ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To study the possibility of primary human chondrocytes culture in gelatin scaffold and the effects of exogenous HA on chondrocyte differentiation and synthesis of the hyaline-like extracellular matrix. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Cartilage tissue was engineered by using primary human chondrocytes with HA-treated gelatin scaffolds and gelatin scaffolds. The chondrogenic properties were monitored for chondrocyte proliferation, adhesion, and hyaline-like extracellular matrix production in both groups. The results were compared to each other. RESULTS: Chondrocyte proliferation, adhesive activity, and new HA production were significantly increased in HA-treated gelatin scaffold (p < 0.05). Immuno histochemistry for WF6 epitope demonstrated the higher quality of hyaline-like extracellular matrix production. Moreover, the scanning electron micrograph showed a higher filling of extracellular matrix in the pore of scaffold of HA-treated gelatin scaffold than that in non-HA treated scaffold. CONCLUSION: The present study demonstrated the possible role of commercial gelatin-based scaffold in cartilage tissue engineering. It also demonstrated that exogenous HA-treated scaffold provides positive effects for chondrocytes.
ABSTRACT
The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical significance of serum hyaluronan (HA) as a marker of liver fibrosis in patients with chronic liver disease. Serum HA was measured by an ELISA-based method in 28 patients with chronic hepatitis (CH), 43 patients with liver cirrhosis (LC), 57 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and 60 healthy controls. Mean serum HA concentration in patients with LC was 1,376.80 +/- 2,568.85 ng/ml which was significantly higher than those in patients with CH, HCC and the controls (575.93 +/- 732.58, and 426.36 +/- 687.33, and 117.86 +/- 311.11 ng/ml, respectively). Based on a ROC curve analysis, a cut-off point of 354 ng/ml discriminated between LC and other groups with a sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of 82.4%, 78.2%, and 80.2%, respectively. Mean HA concentrations were correlated with the degree of liver fibrosis, but not the grade of necroinflammatory activity. In patients with LC, the mean serum HA level was significantly increased in the Child C group (3,977.96 +/- 4,906.21 ng/ml) in comparison with the Child B and A groups (1,002.63 +/- 448.55, and 537.90 +/- 424.16 ng/ml, respectively). We conclude that serum HA concentrations reflect the extent of liver fibrosis and severity of cirrhosis. Thus, serum HA can be a diagnostic marker of liver fibrosis and cirrhosis in patients with chronic liver disease.