Multiple factors influencing the release of hTERT mRNA from pancreatic cancer cell lines in in vitro culture.

Since telomerase expression is highly prevalent in human cancers, the quantitation of serum/plasma hTERT (human telomerase reverse transcriptase) mRNA levels may be useful for early detection of PCa (pancreatic cancer). To analyse the correspondence between exhTERT (extracellular hTERT) mRNA levels and hTERT expression, we designed a cell culture system to investigate factors modulating the extracellular levels of hTERT mRNA in media conditioned by eight PCa cell lines. We found that the level of exhTERT mRNA was dependent on cell growth rate.

A case of pancreatic cancer with formation of a mass mimicking alcoholic or autoimmune pancreatitis in a young man. Possibility of diagnosis by hypermethylation of pure pancreatic juice.

Context: Mass-forming pancreatitis can be divided into two distinct types: alcoholic and autoimmune. There have been some cases of an ambiguous diagnosis although care was taken to differentiate between alcoholic mass-forming pancreatitis, focal type autoimmune pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer.

Case Report: We report a case of pancreatic cancer mimicking alcoholic or autoimmune pancreatitis with the formation of a mass in a 32-year-old man with a history of heavy drinking.

Preproenkephalin hypermethylation in the pure pancreatic juice compared with p53 mutation in the diagnosis of pancreatic carcinoma.

Background: Aberrant methylation of CpG islands is a common mechanism for the dysregulation of tumor suppressor genes in a variety of human malignancies. Preproenkephalin ppENK) hypermethylation is recognized in 90% of pancreatic carcinoma (PCa) tissues, but not in normal pancreas. We analyzed ppENK hypermethylation in pure pancreatic juice (PPJ) in patients with PCa, intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMN), and chronic pancreatitis (CP), and elucidated its usefulness as a marker in the diagnosis of PCa compared with p53 mutation.

Aberrant methylation of secreted apoptosis-related protein 2 (SARP2) in pure pancreatic juice in diagnosis of pancreatic neoplasms.

Objective: Secreted apoptosis-related protein (SARP) families are considered to counteract the oncogenic Wnt signaling pathway, and inactivation of this gene may aid cancer development and progression. Recently, the aberrant methylation of SARP2 was detected frequently in pancreatic carcinoma (PCa) tissue, but not in normal pancreatic tissue. We evaluated the hypermethylation of SARP2 in pure pancreatic juices (PPJ) aspirated endoscopically from patients with PCa, intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm of the pancreas (IPMN), chronic pancreatitis (CP), and a control group who were consequently free of pancreatic diseases according to the differential diagnosis of PCa.

Expression of mesothelin mRNA in pure pancreatic juice from patients with pancreatic carcinoma, intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm of the pancreas, and chronic pancreatitis.

Objectives: In the gene expression analysis of pancreatic carcinoma (PCa) using serial analysis of gene expression (SAGE) according to Ryu et al, the tag for the mesothelin mRNA transcript was present in 7 of 8 SAGE libraries derived from PCa but not in the 2 SAGE libraries derived from normal pancreatic duct epithelial cells. Mesothelin mRNA expression was confirmed with in situ hybridization in all 4 resected primary PCa tumors and with RT-PCR in 18 of 20 PCa cell lines, whereas mesothelin protein expression was confirmed with immunohistochemistry in all 60 resected primary PCa tissues by Argani et al. We evaluated mesothelin mRNA expression in pure pancreatic juice (PPJ) obtained from patients with PCa, chronic pancreatitis (CP), and intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN) of the pancreas.

Expression of vacuole membrane protein 1 (VMP1) in spontaneous chronic pancreatitis in the WBN/Kob rat.

Objectives: VMP1 is a stress-induced gene that is overexpressed in acute pancreatitis. Its overexpression promotes the formation of intracellular vacuoles and cell death. We investigated the expression of VMP1 mRNA and its relation to apoptosis in spontaneous chronic pancreatitis in the WBN/Kob rat.

Tumor protein p53-induced nuclear protein 1 (TP53INP1) in spontaneous chronic pancreatitis in the WBN/Kob rat: drug effects on its expression in the pancreas.

Context: The tumor protein p53-induced nuclear protein 1 (TP53INP1) gene was found using DNA microarray technology as an overexpressed gene in acute pancreatitis. However, expression of TP53INP1 in chronic pancreatitis has not been previously reported.

Objective: This study investigated TP53INP1 gene expression and its relationship with p53 and apoptosis in spontaneous chronic pancreatitis in the Wistar-Bonn/Kobori rat.