Recent evidence indicates that mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) derived from early embryonic tissues have better therapeutic ability as compared with adult tissue-derived stem cells. In the present study, we transplanted human early embryonic MSC (hMSC) into MRL/Lpr mice via tail vein injection to observe the therapeutic efficacy of hMSC and their impact on T helper 17 (Th17) cell differentiation in MRL/Lpr mice. Animals in hMSC treatment group received hMSC (1 Â 10 6 /200 mL) via the tail vein at the age of 16 and 19 weeks. We found that hMSC treatment prolonged the survival of MRL/Lpr mice without inducing tumorigenesis, reduced urine protein, and alleviated the renal pathologic changes. In addition, it reduced the proportion of Th17 cells in the spleen of MRL/Lpr mice and the serum interleukin 17 (IL-17) concentration. Our in vitro experiment also demonstrated that hMSC could secrete Th17 differentiation-related cytokines of PGE2, IL-10 and TGF-b, and IFN-g stimulation up-regulated the secretion of these immune regulating factors. The results of the present study suggest that hMSC therapy could alleviate systemic and local renal lesions in MRL/Lpr mice, probably by secreting immune regulating factors and regulating Th17 cell differentiation in MRL/Lpr mice. ARTICLE HISTORY

Aortic dissection (AD) is a rare disease that may result in a fatal outcome. Uremic patients are often associated with factors susceptible to AD. We herein report two cases of AD occurring in maintenance haemodialysis patients. The two male Chinese had history of smoking and poor uncontrolled hypertension for many years. One patient died of the aortic wall rupture with conservative treatment. The other patient had a history of myocardial infarction and long-term administration of anti-platelet drugs. The patient survives after prompt stenting and continuous maintenance haemodialysis. It is important to improve our understanding about aortic dissection (AD) in haemodialysis patients because of the high mortality and morbidity. Once a patient on maintenance haemodialysis is diagnosed with AD, surgery or endovascular graft exclusion should be considered according to the actual situation of individual patients, and the mode of dialysis should be converted in conservation treatment patients.