Objective To detect the plasma level of osteopontin (OPN)in systemie lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients,and its correlation with disease activity as well as organ damage was analyzed.Methods The plasma level of osteopontin was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 68 SLE patients and 36 healthy controls.Results The plasma level of OPN was significantly higher in SLE Datients than in healthy control group(P＜0.01).In SLE patients,the plasma OPN level was significantly higher in patients with renal damage than in patients without renal damage(P＜0.01).Patients with lung interstitial disease and gastrointestinal tract involvement,their plasma level of OPN was significantly higher than those of patients with inactive lupus (P＜0.01).The plasma level of OPN correlated positivelv and significantly with SLEDAI score(r=O.523,P＜0.001)and 24-hour urine protein excretion(r=0.403,P=0.001),but negativelycorrelated with serum C3 level (r=-0.398,P=0.001).There was no correlation between the Dlasma level of OPN and anti-dsDNA antibody,Sm antibody,erythrocyte sedimentation rate,serum IgG,IgA,IgM levels(P＞0.05 ). Conclusion OPN may be involved in the pathogenesis of SLE,and may be a potential marker for dis-ease activity and organ damage.

Objective To study the expression of integrin ?1 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and its significance. Methods Integrin ?1 expression was detected in 38 cases of HCC, 8 cases of hepatic cirrhosis (HC) and 7 cases of normal liver tissues(NL) using immunohistochemical SP method. The relationship between the integrin ?1 expression and HCC clinico-pathological features was analyzed. Results The positive rate of integrin ?1 expression in the HCC was much higher than that in the HC and NL tissues (P

Objective To investigate the change of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression in HepG2 cells under hypoxia. Methods HepG2 cells were cultured under hypoxia(hypoxia group) and normal condition (control group). VEGF expression of HepG2 cells was examined by immunohistochemical staining. The growth of HepG2 cells was examined by MTT colorimetry and cell count. VEGF level in the culture medium was measured by ELISA.Results After 48 h and 72 h of culture, the growth rate of HepG2 cells in hypoxia group was lower than that in control group (P

Objective To study the antitumor effectivity of special cytotoxic T lymphocytes(CTLs) induced by B lymphocytes in mice.Methods B lymphocytes were collected,isolated and purfied.Cells were initially activated by CD40L and rmIL-4,then cocultivated with T lymphocytes.T lymphocyte proliferation was examined.Total RNA,which was extracted from Hepal-6(a hepatocelluar carcinoma cell line),were transfected into B lymphocytes,as experimental group;while transfected with RNA of mice liver cells,liposimes and 1640 were as control groups,The expression of antigen presenting cell(APC) markers(CD40,CD80 and CD86) and major histocomability complex(MHC) on B cell surface after transfection were deteced.CTL were obtained by stimulating T lymphocytes with transfected B lymphocytes.Hepal-6 was cell-targeted and examined as index of CTL killing activity.The IFN-r secretion of stimulated CTL was quantified.Results T cell proliferation in experimental group had a higher degree than that in RNA control group(P

Objective To investigate the relationship between the interleukin-2 (IL-2) treatment and chemotherapeutic sensitivity in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods S-P immunohistochemical staining was adopted to determine the expression of multidrugs resistance-associated protein(MRP1) and IL-2 receptor ? chain in paraffin embedded HCC tissues of the patients treated with and without IL-2. Results The expression level of IL-2 receptor ?-chain in HCC tissues of the patients treated with and without IL-2 was 0.301 9?0.040 23 and 0.263 1?0.022 24, respectively, which had significant difference between the two kinds of HCC tissues. The expression level of MRP1 in the HCC tissues of the patients treated with IL-2 (0.336 4?0.044 67) was markedly higher than that in HCC tissues of the patients treated without IL-2 (0.300 8?0.037 64,t=2.176,P

To investigate the expressions and significance of the tumor suppressor gene phosphatase and tensin homlog deleted on chromosome ten protein (PTEN) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and to analyze the relationship between their expressions and the tumor's invasion and their pericarcinomatous tissues, the correlation of their expressions with the tumor's clinicopathological characteristics and invasion potential were studied. Our study showed that the expression level of PTEN in HCC was remarkably lower than that in pericarcinomatous liver tissues, while the expressions of both VEGF and MVD were higher than that in pericarcinomatous liver tissues. Correlation analysis revealed that the expression of PTEN was negatively related to the progression of the pathological differentiation and invasion of tumor, whereas the expressions of VEGF and MVD were positively related. Moreover, there was a negative relationship between the expression of PTEN and the expressions of VEGF and MVD, and a positive one between VEGF and MVD. The expressions of PTEN and VEGF may reveal the degree of differentiation and the invasive potential of HCC tissues. The mechanism by which the lack of PTEN expression probably induces abnormal hyperexpression of VEGF may play an important role in the invasion and metastasis of HCC.

Objective To explore the expression of tenascin in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods With the method of immunohistochemical staining, specimens from 42 HCC patients, 10 hepatic cirrhotics and 7 normal liver controls were studied. The relationship between the tenascin expression and pathological features as well as microvessel density (MVD) was evaluated. Results The expression of tenascin in the HCC tissues was much higher than that in the non-HCC tissues ( ? 2=4.15, P

AIM: To compare the methods of two currently employed isolation methods for endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs): from total peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and from enriched CD133~+ cells, by defining the cell morphology, phenotype, reproductive activities and function in vitro, providing a reference for clinic application. METHODS: PBMCs from the healthy subjects were used for CD133~+ sorting or not. The two groups of isolated cells were suspended in complete medium M199 for 7 d to 14 d. EPCs phenotype were characterized by FACS. The proliferation of differentiated EPCs was studied by MTT assay, and VEGF concentration was measured using an ELISA kit. Matrigel experiment and migration assay were imitated vascularization in vivo. RESULTS: PBMCs produced more colony-forming units (CFU) than CD133~+ cells from the same volume of blood (P<0.01). From 7 d to 14 d, the two groups show decreased expression of hematopoietic stem cell markers and increased level of endothelial markers, but CD144~+ cells in CD133~+ group were lower than those in PBMCs groups (P<0.01). Cells in PBMCs group secreted more VEGF than that in CD133~+ group on 7 d (P<0.01). Compared to CD133~+ group, PBMCs group showed more potential of proliferation and vascularization in vitro. CONCLUSION: CD133~+ sorted cells show a lower capacity of differentiation, secretion, proliferation and vascularization in vitro, which is unable to differentiate to mature endothelial cells, indicating that it's not a preferential way to obtain EPCs for clinic therapy.

In order to make a report on 90 cases of insomnia treated by the Wei-defensive qi-regulating and brain-strengthening needling technique,as a clinical subject of the multiple center,for assessing the preliminary standardized indications and operating methods and making an initial summary for writing the draft of the technique operation.Methods:By ratio of 1:1,the patients in conformity with the criteria were randomly divided into the experimental group and control group.In the experimental group,45 cases were treated with the Wei-defensive qi-regulating and brain-strengthening needling technique on Baihui (GV 20),Dazhui(GV 14),Shenmai(BL 62),Zhaohai(KI 6),plus ear points.In the control group,45 cases were treated with routine acupuncture on Sishencong(Ex-HN 1),Shenmen (HT 7),Sanyinjiao(SP 6),etc.The therapeutic effects in the two groups were observed and assessed in comparison.Results:The results showed cure in 15 cases.remarkable effect in 27 cases,effect in 42 cases,failure in 6 cases,and the total eriective rate in 94.4% in 90 cases of insomnia.In the three centers,the statistic management was performed based upon PSQI integral and showed significant difference(P＜0.01),and no significant difference among various groups(P＞0.01).Conclusion:The therapeutic effect in the treatment of insomnia by Wei-defensive qi-regulating and brain-strengthening needling technique is better than the control group and the therapeutic effect and methods in various centers are stable.without any deviation.

This study investigated the "homing" phenomenon in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The "homing" specificity of endothelial progenitor cells (EPC) by establishing an orthotopic implantation model in nude mice. EPCs harvested from the marrow cells were separated by density gradient centrifugation. Fluorescence microscope, flow cytometry (FCM) and double fluorescence staining with FITC-UEA-I and DiI-ac-LDL, were employed to identify the cells. 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) labelling and real-time PCR were used for detecting the expression of CD133 and chemokines to trace and observe the distribution of EPCs. Our results showed that the distribution rate of EPCs was obviously higher than that in other important organs and the negative control group. Detection of CD133 and chemokines yielded similar results in difference tissues. Our experiment confirmed that the chemotaxis of EPCs does exist in HCC. Moreover, HIF-1α, SDF-1 and VEGF might play important roles in the "homing" of EPCs in HCC. EPCs might be a potential candidate for targeting vector of HCC for gene therapy.