Delivery of CD151 by Ultrasound Microbubbles in Rabbit Myocardial Infarction.

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to evaluate whether ultrasound (US) and microbubble-mediated delivery of Cluster of Differentiation 151 (CD151) could enhance the therapeutic effects of CD151 on myocardial infarction (MI). METHODS: A rabbit model of MI was established by a modified Fujita method. Then, 50 MI rabbits were randomly divided into 5 groups, including G1 (CD151 plasmid and physiological saline in the presence of US); G2 (CD151 and Sonovue in the presence of US); G3 (CD151 and Sonovue in the absence of US); G4 (Sonovue in the absence of US), and a control group (physiological saline in the absence of US). After 14 days of treatment, the expression of CD151 was detected by Western blot. Besides, vessel density of peri-infarcted myocardium was measured by immunohistochemistry, and cardiac function was analyzed by echocardiography. RESULTS: The rabbit model of MI was established successfully. CD151 injection increased the expression of CD151 and microvessel density in the myocardium of MI rabbits. Heart function was significantly improved by CD151, which exhibited increased left ventricular ejection fraction, left ventricular fractional shortening and a reduced Tei index. Besides, US Sonovue significantly increased the expression efficiency of CD151. CONCLUSION: US microbubble was an effective vector for CD151 delivery. CD151 might be an effective therapeutic target for MI.

In vivo evaluation of a novel dexamethasone-heparin-double-coated stent for inhibition of artery restenosis and thrombosis.

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of dexamethasone-heparin-double-coated stent (DHDCS) on inhibition of artery lumen reduction and neointimal hyperplasia in porcine model we carried out this study. Bare mental stents (BMS, n = 12), protein-coated stents (PCS, n = 12), heparin microballoon-coated stents (HMCS, n = 12), and DHDCS (n = 12), prepared by the spray drying method, were implanted into the selected internal iliac artery, external iliac artery, sacrococcygeal artery, and femoral artery of each of the selected pigs (n = 12), which were randomly divided into four groups on average. Thirty days and ninety days after the implantation, aorta angiography was performed on all the 12 mini-pigs to evaluate the artery lumen reduction. Subsequently, in order to analyze their histological appearance, the pigs were killed, and their arteries with the stents inside were taken out, embedded in plastic for hard histological section and hematoxylin-eosin (H.E.) staining, and examined by light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The artery lumen reduction and average neointimal hyperplasia in the group of DHDCS were significantly lesser than those in the other three groups of BMS, PCS, and HMCS. This study shows that DHDCS is capable of inhibiting the proliferation of intima and lumen area reduction of the target artery within stents, and effectively and safely reducing the incidence of regional thrombosis and restenosis for a short term.

[Potassium channel blocker regulates the proliferation of prostatic epithelial cells in SD rats].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the regulatory effect of potassium channel blocker (tetraethylammonium [TEA], aminopyridine [4-AP], glibenclamide [Glib]) on the proliferation of SD rat prostatic epithelial cells in vitro. METHODS: The primary culture was prepared by collagenase dissociation of minced prostatic tissues. Cells were cultured in serum-free prostate epithelial cell growth media and identified by immunocytochemical studies. TEA and 4-AP at the concentration of 1, 5 and 10 mmol/L and Glib at the concentration of 10, 50 and 100 mol/L were added, and after 24, 48 and 72 hours of culturing, a cell column diagram was drawn and the cell number counted. The post-passage cell growth was observed by MTT assay and Hoechst33258 nucleus staining. RESULTS: The cultured cells showed the typical morphological features of epithelia, with positive stain. MTT assay and Hoechst33258 staining showed that TEA, 4-AP and Glib at the increasing concentration effected different degrees of proliferation of prostatic epithelial cells after 24, 48 and 72 h (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: The potassium channel blocker is a direct physiological regulator of the proliferation of SD rat prostatic epithelial cells.

[Epidemiological study of chronic prostatitis patients with depression symptoms].

OBJECTIVE: To study the depression symptoms in chronic prostatitis (CP) patients, and explore the correlation between depression symptoms and CP. METHODS: The Zung self-rating depression scale (SDS) , NIH-CPSI, IIEF-5, and a self-designed questionnaire were employed in 1500 cases of CP patients. RESULTS: A total of 1426 effective questionnaires were collected. The mean score of SDS was (44.24 +/- 10.20), significantly higher than that of the domestic norm (P = 0.000). With the score limitation set at > or = 53, 309 (21.7%) of the CP patients had symptoms of depression, of whom 176 (12.3%) were rated by SDS as in the mild, 114 (8.0%) in the moderate and 19 (1.3%) in the severe state of depression. The dominating symptoms as listed in SDS were exactly the stimulating and provoking factors of CP. The scores of SDS were significantly correlated with disease course, CPSI score, IIEF score and times and cost of treatment (P < 0.01), while no correlation was observed with age and WBC counts in EPS. CONCLUSION: CP patients mostly have depression problems, which are closely correlated with CP and contribute to the recurrence, refractoriness and discontinued outcome of the disease.

[Potassium ion channels and prostatic diseases].

Potassium ion channels are a complex of protein molded in the cell membrane lipids. Its expression is strong in normal prostatic epithelia and weak in different degrees in prostatic cancer epithelia, but not clearly known in chronic prostatitis epithelia. Drugs affecting potassium ion channels could provide a new direction and some new ideas for the treatment of prostatic diseases.

Off-pump occlusion of trans-thoracic minimal invasive surgery (OPOTTMIS) on simple congenital heart diseases (ASD, VSD and PDA) attached consecutive 210 cases report: a single institute experience.

OBJECTIVE: This paper intends to report our experiences by using an operation of off-pump occlusion of trans-thoracic minimal invasive surgery (OPOTTMIS) on the treatment of consecutive 210 patients with simple congenital heart diseases (CHD) including atrial septal defect (ASD), ventricular septal defect (VSD) and patent ductus arteriosus (PDA). METHODS: The retrospective clinical data of OPOTTMIS in our institute were collected and compared to other therapeutic measures adopted in the relevant literatures. After operation, all the patients received electrocardiography (ECG) and echocardiography (echo) once a month within the initial 3 months, and no less than once every 3 ~ 6 months later. RESULTS: The successful rate of the performed OPOTTMIS operation was 99.5%, the mortality and complication incidence within 72 hours were 0.5% and 4.8%, respectively. There were no major complications during peri-operation such as cardiac rupture, infective endocarditis, strokes, haemolysis and thrombosis. The post-operation follow-up outcomes by ECG and echo checks of 3 months to 5 years showed that there were no III° AVB, no obvious Occluder migration and device broken and no moderate cardiac valve regurgitation, except 1 VSD and 1 PDA with mild residual shunts, and 2 PDA with heart expansion after operation. However, all the patients' heart functions were in class I~II according to NYH standard. CONCLUSION: The OPOTTMIS is a safe, less complex, feasible and effective choice to selected simple CHD patients with some good advantages and favorable short-term efficacies.

K channel expression in prostate epithelium and its implications in men with chronic prostatitis.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of the Kv1.3 K(+) channel on the pathogenesis of chronic prostatitis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The expression of the Kv1.3 K(+) channel in prostatic epithelia was detected using streptavidin/peroxidase immunohistochemistry in tissue samples from 75 men with benign prostatic hyperplasia, including 42 with and 33 without chronic inflammation. All of the men were sampled in our hospital between January 2000 and December 2003. RESULTS: There was strong and moderate immunostaining in 14 of the prostatic epithelial specimens with inflammation and in 21 from patients without inflammation, compared to 28 and 12 with low staining, respectively (chi-squared, P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The expression of the Kv1.3 K(+)channel was lower in prostatic epithelial cells from patients with chronic inflammation than from those without. Opening the Kv1.3 K(+) channel could promote the efflux of K(+) from the cells, causing an increase in [K(+)] in the prostate cavity. The increase in [K(+)] can then infiltrate the stroma through the epithelial gap, exciting the nerve fibres and causing pain and other clinical symptoms.