Purpose: Thrombospondin 1 (THBS 1) is a matricellular protein capable of modulating angiogenesis. However, the actual role of THBS 1 in angiogenesis and tumor progression remains controversial. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a hypervascular tumor characterized by neovascularization. The significance of THBS 1 in HCC remains unknown. In this study, the significance of THBS 1 in HCC was evaluated by correlating its expression with clinicopathological data. The possible role of THBS 1 in the angiogenesis of HCC was also studied by correlating its expression with vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression.Experimental Design: Sixty HCC patients were recruited in this study. THBS 1 and VEGF protein expression in tumorous livers were localized by immunohistochemical staining and quantified by ELISA. THBS 1 mRNA was quantified by quantitative reverse transcription-PCR.Results: Immunohistochemical staining of THBS 1 was positive in HCC cells in 51.7% of patients and in stromal cells in 65% of patients. Tumor THBS 1 protein level was significantly correlated with its mRNA expression (P ‫؍‬ 0.001) and was significantly correlated with tumor VEGF protein levels (P ‫؍‬ 0.001). Its expression was significantly associated with the presence of venous invasion (P ‫؍‬ 0.008) and advanced tumor stage (P ‫؍‬ 0.049). High THBS 1 expression was also a prognostic marker of poor survival in HCC patients.Conclusions: This study shows that high expression of THBS 1 is associated with tumor invasiveness and progression in HCC. THBS 1 appears to be a proangiogenic factor that stimulates angiogenesis in HCC in view of its positive correlation with VEGF expression.

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Objective. To evaluate the possible biological effect of allogenic mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) combined with tissue fusion technology on the anastomosis. Methods. Sixteen pigs were divided into a 7 d group and 14 d group, each of which was further subdivided into an MSC-treated group and a control group. Five anastomoses per animal were established using LigaSure ForceTriad (Covidien, MA, USA), a tissue sealing system. Cell migration and tissue-specific differentiation potency, in addition to potential cytokine and genetic changes, were investigated. Results. There were no significant between-group differences in postoperative complications and anastomosis burst pressure. The number of proliferating cell nuclear antigen-(PCNA-) positive cells was significantly higher in the MSC-treated group as compared with that in the control group (P = 0:021). Labeled MSCs were found in the mucosal layer, villus, and lamina propria, as well as in the lamina muscularis mucosae, where they exhibited characteristics of smooth muscle cells. Conclusions. Grafted MSCs significantly promoted epithelial and connective cell proliferation and maintained their cell migration capacity and differentiation potential in the fused anastomotic tissues, without causing severe postoperative complications.

Aim: Recently, we have demonstrated that silymarin has a comparable pharmaceutical activity as Phyllanthus urinaria extract when used to rescue mice from acetaminophen-induced acute liver injury. In the present study, we further compared the therapeutic action of silymarin with N-acetyl cysteine (commonly used in clinical practice for emergency treatments) as a rescuer in mice after administering a lethal dose of acetaminophen for 24 h. Methods: Acute liver injury was induced in the treatment groups by intraperitoneally administered acetaminophen at a dose of 550 mg/kg body weight on day 1. The control group received an equal volume of physiological saline intraperitoneally. From day 2 to 4, the treatment groups received various doses of silymarin or N-acetyl cysteine orally once daily, while the control group and the acetaminophen group received an equal volume of water orally. The mortality rate was recorded in all groups. On day 5, all mice were sacrificed for examination. Results: Silymarin greatly improved the counteracting effects on mortality rate as compared to N-acetyl cysteine. Conclusion: Silymarin should be further considered as an antidote for patients with acetaminopheninduced acute hepatic injury and delayed treatment.