BACKGROUND:Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a progressive disease characterized by lung endothelial cell dysfunction and vascular remodeling. Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) have been proved to be a potential therapeutic strategy to treat PH. Autophagy has been found to be protective to hypoxia-induced PH. In this study, we applied high shear stress (HSS)-induced PH, and examined whether EPCs confer resistance against HSS-induced PH through autophagy.METHODS:Pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells (PMVECs) were cultured under HSS with pro-inflammatory factors in an artificial capillary system to mimic the PH condition. Levels of p62, a selective autophagy substrate, were quantified by western blotting. Cell viability was determined by trypan blue exclusion test.RESULTS:The p62 level in PMVECs was increased at 4 hours after HSS, peaked at 12 hours and declined at 24 hours. The cell viability gradually decreased. Compared with PMVECs cultured by empty medium, in cells cultured by EPC-conditioned medium (EPC-CM), the cell viability was significantly higher; however, p62 levels were also significantly higher, suggesting inhibition of autophagy by EPC-CM. Adding choloquine to suppress autophagy decreased the cell viability of PMVECs under PH.CONCLUSIONS:EPC-CM could suppress the autophagic activity of PMVECs in HSS-induced PH. However, suppression of autophagy leads to cell death. EPCs could fight against PH through cellular or molecular pathways independent of autophagy. But it is not proved if induction of autophagy could be a potential strategy to treat HSS-induced PH as hypoxia-induced PH.

Intrahepatic foreign bodies are extremely rare before 6 months of age. We reported a case of a 5-month-old boy with a needle-like foreign body in the liver. The foreign body was incidentally found in the right hepatic lobe on the x-ray image. He was asymptomatic, with neither a history of swallowing a needle nor an abdominal cutaneous scar. Three-dimensional reconstruction of spiral computed tomographic scan showed an intrahepatic needle, close to the base of the heart, with its proximal end close to the gallbladder fossae. Because of the localization of the needle and subsequent risks of complications, surgical removal was recommended. At laparotomy, a tiny scar was recognized in the upper surface of the right lobe of the liver, confirming the migration route. Postoperative course was uneventful, and the child was discharged on postoperative day 10 and is thriving perfectly 2 months after surgery. We reviewed the clinical issues of intrahepatic foreign bodies and briefly discussed its approach and implications.

患儿,女,9岁11个月,因"咳嗽伴气促并进行性加重半个月"入院.入院检查:精神软,口唇发绀,呼吸急促,吸气相呈轻度三凹症,右侧胸廓饱满,呼吸活动度减弱,听诊呼吸音减轻,叩诊呈实音,心音中,律齐,未闻及明显杂音,腹软,无压痛,肝脾肋下未及,神经系统(一).辅助检查:血常规及超敏反应蛋白正常.胸片:右侧肺野大片状密度增高影.CT报告提示:右侧胸腔巨大混杂密度软组织肿块,大小约12.6 cm×12.6 cm×22.2 cm,以大量多房囊性低密度灶为主,其内可见点状、条索状高密度灶,及斑片状脂肪影.心脏受压明显左偏,右侧膈面显示不清,增强扫描肿块分割可见强化,囊性部分强化不明显,肝脏受压.心电图:窦性心律,肢体导联低电压,T波改变.入院诊断:右纵膈巨大畸胎瘤,纵膈疝.