Klinische Charakterisierung der essentiellen Thrombozythämie im Vergleich zu anderen myeloproliferativen Erkrankungen und reaktiven Thrombozytosen

Summary 60 patients with essential thrombocythemia (ET) have been retrospectively and prospectively followed from 1974 through 1987. The presenting signs and symptoms and the course of the disease were analyzed and compared to 10 patients with persisting reactive thrombocytosis selected from 6000 patients with reactive thrombocytosis and to 50 patients with other myeloproliferative diseases. 54 ET-patients presented with complications, 46 with thrombembolic, 3 with hemorrhagic problems and 5 with thrombembolic and hemorrhagic problems. In 6 patients ET was detected accidentally. Disturbances of the microcirculation, mainly of the fingers and the toes, were the most frequent symptom. The average maximal platelet count was 1 207 000/µl. The average platelet count at diagnosis was 880 000/µl. 16 patients had an elevation of the serum creatinin at diagnosis, which deteriorated during the course of the disease. Bone marrow examinations were performed in 56 patients, histology in 48 patients, cytology in 29 patienst. In contrast to the clinical diagnosis the histological diagnosis was in 4 cases each polycythemia vera and myeloproliferative syndrome without further specifiction. 12 patients died thus far. The causes of death were thrombembolic complications in 9, acute leukemia in 2 patients, in 1 patient the cause of death is not known. 10 years after diagnosis 61% of the patients are still alive. It appears that ET is a more important risk factor for the disturbances of the micro- and marcrocirculation than has been recognized until now. ET is, if thrombembolic complications are avoided, a disease with a relatively benign course.

---

Abkürzungsverzeichnis ET essentielle Thromobozythämie - PRT persistierende reaktive Thombozytose - PV Polyzythämia vera - CML chronisch myeloische Leukämie - MF Myelofibrose - CMPE chronische myeloproliferative Erkrankung unklarer Zuordnung - MM megakaryozytäre Myelose - ALP alkalische Leukozytenphosphatase - Hb Hämoglobin Herrn Prof. Dr. N. Zöllner zum 65. Geburtstag gewidmet     

PLPP2: Potential therapeutic target of breast cancer in PLPP family

PLPPs (Phospholipid phosphatases) are widely expressed in different human tissues, regulate cell signal transduction, and are overexpressed in cancers such as gliomas, pancreatic adenocarcinoma, lung adenocarcinoma, and so on. As a member of the PLPP family, PLPP2 (phospholipid phosphatase 2) plays a vital role in the occurrence and development of breast cancer, but its mechanism is still unclear. Our research found that PLPP2 was overexpressed in breast cancer, and the higher expression level of PLPP2 showed a worse prognosis for breast cancer patients. Further analysis showed that overexpression of PLPP2 affected the expression of CDC34 (cell-division cycle 34), LSM7 (Like-Smith 7), and SGTA (small glutamine-rich tetratricopeptide repeat-containing protein alpha) through EMT (epigenetic-mesenchymal transition) related pathways to promote the occurrence and development of breast cancer. In vitro, silencing PLPP2 significantly reduced the proliferation, invasion, and migration abilities of human breast cancer cells MDA-MB-231. ER+ is a common subtype of breast cancer. Furthermore, we found that the overexpression of PLPP2 was significantly related to the poor prognosis of ER+ breast cancer. These results indicate that PLPP2 has value as a potential therapeutic target for breast cancer, especially for ER+ breast cancer.     

施万细胞对大鼠脊髓半横切后背核神经元存活及其表达NOS的影响

目的：探讨移植的施万细胞对大鼠脊髓半横切后背核神经元存活及其表达NOS的影响。方法：50只成年SD大鼠被分为实验组和对照组。在胸11脊髓段半横切后立即在损伤处移植入施万细胞。结果：脊髓半横切后，15d和25d对照组L1脊髓段损伤侧背核神经元的存活数均比未损伤侧的明显减少。存活的神经元胞体出现明显皱缩，有些神经元呈现NADPH－d阳性。15d和25d施万细胞组L1脊髓段损伤侧背核神经元的存活数则比同期对照组的明显增加，表达NOS的存活神经元数也随之增多。但存活的神经元胞体仍然是皱缩的。结论：移植的SCs可促进受损伤的背核神经元存活及其表达NOS，但不能阻止其胞体出现皱缩。     

CD40靶向小干扰RNA抑制大鼠异体肢体移植急性排斥反应后细胞凋亡及P53、P21表达

目的探讨CD40靶向小干扰RNA（即短发夹RNA，shRNA）对大鼠异体肢体移植急性排斥反应及细胞凋亡的影响。方法以纯系SD大鼠为供体，纯系Wistar大鼠为受体，行同种异体右后肢移植。27只大鼠肢体移植后随机分为3组：实验组．注射梭华一Sofast（15μl）-siCD40—2，pSilencer（100μg）载体复合物600μl；空载体对照组，在肢体移植后，即注射Sofast（15μl）-pSilencer4．1-CMVneo（100μg）空载体复合物600μl；生理盐水对照组，在肢体移植注射生理盐水600μl。观察移植物排斥反应征象及存活情况，并于第7天对产生免疫耐受大鼠进行混合淋巴细胞反应（MLR），同时进行组织学检查。结果与其他组相比．实验组移植物发生排斥反应的时间及存活时间均显著延长（P〈0．01）（〉13d），未见排斥反应征象，其他组均于术后近期发生排斥反应；实验组大鼠对供体的淋巴细胞呈现低反应性，移植的供体同系大鼠的肢体得以存活。实验组移植物细胞凋亡率低于其他组。结论在术后不应用免疫抑制剂的情况下，CD40靶向的shRNA干扰可以抗大鼠异体肢体移植急性排斥反应。     

TAC-101, a benzoic acid derivative, inhibits liver metastasis of human gastrointestinal cancer and prolongs the life-span

We examined the anti-tumor effect of a novel benzoic acid derivative, TAC-101 (4-[3,5-bis(trimethylsilyl) benzamide] benzoic acid) on models with liver metastasis. Oral administration of TAC-101 significantly inhibited spontaneous liver metastasis of AZ-521 (human gastric cancer ) by orthotopic implan-tation to athymic nude mice. It also inhibited both the liver metastasis of AZ-521 induced by intrasplenic injection and the secondary lung metastasis from the liver. In addition, TAC-101 inhibited the proliferation of Co-3 (human colon adenocarcinoma) that formed a single nodule in the liver of athymic nude mice by intrahepatic implantation. The growth inhibitory effect of TAC-101 on AZ-521 experimental liver metastasis was observed when treatment was started on day 7, 14, or 21 which may correspond to the progressive stage of liver metastasis in clinical settings. Multiple administration of TAC-101 (8 mg/kg/day) significantly prolonged survival time of the animals with liver met astasis by intrasplenic injection of AZ-521 (T/C = 230%) and A549 (human lung adenocarcinoma; T/C = 186%). These effects of TAC-101 were stronger than those of 5-FU, CDDP or ATRA. Furthermore, TAC-101 inhibited the binding of AP-1 to DNA on electrophoretic mobility shift assay using nuclear extract of AZ-521 cells, although ATRA did not inhibit. These findings suggested that TAC-101 may be a candidate for a new class of anti-cancer agents for liver metastasis. © Rapid Science Ltd.     

Laser-assisted zona pellucida thinning prior to routine ICSI

BACKGROUND: In MII oocytes showing difficult oolemma breakage, ICSI can cause an increase in the degeneration rate. This may be overcome by laser-assisted ICSI using a 5-10 micro m opening in the zona pellucida for injection. However, such a small opening might impair the hatching process, especially if assisted hatching is applied in addition. In order to prevent this, the present study used routine injection through an area of zona pellucida in which laser zona thinning had been applied, providing for both a reduced mechanical stress to the oocyte and assisted hatching. METHODS: This prospective study involved 100 cycles with 1016 MII oocytes. Conventional ICSI (control group) was compared with a modified laser-assisted ICSI (study group) in sibling oocytes. In the latter group oocytes were injected through an extended area of zona thinning. RESULTS: Degeneration rate was significantly lower in the study group (P < 0.004). There were no differences in fertilization, or formation and quality of blastocysts. In the study group embryo quality on day 2 was significantly better (P = 0.004) and herniation of day 5 blastocysts was increased (P = 0.005). Rates of implantation and pregnancy were not affected. However, on day 3 laser-assisted ICSI proved beneficial (P = 0.038) in terms of clinical pregnancy rate. CONCLUSIONS: The new method combines a less invasive ICSI technique with assisted hatching. Our preliminary data indicate that in addition to an improved oocyte survival, this new approach increases the hatching rate in vitro, which may explain the increase in pregnancy rate, at least in day 3 transfers.     

Differential assessment of angiogenic activity and of vascular survival ability (VSA) in breast cancer

Recent reports provide evidence that some growth factors behave as inhibitors of the apoptosis of the endothelial cells, bringing forward the concept of vascular survival as a post-angiogenesis process. At least two different vasculature development processes occur within a tumor: the angiogenic (formation of new vessels) and the vascular survival pathway, which is devoted to the preservation of the newly-formed vessels in layers that lose contact with the adjacent normal tissue. We developed a method to assess these processes in tissue samples. We noted that differences among tumors may exist not only in the tumor angiogenic activity (TAA) but also in the vascular survival ability (VSA). One third of the highly angiogenic breast cancer cases examined had a poor ability to maintain high vessel density in inner tumor areas. Both parameters are independently related to prognosis, while VSA was directly related to tumor dimensions and node involvement. Patients with high TAA and VSA had a particularly poor prognosis. It is suggested that although cancer angiogenic activity is important for the local invasion and dissemination into vessels and lymphatics, the VSA may be important for the effective formation of viable tumor foci in lymph nodes or distant organs. Recognition and quantification of the vascular survival ability in human tumors may significantly improve the prognostic value of the assessment of tumor vasculature, and may help to stratify patients for clinical trials with novel anti-angiogenic or angiotoxic drugs. Elucidation of the pathways may provide additional targets for antiangiogenic therapy. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

中晚期重型乙型肝炎血浆置换与内科治疗生存率的比较

观察血浆置换、内科治疗对中晚期重型乙型病毒性肝炎生存率的影响,探索中晚期重型肝炎的治疗方法。方法观察在内科治疗基础上给予血浆置换患者的肝功能、并发症及疾病的转归,与同期仅予内科综合治疗的患者相比较,对相应的临床资料进行统计学分析,从而了解两种治疗方法的疗效。结果血浆置换组36例,18例好转、18例死亡,内科治疗组32例,13例好转、19例死亡,两组之间患者生存情况无统计学差异;肝功能指标(ALT、AST、SB、ALB、TC、ChE和凝血酶原时间(PT)也无统计学差异。结论与内科治疗相比较,在其基础上给予血浆置换并不能提高中晚期重型病毒性肝炎生存率;中晚期重型肝炎患者的预后决定于其肝功能衰竭的程度。     

Interleukin-15 is not required for the induction or maintenance of orally induced peripheral tolerance

Orally induced tolerance is a physiologically relevant form of peripheral tolerance, which is believed to be important for the prevention of pathological immune responses in the gut. Of several mechanisms proposed to mediate oral tolerance, one that has received much attention recently is the concept of regulatory CD4+ T cells. As recent studies have suggested that interleukin (IL)-15 may be important for the differentiation and maintenance of regulatory CD4+ T cells, we have examined the role of IL-15 in oral tolerance, using a soluble form of the IL-15 receptor (sIL-15R) which blocks the biological effects of IL-15 in vivo. Oral tolerance induced by feeding mice ovalbumin (OVA) in a low-dose regimen believed to induce regulatory T cell activity was not affected by the administration of sIL-15R during either the induction or maintenance phase of tolerance. Thus, oral tolerance does not involve an IL-15-dependent mechanism.     

A possible mechanism for host-specific pathogenesis ofSalmonellaserovars

We have identified the complement receptors on human and murine macrophages involved in the recognition ofSalmonellaserovars, and investigated their relevance to the intracellular survival.S. typhiwas capable of surviving within human monocyte-derived macrophages, whereasS. typhimuriumwas not. Conversely,S. typhimurium, but notS. typhi, resisted intracellular killing by murine macrophages, demonstrating that the intracellular survival ofSalmonellaserovars is host-dependent. In the presence of serum opsonin, human monocyte-derived macrophages recognizedS. typhiandS. typhimuriumvia complement receptor type 1 (CR1) and type 3 (CR3), respectively. In contrast, murine macrophages recognizedS. typhiandS. typhimuriumvia CR3 and CR1, respectively. These findings demonstrate that the intracellular fate ofSalmonellaserovars following phagocytosis may depend on the type of complement receptors involved in their recognition, in that CR1-mediated recognition is closely correlated to subsequent intracellular survival. The Tn5 insertion mutant ofS. typhimuriumwhich lacks the ability to interact with CR1 was sensitive to intracellular killing by murine macrophagesin vitro, and was much less virulent to micein vivo, confirming the relevance of CR1-mediated bacterial recognition to the pathogenicity ofS. typhimuriumfor mice. These results suggest that selective recognition ofSalmonellaserovars through CR1 may lead to their subsequent intracellular survival, and is responsible for the host-specific pathogenesis ofSalmonellaserovars.