OBJECTIVETo study the effect of the cultured supernatant of human silicotic alveolar macrophages (AM) on the expression of matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1) in human lung fibroblasts (FB).

METHODSHuman alveolar macrophages were collected from a silicotic patients by bronchoalveolar lavage and exposed to SiO(2), then the cultured supernatant were incubated with human fetal lung fibroblasts for 6, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48 h. The immunocytochemical method was used to detect the level of expression of MMP-1 and TIMP-1 in lung fibroblasts.

RESULTSThe expression of MMP-1 in FB in 24 h incubation was lower in cultured supernatant of silicotic AM unexposed to SiO(2) than in blank control [integrated OD (IOD)]: 0.103 +/- 0.014 vs 0.133 +/- 0.023), while the expression of TIMP-1 was higher (IOD: 0.108 +/- 0.012 vs 0.065 +/- 0.006). The expression of MMP-1 in FB in cultured supernatant of AM exposed to SiO(2) for 24 h was further decreased (IOD: 0.062 +/- 0.008 vs 0.133 +/- 0.023), while that of TIMP-1 was further increased (IOD: 0.143 +/- 0.015 vs 0.065 +/- 0.006).

CONCLUSIONSiO(2) may affect the expression of MMP-1 and TIMP-1 system through AM mediation and participate in the formation of lung fibrosis.

Cells, Cultured ; Coculture Techniques ; Fibroblasts ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Humans ; Lung ; cytology ; Macrophages, Alveolar ; physiology ; Male ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 1 ; metabolism ; Middle Aged ; Silicon Dioxide ; pharmacology ; Silicosis ; pathology ; Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1 ; metabolism

Objective To report the outcome of emergency repair of severe complex defect in forearm by transplantation of free flap and simultaneous functional reconstruction.Methods From Mar.1994 to Aug.2003,4 cases with severe complex defect in forearm was repaired by transplantation of free skin flap, free skin flap combined with fibula flap,or fibula osteocutaneous flap in emergency.Simultaneously the flexion and extension function were repaired by muscle transfer and/or tendon grafting,tenonectomy.Results All the cases were successful.Follow-up period ranged from 1 to 3 years postoperatively.The blood-supply,tex- ture and elasticity of transferred flaps were excellent with good bone healing.Opposition of thumb with four fin- gers was good.Sensory recovery of the hand was satisfactory.Conclusion Transplantation of free flap com- bined with simultaneous functional reconstruction is an ideal method in emergency repair of severe complex de- fect in forearm.

AIMOn the model of limb ischemia/reperfusion (LIR), the effects of taurine on pulmonary morphological changes in rats were observed.

METHODSWistar rats were divided into three groups (n=8): control group, ischemia/reperfusion group (IR) and taurine + IR (Tau + IR). Then macroscopic inspection and optical and transmission electron microscopies (TEM) were performed to assess the morphological changes of the lung tissues and their lung index (LI) and lung permeability index (LPI) and reactive oxygen species (ROS), malondialdehyde (MDA) were measured as well.

RESULTSThe morphological changes of lung tissue after LIR were characterized by an increase of permeability of the alveoli-capillary membrane and infiltration of inflammatory cells. Under optical microscopy, there were congestion and swelling in pulmonary microvessels with broadened the spaces around the blood vessels. Under TEM, a number of tight-junctional regions between adjacent alveolar epithelial cells and between pulmonary microvessels endothelium were "open". The LI, LPI, MDA and ROS increased. The specimens of Taurine + IR group revealed slight to moderate degrees of damages in the lung tissues.

CONCLUSIONTaurine protects lung from LIR in rats and the protective action on tight-junctional regions between cells and anti-oxygen is one of the protective mechanisms of taurine.

Animals ; Hindlimb ; blood supply ; Lung ; drug effects ; pathology ; Lung Injury ; prevention & control ; Male ; Malondialdehyde ; analysis ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; analysis ; Reperfusion Injury ; prevention & control ; Taurine ; pharmacology ; Tight Junctions ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of silicosis alveolar macrophages (AM) restimulated by SiO(2) on expression of c-myc oncogene in human embryo lung fibroblasts.

METHODSThe bronchoalveolar lavage of silicosis patients was collected. AMs were divided into 2 groups: (1) SiO(2): AMs were stimulated with SiO(2) (30 microg/ml) for 1, 2, 6, 12, 24 and 36 h; (2) control: treated for the same time without SiO(2). Fibroblasts were cultured with different AMs supernatants for 2 h or 7 h respectively. The expression of c-myc mRNA was determined by RT-PCR and protein by Western Blot.

RESULTSThere was no c-myc expression when fibroblasts were static. The supernatants in the S6 group stimulated expression of c-myc mRNA and protein, with the peak expression at 2 h and 7 h respectively. In the control group, AMs supernatants cultured in different time stimulated expression of c-myc mRNA and protein with the most evident expression at 12 h. The ratios were 0.749 +/- 0.088 and 0.759 +/- 0.101 respectively. Compared with control in the same period, c-myc mRNA and protein expression were significantly stronger treated with the supernatants in which AMs were stimulated for 1 h, 2 h and 6 h by SiO(2) (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONAMs stimulated with SiO(2) has the ability to induce c-myc oncogene expression in human embryo lung fibroblasts.

Cells, Cultured ; Fibroblasts ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Humans ; Lung ; drug effects ; metabolism ; pathology ; Macrophages, Alveolar ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc ; genetics ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; Silicon Dioxide ; toxicity ; Silicosis ; metabolism ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo study clinical effects of one-hole microplate internal fixation for the treatment of collateral ligament injuries of the metacarpophalangeal joint of the thumb combined with fracture.

METHODSTwenty-two patients (16 males, 6 females) with collateral ligament injuries of the metacarpophalangeal joint of the thumb combined fracture were treated with one-hole microplate internal fixation. The age of the patients ranged from 18 to 53 years old with a mean age of 28.5 years old. The duration from injury to surgery ranged from 2 hours to 2 months, and the mean time was 6 days. All the patients had collateral ligament injuries combined with fracture of the metacarpophalangeal joint of the thumb. Thirteen patients had injuries in the right hand and 9 patients had injuries in the left hand. There were 18 cases of closed wound and 4 cases of open wound. Eighteen patients had fresh injuries (< 2 weeks) and 4 had old injuries (> 2 weeks). Sixteen patients had injuries in the ulnar collateral ligament of the thumb combined with fracture, 6 patients had radial collateral ligament injuries of the thumb combined with fracture, 4 cases of which were complicated with injuries of abductor pollicis brevis and the end of the flexor pollicis brevis tender. The size of the avulsed fragment was about 3.0 mm x 4.0 mm to 6.0 mm x 7.0 mm.

RESULTSThe incisions of 22 patients healed by first intention. The follow-up periods ranged from 6 months to 5 years old,with an average of 2.5 years old. The thumb function was evaluated by Saetta and other evaluation criteria, and 20 patients got an excellent result and 2 good.

CONCLUSIONThe application of one-hole microplate internal fixation in treating collateral ligament injuries with fracture of the metacarpophalangeal joint of the thumb is an effective method.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Bone Plates ; Collateral Ligaments ; injuries ; surgery ; Female ; Fracture Fixation, Internal ; methods ; Fractures, Bone ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Metacarpophalangeal Joint ; injuries ; surgery ; Middle Aged ; Thumb ; injuries ; surgery ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of SiO(2) on the expression of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP) in human alveolar macrophages (AMs) associated with the pathogenesis of silicotic fibrosis.

METHODSAMs were collected from a silicotic patient by bronchoalveolar lavage, and exposed to SiO(2) (50 microg/ml), and cultured in DMEM without serum for different time (2, 6, 12, 18, 24, 36 h). Immunocytochemical method was used to detect the level of expression of MMP-9 and TIMP-1 in AMs.

RESULTSThe expression of MMP-9 in AMs exposed to silica was up-regulated, and reached the peak at 18 h [average optical density: (0.440 +/- 0.021) vs (0.390 +/- 0.011), P < 0.05]. After that, the expression reduced markedly. However, the expression of TIMP-1 of AMs were not significantly different from the control group [average optical density: (0.175 +/- 0.019) vs (0.162 +/- 0.044), P > 0.05].

CONCLUSIONSiO(2) could induce up-expression of MMP-9 in AMs. Degradation of basement membrane by MMP-9 produced by AMs at early stage of lung injury may associate with the immigration of various cells including lung fibroblasts into the injured region.

Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid ; cytology ; Cells, Cultured ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Macrophages, Alveolar ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Male ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 ; biosynthesis ; Middle Aged ; Silicon Dioxide ; pharmacology ; Silicosis ; pathology ; Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1 ; biosynthesis

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of culture supernatant of alveolar macrophage alveolar macrophages (AM) stimulated by SiO2 on the expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMP-1), tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1) and collagen of fibroblast human embryonic lung fibroblasts (HELF) in the development of silicosis fibrosis.

METHODSAMs were collected from a silicotic patient by bronchoalveolar lavage and exposed to SiO2, cultured human embryo lung fibroblast were allocated into a treated group, a control group, a positive group, and a blank group. HELF was incubated with the cultured supernatant of AMs for 6, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48 h. Immunocytochemical and Western blot technology were used to detect MMP-1 and TIMP-1 expressions in HELF and collagen expression in supernatant of HELF respectively.

RESULTSThe supernatant of AM exposed to SiO2 significantly decreased the expressions of MMP-1 (0.0605 +/- 0.0201, 0.0519 +/- 0.0117, 0.0412 +/- 0.0105 and 0.0213 +/- 0.0106 in the treated group at 18, 24, 36 and 48 h) compared with the control group and the blank group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01) but stimulated expressions of TIMP-1 and collagen (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). The ratio of TIMP-1 to MMP-1 increased. The ratio of TIMP-1 to MMP-1 was positively correlated with the expression of collagen III (r = 0.88, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONThrough AM mediation SiO2 can accelerate the expression of TIMP-1 and collagen, and inhibit the expression of MMP-1. The imbalance between the expression of TIMP-1 and that of MMP-1 is related with the abnormal increase in collagen III.

Cells, Cultured ; Collagen Type III ; metabolism ; Fibroblasts ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Humans ; Macrophages, Alveolar ; drug effects ; Male ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 1 ; metabolism ; Middle Aged ; Silicon Dioxide ; toxicity ; Silicosis ; pathology ; Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1 ; metabolism

OBJECTIVESTo construct an eucaryotic expression plasmid carrying the BMP7 gene and express in MSCs.

METHODSThe BMP7 gene was cloned into the eucaryotic expression vector pcDNA3.1. At the same time, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) were isolated and cultured in vitro. The plasmid carrying the BMP7 gene was transfected into MSCs.

RESULTSPCR and digesting demonstrated that the eucaryotic expression plasmid -pcDNA-BMP7 was obtained. RT-PCR and immunohistochemical methods showed that the BMP7 gene was expressed in MSCs.

CONCLUSIONConstruction of an eucaryotic expression plasmid carrying BMP7 gene and expression in MSCs provide a sound basis for gene therapy using the BMP7 gene and the ideal seeds for tissue engineering.

Bone Morphogenetic Protein 7 ; Bone Morphogenetic Proteins ; genetics ; Genetic Therapy ; Humans ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; metabolism ; Plasmids ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Tissue Engineering ; Transforming Growth Factor beta

On a model of reperfusion after ischemia in the hind limbs (LIR) of rats, we used aminoguanidine (AG) which inhibits nitric oxide synthase (NOS) and L-arginine (L-Arg), one of the substrates in the process of nitric oxide synthesis, to observe the changes in NO, NOS, malondialdehyde (MDA), myeloperoxidase (MPO) and wet/dry ratio (W/D) in both skeletal muscles and the lung as well as the changes in phosphatidyl choline (PC) of lung surfactant. The morphologic changes were observed with microscopy. It was observed that the values of NOS, MPO, MDA of the muscle and lung in LIR group increased significantly and the content of PC decreased obviously compared with those of the normal control. Pulmonary observation revealed that after LIR leucocyte assembling and infiltration took place, which was dominated by polymorphocytes with broadened pulmonary interstitial tissue. In LIR+L-Arg group the above changes were reversed, and in LIR+AG group the injuries became more serious. The results obtained suggest that the activity of NOS and the production of NO following ischemia/reperfusion of hind limbs increased significantly, and that the endogenous NO may play a protective role during the early stage of acute lung injury after LIR.
Animals ; Hindlimb ; Lung Diseases ; etiology ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Nitric Oxide ; metabolism ; physiology ; Nitric Oxide Synthase ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Reperfusion Injury ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo study the role of transplantation of the vascularized pedicle iliac crest for the repair of bone and soft tissue defect of lower extremity.

METHODSThe vascularized pedicle iliac crest was designed for the repair of bone and soft tissue defect of lower extremity according to anatomic feature of leg and foot. Skin graft was used for coverage of the iliac flap.

RESULTSSkin survival could demonstrate the survival of the vascularized pedicle iliac crest indirectly one week postoperatively. Skin survived completely in 4 cases and partly in 3 cases. Callus was seen at the transplantation site one month postoperatively, and K-wires were removed 4 months later in the cases of metatarsal defect. The external fixators were removed in the cases of tibia defect 6 to 8 months postoperatively. The functions of lower extremities were restored in 2 to 4 months. The bone and soft tissue defects were repaired, and ultimate function and cosmetic effects were satisfied after the mean follow up of 10 months (ranged from 6 to 15 months).

CONCLUSIONTransplantation of the vascularized pedicle iliac crest is an ideal method for the repair of bone and soft tissue defect of lower extremity. The operation can be performed in one stage. The functions and cosmetic effects are better than the traditional methods.

Adult ; Bone Transplantation ; methods ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Ilium ; blood supply ; transplantation ; Leg Injuries ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Skin Transplantation ; methods ; Soft Tissue Injuries ; surgery ; Transplantation, Autologous