Objective To investigate the relationship between interleukin-18(IL-18)and the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes melli-tus.Methods 72 healthy Sprague-Dawlay male rats were randomly divided into four groups, NC group,NCS group,HF group and HFS group.At the end of the 8th week,NCS group and HFS group were injected with STZ(25mg/kg)into abdominal cavity.At the end of the 10th week,diabetic rats were screened by oral glucose tolerance test(OGTT).The blood sample was collected when the rats were killed at the end of the 14th and 20th week.The levels of serum IL-18,IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)were assayed with ELISA.Results Most rats in HFS group were achieved the diagnostic standard of diabetic rat, and their insulin sensitivity index(ISI)were decreased.At the end of the 14th week and 20th week,the levels of serum IL-18,IL-6 and TNF-α in HFS group were significantly higher than those in NC group(P＜0.01).In HFS group,the levels of serum IL-18,IL-6 and TNF-α at the end of the 20th week were higher than those at the end of the 14th week,but it had no statistic significance(P＞0.05).Pearson linear correlation analysis showed that the level of serum IL-18 in HFS group was positive correlated with FBG,IL-6,and TNF-α(r=0.90,P＜0.01 or r≥0.73,P＜0.05),and negative correlated with ISI(r=-0.86,P＜0.01).Condusions Our results show that IL-18 is related with the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes mellitus and chronic inflammation plays an important role in the development of type 2 diabetos mellitus.

[ABSTRACT]AIM:Toexploretheeffectoftheelasticmodulusandsizesofliquidcrystal(LC)phasesonosteo-genic differentiation based on OPC/PU composite substrate by mimicking the microenvironment in rat bone mesenchymal stem cells (rBMSCs).METHODS: A series of composite substrates with different elastic modulus were constructed via modulation of LC content in the composites .The surface phase structure was observed by polarized microscopy , and the mechanical property was measured by a universal material testing machine .Furthermore, the laser confocal microscope was employed to observe the spreading , polarization and the cytoskeleton arrangement of the rBMSCs .The proliferation of rBM-SCs was evaluated by CCK-8 assay.The specific mRNA expression of osteogenic differentiation such as collagen Ⅰ, and osteopontin on the composite membranes was detected by real-time PCR.RESULTS:The size and number of LC phase in-creased and the elastic modulus of the composite substrates decreased with the increase of the LC content .The rBMSCs ex-hibited better characteristics of initial adhesion , spreading and proliferation on the OPC 10-PU and OPC30-PU in the early and medium culturing .The rBMSCs displayed higher expression of collagen Ⅰ and osteopontin on the OPC10-PU in the early and medium osteogenic induction , while the high expression of these osteogenic genes occured on the OPC 30-PU and OPC50-PU in later osteogenic induction .The emphasis of genetic expression was switched from collagen Ⅰin the early and medium osteogenic induction to osteopontin in the later stage .CONCLUSION:When the content of LC remained low in the composite substrates , rBMSCs mainly responded to the mechanical stimuli induced by substrate stiffness and exhibited distinguished cellular behaviors;with the increase in the LC content , rBMSCs had strong interactions with LC by sensing the viscoelasticity of LC , probably resulted from the contribution of both substrate stiffness and the viscoelasticity of LC phase .

Objective To summary the therapy outcome of retroperitoneal laparoscopic treatment on upper ureteral calculi.Methods The retroperitoneal laparoscopic treatment were performed to all cases from Jun.2011 to Jun.2012 in our hospital.All cases were treated with 3-hold method (two 10 mm and one 5 mm ports).The retroperitoneal space was made by a combination of blunt and balloon dissection,and the space was maintained with CO2 Ureteral longitudinal incision was made to remove the stones,and double J catheter was served as stent drainage.Absorbable suture was used to suture ureteral incision.Results A retroperitoneal approach was performed in 12 patients,and another patient was conducted the open surgery because the stone cower in the kidney calices.Operative periods ranged from 55 to 132 min (average was 85 min).There were no significant postoperative complications.Conclusion It is a minimally invasive and effective approach in the therapy of upper urerteral calculi with laparoscopic.

AIM:To explore a novel method to isolate human nucleus pulposus mesenchymal stem cells (hNP-MSCs) in vitro and to identify their biological characteristics.METHODS:The explant culture method was employed to isolate hNP-MSCs from nucleus pulposus tissue obtained by percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy (PELD).The isolated cells were passaged for purification and cultured in vitro followed by morphological observation.The cell proliferation ability was detected by CCK-8 assay.Growth curves of the cells were drawn and surface antigens were detected by flow cytometry.The cells at the 3rd~6th passages were induced for adipogenic, osteogenic and chondrogenic differentiation, and examined by oil red O staining, alizarin red staining and Alcian blue staining.RESULTS:The cells with self-renewal were obtained from nucleus pulposus tissue obtained by PELD.The results of flow cytometry analysis revealed that the cells were positive for CD29, CD44, CD90, CD73 and CD105, but negative for CD34 and CD45.The proliferative capacity was consistent with the growth characteristics of MSCs and multilineage differentiation potential was identified.CONCLUSION:A novel method to efficiently isolate and culture hNP-MSCs,PELD combined with explant culture method,was established, which would promote the study of regenerative medicine based on hNP-MSCs.

Background and Objectives: Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs)-based treatment for degeneration of intervertebral disc (IVD) has been proposed recently. We here addressed whether MSC secreted factors can rejuvenate nucleus pulposus- derived stem/progenitor cells from degenerated disc (D-NPSCs) in vitro. Methods: and Results: We analyzed the expression of MSCs and NP cell specific surface markers, pluripotency related genes, multilineage potential and cell proliferative capacity of D-NPSCs upon incubation with the conditioned medium which was collected from the umbilical cord derived MSCs (UCMSCs). Our results indicated that the conditioned medium restore the stemness of D-NPSCs by up-regulating the expression level of CD29 and CD105, pluripotency related genes OCT4 and Nanog, and NP progenitor marker Tie2. The increased stemness was accompanied by promoted cell proliferative capacity and improved osteogenic and chondrogenic differentiation potential. Conclusions Our findings suggested that the UCMSCs derived conditioned medium might be used to rejuvenate the degenerated NP stem/progenitor cells.

OBJECTIVETo observe the effects of miR-224 antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) on the proliferation and apoptosis of gastric cancer cells in vitro and vivo.

METHODSThe expression of miR-224 in the cancer tissues and their adjacent tissues in 120 gastric cancer patients were detected by real-time quantitative PCR. The biological effects of miR-224 ASO on human gastric cancer SGC7901 cells was assessed by MTT assay, clone formation assay, flow cytometry and in vivo experiment in nude mice.

RESULTSCompared with the control group (0.50 ± 0.07), miR-224 ASO significantly reduced the miR-224 mRNA expression in the cancer patients (0.09 ± 0.01, P < 0.05). MTT assay results showed that the survival rate of gastric cells at 24 h, 48 h and 72 h was 53.6%, 59.1% and 70.1% in the miR-224 ASO group, and 12.3%, 17.4% and 24.7%, respectively, in the control group (P < 0.05 for all). Clone formation assay revealed that clone formation rate in the miR-224 ASO group was (5.33 ± 0.74)%, significantly lower than the (33.33 ± 8.38)% in the control group (P < 0.05). Flow cytometry indicated that the apoptotic index was (15.68 ± 1.46)% in the miR-224 ASO group and (3.36 ± 0.88)% in the control group (P < 0.01). In addition, the expressions of Bcl2 mRNA and protein were 1.05 ± 0.04 and 0.21 ± 0.03 in the miR-224 ASO group, significantly lower than that in the control group (4.87 ± 0.96 and 0.88 ± 0.09, P < 0.01). The in vivo study further showed that the tumor volume in the experimental group is significantly smaller than that in the control group (P = 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSMiR-224 is overexpressed in human gastric cancer. Reducing the expression of miR-224 can effectively inhibit the growth and promote apoptosis of gastric cancer cells. miR-224 may become a new target for the regulation of gene expression in gastric cancer.

Adult ; Aged ; Animals ; Apoptosis ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Mice, Nude ; MicroRNAs ; genetics ; metabolism ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Transplantation ; Oligonucleotides, Antisense ; metabolism ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; genetics ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Stomach Neoplasms ; genetics ; metabolism ; pathology ; Tumor Burden