The expression of IL-6 and STAT3 might predict progression and unfavorable prognosis in Wilms' tumor.

Purpose: To investigate the expression profiles of IL-6 and STAT3 in Wilms' tumor (WT) and their relationship with disease progression.

Methods: Immunohistochemistry was used to examine IL-6 and STAT3 expression in 58 primary tumors and 18 invasive/metastatic ones.

Results: Positive expression rate of IL-6/STAT3 was 39.

Hyperthermia induces upregulation of connexin43 in the golden hamster neural tube.

Background: During early embryonic development, maternal exposure to hyperthermia induces neural tube defects (NTDs). Connexins are essential for the formation of gap junctions and Connexin43 (Cx43) is crucially involved in neural tube development. This study was designed to explore the potential role of Cx43 in NTDs induced by hyperthermia.

Survival and differentiation of neuroepithelial stem cells on chitosan bicomponent fibers.

Chitosan is a popular biomaterial used in tissue engineering. Fibers of chitosan could provide a favorable anatomical substrate for cell growth which provides a promising application for axonal regeneration during peripheral injury. Neuroepithelial stem cells (NEPs) are the most primitive neural stem cells with multipotential for neuronal and glia differentiation.

Insulin-producing cells derived from rat bone marrow and their autologous transplantation in the duodenal wall for treating diabetes.

Islet cell transplantation is one of the most promising therapies for diabetes mellitus (DM). However, the limited availability of purified islets for transplantation and the risk of immunological rejection severely limit its use. In vitro transdifferentiation of autologous bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) into insulin-producing cells (IPCs) could provide an abundant source of cells for this procedure and avoid immunological rejection.

Survival and differentiation of neuroepithelial stem cells following transplantation into the lateral ventricle of rats.

Neuroepithelial stem cells (NEPs) demonstrate a high potential for self-renewal and differentiation during embryonic development. To explore the survival and differentiation of NEPs in vivo, we isolated NEPs from green fluorescence protein (GFP) transgenic embryos and transplanted into the lateral ventricle of rats. In vitro culture, NEPs proliferated into neurospheres and differentiated into both neurons and glia.

Effects of Buyang Huanwu Decoction on neurite outgrowth and differentiation of neuroepithelial stem cells.

To determine the effects of Buyang Huanwu Decoction (BYHWD), a traditional Chinese medicine, on neurite outgrowth and differentiation of neuroepithelial stem cells (NEPs), NEPs were isolated from embryonic neural tube and cultured in medium with rat serum containing BYHWD, which was prepared from rats administrated orally with BYHWD. The average neurite length of NEPs grew significantly longer in rat serum containing BYHWD than in control serum without BYHWD. More neurofilament (NF) positive cells and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) positive cells were detected in NEPs cultured in the presence of BYHWD.

Hyperglycemic condition disturbs the proliferation and cell death of neural progenitors in mouse embryonic spinal cord.

Spina bifida, which results from failure of fusion in the spinal region of neural tube, is among the most common birth defects associated with diabetic pregnancy. However, the mechanism underlying maternal diabetes-induced congenital malformations including spina bifida is not fully understood. It was hypothesized that hyperglycemic conditions affect the proliferation and apoptosis of neural progenitor cells in the developing spinal neural tube, leading to abnormal neurodevelopment.

[Cloning and characterization of down-regulated genes in neural tube defects of golden hamster induced by hyperthermia].

Objective: To clone down-regulated genes in neural tube defects of golden hamster induced by hyperthermia and to explore the molecular mechanism.

Methods: A reversed subtractive cDNA library was constructed using suppression subtractive hybridization. Clones with inserts were selected by combination of alpha complementary phenomenon and colony PCR.