Wound scarring remains a major challenge for plastic surgeons. Transforming growth factor (TGF)-β plays a key role in the process of scar formation. Previous studies have demonstrated that truncated TGF-β type II receptor (t-TGF-βRII) is unable to continue signal transduction but is still capable of binding to TGF-β, thereby blocking the TGF-β signaling pathway. Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is a multifunctional growth factor that promotes tissue regeneration and wound healing. Theoretically, the combination of HGF and t-TGF-βRII would be expected to exert a synergistic effect on promoting wound healing and reducing collagen formation. In the present study, lentivirus-mediated transfection of the two genes (t-TGF-βRII/HGF) into fibroblasts in vitro and in a rat model in vivo was used. The results demonstrated that the expression of t-TGF-βRII and HGF in NIH-3T3 cells was successfully induced. The expression of both molecules significantly reduced collagen I and III expression, and also inhibited fibroblast proliferation. Furthermore, histological examination and scar quantification revealed less scarring in the experimental wound in a rat model. Moreover, on macroscopic inspection, the experimental wound exhibited less visible scarring compared with the control. Therefore, the present study demonstrated that the combination gene therapy of t-TGF-βRII and HGF promoted wound healing, with less scarring and more epithelial tissue formation, not only by suppressing the overgrowth of collagen due to its antifibrotic effect, but also by promoting tissue regeneration.

Abstract Purpose To investigate whether heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) is involved in complement regulation in ischemic postconditioning (IPC). Methods The left coronary artery of rats underwent 30 min of occlusion, followed by 120 min of reperfusion and treatment with IPC via 3 cycles of 30s reperfusion and 30s occlusion. The rats were injected intraperitoneally with 1 mg/kg HSP90 inhibitor geldanamycin (GA) after anesthesia. Eighty rats were randomly divided into four groups: sham, ischemia-reperfusion (I/R), IPC and IPC + GA. Myocardial infarct size, apoptosis index and the expression of HSP90, C3, C5a, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, interleukin (IL)-1β and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) were assessed. Results Compared with the I/R injury, the IPC treatment significantly reduced infarct size, release of troponin T, creatine kinase-MB, and lactate dehydrogenase, and cardiomyocyte apoptosis. These beneficial effects were accompanied by a decrease in TNF-α, IL-1β, C3, C5a and JNK expression levels. However, all these effects were abrogated by administration of the HSP90 inhibitor GA. Conclusion HSP90 exerts a profound effect on IPC cardioprotection, and may be linked to the inhibition of the complement system and JNK, ultimately attenuating I/R-induced myocardial injury and apoptosis.

ABSTRACT Introduction and Objective: Several studies have focused on the treatment and recurrence of urethral diverticulum (UD). However, few investigations have addressed sexual function in patients with UD. Therefore, we sought to examine sexual function in women affected by UD. Materials and Methods: There were 108 accepted cases involving transvaginal diverticulectomy at our institution. Ultimately, 83 women were included for further analysis, only 61 of these women had sexual partners. We collected data for the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) from the female patients and the Male Sexual Health Questionnaire (MSHQ) from their male partners before and after surgery. Results: Preoperatively, the UD size affected the female patient's arousal and lubrication (p=0.04), and the UD location affected their satisfaction. However, no significant between-group differences were found in the total FSFI score. For all women, sexual activity improved after surgery (p=0.0087). In addition to improvements in arousal for women with a large UD, improvements in lubrication were affected by the UD size, number and shape, increases in satisfaction scores were impacted by the UD location and shape, and pain relief was linked to the UD number and shape. Analysis of the MSHQ results revealed no between-group differences among the male partners. Conclusion: Only the UD size and location affected sexual function in women with a small UD. Surgery could improve female sexual function but did not affect the sexual function of the patient's partners.

This study aimed to investigate how 6-bromoindirubin-3’-oxime (BIO) increases the osteogenic differentiation of canine bone mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) and the role of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in this process. We mimicked the effect of Wnt by adding BIO to the culture medium of BMSCs and examined whether canonical Wnt signaling positively affects the differentiation of these cells into osteoblasts. Canine BMSCs were cultured with 0.5 and 1.0 μM BIO under osteogenic conditions and then differentiation markers were investigated. It was found that BIO significantly increased the activity of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), the number of ALP-positive cells, the mineralization level and calcium deposits. Moreover, cells cultured with 0.5 and 1.0 μM BIO exhibited detectable β-catenin expression in their nuclei, and showed upregulated β-catenin and glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta(GSK3β) phosphorylation compared to untreated cells. In addition, BIO enhanced the mRNA expression of osteoblast differentiation markers such as ALP, runt-related transcription factor 2, collagen I, osteocalcin, and osteonectin. In conclusion, BIO upregulated GSK3β phosphorylation and inhibited its activity, thereby activating the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway and promoting the osteogenic differentiation of canine BMSCs. The effect of 1.0 μM BIO on BMSCs differentiation was stronger than that of 0.5 μM BIO.

Objective To analyze surgical methods and evaluate treatment efficacy and safety for managing adrenal cystic lesions. Materials and methods All patients presenting with adrenal lesions of the West China Hospital were reviewed retrospectively from January 2003 to April 2013 and 47 were diagnosed as adrenal cysts. Basic information, clinical history, physical examination, laboratory investigations, abdominal ultrasound and enhanced computed tomography were detailed noted. Cysts with different surgical management were analyzed and surgery option operative time, postoperative complications and after-surgery hospital stay were all noted. The final diagnosis was judged by histopathology. Patients were followed from 3 month to 10 years. Results All the 47 patients with a mean age of 43.8 years were managed by surgical intervention. Compared laparoscopic technology with open technology, the laparoscopic has the advantage of a shorter operation time, shorter hospital stay after surgery and enhanced cosmesis. The histopathologic result was: 23 (50%) were endothelial cysts and 16 (35%) were pseudocysts. One patient had evidence to recurrence at the followed-up stage. Conclusion Adrenal cysts are rare and with the development of imaging techniques many of these are diagnosed incidentally. CT has advantages in detecting the cysts with haemorrhage, intracystic debris, calcification and mixed adrenal mass. Minimally invasive surgery offers equivalent efficacy to traditional open procedures, while providing a shorter operation time, shorter convalescence and improved cosmesis. Patients after surgical resection should be followed up closely especially if functional cysts and histopathology of cystic tumor are present.