The inducible prostaglandin E synthase mPGES-1 regulates growth of endometrial tissues and angiogenesis in a mouse implantation model.

Endometriosis is one of the most common gynecological diseases in women of reproductive age. Although cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 inhibitors are effective in the treatment of endometriosis, the adverse cardiovascular effects associated with these inhibitors have limited their use. Microsomal prostaglandin E synthase-1 (mPGES-1) is an inducible enzyme downstream of COX-2 in prostaglandin E(2) biosynthesis.

Quantitative analysis of low-dose aspirin-associated small bowel injury using a capsule endoscopy scoring index.

Aim: The major limitation of capsule endoscopy (CE) has been the lack of a standardized and validated severity scale for mucosal injury. The aim of the present study was to verify the usefulness of quantifying small bowel mucosal changes associated with giving low-dose aspirin (LDA) using a CE scoring index.

Methods: The CE score for small bowel mucosal injury was investigated to evaluate the severity of mucosal injury.

Leptin receptor is involved in STAT3 activation in human colorectal adenoma.

The possible role of leptin in colorectal tumors has been investigated in previous studies; however, to date, the conclusions remain under debate. Therefore, we investigated the serum leptin levels in colorectal adenoma patients. In addition, expression of the leptin receptor, and the leptin receptor-mediated signaling pathways were investigated in biopsy specimens collected from human patients with colorectal adenoma.

Vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-1 signaling promotes liver repair through restoration of liver microvasculature after acetaminophen hepatotoxicity.

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and its receptors promote liver regeneration. The objective of the present study was to examine the role of VEGF receptor 1 (VEGFR1) signaling in hepatic tissue repair after acetaminophen (N-acetyl-para-aminophenol) (APAP)-induced liver injury. To do this, we treated VEGFR1 tyrosine kinase knockout (VEGFR1 TK(-/-)) and wild-type (WT) mice with APAP (300 mg/kg, ip).

Calcitonin gene-related peptide facilitates revascularization during hindlimb ischemia in mice.

It is known that the neural system plays a fundamental role in neovascularization. A neuropeptide, calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), is widely distributed in the central and peripheral neuronal systems. However, it remains to be elucidated the role of CGRP in angiogenesis during ischemia.

PPARgamma Ligand as a Promising Candidate for Colorectal Cancer Chemoprevention: A Pilot Study.

Activating synthetic ligands for peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma), such as pioglitazone, are commonly used to treat persons with diabetes mellitus with improvement of insulin resistance. Several reports have clearly demonstrated that PPARgamma ligands could inhibit colorectal cancer cell growth and induce apoptosis. Meanwhile, aberrant crypt foci (ACF) have come to be established as a biomarker of the risk of CRC in azoxymethane-treated mice and rats.

Role of microsomal prostaglandin E synthase-1 in the facilitation of angiogenesis and the healing of gastric ulcers.

The importance of prostaglandin E(2) in various pathophysiological events emphasizes the necessity of understanding the role of PGE synthases (PGESs) in vivo. However, there has been no report on the functional relevance of microsomal PGES-1 (mPGES-1) to the physiological healing processes of gastric ulcers, or to angiogenesis, which is indispensable to the healing processes. In this report, we tested whether mPGES-1 plays a role in the healing of gastric ulcers and in the enhancement of angiogenesis using mPGES-1 knockout mice (mPGES-1 KO mice) and their wild-type (WT) counterparts.

Metformin suppresses colorectal aberrant crypt foci in a short-term clinical trial.

The biguanide metformin is widely used for treating diabetes mellitus. We previously showed the chemopreventive effect of metformin in two rodent models of colorectal carcinogenesis. However, besides epidemiologic studies, little is known about the effects of metformin on human colorectal carcinogenesis.

Gastric variceal rupture successfully treated with repeated EIS and EVL.

A 68-year-old female with liver cirrhosis presented at the Emergency Room of our hospital with copious tarry stools. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy showed an isolated gastric variceal rupture, and we performed endoscopic injection sclerotherapy using cyanoacrylate, on four occasions, resulting in successful hemostasis. Injection of CA is a useful emergency treatment option for gastric variceal bleeding without gastro-renal shunt.

YPEL5 protein of the YPEL gene family is involved in the cell cycle progression by interacting with two distinct proteins RanBPM and RanBP10.

YPEL5 is a member of the YPEL gene family that is highly conserved in the eukaryotic species and apparently involved in a certain cell division-related function. In this study, we examined the functional and phylogenetic aspects of YPEL5 protein in more detail. During cell cycle, YPEL5 protein was detected at different subcellular localizations; at interphase, it was located in the nucleus and centrosome, then it changed location sequentially to spindle poles, mitotic spindle, and spindle midzone during mitosis, and finally transferred to midbody at cytokinesis.

Metformin suppresses azoxymethane-induced colorectal aberrant crypt foci by activating AMP-activated protein kinase.

Metformin is widely used for the treatment of diabetes mellitus. Adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is known to be activated by metformin and to inhibit the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway. The mTOR pathway plays an important role in the protein translational machinery and cell proliferation.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: US-based acoustic radiation force impulse elastography.

Purpose: To investigate the clinical usefulness of ultrasonography-based acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) elastography (ie, ARFI sonoelastography) in patients with a diagnosis of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and compare ARFI sonoelastography results with transient sonoelastography and serum fibrosis marker test results.

Materials And Methods: Written informed consent was obtained from all subjects, and the local ethics committee approved the study. Fifty-four patients with a liver biopsy-confirmed diagnosis of NAFLD (mean age, 50.

Endoscopic therapy using an endoscopic variceal ligation for minute cancer of the esophagogastric junction complicated with esophageal varices: a case report.

Introduction: Standard endoscopic mucosal resection or endoscopic submucosal dissection is a procedure for patients with minute cancers, complicated with esophageal varices that puts them at high risk of bleeding.

Case Presentation: We present the case of a 77-year-old Japanese man with alcoholic cirrhosis who underwent a routine endoscopy examination as a screening procedure for esophageal varices and was incidentally diagnosed as having minute cancer of the esophagogastric junction with esophageal varices. Endoscopic ultrasonography findings suggested that the minute cancer was a non-invasive carcinoma (carcinoma in situ) and a 2 mm in diameter blood vessel, feeding the esophageal varices, pierced the lesion.

mPGES-1-expressing bone marrow-derived cells enhance tumor growth and angiogenesis in mice.

Microsomal prostaglandin (PG) E synthase 1 (mPGES-1) is a major PGE synthase and has recently been reported to be expressed at high levels in several cancer types. We previously reported that the PGE receptor EP3 is expressed in bone marrow (BM) derived cells, enriched in stromal tissue, and enhances the potential for tumor angiogenesis. In the present study, we examined the role of mPGES-1-expressing BM cells on tumor angiogenesis using BM chimeric mice.

Portal vein thrombosis treated using danaparoid sodium and antithrombin III.

A 45-year-old man under treatment for liver cirrhosis (LC) due to chronic hepatitis C and hemophilia A was seen in our emergency room because of a 10-kg weight gain in the previous week due to ascites. Portal vein thrombosis (PVT) was detected with computer tomography (CT) and ultrasonographic (US). Danaparoid sodium (DS) and antithrombin III (AT III) were administrated and doppler US images showed improvement of portal venous blood flow.

Efficacy of ezetimibe for the treatment of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis: An open-label, pilot study.

Aim: Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is considered a hepatic manifestation of metabolic syndrome. However, effective drug therapy for NASH has not been established yet. In the present study, we evaluated the efficacy of 6 months of ezetimibe treatment for NASH patients with dyslipidemia for the comparison of improvement of the clinical parameters and histological alterations.