The contralateral extremity has also benefit from the locally administered bone marrow-derived mononuclear cells and cord blood serum in diabetic ischemic wound healing.

OBJECTIVE: Impaired wound healing could be a disaster especially in diabetes and amputation is the major risk. The aim of this study was to evaluate the benefit of BMMCs and CBS on wound healing. METHODS: Diabetic rats were underwent bilateral limb ischemia and wounding of skin defects on both extremities. The groups were formed as BMMCs (group A), BMMCs and CBS (group B), only CBS (group C), and phosphate buffer solution (group D) that were injected into wounds on right legs. RESULTS: The complete recovery of right legs was established as a mean of 21.4 ± 1.1 days, 12.9 ± 1.5 days, 30.0 ± 0.0 days and 38.1 ± 1.5 days according to Groups A, B, C, and D (p < 0.05). The recovery of left legs were calculated as a mean of 27.0 ± 0.0 days, 24.0 ± 0.0 days, 35.6 ± 1.1 days and 37.3 ± 1.6 days according to Groups A, B, C and D (p < 0.05). At the end of the recovery, the HE staining showed that vascularity was increased in groups A and B. CONCLUSION: Transplantation of BMMCs and CBS to the ischemic wounds of the diabetic rats accelerate the repair. The recovery was also superior in the same group although the treatment was not applied to the left extremity directly.

Resveratrol and adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells are effective in the prevention and treatment of doxorubicin cardiotoxicity in rats.

Anthracyclines can cause severe cardiac toxicity leading to heart failure. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of cardioprotective polyphenolic compound resveratrol (RES) and adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ADMSCs) on cardiac tissue of rats treated with doxorubicin (DOX). Forty-two female and three male Wistar-Albino rats were included in the study. The study groups and the control groups were as follows: Group I: DOX; Group II: DOX + RES; Group III: DOX + ADMSCs; Group IV: DOX + RES + ADMSCs; Group V: Sham operation; and Group VI: normal saline. ADMSCs obtained from male rats were defined with stem cell markers [CD11b/c(-), CD45(-), CD90(+), CD44(+), and CD49(+)]. DOX 12 mg/kg intraperitoneally (i.p.) was injected as a single dose in female rats. Resveratrol 100 mg/kg was injected three times i.p. in Groups II and IV. ADMSCs 2 × 10(6) cells/kg/dose were labeled with bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) and injected i.p. for a total of three times in Groups III and IV. When the study was terminated after 4 weeks, the beating hearts were connected to a Langendorff setup and records were obtained for 30 minutes. Histopathological, immunhistochemical, and immunofluorescent examination with H&E, Troponin I, and BrdU stains were also performed. Also, ADMSCs were demonstrated in the myocardium of transplanted rats. Left ventricle functions and myocardial histology demonstrated significant impairment in DOX only group compared to groups with ADMSCs (P < .05). We suggest that RES and ADMSCs were successful in the prevention and treatment of the doxorubicin cardiomyopathy in rats. The hypothetical mechanisms of regeneration are multiple, including cell differentiation and autocrine/paracrine effects of ADMSCs.

Survivin, p53, and Ki-67 as predictors of histopathologic response in locally advanced rectal cancer treated with preoperative chemoradiotherapy.

PURPOSE: The ability to predict response to chemoradiotherapy before the treatment may allow protecting poorly responding patients from the side effects of neoadjuvant treatment. Several molecular markers have been proposed to radio and chemosensitivity of rectal cancer. In this study, from pre-irradiation tumor biopsies, a novel and promising candidate factor survivin, and p53 and Ki-67 were assessed as predictors of response to preoperative chemoradiotherapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Expression of each marker was evaluated by immunohistochemistry on pretreatment biopsies from 37 patients having rectal cancer treated with preoperative chemoradiotherapy and curative surgery. Treatment response was assessed histopathologically in the resected surgical specimen. RESULTS: There was no correlation between expression of p53, Ki-67, and survivin with response to preoperative chemoradiotherapy and prognosis. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that these molecular markers are not helpful to identify patients who would have benefit from neoadjuvant treatment of rectal cancer. Further investigations are necessary to select patients for preoperative treatment based on analysis of the preoperative biopsies.

Vascular endothelial growth factor expression in untreated and androgen-deprived patients with prostate cancer.

The aim of the study was to investigate immunohistochemically the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in untreated and androgen-deprived patients with prostate cancer. The study included 20 patients with prostate cancer who had undergone transurethral prostatectomy due to infravesical obstruction. All patients had been receiving androgen deprivation therapy for at least 3 months. Transurethral prostatectomy specimens were examined for VEGF expression after androgen deprivation, and the biopsy samples of the same patients were used for the evaluation of VEGF expression before androgen deprivation. VEGF expression was analyzed using immunohistochemistry. Staining patterns determined by the staining scores were compared before and after treatment. The correlation of VEGF expression with PSA, Gleason score, and the percent change in PSA after treatment was also investigated. Eligible biopsy specimens were available in 15 of the 20 patients, allowing for the evaluation of VEGF expression before treatment. All prostate cancer specimens were positive. VEGF was localized mainly in the cytoplasm or on the membrane of carcinoma cells. Staining was strong in 86.7% of patients before androgen deprivation. Heterogeneous staining (strong in 25%, moderate in 35%, and weak in 40%) was observed after treatment. Staining scores were significantly higher in patients before androgen deprivation and showed a significant decrease after androgen deprivation (p = 0.007). Tumor staining correlated with Gleason score. No significant correlation was determined between VEGF expression and pre-treatment PSA and percent change of PSA after treatment. Immunohistochemical results indicate that VEGF expression is downregulated by androgen deprivation therapy. VEGF may be a potential target for therapeutic intervention in prostate cancer.