Localized expression of human BMP-7 by BM-MSCs enhances renal repair in an in vivo model of ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Ischemia and subsequent reperfusion (I/R) damage kidney tubular cells and consequently impair renal function. Rabbit bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) expressing human bone morphogenic protein-7 (hBMP-7) regenerated tubular cells and improved renal function in a kidney I/R model. Rabbits were injected immediately after I/R with one of the following: (i) hBMP-7-transduced BM-MSCs (BM-MSCshBMP-7); (ii) enhanced green fluorescent protein-transduced BM-MSCs (BM-MSCsEGFP); or (iii) PBS. The activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) was higher, and the amount of malondialdehyde (MDA) was lower in the BM-MSCshBMP-7 group than in the BM-MSCsEGFP group. Both the BM-MSCshBMP-7 group and the BM-MSCsEGFP group had higher SOD activity and lower amounts of MDA than the PBS group. Bcl-2- and Bcl-2-associated X protein levels, and other variables, indicated the regeneration of the kidney in both experimental groups. However, the BM-MSCs (hBMP-7) group showed higher activity than the BM-MSCsEGFP group, indicating that the combined strategy of BM-MSC transplantation with hBMP-7 gene therapy could be a useful approach for the treatment of renal IRI.

Use of a new local anesthesia--intracorpus spongiosum anesthesia--in procedures on anterior urethra.

BACKGROUND: Urologists often perform procedures on anterior urethra, which is one of the most sensitive parts in male patients. The aim of the present study was to determine the efficacy of intracorpus spongiosum anesthesia during procedures on anterior urethra in the outpatient clinic. METHODS: A dosage of 3 mL of 1% lidocaine was slowly injected into the glans penis of 51 male patients. Immediately following injection, they underwent different procedures on anterior urethra. The subjective experience of pain in the patients was assessed by questionnaire according to a pain scale. RESULTS: Forty-seven patients (92.16%, 47/51) had zero pain and four cases (7.84%) had either minor or moderate discomfort, which was limited and tolerable. The anesthetic effect is immediate and has been very satisfactory. All the procedures (mean duration, 33 min), were successfully completed under the intracorpus spongiosum anesthesia. The act of injection into the glans caused instantaneous minor pain in 45 patients (88.23%, 45/51), moderate pain in four patients and no pain in two patients. There were no serious complications with this anesthetic technique, although two cases had instantaneous trance during injection of lidocaine. CONCLUSIONS: Minor procedures on anterior urethra in an outpatient setting with intracorpus spongiosum anesthesia are generally painless, safe, simple, successful and inexpensive compared to those performed in a hospital.