The Cold Preservation of Mice Hepatocytes Induces Apoptosis but Not over Expression of MHC Class I Antigen / 대한이식학회지

Hepatocyte transplantation is a potential treatment modality for liver diseased patients. Purified hepatocytes stimulates allospecific cytotoxicity by expressing the MHC class I antigen. Also, during cold preservation, hepatocytes are damaged by lipid peroxidation with oxygen free radicals, which may induce apoptosis on cold preserved hepatocyte. For measuring the degree of antigenicity on cold- preserved mice hepatocytes with UW solution, we studied the expression of MHC class I antigen in various time period by FACS and RT-PCR. For analysis of apoptotic hepatocyte death, we studied morphological changes and DNA fragmentation. We used flow cytometry techniques with rhodamine 123,3,3'-dihexiloxadicarbocyanine (DiOC6 (3)) and propidium iodide (PI). DiOC6 (3) is mitochondrial probe to measure the mitochondrial transmembrane potential that drops early in apoptosis. The percentage of cells undergoing chromatinolysis (subdiploid cells) was determined by ethanol fixation followed by RNA digestion and PI staining. The cold preserved hepatocytes expressed MHC class I constitutively, but revealed no significant differences among various preservation period. However, apoptosis of hepatocytes occured progressively during cold preservation. These results provides that the cold preservation of mice hepatocyte induces apoptosis with involvement of an oxidative process, but does not stimulate over expression of MHC class I antigen.

Influence of Mismatching in HLA Cross-Reactive Group on the Graft Survival after Unrelated Kidney Transplantation / 대한임상병리학회지

BACKGROUND: Kidney transplantation(KT) from unrelated donors has been increasing in Korea in recent years. However, the number of HLA antigen mismatches in unrelated donor KTis larger compare with that in related donor KT. Recently, some studies have reported that cross-reactive group(CREG) matching would improve graft outcome. METHODS: We studied a total of 277 cases of kidney transplants from unrelated donors(cadaver donor 195 cases, living unrelated donor 82 cases) in our center from March 1992 to August 1998. HLA class I antigens were assigned to 10 CREG antigens based on the amino acid residue system of Takemoto. HLA-DR antigens were assigned to 10 broad HLA antigens. Antigens present in donor but not in recipient were considered as mismatches. The survival analysis was carried out by Kaplan-Meier method and differences in survival rates were tested by log-rank test. RESULTS: Mean numbers of mismatches in HLA and CREGs were 4.0 and 2.9. Mismatched numbers of CREG-A,B and 5 year survival rates showed a linear association(P=0.01), but those of HLA-A,B did not show a linear association(P=0.88). Probability of finding zero or one CREG mismatched recipients in unrelated KT was 53%(146 cases). A significant statistic difference was noted in survival rates between zero or one and two or more CREG mismatched group(P=0.01). CONCLUSION: Zero or one CREG mismatched group had better survival in unrelated living or cadaveric KT. Applying CREG matching strategy to recipient selection, graft survival will be significantly improved in unrelated living or cadaveric KT.

Impact of Anti-HCV(+) on Renal Transplantation

BACKGROUND: A high incidence of chronic liver disease is reported in end-stage renal failure patients due to hemodialysis and blood transfusion. An average of 20% of the patients who received renal hemodialysis are infected with hepatitis C virus, but the incidence of infection in these patients varies widely according to geographic location and the diagnostic methods used. Controversy exists regarding the impact of pretransplantation HCV infection on the outcome of renal transplantation. We measured the seroprevalence of the antibody to hepatitis C (anti-HCV) in renal transplant candidates and compared the prevalence of posttransplantation liver disease, graft, and patient survival among renal transplant recipients with and without anti-HCV at the time of the transplantation, and we attempted to define the possible factors affecting the clinical course following renal transplant in positive HCV patients. METHODS: Between June 1990 and December 1997, 634 patients underwent renal transplants at our institute. Viral infection with hepatitis were analyzed in these patients by using anti-HCV positivity using first, second, and third generation EIA, and RT-PCR. RESULTS: Twelve (12) of the 634 (1.9%) had positive anti-HCV before renal transplantation. During a mean follow-up of 29.4 months, viral mRNA was detected in the pretransplantation serum in 3 out of 8 (37.5%) positive anti-HCV patients. Among the 12 patients with positive anti-HCV, 2 (16.6%) showed early liver dysfunction, and 1 (8.3%) showed histologic progression to chronic hepatitis leading to hepatic failure and death. Graft loss occurred in 1 of the 12 (8.3%) patients with positive anti-HCV and in 62 of the 622 (9.8%) patients with negative anti-HCV. Three (3) out of the 12 (25%) patients with positive anti-HCV, and 121 of the 622 (19.6%) patients with negative anti-HCV had episodes of rejection. One (1) of the 12 (8.3%) patients with positive anti-HCV and 26 of the 622 (4.2%) patients with negative anti-HCV died after kidney transplantation. There were no statistical differences in patients or graft survival between the positive anti-HCV (+) and the negative anti-HCV patients. CONCLUSION: From these results, we can assume that the presence of anti-HCV without advance liver disease should not be a contraindication for kidney transplantation.

Preliminary Reports of Pancreas Transplantation: Assessment of Post Operative Radiologic Imaging

PURPOSE: We report seven cases of pancreas transplantation, first performed in Korea, in the context of postsurgical radiologic studies. MATERIALS AND METHODS: All patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus received transplants from cadevaric(n=6) or living related donor(n=1). Retrospective analysis of 27 US(including 19 Duplex US), two CT, four MRi, and three scintigraphy for these patients was made with surgico-pathological correlation in five cases. RESULT:Of the seven patients, three-month graft survival was five and one-year survival was two. One patient died of abdominal abscess following surgery. US gave the valuable informations regarding the graff swelling, vascular complication, and perigraff fluid collection. RBC bleeding scan was effective of the presence or absence and location of intestinal bleeding. CT was useful in determining the extent and severity of the pancreatitis. MRI gave a little information about functional status of the grafted pancreas. CONCLUSION: The choice of appropriate imaging modalities for postsurgical work up in patients who had pacreas transplantation depends on the clinical conditions of the patients and complications suspected. Further prospective studies appear to be necessary to eatablish the interval and modality choice for early detection of the complication.