Effect of autologous serum after amniotic membrane transplantation for persistent corneal ulcers

AIM:To investigate the effect of adding autologous serum eye drops to the postoperative regime after amniotic membrane transplantation for severe persistent corneal ulcers.METHODS:Forty eyes of 40 patients with persistent corneal ulcers were randomly assigned to artificial tears(sodium hyaluronate 0.2%,ATs group,n=20)or autologous serum eye drops(ASEDs,n=20)following treatment with amniotic membrane transplantation.Digital slit lamp images were acquired from all patients before and 30d post treatment.The area with fibrovascular tissue was calculated using Image J.Central corneal sensitivity was assessed by Cochet-Bonnet aesthesiometry before and one month after treatment.Scar tissue transparency was assessed with a novel optical densitometry.RESULTS:Mean age of patients was 61.65±16.47y and 57.3±19.11y in the ATs group and ASEDs group,respectively.Twenty-two male and 18 female patients were included in the study.The improvement in visual acuity was significantly greater in the ASEDs group(0.14±0.04)than the ATs(0.08±0.04;P=0.00046).Cochet-Bonnet aesthesiometry improved significantly after treatment with a similar rate between groups.There were no statistically significant differences in the area of postoperative fibrovascular tissue between the two groups(P=0.082).The success rate in the two groups was similar.The difference in densitometry between the ATs and ASEDs group was statistically significant(P=0.042)with greater reduction from baseline in the ASEDS group.CONCLUSION:Autologous serum eye drops can lead to better visual acuity,more stable results and improved densitometry and should be considered in the postoperative care following amniotic membrane transplantation.

Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis after autologous stem cell transplantation in angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma:A case report

BACKGROUND Angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma(AITL), a unique subtype of peripheral Tcell lymphoma, has relatively poor outcomes. High-dose chemotherapy with autologous stem cell transplantation(ASCT) can achieve complete remission and improve outcomes. Unfortunately, subsequent T-cell lymphoma-triggered hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis(HLH) has a worse prognosis than B-cell lymphoma-triggered HLH.CASE SUMMARY We here report a 50-year-old woman with AITL who achieved a favorable outcome after developing HLH 2 mo after receiving high-dose chemotherapy/ASCT. The patient was initially admitted to our hospital because of multiple enlarged lymph nodes. The final pathologic diagnosis, made on biopsy of a left axillary lymph node was AITL(Stage Ⅳ, Group A). Four cycles of the following chemotherapy regimen were administered: Cyclophosphamide 1.3 g, doxorubicin 86 mg, and vincristine 2 mg on day 1;prednisone 100 mg on days 1-5;and lenalidomide 25 mg on days 1-14. The interval between each cycle was 21 d. The patient received a conditioning regimen(busulfan, cyclophosphamide, and etoposide) followed by peripheral blood stem cell infusion. Unfortunately, she developed sustained fever and a low platelet count 17 d after ACST, leading to a diagnosis of HLH after ASCT. During treatment, she experienced thrombocytopenia and Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia. The patient was successfully treated with etoposide and glucocorticoids.CONCLUSION It is possible that development of HLH is related to immune reconstitution after ASCT.

AUTOLOGOUS HEMATOPOIETIC STEM CELL TRANSPLANTATION FOR LYMPHOMA: AN EVALUATION OF GRAFTS SOURCE AND MINIMAL RESIDUAL DISEASE

Objective： To determine whether the source of autologous hematopoietic stem cells altered the clinical outcomes of patients undergoing high dose chemotherapy and autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation （AHSCT） for aggressive lymphoma and to study the problem of minimal residual disease （MRD）. Methods： 14 lymphoma patients who had lymphoma with high risk factors, relapsed lymphoma or refractory lymphoma received autologous bone marrow transplantation （ABMT）. 14 lymphoma patients who were similar to ABMT group received autologous peripheral blood stem cells transplantation （APBSCT）. Regimen of CBV （cyclophos phamide 50-60 mg/kg/d×2 d, carmustine 15 mg/kg/d×1 d, etoposide 45-60 mg/kg/d×1 d） was received by all the patients as conditioning regimen in the transplant pretreatment followed by ABMT or APBSCT. Autologous peripheral blood stem cell （APBSC） was mobilized by CTX 2g-3g/m^2/d×2 d iv and G-CSF 5 μg/kg/d for five to seven days. MRD was continually supervised by PCR in bone marrow before and after transplantation. Cellular immunocyte function, such as natural killer cell （NK）, CD3, CD4, CD8 and slL-2R was tested before and twenty days after transplantation. Results： In ABMT group, the median time for hematopoietic recovery of absolute neutrophilia counts ≥0.5×10^9/L and platelet counts ≥20×10^9/L. was ＋18 days and ＋20 days respectively. In contrast, the APBSCT group was both at 12 days. Patients who have undergone ABMT all got complete remission （CR）, while 81.8% patients in APBSCT group got CR. The 3-year disease free survival （DFS） in APBSCT and ABMT group was 75% and 72.7% respectively （P〉0.05）. The mean days of immunity recovering in APBSCT was ＋20 days. After transplantation, MRD in 11 patients were positive, in whom 6 patients died. Conclusion： Aggressive lymphoma patients＇ hemapoiesis recovered more rapidly in APBSCT group than that in ABMT group, but 3-year DFS had no statistical difference. Patients positive for IgH/TCR-γ by molecular PCR analysis had poor DFS. Molecur monitoring of MRD using PCR techniques seems to represent a reliable prognostic indicator. Immunotherapy in the patients whose bone morrow was positive for MRD post-AHSCT may intensify remission and reduce relapse rates.

COVID-19 impact in Crohn’s disease patients submitted to autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

BACKGROUND Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 is the virus responsible for coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19),a disease that has been blamed for inducing or exacerbating symptoms in patients with autoimmune diseases.Crohn's disease(CD)is an inflammatory bowel disease that affects genetically susceptible patients who develop an abnormal mucosal immune response to the intestinal microbiota.Patients who underwent hematopoietic stem cell transplantation(HSCT)are considered at risk for COVID-19.AIM To describe for the first time the impact of COVID-19 in CD patients who had undergone autologous,non-myeloablative HSCT.METHODS In this descriptive study a series of 19 patients were diagnosed with positive COVID-19.For two patients there were reports of the occurrence of two infectious episodes.Parameters related to HSCT,such as time elapsed since the procedure,vaccination status,CD status before and after infection,and clinical manifestations resulting from COVID-19,were evaluated.RESULTS Among the patients with COVID-19,three,who underwent Auto HSCT less than six months ago,relapsed and one,in addition to the CD symptoms,started to present thyroid impairment with positive anti-TPO.Only one of the patients required hospitalization for five days to treat COVID-19 and remained in CD clinical remission.Nine patients reported late symptoms that may be related to COVID-19.There were no deaths,and a statistical evaluation of the series of COVID-19 patients compared to those who did not present any infectious episode did not identify significant differences regarding the analyzed parameters.CONCLUSION Despite the change in CD status in three patients and the presence of nine patients with late symptoms,we can conclude that there was no significant adverse impact concerning COVID-19 in the evaluated patients who underwent HSCT to treat CD.

HIM_(1) AND HIM4, TWO MONOCLONAL ANTIBODIES POTENTIALLY USEFUL FOR AUTOLOGOUS BONE MARROW TRANSPLANTATION IN CHRONIC MYELOGENOUS LEUKEMIA

We developed two complement-fixing MoAbsHIMand HIM(murine)that were specifically reac-tive with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) cells.They were capable of fixing human or rabbit com-plement and suitable for CML cells purging of re-mission marrow from CML patients.HIMreactedwith majority leukemic cells form 7 out of 10 CMLpatients by complement-mediated cytotoxicity(C’MC)assay(positive cells 80%—90%),HIMreacted withmajority CML cells from 4 out of 5 CML by C’MCassay(positive cells 80%—90%).Treatment withHIMor HIMand human C’was capable of lysing97% of K562,U937,HL-60 and CML cells in a 20fold excess of unrelated cells by indirect FITC+EBstain.Using limited dilution culture,incubation withHIMand C’produced 1.5 logs inhibition of growthin K562 cells,and 1.9 logs in U937 cells,and withHIMand C’produced 2.9 logs inhibition in HL-60cells and 3.0 logs in U937 cells.Both MoAbs cocktailwas shown 1.8 logs in K562 cells and 3.2 logs in U937cells.They were no suppression on the growth o

The safety of autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation by intracoronory infusionin in patients with acute myocardial infarction

Objective Bone-marrow stem-cell transplantation has been shown to improve cardiac function in patients with AMI, but the safety of intracoronory infusion of autologous peripheral blood stem-cell(PBSCs) in patients with AMI is unknown. For this reason, we observe the feasibility and safety of PBSCs transplantation by intracoronory infusion in such patients.Method Fourty one patients with AMI were allocated to receive Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor (G-CSF:Filgrastim,300 μg) with the dose of 300 μg-600 μg/day to mobilize the stem cell, and the duration of applying G-CSF was 5 days . On the sixth day, PBSCs were separated by Baxter CS 3000 blood cell separator into suspend liquid 57 ml. Then the suspend liquid was infused into the infarct related artery (IRA)by occluding the over the wire balloon and infusing artery through balloon center lumen. In the process of the intracoronary infusion of PBSCs, the complications should be observed, which were arrhythmias including of bradycardia, sinus arrest or atrial ventricular block, premature ventricular beats ,ventricular tachycardia, ventricular fibrillation; and hypotention, etc. Results There were total 10 cases with complications during the intracoronary infusion of PBSCs. The incidence of complications was 24.4%(10/41), including bradycardia is 2.4 %(1/41), sinus arrest or atrial ventricular block is 4.9%(2/41), ventricular fibrillation is 2.4 %( 1/41), hypotention is14.6 % (6 /41).Conclusions In patients with AMI, intracoronary infusion of PBSCs is feasible and safe.

The Safety of Autologous Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplantation by Intracoronory Infusion in Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction

Objectives Bone-marrow stem-cell transplantation has been shown to improve cardiac function in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) , but the safety of intracoronory infusion of autologous peripheral blood stem-cell (PBSCs) in patients with AMI is unknown. For this reason, we observe the feasibility and safety of PBSCs transplantation by intracoronory infusion in such patients. Methods 41 patients with AMI were allocated to receive granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G- CSF: Filgrastim,300μg) with the dose of 300μg~ 600μg/day to mobilize the stem cell, and the duration of applying G-CSF was 5 days. On the sixth day, PBSCs were separated by Baxter CS 3000 blood cel 1 separator into suspend liquid 57 ml. Then the suspend liquid was infused into the infarct related artery (IRA) by occluding the over the wire balloon and infusing artery through balloon center lumen. In the process of the intracoronary infusion of PBSCs, the complications should be observed, which were arrhythmias including of bradycardia, sinus arrest or atrial ventricular block, premature ve. ntricular beats ,ven~icular tachycardia, ventricular fibrillation; and hypotention, etc. Results There were total 10 cases with complications during the intracoronary infusion of PBSCs. The incidence of complications was 24.4% (10/41), including bradyca- rdia was 2.4 % (1/41), sinus arrest or atrial ventri- cular block was 4.0% (2/41), ventricular fibrillation was 2.4 % (1/41), hypotention was 14.6 % (6/41). Conclusions In patients with AMI, intracoronary infusion of PBSCs is feasible and safe.

Platelet-rich plasma increases transforming growth factor-beta1 expression at graft-host interface following autologous osteochondral transplantation in a rabbit model

AIM: To explore the effect of platelet-rich plasma on protein expression patterns of transforming growth factor-beta1(TGF-β1) in cartilage following autologous osteochondral transplantation(AOT) in a rabbit knee cartilage defect model.METHODS: Twelve New Zealand white rabbits received bilateral AOT. In each rabbit, one knee was randomized to receive an autologous platelet rich plasma(PRP) injection and the contralateral knee received saline injection. Rabbits were euthanized at 3, 6 and 12 wk post-operatively. Articular cartilage sections were stained with TGF-β1 antibody. Histological regions of interest(ROI)(left, right and center of the autologous grafts interfaces) were evaluated using Meta Morph. Percentage of chondrocytes positive for TGF-β1 was then assessed.RESULTS: Percentage of chondrocytes positive for TGF-β1 was higher in PRP treated knees for selected ROIs(left; P = 0.03, center; P = 0.05) compared to control and was also higher in the PRP group at each post-operative time point(P = 6.6 × 10^(-4), 3.1 × 10^(-4) and 7.3 × 10^(-3) for 3, 6 and 12 wk, respectively). TGF-β1 expression was higher in chondrocytes of PRP-treated knees(36% ± 29% vs 15% ± 18%)(P = 1.8 × 10^(-6)) overall for each post-operative time point and ROI. CONCLUSION: Articular cartilage of rabbits treated with AOT and PRP exhibit increased TGF-β1 expression compared to those treated with AOT and saline. Our findings suggest that adjunctive PRP may increase TGF-β1 expression, which may play a role in the chondrogenic effect of PRP in vivo.

Autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in chemotherapy-sensitive lymphoblastic lymphoma: treatment outcome and prognostic factor analysis

Objective： The study evaluated the effectiveness of autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation （AHSCT） in the treatment of lymphoblastic lymphoma （LL）. Methods： We relxospectively analyzed the data from 41 patients with chemotherapy-sensitive LL who underwent hematopoietic stem cell transplantation （HSCT） from December 1989 to December 2009 in a single institution. Results： HSCT was conducted as first-line consolidation therapy and salvage therapy in 36 and 5 patients, respectively. The median follow-up was 97.1 months （range, 24.6-173.1 months）. The 5-year overall survival （OS） and event-free survival （EFS） rate were 64% and 47% for the initially treated patients, respectively, and were both 20% for the relapsed ones. Bone marrow （BM） involvement and chemotherapy cycles prior to transplantation were identified as significant prognostic factors for EFS in multivariate analysis. Conclusions These results confirm that AHSCT is a reasonable option for chemotherapy-sensitive LL patients in first complete remission （CR1）.

Treatment of refractory giant macular hole by vitrectomy with internal limiting membrane transplantation and autologous blood

AIM：To investigate the effect of internal limiting membrane transplantation and autologous blood on treating refractory giant macular hole.METHODS：Thirty-seven eyes with giant macular hole of the smallest hole diameter 〉700 μm,the maximum diameter of the substrate 〉1000 μm and hole formation factor 〈0.6 underwent surgical treatment.The patients were randomly divided into two groups.Nineteen eyes with surgical flip of the internal limiting membrane in group A,18 eyes with internal limiting membrane transplantation in group B who underwent the tamponade of internal limiting membrane into the hole,autologous plasma was used to seal the hole.The patients were followed up for 3 mo,optical coherence tomography and best corrected visual acuity（BCVA） were recorded before and after operation,and the results were statistically analyzed.RESULTS：At 3 mo after operation,BCVA of the two groups was significantly improved compared with that before operation（tA=4.192,tB=4.374,P〈0.05）.But there was no significant difference in visual acuity between the two groups（χ^2=0.128,P〉0.05）.At 3 mo after operation,the closure rate of group A was 68.4%,and 100% in group B.（χ^2=5.628,P〈0.05）.The defect diameter of inner segment/outer segment at 3 mo after the operation was significantly lower than that before operation（tA=12.287,tB=15.481,P〈0.05）,and the difference was statistically significant（t=2.552,P〈0.05）.CONCLUSION：Internal limiting membrane transplantation combined with autologous whole blood can improve the postoperative closure rate of the refractory large aperture,and can effectively improve the postoperative visual acuity.

Autologous transplantation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells on diabetic patients with lower limb ischemia

Objective： To study the efficacy and safety of autologous transplantation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells on diabetic patients with lower limb ischemia. Methods： Fifty Type 2 diabetic patients with lower limb ischemia were enrolled and randomized to either transplanted group or control group. Patients in both group received the same conventional treatment. Meanwhile, 20 ml bone marrow from each transplanted patient were collected, and the mesenchymal stem cells were separated by density gradient centrifugation and cultured in the medium with autologous serum. After three-weeks adherent culture in vitro, 7.32×10^8-5.61×10^9 mesenchymal stem cells were harvested and transplanted by multiple intramuscular and hypodermic injections into the impaired lower limbs. Results： At the end of 12-week follow-up, 5 patients were excluded from this study because of clinical worsening or failure of cell culture. Main ischemic symptoms, including rest pain and intermittent claudication, were improved significantly in transplanted patients. The ulcer healing rate of the transplanted group （1 5 of 18, 83.33%） was significantly higher than that of the control group （9 of 20, 45.00%, P=0.012）.The mean of resting ankle-brachial index （ABI） in transplanted group significantly was increased from 0.61±0.09 to 0.74±0.11 （P〈0.001）. Magnetic resonance angiography （MRA） demonstrated that there were more patients whose score of new vessels exceeded or equaled to 2 in the transplant patients （11 of 15） than in control patients （2 of 14, P=0.001）. Lower limb amputation rate was significantly lower in transplanted group than in the control group （P=0.040）. No adverse effects was observed in transplanted group. Conclusion： These results indicate that the autologous transplantation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells relieves critical lower limb ischemia and promotes ulcers healing in Type 2 diabetic patients.

Outcomes of autologous bone marrow mononuclear cell transplantation in decompensated liver cirrhosis

AIM: To determine the long-term efficacy of autologous bone marrow mononuclear cells (BM-MNCs) transplantation in terms of improving liver function and reducing complications in patients with decompensated cirrhosis.

Hepatitis B-related events in autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation recipients

AIM: To investigate the frequency of occult hepatitis B, the clinical course of hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation and reverse seroconversion and associated risk factors in autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) recipients. METHODS: This study was conducted in 90 patients undergoing autologous HSCT. Occult HBV infection was investigated by HBV-DNA analysis prior to transplantation, while HBV serology and liver function tests were screened prior to and serially after transplantation. HBV-related events including reverse seroconversion and reactivation were recorded in all patients. RESULTS: None of the patients had occult HBV prior to transplantation. Six (6.7%) patients were positivefor HBV surface antigen (HBsAg) prior to transplantation and received lamivudine prophylaxis; they did not develop HBV reactivation after transplantation. Clinical HBV infection emerged in three patients after transplantation who had negative HBV-DNA prior to HSCT. Two of these three patients had HBV reactivation while one patient developed acute hepatitis B. Three patients had anti-HBc as the sole hepatitis B-related antibody prior to transplantation, two of whom developed hepatitis B reactivation while none of the patients with antibody to HBV surface antigen (anti-HBs) did so. The 14 anti-HBs-and/or anti-HBc-positive patients among the 90 HSCT recipients experienced either persistent (8 patients) or transient (6 patients) disappearance of anti-HBs and/or anti-HBc. HBsAg seroconversion and clinical hepatitis did not develop in these patients. Female gender and multiple myeloma emerged as risk factors for loss of antibody in regression analysis (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Anti-HBc as the sole HBV marker seems to be a risk factor for reactivation after autologous HSCT. Lamivudine prophylaxis in HbsAg-positive patients continues to be effective.

Transplantation of autologous peripheral blood mononuclear cells in the subarachnoid space for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis:a safety analysis of 14 patients

There is a small amount of clinical data regarding the safety and feasibility of autologous peripheral blood mononuclear cell transplantation into the subarachnoid space for the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.The objectives of this retrospective study were to assess the safety and efficacy of peripheral blood mononuclear cell transplantation in 14 amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients to provide more objective data for future clinical trials.After stem cell mobilization and collection,autologous peripheral blood mononuclear cells（1 × 109） were isolated and directly transplanted into the subarachnoid space of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients.The primary outcome measure was incidence of adverse events.Secondary outcome measures were electromyography 1 week before operation and 4 weeks after operation,Functional Independence Measurement,Berg Balance Scale,and Dysarthria Assessment Scale 1 week preoperatively and 1,2,4 and 12 weeks postoperatively.There was no immediate or delayed transplant-related cytotoxicity.The number of leukocytes,serum alanine aminotransferase and creatinine levels,and body temperature were within the normal ranges.Radiographic evaluation showed no serious transplant-related adverse events.Muscle strength grade,results of Functional Independence Measurement,Berg Balance Scale,and Dysarthria Assessment Scale were not significantly different before and after treatment.These findings suggest that peripheral blood mononuclear cell transplantation into the subarachnoid space for the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is safe,but its therapeutic effect is not remarkable.Thus,a large-sample investigation is needed to assess its efficacy further.

Effect of Yaobitong capsule on histomorphology of dorsal root ganglion and on expression of p38mark phosphorylation in autologous nucleus pulposus transplantation model of rats

Objective:To discuss the effect of Yaobitong capsule on histomorphology of dorsal root ganglion and on expression of p38 MARK phosphorylation in autologous nucleus pulposus transplantation model of rats.Methods:A total of 60 SD rats were randomly divided into the blank group,model group and Yaobitong capsule group,with 20 rats in each group.The animal model of autologous nucleus pulposus transplantation around the lumbar nerve root was built.Three days after the modeling,rats were given the drugs for the first time,while rats in the model group were given the equivalent normal saline.After 30 d of continuous administration,samples were collected from rats.HE staining was performed on the dorsal root ganglion of L4 and L5 spinal cord of rats in each group and the expression of p38 MARK phosphorylation was measured.All data were treated with the statistical analysis.Results:The histological examination showed that the histomorphology of dorsal root ganglion in the Yaobitong capsule group was more significantly improved than the one in the model group,while the results of western blot showed that Yaobitong capsule could significandy inhibit the level of p38 MAPK phosphorylation of dorsal root ganglion cells.Conclusions:Yaobitong capsule can improve the symptoms and nerve radiculopathy of autologous nucleus pulposus transplantation of rats and its mechanism may be associated with its inhibiting effect on the level of p38 MAPK phosphorylation.

Autologous transplantation with fewer fibers repairs large peripheral nerve defects

Peripheral nerve injury is a serious disease and its repair is challenging. A cable-style autologous graft is the gold standard for repairing long peripheral nerve defects; however, ensuring that the minimum number of transplanted nerve attains maximum therapeutic effect remains poorly understood. In this study, a rat model of common peroneal nerve defect was established by resecting a 10-mm long right common peroneal nerve. Rats receiving transplantation of the common peroneal nerve in situ were designated as the in situ graft group. Ipsilateral sural nerves（10–30 mm long） were resected to establish the one sural nerve graft group, two sural nerves cable-style nerve graft group and three sural nerves cable-style nerve graft group. Each bundle of the peroneal nerve was 10 mm long. To reduce the barrier effect due to invasion by surrounding tissue and connective-tissue overgrowth between neural stumps, small gap sleeve suture was used in both proximal and distal terminals to allow repair of the injured common peroneal nerve. At three months postoperatively, recovery of nerve function and morphology was observed using osmium tetroxide staining and functional detection. The results showed that the number of regenerated nerve fibers, common peroneal nerve function index, motor nerve conduction velocity, recovery of myodynamia, and wet weight ratios of tibialis anterior muscle were not significantly different among the one sural nerve graft group, two sural nerves cable-style nerve graft group, and three sural nerves cable-style nerve graft group. These data suggest that the repair effect achieved using one sural nerve graft with a lower number of nerve fibers is the same as that achieved using the two sural nerves cable-style nerve graft and three sural nerves cable-style nerve graft. This indicates that according to the ‘multiple amplification＇ phenomenon, one small nerve graft can provide a good therapeutic effect for a large peripheral nerve defect.

Prognostic value of pre-and post-transplantation 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography results in non-Hodgkin lymphoma patients receiving autologous stem cell transplantation

Objective： High-dose chemotherapy （HDC） followed by autologous stem cell transplantation （ASCT） is the standard of care in the upfront or relapsed/refractory setting in some patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma （NHL）. However, a proportion of patients do not respond to ASCT. lSF-fluorodeoxyglueose （FDG） positron emission tomography （PET）/computed tomography （CT） has been widely used for staging, response evaluation, and prognosis prediction. Here, we investigated the prognostic role of PET/CT in NHL patients before and after ASCT. Methods： A retrospective study was conducted at Peking University Cancer Hospital. All NHL patients who underwent ASCT between March 2010 and July 2016 were identified. Patients who had PET/CT scan before and after ASCT were included. Deauville criteria （5-point scale） were used to interpret PET scans. Univariate and multivariate survival analyses were performed using Cox regression. The predictive value of PET scanning was estimated by comparing the area under the receiver operating characteristic （ROC） curve. Results： In total, 79 patients were enrolled in this study. In univariate analysis, pre- and post-ASCT PET result was identified as prognostic factors for 3-year progression-free survival （PFS） and overall survival （OS）. Patients with negative pre-ASCT PET result demonstrated significantly better PFS （84.2% vs. 54.2%） and OS （89.2% vs. 63.6%） than patients with positive pre-ASCT PET result. PFS （91.6% vs. 25.3%） and OS （96.5% vs. 36.8%） were also significantly different between patients with negative and positive post-ASCT PET result. Multivariate analysis also showed a significant association between survival and post-ASCT PET result. ROC analysis revealed that the predictive value of post-ASCT PET result was superior to that of pre-ASCT PET result alone. Combined pre- and post-ASCT PET result is better for predicting outcomes in patients with NHL receiving transplantation. Deauville criteria score 〉3 was identified as the best cutoffvalue for post-ASCT PET. Conclusions： Post-ASCT PET result was more important than pre-ASCT PET result in predicting outcomes for NHL patients who underwent ASCT. The prognostic significance can be improved when combining pre- ASCT PET result with post-ASCT PET result. Deauville criteria can be used for interpreting PET scans in this scenario.

Synaptic development in the injured spinal cord cavity following co-transplantation of fetal spinal cord cells and autologous activated Schwann cells

Transplantation of activated transgenic Schwann cells or a fetal spinal cord cell suspension has been widely used to treat spinal cord injury. However, little is known regarding the effects of co-transplantation. In the present study, autologous Schwann cells in combination with a fetal spinal cord cell suspension were transplanted into adult Wistar rats with spinal cord injury, and newly generated axonal connections were observed ultrastructurally. Transmission electron microscopic observations showed that the neuroblast first presented cytoplasmic processes, followed by pre- and postsynaptic membranes with low electron density forming a dense projection. The number and types of synaptic vesicles were increased. Synaptic connections developed from single cell body-dendritic synapses into multiple cell body-dendritic and dendrite-dendritic synapses. In addition, the cell organs of the transplanted neuroblast, oligodendroblast and astroblast matured gradually. The blood-brain barrier appeared subsequently. Moreover, neurofilament, histamine, calcitonin-gene-related peptides, and glial fibrillary acidic protein positive fibers were observed in the transplant region. These findings demonstrate that fetal spinal cord cells in the presence of autologous activated Schwann cells can develop into mature synapses in the cavity of injured spinal cords, suggesting the possibility of information exchange through the reconstructed synapse between fetal spinal cord cells and the host.

Day 100 Absolute Monocyte/Lymphocyte Prognostic Score and Survival Post Autologous Peripheral Blood Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation in Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma

Day 100 prognostic factors post-autologous peripheral blood hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (APBHSCT) to predict clinical outcomes in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) patients have not been studied. Thus, we retrospectively examined if day 100 absolute monocyte/lymphocyte prognostic score (AMLPS-100) affects clinical outcomes by landmark analysis from day 100 post-APBHSCT in DLBCL. Only DLBCL patients in complete remission at day 100 post-APBHSCT were evaluated. From 2000 to 2007, 134 consecutive DLBCL patients are qualified for the study. Patients with a day 100 absolute monocyte count (AMC-100) ≥ 630 cells/μL and day 100 absolute lymphocyte count (ALC-100) ≤ 1000 cells/μL experienced inferior overall survival (OS) and progression free survival (PFS). On multivariate analysis, the AMC-100 and ALC-100 remained independent predictors of OS and PFS. Combining both values into the AMLPS-100, the 5-year OS rates for low, intermediate, and high AMLPS-100 risk groups were 94% (95% CI, 83.0% - 98.1%), 70% (95% CI, 58.6% - 80.1%), and 13% (95% CI, 3.4% - 40.5%), respectively;and the 5-year PFS rates were 87% (95% CI, 74.0% - 94.1%), 68% (95% CI, 56.0% - 77.8%), and 13% (95% CI, 3.4% - 40.5%), respectively. The AMLPS-100 is a simple biomarker score that can stratify clinical outcomes from day 100 post-APBHSCT in DLBCL patients.