Comparison of clinical outcome of low-dose and high-dose rabbit antithymocyte globulin induction therapy in renal transplantation: a single-center experience.

BACKGROUND: To explore a better balance between efficacy and complications, we respectively compared the clinical outcome of low-dose and high-dose rATG induction therapy with a control group in renal transplantations from March 2009 to March 2012. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 281 kidney transplant recipients were included in 3 groups. The low-dose group (n=39) received rATG 1 mg/kg on the first day and 0.5 mg/kg on the next consecutive 3 days post-transplantation. The high-dose group (n=30) received rATG 1 mg/kg for 6 days. The control group (n=212) received no induction therapy. All patients were treated with Prednisolone, Mycophenolate mofetil, cyclosporine A, or tacrolimus capsules. Acute rejection rates, renal function, CMV infection, patient survival, and the adverse effects of rATG were reviewed. RESULTS: The acute rejection rate was significantly lower in the rATG group compared with the control group (low-dose 17.9% vs. control 35.4%, P=0.03, and high-dose 16.7% vs. control 35.4%, P=0.038). There was no statistically significant difference in 3-year survival and graft survival rates among the groups. Renal function early recovery was similar in the rATG and the control group. The CMV infection rate in the high-dose rATG group was higher than the low-dose rATG and the control group (p=0.037 and p=0.002, respectively). rATG induction therapy was associated with thrombocytopenia in our series, especially in the high-dose rATG group. CONCLUSIONS: Low-dose rATG induction may be superior to high-dose rATG induction therapy in renal transplantation.

A new RNA-seq method to detect the transcription and non-coding RNA in prostate cancer.

Prostate cancer is a big killer in many regions especially American men, and this year, the diagnosed rate rises rapidly. We aimed to find the biomarker or any changing in prostate cancer patients. With the development of next generation sequencing, much genomic alteration has been found. Here, basing on the RNA-seq result of human prostate cancer tissue, we tried to find the transcription or non-coding RNA expressed differentially between normal tissue and prostate cancer tissue. 10 T sample data is the RNA-seq data for prostate cancer tissue in this study, we found the differential gene is TFF3-Trefoil factor 3, which was more than seven fold change from prostate cancer tissue to normal tissue, and the most outstanding transcript is C15orf21. Additionally, 9 lncRNAs were found according our method. Finally, we found the many important non-coding RNA related to prostate cancer, some of them were long non-coding RNA (lncRNA).

[Amniotic fluid: a novel source for tissue engineering].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the possibility of using amniotic fluid cells as seed cells for tissue engineering. METHODS: Amniotic fluid was obtained by ultrasound-guided amniocentesis performed on pregnant women with a gestational age ranging from 16(th) approximately 23(rd) weeks. The cells isolated from the amniotic fluid were cultured in F10 culture fluid with 10% FBS. Immunocytochemistry was used to examine the standard intermediate filaments. After 3 passages of subculture, the cells were harvested and seeded onto PGA polymer scaffold. The cellular morphology, structure and adhesion with scaffold were evaluated by contrast microscope and scanning electronic microscope. RESULTS: The amniocytes expanded rapidly in culture media. Immunocytochemistry revealed positive signals for vimentin, smooth muscle action (SMA), and pan cytokeratin, and negative signals for desmin. Amniocytes-polymer complex analysis showed confluent cells firmly attached to the scaffold, with no evidence of cell death. CONCLUSION: The expansion potential of amniotic fluid cells is active. They express the characteristics of mesenchymal cells. The cells on PGA polymer scaffold can grow rapidly and maintain its morphological property. So the amniotic fluid may be a practical cell source for tissue engineering.