Objective To determine the contents of matrix metalloproteinase 3 (MMP-3) and interleukin 1 (IL-1) in the tissues of the lumbar disc herniation and to investigate their roles in the pathogenesis. Methods The tissues of the herniated lumbar disc were obtained from 30 patients undergoing surgery for persistent radiculopathy from June 2003 to December 2004 and at the same time these samples were divided into the following three experimentalgroups: the bulge group (n=11), the protrusion group (n=9), and the prolapsus group (n=10)，14 males, 16 females, aged 33.64 years. As the control group, 9 lumbar disc specimens were harvested from 9 patients(4 males, 5 females, aged 21-58 years) suffering from bursting fracture of the lumbar spine. The specimens were analyzed by the ELISA method for the contents of MMP-3 and IL-1. Results The contents of MMP-3(14.25±1.32, 19.89±2.97,20.69±2.18 ng/ml in the bulge group, protrusion group and prolapsus group, separately) and IL-1(8.52±0.22， 11.88±0.52，11.90±0.73 pg/ml in the bulge group, protrusion group and prolapsus group, separately) in the experimental groups were significantly higher than those in the control group. The contents of MMP-3 and IL-1 in the protrusion group were not significantly higher than those in the prolapsus group, but they were significantly higher than those in the bulge group(P＜0.01). The contents of MMP-3 had a significant relationship with the contents of IL-1 in the three experimental groups and the control group(P＜0.01). Conclusion The result demonstrates that the tissues of the lumbar disc herniation can produce both MMP-3 and IL-1, which may have an unknown but important relationship with each other.
Objective To investigate the heterotopic odontogenesis ability ofDelta1 gene transfected human dental pulp stem cell (DPSC) and nanohydroxyapatite/collagen (nHAC) composite scaffold. Methods The cultured human DPSC was transfected with Delta1-enhanced green fluorescent protein recombinant retrovirus supernatant，and was selected by puromycin to obtain the positive cell clone. The experimental group contained the Delta1 transfected DPSC; however, the control group did not contain the Delta1 transfected DPSC but contained DPSC transfected with vectors only. The cells were seeded into the nHAC carriers and were cultured in the odonto-inductive medium. The growth of the transduced cells in the carriers was observed by the fluorescent phase contrast microscope and the scanning electron microscope (SEM). The cell-carrier composites were subcutaneously transplanted into the Delta1 transfected 8 nude mice (female, 8 weeks old). Eight weeks after operation,the composites were taken out and tested with the histological and the immunohistological methods.Results Green fluorescence was observed inthe cells in the experimental group, which were grown in the carriers by the fluorescent phase contrast microscope. Observed by SEM, great amounts of transduced DPSC were observed along the scaffold materials, even filling the porous structures of nHAC and secreting a lot of extracellular matrix. However, in the control group, much fewer cells were found in the carriers. All the 4 Delta1 transduced DPSC-nHAC composites produced dentin-like structures that lined the surfaces of some nHAC porous structures. The odontoblast-like cells extended the cytoplasmic processes into the dentinal matrix, which was interfaced with a pulp-like interstitial tissue infiltrated with the blood vessels. Dentin sialophosphoprotein was expressed in the odontoblast-like cells when immunohisochemistry was performed. The morphology of the control composite was a typical one of the fibrous connective tissue,and only a little dentin-like structure was found in 2 of the 8 control transplants. Conclution DPSC can be used as the recipient cell of the Delta1 gene for expression and secretion of the Delta1 protein. The composites of the transfected cells and nHAC can induce heterotopic odontogenesis, which indicates that Delta1 is a novel candidate for the gene enhanced dentinpulp composite engineering.
OBJECTIVE To study the immunosuppressive effect of combined therapy with FK506 and RS-61443 in rat limb allotransplantation. METHODS: A total of 101 male SD rats were randomly divided into seven groups and used as recipients, and 101 Wistar rats were used as donors. All SD rats were performed limb allotransplantation without using immunosuppressants in control group. In experimental groups (Groups 1-6), the recipients were immunosuppressed with various dosages of FK506, RS-61443 or FK506 + RS61443, after transplantation for 5 weeks. To evaluate the results, we observed circulation of the transplanted limb, the mean rejection time, the histologic grading of skin rejection of limb grafts and the survival time of limb grafts. RESULTS: The control group showed rejection signs (edema and erythema of the skin) after a mean time of 3.36 +/- 1.15 days, and the mean survival time of the allografts was only 7.00 +/- 0.78 days. In the groups only using FK506 or RS-61443, the survival time were prolonged to varying degrees, but rejection occurred even in the period of using drug. As dosage increased, the rejection could not be prevented and the damage to liver and kidney could be induced. In the group using FK506 in combination with RS-61443, only skin and muscle of limb allografts showed slight rejection sign, function of liver and kidney was not obviously affected, the mean survival time of limb allografts was prolonged to 58.76 +/- 6.81 days. CONCLUSIONS: A combination of FK506 and RS-61443 is a more potent immunosuppressive agent than FK506 oro RS-61443 in preventing the rejection of limb allografts, and it can obviously prolong the survival time of limb allografts.
OBJECTIVE: To study the nerve growth factor (NGF) expression and the influence of IL-1 alpha or IL-1 beta on NGF secretion in newborn rat astrocytes. METHODS: Astrocytes obtained from the brain cortex of newborn rats were cultured and purified, and they were divided into three groups, experimental, control and blank groups. IL-1 alpha or IL-1 beta were added into the experimental group with 25, 50 and 100 U/ml, each group was cultured for 24, 48 or 72 hours, and then the NGF contents in cultured astrocytes suspension media were measured by a two-cite enzymelinked immunoserbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS: Astrocytes could secret NGF by themselves and each concentration of IL-1 alpha or IL-1 beta media at any testing time could enhance NGF secreting in newborn rat astrocytes in certain degrees. The effects of IL-1 beta were ber than IL-1 alpha, the best effect in the unit time was observed in IL-1 beta with 50 U/ml for 24 hours. CONCLUSION: Astrocytes can express NGF, and IL-1 alpha or IL-1 beta can enhance the NGF expression in newborn rat astrocytes.
ObjectiveTo determine the frequency and type of p16 gene homozygous deletion and mutation with the progression of human gastric carcinogenesis.MethodsPCR （polymerase chain reaction），SSCP (single strand conformation polymorphism) and DNA sequencing were performed on 50 operative tissues, which included 7 early gastric cancer and 43 advanced gastric cancer. In this group there were 36 male and 14 female patients aged 35 to 68,which included 30 welldifferetiated adenocarcinoma and 20 poordifferentiated carcinoma; 19 patients with lymph node metastases.ResultsTotal mutation frequency of p16 gene was 8.00%(4/50), including 14.29%(1/7) of early cancer and 7.00%(3/43) of advanced cancer，there was no significant difference between early and advanced cancer （P＞0.05）. In addition, p16 gene mutation was not related to site，location，grade of tumor differentiation and lymph node metastases, respectively. Total deletion frequency of p16 gene was 16.00%(8/50), of which 18.60%(8/43) was detected in advanced cancer, but no cases in early cancers. There was a significant difference between early and advanced cancer （P＜0.05）, and frequency p16 gene homozygous deletion was related to grade of tumor differentiation and lymph node metastases, respectively. Direct DNA sequencing displayed that 4 point mutations detected in 99,125,433,441 base, there were 3 missense mutation and 1 samesense mutation, no deletion or insertion was found. Conclusionp16 gene mutation is an early event in gastric carcinogenesis，it helps early diagnosis of human gastric carcinoma. p16 gene homozygous deletion is a late event in gastric carcinogenesis，it might relate to metastases and recurrence of gastric cancer.
Objective To summarize the progress of clinical research on triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Methods Domestic and international publications on the study of TNBC in recent years were collected and reviewed. Results The patients with TNBC were younger, and their prognosis was poorer. Besides operation, chemotherapy was the major therapeutic tool for them. Currently the targeted therapy for epidermal growth factor receptor and its signal conducting system was applied to clinical therapy gradually， and it might benefit the patients with TNBC. Conclusion The study on TNBC may bring a new way for therapy.
Objective To investigate the effect and mechanism of epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) on restenosis of the vein graft. Methods Totally 90 Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided a the control group, a vein graft group and an EGCG+vein graft group. At week 1, 2 and 4, the intimal and tunica thickness of the venous graft wall was evaluated by hematoxylin-eosin staining, and the expression of Ki-67 was assessed by immunohistochemistry analysis, and then the expression of hairy and enhancer of split-1 (HES1) was measured by Western blot assay. Results At week 2, the intimal thickness (46.76±4.89 μmvs. 8.93±0.82 μm, 46.76±4.89 μmvs. 34.24±3.57 μm), tunica thickness (47.28±4.37vs. 16.33±1.52 μm, 47.28±4.37vs. 36.27±3.29 μm), positive cell rate of Ki-67 (21.59%±2.29%vs. 1.12%±0.22%, 21.59%±2.29%vs. 15.38%±1.30%), expression of HES1 respectively increased in the experimental group than those in the control group and the EGCG+vein graft group (P<0.05, respectively). At week 4, the intimal thickness (66.38±6.23 μmvs. 8.29±0.79 μm, 66.38±6.23 μmvs. 48.39±4.23 μm), tunica thickness (63.27±6.18 μmvs. 15.29±1.49 μm, 63.27±6.18 μmvs. 44.63±4.49 μm), positive cell rate of Ki-67 (33.19%±3.03%vs. 1.09%±0.19%, 33.19%±3.03%vs. 24.37%±2.73%), expression of HES1 increased in the experimental group than those in the control group and EGCG+vein graft group (P<0.05, respectively). Conclusion EGCG may inhibite restenosis of vein graft by inhibiting Notch signal pathway.
The interventional therapy of vascular stent implantation is a popular treatment method for cardiovascular stenosis and blockage. However, traditional stent manufacturing methods such as laser cutting are complex and cannot easily manufacture complex structures such as bifurcated stents, while three-dimensional (3D) printing technology provides a new method for manufacturing stents with complex structure and personalized designs. In this paper, a cardiovascular stent was designed, and printed using selective laser melting technology and 316L stainless steel powder of 0−10 µm size. Electrolytic polishing was performed to improve the surface quality of the printed vascular stent, and the expansion behavior of the polished stent was assessed by balloon inflation. The results showed that the newly designed cardiovascular stent could be manufactured by 3D printing technology. Electrolytic polishing removed the attached powder and reduced the surface roughness Ra from 1.36 µm to 0.82 µm. The axial shortening rate of the polished bracket was 4.23% when the outside diameter was expanded from 2.42 mm to 3.63 mm under the pressure of the balloon, and the radial rebound rate was 2.48% after unloading. The radial force of polished stent was 8.32 N. The 3D printed vascular stent can remove the surface powder through electrolytic polishing to improve the surface quality, and show good dilatation performance and radial support performance, which provides a reference for the practical application of 3D printed vascular stent.
ObjectiveTo establish 16HBE cell lines stably expressing glutathione S-transferase mu 5 (GSTM5) gene, and explore the mechanism of GSTM5 nuclear translocation. MethodsRecombinant lentiviral expression vector containing GSTM5 gene was constructed and lentivirus was produced. After lentivirus infection of 16HBE cells, 16HBE-GSTM5 cell lines were obtained by screening with puromycin. Expression of GSTM5 in different cells was examined by RT-qPCR and Western blot. The nuclear translocation of GSTM5 was observed by confocal laser scanning microscope, after the 16HBE-GSTM5 cell lines were treated with tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α; 10 ng/ml) for 0.5 hour. ResultsLentiviral expression plasmids, PLVX-puro-3*flag-SBP-GSTM5-C and PLVX-puro-GSTM5-SBP-3*flag-N, were constructed and lentiviral particles were successfully packed. After infected with lentivirus and screened by puromycin, two cell lines, 16HBE-GSTM5-SBP-3*flag-N and 16HBE-3*flag-SBP-GSTM5-C, were obtained. GSTM5 expression in these two cell lines was significantly higher compared with the control group and parental cells. After treated with TNF-α for 0.5 hour, the nuclear translocation of GSTM5 in 16HBE-GSTM5-SBP-3*flag-N was much more obviously than that in 16HBE-3*flag-SBP-GSTM5-C. ConclusionThe N-terminal region of GSTM5 is critical for nuclear translocation induced by TNF-α, which is mediated by a novel and non-classical nuclear localization signal.
ObjectiveTo investigate the risk factors for lymph node metastasis (LNM) and prognosis of T1-stage esophageal squamous carcinoma (ESC).MethodsClinical data of 387 patients with T1-stage ESC who underwent surgical treatment in our hospital from March 2013 to March 2018 were collected. There were 281 males and 106 females aged 60 (41-80) years. The patients were divided into a lymph node metastasis group (n=77) and a non-metastasis group (n=310). The risk factors for LNM and prognosis were analyzed.ResultsAmong 387 patients with T1-stage ESC, 77 (19.9%) patients had LNM. The incidence of LNM was 8.4% (8/95) in T1a-stage patients and 23.6% (69/292) in T1b-stage patients. Univariate analysis showed that tumor size, differentiation degree, depth of invasion and vascular tumor thrombus were associated with LNM (P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that invasion depth of tumor [OR=2.456, 95%CI (1.104, 5.463), P<0.05] and vascular tumor thrombus [OR=15.766, 95%CI (4.880, 50.938), P<0.05] were independent risk factors for LNM. The follow-up time was 41 (12, 66) months. The 1-year, 3-year and 5-year survival rates were 98.71%, 89.67% and 86.82%, respectively. Univariate analysis showed statistically significant differences in tumor invasion depth, vascular tumor thrombus and LNM between the survival group and the death group. Cox analysis showed that LNM [OR=3.794, 95%CI (2.109, 6.824), P<0.05] was an independent risk factor for prognosis.ConclusionT1-stage ESC patients with deeper invasion or vascular tumor thrombus have a higher risk of LNM. The prognosis of T1-stage ESC with LNM is relatively poor.