of a more advanced oncologic stage at diagnosis among patients undergoing surgery for colorectal cancer and might indicate a potential reduction of survival for these patients

Killing of Vibrio cholerae and Escherichia coli Strains Carrying D-mannose-sensitive Ligands by Mytilus Hemocytes is Promoted by a Multifunctional Hemolymph Serum Protein

In aquatic environments, bivalve mollusks represent an important ecological niche for microorganisms. Persistence of bacteria in bivalve tissues partly depends on their capacity to survive the bactericidal activity of the hemolymph due to both cellular (hemocyes) and soluble serum factors (e.g., enzymes, lectins, opsonins). The extrapallial protein (EP) present in serum of Mytilus galloprovincialis (MgEP) has been recently shown to work as an opsonin promoting D-mannose sensitive (MS) interactions of the bivalve pathogen Vibrio aestuarianus 01/032 strain with the hemocytes. In this study, the role of MgEP in adhesion and killing of other bacteria carrying MS sensitive ligands was investigated. MgEP enhanced adhesion to and killing by hemocytes of Vibrio cholerae ElTor N16961, expressing the MS hemagglutin (MSHA), as well as of Escherichia coli MG1655, carrying type 1 fimbriae. These results further support the recent finding that the multifunctional MgEP also acts as an opsonin involved in mussel defense towards bacteria carrying MS ligands. In addition, these results contribute to elucidate the ecology of bacterial pathogens that can be transmitted to humans via shellfish consumption

Aquatic ecology of the oyster pathogens Vibrio splendidus and Vibrio aestuarianus

The ecology of the oyster pathogens Vibrio splendidus and Vibrio aestuarianus in the brackish aquatic environment was extensively investigated in this study. By conducting laboratory experiments under natural setting conditions, it was shown that V.\u2009splendidus\u2005LGP32 strain generally exhibits longer persistence in both seawater and sediment than V.\u2009aestuarianus 01/32 strain. Both strains maintained viability and culturability for longer times in the sediment, suggesting that this compartment may represent a suitable niche for their persistence in the environment. In addition, both strains attached to chitin particles and copepods, the efficiency of attachment being higher in V.\u2009splendidus than in V.\u2009aestuarianus. Similarly, LGP32 strain showed a greater capability to form biofilm on poly-vinyl chloride (PVC) surfaces than 01/32 strain. LGP32 and 01/32 strains were also capable of entering a viable but non-culturable state after extended incubation at 5\ub0C, a condition commonly found during cold season in the aquatic brackish environment. These results are consistent with field data collected during a 2-year sampling campaign in the northern Adriatic Sea and provide background information on the mechanisms promoting V.\u2009splendidus and V.\u2009aestuarianus persistence in coastal water, thus contributing to a better understanding of the epidemiology of the associated diseases

Susceptibility ofVibrio Aestuarianus01/032 to the Antibacterial Activity ofMytilusHemolymph: Identification of A Serum Opsonin Involved in Mannose-Sensitive Interactions

The interactions of Vibrio aestuarianus 01/032 with hemolymph of the bivalves Mytilus galloprovincialis and Crassostrea gigas were investigated to understand if hemolymph components (hemocytes and soluble factors) could be involved in the higher resistance to microbial infection shown by mussels in comparison to oysters. Although 01/032 bacteria adhered to hemocytes of both bivalves, they were sensitive to the bactericidal activity of whole hemolymph from mussel but not from oyster; in addition, adhesion to mussel (but not oyster) hemocytes was affected by D-mannose. Mussel serum opsonins directed towards D-mannose - binding bacterial ligands were purified by affinity chromatography and were shown to mediate 01/032 interactions with M. galloprovincialis hemocytes. Nano-HPLC-ESI-MS/MS analysis showed that the purified opsonin matched to the protein precursor of the extrapallial protein (EP) [Mytilus edulis]. In the presence of M. galloprovincialis EP protein (MgEP), C. gigas hemocytes killed V. aestuarianus 01/032 almost as efficiently as mussel phagocytes. These findings suggest that the different sensitivity of 01/032 strain to the antibacterial activity of oyster and mussel hemolymph might partly depend on the fact that C. gigas serum lacks MgEP-like opsonins. These results represent the basis for understanding the different sensitivity to microbial infections shown by the two bivalve species