Non-CpG sites preference in G:C > A:T transition of TP53 in gastric cancer of Eastern Europe (Poland, Romania and Hungary) compared to East Asian countries (China and Japan).

Aim: Mutation spectrum of TP53 in gastric cancer (GC) has been investigated world-widely, but a comparison of mutation spectrum among GCs from various regions in the world are still sparsely documented. In order to identify the difference of TP53 mutation spectrum in GCs in Eastern Europe and in East Asia, we sequenced TP53 in GCs from Eastern Europe, Lujiang (China), and Yokohama, Kanagawa (Japan) and identified the feature of TP53 mutations of GC in these regions.

Subjects And Method: In total, 689 tissue samples of GC were analyzed: 288 samples from East European populations (25 from Hungary, 71 from Poland and 192 from Romania), 268 from Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan and 133 from Lujiang, Anhui province, China.

Protocadherin-1 is a glucocorticoid-responsive critical regulator of airway epithelial barrier function.

Background: Impaired epithelial barrier function renders the airway vulnerable to environmental triggers associated with the pathogenesis of bronchial asthma. We investigated the influence of protocadherin-1 (PCDH1), a susceptibility gene for bronchial hyperresponsiveness, on airway epithelial barrier function.

Methods: We applied transepithelial electric resistance and dextran permeability testing to evaluate the barrier function of cultured airway epithelial cells.

Comparison of the chemosensitivity of the primary lesion and a pancreatic metastasis of colon cancer: a case report.

Pancreatic metastasis from colorectal cancer is rare, and accounts for less than 2% of all pancreatic metastases. There have been no studies that have reported the differences in the sensitivity to chemotherapy between the primary lesion and the pancreatic metastasis in colorectal cancer. We experienced a rare example of pancreatic metastasis from colorectal cancer, and report here the difference in the sensitivity to the antitumor drug.

Colorectal small cell carcinoma in ulcerative colitis with identical rare p53 gene mutation to associated adenocarcinoma and dysplasia.

Colorectal small cell carcinomas (SCCs) are rare tumors and are infrequently associated with ulcerative colitis (UC). We report a case of primary rectal SCC combined with adenocarcinoma arising in left-sided UC. Immunohistochemically, tumor cells were positive for chromogranin A, synaptophysin, and CD56 in the SCC but not in the adenocarcinoma.

Glucocorticoids enhance airway epithelial barrier integrity.

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the airways, but its pathogenesis is incompletely understood. While asthma is a complex disease caused by multiple factors, epithelial barrier damage is a cardinal feature. Glucocorticoids (GCs) are the most effective anti-inflammatory drugs in the treatment of asthma.

Acute myocardial infarction associated with small-size lung cancer in a young woman.

A 34-year-old woman visited our hospital with chest pain and was diagnosed with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) on admission. Echocardiography imaging revealed the presence of complex masses in the aortic valve. As serum tumor marker CA19-9 was elevated, she was screened for malignant disease.

Heregulin activation of ErbB2/ErbB3 signaling potentiates the integrity of airway epithelial barrier.

Background: Members of the ErbB family of the receptor protein tyrosine kinase superfamily mediate heregulin (HRG)-induced cell responses. Here we investigated HRG activation of ErbB receptors, and the role of this activation in the development of the permeability barrier in airway epithelial cells (AECs).

Methods: Two airway epithelial-like cell lines, Calu-3 and 16HBE were exposed to HRG or no stimulus and were evaluated with respect to their paracellular permeability as determined by transepithelial electric resistance (TER) and fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-dextran flux.

The Rac1/JNK pathway is critical for EGFR-dependent barrier formation in human airway epithelial cells.

The airway epithelial barrier provides defenses against inhaled antigens and pathogens, and alterations of epithelial barrier function have been proposed to play a significant role in the pathogenesis of chronic airway diseases. Although the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) plays roles in various physiological and pathological processes on the airway epithelium, the role of EGFR on barrier function in the airway remains largely unknown. In the present study, we assessed the effects of EGFR activation on paracellular permeability in airway epithelial cells (AECs).

Identification of colorectal cancer patients with tumors carrying the TP53 mutation on the codon 72 proline allele that benefited most from 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) based postoperative chemotherapy.

Background: Although postoperative chemotherapy is widely accepted as the standard modality for Dukes' stage C or earlier stage colorectal cancer (CRC) patients, biomarkers to predict those who may benefit from the therapy have not been identified. Previous in vitro and clinical investigations reported that CRC patients with wild-type p53 gene (TP53)-tumors benefit from 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) based chemotherapy, while those with mutated TP53-tumors do not. However, these studies evaluated the mutation-status of TP53 by immunohistochemistry with or without single-strand conformation polymorphism, and the mutation frequency was different from study to study.

Genome-wide cDNA microarray screening of genes related to the benefits of paclitaxel and irinotecan chemotherapy in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

Previous studies have demonstrated that not only the benefits but also the toxicities of chemotherapy can be predicted by cDNA microarray analysis of tumor specimens obtained before chemotherapy against non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We conducted a study of cDNA microarray analysis to determine whether the gene expression in peripheral blood taken from patients prior to chemotherapy were correlated with the outcome of chemotherapy with paclitaxel (Pac) and irinotecan (CPT) against advanced NSCLC. Thirty-one patients with stage IIIB or IV NSCLC were treated with CPT at 60 mg/m2 and Pac at 160 mg/m2 every 2 weeks.

Genome-wide cDNA microarray screening of genes related to survival in patients after curative resection of non-small cell lung cancer.

We conducted a study to determine whether the expression levels of genes in tumors were correlated with the survival of patients after complete resection of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The expression levels of 1176 genes in resected tumor specimens from 28 patients were analyzed using the Atlastrade mark Human Cancer 1.2 Array.

Examination of stability of bone marrow blood RNA in the PAXgene tube.

The PAXgene RNA blood collection tube is used for RNA of peripheral blood (PB) and the stability of PB RNA in this tube has already been reported. However, the stability of bone marrow blood (BM) RNA in the PAXgene tube is unknown. Thus, we examined the stability of BM RNA in the PAXgene tubes.

Genomewide cDNA microarray screening of genes related to benefits and toxicities of platinum-based chemotherapy in patients with advanced lung cancer.

The authors conducted a study using cDNA microarray analysis to determine whether expression levels of genes in tumors were correlated with the outcome of chemotherapy. Forty-seven patients were studied, and all except 3 received platinum-based chemotherapy. The expression levels of 1176 genes in transbronchial biopsy specimens of tumors that were obtained before chemotherapy were analyzed using the Atlas Human Cancer 1.

Genomic-wide cDNA microarray screening to correlate gene expression profile with chemoresistance in patients with advanced lung cancer.

We conducted a study using cDNA microarray analysis to determine whether expression levels of genes in tumors were correlated with tumor response to chemotherapy. Between September 2000 and December 2001, 47 patients were registered in the study. Eighteen patients had small cell lung cancer (SCLC), and others had non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Genome-wide cDNA microarray screening to correlate gene expression profile with survival in patients with advanced lung cancer.

We conducted a study using cDNA microarray analysis to determine whether expression levels of genes in tumors were correlated with survival after chemotherapy. Between September 2000 and December 2001, 47 patients were registered in the study. Eighteen patients had small cell lung cancer (SCLC), and the others had non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Detection of occult tumor cells in peripheral blood from patients with small cell lung cancer by promoter methylation and silencing of the retinoic acid receptor-beta.

In order to investigate the possibility of detecting occult tumor cells of small cell lung cancer (SCLC), we used the methylation-specific PCR assay to detect methylation of retinoic acid receptor-beta (RARbeta) in peripheral mononuclear cells (PMNC). The methylation-specific PCR assay can detect one tumor cell per 10(3) normal cells. Seventy-two patients participated in this study.