Search

Einleitung: Anastomoseninsuffizienzen nach Ösophagusresektion mit Magenhochzug sind eine gravierende Komplikation und gehen mit erhöhter postoperativer Morbidität und Mortalität einher. Eine frühzeitige Detektion von Insuffizienzen ist Bedingung für eine zügige Therapieeinleitung[zum vollständigen Text gelangen Sie über die oben angegebene URL], 133. Kongress der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Chirurgie

Today, liver transplantation is still the only curative treatment for liver failure due to end-stage liver diseases. Donor organ shortage, high cost and the need of immunosuppressive medications are still the major limitations in the field of liver transplantation. Thus, alternative innovative cell-based liver directed therapies, for example, liver tissue engineering, are under investigation with the aim that in future an artificial liver tissue could be created and be used for the replacement of the liver function in patients. Using cells instead of organs in this setting should permit (i) expansion of cells in an in vitro phase, (ii) genetic or immunological manipulation of cells for transplantation, (iii) tissue typing and cryopreservation in a cell bank and (iv) the ex vivo genetic modification of patient's own cells prior to re-implantation. Function and differentiation of liver cells are influenced by the three-dimensional organ architecture. The use of polymeric matrices permits the three-dimensional formation of a neo tissue and specific stimulation by adequate modification of the matrix surface, which might be essential for appropriate differentiation of transplanted cells. In addition, culturing hepatocytes on three-dimensional matrices permits culture in a flow bioreactor system with increased function and survival of the cultured cells. Based on bioreactor technology, bioartificial liver devices (BAL) are developed for extracorporeal liver support. Although BALs improved clinical and metabolic conditions, increased patient survival rates have not been proven yet. For intracorporeal liver replacement, a concept that combines tissue engineering using three-dimensional, highly porous matrices with cell transplantation could be useful. In such a concept, whole liver mass transplantation, long-term engraftment and function as well as correction of a metabolic defect in animal models could be achieved with a principally reversible procedure. Future studies have to investigate which environmental conditions and transplantation system would be most suitable for the development of artificial functional liver tissue including blood supply for a potential use in a clinical setting.

Einleitung: Ziel dieser retrospektiven Datenanalyse ist der Vergleich einer low-dose mit einer standard-dose CNI-Therapie unter gleichzeitiger Mycophenolsäuregabe und Glukokortikoiden hinsichtlich Abstoßung, Infektionen und postoperativer Nierenfunktion während der Frühphase nach[for full text, please go to the a.m. URL], 132. Kongress der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Chirurgie

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth most common malignancy worldwide with a poor prognosis and limited therapeutic options. To aid the development of novel immunological interventions, we studied the breadth, frequency, and tumor-infiltration of naturally occurring CD8+ T-cell responses targeting several tumor-associated antigens (TAA). We used overlapping peptides spanning the entire alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), glypican-3 (GPC-3), melanoma-associated gene-A1 (MAGE-A1) and New York-esophageal squamous cell carcinoma-1 (NY-ESO-1) proteins and major-histocompatibility-complex-class-I-tetramers specific for epitopes of MAGE-A1 and NY-ESO-1 to analyze TAA-specific CD8+ T-cell responses in a large cohort of HCC patients. After nonspecific expansion in vitro, we detected interferon-γ (IFN-γ)-producing CD8+ T cells specific for all four TAA in the periphery as well as in liver and tumor tissue. These CD8+ T-cell responses displayed clear immunodominance patterns within each TAA, but no consistent hierarchy was observed between different TAA. Importantly, the response breadth was highest in early-stage HCC and associated with patient survival. After antigen-specific expansion, TAA-specific CD8+ T cells were detectable by tetramer staining but impaired in their ability to produce IFN-γ. Furthermore, regulatory T cells (Treg) were increased in HCC lesions. Depletion of Treg from cultures improved TAA-specific CD8+ T-cell proliferation but did not restore IFN-γ-production. Conclusion: Naturally occurring TAA-specific CD8+ T-cell responses are present in patients with HCC and therefore constitute part of the normal T-cell repertoire. Moreover, the presence of these responses correlates with patient survival. However, the observation of impaired IFN-γ production suggests that the efficacy of such responses is functionally limited. These findings support the development of strategies that aim to enhance the total TAA-specific CD8+ T-cell response by therapeutic boosting and/or specificity diversification. However, further research will be required to help unlock the full potential of TAA-specific CD8+ T-cell responses.