[Clinical phenotype and genetic analysis of a patient with 12q22-qter duplication and Xq23-qter deletion caused by maternal balanced translocation].

Objective: To explore the clinical phenotype and genetic diagnosis of a patient featuring secondary amenorrhea, breast dysplasia and mental retardation.

Methods: Peripheral venous blood samples were collected from the patient and her family members and subjected to G-banding karyotyping and single nucleotide polymorphism array (SNP-array) analysis.

Results: The patient was found to have a karyotype of 46,X,der(X)(12qter→ 12q22::Xq23→ Xpter)mat, her mother had a karyotype of 46,X,t(X;12)(Xpter→ Xq23::12q22→ 12qter;12pter→ 12q22::Xq23→ Xqter), while her father and brother were both 46,XY.

[Increased expression of acetaldehyde dehydrogenase in cisplatin-resistant human lung adenocarcinoma A549/DDP cells].

Objective: To investigate the expression and biological significance of acetaldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) in cisplatin-resistant human A549/DDP lung adenocarcinoma cell line.

Methods: The expressions of biomarkers of cancer stem cells (CSCs) including CD44, CD73, CD90, CD105, epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM), ATP-binding cassette sub-family G member 2 (ABCG2) and ALDH in human lung adenocarcinoma A549 cells and cisplatin-resistant A549/DDP cells were ascertained by flow cytometry. The proliferation and sensitivity of A549/DDP cells to cisplatin were evaluated by MTT assay before and after ALDH inhibitor diethylaminobenzaldehyde (DEAB) treatment.

Alteration of histone acetylation pattern during long-term serum-free culture conditions of human fetal placental mesenchymal stem cells.

Increasing evidence suggests that the mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) derived from placenta of fetal origin (fPMSCs) are superior to MSCs of other sources for cell therapy. Since the initial number of isolated MSCs is limited, in vitro propagation is often required to reach sufficient numbers of cells for therapeutic applications, during which MSCs may undergo genetic and/or epigenetic alterations that subsequently increase the probability of spontaneous malignant transformation. Thus, factors that influence genomic and epigenetic stability of MSCs following long-term expansions need to be clarified before cultured MSCs are employed for clinical settings.

Placental mesenchymal stem cells of fetal origin deposit epigenetic alterations during long-term culture under serum-free condition.

Objective: Fetal placental mesenchymal stem cells (fPMSCs) have shown promising cell therapy potentials. However, their genetic and epigenetic stability during in vitro propagation has not been well studied. We thus interrogated the methylation alterations and tumorigenicity of fPMSCs after in vitro expansion using serum-free medium.