Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor/therapeutic use* ; Immunoglobulins ; Granulocytes ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Mobilization

Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Mobilization ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; Hematopoietic Stem Cells ; Transplantation, Autologous

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Stem cell factor (SCF), B cell-activating factor (BAFF) and Interleukin (IL)-31 are related to allergic diseases such as atopic dermatitis or asthma. But they have not been sufficiently investigated in connection with IgEmediated allergic rhinitis. In this study, we evaluated the association between plasma concentrations of these cytokines and allergic rhinitis. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A comparative study of the concentrations of plasma SCF, BAFF and IL-31 were conducted between persistent allergic rhinitis patients and a healthy control group using ELISA. RESULTS: Plasma BAFF and IL-31 concentrations were significantly increased in allergic rhinitis group (BAFF, 1,255 pg/mL, Plasma BAFF and IL-31 concentrations were significantly increased in the allergic rhinitis group (BAFF, 1,255 pg/mL, p<0.001;IL-31, 221 pg/mL, p<0.001) than in the control group (BAFF, 1,089 pg/mL;IL-31, 153 pg/mL). But the level of SCF did not exhibit any difference between the allergic rhinitis patients and the control group. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that plasma BAFF and IL-31 might be associated with the inflammatory mechanism of persistent allergic rhinitis patients.
Asthma ; Cytokines ; Dermatitis, Atopic ; Humans ; Interleukins ; Plasma ; Rhinitis ; Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial ; Stem Cell Factor ; Stem Cells

In spontaneous hair loss of C57BL/6N mice model, we investiged the factors related to hair loss by microscopic and immunocytochemical methods. The results were as follows; Microsopic observation of sebaceous gland was developed, and subcutaneous layer was thin in SA and AU group. Number of mast cells in SA and AU group was more increased than that of other groups. Number and immunoreactive density of CD4/CD8 lymphocytes was more increased than that of other groups. Immunoreactivity of substance P and CRF was weakly stained in stem cell region of SA and AU group. Immunoreactivity of CRF-R and CRF-BP was weakly stained in stem cell and bulge regions of SA and AU group. Immunoreactivity of stem cell factor was weakly stained in stem cell, bulge region and dermal papilla of SA and AU group. These experiment suggest that factors related to hair loss in spontaneous hair loss C57BL/6N mice models are increased of mast cell, CD4 and CD8 lymphocytes, and decreased of cytokine and neuropeptide in stem cell, bulge region and dermal papilla.
Animals ; Hair* ; Lymphocytes ; Mast Cells ; Mice* ; Neuropeptides ; Sebaceous Glands ; Stem Cell Factor ; Stem Cells ; Substance P

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether animal age impacts in vitro preantral follicle growth. Effects of hCG, stem cell factor (SCF), and/or insulin-like growth factor (IGF) supplementation in growth medium were also investigated. METHODS: Intact preantral follicles were mechanically isolated from fresh ovaries of BDF1 mice and cultured in growth medium for 9 to 11 days. Surviving follicles with antrum formation were transferred to maturation medium for 14 to 18 hours. Follicle survival, antrum formation, and retrieval of metaphase II (MII) oocytes were compared among three age categories (4-5, 7-8, and 10-11 week-old). By using 7- to 8-week-old mice, preantral follicles were cultured in growth medium supplemented with hCG (0, 5, or 10 mIU/mL), SCF (50 ng/mL), IGF-1 (50 ng/mL), and SCF+IGF-1. RESULTS: Seven- to eight-week-old mice showed a higher follicle survival and antrum formation and produced more MII oocytes compared to other groups. In the 7- to 8-week-old mice, supplementation of 5 mIU/mL hCG significantly enhanced the antrum formation but the percentage of MII oocytes was similar to that of the control. Supplementation of SCF+IGF-1 did not enhance follicle survival or antrum formation but the percentage of MII oocytes increased modestly (39.1%) than in the control (28.6%, statistically not significant). CONCLUSION: Seven- to eight-week-old mice showed better outcomes in growth of preantral follicles in vitro than 4- to 5- or 10- to 11-week-old mice. Supplementation of hCG enhanced antrum formation and supplementation of SCF+IGF-1 yielded more mature oocytes; hence, these should be considered in the growth of preantral follicles in vitro.
Animals ; Female ; Humans ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor I ; Metaphase ; Mice ; Oocytes ; Ovarian Follicle ; Ovary ; Stem Cell Factor ; Stem Cells

PURPOSE: If primitive hematopoietic cells expanded ex vivo can be used in stem cell transplantation, duration for hematologic recovery will be shortened. In this study, CD34 cells were cultured with various hematopoietic growth factors which are known to stimulate proliferation of primitive hematopoietic cells. METHODS: CD34 cells isolated from cord blood were cultured and expanded ex vivo with IL-3, stem cell factor (SCF), flt-3 ligand (FL), thrombopoietin (TPO), granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF). To find optimal combination of growth factors, CD34 cells were cultured for 9 days with various combinations of growth factors. To find optimal duration of culture, CD34 cells were cultured for 5, 7, 9, 12 days. To evaluate expansion of primitive hematopoietic cells, the number of CD34 cells, colony forming cells and long-term culture-initiating cells (LTC-IC) were counted by flow cytometry, colony forming cell assay and limiting dilution assay respectively. RESULTS: Primitive hematopoietic cells were successfully expanded from CD34 cells of cord blood. Maximal expansion of LTC-IC and CFU- GEMM were 2.58 and 2.37 fold respectively after 9 days of culture, and were obtained with the combination of IL-3 SCF FL TPO. When CD34 cells were cultured for 5, 7, 9, 12 days with the combination of IL-3 SCF FL TPO, expansion of LTC-IC was maximal (2.95 fold) after 9 days culture. After reaching maximal expansion of LTC-IC, the number of nucleated cells increased, but that of primitive hematopoietic cells decreased. CONCLUSION: Primitive hematopoietic cells can be successfully expanded ex vivo by using hematopoietic growth factors. Duration for hematologic recovery after stem cell transplantation will be shortened by using primitive hematopoietic cells expanded ex vivo.
Fetal Blood ; Flow Cytometry ; Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins* ; Interleukin-3 ; Stem Cell Factor ; Stem Cell Transplantation ; Thrombopoietin ; Transplantation

Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Mobilization ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; Humans ; Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin/therapy* ; Transplantation, Autologous

BACKGROUND: The pathogenesis of melasma has not yet been clearly identified. Recently, it was reported that dermal fibroblasts played an important role in the epidermal pigmentary disorders. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the role of fibroblast-derived cytokines, hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), stem cell factor (SCF), tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, and interleukin (IL)-1alpha in the development of melasma. METHOD: Using immunohistochemistry, we measured the levels of cytokines produced by fibroblasts derived from lesional skin, compared with perilesional normal skin in 50 melasma patients. RESULTS: The expression of HGF and SCF was found to be significantly increased in the lesional dermis compared to perilesional normal skin. However, there was no significant difference in the expression of TNF-alpha and IL-1alpha in melasma skin. CONCLUSION: These results may indicate that the dermal fibroblast-derived cytokines, HGF and SCF play an important role in the mechanism of hyperpigmentation in melasma.
Cytokines* ; Dermis ; Fibroblasts ; Hepatocyte Growth Factor ; Humans ; Hyperpigmentation ; Immunohistochemistry ; Interleukins ; Melanosis* ; Skin ; Stem Cell Factor ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

OBJECTIVE: To explore the method for inducing the differentiation of bone marrow cells into megakaryocytes in vitro so as to use for evaluating the activity of traditional Chinese medicines. METHODS: The bone marrow cells were separated from femurs and tibias of mice. The experiments were divided into 4 groups: control (no adding cytokines), TPO (adding 50 ng/ml TPO), TPO+SCF (50 ng/ml+50 ng/ml) and TPO+SCF+IL-6+IL-9 (50 ng/ml+50 ng/ml+20 ng/ml+20 ng/ml). The bone marrow cells in 4 groups were cultured in vitro for 6 d. Then the cell growth status was observed by the inverted microscopy, and the cell count was detected by using the automatic cell counter. The ratio and absolute count of megakaryocytes were detected by flow cytometry. RESULTS: Compared with control, three induction methods could stimulate the differentiation of bone marrow cells into megakaryocytes in vitro. TPO could slightly enhance the differentiation of bone marrow cells into megakaryocytes. Both the combination of TPO and SCF, and the combination of TPO, SCF, IL-6 and IL-9 could intensively stimulate proliferation of bone morrow cells and promote the differentiation of bone marrow cells into megakaryocytes. The addition of IL-6 and IL-9 could decrease the proliferation of non-megakaryocytes, but promote the differentiation of bone marrow cells into megakaryocytes. CONCLUSION The optimized differentiation of bone marrow cells into megakaryocytes has been completed by co-induction regimen of TPO, SCF, IL-6 and IL-9, which can be used to screen and evaluate traditional Chinese medicines promoting formation of platelets.
Animals ; Bone Marrow Cells ; Cell Count ; Cell Differentiation ; Cell Division ; Cells, Cultured ; Interleukin-3 ; Megakaryocytes ; Mice ; Stem Cell Factor ; Thrombopoietin

OBJECTIVETo analyze the success rate and influencing factors for collecting peripheral blood hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) by combination of cyclophosphamide (CTX) or E-CHOP chemotherapy combined with granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) in patients with multiple myeloma.

METHODSThe clinical data of 75 patients with multiple myeloma in our hospital were retrospectively analyzed. All patients received CTX or E-CHOP chemotherapy combined with G-CSF mobilization to collect HSC, and the success rate (CD34 cell numbers was at least 2×10/kg) and its influencing factors were statistically analyzed.

RESULTSA total of 86 collections by mobilization were performed in 75 patients, with the average 3.22 (0.12-22.28)×10/kg of CD34 cells, and the success rate of 74.42%. Single factor analysis revealed that the course number of chemotherapy and disease status before the collection significantly correlated with the success rate of HSC collection (P<0.05), and sex, age, disease type, ISS stage and mobilization method showed no significant correlation with the collection success rate (P>0.05). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that the course number of chemotherapy positively related with the success rate of HSC collection (OR=2.95, 95% CI: 1.60-5.41, P<0.01), and there was no significant correlation with the disease status before collection (OR=1.01, 95% CI: 0.88-1.16, P=0.89).

CONCLUSIONThere are no significant effects of sex, disease type, ISS staging and mobilization methods on the success rate of HSC collection in patients with multiple myeloma, and the less course number of chemotherapy (<5) before collection show a higher success rate of HSC collection.