Nobiletin Regulates Polyinosinic-polycytidylic Acid-induced Inflammation in Macrophages Partially the PPAR-γ Signaling Pathway.

Introduction: Macrophage dysregulation is a common pathogenic feature of viruses that provides extensive targets for antiviral therapy. Nobiletin, a polymethoxylated flavonoid found in citrus fruits, has a multitude of effects.

Methods: We investigated the effect of nobiletin on polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (poly(I:C))-induced inflammation in RAW264.

Bilirubin influences the predictive effect of body mass index on hospital mortality in critically ill patients.

Introduction: Body mass index (BMI) can predict mortality in critically ill patients. Moreover, mortality is related to increased bilirubin levels. Thus, herein, we aimed to investigate the effect of bilirubin levels on the usefulness of BMI in predicting mortality in critically ill patients.

4-Octyl itaconate inhibits poly(I:C)-induced interferon-β secretion in mouse bone marrow-derived macrophages partially by activating Nrf2.

Viruses have become a major threat to human health. Interferon-β (IFN-β) has a key role in the antivirus process, as it can increase the expression of antivirus-associated genes. Itaconate and its derivatives can regulate the immune response, secretion of inflammatory factors, and pyroptosis of macrophages.

Human amniotic mesenchymal stem cells-derived IGFBP-3, DKK-3, and DKK-1 attenuate liver fibrosis through inhibiting hepatic stellate cell activation by blocking Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in mice.

Background: Liver fibrosis is an outcome of restoring process in chronic liver injury. Human amniotic mesenchymal stem cells (hAMSCs) derived from amniotic membrane have multilineage differentiation, immunosuppressive, and anti-inflammatory potential which makes them suitable for treating liver fibrosis. This study aimed to explore the effect and mechanism of hAMSCs on liver fibrosis.

Dimethyl itaconate alleviates the pyroptosis of macrophages through oxidative stress.

Macrophages are involved in the pathophysiology of many diseases as critical cells of the innate immune system. Pyroptosis is a form of macrophage death that induces cytokinesis of phagocytic substances in the macrophages, thereby defending against infection. Dimethyl itaconate (DI) is an analog of itaconic acid with anti-inflammatory effects.

Exosomes derived from human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells alleviate acetaminophen-induced acute liver failure through activating ERK and IGF-1R/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.

This study aimed to investigate the therapeutic potential of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells derived exosomes (hUCMSC-Exo) in acute liver failure (ALF) in mice as well as its underlying mechanism. We found that a single tail vein administration of hucMSC-Exo effectively enhanced the survival rate, inhibited apoptosis in hepatocytes, and improved liver function in APAP-induced mouse model of ALF. Furthermore, the deletion of glutathione (GSH) and superoxide dismutase (SOD), generation of malondialdehyde (MDA), and the over production of cytochrome P450 E1 (CYP2E1) and 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE) caused by APAP were also inhibited by hucMSC-Exo, indicating that hucMSC-Exo inhibited APAP-induced apoptosis of hepatocytes by reducing oxidative stress.

Additive Benefits of Twice Forest Bathing Trips in Elderly Patients with Chronic Heart Failure.

Chronic heart failure (CHF), a clinical syndrome resulting from the consequences of various cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), is increasingly becoming a global cause of morbidity and mortality. We had earlier demonstrated that a 4-day forest bathing trip can provide an adjunctive therapeutic influence on patients with CHF. To further investigate the duration of the impact and the optimal frequency of forest bathing trips in patients with CHF, we recruited those subjects who had experienced the first forest bathing trip again after 4 weeks and randomly categorized them into two groups, namely, the urban control group (city) and the forest bathing group (forest).

IFN-γ induces senescence-like characteristics in mouse bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells.

Background: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) are considered promising in tissue repair and regeneration medicine due to their proliferation and differentiation ability. Many properties of MSC are affected by cytokines, and IFN-γ has been shown to regulate MSC in many aspects. Senescence affects the proliferation, differentiation and cytokine secretion of MSC.

Health Effect of Forest Bathing Trip on Elderly Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

Forest bathing trip is a short, leisurely visit to forest. In this study we determined the health effects of forest bathing trip on elderly patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The patients were randomly divided into two groups.

Downregulation of miR-146a, cyclooxygenase-2 and advanced glycation end-products in simvastatin-treated older patients with hyperlipidemia.

Aim: Hyperlipidemia is a disease with abnormally elevated levels of lipids/lipoproteins in the blood, and it is regarded as an important risk factor for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Statins have been found to prevent vascular diseases by reducing low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and regulation of immune responses. Here, we aim to study the expression change of immune-related microRNA and genes in older patients with hyperlipidemia after treatment with simvastatin.

Protective effect of DNA-mediated immunization with liposome-encapsulated GRA4 against infection of Toxoplasma gondii.

The dense granule protein 4 (GRA4) is a granular protein from Toxoplasma gondii, and is a candidate for vaccination against this parasite. In this study, the plasmid pcDNA3.1-GRA4 (pGRA4), encoding for the GRA4 antigen, was incorporated by the dehydration-rehydration method into liposomes composed of 16 mmol/L egg phosphatidylcholine (PC), 8 mmol/L dioleoyl phosphatidylethanolamine (DOPE), and 4 mmol/L 1,2-diodeoyl-3-(trimethylammonium) propane (DOTAP).

Ex vivo expansion and transplantation of hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells supported by mesenchymal stem cells from human umbilical cord blood.

Human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are multipotential and are detected in bone marrow (BM), adipose tissue, placenta, and umbilical cord blood (UCB). In this study, we examined the ability of UCB-derived MSCs (UCB-MSCs) to support ex vivo expansion of hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPCs) from UCB and the engraftment of expanded HSPCs in NOD/SCID mice. The result showed that UCB-MSCs supported the proliferation and differentiation of CD34+ cells in vitro.

Aspirin can elicit the recurrence of gastric ulcer induced with acetic acid in rats.

Unlabelled: This study was supported by grants of New Ideas Capability for Backbone Teachers in Universities of Heilongjiang and of Scientific Research foundation in Qiqihar Medical College.

Background/aims: Ulcer recurrence and poor healing may be critically important to the development of serious gastrointestinal complications in patients with long-term non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). The present study is to investigate the effects of aspirin on ulcer recurrence and healing quality and to explore the mechanism.

Ex vivo expansion and pluripotential differentiation of cryopreserved human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells.

This study is aimed at investigating the potentials of ex vivo expansion and pluri-differentiation of cryopreservation of adult human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) into chondrocytes, adipocytes and neurocytes. Cryopreserved hMSCs were resuscitated and cultured for 15 passages, and then induced into chondrocytes, adipocytes and neurocytes with corresponding induction medium. The induced cells were observed for morphological properties and detected for expressions of type II collagen, triglyceride or neuron-specific enolase and nestin.

Cocultivation of umbilical cord blood CD34+ cells with retro-transduced hMSCs leads to effective amplification of long-term culture-initiating cells.

Aim: To establish a novel coculture system for ex vivo expansion of umbilical cord blood(UCB) hematopoietic progenitors using thrombopoietin (TPO)/Flt-3 ligand (FL)-transduced human marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (tfhMSCs) as feeder.

Methods: UCB CD34+ cells were isolated and cultured using four culture systems in serum-containing or serum-free medium. Suitable aliquots of cultured cells were used to monitor cell production, clonogenic activity, and long-term culture-initiating culture (LTC-IC) output.

[Biological characteristics of mesenchymal stem cells in human umbilical cord blood and their supporting capacities in ex vivo expansion of CD34+ hematopoietic stem cells].

Objective: To explore the biological characteristics of mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) derived from umbilical cord blood (UCB) and their supporting capacities in ex vivo expansion of hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPCs).

Methods: Low-density mononuclear cells (MNCs) from UCB were cultured in IMDM containing 20% FBS to form confluent adherent cells through 15 passages. Some cytokines in the conditioned medium were determined with ELISA.

Mesenchymal stem/progenitor cells in human umbilical cord blood as support for ex vivo expansion of CD34(+) hematopoietic stem cells and for chondrogenic differentiation.

Background And Objectives: Human mesenchymal stem/progenitor cells (MSPC) ar pluripotent, being the precursors for marrow stroma, bone, cartilage, muscle and connective tissues. Although the presence of hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPC) in umbilical cord blood (UCB) is well known, that of MSPC has been not fully evaluated.

Design And Methods: In this study, we examined the immunophenotype, the supporting function in relation to ex vivo expansion of hematopoietic stem progenitor cells and the chondrogenic differentiation of cultured cells with characteristics of MSPC from UCB.