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Biomedical subjects

B J Fuller

Publications and source records attributed to B J Fuller.

At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources
PubMed1988

Increased expression of major histocompatibility antigens in the liver as a result of cholestasis.

Increased expression of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) antigens may occur following liver transplantation. The mechanism by which this occurs is unclear. Postoperative complications may result in cholestasis. We have investigated the possibility that cholestasis may cause increased expression of MHC antigens in the liver. Cholestasis was induced in rat livers by bile duct ligation and transection. Total serum bilirubin rose markedly postoperatively and remained elevated over a period of 21 days. Samples of bile taken from rats were shown to remain sterile during the study period and there was no evidence of viral infection. Liver tissue taken 1, 3, 7, and 21 days postobstruction showed a marked increase in the expression of rat class I MHC antigens but not class II antigens. We suggest that cholestasis itself can induce increased MHC class I antigens in the liver. Therefore, if cholestasis occurs postoperatively in the human liver transplant recipient this might lead to increased expression of human class I MHC antigens and add to the overall cellular immune activity in a rejection reaction, although cholestasis probably cannot initiate rejection.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Free radicals in hypothermic rat heart preservation--prevention of damage by mannitol and desferrioxamine.

The free radical mediated oxidation of proteins in stored hypothermic rat hearts has been investigated by the estimation of fluorescence (Ex 360, Em 440-460 nm) believed to result from the oxidation of tryptophan residues. Damage occurring during ischaemia results in the release of oxidised proteins. This damage is significantly attenuated by mannitol and desferrioxamine although the mechanism of action of the two compounds may be different.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Storage of cells and tissues at hypothermia for clinical use.

The ability of cells and tissues to withstand periods of removal from, or severe changes in, their normal environment is a necessary consequence of many surgical and medical therapies, particularly in the growing area of transplantation. The sequence of changes in mammalian cells during ischaemia is discussed. Following from this, the ability of hypothermia to slow all cell metabolic processes is described, and the concept is introduced that hypothermia itself eventually causes cell damage. Current knowledge on hypothermic damage is outlined, and the biological basis for therapeutic measures to minimize this damage is described. Finally, brief descriptions are given for hypothermic storage regimes in use clinically at present.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Reduced susceptibility to lipid peroxidation in cold ischemic rabbit kidneys after addition of desferrioxamine, mannitol, or uric acid to the flush solution.

Rabbit kidneys were stored for 24 hr at 0 degree C after single passage arterial flush with 30 ml of cold isotonic 0.9% sodium chloride (saline) solution alone or saline to which was added 12, 30, or 60 mM desferrioxamine, 1 or 3 mM uric acid, or 100 mM mannitol. They were then subjected to in vitro biochemical assay for evidence of free radical damage immediately after storage. Results were compared to those obtained with fresh, unstored kidneys. Levels of Schiff base fluorescence, diene conjugates, and thiobarbituric acid-reactive material were each significantly elevated in kidneys stored for 24 hr after flush with saline alone. These levels were in turn each significantly reduced by the addition of 60 mM desferrioxamine, 3 mM uric acid, and 100 mM mannitol to the flush solution. Likewise, glutathione redox activity fell in those flushed with saline alone, presumably in line with increased lipid peroxidation, but was restored to control levels by inclusion of the three scavenging agents.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Desferrioxamine reduces susceptibility to lipid peroxidation in rabbit kidneys subjected to warm ischaemia and reperfusion.

Rabbit kidneys were clamped and subjected to warm ischaemia for 60 or 120 min then reperfused with blood for 60 min or for 24 hr. Treated rabbits received desferrioxamine at 15 or 50 mg/kg i.v. 15 min before reperfusion. Their kidneys were then removed and assayed for phospholipid Schiff base fluorescence (ex. 360 nm, em. 435 nm), diene and triene conjugates by UV spectrophotometry (240 nm and 268 nm respectively), for superoxide dismutase and for reduced and oxidised glutathione to provide an index of glutathione redox activity. All indices of lipid peroxidation were significantly elevated in untreated rabbits and glutathione redox activity was reduced. Treatment with desferrioxamine however effectively prevented these deviations and in many cases maintained them at the levels in fresh rabbit kidneys. These data provide further evidence that lipid peroxidation occurring during the reperfusion period is superimposed on the damage set up during warm ischaemia and may be preventable by administration of suitable therapeutic agents.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Increased susceptibility to lipid peroxidation in rabbit kidneys: a consequence of warm ischaemia and subsequent reperfusion.

Rabbit kidneys were clamped and rendered warm ischaemic (WI) in situ for 60 and 120 min. They were then either removed immediately after the ischaemic insult or after reperfusion with blood for 60 min or 24 hr. Homogenates were assayed for phospholipid-Schiff base fluorescence (Ex. 360 nm, Em. 435 nm) and for diene conjugate formation by u.v. spectrophotometry (240 nm) as indices of lipid peroxidation. No alteration in tissue levels of Schiff base was evident immediately after WI but when the homogenates were incubated at 37 degrees C for 90 min, the rate of peroxidation was significantly elevated compared to controls (P less than 0.02 after WI of 60 min and P less than 0.001 after 120 min of WI). These values were still further elevated after reperfusion with blood for 60 min and 24 hr (P less than 0.001). Diene conjugates were raised after WI alone and further still after reperfusion. Thus an early index of lipid peroxidation (diene conjugation) suggested peroxidative damage during the warm ischaemic period itself, whilst detection of Schiff bases was only possible after in vitro incubation of the tissue. Both indices of oxygen-derived free radical damage were increased after reperfusion in vivo with blood and may relate to the degree of tissue damage sustained during ischaemia and reflow.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Evidence of free-radical-induced damage in rabbit kidneys after simple hypothermic preservation and autotransplantation.

Rabbit kidneys were stored for 24 or 48 hr at 0 degree C after single-passage vascular flush with 30 ml of cold hypertonic citrate solution or 0.9% isotonic sodium chloride solution. They were then subjected to in vitro biochemical assay for evidence of free-radical damage immediately after storage or after they had been orthotopically autotransplanted and reperfused with blood in vivo for 60 min. Kidney homogenates were incubated at 37 degrees C and assayed for fluorescent conjugated Schiff bases as indicators of lipid peroxidation, as well as for superoxide dismutase activity and reduced and oxidized glutathione. In kidneys flushed with hypertonic citrate, no evidence of peroxidation could be detected immediately after storage for 24 or 48 hr. However, after in vivo reperfusion significantly more peroxidation (P less than 0.01) was evident. Storage in isotonic saline solution produced still higher levels of peroxidation damage whether reperfused or not (P less than 0.001). Schiff base formation was inversely proportional to the reduced and oxidized glutathione levels measured. No changes in superoxide dismutase levels could be detected. It is concluded that lipid peroxidation is important during cold ischemia but most damage occurs during the 60-min of reperfusion in vivo immediately after transplantation.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

An assessment of tumor cell viability after in vitro freezing.

The identification of the minimum lethal temperature for tumor cells in vivo is difficult because of the secondary factors that are associated with the cryoinjury. This study attempts to identify this temperature by a combination of in vitro and in vivo techniques. Suspensions of Walker carcinoma cells were frozen at a rate of 1 degree C/min without cryoprotection, to either -10, -15, -20, -25, -30, -35 or -40 degrees C and held at that temperature for either 0, 10, 20, or 30 min. After spontaneous rewarming viability was assessed by a combination of vital dye studies and the growth of tumor cells inoculated into the liver and subcutaneous tissue of male, Sprague-Dawley rats. Trypan blue studies indicated that less than 1% of the cells frozen to -35 degrees C were considered viable, yet significant tumor take rates were noted, suggesting that for some cells the cryoinjury is reversible. As expected tumor take rates were reduced by lowering the temperature but were independent of the holding time. The volume doubling time and final tumor volume of the subcutaneous tumors was similar to that of controls, indicating that the growth potential of the cells which survive freezing is normal. The minimum lethal temperature was dependent upon the site of inoculation, subcutaneous tumors developing from cells frozen to -35 degrees C, whereas liver tumors did not develop from cells frozen beyond -25 degrees C, this may have important clinical implications.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

Effect of hibernation on liver and kidney metabolism in 13-lined ground squirrels.

Metabolic rates and adenine nucleotide content of liver and kidney from hibernating ground squirrels were measured and compared to rats to study the biochemical adaptation to hibernation. High rates of renal and hepatic gluconeogenesis were observed in squirrels, particularly from propionate and glycerol compared to rat. During hibernation and starvation soluble phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase activity was increased in both liver and kidney. Although metabolic rates are decreased during hibernation the results suggest that the enzymic complement is maintained at high activity even during torpor.

Adenine Nucleotides↗
PubMed1983

Ultrastructural assessment of cryopreserved hepatocytes after prolonged ectopic transplantation.

Isolated adult rat hepatocytes were cryopreserved by cooling, in the presence of dimethyl sulfoxide, to low subzero temperatures and they were stored for 14 days at -196 C. The cells were then recovered and transplanted into the splenic pulp of the original donor animal. A similar transplant procedure was performed with hepatocytes which had not been cryopreserved. Ultrastructural assessment was made 1 month after transplantation. In general fewer hepatocytes survived ectopic transplantation after cryopreservation, but the surviving cells were ultrastructurally similar to ectopically transplanted cells not subjected to cryopreservation. Thus, the reduced metabolic activity measured previously in transplants of cryopreserved hepatocytes is likely to result from a smaller number of competent cells rather than from hepatocytes which have survived in an extensively damaged or abnormal state.

Animals↗
PubMed1982

Functional assessment of hepatocytes after transplantation into rat spleen..

The retention of structural integrity and metabolic function by isolated hepatocytes after ectopic transplantation has been investigated in autografted rats. Rats were partially hepatectomized and isolated hepatocytes prepared from the excised liver lobes were implanted into their spleens. Histological examination of the spleens 7 or more weeks after implantation revealed aggregates of hepatocytes in the red pulp. Two tests of biochemical function were applied to the hepatocytes after transplantation. In the first the hepatobiliary imaging agent technetium-99m N-[N'-(2, 6-dimethylphenyl)carbamoylmethyl]iminodiacetic acid (99mTc HIDA), which was shown to be avidly taken up by isolated hepatocytes in vitro, was infused into the tail veins of autograft and control rats. Radioactivity accumulating in the spleens of autografted rats was markedly greater than that in controls implanted with lethally damaged cells or in nontransplanted rats. In the second the presence of bilirubin metabolites was sought in autograft spleens after intravenous infusion of bilirubin. Both mono- and diglucuronides of bilirubin were recovered from the spleens of autograft rats but no conjugates were recovered from the spleens of unoperated controls. We conclude that after autotransplantation isolated hepatocytes retain their morphology and at least some of their functional activities.

Animals↗