ObjectiveTo understand the role of complement system in the immune mechanism of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and its potential therapeutic value, and to provide reference for related research in the field of HCC immunotherapy. MethodsRead and review the national and international literature on hepatocellular carcinoma and complement-related studies. ResultsA total of eight complement components closely related to HCC were summarized, which play an important role in the immune regulation of HCC, and their activation can be involved in the occurrence and development of HCC through a variety of mechanisms, and their use as complement inhibitors can regulate the activity of complement-related activation pathways and enhance anti-tumor ability, potentially providing a new strategy for the treatment of HCC. ConclusionA variety of complement components in the complement system play an important role in regulating the immune mechanism of HCC, and the activation of the complement system is closely related to the occurrence and development of HCC, which is expected to be a potential immunotherapeutic target for HCC. However, the combination of complement-related inhibitor therapy with other antitumor immunotherapies carries certain risks and benefits, which need to be thoroughly investigated.
ObjectiveTo observe effect of echinococcus cyst fluid on proliferation and cell cycle progression of rat hepatic stellate cells (HSC-T6), and to preliminarily reveal a new mechanisms of pro-fibrogenic effect of alveolar echinococcosis. MethodsHSC-T6 cells were treated with different concentrations (0.00-0.90 mg/mL) of echinococcus cyst fluid. Then, the morphological changes were observed under the inverted microscope, the impacts on proliferation and cell cycle were tested by the CCK-8 assay and flow cytometry respectively. ResultsAfter treated by echinococcus cyst fluids with different concentrations (0.00-0.90 mg/mL) for 24 h, the most cells shrinked fusiform shape with more slender synapses, and the proliferation activities were increased with the concentration of echinococcus cyst fluid increasing when it was higher than 0.05 mg/mL (P<0.05), the proportion of G0/G1 was decreased (P<0.05) and those of S and G2/M were increased (P<0.05) with the concentration of echinococcus cyst fluid increasing. ConclusionsEchinococcus cyst fluid could promote proliferation of HSC-T6 cells in a dose-dependent manner, which might due to its impact on cell cycle progression. Therefore, alveolar echinococcosis might promote hepatic fibrosis through regulating hepatic stellate cells, but further research on detail needs to be done in future.
ObjectiveTo explore potential value of three-dimensional reconstruction technique for preoperative evaluation of hepatic alveolar echinococcosis. MethodsTwenty-one cases of hepatic alveolar echinococcosis proved by postoperative pathological examination in Affiliated Hospital of Qinghai University from October 2013 to March 2014 were analyzed retrospectively. The three periods of patients’ liver dynamic thin layerCTscan images were collected and imported in three-dimensional reconstruction software by DICOM format. The volume of the virtual resected liver tissue was calculated by software, and then was compared with the actual resected liver tissue volume. ResultsThe resected liver volume was (761.94±505.77) mL and (756.19±501.78) mL in the virtual surgery and in the veritable surgery, respectively. The proportion of resected liver in the total liver was (39.27±18.75)% and (38.95±16.99)% in the virtual surgery and in the veritable surgery, respectively. The resected liver volume had no significant difference between the virtual surgery and veritable surgery (P>0.05), which a positive relation (r=0.989, P<0.001). ConclusionThe limited preliminary data in this study show that three-dimensional reconstruction technique and virtual planning system for surgery could accurately guide resection of lesion and provide preoperative guidance of accurate liver resection for hepatic alveolar echinococcosis.
Objective To detect and analize the expressions and it’s clinical significance of apoptosis factors in hepatic alveolar echinococcosis tissues by using antibody chip technology. Methods The liver tissue specimens (including the edge of lesions and normal liver tissues) of surgical resection of 6 patients with hepatic alveolar echinococcosis in Affiliated Hospital of Qinghai University were collected. The tissue protein was extracted and the level of apoptosis was detected by antibody chip technology. The data were analyzed by AAH-APO-G1 software. Results The expression levels of 5 kinds of apoptosis factors (Bad, Fas, IGFBP-3, P21 and XIAP) in the liver tissues of the marginal zone of hepatic alveolar echinococcosis were compared with that of the normal liver tissues, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). The expression levels of Bad, Fas, IGFBP-3 and P21 were up-regulated, and the expression level of XIAP was down regulated. Conclusions Apoptosis-related factors play a role in the progression of the hepatic alveolar echinococcosis, there may be contact with the immune escape mechanisms, while promote apoptosis factor and inhibitory apoptosis factor that may exist the function imbalance, so more in-depth exploration the mechanism of apoptosis factors on hepatic alveolar echinococcosis in diagnosis and treatment have important significance.
Objective To analyze the clinical manifestations, diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of bone hydatid disease in China by literature review. Methods We searched the databases of China National Knowledge Infrastructure and Wanfang for case reports of bone hydatid disease published from 2000 to 2015 in China. Data were extracted by using a standardized form and a retrospective clinical analysis was performed. Results A total of 21 relevant literatures published from 2000 to 2015 were included, including 87 cases of bone hydatid disease treated from 1975 to 2015. The regional distribution of bone hydatid disease was mainly concentrated in the animal husbandry areas in China. In terms of diagnosis basis, imaging examination was mentioned in 54 cases (62.1%), laboratory examination was mentioned in 32 cases (36.8%), and pathologic examination was mentioned in 8 cases (9.2%), etc. Surgical treatment was the main treatment, and some treatments were combined with chemotherapy. The outcomes of bone hydatid disease were relatively poor. In the 44 cases whose outcomes were reported, 26 cases (59.1%) had recurrence, 18 cases were cured (40.9%), 10 cases (22.7%) underwent re-operation, and 2 cases (4.5%) died. Conclusions Bone hydatid disease is rare. Surgical treatment is still the main method for treating bone hydatid disease. The rate of recurrence of bone hydatidosis is relatively high, so it is very important to explore new methods for diagnosis and treatment of bone hydatid disease.
Objective To investigate safety and therapeutic effect of total pancreatectomy plus splenectomy for patient with pancreatic cancer. Methods The preoperative clinical data, surgical treatment, and postoperative conditions of 1 patient with pancreatic cancer who underwent the total pancreatectomy plus splenectomy in the Affiliated Hospital of Qinghai University in January 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. Results Combination of the patient clinical history, physical examination, laboratory and radiologic results, the patient was diagnosed with the pancreatic cancer. Then the patient underwent the Whipple procedure. During the operation, it was found that the texture of the pancreas was hard, and the spleen arteriovenous were considered to be invaded, and the multiple frozen section analysis during the operation showed that the surgical margin was positive. Eventually, the total pancreatectomy plus splenectomy was performed. The postoperative pathological analysis results revealed to the well-moderately differentiated tubular adenocarcinoma. When the condition of patient became stable, the pancreatin and insulin were required for long time. No severe complications occurred. The patient survived well after the surgery and no recurrence was observed for following-up of 3 months. Conclusion With improvement of surgical techniques and enhancement of postoperative management, total pancreatectomy can be used as a treatment for pancreatic cancer and it is still safe and feasible.
ObjectiveTo understand the relationship between obesity, hyperglycemia, hypertension, and lipid metabolism disorder in metabolic syndrome and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and to provide reference for screening, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of HCC in clinic.MethodThe related literatures about the relationship between metabolic syndrome related factors (obesity, hyperglycemia, hypertension, and lipid metabolism disorder) and HCC were searched and summarized.ResultsObesity, hyperglycemia, hypertension, and abnormal lipid metabolism in metabolic syndrome were closely related to HCC, which were the high risk factors for leading to HCC, indicating that metabolic syndrome was closely related to the risk of HCC.ConclusionsMetabolic syndrome is closely related to the risk of HCC. It is of great significance for screening, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of HCC to deeply understand the mechanism and determinants of HCC caused by metabolic syndrome.
Objectives To observe the expression of key proteins in the NLRP3/Caspase-1 pathway of pyroptosis in the mouse model of hepatic Echinococcus multilocularis (Em) infection and explore its correlation. Methods Twenty-five BALB/c mice were randomly divided into the control group and the infected group. The infected group was injected with 0.2 mL suspension of protoscolex (including 3 000 protoscoleces) injected under the liver capsule to establish a model of secondary infection with hepatic Em. The control group was treated without any treatments and conventional feeding was conducted. The mice were sacrificed at 1, 2, 3, and 5 months after infection. The liver was harvested and observed for gross morphology. HE staining and transmission electron microscopy were performed to observe the histopathological changes. The expressions of key proteins in the NLRP3/Caspase-1 pathway of pyroptosis and the IL-1β, a downstream factor of pyroptosis in the liver were detected by immunohistochemistry, Western blot and ELISA. Results Compared with the control group, the cystic lesions on the surface of liver tissues in the infected group mice gradually increased and protruded from the liver surface with the extension of infection time. HE staining showed various pathological changes such as inflammatory cell infiltration and fibrous hyperplasia in the liver lesions to varying degrees. After 2 months of Em infection, transmission electron microscope observation showed that the cell membrane of hepatocytes were broken and discontinuous, conforming to the "punching" phenomenon of pyroptosis. The results of ELISA showed that the concentration of IL-1β in liver homogenate of mice after 1, 2, 3 and 5 months of Em infection were significantly higher than that of the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (F=127.2, P<0.05). Immunohistochemical examination showed that the positive cell ratios of Caspase-1 and NLRP3 in liver of mice infected with Em at 1, 2, 3 and 5 months, were higher than that of the control group, and the difference were statistically significant (F=114.6, P<0.05; F=85.89, P<0.05). The Western blot results showed that the relative expression levels of Caspase-1, Xiaopi D, and NLRP3 proteins in the liver of infected mice showed a trend of first increasing (the expression of Caspase-1 and GSDMD reached their peak at 1 month of infection, while the expression of NLRP3 reached its peak at 2 months of infection) and then decreasing. There were statistically significant differences between the infection groups at different time points and the control group, as well as comparison between the infection groups at different time points there were also statistically significant differences (all P<0.05). Conclusion It is feasible to establish mouse Em infection model by “skin incision and liver puncture through abdominal muscle layer”. There is a new type of programmed cell death, pyroptosis, after Em infection in mouse liver. It may play a role in inflammation amplification through pyroptosis NLRP3/Caspase-1 pathway.
ObjectiveTo summarize regional and body distributions, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of echinococcosis outside liver in China. MethodsThe published literatures about echinococcosis outside liver in China (not including Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan regions) from 2000 to 2015 were searched in the databases of CNKI and Wanfang. Data were extracted by using a standardized form and a retrospective clinical analysis was performed. ResultsA total of 66 published literatures about echinococcosis outside liver and data of 884 cases reported were collected. The regional proportions of cases reported were different, five high regions were Xinjiang (68.73%), Tibet (8.77%), Ningxia (6.75%), Qinghai (6.41%), Gansu (5.62%). The organ distributions of cases reported were also different, five high organs were lung (61.09%), bone (9.95%), brain (9.73%), spleen (8.60%), and kidney (6.22%). The main clinical symptoms of patients with echinococcosis outside liver included general asymptoms and organ dysfunction, and the most common examinations were X-ray (30.77%), B ultrasound (7.47%),CT(17.43%), MR (1.59%), and laboratory (36.31%). The main therapy choice was operation (73.30%), and some patients were performed operation combined with drug therapy. ConclusionRegional distribution of echinococcosis outside liver is almost the same as total echinococcosis, and distributed more in organs rich in blood supply, its clinical diagnosis mainly depends on imaging and immunology examination, and operation is still the main therapy choice.