We observed in a pilot study that there was a transient elevation of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) level shortly after the transplantation in the patient with ischemic heart failure, which is unexplainable by the simultaneous increase of the cardiac output and six-minute walk distance. Similar findings were observed in the phase I trial. We postulated on the basis of the finding of Fukuda in vitro that this transient elevation of BNP level against the improvement of cardiac function and exercise capacity might indicate cardiomyogenesis in patients after mesenchymal stem cell transplantation. Further study is warranted to verify the hypothesis.
Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation ; Middle Aged ; Muscle Development ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; physiology ; Natriuretic Peptide, Brain ; physiology ; Transplantation, Autologous ; Ventricular Remodeling

Objective To observe the effects of MPP+ on the expression of inhibin, activin and its receptor ⅡA and cell ability in PC12 cells of rats.Methods The changes of expression of activin?A, activin?B, inhibin? and receptorⅡA mRNAs were assayed by RT-PCR, the change of cell viability was detect by tyrpan blue exclusion method in cultured PC12 cells at 3 h,6 h,12 h,24 h after MPP+ was added and compared with control groups.Results The expression of activin?A, activin?B and activin receptorⅡA mRNAs in PC12 cells were down-regulated significantly after MPP+ administrated at every time point while the expression of inhibin? mRNA remained unchanged. The cell viability decreased at the points of 12 h and 24 h after MPP+ administrated.Conclusion MPP+ may cause the injury of PC12 cells by downregulating the expression of activin and its receptor.

Objective To investigate the imaging and pathological features of atypical teratoid/rhab doid tumor (AT/RT)occur-ring in the central nervous system (CNS).Methods The CT and MRI findings of 1 6 patients with CNS AT/RT were retrospectively analyzed,and their pathological and immunohistochemical results were studied.Results There were 12 males and 4 females. Tumors located is at supratentorial in 10 and infratentorial in 6.Cystic changes in tumors were noted in 12 cases.The solid portion of tumors was isointense on T2-weighted images relative to normal brain grey matter in 9 patients.Extensive peritumoral edema was observed in 1 1 lesions.The tumors showed bandlike rim of significant enhancement in 10 cases.The incidence of hemorrhage and calcification in tumors were 43.8% and 41.7% respectively.Histopathologically,AT/RT was characterized by the presence of rhab-doid cells associated with variable components of epithelial,primitive neuroectodermal and mesenchymal differentiation.Conclusion Atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumor is several imaging findings which are relatively specific on CT and MR images.CT and MRI may provide valuable information for pre-operation diagnosis and prognostic evaluation in patients with CNS AT/RT.

Objective: To investigate the expression of Th1/Th2 inflammatory cytokines IL-2, interferon-γ (IFN-γ), IL-4, and IL-10 in rat treatment model of dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) -induced ulcerative colitis. Methods: Forty Sprague Dawley (SD) male rats were divided into a normal group, a colitis model group, a sulfasalazine(SASP)-treatment group (SASP group) and a Jiechangning-treatment group (Jiechangning group) (each groupn=10). Disease activity index (DAI) and colorectal histological damage scale were assessed. The expression levels of cytokines IL-2, IFN-γ, IL-4, and IL-10 in the serum and the colon mucosa tissues were detected by enzyme-linked immuno sorbent assay (ELISA) and real time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).
Results: Compared with the colitis model group, the DAI and colorectal histological damage scale were decreased in the Jiechangning group (bothP<0.05), but there was no obvious difference compared with the SASP group (P>0.05). There was no signiifcant difference in IL-2 expression both in the serum and the colon mucosa tissues before or after the treatment in various groups (P>0.05). Compared with the colitis model group, IFN-γ level both in the serum and the colon mucosa tissues was decreased in the SASP group and the Jiechangning group, with significant difference in the serum (bothP<0.05), but there was significant difference in the colon mucosa tissues only in the Jiechangning group (P<0.05). The serum IL-4 level in the SASP group and the Jiechangning group was increased compared with that in the colitis control group, with significant difference only in the Jiechangning group (P<0.05). There was no difference in IL-4 level in the colon mucosa tissues whether treated or not (P>0.05). IL-10 level both in the serum and the colon mucosa tissues in the SASP group and the Jiechangning group was increased compared with that in the colitis model group, with significant difference (allP<0.05). There was no difference in the expression level of cytokines IL-2, IFN-γ, IL-4, and IL-10 both in the serum and the colon mucosa tissues between the SASP group and the Jiechangning group (allP>0.05).
Conclusion: DSS can break the balance of Th1/Th2 expression in the colon. Jiechangning enema can ameliorate DSS-induced acute experimental colitis in rats by decreasing IFN-γ level and increasing IL-10 level both in the serum and the colon mucosa tissues to regulate the Th1/Th2 balance and improve immunity.

Objective To study the difference of oxygen free radical metabolism between healthy native Tibetans and mi- grated Hans at different altitude.Methods The activity of Total-antioxidation capability(T-AOC),superoxide dis- mutase(SOD),glutathione peroxidase(GSH-PX)and the content of,reactive oxygen species(ROS),malondialdehyde (MDA)and nitric oxide(NO)in serum in healthy native Tibetans and migrated Hans at different altitude were meas- ured.Results The activity of T-AOC,SOD,GSH-PX and the content of NO were increased in serum in native Tibet- ans group than that in migrated Hans group(P

Objective To investigate the effect of transforming growth factor-?1 (TGF-?1) on the activity of connective tissue growth factor(CTGF) gene promoter in human renal proximal tubular epithelial cell line HK-2. Methods The regulation fragment of 5' flanking region of human CTGF gene was linked to pGL3-Basic vector. The recombinant plasmid pCTGF-luc was transient transfected to HK-2 cells. The activity of CTGF promoter after treatment of TGF-?1 and mitogen-activated prontein kinases (MAPK) pathway inhibitors was assayed by means of luciferase reporter gene assay system. Results TGF-?1-induced increase of CTGF promoter activity was concentration-dependent, with a plateau at 5 ng/ml by 1.82-fold vs control (P

Aged ; Case-Control Studies ; Cerebral Infarction ; blood ; genetics ; Female ; Fibrinogen ; genetics ; metabolism ; Haplotypes ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polymorphism, Genetic

ObjectiveTo investigate the choice of graft,and transfusion and immunosuppressant regimen of a RhD negative recipient in liver transplantation.MethodsOne RhD negative patient with hepatocellular carcinoma who received a liver graft from a RhD positive donor was retrospectively studied,and related references were reviewed.During the operation,the patient received five units of RhD negative/O RBC,3000 ml positive/O plasma and 30 units cryoprecipitate.Tacrolimus and prednisone were used to prevent rejection,and prednisone was withdrawn 30d post transplant.Results The patient's liver function recovered smoothly,without any acute rejection or hemolytic reaction.Anti-D antibody was not detected.The patient suffered from cancer recurrence 9 months and died of brain metastasis 13 months after transplantation.ConclusionsA RhD negative recipient can receive a graft from a RhD positive donor in liver transplantation.The selection of RBC and platelet from RhD negative or positive donors should be based on the result of anti-D antibody test.Plasma and cryoprecipitate can be transfused regardless of Rh type.Enhanced immunosuppressant regimen was unnecessary for these patients.

ObjectiveTo establish a prognostic score model based on preoperative neutrophillymphocyte ratio (NLR) to predict recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) following liver transplantation.MethodsThe clinical data of 76 HCC patients undergoing liver transplantation were retrospectively analyzed.An NLR≥2.5 was considered to be elevated.A preoperative recurrence score was established by using three preoperative factors which significantly increased the risk of tumour recurrence after liver transplantation on multivariate analysis,namely,vascular invasion,tumour number＞3,and NLR≥2.5.We then evaluated the scoring system in predicting tumour recurrence of HCC after liver transplantation.ResultsArea under the receiver operating characteristic curve of preoperative recurrence score was 0.758,with scores of 2 and 3 having hazard ratios of 10.038 and 59.773,respectively.All ten patients with a score of 3 developed tumour recurrence in less than 6 months.The 1-,3- and 5-year tumour-free survival rates for patients with a score of 0,1 and 2 were 95.0％,78.4％,and 78.4％ vs.76.9％,66.9％,and 63.2％ vs.51.9％,8.7％,and 8.7％,respectively.Of 55 patients who had no gross vascular invasion,5 patients with both tumour number＞3 and NLR≥2.5 developed recurrence in less than 31 months.ConclusionsPatients with both preoperative NLR≥2.5 and tumour number more than 3 were at a high risk of tumour recurrence after liver transplantation for HCC.The preoperative recurrence score model strongly correlated with tumour recurrence,and may aid in the selection of patients with HCC for liver transplantation.

ObjectiveTo study the role of micafungin in the treatment of invasive fungal infection after liver transplantation.MethodsWe retrospectively studied the clinical data of 32 patients who developed invasive fungal infection after liver transplantation treated in our center between December 2008 and June 2010.The therapeutic effect,adverse effect,and the blood concentration/dose ratio of tacrolimus (tacrolimus concentration per dose.kg-1) before and after micafungin treatment were analysed.ResultsThe curative rate was 93.7％.There were no obvious toxicity and sideeffect.The blood concentration/dose ratio in the triazoles treatment group [(1031± 634.2) ng·ml-1/mg · kg-1] was markably higher than the micafungin treatment group [(172.6±39.45) ng·ml-1/mg · kg-1] and the control group (ceasing antifungal agents) [(183.8±47.08) ng· ml-1/mg · kg-1] (P＜0.05).However,there was no significant difference in the blood concentration/dose ratio between the micafungin treatment group and the control group (P＞0.05).ConclusionsMicafungin did not significantly affect the blood concentration/dose ratio of tacrolimus,and effectively treated invasive fungal infection in patients after liver transplantation.