Association between single nucleotide polymorphisms in Wnk1 gene and ischemic stroke in Chinese Han population / 浙江大学学报·医学版

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the association between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in Wnk1 gene and ischemic stroke in Chinese Han population.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A hospital-based case-control study was carried out. The ischemic stroke group included 294 Chinese Han subjects, who were admitted with non-fatal ischemic stroke in departments of neurology of 5 hospitals in Xinjiang during January 2008 through December 2009. Control group included 314 age and sex-matched Han subjects without an inquired history of stroke, hospitalized in departments of surgery of these 5 hospitals. Ten tagging SNPs (tSNPs) of the Wnk1 gene were genotyped, and the association between these tSNPs and ischemic stroke were evaluated. The tSNPs (rs3858703, rs11611246, rs7305065, rs1990021, rs34408667, rs12309274, rs1012729, rs956868, rs12828016 and rs953361) were determined by the Multiplex SNaPshot platform. The data were analyzed by using t-test, Ξ2-test and logistic regression. Linkage disequilibrium and haplotype were analyzed by Haploview software.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The rates of alcohol drinking, hypertension ,diabetes and hyperlipidemia in ischemic stroke group were higher than those in control group (37.1% vs 21.0%, 62.9% vs 36.6%, 18.0% vs 6.1% and 36.4% vs 17.5%, respectively, all P<0.01). No significant difference in smoking rate was found between two groups. The genotyping loss rates of all sites were less than 1%. All the tSNPs were examined by Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium test except rs34408667. tSNP rs11611246 in the 4th intron of the Wnk1 gene was significantly associated with ischemic stroke. The distribution frequency of T allele in cases was significantly lower than that in male controls (30.3% vs 35.7%, P =0.046). When the samples were further stratified according to gender, rs11611246 was found to be associated with a reduced risk of ischemic stroke in male cases than in controls. GT and TT genotype frequencies were 43.3% and 7.2% in male cases, 43.1% and 15.2% in male controls, respectively (P=0.038). The T allele was associated with a reduced risk of ischemic stroke, with a per-allele OR of 0.702(95%CI:0.517-0.953, P=0.023) in male cases than in male controls. The significance remained after adjusting the covariates of age (P=0.022), or the covariates of age, BMI, cigarette smoking, alcohol drinking, hypertension, diabetes and hyperlipidemia (P=0.008). No association between other 9 tSNPs and ischemic stroke was noted in Chinese Han subjects.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The polymorphism of rs11611246 on the 4th intron of Wnk1 gene is associated with a reduced risk of ischemic stroke in Chinese Han population and the T allele might be a protective factor for ischemic stroke in male Chinese Hans.</p>

An experimental study of small-caliber tissue engineering vessels with acellular matrix / 中华整形外科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the mechanical properties of the prefabricated connective tissue tube as blood vessel substitute and its changes after implantation at the femoral artery.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The acellular matrix tube of 8-12 cm in length with a silicone rod inside it was implanted into dog peritoneal cavity. 3 weeks later, a new formed tube around the silicone rod was transferred to the femoral artery as blood vessel substitute. The mechanical properties and histological examination of the blood vessel substitute were assessed and compared to those of the carotid artery and vein. 6 months after transfer, the patency of the blood vessels substitute was observed. The histological change was studied by light microscopy, scanning and transmitting electron microscopy.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>(1) The mechanical properties of blood vessel substitute was not as strong as artery, but better than the vein. (2) There were elastic and collagen fibers with many fibroblasts around the tube wall, but few mesothelial cells around the inner wall. All of the blood vessel substitutes (n = 6) were found to keep patency and the structure of the blood vessels substitutes became similar to femoral artery 6 months after they had been grafted to the femoral artery.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>These results suggest that tissue engineering in vivo is a good approach to construct vessels substitute. The tissue tubes made in dog's peritoneal cavity have good condition when it is used as a blood vessel substitutes.</p>

Decellularized aorta of fetal pigs as a potential scaffold for small diameter tissue engineered vascular graft / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>For cardiovascular tissue engineering, acellularized biomaterials from pig have been widely investigated. Our purpose was to study mechanical properties and biocompatibility of decellularized aorta of fetal pigs (DAFP) to determine its potential as scaffold for small diameter tissue engineered vascular graft.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Descending aorta of fetal pigs was removed cells using trypsin, ribonuclease and desoxyribonuclease. Mechanical properties of DAFP were evaluated by tensile stress-strain and burst pressure analysis. Assessment of cell adhesion and compatibility was conducted by seeding porcine aortic endothelial cells. To evaluate biocompatibility in vivo, DAFP was implanted subcutaneously into adult male Sprague Dawley rats for 2, 4 and 8 weeks.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Histochemistry and scanning electron microscopy examination of DAFP revealed well-preserved extracellular matrix proteins and porous three-dimensional structures. Compared with fresh aorta, DAFP had similar ultimate tensile strength, axial compliance and burst pressure. Cell culture studies in vitro showed that porcine aortic endothelial cells adhered and proliferated on the surfaces of DAFP with excellent cell viability. Subdermal implantation demonstrated that the DAFP did not show almost any immunological reaction and exhibited minimal calcification during the whole follow-up period.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The DAFP has the potential to serve as scaffolds for small diameter tissue engineered vascular graft.</p>

Biocompatibility of decellularized canine carotid artery allograft cross-linked by carbodiimide / 中华整形外科杂志

<p><b>UNLABELLED</b>OBJECTIVE Crosslink decellularized canine carotid artery allograft by EDC [1-3-(dimethylamino)propyl-3-ethylcarbodiimide methiodide] and evaluate the biocompatibility of it.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Use the multi-step detergent-enzyme method to construct decellularized canine carotid artery allograft and cross-link it by EDC with the weight ratio of decellularized artery to EDC 1:1 and 1:2. Evaluate the biocompatibility of it by the cytotoxical MTT test and the rat subdermal bury test.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Decellularized canine carotid artery cross-linked by EDC has a lower degradation rate treated by collagenase type II, the result of MTT test show that the EDC cross-linked decellularized artery has no cytotoxity and the rat subdermal bury test show that crosslinking greatly enhance the ability of decellularize artery to resist the enzyme degradation and lower the immune reaction. The more the artery was cross-linked , the more effects it has.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Decellularized canine carotid artery cross-linked by EDC has fairly good biocompatibility and ability to resist the collagenase degradation.</p>