BACKGROUND: Umbilical cord blood (UCB) cells are an alternative source of hemopoietic stem cells for transplantation. However, the use of UCB is limited by the lack of number of hemopoietic stem cells to reconstitute bone marrow of adults or higher weight recipients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the ex vivo expansion effect of various cytokines, especially thrombopoietin (TPO) in isolated CD34 positive UCB cells. METHODS: CD34 positive UCB cells were isolated by biotin-avidin immunoaffinity method. Isolated CD34 positive cells were cultured with various combination of cytokine including TPO, SCF, IL-3, & GM-CSF. CFU-GM, CFU-Mix, and CFU-Meg colony assays were performed. RESULTS: After 3 weeks of culture, the maximal expansion of total nucleated cells was seen in the combination of TPO+SCF+IL-3. After 1 week of culture, the number of CFU-GM was significantly increased in the combination of TPO+IL-3 (P<0.05) or SCF (P<0.05). In the presence of TPO+IL-3, significantly increased number of CFU-Mix was observed (P<0.05). TPO alone enhanced colony formation of CFU-Meg. In the combination of TPO+SCF, the number of CFU-Meg was increased significantly (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: TPO expanded the number of CFU-Meg as well as CFU-GM and CFU-Mix. These results suggest TPO acts not only in the megakaryocytopoiesis but also in the early stage of erythropoiesis and granulopoiesis.
Adult ; Bone Marrow ; Cytokines ; Erythropoiesis ; Fetal Blood* ; Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor ; Granulocyte-Macrophage Progenitor Cells ; Humans* ; Interleukin-3 ; Stem Cells ; Thrombopoiesis ; Thrombopoietin* ; Umbilical Cord*

BACKGROUND: Differential diagnosis of thyroid nodule is important in deciding treatment modality and fine needle aspiration is a good method to do so. But, sometimes, it has limitation in use because of inadequate test material and difficulty in interpreting it. Among the study of oncogene and tumor suppresor gene on the origin of thyroid tumor, expression of Fra-1, one of AP-1 system, is increased in thyroid neoplasm. So there is a possibility that it would be used as a method for differential diagnosis of thyroid nodule. We tried to know whether presence or absence of Fra-1 expression can be used as a diagnostic method in differential diagnosis of thyroid nodule using immuno- histochemical(IHC) staining method. METHODS: In 4 types of thyroid tumor that was confirmed by histologic diagnosis after operation(30 cases of papillary cancer, 10 cases of follicular cancer, 16 cases of follicular adenoma, 18 cases of adenomatous goiter), IHC staining method was performed to evaluate the expression of Fra-1. RESULTS: In papillary and follicular thyroid cancer, the expression of Fra-1 was stronger than benign thyroid tumor, but there was no difference in Fra-1 expression between two types of carcinoma. Weak expression of Fra-1 was observed in all cases of follicular adenoma, and it was also weakly expressed in 6 out 18 cases of adenomatous goiter. CONCLUSION: The expression of Fra-1 was stronger in thyroid cancer than in benign thyroid adenoma, but it was impossible to differentiate thyroid cancer from benign thyroid adenoma by the presence or absence of Fra-1 expression using IHC staining method.
Adenoma ; Biopsy, Fine-Needle ; Diagnosis ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Goiter ; Immunohistochemistry ; Oncogenes ; Thyroid Gland* ; Thyroid Neoplasms* ; Thyroid Nodule ; Transcription Factor AP-1

BACKGROUND: The differential diagnosis of thyroid nodules is very important in deciding the treatment modality and the fine needle aspiration is the best diagnostic method. But, there are some limitations in use because of inadequate test materials and difficulty in interpreting. According to the study of oncogene and tumor suppressor gene about the origin of thyroid tumor, expression of Fra-1, one of AP-1 complex, is increased in thyroid neoplasm, though not present in the normal tissue. So, there is a possibility that it will be used as a method for the differential diagnosis of thyroid nodules. We tried to know whether presence or absence of Fra-1 expression can be used as a diagnostic method in differential diagnosis of thyroid nodules using the immunohistochemical (IHC) staining method. METHOD: In 4 types of thyroid tumor that were confirmed by histologic diagnosis after operation (18 cases of adenomatous goiter, 16 cases of follicular adenoma, 30 cases of papillary cancer, 10 cases of follicular cancer), IHC staining method was performed to evaluate the expression of Fra-1. RESULT: In papillary and follicular thyroid cancers, the expression of Fra-1 was stronger than in benign thyroid tumor, but there was no difference in Fra-1 expression between the two types of carcinoma. Weak expression of Fra-1 was observed in all cases of follicular adenoma, though it was weaker than in carcinoma, and it was also weakly expressed only in some cases (33%) of adenomatous goiter. CONCLUSION: The expression of Fra-1 was stronger in thyroid cancer than in benign thyroid tumor, but it was impossible to differentiate thyroid cancer from benign thyroid tumor by presence or absence of Fra-1 expression using IHC staining method.
Biopsy, Needle ; Comparative Study ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Human ; Immunohistochemistry ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos/*analysis ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Thyroid Diseases/metabolism/pathology ; Thyroid Neoplasms/*metabolism/*pathology ; Tissue Culture ; Tumor Markers, Biological/*analysis

Helicobacter pylori infection is associated with chronic gastritis, peptic ulcer, and gastric cancer. There is evidence that IL-1beta is associated with the development of gastric cancer. Therefore, downregulation of H. pylori-mediated IL-1beta production may be a way to prevent gastric cancer. Withaferin A (WA), a withanolide purified from Withania somnifera, is known to exert anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor effects. In the present study, we explored the inhibitory activity of WA on H. pylori-induced production of IL-1beta in murine bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (BMDCs) and the underlying cellular mechanism. Co-treatment with WA decreased IL-1beta production by H. pylori in BMDCs in a dose-dependent manner. H. pylori-induced gene expression of IL-1beta and NLRP3 (NOD-like receptor family, pyrin domain containing 3) were also suppressed by WA treatment. Moreover, IkappaB-alpha phosphorylation by H. pylori infection was suppressed by WA in BMDCs. Western blot analysis revealed that H. pylori induced cleavage of caspase-1 and IL-1beta, as well as increased procaspase-1 and pro IL-1beta protein levels, and that both were suppressed by co-treatment with WA. Finally, we determined whether WA can directly inhibit ac tivation of the NLRP3 inflammasome. NLRP3 activators induced IL-1beta secretion in LPS-primed macrophages, which was inhibited by WA in a dose-dependent manner, whereas IL-6 production was not affected by WA. Moreover, cleavage of IL-1beta and caspase-1 by NLRP3 activators was also dose-dependently inhibited by WA. These findings suggest that WA can inhibit IL-1beta production by H. pylori in dendritic cells and can be used as a new preventive and therapeutic agent for gastric cancer.
Blotting, Western ; Caspase 1 ; Dendritic Cells* ; Down-Regulation ; Gastritis ; Gene Expression ; Helicobacter pylori ; Helicobacter* ; Humans ; Interleukin-1beta ; Interleukin-6 ; Macrophages ; NF-kappa B* ; Peptic Ulcer ; Phosphorylation ; Stomach Neoplasms ; Withania

OBJECTIVE: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a psychiatric disorder characterized by depression and anxiety, that arises due to an imbalance of neurotransmitters in response to excessive stress. Hesperidin (HSD) is a naturally occurring flavonoid shown to exert a variety of biological activities, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective effects. METHODS: This study was used the open field test (OFT) and forced swimming test (FST) to examine the effects of HSD on the depression-like response of rats after exposure to a single prolonged stress (SPS) leading to the dysregulation of the serotonergic activation system. Male rats were given HSD (20, 50, and 100 mg/kg, intraperitoneal injection, n=6-7 per group) once daily for 14 days after exposure to SPS. The influence of administration of HSD on SPS-induced behavioral responses and concentrations of serotonin (5-HT), 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA), and monoamine oxidase-A (MAO-A) in the rat brain were also investigated using enzyme-linked immunoassays (ELISAs). RESULTS: Daily HSD administration signifificantly improved depression-like behaviors in the FST (P0.05), increased the number of lines crossed in the central zone of the OFT (P0.01), and reduced freezing behavior both in contextual and cued fear conditioning. HSD treatment also attenuated the reduction in SPS-induced 5-HT concentrations in the hippocampus and amygdala. This increase in 5-HT concentrations during HSD treatment was partially attributed to a decrease in the 5-HIAA/5-HT ratio in the hippocampus of rats with PTSD. Furthermore, HSD treatment inhibited activity of MAO-A and decreases of tryptophan hydroxylase-1 expression in the hippocampus. CONCLUSION HSD was shown to exert antidepressant effects in rats exposed to SPS, suggesting that this natural flflavonoid may be an effective medicine for PTSD.

Isolated left main coronary ostial stenosis is a very rare condition. In the majority of cases there are coexisting diseases in multiple coronary vessels. Here, a case of isolated left main coronary ostial stenosis due to an acute angle take-off, with clockwise rotation of the coronary sinus, confirmed by cardiac MRI is presented. A 44-year old female patient presented with an exertional and stabbing anterior chest pain. The patient had no premedical history. A coronary angiogram showed an isolated left main coronary ostial stenosis due to an acute take-off of the left main coronary artery. A cardiac MRI showed an acute angle take-off of the left main coronary artery, with clockwise rotation of the coronary sinus. The patient underwent surgical angioplasty of the coronary ostia, with a patch of autologous pericardium. This acute angle take-off may be due to rotation of the coronary sinus.
Adult ; Angioplasty ; Chest Pain ; Constriction, Pathologic* ; Coronary Sinus* ; Coronary Stenosis ; Coronary Vessels ; Female ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Pericardium