Effect of dorsal nerve fascial island flap on repairing distal soft tissue defects at the proximal segment of the index, middle, ring, and little fingers.

Background: To investigate the effect of the dorsal nerve fascial island (DNFI) flap on repairing finger soft tissue defects at the distal segments.

Methods: Fifty patients with distal soft tissue defects at the index, middle, ring, or little fingers were treated with a DNFI flap at the proximal phalanx between February 2008 and May 2018. The nutrient vascular chain around the dorsal branch of the proper palmar digital nerves served as the flap axis.

Ghrelin enhances cisplatin sensitivity in HO-8910 PM human ovarian cancer cells.

Background: Resistance to platinum-based chemotherapy is one of the crucial problems in ovarian cancer treatment. Ghrelin, a widely distributed peptide hormone, participates in a series of cancer progression. The aim of this study is to determine whether ghrelin influences the sensitivity of ovarian cancer to cisplatin, and to demonstrate the underlying mechanism.

Combination of mesenchymal stem cells and FK506 prolongs heart allograft survival by inhibiting TBK1/IRF3-regulated-IFN-γ production.

Lifelong immunosuppression use presents many serious side effects to transplant recipients. Previous studies have shown that mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) regulate the progress of inflammation and protect allograft function. However, the benefits of MSC combined with low-dose tacrolimus (FK506) has not been investigated in heart transplant recipients, and its mechanism deserves further investigation.

Vitamin D3 combined with antibody agents suppresses alloreactive memory T-cell responses to induce heart allograft long-term survival.

Background: The pre-stored memory T cells in organ transplant patient carry a high risk of allograft rejection. The current study aimed to determine whether the allogenic response of adoptively transferred memory T cells in mice was suppressed by vitamin D3 monotherapy alone or in combination with monoclonal antibody treatment.

Methods: Prior to vascularized heterotopic heart transplantation, naïve C57BL/6 mice were primed with memory T cells.

Optimization of the Cuff Technique for Murine Heart Transplantation.

Murine cardiac transplantation has been performed for more than 40 years. With advancements in microsurgery, certain new techniques have been used to improve surgical efficiency. In our lab, we have optimized the cuff technique with two major steps.

Combined treatment with vitamin D3 and antibody agents suppresses secondary heart transplant rejection in the early postoperative period.

Background: Accelerated transplant rejection mediated by donor reactive memory T cells is another barrier to the induction of graft tolerance. The aim of this study was to investigate the immunosuppressing effects of vitamin D (1,25(OH)2D3), administered alone or in combination with a costimulatory blockade treatment, on rejection of secondary heart allografts in a mouse model.

Methods: Circular full-thickness skin grafts from BALB/c mice were cut and grafted onto the lumbar regions of C57BL/6 mice as allo-primed recipients.

The development of an extra-anatomic tissue-engineered artery with collateral arteries for therapeutic angiogenesis in ischemic hind limb.

To develop tissue-engineered arteries (TEAs) with collateral arteries(CAs) in ischemic hind limb goat models(IHLMs). The IHLMs created by removing femoral arteries were divided into non-treated control group(NG); non-catheter group (NCG) in which TEA was anastomosed to external iliac artery(EIA), and surrounded with collagen sponge containing autologous MSCs and VEGF-gelatin microspheres, the distal end of TEA was ligated; catheter group(CG) which received the same procedure as NCG, also received heparin infusion through catheter in EIA. TEA patency was assessed weekly by Ultrasound.

Human iPSC-MSC-Derived Xenografts Modulate Immune Responses by Inhibiting the Cleavage of Caspases.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) negatively modulate immune properties. Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs)-derived MSCs are alternative source of MSCs. However, the effects of iPSC-MSCs on T cells phenotypes in vivo remain unclear.

Preparation and characterization of small-diameter decellularized scaffolds for vascular tissue engineering in an animal model.

Background: The development of a suitable extracellular matrix (ECM) scaffold is the first step in vascular tissue engineering (VTE). Synthetic vascular grafts are available as an alternative to autologous vessels in large-diameter arteries (>8 mm) and medium-diameter arteries (6-8 mm). In small-diameter vessels (<6 mm), synthetic vascular grafts are of limited use due to poor patency rates.

Overexpression of Jagged-1 combined with blockade of CD40 pathway prolongs allograft survival.

Dendritic cells (DCs) have the tolerogenic potential to regulate adaptive immunity and induce allografts acceptance. Here we investigated whether blockade of the CD40 pathway could enhance the immune tolerance induced by DC2.4 cells modified to express Jagged-1 (JAG1-DC) in heart transplantation.

Size discrepancy: not a formidable problem in a mouse heterotopic aortic transplant.

Objectives: We sought to develop a better approach in establishing a heterotopic aortic transplant model.

Materials And Methods: We used "sleeve " operation and set up 2 heterotopic aortic transplant experimental groups (groups 1 and 2). In group 1, donors (BALB/c (H-2d) mice; weight, 25-30 g) had the same weight as the recipients (C57BL/6 (H-2d) mice; weight, 25-30 g); in group 2, donors had lower weights (BALB/c (H-2d) mice, weight, 15-20 g).

Ectopic drainage from the inferior vena cava to the left atrium together with a partial anomalous pulmonary venous connection.

We report a case of a 44-year-old male patient with ectopic drainage from the inferior vena cava to the left atrium accompanied by partial anomalous pulmonary venous drainage. After the patient was hospitalized, his diagnosis was confirmed by Doppler echocardiography and angiography. A pericardial patch was used to divert the blood to the atrium.

Inhibition of accelerated rejection mediated by alloreactive CD4⁺ memory T cells and prolonged allograft survival by arsenic trioxide.

The aim of this study was to evaluate and determine the potential mechanisms of As₂O₃ in accelerated rejection mediated by alloreactive CD4⁺ memory T cells. Vascularized heterotopic cardiac transplantation from C57BL/6 mice to nude mice (pre-transferred CD4⁺ memory T cells) was performed on Day 0, and As₂O₃ was administered to recipient mice from Day 0 to 10. As a result, As₂O₃ could reduce the proliferation of allo-primed CD4⁺ memory T cells in vitro in MLR and the baseline rate of proliferation was restored by the addition of exogenous IL-2.

Inhibiting accelerated rejection mediated by alloreactive CD4(+) memory T cells and prolonging allograft survival by 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D(3) in nude mice.

Donor-reactive memory T cells are major barriers to long-term survival of transplanted organs due to their capacity to accelerate rejection. In this study we investigated the ability of 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D(3) [1,25(OH)(2)D(3)] to inhibit accelerated rejection mediated by alloreactive CD4(+) memory T cells and to prolong cardiac allograft survival in an adoptive T cell memory/heart transplant model of nude mice. In vitro, the proliferation of CD4(+) memory T cells was significantly inhibited by 1,25(OH)(2)D(3) and was restored following addition of exogenous IL-2.