BackgroundWhite smoke inhalation (WSI) is an uncommon but potentially deadly cause of acute lung injury and acute respiratory distress syndrome for which no effective pharmaceutical treatment has been developed. This study aimed to determine the protective effects of human amnion-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hAMSCs) against WSI-induced lung injury in rats.MethodshAMSCs were injected into rats via the tail vein 4 h after WSI. At 1, 3, 7, 14, and 28 days after cell injection, hAMSCs labeled with PKH26 in lung, heart, liver, and kidney tissues were observed by fluorescence microscopy. The lung injury score was determined by hematoxylin and eosin staining. Lung fibrosis was assessed by Masson’s trichrome staining. The computed tomography (CT) score was assessed by CT scanning. The wet/dry weight ratio was calculated. The levels of interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, and IL-10 were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. The expression of surfactant protein (SP)-A, SP-C, and SP-D was measured by Western blotting.ResultsThe injected hAMSCs were primarily distributed in the lung tissues in WSI-induced rats. Compared with the model and phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) group, hAMSC treatment led to reduced lung injury, lung fibrosis, CT score, and inflammation levels in WSI-induced mice. hAMSC treatment also resulted in increased cell retention in the lung, partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2), and PaO2/fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO2) levels, and pulmonary SP-A, SP-C, and SP-D expression compared with that in the model and PBS group.ConclusionshAMSCs are a potential cell-based therapy for WSI-induced lung injury.

Background and Aims. Patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who undergo orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) are at risk for posttransplant tumor recurrence. The aim of this study was to evaluate the correlation between the expression of Ki67, VEGF, and p53 in HCC and clinicopathological characteristics of HCC patients, as well as their predictive value for HCC recurrence after OLT. Methods. 60 patients who underwent OLT and were found to have HCC in the liver explant. The expression of Ki67, VEGF, and p53 in HCC was detected by immunohistochemistry. Results. Ki67 was associated with the tumor number and the grade of differentiation at baseline. VEGF was associated with the diameter and number of tumors, tumor differentiation, and lymph node metastasis. p53 was associated with the tumor diameter and tumor encapsulation. The expression of Ki67, VEGF, and p53 in HCC was correlated with the tumor recurrence after OLT, respectively. Among them, VEGF was an independent predictor for tumor recurrence after OLT. Conclusion. Ki67, VEGF, and p53 are associated with the recurrence of HCC after OLT. VEGF independently predicts the recurrence of HCC.

MELD/PELD criteria do not adequately measure the clinical characteristics and staging of ESBD. The allocation system based on MELD/PELD criteria should be re-evaluated for patients with ESBD.

Surgery is a key factor for the curative treatment of hepatoblastoma. Recent evidence suggests that liver transplantation has a strong effect in treating advanced hepatoblastoma. However, there is no consensus on the effects of liver transplantation. This meta-analysis aims to identify the efficacy and safety of liver transplantation for advanced hepatoblastoma, compared with those of conventional liver resection. Electronic databases were searched for relevant studies published prior to June 2022 to evaluate the survival benefit and safety in patients with advanced hepatoblastoma. The primary outcomes were the overall survival and disease-free survival rates, and the secondary outcomes were the complication and tumor recurrence rates. Five relevant clinical studies with a total of 134 participants were included in this meta-analysis. Compared with aggressive liver resection, liver transplantation had similar overall survival rates and disease-free survival rates after 1 year, 3 years, and 5 years (odds ratio (OR) 1 year = 0.89, 95% CI 0.21–3.79, P = 0.88; OR 3 years = 0.54, 95% CI 0.16–1.81, P = 0.32; OR 5 years = 1.24, 95% CI 0.22–6.82, P = 0.81; OR disease-free 1 year = 2.17, 95% CI 0.56–8.42, P = 0.26; OR disease-free 3 years = 1.42, 95% CI 0.48–4.17, P = 0.53; OR disease-free 5 years = 2.91, 95% CI 0.56–8.52, P = 0.26), tumor recurrence rates (OR = 0.62, 95% CI 0.24–1.60, P = 0.32), and complication rates (OR = 1.46, 95% CI 0.48–4.49, P = 0.51). Sensitivity analysis also demonstrated the same outcomes in terms of the tumor recurrence rate, complication rate, and overall and disease-free survival rates after 1 year, 3 years, and 5 years. The funnel plot indicated a low publication bias. Liver transplantation is an excellent option for advanced hepatoblastoma in children with acceptable perioperative complications, which is not inferior to liver resection. And liver transplantation should be considered the primary curative option when liver resection is not possible.

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