Comparison of stromal vascular fraction cell composition between Coleman fat and extracellular matrix/stromal vascular fraction gel.

As a mechanically condensed product of Coleman fat, extracellular matrix/stromal vascular fraction gel (ECM/SVF-gel) eliminates adipocytes, concentrates SVF cells, and improves fat graft retention. This study aims to compare SVF cell composition between Coleman fat and ECM/SVF-gel. Matched Coleman fat and ECM/SVF-gel of 28 healthy women were subjected to RNA-seq, followed by functional enrichment and cell-type-specific enrichment analyses, and deconvolution of SVF cell subsets, reconstructing SVF cell composition in the transcriptome level. ECM/SVF-gels had 9 upregulated and 73 downregulated differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Downregulated DEGs were mainly associated with inflammatory and immune responses, and enriched in fat macrophages. M2 macrophages, resting CD4+ memory T cells, M1 macrophages, resting mast cells, and M0 macrophages ranked in the top five most prevalent immune cells in the two groups. The proportions of the principal non-immune cells (e.g., adipose-derived stem cells, pericytes, preadipocytes, microvascular endothelial cells) had no statistical differences between the two groups. Our findings reveal ECM/SVF-gels share the same dominant immune cells beneficial to fat graft survival with Coleman fat, but exhibiting obvious losses of immune cells (especially macrophages), while non-immune cells necessary for adipose regeneration might have no significant loss in ECM/SVF-gels and their biological effects could be markedly enhanced by the ECM/SVF-gel's condensed nature.

Cuproptosis-related risk score based on machine learning algorithm predicts prognosis and characterizes tumor microenvironment in head and neck squamous carcinomas.

Cuproptosis is a recently discovered type of programmed cell death that shows significant potential in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. It has important significance in the prognosis of HSNC. This study aims to construct a cuproptosis-related prognostic model and risk score through new data analysis methods such as machine learning algorithms for the prognosis analysis of HSNC. Protein-protein interaction network and machine learning methods were employed to identify hub genes that were used to construct a TreeGradientBoosting model for predicting overall survival. The relationship between the risk scores obtained from the model and features such as tumor microenvironment (TME) and tumor immunity was explored. The C-indexes of the TreeGradientBoosting model in the training and validation cohorts were 0.776 and 0.848, respectively. The nomogram based on risk scores and clinical features showed good performance, and distinguished the TME and immunity between high-risk and low-risk groups. The cuproptosis-associated risk score can be used to predict prognoses, TME, and tumor immunity of HNSC patients.

Comprehensive treatment of ear keloid: A case report.

RATIONALE: Ear keloid is one of the more common forms of keloid, which may cause pain and itching, and is aesthetically unappealing. Recurrence is common with any monotherapy which prompted a comprehensive, multidimensional approach. PATIENT CONCERNS: A 24-year-old female was evaluated in our department on April 6, 2021, due to an "8-year recurrence following a left ear keloid resection." In July 2013, a left auricle keloid excision was performed in a local hospital. One year following the operation, the scar at the surgical site had proliferated, gradually spreading beyond the original scar borders. Patients worry about recurrence after surgery affecting the appearance of the ear. DIAGNOSIS: Ear keloid. INTERVENTIONS: The patient underwent a 2-stage re-resection of the keloid, followed by postoperative radiotherapy, and triamcinolone acetonide injection around the incision at the time of the second operation. Finally, silicone gel was applied for antiscar treatment. OUTCOMES: There has been no postoperative recurrence of ear keloid during the 12-month follow-up. LESSONS: For ear keloids, combination therapy offers an improved approach with an excellent aesthetic appearance and less risk of recurrence than traditional monotherapy.

The m6A demethylase FTO promotes keloid formation by up-regulating COL1A1.

Background: Keloid is a dermal fibrotic disease characterized by excessive proliferation of dermal fibroblasts and deposition of excessive collagen. N6-methyladenosine (m6A) plays a significant role in numerous physiological and pathological regulatory processes in the human body. Fat mass and obesity-associated protein (FTO) is one of the most essential m6A demethylases. However, whether FTO has a regulatory role in keloid development remains to be determined. Methods: In this study, we investigated the effects of the m6A demethylase FTO on keloid formation by performing hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining, m6A dot blotting, transwell migration experiment, and methylated RNA immunoprecipitation quantitative polymerase chain reaction (MeRIP-qPCR) tests, as well as real-time PCR (RT-PCR) and Western blot assays. Results: The H&E staining indicated abnormal arrangement and proliferation of fibroblasts in the keloid tissue. The m6A dot blotting and qPCR revealed lower levels of m6A modification and increased expression of the m6A demethylases FTO in keloid tissue. Furthermore, overexpression of FTO promoted fibroblast migration as well as the expression of collagen type I alpha 1 chain (COL1A1) and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA). Mechanistic experiments demonstrated that FTO enhances keloid formation by modulating COL1A1 m6A modification and messenger RNA (mRNA) stability. In addition, this study also revealed the role of FTO in the therapeutic effect of glucocorticoids on keloids. Conclusions: Our study demonstrates that FTO upregulates COL1A1 expression via regulating COL1A1 m6A modification and maintaining mRNA stability, hence promoting keloid development and providing a potential new therapeutic target for the treatment of keloids.

[Preliminary study on inhibition of the hair follicle development by siRNA targeting Wnt10b in the cultured rat embryonic skin].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether the suppression of Wnt10b by siRNA could prevent the development of hair follicle in the cultured rat embryonic skin. METHODS: siRNA-Wnt10b was synthesized by chemosynthesis method. The dorsal skin of SD rat at embryos were cultured in DMEM in the presence of different percentage of interfering RNA targeting Wnt10b. Wnt10b/beta-catenin expression was analyzed by real-time PCR everyday and by Western blot on the third day. The cultured embryonic skin underwent paraffin embedding, section, HE staining on the third day,in which the number of de novo hair follicle was calculated and statistically analyzed. RESULTS: Wnt10b gene in the cultured embryonic skin could be knocked down with the siRNA-based method. Beta-catenin mRNA was not greatly influenced by the downregulation of Wnt10b mRNA. The number of de novo hair follicle placode in cultured embryonic skin decreased, along with the downregulation of Wnt10b and beta-catenin proteins expression. CONCLUSIONS: The downregulation of Wnt10b mRNA and protein by siRNA reduces the number of de novo hair follicle placode in the cultured rat embryonic skin. Wnt10b may control cytoplasm beta-catenin concentration at the protein level.

Stem-cell-activated organ following ultrasound exposure: better transplant option for organ transplantation.

Although doctors try their best to protect transplants during surgery, there remain great challenges for the higher survival rate and less rejection of transplants after organ transplantation. Growing evidence indicates that the stem cells could function after injury rather than aging, implying that suitable injury may activate the stem cells of damaged organs. Furthermore, it has been revealed that stem cells can be used to induce tolerance in transplantation and the ultrasound has great biological effects on organs. Basing on these facts, we hypothesize that the stem cells within the transplants can be activated by ultrasound with high-frequency and medium-intensity. Therefore, the stem-cell-activated organs (SCAO) can be derived, and the SCAO will be better transplant option for organ transplantation. We postulate the ultrasound can change the molecular activity and/or quantity of the stem cells, the membrane permeability, the cell-cell junctions, and their surrounding microenvironments. As a result, the stem cells are activated, and the SCAO will acquire more regenerative capacity and less rejection. In the paper, we also discuss the process, methods and models for verifying the theory, and the consequences. We believe the theory may provide a practical method for the clinical application of the ultrasound and stem cells in organ transplantation.

The most efficient follicular regenerating unit and the smallest follicular regenerating unit: potential treatments for hair loss.

Hair loss affects many people, especially adult males. An effective treatment is hair transplantation which involves harvesting hair grafts from a donor site and relocating them to a bald site. However, this traditional method, equivalent to one-to-one transplantation, simply redistributes hair rather than increases the number of existing hairs. Although hair transplantation is actually the transplantation of hair follicle (HF), it has been confirmed that whole HFs could be reformed from parts of HFs containing different constituents, implying the existence of more efficient and smaller HF regenerating units in a whole HF. Thus we hypothesize that the most efficient follicular regenerating unit (EFRU) and the smallest follicular regenerating unit (SFRU) could be found in whole HFs. As a result, the one-to-many hair transplantation would be achieved in clinic. One-to-many means to double or triple the number of hairs. In order to test and verify the hypothesis, we design a method called hair follicle micro-dissection (HFM) which aims to help find the regenerating units and increase the number of hair for transplantation. The postulation may provide a more mature and realistic treatment for hair loss if it proved to be practical.

Microencapsulated human hair dermal papilla cells: a substitute for dermal papilla?

Dermal papillae (DP) play a pivotal role in hair formation, growth and cycling. However, the number of DP is limited. In this study, we report the production of "reconstructed DP" by enclosing DP cells within an alginate-polylysine-alginate (APA) semipermeable membrane. MTT assay and electron microscopy showed that the microencapsulated dermal papilla cells retained normal activity. The microcapsules were implanted into rat footpads, which lack follicles and sebaceous glands, to assess their inductive properties. Histologic examination showed that numbers of follicle and sebaceous gland structures formed in the footpads within 6-10-week period. At the 10 weeks following transplantation, hair fibers were visible in the footpad. These findings indicate that the DP cell microcapsules retain the capacity to initiate follicle regeneration and could be considered a substitute for fresh isolated DPs.