OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the effect of CD44 on drug resistance of breast cancer patients. METHODS:62 breast cancer patients were selected,and the expression of CD44 was detected by immunohistochemical method. Drug resistance was eval-uated by WHO criteria,and the expression of CD44 in breast tissue was observed after observation. RESULTS:There were 48 pa-tients sensitive to CD44 and 14 patients with drug resistance,with statistical significance(P<0.05). After chemotherapy,the ex-pression of CD44 in caner tissue was higher than before chemotherapy,that of patients with drug resistance was higher than pa-tients sensitive to CD44,with statistical significance(P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS:CD44 antigen is closely related to chemothera-py resistance of breast cancer,and high expression of CD44 can be used as an important indicator for breast cancer chemotherapy.

Objective To investigate CT characteristics of ganglioneuroma.Methods CT findings in 12 patients with ganglioneuroma proved histopathologically were retrospectively analyzed.Results The lesions localized in the adrenal gland in 8,the retroperitoneum in 3,the posterior mediastinum in 1.eleven lesions appeared as homogeneous hypo-or isodense oval masses with well delineated margins and 1 was cysto-solid on plain CT scans.The calcifications were seen inside one tumor.On enhanced CT scans,the lesions were mild enhancement in 4,moderate enhancement in 3,significant enhancement in 3 and no enhancement in 2.Mild delayed enhancement in 5 cases,moderate delayed enhancement in 4 cases and no delayed enhancement in 3 cases were showed.Conclusion Typical ganglioneuroma shows low intensity,mild or moderate enhancement and delayed enhancement.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of GM1 on inducing adult rat bone marrow stromal cells (MSCs) to form neural progenitor cells and their differentiation.

METHODSPurified MSCs were induced by different components of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) alone, GM1 alone or combination of bFGF with GM1. After 3 days' incubation, fibronectin and collagen I were detected with immunocytochemistry, and nestin was detected with immunofluorescence. Neuron-specific enolase (NSE), glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and galactose cerebroside (GalC) were detected with immunocytochemistry after 7 days' incubation.

RESULTSAfter induction with bFGF alone or combination of bFGF and GM1, some MSCs exhibited the phenotypes of neural progenitor cells, and then neurons and astrocytes. In these two groups, the positive cells for fibronectin and collagen I decreased markedly after 3 days' induction. At the same time, the positive cells for nestin increased markedly. After 7 days' induction, NSE and GFAP-positive cells increased significantly. Furthermore, the addition of bFGF and GM1 caused the maximal variation. However, addition of GM1 alone had no inductive effects.

CONCLUSIONSCombination of bFGF with GM1 may synergistically promote the transformation of MSCs and differentiation into neurons and astrocyte-like cells. The results suggest a promising route for the application of MSCs.

Analysis of Variance ; Animals ; Bone Marrow Cells ; Cell Differentiation ; drug effects ; physiology ; Cells, Cultured ; Drug Synergism ; Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 ; pharmacology ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique ; G(M1) Ganglioside ; pharmacology ; Immunohistochemistry ; Probability ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Stem Cells ; pathology ; physiology ; Stromal Cells ; drug effects ; physiology ; ultrastructure