BACKGROUND:As a kind of adult stem cel s with low immunogenicity, mesenchymal stem cel s are able to differentiate into different cel lineages in the treatment of many diseases. Moreover, mesenchymal stem cel s have been extensively used in many fields such as stem cel transplantation, immune therapy, and tissue engineering. OBJECTIVE:To review the progress of homing mechanism and the strategies to promote mesenchymal stem cel homing, thus providing a theoretical basis for transplanting mesenchymal stem cel s safely and efficiently. METHODS:The CNKI and PubMed databases were retrieved by computer for articles regarding mesenchymal stem cel homing published from 2000 to 2016, including reviews, basic and clinical studies. The key words were“mesenchymal stem cel s, homing”in Chinese and English, respectively. Then 74 papers were suitable for final analysis. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Mesenchymal stem cel homing needs further research, especial y the molecular mechanism of cel mobilization. Therefore, basic research about mesenchymal stem cel s should be further developed, and a standardized homing system should be established in vitro. In addition, it is of great significance to study the in vivo effects of transplanted gene-transfected mesenchymal stem cel s.

Objective To estimate the clinical features of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) co-infection among acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients and the interaction of lamivudine (3TC) contained antiretroviral therapy (ART) with hepatitis virus replication.Methods From 2004 to 2010,199 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/HBV coinfected patients admitted to Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University were enrolled,including 76 cases of HIV/HBV/HCV triple infection and 123 cases of HIV/HBV dual infection.Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and hepatitis B core antibody (anti-HBc) were detected routinely.HBV DNA,HCV RNA before and after ART with 3TC and incidence of end-stage-liver-diseases in two groups were compared.Categorical data were analyzed by chi-square test,and measurement data were compared by t test.Results Positive rates of HBV DNA in HIV/HBV and HIV/HBV/HCV coinfection group before treatment were 45.5 ％ (56/123) and 25.0 ％ (19/76),respectively (x2 =8.429,P=0.004).The levels of HBV DNA in the two groups before treatment were (5.61±1.88) lg copy/mL and (4.70±1.84) lg copy/mL,respectively (t=2.589,P=0.003).After ART with 3TC,detectable rate of HBV DNA in HIV/HBV/HCV group decreased to 9.2％ (7/76),which was significantly lower than pretreatment (x2 =6.681,P=0.010),but serum HCV RNA increased significantly from 56.6％ (43/76) pretreatment to 72.4％ (55/76) post-treatment (x2 =4.136,P=0.042).The incidence of end-stage-liver-diseases in HIV/HBV/HCV co-infected group was significantly lower than that of HIV/HBV dual infection group (18.8 per 1000 person years vs 42.1 per 1000 person years; x2 =4.459,P =0.035) during an average of 5.6 years of follow up.Conclusion It is possible that there are interactions between HBV and HCV when the two viruses are co infected.The timing of patient enrollment might be an impact factor on study results.

BACKGROUND:It is vital to choose the appropriate carrier with low toxicity and high gene transfection efficiency in gene therapy, which is harmless to human body and environment. OBJECTIVE: To prepare superparamagnetic Fe3O4/SiO2-polyethyleneimine (PEI) composite particles. METHODS: Fe3O4 nanoparticles were prepared via an emulsion solvent evaporation method and superparamagnetic Fe3O4/SiO2 core shel microspheres were prepared successfuly subsequently via a modified stober method. The microspheres were further modified with PEI to obtain superparamagnetic Fe3O4/SiO2-PEI composite particles. The structures and properties of resultant composite particles microspheres were characterized by transmission electron microscopy, zeta potential and vibrating sample magnetometer. Superparamagnetic Fe3O4/SiO2-PEI composite particles were mixed with plasmid DNA at different mass ratios (29∶1, 39∶1, 49∶1, 59∶1, 68∶1, 78∶1, 88∶1). Thein vitro gene transfection ability was evaluated by Hela cels with the transfection of plasmid DNA encoded with green fluorescent protein and the transfection efficiency was determined by confocal fluorescence microscopy. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: We successfuly synthesized the Fe3O4/SiO2-PEI composite particles with good dispersibility and even size distribution (about 100 nm). The surface charge was 21.07 mV, and the saturation magnetization was 28.05 emu/g that meant superparamagnetism. When the mass ratio was 59∶1, al the plasmid DNA was adherent to the Fe3O4/SiO2-PEI composite particles; when the mass ratio was > 59∶1, there were excessive Fe3O4/SiO2-PEI composite particles. Therefore, the mass ratio of 59:1 could lead to a better outcome for HeLa celltransfection. These results indicate that the Fe3O4/SiO2-PEI composite particles can dramaticaly improve the transfection efficiency of plasmid DNA compared with PEI.

Parkinson’ s disease ( PD) is a common disease in central nervous system, for which an effective treatment has yet to be found. The causes of PD include genetic, environmental, aging factors, etc. There is a common factor which can lead to the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia:mito-chondrial damage and repair. This paper has summarized the en-vironmental and genetic factors that can cause mitochondrial damage in dopaminergic neurons, and outlined several mitochon-drial repairing pathways ( such as mitophagy) in the treatment of PD. It also analyzes the research situation of utilizing natural medicine in the therapy of PD from the perspective of the mito-chondrial protection.

Objective To evaluate comparability of two different assay system for detecting CRP.Methods Following the profile of Clinical and Laboratory Standard Institute (CLSI)document EP9-A2,50 blood samples with anti-coagulant ED-TA-2K were collected from emergency patients at Changhai Hospital.The test result of samples by the i-CHROMA Reader was compared and evaluated with those by Beckman Immage 800.Results The linear regression equation for plasma CRP was:Y=1.076 5X-3.031 5,R2=0.986.The linear regression equation for whole blood CRP was:Y=0.882 6X-1.180 8, R2=0.931 1.For whole blood samples with low HCT (<30.45%).Used correction equation:CRP (after corrected)=CRP (before corrected)/(1-HCT).The regression equation (after corrected)was:Y=1.006 8X-3.612 2,R2=0.950 9.Con-clusion CRP concentration detected by i-CHROMA showed good correlation and comparability compared to laboratory ref-erence system by using plasma samples.Results form whole blood samples with low HCT should be corrected to improve comparability.

ObjectiveTo understand the distribution of interleukin(IL)-28B gene polymorphisms in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/hepatitis C virus (HCV) coinfected Han patients in Hubei Province.MethodsOne hundred Han patients with anti-HIV and anti-HCV double positive in Hubei Province were enrolled.HCV RNA level was detected by fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and genotyping of IL-28B gene was pcrformed by sequencing.The data were analyzed by chi square test.ResultsThe proportion of IL-28B C/C genotype was 95.0 ％ in target population,arnong which 21.1％ (20/95) were HCV RNA negative.While there were no HCV RNA negative cases in C/T and T/T genotypes (0/5;x2 =1.043,P=0.588).ConclusionAmong HIV/HCV coinfccted Han patients in Hubei Province,the proportion of IL-28B C/C genotype is high.

Objective To analyze the incidence,mortality and risk factors of death in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) co-infected patients with combined antiretroviral therapy (cART).Methods A total of 427 HIV/HCV co-infected patients admitted to Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University or local disease prevention and control canters from January 2003 to December 2010 were enrolled in the study.The demographic and clinical data of patients were retrospectively studied.Cox progressive regression model was used for data analysis,and Kaplan-Meier method was used to evaluate the effect of end-stage liver diseases on the death.Results of 427 HIV/HCV co-infected patients,53 ( 12.4％ ) died during the follow-up,in which 28 (52.8％) died of liver-related diseases.Male gender ( RR =2.63,P =0.05 ),infection via blood transfusion ( RR =2.15,P =0.04),baseline CD4 + T cells ＜50 cells/μL ( RR =2.83,P =0.02),HIV RNA≥ 104copies/mL at the end of follow-up (RR =2.79,P =0.00 ) and complicated with end-stage liver disease ( RR =7.79,P =0.00) were significantly related to the death.Duration of cART ＞ 5 years is a protective factor for the death ( RR =0.03,P =0.00).Themortality of patients complicated with end-stage liver diseases was 52.7％ ( 29/55 ).Conclusion Liver disease-related death has become the leading cause of death in HIV/HCV co-infected patients,and patients with end-stage liver diseases are of high risk of death.

Objective To investigate the incidence and risk factors of end-stage liver disease (ESLD) in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) co-infected patients after antiretroviral therapy (ART).Methods The demographic and clinical data of HIV-HCV coinfected patients in Zhongnan Hospital,Wuhan University and local Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) from Jan 2003 to Dec 2010 were analyzed retrospectively. Single factor and multiple factor Logistic regression were used to analyze the correlation between the variables and incidence of ESLD,such as baseline age ≥40,male,previous blood transfusion history,duration of HCV persistent infection,hepatitis B virus (HBV) co-infection (HBsAg positive),HIV RNA≥-1 ×104 copy/mL at last visit,HCV RNA≥ 1.× 105 copy/mL at last visit,CD4 count ＞ 200 / μL at last visit,alanine aminotranferase (ALT) ≥ 2 × upper limit normal (ULN) at last visit,ART containing nevirapine (NVP),follow-up duration,ART duration＞5 years and HCV genotype 1b.The effect of ESLD on the survival of HIV-HCV co-infected patients was analyzed by Kaplan-Meier method.Results Totally 427 HIV-HCV co-infected patients were followed up with average of 3.7 years. Fifty-five patients (12.9％) developed ESLD,and 52 patients (12.2％) died.Factors independently associated with ESLD included baseline age≥40 (OR=2.385,P=0.039),ALT ≥2× ULN (OR=16.374,P=0.000),HBV-coinfection (OR=2.507,P=0.042),duration of ART ＞ 5 years (OR=3.232,P=0.010),and CD4 count ≥200/μL (OR=0.364,P=0.011).The cumulative mortality of HIV-HCV co-infected patients with ESLD was 50.9％,whereas that of HIV-HCV co-infected patients without ESLD was 6.5％ (P=0.000).Conclusion In the ART era,ESLD is common among HIV-HCV co-infected patients in China,which is responsible for reducing the survival time of the patients.

Objective: To observe the relieving cough and reducing sputum effects of total alkaloid in Atalantia buxifolia and evaluate the safety preliminarily.Methods: The relieving cough and reducing sputum effects of total alkaloid in Atalantia buxifolia were studied by the cough model caused by the irritation of ammonia water and the phenol red output of trachea in mice.The acute toxicity test and maximum tolerance test were carried out to evaluate the safety.Results: The total alkaloid in Atalantia buxifolia at low dose could obviously prolong cough incubation period and decrease cough times in mice, and that at high dose could significantly increase the secretion of phenol red in respiratory tract, and compared with those in the blank group, the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05).In the acute toxicity test, no death showed after the administration with maximum tolerance dosage, and the rate of weight growth had no difference between the blank group and the model group (P>0.05).Conclusion: The relieving cough and reducing sputum effects of total alkaloid in Atalantia buxifolia are notable in the cough model caused by the irritation of ammonia water and the phenol red output of trachea in mice.The maximum tolerable dose test shows the total alkaloid in Atalantia buxifolia is safe.

Objective To understand major risk factors associated with end-stage liver disease (ESLD) among patients with human immunedeficiency virus (HIV)/hepatitis B virus (HBV) co-infection.Methods Patients with HIV/HBV co-infection were followed-up and factors related to ESLD were analyzed using logistic regression model to estimate odds ratios (ORs) for them. Results A total of 255 patients with HIV/HBV co-infection were investigated, with an incidence of ESLD of 19. 2% ( 49/255 ). Major risk factors associated with ESLD among patients with HIV/HBV co-infection included count of CD4 below 200 cells/μl at baseline, HIV RNA load decreasing to the lower limit of its detection level within six months after antiretroviral treatment (ART), abnormal of serum activities of transaminase (ALT or AST), longer persistently positive of HIV RNA and HBV DNA, and use of lamivudine-based ART, with OR of 6. 503,14. 456, 0. 049, 1. 814, 1. 536 and 0. 012, respectively. Conclusions Lower CD4 count, abnormal serum transaminases, persistent replication of HIV and HBV all are closely related to ESLD in patients with HIV/HBV co-infection. Therefore, lamivudine-based ART should be of choice for patients with HIV/HBV coinfection to decrease incidence of ESLD.