Albumin Adsorption and Retention on C18-Alkyl-Derivatized Polyurethane Vascular Grafts

The short-term albumin affinity and thrombo-resistance of a polyether polyurethane vascular graft have been improved. The method is based on the C18 alkylation of the polymer. Thrombus formation by a planimetric technique and albumin retention on wire-reinforced polyurethane tubes, both C18 alkylated and untreated, were measured in short-term (4-h) exposure at femoral arterial sites in the dog. 125I-Albumin was preabsorbed on tubes and then exposed to blood for successive 2-h periods. Albumin uptake on alkylated tubes prior to blood exposure and retention following 2 h of blood exposure were significantly greater than on controls. Following a fast desorption phase in blood, the remaining albumin was more slowly desorbed from alkylated than from control tubes. Reincubation with albumin and blood reexposure produced a similar tendency, suggesting blood conditioning does not reduce the albumin affinity-enhancing property of C18 alkylation in the short term. Blood-preconditioning experiments suggested endogenous albumin has a high affinity for the C18-alkylated surface. Scanning electron microscopic examination showed thrombus and platelet densities were higher on control than on alkylated surfaces. These results suggest in vivo albumin affinity is increased for C18-alkylated polyurethane, which may be linked to decreased thrombus formation on these surfaces.     

The Cellular Lesion of Humoral Rejection: Predominant Recruitment of Monocytes to Peritubular and Glomerular Capillaries

Accumulation of inflammatory cells within capillaries is a common morphologic feature of humoral renal allograft rejection and is most easily appreciated if it occurs in glomeruli. The aim of our study was to determine the amount and composition of immune cells within glomeruli and peritubular capillaries (PTC) in cellular and humoral allograft rejection. Immunofluorescent double-labeling for CD31 and CD3 or CD68 was used for phenotyping and enumerating immune cells within glomeruli and PTC. The major findings are: (1) accumulation of immune cells in PTC is far more common than it would be anticipated based on the assessment by conventional histology; (2) it is not the absolute number of immune cells accumulating within capillaries, but rather the composition of the intracapillary cell population that distinguishes humoral rejection from cellular rejection and (3) in C4d positive biopsies a predominantly monocytic cell population accumulates not only within glomeruli but also within PTC. The median value of monocyte/T-cell ratio within PTC was 2.3 in C4d positive biopsies but only 1 (p = 0.0008) in C4d negative biopsies. Given their prominent presence within capillaries and their extensive biological versatility monocytes might contribute to the capillary damage observed in acute and chronic allograft rejection.     

Recent Ⅳ-drug users with chronic hepatitis C can be efficiently treated with daily high dose induction therapy using consensus interferon:An open-label pilot study

INTRODUCTION Under physiological conditions, interferon-α (IFN-α) is a key cytokine produced by virtually all cells in the mammalian organism in response to a variety of bacterial and viral stimuli. In response to viral infection, IFN-α produced by the infected target cells induces a number of cellular genes involved in inhibition of viral replication. In addition, IFN-α is secreted by stimulated NK-cells and T-cells and exerts a multitude of immune stimulatory effects of innate a…     

复发脑膜瘤血管内皮生长因子及增殖细胞核抗原的表达

目的探讨脑膜瘤细胞增殖能力、肿瘤复发与血管内皮生长因子（VEGF）蛋白表达之间的关系。方法应用免疫组织化学方法检测36例复发脑膜瘤及30例原发脑膜瘤标本的VEGF和增殖细胞核抗原（PCNA）表达。结果复发脑膜瘤VEGF蛋白阳性表达率89％（32／36）明显高于原发脑膜瘤43％（13／30）（X2=25．59，P〈0．01）。复发脑膜瘤PCNA指数（65．72±9．22）高于原发脑膜瘤（20．81±7．43，P〈0．05）。VEGF蛋白表达强阳性、弱阳性及阴性者的PCNA指数分别为78．64±10．02、49．45±8．31、6．23±1．45，差异有统计学意义（P〈0．01）。结论VEGF蛋白的表达水平与脑膜瘤的复发和增殖能力有关，VEGF蛋白表达水平可能是脑膜瘤复发的预测指标之一。     

生长板软骨细胞促进骨髓基质干细胞血管内皮生长因子的表达

目的观察骨髓基质干细胞(BMSCs)在生长板软骨细胞旁分泌作用下血管内皮生长因子(VEGF)的表达规律及其与成骨分化的相关性。方法大鼠BMSCs与生长板软骨细胞进行间接共培养,培养终末期做细胞化学染色,定量测定碱性磷酸酶(ALP)活性,用RT-PCR方法半定量检测VEGFmRNA的表达。结果生长板软骨细胞持续高表达VEGF。BMSCs随共培养时间的延长,ALP活性升高,BMSCs的VEGF的表达也逐渐增强。培养液加入两种分泌型VEGF中和抗体后,VEGF表达趋势不变,ALP活性仍为升高趋势,也不影响培养终末期钙化结节的形成。培养终末期BMSCs的CD31和CD34均阴性。结论BMSCs成骨分化过程中VEGF的表达符合成骨细胞分化基因的表达规律,与成骨细胞特征性基因的表达趋势一致,体外条件共培养条件下,中和VEGF后并不能阻碍BMSCs的成骨分化。     

蛋白激酶C在软脂酸诱导HepG2细胞胰岛素抵抗中的作用

目的从蛋白激酶C(PKC)信号通路角度,探讨游离脂肪酸(FFA)引起肝脏胰岛素抵抗(IR)的可能机制。方法培养HepG2细胞,同时设立对照组、软脂酸(PA)组、高胰岛素组。软脂酸组、高胰岛素组分别用250μmol/L PA、5×10-7mol/L胰岛素处理24h。然后对照组、软脂酸组再根据胰岛素刺激前加( )与不加(-)PKC抑制剂白屈菜红碱盐酸盐(chelerythrine chloride,CC)5μmol/L预处理1h,随机分为两亚组:对照组(-)、对照组( )、PA组(-)、PA组( )。葡萄糖氧化酶法测定胰岛素刺激后12h葡萄糖消耗量,蒽酮法测定胰岛素刺激后3h点细胞内糖原含量,Western blotting技术检测15min点细胞内P-Ser473PKB、P-Ser21/9GSK-3α/β水平。结果PA组(-)与高胰岛素组葡萄糖消耗量无统计学差异(P=0.523)。葡萄糖消耗量、细胞内糖原含量、P-Ser473PKB、P-Ser21GSK-3α、P-Ser9GSK-3β水平均显示,PA组(-)与对照组(-)比较显著降低(P值依次为0.000,0.000,0.004,0.004,0.028),对照组( )与对照组(-)比较略有升高但无显著性差异;PA组( )与PA组(-)比较显著升高(P值依次为0.000,0.014,0.043,0.041,0.035)。结论PA(250μmol/L)体外成功诱导了HepG2细胞产生IR,PKC信号通路在FFA引起肝脏IR中起着重要作用。     

丝裂霉素C与C2-神经酰胺联合应用治疗膀胱癌

目的 观察丝裂霉素C（MMC）与C2-神经酰胺（C2-cer）联合应用对人膀胱癌细胞的作用效果，并探讨其机制。方法 不同浓度MMC与C2-cer单独及联合作用于人膀胱癌BIU-87细胞后，应用噻唑蓝（MTT）比色法检测细胞生长抑制率，计算合用指数（CI），流式细胞仪（FCM）检测BIU-87细胞凋亡率，吖啶橙（AO）荧光染色观察凋亡形态学变化，Western blot检测细胞色素C在细胞内分布变化，并检测Caspase-3活性改变。结果 单独应用时MMC与C2-cer的中效浓度分别是159和28μmol／L，联合用药时下降为55和11μmol／L，CI=0．74。MMC与C2-cer单独及联合应用均可导致BIU-87细胞出现凋亡的形态学变化。两种药物联合应用时的凋亡率高于各自单用（P＜0．05）。线粒体细胞色素C含量在MMC与C2-cer单独及联合应用时均较对照组减少，联合用药时减少最为明显，细胞质内细胞色素C含量在联合用药时增加也最为明显（P＜0．05）。Caspase-3活性在MMC与C2-cer单独及联合应用时均较对照组升高，联合用药时升高最为明显（P＜0．05）。结论 MMC与C2-cer联合应用可以通过共同诱导细胞凋亡，协同抑制膀胱癌细胞生长。线粒体细胞色素C释放和Caspase-3活性变化可能发挥重要作用。     

C4d in Acute Rejection After Liver Transplantation—A Valuable Tool in Differential Diagnosis to Hepatitis C Recurrence

Hepatitis C is the most common indication for liver transplantation. Recurrence of HCV is universal leading to graft failure in up to 40% of all patients. The differentiation between acute rejection and recurrent hepatitis C is crucial as rejection treatments are likely to aggravate HCV recurrence. Histological examination of liver biopsy remains the gold standard for diagnosis of acute rejection but has failed in the past to distinguish between acute rejection and recurrent hepatitis C. We have recently reported that C4d as a marker of the activated complement cascade is detectable in hepatic specimen in acute rejection after liver transplantation. In this study, we investigate whether C4d may serve as a specific marker for differential diagnosis in hepatitis C reinfection cases. Immunohistochemical analysis of 97 patients was performed. A total of 67.7% of patients with acute cellular rejection displayed C4d-positive staining in liver biopsy whereas 11.8% of patients with hepatitis C reinfection tested positive for C4d. In the control group, 6.9% showed C4d positivity. For the first time we were able to clearly demonstrate that humoral components, represented by C4d deposition, play a role in acute cellular rejection after LTX. Consequently C4d may be helpful to distinguish between acute rejection and reinfection after LTX for HCV.