Detection of Merkel cell polyomavirus in multiple primary oral squamous cell carcinomas.

Oral microbiome studies have mainly focussed on bacteria, with the relationship between viruses and oral cancers remaining poorly understood. Oral cancers can develop even in the absence of any history of daily smoking or drinking. Oral cancer patients frequently have multiple primary cancers in the oral cavity and other organs, such as the upper gastrointestinal tract.

SPARC is associated with carcinogenesis of oral squamous epithelium and consistent with cell competition.

The matricellular protein, secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine (SPARC) is thought to be involved in cell competition. The objective of this study is to investigate the role of SPARC in cancerization of oral squamous epithelium. Clinical specimens from 57 pre- and early cancerous lesion, 66 invasive squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and controls were immunostained with SPARC.

Epigallocatechin-3-gallate modulates anti-oxidant defense enzyme expression in murine submandibular and pancreatic exocrine gland cells and human HSG cells.

Sjogren's syndrome (SS) and type-1 diabetes are prevalent autoimmune diseases in the USA. We reported previously that epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) prevented and delayed the onset of autoimmune disease in non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice, a model for both SS and type-1 diabetes. EGCG also normalized the levels of proteins related to DNA repair and anti-oxidant activity in NOD.

Epigallocatechin-3-gallate prevents autoimmune-associated down- regulation of p21 in salivary gland cells through a p53-independent pathway.

The submandibular salivary glands of non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice, a model for Sjogren's syndrome and type-1 diabetes, show an elevated level of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), a protein involved in cell proliferation and repair of DNA damage. We reported previously that epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), the most abundant green tea catechin, normalizes the PCNA level. PCNA's activity can be regulated by the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21, which is also important for epithelial cell differentiation.

Mucinous Cystadenoma in the Upper Lip: Report of Two Cases.

Mucinous cystadenoma of the salivary gland is a very rare disease, and only a few cases have been reported. We report here 2 cases of mucinous cystadenoma in the upper lip. The first case was a 57-year-old man and the second was a 42-year-old woman.

TCDD disrupts posterior palatogenesis and causes cleft palate.

Dioxins (e.g. 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin; TCDD) cause cleft palate at a high rate.

Low-grade myofibroblastic sarcoma of the palate.

Low-grade myofibroblastic sarcoma (LGMS) is a rare, malignant tumor with myofibroblastic differentiation. Despite it being classified as a distinct entity by the World Health Organization, a few cases were reported in the oral and maxillofacial region. Here, a LGMS developed on the palate of a 73-year-old man who presented with a 1-cm tumor on the posterior border of the palate.

Epigallocatechin-3-gallate modulates antioxidant and DNA repair-related proteins in exocrine glands of a primary Sjogren's syndrome mouse model prior to disease onset.

The autoimmune disorder primary Sjogren's syndrome (SS) is associated with xerostomia and xerophthalmia. SS pathogenesis involves both genetic/epigenetic and environmental factors. A major potential contributor is oxidative stress associated with damage to cellular components, including DNA.

Discovery and evaluation of selective N-type calcium channel blockers: 6-unsubstituted-1,4-dihydropyridine-5-carboxylic acid derivatives.

A structure-activity relationship study of 6-unsubstituted-1,4-dihydropyridine and 2,6-unsubstituted-1,4-dihydropyridine derivatives was conducted in an attempt to discover N-type calcium channel blockers that were highly selective over L-type calcium channel blockers. Among the tested compounds, (+)-4-(3,5-dichloro-4-methoxy-phenyl)-1,4-dihydro-pyridine-3,5-dicarboxylic acid 3-cinnamyl ester was found to be an effective and selective N-type calcium channel blocker with oral analgesic potential.

Enhanced expression of Toll-like receptor 2 in lesional tissues and peripheral blood monocytes of patients with oral lichen planus.

Some members of the Toll-like receptor (TLR) family, which plays key roles in both innate and adaptive immune responses, are involved in the pathogenesis of autoimmune, chronic inflammatory and infectious diseases. However, the role of TLR in the pathogenesis of oral lichen planus (OLP) has not been investigated. The aim of this study was to understand the roles of TLR in OLP.

Asymmetric synthesis and biological evaluations of (+)- and (-)-6-dimethoxymethyl-1,4-dihydropyridine-3-carboxylic acid derivatives blocking N-type calcium channels.

An efficient asymmetric synthesis of 1,4-dihydropyridine derivatives is described. The key step is the stereoselective Michael addition using t-butyl ester of L-valine as a chiral auxiliary to achieve good ee (>95% for all the tested experiments) and moderate yield. With this method, (+)-4-(3-chlorophenyl)-6-dimethoxymethyl-2-methyl-1,4-dihydropyridine-3,5-dicarboxylic acid cinnamyl ester was obtained and was characterized as a promising N-type calcium channel blocker with improved selectivity over L-type compared to its (-)- and racemic isomers.

[Effects of concurrent enteral hyperalimentation with chemo-radiotherapy in patients with oral cancer].

We compared the nutritional condition, immunological function, and frequency of adverse effects during concurrent chemoradiotherapy for oral cancer between patients simultaneously receiving enteral hyperalimentation (Racol) (n=20; EHA group) and patients receiving peripheral vein nutrition (n=20; PVN group). Although there was no significant difference in the change of body weight between the two groups, the decrease of plasma albumin values in the EHA group appeared later than in the PVN group. In the PVN group, the number of lymphocytes and lymphocyte blastogenesis significantly decreased on and after day 14.

Reactive oxygen species produced by the knockdown of manganese-superoxide dismutase up-regulate hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha expression in oral squamous cell carcinoma cells.

Hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha (HIF-1alpha) is a central regulator that controls the hypoxic response of mammalian cells through the induction of various target genes, and its expression contributes to the development and malignant progression of many tumors. We previously reported that some chemotherapeutic drugs and gamma-rays induce HIF-1alpha expression through increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cells. However, the mechanism by which intracellular ROS activate HIF-1alpha expression is poorly understood.

Combined evaluation of dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase and thymidine phosphorylate mRNA levels in tumor predicts the histopathological effect of 5-fluorouracil-based chemoradiotherapy.

Recent clinical studies have indicated that intra-tumoral gene expression levels of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) metabolism-related enzymes may predict the clinical response of several cancers to 5-FU-based chemotherapy. However, few studies examining oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCCs) have been reported. In this study, we determined the expression levels of 5-FU metabolism-related enzymes like thymidylate synthase (TS), dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD), thymidine phosphorylate (TP) and orotate phosphoribosyl transferase (OPRT) using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) combined with laser capture microdissection (LCM).

The structure-activity relationship study on 2-, 5-, and 6-position of the water soluble 1,4-dihydropyridine derivatives blocking N-type calcium channels.

In order to find an injectable and selective N-type calcium channel blocker, we have performed the structure-activity relationship (SAR) study on the 2-, 5-, and 6-position of 1,4-dihydropyridine-3-carboxylate derivative APJ2708 (2), which is a derivative of Cilnidipine and has L/N-type calcium channel dual inhibitory activities. As a consequence of the optimization, 6-dimethylacetal derivative 7 was found to have an effective inhibitory activity against N-type calcium channels with more than 170-fold lower activity for L-type channel compared to that of APJ2708.

Choroidal neovascularization in highly myopic eyes after cataract surgery.

Purpose: To determine the incidence and characteristics of choroidal neovascularization (CNV) in patients with high myopia (>or=8 diopters) who underwent cataract surgery in the Department of Ophthalmology, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, or the Ohno Eye Clinic, Tokyo, between September 1991 and March 2000.

Methods: The medical records of 35 patients (48 eyes) who underwent cataract surgery with phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implantation were studied retrospectively. The development of CNV over a 4-year follow-up period, and its characteristics were determined.

Structure-activity relationship study of 1,4-dihydropyridine derivatives blocking N-type calcium channels.

Cilnidipine is a 1,4-dihydropyridine derived L/N-type calcium channel dual blocker possessing neuroprotective and analgesic effects which are related to its N-type calcium channel inhibitory activity. In order to find specific N-type calcium channel blockers with the least effects on cardiovascular system, we performed structure-activity relationship study on APJ2708, which is a derivative of cilnidipine, and found a promising N-type calcium channel blocker 21b possessing analgesic effect in vivo with a 1600-fold lower activity against L-type calcium channels than that of cilnidipine.