Association of single nucleotide polymorphisms in pro-inflammatory cytokine and toll-like receptor genes with pediatric hematogenous osteomyelitis.

Hematogenous osteomyelitis (HO) is a bone infection wherein bacteria penetrate to the bone through the blood stream. Several single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) have been associated with susceptibility to infectious diseases. In this study, we investigated the contribution of SNPs in interleukin (IL)-1B1 (rs16944), IL1A (rs1800587), IL1B (rs1143634), toll-like receptor (TLR)-2 (rs3804099), TLR4 (rs4986790), TLR4 (rs4986791), IL1R (rs2234650), tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α (rs1800629), TNF (rs361525), and IL1RN (rs315952) towards the development of HO in Saudi patients and compared to healthy controls. Fifty-two patients diagnosed with HO and 103 healthy individuals were genotyped. The frequencies of genotypes GG (rs16944) and AA (rs16944) were lower and higher in patients [odds ratio (OR) = 0.34, Pc = 0.05] and controls (OR = 1.33, Pc = 0.05), respectively, suggesting that SNPs at this locus could alter HO susceptibility. In addition, the patients and controls exhibited lower and higher frequencies of the alleles G (rs16944) (OR = 0.43, Pc = 0.007) and A (rs16944) (OR = 2.32, Pc = 0.007), respectively. The expression of alleles C (rs3804099) and T (rs3804099) were higher in patients (OR = 2.05, Pc = 0.04) and controls (OR = 0.49, Pc = 0.04), respectively. In conclusion, SNPs at rs16944 and rs3804099 were found to be associated with HO in the Saudi population.

Acquisition of Paleolithic toolmaking abilities involves structural remodeling to inferior frontoparietal regions.

Human ancestors first modified stones into tools 2.6 million years ago, initiating a cascading increase in technological complexity that continues today. A parallel trend of brain expansion during the Paleolithic has motivated over 100 years of theorizing linking stone toolmaking and human brain evolution, but empirical support remains limited. Our study provides the first direct experimental evidence identifying likely neuroanatomical targets of natural selection acting on toolmaking ability. Subjects received MRI and DTI scans before, during, and after a 2-year Paleolithic toolmaking training program. White matter fractional anisotropy (FA) showed changes in branches of the superior longitudinal fasciculus leading into left supramarginal gyrus, bilateral ventral precentral gyri, and right inferior frontal gyrus pars triangularis. FA increased from Scan 1-2, a period of intense training, and decreased from Scan 2-3, a period of reduced training. Voxel-based morphometry found a similar trend toward gray matter expansion in the left supramarginal gyrus from Scan 1-2 and a reversal of this effect from Scan 2-3. FA changes correlated with training hours and with motor performance, and probabilistic tractography confirmed that white matter changes projected to gray matter changes and to regions that activate during Paleolithic toolmaking. These results show that acquisition of Paleolithic toolmaking skills elicits structural remodeling of recently evolved brain regions supporting human tool use, providing a mechanistic link between stone toolmaking and human brain evolution. These regions participate not only in toolmaking, but also in other complex functions including action planning and language, in keeping with the hypothesized co-evolution of these functions.

Post-traumatic immunosuppression is reversed by anti-coagulated salvaged blood transfusion: deductions from studying immune status after knee arthroplasty.

Major trauma increases vulnerability to systemic infections due to poorly defined immunosuppressive mechanisms. It confers no evolutionary advantage. Our objective was to develop better biomarkers of post-traumatic immunosuppression (PTI) and to extend our observation that PTI was reversed by anti-coagulated salvaged blood transfusion, in the knowledge that others have shown that non-anti-coagulated (fibrinolysed) salvaged blood was immunosuppressive. A prospective non-randomized cohort study of patients undergoing primary total knee arthroplasty included 25 who received salvaged blood transfusions collected post-operatively into acid-citrate-dextrose anti-coagulant (ASBT cohort), and 18 non-transfused patients (NSBT cohort). Biomarkers of sterile trauma included haematological values, damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs), cytokines and chemokines. Salvaged blood was analysed within 1 and 6 h after commencing collection. Biomarkers were expressed as fold-changes over preoperative values. Certain biomarkers of sterile trauma were common to all 43 patients, including supranormal levels of: interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1-receptor-antagonist, IL-8, heat shock protein-70 and calgranulin-S100-A8/9. Other proinflammatory biomarkers which were subnormal in NSBT became supranormal in ASBT patients, including IL-1ß, IL-2, IL-17A, interferon (IFN)-γ, tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α and annexin-A2. Furthermore, ASBT exhibited subnormal levels of anti-inflammatory biomarkers: IL-4, IL-5, IL-10 and IL-13. Salvaged blood analyses revealed sustained high levels of IL-9, IL-10 and certain DAMPs, including calgranulin-S100-A8/9, alpha-defensin and heat shock proteins 27, 60 and 70. Active synthesis during salvaged blood collection yielded increasingly elevated levels of annexin-A2, IL-1ß, Il-1-receptor-antagonist, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12p70, IL-17A, IFN-γ, TNF-α, transforming growth factor (TGF)-ß1, monocyte chemotactic protein-1 and macrophage inflammatory protein-1α. Elevated levels of high-mobility group-box protein-1 decreased. In conclusion, we demonstrated that anti-coagulated salvaged blood reversed PTI, and was attributed to immune stimulants generated during salvaged blood collection.

Incidence and specificity of HLA antibodies in multitransfused patients with acquired aplastic anemia.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to establish the prevalence and characteristics of anti-HLA in antibody acquired aplastic anemia patients following cessation of antithymocyte globulin therapy and to characterize antibody in terms of epitope specificity. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: One hundred and fifty multitransfused, untransplanted patients from eight European centers were investigated by serologic methods. RESULTS: Sixty-two percent were antibody positive. Eighteen HLA-Class-I-specific antibodies (15 IgG, 3 IgM) were identified in 13 patients; 13 antibodies were specific for HLA-A epitopes and 5 for HLA-B. Epitope analysis identified significant correlation between serum reactivity and amino acid substitutions associated with HLA-Class-I epitopes. An excess of antibodies to HLA-A1-associated cross-reactive groups was identified. There was no significant difference in antibody frequency in patients taking cyclosporine compared to those who were not. CONCLUSION: Data suggested a contribution from B cell memory of alloantigens introduced during pregnancy. In some cases, antibody production continued many years after the last transfusion, and although the target varied between individual patients, the antibody to HLA was focused on a few specific Class I epitopes, the majority of which mapped to the HLA-A molecule.

In vitro expansion of cord blood does not prevent engraftment of severe combined immunodeficient repopulating cells.

This study aimed to assess the potential of human cord blood (CB) cells to engraft in the xenogenic non-obese diabetic/severe combined immunodeficient (NOD/SCID) mouse model after in vitro expansion culture. We also studied the quality of human haemopoiesis arising from the transplantation of fresh or expanded cells in this model. Cord blood CD34(+) cells were cultured for 3, 7 or 10 d with stem cell factor, Flt3, thrombopoietin, interleukin 3 (IL-3), IL-6 and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, all at 10 ng/ml in serum-replete conditions. Transplantation of mice with fresh CB containing 3 x 10(4) CD34(+) cells and 1-2 SCID repopulating cells (SRC) resulted in a median of 7.4% (0.4%-76.8%) human engraftment. When mice received the expanded product of 1-2 SRC, the ability to repopulate NOD/SCID mice was maintained even after 10 d of in vitro culture. Serial dilution of the expanded cells suggested that in vitro expansion had increased SRC numbers two- to fourfold. Expanded SRC produced long-term culture-initiating cells, clonogenic cells and CD34(+) cells in the same proportions as fresh cells after successful engraftment. Therefore, expanded SRC were able to differentiate in the same way as fresh SRC. There was a trend towards lower levels of engraftment when d 7 cultured cells were transplanted (median engraftment 0.8%, range 0.0-24.0%) compared with 1-2 fresh SRC. Our data suggest that this is owing to reduced proliferation of cultured cells in vivo. By utilizing limiting numbers of CB SRC, we confirmed that the engraftment potential of SRC in the NOD/SCID model was preserved after in vitro expansion. Furthermore, dilution experiments strongly suggest two- to fourfold expansion of SRC in vitro. These studies are relevant for developing clinical stem cell expansion strategies.

Does the risk of acute rejection really decrease with increasing recipient age?

In corneal transplants the risks of acute rejection and graft failure decrease with increasing recipient age, but kidney graft survival analyses tend to show the opposite effect. Why is this? Cadaveric kidney transplants performed in the UK and Republic of Ireland between 1985 and 1993 (UKTSSA database) were analysed by multifactorial methods to identify major factors affecting graft survival. In a study database that had been censured for technical failure and death with a functioning transplant, it was shown that increasing recipient age was associated with decreasing risk of graft failure at 1 year. This is consistent with the view that kidney transplants, like corneal transplants, are less likely to be acutely rejected as the age of the recipient increases.

Quantitation of cyclosporine-sensitive and -resistant allospecific cytotoxic cells at birth.

In the absence of clinically relevant models of acute rejection we have attempted to develop an assay to measure cyclosporine-resistant allospecific cytotoxic cells in vitro, beginning at birth. The principle of limiting dilution analysis was applied to investigate umbilical cord bloods as responders. Responders were incubated for 1 h in different concentrations of cyclosporine and irradiated HLA mismatched stimulator cells from healthy adults added, followed by recombinant IL-2. After 7 days, responders were tested against three europium-labelled PHA blasts: stimulator, responder and third party. A significant number of cyclosporine-resistant allospecific cytotoxic cell precursors were found in cord blood indicating prior activation. They may have been primed in utero against non-inherited maternal HLA antigens. Cyclosporine-resistant allospecific cytotoxic cell precursors were demonstrated in human umbilical cord blood using a quantitative assay. These cells may influence the reaction to subsequent transplants.

Conclusions of the corneal transplant follow up study. Collaborating Surgeons.

AIM: On the basis of finalised data from the Corneal Transplant Follow up Study to identify and quantify factors influencing corneal graft outcome in terms of graft survival, rejection, visual acuity, and astigmatism. METHODS: Multifactorial analysis of 2777 grafts registered by the UK Transplant Support Service from July 1987 to June 1991. RESULTS: Several recipient factors influencing graft survival, rejection, and visual acuity were identified, but no donor factors. Of the operative factors amenable to change, mixed suturing was associated with reduced graft survival, and larger grafts with increased risk of rejection but better visual acuity when surviving. There was increased risk of rejection with poor matching at HLA class I antigens, but mismatched HLA-DR grafts suffered less rejection than those with zero HLA-DR mismatches. Recipient age below 10 years was associated with increased risk of both rejection and graft failure. However, whereas increasing age above 10 years was not associated with differential graft survival, it was significantly associated with decreasing risk of rejection. CONCLUSIONS: While confirming possible benefits of HLA-A and B matching, the expense and delay involved in awaiting matched HLA-DR tissue is unlikely to be justified. Other donor factors are unrelated to graft outcome following screening of tissue by eye banks. The highest rates of graft failure and rejection happen in the early postoperative period, and factors influencing visual outcome are also apparent at this stage.

Donor search or autografting in patients with acute leukaemia who lack an HLA-identical sibling? A matched-pair analysis. Acute Leukaemia Working Party of the European Cooperative Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT) and the International Marrow Unrelated Search and Transplant (IMUST) Study.

One hundred and ninety-one patients with acute leukaemia who received bone marrow from HLA-A, -B and -DR identical unrelated donors and were reported to EBMT and/or IMUST, were matched with 382 patients receiving autologous bone marrow for diagnosis, age, stage of disease and year of transplantation. Transplant-related mortality (TRM) was significantly higher in recipients of unrelated marrow compared to autograft recipients, 44 +/- 4% (+/- 95% confidence interval) and 15 +/- 3% at 2 years in the two groups, respectively (P < 10(-4)). In contrast, relapse probability was lower in recipients of unrelated marrow, being 32 +/- 5% at 2 years compared to 55 +/- 3% in recipients of autografts (P < 10(-4)). Two-year leukaemia-free survival (LFS) in patients with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia was 39 +/- 5% and 32 +/- 3% in the two groups, respectively. Among patients with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML), the corresponding figures were 36 +/- 6% and 46 +/- 5% in the two groups, respectively (P = NS). In AML in first remission (CR-1), the 2-year survival was 42 +/- 10% in recipients of unrelated bone marrow, compared to 69 +/- 8% in autograft recipients (P = 0.008). When all patients with acute leukaemia were included, the 2-year LFS was 38% in recipients of unrelated marrow, compared to 37% in autograft recipients (NS). In conclusion, this retrospective analysis supports the design of a prospective randomized study in patients with high-risk/advanced acute leukaemia who lack a suitable related bone marrow donor, to ascertain which of the two strategies, if any, should be favoured.

Results of allogeneic bone marrow transplants for leukemia using donors other than HLA-identical siblings.

PURPOSE: To compare outcomes of bone marrow transplants for leukemia from HLA-identical siblings, haploidentical HLA-mismatched relatives, and HLA-matched and mismatched unrelated donors. PATIENTS: A total of 2,055 recipients of allogeneic bone marrow transplants for chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML), acute myelogenous leukemia (AML), and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) were entered onto the study. Transplants were performed between 1985 and 1991 and reported to the International Bone Marrow Transplant Registry (IBMTR). Donors were HLA-identical siblings (n = 1,224); haploidentical relatives mismatched for one (n = 238) or two (n = 102) HLA-A, -B, or -DR antigens; or unrelated persons who were HLA-matched (n = 383) or mismatched for one HLA-A, -B, or -DR antigen (n = 108). HLA typing was performed using serologic techniques. RESULTS: Transplant-related mortality was significantly higher after alternative donor transplants than after HLA-identical sibling transplants. Among patients with early leukemia (CML in chronic phase or acute leukemia in first remission), 3-year transplant-related mortality (+/-SE) was 21% +/- 2% after HLA-identical sibling transplants and greater than 50% after all types of alternative donor transplants studied. Among patients with early leukemia, relative risks of treatment failure (inverse of leukemia-free survival), using HLA-identical sibling transplants as the reference group, were 2.43 (P < .0001) with 1-HLA-antigen-mismatched related donors, 3.79 (P < .0001) with 2-HLA-antigen-mismatched related donors, 2.11 (P < .0001) with HLA-matched unrelated donors, and 3.33 (P < .0001) with 1-HLA-antigen-mismatched unrelated donors. For patients with more advanced leukemia, differences in treatment failure were less striking: 1-HLA-antigen-mismatched relatives, 1.22 (P = not significant [NS]); 2-HLA-antigen-mismatched relatives, 1.81 (P < .0001); HLA-matched unrelated donors, 1.39 (P = .002); and 1-HLA-antigen-mismatched unrelated donors, 1.63 (P = .002). CONCLUSION: Although transplants from alternative donors are effective in some patients with leukemia, treatment failure is higher than after HLA-identical sibling transplants. Outcome depends on leukemia state, donor-recipient relationship, and degree of HLA matching. In early leukemia, alternative donor transplants have a more than twofold increased risk of treatment failure compared with HLA-identical sibling transplants. This difference is less in advanced leukemia.

Molecular advances in the etiology and treatment of colorectal cancer.

The diagnosis and treatment of colorectal cancer remains a formidable health care problem. Colorectal cancer is the second most frequently diagnosed cancer in both men and women in Western countries and accounts for over 55,000 deaths annually in the United States alone. Cancer of the colon and rectum is eminently curable by surgical resection if identified early; however, despite our best efforts, patient survival from this disease has changed little over the past 50 years. With the advent of molecular and genetic techniques, a number of novel discoveries have been made in the last decade which have greatly expanded our understanding of the etiology and cellular mechanisms contributing to the development and subsequent progression of colorectal cancer. This review summarizes the recent molecular advances in the understanding of both familial (HNPCC and FAP) and sporadic colorectal cancers. The numerous scientific advances described in this review offer the promise of the development of novel chemotherapeutic agents, more accurate prognostic indicators and better screening techniques.

Optimal cryopreservation of human umbilical cord blood.

Cryopreservation techniques for umbilical cord blood (UCB) have been based on methods established for marrow (BM) and peripheral blood progenitor cells (PBPC) with varying degrees of success. The aim of this study was to optimise cryopreservation of UCB haemopoietic cells based on sound cryopreservation principles. UCB samples were cryopreserved with different combinations of DMSO and hydroxyethyl starch (HES) by a variety of freezing protocols. After cooling at 1 degree C/min in solutions containing 4% HES and various concentrations of DMSO there was a dramatic fall in CD34+ recovery from 85.4% (s.d. 28.4) to 12.2% (s.d. 10.0) as DMSO concentration was reduced from 5 to 2.5%. Varying HES concentration in solutions containing 5% DMSO did not have a significant effect on CD34+ cell recovery. Increasing cooling rate from 1 to 10 degrees C/min significantly reduced CD34+ recovery (P < 0.0001) while increasing DMSO concentration up to 10% had little effect (P = 0.8, two-way ANOVA). Good recovery of UCB CD34+ cells can be achieved with 5-10% DMSO at a controlled cooling rate of 1 degrees C/min. There was a significant difference (P < 0.0001) in the apparent recovery of CD34+ cells between paired aliquots thawed in the presence (recovery = 76.8%, s.d. 26.0) and absence (32.5%, s.d. 18.7) of DNase. In conclusion, conditions for cryopreserving UCB for clinical banking that yield optimal recovery of CD34+ cells have been established.

Clinical and surgical factors influencing corneal graft survival, visual acuity, and astigmatism. Corneal Transplant Follow-up Study Collaborators.

PURPOSE: To quantify clinical and operative factors that influence corneal graft outcome. METHODS: A multifactorial analysis was done on 2242 corneal grafts registered by the United Kingdom Transplant Service from July 1987 to June 1991. RESULTS: There was an increased risk of graft failure in patients with preoperative diffuse and other noncentral stromal edema, less-common eye diseases, small trephine size, difference in donor and recipient sizes greater than 0.25 mm, and use of mixed continuous and interrupted sutures. Visual acuity 3 months after surgery was poorer in patients who had glaucoma and low visual acuity preoperatively, small trephine size, and combined vitreous surgery. Use of interrupted sutures resulted in higher astigmatism at 3 months. CONCLUSIONS: After allowing for the effects of recipient factors, surgical factors significantly affected corneal graft outcome. No factors that showed significant benefits for graft survival also adversely affected visual performance. Details of medical history, clinical condition, and surgical method failed to predict more than a small proportion of observed variability in visual performance of functioning grafts.

HLA-DQB1 and DQA1 matching by ambient temperature PCR-SSCP.

We have developed a polymerase chain reaction-single strand conformation polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) protocol for rapid matching of DQA1 and DQB1 alleles. Electrophoresis can be performed at ambient temperature within the range 18-28 degrees C without continuous gel cooling. The method has been tested on 27 patient-potential bone marrow donor pairs for DQB1 and 31 pairs for DQA1. Bone marrow pairs were chosen to represent a broad range of common alleles based upon previous restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis type assignments. Samples were re-typed by PCR with sequence-specific primers (PCR-SSP) and the results compared to matching by PCR-SSCP analysis. There was a 100% correlation between PCR-SSP and PCR-SSCP analysis for DQB1, and a 97% correlation for DQA1 matching.