HLA class II neoantigen presentation for CD4 T cell surveillance in HLA class II-negative colorectal cancer.

Neoantigen-reactive CD4 T cells play a key role in the anti-tumor immune response. However, the majority of epithelial tumors are negative for HLA class II (HLA-II) surface expression, and less is known about the processing of HLA-II antigens. Here, we directly identified naturally presented HLA-II neoantigens in HLA-II negative colorectal cancer (CRC) tissue using a proteogenomic approach.

Identification of immunogenic HLA class I and II neoantigens using surrogate immunopeptidomes.

Neoantigens arising from somatic mutations are tumor specific and induce antitumor host T cell responses. However, their sequences are individual specific and need to be identified for each patient for therapeutic applications. Here, we present a proteogenomic approach for neoantigen identification, named Neoantigen Selection using a Surrogate Immunopeptidome (NESSIE).

CD8 T-cell Immune Surveillance against a Tumor Antigen Encoded by the Oncogenic Long Noncoding RNA .

CD8 T cells recognize peptides displayed by HLA class I molecules on cell surfaces, monitoring pathologic conditions such as cancer. Advances in proteogenomic analysis of HLA ligandomes have demonstrated that cells present a subset of cryptic peptides derived from noncoding regions of the genome; however, the roles of cryptic HLA ligands in tumor immunity remain unknown. In the current study, we comprehensively and quantitatively investigated the HLA class I ligandome of a set of human colorectal cancer and matched normal tissues, showing that cryptic translation products accounted for approximately 5% of the HLA class I ligandome.

Proteogenomic identification of an immunogenic HLA class I neoantigen in mismatch repair-deficient colorectal cancer tissue.

Although CD8+ T cells recognize neoantigens that arise from somatic mutations in cancer, only a small fraction of nonsynonymous mutations give rise to clinically relevant neoantigens. In this study, HLA class I ligandomes of a panel of human colorectal cancer (CRC) and matched normal tissues were analyzed using mass spectrometry-based proteogenomic analysis. Neoantigen presentation was rare; however, the analysis detected a single neoantigen in a mismatch repair-deficient CRC (dMMR-CRC) tissue sample carrying 3967 nonsynonymous mutations, where abundant tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and inflamed gene expression status were observed in the tumor microenvironment (TME).

An incidental finding of low-grade appendiceal mucinous neoplasm during cesarean section: A case report.

Low-grade appendiceal mucinous neoplasms are rare and difficult to diagnose preoperatively because of a lack of characteristic symptoms. A 24-year-old female with no symptoms before pregnancy underwent an elective cesarean section at 38 weeks of gestation because of cephalo-pelvic disproportion. Although no abnormalities were detected in the newborn, uterus, or uterine adnexa, a sausage-like, swollen appendix was noted.

The Antigen ASB4 on Cancer Stem Cells Serves as a Target for CTL Immunotherapy of Colorectal Cancer.

Colorectal cancer consists of a small number of cancer stem cells (CSC) and many non-CSCs. Although rare in number, CSCs are a target for cancer therapy, because they survive conventional chemo- and radiotherapies and perpetuate tumor formation In this study, we conducted an HLA ligandome analysis to survey HLA-A24 peptides displayed by CSCs and non-CSCs of colorectal cancer. The analysis identified an antigen, ASB4, which was processed and presented by a CSC subset but not by non-CSCs.

The anococcygeal ligaments: Cadaveric study with application to our understanding of incontinence in the elderly.

The term "anococcygeal ligament (ACL)" has been used to refer to two distinct structures: a superficial fibrous band originating from the myosepta of the external anal sphincter (EAS) and running upwards to the coccyx (the superficial ACL); and a deep fibrous band originating from the periosteum of the coccyx, merging with the thick presacral fascia and attaching to the superior end of the EAS (the deep ACL). In the present work, elastic fiber histology and muscle immunohistochemistry of sagittal sections obtained from 15 donated elderly male cadavers showed that superficial ACL, corresponding to a superficial fascia or skin ligament, was composed of very tortuous elastic fibers, with a fine elastic fiber mesh at their coccygeal attachment; whereas the deep ACL was composed of almost straight collagen and elastic fibers, intermingled with the coccygeal periosteum. Due to the weak insertion into the coccyx and the wavy course, the superficial ACL is unlikely to provide, even in association with contraction of the longitudinal anal muscle, a stable mechanical support to maintain the configuration of the EAS.

[Bacteria isolated from surgical infections and its susceptibilities to antimicrobial agents - Special references to bacteria isolated between April 2011 and March 2012].

Bacteria isolated from surgical infections during the period from April 2011 to March 2012 were investigated in a multicenter study in Japan, and the following results were obtained. In this series, 785 strains including 31 strains of Candida spp. were isolated from 204 (78.

[Bacteria isolated from surgical infections and its susceptibilities to antimicrobial agents--special references to bacteria isolated between April 2010 and March 2011].

Bacteria isolated from surgical infections during the period from April 2010 to March 2011 were investigated in a multicenter study in Japan, and the following results were obtained. In this series, 631 strains including 25 strains of Candida spp. were isolated from 170 (81.

A simple and safe procedure to repair rectal prolapse perineally using stapling devices.

Rectal prolapses are not life-threatening, however the bleeding and fecal incontinence associated with them significantly erode quality of life and can cause concern among patients' caregivers in nursing homes. Many procedures have been reported that repair rectal prolapses, and the procedure used depends on the severity of the prolapse; however, the treatments are yet to be established. Here we report a simple and safe procedure to repair rectal prolapse perineally using stapling devices.

[Bacteria isolated from surgical infections and its susceptibilities to antimicrobial agents--special references to bacteria isolated between April 2009 and March 2010].

Bacteria isolated from surgical infections during the period from April 2009 to March 2010 were investigated in a multicenter study in Japan, and the following results were obtained. In this series, 671 strains including 16 strains of Candida spp. were isolated from 174 (79.

Inhibition of osteopontin reduces liver metastasis of human pancreatic cancer xenografts injected into the spleen in a mouse model.

Purpose: Pancreatic cancer is associated with the poorest prognosis of any digestive cancer due to the high incidence of liver metastasis. This study evaluated the possibility that osteopontin (OPN) RNA interference (RNAi) and anti-OPN antibody (Ab) could have antimetastatic effects.

Methods: The differential gene expression was measured in a parental cell line, HPC-3, and an established highly liver metastatic cell line, HPC-3H4.

Wall composition analysis of the human hepatic artery by intravascular ultrasound.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to elucidate the wall layer appearance of the human hepatic artery shown by intravascular ultrasound (IVUS).

Methods: We evaluated the wall layer appearance of 57 human hepatic arteries from 36 cadavers. The thickness of the inner high-echoic layer and the second low-echoic layer of the arteries was measured by IVUS, and it was compared with that of the arterial intima and media, respectively.

Efficacy of a continuous venous infusion of fluorouracil and daily divided dose cisplatin as adjuvant therapy in resectable colorectal cancer: a prospective randomized trial.

Purpose: Daily divided dose cisplatin (DDD-P) is used as an efficient modulator of fluorouracil (5-FU), as is leucovorin (LV). We performed a randomized trial to compare the efficacy 5-FU plus DDD-P (DDD-FP) therapy with 5-FU alone in resected colorectal cancer as the adjuvant therapy.

Methods: One hundred and eighty-eight stage II or III colorectal cancer patients were enrolled.

Clinical and immunological evaluation of anti-apoptosis protein, survivin-derived peptide vaccine in phase I clinical study for patients with advanced or recurrent breast cancer.

Background: We previously reported that survivin-2B, a splicing variant of survivin, was expressed in various types of tumors and that survivin-2B peptide might serve as a potent immunogenic cancer vaccine. The objective of this study was to examine the toxicity of and to clinically and immunologically evaluate survivin-2B peptide in a phase I clinical study for patients with advanced or recurrent breast cancer.

Methods: We set up two protocols.

Anastomotic suture line recurrence of early rectal carcinomas that had been resected by laparoscopic surgery.

We report herein a case of a 64-year-old woman found to have anastomotic suture line recurrence of an early rectal carcinoma. The patient had undergone laparoscopy-assisted low anterior rectal resection for an early rectal carcinoma 2 years before the anastomotic site recurrence. A follow-up colonoscopy revealed an elevated lesion on the anastomotic suture line.

Inhibitory effect of endothelin A receptor blockade on tumor growth and liver metastasis of a human gastric cancer cell line.

Background: With metastatic progression, gastric cancer is incurable. Using a DNA microarray, we performed differential gene expression analysis of established highly metastatic gastric cancer cell lines and compared the findings with those from a low-metastatic parental cell line. The results demonstrated that the endothelin A receptor (ET-A) gene was the only one from the highly metastatic cell lines that was generally up-regulated.

Macroscopic and histotopographic study of the deep transverse perineal muscle (musculus transversus perinei profundus) in elderly Japanese.

Although the deep transverse perineal (DTP) muscle is welt known as the core of the urogenital diaphragm, most recent studies have denied its existence. In students' dissection classes, we cut the surfaces of 93 macroscopically identified urogenital diaphragms (59 male cadavers) and found the distinct sheet-like DTP in 24.7% (23 of 93 sides).

Analysis of the changes pattern of serum apolipoprotein A-1 after hepatectomy.

Background/aims: Previously, we reported that apolipoprotein A-1 (apoA) is a good indicator of hepatic protein synthesis after hepatectomy. In this study, we analyzed whether the recovery patterns of apoA after hepatectomy were different with the operation procedure or the coexistence of liver disease.

Methodology: From 1997-2003, we measured the serum levels of albumin, apoA, prealbumin (prealb), and retinol binding protein (RBP) in 100 patients who underwent hepatectomy.

A novel isoform of TUCAN is overexpressed in human cancer tissues and suppresses both caspase-8- and caspase-9-mediated apoptosis.

Caspase-associated recruitment domains (CARD) are protein-protein interaction modules found extensively in proteins that play important roles in apoptosis. One of the CARD-containing proteins, TUCAN (CARD8), was reported previously as an antiapoptotic protein with a molecular weight of 48 kDa, which was up-regulated in colon cancer cells. We identified a novel isoform of TUCAN with a molecular weight of 54 kDa.

A novel, easy, and safe technique to repair a stoma prolapse using a surgical stapling device.

A stoma prolapse is one of the late complications and often occurs when the stoma is made in an emergency situation. This complication is not lethal, but causes irritable stoma, skin trouble, and difficulty in stoma care. We herein report the case of a 48-year-old female with an end colostomy that was created as an emergency operation 4 months before.

[Bacteria isolated from surgical infections and its susceptibilities to antimicrobial agents--special references to bacteria isolated between April 2003 and March 2004].

Tendency of isolated bacteria from infections in general surgery during the period from April 2003 to March 2004 were investigated in a multicenter study in Japan, and the following results were obtained. In this series, 455 strains including 14 strains of Candida spp. were isolated from 191(75.

Isolated bacteria and susceptibilities to antimicrobial agents in biliary infections.

Background/aims: A total of 209 bacterial strains were isolated from patients with biliary infection in our department between January 1982 and December 2000.

Methodology: Antimicrobial susceptibility tests were conducted to ascertain the presence of drug-resistant bacteria.

Results: The breakdown of the 109 strains from the patients with primary biliary infections was as follows: 70 strains of gram-negative aerobic bacteria; 27 strains of gram-positive aerobic bacteria; 6 strains of gram-negative anaerobic bacteria; and 6 strains of gram-positive anaerobic bacteria.

Peptide-based vaccination for colorectal cancer.

Recently, the number of patients with colorectal cancer has been increasing. Although most patients with early colorectal cancer have a good prognosis, in the case of recurrent or metastatic disease, the prognosis is poor and most patients will ultimately die of cancer. Furthermore, the conventional treatment, such as chemotherapy or radiation therapy, occasionally can not be continued due to reasons of toxicity and/or poor response.