Effect of Capparis spinosa on fibroblast proliferation and type I collagen production in progressive systemic sclerosis / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effects of ethanolic extract from Capparis spinosa (ECS) on the fibroblast proliferation and type I collagen production in normal and progressive systemic sclerosis (PSS).</p><p><b>METHOD</b>Cellular activity was determined by the MTT method. Apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry analysis of Annexin V-stained cells. The expression levels of type I collagen messenger RNA and protein were analyzed by RT-PCR and western blot analysis.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>ECS could significantly inhibit the proliferation of fibroblast and reduced the expression of alpha2 (I) collagen mRNA and type I collagen protein in PSS in a dose-and time-dependent manner. ECS did not affect the proliferation of fibroblast and expression of type I collagen mRNA and protein in normal human. ECS could counteract the harmful effects on fibroblast by H2O2.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>ECS can effectively inhibit the fibroblast proliferation and type I collagen production in PSS.</p>

Clinical study of plasma thrombomodulin detection / 中国实验血液学杂志

The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical value of plasma thrombomodulin (PTM) in different diseases or in different severity or complications of diseases, PTM in 979 patients and 60 healthy controls was determined by ELISA method. The results showed that the PTM level in the control group was 20.40 +/- 7.72 microg/L, there was no difference in sex and ages. In chronic primary glomerular disease, the PTM level in chronic renal failure (CRF) group was higher than that in non-CRF group (P < 0.01). PTM level > 70 microg/L was defined as its positive criterion. The sensitivity, specificity and positive predictive value in PTM were 85.7%, 82.4% and 77.8% respectively. The PTM level in septemia group was higher than that in non-septemia group (P < 0.01), the sensitivity, specificity and positive predictive value were 86.6%, 89.5% and 76.5% respectively (> 50 microg/L as its positive criterion). With respect of multiple trauma, the PTM level in multiple organ failare (MOF) group was higher than that in non-MOF group (P < 0.01), while the sensitivity, specificity and positive predictive value were 77.8%, 77.3% and 73.7% respectively (> 40 microg/L as its positive criterion). For systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), the PTM level in the patients with albuminuria was higher than that in the patients without albuminuria (P < 0.01), and the sensitivity, specificity and positive predictive value were 77.8%, 92.3% and 93.3% respectively (> 35.54 microg/L as its positive criterion). For diabetes, the PTM level in complication group was higher than that in group without complications, the sensitivity, specificity and positive predictive value were 53.4%, 97.1% and 98.6% respectively (> 35.54 microg/L as its positive criterion). The PTM level in microangiopathy group was higher than that in macroangiopathy group (P < 0.01). The sensitivity, specificity and positive predictive value were 71.2%, 97.1% and 97.9% respectively. Acute leukemia (AL) and multiple myeloma (MM) had higher PTM level and PTM level was extremely high when renal failure developed (P < 0.01). As compared the acute stage with the restoration stage in stroke, pre-chemotherapeutics with post-chemotherapeutics in AL and MM, and pre-operation with post-operation in cancer, the PTM level was connected with clinical development. The PTM level in the patients with microangiopathy was higher than that in the patients with macroangiopathy (P < 0.01). The defined PTM level was higher than its normal upper limit as PTM positive criterion in microangiopathy diseases, the sensitivity, specificity and positive predictive value were 77.7%, 71.2% and 75.6% respectively. It is concluded that PTM level is a good criterion in evaluating the microangiopathy, and PTM is also a valuable indicator in prediction or assessment of the severity of diseases, or evaluation of therapeutic effectiveness.

Hair follicle regeneration after implantation of hair follicle cells into subcutis of nude mice / 浙江大学学报·医学版

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the hair follicle regeneration after implantation of hair follicle cells into the subcutis of nude mice.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The cultured hair papilla cells,dermal sheath cells and fibroblast of human scalp were mixed with the cells of hair follicle epithelium in different ratio, and then implanted into the subcutis of nude mice. The regeneration of hair follicle was observed.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>The hair follicle-like structure was formed in cluster where the cultured hair follicle epithelium cells were mixed with hair papilla cells. But no hair follicles were formed where the hair follicle epithelium was implanted with dermal sheath cells or fibroblasts.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The hair follicle-like structure is generated in vivo when the mixed cells of early passages cultured hair papilla cells with hair follicle epithelium are implanted into the subcutis of nude mice.</p>