Influence of obestatin on the histological development of the small intestine in piglets during the first week of postnatal life.

Obestatin is a gastrointestinal peptide having wide-ranging effects on cell proliferation; however, its mechanism of action remains poorly understood. Thus, the aim of the study was to elucidate the effect of exogenous obestatin on the postnatal structural development of the small intestine. Seven-day-old piglets with an average BW of 1.56 ± 0.23 kg were divided into four groups (n = 10) that received intragastrically obestatin (2, 10 or 15 µg/kg BW) or vehicle. After a 6-day experimental period, morphological analysis of gastrointestinal tract and small intestine wall (mitosis and apoptosis indexes, histomorphometry of mucosa and muscularis layers) was performed. The study revealed a seemingly incoherent pattern of the histological structure of the small intestine among the experimental groups, suggesting that the effect of obestatin is both intestinal segment specific and dose dependent. Histomorphometric analysis of the small intestine showed that higher doses of obestatin seem to promote the structural development of the duodenum while simultaneously hindering the maturation of more distal parts of the intestine. Intragastric administration of obestatin increased the crypt mitotic index in all segments of the small intestine with the strongest pro-mitotic activity following the administration of obestatin at a dose of 10 and 15 µg/kg BW. The significant differences in the number of apoptotic cells in the intestinal villi among the groups were observed only in proximal jejunum and ileum. In conclusion, it seems that obestatin shows a broad-spectrum of activity in the gastrointestinal tract of newborn piglets, being able to accelerate its structural development. However, the varied effect depending on the intestinal segment or the concentration of exogenous obestatin causes that further research is needed to clarify the exact mechanism of this phenomenon.

Frequency of Pathologic Changes in the Oral Cavity in Patients Subjected to Long-term Pharmacologic Immunosuppressive Therapy After Kidney, Liver, and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation.

INTRODUCTION: Patients subjected to long-term immunosuppressive therapy after organ and cells transplantation are more susceptible than healthy people to the development of the pathologic changes in the oral cavity, including precancerous lesions, oral cancers, lesions following viral infections (herpes simplex virus, Epstein-Barr virus, and cytomegalovirus), fungal infections mainly caused by Candida albicans, drug-induced gingival overgrowth, stomatitis, and tongue disorders. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Clinical case material included 38 patients after kidney, liver, or blood-forming cells transplantation subjected to various immunosuppressive therapy schemes. The study comprised standard case taking and physical examination of the patient, including detailed intraoral and extraoral stomatological examinations. RESULTS: Extraoral examination confirmed 1 case of multifocal basal cell carcinoma in the auricular region and one case of systemic lupus erythematosus. Intraoral examination revealed gingivitis (60.5%), gingival recession (58%), periodontitis (55.26%), macroglossia (15.8%), lingual papillary atrophy (13.16%), leukoplakia aphthae/ulcerations (10.5%), lichen planus, pallor of mucous membranes (7.9%), pathologic pigmentation of oral mucosa, geographic tongue (5.26%) and erythroplakia (2.6%). When their histories were taken, patients reported xerostomia (68.42%), halitosis (23.68%), gum bleeding while brushing teeth (18.42%), and dysgeusia (15.78%). DISCUSSION: Both the patients after organ and hematopoietic stem cells transplantations and those qualified for a transplant should undergo multispecialty treatment, particularly dental treatment, to enable the detection of pathologies at an early stage and commencement of effective therapy. Cooperation between the main doctor and the dentist is crucial in the process of treatment of this group of patients.

Frequency of Human Papilloma Virus Occurrence Among Pathological Changes of the Oral Cavity in Kidney Allotransplant Recipients Undergoing Long-Term Pharmacological Immunosuppressive Therapy.

Recipients of allotransplants are more susceptible to viral infections, among which the human papilloma virus infection is an independent factor inducing precancerous lesions and cancers of both the anogenital and the cervicocephalic region. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study included a group of 69 allogenic kidney transplantation recipients aged 20 to 70, who were treated with cyclosporine, azathioprine, and prednisone. The patients in whom the macroscopic examination of the oral mucosa revealed lesions were qualified for a biopsy. The infection with human papilloma virus (HPV) was confirmed by a histopathological examination and genotyping with the use of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and Hybrid Capture II test. RESULTS: Papillomatous lesions in the oral cavity occurred in 36.1% of the research group participants. The HPV16 virus was the most common genotype in this group of patients (25%). The pathologic changes in the oral cavity were predominantly situated on the gingivae. In the group of transplant recipients, clinical changes resulting from HPV infection occurred within a period of 2 years following the transplantation. Cyclosporine used in the immunosuppression scheme has correlated in as many as 53.7% of cases of allogenic kidney transplant recipients with the appearance of clinical signs and symptoms of HPV infection. In 50% of cases there was a correlation with acute kidney transplant rejection. When induction therapy (anti-thymocyte globulin [ATG] and muromonab-CD3 [OKT3]) was applied, at least 1 oral cavity lesion in each case of allogenic transplant recipients was reported. CONCLUSIONS: Typing of HPV with the use of molecular methods should be a standard diagnostic technique.