Sp1-mediated transcription regulation of TAF-Ialpha gene encoding a histone chaperone.

TAF-I, one of histone chaperones, consists of two subtypes, TAF-Ialpha and TAF-Ibeta. The histone chaperone activity of TAF-I is regulated by dimer patterns of these subtypes. TAF-Ibeta is expressed ubiquitously, while the expression level of TAF-Ialpha with less activity than TAF-Ibeta differs among cell types.

Investigation of gastric and duodenal mucosal defects caused by low-dose aspirin in patients with ischemic heart disease.

Background: Low-dose aspirin is used for secondary prevention of ischemic heart disease and ischemic cerebrovascular disease. Currently, the frequency of gastrointestinal disorder among users of low-dose aspirin is unknown.

Aims: To investigate through endoscopic examination the frequency of gastroduodenal disorder associated with buffered and enteric-coated aspirin (ECA).

Novel Parachlamydia acanthamoebae quantification method based on coculture with amoebae.

Parachlamydia acanthamoebae, belonging to the order Chlamydiales, is an obligately intracellular bacterium that infects free-living amoebae and is a potential human pathogen. However, no method exists to accurately quantify viable bacterial numbers. We present a novel quantification method for P.

Durable remission of Sézary syndrome after unrelated bone marrow transplantation by reduced-intensity conditioning.

A 22-year-old Japanese man was diagnosed with Sézary syndrome with large cell transformation. His skin lesions persisted after treatment with 7 cycles of CHOP (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisone), psoralen and ultraviolet light A, and total skin electron beam irradiation. He subsequently underwent allogeneic bone marrow transplantation by reduced-intensity conditioning from a human leukocyte antigen-identical unrelated donor.

Effect of eradication of Helicobacter pylori on incidence of metachronous gastric carcinoma after endoscopic resection of early gastric cancer: an open-label, randomised controlled trial.

Background: The relation between Helicobacter pylori infection and gastric cancer has been proven in epidemiological studies and animal experiments. Our aim was to investigate the prophylactic effect of H pylori eradication on the development of metachronous gastric carcinoma after endoscopic resection for early gastric cancer.

Methods: In this multi-centre, open-label, randomised controlled trial, 544 patients with early gastric cancer, either newly diagnosed and planning to have endoscopic treatment or in post-resection follow-up after endoscopic treatment, were randomly assigned to receive an H pylori eradication regimen (n=272) or control (n=272).

Cost benefit and clinical efficacy of low-dose granulocyte colony-stimulating factor after standard chemotherapy in patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

High costs of molecule-targeted drugs, such as rituximab, ibritumomab, and tositumomab have given rise to an economical issue for treating patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). Granulocyte colony-stimulating factors (G-CSFs), which are also expensive, are widely used for treating neutropenia after chemotherapy. In Japan, lenograstim at 2 microg/kg (about 100 microg/body) or filgrastim at 50 microg/m(2) (about 75 microg/body) is commonly administered for patients with NHL after chemotherapy.

Lack of macrophage migration inhibitory factor suppresses innate immune response in murine dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis.

Objective: Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) plays an important role in the development of inflammatory diseases. Recent studies have indicated an association of MIF with gastrointestinal inflammation including colitis, but the mechanism by which MIF exacerbates gut inflammation has not been fully clarified. In this study, in order further to clarify the role of MIF in intestinal inflammation, we investigated the association of MIF with innate immunity in experimental colitis using MIF-deficient mice.

Evaluation of upper abdominal symptoms using the Frequency Scale for the Symptoms of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease in patients with laryngopharyngeal reflux symptoms.

Background: The purpose of the study was to evaluate upper abdominal symptoms in laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) patients and changes in both upper abdominal and LPR symptoms before and after acid-suppression therapy.

Methods: In 100 patients with LPR symptoms, upper abdominal and LPR symptoms were evaluated by using the Frequency Scale for the Symptoms of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (FSSG) and the LPR symptom scoring system, respectively. In the 52 assessable patients, changes in these symptoms before and after acid-suppression therapy were evaluated.

Influence of conditioning regimens and stem cell sources on donor-type chimerism early after stem cell transplantation.

We retrospectively analyzed very early chimerism before and ongoing neutrophil engraftment (days 7, 14, 21, 28) and investigated the influence of conditioning regimens and stem cell sources on donor-type chimerism in 59 Japanese patients who had received allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. The percentage of donor-type chimerism increased before engraftment in all patients who achieved engraftment. The average percentage of donor-type chimerism in patients who had received reduced-intensity stem cell transplantation (RIST) with total body irradiation (TBI) was significantly higher than that in patients who had received RIST without TBI (98.

T cell receptor excision circle levels in CD94-expressing CD8 T Cells during graft-versus-host disease.

T cell receptor excision circles (TRECs) have been suggested to be useful markers of recent thymic output and graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) was thought to have an adverse effect on thymic output. On the other hand, TREC concentrations are diluted with T cell expansion. The C-type lectin superfamily inhibitory receptor CD94 expression on T cells might be a consequence of CD8 T cell expansion.

[Three cases of groove pancreatic carcinoma in which endoscopic ultrasonography was useful for diagnosis before surgery].

We had three cases of pancreatic groove carcinoma. All cases developed obstructive jaundice. Duodenoscopy showed stenosis of the second portion of the duodenum in every case.

Geographic differences in gastric cancer incidence can be explained by differences between Helicobacter pylori strains.

Certain populations with high incidences of Helicobacter pylori infection, such as those in East Asian countries, have high incidences of gastric cancer, while other highly infected populations, such as those in Africa and South Asia, do not. The various rates of gastric cancer associated with different geographic areas can be explained, at least in part, by the differences in the genotypes of H. pylori cagA and vacA.

A retrospective analysis of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for adult T cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATL): clinical impact of graft-versus-leukemia/lymphoma effect.

Adult T cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATL) is a highly aggressive T cell malignancy, and has a poor prognosis. Recently, allogeneic-hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) has been suggested to improve the outcome. We retrospectively analyzed 15 patients with ATL who had received allo-HSCT in 2 institutions in Hokkaido, Japan.

Characteristics of magnified endoscopic images of gastric extranodal marginal zone B-cell lymphoma of the mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue, including changes after treatment.

Background: The utility of magnifying endoscopy for diagnosis of epithelial tumors has been reported, but there are few reports for nonepithelial tumors.

Objective: To determine the characteristics of magnified images of gastric extranodal marginal zone B-cell lymphoma of the mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT lymphoma) before and after treatment.

Design: This was a retrospective study.

Graft-versus-tumor effect after reduced-intensity allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in a patient with advanced colon cancer.

A 27-year-old man with advanced colon cancer that was resistant to conventional chemoradiotherapies was treated with reduced-intensity allogeneic peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (PBSCT). After obtaining complete donor-type chimerism, there was an apparent graft-versus-tumor effect accompanied by severe hepatic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) showing hyperbilirubinemia, resulting in a stable disease condition that lasted for 18 months, which had not been seen previously in his previous disease history. The antitumor effect observed in this patient was insufficient for the patient to achieve complete remission, because the disease was at an already widespread and treatment-resistant stage.

Safety of irinotecan and infusional fluorouracil/leucovorin (FOLFIRI) in Japan: a retrospective review of 48 patients with metastatic colorectal cancer.

Background: A combination of irinotecan and infusional fluorouracil/leucovorin (FOLFIRI) has become one of the global standard chemotherapy regimens for metastatic colorectal cancer. The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of FOLFIRI in a Japanese population with metastatic colorectal cancer.

Methods: This retrospective analysis included 48 patients with unresectable metastatic colorectal cancer who received FOLFIRI between May 2004 and June 2005.

Rikkunshito, an herbal medicine, suppresses cisplatin-induced anorexia in rats via 5-HT2 receptor antagonism.

Background & Aims: Chemotherapy with an anticancer agent generally causes gastrointestinal tract disorders such as vomiting and anorexia, but the mechanism remains unclear. Rikkunshito, a kampo preparation, is known to alleviate such adverse reactions. In this study, we attempted to clarify the mechanism.