No abstract

Altered host defense mechanisms after major surgery or trauma are considered important for the development of infectious complications and sepsis. In the present study, we demonstrate that major surgery results in a severe defect of T-lymphocyte proliferation and cytokine secretion in response to coligation of the antigen receptor complex and CD28. During the early postoperative course, reduced cytokine secretion was observed for interleukin-2 (IL-2), gamma interferon, and tumor necrosis factor alpha, which are associated with the Th1 phenotype of helper T lymphocytes, and for IL-4, the index cytokine of Th2 cells. During the late postoperative course, T-cell cytokine secretion increased to normal levels. Production of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 was altered, with different kinetics being selectively elevated during the late postoperative course. In contrast, the capacity of peripheral blood monocytes to present bacterial superantigens and to stimulate T-cell proliferation was normal or enhanced after surgery despite a significant loss of cell surface HLA-DR molecules. Thus, the level of major histocompatibility complex class II protein expression does not appear to predict the antigen-presenting capacity of monocytes obtained from surgical patients with uneventful postoperative recovery. Secretion of IL-1␤ and IL-10 by endotoxin-stimulated peripheral blood monocytes was increased at different time points after surgery. Major surgery therefore results in a distinct pattern of immune defects with a predominant defect in the T-cell response to T-cell receptor-and CD28 coreceptor-mediated signals rather than an impaired monocyte antigen-presenting capacity. Suppression of T-cell effector functions during the early phase of the postoperative course may define a state of impaired defense against pathogens and increased susceptibility to infection and septic complications.

Immunotherapy with short term infusion (STI) of monoclonal anti-GD2 antibody (mAb) ch14.18 (4 × 25 mg/m2/d; 8–20 h) in combination with cytokines and 13-cis retinoic acid (RA) prolonged survival in high-risk neuroblastoma (NB) patients. Here, we investigated long-term infusion (LTI) of ch14.18 produced in Chinese hamster ovary cells (ch14.18/CHO; 10 × 10 mg/m2; 24 h) in combination with subcutaneous (s.c.) interleukin-2 (IL-2) in a single center program and report clinical response, toxicity and survival. Fifty-three high-risk NB patients received up to 6 cycles of 100 mg/m2 ch14.18/CHO (d8–17) as LTI combined with 6 × 106 IU/m2 s.c. IL-2 (d1–5; 8–12) and 160 mg/m2 oral RA (d19–32). Pain toxicity was documented with validated pain scores and intravenous (i.v.) morphine usage. Response was assessed in 37/53 evaluable patients following International Neuroblastoma Risk Group criteria. Progression-free (PFS) and overall survival (OS) was analyzed by the Kaplan-Meier method and compared to a matched historical control group from the database of AIEOP, the “Italian Pediatric Ematology and Oncology Association”. LTI of ch14.18/CHO showed acceptable toxicity profile indicated by low pain scores, reduced i.v. morphine usage and low frequency of Grade ≥3 adverse events that allowed outpatient treatment. We observed a best response rate of 40.5% (15/37; 5 CR, 10 PR), 4-year (4 y) PFS of 33.1% (observation 0.1- 4.9 y, mean: 2.2 y) and a 4 y OS of 47.7% (observation 0.27 – 5.20 y, mean: 3.6 y). Survival of the entire cohort (53/53) and the relapsed patients (29/53) was significantly improved compared to historical controls. LTI of ch14.18/CHO thus shows an acceptable toxicity profile, objective clinical responses and a strong signal of clinical efficacy in NB patients.

Context:In congenital hyperinsulinism (CHI), the identification and precise localization of a focal lesion is essential for successful surgery.Objective: Our objective was to evaluate the predictive value and accuracy of integratedfor the surgical therapy of CHI. Design:This was an observational study. Setting:The study was performed in the Department of Pediatric Surgery at a university hospital. Results: In nine children the intraoperative situation corresponded exactly to the description of the [18 F]FDOPA PET-CT. A limited resection of the pancreas was curative in eight cases at the first surgery, in one case at the second intervention. We observed no diabetes mellitus or exocrine insufficiency in the follow up so far. In one child, hypoglycemia persisted even after two partial resections of the pancreatic head. Histological analysis finally revealed an atypical intermediate form of CHI. Conclusions

Congenital hyperinsulinism (CHI) causes hypoglycemia due to irregular insulin secretion. In infants, a rapid diagnosis and appropriate management to avoid severe hypoglycemia is mandatory. CHI is a heterogeneous condition at the clinical and genetic level, and disease-causing genes have been identified in about half of the patients. The majority of mutations have been identified in the ABCC8 and KCNJ11 genes encoding subunits of the K_ATP channel responsible for two distinct histological forms. The diffuse form is caused by autosomal recessive or dominant inherited mutations, whereas the focal form is caused by a paternally transmitted recessive mutation and a second somatic event. We report on an unselected cohort of 136 unrelated patients from the German CHI registry. Mutations in either the ABCC8 or KCNJ11 gene were identified in 61 of these patients (45%). In total, 64 different mutations including 38 novel ones were detected in this cohort. We observed biparental (recessive) inheritance in 34% of mutation-positive patients, dominant inheritance in 11% and paternal transmission of a mutation associated with a focal CHI type in 38%. In addition, we observed inheritance patterns that do not exactly follow the classical recessive or dominant mode, further adding to the genetic complexity of this disease.