Cirugía de Malformaciones Congénitas y Transplantes

Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) is a severe malformation occurring during prenatal development due to incomplete closure of the diaphragm, leading to displacement of internal organs into the thoracic cavity. The compression caused by the abdominal organs interferes with normal lung development, resulting in pulmonary hypoplasia and hypertension. Despite the severity and lethality of CDH, is cause is not well understood. The current hypothesis is that CDH is caused by alteration of retinol (vitamin A) metabolism. It has been shown that vitamin A and compounds with retinol activity modulate a great number of biological processes and participate in the differentiation of immune cells in tissues. However, the possible role of immunology in CDH has not been studied. Our laboratory has found in an animal experimental model with CDH some results that support the relationship between the disease and the immunological response. Our main objectives are the determination of: 1. the relationship between CDH and retinol metabolism 2. The type of immune response associated with CDH, studying differentiation and activation of macrophages, T and B lymphocytes. 3. The relationship between regulators of retinol metabolism and immunologic factors found to be associated with CDH. The methods to carry out these objectives will be: 1. RT-PCR, by ELISA and Western blot to compare expression levels of retinoic acid biosynthesis genes in human and animal samples using quantitative. 2. Immunohistochemistry techniques to study immune response. 3. Statistic analysis to correlate the results about immune response with CDH incidence. Master student will have the opportunity to learn these techniques and to work in a proof of concept project with human samples from Hospital La Paz Biobanco. The TFM will be do in the Immunohistochemistry and Image laboratory at the IdiPaz research building and in Malformaciones Congénitas laboratory located in the INGEMM, both of them at the Hospital Universitario La Paz.