Objective To study the mechanism of pregnancy immune tolerance induced by adoptive transferring of FasL gene-modified dendritic cells(DC). Methods The mouse models of spontaneous abortion(CBA/J ? DBA/2) and normal pregnancy(CBA/J ? BALB/c) were established.Five different experimental groups were included: mice of normal pregnancy(CBA/J?BALB/c)(n=17),served as control group;mice of spontaneous abortion without treatment(CBA/J?DBA/2)(n=37),mice injected with DC culture medium(DCCM)(n=25);mice immunized with empty plasmid pcDNA3.1-DC(n=6);and mice immunized with pcDNA3.1-FasL-DC(n=5).Embryo resorption rates of pregnant mice in each groups were observed.Annexin V-FITC was used to detect the apoptosis of T cells.Immunohistochemical staining(SABC) was used to detect the expression of FasL in decidual membranes of pregnant mice. ResultsThe embryo resorption rate of mice immunized with FasL-DC was decreased significantly as compared with that of mice of spontaneous abortion without treatment,DCCM group and immunized with pcDNA3.1-DC(P0.05). Conclusion The decreased apoptosis rate of peripheral T cells and the reduced expression of FasL in decidual membranes may be an important mechanism for the pathogenesis of abortion.Adoptive transfer of FasL gene-modified DC may induce pregnancy immune tolerance by increasing FasL expression of maternal-fetal interface and decreasing embryo resorption rate.

Alfimeprase(ALF)is a recombinantly modified variant of non-hemorrhagic zinc metalloproteinase fibrolase.The target gene alf was obtained from the clone vector p43-alf and cloned into the Pichia pastoris expression vector pPICZ? A.Through high efficiency transformation and Zeocin selection,the recombinant strains of pPICZ?A-alf /GS115 were isolated.In order to achieve a high level expression of recombinant Alfimeprase(rALF),optimization of pH value,methanol daily addition concentration,cell density and methanol induction time points were carried out,and the production of rALF reached up to 425 mg/L.By His?Bind chromatography,the purity of secreted rALF was as high as 95 %.SDS-PAGE and Western blot analysis show that rALF has a molecular weight of about 24 kDa and is bound specifically to anti-His?tag monoclonal antibody.Activity identification results of the modified fibrin plate method demonstrate that the secreted rALF has high fibrinolytic activity.Thus sets up an optimized expression system for ALF,which will play an important role in its further studies and industrial production.

This study was aimed to establish a stable animal model of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) to provide theoretical and experimental basis for understanding the development of LVH. The abdominal aorta of male Wistar rats (80-100 g) was constricted to a diameter of 0.55 mm between the branches of the celiac and anterior mesenteric arteries. Echocardiography using a linear phased array probe was performed as well as pathological examination and plasma B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) measurement at 3, 4 and 6 weeks after abdominal aortic constriction (AAC). The results showed that the acute mortality rate (within 24 h) of this modified rat model was 8%. Animals who underwent AAC demonstrated significantly increased interventricular septal (IVS), LV posterior wall (LVPWd), LV mass index (LVMI), cross-sectional area (CSA) of myocytes, and perivascular fibrosis; the ejection fraction (EF), fractional shortening (FS), and cardiac output (CO) were consistently lower at each time point after AAC. Notably, differences in these parameters between AAC group and sham group were significant by 3 weeks and reached peaks at 4th week. Following AAC, the plasma BNP was gradually elevated compared with the sham group at 3rd and 6th week. It was concluded that this modified AAC model can develop LVH, both stably and safely, by week four post-surgery; echocardiography is able to assess changes in chamber dimensions and systolic properties accurately in rats with LVH.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Colles' Fracture ; therapy ; Female ; Fracture Fixation ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Splints

OBJECTIVETo explore immunoregulatory mechanism of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in H-2 haploidentical bone marrow cells transplantation mice.

METHODSBALB/c female mice irradiated with 8Gy 60Co gamma-rays were divided into two groups: MSCs group, infused cm-DiI labeled MSCs from female CB6F1 mice and monocytes from the bone marrow and spleen of male CB6F1; Control group, only infused monocytes from the bone marrow and spleen of male CB6F1. T-lymphocyte subpopulation of peripheral blood cells, T and B cells proliferation stimulated by ConA and LPS, mixed lymphocyte reaction between donor and recipient and third part, the sry-gene chimerism of bone marrow, spleen and thymus of the recipient, the distribution of MSCs in the recipient, the incidence rate of GVHD and survival were observed.

RESULTSThe CD3 at +90 d the percent of CD3+ CD4+ cells, and CD4/CD8 at +30 d in the MSCs group were higher than that in control post-transplantation, respectively (P < 0.05). The proliferation activity of B cells recovered more rapidly and that of T cells recovered comparably in MSCs group as compared with that in control group. The result of MLR between donor and recipient was lower in MSCs group than that in the control; and that between recipient and the third part had no difference. The sry-gene chimerism of bone marrow and spleen of the recipient was higher in MSCs group than in control at +30 d. The MSCs mainly distributed in intestine, thymus, bone marrow, liver, heart of the recipient after transplantation. The incidence of acute GVHD was higher and the survival rate was lower in MSCs group than that in control group (P < 0.05). Chronic GVHD occurred in the control group at +90 d, while in the MSCs group at +120 d.

CONCLUSIONSMSCs might improve stem cell engraftment, promote lymphocyte and humoral immunity recovery, decrease incidence of GVHD and increase survival by inducing specific immunologic tolerance and repairing organs injuries.

Animals ; Bone Marrow Cells ; immunology ; Bone Marrow Transplantation ; immunology ; Female ; Graft vs Host Disease ; immunology ; Male ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; immunology ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C

OBJECTIVETo examine mitochondrial DNA mutations in mitochondrial myopathy.

METHODSThree suspected cases of mitochondrial myopathy were examined by HE staining, histochemical staining methods and electron microscopy. The mutations in all 22 tRNA genes of mitochondrial genome were screened by polymerase chain reaction-single strand conformation polymorphism and DNA sequencing.

RESULTSThe three cases were diagnosed as mitochondrial myopathy. The examinations revealed that patient 1 had a homoplasmic A1627G mutation in tRNA-Val gene, and patient 2 had a heteroplasmic A1627G/A mutation in tRNA-Val gene, and patient 3 had two mutationsuone was homoplasmic T5554C mutation in tRNA-Trp gene, the other was heteroplasmic A10412C/A mutation in tRNA-Arg gene.

CONCLUSIONtRNA genes mutations of mtDNA might be one of the etiologies of mitochondrial myopathy.

Adult ; DNA Mutational Analysis ; DNA, Mitochondrial ; chemistry ; genetics ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission ; Mitochondrial Myopathies ; genetics ; pathology ; Muscle Fibers, Skeletal ; metabolism ; pathology ; ultrastructure ; Mutation ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Single-Stranded Conformational ; RNA, Transfer, Val ; genetics ; Young Adult

Sirtuin1 (Sirt1) is a NAD-dependent class III histone deacetylase (HDAC), and regulates pulmonary immune/inflammatory system and the aging process mainly through post-translational modification. Sirt1 could become a potential target for treatment of lung diseases due to participating in the development of a variety of lung diseases. In this paper, physiological characteristics, biological activities, modification regulations and its relationship with chronic obstructive pulmonary emphysema, asthma and lung cancer are reviewed.
Animals ; Asthma ; metabolism ; Benzamides ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Lung Diseases ; metabolism ; Lung Neoplasms ; metabolism ; Naphthols ; pharmacology ; Protein Processing, Post-Translational ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive ; metabolism ; Sirtuin 1 ; antagonists & inhibitors ; metabolism ; physiology ; Stilbenes ; pharmacology

AIMTo study the protective effect of Quinacrine(QA) on rat striatum neurons from the injury caused by heat environment treatment, to probe the relationship between cell membrane injury and cellular injury protection, and to seek the possibility of QA as a preventive agent to heat injury.

METHODSPrimary cultured striatum neurons from newborn rats were pretreated with QA at different concentration for 1 h, and then heat-treated at 43 degrees C for another 1 h. Cell necrosis was detected by Trypan blue staining, and apoptosis was evaluated through Activated Caspase-3 dye and TdT dye.

RESULTSHeat treatment effected the survival of striatum neurons and resulted in great number of cell death, which was mainly mediated by cell necrosis process. It was shown that treatment of QA itself had little effect on the survival of striatum neurons, while QA pretreatment decreased cellular necrosis caused by following heat treatment.

CONCLUSIONQA protects striatum neurons from heat environment injury at about 20 pmol/L, and the protection may mediated by reduction of necrosis.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Caspase 3 ; metabolism ; Cell Death ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Corpus Striatum ; cytology ; Heat-Shock Response ; Neurons ; drug effects ; Quinacrine ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

Objective To study the FT-IR fingerprint characteristics of Hedysari Radix from 8 producing counties in Gansu Province; To provide references for identification and application of Hedysari Radix in different producing counties. Methods FT-IR fingerprints of 110 batches of Hedysari Radix from 8 producing counties in Gansu Province were collected in the wave number range of 4000–400 cm-1. The common pattern of the fingerprints were analyzed, and the similarity analysis were used to analyze the FT-IR fingerprints of Hedysari Radix from 8 producing counties. The FT-IR fingerprint characteristics of Hedysari Radix from 8 producing counties in Gansu Province were compared. Results The rank of average similarity of FT-IR fingerprints of Hedysari Radix from 8 producing counties was Tanchang County > Li County > Xihe County > Wudu District > Zhang County > Min County > Longxi County >Weiyuan County, and Hedysari Radix from Longxi County and Weiyuan County were very different from other producing counties. The FT-IR fingerprints of Hedysari Radix from Longnan City (Tanchang County, Li County, Xihe County and Wudu District) were similar, and the average similarity was relatively high; while that from Dingxi City (Zhang County, Min County, Longxi County and Weiyuan County) were similar, and the average similarity was relatively low. Hedysari Radix from every producing county had a significant and unique FT-IR fingerprint characteristic. Conclusion The identification and application of Hedysari Radix from 8 producing counties in Gansu Province can be realized according to FT-IR fingerprint characteristics.

OBJECTIVETo explore the significance of nonmyeloablative allogeneic peripheral blood hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in the treatment of hematological diseases.

METHODSA nonmyeloablative conditioning regimen consisted of CD(3) monoclonal antibody, cyclosporine A, cyclophosphamide and cytarabine was used for allogeneic stem cell transplantation in 33 patients with hematological diseases. Of them, 11 were acute leukemia (AL) in first complete remission (CR(1)), 4 AL-CR(2) approximately 3, 3 refractory AL, 4 severe aplastic anemia (SAA), 7 chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), 2 myelodysplastic syndrome, 1 each of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and myelofibrosis.

RESULTSAll 33 patients passed the hematopoietic suppression stage smoothly and achieved engraftment of the donor cells. There were 24 cases of full donor chimerism (13 cases converted from mixed chimerism), 4 mixed chimerism (MC) and 5 developed graft rejection. Of the 33 cases, 7 (21.2%) developed acute GVHD and chronic GVHD, 25 (75.8%) still live and 8 (24.2%) died.

CONCLUSIONSNonmyeloablative allogeneic peripheral blood stem cells transplantation is a safe, less toxic and curative approach for patients with hematological disease.

Acute Disease ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Chronic Disease ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Graft vs Host Disease ; etiology ; Hematologic Diseases ; mortality ; therapy ; Humans ; Leukocyte Count ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplantation ; adverse effects ; Platelet Count ; Survival Analysis ; Survival Rate ; Transplantation Chimera ; blood ; Transplantation Conditioning ; methods ; Transplantation, Homologous ; Treatment Outcome