AIM: To determine whether normal genetically immunocompetent rodent hosts could be manipulated to accept human hepatocyte transplants with long term survival without immunosuppression. METHODS: Tolerance towards human...AIM: To determine whether normal genetically immunocompetent rodent hosts could be manipulated to accept human hepatocyte transplants with long term survival without immunosuppression. METHODS: Tolerance towards human hepatocytes was established by injection of primary human hepatocytes or Huh7 human hepatoma cells into the peritoneal cavities of fetal rats. Corresponding cells were subsequently transplanted into newborn rats via intrasplenic injection within 24h after birth. RESULTS: Mixed lymphocyte assays showed that spleen cells from non-tolerized rats were stimulated to proliferate when exposed to human hepatocytes, while cells from tolerized rats were not. Injections made between 15 d and 17 d of gestation produced optimal tolerization. Transplanted human hepatocytes in rat livers were visualized by immunohistochemical staining of human albumin. By dot blotting of genomic DNA in livers of tolerized rats 16 weeks after hepatocyte transplantation, it was found that approximately 2.5 X 10(5) human hepatocytes survived per rat liver. Human albumin mRNA was detected in rat livers by RT-PCR for 15 wk, and human albumin protein was also detectable in rat serum. CONCLUSION: Tolerization of an immuno-competent rat can permit transplantation, and survival of functional human hepatocytes.展开更多
AIM: To study the effects of aminoguanidine (AG) and two L-arginine analogues N(omega)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) and N(omega)-nitro-L-arginine (L-NNA) on nitric oxide (NO) production induced by cytokines ...AIM: To study the effects of aminoguanidine (AG) and two L-arginine analogues N(omega)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) and N(omega)-nitro-L-arginine (L-NNA) on nitric oxide (NO) production induced by cytokines (TNF-alpha, IL-1 beta, and IFN-gamma) and bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) mixture (CM) in the cultured rat hepatocytes, and examine their mechanisms action. METHODS: Rat hepatocytes were incubated with AG, L-NAME, L-NNA, Actinomycin D (ActD) and dexamethasone in a medium containing CM (LPS plus TNF-alpha, IL-1 beta, and IFN-gamma) for 24h. NO production in the cultured supernatant was measured with the Griess reaction. Intracellular cGMP level was detected with radioimmunoassy. RESULTS: NO production was markedly blocked by AG and L-NAME in a dose-dependent manner under inflammatory stimuli condition triggered by CM in vitro. The rate of the maximum inhibitory effects of L-NAME (38.9%) was less potent than that obtained with AG(53.7%, P 【 0.05). There was no significant difference between the inhibitory effects of AG and two L-arginine analogues on intracellular cGMP accumulation in rat cultured hepatocytes. Non-specific NOS expression inhibitor dexamethasone (DEX)and iNOS mRNA transcriptional inhibitor ActD also significantly inhibited CM-induced NO production. AG(0.1 mmol x L(-1)) and ActD (0.2 ng x L(-1)) were equipotent in decreasing NO production induced by inflammatory stimuli in vitro, and both effects were more potent than that induced by non-selectivity NOS activity inhibitor L-NAME (0.1 mmol x L(-1)) under similar stimuli conditions (P【0.01). CONCLUSION: AG is a potent selective inhibitor of inducible isoform of NOS,and the mechanism of action may be not only competitive inhibition in the substrate level, but also the gene expression level in rat hepatocytes.展开更多
AIM To extract and purify the transforming growth factor β (TGF β), and to demonstrate its biological activity in vivo and induction of apoptosis of hepatocytes in vitro.METHODS TGF β was isolated from fresh bovine...AIM To extract and purify the transforming growth factor β (TGF β), and to demonstrate its biological activity in vivo and induction of apoptosis of hepatocytes in vitro.METHODS TGF β was isolated from fresh bovine platelets by acid/ethanol extraction method and purified with ion exchange and gel chromatography. The extracted TGF β was injected subcutaneously to mice, and its biological activity in vivo was observed 72 hfs post-injection by HE staining. The morphological changes were observed by HE staining and the occurrence of apoptosis was detected by TUNEL method after the human normal hepatic cell line QZG was treated with 8 μg@L 1 TGFβ for 12 hrs in vitro.RESULTS The molecular mass 25 ku TGF β protein was successfully extracted. It was able to induce localized granulation tissue formation in vivo. TGF β-treated hepatocytes showed obvious apoptotic morphological changes, including the pyknosis and dense-stained nuclei and cytoplasm, the fragmentary, annular or crescent nuclei, and the "bubbling" cytoplasm. Moreover, its apoptotic rate was significantly higher than that of the control group (P<0.05).CONCLUSION Biological active TGF β protein is extracted and purified successfully from bovine platelets, and it is able to induce the apoptosis of hepatocytes.展开更多
AIM To explore the relationship between the rules of Cx gene expression and cellular differentiation in organs of different embryonic stages. METHODS A series of Cx gene serving as molecular probes and the Northern...AIM To explore the relationship between the rules of Cx gene expression and cellular differentiation in organs of different embryonic stages. METHODS A series of Cx gene serving as molecular probes and the Northern blot hybrydization were employed to study the Cx gene expression. RESULTS Cx31, Cx31 1, Cx46 did not express while other Cx genes expressed in the embryonic liver and stomach. The Cx gene expression in the liver and stomach showed different state at different embryonic stages. The Cx gene expression had organic diversity. The expression of Cx26 gene was overlapping in the above organs. Cx43 did not express in the human liver after birth, but it expressed in the embryonic stage. CONCLUSION The expression state of Cx genes is concordant with cellular differentiation. It might be a key candidate gene to regulate some differentiational events associated with cellular differentiation, proliferation, and morphogenesis in the early embryo.展开更多
AIM: To study the effect of copper transporting P-type ATPase in copper metabolism of hepatocyte and pathogenesis of Wilson disease (WD). METHODS: WD copper transporting properties in some organelles of the cultured h...AIM: To study the effect of copper transporting P-type ATPase in copper metabolism of hepatocyte and pathogenesis of Wilson disease (WD). METHODS: WD copper transporting properties in some organelles of the cultured hepatocytes were studied from WD patients and normal controls.These cultured hepatocytes were incubated in the media of copper 15 mg x L(-1) only, copper 15 mg x L(-1) with vincristine (agonist of P-type ATPase) 0.5mg x L(-1), or copper 15 mg x L(-1) with vanadate (antagonist of P-type ATPase) 18.39 mg x L(-1) separately. Microsome (endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus), lysosome, mitochondria, and cytosol were isolated by differential centrifugation. Copper contents in these organelles were measured with atomic absorption spectrophotometer, and the influence in copper transportion of these organelles by vanadate and vincristine were comparatively analyzed between WD patients and controls. WD copper transporting P-type ATPase was detected by SDS-PAGE in conjunction with Western blot in liver samples of WD patients and controls. RESULTS: The specific WD proteins (M(r)155,000 lanes) were expressed in human hepatocytes, including the control and WD patients. After incubation with medium containing copper for 2 h or 24 h, the microsome copper concentration in WD patients was obviously lower than that of controls, and the addition of vanadate or vincristine would change the copper transporting of microsomes obviously. When incubated with vincristine, levels of copper in microsome were significantly increased, while incubated with vanadate, the copper concentrations in microsome were obviously decreased. The results indicated that there were WD proteins, the copper transportion P-type ATPase in the microsome of hepatocytes. WD patients possessed abnormal copper transporting function of WD protein in the microsome, and the agonist might correct the defect of copper transportion by promoting the activity of copper transportion P-type ATPase. CONCLUSION: Copper transportion P-type ATPase plays an importan展开更多
文摘AIM: To determine whether normal genetically immunocompetent rodent hosts could be manipulated to accept human hepatocyte transplants with long term survival without immunosuppression. METHODS: Tolerance towards human hepatocytes was established by injection of primary human hepatocytes or Huh7 human hepatoma cells into the peritoneal cavities of fetal rats. Corresponding cells were subsequently transplanted into newborn rats via intrasplenic injection within 24h after birth. RESULTS: Mixed lymphocyte assays showed that spleen cells from non-tolerized rats were stimulated to proliferate when exposed to human hepatocytes, while cells from tolerized rats were not. Injections made between 15 d and 17 d of gestation produced optimal tolerization. Transplanted human hepatocytes in rat livers were visualized by immunohistochemical staining of human albumin. By dot blotting of genomic DNA in livers of tolerized rats 16 weeks after hepatocyte transplantation, it was found that approximately 2.5 X 10(5) human hepatocytes survived per rat liver. Human albumin mRNA was detected in rat livers by RT-PCR for 15 wk, and human albumin protein was also detectable in rat serum. CONCLUSION: Tolerization of an immuno-competent rat can permit transplantation, and survival of functional human hepatocytes.
基金Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.39770861.and JANSSEN Science Research Foundation.
文摘AIM: To study the effects of aminoguanidine (AG) and two L-arginine analogues N(omega)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) and N(omega)-nitro-L-arginine (L-NNA) on nitric oxide (NO) production induced by cytokines (TNF-alpha, IL-1 beta, and IFN-gamma) and bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) mixture (CM) in the cultured rat hepatocytes, and examine their mechanisms action. METHODS: Rat hepatocytes were incubated with AG, L-NAME, L-NNA, Actinomycin D (ActD) and dexamethasone in a medium containing CM (LPS plus TNF-alpha, IL-1 beta, and IFN-gamma) for 24h. NO production in the cultured supernatant was measured with the Griess reaction. Intracellular cGMP level was detected with radioimmunoassy. RESULTS: NO production was markedly blocked by AG and L-NAME in a dose-dependent manner under inflammatory stimuli condition triggered by CM in vitro. The rate of the maximum inhibitory effects of L-NAME (38.9%) was less potent than that obtained with AG(53.7%, P 【 0.05). There was no significant difference between the inhibitory effects of AG and two L-arginine analogues on intracellular cGMP accumulation in rat cultured hepatocytes. Non-specific NOS expression inhibitor dexamethasone (DEX)and iNOS mRNA transcriptional inhibitor ActD also significantly inhibited CM-induced NO production. AG(0.1 mmol x L(-1)) and ActD (0.2 ng x L(-1)) were equipotent in decreasing NO production induced by inflammatory stimuli in vitro, and both effects were more potent than that induced by non-selectivity NOS activity inhibitor L-NAME (0.1 mmol x L(-1)) under similar stimuli conditions (P【0.01). CONCLUSION: AG is a potent selective inhibitor of inducible isoform of NOS,and the mechanism of action may be not only competitive inhibition in the substrate level, but also the gene expression level in rat hepatocytes.
文摘AIM To extract and purify the transforming growth factor β (TGF β), and to demonstrate its biological activity in vivo and induction of apoptosis of hepatocytes in vitro.METHODS TGF β was isolated from fresh bovine platelets by acid/ethanol extraction method and purified with ion exchange and gel chromatography. The extracted TGF β was injected subcutaneously to mice, and its biological activity in vivo was observed 72 hfs post-injection by HE staining. The morphological changes were observed by HE staining and the occurrence of apoptosis was detected by TUNEL method after the human normal hepatic cell line QZG was treated with 8 μg@L 1 TGFβ for 12 hrs in vitro.RESULTS The molecular mass 25 ku TGF β protein was successfully extracted. It was able to induce localized granulation tissue formation in vivo. TGF β-treated hepatocytes showed obvious apoptotic morphological changes, including the pyknosis and dense-stained nuclei and cytoplasm, the fragmentary, annular or crescent nuclei, and the "bubbling" cytoplasm. Moreover, its apoptotic rate was significantly higher than that of the control group (P<0.05).CONCLUSION Biological active TGF β protein is extracted and purified successfully from bovine platelets, and it is able to induce the apoptosis of hepatocytes.
文摘AIM To explore the relationship between the rules of Cx gene expression and cellular differentiation in organs of different embryonic stages. METHODS A series of Cx gene serving as molecular probes and the Northern blot hybrydization were employed to study the Cx gene expression. RESULTS Cx31, Cx31 1, Cx46 did not express while other Cx genes expressed in the embryonic liver and stomach. The Cx gene expression in the liver and stomach showed different state at different embryonic stages. The Cx gene expression had organic diversity. The expression of Cx26 gene was overlapping in the above organs. Cx43 did not express in the human liver after birth, but it expressed in the embryonic stage. CONCLUSION The expression state of Cx genes is concordant with cellular differentiation. It might be a key candidate gene to regulate some differentiational events associated with cellular differentiation, proliferation, and morphogenesis in the early embryo.
基金Supported by Key Clinical Program of Ministry of Ministry of Health(No.37091)"211 Project"of SUMS sponsored by Ministry of Health and Guangdong Provincial Natural Science Foundation,No.990064
文摘AIM: To study the effect of copper transporting P-type ATPase in copper metabolism of hepatocyte and pathogenesis of Wilson disease (WD). METHODS: WD copper transporting properties in some organelles of the cultured hepatocytes were studied from WD patients and normal controls.These cultured hepatocytes were incubated in the media of copper 15 mg x L(-1) only, copper 15 mg x L(-1) with vincristine (agonist of P-type ATPase) 0.5mg x L(-1), or copper 15 mg x L(-1) with vanadate (antagonist of P-type ATPase) 18.39 mg x L(-1) separately. Microsome (endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus), lysosome, mitochondria, and cytosol were isolated by differential centrifugation. Copper contents in these organelles were measured with atomic absorption spectrophotometer, and the influence in copper transportion of these organelles by vanadate and vincristine were comparatively analyzed between WD patients and controls. WD copper transporting P-type ATPase was detected by SDS-PAGE in conjunction with Western blot in liver samples of WD patients and controls. RESULTS: The specific WD proteins (M(r)155,000 lanes) were expressed in human hepatocytes, including the control and WD patients. After incubation with medium containing copper for 2 h or 24 h, the microsome copper concentration in WD patients was obviously lower than that of controls, and the addition of vanadate or vincristine would change the copper transporting of microsomes obviously. When incubated with vincristine, levels of copper in microsome were significantly increased, while incubated with vanadate, the copper concentrations in microsome were obviously decreased. The results indicated that there were WD proteins, the copper transportion P-type ATPase in the microsome of hepatocytes. WD patients possessed abnormal copper transporting function of WD protein in the microsome, and the agonist might correct the defect of copper transportion by promoting the activity of copper transportion P-type ATPase. CONCLUSION: Copper transportion P-type ATPase plays an importan