Effect of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells on hepatoma.

Background Aims: The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) on tumor cell growth in vitro and in vivo and to elucidate the apoptotic and anti-proliferative mechanisms of MSCs on a hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) murine model.

Methods: The growth-inhibitory effect of MSCs on the Hepa 1-6 cell line was tested by means of methyl thiazolyl diphenyl-tetrazolium assay. Eighty female mice were randomized into four groups: group 1 consisted of 20 mice that received MSCs only by intrahepatic injection; group 2 consisted of 20 HCC mice induced by inoculation of Hepa 1-6 cells into livers without MSC treatment; group 3 consisted of 20 mice that received MSCs after induction of liver cancer; group 4 consisted of 20 mice that received MSCs after induction of liver cancer on top of induced biliary cirrhosis.

Impact of Schistosoma mansoni co-infection on serum profile of interferon-gamma, interleukin-4 and interleukin-10 in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection.

T cell immunoregulatory cytokines may play a crucial role in the host response to hepatitis C virus infection. While T-helper type 1 (Th1) cytokines are required for host antiviral immune responses, T-helper type 2 (Th2) cytokines can inhibit the development of these effector mechanisms. The aim of this study was to investigate the serum levels of IFN-gamma, IL-4 and IL-10 and their roles in the pathogenesis of chronic HCV infection.