The zinc finger protein A20 protects endothelial cells from burns serum injury.

Burn injuries as well as skin damages are often associated with immune suppression and often cause multiple organ failures. The monolayer endothelium is vulnerable to injuries from circulating factors resulting from remote wounds. Endothelial cell activation and apoptosis can alter microvascular permeability and intensify organ damage. A20, as a physiological cytoprotective gene is essential for preventing spontaneous innate immune cell-mediated inflammation and tissue destruction. It is not known whether A20 has the function to protect endothelial cells from the effect of burns serum challenge on endothelial function in vitro. This study shows that A20 can express in endothelial cells after burns serum stimulation and inhibit endothelial cell activation and apoptosis induced by burns serum. These results suggest that A20 may be beneficial in limiting the response to burn injuries.

Low shear stress regulates monocyte adhesion to oxidized lipid-induced endothelial cells via an IkappaBalpha dependent pathway.

In regions of a vessel that experience low shear stress and reversing flow patterns, early features in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis include the accumulation of oxidized LDL (OxLDL) and adhesion of monocytes to endothelial cells (EC). Here we investigated the hypothesis that low shear stress (2 dyn/cm2) and OxLDL are synergistic for enhanced expression of vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM-1) and human aortic endothelial cell (HAEC)-monocyte adhesion. This study shows low shear stress can significantly reduce IkappaBalpha levels, activate NF-kappaB, increase the expression of VCAM-1 in HAEC and binding of monocytes. OxLDL itself cannot significantly increase the expression of VCAM-1 in HAEC and binding of monocytes, but through activation of NF-kappaB and degradation of IkappaBalpha induced by low shear stress it can significantly enhance VCAM-1 expression and monocyte adhesion, over that in unmodified LDL or control. These results suggest that low shear stress can regulate monocyte adhesion to oxidized lipid-induced endothelial cells via an IkappaBalpha-dependent pathway, and that low shear stress together with OxLDL may likely play an important role in atherogenesis.

[Expression and distribution of xenoantigen alpha-Gal in intervertebral disk of Chinese banna minipig inbred line].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression and distribution of xenoantigen in intervertebral disk of Chinese banna minipig inbred line, and to study the availability of xenograft transplantation of intervertebral disk. METHODS: Samples of intervertebral disk were collected from six Banna pigs of 8 to 11-month-old. The fixation, embedment and slice were performed. alpha-Gal specific binding lection (BSI-B4) were used as affinity reagents and affinity-immunohistochemistry assays (SABC methods and DAB stain) were conducted to detect the expression and distribution of xenoantigen (alpha-Gal). RESULTS: alpha-Gal was found in chondrocyte cell and chondrocyte-like cell in intervertebral disk which have the positive yellow-stained particulate aggradation. There was no stain in the matrix, elastic fiber and collagen fiber. CONCLUSIONS: The distribution of xenoantigen is locally in the tissue of intervertebral disk and its expression is weak. This suggests that the intervertebral disk of Banna pig may be alternative donor for xenotransplantation.

[Experimental study on kidney anatomic structure of banna minipig inbred-lines for xenotransplantation].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the kidney anatomic structure of banna minipig inbred-lines, and to provide data for kidney xenotransplantation. METHODS: The fresh and infused kidneys of banna minipig (including the vessel and the ureter) were checked by anatomic microscope and vernier caliper in original location and away body. The tissue structure was observed by HE stain. RESULTS: The structure of kidney of banna minipig inbred-lines (including the vessel and the ureter) are similar to that of human being. The fascia propria of kidney is divided into three layers including capsula fibrosa, capsula adipose and fascia renalis. The thickness of cortex renalis is (20.0 +/- 2.4) mm. The average diameter of renal artery is 5.1 mm and is similar to that of human being. All the kidneys of banna minipig inbred-lines have a single branch renal artery. The diameters of left and right ureters are 5.1 mm and 4.7 mm, respectively. CONCLUSION: The kidney of banna minipig inbred-lines is an ideal replacement of human kidney for xenotransplantation.