Periostin antisense oligonucleotide suppresses bleomycin-induced formation of a lung premetastatic niche for melanoma.

Metastasis is the leading cause of cancer death. A tumor-supportive microenvironment, or premetastatic niche, at potential secondary tumor sites plays an important role in metastasis, especially in tumor cell colonization. Although a fibrotic milieu is known to promote tumorigenesis and metastasis, the underlying molecular contributors to this effect have remained unclear.

Therapeutic Effect of Novel Single-Stranded RNAi Agent Targeting Periostin in Eyes with Retinal Neovascularization.

Retinal neovascularization (NV) due to retinal ischemia remains one of the principal causes of vision impairment in patients with ischemic retinal diseases. We recently reported that periostin (POSTN) may play a role in the development of preretinal fibrovascular membranes, but its role in retinal NV has not been determined. The purpose of this study was to examine the expression of POSTN in the ischemic retinas of a mouse model of oxygen-induced retinal NV.

Periostin antisense oligonucleotide prevents adhesion formation after surgery in mice.

To study the role of periostin in adhesion formation, the effect of periostin antisense oligonucleotide (PAO) on adhesion formation was evaluated in mice. Under anesthesia, the serous membrane of the cecum was abraded, and the adhesion score and mRNA levels of periostin and its related factors were determined after surgery. Saline, 40 mg/kg of negative sense oligonucleotide (NSO), or 40 mg/kg of PAO were injected into the abdomen after surgery, and the adhesion score and mRNA levels were evaluated 14 days later.

Failure of endoscopic removal of common bile duct stones due to endo-clip migration following laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

We report herein an extremely rare complication; namely, endo-clip migration into the common bile duct, following laparoscopic cholecystectomy, that occurred in a 57-year-old man. He underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy, but postoperative bile leakage occurred from the cystic duct stump and he was treated by conservative drainage for 1 month. Five years later, he complained of vomiting and pain in the right hypochondrium, and he was admitted for investigations of jaundice and liver dysfunction.