Human ESC-derived vascular cells promote vascular regeneration in a HIF-1α dependent manner

Hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF-1α), a core transcription factor responding to changes in cellular oxygen levels, is closely associated with a wide range of physiological and pathological conditions. However, its differential impacts on vascular cell types and molecular programs modulating human vascular homeostasis and regeneration remain largely elusive. Here, we applied CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene editing of human embryonic stem cells and directed differentiation to generate HIF-1α-deficient human vascular cells including vascular endothelial cells, vascular smooth muscle cells, and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), as a platform for discovering cell type-specific hypoxia-induced response mechanisms. Through comparative molecular profiling across cell types under normoxic and hypoxic conditions, we provide insight into the indispensable role of HIF-1α in the promotion of ischemic vascular regeneration. We found human MSCs to be the vascular cell type most susceptible to HIF-1α deficiency, and that transcriptional inactivation of ANKZF1, an effector of HIF-1α, impaired pro-angiogenic processes. Altogether, our findings deepen the understanding of HIF-1α in human angiogenesis and support further explorations of novel therapeutic strategies of vascular regeneration against ischemic damage.

Application of adhesive materials in biomedicine: progress and prospects / 生物工程学报

As an important auxiliary material, adhesive materials have many important applications in various fields including but not limited to industrial packaging, marine engineering, and biomedicine. Naturally occurring adhesives such as mussel foot proteins are usually biocompatible and biodegradable, but their limited sources and poor mechanical properties in physiological conditions have limited their widespread uses in biomedical field. Inspired by the underwater adhesion phenomenon of natural organisms, a series of biomimetic adhesive materials have been developed through chemical or bioengineering approaches. Notably, some of those synthetic adhesives have exhibited great promise for medical applications in terms of their biocompatibility, biodegradability, strong tissue adhesion and many other attractive functional properties. As natural adhesive materials possess distinctive "living" attributes such as environmental responsiveness, self-regeneration and autonomous repairs, the development of various biologically inspired and biomimetic adhesive materials using natural adhesives as blueprints will thus be of keen and continuous interest in the future. The emerging field of synthetic biology will likely provide new opportunities to design living glues that recapitulate the dynamic features of those naturally occurring adhesives.

Tim-3 promoted renal ischemia/reperfusion injury through regulating mononuclear phagocyte system function / 中华器官移植杂志

Objective To investigate the effects of Tim-3 on the renal ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI),and explore the role of monocyte-macrophage cell system.Methods Totally 72 C57BL/ 6 mice were randomly divided into four groups (n =18 each).(1) IR + Tim-3 rnAb group (experimental group):Each mouse was intraperitoneally injected with 200μg of anti-Tim-3 mAb and the IR model of mouse kidney was established after 1 day;(2) IR + IgG monoclonal antibody group (negative control group):each mouse was intraperitoneally injected with anti-IgG mAb (200 μg) and the IR model of mouse kidney was established after 1 day;(3) IR group:mouse kidney IR model was established only;(4) Control group:mouse kidney IR model was not established.At 6,24 and 48 h after IR respectively,venous blood of 6 mice in each group was taken from the infrarenal vein.Scr and CystinC were detected and PAS staining was used to observe the pathological change of renal tissues.Cell apoptosis was detected by TUNEL staining.Pax,bcl-2 and caspase-3 expression in renal tissue was detected by Western blotting.Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the distribution of Tim-3 and activated macrophage cells.Flow cytometry and ELISA were used to evaluate the level of Tim-3 and inflammatory cytokines secretion respectively.Results Compared with control group,the Tim-3 expression was dramatically increased in IR group and I/R + Tim-3 mAb group.The serum Scr and CystinC levels were increased in IR group,and Tim-3 blocking decreased the levels of serum Scr and CystinC (P＜0.05).PAS and TUNEL staining showed that renal injury score and apoptotic index were higher in IR group than those in control group.Tim-3mAb significantly decreased those markers,and ameliorated the renal tubulointerstitial injury induced by IRk The expression levels of Caspase-3 and Bax/bcl-2 was increased in IR group,but deceased by Tim-3mAb.IR induced F4/80 + distribution and inflammatory cytokines secretion in renal tubular interstitial tissues,while Tim-3mAb down-regulated F4/80 + activation and the levels of inflammatory cytokines.Conclusion The findings demonstrated Tim-3 may promoted renal IRI through regulating mononuclear phagocyte system function.

Effect of Vitamin K2 on Theaortic Artery Calcification in Experimental Rats / 中国循环杂志

Objective: To explore the effects of Vitamin K2 (VK2) on theaortic artery calciifcation and oxidative stress injury in experimental rats. Methods: A total of 24 rats were divided into 4 groups:①Control group,②6-week calciifcation group,③12-week calciifcation group and④6-week calciifcation + 6-week VK2 group;n=6 in each group. The arterial calciifcation was induced by warfarin (WFN) treatment. The calcium nodule and deposition in rat’s theaortic artery were detected by Alizarin red staining and o-cresolphthalein complexone method, the reactive oxygen species (ROS) were measured by DHE probe staining and the morphological changes of mitochondria in smooth muscle cells were detected by transmission electron microscopy. Results: Calciifcation nodule formed in both 6-week and 12-week calciifcation groups, the calciifcation deposition and ROS were higher than Control group,P Conclusion: Warfarin induced aortic calciifcation is related to oxidative stress injury which may cause the ultra-micro structural damage in smooth muscle cells; VK2 may reduce the oxidative stress injury and improve the condition of vessel calciifcation in experimental rats.

Investigation for the Mechanism of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Calcification Induced by Calcium and Phosphorus in Experimental Rats / 中国循环杂志

Objective: To explore the effect of oxidative stress injury on the mechanism of vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) calciifcation induced by calcium and phosphorus in experimental rats. Methods: The VSMC calcification was induced by incubating the cells with calcium chloride (CaCl2) andβ-sodium glycerophosphate (β-GP) for 8 days, and the cells were divided into 4 groups: ① Control group, ② Calcification group,③ Calciifcation+H2O2 group, ④ Calciifcation+catalase group. The calcium nodule formation and calcium deposition in VSMC were detected by Alizarin red staining and o-cresolphthalein complexone method, the reactive oxygen species (ROS) was detected by DCFH-DA probe staining and the protein expression of Runx2 was examined by Western blot analysis. Results: Compared with Control group, Calciifcation group showed the higher ROS production, more calcium nodule and calcium deposition, higher Runx2 protein expression;while compared with Calciifcation group, the above indexes were even higher in Calciifcation+H2O2 group, P0.05. Conclusion: CaCl2 andβ-GP treatment may induce VSMC calciifcation via activating ROS-Runx2 signal pathway in experimental rats.

Endoscope-assisted excision of cystic hygroma in neck / 临床耳鼻咽喉头颈外科杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To get more cosmetic effect, we explore the feasibility, validity and security of endoscope-assisted excision of the cystic hygroma.@*METHOD@#Six patients of cystic hygroma accepted endoscope-assisted excision of the cystic hygroma in neck, 3 by anterior chest approach alone, 1 by upper incision alone, and 2 by combined approach.@*RESULT@#All procedures were successfully done using the endoscope -assisted approach. There were no conversion of the operations and postoperative complications. All families were satisfied with the cosmetic results.@*CONCLUSION@#Endoscope-assisted excision of the cystic hygroma via different approaches can be applied effectively, safely and feasibly, allowing adequate exposure for dissection, and resulting in a good cosmetic results, and would be considered as a newly surgery for these patients.

Linear polarization difference imaging and its potential applications.

We demonstrate a novel linear polarization imaging technique and its potential application in dermatology. This technique records a series of images corresponding to different combinations of illumination and detection polarization and calculates intensity differences between orthogonal detection polarizations pixel by pixel. Fitting the polarization difference data to an analytical expression of the incident and detection polarization angles results in two new parameters, G and (phi3)/2. It is shown that G is strongly correlated to the order of alignment of the fibrous structure in the sample, and (phi3)/2 represents the angle of orientation of the fibers. Preliminary clinical testing implies that this method may be applied for medical diagnosis of skin diseases.