[ABSTRACT]AIM:ToinvestigatethepromotingroleofTranswellcontactco-culturesysteminthegrowthand differentiation of single-dissociated induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs).METHODS:Bovine corneal endothelial cells (CECs) at passage 1~2 (P1~2) were seeded on the underside of Transwell inserts placed into culture plates and were cultured in 37 ℃and 5%CO2 for 8 h.Accutase digestion and 40μm filter process disaggregated colony-aggregated iPSCs into single-dissociated iPSCs , and the cells were seeded on the inside of Transwell inserts with CECs in medium of mTeSR 1 for 3 d and then in low-glucose DMEM supplemented with 10% FBS for 2 weeks.The characteristics and differentiation markers were evaluated by real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction ( qPCR ) , immunofluorescence staining, live&dead cell staining and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) staining.The group of iPSCs cultured in conventional medium was used as control group 1.The group of single-dissociated iPSCs co-cultured with CECs was set as experimental group, while single-dissociated iPSCs without co-culture were as control group 2.RESULTS: The bovine CECs showed typical hexagonal cobblestone shape .iPSCs showed colony-like growth , while became single-dissociated cells after Tran-swell contact co-culture with bovine CECs for 3 d.The single-dissociated iPSCs positively expressed the undifferentiated markers, Nanog and Oct4.The mRNA expression levels of Nanog , Oct4 and Sox2 between experimental group and control group 1 were both positive and had no statistical significance difference (P>0.05).The dead cells in experimental group decreased significantly, and there was statistically significant difference compared to control group 2 (P<0.01).After 14 d of induced differentiation co-culture , the single-dissociated iPSCs showed rather uniform polygonal morphology , increased dimension and no obvious colony existence .Negative ALP staining, positive immunofluorescence staining for ZO-1, AQP1 and CD31, and negative for CD34 and CD133 were also observed.The results of qPCR showed that the mRNA expression of Oct4, Nanog and Sox2 significantly decreased , and had statistically significant difference compared with control group 1 (P<0.01).CONCLUSION: When co-cultured with bovine CECs, iPSCs morphologically changed to endothelial-like cells and expressed some markers of CECs .Transwell contact co-culture system not only enhances the growth of single-dis-sociated iPSCs , but also promotes their differentiation .

[ ABSTRACT] AIM:To investigate the effect of maxadilan, which specifically activates pituitary adenylate cycla-se-activating polypeptide type I receptor (PAC1 receptor), on the proliferation, apoptosis and differentiation potential of human adipose-derived stem cells ( ASCs) .METHODS:ASCs from human adipose tissue were isolated by enzymatic di-gestion and cultured.ASCs were confirmed by the analysis of the markers for cell phenotypes by flow cytometry ( FCM) and adipogenic/osteogenic induction.The effect of maxadilan on ASCs viability was analyzed by CCK-8 assay and FCM.ASCs were irradiated by ultraviolet C ( UVC) at 254 nm and the absorbance of apoptotic ASCs induced by various doses of UVC was measured by CCK-8 assay.ASCs were exposed to 702 J/m2 UVC for 24 h to induce apoptosis.The effect of maxadilan on ASC apoptosis was analyzed by FCM and the determination of caspase 3 and caspase 9 levels.RESULTS:Adipose-de-rived stem cells were confirmed by the detection of the positive expression of cell phenotypes including CD29, CD44, CD59 and CD105 by FCM.The data of CCK-8 assay revealed that ASCs treated with maxadilan (80 nmol/L) had the strongest ability of proliferation.The data of FCM also demonstrated that the addition of 80 nmol/L maxadilan to ASCs in experimen-tal group markedly improved the proliferation capacity of the cells compared with control group (P<0.05).The apoptosis of ASCs exposed to 702 J/m2UVC was dramatically inhibited by the treatment with maxadilan (80 nmol/L).Such process involved the caspase signaling pathway including caspase 3 and caspase 9.There was statistical significance (P<0.05) between experiment group ( ASCs irradiated by UVC and supplemented with maxadilan) and control group ( ASCs only irra-diated by UVC) .Meanwhile, adipogenic and osteogenic differentiation potentials were both positive in experiment group and control group.CONCLUSION:Maxadilan promotes proliferation and inhibits apoptosis of the ASCs.The differentia-tion potential of ASCs toward adipogenic and osteogenic lineages wouldn’ t be altered by maxadilan.Maxadilan would bene-fit to growth and expansion of ASCs in vitro.

Objective To investigate the effects of chronic ethanol exposure and withdrawal on the expression of actin-binding protein cofilin,p-cofilin and cyclin-dependent kinase-5 (cdk5) in the nucleus accumbens and striatum in rat brain.Methods Twenty-four male SD rats were randomly divided into one control group and three experimental groups.In the experimental groups,ethanol was administered in drinking water at the concentration of 6％ (V/V) for two months.Rats in control group drank normal drinking water.After two months ethanol was removed and ethanol withdrawal syndromes were evaluated.Rats were sacrificed on withdrawal 0 h,withdrawal 6 h and withdrawal 2 d.The expression levels of cofilin,p-cofilin(ser3)and cdk5 in the rat brain were measured by immunohistochemistry methods.Results Withdrawal syndrome scores of ethanol fed rats were obviously higher than those of control rats after ethanol was removed,the highest score occurred at 6 h after ethanol withdrawal.In the nucleus accumbens area of rat brain,the levels of cofilin on withdrawal 0 h significantly decreased compared with control group ((0.31±0.05),(0.39± 0.05),P＜ 0.05).The levels of cdk5 on withdrawal 0 h and withdrawal 6 h significantly increased compared with control group((0.36±0.07),(0.34±0.07),(0.25±0.05),P＜0.05).In the striatum of rat brain,the levels of cofilin on withdrawal 0 h significantly decreased compared with control group ((0.26±0.04),(0.34±0.05),P＜0.05).The levels of p-cofilin on withdrawal 6 h significantly increased compared with control group((0.43±0.06),(0.30±0.06),P＜0.01).The levels of cdk5 on withdrawal 0 h significantly increased compared with control group((0.35±0.06),(0.26±0.05),P＜0.05),and the levels of cofilin on withdrawal 6 h significantly decreased compared with control group((0.37±0.06),(0.26±0.05),P＜0.01).Conclusion Chronic ethanol exposure can induce the development of ethanol dependence,and it accompanies with changes in the expression of actin-binding protein and cdk5 in the brain of rats.