AIM： To evaluate the safety and clinical efficacy of a new immunotherapy using both α-Gal epitope-pulsed dendritic cells （DCs） and cytokine-induced killer cells. METHODS： Freshly collected hepatocellular carcino...AIM： To evaluate the safety and clinical efficacy of a new immunotherapy using both α-Gal epitope-pulsed dendritic cells （DCs） and cytokine-induced killer cells. METHODS： Freshly collected hepatocellular carcinoma （HCC） tumor tissues were incubated with a mixture of neuraminidase and recombinant αl,3-galactosyltrans- ferase （αI,3GT） to synthesize α-Gal epitopes on car- bohydrate chains of the glycoproteins of tumor mem- branes. The subsequent incubation of the processed membranes in the presence of human natural anti-Gal IgG resulted in the effective phagocytosis to the tumor membrane by DCs. Eighteen patients aged 38-78 years with stage 111 primary HCC were randomly chosen for the study; 9 patients served as controls, and 9 patients were enrolled in the study group.RESULTS： The evaluation demonstrated that the pro- cedure was safe; no serious side effects or autoimmune diseases were observed. The therapy significantly pro- longed the survival of treated patients as compared with the controls （17.1 ± 2.01 mo vs 10.1 ±4.5 mo, P = 0.00121）. After treatment, all patients in the study group had positive delayed hypersensitivity and robust systemic cytotoxicity in response to tumor lysate as measured by interferon-y-expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells using enzyme-linked immunosorbent spot assay. They also displayed increased numbers of CD8-, CD45RO- and CD56-positive cells in the peripheral blood and decreased α-fetoprotein level in the se- rum. CONCLUSION： This new tumor-specific immunotherapy is safe, effective and has a great potential for the treat- ment of tumors.展开更多
Melanotic medullary carcinoma is extremely rare. We described a 35-year-old man who was found swelling in the left neck accidently, and no clinic evidences. A left total and right subtotal thyroidectomy and neck lymph...Melanotic medullary carcinoma is extremely rare. We described a 35-year-old man who was found swelling in the left neck accidently, and no clinic evidences. A left total and right subtotal thyroidectomy and neck lymph nodes dissection were done. Lymph nodes metastasis was not shown. Postoperative of four months, computerized tomography scan liver showed multiple focal lesion. Microscopic examination showed that abundant melanin pigmentation was observed in many of tumor cells. Tumor cells were diffusely immunopositive for vimentin, CK, CgA, syn, CEA, Calcitonin, HMB45, S-100 and negative for TG, TTF-1. Melanotic medullary carcinoma is very rare. It is necessary to report more cases for exact biological behavior and prognosis.展开更多
Dear Editor, Type 2 diabetes mellitus （T2DM） develops only in insulin-resistant subjects when pancreatic β-cell compensation fails （Matveyenko and Butler, 2006）. Decreased insulin secretory function and reduced ...Dear Editor, Type 2 diabetes mellitus （T2DM） develops only in insulin-resistant subjects when pancreatic β-cell compensation fails （Matveyenko and Butler, 2006）. Decreased insulin secretory function and reduced cell mass are traditionally viewed as major contributing factors in β-cell insufficiency. A recent study using a diabetic rodent model suggests that progressive β-cell de- differentiation is an important underlying mechanism in β-cell failure （Talchai et al., 2012）. β-cell dedifferentiation in diabetes refers to the loss by healthy β-cells of key components characteristic of the differen- tiated state （Dor and Glaser, 2013）, including insulin （for its secretory product）, Glut2 （for glucose intake）, and PDX-1 （for critical insulin transcription factor）, β-cell dedifferentiation may be largely respon- sible for not only β-cell secretory dysfunction but also impaired β-cell identity. In view of findings that bariatric surgery in a rodent T2DM model led to increased β-cell mass and improved islet morphology （Strader et al., 2009）, we investigated the effects of gastric bypass surgery on dedifferentiated β-cells.展开更多
基金Supported by Hong Kong Wang Kuan Cheng GrantInner Mongolia Stem Cell Grant, No. kjk10jhg
文摘AIM： To evaluate the safety and clinical efficacy of a new immunotherapy using both α-Gal epitope-pulsed dendritic cells （DCs） and cytokine-induced killer cells. METHODS： Freshly collected hepatocellular carcinoma （HCC） tumor tissues were incubated with a mixture of neuraminidase and recombinant αl,3-galactosyltrans- ferase （αI,3GT） to synthesize α-Gal epitopes on car- bohydrate chains of the glycoproteins of tumor mem- branes. The subsequent incubation of the processed membranes in the presence of human natural anti-Gal IgG resulted in the effective phagocytosis to the tumor membrane by DCs. Eighteen patients aged 38-78 years with stage 111 primary HCC were randomly chosen for the study; 9 patients served as controls, and 9 patients were enrolled in the study group.RESULTS： The evaluation demonstrated that the pro- cedure was safe; no serious side effects or autoimmune diseases were observed. The therapy significantly pro- longed the survival of treated patients as compared with the controls （17.1 ± 2.01 mo vs 10.1 ±4.5 mo, P = 0.00121）. After treatment, all patients in the study group had positive delayed hypersensitivity and robust systemic cytotoxicity in response to tumor lysate as measured by interferon-y-expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells using enzyme-linked immunosorbent spot assay. They also displayed increased numbers of CD8-, CD45RO- and CD56-positive cells in the peripheral blood and decreased α-fetoprotein level in the se- rum. CONCLUSION： This new tumor-specific immunotherapy is safe, effective and has a great potential for the treat- ment of tumors.
文摘Melanotic medullary carcinoma is extremely rare. We described a 35-year-old man who was found swelling in the left neck accidently, and no clinic evidences. A left total and right subtotal thyroidectomy and neck lymph nodes dissection were done. Lymph nodes metastasis was not shown. Postoperative of four months, computerized tomography scan liver showed multiple focal lesion. Microscopic examination showed that abundant melanin pigmentation was observed in many of tumor cells. Tumor cells were diffusely immunopositive for vimentin, CK, CgA, syn, CEA, Calcitonin, HMB45, S-100 and negative for TG, TTF-1. Melanotic medullary carcinoma is very rare. It is necessary to report more cases for exact biological behavior and prognosis.
文摘Dear Editor, Type 2 diabetes mellitus （T2DM） develops only in insulin-resistant subjects when pancreatic β-cell compensation fails （Matveyenko and Butler, 2006）. Decreased insulin secretory function and reduced cell mass are traditionally viewed as major contributing factors in β-cell insufficiency. A recent study using a diabetic rodent model suggests that progressive β-cell de- differentiation is an important underlying mechanism in β-cell failure （Talchai et al., 2012）. β-cell dedifferentiation in diabetes refers to the loss by healthy β-cells of key components characteristic of the differen- tiated state （Dor and Glaser, 2013）, including insulin （for its secretory product）, Glut2 （for glucose intake）, and PDX-1 （for critical insulin transcription factor）, β-cell dedifferentiation may be largely respon- sible for not only β-cell secretory dysfunction but also impaired β-cell identity. In view of findings that bariatric surgery in a rodent T2DM model led to increased β-cell mass and improved islet morphology （Strader et al., 2009）, we investigated the effects of gastric bypass surgery on dedifferentiated β-cells.
