Gene expression of ATP-binding cassette transporters during liver regeneration after 90% hepatectomy in rats.

Liver damage with hyperbilirubinemia during regeneration of the small liver is the major hurdle to expand the indications of adult living donor liver transplantation. We performed a large-scale gene expression analysis of the regenerating liver after a 90% hepatectomy in rats, and analyzed the changes in the gene expression patterns related to the ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters. RNAs were prepared from 3 rat livers at 0, 24, 72 and 168 h after a 90% hepatectomy.

Surgical management of colorectal cancer in patients with psychiatric disorders.

Purpose: We analyzed the surgical data and evaluated the management of colorectal cancer (CRC) in patients with psychiatric disorders.

Methods: We reviewed the medical records of 83 patients who underwent elective surgery for CRC and divided them into a psychiatric disorder group and a control group to compare the operative data and available clinical information.

Results: Of the 83 patients, 27 had psychiatric disorders.

Torsion of an accessory lobe of the liver in a child: report of a case.

We report a case of torsion of an accessory lobe of the liver (ALL) in a 14-year-old girl. The patient was admitted for acute abdominal pain and laparotomy revealed an ALL, the pedicle of which was elongated with 180 degrees torsion. The diagnosis was not made preoperatively because of the rarity of this condition.

Characterization of heparan sulfate on hepatocytes in regenerating rat liver.

Background/purpose: Liver regeneration occurs through interactions between the receptors on hepatocytes, including proteoglycans (PGs) and glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), and various growth factors. We investigated serial changes in GAGs, particularly heparan sulfate (HS), in proliferating hepatocytes.

Methods: We performed 70% hepatectomy in male Wistar rats, and we then isolated hepatocytes by a collagenase perfusion method after each surgery.

Biliary hemorrhage after removal of an expandable metallic stent during liver transplantation.

The self-expandable metallic stent (SEMS) has become a common device for palliative treatment of malignant biliary obstructions or benign strictures. Despite the ease of placement of SEMSs, their removal has been reported to be very difficult. Here, we report a case with primary sclerosing cholangitis who developed massive hemorrhage after intraoperative removal of a SEMS.

A bioartificial liver that combines plasma dialysis and whole liver perfusion.

Background/aims: The development of a bioartificial liver with xenogeneic hepatocytes requires sufficient hepatocyte mass for metabolic support, decreased immunogenicity, and prevention of viral transmission. Therefore, the authors developed a plasma dialysis system using a selective plasma filter, and combined this dialysis system with whole liver plasma perfusion (PDWLP). In this system, the patient's plasma was dialyzed with normal plasma recycled through the pig liver.

Plasma exchange-based plasma recycling dialysis system as an artificial liver support.

We developed a plasma recycling dialysis (PRD) system based on plasma exchange (PE). In this system, rapid reduction of toxic substances and restitution of deficient essential substances are performed by PE and subsequent blood purification is performed by dialysis between separated plasma recycled over a purification device and the patient's blood across the membrane of a plasma separator. To demonstrate the safety and efficacy of this system, we used a pig model of fulminant hepatic failure (FHF) and anion exchange resin, activated charcoal and hemodialysis for the purification device.

Establishment of transplantable murine osteosarcoma cell line with endochondral ossification.

Osteosarcoma is defined as a malignant mesenchymal tumor in which tumor cells produce bone matrix. Osteosarcoma cell line (Nishi-Hirosaki osteosarcoma, NHOS) from a spontaneous soft tissue tumor in an athymic mouse was established. The cultured NHOS cells formed a monolayer consisting of spindle to polygonal cells without extracellular matrix formation or mineralization.

Resection of a locally advanced hilar tumor and the hepatic artery after stepwise hepatic arterial embolization: a case report.

We herein report a case of a hilar tumor with extensive invasion to the proper hepatic artery, which was successfully treated with a radical resection in a 57-year-old female patient after a stepwise hepatic arterial embolization. She underwent right colectomy and partial hepatectomy for advanced colon cancer two years ago and radiofrequency ablation therapy for a liver metastasis one year ago, respectively. A recurrent tumor was noted around the proper hepatic artery with invasion to the left hepatic duct and right hepatic artery 7 mo previously.

Immunohistochemical study on liver fibrosis in biliary atresia.

Background/aims: Although advanced liver fibrosis is a critical complication in influencing the outcome of biliary atresia (BA), the mechanism is poorly understood. In adult hepatic disorders, the relationships between sinusoidal liver cells (SLC) such as hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), some growth factors and enzymes concerned with extracellular matrix (ECM) metabolism have been clarified, but are unknown in BA. This study aimed to investigate such relationships in BA.

Decreased expression of claudin-1 is correlated with recurrence status in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Claudins are transmembrane proteins and major constitutes of tight junctions, and participate in the paracellular barrior and cellular connecting functions. They have been shown to be differentially regulated in malignant tumors and play a role in carcinogenesis and tumor progression. Recent studies have shown changes in expression of claudins during tumorigenesis.

A case of invasive hemolymphangioma of the pancreas.

Hemolymphangioma of the pancreas is a very rare benign tumor. There were only five reports of this disease until March 2008. Herein, we report a case of hemolymphangioma of the pancreas with gastrointestinal bleeding due to duodenal invasion.

Decreased postprandial gallbladder emptying in patients with black pigment stones.

Aim: To analyze gallbladder contractility in patients with black pigment stones (BPSs) and to compare this with patients with cholesterol stones (CSs) and healthy volunteers.

Methods: The pattern of bile evacuation from the gallbladder was quantified by computer cholescintigraphy in 28 normal subjects, 22 patients with CSs and 14 with BPSs. The parameters of gallbladder contractility included ejection period (EP), ejection fraction (EF) and ejection rate (ER).

Effects of proteoglycan on dextran sulfate sodium-induced experimental colitis in rats.

Proteoglycans (PG) are macromolecules composed of glycosaminoglycan chains covalently attached to a protein core. In this study, we examined the effects of PG on dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced experimental colitis in rats. First, to examine whether PG may ameliorate acute established DSS colitis, PG was administered orally for 5 days to the model animals.

Hemosuccus pancreaticus: problems and pitfalls in diagnosis and treatment.

Hemosuccus pancreaticus is a rare cause of intermittent upper gastrointestinal bleeding. We report two cases of hemosuccus pancreaticus with multiple episodes of upper gastrointestinal bleeding. The causes of hemorrhage were rupture of pseudoaneurysm of the splenic artery and bleeding from the wall of pancreatic pseudocyst.

Intraoperative ultrasound as an educational guide for laparoscopic biliary surgery.

Aim: To analyze the efficacy of routine intraoperative ultrasound (IOUS) as a guide for understanding biliary tract anatomy, to avoid bile duct injury (BDI) after laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC), as well as any burden during the learning period.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed using 644 consecutive patients who underwent LC from 1991 to 2006. An educational program with the use of IOUS as an operative guide has been used in 276 cases since 1998.

Des-gamma-carboxy prothrombin as an important prognostic indicator in patients with small hepatocellular carcinoma.

Aim: To clarify the effect of a high des-gamma-carboxy prothrombin (DCP) level on the invasiveness and prognosis of small hepatocellular carcinoma.

Methods: Among 142 consecutive patients with known DCP levels, who underwent hepatectomy because of hepatocellular carcinoma, 85 patients met the criteria for small hepatocellular carcinoma, i.e.

An easier method for performing a pancreaticojejunostomy for the soft pancreas using a fast-absorbable suture.

Aim: To clarify the usefulness of a new method for performing a pancreaticojejunostomy by using a fast-absorbable suture material irradiated polyglactin 910, and a temporary stent tube for a narrow pancreatic duct with a soft pancreatic texture.

Methods: Among 63 consecutive patients with soft pancreas undergoing a pancreaticoduodenectomy from 2003 to 2006, 35 patients were treated with a new reconstructive method. Briefly, after the pancreatic transaction, a stent tube was inserted into the lumen of the pancreatic duct and ligated with it by a fast-absorbable suture.

Endovascular treatment of life-threatening pseudoaneurysm of the hepatic artery after pancreaticoduodenectomy.

Pseudoaneurysm is a life-threatening complication after pancreaticoduodenectomy. An endovascular covered stent was employed for treatment of pseudoaneurysm of the common hepatic artery after pancreaticoduodenectomy. A 77-year-old female underwent pylorus-preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy for lower bile duct cancer.

Influence of cancer-related gene polymorphisms on clinicopathological features in colorectal cancer.

Background And Aim: Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) are shown to be related with cancer incidence. It has been reported that CCND1, p21(cip1)DCC, MTHFR, and EXO1 are related with the risk of malignant neoplasm, but few studies have mentioned the prognosis of the patients. We investigated the SNP of patients and related this to clinicopathological features, including survival rate.

[A case of metastasis to the diaphragm from ascending colon cancer].

We reported a case of metastatic tumor to the diaphragm discovered by rising CEA after operation of ascending colon cancer. A 72-year-old female underwent right hemicolectomy on January 2005. After discharge, she received adjuvant chemotherapy by S-1, but a rise of CEA was shown.

[A case of gastric cancer with severe lymph node metastasis effectively treated with docetaxel / S-1 as neoadjuvant chemotherapy].

A 75-year-old male patient had advanced gastric cancer with severe lymph node metastasis. He was treated with docetaxel 60 mg/body (day 1) and S-1 120 mg/body (2 weeks administration and 1 week rest) as neoadjuvant chemotherapy. After two courses of this neoadjuvant chemotherapy, the primary lesion and lymph node swelling were remarkably improved.

Complete remission of recurrent breast cancer with multiple liver metastases after oral capecitabine and injected trastuzumab.

A 32-year-old woman underwent modified radical mastectomy for right breast cancer (invasive ductal carcinoma, f, INF beta, v0, ly1, pT2, pN1, M0, Stage II B ER (+/-), PR (-), Her2 (3+)) in June 2003, and received postoperative systemic adjunctive chemotherapy using epirubicin combined with cyclophosphamide, followed by paclitaxel. In August 2004, after a disease-free interval of 14 months, liver metastasis appeared, and therefore from September 2004, combination chemotherapy with oral capecitabine (2,400 mg/day) and injected trastuzumab (120 mg/week) was started. After 3 cycles, all the metastases responded and this marked response has been maintained for 16 months.

Decreased expression of claudin-1 correlates with recurrence status in breast cancer.

Claudins (CLDNs) constitute the major transmembrane proteins of tight junctions. It may be hypothesized that changes in or loss of expression of tight junctional proteins such as CLDNs can lead to cellular disorientation and detachment, which is commonly seen in neoplasia. Recent studies have suggested that claudin-1 (CLDN1) plays an important role in invasion and metastasis and claudin-4 (CLDN4) has a particular role in mammary glandular cell differentiation and carcinogenesis.

Inhibitory effect of 4-methylesculetin on hyaluronan synthesis slows the development of human pancreatic cancer in vitro and in nude mice.

We report the inhibitory effect of 4-methylesculetin (ME), a 4-methylumbelliferone derivative, on hyaluronan (HA) synthesis by pancreatic cancer cells, and its resulting anticancer action. First, HA in cell culture was analyzed using competitive inhibition with hyaluronic acid-binding protein (HABP) to study HA synthesis by the human pancreatic cancer cell line KP1-NK, and cell-surface HA was visualized using a particle-exclusion assay to study the synthesis of extracellular matrix HA. We also analyzed the inhibitory effect of ME on cell adhesion and invasion, which play a role in the invasion, growth and metastasis of human pancreatic cancer.