An analysis of the United States renal transplant patient population and organ survival characteristics: 1977 to 1980

An analysis of the United States renal transplant patient population and organ survival characteristics: 1977 to 1980. This study examines the relationship between renal transplant organ survival and the extent of HLA (human leukocyte antigen) A and B loci antigen matching. Combined dialysis and transplant records for patients in the End Stage Renal Disease Medical Information System (ESRD MIS), 1977 to 1980, were analyzed to examine transplant organ survival characteristics and changes in demographic pattern and donor types compared to previously reported studies of the United States transplant patients. Actuarial survival curves for high match (3 or 4 HLA A and B loci antigen matches) versus low match (0, 1, or 2 HLA A and B loci antigen matches) groups were analyzed for their relative difference and its statistical significance. In addition, this relationship was analyzed with controls for age, sex, race, mixed lymphocyte culture (MLC), crossmatch, and prior time on dialysis. For both cadaver and living related donor transplants, statistically significant differences were found between the survival curves of high and low match groups. Comparing low match and high match groups, there were differences in 1-year organ survival of 4.8 and 11.3%, respectively, for cadaver and living related donor transplants. MLC negative and crossmatch positive status appear to improve transplant organ survival beyond the effects of HLA matching. The study also designates several methodological problems inherent in transplant organ survival studies including: whether or not to include patient deaths as therapeutic failures, and whether or not to analyze transplant organ survival at one point in time or to compare overall survival curves for the entire study period.Analyse des caracteristiques de la population de malades transplantes renaux et de la survie d'organes aux etats-unis: 1977 à 1980. Cette étude examine la relation entre la survie de reins de transplantés et l'importance de la compatibilité HLA (antigène leucocytaire humain), pour les locus A et B. Les dossiers combinés de dialyse et de transplantation des malades du End Stage Renal Disease Medical Information System (ESRD MIS), de 1977 à 1980, ont été analysés pour examiner les caractéristiques de la survie des organes transplantés, et les modifications de l'aspect démographique et des types de donneurs par rapport aux études préalablement rapportées de malades transplantés aux Etats-Unis. Les courbes de survie actuarielles pour une forte compatibilité (compatibilité pour 3 ou 4 HLA A et B) par rapport à une faible compatibilité (0, 1 ou 2 HLA A et B) ont été analysées pour leur différence relative et leur signification statistique. En plus, cette relation a été analysée en contrôlant l'âge, le sexe, la race, les cultures mixtes de lymphocytes (MLC), les crossmatch, et la période de dialyse. Pour les transplants à partir de cadavres ou de donneurs vivants apparentés, des différences statistiquement significatives ont été trouvées entre les courbes de survie pour les groupes à forte ou à faible compatibilité HLA. Ce travail met en évidence certains problèmes méthodologiques inhérents aux études de survie des organes transplantés: faut-il ou non considérer les décès comme des échecs thérapeutiques et faut-il ou non analyser la survie de l'organe transplanté à un moment dans le temps ou comparer les courbes globales de survie pour la totalité de la période considérée

Purification, identification and phosphorylation of annexin I from rat liver mitochondria.

Annexin was purified from rat liver mitochondria to an apparent homogeneity with a molecular weight of 35 kDa as determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The purified mitochondrial annexin (AXmito) was identified as annexin I by an immunoblot analysis using anti-annexin I antibody. The inhibitory effect of AXmito I on porcine pancreatic phospholipase A2 activity was as potent as that of bovine lung annexin I. The presence of annexin I in mitochondria was confirmed by an electron-microscopic study. AXmito I was shown to be phosphorylated by intrinsic protein tyrosine kinases on its tyrosine residues. This annexin was also phosphorylated by protein kinase C.</p

In vivo anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of ellagitannin metabolite urolithin A

Urolithin A is a major metabolite produced by rats and humans after consumption of pomegranate juice or pure ellagitannin geraniin. In this study, we investigated the anti-inflammatory effect of urolithin A on carrageenan-induced paw edema in mice. The volume of paw edema was reduced at 1 h after oral administration of urolithin A. In addition, plasma in treated mice exhibited significant oxygen radical antioxidant capacity (ORAC) scores with high plasma levels of the unconjugated form at 1 h after oral administration of urolithin A. These results indicate strong associations among plasma urolithin A levels, the plasma ORAC scores, and anti-inflammatory effects and may help explain a mechanism by which ellagitannins confer protection against inflammatory diseases

Aire-dependent production of XCL1 mediates medullary accumulation of thymic dendritic cells and contributes to regulatory T cell development

Aire regulates medullary epithelial cell production of XCL1, a chemoattractant for XCR1-expressing thymic DCs whose presence in the medulla contributes to the generation of T reg cells

Eicosanoids in skin inflammation.

NoEicosanoids play an integral part in homeostatic mechanisms related to skin health and structural integrity. They also mediate inflammatory events developed in response to environmental factors, such as exposure to ultraviolet radiation, and inflammatory and allergic disorders, including psoriasis and atopic dermatitis. This review article discusses biochemical aspects related to cutaneous eicosanoid metabolism, the contribution of these potent autacoids to skin inflammation and related conditions, and considers the importance of nutritional supplementation with bioactives such as omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids and plant-derived antioxidants as means of addressing skin health issues.The Wellcome Trust and BBSRC-DRIN