|
Differentiation of neuroblastoma cells induced by nerve growth factor gene transfection
|
|
Qian Dong, Qiang Gao, Hong-Ting Lu, Li-Rong Sun, Lin Hou, Yu Cheng |
|
Background: Neuroblastoma (NB) is a very common childhood malignant tumor with considerable morbidity and mortality. Nevertheless, some cases can disappear spontaneously and be induced to differentiate into mature cells in vitro. It may be a potential treatment method to induce NB cells to differentiate into mature cells. This study was undertaken to observe the differentiation of neuroblastoma cell line transfected with nerve growth factor (NGF) gene and investigate the role of NGF in the differentiation.
Methods: Tumor specimens of NB patients were collected for primary cell culture and the cells were separated and purified to be cell line as a cell model. The plasmid containing NGF gene was transfected into NB cells mediated by liposome. Morphological changes were observed under a phase-contrast microscope. Cell proliferation was determined by the MTT method and mitosis index.
Results: The expression of NGF was higher after gene transfection, the cell proliferation was inhibited and morphological changes occurred. Total RNA separated by agrose gel electrophoresis resulted in clear 28s and 18s, indicating that RNA quality was good. RT-PCR products about 726 bp, matching NGF size, indicated that NB cells can express a certain amount of NGF, and the expression was increased after NGF gene transfection. Forty-eight hours after NGF gene transfection, morphodifferentiation presented like neurodendrite and axons, which were similar to mature ganglion cells.
Conclusions: The established NB cell line is an induced type (type N). The transgenic NB cells can highly express NGF, which can inhibit proliferation and induce differentiation.
Key words: NGF; transfection; neuroblastoma; cell line; differentiation
World J Pediatr 2007;3(2):115-120 |
|
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
Correlation of brain natriuretic peptide with hyponatremia in newborn infants with hypoxia ischemic encephalopathy
|
|
Wei Zhang, Xia Yu, Qing-Pin Fu, Ting-Yan Liao, Cheng-Zhong Liu, Xiao-Ling Li, Min Zhai, Xian-Qing Li |
|
Background: This study was undertaken to investi-gate the correlation between blood levels of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) and hyponatremia in hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) of newborn infants. The mechanism by which BNP and hyponatremia involved in the pathogenesis of HIE was also investigated.
Methods: The blood levels of BNP and natrium were measured in the HIE and the control groups at the 3, 7 and 14 days of age respectively. The HIE group was divided into two subgroups as hyponatremia group (22 HIE newborn infants with hyponatremia) and normal natrium level group (52 HIE infants with normal natrium level). There were 18 non-HIE newborn infants with normal natrium level in the control group. All parameters were compared among the three groups at the aforementioned age periods.
Results: The blood BNP level of infants with HIE aged 3 days was higher than that of the control group (P<0.01). At 7 days of age, there was no significant difference between the HIE group with normal blood natrium and the control group. But the BNP level in the hyponatremia group was higher than that in the normal blood natrium group (P<0.01). The blood natrium level decreased significantly in the hyponatremia group at the three age periods (P<0.01). The neonatal behavioral neurological assessment showed a significant difference between the two HIE groups as well as between the three different age periods in the hyponatremia group. There was a negative correlation between BNP level and blood natrium level at each age period in the hyponatremia group.
Conclusion: BNP may be involved in hyponatremia in newborn infants with HIE, and may play an important role in the pathogenesis of HIE directly or induced by hyponatremia.
Key words: newborn infants; hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy; hyponatremia; brain natriuretic peptide; neonatal behavioral neurological assessment
World J Pediatr 2007;3(2):121-124 |
|
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
Cardiovascular reserve ability and exercise capacity on bicycle ergometer exercise stress test in children with ventricular premature beat
|
|
Zheng-Hai Qu, Zi-Pu Li |
|
Background: This study was undertaken to evaluate the cardiovascular reserve ability and exercise capacity on bicycle ergometer exercise stress test to determine the effect of anti-arrhythmic therapy in children with ventricular premature beat (VPB).
Methods: Ruled out those with organic cardiac disease by physical examination, echocardiography and myocardial enzyme analysis, 123 children with VPB (aged 2-17 years) were included in this study. Fifty patients were treated with anti-arrhythmic drugs (treatment group), and 73 patients were not treated with any anti-arrhythmic drugs (non-treatment group). Their heart rate, systolic pressure, diastolic pressure and total work capacity were determined by bicycle ergometer stress test.
Results: VPB disappeared in 22 patients (44%) of the treatment group and 31 patients (42.5%) of the non-treatment group. Seventeen patients in the treatment group and 22 patients in the non-treatment group underwent the bicycle ergometer exercise stress test. Compared with normal children, these patients showed no significant difference in heart rate, systolic pressure, diastolic pressure, and reserve indexes (F=3.18-4.98, P>0.05). The total work capacity was of no significant difference among the subgroups (F=3.16, P>0.05).
Conclusions: There is no relationship between anti-arrhythmic therapy and natural disappearance of VPB. VPB without organic cardiac abnormality does not influence children's heart function and exercise capacity. Exercise test is essential to patients with VPB.
Key words: ventricular premature beat; cardiovascular reserve; heart rate; blood pressure; exercise test; work capacity
World J Pediatr 2007;3(2):125-128 |
|
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
Human herpesvirus detection and species identification with PCR-RFLP and ELISA: a comparative study
|
|
Guan-Ping Dong, Shi-Qiang Shang, Li-Zhong Du, Xi-Lin Yu, Ya-Ping Xu, Xiu-Jing Wu |
|
Background: This study was undertaken to establish a restriction endonulease pattern which could detect and differentiate four major human herpesviruses by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP), and to compare PCR-RFLP with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in diagnosing herpesvirus infection.
Methods: A pair of primers was designed to amplify herpes simplex virus type 1 and 2 (HSV-1/-2), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and cytomegalovirus (CMV). At last, we used the PCR-RFLP technique to differentiate four different herpesviruses. Meanwhile, 75 clinical blood specimens from infants of suspected viral infection and 38 blood specimens from healthy children were evaluated for herpesviruses DNA by PCR-RFLP or virus-specific IgM antibody detection by ELISA.
Results: The products of four human herpesviruses after PCR amplification varied from 510 bp to 592 bp and allowed characterization of herpesvirus type with restriction endonulease analysis. Among the 75 specimens, 23 (30.7%) were shown positive by PCR including 13 for CMV, 4 for EBV, 5 for HSV-2, and 1 for HSV-1 after restriction enzyme digestion with BamHI and BstUI, whereas 10 (13.3%) were detected positive by ELISA. All ELISA-positive specimens were likewise positive by PCR. Thirteen of 65 ELISA-negative specimens were tested positive by PCR.
Conclusion: The PCR-RFLP technique is more specific, sensitive, rapid and accurate than ELISA in diagnosing herpesvirus infection.
Key words: herpesvirus; polymerase chain reaction; restriction fragment length; polymorphism; ELISA
World J Pediatr 2007;3(2):129-133 |
|
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
Surgical anatomy of the pelvis as a basis for pull-through procedures in Hirschsprung's disease
|
|
S. Berger, M. Schweizer, P. Schweizer |
|
Background: The basis for successful pull-through procedures in patients with Hirschsprung's disease is a detailed knowledge of the anatomy of the pelvis. The currently most utilized pull-through techniques were reviewed with regard to their impact on the anatomy of different regions of the pelvis. The findings were analyzed as to advantages and disadvantages of the respective procedures.
Methods: The anatomy of the pelvis was studied in three children by post mortem examination. The study was approved by the institutional ethics committee.
Results: The study confirmed five anatomical regions of the pelvis of surgical importance which should be considered when planning and performing a pull-through procedure. It could be shown that the fascial coating of the rectum plays an important role in an adequate pull-through procedure.
Conclusions: The type of complications that may be expected and the prognosis of a pull-through procedure is influenced by the given anatomical conditions of the pelvis. Thus, an adequate procedure should respect the anatomical characteristics of the five surgically important anatomical regions of the pelvis.
Key words: Hirschsprung's disease; pull-through operation; pelvic anatomy
World J Pediatr 2007;3(2):134-139 |
|
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
Pathologic changes in pulmonary arteries of infants with complex congenital heart defect with diminished pulmonary blood flow but without aortopulmonary collateral arteries
|
|
Xiao-Tong Zhang, Ying-Long Liu, Ying-Mao Ruan, Cun-Tao Yu, Lei Liu |
|
Background: To evaluate the development of small pulmonary arteries of infants with complex congenital heart defect (CHD) with diminished pulmonary blood flow but without aortopulmonary collateral arteries, we compared the imaging data including diameter of the central pulmonary artery, McGoon ratio and pulmonary artery index (PAI), which were obtained by echocardiography and cardioangiography before operation.
Methods: Biopsy specimens were obtained from 46 infants suffering from complex CHD with diminished pulmonary blood flow but without aortopulmonary collateral arteries from January 2002 to September 2004. The infants were at their age of 6-36 months. They had undergone echocardiography and cardioangiography examinations. Autopsy specimens were obtained from 5 infants, aged 4-18 months, who died of non-cardiovascular diseases and served as normal controls. The tissue was fixed with buffered formalin, and routinely prepared by impregnated in wax. Tissue sections were stained with hematoxylin-eosin, Weigert's elastic stain counter-stained with van Gieson. Three parameters including percentage of media thickness (MT%), percentage of media section area (MS%) and numbers of small arterial per square centimeter (APSC) were obtained by morphologic quantitative analysis using a computer image processor. The diameters of the left pulmonary artery (LPA) and the right pulmonary artery (RPA) were measured by echocardiography and cardioangiography. The McGoon ratio and PAI were calculated according to the results of cardioangiography.
Results: There was no significant difference in MT% and MS% between the normal control group and the experimental group. The mean value was 11.44% and 18.34% in the normal control group. The mean value of APSC was significantly different between the two groups (408.58/cm2 and 217.15/cm2 respectively). The diameters of the main pulmonary artery (MPA), LPA and RPA measured echocardiographically were not correlated with pathological data (P>0.05). The diameters of the LPA and MPA (r=0.61, P=0.01), of the RPA and MPA (r=0.48, P=0.01), and of the RPA and LPA (r=0.57, P=0.01) were positively correlated. But the diameters of the LPA, RPA and MPA were not correlated with pathological parameters. The diameters of the LPA and RPA were positively correlated (r=0.378, P=0.015) as shown by cardioangiography. The McGoon ratio and PAI calculated by cardioangiography were correlated with APSC (r=0.51, P=0.001 and r=0.448, P=0.004).
Conclusion: The developing extent of small pulmonary arteries is correlated with the central pulmonary artery of infants suffering from complex CHD with diminished pulmonary blood flow but without aortopulmonary collateral arteries.
Key words: congenital heart defect; pulmonary artery; oligemia; cardioangiography; infant
World J Pediatr 2007;3(2):140-145 |
|
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
Percutaneous nephrolithotomy using ureteroscope and pneumatic intracorporeal lithotripsy in the management of pediatric renal calculi
|
|
Xiang Yan, Xiao-Gong Li, Wei-Dong Gan, Hong-Qian Guo |
|
Background: Percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) is widely performed in the treatment of kidney stones in children. The main risk of this therapy is hemorrhage that requires blood transfusion associated with an increased risk of kidney loss. This study was undertaken to assess the safety and efficacy of PCNL using ureteroscope and pneumatic intracorporeal lithotripsy in the treatment of pediatric renal calculi.
Methods: We studied 22 kidneys of 15 patients under 14 years who underwent PCNL in our hospital. The average age of these patients was 9.2 years (range 5-14 years). In 7 bilateral and 8 unilateral cases of 5 staghorn calculi, the average stone burden was 2.04 (0.9-4.5) cm. PCNL was performed with an X-ray-guided peripheral puncture. With a minimal dilatation of the urinary tract with ureteroscope and pneumatic intracorporeal lithotripsy, a staged approach was used for bilateral cases.
Results: Complete stone clearance was achieved in 20 of the 22 kidneys, giving an overall clearance rate of 91%. Mild fever (<39ºC, <2 days) was seen in 14 patients, whereas serious pyrexia was seen in 1. The decrease in the level of hemoglobin averaged 1.6 g/dl, but none of the patients required blood transfusion.
Conclusions: PCNL is a better treatment of choice for pediatric stone disease refractory to extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy. To treat pediatric urolithiasis with PCNL using ureteroscope and pneumatic intracorporeal lithotripsy is safe and effective.
Key words: percutaneous nephrolithotomy; ureteroscope; pneumatic intracorporeal lithotripsy; children
World J Pediatr 2007;3(2):146-149 |
|
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|