Bone Marrow-Derived Cells Participate in Composition of the Satellite Cell Niche in Intact and Regenerating Mouse Skeletal Muscle.

The cellular components of the satellite cell niche participate in the regulation of skeletal muscle regeneration. Beside myogenic cells at different developmental stages, this niche is formed by cells of the immune system, the interstitial connective tissue and the vascular system. Unambiguous determination of the origin of these cell types could contribute to optimization of the cell-based therapy of skeletal muscle disorders. In our work, we intravenously transplanted mouse GFP+ unseparated bone marrow cells into whole-body lethally irradiated immunocompetent mice four weeks before cardiotoxin-induced injury of the recipients' skeletal muscles. Seven and 28 days after the toxin injection, the injured regenerating and contralateral intact muscles were examined for identification of GFP+ bone marrow-derived cells by direct fluorescence, protein immunohistochemistry and immunogold transmission electron microscopy. In both the intact and injured muscles, GFP positivity was determined in immune cells, mainly in macrophages, and in interstitial spindleshaped cells. Moreover, in the injured muscles, rare GFP+ endothelial cells of the blood vessels and newly formed myotubes and muscle fibres were present. Our results confirmed the ability of bone marrowderived cells to contribute to the cellular component of the satellite cell niche in the intact and regenerating skeletal muscle. These cells originated not only from haematopoietic stem cells, but obviously also from other stem or progenitor cells residing in the bone marrow, such as multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells and endothelial progenitors.

[Homocysteinemia--its significance in gynecology and obstetrics]. / Homocysteinemie--její význam v gynekologii a porodnictví.

OBJECTIVE: Metabolic study on plasmatic levels of homocysteine (Hcy) in healthy women during normal or pathological pregnancy accompanied with corresponding levels of Hcy in amniotic fluid and foetal sera. Increased levels of Hcy--hyperhomocysteinaemia is respected as an independent risk factor accelerating the early development of vessel damage and causing the neural tube defects (NTD). DESIGN: Basic study to get our own data about Hcy in Czech healthy and population at risk of pregnant and non-pregnant women. SETTING: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 1st Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague. METHODS: Total homocysteine in plasma, amniotic fluid and foetal sera was estimated by chromatographic method with use of fluorescence detection. RESULTS: Normal homocysteine in preclimacteric healthy nonpregnant women is: 9.7 +/- 1.6 mumol/l with evident age-dependence. In healthy climacteric women are higher levels of Hcy (corresponding to the men values): 11.8 +/- 2.6 mumol/l. After use of hormonal contraceptives the plasmatic levels of Hcy decrease: 7.2 +/- 2.0 mumol/l. In physiological pregnancies Hcy reachs the lowest values: 4.4 +/- 1.7 mumol/l with any evident oscillations during pregnancy. In women in childbed period was Hcy 8.4 +/- 2.1 mumol/l observed. In pathological pregnanciesare its levels slightly elevated: 6.3 +/- 2.1 mumol/l, most evident in placental abruptions: 7.5 +/- 1.7 mumol/l. In pregnant women with susp. results of screening on M. Down only unsignificant increase of Hcy was observed: 6.12 +/- 2.4 mumol/l. In amnial fluids of healthy pregnant women are levels of Hcy are quite low: 4.1 +/- 1.2 mumol/l with any oscillations during pregnancy. In foetal sera of pregnancies at risk (NTD, susp., trisomy, inborn errors of metabolism): 3.6 +/- 1.4 mumol/l of Hcy was detected. The foetoplacental quotient for Hcy is 0.62. CONCLUSION: Average values for Hcy were established in physiological as well as in pathological pregnancies and till now only limited diagnostic significance has been observed. The hyperhomocysteinaemia mentioned in previous papers was not in NTD observed because our pregnant patients were regularly supplemented with all critical vitamins (folate, B6, B12).

[Diagnostic significance of mild hyperhomocysteinemia in a population of children with parents or grandparents who have peripheral or coronary artery disease]. / Diagnostický význam mírné hyperhomocysteinémie v populaci detí narozených z rodicu ci prarodicu trpících onemocnením periferních ci koronárních tepen.

BACKGROUND: A rise of the homocysteine plasma level--mild hyperhomocysteinaemia--is considered an independent risk factor for the development of vascular damage. It is due to hereditary deficiency of 5,10-methylene-tetrahydrofolate reductase with accentuation of vitamin deficiency (folic acid, vitamin B6 and B12). In previous studies the authors confirmed this fact in the population of patients with aortocoronary or peripheral arterial bypasses. The assumed autosomal recessive transmission of this deficiency should make it possible to detect carriers of this metabolic deviation already in childhood. By selective screening of the child population at risk it would thus be possible to detect affected subjects in time and prevent the development of vascular disease by preventive folate administration. METHODS AND RESULTS: In a group of 38 children and grandchildren from risk families where at least one of the parents or grandparents was operated on account of vascular obliterating disease the total homocysteine plasma level was examined by the chromatographic method. An increase of total homocystein (8.7 +/- 2.7 mumol/l) was found as compared with children from the non-risk population (5.4 +/- 1.8 mumol/l), (p < 0.001). The total homocysteine values however were dependent on the child's age and were more marked in children above 12 years of age. In the parental population mild hyperhomocysteinaemia was present in 38% of those with aortocoronary bypasses and in 43% of those with peripheral arterial bypasses. CONCLUSIONS: The authors found significantly elevated total homocysteine levels in the child population from risk families with obliterating vascular disease. The total homocysteine level depends on the child's age and is more markedly expressed in children above 12 years of age.

[Hyperhomocysteinemia. A risk factor for the development of vascular diseases not associated with lipid levels]. / Hyperhomocysteinémie. Rizikový faktor pro vznik cévních onemocnení nezávislý na hladinách lipidu.

BACKGROUND: Elevated total homocysteine plasma levels are considered a significant factor of vascular damage. As they are encountered in more than half the patients with atherosclerotic vascular damage the importance as a lipid-dependent or lipid-independent risk factor in the promotion of pathophysiological processes is discussed. METHODS AND RESULTS: In a group of 100 healthy subjects and 529 patients with indication for an aortocoronary or peripheral arterial bypass and in patients from the lipid clinic the mutual relation between total plasma homocysteine levels and selected indicators of the lipid metabolism was investigated. The following results more obtained: for total cholesterol a correlation coefficient of r = 0.26, for HDL-cholesterol r = 0.20, for LDL-cholesterol r = 0.21, for triacylglycerols r = 0.29, apolipoprotein A-I r = 0.06, apolipoprotein B r = -0.12 and for Lp(a) r = -0.03. To ensure correct evaluation of the homocysteine levels simultaneously also folate levels were examined (correlation coefficient r = 0.28), vitamin B12 r = (0.03) and fibrinogen r = (0.09). CONCLUSIONS: The authors did not detect an unequovical relationship between the total homocysteine level and selected lipid indicators in any of the patient groups (p < 0.05).

[Condition of the teeth and oral hygiene in medical students, stomatological branch, Palacky University Olomouc]. / Stav chrupu a hygieny dutiny ústní u studentu stomatologického smeru LFUP v Olomouci.

The paper deals with assessment of the cariosity of teeth, hygiene of the oral cavity, needs and quality of treatment in 126 dental medical students, Palacký University, Olomouc in the school year 1987/88. From the assembled results it may be concluded that the health consciousness of care of oral health even in groups of interested persons, as we may anticipate in dental the students is not reflected in their attitude to their own health. This is the more problematical as it may make us think that health education is not a sufficient impulse for medical students.