NY-ESO-1 is an important member of cancer-testis antigen family and is widely distributed among many cancer types. As a tumor-specific antigen with the strongest immunogenicity so far identified, it can induce spontaneous antibody and T-cell responses in patients with NY-ESO-1-positive tumors. Therefore, it has been a good vaccine candidate in the immunotherapy against many malignancies. This article reviews the recent research advances in NY-ESO-1 and its relevant vaccines.
Antigens, Neoplasm ; genetics ; immunology ; therapeutic use ; Cancer Vaccines ; immunology ; therapeutic use ; Clinical Trials as Topic ; Humans ; Immunotherapy ; Membrane Proteins ; genetics ; immunology ; therapeutic use ; Neoplasms ; genetics ; immunology ; therapy

Living related liver transplantation (LRLT) has been developed as a rescue for the ever deteriorating shortage of cadaveric donor liver, especially in Asian countries and areas where the concept of brain death has not widely been accepted. Inclusion criteria for the biologically suitable potential donor of LRLT should be strict and approved by the ethical committee of the hospital before clinical evaluation is taken. Anatomical, physiological and clinical practices have proved that donor mortality is acceptably very low. The early and middle-long term results for the recipient of LRLT is comparable with and even better than those of cadaveric liver transplantation. In mainland China, interest in LRLT is surging with the volume ever increased and donor's safety guaranteed.
Humans ; Liver Transplantation ; Living Donors

Abdomen/surgery* ; Humans ; Laparoscopy/methods* ; Pelvic Floor/surgery* ; Perineum/surgery* ; Proctectomy ; Rectal Neoplasms/surgery*

OBJECTIVETo construct dendritomas by fusion of human dendritic cells with HLE cells, a human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line.

METHODSHLE cells were cultured in RPMI 1640 with 15% FCS. Human dendritic cells (DCs) were obtained from peripheral blood monocytes cultured in the presence of GM-CSF and IL-4 for 7 days, matured with TNF-alpha and PGE(2) for 2 days. The DCs and HLE cells were labeled with green fluorescence dye PKH67-GL and red fluorescence dye PKH26-GL, respectively, and fused in 50% polyethylene glycol (PEG) + 10% dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) to generate dendritomas for rapid fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS).

RESULTSDendritomas with dual red-green fluorescence were constructed successfully, and FACS analysis showed the effective fusion rate was 16.8%.

CONCLUSIONWith fluorescence dyes PKH67-GL and PKH26-GL as fusion markers, dendritomas for rapid fluorescence-activated cell sorting are constructed, which may throw new light on immunotherapy of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Cancer Vaccines ; biosynthesis ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; pathology ; Cell Fusion ; methods ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cells, Cultured ; Dendritic Cells ; cytology ; Humans ; Hybrid Cells ; Liver Neoplasms ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the protective effects of Shenfu Injection (SI) on hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats.

METHODSPartial liver ischemia-reperfusion model under room temperature was established in 60 rats, which were divided into the control group and the treated group randomly and each group was again classified into 3 subgroups with 30 min, 60 min and 90 min hepatic ischemia time rspectively. Rats in the treated group were injected with SI 10 ml/kg every day, while the control group treated with normal saline. Survival rate after 1 week was observed, the serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), malondialde hyde (MDA), surperoxide dismutase (SOD), tumor nicrosis factor alpha (TNF-a) and endothelin (ET) were detected, and hepatic biopsy was performed with light and electronic microscope.

RESULTSThe survival rate in the treated subgroup with 90 min' ischemia after 1 week was 90%, higher than that in the control subgroup significantly (P <0. 05), which was 60% ; and serum levels of AST, MDA, TNF-alpha and ET were lower and SOD was higher significantly (all P <0.05), as well as the degenerative and necrotic degree of hepatocyte and sinusoidal endothelial cells was lighter in the 3 treated subgroups, compared with the control group.

CONCLUSIONShenfu injection can eliminate oxygen free radical during hepatic ishemia-reperfusion so as to has a protective effect and attenuate hepatic ischemia reperfusion injury.

Animals ; Aspartate Aminotransferases ; blood ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Endothelins ; blood ; Injections ; Liver ; blood supply ; Liver Diseases ; blood ; drug therapy ; prevention & control ; Malondialdehyde ; blood ; Protective Agents ; therapeutic use ; Rats ; Reperfusion Injury ; blood ; drug therapy ; prevention & control ; Superoxide Dismutase ; blood ; Treatment Outcome ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; blood

BACKGROUNDOverexpression of G-protein coupled receptor 34 (GPR34) affects the progression and prognosis of human gastric adenocarcinoma, however, the role of GPR34 in gastric cancer development and progression has not been well-determined. The current study aimed to investigate the effect of GPR34 knockdown on the proliferation, migration, and apoptosis of HGC-27 gastric cancer cells and the underlying mechanisms.

METHODSThe expression of GPR34 in gastric cancer cell line HGC-27 was detected by quantitative real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blotting. HGC-27 cells were employed to construct the stable GPR34 knockdown cell model in this study. Real-time RT-PCR and Western blotting were applied to validate the effect of short hairpin RNA (ShRNA) on the expression of GPR34 in HGC-27 gastric cells. The proliferation, migration of these cells were examined by Cell Counting Kit-8 and transwell. We also measured expression profile of PI3K/PDK1/AKT and ERK using Western blotting.

RESULTSThe ShRNA directed against GPR34 effectively inhibited both endogenous mRNA and protein expression levels of GPR34, and significantly down-regulated the expression of PIK3CB (P < 0.01), PIK3CD (P < 0.01), PDK1 (P < 0.01), phosphorylation of PDK1 (P < 0.01), Akt (P < 0.01), and ERK (P < 0.01). Furthermore, GPR34 knockdown resulted in an obvious reduction in HGC-27 cancer cell proliferation and migration activity (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSGPR34 knockdown impairs the proliferation and migration of HGC-27 gastric cancer cells in vitro and provides a potential implication for therapy of gastric cancer.

Apoptosis ; genetics ; physiology ; Blotting, Western ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; genetics ; physiology ; Humans ; RNA, Small Interfering ; genetics ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Receptors, Lysophospholipid ; genetics ; metabolism ; Stomach Neoplasms ; genetics ; metabolism

OBJECTIVESTo investigate the effect of interlukin-10 (IL-10) on expression and secretion of collagen I, IV in rat's hepatic stellate cells (HSC) of livers injured by CCl4.

METHODThe adenovirus vector encoded IL-10 gene was used to transfect rats with liver injury via the caudal veins. HSC were isolated and purified from the rat livers by collagenase IV perfusion and density gradient centrifugation with Nycodenz. The expression of collagen I, IV mRNA in HSC was detected by semi-quantitative RT-PCR method and the secretion of collagen I, IV in culture serum of HSC by ELISA method. The quantity of collagen was measured in the van Gieson stained histological liver preparations.

RESULTSThe expression and secretion of collagen I, IV in the adenovirus vector encoding IL-10 gene group were significantly lower than those in the adenovirus vector without IL-10 gene group and the control group (P < 0.05). The quantity of collagen in the treatment group was lower than that in the control group.

CONCLUSIONIL-10 can inhibit collagen I, IV expression and secretion in rat HSC.

Animals ; Cells, Cultured ; Collagen Type I ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Collagen Type IV ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Hepatocytes ; metabolism ; pathology ; Interleukin-10 ; pharmacology ; Liver Cirrhosis, Experimental ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

OBJECTIVETo investigate the variations type of hepatic artery and discuss the method of how to protect hepatic artery from injury during the quick harvest of the donor liver.

METHODSA retrospective review of the variations of hepatic arteries of the donor livers and the course of excision and reconstruction of 200 donor livers was performed, and the aberrance and reconstruction method of hepatic arteries were summarized.

RESULTS37 out of 200 hepatic arteries varied and 2 patients suffered biliary complications because of improper preservation of aberrant hepatic arteries.

CONCLUSIONSMost aberrant liver arteries come from superior mesenteric artery or left gastric artery. Proper quick harvest of multiple organs is the basis of the integrity of hepatic arteries, and all the aberrance must be reconstructed.

Female ; Hepatic Artery ; anatomy & histology ; surgery ; Humans ; Kidney Transplantation ; Liver Transplantation ; methods ; Male ; Retrospective Studies ; Tissue and Organ Harvesting ; methods ; Transplantation, Homologous

OBJECTIVESTo summarize hemodynamic and metabolic changes during bypass, and to evaluate the bypass in liver transplantation.

METHODSFifty-four patients underwent orthotopic liver transplantation with venovenous bypass from May 2000 to May 2002. Their clinical features were analysed.

RESULTSSHR, MAP, CVP, CO, PaO(2), PaCO(2), serum K(+), Na(+), Ca(2+), BUN values were not significantly changed during bypass. Compared to the pre-bypass stage, pH was decreased in the post-bypass stage (P < 0.05), serum lactic acid value was increased in the bypass and post-bypass stage (P < 0.05), active clotting time was increased in the bypass stage (P < 0.05), serum creatinine value was increased on first postoperative day (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSVenovenous bypass could improve hemodynamic and metabolic stability in the anhepatic phase, but it also could increase operation duration, liver ischemic time and cost.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Kidney ; physiopathology ; Liver Transplantation ; methods ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Portal Vein ; surgery ; Postoperative Complications ; etiology

OBJECTIVETo study the therapeutic effects to block the TGF-beta1 (transforming growth factor beta1) signal transduction by antisense Smad4 gene on experimental fibrotic liver.

METHODSUsing the rat model of liver fibrosis induced by Carbon Tetrachloride (CCl4)/ethanol, we transfected antisense Smad4 gene mediated by adenovirus via portal vein infusion into the liver, and observed the expression of Smad4 by Retro-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) and Western Blot. We also investigated the pathologic features and collagen expression.

RESULTSIn the non-therapeutic cirrhotic liver, the expression of Smad4 mRNA was significantly increased than normal liver, and so was the collagen I. After antisense Smad4 gene being transfected, the expression of Smad4 mRNA and that of collagen I in the therapeutic liver was significantly decreased, compared with the non-therapeutic cirrhotic liver. The fibrous degree of therapeutic liver was also reduced compared with the non-therapeutic fibrous liver.

CONCLUSIONThese results indicate that because antisense Smad4 gene could block TGF-beta1 signal transduction by reducing the expression of Smad4, so it could inhibit the production of extracellular matrix (ECM) and improve hepatic fibrosis.

Adenoviridae ; genetics ; Animals ; Antisense Elements (Genetics) ; therapeutic use ; Collagen Type I ; analysis ; DNA-Binding Proteins ; antagonists & inhibitors ; genetics ; Liver ; pathology ; Liver Cirrhosis, Experimental ; metabolism ; pathology ; therapy ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Signal Transduction ; Smad4 Protein ; Trans-Activators ; antagonists & inhibitors ; genetics ; Transforming Growth Factor beta ; antagonists & inhibitors ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1