Literature data support that green tea and its major component epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) have powerful antioxidant effects. Contrary, hepatotoxicity can be induced by high-dose EGCG. The timing of exposure to green tea in relation to administration of hepatotoxic agent plays an import role too. The aim of our work was a verification of antioxidative effect of EGCG on D-galactosamine-induced injury in primary culture of rat hepatocytes. Hepatocytes were incubated with EGCG at concentrations of 1.25-10 μM and toxic D-galactosamine (GalN) for 24 hrs. Alternatively, hepatocytes were pretreated with EGCG for 24 hrs, and then incubated with EGCG and GalN for further 24 hrs. Cytotoxicity was analysed by lactate dehydrogenase activity, functional capacity by albumin production. Oxidative stress was evaluated from a production of malondialdehyde and glutathione content in the cells. EGCG protected hepatocytes against GalN-induced cytotoxicity but preventive treatment of intact hepatocytes with EGCG was required to diminish the development of hepatocyte injury. Oxidative stress induced in our study seems to overcome the ability of hepatocytes to improve GSH depletion and albumin production. Prolongation of the pretreatment with EGCG could be a promising strategy leading to amelioration of its hepatoprotective effect. and Alena Moravcová, Zuzana Červinková, Otto Kučera, Vojtěch Mezera, Halka Lotková
Úvod: Radioimunoterapie patří mezi rychle se rozvíjející klinické metody. Často je nejvhodnější možností terapie u pacientů s relabujícím lymfomem, případně u starších pacientů. Vývoj nových typů imunokonjugátů patří proto v posledních letech mezi klíčová témata ve vývoji radiofarmak. Metody: Imunoglobulin G M75 byl značen metodou elektrofilní jodace radionuklidem 125I, který je optimální pro vývoj metody značení a také pro stanovení vlastností značeného preparátu (vazebná aktivita, imunospecifita). Výhody 125I jsou zejména jeho dlouhý poločas (59,408 dne) a nízká radiační zátěž. Zachování vazby aktivního místa na antigen bylo testováno metodou ELISA, koncentrace byla stanovena modifikovanou metodou podle Bradfordové. Fyziologická distribuce byla testována na myších CD1-Foxn1nu. Výsledky: Stanovená kumulace značené protilátky v nádorové tkáni byla > 7 % podané radioaktivity, vazebná aktivita protilátky byla první den po značení vyšší než 90 % ve srovnání s vazebnou aktivitou neznačené protilátky. Závěr: Připravený radioimunokonjugát IgG M75 s 125I si zachovává dostatečnou schopnost vazby antigenu, a má proto potenciál v terapii tumorů exprimujících karbonátdehydratasu. Pro použití v radioterapii je třeba otestovat analogický radioimunokonjugát značený radionuklidem 131I., x, Lenka Marešová, Ondřej Lebeda, Daniel Seifert, Irena Sieglová, Vlastimil Král, and Literatura
INTRODUCTION: A previous study has employed shear-wave ultrasound elastographic imaging to assess corneal rigidity in an ex-vivo porcine eye model. This study employs the same modality in vivo in a rabbit eye model in order to assess lens, ciliary body and total ocular rigidity changes following the instillation of atropine and pilocarpine. METHODS: Ten non-pigmented female rabbits were examined. Measurements of the lens, ciliary body and total ocular rigidity as well as lens thickness and anterior chamber depth were taken with the Aixplorer system (SuperSonic Imagine, Aix-en-Provence, France) with the SuperLinear™ SL 15-4 transducer in both eyes at baseline as well as after pilocarpine and atropine instillation. The IOP was also measured with the TonoPen tonometer. RESULTS: Changes in rigidity in the examined areas following atropine instillation were statistically not significant. Ciliary body rigidity was significantly increased whereas lens and total ocular rigidity were significantly reduced following pilocarpine instillation. The decrease in lens rigidity following pilocarpine was significantly associated with the respective increase in ciliary body rigidity. CONCLUSIONS: Shear-wave ultrasound elastography can detect in vivo rigidity changes in the anterior segment of the rabbit eye model and may potentially be applied in human eyes, providing useful clinical information on conditions in which rigidity changes play an important role, such as glaucoma, pseudoexfoliation syndrome or presbyopia. and E. T. Detorakis, E. E. Drakonaki, H. Ginis, N. Karyotakis, I. G. Pallikaris
Užití mezenchymálních kmenových buněk (MSC) je jedním z experimentálních terapeutických přístupů k léčbě poranění míchy. MSC lze získat z kostní dřeně, tukové tkáně i z jiných periferních tkání dospělých jedinců. Výhodou je, v porovnání s jinými kmenovými buňkami, jejich dobrá dostupnost, snadná expanze a možnost autologního použití. MSC byly v posledních 15 letech studovány v experimentálním míšním poranění zejména u hlodavců se slibnými výsledky. Existuje několik mechanizmů, jakými působí MSC na míšní lézi. Především to je remyelinizace demyelinizovaných vláken, podpora pučení axonů (sprouting), angiogeneze, imunosupresivní efekt či sekrece neurotrofních faktorů, které mohou vést k funkčnímu zlepšení. Tyto slibné výsledky urychlily zahájení klinických studií u pacientů s poraněním míchy. Klinické studie fáze I/II ukázaly, že se jedná o bezpečnou metodu, avšak funkční průkaz vyžaduje další klinické studie. Ukazuje se, že MSC bude třeba kombinovat s jinými metodami, jako je přemostění léze, enzymatické štěpení jizvy a blokátory inhibičních faktorů. Tato práce přináší přehledný souhrn o aplikaci MSC u míšního poranění v experimentu i klinice., The use of mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) represents an experimental therapeutic modality in the treatment of spinal cord injury. MSC can be harvested from the bone marrow, fat tissue and other peripheral tissues from adult individuals. Compared to other types of stem cells, MSC are easy to access and expand and they can be used in autologous settings. Over the last 15 years, MSC have been widely studied in experimental spinal cord injury, especially in rodents, with promising results. MSC support remyelination of demyelinated axons, axonal sprouting, angiogenesis, have immunosuppressive effect and secrete neurotrophic factors that may led to functional improvement. These promising results led to launching of clinical studies in patients with spinal cord injury. Phase I/II clinical studies showed that the use of MSC represent a safe method. However, functional effect needs to be proved in further clinical studies. Data suggest that MSC will need to be combined with other methods, such as lesion bridging, scar tissue breakdown and blocking of inhibitory molecules. This paper provides an overview of the use of MSC in experimental and clinical SCI., and A. Hejčl, P. Jendelová, M. Sameš, E. Syková
Autor popisuje krátkou historii katetrizačních technik. Tato historie začala experimenty na zvířatech v 19. století a na počátku 20. století. Skiaskopická kontrola se stala základní metodou při navigaci katétrů a provádění angiografií či měření krevních tlaků. Katétry byly zaváděny nejprve chirurgicky, od roku 1953 perkutánně po zavedení punkční techniky Seldingerem. Během šedesátých let se katétry staly chirurgickým nástrojem tím, že začaly být používány k dilataci tepen Dotterem od roku 1964. Transluminální angioplastika byla zlepšena zavedením vysokotlakých balónkových katétrů Grůntzigem v roce 1974. Embolizace provedená přes katétry k uzávěru arteriovenózního zkratu byla zavedena v roce 1960, k zástavě krvácení od roku 1972 a k selektivnímu uzávěru aneuryzmat od roku 1991., A brief history of catheterisation techniques is described. The history begun with first animal experiments in the 19th century and in beginning of 20th century. Fluoroscopy guidance has become basic method of following catheter navigation and performing angiograms or blood pressure measurements. Catheters were introduced surgically and then percutaneously after developing percutaneous approach by Seldinger in 1953. During 60. catheters became surgical instruments by using them for arterial dilatation by Dotter in 1964. Method of transluminal angioplasty has been improved by introduction of high-pressure balloon catheters by Grůntzig in 1974. Transcatheter embolisation techniques were utilized in occlusion of arteriovenous shunts 1960, in arterial bleeding control since 1972 and for selective occlusion of aneurysms since 1991., Antonín Krajina, and Literatura
AIMS: Our aims were to isolate and cultivate mesenchymal dental pulp stem cells (DPSC) in various media enriched with human blood components, and subsequently to investigate their basic biological properties. METHODS: DPSC were cultivated in five different media based on α MEM containing different concentrations of human plasma (HP), platelet-rich plasma (PRP), or fetal calf serum (FCS). The DPSC biological properties were examined periodically. RESULTS: We cultivated DPSC in the various cultivation media over 15 population doublings except for the medium supplemented with 10% HP. Our results showed that DPSC cultivated in medium supplemented with 10% PRP showed the shortest average population doubling time (DT) (28.6 ± 4.6 hours), in contrast to DPSC cultivated in 10% HP which indicated the longest DT (156.2 ± 17.8 hours); hence this part of the experiment had been cancelled in the 6th passage. DPSC cultivated in media with 2% FCS+ITS (DT 47.3 ± 10.4 hours), 2% PRP (DT 40.1 ± 5.7 hours) and 2% HP (DT 49.0 ± 15.2 hours) showed almost the same proliferative activity. DPSC's viability in the 9th passage was over 90% except for the DPSC cultivated in the 10% HP media. CONCLUSIONS: We proved that human blood components are suitable substitution for FCS in cultivation media for long-term DPSC cultivation. and T. Suchánková Kleplová, T. Soukup, V. Řeháček, J. Suchánek
PURPOSE: A variety of anti-glaucomatous shunt designs have been proposed so far. This study evaluates the feasibility of a novel shunt design, the intra-scleral parathalamus implant (IPI), in a rabbit eye model. METHODS: Ten healthy albino rabbits were included. Measurements of the IOP, using TonoPenXL, as well as ocular rigidity (OR) and aqueous outflow facility (AO), using a previously described methodology, were performed in both eyes of each animal. Subsequently, the IPI was implanted at the left eye of all animals whereas the right eye served as control. Measurements of IOP were repeated at weekly intervals for 2 months postoperatively whereas measurements of OR and AO were repeated at the 1st and 2nd postoperative week. RESULTS: The IOP decreased significantly whereas the AO increased significantly postoperatively at the operated eyes. A significant postoperative decrease in OR was also recorded at the operated eyes. Respective differences at the fellow eyes were statistically not significant. Two animals developed postoperative complications and were excluded from follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Results imply that the implantation of the IPI is feasible in rabbit eyes with significant favorable effects on the IOP, AO and OR. and E. T. Detorakis, K. Loggaki, N. Karyotakis, H. Ginis
Carnosine is a dipeptide formed of the amino acids β-alanine and histidine. Only a limited number of studies have examined the effects of carnosine on sympathetic nerve activation and anxiety. The present study was undertaken to determine the dose-related effects of carnosine on anxiety in the elevated T-maze test (ETM) with electrodermal activity (EDA). Carnosine was injected in three groups of rats with doses of 10 (low dose), 100 (medium dose) and 1000 (high dose) mg/kg i.p. Physiological saline was injected in the sham group. The anxiety scores of the rats were measured with ETM 20 minutes after injection. Then, SCL was measured. The decreased number of entries into the open arm (NEOA), the percentage of time spent in the open arm (% TSOA) and higher EDA [shown by skin conductance level (SCL)] indicate higher anxiety. The NEOA and % TSOA were lower in the high-dose group than in the other groups. SCL was lower in the medium-dose carnosine group than in the high-dose carnosine and sham groups. SCL was higher in the high-dose group than in the medium-dose and sham groups. Our results suggest that high-dose carnosine produced anxiety-like effects as assessed in the SCL and ETM. Medium-dose carnosine acted as an anxiolytic. The anxiety-related responses of carnosine depend on its dose-related effect. and N. Dolu, H. Acer, A. Y. Kara
Sulodexid je látka patřící do skupiny glykosaminoglykanů (spolu s hepariny). Ve srovnání s jinými glykosaminoglykany má sulodexid větší antitrombotické vlastnosti při současně nižším riziku krvácení a na rozdíl od heparinů je možné jeho podávání jak parenterálně, tak perorálně. Preparát má prokázány mnohočetné farmakodynamické účinky. Klinickými studiemi je dobře doložena efektivita preparátu u pacientů s klaudikacemi. Evidence účinku je také u nemocných s nejtěžšími případy chronické žilní nedostatečnosti, včetně pacientů s aktivními bércovými vředy. V případě pozitivního výsledku probíhajících studií bude možné jako další indikaci přidat sekundární prevenci žilní trombózy., Sulodexide is a compound belonging to the group of glycosaminoglycans (together with heparins). In comparison with other glycosaminoglycans, sulodexide has stronger antithrombotic properties and a lower risk of bleeding, and unlike heparin, it can be administered both parenterally and orally. Multiple pharmacodynamic effects of the preparation have been demonstrated. Clinical studies have documented the effectiveness of the drug in patients with claudication. There is evidence of its effect also in patients with the most severe cases of chronic venous insufficiency, including patients with active leg ulcers. In the case of a positive outcome of the ongoing studies, secondary prevention of venous thrombosis will be added as another indication., and Roztočil K.