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BACKGROUND:Transplantation of mesenchymal stem cels to prevent and treat degeneration of the intervertebral disc is a feasible method. Mesenchymal stem cels co-transfected by SRY-related high mobility group-box gene 9 (SOX-9) and growth differentiation factor-5 (GDF-5) can differentiate into nucleus pulposus cels, in order to obtain greater effect of induction and proliferation of nucleus pulposus cels. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effect of SOX-9 and GDF-5 co-transfection on the differentiation of rabbit bone marrow mesenchymal stem cels into nucleus pulposus cels. METHODS: We separated and cultured bone marrow mesenchymal stem cels from the bone marrow of rabbit aged 4 months. Passage 3 cels were divided into five groups andin vitro induced to differentiate into nucleus pulposus cels: non-transfected group, empty vector transfection group, SOX-9 transfection group, GDF-5 transfection group, SOX-9 and GDF-5 co-transfection group. At 14 days after transfection, RT-PCR was employed to assay SOX-9, GDF-5 and colagen type II mRNA expressions in bone marrow mesenchymal stem cels. The marker of nucleus pulposus cels-KRT19 expression was also detected by immunohistochemical staining. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:In the co-transfection group, the mRNA expressions of SOX-9, GDF-5, and colagen type II were significantly higher than those in the SOX-9 transfection group, GDF-5 transfection group, and both these two groups, respectively (P < 0.05). Cels were positive for KRT19 in the SOX-9 and GDF-5 groups, and strongly positive for KRT19 in the co-transfection group. These findings indicate that double gene-transfected bone marrow mesenchymal stem cels are better than single gene-transfected cels with regard to differentiation into nucleus pulposus cels and secretion of extracelular matrix.
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Objective To explore the function and clinical effect of automatic nerve retractor in micro-endoscopic discectomy.Methods From August 2009 to December 2010,350 patients with lumbar disc hemiation were treated by micro-endoscopic discectomy,including 196 males and 154 females,aged from 17 to 68 years (average,42 years).Three cases were at L1-2,8 at L2-3,12 at L3-4,186 at L4-5 and 141 at L5S1.The automatic nerve retractor was used in all micro-endoscopic discectomy.The visual analogue scale (VAS) and Oswestry disability index (ODI) were used to evaluate clinical outcomes.Results All patients were followed up for 6 to 16 months (average,9 months).The mean VAS score decreased from preoperative 8.79±1.15 to 3.80±1.14 3 months after operation and 3.65±1.14 6 months after operation.The mean ODI score decreased from preoperative 78％±1.71％ to 28％±1.72％ 3 months after operation and 28％±1.88％ 6 months after operation.Postoperative VAS and ODI scores decreased significantly compared with those before operation.The VAS and ODI scores 6 months after operation were not significantly improved compared with those 3 months after operation.No spinal cord and nerve root injury and epidural hematoma formation occurred in all cases.Conclusion In micro-endoscopic discectomy,the automatic nerve retractor can help the operator obtain effective exposure,protect nerves from injury,alleviate workload of the operators,therefore it has a great clinical application value.
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Objectives:To observe the changes of the tongues in rats with blood-stasis syndrome induced mainly by cold. To explore the evidence that tongues were the target of blood stasis syndrome and the target of medication. Methods: Rats with blood-stasis syndrome induced by cold (BSC group) were dipped into ice water (0 ℃) for 5 minutes every day and lasted 20d individually. Different drugs were given orally after the model establishment. And then we took photos of tongues of all rats by digital camera, analyzed the gray scale value of all rats' tongues using image analysis software, and observed the capillaries in tongues by electron microscope. Results: The tongues of rats which had been frozen in ice water for 20 d (once a day) were dark purple, the same as that of models induced by chemical materials .While as for the normal rats, the tongues were lustrous and ruddy. The changes of color of the tongues persisted about 1 week and were great obvious at the 3rd day after the model establishment among different time-points. After given different drugs, the degree of dark purple tongue degraded, showed significant difference (P < 0.01) from that of model rats. The capillary stegnosis and nucleus turgescence of vascular endothelial cell were observed in tongues in BSC group by using electron microscope. After medication, the above changes recovered. Conclusion: The degree of dark purple tongue indicates the degree of diseases with blood-stasis syndrome. The tongue probably is a target of drug treatment.