Epithelial tissue reconstruction using cell technologies

The issue of the cellular basis of epithelial tissue engineering, concerning the skin first of all, is discussed. Principles of cultivating human epidermal keratinocytes and formation of living tissue equivalents for grafting to damaged tissues and organs are described. The article presents data on the restoration of damaged tissues after tissue equivalent grafting. Examples of using cellular technologies in combustiology, ophthalmology, oncology, and dentistry are given.     

Tight junctions in neurological diseases

Tight junction, one of the type of cell-cell junctions, controls the paracellular permeability across the lateral intercellular space and maintains the cell polarity. Tight junctions consist of transmembrane proteins: members of tight junction-associated MARVEL protein (TAMP) family, claudins and junctional adhesion molecules (JAMs), and various cytoplasmic proteins that are necessary for the correct organization of the integral membrane components of the junction. Alterations in expression or localization of proteins of tight junctions have been described in several neurological disorders including multiple sclerosis, stroke, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and epilepsy. In this review, we summarize the most recent data on components of tight junctions and focus on the implication of tight junction dysfunction in neurological diseases.     

Orbiviruses of the Kemerovo complex and neurological diseases

The viruses of the Kemerovo complex, genusOrbivirus, family Reoviridae, are widely distributed in the habitats ofIxodes ticks in Eurasia. Their incidence in ticks sometimes surpasses that of the tick-borne encephalitis virus (TEV).Neutralizing antibodies in serum of healthy residents in natural foci indicate contact with Kemerovo complex viruses in 8.5–18.0%. Kemerovo complex viruses were isolated from the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with meningitis and tick-borne encephalitis.Serological studies in neurological patients from Central Europe were carried out with the Lipovník virus (LV) serotype. Of patients from Ostrava district with confirmed tick-borne encephalitis 51% revealed concurrent neutralizing antibody response to LV. Of 36 patients from Graz district who had neutralizing antibodies to TEV in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), 72.5% also had CSF-LV antibodies. This finding supports the importance of concurrent LV-infection in the development of overt TE. Patients from Bratislava Region with abacterial meningitis, polyradiculoneuritis, and multiple sclerosis (MS) had LV-serum antibodies in 50%, 41.2%, and 45.2% of cases, respectively. This is a significantly higher incidence than in the control groups (P=0.05). Of MS patients 53% had LV-antibodies also in the CSF, often in combination with measles and herpes simplex type 1 virus antibodies. The relationship of LV to the etiology and course of chronic neurological diseases remains to be elucidated.     

坏死性凋亡在神经系统疾病中作用的研究进展

坏死性凋亡在多种器官系统疾病的发生发展中起着关键作用。神经元死亡常见于各类神经系统疾病。近来发现,坏死性凋亡是神经元死亡的重要方式,抑制其坏死性凋亡可在一定程度上实现神经保护作用,也是今后神经系统疾病防治研究的重点。     

The role of complement in neurological and neuropsychiatric diseases

The complement system is a major component of innate immunity and a potent driver of inflammation. It has key roles in host defense against pathogens but can also contribute to pathology by driving inflammation and cell damage in diverse diseases. Complement has emerged as an important factor in the pathogenesis of numerous diseases of the CNS and PNS, including infectious, autoimmune and degenerative disorders, and is increasingly implicated in neuropsychiatric disease. Establishing the roles and relevance of complement in disease pathogenesis has become ever more important in recent years as new drugs targeting the complement system have reached the clinic, and the potential for using complement analytes as disease biomarkers has been recognized. In this brief review, the author summarizes the evidence implicating complement in these diseases and outlines ways in which this new understanding can be used to aid diagnosis and improve outcome.     

Cerebrospinal fluid anti-cardiolipin antibodies in neurological diseases

We studied, with sensitive ELISAs, the anti-cardiolipin antibodies of the G, A, and M classes in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum of 179 neurological patients. The CSF and serum of 2 systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients presented IgG anti-cardiolipin antibodies in corresponding levels. Anti-cardiolipin antibodies were produced within the central nervous system in neurosyphilis (A and M classes), in some patients affected by multiple sclerosis (G or M class), in two cases of Guillain-Barré syndrome (G and A classes), and in one AIDS patient (G class). The CSF anti-cardiolipin antibodies detected in our study suggest a local immune reaction against brain phospholipids in SLE and in human demyelinating disorders.     

Stem cell. New approaches in the treatment of degenerative diseases

The review describes the mesenchymal and hematopoietic stem cells (SC) of the adult organism. The data on the orthodox and unorthodox ways of cell differentiation was summarized. We discuss various possibilities of stem cells in clinical practice. Particular attention is paid to methods of pharmacological regulation of endogenous SC. Presented their own experimental data on the efficacy of various drugs (neuropharmacological agents, cytokine drugs that alter the structure of the extracellular matrix compounds, pegylated polyethylene glycol to the biologically active compounds) on models of fibrosis and myelosuppression, influencing the function of stem cells.     

Editorial commentary on the special issue of glia and neurological diseases

<正>The glia are the cells in the central nervous system(CNS) that originally were considered to only provide support, protection, and nutrition for neurons. The glia outnumber the neurons in the brain and spinal cord,the ratio of these two types of cells varies across species and tissues. The word"glia"comes from"glue", describing the cells that surround neurons and gathering them together like glue. However, in the past decades, studies gradually revealed the key roles of the glia and the...     

Traditional tattoos with neurological diseases in Togo]

In Africa, there are two types of health systems: the modern system and the traditional one. Traditional medicine attracts more patients, because it is more financially accessible and corresponds to cultural representations of disease in society. Traditional therapeutic tattoos are not well known by the conventional health system in West Africa, although they are commonly used by traditional healers. We report here our experience of these tattoos. We examined the skin of 36,000 patients in the neurological department of the teaching hospital of Lome from 1985 to 1995. We found three types of tattoos amongst patients. The first are tribal or social tattoos: they are large, homogeneous, located on exposed parts of the body and can be seen easily by others (fig 1: g, h, i), whilst therapeutic tattoos are slight and hidden under clothes and can also be repeated (heterogeneous). The second type of tattoo is one that reveals the patient's pathological history. The third is linked to the motive of consultation. Seventy-five per cent (75%) of patients had traditional therapeutic tattoos. Epilepsy tattoos are slim, located on the forehead (fig 1a); peripheral facial paralysis tattoos are found on the facial nerve (fig 1 b). In cases of peripheral neuropathy, tattoos are symmetrically distributed on hands and legs (fig 1 f). As for medullar compression, the highest tattoos correspond to the level of compression. Studying the localisation, age, and aim of tattoos brings to light their diagnostic, prognostic, and epidemiological interests. Skin can thus reveal itself to medical staff as an open, though coded, medical file. They need only to learn how to read it.     

造血干细胞移植在血液系统疾病的临床应用

本文阐述了关于造血干细胞的特点和造血干细胞移植的新观点。移植需要的造血干细胞不仅应包括造血干细胞、造血祖细胞,还应该包括间充质干细胞。造血干细胞来源呈现多样化局面,当没有配型相合的供者时,配型相合的非血缘志愿者、脐带血和配型不合的亲缘供者都可以作为常规供者。造血干细胞适应证、供者、移植方式、移植时机的选择以及移植合并症的处理都趋向个体化。造血干细胞移植技术日趋成熟,已经逐渐发展成为一个相对独立的学科领域。     

Complications of plasma exchange in patients with neurological diseases

Summary Plasma exchange has proven to be effective in diseases of established or presumed autoimmune etiology as well as in hyperviscosity syndromes and some rare metabolic disorders. Its application is thought to be relatively safe; nevertheless, severe complications may occur. We therefore analyzed the complications of 291 exchanges in 39 patients with neurological diseases. Minor complications developed in 4.8% and major complications in 2.7% of procedures, including one death. Severe infections and technical problems have been the most serious side effects, sometimes followed by organ failure or even death.Abbreviations ARDS adult respiratory distress syndrome - FFP fresh frozen plasma - GBS Guillain-Barré syndrome - LDL low density lipoproteins - MS multiple sclerosis - MG myasthenia gravis - PNP polyneuropathy     

Effective B cell depletion with rituximab in the treatment of autoimmune diseases

In a pilot study four patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and autoimmune thrombocytopenia (ITP) were treated with rituximab, a Bcell depleting chimeric human/mouse anti-CD20 antibody. Treatment could be performed without serious side effects and resulted in a depletion of B cells from the peripheral blood for at least 4 months. Examination of one patient three months after treatment revealed a complete depletion of B cells in the bone marrow and in the spleen as well. The time point when peripheral B cells returned into the normal range varied between 8 months and over one year and could be observed also in the spleen. The follow up over more than 12 months revealed no significant treatment-associated side effects. Total immunoglobulin and specific antibody levels did not change except for one SLE-patient receiving additional immunosuppressive treatment including cyclophosphamide because of progressive disease.

Clinical effectiveness cannot be judged by the small number of patients. However, one SLE patient with refractory severe thrombocytopenia had a very favourable response with stable platelet numbers over 100.000/ml now for more than 6 months and disappearance of anti-DNA antibodies. The treatment failure in another SLE patient could be due to the persistence of CD20-negative plasmablasts in peripheral blood which are not targeted by anti-CD20 treatment. Further studies are needed to assess the clinical benefit of B cell depletion in the treatment of autoimmune diseases.     

Stem cell technology for the study and treatment of motor neuron diseases

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and spinal muscular atrophy are devastating neurodegenerative diseases that lead to the specific loss of motor neurons. Recently, stem cell technologies have been developed for the investigation and treatment of both diseases. Here we discuss the different stem cells currently being studied for mechanistic discovery and therapeutic development, including embryonic, adult and induced pluripotent stem cells. We also present supporting evidence for the utilization of stem cell technology in the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and spinal muscular atrophy, and describe key issues that must be considered for the transition of stem cell therapies for motor neuron diseases from bench to bedside. Finally, we discuss the first-in-human Phase I trial currently underway examining the safety and feasibility of intraspinal stem cell injections in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients as a foundation for translating stem cell therapies for various neurological diseases.