Functions of the endothelium and its role in hematopoietic cell transplantation

The endothelium is a single-layered structure that responds to physical and chemical signals with various factors it synthesizes. In the early days of its discovery, as the inner wall of the vessels, the endothelium was thought to be a simple barrier that lays on the surface. Over time it is discovered that endothelium maintains body homeostasis with the molecules it synthesizes, despite its simple single-layer structure. It has been accepted as an important organ that contributes to the maintenance of vascular tone, cell adhesion, inflammation, vascular permeability and coagulation. Any imbalance in these physiological and pathological events causes endothelial dysfunction. This can cause many diseases such as atherosclerosis, hypertension, diabetes, or it can occur because of these. Endothelial related disorders may also complicate hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), which is used to treat various hematologic and neoplastic diseases. These life-threatening complications include graft-versus-host disease, hepatic veno-occlussive disease, transplant-associated thrombotic microangiopathy and diffuse alveolar hemorrhage. They share a similar pathophysiology involving endothelial cells with different clinical presentations. Therefore, current researche on the issue is putting the endothelium under the spotlight for novel markers and treatment options that should be used to monitor or treat at least some of these complications following HSCT.     

Nestin expression persists in astrocytes of organotypic slice cultures from rat cortex

Nestin is an intermediate filament protein typical for neural precursor cells that is down-regulated in the post-natal rodent brain. Re-expression of nestin has been observed in reactive astrocytes after injury. In this study, organotypic slice cultures from rat cortex were examined for expression of nestin and glial fibrillary acidic protein between 2 and 8 weeks in culture. Immunoreactivity for nestin and glial fibrillary acidic protein was seen in astrocytes which persisted throughout the observation period. Immunofluorescence double labeling showed widespread co-localization of nestin and glial fibrillary acidic protein. Image analysis revealed that levels of nestin-immunoreactivity plateaued after 5 weeks in culture. By comparison nestin immunoreactivity was absent from glial cells of the cortex in mature rats. These immunohistochemical findings of a persistent expression of nestin in glial cells of organotypic slice culture of the rat cortex indicate a different time course of glial maturation in vitro. This difference could be related to the altered trophic stimulation in vitro; differences in neuronal maturation, activity or survival; slow degeneration of the vasculature; or intrinsic properties of astrocytes.     

氯胺酮对脂多糖诱导下人脐静脉内皮细胞活化的影响

目的 观察氯胺酮和N-甲基-D-天门冬氨酸(NMDA)受体非竞争性拮抗剂MK-801对脂多糖(LPS)刺激下人脐静脉内皮细胞(HUVECs)胞间粘附分子-1(ICAM-1)表达及核因子-kappa B(NF-kB)易位表达的影响。方法 采用Jaffe方法培养的HUVECs随机分为10组:对照组(C组,RPMI-1640),LPS组(L组,LPS1μg/ml),氯胺酮组(K组,依浓度不同分为KⅠ、KⅡ、KⅢ、KⅣ亚组,即氯胺酮12.5、25.0、100、300μmol/L LPS1μg/ml),MK-801组(M组,依浓度不同分为MⅠ、MⅡ、MⅢ、MⅣ亚组,即MK-801 1.25、2.50、10、30μmol/L LPS1μg/ml)。在37℃、5％CO_2中孵育18h后,用流式细胞仪检测ICAM-1的表达阳性率。NF-kB易位表达的测定分组处理同上,在LPS1μg/ml刺激2h后,用免疫组化(SP)方法测定内皮细胞中NF-kB p65亚基的表达。结果 KⅡ、KⅢ、KⅣ亚组可抑制LPS作用下HUVECs表面ICAM-1的表达和细胞内部NF-kB的易位表达(P<0.05),且两者的变化呈正相关(r=0.985,P<0.01)。M组各亚组对LPS作用后HUVECs表面ICAM-1的表达和NF-kB的易位表达无明显影响(P>0.05)。结论 氯胺酮对炎症反应中内皮细胞的活化具有抑制作用,但并非通过NMDA受体途径。     

阿托伐他汀对冠心病患者肱动脉内皮依赖性舒张功能的影响

目的：应用高频超声观察冠心病（CAD）患者，经阿托伐他汀治疗后对肱动脉内皮依赖性舒张功能（EDD）的改善作用。方法：经冠脉造影（CAG）确诊为CAD患者59例，利用高频超声血管技术检测阿托伐他汀对CAD患者治疗前后肱动脉EDD的疗效。结果：阿托伐他汀治疗2年后，EDD比治疗前有明显改善（P〈0．05），与对照组相比无显著性差异（P〉0．05）。常规治疗组治疗2年后，EDD无明显改善（P〉0．05），与阿托伐他汀组治疗后及对照组相比差异有显著性（P〈0．05）。结论：阿托伐他汀具有改善EDD的作用。     

Role of EDRF in the Regulation of Shear Rate in Large Coronary Arteries in Conscious Dogs

To determine whether dilation of large coronary arteries normalizes shear during increased flow following brief occlusion, six dogs were instrumented to measure aortic and left ventricular pressures, left circumflex coronary artery external diameter, and coronary blood flow. The coronary artery was occluded for 15 or 30 s. Data were obtained before and after blockade of EDRF synthesis with nitro-L-arginine. Internal coronary artery diameter and wall shear were calculated on a moment-to-moment basis and the area under the flow curve was measured. Peak flow and shear rate were unaffected by NLA or by the occlusion duration. Flow curve area increased with the duration of occlusion. Internal and external diameters increased significantly for 15 s occlusions before NLA (by 4 ± 1% in external diameter and by 11 ± 4% in internal diameter) and for 30 s occlusions before NLA (by 5 ± 1% in external diameter and by 14 ± 5% in internal diameter) but not after NLA. Adenosine infusions of 0.05, 0.10, 0.50, and 1.0 μmol/kg/min were also used to dilate the coronary arteries. With each infusion, flow, shear and diameter were allowed to reach steady state. Steady state shear was reduced only slightly and did not approach the baseline state. We conclude that increased shear rate causes an increase in coronary artery diameter which is EDRF dependent. Increased coronary artery diameter during reactive hyperemia and adenosine infusions did not normalize wall shear.     

视网膜特异性表达人血管内皮生长因子 基因载体的构建

目的构建在视网膜组织特异性表达的人血管内皮生长因子（VEGF）₁₆₅基因。方法用聚合酶链反应(PCR)方法从BLAB/C鼠全基因组扩增能在视网膜组织特异性表达的rho启动子，经限制性内切酶纯化后克隆于质粒pcDNA^3.1+-VEGF₁₆₅中，建立重组质粒pcDNA^3.1+-rho-VEGF₁₆₅，通过限制性内切酶酶切分析及PCR鉴定筛选出正确重组质粒pcDNA^3.1+-rho-VEGF₁₆₅,由jetPEI介导转染人视网膜色素上皮细胞和人脐静脉内皮细胞，并通过免疫组织化学染色以及绘制细胞生长曲线检测在人视网膜色素上皮细胞和人脐静脉内皮细胞中VEGF蛋白的表达。结果在人视网膜色素上皮细胞中，重组质粒pcDNA^3.1+-rho-VEGF₁₆₅比质粒pcDNA^3.1+-rho-VEGF₁₆₅的VEGF蛋白表达强，在人脐静脉内皮细胞，两者的表达量无明显差别。结论pcDNA^3.1+-rho-VEGF₁₆₅载体的构建为进一步研究VEGF在视网膜新生血管形成中的致病机理提供基础材料，并为进一步建立视网膜特异性表达VEGF转基因鼠模型建立了基础。(中华眼底病杂志,2005,21:106-109)     

Plasma thrombomodulin level in very low birthweight infants at birth

Objective: Plasma soluble thrombomodulin level reflects endothelial damage. The plasma thrombomodulin level at birth is increased in asphyxiated full-term infants. There is no report of plasma thrombomodulin level in premature infants. To determine the thrombomodulin level in premature infants and whether it might reflect endothelial damage, we examined the plasma thrombomodulin level in very low birthweight (VLBW) infants at birth. Methods: Forty-five VLBW infants, of whom 14 had perinatal asphyxia complications, were recruited. As a control, 50 full-term infants wimout complications were also studied. Plasma thrombomodulin concentration, pH, base deficit, serum creatinine and D-dimer concentration, platelet count and fibrinogen concentration were measured within 1 hour after birth. Results: There were significant differences in plasma pH, creatinine concentration, platelet count, antithrombin in activity and D-dimer concentration between VLBW infants and full-term infants. Plasma thrombomodulin concentration (39. 0 (16. 6–93. 7) vs 27. 0 (16. 6–39. 1) μg/L, p < 0. 0001) and plasma taombomodulin-to-serum creatinine ratio (0. 82 (0. 19–2. 65) vs 0. 47 (0. 24–0. 70) μg/μmol, p < 0. 0001) were significantly higher in VLBW infants than those in full-term infants. By univariate analyses for all neonates, there were significant relations between plasma thrombomodulin concentration and gestational age, birthweight, plasma pH, creatinine concentration, platelet count and antithrombin in activity. A stepwise multiple linear regression model using the above variables as dependent factors showed only birthweight contributed significantly to plasma thrombomodulin concentration (plasma thrombomodulin concentration (μg/1) = 45. 677–0. 006 (birthweight; g), r²= 0. 323, p < 0. 0001, n= 94). Plasma thrombomodulin concentration and plasma thrombomodulin-to -serum creatinine ratio in VLBW infants with asphyxia were higher than in those without asphyxia, but not significantly different (43. 2 ± 17. 7 vs 38. 3 ± 8. 5 μg/1 and 0. 92 ± 0. 60 vs 0. 83 ± 0. 37 μg/μmol). Conclusion: Plasma thrombomodulin level in VLBW infants shows a high value at birth, and we consider the main factor responsible for this elevation may be endothelial damage or low clearance rate of thrombomodulin, which may be related to early gestational age.     

血管内皮功能障碍对肥胖伴高血糖患者胰岛分泌功能的影响

目的　探讨血管内皮功能障碍对胰岛 β细胞分泌功能的影响。 　方法　正常体重(NW )组 81例 ,单纯肥胖 (Ob)组 14 0例 ,肥胖伴高血糖 (Ob HG)组 97例。测定体质指数 (BMI)、腰臀围比 (WHR)、血压、血脂、空腹血糖和胰岛素 (FBG和FIns)及餐后血糖和胰岛素 (2hBG和 2hIns)。采用稳态模式法评价胰岛素抵抗 (HOMA IR)和 β细胞功能 (HOMA β)。用高分辨率血管外超声测定肱动脉对血流介导的内皮依赖性血管扩张 (EDD)及硝酸甘油的扩张反应。　结果　与Ob组比较 ,Ob HG组WHR、血压、甘油三酯 (TG)、FIns、2hIns和HOMA IR等显著升高 ,HOMA β明显降低 ,并伴有EDD所标志的血管内皮功能显著下降。相关分析显示 ,β细胞功能与EDD在Ob HG组呈显著正相关 (r=0 2 5 9,P <0 0 5 ) ,在Ob组和NW组无显著相关。在对Ob HG组影响EDD的因素进行控制后 ,EDD仍与 β细胞功能显著相关 (r =0 4 5 8,P <0 0 1)。多元逐步回归分析表明影响 β细胞功能的主要因素在Ob HG组为FBG、FIns和EDD ,在Ob组为FBG和HOMA IR。　结论　内皮依赖性舒张功能障碍可能是导致肥胖者 β细胞功能衰退 ,引发 2型糖尿病 (T2DM )的重要危险因素。     

肺腺癌VEGF-C、VEGF-D的表达与MVD、MLVD及淋巴转移的关系

目的探讨肺腺癌中VEGF-C、VEGF-D与微淋巴管密度MLVD（VEGFR-3）、微血管密度MVD （CD34）及淋巴结转移之间的关系。方法免疫组化检测48例肺腺癌组织中VEGF-C、VEGF-D、MLVD、MVD蛋白的表达。结果VEGF-C、VEGF-D蛋白阳性率分别为70．8％（34／48例）、58．3％（28／48例）,肿瘤周边部位显著高于肿瘤中心部位,具有统计学意义,其表达与肿瘤分化程度无关,与肿瘤的TNM分期有关,Ⅲ～Ⅳ期显著高于Ⅰ～Ⅱ期。在VEGF-C蛋白阳性组,MVD高于阴性组（P=0．016）,MLVD显著高于阴性组（P=0．006）,淋巴结转移（P=0．042）增多;而VEGF-D蛋白阳性组与阴性组相比MVD无显著差异（P=0．943）, MLVD高于阴性组（P〈0．01）,淋巴结转移（P=0．012）增加。结论VEGF-C的表达与肺腺癌血管生成及淋巴管生成和淋巴结转移关系密切,而VEGF-D的表达只与淋巴管生成和淋巴结转移关系密切,与血管生成无关。