Decrease in expression of histamine H2 receptors by human amniotic epithelial cells during differentiation into pancreatic beta-like cells.

OBJECTIVE AND DESIGN: Considering the role of histaminergic pathway in the differentiation of stem cells, we compared expression patterns of H(1) and H(2) receptors in the human amniotic epithelial cells (HAEC) culture at different stages of nicotinamide-induced differentiation into PBLC with the control HAEC. MATERIAL AND METHODS: HAEC isolated after term pregnancies (N = 12) were cultured in vitro. Altogether, 72 cultures were established. The culture medium in the studied group was supplemented on Day 5 with nicotinamide (10 mM). C-peptide concentration in the medium collected every 3 days for 15 days was determined immunoenzymatically as a marker of differentiation. At the same intervals the cultures were formalin-fixed and paraffinembedded for H(1) and H(2) receptors immunostaining. Quantitative immunohistochemistry was applied for evaluation of H(1) and H(2) expression. RESULTS: C-peptide was detected on Day 6 and the levels were kept gradually increased until Day 12, then stayed at almost the same level, 3.7-fold higher than initially. Expression of H(2) was unchanged until Day 9 after nicotinamide addition, then was significantly (p < 0.05) decreased and amounted (mean % value for the measurements performed on Day 12 and Day 15, +/-SEM) 49.73 +/- 11.03 of the reference value obtained in control HAEC. CONCLUSION: Variable expression of H(2) during nicotinamide-induced differentiation of HAEC into PBLC may define a time-point, indicating involvement of histamine at the earlier stages.

Involvement of histamine and histamine H2 receptors in nicotinamide-induced differentiation of human amniotic epithelial cells into insulin-producing cells.

OBJECTIVE AND DESIGN: Human amniotic epithelial cells (HAEC) resemble stem cells in their ability to differentiate into all three germ layers: endoderm, mesoderm, and ectoderm. Histamine receptors are expressed on HAEC. We examined the influence of histamine, and H(1) and H(2) antagonists on the generation of pancreatic islet beta-like cells from HAEC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: HAEC were isolated after term pregnancies (N = 12) and cultured for 14 days with nicotinamide (10 mM) in normoxia. Altogether, 72 cultures were established. Histamine (100 microM) effects were investigated with mepyramine (10 microM) or cimetidine (10 microM). After 7 and 14 days, the mean concentration of C-peptide (MCCP) in the culture medium was measured immunoenzymatically as a marker of pancreatic differentiation. RESULTS: MCCP was approximately threefold higher on day 14, compared to day 7. Histamine significantly increased MCCP, and more evident differences were observed after 7 days of culture than after 14 days. The mean percent increase +/-SEM in MCCP amounted to 142.19 +/- 21.7 and 79.03 +/- 12.35 compared to the controls on day 7 and 14, respectively. H(2) blockade significantly reduced histamine-related increase in MCCP, both on day 7 and 14 by 88.7 +/- 14.3 and 39.2 +/- 12.4%, respectively. H(1) receptor antagonist did not affect MCPP. CONCLUSION: Nicotinamide-induced pancreatic differentiation of HAEC into beta-like cells may be augmented, probably at its earlier stage, by histamine acting via H(2) receptors.

Influence of pancreas and kidney transplant function on recipient survival.

The aim of this study was to evaluate long-term survival after simultaneous pancreas and kidney (SPK) transplantation in relation to function of both grafts. Among 67 recipients who received SPK transplants between 1988 and 2004, 35 had follow-up longer than 18 months, and were divided into: group I (n = 20), recipients with good function of both grafts; group II (n = 7), patients who had lost transplanted pancreas but had still good kidney graft function; group III (n = 8), patients who had lost both grafts. Comparison of survival rates and analysis of the reason of mortality among groups was performed. The cumulative survival rate was significantly higher in group I than in group III (after 3, 5, 10 years: 100%, 100%, 80% vs 75%, 50%, 37%, respectively). Cumulative survival rate for group II after 3, 5, 10 years was 100%, 100%, 33%, respectively. There were no significant differences in survival rates between groups I and II and between groups II and III. In group I deaths for cardiovascular event and for leukemia were noted. In group II deaths due to cardiovascular event and sepsis were observed. In group III all patients died due to cardiovascular events and the mean time from loss of pancreas and kidney graft function to death was: 75 +/- 51 months (range from 19 to 142), and 49 +/- 26 months (range 19 to 99), respectively. Good pancreas and kidney graft functions prevent death due to cardiovascular event.

Influence of the primary disease on rehabilitation results in the early postoperative period in patients after orthotopic liver transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Rehabilitation after orthotropic liver transplantation (OLT) is a difficult clinical problem due to severe comorbidities and complications. We evaluated the rehabilitation progress in the early postoperative period of patients after OLT depending on the reason for liver transplantation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated 309 OLT recipients transplanted between 2003 and 2006, including 161 women and 148 men. We analyzed the results of early postoperative rehabilitation measured by the time to full, active, erection upright after surgery. We divided the patients into 5 groups due to etiology of liver failure: group A (n = 89; mean age, 46.7 years) consisted of patients with liver cirrhosis due to hepatitis B, C, or both; group B (n = 70; mean age, 43.8 years) included patients with primary biliary cirrhosis and primary sclerosing cholangitis; group C (n = 44; mean age, 46 years) conprised patients with postalcoholic liver cirrhosis; group D (n = 23; mean age, 29.7 years) had experienced acute or subacute liver failure; and group E (n = 83; mean age, 37.4 years) had other reasons of liver failure. All patients were included in an identical rehabilitation program. RESULTS: The mean time to full, active, erection upright was dependent on the reason for liver failure. The best result was observed in groups A and E (4.51 and 4.6 days, respectively), medium in groups B and C (5.3 and 5.02, respectively), and worst in group D (8.5 days). The differences between groups A, E, and D were significant. CONCLUSION: The best results were obtained in groups A and E, where full, active, erection upright was achieved at 4.51 and 4.60 days respectively, and worst in group D, where it was achieved on day 8.50. These results need to be taken into account in planning the rehabilitation process for OLT patients. When analyzing the correlation between full, active, erection upright and primary diseases, one of the factors contributing to the delay needs to be assumed to be the inability to develop compensating mechanisms in the cases of acute and subacute hepatic failures, resulting from the sudden development of the disease.