In vivo anti-melanoma activities of the Melan-A/MART-1101–115 T CD4+ cell peptide

Malignant melanoma causes significant health problems. The identification of tumour-associated antigens has led to novel approaches to increase T cell mediated anti-tumour immune response. Melan-A/MART-1 has been use as target antigen for several T cell based immunotherapeutic treatments. More recently, the critical role of CD4+ T cells in inducing and maintaining anti-tumour immunity has been increasingly recognized. In order to optimize tumour immunotherapy, greater efforts have been concentrated on the identification of tumour antigens presented by MHC class II molecules to CD4+ T cells. In a publication, Tiwari et al. (2004) [1] have identified by a computational approach the 15-mer amino-acid sequence 101–115 (PPAYEKLSAEQSPPP) of the Melan-A/MART-1 as a good target for a vigorous and safe immunotherapy. Therefore, we have investigated the in vivo anti-tumour activity of this peptide in a murine melanoma model. For the prophylactic treatment, 20 μg or 50 μg peptide was subcutaneously injected in mice once a week during 3 weeks before tumour induction. Treatment with 50 μg peptide significantly affected tumour development. Thus, our preliminary data demonstrate potential in vivo prophylactic activity of the 101–115 peptide-based vaccine to control melanoma growth.     

Acute Cellular Rejection with CD20-Positive Lymphoid Clusters in Kidney Transplant Patients Following Lymphocyte Depletion

Lymphoid clusters (LC) containing CD20-positive B cells in kidney allografts undergoing acute cellular rejection (ACR) have been identified in small studies as a prognostic factor for glucocorticoid resistance and graft loss. Allograft biopsies obtained during the first episode of ACR in 120 recipients were evaluated for LC, immunostained with CD20 antibody, and correlated with conventional histopathologic criteria, response to treatment and outcome. LC were found in 71 (59%) of the 120 biopsies. All contained CD20 positive B cells that accounted for 5-90% of the LC leukocyte content. The incidence of LC was highest in the patients who had no lymphoid depletion or had been treated with Thymoglobulin preconditioning (79% vs. 75%, respectively) compared to 37% in patients pretreated with Campath (p = 0.0001). Banff 1a/1b ACR were more frequent in the LC-positive than the LC-negative group (96% vs. 80%, respectively; p = 0.0051). With a posttransplant follow-up of 953 +/- 430 days, no significant differences were detected between LC-postitive and LC-negative groups in time to ACR, steroid resistance, serum creatinine and graft loss. CD20+LC did not portend glucocorticoid resistance or worse short to medium term outcomes. CD20+LC may represent a heterogenous collection in which there may be a small still to be fully defined unfavorable subgroup.     

The effect of Echinacea purpurea (L.) Moench extract on experimental prostate hyperplasia

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea L. Moench) on the prostate gland of rats using an experimental model of benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH). The animals were administered 50 mg/kg of extract preparation for 4 and 8 weeks and the prostate mass and structural degenerative changes were evaluated in the course of the experiment. The administration of E. purpurea extract to rats with hyperplasia for 4 and 8 weeks gradually and significantly reduced the prostate mass and reversed the degenerative changes in the structure of the prostate gland. The present investigation suggests extract of purple coneflower prevents the development of BPH. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Human CD4+CD25+ Regulatory T Cells Suppress Anti-Porcine Xenogeneic Responses

Due to the shortage of human organs, xenotransplantation is being explored as an alternative to allotransplantation, but immune rejection remains a major hurdle to its implementation. We tested the ability of human CD4+CD25+ T cells (Treg cells) to suppress CD4+ T cell-mediated anti-porcine xenoresponses usingin vitroassays. Human Treg cells were hyporesponsive to porcine cell stimulation and suppressed the proliferative response of CD4+CD25- T cells in a dose-dependent manner, and comparison of the allo- and xenoresponses indicated that more Treg cells might be required to suppress the xenogeneic response than the allogeneic response. Stimulation of CD4+CD25- T cells with porcine cells resulted in secretion of IFN-gamma, TNF-alpha, IL-10, IL-6 and IL-2, and Treg cells suppressed the secretion of these cytokines, as well as the CD4+CD25- T-cell cytolytic response against porcine cells. These results suggest a potential role for Treg cells in promoting xenograft survival.     

骨髓间充质干细胞促进骨-肌腱结合部愈合的初步观察

[目的]观察骨髓间充质干细胞对骨-肌腱结合部愈合的影响.[方法]采用骨髓穿刺、全骨髓培养法获取兔骨髓间充质干细胞.36只18周龄新西兰大白兔随机分为2组,实验组将骨髓间充质干细胞与Pluronic F-127载体材料结合后,植入兔髌骨部分切除模型,对照组只进行手术,不植入细胞.在术后6、12、18周进行X线片、大体和组织学观察评估.[结果]X线片显示术后6、12、18周实验组骨-肌腱结合部新生骨面积显著大于对照组（P＜0.01）.大体观察可见实验组骨-腱结合部愈合较早.HE染色显示实验组术后6周有大量的纤维母细胞和类软骨细胞增生,并可见新骨形成;12周,髌腱与松质骨接触面软骨细胞移行带形成;18周,纤维软骨移行带排列更有序.Safranin 0染色显示实验组术后6周,基质染色较深,部分骨-腱结合处可见相对浓染区;12周,基质染色范围明显减少,沿类软骨细胞走行分布;18周,类软骨细胞集中的区域染色较12周有所减退.组织学检查显示实验组术后6、12、18周骨-腱结合部组织愈合明显,较对照组迅速.[结论]骨髓间充质干细胞可以促进骨-肌腱结合部细胞增生,促进其早期愈合.     

RGD-based strategies for selective delivery of therapeutics and imaging agents to the tumour vasculature

During the past decade, RGD-peptides have become a popular tool for the targeting of drugs and imaging agents to alphavbeta3-integrin expressing tumour vasculature. RGD-peptides have been introduced by recombinant means into therapeutic proteins and viruses. Chemical means have been applied to couple RGD-peptides and RGD-mimetics to liposomes, polymers, peptides, small molecule drugs and radiotracers. Some of these products show impressive results in preclinical animal models and a RGD targeted radiotracer has already successfully been tested in humans for the visualization of alphavbeta3-integrin, which demonstrates the feasibility of this approach. This review will summarize the structural requirements for RGD-peptides and RGD-mimetics as ligands for alphavbeta3. We will show how they have been introduced in the various types of constructs by chemical and recombinant techniques. The importance of multivalent RGD-constructs for high affinity binding and internalization will be highlighted. Furthermore the in vitro and in vivo efficacy of RGD-targeted therapeutics and diagnostics reported in recent years will be reviewed.     

Impaired modulation of motor cortex excitability by homonymous and heteronymous muscle afferents in focal hand dystonia.

A decrease of heteronymous median nerve-evoked inhibition of corticospinal projections to forearm extensor muscles was reported in a group of 10 dystonic patients by Bertolasi and colleagues in 2003. Here we tested the excitability of corticomotoneuronal connections to both wrist extensor (ECR) and flexor (FCR) muscles after conditioning stimulation of median and also radial nerve at rest in a group of 25 patients with focal hand dystonia compared to 20 healthy subjects. We also investigated the effect of the wrist dystonic posture, either in flexion or in extension, on the afferent modulation of ECR and FCR motor evolved potentials (MEPs). The heteronymous (median-induced) but also homonymous (radial-induced) inhibitions (interstimuli intervals 13-21 ms) of ECR MEP size observed in healthy subjects were decreased in patients. In addition, homonymous (median-induced) facilitation of FCR MEP size was also decreased in patients while heteronymous inhibition (radial-induced) was not. Neither the involvement of the target muscle in the dystonic posture nor the origin of the afferent volley (from a dystonic muscle) influenced the degree of impairment of afferent modulation of the MEP. These findings support the view that a global abnormal somatosensory coupling in focal hand dystonia may contribute to an inadequate motor command to wrist muscles.     

肿瘤干细胞与肝癌干细胞

肿瘤起源于干细胞的假说正在各种人类肿瘤中得到证实,肿瘤不单是一种基因病,而且是一种干细胞病,基因突变作用于干细胞,干细胞突变成为肿瘤干细胞,这是肿瘤发生、再生、转移和复发的关键。肝细胞癌是最常见的恶性肿瘤之一,其中是否存在“肝癌干细胞”的问题一直倍受人们关注。该文介绍肿瘤干细胞与肝癌干细胞的研究情况。     

自制苏芪合剂联合治疗Ⅲ～Ⅳ级IgA肾病的临床疗效观察

目的 探讨自制苏芪合剂对Ⅲ～Ⅳ级IgA肾病患者的疗效及患者T细胞功能的改善.方法 28例Ⅲ～Ⅳ级IgA肾病患者随机分为两组,对照组:醋酸泼尼松-日1mg,kg,隔日晨起顿服,盐酸苯那普利-日10mg;治疗组:在上述用药的基础上加用自制苏芪合剂.8周后,观察患者缓解率、T细胞功能及不良反应.结果 治疗组患者在缓解率、T细胞功能改善等方面优于对照组,且因糖皮质激素的使用而出现的不良反应少于对照组.结论 苏芪合剂联合治疗Ⅲ～Ⅳ级IgA肾病疗效显著并能有效改善T细胞功能.     

In Vivo Anergized T Cells Form Altered Immunological Synapses In Vitro

T cells contact allogeneic antigen presenting cells (APCs) and assemble, at their contact interface, a molecular platform called the immunological synapse. Synapse-based molecules provide directional signals for the T cell--either positive signals, resulting in T-cell activation, or negative signals causing T-cell inactivation or anergy. To better understand the molecular basis of in vivo T-cell anergy we analyzed the contacts made between in vivo anergized T cells and APCs, and determined which signaling molecules were included or excluded from their immunological synapses. Anergy was induced in TCR transgenic mice by the intravenous injection of semiallogeneic donor spleen cells. T cells from anergized mice were mixed with APCs, the T-cell/APC synapses imaged using deconvolution microscopy, and their molecular compositions were determined. T cells from anergic mice formed unstable immunological synapses in vitro with allogeneic APCs and failed to recruit the signaling proteins necessary to initiate T-cell activation. These findings suggest that T-cell anergy induced by exposure to semiallogeneic donor cells is associated with defects in the earliest events of T-cell activation, immunological synapse formation and recruitment of TCR-mediated signaling proteins.