Are Chinese Patients with Type 2 Diabetes and a Body Mass Index of 27.5-32.5 kg/m Suitable for Metabolic Surgery? A One-Year Post-Surgery Study.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to clarify the efficacy and safety of metabolic surgery in Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and a body mass index (BMI) of 27.5-32.5 kg/m.

Evaluation of a novel hybrid bioartificial liver based on a multi-layer flat-plate bioreactor.

Aim: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of a hybrid bioartificial liver (HBAL) system in the treatment of acute liver failure.

Methods: Canine models with acute liver failure were introduced with intravenous administration of D-galactosamine. The animals were divided into: the HBAL treatment group (n = 8), in which the canines received a 3-h treatment of HBAL; the bioartificial liver (BAL) treatment group (n = 8), in which the canines received a 3-h treatment of BAL; the non-bioartificial liver (NBAL) treatment group (n = 8), in which the canines received a 3-h treatment of NBAL; the control group (n = 8), in which the canines received no additional treatment.

Microbiological safety of a novel bio-artificial liver support system based on porcine hepatocytes: a experimental study.

Background: Our institute has developed a novel bio-artificial liver (BAL) support system, based on a multi-layer radial-flow bioreactor carrying porcine hepatocytes and mesenchymal stem cells. It has been shown that porcine hepatocytes are capable of carrying infectious porcine endogenous retroviruses (PERVs) into human cells, thus the microbiological safety of any such system must be confirmed before clinical trials can be performed. In this study, we focused on assessing the status of PERV infection in beagles treated with the novel BAL.

[New evidence of porcine endogenous retrovirus transmission with new bio-artificial liver system: a experimental study].

Objective: To investigate the potential transmissibility of porcine endogenous retrovirus (PERV) from a newly-developed porcine hepatocyte bioartificial liver (BAL) system prior to human clinical trial by using a live canine model.

Methods: Five normal beagles were treated with the new BAL support system for six hours. Samples of plasma from the BAL system and whole blood from the beagles were collected at regular intervals over the six month study period.

[The efficacy research of multi-layer flat-plate bioartificial liver on acute liver failure].

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of newly developed multi-layer flat-plate bioartificial liver in treatment of canines with acute liver failure.

Methods: Porcine hepatocytes and bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells were cocultured in newly developed multi-layer flat-plate bioreactor. Acute liver failure in canine models was induced by D-galactosamine administration.

Immunosafety evaluation of a multilayer flat-plate bioartificial liver.

Introduction: To study and evaluate the immunosafety of our newly developed multilayer flat-plate bioartificial liver (BAL) in treatment of canines with acute liver failure.

Methods: Fresh porcine hepatocytes and bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells were cocultured in new BAL. Ten canine models with acute liver failure were set up through D-galactosamine administration; 24 hours after administration, the beagles were randomly allocated to a 6-hour treatment with the BAL.

The influence of membrane molecular weight cutoff on a novel bioartificial liver.

Given the xenogeneic immune reaction relevant to the molecular weight cutoff of the membrane of a bioartificial liver (BAL) system, we investigated the influence of membrane molecular weight cutoff in our BAL system in this study. Acute liver failure in beagles was induced by d-galactosamine administration. Eight beagles were divided into two groups by the membrane molecular weight cutoff of the plasma component separator.

Influence of chitosan nanofiber scaffold on porcine endogenous retroviral expression and infectivity in pig hepatocytes.

Aim: To investigate the influence of chitosan nanofiber scaffold on the production and infectivity of porcine endogenous retrovirus (PERV) expressed by porcine hepatocytes.

Methods: Freshly isolated porcine hepatocytes were cultured with or without chitosan nanofiber scaffold (defined as Nano group and Hep group) for 7 d. The daily collection of culture medium was used to detect reverse transcriptase (RT) activity with RT activity assay kits and PERV RNA by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and real time PCR with the PERV specific primers.

Effects of membrane molecular weight cutoff on performance of a novel bioartificial liver.

Immunoisolation using semipermeable membranes has been incorporated into bioartificial liver (BAL) devices to separate cellular components of the recipient's immune system from the cells within the BAL device. This study was designed to explore the influence of membrane molecular weight cutoff on performance of the multilayer radial-flow BAL using porcine hepatocytes cocultured with mesenchymal stem cells. In this study, healthy beagles underwent 6-h treatment with a BAL containing membrane with 200 kDa retention rating or 1200 kDa retention rating.

Electrospun chitosan nanofibers for hepatocyte culture.

In this study, we developed a method to obtain high surface area nanofiber meshes composed of chitosan of a number of molecular weights. This method required decreasing the viscosity and surface tension of the chitosan solution as well as optimization of the electrospinning parameters such as applied voltage and environmental humidity. These chitosan nanofiber meshes were developed as a culture substrate for hepatocytes.

Rat hepatocyte aggregate formation on discrete aligned nanofibers of type-I collagen-coated poly(L-lactic acid).

Primary hepatocytes cultured in three dimensional tissue constructs composed of multicellular aggregates maintain normal differentiated cellular function in vitro while cultured monolayers do not. Here, we report a technique to induce hepatocyte aggregate formation using type-I collagen-coated poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA) discrete aligned nanofibers (disAFs) by providing limited cell-substrate adhesion strength and restricting cell migration to uniaxial movement. Kinetics of aggregate formation, morphology and biochemical activities of rat hepatocyte aggregates were tested over a 15 day culture period.

In vitro evaluation of a multi-layer radial-flow bioreactor based on galactosylated chitosan nanofiber scaffolds.

Clinical use of bioartificial livers (BAL) strongly relies on the development of bioreactors. In this study, we developed a multi-layer radial-flow bioreactor based on galactosylated chitosan nanofiber scaffolds and evaluated its efficacy in vitro. The bioreactor contains 65 layers of stacked flat plates, on which the nanofiber scaffolds were electrospinned for hepatocyte immobilization and aggregation.

Chitosan nanofiber scaffold enhances hepatocyte adhesion and function.

To enhance cell attachment and promote liver functions of hepatocytes cultured in bioreactors, a chitosan nanofiber scaffold was designed and prepared via electrospinning. Effects of the scaffold on hepatocyte adhesion, viability and function were then investigated. Data showed that hepatocytes on chitosan nanofiber scaffold exhibited better viability and tighter cell-substrate contact than cells on regular chitosan film.