Ovine forestomach matrix biomaterial is a broad spectrum inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinases and neutrophil elastase

Proteases play a critical role in the ordered remodelling of extracellular matrix (ECM) components during wound healing and tissue regeneration. However, the usually ordered proteolysis is compromised in chronic wounds due to over‐expression and high concentrations of matrix metalloproteinase's (MMPs) and neutrophil elastase (NE). Ovine forestomach matrix (OFM) is a decellularised extracellular matrix‐based biomaterial developed for tissue regeneration applications, including the treatment of chronic wounds, and is a heterogeneous mixture of ECM proteins and proteoglycans that retains the native structural and functional characteristics of tissue ECM. Given the diverse molecular species present in OFM, we hypothesised that OFM may contain components or fragments that inhibit MMP and NE activity. An extract of OFM was shown to be a potent inhibitor of a range of tissue MMPs (IC₅₀s = 23 ± 5 to 115 ± 14 µg/ml) and NE (IC₅₀ = 157 ± 37 µg/ml), and was more potent than extracts prepared from a known protease modulating wound dressing. The broad spectrum activity of OFM against different classes of MMPs (i.e. collagenases, gelatinases and stromelysins) may provide a clinical advantage by more effectively addressing the protease imbalance seen in chronic wounds.     

Capillary transit time heterogeneity and flow-metabolism coupling after traumatic brain injury

Most patients who die after traumatic brain injury (TBI) show evidence of ischemic brain damage. Nevertheless, it has proven difficult to demonstrate cerebral ischemia in TBI patients. After TBI, both global and localized changes in cerebral blood flow (CBF) are observed, depending on the extent of diffuse brain swelling and the size and location of contusions and hematoma. These changes vary considerably over time, with most TBI patients showing reduced CBF during the first 12 hours after injury, then hyperperfusion, and in some patients vasospasms before CBF eventually normalizes. This apparent neurovascular uncoupling has been ascribed to mitochondrial dysfunction, hindered oxygen diffusion into tissue, or microthrombosis. Capillary compression by astrocytic endfeet swelling is observed in biopsies acquired from TBI patients. In animal models, elevated intracranial pressure compresses capillaries, causing redistribution of capillary flows into patterns argued to cause functional shunting of oxygenated blood through the capillary bed. We used a biophysical model of oxygen transport in tissue to examine how capillary flow disturbances may contribute to the profound changes in CBF after TBI. The analysis suggests that elevated capillary transit time heterogeneity can cause critical reductions in oxygen availability in the absence of ‘classic'' ischemia. We discuss diagnostic and therapeutic consequences of these predictions.     

PROGNOSTIC SIGNIFICANCE OF THE CO-EXPRESSION OF p53 AND c-erbB-2 PROTEINS IN BREAST CANCER

The immunohistochemical expression of p53 and c-erbB-2 gene proteins was examined in a series of 130 breast adenocarcinomas. This study intended to investigate whether the frequency of the altered expression of the tumour suppressor gene p53 and the overexpression of the oncogene c-erbB-2 in breast cancer tissue cells correlated with other variables known to affect the biological behaviour of these tumours and the overall survival of the patients (median follow-up time: 6 years). The expression of p53 protein and c-erbB-2 gene product was evaluated immunohistochemically. Expression of p53 protein was detected in 30 (23 per cent) of the neoplasms examined, while 26 (20 per cent) out of the 130 cases demonstrated positive c-erbB-2 immunoreactivity. There was a statistically significant association between p53 protein expression and primary tumour size, lymph node involvement, and oestrogen receptor positivity. The incidence of c-erbB-2 positivity was significantly correlated with high tumour grade, axillary node invasion, large tumour size, and the absence of steroid receptors. p53 immuno-expression was clearly associated with c-erbB-2 protein overexpression. Concomitant p53 and c-erbB-2 positive immunolabelling, which emerged in 14 out of the 130 cases (10·7 per cent), was clearly associated with high grade, large size, positive nodal status, ductal infiltrating (NOS) histological type, and low values of progesterone receptors. Overall survival of patients was not significantly related to the immunoreactivity of either p53 or c-erbB-2 considered separately, whereas there was a clearly significant trend to worse overall prognosis in cancers with double p53/c-erbB-2 positive phenotype. The simultaneous immunodetection of p53/c-erbB-2 appears to have greater negative prognostic relevance than their separate expression.     

不同分离方法与培养条件下大鼠骨髓间充质干细胞生长增殖情况比较

目的:应用贴壁分离法和密度梯度离心法以不同培养条件观察纯化过程中对获得的骨髓间充质干细胞的影响,试图寻找获得高质量、高活性的骨髓间充质干细胞的培养条件。方法:实验于2005-09/2006-01在解放军第四军医大学实验动物中心实验部进行。①SPF级雄性Wistar大鼠18只,贴壁分离培养取12只,根据血清和培养基的不同分为4组:进口血清 DMEM组、进口血清 F12-DMEM组、国产血清 DMEM组、国产血清 F12-DMEM组,3只/组。密度梯度离心培养实验取剩余6只,以分离液的不同分为Ficoll分离液组、Percoll分离液组,3只/组。②骨髓取材:各组大鼠断颈处死后,无菌取双下肢,剔除股骨、胫骨周围肌肉组织,剪去骨干的两端,暴露骨髓腔,穿刺两侧骨端取出骨髓。③贴壁分离法:进口血清 DMEM组、进口血清 F12-DMEM组、国产血清 DMEM组、国产血清 F12-DMEM组大鼠分别采用相应的血清和培养基冲洗骨髓,制备单细胞悬液,接种于培养瓶中,5d后首次更换培养液,弃去未贴壁细胞,此后每3～4d换液1次。④密度梯度离心法:Ficoll分离液组选用的Ficoll分离液密度为1.077;Percoll分离液组将Percoll分离液与0.1mol/L磷酸盐缓冲液按9∶1比例混匀,密度为1.073。将两组大鼠骨髓置入离心管,离心弃上清,轻轻叠加到相同体积的各自对应分离液上,再次离心收集界面层白色混浊液,采用F12-DMEM培养液重悬细胞,按1×109L-1的密度接种于培养瓶中,培养条件与贴壁分离法相同。⑤指标检测:倒置显微镜下,每天观察贴壁分离、密度梯度离心不同培养条件下细胞的生长情况和活体形态特征。进行锥虫蓝排斥试验,蓝染细胞为死亡细胞,在3min内用计数板分别计数活细胞和死细胞,未被蓝染细胞所占细胞总数的百分比即为初步得到细胞活性的数据。两种分离方法均取生长良好的第3代细胞,以时间为横坐标,细胞数为纵坐标,绘制生长曲线。结果:18只大鼠均进入结果分析。①细胞形态观察结果:贴壁分离法:采用进口血清培养的两组细胞形态学上都表现为长梭形,细胞活性较高,且给予F12-DMEM培养基的细胞增殖较快,集落融合较早,传代所需时间短;采用国产血清培养的两组细胞中,给予F12-DMEM培养基可以获得梭形细胞,而给予DMEM培养基后则多为类圆形骨髓样细胞,仅见极少梭形细胞。密度梯度离心法:Ficoll分离液组和Percoll分离液组均可培养出梭形骨髓间充质干细胞,细胞活性均高,但集落融合、传代所需的时间均较贴壁分离法长。②细胞活性检测结果:贴壁分离法:进口血清 DMEM组、进口血清 F12-DMEM组、国产血清 DMEM组、国产血清 F12-DMEM组的活细胞率分别为98.3%,98.7%,97.1%,97.7%,组间比较差异无显著性意义(χ2=0.054～0.620,P均>0.05)。密度梯度离心法:Ficoll分离液组活细胞率与Percoll分离液组相似(96.9%,97.1%,t=1.066,P>0.05)。③第3代细胞生长曲线测定结果:不同培养条件下各组第3代细胞生长曲线基本相似,在培养1d时,细胞量稍有减少;4d后细胞数均迅速增长;8d进入平台期,细胞增殖减慢。结论:采用全骨髓贴壁分离法和密度梯度离心法,只要选择合适的培养条件均可获得骨髓间充质干细胞,但选用进口胎牛血清、F12-DMEM培养基效果较好。     

Second‐look endoscopy with thermal coagulation or injections for peptic ulcer bleeding: A meta‐analysis

Background and Aims: In the management of peptic ulcer bleeding, the benefits of second‐look endoscopic treatment with thermal coagulation or injections in controlling recurrent bleeding is unsure. This study set out to compare efficacy of routine second‐look endoscopy with treatment using either thermal coagulation or injections versus single endoscopy by pooling data from published work. Methods: Full publications in the English‐language published work as well as abstracts in major international conferences were searched over the past 10 years, and six trials fulfilling the search criteria were found. Outcome measurements included: (i) recurrent bleeding; (ii) requirement of surgical intervention; and (iii) mortality. We examined heterogeneity of trials and pooled the effects by meta‐analysis. The quality of studies was graded according to the prospective randomization, methods of patient allocation, the list of exclusion criteria, outcome definitions and the predefined salvage procedures for uncontrolled bleeding. Results: Among 998 patients recruited in these five randomized trials, 119 received routine second‐look endoscopy with thermal coagulation, and 374 received second‐look with endoscopic injection and 505 had single endoscopic therapy. Less recurrent bleeding was reported after thermal coagulation (4.2%) than single endoscopy (15.7%) (relative risk [RR] = 0.29; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.11–0.73), but no reduction was reported for the requirement of surgical intervention and all‐cause mortality. Injection therapy did not reduce re‐bleeding (17.6%) when compared to single endoscopy (20.8%; RR = 0.85; 95% CI = 0.63–1.14), requirement for surgery and mortality. Conclusion: Routine second‐look endoscopy with thermal coagulation, but not injection therapy, reduced recurrent peptic ulcer bleeding. There is no proven benefit in reducing surgical intervention and overall mortality.     

穴位注射治疗尖锐湿疣及对免疫功能的影响

目的：探讨穴位注射治疗CA的临床疗效及对CA患者免疫功能的影响。方法：149例患者随机分为治疗组（A组）、药物对照组（B组）和空白对照组（C组）。运用激光治疗消除疣体后，A组用卡介菌多糖核酸穴位注射，B组用卡介菌多糖核酸肌肉注射，C组仅行激光消除疣体治疗。分别于治疗前及6个月以后检测患者细胞免疫功能。另设健康人对照组40例，检测项目同上。结果：治疗前与健康人相比，CA患者CD4^＋百分率降低，CD8^＋百分率升高，CD4^＋／CD8^＋比值降低，NK细胞活性降低（P〈0．05或P〈0．01）。运用穴位注射卡介菌多糖核酸治疗后，治疗组CD4^＋百分率升高，CD8^＋百分率降低，CD4^＋／CD8^＋比值升高，NK细胞活性升高（P〈0．05或P〈0．01）。结论：穴位注射卡介菌多糖核酸疗法对CA的T淋巴细胞亚群、自然杀伤（NK）细胞有良性调节作用；可明显降低尖锐湿疣复发率，提高细胞免疫调节作用，是防止尖锐湿疣复发的机制之一。     

Anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies in Japanese children with ulcerative colitis

Objective: To investigate the diagnostic value of anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA) in the diagnosis of ulcerative colitis (UC) in Japanese children.
Methodology Serum samples from 23 children with UC (17 Japanese, 6 non-Japanese), 27 children with Crohn's disease (CD) (10 Japanese, 17 non-Japanese), 10 children with other diarrhoeal diseases, and 33 normal, healthy adult volunteers were assayed for ANCA using an indirect immunofluorescence technique.
Results ANCA were detected in 6/17 (35%) UC patients and 0/10 (0%) CD patients in Japanese children, and in 3/6 (50%) UC patients and 3/17 (18%) CD patients in non-Japanese children. The difference in prevalence between Japanese and non-Japanese children with UC was not statistically significant ( P >0.05). ANCA were not found in other diarrhoeal patients and volunteers.
Conclusions Although ANCA have been reported to be useful in the diagnosis of UC in adults, they may be of limited use in Japanese children. This might reflect the heterogeneity of UC.     

Elephantiasis nostras verrucosa: beneficial effect of oral etretinate therapy

Elephantiasis nostras verrucosa is characterized by chronic secondary, non-filarial lymphoedema due to recurrent lymphangitis, dermal fibrosis, and epidermal changes consisting of hyperkeratotic, verrucous and papillomatous lesions. Histologically, there is pseudoepitheliomatous hyperplasia. Therapeutic efforts should aim to reduce lymph stasis, which will also lead to improvement of the cutaneous changes. In this study, rapid disappearance of the hyperkeratotic and verrucous lesions, remarkable flattening of the papillomatous nodules and improvement of lymphoedema occurred in three obese patients treated with etretinate in an initial dose of 0.6-0.75 mg/kg/day for 4-6 weeks. Monitoring of plasma concentrations of etretinate, acitretin and 13-cis-acitretin by HPLC revealed sufficient short-time absorption (4 h) and bioavailability of the drug (30 days; two out of three patients). Long-term maintenance therapy in one patient produced a remarkable improvement in the lymphoedema; another patient relapsed after discontinuation of the etretinate and responded again after this was reintroduced. In the third patient treatment was withdrawn because of an increase in triglycerides, but improvement persisted 6 months later. The clinical side-effects of oral retinoid therapy were moderate and well tolerated.