OBJECTIVETo establish a novel bioartificial liver (BAL) consisting of spheroids of porcine hepatocytes in a hollow-fiber bioreactor, and to perform an in vitro study on its metabolic effects on the serum from severe hepatitis B patients.

METHODSHepatocytes were isolated from pup pigs and cultured as aggregate spheroids through rotation and vibration. Phase-contrast microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy were used for morphological detection of hepatocyte spheroids. The hepatocyte spheroids were then transferred into the shell of a polysulfone hollow-fiber bioreactor, creating a novel BAL. Diluted serum samples of severe hepatitis B patients were circulated for 3 hours each into the bioreactor, by using an extracorporeal circulatory system. Every half hour, including both before and after perfusion, serum samples were collected to assay total bilirubin (TBIL), total protein (TP), albumin (ALB), and globulin (GLB) concentrations in order to judge the metabolic effects of this novel BAL.

RESULTSMost hepatocytes had formed spheroids with high viability after 24 hours in culture. After 3 hours of perfusion, when compared with the control group, the serum concentration of TBIL in the treatment group decreased significantly (P < 0.01), but the serum concentrations of TP and ALB increased significantly (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSHepatocytes can be conveniently cultured as aggregate spheroids through a rotation and vibration method. The novel BAL is efficient in removing bilirubin from the serum of severe hepatitis B patients, and in supplying the serum with ALB. Thus, the BAL might provide effective therapy for patients with severe hepatitis B.

Bilirubin ; blood ; Blood Proteins ; analysis ; Hepatitis B ; blood ; Humans ; In Vitro Techniques ; Liver, Artificial ; Serum Albumin ; analysis ; Serum Globulins ; analysis

Objective:To investigate the effect of stilamin on mitochondrial injury of acute pancreatitis (AP)-related acinar cells and the possible mechanism.Methods:24 C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into control group, AP group and AP+ stilamin treatment group (Stilamin group). AP model was prepared by intraperitoneal injection of l-arginine in AP group, 0.4 mg/kg stilamin was intraperitoneally injected at 2 h after modeling in stilamin group, and control group received intraperitoneal injection with saline in the same volume. Histopathological examination of pancreatic tissue was performed routinely. Serum levels of IL-6, IL-10 and TNF- α were detected by ELISA, serum levels of amylase and lipase, and serum levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione (GSH) reflecting oxidative stress were detected by biochemistry method, respectively. Mitotracker red fluorescent labeling was used to detect the number of mitochondria in pancreatic acinar cells, and western blot was used to detect the ND-3 protein expression reflecting the number of mitochondria. The expression levels of mitochondrial fusion protein (Mfn-2) and mitochondrial transcription factor A (TFAM) reflecting mitochondrial function were determined by immunohistochemical staining.Results:Compared with AP group, the pancreatic pathology scores of mice in Stilamin group were significantly decreased [(2.07±0.50) vs (3.93±0.64)], serum amylase and lipase levels were significantly decreased [(1 493±172)U/L vs (1 832±86)U/L, (225.4±83.2)U/L vs (671.0±164.5)U/L]; serum IL-6 and TNF-α levels were greatly decreased, while IL-10 levels were obviously increased [(99.09±39.65)ng/L vs (358.60±139.22)ng/L, (22.75±11.24)ng/L vs (40.83±1.62)ng/L, (15.12±5.03)ng/L vs (9.92±8.73)ng/L]. Mitotracker staining density and expression levels of ND-3, Mfn-2 and Tfam were increased [(71.67±17.62) vs (40.00±10.15), (0.45±0.16) vs (0.11±0.05), 78% vs 54%, 86% vs 47%], and MDA, SOD, and GSH levels were increased [(5.00±1.73)nmol/mg vs (7.33±2.08)nmol/mg protein, (17.33±3.21)U/mg vs (8.67±2.07)] U/mg protein. The ratio of (131.33±20.55)U/mg to (77.33±29.69)U/mg protein was statistically significant (all P<0.05). Conclusions:By protecting the mitochondria number and function of damaged pancreatic acinar cells and reducing the level of oxidative stress, stilamin could alleviate the level of pancreatic tissue damage and inflammatory response in mice with acute pancreatitis.

OBJECTIVETo analyze the clinical features of patients with gallbladder cancer from 17 hospitals in 5 Northwestern provinces (autonomous region) of China from 2009 to 2013.

METHODSA total of 2 379 cases with gallbladder cancer in 17 tertiary hospitals from 5 Northwestern provinces of China from January 2009 to December 2013 were reviewed retrospectively. The clinical data was collected by standardized "Questionnaire for Clinical Survey of Gallbladder Cancer in Northwestern Area of China". χ² test was used to analyze the data.

RESULTS(1) Gallbladder cancer from 17 hospitals accounted for 1.6%-6.8% of all bile tract diseases from 2009 to 2013 in Northwestern China, average was 2.7%. Gallbladder cancer accounted for 0.4%-0.9% of abdominal surgery, average was 0.7%. (2) The incidence of gallbladder cancer was higher in the aged females, the ration of female to male was 1.0 to 2.1. The average age of gallbladder cancer was (64 ± 11) years. The occupation of patients was mainly farmers (χ² = 147.10, P < 0.01). (3) 57.2% of the gallbladder cancers were associated with gallstones. (4) The main pathological patterns of gallbladder cancer were moderate and poor differentiated adenocarcinoma, showing an aggressive malignancy. TNM stage IV accounted for 55.1% of all cases, which was associated with the poor prognosis. (5) The curative resection rate was 30.4%.

CONCLUSIONSGallbladder cancer is common in the aged females and mainly at advanced stage. The screening and follow-up of high-risk groups with ultrasound and other methods regularly could increase the early diagnosis rate of gallbladder cancer, aggressive surgical resection combined with other comprehensive treatment could improve the prognosis of patients.

Adenocarcinoma ; epidemiology ; pathology ; Aged ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Gallbladder Neoplasms ; epidemiology ; pathology ; Gallstones ; epidemiology ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies