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Revisiones-Ciencias Básicas-Eventos celulares *** Reviews-Basic Sciences-Cellular events

 

AGENTES INMUNOSUPRESORES *** IMMUNOSUPPRESSIVE COMPOUNDS

(Conceptos / Keywords: Immunosuppressive comp; Muromonab-cd3; Sirolimus; Tacrolimus; Cyclosporine; Mycophenolic acid; Antilymphocyte serum; Immunosuppressive comp. used in oncology, etc).

 

Enero / January 2001 --- Marzo / March 2004

 

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Enlace / Link

 

[1]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Integration of growth factor and nutrient signaling: implications for cancer biology.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Mol Cell 2003 Aug;12(2):271-80.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Shamji AF; Nghiem P; Schreiber SL

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Harvard Biophysics Program, Harvard University, 12 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - Signaling networks that promote cell growth are frequently dysregulated in cancer. One regulatory network, which converges on effectors such as 4EBP1 and S6K1, leads to growth by promoting protein synthesis. Here, we discuss how this network is regulated by both extracellular signals, such as growth factors, and intracellular signals, such as nutrients. We discuss how mutations amplifying either type of signal can lead to tumor formation. In particular, we focus on the recent discovery that a tumor suppressor complex whose function is lost in tuberous sclerosis patients regulates the nutrient signal carried by the critical signaling protein TOR to the effectors 4EBP1 and S6K1. Finally, we describe how the small molecule rapamycin, which inhibits TOR and thereby the activation of these effectors, could be useful to treat tumors that have become dependent upon this pathway for growth.  N. Ref:: 80

 

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[2]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Dendritic cells: emerging pharmacological targets of immunosuppressive drugs.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Nat Rev Immunol 2004 Jan;4(1):24-34.

      ●● Enlace al texto completo (gratuito o de pago) 1038/nri1256

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Hackstein H; Thomson AW

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Institute for Clinical Immunology and Transfusion Medicine, Justus-Liebig University Giessen, Langhansstr. 7, D-35392 Giessen, Germany. holger.hackstein@immunologie.med.uni-giessen.de

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - Immunosuppressive drugs have revolutionized organ transplantation and improved the therapeutic management of autoimmune diseases. The development of immunosuppressive drugs and understanding of their action traditionally has been focused on lymphocytes, but recent evidence indicates that these agents interfere with immune responses at the earliest stage, targeting key functions of dendritic cells (DCs). Here, we review our present understanding of how classical and new immunosuppressive agents interfere with DC development and function. This knowledge might provide a rational basis for the selection of immunosuppressive drugs in different clinical settings and for the generation of tolerogenic DCs in the laboratory.  N. Ref:: 116

 

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[3]

- Castellano -

TÍTULO / TITLE:La ruta de senalizacion CA++/calcineurina/NFAT en activacion endotelial y angiogenesis: efectos de la ciclosporina A. CA++/ calcineurin/NFAT signaling in endothelial activation and angiogenesis: effects od cyclosporin A .

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Nefrologia. Acceso gratuito al texto completo.

      ●● Enlace a la Editora de la Revista http://www.aulamedica.es/nefrologia/ 

      ●● Cita: Nefrologia: <> 2003;23 Suppl 3:44-8.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Quesada AJ; Redondo JM

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Centro de Biologia Molecular Severo Ochoa, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas, Universidad Autonoma de Madrid y Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC), Sinesio Delgado, 4 28049 Cantoblanco, Madrid. jmredondo@cbm.uam.es  N. Ref:: 31

 

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[4]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Identification of TOR signaling complexes: more TORC for the cell growth engine.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Cell 2002 Oct 4;111(1):9-12.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Abraham RT

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Program in Signal Transduction Research, Cancer Research Center, The Burnham Institute, 10901 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA. abraham@burnham.org

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - The Target of Rapamycin (TOR) proteins function in signaling pathways that promote protein synthesis and cell growth. In yeast, TOR signaling is regulated by nutrient availability, whereas in metazoan cells TOR activities may be controlled by both nutrients and growth factors. The recent identification of novel TOR-interacting proteins has provided crucial insights into TOR regulation and function.  N. Ref:: 20

 

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[5]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Interleukin-2 receptor monoclonal antibodies in renal transplantation: meta-analysis of randomised trials.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - British Medical J (BMJ). Acceso gratuito al texto completo.

      ●● Enlace a la Editora de la Revista http://bmj.com/search.dtl 

      ●● Cita: British Medical J. (BMJ): <> 2003 Apr 12;326(7393):789.

      ●● Enlace al texto completo (gratuito o de pago) 1136/bmj.326.7393.789

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Adu D; Cockwell P; Ives NJ; Shaw J; Wheatley K

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Department of Nephrology, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham, B15 2TH. dwomoa.adu@uhb.nhs.uk

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of interleukin-2 receptor monoclonal antibodies on acute rejection episodes, graft loss, deaths, and rate of infection and malignancy in patients with renal transplants. DESIGN: Meta-analysis of published data. DATA SOURCES: Medline, Embase, and Cochrane library for years 1996-2003 plus search of medical editors’ trial amnesty and contact with manufacturers of the antibodies. SELECTION OF STUDIES: Randomised controlled trials comparing interleukin-2 receptor antibodies with placebo or no additional treatment in patients with renal transplants receiving ciclosporin based immunosuppression. RESULTS: Eight randomised controlled trials involving 1871 patients met the selection criteria (although only 1858 patients were analysed). Interleukin-2 receptor antibodies significantly reduced the risk of acute rejection (odds ratio 0.51, 95% confidence interval 0.42 to 0.63). There were no significant differences in the rate of graft loss (0.78, 0.58 to 1.04), mortality (0.75, 0.46 to 1.23), overall incidence of infections (0.97, 0.77 to 1.24), incidence of cytomegalovirus infections (0.81, 0.62 to 1.04), or risk of malignancies at one year (0.82, 0.39 to 1.70). The different antibodies had a similar sized effect on acute rejection (test for heterogeneity P=0.7): anti-Tac (0.37, 0.16 to 0.89), BT563 (0.37, 0.1 to 1.38), basiliximab (0.56, 0.44 to 0.72), and daclizumab (0.46, 0.32 to 0.67). The reduction in acute rejections was similar for all ciclosporin based immunosuppression regimens (test for heterogeneity P=1.0). CONCLUSIONS: Adding interleukin-2 receptor antibodies to ciclosporin based immunosuppression reduces episodes of acute rejection at six months by 49%. There is no evidence of an increased risk of infective complications. Longer follow up studies are needed to confirm whether interleukin-2 receptor antibodies improve long term graft and patient survival.

 

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[6]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Novel therapeutic molecular targets for prostate cancer: the mTOR signaling pathway and epidermal growth factor receptor.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - J Urol 2004 Feb;171(2 Pt 2):S41-3; discussion S44.

      ●● Enlace al texto completo (gratuito o de pago) 1097/01.ju.0000108100.53239.b7

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Tolcher AW

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Director Clinical Research, Institute for Drug Development Cancer Therapy and Research Center, San Antonio, Texas, USA.

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - PURPOSE: The scientific rationale and existing evidence for the use of novel molecular targets in the chemoprevention of cancer are reviewed, with special attention to prostate cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A search for relevant literature on basic science and clinical trials was conducted using PubMed/MEDLINE. RESULTS: The emergence of molecularly targeted therapies for advanced malignancies creates an important opportunity to examine these agents for the chemoprevention of prostate cancer. Two critical targets in the proliferation and malignant transformation of normal cells, the PI3/Akt signal transduction pathway and the epidermal growth factor receptor, are currently the focus of several novel investigational therapies that are in late stage phase II and phase III studies. CONCLUSIONS: Research to date supports consideration of these novel molecular targets as future agents in the chemoprevention of prostate cancer.  N. Ref:: 28

 

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[7]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Rapamycin plays a new role as differentiator of vascular smooth muscle phenotype. focus on “The mTOR/p70 S6K1 pathway regulates vascular smooth muscle differentiation”.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Am J Physiol Cell Physiol. Acceso gratuito al texto completo.

      ●● Enlace a la Editora de la Revista http://ajpcell.physiology.org/contents-by-date.0.shtml 

      ●● Cita: Am J Physiol Cell Physiol: <> 2004 Mar;286(3):C480-1.

      ●● Enlace al texto completo (gratuito o de pago) 1152/ajpcell.00526.2003

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Lucchesi PA  N. Ref:: 12

 

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[8]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - CD3-specific antibody-induced active tolerance: from bench to bedside.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Nat Rev Immunol 2003 Feb;3(2):123-32.

      ●● Enlace al texto completo (gratuito o de pago) 1038/nri1000

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Chatenoud L

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Centre de l’Association Claude Bernard sur les Maladies Autoimmunes and Hopital Necker Enfants Malades IRNEM, 161 Rue de Sevres, 75015 Paris, France. chatenoud@necker.fr

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - Although they were used initially as non-specific immunosuppressants in transplantation, CD3-specific monoclonal antibodies have elicited renewed interest owing to their capacity to induce immune tolerance. In mouse models of autoimmune diabetes, CD3-specific antibodies induce stable disease remission by restoring tolerance to pancreatic beta-cells. This phenomenon was extended recently to the clinic—preservation of beta-cell function in recently diagnosed patients with diabetes was achieved by short-term administration of a CD3-specific antibody. CD3-specific antibodies arrest ongoing disease by rapidly clearing pathogenic T cells from the target. Subsequently, they promote long-term T-cell-mediated active tolerance. Recent data indicate that transforming growth factor-beta-dependent CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells might have a central role in this effect.  N. Ref:: 117

 

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[9]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - The transplantation of hematopoietic stem cells after non-myeloablative conditioning: a cellular therapeutic approach to hematologic and genetic diseases.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Immunol Res 2003;28(1):13-24.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Maris M; Storb R

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, and University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA. mmaris@fhcrc.org

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - Originally, allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) was viewed as a form of rescue from the marrow lethal effects of high doses of chemo-radiotherapy used to both eradicate malignancy and to provide sufficient immunosuppression to ensure allogeneic engraftment. Clear evidence of a therapeutic graft-versus-tumor (GVT) effect mediated by allogeneic effector cells (T cells) has prompted the exploration of HSCT regimens that rely solely upon host immunosuppression (non-myeloablative) to facilitate allogeneic donor engraftment. The engrafted donor effector cells are then used to accomplish the task of eradicating host malignant cells. The non-myeloblative regimen developed in Seattle uses 2 Gy total body irradiation (TBI) before transplant followed by postgrafting cyclosporine (CSP) and mycophenolate mofetil (MMF). This regimen resulted in initial mixed donor-host chimerism in all patients with hematologic malignancies and genetic disorders who received HLA-matched sibling allografts. The 17% incidence of graft rejection was reduced to 3% with the addition of fludarabine, 30 mg/m2/day on d -4, -3, and -2. The non-myeloablative combination of fludarabine/TBI has also been successful at achieving high engraftment rates in recipients of 10 of 10 HLA antigen matched unrelated donor HSCTs in patients with hematologic malignancies. By reducing acute toxicities relative to conventional HSCT, most patients have received their pre- and post-HSCT therapy almost exclusively as outpatients. Acute and chronic GVHD occur after non-myeloablative HSCT, but the incidence and severity appear less compared to conventional HSCT. As in conventional transplants, immune dysregulation from GVHD and its treatment and delayed reconstitution of immune function continue to present risks to patients who have otherwise undergone successful non-myeloablative HSCT. Cellular therapeutic effects have been observed after non-myeloablative HSCT such as correction of inherited genetic disorders, and eradication of hematologic malignant diseases and renal cell carcinoma via GVT responses.  N. Ref:: 52

 

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[10]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Drug immunosuppression therapy for adult heart transplantation. Part 2: clinical applications and results.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Ann Thorac Surg 2004 Jan;77(1):363-71.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Mueller XM

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada. xavier.mueller@usherbrooke.ca

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - This review describes the clinical application of classical immunosuppressive drugs as well as that of more recent drugs. All current immunosuppressive drugs target T-cell activation, and cytokine production and clonal expansion, or both. Immunosuppressive protocols can be broadly divided into induction therapy, maintenance immunosuppression, and treatment of acute rejection episodes.  N. Ref:: 82

 

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[11]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - In vitro generation of IL-10-producing regulatory CD4+ T cells is induced by immunosuppressive drugs and inhibited by Th1- and Th2-inducing cytokines.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Immunol Lett 2003 Jan 22;85(2):135-9.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - O’Garra A; Barrat FJ

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Division of Immunoregulation, The National Institute for Medical Research (NIMR), The Ridgeway, Mill Hill, NW7 1AA, London, UK.  N. Ref:: 40

 

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[12]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Drug immunosuppression therapy for adult heart transplantation. Part 1: immune response to allograft and mechanism of action of immunosuppressants.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Ann Thorac Surg 2004 Jan;77(1):354-62.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Mueller XM

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada. xavier.mueller@usherbrooke.ca

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - In the early days of transplantation, immunosuppression therapy was rather broad and nonspecific, mainly using high-dose corticosteroids and azathioprine. Thereafter we progressively narrowed the target of immunosuppressive strategy starting with polyclonal antibodies. The introduction of cyclosporine, OKT3, and tacrolimus further narrowed the target on the T-cell pathways. More recently mycophenolate mofetil progressively took the place of azathioprine with its higher lymphocyte specificity and sirolimus and interleukin-2 receptor antibodies were introduced. In this field in constant movement the aim is to find a drug or a regimen that provides optimal immunosuppression therapy with minimal side effects, in other words to find the right balance between overimmunosuppression and underimmunosuppression therapy. This review is divided into two parts. The first part will provide a basic understanding of the immunologic response to allograft and explain how conventional and recently introduced immunosuppressive agents work. The second part will describe the clinical application of immunosuppressive drugs to provide practical information for those in charge of heart transplant recipients.  N. Ref:: 68

 

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[13]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Advances in transplantation tolerance.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Lancet 2001 Jun 16;357(9272):1959-63.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Yu X; Carpenter P; Anasetti C

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Human Immunogenetics Program, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA.

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - Immunosuppressive drugs developed in the past two decades have improved the short-term survival of organ allografts, but tolerance has not been achieved and almost all transplant recipients continue to require drugs throughout life. Graft rejection arises from the cognate interaction of T cells with antigen-presenting cells, the recognition of alloantigen through the T-cell receptor, and the delivery of accessory stimulation signals. Once activated by the specific antigen, replicating T cells die if they are re-exposed to the same antigen. Since depletion of antigen-activated T cells is one critical mechanism of transplantation tolerance, drugs such as ciclosporin that interfere with activation-induced T-cell death could inhibit tolerance, whereas drugs such as mycophenolate mofetil, that induce the death of activated T cells, could facilitate tolerance. Other tolerance mechanisms depend on inactivation rather than elimination of allograft reactive T cells. When antigen recognition occurs without costimulation through the CD28 and CD154 accessory receptors, or in absence of cell division, T cells become unresponsive. Thus, inhibitors of CD28 and CD154, and inhibition of T-cell division by rapamycin promotes transplantation tolerance.  N. Ref:: 54

 

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[14]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Effects of immunosuppressive drugs on dendritic cells and tolerance induction.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Transplantation 2003 May 15;75(9 Suppl):37S-42S.

      ●● Enlace al texto completo (gratuito o de pago) 1097/01.TP.0000067950.90241.1D

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Lagaraine C; Lebranchu Y

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - EA 3249, Cellules hematopoietiques, hemostase et greffe, Laboratoire d’immunologie, Faculte de medecine, Tours, France.

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - Dendritic cells, the most effective antigen-presenting cells for priming naive T cells and initiating immune responses, are also able to induce tolerance. This balance between immunity and tolerance depends on the functional stage of dendritic cells (DC). Activation of naive T cells by immature DC can induce tolerance. It is therefore of interest to summarize the effects of immunosuppressive agents on DC maturation and functions. In contrast to glucocorticosteroids, mycophenolate mofetil, and vitamin D(3) analogs, calcineurin inhibitors do not seem to inhibit DC maturation in in vitro culture systems. However, these molecules all appear to interfere with DC functions.  N. Ref:: 44

 

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[15]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Donor-specific tolerance in fully major histocompatibility major histocompatibility complex-mismatched limb allograft transplants under an anti-alphabeta T-cell receptor monoclonal antibody and cyclosporine A protocol.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Transplantation 2003 Dec 27;76(12):1662-8.

      ●● Enlace al texto completo (gratuito o de pago) 1097/01.TP.0000105343.49626.6F

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Siemionow MZ; Izycki DM; Zielinski M

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Department of Plastic Surgery, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, A60, 9500 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA. siemiom@ccf.org

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - BACKGROUND: Recent studies have demonstrated that treatment with alphabeta-T-cell receptor (TCR) monoclonal antibody and cyclosporine A (CsA) can extend survival in composite tissue allografts (CTA). The purpose of this study was to induce tolerance in fully major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-mismatched rat limb allografts under 7 days of a combined alphabeta-TCR-CsA protocol. METHODS: The authors performed 30 hind-limb allotransplantations across the MHC barrier between Brown Norway donors (BN; RT1n) and Lewis recipients (LEW; RT1l). Isograft and allograft controls received no treatment. The experimental groups received monotherapy of alphabeta-TCR and CsA or a combination of alphabeta-TCR and CsA for 7 days only. Donor-specific tolerance and immunocompetence were determined by standard skin grafting in vivo and mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) in vitro. The efficacy of immunosuppressive therapy and the level of donor-specific chimerism were determined by flow cytometry. RESULTS: Long-term survival (>350 days) was achieved in allograft recipients (n=6) under the 7-day protocol of combined alphabeta-TCR-CsA. Donor-specific tolerance and immunocompetence of long-term chimeras were confirmed by acceptance of skin grafts from the donors and rejection of the third-party alloantigens (AxC Irish). At day 120, MLR demonstrated unresponsiveness to the host and donor antigens but strong reactivity against third-party alloantigens. Flow cytometry confirmed the high efficacy of immunosuppressive treatment and the development of donor-specific chimerism (7.6% of CD4+-RT1n+ cells, 1.3% of CD8+-RT1n+ cells, and 16.5% of CD45RA+-RT1n+ cells) in the periphery of tolerated recipients. CONCLUSIONS: Combined therapy of alphabeta-TCR-CsA for 7 days resulted in tolerance induction in fully MHC-mismatched rat hind-limb allografts. Tolerance was directly associated with stable, donor-specific chimerism.

 

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[16]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Composite tissue allotransplantation in chimeric hosts part II. A clinically relevant protocol to induce tolerance in a rat model.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Transplantation 2003 Dec 15;76(11):1548-55.

      ●● Enlace al texto completo (gratuito o de pago) 1097/01.TP.0000085288.12571.65

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Prabhune KA; Gorantla VS; Perez-Abadia G; Francois CG; Vossen M; Laurentin-Perez LA; Breidenbach WC; Wang GG; Anderson GL; Pidwell DJ; Barker JH; Maldonado C

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky, USA.

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - BACKGROUND: We and others have shown that mixed allogeneic chimerism induces donor-specific tolerance to composite tissue allografts across major histocompatibility complex barriers without the need for immunosuppression. However, a delay period between bone marrow transplantation and limb allotransplantation is required, making such protocols impractical for clinical application. This study eliminates this delay period in a rat hind limb allotransplantation model by performing mixed allogeneic chimerism induction and transplantation “simultaneously.” METHODS: Group 1 included controls in which naive Wistar Furth (WF) hosts received ACI hind limbs. Group 2 included (ACI-->WF) chimeras that received limbs from third-party donors (Fisher), and group 3 included chimeras that received irradiated (1,050 cGy) ACI limbs. In group 4, WF hosts conditioned with 950 cGy received irradiated (1,050 cGy) ACI limbs followed by infusion of 100 x 10(6) ACI T-cell-depleted bone marrow cells and immunotherapy (tacrolimus and mycophenolate mofetil) for 28 days. Group 5 animals received the same treatment as group 4 animals without immunotherapy. RESULTS: The rats in groups 1 and 2 rejected their limbs within 10 days. Only one rat in group 4 survived to the end of the study. Groups 3 and 5 demonstrated long-term limb survival without rejection or graft-versus-host disease. High levels of donor chimerism (>80%) were achieved and maintained throughout the study. Mixed lymphocyte reaction assays in both groups revealed donor-specific hyporesponsiveness with vigorous third-party reactivity. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that infusion of donor bone marrow cells into conditioned hosts immediately after limb transplantation results in stable mixed chimerism, robust tolerance, and reliable limb allograft survival.

 

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[17]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Elucidating TOR signaling and rapamycin action: lessons from Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Microbiol Mol Biol Rev. - Acceso gratuito al texto completo a partir de 1 año de la fecha de publicación.

      ●● Enlace a la Editora de la Revista http://mmbr.asm.org/ 

      ●● Cita: Microbiology & Molecular Biology Reviews: <> 2002 Dec;66(4):579-91, table of contents.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Crespo JL; Hall MN

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Division of Biochemistry, Biozentrum, University of Basel, CH-4056 Basel, Switzerland.

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - TOR (target of rapamycin) is a phosphatidylinositol kinase-related protein kinase that controls cell growth in response to nutrients. Rapamycin is an immunosuppressive and anticancer drug that acts by inhibiting TOR. The modes of action of TOR and rapamycin are remarkably conserved from S. cerevisiae to humans. The current understanding of TOR and rapamycin is derived largely from studies with S. cerevisiae. In this review, we discuss the contributions made by S. cerevisiae to understanding rapamycin action and TOR function.  N. Ref:: 171

 

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[18]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - European best practice guidelines for renal transplantation. Section IV: Long-term management of the transplant recipient. IV.3.2. Long-term immunosuppression. Therapy conversion.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Nephrol Dial Transplant. Acceso gratuito al texto completo a partir de los 2 años de la fecha de publicación.

      ●● Enlace a la Editora de la Revista http://ndt.oupjournals.org/ 

      ●● Cita: Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation: <> 2002;17 Suppl 4:20-1.

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - GUIDELINE: Conversion of immunosuppressive drug therapy is recommended to avoid or reduce drug-specific adverse effects, and is generally safe for long-term graft outcome.

 

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[19]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Nutrient signaling through TOR kinases controls gene expression and cellular differentiation in fungi.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Curr Top Microbiol Immunol 2004;279:53-72.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Rohde JR; Cardenas ME

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA.

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - The TOR kinases were first identified in Saccharomyces cerevisiae as the targets of the immunosuppressive drug rapamycin. Subsequent studies employing rapamycin as a tool in yeast have given us insight into the structure and function of the TOR kinases, as well as the biological role of the TOR signaling program in transmitting nutrient signals to promote cell growth. One of the major advances from this area has been in defining an unexpected role for TOR signaling in the regulation of transcription. The identification of target genes subject to regulation by TOR has provided a platform for the dissection of the signaling events downstream of the TOR kinases. Studies aimed at understanding TOR-regulated transcription have begun to shed light on how TOR signaling cooperates with other signaling programs. In addition, the TOR pathway regulates the developmental program of pseudohyphal differentiation in concert with highly conserved MAP kinase and PKA signaling programs. Remarkably, rapamycin also blocks filamentation in a number of important human and plant pathogens and the mechanism of rapamycin action is conserved in Candida albicans and Cryptococcus neoformans. The antimicrobial properties of less immunosuppressive analogs of rapamycin hold promise for the development of an effective antifungal therapy.  N. Ref:: 65

 

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[20]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Signaling pathways involved in translational control of protein synthesis in skeletal muscle by leucine.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - J Nutr. Acceso gratuito al texto completo a partir de 1 año de la fecha de publicación.

      ●● Enlace a la Editora de la Revista http://www.nutrition.org/ 

      ●● Cita: Journal of Nutrition: <> 2001 Mar;131(3):856S-860S.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Anthony JC; Anthony TG; Kimball SR; Jefferson LS

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, P.O. Box 850, The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA 17033, USA.

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - Numerous reports established that in skeletal muscle the indispensable branched-chain amino acid leucine is unique in its ability to initiate signal transduction pathways that modulate translation initiation. Oral administration of leucine stimulates protein synthesis in association with hyperphosphorylation of the translational repressor, eukaryotic initiation factor (eIF) 4E binding protein 1 (4E-BP1), resulting in enhanced availability of the mRNA cap-binding protein eIF4E, for binding eIF4G and forming the active eIF4F complex. In addition, leucine enhances phosphorylation of the 70-kDa ribosomal protein S6 kinase (S6K1). These results suggest that leucine upregulates protein synthesis in skeletal muscle by enhancing both the activity and synthesis of proteins involved in mRNA translation. The stimulatory effects of leucine on translation initiation are mediated in part through the protein kinase mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), where both insulin signaling and leucine signaling converge to promote a maximal response.  N. Ref:: 34

 

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[21]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - A benefit-risk assessment of basiliximab in renal transplantation.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Drug Saf. Acceso gratuito al texto completo.

      ●● Enlace a la Editora de la Revista http://www.csmwm.org/ 

      ●● Cita: Drug Safety: <> 2004;27(2):91-106.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Boggi U; Danesi R; Vistoli F; Del Chiaro M; Signori S; Marchetti P; Del Tacca M; Mosca F

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Division of General Surgery and Transplants, Department of Oncology, Transplants and Advanced Technologies in Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy. uboggi@med.unipi.it

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - Interleukin-2 (IL-2) and its receptor (IL-2R) play a central role in T lymphocyte activation and immune response after transplantation. Research on the biology of IL-2R allowed the identification of key signal transduction pathways involved in the generation of proliferative and antiapoptotic signals in T cells. The alpha-chain of the IL-2R is a specific peptide against which monoclonal antibodies have been raised, with the aim of blunting the immune response by means of inhibiting proliferation and inducing apoptosis in primed lymphocytes. Indeed, basiliximab, one of such antibodies, has proved to be effective in reducing the episodes of acute rejection after kidney and pancreas transplantation. The use of basiliximab was associated with a significant reduction in the incidence of any treated rejection episodes after kidney transplantation in the two major randomised studies (placebo 52.2% vs basiliximab 34.2% at 6 months, European study; placebo 54.9% vs basiliximab 37.6% at 1 year, US trial). Basiliximab and equine antithymocyte globulin (ATG) administration resulted in a similar rate of biopsy-proven acute rejection at 6 months (19% for both) and at 12 months (19% and 20%, respectively). The use of basiliximab appears not to be associated with an increased incidence of adverse events as compared with placebo in immunosuppressive regimens, including calcineurin inhibitors, mycophenolate mofetil or azathioprine and corticosteroids, and its safety profile is superior to ATG. Moreover, a similar occurrence of infections is noted in selected studies (65.5% after basiliximab vs 65.7% of controls), including cytomegalovirus infection (17.3% vs 14.5%), and cytokine-release syndrome is not observed. Finally, economic analysis demonstrated lower costs of overall treatment in patients treated with basiliximab. Therefore, the use of basiliximab entails a very low risk, allows safe reduction of corticosteroid dosage and reduces the short- and mid-term rejection rates. However, the improvement in the long-term survival of kidney grafts in patients treated according to modern immunosuppressive protocols is still to be demonstrated. These conclusions are based on a systematic review of the scientific literature, indexed on Medline database, concerning the mechanism of action, therapeutic activity, safety and pharmacoeconomic evaluation of basiliximab in renal transplantation.  N. Ref:: 62

 

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[22]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Role of leucine in the regulation of mTOR by amino acids: revelations from structure-activity studies.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - J Nutr. Acceso gratuito al texto completo a partir de 1 año de la fecha de publicación.

      ●● Enlace a la Editora de la Revista http://www.nutrition.org/ 

      ●● Cita: Journal of Nutrition: <> 2001 Mar;131(3):861S-865S.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Lynch CJ

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, 500 University Drive, Hershey, PA 17033, USA. clynch@psu.edu

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - In this study an overview is presented of the mTOR signaling pathway and its regulation by amino acids, particularly L-leucine. Our laboratory is studying amino acid regulation of mTOR in adipocytes. Potential roles for mTOR in adipocytes that were previously posited include hypertrophic growth, leptin secretion, protein synthesis and adipose tissue morphogenesis. A current area of interest in the field is how amino acids regulate mTOR and which amino acids are regulatory. Revelations concerning mechanism and recognition are emerging from different laboratories that examined the structural requirements for stimulation and inhibition of the mTOR signaling pathway by leucine and amino acid analogs. In adipocytes and some other cell types, leucine appears to be the main regulatory amino acid. However, this is not uniformly the case. In those cells where mTOR is regulated by several amino acids, there is evidence that the mechanism of mTOR activation may be different from cells where mainly leucine is regulatory. Furthermore, in tissues where leucine regulates mTOR, the possible existence of different tissue-specific leucine recognition sites may be indicated.  N. Ref:: 47

 

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[23]

- Castellano -

TÍTULO / TITLE:Las inmunofilinas: agentes neuroprotectores y promotores de la regeneracion neural. Immunophilins: neuroprotective agents and promoters of neural regeneration.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Neurologia. Acceso gratuito al texto completo.

      ●● Enlace a la Editora de la Revista http://www.stmeditores.com/Revistas/ffasciculo.php?Mw==&MTk=&MjUy 

      ●● Cita: Neurologia: <> 2002 Apr;17(4):200-13.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Udina E; Navarro X

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Grupo de Neuroplasticidad y Regeneracion, Departamento de Biologia Celular, Fisiologia e Inmunologia, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, España.

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - Immunophilins are a family of proteins mainly known because they act as receptors of the immunosuppressant drugs cyclosporin A (CsA) and FK506. Immunophilins serve several general functions, including regulation of mitochondrial permeability, modulation of ion channels stability and acting as chaperones for a variety of proteins. However, immunophilins are also present at high density in the nervous system. CsA, FK506 and other derivatives inhibit the function of immunophilins and, through bloking or activating several intracellular pathways, it has been shown that they exert neuroprotective effects in different experimental models of ischemia, Parkinson’s disease and excitotoxic insults. Moreover, FK506 also has neuroregenerative effects, by enhancing the axonal regeneration rate after lesions of the peripheral nervous system. The development of new agents that selectively bind to immunophilins opens new interesting perspectives for the therapy of degenerative diseases and injuries of the nervous system.  N. Ref:: 100

 

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[24]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Immunoablation followed or not by hematopoietic stem cells as an intense therapy for severe autoimmune diseases. New perspectives, new problems.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Haematologica. Acceso gratuito al texto completo.

      ●● Enlace a la Editora de la Revista http://db.doyma.es/ 

      ●● Cita: Haematologica: <> 2001 Apr;86(4):337-45.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Marmont AM  N. Ref:: 127

 

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[25]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Protein phosphatase 2A on track for nutrient-induced signalling in yeast.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Mol Microbiol. Acceso gratuito al texto completo a partir de los 2 años de la fecha de publicación.

      ●● Enlace a la Editora de la Revista http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/ 

      ●● Cita: Molecular Microbiology: <> 2002 Feb;43(4):835-42.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Zabrocki P; Van Hoof C; Goris J; Thevelein JM; Winderickx J; Wera S

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Laboratorium voor Moleculaire Celbiologie, K.U.Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 31, B-3001 Leuven-Heverlee, Flanders, Belgium.

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - Early studies identified two bona fide protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A)-encoding genes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, designated PPH21 and PPH22. In addition, three PP2A-related phosphatases, encoded by PPH3, SIT4 and PPG1, have been identified. All share as much as 86% sequence similarity at the amino acid level. This review will focus primarily on Pph21 and Pph22, but some aspects of Sit4 regulation will also be discussed. Whereas a role for PP2A in yeast morphology and cell cycle has been readily recognized, uncovering its function in yeast signal transduction is a more recent breakthrough. Via their interaction with phosphorylated Tap42, PP2A and Sit4 play a pivotal role in target of rapamycin (TOR) signalling. PPH22 overexpression mimics overactive cAMP-PKA (protein kinase A) signalling and PP2A and Sit4 might represent ceramide signalling targets. The methylation of its catalytic subunit stabilizes the heterotrimeric form of PP2A and might counteract TOR signalling. We will show how these new elements could lead us to understand the role and regulation of PP2A in nutrient-induced signalling in baker’s yeast.  N. Ref:: 41

 

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[26]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Mitochondrial permeability transition in acute neurodegeneration.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Biochimie 2002 Feb-Mar;84(2-3):241-50.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Friberg H; Wieloch T

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Laboratory for Experimental Brain Research, Wallenberg Neuroscience Center, BMC A13, 221 84 Lund, Sweden.

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - Acute neurodegeneration in man is encountered during and following stroke, transient cardiac arrest, brain trauma, insulin-induced hypoglycemia and status epilepticus. All these severe clinical conditions are characterized by neuronal calcium overload, aberrant cell signaling, generation of free radicals and elevation of cellular free fatty acids, conditions that favor activation of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mtPTP). Cyclosporin A (CsA) and its analog N-methyl-valine-4-cyclosporin A (MeValCsA) are potent blockers of the mtPTP and protect against neuronal death following excitotoxicity and oxygen glucose deprivation. Also, CsA and MeValCsA diminish cell death following cerebral ischemia, trauma, and hypoglycemia. Here we present data that strongly imply the mtPT in acute neurodegeneration in vivo. Compounds that readily pass the blood-brain-barrier (BBB) and block the mtPT may be neuroprotective in stroke.  N. Ref:: 100

 

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[27]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Measle virus-infected dendritic cells develop immunosuppressive and cytotoxic activities.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Immunobiology 2001 Dec;204(5):629-38.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Vidalain PO; Azocar O; Rabourdin-Combe C; Servet-Delprat C

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Immunobiologie Fondamentale et Clinique, CERVI-INSERM, Lyon, France. servet@cervi-lyon.inserm.fr

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - Measle virus (MV) infection induces a transient but profound immunosuppression characterized by a panlymphopenia which occasionally results in opportunistic infections responsible for a high rate of mortality in malnourished children. MV can encounter human dendritic cells (DC) in the respiratory mucosa or in the secondary lymphoid organs. After a brief presentation of DCs, we review progress in understanding the immunobiology of MV-infected DCs that could account for MV-induced immunosuppression. In addition, we develop the newly described TRAIL-mediated cytotoxic function of DCs that is turned on by MV infection, but also by interferons or double-stranded RNA (poly (I:C)). Finally, we propose a model where the measles-associated lymphopenia could be mediated by TRAIL and the measles-induced immunosuppression could be transiently prolonged by Fas-mediated destruction of DCs.  N. Ref:: 38

 

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[28]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Antiproliferative prostaglandins and the MRP/GS-X pump role in cancer immunosuppression and insight into new strategies in cancer gene therapy.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Biochem Pharmacol 2001 Oct 1;62(7):811-9.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Homem de Bittencourt PI Jr; Curi R

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Department of Physiology, Institute of Basic Health Sciences, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Rua Sarmento Leite 500, 90050-170, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil. pauloivo@vortex.ufrgs.br

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - A dramatic complication in late-stage cancer patients is host immunosuppression. Cyclopentenone prostaglandins (CP-PGs) overproduced in cancer may impair the function of the immune system. These agents, if produced at high concentrations, are powerful cytostatic and cytotoxic compounds that may arrest cell proliferation and immune response in cancer. Lymphoid tissues of tumor-bearing animals accumulate large amounts of CP-PGs, whereas the tumor tissue does not. This may be because cancer cells are able to overexpress multidrug resistance-associated protein (Mg(2+)-dependent vanadate-sensitive GS-conjugate export ATPase, MRP/GS-X pump), which extrudes CP-PGs to the extracellular space as glutathione S-conjugates. In contrast, MRP/GS-X pump activity is disproportionately low in lymphocytes. This led us to propose the transfection of lymphocytes with multidrug resistance-associated protein genes (MRP) for further autologous transfusion or direct in vivo delivery to lymphocytes by using adenovirus-retrovirus chimeras in order to restore immune system function in cancer, at least partially. We are currently evaluating MRP-transfected lymphocyte (MTL) therapy, using Walker 256 tumor-bearing rats as a model.  N. Ref:: 49

 

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[29]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Amino acid transport regulates blastocyst implantation.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Biol Reprod. Acceso gratuito al texto completo a partir de los 2 años de la fecha de publicación.

      ●● Enlace a la Editora de la Revista http://www.biolreprod.org/ 

      ●● Cita: Biol Reprod: <> 2003 Oct;69(4):1101-8. Epub 2003 Jun 11.

      ●● Enlace al texto completo (gratuito o de pago) 1095/biolreprod.103.018010

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Martin PM; Sutherland AE; Van Winkle LJ

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Department of Cell Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA.

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - Mouse blastocyst outgrowth in vitro and probably implantation in vivo require amino acid signaling via the target of rapamycin (TOR) pathway. This signaling does not simply support protein synthesis and trophoblast differentiation. Rather, it regulates development of trophoblast protrusive activity and may act as a developmental checkpoint for implantation. Moreover, intracellular amino acids per se are insufficient to elicit TOR signaling. Instead, de novo transport of amino acids, and particularly of leucine, stimulate mTOR activity at the blastocyst stage. The activity of the broad-scope and yet leucine-selective amino acid transport system B0,+ could produce such increases in intracellular amino acid concentrations. For example, system B0,+ uses a Na+ gradient to drive amino acid uptake, and the Na+ concentration in uterine secretions increases by nearly two-fold about 18 h before implantation. The resultant mTOR signaling could trigger polyamine, insulin-like growth factor II, and nitric oxide production in blastocysts and the increased cell motility sometimes associated with synthesis of these bioactive molecules.  N. Ref:: 106

 

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[30]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Introduction and overview: recent advances in the immunotherapy of inflammatory bowel disease.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - J Gastroenterol 2003 Mar;38 Suppl 15:36-42.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Hibi T; Inoue N; Ogata H; Naganuma M

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Department of Internal Medicine, Keio University School of Medicine, Center for the Research of Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - Ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn’s disease (CD) comprise a series of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) resulting from chronic upregulation of the mucosal immune system. Although the pathogenesis of IBD remains elusive, it appears that there is chronic activation of the immune and inflammatory cascade in genetically susceptible individuals. Current disease management guidelines have therefore focused on the use of antiinflammatory agents, aminosalicylates and corticosteroids. However, some patients are still refractory to these therapies. Recent advances in the understanding of the pathophysiological conditions of IBD have provided new immune system modulators as therapeutic tools. Cytapheresis has demonstrated effectiveness against UC and has practical use in Japan. Immunosuppressive agents including cyclosporin A and tacrolimus (FK506) have expanded the choice of medical therapies available for certain subgroups of patients. Furthermore, biological therapies have begun to assume a prominent role. Studies with chimeric monoclonal anti-TNF-alpha antibody treatment of CD have been reported with dramatic success. Another antiinflammatory cytokine therapy includes anti-IL-6 receptor, anti-IL-12, or toxin-conjugated anti-IL-7 receptor. Given the diversity of proinflammatory products under its control, NF-kappa B may be viewed as a master switch in lymphocytes and macrophages, regulating inflammation and immunity. In the murine 2,4,6-trinitrobenzen sulfonic acid (TNBS) colitis model, an antisense oligonucleotide to NF-kappa B p65 ameliorated inflammation even after induction of colitis. Recently, a clinical pilot trial of this agent demonstrated promising results. Accumulating evidence suggests that luminal bacterial flora is a requisite and central factor in the development of IBD. Probiotic therapies such as a nonpathogenic Escherichia coli strain have been well tolerated, but larger clinical trials are needed. In addition, novel therapeutic strategies targeting adhesion molecules and costimulatory molecules, or enhancing tissue repair, are under investigation. Although some still need more confirmatory studies, these immune therapies will provide new insights into cell-based and gene-based treatment against IBD in the near future.  N. Ref:: 36

 

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[31]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Potassium channels in T lymphocytes: toxins to therapeutic immunosuppressants.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Toxicon 2001 Sep;39(9):1269-76.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - George Chandy K; Cahalan M; Pennington M; Norton RS; Wulff H; Gutman GA

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of California Irvine, Room 291, John Irvine Smith Hall, Medical School, Irvine, CA92697, USA. gchandy@uci.edu  N. Ref:: 60

 

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[32]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - TOR inhibitors and cardiac allograft vasculopathy: is inhibition of intimal thickening an adequate surrogate of benefit?

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - J Heart Lung Transplant 2003 May;22(5):501-4.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Mehra MR; Uber PA

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Cardiomyopathy and Heart Transplantation Center, Ochsner Clinic Foundation, New Orleans, Louisiana 70121, USA. mmehra@ochsner.org  N. Ref:: 30

 

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[33]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Hepatitis C virus infection and vasculitis: implications of antiviral and immunosuppressive therapies.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Arthritis Rheum 2002 Mar;46(3):585-97.

      ●● Enlace al texto completo (gratuito o de pago) 1002/art.10107 [pii

      ●● Enlace al texto completo (gratuito o de pago) 1002/art.10107

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Vassilopoulos D; Calabrese LH

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Hippokration General Hospital, Athens University, Athens, Greece.  N. Ref:: 92

 

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[34]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Transmitting the signal of excess nitrogen in Saccharomyces cerevisiae from the Tor proteins to the GATA factors: connecting the dots.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - FEMS Microbiol Rev 2002 Aug;26(3):223-38.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Cooper TG

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Department of Molecular Sciences, University of Tennessee, 858 Madison Ave., Memphis, TN 38163, USA. tcooper@utmem.edu

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - Major advances have recently occurred in our understanding of GATA factor-mediated, nitrogen catabolite repression (NCR)-sensitive gene expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Under nitrogen-rich conditions, the GATA family transcriptional activators, Gln3 and Gat1, form complexes with Ure2, and are localized to the cytoplasm, which decreases NCR-sensitive expression. Under nitrogen-limiting conditions, Gln3 and Gat1 are dephosphorylated, move from the cytoplasm to the nucleus, in wild-type but not rna1 and srp1 mutants, and increase expression of NCR-sensitive genes. ‘Induction’ of NCR-sensitive gene expression and dephosphorylation of Gln3 (and Ure2 in some laboratories) when cells are treated with rapamycin implicates the Tor1/2 signal transduction pathway in this regulation. Mks1 is posited to be a negative regulator of Ure2, positive regulator of retrograde gene expression and to be itself negatively regulated by Tap42. In addition to Tap42, phosphatases Sit4 and Pph3 are also argued by some to participate in the regulatory pathway. Although a treasure trove of information has recently become available, much remains unknown (and sometimes controversial) with respect to the precise biochemical functions and regulatory pathway connections of Tap42, Sit4, Pph3, Mks1 and Ure2, and how precisely Gln3 and Gat1 are prevented from entering the nucleus. The purpose of this review is to provide background information needed by students and investigators outside of the field to follow and evaluate the rapidly evolving literature in this exciting field.  N. Ref:: 61

 

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[35]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Fluorescence polarization detection for affinity capillary electrophoresis.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Electrophoresis 2002 Mar;23(6):903-8.

      ●● Enlace al texto completo (gratuito o de pago) 1002/1522-2683(200203)23:6<903::AID-ELPS903>3.0.CO;2-2 [pii]

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Le XC; Wan QH; Lam MT

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Environmental Health Sciences Program, Department of Public Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2G3, Canada. xc.le@ualberta.ca

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - Affinity capillary electrophoresis (ACE) with laser-induced fluorescence polarization (LIFP) detection is described, with examples of affinity interaction studies. Because fluorescence polarization is sensitive to changes in the rotational motion arising from molecular association or dissociation, ACE-LIFP is capable of providing information on the formation of affinity complexes prior to or during CE separation. Unbound, small fluorescent probes generally have little fluorescence polarization because of rapid rotation of the molecule in solution. When the small fluorescent probe is bound to a larger affinity agent, such as an antibody, the fluorescence polarization (and anisotropy) increases due to slower motion of the much larger complex molecule in the solution. Fluorescence polarization results are obtained by simultaneously measuring fluorescence intensities of vertical and horizontal polarization planes. Applications of CE-LIFP to both strong and weak binding systems are discussed with antibody-antigen and DNA-protein binding as examples. For strong affinity binding, such as between cyclosporine and its antibody, complexes are formed prior to CE-LIFP analysis. For weaker binding, such as between single-stranded DNA and its binding protein, the single-stranded DNA binding protein is added to the CE separation buffer to enhance dynamic formation of affinity complexes. Both fluorescence polarization (and anisotropy) and mobility shift results are complementary and are useful for immunoassays and binding studies.  N. Ref:: 25

 

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[36]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - A novel pathway regulating the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Biochem Pharmacol 2002 Oct 1;64(7):1071-7.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Chen J; Fang Y

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Department of Cell and Structural Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 601 South Goodwin Avenue, B107, Urbana, IL 61801, USA. jiechen@uiuc.edu

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - Originally discovered as an anti-fungal agent, the bacterial macrolide rapamycin is a potent immunosuppressant and a promising anti-cancer drug. In complex with its cellular receptor, the FK506-binding protein (FKBP12), rapamycin binds and inhibits the function of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR). By mediating amino acid sufficiency, mTOR governs signaling to translational regulation and other cellular functions by converging with the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) pathway on downstream effectors. Whether mTOR receives mitogenic signals in addition to nutrient-sensing has been an unresolved issue, and the mechanism of action of rapamycin remained unknown. Our recent findings have revealed a novel link between mitogenic signals and mTOR via the lipid second messenger phosphatidic acid (PA), and suggested a role for mTOR in the integration of nutrient and mitogen signals. A molecular mechanism for rapamycin inhibition of mTOR signaling is proposed, in which a putative interaction between PA and mTOR is abolished by rapamycin binding. Collective evidence further implicates the regulation of the rapamycin-sensitive signaling circuitry by phospholipase D, and potentially by other upstream regulators such as the conventional protein kinase C, the Rho and ARF families of small G proteins, and calcium ions. As the mTOR pathway has been demonstrated to be an important anti-cancer target, the identification of new components and novel regulatory modes in mTOR signaling will facilitate the future development of diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.  N. Ref:: 67

 

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[37]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - FTY720: altered lymphocyte traffic results in allograft protection.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Transplantation 2001 Sep 15;72(5):764-9.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Brinkmann V; Pinschewer DD; Feng L; Chen S

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Novartis Pharma AG, Transplantation Research, WSJ-386.1.01, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland.  N. Ref:: 52

 

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[38]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Neonatal toxic shock syndrome-like exanthematous disease (NTED).

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Pediatr Int 2003 Apr;45(2):233-7.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Takahashi N

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Department of Pediatrics, Jichi Medical School, Tochigi-ken, Tokyo Women’s Medical University, Tokyo, Japan. naoto-t@jichi.ac.jp

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - The author and colleagues recently discovered an emerging neonatal infectious disease: neonatal toxic shock syndrome-like exanthematous disease (NTED), which is induced by the superantigen toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 (TSST-1), produced by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). The massively expanded Vbeta2+ T cells were rapidly deleted in the peripheral blood of patients with NTED. A marked depletion of Vbeta2+ T cells was also observed in the peripheral blood before the expansion of these T cells. Anergy is specifically induced in the TSST-1 reactive T cells of patients with NTED. Rapid recovery from NTED without complications is expected to be related to the induction of immunologic tolerance in neonatal patients. Anti-TSST-1 IgG antibody of maternal origin was found to play a protective role in preventing the development of NTED. The number of hospitals that have experience caring for patients with NTED has increased threefold in the past 5 years. Most MRSA isolates from neonatal intensive care units in Japan were found to be a single clone of coagulase type II and to possess TSST-1 and staphylococcal enterotoxin C genes. The timing and increased incidence of NTED suggest the emergence of a new MRSA clone. By recognizing that TSST-1 can induce NTED, healthcare providers may give increased attention to this disease in neonatal wards.  N. Ref:: 43

 

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[39]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Basiliximab: a review of its use as induction therapy in renal transplantation.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Drugs 2003;63(24):2803-35.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Chapman TM; Keating GM

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Adis International Limited, Auckland, New Zealand. demail@adis.co.nz

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - Basiliximab (Simulect), a chimeric (human/murine) monoclonal antibody, is indicated for the prevention of acute organ rejection in adult and paediatric renal transplant recipients in combination with other immunosuppressive agents.Basiliximab significantly reduced acute rejection compared with placebo in renal transplant recipients receiving dual- (cyclosporin microemulsion and corticosteroids) or triple-immunotherapy (azathioprine- or mycophenolate mofetil-based); graft and patient survival rates at 12 months were similar. Significantly more basiliximab than placebo recipients were free from the combined endpoint of death, graft loss or acute rejection 3 years, but not 5 years, after transplantation.The incidence of adverse events was similar in basiliximab and placebo recipients, with no increase in the incidence of infection, including cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection. Malignancies or post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorders after treatment with basiliximab were rare, with a similar incidence to that seen with placebo at 12 months or 5 years post-transplantation. Rare cases of hypersensitivity reactions to basiliximab have been reported.The efficacy of basiliximab was similar to that of equine antithymocyte globulin (ATG) and daclizumab, and similar to or greater than that of muromonab CD3. Basiliximab was as effective as rabbit antithymocyte globulin (RATG) in patients at relatively low risk of acute rejection, but less effective in high-risk patients. Numerically or significantly fewer patients receiving basiliximab experienced adverse events considered to be related to the study drug than ATG or RATG recipients. The incidence of infection, including CMV infection, was similar with basiliximab and ATG or RATG.Basiliximab plus baseline immunosuppression resulted in no significant differences in acute rejection rates compared with baseline immunosuppression with or without ATG or antilymphocyte globulin in retrospective analyses conducted for small numbers of paediatric patients. Limited data from paediatric renal transplant recipients suggest a similar tolerability profile to that in adults. Basiliximab appears to allow the withdrawal of corticosteroids or the use of corticosteroid-free or calcineurin inhibitor-sparing regimens in renal transplant recipients.Basiliximab did not increase the overall costs of therapy in pharmacoeconomic studies.CONCLUSION: Basiliximab reduces acute rejection without increasing the incidence of adverse events, including infection and malignancy, in renal transplant recipients when combined with standard dual- or triple-immunotherapy. The overall incidence of death, graft loss or acute rejection was significantly reduced at 3 years; there was no significant difference for this endpoint 5 years after transplantation. Malignancy was not increased at 5 years. The overall efficacy, tolerability, ease of administration and cost effectiveness of basiliximab make it an attractive option for the prophylaxis of acute renal transplant rejection.  N. Ref:: 85

 

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[40]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - TOR action in mammalian cells and in Caenorhabditis elegans.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Curr Top Microbiol Immunol 2004;279:115-38.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Long X; Muller F; Avruch J

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Diabetes Research Laboratory, Department of Molecular Biology, Land Medicine Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA.

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - The p70 S6 kinase (p70 S6K) was the first signaling element in mammalian cells shown to be inhibited by rapamycin. The activity of the p70 S6K in mammalian cell is upregulated by extracellular amino acids (especially leucine) and by signals from receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs), primarily through activation of the type 1A PI-3 kinase. The amino acid-/rapamycin-sensitive input and the PI-3 kinase input are co-dominant but largely independent, in that deletion of the amino-terminal and carboxy-terminal noncatalytic sequences flanking the p70 S6K catalytic domain renders the kinase insensitive to inhibition by both rapamycin and by withdrawal of amino acids, whereas this p70 S6K mutant remains responsive to activation by RTKs and to inhibition by wortmannin. At a molecular level, this dual control of p70 S6K activity is attributable to phosphorylation of the two p70 S6K sites: The Ptd Ins 3,4,5P3-dependent kinasel (PDK1) phosphorylates p70 S6K at a Thr on the activation loop, whereas mTOR phosphorylates a Thr located in a hydrophobic motif carboxyterminal to the catalytic domain. Together these two phosphorylations engender a strong, positively cooperative activation of p70 S6K, so that each is indispensable for physiologic regulation. Like RTKs, the p70 S6K appears early in metazoan evolution and comes to represent an important site at which the more ancient, nutrient-responsive TOR pathway converges with the RTK/PI-3 kinase pathway in the control of cell growth. Dual regulation of p70 S6K is seen in Drosophila; however, this convergence is not yet evident in Caenorhabditis elegans, wherein nutrient activation of the insulin receptor (InsR) pathway negatively regulates dauer development and longevity, whereas the TOR pathway regulates overall mRNA translation through effectors distinct from p70 S6K, as in yeast. The C. elegans TOR and InsR pathways show none of the cross- or convergent regulation seen in mammalian cells. The nature of the elements that couple nutrient sufficiency to TOR activity remain to be discovered, and the mechanisms by which RTKs influence TOR activity in mammalian cells require further study. One pathway for RTK control involves the tuberous sclerosis complex, which is absent in C. elegans, but of major importance in Drosophila and higher metazoans.  N. Ref:: 98

 

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[41]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Primary intestinal posttransplant T-cell lymphoma.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Transplantation 2003 Jun 27;75(12):2131-2.

      ●● Enlace al texto completo (gratuito o de pago) 1097/01.TP.0000060253.54333.F3

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Michael J; Greenstein S; Schechner R; Tellis V; Vasovic LV; Ratech H; Glicklich D

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Division of Nephrology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, New York 10467, USA.

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - There have been only five reported cases of primary posttransplant T-cell lymphoma. We report the first case associated with the use of sirolimus (Rapamycin, Wyeth-Ayerst, Philadelphia, PA). The patient, receiving prednisone, cyclosporine, and sirolimus treatment, developed ascites, diarrhea, and weight loss 7 months after his second renal transplant. Tissue obtained at laparotomy established the diagnosis of primary T-cell lymphoma. Latent membrane protein-1 for Epstein-Barr virus was negative, but in-site hybridization test for Epstein-Barr-encoded RNA was positive. Despite aggressive chemotherapy, the patient died 8 months posttransplant. This is the sixth reported case of primary intestinal posttransplant T-cell lymphoma, but it is the first case associated with the use of sirolimus. The incidence of posttransplant lymphoproliferative disease in patients receiving sirolimus should be studied.  N. Ref:: 6

 

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[42]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Treatment responses of childhood aplastic anaemia with chromosomal aberrations at diagnosis.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Br J Haematol 2002 Jul;118(1):313-9.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Ohga S; Ohara A; Hibi S; Kojima S; Bessho F; Tsuchiya S; Ohshima Y; Yoshida N; Kashii Y; Nishimura S; Kawakami K; Nishikawa K; Tsukimoto I

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Aplastic Anaemia Committee of the Japanese Society of Paediatric Haematology, Tokyo, Japan. ohgas@pediatr.med.kyushu-u.ac.jp

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - The clinical outcome of childhood aplastic anaemia (AA) with aberrant cytogenetic clones at diagnosis was surveyed. Among 198 children with newly diagnosed AA registered with the AA Committee of the Japanese Society of Paediatric Hematology between 1994 and 1998, cytogenetic studies of bone marrow (BM) cells were completed in 159 patients. Apart from one Robertsonian translocation, seven patients (4.4%) showed clonal chromosomal abnormalities in hypoplastic BM without myelodysplastic features. The patients included six girls and one boy with a median age of 11 years (range 5-14 years). Six patients had del(6), del(5), del(13), del(20), or -7, and one showed add(9). Four patients responded to the first immunosuppressive therapy (IST: cyclosporin A plus anti-thymocyte globulin) and one obtained a spontaneous remission. Cytogenetic abnormalities remained in two patients with an IST response. On the other hand, two patients showed no IST response. One did not respond to repeat IST and died of acute graft-versus-host disease after an unrelated-BM transplant. Another obtained a complete response after a successful BM transplant. No haematological findings at diagnosis predicted the treatment response. No significant morphological changes developed during the course of the illness. A literature review revealed that half of 24 AA patients with chromosomal abnormalities responded to the first IST, and that +6 was the sole predictable marker for IST unresponsiveness. These results suggest that IST can be applied as the initial therapy for AA with cytogenetic abnormalities in the absence of completely matched donors.  N. Ref:: 32

 

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[43]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Regulation of translation via TOR signaling: insights from Drosophila melanogaster.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - J Nutr. Acceso gratuito al texto completo a partir de 1 año de la fecha de publicación.

      ●● Enlace a la Editora de la Revista http://www.nutrition.org/ 

      ●● Cita: Journal of Nutrition: <> 2001 Nov;131(11):2988S-93S.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Miron M; Sonenberg N

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Department of Biochemistry and McGill Cancer Center, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - The target of rapamycin (TOR) proteins are large protein kinases evolutionarily conserved from yeast to human. A large body of evidence demonstrates that TOR proteins function in a nutrient-sensing checkpoint whose role is to restrict growth under conditions of low nutrient availability. Under such conditions, TOR blocks the transmission of growth-promoting signals from extracellular stimuli. Recent data obtained by genetic studies in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster demonstrate the importance of both insulin-like signaling and TOR signaling in promoting growth. Importantly, these studies identified a major downstream target of TOR and insulin-like signaling as the translational machinery.  N. Ref:: 63

 

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[44]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Treatment of severe acute graft-versus-host disease with anti-thymocyte globulin.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Clin Transplant 2001 Jun;15(3):147-53.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Remberger M; Aschan J; Barkholt L; Tollemar J; Ringden O

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Department of Clinical Immunology and Centre for Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden. mats.remberger@impi.ki.se

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - Severe acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is one of the major complications after haematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (HSCT). Treatment of severe GVHD is difficult and the condition is often fatal. One proposed method of improving the therapy is to include anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG). Here, we will report our results in 29 patients using ATG as part of treatment for severe steroid-resistant acute GVHD. Four patients suffered from grade II, 13 from grade III and 12 from grade IV GVHD. Median time to grade II GVHD was 24 d (range 7-91 d) and to grade III was 29 d (range 8-55 d) after HSCT. Five different ATG preparations were used, rabbit ATG (R-ATG), BMA 031, OKT3, ATG-Fresenius and Thymoglobuline. All patients had skin involvement, 26 also had gut involvement and 25 had liver involvement. The rate of response to treatment was best in skin involvement (72%), while liver and gut involvement showed lower response rates (38%). Eleven patients survived more than 90 d, 7 of them developed chronic GVHD, 1 developed mild GVHD, 1 developed moderate GVHD and 5 developed severe GVHD. Survival at 100 d was 37% and at 1 yr it was 12%. Most patients died of GVHD, with virus or fungal infections as contributing causes of death. To conclude, treatment of severe acute GVHD is difficult and ATG, in our hands, adds nothing to conventional pharmacological treatment.  N. Ref:: 48

 

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[45]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Mitochondrial involvement in the point of no return in neuronal apoptosis.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Biochimie 2002 Feb-Mar;84(2-3):223-31.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Chang LK; Putcha GV; Deshmukh M; Johnson EM Jr

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 South Euclid Avenue, Campus Box 8103, St. Louis, MO 63110-1031, USA.

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - Programmed cell death (PCD) contributes to development, maintenance, and pathology in various tissues, including the nervous system. Many molecular, biochemical, and genetic events occur within cells undergoing PCD. Some of these events are incompatible with long-term cell survival because they have irreversible, catastrophic consequences. The onset of such changes marks the point of no return, a decisive regulatory event termed ‘the commitment-to-die.’ In this review, we discuss events that underlie the commitment-to-die in nerve growth factor-deprivation-induced death of sympathetic neurons. Findings in this model system implicate the mitochondrion as an important site of regulation for the commitment-to-die in the presence or absence of caspase inhibition.  N. Ref:: 57

 

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[46]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Mechanisms and consequences of arterial hypertension after renal transplantation.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Transplantation 2001 Sep 27;72(6 Suppl):S9-12.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Koomans HA; Ligtenberg G

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Department of Nephrology and Hypertension, University Hospital Utrecht, The Netherlands. h.a.koomans@digd.azu.nl

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - The high incidence of hypertension after renal transplantation contributes to the risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in renal transplant recipients. Although cyclosporine has been influential in the improvement of transplant outcome, it has emerged as a major cause of hypertension after organ transplantation. The underlying pathophysiological mechanisms of cyclosporine-induced hypertension include enhanced sympathetic nervous system activity, renal vasoconstriction, and sodium/water retention. Hypertension is also significantly associated with reduced graft survival and thereby requires aggressive treatment intervention. Calcium channel blockers may offer some advantages over angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors for the treatment of hypertension in stable renal transplant recipients. Nevertheless, selection of the most appropriate antihypertensive agent should take into account the possibility of pharmacokinetic interactions with immunosuppressive agents. There is evidence to suggest that the use of tacrolimus-based immunosuppression induces less hypertension compared with cyclosporine. Not only do patients receiving tacrolimus tend to require less antihypertensive therapy, but converting patients from cyclosporine to tacrolimus has been shown to result in significant reductions in blood pressure. Thus, tacrolimus may be associated with an improved cardiovascular risk profile in renal transplant recipients.  N. Ref:: 26

 

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[47]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - T-cell receptor-derived peptides in immunoregulation and therapy of retrovirally induced immunosuppression.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Crit Rev Immunol 2001;21(1-3):57-74.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Marchalonis JJ; Robey IF; Edmundson AB; Sepulveda RT; Watson RR

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson 85724, USA. dianah@u.arizona.edu

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - Retrovirally infected humans and mice showed progressive acquired immunodeficiency accompanied by the production of elevated levels of autoantibodies directed against T-cell receptor variable-domain epitopes. Epitope mapping analyses indicated that a major determinant recognized was defined by a 16-mer peptide containing the entire CDR1 segment and part of the FR2 region of human Vbeta8, and that both species showed reactivity to the same sequence. Either prophylactic or therapeutic administration of this peptide to retrovirus-infected C57/BL/6 mice normalized the balance of T(H)1- and T(H)2-type helper activity and restored the resistance to infection by the opportunistic parasite Cryptosporidium. Administration of the peptide did not generate significantly increased levels of autoantibody, but had a profound effect on T-cell activity as well as other aspects of inflammation, including NK-cell activity. A 16-mer derived from the Jbeta sequence showed similar functional effects on T cells from retrovirus-infected mice. Direct binding of the VbetaCDR1 peptide to recombinant TCR Valpha/Vbeta constructs, as well as to IgM natural autoantibodies, suggests that the cell surface receptor for the peptide is the alpha/beta TCR on T cells and surface IgM in B cells. The Vbeta CDR1 peptide stimulated division of murine splenocytes in vitro, stimulated the production of the T(H)1 cytokine IL-2, and synergized with the T-cell mitogen concanavalin A in proliferation and IL-2 production. These studies indicate that administration of peptides derived from T-cell receptor variable domains to animals immunosuppressed as a result of retroviral infection has a profound immunomodulatory effect enhancing overall T-cell functional capacity, particularly with respect to the cytokine production characteristic of T(H)1-type cells. Our studies are interpreted in the context of other recent investigations of immunomodulatory peptides.  N. Ref:: 69

 

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[48]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Current and future applications of immunological attenuation via pegylation of cells and tissue.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - BioDrugs 2001;15(12):833-47.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Chen AM; Scott MD

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Center for Immunology and Microbial Disease, Albany Medical College, Albany, New York, USA.

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - Prevention of immunological rejection of transplanted tissues is of crucial importance in transplantation medicine. Current procedures primarily use pharmacological agents such as cyclosporin, which, while effective, must be typically administered for the life of the individual. Furthermore, the drug-induced global immunosuppression of the patient predisposes the individual to infection and enhances their risk of developing certain forms of cancer. Hence, additional methods are needed to both enhance tissue engraftment and diminish the adverse effects of current immunosuppressive therapy. Studies from blood transfusion (i.e. a specialised form of cellular transplantation) suggest that covalent modification of cells and tissues with methoxypoly(ethylene glycol) [mPEG] can significantly diminish rejection episodes and may further enhance the induction of tolerance to donor tissues. The mechanisms underlying mPEG-mediated immunocamouflage are the loss of antigen recognition, impaired cell-cell interaction, and an inability of endogenous antibodies (e.g. immunoglobulin G) to effectively recognise and bind foreign epitopes. As a consequence of the global camouflage imparted by mPEG, the weak co-stimulation of alloreactive T cells may subsequently induce apoptosis, thus leading to tolerance. Initial studies on the transplantation of pegylated isogeneic rat pancreatic islets demonstrates that mPEG-derivatisation does not impair in vivo cellular signalling and function. Thus, in contrast to the pharmacological inhibition of the recipient’s immune response, the mPEG-mediated immunocamouflage directly addresses the inherent antigenicity and immunogenicity of the donor tissue itself while leaving the recipient a fully competent immune system.  N. Ref:: 43

 

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[49]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - P-glycoprotein in acute myeloid leukaemia: therapeutic implications of its association with both a multidrug-resistant and an apoptosis-resistant phenotype.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Leuk Lymphoma 2002 Jun;43(6):1221-8.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Pallis M; Turzanski J; Higashi Y; Russell N

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Academic Haematology, Nottingham City Hospital, Nottingham, UK. monica.pallis@nottingham.ac.uk

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - P-glycoprotein (Pgp) expression is an independent prognostic factor for response to remission-induction chemotherapy in acute myeloblastic leukaemia, particularly in the elderly. There are several potential agents for modulating Pgp-mediated multi-drug resistance, such as cyclosporin A and PSC833, which are currently being evaluated in clinical trials. An alternative therapeutic strategy is to increase the use of drugs which are unaffected by Pgp. However, in this review, we explain why this may be more difficult than it appears. Evidence from in vitro studies of primary AML blasts supports the commonly held supposition that chemoresistance may be linked to apoptosis-resistance. We have found that Pgp has a drug-independent role in the inhibition of in vitro apoptosis in AML blasts. Modulation of cytokine efflux, signalling lipids and intracellular pH have all been suggested as ways by which Pgp may affect cellular resistance to apoptosis; these are discussed in this review. For a chemosensitising agent to be successful, it may be more important for it to enhance apoptosis than to increase drug uptake.  N. Ref:: 95

 

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[50]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - The potential of antibody-based immunosuppressive agents for corneal transplantation.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Immunol Cell Biol 2003 Apr;81(2):93-105.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Thiel MA; Coster DJ; Williams KA

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Department of Ophthalmology, Flinders University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia.

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - Corneal transplantation is a sight-restorative procedure but its success is limited by irreversible graft rejection, which accounts for up to 50 per cent of failures. The normal eye is an immune-privileged site. Multiple mechanisms maintain ocular privilege, including the blood-eye barrier, the lack of blood vessels and lymphatics in the normal cornea, the relative paucity of mature antigen-presenting cells in the central cornea, the presence of immunomodulatory factors in ocular fluids, and the constitutive expressive of CD95L (Fas ligand) within the eye. However, privilege can be eroded by the sequelae of inflammation and neovascularization. Corneal graft rejection in humans is currently suppressed with topical glucocorticosteroids, which are moderately effective. Systemically administered immunosuppressive therapy is of limited efficacy and may be accompanied by unacceptable morbidity. Alternative therapies are needed to improve outcomes. Corneal graft rejection is primarily a cell-mediated response controlled by the CD4+ T cell, and thus CD4 and costimulatory molecule blockade are appealing targets for new therapeutic interventions. A number of monoclonal antibodies have shown promise as immunosuppressants to prolong corneal graft survival in experimental animal models, and may eventually prove to be useful adjuncts to corticosteroids.  N. Ref:: 205

 

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[51]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Effective prophylactic protocol in delayed hypersensitivity to contrast media: report of a case involving lymphocyte transformation studies with different compounds.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Radiology. Acceso gratuito al texto completo a partir de los 2 años de la publicación;  - http://radiology.rsnajnls.org/ 

      ●● Cita: Radiology: <> 2002 Nov;225(2):466-70.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Romano A; Artesani MC; Andriolo M; Viola M; Pettinato R; Vecchioli-Scaldazza A

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Department of Internal Medicine and Geriatrics, Universita’ Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Allergy Unit, Complesso Integrato Columbus, Via G. Moscati 31, 00168 Rome, Italy. columbus.allerg@linet.it

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - A patient with maculopapular reactions to iopamidol needed to undergo angiography for a cerebral arteriovenous malformation. In vivo and in vitro tests were performed with ionic and nonionic contrast media, including iopamidol and iobitridol. All results were positive, demonstrating delayed hypersensitivity. The patient received 6-alpha-methylprednisolone and cyclosporine 1 week before and 2 weeks after four angiograms were obtained with the use of iobitridol, which was well tolerated.

 

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[52]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - A pilot protocol of a calcineurin-inhibitor free regimen for kidney transplant recipients of marginal donor kidneys or with delayed graft function.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Clin Transplant 2003;17 Suppl 9:31-4.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Shaffer D; Langone A; Nylander WA; Goral S; Kizilisik AT; Helderman JH

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Department of Surgery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA. david.schaffer@vanderbilt.edu

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - The worsening shortage of cadaver donor kidneys has prompted use of expanded or marginal donor kidneys (MDK), i.e. older age or donor history of hypertension or diabetes. MDK may be especially susceptible to calcineurin-inhibitor (CI) mediated vasoconstriction and nephrotoxicity. Similarly, early use of CI in patients with delayed graft function may prolong ischaemic injury. We developed a CI-free protocol of antibody induction, sirolimus, mycophenolate mofetil, and prednisone in recipients with MDK or DGF. METHODS: Adult renal transplant recipients who received MDK or had DGF were treated with a CI-free protocol consisting of antibody induction (basiliximab or thymoglobulin), sirolimus, mycophenolate mofetil, and prednisone. Serial biopsies were performed for persistent DGF. Patients were followed prospectively with the primary endpoints being patient and graft survival, biopsy-proven acute rejection, and sirolimus-related toxicity. RESULTS: Nineteen recipients were treated. Mean follow-up was 294 days. Actuarial 6- and 12-month patient survival was 100% and 100% and graft survival was 93% and 93%, respectively. The only graft loss was due to primary non-function (PNF). The incidence of AR was 16%. Mean serum creatinine at last follow-up was 1.6 mg/dL. Sirolimus-related toxicity included lymphocele (1), wound infection (2), thrombocytopenia (1). and interstitial pneumonitis (1). CONCLUSION: A CI-free protocol with antibody induction and sirolimus results in low rates of AR and PNF and excellent early patient and graft survival in patients with MDK and DGF. CI-free protocols may allow expansion of the kidney donor pool by encouraging utilization of MDK at high risk for DGF or CI-mediated nephrotoxicity.

 

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[53]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Regulation of glycogen synthesis in human muscle cells.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Biochem Soc Trans. Acceso gratuito al texto completo a partir de 1 año de la fecha de publicación.

      ●● Enlace a la Editora de la Revista http://bst.portlandpress.com/bst//default.htm 

      ●● Cita: Biochemical Society Transactions: <> 2001 Aug;29(Pt 4):537-41.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Yeaman SJ; Armstrong JL; Bonavaud SM; Poinasamy D; Pickersgill L; Halse R

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - School of Biochemistry and Genetics, Medical School, University of Newcastle, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4HH, UK. s.j.yeaman@ncl.ac.uk

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - Glucose uptake into muscle and its subsequent storage as glycogen is a crucial factor in energy homeostasis in skeletal muscle. This process is stimulated acutely by insulin and is impaired in both insulin-resistant states and in type 2 diabetes mellitus. A signalling pathway involving protein kinase B and glycogen synthase kinase 3 seems certain to have a key role in stimulating glycogen synthesis but other signalling pathways also contribute, including a rapamycin-sensitive pathway stimulated by amino acids. Although glycogen synthesis is one of the classical insulin-regulated pathways, it is also regulated in an insulin-independent manner; for example glycogen synthesis in muscle is stimulated significantly after strenuous exercise, with much of this stimulation being independent of the involvement of insulin. Evidence suggests that glucose and the glycogen content of the muscle have a key role in this stimulation but the molecular mechanism has yet to be fully explained.  N. Ref:: 24

 

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[54]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - The role of T lymphocytes in the pathogenesis of asthma.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - J Allergy Clin Immunol 2003 Mar;111(3):450-63; quiz 464.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Larche M; Robinson DS; Kay AB

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Department of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, National Heart and Lung Institute, London, United Kingdom.

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - There is considerable evidence to support a role for T cells in asthma, particularly the involvement of T(H)2 cells both in atopic allergic asthma and in nonatopic and occupational asthma. There might also be a minor contribution from T©2 CD8+ T cells. Several T(H)2 cytokines have the potential to modulate airway inflammation, particularly IL-13, which induces airway hyperresponsiveness independently of IgE and eosinophilia in animal models. The identification of transcription factors controlling T(H)1 and T(H)2 development further support the T(H)2 hypothesis because GATA3 is overexpressed and T-bet is underexpressed in the asthmatic airway. Specific T cell directed immunotherapy might allow induction, modulation, or both of T-cell responses, and elucidation of the mechanisms of regulatory T cells might allow further optimization of immunotherapy. Recent advances in our understanding of dendritic cell function in directing T-cell responses might uncover further therapeutic targets. The efficacy of cyclosporin A and anti-CD4 treatment in patients with chronic severe asthma argues for continued T-cell involvement, but whether remodeling contributes to pathology inaccessible to anti-inflammatory treatment or T-cell immunotherapy will be an important future question.  N. Ref:: 145

 

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[55]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Immunophilins in nervous system degeneration and regeneration.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Curr Top Med Chem 2003;3(12):1376-82.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Avramut M; Achim CL

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, S-433 Biomedical Science Tower, 200 Lothrop Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA. avramut@pitt.edu

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - Immunophilins are receptors for immunosuppressive drugs like cyclosporin A, FK506, rapamycin and their non- immunosuppressive analogs, which are collectively referred to as “immunophilin ligands” (IPL). Cyclosporin A binds to a class of IP called cyclophilins, whereas the receptors for FK506 and rapamycin belong to the family of FK506- binding proteins (FKBP). The latter are designated according to their molecular weight: FKBP12, 25, 52 etc. FKBP levels in the rat brain are up to 50 times higher than in the immune system. FKBP12 is associated with IP3 and ryanodine receptors present on the endoplasmic reticulum and plays a role in stabilizing calcium release. It has also been proposed to be a modulator of the TGFbeta receptor activity. Crush injury of facial or sciatic nerves in rat leads to markedly increased FKBP12 levels in the respective nerve nuclei and this increase is related to nerve regeneration. Cyclophilin A protects cells from death following expression of mutant Cu/ Zn superoxide dismutase, which is associated with familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Our recent studies show that FKBP12 and FKBP52 are expressed in the human nervous system, especially in the substantia nigra- deep gray matter axis. In neurodegenerative diseases, FKBP12 levels increase in neurons situated in areas of pathology. This IP colocalizes with synaptophysin and alpha- synuclein, suggesting that it may become a novel marker of pathology. Immunophilins participate in axonal transport, synaptic vesicle assembly and may play a role in neuroprotection against abnormal protein aggregation, suggesting a potential avenue of therapeutic interventions.  N. Ref:: 62

 

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[56]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Rapamycin in combination with cyclosporine or tacrolimus in liver, pancreas, and kidney transplantation.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Transplant Proc 2003 May;35(3 Suppl):201S-208S.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - MacDonald AS

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Department of Surgery, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. Allan.macdonald@dal.ca

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - A 10-year experience with the immunosuppressive drug rapamycin that begins in the laboratory then extends through multicentre trials in combination with cyclosporine in kidney transplant recipients, exploration of its use as a single agent and in combination with tacrolimus, and its potential in nonrenal organs is described. Rapamycin is a potent inhibitor of endothelial injury in rat aortic allografts. When added to full-dose cyclosporine it achieves low rejection rates, but it augments the nephrotoxicity and hyperlipidemia of cyclosporine. On the other hand, it allows discontinuation of calcineurin inhibitors in stable kidney and liver patients suffering from nephrotoxicity late posttransplant. At least in Caucasian patients, discontinuation of cyclosporine is possible as early as 3 months post-kidney transplant. In combination with low-dose tacrolimus, exceptionally low rates of rejection were seen in recipients of kidney, pancreas, and liver recipients with preservation of excellent renal function. These pilot studies have been confirmed in several single-centre and, more recently, multicentre trials in kidney and pancreas transplantation. The side-effect profile of hyperlipidemia, lymphocoeles, delayed wound healing, and possible liver effects are coming into focus, and ways of minimizing these problems being introduced. The lessons learned include the need for early adequate blood levels, the lack of correlation between dose and drug exposure, and the potency that allows marked dose reductions in calcineurin inhibitors and steroids.  N. Ref:: 36

 

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[57]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - St John’s Wort supplements endanger the success of organ transplantation.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Arch Surg 2002 Mar;137(3):316-9.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Ernst E

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Department of Complementary Medicine, School of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Exeter, 25 Victoria Park Rd, Exeter EX2 4NT, England. E.Ernst@ex.ac.uk

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - HYPOTHESIS: St John’s wort is one of the most popular herbal medicines, and health care professionals often are unaware that their patients take such supplements. St John’s wort causes a decrease in cyclosporine levels, thus endangering the success of organ transplantations. DESIGN: Systematic review. METHODS: Five independent computerized literature searches were conducted to identify all reports of such interactions. Data were extracted and are summarized in narrative form. RESULTS: Eleven case reports and 2 case series were located. In most instances, causality between St John’s wort and the clinical or biochemical result is well established. The mechanism of interaction between St John’s wort and cyclosporine has been recently elucidated and involves both P-glycoprotein and cytochrome P 450 3A4 expression. Collectively these data leave little doubt that St John’s wort interacts with cyclosporine, causing a decrease of cyclosporine blood levels and leading in several cases to transplant rejection. CONCLUSIONS: St John’s wort can endanger the success of organ transplantations. Adequate information may be the best way to avoid future incidences.  N. Ref:: 33

 

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[58]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Sirolimus and mycophenolate mofetil for calcineurin-free immunosuppression in renal transplant recipients.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Am J Kidney Dis 2001 Oct;38(4 Suppl 2):S16-21.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Pescovitz MD; Govani M

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Departments of Surgery, Microbiology/Immunology, and Medicine, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA. mpescov@iupui.edu

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - Calcineurin inhibitors, such as cyclosporine and tacrolimus, have been available for almost 20 years. Although these drugs are highly effective and represent the mainstay of transplant immunosuppression, they are associated with acute and chronic nephrotoxicity. Acute nephrotoxicity, which occurs in the early period after transplantation, leads to a higher rate of dialysis, and chronic nephrotoxicity may eventually result in graft loss. Acute and chronic nephrotoxicity is becoming more common as the use of marginal kidneys for transplantation increases. Two recently available immunosuppressive agents, mycophenolate mofetil and sirolimus (rapamycin), have no nephrotoxicity. The use of these drugs in combination with other agents has led to the development of new paradigms of immunosuppressive therapy. This paper reviews the results of clinical trials that have investigated these new approaches to immunosuppression in renal transplant recipients.  N. Ref:: 9

 

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[59]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Engineered CD3 antibodies for immunosuppression.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Clin Exp Immunol 2003 Sep;133(3):307-9.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Renders L; Valerius T  N. Ref:: 30

 

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[60]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Treatment of gammaherpesvirus-related neoplastic disorders in the immunosuppressed host.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Semin Hematol 2003 Apr;40(2):163-71.

      ●● Enlace al texto completo (gratuito o de pago) 1053/shem.2003.50016

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Little RF; Yarchoan R

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - HIV and AIDS Malignancy Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - Neoplastic disease is a frequent complication in patients with acquired immunodeficiency disease (AIDS) and other immunodeficiencies. Many such neoplasms are caused by either Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) or Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpes virus (KSHV). The treatment of such patients can be challenging. At the same time, the viral origin of these tumors offers targets to develop pathogenesis-based therapies. Standard therapies for these diseases involve such approaches as treating the underlying immunodeficiency, cytotoxic chemotherapy, and immunologic antitumor therapy. Novel therapy approaches include specific immune therapy and anti-angiogenesis approaches, now under development.  N. Ref:: 105

 

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[61]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Calcineurin phosphatase in signal transduction: lessons from fission yeast.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Genes Cells 2002 Jul;7(7):619-27.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Sugiura R; Sio SO; Shuntoh H; Kuno T

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Division of Molecular Pharmacology and Pharmacogenomics, Department of Genome Sciences, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe 650-0017, Japan.

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - Calcineurin (protein phosphatase 2B), the only serine/threonine phosphatase under the control of Ca2+/calmodulin, is an important mediator in signal transmission, connecting the Ca2+-dependent signalling to a wide variety of cellular responses. Furthermore, calcineurin is specifically inhibited by the immunosuppressant drugs cyclosporin A and tacrolimus (FK506), and these drugs have been a powerful tool for identifying many of the roles of calcineurin. Calcineurin is enriched in the neural tissues, and also distributes broadly in other tissues. The structure of the protein is highly conserved from yeast to man. The combined use of powerful genetics and of specific calcineurin inhibitors in fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe (S. pombe) identified new components of the calcineurin pathway, and defined new roles of calcineurin in the regulation of the many cellular processes. Recent data has revealed functional interactions in which calcineurin phosphatase is involved, such as the cross-talk between the Pmk1 MAP kinase signalling, or the PI signalling. Calcineurin also participates in membrane traffic and cytokinesis of fission yeast through its functional connection with members of the small GTPase Rab/Ypt family, and Type II myosin, respectively. These findings highlight the potential of fission yeast genetic studies to elucidate conserved elements of signal transduction cascades.  N. Ref:: 51

 

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[62]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Minimizing calcineurin inhibitor drugs in renal transplantation.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Transplant Proc 2003 May;35(3 Suppl):118S-121S.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Flechner SM

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Section of Renal Transplantation, Transplant Center A110, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio 44195, USA.

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - Calcineurin inhibitor drugs (CNI), primarily cyclosporine then tacrolimus, have been the centerpieces of maintenance immunosuppression for kidney transplantation since their introduction in the 1980s. While these drugs have been responsible for improved short-term outcomes and diminished rates of acute rejection, they are nephrotoxic and can cause permanent renal injury in many patients. Indeed, some have found that at 10 years after transplantation, the benefits of CNI drugs have been lost compared to the previous generation of maintenance immunosuppression. The use of these agents over many years contributes to the antigen-independent decline in renal function referred to as chronic allograft nephropathy. However, it remains unclear to what degree the use of CNI drugs contribute to ultimate graft loss. For these reasons immunosuppressive alternatives to CNI drugs have begun to emerge during the past few years. The recent introduction of the potent immunosuppressive agent sirolimus has afforded an opportunity to develop a regimen designed to maximize prophylaxis of early acute rejection, absent drug-induced nephrotoxicity. It was our feeling that the combination of antibody induction therapy combined with sirolimus substitution in a three-drug maintenance regimen, would provide the best posttransplant renal function and lowest rates of acute rejection. We have developed a CNI-free immunosuppressive regimen consisting of basiliximab induction, followed by sirolimus, MMF and steroids. Using this protocol we demonstrated comparable transplant outcomes with improved renal function in adult recipients of primary renal transplants. Limiting nephrotoxic immunosuppression should be considered an important goal; but requires sufficient long-term follow-up to support the benefits suggested from initial analysis of the data.  N. Ref:: 23

 

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[63]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Transplantation: toxicokinetics and mechanisms of toxicity of cyclosporine and macrolides.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Curr Opin Investig Drugs 2003 Nov;4(11):1287-96.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Serkova N; Christians U

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Department of Anesthesiology, Clinical Research & Development, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, 4200 East Ninth Ave, Room UH-2122, Campus Box B113, Denver, CO 80262, USA.

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - For over two decades, calcineurin inhibitors (CIs) have been the mainstay of immunosuppressive therapy following solid-organ transplantation. However, CI nephrotoxicity is one of the main contributors to chronic kidney allograft dysfunction. A novel class of immunosuppressants that inhibit the kinase mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), although not nephrotoxic themselves, enhance CI nephrotoxicity. The biochemical basis of CI toxicity and their toxicodynamic interaction with mTOR inhibitors is still poorly understood. Studies using a magnetic resonance spectroscopy-based metabonomic approach indicate that CI toxicity is caused by drug-induced mitochondrial dysfunction and that mTOR inhibitors enhance the negative effects of CIs on cell energy metabolism.  N. Ref:: 77

 

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[64]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - The effect of immunosuppressive protocols on spontaneous CNS remyelination following toxin-induced demyelination.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - J Neuroimmunol 2001 Oct 1;119(2):261-8.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Smith PM; Franklin RJ

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Madingley Road, CB3 0ES, Cambridge, UK.

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - Glial cell transplantation is a potential therapy for human demyelinating disease, though obtaining large numbers of human myelinating cells for transplantation remains a major stumbling block. Autologous transplantation is currently not possible, since the adult human CNS is not a good source of oligodendrocyte precursors, and long-term immunosuppression of engrafted allogeneic or xenogeneic cells is therefore likely to be necessary. Immunosuppressive drugs may need to be used in situations where more recent, active areas of demyelination are undergoing endogenous remyelination. It is therefore pertinent to establish the extent to which immunosuppressive protocols will suppress spontaneous remyelination. In order to investigate this issue, we created demyelinating lesions in the spinal cord of adult rats and compared the extent of remyelination in animals receiving different immunosuppressive treatments. In animals given only cyclosporin A, there was no difference in the extent of either Schwann cell or oligodendrocyte remyelination of ethidium bromide-induced demyelinating lesions. However, in animals given cyclophosphamide, either alone or in combination with cyclosporin, there was a significant reduction in the extent of oligodendrocyte-mediated remyelination. These results demonstrate that cyclophosphamide is deleterious to oligodendrocyte remyelination and for this reason should be used with caution in patients with demyelinating disease.

 

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[65]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - The role of phosphatases in TOR signaling in yeast.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Curr Top Microbiol Immunol 2004;279:19-38.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Duvel K; Broach JR

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA.

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - The TOR pathway controls cellular functions necessary for cell growth and proliferation of yeast and larger eukaryotes. The search for members of the TOR signaling cascade in yeast led to the discovery of type 2A protein phosphatases (PP2A) as important players within the pathway. We describe the roles in yeast of PP2A and the closely related phosphatase, Sit4, and then focus on complexes formed between the catalytic subunit of these phosphatases and Tap42, a direct target of the Tor protein kinases in yeast. Recent results suggest that Tap42 mediates many of the Tor functions in yeast, especially those involved in transcriptional modulation. However, whether Tap42 executes its function by inhibiting phosphatase activity or by activating phosphatases is still uncertain. In addition, Tor affects some transcriptional and physiological processes through Tap42 independent pathways. Thus, Tor proteins use multiple mechanisms to regulate transcriptional and physiological processes in yeast.  N. Ref:: 46

 

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[66]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Therapeutic drug monitoring of immunosuppressant drugs in clinical practice.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Clin Ther 2002 Mar;24(3):330-50; discussion 329.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Kahan BD; Keown P; Levy GA; Johnston A

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Division of Immunology and Organ Transplantation, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston Medical School, 77030, USA. Barry.D.Kahan@uth.tmc.edu

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - BACKGROUND: Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) is essential to maintain the efficacy of many immunosuppressant drugs while minimizing their toxicity. TDM has become more refined with the development of new monitoring techniques and more specific assays. OBJECTIVE: This article summarizes current data on TDM of the following immunosuppressant drugs used in organ transplantation: cyclosporine, tacrolimus, sirolimus, everolimus, and mycophenolate mofetil. METHODS: Published data were identified by a MEDLINE search of the English-language literature through March 2001 using the terms therapeutic drug monitoring, cyclosporine, tacrolimus, sirolimus, everolimus, and mycophenolate mofetil. Relevant conference abstracts were also included. RESULTS: TDM of cyclosporine has been well studied, and recent findings indicate that monitoring of drug levels 2 hours after dosing is a more sensitive predictor of outcome than trough (C0) monitoring. C0 levels are being used more widely in TDM of tacrolimus; however, the relationship between C0 and area under the curve has varied widely in clinical trials, with correlations ranging from 0.11 to 0.92. The use of TDM of sirolimus, everolimus, and mycophenolate mofetil is evolving rapidly. CONCLUSIONS: TDM of immunosuppressant drugs that have a narrow therapeutic index is an increasingly useful tool for minimizing drug toxicity while maximizing prevention of graft loss and organ rejection.  N. Ref:: 85

 

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[67]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Rejection rate in living donor kidney transplantation with and without basiliximab in tacrolimus/mycophenolate mofetil-based protocol.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Transplant Proc 2003 Mar;35(2):653-4.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Rahamimov R; Yussim A; After T; Lustig S; Bar-Nathan N; Shaharabani E; Shapira Z; Shabthai E; Mor E

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Department of Transplantation, Rabin Medical Center, Beilinson Campus, Petah-Tiqwa, Israel. rutir@clalit.org.il

 

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[68]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - B19 virus infection in renal transplant recipients.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - J Clin Virol. Acceso gratuito al texto completo.

      ●● Enlace a la Editora de la Revista http://www.elsevier.com/gej-ng/29/46/32/show/Products/VIRUSINT/index.htt 

      ●● Cita: J Clinical Virology: <> 2003 Apr;26(3):361-8.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Cavallo R; Merlino C; Re D; Bollero C; Bergallo M; Lembo D; Musso T; Leonardi G; Segoloni GP; Ponzi AN

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Virology Unit, Department of Public Health and Microbiology, University of Turin, Via Santena 9, 10126, Turin, Italy. rossana.cavallo@unito.it

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - BACKGROUND: B19 virus infection with persistent anaemia has been reported in organ transplant recipients. Detection of B19 virus DNA in serum is the best direct marker of active infection. OBJECTIVE: The present study evaluated the incidence and clinical role of active B19 virus infection in renal transplant recipients presenting with anaemia. STUDY DESIGN: Forty-eight such recipients were investigated by nested PCR on serum samples. The controls were 21 recipients without anaemia. Active HCMV infection was also investigated as a marker of high immunosuppression. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: In 11/48 (23%) patients B19 virus DNA was demonstrated in serum versus only 1/21 (5%) of the controls. Ten of these 11 patients had already been seropositive at transplantation and active infection occurred in eight of them during the first 3 months after transplantation. The remaining patient experienced a primary infection 9 months after transplantation. Eight (73%) of these 11 patients displayed a concomitant HCMV infection and four (36%) showed increasing serum creatinine levels but none developed glomerulopathy; 3/11 (27%) recovered spontaneously from anaemia whereas 8/11 (73%) needed therapy. In conclusion, the relatively high occurrence (23%) of B19 virus infection in patients presenting with anaemia, suggests that it should be considered in the differential diagnosis of persistent anaemia in renal transplant recipients. Presence of the viral DNA should be assessed early from transplantation and the viral load should be monitored to follow persistent infection and better understand the relation between active infection and occurrence of anaemia, and to assess the efficacy of IVIG therapy and/or immunosuppression reduction in clearing the virus.  N. Ref:: 56

 

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[69]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - A mitochondrial perspective on cell death.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Trends Biochem Sci 2001 Feb;26(2):112-7.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Bernardi P; Petronilli V; Di Lisa F; Forte M

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Dept. of Biomedical Sciences, Viale Giuseppe Colombo 3, I-35121, Padova, Italy. bernardi@civ.bio.unipd.it

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - The role of mitochondria as crucial participants in cell death programs is well established, yet the mechanisms responsible for the release of mitochondrial activators and the role of BCL2 family proteins in this process remain controversial. Here, we point out the limitations of current approaches used to monitor the physiological responses of mitochondria during cell death, the implications arising from modern views of mitochondrial structure, and briefly assess two proposed mechanisms for the release of mitochondrial proteins during apoptosis.  N. Ref:: 50

 

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[70]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - The Rapamune era of immunosuppression 2003: the journey from the laboratory to clinical transplantation.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Transplant Proc 2003 May;35(3 Suppl):18S-24S.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Camardo J

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Wyeth Research, Collegeville, Pennsylvania 19426, USA.

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - The story of Rapamune (sirolimus, rapamycin) began with the isolation of an antibiotic from a soil sample sent to Ayerst Laboratories in Montreal. More than 25 years later, sirolimus was approved for use by transplant physicians in the United States. Development programs for new drugs for transplantation face significant challenges. Four key challenges were critical to the development of sirolimus as a drug for transplantation: First, sirolimus was not intended to be an antirejection agent. Second, sirolimus was not easy to make or purify into a palatable substance for human use and the development of a pharmaceutical form was an important and critical hurdle. Third, sirolimus showed potent antirejection activity when tested in de novo allograft recipients, but the development program required careful attention to its optimal use in multidrug transplant regimens. Fourth, the clinical program approved in the United States was rejected in Europe, and it was only with additional studies and a unique appeal process that sirolimus became available in Europe. Currently, sirolimus (Rapamune) is available throughout most of the world except in Japan, having achieved regulatory approvals in North America, Europe, the Middle East, Latin America, and Asia. Although sirolimus failed in its original role as an antifungal agent, it ultimately succeeded as an antirejection drug. Today, sirolimus holds additional promise both as a drug useful for the prevention of restenosis after coronary angioplasty and as an antitumor agent.  N. Ref:: 39

 

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[71]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Molecular diagnosis of an Enterocytozoon bieneusi human genotype C infection in a moderately immunosuppressed human immunodeficiency virus seronegative liver-transplant recipient with severe chronic diarrhea.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - J Clin Microbiol. Acceso gratuito al texto completo a partir de los 6 meses de la fecha de publicación.

      ●● Enlace a la Editora de la Revista http://jcm.asm.org/ 

      ●● Cita: J. Clinical Microbiology: <> 2001 Jun;39(6):2371-2.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Sing A; Tybus K; Heesemann J; Mathis A  N. Ref:: 5

 

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[72]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Recent advances in immunosuppressive therapy for renal transplantation.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Semin Dial 2001 May-Jun;14(3):218-22.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Peddi VR; First MR

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Division of Nephrology and Hypertension, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio 45267-0585, USA. ram.peddi@uc.edu

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - Recent advances in immunosuppression have focused on more effective, safer, and targeted therapies that have resulted in improved short- and intermediate-term renal allograft survival. During the past decade there has been a marked decrease in acute rejection rates following renal transplantation because of the use of newer immunosuppressive agents. Recent data indicate that the average yearly reduction in the relative hazard of graft failure beyond 1 year was 4.2% for all recipients (0.4% for those recipients who had an acute rejection episode and 6.3% for those who did not have an acute rejection). Despite these improvements the currently available immunosuppressive agents are associated with significant cardiovascular risk factors, an increased risk of infection, and the development of malignancies in the long term. Predictive parameters of donor-specific hyporesponsiveness are needed so as to allow identification of patients in whom immunosuppressive therapy can be safely reduced. Immunosuppressive agents that have recently been approved for use in the United States and those that are in clinical and preclinical studies are discussed.  N. Ref:: 27

 

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[73]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Impact of immunosuppressive therapy on recurrence of hepatitis C.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Liver Transpl 2002 Oct;8(10 Suppl 1):S19-27.

      ●● Enlace al texto completo (gratuito o de pago) 1053/jlts.2002.35852

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Everson GT

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Hepatology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Denver, CO 80262, USA. greg.everson@ucshc.edu

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - 1. Approximately 10% to 25% of hepatitis C virus-infected recipients of liver allografts will develop cirrhosis within 5 years of transplantation; this acceleration of the natural history of hepatitis C is caused in part by immunosuppression. 2. Risk factors for aggressive recurrence, graft loss, and death are treated acute cellular rejection, methylprednisolone pulse therapy, and use of OKT3. There appears to be no consistent difference between cyclosporine and tacrolimus in their effects on hepatitis C. 3. The benefit of steroid withdrawal, although commonly practiced in transplant recipients with hepatitis C, has not been proven. 4. Mycophenolate mofetil may show synergistic antiviral properties when used with interferon; however, posttransplantation use has not been associated with consistent beneficial or deleterious effects. 5. Effects of other agents, such as sirolimus or interleukin-2-receptor antibodies, have not been adequately defined. Early reports suggest that disease activity may be more aggressive when these agents are constituents of the immunosuppressive regimen.  N. Ref:: 54

 

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[74]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Limited dose monoclonal IL-2R antibody induction protocol after primary kidney transplantation.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Am J Transplant 2002 Jul;2(6):568-73.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Ahsan N; Holman MJ; Jarowenko MV; Razzaque MS; Yang HC

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Nephrology and Transplant Division, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, New Brunswick 08904, USA. ahsanna@umdnj.edu

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - This study prospectively compared immunoprophylaxis with a single intraoperative dose (2 mg/kg) of monoclonal interleukin-2 receptor (IL-2R) antibody vs. noninduction in kidney transplant recipients treated with tacrolimus (FK 506), mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) and a prednisone-based immunosuppression regimen. One hundred recipients of first-kidney transplant were enrolled into the study to receive either anti-IL-2R monoclonal antibody, daclizumab (2 mg/kg intraoperatively, limited anti-IL-2R) or no induction (control). Each patient also received oral tacrolimus (dosed to target trough level 10-15 ng/mL), MMF (500 mg bid) and prednisone. The primary efficacy end-point was the incidence of biopsy proven acute rejection during the first 6 months post-transplant. The patients were also followed for 12-month graft function, and graft and patient survival rates. Other than the donor’s age being significantly lower in the control group, both groups were comparable with respect to age, weight, gender, race, human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DR mismatch, panel reactive antibody (%PRA), cold ischemic time, cytomegalovirus (CMV) status, causes of renal failure, and duration and modes of renal replacement therapy (RRT). During the first 6 months, episodes of first biopsy confirmed acute rejection was 3/50 (6%) in the limited anti-IL-2R group and 8/50 (16%) in the controls (p < 0.05). Twelve-month patient 100/98 (%) and graft survival 100/96 (%) were not statistically different. The group receiving limited anti-IL-2R did not have any adverse reactions. Our study demonstrates that a limited (single) 2 mg/kg immunoprophylaxis dose with monoclonal IL-2R antibody (daclizumab) when combined with tacrolimus/MMF/steroid allows significant reduction in early renal allograft rejection to the single digit level. The therapy with anti-IL-2R antibody is simple and is well tolerated.

 

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[75]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - The utility of monoclonal antibody therapy in renal transplantation.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Transplant Proc 2002 May;34(3):797-800.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Loertscher R

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Division of Transplantation, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. rolf.loertscher@mcgill.ca  N. Ref:: 37

 

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[76]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Safety and efficacy of TOR inhibitors in pediatric renal transplant recipients.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Am J Kidney Dis 2001 Oct;38(4 Suppl 2):S22-8.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Ettenger RB; Grimm EM

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Department of Pediatrics, Mattel Children’s Hospital at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1752, USA. Rettenger@mednet.ucla.edu

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - Information about the pharmacokinetics, safety, and efficacy of target of rapamycin (TOR) inhibitors, such as sirolimus and everolimus, in pediatric renal transplant recipients is limited. In an ascending single-dose pharmacokinetic study of sirolimus in pediatric dialysis patients, no clinically significant association was observed between patient age and absorption of sirolimus from the gastrointestinal tract. However, young pediatric patients (5 to 11 years of age) exhibited significantly greater apparent oral clearances, suggesting that pediatric patients require slightly higher doses than do adults when adjusted for body weight or surface area. Similarly, in studies performed in pediatric renal transplant recipients, the half-life of sirolimus was shorter and the clearance was greater in younger patients. On the other hand, in single-dose pharmacokinetic studies of everolimus, the apparent clearance was reduced in pediatric renal transplant recipients compared with clearance in adults. This reduced clearance was attributed to a smaller apparent volume of distribution in pediatric patients, rather than to a difference in terminal half-life. This suggested that, although the adult 12-hour dosing interval was appropriate for pediatric patients, they would require reduced dosing based on body size compared with adults. In a large trial (N = 719) of sirolimus versus azathioprine in combination with cyclosporine microemulsion and prednisone, 6 pediatric patients (13 to 18 years of age) received sirolimus at 2 mg/d, 3 received sirolimus at 5 mg/d, and 3 received azathioprine. Seven of the nine patients who received sirolimus experienced no rejection episodes. Six infectious episodes occurred in the 6 patients receiving sirolimus at 2 mg/d, 10 episodes occurred in the 3 patients receiving sirolimus at 5 mg/d, and 8 episodes occurred in the 3 patients receiving azathioprine. At 6 months after transplantation, renal function was similar in all 3 groups, although there was a statistically nonsignificant increase in the group receiving sirolimus at 5 mg/d. The mean cholesterol and triglyceride levels were generally comparable in all 3 groups. TOR inhibitors are promising agents for the prevention of graft rejection in pediatric renal transplant recipients, but more pharmacokinetic data are required to assess the optimal dosing regimens in this population. In addition, further data are needed on the efficacy and safety of TOR inhibitors in combination with other agents in pediatric transplantation recipients to best assess the role of TOR inhibition in corticosteroid and/or calcineurin inhibitor-sparing regimens.  N. Ref:: 13

 

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[77]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Low-intensity hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation across human leucocyte antigen barriers in dyskeratosis congenita.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Bone Marrow Transplant 2003 May;31(10):847-50.

      ●● Enlace al texto completo (gratuito o de pago) 1038/sj.bmt.1703931

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Dror Y; Freedman MH; Leaker M; Verbeek J; Armstrong CA; Saunders FE; Doyle JJ

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Marrow Failure and Myelodysplasia Programme, Division of Haematology and Oncology, Department of Paediatrics, The Hospital for Sick Children and the University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - Since the results of conventional hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (HSCT) for patients with dyskeratosis congenita (DC) are poor owing to the high incidence of transplant-related complications, we explored the use of a low-intensity HSCT regimen. We report two children with DC with severe cytopenia, who underwent successful HSCT from a matched unrelated donor after conditioning with fludarabine, cyclophosphamide, and antithymocyte globulin. Graft-versus-host-disease (GVHD) prophylaxis consisted of corticosteroids and cyclosporin A. The regimen was well tolerated, no significant transplant-related complications were observed, and engraftment was rapid and complete. At 15 and 16 months after HSCT, the children were fully engrafted, in excellent clinical condition, full-donor chimerism, and no signs of GVHD. We conclude that a low-intensity regimen is sufficient to induce durable engraftment using matched unrelated donor HSCT in DC patients, with minimal 1-year transplant-related toxicity. Longer follow-up will determine whether this regimen also reduces long-term toxicity.  N. Ref:: 35

 

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[78]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Tacrolimus versus cyclosporine after lung transplantation: a prospective, open, randomized two-center trial comparing two different immunosuppressive protocols.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - J Heart Lung Transplant 2001 May;20(5):511-7.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Treede H; Klepetko W; Reichenspurner H; Zuckermann A; Meiser B; Birsan T; Wisser W; Reichert B

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany.

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - BACKGROUND: The need for better immunosuppressive protocols after lung transplantation led us to investigate tacrolimus (Tac) in combination with mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) and steroids or cyclosporine (CsA) in combination with MMF and steroids in a prospective, open, randomized trial after lung transplantation. METHODS: Between September 1997 and April 1999, 50 lung transplant recipients were randomized to receive either Tac (n = 26) or CsA (n = 24) in combination with MMF and steroids. All patients underwent induction therapy with rabbit antithymocyte globulin (ATG) for 3 days. Freedom from acute rejection (AR), patient survival, infection episodes, and side effects were monitored. RESULTS: There was no difference in patient demographics between the two groups. Six-month and 1-year survival was similar (84.6% and 73.1% in the Tac group vs 83.3% and 79.2% in the CsA group). Freedom from AR at 6 months and 1 year after lung transplantation was slightly higher in the Tac group (57.7% and 50% vs 45.8% and 33.3%, p = not significant [n.s.]), whereas the number of treated rejection episodes per 100 patient days in the Tac group was significantly lower (0.225 vs 0.426, p < .05). Four patients in the CsA group had to be switched to Tac. Two patients in the CsA group had to be retransplanted. Incidence of infections was similar in both groups with a trend toward more fungal infections in the Tac group (n = 7 vs n = 1, p = n.s.). CONCLUSIONS: The combination of Tac and MMF seems to have slightly higher immunosuppressive potential compared with CsA and MMF. The effectiveness of Tac as a rescue agent is not paralleled with undue signs of overimmunosuppression.

 

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[79]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Vascular and cellular mechanisms of chronic renal allograft dysfunction.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Transplantation 2001 Jun 15;71(11 Suppl):SS37-41.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Morris RE

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Stanford University School of Medicine, California, United States.  N. Ref:: 29

 

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[80]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Ten years of sirolimus therapy in orthotopic liver transplant recipients.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Transplant Proc 2003 May;35(3 Suppl):209S-216S.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Neff GW; Montalbano M; Tzakis AG

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - University of Miami, Miami, Florida, USA.

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - BACKGROUND: Sirolimus therapy has been used in orthotopic liver transplant (OLT) recipients diagnosed with a variety of diseases; chronic graft rejection (CR), calcineurin associated renal toxicity, preemptive immune suppression, calcineurin related neurotoxicity, preemptive therapy in transplant recipients with history of hepatocellular carcinoma, and steroid resistant allograft rejection. METHODS: A search for the medical literature and experiences involving sirolimus was done. RESULTS: Several animal and human reports evaluating the use sirolimus in liver transplant recipients are found and discussed. CONCLUSION: Sirolimus has been used for multitude of indications, primarily based on anecdotal experiences. However, reports of sirolimus related side effects have decreased the transplant communities’ enthusiasm towards promoting this agent as a safe immune suppression agent.  N. Ref:: 92

 

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[81]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Suggested guidelines for the use of tacrolimus in cardiac transplant recipients.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - J Heart Lung Transplant 2001 Jul;20(7):734-8.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Taylor DO; Barr ML; Meiser BM; Pham SM; Mentzer RM; Gass AL

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84132, USA.  N. Ref:: 11

 

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[82]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Monitoring of cellular resistance to cancer chemotherapy.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Hematol Oncol Clin North Am 2002 Apr;16(2):357-72, vi.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Krishan A; Arya P

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Radiation Oncology Department, University of Miami Medical School, Division of Experimental Therapeutics (R-71), P.O. Box 01690, Miami, FL 33101, USA. akrishan@med.miami.edu

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - Cellular resistance to a broad spectrum of natural products used as antitumor drugs is believed to be a major cause for the failure of chemotherapy. Flow cytometry has been used for monitoring the expression of drug resistance markers, determining accumulation of fluorescent drugs, and for screening of drugs that enhance chemosensitivity by blocking efflux and enhancing drug retention. This article reviews recent developments in our understanding of the multiple drug resistance phenotype and the use of flow cytometry for the study of drug efflux and its modulation in human tumor cells.  N. Ref:: 77

 

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[83]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Sirolimus therapy in cardiac transplantation.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Transplant Proc 2003 May;35(3 Suppl):171S-176S.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Radovancevic B; Vrtovec B

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Texas Heart Institute at St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital, Houston, Texas, USA.

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - Rapamycin powerfully inhibits the progression of antigen-activated T cells through the cell cycle. In animal heart transplantation models, rapamycin therapy has been associated with profound immunosuppressive effects on host humoral and cellular responses. In consequence, further studies have been conducted to evaluate the efficiency of rapamycin in preventing acute heart allograft rejection, treating refractory acute heart allograft rejection, inducing transplantation tolerance, and preventing and treating transplant coronary artery disease. The results of these studies indicated that rapamycin can effectively prevent acute graft rejection and inhibit refractory acute graft rejection in heart transplant recipients by exerting potent immunosuppressive and antiproliferative effects without adversely affecting renal function. This supports the use of rapamycin therapy in heart transplant recipients, especially in those with renal dysfunction, for whom treatment with calcineurin inhibitors is contraindicated. Rapamycin may also halt and even reverse the progression of cardiac allograft vasculopathy, which warrants further clinical trials in humans. Finally, rapamycin may be able to induce transplantation tolerance, thus making it one of the most promising modalities for improving the long-term survival of heart transplant recipients.  N. Ref:: 41

 

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[84]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Retroviral oncogenes and TOR.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Curr Top Microbiol Immunol 2004;279:321-38.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Aoki M; Vogt PK

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Department of Molecular and Experimental Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, BCC-239, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - Retroviruses have recruited the catalytic subunit of PI 3-kinase and its downstream target, Akt, as oncogenes. These viruses cause tumors in animals and induce oncogenic transformation in cell culture. The oncogenicity of these viruses is specifically inhibited by rapamycin; retroviruses carrying other oncogenes are insensitive to this macrolide antibiotic. Rapamycin is an inhibitor of the TOR (target of rapamycin) kinase whose downstream targets include p70 S6 kinase and the negative regulator of translation initiation 4E-BP. Emerging evidence suggests that the TOR signals transmitted to the translational machinery are essential for oncogenic transformation by the PI 3-kinase pathway.  N. Ref:: 93

 

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[85]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Treatment of patients with chronic idiopathic urticaria.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Clin Rev Allergy Immunol 2002 Oct;23(2):233-41.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Stanaland BE

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Division of Allergy and Immunology, University of South Florida Health Sciences Center, USA.

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - Treatment of patients with chronic idiopathic urticaria (CIU) involves reducing symptoms with the least invasive therapy and carefully balancing risk and benefit. The mainstay of therapy is the use of antihistamines with or without the use of intermittent pulses of corticosteroids. Alternative therapies to chronic corticosteroids include leukotriene antagonists, plasma-phoresis, dapsone, stanazolol, hydroxychloroquine, methotrexate, cyclosporin, tacrolimus, and warfarin. A practical approach to CIU bases treatment and severity on the patients’ previous response to therapy. Therapy goals are to reduce symptoms until spontaneous resolution occurs. Management of CIU patients can be both frustrating and rewarding.  N. Ref:: 34

 

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[86]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Programmed death in yeast as adaptation?

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - FEBS Lett. Acceso gratuito al texto completo a partir de 1 año de la fecha de publicación.

      ●● Enlace a la Editora de la Revista http://www.elsevier.com/febs/show/index.htt 

      ●● Cita: FEBS Letters: <> 2002 Sep 25;528(1-3):23-6.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Skulachev VP

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Moscow State University, Russia. skulach@belozersky.msu.ru

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - During recent years, several pieces of indirect evidence of a programmed death in yeast have been published. Among them there are observations that some mammalian pro- or anti-apoptotic proteins induce or prevent the death of yeast; some toxic compounds kill yeast at lower concentrations if protein synthesis is operative; this death, as well as the death due to certain mutations, shows some apoptotic markers. In April 2002, the yeast programmed death concept received direct support. Madeo et al. [Madeo et al., Mol. Cell 9 (2002) 911-917] disclosed a caspase which is activated by H(2)O(2) or aging and is required for the protein-synthesis-dependent death of yeast. Thus, a specific apoptosis-mediating protein was identified for the first time in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Independently, Severin and Hyman [Severin, F.F., Hyman, A.A., Curr. Biol. 12 (2002) R233-R235] discovered that death of yeast, induced by a high level of a pheromone, is programmed. In particular, the death was found to be prevented by cycloheximide and cyclosporin A. It required mitochondrial DNA, cytochrome c and the pheromone-initiated protein kinase cascade. When haploids of opposite mating types were mixed, some cells died, the inhibitory pattern being the same as in the case of the killing by pheromone. Inhibition of mating proved to be favorable for death. Thus, pheromone not only activates mating but also eliminates yeast cells failing to mate. Such an effect should (i) stimulate switch of the yeast population from vegetative to sexual reproduction, and (ii) shorten the life span and, hence, accelerate changing of generations. As a result, the probability of appearance of new traits could be enhanced when ambient conditions turned for the worse.  N. Ref:: 40

 

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[87]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Intestinal graft-versus-host disease: mechanisms and management.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Drugs 2003;63(1):1-15.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Takatsuka H; Iwasaki T; Okamoto T; Kakishita E

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Second Department of Internal Medicine, Hyogo College of Medicine, Hyogo, Japan. hematol@hyo-med.ac.jp

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - Allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation remains the treatment of choice for a number of malignancies. However, graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) has long been regarded as a serious complication of this procedure. Although GVHD may affect any organ, intestinal GVHD is particularly important because of its frequency, severity and impact on the general condition of the patient. Recent studies have led to progressive elucidation of the mechanism of GVHD. Donor T cells are critical for the induction of GVHD, because depletion of T cells from bone marrow grafts effectively prevents GVHD but also results in an increase of leukaemia relapse. It has been shown that the gastrointestinal tract plays a major role in the amplification of systemic disease because gastrointestinal damage increases the translocation of endotoxins, which promotes further inflammation and additional gastrointestinal damage. Consequently, the management of intestinal GVHD (and the intestine itself) is a subject that should be highlighted. In this article, approaches to the prevention of intestinal GVHD are discussed after being classified into three categories: regimens in common clinical use, regimens under investigation and original regimens used at our hospital. The standard regimen that is used most widely for prevention of GVHD is cyclosporin plus short-term methotrexate. Corticosteroids can be added to this regimen but careful consideration of the adverse effects of these hormones should be considered. Tacrolimus is a newer, more potent alternative to cyclosporin. T-cell depletion (TCD) after transplantation has been shown to prevent acute GVHD, however, the survival benefit of TCD has not been as great as expected. Mycophenolate mofetil can be useful for the treatment of acute GVHD as part of combination therapy. Regimens currently under investigation in animal experiments include suppression of inflammatory cytokines and inhibition of T-cell activation, and, specifically at our institution, hepatocyte growth factor gene therapy. The evidence-based therapy used at our institution includes systemic antibacterial therapy (including eradication of intestinal bacteria) to prevent the intestinal translocation of lipopolysaccharide and avoid the subsequent increase of various inflammatory cytokines. In addition, because of the similarities between intestinal GVHD and ulcerative colitis, sulfasalazine, betamethasone enemas and eicosapentaenoic acid have been used to treat intestinal GVHD in some patients.  N. Ref:: 125

 

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[88]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Prevention strategies for type 1 diabetes mellitus: current status and future directions.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - BioDrugs 2003;17(1):39-64.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Winter WE; Schatz D

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Department of Pathology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32610, USA. winter@pathology.ufl.edu

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - Type 1 diabetes mellitus affects about 1 in 300 people in North America and Europe. Epidemiological studies indicate that the incidence and thus prevalence of type 1 diabetes is rising worldwide. Intervention in autoimmune type 1a diabetes could occur at the time of diagnosis or, preferably, prior to clinical presentation during the ‘prediabetic’ period (e.g. prevention). Prediabetes is best recognised by the detection of islet autoantibodies in the serum. Promising intervention strategies include monoclonal antibody therapies (e.g. anti-CD3, anti-CD25, anti-CD52 or anti-CD20 monoclonal antibodies), immunosuppression (e.g. calcineurin inhibitors, B7 blockade, glucocorticoids, sirolimus (rapamycin), azathioprine or mycophenolate mofetil), immunomodulatory therapies (e.g. plasmapheresis, intravenous immunoglobulin, cytokine administration, adoptive cellular gene therapy) and tolerisation interventions (e.g. autoantigen administration or avoidance, altered peptide ligand or peptide-based therapies). To date, islet and pancreas transplantation have essentially been reserved for patients with long-standing diabetes who have complications and are also in need of a concurrent kidney transplant. None of the therapies attempted to date has produced long-term remissions in new-onset type 1 diabetes patients and no therapies have been shown to prevent the disease. Nevertheless, with advances in our understanding of basic immunology and the cellular and molecular mechanisms of tolerance induction and maintenance, successful intervention therapies will be developed. The balance between safety and efficacy is critical. Higher rates of adverse events might be more tolerable in new-onset type 1 diabetes patients if the therapy is extremely effective at inducing a permanent remission. However, therapies must not harm the beta-cells themselves or any organ system that is a potential target of diabetes complications, such as the nervous system, retina, cardiovascular system or kidney. In the treatment of prediabetes, successful therapies should provide a level of safety similar to that of currently used vaccines and a high level of efficacy.  N. Ref:: 244

 

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[89]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Regulation of MAPK signaling pathways through immunophilin-ligand complex.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Curr Top Med Chem 2003;3(12):1358-67.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Matsuda S; Koyasu S

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan.

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - It is well established that the immunosuppressive effects of cyclosporin A (CsA) and FK506 (also known as tacrolimus) are mediated through binding to their cognate cellular proteins cyclophilin and FKBP (collectively termed immunophilins), respectively. Biochemical analysis had revealed that cyclophilin-CsA and FKBP-FK506 complexes bind to and inactivate Ca(2+)-dependent serine/threonine phosphatase calcineurin. Since calcineurin regulates nuclear translocation and subsequent activation of nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT) transcription factors that is one of essential steps for cytokine gene expression in activated T cells, it is believed that inhibition of calcineurin is a molecular basis of the immunosuppressive properties of CsA and FK506. However, recent studies indicate that both CsA and FK506 can block activation of JNK and p38 signaling pathways during T cell activation. CsA and FK506, thus, have two distinct mechanisms of action; one is the inhibition of the protein phosphatase activity of calcineurin, leading to the blockade of the nuclear translocation of NFAT transcription factors, and the other is the suppression of JNK and p38 activation pathways. It is likely that the presence of two distinct targets in T cell activation makes CsA and FK506 highly potent immunosuppressive drugs. Here we discuss the action of immunophilin-ligand complexes on JNK and p38 activation pathways. We also argue the possibility of immunotherapeutic application targeting at JNK and p38 signaling pathways.  N. Ref:: 121

 

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[90]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Maintenance immunosuppression in the renal transplant recipient: an overview.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Am J Kidney Dis 2001 Dec;38(6 Suppl 6):S25-35.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Gaston RS

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Division of Nephrology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA. rgaston@nrtc.uab.edu

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - Managing maintenance immunosuppressive regimens after kidney transplantation is often challenging and confusing, requiring careful attention to efficacy, dosing, adverse effects, and costs of multiple medications. Most protocols combine a primary immunosuppressant (cyclosporine or tacrolimus) with one or two adjunctive agents (azathioprine, mycophenolate mofetil, sirolimus, corticosteroids). Avoiding drug-drug interactions is a major part of effective immunosuppressant management, and special situations (eg, pregnancy, intravenous dosing, caring for minority patients) can prove especially daunting. This review summarizes available data regarding current practices in maintenance immunosuppression, emphasizing issues that arise in day-to-day management of renal transplant recipients.  N. Ref:: 69

 

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[91]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - What’s in the pipeline? New immunosuppressive drugs in transplantation.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Am J Transplant 2002 Nov;2(10):898-903.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Vincenti F

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - University of California, San Francisco, Kidney Transplant Service, 505 Parnassus Avenue, Room 884M, San Francisco, CA 94143-0116, USA. vincentif@surgery.ucsf.edu

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - In the pipeline, there are a number of novel immunosuppressive drugs in preclinical development or in early clinical trials. The major target of new agents are cell-surface molecules important in immune cell interactions (especially the costimulatory pathway), signaling pathways that activate T cells, T-cell proliferation and trafficking and recruitment of immune cells responsible for rejection. The most promising biologic agents include a humanized anti-CD11a (anti-LFA1), humanized anti-B7.1/B7.2, a second-generation CTLA4Ig (LEA29Y) and a humanized antibody to anti-CD45 RB. Inhibitors of T-cell activation and signaling are still in preclinical development. The most interesting inhibitors of T-cell proliferation include inhibitors of the Janus protein tyrosine kinase, JAK3, and FK778, a leflunomide analog. Chemokines play an important role in rejection by virtue of their critical role as regulator of trafficking and activation of lymphocytes. Early trials of FTY720, a synthetic small molecule with functional homology to sphingosine-1 phosphate leading to lymphocyte sequestration, appear very promising; however, enthusiasm for this drug is mitigated by its potential cardiac side-effects. Antagonists to several chemokine receptors, including CCR1, CXCR3 and CCR5, have been shown to be effective in experimental transplantation and are likely to be considered for clinical development.  N. Ref:: 46

 

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[92]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Tolerance to islet autoantigens in type 1 diabetes.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Annu Rev Immunol 2001;19:131-61.

      ●● Enlace al texto completo (gratuito o de pago) 1146/annurev.immunol.19.1.131

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Bach JF; Chatenoud L

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - INSERM U 25, Hopital Necker, 161 rue de Sevres, Paris Cedex 15, 75743 France. bach@necker.fr

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - Tolerance to beta cell autoantigens represents a fragile equilibrium. Autoreactive T cells specific to these autoantigens are present in most normal individuals but are kept under control by a number of peripheral tolerance mechanisms, among which CD4(+) CD25(+) CD62L(+) T cell-mediated regulation probably plays a central role. The equilibrium may be disrupted by inappropriate activation of autoantigen-specific T cells, notably following to local inflammation that enhances the expression of the various molecules contributing to antigen recognition by T cells. Even when T cell activation finally overrides regulation, stimulation of regulatory cells by CD3 antibodies may reset the control of autoimmunity. Other procedures may also lead to disease prevention. These procedures are essentially focused on Th2 cytokines, whether used systemically or produced by Th2 cells after specific stimulation by autoantigens. Protection can also be obtained by NK T cell stimulation. Administration of beta cell antigens or CD3 antibodies is now being tested in clinical trials in prediabetics and/or recently diagnosed diabetes.  N. Ref:: 153

 

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[93]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Reactivation of replication of hepatitis B and C viruses after immunosuppressive therapy: an unresolved issue.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Lancet Oncol 2002 Jun;3(6):333-40.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Vento S; Cainelli F; Longhi MS

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Pathology, University of Verona, Borgo Trento Hospital, Verona, Italy. ventosandro@yahoo.it

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - The liver is susceptible to the toxic effects of many cytotoxic or immunosuppressive treatments. However, in carriers of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and, less frequently, of hepatitis C virus, liver damage due to reactivation of viral replication can occur after withdrawal of immunosuppressive drugs. These reactivations, which are associated with fulminant forms of hepatitis in up to 25% of cases, are observed both in symptom-free chronic carriers of hepatitis B surface antigen and in patients who have chronic hepatitis B or C and concurrent haematological tumours or solid neoplasms or who have received transplants. HBV-related complications may cause delays or modifications of therapy, and the chance of cure is reduced. In this review, we analyse clinical, biochemical, and serological issues in reactivation of viral replication and examine the role of immune reactions in the pathogenesis and the possible toxicity of immunosuppressive drugs. We emphasise the importance of identifying predictive markers of a clinically relevant reactivation, review difficulties in drug prevention and treatment, indicate studies that are needed to address the key clinical issues, and give practical recommendations to practising physicians and oncologists.  N. Ref:: 60

 

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[94]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation after cytotoxic or immunosuppressive therapy—pathogenesis and management.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Rev Med Virol 2001 Sep-Oct;11(5):287-99.

      ●● Enlace al texto completo (gratuito o de pago) 1002/rmv.322 [pii]

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Xunrong L; Yan AW; Liang R; Lau GK

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - University Department of Medicine, Queen Mary Hospital, 102 Pokfulum Road, Hong Kong SAR, China.

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - In an endemic area for chronic hepatitis B infection, reactivation of this virus is a serious cause of morbidity and mortality in patients undergoing cytotoxic or immunosuppressive therapy. Careful prospective serological testing has shown that hepatitis B virus reactivation is a two-staged process. The initial stage occurs during intense cytotoxic or immunosuppressive therapy and is characterised by enhanced viral replication, as reflected by increases in the serum levels of hepatitis B virus DNA, hepatitis B e antigen, hepatitis B virus DNA polymerase and infection of naive hepatocytes with hepatitis B virus. The second stage is related to restoration of immune function following withdrawal of cytotoxic or immunosuppressive therapy, which causes rapid immune-mediated destruction of infected hepatocytes. Clinically, this can lead to hepatitis, hepatic failure and even death. The occurrence and severity of hepatitis B virus reactivation after various cytotoxic or immunosuppressive therapy is unpredictable and treatment has been disappointing, largely due to the late administration of therapy. Recently, pre-emptive treatment of chronic hepatitis B patients undergoing cytotoxic or immunosuppressive therapy, with potent nucleoside analogues has shown some promising results. Further controlled studies are needed to define the incidence and risk factors of hepatitis B reactivation so that pre-emptive treatment with nucleoside analogues could be administered to those patients at high risk of disease.  N. Ref:: 93

 

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[95]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - The role of newer monoclonal antibodies in renal transplantation.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Transplant Proc 2001 Feb-Mar;33(1-2):1000-1.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Vincenti F

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - University of California, San Francisco, California, USA.  N. Ref:: 5

 

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[96]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Mechanisms of action of therapeutics in idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - J Pediatr Hematol Oncol 2003 Dec;25 Suppl 1:S52-6.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Cines DB; McKenzie SE; Siegel DL

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, 513A Stellar-Chance, 422 Curie Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA. dcines@mail.med.upenn.edu

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) is a common immune disorder caused by platelet-reactive autoantibodies. Antibody-coated platelets are cleared more rapidly from the circulation, often in the spleen, than they can be replaced by compensatory stimulation of platelet production in the bone marrow. In some patients, platelet production is depressed as well. ITP in adults does not generally remit spontaneously, and most patients require treatment to prevent bleeding at one time or another. Therapy with corticosteroids, danazol, intravenous immune globulin, anti-D antibody, and several other agents inhibits clearance of the antibody-coated platelets but is rarely curative. Most patients will sustain a hemostatic response after splenectomy, although relapses may occur at any time. Patients may be more responsive to these same modalities after splenectomy, but treatment with an immunosuppressant that inhibits T- and B-cell function and cooperation, including azathioprine, cyclophosphamide, cyclosporine, mycophenolate mofetil, or anti-CD20, may be required. Antiviral therapy is useful in patients with HIV or hepatitis C infection, but no consensus has been reached as to the efficacy of antibiotics to eradicate Helicobacter pylori. Promising results have been seen in several patients treated with a modified thrombopoietin. It may be possible to design therapeutics that exploit the apparent restricted immunoglobulin gene usage by antiplatelet antibodies, perhaps in the form of engineered anti-idiotypic antibodies or other compounds that specifically target autoantibody-producing B cells. Rationale therapy awaits a more thorough understanding of autoantibody production.  N. Ref:: 46

 

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[97]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Advances in the management of psoriasis: monoclonal antibody therapies.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Int J Dermatol 2002 Dec;41(12):827-35.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Mehrabi D; DiCarlo JB; Soon SL; McCall CO

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Department of Dermatology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - Psoriasis is a common skin disorder characterized by erythematous, scaling plaques. Until recently, therapies for this disease have been aimed at reducing keratinocyte proliferation. We have learned that psoriasis is not primarily a disorder of keratinocyte hyperproliferation, but is an inflammatory disease. This knowledge, especially our current understanding of the role of activated T cells in psoriasis, has led to new therapeutic options and new areas of research. Immunosuppressive agents such as cyclosporine have proven very useful in the treatment of psoriasis, but their use is limited by toxicity. Monoclonal antibodies directed against key components of the inflammatory process have been studied in an attempt to produce safer, more selective immunosuppressive agents. This review summarizes much of the available literature describing the use of monoclonal antibodies in the treatment of psoriasis.  N. Ref:: 59

 

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[98]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Molecular mechanisms of renal allograft fibrosis.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Br J Surg 2001 Nov;88(11):1429-41.

      ●● Enlace al texto completo (gratuito o de pago) 1046/j.0007-1323.2001.01867.x

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Waller JR; Nicholson ML

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Division of Transplant Surgery, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK. julian@waller79.fsnet.co.uk

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - BACKGROUND: Chronic graft nephropathy (CGN) remains the leading cause of renal allograft loss after the first year following transplantation. Histologically it is characterized by glomerulosclerosis, intimal hyperplasia and interstitial fibrosis. The pathogenesis is unclear, but is likely to involve both immunological and non-immunological factors. Despite improvements in short-term graft survival rates, new immunosuppressive regimens have made no impact on CGN. METHODS: A review of the current literature on renal transplantation, novel immunosuppression regimens and advances in the molecular pathogenesis of renal allograft fibrosis was performed. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Recent advances in understanding of the underlying molecular mechanisms involved suggest autocrine secretion of cytokines and growth factors, especially transforming growth factor beta, are associated with a change in fibroblast phenotype leading to the deposition of extracellular matrix. Repeated insults trigger upregulation of the tissue inhibitors of matrix metalloproteinases, favouring accumulation of extracellular matrix. To date, no drug has proved effective in inhibiting or reducing allograft fibrosis. The deleterious consequences of chronic immunosuppression on the development of such fibrosis are now recognized; newer immunosuppressive drugs, including rapamycin and mycophenolate mofetil, reduce profibrotic gene expression in both experimental and clinical settings, and offer potential strategies for prolonging allograft survival.  N. Ref:: 155

 

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[99]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Immunologic risk factors for chronic renal allograft dysfunction.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Transplantation 2001 Jun 15;71(11 Suppl):SS17-23.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Paul LC

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Leiden University Medical School, The Netherlands.

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - Tissue injury is probably the central feature leading to CRAD, whether that injury is produced by immunological or nonimmunological factors. Tissue injury may expose cryptic antigens that, in an allogeneic situation, stimulate immune responses that further increase tissue damage. With acute rejection the immunological factor most strongly predictive of CRAD, HLA mismatches may facilitate rejection or otherwise lead to CRAD. However, clinical studies have not always demonstrated an increasing risk of CRAD with increased numbers of HLA mismatches. Antibodies produced against HLA or other donor-specific antigens may play a role in initiating the CRAD process or may occur secondary to tissue damage. Several human transplant studies have demonstrated an association between anti-HLA or anti-B cell antibodies and CRAD. In animal models of CRAD, antibodies are produced against antigens associated with glomerular and tubular basement membranes and mesangial cells, as well as antigens associated with vascular endothelial cells. The pathogenetic significance of these antibody responses is unclear at this time, but these responses may interfere with repair processes that follow tissue injury or otherwise facilitate mechanisms leading to CRAD. Whether similar antibody responses against components of basement membrane and mesangial cells occur in human renal transplant patients with CRAD is not yet known. The most effective way to prevent CRAD is to prevent tissue damage, especially immunity-related injury that involves maintaining appropriate immunosuppression. When using calcineurin inhibitors for immunosuppression, there is a risk of chronic calcineurin inhibitor-associated nephrotoxicity. Nonnephrotoxic immunosuppressive agents, such as sirolimus and mycophenolate mofetil, may be considered in therapeutic strategies designed to prevent acute rejection and to minimize renal tissue damage due to nephrotoxic drugs.  N. Ref:: 54

 

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[100]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Donor specific transfusion in kidney transplantation: effect of different immunosuppressive protocols on graft outcome.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Transplant Proc 2001 Aug;33(5):2787-8.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Barbari A; Stephan A; Masri MA; Joubran N; Dagher O; Kamel G

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Department ofNephrology and Transplantation, Rizk Hospital, Beirut, Lebanon.

 

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[101]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Overview of clinical trials with new agents.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Transplant Proc 2001 May;33(3):2201-3.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Charpentier B; Hiesse C; Durrbach A; Ammor M; Von Ey F; Kechrid C; Kriaa F

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Nephrology Department, University Hospital of Bicetre, Kremlin Bicetre, France.  N. Ref:: 12

 

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[102]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Tailoring immunosuppressive therapy in renal transplantation.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Transplant Proc 2002 Sep;34(6):2478-9.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Vathsala A

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Department of Renal Medicine, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore.  N. Ref:: 13

 

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[103]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - The macrolide immunosuppressants in dermatology: mechanisms of action.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Eur J Dermatol 2002 Nov-Dec;12(6):618-22.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Marsland AM; Griffiths CE

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Dermatology Centre, University of Manchester School of Medicine, Hope Hospital, United Kingdom. sacha.marsland@virgin.net

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - Macrolides are xenobiotics, produced by soil fungi, which have immunosuppressant properties. They will probably revolutionise the treatment of inflammatory dermatoses. This article outlines the context and putative mechanisms of action of this novel class of drugs. Cyclosporin, and the structurally distinct macrolides tacrolimus and pimecrolimus (an ascomycin derivative), modulate immune-cell function by inhibiting calcineurin-dependent dephosphorylation-activation of specific nuclear factors, thus preventing transcription of pro-inflammatory cytokines. The macrolide rapamycin (sirolimus) acts by abrogating Target of Rapamycin, a key signalling protein that controls activation of a number of proteins which direct progression of the cell cycle in response to pro-inflammatory cytokines. Tacrolimus and pimecrolimus are small enough molecules to penetrate skin and are available in topical formulations. “Skin-specific” pimecrolimus seems not to cause systemic immunosuppression when given orally. Neither topical tacrolimus nor pimecrolimus are capable of producing skin atrophy. Sirolimus has anti-angiogenic properties that may be beneficial to the treatment of psoriasis and perhaps skin cancer.  N. Ref:: 27

 

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[104]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Plant growth and the TOR pathway.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Curr Top Microbiol Immunol 2004;279:97-113.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Menand B; Meyer C; Robaglia C

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - CEA Cadarache DSV DEVM, Laboratoire du Metabolisme Carbone, UMR 163 CNRS CEA, Univ-Mediterranee UMR 163, Saint-Paul-lez-Durance, France.

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - In mammalian, insect, and yeast cells, TOR proteins are essential regulators of cell growth in response to environmental signals including nutrients, mitogens, and stresses. Although many aspects of the TOR-dependent signalling pathway are conserved between animals and fungi, important differences have also been found and are likely to be related to the ecophysiological adaptations of these organisms. The TOR protein also exists in plants. This review will first discuss specific aspects of plants concerning the contribution of cell growth to overall growth, as well as their responses to nutrient starvation, with emphasis on recent results obtained through genetic analysis in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. This is followed by the current status of the genetic analysis of the TOR gene in this plant and the search for potential members of a TOR pathway in the Arabidopsis genome.  N. Ref:: 51

 

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[105]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Cyclophilin D as a drug target.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Curr Med Chem 2003 Aug;10(16):1485-506.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Waldmeier PC; Zimmermann K; Qian T; Tintelnot-Blomley M; Lemasters JJ

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Nervous System Research, Novartis Pharma Ltd., CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland. peter.waldmeier@pharma.novartis.com

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - The mitochondrial permeability transition (MPT) plays an important role in damage-induced cell death, and agents inhibiting the MPT may have a therapeutic potential for treating human conditions such as ischemia/reperfusion injury, trauma, and neurodegenerative diseases. The mitochondrial matrix protein, cyclophilin D (CYP D), a member of a family of highly homologous peptidylprolyl cis-trans isomerases (PPIases), plays a decisive role in MPT, being an integral constituent of the MPT pore. Other putative MPT pore proteins include the adenine nucleotide translocator (ANT) and the voltage-dependent anion channel (VDAC). In an alternative model, the MPT pore is formed by clusters of misfolded membrane proteins outlining aqueous channels that are regulated by CYP D and other chaperone-like proteins. Like cyclophilin A (CYP A) and other cyclophilin family members, CYP D is targeted by the immunosuppressant cyclosporin A (CsA). CsA is cytoprotective in many cellular and animal models, but protection may result from either inhibition of the MPT through an interaction with CYP D or inhibition of calcineurin-mediated dephosphorylation of BAD through an interaction with CYP A. The relevance of MPT inhibition by CsA for its cytoprotective effects is well documented in many cellular models. Mechanisms of action in vivo are more difficult to define, and accordingly the evidence is as yet less compelling in in vivo animal models of ischemia/reperfusion injury, trauma and neurodegenerative diseases. Notwithstanding, CYP D is a drug target of high interest. Structural considerations suggest feasibility of designing CYP D ligands without immunosuppressant properties. This is highly desirable, since they have the potential of being useful therapeutic agents in a variety of disease states. It might be a tougher challenge to obtain compounds specific for CYP D vs. other cyclophilins, and/or of small molecular weight, allowing brain penetration to make them suitable for treating neurodegenerative diseases.  N. Ref:: 204

 

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[106]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Infectious complications in SLE after immunosuppressive therapies.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Curr Opin Rheumatol 2003 Sep;15(5):528-34.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Kang I; Park SH

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Section of Rheumatology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, USA. insoo.kang@yale.edu

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - Immunosuppressive drugs have become the gold standard for the treatment of major organ involvement in systemic lupus erythematosus. The use of immunosuppressive therapy in systemic lupus erythematosus carries significant risks for infection. This article reviews infectious complications in systemic lupus erythematosus, focusing on effects of immunosuppressive therapy. Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus appear to carry an intrinsically increased risk for infection. Recent studies support this notion further by showing increased risk for serious infections in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus who had mannose-binding lectin deficiency associated with homozygous mannose-binding lectin variant alleles. Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus who were homozygous for mannose-binding lectin variant alleles had a fourfold increase in the incidence of infections, requiring hospitalization. In terms of extrinsic risk factors for infection, use of steroids and cyclophosphamide are the strongest risk factors. The effect of these drugs on infection is also dose dependent. The incidence of infectious complications in patients treated with mycophenolate mofetil, a newly used immunosuppressive drug in systemic lupus erythematosus, appears less frequent compared with cyclophosphamide. Herpes zoster is still the most common viral infection in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus treated with cyclophosphamide and mycophenolate mofetil. Overall data indicate that patients with systemic lupus erythematosus may have intrinsically increased risks for infection that are augmented by immunosuppressive therapies. Cyclophosphamide, in particular in combination with high-dose glucocorticoids, has the strongest effect in suppressing the immune responses against microorganisms. Careful monitoring of infectious complications is warranted in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus receiving immunosuppressive therapies, in particular those on high-dose glucocorticoids and cytotoxic drugs.  N. Ref:: 87

 

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[107]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - T-cell depleting antibodies: new hope for induction of allograft tolerance in bone marrow transplantation?

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - BioDrugs 2003;17(3):147-54.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Simpson D

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - North Shore Hospital, PB 93-503, Takapuna, Auckland 1309, New Zealand. david.simpson@whl.co.nz

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - Graft versus host disease (GVHD) remains the main barrier to successful allogeneic bone marrow transplant outcomes. Depletion of graft T cells is an effective way of reducing the incidence of acute and chronic GVHD, and a variety of methods have been used to achieve this depletion. Donor CD8+ T cells seem to be the critical effector cells; GVHD is reduced when the depletion process eliminates these cells, but not when CD4 cells are targeted alone. However, despite the successful reduction in GVHD, transplant outcomes are usually inferior with T-cell depleted transplants, because of increased graft failure, infections and relapse. Alternative approaches are needed. In vivo T-cell depletion, using antithymocyte globulin (ATG) as part of the conditioning regimen, seems an attractive option. Pre-transplant ATG lingers in the bone marrow to deplete engrafting donor T cells, but also depletes host T cells to prevent graft rejection and allow de-escalation of the conditioning regimen. It also avoids the need for graft manipulation with its associated costs, need for expertise and CD34+ cell loss. The efficacy of pre-transplant horse ATG remains anecdotal but it has been reported to modestly lower GVHD in single arm studies. Rabbit ATG has been studied in prospective randomised trials. There is evidence of a dose-response effect in reducing GVHD; however, there was no improvement in outcome, because of increased mortality associated with infection. In contrast, pre-transplant alemtuzumab (campath-1H) or an earlier version of this molecule (campath-1G), which target CD52+ cells, do appear to be effective in reducing both acute and chronic GVHD. There is speculation that this is not solely due to the effect of campath on T cells but that it may also be due to the elimination of host antigen-presenting cells (APC), which seem to be important in GVHD pathogenesis. Host APC are more efficient at expressing endogenous and exogenous host antigens on class I MHC to donor CD8+ cells than donor APC, which need to cross-prime exogenous antigen. Campath-1G eliminates host dendritic cells by the time of graft infusion, supporting this as a possible mechanism of action. Pre-transplant alemtuzumab has not yet been studied in a prospective randomised study, and this is required to quantify any benefit on outcome; despite this, published studies do show cause for optimism.  N. Ref:: 42

 

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[108]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Immune activation is required for the induction of liver allograft tolerance: implications for immunosuppressive therapy.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Liver Transpl 2001 Mar;7(3):161-72.

      ●● Enlace al texto completo (gratuito o de pago) 1053/jlts.2001.22321

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Bishop GA; McCaughan GW

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - A.W. Morrow Gastroenterology and Liver Laboratory, Centenary Institute, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown, Sydney, Australia.

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - Liver transplants in many animal models are unusual because often they are not rejected even when transplanted across complete major histocompatibility complex barriers without immunosuppression. Their paradoxical behavior is even more obvious when the immune mechanism of acceptance is examined. Instead of acceptance resulting from a lack of immune response to the graft, the opposite occurs, and there is an unusual extensive increase in immune activation in acceptance compared with rejection. This abnormal extensive immune activation is driven by donor leukocytes transferred with the liver and results in death of the recipient cells that would normally reject the transplant. Some forms of immunosuppression inhibit this activation-associated liver transplant tolerance. The significance of these findings and possible means to design future treatment protocols for clinical transplantation that optimize management of liver transplant recipients are discussed.  N. Ref:: 97

 

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[109]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Evolution of immunosuppression and continued importance of acute rejection in renal transplantation.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Am J Kidney Dis 2001 Dec;38(6 Suppl 6):S2-9.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Chan L; Gaston R; Hariharan S

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Department of Renal Medicine, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver, CO 80262, USA. Larry.Chan@uchsc.edu

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - As steady improvement in short-term kidney graft survival and long-term outcomes prolongs the lives of transplant patients, responsibility for their care is shifting away from transplant specialists and into the hands of community nephrologists. Therefore, community nephrologists need to have a deeper understanding of immunosuppressive therapies than ever before. Pharmacologic immunosuppression has been continuously evolving over the past two decades. Azathioprine was introduced in the early 1960s. Introduction of cyclosporine (CsA) in 1983 revolutionized short-term outcomes after renal transplantation. The first monoclonal antibody immunosuppressant, OKT3, was introduced in 1986. The 1990s saw the introduction of a number of important new agents, including mycophenolate mofetil (MMF), tacrolimus, and a microemulsion CsA, as well as two new monoclonal antibodies. Combinations of these new agents, along with improving clinical care, have produced 1-year patient survival approaching 100% and graft survival exceeding 90%. The newest class of agents, the first of which is sirolimus, is called target of rapamycin (TOR) inhibitors and is used with CsA for maintenance therapy. Immunosuppressive drug therapy after kidney transplantation continues to evolve. There is a variety of pharmacologic combinations from which to choose, based on immunologic risk and side effect profiles. As new regimens are developed, ongoing communications between the transplant center and community nephrologists will be required to implement therapeutic changes and optimize patient care successfully.  N. Ref:: 59

 

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[110]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Decreasing side effects of Neoral through three-times-a-day protocol in Chinese renal transplant patients.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Transplant Proc 2001 Nov-Dec;33(7-8):3156-7.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Chen ZS; Zeng FJ; Lin ZB; Chen ZK; Sha B; Wen ZX; Ming CS; Zhang WJ; Xia SS

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Institute of Organ Transplantation, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.

 

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[111]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Sirolimus-based immunosuppressive [correction of immunosuppresive] protocol for calcineurin sparing in liver transplantation.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Transplant Proc 2002 Aug;34(5):1522-3.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Heffron TG; Smallwood GA; Davis L; Martinez E; Stieber AC

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Department of Surgery, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.

 

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[112]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Sirolimus and islet transplants.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Transplant Proc 2003 May;35(3 Suppl):187S-190S.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Hering BJ; Wijkstrom M

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Diabetes Institute for Immunology and Transplantation, Department of Surgery, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.  N. Ref:: 36

 

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[113]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Successful treatment of refractory Langerhans cell histiocytosis with unrelated cord blood transplantation.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - J Pediatr Hematol Oncol 2001 Dec;23(9):629-32.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Nagarajan R; Neglia J; Ramsay N; Baker KS

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology/Oncology/Blood and Marrow Transplant, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, USA. nagar003@tc.umn.edu

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - A 2-month-old girl presented for treatment with a diffuse rash, interstitial pneumonia, otorrhea, and lymphadenopathy. Skin biopsy confirmed Langerhans cell histocytosis by electron microscopy. After receiving multiple courses of chemotherapy, only marginal improvement was achieved, with progressive marrow and liver involvement. The decision was made to pursue a human leukocyte antigen-identical unrelated cord blood transplantation. Two years after transplant, the bone marrow was clear of Langerhans cell histocytosis and 100% donor engraftment. The poor prognosis of patients with an inadequate response to therapy and the presence of organ dysfunction (marrow and liver) substantiated the decision to pursue an unrelated cord blood transplantation.  N. Ref:: 20

 

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[114]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - mTOR signaling to translation.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Curr Top Microbiol Immunol 2004;279:169-97.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Gingras AC; Raught B; Sonenberg N

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Department of Biochemistry, McGill Cancer Centre, McGill University, 3655 Promenade Sir-William-Osler, Montreal, Quebec, H3G 1Y6, Canada.

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - Over the past few years, the target of rapamycin (TOR) pathway has been implicated in the control of translation, both in yeast and in higher eukaryotes. In this review, we provide an overview of translation in eukaryotes, and discuss the mechanisms and advantages of the regulation of translation. We then describe how the TOR pathway can modulate translation in yeast and in mammals, through the modulation of the phosphorylation of key translation components, and the regulation of the abundance of ribosomes and translation factors.  N. Ref:: 117

 

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[115]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Immunosuppression protocols for HLA identical renal transplant recipients.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Transplant Proc 2003 May;35(3):1074-5.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Keitel E; Santos AF; Alves MA; Neto JP; Schaefer PG; Bittar AE; Goldani JC; Pozza R; Bruno RM; See D; Garcia CD; Garcia VD

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Renal Transplant Unit, Santa Casa Hospital, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil. keitel@terra.com.br

 

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[116]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Sirolimus in liver transplantation.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Transplant Proc 2003 May;35(3 Suppl):193S-200S.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Trotter JF

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Division of Gastroenterology/Hepatology, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Boulder, Colorado 80262, USA. James.Trotter@uchsc.edu

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - Since its introduction in renal transplantation in 1999, sirolimus is being used by an increasing number of liver transplant centers. Compared to the calcineurin inhibitors, sirolimus acts through a separate signal transduction pathway and has a myriad of important biologic effects including: inhibition of lymphocyte proliferation, inhibition of fibrosis and fibroblast proliferation, and antineoplastic effects. The clinical side-effect profile of this drug is also different than calcineurin inhibitors. Most important, sirolimus does not cause glucose intolerance, hypertension, or renal insufficiency. As a result, this drug offers significant potential advantages over conventional immunosuppressive agents. However, sirolimus may cause hyperlipidemia and has also been associated with hepatic artery thrombosis in liver transplant recipients. This review will summarize the published data on sirolimus in liver transplantation, focusing on the potential advantages and disadvantage of the use of this drug in liver transplant recipients. Finally, the potential benefits of antifibrosis and antineoplastic effects of sirolimus in liver transplant recipients will be discussed.  N. Ref:: 29

 

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[117]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - The immune-suppressive effects of pain.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Adv Exp Med Biol 2003;521:117-25.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Page GG

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.  N. Ref:: 56

 

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[118]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Mycophenolate mofetil: suggested guidelines for use in kidney transplantation.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - BioDrugs 2001;15(1):37-53.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Behrend M

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Abteilung fur Viszeral- und Transplantationschirurgie, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, Hannover, Germany. Behrend.Matthias@MH-Hannover.de

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - Mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) is an immunosuppressive drug designed to inhibit inosine monophosphate dehydrogenase (IMPDH). IMPDH is a key enzyme in the de novo purine synthesis of lymphocytes. It is crucially important for proliferative responses of human T and B lymphocytes. The inhibition of IMPDH thus leads to selective lymphocyte suppression. After successful use in various in vitro and animal models, MMF was brought to clinical trial in patients undergoing transplantation. The drug is rapidly and completely absorbed following oral administration. Pilot studies of administration with cyclosporin and corticosteroids suggested a significant reduction in the incidence of organ rejection at dosages of 1 to 3 g/day. As a result of these studies, 3 pivotal randomised double-blind multicentre trials, involving nearly 1500 patients, were designed to investigate the effects of addition of MMF to different standard immunosuppressive protocols on the prevention of acute renal allograft rejection. After 6 months, the rates of biopsy-proven rejection were significantly reduced in patients receiving MMF. In combination with cyclosporin and corticosteroids, the adverse effect profile resembled that of azathioprine. Most adverse effects were associated with the gastrointestinal tract, the blood system and opportunistic infections. MMF offers improved immunosuppressive therapy following renal and probably other solid organ transplantation. MMF has been licensed since 1995 for the prevention of acute renal allograft rejection in most countries. It has been used in different combinations of immunosuppressive drugs and in various dosages and regimens.  N. Ref:: 124

 

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[119]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Treatment with immunotoxin.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. Acceso gratuito al texto completo a partir de los 2 años de la fecha de publicación.

      ●● Enlace a la Editora de la Revista http://www.pubs.royalsoc.ac.uk/ 

      ●● Cita: Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci: <> 2001 May 29;356(1409):681-9.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Knechtle SJ

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Department of Surgery, Division of Organ Transplantation, 600 Highland Avenue, University of Wisconsin Medical School, Madison,WI 53792-7375, USA. stuart@tx.surgery.wisc.edu

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - T-cell depletion prior to or beginning at the time of transplantation has been shown to be a valuable adjunct to the induction of immunological unresponsiveness. Both total lymphoid irradiation and anti-lymphocyte globulin have been used for this purpose in experimental models of transplantation as well as in human organ transplant recipients. However, these methods of T-cell depletion are limited in their ability to deplete T cells selectively due to non-specific targeting and limited efficacy. A new anti-CD3 immunotoxin has been developed with a far more potent ability to deplete T cells selectively as measured by flow cytometry analysis of peripheral blood T lymphocytes as well as lymph node lymphocytes. This immunotoxin is well tolerated by rhesus monkeys when administered in vivo. When administered as a single immunosuppressive agent pretransplant, it substantially promotes allograft survival, inducing tolerance in at least one-third of recipients as measured by subsequent acceptance of donor skin grafts and rejection of third-party skin grafts. When administered on the day of transplant in combination with steroid pretreatment and a brief course of deoxyspergualin or mycophenolate mofetil (4 to 14 days), long-term unresponsiveness is also produced and in a more reliable manner than using immunotoxin alone. A new immunotoxin directed at the human CD3epsilon has been developed with excellent potency in T-cell killing and lacking the Fc portion of the CD3 antibody. This construct may be useful for T-cell depletion in humans and has a potential application in tolerance induction in human organ transplantation. Lessons learned from anti-CD3 immunotoxin in the non-human primate model to date include (i) profound (2-3 log) depletion of T-cells can be accomplished safely without inducing lymphoma or infection, (ii) such depletion is a useful adjunct for tolerance induction to allogeneic organ transplants, and (iii) tolerance to both allogeneic renal transplants and xenogeneic islet transplants has been accomplished using such strategies to date in non-human primates and in pigs. Immunotoxin may be useful for the induction of chimerism using strategies that include donor bone marrow infusion. Successful strategies for tolerance induction have also been developed using immunotoxin without the adjunct of donor bone marrow or stem cell infusion. Clinical application of immunotoxin will use a newly engineered construct with the potential for causing cytokine release, less susceptibility to neutralization by anti-diphtheria antibody and not dependent on chemical conjugation of an antibody and toxin. The usefulness of immunotoxin is directly related to its tremendous potency for depleting T cells. Based on results in nonhuman primates, it is anticipated that it will become a useful agent in tolerance induction in humans.  N. Ref:: 63

 

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[120]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Atopic diseases of childhood.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Curr Opin Pediatr 2001 Oct;13(5):487-95.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Turvey SE

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Division of Immunology, Children’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA. stuart.turvey@tch.harvard.edu  N. Ref:: 102

 

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[121]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - An alternative mechanism for the immunosuppressive effect of transfusion.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Vox Sang 2002 Aug;83 Suppl 1:417-9.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Dzik WH; Mincheff M; Puppo F

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Blood Transfusion Service, J-224, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA. sdzik@partners.org  N. Ref:: 15

 

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[122]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Single-agent immunosuppression after liver transplantation: what is possible?

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Drugs 2002;62(11):1587-97.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Raimondo ML; Burroughs AK

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Liver Transplantation and Hepato-Biliary Medicine, Royal Free Hospital, Hampstead, London, UK.

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - Orthotopic liver transplantation is a life saving and life enhancing procedure. The development of immunosuppressive drugs has contributed to the high rate of success in terms of both patient and graft survival. However, the considerable adverse effects of these therapies are affecting long-term outcomes of transplant recipients. Complications related to immunosuppression are responsible for the majority of deaths in patients surviving more than 1 year. Therefore, the search for an optimal immunosuppressive regimen has become of paramount importance. The liver has proved to be an ‘immunologically privileged’ organ, capable in several animal models to be accepted as an allograft without any intervention on the immune system of the recipient. In some human liver allografts acceptance of the new organ is recognised after withdrawal of immunosuppressants, but prior identification of such individuals is not yet possible, thus negating this management option. Graft-recipient interaction is peculiar in liver transplantation: acute cellular rejection does not always need to be treated, and if it is not severe, appears to be associated with a better survival of both patient and graft. In the last decade there has been an evolution of immunosuppressive protocols, driven by empirical observation and a deeper understanding of immunological events after transplant. However, most modifications have been made because of the necessity to reduce long-term drug related morbidity and mortality. Withdrawal of corticosteroids has proven to be safely achievable in most patients, with no deleterious effects on patient or graft survival but with a great benefit in terms of reduction of incidence of metabolic and cardiovascular complications. Long-term ‘steroid-free’ regimens are therefore now widely used. Patients with stable graft function can be easily maintained using a single drug usually after 6 or 12 months and usually with a calcineurin inhibitor. The more evolved step of using monotherapy ab initio has also proven to be effective in a few studies and needs to be explored further. In the future new strategies will be designed to help the development of tolerance of the allograft, selectively stimulating instead of suppressing the immune reaction of the recipient.  N. Ref:: 51

 

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[123]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Chronic urticaria: mechanisms and treatment.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Allergy Asthma Proc 2001 Mar-Apr;22(2):97-100.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Fox RW

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Division of Allergy and Immunology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of South Florida Health Sciences Center, 13000 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., VAR 111D, Tampa, FL 63312, USA.

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - Chronic urticaria (CU) is a vexing clinical syndrome. The clinician is challenged by the patient’s symptoms. The experienced physician can evaluate the CU patient and prescribe effective treatment. The following review emphasizes the autoimmune mechanisms of CU. Despite this new insight into the pathogenesis of CU, many cases are still categorized as idiopathic. CU patients are a heterogenous group of patients who require an individualized approach to evaluation and management.  N. Ref:: 20

 

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[124]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Therapeutic drug monitoring of immunosuppressive drugs in kidney transplantation.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Curr Opin Nephrol Hypertens 2002 Nov;11(6):657-63.

      ●● Enlace al texto completo (gratuito o de pago) 1097/01.mnh.0000040053.33359.26

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Holt DW

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Analytical Unit, St George’s Hospital Medical School, London, UK. d.holt@sghms.ac.uk

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Drug monitoring has become an accepted adjunct to optimizing therapy with immunosuppressive drugs. This review assesses publications that relate to the analytical techniques used to measure cyclosporin, tacrolimus, mycophenolic acid, sirolimus and everolimus, as well as the clinical data obtained for these drugs. For all of these drugs there has been a substantial and continuing investment in assessing the clinical value of drug monitoring. RECENT FINDINGS: Fundamental controversies still persist regarding which time point to use for monitoring. The most significant single development has been the move towards using a timed blood sample 2 h after drug administration (C2) to monitor cyclosporin therapy with the Neoral formulation. The favourable clinical results obtained with this approach have had an impact on reevaluating monitoring data for some of the other drugs. The newest drugs to reach clinical evaluation, sirolimus and everolimus, have been studied in the context of concentration-controlled dosing and there is a good rationale for their measurement. There have also been developments in the analytical techniques used, mostly to improve the selectivity of the assays or to adapt them to new monitoring strategies. SUMMARY: Interpretation of drug concentration data is becoming ever more complex in this field as the number of potential drug combinations expands. The relatively narrow therapeutic index of these agents and the ever-present risk of clinically significant pharmacokinetic drug interactions makes drug monitoring an important aspect of their prescription.  N. Ref:: 77

 

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[125]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Sirolimus (Rapamune) in renal transplantation.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Curr Opin Nephrol Hypertens 2002 Nov;11(6):603-7.

      ●● Enlace al texto completo (gratuito o de pago) 1097/01.mnh.0000040045.55337.97

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Johnson RW

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Manchester Postgraduate Health Sciences Centre, Manchester Royal Infirmary, Manchester.

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - There has been a necessary change in attitude to transplantation; there is much less concern with short-term outcome and more concern with long-term kidney function, overall health and quality of life. Nephrotoxicity is an invariable consequence of long-term treatment with calcineurin antagonists and it is one of the most underestimated causes of late graft loss; it has been reported as a serious threat to both patient and graft survival following heart, liver and bone marrow transplantation. Sirolimus has been shown in many recent studies to be of great value in allowing patients to be weaned from cyclosporine with excellent patient and graft survival at 24 months a significant improvement in renal function with resolution of hirsutism and gum hyperplasia. Patients maintained on the combined regime of cyclosporine and sirolimus had significantly higher blood pressure, much more cyclosporine nephrotoxicity and hyperuricaemia at 12 months. The experimental studies have found cyclosporine and sirolimus potentiate with each other’s good and adverse effects. Cyclosporine therefore augments hyperlipidaemia caused by sirolimus, and sirolimus augments nephrotoxicity caused by cyclosporine. The results of these studies indicate that sirolimus is a suitable replacement for cyclosporine or tacrolimus for long-term maintenance therapy. By contrast the use of sirolimus in combination with cyclosporine results in potentiation of side effects. The principal disadvantages being increased cyclosporine associated nephrotoxicity and sirolimus associated hyperlipidaemia  N. Ref:: 32

 

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[126]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Autoimmune hepatitis after liver transplantation and other lessons of self-intolerance.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Liver Transpl 2002 Jun;8(6):505-13.

      ●● Enlace al texto completo (gratuito o de pago) 1053/jlts.2002.33485

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Czaja AJ

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic and Mayo Foundation, Rochester, MN 55905, USA. czaja.albert@mayo.edu

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - Autoimmune hepatitis has been described as recurrent or de novo disease after transplantation. The legitimacy of these diagnoses and the bases for their occurrence are unknown. To better understand these aspects of allograft dysfunction, the purported pathogenic mechanisms of classical autoimmune hepatitis were reviewed and extrapolated to recurrent and de novo disease after transplantation. Loss of self-tolerance may relate to defects in the negative selection of autoreactive immunocytes and the clonal expansion of promiscuous lymphocytes that are cross-reactive to homologous antigens (molecular mimicry). Repopulation of the allograft with recipient antigen-presenting cells and the presence of primed promiscuous cytotoxic T cells within the recipient are likely factors for recurrent disease. Targets may be the same peptides that triggered the original disease, donor-derived class II antigens of the major histocompatibility complex, or homologous antigens associated with unidentified hepatotrophic viruses. De novo disease is probably due to similar mechanisms, but its predilection for children suggests that thymic dysfunction associated with cyclosporine treatment may be a factor. Corticosteroid therapy is effective in each condition. In conclusion, recurrent and de novo autoimmune hepatitis after transplantation are examples of self-intolerance. The mechanisms that perturb immunologic homeostasis in this human model of the classical disease must be studied more rigorously.  N. Ref:: 92

 

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[127]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Immunosuppressive effect of pregnancy on autoimmune hepatitis: a case report and review of literature.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol 2002 Feb 10;101(1):91-2.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Malhotra B; Malhotra N; Deka D; Takkar D

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India. bhawnams@hotmail.com

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - We report a case of autoimmune hepatitis with suppressed disease activity during pregnancy and relapse in puerperium. This is only the second report of such pregnancy-induced remission.  N. Ref:: 7

 

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[128]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Bone marrow transfusions in cadaver renal allografts: pilot trials with concurrent controls.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Clin Transplant 2002 Oct;16(5):317-24.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Light J; Salomon DR; Diethelm AG; Alexander JW; Hunsicker L; Thistlethwaite R; Reinsmoen N; Stablein DM

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Transplant Services, Washington Hospital Center, Washington, DC 20010, USA.jimmy.a.light@medstar.net

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - BACKGROUND: The safety and immune tolerance potential of donor marrow infusion with cadaveric source renal transplants was evaluated in a series of non-randomized multicenter pilot trials by the NIH Cooperative Clinical Trials in Transplantation (CCTT) Group. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Three strategies were tested: (1) immunosuppression with cyclosporin, azathioprine and prednisone with a single post-transplant day 1 infusion of 5 x 107 viable cells/kg, (2) OKT3 induction with triple drug therapy and marrow transfusion on day 1, or (3) same therapy as (2) but with an additional marrow transfusion on day 10-12. RESULTS: Thirty-eight marrow recipients and 35 contemporaneous controls were entered with a mean follow-up of over 5 yr. Graft survival was initially better in the marrow recipients than the controls but was similar after 5 yr. Microchimerism rates were similar for the marrow infusion and control groups throughout the follow-up period, regardless of the immunosuppression strategies. DISCUSSION: Bone marrow infusions were well tolerated by a group of cadaver renal allograft recipients. There were no complications from the infusion(s), no episodes of graft-vs.-host disease (GVHD) and no increase in infections or other complications. There was a trend toward early improved graft survival in marrow recipients. Decreased rejection rates were observed in black recipients.  N. Ref:: 36

 

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[129]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - An induction versus no-induction protocol in anticalcineurin-based immunosuppression using very low-dose steroids.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Transplant Proc 2001 Jun;33(4 Suppl):3S-10S.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Charpentier B

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - University Hospital of Bicetre, Le Kremlin-Bicetre, France.

 

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[130]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Polyomavirus BK nephropathy: a (re-)emerging complication in renal transplantation.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Am J Transplant 2002 Jan;2(1):25-30.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Hirsch HH

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Department of Internal Medicine, University of Basel, Switzerland. hans.hirsch@unibas.ch

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - Persisting polyomavirus replication is now widely recognized as a (re-)emerging cause of renal allograft dysfunction. Up to 5% of renal allograft recipients can be affected about 40weeks (range 6-150) post-transplantation. Progression to irreversible failure of the allograft has been observed in up to 45% of all cases. The BK virus strain is involved in the majority of the cases. Risk factors may include treatment of rejection episodes and increasing viral replication under potent immunosuppressive drugs such as tacrolimus, sirolimus or mycophenolate. The diagnosis requires the histological demonstration of nuclear polyomavirus inclusions in affected tubular epithelial cells. Interstitial inflammatory infiltrates and fibrosis become more prominent in the persisting disease and may be difficult to distinguish from (coexisting) rejection. Detection of polyomavirus-inclusion bearing cells (‘decoy cells’) in the urine and quantification of BK virus DNA in the plasma have been proposed as surrogate markers for polyomavirus replication and allograft disease, respectively. Antiviral treatment is not yet established; however, reports of treatment with cidofovir are encouraging. Current management aims at the judicious modification and/or reduction of immunosuppression which, in view of preceding or concurrent rejection, is not without risk.  N. Ref:: 51

 

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[131]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Methods and assays to investigate nuclear export.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Curr Top Microbiol Immunol 2001;259:119-28.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Stauber RH

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Institute for Clinical and Molecular Virology, University of Erlangen-Nurnberg, Schlossgarten 4, 91054 Erlangen, Germany.  N. Ref:: 34

 

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[132]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - A new immunosuppressive protocol for lung transplantation: early promising results.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Transplant Proc 2003 Mar;35(2):625-6.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Aravot D; Saute M; Eidelman L; Berman M; Bendayan D; Orlov B; Raanani E; Sahar G; Kogan A; Vidne B; Kramer M

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Heart-Lung Transplant Unit, Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Rabin Medical Center, Beilinson Campus, Petach Tikva, Israel.

 

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[133]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Immunosuppressive therapy and post-transplantation diarrhea.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Clin Transplant 2001;15 Suppl 4:23-8.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Pescovitz MD; Navarro MT

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Department of Surgery, Indiana University, Indianapolis, USA. mpescov@iupui.edu

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - Gastrointestinal complications, including diarrhea, are among the anticipated adverse events secondary to immunosuppression. The reported overall rate of diarrhea may be affected by drug-specific effects, dose-response effects, interactions with other medications, drug formulation, the length of study follow-up, reporting bias and population characteristics such as ethnicity and baseline disease, including transplant organ type. The true incidence of diarrhea is often difficult to assess from the numerous published clinical trials. A number of deficiencies, including self-reporting, interstudy comparisons, lack of blinding, concomitant medications and a general lack of standardization and quantification of diarrhea may greatly obscure comparisons among the different immunosuppressive medications. This review considers each of these factors in assessing the overall incidence of post-transplantation diarrhea for the various immunosuppressive medications currently in use.  N. Ref:: 15

 

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[134]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Nonmyeloablative hematopoietic cell transplantation. Replacing high-dose cytotoxic therapy by the graft-versus-tumor effect.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Ann N Y Acad Sci 2001 Jun;938:328-37; discussion 337-9.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Feinstein L; Sandmaier B; Maloney D; McSweeney PA; Maris M; Flowers C; Radich J; Little MT; Nash RA; Chauncey T; Woolfrey A; Georges G; Kiem HP; Zaucha JM; Blume KG; Shizuru J; Niederwieser D; Storb R

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, 1100 Fairview Avenue N., D1-100, P.O. Box 19024, Seattle, Washington 98109-1024, USA. lfeinste@fhcrc.org

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - Conventional allografting produces considerable regimen-related toxicities that generally limit this treatment to patients younger than 55 years and in otherwise good medical condition. T cell-mediated graft-versus-tumor (GVT) effects are known to play an important role in the elimination of malignant disease after allotransplants. A minimally myelosuppressive regimen that relies on immunosuppression for allogeneic engraftment was developed to reduce toxicities while optimizing GVT effects. Pre-transplant total-body irradiation (200 cGy) followed by post-transplant immunosuppression with cyclosporine (CSP) and mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) permitted human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-matched sibling donor hematopoietic cell engraftment in 82% of patients (n = 55) without prior high-dose therapy. The addition of fludarabine (90 mg/m2) facilitated engraftment in all 28 subsequent patients. Overall, fatal progression of underlying disease occurred in 20% of patients after transplant. Non-relapse mortality occurred in 11% of patients. Toxicities were low. Grade 2-4 acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) associated with primary engraftment developed in 47% of patients, and was readily controlled in all but two patients. Donor lymphocyte infusions (DLI) were not very effective at converting a low degree of mixed donor/host chimerism to full donor chimerism; however, the addition of fludarabine reduced the need for DLI. With a median follow-up of 244 days, 68% of patients were alive, with 42% of patients in complete remission, including molecular remissions. Remissions occurred gradually over periods of weeks to a year. If long-term efficacy is demonstrated, such a strategy would expand treatment options for patients who would otherwise be excluded from conventional allografting.  N. Ref:: 51

 

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[135]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Mechanisms of resistance to rapamycins.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Drug Resist Updat 2001 Dec;4(6):378-91.

      ●● Enlace al texto completo (gratuito o de pago) 1054/drup.2002.0227

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Huang S; Houghton PJ

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Department of Molecular Pharmacology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105-2794, USA.

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - Rapamycins represent a novel family of anticancer agents, currently including rapamycin and its derivatives, CCI-779 and RAD001. Rapamycins inhibit the function of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), and potently suppress tumor cell growth by arresting cells in G1 phase or potentially inducing apoptosis of cells, in culture or in xenograft tumor models. However, recent data indicate that genetic mutations or compensatory changes in tumor cells influence the sensitivity of rapamycins. First, mutations of mTOR or FKBP12 prevent rapamycin from binding to mTOR, conferring rapamycin resistance. Second, mutations or defects of mTOR-regulated proteins, including S6K1, 4E-BP1, PP2A-related phosphatases, and p27(Kip1) also render rapamycin insensitivity. In addition, the status of ATM, p53, PTEN/Akt and 14-3-3 are also associated with rapamycin sensitivity. To better explore the role of rapamycins against tumors, this review will summarize the current knowledge of the mechanism of action of rapamycins, and progress in understanding mechanisms of acquired or intrinsic resistance.  N. Ref:: 126

 

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[136]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Induction versus non-induction protocols in anti-calcineurin-based immunosuppression.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Transplant Proc 2001 Nov-Dec;33(7-8):3334-6.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Charpentier B

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Service de Nephrologie, University Hospital of Bicetre, Bicetre, France.

 

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[137]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Options for induction immunosuppression in liver transplant recipients.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Drugs 2002;62(7):995-1011.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Moser MA

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Multi-Organ Transplant Program, London Health Sciences Center, 339 Windermere Road, London, Ontario N6A 5A5, Canada.

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - Immunosuppression administered in the early postoperative period following liver transplantation plays a crucial role in the survival of the graft and the patient. The introduction of cyclosporin was an important landmark in transplantation, and to this day, calcineurin inhibitors form the basis of most induction immunosuppression regimens. New drugs are being developed which are more specifically targeted to prevention of rejection, and multiple drug combinations have been proposed as a means of reducing the adverse effects of individual drugs. Azathioprine and the newer antimetabolite mycophenolate mofetil have been added to calcineurin inhibitor-based regimens with varying amounts of success. Antibody induction has evolved as a potent form of immunosuppression as well as a means of avoiding certain adverse effects, particularly nephrotoxicity. The numerous adverse effects encountered with polyclonal preparations have been reduced with the development of more specific monoclonal antibodies such as muromonab CD3 (OKT3) or interleukin (IL)-2 receptor (IL-2R) antagonists. The anti-IL-2R antibody preparations basiliximab and daclizumab have shown excellent early results due to their potent yet highly targeted immunosuppressive effect and minimal adverse effects. Further study is needed to determine the most appropriate dosage, timing and patient population for these new drugs in the setting of liver transplantation. Although a number of different induction regimens have been described, no single protocol is suitable for all liver transplant recipients. Rather, certain regimens have advantages that could favour their use in a specific subgroup of patients. A number of clinical trials are underway to identify new, more specific drugs and combinations which could be useful in induction immunosuppression.  N. Ref:: 46

 

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[138]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Transplant immunology.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - J Pediatr Surg 2003 Sep;38(9):1275-80.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Aw MM

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Department of Paediatrics and Liver Transplant Unit, National University Hospital, Singapore.

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - The immune response to an allogeneic transplanted organ is T-cell dependent. It is governed partially by the context in which the T-cell encounters the antigen and can range from apoptosis, anergy, and neglect to full activation. The current armamentarium of immunosuppressive agents acts to inhibit the various steps of this T-cell activation pathway; at the level of the T-cell receptor (monoclonal antibodies such as OKT3), intracellular signally (calcineurine-inhibitors), DNA synthesis (azathioprine), or to cause lymphocyte depletion (ATG, ALG). Most protocols use a combination of agents for induction and maintenance immunosuppression. Although successful in preventing and treating allograft rejection, they are not without side effects. With improved patient and graft survival rates, adverse events such as hypertension, nephrotoxicity, hyperglycaemia, and lymphoproliferative disease become increasingly important issues. Newer drugs (IL-2 receptor antagonists, mycophenolate mofetil, rapamycin) have been introduced in an attempt to spare or avoid these adverse effects. Inducing graft tolerance and long-term drug-free survival is the goal of transplant immunologists. Postulated mechanisms include clonal deletion, anergy, and immunoredirection. Although a number of methods have been tested experimentally, none has been proven to induce tolerance for routine clinical use. Immunosuppression remains the cornerstone of the success of organ transplantation. Until investigators are able to induce tolerance in their transplant recipients or develop a tolerance assay, they would need to continue to tailor their immunosuppressive therapy according to the risk profile of the individual recipient.  N. Ref:: 38

 

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[139]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Novel therapies for anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Curr Opin Nephrol Hypertens 2001 Mar;10(2):211-7.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Tervaert JW; Stegeman CA; Kallenberg CG

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - University Hospital Maastricht, Department of Clinical and Experimental Immunology, Maastricht, the Netherlands. jw.cohentervaert@immuno.unimaas.nl

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - High-dose corticosteroids in combination with cytotoxic drugs are universally accepted as the initial approach in vasculitides that are associated with anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies. Cyclophosphamide is the most effective cytotoxic drug and is used in more severe cases. Because cyclophosphamide has more severe short- and long-term side-effects than methotrexate, methotrexate is used in less severe cases. New prospects for the treatment of vasculitis include novel immunosuppressive agents (e.g. mycophenolate, 15-deoxyspergualin, and leflunomide), sequential chemotherapy (e.g. cyclophosphamide followed by azathioprine or cyclophosphamide followed by methotrexate), intravenous immunoglobulin, tumour necrosis factor-alpha directed therapy, anti-lymphocyte directed therapy (e.g. antithymocyte globulin or anti CD52/anti CD4 antibodies), anti-adhesion molecule directed therapy (e.g. anti-CD18 or intercellular adhesion molecule-1 antisense) or immunoablation using high-dose cytotoxic medication with or without stem cell rescue.  N. Ref:: 60

 

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[140]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Role of anti-interleukin-2 receptor antibodies in kidney transplantation.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - BioDrugs 2001;15(10):655-66.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Cibrik DM; Kaplan B; Meier-Kriesche HU

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-0704, USA. dcibrik@umich.edu

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - From the early 1960s, the mainstay of immunosuppression for kidney transplantation has been corticosteroids. Since then, many new drugs have been developed to maintain the renal allograft. Current maintenance immunosuppression commonly consists of corticosteroids, antiproliferative agents and calcineurin inhibitors (e.g. cyclosporin). More recently, antihuman antibodies, either monoclonal or polyclonal, have been developed to use for induction at the time of transplantation or to treat rejection. With the advances in molecular technology, a new class of antihuman antibodies [the anti-interleukin-2 receptor (IL-2R) antibodies] has emerged that incorporate a murine antigen-binding site on to a human immunoglobulin backbone. Such methodology creates antihuman antibodies with high affinity for the epitope and with prolonged serum antibody half-lives. Interleukin-2 and its receptor are central to lymphocyte activation and are the main targets of calcineurin inhibitors. In addition, the anti-IL-2R antibodies inhibit a key target in immune activation. Daclizumab and basiliximab have been shown to significantly reduce the incidence of acute rejection in kidney transplantation. Since these anti-IL-2R antibodies are well tolerated and since calcineurin inhibitors are intrinsically nephrotoxic, anti-IL-2R antibodies have been used in an attempt to avoid cyclosporin after transplantation. Data from clinical trials seem to indicate that the addition of an anti-IL-2R antibody is not sufficient to warrant complete withdrawal of calcineurin inhibitors for more than a very short period after transplantation. A more promising role for anti-IL-2R antibodies may be in renal transplant recipients with delayed graft function (DGF). Recent data on the use of either low-dose calcineurin inhibitors or sirolimus (rapamycin) in conjunction with the anti-IL-2R antibodies for patients with DGF showed no increased risk of acute rejection. Long-term graft survival with use of these low-dose calcineurin inhibitor protocols has yet to be established.  N. Ref:: 41

 

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[141]

- Castellano -

TÍTULO / TITLE:Medicamentos inmunosupresores en la esclerosis multiple. Immunosuppressive medication in multiple sclerosis.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Rev Neurol. Acceso gratuito al texto completo.

      ●● Enlace a la Editora de la Revista http://www.revneurol.com/LinkOut/formMedLine.asp?Refer=2003226&Revista=Revneurol 

      ●● Cita: Revista de Neurologia: <> 2002 Dec 16-31;35(12):1154-8.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Garcia Merino JA

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Servicio de Neurologia, Clinica Puerta del Hierro, Madrid, España. gmerino@meditex.es

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - Immunosuppressive drugs have been used for decades in the treatment of multiple sclerosis. The recent availability of immunomodulators has caused a major change in the treatment of this disease, but has not meant the disappearance of the use of immunosuppressive drugs, some of which (such as mitoxantrone) have been introduced recently. At present, it is difficult to assess the precise indications for these drugs, since most efficacy studies were made before the availability of magnetic resonance imaging, on criteria which are now considered obsolete. Independently of their value in monotherapy, immunosuppressants may probably be useful in combination with immunomodulators. We review the experience with the most widely used immunosuppressants and mention those drugs which might be used in the near future.  N. Ref:: 36

 

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[142]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Rejection-free protocol using sirolimus-tacrolimus combination for pediatric renal transplant recipients.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Transplant Proc 2002 Aug;34(5):1942-3.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - El-Sabrout R; Weiss R; Butt F; Delaney V; Qadir M; Hanson P; Butt K

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Departments of Transplantation/Vascular Surgery, New York Medical College, Valhalla, New York, USA.

 

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[143]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - The development of immunosuppression: the rapamycin milestone.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Transplant Proc 2003 May;35(3 Suppl):15S-17S.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Calne RY

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Department of Surgery, University of Cambridge, Addenbrook Hospital, Cambridge, UK.  N. Ref:: 22

 

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[144]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Transcriptional reprogramming during T helper cell differentiation.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Immunol Res 2001;23(2-3):193-204.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Aune TM

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232, USA. thomas.aune@mcmail.vanderbilt.edu

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - Our laboratory employs reporter transgenic mice as model systems to study the transcriptional reprogramming that accompanies T helper cell differentiation. These studies demonstrate that changes in the activity of simple transcriptional elements associated with the IFN-gamma gene can recapitulate alterations in gene expression. In addition, our studies have revealed a key role for the transcription factor, CAMP response element binding protein (CREB), in the protection of differentiating T cells from apoptosis. Together, these findings further our understanding of the logic employed by T cells to alter gene expression profiles in response to differentiation signals.  N. Ref:: 49

 

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[145]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Sirolimus: its discovery, biological properties, and mechanism of action.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Transplant Proc 2003 May;35(3 Suppl):7S-14S.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Sehgal SN

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Wyeth-Ayerst Research, Collegeville, Pennsylvania, USA.

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - Sirolimus is the USAN-assigned generic name for the natural product rapamycin. Sirolimus is produced by a strain of Streptomyces hygroscopicus, isolated from a soil sample collected from Rapa Nui commonly known as Easter Island. Although sirolimus was isolated as an antifungal agent with potent anticandida activity, subsequent studies revealed impressive antitumor and immunosuppressive activities. Sirolimus demonstrates activity against several murine tumors, such as B16 43 melanocarcinoma, Colon 26 tumor, EM ependymoblastoma, and mammary and colon 38 solid tumors. Sirolimus is a potent inhibitor of antigen-induced proliferation of T cells, B cells, and antibody production. Demonstration of the potent immunosuppressive activity of sirolimus in animal models of organ transplantation led to clinical trials and subsequent approval by regulatory authorities for prophylaxis of renal graft rejection. Interest in sirolimus as an immunosuppressive therapy in organ transplantation derives from its unique mechanism of action, its unique side-effect profile, and its ability to synergize with other immunosuppressive agents. The molecular mechanism underlying the antifungal, antiproliferative, and immunosuppressive activities of sirolimus is the same. Sirolimus forms an immunosuppressive complex with intracellular protein, FKBP12. This complex blocks the activation of the cell-cycle-specific kinase, TOR. The downstream events that follow the inactivation of TOR result in the blockage of cell-cycle progression at the juncture of G1 and S phase.  N. Ref:: 78

 

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[146]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - The limitations of calcineurin and mTOR inhibitors: new directions for immunosuppressive strategies.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Transplant Proc 2002 Feb;34(1):130-3.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Kahan BD

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Division of Organ Transplantation, Department of Surgery, The University of Texas Medical School, Houston, Texas 77030, USA.  N. Ref:: 76

 

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[147]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Cyclosporine lymphocyte level and lymphocyte count: new guidelines for tailoring immunosuppressive therapy.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Transplant Proc 2003 Nov;35(7):2742-4.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Barbari A; Stephan A; Masri M; Mourad N; Kamel G; Kilani H; Karam A; Daya IA

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Nephrology and Transplantation Unit, Rizk Hospital, Beirut, Lebanon. lird@cyberia.net.lb

 

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[148]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Acquired anti-FVIII inhibitors in children.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Haemophilia 2002 Jan;8(1):28-32.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Moraca RJ; Ragni MV

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - The Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, PA, USA.

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - Acquired inhibitors to FVIII (anti-FVIII) are uncommon in children. An acquired anti-FVIII developed in a previously healthy 4-year-old boy treated with penicillin for streptococcal pharyngitis. Aspirin prophylaxis begun for suspected rheumatic fever led to compartment syndromes of all four extremities, which resolved with high-dose FVIII and surgical decompression. Anti-FVIII in this patient, and the five additional cases identified in a survey of 160 haemophilia treatment centres, occurred at a median age of 8 years, with median initial and peak titres of 4.6 and 6.9 Bethesda Units (BU), respectively. All six presented with bleeding, including haematomas (three intramuscular, one intracranial), and ecchymoses in three. The median baseline FVIII was 0.05 U mL(-1), and the median baseline activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) was 79.8 s. The inhibitor resolved completely in five patients (83%) within a median 5 months, after treatment with FVIII concentrate, steroids, cytoxan, methotrexate, and no treatment. The inhibitor persisted in the patient with Goodpasture’s disease, despite steroids, cytoxan, cyclosporin, and intravenous gamma globulin. Aspirin therapy, in two, worsened ongoing bleeding. The association of penicillin-like drugs in this and three other cases in the literature suggest that to avoid potential catastrophic bleeding, it is prudent to obtain an APTT prior to initiating aspirin for suspected rheumatic fever. In conclusion, acquired anti-FVIII inhibitors in children may cause severe bleeding, and remit in the majority after FVIII and/or immunosuppressive therapy.  N. Ref:: 21

 

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[149]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Advances in composite tissue allograft transplantation as related to the hand and upper extremity.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - J Hand Surg [Am] 2002 Jul;27(4):565-80.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Siemionow M; Ozer K

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Department of Plastic Surgery, The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, A60, 9500 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA.

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - The clinical transplantation of composite tissue allografts (CTA) such as human hand or larynx is stimulating discussions among surgeons at national and international forums on the indications, ethical aspects, toxic effects of immunosuppression, and functional results of the first reported cases of unilateral and bilateral hand transplantation. This Clinical Perspective article presents the latest advances in clinical and experimental research related to the field of CTAs. The article presents the historic aspects of CTA, a broad view of the current state of composite tissue transplantation, the mechanism of allograft rejection, current experimental and clinical protocols, and, finally, the future prospects of the standard use of CTAs. It is clear that there is a substantial demand for routine use of CTAs but the treatment protocols need to be optimized and the functional outcomes need to be improved.  N. Ref:: 125

 

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[150]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma in a cardiac transplant recipient.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Tex Heart Inst J. Acceso gratuito al texto completo.

      ●● Enlace a la Editora de la Revista http://texasheartinstitute.org/journal.html 

      ●● Cita: Texas Heart Institute Journal: <> 2001;28(3):203-7.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - McMullan DM; Radovaneevic B; Jackow CM; Frazier OH; Duvic M

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Texas Heart Institute and St Luke s Episcopal Hospital Houston, 77225-0345, USA.

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - Mycosis fungoides, an uncommon form of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, arises in the skin and frequently progresses to generalized lymphadenopathy Although the cause of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma is unknown, chronic immunosuppression may play a role. A few cases have been reported in renal transplant recipients; however, ours appears to be the 1st report of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma in a cardiac transplant recipient. In our patient, cutaneous manifestations of the disease were noted less than 1 year after transplantation. Seven years after transplantation, Sezary syndrome, a variant form of mycosis fungoides, was diagnosed by tissue biopsy and flow cytometry analysis. Photopheresis improved symptoms but was not well tolerated because of hemodynamic sequelae. Psoralen and ultraviolet A therapy also improved the patient’s skin condition, but a generalized lymphadenopathy developed. The maintenance immunosuppressive regimen was changed from cyclosporine (3 mg/kg/day) and azathioprine to cyclosporine (1.5 mg/kg/day) and cyclophosphamide. Although effective in the short-term, the results of this therapeutic strategy could not be fully evaluated because the patient died of acute myocardial infarction.  N. Ref:: 25

 

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[151]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Neurotrauma/neurodegeneration and mitochondrial dysfunction.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Prog Brain Res 2002;137:171-6.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Frantseva M; Perez Velazquez JL; Tonkikh A; Adamchik Y; Carlen PL

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Toronto Western Research Institute, Room 12-413, Hospital for Sick Children, Department of Neurology, Toronto, Canada.  N. Ref:: 47

 

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[152]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Macrophage activation syndrome.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Curr Opin Rheumatol 2002 Sep;14(5):548-52.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Ravelli A

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Pediatria II, Istituto G. Gaslini, Universita di Genova, Italy. angeloravelli@ospedale-gaslini.ge.it

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - Macrophage activation syndrome (MAS) is a serious complication of childhood systemic inflammatory disorders that is thought to be caused by excessive activation and proliferation of T lymphocytes and macrophages. Recent findings in hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis, a disease that is clinically similar to MAS, highlight the possible pathogenetic role of a defective function of perforin, a protein involved in the cytolytic processes and control of lymphocyte proliferation. Although the clinical features of MAS have been well documented, early diagnosis can be difficult. Measurement of the serum ferritin level may assist in the diagnosis and may be a useful indicator of disease activity, therapy response, and prognosis. The recognition that MAS belongs to the secondary or reactive hemophagocytic syndromes has led to the proposal to rename it according to the contemporary classification of histiocytic disorders. Cyclosporin A has been found effective in patients with corticosteroid-resistant MAS. A recent report has suggested that etanercept may be a useful adjunctive therapeutic agent.  N. Ref:: 35

 

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[153]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Immunologic targets for currently available immunosuppressive agents: what is the optimal approach for children?

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Semin Nephrol 2001 Sep;21(5):508-20.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Sho M; Samsonov DV; Briscoe DM

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - In this review, the authors discuss immunologic targets and events in T cells that are dysregulated by commonly used immunosuppressive agents. These include a description of glucocortcoid receptors as well as targets of glucocorticoids, targets of cyclosporine and FK506, and the mammalian target of rapamycin. In addition, novel antibody-based targets on T cells and antigen-presenting cells including the IL-2 receptor and costimulatory molecules are described. Finally, the authors provide a rationale for an optimal approach to immunosuppression in pediatrics. Because many of the newer immunosuppressive agents are currently in clinical trials, the “optimal” immunosuppressive strategy for the next decade is forthcoming.  N. Ref:: 122

 

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[154]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Safety of the new macrolide immunomodulators.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Semin Cutan Med Surg 2001 Dec;20(4):242-9.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Robinson N; Singri P; Gordon KB

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Department of Dermatology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA.

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - With the wide acceptance of cyclosporine in the treatment of skin disease, there has been an effort to find new immunomodulating agents with superior safety profiles for use in dermatology. Among the most promising of the classes are the new macrolide immunomodulators, including tacrolimus and pimecrolimus. Of these, only tocrolimus has had widespread use for nondermatologic indications, primarily solid organ transplantation. Both of these agents have been studied for inflammatory diseases of the skin. In this article, we review the systemic and topical toxicities of these macrolide immunomodulators.  N. Ref:: 68

 

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[155]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Bone marrow aplasia after pipobroman: an immune-mediated mechanism?

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Br J Haematol 2001 Dec;115(3):713-4.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Triffet A; Straetmans N; Ferrant A  N. Ref:: 7

 

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[156]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Signalling pathways in cardiac myocyte hypertrophy.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Ann Med 2001 Dec;33(9):611-22.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Sugden PH

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - National Heart and Lung Institute Division, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, London, UK. p.sugden@ic.ac.uk

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - In response to a requirement for increased contractile power in vivo, mammalian cardiac myocytes adapt through a hypertrophic response (cell enlargement in the absence of cell division). This response can be simulated by exposing isolated myocytes in primary culture to alpha-adrenergic agonists or the vasoactive peptide, endothelin-1. The signalling pathways responsible for hypertrophic growth have been actively studied, and it is likely that reversible protein phosphorylation and dephosphorylation are involved. Three signalling pathways show particular potential as regulators of the response, ie protein kinase C (PKC), mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascades, and calcineurin. These species are thought to regulate the rate and specificity of gene transcription ultimately through modifying the transactivating activity of nuclear transcription factors. There are three pertinent MAPK cascades, the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) cascade, the c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK or SAPK1) cascade, and the p38-MAPK (SAPK2-5) cascade. PKC participates in the activation of the ERK cascade but does not contribute significantly to the activation of the two remaining cascades. Calcineurin (or protein phosphatase 2B) is activated by increases in [Ca2+i] through the [Ca2+]-sensing protein, calmodulin. In this review, I discuss the evidence for and against the involvement of these signalling proteins in the induction of myocyte hypertrophy and emphasize that the ERK cascade should perhaps feature more widely in the collective consciousness.  N. Ref:: 136

 

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[157]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Mechanisms of clinically relevant drug interactions associated with tacrolimus.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Clin Pharmacokinet 2002;41(11):813-51.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Christians U; Jacobsen W; Benet LZ; Lampen A

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Department of Anesthesiology, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver, Colorado, USA. uwe.christians@uchsc.edu

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - The clinical management of tacrolimus, a macrolide used as immunosuppressant after transplantation, is complicated by its narrow therapeutic index in combination with inter- and intraindividually variable pharmacokinetics. As a substrate of cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A enzymes and P-glycoprotein, tacrolimus interacts with several other drugs used in transplantation medicine, which also are known CYP3A and/or P-glycoprotein inhibitors and/or inducers. In clinical studies, CYP3A/P-glycoprotein inhibitors and inducers primarily affect oral bioavailability of tacrolimus rather than its clearance, indicating a key role of intestinal P-glycoprotein and CYP3A. There is an almost complete overlap between the reported clinical drug interactions of tacrolimus and those of cyclosporin. However, in comparison with cyclosporin, only few controlled drug interaction studies have been carried out, but tacrolimus drug interactions have been extensively studied in vitro. These results are inconsistent and are of poor predictive value for clinical drug interactions because of false negative results. P-glycoprotein regulates distribution of tacrolimus through the blood-brain barrier into the brain as well as distribution into lymphocytes. Interaction of other drugs with P-glycoprotein may change tacrolimus tissue distribution and modify its toxicity and immunosuppressive activity. There is evidence that ethnic and gender differences exist for tacrolimus drug interactions. Therapeutic drug monitoring to guide dosage adjustments of tacrolimus is an efficient tool to manage drug interactions. In the near future, progress can be expected from studies evaluating potential pharmacokinetic interactions caused by herbal preparations and food components, the exact biochemical mechanism underlying tacrolimus toxicity, and the potential of inhibition of CYP3A and P-glycoprotein to improve oral bioavailability and to decrease intraindividual variability of tacrolimus pharmacokinetics.  N. Ref:: 385

 

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[158]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Cyclosporin A as a model antigen: immunochemical and structural studies.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - J Mol Recognit 2002 Sep-Oct;15(5):277-85.

      ●● Enlace al texto completo (gratuito o de pago) 1002/jmr.588

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Altschuh D

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - UMR 7100 - CNRS/ULP ‘Biotechnologie des Interactions Moleculaires’, Ecole Superieure de Biotechnologie de Strasbourg, Pole API, Bld Sebastien Brandt, 67400 Illkirch, France. daniele.altschuh@esbs.u-strasbg.fr

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - The immunosuppressant drug cyclosporin (Cs) A is a cyclic undecapeptide which has been used as a model antigen because structural information and a large number of analogs, modified at each of its 11 positions, were available. This review summarizes immunochemical and crystallographic studies of the interaction between the Fab of monoclonal antibody R45-45-11 and Cs. Three points are discussed: (1) the different conformations of CsA and the question of its biologically active form; (2) the Fab-CsA recognition mechanism; and (3) the relationship between structure and binding properties of CsA analogs.  N. Ref:: 50

 

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[159]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Role of apoptosis in the pathogenesis of acute renal failure.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Curr Opin Nephrol Hypertens 2002 May;11(3):301-8.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Bonegio R; Lieberthal W

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Renal Section, Department of Medicine, Boston Medical Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts 02118, USA.

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - Renal tubular cells die by apoptosis as well as necrosis in experimental models of ischemic and toxic acute renal failure as well as in humans with acute tubular necrosis. It is not yet possible, however, to determine the relative contribution of these two forms of cell death to loss of renal tubular cells in acute tubular necrosis. The beneficial effect of administering growth factors to animals with acute tubular necrosis is probably related to the potent antiapoptotic (survival) effects of growth factors as well as to their proliferative effects. Rapamycin inhibits both of these effects of growth factors and delays the recovery of renal function after acute tubular necrosis by inhibiting renal tubular cell regeneration and by increasing renal tubular cell loss by apoptosis. The administration of caspase inhibitors ameliorates ischemia-reperfusion injury in multiple organs including the kidney. However, the extent to which this protective effect of caspase inhibition is caused by reduced intrarenal inflammation, or by amelioration of renal tubular cell loss due to apoptosis, remains uncertain. In addition to caspase inhibition, the apoptotic pathway offers many potential targets for therapeutic interventions to prevent renal tubular cell apoptosis.  N. Ref:: 82

 

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[160]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - A view on beta cell transplantation in diabetes.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Ann N Y Acad Sci 2002 Apr;958:69-76.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Pipeleers D; Keymeulen B; Chatenoud L; Hendrieckx C; Ling Z; Mathieu C; Roep B; Ysebaert D

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Free University of Brussels (VUB), Brussels, Belgium. Daniel.Pipeleers@vub.ac.be

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - Organ donors also offer a source of insulin-producing tissue that might be used for the treatment of diabetes. Clinical protocols for transplantation of this tissue aim for the prevention of chronic diabetes complications without introducing new serious side effects. Pancreas and islet cell transplantation are discussed in this perspective. The future of islet cell implants looks favorable but depends on finding ways to induce immune tolerance to the donor beta cells. Clinical trials can take advantage of relevant progress in animal models. In a limited study, recipient treatment with antilymphocyte antibodies and culture of donor cell preparations appeared useful to induce a state of operational immune tolerance in type 1 diabetic patients, as indirectly judged by graft survival and by analysis of auto- and alloreactivities in recipients. Use of cultured beta cell preparations also allows donor cell recruitment from suboptimal donor organs and increases the degree of standardization and quality control of islet cell grafts. The future of these grafts will depend on the development of techniques for the neogenesis of beta cells.  N. Ref:: 47

 

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[161]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Calcineurin inhibitors and sirolimus: mechanisms of action and applications in dermatology.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Clin Exp Dermatol 2002 Oct;27(7):555-61.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Reynolds NJ; Al-Daraji WI

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Department of Dermatology, Medical School, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, UK. N.J.Reynolds@ncl.ac.uk

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - Controlled trials and clinical experience indicate that systemic cyclosporin A and tacrolimus are effective treatments for psoriasis, and that cyclosporin A also improves atopic eczema. A variety of other inflammatory and non-inflammatory skin diseases are probably also responsive to these drugs. However, the widespread and longer-term use of cyclosporin A and tacrolimus are limited by side effects. The molecular mechanisms of action of cyclosporin A, tacrolimus and a related drug, sirolimus, have been well defined in T cells and involve inhibition of critical signalling pathways that regulate T cell activation. For example cyclosporin and tacrolimus inhibit calcineurin phosphatase activity and thereby inhibit activation of the transcription factor NFAT. The therapeutic efficacy of topical calcineurin inhibitors in atopic eczema have restimulated interest in the mechanism of action of these drugs in skin disease. Recently the expression pattern of calcineurin and NFAT has been defined in non-immune tissues including the akin. The relevance of this to the mechanism of action of systemic and topical calcineurin inhibitors and sirolimus in skin disorders is discussed.  N. Ref:: 54

 

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[162]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Overview of side effects of immunosuppressive therapy.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Transplant Proc 2001 May;33(3):2089-91.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Paul LC

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Department of Nephrology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.  N. Ref:: 21

 

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[163]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Molecular and cellular mechanisms of donor cell-induced tolerance.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Immunol Res 2002;26(1-3):119-29.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - George JF; Ahumada L; Lu A

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Department of Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 35294-0007, USA. jgeorge@uab.edu

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - The induction of immunologic tolerance to solid organ allografts is a subject of intense investigation because of the morbidity and mortality associated with standard immunosuppressive therapy. One method that is currently in clinical and preclinical testing involves the transient ablation of recipient T cells using polyclonal antithymocyte sera or monoclonal anti-CD4/CD8 antibody treatment, followed by the posttransplant administration of donor bone marrow cells or of donor peripheral lymphoid populations. Recent studies in our laboratory have shown that the molecular and cellular basis of the prolongation of graft survival by donor cell administration depends on the cellular compartment from which the donor cells were derived. We provide here a brief review of these data followed by new data suggesting that the mode of peripheral and central selection is also dependent on the source from which the donor cells were derived.  N. Ref:: 38

 

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[164]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Cyclosporine-associated encephalopathy: a case report and literature review.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Transplant Proc 2001 Nov-Dec;33(7-8):3700-1.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Chang SH; Lim CS; Low TS; Chong HT; Tan SY

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Renal Unit, Department of Medicine, University of Malaya Medical Center, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

 

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[165]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Diagnosis and management of refractoriness to platelet transfusion.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Blood Rev 2001 Dec;15(4):175-80.

      ●● Enlace al texto completo (gratuito o de pago) 1054/blre.2001.0164

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Schiffer CA

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Karmanos Cancer Institute, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA. schiffer@karmanos.org

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - Improvements in the availability and quality of platelet transfusions have markedly reduced the morbidity and mortality associated with intensive myelosuppressive therapy. Alloimmunization and refractoriness to platelet transfusion remains a significant clinical problem, although the incidence of alloimmunization may be declining due to more widespread use of leucocyte depleted products. Alloimmunization can be distinguished from other causes of poor post transfusion increments by the measurement of lymphocytotoxic or antiplatelet antibodies. In addition to medical approaches to reduce the risk of bleeding in individual patients, identification of histocompatible donors can usually be accomplished by HLA matching of donor and recipient, platelet cross matching or a combination of both techniques. There are a number of selection strategies which can be utilized and optimal patient management requires close cooperation and communication between clinicians and blood centers.  N. Ref:: 48

 

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[166]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - IL-17 as a potential target for modulating airway neutrophilia.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Curr Pharm Des 2002;8(20):1855-61.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Laan M; Linden

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Lung Pharmacology Group, Department of Respiratory Medicine Allergology, Guldhedsgatan 10A, Gothenburg, SE-413 46, Sweden. martti.laan@hjl.gu.se

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - Several chronic inflammatory airway diseases are characterized by an increased number of neutrophils in the airways. There is evidence that the recruitment of these neutrophils can be controlled by certain T-lymphocytes. However, the mechanisms behind this T-cell control of airway neutrophilia are poorly understood. In this review, we summarize the evidence that interleukin (IL)-17 released from T-lymphocytes of the CD45RO+ subset can link the activation of these T-cells to the recruitment and activation of neutrophils. This evidence suggests that pharmacotherapeutical modulation of neutrophilic airway inflammation can be achieved using several different strategies, including inhibition of IL-17 production by cAMP elevating agents or certain nuclear factor inhibitors, neutralization of released IL-17 protein by specific anti-IL-17-antibodies, blockade of the IL-17 receptor as well as inhibition of certain MAP kinases mediating the post receptor effects of IL-17 in airway cells. Additional studies on animals in vivo and patients, respectively, are needed to further evaluate the pharmacotherapeutical potential of these strategies.  N. Ref:: 57

 

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[167]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Current immunosuppressant regimens: considerations for critical care.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Curr Opin Crit Care 2001 Aug;7(4):242-50.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Kahan BD; Koch SM

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Division of Immunology and Organ Transplantation, Department of Surgery, The University of Texas Medical School at Houston, 6431 Fannin Street, Houston, TX 77030, USA. Barry.D.Kahan@uth.tmc.edu

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - While current immunosuppressive drug regimens have significantly increased the rate of successful transplantation outcomes, they convey potentially serious and overlapping adverse effects. Cyclosporine and tacrolimus are the cornerstones of current immunosuppression, achieving excellent one-year renal graft survival rates. Other promising new drugs include sirolimus, which has been demonstrated to reduce efficacy failure rates among renal transplant recipients, and everolimus, which is currently undergoing clinical trials. Agents targeting novel sites in the immune response or disrupting the ischemia-reperfusion cascades are currently under development. Among them, only FTY720 is undergoing large-scale human clinical trials. With its unique mechanism of action and synergistic interactions with cyclosporine and sirolimus, it may provide the foundation for a new era in immunosuppression.  N. Ref:: 66

 

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[168]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Calcineurin phosphatase activity and immunosuppression. A review on the role of calcineurin phosphatase activity and the immunosuppressive effect of cyclosporin A and tacrolimus.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Scand J Immunol 2003 Feb;57(2):93-8.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Jorgensen KA; Koefoed-Nielsen PB; Karamperis N

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Research Laboratory, Department of Renal Medicine C, Skejby Sygehus, Arhus University Hospital, Arhus N, Denmark. kaj@dadlnet.dk

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - The mode of immunosuppressive action of tacrolimus (FK506) and cyclosporin A has been elucidated. Both drugs bind to proteins in the cytoplasm to form complexes, which in turn inhibit the phosphatase activity of calcineurin, an important limiting step in the activation of T cells. The association between drug uptake (pharmacokinetics) and enzyme inhibition (pharmacodynamics) is under current investigation. Great variations in the correlation between blood drug levels and enzyme inhibition could indicate that monitoring calcineurin phosphatase activity for treatment might be superior to monitoring blood drug levels.  N. Ref:: 52

 

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[169]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Cap-dependent translation and control of the cell cycle.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Prog Cell Cycle Res 2003;5:469-75.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Cormier P; Pyronnet S; Salaun P; Mulner-Lorillon O; Sonenberg N

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Station Biologique de Roscoff, Universite Pierre et Marie Curie (EI 37), CNRS-UMR 7127, (INSU), BP 74, 29682 Roscoff, France.

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - The control of gene expression at the translational level has emerged in the past decade as an important aspect of cell growth, proliferation and malignant transformation. Translation is primarily regulated at the initiation step, and mitogen-dependent signaling pathways converge to modulate the activity of translation initiation factors. In most tumors tested, at least one translation initiation factor is overexpressed and overexpression of translation initiation factors often provokes transformation. Malignant transformation could be caused by the increased translation of a subset of mRNAs encoding important proteins which are required for cell growth and proliferation. These mRNAs usually possess regulatory sequences that render their translation more sensitive to changes in the activity of translation initiation factors. In this chapter, we describe recent advances illustrating the importance of translation in cell cycle progression and cell transformation. Control of translation initiation may represent an excellent target for antitumor drugs.  N. Ref:: 96

 

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[170]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Rapamycins: mechanism of action and cellular resistance.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Cancer Biol Ther 2003 May-Jun;2(3):222-32.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Huang S; Bjornsti MA; Houghton PJ

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Department of Molecular Pharmacology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 332 N. Lauderdale, Memphis, Tennessee 38105, USA.

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - Rapamycins are macrocyclic lactones that possess immunosuppressive, antifungal and antitumor properties. The parent compound, rapamycin, is approved as an immunosup-pressive agent for preventing rejection in patients receiving organ transplantation. Two analogues, CCI-779 and RAD001 are currently being investigated as anticancer agents. Rapamycins first bind a cyclophilin FKBP12, and this complex binds and inhibits the function of mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin) a serine/threonine (Ser/Thr) kinase with homology to phosphatidylinositol 3’ kinase. Currently, as mTOR is the only identified target, this places rapamycins in a unique position of being the most selective kinase inhibitor known. Consequently these agents have been powerful tools in elucidating the role of mTOR in cellular growth, proliferation, survival and tumorigenesis. Increasing evidence suggests that mTOR acts as a central controller sensing cellular environment (nutritional status or mitogenic stimulation) and regulating translation initiation through the eukaryotic initiation factor 4E, and ribosomal p70 S6 kinase pathways. Here we review the conserved TOR signaling pathways, conceptual basis for tumor selectivity, and the mechanisms of resistance to this class of antitumor agent.  N. Ref:: 137

 

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[171]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Prevention and treatment of severe hemodynamic compromise in pediatric heart transplant patients.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Paediatr Drugs 2002;4(11):705-15.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Costello JM; Pahl E

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, The Children’s Memorial Hospital, Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois 60614, USA.

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - Allograft rejection is a leading cause of severe hemodynamic compromise in pediatric heart transplant patients. A triple-drug immunosuppression regimen, which includes a calcineurin inhibitor, antiproliferative agent, and corticosteroid, suppresses the immune system at multiple different levels for optimal graft protection while minimizing the adverse effects of any one particular agent. Some pediatric centers also use induction therapy with anti-T cell antibodies immediately following transplantation as additional rejection prophylaxis. These antibodies augment immunosuppression by either depleting the T cell pool or blocking interleukin-2 receptors on activated T cells. Despite the aggressive preventive measures outlined above, some pediatric heart transplant patients will develop severe hemodynamic compromise, most commonly due to fulminant rejection. Such patients require attention to, and optimization of, the four determinants of cardiac output (heart rate, preload, contractility and afterload) to stabilize the circulation until the rejection can be reversed. Careful administration of volume, diuretics, inotropes, and afterload-reducing agents will meet this goal. Patients with allograft rejection require augmentation of immune suppression to facilitate myocardial recovery. Corticosteroids form the cornerstone of treatment for both cellular and vascular rejection. In patients with refractory cellular rejection, conversion to mycophenolate mofetil or tacrolimus may be appropriate if these agents are not already being used for maintenance immunosuppression. Critically ill patients may additionally benefit from muromonab-CD3 (OKT3) to augment lympholysis. Treatment employed specifically for humoral rejection is prescribed with the intention of suppressing new antibody formation, removing circulating antibody, and improving coronary blood flow. In addition to corticosteroids, cyclophosphamide and antithymocyte globulin or muromonab-CD3, along with plasmapheresis, may improve survival. Systemic heparinization should be considered to minimize coronary thrombosis in patients with humoral rejection. In the future, novel immunosuppressive agents may further assist in the prevention as well as treatment of severe hemodynamic compromise due to rejection in pediatric heart transplant recipients.  N. Ref:: 99

 

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[172]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Influence of one human leukocyte antigen mismatch on outcome of allogeneic bone marrow transplantation from related donors.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Hematology 2003 Feb;8(1):27-33.

      ●● Enlace al texto completo (gratuito o de pago) 1080/1024533031000072054

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Hasegawa W; Lipton JH; Messner HA; Jamal H; Yi QL; Daly AS; Kotchetkova N; Kiss TL

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Bone Marrow Transplant Service, Princess Margaret Hospital/University Health Network, Toronto, Ont, M5G 2M9, Canada.

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - This study compares the clinical outcomes of 60 consecutive patients who received an allogeneic blood or marrow stem cell transplant (BMT) from one Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) mismatched related donors with those of 120 matched patients who had HLA identical sibling donors. The control patients were matched for diagnosis, disease status, conditioning regimen, and age at BMT. All patients received standard CYA and MTX for GVHD prophylaxis. The probability of overall survival (OS) at 5 years was 35% in the study group compared to 56% in the control group. The relapse rates and acute GVHD rates did not differ between the two groups. Graft failure was a significant problem in the study group compared to the control group (13 vs. 0%, p < 0.0001). All cases of graft failure occurred in patients with a mismatch in the host-versus-graft direction. BMT-related deaths were also increased in the study group. Forty percent of deaths were caused by infection in the study group vs. 19% in the control group (p < 0.01). In conclusion, the OS of patients receiving marrow/stem cells from one antigen mismatched related donors was inferior to that of controls with HLA-identical related donors. There was an increase in mortality related to infections occurring in the setting of an increased frequency of graft failure in these patients.  N. Ref:: 21

 

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[173]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Apoptosis, TGF beta and transfusion-related immunosuppression: Biologic versus clinical effects.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Transfus Apheresis Sci 2003 Oct;29(2):127-9.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Dzik WH

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Blood Transfusion Service, J-224, Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit Street, Boston, MA 02114, USA. sdzik@partners.org

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - Whether or not blood transfusion exerts an immunosuppressive effect on the recipient remains an area of controversy. The mechanism to clearly explain the effect has been elusive. We have previously suggested that there may be two categories of immunosuppressive transfusion effect: one which is HLA-dependent and directed against adaptive immunity and a second category which is mild, non-specific, and directed against innate immunity. This non-specific effect might result from the infusion of apoptotic blood cells. There is solid evidence that blood cells undergo apoptotic changes during refrigerated storage. The infusion of apoptotic cells has recently been shown in animal models to be immunosuppressive. Immunosuppression resulting from the infusion of apoptotic cells may be linked to transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta).  N. Ref:: 10

 

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[174]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Atopic dermatitis: review of immunopathogenesis and advances in immunosuppressive therapy.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Australas J Dermatol 2002 Nov;43(4):247-54.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Meagher LJ; Wines NY; Cooper AJ

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Department of Dermatology, Royal North Shore Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - This paper reviews the theories of the pathogenesis of atopic dermatitis (AD), with a particular emphasis on its immunopathogenesis. The contribution of predisposing factors, immunopathogenic factors and provoking factors in the pathogenesis of AD are considered. Predisposing factors explored in this article include genetics and the disturbance of skin function. Immunopathogenic factors reviewed include T cell dysfunction, biphasic cytokine expression and the role of immunoglobulin E. Provoking factors considered include microbial factors, psychosomatic interactions, contact allergens and irritants, inhalant allergens, food and climate. Immunosuppressive treatments reviewed include cyclosporin, azathioprine, methotrexate, tacrolimus, interferon-gamma, phosphodiesterase inhibitors and pimecrolimus (SDZ ASM 981).  N. Ref:: 80

 

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[175]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Novel immunosuppressive agents in tolerance induction.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Curr Drug Targets Cardiovasc Haematol Disord 2002 Dec;2(2):97-103.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Krieger NR; Knechtle SJ

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Division of Organ Transplantation, Department of Surgery, University of Wisconsin Medical School, 600 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI 53792, USA.

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - Induction of transplantation tolerance remains a much sought-after but elusive goal with a potential promise of rendering patients free of long-term immunosuppressive drugs while maintaining good organ transplant function indefinitely. All currently studied strategies toward transplantation tolerance include using immunosuppressive agents for a limited time period to achieve tolerance. There are a growing number of agents that lend themselves to tolerance induction and these agents are considered herein. Such agents generally fall into the categories of lymphocyte depletion, costimulation blockade, and adjunctive agents such as rapamycin. Preliminary data using donor stem cells suggests that embryonic stem cells may have substantial advantages over conventional donor bone marrow for tolerance induction. These preliminary results are briefly reviewed as well. Tolerance has been achieved in a small number of organ transplant patients and such successes suggest that progress in the clinical arena is happening and is an obtainable result.  N. Ref:: 52

 

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[176]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Pregnancy in renal transplant recipients.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Adv Ren Replace Ther 2003 Jan;10(1):40-7.

      ●● Enlace al texto completo (gratuito o de pago) 1053/jarr.2003.50002

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Hou S

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Section of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Loyola University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA. shou@lumc.edu

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - Most women of childbearing age who receive a renal transplant have a return of normal menses and have the ability to become pregnant. Most studies indicate that pregnancy does not adversely affect the transplant kidney’s survival as long as renal function is good and serum creatinine is stable before pregnancy. The experience with immunosuppressive drugs has been surprisingly reassuring with no increase in congenital anomalies with cyclosporine, prednisone, and azathioprine. There is little experience with newer drugs. Pregnant transplant recipients need to be monitored for opportunistic infections, which may adversely affect the fetus, including herpes, toxoplasmosis, and CMV. Hypertension, urinary tract infections, and anemia are other common problems in pregnant transplant recipients. Despite a high frequency of premature births, over 80% of pregnancies result in surviving infants.  N. Ref:: 38

 

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[177]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Sirolimus: a comprehensive review.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Expert Opin Pharmacother 2001 Nov;2(11):1903-17.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Kahan BD

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Division of Immunology and Organ Transplantation, University of Texas-Houston, 6431 Fannin, Suite 6.240, Houston, TX 77030, USA. barry.d.kahan@uth.tmc.edu

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - Sirolimus (Rapamune), Wyeth-Ayerst, Madison, NJ) is a new, potent, immunosuppressant that is emerging as a foundation for long-term immunosuppressive therapy in renal transplantation. The drug acts during both co-stimulatory activation and cytokine-driven pathways via a unique mechanism: inhibition of a multifunctional serine-threonine kinase, mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR). Although there is no a priori reason to assume it, sirolimus displays a synergistic interaction to enhance the efficacy of cyclosporin A (CsA). In trials wherein the concentrations of CsA and sirolimus were tightly controlled, rates of acute rejection episodes were < 10%, despite markedly reduced exposures to each agent. In pivotal multi-centre blinded dose-controlled trials, the rates of acute rejection episodes within 12 months following administration of 2 or 5 mg/day sirolimus in combination with CsA and steroids were reduced to 19 and 14%, respectively. Since the inhibitory effect of sirolimus disables virtually all responses to cytokine mediators due to the widespread involvement of mTOR in multiple signalling pathways, the agent is likely also to retard proliferation of endothelial and vascular smooth muscle cells, an important component of the immuno-obliterative processes associated with chronic rejection. The advantages of this unique therapeutic action combined with an intrinsic lack of nephrotoxicity are counterbalanced by myelosuppressive and hyperlipidaemic side effects. Ongoing studies are assessing whether the long-term benefits of sirolimus to permit reduction in exposure to or elimination of calcineurin inhibitors ameliorate the progression of chronic nephropathy, the condition that erodes long-term renal transplant survival.  N. Ref:: 108

 

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[178]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Mechanisms and management of gingival overgrowth in paediatric transplant recipients: a review.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Int J Paediatr Dent 2003 Jul;13(4):220-9.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Chabria D; Weintraub RG; Kilpatrick NM

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Department of Dentistry, Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne, Australia.

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - Increasing numbers of children are receiving solid organ transplants namely kidney, liver, heart and lung. Patient survival rates following such transplants are essentially good with much of the success attributable to the development of Cyclosporine A (CyA), an immunosuppressive drug, that minimizes organ rejection. However the gingival overgrowth (GO) associated with the use of CyA is not only disfiguring but in paediatric recipients, may interfere with normal oral development and function. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this review is to summarize current knowledge concerning the aetiology, pathogenesis and management of gingival overgrowth. METHODS: Literature pertaining to gingival overgrowth is reviewed with particular reference to the paediatric population. Emphasis is placed on summarizing the evidence pertaining to the effectiveness of intervention. CONCLUSION: CyA undoubtedly causes gingival overgrowth, the effects and levels of which appears to be more severe in younger patients. There is conflicting evidence as to the effectiveness of oral hygiene regimes, antibiotics and surgery in reducing overgrowth. The introduction of an alternative immunosuppressive agent (Tacrolimus) offers potential as it does not appear to cause overgrowth, although research to date is limited by the small sample size of many of the studies. This is an area in which multicentre studies would be of great value.  N. Ref:: 70

 

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[179]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - New developments in immunosuppressive therapy in renal transplantation.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Expert Opin Biol Ther 2002 Jun;2(5):483-501.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Gourishankar S; Turner P; Halloran P

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Division of Nephrology and Immunology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada. gsita@hotmail.com

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - The introduction of new immunosuppressive agents and protocols has improved outcomes for renal transplant recipients by decreasing the risk of rejection and by increasing the function and lifespan of the allograft. This article reviews the major changes in the combinations of therapies used: calcineurin inhibitors, target of rapamycin inhibitors, mycophenolate mofetil, non-depleting monoclonal versus depleting monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies for induction and increasing emphasis on protocols for reduction or avoidance of steroids and calcineurin inhibitors. The new agents with novel immunological targets such as anti-CD40 ligand, LEA29Y, FTY720, anti-CD20 (rituximab, Rituxan, Mabthera) and anti-CH52 (alemtuzumab, Campath), which are under development but have yet to survive the rigors of clinical trials are also discussed. In the presence of low early rejection rates, immunosuppressive therapy is setting new goals such as better graft function (glomerular filtration rates), reduction in adverse effects such as hypertension, hyperlipidaemia and drug toxicity and, above all, the prevention of late graft deterioration.  N. Ref:: 156

 

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[180]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - NF-kappaB in transplantation: friend or foe?

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Transpl Infect Dis 2001 Dec;3(4):212-9.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Tsoulfas G; Geller DA

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Starzl Transplant Institute, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, USA.

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - NF-kappaB is an inducible nuclear transcription factor regulating the expression of many genes. NF-kappaB activation may function as a master switch in a variety of immune and inflammatory processes, including sepsis and transplant tolerance. In this review, we summarize features of NF-kappaB regulation, as well as describe its role in intracellular signal transduction pathways. Subsequently, we concentrate on the role of NF-kappaB in the field of organ transplantation and the role of NF-kappaB in organ ischemia/reperfusion injury and graft rejection. Finally, potential therapeutic strategies are discussed to modify NF-kappaB activity with certain immunosuppression medications, including cyclosporine, tacrolimus, and glucocorticoids.  N. Ref:: 54

 

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[181]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Use of sirolimus in kidney transplantation.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Prog Transplant 2001 Mar;11(1):29-32.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Podbielski J; Schoenberg L

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - University of Texas Medical School at Houston, Houston, Tex., USA.

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - Sirolimus, which has a distinctive mechanism of action that inhibits cytokine-driven cell proliferation and maturation, provides an exciting addition to the immunosuppressive regimen for organ transplantation. A significant decrease in the number and severity of rejection episodes has been noted when sirolimus is used; it also offers the potential for patients to be withdrawn from steroids, making kidney transplantation an option for many more potential recipients. Toxic conditions such as hyperlipidemia, thrombocytopenia, and leukopenia become transient and manageable with reduction of the sirolimus dose and/or countermeasure therapy.  N. Ref:: 9

 

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[182]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - To transplant or not to transplant recurrent hepatitis C and liver failure.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Clin Liver Dis 2003 Aug;7(3):615-29.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Forman LM

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Division of Gastroenterology, and Hepatology, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, 4200 East Ninth Avenue B-154, Denver, Colorado, CO 80262, USA. lisa.forman@UCHSC.edu

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - In summary, re-OLT accounts for 10% of all OLTs performed and is associated with significantly increased resource use, and decreased survival compared with primary OLT. After transplantation into an HCV-infected recipient, infection of the allograft by HCV is invariable. As patients survive longer after liver transplantation, it is likely that allograft failure related to HCV recurrence will occur. Results of re-OLT for HCV are inferior to those of primary grafting, paralleling the results for retransplantation for other indications. Many studies have demonstrated that HCV infection significantly impairs patient and allograft survival after liver retransplantation, regardless of etiology of allograft failure. Patient survival rates with HCV infection are 57% to 65% at 1 year, as compared with 65% to 82% among patients without HCV infection. Experience with retransplantation is limited, however, and studies are difficult to interpret because of small sample sizes and lack of uniform definitions of survival, HCV recurrence, and allograft failure. Similar to outcomes after retransplantation for non-HCV related indications, the most common causes of death are sepsis and multi-organ failure. The high mortality associated with retransplantation has not universally been caused by recurrent disease, however recent studies have demonstrated that re-recurrent HCV occurs and the natural history is similar, if not more accelerated, after the second transplant. HCV infection may, in fact, increase mortality in a group of patients already predisposed to an inferior outcome. Preoperative serum creatinine and bilirubin have been consistently associated with survival after retransplantation and favorable results are attainable with strict selection criteria. The increasing use of expanded donor criteria, in particular, LRLT, raises important practical and ethical issues with regards to the HCV-positive transplant recipient and will become a challenge to the transplant community as a whole. With the donor morbidity and mortality associated with LRLT currently estimated at 32% and 0.3%, respectively, one must determine how much risk is acceptable to the donor in relation to the outcome in the recipient. This is especially true in HCV-infected recipients, in whom HCV re-recurrence may occur in the second allograft and lead to accelerated failure. LRLT, however, would not deplete the organ pool and would lead to the use of scarce cadaveric organs to patients who are awaiting primary liver transplantation. Despite inferior outcomes, a better tactic may be to consider retransplantation for recurrent HCV in those whose primary transplant was a LDLT, as the initial allograft did not deplete the donor pool. Given the shortage of donor organs and the increasing number of patients with HCV-induced allograft cirrhosis, identifying ways to improve allograft survival in HCV-infected patients represents an important focus for further research. Additional studies are needed to further explore the mechanisms underlying the reduction in survival and to identify which HCV-positive individuals are at greatest risk for poor survival. Studies are beginning to emerge that demonstrate that HCV recurrence can be modified with combination antiviral therapy and that the HCV virus can be eliminated. Additional longitudinal prospective studies are needed to assess the exact impact of HCV on survival after retransplantation, the effects of the newer immunosuppressive agents such as sirolimus and mycophenolate mofetil on HCV, the use of preemptive antiviral therapy on HCV eradication and fibrosis modification, and the appropriateness of expanded donor criteria. Until we have longer follow-up and greater experience with the HCV-positive recipient with allograft failure, retransplantation should be considered a viable option for highly selected patients, particularly in patients in whom renal failure and severe hyperbilirubinemia have not occurred.  N. Ref:: 56

 

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[183]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Conversion from cyclosporin to tacrolimus in paediatric liver transplant recipients.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Paediatr Drugs 2001;3(9):661-72.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Mazariegos GV; Salzedas AA; Jain A; Reyes J

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Thomas E. Starzl Transplantation Institute, Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, PA 15213, USA. mazarieg@pitt.edu

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - Substitution of cyclosporin with tacrolimus should be considered for paediatric liver transplant recipients with cyclosporin-associated complications such as hypertension, gum hyperplasia, hirsutism, gynaecomastia and growth retardation, as well as recurrent or refractory acute rejection, chronic duct injury or chronic rejection. Continued experience with well tolerated drug administration and careful monitoring during drug substitution has limited drug toxicity associated with tacrolimus to a level comparable to or less than that associated with cyclosporin. Successful outcome with long term graft salvage has been reported in up to 80% of patients converted to tacrolimus because of acute rejection and 50% of patients converted because of chronic rejection. Nearly all children converted because of cyclosporin-related complications have a successful outcome. Additional benefits of conversion to tacrolimus include improvement in growth and resolution of hypertension, hirsutism and cushingoid facies. Complete corticosteroid withdrawal is possible in up to 78% of children post-conversion. Long term outcome in these patients may be optimised by conversion to tacrolimus at an early stage of acute or chronic transplant rejection in order to minimise the cumulative amount of immunosuppression. Avoidance of cyclosporin-related toxicity and minimisation of corticosteroid therapy may further improve patient compliance to drug therapy.  N. Ref:: 48

 

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[184]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Alternatives to immunosuppressive drugs in human islet transplantation.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Curr Diab Rep 2002 Aug;2(4):377-82.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Cotterell AA; Kenyon NS

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Diabetes Research Institute, University of Miami School of Medicine, 1450 N.W. 10th Avenue, Miami, FL 33136, USA. acottere@med.miami.edu

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - Although intensive insulin therapy has resulted in improved metabolic control and decreases in the incidence of complications, the occurrence of severe hypoglycemia remains an issue, as does the continued potential for complications. Islet transplantation, a promising treatment for type I diabetes, has been shown to improve blood sugar levels and decrease or even abrogate the incidence of hypoglycemia. The lack of tissue availability and the toxic effects of immunosuppressants, however, limit the application of islet transplantation as a cure for diabetes. This article discusses possible alternatives to immunosuppressive drugs in human islet transplantations.  N. Ref:: 68

 

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[185]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Tailoring immunosuppressive therapy for renal transplant recipients.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Pediatr Transplant 2001 Dec;5(6):467-72.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Vanrenterghem YF

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Department of Nephrology, University Hospital Gasthuisberg, Leuven, Belgium. yves.vanrenterghem@uz.kuleuven.ac.be

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - During the past decade several new potent immunosuppressive agents with different modes of action and different side-effect profiles have become available. Nowadays immunosuppression after renal transplantation is no longer one single regimen applicable to all patients. In the selection of the optimal immunosuppressive protocol, individual drug-related toxicity, recipient-related risk factors as well as donor organ characteristics have to be taken into account. This article will give an overview of the most recently developed immunosuppressive agents available for clinical use. Their individual mode of action and their different efficacy and safety profile will be described as basis for selection of each of these drugs in an attempt to tailor the optimal therapeutic regimen for the individual patient both in terms of short-term and long-term outcome.  N. Ref:: 34

 

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[186]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Hypertensinogenic mechanism of the calcineurin inhibitors.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Curr Hypertens Rep 2002 Oct;4(5):377-80.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Curtis JJ

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - University of Alabama at Birmingham, Division of Nephrology, 35294-0006, USA. jcurtis@nrtc.uab.edu

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - Kidney transplantation has seen a remarkable improvement in allograft survival rates and patient survival rates, and an equally remarkable reduction in acute rejection rates. Most attribute these changes to the introduction and widespread use of calcineurin inhibitors as part of the standard immunosuppressive regimen. Cyclosporine and tacrolimus are ideal immunosuppressive agents, much more effective and safe than the previous agents used. Especially ironic, however, for those caring for kidney transplant patients has been the finding that these breakthrough agents are toxic to the kidney and can cause hypertension. We can protect the transplanted kidney from rejection, but still damage it paradoxically by the protecting agent. Moreover, the prevalence of hypertension in transplant clinics has increased (from 40%-50% to up to 90%-100%) as these newer agents have gained widespread use. We remain uncertain of the mechanism whereby these agents cause hypertension, and therefore remain uncertain of the ideal treatment; however, the search for a mechanism has taken us from the organ level to intracellular effects of the agents. The fact that both agents cause nephrotoxicity suggests that a renal mechanism is at the heart of the hypertension.  N. Ref:: 31

 

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[187]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Review of the proliferation inhibitor everolimus.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Expert Opin Investig Drugs 2002 Dec;11(12):1845-57.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Nashan B

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Klinik fur Viszeral- und Transplantationschirurgie, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, Carl-Neuberg-Strasse 1, D-30625 Hannover, Germany. nashan@tx-amb.mh-hannover.de

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - Everolimus (Certican) is being developed for prevention of acute and chronic rejection of solid organ transplants. A novel proliferation inhibitor, everolimus synergies with cyclosporine to prevent and reverse acute rejection in preclinical models of kidney, heart or lung transplantation. The manifestations of chronic rejection that may contribute to graft loss are also inhibited by everolimus in preclinical models. Although everolimus is metabolised by the cytochrome P450 CYP3A isoenzyme, coadministration with cyclosporine does not alter the pharmacokinetics of cyclosporine, but cyclosporine coadministration increases exposure to everolimus. Everolimus interacts with inhibitors and inducers of this system; its clearance is reduced in patients with hepatic impairment. In an immunosuppressive regimen with cyclosporine microemulsion formulation and corticosteroids, transplant recipients treated with everolimus show low rates of acute rejection and, in one heart and one renal trial, lower rates of cytomegalovirus infection. Acute rejection rates are lower than those seen with azathioprine in cardiac transplant recipients and similar to those seen with mycophenolate mofetil in renal transplant recipients. Low rates of acute rejection are maintained when everolimus is given as part of a quadruple immunosuppressive regimen with low-dose cyclosporine in renal transplant recipients, with the added benefit of better renal function compared with full-dose cyclosporine. Use of C(2) monitoring to optimise cyclosporine exposure and enhance efficacy and safety of everolimus is planned in future studies. Hypertriglyceridaemia and hypercholesterolaemia have been associated with everolimus, but these effects are not dose-limiting. There is no clear upper therapeutic limit of everolimus. However, thrombocytopenia occurs at a rate of 17% at everolimus trough serum concentrations above 7.8 ng/ml in renal transplant recipients. There are limited safety data available in patients with trough concentrations > 12 ng/ml. Studies suggest everolimus targets primary causes of chronic rejection by reducing acute rejection, allowing for cyclosporine dose reduction (which may lead to improved renal function relative to full-dose cyclosporine) and by reducing cytomegalovirus infection and inhibiting vascular remodelling.  N. Ref:: 65

 

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[188]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Immunosuppressive effects of beta-herpesviruses.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Herpes 2003 May;10(1):12-6.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Boeckh M; Nichols WG

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA. mboeckh@fhcrc.org

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - Immunomodulatory effects of human beta-herpesviruses have been reported in vitro and in vivo. Clinical studies suggest that beta-herpesvirus infection may increase the risk for other infections, the severity of infection, or the tempo of disease progression. An increased incidence of bacterial and fungal infections, and graft rejection, have been reported in association with cytomegalovirus (CMV), and human herpesviruses type 6 and type 7 infections have been implicated as risk factors for CMV infection and graft rejection. Beta-herpesviruses may also interact with HIV-1 and hepatitis C. To prove a causal relationship between beta-herpesviruses and specific clinical outcomes, randomized trials, with selective suppression of the virus, are required. Such trials have been performed for CMV and showed a reduction in bacterial and fungal infections as well as rejection in selected solid organ transplant recipients. More trials are needed to evaluate whether the effects seen in observational studies are truly related.  N. Ref:: 61

 

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[189]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Eleven years intraoperative ATG bolus. A list of successes.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Ann Transplant 2002;7(3):4-10.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Kaden J

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Friedrichshain Hospital, Berlin, Germany.

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - Induction therapy for organ transplantation using monoclonal antibodies has been in recent years reevaluated. Results from various centers indicate the value of such therapy, especially in sensitized patients undergoing kidney transplantation as well as in simultaneous kidney—pancreas transplant patients. Author presents the experience of eleven years of intraoperative ATG bolus administration in the Berlin—Friedrichshain Kidney Transplantation Center.  N. Ref:: 43

 

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[190]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Immunosuppressive effect of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by induction of apoptosis of pre-B lymphocytes of bone marrow.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Acta Medica (Hradec Kralove) 2002;45(4):123-8.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Novosad J; Fiala Z; Borska L; Krejsek J

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Charles University in Prague, Faculty of Medicine in Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic. ukia@fnhk.cz

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) are ubiquitous environmental pollutants, distinguished by genotoxic, hepatotoxic, nephrotoxic and immunotoxic effects. Especially secondary toxicity after bioactivation by microsomal monooxygenases (dependent on cytochromes P450) is characteristic of them. The immunotoxic effect is the result of very global impact on immunological reactivity of an organism and immunosuppression by induction of apoptosis of pre-B lymphocytes represents one of its particular forms. It has been proved that the effect of PAH is caused mostly by the following mechanisms: enzymatic induction by the way of activation of AhR (Aromatic hydrocarbon Receptor); alteration of cellular DNA; development of oxidative stress; increase in the concentration of intercellular calcium and decline of activity of NF-kappaB (Nuclear Factor-kappa B). Most sensitive to these changes are particularly B-lymphocytic precursors and pre-B lymphocytes. Intensity of entire manifestations is also considerably dependent on the presence and intensity of mechanisms of active or passive resistance of cells.  N. Ref:: 40

 

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[191]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - An update in transplant immunosuppressive therapy.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Med Health R I 2002 Apr;85(4):131-3.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Thursby MA; Yango AF; Gohh RY

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Rhode Island Hospital, Division of Renal Diseases, 593 Eddy Street, Providence, RI 02903, USA. Mthursby@lifespan.org  N. Ref:: 10

 

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[192]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Immunosuppression in liver transplantation.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Minerva Chir 2003 Oct;58(5):725-40.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Everson GT; Trotter JF; Kugelmas M; Forman L

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology and Department of Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Denver, CO 80262, USA. greg.overson@uchsc.edu

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - This article highlights the currently available immunosuppressive medications that are used to prevent or treat hepatic allograft rejection. Currently-available immunosuppressive medications are highly effective in prevention of allograft rejection, graft loss, and patient death. However, side effects of medications are common, usually dose-related, and specific to the administered drug. Maintenance immunosuppression which has been primarily based upon calcineurin inhibitors (Cyclosporine, CsA, or tacrolimus, Tac) is commonly modified to reduce metabolic complications of therapy. Toxic consequences of steroids may be ameliorated by steroid withdrawal without risk of acute rejection or immunologic graft loss. Calcineurin-sparing regimens may include use of mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) or sirolimus, and allow reduction in doses and plasma levels of CsA and Tac. Recurrence of hepatitis C is universal after liver transplantation and progresses rapidly, compared to its natural history in non-immunocompromised patients. Unfortunately, no single immunosuppressive agent or strategy has yet been shown to convincingly modify the course of post-transplant recurrence. Most centers manage recurrenc hepatitis C by either steroid avoidance, reduction in immunosuppression, or institution of antiviral therapy. Ongoing advances in immunosuppressive and antiviral medications will allow tailoring of the immunosuppressive prescription, which undoubtedly will benefit current and future liver recipients.  N. Ref:: 88

 

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[193]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Sepsis and treatment-induced immunosuppression in the patient with cancer.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Crit Care Nurs Clin North Am 2003 Mar;15(1):109-18.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Reigle BS; Dienger MJ

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - College of Nursing, University of Cincinnati, 3110 Vine Street, Cincinnati, OH 45221-0038, USA. reiglebs@uc.edu

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - Treatment for cancer is frequently an assault to the immune system. The immunosuppression that results significantly increases the patient’s risk for infection. In this patient population, infection can quickly progress to sepsis, septic shock, and death. A high index of suspicion during nursing assessments is a critical strategy in early identification of infections. In addition, judicious adherence to infection control measures, appropriate use of prophylactic agents, and immediate employment of broad-spectrum antibiotics that are empirically based are essential strategies to maximize the patient’s likelihood for survival.  N. Ref:: 36

 

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[194]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Review of the properties and mechanisms of action of cyclosporine with an emphasis on dermatological therapy in dogs, cats and people.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Vet Rec 2003 Jun 21;152(25):768-72.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Robson D

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Melbourne Veterinary Referral Centre, 70 Blackburn Road, Glen Waverley, Victoria 3150, Australia.

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - Cyclosporine is being increasingly used in veterinary medicine. It is a potent suppressor of T cell induction and proliferation, and has a wide variety of anti-inflammatory and antiproliferative effects, downregulating effects on antigen presentation, and variable effects on parasites. This paper reviews its properties and mechanisms of action with particular reference to its use in the treatment of dermatological conditions in dogs, cats and people.  N. Ref:: 46

 

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[195]

TÍTULO / TITLE:  - Molecular mechanisms of the immunosuppressive effect of erythroid cells.

REVISTA / JOURNAL:  - Russ J Immunol 2002 Oct;7(3):211-8.

AUTORES / AUTHORS:  - Kozlov VA

INSTITUCIÓN / INSTITUTION:  - Institute of Clinical Immunology, Siberian Branch of RAMS, Yandritsovskaya str. 14, Novosibirsk-99 630099, Russia. v_kozlov@online.nsk.su

RESUMEN / SUMMARY:  - This review presents data suggesting a new immunoregulatory role of the erythroid nucleus-containing cells. The three main mechanisms of the possible immunosuppressive effect of these cells are described. It has been demonstrated that the erythroid nucleus-containing cells produce a variety of both pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines. The p15 protein (a product of the env gene) is considered to provide a novel immunosuppressive mechanism. Finally, the existing data suggest that the erythroid nucleus-containing cells are able to produce an immunosuppressive factor, which is different from the known cytokines. It has been proposed that the immunosuppressive effect of the erythroid nucleus-containing cells greatly contributes to the regulation of the immune homeostasis in normal and immunopathological conditions.  N. Ref:: 33

 

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