Src Dependent Pancreatic Acinar Injury Can Be Initiated Independent of an Increase in Cytosolic Calcium

Several deleterious intra-acinar phenomena are simultaneously triggered on initiating acute pancreatitis. These culminate in acinar injury or inflammatory mediator generation in vitro and parenchymal damage in vivo. Supraphysiologic caerulein is one such initiator which simultaneously activates numerous signaling pathways including non-receptor tyrosine kinases such as of the Src family. It also causes a sustained increase in cytosolic calcium- a player thought to be crucial in regulating deleterious phenomena. We have shown Src to be involved in caerulein induced actin remodeling, and caerulein induced changes in the Golgi and post-Golgi trafficking to be involved in trypsinogen activation, which initiates acinar cell injury. However, it remains unclear whether an increase in cytosolic calcium is necessary to initiate acinar injury or if injury can be initiated at basal cytosolic calcium levels by an alternate pathway. To study the interplay between tyrosine kinase signaling and calcium, we treated mouse pancreatic acinar cells with the tyrosine phosphatase inhibitor pervanadate. We studied the effect of the clinically used Src inhibitor Dasatinib (BMS-354825) on pervanadate or caerulein induced changes in Src activation, trypsinogen activation, cell injury, upstream cytosolic calcium, actin and Golgi morphology. Pervanadate, like supraphysiologic caerulein, induced Src activation, redistribution of the F-actin from its normal location in the sub-apical area to the basolateral areas, and caused antegrade fragmentation of the Golgi. These changes, like those induced by supraphysiologic caerulein, were associated with trypsinogen activation and acinar injury, all of which were prevented by Dasatinib. Interestingly, however, pervanadate did not cause an increase in cytosolic calcium, and the caerulein induced increase in cytosolic calcium was not affected by Dasatinib. These findings suggest that intra-acinar deleterious phenomena may be initiated independent of an increase in cytosolic calcium. Other players resulting in acinar injury along with the Src family of tyrosine kinases remain to be explored. © 2013 Mishra et al

Outcomes from elective colorectal cancer surgery during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic

This study aimed to describe the change in surgical practice and the impact of SARS-CoV-2 on mortality after surgical resection of colorectal cancer during the initial phases of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic

Black power : taking control

A.N. Maiden describes how recent progress in Aboriginal wellbeing has been achieved in part by the growth of a new culture of dependency and the assimilation of black leaders into new bureaucracies. Jack Waterford explains how notions of political correctness have prevented discussion..

A Novel Use of Foley Catheters to Prevent Injury to the Pelvic Viscera During Stereotactic Radiosurgery for Undifferentiated Pleomorphic Sarcoma of the Sacrum

The use of a Foley catheter to protect the small and large bowel from radiation injury during stereotactic radiosurgery to the spine has not previously been described in the surgical literature. Many spine tumors should be treated with stereotactic radiosurgery as opposed to external beam therapy, yet the proximity of visceral organs may preclude adequate target delivery of radiation. We describe the novel use of Foley catheters placed intraoperatively to displace the bowel during stereotactic radiosurgery, allowing for a full radiation dose to be safely delivered to the tumor. The advantages of this technique are the low cost, the ability to place multiple catheters intraoperatively, and the ability to withdraw all the catheters after radiation without the need for reoperation

Fliih, a Gelsolin-Related Cytoskeletal Regulator Essential for Early Mammalian Embryonic Development

The Drosophila melanogaster flightless I gene is required for normal cellularization of the syncytial blastoderm. Highly conserved homologues of flightless I are present in Caenorhabditis elegans, mouse, and human. We have disrupted the mouse homologue Fliih by homologous recombination in embryonic stem cells. Heterozygous Fliih mutant mice develop normally, although the level of Fliih protein is reduced. Cultured homozygous Fliih mutant blastocysts hatch, attach, and form an outgrowing trophoblast cell layer, but egg cylinder formation fails and the embryos degenerate. Similarly, Fliih mutant embryos initiate implantation in vivo but then rapidly degenerate. We have constructed a transgenic mouse carrying the complete human FLII gene and shown that the FLII transgene is capable of rescuing the embryonic lethality of the homozygous targeted Fliih mutation. These results confirm the specific inactivation of the Fliih gene and establish that the human FLII gene and its gene product are functional in the mouse. The Fliih mouse mutant phenotype is much more severe than in the case of the related gelsolin family members gelsolin, villin, and CapG, where the homozygous mutant mice are viable and fertile but display alterations in cytoskeletal actin regulation

Postoperative myocardial infarction in acute type A aortic dissection: A report from the International Registry of Acute Aortic Dissection

Postoperative myocardial infarction remains a serious complication in cardiac surgery. The incidence and impact of this condition in acute type A aortic dissection are poorly understood