In utero treatment of myelomeningocele with allogenic umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stromal cells in an ovine model.

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY: The purpose of our study was to investigate the effects of ovine umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (UC-MSCs) seeded in a fibrin patch as an adjuvant therapy for fetal myelomeningocele repair in the ovine model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: MMC defects were surgically created at 75 days of gestation and repaired 15 days later with UC-MSCs patch or an acellular patch. At birth, motor function, tail movements, and voiding abilities were recorded. Histological and immunohistochemical analysis included study of MMC defect's healing, spinal cord, UC-MSCs survival, and screening for tumors. RESULTS: Six lambs were born alive in each group. There was no difference between the two groups on the median sheep locomotor rating score but all lambs in the control group had a score between lower than 3 compared to 50% in UC-MSCs group. There were more lambs with tail movements and voiding ability in UC-MSCs group (83% vs 0% and 50% vs 0%, respectively). gray matter area and large neurons density were higher in UC-MSCs group (2.5 vs 0.8 mm2 and 19.3 vs 1.6 neurons/mm2 of gray matter, respectively). Fibrosis thickness at the myelomeningocele scar level was reduced in UC-MSCs group (1269 µm vs 2624 µm). No tumors were observed. CONCLUSION: Fetal repair of myelomeningocele using allogenic UC-MSCs patch provides a moderate improvement in neurological functions, gray matter and neuronal preservation and prevented from fibrosis development at the myelomeningocele scar level.

Pressurized intra-peritoneal aerosol chemotherapy (PIPAC): increased intraperitoneal pressure does not affect distribution patterns but leads to deeper penetration depth of doxorubicin in a sheep model.

BACKGROUND: Pressurized Intra-Peritoneal Aerosol Chemotherapy (PIPAC) is an innovative treatment against peritoneal carcinomatosis. Doxorubicin is a common intra-venous chemotherapy used for peritoneal carcinomatosis and for PIPAC. This study evaluated the impact of increased PIPAC intraperitoneal pressure on the distribution and cell penetration of doxorubicin in a sheep model. METHODS: Doxorubicin was aerosolized using PIPAC into the peritoneal cavity of 6 ewes (pre-alpes breed): N = 3 with 12 mmHg intraperitoneal pressure ("group 12") and N = 3 with 20 mmHg ("group 20"). Samples from peritoneum (N = 6), ovarian (N = 1), omentum (N = 1) and caecum (N = 1) were collected for each ewe. The number of doxorubicin positive cells was determined using the ratio between doxorubicine fluorescence-positive cell nuclei (DOXO+) over total number of DAPI positive cell nuclei (DAPI+). Penetration depth (µm) was defined as the distance between the luminal surface and the location of the deepest DOXO+ nuclei over the total number of cell nuclei that were stained with DAPI. Penetration depth (µm) was defined as the distance between the luminal surface and the location of the deepest DOXO+ nuclei. RESULTS: DOXO+ nuclei were identified in 87% of samples. All omental samples, directly localized in front of the nebulizer head, had 100% DOXO+ nuclei whereas very few nuclei were DOXO+ for caecum. Distribution patterns were not different between the two groups but penetration depth in ovary and caecum samples was significantly deeper in group 20. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that applying a higher intra-peritoneal pressure during PIPAC treatment leads to a deeper penetration of doxorubicin in ovarian and caecum but does not affect distribution patterns.

Vertical Bone Augmentation Using Ring Technique with Three Different Materials in the Sheep Mandible Bone.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the volumetric alterations and osseointegration properties in the augmented area of the ring technique using different types of bone graft material in sheep mandible bone. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Three different materials (columnar forms, 7-mm diameter, 3-mm height) were stabilized using dental implants with a turned surface in the mandible bone of Finnish Dorset cross-bred sheep: group A, autogenous bone; group B, bovine bone; group C, biphasic bone substitute. Animals were euthanized after 5 weeks (N = 6). Three-dimensional image data by digital oral scanner were taken at the surgery and sacrifice, and the volume alteration of the material was calculated. The bone samples were fixed in formalin and dehydrated in ethanol. Resin-embedded samples were subjected to non-decalcified ground sectioning, and histologic and histomorphometric analysis (bone and material area alteration, bone-to-implant contact [BIC]) were done. RESULTS: In three-dimensional (3D) image analysis, group A showed a statistically higher percentage of remaining materials compared with groups B and C. The histologic observation showed no new bone formations around the implants in all groups, especially at the maxillary site of the implant in the augmented area. In histomorphometric analysis, group A showed a statistically higher percentage of bone area (BA) compared with groups B and C; however, in all groups, bone-to-implant contact (BIC) showed low values, and there were no statistical differences between groups. CONCLUSION: The results of this study suggested that the autogenous bone maintained bone volume around the dental implant using the ring technique, and the impact of surface properties was of some importance; osseointegration with the turned surface in the augmented area showed low BIC values in all groups.

Evaluation of collagen-based membranes for guided bone regeneration, by three-dimensional computerized microtomography.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of a collagen-based membrane compared with no treatment on guided bone regeneration by 3-dimensional computerized microtomography (µCT). STUDY DESIGN: Defects were created between the mesial and distal premolar roots of the second and third premolars (beagle dogs; n = 8). A collagen-based membrane (Vitala; Osteogenics Biomedical Inc., TX, USA) was placed in one of the defects (membrane group; n = 16), and the other was left untreated (no-membrane group; n = 16). Left and right sides provided healing samples for 2 and 16 weeks. Three-dimensional bone architecture was acquired by µCT and categorized as fully regenerated (F, bone height and width) or nonregenerated (N). RESULTS: Chi-square tests (95% level of significance) showed that tooth did not have an effect on outcome (P = .5). Significantly higher F outcomes were observed at 16 weeks than 2 weeks (P = .008) and in membrane group than in no-membrane group (P = .008). CONCLUSIONS: The collagen-based membrane influenced bone regeneration at the furcation.

Establishment and characterization of continuous hematopoietic progenitors-derived pig normal mast cell lines.

Mast cells (MCs) are tissue resident, hematopoietic stem cells-derived elements, distributed throughout the body. They are the pivotal mediating cells of allergic reactions. In addition, in mice, MCs play a critical role in the defense against several pathogens, such as bacteria, parasites and viruses. Whereas the biology of rodent and human MCs has been extensively studied using in vitro derived populations, the role of MCs in pigs has not yet been evaluated, given the very low availability of pure porcine MCs populations. In the present report, we describe an original method to obtain continuous factor-dependent normal pig MCs (PMC) lines from fetal hematopoietic progenitors. These Stem Cell Factor (SCF) and Interleukin-3- (IL-3)-dependent PMC lines retain their capacity to growth after conventional freezing methods and exhibit most of the morphological and biochemical properties of normal, although immature, MCs, including metachromatic granules containing sulfated polysaccharides, the expression of c-kit and high-affinity IgE receptors (FcepsilonRI), and the ability to store histamine that is released upon cross-linking of FcepsilonRI. In vitro derived PMC lines might thus be valuable tools to further investigate the reactivity of these elements towards several parasites frequently encountered in pig, such as, but not limited to, Ascaris suum, Trichinella spiralis or Trichuris suis, or towards antigens derived from these pathogens.