Isobavachalcone, a natural sirtuin 2 inhibitor, exhibits anti-triple-negative breast cancer efficacy in vitro and in vivo.

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most aggressive and lethal clinical subtype and lacks effective targeted therapies at present. Isobavachalcone (IBC), the main active component of Psoralea corylifolia L., has potential anticancer effects. Herein, we identified IBC as a natural sirtuin 2 (SIRT2) inhibitor and characterized the potential mechanisms underlying the inhibition of TNBC. Molecular dynamics analysis, enzyme activity assay, and cellular thermal shift assay were performed to evaluate the combination of IBC and SIRT2. The therapeutic effects, mechanism, and safety of IBC were analyzed in vitro and in vivo using cellular and xenograft models. IBC effectively inhibited SIRT2 enzyme activity with an IC50 value of 0.84 ± 0.22 µM by forming hydrogen bonds with VAL233 and ALA135 within its catalytic domain. In the cellular environment, IBC bound to and stabilized SIRT2, consequently inhibiting cellular proliferation and migration, and inducing apoptosis and cell cycle arrest by disrupting the SIRT2/α-tubulin interaction and inhibiting the downstream Snail/MMP and STAT3/c-Myc pathways. In the in vivo model, 30 mg/kg IBC markedly inhibited tumor growth by targeting the SIRT2/α-tubulin interaction. Furthermore, IBC exerted its effects by inducing apoptosis in tumor tissues and was well-tolerated. IBC alleviated TNBC by targeting SIRT2 and triggering the reactive oxygen species ROS/ß-catenin/CDK2 axis. It is a promising natural lead compound for future development of SIRT2-targeting drugs.

Pathological and clinical characteristics of late-onset oligomeganephronia based on a histomorphometric study.

BACKGROUND: Late-onset oligomeganephronia (OMN) is a rare chronic kidney disease and has no quantitative criteria for diagnosis yet. The current study aimed to explore its clinicopathological features by histomorphometric analysis. METHODS: We retrospectively re-reviewed all patients with enlarged and sparse glomeruli by light microscopy at Peking University First Hospital from 2012 to 2021, excluding those with any factor known to contribute to similar changes. Age- and sex-matched patients with thin basement membrane nephropathy were selected as control to establish the cut-off values for glomerulomegaly and rarity. Late-onset OMN cases were then confirmed and the clinicopathological characteristics were summarized. RESULTS: Mean diameter and density of cortical glomeruli in control was 156.53 ± 27.50 µm and 4.07 ± 0.63 /mm2, giving a lower limit of 211.53 µm for glomerulomegaly and an upper of 2.81 /mm2 for rarity. Seven adults of three females and four males were finally diagnosed as late-onset OMN with a mean age of 26.57 years. They showed mild to moderate proteinuria and/or renal dysfunction at biopsy with the mean proteinuria, serum creatinine (Scr) level, and estimated glomerular filtration rate of 0.50 g/d (0.10-0.95 g/d), 140.9 µmol/L (95.1-227.1 µmol/L), and 58.7 mL/min/1.73m2 (21.3-98.0 mL/min/1.73m2), respectively. Four patients (57.1%) had normal Scr at diagnosis. Six patients with available data showed renal tubular injury with increased urinary microalbumin in all, elevated N-acetyl-ß-glucosaminidase in two, and elevated α1 microglobulin in five. Kidney size was normal or slightly reduced. The mean density and glomerular diameter of the seven cases was 0.86 mm2 (0.55-1.41 /mm2) and 229.73 µm (211.88-260.66 µm). Segmental glomerular sclerosis was observed in six (85.7%) with four (66.7%) of perihilar type. Proximal tubule dilation was observed in all, focal to diffuse, lining with enlarged epithelial cells. The mean foot process width was 634.02 nm, wider than 472.54 nm of the control (P = 0.0002). CONCLUSION: Late-onset OMN should be considered a special entity with relatively slow clinical progress characterized by hypertrophy of the sparsely distributed nephron.

X-ray Structure-Guided Discovery of a Potent, Orally Bioavailable, Dual Human Indoleamine/Tryptophan 2,3-Dioxygenase (hIDO/hTDO) Inhibitor That Shows Activity in a Mouse Model of Parkinson's Disease.

Human indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1 (hIDO1) and tryptophan 2,3-dioxygenase (hTDO) have been closely linked to the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease (PD); nevertheless, development of dual hIDO1 and hTDO inhibitors to evaluate their potential efficacy against PD is still lacking. Here, we report biochemical, biophysical, and computational analyses revealing that 1H-indazole-4-amines inhibit both hIDO1 and hTDO by a mechanism involving direct coordination with the heme ferrous and ferric states. Crystal structure-guided optimization led to 23, which manifested IC50 values of 0.64 and 0.04 µM to hIDO1 and hTDO, respectively, and had good pharmacokinetic properties and brain penetration in mice. 23 showed efficacy against the 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine-induced mouse motor coordination deficits, comparable to Madopar, an anti-PD medicine. Further studies revealed that different from Madopar, 23 likely has specific anti-PD mechanisms involving lowering IDO1 expression, alleviating dopaminergic neurodegeneration, reducing inflammatory cytokines and quinolinic acid in mouse brain, and increasing kynurenic acid in mouse blood.

PHF23 negatively regulates the autophagy of chondrocytes in osteoarthritis.

AIM: Osteoarthritis (OA) is the main cause of disability and joint replacement surgery in the elderly. As a crucial cell survival mechanism, autophagy has been reported to decrease in OA. PHF23 is a new autophagy inhibitor which was first reported by us previously. This study aimed to explore the anti-autophagic mechanism of PHF23 to make it a possible therapeutic target of OA. MAIN METHOD: Lentiviral vectors specific to PHF23 were used on chondrocytes (C28/I2) to establish PHF23 overexpressed or knockdown stable cell strains. Interleukin (IL)-1ß (10 ng/mL) and chloroquine (CQ, 25 uM) were used as an inducer of OA and inhibitor of lysosome, respectively. Autophagy was evaluated by autophagosome formation using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and western blot analysis of P62 and LC3B on different groups of cells. Effects of PHF23 on OA were evaluated by collagen II immunofluorescent staining and western blot analysis of OA-associated proteins MMP13 and ADAMTS5. Effects of PHF23 on AMPK and mTOR/S6K pathways and mitophagy were determined by western blot analysis. KEY FINDINGS: Knockdown of PHF23 enhanced IL-1ß-induced autophagy, while overexpression of PHF23 exerted the opposite effect. Knockdown of PHF23 protected chondrocytes against IL-1ß-induced OA by decreasing the levels of OA-associated proteins and increasing expression of Collagen II. Knockdown of PHF23 also increased mitophagy level and altered the phosphorylation levels of AMPK, mTOR, and S6K. SIGNIFICANCE: PHF23 downregulates autophagy, mitophagy in IL-1ß-induced OA-like chondrocytes and alters the activities of AMPK and mTOR/S6K, which suggests that PHF23 may be a possible therapeutic target for OA.

IP3R-Grp75-VDAC1-MCU calcium regulation axis antagonists protect podocytes from apoptosis and decrease proteinuria in an Adriamycin nephropathy rat model.

BACKGROUND: The mechanism of podocyte apoptosis is not fully understood. In addition, the role of the inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate receptor (IP3R)/glucose-regulated protein 75 (Grp75)/voltage-dependent anion channel 1 (VDAC1)/mitochondrial calcium uniporter (MCU) calcium regulation axis, which is located at sites of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) mitochondria coupling, in the mechanism of podocyte apoptosis is unclear. This study aimed to understand the roles of this axis in podocyte apoptosis and explore potential targets for podocyte protection. METHODS: The expression of IP3R, Grp75, VDAC1, and MCU and mitochondrial Ca2+ were analyzed during Adriamycin- or angiotensin II-induced apoptosis in cultured mouse podocytes. The interaction between IP3R, Grp75, and VDAC1 was investigated using co-immunoprecipitation experiments. The effects of IP3R, Grp75, and MCU agonists and antagonists on mitochondrial Ca2+ and apoptosis were investigated in cultured podocytes. The podocyte-protective effects of an MCU inhibitor were further investigated in rats with Adriamycin-induced nephropathy. RESULTS: Increased expression of IP3R, Grp75, VDAC1 and MCU, enhanced interaction among the IP3R-Grp75-VDAC1 complex, mitochondrial Ca2+ overload, and increased active caspase-3 levels were confirmed during Adriamycin- or angiotensin II-induced mouse podocyte apoptosis. Agonists of this axis facilitated mitochondrial Ca2+ overload and podocyte apoptosis, whereas specific antagonists against IP3R, Grp75, or MCU prevented mitochondrial Ca2+ overload and podocyte apoptosis. A specific MCU inhibitor prevented Adriamycin-induced proteinuria and podocyte foot process effacement in rats. CONCLUSIONS: This study identified a novel pathway in which the IP3R-Grp75-VDAC1-MCU calcium regulation axis mediated podocyte apoptosis by facilitating mitochondrial Ca2+ overload. Antagonists that inhibit Ca2+ transfer from ER to mitochondria protected mouse podocytes from apoptosis. An MCU inhibitor protected podocytes and decreased proteinuria in rats with Adriamycin-induced nephropathy. Therefore, antagonists to this pathway have promise as novel podocyte-protective drugs.

Girdin expression in cervical carcinoma and its role in the malignant properties of HeLa cells.

Cervical cancer is a major cause of mortality in females worldwide, with the majority of cases reported in developing countries. The molecular mechanisms of this disease are unclear. However, increasing evidence indicates that the expression or overexpression of Girdin is associated with a poor prognosis in a variety of cancer types. Therefore, the aim of the current study was to evaluate the potential association between Girdin expression, and malignant properties of cervical cancer lesions and HeLa cells. Girdin protein expression was examined in 87 samples of cervical squamous cell lesions, including intraepithelial neoplasia (grades I and III) and invasive carcinoma, using immunohistochemical (IHC) staining. A short-hairpin RNA (shRNA) approach was employed to specifically suppress the expression of Girdin mRNA in HeLa cells in vitro, allowing the role of Girdin in a number of malignant properties to be evaluated. Girdin protein was observed in the cytoplasm of 79/87 (90.8%) cervical cancer lesion specimens. However, no positive Girdin signals were identified in healthy cervical squamous epithelium samples. Furthermore, a significant correlation between Girdin expression and lesion grade was identified (Spearman's correlation coefficient, 0.566; P<0.001). When Girdin was suppressed by Girdin shRNA, the rate of HeLa cell growth was significantly reduced in vitro (P<0.05). Additional analysis determined that Girdin was associated with serum-deprived induced HeLa apoptosis. Thus, patients with high-grade cervical cancer tumors exhibited a strong expression for Girdin, and Girdin appears to key in HeLa cell proliferation and serum-deprived induced apoptosis, supporting the hypothesis that Girdin may be important in the process of cervical carcinogenesis.

Protective role of cyclosporine A and minocycline on mitochondrial disequilibrium-related podocyte injury and proteinuria occurrence induced by adriamycin.

BACKGROUND: Dysfunction of mitochondria is involved in podocyte injury in some kidney diseases, but the relationship between abnormal mitochondrial morphology and podocyte injury as well as the underlying mechanism is still unclear. This study aims to investigate dynamic changes of mitochondrial morphology and the potential molecular events in an adriamycin (ADR)-induced podocyte injury model. METHODS: Podocyte apoptosis was evaluated by annexin V assay. Podocyte mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) was measured with MitoCapture kit. Double staining was used to show the distribution changes of mitochondria and actin filament as well as mitofusin proteins and podocin. Mitochondrial shape descriptors were obtained using analySIS Image system. Effects of cyclosporine A (CsA) or minocycline (Mcy) on mitochondrial morphology were explored in ADR-induced nephropathy rats. RESULTS: ADR caused podocyte damage displaying as induction of cellular apoptosis and increase of activated caspase 3 and cytochrome c. The MMP level was decreased remarkably in ADR-treated podocytes. Mitochondrial morphological changes induced by ADR occurred rapidly from large and ellipsoid shape to the small, long and irregular. ADR significantly decreased surface area, perimeter and circularity, while increasing aspect ratio of mitochondria. In addition, mitochondria number transiently increased at 6 h following ADR application. Mitochondria intensity was increased along with punctate mitochondria formation, which co-localized with polymerized actin cytoskeleton in ADR podocytes. In ADR-induced nephropathy rats, 24-h proteinuria was decreased significantly by CsA or Mcy. ADR-induced abnormal changes of mitochondrial morphology were restored by CsA or Mcy. The induction of mitofusin proteins and the reduction of podocin in ADR rat glomeruli were rescued by CsA or Mcy. CONCLUSIONS: Mitochondrial dysfunction may be an early event in ADR-induced podocyte damage, and the protective role of CsA or Mcy may be mediated partially by improving mitochondrial function through inhibiting the induction of mitofusin proteins.

Phagocytosis of platelets enhances endothelial cell survival under serum deprivation.

Platelets are key players in fundamental processes of vascular biology, such as angiogenesis, tissue regeneration, and tumor metastasis. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, some tumor vascular endothelial cells were positively stained by antiplatelet antibodies. Further investigation revealed that platelets were taken up by endothelial cells in vitro and in vivo. Human umbilical vascular endothelial cells were rendered apoptotic under conditions of serum deprivation. However, endothelial apoptosis was suppressed and cell viability was enhanced when platelets were added to the cultures. Endothelial survival was paralleled by an upregulation of phosphorylated Akt and p70 S6K. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that platelets can be phagocytosed by endothelial cells, and the phagocytosed platelets could suppress endothelial apoptosis and promote cell viability level. The mechanism underlying this process involves the activation of Akt signaling.

Girdin correlated with autophagy in invasive ductal breast carcinomas.

AIMS AND BACKGROUND: Increasing evidence claims that autophagy is essential for breast cancer progression. Girdin was found highly expressed in breast cancers. It has been reported that Girdin attenuates autophagy in HeLa cells. We explored the relationship between Girdin expression and autophagic patterns in breast cancer. METHODS AND STUDY DESIGN: In the study, Girdin expression and autophagic activity were investigated in a series of 99 invasive ductal breast carcinomas after immunohistochemical staining for the autophagy-associated proteins LC3-II and Girdin. RESULTS: The level of Girdin expression negatively correlated with LC3-II level, which represents autophagic activity (r = -0.289), and positively correlated with lymph node metastasis (r = 0.472). Girdin level was found no different in the "diffuse cytoplasmic" and "stone-like" patterns of LC3-II. CONCLUSIONS: Up-regulated autophagy was negatively associated with Girdin level. There was a significant correlation between Girdin expression and lymph nodes metastasis in invasive ductal breast carcinoma.

[Retrospective analysis of 11 cases of respiratory amyloidosis].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical manifestation, diagnosis and treatment of respiratory amyloidosis. METHODS: Data of 11 patients with respiratory amyloidosis diagnosed by biopsy in Peking University First Hospital from January 2002 to January 2012 were analyzed, and the related literatures were reviewed. RESULTS: In the last decade, 250 of 389 402 hospitalized patients were pathologically diagnosed as having amyloidosis, and 11 cases were pathologically confirmed to be respiratory amyloidosis. In these 11 patients, 4 cases were with serum amyloid A (AA) amyloidosis and 7 with light-chain (AL) amyloidosis. The main clinical manifestations included hoarseness, cough and dyspnea. In 4 cases with AA type unilateral larynx was involved and there was no recurrence after surgical resection. Of 7 cases with AL type, 2 cases had involvement of bilateral larynxes and both relapsed after surgery. Diffuse involvement of trachea and bronchi was found in 4 cases, and the chest CT scans showed diffuse thickening and local calcification of the airway wall, bronchial stenosis and nodules protruding into the lumen. Bronchoscopy showed airway mucosal hypertrophy, hyperemia, edema and bronchial stenosis. Lung involvement was found in 3 cases, 2 of which presented with diffuse pulmonary interstitial infiltrates, and another case presented with solitary pulmonary mass and extrapulmonary lesions. Of the 7 cases with AL type, 3 cases were treated by chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy, 3 received surgery, 2 underwent autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, and 2 underwent bronchoscopic interventional therapy. Within 3 years of follow-up, 4 patients were alive, 2 dead and 1 lost to follow up. CONCLUSIONS: Respiratory amyloidosis, which can be divided into AA and AL types, is clinically rare. Patients with AA type usually present with local lesions, which can be cured by surgery, while patients with AL type often present with diffuse lesions and require integrated therapies including surgery, interventional treatment, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Analysis of 142 Northern Chinese patients with peripheral T/NK-Cell lymphomas: subtype distribution, clinicopathologic features, and prognosis.

Peripheral T- and natural killer (NK)-cell lymphomas (PTNKLs) are a heterogeneous group of lymphoid malignancies. We reclassified 142 cases and investigated their clinicopathologic features and outcome. Results showed that the most prevalent subtypes were extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma, nasal type (eNK/T) (38.0%); angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (16.9%); and peripheral T-cell lymphoma, not otherwise specified (16.2%). Follow-up was available in 124 patients whose overall survival ranged from 3 days to 134 months, with a median of 11 months. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that thrombocytopenia (P = .001), elevated lactate dehydrogenase (P = .007), high Ki-67 index (P = .002), and T-bet expression in more than 20% of cells (P = .036) were independent factors for all cases-among which only the factor of T-bet indicated good outcome-and that thrombocytopenia (P = .011) and radiotherapy (P = .026) were significant for the eNK/T group. Thus, eNK/T was the commonest subtype in this series. The significance of T-bet in predicting outcome should be further confirmed.

Girdin locates in centrosome and midbody and plays an important role in cell division.

Girdin is a downstream effector of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-AKT and interacts with actin and microtubule. Increasing evidence confirmed that Girdin played an important role in cell migration. Here we report that Girdin also regulates cell division. Overexpression or suppression of Girdin leads to attenuated cell proliferation. Imaging of mitotic cells revealed that Girdin is located in the cell division apparatus such as centrosome and midbody. The sub-cellular localization of Girdin was dependent on the domains, which interacted with actin or microtubules. Overexpression of Girdin lead to increased centrosome splitting and amplification. In addition, data show that pAKT also locates in both the centrosome and midbody, indicating the regulating role of AKT in Girdin-mediated cell division. To elucidate the effect of Girdin on tumor growth in vivo, HeLa cells infected with retrovirus harboring either control or Girdin shRNAs were injected subcutaneously into the immunocompromised nude mice. Downregulation of Girdin by shRNA markedly inhibited the cell growth of subcutaneously transplanted tumors in nude mice. These data demonstrate that Girdin is important for efficient cell division. Taking our previous data into consideration, we speculate that Girdin regulates both cell division and cell migration through cytoskeletal molecules.

Clinical implications for girdin protein expression in breast cancer.

Girdin is highly expressed in breast carcinomas. Suppression of Girdin inhibited breast cancer cell migration. However, the clinical implications of Girdin as a marker are still unclear. Here we examined 80 breast cancer specimens using immunohistochemistry. Overall, positive Girdin staining was 41.25% in all of the cases. Girdin was strongly expressed in tumors of CerbB2-positive breast cancers (p < .05). Cases with both CerbB2- and Girdin-positive expression had a higher histological grade than the others. These findings indicated the closed relationship between breast cancer progression and Girdin expression. Girdin together with CerbB2 might be a new potential marker for breast cancers.

Ewing sarcoma-primitive neuroectodermal tumor of the uterus: a clinicopathologic, immunohistochemical and ultrastructural study of one case.

INTRODUCTION: Ewing sarcoma-primitive neuroectodermal tumors (ES/PNET) constitute a family of neoplasms characterized by a continuum of neuroectodermal differentiation. ES/PNET of the uterus is rare. There are 43 cases published in the English literature as far as we know. We describe an additional case. CASE REPORT: A 56-year-old woman presented with a 2-month history of irregular menopausal vaginal bleeding. After surgical excision, microscopic, immunohistochemical and electron microscopic examination suggested the diagnosis of ES/PNET. The patient underwent combined chemotherapy consisting of ifosfamide, etoposide, and cisplatin. She was alive with no evidence of recurrence or metastasis after 41 months of the initial operation. DISCUSSION: In spite of the rarity of ES/PNET, we should consider it in the differential diagnosis of small cell neoplasms of the uterus.

[Clinicopathologic, immunohistochemical and molecular analysis in 15 cases of angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphomas].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma(AITL) completely, we gave injdepth investigation of histopathological features, specific immunochemical markers, antigen receptor gene rearrangements and in situ hybridization for Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). METHODS: 15 cases of typical AITL displayed effacement of the normal lymph node architecture partially or completely, abundance of arborizing high endothelial vessels, infiltration of polymorphic cells and hyperplastic atypical T lymphocytes with or without clear cytoplasm. Clinical characteristics, histological manifestations, and immunohistochemical staining for CD3, CD20, CD4ìCD21, CXCL13, CD10, and BCL6 were analyzed. Polymerase chain reaction for immunoglobulin heavy chain (IgH) and T cell receptor gamma (TCRgamma) rearrangements and in situ hybridization for Epstein-Barr virus encoded RNA (EBER-1) were performed. RESULTS: Histologically, we found eight cases with regressed lymphoid follicles, six with absence of follicles and one with hyperplastic follicles with interfollicular lesions. We also found eight cases displaying aggregation of clear cells, four infiltration of large lymphoid cells, five abundant epithelioid histiocytes. CD20 staining showed hyperplasia of large B cells in four cases. CD21 expression exihibited extrafollicular expansion of follicular dendritic cell meshworks in 11 cases (73.3%), partially with a tendency of perivascular distribution. Positive rate for CXCL13 and CD10 are 73.3% and 6.7% respectively. Monoclonal rearrangements of TCRgamma were detected in 6/15 (40%) of cases, IgH rearrangements in 7/15 (46.7%), of which five were monoclonal, while two oligoclonal. 8 out of 15 cases (53h3%) contained EBV-positive cells. Among the four cases with large B cell proliferation, three were EBV-positive. CONCLUSION: AITL display great complexity and diversity clinicopathologically. Only when we recognize such diversity, can we reasonably apply and properly evaluate immunochemical markers and molecular techniques, and thus give a correct diagnosis.

[Clinicopathologic study of hepatosplenic T-cell lymphoma].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the clinicopathologic features and diagnostic criteria of hepatosplenic T-cell lymphoma (HSTCL). METHODS: Three cases of HSTCL were searched for morphology, immunophenotypings, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in situ hybridization and T-cell receptorgamma (TCRgamma) gene rearrangement. RESULTS: In the bone marrow, the infiltrative pattern of tumour cells was interstitial and sinusoidal infiltration in one caseìwhile the other two cases showed diffuse infiltration. In the liver of one case and the spleen of another case, tumour cells respectively showed sinusoidal infiltration. The immunophenotyping: three cases showed strongly positive for CD3 and TIA-1, but negative for Granzyme B, CD56 and TCRbeta. EBV in situ hybridization was not detected in all the cases. TCRgamma monoclonal rearrangements were detected in two cases. CONCLUSION: HSTCL is a rare entity which is classified into peripheral T cell lymphomas. And it is regarded as a subset of unactived cytotoxic T-cell lymphomas. The negative results of EBV in situ hybridization and the presentation of TCRgamma gene monoclonal rearrangements may be helpful in diagnosis and differential diagnosis of HSTCL. These three cases showed similar characters to those of international cases reported.

[Cytokine-induced killer cells induce apoptosis of K562 cells expressed bcr-abl].

In order to investigate whether cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cells can induce apoptosis of bcr-abl(+) K562 cells, apoptosis of K562 cells and CEM cells induced by CIK cells, etoposide or camptothecin was detected with flow cytometry DNA assay. RT-PCR showed that K562 cells expressed the bcr-abl fusion gene, K 562 cells, K562 cells/etoposide or K562 cells/camptothecin groups showed no sub-G(1) peak. K562 cells/CIK cells group showed sub-G(1) peak (38.1%). CEM cells showed no sub-G(1) peak. CEM cells/camptothecin or CEM cells/etoposide groups showed sub-G(1) peak (23.5% or 32.3% respectively). CEM cells/CIK cells group showed sub-G(1) peak (45.4%). Etoposide or camptothecin did not induce apoptosis of K562 cells. CIK cells induce apoptosis of K562 cells. Bcr-abl fusion gene prevented apoptosis induced by etoposide or camptothecin, but did not prevent apoptosis induced by CIK cells. This property may support the observed adoptive immunologic effect of allogeneic bone marrow transplantation and donor lymphocyte transfusions of CML case relapsing after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation.

[Progress of chimerism research after allo-bone marrow transplantation].

Bone marrow transplantation (BMT) is an effective therapy for a variety of hematologic and immunodeficient diseases. Two possible situations of chimerism can be encountered when assessing the hematological status in recipient post-allo-BMT: 1. complete chimerism, where the marrow and circulating blood cells all are donor origin; 2. mixed chimerism, the cell components in recipient are both donor and recipient origins. Formation of the different kinds of chimerism are influenced by some factors, included the amount of infused hematopoietic stem cells, the ratio of T cells from donor and recipient, conditioning regimen and patient's condition. The clinical significance was different for the forms and development of chimerism. There are several detecting methods for chimerism, such as microsatellite assay, karyotyping of chromosome, conversion of blood group, red blood cell antigen, restriction fragment length polymorphism, variable number of tandem repeat, and PCR. Above-mentioned aspects of chimerism research were reviewed.