Project description:We report mRNA expression from human lung homogenate samples taken during Ex Vivo Lung Perfusion during an acute challenge with LPS and an intervention with the small molecule BC1215
Project description:Laboratory mice comprise an inexpensive and expeditious model organism for preclinical vaccine testing; however, vaccine immunogenicity often fails to adequately translate to humans. Recent reports indicate that reconstituting physiologic microbial experience to specific pathogen free (SPF) mice induces durable immunological changes that better recapitulate the human immune system. We examined the impact of microbial experience on responses to vaccination after cohousing laboratory mice with pet store mice. We demonstrate that human transcriptional responses to influenza vaccination are better recapitulated in cohoused mice. Induction of humoral responses by vaccination was dampened in cohoused mice and resulted in poor control upon challenge. Additionally, the establishment of protective heterosubtypic T cell immunity was compromised in cohoused mice. In summary, SPF mice exaggerated both humoral and T cell protection induced by influenza vaccines compared to cohoused mice, suggesting that reconstituting microbial experience in laboratory mice through cohousing may better inform preclinical vaccine testing.
Project description:Ex vivo lung perfusion restores normothermia, ventilation and circulation to donor lungs, typically after a period of cold ischemia. This allows donor lungs to be evaluated prior to transplantation. We used microarrays to study the biological response of human lungs to Ex Vivo Lung Perfusion. Samples were collected from donor lungs at Toronto General Hospital. Lungs were donation after brain death (DBD)
Project description:We report the first use of ex vivo lung perfusion (EVLP) in the genetic and physiologic modification of lungs from deceased pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) patients and propose this as a translational platform to both (1) derive clinically relevant mechanistic insights into pulmonary pathophysiology and (2) to test treatments on human lungs. The EVLP consist in the perfusion of the lungs out of the body during 6 hours. It is a well established protocol in where basically lungs are on a table connected to a close circuit containing a special perfusion solution that is circulated through the pulmonary vein and artery using a pump. The circuit contains also a deoxygenator. The perfusion temperature and flow are adjusted gradually and after 20 mins of perfusion the ventilation is initiated. Every hour lungs are recruited in order to assess pulmonary function and collect perfusate samples. In addition to perfusate, tissue samples from the lower lobe of the left lung and bronchial alveolar lavage (BAL) are collected at times T0, 3 and 6 hr.
Project description:Proteins that were newly-synthesized during ex vivo lung perfusion were labeled with an azido-sugar Ac4GalNAz in the perfusate. These proteins were enriched using click chemistry to attach an alkyne-desthiobiotin group to the azido-labeled proteins, then pulled out of solution using streptavidin beads. The overall goal is to better understand the effects of warm ischemia injury in lungs destined for lung transplantation.
Project description:Access to liver transplantation is limited by a significant organ shortage. The recent introduction of machine perfusion technology allows surgeons to monitor and assess ex situ liver function prior to transplantation. However, many donated organs are of inadequate quality for transplant, though opportunities exist to rehabilitate organ function with adjunct therapeutics during normothermic machine perfusion. In this preclinical study, we targeted the apoptosis pathway as a potential method of improving hepatocellular function. Treatment of discarded human livers during normothermic perfusion with an irreversible pan-caspase inhibitor, emricasan, resulted in significant mitigation of ischemia-reperfusion injury at both the transcriptional and protein level. This was evidenced by significantly decreased circulating levels of the pro-inflammatory cytokines, interleukin-6, interleukin-8, and interferon-gamma, compared to control livers. Untreated livers also demonstrated transcriptional changes notable for enrichment in pathways involved in innate immunity, leukocyte migration, and cytokine-mediated signaling. Targeting of unregulated apoptosis may represent a viable therapeutic intervention for rehabilitating liver hepatocellular function during machine perfusion.