Key molecular pathways in the progression of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become the most common chronic liver disease worldwide and also become an emerging risk factor for liver-related complications, such as cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The liver-related burden of NASH is likely to increase and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is probably to be the leading indication for liver transplantation by 2020, as a consequence of increased disease prevalence and of the lack of an effective treatment. The first step in the NAFLD development is represented by fat accumulation in the liver, a condition that is commonly associated with features of the metabolic syndrome. Notably, it has been acknowledged that the step from nonalcoholic fatty liver (NAFL) to NASH is key step in the NASH formation, and the mechanisms behind this transition have been extensively studied. Emerging evidence indicates that innate immunity is a driving force in NAFLD progression because it directly regulates all key pathogenic features of the disease processes, including metabolic dysregulation, inflammation, and fibrosis. In this review, we summarize the currently available signaling pathways of NASH formation, including oxidative stress, NOD-like receptors (NLRs), mitochondria-associated pathways, Toll-like receptors (TLRs), nuclear receptors, and other signal pathways, for the aim of a better understanding of this disease.

Dissection of Molecular Processes and Genetic Architecture Underlying Iron and Zinc Homeostasis for Biofortification: From Model Plants to Common Wheat

The micronutrients iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) are not only essential for plant survival and proliferation but are crucial for human health. Increasing Fe and Zn levels in edible parts of plants, known as biofortification, is seen a sustainable approach to alleviate micronutrient deficiency in humans. Wheat, as one of the leading staple foods worldwide, is recognized as a prioritized choice for Fe and Zn biofortification. However, to date, limited molecular and physiological mechanisms have been elucidated for Fe and Zn homeostasis in wheat. The expanding molecular understanding of Fe and Zn homeostasis in model plants is providing invaluable resources to biofortify wheat. Recent advancements in NGS (next generation sequencing) technologies coupled with improved wheat genome assembly and high-throughput genotyping platforms have initiated a revolution in resources and approaches for wheat genetic investigations and breeding. Here, we summarize molecular processes and genes involved in Fe and Zn homeostasis in the model plants Arabidopsis and rice, identify their orthologs in the wheat genome, and relate them to known wheat Fe/Zn QTL (quantitative trait locus/loci) based on physical positions. The current study provides the first inventory of the genes regulating grain Fe and Zn homeostasis in wheat, which will benefit gene discovery and breeding, and thereby accelerate the release of Fe- and Zn-enriched wheats.

Sirt6 regulates autophagy in AGE-treated endothelial cells via KLF4

Aims

To explore Sirt6 regulating autophagy in endothelial cells and the specific mechanism of this function with involvement of KLF4.

Materials and methods

Human umbilical vein endothelial cells were cultured with advanced glycation end products (AGE) treatment. Adv-Sirt6, LV-Sirt6 and LV-KLF4 were used to knockup Sirt6 and knockdown Sirt6 and KLF4 respectively. qPCR and Western Blotting were used to detect the mRNA and protein expression of Sirt6 and KLF4. Laser scanning confocal microscope was used to observe the LC3-II marked autophagosomes. Wildlife BALB/c mice were treated with STZ to produce diabetic mice model. AAV-Sirt6 was injected by tail vein injection to achieve Sirt6 knockdown. HE staining and scanning electron microscope were used to observe the aortic intima condition and autophagosomes number respectively.

Results

In AGE treated HUVECs, knockdown of Sirt6 led to impaired autophagy level along with less expression of autophagic markers LC3-II, Beclin-1, Lamp2 and autophagic marker p62. Knockdown and knockup of Sirt6 directly affected KLF4 expression level but KLF4 didn't have any effect on Sirt6 expression. Knockout of KLF4 offset the augmented autophagy caused by overexpression of Sirt6. In high-fat fed diabetic mice, downregulation of Sirt6 led to better cardiac function along with less autophagosomes and impaired aortic intima integrity.

Conclusions

Sirt6 improves autophagy both in vivo and in vitro and Sirt6 regulates autophagy via KLF4 in HUVECs.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding source: Public grant(s) – National budget only. Main funding source(s): National Natural Science Foundation of China

[Characteristics and diversity of infectious diarrheal caused by various pathogens]

Objective: To understand the characteristics and differences of diarrhea-related symptoms caused by different pathogens, and the clinical features of various pathogens causing diarrhea. Methods: Etiology surveillance program was conducted among 20 provinces of China from 2010 to 2016. The acute diarrhea outpatients were collected from clinics or hospitals. A questionnaire was used to survey demographics and clinical features. VFeces samples were taken for laboratory detection of 22 common diarrhea pathogens, to detect and analyze the clinical symptom pattern characteristics of the patient's. Results: A total of 38 950 outpatients were enrolled from 20 provinces of China. The positive rates of Rotavirus and Norovirus were the highest among the five diarrhea-causing viruses (Rotavirus: 18.29%, Norovirus: 13.06%). In the isolation and culture of 17 diarrhea-causing bacterial, Escherichia coli showed the highest positive rates (6.25%). The clinical features of bacterial diarrhea and viral diarrhea were mainly reflected in the results of fecal traits and routine examination, but pathogenic Vibrio infection was similar to viral diarrhea. Conclusion: Infectious diarrhea presents different characteristics due to various symptoms which can provide a basis for clinical diagnosis.

PARP inhibitors as maintenance therapy in newly diagnosed advanced ovarian cancer: a meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Up to 70% of patients with advanced ovarian cancer have a relapse after primary therapy. New agents and approaches are urgently needed to avoid or slow down this recurrence.

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the efficacy of PARP inhibitors (PARPis) as maintenance treatment in patients with newly diagnosed advanced ovarian cancer.

SEARCH STRATEGY

PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library and Web of Science databases.

SELECTION CRITERIA

All randomised clinical trials (RCTs) that compared PARPis with placebo as first-line maintenance therapy in ovarian cancer.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Two reviewers extracted data. Pooled hazard ratio (HR) and risk ratio (RR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated.

MAIN RESULTS

PARPis were associated with significant improvement of progression-free survival (PFS) in advanced epithelial ovarian cancer (AeOC) (HR = 0.53, 95% CI 0.40-0.71; P < 0.0001). The benefit was not only in women with BRCA mutations (HR = 0.35, 95% CI 0.29-0.42; P < 0.00001) and homologous recombination deficiency (HRD) (HR = 0.43, 95% CI 0.32-0.60; P < 0.00001), but also in those with nonmutated BRCA (HR = 0.72, 95% CI 0.63-0.82; P < 0.00001) and even non-HRD (HR = 0.83, 95% CI 0.70-0.99; P = 0.04).

CONCLUSIONS

PARP inhibitors are effective as maintenance therapy among patients with newly diagnosed advanced ovarian cancer after platinum-based chemotherapy, regardless of BRCA mutation or HRD status.

TWEETABLE ABSTRACT

PARPis provide a significant PFS benefit as first-line maintenance therapy in patients with newly diagnosed advanced ovarian cancer.

Sustained release of a GLP-1 and FGF21 dual agonist from an injectable depot protects mice from obesity and hyperglycemia

There is great interest in identifying a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1)-based combination therapy that will more effectively promote weight loss in patients with type 2 diabetes. Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) is a compelling yet previously unexplored drug candidate to combine with GLP-1 due to its thermogenic and insulin-sensitizing effects. Here, we describe the development of a biologic that fuses GLP-1 to FGF21 with an elastin-like polypeptide linker that acts as a sustained release module with zero-order drug release. We show that once-weekly dual-agonist treatment of diabetic mice results in potent weight-reducing effects and enhanced glycemic control that are not observed with either agonist alone. Furthermore, the dual-agonist formulation has superior efficacy compared to a GLP-1/FGF21 mixture, demonstrating the utility of combining two structurally distinct peptides into one multifunctional molecule. We anticipate that these results will spur further investigation into GLP-1/FGF21 multiagonism for the treatment of metabolic disease.

Effects of pterostigma structure on vibrational characteristics during flight of Asian ladybird Harmonia axyridis (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae)

The hind wings of beetles are deployable and play an essential role in flight. In the Asian ladybird Harmonia axyridis (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), the pterostigma (pst) is found in the middle of the hind wing instead of at the tip of the hind wing. This paper investigates the effect of the pst on the vibrational characteristics during the flight of H. axyridis. Based on cross sections of the pst and veins as well as the morphology and nanomechanical properties of the hind wing, including the wing membrane and veins, three three-dimensional coupling models, Models I-III, of hind wings with/without pst structures and veins with varying or uniform reduced moduli are established. Modal analysis results for these three models show that the vibrational characteristics and deformation tendencies change the flight performance of the hind wing models with pst structures compared with that of the other models. The results in this paper reveal that the pst structure has an important influence on vibrational characteristics and deformation tendencies and, hence, on flight performance; the relationships between the body mass and the area of the hind wing, which have significant implications for the design of biomimetic deployable wing structures for micro air vehicles (MAVs), are also analyzed.

The application of human pluripotent stem cells to model the neuronal and glial components of neurodevelopmental disorders

Cellular models of neurodevelopmental disorders provide a valuable experimental system to uncover disease mechanisms and novel therapeutic strategies. The ability of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) to generate diverse brain cell types offers great potential to model several neurodevelopmental disorders. Further patient-derived iPSCs have the unique genetic and molecular signature of the affected individuals, which allows researchers to address limitations of transgenic behavioural models, as well as generate hypothesis-driven models to study disorder-relevant phenotypes at a cellular level. In this article, we review the extant literature that has used iPSC-based modelling to understand the neuronal and glial contributions to neurodevelopmental disorders including autism spectrum disorder (ASD), Rett syndrome, bipolar disorder (BP), and schizophrenia. For instance, several molecular candidates have been shown to influence cellular phenotypes in three-dimensional iPSC-based models of ASD patients. Delays in differentiation of astrocytes and morphological changes of neurons are associated with Rett syndrome. In the case of bipolar disorders and schizophrenia, patient-derived models helped to identify cellular phenotypes associated with neuronal deficits (e.g., excitability) and mutation-specific abnormalities in oligodendrocytes (e.g., CSPG4). Further we provide a critical review of the current limitations of this field and provide methodological suggestions to enhance future modelling efforts of neurodevelopmental disorders. Future developments in experimental design and methodology of disease modelling represent an exciting new avenue relevant to neurodevelopmental disorders.

479 When 2 rights make a wrong

Background

The presence of an intra-cardiac mass is always a cause for concern, with regards to not only aetiology, but also treatment of complications. We describe a case series of 2 right sided cardiac myxomas, where the first case described an unusual location for tumour occurrence, while the second case provided insights into complications of a cardiac myxoma.

Methods

The first case involved a 70 year old asymptomatic lady who was referred for an additional heart sound. A transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) showed a large, mobile 1.5 X 1.2 cm mass, attached to the atrial surface of septal tricuspid valve leaflet, prolapsing in and out of the right sided chambers. This was confirmed on transoesophageal echocardiogram (TEE). Cardiac MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) showed a similar mass attached to the septal tricuspid leaflet with features consistent with a myxoma. She was referred to cardiothoracic surgery, and 2 lobulated tumours arising the septal tricuspid valve and adjacent posterior leaflet were seen. The tumours were resected and a bio-prosthetic tricuspid valve replacement implanted. Histology of the tumours showed myxomatous degeneration of tricuspid valve, consistent with cardiac myxoma.

The second case was a 56 year old lady who had dyspnoea, pedal oedema and an elevated jugular venous pulse on examination. A TTE done showed a large 7 X 4 cm mass extending from the right atrium (RA) into the right ventricle (RV). The left ventricular ejection fraction was 35%. Cardiac MRI confirmed the presence of a large mass in the right ventricle that exerted pressure effects on the ventricular septum and RV anterior free wall. Intra-operatively, a large RA mass attached by a stalk to the fossa ovalis was seen. The mass was excised and histology was consistent with cardiac myxoma. A repeat transthoracic echocardiogram done 2 weeks later showed normalisation of the LVEF.

See images below for more information.

Conclusion

While myxomas are the most common benign cardiac tumours, they occur less commonly in the right atrium, and much less so on the tricuspid valve. Clinical manifestations range from being completely asymptomatic, as in the 1st case, to non-specific constitutional symptoms such as fever or general malaise, and to life-threatening complications. These include embolism to the pulmonary circulation, causing sudden death, or to the systemic circulation through an intra-cardiac shunt, causing strokes. This risk is increased if the tumour is large, polypoidal and friable. Large tumours can also cause obstructive symptoms and heart failure. Thus timely diagnosis with multi-modality imaging tools, and definitive treatment with complete resection of the tumour are essential. Continued monitoring for recurrences of the tumour, which can occur in 1-5% of all cases, should be performed as well.

Abstract 479 Figure. Right sided cardiac masses

P1309 A jellyfish in the sea

Background

The unexpected presence of a left ventricular (LV) mass is always a cause of concern for physicians. This is especially so in the presence of a cerebrovascular accident and a recent cardiac event, where the hunt for a cardioembolic source begins. We describe a case of an unusual presentation of a LV thrombus masquerading as a cystic mass, where diagnosis was confirmed with multimodality imaging tools.

Purpose

A 58 year old Thai male first presented to the emergency department with left brachio-facial syndrome secondary to a right pre-central gyrus stroke. He had chest pain 2 days prior, and was pain free on admission. An electrocardiogram done showed an evolved anterior myocardial infarction.

Methods and Results

A transthoracic echocardiogram performed on the 4th day of admission revealed a mildly impaired left ventricular systolic function with an ejection fraction of 45%, and wall motion abnormalities in the left anterior descending artery territory. There was an apical gelatinous-like, cystic and mobile mass with soft flexible walls, measuring 2.4 X 2.1cm. Differentials at this point included cystic thrombus, hydatid cyst, capillary haemangioma and intracardiac tumour.

A cardiac MRI was performed which showed an irregular apical mass with features suggestive of fresh thrombus. The mass demonstrates hyperintensity T1-w FSE sequences (with and without fat sat), increased hyperintensity in T2-w triple IR FSE, with no increased uptake in first pass perfusion, T1-w post contrast, or early and late gadolinium enhancement images.

A repeat transthoracic echocardiogram done 11 days after anticoagulation showed a 50% reduction in the size of the mass.

See images below for more information.

Conclusion

In the era of early primary percutaneous coronary intervention and anticoagulation following an acute myocardial infarction (AMI), LV thrombus is an uncommon complication. It can occur within 2 weeks after an AMI, where increased blood stasis from dyskinesia or akinesia of associated wall segments, and a hypercoagulable state increases the risk of thrombus formation. A literature search has shown that presentation of the thrombus as a cystic mass is rare as well. As such, early diagnosis allowing for early treatment, especially when systemic embolism of thrombus is suspected, is important. Other causes of cystic LV thrombus do need to be considered in the relevant clinical context. These include infectious causes such as hydatid cyst, capillary hemangioma or intracardiac tumour, which are less likely given the history and investigation results. In this case, a trial of therapy with anticoagulation reduced the size of the cystic mass, and along with imaging findings, confirmed the diagnosis of a cystic LV thrombus.

Abstract P1309 Figure. TTE and MRI heart

Different susceptibility to fatty liver-haemorrhagic syndrome in young and older layers and the interaction on blood LDL-C levels between oestradiols and high energy-low protein diets

1. The objective of the study was to investigate the susceptibility of young and older laying hens to fatty liver-haemorrhagic syndrome (FLHS) and to evaluate the reliability of different blood lipid fractions for predicting or diagnosing FLHS. 2. Forty young hens and 40 older hens were caged individually. Each group of hens was randomly allotted to four treatments for 21 days: either a control, an oestradiol group, a high energy-low protein diet (HELPD) group or a HELPD + oestradiol group. Blood levels of oestradiol, triglyceride (TG), cholesterol (CHOL), high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C), liver total lipids, hepatic haemorrhagic scores and productive performance were assessed. 3. In older hens, β-oestradiol increased (P < 0.05) liver total lipids, hepatic haemorrhagic scores and the incidence of FLHS but reduced (P < 0.05) productive performance; however, such changes were not observed in young hens. 4. In two groups of hens, serum TG, CHOL and HDL-C levels were increased (P < 0.001) by β-oestradiol. Hens with FLHS had higher serum TG, CHOL and HDL-C (P < 0.001) than non-FLHS birds in the older layer group of hens. 5. An interaction (β-oestradiol × HELPD) (P < 0.05) for LDL-C levels was observed in both groups of hens. In young hens, β-oestradiol induced a decrease (P = 0.004) in serum LDL-C levels but the effect was attenuated by HELPD. In older hens, HELPD caused an increase (P = 0.02) in serum LDL-C although the effect depended on the presence of β-oestradiol. 6. In conclusion, older layers were more susceptible to FLHS than young layers after oestradiol treatment. Blood TG, CHOL and HDL-C rather than LDL-C levels can be used as a prediction tool for the overall susceptibility to FLHS in older rather than young layers. There were interactions between oestradiol and HELPD on blood LDL-C levels in laying hens.

Recombinant human granulocyte- colony stimulating factor in women with unexplained recurrent pregnancy losses: a randomized clinical trial

STUDY QUESTION

Does administration of recombinant human granulocyte colony stimulating factor (rhG-CSF) in the first trimester improve pregnancy outcomes, among women with a history of unexplained recurrent pregnancy loss?

SUMMARY ANSWER

rhG-CSF administered in the first trimester of pregnancy did not improve outcomes among women with a history of unexplained recurrent pregnancy loss.

WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY

The only previous randomized controlled study of granulocyte colony stimulating factor in recurrent miscarriage in 68 women with unexplained primary recurrent miscarriage found a statistically significant reduction in miscarriage and improvement in live birth rates. A further four observational studies where G-CSF was used in a recurrent miscarriage population were identified in the literature, two of which confirmed statistically significant increase in clinical pregnancy and live birth rates.

STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION

A randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled clinical trial involving 150 women with a history of unexplained recurrent pregnancy loss was conducted at 21 sites with established recurrent miscarriage clinics in the United Kingdom between 23 June 2014 and 05 June 2016. The study was coordinated by University of Birmingham, UK.

PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS

One hundred and fifty women with a history of unexplained recurrent pregnancy loss: 76 were randomized to rhG-CSF and 74 to placebo. Daily subcutaneous injections of recombinant human granulocyte - colony stimulating factor 130 μg or identical appearing placebo from as early as three to five weeks of gestation for a maximum of 9 weeks. The trial used central randomization with allocation concealment. The primary outcome was clinical pregnancy at 20 weeks of gestation, as demonstrated by an ultrasound scan. Secondary outcomes included miscarriages, livebirth, adverse events, stillbirth, neonatal birth weight, changes in clinical laboratory variables following study drug exposure, major congenital anomalies, preterm births and incidence of anti-drug antibody formation. Analysis was by intention to treat.

MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE

A total of 340 participants were screened for eligibility of which 150 women were randomized. 76 women (median age, 32[IQR, 29-34] years; mean BMI, 26.3[SD, 4.2]) and 74 women (median age, 31[IQR, 26-33] years; mean BMI, 25.8[SD, 4.2]) were randomized to placebo. All women were followed-up to primary outcome, and beyond to live birth. The clinical pregnancy rate at 20 weeks, as well as the live birth rate, was 59.2% (45/76) in the rhG-CSF group, and 64.9% (48/74) in the placebo group, giving a relative risk of 0.9 (95% CI: 0.7-1.2; P = 0.48). There was no evidence of a significant difference between the groups for any of the secondary outcomes. Adverse events (AEs) occurred in 52 (68.4%) participants in rhG-CSF group and 43 (58.1%) participants in the placebo group. Neonatal congenital anomalies were observed in 1/46 (2.1%) of babies in the rhG-CSF group versus 1/49 (2.0%) in the placebo group (RR of 0.9; 95% CI: 0.1-13.4; P = 0.93).

LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION

This trial was conducted in women diagnosed with unexplained recurrent pregnancy loss and therefore no screening tests (commercially available) were performed for immune dysfunction related pregnancy failure/s.

WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS

To our knowledge, this is the first multicentre study and largest randomized clinical trial to investigate the efficacy and safety of granulocyte human colony stimulating factor in women with recurrent miscarriages. Unlike the only available single center RCT, our trial showed no significant increase in clinical pregnancy or live births with the use of rhG-CSF in the first trimester of pregnancy.

STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S)

This study was sponsored and supported by Nora Therapeutics, Inc., 530 Lytton Avenue, 2nd Floor, Palo Alto, CA 94301, USA. Darryl Carter was the co-founder and VP of research, Nora Therapeutics, Inc. and held shares in the company. He holds a patent for the use of recombinant human granulocyte colony stimulating factor to reduce unexplained recurrent pregnancy loss. Mark Joing, Paul Kwon and Jeff Tong were or are employees of Nora Therapeutics, Inc. No other potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

EUDRACT No: 2014-000084-40; ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02156063.

TRIAL REGISTRATION DATE

31 Mar 2014.

DATE OF FIRST PATIENT’S ENROLMENT

23 Jun 2014.

[Efficacy analysis of unrelated cord blood transplantation in the treatment of refractory and relapsed adult acute leukemia]

目的

探讨非血缘脐血移植（UCBT）挽救治疗难治复发急性白血病（AL）患者的临床疗效和安全性。

方法

回顾性分析2009年11月至2017年5月22例行UCBT挽救治疗的难治复发成人AL患者的临床资料，全部患者采用清髓性预处理方案，均采用环孢素A/短程霉酚酸酯方案预防GVHD。

结果

①22例患者中男9例，女13例，中位年龄23（15~44）岁；中位体重52.5（43~82）kg。所有患者回输脐血有核细胞中位数为3.07（1.71~5.30）×10⁷/kg（受者体重），CD34⁺细胞中位数为1.60（0.63~3.04）×10⁵/kg（受者体重）。②移植后42 d髓系累积植入率为95.5%（95%CI 45.2%~99.7%），中位植入时间为19（13~27）d；移植后120 d血小板累积植入率为81.8%（95%CI 54.2%~93.6%），中位植入时间为42（20~164）d。③Ⅱ~Ⅳ度、Ⅲ~Ⅳ度急性GVHD发生率以及慢性GVHD 2年累积发生率分别为36.4%、13.6%和40.3%。④移植后180 d移植相关死亡率为22.7%；2年累积复发率为18.7%（95%CI 3.6%~42.5%），2年累积无病生存率及累积总生存率分别为53.7%和58.1%。

结论

对于常规化疗无效的难治复发成人AL患者，初步结果显示采用UCBT安全、有效。

[Comparison of unrelated cord blood transplantation and HLA-identical sibling peripheral blood stem cell transplantation for the treatment of adult hematological malignancies]

Objective: To compare the efficacy of unrelated cord blood transplantation (UCBT) and HLA-identical sibling peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (PBSCT) for the treatment of adult hematological malignancies. Methods: From April 2011 to December 2015, a total of 81 patients receiving single-unit UCBT and 57 patients receiving HLA-identical sibling PBSCT were enrolled in this study. All of the patients received myelablative conditioning. Cyclosporine combined with mycophenolate mofetil was adopted for GVHD prophylaxis. Results: The cumulative incidence of neutropil engraftment at day-42 was 95.0% and 100% in UCBT and sibling PBSCT groups, respectively (P=0.863) . Platelet engraftment at day 100 was 87.3% (95%CI 76.8%-93.1%) in UCBT group, which was significantly lower than that of sibling PBSCT group[98.2% (95%CI 87.3%-99.7%) ] (P=0.005) . There were no significant differences in terms of Ⅱ-Ⅳ acute GVHD or Ⅲ-Ⅳ acute GVHD in two groups (P=0.142, 0.521) . The 3-year chronic GVHD and extensive chronic GVHD were 14.9% (95%CI 5.2%-23.5%) and 11.2% (95%CI 2.9%-18.7%) , respectively in UCBT group, which was significantly lower than that of sibling PBSCT group[35.2% (95%CI 19.4%-47.8%) , 31.4% (95%CI 16.2%-43.9%) ] (P=0.008, 0.009) . The 3-year transplant-related mortality (TRM) was similar between two groups (30.1% vs 23.2%, P=0.464) . The relapse rate at 3-year in UCBT group[12.9% (95%CI 6.6%-21.5%) ]was significantly lower than that in sibling PBSCT group[24.3% (95%CI 13.5%-36.8%) ] (P=0.039) . There were no significant differences in terms of overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) between two groups (58.6% vs 54.8%, P=0.634; 57.0% vs 52.4%, P=0.563) . But GVHD-free and relapse-free survival (GRFS) in UCBT group [55.7% (95%CI 44.1%-65.8%) ]was significantly higher than that of sibling PBSCT group[42.9% (95%CI 29.8%-55.3%) ] (P=0.047) . Conclusions: For adult hematological malignancies, the incidences of acute GVHD and TRM were similar between UCBT and sibling PBSCT recipients, and the incidences of chronic GVHD and relapse were lower in UCBT recipients. UCBT recipients had higher GRFS rate although OS and DFS were similar between two groups, which may reflect the real recovery and better quality of life following UCBT.