Resolution of skin fibrosis and joint contractures in aggressive diffuse systemic sclerosis using autologous stem cell transplantation

The use of haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) has now expanded beyond the domain of haematological diseases. Increasingly, the benefits of intense immunosuppression in the management of severe autoimmune diseases are being recognized. In diffuse systemic sclerosis (SSc), there has been increasing evidence of the efficacy of HSCT in improving morbidity and mortality. We present the first Australian patient to undergo autologous HSCT for SSc and review the current literature in the use of HSCT in SSc. Remarkably, the patient had complete resolution of skin disease (modified Rodnan skin score 27/51–0/51), tenosynovitis, synovitis and myositis.     

Expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) by cultured angiofibroma stroma cells from patients with tuberous sclerosis

Large dendritic cells were cultured from facial angiofibromas of six patients with tuberous sclerosis. The cells were examined immunocytochemically for expression of selected cytoskeletal and non-structural proteins and the results compared with the staining profiles obtained with normal skin fibroblasts and normal glial cells. In similarity to normal glia, the angiofibroma stroma cells expressed glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). Conversely, by analogy to fibroblasts, the abnormal stroma cells produced fibronectin and did not react with the antibody to S-100 protein. By immunogold labelling it was established that GFAP and vimentin were co-localized in intermediate filaments of the angiofibroma cells.     

MRI and SPECT findings in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Summary MRI was performed in 21 patients and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) withN-isopropyl-p-¹²³I iodoamphetamine in 16 patients, to visualize upper motor neurone lesions in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. T2-weighted MRI revealed high signal along the course of the pyramidal tract in the internal capsule and cerebral peduncle in 4 of 21 patients. SPECT images were normal in 4 patients, but uptake was reduced in the cerebral cortex that includes the motor area in 11.     

不同阶段肌萎缩侧索硬化患者肌电图的研究

目的研究不同阶段肌萎缩侧索硬化(ALS)患者的定量肌电图(EMG)表现,寻找早期诊断ALS的敏感电生理指标。方法对60例ALS患者进行定量EMG检查,分析不同阶段运动单位动作电位(MUPs)多相参数、自发电位和大力收缩募集相变化,并与健康对照组进行比较。结果不同阶段ALS EMG表现不同,从最早期阶段到最后阶段可分为N0~N56个连续的电生理阶段。N2期MUPs的时限、波幅、面积、运动单位指数(SI)、多相波数值均较健康对照组显著升高(均P<0·001),N0、N4期MUPs部分多相参数数值明显升高(P<0·05);自发电位在病变的各个阶段均可见到,以N2~N5多见,分别为63·6%、83·0%、91·2%、100%。结论ALS患者早期阶段如出现自发电位,即为下运动神经元受累的特征表现;定量EMG检查中运动单位面积和波幅增大是其显著特点。     

Temporal Lobe Epilepsy in Children: Electroclinical Study of 77 Cases

Summary:  Purpose: Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) is probably more difficult to recognize in children than in adults. In fact, ictal symptoms in children are less stereotyped and less obvious, and the neuropathological substrate is more heterogeneous than in adults. The aim of this study is to examine the relationships between etiology, age at onset and electroclinical findings in 77 children with TLE, 32 of whom were surgically treated.
Methods: Electroclinical study including video-EEG recording of seizures in 77 children with TLE. The investigation focused on the first five initial ictal symptoms.
Results: Age at onset was less than 3 years in 39 cases, between 3 and 6 years in 17 cases and older than 6 years in 21 cases. Auras also occurred in younger children but were more common after the age of 6 years. A peculiar initial ictal semiology consisted in staring with arrest, lip cyanosis, and very slight oral automatisms. In some cases, EEG recordings documented seizures starting independently on both temporal lobes. Based on electroclinical and neuroradiological features, we recognized three subgroups: symptomatic TLE due to cortical malformations or nonevolutive tumors, TLE with mesial temporal sclerosis, and cryptogenic TLE.
Conclusions: A correct electroclinical and neuroradiological approach allows in several cases early recognition of TLE even when onset is earlier than the age of 6 years. A correct definition of the localization relies primarily on video-EEG recording of the seizures, possibly repeated during follow up in cases lacking obvious neuroradiological correlation.     

CXCL10 haplotypes and multiple sclerosis: association and correlation with clinical course

CXCL10 (interferon- γ -inducible protein-10) levels are increased in cerebrospinal fluid of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients with symptomatic attacks of inflammatory demyelination, supporting a role for this molecule in MS pathogenesis. Two hundred and twenty-six patients with MS and 235 controls were genotyped for G  →  C and T  →  C single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in exon 4 of CXCL10 gene. Haplotypes were tested for association and correlated with clinical variables. The two SNPs studied were in complete linkage disequilibrium. None of the determined haplotypes was associated with MS. However, carriers of the GGTT haplotype (defined as wild type, according to the sequence in National Centre for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) database) had a significantly lower progression index than non-carriers ( P  = 0.016). Furthermore, amongst patients who had an initial relapsing remitting (RR) course of the disease, the time between onset and second episode was significantly longer in GGTT carriers ( P  = 0.021). Considering secondary progressive (SP)–MS patients, the time between the initial RR form and the subsequent worsening to SP was longer in this group ( P  = 0.08). Therefore, the GGTT haplotype of the CXCL10 gene is not a susceptibility factor for the development of MS, but is probably to influence the course of MS, possibly contributing to slow down the progression of the disease.     

自体外周血纯化CD34+细胞移植治疗进展型多发性硬化

目的 评价自体外周血纯化CD34+细胞移植治疗进展型多发性硬化(PMS)的安全性和疗效.方法 2002-09―2006-03期间15例PMS患者在首都医科大学宣武医院接受了自体外周血纯化CD34+细胞移植.单独使用粒细胞集落刺激因子(G-CSF)动员造血干细胞,全部回输采集物进行CD34+细胞纯化.预处理采用BEAM(卡氮芥、依托泊甙、阿糖胞苷、马法兰)方案.中位随访期为21(3～45)个月,移植前后应用扩充神经功能残疾量表(EDSS)、年平均发病次数进行疗效评价. 结果分选后中位CD34+细胞纯度为93.2 (78.6～97.7)%,中位回收率为67.0(22.4～79.8)%,相当于减少了4个对数级的T细胞.无移植相关死亡,造血重建时间与其自体外周造血干细胞移植(APBSCT)相当,未出现严重的毒性反应及并发症.患者移植后12个月EDSS评分(3.95±2.55)较移植前(5.64±0.71)降低(P＜0.05),年平均发病次数移植后(0.45±0.82)较移植前(1.31±0.71)减少(P＜0.05).移植后45个月疾病无活动者生存率为(47.01±17.87)%,EDSS评分无进展者(包括稳定和改善)生存率为(57.69±20.24)%. 结论自体外周血纯化CD34+细胞移植治疗PMS安全有效.     

Rat Cytomegalovirus-Accelerated Transplant Vascular Sclerosis Is Reduced with Mutation of the Chemokine-Receptor R33

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection accelerates transplant vascular sclerosis (TVS) and chronic rejection (CR) in both human and animal solid organ transplantation models. The host/viral mechanisms involved in this process are unclear. We examine the role of the rat CMV (RCMV)-encoded chemokine-receptor R33 in the development of TVS using a rat heart transplantation/CR model. F344 heart grafts were transplanted heterotopically into Lewis recipients. The ability of RCMV lacking the R33 gene (RCMV-Deltar33) to accelerate CR/TVS (neointimal index, NI) was compared to wild-type (WT) RCMV. Allograft recipients were infected with 1 x 10(5) pfu RCMV or RCMV-Deltar33 on postoperative day (POD) 1. Grafts from RCMV-Deltar33-infected recipients demonstrated an accelerated time to allograft CR compared to grafts from uninfected recipients (POD = 56 vs. 90), this was slower than that seen in grafts from WT-RCMV-infected recipients (POD = 45). Similarly, the degree of graft TVS formation at terminal rejection in RMCV-Deltar33 infected recipients was more severe than uninfected recipients (NI = 63 vs. 45), yet not as severe as in WT-RCMV infected recipients (NI = 83). In parallel, RCMV-Deltar33 failed to induce vascular smooth muscle cell (SMC) migration in vitro, whereas WT-RCMV induced substantial migration. The RCMV-encoded chemokine-receptor r33 is critical for RCMV-accelerated TVS/CR and vascular SMC migration.