Effect of JJYMD-C, a novel synthetic derivative of gallic acid, on proliferation and phenotype maintenance in rabbit articular chondrocytes in vitro

Tissue engineering encapsulated cells such as chondrocytes in the carrier matrix have been widely used to repair cartilage defects. However, chondrocyte phenotype is easily lost when chondrocytes are expanded in vitro by a process defined as “dedifferentiation”. To ensure successful therapy, an effective pro-chondrogenic agent is necessary to overcome the obstacle of limited cell numbers in the restoration process, and dedifferentiation is a prerequisite. Gallic acid (GA) has been used in the treatment of arthritis, but its biocompatibility is inferior to that of other compounds. In this study, we modified GA by incorporating sulfamonomethoxine sodium and synthesized a sulfonamido-based gallate, JJYMD-C, and evaluated its effect on chondrocyte metabolism. Our results showed that JJYMD-C could effectively increase the levels of the collagen II, Sox9, and aggrecan genes, promote chondrocyte growth, and enhance secretion and synthesis of cartilage extracellular matrix. On the other hand, expression of the collagen I gene was effectively down-regulated, demonstrating inhibition of chondrocyte dedifferentiation by JJYMD-C. Hypertrophy, as a characteristic of chondrocyte ossification, was undetectable in the JJYMD-C groups. We used JJYMD-C at doses of 0.125, 0.25, and 0.5 µg/mL, and the strongest response was observed with 0.25 µg/mL. This study provides a basis for further studies on a novel agent in the treatment of articular cartilage defects.

Ileocolorectal intussusception due to caecal hamartoma / Intususcepción íleocolorectal causada por hamartoma de ciego

Although 75% of intussusceptions occur within the first two years of life, they can also develop in teenage years. This is a case report of a 13-year old boy with an ileocolorectal intussusception from a large caecal hamartoma (10 x 6 x 2 cm3) adjacent to the ileocaecal valve. Partial resection of the ascending colon and terminal ileum was performed, and the pathology of the resected mass revealed a hamartoma. Ileocolorectal intussusception secondary to hamartoma represents a particularly rare event in the paediatric population. With early surgical intervention, this patient's outcome was uneventful.

Aunque el 75% de las intususcepciones ocurren en los primeros dos años de vida, pueden también desarrollarse en el período de la adolescencia. Éste es el reporte del caso de un niño de 13 años con una intususcepción ileocolorectal a partir de un hamartoma de ciego de gran tamaño (10 x 6 x 2 cm3) adyacente a la válvula ileocecal. Se realizó una resección parcial del colon ascendente y el íleo terminal, y la patología de la masa resecada reveló un hamartoma. La intususcepción íleocolorectal derivada secundariamente a partir de un hamartoma, representa un caso particularmente raro dentro de la población pediátrica. Una intervención quirúrgica temprana, hizo posible que este paciente tuviera una evolución clínica sin graves consecuencias.