intrasplenic-transplantation-hepatocytes-after-partial-hepatectomy

Intrasplenic Transplantation of Hepatocytes After Partial Hepatectomy in NOD.SCID Mice

Partial hepatectomy is a versatile and reproducible method to study liver regeneration and the effect of cell based therapeutics in various pathological ...

generation-rat-model-acute-liver-failure-combining-70-partial

Generation of a Rat Model of Acute Liver Failure by Combining 70% Partial Hepatectomy and Acetaminophen

Acute liver failure (ALF) is a clinical condition caused by various etiologies resulting in the loss of metabolic, biochemical, synthesizing, and ...

National Institute of Immunology

The role of Invariant chain (CD74 or Ii) in antigen presentation via Antigen Presenting Cells (APC), macrophage recruitment as well as survival, T cell activation and B cell differentiation has been well recognized. However, the aspect of CD74 which is involved in the development of hepatic steatosis and the pathways through which it acts remain to be studied. In this study, we investigated the role of CD74 in the inflammatory pathway and its contribution to development of hepatic steatosis. For this, wild type C57BL/6J and CD74 deficient mice (Ii(-/-) mice) were fed with high fat high fructose (HFHF) diet for 12 weeks. Chronic consumption of this feed did not develop hepatic steatosis, glucose intolerance or change in the level of immune cells in Ii(-/-) mice. Moreover, there was relatively delayed expression of genes involved in development of non alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in HFHF fed Ii(-/-) mice as compared to that of C57BL/6J phenotype. Taken together, the data suggest that HFHF diet fed Ii(-/-) mice fail to develop hepatic steatosis, suggesting that Ii mediated pathways play a vital role in the initiation and propagation of liver inflammation.

Role of antigen presenting cell invariant chain in the development of hepatic steatosis in mouse model.

Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is a common retinal degeneration disease caused by mutation in any gene of the photo transduction cascade and results in photoreceptor dystrophy. Over decades, several animal models have been used to address the need for the elucidation of effective therapeutics and factors regulating retinal degeneration to prohibit or renew the damaged retina. However, controversies over the immune privilege of retina during cell transplantation and the role of immune modulation during RP still remain largely uninvestigated because of the lack of suitable animal models. Here, we have developed an immunocompromised mouse model, NOD.SCID-rd1, for retinitis pigmentosa (RP) by crossing CBA/J and NOD SCID mice and selecting homozygous double mutant animals for further breeding. Characterization of the newly developed RP model indicates a similar retinal degeneration pattern as CBA/J, with a decreased apoptosis rate and rhodopsin loss. It also exhibits loss of T cells, B cells and NK cells. The NOD.SCID-rd1 model is extremely useful for allogenic and xenogenic cell-based therapeutics, as indicated by the higher cell integration capacity post transplantation. We dissect the underlying role of the immune system in the progression of RP and the effect of immune deficiency on immune privilege of the eye using comparative qPCR studies of this model and the immune-competent RP model.

A novel immunodeficient NOD.SCID-rd1 mouse model of retinitis pigmentosa to investigate potential therapeutics and pathogenesis of retinal degeneration.

The cultivation of mycobacteria often requires the use of several antibiotics to limit the growth of other rapidly growing micro-flora present in the growth medium. This antibiotic cocktail is one of the most expensive reagents required for mycobacterium culture. Here we present a customized antibiotics mix that is easy to prepare at a fraction of the cost of the commercially available antibiotic mixture that protects against transient flora, which are normally present in lungs, without affecting mycobacterial colony number.

An inexpensive and easy-to-make customized antibiotics mix for mycobacterium culture.

With the aim of preparing a more effective, safe and economical vaccine for tuberculosis, inhalable live mycobacterium formulations were evaluated.

Aerosol immunization by alginate coated mycobacterium (BCG/MIP) particles provide enhanced immune response and protective efficacy than aerosol of plain mycobacterium against M.tb. H37Rv infection in mice.

Ashwani Kesarwani

National Institute of Immunology

Intrasplenic Transplantation of Hepatocytes After Partial Hepatectomy in NOD.SCID Mice

Generation of a Rat Model of Acute Liver Failure by Combining 70% Partial Hepatectomy and Acetaminophen