Safety and effectiveness of tumor-ablative chemotherapy combined with low intensity modified conditioning regimen for 30 patients with hematologic malignancies receiving allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation / 中国实验血液学杂志

This study was aimed to investigate the safety and effectiveness of tumor-ablative Chemotherapy combined with low intensity conditioning regiment BUCy/TBICy for patients with hematologic malignancies receiving allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). The clinical data of 30 patients with hematologic malignancies received above-mentioned therapeutic method from January 2012 to January 2013 was analyzed retrospectively, and the engraftment, GVHD, infection, conditioning-related toxicity, relapse and survival rates were evaluated. All the patients signed the informed consent before transplantation. The median follow-up duration was 20.5 (16.3-27.3) months. The results indicated that all the patients had been engrafted successfully. One year overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) rates were 93.3% and 83.3% respectively. No conditioning-related toxicity occurred. The incidences of II-IV grade aGVHD was 37.9%, among which incidence of III-IV grade aGVHD was 3.4%; incidence of extensive cGVHD was 13.8%. So far, 1 case relapsed, 1 case displayed graft rejection, and poor function of graft occurred in 1 case, death occurred in 2 cases(6.7%). It is concluded that tumor-ablative chemotherapy combined with low intensity-modified BUCy/TBICy is safe and effective in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for hematologic malignancies, and it is useful to reduce relapse of hematologic malignancies after transplantation.

Efficacy and safety of tulobuterol patch versus oral salbutamol sulfate in children with mild or moderate acute attack of bronchial asthma: a comparative study / 中国当代儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To compare tulobuterol patch and oral salbutamol sulfate in terms of efficacy and safety in children with mild or moderate acute attack of bronchial asthma.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 92 children with mild and moderate acute asthmatic attack were randomly divided into salbutamol group (n=46) and tulobuterol group (n=46). Both groups received routine treatment with antihistamine, selective leukotriene receptor antagonist and glucocorticoid. In addition, the salbutamol group was given slow-release capsules of salbutamol sulfate, and the tulobuterol group was treated with tulobuterol patch. The two groups were compared with respect to symptom scores of cough, wheeze, respiratory rate, wheezing sound, three depression sign and peak expiratory flow, as well as adverse events.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>As the treatment proceeded, symptom scores decreased in both groups; on the third day of treatment, all symptom scores except cough score showed a significant decrease in both groups (P<0.05), but the tulobuterol group had significantly lower symptom scores than the salbutamol group (P<0.05). On the fourteenth day of treatment, both groups had a significant decrease in cough score (P<0.05), but the tulobuterol group had a significantly lower cough score than the salbutamol group (P<0.05). One child developed hand trembling in the salbutamol group, while no adverse event occurred in the tulobuterol group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Compared with oral salbutamol sulfate, tulobuterol patch has a better therapeutic efficacy and a higher safety in children with mild or moderate acute asthmatic attack.</p>

IL-13 R110Q, a Naturally Occurring IL-13 Polymorphism, Confers Enhanced Functional Activity in Cultured Human Bronchial Smooth Muscle Cells

PURPOSE: Interleukin (IL)-13, a Th2-type cytokine, plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of asthma through its direct effects on airway smooth muscles. A naturally occurring IL-13 polymorphism, R110Q, is strongly associated with increased total serum IgE levels and asthma. In the present study, we aimed to determine whether the IL-13 R110Q variant would display different biochemical properties or altered functions in comparison with wild-type (WT) IL-13 in cultured human bronchial smooth muscle cells (hBSMCs). METHODS: Culture supernatants and cell proteins were collected from cultured hBSMCs that were treated with 50 ng/mL IL-13 or IL-13 R110Q for 24 hours. Eotaxin released into hBSMC culture medium was determined by ELISA. The expression levels of the high-affinity IgE receptor (FcepsilonRI) alpha-chain, smooth muscle-specific actin alpha chain (alpha-SMA), smooth muscle myosin heavy chain (SmMHC), and calreticulin in the cells were measured on Western blots. RESULTS: Compared with WT IL-13, treatment with the IL-13 R110Q variant resulted in a significant increase in eotaxin release as well as significant, although modest, increases in the expression levels of alpha-SMA, SmMHC, calreticulin, and FcepsilonRI alpha-chain. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the present study suggenst that the IL-13 R110Q variant may enhance enhanced functional activities in hBSMCs.

IL-13 R110Q, a Naturally Occurring IL-13 Polymorphism, Confers Enhanced Functional Activity in Cultured Human Bronchial Smooth Muscle Cells

PURPOSE: Interleukin (IL)-13, a Th2-type cytokine, plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of asthma through its direct effects on airway smooth muscles. A naturally occurring IL-13 polymorphism, R110Q, is strongly associated with increased total serum IgE levels and asthma. In the present study, we aimed to determine whether the IL-13 R110Q variant would display different biochemical properties or altered functions in comparison with wild-type (WT) IL-13 in cultured human bronchial smooth muscle cells (hBSMCs). METHODS: Culture supernatants and cell proteins were collected from cultured hBSMCs that were treated with 50 ng/mL IL-13 or IL-13 R110Q for 24 hours. Eotaxin released into hBSMC culture medium was determined by ELISA. The expression levels of the high-affinity IgE receptor (FcepsilonRI) alpha-chain, smooth muscle-specific actin alpha chain (alpha-SMA), smooth muscle myosin heavy chain (SmMHC), and calreticulin in the cells were measured on Western blots. RESULTS: Compared with WT IL-13, treatment with the IL-13 R110Q variant resulted in a significant increase in eotaxin release as well as significant, although modest, increases in the expression levels of alpha-SMA, SmMHC, calreticulin, and FcepsilonRI alpha-chain. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the present study suggenst that the IL-13 R110Q variant may enhance enhanced functional activities in hBSMCs.

Are CD133 and CD271 useful in positive selection to enrich umbilical cord blood mesenchymal stem cells? / 中国实验血液学杂志

It is well accepted that umbilical cord blood has been a source for mesenchymal stem cells. However, there was less success in culturing these cells by using traditional method. Lots of studies showed that CD271 (low affinity nerve growth factor receptor LNGFR) and CD133 could be used to positive sort of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) in recent years. The present study was designed to explore whether the method of positive sorting of umbilical cord blood-derived MSC (UCB-MSC) was effective by using CD271 and CD133 immunomagnetic beads. The ability of forming CFU-F and differentiation capacity of the four kinds of cells, namely CD271+, CD271-, CD133+ and CD133- were analysed. The results indicated that the purities of immunomagnetically selected CD271+ and CD133+ cells were (87.58±0.48)% and (89.89±8.10)% respectively. More than 99% of CD271+ and CD133+ cells expressed CD34 and CD45, the markers of hematopoietic stem cells. CFU-F assay showed that CD271+ and CD133+ cells could not form any CFU-F and only few single fibroblast-like cells could be found in the dishes. However, part of the negative samples (27%) could form CFU-F. Phenotype of cells (passage 3) isolated by the two methods was the same, that was CD34-, CD45-, CD14-, CD29+, CD44+, CD73+, CD105+ and CD90+. They both had osteogenic and adipogenic differentiation potential. It is concluded that nearly all the CD271 and CD133 positive cells are hematopoietic cells, MSC can be effectively collected by negative selection with immunomagnetic beads against CD271 and CD133.

Transfusion of mesenchymal stem cells combined with haploidentical HSCT improves hematopoietic microenvironment / 中国实验血液学杂志

The aim of this study was to investigate the role of mesenchymal stem cells in the hematopoietic reconstitution of patients who had received haploidentical allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (hi-allo-HSCT). 15 patients who underwent treatment with both MSCs and HSCs, were selected as study group, while 20 patients receiving only HSCT were taken as control. Bone marrow samples were obtained from iliac crest aspirates at several times after HSCT for the isolation, purification and expansion of MSCs. The confluent ratio and time were measured and compared with those of the control. The peripheral blood samples were obtained from patients, then absolute neutrophil and platelet counts were assayed. From day 4 before transplantation to day 28 after transplantation, serum was obtained every four days from patients of the two groups, and then 3 cytokines as SDF-1alpha, TPO and IL-11 were detected by ELISA. The results indicated that as compared with the control group, the ratio of primary confluent layer formation of MSCs in study group was obviously higher (27.3%) (p < 0.01), and the confluence time in culture was significantly less (p < 0.05). In the study group, the concentration of SDF-1alpha amounted to peak value (2975.19 +/- 681.56 pg/ml) on the 8th day after HSCT, which was obviously higher than that before HSCT (2403.70 +/- 522.39 pg/ml, p < 0.05), whereas in the control, the concentration of highest point of SDF-1alpha reached to peak valve (2280.60 +/- 701.25 pg/ml) on the 16th day after HSCT, which was less than that before HSCT (2701.46 +/- 483.21 pg/ml, p < 0.05). The concentration of TPO and IL-11 was higher in study group compared with the control from day 16 to 28 after HSCT (p < 0.05). It is concluded that the transfusion of MSCs combined with hi-all-HSCT may improve the injured state of the hematopoietic microenvironment in bone marrow of patients during allo-HSCT.