Development of liver fibrosis is closely associated with angiogenesis and abnormal vascular remodeling. Recent studies have highlighted the importance of angiogenesis and vascular remodeling in fibrogenesis, the results that inhibition of angiogenesis is effective in suppression of liver fibrosis demonstrate that therapies with several molecular targets against angiogenesis, inflammation and fibrosis might be beneficial for the treatment of cirrhosis. However, there is some evidence that inhibition of angiogenesis can even worsen fibrosis. This article outlines recent advances regarding the interplay between inflammation, angiogenesis and fibrogenesis in terms of cellular and molecular mechanisms, and suggests a requirement of greater understanding to intervene in these key processes, such as liver sinusoidal endothelial cell fenestration and impact distinct chemokine actions driving monocyte migration and differentiation, for therapeutic benefit in the future.

Objective To discuss the possibility of constructing a new kind of active skin substi tutes.Methods The culture of dermal fibroblasts were isolated from foreskin of an infant; preparation of human acellular amniotic extracellular matrix was conducted through the disposition of detergent and enzyme.Surface structure porosity and pore size were detected through scanning electron microscopy.bFGF-chitosan gelatin microspheres were prepared.The features such as the size distribution,drug content,drug encapsulating and in vitro release were studied with scanning electron microscopy,laser grainsize analyzer and ELISA method.MTT test was performed to observe cell proliferation and evaluate the biocompatibility in vitro.Results The cellular layer of amniotic membrane was completely removed but did not damage the collogen scaffolds structure by the disposal of enzyme and detergent.Scanning electron microscopy showed that the scaffolds had criss-cross structure and high porosity,the pore size was irregular and varied from 10 nm to 100 nm.Scanning electron microscopy of bFGF- gelatin-chitosan microspheres surface structure showed that the microspheres had spherical structure,uniform size and smooth surface quality.Controlled release curve showed that the sudden release of bFGF was obvious.Conclusions A new type of active skin substitutes is prepared through culturing fibroblasts on HAAM loaded controlled-released basic fibroblast growth factor from chi tosan-gelatin microspheres.

Objective To explore the isolation,amplification methods and adipogenic differentiation under specific culture medium of human keloid-derived precursor cell (KPC) in vitro,in order to study their possibility of being new seed cells of tissue engineering fat.Methods KPCs were isolated from human keloid tissue of 4 different patients in our hospital and were cultured in the modified L-DMEM culture medium.Their cloning efficiency and growth curve were tested.The subcultured cells were tested of the mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-related gene expression by flow cytometry.In addition,they were cultured in H-DMEM medium (containing 1 μmol/L dexamethasone,0.5 mmol/L 3-isobutyl-1-methyl-xanthine 10 mg/L of bovine insulin,100 mmol/L indomethacin,and 10 ％ FBS)and were later observed in oil red O staining under phase contrast microscope to determine whether lipid droplets generation was formed,using skin-derived precursors (SKP) as control.Results More than 95 ％ KPC expressed many antigens of MSC,such as CD29,CD44,CD90 and CD105 while few of them expressed CD34,CD45(1.0 ％-2.5 ％).And the cells increased in size gradually after inducted the same time,changing from spindle into round or polygonal in shape.The lipid droplets were seen in 72 hours and expressed a positive rate of 78.6 ％ in Day 19 in oil red O staining while the same rate was 54.6 ％ in SKP.Conclusions Human keloid-derived precursor cells can express a variety of MSC-related surface markers without expressing hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) related markers.Furthermore,they can be differentiated into fat cells under certain conditions,which may make them as a new source of seed cells for tissue engineering fat.

Accumulating studies have recently shown that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are involved in the initiation and progression of myocardial fibrosis,a common histological characteristic of heart conditions and prominent global health issues. LncRNAs are prominently served as regulatory molecules via interaction with DNA,RNA and proteins in transcriptional and post-transcriptional processes. They can change morphological structure and biochemical metabolism of cardiac cells and regulate homeostasis of the cardiac extracellular matrix. Therefore,lncRNAs show great potential as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets for anti-fibrotic treatment.

Rescuing cells from stress damage emerges a potential therapeutic strategy to combat myocardial infarction. Protocatechuic aldehyde (PCA) is a major phenolic acid in Chinese herb Danshen (

Ischemic preconditioning (IPC) is a potential intervention known to protect the heart against ischemia/reperfusion injury, but its role in the no-reflow phenomenon that follows reperfusion is unclear. Dihydrotanshinone I (DT) is a natural compound and this study illustrates its role in cardiac ischemic injury from the aspect of IPC. Pretreatment with DT induced modest ROS production and protected cardiomyocytes against oxygen and glucose deprivation (OGD), but the protection was prevented by a ROS scavenger. In addition, DT administration protected the heart against isoprenaline challenge. Mechanistically, PKM2 reacted to transient ROS via oxidization at Cys423/Cys424, leading to glutathionylation and nuclear translocation in dimer form. In the nucleus, PKM2 served as a co-factor to promote HIF-1α-dependent gene induction, contributing to adaptive responses. In mice subjected to permanent coronary ligation, cardiac-specific knockdown of Pkm2 blocked DT-mediated preconditioning protection, which was rescued by overexpression of wild-type Pkm2, rather than Cys423/424-mutated Pkm2. In conclusion, PKM2 is sensitive to oxidation, and subsequent glutathionylation promotes its nuclear translocation. Although IPC has been viewed as a protective means against reperfusion injury, our study reveals its potential role in protection of the heart from no-reflow ischemia.