The perivascular phenotype and behaviors of dedifferentiated cells derived from human mature adipocytes.

Derived from mature adipocytes, dedifferentiated fat (DFAT) cells represent a special group of multipotent cells. However, their phenotype and cellular nature remain unclear. Our study found that human DFAT cells adopted perivascular characteristics and behaviors. Flow cytometry and immunofluorescent staining revealed that human DFAT cells positively expressed markers highly related to perivascular cell lineages, such as CD140b, NG2 and desmin, but were negative for common endothelial markers, including CD31, CD34, and CD309. Furthermore, DFAT cells displayed vascular network formation ability in Matrigel, and they noticeably promoted and stabilized the vessel structures formed by human umbilical vascular endothelial cells (HUVECs) in vitro. These results provide novel evidence on the pericyte nature of human DFAT cells, further supporting the recent model for the perivascular origin of adult stem cells, in which tissue-specific progenitor cells in mesenchymal tissues associate with blood vessels, exhibiting perivascular characteristics and functions.

Effects of moderate static magnetic fields on the voltage-gated sodium and calcium channel currents in trigeminal ganglion neurons.

AIM: To study the effects of static magnetic fields (SMF) on the electrophysiological properties of voltage-gated sodium and calcium channels on trigeminal ganglion (TRG) neurons. METHODS: Acutely dissociated TRG neurons of neonatal SD rats were exposed to 125-mT and 12.5-mT SMF in exposure devices and whole-cell patch-clamp recordings were carried out to observe the changes of voltage-gated sodium channels (VGSC) and calcium channels (VGCC) currents, while laser scanning confocal microscopy was used to detect intracellular free Ca(2+) concentration in TRG neurons, respectively. RESULTS: (1) No obvious change of current-voltage (I-V) relationship and the peak current densities of VGSC and VGCC currents were found when TRG neurons were exposed to 125-mT and 12.5-mT SMF. However, the activation threshold, inactivation threshold and velocity of the channel currents above were significantly altered by 125-mT and 12.5-mT SMF. (2) The fluctuation of intracellular free Ca(2+) concentration within TRG neurons were slowed by 125-mT and 12.5-mT SMF. When SMF was removed, the Ca(2+) concentration level showed partial recovery in the TRG neurons previously exposed by 125-mT SMF, while there was a full recovery found in 12.5-mT-SMF-exposed neurons. CONCLUSIONS: Moderate-intensity SMF could affect the electrophysiological characteristics of VGCS and VGCC by altering their activation and inactivation threshold and velocity. The fluctuations of intracellular free Ca(2+) caused by SMF exposure were not permanent in TRG neurons.

The phenotype and tissue-specific nature of multipotent cells derived from human mature adipocytes.

Dedifferentiated fat (DFAT) cells derived from mature adipocytes have been considered to be a homogeneous group of multipotent cells, which present to be an alternative source of adult stem cells for regenerative medicine. However, many aspects of the cellular nature about DFAT cells remained unclarified. This study aimed to elucidate the basic characteristics of DFAT cells underlying their functions and differentiation potentials. By modified ceiling culture technique, DFAT cells were converted from human mature adipocytes from the human buccal fat pads. Flow cytometry analysis revealed that those derived cells were a homogeneous population of CD13(+) CD29(+) CD105(+) CD44(+) CD31(-) CD34(-) CD309(-) α-SMA(-) cells. DFAT cells in this study demonstrated tissue-specific differentiation properties with strong adipogenic but much weaker osteogenic capacity. Neither did they express endothelial markers under angiogenic induction.

Titanium-oxo cluster with 9-anthracenecarboxylate antennae: a fluorescent and photocurrent transfer material.

Attention has been paid to titanium-oxo clusters (TOCs) modified with functional molecules, because they can be considered as model systems for dye-sensitized titanium oxides in terms of their information in structures and electron transfer. We select 9-anthracenecarboxylate (9-AC) as a photoactive ligand and prepare two model compounds, [Ti6O6(O(i)Pr)6(9-AC)6] (1) and [Ti6O4(O(i)Pr)6(cat)4(9-AC)2] (2) (where cat = catecholate). Structures of the TOCs and the dye-TOC linkage are characterized by single-crystal analysis. Solvent-induced fluorescence change is observed for the cluster solution, and the fluorescence can be turned off by irradiating and on by oxygen bubbling. Photoinduced Ti(III) is responsible for the fluorescence extinction. The photocurrent conversion property of the clusters is examined by use of a three-electrode cell with cluster-coated indium tin oxide (ITO) electrodes. The results indicate that 9-AC is an effective photosensitizer and cluster 1 shows higher photocurrent intensity for its multiantenna structure in comparison with that of 2. Density of states for cluster 1 is calculated, in which the discrete energy bands of Ti6O24 include a number of new energy levels for the contribution of 9-AC molecules.

[Infect of pingshen decoction on serum HGF, Cys C and TGF-beta1 diabetic nephropathy in early stage].

Study the serum level of HGF, Cys C and TGF-beta1 in type 2 diabetic nephropathy (DN), the infect of Pingshen decoction on those index. Selected 69 cases of 2 type DN and randomly divided into therapy group (36 cases) and control group (33 cases). The therapy group were treated with Pingshen decoction 1 dose/d, bid po. The control group were treated with NephritisShu tablet, 6 tablet, tid po. 8 weeks was a course. Before and after treatment, we examine the serum level of HGF, Cys C and TGF-beta1 by ELISA and immunonephelometry, and compare with 30 cases of healthy control group. The study demonstrates that before treatment, the serum level of HGF in both groups were significantly lower than healthy control group (P < 0.01), but Cys C, TGF-beta1 were significantly higher (P < 0.01). After treatment, the serum level of HGF of both groups were increased. The serum level of HGF of therapy group were significantly higher than of control group (P < 0.01), but the serum level of Cys C and TGF-beta1 were significantly lower than control group (P < 0.01). The serum level of HGF was correlated negatively with Cys C,TGF-beta1. In control group, the UAER, urine beta2-MG and quantity of 24-hour urine protein were significantly decreased after treatment (P < 0.01). The index of urine of therapy group were significantly lower than control group (P < 0.01). Results indicate that test of serum level of HGF and Cys C,TGF-beta1 of diabetic nephropathy have important clinical significance. Pingshen decoction can effectively intervene in the serum level of HGF and Cys C, TGF-beta1 and index of urine.

Synchronous multiple primary gastrointestinal cancers with CDH1 mutations: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Synchronous multiple primary cancers (SMPC) mean two or more malignant tumors occurring simultaneously and with different origins no matter what types they are or where they are located. The carcinogenesis of SMPC often involves variations of some specific genes. However, the correlation between CDH1 mutations and synchronous multiple primary gastrointestinal cancers is largely unknown. CASE SUMMARY: A 62-year-old woman had sustained abdominal pain for one week and visited our hospital. Gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed multiple small polypoid lesions in both the stomach and colorectum. Computed tomography and laboratory results were within normal limits. Pathological evaluation confirmed signet ring cell carcinoma without obvious metastatic evidence. Malignant cells showed negativity for E-cadherin and positivity for ß-catenin in the cytoplasm and nucleus. DNA sequencing performed on paraffin-embedded tissue revealed two exactly coincident alterations in CDH1, C.57T>G and C.1418A>T. CONCLUSION: This case suggests that the combination of CDH1 mutations and WNT/ß-catenin signaling activation contributes to the carcinogenesis of gastrointestinal SMPC.

[Relationship between soil bacterial community and environmental factors in the degraded alpine grassland of eastern Qilian Mountains, China]. / ä¸œç¥è¿žå±±é€€åŒ–é«˜å¯’è‰åœ°åœŸå£¤ç»†èŒç¾¤è½ä¸ŽåœŸå£¤çŽ¯å¢ƒå› å­é—´çš„ç›¸äº’å ³ç³».

To explore the distribution of bacterial community and its relationship with soil environmental factors in degraded alpine grasslands in the eastern Qilian Mountains, we analyzed the changes of bacterial community structure and diversity across lightly, moderately and severely degraded grasslands by using high-throughput sequencing technology. Redundancy analysis (RDA) was performed to analyze the relationship between soil bacterial communities and soil environmental factors by using CANOCO 4.5 software. The results showed that there were significant differences in soil physicochemical properties among different degraded alpine grasslands. There were 257125 effective sequences, 180826 high-quality sequences and 4790 OTUs. The Chao1 index was lightly degraded grassland > moderately degraded grassland > severely degraded grassland; Shannon index was lightly degraded grassland > severely degraded grassland > moderately degraded grassland. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that the soil bacterial groups of each plot belonged to 33 phyla, with Actinomycetes, Proteobacteria and Firmicutes being the dominant groups in the three grasslands. From analysis of the proportion of soil bacteria in different degraded grassland, we found that the Actinomycetes, Acidobacteria and Proteobacteria increased first and then decreased with the degree of degradation, and the Firmicutes showed an opposite trend. The results of RDA analysis showed that the dominant groups of bacteria were significantly correlated with invertase, cellulase, phosphatas, pH, electronic conductivity, available nitrogen and available potassium. It was concluded that there were significant differences in soil bacterial communities among different degraded alpine grasslands in the eastern Qilian Mountains, and the soil environmental factors were the important factors driving the distribution of soil bacterial communities.

A shared effect of paroxetine treatment on gray matter volume in depressive patients with and without childhood maltreatment: A voxel-based morphometry study.

AIMS: This study assessed whether antidepressant drug treatment has a common effect on gray matter (GM) volume in MDD patients with and without childhood maltreatment (CM). METHODS: T1-weighted structural magnetic resonance imaging data were collected from 168 participants, including 51 MDD patients with CM, 31 MDD patients without CM, 48 normal controls with CM, and 38 normal controls without CM. MDD patients received 6 months of treatment with paroxetine, and 24 patients with CM, and 16 patients without CM received a second MRI scan. A whole-brain voxel-based morphometry approach was used to estimate GM volume in each participant at two time points. Two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to determine the effects of MDD and CM on GM volume at baseline. Repeated measures two-way ANOVA was used to determine the treatment-by-CM interactive effect and main effect of treatment during paroxetine treatment. We further investigated the relationship between GM volume and clinical variables. RESULTS: At baseline, significant MDD-by-CM interactive effects on GM volume were mainly observed in the left parahippocampal gyrus, left entorhinal cortex, and left cuneus. GM volume was significantly lower mainly in the right middle temporal gyrus in patients with MDD than in normal controls. We did not find any significant treatment-by-CM interactive effects. However, a treatment-related increase in GM was found in the right middle temporal gyrus in both MDD groups. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that paroxetine treatment operates via a shared neurobiological mechanism in MDD patients with and without CM.

Antibacterial surfaces based on poly(cationic liquid) brushes: switchability between killing and releasing via anion counterion switching.

The development of a smart antibacterial surface that can both kill attached live bacteria and release dead bacteria is reported. The surface consists of counterion-responsive poly(cationic liquid) brushes of poly(1-(2-methacryloyloxyhexyl)-3-methylimidazolium bromide) (PIL(Br)), the properties of which can be switched repeatedly between bacterial killing and bacterial release. Upon counter-anion exchange of PIL(Br) chains using lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl) amide (LiTf2N) to yield PIL(Tf2N), the wettability of the surface changes from hydrophilic (water contact angle ∼52°) to hydrophobic (∼97°). The PIL(Br) chains adopt an extended conformation with bactericidal properties. Counter-anion switching to PIL(Tf2N) gives a collapsed chain conformation allowing the release of killed bacteria. The switchable killing and releasing actions of the surface were maintained over three cycles. Thus it is concluded that PIL(Br) layers provide a viable approach for the fabrication of "smart" antibacterial surfaces.

Corrosion behaviours of the dental magnetic keeper complexes made by different alloys and methods.

The keeper and cast dowel-coping, as a primary component for a magnetic attachment, is easily subjected to corrosion in a wet environment, such as the oral cavity, which contains electrolyte-rich saliva, complex microflora and chewing behaviour and so on. The objective of this in vitro study was to examine the corrosion resistance of a dowel and coping-keeper complex fabricated by finish keeper and three alloys (cobalt-chromium, CoCr; silver-palladium-gold, PdAu; gold-platinum, AuPt) using a laser-welding process and a casting technique. The surface morphology characteristics and microstructures of the samples were examined by means of metallographic microscope and scanning electron microscope (SEM). Energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) with SEM provided elements analysis information for the test samples after 10% oxalic acid solution etching test. Tafel polarization curve recordings demonstrated parameter values indicating corrosion of the samples when subjected to electrochemical testing. This study has suggested that massive oxides are attached to the surface of the CoCr-keeper complex but not to the AuPt-keeper complex. Only the keeper area of cast CoCr-keeper complex displayed obvious intergranular corrosion and changes in the Fe and Co elements. Both cast and laser-welded AuPt-keeper complexes had the highest free corrosion potential, followed by the PdAu-keeper complex. We concluded that although the corrosion resistance of the CoCr-keeper complex was worst, the keeper surface passive film was actually preserved to its maximum extent. The laser-welded CoCr- and PdAu-keeper complexes possessed superior corrosion resistance as compared with their cast specimens, but no significant difference was found between the cast and laser-welded AuPt-keeper complexes. The Fe-poor and Cr-rich band, appearing on the edge of the keeper when casting, has been proven to be a corrosion-prone area.

Effects of chlorogenic acid on voltage-gated potassium channels of trigeminal ganglion neurons in an inflammatory environment.

Chlorogenic acid (CGA) composed of coffee acid and quinic acid is an effective ingredient of many foods and medicines and widely exhibits biological effects. Recently, it is reported to have analgesic effect. However, little is known about the analgesic mechanism of CGA. In this study, whole-cell patch-clamp recordings were performed on two main subtypes (IK,A and IK,V channels) of voltage-gated potassium (KV) channels in small-diameter(<30µm) trigemianl ganglion neurons to analyze the effects of CGA in an inflammatory environment created by Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2). On one hand, the activation and inactivation V1/2 values of IK,A and IK,V channels showed an elevation towards a depolarizing shift caused by PGE2. On the other hand, the activation and inactivation V1/2 values of the two channels had a reduction towards a hyperpolarizing shift caused by CGA under PGE2 pretreatment. Our results demonstrated that CGA may exhibited an analgesic effect by promoting KV channels activation and inactivation under inflammatory condition, which provided a novel molecular and ionic mechanism underlying anti-inflammatory pain of CGA.

Substrate-independent, Schiff base interactions to fabricate lysine-functionalized surfaces with fibrinolytic activity.

Mimicking natural fibrinolytic mechanisms that covalently bind lysine-ligands (free ε-amino and carboxylic groups) onto biomaterial surfaces is an attractive strategy to prevent clot formation on blood contact materials. However, the modification process is typically complicated and limited due to the diversity of biomaterials. Herein, we describe a simple, substrate-independent protocol to prepare a lysine-ligand functionalized layer on biomaterial surfaces. This approach is based on the adsorption and cross-linking of aldehyde-functionalized poly(N-(2,2-dimethoxyethyl)methacrylamide) (APDMEA) and amino-functionalized polymethacryloyl-l-lysine (APMLys) on a variety of substrates, such as polyurethane (PU), polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), polyvinylchloride (PVC), stainless steel (SS) and cellulose acetate (CA). The lysine-ligand functionalized layer on substrates highly enhanced the specific adsorption of plasminogen from plasma and showed good chemical stability and excellent biocompatibility with L929 cells using the MTT assay. Moreover, for example, after the adsorbed plasminogen was activated and converted into plasmin, the fibrinolytic functionalization of CA was demonstrated using a modified plasma recalcification assay. Collectively, considering the advantages of simplicity, environmental friendliness and substrate-independence, the present study might therefore represent a general approach for the construction of a biointerface with fibrinolytic activity.

Chlorogenic acid alters the voltage-gated potassium channel currents of trigeminal ganglion neurons.

Chlorogenic acid (5-caffeoylquinic acid, CGA) is a phenolic compound that is found ubiquitously in plants, fruits and vegetables and is formed via the esterification of caffeic acid and quinic acid. In addition to its notable biological functions against cardiovascular diseases, type-2 diabetes and inflammatory conditions, CGA was recently hypothesized to be an alternative for the treatment of neurological diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and neuropathic pain disorders. However, its mechanism of action is unclear. Voltage-gated potassium channel (Kv) is a crucial factor in the electro-physiological processes of sensory neurons. Kv has also been identified as a potential therapeutic target for inflammation and neuropathic pain disorders. In this study, we analysed the effects of CGA on the two main subtypes of Kv in trigeminal ganglion neurons, namely, the IK,A and IK,V channels. Trigeminal ganglion (TRG) neurons were acutely disassociated from the rat TRG, and two different doses of CGA (0.2 and 1 mmol⋅L(-1)) were applied to the cells. Whole-cell patch-clamp recordings were performed to observe alterations in the activation and inactivation properties of the IK,A and IK,V channels. The results demonstrated that 0.2 mmol⋅L(-1) CGA decreased the peak current density of IK,A. Both 0.2 mmol⋅L(-1) and 1 mmol⋅L(-1) CGA also caused a significant reduction in the activation and inactivation thresholds of IK,A and IK,V. CGA exhibited a strong effect on the activation and inactivation velocities of IK,A and IK,V. These findings provide novel evidence explaining the biological effects of CGA, especially regarding its neurological effects.

Effect of Ginkgo leaf extract on vascular endothelial function in patients with early stage diabetic nephropathy.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of ginkgo leaf extract (GLE) on vascular endothelial function (VEF) in patients with early stage diabetic nephropathy (DN). METHODS: Sixty-four patients were randomized equally by a randomzing digital table into two groups, the treated group and the control group. They were all treated for 8 weeks with conventional therapy for diabetes, but GLE tablets were given to the treated group additionally. Changes in VEF were estimated before and after treatment by ultrasonic examination of the brachial artery. In the meantime, changes in plasma levels of the von Willebrand factor (vWF), nitric oxide (NO) and endothelin-1 (ET-1) were observed as well. RESULTS: The brachial arterial endothelium dependent dilating function in the treated group increased from 4.91+/-2.31% before treatment to 6.78+/-3.89% after treatment (P<0.05), while the level of vWF decreased from 182.05+/-64.13% to 128.56+/-48.98%, and that of NO increased from 50.16+/-24.64 micromol/L to 70.65+/-28.71 micromol/L (P<0.01). However, these indexes were not significantly changed in the control group after treatment (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: GLE could decrease the plasma level of vWF, raise the plasma NO level and improve the endothelium dependent vascular dilating function in DN patients.