The effect of deferoxamine on angiogenesis and bone repair in steroid-induced osteonecrosis of rabbit femoral heads

In this study, we examined whether local deferoxamine (DFO) administration can promote angiogenesis and bone repair in steroid-induced osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH). Steroid-induced ONFH was induced in 65 mature male New Zealand white rabbits by methylprednisolone in combination with lipopolysaccharide. Six weeks later, the rabbits received no treatment (model group, N = 15), bilateral core decompression (CD group, N = 20) or CD in combination with local DFO administration (DFO group, N = 20). Six weeks after the surgery, vascularization in the femoral head was evaluated by ink artery infusion angiography and immunohistochemical staining for von Willebrand Factor (vWF). Bone repair was assessed by histologic analysis and micro-computed tomography (micro-CT). Immunohistochemical staining was performed to analyze the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α), bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2), and osteocalcin (OCN). Ink artery infusion angiography and microvessel analysis by immuohistochemical staining for vWF showed more blood vessels in the DFO group than other groups. The expression of HIF-1α, VEGF, BMP-2, and OCN, indicated by immunohistochemical staining, was higher in the DFO group compared with other groups. Micro-CT scanning results indicated that the DFO group had larger volume of newly formed bone than the CD group. This work indicated that local DFO administration improved angiogenesis and bone repair of early stage ONFH in rabbit model, and it may offer an efficient, economic, and simple therapy for early stage ONFH.     

强直性脊柱炎新骨形成机制研究进展

强直性脊柱炎（Ankylosing spondylitis, AS）是以骶髂关节和脊柱病变为主的炎性疾病。其特征性病理表现为炎症和新骨形 成。近年来使用肿瘤坏死因子（Tumor necrosis factor,TNF）抑制剂控制AS 炎症已卓有成效,却无法阻止影像学进程,其病理性新 骨形成可致残,严重影响患者健康生活,但其机制尚不完全清楚。目前研究认为复杂的新骨形成机制与Wnt/beta-catenin信号通路及 其调控因子、炎症介质密切相关。本文结合当前国内外的研究就AS 新骨形成机制进展展开综述,为深入研究新骨形成机制提供 新思想。     

Crosstalk of mesenchymal stem cells and macrophages promotes cardiac muscle repair

Transplantation of bone-marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) has potential therapeutic effects on cardiac muscle repair. However, the underlying mechanism remains not completely clarified. Here we show that transplantation of MSCs significantly increased local recruitment of macrophages to facilitate cardiac muscle repair. MSCs-induced recovery of cardiac function and attenuation of fibrosis after injury were all abolished by either impaired macrophage infiltration, or by MSCs depletion after macrophage recruitment. However, angiogenesis seemed to be only affected by depletion of macrophages, but not by depletion of MSCs, suggesting that macrophages are responsible for the augmented angiogenesis after MSCs transplantation, while MSCs do not directly contribute to angiogenesis in the functional cardiac repair. Moreover, high level of transforming growth factor β 1 (TGFβ1) was detected in macrophages and high level of BMP7 was detected in MSCs, suggesting that MSCs not only may recruit macrophages to enhance angiogenesis to promote regeneration, but also may secrete BMP7 to contradict the fibrogenic effect of TGFβ1 by macrophages. Our study thus sheds new insight on the interaction of MSCs and macrophages in a functional cardiac repair triggered by MSCs transplantation.     

ADRA2A is involved in neuro‐endocrine regulation of bone resorption

Adrenergic stimulation is important for osteoclast differentiation and bone resorption. Previous research shows that this happens through β2‐adrenergic receptor (AR), but there are conflicting evidence on presence and role of α2A‐AR in bone. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of α2A‐AR and its involvement in neuro‐endocrine signalling of bone remodelling in humans. Real‐time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and immunohistochemistry were used to investigate α2A‐AR receptor presence and localization in bone cells. Functionality of rs553668 and rs1800544 single nucleotide polymorphism SNPs located in α2A‐AR gene was analysed by qPCR expression on bone samples and luciferase reporter assay in human osteosarcoma HOS cells. Using real‐time PCR, genetic association study between rs553668 A>G and rs1800544 C>G SNPs and major bone markers was performed on 661 Slovenian patients with osteoporosis. α2A‐AR is expressed in osteoblasts and lining cells but not in osteocytes. SNP rs553668 has a significant influence on α2A‐AR mRNA level in human bone samples through the stability of mRNA. α2A‐AR gene locus associates with important bone remodelling markers (BMD, CTX, Cathepsin K and pOC). The results of this study are providing comprehensive new evidence that α2A‐AR is involved in neuro‐endocrine signalling of bone turnover and development of osteoporosis. As shown by our results the neurological signalling is mediated through osteoblasts and result in bone resorption. Genetic study showed association of SNPs in α2A‐AR gene locus with bone remodelling markers, identifying the individuals with higher risk of development of osteoporosis.     

Ginsenoside Rg1 improves bone marrow haematopoietic activity via extramedullary haematopoiesis of the spleen

Cyclophosphamide (CY) is a chemotherapeutic agent used for cancer and immunological diseases. It induces cytotoxicity of bone marrow and causes myelosuppression and extramedullary haematopoiesis (EMH) in treated patients. EMH is characterized with the emergence of multipotent haematopoietic progenitors most likely in the spleen and liver. Previous studies indicated that a Chinese medicine, ginsenoside Rg1, confers a significant effect to elevate the number of lineage (Lin⁻) Sca-1⁺ c-Kit⁺ haematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) and restore the function of bone marrow in CY-treated myelosuppressed mice. However, whether the amelioration of bone marrow by Rg1 accompanies an alleviation of EMH in the spleen was still unknown. In our study, the cellularity and weight of the spleen were significantly reduced after Rg1 treatment in CY-treated mice. Moreover, the number of c-Kit⁺ HSPCs was significantly decreased but not as a result of apoptosis, indicating that Rg1 alleviated EMH of the spleen induced by CY. Unexpectedly, the proliferation activity of c-Kit⁺ HSPCs was only up-regulated in the spleen, but not in the bone marrow, after Rg1 treatment in CY-treated mice. We also found that a fraction of c-Kit⁺/CD45⁺ HSPCs was simultaneously increased in the circulation after Rg1 treatment. Interestingly, the effects of Rg1 on the elevation of HSPCs in bone marrow and in the peripheral blood were suppressed in CY-treated splenectomized mice. These results demonstrated that Rg1 improves myelosuppression induced by CY through its action on the proliferation of HSPCs in EMH of the spleen and migration of HSPCs from the spleen to the bone marrow.     

Gene expression modulation in TGF‐β3‐mediated rabbit bone marrow stem cells using electrospun scaffolds of various stiffness

Tissue engineering has recently evolved into a promising approach for annulus fibrosus (AF) regeneration. However, selection of an ideal cell source, which can be readily differentiated into AF cells of various regions, remains challenging because of the heterogeneity of AF tissue. In this study, we set out to explore the feasibility of using transforming growth factor‐β3‐mediated bone marrow stem cells (tBMSCs) for AF tissue engineering. Since the differentiation of stem cells significantly relies on the stiffness of substrate, we fabricated nanofibrous scaffolds from a series of biodegradable poly(ether carbonate urethane)‐urea (PECUU) materials whose elastic modulus approximated that of native AF tissue. We cultured tBMSCs on PECUU scaffolds and compared their gene expression profile to AF‐derived stem cells (AFSCs), the newly identified AF tissue‐specific stem cells. As predicted, the expression of collagen‐I in both tBMSCs and AFSCs increased with scaffold stiffness, whereas the expression of collagen‐II and aggrecan genes showed an opposite trend. Interestingly, the expression of collagen‐I, collagen‐II and aggrecan genes in tBMSCs on PECUU scaffolds were consistently higher than those in AFSCs regardless of scaffold stiffness. In addition, the cell traction forces (CTFs) of both tBMSCs and AFSCs gradually decreased with scaffold stiffness, which is similar to the CTF change of cells from inner to outer regions of native AF tissue. Together, findings from this study indicate that tBMSCs had strong tendency to differentiate into various types of AF cells and presented gene expression profiles similar to AFSCs, thereby establishing a rationale for the use of tBMSCs in AF tissue engineering.     

复方苦参注射液联合伊班膦酸钠治疗非小细胞肺癌骨转移癌疼痛的临床观察

目的：探讨复方苦参注射液联合伊班膦酸钠治疗非小细胞肺癌骨转移癌疼痛的临床观察。方法：选取宜昌市中心人民医院2010年3月至2012年3月收治的非小细胞肺癌骨转移患者98例,根据其治疗方式的不同,分为对照组和治疗组。对照组患者采用伊班膦酸钠进行治疗,治疗组患者采用复方苦参注射液联合伊班膦酸钠进行治疗,比较2组患者的近期疗效、疼痛缓解、KPS评分改善情况。结果：患者近期疗效比较结果显示,治疗组患者部分缓解的例数（百分比）及总有效率要明显优于对照组,且差异有统计学意义（P＜0．05）。治疗组Karnofsky评分改善的例数（百分比）要明显多余对照组,且差异有统计学意义（P＜0．05）。疼痛缓解情况比较分析显示,治疗组患者完全缓解例（百分比）及总的缓解率要明显优于对照组,且差异有统计学意义（P＜0．05）。2组患者不良反应发生情况差异无统计学意义（P＞0．05）。结论：复方苦参注射液联合伊班膦酸钠对非小细胞肺癌骨转移癌疼痛具有明显的作用,能够有效的减轻患者的疼痛,值得在临床上推广应用。     

Interferon-β-induced miR-155 inhibits osteoclast differentiation by targeting SOCS1 and MITF

IFN-β is induced via a c-fos dependent mechanism that is present downstream of the receptor activator of NF-κB ligand (RANKL)-RANK signal transduction cascade during osteoclast differentiation. Increased production of IFN-β in turn inhibits osteoclastogenesis. However, the mechanism by which IFN-β exerts its suppressive function remains unclear. In the present study, we found that miR-155, an IFN-β-induced miRNA, mediated the suppressive effect of IFN-β on osteoclast differentiation by targeting SOCS1 and MITF, two essential regulators of osteoclastogenesis. These findings have not only demonstrated that miR-155 inhibits osteoclast differentiation, but also provided a new therapeutic target for treatment of osteoclast-mediated diseases.