BACKGROUNDHyaluronan (HA) is most likely associated with tumor invasion and metastasis. Studies have shown that HA levels are often increased in serum of patients with various malignant tumors. The purpose of this study was to determine the levels of serum hyaluronan in patients with oral cancer and evaluate the value of serum HA in adjuvant diagnosis, staging and monitoring treatment response in these patients.

METHODSEighty-four hospitalized patients with oral cancer, 65 patients with benign tumors in the oral and maxillofacial region and 67 healthy individuals were included in this investigation. Venous blood was collected from these patients and the healthy individuals before therapy. One week after therapy, venous blood was collected once again in 43 patients with oral cancer. Serum samples were obtained and serum HA levels examined.

RESULTSThe serum HA concentration was significantly higher in oral cancer patients than in patients with benign tumors and in healthy controls (P<0.05). The serum HA level in patients with stages III and IV disease was higher than in patients with stages I and II disease, but there was no significant difference in the HA level between stages I and II nor between stages III and IV (P>0.05). After a complete treatment the HA levels in patients with oral cancer became lower than before treatment, but the difference was not significant (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe results of this study suggest that the determination of HA levels may provide additional information in diagnosis of oral cancer, but its usefulness as an adjunct in clinical staging and in monitoring treatment response was limited.

Aged ; Humans ; Hyaluronic Acid ; blood ; Middle Aged ; Mouth Neoplasms ; blood ; pathology ; therapy ; Neoplasm Staging

OBJECTIVETo determine the level of hyaluronic acid (HA) in serum of patients with oral and maxillofacial malignancy and to investigate the correlation between the levels of serum HA and stage of the malignant lesions and treatment response.

METHODS44 patients with oral and maxillofacial malignancy were analyzed and 24 healthy individuals served as controls. Venous blood was collected from the patients before treatment and the healthy individuals. One week after therapy, venous blood were collected in 24 patients once again. Serum levels of HA were measured with quantitative radioimmunoassay (RIA).

RESULTSBefore treatment, the serum HA concentration in patients with oral and maxillofacial malignancy was significantly higher than that of the controls (P < 0.05). Also, the serum HA concentration in patients with OSCC was significantly higher than that of the controls (P < 0.05). No difference was noted in serum HA concentration between patients with salivary ACC and the control group (P > 0.05). The serum HA concentration of patients in stage III and IV was significantly higher than that of patients in stage I and II (P < 0.05). Serum HA levels decreased in patients after a complete treatment, but the difference was not significant (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSerum levels of HA may be useful in diagnosis of OSCC and was associated with clinical stages in patients with oral and maxillofacial malignancy. However, it may not be contributory to monitoring treatment response in patients with oral and maxillofacial malignancy.

Case-Control Studies ; Humans ; Hyaluronic Acid ; blood ; Mouth Neoplasms ; blood ; Neoplasm Staging

OBJECTIVETo investigate the clinical effects of moxibustion (Mox) in treating knee joint osteoarthritis, and to detect the change of hyaluronic acid (HA) level in serum and synovial fluid (SF) for evaluating its significance.

METHODSThirty OA patients were treated with Mox applied on inner and outer hsiyens and Ashi point for 10 min once a day, 5 times a week for 3 months and the therapeutic efficacy was evaluated. Serum and SF levels of HA were measured by radio-immunoassay before and after the 3-month treatment, and compared with those from 30 non-OA persons for normal control.

RESULTSAfter treatment, 19 patients (20 joints) out of the 30 patients were cured, the efficacy of Mox was evaluated as markedly effective in 8 patients on 10 joints, and as effective in 3 patients on 4 joints, the cure rate being 63.3%. Before treatment, HA level in serum (122.87 +/- 34.10 microg/L) was higher and in SF (0.98 +/- 0.17 g/L) was lower in OA patients than those in the normal controls (68.32 +/- 21.48 microg/L and 1.62 +/- 0.30 g/L, P<0.01), whereas after treatment, both the serum and SF levels of HA in patients changed toward normal range (70.29 +/- 27.30 microg/L and 1.58 +/- 0.26 g/L), showing insignificant difference as compared with those in the controls (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONMox is an effective approach for treatment of OA, and the levels of HA in serum and SF can be taken as the quantitative indicators for evaluating the pathogenetic condition of OA patients.

Female ; Humans ; Hyaluronic Acid ; analysis ; blood ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Moxibustion ; Osteoarthritis, Knee ; blood ; metabolism ; therapy ; Synovial Fluid ; metabolism

Adult ; Collagen Type III ; blood ; Collagen Type IV ; blood ; Humans ; Hyaluronic Acid ; blood ; Laminin ; blood ; Liver Cirrhosis ; blood ; physiopathology ; Portal Pressure

Adult ; Aged ; Collagen ; blood ; Fatty Liver ; blood ; Female ; Humans ; Hyaluronic Acid ; blood ; Laminin ; blood ; Liver Cirrhosis ; blood ; Male ; Middle Aged ; ROC Curve

BACKGROUND: In recent years, repair of tympanic membrane(TM) perforation has been investigated using growth promoting factors. Platelet derived growth factor(PDGF), basic 30kD cytokine, promotes wound healing by its mitogenicity for fibroblast and stimulation of the production of fibronectin and hyaluronic acid. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of PDGF-AA on the healing process of TM perforation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The effects of PDGF on the healing process of TM perforation was investigated in rats using the endoscope and light microscope after topical application of 2ug of PDGF-AA or placebo on the edge of TM perforation. The rats were sacrificed at 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13 and 15 days following the surgery of TM. The tympanic membranes were also immunohistochemically examined for PDGF-Ralpha and fibronectin to evaluate the mechanism of healing process in the PDGF-treated-TM. RESULTS: 1) Application of PDGF-AA accelerated the healing process of TM perforation and the wound was completely closed at 5 days following surgery. 2) PDGF-AA induced prominent proliferation of the connective tissue layer of TM after surgery, however the connective tissue growth has reduced at 2 weeks following surgery. 3) PDGF-Ralpha was intensely expressed in the epithelial layer of the PDGF-AA-treated TM. 4) Intense expression of fibronectin was observed in the fibroblasts of the connective tissue layer of the PDGF-AA-treated TM. CONCLUSION: From this study, we concluded that PDGF may play a role in the imm-unoregulation of the healing process of TM perforation and it may be an alternative to the surgical management of TM perforation.
Animals ; Blood Platelets ; Connective Tissue ; Endoscopes ; Fibroblasts ; Fibronectins* ; Hyaluronic Acid ; Rats ; Tympanic Membrane Perforation* ; Tympanic Membrane* ; Wound Healing ; Wounds and Injuries

INTRODUCTIONTo prevent long-term unfavourable consequences to the articular cartilage of weight-bearing joints, serum biomarkers can be used to identify optimum loading of activities. This study aimed to investigate the circulation pattern of serum cartilage biomarkers in healthy adults in response to an uphill walk.

METHODSThis study recruited 58 healthy participants for the experimental group and 24 matched participants for the control group. Participants in the experimental group walked continuously for 14 km on a pathway with a 5.97° incline, while participants from the control group walked on a horizontal pathway. Serum was collected from both groups preactivity (i.e. T1), immediately after activity (i.e. T2) and 24 hours after T1 (i.e. T3). The serum cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP), chondroitin sulfate-WF6 (WF6) and hyaluronic acid (HA) levels at each time point were quantified using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, and the results analysed.

RESULTSBoth groups shared similar demographic characteristics and activity duration. At T2, the serum COMP level of the experimental group was significantly higher than that of the control group, but the serum HA level of the experimental group was significantly lower than that of the control group. No significant difference between the serum WF6 levels of the experimental and control groups was observed at T2.

CONCLUSIONIncreasing levels of serum COMP demonstrate articular cartilage susceptibility to the increasing load. An unsustainable, high serum COMP level and an undetectable change in WF6 level were considered to be a reversible physiological change of the cartilage. A change in ser um HA level could be related to intensive physical activity and dynamic clearance rather than a change in cartilage structure.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Biomarkers ; blood ; Cartilage Oligomeric Matrix Protein ; blood ; Cartilage, Articular ; metabolism ; Chondroitin Sulfates ; blood ; Female ; Healthy Volunteers ; Humans ; Hyaluronic Acid ; blood ; Male ; Time Factors ; Walking ; Young Adult

BACKGROUNDChronic liver disease causes aberrant formation of fibrous tissue that impedes normal liver function, ultimately resulting in liver cirrhosis. Iron uptake can occur within the hepatic parenchyma or within the various nodules that form in a cirrhotic liver, termed siderotic nodules (SN). We aimed to investigate the diagnostic performance of susceptibility weighted imaging (SWI) for detection of SN in patients with liver cirrhosis, and to evaluate the potential of SN numbers for assessing the degree of hepatic iron deposition, liver function, and liver fibrosis stage.

METHODSNinety-one patients with chronic liver cirrhosis, who underwent megnetic resonance imagine (MRI) scanning in our department between November 2010 and April 2011, were included in the study. A 3.0T MRI scanner was used to acquire T1WI, T2WI, T2WI, and SWI images. The number of nodules, signal intensity ratio (SIR), and contrast noise ratio (CNR) were recorded and analyzed by chi-square and ANOVA statistical tests. Correlation analysis was performed to evaluate the correlations between the number of SN and Child-Pugh classification, ferritin and hyaluronic acid levels.

RESULTSThe sensitivity of SWI, T1WI, T2WI, and T2 WI for detecting SN was 62.5%, 12.1%, 24.2% and 41.8%, respectively. SWI detected significantly more nodules than routine T1WI, T2WI, and T2 WI procedures (P < 0.05). The SIR was the lowest in SWI (0.361 ± 0.209), as compared to T1WI (0.852 ± 0.163), T2WI (0.584 ± 0.172), and T2 WI (0.497 ± 0.196). The CNR was the highest in SWI (13.932 ± 5.637), as compared to T1WI (9.147 ± 5.785), T2WI (9.771 ± 5.490), and T2 WI (11.491 ± 4.573). The correlation coefficients of the number of SN with ferritin, Child-Pugh classification, and hyaluronic acid levels were 0.672, -0.055, and 0.163, respectively.

CONCLUSIONSThe sensitivity and contrast of SWI for detecting SN in patients with liver cirrhosis are higher than conventional MRI. The number of SN can help to assess the degree of iron deposition in patients with liver cirrhosis.

Adult ; Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; methods ; Female ; Ferritins ; blood ; Humans ; Hyaluronic Acid ; blood ; Liver ; pathology ; Liver Cirrhosis ; blood ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Sensitivity and Specificity

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the myocardial fibrotic indices in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICM), and explore the mechanism of myocardial fibrosis. METHODS: The concentration of serum procollagen type III aminoterminal peptide (P III P), procollagen type IV aminoterminal peptide (P IV P), lamnin (LN), and hyaluronic acid (HA), as well as plasma angiotension II (AngII), aldosterone (ALD), and transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGFbeta1) in 46 ICM patients and 37 normal controls were measured by radioimmunoassay (RIA). The correlations between the plasma levels of AngII, ADL, TGFbeta1, and serum levels of P III P, P IV P, LN, and HA were analyzed. RESULTS: Compared with normal controls, the concentrations of serum P III P, P IV P, LN, HA, and plasma AngII, ADL, and TGfbeta1, significantly increased in ICM patients. AngII, ALD, and TGFbeta1 levels were positively correlated with the indices of myocardial fibrosis. CONCLUSION The myocardial fibrosis exists in ICM patients and the serum concentrations of P III P, P IV P, LN, and HA may be an indirect index of myocardial fibrosis. AngII, ADL, and TGFbeta1 levels play important roles in myocardial fibrosis.
Aged ; Cardiomyopathies ; pathology ; Collagen Type III ; blood ; Coronary Artery Disease ; pathology ; Female ; Fibrosis ; pathology ; Humans ; Hyaluronic Acid ; blood ; Laminin ; blood ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myocardium ; pathology

PURPOSE: In spite of various advantages of hyaluronic acid in wound healing, there are few research about wound healing process and period in oral and maxillofacial surgery. So, We evaluated the effects of local application of hyaluronic acid gel on wound healing of the oral mucosa using this animal model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Young adult New Zealand White rabbits, weighting between 2.5 and 3.0kg, were used. Almost uniform round ulcerscould be created on the gingival of the rabbits by chemical injury with acetic acid. In experimental group, hyaluronic acid gel was applied daily until the wounds healed and in control group, ulcer lesion was not any treatment. The lengths of ulcers were measured the longest and shortest axes of the ulcers and calculated the areas of ulcer. For histological examination, specimens were made, and observed under a light microscope. RESULTS: The results showed that the number of fibroblasts, new blood vessels and the epithelial thickness from experimental group was higher than from control group. Hyaluronic acid promoted proliferation of the fibroblast, keratinocytes isolated from gingival tissue of rabbits in vitro. Topical application of hyaluronic acid accelerated healing of ulcers created in rabbits. CONCLUSION: The hyaluronic acid may be effective for wound healing of oral mucosal lesions.
Acetic Acid ; Blood Vessels ; Fibroblasts ; Humans ; Hyaluronic Acid* ; Keratinocytes ; Models, Animal ; Mouth Mucosa* ; Rabbits ; Surgery, Oral ; Ulcer ; Wound Healing ; Wounds and Injuries ; Young Adult