TRAIL, tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand, is a member of the TNF family of proteins.Tumour cells were initially found to have increased sensitivity to TRAIL compared with normal cells, raising ho...TRAIL, tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand, is a member of the TNF family of proteins.Tumour cells were initially found to have increased sensitivity to TRAIL compared with normal cells, raising hopes thatTRAIL would prove useful as an anti-tumor agent. The production of reliable monoclonal antibodies against TRAIL andits receptors that can stain fixed specimens will allow a thorough analysis of their expression on normal and malignanttissues. Here we report the generation of monoclonal antibodies against TRAIL and its four membrane-bound receptors(TR1–4), which have been used to stain a range of normal and malignant cells, as routinely fixed specimens. Low levelsof TRAIL expression were found to be limited mostly to smooth muscle in lung and spleen as well as glial cells in thecerebellum and follicular cells in the thyroid. Expression of the TRAIL decoy receptors (TR3 and 4) was not aswidespread as indicated by Northern blotting, suggesting that they may be less important for the control of TRAILcytotoxicity than previously thought. TR1 and TR2 expression increases significantly in a number of malignant tissues,but in some common malignancies their expression was low, or patchy, which may limit the therapeutic role of TRAIL.Taken together, we have a panel of monoclonal antibodies that will allow a better assessment of the normal role ofTRAIL and allow assessment of biopsy material, possibly allowing the identification of tumors that may be amenable toTRAIL therapy.展开更多
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
Objective To investigate the roles of sympathetic and vagus nerves in hypotension and bradycardia induced by fentanyl. Methods Fourteen rabbits were divided into 2 groups: normal and vagotomized rabbits. Rabbits were ...Objective To investigate the roles of sympathetic and vagus nerves in hypotension and bradycardia induced by fentanyl. Methods Fourteen rabbits were divided into 2 groups: normal and vagotomized rabbits. Rabbits were anesthetized, paralyzed, and artificial ventilated. Right renal sympathetic nerve was exposed and prepared for recording electrical activity. Fentanyl was injected intravenously in incremental doses of 1, 4, 15, 30, and 50 μg/kg at 10 minutes intervals. Results Fentanyl significantly reduced the spontaneous activity of renal sympathetic nerve, mean arterial pressure, and heart rate above a total dose of 20 μg/kg in both normal and vagotomized rabbits. However, normal rabbits spontaneous sympathetic nerve activity and mean arterial pressure were more depressed than vagotomized rabbits at total doses of 50 and 100 μg/kg. There were no significant difference in the reduction of heart rate between normal and vagotomized rabbits. Conclusion Fentanyl induction of bradycardia and hypotension in rabbits is mainly due to depression of sympathetic nerve activity.展开更多
Cancer screening is a source of much debate. At the interface between public health, specialist care, economics and policy, it creates tensions between professional groups, politicians, the media and the public. A scr...Cancer screening is a source of much debate. At the interface between public health, specialist care, economics and policy, it creates tensions between professional groups, politicians, the media and the public. A screening test may be cheap, but applying it to a population (with rigorous quality control and effective processing of patients with abnormal results) creates a huge workload and therefore cost. Screening can also have psychological effects on individuals with false-positive results who require investigation but are eventually found not to have cancer.展开更多
文摘TRAIL, tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand, is a member of the TNF family of proteins.Tumour cells were initially found to have increased sensitivity to TRAIL compared with normal cells, raising hopes thatTRAIL would prove useful as an anti-tumor agent. The production of reliable monoclonal antibodies against TRAIL andits receptors that can stain fixed specimens will allow a thorough analysis of their expression on normal and malignanttissues. Here we report the generation of monoclonal antibodies against TRAIL and its four membrane-bound receptors(TR1–4), which have been used to stain a range of normal and malignant cells, as routinely fixed specimens. Low levelsof TRAIL expression were found to be limited mostly to smooth muscle in lung and spleen as well as glial cells in thecerebellum and follicular cells in the thyroid. Expression of the TRAIL decoy receptors (TR3 and 4) was not aswidespread as indicated by Northern blotting, suggesting that they may be less important for the control of TRAILcytotoxicity than previously thought. TR1 and TR2 expression increases significantly in a number of malignant tissues,but in some common malignancies their expression was low, or patchy, which may limit the therapeutic role of TRAIL.Taken together, we have a panel of monoclonal antibodies that will allow a better assessment of the normal role ofTRAIL and allow assessment of biopsy material, possibly allowing the identification of tumors that may be amenable toTRAIL therapy.
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Objective To investigate the roles of sympathetic and vagus nerves in hypotension and bradycardia induced by fentanyl. Methods Fourteen rabbits were divided into 2 groups: normal and vagotomized rabbits. Rabbits were anesthetized, paralyzed, and artificial ventilated. Right renal sympathetic nerve was exposed and prepared for recording electrical activity. Fentanyl was injected intravenously in incremental doses of 1, 4, 15, 30, and 50 μg/kg at 10 minutes intervals. Results Fentanyl significantly reduced the spontaneous activity of renal sympathetic nerve, mean arterial pressure, and heart rate above a total dose of 20 μg/kg in both normal and vagotomized rabbits. However, normal rabbits spontaneous sympathetic nerve activity and mean arterial pressure were more depressed than vagotomized rabbits at total doses of 50 and 100 μg/kg. There were no significant difference in the reduction of heart rate between normal and vagotomized rabbits. Conclusion Fentanyl induction of bradycardia and hypotension in rabbits is mainly due to depression of sympathetic nerve activity.
文摘Cancer screening is a source of much debate. At the interface between public health, specialist care, economics and policy, it creates tensions between professional groups, politicians, the media and the public. A screening test may be cheap, but applying it to a population (with rigorous quality control and effective processing of patients with abnormal results) creates a huge workload and therefore cost. Screening can also have psychological effects on individuals with false-positive results who require investigation but are eventually found not to have cancer.
