The importance of macrophage polarization through atherogenesis is established. However, most studies rely on immunohistological approaches, which have several limitations, such as precluding comprehensive phenotypic analysis. The aim of this study was to perform an alternative analysis of macrophage phenotypes in advanced human atherosclerotic plaques and compare them with their presence in non-atherosclerotic arteries. Atherosclerotic plaques from 70 individuals indicated for carotid endarterectomy, and samples of non-atherosclerotic arterial tissue (renal artery, control group) from 45 living kidney donors were processed to obtain immunocytes and incubated with antibodies (CD45, CD14, CD16, CD36, CD163, and CD206) to be analyzed by flow cytometry. Macrophages in the atherosclerotic plaques tend to express CD16 more intensively than in non-atherosclerotic arterial tissue (transient, CD16lowp < 0.001, pro-inflammatory, CD16highp < 0.001), and the expression is more closely associated with CD36 expression. Both transient and pro-inflammatory macrophages are linked with the CD206-CD163+ or CD206+CD163+ phenotype in atherosclerotic plaques, while CD206-CD163- dominates within the anti-inflammatory (CD16neg) population in the control group. Interestingly, when evaluating all macrophages (regardless of CD16 expression), almost all are CD163+ in both groups, supporting the critical importance of using a combination of specific markers. Our results provide a deeper insight into macrophage subpopulations in advanced human atherosclerotic plaques compared with those in non-atherosclerotic vessels. Additionally, our data highlight the critical importance of using appropriate techniques, such as flow cytometry, allowing for simultaneous analysis of multiple markers to accurately and comprehensively characterize macrophages within the atherosclerotic plaque.

• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

Flow cytometry immunophenotyping is critical for the diagnostic classification of mature/peripheral B-cell neoplasms/B-cell chronic lymphoproliferative disorders (B-CLPD). Quantitative driven classification approaches applied to multiparameter flow cytometry immunophenotypic data can be used to extract maximum information from a multidimensional space created by individual parameters (e.g., immunophenotypic markers), for highly accurate and automated classification of individual patient (sample) data. Here, we developed and compared five diagnostic classification algorithms, based on a large set of EuroFlow multicentric flow cytometry data files from a cohort 659 B-CLPD patients. These included automatic population separators based on Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Canonical Variate Analysis (CVA), Neighbourhood Component Analysis (NCA), Support Vector Machine algorithms (SVM) and a variant of the CA(Canonical Analysis) algorithm, in which the number of SDs (Standard Deviations) varied for each of the comparisons of different pairs of diseases (CA-vSD). All five classification approaches are based on direct prospective interrogation of individual B-CLPD patients against the EuroFlow flow cytometry B-CLPD database composed of tumor B-cells of 659 individual patients stained in an identical way and classified a priori by the World Health Organization (WHO) criteria into nine diagnostic categories. Each classification approach was evaluated in parallel in terms of accuracy (% properly classified cases), precision (multiple or single diagnosis/case) and coverage (% cases with a proposed diagnosis). Overall, average rates of correct diagnosis (for the nine B-CLPD diagnostic entities) of between 58.9 % and 90.6 % were obtained with the five algorithms, with variable percentages of cases being either misclassified (4.1 %-14.0 %) or unclassifiable (0.3 %-37.0 %). Automatic population separators based on CA, SVM and PCA showed a high average level of correctness (90.6 %, 86.8 %, and 86.0 %, respectively). Nevertheless, this was at the expense of proposing a considerable number of multiple diagnoses for a significant proportion of the test cases (54.5 %, 53.5 %, and 49.6 %, respectively). The CA-vSD algorithm generated the smaller average misclassification rate (4.1 %), but with 37.0 % of cases for which no diagnosis was proposed. In contrast, the NCA algorithm left only 2.7 % of cases without an associated diagnosis but misclassified 14.0 %. Among correctly classified cases (83.3 % of total), 91.2 % had a single proposed diagnosis, 8.6 % had two possible diagnoses, and 0.2 % had three. We demonstrate that the proposed AI algorithms provide an acceptable level of accuracy for the diagnostic classification of B-CLPD patients and, in general, surpass other algorithms reported in the literature.

• MeSH
• algoritmy MeSH
• B-lymfocyty * patologie   MeSH
• imunofenotypizace * metody   MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• lymfoproliferativní nemoci * diagnóza   klasifikace   MeSH
• průtoková cytometrie * metody   MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• support vector machine MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• srovnávací studie MeSH

Detection of minimal/measurable residual disease (MRD) is a critical prognostic marker in B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (BCP-ALL). The EuroFlow Consortium previously developed an 8-color flow cytometric MRD protocol, effective for >98% of BCP-ALL patients treated with chemotherapy. This study aimed to enhance MRD detection, particularly for patients treated with CD19-targeted therapies, by expanding the EuroFlow protocol to a 12-color panel. This new panel incorporates additional B-cell markers and exclusion T/NK-cell markers (CD3 and CD7). Through an evaluation of 237 diagnostic BCP-ALL samples, CD22, CD24, and HLA-DR were selected as additional B-cell gating markers. Two 12-color tubes were technically optimized and clinically validated across 101 patient follow-up samples, demonstrating excellent concordance with molecular MRD levels (R2 = 0.88). The 12-color BCP-ALL MRD tubes were compatible with the previously developed 8-color automated gating and identification (AGI) tool and demonstrated good reproducibility. Our findings indicate that the 12-color panel performs comparably to the 8-color BCP-ALL MRD panel, including both CD19-positive and CD19-negative cases. However, it offers an improved definition of the B-cell lineage, particularly for expert-guided manual data analysis, and provides additional information on the expression of the targetable marker CD22.

• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

BACKGROUND: Despite many efforts to effectively treat PDAC, PDAC carries one of the highest mortality rates of all major cancers. Thus, there is a critical unmet need to develop novel approaches to improve the clinical outcome of PDAC. It is well known that many cancers, including PDAC, generate a local TME that allows cancer to escape normal immune surveillance. Phosphatidylserine (PS), a negatively charged phospholipid that is abundant on the cancer cell membrane and with known actions to promote the secretion of immunomodulatory proteins, may provide a mechanism to regulate the TME. This study explored that possibility. METHODS: MΦ differentiation and polarization were assessed by Western blotting and flow cytometric approaches. PS exposure and surface markers were analyzed by flow cytometry. Protein-protein and protein-lipid interactions were analyzed by immunofluorescence and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Phospholipid and SapC-DOPG treatment were employed to assess target protein functions in MΦ polarization, tumor growth, and survival in subcutaneous and orthotopic tumor models. The PK-PD and safety of SapC-DOPG were tested on orthotopic mouse models. RESULTS: Our studies show that PDAC secretes Hsp70 that stimulates the MΦ polarization to the immunosuppressive M2 phenotype. We found that high surface PS on cancer cells correlates with increased secretion of Hsp70 and is associated with higher MΦ differentiation activity in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, blocking cancer cell-secreted Hsp70 with SapC-DOPG reverses the immune suppression and reduces tumor growth. CONCLUSIONS: These preclinical results reveal a novel immunotherapeutic approach to potentially improve the outcome of PDAC treatment in humans.

• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

Cardiorespiratory signals have long been treated as "noise" in functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) research, with the goal of minimizing their impact to isolate neural activity. However, there is a growing recognition that these signals, once seen as confounding variables, provide valuable insights into brain function and overall health. This shift reflects the dynamic interaction between the cardiovascular, respiratory, and neural systems, which together support brain activity. In this review, we explore the role of cardiorespiratory dynamics-such as heart rate variability (HRV), respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA), and changes in blood flow, oxygenation, and carbon dioxide levels-embedded within fMRI signals. These physiological signals reflect critical aspects of neurovascular coupling and are influenced by factors such as physiological stress, breathing patterns, and age-related changes. We also discuss the complexities of distinguishing these signals from neuronal activity in fMRI data, given their significant contribution to signal variability and interactions with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Recognizing the influence of these cardiorespiratory dynamics is crucial for improving the interpretation of fMRI data, shedding light on heart-brain and respiratory-brain connections, and enhancing our understanding of circulation, oxygen delivery, and waste elimination within the brain.

• MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• magnetická rezonanční tomografie * metody   MeSH
• mozek * fyziologie   diagnostické zobrazování   MeSH
• neurovaskulární vazba fyziologie   MeSH
• respirační sinusová arytmie fyziologie   MeSH
• srdeční frekvence fyziologie   MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• přehledy MeSH

The adaptive immune response critically hinges on the functionality of T cell receptors, governed by complex molecular mechanisms, including ubiquitination. In this study, we delved into the role of in T cell immunity, focusing on T cell-B cell conjugate formation and T cell activation. Using a CRISPR-Cas9 screening approach targeting deubiquitinases genes in Jurkat T cells, we identified BAP1 as a key positive regulator of T cell-B cell conjugate formation. Subsequent investigations into BAP1 knockout cells revealed impaired T cell activation, evidenced by decreased MAPK and NF-kB signaling pathways and reduced CD69 expression upon T cell receptor stimulation. Flow cytometry and qPCR analyses demonstrated that BAP1 deficiency leads to decreased surface expression of T cell receptor complex components and reduced mRNA levels of the co-stimulatory molecule CD28. Notably, the observed phenotypes associated with BAP1 knockout are specific to T cells and fully dependent on BAP1 catalytic activity. In-depth RNA-seq and mass spectrometry analyses further revealed that BAP1 deficiency induces broad mRNA and protein expression changes. Overall, our findings elucidate the vital role of BAP1 in T cell biology, especially in T cell-B cell conjugate formation and T cell activation, offering new insights and directions for future research in immune regulation.

• MeSH
• aktivace lymfocytů * imunologie   MeSH
• B-lymfocyty * imunologie   metabolismus   MeSH
• Jurkat buňky MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• nádorové supresorové proteiny * metabolismus   genetika   MeSH
• receptory antigenů T-buněk * metabolismus   MeSH
• signální transdukce MeSH
• T-lymfocyty * imunologie   metabolismus   MeSH
• thiolesterasa ubikvitinu * genetika   metabolismus   nedostatek   MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

Charakter proudění krve může být důležitý faktor při formování cévní patologie. Komplexní chaotické proudění a turbulence v kritických místech jako jsou bifurkace, může vést k iritaci cévní stěny a nakonec ke stenóze či poškození stěny. Kritická místa mohou vzniknout i při endovaskulárních zákrocích (např. při stentování) nebo v oblasti anastomózy po transplantaci orgánů. Rychlost proudění krve a jeho charakter lze efektivně a neinvazivně měřit pomocí magnetické rezonance. Metoda fázového kontrastu (PC) je dobře etablovanou technikou, která umožňuje měřit rychlost relativně přesně. Tato metoda má však i své limitace (např. omezené prostorové rozlišení s ohledem na rozměr některých cév). Navíc v případě použití stentu je MR signál silně ovlivněn až potlačen v jeho nejbližším okolí a vnitřním lumen. Proto nemůže být rychlost relevantně měřena ve stentu nebo na jeho hranicích. Avšak pomocí matematického modelování proudění s hraničními hodnotami získanými mimo problematickou oblast (stent, oblast silných turbulencí) a se znalostí anatomické geometrie by mohla informace o charakteru proudění ve zmíněných kritických oblastech přispět k predikci vývoje cévní patologie.; Character of the blood flow can be important factor in for the formation of vessel pathology. Complex chaotic flow and turbulences in critical places like bifurcation can lead to vessel wall irritation and finally to stenosis or wall damage. Such critical places can also be created by endovascular treatment (e.g. by means of stenting) or in case of vessel anastomosis after organs transplantation (e.g. connection of the renal artery to iliac artery during kidney transplantation). Flow velocity and character can be efficiently and non-invasively measured using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Phase contrast (PC) MRI is well established method where flow velocity is coded into the MR signal phase and so the velocity can be measured relatively precisely. However, there are several limitations when using PC for “in-vivo” quantification (e.g. low spatial resolution in respect to vessel diameter). Moreover, in case when stent was used for the treatment, the MR signal is strongly influence or even suppressed by the presence of metallic net of the stent wall creating RF shielded volume inside the stent. Therefore, the flow cannot be measured directly in the stent or very close to its border. But proper mathematical model of the flow character based on initial conditions provided by MRI outside the stent could help to predict the impact of the flow phenomena on the future vessel disease development.

• Klíčová slova
• MRI, MRI, stent, stenóza, kvantifikace průtoku, matematické modelování toku, endovaskulární zákrok, flow quantification, mathematical model of the flow, stenosis, stent, endovascular treatment,

• NLK Publikační typ
• závěrečné zprávy o řešení grantu AZV MZ ČR

BACKGROUND: Cerebral air embolism (CAE) is an uncommon medical emergency with a potentially fatal course. We have retrospectively analyzed a set of patients treated with CAE at our comprehensive stroke center and a hyperbaric medicine center. An overview of the pathophysiology, causes, diagnosis, and treatment of CAE is provided. RESULTS: We retrospectively identified 11 patients with cerebral venous and arterial air emboli that highlight the diversity in etiologies, manifestations, and disease courses encountered clinically. Acute-onset stroke syndrome and a progressive impairment of consciousness were the two most common presentations in four patients each (36%). Two patients (18%) suffered from an acute-onset coma, and one (9%) was asymptomatic. Four patients (36%) were treated with hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBTO), high-flow oxygen therapy without HBOT was started in two patients (18%), two patients (18%) were in critical care at the time of diagnosis and three (27%) received no additional treatment. CAE was fatal in five cases (46%), caused severe disability in two (18%), mild disability in three (27%), and a single patient had no lasting deficit (9%). CONCLUSION: Cerebral air embolism is a dangerous condition that necessitates high clinical vigilance. Due to its diverse presentation, the diagnosis can be missed or delayed in critically ill patients and result in long-lasting or fatal neurological complications. Preventative measures and a proper diagnostic and treatment approach reduce CAE's incidence and impact.

• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: This article offers an overview of recent randomized controlled trials (RCTs) testing the efficacy of veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA ECMO) and microaxial flow pump (mAFP) in treating cardiogenic shock, including findings from the DanGer shock trial. It summarizes the clinical implications and limitations of these studies and key decision-making considerations for cardiogenic shock device use. RECENT FINDINGS: Despite important limitations in all published RCTs, the routine use of VA ECMO for acute myocardial infarction related cardiogenic shock did not demonstrate benefit and should be reserved for selected patients with extreme forms of cardiogenic shock. Conversely, mAFP (Impella CP) appears promising for cardiogenic shock due to ST elevation myocardial infarction. A stepwise approach - initial mAFP use for cardiogenic shock with left ventricular failure, supplemented by VA ECMO if mAFP is inadequate or if severe right ventricular failure is present - may be preferable, but requires validation through RCTs. High complication rates in device arms underscore the need for careful patient selection, preventive strategies, education for centers and operators, and further research. SUMMARY: Recent trials offer insights into mechanical circulatory support in cardiogenic shock, but their real-world applicability is limited. Despite potential benefits, the use of VA ECMO and mAFP is associated with significant complication rates, emphasizing the need for personalized use.

• MeSH
• kardiogenní šok * terapie   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mimotělní membránová oxygenace * metody   MeSH
• podpůrné srdeční systémy * MeSH
• randomizované kontrolované studie jako téma * MeSH
• výběr pacientů MeSH
• výsledek terapie MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• přehledy MeSH

The demographic profile of patients transitioning from chronic kidney disease to kidney replacement therapy is changing, with a higher prevalence of aging patients with multiple comorbidities such as diabetes mellitus and heart failure. Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of mortality in this population, exacerbated by the cardiovascular stress imposed by the HD procedure. The first year after transitioning to hemodialysis is associated with increased risks of hospitalization and mortality, particularly within the first 90-120 days, with greater vulnerability observed among the elderly. Based on data from clinics in Fresenius Medical Care Europe, Middle East, and Africa NephroCare, this review aims to optimize hemodialysis procedures to reduce mortality risk in stable incident and prevalent patients. It addresses critical aspects such as treatment duration, frequency, choice of dialysis membrane, dialysate composition, blood and dialysate flow rates, electrolyte composition, temperature control, target weight management, dialysis adequacy, and additional protocols, with a focus on mitigating prevalent intradialytic complications, particularly intradialytic hypotension prevention.

• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• přehledy MeSH