Primary Gingival Tuberculosis Diagnosed Based on Genetic Identification.

A case of primary gingival tuberculosis in a 71-year-old Japanese woman is herein presented. A serous saliva culture was positive for tuberculosis, and we recognized that the origin of the tuberculosis infection was the gingiva based on the genetic identification in gingival biopsy tissue. The definitive diagnosis was facilitated by the genetic identification, a useful modern tool for diagnosing infectious diseases.

Thyroid carcinomas found incidentally in the cervical lymph nodes: do they arise from heterotopic thyroid tissues?

Purpose: Thyroid carcinomas have been found incidentally in the cervical lymph nodes during surgery for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Such carcinomas have been considered a metastatic focus for malignant transformation of heterotopic thyroid tissue. We report on cases of so-called occult thyroid carcinoma in the cervical lymph nodes, and review the relevant literature.

Full-length sequences of two hepatitis E virus isolates representing an Eastern China-indigenous subgroup of genotype 4.

Although the majority of hepatitis E virus (HEV) infections in Japan are 'domestic' due to the presence of indigenous strains, there are still 'imported' cases as well. Among 83 patients with non-A, non-B and non-C acute liver diseases admitted to Saitama Medical University Hospital, 7 (8.4%) were positive for serum HEV-RNA, of whom 2 had a recent history of traveling to China, one to Xian and another to Shanghai.

Increased cytoprotective function in the liver of transgenic mice expressing osteopontin in hepatocytes.

Osteopontin is a crucial factor for initiation of Th1 immune reaction. Previously, we established transgenic mice expressing osteopontin in hepatocytes, in which lymphocyte infiltration occurred spontaneously at 12 weeks of age and liver necrosis at 24 weeks of age. This liver necrosis may develop through provocation by excessive Th1 immune reaction, but it is also possible that hepatocytes become fragile under abundant osteopontin in the cytoplasm.

Extrahepatic manifestations in transgenic mice of osteopontin in hepatocytes-A clue to advent of pathological state in various organs of chronic hepatitis C patients.

Osteopontin is a cytokine essential for initiation of Th1 immune reaction. We established transgenic mice expressing osteopontin in hepatocyte, in which liver necrosis with lymphocyte infiltration developed gradually from 12 weeks of age with up-regulated osteopontin levels in the circulation, suggesting that extrahepatic manifestations might also occur as a result of excessive Th1 immune reaction. We examined histological and immunohistochemical features of various organs in these mice.

Administration of ANG II induces iron deposition and upregulation of TGF-beta1 mRNA in the rat liver.

We previously found that ANG II infusion into rats causes iron deposition in the kidney and heart, which may have a role in the regulation of profibrotic gene expression and tissue fibrosis. In the present study, we have investigated whether ANG II can also induce iron accumulation in the liver. Prussian blue staining detected frequent iron deposition in the interstitium of the liver of rats treated with pressor dose ANG II for 7 days, whereas iron deposition was absent in the livers of control rats.

Plasma osteopontin levels in patients with fulminant hepatitis.

Fulminant hepatitis is characterized by massive or submassive liver necrosis. Massive liver necrosis can be induced by activated macrophages infiltrating into the liver. Osteopontin, an extracellular matrix, is a secretory glycoprotein as well essential for Th1 immune response, contributing to macrophage activation and infiltration.

Transgenic mice expressing osteopontin in hepatocytes as a model of autoimmune hepatitis.

Osteopontin, a crucial factor for Th1 immune response, is expressed in stellate cells and macrophages activated in injured liver. To clarify the role of osteopontin in inflammatory changes in the liver, we attempted to establish transgenic mice expressing osteopontin in hepatocytes. Mouse osteopontin cDNA, cloned from concanavalin-A-stimulated spleen cells in C57BL/6 mice, was constructed into the vector containing serum amyloid-P component promoter.

Adenovirus-mediated overexpression of follistatin enlarges intact liver of adult rats.

Under normal physiologic conditions, liver size is under strict regulatory control. Activin, a member of the transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) superfamily, is expressed in the intact adult liver and is an inhibitor of hepatocyte growth. However, the exact role played by endogenous activin in maintaining the size of a normal adult liver has yet to be completely examined in vivo.

Possible mechanisms of elevation of serum transaminase levels during interferon-beta therapy in chronic hepatitis C patients.

Background: Serum transaminase levels are frequently elevated in patients with chronic hepatitis C who are receiving interferon (IFN)-beta therapy, despite hepatitis C virus (HCV)-RNA being eradicated from the serum. We examined liver histology to determine the reason for this elevation.

Methods: Patients with chronic hepatitis C, diagnosed by liver histology and positive serum HCV-RNA, were given intravenous injections of IFN-beta, at a daily dose of 6 MU, every day for periods of 6 to 12 weeks.