Analysis of Methylation of Tumor-suppressive miRNAs and Mutations in Pancreatic Juice.

Background/aim: We previously reported the usefulness of detecting aberrant methylation in tumor suppressive microRNAs (miRNAs) in bile and plasma to discriminate pancreaticobiliary cancers from benign pancreaticobiliary diseases. This study analyzed the methylation of miRNAs in pancreatic juice to identify those specific to pancreatic cancer (PC).

Patients And Methods: Pancreatic juice was collected from 20 patients with PC, including eight with intraductal papillary mucinous carcinoma (IPMC), two with low grade-pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia (LG-PanIN), 32 with LG-intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN), and seven with benign pancreatic lesions.

Cap-Specific mAm Methyltransferase PCIF1/CAPAM Regulates mRNA Stability of and through the mA Methyltransferase Activity.

Chemical modifications of cellular RNAs play key roles in gene expression and host defense. The cap-adjacent ,2'--dimethyladenosine (mAm) is a prevalent modification of vertebrate and viral mRNAs and is catalyzed by the newly discovered methyltransferase PCIF1. However, its role in gene expression remains unclear due to conflicting reports on its effects on mRNA stability and translation.

Prevalence estimates of Helicobacter species infection in pancreatic and biliary tract cancers.

Background: Helicobacter pylori infection is a well-established risk factor for gastric cancer and has been linked to other gastrointestinal diseases, including pancreatic and biliary tract cancers; however, the relevance of enterohepatic non-H. pylori helicobacters to the pathophysiology of these diseases remains unclear.

Materials And Methods: We estimated the prevalence of two enterohepatic non-H.

The cap-specific m6A methyltransferase, PCIF1/CAPAM, is dynamically recruited to the gene promoter in a transcription-dependent manner.

N 6-methyladenosine (m6A), the most abundant modification in eukaryotic mRNAs, plays an important role in mRNA metabolism and functions. When adenosine is transcribed as the first cap-adjacent nucleotide, it is methylated at the ribose 2'-O and N6 positions, thus generating N6, 2'-O-dimethyladenosine (m6Am). Phosphorylated C-terminal domain (CTD)-interacting factor 1 (PCIF1) is a novel cap-specific adenine N6-methyltransferase responsible for m6Am formation.

Acute obstructive suppurative pancreatic ductitis in pancreatic malignancies.

Acute obstructive suppurative pancreatic ductitis (AOSPD) is a suppurative pancreatic duct infection with main pancreatic duct (MPD) or accessory pancreatic duct obstruction in the absence of a pancreatic pseudocyst or necrosis, which is experienced usually in chronic pancreatitis. The diagnosis is confirmed by the finding of pancreatic duct obstruction on endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) with evidence of infection, such as a positive pancreatic juice culture or drainage of purulent pancreatic juice. We studied five patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and one with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML), who suffered from AOSPD.

Genome-wide association meta-analysis identifies GP2 gene risk variants for pancreatic cancer.

Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths in Japan. To identify risk loci, we perform a meta-analysis of three genome-wide association studies comprising 2,039 pancreatic cancer patients and 32,592 controls in the Japanese population. Here, we identify 3 (13q12.

Carcinoma in situ of the pancreas with pancreatic duct stricture persistent for 4 years diagnosed by serial pancreatic juice aspiration cytologic examination (SPACE).

Serial pancreatic juice aspiration cytologic examination (SPACE) by nasopancreatic tube placement can give us an opportunity to diagnose early-stage pancreatic cancer with higher sensitivity and specificity compared with conventional pancreatic cytology by one-time pancreatic juice aspiration or pancreatic duct brushing. We performed SPACE in a patient with persistent pancreatic duct stricture (PDS) with gradually advancing pancreatic parenchyma atrophy (PPA) in the pancreas tail. The result of SPACE was suggestive of pancreatic carcinoma, and distal pancreatectomy was performed.

Classification of pancreaticobiliary maljunction and its clinical features in adults.

Background: In pancreaticobiliary maljunction (PBM), reflux of pancreatic juice and bile produces various pathological conditions in the biliary tract and pancreas. Clinical features according to the classification of PBM by confluence between the distal bile duct and the main pancreatic duct proposed in 2015 were evaluated in children.

Methods: Clinical features and complicating diseases according to the PBM classification were evaluated in 168 adult PBM patients.

Hyper-dense fluid on plain computed tomography may reveal a ruptured aneurysm in patients with median arcuate ligament syndrome.

Rupture of abdominal aneurysms associated with median arcuate ligament syndrome (MALS) is a serious condition and requires accurate diagnosis in a clinical setting. We examined three patients with this condition: two women aged 45 and 71 years, and a 61-year-old man. They complained of abdominal pain and had fluid collection around the duodenum.

Proposal for Endoscopic Ultrasonography Classification for Small Pancreatic Cancer.

Backgrounds: Endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) is used to observe the stricture of the main pancreatic duct (MPD) and in diagnosing pancreatic cancer (PC). We investigate the findings on EUS by referring to the histopathological findings of resected specimens.

Materials And Methods: Six patients with carcinoma in situ (CIS) and 30 patients with invasive carcinoma of 20 mm or less were included.

Prediction model for pancreatic cancer risk in the general Japanese population.

Genome-wide association studies (GWASs) have identified many single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that are significantly associated with pancreatic cancer susceptibility. We sought to replicate the associations of 61 GWAS-identified SNPs at 42 loci with pancreatic cancer in Japanese and to develop a risk model for the identification of individuals at high risk for pancreatic cancer development in the general Japanese population. The model was based on data including directly determined or imputed SNP genotypes for 664 pancreatic cancer case and 664 age- and sex-matched control subjects.

Acute obstructive suppurative pancreatic ductitis (AOSPD) in pancreatic cancer treated by nasopancreatic drainage.

An 80-year-old woman with pancreatic cancer was admitted with fever and abdominal pain. Blood examinations showed an elevated CRP level. On computed tomography (CT), a pancreatic tumor with a dilated upstream main pancreatic duct (MPD) was seen.

Early Diagnosis to Improve the Poor Prognosis of Pancreatic Cancer.

Pancreatic cancer (PC) has a poor prognosis due to delayed diagnosis. Early diagnosis is the most important factor for improving prognosis. For early diagnosis of PC, patients with clinical manifestations suggestive of PC and high risk for developing PC need to be selected for examinations for PC.

Clinical features of IgG4-related rhinosinusitis.

Purpose: IgG4-related disease is a systemic disease that affects various organs of the body. Aim of this study is to elucidate the clinical characteristics of IgG4-related rhinosinusitis.

Material And Methods: Clinical features, laboratory findings, radiological and endoscopic findings, associated disease, treatment and prognosis were retrospectively examined in 10 patients with IgG4-related rhinosinusitis.

Biliary carcinogenesis in pancreaticobiliary maljunction.

Pancreaticobiliary maljunction (PBM) is a congenital malformation in which the pancreatic and bile ducts join anatomically outside the duodenal wall. Because of the excessive length of the common channel in PBM, sphincter action does not directly affect the pancreaticobiliary junction, which allows pancreatic juice to reflux into the biliary tract. According to the results of a nationwide survey, bile duct and gallbladder cancers were found in 6.

Associations between polymorphisms in folate-metabolizing genes and pancreatic cancer risk in Japanese subjects.

Background: Evidence supporting the associations between folate metabolizing gene polymorphisms and pancreatic cancer has been inconclusive. We examined their associations in a case-control study of Japanese subjects.

Methods: Our case-control study involved 360 newly diagnosed pancreatic cancer cases and 400 frequency-matched, non-cancer control subjects.

The Treatment of IgG4-Related Diseases in the Hepatobiliary-Pancreatic System.

An accurate diagnosis should be made before treatment of autoimmune pancreatitis and immunoglobulin G4-related sclerosing cholangitis. Once a diagnosis has been established, steroids are the standard therapy and symptoms are the major indications. Before steroid therapy, obstructive jaundice and hyperglycemia should be controlled.

Genome-wide association study-identified SNPs (rs3790844, rs3790843) in the NR5A2 gene and risk of pancreatic cancer in Japanese.

We genotyped 2 SNPs (rs3790844 T/C and rs3790843 G/A) in the NR5A2 gene that were identified in a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of pancreatic cancer in populations of mainly European ancestry, and we examined their associations with pancreatic cancer risk in a case-control study of 360 patients and 400 control subjects in Japan. Unconditional logistic regression models were used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). The SNPs were in linkage disequilibrium (r(2) = 0.