Chondrocytes were isolated from articular cartilage biopsy and were cultivated in vitro. Approximately 30 million of cultured chondrocytes per ml were incorporated with autologous plasma-derived fibrin to form three-dimensional construct. Full-thickness punch hole defects were created in lateral and medial femoral condyles. The defects were implanted either with the autologous 'chondrocytes-fibrin' construct (ACFC), autologous chondrocytes (ACI) or fibrin blank (AF). Sheep were euthanized after 12 weeks. The gross morphology of all defects treated with ACFC implantation, ACI and AF exhibited median scores which correspond to a nearly normal appearance according to the International Cartilage Repair Society (ICRS) classification. ACFC significantly enhanced cartilage repair compared to ACI and AF in accordance with the modified O'Driscoll histological scoring scale. The relative sulphated glycosaminoglycans content (%) was significantly higher (p < 0.05) in ACFC when compared to control groups; ACI vs. fibrin only vs. untreated (blank). Results showed that ACFC implantation exhibited superior cartilage-like tissue regeneration compared to ACI. If the result is applicable to the human, it possibly will improve the existing treatment approaches for cartilage restoration in orthopaedic surgery.
Red algae are a major source of marine sulfated galactans. In this study, orthologs and inparalogs from seven red algae were analyzed and compared with the aim to discover differences in algal galactan biosynthesis and related pathways of these algae. Red algal orthologs for putative carbohydrate sulfotransferases were found to be prevalent in Porphyridium purpureum, Florideophytes and Bangiophytes, while red algal orthologs for putative chondroitin sulfate synthases, sulfurylases, and porphyranases /carrageenases were found exclusively in Florideophytes and Bangiophytes. The acquirement of these genes could have happened after the divergence from Cyanidiales red algae. Cyanidiales red algae were found to have more number and types of putative sulfate permeases, suggesting that these genes could have been acquired in adaptation to the environmental stresses and biogeochemistry of respective habitats. The findings of this study shed lights on the evolution of different homeostasis mechanisms by the early and late diverging red algal orders.
The expression statuses of sex steroid receptors and sex steroid-synthesizing/metabolizing enzymes have been reported in primary prostate cancer lesions, but that in metastatic lymph nodes has remained unknown. Therefore, in this study, we immunolocalized these proteins in primary tumors and paired metastatic lymph nodes of prostate cancer and correlated the findings with clinicopathological factors of individual patients. The expression statuses of AR and ER β was significantly increased in metastatic lymph nodes compared with primary lesions, whereas that of 17βHSD1, 17βHSD2, 17βHSD5, and STS immunoreactivity was decreased in metastatic lymph nodes. In metastatic lymph nodes, the status of 5α2 was significantly correlated with that of AR. In addition, 17βHSD5-, 5α1-, STS-, and EST-positive cases were significantly associated with Gleason score (GS) status (GS > 8 versus GS < 7) in metastatic lymph nodes. Results of our present study did demonstrate that in situ androgen and estrogen metabolism and action play roles in pathophysiology of prostate cancer in metastatic lymph nodes, but these steroidogenic effects could be different from those in primary lesions.