Effect of implantation of cardiosphere-derived cells combined with rat heart tissue-derived extracellular matrix on acute myocardial infarction in rats / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate whether heart tissue-derived extracellular matrix (ECM) promotes the differentiation of cardiosphere-derived cells (CDCs) implanted in rat infracted myocardium to improve the cardiac structure and function.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Rat CDCs were cultured by cardiac explant methods, and ECM was prepared by decelluariztion method. In a Wistar rat model of acute myocardial infarction established by ligating the left anterior descending branch, IMDM solution, ECM suspension, 10CDCs in IMDM solution, or 10CDCs in ECM suspension were injected into the infracted rat myocardium (6 rats in each group). The cardiac function of the rats was evaluated by cardiac ultrasonography, and the percentage of positive heart fibrosis area after infarction was determined with Masson staining. The differentiation of implanted CDCs in the infarcted myocardium was detected using immunofluorescence assay for the markers of cardiac muscle cells (α-SA), vascular endothelial cells (vWF) and smooth muscle cells (α-SMA).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Three weeks after acute myocardial infarction, the rats with injection of CDCs in ECM showed the highest left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and percentage of fraction shortening with the lowest percentage of positive heart fibrosis area; implantation of CDCs with ECM resulted in significantly higher rates of CDC differentiation into cardiac muscle cells, vascular endothelial cells and smooth muscle cell (P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Heart-tissue derived ECM significantly promotes the differentiation of CDCs implanted in the infracted myocardium into cardiac muscle cells, vascular endothelial cells and smooth muscle cells to improve the cardiac structure and cardiac functions in rats.</p>

Assessment of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer patients / 中华肿瘤杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To assess the response of neoadjuvant chemotherapy and its influencing factors in the breast cancer patients.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>171 patients with stage II or operable stage III breast cancers were treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy before surgery between January 2004 and May 2005. Of these, 160 received and completed > or =3 cycles of neoadjuvant chemotherapy, 11 received only 2 cycles. The regimens of neoadjuvant chemotherapy were: CEF (CTX, Epirubicin, 5-Fu); NE (Navelbine, Epirubicin); TEC (Taxotere, Epirubicin, CTX). Response of neoadjuvant chemotherapy was evaluated in all patients by palpation, ultrasonography and pathological methods.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Complete response rate and clinical objective response rate determined by clinical palpation (cCR, cOR), ultrasonography (sCR, sOR) and pathology (pCR) was 18.7% and 88.3%; 4.1% and 74.9%; 15.2%, respectively. The correspondence rate of the pCR with cCR and sCR was 43.8% and 42.9%, respectively. It was showed by univariate analysis that patient whose tumor was < or =3 cm in diameter, or ER negative or grade 3 were more likely to achieve a pCR than those whose tumor was >3 cm, or ER positive or grade 1. Logistic regression analysis showed that only tumor size was the significant predictive factor for response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in patients with primary breast cancer.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Patient with small, or ER negative or grade 3 tumor may have better pathological response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy, particularly, the tumor size is more predictive of pCR. Palpation or ultrasonography may have a tendency either to under- or to overestimate pCR. Breast neoplasms/drug therapy;</p>