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Allograft rejection in HLA identical transplant recipients and in patients without detectable donor specific anti-HLA antibodies has lead to the identification of non-HLA antigens as targets of the alloimmune response. Major Histocompatibility Complex class I-related chain A (MICA) antigen has been recognized as an important non-HLA target in renal transplantation. Recent studies have shown that anti-MICA antibodies are associated with acute renal allograft rejection and failure. Current cross match procedures using donor lymphocytes fail to detect MICA antibodies. Transplant candidates are not routinely tested for pre-sensitization to MICA antigens nor are transplant donors typed for MICA alleles. Optimal classification and treatment of acute rejection associated with MICA antibody remains unknown. In this case report, we are the first to describe the clinical course and treatment of donor specific MICA antibody associated with both Banff type II A acute cellular rejection (ACR) and antibody mediated rejection (AMR) in a highly sensitized pediatric renal re-transplant recipient. This case also emphasizes the importance of pre-transplant screening for donor specific MICA antibody especially in highly sensitized renal transplant patients..

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The methanol extract of the bark of Terminalia arjuna (Combretaceae) (TAE) showed marked antiulcer and ulcer healing activity against 80% ethanol (ETH), diclofenac sodium (DIC) and dexamethasone (DEX) induced ulcer models dose dependently at doses of 100, 400 and 200 mg/kg body weight respectively. Pre-, post and co-administration of TAE offered 100% protection to the gastric mucosa against ETH, DIC and DEX induced ulcers as observed from the ulcer score. Gastric mucosal analysis of DEX induced rats were associated with changes in the levels of protein, protein bound carbohydrate complexes, lipid peroxides (LPO), glutathione (GSH) and activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) compared with control rats. Co-administration with TAE in DEX rats (DEX + TAE) favorably altered the levels of LPO, GSH and also the activities of SOD and CAT in gastric mucosa, whereas the activities of GPx remained unaltered in all groups. In DEX + TAE rats, the levels of protein and protein bound carbohydrate complexes were increased when compared with DEX rats. The results indicate that the gastroprotective effect of TAE is probably related to its ability to maintain the membrane integrity by its antilipid peroxidative activity that protects the gastric mucosa against oxidative damage and its ability to strengthen the mucosal barrier, the first line of defense against exogenous and endogenous ulcerogenic agents.

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This paper presents a detailed and systematic study of amine functionalization of silica coating of gold nanostructures and the electrostatic and covalent binding of the prepared silica capped gold nanostructures to BSA. The involvement of a Tryptophan residue in the hydrophobic pocket of BSA and its interaction with nanostructures was established. Fluorescence studies of tryptophan residues of the protein molecules after conjugation revealed that the method of crosslinking did not bring about major changes to the binding constant (10 12 M À1 ) of BSA to nanostructures. Electrostatic binding indicated a larger number of binding sites (2.56) on the protein. Nanoparticle binding brought about a reduction in the characteristic negative ellipticity of BSA, indicating a change in the helical content. The reduction in the elliptical path of BSA was influenced by both nanoparticle curvature and crosslinker, such as in the case of glutaraldehyde or by the nanoparticle curvature alone as in the case of zero length crosslinker -EDC-NHS. Though not a subject matter of this study, the results obtained in this study could have implications in the design of nanobiomaterials, biosafety concerns and their cellular responses.