AIM:To investigate the activity of NF-?B in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from patients with Graves disease (GD) and the significance in immunopathogenesis of GD.METHODS:Peripheral blood was collected from 22 untreated GD,20 treated GD with tapazole more than 1 year,and 25 healthy volunteers. PBMCs were isolated from the blood by histopaque-1077 density-gradient centrifugation. The activity of NF-?B in PBMCs was analyzed using gel electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA). The contents of IL-1?,IL-6 and TNF-? were tested by radioimmunoassay.RESULTS:The activity of NF-?B in PBMCs of untreated GD group was increased remarkably,compared with that in the treated group and control (P

Objective To investigate the expression of protein interacting with Cα kinase 1 (PICK1) and its significance in colorectal adenocarcinoma.Methods The expression of PICK1 were detected by immunohistochemistry and Western blot methods in tissues of colorectal adenocarcinoma,colorectal adenoma,colorectal polyp and adjacent tissues.The correlation between PICK1 and clinical pathological data was explored.Results Immunohistochemical assay showed that the positive ratio of PICK1 protein was 72.5 ％ (74/102),and overexpressed in 31 cases (30.4 ％,31/102) with colorectal adenocarcinoma.The ratio of high expression level of PICK1 in colorectal adenoma tissues (22.2 ％,8/36) was significantly higher than that in the adjacent tissues (0,0/40) (P ＜ 0.05).The ratio of high expression level of PICK1 in colorectal polyp tissues (5.6 ％,2/36) was no statistically difference compared with that of the adjacent tissues (P ＞ 0.05).Western blot analysis revealed that the expression of PICK1 in colorectal adenocarcinoma (1.10±0.04) was significantly higher than that in the adjacent tissues (0.75±0.07) (P ＜ 0.05).The result showed significant correlation with the tumor location,the degree of differentiation,depth of invasion,TNM stages and lymph metastasis (all P ＜ 0.05).However,there is no correlation was revealed between PICK1 expression and the patients age,gender (both P ＞ 0.05).Conclusion The expression of PICK1 may be associated with the tumorgenesis,progression,invasion and metastasis of colorectal adenocarcinoma,which contributes to the prognosis of patients.

BACKGROUND: As is well known that hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) contain in bone marrow, peripheral blood, and cord blood. Recent studies found that human placenta tissue (PT) also exists in HSPCs. But so far the property and differentiation capacity of human PT-HSPCs is not yet known. Furthermore the composition of lymphocyte subpopulations and immunogenicity regarded to human PT-HSPCs are also unclear.OBJECTIVE: To verify whether there are more HSPCs in human PT than those in human umbilical cord blood (UCB), to investigate their capacities of proliferation and differentiation, and to analyze the phenotypes of lymphocyte subpopulations in human PT.DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING: Open eXperiments were performed at the Key Laboratory of Cell Engineering of Guizhou Provinee from January 2004 to December 2006.SETTING: Key Laboratory of Cell Engineering of Guizhou Province, the Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical College.MATERIALS: Twelve human placenta and UCB samples through cesarean delivery were collected aseptically with the informed consents of parturients derived from Maternity Department of the Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical College. The main reagents were detailed as follows: lymphocyte subpopulations analysis reagents Simultest IMK-lymphocyte Kit, CD34 absolute counting reagents Kit (Becton Dickinson); CD34 Multisort Kit, FITC conjugated CD38 monoclonal antibody, anti-FITC microbeads and MS/LS mini MACS segregating, columns (Miltenyi Biotec).METHODS: UCB samples were 1:1 diluted with RPMI-1640 containing 0.1 volume fraction of fetal bovine serum and the mononuclear cells (MNCs) were isolated on Ficoll-Histopaque by centrifugation for 30 minutes. The MNCs at the interface were collected and washed with PBS. Single cells suspension liquid of human PT was prepared by mechanical method combined with 0.25g/L collagenase digestion. After that, the placenta samples underwent the same protocol as used in UCB to isolate MNCs. The percentage of CD34+CD38-, CD34+CD38+ HSPCs and the phenotype of lymphocyte subpopulations derived from human PT-MNCs were analyzed by flow cytometry (FCM). CD34+CD38-, CD34+CD38- cell subsets isolated by magnetic-activated cell sorting (MACS) from human PT were used to carry out colony-forming culture including granulocyte/macrophage colony-forming unit (CFU-GM), burst forming unit-erythroid (BFU-E) and mixed colony-forming unit (CFU-Mix) in order to assess their capacities of hematopoietic progenitor cells' proliferation and differentiation. In parallel, UCB samples underwent the same protocols for comparison.MAIN 0UTCOME MEASURES: Percent compositions of CD34+ HSPCs, hematopoietic progenitors' lineage colony-forming capacities of CD34+ HSPCs, phenotypes and compositions of lymphocyte subpopulations both in PT and UCB.RESULTS: The percentage of CD34+ cells contained in human PT was 8.8 times higher than that of in UCB (P<0.01). The total number of lymphocytes, T cells (CD3+CD2+), B cells (CD19+), Th (CD3+CD4+) and Th/Ts ratio were apparently lower in human placenta, while the number of CD8+CD28- T suppressor cells were higher compared to UCB samples (P<0.01). Among PT, CFU-GM, BFU-E and CFU-Mix frequencies of CD34+CD38- cells subset were much higher than that of CD34+CD38- (P<0.01). Within the same phenotype of cell subsets, however, the number of each colony-forming unit was similar between PT and UCB (P 0.05).CONCLUSION: Human PT is richer in CD34+CD38-, CD34+CD38+ HSPCs and both of them have the abilities of proliferating and differentiating into CFU-GM, BFU-E and CFU-Mix. Considering that human PT have a lower lymphocyte subpopulations and higher Ts cells, human PT might be a alternative and suitable source of HSPCs for clinical transplantation.

Objective To summarize the technique and managements of complications in endovascular embolization on intracranial aneurysm with Guglielmi detachable coils(GDC),and to evaluate the effect of the treatment.Methods One hundred and thirty six cases with Aneurizym were treated using GDC to embolize the aneurismal sac via femoral artery approach.Results One hundred and thirty six aneurysms were cured.Of them 132 cases recovered clinically,4 patients died.The mortality was 2.9%. The sac of 123 aneurysms were embolizied at 100%,8 cases with 95% embolization,5 with 90% embolization.3 aneurysms reptured during the embolization,cerebral vasospasm happened in 7 eases. microcoil escaped in 2 case.Three recurring cases were cured after second GDC embolization.The technique-related complications occured in 13 cases.No re-bleeding occurred during the 6 to 54-month follow-up.Conclusion Endovascular embolization of intracranial aneurysm with coils is a safe and effective treatment for intracranial aneurysm.Advances in Techniques and treating the complications correctly would decrease the complications and improve future outcomes.

BACKGROUNDGenetic factors are believed to play a role in the individual susceptibility to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). A single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) has been reported but inconsistent results may arise from different populations and phenotypes of COPD. There are only a few published studies of interleukin-13 (IL-13) SNPs on COPD. The SNPs of TNF-alpha and IL-13 have not been studied in the Chinese population. This research was conducted to study the frequencies of IL-13 gene promoter 1055 (IL-13-1055) and TNF-alpha gene-308 polymorphisms in the patients with COPD and to investigate the effect of those genetic polymorphisms on COPD in the Chinese population.

METHODSA cohort of COPD patients and age matched controls were recruited from an inpatient hospital service in Beijing. Venous blood was obtained and genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood monocytes using standard method. Genomic DNA was used as a template for amplification by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to determine the polymorphism at -1055 in the IL-13 gene promoter region. PCR restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) was used to determine polymorphisms in the TNF-alpha gene-308 position. The products were investigated by sequence analysis also.

RESULTSOne hundred and eleven COPD patients and 97 controls were studied. Seventy-five cases were current smokers in COPD patients and 36 were current smokers in controls. The frequencies of TT genotype in the IL-13 gene promoter region were 11.7% (13/111) in the COPD group and 13.4% (13/97) in the controls (P = 0.713). However, the OR value of TT genotype was significantly increased to 6.4 (95% CI 1.62 - 25.39) in the smokers with COPD. TT genotype was also positively related to family history of COPD, OR = 7.7 (95% CI 1.37 - 43.80). The frequencies of A allele in the TNF-alpha gene were 5.9% in COPD and 3.1% in controls (P = 0.131). The OR value of A allele was 5.0 (95% CI 1.011 to 25.059) in smokers with COPD.

CONCLUSIONSThere is no significant difference in the frequencies of the TT genotype of IL-13-1055 or the A allele of the TNF-alpha between Han Chinese patients with COPD versus control. Thus, it does not appear that these SNPs are independent factors in COPD for Han nationality in Beijing. However, these SNPs may increase the risk of COPD among smokers.

Adult ; Aged ; China ; ethnology ; Female ; Genotype ; Humans ; Interleukin-13 ; genetics ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive ; genetics ; immunology ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; genetics

BACKGROUNDCarotid stenosis is one of the common reasons for patients with ischemic stroke, and the two invasive options carotid endarterectomy (CEA) and carotid artery stenting (CAS) are the most popular treatments. But the relative efficacy and safety of the methods are not clear.

METHODSAbout 521 articles related to CAS and CEA for carotid stenosis published in 1995 - 2011 were retrieved from MEDLINE, Cochrane Library (CL), and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) China Journal Full-Test database. Of them, eight articles were chosen. Meta-analysis was used to assess the relative risks.

RESULTSThe eight studies included 3873 patients with symptomatic carotid artery stenosis, including 1941 cases in the carotid stent angioplasty group, and 1932 cases in the carotid endarterectomy group. Fixed effect model analysis showed that within 30 days of incidence of all types of strokes, surgery was significantly highly preferred in CAS patients (CAS group) than the CEA patients (CEA group), and the difference was statistically significant (relative ratio (RR) = 1.80, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.380 - 2.401, P < 0.0001). But the incidence of death in the two groups is not showed and is not statistically significant after 30 days (RR = 1.52, 95%CI: 0.82 - 2.82, P = 0.18). The rate of cranial nerve injury in the CAS group is lower than the CEA group (RR = 0.14, 95%CI: 0.05 - 0.43, P = 0.0005). The incidence of CAS patients with myocardial infarction is lower than the CEA group after 30 days, but statistically meaningless (RR = 0.22, 95%CI: 0.05 - 1.02, P = 0.05). The stroke or death in CAS patients were higher than the CEA group after 1 year of treatment (RR = 2.58, 95%CI: 1.03 - 6.48, P = 0.04).

CONCLUSIONSCompared to CAS, carotid endarterectomy is still the preferred treatment methodology of symptomatic carotid artery stenosis. Future meta-analyses should then be performed in long-term follow-up to support this treatment recommendation.

Carotid Stenosis ; surgery ; therapy ; Endarterectomy, Carotid ; Humans ; Stents

With the development of intestinal flora, short chain fatty acid(SCFA), produced by the intestinal microbiota, has been found to be important for the host. It also plays an important role in the part of the occurrence and development of some diseases. The relationship between SCFA produced by intestinal microbiota and the host body has become the research focus in recent years. The physiological function and clinical application of SCFA were reviewed in this article.
Fatty Acids, Volatile ; biosynthesis ; physiology ; Humans ; Intestines ; microbiology ; Microbiota

OBJECTIVETo study the efficacy and safety of Eviprostat for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).

METHODSAn open, multicentral clinical trial was conducted in 100 patients with BPH. Patients received a 12-week oral administration of Eviprostat 2 tablets per-time, 3 times a day. The main indexes of efficacy include international prostatic symptom score (IPSS), maximum urinary flow rate (Qmax), residual urine ( Ru) and prostatic volume (V). The additional indexes are quality of life score (QOL) and average urinary flow rate (Qave).

RESULTSAfter a 12-week therapy, IPSS, QOL score, Qmax and Qave were significantly improved. IPSS was averagely decreased by 5.67 (P < 0.001); QOL score was averagely decreased by 1.44 (P < 0.001); Qmax was averagely increased by 1.70 ml/s (P <0.001); Qave was averagely increased by 1.15 ml/s (P < 0.001); Ru was averagely decreased by 5.07 ml (P = 0.046) , PSA level was averagely decreased by 0.129 microg/L (P < 0.017). The clinical adverse event rate was 1%.

CONCLUSIONEviprostat is a kind of safe, effective and preferable drug for treating BPH. It can improve the subjective symptoms and objective measures of the patients.

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Drug Combinations ; Ethamsylate ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Plant Extracts ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Prostatic Hyperplasia ; drug therapy ; Quality of Life ; Treatment Outcome ; Urodynamics

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of the basic fibroblast growth factor (b-FGF) to regenerate an autologous tissue-engineered cartilage in vitro.

METHODSThe Cells were harvested from the elastic auricular cartilage of swine,and were plated at the concentration of 1 x 10(4) cells/cm2 , studied in vitro at two different media enviroments: Group I contained Ham's F-12 with supplements and b-FGF, Group II contained Ham's F-12 only with supplements. The passage 2 cells (after 12.75 +/- 1.26 days) were harvested and mixed with 30% pluronic F-127/Ham's F-12 at the concentration of 50 x 10(6) cells/ml. It was injected subcutaneously at 0.5 ml per implant. The implants were harvested 8 weeks after the vivo culture and examined with the histological stains.

RESULTSThe chondrocytes displayed morphologically similar to the fibroblasts in the media containing basic-FGF. The number of cell doublings (after 12.75 +/- 1.26 days) in vitro culture was as the following: Group I, 70; Group II, 5.4. Eight 8 weeks after the vivo autologous implantation, the average weight (g) and volume (cm3) in each group was as the following: Group I, 0.371 g/0.370 cm3 Group II, 0.179 g/0.173 cm3 (P < 0.01). With the b-FGF in vitro culture, the cells were expanded by 70 times after 2 weeks. Histologically, all of the engineered cartilage in the two groups were similar to the native elastic cartilage.

CONCLUSIONThese results indicate that the basic-FGF could be used positively to enhance the quality and quantity of the seeding cells for the generation of the well-engineered cartilage.

Animals ; Cartilage ; cytology ; drug effects ; physiology ; Cell Division ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Chondrocytes ; cytology ; drug effects ; Female ; Fibroblast Growth Factors ; pharmacology ; physiology ; Male ; Regeneration ; drug effects ; Swine ; Tissue Engineering ; methods ; Transplantation, Autologous

OBJECTIVEExposure to high concentrations of oxygen in the neonatal period may impair lung growth and is a major contributing factor to the development of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). Cell death from hyperoxic injury may occur through either an apoptotic or nonapoptotic pathway. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of hyperoxia on caspase-3 and p53 gene expression and apoptosis in the lungs of neonatal rats, so as to determine the type of cell death that occurs in the lungs of neonatal rats exposed to hyperoxia.

METHODSHyperoxic lung injury model was established by exposing to 95% O(2) in the neonatal period of Spraque-Dawley rats. The levels of caspase-3 mRNA and p53 mRNA expression in the lungs of neonatal rats exposed to 95% hyperoxia or room air were detected by RT-PCR. To quantify PCR products, PCR products were electrophoretically separated with 1.5% agarose gels. The optical density (A) values of the DNA bands were quantified by complete gel documentation and analysis system. The A ratios of p53/beta-actin denoted the relative content of p53 mRNA, results were showed as mean +/- standard deviation. The specific positive or negative bands of caspase-3 in electrophoresis gels were counted, Fisher's exact test of propabilities was used to determined statistically significant differences between two groups. We determined the extent of apoptosis taking place in the lungs of neonatal rats exposed to 95% hyperoxia using terminal deoxyribonucleotide transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate-fluorescence nick-end labeling (TUNEL) in 7-d-old neonatal lung. Under light microscope, five areas of lung parenchyma were systematically and randomly photographed from each animal and positive cells among 500 lung cells were calculated. Results were showed as mean +/- standard deviation.

RESULTSWe found increased levels of p53 messenger RNA, a gene associated with apoptosis, in the lungs of neonatal rat born and raised in 95% hyperoxia. Moderate increase in the level of p53 mRNA was found in the hyperoxic-treated group at 24 h (q = 3.2305, P > 0.05). Significant increase in the level of p53 mRNA was found in the hyperoxic-treated group at 48 h (q = 7.2941, P < 0.01). The levels of p53 mRNA expression in neonatal rat lungs exposed to 95% O(2) for 72 h or 96 h returned to normal level. The levels of caspase-3 mRNA expression were very low or absent in the hyperoxic-treated groups at 12 h, 24 h, 48 h, 72 h and 96 h or in the air-breathing groups at 12 h, 24 h, 48 h, 72 h and 96 h. An increase in the number of cells undergoing apoptosis was found in the hyperoxic-treated group at 7 d (F = 56.5010, P < 0.001) which was significantly greater than the number of apoptotic cells found in the lungs of rats of the same age exposed to room air.

CONCLUSIONOur results suggested that 95% hyperoxia could temporarily up-regulate the gene expression of p53, which induced the transcription of p21(WAF/CIP1) mRNA. Furthermore, p21(WAF/CIP1) could lead to cell cycle arrest and inhibit proliferation of lung cells. Meanwhile, p53 could also promote apoptosis of lung cells. Therefore, exposure to high concentrations of oxygen in the neonatal period may impair lung growth and is a major contributing factor to the development of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), and hyperoxia may affect the future lung growth and lead to barrier of lung development. The treatments of anti-apoptosis and promoting alveoli growth hold a promising perspective in hyperoxic lung injury. The level and ratio of caspase-3 gene expression were very low or absent in the lungs of neonatal rats exposed to 95% O(2) or room air. We speculated that caspase-3 gene expression was not essential in the hyperoxia induced lung cell apoptosis in neonatal rats.

Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Apoptosis ; Caspase 3 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Disease Models, Animal ; Hyperoxia ; metabolism ; pathology ; In Situ Nick-End Labeling ; Lung ; metabolism ; pathology ; RNA, Messenger ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 ; genetics ; metabolism