Cultured human skeletal muscle satellite cells exhibit characteristics of mesenchymal stem cells and play anti-inflammatory roles through prostaglandin E2 and hepatocyte growth factors.

Skeletal muscle satellite cells (SkMSCs) play crucial roles in muscle fiber maintenance, repair, and remodeling; however, it remains unknown if these properties are preserved in cultured SkMSCs. In this study, we investigated the characteristics of cultured SkMSCs and their ability to regulate the activity of M1 macrophages. SkMSCs grew well with an average population doubling time of 26.

Hepatopulmonary syndrome is related to the development of acute-on-chronic liver failure and poor prognosis in cirrhotic patients.

Background And Aims: Long-term prospective data on hepatopulmonary syndrome (HPS) from a large number of patients, especially in Asian patients, are lacking. We evaluated the long-term prognosis of HPS and the development of acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF), and related factors.

Methods: A total of 142 patients with cirrhosis who underwent saline-agitated contrast echocardiography for the diagnosis of HPS were enrolled and observed prospectively from 2014 to 2019.

TRAIL-overexpressing Adipose Tissue-derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Efficiently Inhibit Tumor Growth in an H460 Xenograft Model.

Background/aim: Mesenchymal stem cell-based tumor therapy is still limited due to the insufficient secretion of effectors and discrepancies between their in vitro and in vivo efficacy. We investigated whether genetically engineered adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ASCs) overexpressing tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) had inhibitory effects on H460 tumor growth both in vitro and in an H460 xenograft model.

Materials And Methods: Genetically engineered adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ASCs) overexpressing tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) were obtained from plasmid transfection with pCMV3-TRAIL and -interferon (IFN)-β (producing ASC-TRAIL and ASC-IFN-β, respectively).

DNA-binding Cell-penetrating Peptide-based TRAIL Over-expression in Adipose Tissue-derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Inhibits Glioma U251MG Growth.

Background/aim: Genetic manipulation of stem cells using non-viral vectors is still limited due to low transfection efficiency. We investigated whether the DNA-binding cell-permeation peptides (CPP) can enhance the transfection efficiency of non-viral vectors in adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ASCs) and whether ASCs over-expressing TRAIL through CPP can inhibit the growth of glioma U251MG cells in vitro and in vivo.

Materials And Methods: ASCs were genetically engineered to over-express TRAIL by using CPP, pCMV3-TRAIL and lipid-based transfection reagents (X-tremeGENE).

Identification of genes involved in neuronal cell death and recovery over time in rat axotomy and neurorrhaphy models through RNA sequencing.

Facial nerves are frequently injured during cosmetic or other types of facial surgery. However, information on the genes involved in the damage and recovery of the facial nerves is limited. Here, we aimed to identify the genes affected by facial nerve injury and repair using next-generation sequencing.

Mesenchymal stem cell therapy for liver disease: current status and future perspectives.

Purpose Of Review: Liver transplantation is the gold standard for the treatment of end-stage liver disease. However, a shortage of donor organs, high cost, and surgical complications limit the use of this treatment. Cellular therapies using hepatocytes, hematopoietic stem cells, bone marrow mononuclear cells, and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are being investigated as alternative treatments to liver transplantation.

Ca-activated mitochondrial biogenesis and functions improve stem cell fate in Rg3-treated human mesenchymal stem cells.

Although mitochondrial functions are essential for cell survival, their critical roles in stem cell fate, including proliferation, differentiation, and senescence, remain elusive. Ginsenoside Rg3 exhibits various biological activities and reportedly increases mitochondrial biogenesis and respiration. Herein, we observed that Rg3 increased proliferation and suppressed senescence of human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells.

Bone Marrow-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Isolated from Patients with Cirrhosis and Healthy Volunteers Show Comparable Characteristics.

Background And Objectives: Autologous or allogeneic bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) have been applied in clinical trials to treat liver disease. However, only a few studies are comparing the characteristics of autologous MSCs from patients and allogeneic MSCs from normal subjects.

Methods And Results: We compared the characteristics of BMSCs (BCs and BPs, respectively) isolated from six healthy volunteers and six patients with cirrhosis.

Mesenchymal stem cells to treat liver diseases.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are being developed for stem cell therapy and can be efficiently used in regenerative medicine. To date, more than 1,000 clinical trials have used MSCs; of these, more than 80 clinical trials have targeted liver disease. MSCs migrate to damaged liver tissues, differentiate into hepatocytes, reduce liver inflammatory responses, reduce liver fibrosis, and act as antioxidants.

M1 Macrophages Promote TRAIL Expression in Adipose Tissue-Derived Stem Cells, Which Suppresses Colitis-Associated Colon Cancer by Increasing Apoptosis of CD133 Cancer Stem Cells and Decreasing M2 Macrophage Population.

We have previously reported that adipose tissue-derived stem cells (ASCs) cultured at high cell density can induce cancer cell death through the expression of type I interferons and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-related apoptosis-inducing ligands (TRAIL). Here, we investigated whether TRAIL-expressing ASCs induced by M1 macrophages can alleviate colitis-associated cancer in an azoxymethane (AOM)/dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) animal model. M1 macrophages significantly increased the TRAIL expression in ASCs, which induced the apoptosis of LoVo cells in a TRAIL-dependent manner.

Adipose Tissue-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Suppress Growth of Huh7 Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells via Interferon (IFN)-β-Mediated JAK/STAT1 Pathway .

Interferon (IFN)-β and/or tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) secreted by adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ASCs) have been proposed as key mechanistic factors in anti-cancer efficacy in lung cancer and breast cancer cells, where they act through paracrine signaling. We hypothesized that IFN-β and TRAIL produced by ASCs suppress proliferation of hepatocellular carcinoma cells (HCCs). The present study evaluated the anti-cancer effects of ASCs on HCCs .

Perspectives on Acute Hepatitis A Control in Korea.

Until 1995, the incidence of symptomatic acute hepatitis A was minimal and there were no cases of national outbreak in Korea. However, there was a nationwide outbreak of hepatitis A that peaked in 2009. In 2019, a total of 10,083 cases of acute hepatitis A were reported for seven months of the year according to the Korea Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

Risk factors of striae gravidarum in Chinese primiparous women.

Background: Striae gravidarum is a common skin problem of considerable cosmetic concern for many pregnant women. Various risk factors associated with the development of striae have been reported, with conflicting results.

Objectives: To analyze the risk factors of striae gravidarum in Chinese primiparous women and to provide evidence relevant to the prevention of this condition.