The endocytosis inhibitor dynasore induces a DNA damage response pathway that can be manipulated for enhanced apoptosis.

Endocytosis has been shown to play an important role in cancer proliferation and metastasis. Recent studies have accumulated evidence that endocytosis inhibitors suppress in vitro and in vivo proliferation and migration. In addition, endocytosis inhibition has been shown to induce apoptosis, but its mechanism remains largely unclear.

Masked early symptoms of pneumonia in patients with rheumatoid arthritis during tocilizumab treatment: a report of two cases.

Although reports of serious infections in clinical trials for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with tocilizumab, anti-interleukin6 (IL-6) receptor antibody, have been relatively few, there is still some concern about infections. We report here two cases of patients who developed severe pneumonia during tocilizumab treatment for RA. Both patients initially presented with only minimal clinical symptoms and modest elevations in serum C-reactive protein.

Isolation and expression profiling of genes upregulated in the peripheral blood cells of systemic lupus erythematosus patients.

We have identified the genes whose expressions are augmented in the blood cells of the patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) using the 'stepwise subtraction' technique along with microarray analysis. The expression levels of these genes were assessed by quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in 31 SLE patients and 30 healthy controls. We found that the transcription levels of following eight genes were significantly increased in SLE patients; interferon (IFN)-alpha-inducible protein 27 (IFI27), IFN-alpha-inducible protein IFI-15K (G1P2), IFN stimulated gene 20 kDa (ISG20), epithelial stromal interaction 1 (EPSTI1), defensin-alpha (DEFA3), amphiregulin (AREG) and two genes of unknown function (BLAST accession nos AL050290 and AY358224 = SLED1).

[Therapy-resistant microcytic hypochromic anemia from malabsorption-related vitamin B6 deficiency after a gastrointestinal operation].

We present a case of a 33-year-old man, who had a past history of a total pancreatectomy for duodenal malignant lymphoma complicated by life-threatening bleeding during chemotherapy at 23 years of age. He achieved complete remission and received no more chemotherapy. Around August 1999 he developed anemia, which failed to improve following intravenous administration of iron, and he was hospitalized.