BACKGROUND: Practice has proved that organic material and inorganic materials used alone are not ideal scaffold materials. Polylactic acid (PLA) possessing excellent biocompatibility, degradability and absorbability, PLAs composites will be one of the most important biocomposite in the 21~(st) century. OBJECTIVE: To observe the effects of PLA-chitosan fiber (CF)/hydrexyapatite-calcium silicate (HA-CS) on adhesion, proliferation and differentiation of osteoblasts. METHODS: The rat osteoblasts were obtained from the cranium of newborn Wistar rats within 24 hours, and primarily cultured using modified collagenase digestion. The cells were generated and their biological characteristic was examined by inverted phase-contrast microscope, hematoxylin-eosin staining, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) staining and mineralized nodules staining. Then the cells at passage 3 were co-cultured with PLA-CF, PLA-CF/CS and PLA-CF/HA-CS in vitro. At 3, 6 and 9 days of the culture, cell morphology was observed by inverted phase contrast microscopy. In addition, MTT assay and ALP activity test were used to observe the effects of three kinds of materials on cell differentiation and proliferation. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Osteoblasts attached on all three scaffold materials can adhere, grow, differentiate and proliferate. The effect of three materials on cell activity was PLA-CF/HA-CS>PLA-CF/CS>PLA-CF. The composite scaffold PLA-CF/HA-CS has a good compatibility, indicating that the material has a great potential for application in bone tissue engineering.

To investigate the expression of vaginal IL-23 and its role in experimental murine vaginal candidiasis and its relationship with infection and immune status, immuno-competent (group A) and immuno-suppressed (group B) murine models of vaginal candidiasis were established in estrogen-treated mice. Non-estrogen-treated mice were used as controls (group C). The level of IL-23 p19 mRNA in murine vaginal tissue was determined by RT-PCR. Significantly increased levels of IL-23p19mRNA were observed on the 4th, the 7th and 14th day after inoculation in immuno-competent group when compared with that in control group (P<0.01, P<0.05). However, significant increase of IL-23 p19mRNA were only observed on the 7th day and the 14th day after inoculatuon in immuno-suppressed groups (P<0.05). On the 4th and 7th day, the levels of IL-23 p19mRNA were significantly increased in immuno-competent group than those in immuno-suppressed group (P <0.05). Local IL-23 may play a role in the pathogenesis of murine vaginal candidiasis and has a protective function during infection. Low vaginal IL-23 level may correlate with the increased susceptibility to Candida albicans in immuno-suppressed group.

To investigate the expression of vaginal IL-23 and its role in experimental murine vaginal candidiasis and its relationship with infection and immune status, immuno-competent (group A) and immuno-suppressed (group B) murine models of vaginal candidiasis were established in estrogentreated mice. Non-estrogen-treated mice were used as controls (group C). The level of IL-23 p19 mRNA in murine vaginal tissue was determined by RT-PCR. Significantly increased levels of IL23p19mRNA were observed on the 4th, the 7th and 14th day after inoculation in immuno-competent group when compared with that in control group (P＜0.01, P＜0.05), However, significant increase of IL-23 p19mRNA were only observed on the 7th day and the 14th day after inoculatuon in immuno-suppressed groups (P＜0.05). On the 4th and 7th day, the levels of IL-23 p19mRNA were significantly increased in immuno-competent group than those in immuno-suppressed group (P ＜0.05). Local IL-23 may play a role in the pathogenesis of murine vaginal candidiasis and has a protective function during infection. Low vaginal IL-23 level may correlate with the increased susceptibility to Candida albicans in immuno-suppressed group.