T cell immunomodulation by clinically used allogeneic human cancellous bone fragments: a potential novel immunotherapy tool.

Multipotential stromal cells (MSCs) demonstrate strong immunomodulation capabilities following culture expansion. We have previously demonstrated that human cancellous bone fragments (CBFs) clinically used as viable allografts for spinal fusion have resident MSCs that exhibit T cell immunomodulation after monolayer expansion. This study investigated the immunomodulatory ability of these CBFs without MSC culture-expansion.

Multipotential stromal cell abundance in cellular bone allograft: comparison with fresh age-matched iliac crest bone and bone marrow aspirate.

Aim: To enumerate and characterize multipotential stromal cells (MSCs) in a cellular bone allograft and compare with fresh age-matched iliac crest bone and bone marrow (BM) aspirate.

Materials & Methods: MSC characterization used functional assays, confocal/scanning electron microscopy and whole-genome microarrays. Resident MSCs were enumerated by flow cytometry following enzymatic extraction.

Micro-computed tomography-based three-dimensional kinematic analysis during lateral bending for spinal fusion assessment in a rat posterolateral lumbar fusion model.

Rat posterolateral lumbar fusion (PLF) models have been used to assess the safety and effectiveness of new bone substitutes and osteoinductive growth factors using palpation, radiography, micro-computed tomography (μCT), and histology as standard methods to evaluate spinal fusion. Despite increased numbers of PLF studies involving alternative bone substitutes and growth factors, the quantitative assessment of treatment efficacy during spinal motion has been limited. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of spinal fusion on lumbar spine segment stability during lateral bending using a μCT-based three-dimensional (3D) kinematic analysis in the rat PLF model.

Intervertebral disc repair using adipose tissue-derived stem and regenerative cells: experiments in a canine model.

Study Design: Therapeutic treatment of intervertebral disc repair using cells.

Objective: The goal of the study was to test the hypothesis that repair of a damaged disc is possible using autologous adipose tissue derived stem and regenerative cells (ADRCs).

Summary Of Background Data: Degradation resulting from either acute or chronic repetitive disc injury leads to disc degeneration.

Immunolocalization of IL-17A, IL-17B, and their receptors in chondrocytes during fracture healing.

Fracture healing in long bones is a sequential multistep cascade of hemostasis, transient inflammation, chemotaxis of progenitor cells, mitosis, differentiation of cartilage, and replacement with bone. This multistep cascade is orchestrated by cytokines and morphogens. Members of the interleukin (IL)-17 family, including IL-17B, have been identified in cartilage, but their expression during fracture healing is unknown.

Adipose-derived stem and progenitor cells as fillers in plastic and reconstructive surgery.

Plastic surgeons are keenly aware of the principle "replace like with like." This principle underlies much of the rationale behind the clinical use of autologous fat transplantation, despite the procedure's drawbacks. Autologous fat transplantation is frequently used for a variety of cosmetic and reconstructive indications not limited to posttraumatic defects of the face and body, involutional disorders such as hemifacial atrophy, sequelae of radiation therapy, and many aesthetic uses such as lip and facial augmentation and wrinkle therapy.

Generation of interleukin-17 receptor-like protein (IL-17RL) in prostate by alternative splicing of RNA.

Background: Interleukin-17 receptor-like protein (IL-17RL) expressed in prostate tissues changes with advanced cancers due to extensive alternative splicing, which affects the final protein. Predominant IL-17RL splice isoform variants have not been identified, hindering functional studies.

Methods: A cDNA library of IL-17RL transcripts was arrayed onto nylon membranes.

Expression of interleukin-17B in mouse embryonic limb buds and regulation by BMP-7 and bFGF.

Interleukin-17B (IL-17B) is a member of interleukin-17 family that displays a variety of proinflammatory and immune modulatory activities. In this study, we found that IL-17B mRNA was maximally expressed in the limb buds of 14.5 days post coitus (dpc) mouse embryo and declined to low level at 19.

Bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)-6 signaling and BMP antagonist noggin in prostate cancer.

It has been proposed that the osteoblastic nature of prostate cancer skeletal metastases is due in part to elevated activity of bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs). BMPs are osteoinductive morphogens, and elevated expression of BMP-6 correlates with skeletal metastases of prostate cancer. In this study, we investigated the expression levels of BMPs and their modulators in prostate, using microarray analysis of cell cultures and gene expression.

Acceleration of regenerate ossification during distraction osteogenesis with recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-7.

Background: Bone-lengthening can be accomplished by means of distraction osteogenesis. In the present study, we examined the effect of a single dose of recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-7 (rhBMP-7) on the rate of new-bone formation during distraction osteogenesis in the rat.

Methods: Fourteen Long-Evans rats were randomized into two groups of seven rats each.

Comparative morphometry of L4 vertebrae: comparison of large animal models for the human lumbar spine.

Study Design: Anatomic analysis of L4 vertebral morphometry comparing specimens harvested from humans and five common large animal species.

Objective: To compare fundamental structural similarities and differences in the vertebral bodies of commonly used experimental animals relative to human vertebrae.

Summary Of Background Data: Animal models are commonly used for assessment of spine fusion, instrumentation techniques, and vertebral bone biology.

Soluble and transmembrane isoforms of novel interleukin-17 receptor-like protein by RNA splicing and expression in prostate cancer.

Members of the interleukin-17 cytokine family are present in a variety of tissues (1-3), although the founding member, interleukin-17, is expressed exclusively in T cells and B cells (4-8). The cloning and characterization of a novel single-pass transmembrane protein with limited homology to the interleukin-17 receptor is reported. High mRNA levels were detected in prostate, cartilage, kidney, liver, heart, and muscle, whereas transcripts were barely detected in thymus and leukocytes.