[A case of skin cancer diagnosed 21 days after renal transplantation].

The patient was a 67-year-old man who was started on peritoneal dialysis for treatment of diabetic nephropathy in March 2010. He received an ABO-compatible living-donor kidney transplant from his wife in October 2010. The immunosuppressive regimen consisted of tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetil, steroid and basiliximab.

Myositis-specific anti-155/140 autoantibodies target transcription intermediary factor 1 family proteins.

Objective: To identify the 140-kd autoantigen recognized by anti-155/140 autoantibodies that are associated with adult cancer-associated dermatomyositis (DM) and juvenile DM and to determine the clinical relevance of anti-155/140 antibodies in a large cohort.

Methods: Sera from 456 DM patients were assessed for the presence of anti-155/140 antibodies by immunoprecipitation using K562 cell extracts as substrate. Using immunoprecipitation and Western blotting, we then examined whether anti-155/140-positive sera recognized transcription intermediary factor 1α (TIF-1α), TIF-1β, and TIF-1γ.

Clinical correlations with dermatomyositis-specific autoantibodies in adult Japanese patients with dermatomyositis: a multicenter cross-sectional study.

Objective: To clarify the association of clinical and prognostic features with dermatomyositis (DM)-specific autoantibodies (Abs) in adult Japanese patients with DM.

Design: Retrospective study.

Setting: Kanazawa University Graduate School of Medical Science Department of Dermatology and collaborating medical centers.

[A case of postoperative brain metastasis originated from pancreatic cancer which was successfully treated by resection and postoperative irradiation].

We report a case of metastatic brain tumor originated from pancreatic cancer, which might be clinically considered as rare and has been reported as a remarkably poor-prognostic disease. A 64-year-old male underwent pancreas tail resection for pancreatic cancer (R0 resection). Histological study revealed an invasive ductal carcinoma (T4N2M0, fStage IVb).

Oral steroid improves bullous pemphigoid-like clinical manifestations in non-Herlitz junctional epidermolysis bullosa with COL17A1 mutation.

Non-Herlitz junctional epidermolysis bullosa (JEB-nH), a nonlethal variant of junctional epidermolysis bullosa (JEB), is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by separation of the dermal-epidermal junction. JEB-nH is caused by mutations in several genes and lack of the COL17A1 gene product may lead to skin fragility. A 41-year-old Japanese man with JEB-nH, featuring mutations in the gene encoding type XVII collagen, presented with great blisters over his entire body accompanied by severe itching and eosinophilia usually observed in bullous pemphigoid (BP).

Anticonvulsant-induced suppression of IFN-gamma production by lymphocytes obtained from cervical lymph nodes in glioma-bearing mice.

It is well known that phenytoin can cause impairment of cellular immunity. The authors investigated the potential role of other anticonvulsant drugs in the development of antitumor immunity in murine malignant glioma models. The survival rate was determined in murine glioma models using syngeneic 203 glioma cells following treatment with four anticonvulsants, which are most commonly administered to glioma patients, i.

Retro-odontoid massive calcium pyrophosphate crystal deposition--case report.

An 86-year-old male presented with progressive myelopathy due to retro-odontoid massive deposits of calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate (CPPD) crystals. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a non-enhanced isointense extradural mass on the T1-weighted image and heterogeneously intense mass on the T2-weighted image. Computed tomography showed typical punctate and linear calcifications within the mass.

Transduction of glioma cells using a high-titer retroviral vector system and their subsequent migration in brain tumors.

The intracranial migration of transduced glioma cells was investigated in order to improve the treatment of malignant glioma by gene therapy using retroviral vectors. In this study, about half the volume of the tumor mass could be transduced in 14 days after only a single implantation of 3 x 10(5) retrovirus-producing cells into a tumor mass with a diameter of 5 mm. Moreover, we were able to follow the migration of glioma cells transduced by the lacZ-harboring retroviruses originating from the high-titer retrovirus-producing cells.

Monoclonal antibody ONS-M21 recognizes integrin alpha3 in gliomas and medulloblastomas.

The monoclonal antibody ONS-M21 recognizes an antigen found on the surface of glioma and medulloblastoma cells but does not react with the antigens of normal brain tissue. We purified and identified the 140-kDa protein by means of an antibody-binding affinity column. This 140-kDa antigen has sequences homologous to the amino-terminal region and five parts of the internal domain of integrin alpha3.

Systemic interleukin 12 displays anti-tumour activity in the mouse central nervous system.

In various systemic cancers, interleukin 12 (IL-12) induces anti-tumour immunity mediated by T lymphocytes and natural killer cells. To determine whether IL-12 has anti-tumour activity against malignant gliomas in the central nervous system (CNS), which is considered to be an immunologically privileged site, we treated mice with meningeal gliomatosis by intraperitoneal (i.p.

Possible common origin of alpha-fetoprotein- and human chorionic gonadotropin--secreting cells in intracranial germ cell tumor. Case report.

A primary intracranial germ cell tumor in a 16-year-old boy secreted both alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG). The tumor, located in the right thalamus, contained germinomatous, trophoblastic, and endodermal sinus components. To identify AFP- and HCG-secreting cells, germ cells from the surgical specimen were cultured in vitro.

Gene delivery by HVJ-liposome in the experimental gene therapy of murine glioma.

We investigated the delivery of foreign genes into mouse glioma cells in vivo using hemagglutinating virus of Japan (HVJ)-liposomes, which are coated by Sendai virus envelope protein. HVJ-liposomes, containing lacZ gene or herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase (HSVtk) gene-bearing plasmid DNA were applied in the meningeal gliomatosis (MG) mouse model system. Highly efficient delivery was observed in disseminated glioma cells, and 80% of MG mice expressing the HSVtk gene were cured by treatment with ganciclovir.

Infectious retrovirus is inactivated by serum but not by cerebrospinal fluid or fluid from tumor bed in patients with malignant glioma.

Intravenous gene transfer using recombinant retroviruses tends to suffer from a low infectious viral titer when conducted in vivo. This is, in part, caused by complement-mediated proteolytic inactivation of the retrovirus in human serum. However, if the retroviruses were directly injected into the brain, they might not be inactivated.

Murine model of leptomeningeal dissemination using human medulloblastoma cells.

An experimental model of meningeal dissemination was developed by intracisternal inoculation of human medulloblastoma (ONS-76) cells into nude mice. All mice died within 65 days after inoculation of 1 x 10(7) tumor cells. The median survival time was 56 days.

Cytotoxic effects of a new antitumor antibiotic, FK973, in malignant glioma.

A novel antitumor antibiotic, 11-acetyl-8-carbamoyloxymethyl-4-formyl-14-oxa-1, 11-diazatetracyclo [7.4.1.

[In vitro chemosensitivity test with several antitumor agents against eight malignant brain tumor cell-lines].

We performed an in vitro chemosensitivity test with 8 malignant brain tumor cell lines, which were established in our Department. It was shown that ACNU was moderately tumoricidal against only one cell (ONS-86) line. IFN-beta (interferon-beta) was more active against 4 cell (ONS-6, -20, -76, and -81) lines.

[Antitumor activity of FK973 for malignant gliomas and its assessment for normal brain cells].

FK973, a novel antitumor antibiotic, was obtained as a fermentation product of Streptomyces sandaensis. FK973 had excellent cytotoxic effects against in vitro cultured human glioblastomas, medulloblastomas, and murine glioma (203 glioma) cells. The antitumor effects were also well observed against ACNU resistant glioma cells.

[A case of embryonal carcinoma arising in the basal ganglia of the cerebrum].

The occurrence sites of intracranial primary germ cell tumors are most often the pineal and suprasellar regions. The histological type observed most frequently in these tumors is germinoma. Cases of embryonal carcinoma arising in the basal ganglia are rarely reported.

[Expression of major histocompatibility complex on human medulloblastoma cells].

Medulloblastoma is one of the most common malignant brain tumors in childhood. These cells are immature bipotential cells that could differentiate into both neuronal and glial cells. The authors established two human medulloblastoma cell lines.

Epidermoid of the quadrigeminal cistern--case report.

The authors report a case of an epidermoid in the quadrigeminal cistern in a 40-year-old female who presented with headache and nausea. According to the literature, epidermoids are rarely found in the quadrigeminal cistern. Additional unusual features in this case were the absence of a capsule and T1-weighted magnetic resonance images suggestive of both solid (less intense) and fluid (more intense) components.

[High yielding culture of LAK cells by the concentration rotary tissue culture system and its clinical application].

The concentration rotary tissue culture system (Kawasumi Laboratories, Inc. Japan) was utilized to induce LAK cells from the peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) of brain tumor patients. These LAK cells were administrated into the tumor cavity or cerebrospinal space of the patients.

Expression of major histocompatibility complex on human medulloblastoma cells with neuronal differentiation.

Medulloblastomas are among the most common malignant brain tumors in children. These tumors consist of immature bipotential cells that may differentiate into neuronal and glial cells. We have established two cell lines for human medulloblastoma.

[Establishment and biological characterization of human medulloblastoma cell lines].

Two cell lines of human medulloblastoma (ONS-76 and ONS-81) were established, and their biological characteristics were investigated. The cell line, ONS-76, was established from a tumor specimens obtained from a large cerebellar tumor of a 2-year-old girl. The pathological diagnosis was a typical medulloblastoma.

[Antitumor efficacy of FK 973 on malignant glioma cells].

FK 973, a new substituted dihydrobenzoxazine, was obtained by chemical modification of a novel antibiotic which was isolated from the fermentation products of streptomyces sandaensis No. 6897. FK 973 had cytotoxic effects against in vitro cultured human and murine glioma cells.