Regulatory effects of bio-intensity electric field on transformation of human skin fibroblasts / 中华烧伤杂志

Objective: To investigate the regulatory effects of bio-intensity electric field on the transformation of human skin fibroblasts (HSFs). Methods: The experimental research methods were used. HSFs were collected and divided into 200 mV/mm electric field group treated with 200 mV/mm electric field for 6 h and simulated electric field group placed in the electric field device without electricity for 6 h. Changes in morphology and arrangement of cells were observed in the living cell workstation; the number of cells at 0 and 6 h of treatment was recorded, and the rate of change in cell number was calculated; the direction of cell movement, movement velocity, and trajectory velocity within 3 h were observed and calculated (the number of samples was 34 in the simulated electric field group and 30 in 200 mV/mm electric field group in the aforementioned experiments); the protein expression of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) in cells after 3 h of treatment was detected by immunofluorescence method (the number of sample was 3). HSFs were collected and divided into simulated electric field group placed in the electric field device without electricity for 3 h, and 100 mV/mm electric field group, 200 mV/mm electric field group, and 400 mV/mm electric field group which were treated with electric fields of corresponding intensities for 3 h. Besides, HSFs were divided into simulated electric field group placed in the electric field device without electricity for 6 h, and electric field treatment 1 h group, electric field treatment 3 h group, and electric field treatment 6 h group treated with 200 mV/mm electric field for corresponding time. The protein expressions of α-SMA and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) were detected by Western blotting (the number of sample was 3). Data were statistically analyzed with Mann-Whitney U test, one-way analysis of variance, independent sample t test, and least significant difference test. Results: After 6 h of treatment, compared with that in simulated electric field group, the cells in 200 mV/mm electric field group were elongated in shape and locally adhered; the cells in simulated electric field group were randomly arranged, while the cells in 200 mV/mm electric field group were arranged in a regular longitudinal direction; the change rates in the number of cells in the two groups were similar (P>0.05). Within 3 h of treatment, the cells in 200 mV/mm electric field group had an obvious tendency to move toward the positive electrode, and the cells in simulated electric field group moved around the origin; compared with those in simulated electric field group, the movement velocity and trajectory velocity of the cells in 200 mV/mm electric field group were increased significantly (with Z values of -5.33 and -5.41, respectively, P<0.01), and the directionality was significantly enhanced (Z=-4.39, P<0.01). After 3 h of treatment, the protein expression of α-SMA of cells in 200 mV/mm electric field group was significantly higher than that in simulated electric field group (t=-9.81, P<0.01). After 3 h of treatment, the protein expressions of α-SMA of cells in 100 mV/mm electric field group, 200 mV/mm electric field group, and 400 mV/mm electric field group were 1.195±0.057, 1.606±0.041, and 1.616±0.039, respectively, which were significantly more than 0.649±0.028 in simulated electric field group (P<0.01). Compared with that in 100 mV/mm electric field group, the protein expressions of α-SMA of cells in 200 mV/mm electric field group and 400 mV/mm electric field group were significantly increased (P<0.01). The protein expressions of α-SMA of cells in electric field treatment 1 h group, electric field treatment 3 h group, and electric field treatment 6 h group were 0.730±0.032, 1.561±0.031, and 1.553±0.045, respectively, significantly more than 0.464±0.020 in simulated electric field group (P<0.01). Compared with that in electric field treatment 1 h group, the protein expressions of α-SMA in electric field treatment 3 h group and electric field treatment 6 h group were significantly increased (P<0.01). After 3 h of treatment, compared with that in simulated electric field group, the protein expressions of PCNA of cells in 100 mV/mm electric field group, 200 mV/mm electric field group, and 400 mV/mm electric field group were significantly decreased (P<0.05 or P<0.01); compared with that in 100 mV/mm electric field group, the protein expressions of PCNA of cells in 200 mV/mm electric field group and 400 mV/mm electric field group were significantly decreased (P<0.05 or P<0.01); compared with that in 200 mV/mm electric field group, the protein expression of PCNA of cells in 400 mV/mm electric field group was significantly decreased (P<0.01). Compared with that in simulated electric field group, the protein expressions of PCNA of cells in electric field treatment 1 h group, electric field treatment 3 h group, and electric field treatment 6 h group were significantly decreased (P<0.01); compared with that in electric field treatment 1 h group, the protein expressions of PCNA of cells in electric field treatment 3 h group and electric field treatment 6 h group were significantly decreased (P<0.05 or P<0.01); compared with that in electric field treatment 3 h group, the protein expression of PCNA of cells in electric field treatment 6 h group was significantly decreased (P<0.01). Conclusions: The bio-intensity electric field can induce the migration of HSFs and promote the transformation of fibroblasts to myofibroblasts, and the transformation displays certain dependence on the time and intensity of electric field.

Primary Intraosseous Malignant Fibrous Histiocytoma of the Skull: A Case Report

Malignant fibrous histiocytoma(MFH) is a rare primary neoplasm that constitutes less than 1% of the malignant tumors of bone, and involvement of the skull is very rare. We present a case of malignant fibrous histiocytoma of the skull, presenting an intraosseous lesion in a 43-yr-old woman. She had a rapidly growing, tender mass in the right parietal region. A plain radiograph showed an osteolytic lesion of the right parietal bone. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed that the lesion showed heterogeneous low signal intensity on T1-weighted images and slightly high signal intensity on T2-weighted images. No evidence of an extraosseous extension to the adjacent dura and soft tissue was found, and a wide excision of the parietal bone was performed. Histologically, the tumor was a typical MFH displaying pleomorphic spindle cells in a storiform pattern. The results of immunohistochemical stainings revealed that the tumor cells were positive for vimentin, alpha-1-antitryp-sin, and p53, and negative for smooth muscle actin, S100 protein, desmin, and MyoD1. Three months later, a mainly cystic, recurrent mass was developed at the previously operated site. Before the resection, we first performed the percutaneous aspiration cytology, revealing diagnostic multinucleated pleomorphic cells. There-after, she had to receive repetitive resections of recurrent or residual lesions, and she died of postoperative meningoencephalitis two years after the first operation.

Recurrent Mesectodermal Leiomyoma of the Ciliary Body: A Case Report

A 19-yr-old woman with a previous history of a mass of the right ciliary body presented with a decreased visual acuity of right eye. Clinicoradiologic examinations suggested a recurrent mass of the ciliary body. Enucleation of the right eye was performed under the impression of malignant tumor. On microscopic examination, the tumor was a mesectodermal leiomyoma of the ciliary body. On immunohistochemistry, the tumor cells were reactive to smooth muscle actin and vimentin, but not reactive to cytokeratin, S-100 protein, neurofilament, desmin, epithelial membrane antigen, HMB-45, glial fibrillary acidic protein, and synaptophysin. Electron microscopy revealed numerous thin longitudinally placed myofilaments and focal densities in the cytoplasms. In the review of the literature, only 27 cases of mesectodermal leiomyoma of the ciliary body were reported, however, there was no report of recurrent cases. Mesectodermal leiomyoma should be differentiated from other orbital spindle-cell tumors such as amelanotic melanomas and glial tumors. Immunohistochemical and electron microscopic studies may be useful for the correct diagnosis by showing smooth muscle differentiation in the tumor cells.

alpha-Smooth muscle actin and proliferating cell nuclear antigen expression in focal segmental glomerulosclerosis: functional and structural parameters of renal disease progression

The aim of the present study was to investigate the expression of alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SM-actin) and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) in renal cortex from patients with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) and their correlations with parameters of renal disease progression. We analyzed renal biopsies from 41 patients with idiopathic FSGS and from 14 control individuals. The alpha-SM-actin immunoreaction was evaluated using a score that reflected the changes in the extent and intensity of staining in the glomerular or cortical area. The PCNA reaction was quantified by counting the labeled cells of the glomeruli or renal cortex. The results, reported as median + or - percentile (25th; 75th), showed that the alpha-SM-actin scores in the glomeruli and tubulointerstitium from the renal cortex were 2.0 (2.0; 4.0) and 3.0 (3.0; 4.0), respectively, in patients with FSGS, and 0.5 (0.0; 1.0) and 0.0 (0.0; 0.5) in the controls. The number of PCNA-positive cells per glomerulus and graded field of tubulointerstitium from the renal cortex was 0.2 (0.0; 0.4) and 1.1 (0.3; 2.2), respectively, for patients with FSGS, and 0.0 (0.0; 0.5) and 0.0 (0.0; 0.0) for controls. The present data showed an increase of alpha-SM-actin and PCNA expression in glomeruli and renal cortex from FSGS patients. The extent of immunoreaction for alpha-SM-actin in the tubulointerstitial area was correlated with the intensity of proteinuria. However, there was no correlation between the kidney expression of these proteins and the reciprocal of plasma creatinine level or renal fibrosis. These findings suggest that the immunohistochemical alterations may be reversible

Mapeamento e caracterização do domínio ativatório da troponina T / Mapping and caracterization of the activation domain of troponin T

A regulação dependente de `Ca²+ï da atividade ATPásica da acto-miosina em concentrações fisiológicas de actina, tropomiosina e troponina ocorre exclusivamente na presença de troponina T (TnT). Nosso grupo demonstrou que um polipeptídeo correspondente aos primeiros 191 aminoácidos da TnT ativa a atividade ATPásica da acto-miosina na presença de tropomiosina e na ausência das outras duas subunidades do complexo troponina (TnI/TnC). Com o objetivo de mapear e caracterizar esse domínio ativatório da TnT, construímos fragmentos de TnT correspondentes às regiões compreendidas entre os resíduos de aminoácidos: 1-157 (TnT1-157), 1-76 (TnT1-76), 77-157 (TnT77-57), 77-191 (TnT77-191) e 158-191 (TnT158-191)...

Bacterial endotoxin induces changes in the organization and expression of actin and modulation of the cell membrane of microglia

Background and In situ there are at least three morphologically and functionally different forms of microglia: the resting, the activated, and the phagocytic microglia. The signals promoting the morphological changes which adapt microglia to specific functions are still unknown. In this study the effect of bacterial wall lipopolysaccharide [LPS] on the morphology and organization and expression of actin in microglia was investigated. In addition, the changes in the appearance of the cell membrane were investigated. Microglia cultures were prepared from neopallia of newborn mice and treated with LPS. Scanning electron microscopy, labeling with phalloidin, and immunoblotting were used. The majority of nontreated microglia were ameboid in shape with many short processes that extended into lamellipodia. When microglia were treated with LPS most of the microglia acquired a large, round, and flat shape. The rest of the ameboid microglia became larger in size. Fluorescent labeling with phalloidin showed that the F-actin network appeared diffusely arranged throughout the cytoplasm of nontreated microglia. In LPS-treated microglia the F-actin network was reorganized into filamentous bundles extending into microspike-like projections. Using scanning electron microscopy, the nontreated microglia had large membrane folds and few large blebs. In LPS-treated microglia most of the membrane folds and blebs at the cell periphery disappeared with the appearance of many microspike-like projections. Immunoblotting showed that LPS-treated microglia upregulated their actin protein. Conclusions: These changes in the organization of F-actin and the cell membrane may reflect adaptation of activated microglia to specific functional activity, such as increases in their phagocytic activity