Hepatocyte progenitors in man and in rodents--multiple pathways, multiple candidates

In severe injury, liver-cell progenitors may play a role in recovery, proliferating, and subsequently differentiating into mature liver cells. Identifying these progenitors has major therapeutic potential for ex vivo pharmaceutical testing, bioartificial liver support, tissue engineering and gene therapy protocols. Potential liver-cell progenitors have been identified from bone marrow, peripheral blood, cord blood, foetal liver, adult liver and embryonic stem cells. Differences and similarities are found among cells isolated from rodents and humans. This review will discuss identifying markers and differentiation potential in in vitro and in vivo models of these putative progenitors in both humans and rodents.     

On the possible origin of extra-epithelial enterochromaffin cells by budding from the crypts of Lieberkuhn

This study was undertaken to test Pierre Masson's still unconfirmed theory that extra-epithelial enterochromaffin cells in the gut arise in adult life by budding from the crypts of Lieberkuhn under conditions of low grade inflammation. Appendices (900) were reviewed and 19 were selected for serial section study because in random sections they showed lateral fusion of the crypts, one of the key features described by Masson. Ten specimens without crypt fusion served as controls. Sixteen of the 19 study specimens and one of the control specimens showed budding, averaging one bud in every 88 sections. Most buds were in direct contact with Schwann cells in the adjacent lamina propria and 45 per cent of them contained enterochromaffin cells. There was also histologic evidence linking buds and lateral crypt fusion to low grade inflammation. Masson's ideas are, therefore, confirmed insofar as the existence of buds and their relationship to enterochromaffin cells, Schwann cells, and inflammation is concerned. The actual separation of buds from the crypts to form extra-epithelial enterochromaffin cells has yet to be proved.     

大鼠肝卵圆细胞的诱导、分离及鉴定

目的建立大鼠肝卵圆细胞的增殖模型,并探索其分离及鉴定方法。方法雄性Wistar大鼠每天1次连续灌胃给予不同剂量二乙酰氨基芴(2-AAF熏5、10、15、20、25mg/kgBW),第5天行标准的2/3肝切除术,术后按各自剂量继续给予11天,不同时间取肝脏组织,行甲胎蛋白、细胞角蛋白18及19染色并观察。以确定的2-AAF最佳剂量制备大鼠肝干细胞增殖模型,Seglen胶原酶原位灌注结合Percoll密度梯度离心分离纯化大鼠肝卵圆细胞,光镜、电镜下观察细胞特点,并进行上述细胞表型标志免疫组化染色。结果2-AAF15mg/kgBW能建立较理想的肝卵圆细胞增殖模型。HE染色可见汇管区及中央静脉周围大量增殖的嗜碱性小细胞,电镜下观察此种细胞具有卵圆形细胞核、细胞质少而淡、核/浆比例较大等特点,免疫组化染色证实甲胎蛋白、细胞角蛋白18和19染色阳性,白蛋白及白细胞共同抗原(LCA)染色阴性。分离所得底层细胞,光镜下表现大小不等、不规则圆形细胞,体积较小,细胞核/浆比例较大,电镜下细胞表面可见少量短而小的微绒毛状突起,余同增殖细胞特点,免疫组化染色与增殖细胞表现相同细胞表型特点。结论本方法可成功诱导、分离、纯化大鼠肝卵圆细胞,符合肝卵圆细胞的形态特点、超微结构及细胞表型标志特点。     

人外周血树突状细胞-乳腺癌细胞融合细胞

目的：探讨树突状细胞—肿瘤细胞融合细胞的形态特性，为研制融合细胞疫苗提供形态学依据。方法：将免疫磁珠法分离的人外周血树突状细胞与人乳腺癌细胞株MCF7融合，瑞氏—姬姆萨染色观察；扫描电镜观察树突状细胞、融合细胞的表面超微结构。结果：树突状细胞与MCF细胞按10：1比例融合后，一个乳腺癌细胞可以与一个或多个树突状细胞相融合；扫描电镜下可见分离的树突状细胞表面有突起，树突状细胞/MCF7融合细胞具两种亲代细胞的表面超微结构特点。结论：树突状细胞与人乳腺癌细胞融合后无明显的形态改变。     

Harnessing innate and adaptive immunity for adoptive cell therapy of renal cell carcinoma

The development of immunotherapies for renal cell carcinoma (RCC) has been the subject of research for several decades. In addition to cytokine therapy, the benefit of various adoptive cell therapies has again come into focus in the past several years. Nevertheless, success in fighting this immunogenic tumor is still disappointing. RCC can attract a multitude of different effector cells of both the innate and adaptive immune system, including natural killer (NK) cells, γδ T cells, NK-like T cells, peptide-specific T cells, dendritic cells (DC), and regulatory T cells (Tregs). Based on intensive research on the biology and function of different immune cells, we now understand that individual cell types do not act in isolation but function within a complex network of intercellular interactions. These interactions play a pivotal role in the efficient activation and function of effector cells, which is a prerequisite for successful tumor elimination. This review provides a current overview of the diversity of effector cells having the capacity to recognize RCC. Aspects of the functions and anti-tumor properties that make them attractive candidates for adoptive cell therapies, as well as experience in clinical application are discussed. Improved knowledge of the biology of this immune network may help us to effectively harness various effector cells, placing us in a better position to develop new therapeutic strategies to successfully fight RCC.     

皮肤树突状细胞亚群研究进展

皮肤树突状细胞(DC)作为重要的抗原提呈细胞,在机体免疫应答或自身耐受的发生中扮演着非常重要的角色.皮肤免疫系统中定居着多种DC亚群,主要包括表皮层中的郎格汉斯细胞(LC)与真皮层中的各种真皮DC亚群.健康皮肤中的DC亚群主要有表皮LC、真皮DC(dDC)和浆细胞DC(pDC),dDC又分为Langerin+ dDC及Langerin-dDC等.但在炎症性皮肤,如过敏性皮炎、银屑病等病变皮肤中则存在着炎症性DC亚群.DC由于其复杂的异质性群体,导致了其各亚群的特殊化功能.皮肤DC亚群的特殊化功能,为皮肤性疾病的临床治疗及新型疫苗的研发设计等都提供了良好的新策略.     

两种不同纯度的嗅鞘细胞在体外存活与生长的比较

比较80%和50%两种纯度的嗅鞘细胞在体外培养条件下的存活与生长,为嗅鞘细胞体内移植选用最佳纯度提供依据。分离、培养并纯化成年SD大鼠嗅鞘细胞,将纯化的嗅鞘细胞和收集到的贴壁成纤维细胞进行约80%和50%的比例混合后接种,继续培养1d或3d。所有细胞于不同时间点行P75免疫细胞化学荧光染色,以鉴定嗅鞘细胞的初始及其后培养过程中数量和纯度的变化。观察细胞状态,计数细胞总数和P75免疫阳性细胞数目,求得各组嗅鞘细胞数量和纯度并行统计学分析。结果显示:两种不同纯度嗅鞘细胞在培养1d时形态正常,3d时纯度为50%的嗅鞘细胞胞体依然饱满,突起更加纤长,数量和纯度亦无明显下降。而纯度为80%的嗅鞘细胞在培养3d时已出现胞体萎缩和突起变短,数量从1d时每一观察区域内的35±13显著下降为23±5(P=0.02),但纯度未发生明显变化。结果表明50%纯度嗅鞘细胞的存活及生长状态优于80%者,提示细胞体内移植时应考虑选取50%纯度的嗅鞘细胞。     

人羊膜上皮细胞上清液对人肝癌BEL-7402细胞的体外抗肿瘤作用

目的探讨人羊膜上皮细胞(h AECs)上清液对体外培养的肝癌细胞系BEL-7402细胞迁移、增殖与凋亡的影响。方法 BEL-7402细胞随机分为5组,其中对照组不加h AECs上清液,其余4组加入体积分数分别为6.25%、12.5%、25%和50%的h AECs上清液作用24 h后,通过划痕实验、MTT试验和流式细胞术检测BEL-7402细胞迁移、增殖和凋亡;Western blot法检测凋亡相关蛋白的表达量。结果 h AECs上清液能剂量依赖性地抑制BEL-7402细胞迁移、增殖并诱导凋亡(P0.05);25%和50%h AECs上清液组BEL-7402细胞caspase-3和caspase-8蛋白的切割片断蛋白定量明显高于对照组(P0.05)。结论 h AECs上清液对体外培养的BEL-7402细胞具有一定的抗肿瘤作用。     

The molecular makeup and function of regulatory and effector synapses

Summary:  Physical interactions between T cells and antigen-presenting cells (APCs) form the basis of any specific immune response. Upon cognate contacts, a multimolecular assembly of receptors and adhesion molecules on both cells is created, termed the immunological synapse (IS). Very diverse structures of ISs have been described, yet the functional importance for T-cell differentiation is largely unclear. Here we discuss the principal structure and function of ISs. We then focus on two characteristic T-cell–APC pairs, namely T cells contacting dendritic cells (DCs) or naive B cells, for which extremely different patterns of the IS have been observed as well as fundamentally different effects on the function of the activated T cells. We provide a model on how differences in signaling and the involvement of adhesion molecules might lead to diverse interaction kinetics and, eventually, diverse T-cell differentiation. We hypothesize that the preferred activation of the adhesion molecule leukocyte function-associated antigen-1 (LFA-1) and of the negative regulator for T-cell activation, cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA-4), through contact with naive B cells, lead to prolonged cell–cell contacts and the generation of T cells with regulatory capacity. In contrast, DCs might have evolved mechanisms to avoid LFA-1 overactivation and CTLA-4 triggering, thereby promoting more dynamic contacts that lead to the preferential generation of effector cells.     

小鼠肺癌细胞与树突状细胞融合的研究

目的 使肺癌细胞表达共刺激分子,探讨其作为疫苗的可能性。方法 小鼠骨髓细胞在体外经GM－CSF和TNF－α诱导,使之成为成熟树突状细胞（BmDC)。将其与小鼠Lewis肺癌细胞AL9901融合,并以S－P免疫细胞化学染色法检测融合细胞和BmDC上有关分子的表达。结果 通过GM－CSF和TNF－α诱导获得BmDC,以诱导5d时收获为佳。获得的BmDC能高表达B7－1和CD40分子,与肺癌细胞融合后,获得的融合细胞仍能高表达B7－1和CD40分子。结论 通过将小鼠肺癌细胞与树突状细胞融合,使肺癌细胞获得了BmDC表达的B7－1和CD40分子,从而提高了其免疫原性,为制备肺癌疫苗奠定了基础。     

Distinctive effects of pilose antler on mouse peripheral blood immune cell populations

Pilose antler is a rare animal-sourced traditional Chinese medicine that has been demonstrated to cause a change in total immunity. Little is known about its specific effect on immune cells. In this study, the immunological modulatory effects of pilose antler extract on mice were investigated. Mice were gavaged daily for 7 days with pilose antler extracts, and peripheral blood was analysed by flow cytometry. Our results show that pilose antler extract exerted distinctive effects on the different immune cell types analysed. Pilose antler gavage transiently increased T cell percentage and decreased B cell percentage in peripheral blood. After treatment, the proliferation of killer and helper T cells was stimulated in the short term, but in the longer term, NK and memory T cell populations were increased. These results suggest that pilose antler treatment has both transient and long-term effects on the immune system in mice.     

Renal cell carcinoma with osteoclast-like giant cells

Primary extraskeletal epithelial neoplasms with osteoclast-like giant cells are rare. We describe a case of renal cell carcinoma with a sarcomatoid component and non-neoplastic osteoclast-like giant cells. The giant cells were noted in both the conventional and the sarcomatoid components of the neoplasm. Immunohistochemical studies indicate that these cells are monocyte/histiocyte in origin and most probably a host stromal reaction to the neoplasm.     

Diversity of tissue-resident NK cells

Although natural killer (NK) cells were initially named for their spontaneous tumor-killing capacity, their concept has been greatly expanded with more than 40 years of extensive investigation. Currently, NK cells are known as a heterogeneous population of innate lymphoid cell (ILC) family, consisting of different subsets with unique phenotypic and functional features. Recent studies have shown that tissue-resident NK (trNK) cells, which are distinct from conventional NK (cNK) cells, preferentially distribute in non-lymphoid tissues, such as the liver, uterus, salivary gland, and adipose. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of the current knowledge about the phenotype, function and development of trNK cells across different tissues and describe the similarities and differences between diverse trNK cells and cNK cells, with a particular focus on the tissue-specific characteristics of different trNK cells.     

3株弥漫大B细胞淋巴瘤细胞系的鉴定与临床病理相关分析

目的鉴定OCI-Ly1、OCI-Ly8、OCI-Ly103株弥漫大B细胞（diffuselargeB-celllymphoma,DLBCL）,并进行分子亚类分型及临床病理相关分析。方法采用细胞块切片HE染色观察细胞形态,运用CD3、CD20、CD10、Bcl-6、MUM-1抗体进行免疫标记确定其分子亚类;MTT法测定细胞的增殖活力。结果 OCI-Ly1和OCI-Ly8细胞形态以中心母细胞为主,OCI-Ly10以免疫母细胞为主。3株细胞CD20和CD10均弥漫阳性,CD3阴性。OCI-Ly1个别细胞Bcl-6阳性,MUM-1阴性;OCI-Ly8细胞Bcl-6、MUM-1均阴性;OCI-Ly10个别细胞Bcl-6阳性,MUM-1散在或簇状阳性,CD10和MUM-1的表达具有互补现象,在36例DLBCL临床病理标本中发现有7例（19%）CD10和MUM-1表达互补。OCI-Ly10增殖能力显著高于OCI-Ly1、OCI-Ly8（P〈0.001）。结论 OCI-Ly1和OCI-Ly8属于GCB型,OCI-Ly10属于NC型（non-classfied）;OCI-Ly10细胞系及组织标本CD10和MUM-1的表达互补现象有待进一步研究。     

Single-Cell RNA Sequencing of Lymph Node Stromal Cells Reveals Niche-Associated Heterogeneity

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Hepatic progenitor cells, stem cells, and AFP expression in models of liver injury

Adult hepatocytes and liver-cell progenitors play a role in restoring liver tissue after injury. For the study of progenitor cells in liver repair, experimental models included (a) surgical removal of liver tissue by partial hepatectomy; (b) acute injury by carbontetrachloride; (c) acute injury by d-galactosamine (GalN) and N-nitrosomorpholine (NNM); and (d) chemical hepatocarcinogenesis by feeding NNM in low and high doses. Serological and immunohistological detection of alpha-fetoprotein gene expression served to follow pathways of cellular differentiation. Stem cells were not required in models of surgical removal of parenchyma and in carbon tetrachloride intoxication of adult hepatocytes. In contrast, regeneration of liver occurred through biliary epithelial cells in injuries induced by GalN and NNM. These biliary epithelial cells, collectively called oval cells, are most probably derived from the canals of Hering. Proliferating bile duct cells reached a level of differentiation with reactivation of foetal genes and significant alpha-1-fetoprotein (AFP) synthesis signalling a certain degree of retrodifferentiation with potential stemness. Due to the same embryonic origin of bile ducts and hepatocytes, biliary epithelium and its proliferating progeny (oval cells) have a defined role in liver regeneration as a transit and amplification compartment. In their early proliferation stage, oval cells were heavily engaged in DNA synthesis ([3H]thymidine labelling). Pulse-chase experiments during experimental hepatocarcinogenesis exhibited their development into hepatocytes with high risk for transformation and leading to foci of altered hepatocytes. Hepatocellular carcinomas may arise either from proliferating/differentiating oval cells or from adult hepatocytes; both cell types have stem-like properties. AFP-positive and AFP-negative carcinomas occurred in the same liver. They may represent random clonal origin. The heterogeneity of phenotypic marker (AFP) correlated with a process of retrodifferentiation.     

Small cell undifferentiated carcinoma of the submandibular gland: immunohistochemical evidence of myoepithelial, basal and luminal cell features

A primary small cell undifferentiated carcinoma of the submandibular gland is reported. Histological studies revealed that the major part of this tumor was composed of cells slightly larger (10-14 microm) than lymphocytes. These tumor cells showed myoepithelial-cell differentiation, which was confirmed by the immunohistochemical and ultrastructural findings. Furthermore, some of them showed luminal-cell and basal-cell differentiation immunohistochemically. However, there was no evidence of neuroendocrine differentiation. These findings demonstrated that the tumor had the features of all the salivary ductal components (myoepithelial, basal, and luminal cells) and supported that the tumor might arise from the salivary duct. Furthermore, it supports the hypothesis of multipotential stem cells as the origin for small cell undifferentiated carcinomas in salivary glands.     

人脐血单个核细胞向神经细胞分化

目的：观察培养前后人脐血单个核细胞(MNCs)的形态学及免疫反应性变化，探讨其能否向神经细胞的分化及机制。方法：密度梯度离心脐血中单个核细胞，接种并用。EGF和bFGF刺激细胞生长，倒置显微镜下观察培养前后细胞形态变化，并行免疫细胞化学鉴定。结果：培养前脐血MNCs胞体小呈圆形，nestin阳性细胞、AP2阳性细胞散在分布(阳性率为1．5％和3．4％)无GFAP阳性细胞着色。培养14d后，细胞群中相邻细胞突起连成网状；AP2、GFAP染色阳性细胞成片状分布(阳性率33．5％和24．6％)，未见nestin阳性细胞。结论：脐血细胞中可能有多能干细胞，经体外培养后能分化为具有一定形态的神经细胞。     

Renal cell carcinoma classification: what matters?

Renal cell carcinoma classification may seem to be increasing dramatically in complexity over the last 10 years. Although integration of morphology, immunohistochemistry, and molecular features continues to refine different tumor types and dissect subgroups from long-established categories of renal cancer, only a select subset of these distinctions are of highest importance for clinical management. In the metastatic setting, distinction of clear cell from non-clear cell renal cancer is important, as there are different treatment pathways for these two groups. Another select handful of tumor types are highly aggressive (sarcomatoid, medullary, collecting duct, and fumarate hydratase-deficient carcinomas), which may necessitate different therapy from other non-clear cell carcinomas. A few tumor types are highly favorable, especially chromophobe carcinoma and clear cell papillary carcinoma (which is likely to be reclassified as a “tumor” rather than carcinoma soon). Still other tumor histologies often imply a hereditary syndrome solely based on their diagnosis, particularly succinate dehydrogenase-deficient and fumarate hydratase-deficient cancers. Although several eosinophilic tumor types with subtly different features have been recently recognized, it is not clear at present that discriminating them from chromophobe carcinoma is critical, as behavior appears to be largely favorable. Therefore, although some aspects of surgical pathology rely heavily on molecular diagnostics, histologic pattern and select immunohistochemical markers can resolve the differential diagnosis in most renal neoplasms, without need for complex molecular analysis.