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BACKGROUND@#Scleroderma is a multisystem disease in which tissue fibrosis is caused by inflammation and vascular damage. The mortality of scleroderma has remained high due to a lack of effective treatments. However, exosomes derived from human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (HUMSCs)-Ex have been regarded as potential treatments for various autoimmune diseases, and may also act as candidates for treating scleroderma. @*METHODS@#Mice with scleroderma received a single 50 lg HUMSCs-Ex. HUMSCs-Ex was characterized using transmission electron microscopy, nanoparticle tracking analysis and nanoflow cytometry. The therapeutic efficacy was assessed using histopathology, immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and western blot. @*RESULTS@#HUMSCs-Ex ameliorated the deposition of extracellular matrix and suppressed the epithelial-mesenchymal transition process, and the effects lasted at least three weeks. In addition, HUMSCs-Ex promoted M1 macrophage polarization and inhibited M2 macrophage polarization, leading to the restoration of the balance of M1/M2 macrophages. @*CONCLUSION@#We investigated the potential antifibrotic and anti-inflammatory effects of HUMSCs-Ex in a bleomycininduced mouse model of scleroderma. So HUMSCs-Ex could be considered as a candidate therapy for scleroderma.
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Objective:To investigate the expression of N-myc downstream regulated gene 2(NDRG2) in hippocampus of epileptic mice and its effect on glutamate and glucose uptake in astrocytes of mice.Methods:The epileptic mouse model was induced by lithium chloride and pilocarpine nitrate. The mice were sacrificed at 1 d, 7 d, 15 d and 6 weeks after model establishment and the brain tissues of hippocampus were taken. Western blot was used to detect the expression of NDRG2 protein in hippocampus.The primary astrocytes of wild-type, NDRG2 + /+ and NDRG2 -/- mice were cultured and the NDRG2 phenotype of astrocytes was identified after primary culture. Glutamate content in the supernatant of astrocyte culture was determined by glutamate assay kit and ultraviolet spectrophotometer. Flow cytometry was used to detect the positive rate of 2-NBDG fluorescently labeled astrocytes. Results:(1) Compared with the control group (0.25±0.07), the expression of NDRG2 in the hippocampus of mice increased significantly in the acute phase of epilepsy (1 d(0.45±0.06, t=-3.84, P<0.05), 7 d(0.54±0.09, t=-4.30, P<0.05), 15 d(1.04±0.06, t=-15.08, P<0.01)), and remained significantly high in the chronic phase of epilepsy( 6 weeks (1.30±0.16, t=-10.40, P<0.01)). (2) The content of residual glutamate in the supernatant fluid of primary cell culture medium was detected.It was found that the uptake of glutamate by astrocytes in the NDRG2 -/- group was significantly lower than that in the NDRG2 + /+ group ((689.03±101.78) μmol/L, (113.67±37.35) μmol/L; t=9.19, P<0.01). (3) Western blot results showed that the expression of EAAT1 protein in NDRG2 -/- primary astrocyte was significantly lower than that of NDRG2 + /+ primary astrocyte(0.34±0.03, 1.16±0.21), and the difference was statistically significant ( t=-6.59, P<0.01). (4) Flow cytometry results showed that the positive rate of astrocyte in NDRG2 -/- group cells was significantly lower than that in NDRG2 + /+ group cells ((17.60±5.72)%, (72.22±8.35)%), and the difference was statistically significant ( t=-13.22, P<0.01). Conclusion:NDGR2 is closely related to the occurrence and development of epileptic diseases. The expression of NDRG2 is beneficial to exert its physiological function of EAAT1 and promotes the uptake of glutamate and glucose by astrocyte. It may be a potential cell protective factor to promote nerve protection and repairment.
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Cellular and Molecular Basis of Medicine is a basic module course newly established by our school that is compulsory for medical students. This module course overthrows traditional disciplinary boundaries, and adopts the forms of combining classroom teaching with students' self-learning and teachers' instruction with topic discussion of students guided by teachers. In the teaching of the module course, discussion was adopted among students which involves teachers giving out the range of topics to students so that they can prepare for the topic of their intertest. After group discussion during class, the head of the teaching group gave comment on students' discussion and prize for whom had the best performance. Then, students were asked to summarize and analyze the questions raised during discussion after class. In conclusion, discussion class has stimulated students' interest in learning, improved their ability to think independently and encouraged them to demonstrate their abilities, which has achieved good teaching outcomes.
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Objective To describe the CSP genotypic profile in clinical isolates of Aspergillus fumigates from different regions of China,and to investigate if there is a difference in antifungal susceptibility among A.fumigates of different CSP genotypes and from different regions.Methods Totally,112 A.fumigates strains clinically isolated from Fujian,Shanghai,Hebei and Beijing were included in this study,and identified according to macro-and micro-morphological characters,growth temperature and β-tubulin sequence.Classic A.fumigatus strains were typed according to CSP gene sequence.The minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of voriconazole,itraconazole and amphotericin B to A.fumigates were determined in accordance with the National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards (NCCLS) M38-A protocol.Results All the strains were identified as classic A.fumigates,and fall into 11 CSP genotypes.The most common genotypes were t04A (n =32),t03 (n =17) and t01 (n =24) in all the strains,tl0,t04A and t01 in Fujian,t04A and t01 in Shanghai,t01,t03 and t04A in Hebei,t02,t04A,t01and t03 in Beijing.One A.fumigatus strain was identified as a new CSP type t25 in Fujian,which showed no obvious difference in morphology,growth rate or appropriate growth temperature from the other CSP genotypes of A.fumigatus strains.No statistical difference was found in the susceptibility to amphotericin B,itraconazole or fluconazole among different genotypes of A.fumigates,whereas the MICs of itraconazole were significantly lower in A.fumigates isolates from Fujian than in those from the other three regions.Conclusions The CSP genotypic profile of A.fumigates varies in clinical isolates from different regions.No significant difference is observed in the susceptibility to amphotericin B,itraconazole or fluconazole among different CSP genotypes of A.fumigates,but the susceptibility to itraconazole is somewhat different between A.fumigates strains from different regions.
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Objectives In order to develop a rapid microsatellite genotyping assay for inter-strain differentiation of Candida albicans isolates and understand the transmission characteristics of the infections. Methods DNA was extracted from C. albicans isolates from genitals, anal canals and oral cavities of 39 women and 27 men with genital candidiasis. The microsatellite sequences in stabel genes(CDC3, EF3 and HIS3) were amplified by a fluorescence labeled PCR. Fluorescent signals were read with an automatic se- quencer, and the data were collected with GeneScan software followed by genotyping with Genotyper soft- ware to analyze polymorphic microsatellite loci. Results Combined analysis of the 3 microsatellite markers showed 18 gene allele associations in C. albicans from genital sites of all men and women, including 10 in women, 11 in men and 3 in both. The allele associations of dominant pathogenetic strains for both sexes were 116:124, 122:131,160:200, which covered 50% of pathogenetic infection. Three common allele associations for both sexes covered 71% of all infections. Genitals and anal canals shared strains of same allele associations in 80% of women and in only 3.8% of men. The strains of same allele associations were identified in both genitals and mouth in 2.7% of women but in none of men. In their genital sites 71% of couples shared the same allele strains, of which 80% were the dominant pathogenetic strains identified in both sexes. Conclusions The improved microsatellite genotyping assay is useful for rapid differentiation, identification of infective source, and contact tracing of C. albicans infection. There are pathogenetic C. albi- cans strains with predominant allele associations in genital infections.
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Objective To investigate the antimicrobial susceptibility of spectinomycin?minocycline?azithromycin and sparfloxacin to mycoplasma(Uu and Mh)and therapeutic effect of spectinomycin to my-coplasma infection in genitourinary tract.Methods①The susceptibility test:each of the4drugs was divided into two concentrations.One was at1?g/mL(sensitive concentration)and the other was at4?g/mL(resistant concentration).If mycoplasma does not grow in both concentrations,it means the drug tested is sensitive.If it grows in both concentrations,the drug tested is resistant.If mycoplasma grows in lower concentration and does not in higher concentration,it means moderate sensitive.②Treatment regimen:Spectinomycin was injected,2g/d IM,for7-10days as a course of treatmeant.Patients were followed-up7days later and2~4weeks after treatment.Results①Among1658specimens,519were found Uu positive,and61Mh positive.The resis-tance rates of Uu to4different drugs were:7.7%for minocycline,21.4%for sparfloxacin,13.9%for azithromycin and7.3%for spectinomycin.Whereas,those of Mh were:18.0%,45.9%,54.1%,and29.5%re-spectively.②The clinical effect of spectinomycin was:out of43treated patients,37(86.0%)cured,4(9.3%)markedly improved,2(4.7%)failed.Total effective rate was95.3%and so was the elimination rate of my-coplasma.Conclusion The resistant rate of mycoplasma to spectinomycin is lower than that to minocycline?azithromycin and sparfloxacin,and the former is widely used in the treatment of mycoplasma(especially Uu)infection,with a satisfactory clinical effect.