OBJECTIVETo identify genotype of eight strains of Orientia tsutsugamushi (O. tsutsugamushi) isolated from Nan Peng Lie Islands in China and establish tsutsugamushi disease nature foci for this region.

METHODSThe nested polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) were used. Three primers were selected from the DNA sequence of the gene encoding type-specific 56-kDa protein of the Karp strain. The positive products were digested by Hine II and Pst I, meanwhile profiles specific to each strain were analyzed.

RESULTSThree genotypes of O. tsutsugamushi including Karp, Kato and a new strain existed on Nan Peng Lie Islands.

CONCLUSIONNan Peng Lie Islands is tsutsugamushi disease nature foci.

Animals ; China ; DNA, Bacterial ; analysis ; Genotype ; Mice ; Orientia tsutsugamushi ; genetics ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length ; Rats

AIM: Recombinant human adenovirus-p53 injection (rAd-p53) is the first marketed gene therapeutic drug worldwide. This study aimed to evaluate the safety and primary efficacy of rAd-p53 administrated on advanced solid tumors. METHODS: 24 patients with advanced solid tumor treated with rAd-p53 were reviewed, including 5 cases of renal carcinoma, 4 of nasopharyngeal carcinoma, 4 of colorectal carcinoma, 2 of melanoma, 1 of non-small-celllung cancer, 1 of esophageal carcinoma, 1 of gastric cardia carcinoma, 1 of thymic carcinoma, 1 of duodenal carcinoma, 1 of thyroid carcinoma, 1 of pancreatic carcinoma, 1 of endometrial carcinoma and 1 of rhabdomyosarcoma. RAd-p53 was weekly administrated at the dose of 1?10~ 12 VP, and 4 times of administration was defined as one cycle. Administration approach included intratumoral injection,intrabronchial drop in, intraperitoneal injection, intra-arterial infusion and intravenous drip. Combined therapy was given with chemotherapy in 18 cases, radiotherapy in 2, concomitant chemotherapy and radiotherapy in 1, abdominal thermotherapy and orally gefitinib in 1, cytokine immunotherapy in 1 and without combination therapy in 1. RESULTS: 23 cases underwent 35 cycles of therapy except for 1 case discontinued because of early progression. Among the 21 evaluable cases 5 PR, 5 SD and 11 PD were observed. Overall response rate was 23.8%(5/21) and disease control rate was 47.6%(10/21). Grade I-II injection site pain, chill, fever and myalgia were the most frequent side effects. Grade III fever developed in 2 cases and grade III-IV myelosuppression in 4 cases combined with chemotherapy. Furthermore, severe ostealgia occurred in 2 cases and transient hypotension in 1. CONCLUSION: RAd-p53 is tolerable in patients with advanced solid tumor. A further randomized clinical trial is necessary to confirm the antitumor activity of rAd-p53 combined with conventional strategies.

The growth of fibroblasts on the acellular dermal matrix (ADM) was studied. The fibroblasts isolated from the skin of an adult New Zealand Rabbit were cultured in vitro and identified subsequently. After the cells were inoculated on the ADM as seeds, the adhesion rate and the growth ability were examined, and cellular morphology was assayed with DAPI fluorescent staining and Scanning electron microscope (SEM). The possibilities of applying ADM as cells carrier or deliverer in the field of transplantation were evaluated. The result revealed that pure fibroblasts were isolated through the specific method. Skin fibroblasts could adhere to ADM easily, and the adhesion rate was 96.78%, displaying no significant difference (P > 0.05) when compared with that rate of the control holes. The cells on the scaffolds and those on the control holes showed similar growth tendencies, but the activity of the former was lower (P < 0.01). The integral nucleus with blue fluorescence could be observed on the ADM under fluorescence microscope. The number of fibroblasts scaled up with the cultured time, The results of SEM showed that the state of cell was good and the fibroblasts were fused into a layer after being cultured for 5-10d. So rabbit fibroblasts can attach, survive, grow and proliferate on the ADM in a healthy way. It is entirely possible to use ADM as an appropriate scaffold material for the culture of fibroblasts and as a material for transplantations.
Animals ; Biocompatible Materials ; Cell Adhesion ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Dermis ; cytology ; Fibroblasts ; cytology ; Rabbits ; Skin ; cytology ; Skin, Artificial ; Tissue Engineering ; methods ; Tissue Scaffolds

BACKGROUND:Diabetic osteoporosis is gaining public attention.However,few studies have reported the effect of a high-glucose environment on the osteogenic differentiation of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells and the corresponding therapeutic strategies. OBJECTIVE:To investigate whether vitamin D3 can restore the osteogenic differentiation potential of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells in a high-glucose environment. METHODS:The viability of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells was detected by CCK-8 assay to screen the appropriate vitamin D3 intervention concentration.Under the high-glucose environment,RT-qPCR,western blot assay,immunofluorescence,JC-1 mitochondrial membrane potential,alizarin red staining,and β-galactosidase staining were used to evaluate the osteogenic differentiation potential,intracellular reactive oxygen species accumulation,mitochondrial membrane potential alteration,and cell senescence of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells after vitamin D3 intervention.The underlying mechanism was also discussed. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)Vitamin D3 significantly promoted the proliferation of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells in the range of 0.1 μmol/L to 1 mmol/L.(2)High-glucose environment down-regulated the mRNA and protein level expressions of osteogenic-related genes α1-I collagen,alkaline phosphatase,Runt-associated transcription factor 2,and osteocalcin in human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells,which induced oxidative stress and cellular senescence.(3)Vitamin D3 at an intervention concentration of 10 μmol/L significantly restored the osteogenic phenotype of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells under high-glucose conditions and attenuated intracellular oxidative stress and cellular senescence by activating the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway.(4)These findings suggested that the osteogenic differentiation ability of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells was reduced in the high-glucose environment,and vitamin D3 could partially improve their osteogenic differentiation ability and reduce cell damage.

BACKGROUND:Osteoporosis has a high incidence,leading to fracture and other complications.However,existing drugs have great side effects and are difficult to meet the clinical application. OBJECTIVE:To explore the effect and potential mechanism of fucoxanthin on osteoporosis induced by glucocorticoid. METHODS:Primary rat osteoblasts were inoculated in 6-well plates.When the cell fusion reached 80%,the cells were divided into four groups:the control group was cultured alone for 24 hours,the glucocorticoid group was intervened with dexamethasone for 24 hours,the fucoxanthin group was intervened with fucoxanthin for 24 hours,and the glucocorticoid + fucoxanthin group was intervened with dexamethasone and fucoxanthin at the same time for 24 hours.After intervention,cell proliferation,apoptosis,intracellular reactive oxygen species level,and protein expression of apoptosis-related proteins,bone formation-related proteins,and nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2 were detected. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Cell counting kit-8 results showed that the cell viability was decreased in the glucocorticoid group compared with the control group(P＜0.05)but increased in the glucocorticoid+fucoxanthin group compared with the glucocorticoid group(P＜0.05).JC-1 mitochondrial membrane potential staining and flow cytometry assay showed that the percentage of apoptosis increased in the glucocorticoid group compared with the control group(P＜0.05)but decreased in the glucocorticoid+fucoxanthin group compared with the glucocorticoid group(P＜0.05).Western blot assay showed that compared with the control group,the protein expression of BAX and cleaved poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase was elevated in the glucocorticoid group(P＜0.05),and the protein expression of BCL2,type Ⅰ collagen α1 peptide chain,alkaline phosphatase,osteocalcin,and RUNX2 was decreased in the glucocorticoid group(P＜0.05).Compared with the glucocorticoid group,the protein expression of BAX and cleaved poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase was decreased(P＜0.05),and the protein expression of BCL2,type Ⅰ collagen α1 peptide chain,alkaline phosphatase,osteocalcin,and RUNX2 was elevated(P＜0.05)in the glucocorticoid+fucoxanthin group.Fluorescent probe assay showed an increase in reactive oxygen species level in the glucocorticoid group compared with the control group(P＜0.05)and a decrease in reactive oxygen species level in the glucocorticoid+fucoxanthin group compared with the glucocorticoid group(P＜0.05).Immunofluorescence staining and western blot assay showed that the protein expression of nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2 in the glucocorticoid group was decreased compared with that in the control group(P＜0.05);and the protein expression of nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2 in the glucocorticoid+fucoxanthin group was elevated compared with that in the glucocorticoid group(P＜0.05).To conclude,fucoxanthin can improve glucocorticoid-induced osteoblast apoptosis and the expression of bone formation-related molecules by activating nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2.