Bacterial infections are frequent in cadaveric organ donors and can be transmitted to the transplantation recipient, which could have devastating consequences for the recipients if adequate preventive measures are not adopted. Infection by the bacteria responsible for the endocarditis in the respective donors was not transmitted to any of the recipients. Six of the seven recipients were alive with normal-functioning grafts after between 13 and 24 months' follow-up. Transplantectomy was performed on one kidney recipient due to thrombosis of the renal vein of the graft not related to the endocarditis.Liver and kidney transplantation from donors dying from bacterial endocarditis can be performed without causing the transmission of infection to the recipient or the dysfunction of the graft.

Pancreatic cancer is a major health problem because of the aggressiveness of the disease and the lack of effective systemic therapies. Melatonin (MEL) has antioxidant activity and prevents experimental genotoxicity. The specific inhibitor of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), celecoxib (CEL), increases the efficacy of chemoradiotherapy in advanced pancreatic cancer. The objective of the study was the comparison and synergic effect of MEL and CEL during either the induction or progression phases of the tumor process, measuring parameters of oxidative stress, number of tumor nodules and survival of animals with pancreatic cancer. Pancreatic cancer was induced by N-nitrosobis (2-oxopropyl)amine) (BOP) in Syrian hamsters. Melatonin and/or CEL were administered during the induction, postinduction as well as during both phases. The presence of tumor nodules were observed macroscopically in pancreatic and splenic areas, and the levels of lipoperoxides (LPO), reduced glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) in pancreatic tissue were measured. The increases in tumor nodules and LPO as well as the reductions in GSH and enzymatic antioxidants in the pancreas induced by BOP were related to a lower survival rate of animals. The administration of MEL exerted a more potent beneficial effect than CEL treatment on the reduction in tumor nodules, oxidative stress and death of experimental BOP-treated animals. The combined treatment only exerted a synergistic beneficial effect when administered during the induction phase. Melatonin by itself had significant beneficial actions in improving the survival of hamsters.

Pancreatic cancer is a major health problem because of the aggressiveness of the disease and the lack of effective systemic therapies. Melatonin has antioxidant activity and prevents experimental genotoxicity. However, the effect of melatonin in pancreatic cancer has not been tested. Pancreatic carcinogenesis was induced by N-nitrosobis (2-oxopropyl)amine (BOP) in Syrian hamsters. Melatonin was administered during the BOP-induction phase (12 wk) and/or following the postinduction phase (12 wk). Different parameters of oxidative stress including lipid peroxides (LPO) and antioxidants (superoxide dismutase, catalase, reduced glutathione and glutathione peroxidase) were determined in pancreatic tissue. Also, the presence of atypical hyperplasia (AH), well and moderately differentiated adenomacarcinoma (ADC-WD and ADC-MD, respectively) were studied. The administration of BOP induced an intense oxidative stress and ADC induction in the pancreas. The administration of melatonin during the induction or postinduction phase reduced LPO and improved the antioxidant status, as well as drastically reducing the presence of ADC but some AH remained. In conclusion, treatment with melatonin reduced oxidative damage and cancer nodules induced by BOP in the pancreas.

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