Pancreatic hypertrophy in Ki-ras-induced actin-interacting protein gene knockout mice.

Objectives: Pancreatic functions were determined in a Ki-ras-induced actin-interacting protein (KRAP)-deficient (-/-) mouse mutant.

Methods: Pancreatic enzyme, protein, and DNA contents were measured, and histological examinations were conducted. The mixture of bile-pancreatic juice was collected, and amylase and bile acid outputs were determined.

Are integrin alpha(2)beta(1), glycoprotein Ib and vWf levels correlated with their contributions to platelet adhesion on collagen under high-shear flow?

Platelets in flowing blood at high-shear stress are recruited to exposed subendothelial collagen of injured vessels by GPIb-von Willebrand factor (vWf) and integrin alpha(2)beta(1) (alpha(2)beta(1))-collagen interactions. Platelet adhesion to type I collagen depends mainly on the alpha(2)beta(1)-collagen interaction and that to type III collagen depends on the GPIb-vWf interaction due to vWf's weak affinity for type I collagen. Contributions of these two interactions would differ depending on expressions of alpha(2)beta(1), vWf, or GPIb.

Incidence of apoptosis in the pancreas of young and old rats.

We reported previously that the pancreatic protein responses to the high dose of cholecystokinin (CCK) or bile-pancreatic juice diversion were impaired in old rats of both sexes, whereas the basal secretion was comparable to that in young animals. To examine the mechanism of the attenuated response in old rats, we examined the incidence of apoptosis of the pancreatic acinar cells and the plasma CCK concentrations produced by bile-pancreatic juice diversion, which is a potent endogenous stimulator of pancreatic secretion, in young (4-8 months old) and old (25-29 months old) rats of both sexes. Apoptosis was examined by electron microscopic examination and the nick end-labeling method for detecting cells with DNA strand breaks.

Pancreatic acinar cell carcinoma extending into the common bile and main pancreatic ducts.

Acinar cell carcinoma (ACC) of the pancreas is relatively rare, accounting for only approximately 1% of all exocrine pancreatic tumors. A 69-year-old man was found to have a mass lesion measuring approximately 4 cm in diameter in the pancreatic head on ultrasound, abdominal dynamic CT, and percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography. Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography showed defect of the lower common bile duct (CBD) due to obstruction by the tumor cast.

Carcinoid tumor of the Vater's papilla presenting with chronic pancreatitis--a case report--.

Carcinoid tumors are common in the duodenum except for in the Vater's papilla [1-9]. We report here a case of carcinoid tumor arising in the Vater's papilla with repeated episods of pancreatitis. The patient is a 28 year-old-woman who had repeated abdominal pain with elevated serum amylase and had been treated as chronic pancreatitis.

Enhanced gastric emptying of a liquid gastric load in mice lacking cholecystokinin-B receptor: a study of CCK-A,B, and AB receptor gene knockout mice.

Background: Although cholecystokinin (CCK) has been shown to inhibit gastric emptying via CCK-A receptors (CCK-ARs), the role of CCK-B receptors (CCK-BRs) has not been verified. We examined whether gastric emptying of a nonnutrient liquid load was modified in CCK-AR, BR, and ARBR gene knockout mice.

Methods: A liquid gastric load prepared with phenol red was administered via an orogastric tube (0.

Metastatic carcinoid tumor in the orbit.

In 1991, a carcinoid tumor of the duodenum with metastasis in the regional lymph nodes was resected in a 39-year-old-man. A metastasis in the mediastinum was found and was resected in 1996. In 1999, a metastasis in the left lung was discovered and was excised.

Electron microscopic observation of established chondrocytes derived from human intervertebral disc hernia (KTN-1) and role of macrophages in spontaneous regression of degenerated tissues.

Background Context: Biological and pathological cell processes during the degeneration of intervertebral discs are as yet poorly understood.

Purpose: An electron microscope was used to observe disc hernia degeneration at the cellular level as expressed in extruded tissue from a human intervertebral disc and in cultured chondrocytes. The mechanism of spontaneous regression was analyzed in order to investigate the effects of homologous macrophages, and the results of this analysis may be developed into a clinical therapy.

Signet-ring cell carcinoma of the ampulla of Vater: report of a case.

An 83-year-old man was admitted to our hospital complaining of general fatigue, fever, and obstructive jaundice. Percutaneous transhepatic bile duct drainage was performed. Gastroduodenal fiberscopy revealed carcinoma of the ampulla of Vater, and early gastric cancer was suspected.

Effect of AGEs on human disc herniation: intervertebral disc hernia is also effected by AGEs.

Currently, extracellular matrix MMP has been discussed in relation to the extrusion and spontaneous regression of the herniated mass observed in lumbar disc herniation. However, the question remains as to whether degenerated protein is really the cause of this condition's pathogenesis. We confirmed immunologically by means of electron microscopy that extrusion is caused by the AGEs (advanced glycation end products)-induced cross-linking of collagen, and that spontaneous regression is due to AGE receptors on macrophages.

Confocal laser microscopy of chondrocytes that received gene transfer using in vitro electroporation.

To develop a gene therapy for osteopathies, this study was conducted to establish a method of transferring the BMP gene, a bone formation factor, to cells and administering the cells with BMP expression to patients with osteopathies. Although virus vectors are frequently used for gene transfer, there has been reported a death case of gene therapy using the adenovirus vector. Therefore, various efforts have been made to prevent such complications.

Unilateral progressive multiple sclerosing hemangioma in a young female successfully treated by pneumonectomy: report of a case.

A 25-year-old woman had been followed for 7 years after multiple pulmonary nodules were detected in both the upper and lower lobes of the left lung on chest X-ray when she was 17 years of age. These pulmonary nodules were gradually increasing in size and, at 25 years of age, transbronchofiberscopic biopsy suggested the possibility of adenocarcinoma. Left pneumonectomy was performed.

Different effects of oral administration of synthetic trypsin inhibitor on the pancreas between cholecystokinin-A receptor gene knockout mice and wild type mice.

The synthetic trypsin inhibitor camostat has been used for the treatment of acute and chronic pancreatitis in Japan based on the evidences obtained from a rat experimental model. However, rats differ from other rodents and from humans in terms of lacking a gallbladder and no response of pancreatic bicarbonate secretion to cholecystokinin (CCK). In the present study, we determined whether oral administration of camostat showed a trophic effect in mice as observed in rats and whether the trophic effect, if substantial, was mediated via the CCK-A receptor, using CCK-A receptor gene targeting mice.

Amylase secretion from dispersed human pancreatic acini: neither cholecystokinin a nor cholecystokinin B receptors mediate amylase secretion in vitro.

Introduction: In humans, cholecystokinin (CCK) stimulates pancreatic secretion, and CCK-A receptor antagonists prevent it in vivo. However, the human pancreas has been reported to express mainly CCK-B receptors.

Aim: To elucidate this discrepancy.

Role of CCK-A receptor for pancreatic function in mice: a study in CCK-A receptor knockout mice.

Introduction: The cholecystokinin (CCK) family of peptides and receptors is present throughout the brain and gastrointestinal tract. The CCK receptors can be pharmacologically subdivided into two subtypes: CCK-A and CCK-B. CCK-A receptor is enriched in the pancreas of mice.

Carcinoma of the ampulla of Vater associated with other organ malignancies.

Because of its location with respect to the biliary system, carcinoma of the ampulla of Vater is considered to manifest earlier in its course of development than carcinoma of the pancreas. The most common physical finding is jaundice, which occurs in 93-100% of cases [1,2]. This retrospective study describes the results of the treatment and prognosis for double primary cancers in which cancer of the ampulla of Vater was associated with malignancies in other organs in 5 patients who were diagnosed and treated at Kurume University Hospital.

Carcinoma arising in the pancreas 17 years after primary excision of a choledochal cysts: report of a case.

We report herein the case of a 42-year-old woman in whom a pancreatic carcinoma was found 17 years after excision of a choledochal cyst with Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy. Although the incidence of biliary carcinoma associated with choledochal cyst is high, reports of cancer developing in the remaining intrapancreatic biliary tract or pancreas in patients who have previously undergone primary excision of a choledochal cyst are extremely rare. Long-term follow-up is recommended even for patients who have undergone excisional surgery for a choledochal cyst, in consideration of the possibility that cancer associated with the intrapancreatic biliary tract or pancreas may develop.

Mechanism of delayed gastric emptying in naturally occurring CCK-A receptor gene knockout (OLETF) rats.

We recently found a specific strain of rats (OLETF rats) in which CCK-A receptor gene expression is lacking because of a genetic abnormality. As delayed gastric emptying has been reported in this strain, we examined its mechanism. A liquid gastric load containing phenol red was administered using an orogastric tube into the stomach in OLETF and control (LETO) rats.

Insulinoma occurring in association with fatty replacement of unknown etiology in the pancreas: report of a case.

A 66-year-old woman with a 10-year-history of diabetes mellitus was admitted to our hospital for investigation of several recent attacks of hypoglycemia. Her fasting blood glucose level was very low, at 30-40 mg/dl, and abdominal ultrasonography and computed tomography revealed a tumor in the pancreatic tail with fatty changes. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography revealed absence of the main pancreatic duct from the body to tail of the pancreas.

Resectable carcinoma of the pancreatic head developing 7 years and 4 months after distal pancreatectomy for carcinoma of the pancreatic tail.

A 67-year-old woman was referred with an abnormal finding on an abdominal echogram but presented with no symptoms; a pancreatic tail tumor was detected by ultrasonography. Biochemical examinations showed slight elevation of serum carcinoembryonic antigen level. The lesion was resected by tail and body pancreatectomy and her postoperative course was uneventful.

Large acinar cell carcinoma of the pancreas in a patient with elevated serum AFP level.

A pancreatic carcinoma, associated with elevated serum alpha-fetoprotein level, was resected from a 67-year-old man. The tumor was strongly suggested to be an acinar cell carcinoma of the pancreas, based on the histological findings of the resected specimen. The tumor measured 12 x 10 x 9 cm, and the cut surface was soft, whitish-yellow, focally necrotic, and hemorrhagic.

Synchronous or metachronous double cancers of the pancreas and other organs: report on 12 cases.

Pancreatic carcinoma carries a poor prognosis, especially invasive ductal carcinoma of the pancreas. This retrospective study describes the results of the treatment and prognosis for double cancers in which cancer of the pancreas was associated with malignancies in other organs in 12 patients who were diagnosed and treated at Kurume University Hospital. The patients included 4 women and 8 men, with an average age of 67 years.

A case of synchronous double cancers of the pancreas and stomach.

Pancreatic cancer carries a poor prognosis, especially invasive ductal carcinoma of the pancreas. We present here the case of a 76-year-old man who developed synchronous double cancers of the stomach and pancreas. He was referred to our hospital in December, 1997, with a provisional diagnosis of carcinoma of the stomach.