The present paper is aimed to investigate the effect of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) on proliferation, migration and differentiation of endogenous neural stem cell in rat cerebral cortex with global brain ischemia-reperfusion. A global brain ischemia-reperfusion model was established. Immunohistochemistry was used to observe the pathological changes and the expression of BrdU and Nestin in cerebral cortex. RT-PCR was used to measure the NSE mRNA in brain tissue. The results of measurements indicated that in sham operation group, there was no positive cell in cerebral cortex, and the content of NSE mRNA did not change. In the operation group, the expression of BrdU and Nestin increased significantly at the end of the 3rd day, and peaked on the 7th day. NSE mRNA expression did not significantly increase. In bFGF group, compared with sham operation group and model group, the number of BrdU-positive and Nestin-positive cells increased significantly at each time point (P<0.05), and peaked at the end of the 11th day, and the content of NSE mRNA increased significantly (P<0.05). This research demonstrated that the proliferation of endogenous neural stem cells in situ could be induced by global cerebral ischemia and reperfusion, and could be promoted and extended by bFGF. In additiion, bFGF might promote endogenous neural stem cells differentiated into neurons.
Objective To determine the efficacy of D980-nm laser in dissolving fat and renewing skin, and to explore the clinical application of D980-nm laser in reconstruction of photodamaged skin. Methods Eighteen 12-14 month-old male Sprague-Dawley rats, weighing 400-450 g, were randomly divided into 3 groups (n=6). The rat skin at the left side was exposed to D980-nm laser irradiation at a density of 20 J/cm2, a power of 8 W, a pulse width of 20 ms, and a pulse frequency of 40 Hz for 1 time (group A), 2 times of 5-minute interval (group B), and 3 times of 5-minute interval (group C) as a treatment course, for 4 treatment courses with an interval of 1 week; the other side of the skin was not treated as the control groups (groups A1, B1, and C1, respectively). After 8 weeks, the skin was harvested for HE staining and immunohistochemical staining to observe the structure changes of skin, to measure the dermal thickness, to count the number of fibroblasts, and detect the expressions of transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF). Results Compared with groups A1, B1, and C1, the skin structure was significantly improved in groups A, B, and C. After D980-nm laser irradiation, the number of fat cells decreased; local angiogenesis was observed; the total number of fibroblasts and fibers increased; the collagen fiber had large diameter, and arranged closely and regularly; the dermal thickness and the number of the fibroblasts increased; and the expressions of TGF-β1 and bFGF were significantly enhanced, showing significant differences (P<0.05). With increased D980-nm laser irradiation times, the above indexes increased, showing significant differences between group C and groups A, B (P<0.05). Conclusion D980-nm laser treatment has lipolytic and tender effect on the skin, and the frequency of the treatment is an important factor in skin renewal.
ObjectiveTo observe the effect of vascular endothelial growth factor/polylactide-polyethyleneglycol-polylactic acid copolymer/basic fibroblast growth factor (VEGF/PELA/bFGF) mixed microcapsules in promoting the angiogenic differentiation of rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) in vitro. MethodsThe BMSCs were isolated by the method of whole bone marrow adherent, and sub-cultured. The passage 3 BMSCs were identified by Wright-Giemsa staining and flow cytometry, and used for subsequent experiments. VEGF/PELA/bFGF (group A), PELA/bFGF (group B), VEGF/PELA (group C), and PELA (group D) microcapsules were prepared. The biodegradable ability and cytotoxicity of PELA microcapsule were determined, and the slow-released ability of VEGF/PELA/bFGF mixed microcapsules was measured. The passage 3 BMSCs were co-cultured with the extracts of groups A, B, C, and D, separately. At 1, 3, 7, 14, and 20 days after being cultured, the morphological changes of induced BMSCs were recorded. At 21 days, the induced BMSCs were tested for DiI-labeled acetylated low density lipoprotein (Dil-ac-LDL) and FITC-labeled ulex europaeus agglutinin I (FITC-UEA-I) uptake ability. The tube-forming ability of the induced cells on Matrigel was also verified. The differences of the vascularize indexes in nodes, master junctions, master segments, and tot.master segments length in 4 groups were summarized and analyzed. ResultsThe isolated and cultured cells were identified as BMSCs. The degradation time of PELA was more than 20 days. There was no significant effect on cell viability under co-culture conditions. At 20 days, the cumulative release of VEGF in the mixed microcapsules exceeded 95%, and the quantity of bFGF exceeded 80%. The morphology of cells in groups A, B, and C were changed. The cells in groups A and B showed the typical change of cobble-stone morphology. The numbers of double fluorescent labeled cells observed by fluorescence microscope were the most in group A, and decreases from group B and group C, with the lowest in group D. The cells in groups A and B formed a grid-like structure on Matrigel. Quantitative analysis showed that the differences in the number of nodes, master junctions, master segments, and tot.master segments length between groups A, B and groups C, D were significant (P<0.05). The number of nodes and the tot.master segments length of group A were more than those of group B (P<0.05). There was no significant differences in the number of master junctions and master segments between group A and group B (P>0.05). ConclusionVEGF/PELA/bFGF mixed microcapsules have significantly ability to promote the angiogenic differentiation of rat BMSCs in vitro.
ObjectiveTo observe the expressions of transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) induced membrane by Masquelet technique in rats treated with glycoside of short-horned epimedium Herb, and to explore the effect of glycoside of short-horned epimedium Herb on Masquelet induced membrane.MethodsSixty 3-month-old male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 3 groups with 20 rats in each group; a tibial bone defect (6 mm in length) model was established. The blank group (group A) was not treated; the control group (group B) and the experimental group (group C) were filled with vancomycin antibiotic bone cement in the drawing stage, and the bone cement was completely solidified. Group C was given perfused flavonoids glycoside of short-horned epimedium Herb (10 μmol/L) by gavage once a day (0.3 mL) from 1 day after operation, and groups A and B were given the same amount of normal saline by gavage. After operation, the recovery and wound healing of experimental animals were observed; at 4 weeks after operation, X-ray film was taken to observe the recovery of bone defect of proximal tibia; at 6 weeks after operation, the bone defect was observed, and the morphological changes and vascularization degree of granulation tissue and induction membrane tissue were observed; the expressions of TGF-β1 and bFGF were observed by immunohistochemistry staining and ELISA detection.ResultsThe bone defect models of the 3 groups were established successfully, and there was no abnormality after operation. The incisions healed by first intention after operation. At 4 weeks after operation, X-ray films of proximal tibial defect showed that there was obvious space in group A, while bone cement was filled and Kirschner wire fixation was good in groups B and C. At 6 weeks after operation, the gross observation showed that the granulation tissue was filled in the defect area in group A; transparent membrane was formed in groups B and C, and microvessels were seen in some areas, and the microvessels in group C were significantly more than those in group B. Immunohistochemical staining showed that the expressions of TGF-β1 and bFGF were negative in group A, but they were expressed in groups B and C, and the expressions of TGF-β1 and bFGF in group B were significantly less than those in group C. ELISA detection showed that the expressions of TGF-β1 and bFGF in group C were significantly higher than those in groups A and B (P<0.05), but there was no significant difference between groups A and B (P>0.05). ConclusionGlycoside of short-horned epimedium Herb can significantly increase the expressions of TGF-β1 and bFGF, accelerate the process of osteogenesis, and contribute to bone shaping and reconstruction.
Objective To explore the effect of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), epidermal growth factor (EGF), and the combination of bFGF and EGF in the neural differentiation of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSCs), and the role of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in this process. MethodsThe identified 4th-generation hBMSCs were divided into five groups according to different induction conditions, namely control group (group A), EGF induction group (group B), bFGF induction group (group C), EGF and bFGF combined induction group (group D), and EGF, bFGF, and Dickkopf-related protein 1 (DKK-1) combined induction group (group E). After 7 days of continuous induction, the cell morphology was observed by inverted fluorescence phase contrast microscopy, levels of genes that were related to neural cells [Nestin, neuron-specific enolase (NSE), microtubule-associated protein 2 (MAP-2), and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)] and key components of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway (β-catenin and Cyclin D1) were detected by RT-PCR, and the levels of proteins that were related to neural cells (Nestin and GFAP) as well as genes that were involved in Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway [β-catenin, phosphorylation β-catenin (P-β-catenin), Cytoplasmic β-catenin, and Nuclear β-catenin] were explored by cellular immunofluorescence staining and Western blot. ResultsWhen compared to groups A and B, the typical neuro-like cell changes were observed in groups C-E, and most obviously in group D. RT-PCR showed that the relative expressions of Nestin, NSE, and MAP-2 genes in groups C-E, the relative expressions of GFAP gene in groups D and E, the relative expression of NSE gene in group B, the relative expressions of β-catenin gene in groups C and D, and the relative expressions of Cyclin D1 gene in groups B-D significantly increased when compared with group A (P<0.05). Compared with group E, the relative expressions of Nestin, NSE, MAP-2, GFAP, β-catenin, and CyclinD1 genes significantly increased in group D (P<0.05); compared with group C, the relative expression of Nestin gene in group D significantly decreased (P<0.05), while NSE, MAP-2, and GFAP genes significantly increased (P<0.05). The cellular immunofluorescence staining showed that the ratio of NSE- and GFAP-positive cells significantly increased in groups C-E than in group A, in group D than in groups C and E (P<0.05). Western blot assay showed that the relative expression of NSE protein was significantly higher in groups C and D than in group A and in group D than in groups C and E (P<0.05). In addition, the relative expression of GFAP protein was significantly higher in groups C-E than in group A and in group D than in group E (P<0.05). Besides, the relative expressions of β-catenin, Cytoplasmic β-catenin, Nuclear β-catenin, and the ratio of Nuclear β-catenin to Cytoplasmic β-catenin were significantly higher in groups C and D than in group A and in group D than in group E (P<0.05), whereas the relative expression of P-β-catenin protein was significantly lower in groups C and D than in group A and in group D than in group E (P<0.05). Conclusion Different from EGF, bFGF can induce neural differentiation of hBMSCs. In addition, EGF can enhance the hBMSCs neural differentiation of bFGF, while the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway may play a positive regulatory role in these processes.