Feasibility of metronomic chemotherapy with tegafur-uracil, cisplatin, and dexamethasone for docetaxel-refractory prostate cancer.

To evaluate the efficacy of tegafur-uracil (UFT), a prodrug of 5-fluorouracil, plus cisplatin and dexamethasone in patients with docetaxel-refractory prostate cancers. Twenty-five patients with docetaxel-refractory prostate cancer were administered oral UFT plus intravenous cisplatin (UFT-P therapy) and dexamethasone. Treatment responses were assessed monthly via prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level measurements.

Clear cell sarcoma of the kidney distinguished from synovial sarcoma using genetic analysis: a case report.

Background: The most common pediatric renal neoplasm is Wilms tumor, but clear cell sarcoma of the kidney or synovial sarcoma of the kidney are also sometimes encountered. Accurate pathological diagnosis is important, because adjuvant therapies including chemotherapy and radiotherapy differ according to the pathological type.

Case Presentation: A 9-year-old boy presented with a headache, and ultrasonography, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging revealed a heterogeneous enhancement of soft tissue originating from the upper pole of the left kidney, measuring approximately 11.

Long-term follow-up of nephrotoxicity in rats administered both melamine and cyanuric acid.

Background: Melamine was recently identified as a risk factor for renal calculi following the milk powder contamination in China. However, the long-term natural history of melamine exposure and its renal effects remain unknown. We evaluated renal function and other adverse health effects using a rat model administered melamine and cyanuric aid, considering age and sex.

Clinical impact of palliative treatment using octreotide for inoperable malignant bowel obstruction caused by advanced urological cancer.

Malignant bowel obstruction (MBO), an occasional complication in patients with advanced urological cancer, causes gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea and vomiting leading to suffering which severely impairs quality of life (QOL). Drug therapy, especially octreotide, a synthetic analog of somatostatin, is reportedly effective in controlling the symptoms of MBO. In the present study, we administered octreotide to urological cancer patients with MBO and evaluated the improvement of subjective symptoms, oral intake, and nasogastric intubation.

The association between the incidence of urolithiasis and nutrition based on Japanese National Health and Nutrition Surveys.

To clarify the association between regional variations in urolithiasis incidence and nutrition intake, we evaluated associated data from Japanese national surveys. The incidence of urolithiasis in 12 regions of Japan was calculated from 2005 patient data obtained from 430 hospitals (n = 92,797). Nutrition intake data were obtained from the National Health and Nutrition Survey.

Effect of adiponectin on kidney crystal formation in metabolic syndrome model mice via inhibition of inflammation and apoptosis.

The aims of the present study were to elucidate a possible mechanism of kidney crystal formation by using a metabolic syndrome (MetS) mouse model and to assess the effectiveness of adiponectin treatment for the prevention of kidney crystals. Further, we performed genome-wide expression analyses for investigating novel genetic environmental changes. Wild-type (+/+) mice showed no kidney crystal formation, whereas ob/ob mice showed crystal depositions in their renal tubules.

Matrix Gla protein is involved in crystal formation in kidney of hyperoxaluric rats.

Background: Matrix Gla protein (MGP) is a molecular determinant regulating vascular calcification of the extracellular matrix. However, it is still unclear how MGP may be involved in crystal formation in the kidney of hyperoxaluric rats.

Methods: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into the hyperoxaluric group and control group.

Biomolecular mechanism of urinary stone formation involving osteopontin.

Urinary stones consist of two phases-an inorganic (mineral) phase and an organic (matrix) phase. Studies on the organic components of kidney stones have been undertaken later than those on the inorganic components. After osteopontin was identified as one of the matrix components, the biomolecular mechanism of urinary stone formation became clearer.

Mitochondrial permeability transition pore opening induces the initial process of renal calcium crystallization.

Renal tubular cell injury induced by oxidative stress via mitochondrial collapse is thought to be the initial process of renal calcium crystallization. Mitochondrial collapse is generally caused by mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP) opening, which can be blocked by cyclosporine A (CsA). Definitive evidence for the involvement of mPTP opening in the initial process of renal calcium crystallization, however, is lacking.

[New therapy using bisphosphonate for urolithiasis].

Osteoporosis is characterized by a reduction in bone mineral density (BMD) . Reduced BMD has been reported in urolithiasis patients with hypercalciuria, as well as in those with normocalciuria. Bisphosphonates potently inhibit bone resorption and are used in the management of osteoporosis.

Crucial role of the cryptic epitope SLAYGLR within osteopontin in renal crystal formation of mice.

Osteopontin plays a crucial role in the formation of renal calcium crystals, which are primarily induced by renal tubular cell injury, especially mitochondrial damage. We have previously shown that the impaired Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) sequence of osteopontin inhibits renal crystal formation by using OPN-transgenic mice and OPN-knockout (OPN-KO) mice. Here, we investigated the effects of an antimurine osteopontin antibody (35B6-Ab) that specifically reacts with the (162) SLAYGLR(168) sequence, which is exposed by thrombin cleavage and is located adjacent to the RGD sequence, on renal crystal formation.

Role of osteopontin in early phase of renal crystal formation: immunohistochemical and microstructural comparisons with osteopontin knock-out mice.

Osteopontin (OPN) is an important matrix protein of renal calcium stone. However, the function of OPN in the early phase of renal crystal formation is not well defined. In this study, we examined OPN expression in the early phase of renal crystal formation with ultra-microstructural observations and immuno-TEM (transmission electron microscopy) in control and OPN knock-out (OPN-KO) mice.

Efficacy of selective α1A adrenoceptor antagonist silodosin in the medical expulsive therapy for ureteral stones.

Recently, we reported that α1A adrenoceptor (AR) is the main participant in phenylephrine-induced human ureteral contraction. We therefore decided to carry out a prospective randomized study to evaluate the effects of silodosin, a selective α1A AR antagonist, as a medical expulsive therapy for ureteral stones. A total of 187 male patients, who were referred to our department for the management of symptomatic unilateral ureteral calculi of less than 10 mm, were randomly divided into two groups: group A (92 patients), who were instructed to drink 2 L of water daily, and group B (95 patients), who received the same instruction and were also given silodosin (8 mg/daily) for a maximum of 8 weeks.

The role of long-term loading of cholesterol in renal crystal formation.

We studied the effects of cholesterol load on urinary stone in rats receiving a standard diet or a high fat diet. Sixty male rats were randomized to two groups and were fed either a standard diet (SD group) or a high fat diet (HFD group) for 8 weeks. Then the two groups were further divided into four groups.

[Functional domains of osteopontin stimulate renal crystal formation: analysis of OPN-transgenic mice].

Osteopontin (OPN) has been described to play a nonredundant role in the formation of renal crystals. This biological activity of OPN may be attributed to its characteristic structure, which includes 2 calcium binding sites, Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) sequences. To test this hypothesis, we evaluated wild-type mice (WT group), OPN-knockout mice (KO group), and two types of transgenic mice : (1) one type carrying a transgene in which the sequences coding for the 2 calcium-binding sites of the OPN were deleted (CaX group) and (2) the other type carrying a transgene in which the sequence that codes for the RGD sequence of the OPN was modified to one that codes for Arg-Gly-Glu (RGE ; RGE group).

Renal macrophage migration and crystal phagocytosis via inflammatory-related gene expression during kidney stone formation and elimination in mice: Detection by association analysis of stone-related gene expression and microstructural observation.

Mice have a strong ability to eliminate renal calcium oxalate crystals, and our previous examination indicated a susceptibility in which monocyte-macrophage interaction could participate in the phenomenon. To clarify the macrophage-related factors playing roles in the prevention of crystal formation in mouse kidneys, morphologic and expression studies based on microarray pathway analysis were performed. Eight-week-old male C57BL/6N mice were administered 80 mg/kg of glyoxylate by daily intraabdominal injection for 15 days, and the kidneys were extracted every 3 days for DNA microarray analysis.

Renal tubular epithelial cell injury and oxidative stress induce calcium oxalate crystal formation in mouse kidney.

Objectives: To clarify the role of renal tubular cell (RTC) injury and oxidative stress in the early stage of renal calcium oxalate crystal formation in a mouse model.

Methods: Daily intra-abdominal injections of glyoxylate (1.35 mmol/kg/day) into 8-week-old mice were carried out over 6 days.

Alendronate reduces the excretion of risk factors for calcium phosphate stone formation in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis.

Objective: Osteoporosis is associated with the pathogenesis and risk of urolithiasis, which is higher among postmenopausal women (as opposed to premenopausal). Bisphosphonates potently inhibit bone resorption, and are used in the management of bone disease. We investigated the ability of a bisphosphonate to prevent calcium stone formation.

Genome-wide analysis of genes related to kidney stone formation and elimination in the calcium oxalate nephrolithiasis model mouse: detection of stone-preventive factors and involvement of macrophage activity.

We previously established a mouse kidney stone formation model and showed that mice have a higher tolerance to stone formation than rats. Furthermore, we showed that the generated calcium oxalate crystal deposits could be eliminated after several days. This study investigated the transcriptome of stone formation and elimination in the mouse kidney based on gene selection using a microarray technique.

NF-kappaB activation in renal tubular epithelial cells by oxalate stimulation.

Objectives: The transcription factor nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) is involved in inflammatory and immune responses through the induction of various cytokines and growth factors. Recently, the coordinated action of NF-kappaB and activator protein-1 was reported in osteopontin (OPN) expression. In the present study, we demonstrated that oxalate induces OPN expression by activating NF-kappaB in renal tubular cells.

Glyoxylate induces renal tubular cell injury and microstructural changes in experimental mouse.

Crystal formation in mice could not be induced either by the administration of ethylene glycol or by glycolate. To clarify the reasons for the difference among these oxalate precursors in mice, we studied renal tubular epithelial injury by immunohistochemical staining of oxidative stress and observing microstructures. Daily intra-abdominal injection of saline solution [10 ml/(kg day)], ethylene glycol[(48.

Morphological conversion of calcium oxalate crystals into stones is regulated by osteopontin in mouse kidney.

An important process in kidney stone formation is the conversion of retentive crystals in renal tubules to concrete stones. Osteopontin (OPN) is the major component of the kidney calcium-containing stone matrix. In this study, we estimated OPN function in early morphological changes of calcium oxalate crystals using OPN knockout mice: 100 mg/kg glyoxylate was intra-abdominally injected into wildtype mice (WT) and OPN knockout mice (KO) for a week, and 24-h urine oxalate excretion showed no significant difference between WT and KO.

Successful formation of calcium oxalate crystal deposition in mouse kidney by intraabdominal glyoxylate injection.

The establishment of an experimental animal model would be useful to study the mechanism of kidney stone formation. A calcium kidney stone model in rats induced by ethylene glycol has been used for research; however, to investigate the genetic basis affecting kidney stone formation, which will contribute to preventive medicine, the establishment of a kidney stone model in mice is essential. This study indicates the optimum conditions for inducing calcium oxalate stones in normal mouse kidney.

[Optimal treatment of urolithiasis pain].

Many drugs have been used in the treatment of renal colic, but the safest and most effective drug has not yet been clearly defined. A questionnaire was used to collate the types of treatment for renal colic used by Japanese urologists. The main treatments were nonsteroidal analgesic (suppository) and anticholinergic agent.