Recently,study on cencer stem cells has been a focus of study.Cancer stem cell is a small population of cencer cells possessing the properties of stem cells:self-renewal,differentiation and proliferation.To date,the existence of cancer stem cells has been proven in acute and chronic myeloid leukemia,breast cancer,brain tumors,liver cancer and colon cancer,etc..In this article we reviews the current progress on cancer stem cells,including the defination,existing evidence,research methods, and challenges in clinical application.

AIM: To investigate the effectiveness of recombinanted retrovirus vector in gene therapy. METHODS: The retroviral vector pLXSN S was constructed and transferred into PA317 by means of electroporation, then HepG 2?RAW264.7 and EL 4 cells were infected with the pseudovirus produced from PA317, which highly expressed HBsAg . HBsAg expression was tested by RT PCR and ELISA. RESULTS: HBsAg was expressed variously in the eukaryotic cells mentioned above. HBsAg ( A value) of the cell supernatants (48 hours) were 0.92,0.53,0.42, respectively. CONCLUSION: The vector used in this study was an effective vector to carry genes of interest to target cells and macrophage, and high level HBsAg was expressed in antigen presenting cell such as macrophage, It indicated that plasmid immunity can induce the B lymphocyte and T lymphocyte response to hepatitis B virus surface antigen by stimulating macrophage. As a vector, it may be useful in the test for gene immunity and gene therapy.

Objective To study the effects of two stimulators of the innate immune system, polyinosine-polycytidylic acid [Poly (I:C)] and R848, on the activation of microglia in rat spinal cord. Methods Thirty male Lewis rats (6 to 8 weeks old) were divided into Poly(I:C) group (n=12), R848 group (n=15) and control group (n=3). According to the killing time, the Poly(I:C) group and R848 group were divided into 4 and 5 sub-groups, respectively, with 3 rats in each sub-group. The rats in the subgroups received intraperitoneal injection of a single bolus of Poly(I:C) (5 mg/kg) or R848 (1 mg/kg) accordingly, and in the control group, the same volume of phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) was administered. Activated microglia were observed using immunohistochemistry for ED-1, AIF-1, EMAP Ⅱ, OX6, and P2X4R, and BrdU staining was used to identify the proliferating cells. Results Compared with the control group, both Poly (I:C) and R848 groups showed a significant but transient increase of ED-1-positive spinal cord microglia 4 days after the injection, while no significant differences were found in the microglial markers AIF-1, EMAP Ⅱ, OX6, P2X4 receptor (P2X4R), indicating that the microglia were not fully activated. Tracing of the cell proliferation by BrdU revealed that only a small fraction of the proliferating cells were microglia (less than 5%). Conclusion Poly(I:C) and R848 have definite effects on the innate immune system of the spinal cord and modulate the immune activity in the spinal cord, suggesting the value of these agents in modulating local regenerative processes in injured spinal cord.

Objective To determine the difference of macrophage RAW264.7 apoptosis induced by Brucella melitensis virulent strain 16M and attenuated strain M5-90 and elucidate the regulatory role of caspases 3,8 and 9.Methods The best multiplicity of infection (MOI) was determined through kinetic analysis of Brucella melitensis strain 16M and M5-90 induced mouse macrophages apoptosis(bacterium ∶ cell =100 ∶ 1,50 ∶ 1,10 ∶1).The infection model was established using the best MOI =50 ∶ 1.The numbers of in vivo bacteria by colony formation units were calculated after macrophages were infected for different times,including 2,4,8,12,24 and 48 h,and the infected cells were collected.The ratios of apoptosis were detected and the regulation of caspases 3,8 and 9 in apoptosis pathway was elucidated by flow cytometry.Results The numbers of 16M in vivo bacteria were 105.4,104.8,105.8,106.5,108.0 and 109.0,respectively and of M5-90 were 106.1,106.2,106.4,106.3,106.1 and 105.0,respectively.The number of in vivo bacteria of 16M was significantly increased than that of M5-90 after infected for 24 h to 48 h.The ratios of apoptosis induced by 16M after infected for 2,4,8,12,24 and 48 h was (2.67 ± 0.09)％,(13.13 ± 0.30)％,(6.56 ± 0.42)％,(6.49 ± 0.28)％,(16.07 ± 0.86)％ and (24.23 ± 1.67)％,respectively,and by M5-90 was (3.62 ± 0.02)％,(32.01 ± 2.59)％,(17.58 ± 0.44)％,(16.09 ± 0.10)％,(62.53 ± 2.70)％ and (85.53 ± 0.15)％,respectively,and by control group was [(1.90 ± 0.20)％,(1.92 ±0.16)％,(1.99 ± 0.03)％,(2.48 ± 0.11)％,(3.56 ± 0.07)％,(5.26 ± 0.33)％].The differences were statistically between groups in same time.The Brucella melitensis vaccine strain M5-90 was more powerful than virulent strain 16M in respect of inducing macrophage apoptosis after infected for 24 to 48 h.Twenty-four hours after infection,the expression of caspases 3,8 and 9 was (1.47 ± 0.05)％,(1.52 ± 0.02)％ and (2.47 ± 0.12)％,respectively,in control group and the expression was (9.70 ± 0.46)％,(6.08 ± 0.56)％ and (35.08 ± 1.64)％,respectively,after infected for 24 h induced by M5-90.The expression of caspases 3,8 and 9 was significantly higher than that control group (P ＜ 0.01).Twenty-four hours after given caspases 3,8 and 9 inhibitor,apoptosis rate in control group was (66.72 ± 1.28)％,in M5-90 group was (22.58 ± 0.55)％,(53.15 ± 1.85)％ and (29.18 ± 0.23)％,respectively,and compared with control group,apoptosis rate of caspases 3,8 and 9 was significantly lower(P ＜ 0.01).Conclusions Apoptosis of macrophage can be induced by Brucella melitensis virulent vaccine strain 16M and attenuated strain M5-90.M5-90 is stronger than that of strain 16M.Caspases 3,8 and 9 can regulate macrophage apoptosis after M5-90 infection.

Adult ; Female ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; complications ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Interferon-alpha ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Nephrotic Syndrome ; etiology

ObjectiveTo analysis the clinical features of thoracic spine and spinal cord injury (SCI) and summarize the inclusive standard of cellular transplant clinical trial for SCI.MethodsThe data of 72 cases with thoracic spine and spinal cord injury from 1990 to 2005 were analyzed retrospectively.ResultsMean follow-up period was 20 months (6～48 months). There was no recovery in 12 spinal cord injury without radiographic abnormality (SCIWORA) patients, but improvement of urine function in 4 cases. 5 cases of 52 fracture-dislocation complete injury were improved to grade B (sense recovery), rate of recovery was 9.6%; recovery rate was 62.5% in incomplete injury. Sense recovery of all cases was better than motor recovery. Partial cases appeared spasm paralysis relief.ConclusionIncidence rate of complete injury is high and recovery is bad in thoracic spine and spinal cord injury. The inclusive standard of cellular transplant clinical trial for SCI is old complete thoracic spinal cord injury without residual compression.

Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Astragalus Plant ; Doxorubicin ; adverse effects ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Myocardium ; pathology ; ultrastructure

Antigens, Surface ; blood ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Glutamate Carboxypeptidase II ; blood ; Humans ; Male ; Neoplasm Staging ; Prostate-Specific Antigen ; blood ; Prostatic Hyperplasia ; pathology ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; etiology ; metabolism ; pathology ; Racemases and Epimerases ; analysis

OBJECTIVETo provide inspiration and ideas for clinical treatment of coronary heart disease (CHD) by data mining technology based frequency analysis and cluster analysis of medical records, prescriptions and herbs in treating CHD by distinguished veteran doctors of traditional Chinese Dedicine (TCM).

METHODSTotally 386 medical cases were retrieved from Wanfang Data, Chinese Scientific Journals Database (VIP medical information resources system, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and Typical Collections of Medical Cases by Contemporary Distinguished Veteran Doctors of Traditional Chinese Medicine. They input into database trimmed after unified standard. Medication laws of CHD by distinguished veteran doctors of TCM were analyzed using frequency analysis and cluster analysis, and so on.

RESULTSDistinguished veteran doctors of TCM frequently used top ten herbs in treatment of C D as Salvia miltiorrhiz , Ligusticum wallichii, Trichosanthes kirilowi, Pinellia ternat, Angelica sinensis, Poria coco stragalu , Panax ginseng, Allium macrostemon, and Radix Ophiopogonis. Cluster analysis summarized that there were 16 herb pairs commonly used, 7drug assemblies consisting of 3 herbs and 5 drug assemblies consisting of multiple herbs.

CONCLUSIONSDistinguished veteran doctors of TCM mainly used herbs assemblies capable for invigorating Pi to resolve phlegm, and promoting qi and activating blood circulation in treating CHD. Meanwhile, they concurrently used herbs combination of nourishing Xin and tranquilization, and regulating yin and yang.

China ; Cluster Analysis ; Coronary Artery Disease ; therapy ; Data Mining ; Databases, Factual ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional

Biometry ; Clinical Protocols ; Cryoultramicrotomy ; methods ; Diagnostic Techniques and Procedures ; Frozen Sections ; utilization ; Humans ; Orthopedics ; methods