The calibrated massage method was shown to be a reproducible method for applying massage pressures in rodents and lowering BP.

serum cholesterol and serum transferrin were not useful to differentiate children with and without PEW. Conclusions: Malnutrition and PEW are highly prevalent in children with CKD2-5 and associated with longer duration of CKD. Anthropometry more useful than biochemical markers in defining PEW.SGNA is a reliable diagnostic tool to detect malnutrition. Inflammation is common and evident in both early and late CKD. Malnutrition is associated with inflammation in children CKD2-4 but not in CKD 5. References: 1.

Leptin, the obese gene product, is a major component in the regulation of energy balance. It is a circulating protein secreted by adipocytes and acts on the hypothalamus to decrease food intake and increase energy expenditure. There have been many reports on the levels of leptin during pregnancy, a condition in which the regulation of energy balance is extremely important. However, these studies have concentrated only on plasma leptin concentrations in early and late pregnancy with no mention of levels mid-gestation. We have evidence which suggests that it is necessary to measure leptin levels throughout gestation in order to gain a clear understanding of the role of leptin in pregnancy.For example, if the concentration of leptin was measured only in the first and third trimesters, similar results would suggest that plasma leptin concentrations d o not change over pregnancy. However, this conclusion would not take into account any fluctuations in leptin levels during the second trimester which would change our interpretation of the results. We also have evidence that the pattern of leptin expression during pregnancy varies between women. It is now necessary to determine why these differences occur and whether they have any bearing on the outcome of the pregnancy.65 Poster withdrawn 66 An in vitro system for the study of cytokine activity.Primary human mesothelial cells were isolated, cultured to confluence and used as an in vitro system to study the interactions between cytokines and membrane bound proteins including cell adhesion molecules and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) The cytokines were both from external sources (eg ascites) and released from the cells themselves as a response to noxious stimulii. Immunohistochemical and molecular bological studies have demonstrated that cells respond to cytokine stimulation by changes in the expression of the MMPs and adhesion molecules. In our study ascites derived cytokines were found to increase the expression of cell adhesion molecules by >60%. The expression of MMPs in scar tissue were down regulated (70-100%) by cytokines released during abnormal collagen resorption; this corresponded with an upregulation of tissue inhibitors of MMP (T1MPs)in the same scar tissue samples. It was possible to modulate wound healing in primary cells in vitro with different concentrations of cytokines (eg TGFP)and TIMPs. This may offer a therapeutic mechanism to manipulate aberrant scar formation. Foetal tissue has been shown not to form scars and further studies into the expression of MMPs,TIMPs and cytokines in foetal wounds may help to elucidate the mechanism of scar formation in adults.Adult wound healing is characterised by fibrotic repair resulting in a scar whereas foetal wound healing is scarless occurring by wound closure and regeneration. TGF-P has been implicated as the agent which directs fibrotic repair in adults which has led to speculation that removal of TGF-P from adult wounds will result in scarless repair. Fucoidan (poly-fucose) interacts with TGF-P. We assessed th...

Pituitary adenylate cyclase‐activating polypeptide (PACAP) is involved in hypothalamo‐pituitary‐adrenal (HPA) responses to stress but it's role at the adrenal level is unclear. Gene markers of HPA activation were measured by qPCR using adrenal glands of C57Bl6 and PACAP knockout (KO) mice. Restraint stress (1 hr) increased adrenal PACAP (p=0.01, n=13), steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (STAR) (p=0.02, n=7) and melanocortin receptor accessory protein (MRAP) mRNA (p=0.0003, n=8). Isolation stress for 8 weeks did not impact adrenal PACAP mRNA (p=0.27, n=22). However, isolation stress in PACAP KO mice increased adrenal adrenocorticotropic hormone receptor, melanocortin 2 (MC2R) mRNA (p=0.04, n=9) and MRAP (p=0.01, n=19) but not STAR and CYP11B1, which encodes for steroid 11β‐hydroxylase. Consistent with an association between elevated HPA activity and hyperactivity, PACAP KO mice showed a significant increase in distance traveled and velocity during 1 hr open field trial (p<0.0001; n=10). These results show that PACAP participates in adrenal HPA responses to acute and chronic stress via potentially different mechanisms. Support: UCMEXUS (KS, MC), Sigma Xi Research Society (KS), and APS (VJ, MV).