Objective To study the effect of intracoronary adenovirus vector-mediated transforming growth factor ?_1 (Ad.TGF-?_1) gene transfer on discordant cardiac xenograft in the setting of acute vascular rejection. Methods In a cervical heterotopic cardiac transplantation model by cuff technique, after harvest, guinea pig donor hearts’coronary arteries were perfused ex vivo with Stanford University solution containing 5?1010 plaque-forming units/g of donor heart of Ad.TGF-?_1, then implanted in the necks of complement depleted and immunosuppressed rat recipients. As controls, other hearts were perfused with Stanford University solution containing 5?1010 plaque-forming units/g of donor heart adenoviral blank-vector or with virus-free Stanford University solution by the same method.Results The exogenous TGF-?_1 gene transcripts and expression in the Ad.TGF-?_1 infected grafts were confirmed. The number of inflammatory cells and macrophages and nature killer cell infiltration in the cardiac xenografts of Ad.TGF-?_1 infected grafts was less than that of other groups (P

Objective To study the possible cause and the feasibility of diagnosis and treatment of coronary disease after heart transplantation.Methods An 8-year survivor of heart transplantation received close follow-up. The clinical symptoms were recorded. Blood laboratory tests, electrocardiogram, endomyocardial biopsy, left ventricular Tc scintigraphy, endothelium-dependent vasodilatation of the brachial artery and coronary angiography were performed.Results The patient had good life quality without any symptoms such as chest discomfort, palpitation, dyspnea. Serum lipid and lipoprotein levels remained normal range. No any myocardial ischemic signs were detected in electrocardiogram. Endothelium-dependent vasodilatation was normal. No any acute rejective manifestation was observed in endomyocardial biopsy samples. Left ventricular Tc scintigraphy showed that left ventricular wall perfusion was progressively decreased. Coronary angiography showed that a typical vasculopathy with diffuse stenosis involved all coronary braches to some extent and right coronary had a proximal local severe stenosis with distal mild diffuse stenosis. Coronary angioplasty and stent placement of proximal right coronary was performed. The perfusion of the left ventricular wall was improved by this angioplasty.Conclusion Chronic rejection is probably the main cause of coronary disease after heart transplantation. Serial left ventricular scintigraphy can detect the change of myocardial perfusion. Local severe stenosis of coronary after heart transplantation can be treated by coronary stenting.

With the development of mass spectrometer,protein and peptide separation technology,and data analysis tools,the study on protein expression profiling of various tissues,organs or cells has been developed rapidly.The most basic purpose of proteomics is qualitative and quantitative identification of the whole protein in a cell or tissue.Therefore,how to make full use of mass spectrometry data has an important significance in proteome.Recently years,proteomics has begun to be applied in allograft rejection and discovery of rejection related biomarkers in organ transplantation.Through the extensive application of the technology in organ transplantation,graft rejection can be earlier detection and treatment.Therefore,the proteomics research have potential application prospects in the diagnosis of the organ transplant rejection.

AIM and METHODS: To investigate the cardioprotective effect of adenosine infusion before ischemic preconditioning on immature myocardial reperfusion injury in rabbit heart. Isolated perfused working heart model were performed, all hearts were subjected to 2-hour global hypothermic ischemia and received intermittent cold cardioplegia perfusion. RESULTS:During reperfusion, the recovery of left ventricular systolic pressure, left ventricular end-diastolic pressure, +d p /d t max, and -d p /d t max of hearts received adenosine infusion before ischemic preconditioning were significantly improved, myocardial adenosine triphosphate and adenosine diphosphate content and superoxide dismutase activity were higher, the leakage of myocardial creatine kinase and the malondialdehyde content were lower, and myocardial water content was obviously less. CONCLUSION: These results suggest adenosine infusion before ischemic preconditioning enhances cardioprotection of ischemic preconditioning against immature myocardial reperfusion injury in the rabbit heart.

Objective To study the effects of intracoronary transfer of adenovirus vector-mediated transforming growth factor ?_1 gene on acute rejection of cardiac allograft in rats. Methods In a cervical heterotopic cardiac transplantation model, donor hearts coronary arteries were perfused ex vivo after harvest with Stanford University solution containing 5?10~ 10 plaque-forming units/gram of donor heart of donor heart of Ad. TGF-?_1, then implanted in the necks of recipients. As controls, other hearts were perfused with Stanford University solution containing 5?10~ 10 plaque-forming units/gram of donor heart adenoviral bland-vector or with virus-free Stanford University solution by the same method. Results The exogenous TGF-?_1 gene transcripts and expression in the Ad.TGF-?_1 infected grafts were confirmed. The expression of CD_ 68 and the apoptosis index in the cardiac allografts of Ad. TGF-?_1 group were less than that of other two groups (P

Objective To investigate living quality of patients after orthotopic cardiac transplantation and to provide scientific evidence for specific strategy of therapy and improvement of living quality of patients with cardiac transplantation. Methods SF-36 and the social support questionnaire were used to analyze living quality of 79 patients who received orthotopic cardiac transplantation in the Department of Cardiovascular surgery of Affiliated Union Hospital of Fujian Medical University. The mode of SF-36 was from the investigative numerical value of residents in Sichuan province. Description, t-test and Spearman correlation analysis were used to study the related factors. Results Compared with a reference general population, the heart transplant recipients showed a significantly worse living quality score on all domains of the SF-36 scales (P＜0. 05), except the domain of somatic pain. Among the patients after cardiac transplantation, living quality was more significantly improved in ＞2-year survival group than that in ＜one-year survival group (P＜0. 05),except the domain of somatic pain. The relationships between the social support and living quality were analyzed,and it was found that as compared with a reference general population, the heart transplant recipients showed significantly lower scores on all domains of the social support questionnaire (P＜0. 01 ). The total social support scores were positively related to mental health related living quality (P＜0.05, r = 0.223 - 0.710), except the domain of somatic pain. Conclusion Compared with a general population, heart transplant recipients demonstrated a significantly worsened living quality. But evidence showed the living quality can be improved gradually with the prolongation of the survival time after heart transplantation. Social support was related to the living quality of heart transplantation patients. Improvement of availability on social support will probably improve living quality.

Objective To retrospectively analyze the clinical management and follow-up of 13 recipients with survival of over ten years after cardiac transplantation. Methods Thirteen male recipients underwent orthotopic heart transplantation between August 1995 and June 2001 in our center and received standard immunosuppressive therapy protocols (8 cases) or induction therapy protocols (5 cases). Cyclosporine, azathioprine or mycophenolate mofetil, and prednisolone were applied as maintenance immunosuppressive regimens. Six recipients switched from azathioprine to mycophenolate mofetil when mycophenolate mofetil was available. Perioperative complications were prevented and treated. After operation, the recipients were followed up regularly to set up personnel long-term follow-up files. The incidence of acute rejection (AR) and (cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV) was monitored. Results The 13 survived recipients accounted for 48. 1 % of the total number in the corresponding period (13/27). All survivals recovered well and had a good quality of life. The recent (1 year) complications included acute allograft rejection (3 cases), infection (4 cases), renal insufficiency (3 cases), allograft right ventricular dysfunction (5 cases), post-transplant diabetes (2 cases) and liver dysfunction (5 cases). The long-term (1 year later) complications included acute allograft rejection (2 cases), CAV (2 cases), hypercholesterolemia (5 cases), hypertension (4 cases), hyperuricemia (10 cases) and chronic renal impairment (3 cases). One hepatitis B virus carrier died of liver cancer 13 years after transplantation. Conclusion The long-term survival of cardiac allograft recipients is closely associated with psychological state, financial condition, compliance and follow-up medical system, while the sociological and environmental factors may play important roles.

Objective To induce the immune tolerance of heart grafts with infusion of isogeneic bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) in heart transplant rats.Method Donor Wistar rats and recipient F344 rats were randomly divided into 4 groups:acute rejection group (group A),Wistar rats as the donors and F344 rats as the recipients for heart transplantation; low dose cyclosporin A(CsA) group (group B),recipient F344 rats given low dose CsA; BMSCs group (group C),recipient F344 rats given isogeneic BMSCs; BMSC and low dose CsA group (group D),the recipient F344 rats given isogeneic BMSCs and low dose CsA.The serum cytokine levels were determined,and the donor heart pathological changes and survival were observed postoperatively.The relative level of Foxp3 mRNA expression in the spleen of the recipient F344 rats was also observed.Result The blood levels of interleukin-2 (IL-2) and interferon-γ(INF-γ) were significantly reduced,but IL-4 and IL-10 levels were increased (P＜0.05),and the survival time of donor heart was significantly prolonged in group D as compared with groups A,B and C (P＜0.05 for all).Heart pathological examination revealed a mild acute rejection in group D,moderate acute rejection in groups B and C group,and severe acute rejection in group A respectively.The expression of Foxp3 mRNA was significantly lower in group A than in groups B,C and D (P＜0.05 for all),and that in group D was significantly higher than in groups B and C (P＜0.05 for both),but there was no significant difference between between groups B and C (P＞0.05).Conclusion Intravenous administration of BMSCs can alleviate immunorejection in heterotopic rat heart transplantation.Low-dose CsA acts synergistically with BMSCs to significantly inhibit acute rejection after heart transplantation.The partial mechanisms involve the suppressive effect of BMSCs on the expression of Foxp3 mRNA and modulation on cytokine.

AIM: The aim of this study was to investigate the hemodynamic characteristics of the denervated orthotopic transplanted hearts. METHODS: Eighteen patients with end - stage cardiopathy underwent orthotopic cardiac transplantation received immunosuppressive induction therapy. The changes of hemodynamics were closely monitored during the perioperative period and the periodic check-up of echocardiogram and electrocardiograph were followed up in the postoperative long-term period. RESULTS: All recipients were received vasoactive drug and active diuretic therapy during the perioperative period. An increase in central venous pressure in concomitance with decrease in cardiac output, cardiac index and mixed venous oxygen saturation within 24 to 48 hours and tend to stable 48 hours postoperation were detected. In the follow - up period, the cardiac functions of allografts were all recovered well. No recipient complained angina pectoris. CONCLUSIONS: The hemodynamic characteristics and clinical pharmacological therapeutic implications of cardiac denervation are very unique. Rational application of inotropic support and diuretic therapy and vasodilatation combined with prudent administration of some agents, which affect the physiology of denervated heart, are the most effective measures for the prevention of postoperative complications of cardiac allograft.

Objective: To evaluate the new compensation mechanism for primary healthcare institutions in Zhejiang province, in terms of fairness, performance, incentive mechanism and sustainability in pilot areas. Methods: Evaluation indicators were constructed based on stakeholder theory, fairness theory, expectation theory and sustainable development theory.Focus group interviews were conducted with stakeholders and quantitative data were collected through questionnaires. Meanwhile, the financial compensation, income and expenditure and work equivalent data were collected from such institutions of the four pilot areas, with quantitative data subject to descriptive analysis. Results: This study found the reform used reasonable proportion of funds allocated(the proportion of basic salary for employees was lower than 50%)and adjustment factors(1.0-1.8)of different primary healthcare institutions to guarantee the fairness of the reform; the increase of work equivalents(the per capita work equivalents of medical staff in pilot counties had increased from 38.435 million in the previous year to 42.590 million work equivalents)reflected the performance outcomes of the reform. The incentive and sustainability of the reforms were the weak parts. These were mainly due to the fact that the internal distribution system of primary healthcare institutions failed to make corresponding reforms. Conclusions The reform of the compensation mechanism based on the equivalent method has changed medical staff′s perception of the distribution of funds. The principle of" more pay for more work" and the use of information technology to capture work equivalents have improved the enthusiasm of primary medical staff and the operational efficiency of these institutions, thus, making reform generally scientific and reasonable.