S100A9 is an important alarmin in vivo,which plays a role in regulating inflammation and tumorigenesis.Recently,many studies have also explored the biological function and related mechanism of S100A9 in renal diseases,including acute kidney injury,chronic kidney disease,renal stone,renal transplantation,renal tumor,renal cyst,and urinary infection.They pointed out the potential role of S100A9 as a new diagnostic and therapeutic biomarker for renal diseases.In the current study,we conduct a review of these findings and summarize possible future study directions,which aims to help people understand the impact of S100A9 on renal diseases.

Globally, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most highly morbid, fatal, and malignant tumors, with a poor prognosis in advanced stage. In the past decade, new advances have been emerged in the field of HCC therapy, including surgery, ablation, transvascular intervention, external radiotherapy, and systemic therapy. Among them, systemic treatments, particularly targeted and immune checkpoint drugs have made outstanding progress, significantly improving the five-year survival rate of liver cancer patients. In addition, the management of liver cancer patients, especially the screening management and multidisciplinary collaborative diagnosis and treatment of high-risk populations, has significantly increased the early diagnosis rate and improved the overall treatment efficacy. Considering our country's condition and the development of existing treatment, the most effective strategy to reduce HCC mortality in the future is to accurately identify high-risk populations, increase the early diagnosis rate, and formulate personalized treatment strategies.

Objective: To analyze the prognostic factors on multidisciplinary team patients for diagnosis, and treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma. Methods: This retrospective study enrolled 132 HBsAg positive patients with HCC. MDT diagnostic approach was conducted at our hospital between 1 January 2015 and 31 December 2015, and all patients were followed up to 31 December 2017. Groups were arranged according to variables such as Barcelona stage, MDT compliance, and multidisciplinary combination therapy. TTP and OS were statistically analyzed. Results: The survival of the MDT compliance group was better than the non-compliance group. The difference in survival curves was statistically significant (χ² = 4.062, P < 0.05). The 1- and 2-year survival rates of the former group were 72.0%, 60.9%, and the latter was 64.3%, 40.3%. The survival of the combined treatment group was better than the non-combination group. The survival curves of the two groups were statistically significant (χ² = 9.502, P < 0.05), and they were independent influencing factors of survival (HR = 0.451, 95% CI, 0.210-0.968). The 1- and 2-year survival rates of the former group were 82.2% and 75.4%, and the latter was 63.1% and 44.6%. The median survival time of the follow-up group was 29.4 months, and the non-compliance and the uncombined group were 17.0 months. The difference was statistically significant (χ² = 13.336, P < 0.001). The median tumor progression time was 15.7 months in the combination group and 10.1 months in the non-compliance group (χ² = 7.263, P < 0.05). Conclusion An advanced MDT compliance with implementation of multidisciplinary combination therapy may help to improve the prognosis of MDT patients with liver cancer.

Objective To evaluate the feasibility and accuracy of virtual navigation contrast enhanced sonography in accurately location of small liver tumors which cannot be detected by conventional sonography during microwave ablation therapy. Methods Twenty-three patients with 28 small liver tumors,which could not be detected by conventional sonography but CT/MRI,underwent microwave ablation with virtual navigation contrast enhanced sonography from January 2015 to March 2017 at Nanfang Hospital. After fusion of images from both sonography and CT/MRI,small liver tumors were ablated under the real-time monitoring of navigated sonography. Virtual navigation contrast enhanced sonography was also utilized to evaluate the efficacy of ablation after the ablation.All patients underwent CT/MRI examination at one month post-ablation to evaluate the efficacy of ablation. Results Virtual navigation system successfully provided image fusion for all patients and all lesions(image fusion efficacy was 100%). All patients underwent virtual navigation contrast enhanced sonography monitored microwave ablation.Only one patient received extra ablation since a small proportion of residual tumor checked after the initial ablation. No severe complications occurred in the present study. One-month after ablation,all patients showed complete ablation by further CT/MRI examinations.Conclusion Virtual navigation sonography can precisely target small liver tumors which are undetected by conventional sonography.Evaluation of lesions and ablation efficacy can be performed with the help of virtual navigation contrast enhanced sonography during the ablation period,which have shown satisfactory clinical efficacy.

Objective For providing experimental platform of chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD),to establish a mouse model by haplo-identical spleen cell infusion.Methods The donor male mice (Balb/cH-2d) and the recipient (Balb/c C57BL/6) F1 H2-d/b (CB6F1) female mice were randomly divided into four groups:3 experimental groups injected with 3 107,6 107 and 9 107 spleen cells,respectively,while the control group received RPMI 1640 solution.H-2d and H-2b were checked to analyze the chimerism in bone marrow cells.Body mass,figure,cutaneous manifestation and survival of recipient mice were observed and scored every 3 days.Pathologic changes of target organs were observed and scored.Results Injection of 6 107 and 6 107 splenocytes in the recipient mice resulted in a chronic disease with a low level of parental cell engraftment steadily.As compared with 3 107 group,the incidence of cGVHD in 6 107 and 9 107 groups were significantly increased (P ＜0.01).But there was no significant difference between 6 107 and 9 107 groups (P＞0.05).Conclusion A murine model of cGVHD after haplo-identical spleen cell infusion of donor is successfully established by injection of 6 107 and 9 107 spleen cells.

OBJECTIVETo establish a diet-induced obesity model in zebrafish larvae.

METHODSAt 7 days post-fertilization (dpf), 200 zebrafish larvae with normal development were randomly allocated to two groups with the feeding quantity of 30 mg per day (normal feeding group) or 180 mg per day (overfed group) for 20 days. The weight, length, BMI, triglyceride (TG) and total cholesterol (TCH) of each group were measured. Whole-mount Oil Red O staining, frozen Oil Red O staining and hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining were used to estimate the rate of hepatic steatosis and liver histology of the zebrafish. The dynamic change of hepatic lipid droplets and distribution of adipose tissue were observed with Nile Red staining in overfed zebrafish in vivo.

RESULTSThe weight, length, BMI and TG of overfed zebrafish were significantly increased compared with those in normal feeding group. Whole-mount Oil Red O staining showed that the percent of hepatic steatosis in overfed group (89.4%) was markedly higher than that in normal feeding group (20.7%). Macrovesicular steatosis was observed in the liver of the overfed larvae. Nile Red staining visualized hepatic lipid droplets and the distribution of larval adipose tissue, which increased with feeding time in the overfed zebrafish. Starving larvae showed depletion of fat and hepatic lipid, and adipose tissue was induced after refeeding.

CONCLUSIONSWe successfully established an diet-induced obesity model in zebrafish larva, in which Nile Red staining allows in vivo observation of the adipocytes and hepatic lipid droplets.

Adipose Tissue ; Animals ; Cholesterol ; Diet ; adverse effects ; Disease Models, Animal ; Fatty Liver ; Larva ; Lipids ; Obesity ; pathology ; Triglycerides ; Zebrafish

BACKGROUND:Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cels have low immunogenicity and can induce immune tolerance. At present, the mechanism of immune regulation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cels is not completely understood. It has been rarely reported whether the bone marrow mesenchymal stem cels can migrate to the thymus after transplantation.
OBJECTIVE:To observe the distribution and survival of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cels in the thymus of aging rats after transplantation.
METHODS: Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cels cultured in vitrowere transfected by adenovirus vectors expressing green fluorescent protein. Transfected bone marrow mesenchymal stem cels were injected into the portal vein of aging rats. At days 3, 7, 14, 21 after transplantation, the survival of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cels homing to the thymus was observed under fluorescence microscope. At day 3 after transplantation, thymus tissues were taken and stained with hematoxylin-eosin for pathological observation.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Green fluorescent protein-labeled bone marrow mesenchymal stem cels had a strong green fluorescence at days 3 and 7 after transplantation, and the cel contour was clear. There was no significant difference in the mean absorbance values at days 3 and 7 (P> 0.05). Expression of green fluorescent protein was weakened significantly at days 14 and 21 compared with that at day 3 (P < 0.05). At 3 days after transplantation, the transplanted bone marrow mesenchymal stem cels were clearly visible in the thymus, and acute rejection was not observed. The results show that bone marrow mesenchymal stem cels can migrate to the damaged thymus tissue through the blood circulation, and can survive at least 1 week.

OBJECTIVETo establish a zebrafish model of liver fibrosis via diethylnitrosamine (DEN)-induced liver injury.

METHODSA total of 120 wild-type 3-month-old zebrafish were randomly divided into DEN-treated group and control group. The survival rate and behavioral changes of each group were observed. After treatment with DEN for 2, 4, and 6 weeks, liver index was measured, and liver fibrosis was evaluated with HE staining, Gomori staining and Sirius red staining.

RESULTSNo obvious behavioral change was observed in DEN-treated group during the experiment. Compared with that in control group, the liver index of zebrafish in DEN-treated group showed no significantly changes at the time points of observation. Proliferation of reticulate fibers was found in 30% of zebrafish treated with DEN for 4 weeks, and the rate increased to 80% at 6 weeks when reticulate fibers and collagen fibers actively proliferated to result in fiber collapse and formation of fibrotic nodules.

CONCLUSIONA stable zebrafish liver fibrosis model was successfully established by inducing liver damage to facilitate studies of the pathogenesis of liver fibrosis and screening therapeutic drugs.

Animals ; Diethylnitrosamine ; Disease Models, Animal ; Liver Cirrhosis ; chemically induced ; Zebrafish

BACKGROUND:Studies have shown that exogenous bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells can settle down in lung tissue, participate in long regeneration, but few studies concerned the repair of aging lung injury. OBJECTIVE:To observe the effect of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells on lung injury induced by D-galactose. METHODS:A total of 30 Sprague-Dawley rats were equal y divided into three groups at random:control group, aging model group and celltreatment group. To establish the aging rats, 10 rats each in the aging model group and celltreatment group were daily subcutaneously injected with D-galactose for 4 months. 3×106 bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells were transplanted via caudal vein in the celltreatment group, once a week, for 4 weeks. cellmedium of equal dose was added in the control and aging model groups. Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells were transfected by lentiviral vectors expressing green fluorescent protein to determine the implantation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells in rat lung. Superoxide dismutase activity and malondialdehyde content in rat lung were measured in each group. The difference in rat lung structure was observed using hematoxylin-eosin staining in each group. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells marked by green fluorescent protein were implanted in rats, migrated towards lung tissue and survived. Compared with aging model group, superoxide dismutase activity was apparently increased, but malondialdehyde content was obviously diminished in the celltreatment group. In each group, histopathological sections revealed that normal pulmonary alveolus was damaged in the aging model group, showing enlarged air cavity and emphysema. Lung injury was evidently repaired inthe celltreatment group. Results suggested that bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells could repair lung injury in aging rats, and exert anti-aging effects.

Objective To establish a zebrafish model of liver fibrosis via diethylnitrosamine (DEN)-induced liver injury. Methods A total of 120 wild-type 3-month-old zebrafish were randomly divided into DEN-treated group and control group. The survival rate and behavioral changes of each group were observed. After treatment with DEN for 2, 4, and 6 weeks, liver index was measured, and liver fibrosis was evaluated with HE staining, Gomori staining and Sirius red staining. Results No obvious behavioral change was observed in DEN-treated group during the experiment. Compared with that in control group, the liver index of zebrafish in DEN-treated group showed no significantly changes at the time points of observation. Proliferation of reticulate fibers was found in 30%of zebrafish treated with DEN for 4 weeks, and the rate increased to 80%at 6 weeks when reticulate fibers and collagen fibers actively proliferated to result in fiber collapse and formation of fibrotic nodules. Conclusion A stable zebrafish liver fibrosis model was successfully established by inducing liver damage to facilitate studies of the pathogenesis of liver fibrosis and screening therapeutic drugs.