Young thoracic vertebra diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis with Scheuermann disease: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH) is a disorder characterised by the calcification and ossification of ligaments and entheses. It is a frequent occurrence in elderly males, but rarely encountered in younger individuals. CASE SUMMARY: A 24-year-old male was admitted to the hospital due to low back pain accompanied with numbness in both lower limbs for 10 d. Upon clinical examination and imaging tests, the patient was diagnosed with DISH with Scheuermann disease and thoracic spinal stenosis. Before the operation and medical treatment, the patient had hypoesthesia of the skin below the xiphoid process. Afterward, a standard laminectomy was conducted using ultrasonic bone curette and internal fixation was applied. Subsequently, the patient was given corticosteroids, neurotrophic drugs, hyperbaric oxygen and electric stimulation. As a result of the treatment, the patient's sensory level decreased to the navel level and there was no major change in the muscle strength of the lower limbs. During follow-up, the patient's skin sensation has returned to normal. CONCLUSION: This case is a rare instance of DISH co-existing with Scheuermann's disease in a young adult. This provides a valuable reference point for spine surgeons, as DISH is more commonly observed in middle-aged and elder adults.

Prevascularisation with endothelial progenitor cells improved restoration of the architectural and functional properties of newly formed bone for bone reconstruction.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to examine whether the addition of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) contributes to restoring the architectural and functional properties of newly formed bone for reconstruction of bone defects. METHODS: Bone marrow-derived EPCs and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) were co-seeded onto demineralized bone matrix (DBM) as a prevascularized tissue-engineered bone (TEB) for the repair of segmental bone defects to evaluate the effects of prevascularization of TEB on ameliorating morphological, haemodynamic and mechanical characteristics. RESULTS: The restoration of the intraosseous vasculature and medullary cavity was improved markedly compared to the non-prevascularized groups. The blood supply, biomechanical strength, and bone mineral density of the prevascularized group were significantly higher than those of the non-prevascularized groups during bone reconstruction. CONCLUSIONS: The present study indicates that EPC-dependent prevascularization contributes to bone healing with structural reconstruction and functional recovery and may improve the understanding of correlation between angiogenesis and osteogenesis.

Vitamin D deficiency affects the immunity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection in mice.

The aim of the study is to investigate the immunological changes after stimulation with bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) in mice with vitamin D deficiency. After weaning, mice were divided into the vitamin D-deficient group (-D group), the normal group (N group), and the vitamin D-supplemented group (+D group). Twelve-week-old mice were intraperitoneally injected with 0.5 mg/ml BCG (≥1.0 × 10(6) CFU/mg) and maintained for 6 weeks. Spleen lymphocytes were isolated, and the percentages of CD4(+) and CD8(+) lymphocytes were determined by flow cytometry. IFN-γ levels, IL-10 levels, and the TB-PPD-specific antibody titer were determined by ELISA. The inter-group difference was analyzed using one-way ANOVA, and multiple comparisons were analyzed using the LSD test. The percentage of CD4(+) cells was 27.1 ± 0.6 in the -D group, 23.62 ± 0.42 in the N group, and 19.46 ± 0.32 in the +D group (P < 0.05). The percentage of CD8(+) lymphocytes was 12.15 ± 0.61 in the -D group, 8.7 ± 0.64 in the N group, and 7.12 ± 0.48 in the +D group (P < 0.05). The CD4(+)/CD8(+) ratio was 2.23 ± 0.15 in the -D group, 2.71 ± 0.21 in the N group, and 2.73 ± 0.31 in the +D group (P < 0.05). The plasma IFN-γ levels were 416.42 ± 16.42 pg/ml in the -D group, 325.41 ± 11.16 pg/ml in the N group, and 276.26 ± 25.32 pg/ml in the +D group (P < 0.005). The plasma IL-10 levels were 16.45 ± 1.58 pg/ml in the -D group, 24.31 ± 2.16 pg/ml in the N group, and 26.28 ± 0.42 pg/ml in the +D group (P < 0.005). The serum TB-PPD-specific antibody level was significantly higher in the -D group than in the N and +D groups. Vitamin D deficiency affects the immunity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection in mice.

Co-culture with endothelial progenitor cells promotes survival, migration, and differentiation of osteoclast precursors.

In this study, we report the effect of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) on the biological behavior of osteoclast precursors in vitro by establishing an indirect co-culture system of mice EPCs and RAW 264.7 monocyte cells. Results show that the survival, migration, and differentiation of osteoclast precursors were greatly enhanced when co-cultured with EPCs. These phenotypic changes coincide with the upregulation of multiple genes affected cell behavior, including phospho-VEGFR-2, CXCR4, phospho-Smad2/3, phospho-Akt, phospho-ERK1, and phospho-p38 MAPK. The results collectively suggest that EPCs could modulate the survival, migration, and differentiation potential of osteoclast precursors, thus providing new insights in understanding of correlation between angiogenesis and bone homeostasis.

[Effects of injectable chitosan/ß-glycerol phosphate disodium/collagen scaffold on the growth and differentiation of myoblasts].

OBJECTIVE: To prepare injectable chitosan/ß-glycerol phosphate disodium/collagen scaffold and observe its effects upon the growth and differentiation of myoblasts. METHODS: After the preparations, 2 wt% chitosan (C) solution, 50 wt% ß-glycerol phosphate disodium (GP) solution and 2 mg/ml collagen (Co) solution were mixed on ice according to a volume ratio of 5:1:6 to yield a thermosensitive injectable scaffold. To assess the cytotoxicity of scaffold, the extraction fluids of different concentrations were added into the myoblast culture. Then relative growth rate (RGR) was calculated. The growth and differentiation state of myoblasts in routine culture or gel-coated plates were compared. Myoblasts were encapsulated in C/GP/Co solution before gelation to perform a 3-dimensional culture and then observed dynamically. RESULTS: No cytotoxicity was demonstrated. No significant difference of proliferation index was demonstrated (P > 0.05) but fusion index and size of myotube increased significantly (P < 0.05). Thriving viability and proliferation were verified by the observations of laser confocal scanning microscope and scanning electron microscope. CONCLUSION: C/GP/Co scaffold is a promising carrier for the culture and transplantation of myoblasts.