METHODOLOGY: During this study, enzyme activity was measured in 53/59 (89.8%) hospital-diagnosed G6PD-deficient neonates (34 Malays, 12 Chinese, and seven other ethnic groups) born consecutively in the Kuala Lumpur Maternity Hospital. All neonates, except one, were males.
RESULTS: The mean level of enzyme activity of the 52 males G6PD-deficient neonates (0.47 iu/g Hb, 95% confidence intervals: 0.37, 0.57) was less than 10% of that of normal Malaysian male neonates. The enzyme activity of the only female G6PD-deficient infant, at 1.11 iu/g Hb, was 12.5% of the mean G6PD enzyme activity of normal females.
CONCLUSION: Our results showed that G6PD deficiency in Malaysian neonates predominantly affects males and is usually severe.
METHODS: MSC were isolated from human bone marrow mononuclear cells based on plastic adherent properties and expanded in vitro in the culture medium. Human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSC) were characterised using microscopy, immunophenotyping, and their ability to differentiate into adipocytes, chondrocytes, and osteocytes. hMSC were then injected into athymic mice, which had induced glomerulonephropathy (GN).
RESULTS: Test mice (induced GN and infused hMSC) were shown to have anti-human CD105(+) cells present in the kidneys and were also positive to anti-human desmin, a marker for mesangial cells. Furthermore, immunofluorescence assays also demonstrated that anti-human desmin(+) cells in the glomeruli of these test mice were in the proliferation stage, being positive to anti-human Ki-67.
CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that hMSC found in renal glomeruli differentiated into mesangial cells in vivo after glomerular injury occurred.