Cytocidal action of homoharringtonine on L1210 cells in vitro

The proliferation of L 1210 cells ceased rapidly after they were exposed to homoharringtonine (HH) 1 microgram/ml during exponential growth phase. However, 25.3% of the cells were still able to form colonies in soft agar if HH was removed after 24 h of incubation (the colony-forming efficiency for control cells was 62.5%). The clonogenic cells survived from the treatment were still sensitive to HH-continuous exposure. The IC50 of the treated and control cells were 15 and 20 ng/ml, respectively. Yet, the sensitivity of the treated cells to cytarabine decreased enormously. For instance, the survival rate of HH-treated cells remained at 100% level after they were exposed to cytarabine 4-8 micrograms/ml for 1 h, but only 40% control cells survived from the same treatment. When cells were continuously exposed to HH 0.4 micrograms/ml, the colony-forming efficiency decreased exponentially as a function of exposure time. The T1/2 of the clonogenic cells was about 18 h. The DNA contents in L 1210 cells was measured with a flow-cytometer. The results showed that the cell-cycle progress in all cells was interrupted by HH, regardless which phase they belonged to. So the cells seemed to be in a "frozen" state and the histogram unchanged.     

Isolation and Structure Elucidation of Neokadsuranic Acid A, the First Triterpenoid with the 14 (13-->12) abeo Lanostane Skeleton, and (24Z)-3-Oxo-lanosta-8,24-dien-26-oic Acid1

Neokadsuranic acid A, which is the first triterpenoid with the 14(13-->12) ABEO lanostane skeleton, was isolated from KADSURA HETEROCLITA together with (24 Z)-3-oxo-lanosta-8,24-dien-26-oic acid. The present paper deals with the isolation and structure elucidation of these two new compounds.     

Region-specific growth properties and trophic requirements of brain- and spinal cord-derived rat embryonic neural precursor cells

To determine whether neural precursor cells have region-specific growth properties, we compared the proliferation, mitogenicity, and differentiation of these cells isolated from the embryonic day 16 rat forebrain and spinal cord. Neural precursor cells isolated from both regions were cultured in growth medium supplemented with epidermal growth factor, basic fibroblast growth factor, or epidermal growth factor+basic fibroblast growth factor. Under all three conditions, both neural precursor cell populations proliferated for multiple passages. While spinal cord-derived neural precursor cells proliferated moderately faster in epidermal growth factor-enriched growth medium, brain-derived cells proliferated much faster in basic fibroblast growth factor-enriched growth medium. When exposed to both epidermal growth factor and basic fibroblast growth factor, the two neural precursor cell populations expanded and proliferated more rapidly than when exposed to a single factor, with brain-derived neural precursor cells expanding significantly faster than spinal cord-derived ones (P<0.0001). Differentiation studies showed that both neural precursor cell populations were multi-potent giving rise to neurons, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes. However, neuronal differentiation from brain-derived neural precursor cells was greater than spinal cord-derived ones (11.95+/-5.00% vs 1.92+/-1.13%; passage 2). Further, the two neural precursor cell populations differentiated into a similar percentage of oligodendrocytes (brain: 8.66+/-5.85%; spinal cord: 7.69+/-3.91%; passage 2). Immunofluorescence and Western blot studies showed that neural precursor cells derived from both regions expressed receptors for basic fibroblast growth factor and epidermal growth factor. However, brain-derived neural precursor cells expressed higher levels of the two receptors than spinal cord-derived ones in growth medium containing epidermal growth factor+basic fibroblast growth factor. Thus, our results showed that neural precursor cells isolated from the two regions of the CNS have distinct properties and growth requirements. Identifying phenotypic differences between these neural precursor cell populations and their growth requirements should provide new insights into the development of cell therapies for region-specific neurological degenerative diseases.     

FARP2 triggers signals for Sema3A-mediated axonal repulsion

Sema3A, a prototypical semaphorin, acts as a chemorepellent or a chemoattractant for axons by activating a receptor complex comprising neuropilin-1 as the ligand-binding subunit and plexin-A1 as the signal-transducing subunit. How the signals downstream of plexin-A1 are triggered upon Sema3A stimulation, however, is unknown. Here we show that, in the presence of neuropilin-1, the FERM domain-containing guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) FARP2 associates directly with plexin-A1. Sema3A binding to neuropilin-1 induces the dissociation of FARP2 from plexin-A1, resulting in activation of FARP2's Rac GEF activity, Rnd1 recruitment to plexin-A1, and downregulation of R-Ras. Simultaneously, the FERM domain of FARP2 sequesters phosphatidylinositol phosphate kinase type I isoform PIPKIgamma661 from talin, thereby inhibiting its kinase activity. These activities are required for Sema3A-mediated repulsion of outgrowing axons and suppression of neuronal adhesion. We therefore conclude that FARP2 is a key molecule involved in the response of neuronal growth cones to class-3 semaphorins.     

AO肩锁钢板钩治疗重型肩锁关节脱位

目的评估AO肩锁钢板钩治疗重型肩锁关节脱位的手术疗效.方法回顾性分析两年来27例手术病人的手术治疗和疗效.结果手术方法符合生理结构,手术时间平均30分钟,内固定牢靠.根据Murley和Constant[1]评分,优良率94%.结论 AO肩锁钢板钩治疗重型肩锁关节脱位,手术方法简单,疗效可靠,允许病人术后早期功能锻炼.     

明胶-聚乳酸载药纳米微球的制备及其体外释药研究

采用复合乳液—溶剂挥发法制得明胶—聚乳酸载五氟脲嘧啶(5—Fu)微球，以混合型乳化剂Tween—80：Span—80＝5：1—作为初乳乳化剂，O—羧甲基壳聚糖作为复乳乳化剂，考察了明胶—聚乳酸载药微球的制备条件对微球的成球性、药物包封率及体外释药的影响。结果表明乳化剂的选择、内部水相药物浓度和PLA分子量等均对载药微球的结构与性能产生影响，经优化条件得到了成球性和体外释放都比较好的载药微球。     

Overexpression of S100A4 is closely related to the aggressiveness of gastric cancer

Elevated levels of the calcium-binding protein S100A4 cause metastasis of benign rat mammary tumor cells. To investigate whether S100A4 plays an important role in the invasion and metastasis of gastric cancers, we examined the gene mutations in the coding regions and expression patterns of the S100A4 in gastric adenocarcinoma in Korea. Moderate to strong expression of S100A4 was found in 53 (68.8%) of the 77 gastric adenocarcinomas, whilst normal gastric epithelium either failed to stain or showed weak staining. Interestingly, S100A4 expression was more frequently observed in gastric cancer patients with advanced gastric cancer (p=0.039), positive lymph node metastasis (p=0.001), and peritoneal dissemination (p=0.022). No gene mutations were found in the analyzed genomic area in 77 gastric adenocarcinomas and 15 gastric cancer cell lines. We found one single nucleotide polymorphism without an amino acid change, A99G, in two cases. These data suggest that the overexpression of S100A4 may be closely related to the aggressiveness of gastric cancer in Korea.     

Collagen-coated polylactide microspheres as chondrocyte microcarriers

Polylactide (PLA) microspheres were coated with collagen for cell culture and injectable cell carriers. Utilizing a method of emulsion-solvent evaporation, PLA microspheres with diameter ranging from 180 to 280 microm were prepared, followed with aminolysis in hexanediamine/n-propanol solution to introduce free amino groups on their surfaces. After the amino groups were transferred into aldehyde groups by a treatment of glutaraldehyde, collagen type I was covalently coupled via Schiff base formation between the aldehyde groups and the amino groups on collagen molecules. Meanwhile, physically entangled collagen molecules were retained following a grafting-coating protocol to yield microspheres coated with larger amount of collagen. Aminolysis resulted in weight loss of the microspheres following a linear relationship with the aminolysis time. The NH2 and collagen contents existed on the microsphere surface were quantitatively determined by ninhydrin and hydroproline (Hyp) analyses, respectively. Larger amount of collagen was immobilized on the microspheres with higher content of NH2. In vitro chondrocyte culture revealed that the cells could attach, proliferate and spread on these PLA microspheres, in particular on the ones having higher content of collagen. These results show that the collagen-coated PLA microspheres are promising candidate as cell microcarriers.