The data suggested that CIK cell immunotherapy could improve the efficacy of conventional chemotherapy in NSCLC patients, and increased frequency of CIK cell treatment could further enhance the beneficial effects. A multi-center randomized trial is being carried out in our hospital to further validate these findings.

Level IV, biomechanical study.

Background Cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cells can potentially enhance the tumor-killing activity of chemotherapy. Objective This study aimed to evaluate the effects of CIK cells on cisplatin (DDP) resistance in the human lung adenocarcinoma cell line A549/DDP. Methods The detect resistance index, drug resistance related-genes and cytokine secretion of A549/DDP co-cultured with CIK cells were assayed in vitro. ResultsAfter A549/DDP co-culture with CIK cells, the DDP resistance of A549/DDP significantly decreased in a time-dependent manner. The DDP resistance of A549/DDP co-cultured with CIK cells for 20 h decreased 4.93-fold compared with that of A549/DDP cells cultured alone (P<0.05). The mRNA and protein expression levels of the glutathione-S-transferase (GST) -π gene in A549/DDP significantly decreased after co-culture with CIK cells (P<0.05). The secretion of interferon (IFN)- γ significantly increased along with the co-culture time of A549/DDP with CIK cells. The expression of GST-π was restored by adding the neutralizing IFN-γ. ConclusionCIK cells can reverse the drug resistance of A549/DDP in a time-dependent manner by reducing GST-π expression to increase the accumulation of DDP. The effect of CIK cells on re-sensitizing lung cancer cells to the chemotherapy drug was partially dependent on the secretion of IFN-γ.

Mono-segment transpedicular fixation is a method for the treatment of certain types of thoracolumbar spinal fracture. Finite element models were constructed to evaluate the biomechanics of mono-segment transpedicular fixation of thoracolumbar fracture. Spinal motion (T10-L2) was scanned and used to establish the models. The superior half of the cortical bone of T12 was removed and the superior half of the cancellous bone of the T12 body was assigned the material properties of injured bone to mimic vertebral fracture. Transpedicular fixation of T11 and T12 was performed to produce a mono-segment fixation model; T11 and L1 were fixed to produce a short-segment fixation model. Motion differences between functional units and von Mises stress on the spine and implants were measured under axial compression, anterior bending, extensional bending, lateral bending and axial rotation. We found no significant difference between mono- and short-segment fixations in the motion of any functional unit. Stress on the T10/T11 nucleus pulposus and T10/T11 and L1/L2 annulus fibrosus increased significantly by about 75% on anterior bending, extensional bending and lateral bending. In the fracture model, stress was increased by 24% at the inferior endplate of T10 and by 43% at the superior endplate of L2. All increased stresses were reduced after fixation and lower stress was observed with mono-segment fixation. In summary, the biomechanics of mono-segment pedicle screw instrumentation was similar to that of conventional short-segment fixation. As a minimally invasive treatment, mono-segment fixation would be appropriate for the treatment of selected thoracolumbar spinal fractures.