The study was aimed to investigate the association of FOXP3 gene expression in donor grafts with acute graft-versus-host disease after HLA-identical sibling allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Twenty-six donor grafts (peripheral blood or bone marrow) and their respective clinical characteristics were evaluated. Flow cytometry analysis was performed to assess the percentage of CD4+CD25+ and CD4+CD25(high) T cells in cord blood, healthy controls' peripheral blood and donor grafts. Relative transcripts of FOXP3 mRNA were determined by real-time quantitative reverse transcription -polymerase chain reaction with beta2-MG as the internal control gene. The specificity of FOXP3 and beta2-MG amplifications was confirmed by analyzing the dissociation curves and electrophoresis of the target amplicon. The results showed that the CD4+CD25+ T cells in peripheral blood, peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) or BM grafts exhibited a continuous and primarily low expression of CD25 and the frequencies of CD4+CD25+ T and CD4+CD25(high) T in CD4+ T cells were (48.5 +/- 16.3)% and (9.6 +/- 2.5)%, (42.1 +/- 14.7)% and (13.1 +/- 4.2)%, (43.4 +/- 9.6)% and (14.6 +/- 4.5)%, respectively. There was no significant difference in the frequencies and absolute numbers of CD4+CD25(high) T cells between patients with aGVHD and patients without aGVHD (P > 0.05). The plot of log transfused cDNA amount versus DeltaCt had a slope of 0.0826 which indicated approximately equal efficiency of FOXP3 and beta2-MG amplifications in real-time PCR. The specificities of amplification were confirmed by analyzing the dissociation curves and electrophoresis of PCR products with the values of Tm 86.5 degrees C and 82.3 degrees C, respectively. The relative transcripts of FOXP3 in PBSC grafts of recipients without aGVHD were 318%high as those with aGVHD (median of 41.0 x 10(-5) and 12.9 x 10(-5), respectively) (P = 0.03). No significant difference was found in other related variables for GVHD. It is concluded that coexpression of CD4 and CD25 may be insufficient to identify regulatory T cells; FOXP3 mRNA expression may be specifically quantified with real-time quantitative RT-PCR using SYBR Green I chemistry. FOXP3 mRNA expression in donor grafts is significantly low in patients with aGVHD compared with patients without aGVHD. It indicated that the expression level of FOXP3 mRNA may be one of the useful indicators for in predicting aGVHD.

The study was purposed to investigate the effects and mechanism of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) on graft-versus-host desease (GVHD) after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). The model of GVHD in rat had been established by allo-HSCT with donor derived T cells. The occurence of GVHD in recipients was observed in condition with or without donor derived MSC co-transplantation. Effects of MSCs on GVHD were analyzed by model rat survival rate and pathology. Proportions of CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells were determined by using label spleen lymphocytes and thymocytes with double fluorescent-labeled antibodies and flow cytometry. The results showed that MSCs inhibited the lethal GVHD after HSC co-transplantation and increased the survival rate. The ratio of CD4/CD8 deceased in GVHD group in different levels, as compared with that in the experimental group. The proportion of CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells of spleen lymphocytes was 31.55 +/- 7.58% and 20.90 +/- 1.90% in experimental and GVHD groups, respectively. Similarly, the proportion of CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells of thymocytes was 93.20 +/- 2.69% and 57.17 +/- 6.79% in experimental and the GVHD groups, respectively. Meanwhile the proportion of CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells was higher in experimental group than that in GVHD group. It is concluded that MSCs may prevent the lethal GVHD after allo-HSC co-transplantation and raise the survival rate of model rats by acting on the CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells in vivo.

The purpose of this study was to construct a HA-1-DC nucleic acid vaccine and to induce anti-leukemia effect after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). The dendritic cells (DCs) were generated from HSCT donors in vitro, and its immunologic activity was studied by using flow cytometry and mix lymphocyte reaction. HA-1 gene was electroporated into the cultured DCs to construct a DC nucleic acid vaccine. After transfecting for 48 hours, the expression of HA-1 protein was detected by Western blot. The DCs were cultured with isogenic lymphocytes to induce specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs). The cytotoxicity of the CTLs was detected by LDH assay. The results showed that the DCs derived from peripheral blood monocytes (PBMCs) expressed the DC phenotype, and were effective in stimulating proliferation of the allogenic lymphocytes. After electroporating for 48 hours, HA-1 protein was detected by Western blot. The cytotoxity of inducing CTLs was higher than that in the control group. It is concluded that the minor histocompatibility antigen HA-1 can be considered as a target of immunotherapy against leukemia after HSCT.

To compare the expansion efficiency and function of dendritic cells derived from CB-CD34+ cells and MPB-CD34+ cells by using two-step culture method, enriched CB-CD34+ cells or MPB-CD34+ cells with immunoadsorption were primarily cultured in the presence of FL, SCF, TPO, GM-CSF for 10 days, and then further cultured with a combination of GM-CSF, IL-4, TNF-alpha, CD40Ab and PGE2 to induce DC. The DC phenotypes were detected by flow cytometry, the expansion efficiency and cell function were evaluated by mix-lymphocyte reaction (MLR), IL-12 level was detected by using ELISA and the chemotactic function mediated by secondary lymphoid tissue chemokine (SLC) was determined with Transwell plate. The results indicated that after 10 days of expansion, there were no significant difference in the percentage of CD14+CD1a- cells between CB and MPB [(40.48 +/- 16.85)% vs (28.07 +/- 23.19)%, P > 0.05], but the expansion of total cells in CB was higher than that in MPB (388.88 +/- 84.63-fold vs 79.67 +/- 10.32-fold, P < 0.01), so the yield of CD14+CD1a- cells from CB was significantly higher than that from MPB too (189.42 +/- 25.02-fold vs 28.74 +/- 23.27-fold, P < 0.01). The percentage of CD83+ DCs cultured with CD40Ab/PGE2 derived from CB were higher than those cultured with TNF-alpha derived from MPB respectively [(34.52 +/- 11.22)% vs (3.70 +/- 2.27)% and (36.69 +/- 13.36)% vs (7.34 +/- 3.364)% respectively, P < 0.01]. In the same circumstance, the yield of CD83+ DCs derived from CB was much more than that from MPB (198.72 +/- 117.53 times vs 33.95 +/- 6.19 times, P < 0.01). There were no difference in stimulating capacity, IL-12 secretion and migration capacity between DCs derived from CB and MPB. It is concluded that DCs induced from CB-CD34+ cells by two-step culture possess similar functions with that from MPB-CD34+ cells, but the yield of DCs from CB CD34+ cells is much more than that from MPB CD34+ cells.

Multiple myeloma is a malignant disease with high incidence in middle-aged and old-aged population. Bortezomib is a proteasome inhibitor which target mainly is NF-kappaB. This observation is to study the clinical treatment effect of bortezomib in one relapsed multiple myeloma (MM) patient and one primary refractory MM patient. The first patient diagnosed as IgA IIIA stage, whose state of disease became worse after 8 months of autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation. And the disease became further aggressive with 4 courses of chemical therapy regimen including methylprednisolone, Arsenic trioxide, dexamethasone, cyclophosphamide, mitoxantrone, VM-26. Myeloma cells in bone marrow and abnormal monoclonal immunoglobulin in blood plasma both increased. Bone destruction became severe, and there was a plasmacytoma about 5 x 6 cm on the patient's right upper chest wall. Therefore, the patient received therapy of bortezomib combined with doxrubicin, dexamethasone and thalidomide (VADT). After one course of therapy with this VADT regimen, IgA in blood plasma decreased from 54 g/L to 6.6 g/L, and abnormal plasma cells in bone marrow decreased from 40% to 0.6%, and plasmacytoma on the patient's right upper chest wall almost absorbed. But there was no obvious clinical effect after the second course of therapy of VADT, and the disease status became progressive again. The second patient was MM patient with a light chain kappa type, III B stage. There was no any effect after two courses of VAD therapy and one course of MOFP therapy. The patient acquired near complete remission after one course of treatment with VADT. Quantity of kappa protein in urine reduced from 24 - 30 g/24 hours to 1.12 g/24 hours. Blood creatinine reduced from 475.3 micromol/L to 124.2 micromol/L. Beta2-MG reduced from 161g/L to 64 g/L. And this patient got complete remission after three consecutive VADT therapy. The mainly side effects of the bortezomib regimen in the first patient include markedly lassitude, diarrhea, numbness of the end of extremities, marked increase of LDH. All the side effects could be tolerated and became disappeared after contraposing treatment and stopping the bortezomib regimen therapy. The second patient complicated with severe subacute left hemiplegia after the bortezomib dose had been increased to 1.45 mg/m2 at the third time of the first VADT course and the complication became worst at the following day. The upper limb muscle strength was only 1 grade and the lower limb muscle strength was 2 grade. Then the condition improved with the support therapy and gradually recovered after two weeks. Therefore, bortezomib is an effective target drug for therapy in refractory multiple myeloma, and more attentions to the side effects should be paid in order to deal with those side effects in time.

The study was purposed to explore the role of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in the pathogenesis of bone disease particularly observed in multiple myeloma (MM), the biological features of marrow derived MSCs from patients with MM have been investigated. Marrow aspirates were harvested from 11 newly diagnosed patients with MM and 5 normal adults and MSCs were isolated and culture-expanded by the cell properties of adherence to plastic flasks, The phenotype was analyzed by flow cytometric technique. The proliferation of MSCs was observed by MTT assay and their differentiation capacities into osteoblasts and adipoblasts were assessed with lineage-specific histochemical staining. The concentrations of IL-6 and SCF in the culture supernatant were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). MSC culture supernatants were collected and MTT assay was performed to evaluate their support on the proliferation of an MM cell line SKO007 cells. The results showed that bone marrow-derived MSCs from MM patients were homogeneously positive for CD29, CD73, CD166 and HLA-ABC and negative for hematopoietic cell marker CD45 and endothelial cell marker CD31, the phenotype of which was similar to that of marrow counterparts from normal adults. MTT assay indicated that MSCs from MM patients or normal adults proliferated at similar rates. MSCs from MM patients occupied in vitro osteogenic and adipogenic capacity as those from normal adults. The levels of IL-6 and SCF in culture supernatant were greatly up-regulated in MM patients by ELISA assay. Furthermore, MSC culture supernatants from MM bone marrow displayed enhanced activity to promote the proliferation of SKO007 cells. It is concluded that marrow-derived MSCs from bone marrow of MM patients are normal in their proliferation and differentiation capacities, and myeloma bone disease may not be ascribed to the differentiation of MSCs while the elevated secretion of IL-6 and SCF may provide necessary cues for the survival of malignant myeloma cells.

To investigate the feasibility of inducing adult human myoblasts into neural precursor cells.

To study the effect of transforming growth factor beta1 (TGF-beta1) and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) during the induction course from marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to chondrocytes and to observe the effect of cell density on cell induction.

The purpose of the study was to determine whether hematopoietic stem cell (HSCs) mobilization can regulate early diabetic retinopathy in mice.

To investigate the expression of human leukocyte antigens (HLA) in human fetal bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) after long time culture as well as the changes in response to interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) treatment.

To assess the influence of different doses of CKLF1 plasmid on the dynamics and magnitude of the mobilization of the mobilization bone of marrow stem cells in a rat AMI model.

To compare the hemopoietic reconstitution, immune reconstitution, infection, incidence of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and clinical outcome between unrelated donor peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) transplantation and bone marrow (BM) transplantation for leukemias.

To analyse the outcome of allogeneic peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (allo-PBSCT) for myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS).

To evaluate the value of real time quantitative RT-PCR (Q-PCR) for monitoring bcr-abl mRNA levels in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT).

To investigate the transfer efficiency and transient expression of plasmid vector coding enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP)gene pEGFP-N1 which was transferred into primary cultured human fetal retinal progenitor cells. To build up a tracking method for study of retinal progenitor cells transplantation.

To develop an efficient culture system for expansion of retinal progenitor cells for long-term in vitro.

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a fatal, genetic neuromuscular disorders that manifests as progressive muscle wasting. Although there has been enormous progress in the studies of the molecular mechanism of muscular dystrophy, there is still no cure. Cell-based therapy is a promiseful option. This review will focus on the present status of cell-based therapy. Myoblast transfer therapy is hindered by minimal distribution of cells after injection, immune rejection, and poor cell survival. The drawback of bone marrow-derived stem cell transplantation is the low efficiency of transdifferentiation. Compared with them, the injection of postnatal muscle-derived stem cells (MDSC) results in a superior regeneration of dystrophin-expressing myofibers.

To optimize the culture conditions for clonal isolation of rat bone marrow-derived multipotential adult progenitor cells (rMAPC) and identify their surface markers and differentiation potentials.

To explore a new method for in vitro expansion of human mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) by using platelet-rich plasma (PRP) in place of fetal calf serum (FCS).