Acute fever with rash, necrosis, and bullae in both lower extremities in a 12-year-old girl / 中国当代儿科杂志

A girl, aged 12 years, was admitted due to fever and rash for 3 days. The child developed recurrent high fever and rash on both lower extremities 3 days before, and the rash on left lower extremity quickly merged into a patch within 24 hours, with hemorrhage and necrosis in black and purple, large vesicles, and blisters in the center. Laboratory examination showed a reduction in platelet count and significant increases in fibrinogen and D-dimer during the course of the disease. The child was diagnosed with purpura flulminans. She was given meropenem combined with linezolid for anti-infection, injection of gamma globulin for immunoregulation, and low-molecular-weight heparin for anticoagulation. The fluid in the rash blisters was drawn and the wound was treated to prevent infection. The child's temperature returned to normal, with improvement in gangrene. She was discharged after platelet count, fibrinogen, and D-dimer had returned to normal. Purpura fulminans is a rare thrombotic hemorrhagic disease with rapid progression and is commonly seen in children. Without timely treatment, it may cause severe sequelae with high disability and mortality rates. Anti-infection, correction of coagulation function, and local management of gangrene skin are of great importance during treatment.

Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia: a report of two cases / 中国当代儿科杂志

This article reports two children with hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT). Patient 1 was a boy aged 12 years and was admitted due to intermittent cough and wheezing for more than 10 years. This boy and his mother and grandmother had a history of epistaxis. The boy had a history of the rupture of cerebral arteriovenous malformations. Gene detection showed a heterozygous mutation, c.277C>T(p.Arg93*), in the ENG gene. Patient 2 was a girl aged 13 years and was admitted due to cyanosis of lips for more than 1 year. The girl had a history of recurrent epistaxis and the manifestations of severe decline in pulmonary diffuse function, pulmonary hypertension, dilation of blood vessels at the distal end of lungs, and small arteriovenous communications in both lungs. Children with HHT often lack typical respiratory symptoms, which may lead to missed diagnosis and misdiagnosis in the early stage. Pulmonary computed tomography or right cardiac acoustic contrast can help with the diagnosis of HHT, and gene detection can improve the early diagnostic rate of this disease.

Liver dysfunction for 8 years with hypertension for 1 week in an 8-year-old girl / 中国当代儿科杂志

A girl, aged 8 years, developed jaundice and liver dysfunction in the neonatal period, with congenital glaucoma diagnosed on day 5 after birth, hypertension and unusual facies (broad forehead, hypertelorism and deep-set eyes). Cholestasis was the main type of liver dysfunction. Cardiac macrovascular CTA showed stenosis at the abdominal aorta and the beginning of the bilateral renal arteries. Whole exon sequencing revealed a heterozygous frameshift mutation, c.1485delC (absence of cytosine), in exon 12 of the JAG1gene. The girl was diagnosed with Alagille syndrome and was given transaminase-lowering, cholagogic and antihypertensive treatment with multiple drugs. There were significant reductions in serum levels of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase and total bile acid, but blood pressure fluctuated between 102-140 mm Hg/53-89 mm Hg. After renal artery angiography and balloon dilatation angioplasty, the girl was given oral administration of antihypertensive drugs, and blood pressure was controlled at a level of 110-120 mm Hg/60-80 mm Hg. The rare disease Alagille syndrome should be considered when a child has refractory hypertension with the involvement of multiple systems, especially liver dysfunction with cholestasis as the main manifestation. Genetic causes should be analyzed for a early diagnosis.

Effect of budesonide aerosol treatment on expression of glucocorticoid receptor and nuclear factor-κB in asthmatic mice / 中国当代儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the effect of budesonide aerosol inhalation on the expression of glucocorticoid receptor (GR) and nuclear factor (NF)-κB in asthmatic mice.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Twenty-four healthy male BALB/c mice aged 6 to 8 weeks were randomly divided into three groups (n=8 each): normal saline (control group), asthma model (asthma group) and budesonide-treated asthma (BUD group). Asthma was induced by intraperitoneal injection of ovalbumin (OVA) and aluminium hydroxide suspension and aerosol inhalation of OVA solution. Mice were sacrificed 24 hours after the last challenge. Eosinophil count in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was determined. Pathological examination of the lung tissues was performed and the expression levels of GR and NF-κB were measured by immunohistochemical analysis.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Eosinophil count in the BALF was significantly higher in the asthma and BUD groups than in the control group (P<0.05). BUD treatment decreased eosinophil count in the BALF compared with the asthma group (P<0.05). The lung tissues in the BUD group showed a less severe infiltration of eosinophils and lymphocytes compared with the asthma group. The percentage of GR-positive cells in the asthma group decreased significantly compared with the control group (P<0.05), and the percentage of GR-positive cells in the BUD group increased significantly compared with the asthma group (P<0.05). Compared with the control group, the percentage of NF-κB-positive cells increased significantly in the asthma group (P<0.05), and the percentage of NF-κB positive cells in the BUD group was significantly reduced compared with the asthma group (P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The action mechanism of budesonide in treating asthmatic mice may be related to the upregulation of GR expression and the inhibition of NF-κB activity.</p>

Construction of gene vaccine of myostatin fusion with T-helper epitope and its effects on forelimb grip in immunized mice / 中国应用生理学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To further study the therapy of wasting muscle by myostatin as a new targets, the eucaryotic expression vector coupled the foreign T-helper epitope of tetanus toxin (TT) to the N terminus of myostatin was constructed, and the effects of the gene vaccine on forelimb grip were tested in immunized mice.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A DNA fragment encoding the TT epitope followed by the N terminus of mature myostatin (330bp) was synthesized. The eucaryotic expression vector of myostatin was constructed and the chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells were infected with the recombinant plasmids pVAC-TT-Ms by liposome transfection according to routine laboratory procedure. The myostatin expression was tested by cell immunofluorescence technique in transfected CHO. The forelimbs grip were tested in immunized mice with myostatin gene vaccine.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The eucaryotic expression vector of myostatin coupled TT epitope was constructed successfully through the restriction analysis and sequencing. The recombinant plasmids pVAC-TT-Ms met quality criterion as gene vaccine by analysis OD260/280 and electrophoresis. The myostatin expression was detected obviously in transfected CHO. The forelimb grip in immunized mice had an obvious increase. The average value of forelimb grip of the mice immunized with pVAC-TT-Ms was about 29.88% greater than that of control mice.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The construction of eucaryotic expression vector of myostatin coupled TT epitope is successful in expression for recombinant human mature peptide of myostatin. The gene vaccine of myostatin meet quality criterion. The immunized mice has an obvious increase in forelimb grip.</p>

Clinical and electrophysiological characteristics, and prognosis of acute motor axonal neuropathy in children / 中国当代儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the clinical and electrophysiological characteristics and prognosis of acute motor axonal neuropathy (AMAN) in children in South China.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The clinical and electrophysiological data of 6 children with AMAN was analyzed, and they were followed up.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The mean age of onset was 4.4 years. Most patients came from rural areas and 5 cases had a history of prodromal infection. There were no seasonal differences in clinical onset among the patients. The most common first symptom was muscle weakness, and the mean time from onset to the most severe disease status was 4.2 days. Nerve conduction test results revealed that all patients showed significantly lower amplitude of motor nerve action potential, only 22.3%-73.4% of the lower limit of normal. Injury to the nerves of distal extremities was more serious than injury to the nerves of proximal extremities (P<0.05), while there was no significant difference in the injury to the nerves of upper and lower extremities (P>0.05). Motor nerve conduction velocity and sensory nerve conduction velocity were normal. All patients received intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG). Of the 6 AMAN patients, 4 could walk independently after a follow-up of 3 months to 1 year.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>AMAN in children occurs mostly in rural areas. There is no seasonal difference in the clinical onset of the disease. Muscle weakness is the most common first symptom and the worst status of AMAN appears in the early stage of the disease. Electrophysiological examination provides important information for the diagnosis of AMAN. Some children with AMAN regain the ability to walk independently 1 year after onset. Early application of IVIG treatment may help recovery of neural function.</p>

Valproic acid-induced idiosyncratic liver injury in 4 cases / 中华儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>Children with refractory epilepsy who suffered from severe liver function impairment during valproic acid (VPA) treatment at routine dosage were studied. The clinical manifestations and therapeutic approaches were investigated in order to improve its diagnosis and management.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>Clinical information as well as features and management of 4 inpatients who were suffered from intractable epilepsy with severe liver function impairment induced by VPA since 2006 were collected and analyzed, including age of onset of epilepsy, VPA using age and the time when liver injury occurred, clinical manifestations, auxiliary examinations and management.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>Among the 4 cases, three were male and one was female. The admitted age ranged from 1 - 9 years and 1 month. The course of disease was 25 d - 6 months. They manifested as refractory epilepsy of epilepsia partialis continua which was difficult to control. After using VPA for 62 d (50 - 76 d), all developed severe impairment of liver synthetic function which was not related to the concentration of VPA. One was diagnosed with Alpers syndrome, two were suspicious of Alpers syndrome, and the other was diagnosed gliocytoma after brain biopsy. VPA was stopped immediately and symptomatic therapies were used. Other than that, intravenous injection of L-carnitine in 3 cases recovered the liver function.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>VPA-associated severe hepatotoxicity can manifest first as impaired liver synthetic function. Besides alanin transaminase and aspartate transaminase, the liver synthetic function test is more important than monitoring of liver enzymatic functions in monitoring for the hepatotoxicity. Intravenous injection of L-carnitine in early stage showed good treatment effect.</p>

The clinical and electroencephalographic characteristics of early myoclonic encephalopathy / 中华儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the clinical and electroencephalographic (EEG) characteristics, therapeutic response and long-term prognosis of early myoclonic encephalopathy.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>The clinical and EEG data of three patients with early myoclonic encephalopathy were analyzed. These patients were admitted to our hospital between September 2008 and January 2012. The patients were followed up for therapeutic response and long-term prognosis.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>The age of onset was from 2 to 23 days after birth. All patients had the onset of erratic or fragmentary myoclonus. Two patients had frequent simple focal seizures. One patient had tonic spasms when he was 3 months old. The EEG characteristic of all patients was repetitive suppression-burst pattern. The suppression-burst pattern was characterized by paroxysmal short bursts and long periods of suppression. The EEG paroxysms of one patient was asynchronous over both hemispheres. There is no effective therapy for early myoclonic encephalopathy. A patient died before two years of age. Two patients had severe partial epilepsy and showed very severe retardation.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Early myoclonic encephalopathy usually starts in the first month of life. Erratic myoclonus appears first. Myoclonus is the principal features of early myoclonic encephalopathy. Frequent focal seizures occur shortly after erratic myoclonus. Tonic epileptic spasms may develop within 3 - 5 months. The suppression-burst pattern is EEG characteristic. There is no effective therapy for early myoclonic encephalopathy and the prognosis is poor.</p>

Succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase deficiency / 中国当代儿科杂志

Succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase (SSADH) deficiency is a rare autosomal recessive disorder. This paper reports three cases of SSADH deficiency in infants. The infants developed the symptoms including developmental delay, intellectual disability, hypotonia, hyporeflexia and seizures. The electroencephalogram (EEG) showed background slowing and focal spike discharges in all of 3 patients. Head magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) demonstrated abnormalities in 2 patients, including basal ganglia damage and increased T2-weighted signal in bilateral cerebral peduncles. Urinary organic acid analysis with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) revealed increased levels of 4-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) in 3 patients. SSADH deficiency was definitely diagnosed based on the clinical manifestations and the results of urinary organic acid analysis in the 3 children. It was concluded that early urine organic acid analysis is essential for children presenting with mental retardation, neuropsychiatric disturbance or epilepsy of unknown etiology.

Effect of intracerebral transplantation of rat bone marrow stromal cells on brain white matter of neonatal rats with hypoxic-ischemic brain damage / 中国当代儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the effect of intracerebral transplantation of bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) on brain white matter of neonatal rats with hypoxic-ischemic brain damage (HIBD).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Thirty-four 7-day-old neonatal rats were randomly assigned to three groups: normal control (n=10), HIBD (n=12) and HIBD+BMSCs transplantation (n=12). The HIBD and the HIBD+BMSCs transplantation group rats were subjected to left carotid artery ligation, followed by hypoxia exposure for 2 hrs, in order to induce HIBD. The rats in the HIBD+BMSCs transplantation group received transplantation of BMSCs labeled nucleus with Hochest 33324 into the left hippocampus 24 hrs after HIBD induction. Myelin basic protein (MBP) expression in the left corpus callosum and the subcortical white matter and the number of oligodendrocyte precursors positively stained O4 in the left periventricular area and the subcortical white matter were detected by immunohistochemistry at ages of 45 days.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The labeled BMSCs survived and were found mainly in the left hemisphere 37 days after transplantation. The positive rate of O4 expressed by the transplanted BMSCs was 3.70+/-1.09%. More hypomyelination in the left corpus callosum and the subcortical white matter, and less number of O4 positive oligodendrocytes in the left periventricular area and the subcortical white matter were found in the HIBD group compared with the normal control group (P<0.01). The HIBD rats receiving BMSCs transplantation had increased O4 positive oligodendrocytes in the left periventricular area and the subcortical white matter and improved MBP immunoreactivity in the left corpus callosum and the subcortical white matter compared with the HIBD group (P<0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Intracerebral transplantation of BMSCs can improve brain white matter damage in neonatal rats with HIBD.</p>

Changes of Wnt-3 protein during the proliferation of endogenous neural stem cells in neonatal rats with hypoxic-ischemic brain damage after hyperbaric oxygen therapy / 中国当代儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>Previous studies suggest that hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) treatment promotes the proliferation of neurocytes in neonatal rats following hypoxic-ischemic brain damage (HIBD). The Wnt signaling pathway is associated with neurogenesis. This study examined whether HBO promoted neural stem cells (NSCs) proliferation after HIBD, and whether that the proliferation correlated with Wnt-3 protein expression.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Seven-day-old Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups: normal control, hypoxia-ischemia (HI), and HI-HBO. HI was induced by the ligation of left common carotid artery, followed by a 2-hr exposure to 8% O2 in the latter two groups. HBO was administered 3 hrs after HI in the HI-HBO group for continuous 7 days (2 atmospheres absolute, once daily). The proliferating NSCs in the subventricular zone (SVZ) was examined by BrdU/nestin immunofluorescence and the expression of Wnt-3 protein in NSCs was examined by nestin/Wnt-3 immunofluorescence at 6 and 24 hrs and at 3, 7 and 14 days of HI. The cellular expressions of nestin and Wnt-3 protein were analyzed by laser scanning confocal microscopy. The linear regression analysis was used to evaluate the correlation between cellular Wnt-3 and nestin protein. The expressions of nestin and Wnt-3 protein in the ischemic cerebral hemisphere were analyzed with Western blotting.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The number of BrdU/nestin positive cells in the SVZ increased 3 hrs after HBO therapy, peaked at 7 days and remained at a higher level until 14 days after HBO therapy in the HI-HBO group compared with the normal control and the HIBD groups. The level of Wnt-3 protein in NSCs increased significantly 3 hrs after HBO therapy, peaked at 3 days and remained at high levels until 14 days after HBO therapy in the HI-HBO group compared with the normal control and the HIBD groups. The level of cellular nestin protein was closely correlated with the level of cellular Wnt-3 protein (r = 0.893, P < 0.05). The Western blotting analysis demonstrated increased Wnt-3 and nestin protein expressions in the ischemic cerebral hemispheres.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>HBO treatment promotes the proliferation of NSCs in HIBD neonatal rats, which is correlated with the activation of Wnt signaling.</p>

Effect of hyperbaric oxygen therapy administered at different time on white matter damage following hypoxic-ischemic brain damage in neonatal rats / 中国当代儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>A recent study has suggested that hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy administered within 3 hrs following hypoxic-ischemic brain damage (HIBD) may alleviate brain white matter damage (WMD) in neonatal rats. However it is unclear whether a delayed HBO therapy (more than 3 hrs following HIBD) has neuroprotective effects in neonatal rats. This study aimed to explore the effect of HBO therapy administered at different time points following HIBD on WMD in neonatal rats.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The HIBD model was prepared according to the Rice-Vannucci procedure in 7-day-old Sprague-Dawley rats. HBO therapy was administered at 3, 6, 12, 24 or 72 hrs after HIBD, once daily for consecutive 7 days. T-maze test, the foot-fault test and the radial arm maze test were performed after 14 days of HIBD. Myelin basic protein (MBP) in the callositas and corpora striata was examined by immunohistochemical method 28 days after HIBD.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The rats receiving HBO therapy at 3, 6 and 12 hrs after HIBD performed significantly better in the T-maze test, the radial arm maze test and the foot-fault test than the untreated HIBD rats. There were no significant differences in the behavioral test results between the HBO-treated groups administered HBO at 24 and 72 hrs after HIBD and the untreated HIBD group. The MBP expression in the HBO-treated groups treated within 12 hrs after HIBD was significantly higher than that in the untreated HIBD group (P < 0.05). When the HBO therapeutic window was delayed to 24 hrs after HIBD, there were no significant differences in the MBP expression between the HBO-treated and the untreated HIBD groups.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>HBO therapy administered within 12 hrs following HIBD can alleviate brain WMD in neonatal rats, but the efficacy of HBO therapy administered 24 hrs after HIBD does not appear to be satisfactory.</p>

The immunoregulatory function of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells on allogeneic B lymphocytes / 中华血液学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the immunoregulatory function of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) on allogeneic B lymphocytes in vitro, and explore its possible mechanisms.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Human MSCs were isolated from bone marrow and expanded in vitro. The purity of MSCs were identified with the spindle fibroblastic morphology by micro-photograph and the phenotype by flow cytometry. MSCs were irradiated with 20 Gy of gamma ray to abolish proliferative capacity. The change of activated B cells proliferative capability and apoptosis with or without MSCs were examined. The effect of MSCs on activated B cells proliferation was compared between transwell cultures and non-transwell cultures. The IgG, IgA and IgM productions of B cells and the immune molecules expression with or without MSCs were assessed. RESULTS (1) MSCs could not induce the proliferation of B lymphocytes, but could suppress LPS activated B lymphocytes proliferation. (2) With the number of MSCs increased, a dose-dependent inhibitory effect was observed in B cell proliferation. MSCs could not induce B cells apoptosis. The activated B cells proliferation with MSCs in transwell culture was decreased, suggesting that MSCs inhibition of B cells might be mediated both by cell-to-cell contact and soluble factors. (3) MSCs suppressed the IgG, IgA and IgM production of B cells, but not suppressed the immune molecules HLA-DR, CD40, CD80 and CD86 expression.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Bone marrow MSCs can suppress allogeneic B lymphocytes proliferation and its secretion in vitro.</p>

Effect of hepatocyte growth factor on proliferation and apoptosis of hyperoxia exposed type II alveolar epithelial cells isolated from premature rat lungs / 中南大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVE@#To explore the effect of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) on the proliferation, apoptosis and function of hyperoxia exposed Type II alveolar epithelial cells (AEC II) isolated from premature rat lungs, and to explore the mechanism of the protective effect of HGF on hyperoxia-induced lung injury.@*METHODS@#Type II alveolar epithelial cells from fetal rat lungs were cultured. After being purified, AEC II was randomly divided to 4 groups: air group (Air), hyperoxia group (HO), air plus hepatocyte growth factor group (Air+HGF), hyperoxia plus hepatocyte growth factor group (HO+HGF) . The mRNA levels of surfactant associated protein, SPs (including SPA, SPB, SPC) were measured by RT-PCR. The proliferation and apoptosis of AEC II were analyzed with flow cytometric assay and Western blot.@*RESULTS@#(1) Compared with Air group, the apoptosis rate increased significantly in the HO group, while G(2)/M phase percentage and the protein expression levels of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) decreased significantly (P<0.01); the S phase percentage and the protein expression levels of PCNA increased significantly in the Air+HGF group. (2) In the HO +HGF group, the apoptosis rate was not significantly different, G0/G1 phase percentage decreased significantly, S phase, G(2)/M phase percentage and the protein expression levels of PCNA increased significantly compared with the HO group. (3) SPs mRNA levels significantly decreased in the HO group compared with those in the Air group. After HGF was added, SPs mRNA levels increased in the HO +HGF group and the Air+HGF group compared with the HO group.@*CONCLUSION@#Hyperoxia can inhibit the proliferation, increase the apoptosis rate and decrease SPs mRNAs levels of AEC II in vitro in premature rats, while HGF can partly inhibit the changes of SPs mRNAs levels and cell proliferation of AEC II resulted from hyperoxia, and HGF may play a protective role in hyperoxia-induced lung injury.

Differentiation of rat bone marrow stromal cells into neural cells induced by hypoxic-ischemic brain tissue extracts in neonate rats / 中南大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the effect of brain tissue extracts in neonate rats with hypoxic-ischemic brain damage (HIBD) on the differentiation of bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) into neural cells.@*METHODS@#Fifteen 7-day-old neonate rats were induced HIBD by left carotid artery ligation and hypoxia exposure, and another 15-day-old neonate rats were served as normal rats. The left and right brain tissue extracts of the normal and HIBD rats were prepared 24 h after the HIBD (8-day old), 72 h after the HIBD (10-day old), and 7 d after the HIBD (14-day old), respectively (n=5). The rat BMSCs of passage 3-5 were cultured in the medium with or without previous brain tissue extracts. The expressions of neuron specific enolase (NSE), glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and O(4) marked oligodendrocyte were detected after 3 days by immunocytochemistry.@*RESULTS@#The expressions of NSE, GFAP and O(4) of BMSCs cultured in the medium with left or right brain tissue extracts of different day old normal rats were higher than those of BMSCs cultured without the extracts, respectively (P<0.01), and the expressions of NSE, GFAP and O(4) of BMSCs cultured in the medium with left brain tissue extracts of 8 day old and 10 day old HIBD rats were higher than those of BMSCs cultured with right brain tissue extracts of the same day HIBD rats and BMSCs cultured with left or right brain tissue extracts of the same day normal rats (P<0.01 or P<0.05). The expressions of NSE, GFAP and O(4) of BMSCs cultured in the medium with left brain tissue extracts of 8-day-old HIBD rats were higher than those of BMSCs cultured with left brain tissue extracts of 10-day-old and 14-day-old HIBD rats (P<0.01 or P<0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#The brain tissue extracts of normal and HIBD rats can induce BMSCS into neural cells, and the damaged brain tissue extracts of 8-day-old HIBD rats is the best inductor.

Factors influencing successful isolation of mesenchymal stem cells from human umbilical cord blood / 中华儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>Emerging evidences suggest that mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) can be isolated from human umbilical cord blood (HUCB) and cultured in vitro, the same as the MSCs derived from bone marrow. However previous attempts to isolate MSCs from UCB showed a low rate of success (less than 30%). The present study was conducted to clarify the factors that influence the yields of MSCs from HUCB of different gestational age deliveries and to observe the bioactivity of MSCs derived from UCB.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>HUCB units were divided into three groups: gestational age (GA) 40 w group (n = 11); GA 36 w group (n = 6); GA 32 w or less than 32 w group (n = 5), cultured with optimal culture conditions. The relationship of the yields of MSCs derived from HUCB with several factors such as GA, the collected volume of HUCB and the mononuclear cells (MNCs) count of UCB, and the relationship among these factors were investigated. The bioactivity was observed by drawing the growth curve, calculating the population doubling, counting the fibroblast colony forming units (CFU-F) and detecting the surface antigen expression of MSCs by flow cytometry.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The success rate of generating MSCs cells was up to 54.5%. There were some correlations between the success rate and such factors as the MNCs count, the GA and the volume of UCB. The rate could be enhanced to 83.3% when the MNCs count was more than 1.25 x 10(8)/L. There was a negative correlation between the MNCs count in the same HUCB volume and the gestational age. The count of CFU-F varied with gestational age, the count of CFU-F was higher in smaller gestational age than the older. In the primary culture some cells displayed a fibroblast-like morphology and expressed MSCs-related antigens CD29, CD105, and the expression rate of these antigens were enhanced from 62.1% to 85.0% in one passage. The hematopoietic cells antigens CD34 and CD45 were less than 3% all the time.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The success rate could be increased when the MNCs count was more then 1.25 x 10(8)/L. There was a negative correlation between the MNCs count of the same UCB volume and the gestational age, the activity to form the CFU-F of UCB varied with gestational age; isolation of MSCs from UCB of pre-term deliveries may be relatively easier as compared to those from full term deliveries.</p>

Effect of hyperbaric oxygenation on neural stem cells and myelin in neonatal rats with hypoxic-ischemic brain damage / 中国当代儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>This study investigated the effect of hyperbaric oxygenation (HBO) on neural stem cells (NSCs) and myelin in neonatal rats following hypoxic-ischemic brain damage (HIBD) and aimed to explore the possible mechanism of the protective effect of HBO on HIBD.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Seven-day-old Sprague-Dawley rat pups were randomly assigned into 4 groups: Normal control, HIBD, hyperbaric air (HBA), and HBO groups (n=30 each). The HIBD model was produced by permanent occlusion of the left common carotid artery and 2 hrs hypoxemia exposure (8% O2 at 37 degrees C). HBA and HBO treatment was administered (2 ATA, once daily for 7 days) in the HBA and HBO groups respectively 1 hr after HIBD. BrdU immunohistochemistry was used to detect the NSCs in the sub-ventricle zone (SVZ) of the lateral ventricle and the dentate gyrus (DG) of the hippocampus. The myelin damage was assessed by myelin basic protein (MBP) immunostaining.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The BrdU-positive cells in the SVZ and the DG of the ischemic hemisphere in the HIBD group were dramatically decreased compared with those of the Normal control group at 3 weeks post-HIBD (P < 0.01). The HBO treatment resulted in an increase of BrdU-positive cells in the DG from 153.7 +/- 37.0 to 193.7 +/- 38.8 (P < 0.05). The nestin expression in the HIBD and HBA groups was reduced compared with that in the Normal control group. There was no difference in the nestin expression between the HBO and the Normal control groups. Hypoxia-ischemia (HI) led to marked myelin damage at 1 week post-HIBD. HBO or HBA treatment alleviated the damage.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The HBO treatment can result in the proliferation of BrdU-positive cells and alleviate the myelin damage following HIBD in neonatal rats, thereby offering neuroprotectivity against HI insults.</p>

Influence of Inhaled Glucocorticosteroid on ?-Glutamylcysteine Synthetase in Inflammatory Cell of Sputum in Children with Asthma / 实用儿科临床杂志

Objective To explore the influence of inhaled glucocorticosteroid on ?-glutamylcysteine synthetase(?-GCS) in inflammatory cell of sputum in children with asthma.Methods Twenty-two asthmatic children were divided into 2 groups according to treatment.The children who were treated by inhaled budesonide combined with salbutamol were due to group A and the others inhaling salbutamol only were due to group B,the healthy children were acted as healthy control group(group C).The glutation(GSH),total GSH and the activity of ?-GCS in sputum were measured respectively;Expression of ?-GCS in inflammatory cell of sputum were detected by immunohistochemistry;the expression of ?-GCS heavy chain(?-GCS-h) mRNA were detected by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR).Results 1.The total GSH[(1.08?0.14) ?mol/L] and oxidized glutathione(GSSG)[(0.37?0.09) ?mol/L] were decreased in sputum of group A of post-treatment compared with pre-treatment(Pa