Mutant ryanodine receptors in catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia generate delayed afterdepolarizations due to increased propensity to Ca2+ waves.

AIMS: Mutations in cardiac ryanodine receptors (RyR2s) are linked to catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT), characterized by risk of polymorphic ventricular tachyarrhythmias and sudden death during exercise. Arrhythmias are caused by gain-of-function defects in RyR2, but cellular arrhythmogenesis remains elusive. METHODS AND RESULTS: We recorded endocardial monophasic action potentials (MAPs) at right ventricular septum in 15 CPVT patients with a RyR2 mutation (P2,328S, Q4,201R, and V4,653F) and in 12 control subjects both at baseline and during epinephrine infusion (0.05 microg/kg/min). At baseline 3 and during epinephrine infusion, four CPVT patients, but none of the control subjects, showed delayed afterdepolarizations (DADs) occasionally coinciding with ventricular premature complexes. In order to study the underlying mechanisms, we expressed two types of mutant RyR2 (P2,328S and V4,653F) causing CPVT as well as wild-type RyR2 in HEK 293 cells. Confocal microscopy of Fluo-3 loaded cells transfected with any of the three RyR2s showed no spontaneous subcellular Ca(2+) release events at baseline. Membrane permeable cAMP analogue (Dioctanoyl-cAMP) triggered subcellular Ca(2+) release events as Ca(2+) sparks and waves. Cells expressing mutant RyR2s showed spontaneous Ca(2+) release events at lower concentrations of cAMP than cells transfected with wild-type RyR2. CONCLUSION: CPVT patients show DADs coinciding with premature action potentials in MAP recordings. Expression studies suggest that DADs are caused by increased propensity of abnormal RyR2s to generate spontaneous Ca(2+) waves in response to cAMP stimulation. Increased sensitivity of mutant RyR2s to cAMP may explain the occurrence of arrhythmias during exercise or emotional stress in CPVT.     

Growth fraction in human brain tumors defined by the monoclonal antibody Ki-67

Summary The monoclonal antibody Ki-67, which reacts with cells in the active part of the cell cycle, was used to evaluate immunocytochemically the growth fraction in 22 primary brain neoplasms. The percentage of labelled cells reflected the histological grade of malignancy of each neoplasms. High percentage of Ki-67-positive cells were observed in one choroid plexus carcinoma (60%), one primary melanoma of meninges (40%), three medulloblastomas (40%–50%), one anaplastic astrocytoma and six glioblastomas (10%–40%). One ependymoma had 7% positive cells. Rare positive cells (1%) were present in one pilocytic astrocytoma and one ganglioglioma. Except one negative case, the meningiomas (five cases) had values of positivity ranging from 1% to 6%. Two acoustic schwannomas were negative. These results suggest that immunocytochemical staining with the Ki-67 may be a useful method for measuring the growth fraction in brain neoplasms.Supported in part by Associazione Italiana Ricerca sul Cancro and Ministero Italiano della Pubblica Istruzione     

Monoclonal antibody production to human and bovine 2′:3′-cyclic nucleotide 3′-phosphodiesterase (CNPase): high-specificity recognition in whole brain acetone powders and conservation of sequence between CNP1 and CNP2

Monoclonal antibodies against human and bovine 2′:3′-cyclic nucleotide 3′-phosphodiesterase (CNPase) were generated by fusing FOX-NY myeloma cells with spleen cells from RBF/Dn mice previously immunized with the purified brain antigens. The enzyme isolated from bovine brain was quite basic, with an isoelectric point of 9.71 and both the bovine and human enzymes consisted of a closely spaced doublet at approximately 44 and 46 kDa on SDS-PAGE. Six monoclonals were identified as strongly recognizing the enzyme on both ELISA plates and on immunoblots of whole brain protein. Four monoclonals very weakly cross-reacted with guinea pig myelin basic protein. In contrast with two previous reports, some of our monoclonal antibodies did immunostain 2 or 3 protein bands in peripheral nerve, two bands closely corresponding to those immunostained in central nervous system (CNS) myelin, the Wolfgram protein fraction and in acetone powders of whole brain. Each of the 6 monoclonals reacting strongly on immunoblots recognized the enzyme in from 2 to 5 of the species examined (human, bovine, rat, mouse and rabbit). In addition, all 6 monoclonals that immunostained the enzyme in whole brain, myelin and Wolfgram protein immunoblots recognized both CNP1 (44 kDa) and CNP2 (46 kDa). The two closely spaced protein bands observed on SDS-PAGE and previously stained on immunoblots of CNS CNPase using polyvalent rabbit anti-bovine CNPase antisera, and now different monoclonal antibodies, appear to be immunologically related and to contain highly conserved sequences.     

种子细胞双相接种技术促进组织工程骨体外成熟的研究

目的 比较观察双相接种法和静置接种法构建组织工程骨对种子细胞增殖、分化和成骨表达的影响。方法 取健康志愿者骨髓，密度梯度离心法分离骨髓间充质干细胞并进行体外扩增、诱导分化，然后应用双相接种法和静置接种法与脱钙骨基质（DBM）复合构建组织工程骨，体外培养3周，用倒置显微镜、扫描电镜观察细胞密度、形态及基质分泌情况，并在不同时相点测定组织块中DNA含量、碱性磷酸酶（ALP）活性及钙含量变化。结果 倒置显微镜下双相接种法构建的组织块可见大量具有一定折光性的梭形细胞存在于胶原基质中。扫描电镜见双相接种法构建的组织块切面较平坦，孔隙较小，细胞包埋在胶原中，而静置接种法构建的组织块可见细胞、细胞外基质较少。在体外培养过程中，双相接种法组织块中细胞的DNA含量、ALP活性均高于静置接种法，钙含量在培养2周后高于静置接种法。结论 双相接种法是一种高效的组织工程骨构建方法，有利于提高接种效率和促进组织工程骨的体外成熟。     

结直肠癌手术死亡相关因素分析

目的:研究旨在探讨结直肠癌手术死亡相关的临床病理影响因素.方法:回顾中山大学肿瘤防治中心1964年1月至2004年12月经手术治疗的4498例结直肠癌患者的临床病理资料,应用单因素和多因素Logistic回归分析手术死亡的相关影响因素.结果:全组手术死亡者共62例,手术死亡率为1.38%,主要死亡原因为多器官功能衰竭、中毒性休克、心血管疾病、急性肾功能衰竭、吻合口漏等.单因素分析显示,性别、术前基础疾病、术前合并症、腹水、手术年代、手术性质、Dukes分期、术后并发症等为影响手术死亡的因素,而年龄、肿瘤部位、组织类型、病理分级与手术死亡无关.多因素分析表明,术前基础疾病、术前合并症、腹水、手术年代、手术性质、Dukes分期、术后并发症是结直肠癌手术死亡的独立影响因素.结论:术前基础疾病、术前合并症、腹水、手术年代、手术性质、Dukes分期、术后并发症是结直肠癌手术死亡的独立影响因素.     

细胞移植的人嗅鞘细胞培养方法的研究

目的探讨适用于细胞移植的人嗅鞘细胞（OECs）分离与培养的方法。方法无菌条件下取自愿捐献孕5个月流产胎儿的完整嗅球进行嗅鞘细胞提取分离、纯化，并对嗅鞘细胞进行免疫组化染色及纯度检测，观察其形态学特点，检测其免疫组化染色的阳性率。结果本方法分离、培养的嗅鞘细胞大多呈三角形、梭形，有些突起较长，生长活跃，增殖迅速，P75、胶质纤维酸性蛋白（GFAP）免疫组化染色呈阳性，嗅鞘细胞阳性率为95．3％。结论该方法简便易行且不影响细胞功能，适用于细胞移植的研究。     

Elemental composition and water content of myelinated axons and glial cells in rat central nervous system

The distribution of elements (e.g. Na, Cl, K) and water in CNS cells is unknown. Therefore, electron probe X-ray microanalysis (EPMA) was used to measure water content and concentrations (mmol/kg dry or wet weight) of Na, Mg, P, S, Cl, K and Ca in morphological compartments of myelinated axons and glial cells from rat optic nerve and cervical spinal cord white matter. Axons in both CNS regions exhibited similar water content ( 90%), and relatively high concentrations (wet and dry weight) of K with low Na and Ca levels. The K content of axons was related to diameter, i.e. small axons in spinal cord and optic nerve had significantly less (25–50%) K than larger diameter axons from the same CNS region. The elemental composition of spinal cord mitochondria was similar to corresponding axoplasm, whereas the water content (75%) of these organelles was substantially lower than that of axoplasm. In glial cell cytoplasm of both CNS areas, P and K (wet and dry weight) were the most abundant elements and water content was approximately 75%. CNS myelin had predominantly high P levels and the lowest water content (33–55%) of any compartment measured. The results of this study demonstrate that each morphological compartment of CNS axons and glia exhibits a characteristic elemental composition and water content which might be related to the structure and function of that neuronal region.     

自体表皮细胞培养与异体真皮组合应用研究

严重烧伤病人皮肤修复中主要未解决的问题是真皮的替代。动物实验结果表明，异体皮移植后５天，用自体培养表皮细胞膜片覆盖真皮床，１４天后复合皮成活率是８４．６％±２．４％。组织学检查证实表皮已形成了复层结构，可见基底层、颗粒层和角质层。临床应用中，异体皮移植后１０天，去除异体表皮覆盖病人的自体培养表皮，３５天后未见排斥征象，异体真皮促进了培养表皮的分层、成熟和完整，组织学检查证实表皮细胞的边缘清楚，已分化形成颗粒层和角质层，真皮多细胞，已血管化，但表皮嵴缺乏。     

Acute viral myocarditis A death associated with anaesthesia

The death of a 35-year-old woman in the immediate postoperative period as a result of undiagnosed acute viral myocarditis is described. The presentation, diagnosis and course of the disease is discussed. It is recommended that wider use to be made of routine electrocardiographs as a screening test.