SummaryChronic renal allograft injury is reflected by interstitial fibrosis and tubular atrophy (IF/TA) and by the accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM). Metalloproteinases (MMPs) are renal physiologic regulators of ECM degradation. Changes in MMPs expression or activity may disturb ECM turnover leading to glomerular scarring and worsening renal function. Our goal was to investigate intragraft MMP2 and MMP9 activities and their correlation with renal dysfunction. Plasma MMP2 and MMP9 activities were analyzed as noninvasive markers of renal allograft deterioration. Transplanted patients were biopsied and histopathologically characterized as IF/TA+ or IF/TAÀ. Renal function was evaluated by serum creatinine, glomerular filtration rate (GFR) estimated by Modification of Diet in Renal Disease equation and urinary protein/creatinine ratio. Kidney and plasma MMP2 and MMP9 activities were analyzed by zymography. A significant renal dysfunction was observed in IF/TA+ patients. Intragraft proMMP9 showed a significant higher activity in IF/TA+ than in IF/TAÀ samples and was inversely correlated with the GFR. Intragraft proMMP2 activity tended to increase in IF/TA+ samples, although no statistic significance was reached. Circulating proMMP2 and proMMP9 activities did not show significant differences between groups. Our data provide evidence that correlates intragraft proMMP9 activity with the fibrotic changes and renal dysfunction observed in IF/TA.

The aim of this study was to assess changes in salivary electrolyte flow and composition and the presence of anti-Ro/SSA and anti-La/SSB serum and saliva antibodies and their implications for the non-invasive diagnosis of SS. Study design: 73 patients were studied, divided into the following experimental groups: primary Sjögren syndrome (SSp) (n=15), secondary SS (SSs) (n=17), dry mouth, dry eye without Sjögren's syndrome (BO) (n=20) and healthy controls (C) (n=21). We conducted a baseline assessment of salivary flow and saliva sampling for the measurement of sodium, chlorine, potassium, calcium and phosphate electrolytes, and the determination of antiRo/SSA and La/SSB antibodies; a serum sampling was made to assess antibody positivity. Results: Salivary flow in SSp, SSs and BO was significantly lower (p<0.001) relative to C. The salivary composition of SS showed an increase of inorganic components. Anti-Ro/SSA and anti-La/SSB antibodies occurred more frequently in serum and saliva in SS patients compared with BO and C, with higher frequency of positivity in serum compared with saliva. Conclusion: Our results suggest new tools that could aid the non-traumatic diagnosis of the origin of hyposalivation.

Impaired immune responses occur frequently in cancer patients or in tumor-bearing animals, but the mechanisms of the tumor-induced immune defects remain poorly understood. The aim of the present study was to determine the relevance of the immune system in the control of tumor growth. We have developed a model of progressive and non-progressive mammary tumor, chemically induced in female Wistar rats. In this model we evaluated the development of an immune response after immunization of rats bearing progressive and non-progressive tumors with a non-related antigen, such as sheep red blood cells. We also studied the activation state of peritoneal macrophages from animals bearing tumors by evaluating the production of free radicals. Our findings indicated that the cell-mediated immunity in rats bearing progressive tumors fails to respond to heterologous antigen in vivo, as demonstrated by a negative delayed-type hypersensitivity reaction, and is accompanied by minor nitric oxide production by peritoneal exudate cells as well as a lower capacity for macrophage activation. The study of non-progressive tumor-bearing rats indicated that the cell-mediated immune response was intact and an activated state of macrophages was found in vivo. The results described in this paper should be taken into account when therapies based on cancer vaccines are chosen for the treatment of cancer.

<p>La mortalidad por Enfermedad cardiovascular (ECV) temprana está incrementada en enfermedades inflamatorias. Los marcadores ecográficos de aterosclerosis subclínica (AS) están estrechamente relacionados con ECV.</p><p>Objetivo: Evaluar marcadores de AS ecográficos y Factores de Riesgo Cardiovascular (FRCV) en Artritis temprana (AT) y correlacionarlo con la actividad de la enfermedad.</p><p>Material y Métodos: Estudio transversal de casos y controles en pacientes con AT, definida por 3 articulaciones inflamadas con menos de 1 año de evolución,  realizado desde 2011 a 2013, apareados con controles sanos, por sexo, edad y FRCV. Se registraron datos demográficos, FRCV, rigidez de pared (cIMT) en Arteria Carótida Común (ACC) y en Bulbo Carotídeo (BC) y presencia de placas ateroscleróticas por ecografía, perfil lipídico, Proteína C Reactiva, eritrosedimentación, anticuerpos anti péptido citrulinado, Factor reumatoide, anticuerpos antinucleares. La actividad de AT se midió por Disease Activity Score (DAS) 28.  Estadística: Se usaron test U de Mann-Whitney, Kruskal Wallis y chi-cuadrado, p &lt;0,05 fue significativo.</p><p>Resultados: Se incluyeron 25 mujeres, 5 hombres con edad promedio 40 años (18-61) y  30 controles. El DAS 28 promedio fue 4,8 ±1.8. Pacientes y controles tuvieron similares valores  cIMT ACC (0, 57 ±0.10 mm vs  0,58 ± 0,15 mm, respectivamente)  y  cIMT CB (0,67 ±0,18mm vs 0,62 ±0,15 mm), no hubo placas carotídeas y el perfil lipídico fue similar en ambos grupos, PNS. El cIMT CCA y CB no tuvieron relación con DAS 28, serología, ni FRCV, P: NS.</p><p>Conclusiones: La aterosclerosis subclínica se produciría después del primer año de enfermedad en artritis temprana.  </p>

El Síndrome Antifosfolípidos (SAF) describe un trastorno trombofílico autoinmune caracterizado por complicaciones obstétricas. La Anexina A5 (Anx A5) es una proteína que se estudia como un nuevo autoantígeno presente en el SAF, la presencia de autoanticuerpos frente a Anx A5 podría causar trombosis placentaria y pérdida del embarazo. El objetivo de este estudio fue analizar los niveles de IgG e IgM anti-Anx A5 en mujeres con SAF primario obstétrico y su asociación con diferentes complicaciones en una población de la ciudad de Córdoba. Se trabajó con muestras de pacientes puérperas que asistieron al Hospital Córdoba y al Hospital Materno Neonatal durante los años 2013-2017 con diagnóstico de SAF obstétrico y un grupo control formado por pacientes con embarazos normales. En la mayoría de las pacientes estudiadas, los niveles de IgG e IgM anti-Anx A5 se encontraron por debajo del rango de referencia, se mostró un aumento estadísticamente significativo de los niveles de IgG en pacientes con SAF respecto al grupo control. Pero no existieron asociaciones específicas entre los niveles de anticuerpo y los tres tipos de manifestaciones clínicas presentes en los criterios de clasificación. Estos hallazgos podrían sugerir una relación entre los anticuerpos anti-Anx A5 con el SAF obstétrico.