The lumber ligaments play an important role in spinal bsomechanics. The results of three-dimensional finite element analysis showed that one of functions of lumbar ligaments is transmission of the tensile load between the lumbar vertebrae. The anterior longitudinal ligament is loaded in extension of lumbar spine and the resistance to the tensile load in flexion is provided by other ligaments. These ligaments are subject to much more tension with degsneration of the intervertebral disc so that a series of pathological changes occur. Relevant significance in clinical aspect is also discussed.

AIM: To investigate the effect of norcantharidin(NCTD)on proliferation and invasion of human breast cancer cell line SKBR3 in vitro and its anticancer mechanisms.METHODS: MTT assay was used to determine SKBR3 cell proliferation. Light and FACScan were used to detect apoptosis and cell cycle. The invasiveness of SKBR3 was evaluated by the adhesion test,Matrigel experiment and the crossing-river test.RESULTS: NCTD had inhibitive effects on growth of SKBR3 cells in a dose and time-dependent manner, with the IC50 value of 12.5 mg/L at 24 h.The cells treated with 10 mg/L NCTD for 24 h and 48 h showed typical apoptotic morphology and hypodiploid peak before G1 phase. The cell cycle was arrested at G2/M phase. The apoptosis percentage was up to 3.44% and 6.17%, and the G2/M percentage was up to 35.82% and 38.70%. NCTD also could inhibit obviously the adhesion, movement and invasive capability simulating human basement membrane of SKBR3. Its effect was also in a dose-dependent manner. In the NCTD-treated group, crossing-river time was prolonged significantly and passing-membrane cells markedly decreased. CONCLUSION: NCTD in vitro inhibits not only the proliferation and growth of human breast cancer cells but also invasion and metastasis of the cells at relatively low concentration. NCTD shows prominent anti-tumor effects.

ObjectiveTo assess the values of 320-detector row dynamic volume CT angiography (CTA) and transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) in follow up of coronary artery aneurysm (CAA) caused by Kawasaki disease (KD).Methods320-de-tector row CTA and TTE were applied in long-term follow-up of 8 patients with CAA caused by KD.ResultsIn 8 patients, the mean age at onset was 41.63±22.70 months and the mean follow up time was 43.50±10.99 months. In acute phase, 3 cases of giant coronary artery aneurysms (GCAA) and 5 cases of mid-small CAA were diagnosed by TTE. A total of 16/32 arteries (50%) were involved. At the end of follow-up, 3 cases of GCAA and 2 cases of mid-small CAA were still diagnosed by TTE, and small CAAs were regressed in another 3 cases. A total of 6/32 arteries (18.75%) were involved. Simultaneously at the end of follow-up, a total of 7/32 arteries (21.9%) were involved by 320-detector row CTA. The distribution was consistent with that of TTE. Mean-while, there were one case of left circumlfex artery, one case of GCAA at distal of the right coronary artery, 2 cases of thrombus, 1 case of coronary stenosis and 2 cases of calciifcation.ConclusionsCAA caused by KD may be persistent for a long time. The thrombus, stenosis, and calciifcation of coronary can occurr at late phase in GCAA. TTE is sensitive and reliable to detect proxi-mal and middle segment of coronary lesions, but has limitations in detection of distal segment of coronary arteries. 320-detector row CTA has more comprehensively view of each coronary artery lesions and is especially sensitive and reliable to detect coro-nary thrombosis, calciifcation and narrowing in proximal and distal coronary arteries after acute phase.

Objective To evaluate the influence of transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) with Alginate microsphere-Adriamycin on angiogenesis in VX2 liver tumor. Methods Thirty New Zealand rabbits were randomly divided into 5 groups (each n=6), and VX2 carcinoma was implanted in the left lobes of the livers. TACE was performed with Alginate microsphere (Group A), Alginate microsphere-Adriamycin (Group B), Lipiodol (Group C), Lipiodol-Adriamycin (Group D), and control group (Group E), respectively. Three weeks later, the animals were killed and the samples were evaluated with immunohistochemical reaction to examine the VEGF expression and MVD count. Results The positive rate of VEGF expression was 66.67%, 50.00%, 100%, 83.33% and 66.67% respectively in five groups (P>0.05). MVD count was 55.36±7.02, 41.27±8.45, 82.42±6.23, 67.81±11.42 and 62.46±7.54 respectively in five groups. MVD value of group C was higher than that of group A and group B (P<0.05); of group B was lower than that of group D (P<0.05). Spearman rank correlation analysis showed a correlation coefficient of 0.726 between VEGF and MVD (P<0.01). Conclusion TACE with Alginate microsphere-Adriamycin can reduce VEGF expression and MVD of VX2 liver tumor in rabbits, but the possibility of tumor blood vessels rapid occlusion and therefore resulting in tumor necrosis can not be ruled out.

Objective To explore the effectiveness of 125I seed implantation for gastric cancer and to determine whether the therapy could increase the survival rate.Methods Seventy-six gastric cancer patients in stage Ⅱ or Ⅲ were involved and randomly divided into treatment group (n =42) and control group (n =34)by simple random sampling method.The patients in the control group underwent D2 or D3 surgery and the patients in treatment group underwent D2 or D3 surgery plus interstitial implantation of 125I seeds.All patients signed the informed consents.Treatment results were evaluated as CR,PR,NC and PD.CR and PR were considered as effective and the effective rate was calculated.All patients were followed up and the three-or five-year survival rate was calculated,the complications were examined.x2 test was used to compare the significant difference between the two groups.Results The total effective rate in control group was 50.00％ (17/34),lower than that of treatment group (73.81％,31/42; x2 =4.578,P＜0.05).In the treatment group,the three-year and five-year survival rates were 61.90％(26/42) and 42.86％(18/42) respectively,and the corresponding rates in the control group were 11.76％(4/34) and 0(0/34) respectively (x2=19.771,19.094,both P＜0.001).Both of the two groups had few severe side effects.Conclusion Radical surgery plus 1~Iseed implantation is effective and safe for the treatment of stage Ⅱ or Ⅲ gastric cancer and can further improvelong-term survival.

Objective To observe the function of immature CD8α+ dentritic cells (DCs) in vitro. Methods The bone marrow and spleen of C57BL/6(H-2b) and Balb/c (H-2d) mice were got to prepare immature CD8α+ DCs and spleen lymphocytes,and treated by mytomycin. MTT test was used.MLR group, MLR plus variable density syngeneic CD8α+ DC group, MLR plus variable density allogeneic CD8α+ DC group,MLR plus variable density CD8α+ DC supernatant group,CD8α+ DC plus syngeneic T cell group and negative control group were established. MLR group was set up by responder cell ratio of 0.2,0.5,0.8,1.0,to build the MLR plus syngeneic and allogeneic CD8α+ DC experimental groups. Culture supernatant from different density (1 × 105/ml - 5 × 106/ml) of CD8α+DCs was added into MLR to build CD8α+ DC supernatant group. CD8α+ DCs were co-cultured with syngeneic T cells to build CD8α+ DCs plus syngeneic T cells group. 2 × 105/well responder cells served as the negative control group. ELISA was used to detect the concentrations of IFN-γ and IL-10 in the DCs could both suppress MLR (P＜0. 05), and the difference was not statistically significant (P＞0. 05). When CD8α+ DCs were increased, the suppressive effect was enhanced. When CD8α+ DC/responder cell ratio ＞0. 2, the inhibitory effect could be observed, and this effect reached the peak when the ratio was 1.0. The CD8α+ DCs had weak ability to stimulate syngeneic lymphocyte proliferation in vitro, and certain stimulating effect could be seen only when CD8α+ DC/responder cell ratio ＞2 (P＜0. 05). Its culture supernatant also showed suppressive effect (P＜0. 05), and the supernatant with a cell density of 5 × 105/ml showed the maximum effect. IL-10 concentration in the concentration was 1.0 ± 1.2 pg/ml. Conclusion The in vitro function of immature CD8α+ DCs was immunosuppression/tolerance,and they could secret high level of IL-10. The CD8α+ DCs and their culture supernatant could suppress MLR in vitro.

Objective:To study the possible immune escape mechanisms of HCoV-OC43 from human dendritic cells(DC).Methods:HCoV-OC43 was isolated from clinical specimen using BSC-1 cells and identified by Real-time PCR,and the cytopathic effect was observed by phase contrast microscope.DCs were induced in vivo using hu-GM-CSF and IL-4 cytokines,and after 7 days of differentiation,DCs were infected by HCoV-OC43.The morphology of HCoV-OC43 infected DC was observed by transmission electron microscope,and the cytokines related to DC functions were detected by Real-time PCR after infection.DC proportion and function related co-stimulatory molecules were analyzed by flow cytometry.Results:In vitro HCoV-OC43 infected human DC model was successfully built.HCoV-OC43 can infect DC and generate immune response of DC in vitro,but no virus nucleonic acid could be detected in culture supernatant.The DC expression of IFN-α,IFN-β,CCL3 and CCL5 were significant decreased when infected with HCoV-OC43,but the expression of costimulatory molecules including HLA-DR,CD1c and CD86 were not affected by HCoV-OC43 infection.Conclusion:Human DC could be infected by HCoV-OC43 and generate immune response,but could not produce progeny virus.HCoV-OC43 may escape from immune response by suppressing the expression of IFN-α and other inflammatory cytokines and chemokines in DC.

AIM: To clone and express a human monoclonal anti-D Fab fragment in E. coli and make benefits for the expression of the whole immunoglobulin molecules of anti-D. METHODS: The gene of anti-D Fab fragment was cloned into the phagemid vector pComb3. After analyzing by PCR and restriction site analysis, the recombinant was expressed in E. coli and the expressed protein was analyzed by SDS-PAGE and ELISA. RESULTS: The result of SDS-PAGE confirmed that E.coli expressed a 48 kD protein. The ELISA result demonstrated that the cell culture supernatant reacted with Rh+ group O human erythrocytes, but was not recognized by Rh-group O human erythrocytes. CONCLUSION: Expressed Fab fragment has the antigenic specificity for human erythrocytes.

AIM: To discuss the relationship between prostate specific membrane antigen(PSMA) and prostate cancer and to seek a target for diagnosis and therapy of prostate cancer.METHODS: A pair of primers was designed according to the published PSMA mRNA sequence.Total RNA was extracted from prostate cancer tissues and was reversely transcribed into cDNA,which was used as a template for PCR to amplify the PSMA gene.The recombinant was sequenced and the result was analyzed by BLAST.The PSMA5 gene specific primers were designed to identify its expression in different cells and prostate tissues.RESULTS: A new alternatively spliced variant of PSMA named PSMA5 was discovered when sequencing the recombinant.PSMA5 showed well pathological tissue-specificity,and its expression rate in prostate cancer,benign prostatic hyperplasia of prostate,and normal prostate tissue were 92.6%,78.8% and 10.0%,respectively.It expressed specifically in Pca cell line LNCaP,not in cell lines of PC3,bladder carcinoma,renal carcinoma,or hepatoma.CONCLUSION: A new alternative spliced variant of PSMA named PSMA5 was discovered,which was well correlated with prostate cancer and benign prostatic hyperplasia.This finding may give a new clue to the evolution of prostate cancer and may provide a target for the diagnosis and therapy of prostate cancer.

AIM: To find out the gene structure and diversity of protate specific membrane antigen(PSMA) alternative spliced variants, and probe into the pathogenesis of prostate cancer.METHODS: 5'-RACE and 3'-RACE methods were used to amplify the 5' and 3'end of alternative spliced variant and then those viariants were sequenced for analyzing the gene stucture and diversity of PSMA alternative spliced variants of prostate cancer tissues.RESULTS: Four new alternative spliced variants of PSMA were discovered from prostate cancer tissues.Compared with reported PSMA alternative spliced variants,different insertions and deletions existed in different sites of those new variants.CONCLUSION: The discovery of the new variants confirms the diversity of PSMA spliced variants and provides the clues for seeking the target of diagnosis and therapy of prostate cancer.