Effect of different approaches to transplanting bone marrow stromal stem cells into the allogenic rat liver / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To compare the effect of different approaches of bone marrow stromal stem cell (BMSCs) transplantation into the allogenic rat liver.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Thirty male SD rats were randomized equally into local liver group, portal vein group, and femoral vein group, and received injection of 1×10⁶/ml BMSCs directly into the rat liver, through the portal vein and through the femoral vein, respectively. The rat livers were scanned by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at 12 h and 1, 3, 5, 7, 14 days after the cell transplantation. Prussian blue staining of the rat liver sections was also performed 14 days after the transplantation.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>MRI showed decreased signal intensity in all the rat livers of the local liver group; the ovoid area of the signal intensity gradually shrunk and the signal intensity increased with the passage of time. Lowered signal intensity was also seen in the rat livers of the portal vein group, appearing constantly branch-shaped, indistinct and increased gradually. Decreased signal intensity did not occur in the livers of femoral vein group. Prussian blue staining of all the rat livers at day 14 showed the presence of cells containing blue particles in all the groups, most numerous in the local liver group followed by the portal vein group and then the femoral vein group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Direct intrahepatic injection of the BMSCs results in better effect than cell transplantation via the portal vein or the femoral vein.</p>

Laparoscopic anterior resection of rectal carcinoma with preservation of the left colonic artery / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of laparoscopic anterior resection of rectal carcinoma with preservation of the left colonic artery.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>From February 2006 to February 2009, 52 patients with rectal carcinoma formerly scheduled for Dixon operation (clinical stage I and II) received laparoscopic Dixon surgery. The inferior mesenteric artery, left colonic artery, sigmoid artery or superior rectal artery, and lymph nodes were dissected through the vasa vasorum approach. The left colonic artery was retained by transecting the inferior mesenteric artery inferior to the left colonic artery. The operative time, intraoperative hemorrhage volume, intraoperative complications, anastomotic tension, number and histopathological features of the dissected lymph nodes surrounding the inferior mesenteric artery, and the rates of local recurrence, lymph node metastasis and anastomotic leakage were analyzed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The operation was successfully completed in all the 52 cases. The operative time ranged from 115 to 320 min with a mean of 150 min. The mean intraoperative hemorrhage was 25 ml (range 15-75 ml). None of the patients had perforation of the rectum, injuries to blood vessel, ureter or adjacent organs, or anastomotic tension. The number of dissected lymph nodes surrounding the inferior mesenteric artery ranged from 4 to 8, with a mean of 6.2. The dissected lymph nodes in the base of the inferior mesenteric artery showed no cancer cell metastasis, while 4 patients had cancer cell metastasis in the lymph nodes surrounding superior rectal artery. None of patients had anastomotic leakage. Local recurrence was found in only 1 case at 7 months after the operation.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Laparoscopic anterior resection of the rectal carcinoma with preservation of the left colonic artery can be completed in patients with rectal carcinoma planning to receive Dixon operation (clinical stage I or II). This surgical approach preserves more supplying vessels and prevents anastomotic leakage without increasing the anastomotic tension or affecting lymph node dissection surrounding the inferior mesenteric artery.</p>

Effects of specific small interfering RNA on Smoothened expression and LoVo cell proliferation and apoptosis / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the effects of specific small interfering RNA (siRNA) on Smoothened (Smo) gene expression and the proliferation and apoptosis of colorectal cancer LoVo cells.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Three different siRNAs (siRNA-1, siRNA-2, and siRNA-3, respectively) were transfected into LoVo cells via cationic liposome, and the changes of Smo mRNA level were determined using semi-quantitative RT-PCR 48 h after transfection. Flow cytometry and MTT assay were performed to assess the effect of the siRNAs on the proliferation and apoptosis of LoVo cells.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Forty-eight hours after Smo siRNA-1 transfection, Smo mRNA expression in LoVo cells decreased by about 63.56%, a reduction significantly greater than that in cells transfected with the other two siRNAs. The cell proliferation decreased significantly after Smo siRNA-1 transfection in comparison with the control cells, and 48 h after transfection, significantly higher apoptosis rate was observed in Smo siRNA-1-transfected cells than in the control cells.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Specific siRNA can significantly decrease Smo mRNA expression and inhibit the proliferation while inducing apoptosis of LoVo cells.</p>

Expression of Smo protein and the downstream transcription factor Gli1 protein in Sonic hedgehog signal transduction pathway in gastric carcinoma / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the expression of Smo protein and the downstream transcription factor Gli1 protein in Sonic hedgehog signal transduction pathway in gastric carcinoma.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A tissue microarray was constructed using 85 gastric carcinoma and 25 normal gastric mucosa specimens. The expression of Smo and Gli1 proteins were detected immunohistochemically and the correlation between their expression in gastric carcinoma was analyzed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Only weak expression, if any, of Smo and Gli1 proteins was detected in normal gastric mucosa, but in papillary adenocarcinoma, tubular adenocarcinoma and poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma, their expressions were significant increased as the differentiation degree was lowered. Smo protein expression in gastric carcinoma was significantly correlated with that of Gli1 protein with correlation coefficient of 0.989 (P<0.001).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The abnormal activity of Sonic hedgehog signal transduction pathway may play an important role in the occurrence of papillary adenocarcinoma, tubular adenocarcinoma and poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma, and this abnormality is associated with Smo protein overexpression, which upregulates the expression of the downstream transcription factor Gli1 protein.</p>

Histological observations of chemically induced acute hepatic injury repaired by allogeneic bone marrow stem cell transplantation / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the possibility of repairing chemically induced acute hepatic injuries with allogeneic bone marrow stem cell (BMSC) transplantation.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A SD rat model of CCl(4)-induced acute hepatic injury was established, which received transplantation of BMSCs (2.0 ml, 1x10(6)/ml) or normal saline injection into the local liver parenchyma, respectively. The rats were sacrificed at 6 h before and 6 h, 1, and 5 weeks after transplantation, and the livers were prepared for microscopic examination.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Cellular necrosis, bridging necrosis, congestion in the hepatic sinusoid, and inflammatory cell infiltration were seen in the chemically injured livers 6 h after model establishment, and these changes were ameliorated in rats receiving BMSC transplantation.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Allogeneic BMSC transplantation can repair chemically induced acute liver injuries.</p>