PPAR-γ agonist pioglitazone prevents apoptosis of endothelial progenitor cells from rat bone marrow.

Selective peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPAR-γ) agonist affects the functions of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs). This study explores the effect of selective PPAR-γ agonist, pioglitazone, on EPC apoptosis. The cells were cultured and identified via the double staining method in a medium containing different concentrations of pioglitazone. EPC apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry. On Day 7, EPCs engulfed DiL-ac-LDL and FITC-UEA-1, and showed yellow fluorescence in a laser-scanning confocal microscope. EPC apoptosis inhibition was maximal at 50 µmol/L. The ability of pioglitazone to prevent EPC apoptosis may be mediated by the PI3K/Akt signal pathway. The use of thiazolidine two ketone (TZD) to reduce EPC apoptosis may have some potential in treating vascular diseases.

[Minimal invasive treatment of early esophageal cancer and its precancerous lesion: endoscopic mucosal resection using transparent cap-fitted endoscope].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of endoscopic esophageal mucosal resection using transparent cap-fitted endoscope to treat early esophageal cancer and severe hyperplasia, precancerous lesion of esophageal cancer. METHODS: Endoscopic esophageal mucosal resection were performed with transparent-cap technique on 29 cases of early esophageal cancer and 42 cases of severe hyperplasia, and the residual lesions were treated by Argon plasma coagulation (APC). All patients were followed up by endoscopic examination one month, 4 months, and 12 months after the therapy. RESULTS: (1) Local esophageal mucosa with the size of 21.8 mm +/- 1.02 mm x 18.2 mm +/- 1.02 mm on average was resected from 71 cases, with 88 lesions, using transparent cap-fitted endoscope. 1:1,000 saline-epinephrine at an average dose of 18 ml was injected submucosally for each lesion. (2) After the mucosectomy 5 cases had bleeding which was controlled successfully by compression, local injection of saline-epinephrine, and APC. None case suffered from perforation. Stenosis was found in 4 cases after mucosal resection, in three of which the extent of resected mucosa exceeded 3/4 of the esophageal circumference. Water-balloon dilator was used once a month for 3 - 4 times since one month after mucosal resection. All cases were cured. (3) The lesions of 58 cases (81.2%) were completely resected, and the remaining cases had residual lesions that were treated by APC. Three cases of early cancer and 2 cases of severe atypical hyperplasia were discovered endoscopically 4 months after resection and were cured by APC. (4) All cases survived without any discomfort after a follow-up of 4.6 months on average. CONCLUSION: Safe, simple, minimally invasive and effective on early esophageal cancer and precancerous lesion, endoscopic esophageal mucosal resection (EEMR) is promising clinically.