Apoptosis induction of rhesus peripheral blood lymphocytes / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To establish a method for inducing apoptosis of rhesus peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Rhesus PBLs were irradiated with X-ray, (60)Co gamma-rays and ultraviolet (UVC254 nm), respectively, and the cell apoptosis was evaluated with flow cytometry using annexin-V staining and propidium iodide staining.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>X-ray and (60)Co gamma-ray irradiation induced only low apoptotic rates of the PBLs, and UVC resulted in the highest apoptotic rate of about 60%. UVC irradiation of the PBLs in RPMI supplemented with 10% heat-inactivated fetal calf serum for 60 min at a distance of 20 cm led to an early apoptotic rate of 58.85% and necrotic rate of 11.5%. The apoptotic rate of PBLs increased in a dose- and time-dependent fashion.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>For inducing apoptosis of the rhesus PBLs, UVC can be more effective than X-ray and (60)Co gamma-ray. The highest apoptotic rate can be achieved when the rhesus PBLs in RPMI supplemented with 10% heat-inactivated fetal calf serum are exposed to UVC for 60 min at the distance of 20 cm.</p>

Half-dose Zenapax for acute rejection prevention after renal transplantation / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the efficacy and safety of half-dose Zenapax for prevention of acute rejection after renal transplantation.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>According to the immunosuppressive regimen and renal function after transplantation, patients were divided into 4 groups, namely groups A, B, C, and D of 90, 73, 11 and 13 patients, respectively. Blood creatinine measured 1 week after operation was <176.6 micromol/L in groups A and B, and was >353 micromol/L in groups C and D. Patients in groups A and C were given 25 mg Zenapax (0.5 mg/kg) and MMF 0.75 g before operation, and those in groups B and D had only MMF of 0.75 g. All patients were given Pred, CsA and MMF after operation, and the rejection episodes, the time of acute rejection onset, the rate of rejection reversal and complications were analyzed in the time period of 6 months after operation.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>After the operation, 13 patients (14.4%) developed acute rejection in group A, 18 (24.6%) in group B, 6 (54.5%) in group C and 7 (53.8%) in group D (P<0.01). The incidence of acute rejection in group B was significantly lower than that in groups C and D groups (P<0.01), and the latter two groups had similar incidence. The time of acute rejection onset ranged from 3 to 9 days postoperatively (mean 6.2-/+3.2 days) in group A, significantly delayed as compared with that in group B (range 2-8 days, mean 4.7-/+3.1 days), group C (range 2-7 days, mean 4.3-/+4.2 days) and group D group (range 2-9 days, mean 3.9-/+3.5 days), but the time was similar between groups B, C, and D (P>0.05). All acute rejection cases in group A was reversed, and the rate of reversal was 88.9% (16/18) in group B, 83.3% in group C, and 71.4% in group D. No significant differences were noted in such complications as infection, vascular injuries or gastrointestinal reactions between the 4 groups (P>0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Zenapax at the dose of 25 mg can safely decrease the risk of acute rejection in patients with good postoperative renal function recovery, but dose not seem effective in patients with delayed graft function recovery.</p>