Therapy of tacrolimus combined with corticosteroids in idiopathic membranous nephropathy

We evaluated the efficacy and safety of tacrolimus (TAC) combined with corticosteroids in treating patients with idiopathic membranous nephropathy (IMN). One hundred seventy-seven biopsy-proven IMN patients were recruited in this retrospective clinical study. Sixty patients received TAC (target blood concentration of 4–8 ng/mL) and 117 patients received daily cyclophosphamide (CYC, 100 mg) combined with prednisone. Remission rates at the end of the first, second and third month in the TAC group were significantly higher than that in the CYC group (1st: 35.0 vs 19.7%, P<0.05; 2nd: 56.7 vs 38.5%, P<0.05; 3rd: 76.7 vs 59.0%, P<0.05). In the first 3 months, daily urinary protein and serum albumin in the TAC group obtained a better improvement than that in the CYC group (P<0.05). At the end of the sixth and the twelfth month, the remission rates, daily urinary protein and serum albumin were all comparable between the two groups (P>0.05). No significant difference of relapse rate between the groups was found (16.3 vs 12.0%, P>0.05). Patients were more likely to develop glucose intolerance in the TAC group. The TAC regimen obtained more benefits in treating IMN patients, especially in the first 3 months, than the CYC regimen.

Effect of dendritic cell vaccine therapy on lymphocyte subpopulation in refractory primary brain tumor.

BACKGROUND: Dendritic cell (DC)‑based immunotherapy has the potential to induce an antitumor response within the immunologically privileged brain. AIMS: The aim of this study was to evaluate the short‑term effect of DC vaccine therapy on lymphocyte subsets in patients with refractory primary brain tumor. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eighteen cases with refractory primary brain tumor who refused any treatment against tumor within 6 months of the therapy, were referred to one medicine center, from January 2011 to October 2012. All patients received 1 × 107 tumor lysate–pulsed DC vaccinations both intradermal injection and intravenous infusion 3 times/week. RESULTS: There were increases of lymphocytes CD8+ (P = 0.002) and CD56+ (P = 4.207E‑10), but no change of lymphocytes CD3+ (P = 0.651). Six patients were positive response of delayed‑type hypersensitivity. There were improving of appetite in 14 cases and increasing of physical strength 17 cases. CONCLUSIONS: DC vaccine has the potential for inducing an immune cytotoxic effect directed toward tumor cells.

Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate)-based scaffolds for tissue engineering

Development and selection of an ideal scaffold is of importance for tissue engineering. Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate) (PHBHHx) is a biocompatible bioresorbable copolymer that belongs to the polyhydroxyalkanoate family. Because of its good biocompatibility, PHBHHx has been widely used as a cell scaffold for tissue engineering. This review focuses on the utilization of PHBHHx-based scaffolds in tissue engineering. Advances in the preparation, modification, and application of PHBHHx scaffolds are discussed.

CPU0213, a novel endothelin type A and type B receptor antagonist, protects against myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury in rats

The efficacy of endothelin receptor antagonists in protecting against myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury is controversial, and the mechanisms remain unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of CPU0123, a novel endothelin type A and type B receptor antagonist, on myocardial I/R injury and to explore the mechanisms involved. Male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 200-250 g were randomized to three groups (6-7 per group): group 1, Sham; group 2, I/R + vehicle. Rats were subjected to in vivo myocardial I/R injury by ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery and 0.5 percent sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (1 mL/kg) was injected intraperitoneally immediately prior to coronary occlusion. Group 3, I/R + CPU0213. Rats were subjected to identical surgical procedures and CPU0213 (30 mg/kg) was injected intraperitoneally immediately prior to coronary occlusion. Infarct size, cardiac function and biochemical changes were measured. CPU0213 pretreatment reduced infarct size as a percentage of the ischemic area by 44.5 percent (I/R + vehicle: 61.3 ± 3.2 vs I/R + CPU0213: 34.0 ± 5.5 percent, P < 0.05) and improved ejection fraction by 17.2 percent (I/R + vehicle: 58.4 ± 2.8 vs I/R + CPU0213: 68.5 ± 2.2 percent, P < 0.05) compared to vehicle-treated animals. This protection was associated with inhibition of myocardial inflammation and oxidative stress. Moreover, reduction in Akt (protein kinase B) and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) phosphorylation induced by myocardial I/R injury was limited by CPU0213 (P < 0.05). These data suggest that CPU0123, a non-selective antagonist, has protective effects against myocardial I/R injury in rats, which may be related to the Akt/eNOS pathway.

Therapeutic effects of Sophora moorcroftiana alkaloids in combination with albendazole in mice experimentally infected with protoscolices of Echinococcus granulosus

The objective of the present study was to determine if the combination of alkaloids from Sophora moorcroftiana seeds and albendazole might be effective in the treatment of experimental echinococcosisin female NIH mice (6 weeks old and weighing 18-20 g, N = 8 in each group) infected withprotoscolices of Echinococcus granulosus. Viable protoscolices (N = 6 x 103) were cultured in vitro in 1640 medium and mortality was calculated daily. To determine the in vivo efficacy, mice were inoculated intraperitoneally with viable protoscolices and then treated once daily by gavage for three months with the alkaloids (50 mg kg-1 day-1) and albendazole (50 mg kg-1 day-1), separately and in combination (both alkaloids at 25 mg kg-1 day-1 and albendazole at 25 mg kg-1 day-1). Next, the hydatid cysts collected from the peritoneal cavity of the animals were weighed and serum IL-4, IL-2, and IgE levels were analyzed. Administration of alkaloids to cultured protoscolices showed significant dose- and time-dependent killing effects. The weight of hydatid cysts was significantly decreased upon treatment with each drug (P < 0.01), but the decrease was more prominent and the rate of hydatid cyst growth inhibition was much higher (76.1 percent) in the group receiving the combined treatments (18.3 ± 4.6 mg). IL-4 and total IgE were decreased (939 ± 447 pg/mL and 2.03 ± 0.42 IU/mL, respectively) in serum from mice treated with alkaloids and albendazole compared with the untreated control (1481 ± 619 pg/mL and 3.31 ± 0.37 IU/mL; P < 0.01). These results indicate that S. moorcroftiana alkaloids have protoscolicidal effects and the combination of alkaloids and albendazole has significant additive effects.

Peripheral genotype-phenotype correlations in Asian Indians with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

OBJECTIVE: A genome-wide scan of gene expression in leucocytes in Asian Indians with type 2 diabetes was performed and correlated with their known phenotype. METHODS: Microarray gene profiling of 13,474 sequence-verified, non-redundant human cDNAs was done to study leukocyte gene expression in Asian Indians with type 2 diabetes (DM: n=3) and matched controls (n=3). RESULTS: Significant differential expression (fold change <0.3 or >3) was noted for 897 genes in DM vs. controls. The 147 known genes in this category belonged to following broad functional groups (%): enzyme (32), nucleic acid binding (22), ligand binding or carrier (10), signal transducer (9), transporter (7), structural protein (6), cell adhesion (3), tumor suppressor (3), transcription factor binding (2), enzyme inhibitor (2), chaperone (2), cell cycle regulator (1), and defense/immunity protein (1). The 20 genes with at least a 3-fold change, annotated with known phenotypic associations in the current gene databank (phenotype association, fold change) were aspartoacylase (Canavan disease, 9.96), growth hormone receptor (Laron dwarfism, idiopathic short stature, 8.25), lipoprotein lipase (familial chylomicronemia syndrome, lipoprotein lipase deficiency, 8.00), vitamin D (1,25- dihydroxyvitamin D3) receptor (involutional osteoporosis, vitamin D resistant rickets, 7.94), intercellular adhesion molecule 1 human rhinovirus receptor (cerebral malaria susceptibility, 7.16), peroxisomal membrane protein 3 35-kDa (Refsum disease, infantile form, Zellweger syndrome-3, 6.00), Bardet-Biedl syndrome 2 (Bardet-Biedl syndrome, 5.87), ribosomal protein S19 (Diamond Blackfan anemia, 5.85), apolipoprotein C-III (hypertriglyceridemia, 5.44), argininosuccinate lyase (argininosuccinicaciduria, 5.22), myosin VA (Griscelli syndrome-type pigmentary dilution with mental retardation, 4.92), lysozyme (renal amyloidosis, 4.17), SAM domain, SH3 domain and nuclear localisation signals 1 (Cherubism, 4.12 ), von Hippel-Lindau syndrome (hemangioblastoma, cerebellar, somatic, von Hippel-Lindau syndrome, 3.94), early-onset breast cancer 1 (BRCA1, papillary serous carcinoma of the peritoneum, 3.73), UDP-N-acetylglucosamine-2-epimerase/N-acetylmannosamine kinase (inclusion body myopathy, autosomal recessive, sialuria, 3.53), apolipoprotein A-I (amyloidosis, 3 or more types, hypoalphalipoproteinemia, 3.29), midline 1 Opitz/BBB syndrome (Opitz G syndrome, type I, 3.28), ATPase, Na+/K+ transporting, alpha 2 (+) polypeptide (familial hemiplegic migraine, 3.05). Canavan disease, Zellweger syndrome, infantile Refsum disease, Griscelli syndrome, cherubism, breast cancer, peritoneal papillary serous carcinoma, Opitz G/BBB syndrome, and familial hemiplegic migraine (FHM) are phenotypes not previously reported in association with type 2 DM, but whose underlying genes were up-regulated in this peripheral genome scan of Asian Indians. CONCLUSION: Rare and/or previously unknown phenotypes linked to known genes with significant differential expression in type 2 DM are reported. Further testing of heterogeneity in diabetes phenotype syndromes may reveal common pathogenic mechanisms and potential candidate genes responsible for type 2 DM.