Basic fibroblast growth factor enhances proliferation and hepatocyte growth factor expression of feline mesenchymal stem cells.

INTRODUCTION: The objective of this study is to evaluate the effect of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) on the proliferation and secretion activity of feline adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSC). METHODS: Feline MSC isolated from the subcutaneous adipose tissue of cats were cultured with or without bFGF. RESULTS: The bFGF addition enhanced the proliferation of feline MSC to a significant great extent compared with that without bFGF, although the cell proliferation tended to increase with the bFGF concentration. In addition, adipogenic and osteogenic staining assay demonstrated that the bFGF addition allowed MSC to maintain the differentiation ability even after the proliferation. Moreover, no change in the surface markers of MSC was observed between the cultures with or without bFGF. A quantitative RT-PCR assay revealed that the HGF and TSG-6 expression significantly increased by the bFGF addition. The highest mRNA expression of MMP-2 was observed for cells cultured in 1000 ng/ml bFGF concentration. CONCLUSIONS: The culture with bFGF is a promising way to enhance the proliferation, and HGF secretion ability of MSC as well as maintain their differentiation ability and immunophenotype nature.

Gallus gallus coxsackievirus and adenovirus receptor facilitates the binding of fowl adenovirus serotype 1 in chickens.

Coxsackievirus and adenovirus receptor (UXADR) is an integral membrane protein that serves as a receptor for coxsackie B viruses and adenovirus types 2 and 5. Previous studies demonstrated that Fowl adenovirus (FAV) can also utilize Homo sapiens CXADR to infect cells. FAV is a double-stranded DNA virus of the family Adenoviridae. FAV causes inclusion body hepatitis and hydropericardium syndrome in chickens. In addition, FAV serotypes 1 and 8 have recently been shown to cause gizzard erosion in chickens. These chicken diseases and growth insufficiency caused by FAV infection result in great economic loss. Thus, identifying and characterizing the viral receptor would further enhance our understanding of the mechanisms underlying virus infection and histocompatibility. Here, in order to determine the FAV receptor in chickens, we investigated the effect of the recently identified Gallus gallus CXADR (ggCXADR) on FAV infection. Overexpression of ggCXADR in CHO cells resulted in increased FAV binding and expression of early FAV genes. However, the propagation of infectious viruses in CHO cells expressing ggCXADR was not detected. These findings provide the basis for further studies aimed at elucidating the infection mechanism of FAV. Further research is required to characterize the additional host factors involved in FAV infection and life cycle.

[Dexmedetomidine is useful for sedation during laryngoplasty with voice monitoring].

BACKGROUND: Laryngoplasty is an operation for voice reconstruction performed for recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy, and this operation needs intraoperative speech monitoring. Previously, all procedures were performed under local anesthesia. Therefore, patients were suffering, and otolaryngologists had difficulty because of patients' coughs and laryngeal movements. We used dexmedetomidine (DEX) with local anesthesia for laryngoplasty. METHODS: We retrospectively examined 6 patients who had undergone laryngoplasty from January 2008 to October 2010. Patients received local anesthesia for pain control and DEX for sedation. Anesthesiologists achieved adequate sedation level (Ramsay's score 3-4) with DEX. RESULTS: Sedation was induced with 6 microg x kg(-1). hr(-1) of DEX for 10 minutes. All patients were maintained at 0.2-1.2 microg x kg(-1) x hr(-1). A local anesthetic(8.6 +/- 2.3 ml of 1% lidocaine 1 : 100,000 epinephrine) was used. During the initial loading of DEX, the patients' vital signs were stable. DEX suppressed coughs and laryngeal movements and did not cause respiratory depression. They were able to respond to the otolaryngologists' demand for a voice test. CONCLUSIONS: Dexmedetomidine was useful for sedation during laryngoplasty with voice monitoring.