Pipinos II, Swanson SA, Zhu Z, Nella AA, Weiss DJ, Gutti TL, McComb RD, Baxter BT, Lynch TG, Casale GP. Chronically ischemic mouse skeletal muscle exhibits myopathy in association with mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative damage.

Human-specific HIV-1 and hepatitis co-infections significantly affect patient management and call for new therapeutic options. Small xenotransplantation models with human hepatocytes and hematolymphoid tissue should facilitate antiviral/antiretroviral drug trials. However, experience with mouse strains tested for dual reconstitution is limited, with technical difficulties such as risky manipulations with newborns and high mortality rates due to metabolic abnormalities. The best animal strains for hepatocyte transplantation are not optimal for human hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) engraftment, and vice versa. We evaluated a new strain of highly immunodeficient nonobese diabetic/Shi-scid (severe combined immunodeficiency)/IL-2Rγc(null) (NOG) mice that carry two copies of the mouse albumin promoter-driven urokinase-type plasminogen activator transgene for dual reconstitution with human liver and immune cells. Three approaches for dual reconstitution were evaluated: i) freshly isolated fetal hepatoblasts were injected intrasplenically, followed by transplantation of cryopreserved HSCs obtained from the same tissue samples 1 month later after treosulfan conditioning; ii) treosulfan conditioning is followed by intrasplenic simultaneous transplantation of fetal hepatoblasts and HSCs; and iii) transplantation of mature hepatocytes is followed by mismatched HSCs. The long-term dual reconstitution was achieved on urokinase-type plasminogen activator-NOG mice with mature hepatocytes (not fetal hepatoblasts) and HSCs. Even major histocompatibility complex mismatched transplantation was sustained without any evidence of hepatocyte rejection by the human immune system.

The signs and symptoms of peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAD), including claudication, rest pain, and tissue loss, are consequences of compromised bioenergetics and oxidative tissue injury within the affected lower extremities. Compromised bioenergetics is the result of a combination of low blood flow through diseased arteries and diminished adenosine triphosphate production by dysfunctional mitochondria. The tissue injury appears to be secondary to increased production of reactive oxygen species by dysfunctional mitochondria and by inflammation, in association with ischemia and ischemia/reperfusion. In this review, we present the current histomorphologic, physiologic, and biochemical evidence defining the nature of this mitochondriopathy and discuss its contribution to the pathogenesis and clinical manifestations of PAD.

The growing family of interleukin (IL)-12-like cytokines produced by activated macrophages and dendritic cells became the important players in the control of infections, development of inflammation, autoimmunity and cancer. However, the role of one of them—heterodimer IL-23, which consists of IL12p40 and the unique p19 subunit in HIV-1 infection pathogenesis and progression to AIDS, represent special interest. We overviewed findings of IL-23 involvement in control of peripheral bacterial pathogens and opportunistic infection, central nervous system (CNS) viral infections and autoimmune disorders, and tumorogenesis, which potentially could be applicable to HIV-1 and AIDS.