An interleukin-4-dependent precursor clone is an intermediate of the differentiation pathway from an interleukin-3-dependent precursor clone into myeloid cells as well as B lymphocytes

An interleukin-3-dependent progenitor clone LyD9 and its interleukin-4-dependent derivative clone K-4 were shown to differentiate into myeloid cells as well as B lymphocytes by coculture with bone marrow stroma cells. The K-4 clone is an intermediate between myeloid/lymphoid cells and the LyD9 clone that requires interleukin-4 for differentiation into B lymphocytes and myeloid cells. Granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor-dependent derivatives (LS-1 and K-GM) were also established from induced LyD9 cells. LS-1 and K-GM were myeloid-committed cells.     

Melanoma cell adhesion molecule (MCAM/CD146) is expressed on human luteinizing granulosa cells: enhancement of its expression by hCG,interleukin-1 and tumour necrosis factor-alpha

Melanoma cell adhesion molecule (MCAM) was originally reported to be involved in the invasion and progression of melanoma. It was also shown to be responsible for the attachment of cells to endothelial cells. In this study, we demonstrated by immunohistochemistry that immunoreactive MCAM was not expressed on granulosa cells in the pre-ovulatory follicle, but it was clearly detected in large luteal cells in corpora lutea from the mid-luteal phase of the menstrual cycle. Northern blotting analysis confirmed the expression of MCAM mRNA in corpus luteum. MCAM was weakly detected by immunocytochemical staining in human luteinizing granulosa cells isolated from patients undergoing IVF treatment. Its expression was found to be increased during time in culture of these cells. Flow cytometry and Northern blot analysis revealed that MCAM expression on luteinizing granulosa cells was enhanced when the cells were cultured for 5 days in the presence of hCG (1 IU/ml) or cytokines such as interleukin-1alpha (10 ng/ml) and tumour necrosis factor-alpha (10 ng/ml). No significant difference of MCAM expression was observed between the cultures under normoxic (20% oxygen) and hypoxic (1% oxygen) conditions. These results indicate that luteinizing granulosa cells express MCAM and that MCAM expression is regulated by LH/hCG and cytokines during luteinization. Since MCAM has been reported to mediate cellular interaction with endothelial cells, this molecule may play a role in neovascularization during corpus luteum formation in the human ovary.     

DNA damage in cytologically normal urothelial cells of patients with a history of urothelial cell carcinoma

In order to determine if patients with a history of previous urothelial cell carcinoma (UCC) but with current normal urinary cytology have DNA damage in urothelial cells, the single-cell gel electrophoresis (comet) assay was conducted with cells obtained by urinary bladder washings from 44 patients (28 with a history of previous UCC). Increased DNA damage was observed in cytologically "normal" urothelial cells of patients with a history of UCC when compared with referents with no similar history and after correcting the data for smoking status and age (P < 0.018). Increased DNA damage also correlated with the highest tumor grade, irrespective of time or course of the disease after clinical intervention (Kendall tau correlation, 0.37, P = 0.016). Moreover, aneuploidy, as assessed by DNA content ratio (DCR; 75th/25th percentile of total DNA fluorescence of 50 comets/patient) was unaltered by smoking status, but increased with UCC grade: 1.39 +/- 0.12 (median +/- 95% confidence interval; referents); 1.43 +/- 0.11 (Grade I UCC; P = 0.264, against referents); 1.49 +/- 0.16 (Grade II UCC; P = 0.057); 1.57 +/- 0.16 (Grade III UCC; P = 0.003). Micronucleated urothelial cells (MNC) were also scored on Giemsa-stained routine cytological smears and were found not to correlate with DNA damage or DCR. MNC frequencies were higher for patients with a history of UCC and/or smoking than referents with neither history, but there was no statistical difference between groups. Taken together, these results suggest that the normal-appearing urothelium of patients resected for UCC still harbor genetically unstable cells.     

B-1 cells are pivotal for in vivo inflammatory giant cell formation

The mechanisms that govern giant cell (GC) formation in inflammatory, neoplastic and physiologic conditions are far from being understood. Here, we demonstrate that B-1 cells are essential for foreign-body GC formation in the mouse. GCs were analysed on the surface of glass cover slips implanted into the subcutaneous tissue of the animals. It was demonstrated that GCs are almost absent on cover slips implanted into the subcutaneous tissue of BALB/c or CBA/N X-linked immunodeficient mice. As these animals do not have B-1 cells in the peritoneal cavity, they were reconstituted with B-1 cells obtained from cultures of adherent mouse peritoneal cells. Results showed that in B-1-reconstituted animals, the number of GCs on the implant surface surpassed the values obtained with preparations from wild animals. In animals selectively irradiated (pleural and peritoneal cavities) to deplete these cavities of B-1 cells, GCs were also not formed. Enriched suspensions of B-1 cells grown in culture were labelled with [(3)H]-tymidine and injected into the peritoneal cavity of naive mice before implantation of glass cover slips. After 4 days, about 17% of mononuclear cells had their nuclei labelled, and almost 70% of GCs had one or more of their nuclei labelled when analysed by histoautoradiographic technique. A few GCs expressed an immunoglobulin M when analysed by immunostaining and confocal microscopy. Overall, these data demonstrate that B-1 cells are pivotal in the mechanisms of foreign-body GC formation in the mouse.     

双歧杆菌脂磷壁酸延缓脾脏衰老的研究

目的　研究双歧杆菌表面分子脂磷壁酸 (LTA)在D 半乳糖诱导的衰老小鼠体内 ,对脾脏指数和脾细胞DNA损伤的影响。方法　在建立D 半乳糖诱导的衰老小鼠模型的同时 ,注射双歧杆菌LTA ;然后测定模型对照组、正常对照组、试验组小鼠的脾脏指数 ,并以单细胞凝胶电泳试验检测脾脏淋巴细胞DNA氧化损伤的情况。结果　与正常对照组相比 ,模型对照小鼠的脾脏指数显著升高 (P <0 .0 5 ) ,脾淋巴细胞DNA受到了较严重的损伤 (P <0 .0 5 ) ;用双歧杆菌LTA处理后 ,试验小鼠的脾脏指数明显下降 (P <0 .0 5 ) ,脾淋巴细胞DNA的损伤程度显著降低 (P <0 .0 5 )。结论　双歧杆菌LTA能显著抑制衰老小鼠脾脏淋巴细胞DNA的氧化损伤 ,这可能与双歧杆菌抗衰老有关。     

人脐血间充质干细胞的培养条件比较

目的摸索人脐血间充质干细胞（mesenchymal stem cell,MSC）的培养条件。方法根据不同采血量、首次换液时间、胎龄、不同培养基对样本分组，比较不同培养条件对脐血中的间充质干细胞原代生长的影响，以流式细胞仪对培养出的间充质干细胞进行细胞表面标志检测。结果在相同条件下，取10ml的脐血能较大程度培养出间充质干细胞；观察首次换液时间在培养后96h较为合适，延长换液时间有利于数量不占优势的单核细胞充分贴壁：早产胎儿的脐血培养出的间充质干细胞成功率较高；胎牛血清的质和量决定了培养成功与否。培养出的间充质干细胞不表达造血细胞系的标志（CD34、CD45、CD14）及内皮细胞的标志（CD106），强表达CD29、CD44、CD13。结论样本量、首次换液时间、胎龄、培养基的质和量对MSCs的成活、生长有关键作用。     

大鼠牙髓细胞的分离培养及超微结构观察

目的 探讨牙髓细胞的培养方法和生长状况,观察其形态结构特征,为进一步研究牙齿的发育提供实验基础.方法 采用胶原酶消化分离的方法分离大鼠的牙髓细胞并在DMEM培养液中培养,运用透射和扫描电镜技术观察细胞的形态结构特征.结果 培养的牙髓细胞呈梭形,细胞生长状况良好,细胞器发育正常,并且有细胞增殖和分裂能力.结论 利用酶消化分离的方法分离培养的牙髓细胞,能够保持其生活状态及增殖分裂能力.     

Dll3 is expressed in developing hair cells in the mammalian cochlea.

Notch mediates the process of lateral inhibition that controls the production of hair cells in the inner ear. Hair cells are known to express Notch ligands Dll1 and Jag2, which signal through Notch1 in adjacent supporting cells. However, recent genetic and pharmacological studies indicate that the level of Notch-mediated lateral inhibition is greater than can be accounted for by Dll1 and Jag2. Here, we report that another Notch ligand, Dll3, is expressed in developing hair cells, in a pattern that overlaps that of Dll1 and Jag2. We analyzed the cochleae of Dll3(pu) mutant mice, but did not detect any abnormalities. However, earlier studies have demonstrated that there is functional redundancy among Notch ligands in cochlear development and loss of one ligand can be at least partially compensated for by another. Thus Dll3 may play a role in lateral inhibition similar to that of Dll1 and Jag2.     

血管内皮生长因子促进小鼠胚胎干细胞的造血分化

目的：研究血管内皮生长因子(VEGF)体外促进小鼠胚胎干细胞系ES-D3向造血分化的能力。方法：先将ES-D3形成拟胚体，将拟胚体细胞转入含不同浓度的VEGF和VEGF+SCF的培养基中。实验分6组，分别为VEGF 5 μg/L组、VEGF 10 μg/L组、VEGF 20 μg/L组、VEGF 5 μg/L＋SCF组、VEGF 10 μg/L＋SCF组、VEGF 20 μg/L＋SCF组，同时设不加因子的自发分化对照组。RT-PCR检测造血转录基因GATA-2和早期造血细胞基因c-kit和β-H1的表达，流式细胞仪检测CD34+细胞，甲基纤维素半固体培养法检测生成造血集落的能力。结果：经过1周的诱导培养，实验组生成的细胞可以表达GATA-2、c-kit和β-H1，CD34＋细胞的比例也升高，并可形成造血祖细胞的集落。从诱导生成CD34＋细胞的比例和生成的集落数量看，VEGF联合SCF组的诱导效率要高于VEGF单用组和对照组，其中以VEGF 20 μg/L＋SCF组和VEGF 10 μg/L＋SCF组的诱导效率最高。结论：VEGF能够促进ESC的早期造血分化，尤以与SCF合用时，其诱导效率更高。