The severe combined immunodeficient-human peripheral blood stem cell (SCID-huPBSC) mouse: a xenotransplant model for huPBSC-initiated hematopoiesis

Mononuclear cells (MNCs) containing peripheral blood stem cells (PBSCs) were obtained from solid-tumor patients undergoing mobilizing chemotherapy followed by granulocyte colony-stimulating factor for PBSC transplantation-supported dose-intensified anticancer chemotherapy and were transplanted into unconditioned "nonleaky" young severe combined immunodeficient mice. Multilineage engraftment was shown by flow cytometry and immunocytochemistry using monoclonal antibodies to various human cell surface antigens as well as identification of human immunoglobulin in murine sera. Within a dose range of MNCs suitable for transplantation (10 to 36 x 10(6) cells/graft) the number of CD34+ cells injected (optimal at > 0.7 x 10(6)/graft) determined the yield of human cells produced in recipient animals. Engraftment of hu PBSC preparations resulted in prolonged generation of physiologic levels of human cytokines including interleukin-3 (IL-3), IL-6, and granulocyte- macrophage colony-stimulating factor, which were detectable in the murine blood over a period of at least 4 months. In vivo survival of immature human progenitor cells was preserved even 9 months after transplantation. Because human IL-3 is known to stimulate early hematopoiesis, a rat fibroblast cell line was stably transfected with a retroviral vector carrying the human IL-3 gene and cotransplanted subcutaneously as additional source of growth factor. Cotransplants of this cell line producing sustained in vivo levels of circulating human IL-3 for at least 12 weeks significantly accelerated the process of engraftment of huPBSC and spurred the spread of mature human cells to the murine spleen, liver, thymus, and peripheral blood. Cotransplants of allogeneic human bone marrow stromal cells derived from long-term cultures resulted in a comparable--though less prominent--support of engraftment.     

Giant mediastinal bronchial artery aneurysm mimicking mediastinal mass: A case report and brief review of the literature

Bronchial artery aneurysm and pseudoaneurysm is a rare but life-threatening diagnosis due to catastrophic complications from rupture. Prompt detection and management is key to prevent complications. CT angiogram and digital subtraction angiography are preferred diagnostic imaging modalities. Being very uncommon, these entities can be misdiagnosed as a nonspecific mediastinal soft tissue mass, which can lead to delay in diagnosis and inappropriate or delayed management. We present a case of 72-year-old woman with incidentally detected large bronchial artery pseudoaneurysm, incorrectly classified as mediastinal malignancy at outside facility, receiving follow-up exams for 2 years, before correct diagnosis and management.     

力竭运动大鼠心室肌蛋白质组表达特征

目的:采用蛋白质组学技术,建立安静和递增运动负荷训练后力竭大鼠心室肌蛋白质组的差异性表达谱,初步筛选出心室肌对力竭运动产生反应的目标蛋白质。方法:实验于2007-03在湖南师范大学生命科学学院蛋白质化学与蛋白质组学国家教育部重点实验室和省级运动人体科学实验室完成。①实验分组:10只SD雄性大鼠随机分为对照组和运动组,每组5只。②实验方法:运动组经过7周的大强度递增运动负荷训练后(最后一次力竭),对两组心室肌组织的全蛋白进行双向凝胶电泳分离。结果:经图像分析,在运动组的电泳图谱上共展现蛋白质点(338±17)个,对照组展现蛋白质点(352±17)个。运动后差异表达的蛋白质点共有99个。对其中差异表达的9个蛋白质点进行质谱鉴定,共鉴定出7个蛋白质,Stress-70protein,NADH-ubiquinone oxidoreductase Mr75000subnunit,Long-chain specific acyl-CoA dehydrogenase,Tropomyosin-1alphachain在运动后"缺失",Nitrilase family,member2在运动后表达上调在5倍以上,一个相对分子质量为21000的未知蛋白在运动后表达下调在5倍以上,另外有两个点经鉴定均为Myosin-6,在运动后表达量相反。这些蛋白质属于收缩蛋白、能量代谢酶、分子伴侣等。结论:递增运动负荷训练后力竭时,大鼠心室肌蛋白质组明显地发生了反应。运动后"缺失"和下调的蛋白质点与心肌收缩的调控和能量代谢的方式转变以及细胞的应激反应有关,其中,成功筛选出6种在运动医学领域尚未涉足的、具有运动应激特点的目标蛋白质。     

An endogenous glycosylphosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase D releases basic fibroblast growth factor-heparan sulfate proteoglycan complexes from human bone marrow cultures

Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) is a hematopoietic cytokine that stimulates stromal and stem cell growth. It binds to a glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored heparan sulfate proteoglycan on human bone marrow (BM) stromal cells. The bFGF- proteoglycan complex is biologically active and is released by addition of exogenous phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C. In this study, we show the presence of an endogenous GPI-specific phospholipase D (GPI-PLD) that releases the bFGF-binding heparan sulfate proteoglycan and the variant surface glycoprotein (a model GPI-anchored protein) from BM cultures. An involvement of proteases in this process is unlikely, because released proteoglycan contained the GPI anchor component, ethanol-amine, and protease inhibitors did not diminish the release. The mechanism of release is likely to involve a GPI-PLD and not a GPI-specific phospholipase C, because the release of variant surface glycoprotein did not reveal an epitope called the cross- reacting determinant that is exposed by phospholipase C-catalyzed GPI anchor cleavage. In addition, phosphatidic acid (which is specifically a product of GPI-PLD-catalyzed anchor cleavage) was generated during the spontaneous release of the GPI-anchored variant surface glycoprotein. We also detected GPI-PLD-specific enzyme activity and mRNA in BM cells. Therefore, we conclude that an endogenous GPI-PLD releases bFGF-heparan sulfate proteoglycan complexes from human BM cultures. This mechanism of GPI anchor cleavage could be relevant for mobilizing biologically active bFGF in BM. An endogenous GPI-PLD could also release other GPI-anchored proteins important for hematopoiesis and other physiologic processes.     

Aortic function is compromised in a rat model of polycystic ovary syndrome

BACKGROUND: Arterial mechanical parameters are modified in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), before and during pregnancy. This study tested the hypothesis that aortic mechanics and endothelial function are modified in the mifepristone-treated rat model of PCOS. METHODS: Female rats injected daily with mifepristone or vehicle for 7-9 days were assessed by ultrasound to allow estimation of aortic stiffness index and compliance. The influence of acetylcholine (ACh) and sodium nitroprusside (SNP) on dissected phenylephrine-contracted aortic rings was assessed. RESULTS: Aortic compliance was reduced by 67% in mifepristone-treated rats versus controls (P<0.05), while stiffness index was increased 2.3-fold (P<0.02). ACh-induced dilation was less in aortic rings from mifepristone-treated rats (P=0.022) and was less sensitive to the nitric oxide (NO) synthase inhibitor NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) (P<0.001), while SNP-induced dilation was greater (P=0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Aortic mechanics in vivo and endothelial function in vitro were consistently perturbed in mifepristone-treated rats. Aortic ring behaviour suggested that NO release was depressed or degradation elevated, with a compensatory increase in NO sensitivity and/or activation of a non-NO-mediated relaxation mechanism. The mifepristone-treated rat is a valid model for investigation of the vascular deficits seen in PCOS.     

Hello World Deep Learning in Medical Imaging

There is recent popularity in applying machine learning to medical imaging, notably deep learning, which has achieved state-of-the-art performance in image analysis and processing. The rapid adoption of deep learning may be attributed to the availability of machine learning frameworks and libraries to simplify their use. In this tutorial, we provide a high-level overview of how to build a deep neural network for medical image classification, and provide code that can help those new to the field begin their informatics projects.     

TWEAK stimulation of kidney resident cells in the pathogenesis of graft versus host induced lupus nephritis

The cytokine TWEAK demonstrates potent kidney proinflammatory and proliferative effects. Recently, we have shown that interactions of TWEAK with its receptor Fn14 are instrumental in the pathogenesis of nephritis in the chronic graft-versus-host (cGVH) induced model of lupus. Fn14 is expressed by macrophages and resident kidney cells; we hypothesized that TWEAK binding to both cell types contributes to the pathogenesis of lupus nephritis. To address this question, we generated bone marrow chimaeras and compared the progression of nephritis during cGVH induced lupus in mice expressing Fn14 only on bone marrow-derived cells, versus mice displaying Fn14 only on non-bone marrow-derived cells. While Fn14 deficiency did not significantly affect autoantibody titers, Fn14 deficiency on bone marrow-derived cells did not inhibit nephritis initiation in mice with Fn14 sufficient non-hematopoeitic cells. Conversely, expression of Fn14 only on bone marrow-derived cells resulted in a delayed, milder disease course. To further explore the role of macrophages, we depleted macrophages during cGVH induction. Surprisingly, we found that macrophage depleted mice displayed significantly increased titers of anti-DNA antibodies and worse kidney disease. We conclude that the presence of Fn14 on resident kidney cells alone may be sufficient to initiate nephritis in this murine model of lupus.