Gene Library ; Humans ; Nucleic Acid Hybridization ; methods ; Pulmonary Fibrosis ; diagnosis

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture, Ear ; instrumentation ; Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Spinal Nerve Roots ; physiopathology ; Spondylosis ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Young Adult

Acupuncture Therapy ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Anxiety Disorders ; therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Qi ; Young Adult

BACKGROUNDThere are few effective methods for treating injuries to the lower trunk of brachial plexus, and the curative effect is usually poor. The purpose of this study was to provide anatomic references for transferring the brachialis muscle branch of musculocutaneous nerve (BMBMCN) for selective neurotization of finger flexion in brachial plexus lower trunk injury, and to evaluate its clinical curative effects.

METHODSMicroanatomy and measurement were done on 50 limbs from 25 adult human cadavers to observe the origin, branch, type of the BMBMCN and median nerve, as well as their adjacent structures. Internal topographic features of the fascicular groups of the median nerve at the level of the BMBMCN were observed. In addition, the technique of BMBMCN transfer for selective neurotization of finger flexion of the median nerve was designed and tested in 6 fresh adult human cadavers. Acetylcholinesterase (AchE) staining of the BMBMCN and median nerve was done to observe the features of the nerve fibers. This technique was clinically tried to restore digital flexion in 6 cases of adult brachial plexus lower trunk injury. These cases were followed up for 3, 6, 9 and 12 months postoperatively. Recovery of function, grip strength, nerve electrophysiology and muscle power of the affected limbs were observed and measured.

RESULTSThe brachialis muscle was totally innervated by the musculocutaneous nerve (MCN). Based on the Hunter's line, the level of the origin of the BMBMCN was (13.18 +/- 2.77) cm. AchE histochemical staining indicated that the BMBMCN were totally made up of medullated nerve fibers. At the level of the BMBMCN, the median nerve consistently collected into three fascicular groups as shown by microanatomy in combination with AchE stain. The posterior fascicular group was mainly composed of anterior interosseous nerves and branches to the palmaris longus. The technique was tested in six fresh cadavers successfully, except that stoma split occurred in one case. Five of the six cases recovered digital flexion 12 months after operation, and at the same time grip strength, muscle power, and nerve electrophysiology also recovered markedly.

CONCLUSIONSThe technique of transferring the BMBMCN for selective neurotization of finger flexion is anatomically safe and effective, with satisfactory clinical outcomes.

Acetylcholinesterase ; analysis ; Adult ; Brachial Plexus ; anatomy & histology ; injuries ; Brachial Plexus Neuropathies ; surgery ; Clinical Trials as Topic ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Musculocutaneous Nerve ; transplantation ; Nerve Transfer ; methods ; Retrospective Studies

OBJECTIVETo investigate the Malytea Scurfpea fruit (MSF) on melanocyte adhesion and migration.

METHODHuman epidermal melanocytes were treated with MSF and Ginger respectively, then adhesion to bovine serum fibronectin-coated culture dishes was checked. Control and treated cells were also examined for migration into micropore filters coated with the same protein.

RESULTCompared with control, MSF treated melanocytes were obviously easier to adhere to the dishes and move into the filters in a dose-dependent manner. When the dose of MSF was 200 mg x L(-1), it could not reincrease melanocyte adhesion and migration. At 10 mg x L(-1), under every other concentrations of MSF, there was no marked difference among MSF-treated, Ginger-treated and untreated melanocytes (P < 0.05) when adhesion test were studied. But to migration, even at 10 mg x L(-1) MSF, there was obvious increased migration compared with MSF-untreated or Ginger-treated melanocytes (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONMSF has effect on melanocyte adhesion and migration, which can explain, in part, the capacity of MSF to modulate melanocyte function in vitiligo lesions.

Cell Adhesion ; drug effects ; Cell Movement ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Fruit ; chemistry ; Ginger ; chemistry ; Humans ; Melanocytes ; cytology ; drug effects ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Psoralea ; chemistry

Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte ; HLA-A2 Antigen ; immunology ; Hepatitis B Core Antigens ; genetics ; Hepatitis B virus ; genetics ; immunology ; Humans ; Mutation

AIM:To investigate the expression and localization of autophagy related protein microtublule associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3) at various stages of follicular development and atresia in the mice.METHODS:On 0,1,2,3,4 and 5 day after intraperitoneal injection of pregnant mare serum gonadotropin (PMSG),expression and positioning situation of autophagy related protein LC3 and apoptosis related protein cleaved caspase-3 were examined by the method of immunohistochemical staining.The protein levels of cleaved caspase-3 and LC3 were determined by Western blot in cultured mouse granulosa cells after incubation under serum-free conditions in the absence or presence of FSH.LC3 subcellular localization in granulosa cells were studied by the method of immunofluorescence.RESULTS:The LC3 protein expressed in granulosa cells during all developmental stages mainly.Granulosa cells of atretic follicles that showed intense staining of cleaved caspase-3 and LC3.The protein levels of cleaved caspase-3 and LC3-Ⅱ in the granulosa cells significantly decreased at 1 d and 2 d after intraperitoneal injection of PMSG (P ＜ 0.05).The protein levels of cleaved caspase3 and LC3-Ⅱ in the granulosa cells increased in turn on 3,4 and 5 day after intraperitoneal injection of PMSG.The positive correlation between LC3-Ⅱ and cleaved caspase-3 protein levels was observed (r2 =0.8299,P ＜ 0.05).The LC3-Ⅱ protein expressed with punctuate structures in granulosa cell cytoplasm cultured under serum-free conditions in the presence of FSH.CONCLUSION:LC3 is expressed in the follicular granulosa cells with cell specificity and regional specificity.Autophagy is induced mainly in granulosa cells during folliculogenesis and shows positive correlation with apoptosis.Ovarian granulosa cell autophagy and apoptosis are gonadotropic hormone dependent.

Objective To explore the effect of dendritic cells (DC) modified with transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) gene on the expressions of CD28/CTLA-4:B7 costimulatory molecules in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) in the Lewis rats with experimental autoimmune myasthenia gravis (EAMG). Methods Thirty inbreeding line, healthy, female Lewis rats were divided randomly into 6 groups: normal group, EAMG group, DC treatment group, pcDNA3-TGF-β1-DCtreatment group, pcDNA3-DC control group and normal saline group. The rats were immunized with the AChR protein extracted from electric organ of Narcine timilei and CFA in the groups except normal group. 2×106 pcDNA3-TGF-β1-DCs/rat were injected subcutaneously into the backs of the rats which had been immunized 5 d earlier with AChR+CFA. The rats in DC treatment group, pcDNA3-DC control group and normal saline group were injected in parallel with untreated DC, pcDNA3-DC and normal saline, respectively. Seven weeks after the first immunization, the expressions of CD28 mRNA and CTLA-4 mRNA were detected by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and the levels of B7-1 and B7-2 on the surface of PBMC were examined using flow cytometry. Results (1)The low expression of CD28 mRNA and rare expression of CTLA-4 mRNA were found in the normal rats, and both expressions increased markedly in EAMG rats (P＜0.001). Compared to those in EAMG group, the expression of CD28 mRNA decreased and CTLA-4 mRNA was upregulated after the treatment with pcDNA3-TGF-β1-DC (P＜0.05). There was no significant difference in the expressions of CD28 mRNA and CTLA-4 mRNA among the EAMG group, DC treatment group, pcDNA3-DC control group and normal saline group (P＞0.05). (2) The expressions of CD28, CTLA-4, B7-1 and B7-2 on the surface of PBMC were rare in normal rats, which increased significantly in EAMG rats (P＜0.001). The levels of CD28, B7-1 and B7-2 in pcDNA3-TGF-β1-DC group were lower than those in EAMG group (P＜0.01), but the level of CTLA-4 was higher than that in EAMG group (P＜0.05). They showed no statistically difference among the EAMG group, DC treatment group, pcDNA3-DC control group and normal saline group (P＞0.05). Conclusions The expressions of CD28/CTLA-4:B7 costimulatory molecules are abnormal in the rats with EAMG. The regulation of CD28/CTLA-4:B7 costimulatory pathways may play a critical role in the mechanism of the treatment with DC transfected with pcDNA3-TGF-β1 in the incipient EAMG rats.

OBJECTIVETo screen the differentially expressing genes between silicotic lung tissue and normal lung tissue, to identify the differentially expressing genes of matrix metalloproteinase-12 (MMP-12) and Cathepsin E and to explore the roles of those genes in silicosis development.

METHODSThirty male SD rats were divided randomly into two groups: control group (6 rats) and exposure group (24 rats) which was exposed to SiO2 by intra-tracheal perfusion. On the 30 th, 60 th and 90 th days after exposure, 8 rats in model group and 2 rats in control group were executed and the lung tissues were obtained. The morphologic changes of lung tissues were observed with HE staining and VG staining under a light microscope. The gene microarrays were used to identify differentially expressing genes of lung tissues in rats exposed to SiO2 for 60 days. Two significantly up-regulated genes, MMP-12 and Cathepsin E, were validated using RT-PCR, immunohistochemistry and Western Blot assay.

RESULTSA total of 338 differentially expressing genes were identified from the 26 962 genes between silicotic rats and normal rats, including 267 up-regulated genes and 71 down-regulated genes. The results of RT-PCR showed that in the lung tissues of exposure group on the 30 th, 60 th and 90 th days, the mRNA expression levels of MMP-12 were 4.306, 5.338, 6.713 times higher than those in the control group, the mRNA expression levels of Cathepsin E were 1.434, 2.974, 3.889 times higher than those in the control group, respectively. The results of immunohistochemical showed that in the lung tissues of exposure group on the 30th, 60th and 90th days, the mRNA expression levels of MMP-12 were 1.435, 1.746, 2.069 times higher than those in the control group, the mRNA expression levels of Cathepsin E were 1.372, 1.663, 2.103 times higher than those in the control group, respectively. The results of immunohistochemical showed that in the lung tissues of exposure group on the 30th, 60th and 90th days, the expression levels of MMP-12 protein were 1.214, 1.531, 1.959 times higher than those in the control group, the expression levels of Cathepsin E protein were 1.262, 1.828, 1.907 times higher than those in the control group, respectively. Compared with the control group, the mRNA and protein expression levels of MMP-12 and Cathepsin E in lung tissues of exposure group were significantly up-regulated (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe differentially expressing genes in rat lung tissues screened by gene chip were validated, which suggested that a complex gene regulatory network may be contributed to occurrence of silicosis. MMP-12 and Cathepsin E genes may be involved in the development of silicotic pulmonary fibrosis by degrading the basement membrane of alveolar wall and participating in the immune response.

Animals ; Cathepsin E ; genetics ; metabolism ; Gene Expression ; Lung ; metabolism ; Male ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 12 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Silicosis ; genetics ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of integrative medical program based on blood cooling and detoxification recipe (BCDR) in treating patients with hepatitis B virus related acute-on-chronic liver failure (HBV-ACLF) of heat-toxicity accumulation syndrome (HTAS).

METHODSAdopting randomized controlled clinical design, a total of 105 HBV-ACLF patients of HTAS were randomly assigned to the trial group (64 cases) and the control group (41 cases). Patients in the control group were treated with comprehensive Western therapy, while those in the trial group were treated with comprehensive Western therapy plus BCDR. All were treated for 8 weeks and followed up for 40 weeks. Effect and safety of the treatment were assessed, including fatality, liver functions [total bilirubin (TBIL), albumin (ALB), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and aspartate transaminase (AST)], and prothrombin activity (PTA) after treatment and at week 48 of follow-ups.

RESULTSAfter 8-week treatment, there was statistical difference in the overall fatality rate (15.63% vs 34.15%), the fatality rate in the mid-term (25.0% vs 64.7%), TBIL at week 8 (64.54 +/- 79.75), AST [at week 2: (178.97 +/- 44.24) U/L vs (288.48 +/- 58.49) U/L; at week 4: (61.65 +/- 27.36) U/L vs (171.12 +/- 89.11) U/L] and PTA [at week 4: (58.30 +/- 15.29) vs (42.56 +/- 15.27); at week 6: (60.77 +/- 20.40) vs (43.08 +/- 12.79)] (all P < 0.05). At week 48 of the followup, the fatality rate of the trial group (21.88%) decreased by 17. 14% when compared with that of the control group (39.02%; P < 0.05). No obvious adverse event occurred in the two groups during the 8-week treatment period.

CONCLUSIONBCDR could significantly reduce the mortality of HBV-ACLF patients.

Acute-On-Chronic Liver Failure ; drug therapy ; virology ; Adult ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; End Stage Liver Disease ; Female ; Hepatitis B virus ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Phytotherapy ; Young Adult