Transplantation
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The major hinderance for long-term survival after lung transplantation is chronic rejection in the form of bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS). BOS is a fibrosing process in the small airways causing irreversible airway obstruction. BOS is associated with increased oxidative burden and activation of inflammatory and growth-stimulating mediators. The Clara cell secretory protein (CCSP or CC16) is a secreted differentiation marker for the bronchiolar epithelium with both antioxidative and antiinflammatory/immmunomodulatory properties. We asked whether this molecule could have a role in the development of BOS. ⋯ Levels of CCSP in serum and BAL is lowered in BOS. Serum CCSP could have a potential as an early marker for BOS. The correlation between decreased CCSP and increased neutrophils in BAL suggests a loss of local airway defense capacity in BOS.
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Autologous dermal fibroblasts may be useful in the treatment of skin wounds and for the enhancement of keratinocyte proliferation. This paper addressed the following questions: (1) can cultured fibroblasts (CF) be transplanted as suspensions to full-thickness skin wounds and do they influence wound healing; (2) will the transplanted CF be integrated into the new dermis; (3) can a transgene that encodes a secretable marker, human epidermal growth factor (hEGF), be expressed in the wound fluid by the transplanted CF; and (4) do CF cotransplanted with cultured keratinocytes (CK) influence the rate of wound healing? ⋯ Transplanted CF integrated into the dermis, accelerated reepithelialization, and improved the outcome of CK transplantation. CF may also be used for the expression of transgenes in wound and wound fluid.