Mechanisms of CYP3A induction by glucocorticoids in human fetal liver cells.

Human fetal liver (HFL) cells express major drug metabolic enzymes CYP3A4, CYP3A5 and CYP3A7. In the fetal hepatocytes, betamethasone and dexamethasone (DEX) markedly enhanced the expression levels of CYP3A4 and CYP3A7 mRNAs and slightly increased the expression level of CYP3A5 mRNA. Interestingly, a high correlation between the CYP3A induction ability and the intensity of anti-inflammatory effect was observed.

Endoscopic band ligation with a water-jet scope for the treatment of colonic diverticular hemorrhage.

Although lower gastrointestinal bleeding generally has a less severe course and stops spontaneously in most cases without therapeutic intervention, some patients require endoscopic, surgical, or angiographic treatment depending on the nature of the bleeding. We applied endoscopic band ligation (EBL) with a water-jet scope to bleeding colonic diverticula and evaluated the efficacy and safety of EBL retrospectively. Five consecutive patients were diagnosed as having colonic diverticular hemorrhage, and were treated with EBL at St Luke's International Hospital in Tokyo from June 2009 to August 2009.

Endoscopic submucosal dissection and preoperative assessment with endoscopic ultrasonography for the treatment of rectal carcinoid tumors.

Background: Rectal carcinoid tumors 10 mm in diameter or smaller located within the submucosal layer can be cured by local excision including endoscopic treatment. But complete resection of these tumors with endoscopic polypectomy is difficult. This study aimed to evaluate the usefulness of endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) and endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) for the treatment of rectal carcinoid tumors.

Endoscopic submucosal dissection with a combination of small-caliber-tip transparent hood and flex knife is a safe and effective treatment for superficial esophageal neoplasias.

Background: Superficial esophageal neoplasias resected in piecemeal manner with endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) sometimes recur locally, and additional treatments need to be developed. Efficacy and safety of endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) for esophageal neoplasias are not sufficiently demonstrated, so we conducted a retrospective study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of ESD for superficial esophageal neoplasias.

Methods: Thirty-seven superficial esophageal neoplasias consisted of 34 squamous cell neoplasias and 3 columnar neoplasias in 35 patients were treated with ESD from May 2006 to July 2008.

Comparison of basal gene expression and induction of CYP3As in HepG2 and human fetal liver cells.

Human fetal liver (HFL) cell culture was initiated from a pool of six normal human liver tissues. The proliferation and viability of HFL cells were evaluated using 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide assay, and the cells increased by more than 100-fold by culture for 15 d. The levels of expression of albumin (ALB), hepatocyte nuclear factor 4alpha, hepatocyte growth factor, CYP3A4, CYP3A5, and CYP3A7 mRNAs in HFL cells increased with culture period, while that of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) mRNA decreased gradually.

Expression and induction of CYP3As in human fetal hepatocytes.

CYP3A4 and CYP3A7 mRNA expression levels were markedly up-regulated by dexamethasone (DEX), but not by rifampicin (RIF). CYP3A5 mRNA level was not increased significantly by DEX, RIF, or phenobarbital. Testosterone 6beta-hydroxylase activity was induced to about 2-fold of control by DEX.

[CT evaluation of infectious colitis].

Computed tomography (CT) is useful for evaluating the diagnosis of gastrointestinal disease, such as infectious colitis, in patients with severe pain and bloody diarrhea. During the 7 years between November 1993 and October 2000, 34 patients with infectious colitis (18 male, 16 female; mean age 42 +/- 19 yrs), received emergency CT and colonoscopy because of severe abdominal pain and dysentery. The following organisms were isolated: pathogenic Escherichia coli (12), 6 of which were O157:H7 (O-157), Salmonella species (11), Campylobacter species (5), Vibrio parahaemolyticus (3), Yersinia enterocolotica (2) and Shigella species (1).