Intravenous acid fibroblast growth factor protects intestinal mucosal cells against ischemia-reperfusion injury via regulating Bcl-2/Bax expression.

Aim: To detect the effect of acid fibroblast growth factor (aFGF) on apoptosis and gene expression of bax and bcl-2 gene in rat intestine after ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury, and to explore the protective mechanisms of aFGF.

Methods: One hundred and eight Wistar rats were randomly divided into sham-operated control group (C) (n = 6), intestinal ischemia group (I) (n = 6), aFGF treatment group (A) (n = 48) and intestinal ischemia-reperfusion group (R) (n = 48). In group I, the animals were killed after 45 min of superior mesenteric artery (SMA) occlusion, while in groups R and A, the rats sustained 45 min of SMA occlusion and were then treated with normal saline and aFGF, respectively, sustained 15 min, 30 min, 1, 2, 6, 12, 24, or 48 h of reperfusion, respectively.

[Gene expression of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase and its MAPKKs in skin at different developmental stages and its possible biological significance].

Objective: To investigate the gene expression of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38MAPK) and its upstream signaling molecule (mkk3 and mkk6) in fetal skin at different developmental stages and postnatal skin and its potential biological significance.

Methods: The fetal skin biopsies were obtained from human embryo of spontaneous abortion at gestational ages from 13 to 32 weeks and postnatal skin specimens were collected from patients (4-16 years) undergoing plastic surgery. After the morphological characteristics of skins at different developmental stages were detected with pathological methods, the gene expressions of p38MAPK, mkk3 and mkk6 in skins were examined with reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analysis (RT-PCR).

Engineered growth factors and cutaneous wound healing: success and possible questions in the past 10 years.

In the past 10 years, many engineered growth factors, including recombinant human epidermal growth factor, basic fibroblast growth factor, and platelet-derived growth factor, have been produced and used in the clinic. After screening the results from different centers, some results are found to be encouraging, while others are discouraging. Although the interpretation of these results may depend on your perspective, it may also depend on different criteria, different wounds, and even different aims.

[Influence of escharectomy during shock stage on the systemic and intestinal immune function in scalded rats].

Objective: To investigate the influence of escharectomy during shock stage on systemic and intestinal immune function and its mechanism in scalded rats.

Methods: Ninety-six Wistar rats were employed in the study of which 8 were used as normal control group. The donor skin from the trunk in twenty-four rats were preserved in liquid nitrogen.

[Changes in uncoupling protein-2, 3 mRNA expression in the scalded rats after escharectomy at different post scalding stages].

Objective: To investigate the expression of uncoupling protein (UCP)-2, 3 mRNA in skeletal muscle of the scalded rats after escharectomy at different post scalding stages.

Methods: One hundred and twenty Wistar rats were employed in the study, in which 8 served as normal control (C) and 112 were subjected to 30% TBSA 3rd degree scalding and then again, divided into 4 groups. The rats in A group were sacrificed on 8th, 24th, 96th, 120th and 168th post scalding hours (PSHs) without escharectomy.

The pathogenesis of discogenic low back pain.

Discogenic low back pain is a common cause of disability, but its pathogenesis is poorly understood. We collected 19 specimens of lumbar intervertebral discs from 17 patients with discogenic low back pain during posterior lumbar interbody fusion, 12 from physiologically ageing discs and ten from normal control discs. We investigated the histological features and assessed the immunoreactive activity of neurofilament (NF200) and neuropeptides such as substance P (SP) and vasoactive-intestinal peptide (VIP) in the nerve fibres.

Ontogeny of expression of transforming growth factor-beta and its receptors and their possible relationship with scarless healing in human fetal skin.

Fetal cutaneous wounds that occur in early gestation heal without scar formation. Although much work has been done to characterize the role of transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) isoforms and their receptors in the wound healing process, their roles in scarless wound repair observed in early gestation and their functions in human fetal skin development, and structural and functional maintenance are still not well understood. In this study, we explore the expression and distribution characteristics of three TGF-beta isoforms and their receptors, TGF-betaRI (TBRI) and TGF-betaRII (TBRII), in fetal and postnatal skins to understand the relevance of these five proteins to skin development and elucidate the mechanism(s) underlying the phenotypic transition from scarless to scar-forming healing observed during fetal gestation.

[Improvement and application of methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction].

Background & Objective: Methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction (MSP) is frequently used to screen DNA methylation state, but it is complicate and time-consuming, with high output of non-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) products, and diseconomy, these methods need to be improved. RUNX3 gene is a tumor suppressor gene (TSG) in gastric cancer, and inactivated by both hypermethylation and allelic loss. This study was to adopt the improved MSP to detect methylation state of RUNX3 gene in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

[High mobility group box-1 protein activates Janus kinase-signal transducer and activator of transcription pathway in rat peritoneal macrophages].

Objective: To investigate the potential signal transduction mechanism in high mobility group box-1 protein (HMGB1)-induced inflammatory response in rat peritoneal macrophages.

Methods: Peritoneal macrophages obtained from male Wistar rats were incubated for 3 days before they were stimulated by HMGB1 (10 microg/ml). At various time points after HMGB1 stimulation, macrophages were denatured directly in cell culture flasks to detect activation of Janus kinase-2 (JAK2), signal transducer and activator of transcription-1 (STAT1) and STAT3 by immunoprecipitation, Western blotting and electrophoretic mobility shift assay, respectively.

[Development of selective acellular porcine skin and its preliminary clinical application on burn wounds].

Objective: To develop a new kind of skin substitute, selective acellular porcine skin, to cover excised wounds in treatment of extensive deep burns on the basis of controlled de-cell technique.

Methods: Partial thickness porcine skin was treated with 0.25% trypsin for 2 hours at 37 degrees C after crosslinked with glutaraldehyde, and then it was glued to a container with the edge embedded with glue.

[The role of tyrosine phosphorylation proteins in procollagen gene expression of fibroblasts in wound healing].

Objective: To investigate the role of adhesion between fibronectin and fibroblasts in wound healing as well as tyrosine phosphorylation proteins in procollagen mRNA expression.

Methods: The level of proalpha1 (I) mRNA and tyrosine phosphorylation protein were detected employing the techniques of RT-PCR and immunoblotting. After inhibition of tyrosine kinases, herbimycin A was added to the medium to block the pathway of tyrosine phosphorylation, the changes of procollagen mRNA and tyrosine phosphorylation proteins were further investigated.

[Effects of escharectomy during shock stage on tissue high mobility group box-1 expression and balance of pro-/anti-inflammatory response in rats after severe thermal injury].

Objective: To investigate the effects of escharectomy during shock stage on tissue high mobility group box-1 protein (HMGB1) expression and balance of pro-/anti-inflammatory cytokines, and to elucidate the potential mechanism underlying beneficial effect of early escharectomy after severe burns.

Methods: Wistar rats inflicted by 30% full-thickness thermal injury were randomly divided into thermal injury group, 24 h escharectomy group and 72 h escharectomy group, in which escharectomy were performed at 24 and 72 h postburn, respectively. Gene expression of HMGB1, interleukin-10 (IL-10), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) in liver and lungs was detected with reverse-transcription PCR, and protein levels of IL-10 and TNF-alpha in liver and lung tissues were measured by ELISA.

[Enhancing the repair quality of skin injury on porcine after autografting with the bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells].

Objective: To explore the effects of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) on the quality of healing of porcine skin wounds after burn injury so as to provide a new method for clinical skin repair in the future.

Methods: Seventy-two deep-partial thickness burn wounds were produced on the back of 6 minipigs and then the pigs were randomly divided into 6 groups: saline control, MSCs treatment, MSCs plus basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) treatment, MSCs plus epidermal growth factor (EGF) treatment, bFGF treatment or EGF treatment only. MSCs were isolated from porcine marrow and cultured in vitro.

[The use of dynamic axial external fixator with modified technique in Pilon fractures of tibial].

Objective: To retrospectively analyses the results of dynamic axial external fixator with modified technique in the treatment of severely Pilon fractures.

Methods: From July 2000 to February 2003, 14 patients with severely Pilon fractures were treated with dynamic axial external fixator inserted with modified technique combined with limited open reduction and internal fixation with screws and Kirschner wires, with two distal external pins inserted into talus and calcaneus respectively so that the rotation axis of distal clamp was coincided with that of ankle joint. All patients were young or middle-aged people from 20 y to 52 y (average 38 y).

[The pathogenesis of discogenic low back pain].

Objective: To study the pathogenesis of the pain of discography and the discogenic low back pain.

Methods: 19 specimens of lumbar intervertebral discs from 17 patients with discogenic low back pain during posterior lumbar interbody fusion, and 12 physiologically aging discs and 10 normal control discs were collected to investigate the morphologic features and innervation containing neuropeptides substance P (SP), neural filament (NF), and vasoactive-intestinal peptide (VIP).

Results: The distinct morphologic characteristic of the disc from the patient with discogenic low back pain was the formation of the strip zone of vascularized granulation tissue from the nucleus pulposus to the outer part of the annulus fibrosus in which there was one or several fissures.

[Application of digital subtraction angiography and type B ultrasonography in the evaluation of vascular injury in patients with high voltage electrical injury].

Objective: To compare the difference between digital subtraction angiography (DSA) and type B ultrasonography in the evaluation of vascular injury in patients inflicted with high voltage electrical injury.

Methods: Nineteen patients with high voltage electrical injury of upper limbs were enrolled in the study as burn group, and another 12 healthy volunteers as controls. The endovascular membrane, vascular wall thickness, intra-vascular blood flow and endovascular thrombosis formation of ulnar and radial arteries at wound site and in regions 5, 10 and 15 cm proximal to the wounds were examined by DSA and type B ultrasonography and compared with imagings of healthy volunteers as control.

[Effects of reconstructive human acidic fibroblast growth factor and wild type acidic fibroblast growth factor on skin cell proliferation].

Objective: To investigate the effects of reconstructive human acidic fibroblast growth factor (aFGF) and wild type aFGF on skin cell proliferation in rat.

Methods: Neonatal rat skin (area of 2 mmx2 mm) was cultured in Dulbecco's modification of Eagle's medium containing reconstructive human aFGF and wild type aFGF, respectively. The concentrations of aFGF were 1 microg/L, 10 microg/L, and 100 microg/L.

[Development of a freezing drier for lyophilization of biomaterials].

To observe and assess the performance and effect of our self-made FD-1 freezing drier on biomaterials. R502 compressor and R502 refrigerating agent were adopted. In the experiment, FD-1 lyophilized collagen sponge, strain and defibrinogenase.

[Effect of exogenous basic fibroblast growth factor on proliferation and migration of endothelial cells of partial thickness scald in rats].

Objective: To observe the proliferation and migration of endothelial cells after 30% total burn surface area (TBSA) of deep partial thickness scald, and the effect of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) on angiogenesis during wound healing.

Methods: A total of 133 male Wistar rats were divided randomly into normal control (n = 7), injured control group (n = 42), bFGF group (n = 42) and anti-c-fos group (n = 42). The apoptosis expression of fibroblasts was determined with in situ hybridization and the changes of proliferation cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), focal adhesion rinase(FAK), c-fos and extracellular signal-regulated kinase(ERK) proteins expression were detected with immunohistochemistry staining technique after 3 hours, 6 hours, 1 day, 3 days, 7 days, 14 days and 21 days of scald.

[The treatment of deformity of axillary scar contracture after burns].

Objective: To explore the best methods to repair the deformity of axillary scar contracture after burns.

Methods: Ninety cases in 78 patients with axillary scar contracture after burns from January 1998 to January 2002 were analyzed. According to the severity of the deformity and its influence on the function of the shoulder joint.

Development of gene microarray in screening differently expressed genes in keloid and normal-control skin.

Background: Keloid is an intricate lesion that is probably regulated by many genes. In this study, the authors used the technique of complementary DNA (cDNA) microarray to analyse abnormal gene expression in keloids and normal control skins.

Methods: The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) products of 8400 genes were spotted in an array on chemical-material-coated-glass plates.