Functional beta-cells derived from umbilical cord blood mesenchymal stem cells for curing rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes mellitus

INTRODUCTIONThis study aimed to investigate the therapeutic response to injected human umbilical cord blood mesenchymal stem cells (UCBMSCs) among albino rats with streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes mellitus.METHODSControl group (GI; n = 25) rats were fed with standard rat diet. Rats with STZ-induced diabetes mellitus without (GII; n = 25) and with (GIII; n = 25) differentiated human UCBMSCs implantation were the test groups. Rats were sacrificed in Week 11 following implantation. Liver biopsies were sectioned and stained in order to highlight both the presence and function of impregnated cells in the liver tissue.RESULTSHaematoxylin and eosin-stained sections in GI and GII rats showed normal liver architecture while GIII rats showed presence of cell clusters inside the liver tissue and around the central veins. Cell clusters with blue cytoplasm were present in sections in GIII rats but absent in GI and GII rats, indicating the presence of injected differentiated human UCBMSCs. The anti-human insulin immunostaining of GIII rats showed clusters of cells within the liver parenchyma and around central veins, indicating that these cells were active and secreting insulin.CONCLUSIONUCBMSCs are proficient in differentiating into insulin-producing cells in vivo under specific conditions and, when transplanted into the liver of albino rats with STZ-induced diabetes mellitus, were able to secrete insulin and partially control the status of diabetes mellitus in rats.     

保留足趾的自体复合第2足趾关节移植治疗手指关节炎

目的 探讨保留足趾的自体复合第2足趾关节移植治疗手指关节炎的临床疗效.方法 2016年2月至2018年6月,共收治创伤性手指关节炎9例,其中男7例,女2例;年龄19~53岁,平均31.7岁;示指3例,中指6例;掌指关节(MP)关节炎4例,近侧指骨间关节(PIP)关节炎5例;均为创伤后继发的手指关节炎.采用游离带血供的自体复合第2足趾跖趾或趾骨间关节移植进行治疗,同时将受区废弃关节(7例)或切取自体髂骨移植(2例)修复供区骨缺损保留足趾长度,供区创面均直接关闭.术后观察手指和足趾骨折愈合情况、外形、移植关节活动度(ROM)、术后供区愈合情况和行走功能及相关并发症.结果 本组术后9例移植关节全部成活,1例足部供区行髂骨植骨微型钢板固定,术后1周伤口不愈合,考虑为内固定物排异反应,予拆除钢板改克氏针交叉固定,2周后创口顺利愈合.术后随访6~30个月,平均16.3个月.手指骨折平均愈合时间7~10周,平均8.3周,手指外观及功能良好.移植后的MP活动度为50°~75°,平均65.3°,PIP活动度为10°~85°,平均60.6°.根据中华医学会手外科学分会上肢部分功能评定试用标准评价手指功能:优5例,良3例,可1例,优良率为88.9%.足趾骨折平均愈合时间9~12周,平均10.2周,所有患者足趾外形良好,行走功能正常.2例取髂骨患者供区仅残留一条线形瘢痕,无疼痛、麻木等不适.结论 游离带血供的自体复合第2足趾关节移植治疗手指关节炎,同时应用受区废弃关节或切取自体髂骨移植修复供区骨缺损保留足趾,不仅能恢复手指关节的正常结构,使关节具有良好的功能,而且能保留足趾外形与功能,减少供区损伤,具有良好的治疗效果.     

Damage-associated molecular pattern (DAMP) activation in melanoma: investigation of the immunogenic activity of 15-deoxy, Δ12,14 prostamide J2

Metastatic melanoma is the most deadly skin neoplasm in the United States. Outcomes for this lethal disease have improved dramatically due to the use of both targeted and immunostimulatory drugs. Immunogenic cell death (ICD) has emerged as another approach for initiating antitumor immunity. ICD is triggered by tumor cells that display damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs). These DAMP molecules recruit and activate dendritic cells (DCs) that present tumor-specific antigens to T cells which eliminate neoplastic cells. Interestingly, the expression of DAMP molecules occurs in an endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-dependent manner. We have previously shown that ER stress was required for the cytotoxic activity of the endocannabinoid metabolite, 15-deoxy, Δ^12,14 prostamide J₂ (15dPMJ₂). As such, the current study investigates whether 15dPMJ₂ induces DAMP signaling in melanoma. In B16F10 cells, 15dPMJ₂ caused a significant increase in the cell surface expression of calreticulin (CRT), the release of ATP and the secretion of high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), three molecules that serve as surrogate markers of ICD. 15dPMJ₂ also stimulated the cell surface expression of the DAMP molecules, heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) and Hsp90. In addition, the display of CRT and ATP was increased by 15dPMJ₂ to a greater extent in tumorigenic compared to non-tumorigenic melanocytes. Consistent with this finding, the activation of bone marrow-derived DCs was upregulated in co-cultures with 15dPMJ₂-treated tumor compared to non-tumor melanocytes. Moreover, 15dPMJ₂-mediated DAMP exposure and DC activation required the electrophilic cyclopentenone double bond within the structure of 15dPMJ₂ and the ER stress pathway. These results demonstrate that 15dPMJ₂ is a tumor-selective inducer of DAMP signaling in melanoma.     

Instrument-based Tests for Measuring Anterior Chamber Cells in Uveitis: A Systematic Review

ABSTRACT

Purpose

New instrument-based techniques for anterior chamber (AC) cell counting can offer automation and objectivity above clinician assessment. This review aims to identify such instruments and its correlation with clinician estimates.     

Cellular targets of regulatory B cell-mediated suppression

Regulatory B cells (Bregs) are defined by their ability to restrain inflammatory responses both in vivo and in vitro. Interleukin 10 (IL-10) production by Bregs is thought to be central to their ability to regulate inflammation, largely due to IL-10s’ ability to suppress pro-inflammatory cytokine production by effector lymphocytes and to maintain the differentiation of regulatory T cells (Tregs). However, with an increase in available published data, it has become evident that Bregs utilize a number of suppressive mechanisms in order to alter the activation of a variety of different lymphocytes. Here, we summarize the multiplicity of cellular targets of Breg-mediated suppression and describe the mechanisms employed by Bregs to suppress chronic inflammatory responses.     

Prognostic and clinicopathological utility of programmed death-ligand 1 in malignant pleural mesothelioma: A meta-analysis

ObjectiveProgrammed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) has been reported to be connected to prognosis in individuals with malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM), although there is no consensus based on data from previous studies. Accordingly, this quantitative meta-analysis investigated prognostic and clinicopathological utility of PD-L1 in patients with MPM.MethodsA comprehensive search of the PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases for articles published up to October 4, 2019 was performed. Studies using immunohistochemical techniques to detect/quantify the expression of PD-L1 in MPM tissue were enrolled in the analysis. The combined hazard ratio (HR) and corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI) was applied to assess the association between PD-L1 expression and overall survival (OS).ResultsA total of 11 studies comprising 1606 patients was included in the present meta-analysis. For OS, pooled data revealed an HR of 1.50 (95% CI 1.32–1.70; p < 0.001), suggesting that patients with PD-L1 overexpression experience inferior OS. Subgroup analysis revealed that elevated PD-L1 remained a significant prognostic indicator for worse OS, irrespective of sample size, cut-off value, ethnicity, and Newcastle-Ottawa Scale score. Moreover, PD-L1 overexpression was associated with non-epithelioid histology (odds ratio 4.30 [95% CI 1.89–9.74]; p < 0.001).ConclusionsResults of this meta-analysis show that elevated expression of PD-L1 could be a factor predicting poorer survival in patients with MPM.     

Relationship between 3D lower limb bone morphology and 3D gait variables in children with uni and bilateral Cerebral Palsy

BackgroundMedical and surgical interventions to prevent or reduce bone deformities and improve gait in children with cerebral palsy (CP) are based on empirical evidence that there is a relationship between bone deformities and gait deviations.Research questionWhat is the relationship between tibial-femoral bone morphology and kinematic gait variables in ambulant children with CP?MethodsA retrospective analysis was conducted on data from 121 children with uni- (n = 64, mean age 9.9 (SD 3.4) years) and bi- lateral (n = 57, mean age 10.4 (SD 3.6) years) CP who had undergone 3D gait analysis and biplanar X-rays (EOS® system). The limbs were split as DIP (the more impaired limb of children with bilateral CP), HEMI (the impaired limb of unilateral CP) and REF (the unimpaired limb of unilateral CP). Multi-variable Linear Regressions were performed between 23 kinematic variables, the Gait Deviation Index (GDI) and a model composed of nine 3D bone variables for each limb type.ResultsWhen the whole sample was pooled, 72% of R² values were poor, 16% were fair, and 12% were moderate. Lower limb bone morphology models explained less than 1% of GDI variability. Correlations between tibial-femoral rotational parameters and hip rotation were mostly poor. Mean foot progression angle was the only kinematic parameter that was fairly to moderately correlated with bone variables in the 3 limb types. A tibial-femoral bone model explained 48% of the variability of mean foot progression angle in the REF limbs, 31% in the HEMI limbs and 25% in the DIP limbs.SignificanceTibial-femoral bone morphology was only weakly related to kinematic gait variables, in contrast with common clinical assumptions. These results suggest that factors other than bone morphology influence gait quality and thus a thorough clinical examination and gait analysis is required prior to making treatment decisions.     

Therapeutic effect of mesenchymal stem cell on Hashimoto’s thyroiditis in a rat model by modulating Th17/Treg cell balance

Abstract

The autoimmune condition Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (HT) is a disease wherein lymphocytes mediate the autoimmune damage and destruction of the thyroid gland. There are currently no effective means of treating HT, with the primary strategies of thyroid hormone therapy, surgery, or immunomodulatory therapy being associated with serious risks and side effects. There is thus a clear and urgent need to identify novel treatments for HT. In this study, we utilize female SD rats induced HT to evaluated the ability of transplanted MSCs to regulate Th17/Treg interactions in a rat Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (HT) model system. The results showed that Rats in the HT model group exhibited increased thyroid autoantibody levels consistent with successful model development, whereas these levels were lower in rats treated with MSCs. There were also fewer thyroid lesions and less lymphoid infiltration of the thyroid in MSC-treated rats relative to HT model rats, as well as fewer Th17 cells and more Treg cells – an observation consistent with the cytokine analyses. All of these showed that MSCs can regulate Th17/Treg interactions in a rat Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (HT) model system. It suggested that transplanted MSCs could be a potential immunotherapy strategy for the treatment of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis.