Animals ; Apoptosis ; Cell Cycle ; Cell Movement ; Cell Proliferation ; Connexin 43 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Down-Regulation ; Gap Junctions ; metabolism ; physiology ; Humans ; Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Tumor Suppressor Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism

Objective To explore the central mechanism of acupuncture at Baihui (GV20) for memory impairment after stroke. Methods 32 stroke patients were randomized to receive acupuncture at Baihui (GV20) (as observation group) and acupuncture at Yanglingquan (GB34) (as control group) for 8 weeks. At the meantime, all participants received routine treatment including physical and occupational therapies. They were scanned with resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to find functional connectivity and assessed with Wechsler Memory Scale (WMS) before and after treatment. The results of WMS and functional connectivity were analyzed with Pearson's correlation. Results The memory scores and memory quotient improved significantly after treatment in the observation group (P<0.05). The functional connectivity significantly increased occurred in the left hippocampus to right inferior frontal gyrus, right middle frontal gyrus and left inferior frontal gyrus; and right hippocampus to left middle frontal gyrus, left superior frontal gyrus and left parietal lobe. Significant correlations were found between memory quotient and functional connectivity of hippocampus to frontal lobe and left parietal lobe in the observation group. There was no statistical significance in memory scores and memory quotient in the control group. The functional connectivity significantly decreased in left hippocampus to right middle occipital gyrus, and right hippocampus to right superior temporal gyrus and right posterior lobe of cerebellum. There was no statistical correlation between functional connectivity and results of WMS. Conclusion The acupuncture at Baihui can improves memory ability of stroke patients, which may associate with the increase of functional connectivity of hippocampus with frontal lobes and parietal lobes.

Objective To observe the functional connectivity (FC) pattern linking the hippocampus with the rest of the brain in ischemic stroke patients with cognitive dysfunction,especially the default mode network (DMN).Methods Resting-state functional connectivity magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was performed on 15 ischemic stroke patients with cognitive dysfunction (the patient group) and 10 normal elderly controls.The bilateral hippocampus was the region of interest.Correlation analyses yielded a mapping of cerebral functional connectivity activation for both groups.Results Compared with the healthy controls,the patient group showed weakened functional connectivity between the hippocampus and other regions including the cingulate gyrus,the superior,middle and inferior frontal lobes,the inferior parietal lobule and the superior temporal gyrus.But there was enhanced functional connectivity with the cerebellar posterior lobe,the occipital lobe,the medial temporal lobe,the precuneus and the calcarine.The results were significantly different between the two groups.Conclusion The functional connectivity pattern of the hippocampus is impaired in stroke patients with cognitive dysfunction.Reduced functional connectivity between brain regions may be one cause of cognitive dysfunction after stroke,and enhanced functional connectivity may be an appropriate compensatory mechanism.

OBJECTIVETo imitate tumor microenvironment in vivo through construction of two-layer cell spheroid as a three-dimensional tumor model, and to validate its application in the study of Cx43 expression in colorectal cancer cell-fibroblast interactions and colorectal cancer progression.

METHODSThe two-layer cell spheroid was constructed from SW620 colorectal cancer cells and HELF fibroblasts. The expression of Cx43 in the spheroid was detected by immunocytochemistry. The expression of Cx43 in cultured SW620 cells with or without co-cultured fibroblasts was detected by immunocytochemistry and immunofluorescence. The expression of Cx43 in colorectal cancer tissue was detected by immunohistochemistry.

RESULTSThe spheroid showed well-defined cellular morphology and clear boundary between two cell lines.Significant expression of Cx43 was found along the boundary.SW620 cells had no expression of Cx43 when cultured alone, while the expression of Cx43 was induced upon co-culturing with fibroblasts.In the colorectal cancer tissue, expression of Cx43 was minimal in the centre of tumor in contrast to an upregulated expression at invasive front.

CONCLUSIONSThe two-layer cell spheroid is an observable and sensitive model for cell-cell interaction for studies of tumor microenvironment.It can simulate colorectal cancer cell-fibroblast interactions through up-regulation of Cx43 expression.

Cell Communication ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Coculture Techniques ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Connexin 43 ; metabolism ; Fibroblasts ; cytology ; Humans ; Spheroids, Cellular ; cytology ; metabolism ; Tumor Microenvironment ; Up-Regulation