Adult peripheral blood mononuclear cells transdifferentiate in vitro and integrate into the retina in vivo

Adult peripheral blood-derived cells are able to differentiate into a variety of cell types, including nerve cells, liver-like cells and epithelial cells. However, their differentiation into retina-like cells is controversial. In the present study, transdifferentiation potential of human adult peripheral blood mononuclear cells into retina-like cells and integration into the retina of mice were investigated. Freshly isolated adult peripheral blood mononuclear cells were divided into two groups: cells in group I were cultured in neural stem cell medium, and cells in group II were exposed to conditioned medium from rat retinal tissue culture. After 5 days, several distinct cell morphologies were observed, including standard mononuclear, neurons with one or two axons and elongated glial-like cells. Immunohistochemical analysis of neural stem cell, neuron and retina cell markers demonstrated that cells in both groups were nestin-, MAP2 (microtubule-associated protein)- and GFAP (glial fibrillary acidic protein)-positive. Flow cytometry results suggested a significant increase in nestin-, MAP2- and CD16-positive cells in group I and nestin-, GFAP-, MAP2-, vimentin- and rhodopsin-positive cells in group II. To determine survival, migration and integration in vivo, cell suspensions (containing group I or group II cells) were injected into the vitreous or the peritoneum. Tissue specimens were obtained and immunostained 4 weeks after transplantation. We found that cells delivered by intravitreal injection integrated into the retina. Labelled cells were not detected in the retina of mice receiving differentiated cells by intraperitoneal injection, but cells (groups I and II) were detected in the liver and spleen. Our findings revealed that human adult peripheral blood mononuclear cells could be induced to transdifferentiate into neural precursor cells and retinal progenitor cells in vitro, and the differentiated peripheral blood mononuclear cells can migrate and integrate into the retina in vivo.     

Abundance of introduced species at home predicts abundance away in herbaceous communities

Many ecosystems worldwide are dominated by introduced plant species, leading to loss of biodiversity and ecosystem function. A common but rarely tested assumption is that these plants are more abundant in introduced vs. native communities, because ecological or evolutionary-based shifts in populations underlie invasion success. Here, data for 26 herbaceous species at 39 sites, within eight countries, revealed that species abundances were similar at native (home) and introduced (away) sites - grass species were generally abundant home and away, while forbs were low in abundance, but more abundant at home. Sites with six or more of these species had similar community abundance hierarchies, suggesting that suites of introduced species are assembling similarly on different continents. Overall, we found that substantial changes to populations are not necessarily a pre-condition for invasion success and that increases in species abundance are unusual. Instead, abundance at home predicts abundance away, a potentially useful additional criterion for biosecurity programmes.     

COPD association and repeatability of blood biomarkers in the ECLIPSE cohort

Background

There is a need for biomarkers to better characterise individuals with COPD and to aid with the development of therapeutic interventions. A panel of putative blood biomarkers was assessed in a subgroup of the Evaluation of COPD Longitudinally to Identify Surrogate Endpoints (ECLIPSE) cohort.

Methods

Thirty-four blood biomarkers were assessed in 201 subjects with COPD, 37 ex-smoker controls with normal lung function and 37 healthy non-smokers selected from the ECLIPSE cohort. Biomarker repeatability was assessed using baseline and 3-month samples. Intergroup comparisons were made using analysis of variance, repeatability was assessed through Bland-Altman plots, and correlations between biomarkers and clinical characteristics were assessed using Spearman correlation coefficients.

Results

Fifteen biomarkers were significantly different in individuals with COPD when compared to former or non-smoker controls. Some biomarkers, including tumor necrosis factor-α and interferon-γ, were measurable in only a minority of subjects whilst others such as C-reactive protein showed wide variability over the 3-month replication period. Fibrinogen was the most repeatable biomarker and exhibited a weak correlation with 6-minute walk distance, exacerbation rate, BODE index and MRC dyspnoea score in COPD subjects. 33% (66/201) of the COPD subjects reported at least 1 exacerbation over the 3 month study with 18% (36/201) reporting the exacerbation within 30 days of the 3-month visit. CRP, fibrinogen interleukin-6 and surfactant protein-D were significantly elevated in those COPD subjects with exacerbations within 30 days of the 3-month visit compared with those individuals that did not exacerbate or whose exacerbations had resolved.

Conclusions

Only a few of the biomarkers assessed may be useful in diagnosis or management of COPD where the diagnosis is based on airflow obstruction (GOLD). Further analysis of more promising biomarkers may reveal utility in subsets of patients. Fibrinogen in particular has emerged as a potentially useful biomarker from this cohort and requires further investigation.

Trial Registration

SCO104960, clinicaltrials.gov identifier {"type":"clinical-trial","attrs":{"text":"NCT00292552","term_id":"NCT00292552"}}NCT00292552     

VIP and endothelin receptor antagonist: An effective combination against experimental pulmonary arterial hypertension

Background

Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH) remains a therapeutic challenge, and the search continues for more effective drugs and drug combinations. We recently reported that deletion of the vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) gene caused the spontaneous expression of a PH phenotype that was fully corrected by VIP. The objectives of this investigation were to answer the questions: 1) Can VIP protect against PH in other experimental models? and 2) Does combining VIP with an endothelin (ET) receptor antagonist bosentan enhance its efficacy?

Methods

Within 3 weeks of a single injection of monocrotaline (MCT, s.c.) in Sprague Dawley rats, PAH developed, manifested by pulmonary vascular remodeling, lung inflammation, RV hypertrophy, and death within the next 2 weeks. MCT-injected animals were either untreated, treated with bosentan (p.o.) alone, with VIP (i.p.) alone, or with both together. We selected this particular combination upon finding that VIP down-regulates endothelin receptor expression which is further suppressed by bosentan. Therapeutic outcomes were compared as to hemodynamics, pulmonary vascular pathology, and survival.

Results

Treatment with VIP, every other day for 3 weeks, begun on the same day as MCT, almost totally prevented PAH pathology, and eliminated mortality for 45 days. Begun 3 weeks after MCT, however, VIP only partially reversed PAH pathology, though more effectively than bosentan. Combined therapy with both drugs fully reversed the pathology, while preventing mortality for at least 45 days.

Conclusions

1) VIP completely prevented and significantly reversed MCT-induced PAH; 2) VIP was more effective than bosentan, probably because it targets a wider range of pro-remodeling pathways; and 3) combination therapy with VIP plus bosentan was more effective than either drug alone, probably because both drugs synergistically suppressed ET-ET receptor pathway.     

支气管激发试验对咳嗽变异性哮喘诊断和治疗的新思考

目的：通过分析我院经行支气管激发试验明确诊断的咳嗽变异性哮喘（CVA）的临床和肺功能特点,为诊断和治疗CVA提供一些有益的参考。方法：临床资料采用回顾性分析,共收集142例支气管激发试验阳性而经临床诊断明确为咳嗽变异型哮喘的病例,将其按年龄分为5组,分别对不同年龄组在分布例数、症状特点、肺通气功能、激发剂量进行对比分析。结果：在142例CVA患者中,〈30岁组病例42例（29.6%）,30~40岁组30例（21.1%）,40~50岁组28例（19.7%）,50~60岁组26例（18.3%）,〉60岁组16例（11.3%）。在症状方面,除均有慢性咳嗽（〉3周）外,随着年龄的增大,各组中出现胸闷、气促等症状的病例比例逐渐增多。在肺通气功能方面,〈30岁组的肺通气功能测定明显好于〉60岁组。而另外3组之间组与组之间无明显差异,但各组与〈30岁组及〉60岁组之间均有明显差异。结论：咳嗽变异型哮喘患者以中青年患者居多,老年患者较少,随着年龄的增长,其临床表现及肺通气功能越来越接近典型支气管哮喘,由此推想,若有条件的医院能广泛开展支气管激发试验,对咳嗽变异型哮喘患者进行早期诊断。     

结缔组织生长因子在慢性阻塞性肺疾病血管重建中表达研究

目的：探讨结缔组织生长因子（CTGF）在慢性阻塞性肺疾病（COPD）血管重建中的表达及意义。方法：将30例有吸烟史的男性鳞癌需要手术的患者按其肺功能结果分成二组,对照组：（肺功能正常组）;COPD稳定期组：（肺功能异常组）,每组15例,标本来自于癌旁的肺组织,肺血管重塑的形态学观察行HE和MASSON三色染色,行免疫组化来观察CTGF蛋白、PCNA蛋白在肺血管平滑肌中的表达。结果：（1）COPD组肺动脉管壁面积/管总面积（WA%）、管壁的胶原厚度、肺动脉平滑肌中CTGF蛋白及PCNA蛋白的表达与对照组相比差异有统计学意义。（2）CTGF与管壁面积/管总面积（WA%）、管壁的胶原厚度及血管平滑肌中PCNA表达呈正相关（,r值分别为0.81、0.68、0.86,P〈0.05）。吸烟指数与管壁面积/管总面积及PCNA的表达呈正相关（r=0.73,0.99,P〈0.01）。结论：单纯吸烟者即有血管重建,吸烟伴COPD者血管重建更加严重,CTGF在COPD患者肺血管中的表达较对照组高,可能参与了COPD血管重建过程。     

高海拔地区肺结核影像表现65例回顾分析

目的：探讨总结高海拔地区肺结核的影像特点,更好的指导临床早期诊断。方法：回顾分析65例西藏高原肺结核的影像特点,总结分析其征象及价值。结果：原发型肺结核3例（5％）,影像表现边缘清楚、密度均匀的致密影,伴有淋巴结增大;侵润型结核31例（48％）,影像表现成分混杂的致密影,可见钙化及卫星灶;血行播散型结核27例（42％）,影像表现两肺弥漫分布的结节影;纤维空洞肺结核4例（5％）,影像表现空洞、纤维化、支气管播散三大特征。结论：高原地区肺结核以侵润型和血行播散型为主,有特定的影像特点,可以用来进行诊断。     

凋亡诱导因子在姜黄素诱导的大鼠肺成纤维细胞凋亡中的作用

目的：研究姜黄素对肺纤维化大鼠肺成纤维细胞增殖、凋亡的影响,探讨凋亡诱导因子（AIF）在肺成纤维细胞凋亡中的作用。方法：将体外培养的肺纤维化大鼠成纤维细胞,分别于不同浓度的姜黄素（5、10、20、40μM）和caspase-3抑制剂Z-DEVD-fmk（20μM）孵育,观测细胞生长状态变化。MTT检测成纤维细胞增殖抑制率;流式细胞仪检测细胞凋亡率;Western-Blot测定凋亡诱导因子（AIF）蛋白表达及核转位结果：流式细胞术检测细胞凋亡,5～40μM姜黄素处理12 h,其凋亡率呈浓度依赖,对照组相比,差异显著;而抑制caspase-3并不能完全阻止细胞凋亡。Western-Blot结果显示,姜黄素处理组出现凋亡诱导因子（AIF）蛋白表达与核转位,抑制caspase-3活性后未检测出AIF表达结论：姜黄素可抑制肺成纤维细胞增殖,其诱导大鼠肺成纤维细胞凋亡,可能与线粒体释放AIF有关。     

封闭负压引流联合局部给氧治疗兔耳缺血性创面的实验研究

目的：观察封闭负压引流联合局部给氧促进兔耳缺血性创面愈合的效果。方法：28只大耳白兔,双耳背各造成直径2．5cm全层皮肤缺损,结扎中央血管神经束及后边缘动静脉,形成缺血创面。56个创面随机分为七组：A组（-50mmHg负压同时给氧,浓度为40％±5％,每日4小时）、B组（持续-50mmHg负压4小时继之局部给氧l小时）、c组（负压治疗4min,停止1min,每日4小时,之后给氧1小时）,D组（．50mrnHg负压治疗每日4小时）、E组（-125rnmHg负压治疗每日4小时）、F组（单纯给40％±5％氧l小时）和G组（空白对照）。在创面形成第0、1、3、5、7、10、14、18天拍照,测量创面面积,计算创面愈合率及创面愈合时间;在各时相点切取创面标本,组织学观察创面肉芽、上皮生长、水肿和炎细胞,Ki67免疫组化标记增殖细胞并计算增殖指数,TUNEL法计算凋亡指数。结果：负压给氧组在相同时相点创面愈合率高于单纯负压、氧疗或空白组（P〈0．05）,创面肉芽生长快,水肿和炎症轻,细胞增殖指数高于对照组（P〈0．05）,而细胞凋亡指数显著低于对照组（P〈0．05）。结论：负压联合局部给氧能显著促进兔耳缺血创面的愈合。     

血浆是引起血沉增快的主要因素

目的：阐明血沉增快的原因是血浆还是红细胞。方法：收集72例血沉异常的抗凝血标本,同时收集血型相对应的72例血沉正常标本,组成血型相同的血沉异常和正常标本72对,每对互换血浆后重新测定血沉,与原始血沉结果比较,并通过多元线性回归分析血沉与血浆蛋白及血脂浓度的关系。结果：血沉异常标本的红细胞加入血沉正常标本的血浆后,72例（100%）血沉均减慢,其中30例血沉下降90%以上,35例下降70%-90%,7例小于70%。血沉正常标本的红细胞加入血沉异常标本的血浆后,67例（93%）血沉加快,其中58例（81%）变为异常（18例血沉加快10倍以上,40例加快5-10倍）。球蛋白、白蛋白和纤维蛋白原与血沉具有线性关系,球蛋白（r=0.420,P〈0.001）和纤维蛋白原（r=0.673,P〈0.001）与血沉呈正相关,而白蛋白（r=-0.558,P〈0.001）与血沉呈负相关。结论：血沉增快主要与血浆因素相关,红细胞对于血沉的影响作用很小。