The immunoexpression of aquaporin 1, PAX2, PAX8, connexin 36, connexin 43 in human fetal kidney.

INTRODUCTION: The kidney develops from two mesodermal primordia. Aquaporin 1 (AQP1) is a membrane protein characteristic to epithelial and endothelial cell of the human body. The Pax family of genes encodes transcription factors with important role in intrauterine development. Connexins are transmembrane proteins found in gap junctions. We monitored the changes in the expression of AQP1, paired box gene 2 (PAX2), paired box gene 8 (PAX8), connexin 36 (Cx36) and connexin 43 (Cx43) proteins in fetal renal tissue. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We studied 34 post mortem fetuses of 9 to 24 weeks from the Laboratory of Pathology, Emergency County Hospital of Târgu Mures, Romania, using immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: AQP1 expression appeared in the apical and basolateral parts of cells, lining the proximal convoluted tubules and the descending limb of Henle's loop, then in the tubule pole of Bowman's capsule also. Nuclear expression of PAX2 was observed in structures developed both from the ureteric bud and the metanephric mesenchyme, and of PAX8 was observed in the proximal convoluted tubule's epithelium, Henle's loop, and collecting ducts. Cytoplasmic expression of Cx36 was localized to nephrons in different developmental stages, glomerular vessels and collecting ducts, and of Cx43 was localized to the endothelium of glomerular and peritubular vessels, as well as to the epithelium of the proximal tubules. DISCUSSIONS AND CONCLUSIONS: Nephrogenesis begins in the embryonic period, and continues into the fetal period as well. It is regulated by a wide array of markers. The current study supplements literature data regarding immunoexpression of these markers during renal development in the fetal period.

The role of interleukin-6 as an early predictor of sepsis in a murine sepsis model.

AIM: Evaluating the role of interleukin-6 (IL-6) as an early predictor of sepsis in a murine model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study divided 26 Wistar rats into two experimental groups in which sepsis was induced through the intraperitoneal injection of different Escherichia coli cultures [Group 1: Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing culture and Group 2: Standardized ATCC35218 culture] and a control group. IL-6 levels were determined at 5 and 24 hours post-inoculation and immunohistochemistry (IHC) was performed on tissue samples from the sacrificed animals. RESULTS: Mean plasma IL-6 levels in Group 1 peaked at 5 hours [37.4 pg∕mL; standard deviation (SD) = 2.4 pg∕mL] and decreased at 24 hours (34 pg∕mL; SD=3.2 pg∕mL) after inoculation. IL-6 levels in Group 1 were elevated compared to Group 2, at 5 hours (33.7 pg∕mL; SD=3.3 pg∕mL; p=0.019) and non-significantly so at 24 hours (32.5 pg∕mL; SD=2.4 pg∕mL; p=0.233). The results did not show an increase over control levels at either 5 hours (37.6 pg∕mL; SD=3.4 pg∕mL) or 24 hours (40.8 pg∕mL; SD=2.9 pg∕mL) after inoculation. The IHC shows a varying degree of IL-6 expression across all organ types studied. No statistically significant correlations were found between the tissue level quantification of IL-6 and serum values at 24 hours in either group. CONCLUSIONS: For an early stage of infection/inflammation, serum levels of IL-6 are not correlated with tissue-level inflammation disproving a potential role of IL-6 as a very precocious diagnostic and predictor test. Accumulation of IL-6 in lung, kidney and spleen tissue can be observed from the beginning of inflammation.

Comparative study of HER2, EGFR, p53 and PTEN expression in the human gastrointestinal tract during fetal period.

INTRODUCTION: HER2, EGFR, p53 and PTEN are important in organization of the germ layers, in embryonic development and morphogenesis, in the development and differentiation of certain organ systems and in embryonic morphogenesis. Our goal is the comparative examination of the expression of these markers in the digestive tract of 9-24-week-old fetuses. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We studied using immunohistochemical techniques esophagus, stomach, small and large intestine tissue samples collected from 18 post mortem fetuses of 9-24 weeks. RESULTS: HER2 and PTEN expression appears as early as the 9-12 weeks period in the digestive tract, but HER2 expression decreases in the 21-24 weeks period and then disappears. EGFR expression appears only during the 13-16 weeks period. The expression of p53 is strong until week 21, and then it is restricted to the deeper layers of the epithelium. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that these markers have role also in the fetal period and complete the scarce data found in literature about the expression of the studied markers in the development of the digestive tract.