Fast method for skeletal tissue gene expression analysis.

Several chronic diseases have been associated with bone alteration in the last few years. Despite the wealth of information provided by the analysis of the transcriptome in affected tissues, only a limited number of studies evaluated gene expression in bone tissue due to the difficulty to obtain high quality RNA. Therefore, skeletal pathologies have been often associated to a defective maturation process that occurs during recruitment of progenitor stem cells.

Declining trends in the incidence of hip fractures in people aged 65years or over in years 2000-2011.

Background: The aim of this study was to explore hip fracture (HFx) incidence in the Veneto Region of Italy, looking at potential differences with the national data.

Methods: We analyzed HFx incidence for people aged 65years or over, in years 2000-2011, using data from the Regional Hospitalization Database. Patients were stratified by sex, calendar year and 5-year age class.

The relationship between the Spine Deformity Index, biochemical parameters of bone metabolism and vascular calcifications: results from the Epidemiological VERtebral FRACtures iTalian Study (EVERFRACT) in dialysis patients.

Background: The Spine Deformity Index (SDI) is a measure of vertebral fractures (VFs), providing information on both their number and severity.

Methods: We evaluated the relationships between SDI and clinical, biochemical and arterial calcification parameters in 387 hemodialysis (HD) patients. VFs, assessed by quantitative vertebral morphometry, and vascular calcifications were identified in the same lateral spinal X-ray.

Effects of time culture and prototypical cytochrome P450 3A (CYP3A) inducers on CYP2B22, CYP2C, CYP3A and nuclear receptor (NR) mRNAs in long-term cryopreserved pig hepatocytes (CPHs).

In the present study, transcriptional and post-translational effects of culturing time and prototypical cytochrome P450 3A (CYP3A) inducers on principal nuclear receptors (NRs), CYP2B22, 2C and 3A were investigated in long-term stored (~10 years) cryopreserved pig hepatocytes (CPHs). In the time-course study, a crush and rise effect was observed for pregnane X receptor (NR1I2) and constitutive androstane receptor (NR1I3) mRNAs, while a time-dependent increase of retinoid X receptor alpha (NR2B1) was noticed. Cytochrome P450 gene expression profiles were down-regulated as a function of time.

Densitometric threshold and vertebral fractures in heart transplant patients.

Background: Bone disease is one of the major complications of solid organ transplantation, causes considerable morbidity, and most patients are treated with immunosuppressant drugs after graft. The majority of studies reported rapid bone loss and an increased incidence of fractures after transplantation. The aim of our study was to evaluate osteoporosis and fracture prevalence, bone metabolism, and the effect of immunosuppressant agents on bone after heart transplantation.

The effect of risedronate on osteogenic lineage is mediated by cyclooxygenase-2 gene upregulation.

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of risedronate (Ris) in the modulation of bone formation in rats with glucocorticoid (GC)-induced osteoporosis by histomorphometric, immunohistochemical and gene expression analyses.

Methods: We analyzed structure, turnover and microarchitecture, cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) levels and osteocyte apoptosis in 40 female rats divided as follows: 1) vehicle of methylprednisolone (vGC) + vehicle of risedronate (vRis); 2) Ris 5 μg/Kg + vGC; 3) methylprednisolone (GC) 7 mg/Kg + vRis; 4) GC 7 mg/Kg +Ris 5 μg/Kg. In addition, we evaluated cell proliferation and expression of COX-2 and bone alkaline phosphatase (b-ALP) genes in bone marrow cells and MLO-y4 osteocytes treated with Ris alone or in co-treatment with the selective COX-2 inhibitor NS-398 or with dexametasone.

The future of stem cells in liver diseases.

Preliminary experience with clinical hepatocyte transplantation during the past decade has provided proof of concept that cell therapy can be effective for the treatment of some liver diseases. Recent progress in cell biology resulting in the isolation and characterization of hepatic stem cells and progenitor cells further increased the expectation for a new approach to the treatment of genetic and chronic liver disease. Several potential sources have been identified of hepatic stem/ progenitor cells exhibiting both differentiation towards the hepatic lineage in vitro and hepatic parenchymal repopulation with liver-specific metabolic activity in liver-injured animal models.

SiO(2) entrapment of animal cells: liver-specific metabolic activities in silicaoOverlaid hepatocytes.

Rat hepatocytes in a collagen-gel sandwich configuration were exposed to silicon alkoxides in a gas phase, yielding a 0.05 to 0.15 microm porous silica layer on the gel surface.

Hepatocyte transplantation as a treatment for glycogen storage disease type 1a.

Treatment of many inherited disorders of hepatic metabolism is still challenging. Hepatocyte transplantation was done in a 47-year-old woman who had glycogen storage disease type 1a and severe fasting hypoglycaemia. 2 billion viable hepatocytes were infused via an indwelling portal-vein catheter, followed by a triple immunosuppression regimen with mycophenolate mofetil, tacrolimus, and steroids.