Objective To evaluate the effect of bone mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) on lidocaine-induced apoptosis in dorsal root ganglion cells (DRGCs) of rats in vitro.Methods DRGCs in the logarithmic phase were incubated in culture plates at the density of 2 × 104 cells/cm2 (27 wells in total).DRGCs were randomly divided into 3 groups (n =9 each) using a random number table:control group (group C),lidocaine treatment group (group L) and BMSC treatment group (group B).The DRGCs in group C were incubated routinely without lidocaine,while the DRGCs were incubated for 2 h with lidocaine with the final concentration of 50 mmol/L in L and B groups.The DRGCs were then incubated normally in group L.The DRGCs were then co-cultured with the BMSCs which were incubated in Transwell chambers with the density of 2 × 104 cells/cm2 in group B.DRGCs were collected at 48 h of incubation for detection of apoptosis by flow cytometry.Apoptosis rate was calculated.Results Compared with group C,the apoptosis rate was significantly increased in L and B groups (P ＜ 0.05).The apoptosis rate was significantly lower in group B than in group L (P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion BMSCs can reduce lidocaine-induced apoptosis in DRGCs of rats in vitro,indicating that BMSCs may reduce local anesthetics-produced toxicity to the peripheral nerve.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the feasibility of dynamic magnetic resonance diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in rabbit models with implanted VX2 hepatic tumor grafts.

METHODSMRI and DTI images were obtained from 16 rabbit models with implanted VX2 hepatic tumor grafts (14, 18, 22, and 26 days after tumor implantation, respectively) and 4 normal rabbits. The average diffusion coefficient (ADC) and exponential ADC (eADC) were estimated and compared against pathological findings.

RESULTSThe ADC values increased after tumor implantation but then decreased in the rabbit models, whereas eADC exhibited a pattern of reverse changes. These changes significantly differed from those in the control group. Coagulation necrosis and fibrous hyperplasia showed obvious increase as found by pathological examination.

CONCLUSIONDynamic MR DTI quantitative analysis of rabbit models of implanted VX2 hepatic tumor can partially describe the growth behaviors of implanted liver cancer.

Animals ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; pathology ; Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Female ; Image Enhancement ; methods ; Liver Neoplasms ; pathology ; Male ; Neoplasm Transplantation ; Rabbits ; Random Allocation

Objective To evaluate the early diagnostic value of circulating microRNA-1 (miR-1) on acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Methods A prospective cohort study was conducted. The patients with chest pain admitted to the Second People's Hospital of Wuxi from November 2012 to June 2015 were enrolled. According to AMI diagnostic criteria, the patients were divided into AMI group and non-AMI group, and healthy individuals during the same period were served as heath controls. The venous samples of the onset patients were collected within 3 hours after admission. The plasma miR-1 was determined by real-time quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and the levels of plasma cardiac troponin I (cTnI) and MB isoenzyme of creatine kinase (CK-MB) were measured by electrochemiluminescence. The correlation between plasma miR-1 and cTnI as well as CK-MB was performed by Spearman analysis. The early diagnostic performance of plasma miR-1, cTnI, and CK-MB for AMI was estimated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Results There were 127 patients in AMI group, and 107 in non-AMI group, including 82 patients with angina pectoris, 2 with pulmonary embolism, 3 with aortic dissection, 2 with acute pericarditis, 3 with myocarditis, 13 with acute heart failure, and 2 with peptic ulcer. Ninety volunteers were served as healthy controls. There was no difference in clinical characteristics including gender and hyperlipidemia between AMI group and non-AMI group. The expressions of plasma miR-1, cTnI and CK-MB were significantly increased in AMI patients as compared with those of the healthy controls [miR-1 (2-ΔΔCt): 4.32±2.60 vs. 1.44±0.75 and 0.98±0.18, cTnI (μg/L): 3.23 (0.63, 10.70) vs. 0.02 (0.00, 0.17) and 0.00 (0.00, 0.00), CK-MB (U/L): 32.40 (14.20, 95.40) vs. 14.40 (11.20, 17.10) and 8.90 (8.28, 9.50), all P < 0.01]. The expression of plasma miR-1 had a significantly positive correlation with cTnI and CK-MB in AMI patients (r1 = 0.395, r2 = 0.490, both P < 0.000). It was demonstrated by ROC curve analysis that the area under ROC curve (AUC) for the diagnostic value of miR-1 on AMI was 0.905 [95% confidence interval (95%CI) = 0.860-0.950, P = 0.000], the sensitivity was 86.6%, and the specificity was 95.4%; the AUC for cTnI was 0.908 (95%CI = 0.870-0.946, P = 0.000), the sensitivity was 81.9%, and the specificity was 95.9%; the AUC for CK-MB was 0.795 (95%CI = 0.736-0.854, P = 0.000), the sensitivity was 63.0%, and the specificity was 92.9%. Conclusions Plasma miR-1 has the capacity in early diagnosis of AMI, superior to CK-MB, and equal to cTnI. It can provide additional diagnostic information beyond cTnI. The diagnostic accuracy for early AMI can be improved with the combination of plasma miR-1 and cTnI.

This study was aimed to investigate expression of vascular endothelial growth factor mRNA (VEGF mRNA) and its relationship with leukemic cell apoptosis after VEGF antisense oligonucleotide (VEGF ASODN) transferred into HL-60 cells. The phosphorothiate VEGF ODN was transferred into HL-60 cells in vitro by using cation poly mediated method, the inhibitory rate of cell proliferation was assayed by MTT, expression of VEGF mRNA was measured by RT-PCR, cell apoptosis was detected by cell morphology observation, DNA agarose gel electrophoresis and flow cytometer (FCM). The results showed that difference of the inhibitory rate of cell proliferation and the relative expression of VEGF mRNA between ASODN group and MSODN or control groups under the same condition (p < 0.05) was statistic significant, but no significant difference (p > 0.05) was found between MSODN and control. The number of clusters of cells in ASODN group decreased; the morphology features of apoptotic cells involved cell shrinking, more granulation in cytoplasm, nuclear contracting and many fragments of cells. In MSODN and control groups, however, cells were plump and clear, and grow healthly. The result of electrophoresis revealed DNA ladder in ASODN group, while only one band of DNA in control groups. The rate of cell apoptosis was 19.46% in ASODN group with a significant difference as compared with MSODN groups and control (p < 0.05). The rate of HL-60 cell apoptosis in combination of VEGF ASODN with VP16 was significantly higher than that in VP16 alone (p < 0.05) and showed time- and dose- dependence. It is concluded that VEGF ASODN can down-regulate expression of VEGF mRNA of HL-60 cells, induces the apoptosis, inhibits the proliferation of HL-60 cells and enhances VP16-induced apoptosis in HL-60 cells, the VEGF ASODN in combination with VP16 shows additive effect.
Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Etoposide ; pharmacology ; HL-60 Cells ; Humans ; Oligonucleotides, Antisense ; pharmacology ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Transfection ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; metabolism

BACKGROUNDRecent autopsy study showed a high incidence of cerebrovascular lesions in Alzheimer's disease (AD). To assess the impact of cerebrovascular pathology in AD, we used diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to study AD patients with and without cerebrovascular lesions.

MATERIALS AND METHODSConventional and DTI scans were obtained from 10 patients with probable AD, 10 AD/V patients (probable AD with cerebrovascular lesions) and ten normal controls. Mean diffusivity (D) and fractional anisotropy (FA) values of some structures involved with AD pathology were measured.

RESULTSD value was higher in AD patients than in controls in hippocampus and the cingulate gyrus. In AD/V patients, increased D value was found in the same structures and also in the thalamus and basal ganglia compared to controls. There was a significant difference of D value between AD and AD/V patients. FA value reduced in the white matter of left inferior temporal gyrus and in the bilateral middle cingulate gyrus in patients with AD/V compared with controls. The MMSE (mini-mental state examination) score significantly correlated with FA value in the right hippocampus (r=0.639, P<0.019), in the right anterior cingulate gyrus (r=0.587, P<0.035) and in left parahippocampal gyrus (r=0.559, P<0.047).

CONCLUSIONCerebrovascular pathology had stronger impact on the D value than the AD pathology alone did. Elevated D value in thalamic and basal ganglia may contribute to cognitive decline in AD/V patients. Reduced FA values in AD/V patients may indicate that cerebrovascular pathology induced more severe white matter damage than the AD pathology alone did.

Aged ; Alzheimer Disease ; complications ; pathology ; Brain ; blood supply ; pathology ; Cerebral Cortex ; pathology ; Cerebrovascular Disorders ; complications ; pathology ; Cognition ; Corpus Callosum ; pathology ; Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Female ; Hippocampus ; pathology ; Humans ; Male ; Temporal Lobe ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo form ACC-M-GFP cells by transfecting pEGFP-1 into ACC-M cells, and to build up lung metastasis model of adenoid cystic carcinoma for dynamic observation in simulated lung environment.

METHODSpEGFP-1 was prepared and then transfected into ACC-M cell lines by using cationic lipid-based gene transfer technique. After successive selection, the ACC-M-GFP cells were collected and inoculated in BALB/C mice. The simulated lung environment was built up, and dynamic observation was performed by laser confocal microscopy within four weeks after transfection.

RESULTSThe amount of fluorescent tumor cell colonies and the intensity of fluorescence gradually increased from the second week to the forth week after transfection. In the meantime, only a very small number of tumor cells had the ability to form clones.

CONCLUSIONSWe successfully built up a lung metastasis model of adenoid cystic carcinoma for dynamic observation. The model is suitable for capturing and analyzing metastatic tumor cells in early stage.

Animals ; Carcinoma, Adenoid Cystic ; secondary ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Green Fluorescent Proteins ; genetics ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; secondary ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Mice, Nude ; Mouth Neoplasms ; pathology ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Neoplasms, Experimental ; Transfection

The purpose was to investigate the effect of phytohemagglutinin (PHA) on proliferation and cytotoxicity of cytokine-induced killer (CIK). Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMNCs) from healthy donors were divided into two groups. Cells were resuspended and maintained in complete medium containing of 10% autologous plasma. CIK cells were cultured by traditional method in group one. The other group cells were added PHA to stimulate PBMNCs for 24 hours, then cultured like incubating CIK cells. Their cytotoxicity to different target cells was evaluated by (51)Cr release assay. The results showed that the proliferation multiples of CIK and PHA-CIK cells were both high, however, the latter was much higher than CIK with significance (P < 0.05). Cells in each group cells showed high cytotoxicity. At the same high effector/target ratio PHA-CIK cells cytotoxicity was stronger than CIK cells when targets were K562 cells or acute leukemia cells (P < 0.05). In conclusion, PHA-CIK cells exhibit stronger proliferation and cytotoxicity than CIK cells, and the result provides an experimental basis for biotherapy.
Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Coculture Techniques ; Cytotoxicity Tests, Immunologic ; Cytotoxicity, Immunologic ; drug effects ; Humans ; K562 Cells ; Killer Cells, Lymphokine-Activated ; cytology ; immunology ; Leukocytes, Mononuclear ; cytology ; immunology ; Phytohemagglutinins ; pharmacology

Objective To evaluate the clinical features and the strategy for the diagnosis and treat- ment of bilateral testicular tumor.Methods The clinical data (including the signs and symptoms,imaging studies,tumor markers,treatment modalities and histopatbologic diagnoses) of 10 cases of bilateral testicular tumor from January 1980 to December 2004 were reviewed.Their age ranged from 19 to 58 years(mean,34 years).Of the 10 cases,8 with metachronous and 2 with synchronous testicular tumors were identified.The clinical stages at the primary and secondary tumor diagnosis were:5 cases of stageⅠ,3 of stageⅡ;and 6 cases of stageⅠ,1 of stageⅡ,and 1 of stageⅢ,respectively,in 8 metachronous tumor patients.Two syn- chronous tumor patients were both identified as stageⅠdisease.Histological examination showed the primary tumor (seminoma) in 4 cases and the secondary contralateral tumor (seminoma) in 3.Results Two syn- chronous tumor patients underwent bilateral radical orchiectomy simultaneously,and 8 underwent orchiectomy successively.Retroperitoneal lymph node dissection was performed in 3 cases.Postoperatively,hypogonadism occurred in 10 patients,and 7 of them received androgen replacement therapy.Follow-up ranged from 9 month to 23 years with a mean of 10.5 years.Two patients died of the disease;2 had metastasis (1 of them was alive with metastasis);2 had recurrences and underwent local resection.Conclusions Metachronous bilateral testicular cancers are more common than synchronous bilateral testicular cancers.Seminoma was the most common histopathologic type.Testis-sparing surgery can be performed in selected cases.

The present study aimed at investigating the effects of chronic multiple stress on learning and memory functions of rats. Adult male Wistar rats were randomly divided into stressed and control groups. Rats in the stressed group were irregularly and alternately exposed to the situation of vertical revolution, sleep deprivation, noise stimulation, and night illumination 6 h per day for 6 weeks to prepare a chronic multiple stressed model. Learning and memory performance of rats was measured by using Morris water maze first and Y-maze afterwards. Neurons in the dentate gyrus(DG), CA3 and CA1 regions of the hippocampus were stained by using Cresyl violet method and counted. The results showed that: (1) After chronic multiple stress, compared with the control rats, the escape latency to the hidden platform in Morris water maze was significantly shortened in stressed rats. In stressed and control groups, the escape latency periods were (15.89+/-9.15) s and (27.30+/-12.51) s, respectively, indicating that spatial memory of the stressed rats was stronger than that of the control ones. In brightness-darkness discrimination learning in the Y- maze, the correct trials and correct percentage of entering safe arm was remarkably increased in the stressed rats, the correct rates of stressed and control groups were (79.01+/-1.23)% and (66.12+/-1.61)%, respectively, indicating that brightness-darkness discrimination learning ability of the stressed rats was better than that of the control ones. (2) After chronic multiple stress, nerve cell density in DG, CA1 and CA3 of the hippocampus in stressed rats was higher than that of the control group, the cell densities in DG, CA1 and CA3 of the stressed and the control group were (223.78+/-26.52), (112.07+/-14.23) and (105.55+/-18.12) as well as (199.13+/-15.36), (92.89+/-13.69), and (89.02+/-15.77) respectively. These results suggest that the chronic multiple stress may enhance the capability of spatial memory and brightness-darkness discrimination learning of rats. Possible reasons for the chronic multiple stress-induced learning and memory enhancement of rats were also discussed.
Animals ; Hippocampus ; physiology ; Learning ; physiology ; Male ; Maze Learning ; Memory ; physiology ; Neuronal Plasticity ; physiology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Spatial Behavior ; physiology ; Stress, Physiological ; physiopathology

OBJECTIVEThis study aimed at exploring the feasibility of using dried blood spots (DBS) to detect HIV drug resistance genotyping in China by comparing the results of drug resistance from DBS, plasma and whole blood samples.

METHODSBlood samples were collected from 39 AIDS patients from Anhui (10), Yunnan (13), Hunan (6) and Xinjiang (10) provinces and autonomous regions. The HIV strains that infected these patients covered all the major HIV-1 subtypes prevailing in China (B, CRF01_AE, CRF07_BC). HIV drug resistance genotyping assay was performed on DBS as well as on the whole blood and plasma samples from the same patients simultaneously by using an in-house nest RT-PCR method. Drug resistance levels were determined based on Stanford University HIV drug resistance database, and the results from these three types of samples were compared.

RESULTSThe percentages of successful amplification of protease and reverse transcriptase regions in the pol gene were 95% (37/39) from DBS, 92% (36/39) from whole blood and 100% (39/39) from plasma samples. The sequences from the three types of samples showed more than 99% identity.86% (31/36) of the DBS samples had the same set of drug resistance mutations as those which were detected from plasma samples. The differences probably resulted from mixed bases.

CONCLUSIONSThere was no major difference in detecting HIV drug resistance genotyping among DBS, plasma and whole blood samples. Therefore, DBS is useful for detection of HIV drug resistance genotyping and is particularly valuable in developing countries like China, especially in remote rural regions.

Dried Blood Spot Testing ; Drug Resistance, Viral ; genetics ; Feasibility Studies ; Genotype ; HIV Infections ; blood ; genetics ; virology ; HIV Seropositivity ; blood ; genetics ; virology ; HIV-1 ; drug effects ; genetics ; Humans ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Viral Load