Recently,study on cencer stem cells has been a focus of study.Cancer stem cell is a small population of cencer cells possessing the properties of stem cells:self-renewal,differentiation and proliferation.To date,the existence of cancer stem cells has been proven in acute and chronic myeloid leukemia,breast cancer,brain tumors,liver cancer and colon cancer,etc..In this article we reviews the current progress on cancer stem cells,including the defination,existing evidence,research methods, and challenges in clinical application.

AIM: To investigate the effectiveness of recombinanted retrovirus vector in gene therapy. METHODS: The retroviral vector pLXSN S was constructed and transferred into PA317 by means of electroporation, then HepG 2?RAW264.7 and EL 4 cells were infected with the pseudovirus produced from PA317, which highly expressed HBsAg . HBsAg expression was tested by RT PCR and ELISA. RESULTS: HBsAg was expressed variously in the eukaryotic cells mentioned above. HBsAg ( A value) of the cell supernatants (48 hours) were 0.92,0.53,0.42, respectively. CONCLUSION: The vector used in this study was an effective vector to carry genes of interest to target cells and macrophage, and high level HBsAg was expressed in antigen presenting cell such as macrophage, It indicated that plasmid immunity can induce the B lymphocyte and T lymphocyte response to hepatitis B virus surface antigen by stimulating macrophage. As a vector, it may be useful in the test for gene immunity and gene therapy.

Objective To study the effects of two stimulators of the innate immune system, polyinosine-polycytidylic acid [Poly (I:C)] and R848, on the activation of microglia in rat spinal cord. Methods Thirty male Lewis rats (6 to 8 weeks old) were divided into Poly(I:C) group (n=12), R848 group (n=15) and control group (n=3). According to the killing time, the Poly(I:C) group and R848 group were divided into 4 and 5 sub-groups, respectively, with 3 rats in each sub-group. The rats in the subgroups received intraperitoneal injection of a single bolus of Poly(I:C) (5 mg/kg) or R848 (1 mg/kg) accordingly, and in the control group, the same volume of phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) was administered. Activated microglia were observed using immunohistochemistry for ED-1, AIF-1, EMAP Ⅱ, OX6, and P2X4R, and BrdU staining was used to identify the proliferating cells. Results Compared with the control group, both Poly (I:C) and R848 groups showed a significant but transient increase of ED-1-positive spinal cord microglia 4 days after the injection, while no significant differences were found in the microglial markers AIF-1, EMAP Ⅱ, OX6, P2X4 receptor (P2X4R), indicating that the microglia were not fully activated. Tracing of the cell proliferation by BrdU revealed that only a small fraction of the proliferating cells were microglia (less than 5%). Conclusion Poly(I:C) and R848 have definite effects on the innate immune system of the spinal cord and modulate the immune activity in the spinal cord, suggesting the value of these agents in modulating local regenerative processes in injured spinal cord.

Objective To determine the difference of macrophage RAW264.7 apoptosis induced by Brucella melitensis virulent strain 16M and attenuated strain M5-90 and elucidate the regulatory role of caspases 3,8 and 9.Methods The best multiplicity of infection (MOI) was determined through kinetic analysis of Brucella melitensis strain 16M and M5-90 induced mouse macrophages apoptosis(bacterium ∶ cell =100 ∶ 1,50 ∶ 1,10 ∶1).The infection model was established using the best MOI =50 ∶ 1.The numbers of in vivo bacteria by colony formation units were calculated after macrophages were infected for different times,including 2,4,8,12,24 and 48 h,and the infected cells were collected.The ratios of apoptosis were detected and the regulation of caspases 3,8 and 9 in apoptosis pathway was elucidated by flow cytometry.Results The numbers of 16M in vivo bacteria were 105.4,104.8,105.8,106.5,108.0 and 109.0,respectively and of M5-90 were 106.1,106.2,106.4,106.3,106.1 and 105.0,respectively.The number of in vivo bacteria of 16M was significantly increased than that of M5-90 after infected for 24 h to 48 h.The ratios of apoptosis induced by 16M after infected for 2,4,8,12,24 and 48 h was (2.67 ± 0.09)％,(13.13 ± 0.30)％,(6.56 ± 0.42)％,(6.49 ± 0.28)％,(16.07 ± 0.86)％ and (24.23 ± 1.67)％,respectively,and by M5-90 was (3.62 ± 0.02)％,(32.01 ± 2.59)％,(17.58 ± 0.44)％,(16.09 ± 0.10)％,(62.53 ± 2.70)％ and (85.53 ± 0.15)％,respectively,and by control group was [(1.90 ± 0.20)％,(1.92 ±0.16)％,(1.99 ± 0.03)％,(2.48 ± 0.11)％,(3.56 ± 0.07)％,(5.26 ± 0.33)％].The differences were statistically between groups in same time.The Brucella melitensis vaccine strain M5-90 was more powerful than virulent strain 16M in respect of inducing macrophage apoptosis after infected for 24 to 48 h.Twenty-four hours after infection,the expression of caspases 3,8 and 9 was (1.47 ± 0.05)％,(1.52 ± 0.02)％ and (2.47 ± 0.12)％,respectively,in control group and the expression was (9.70 ± 0.46)％,(6.08 ± 0.56)％ and (35.08 ± 1.64)％,respectively,after infected for 24 h induced by M5-90.The expression of caspases 3,8 and 9 was significantly higher than that control group (P ＜ 0.01).Twenty-four hours after given caspases 3,8 and 9 inhibitor,apoptosis rate in control group was (66.72 ± 1.28)％,in M5-90 group was (22.58 ± 0.55)％,(53.15 ± 1.85)％ and (29.18 ± 0.23)％,respectively,and compared with control group,apoptosis rate of caspases 3,8 and 9 was significantly lower(P ＜ 0.01).Conclusions Apoptosis of macrophage can be induced by Brucella melitensis virulent vaccine strain 16M and attenuated strain M5-90.M5-90 is stronger than that of strain 16M.Caspases 3,8 and 9 can regulate macrophage apoptosis after M5-90 infection.

Adult ; Female ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; complications ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Interferon-alpha ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Nephrotic Syndrome ; etiology

ObjectiveTo analysis the clinical features of thoracic spine and spinal cord injury (SCI) and summarize the inclusive standard of cellular transplant clinical trial for SCI.MethodsThe data of 72 cases with thoracic spine and spinal cord injury from 1990 to 2005 were analyzed retrospectively.ResultsMean follow-up period was 20 months (6～48 months). There was no recovery in 12 spinal cord injury without radiographic abnormality (SCIWORA) patients, but improvement of urine function in 4 cases. 5 cases of 52 fracture-dislocation complete injury were improved to grade B (sense recovery), rate of recovery was 9.6%; recovery rate was 62.5% in incomplete injury. Sense recovery of all cases was better than motor recovery. Partial cases appeared spasm paralysis relief.ConclusionIncidence rate of complete injury is high and recovery is bad in thoracic spine and spinal cord injury. The inclusive standard of cellular transplant clinical trial for SCI is old complete thoracic spinal cord injury without residual compression.

Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Astragalus Plant ; Doxorubicin ; adverse effects ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Myocardium ; pathology ; ultrastructure

Insulin receptor substance-1 (IRS-1) mRNA and protein were assayed in rat muscle of hindlamb by RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry respectively.Smoking decreased the expressions of IRS-1 mRNA and protein in rat muscle of normal chow smoking group,high fat chow smoking group and diabetic smoking group as compared with matched control groups (P

Objective To study the normal angiographic anatomy and variations of rabbit hepatic vessels,and explore the optimal method for hepatic artery catheterization.Methods 30 rabbits were divided into two groups randomly.Modified surgical method and interventional method were used to catheterize hepatic artery respectively,and followed by angiography to demonstrate the normal anatomy and variations of rabbit celiac artery,hepatic artery and portal vein.Results The route and distribution of rabbit celiac artery and hepatic artery were very different from human's.The commonly seen variation showed the differences in branching bifurcation of hepatic-gastric artery,with the incidence of 13.3%.The rates of successfully hepatic artery catheterization with surgical and interventional methods were 86.6%(13/15)and 80%(12/15)respectively (P＞0.05).The surgical method will not be successful,whenever there's variation.Conclusion The normal anatomy and variation of rabbit celiac artery and hepatic artery are quite different from human's.Both surgical and interventional catheterizations could be rather successful but possessing advantages and disadvantages of each its own.

Objective To investigate the protective effects of simvastatin on cobalt choride ( CoCl2 ) -induced hypoxia and reoxygenation injury on alveolar type Ⅱ cells and the underlying mechanisms.Methods CoCl2 was used to establish the hypoxia and reoxygenation injury model on AT Ⅱ cells.Blank,control and variant doses simvastatin-treated groups ( 5,10,20,30,50,100 μ mol/L) were designed in the present study.The proliferation of AT Ⅱ cells was evaluated by Cell Counting Kit-8 ( CCK-8 ) assay.The percentage of apoptotic cells was assessed by flow cytometry AV/PI double-staining.The protein levels of surfactant protein-C (SP-C) and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) in AT Ⅱ cells was determined by Western blot.Results As compared with the control group,pretreatment with low dose (5 - 20 μmol/L),but not high dose simvastatin (50 - 100 μmol/L) markedly reduced A549 cells apoptosis,and increased their proliferation and the protein levels of SPC and PCNAin vitro.The protective effect could be reversed in vitro by L-mevalonate,a simvastatin competitive inhibitor,which indicated that the inhibition of mevalorate pathway was involved in the simvastatin induced AT Ⅱ cells function restoration.Condusion Low doses simvastatin reversed CoCl2-induced hypoxia and reoxygenation injury of AT Ⅱ cells.The inhibition of mevalonate pathway contributed to simvastatin induced AT Ⅱ cells function restoration.