Background: For decades, both intraperitoneal and pleural chemotherapy (IPC) have been delivered as a liquid solution. Recent studies suggest that foam carriers outperform liquid carriers for locoregional chemotherapy. For the first time, this study aims to evaluate the feasibility, safety, and characteristics of foam-based intrathoracic chemotherapy (FBiTC) in an in vivo setting. Methods: In this study, contrast-enhanced FBiTC with doxorubicin was delivered via video-assisted thoracoscopy (VAT) in three swine under general anesthesia. Intraoperative and postoperative parameters, blood analyses, vital signs, and anesthesiologic data were collected. Additionally, an intraoperative computer tomography (CT) scan was performed, and histological tissue sections were collected and further analyzed using fluorescence microscopy. Results: FBiTC was delivered without major complications. End-tidal capnometry detected increased CO₂ levels with reduced peripheral oxygen saturation and increased blood pressure and heart rate. No major intra- or postoperative complications were observed. CT scans confirmed a multidirectional distribution pattern of foam. Postoperative laboratory workup did not reveal any critical changes in hemoglobin, white blood count, or platelets. There was no evidence of critical kidney impairment or liver function. Fluorescence microscopy of tissue specimen detected doxorubicin in pleural tissues. Discussion: Our preliminary results are encouraging and indicate that FBiTC is feasible. However, to consider a possible clinical application, further studies are required to investigate the pharmacologic, pharmacodynamic, and physical properties of FBiTC and to ensure the safety of the overall procedure regarding oxygenation levels and capnography parameters.

Significant differences in pathogenicity between Salmonella Enteritidis and Salmonella Gallinarum exist despite the fact that S. Gallinarum is a direct descendant of S. Enteritidis. It was hypothesized that such various properties may be in part the result of differences in structure and functions of type 1 fimbriae (T1Fs). In S. Enteritidis, T1Fs bind to oligomannosidic structures carried by host cell glycoproteins and are called mannose-sensitive T1Fs (MST1F). In S. Gallinarum, T1Fs lost ability to bind such carbohydrate chains, and were named mannose-resistant MRT1Fs (MRT1F). Therefore, the present study was undertaken to evaluate the role of MST1Fs and MRT1Fs in the adhesion, invasion, intracellular survival and cytotoxicity of S. Enteritidis and S. Gallinarum toward chicken intestinal CHIC8-E11cells and macrophage-like HD11 cells. Using mutant strains: S. Enteritidis fimH::kan and S. Gallinarum fimH::kan devoid of T1Fs and in vitro assays the following observations were made. MST1Fs have a significant impact on the chicken cell invasion by S. Enteritidis as MST1F-mediated adhesion facilitates direct and stable contact of bacteria with host cells, in contrast to MRT1Fs expressed by S. Gallinarum. MST1Fs as well as MRT1Fs did not affected intracellular viability of S. Enteritidis and S. Gallinarum. However, absolute numbers of intracellular viable wild-type S. Enteritidis were significantly higher than S. Enteritidis fimH::kan mutant and wild-type S. Gallinarum and S. Gallinarum fimH::kan mutant. These differences, reflecting the numbers of adherent and invading bacteria, underline the importance of MST1Fs in the pathogenicity of S. Enteritidis infections. The cytotoxicity of wild-type S. Enteritidis and its mutant devoid of MST1Fs to HD11 cells was essentially the same, despite the fact that the number of viable intracellular bacteria was significantly lower in the mutated strain. Using HD11 cells with similar number of intracellular wild-type S. Enteritidis and S. Enteritidis fimH::kan mutant, it was found that the lack of MST1Fs did not affect directly the cytotoxicity, suggesting that the increase in cytotoxicity of S. Enteritidis devoid of MST1Fs may be associated with crosstalk between T1Fs and other virulence factors.

Biofilm formation is a phenomenon of great medical importance, also affecting food production. In the present work, we investigated the effect of the O‐antigen length of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of Salmonella Enteritidis on biofilm production and the physicochemical properties of Salmonella cells, using bacterial deletion mutants. We also analysed the influence of LPS O‐antigen shortening on the composition of the outer membrane (OM) proteome of S. Enteritidis. We have shown that the shortening of the LPS O‐antigen part is associated with decreased biofilm biomass formation in some mutants and that it also depends on the composition of the culture medium. Physicochemical properties of bacterial cells changed with the shortening of the O‐antigen, promoting bacterial aggregation and influencing their hydrodynamic size, zeta potential, or hydrophobicity. We have also shown that shorter O‐antigen alters the bacterial proteome in comparison to regular size O‐antigen: flagellar FliC protein was down‐regulated in most mutants, while the HptG as well as 50S ribosomal protein L7/L12 protein were up‐regulated, suggesting increased protein synthesis activity. In some mutants, proteins involved in LPS biosynthesis were also upregulated: lipopolysaccharide core heptose(II)‐phosphate phosphatase, acyl carrier protein, and undecaprenyl‐phosphate alpha‐N‐acetylglucosaminyl 1‐phosphate transferase, implying that the increased LPS biosynthesis is aimed at the replacement of the lacking LPS modal fractions in the S. Enteritidis mutants.

A newly introduced combination of intraperitoneal dehydration and hyperthermia has recently been shown to be feasible and cytotoxic for colon cancer cells in vivo. For the first time, our study now aims to evaluate dehydration under hyperthermic conditions combined with chemotherapy for potential use in the clinical setting. In this study, in vitro colon cancer cells (HT-29) were subjected to single or several cycles of partial dehydration under hyperthermic conditions (45 °C), followed by chemotherapy (triple exposure) with oxaliplatin or doxorubicin in various configurations. The viability, cytotoxicity, and proliferation of cells after the proposed protocols were assessed. Intracellular doxorubicin uptake was measured via flow cytometry. After one cycle of triple exposure, the viability of HT-29 cells was significantly reduced versus the untreated control (65.11 ± 5%, p < 0.0001) and versus only chemotherapy (61.2 ± 7%, p < 0.0001). An increased chemotherapeutic inflow into the cells after triple exposure was detected (53.4 ± 11%) when compared to cells treated with chemotherapy alone (34.23 ± 10%) (p < 0.001). Partial dehydration in a hyperthermic condition combined with chemotherapy increases the overall cytotoxicity of colon cancer cells significantly compared to chemotherapy alone. This could possibly be related to enhanced intracellular uptake of chemotherapeutic agents after partial dehydration. Further studies are required for the further evaluation of this new concept.

For decades, intraperitoneal chemotherapy (IPC) was used as a liquid solution for the treatment of peritoneal metastasis. Due to its advantageous physical properties, foam-based intraperitoneal chemotherapy (FBIC) was recently proposed as a treatment for peritoneal metastasis. For the first time, this study intends to examine the feasibility, expansion, drug distribution, and penetration of FBIC in vivo. Three swine received contrast-enhanced FBIC doxorubicin delivered using a bicarbonate carrier system. During the procedure, intraoperative blood analyses and periumbilical diameter, as well as foam distribution, penetration, and expansion of the FBIC were analyzed. The swine received an abdominal CT scan to evaluate the contrast distribution. Furthermore, a hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining of peritoneal samples was performed, and fluorescence microscopy was conducted. FBIC was performed without complications. The periumbilical diameter peaked after 5 min and then decreased. Blood analyses showed changes in blood parameters, with a reduction in the pH levels of serum calcium and potassium. CT scan detected contrast-enhanced FBIC throughout the abdominal cavity. Fluorescence microscopy confirmed that all areas were exposed to doxorubicin and no pathologies were detected in the HE histology. Our preliminary results are quite encouraging and indicate that FBIC is a feasible approach. However, in order to discuss possible clinical applications, further studies are required to investigate the pharmacologic, pharmacodynamic, and physical properties of FBIC.

Background: For decades, intraperitoneal chemotherapy (IPC) has been delivered into the abdominal cavity as a liquid solution. Recently the concept of foam as a carrier-solution for IPC was suggested. This in-vivo swine study aims to evaluate the safety, intraoperative parameters, limitations and postoperative complications of foam-based intraperitoneal chemotherapy (FBIC).Methods: Three 65-day-old swine received FBIC with doxorubicin in a laparoscopy setting. Intraoperative parameters were monitored throughout the procedure and an extensive postoperative laboratory monitoring was conducted for 7 days. At day seven an autopsy was performed for further evaluation.Results: The insufflation of FBIC caused a temporary rise in blood pressure and a simultaneous drop in heart rate. Capnography detected a continuous increase in end-tital CO₂ levels. A temporary drop of intraabdominal temperature was noted. Postoperative blood and serum laboratory results did not indicate any organ failure. No indication of intraperitoneal infections was noted and no structural tissue changes were visible in the autopsy.Discussion: The application of FBIC appears to be a feasible approach regarding intraoperative anesthesiology and postoperative surgical management. A lack of postoperative structural changes on the seventh day were a promising sign of safety and biocompatibility. Surgical reintervention would have been possible. To discuss a possible clinical application, further studies are required to investigate long-term safety, pharmacodynamics and the antitumoral potential of FBIC.