AIM: To detect dystrophin expression in skeletal muscles of mdx mice after bone marrow transplantation (BMT), and to evaluate the effect of BMT on Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). METHODS: Bone marrow cells were cultured for three days, and then transplanted into mdx mice irradiated lethally through tail veins. After 4 and 6 months, dystrophin expression on myocytes membranes in mdx mice was detected by fluorescent immunohistochemical staining. The centrally nucleated fibers (CNF) were calculated by HE staining, and the physiologic parameters measured and the motor function detected by traction test, rotating rods test and rotating wheels test were also observed. RESULTS: Until 4 and 6 months after BMT, dystrophin was expressed partly on myocytes membranes in mdx mice, and the ratio of CNF decreased, physiologic functions improved, the motor ability reinforced in treated group. CONCLUSION: After BMT, marrow stem cells settled in injured skeletal muscles and bone marrow, then differentiated into myocytes with dystrophin expression and caused the improvement of pathology, physiology and motor function in treated group finally. These results give a powerful proof for the treatment of DMD with BMT.

Objective To measure middle cerebral artery (MCA) hemodynamic parameters of chronic cerebral ischemia in middle aged and elderly people with phase contrast magnetic resonance imaging (PCMRI),and to explore cerebral blood flow dynamic pattern in different degrees of chronic cerebral ischemia patients.Methods Middle aged and elderly people underwent conventional MRI scan,and were divided into 12 cases of the normal group,16 cases of mild cerebral ischemia group and 13 cases of obvious cerebral ischemia group.All groups underwent bilateral MCA PCMRI.Bilateral MCA hemodynamic parameters and phase-velocity curve in a heartbeat cycle were obtained by QFLOW analysis software on the workstation for post-processing.Bilateral MCA vascular area,peak velocity (PV),mean velocity (MV) and mean flow (MF) were recorded.The differences of bilateral MCA hemodynamic parameters among the three groups were compared by SPSS17.0 software.Results Bilateral MCA vascular area,MV,MF and right MCA PV among three groups were statistically significant by one-Way ANOVA (P＜0.05).Compared with normal group,systolic peak of bilateral MCA phase-velocity curve was low,dull,widen,and the connection between the diastolic peak and systolic peak became flattened in chronic cerebral ischemia patients.Conclusion PCMRI can reflect the differences of the cerebral blood flow dynamic change pattern between different degrees of chronic cerebral ischemia.

Objective To demonstrate that MRI is more advantageous than ultrasound in the detection of ischemic cerebral lesions precisely in twin-twin transfusion syndrome(TTTS)fetus following fetoscopic selective laser coagulation(SLCPV).Methods The fetus with TTTS treated by SLCPV were collected.All fetuses underwent brain MRI within 1-5 days after the procedure and a follow-up MRI at 29-32 weeks'gestation.All fetuses also had frequent ultrasound evaluation until delivery.Results Twenty-five pregnancies with TTTS were included in the study.Six pregnancies resulted in survival of only one twin after the procedure(Group A),while the other 19 pregnancies resulted in the survival of both twins(Group B),as assessed at the time of initial MRI.Two fetus in Group A and three in Group B had evidence of bleeding in lateral ventricle.Two fetus in Group B had actue brain ischemia.One fetus in Group B had appeared brain atrophy and choosed to terminate pregnancy.Conclusion MRI can make a clearer diagnosis of cerebral damage of TTTS fetus in a short period after SLCPV.

Objective To study the seropositive ratio of the antibody to aquporin 4 (AQP4-IgG) and myelin oligodendrocytes glycoprotein antibody(MOG-IgG)in patients with autoimmune-associated central nervous system (CNS) diseases. Meanwhile, epidemiology and clinical manifestation and diagnosis,laboratory examination and magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)of AQP4-IgG seropositive and MOG-IgG seropositive patients are described. Methods 2068 patients serum samples were collected and enrolled in the multi-center research. The methodology of cell-mediated immunofluorescence staining was used to detect serum AQP4-IgG and MOG-IgG. Clinic medical records were collected and characteristics of epidemiology and manifestation were compared. Results 681 patients were AQP4-IgG seropositive and 110 patients were MOG-IgG seropositive. The female/male ratio and age of onset of patients with AQP4-IgG seropositive(616 female and 65 male,female:male=9.50:1.00;Age of onset=41.7±14.9)were significantly higher than that of patients with MOG-IgG (57 female and 53 male, female:male=1.08:1.00, P<0.0001; Age of onset=27.0 ±17.7, P<0.0001). The optic neuritis was significantly higher in patients with AQP4-IgG seropositive and patients with MOG-IgG seropositive (38.4% vs.53.5%, P<0.05).Among patients with AQP4-IgG seropositive, 42.14% conformed the diagnostic criteria of neuromyelitis optica (NMO),which was higher than that of patients with MOG-IgG seropositive (13.64%, P<0.0001). Laboratory examination showed that there was no significant difference in cerebrospinal fluid protein levels between patients with AQP4-IgG seropositive and those with MOG-IgG seropositive.MRI imaging suggested that AQP4-IgG positive patients were more common in cervical thoracic spinal cord lesions, while MOG-IgG positive patients were more involved in thoracolumbar spinal cord. The study also found that these two groups of patients could be comorbid with other autoimmune antibodies. Conclusions This multi-center research has revealed that patients with AQP4-IgG seropositive and those with MOG-IgG seropositive display differences in epidemiology,clinic manifestations and diagnosis,laboratory examination and MRI imaging. AQP4-IgG and MOG IgG auto-antibody detection are necessary for clinic diagnosis and differential diagnosis.

Objective To investigate the effects of low-fat diet or statin intervention at early age on brain amyloid β-protein (Aβ) pathology and behaviors of middle-aged Tg2576 mice.Methods Thirty-five two-month-old Tg2576 mice were randomly divided into following 5 groups:a juvenile statin group,a juvenile low-fat diet group,a young statin group,a young low-fat group,and a blank control group (n=7);mice in the low-fat diet groups were given standard low-fat feed,and mice in the statin group were given atorvastatin at 17 mg/(kg· d) into the normal diet.The initiation times of intervention were,respectively,set to be 2-month-old in juvenile groups and 6-month-old in young groups;meanwhile,mice in the blank-control group were fed with normal diet without statin.All mice were raised to be 10-month-old and tested by Morris water maze for evaluating cognitive behaviors two weeks before execution.After peripheral blood and brains being taken,a monoclonal anti-Aβ42 antibody was employed to immunostain mice brain paraffin tissue sections for assaying tissue Aβ plaque immunoreactivity (TAPIR),and the levels of Aβ40,Aβ42,β-secretase,and γ-secretase in homogenates were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA).Results As compared with those in the blank-control group,the average escape latencies,times of passing through hidden platforms,percentage of strong TAPIR,Aβ42 and γ-secretase level in all intervention groups showed no statistical differences (P＞0.05).As compared with those in the blank control group,Aβ42 in homogenates of young intervention groups and β-secretase level in the young statin group were significantly higher (P＜0.05).Conclusion Interventions initiated from juvenile or young,and low-fat diet intervention or statin intervention can neither improve the mice's Morris water maze testing results,nor reduce Aβs burdens in brain homogenates and Aβ40 immunopathologies in brain tissues of middle-aged mice;over early initiation of low-fat diet intervention or statin intervention might accelerate or worsen Alzheimer's disease progress.