[Study on correlation between connective tissue growth factor, macrophage colony-stimulating factor and cartilage degeneration in the osteoarthritis chondrocytes].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression of connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) in osteoarthritis chondrocytes, and the relationship between CTGF, macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) and cartilage degeneration. METHODS: Ten New Zealand white rabbits were randomly divided into the normal group and OA model group established by Hulth's method. Sections were stained with Safranin O for histological examination. The cartilage histological characteristics were observed according to the method of Mankin. Immunohistochemical staining was performed. Articular cartilages were observed with microscopy and the image analysis method was used to measure the expression intensity of CTGF and M-CSF in each group, and the correlations of the expression of CTGF, M-CSF and cartilage degeneration were analyzed by statistics. RESULTS: Immunohistochemical staining indicated that the expression intensity of CTGF, M-CSF in untreated group was significantly increased as compared with that in the normal group (P<0.05). Statistical analysis showed that there was a correlation between the expression of CTGF, M-CSF and cartilage degeneration (r=0.634, r=0.542, P<0.01 respectively). CONCLUSION: The expression of CTGF and M-CSF protein is up regulated in osteoarthritis chondrocytes, which suggests that the activation of M-CSF is involved in the production of CTGF. CTGF and M-CSF play an important role in the pathogenesis of cartilage degeneration.

[Experimental study of adoptive immunotherapy using CD3AK cells].

AIM: To analyze the immunological properties and biological activity of a monoclonal antibody (mAb) against CD3 molecule(yCD3), and to observe the tumor-suppressive activity of CD3AK cells in vitro and in vivo. METHODS: FCM was used to test the specificity of yCD3 and the immunological phenotype and cytokine production of CD3AK. 3H-TdR assay was used to measure the transformation of lymphocytes activated by yCD3. LDH assay was used to analyze the cytotoxic activity of CD3AK in vitro. Mice bearing tumors were used to observe the anti-tumor effect of CD3AK cells. RESULTS: yCD3 could bind specifically to T cells. 5 microg yCD3 could competitively inhibit 70% of standard anti-CD3 antibody to bind with CD3 molecules on cell membrane. 8 microg/L of yCD3 stimulated the proliferation of peripheral blood lymphocytes, which could be further boosted by IL-2 or anti-CD28 antibodies. Among activated CD3AK cells, CD3+, CD8+, and CD25+ cells increased. IL-2 and IFN-gamma producing CD3+ cells were also increased, to 3.29- and 2.47- fold, respectively, under the co-stimulation of anti-CD28 antibody. When the ratio of effective cells and target cells was 80:1, 57.54% target cells were killed. As compared with control, the percent of tumor inhibition in CD3AK cells treated tumor-bearing mice was 33.17%, and the inhibition rate of lung metastasis was 39.70%. The CD3AK cells treatment was more effective when combined with LAK cells. CONCLUSION: yCD3 could activate T cells and significantly induce the tumor-suppressive activity of CD3AK cells in vitro and in vivo, which lays a foundation for adoptive immunotherapy against tumors in clinical medicine.

[Identification of HCV antigen epitopes from a random 15-peptide library by anti-HCV polycloral antibody].

AIM: To analyze epitope recognized by anti-HCV antibodies; patients suffered from hepatitis C. METHODS: Anti-HCV Abs were purified from the patients serum through an affinity chromatography column which was prepared with sepharose 4B coupled with protein A. These Abs were used for biopanning of a phage-displayed random 15-peptide library. RESULTS: After 3 rounds of biopanning, the ratio of output to input increased to 3.3 x 10(3) and the false positive rate reduced to 0.2%, suggesting that the enrichment was effective. After the third round of biopanning, sixteen clones were selected to conduct binding test to Abs from the patients and normal person's sera. Nine of them were proved to react specifically to the sera from the patients. From the deduced insert sequence in the coat protein VIII, the core sequence of WPWS was found in 8 clones. The positive phage clones could react to different patients' and not react to normal person's sera. CONCLUSION: These findings indicate that WPWS motif in the short peptide may mimic the HCV epitope recognized by anti-HCV Abs.