肿瘤干细胞与肝癌干细胞

肿瘤起源于干细胞的假说正在各种人类肿瘤中得到证实,肿瘤不单是一种基因病,而且是一种干细胞病,基因突变作用于干细胞,干细胞突变成为肿瘤干细胞,这是肿瘤发生、再生、转移和复发的关键。肝细胞癌是最常见的恶性肿瘤之一,其中是否存在“肝癌干细胞”的问题一直倍受人们关注。该文介绍肿瘤干细胞与肝癌干细胞的研究情况。     

DNT细胞对肿瘤细胞作用的研究进展

DNT细胞(CD4-CD8-double-negative T cells)是新发现的一种免疫细胞,其特点是细胞表而既不表达CD4分子同时也不表达CD8分子.近年来,通过免疫疗法可以使肿瘤患者的愈后及生存质量得到很大的改善和提高.免疫细胞可以通过免疫调节或直接杀伤的途径作用于肿瘤细胞,因此研究DNT细胞对肿瘤细胞的作用将有重要意义.     

干细胞诱导分化为雄激素分泌细胞的研究进展

睾丸间质细胞是男性体内产生雄激素的主要细胞。干细胞可被诱导分化为具有雄激素分泌功能的睾丸间质样细胞,从而使其功能受到下丘脑与垂体调控,精确分泌维持生理功能需要的激素。故建立一套可靠高效的将干细胞诱导为雄激素分泌细胞的方法,对于治疗由于睾丸间质细胞异常引起的性腺功能低下意义重大。本文对近年来关于干细胞诱导分化为雄激素分泌细胞的研究进展予以综述。     

T cells and B cells in lupus nephritis

T and B lymphocytes play diverse roles at multiple stages in the development and progression of lupus nephritis. Disruption of T- and B-cell regulatory functions by environmental and genetic influences permits pathogenic effectors to emerge in disease. New insights into the biology of these multifunctional cells offer novel targets for intervention in lupus nephritis and systemic autoimmunity.     

骨髓间充质干细胞定向肝细胞样分化的研究

目的探讨骨髓间充质干细胞定向肝细胞样分化的诱导条件，为肝组织工程提供新的种子细胞来源。方法分离小鼠骨髓间充质干细胞，在特定肝细胞培养液中用肝细胞生长因子(HGF)和表皮细胞生长因子(EGF)定向诱导。在倒置显微镜下观察细胞形态。应用免疫荧光法鉴定细胞性质。结果骨髓间充质干细胞经HGF和EGF诱导7d后变为肝细胞样圆形；2周后免疫荧光染色可见分化后细胞表达肝细胞标志物CK18和白蛋白。结论骨髓间充质干细胞在特定条件诱导下可以向肝细胞方向分化。有可能作为肝组织工程的种子细胞来源。     

Stem cells and progenitor cells in renal disease

Stem cells and progenitor cells are necessary for repair and regeneration of injured renal tissue. Infiltrating or resident stem cells can contribute to the replacement of lost or damaged tissue. However, the regulation of circulating progenitor cells is not well understood. We have analyzed the effects of erythropoietin on circulating progenitor cells and found that low levels of erythropoietin induce mobilization and differentiation of endothelial progenitor cells. In an animal model of 5/6 nephrectomy we could demonstrate that erythropoietin ameliorates tissue injury. Full regeneration of renal tissue demands the existence of stem cells and an adequate local "milieu," a so-called stem cell niche. We have previously described a stem cell niche in the kidneys of the dogfish, Squalus acanthus. Further analysis revealed that in the regenerating zone of the shark kidney, stem cells exist that can be induced by loss of renal tissue to form new glomeruli. Such animal models improve our understanding of stem cell behavior in the kidney and may eventually contribute to novel therapies.     

干细胞向生殖细胞分化的研究进展

干细胞(SCs)具有在体外分化为生殖细胞的潜能,为研究生殖细胞(GCs)早期发育提供了良好的模型,并将为干细胞移植修复生殖功能提供细胞资源。本文综述了胚胎干细胞/诱导多能干细胞(ESCs/iPSCs)、新生儿附属物来源干细胞(NDSCs)以及成体干细胞(ASCs)向生殖细胞分化所取得的研究进展,同时总结了各类干细胞向生殖细胞分化时所遇到的障碍及所面临的挑战,为干细胞在生殖医学领域的应用提供理论依据。     

Adipose-derived cells

Heart failure is by far the most common cause of hospitalization in Western countries, with onerous economic consequences. Cell therapy holds great promise for use in tissue regeneration and is increasingly used in an effort to improve outcomes in cardiac disease. Recently it has been shown that adipose tissue, in addition to committed adipogenic, endothelial progenitor cells and pluripotent vascular progenitor cells, also contains multipotent cell types (adipose-derived stem cells, ADSCs) that, in cell culture conditions, have shown to have an impressive developmental plasticity including the ability to undergo multilineage differentiation and self-renewal. ADSCs express multiple CD marker antigens similar to those observed on MSCs and are also capable of secreting a large number of angiogenesis-related cytokines, including vascular endothelial growth factor, granulocyte/macrophage colony stimulating factor, stromal-derived factor-1alpha, and hepatocyte growth factor. Adipose tissue can be harvested in large quantities with minimal morbidity in several regions of the body and, on average, 100 ml of human adipose tissue yields about 1 x 10(6) stem cells. Studies conducted in porcine AMI models have shown a significant LV functional improvement, with no report of any potentially fatal arrhythmias. The APOLLO trial, a prospective, double blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial currently in the recruiting phase, is a "first-in-man" study that explores the safety and feasibility of ADSC transplantation in patients with acute MI.     

Dendritic cells

Dendritic cells (DC) are the most effective or 'professional' of the antigen-presenting cells (APC) that initiate primary immune responses. They are located at surveillance sites where they capture and process antigens. They then initiate and regulate T- and B-cell responses by expressing lymphocyte costimulatory molecules, migrating to lymphoid organs and secreting biologically active molecules. Dendritic cells not only activate lymphocytes to induce the immune response, but they also minimize autoimmune reactions by tolerizing T cells to self-antigens. Recent Phase I and II clinical studies have shown promise in the use of antigen-pulsed autologous DC for vaccination of cancer patients. Dendritic cells also have applications in preventing rejection after transplantation, immunization against viral infections and immunosuppression in autoimmune diseases.     

Cementum-forming cells are phenotypically distinct from bone-forming cells.

Normal human cementum-derived cells (HCDCs), expanded in vitro, formed mineralized matrix when attached to a ceramic carrier and transplanted subcutaneously into immunodeficient mice. The mineralized matrix elaborated by transplanted HCDC exhibited several features identical to cementum in situ and was significantly different from bone deposited by similarly transplanted human bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs). No bone marrow formation and very few or no tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP)-positive cells (osteoclasts and osteoclastic precursors) were found in HCDC transplants. In contrast, in BMSC transplants both hematopoiesis and TRAP-positive cells were routinely observed. Furthermore, compared with BMSC-derived matrix, HCDC-derived matrix was less cellular, numerous empty lacunae were present, and fewer cells were found on the cementum matrix/ceramic carrier interface. The organization of collagen fibers in HCDC-derived matrix, as visualized by using the Picrosirus red staining method, was similar to cementum, with typical unorganized bundles of collagen fibers. In contrast, bone matrix elaborated by transplanted BMSC had lamellar structure, identical to mature bone in situ. Finally, cementocytes embedded in the cementum-like matrix were immunopositive for fibromodulin and lumican, whereas osteocytes within the bonelike matrix were negative. This pattern is consistent with the cementum and bone in situ, respectively. These results indicate that human cementum cells are phenotypically distinct from bone cells and provide further validation of the combined in vitro/in vivo model of human cementogenesis recently developed in our laboratory.     

体外分层渗透共培养研究胆管癌细胞株QBC939对正常内皮细胞的作用

目的 在体外分层渗透共培养体系中研究胆管癌细胞对正常内皮细胞的作用.方法 建立胆管癌细胞株QBC939与正常内皮细胞的体外分层渗透共培养体系,以同期单独培养的正常内皮细胞为对照,用免疫荧光法检测内皮细胞与胆管癌细胞共培养后,内皮细胞F-actin,pp125FAK,蛋白水解酶MMP-2、MMP-9、uPA蛋白表达变化,用Realtime PCR,Western印迹检测内皮细胞共培养前后,ppl25FAK,MMP-2、MMP-9、uPA的mRNA及蛋白表达变化.结果 与同期单独培养的正常内皮细胞对照相比,内皮细胞F-actin表达增强,pp125FAK、MMP-2、MMP-9、uPA的mRNA及蛋白表达增加(P<0.01).结论 胆管癌细胞能通过旁分泌作用导致内皮细胞骨架系统改变,并能诱导内皮细胞蛋白水解酶的基因表达及蛋白合成,表明肿瘤细胞对邻近内皮细胞还可以通过肿瘤细胞的内分泌、旁分泌等作用分泌各种细胞因子,作用于内皮细胞上的特异性受体,发挥其对内皮细胞mRNA表达的调控作用,而导致内皮细胞发生形态、行为的改变.     

Neuroblastoma cells inhibit the immunostimulatory function of dendritic cells

Purpose

Dendritic cells (DC) are critical for induction of antitumor immunity. Recent studies suggest that tumors may avoid immune destruction by inhibiting DC function. The authors investigated the effect of neuroblastoma (NB) on surface antigen expression and T cell activation by DCs.

Methods

DCs were generated in the presence of granulocyte and macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and interleukin 4 (IL-4) from peripheral blood of healthy donors. On day 6 of culture, DCs were exposed to human NB cells and were analyzed by flow cytometry.

Results

The proinflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) failed to upregulate the expression of HLA-DR and costimulatory molecule CD86 by DCs that were cultured with NB. Conversely, upregulation was preserved when DCs were cultured in the absence of NB. Exposure to NB also led to apoptosis of DCs as shown by 2-fold increase in surface phosphatidylserine. It appears that direct contact was required to inhibit DC maturation, because DCs separated from NB cells using a transwell insert did not suppress surface antigen expression. Finally, DCs exposed to NB inhibited the proliferation of allogeneic T cells in mixed lymphocyte reactions.

Conclusions

These findings have significant implications for tumor-pulsed DC vaccines in the treatment of NB and suggest a mechanism by which NB escape rejection.