Objective Allograft vasculopathy (AV), feature of chronic rejection, is a major serious long-term post-operation complication in organ transplantation. The accurate mechanisms for AV have not been definitively established, but extensive basic and clinical studies demonstrate AV is triggered by immune reaction and nonimmunologic factors, and also possibly attributed to the metabolism of branched-chain amino acids (BCAA). Methods The transplanted hearts from Lewis to Sprague-Dawely rats served as allografts and those from Lewis to Lewis rats as isografts based on Ono 's model. The differential proteins in transplanted hearts were separated by comparative proteomic technique, and some enzymes which regulated the metabolism of BCAA were identified and validated.Results All transplanted hearts at second week postoperation were characterized by lumen loss (total area-luminal area/total area) in coronary artery, but more predominant at 8th week. All samples from the left ventricles were analyzed by proteomic techniques and the subunits E1 a, E1β and E3 of branched-chain α-ketoacid dehydrogenase (BCKDH) complex were decreased in the heart allografts.Immunohistological detection also showed the expression of BCKDH was reduced not only in the cardiac muscle but also more significantly in blool vessels with cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV).BCAA concentrations were increased in the cardiac allografts, but there was no difference in the serum. Conclusion These findings suggest that the catabolic pathways of the BCAA may be inhibited owing to the reduced expression of BCKDH complex, and elevated intracellular concentrations of leucine. The vascular smooth muscle cell and cardiac muscle cell proliferation is stimulated via mTOR-dependent and mTOR-independent pathways, which is associated with the formation of myocardial hypertrophy and AV in the heart allografts.

BACKGROUND:The mechanical valves used in the adult Luo-Ye pump have a large size and great destruction to blood, which are not suitable for infant ventricular assist pump. Therefore, designing and producing a high molecular valve with smal size and low incidence of thrombosis is a research hotspot. OBJECTIVE:To design and produce a valve of 20 mL infant Luo-Ye pump, and to test its basic functions and fatigue properties. METHODS:The size and shape of valve was designed with MASTERCAM software, polyurethane valve was obtained through producing the valve model and plastic injection;the static leakage, pressure drop and fatigue resistance of polyurethane valve were tested according to the ISO5840 requirements. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The polyurethane trefoil valve was produced, but the failure rate of plastic injection was high;the basic function of the trefoil valve met the ISO5840 requirements bascial y;after continuously operated 1.0×107 times, stroke volume of 20 mL Luo-Ye pump was changed 5.2%, and two polyurethane valves and valve leaflets did not change and damage. Polyurethane trefoil valve was designed and produced successful y;polyurethane valves could meet the needs of 20 mL Luo-Ye pump, which already have the ability to clinical trials.

Objective.To determine whether malariotherapy (an old therapy for treatment of neurosyphilis)improves some clinical and laboratory parameters of HIV-positive patients without iatrogenic complications.Methods.Total 8 asymptomatic HIV-1 positive subjects whose CD4 cell counts were over 250×106 cells/L were selected for the phase-1 studies of malariotherapy and were intravenously injected Plasmodia vivax to induce artificial malaria.Malaria was terminated with chloroquine after 10～20 malarial fever episodes.Cell-bound CD4 levels were measured by APAAP (a solid-phase enzyme essay)and levels of neopterin (NPT),beta-2-microglobulin (B2M),soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor-2(sTNF-RII),interleukin-2(IL-2)and HIV P24 antigen were measured by ELISA. Patients were followed up to 24～30 months.Results.CD4 levels increased in 5,NPT decreased in 7 of 8 patients;IL-2 increased in 5 of 6 patients after malariotherapy.The total trends of B2M and sTNF-RII basically remained stable.HIV P24 antigen remained undetectable in 6, remained detectably low level in 1 and experienced increase in 1 of 8 patients after malariotherapy.No any severe complications occurred in all 8 patients.Conclusions.The results indicate that malariotherapy basically is safe for HIV infection and it seems that the therapy improves some immunological parameters of HIV patients.