Objective To analyze the MRI imaging feature and the clinical feature of pituicytoma. Methods The clinical data and imaging feature of 10 patients with pituicytoma who were proved histologically were retrospectively studied. Visual disturbances disorder and headache were the main complaints of all patients. One patient had sexual function decline. All patients were given the examination of MRI and showed saddle area were occupied. Results Most of pituicytoma was circular or oval morphologically. Pituicytoma located at suprasellar region in 4 patients, in the sellar in 2 patients and over the sellar region in 4 patients.In them, cystic change occured in 1 patient. In most of the cases, the tumor showed isointensity on T1WI, isointensity or slightly hyperintensity on T2WI. After injection of contrast medium, the tumor showed homogeneous enhancement in early stage. Pathological markers:S-100, and vimenlin indicated 100%positive;glial fibrillary acidic protein(GFAP), synaptophysin (SYN) and epithelial membrane antigen(EMA) indicated 50% positive. Six patients′serum endocrine function test:the levels of serum total triiodothyronine (TT3), total thyroxine (TT4), free triiodothyronine (FT3), free thyroxine (FT4), thyroid stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH) had different degrees of reduction in 4 patients, and these index were normal in 2 patients. Conclusions On MRI, pituicytoma has certain characteristics which might help clinical diagnosis combined with the clinical manifestation and endocrine function tests.

Objective To investigate the regulatory effects of IFN-γon Treg cells from HIV/AIDS patients receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) for one year.Methods Thirty HIV/A1DS patients whose CD4+T cells were below 350/μ1 were recruited for HAART therapy.Blood samples were collected at the time points of 0,24,48 weeks after HAART.PBMCs were isolated and randomly divided into two culture groups.One group was cultured directly in medium and another group was co-cultured with IFN-γ (40 pg/ml).The supernatants and cells were separated after 5 days of culture for analysis.The concentrations of IL-12 and CD4+CD25+Foxp3 Treg cells were measured by ELISA and flow cytometry,respectively.Results The levels of IL-12 in the supernatants from the culture without IFN-γ at time points of 0,24,48 weeks after HAART were lower than those from the co-cultured group [(37.02±12.76) vs (41.79± 15.02),t=2.336,P=0.03; (41.76±17.01) vs (47.2±14.26),t=2.702,P=0.014; (48.01± 11.84) vs (53.44± 11.30),t =3.14,P =0.003].The percentages of CD4+ CD25 + Foxp3 Treg cells in CD4+ T cells from the direct-cultured group were higher than those from the co-cultured group at the three time points [(10.41±1.10)％ vs (2.40±1.11)％,t=13.89,P=0.000; (8.33±2.03)％ vs (1.99± 0.86)％,t=12.93,P=0.000; (5.65±1.55)％ vs (1.32±0.73)％,t=10.61,P=0.000].Moreover,the results within the same group at the time points of 0,24,48 weeks upon HAART were also significantly different.Conclusion With the interference of HAART,IL-12 levels were increased,while CD4+CD25+ Foxp3 Treg cells were decreased in patients with HIV/AIDS.IFN-γ plays an important role in this process.

AIMTo elevate the encapsulation efficiency, decrease the burst release and improve the release of protein entrapped in poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) microspheres. The bovine serum albumin (BSA) composite microspheres of alginate-chitosan-PLGA were prepared and the release characteristics of BSA from this composite microspheres were studied.

METHODSThe much smaller calcium alginate microcapsules were first prepared by a modified emulsification method in an isopropyl alcohol-washed way and coated with chitosan, then the alginate-chitosan microcapsules were further entrapped in PLGA to form the composite microspheres. The protein concentration was determined using a BCA protein assay kit. The release profiles were changed with various formulation factors.

RESULTSThe average diameter of the composite microcapsules was about 30 microm. Comparing with 60% to 70% of the conventional PLGA microspheres, the average encapsulation efficiency was more than 80%, and the burst releases in phosphate buffer solution of the composite microspheres decreased from 40% and 50% to 25% and further to 5% in saline solution.

CONCLUSIONThe novel composite microspheres were prepared, the drug encapsulation efficiency increased and the burst release decreased. The desired release profiles could be obtained by regulating the ratios of PLG and PLA in the composite microspheres.

Alginates ; chemistry ; Chitosan ; chemistry ; Drug Delivery Systems ; methods ; Lactic Acid ; chemistry ; Microspheres ; Particle Size ; Polyglycolic Acid ; chemistry ; Polymers ; chemistry ; Serum Albumin, Bovine ; chemistry

Objective To explore the effects and mechanism of bexarotene in combination with tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) on apoptosis of leukemic cell line KG1a. Methods KG1a cells at logarithmic growth phase were obtained, and were divided into TRAIL group, bexarotene group, 300 ng/mL TRAIL in combination with bexarotene group and 2.0 μmol/L bexaroten in combination with TRAIL group. Cell apoptosis rate was detected in each group by flow cytometry. Flow cytometry was also employed to determine the apoptosis rates of KG1a cells after treatment with bexarotene and TRAIL in different sequences. The expression of Fas associated death domain-like IL-1 beta converting enzyme inhibitory protein (c-FLIP) was detected by Western blotting. Results There was no significant difference in cell apoptosis rates between TRAIL group and bexarotene group of each concentration (except for bexarotene 2.0 μmol/L) (P > 0.05). The cell apoptosis rates of 300 ng/mL TRAIL in combination with bexarotene group and 2.0 μmol/L bexaroten in combination with TRAIL group were significantly higher than those in TRAIL group and bexarotene group of each corresponding concentration (P <0.01). Sequential analysis revealed that bexarotene could reverse the resistance of KG1a cells to TRAIL (P < 0.001). Compared with single use of 2.0 μmol/L bexarotene or 300 ng/mL TRAIL, combination use could significantly down-regulated the expression of c-FLIP (P < 0.05). Conclusion Bexarotene can significantly enhance the apoptosis of KG1a cells induced by TRAIL, which may be attributed to the down-regulation of c-FLIP expression.

Objective To investigate the prevalence of anti-endothelial cell antibody fAECA) in the sera of patients with connective tissue diseases(CTD)complicated with pulmonary arterial hyperten-sion (PAH)and to detect the specific antigens of AECA which may be related to clinical manifestations.Methods AECA was detected with Western blotting in 39 CTD patients with PAH.22 CTD patients without PAH and 30 healthy donors.Results The prevalence of AECA was 82%in CTD patients with PAH.73%in CTD patients without PAH and 20%in healthy donors.Anti-22 000 AECA was only detected in CTD patients with PAH(15%).Anti-75 000 AECA was more frequently detected in CTD patients with PAH than in thosewithout PAH(51%vs 23%.P＜0.05).In CTD patients complicated with PAH.anti-75 000 AECA was morefrequently detected in those with Raynaud's phenomenon or with positive anti-RNP antibody.Conclusion AECA can be more frequently detected in CTD patients with or without PAH.Furthermore,anti-22 000 and anti-75 000 AECA may play a special role in CTD patients with PAH.

Objective To detect the positive rate of anti-endothelial cell antibody (AECA) in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) associated with connective tissue diseases(CTD)and to investigate the specific target antigen.Methods Sera of 68 patients with CTD associated PAH were collected to detect AECA by Western blotting with extracted membrane protein of the endothelial cell line EA.hy926.Sera of 61 CTD patients without PAH,20 with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension(IPAH),20 with chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases and pulmonary arterial hypertension (COPD-PAH) and 20 healthy donors were collected as controls.The correlation between PAH and specific bands of AECA was studied by X2 test.Liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization mass spectrography was used to detect the target antigens related to PAH associated with CTD.Results The specific molecular size of antigen was 78 000.The AECA-78 000positive rate of CTD patients with PAH was 79% (54/68).not significantly ditierent from that of CTD with glomerulonephritis(71%,15/21),but significantly higher than those of CTD with interstitial lung disease (ILD)(15%,3/20)and CTD without systemic involvement(P<0.01 and P<0.05 respectively).also higher than those of IPAH(8%,1/12).The AECA-78 000 was negative in COPD-PAH and healthy controls.The target antigen of AECA-78 000 was identified by proteomic techniques as moesin.Conclusion CTD patients with different target organ involvement have different AECA-78 000 positive rates,which could be frequently detected in CTD associated PAH and those with glomerulonephritis.The common antigen is moesin.

Age Factors ; Endometrial Hyperplasia ; pathology ; Endometrial Neoplasms ; pathology ; Endometrium ; cytology ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Menstrual Cycle ; Papanicolaou Test ; Postmenopause ; Vaginal Smears

Objective To retrospectively review the PET/CT imaging features of sarcoidosis and improve the diagnostic accuracy of this benign disease.Methods The PET/CT imaging characteristics and clinical data, including lesion size, distribution, standardized uptake value (SUV) and the ratio of misdiagnosis, of 11 sarcoidosis patients (5 confirmed pathologically and 6 clinically) were retrospectively analyzed.Results (1) Eleven patients had lymph node involvement:mediastinum and hilar lymphadenopathy in 11/11, supraclavicular fossa lymphadenopathy in 8/11, retroperitoneal lymphadenopathy in 8/11, pelvic cavity lymphadenopathy in 3/11.(2) Extrathoracic lesions were found in 7/11 with 4 lung involvement, 2 liver involvement, 1 parotid gland and temporalis involvement and 1 bilateral iliac and sacral bone involvement.(3) The size of the lesions ranged from 1.0 to 4.6 cm and the CT density ranged from 30 to 40 HU.The lesions in the lung are hypodense and in the liver are slightly hypo-or iso-dense.18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake of all lesions was definitely increased in 6 cases; 18F-FDG uptake of some lesions was moderately or definitely increased in 2 cases, and slightly increased uptake in 3 cases.(4) The PET/CT diagnosis was consistent with the final diagnosis in 6/11.The 5 cases of misdiagnosis were malignant lymphoma (4/11) and lung cancer ( 1/11 ).Conclusions Differentiation between sarcoidosis and lymphoma in patients presenting with hilar lynphadenopathy can be difficult.Whole-body PET/CT may be helpful in the differentiation of the two diseases.

Plant bioreactor called mocular farming has enormous potential to produce recombinant protein infinitely. Products expressed in plants has nature physico-chemical property and bioactivity. Plant bioreactor could be an safe, economic and convenient production system which has been widely applied in industries and agriculture, especially in the life science and pharmaceutical industry. The application of recombinant transgenic plant in the production of vaccines, antibodies and pharmaceutical proteins has become a hot point in the plant genetic engineering both at home and broad. However, there are some limiting factors of application such as yield, downstream processing and so on. The advantages and research progress for the mocular farming of pharmaceutical proteins recent three years was discussed, focusing on the existing problems and new strategies in this area.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the preventive effect of interleukin-18 (IL-18) gene modified mature dendritic cells (mDC) vaccine on airway inflammation in mouse asthma model.

METHODSThe asthma model was induced by injection of ovalbumin (OVA) in BALB/c mice. IL-18 gene modified mouse mature dendritic cells (mDC) were detected by flow cytometry and its capacity of inducing allogeneic T cell responses was examined by mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR). The OVA-induced asthmatic mice were randomly divided into 6 groups: PBS group, DXM group, mDC group, Ad-LacZ-mDC group, Ad-IL-18-mDC group and control group. The pathological changes in lung tissues were assayed by HE and AB-PAS staining. The numbers of inflammatory cells and percentage of eosinophils (EOS) in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were counted. The levels of IFN-γ IL-4 and IL-13 in culture supernatant of splenocytes were measured by ELISA method. The percentage of CD4(+)CD25(+)Foxp3(+) Treg was assessed by flow cytometry analysis.

RESULTThe vaccine was effective in decreasing the infiltration of EOS and accumulation of airway goblet cells in lung tissues, the numbers of inflammatory cells and percentage of EOS in BALF, and the levels of IL-4 and IL-13 in culture supernatant of splenocytes, and in increasing the levels of IFN-γ in culture supernatant of splenocytes and the percentage of CD4(+)CD25(+)foxP3(+) reg.

CONCLUSIONIL-18 gene modified mDC vaccine has a preventive effect on airway inflammation in OVA-induced asthmatic mice.

Animals ; Asthma ; immunology ; pathology ; prevention & control ; Dendritic Cells ; immunology ; Disease Models, Animal ; Genetic Therapy ; Interleukin-18 ; genetics ; Lung ; pathology ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Ovalbumin ; immunology